It's Just Business with Lovie™

Petite Code, a thriving TPC online shop owner, shares her journey from a sewing hobby to a successful business. She discusses the inspiration behind her products, her community involvement, and her approach to online engagement and growth. Lovie, the host, highlights the importance of consistency and community support for online business owners. The conversation covers topics related to the soap opera 'Beyond the Gates', the F&W business, business lessons, and the purpose behind the products. It also delves into the challenges of becoming a business owner and the importance of supporting and giving back to the community.

Takeaways

• A hobby can become a business when you recognize that your skill solves a problem for other people.
• You do not have to start with a large budget. Petite used word of mouth, crowdfunding, vendor events, and online platforms to build TPC Online Shop.
• Growth should fit the business you actually want to run. Petite wants to expand while keeping the handmade quality and personal touch.
• Product quality can become part of your brand identity. Petite is intentional about materials, fit, design, and hair protection.
• Community can create opportunities, connections, and support that a business owner may not be able to create alone.
• Every business goal will not work out exactly as planned. Petite’s lesson is to look for the connection, lesson, or opportunity that can come from an experience that did not go as expected.

Chapters

• The Journey from Hobby to Business
• Craftsmanship and Quality of Handmade Products
• Expanding Product Line and Inspirations
• Beyond the Gates and F&W Business
• Supporting Autism Awareness

Petite explains how word of mouth and crowdfunding helped her purchase equipment and materials before she expanded into vendor events, a website, and TikTok.

Petite explains the story behind Boogie Speaks, a design named for her brother. Proceeds from those products go directly to him, turning a product into a way to give back.

One of Petite’s next goals is getting TPC Online Shop into boutiques. She is beginning that process and learning that newer boutiques may offer different opportunities than more established locations.

Petite is considering new products, including lace nightgowns, while taking her time to find materials that meet her standards. She also wants to continue expanding her product line without compromising quality.

Petite is the product creator and owner of TPC Online Shop, a handmade retail and e-commerce business launched in 2022. Her journey began years earlier when she learned to sew in middle school and started making practical items for her family.

For detailed show notes visit our website

• https://realbusinesspro.com/episodes/stitched-with-purpose-tpc-online
• www.tpconlineshop.com

Black history is more than the names found in textbooks. It lives in our families, our communities, and the everyday people whose stories shape future generations.

In this special episode of It's Just Business with Lovie™, Lovie welcomes her father, John H. Coleman Jr., author of A View from Church Hill: I Woke Up in My Right Mind, for a candid conversation about service, entrepreneurship, family, and legacy.

John shares his remarkable journey from Hampton University to the United States Navy, followed by a distinguished career in law enforcement where he became known throughout Southeastern Virginia for his commitment to community policing and youth engagement. Along the way, he helped develop the nationally recognized Officer Friendly classroom program, mentored countless young people, launched multiple businesses, and demonstrated how leadership begins with serving others.

Together, father and daughter reflect on lessons learned through business ownership, policing, faith, family, and perseverance. Their conversation reminds us that preserving our personal histories is just as important as celebrating the history found in museums and textbooks.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, community leader, parent, or someone interested in preserving your family's story, this episode offers timeless wisdom about building a life

John H. Coleman Jr. is a U.S. Navy veteran, retired law enforcement officer, entrepreneur, mentor, and author of A View from Church Hill: I Woke Up in My Right Mind. Throughout his career, he has dedicated his life to public service, youth development, and strengthening communities through education, mentorship, and business ownership. He helped develop the nationally distributed Officer Friendly educational program, founded multiple businesses, and continues inspiring future generations through his memoir and lifelong commitment to service.

• Why every family has a history worth preserving
• Growing up in Church Hill and the lessons that shaped John's life
• Military service and leadership in the U.S. Navy
• Becoming a police officer after experiencing racial profiling
• Creating the nationally recognized Officer Friendly program
• Entrepreneurship through multiple successful businesses
• Mentoring youth and building stronger communities
• Business lessons every entrepreneur should know
• The importance of faith, service, and leaving a meaningful legacy

Learn more about John H. Coleman Jr. and his memoir at thelegacyofjohncoleman.com.

If this conversation inspired you, don't let it end here.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who would benefit from today's conversation.

In this episode, we explore conflict resolution, mediation, and how these skills can transform personal and business relationships. Our guest Sandra, a certified mediator and educator, shares insights on effective conflict management, starting a mediation business, and the importance of community awareness.

Featured Guest

Sandra Heard is a professional mediator with BGD Mediators, where she helps individuals, families, businesses, and organizations navigate conflict through respectful communication and practical resolution strategies. With a passion for helping people find common ground, Sandra provides mediation services designed to resolve disputes efficiently and outside of the courtroom. She is also an instructor through the BGD Institute, where she trains aspiring mediators and prepares students to pursue professional mediation certification, empowering others to build careers in conflict resolution and make a positive impact in their communities.

Chapters

1. Handling Conflict: Morning or Night?
2. Introduction to Sandra: Mediator and Educator
3. The Role of Mediation in Business Disputes
4. Using Mediation to Save Money on Legal Costs
5. Starting a Mediation Business: Certification and Skills
6. When to Seek Mediation Before Court
7. Mediation in Family and Business Contexts
8. Remote Mediation: Benefits and Safety
9. Preparing Clients for Mediation Sessions
10. Characteristics of a Good Mediator
11. The Certification Process and Industry Standards
12. Managing Strong Personalities in Mediation
13. Conflict Management Styles and Strategies
14. Leadership and Building a Mediation Practice
15. Humorous and Memorable Mediation Cases
16. Encouraging Community Awareness of Mediation
17. Final Words and Community Building

Sandra's Mediation Training and Certification Program - https://bgdmediators.com

Guest links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A//bgdmediators.com&title=BGD%20Mediators

Website - https://bgdmediators.com

Lovie breaks down the essentials of building a business tech stack, emphasizing how the right tools can save time, cut costs, and help small businesses compete with larger companies. She guides listeners through categories of business tools, from communication to finance, and offers practical tips for selecting and integrating the right software.

• What is a business tech stack?
• Categories of essential business tools
• How to choose the right tools for your business
• Cost-saving tips for small business software
• Integrating tools for seamless operations

00:00 Introduction to Business Tech Stacks

02:51 Understanding the Importance of a Tech Stack

06:04 Core Components of a Business Tech Stack

08:02 Communication Tools for Small Businesses

• Business tech stack
• Choosing the right tools
• AI Prompt to Get Started

• Zoho - Free option for Google Workspace that allows you to use your custom company URL.
• Connecteam - HR employee management, free for life option.
• HoneyBook - Cost contract, proposals and client portal.
• We Are Indy - Free for life option. Contract, Proposal & Client Portal
• HubSpot CRM - Customer Relationship Management
• Canva - Graphics tool
• Wave - Accounting software
• FreshBooks - Accounting software
• Content 360 - Content scheduling tool

AI Prompt to Get Started

"I'm a [type of business] just starting to formalize my business. I'm currently using [list current tools]. I need help building a simple, affordable tech stack for: [contracts & invoicing, payments, accounting, file storage, and audience building.] Recommend beginner-friendly tools and explain why each one fits my situation."

YouTube - @ItsJustBusinessLovie

Substack - lovieijb.substack.com

Facebook - @JustBusinessLovie 

TikTok - @tlc_Lovie 

business tech stack, small business tools, software integration, business automation, customer management, marketing tools, finance software, business growth

"Your business tech stack is like your digital engine."

"Canva is a versatile tool for design and social media."

"Choose finance tools that are easy to use and integrate."

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What Does Real Growth Look Like? Leadership, Nonprofits, and Maternal Care with Lakeesha Harris.

Most people see the result. This episode is about the work behind it.

In this episode of It's Just Business with Lovie, we sit down with Lakeesha Harris, Executive Director of Chicago Volunteer Doulas and founder of Duenola, to talk about what growth actually looks like when you are leading a nonprofit, advocating for mothers and building something meaningful while real life keeps moving.

This is not a conversation about overnight success. It is about the kind of growth that is personal, spiritual and strategic all at the same time.

We get into the critical role doulas play in maternal care, what it means to truly advocate for mothers during and after childbirth and why that support is more essential than most people realize. Lakeesha also shares what it takes to lead an organization with purpose, handle expanding responsibility and stay grounded when the work gets hard.

If you are a nonprofit leader, a birth worker, a mother or someone building something that actually matters, this conversation is for you.

In this episode we cover:

• What real growth looks like behind the scenes of nonprofit leadership
• The role of doulas in maternal care and why advocacy during childbirth matters
• Personal, spiritual and business growth and how they intersect
• How to build something meaningful without losing yourself in the process
• Doula training, certifications and how to get started in the field

Keywords: doula training, maternal care, nonprofit leadership, Chicago Volunteer Doulas, birth support, DUENOLA, postpartum care, women's health, nonprofit growth, purposeful business, It's Just Business with Lovie

In this episode, Lovie discusses the impact of emotional business decisions and shares a five-step framework for making high-stakes decisions. She emphasizes the importance of setting clear business boundaries to protect relationships, revenue, and peace of mind.

Takeaways

• Emotional decisions cost money and create resentment
• Clear business boundaries protect relationships, revenue, and peace of mind

Chapters

• 00:00 Making Business Decisions Without Emotions
• 08:29 Setting Clear Business Boundaries