HBW082: Cameka Smith And Her Women In Business Network, BOSS Network

All of us need support. Black Women entrepreneurs especially need to know the importance of connecting with others on the journey to success. Rosetta’s guest today is Cameka Smith, the visionary and founder of an amazing brand, "The Boss Network" which has been featured in Black Enterprise, INC, and listed in Forbes as one of the Top 10 websites to visit for career and entrepreneurial women. In this conversation, Cameka shares why becoming a member of a business network for women is so vital and how you can take the first steps to make it a reality for you. Are you part of a “Women In Business Network?” Why not? Women face some specific challenges when it comes to building their own entrepreneurial endeavors. It’s almost impossible to walk that path alone - yet some of you still are. Why? There are so many women walking the same path as you who can be of help and encouragement. Today’s guest, Cameka Smith created BOSS Network to help women like you build your business more successfully and with less of the emotional angst and frustration that is typical to walking the path of an entrepreneur alone. You’ve got to listen to this episode as she makes her case for building connections that can fuel your personal and business health. How you can leverage personal connections to advance your business. Cameka Smith has discovered that networking is not about the quantity of connections you make, but about the quality of connections you make. It’s like building relationships in any other area of life, you’ve got to find the people you click with and work at nurturing and investing in those relationships. When you have that kind of personal commitment to others you are willing to do anything to help them and they are willing to anything to help you. It’s a win-win - and you both get a new friend in the process. Find out more about how Cameka has learned this lesson and how she suggests you go about forging those kinds of connections, on this episode of Happy Black Woman. Why you have to put yourself on the to-do list. Rosetta loves to get jewels of wisdom from the successful Black Women Entrepreneurs she hosts on the podcast and when she asked Cameka Smith what she does to stay productive and on task, she gave an answer that was a bit outside the normal responses Rosetta receives. She said that she’s learned that she has to put herself on the to-do list in order to ensure that she’s getting the care, rest, exercise, and whatever else SHE needs to be healthy. In her mind, if she’s not healthy, there’s no way she’ll be able to serve clients and run her business in a healthy way. Find out more about why Cameka says every woman needs to put herself on the to-do list, on this episode. There’s no one “right way” to be an entrepreneur. One of the biggest joys of being an entrepreneur is that you don’t have to follow someone else’s outline for your life or your business. You get to decide how things will look and work. In other words, there’s no right way to be an entrepreneur. It’s YOUR journey and you get to figure out what works best for you given your unique personality and gift-mix - and you get to apply it in the way that fits your lifestyle best. Cameka Smith shares a ton of insight on this topic on this episode, so do what you can to make the time to listen. Outline of this great episode [0:29] Rosetta’s introduction of her guest, Cameka Smith. [3:50] The things that prompted Cameka to build BOSS Network. [7:30] The size and scope of the BOSS Network and how it benefits its members. [12:10] The events BOSS Network does for women entrepreneurs. [16:05] How Black Women entrepreneurs can leverage in-person events. [25:00] The vital necessity of self-care and putting yourself first. [31:30] The one tip Cameka gives to women wanting to step out to start something big. Resources & Links mentioned in this episode The BOSS Network Cameka on Twitter and Instagram BOOK: Click: The Magic of Instant Connections About CAMEKA SMITH Cameka is a go-getter, connector, socialite and lover of God who turned her lemons into lemonade. She believes that your net-worth is a direct result of your network and has provided a platform for women of color to connect, grow and prosper in their businesses and careers. Cameka is walking in her purpose with grace and style inspiring observers along the way. She is the visionary and founder of an amazing brand "The Boss Network" which has been featured in Black Enterprise, INC, and listed in Forbes as one of the Top 10 websites to visit for career and entrepreneurial women. If you're not a member of The Boss Network... what are you waiting for? Please visit www.thebossnetwork.org to join and connect with over 100,000 bosses making moves professionally. Fun Fact: Cameka likes to watch comedies, drink red wine and eat tacos!