2011 Featured Women in Business--Jamie Flemings

Full name: Jamie Fleming

Name of your Company: Mocha Writer, LLC

Position: Founder & Freelance Copywriter

Website address: http://mochawriter.com

Year Founded: 2009

Tell us about yourself and your business:

I’m a writer and blogger from GA. Admittedly, I’m somewhat of a work-a-holic, but in my spare time, I love to read, do my nails, spend time with my loves and just enjoy life.

Mocha Writer is a freelance copywriting service specializing in creating fabulous content for small, women-owned businesses and working with other small businesses, start-ups and individuals. I write copy for blogs, newsletters, articles and more. Additionally, I run a women’s lifestyle blog, for colored gurls.

What inspired you to start a business?

Honestly, I started my business because I couldn’t find a job in media after I graduated from college. Writing has been a passion of mine since I was little, and I knew it was the career I wanted to pursue. However, since I couldn’t find a job, I decided to create a career for myself instead of waiting around. Now that I’m doing this, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I really enjoy helping people achieve their business goals.

Share one business goal: My primary business goal is to help other women and entrepreneurs achieve their dreams and goals with my services.

What would you say contributes to your success?

Determination. This journey has not been an easy one, but I think the fact that I’m persistent and haven‘t given up has made me successful.

What advice would you give an aspiring entrepreneur?

If it’s something you really want to do and you’re passionate about it, don’t give up. It might take you a long time to get where you want to be in your business, but if you’re determined and persistent, you will get where you want to be.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to dream big and go after whatever it is you want in life.

Anything else you want to mention about your business?

I have a blog based on my business, Mocha Writes. The purpose of it is to help people succeed in both their personal and professional lives.

If anyone has questions about what I do, feel free to contact me: Jamie Fleming [at] mocha writer [dot] com. 

Warm Regards,

LaTersa Blakely

Need Great Baby Shower Gifts?--Click here!

Do You Think Free Stuff For Your Business Is Good!

Do you think receiving free stuff is good for your business?  Well, I want to share with you a few tips on why getting things free may not always be best for you.  When I first started my business, I need a good website. I went with Vistaprint because it was very cheap and I needed a website to show case my diaper cakes.  Well, little did I know, you don't have any rights to your website, and you have to do a lot of coding and sale listing manually.  When It came time for me to check google analytics on my site, they told me I didn't have any rights. I mean don't get me wrong, at the early stages of your business, it could serve its purpose, but eventually, as your business starts to grows, you will have to purchase a website through some other company.  But on the other side of this, Vistaprint is a great company for get printing materials, such as business cards, flyers, banners, and etc.  I have been getting my marketing material from them for years! By December, 2010, I had my an Aha moment, and I then realized that something had to give. Either I was going to keep getting frustrated with the limitations that I had with my current website, or I was going to get another website designer and hosting company. 

2) Article writing:  What do I mean by this, if you are in business, sometimes, you might need someone to edit your work and check for grammatical errors.  Well, this one I had to learn the hard way, allowing others to proofread your work for free can sometimes be a headache.  Remember, when someone is doing something for free, they can take their sweet time.  See, from their stand point, they are doing you a favor!  I would recommend that you invest in yourself and your business. Pay a professional to edit your work for you and Jamie at Mocha Writer has excellent services and very affordable prices.  Even if you have to go without a manicure for a couple of times, in the end, you will be glad you did.  Now, when it comes to a great and affordable website, I would recommend LaTreeka Williams at Diva-Designz. 

I hope this helps you when you are deciding on going with a priced option versus a free option.  Best wishes to you and your business and you have a million dollar day!

Warm Regards,
LaTersa Blakely

Need a great baby shower gift? Click here

Need a great web design? Click here

4 Mistakes to avoid when starting your own business

Have you ever wondered about or are in the process of starting your own business? Well, I wanted to share with you some common mistakes to avoid when starting your own business.  For those of you who don't know me and for those of you who already know me, my name is LaTersa Blakely, owner of Baby Diaper Cakes and Beyond by LaTersa.  I'm a mother of two beautiful children (Ishmael (4) and Sarah (2) and the proud wife of Eric Blakely.  I started my company in 2010 and let me tell you it has been a learning experience for me.  I wanted you to know that just like you, I too made mistakes along the way and I am learning from them.  The first mistake to avoid is Don't do it alone. What I mean by that is that for the first couple of months of getting my business started, I was trying to do everything myself.  I love working on the computer and trying new programs, but even a computer geek needs some help along the way.  I have since then became a person of strong might and asking others for help and when money allows me to, I purchase services from other experts to get the job done quickly. This will free me up some time to do what I do best; continue designing baby shower and bridal shower favors and gifts.

Write your business plan before starting your business.  I made the mistake of trying to get all of my products seen by others before even having a clear plan as to how I was going to market them.  You need your blue print etched and stone to help you have a sense of directions.  As the old saying goes; you don't know where you're going if you don't map out your directions.  That's a true statement within itself.  Even if you don't know exactly how to write a business plan, start by brain storming and writing down your ideas and things you would like to accomplish within your business. Once you do that, get a mentor or someone in that field of expertise to help you create a great business plan. One place to start is the www.score.org. Score is nationwide and local. Just go to the web site and type in your location and you can choose from mentors in your area.  Once you have your business plan, you can pretty much see a blue print and have some sense of direction instead of just working.

Do not tell others your plan.  When you're are getting ready to step out on faith and follow your dreams, not everyone is going to be in agreement with you.  I had to learn this the HARD way.  For those of you who really know me, you know that when i have a great ideal or even the smallest thing makes me happy and very excited.  I would talk about my plans of how I was going to start my own business and be my own boss to just about everyone who would listen. I was so thrilled and just over joyed that I had finally found my niche, my passion, my dream, and purpose.  I took my desire to make people smile, making gift baskets and turned it into to a business.  It wasn't until later, that I added diaper cakes to put a spin on my business.  I had people to tell me that it was not going to make it and that people wouldn't buy diaper cakes, and gift baskets because that's not a real job.  So, what i did was let all that negative talk go in one ear and out the other.  If there's one thing you will get to know about me, is when people say I can't, that's my motivation to prove them wrong.  So, the next time you have a great ideal or want to start something new, keep it between you and God and maybe one or two people within your close circle.  Everyone will not believe in your dreams, but as long as you believe in them and in God, then he will definitely bring it to pass.

Don't Give up! I can not stress this enough! Anytime you want something great or starting something great, there will be some obstacles that you must go through.  There have been times, that I've felt like giving up, but that little voice inside of me won't let me rest.  This is where you have to rely on your faith in God and surround yourself with like minded and positive people.  Your inner circle of friends and family will be there to uplift you when you're feeling down.  Keep your eye on the prize and block out everything else that's hindering you from being successful.  This may mean sometimes, you have to let people go.  This could be family members, friends, or co-workers.  What every you have to do, to keep your mind healthy so you can function right, by all means, do that.  I hope this will inspire you or even help you to give your business another chance.  If you need any assistance or even want to check out my business, you can do so by calling me go to my website for clarity.

Successfully yours,
LaTersa Blakely,
http://www.diapercakesbylatersa.com
256-603-5353