Derrick Salters/WENN.com

Some of the best and brightest in entertainment, business and service donned their sharpest clothes Saturday night and attended the 2013 BET Honors.

The awards show was once again hosted by actress Gabrielle Union, who has held that role since the first awards show in 2008. BET President of Music Programming and Specials, Stephen Hill tweeted after the show that Union was “funny, smart, sarcastic, caustic and real surprising.” If you’ve ever seen the show, it comes as no surprise that she’s any one of those things and is a perfect choice for host.

This year’s honorees include: pastor TD Jakes, singer Chaka Khan, entrepreneur Clarence Avant, basketball player Lisa Leslie, and actress Halle Berry. There were performances and appearances by Erykah Badu, Kem, Brandy, Mint Condition, Alicia Keys, Ledisi, Wayne Brady and a host of others. If some of the floating pictures are any indication, it was an awesome night.

Union spoke of the importance of the BET Honors after last year’s show saying, “A lot of times we wait around to get validation from pretty much everyone else.  We feel like we haven’t gotten anything accomplished if ‘others’ don’t say ‘good job.’ It means a lot more when your own says ‘good job.’ That’s what BET does with theBET Honors. It pulls the best and brightest of our family together and tells them ‘good job and keep up the good work’.”

The show is held at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. Proceeds from BET Honors 2013 will benefit Life Pieces to Masterpieces, an organization that provides opportunities for African-American young men in Washington, D.C. by developing and unlocking their potential, and empowering them to transform their lives and communities.

The 2013 BET Honors will air on Monday, February 11th at 9pm.

Chantelle Fraser’s life is anything but average. Her free spirit and business savvy have taken her from studying at the London School of Economics, to serving celebrities at private members’ clubs, to jet setting around the globe with high fashion models in tow.

As the CEO and founder of Flawless Entertainment & Promotions, Fraser gives major brands and influential individuals access to the power of beauty and entertainment to take their events to the next level. I caught up with the UK-born entrepreneur to discuss her organic journey to success.

Flawless was born when Fraser realized the models at the agencies she worked for needed help making ends meet between jobs. The company has since expanded to represent musical and specialty talent. As her business continues to grow, it’s amazing to think that it all started with a young woman making cold calls from her bedroom.

We started our conversation at the beginning of her professional life. After running an IT recruitment business while studying for her master’s degree, Chantelle set her sights on the entertainment industry.

Madame Noire (MN): When did you move to the US?

Chantelle Fraser (CF): The way I got to the States is an interesting story. After I finished my master’s, I started working at a private members’ club as a waitress part-time. I was working for Ronnie Wood [of the Rolling Stones]. It was great networking with lots of celebrities and interesting people. I met somebody who turned out to own a retail empire in England who went to the London School of Economics. He said to me, “Give me your resume. I’ve got contacts in the entertainment industry; I’ll try to help you.” It turned out he was moving to the States to conduct some business. He gave me a job as his personal assistant in the States.

MN: What were you doing before you started Flawless?

CF: After that [assistant] job ended, I got a job working at a modeling agency. I always knew I wanted to start my own business, but I thought the way to do it was to start small. I could have taken the corporate route, but realistically I’m not going to go work in a bank. So, I thought what kind of business am I realistically going to be able to run myself. I worked at agencies for about three years before launching my company [in 2006].

MN: What was the catalyst that made you start your business when you did?

CF: I initially thought I was going to end up owning just a regular, high fashion agency. But, I kept getting these calls from clients who wanted to book models for promotions and events. I always had to turn those jobs down because we were managing these models’ careers. In those days it wasn’t seen as good for their careers to be doing events. We’re turning these really well paying jobs down, but I’d listen to models and they’d be struggling so much because they’d be doing all these editorials that weren’t really paying a living wage. I’d see them out when I go to restaurants and they’d be hosting and waitressing.

I thought why don’t I just start a business where clients get to fulfill their needs: they have beautiful people at their events, promoting their product, making them look good, and elevating their brand image. And also I’m providing the models with extra income and a means to showcase their other skills, other than just standing there pouting for the camera.

MN: You’ve talked about the needs Flawless meets for clients and models, what need does it fill for you?

CF: I always wanted to be the architect of my own destiny. I’m a free spirit. I always believe in being unreasonable. I wanted to do something dynamic. Flawless was a way for me to live my dream. It was the perfect type of company that encompasses all the things that I love… meeting people, inspiring other people, managing people. I love casting models, making people happy, and growing something. It’s really fun to actually grow a business from a seed to making your visions come to life.

MN: Tell me about that first year operating out of your bedroom. What mistakes did you make and how did you learn from them?

CF: I was living in the moment. When I look back on it I think, “Oh my God, that’s so crazy!” The first month I started my business I didn’t have money to pay the rent. I had a roommate, it was a rent-controlled apartment, and I was like, “Damn, have I made a mistake?” But, for some reason I just didn’t have fear.

I was calling major brands – Playboy, Estee Lauder, high-net-worth individuals – telling them about my company. I didn’t have a website. I didn’t have anything. All I had was my voice, my charm, and my models, which I think were always of a very high standard. I was able to get business, and clients kept referring me to other clients. Eventually I grew myself out of my bedroom and into an office. One summer’s day, sitting there, I was lonely and said, “I think I’m going to get an office.” I think it was in the first six months I had an office in SoHo with a steady stream of clients and a couple of employees.

Model: Windela
Photographer: Primavera Ruiz

Fans of unusual jewelry should find something they like in the intricately hand-crafted designs of Brooklyn-based CanDid Art Accessories. Owner and designer Candice Cox experiments with brass, copper, gunmetal and silver to create retro, punk-rock and African-inspired pieces. Cox will tell you that her Royalty Body Chain is her most versatile piece, while her Shoulder Elegance piece and her various hand chains are top sellers.

Although her craftsmanship looks to be the work of an artist with years of designing experience, for Cox, turning an interest into a full-time business venture happened almost overnight.

“I learned on YouTube,” she said. “That’s how I made my first pair of earrings.”

Cox started making jewelry in December 2010, after a conversation with a friend about her love for funky jewelry and unique pieces sparked a business idea.

“It always starts with friends and the people that love you,” Cox said. “They said, ‘Why not make money selling jewelry while you’re still trying to figure out what you want to do in New York?’”

And so she did.

“I’ve always loved different stuff [and] the idea of being different,” Cox said of her designs. “I like pieces that evoke conversation.”

She says “she’s inspired by everything,” including a love of Africa, her people and the creative people she meets in her environment. Her parents also played an inspirational role in her business.

“My mom is an artist in her own right,” she said. “My artistic ability came from her. My father is an entrepreneur and has always encouraged me to start my own business.”

But before her fairly recent transformation into a full-time jewelry craftsman, Cox worked in sales at Coca- Cola in California. She spent five years with the company as a sales executive managing million-dollar accounts. Before then, she worked for two years in company ticket sales with the NBA’s Golden Warriors.

Gradually, Cox began to realize that working in corporate America wasn’t for her.

“What I didn’t like about corporate America was working like a slave for someone else, and being in an environment where the glass ceiling is the reality,” she said.

So the Oakland, CA native packed up and moved to New York City in search of her true calling. Soon after, CanDid Art Accessories was born.

Cox is a 2003 business marketing graduate of Howard University, and taking a look at her website, you can tell her marketing background came in handy for starting her own company. Although she had no previous experience in Web design, Cox created the website herself to cut costs using Wix.com, a site she felt offered the best professional looking website for free.

Creating the website was step one. The next challenge came with spreading the word about her new business. Soon she found word of mouth and social media was her key to breaking into the market. Then she started going to events, collecting emails, and sending e-blasts to new and potential customers.

As she grew, Cox was able to secure all of her models for free, paying them in jewelry instead. She also has two interns– one runs social media while the other acts as her personal assistant by attending events, taking pictures and gathering contacts.

Today although Cox doesn’t have a physical location, her pieces can be found in six boutiques in Brooklyn, Oakland and Los Angeles.

“I average about 35 units a month and my biggest selling events are Sheckys DC and Philly and the Afro Punk Festival,” Cox said.

As with most businesses, the holidays are her most profitable time of the year. She also has success with large-scale events such as the Brooklyn Night Bazaar and Bust Magazine Craftacular.

Although Cox now loves what she does, she acknowledges the challenges.

“It’s a lot of hard work and motivation,” she said. “When you’re in a working environment with [other] people and everyone is on the same page… being organized is critical. There are days when I’m not motivated but I have bills to pay and I want to be successful, so I have to multitask and get everything done.”

Cox mentions that aside from the hardwork, gathering startup capital is essential. She recommends maintaining relationships with corporate colleagues as they may one day serve as investors in your business. Cox started her business off with the substantial amount of savings she was able to generate during her years in corporate America. She didn’t take out any loans (although she mentions she wishes she did) and spent all of her money on CanDid Art Accessories.

“Every time I get money I put it right back in the business,” she said. “I take loans from myself, such as from my IRA and my emergency money.”

Despite heavy personal investment, Cox sees profit from the business. This is partly due to the stock she has gathered in raw supplies to make her jewelry, as well as her ability to utilize recycled materials and collect old jewelry donations.

Currently she is considering taking a fashion merchandising class at the Fashion Institute of Technology to enhance her skills. She envisions CanDid Art Accessories one day sold at high-end department stores.

Her lasting advice for those who hope to start their own business: “Don’t be afraid to reach out to people…don’t be too proud, it takes a team to run a business.”

iStockphoto

Every once in a while you get a great business idea, one that you are absolutely sure would fly. But you don’t take action. There are a few easy steps to take to turn an idea into a business; nine steps, to be exact, according to Stephen Key, the author of One Simple Idea for Startups and Entrepreneurs.

Inc.com sums up his suggestions:

1. Test quick, test often. “The real test is whether people will reach in their pockets and pull out dollar bills,” Key says.

2. Understand the market. Where your product fits, how it’s different from other products, and whether you can sell at the right price point in that category.

3. Determine the manufacturing cost. Contact manufacturers, send over specs, find out if it can be made and the cost of making it. To protect your idea, have manufacturers sign an NDA or file a provisional patent.

4. Determine your margin. Your profit margin must allow you to compete day in and day out. If it won’t, move on to another idea.

5. Get real feedback. Talk with local retailers and go to regional trade shows.

6. Test before you go into full production. Set up a webpage showing your product, complete with a video. Share it on social media. 

7. Then do the math again. Once you understand your manufacturing costs you can put all the pieces together and decide if you really want to take your shot.

8. Start small. Sell one. Then sell two. Start small, learn about your product, see how it looks at retail, determine changes you should make to packaging and marketing.

8. Keep trying.

9. Remember nothing is forever. One product will not build a business. One product is a start.

Not to overwhelm, but Madame Noire has a few more steps to add.

• A business plan is a must. Most experts say that a business plan only increases your odds at success. It gives you a written blueprint, not only for your self but for potential investors and employees as well.
  
• Immerse yourself in the industry. Network with people in the industry you are about to enter. You will gain valuable insight on the business climate  and make key contacts.
• Know when to stop. Some ideas are not great business ideas. If you get poor results during your market test, either redesign your  product/service or realize that there is not a market for it.
• Check out the competition. Find out what they are doing right, and what they are doing wrong. Use this data when prepping your own business.
• Surround yourself with the right people. Organize a group of people who believe in your idea and who can help get it off the ground. Having a support system is a must.

iStockphoto

There are new business opportunities right under your nose—many of which will not cost a lot to start-up. Inc.com found, using data from independent research firm IBISWorld, several industries that are best to launch without a ton of start-up capital. We picked five we thought might spark the interest of Madame Noire readers.

1)      Relaxation Drinks
Projected five-year annual growth rate: 24.8%
There are now some 400 brands of relaxation drinks, including Dream Water, that contain melatonin and other ingredients purported to aid sleep. Lowering stress is key to good health, an issue on the minds of African Americans (and everyone else, quite frankly). Does your family have a relaxing recipe? It might be time to turn it into a business.

2)      Healthcare Consulting
Projected five-year annual growth rate: 6%
Healthcare consultants  are likely to see increased demand for their services in the next five years, especially as companies try to comply with the new Obamacare policies. Become an expert in these policies and you could turn that into income.

3)      Photography
Projected five-year annual growth rate: 2%
You no longer need a studio and expensive equipment to start a photography business.  ”Your best bet for a decent income is to specialize in weddings, children or family events, or pets,” says Jack Plunkett, CEO of Plunkett Research intelligence firm that studies trends affecting industries. Release your inner shutterbug.

4)      Elderly and Disabled Services
Projected five-year annual growth rate: 4.7%
These days, more senior citizens are skipping the nursing home and spending their golden years in their own houses or assisted-living residences. Since obtaining licenses from Medicaid and other government entities can be extremely difficult, Plunkett suggests focusing on providing an unregulated service — for instance, helping seniors transition from their homes to assisted living communities. This is something that a person with patience and a desire to work with people can capitalize on.

5)      Green and Sustainable Building Construction
Projected five-year annual growth rate: 23%
Demand from the private sector is on the rise. A large portion of capital will go to labor costs, as opposed to expensive equipment. Moreover, you’ll be on the cutting edge of the construction industry.

Owners of Posh Entertainment (from left to right: Diamond Ingram, Paris Tyler, Kisha Keeney and Lesley Martin)

Urban professionals nationwide face a similar dilemma when they clock out after a day’s work – what to do with their few hours of freedom. Big cities offer plenty of options; but it can be hard for young, Black professionals to find the right fit.

This is especially true in Chicago, where the nightlife scene is marked by venues that shy away from encouraging diversity. One group of socialites decided to turn their weekend headache into a business opportunity. And they chose the biggest party night of the year to put their idea to the test.

Kisha Keeney, Diamond Ingram, Paris Tyler, and Lesley Martin met the way most young professionals working in the city do: through work, college, and mutual friends. They decided to try organizing events when they couldn’t find a personal, affordable party option to ring in 2012. They pooled their resources and respective networks. If their New Year’s Eve loft party was a success, it would be a sign to move forward with their business idea.

A success it was, and Posh Entertainment was born with Keeny as director of event coordination, Ingram as director of new business development, Tyler as director of operations, and Martin as creative director. The quartet hasn’t looked back since, planning events at top venues in the Chicago area that expose their clientele of African-American young professionals to new places, and show venues.

I caught up with the ladies to find out how year one of entrepreneurship was treating them, and what lessons they are learning along the way.

Madame Noire (MN): What made you take the risk of launching this business?

Lesley Martin (LM): So many times we let haters dominate the social scene. We are not open to supporting one another and building a foundation of positive interaction in our city, which leads people to have cliquish behavior. We really wanted to launch Posh because it was what Chicago was missing. We all believe Chicago is filled with a ton of amazing talented people and is an amazing city which so much our demographic has not discovered yet!

Kisha Keeney (KK): We all have a different reason for starting Posh, more than anything it’s the desire to work for ourselves that drives us. We each have our own individual goals and skills that really help us continue to evolve as a group.

MN: What is Posh’s current focus?

Diamond Ingram (DI): We focus more now on individual events and helping clients bring their ideas to life while creating a lifestyle and experience for all people.

KK: Our focus is to continue to get more clients; we want to gain enough profit so we can do this full time. The only way we’ll be able to do that is if we have enough clientele to support that goal.

MN: Where do you want to take Posh?

Paris Tyler (PT): We enjoy hosting our own events but want to work with businesses and individuals to make their ideas come to life. We currently have our website being built, which will include a blog where we will talk about Posh Picks around the city. We want native Chicagoans and even people who are new to the city or visiting the city to see this as the hub of what’s happening in Chicago. We also are planning a couple of events so that we can finish out 2012 strong.

We have an opportunity to expand into Atlanta next year. We’re making sure that we have home base in a good place so that we can move forward with expansion, but we want to also have hubs in NYC and LA.

KK: Long term, the sky is the limit. We definitely see this developing into a boutique agency that provides a variety of services to include but not limiting talent management, corporate event development, and media provisions.

DI: We would love to get more into corporate events, conferences, and fundraisers. We want to expand our philanthropic efforts and volunteerism.

MN: What separates you from your competition?

KK: We focus on our brand, and we don’t offer events on a weekly basis. Our goal is to keep it fresh and creative, and most of all keep our customers wanting more!

PT: We want to create the Posh lifestyle that we think that our peers are living or folks will want to live. We’re learning and researching new ways to stand out from the competition. Not just through the venue and the DJ, but what guests can walk away with or experience while there. The industry is so saturated and we want to have long-term success.

MN: How long did you plan before launching?

PT: We thought long and hard about the name and what it would mean. We made sure that it would be a reflection of our own personalities and the events that we wished to create. From there we began the LLC process, writing of the business plan, and implementing operations and procedures that we may have learned on our individual jobs to help with how we operated.

What surprised us was the number of resources we each bring to the table. We know so many people in different industries and fields that we knew we could tap to help our launch and growth. Their response was so positive, and it definitely reassured us that we were making the right move.

Image: Thinkstock

Are entrepreneurs made or born? A recent article in Inc.com seems to suggests that some people are born business innovators. The article interviews several entrepreneurs about their childhood and highlighted various traits that make for good business leaders.

Among those traits are: an early quest for autonomy, big dreams, always open to opportunities, and constant convergent thinking.

But if you weren’t born with these traits, you can develop them, says entrepreneur Tiffany Fluhme, CEO of cosmetic company Fluhme, who speaks often about the entrepreneurship and leadership spirit. “Maybe they’re frustrated in a less than satisfactory career and instead of staying stagnant they become inspired to reevaluate, make a move, and follow their heart and passions towards something bigger,” she says. “Take a chance, chase your dreams, but keep your head above water too… It’s important to never put yourself in a position where it can be disastrous.”

Mario Almonte, a Huffington Post blogger and spokesperson on social and business issues agrees. “Entrepreneurs can be born or made,” he notes. “The great thing about entrepreneurs is that, by their very nature, they are self-motivated. What many have in common is the fact that they had to overcome some kind of obstacles or challenges to achieve what they achieved, whether it was an educational, financial, cultural or physical barrier.”

If you have a child, can you help hone their early business  skills? Yes, Almonte and Fluhme agree.

Here are some tips to develop your child’s innovator instincts:

• “The best thing is to expose them to lots of experiences. And if they express a curiosity about launching an enterprise of some sort, be careful in how you respond to their initial ‘light bulb’moment, when their enthusiasm is at its peak. That’s when they’re also at their most vulnerable, and the wrong word could completely knock the wind out of them,” says Almonte. “You can’t just turn them into entrepreneurs if that gene doesn’t exist in them.”
• “It’s very important to set an example for a child as parents, whether you are an employee, or have your own business,” says Fluhme.  “Maybe you’re a stay-at-home or working, single parent, you can still encourage your children to explore their passions, encouraging them to visualize the long-term to evolve their passions into future business opportunities or a future career.”
• “Place a high value on education, especially for children and young adults with entrepreneurial tendencies,” says Fluhme. “It’s important to get a degree, to start as young as possible in harnessing natural gifts, and in any way possible helping them to create and mold opportunities for success.”
• “The child will be best motivated and gain confidence if they are allowed to achieve their own successes or failures on their own terms,” explains Almonte. “Failure is sometimes part of the process, as it helps the child zero in on what will work by eliminating those things that don’t. As a parent, watch carefully what it is the child wants to accomplish and position yourself as a resource to them. But resist the urge to become their boss and tell them how to do things.”

More on Madame Noire Business!

• From Detroit to Austria: Baroness Monica von Neumann Puts a Regal Spin on the Candle Business
• No to OWS: Jay Says He Never Supported Occupy Wall Street Movement
• The Wealth Gap and Entrepreneurship: Helping Black Businesses Helps Everyone
• Put Your Pride Aside: Why You Should Take The Job You Need Until You Can Get The One You Want
• Unemployed and Undereducated: Study Finds Black Youth Are Disconnected
• Vogue’s First Fashion Week In Africa Highlights Renewed Interest in the Continent

A painting of Mr. Hunt. Image: PR Newswire via AP Images

Rodney P. Hunt made a name for himself by becoming one of the most successful black-owned government contractors in the country. And he wasn’t shy about it; he let everyone know about his success, talking up the lavish $23.1 million mansion that owned on the riverfront in McLean, VA. We say “owned” because the house is scheduled to be sold at auction on September 27, reports The Washington Post.

At one point, Hunt’s wealth was estimated at $265 million. The co-founder of RS Information Systems, a tech company launched in 1992, he sold that company in 2007. His son was featured on MTV’s Teen Cribs (you can watch a clip via that Washington Post link), his company employed 1,700 workers at one time and RSIS stayed on the Inc. 500 list for years.

But despite his actual success, Hunt felt the need to exaggerate, inventing college degrees, a partial ownership of the Washington Nationals baseball team and even a visit from President Obama when he was a candidate on the campaign trail four years ago. Now, he’s in default for $9.4 million on his lavish Potomac River mansion, owes $10 million for loans and bad investments and hasn’t responded to media inquiries. He has a music label, RPH Entertainment, that reps a number of little-known acts and one, Big Pokey, that WaPo says you might know.

In case you’re shopping for some property, the McLean mansion is equipped with a bowling alley, indoor basketball court and a 15-car garage. Hunt at one time said it covered a total of 53,000 square feet. (He also called his son Bradley, aka rapper Kid Named Breezy, “The Chosen One.” Yikes.) You would need a $100,000 certified check in-hand to purchase.

After the huge success of his tech business, it sounds like Hunt got a little too big-headed and is now paying the price. No one wants to hear a story about someone losing their home or livelihood, but it is a cautionary tale.

More on Madame Noire Business!

• Census Shows 27.6 Percent of Black Americans Live in Poverty
• No to OWS: Jay Says He Never Supported Occupy Wall Street Movement
• Vh1′s Jackie Christie and Stylist Rochelle Moseley Encourage Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
• Put Your Pride Aside: Why You Should Take The Job You Need Until You Can Get The One You Want
• Celebrities, Freebies and (Maybe) Some Shopping: A Look at Fashion’s Night Out
• Vogue’s First Fashion Week In Africa Highlights Renewed Interest in the Continent

Image: iStockphoto

The networking group for women 85 Broads actually has 30,000 members and about 60 percent of them have started new businesses. Ten years ago, that figure was about 10 percent. Still, according to Alicia Robb, an author and senior research fellow at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation who’s referenced in this Crain’s New York Business article, only 1.8 percent of women-owned businesses reach the $1 million revenue mark. For men, it’s 6.3 percent.

“The reason that most women-owned businesses didn’t scale in the past is that women tended to start companies in the service and retail arenas—topping out at $200,000 to $500,000 in revenue. The Internet is making it easier to scale retail companies,” the article says.

Just yesterday, we posted a story about growing a small business. Number seven on that list — “Stay tech competitive” — is particularly important. In this Crain’s story, one woman invested in technology that optimized her website’s ability to help women shop for accessories. Her company was eventually purchased by QVC, a sale she credits to the technology.

Outside of serving as a marketing tool and a way to stay in touch while you’re on the go, technology is giving small business owners the chance to improve the customer experience, offering something unique and customized. These qualities are what builds a customer base and generates referrals and grows the business. Technology is the key to what’s taking women-owned businesses of all stripes to the next level of earning success.

Women are already well on their way, having raised $775 million in 2012 funding so far, which can be used to build these important digital infrastructures. “And speaking of technology, women were there raising capital to build better advertising and business platforms and social branding opportunities,” reports The Next Women magazine. The site provides a link with a few companies that are funding women-owned businesses.

So as you map the course your company is taking, be sure to include the ways that you can use the Internet to expand what the company offers and how it offers those products, features and benefits. Investing on the back-end can put you out in front.

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Rochelle Mosley and Jackie Christie

It’s Fashion Week in New York City and the cast and crew of Basketball Wives LA are in town filming. But there isn’t a camera crew in sight in the space behind Salon 804 in Harlem. There, under the city’s iconic fire escapes, a makeshift classroom has been fashioned and Jackie Christie is teacher for the day. A dozen girls grill the reality star on her rise to fame.

Christie talks about her life story, taking care to smooth over any negative behavior they might have seen on her show. “I don’t take mess from nobody. That’s what you see on the show [with the other girls]” she told her attentive audience. “I always feel bad after. But, I’m a fighter and I have passion.”

It was a passionate, fighting spirit that led Rochelle Mosley, a celebrity stylist from Richmond, VA now based in Harlem, to start Project Girl. The program is meant to take the stigma off of living in public housing and channel the hustle it takes to survive that environment into something positive and entrepreneurial. Friday’s event with Christie is one of a series of workshops that covers an array of topics impacting girls’ lives.

Mosley started the program when she realized that many of the girls interning in her salon did not have the information they needed to prepare for the future. “This summer I took notice of how much they didn’t know,” she said. “My 17-year-old intern didn’t know how to address an envelope… I want to help them get where they need to be so they can live like Jackie, like the people they see on TV. She’s not living a lie, it’s real for her, and she can show the girls how to make it real for them.”

Project Girl workshops feature women from all walks of life. Last month a dentist came in to discuss hygiene and a life coach visited to assist the girls in working through their problems. At the request of parents in the community, Mosley opened up the sessions to girls age between the ages of 12 and 18.

The workshops are not only an opportunity for the girls to hear women share their experiences, but to support each other’s growth. The girls don’t leave Mosley’s influence once the sessions end. She uses her network to help the girls with any problem they bring to her. “I get emails all the time,” she said. “I got an email last night from a young lady who is in 11th grade and she’s in a school where there is one college counselor to 200 kids. She said she feels like time is running out and she doesn’t have the support for college.” Mosley connected her with scholarship and test prep experts.

Empowerment is the goal here. Mosley believes that fear is what holds many women back from pursuing their dreams. For her, fear was a motivator. “I’m just thinking about not being like my mother,” she said. “That’s not derogatory. I grew up a certain way. My mother never owned anything or went on vacations. I grew up like these kids. I want to tell them just because your mother isn’t talking about it, doesn’t mean it’s not possible. I’m the first entrepreneur in my family.”

Christie was brought in to impart wisdom on juggling a busy life in the entertainment industry. Although mostly known as a polarizing character on Vh1’s raucous reality show circuit, Christie has a myriad of projects going on at any given moment, including self-help books (she just released her latest, Proud to Be a Colored Girl) and a fashion line. Her advice to girls and women is to follow their dreams. “Google, Google, Google. You can never get enough education and information,” said Christie. “That’s how I learned to be a self-published author. And now I’m five books in, with three best sellers.”

If the girls are starstruck by Christie, they don’t show it. They ask everything from updates on her co-stars’ whereabouts to advice on launching entertainment careers of their own. That fearlessness makes it apparent that this small circle of girls in Harlem is the perfect foundation to forge a new crop of first-generation entrepreneurs.

Cortney Cleveland is a freelance writer and content strategist in New York City. You can follow her on Twitter @CleveInTheCity and visit her personal column The Red Read.