Humans are very complex creatures. What we like and are obsessed with on Monday, we feel is a fad by Friday. It’s human nature, and likewise I cannot fathom how and why we would want to be passionate, curious and involved in one thing, one business or one idea  your entire life without trying something else? It’s not in our nature and we sometimes get forced to live inside a box, to follow and tow the line on how a “good life” is supposed to look like.

Here are my tips to consider BEFORE, you give your job the preverbal middle finger, start fleeing for what you think are greener pastures and head into the blissful unknown.

•      Prep & Plan for a less bumpy landing…

Yes fail to plan means plan to fail here. Before you leave that job or career you think you hate so much, you owe it to yourself to start here first. What does prepping and planning look like? Well it will be different for everyone and dependent on what arena you are looking to get into. We live in what I feel is the best time to consider being an entrepreneur and business owner. Data, analytics, and social media that allows us access to millions of consumers is at our finger tips at a moments notice. You can research and plan so much from the comfort of your own home. This is very important, YOU MUST MAP OUT YOUR FUTURE, literally map it out!!! What does it look like? Research and see if it your idea is viable, if it something you can do while still working, and something you can build upon. Oh, here’s a novel idea, is it something you will want and like to do???? If you’re already unhappy in your current position, don’t look to being an entrepreneur to cure all of your ills. It takes a certain type of person to be an entrepreneur, and make sure building your side hustle is something you see yourself doing and building. Write out all of your ideas, the action of taking what is inside your brain and putting it onto paper is powerful. Until you are brave enough to state what you want, write it down, and make a conscience plan to execute you cannot and should not move forward. Let’s get organized in 3,2,1!

• Find a mentor and someone smarter than you…

If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room. You cannot and will not go anywhere in life if you are not growing and learning and getting better in anything. Especially if you intend on starting and building a business. At THE HUB, we are huge proponents of getting a mentor and someone that can guide you along the way. SCORE is a great option that has been a useful friend and ally in starting the HUB! There are a myriad of  free webinars (or for a minimal cost) you can take at your local SCORE office.  Sign up and have them match you with a mentor for FREE! Attend networking events in the field you want to explore in your area, and start talking to other business owners and ask some questions. Will everyone be helpful? No maybe not everyone you meet is willing to be a source of information, but that also doesn’t mean you stop trying. Listen, absorb and learn from the people around you. Seek the answers and you will find them.

• Use what you got and what you already know…

You are smarter than you may even realize. Use the tools you have already honed and are skilled in to your advantage. Don’t think you have anything of use and value? I beg to differ, take my own career in Real Estate for instance. Oh you think I just show houses? No that is actually the smallest part of my job. At any point in one day I can be a marketing executive, an editor, a social media advisor, an administrator, a therapist or relationship expert, a high-level contract negotiator, a home inspector and manager….just to name  few. Quite honestly I have used everyone of those tools to my advantage in starting a business. It doesn’t matter where you are, start thinking of what you are already good at and use it in your arsenal to get you where you want to go. A stay-at-home Mom of 2? Perfect you are skilled at time-management, organization, multi-tasking and listening just to name a few. Perfect for getting organized and the prepping and planning stage of getting your ideas together. No excuses, you have hidden talents you can use.

• Just F$CKING START ALREADY…

If you are offended by profanity but are not offended by not living the life you were meant to live, then THE HUB IS NOT the place for you. Sorry, but that is the absolute truth. You can read as much as you want, prep and plan all you want, but if you are not willing to at minimum do the above, execute and act, then you are wasting your time. If that burning desire that there is something else out there for you and your passion is what you were meant to do isn’t a constant nagging daily thought, then nothing I or Gary Vee or even Oprah says will ever matter. At the end of the day, it is just a bunch of feel good quotes and words to make you feel motivated for short periods of time to get you through the day or week. Executing when the feeling passes is what KEEPS you successful, not just starts your success. There is a major difference remember that!! Being a business owner in any capacity will take a different part of you so start the process and habits now.

Here is the full video from Kate Volmans Facebook Live Inspired Action on how to get your side hustle on! Stay tuned as Kate Volman will be our guest on Make Your Room Happen on September 14th!!!

Check out our Facebook show page in the MYRH link above….

P.s. New posts coming so stay tuned…..Next up, entrepreneur ranting and No F$cks given!!! Yessss

The PowHer Hub

The hard truth is we are not promised tomorrow, no matter how many advanced tickets you buy for trips, or plans you make months in advance, we walk this earth thinking we have time. The one thing we do not have on our side is time. We save the good dishes for company that never comes to visit, the bottle of champagne for the special occasions, and the vacation for when time is absolutely right! For when you don’t have too much going on at work, and life is a little bit more settled. Why the wait? More like why not the rush???

The reality is the time is NOW, not tomorrow, next month or next year! Congratulations if you woke up today, that alone is a blessing we take for granted, myself included. You don’t have to go big or go home, but you can make small changes towards a better life not living in reget!

Here are 5 things to do today!

1.) Go see your favorite band, artist, performer LIVE! As the daughter of a musician, I can tell you that nothing beats live music and the energy that surrounds a concert. Grab a group of friends who enjoy the same music or enjoy experiencing new things and go see it LIVE! Even if you have to travel a little to experience the magic even better! ROAD TRIP! Been there and done that and have the shirts and pics to match! Memories made are memories kept forever so go start making some! My best memories are of the concerts and festivals with friends and the music and laughs that came with it! Nothing like it, go do it!!!

2.) TRAVEL!!!! YES people, traveling is so easy nowadays and you can be a vactionista just like that! There’s a whole world out there and experiencing new things, places, cultures, people and languages can only make you better, smarter and give you better perspective in life! Get out there and explore! Feel getting out of the country is too big a task?  It isn’t, however you can still explore all this country of our has to give! The moral of the story is to JUST GO!!!! No excuses book that trip! Why do you work this hard? To enjoy happy hour at the same bar or club? I think not, get out there and do it! Traveling abroad is super easy and affordable now and the benefits of traveling are endless on what it can bring and add to your life!

3.) QUIT THAT JOB!!! I know this may be tough and less feasible for some, but think of this. Where there is a will there is a way. If you want change in your life you may have to spend some time doing what no one else will do, so that you can do whatever the hell you want to do! Whats the alternative? Waking up 10-20-30 years from now wishing you did something about your situation instead of woulda, coulda, shoulda!!! Make a plan and execute on it. Heres where a leap of faith and JUMPING comes into play! If there is even a small inkling that you are meant for more and that your current circumstances is not your final destination…..then get to it! Theres no time like the present to lay your foundation and groundwork for a better tomorrow, life and ultimately a better you with less regret 10 years from now!

4.) Spend time with the people who make you laugh, make you think, make you smile, challenge you to be and do better, and ultimately make you a better person. Life is so short, why are we spending it with a$$holes, and people who do not make us happy or feel good? Stop taking time away from the people who matter the most and start spending it with the ones that do! Start making better memories with your day 1’s! Friends are the family we get to choose, so choose wisely. If your friends aren’t your biggest cheerleaders then, well you need new friends. As you get older and realize how precious time really is, you acknowledge that there is nothing better than laughing at inside jokes with friends and family and planning for future events and memory making experiences. Don’t wait until it is too late to spend the TIME, and spend it with them while they are here.

5.) Learn something new! Whether it’s a new language, skill or craft, educate yourself and learn it. Here’s the kicker, do it for the hell of it and because you always wanted to but were afraid or felt you didn’t have the time. Now, make the time and do it! Learning is a lifetime role we should play into. Learning is part of the journey so relish the chance to learn something new! Go order your rosetta stone, learn that new language then book your trip and try out what you have learned while on vacation! Look into your local schools and colleges and see what classes they have open. Local non-profits have webinars for all types of subjects, nows your chance to check them out….just because! Sites like www.skillshare.com and www.Lynda.com are great ways to learn from the comfort of your own home! No excuses to give this a try.

Regret, it’s a MUTHA! But hopefully you can start implementing however small a change towards a better, more free  lifestyle, open to new experiences and doing what you love to do more often! So here’s to opening that bottle of champagne on an ordinary Tuesday night for dinner, here’s to using the good dishes because every day should be a special occasion, and to wearing that special dress to dinner and planning that trip you have always wanted to take! Preferably the trip with people who make the experience a trip to remember!

What are some of the things you have done that brought you out of your comfort zone, and something you have always thought about and you just decided to JUMP?!?!? Share your experiences below with The Hub and our community!

This is the NO REGRETS ZONE!

The PowHer Hub

What is The Hub?

Hub
həb/
noun
1.
the central part of a wheel, rotating on or with the axle, and from which the spokes radiate.

2.
the effective center of an activity, region, or network.

So consider The Hub as your center, your network of ideas and information (hub) yet with a dash of style. We think and dream big!! We want the hub contributors and members to be apart of something special that keeps them informed and current on everything lifestyle & fashion, business, entrepreneurship, current events, social issues & social engagement. We are not another fashion magazine or blog site. We are today’s ambitious and versatile women, always current  and always talking about what matters to you the most. Knowledge and unity is powHER and we look forward to growing our knowledgeable community right here with you!

We are excited to bring our members new things as they develop. So stay tuned and check out a sneak peak of the 4 cornerstones of The PowHer Hub on the home page.  If you would like to collab, share your story, be apart of our production crew, hit us up on our contact page or on Facebook,  Instagram and soon on our YouTube channel for our latest video and interviews.  Don’t forget to also, sign up to be on THE VIP LIST on all things at The PowHer Hub. #TheHub!

Check us out, most importantly interact with us, and share with your friends and family.

Be on the look out for The Hub on our site, the ultimate in social engagement, and connection!! This is going to be special and we are working diligently #BTS to get this rolling for our fabulous femmes coming to The Hub!! Peruse our archived articles, and be on the lookout throughout the week to see what we have coming to The PowHer Hub..

So, welcome, oh and don’t forget to follow us on social media we cannot wait to interact with you!!!!

The PowHer Hub

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You’re in a mid-summer night’s sweat and don’t know what to do! School’s out. Work is light. The snowbirds are gone and not even dreaming about coming back yet. You wonder where July has gone. You were going to get SO much accomplished![spacer height=”20px”]

You had so many plans and great ideas. Now what? Maybe your house is littered with pool toys and wet clothes and the remains of a month of day trips and visits to friends and family. Maybe you still have half unpacked suitcases from that summer vacation and piles of laundry waiting for help. Or you haven’t filed a bill or anything in two months, let alone thrown out the junk mail that came along with them. Or the dining room table is covered with paint swatches and magazine pictures of your new vision for that heavily used space that now looks as if you’ll need to bring in heavy equipment to clean it all out.[spacer height=”20px”]

Ok, so your eyes glaze over when you’re urged to clean your clutter, or purge your wardrobe. Well, we’re here to help you get your organizing act together. That may not sound very exciting but these statistics ought to wake you right up! Did you know that you could eliminate about 40 percent of your housework by eliminating clutter, according to the National Soap and Detergent Association? Did you know that as much as 20 percent of the average household budget is spent to purchase duplicates of items that we’ve misplaced because we are so disorganized, according to the National Association of Professional Organizers?[spacer height=”20px”]

When you finally get around to doing that filing, do you spend what seems like entire weekends sorting through old bills, letters, etc.? NAPO says only about 20 percent of these things will ever be looked at again! Who needs the junk?[spacer height=”20px”]

As summer wanes and school and the “season” grows closer, why not seek out elegant ways to organize your home. Organizing lowers your stress and makes moving through your daily activities a smoother, calmer endeavor. Organizing also improves productivity, one pleasant side effect of lower stress. It also gives you energy. What’s even more fun than that is that organizing frees up more of your time, so you can do the things you really want to do. A bonus of organizing your home is that it will help you project a contemporary image to your family, friends, and business associates – in true diva style![spacer height=”20px”]

We suggest you look online to find a professional organizer (try the National Association of Professional Organizers at www.napo.net). Search for organizers who live in your area. Read testimonials about them on their websites and on any home services sites near where you live. Look for blogs or news articles written by or about nearby organizers. Contact several and ask if they conduct free home consultations. If possible, try to select someone to work with who has a home organizing philosophy that closely matches your own.[spacer height=”20px”]

If you can master the organizing adventure by yourself, here are a few tips to make the process easier. First, spend some time researching home organizing tips on various websites. Read any magazine articles or even invest in a good home organizing book, if you see one that appeals to you. Some will recommend tackling one room at a time. Others will suggest setting aside a certain amount of time each day to make progress towards decluttering. Look through all the ideas and choose the few that resonate with you. Write them down as part of a plan and stick to it![spacer height=”20px”]

Set a goal. Give yourself an incentive to get the job done. Plan to reward yourself or your family with a new piece of furniture or media equipment once you’ve accomplished the job. Then choose something that will keep you motivated to stay organized throughout the year.[spacer height=”20px”]

Set up calendar notifications in your telephone or computer to remind you to put everything away when you use it and to toss mail or other papers in the trash once you’ve read them. Also send yourself calendar reminders to go through your clothes closets and dressers several times every year to discard what no longer fits your size, mood, or diva style. Give those items to friends or family, sell them on eBay or donate them to a worthy charity such as those that provide work wardrobes for women in shelters or just entering the workforce. Do the same for your home office, your other closets, and your garage.[spacer height=”20px”]

With a little bit of effort, you can find sleek, modern ways to store what you need and make housework easier. “One of the biggest trends in new residential design,” according to the National Association of Home Builders, “is the pocket office,” a small, hi-efficiency space for paying bills, and other household tasks.” We like these compact workspaces because they can be placed in whichever room in your home you choose – a bedroom, or a den, perhaps, or where they really work well, in a high traffic area such as the kitchen or living room. This kind of a hub can be the nerve center of your organized living space, a central point where your fab-self can be the center of your home’s attention.[spacer height=”20px”]

Whether it’s a pocket office, wall cabinets, or an entire storage system, the right home furnishings adviser can help you find the right desk, shelving, or wall units to hide what needs to be hidden and to blend these necessary parts of your home into your own contemporary style. 
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Cynthia Heathcoe

Owner of Contemporary Living in Palm Beach Gardens[spacer height=”20px”]

Insert the Carols Daughter #BornandMade campaign in support of I am That girl! “A support organization to help transform young girls self doubt into self love and helping shift the current culture and reality in which our youth lives in today. Raising the standards for how girls treat themselves, each other, and the world.” A community where they are seen, heard and can belong is powerful and a movement in its own right! Imagine the power being created within these girls, making for a more powerful future generation. At what point did you feel it wasn’t okay to be exactly who you are? Teen-adolescent years? High School? Hmm, sadly maybe earlier in life you subconsciously started to think these types of negative thoughts. Unfortunately, this happens to about 99% of us, especially young girls, and sometimes sadly the judgement comes from their peers. That can all change but change needs to start somewhere as a seed and then blossom and grow into a powerful unstoppable movement. By focusing and mentoring on leadership development, emotional intelligence, professional skills, and personal growth these girls can and will be unstoppable. A donation of just $65 will sponsor a girl through the program for an entire year. Done! We spend that usually on a night out so why not do something meaningful and make a difference?!

The future generation will be our leaders, our difference makers and if we do not tend to this generation they what will we have? What are we teaching them to be? How to treat others? Girls need a safe and welcoming environment to learn, to feel it is ok to be themselves so they too can shine! Think you can be an awesome mentor and sponsor? This is the perfect way to give back and join a campaign to make a difference. Maybe you know the perfect 14-22 year old to start a chapter or join an already existing chapter to help give them wings. Perfect! Sign up! You can talk about it or you can actually do the work. You don’t need millions to make a difference your time is a worthwhile investment alone.

It takes a powerhouse entrepreneur like Lisa Price the creator and founder of Carol’s Daughter to make a difference by supporting and promoting organizations like this. Her dream became a reality as she turned a passion for beauty into a multi-million dollar business recently picked up by L’oreal. Yes!!!!! A powHERhouse in her own right, she solely proves how a passion can be your pathway to living the life of your dreams! From making products in her kitchen and selling them at markets on the weekend, and to the success we see today. A shining example to emulate, that you can follow that journey at any age, from any background and location with perseverance and faith in your goals.  What most people do not realize is that Lisa Price has been at this venture for more than 20 years. Patience is a virtue, there is no such thing as overnight success. When all else seems impossible, just remember to keep progressing forward, working and taking action and have faith your dreams will come to fruition.

I am That Girl combined with Carols Daughter is the inspiration a movement needs to grow wings and gain momentum. Just the kind of #WCW we love around here at The Hub! Lisa Price is an example of perseverance and strength young girls and women need to see to combat the mixed messages they see on a daily basis. Head over to bornandmade and see other stories and post your own!

Spread the word, join in and take part in something special.

It is essential that we invest in each other, know that we are all apart of the bigger picture and our worth is absolutely priceless!

Nicole L. Rymer

The PowHer Hub

]]> https://thepowherhub.com/wcw-bornandmade-i-am-that-girl/feed/ 0 https://thepowherhub.com/women-crush-wednesday-ashley-graham-is-a-gamechanger/ https://thepowherhub.com/women-crush-wednesday-ashley-graham-is-a-gamechanger/#respond Wed, 20 Apr 2016 17:24:43 +0000 http://2divasjourney.com/?p=1379 Too thin!! Too big!! Too small!! Too curvy!! Not curvy enough!! Too short!! Too tall! Try South Beach!! Try Atkins!! Go vegan!! How about that paleo thing everyone keeps talking about?! Can I eat gouda on that?!? You go gluten free yet?! Do you juice?! You don’t juice?!?! Stop juicing we do shakes now, definitely do the shakes!! Ummmm exhausted yet?!?! We are inundated with the latest craze and fad concerning losing weight and looking like what our society tells us is “supposed” to be beautiful, pretty and sexy! It changes as much as a politician flip flops with its constituents! The struggle is absolutely FOR REAL people!

Hmmm it must be…..THEY again!

I can remember growing up with these issues being prevalent in my everyday life. How it affected my adolescent years and into my early adulthood.  The early 90’s brought about the trim runway, supermodel craze. It was, even at a young age, exhausting and confusing….it still is! What a young girl has as a role model in today’s world can easily send her mixed messages of what she should look like, and for only the approval of others and not for her self worth and confidence. What are we doing? What are we saying? There is for sure a light at the end of the tunnel, a silver lining and a rainbow amongst the clouds with none other then Ashley Graham! Name doesn’t ring a bell? She was the first full sized model to grace the cover of the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition for 2016! Oh yeah remember her now don’t you. I remember seeing the cover and all the buzz surrounding her at the time and thinking wow, finally!!! Where was this when I was growing up? Ashley Graham is fierce, she is confident, she is sexy and she is here! Sounds like a PowHer Hub girl to me.

Ashley who hails from Lincoln, Nebraska was discovered at 13 by a modeling agency and has been at it ever since. Appearing in every type of campaign from editorial, runway, commercial,  and TV she has almost done it all, even designing a lingerie line for a Canadian based clothing company. Her newest venture is special, she is designing a line of swimwear for swimsuitsforall, a line for which she will help design 3 times a year for the company. She also created ALDA, a collective group of models that represents beauty beyond size and challenges conventional notions within the fashion industry. She was also named one of FORBES 30 under 30 this past year. Did we mention she’s only 28?!? Ashley has also done an amazing TEDx talk that I will link below as it is a MUST WATCH! It is called “Plus Size? More Like My Size”. Watching her talk you realize one thing quickly, she knows who she is and what she is about, and she exudes confidence amidst many people within the fashion industry telling her she would never grace the cover of any major publication. Well just so you know, she’s up to over 5 now and counting! It wasn’t always easy for her, as she states in her talk this was a progression for her to reach the point she is currently at being fully confident and ready to rip the runway.

Ashley Graham the model, entrepreneur, designer, self-proclaimed body activist and  real role model that challenges us to break the barriers in what we think is beautiful and what our society accepts. As she puts it, it starts from within before it can start anywhere else. You have to love, YOU! We should have acceptance at any size and concentrate on our health as the most important item to focus on physically and emotionally. Are we “there” yet? Where you wont hear how models and celebrities are being airbrushed on magazine covers to a point they don’t even look like themselves? Where your size isn’t a topic of conversation, but who you are, how you treat others, your contribution in your life and how you carry yourself is? Well lets say we are closer then before with this force that is Ashley Graham on the scene. She isn’t slowing down, no I would say she is just getting started!

At the end of the day, confidence is sexy, being intelligent is sexy, having a sense of humor is sexy, ignoring the naysayers and going after what you really want in life, is SEXY! Ashley Graham can teach us many things, one being that once you follow your path its not just the possibilities that are endless, but the people you inspire is endless as well! Change sometimes has to happen with one spreading to many. I would say Ashley Graham has spurred a change.

So we challenge you to accept you, love you and appreciate the unique individual that you are. We’ve said it many times here, there is only one YOU!!! Just do it and be BOLD and be FREE! Take a moment and listen to Ashley’s TEDx Talk you wont be disappointed!

Nicole L. Rymer

The PowHer Hub

Great news!!! Single women are one of the most popular homebuyers out there in the market right now. More than 1 in 5 homebuyers are single women according to Realtor.com. As a Realtor for the past 12+ years in South Florida I can see the typical buyer changing and becoming more diverse. Check out the new sister site for more info www.NicoleRymer.Keyes.com.  It’s such a great sight to see more Women of all ages have the opportunity to become homeowners. Women are adjusting their crowns and entering the marketplace to the delight of many, including us at The Hub. Owning your own home is an awesome accomplishment with an array of benefits. Paying high rent and putting hard earned money in someone else’s pocket can be draining especially to your bank account. Rents have skyrocketed and interest rates remain historically low making this not just a reality, but a smart decision and worthwhile investment. Homeownership is not some unattainable life goal, but something that is completely attainable with the right plan of action and the right professionals around you.

Here are some tips to start your own process to become a HOMEOWNER!!! 

Find a local and reputable licensed Realtor. Ask around and do some research! Does the agent have a website? Does the agent have listings of their own advertised online or sites like Realtor.com? A licensed Realtor with real knowledge of the market, and lending practices that can refer you to the right mortgage broker, that is also tech savvy and a go-getter means you are in the right hands!! Let the trained professionals work for you! Calling a million different Realtors off of for sale signs while you drive around aimlessly is not a good start. Instead take the time to obtain a relationship with an agent that will actually help and work for you in your best interests. A licensed agent knows the market and what you need to not only start the home buying process, but make offers and more importantly get you closed!! Go to a PRO!

GO GET PRE-APPROVED! So many potential buyers miss the importance of this major step. Lending and the mortgage process in general has gotten stricter and knowing where you stand, your credit and what a bank will lend you to purchase is the most important and one of the first steps you absolutely need to address. How can you possibly start looking for a home if you do not know what you are approved for? A good seasoned Realtor will NOT take you out to look at homes unless this step is at least initiated and in process. Pairing you with the right bank is important depending on your situation and the type of loan you need. Getting pre-approved upfront also gives you the best buying power over someone not yet approved. Most sellers will require seeing a pre-approval letter with any submitted offer to make sure they are dealing with someone prepared! You will also know upfront what documentation and requirements the lender will want from you so you can be prepared for the mortgage process itself. Timing is everything during this time period as we only have a certain amount of time to get you closed. Many new lending regulations have been put in place in the last few months by the federal government, and a good mortgage broker will make sure that guidelines are adhered to for a smooth closing.

Next tip, and a step some may not even consider is that depending on what you are approved for, you may or may not be comfortable with that monthly payment and choose to stick to a lower price point. Why does this matter to you? Well, depending on your local market you need to ask your Realtor to show you various homes within different price points of what you are approved for to see what you like and what your money will buy you. You may have to make some decisions on what you want versus what you can get in your market for the price point you prefer to stick to. Are you handy? Can you make some minor improvements yourself to save money? That may be an option to consider. 

Ask questions!!! Unless you are a Real Estate professional doing this day-in and day-out no question is ever too ridiculous to someone who is working in your best interests. Be upfront and honest with your Realtor…….AT ALL TIMES! If we do not have all the information pertaining to your situation we cannot do our jobs to the best of our ability.

Last but not least there is real value in being a homeowner that can give you real  empowerment in your life. Being a homeowner can give you a sense of community, and its your own special piece in this world that is ALL yours. Feel like you are too far away from this dream of homeownership? Take a look back to our blog from earlier this year on financial stability and budgeting called Get Your Money Right in 2016   to at least get you started on the right path. Again, getting pre-approved will allow you to know where you’re at, and if you cannot get approved today a broker will tell you what steps you need to take to eventually be able to purchase a home.

P.s. Found a good Realtor? Treat that person well as a good Realtor takes time and effort and cares!! Take it from me 😉

So my fearless, ambitious femmes are we ready to enter the Real Estate buying world?? To have a place you can call your OWN?!?! The Hub wants to hear your stories and share with other women!! 

Your Licensed South Florida Realtor and PowHer Femme!!

Nicole L. Rymer

www.NicoleRymer.Keyes.com

The PowHer Hub

Times have indeed changed, and it is something that we cannot ignore anymore. The article from NYMAG in reference to the single, unmarried woman becoming more the norm then ever before in any past generation. As a single and unmarried woman myself, I can completely relate to the article. You can almost feel it; the landscape is and has changed. What was normal when I was growing up and in past generations, is not as normal anymore… consider this the new normal. As someone with pretty strong female influences in my life, not having to adhere to someone’s idea of how I should live my life was something instilled in me at a young age, and judging from the article derived by Rebecca Traister’s book, I am not alone. Again, the new normal.

On the heels of International Women’s Day and the talk regarding the pay gap between men and women makes this a more serious and interesting topic of discussion. The article is insightful and covers the gamut for this group and how it relates to the current political scene and upcoming election. The reality is, I know more women in my situation then not, and definitely more then my Mother’s generation and generations before would have encountered. As the article states, nearly 60% of women were wed by the time they were 29 in 1960, and now that number has dropping to a staggering 20%!! That statistic is proof enough that times have changed, but yet certain questions remain. Has society changed or the theory of and marriage itself changed? Those questions alone spur a million conversations. The article articulates how each decade and generation for that matter had evolved to bring us to this point and circumstance.

In speaking at length about this topic to my friends, and as recently in the last week alone, it is not that this fierce group isn’t interested in marriage or healthy relationships… that’s definitely not the case. Their priorities and ideals for their careers, what they set out to accomplish personally or professionally in life and dating alone seem to not mesh so easily together like they used to. It isn’t easy out there in the dating world, and I can safely say that my single friends are genuinely happy and self sufficient career women who can stand on their own two feet in the meantime. Bridging that gap, ultimately enjoying life and making their way in their own respective careers to support and help their family and make a way and name for themselves proudly. It is definitely more prevalent today then ever before and why the debate on the gap in pay for women is so important.

With the impending election, I think this will be a much talked about topic concerning the pay gap and equality for women not just in the work place but on a more personal level. I think the most rewarding thing we can take away since starting The PowHer Hub is the amazing women we have had the opportunity to meet along the way from so many backgrounds and careers. As we have said many times before, a tribe of thought-provoking, innovative, hard working women who have a voice that needs to be heard.. The connections we have made have been the most fulfilling, spurring a myriad of exciting collaborations to come. Some of those outstanding women we are working with are in the same boat, but are making waves changing lives personally and professionally. All the while not living a life that is defined by what society norms tell them they need to be or how to be at certain ages pressuring them into a specific category. That is truly inspiring us at The PowHer Hub.

So to the single, taken, married, complicated, given up, not quite sure, who knows, don’t ask……keep pushing and making those waves!!!

To read this article in its entirety please click this link http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/02/political-power-single-women-c-v-r.html

Nicole L. Rymer

The PowHer Hub

I recently came across an article from www.FORBES.com explaining the profound affects traveling can have on entrepreneurs and more importantly the entrepreneurs in the world which we live in today. This really resonated with me and my own story. For the people who do not know, I was fortunate to have worked with an athlete in my early 20’s where my job entailed a lot of travel and very busy work schedule. Weeks at a time I would be gone traveling the U.S. and the globe for that matter. It truly was an experience of a lifetime and something that has shaped me into the individual I am today in the most amazing way. I saw life differently, knew what I wanted and became extremely focused on the goals in which I set, more then I already was. It was like a fire was set in my life that would not stop burning and still burns strong today.

Let’s first take a step back, when I traveled, there was NO iPHONE!!! Yeah you heard me right, no iPHONE, no Samsung Galaxy, no Instagram, not even Facebook or Myspace existed yet. Can you even remember that far back?!?! LOL! The way in which we all operate our day-to-day activities and our lives was and is very different. People were not able to work as remotely as they can now, and for certain could not post and share their lives in the manner that we can and do now. Times have changed, we can now travel and run businesses remotely, manage staff and partnerships by many forms of communication that has been created in only the last 10-12 years. The game has changed enabling us more convenient ways to live, and thus creating jobs and new income sources helping more and more people become entrepreneurs. Even with The Hub we work remotely by means of Skype and Facetime to conduct a lot of our meetings.

Let’s really look into just a few of the benefits of getting out of your comfort zone and exploring the globe in search of new ways to do a myriad of tasks it takes to effectively run any business, let alone the personal growth you can attain from travel. Communication in life is important, and to effectively communicate to friends, family in our personal lives as well as business partners, staff, clients, vendors is a major key to success. When you travel and meet new people, you learn to communicate in different ways than what is normal to you. It will open your mind, and help you adapt to changes more effectively and learn new ways to conduct business. We do not all communicate and receive communication in the same ways. Learning other cultures can assist in the ability to be a more efficient communicator. Learning new ideas in other countries may help you enhance a current venture or inspire you to create something new altogether. What about the real networking potential that can come from traveling?!?! We all know how we feel here about networking and making connections, and how that can assist you personally and professionally. Your experiences and connections from traveling will shape you into a better leader.

Traveling at such a young age I believe propelled me into being an entrepreneur and sticking with that lifestyle, because no matter what anyone tells you it is indeed a lifestyle in which you will live. The exploration of new cultures, locations and exhilarating new experiences I had was my addiction. It taught me so many things I have been able to apply to my life now. The connections in the relationships I was able to build was special as well, and I am blessed to have friends across the globe to this day.

Traveling, however for many may seem out-of-reach, but then again a lot of things in life can be without a plan, action and faith. Just like when I was a kid around 9 years old having dreams of traveling and telling my Mom I would be taking those trips someday, I didn’t know how, who, or when. I just knew in my heart I had to and I would……and I did!!! Remember life is something that happens once you step outside of your comfort zone. You have to take the first step because life is meant to be LIVED not for you to merely exist!!! No dream is too big, no passion too crazy to pursue, and no trip too lofty to make happen!!! That passport collecting dust may be your key to renewed success and you may find yourself in the process! Go get that passport stamped!

Nicole L. Rymer

The PowHer Hub