Small Business Saturday: Windsor Neckwear on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

Join Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes as we profile organizations and leaders who lead by example. With extraordinary acts of kindness and charitable giving that help countless lives daily, these organizations and leaders embody "Be the change you want to see in the world".

Throughout 2013, listeners have heard from presidents of organizations who are global change agents. We will also hear from CEOs of social enterprise businesses who are changing communities and college educators who are taking their students out of the classroom and into surrounding neighborhoods to learn and serve others.

On Small Business Saturday, November 30, 21013, tune in to hear the founders of Windsor Neckwear, Michael McPherson and Mace Neal, III. Listen as the duo, who started their company with $80.00 and a necktie pattern in 2008, share their company's highlights of 2013.

They will also share how they have conquered selling menswear without a brick and mortar store and the power of successful social media marketing campaigns. Also, listen as McPherson and Neal share insights on their business best practices, lessons learned from setbacks, family and work life balance, and giving back to the community.

McPherson and Mace have become synonymous with rallying the community to come together. From their highly successful launch party at Lexus of Nashville to their community family reunion, tune in to hear about their goals to continue to provide events and engagements with a purpose in 2014.

Living Your Best Life, a radio show that empowers, inspires, and motivates us to live our BEST life, is heard on 760AM The Gospel in the Middle-TN area, Tune In, Inspirational Networks, military bases and on Ustream.TV worldwide from 9:00-10:00am CST.

More About Windsor Neckwear

What began in 2008 as a common passion for men's neckwear has become a rapidly growing business venture between Michael McPherson Jr. and Mace Neal III.  The concept for Windsor Neckwear was first thought of on one of many shopping voyages between Michael and Mace.  One day while shopping for a new tie in a popular men's store the duo walked away disappointed in the lack of variety and similarity in a sea of what looked like repetitive ties!  After a brief discussion about the lack luster experience Mike said "we should start our own necktie line" and Mace simply responded "yeah we should".  From that day forward the duo never looked back.  Windsor Neckwear began with a total $80.00 investment between Mike and Mace who purchased fabric and a quick sew necktie pattern.  Initially they began making hand made ties, ascots, and pocket squares.

The plan was to always have their line manufactured on a larger scale so they spent the first year and a half learning the manufacturing business and building capital to develop their first line.  In late 2009 after garnering the support of a manufacturing facility they made their first line of four designs.  There were several issues with their first experience but they managed to sell out of all four designs in three weeks!  From that point Windsor Neckwear has expanded to offering a vast array of beautiful neckties each unique in their own way.

To not fall into the pit of "designers block" and creating a basic collection, Windsor Neckwear made it their practice to produce limited quantities per design.  The most they will produce of any one tie in a specific color is 50 pieces, they do this to constantly introduce new products, keep their items exclusive and to always keep the creative juices flowing.  This has worked well for Windsor Neckwear and because of this they always tell their customers "if you see it and like it then get it, because it won't be available long".


More About Small Business Saturday 

First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. November 27, 2010 was the first ever Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday is the day we celebrate the Shop Small movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.

More than 200 organizations have already joined American Express OPEN, the company’s small business unit, in declaring the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday.

Stacey McBride and Kara Thompson on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

As 2013 year is drawing to a close, join Living Your Best Life  as we profile businesses, serial entrepreneurs, and non-profits that will empower, inspire, and motivate you to love your BEST life.

On Saturday, November 30, 2013 tune in to hear from designing women, Stacey McBride and Kara Thompson. Both women turned their love of fashion into entrepreneurial ventures that are making young and old fashionistas alike say "ooh" and "aah".

Stacey McBride's Prettie Girls are now available in time for the Christmas buying season. After designing for an international toy company for nearly two decades and launching the successful So In Style Dolls, Stacey took a leap of faith and decided to start her own line, One World Doll Project. Stacey created Prettie Girls to celebrate global diversity. Tune in to hear her inspiring story.

Also on the show will be Kara Thompson of  Kara's Creations. Kara Thompson is an attorney, public relations professional, and event manager by day who turned her hobby of designing jewelry into a business. Family and friends were her initial customers but it was not long before her handcrafted semi-precious stone custom pieces were in hot demand in Atlanta and beyond. Listen as Kara share how Kara's Creations was launched and hear her plans for her line in 2014.

Stacey McBride and Kara Thompson will help ignite your fire to do something you always dreamed of accomplishing and how to face the "what ifs" that may be holding you back to having the best year yet in 2014.

Living Your Best Life, a radio show that empowers, inspires, and motivates us to live our BEST life, is heard on 760AM The Gospel in the Middle-TN area, Tune In, Inspirational Networks, military bases and on Ustream.TV worldwide from 9:00-10:00am CST.

More About Stacey McBride

As a child Stacey consistently played with dolls.  Barbie was her favorite.  She loved mixing and matching her clothes, and styling her hair.  Not long after Stacey stopped playing with Barbie™ dolls at the age of 13, she made the decision to enter the fashion world.  She started sketching fashion and going to the library and checking out books about fashion.

Stacey’s father had saved a newspaper article that featured Kitty Black Perkins, a Mattel™ designer.  With the encouragement of her father and her instructor of a fashion computer course at El Camino College, Stacey called Perkins.  In addition to showing her portfolio and resume during the interview, Stacey had to design a Barbie™ fashion.  It was approved and she was hired as an assistant designer which begin her career in the world of toys and doll design.

Stacey was a Project Designer for Mattel™ in El Segundo and was with the company for 15 years.  She is the creator of the So In Style™ line of African-American Barbie™ dolls which were released in 2009. While at Mattell, Stacey was tapped to design the sorority Barbie, Celebrating the Centennial year of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first African-American Greek Sorority, founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C.  She designed a one of a kind take on the 1980’s Black Barbie.  She also designed some of the 2010 Barbie career dolls, including Pet Vet Barbie, Rock Star Barbie and Bride Barbie.

Stacey has been interviewed for magazines and newspaper articles such as Ebony, Essence, Heart & Soul, LA’s Beauty Beat, Upscale, Chicago Sun Times and Daily Breeze.  Stacey McBride-Irby made the front cover of Wall Street Journal Personal newspaper.  The So In Style ^TM dolls have been featured in Barbie and Jet magazine.

Stacey has appeared on CNN Prime News with Richelle Carey “New Barbies Look More Like Black Women”.  And on May 2, 2010 Stacey appeared on BETs My Black is Beautiful, Episode 1:  Celebration of Black Beauty.  She is currently a featured designer in the Barbie Exhibit at The Children’s Museum of  Indianapolis.

Stacey’s motto is, “A happy, inspired childhood creates happy, inspired and powerful women.”  She also loves the Lord with all her heart.  She knows that without God that none of her accomplishments and success would be possible

More About Kara Thompson

Kara L. Thompson is a strategic, team-oriented professional with more than 16 years of experience in legal advocacy, workforce management, public and community relations.  Kara has a passion for interacting with people from all walks of life and has created Kara Thompson Enterprises to create a business that capitalizes on her superior interpersonal skills and talent for connecting people and problem solving.   

Prior to launching Kara Thompson Enterprises, Kara was an employment law attorney in Ogletree Deakins’ Atlanta office.  Before joining Ogletree Deakins, Kara practiced in the Atlanta offices of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker and Jones Day. Kara is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and Purdue University.

Kara’s experience includes representing and counseling both large and small employers in all facets of employment law, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, discipline, terminations, wage and hour, and Sarbanes-Oxley Act matters. She also assists employers with state and federal employment law compliance and in drafting employment policies and procedures.

Before attending law school, Kara worked for six years as a public relations professional for Spelman College, JacksonHeath Public Relations, and the American Red Cross. As a public relations professional, Kara created comprehensive public relations programs, successfully pitched numerous stories to the media, wrote press releases, collateral, newsletter and magazine articles, created and managed special events, and organized community relations activities for various organizations. 

Kara is very active in the community and has a passion for philanthropic endeavors. Currently, she serves on the board of directors for Dress for Success Atlanta, the National Black MBA Association Atlanta Chapter and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (“GABWA”).  Additionally, Kara is a member of Women’s Legacy Council of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, the Atlanta Women’s Foundation Destiny Fund Class of 2009, The Girl Friends, Inc., The Buckhead Cascade Chapter of The Links, Inc., and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.   Kara has served on the boards of the Juvenile Justice Fund, Camp Fire USA Georgia Council, and the Samuel L. Jones Boys and Girls Club and is a graduate of the United Way’s Volunteer Involvement Program.  Kara is also a member of the American Bar Association, Atlanta Bar Association, National Bar Association and the Gate City Bar Association, and served on the planning committee for the National Bar Association’s convention that was held in Atlanta in July of 2007. Kara is also the founder of a dinner club in Atlanta that was featured in the June 2007 issue of Essence Magazine.

Charles R. Dickerson on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

Update: Audio of show can be found here.

2013 is now a month old! Many began the New Year with dreams of owning their business. At the same time, many seasoned business owners vowed to make changes to grow, expand, and become more efficient.

Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes wants to help new entrepreneurs to stay inspired and motivated while helping veteran businesses owners and serial entrepreneurs become renewed and empowered throughout the year.

On Saturday, February 2, 2013, join us to hear Charles R. Dickerson, Vice President of Performance Management and Support Services at Pepco Holdings, Inc (PHI). Pepco Holdings, Inc. is one of the largest energy delivery companies in the Mid-Atlantic region, serving about 2 million customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland and New Jersey.

Listen to Charles share what small business owners can do to make themselves stand out in the marketplace. He will give us advice on marketing your goods and services to large corporations and discuss minimizing mistakes that keep businesses from being profitable.

Charles will also give us his views on why small businesses must become stake holders in their community and why it is so important for the community to support local businesses.

This show promises to empower, to inspire, and to motivate you to live your BEST life.  Living Your Best Life can be heard on 760 AM in the Middle-Tennessee Region, military bases, and streamed live on U-Stream.TV from 9-10AM CST.

 More About Charles R. Dickerson

Vice President – Performance Management and Support Services

Charles is responsible for PHI’s Transmission & Distribution Construction, Maintenance and Operations processes, and its Customer Satisfaction and Revenue Management processes along with Support Services functions (Supply Chain, Materials and Logistics Management, Facilities, Fleet, Human Resource Services and Disbursement Accounting).

Previously, Charles was responsible for all aspects of customer care – including meter services, meter reading, billing, energy procurement, energy efficiency and demand response programs, customer contact centers, marketing and customer relationship management along with credit & remittance – for PHI’s 1.9 million customers across its three regulated (gas and electric) utilities. PHI is one of the largest energy delivery companies in the Mid-Atlantic region.

He also served as Vice President Strategic Planning & Chief Risk Officer responsible for directing corporate planning processes and leading the management team and officers to create strategic plans and goals that drove performance; and he served as Vice President – Gas Delivery for Delmarva Power responsible for engineering, construction, operations and maintenance.

Charles joined Pepco in 1989 and has held a number of positions including Manager Customer Operations Division; during which time Pepco was recognized as an industry leader in customer care. In this capacity he helped lead Pepco to the #1 status for the JD Power and Associates "Customer Satisfaction Survey" and Pepco winning Call Center Magazine's "Best Call Center of the Year" in 2001; he was also named Call Center Magazine's "Manager of the Year".

Charles has a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering and a MS in Applied Management both from the University of Maryland. He is a licensed First Class Steam Engineer in the State of Maryland, a past member of the Editorial Board for Call Center Magazine, and a past member of the Diversity Best Practices Leadership Council. Presently, Charles serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Treatment Learning Center, and has served as an Adjunct Professor for the University of the District of Columbia’s School of Business.

Small Business Roll Call

As a small business owner, I try to support other business owners not only by being a customer but by promoting others to do business with brick and mortars, online, and service based companies.

SBA Administrator Karen Mills, with Yuri Cunza, David Tiller, and Genma Holmes

According to the Small Businesses Administration:

•    Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.
•    Employ half of all private sector employees.
•    Pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll.
•    Generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years.
•    Create more than half of the nonfarm private GDP.
•    Hire 43 percent of high tech workers ( scientists, engineers, computer programmers, and others).
•    Are 52 percent home-based and 2 percent franchises.
•    Made up 97.5 percent of all identified exporters and produced 31 percent of export value in FY 2008.
•    Produce 13 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms.

Saturday, November 24, 2012 is officially Small Business Sunday. For the third year, millions of Americans are being encouraged to shop small by purchasing goods and services from small business owners.

Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. First celebrated on November 27, 2010, it is a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which feature big box retail and e-commerce stores respectively. By contrast, Small Business Saturday encourages holiday shoppers to patronize brick and mortar businesses that are small and local.

In 2010 the holiday was conceived and promoted by American Express via a nationwide radio and television advertising campaign. That year Amex bought advertising inventory on Facebook, which it in turn gave to its small merchant account holders, and also gave rebates to new customers to promote the event.

 American Express publicized the initiative using social media, advertising, and public relations. At least 41 local politicians and many small business groups in the United States issued proclamations concerning the campaign, which generated more than one million Facebook "like" registrations and nearly 30,000 tweets under the Twitter hashtags #smallbusinesssaturday (which had existed since early 2010) and #smallbizsaturday.

I believe that small business owners must lead the charge by promoting and spending with each other first. To celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship, Living Your Best Life will announce the business owners that leave their company info in the comment section beginning Saturday November 24, 2012 through December 31, 2012 on air to encourage their listeners to spend with small business during the holiday season. It is my way of showing my appreciation for the small business community and helps jump start my "Year of Living and Giving".

Happy Shopping !
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