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My Journey So Far
120 Plays4 years ago
It's a Christmas edition of your favourite podcast" The Entrepreneur Speaks Podcast "
Frenchaire Gardner, a serial entrepreneur is my guest . She holds degrees in Psychology and Sociology from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
She shares her ups, downs and lessons in this exciting episode titled ' My Journey So Far"
Enjoy !!
Recommended
Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
Yes, keep going, you know. The road is not going to be easy.
The Entrepreneurial Mission: Challenges and Connections
00:00:10
Speaker
It's not an easy road being a business owner or an entrepreneur, but it's important to fulfill the mission and the purpose because there are so many people that you are destined to touch
00:00:30
Speaker
and to reach, but you have to continue on towards your passions and towards your purposes to make those connections happen.
Finding Joy and Self-care in Business
00:00:43
Speaker
Another thing is to have fun and laugh more as much as possible because there's gonna be so many serious moments. There's gonna be so many moments where you think that, you know,
00:00:59
Speaker
You wish you would have never got into the game. But it's going to be fun anyway. Just laugh and enjoy the ride. Enjoy the lows. Enjoy the highs. Celebrate all of the smallest moments. Do take time to meditate and journal and go within and take some time to just be with self and do self-care.
00:01:26
Speaker
while you're doing your business do take time for yourself and for your family and mostly be patient be patient with yourself because you might be a trailblazer and doing something for the first time and you might not have seen it done before and you're going to make some mistakes along the road but keep going and be patient with yourself
00:01:55
Speaker
and don't stop.
Introduction of Host and Guest
00:01:59
Speaker
Welcome friends to The Entrepreneur Speaks. I'm your host Kofi Anumaidu. Each week I host an amazing entrepreneur on their journey, successes and challenges. It is my hope that we'll learn from their experiences as we all work towards living a life of passion and purpose.
00:02:22
Speaker
Franche Ghatna is my guest on this episode of the Entrepreneur Speaks podcast. She's a serial entrepreneur and creative. She holds degrees in psychology and sociology from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Welcome to my show, Franche. Thank you so much for having me. It's an honor.
00:02:48
Speaker
Tell us a bit more about yourself and the amazing things you are engaging.
Franche's Business Ventures and Collaborations
00:02:53
Speaker
Yes, thank you. So I am, like you said, is I'm from Chair Gardner and I ran out of Dallas, Texas, and I am a serial entrepreneur. And what that means is I've started several businesses, one being BNS LLC, which is a company that I use to
00:03:15
Speaker
to partner and collaborate with other melanated business owners by selling and marketing their products. As though I have partnered with the Biobatic Campaign, selling their 100-year commemoration of black Wall Street hoodies and t-shirts. I market for the English Schoolhouse, books by Dr. Tamara Pizzoli,
00:03:45
Speaker
and I spread awareness about her books through our email campaigns. I also am partnered with Dell Chambers of Yale Arts and New Mobile Healing, and I sell her products such as Sage and Palisanto Visual Arts. I also partner with Bronze Lion Art with Victor Hoover in selling his visual arts, his paintings, and then
00:04:15
Speaker
On the flip side, I also sell my own products that I design, like t-shirt designs, partnerships and collaborations with B&B Productions producing shower curtains using original art because I thought that original art is so expensive that it makes it less accessible to people. So I decided to put original African art
00:04:43
Speaker
onto shower curtain sets, mats and shower curtains to sell. And people are really loving those, Queen Nandi and the Warrior King. There's different beautiful designs. And I also wrote a children's book called Mommy and Daddy, Mommy and Daddy, Do You Still Love Me Anymore? And that book is available on Amazon Kindle.
00:05:06
Speaker
And the premise of that book is basically a salute and a remembrance and just say something that I wanted to leave a legacy for my children, Joseph Jr., French Air 2, Melchizedek and Sarai. I wanted them to always know that even though we are apart and physically that we are spiritually and mentally, we are always connected and that I always love them and I'm thinking of them.
00:05:34
Speaker
And also to encourage children who have been placed into the foster care system and who have been adopted to remind them that their biological parents do still love them. They are still thinking about them and they still care about them. And they were given up in love and not in abandonment. Wow. Then I can describe you as a woman of many parts.
00:06:07
Speaker
Thank you so much. Was it always your desire to be an entrepreneur or the idea to own your own business came up after a life experience?
Inspiration from a Personal Relationship
00:06:21
Speaker
It was always my dream to be wealthy. I'll say that. I didn't know how that would come to be. I basically became an entrepreneur
00:06:38
Speaker
by watching others. I was watching my ex, my ex-boyfriend that I was dating. He was a entrepreneur and he was doing his own thing in his own business. And that encouraged me to start my own business so that I could be able to leverage my time and my energy so that I would have more time, more free time to do the things that I really care about and the things that I love. Oh, okay.
00:07:08
Speaker
How long have you been an entrepreneur and how has the journey been so far? I have been an entrepreneur for four years. Okay. And the journey has been rocky. It's been good. It's been, it's had this great moments and it's had his bad moments, but ultimately what it did do is free my time to just do the things that I enjoy like being on your podcasts or recording my own podcast.
00:07:38
Speaker
Okay. What has been some of the low moments in your career so far? All right.
Property Management Struggles for Women
00:07:44
Speaker
Well, some of the low moments I've experienced as an entrepreneur are I owned a multifamily property in St. Louis, Missouri. And it was as a woman hard to find good contractors to work with me to fix the building and to maintain the building.
00:08:04
Speaker
A lot of times the men would take advantage of me because I wasn't informed about the housework and all the things that were entailed with the house, the building. And so a lot of times the men contractors would try to get over me and get over on me or take advantage of me. And a lot of times I had money taken from me. I paid
00:08:32
Speaker
I pay for jobs to be done that never got done. I end up losing the property actually in the course of time because of some of the financial issues that I was having with trying to maintain the building. Some other lows, what I would say is just
00:08:58
Speaker
not having any sales. That's really low. Low, low. Yes, it is. And so, you know, on those times when I don't have any sales, I have to be creative and figure out other avenues to generate revenue. Okay.
Success Stories and Community Engagement
00:09:20
Speaker
So just as there's been low moments, I believe there's also been a lot of high moments.
00:09:26
Speaker
Can I please share some of these with us? Yes, some of the highs. Yes. Acquiring the property was a big high for me. To start, have a property that came with tenants already in place for me, that was a big high in 2016 to own my first property in America. One and another highs.
00:09:55
Speaker
was in on a couple of radio shows discussing my insurance business and things. I've had several highs with just being able to be a part of so many beautiful community events as a vendor and being able to meet so many beautiful people
00:10:22
Speaker
and different energies and learning more about people through these community events that I sell my products at. Another high would be meeting and partnering up with Amber Bookstore LLC, which is owned by Gregory Reed and RIP to Roland Young.
00:10:49
Speaker
They taught me a lot. I partnered with them to help sell their books and I designed their website. But the high was just the wisdom that I learned and acquired through being around them and working with them. Another high was we just had, well, just coming up next month, we'll be celebrating
00:11:17
Speaker
three years of operating and hosting and creating my podcast called A News You Can Use Podcast. And so I do celebrate with all of the people and the guests that I've had on my own show. It's been a beautiful time speaking to business owners like you're talking to me and hearing about their history and understanding their stories and celebrating their successes with them.
00:11:47
Speaker
I just concluded a giveaway. I collaborated with Tricia Lumley in London. And so that was pretty exciting to connect with someone in London to put on a giveaway on Instagram. So we did a week-long giveaway. She cooked
00:12:11
Speaker
She cooks cakes, she bakes cakes. And so we gave away a cake to a London resident, Chef Ties. And so that was awesome to just, you know, all of the beautiful collaborations that are starting to form are definitely a highlight of my business experience.
00:12:37
Speaker
Interesting. From all that you said so far, it seems partnerships, collaboration, and teamwork plays an important role in your operations.
Emphasizing Partnerships and Cooperative Economics
00:12:48
Speaker
Tell us about the role of partnership, collaboration, and teamwork in your operations. Yes, Kofi. So my business is built on the principle of Ujima U-J-A-M-A-A, which is a
00:13:06
Speaker
principle in Guizosaba principle of Kwanzaa, which means cooperative economics. And the whole goal of the principle is to basically, well, I'm using it to build resources and finances between us Blacks, us Africans,
00:13:33
Speaker
you know, building a stream where funds and monies can flow one to the other. And so it's very important that I partner with other like-minded business owners because that is what's important to me. It really means a lot to me to see other people have success.
00:14:00
Speaker
and fulfill their own dreams. And so it makes me, you know, it gives me purpose to work with others to bring balance and to bring resources to their homes and into their businesses. Thank you very much for sharing these with us. I believe there's been a lot of lessons you've picked up in business. Can you share some of these lessons with us? Yes.
00:14:31
Speaker
Keep going, you know? The road is not going to be easy. It's not an easy road being a business owner or an entrepreneur, but it's important to fulfill the mission and the purpose because there are so many people that you are destined to touch and to reach.
00:14:59
Speaker
but you have to continue on towards your passions and towards your purposes to make those connections happen. Another thing is to have fun and laugh more as much as possible because there's gonna be so many serious moments. There's gonna be so many moments where you think that, you know,
00:15:27
Speaker
You wish you wouldn't have never got into the game, but it's gonna be fun anyway. Just laugh and enjoy the ride, enjoy the lows, enjoy the highs. Celebrate all of the smallest moments. Do take time to meditate and journal and go within and take some time to just be with self and do self-care.
00:15:54
Speaker
Um, while you're doing your business, do take time for yourself, um, and for your family and mostly be patient, be patient with yourself because you might be a trailblazer and doing something for the first time. And you might not have seen it done before and you may, you're gonna, you're going to make some mistakes along the road, but keep going and be patient with yourself.
00:16:23
Speaker
And don't stop. Keep going. Keep going. Don't stop. Enjoy the process. Thank you so much for these rich ways. That's right. So what really inspires you? Where do you draw your inspiration from? That's a good question, Kofi. I draw my inspiration from my four children, Joseph Jr., French Air 2, Mel Kizadek, and Sarai.
00:16:50
Speaker
They are my why. They are the reason why I do what I do. I really want to build a life for myself that when they get older in 10, 15 years from now, the life that I've built today will enjoy us the ride to be leisure, to be able to travel the world, to be able to be together and do whatever it is that we want to do.
00:17:20
Speaker
and have fun with each other and love on each other. That's really the reason why I work so hard. They are the reasons why I work so hard. We're separated right now. And I'm just waiting for them to get of age so that we can reunite and we can be together and love on each other. And so they motivated me to go so hard on my businesses and my platforms.
Adapting to a Pandemic-driven Business Model
00:17:50
Speaker
We find ourselves in an era where we are confronted with this COVID-19 pandemic. What has been the effect of COVID on your patients? How are you handling your patients during this era? COVID, the pandemic has had a serious impact on my business. I'm used to going out to different events in the communities and setting up
00:18:19
Speaker
a table with all of my products. I'm used to meeting people and selling to people face to face. And so the pandemic has stopped a lot of that. And Dallas, they have opened up a lot, you know, since March. But I have not been able to take advantage of these opportunities. So I've had to turn my business into an online business.
00:18:49
Speaker
which is a little bit tougher because I was already having troubles trying to drive people to my website in the first place. So I'm really having to step up my game on social media. I'm turning to technology for some, some help. And I had to just restructure the way that I make money. You know, now I have to, I have to go out and do Uber, Uber eats delivery so I can make some money. So I can pay the bills.
00:19:15
Speaker
because my business is not bringing in a lot of revenue at the time. I'm sure there are people listening to us who are desirous of starting their own business.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
00:19:28
Speaker
Having engaged in the startup of so many businesses will be your advice to someone with that desire to start something on their own. To engage on this journey of creating their own business.
00:19:45
Speaker
Yes, my advice for an aspiring business owner is to just go for it, you know, make a plan though, you know, plan, you know, do some research on your industry and, and, you know, once you're getting yourself into do a lot of research, if you can find someone in the industry that you desire to work in and, you know,
00:20:12
Speaker
turn to them for advice. Look to see what they are doing. Because a lot of times you don't have to read the wheel. The wheel is already created for you. You just make it original for yourself. I would also say is to be patient. Like I was just saying, be patient with yourself because you're treading into new waters.
00:20:40
Speaker
things are going to be difficult, but that's okay. What is it difficult? If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. One, but two, you have a goal. And so press forward towards that goal. I would also say, if I haven't said this already, plan.
00:21:07
Speaker
If you're trying to get, you know, a hundred pieces sold, then you need to write down a plan on how you're going to do that, you know, specifically. Use SMART, SMART goals, specific, measurable. I don't know all of the, what the, all the academic goals. Tenable, realistic, and time bound. Yes. Thank you, Koki.
00:21:36
Speaker
So make smart goals. And just do it. Don't let fear or procrastination stop you from doing it. Whatever it is, your idea performed already, just do it. Go out there, put yourself out there and make your mistakes and your successes will come from your failures.
00:22:02
Speaker
Just do it. Your success will come from your failures. Just about ending our conversation. What will be your advice or last words for my listeners?
Happiness, Support, and Manifestation
00:22:18
Speaker
I would say do the things that make you happy. If you can figure out how to make money,
00:22:27
Speaker
doing the passions, doing your passions and doing the things that you love and that you enjoy doing when you're not even making money. Do that. Do those things. Do the things that make you happy. Spend as much time as you can with your family and let them know that you support them and that you care for them. Support your friends who have businesses, your friends and your peers who have businesses because one day you're going to be looking for
00:22:56
Speaker
for them to support you in some form or shape or fashion when it's your time and you have your new business. Definitely, I would say keep a journal, write down your thoughts and ideas so that they can be written down into the universe. I think that's it.
00:23:24
Speaker
very much.
Empowering Foster and Adopted Children
00:23:25
Speaker
We cannot go off without you talking a little bit about your book. Tell us a bit more about your book. Yes, so you can buy my book on Amazon Kindle currently and next year you'll be able to purchase the book from me and hopefully on Amazon and other places next year. I'm in the process of editing the book
00:23:52
Speaker
Dr. Tamara Pizzoli is editing the book. And she is an awesome, you know, candidate to do that. And so once it gets ended, I have illustrations by Del Chambers to add to my text. And it'll be a picture book, a children's book, a picture book for children. And like I said, the title is Mommy and Daddy, Do You Still Love Me Anymore? And by Frenchair Gardner.
00:24:19
Speaker
And I'm really excited about it because right now the Kindle version doesn't have any art on it. And so I'm really excited about this new paperback that will be published sometime next year. If you stay in contact with me through my social media pages, which is just be yourself.
00:24:46
Speaker
and us, LLC on Instagram and on Facebook. If you like those pages, you'll get updates on when the paperback is published and ready for purchase. Eventually I will start doing pre-order. But yeah, the book is about encouraging foster children and adopted children around the world to let them know that their biological parents are still thinking of them.
00:25:15
Speaker
that the biological parents do love them. And just because they're separated doesn't stop that, you know? And it's a dedication to my own children, Joseph Jr., French Air 2, Mel Kinsidek, and Sarai, to let them know that I love them, that I think about them every day, that this is a, you know, an example in the real world of your mother showing her love for them.
00:25:44
Speaker
Thank you, Franche, for sharing your journey with us. I wish you the very best. Thank you so much. It has been another exciting episode of the Entrepreneur Speaks podcast. Watch out for our next episode. I'm your host, Kofi Annimedu. Stay safe and let's continue to keep Uber alive. Cheers.
00:27:32
Speaker
Hello, hello. Hello, hello, hello. Hello, hello, hello.