Learning Business from Kids, Really!

Posted on October 2, 2017 by MarleneMB

The day after Hurricane Irma hit Orlando, FL, I spent time with my nieces and nephew. Little did I know that they were going to teach me how to operate in business.

Yes. These are valuable points they taught me:

To be innovative when thinking of my customer

Avoid the pitfalls in business

Have a Plan A, B and C!

Take time to rest – Balance Life

Great Teamwork and Leadership are important for a business to succeed.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. Marlene is the owner of Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a Keynote Speaker, an Author and a Business Consultant.

There Are Times When I Don’t Want to Write

Posted on June 4, 2017 by MarleneMB

The commitment I made to write everyday for 100 days, consecutively, is not always easy to do. There are days like this one that I don’t feel the creative juices flowing. My muses are all still sleeping.

But I get out of the bed, put on my workout clothes (workout is now one of my rewards for writing) and sit in front of the laptop (okay the Chromebook)! Then, I let the thoughts flow, like these, of exactly what is roaming about in my pretty little head…one of my brothers have said that I have a peanut head…guess that is little enough.

Writing for at least 15-30 minutes shouldn’t be so daunting. Yet, the times like this one, are like riding that mountain bike up that last hill before you get to the finish line. You have to decide whether to quit at this moment, or do you just push on through the pain to get across that goal line.

Here I am pushing through the fog. Did I tell you that there are fogs floating in my brain? How can a peanut head have fog? I don’t know, but it seems I do. Thank goodness there is a cure for this: Caffeine!

The will to write can be strengthened by just writing. The thing that motivates me is that I’m not writing for myself. The message that is inside of me (screaming to get out} is meant to be shared with others. My message may help someone else.

So it is with your message. If you don’t feel like writing, or you doubt what you write will be good enough…write anyway. Write in the mindset that it’s not for you.

Write about a problem that you encountered and how you solved it. Write about love. Remember, love conquers all. Write about arguing with yourself about buying that pair of shoes. Okay, maybe that was me arguing with myself about the shoes. Recovering addict here.

The point is, just sit and write. Just maybe, maybe you will surprise yourself with the outcome.

Now to reward myself with 30 minutes of workout. Happy writing.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. Marlene is the owner of Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a Keynote Speaker, an Author and a Business Consultant.

Be Your Own Valentine – Love Your Mind

Posted on February 14, 2017 by MarleneMB

Today is recognized globally as the day of love, Valentine’s Day. It is great that we recognize and appreciate that we love others. But what about loving ourselves. You can’t truly love until you love yourself.

As an entrepreneur, it is easy to get lost in the hustle, to grind till you drop. But at what cost? I’m guilty of that. In fact, I’ve been accused many times of being a workaholic! Sadly, it’s true. I’m learning to dial back a bit without the fear of losing my edge.

One thing I’ve learned is that I have to love myself more. That means allowing myself time to rest, exercise and feed my mind. Making the time to get all this done while still doing the things I need to get done for my clients is a challenge. So I have learned to maximize my time, effectively.

This is where Audible comes in. I invested in the monthly subscription for Audible. As much as I love to read, I don’t always have the time to stop and read. Audible app provides me the opportunity to listen to a book while I am driving, exercising, waiting for an appointment or cooking. Now I’m hooked on listening to professional and personal development books.

Often, I listen to three books at different times throughout the week. Currently, I’m listening to The Power of Broke by Daymond John (Shark Tank) and Daniel Paisner. The stories that they share about other entrepreneurs are both inspirational and informative.

The book provide tips that I can use in my business, especially for controlling my budget while making a pivotal change in direction. It also gives me a feeling of “I’ve got this!”

While listening to some of the Audible books, I have uttered “Yeah!” or “Amen!” on the treadmill at the gym. Needless to say, I’ve gotten some “what’s with her” looks.

What’s the bottom line? Making the time to enrich yourself mentality will help your grind game. Take the time to Be Your Own Valentine and Love Your Mind!

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Monday Morning Startup Business Tips

Posted on November 14, 2016 by MarleneMB

It’s not easy making the decision to start your own business. Here a quick video with a few tips to get you going.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. She is currently member of the Public Relations Team. She provides her services to over 3800 members throughout the district. Marlene is the owner of Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a Speaker, an Author and a Business Manger/Agent for Professional Speakers.

Magic in Manhattan

Posted on June 18, 2015 by MarleneMB

Buckets of rain kept pouring down as we drove through the streets of Manhattan. My nephew maneuvered in and around the traffic to get me to my book signing event at Sister’s Uptown Bookstore. He was determined to get me there on-time for my “Special Event” as he called it.

The torrential rain was just another obstacle I had to face on Tuesday. The day started with me arriving at the airport only to be told that my flight. This was cancelled due to some difficulties at the arriving airport. My heart almost stopped! I told the valet that there is no way I will miss getting to New York that day. I had my book signing after all. He instructed me to go to the main reservation desk.

Wheeling my bags frantically and praying unceasingly, I found one of the JetBlue personnel who directed me to the front of a line. She told me someone would be able to help me. When I approached the counter the young man said there is a seat available at the same time to JFK instead of Westchester, my original destination. I told him I would take it. A little over an hour later I was on my way to New York.

Knowing that I made it to NYC on-time gave me the strength I needed to be optimistic that folks will turn out for the book signing despite the rain. This faith proved to be true. When we walked into the store, I was greeted by one of my sorority sisters. She came all the way from Sheepshead Bay to support me. This was more than an hours ride on the train.

Not long after, others turned out for the event. My heart was filled with joy as my friends and family came out to support me. I saw folks I hadn’t seen in years, including my brother that lives in the United Kingdom. This will be one of my favorite moments in this journey called “Life!”

If you are faced with obstacles today, here is what I recommend:

Don’t give up.
Take a deep breath and believe that it will work out.
Have faith in yourself that you are strong enough to handle it.
Enlist the aid of others that will take some of the burden off you.
Push forward and see the magic unfold.

It was a thrill to be able to conduct one of my book signing in one of the few books stores left in Harlem. I am so grateful to the owner, Jenifar (I even like the way she spells her name), and her assistant in being such wonderful hosts. If you are in Harlem, check them out at 1942 Amsterdam Ave. They were a part of my Magic in Manhattan.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. She is currently the District 47 Public Relations Officer, and leader of the Public Relations Team. She provides her services to over 3800 members throughout the district. Marlene is the owner of Marlene M. Bryan, Corp and Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a speaker, an author, and a coach.