November and December are my favorite months of the year. I love the cooler weather and the holiday season. Everyone just seems a little merrier and things are definitely a lot brighter. So, in honor of this wonderful time of year, my roommates and I decided to host our first Friendsgiving. We had a small gathering with just three of our closest friends, and it was so great that we want to do it once a month now! However, since this was our first time hosting a Friendsgiving, we learned a lot this time around. So, I’ve compiled a three-step what NOT to do list based off of our experience!

1. Don’t stay up all night the night before Friendsgiving.

Three of us had really big tests the day we had Friendsgiving, so we stayed awake all night studying. Needless to say, we were all exhausted.

2. Don’t take a 3 hour nap when you should be making mashed potatoes.

One of my friends decided to take a nap and ended up sleeping until 5:45… We were supposed to start at 6. The potatoes were worth the wait though!

3. Don’t wait until the last minute to decorate.

Its definitely a good idea to decorate more than 30 minutes before your friends are supposed to show up. If you don’t, you could end up with shattered light bulbs..

Despite all of the chaos, Friendsgiving was incredible. I know it sounds a little cliché, but the 6 of us had an incredible night that we will never forget. It was full of love, friendship, laughter and even a few tears. I love this time of year because it never fails to remind me of how thankful I am for the people in my life. If you haven’t tried Friendsgiving, I think it’s time you try it out!

Until next time,

K

Influencer.

This has become the official job title for many people who have built a substantial online platform and follower base. These “influencers” gain their popularity by posting about anything, ranging from makeup to food to travel, on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat. Many of these influencers have found their fortune and fame through this unique, modern career path. So, I couldn’t help but wonder.. How? Random people, from varying backgrounds, have become incredibly successful for doing something that seems so simple, but I knew there had to be more to this story.

As I always do when I get curious about something, I turned to Google. Turns out, there are many different ways for influencers to make their money, but there are three that are most common.

Advertisements

Companies  will pay social media influencers to put an advertisement before YouTube videos or in the caption of their pictures on Snapchat. This is the easiest, most common way for influencers to make money.

Collaborations

Many influencers will collaborate with brands on products and the influencer will get a pay cut from sales. For example, a beauty influencer realeasing an eyeshadow palette in collaboration with Urban Decay or a fitness influencer coming out with workout gear in collaboration with Adidas.

Sponsorships

Influencers with a certain amount of followers/subscribers can get brands to sponsor posts they make on social media, which can also bring in income. For example, an instagrammer makes a post about the subscription box, FabFitFun, and they get paid for promoting the brand to their followers.

The road to becoming an influencer is very long and difficult. It requires lots of hard work and dedication, but the reality is that literally anyone can become an influencer, and make a good living off of it. So if that’s your dream, chase it!

Until next time,

K

Okay. I admit it. When I first came to college 2 and a half years ago, I was clueless as to what I wanted to major in. At orientation I declared a major in General Business, but if I’m being honest, I didn’t even know what that was. So, after many career tests, internet surfing sessions, and meetings with advisors, I decided to change my major to marketing in the Fall of my sophomore year at Troy University.

Since then, I’ve done countless internet searches exploring my options for when I finally have that degree in hand and I’m on the hunt for a job. I want to be aware of the job opportunities that are available for someone who holds a marketing degree. (a.k.a. me!) So naturally, I compiled a list of jobs I found that seem incredibly interesting to me, and I’m going to share them here! Feel free to search these jobs to find out more about them. Hopefully you will find this list helpful, or at least fascinating.

1. Advertising/Promotions

2. Social Media Marketing

3. Email Marketing

4. International Marketing

5. Marketing Teacher/Professor

6. Hospitality/Tourism

7. Retail

8. Public Relations

This list represents the top 8 marketing careers that interest me personally. Marketing goes way beyond this list. The possibilities are practically endless. I encourage you to do your own research around your personal major or potential major whether it be marketing, bio-med, education, or anything in between!

Until next time,

K

It’s been a week since Hurricane Michael made his landfall in the Florida Panhandle and the effects are still being felt, and will be felt for a long time to come.

The Panhandle holds a special place in my heart since I grew up taking trips to Pensacola to shop or vacationing in Panama City, so when I got an email about a supply drive put on by my University to help the cause, of course I had to take part. So, as I was shopping around Walmart for toiletries, food, and water, I started thinking about the effects hurricanes have on different businesses and I’ve been doing a little research to find out how significant the impacts can be. There are 2 major markets that are especially affected by hurricanes: tourism and agriculture.

The Toll on Tourism

Unfortunately, many places that get hit the hardest by hurricanes are coastline towns that thrive off of tourism and vacationers. This means that when disaster strikes and the hotels, restaurants, golf courses, and other attractions that are the heart of these towns suffer damage or are even destroyed, there’s nothing left to drive traffic into the town. I’ve seen videos and pictures of the destruction to Mexico Beach from Hurricane Michael, and it’s been completely leveled. It is no longer a paradise for vacationers, which means the typical income from tourism won’t be there, causing businesses to suffer even more.

Farming Disaster

Weather is one of the most significant factors when it comes to farming. Too much or too little of any one thing can be disastrous for farmers. Wind from hurricanes can strip the crops from the field, rain can beat down crops (like cotton) to where they become futile. Everything the farmers have worked long hours for, gets completely destroyed, so the profit they had hoped for won’t be there either. When this happens, a state of disaster is typically declared, and farmers require federal aid just to make a living.

Many other industries also suffer loss in times of natural disaster, but tourism and farming take a huge hit when it comes to hurricanes. So, just remember to keep all people affected in your thoughts and prayers and offer a helping hand whenever you get a chance.

Until next time,

K

See the black marker in the picture below?

That’s me at the moment.

Hurricane Michael made quite an entrance today, and people all over the southeastern United States are out of classes or work. This means that we have an unexpected day off in the middle of week, which calls for a list about how to properly spend days like this… or at least how me and my roommate spent ours.

Sleep until 9:30.

Make pancakes out of chocolate chip muffin mix.

Watch a movie y’all have never seen before (like Mamma Mia!).

Drink coffee on the porch while watching the rain.

Book a flight to New York for Spring Break.

Online shop for outfits for the NY trip.

Play with Play-doh and watch YouTube videos.

Procrastinate studying for tests you have this week.

Light a fall scented candle, relax, and get ready to return back to reality tomorrow.

Now on a more serious note..

This has been fun, but all jokes aside, this day has been so much more than just “a day off” to so many people. The hurricane has brought destruction and tragedy to many families, schools, and businesses, especially along the Florida panhandle. It’s important to help in any way you can, whether it be prayers or donations. Just remember that while the majority of us might see some minor damage, there are some out there whose lives have been drastically changed because of days like this.

So, stay safe out there and enjoy those unexpected days off y’all!

Until next time,

K

In almost every business class I’ve taken here at Troy University, “ethics” has at least been mentioned, if there wasn’t a whole chapter on the subject. That being said, I’m at that point again this semester, so I figured that now would be a great time to share a little bit about ethics and its significance in the business world.

Ethics Defined

Ethics can be defined as “principles of right conduct or a system of moral values.” This can come off as a little subjective, according to the varying definitions of what is “right” among different people. So, let’s explore the concept a little more.

Understanding Ethics

While studying ethics, I have found that the most effective way to understand the idea is through question examples, and some are more obvious than others.

Is it ethical to cheat on a test?

Is it okay to lie to your boss about why you were late for work?

Is it ethical to take a couple of pens and a stack of paper from the office for home use?

According to most experts, the answer to all of these questions would be no, these actions are unethical. 

Ethical Dilemmas

In some cases, the line between what is considered  “right” and “wrong” can be extremely blurred. These situations are called ethical dilemmas. You can be stuck in the middle of two choices that can both seem ethical to some extent. Here are some examples:

Telling the truth v. Loyalty to someone

or

Focusing on the short-term v. Thinking about the long-term

There are benefits to both sides in these situations, but unfortunately, we can’t have our cake and eat it too. Some tips to help you choose a path when faced with these problems is to do what’s best for the greatest number of people, and do what you want others to do to you.

Ethical Experts

It’s not always simple to choose the ethical path, especially when there’s no clear right or wrong. So remember, even something as harmless as a pen can get you into trouble for unethical actions, so always be cautious of your actions and think carefully about important decisions, and you’ll be an ethical expert in your business!

Until next time,

K

It’s no secret that ABC’s Shark Tank has taken the world by storm and I have become an avid watcher of the show myself. It’s not unusual for me to find myself on weeknights 2 hours deep in crazy, sometimes genius, inventions and ideas. So, needless to say, I’ve learned a lot from watching the show, but there are 3 things that I believe every entrepreneur should know before pitching an idea or product to potential investors.

1. Know your numbers!

According to Robert Herjavec, shark and CEO of The Herjavec Group, “If you don’t understand your basic numbers, you’re going to fail.” When preparing to present to potential investors, it is crucial to have complete knowledge about all of the numbers involved with your business, so ask yourself and be prepared to answer these questions and more: How many units have been sold thus far? How much does it cost to make the product? What are the wholesale and retail prices of your product? What are your projected sales for next month? Next year?

You can see how overwhelming all of these questions can be, especially when the future of your business is at stake. Do your research and know the business’s numbers inside and out, so when the questions come, you’ll have the answers.

2. Know what sets you apart.

As an entrepreneur, you need to know what makes your product or service different from all the rest. In order for investors to see your entrepreneurial vision, they have to see enough value in the business so they know it’s worth their time, energy, and money. I’ve watched Kevin O’Leary quickly shoot many ideas down that he believes have no proprietary value, because the business owners didn’t convey the uniqueness of their product well enough during their Shark Tank pitch.

Research other businesses and products in your industry and know why your product is special compared to the rest, and you’re one step closer to success.

3. Be honest.

Perhaps the most critical aspect of any presentation, especially to prospective investors, is to be completely open and honest. I always cringe on the inside whenever I watch a good product miss out on an investment because the business owner lies about projected sales, or tries to hide the fact that they plan on taking the investment money as a salary. Let’s face it, the truth always comes out.. and it usually isn’t pretty when it does. Be honest about everything from the start, so you won’t lose respect and possibly an investment.

There are many other lessons to be learned from Shark Tank, but these are three of the most important ones I’ve picked up from my weeknight routine. So go, be number knowing, unique, honest, and most of all, successful entrepreneurs!

Until next time,

K

Unless you’ve been living under a very large rock, it’s not hard to notice the how huge the beauty industry has become over the last several years. Nbc.com reports that the makeup industry experienced a sales growth rate increase of 13% over the course of a single year between 2014 and 2015. Also, according to Forbes.com, as of 2017 beauty had become a $445 billion industry. That sounds crazy, but it definitely doesn’t come as a surprise to me.

So, how does an industry grow to be such a prominent force so rapidly?

I am convinced that this beauty boom has everything to do with social media.

How can I be so sure you ask?

I experienced it firsthand.

So like any other girl, I started wearing makeup in my awkward pre-teen years. I remember standing in front of my mom’s bathroom mirror while she showed me how to put on the too-dark-for-my-skin-tone foundation and swipe the purple powder across my eyelids. I mean, I thought it was a good look.

I obviously got better at doing makeup as I practiced over the years (traded in the purple eyeshadow for brown and learned how to put on eyeliner), but it wasn’t until my senior year in high school that I discovered beauty videos on YouTube. It was like the door to a whole new world was opened! I found new techniques and products that completely changed my makeup game. I was spending countless hours watching videos about proper blending techniques, how to contour, and how important setting spray is.

My fascination quickly grew into a hobby and during my freshman year of college, I was doing my makeup for fun at least once a week. I would work on my makeup for 3 hours just to stay in my dorm and watch Netflix all night. I was always testing new eyeshadow colors and different brands of face powder. I bought 3 big eyeshadow palettes that year and tons of other beauty products. I was obsessed, and I feel like many other girls have gone through or are going through that stage in their lives.

So yes, I totally credit the boom of the beauty industry to social media because that’s what got me, and so many others, hooked. Social media has become such a driving force present day, that its’s difficult to deny its power. Outlets like YouTube and Instagram have created a gateway for the sudden popularity and prosperity in makeup and beauty, because of the influence it has on us.

I’m excited to see where social media’s power will lead us next.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

K

I’m going to start this off by being completely honest… The only reason I’m writing this blog is for my college business communications class. Now, before you click the exit button, allow me to tell you a little more about this.

The thought of starting a blog or a video channel has been in the back of my mind for a while now. I just wasn’t sure where to start and naturally, I was afraid of failure. So, really, I’m thrilled to finally be doing this.

Since the class I’m taking is a business course, I’ll be writing mostly about business related topics (at least for this semester). And don’t let that scare you, I promise we’re going to have some fun with this!

I think it’s worth mentioning a few details about myself, so that you know more about the person behind the screen. I am a junior marketing major at Troy University, so I love being creative and learning new things.  I come from a family of 6, so family is incredibly important to me. I have dreams to travel and see the world, but also to eventually settle down and have a family.

I am excited to be here and to be starting a blog that hopefully at least one person will enjoy reading, even if it’s just my professor.

Until next time,

K