In this segment of Honey and Hustle, I am joined by Dionne McGee, founder of Dionne McGee Enterprises, to critique and provide feedback on elevator pitches submitted by six incredible women entrepreneurs. These women, from diverse industries, present their pitches, and Dionne and I discuss their value propositions, clarity in messaging, target audiences, and opportunities for improvement. We also delve into topics such as the importance of forecasting, the use of numbers in storytelling, and the significance of pay transparency in entrepreneurship. This episode aims to offer actionable insights to help entrepreneurs refine their pitches and effectively communicate their business value.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

02:08 Monique Lewis: Next to Native Language Learning

02:55 Feedback on Monique's Pitch

05:45 Alexis Williams: Genie Botanica

07:02 Feedback on Alexis's Pitch

09:23 Gruuvv DJ Service

10:26 Feedback on Gruuvv's Pitch

13:59 Jen McFarland: Merit Digital

16:05 Feedback on Jen's Pitch

23:45 Alyssa Smith: Cura Human

25:16 Creating Inclusive Workplaces

25:39 Challenges and Triumphs

26:25 Community Involvement and Recognition

27:34 Elevator Pitch Feedback

31:38 Danielle Bezalel, MPH: Sex Ed with DB

37:44 Insights on Business Growth

44:46 The Importance of Transparency

54:26 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Submit your elevator pitch here for a chance to be featured in our next episode: https://forms.gle/HNwmKoR3CaGmtoZi8

Thanks for listening! Let's keep the convo going:

Join the community, Please Hustle Responsibly: https://pleasehustleresponsibly.beehiiv.com/

Find all episodes here: https://www.honeyandhustle.co

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeyandhustle

We're starting a new series and a new season on Honey & Hustle. Submit your elevator pitch to be considered in the next episode!

Submit here: https://forms.gle/HNwmKoR3CaGmtoZi8

Thanks for listening! Let's keep the convo going:

Join the community, Please Hustle Responsibly: https://pleasehustleresponsibly.beehiiv.com/

Find all episodes here: https://www.honeyandhustle.co

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeyandhustle

In this Substack Live conversation, I spoke with Daniel Hunter, the founder of IndieThinkers. I share the origin story of my newsletter community, Please Hustle Responsibly, which started from my early 2023 posts on Medium before transitioning to Substack and later beehiiv. We also discussed the evolution of content platforms, the challenges of maintaining a community, and the importance of platforms that prioritize creator well-being over virality. They delve into the potential future of community-oriented and ad-supported models for platforms like Substack, beehiiv, and others. As Daniel Hunter's screen name is @codenprose, we had to dive into vibe coding and AI web development. Check out IndieThinkers now at https://www.indiethinkers.com/

00:00 The Origin Story of Please Hustle Responsibly

03:27 Using Substack as a Healthier Twitter

06:17 The Future of Substack and Its Competitors

16:08 Managing Community and Personal Challenges

19:52 The Creator Scene in Durham, North Carolina

24:07 Exploring Vibe Coding and Indie Thinkers

26:59 Introduction to Meta Prompting

28:00 Iterative Workflow for Efficient Prompting

33:03 The Future of AI and Community Collaboration

37:44 Substack and the Media Landscape

52:01 Personal Projects and Future Plans

Thanks for listening! Let's keep the convo going:

Join the community, Please Hustle Responsibly: https://pleasehustleresponsibly.beehiiv.com/

Find all episodes here: https://www.honeyandhustle.co

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeyandhustle

I sit down with fellow podcaster, small business owner, and newsletter writer Brian Ondrako to talk about our journey to writing newsletters in beehiiv. He started his podcast, Just Get Started, in 2017 and has published over 450 episodes. He's now leveraging his sales expertise to help others through his newsletter. It was great to talk about our creative journeys and get really tactical with how we think about newsletter writing and strategy. Check out this crossover episode on his podcast: https://brianondrako.com/podcast/angela-hollowell

I'd love to hear from you!

Join our community, Please Hustle Responsibly: https://pleasehustleresponsibly.beehiiv.com/

Support the show:

Buy The Interview Workbook for Storytellers: https://www.blurb.com/b/11662269-interview-workbook-for-storytellers

Visit the website: https://www.honeyandhustle.co

Connect with Angela:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeyandhustle

I sat down with Samantha Kotey, founder of Auntie's Ice Cream, and a lawyer by day. We talked about her journey into making ice cream and then into making a business. Her flavors paint the picture of the African diaspora, inviting your taste buds along for the ride. We explore what it means to be an Auntie, how to create a food product that is intentional and inclusive, and her thoughts on trademarking her brand. Find her online or in Durham at: https://www.auntiesafricanicecream.com/

I'd love to hear from you!

Join our community, Please Hustle Responsibly: https://link.honeyandhustle.co/phr

Support the show:

Buy The Interview Workbook for Storytellers: https://www.blurb.com/b/11662269-interview-workbook-for-storytellers

Visit the website: https://www.honeyandhustle.co

Connect with Angela:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeyandhustle

In this episode, Zebbie Carney shares their journey of establishing Eugene's Hot Chicken in Birmingham. Starting from humble beginnings with a food truck at local breweries and companies to opening a restaurant in Uptown near the BJCC, our conversation discusses the challenges and rewards of transitioning to a brick-and-mortar location. Zebbie compares his restaurant's growth with established names like Hattie B's and talks about the essence of creating a unique menu, including offerings like local beers and fried fish. We also cover the basics of maintaining high standards, systematizing operations, and fostering a community-centric atmosphere. The episode provides valuable insights into navigating the restaurant business, from planning and execution to how he handles challenges such as COVID-19 and civil unrest.

I'd love to hear from you!

Join our community, Please Hustle Responsibly: https://pleasehustleresponsibly.beehiiv.com/

Support the show:

Visit the website: https://www.honeyandhustle.co

Connect with Angela:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeyandhustle

I went to Podcast Movement Evolutions for the first time last week. Chicago was a beautiful backdrop, even though a little rainy. This is the audio version of my written recap. Let me know what you think and subscribe to the newsletter if you haven't already!

Steve Pratt article: https://open.substack.com/pub/creativitybusiness/p/podcasting-is-asking-the-wrong-question?r=c2wlt&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Harry Morton post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harrymorton_this-episode-of-moneywise-went-semi-viral-activity-7315350275131609088-kxUE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABzEPvEB_doL0tGyl4vS7gTlQkU7HoXKt-o

I'd love to hear from you!

Join our community, Please Hustle Responsibly: https://link.honeyandhustle.co/phr

Support the show:

Upgrade to a paid membership, or make a one-time donation: https://link.honeyandhustle.co/phrplus

Buy The Interview Workbook for Storytellers: https://www.blurb.com/b/11662269-interview-workbook-for-storytellers

Visit the website: https://www.honeyandhustle.co

Connect with Angela:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeyandhustle

I joined Corey (Black Podcasters Association, BlkPodNews) and Michelle (Creators Getting Paid) live on Susbtack to talk about building a newsletter community. If you missed us live, I hope you can join us for the next one! Subscribe to my newsletter below to be notified when we go live. Let me know what you'd like us to talk about next!

I'd love to hear from you!

Join our community, Please Hustle Responsibly: https://link.honeyandhustle.co/phr

Support the show:

Upgrade to a paid membership, or make a one-time donation: https://link.honeyandhustle.co/phrplus

Buy The Interview Workbook for Storytellers: https://www.blurb.com/b/11662269-interview-workbook-for-storytellers

Visit the website: https://www.honeyandhustle.co

Connect with Angela:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeyandhustle