Funding

As a future entrepreneur I can have all the ideas and hopes in the world but if I have no money my ideas are just that ideas. Through my research and studies here at Full Sail University I have been introduce to several funding opportunities.

AEO Association for Enterprise Opportunity offers several options for funding your small business one that sparked my interest is the Dream Fund.  Dream fund creates benefits to support lending to small business in low-income areas; this will be beneficial to me because I want to open a production company on the South Side of Chicago.

CFED Expanding Economic Opportunity also has funding options for entrepreneurship.  These particular businesses focus on helping microbusinesses. “Businesses with five or fewer employees including the owner—represent the overwhelming majority of businesses, large and small, in the United States: microbusinesses account for approximately 92% of all businesses and 26 million jobs. We know that today, many businesses are staying very small and more vulnerable people are starting businesses.”  As an Entrepreneur we create jobs for ourselves and others, contributing to the community economic wealth this company also support African- Americans in the south.

Another Company to research for funding is CDVCA Community Development Venture Capital Alliance and to become a member is fairly easy. This company allows you to become a member three different ways you can pay a $500 membership fee including monthly fees don’t get discourage about the money because you will have invites to annual conferences, regular communications about more funding opportunities and updates, they will keep you abreast of all information. If you are not considering joining because the fee is too high you can also volunteer. Regardless how for your business is to opening it’s doors there are always companies out here to help you fund…you just have to put in the work and research.

References:

http://cdvca.org/join-us/membership-2/

http://cfed.org/
http://www.microenterpriseworks.org

Social media is not all fun and games.......

Social media today plays a crucial role in one’s success; the Internet can make or break you. Just think about the popular YouTube sensations that have been noticed like Justin Bieber for example. But on the other hand a scandal can go viral and destroy someone’s career. If you tweet something seconds later that post can be on Facebook, Instagram and a host of other social media sites.  Not to mention if you love your job you better watch what you post can you can potentially lose your job due to a personal feeling.  Even Paula Dean keeps making social media mistakes. Don’t think social media is really a place where you can let of steam in a post know and understand people are always watching. Be careful what you post, but using social media as a form of self-advertisement is great.

Industry Liabilities

INDUSTRY LIABILITIES

NaTasha Harris

The first article I read I chuckled a bit….Sisters Sue Reality Show for Filmed Attack. Yes you guess it Oxygen’s Bad Girls Club. Apparently twin sisters Amanda and Victoria Hepperle never had seen an episode of Bad Girls Club. These twins were “replaceable” and when they arrived to the house an orchestrated attack took place. According to the twins they believe producers of the show planned this attack for more ratings and advertising. Rather or not if I agree with that statement I am 100% against bullying and if these young ladies felt unsafe at any moment someone should pay. However, the sisters maybe embarrassed this scuffle took place before they could the lime light.

Singer Kesha recently lost her lawsuit in NY trying to be released from her current contract. Kesha made allegations of rape and abuse against her music producer Dr. Luke.  Now this case was thrown out because according to the judge if indeed these acts of rape and sexual abuse happened it wasn’t in NY’s jurisdiction. This unlawful act reportable occurred over a decade ago some may question the timing of this lawsuit and have questions that need to be answered like you didn’t remember this ungodly act against you when you first endorsed the contract?

Custom arrangement license, grand right license and mechanical licenses are just a few legal knots you must tie before you sing a popular song at your school’s choir concert. A high school choir got sued for stealing music, the real life choir that inspired the TV show Glee.  I guess it makes sense if you make money by using someone else’s music then you should pay to you it. For God’s sakes they are kids just trying to have a good time.

References:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/high-school-show-choir-inspired-907881

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/04/08/kesha-losing-her-music-career-along-with-court-cases.html

http://www.entlawdigest.com/2016/06/14/4267.htm

GEDO

I had the pleasure of interviewing an up and coming me artist Gedo. Gedo is a rapper from Chicago trying to bring inspiration lyrics to his hometown. The first question I asked Joe Levy was what does his stage name means and he explained this was just a childhood nickname and his father has the same nick mane as well.

Tasha: Gedo because the music industry is cut throat how do you deal with people’s dirty tricks?

Gedo: that’s funny because I was just in a situation where I was recommended an editor to edit my latest music video but to my surprise he was a scam artist. I had my lawyer draw up an agreement for my  three projects but this editor refused to read and endorse anything. He wanted me to pay him up front for all three music videos but when I told him I had a legal contract he disappeared. LOL!

Tasha: How do you separate people from problems when you are negotiating?

Gedo: look, this is a business and everyone involved is looking out for himself or herself. In this rap game there is no room for personal emotional feelings. This is a game and you have to learn all the moves to became a master. I would not allow myself to emotionally make a decision you have to learn how to separate. It’s like why I don’t do business with family. I can only look at the person for there creative ability not how that person my relate to me. You can’t take anything personal in this industry and I’m afraid most people haven’t mastered that skill. Let me be clear this is a skill that’s not taught in school, this is a life skill.

Tasha: give me an example of how you worked toward a mutual benefit while negotiating a deal?

Gedo: my former manger didn’t have tons of experience but his networking relationships were amazing. This kid knew just about every rapper that came from Chicago. I was iffy to sign with him but I knew we could be great for each other. We both were in the learning process so we learned and worked together. The mutual benefit was we needed each other at that time to both succeed. So I was able to but his lack of experience aside for his strong emotion to become successful. We were a great team. We both were hungry. He is no longer my manger but I wish him the best of luck.

 To view a sample of GEDO click here https://youtu.be/BKXELBgNjL8

Media vs. Chicago

The Media Vs. Chicago

There is no secret the city of Chicago has been the topic of several people’s conversations. Chicago has been center of attention for quite some time now starting with the shooting of Hadiya Pendleton, a young teen who preformed at the White House with her classmates. You can just image how the press ate this up giving the fact that our President is from Chicago. Since 2013 numerous of killings and unsolved murders have arise so much that now Hollywood is making a dollar form the tragedies of Chicago. 

Spike Lee created a film called CHI-RAQ that sent most of Chicagoans in an uproar including myself. Spike Lee in my opinion and the opinions of others did not represent Chicago in good way. Yes there are some really rough neighborhoods in Chicago but aren’t there many rough neighborhoods worldwide. Chicago is not the dump he portrayed it to be. We have mansion, and many well-known rich and famous people who still live here. Just to name a few Common, Kanye West, Harrison Ford, Michelle and Barack Obama.

The latest movie that reference Chicago is Barbershop the Next Cut. This movie is the complete opposite from Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq, this movie actually point out some good things of Chicago. This movie is trying to share awareness with the rest of the world that yes, Chicago may be in crisis and need help but there are still some good people in Chicago. The first Barbershop movie was filmed twelve years ago and despite the violence they still chose to make another movie and keep this film based in Chicago. This film can be considered a comedy but it really focused on the “real” issues of Chicago. This movie is a must see if you want to get a view of how Chicago really is.