Who is 7ady in red? She is...A Woman

This week, I want to tell you about how being a woman has impacted my business. As in my previous post, “Who is 7ady in Red? She is: Black” you know that I love mentoring. I believe that it is very important that women have great mentors and examples to look up to.

There is definitely an increase in entrepreneurs that are women and women in business, but there is also an increase in women who are being oversexualized. Personally, I could go on and on about women on TV who don't represent the female race appropriately (check out this past blog post ), especially being role models to younger children who look up to them. I don’t want young women emulating the “Miley Cyrus’s” or “Nikki Minaj’s” of the world. These women use their bodies to attract men, make money, and creates male gaze. They are not women who I believe, should be calling themselves role models or idols to young girls.

I don’t want my 4 year old niece shaking her behind like these women do. I don’t want my friends’ kids to think that the only way to gain acceptance from society is to get 1000’s “likes” from men who are imagining what they would do to you in bed when you post pictures of your breasts and buttocks on Instagram for all to see.

I also can’t make these women stop. They are making money off of the ideology of ‘sex’ and I don’t think they plan on stopping anytime soon. I can only use my influence to be better. Now, by no means am I perfect. I’m not the greatest mentor at all times, but I try to encourage younger girls to be great--that’s all. Girls need good role models in life, especially ones that are in their community.

I feel that having my own business helped me with my self-esteem and self-image. Having my own business made me realize how awesome and sweet I am. If it helped me, it can help other young ladies as well.

This week's identity was: "being a woman." The following weeks will include being a student, a Detroiter, and more. You don't have to agree with me to follow me, I just want you to learn and know who I am. Feel free to ask questions if you need further understanding. Don't forget do your own research.

If you want to support me feel free to ask me about my marketing services I offer. I try to offer services for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Create, Build and Prosper,

-Asia CEO/ Owner of 7ady in Red

The Paradox of Women Business Owners

Why the World Needs Women Entrepreneurs

Who is the 7ady in Red? She is...Black

Photography by Shante Fagans Photography 

Now I'm hoping that I educate a few people today. To me being black is an important part of me, as I am a black woman who has a business, so it is a part of my brand. To me the black business movement does not mean forget all the other small businesses. It means that statistically support for black businesses is very small, (check out the links below) even in our own community. Therefor efforts to help black businesses and support them are needed.

Supporting my community is important to me because I come from Detroit and one of my dreams is to help rebuild it. I'm also a black woman and I hope to rebuild the black community and mentor young people to be the best they can be. To do this, I constantly support and encourage others to support black businesses, businesses run by women, and small businesses. I think that there are many corporations that don't care about people, especially black people and other minorities. So, make it my job to encourage others to care about the amazing work these individuals do.

I have to care about black business because it's a part of me. I can't wake up and not be black. I can try to ignore it, but it's always there. I know my people need me. So, I support them and encourage them. Like I said, this doesn't mean forget about all other small businesses. This means I just know that the black community needs me and this is a part of me, a very important awesome part of me. If I don't care, who will?

I want everyone to see that my community is filled with kings, queens, business associates, entrepreneurs, mentors, and other positive images. To do this I have to support my people, make sure I have a positive image, and encourage others to do so as well. This doesn't mean ignore the oppression or hardships my community faces (but that's another blog for another day).

Being black is who I am and just one of my many great identities. It influenced why I started my own business, just like several of my other identities.I want all my followers, friends and clients to know who I am. Therefore every week I will be talking about an identity of mine that influenced my passion and my business.

This week's identity was: "being black." The following weeks will include being a woman, a student, a Detroiter, and more. You don't have to agree with me to follow me, I just want you to learn and know who I am. Feel free to ask questions if you need further understanding. Don't forget do your own research.

If you want to support me feel free to ask me about my marketing services I offer. I try to offer services for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Create, Build and Prosper,



Asia CEO/ Owner of 7ady in Red

Important links

Black Small Business Owners Get Left Out Of Loans
Black Business Statistics

Got Interns?: Resources for Finding Interns for Your Business

Small businesses need assistance, too! Sometimes that assistance is in the form of an intern. Depending on whether the intern is paid or unpaid (with the use of college credit), will determine the kind of task they may accomplish. If you need an intern feel free to complete my form and I will send your info to those interested. Also check out the links below that can help you set up an internship program.

How to set up a internship program for your small business- Small Business Administration

How to hire an intern on a budget- Forbes

Intern request form-7adyinred

Have any more resources? Feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment below.

Good luck,
7adyinred  

People's Choice Month with 7adyinred

Lately I have been really lazy on my blog post and videos (I sowy guys ;-( ...) So to make up for it I am doing a people's choice month. The theme with the most votes will become the theme month for August or July (haven't decided yet). There will also be a contest centered around the theme for that month. So please go to the link and vote for your favorite theme. Shout out to Spring 12 for helping me make my list!!!!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1d00q2IJHPi9vEy0ea5fYR34VhOgJA68UOAkmsbuPIqQ/viewform?usp=send_form

Detangle Your Natural Hair Easily

@7adyinred natural hair

You know the importance of having tangle free hair (or you do now), but you may not know the method for it. Improper detangling methods can leave your hair in worst condition than before you started. Before you tear out your hair, learn how you can detangle it without pulling it out.

Tips
-You should always detangle your hair when it is wet or damp. Detangling your hair when it is dry could cause breakage.

-Use water, a detangler or conditioner to help get through tangles in your hair a lot easier.

-Use a wide tooth comb or your fingers to detangle your hair. Using a smaller comb could cause midshaft splits and unnecessary pulls to your beautiful mane.

-Divide your hair into sections. It makes it a lot easier to detangle one part of your hair at a time then all at once.

-Detangle your hair from ends to root. Again something that causes a lot breakage is starting from the root.

-When coming across a big tangle work through it with your fingers. Do not try to yank on it with a comb.

-Be gentle and patient. Being forceful and quick will cause unwanted strife for your hair in the future. So go slowly and gently and set up enough time to detangle your hair.

Detangling your hair takes time and effort, but after a few tries you will get the hang of it . Your hair will be softer, tangle free and your hair will thank you for it.

Long Hair and Prosper,

Asia

The Loc Method (+playlist)

Hey Everyone check out my first hair tutorial!

Bronze Elegance Fashion Show 2014

Bronze Elegance 2014 Executive Board

Most of my friends and social media followers already know how I feel about the show Scandal (not really my cup off tea). So when my best friend Shayla approached me about the show I was slightly apprehensive. However after attending a few events, talking to executive board members and checking out the website this is definitely not a fashion show I want to miss.

When you think about fashion shows you are probably thinking about skinny girls, straight hair, athletic men, etc. But the Bronze Elegance fashion show is a lot different from other fashion shows of its kind.

"The mission of BRONZE ELEGANCE is to break stereotypes through creating a show in which both models and students participating behind the scenes display the true diversity of university of Michigan by representing different shapes, sizes, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds. Members will also work closely with Multicultural Youth Striving To Incorporate Cohesiveness (MYSTIC) council of Alice Lloyd Residence Hall." -Bronze Elegance

Not only does Bronze Elegance embrace diversity in several different fields but  it also promotes philanthropy through charity. ALL of the proceeds made by Bronze Elegance are donated to Partners In Health an organization that gives preferential option of healthcare to those in need around the world.

Bronze Elegance has planned several events leading up to the shows premiere including a Skin and Make up consultation featuring a Mac rep and Mary Kay rep (who happened to be my soror :-*). Both reps talked about healthy skin care and make up application. Bronze Elegance also promoted small businesses by featuring sponsors for the event.One sponsor was Cool Club Clothing a student run black owned business. Bronze Elegance will also be partnering with The She is Project a social and experiential movement that celebrates these women that have successfully made their mark, and educates others on how they can do the same via social media and beyond. These two organizations will be working together for a pre show event.

This show promises to be a night of fashion, networking,  entertainment, and fun. The students a part of Bronze Elegance have been working very hard. Diverse group of models, philanthropy, networking and fashion, sounds like a way to spend my Sunday night! The event will be held at 7:30 p.m April 13th at Palmer Commons: Great Lakes Room 100 Washtenaw Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Please refer to Bronze Elegance website for more info. See you there.

Long Hair and Prosper,
Asia

Black Businesses

Did you know Black Americans contributes to about $1.5 trillion to the US economy? Imagine if Black America was its own place we would probably be the richest place on the planet! It saddens me to see my people putting so much money into buying Jordans, hair products, "fresh clothes" etc. We have black businesses that sell many items we buy all the time. It's important that we stop putting money in a system that doesn't support us. These businesses do not truly care about us, corporate america only wants to make money. Why are we investing in people that do not truly care about us? 

Many people say "Black Businesses have bad customer service", but I ask how good is other services you use? How many times have you went to get a pedicure and the manicurist talked about how bad your feet were? How many times have you been served last, but arrived first at a restaurant? How many attitudes has someone given you at the grocery store, super store, convenience store etc.? Also have you ever thought to go to another business. There are so many black businesses, maybe you chose the wrong black business. 

All and all this money we spend on a system that doesn't appreciate us should be spent on businesses in our community. To assist with a Black Business Directory please click this link and pass it along to any black businesses you know. Eventually I will be able to share the directory with everyone.



Build Opportunities,

Asia

25 Ideas to Start a Business and Produce Income

I was very inspired by a post by Nappy4life on Instagram entitled "Ten ways a man can start a business to support his family". I thought this was a great idea for a blog post. I asked people what kinds of businesses someone could start to support their family. I really liked a lot of the responses and added them here too. Many of these require little resources or resources you may already have! Use these ideas to jump start yourself starting a business. It won't be easy but any one can start a business and build income. Just think of a need, utilize your skills and do your research. Good Luck!!!

1) Rent Rooms or Vehicle
2) Tutor
3) Housekeeper
4) Sewing
5) Childcare
6) Catering/ Cook
7) Blog
8) Handy Man or women
9) Barber/ Beautician
10) Nail Artist
11) Writer
12) Lawn Mower
13) Snow plow/ Rake leaves
14) Pool Cleaner
15) Host House Parties
16) Street Team/ Marketing
17) Adult Sitter
18) Carpenter
19) Assisting with taxes
20) Wedding Planner
21) Landscaping
22) Bookkeeping
23) Accountant
24) Assistant
25) Concierge

If you have any other ideas please add them in the comments below. Also I would appreciate it if all my business owners will fill out my form here. I am making a directory of black businesses around the world to eventually share with everyone.

Find, Build, Assist, and Prosper,

7adyinred

Guest Post by Kaleah Mabin: MLive posts misleading article condemning black activists on MLK Day:

The MLive story attacks students and labels them as violent. This post by Kaleah Mabin is in response to the post
Being Black at University of Michigan organizers threaten 'physical action' if demands aren't met

MLive posts misleading article condemning black activists on MLK Day:
Kaleah Mabin

After a day of many wonderful symposiums and panels commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. for his activism in leading the Civil Rights Movement, I was very upset when I came home and saw an MLive article titled “Being Black at University of Michigan organizers threaten ‘physical action’ if demands aren’t met.” The article’s title gives the first impression that BBUM are “the bad guys” intending to harm others, emphasizing “physical action” in a way where people who are unfamiliar with activist terms would misinterpret it to mean “violence.”  This is not the case. Physical action most commonly means marches, singing, chanting, human blockades, etc. The article’s emphasis on “threatening ‘physical action’” is playing into the stereotype that blacks are aggressive and irrational. It is criminalizing a minority group who is assertively standing up for their rights, and on all days they chose MLK Day to do so. I have overheard people calling them “extortionists” and comparing them to terrorists for their assertive efforts in fighting for social justice. 

People are asking why they won’t “ask nicely,” and the answer is simple: asking nicely has never worked for the black community. The black community has been oppressed for decades and is still very much oppressed to this day. Take a look at Detroit, MI: it is dominantly black for a reason. Corrupt, racist planning and policy has physically trapped thousands of people in a cycle of poverty.  Restrictive covenants, anyone? Redlining? What about the Fair Housing Act never being enforced, thanks to President Nixon? Job discrimination? Asking nicely is exactly what people of power and privilege want! They want the black community to be quiet and ask nicely so that they can continue to ignore them. They want to keep them in a political cage.  Everyone needs to face the facts: racism is still very alive today and criminalizing this group of black activists shows that everyone, especially the University of Michigan, has a lot of work to do in the social justice department.  I congratulate BBUM for standing up for human rights, and I hope to see many more people – black, white, green, or blue, join this ongoing battle of fighting for true equality. 

for guest blogging opportunities. email 7adyinred@gmail.com

#BBUM University of Michigan Students of Color Demand Change

America, the land of the free. America represents a melting pot of different people and cultures. America is the land of opportunities where even the poorest man can get a good paying job if he just works hard enough and everyone is treated equally. This is the biggest lie that I have heard my entire life. Yes America may be home to many different people and cultures but it is far from this post racial, place of equality that many people describe. Racism occurs at home, at work and on our college campuses.

At the University of Michigan students decided that they had enough. Out came #BBUM which stands for Being Black at the University of Michigan. This hashtag was sparked by the University of Michigan's student group The Black Student Union. Students would tweet about their experiences with being black at University of Michigan. This attracted attention from administration, other students, and the media.

Now in January on Martin Luther King Jr. Day students have released a list of demands for the University of Michigan to deliver on. 

"Our demands are as follows:
1. We demand the University give us an equal opportunity to implement change, the type of change that can only be completed with a full restoration of The Black Student Union’s purchasing power through an increased budget.

2. We demand the University give us available housing on central campus for those of lower socio-economic status at a rate in which students can afford to be a part of university life, and not just on the periphery.

3. We demand for an opportunity to congregate and share our experiences in a new Trotter Multicultural Center located on central campus.

4. We demand an opportunity to educate and be educated about America’s historical treatment and marginalization of groups of color through race/ethnicity requirements throughout all schools and colleges within the university.

5. We demand for an equal opportunity to succeed with emergency scholarships for black students in need of financial support to eliminate the mental anxiety of not being able to focus on and afford the university’s academic life.

6. We demand for increased disclosure of all documents within the Bentley Library. There should be transparency about the University and its past dealing with race relations.

Lastly and most importantly,

7. We demand an increase in black representation on this campus equal to 10%."

Now students wait to see what administration does. The administration has 7 days to deliver or students will be forced to take more actions.The fight's not over til its over.

How to make Flaxseed Gel for your Hair

Many of you have been wondering, how I make my flaxseed gel. This post I decided to give you directions on how to make flaxseed gel. First these measurements are guesses based on what I wanted. You should experiment for yourself to see what works and what doesn’t. If you want a gel that has more hold use less water and more flaxseeds, if you want less hold use more water and less flaxseeds.

Supplies

Blender/ Egg beater

Bowl

Small Pot

Spoon

Stocking

Rubber gloves

Heat protective gloves (if you have them)

Cooking tongs

Ingredients

½ cup of flaxseed

2 cups of water

1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel (optional)

1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional)

Drops of essential oils (optional)

Step 1

Put the water and flaxseeds on a medium to high flame. Make sure you stir every few minutes.

Step 2

While you wait on the mixture prepare the next step. Place the stocking over the mouth of the jar and put your rubber gloves/ heat protective gloves on.

Step 3

Wait until the consistency of the mixture is a little thicker and sticky. When it is to your desired consistency turn the flame off and pour the mixture into the stocking cap that is over the jar.

Step 4

Take the tongs and start from the top of the stocking and push to the bottom to drain the mixture into your desired container. Keep on doing this with the rest of the mixture.

Step 5

Mix your olive oil, aloe vera gel and desired oil essentials with a blender or egg beater into the flaxseed gel.

There you have it homemade flaxseed gel. It may take a few tries to get your desired effect but keep trying. What other recipes would you like to see on here? Please leave a comment or question below.

Long Hair and Prosper,

Asia

7 Tips to Help Winterize Your Hair

Compliments of Tina Lawson

It’s a New Year but winter is still upon us! You don’t want your hair to suffer from dryness or breakage. Take care of it during these cold winter months. It’s time to winterize your hair. Follow these tips to winterize your hair and Jack Frost won't be able to penetrate it.

1) Deep Condition

Deep conditioners help restore moisture, shine and softness to your hair. Due to the cold harsh weather you may want to increase the amount of deep conditioners you do and the intensity. The winter can really dry out your hair, to combat this you need to make sure you are deep conditioning enough. Some of my favorite deep conditioner ingredients are Shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil, honey, apple cider vinegar and bananas. A nice pre poo with a hot oil treatment can also help too. This an essential part of winterizing your hair!

2) Use a Thicker Oil and a Thicker Cream/ Butter

Another way to help winterize your hair is to use oil and creams/ butters. Oils and creams can aid in moisturizing and also protecting your hair. Opting for thicker oil and cream is a good idea to battle the cold weather. Thicker oil like castor oil will help protect your hair and keep on moisture a lot better than a thinner oil that you may already use. Shea butter is also good for moisturizing. Make sure you detangle your hair before using castor oil. It is super thick and hard to detangle your hair with castor oil in it.

3) Use Protective Styles

Protective styles help hide your ends so use them. They also help keep your hair less tangled and manageable after those long winter walks. You can also use protective styles such as braids, weaves and wigs to hide your hair from the cold. Just putting moisture in your hair is not enough. Protection is important when winterizing your hair as well.

4) Take care of your ends

Your ends are the oldest part of your hair. This means they are more vulnerable to dryness and damage. Be sure to take care of them. Make sure you are using enough oil, cream, moisturizer, on your ends. You don’t want to accumulate split ends when spring comes around.

5) Wear a Hat with a Satin Lining

Satin scarves and bonnets protect your hair from friction while sleeping. They can also protect your hair from wind, hats and hoods going against your hair strands. Be sure to wear a hat with a satin lining or wear a bonnet or scarf under your hat or hood.

6) Decrease your Heat Usage

We all know that heat causes damage to your hair. You can use a heat protectant on it such as coconut oil or olive oil, but why not decrease your heat usage. Besides the snow will probably frizz up your blow out or silk press anyway. So why waste all that work anyway. Try plopping your hair with a t-shirt or use an over the head blow dryer or attachment instead.

7) Never go outside with wet hair!

Just because you use less heat doesn't mean you can just go outside with wet hair. Not only can it cause more damage to your hair but you can also get really sick. Who wants to sit next to someone who is coughing and sneezing everywhere? Be sure your hair is COMPLETELY dry before going outside in the cold. Take care of yourself and your hair!

I hope these tips help you when winterizing your hair. Are there any other tips you think are important when winterizing your hair?  Please leave questions or comments below. Happy New Year!!!!

Long Hair and Prosper,

Asia