Spark Plug: Welcome to People You Need to Know on Spark Plug Radio. I’m your host, Spark Plug, publisher of Metro Atlanta’s premier businesswomen’s spotlight magazine. At People You Need to Know Magazine, we’re proud to promote women in business and give them world-class recognition along the way. Tune in every week as we introduce you to some of the most knowledgeable, helpful and creative businesswomen in America. Our show today is brought to you by our new official corporate sponsor, Staples, “That was easy.”

In this segment, we’re going to be talking about personal brand leadership, what is it, and why it should be important to you. My guest today is a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and a graduate of Northwestern University. Currently, she is president of Atlanta-based Velvet Suite Marketing Consulting Group. They are a global consulting and leadership training company designed to empower and inspire individuals and enterprises to be great leaders in times of change. We are honored to have on the show today, the current People You Need to Know Magazine Person of the Week, Ms. Melissa Dawn Johnson. Welcome to the show.

Melissa Dawn Johnson: Oh, thank you. I am so excited to be here. Happy, happy Wednesday to you, how are you today?

Spark Plug: Fantastic and I’m trying to get better. Melissa, are you ready to talk about personal brand leadership?

Melissa Dawn Johnson: You know I’m always ready to talk about personal brand leadership. I find that what I’ve discovered is my life’s work, so it’s very easy for me to talk about what I love, what’s my passion and, so I’m ready.

Spark Plug: Well, let’s get right into it, okay?

Melissa Dawn Johnson: Alright, let’s do it.

Spark Plug: For some of our listeners, what is personal brand leadership?

Melissa Dawn Johnson: Well, you know I think it’s very interesting because right now the word “personal branding” is one of the hottest buzz terms, and so you hear it from how to get more followers on Twitter, to how to get more exposure, to how to better network to get the job, to start the business to get the next client, and I think all of those things are great, but I really believe and have the philosophy of personal brand leadership. It is a little bit more than that. It really is about discovering your authentic value and positioning that value consistently over time that allows you to make choices that will ultimately make a difference for your life and those around you and those choices are not necessarily always easy. But it’s about leadership, it’s about positioning yourself to be someone who is standing in character, standing in integrity, and ultimately at this time — I think a great time for personal branding leadership to happen because there’s so much going on and people are looking for answers. There are so many problems and having the conviction to stand up and say, “This is what I stand for –  this is what I believe is my passion, it’s to solve someone else’s problem, and I will go through whatever it takes. I will be a leader in order for that to actually become true and real and ultimately make a difference in my life and the lives of others.”

Spark Plug: Well, I think you kind of answered my second question, but you might want to take it a little bit deeper for us. Why is personal brand leadership so important especially today?

Melissa Dawn Johnson: It is critical, Spark Plug, because I believe that we’re living in a day and age where we have more problems than we have solutions. If you look at the economy, if you look at the environment, if you look at our educational system, if you look at politics, if you look at the realm of energy, there are so many.  You can watch TV, watch the nightly news, you know I’m on CNN weekly and part of the reason why I do my segment called, Morning Motivation, is to give people some inspiration and motivation to move forward in a very difficult time economically, and all the other factors I shared with you. And so I think why it’s so critical now is that brands are about solutions.

Brands are about … now, I’ll give my clarity of authentic branding because I really believe … with my background in developing brands — I’ve developed the brand Swiffer. I worked on Mr. Clean and Victoria’s Secret and Nationwide. I’ve done the rebranding of Nationwide.

This is a part of what I’ve been educated to do, but it’s also within my practical experience and the lessons that I’ve learned that are practical for today that really answer that question — it’s about authenticity. It’s about standing up and having a conviction and an answer for a real problem that people are going through. It’s about being able to position yourself — to be at the right place at the right time to meet opportunity. And a lot of people need that today because the way that we thought it would work, with the jobs that we thought we have, with the things that we banked on in terms of our investment and where we were going have changed. So now, we have to reposition ourselves to meet new opportunity and we have to have persistence. I think that’s very critical now, because it’s not easy and the reason why in my book that I wrote, Brand Me: Make Your Mark: Turn Passion into Profit, I talk about the passion and the profit. The passion and the profit — you know it really is not just about, “This is what I love to do,” but the passion gives you an ability to persevere. And more than anything, people now need to know that they are going to have to persevere and we’re going to get through to better times, but it’s going to take time and the passion is going to keep you going in the meanwhile.

Spark Plug: Well, Melissa, where does an individual begin in creating a personal brand?

Melissa Dawn Johnson: You know, it’s very easy to recognize that branding is really about the mark that you’re making, so the truth is you already have established the mark. The question is if it is positive or negative. And in a very fundamental way, people usually make their mark immediately. The statistics say within the first three seconds of someone meeting you, they’ve made up their mind about your value and who you are, and within the next ten seconds, they’ve changed their mind multiple times. So you’ve got to be so proactive. We all have to be more proactive about managing our message. What we say is less than 80% of that. Eighty percent of that is what we do and how we show up. So it’s so important right now to start off with the fact that, “Okay, I have value,” and I say you’ve really got to internalize that.

What we talk about at Velvet Suite is branding from the inside out. You’ve got to start with understanding what is your core value, meaning who are you and then from there, you can brand that into the image that people see, whether it’s how you dress, whether it’s what you talk about, if it’s your business card, if it’s the services that you provide in your company, if it’s how you go about working on projects on the job, you’ve got to begin to be consistent in order for you to become branded by the message.

If you think about our President, you know for 18 plus months, he went around the country talking about “Yes, we can,” but it wasn’t until months later after touching people in the market, after being on media, after consistently giving his message over and over and over again that that message branded him. So we all have to be more intentional. We’ve got to understand who we are, package our message, be consistent in the image that we give and ultimately, we’ve got to deliver. If you are not someone who can execute it, if you don’t do what you say you do, you lose all credibility no matter what you look like and no matter how you package your message.

Spark Plug: Well, how does a person reinvent their brand?

Melissa Dawn Johnson: You know, I think many people are in the process of reinvention. I mean from my personal story, that’s really what happened to me.  I had the education and worked at like over five different global brands, Fortune 500 brands, all in branding, brand development and communication. And I had a situation that happened to me in my life that really had me put my life on pause. It’s one of those defining moments. I had a tragic loss and I said, “You know what, really, what is life going to mean for me?  What’s my purpose?” And I didn’t want to just be defined by a great job, and I had many accolades and a great resume. That’s all fine and good, but really I said, “I want to understand a deeper purpose in my work,” and I really reinvented myself as an entrepreneur. I did what I needed to do. I did my homework, that’s one of the principles.

Number one, I think, before you even do your homework is you’ve got to really ask yourself some tough questions, “Is what I’m doing counting? Does it matter? Am I fulfilled? Am I financially fulfilled?” And what I preach and what I talk about is that you can make a living doing what you love, but it takes some thoughtful strategic direction. It takes getting advice and counsel from others.

Spark Plug: Well, Melissa, before we bring this interview to a close, where can we find more information all about you, your book, when you’re on CNN, your company, and more importantly how can you be reached?

Melissa Dawn Johnson: Absolutely. Velvet Suite Marketing was my first company that I launched in 2006 and you can find out about us on the Internet at velvetsuite.com. That’s for established companies and established individuals where we do full service brands, consultation and marketing execution. And then my Reinvention was after I wrote the book, Brand Me, I realized that it didn’t matter if you are CEO, if you’re a clerk, if you are a student, if you are an entrepreneur or someone in between, everyone wanted to know how to build an authentic brand. And Myles Monroe wrote the foreword to my book.  He said, “Melissa gives what companies pay millions for and she gives it to the masses.” And so I began to see the opportunity for a second business called, Brand Me International. And that is brandmelive.com. We have a social network community. We feature expert bloggers in different areas. We’re going to hopefully get Spark Plug on our radio show that happens on Wednesdays on Blog Talk at noon.

Spark Plug: Alright, well, Ms. Melissa Dawn Johnson, President of Atlanta-based Velvet Suite Marketing Group. Thanks for spending some of your most valuable time with us today.

Melissa Dawn Johnson: No, thank you so much for the opportunity and I wanted to just say congratulations to you for what you are doing, and the difference you’re making in featuring women who are changing things right now because we are making moves and we’re doing great things and it’s because of you that we get to let the world know what we do, so thank you.

Spark Plug: Well, alright. You’ve been listening to People You Need to Know on Spark Plug Radio — the radio station connecting you to America’s leading business professionals like Ms. Melissa Dawn Johnson. To listen to even More People You Need To Know, just Google Spark Plug Radio or visit our website at sparkplugpeople.com, so be sure to join us on our Facebook page at PYNTK.

I want to take a moment to thank my executive producer, Ms. Jacqueline Benjamin-Thomas for doing another terrific job. This is Spark Plug encouraging you to keep supporting women in business because when women succeed, the nation prospers. Until next time, always remember that you can add a spark to whatever you do and thanks for tuning in.

Very few people actually love the element of change. It breaks up the monotony of life, causing us to slow down and pay close attention to what is going on in our surroundings. Life’s shifts will often bring unease and unrest to the lives of many.

In business, change is definitely a fact of life. Today’s climate may have an employee working in the office today, but that same employee may be terminated tomorrow. Long gone are the days when corporations expected to keep an employee for years on end. That time has passed.

Most people know that even if they are employed, they must work as the CEO of their own life because there are no guarantees and they must be prepared for whatever comes their way.

When faced with change, our first response is usually resistance. We do this by fight or flight. Just tell your team members that something new is coming down the pipeline, and you’ll probably hear 10 reasons why the change should not take place. On the other hand, in extreme situations, people have been known to exercise the flight response and clean out their office on the very same day a new administration takes charge because they are not willing to deal with certain new changes that might occur.

Change can be a bridge to something better and more exciting. It can also lead you down a path that really wasn’t your choice; nevertheless, you should still be on the lookout for opportunities along the way.

We are more flexible than we realize and I believe that without change, none of us could ever reach our full potential. So embrace change, and be willing to get uncomfortable in order to keep growing, changing and evolving.

~Jacqueline

In our efforts to continue to provide our clients with top-notch service and a high-quality product in print, we’re working on taking our magazine to the next level.

People You Need to Know Magazine, a publication showcasing women business owners, is currently in search of talented, proactive, creative graphic designers with flair and attention to detail. In our upcoming 2012 magazine, (Leading Ladies Edition) we are looking for someone who is already familiar with corporate layout and design that will capture the readers’ attention and motivate them to buy from our advertisers. Above all else, being easy to work with is paramount.

Please submit at least 5 (five) samples in hi-res .pdf format to atlanta.mecca@gmail.com.

Thank you,

Jacqueline VP of Ideas People You Need to Know Magazine

Not many men are willing to say that WOMEN are smarter than men, but People You Need to Know Magazine (PYNTK) publisher, Anthony “Spark Plug” Thomas, isn’t one of them. His business magazine shines the spotlight on the education, talent, beauty and brilliance of women.

“After working with women in professional settings for more than 25 years, I’ve found women are smarter than men,” he says without apology. “They are better leaders, better team players, more creative, better listeners, more willing to work for the greater good, and more likely to share their wealth, time, knowledge, information, and ideas. In addition, women are using their female advantage to create millions of jobs.”

For anyone who contests Spark Plug’s point of view, good luck. Statistics convincingly back him up. According to Forbes.com, women are America’s new job-creating power force. There are 9.1 million women-owned businesses which employ 27.1 million people and contribute an astounding 3.6 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy. According to The Center for Women’s Business Research, the Metro Atlanta area alone has 185,313 women-owned businesses which collectively generate 39 billion dollars in revenues annually. The National Association of Women Owned Businesses (NAWBO) found that in spite of the recession, women-owned businesses continue to grow in Georgia. For Spark Plug, these compelling numbers are an indication that the 21^st Century woman is on a momentous rise to the top and determined to uplift others along her way. She is showing and proving her worth in this male-dominated society in an undeniable way.

Spark Plug says, “One reason I believe most men are slow to recognize a woman’s true worth is because of their deep-seated insecurities and fear that it will somehow take away from their own power.” This concept is one which he elaborates on in his new speech entitled, “A Woman’s Worth: What Men are Afraid to Admit They Know About Women.”

Spark Plug believes “Men of influence should do everything in their power to give women the recognition they so richly deserve,” which is why his publication, People You Need to Know Magazine, is Metro Atlanta’s premier business spotlight magazine for women. Their yearly circulation of 500,000 highlights women business owners and professionals, giving them the kind of exposure that is typically reserved for Hollywood celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs. The support is something that women business owners really appreciate in metro Atlanta, where women are starting more businesses than ever before.

Entrepreneur and Atlanta Business Celebrity, Stormy Wellington, is one of those women who is thankful for the magazine and Spark Plug’s assistance. “You can't even imagine how much you have helped me to build my business,” said Stormy on Spark Plug Radio. “And women, if you are out there as entrepreneurs, you definitely want to get with Spark Plug because he will take your business to a new level.”

"Spark Plug and the People You Need to Know Network is an amazing vehicle to promote your business and market your brand,” agrees new client, Taunya A. Lowe, PhD, owner of The Resurgent Group of Metro Atlanta. “I was ready to take my business to the next level but wasn't sure exactly how. The following week, I met Spark Plug and did not hesitate to get my business featured in People You Need to Know Magazine.” Lorie Johnson, MD, President of Just For You Women’s Healthcare says, “I’ve seen my business grow by advertising in People You Need to Know Magazine.”

PYNTK is not a magazine that sells conventional advertising, it’s much more than that. Since 1993, they have offered entrepreneurs and businesswomen hope, inspiration, opportunities, credibility, trust, and most importantly, recognition. Spark Plug’s favorite quote and the driving force behind his magazine is, “When women succeed, the nation prospers.”

Spark Plug was inspired to support businesswomen because of the positive influence women have had in his life. “My wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunts, have all been a positive influence in my life,” he says. “I am a better man today because of them. I honor women business owners as a way to say “thank you” to all the women, past and present, who have helped me on my journey.”

Spark Plug is a member of the Atlanta Press Club and won “Best Promoter” at the New America Media Conference and has been the recipient of the Phoenix Award, Atlanta’s most prestigious honor for community service. He is also a US Navy Veteran, author, radio talk show host, motivational speaker, and world traveler. People You Need to Know Magazine can be found in the metro Atlanta area at Kroger, QuickTrip, Whole Foods stores and online.

For interview requests or speaking engagements call 770-460-5995 or email SparkPlug@SparkPlugPeople.com

We human beings are emotional creatures. We are moved by creativity, and we have the inherent drive to be creative ourselves. We are instinctually drawn to rhythm. The measures and the melodies we prefer might differ, but our fascination with them is universal. Before we ever draw our first breath of air, we are soothed by the rhythmic sound of our mother’s heartbeat while inside the womb. Practically every person we may come across will have their favorite music that inspires them, but we would be hard pressed to find someone with the capacity to hear and feel it, who does not enjoy any form of music at all.

How bland and dull life would be without music. It is a phenomenon that is able to powerfully stir our emotions. It impacts us on numerous levels; emotionally, socially, spiritually and physiologically. It is quite amazing how something that cannot be seen or physically grasped can have such a profound impact on our senses. Like the wind that rustles the leaves on a tree, music resonates with the fabric of humanity and compels us to pay attention.

It is an increasingly evident fact that music significantly contributes towards mental and emotional well-being. It is used in psychotherapy and psychiatry to restore balance and calm to psychological conditions that disrupt our body’s natural equilibrium. It is able to soothe and calm, and bring about restoration in facets of life that no surgeon’s scalpel can reach. Listening to our favorite songs transports us back to memorable moments in our lives . . . moments that define our experience and even our identity to a degree. The song to which lovers first danced. The track that was playing when we were first kissed. The lullaby our mother or father sang to us as we fell asleep cradled safely in their arms. Just imagine our favorite movies without their accompanying soundtrack . . . how robbed of energy and feeling they would be. Birds without song, lyrics without melody . . . it all makes for a very depressing picture.

Music is integral in helping us identify our personal social niche. It helps us form bonds and relationships with those who share our tastes and interests, thereby inspiring community and a sense of belonging. It documents the progression of shifts in culture and society, and is itself in a constant state of evolution as old sounds and technologies are blended with new ones, steadily reshaping the present and catapulting us towards the future. There is also an increasing degree to which music influences other disciplines like cinema, fashion and art . . . even politics. The civil rights movement in America and the rebellion against the apartheid regime in South Africa are just two examples of profound cultural, social and political chapters in world history in which music gave voice and expression to the laments of the downtrodden. It strengthens, motivates and comforts.

As long as the human being experiences feelings and emotions that need expression, music will be a crucial component of giving voice to those sentiments. There are those who believe that music is the result of heaven kissing earth, and that it is one of the supernatural and eternal gifts that we carry with us from this life into the next.

———-> Tracey Roper is a freelance writer and webmaster. Visit her sites to find out more about DVD duplication and CD packaging.

When women gather together to talk about business, you’d better believe there will be excitement in the air and you will leave with some valuable information that can be applied immediately.

Once again, this held true on June 3, 2011. The Commerce Club, Atlanta’s elegant and stylish meeting place for people who are making things happen in the metro area was the site for the quarterly Transforming Women Entrepreneurs (TWE) symposium presented by Progressive Techniques, Inc.

Nancy Lewis, (pictured above) the Founder of TWE and the President of Progressive Techniques, Inc., was the host of this much-anticipated and inspiring quarterly event, especially designed to help women entrepreneurs succeed. Nancy is one of the newest members of the People You Need to Know Magazine Network of first-class women-owned businesses in metro Atlanta. Her company, Progressive Techniques Inc., is a leader in “Developing a Better You” and her A-list clients such as Delta Airlines, AT&T, Chick-fil-A and many more, rave about her energetic, uplifting and inspiring presentations. Nancy Lewis is a leading motivational/inspirational speaker, trainer, business coach and author. She is well-connected and immensely respected in the metro Atlanta business community.

At People You Need to Know Magazine, we were honored to be a media partner at this phenomenal event. The topic for the morning was “Leveraging Sales & Marketing for Profitability and Business Success.”

The program began promptly at 8:30am with Nancy Lewis welcoming and thanking everyone for coming out to the TWE quarterly meeting. She also gave special recognition to her sponsors for supporting her in her efforts to make a difference in the lives of women entrepreneurs.

At 8:50am, a delicious classic plated American breakfast was served to the esteemed guests and at 9:25am, Nancy introduced one of Atlanta’s favorite personalities, Ms. Tawanda Black, Director of Community Affairs for KISS 104.1 FM in Atlanta. Ms. Black took over as the moderator for the rest of the program. She did an outstanding job introducing the panelists and keeping the program moving along smoothly.

The first panelist to be introduced was Shani T. Godwin, President of Communiqué. Her company offers Strategic Marketing for growing businesses. Shani spoke about “Building Brand Equity.” She believes that building a brand is the same as building any long-term investment. Ms. Godwin pointed out that you should never compromise your brand, and that consistency is essential to your brand building success.

Shani shared her list of low-cost ways to invest in your brand. First, she suggested that when it comes to your brand, you must be consistent with your colors. If your colors are red and white, be sure to stay consistent with everything you do in your branding efforts. Secondly, have key messages that build upon your brand’s strength. Third, make sure everyone in your organization speaks with a united voice about your product or service. Fourth, create messages that resonate with your audience. Fifth, create brand guidelines. Sixth, ask yourself — who do you want to be in the future? Seventh, understand that you don’t have to be everything to all people. Eighth, create marketing materials that have the same look and feel. And last but not least, know who you are when it comes to your brand.

The second panelist to be introduced was Marilynn Mobley, Senior Vice President/Strategic Counsel at Edelman, the world’s largest PR Firm. Edelman has 3,600 employees in 53 offices worldwide. They were named Adverting Age’s PR Firm of the decade. Marilynn talked about “What it Takes to Get the PR to Get You What You Want.” She said that after all is said and done, what people really want more than anything else in business is significance. People want to feel like they really do matter. She encouraged the attendees to be thought leaders. Marilynn did a great job of revealing to the group what the media outlets ultimately want . . . which is, what can you contribute that will make them look really smart? The media, she says, are more interested in helping their readers and viewers, and not just you. Her remarkable insight into the PR world was very informative.

Marilynn believes that media is merging and converging; furthermore, as a result of this new paradigm that we are experiencing today, reporters are looking for reliable sources who know what the trends are, who understand that as thought leaders you must stay in front of reporters because they are very busy, and they are also looking for people who embrace the power of social media. Reporters are getting their sources online at sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and more, she noted. She told the attendees to think of themselves as a resource for clients and media. When it comes to your industry, Marilynn says that you should find out who covers it, and who writes about your industry and subject matter. In addition, find out what’s interesting to a reporter and figure out how you can be of service to them. In closing, she suggested to the attendees that they follow the media as well as pay attention to how the media is changing.

The final panelist to be introduced was Tamiko Leverette, MPA, President, Nonprofit Dreams, LLC. Ms. Leverette also produces a weekly television show called Dreams Are Not For Profit. Tamiko’s presentation was about how for-profit businesses can work with non-profits to save on their marketing. She said business owners should find non-profits to work with or start one of their own. Furthermore, her past experience with non-profits taught her that there are great opportunities for marketing partnerships and a chance to save money and support your community at the same time. It’s a win-win for the non-profit and the business owner because the non-profit gets much needed financial assistance and the tax benefit is great for the business owner because they can write-off the financial contribution.

Ms. Leverette noted that Cause-Related Marketing is always great for business. What Cause-Related Marketing does is let people know that your organization supports a particular cause such as Habitat for Humanity or the United Way. Tamiko encouraged the audience members to partner with non-profits in their small business marketing efforts because they may have the additional resources that your small business may not have, especially during these unstable economic times.

A memorable quote she shared with the attendees was, “The non-profits’ mission is not to make money, but that is not to say they can’t make money.” Tamiko stated that there are 65,000 non-profits in the state of Georgia, and when deciding to partner with a non-profit, it is extremely important to target groups you’re trying to reach. For instance, If you’re trying to reach teachers, target non-profits that work with teachers.

In closing, she said when it comes to non-profit partnerships, most for-profit business owners really need to take a closer look at how this relationship could really help grow their business.

At the end of the panel presentations, the audience members were given the opportunity to ask the panelists a few questions. And after the question and answer session came to a close, it was time for the door prizes to be given away. Nancy Lewis picked the lucky winners of the door prizes by drawing names on business cards from a basket. All sorts of prizes were given away, from make-overs, coaching sessions, gift-bags, books, skin care products and more.

As usual, our People You Need to Know Magazine display table was set-up and ready to welcome all who stopped by to visit with us. One of the first people to stop by our table to say hello was Ms. Sebrena Sumrah-Kelly, (pictured left) President of Caribbean-American Business Connections. Sebrena is one of the newest members of the People You Need to Know Magazine Network of first-class women-owned businesses in metro Atlanta. She will be featured in our upcoming Leading Ladies in Business edition. At the end of the program, many of the attendees stayed around for awhile to network/make new business contacts, and several wanted to find out more about our magazine.

We’d like to give special recognition to a few people whom we had the pleasure of meeting at the event …

• Joanne W. Trawick, Beauty Consultant/President-Aularale Skin Care & Cosmetics
• Doris Taylor, President-4 Rivers Management Worldwide,LLC.
• Tom E. McBeth, Executive Director-Real Parents, Inc.
• Dona Cage, President/CEO-Turnkey Solutions, LLC.
• Carline Robertson, Photographer-Images by Patrick & Carline
• Josephine D. Crawford, PhD,President-Coaching and Training for Success, LLC
• Letia M. Scales, Certified Image Consultant-e-modeinc
• Darrell L. Thomas, Vice President (BRM)-Wells Fargo
• Marlene Kelly, President & CEO-Exhibits South
• Tanesha Clancy, Mentor-Just Us Girls, Inc.
• Patricia Winbush, Education Consultant-Real Parents, Inc.

Once again, People You Need to Know Magazine would like to congratulate Ms. Nancy Lewis for putting together this incredibly exciting, informative and uplifting event that is sure to help many of the people who attended leverage their sales and marketing efforts. If you missed this event, don’t forget to mark your calendar for September 16, 2011, in order to attend the next TWE quarterly program.

People You Need to Know Magazine