

Side Hustle Pro
Nicaila Matthews Okome | Side Hustle Pro Media
Side Hustle Pro spotlights bold black women entrepreneurs who have scaled from side hustle to profitable business. Join Chief Side Hustler turned full-time entrepreneur Nicaila Matthews Okome for your weekly installment of Side Hustle Pro and learn actionable strategies to start small and get going–wherever and whoever you are. Side Hustle Pro features interviews with inspiring Black women entrepreneurs who started out as side hustlers, including interviews with Myleik Teele, Morgan DeBaun, Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 27, 2019 • 47min
175: REWIND: Meet Janice Bryant Howroyd: The first African American Woman To Run A $1-Billion Business
Today’s episode is a REWIND episode with Janice Bryant Howroyd, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The ACT-1 Group, the largest privately held, woman-owned workforce solutions company founded in the U.S. I love this episode because Janice exudes confidence, energy, and just makes you want to walk into a room and take up space. As Auntie Janice (as I now refer to her in my head) likes to say, “knowledge married to experience breeds confidence.” When you have the experience and knowledge you must own that confidence. I listened to this episode twice as I was riding to the Today Show for my appearance in August 2018, and it really did give me confidence. I often re-listen to this episode whenever I’m nervous about rising to a new level in my business. I’m excited for you to hear Janice share how she became the first African American woman to operate a company that generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher This episode is brought to you by: Skillshare Skillshare is offering Side Hustle Pro listeners 2 months of unlimited Skillshare classes for FREE. To sign up, go to Skillshare.com/sidehustlepro. Gusto Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country. Sign up and give it a try at gusto.com/shp. Links mentioned in this episode Side Hustle Pro Newsletter Act-1 Group Project Upward Bound Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO) WEConnect International National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale As A Man Thinketh by James Allen Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Janice Byrant Howard (Twitter) - @JBryantHowroyd Janice Bryrant Howard (Instagram) - @jbryanthowroyd Janice Bryrant Howard (Facebook) -@JaniceBryantHowroyd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 21, 2019 • 50min
174: Ask Nicaila Anything: How I pay taxes, My biggest challenges getting started and more!
I’m in the guest chair this week answering your questions! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify. Gusto Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country. Sign up and give it a try at gusto.com/shp. Links mentioned in this episode Podcast Moguls How To Write a Killer Cold Email Arsha Jones’s Side Hustle Pro episode Therapy for Black Girls: Why Do We Procrastinate? Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 13, 2019 • 39min
173: How Podcasting Helped Me Find My Voice and My Purpose
I’m in the guest chair this week talking about how podcasting helped me figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Growing up, people often told me I was a good writer and I was fascinated by how people got jobs on TV, so when I learned about the profession of broadcast journalism, I thought the combo of writing and TV was the perfect fit. I pursued a Communications degree in undergrad and had a number of internships for major companies, but I graduated not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. The quest to determine how best to combine my interests and skills would continue for most of my life. In the summer of 2015 when I first learned about podcasts things started to take shape. I started contemplating launching my own, and in June 2016 I did just that! I could have never imagined I would be here with Side Hustle Pro a little over three years later. In this episode, I explain how podcasting has allowed me to see how I can use my voice and my experiences to impact others for the better. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify. This episode is brought to you by: FreshBooks Try FreshBooks FREE for 30 days. Go to freshbooks.com/sidehustlepro and enter SIDE HUSTLE PRO in the how did you hear about us section to get started. Links mentioned in this episode Podcast Moguls Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements How to Grow Your Brand Through Podcasting Join me THIS THURSDAY, November 14 at 8:00 PM EST to learn how to stand out as a podcaster, how to market your podcast and so much more. Register here: PodcastMoguls.com Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 6, 2019 • 52min
172: Entrepreneur in Residence Check-In with Lisa Pegram, Founder of Belle 51
Today in the guest chair, we have our Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Lisa Pegram. She is a Data Scientist who launched a cutting-edge home laser for melanated skin. Listen to Episode 155 to hear when she was first introduced to Side Hustle Pro listeners. She has built a career in analytics and is currently in pursuit of her PhD at Columbia where she studies meta-cognition and data sciences. At the time of our last conversation, she was getting ready to launch her business Belle 51; a company dedicated to the specific woes of black and brown skin. Belle 51’s first product is Solèy, the first home laser therapy device that can achieve rapid clearing results at home for all skin types, particularly black and brown tones for whom existing laser technology has until now been ineffective or unsafe. Let’s check in with Lisa to see where she is in her entrepreneur journey. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify This episode is brought to you by: FreshBooks Try FreshBooks FREE for 30 days. Go to freshbooks.com/sidehustlepro and enter SIDE HUSTLE PRO in the how did you hear about us section to get started. Skillshare Skillshare is offering Side Hustle Pro listeners 2 months of unlimited Skillshare classes for FREE. To sign up, go to Skillshare.com/sidehustlepro Links mentioned in this episode Belle 51 Tidio chat app Side Hustle Pro Newsletter Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Belle 51 - @belle51co Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 30, 2019 • 45min
171: How this CEO Opened a Successful Bed & Breakfast on the Side (Lisa Brown Alexander of Wellspring Manor & Spa)
Today in the guest chair, we have Lisa Brown Alexander, Founder, and CEO of Nonprofit HR, and owner of the Wellspring Manor & Spa. I’ve interviewed a lot of side hustlers, but it’s not often that I interview a side hustler who is not an employee at their full-time job, but the CEO! Lisa was driven to serve the often-overlooked human resources needs for the social impact sector, and that is what first led her to found Nonprofit HR, now a 50-plus employee organization and the leading talent management firm in the country that works exclusively with the nonprofit sector. It took her about 15 years to build a solid team at Nonprofit HR, that would allow her to take a step back and focus on other initiatives. One initiative was opening the Wellspring Manor & Spa with her husband. It is an oasis of peace, quiet, and renewal created for guests seeking a relaxing, wellness-infused experience. Neither she nor her husband had a background in hospitality, but they purchased a property and launched within a year. In today’s episode, you will find out what led her to create the Wellspring Manor and Spa, even though she already had a booming career AND how she juggles being the boss at Nonprofit HR and at Wellspring Manor and Spa. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify This episode is brought to you by: Heat Free Hair Heat Free Hair is offering Side Hustle Pro listeners 15% off your first purchase when you use our code “SideHustlePro” at checkout. To take advantage of this offer, head over to heatfreehair.com, and use code “SideHustlePro.” Links mentioned in this episode Side Hustle Pro Newsletter Nonprofit HR Wellspring Manor & Spa Kendra Barnes’s Side Hustle Pro episode Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Knowledge Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Lisa Brown Alexander - @nonprofithrceo Wellspring Manor (Instagram) - @wellspringmanorandspa Wellspring Manor (Facebook) - @wellspringmanor Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 23, 2019 • 1h 13min
170: How Black Women Can Build Legacy Wealth (w/ Dr. Pamela Jolly)
Today in the guest chair we are exploring a topic that is near and dear to my heart: legacy wealth building in the African-American community. And there is no better person to break down this topic than today’s guest, Dr. Pamela Jolly. Dr. Jolly is a graduate of Hampton University (B.S.), The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania (MBA), Boston University School of Theology ((Th.M.), and the Graduate Theological Foundation (Ed.D). She started her career in banking and eventually saw a need to leverage her corporate experiences to assist minority business enterprises to grow. So, in 2004, she launched Torch Enterprises Inc., a firm committed to developing minority enterprises capable of arriving at legacy wealth both individually and corporately for their communities. For over a decade, she has been committed to developing data-driven strategies that lead to wealth as a legacy in the African American Community. Dr. Jolly uses her extensive background in financial services, strategy, community development, and theology, to help entrepreneurs and organizations succeed. In today’s episode, we get into: Why if you don’t have a good relationship with money, you don’t have a good relationship with TIME Why wealth is more than money How we can begin to build and chart our path to wealth Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher This episode is brought to you by: Links mentioned in this episode Side Hustle Pro Newsletter NarrowRoad™ : A Guide to Legacy Wealth Podcast Moguls Dangerous Dreamers: The Financial Innovators from Charles Merrill to Michael Milken Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Pamela Jolly - @Pamela Jolly Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 18, 2019 • 54min
169: How Karleen Roy Created A Boutique Creative Agency for Celebrity Clients
Today in the guest chair, we have Karleen Roy, a woman who is as extraordinary as the events she creates. She is the Founder of The Vanity Group, a boutique creative agency specializing in bespoke events and luxury services. After graduating from Howard University, she moved to New York to take an unpaid internship at Island Def Jam. Her hard work spoke for itself and she was eventually hired as a senior executive assistant at Bad Boy Entertainment. Her boss, Sean “Diddy” Combs trusted her to coordinate the efforts of his multi-million dollar business entities, external partnerships and talent relationships, and so much more. The confidence, expertise and international connections Karleen developed over the course of her career inspired her to strike out on her own and launch The Vanity Group. Karleen now specializes in producing magical moments and it shows. The Vanity Group quickly became the firm of choice for a variety of corporate clients and A-list celebrities, from Justin Bieber and Kobe Bryant to Cardi B and DJ Khaled. Karleen and her staff of luxury lifestyle curators understand the needs of high-profile individuals, and the “no-excuses” work ethic they expect. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher This episode is brought to you by: FreshBooks Try FreshBooks FREE for 30 days. Go to freshbooks.com/sidehustlepro and enter SIDE HUSTLE PRO in the how did you hear about us section to get started. Links mentioned in this episode Side Hustle Pro Newsletter The Vanity Group Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Karleen Roy - @karleenroy The Vanity Group - @thevanitygroup Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 17, 2019 • 57min
168: LIVE PODCAST! How to Play Big and Get These Coins, Sis
On Wednesday, October 9, Personal Branding Strategist Maya Elious and I had a live onstage conversation about how to play big and get these coins. Maya went from running a design agency for 6 years to helping women master their message and make an impact in their industry and monetize their gifts. She’s personally helped me to level up in my business and for my very first live podcast, I couldn’t think of a more fitting guest! On today’s episode we dish on: How she evolved from creating MySpace pages to coaching women to monetize their gifts How she went from thinking small to playing big and expecting more How to really use content marketing to serve your community and keep those customers coming back How to get and keep these coins! OUR LIVE PODCAST CONVERSATION WAS POWERED BY VERIZON Check out how Verizon is supporting small and medium-sized businesses at sidehustlepro.co/verizon Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher This episode is brought to you by: Heat Free Hair Heat Free Hair is offering Side Hustle Pro listeners 15% off your first purchase when you use our code “SideHustlePro” at checkout. To take advantage of this offer, head over to heatfreehair.com, and use code “SideHustlePro.” Links mentioned in this episode Side Hustle Pro Newsletter Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Maya Elious - @mayaelious Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 2, 2019 • 59min
167: How Rochelle Porter Launched Her Apparel and Lifestyle Brand While Working Full-Time
Today in the guest chair, we have Rochelle Porter, also known as the “Print Queen.” She is a designer who has never met a blank surface she didn’t want to draw on. But, she nearly abandoned the idea of being a designer when she learned of the unethical labors practice in the fast fashion industry. After learning this, she pursued a career in a variety of industries including investment banking and communications. At her lowest moment, she found an eviction notice on the door. It was at that moment she knew something had to change, so she made the move back to Atlanta. Slowly but surely, clues that she should look into fashion again started coming into her life and she took them as a sign to get moving. She did her research and launched her lifestyle brand that specializes in responsibly made fashion and home decor all while holding down steady consulting gigs. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher This episode is brought to you by: FreshBooks Try FreshBooks FREE for 30 days. Go to freshbooks.com/sidehustlepro and enter SIDE HUSTLE PRO in the how did you hear about us section to get started. Skillshare Skillshare is offering Side Hustle Pro listeners 2 months of unlimited Skillshare classes for FREE. To sign up, go to Skillshare.com/sidehustlepro Links mentioned in this episode Side Hustle Pro Live Show Side Hustle Pro Newsletter Rochelle Porter Profit First by Mike Michalowicz Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Attend Side Hustle Pro Live! Side Hustle Pro Live is coming to DC on October 9! Featuring a live onstage conversation with special guest Maya Elious, a pre-show shopping experience with Black women small business owners, and a live audience Q&A - the show will be an exciting night of the Side Hustle Pro podcast come to life! Get tickets here: sidehustlepro.co/live Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Rochelle Porter Design: @roporterdesign Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 27, 2019 • 54min
166: How Charis Jones Crossed the $2 Million Mark With Sassy Jones Boutique
This week we have a bonus episode with Charis Jones, owner of Sassy Jones Boutique in the guest chair! Sassy Jones is an award-winning accessory brand that specializes in exquisite pieces for the ‘sassy sophisticated girl on the go. Sassy Jones has both a brick-and-mortar store located in Richmond, Virginia and an online store and thousands of customers all over the world tune in weekly every Wednesday night to shop during their “Sparkle Parties.” I’ve been fascinated by how Charis grew her boutique into a 7-figure business, so I had to have her in the guest chair. If you have an e-commerce business and are experiencing stagnant growth, this is the episode for you! On today’s episode, we talk about: How Charis was first called to side hustling and entrepreneurship after she kept getting laid off How she uses her background as a top-ranking sales professional in major corporations to inform her sales and customer service strategy How being a Mom of 4-year old twin boys kicked her hustle into overdrive Her approach to paid marketing that helped her business grow from $365K in revenue to $2.6M the next year Her fun differentiation techniques including weekly virtual Sparkle parties online which bring in huge sales days and happy customers I learned a TON from Charis in this episode, including the mental shift I need to personally make to take my business to the next level. I can’t wait for you to hear so visit sidehustlepro.co/sassyjones to listen! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher This episode is brought to you by: Heat Free Hair Heat Free Hair is offering Side Hustle Pro listeners 15% off your first purchase when you use our code “SideHustlePro” at checkout. To take advantage of this offer, head over to heatfreehair.com, and use code “SideHustlePro.” Links mentioned in this episode Side Hustle Pro Live Show Side Hustle Pro Newsletter Sassy Jones Traffic Sales & Profit Dare To Lead by Brené Brown Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Attend Side Hustle Pro Live! Side Hustle Pro Live is coming to DC on October 9! Featuring a live onstage conversation with special guest Maya Elious, a pre-show shopping experience with Black women small business owners, and a live audience Q&A - the show will be an exciting night of the Side Hustle Pro podcast come to life! Get tickets here: sidehustlepro.co/live Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject. Social Media Info Sassy Jones - @shopsassyjones Charis N Jones - @charisnjones Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


