Entrepreneurial training group provides big marketing success

READY FOR THE NEXT ADVENTURE—Former television personality and current emcee, host, moderator, panelist, keynote speaker and entrepreneur Darieth Chisolm of Hustle and Heart TV is set to conduct a Promoting with Podcasting workshop on April 23. (Photos by Diane I. Daniels)
TEACHING BY EXAMPLE—Terina Hicks of Cobbler World Baked Goods will share her experience May 13 during a round table discussion on product distribution.
Date Published: 
Wednesday, April 22, 2015

READY FOR THE NEXT ADVENTURE--Former television personality and current emcee, host, moderator, panelist, keynote speaker and entrepreneur Darieth Chisolm of Hustle and Heart TV is set to conduct a Promoting with Podcasting workshop on April 23. (Photos by Diane I. Daniels)

TEACHING BY EXAMPLE--Terina Hicks of Cobbler World Baked Goods will share her experience May 13 during a round-table discussion on product distribution.

Most business owners are looking for ways to increase their bottom line. One key way is by having a strong marketing strategy. By utilizing various mediums of social media, using podcasts, to product distribution, it all contributes to taking a business to the next level.

For the last several months the Women Empowered for Entrepreneurial Excellence has been hosting a series of workshops aiming to provide business owners of all sizes with creative, practical insights and affordable tools geared toward strengthening and increasing the bottom line of their business.

Thursday, April 23 at 10 a.m. WEEE is sponsoring; Promoting with Podcasting featuring Darieth Chisolm and Wednesday, May 13 a business roundtable on the topic of distribution will be conducted by Scott Baker and Terina Hicks. "We are very fortunate to have such experienced professionals like Darieth, Scott and Terina to participate in our Big Marketing for Success in Your Small Business Marketing series," said WEEE founder and CEO Alice Williams. "I also appreciate the expertise of Donna Baxter of Soul Pitt Media who recently conducted the social media workshop. Her session was so informative and insightful that people are requesting to have her return." Williams pointed out that this week's Promoting with Podcasting event is open to anyone looking for ways to leverage their current marketing efforts, especially entrepreneurs and small business owners.

"Podcasting is the fastest growing medium available for entrepreneurs to build brand, influence and income," said Chisolm who currently coaches entrepreneurs to strategize on ways to create and launch their own video and audio podcast shows. In 2014 she launched a video podcast show, Hustle and Heart TV with Darieth Chisolm. During the shows, she interviews who she calls inspiring and successful people that showcases their strategies, rituals and principles for success. Interviews have included, Baxter, former Pittsburgh Steeler Byron Batch, Roberto Clemente Jr., Chuck Sanders, Sabrina Saunders and Candi Castleberry Singleton.

Hustle and Heart, Chisolm said she has a number one rated top podcast status on iTunes with subscribers and viewers in several different countries and Hustle and Heart TV was also nominated as Best Video Podcast for the 10th Annual Podcast Awards. Chisolm said the show is available on five different platforms, iTunes, Video and Audio, Stitcher Radio, YouTube and athttp://www.HustleandHeartTV.com.

Wikipedia defines distribution as the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user, using direct means, or using indirect means with intermediaries. Excited for Baker to share his expertise in how to get one's products out to the consumer, Williams says on May 13 participants will learn from who she considers a master distributor. Baker, of 5 Generations Bakers, she says definitely understands the distribution process.

Bakers' product, Gourmet Cinnamon Swirl Bread on a wholesale level is sold in access in more than 900 stores between New York and St. Louis. Locally the bread is sold in the bakery departments of some Giant Eagle and Shop and Save Stores as well as Kuhn's Markets.

A family based business once known as Jenny Lee Bakery; Baker started 5 Generations Bakers in 2010 after the family business of over 70 years never fully recovered from a fire in 2006.

A neophyte in business compared to Baker, Hicks, according to Williams has a tremendous amount of knowledge to offer entrepreneurs because she is striving to position her business, Cobbler World Baked Goods to the level of 5 Generations Bakers. Hicks describe her business as a distributor of baked goods. Her products include cobblers, sweet potato cheesecakes and sweet potato pound cakes.

Based in McKees Rocks, a neighboring Pittsburgh borough along the south bank of the Ohio River, WEEEs mission is to stimulate and support sustainable economic growth and prosperity for a diverse population of women by providing microenterprise businesses with strategies, resources and business incubation, and serves as a trusted source for information and guidance.

In addition to providing workshops and trainings at its 620 Island Avenue site WEEE offers classes, lectures, seminars and other programs designed to educate and inspire and sessions to start and grow businesses. Programming includes, Accounting Basics for Small Business, QuickBooks, Protocol to Basics, Personal Finance and Credit Repair and Bridging Personal and Business Finance. WEEE, a member of the National Business Incubation Association is certified to conduct the Operation Jump Start and GrowthWheel national training programs and is a Kiva Zip Pittsburgh trustee.

WEEE also offers shared office space complete with the amenities of a full-service office, but at a fraction of the cost. Services include; individual workstations, wireless high-speed internet, access to conference rooms, printing, copying and local/long distance faxing, office support, storage options, priority access to WEEE workshops and programming, access to the WEEE business library and on-site business mentoring and coaching.

"I am good at what I do, and that's offering personalized online fitness training, nutrition plans, and physical personal training, and health and safety classes," says Latisha Burns, founder of My Lifestyle: Wellness Consulting. "WEEE has assisted me tremendously in the process of properly organizing and starting my business as well as showing me ways to creatively market the business and to generate income. The upcoming podcast and distribution events are two other aspects for me to look to assist in the growth of my business."

The April 23 and May 13 sessions will be held in the WEEE Fireside Room. For more information, call 412-301-1831 or register online athttp://www.weeeincubator.org.

Source: Daniels, DianeI., http://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/2015/04/22/entrepreneurial-trainin...