A feature about the women of Optimal Level; their stories, successes, challenges, and opportunities.

What is your background and how did you get into your business/career?
I have been a writer for over 16 years. I started my writing career covering local stories and writing press releases. I headed to Hollywood to make my mark. While there I spent several years developing story ideas and scripts for an innovative production company that specialized in “edu-tainment.” When I returned to Chicago, working in marketing communications was a natural fit. I learned very quickly that it was not enough to generate beautiful copy; it had reach customers and move them into action. My sales experience, project management and customer opened new doors and have helped me to grow my business.

What is your business and how is it unique?
Harmoni Group, Inc. is a marketing communications and content development company that interweave diverse ideas and concepts into a single…vision.  We support ad agencies, corporations and business professionals in building their personal and professional brands by developing book projects, growing a web presence through interactive and social media and leveraging the power of grassroots marketing. What makes our business unique is that we are more than writers and creatives, we are communications specialists that listen for and reliably delivers that which makes a real difference for what matter to our clients and their audiences.

Who are some of your clients; what do you especially appreciate about them and how have they reacted to your service or product?
Our current and former clients include Hewitt Associates, JBC Global Diversity & Inclusion Institute, Wal-Mart Corporation, E. Morris Communications, League of Black Women, Nurses Plus, 14 Stations in the Clear Channel Radio cluster, Community Mental Health Council, Inc., NAAAHR, SalonSENSE Magazine, Dr. Earles LLC, Letke & Associates, The Smiley Group and Love Quest International. What I appreciate most was that my clients had different styles and targets and it gives me an opportunity to create newly with each new project.

What do you like best about what you do?
I love to write and create marketing projects that take companies beyond where they are.

What role does passion have in your work?
Without passion, it would be very difficult to create, especially when so many companies are saying no to marketing services.

When you first started were you able to visualize your expected final outcome? 
When I launched Harmoni Group last years I was not sure what I wanted to create. Now a year later I have a sense of where I am going.

Can you tell us about that final outcome – what will your business look like then?
The future that I have envisioned for Harmoni Group is that it would become a global resource that is a multimillion dollar company. With the launch of the Author’s Center and our knowledge of  social media we will be able to do business anywhere.

What were you top three obstacles/challenges?
The biggest challenge that I encountered on this journey is that I knew how to make money but I had no idea how to manage it. That is the lifeblood of a business. Now I am taking myself through a financial makeover which is helping me to plan my next steps and the future growth of my business. The second challenge I encountered was not having a plan for my business. I had succeeded in the past because of relationships. Each relationship led me to the next opportunity but recently those relationships have not been as fruitful. For the first time I am promoting my business and I have a structure in place that will cause me to use the probability of numbers to move my business to the next level. The third challenge has been not creating enough partnerships and thinking that I need to shoulder all the work. I am taking on a virtual assistant, I am willing to give more work away and now I am able to spend my time thinking and strategizing on how to grow my business.

How do you deal with doubt, fear, and self recrimination?
When I am feeling doubt and fear, I look at where I want to go I start feeding my mind with positive messages daily. This process has increased my confidence in my potential which is matched with consistent action which is causing the results that fuel my belief in my vision. When I find myself stopped and I feel like I need a moment to “veg-out,” I get in touch with my committed listener who reminds me of the future in which I am committed. I choose daily to give up habits and behaviors that are inconsistent what the future that I have envisioned.

If you had the opportunity to get the best advice from a business guru, and could ask only question, what would your question be?
How do you plan for a recession?

As you look back, what is the one thing you wish you knew when you started?
I wish I understood how to manage my finances

Any regrets?
I have to say I have no regrets. I don’t say that because I have never fumbled the ball in my business, but I have learned from my life lessons. I have learned protect my friendships and business relationships. I have learned to spend money wisely. I have learned to ask more questions. I have learned to appreciate the people who are gifts in my life. I have learned to take responsibly for the burned bridges in my life and to clean up my messes with dignity. I have learned most of all that when I put my business first, it takes care of me.

Do you believe luck has something to do with you getting to where you are now? No, I don’t believe in luck. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that

What is the best piece of advice you have for other women on their way to their Optimal Level? For women who are considering doing business with Optimal Level, success comes from having a vision, modeling people who have gone before you and learning from your mistakes. At Optimal Level, you get all of that and once a month you get a chance to connect with the most amazing women who are at different stages of their business and who generously share their successes and challenges.

Any additional comments you would like to make?