Facebook Advertising has helped tons of businesses reach their audience in an easier way. Since almost everyone is using this platform today, creating campaigns and investing here might just be your way to hit your target.

But first you have to ask yourself the following questions:

• Who are the people that you are targeting?
• How much budget can you invest in advertising every month?
• Do you have appropriate materials to work with?
• Are your materials properly optimized for mobile phones and tablets?

With BrushPic, we make sure that you attract customers into your businesses with solutions in creating strong Facebook Campaigns. We guarantee that your ads are progressively tailored to reach maximum impressions based on your monthly budget.

To get things started, here are a few samples of each Facebook Ad Type that you may come across:

IMAGE

Succinct and Impactful. Image ads should be direct to the point and show emotion to be noticed by the audience. It can be happiness because they found your product / service. It can also be about frustration due to a need that you can offer like this one.

Image ads draw people in when they are unique, specific and use professional images. This is ideal in promoting a specific product or service as the material should not look cluttered. Use of this ad type can create a lasting impression depending on how your craft your visuals.

Advantages of using this ad type: Loads quickly and does not need much time for the audience to understand the message. This is helpful because people are getting a shorter attention span as technology evolves.

VIDEO

Videos are one of the best strategies to command attention from your audience. Simple and short videos allow your audience to experience more of what your business is about, what you can offer to them and how it can help create solutions for their needs. 

If there is speech or music in your video, keep in mind that adding subtitles will greatly help your audience absorb your content quickly. This is because most people who browse on Facebook have their sound muted on their devices.

The downside is videos load longer than photos and if the user’s internet is a bit slow, you might lose their attention. If the video is too long, simple notifications can also distract your audience in finishing the video.

CAROUSEL

Carousel Ads usually consist of 3 to 5 images that the user can browse through. It’s a bit edgier than a one-photo ad because if the audience is interested, they can click next to see what the other photos are about. It gives them a bit of interaction and leeway to decide if they will use your product or service and click on your ads.

It’s easier to do than Video since you just have to compile a few photos and voila, you are all set. Carousel ads also load faster than video ads- this can lessen interest fallouts.

 The downside is that there are people who would rather see all the content in one blow than clicking the next button. This is what the next ad type is for.

SLIDESHOW

Carousel slideshow Ads are a lot easier to do than videos since this won’t require manual creation, but will still load like a video. All you have to do is upload photos that you want to include in the ad, click the slideshow option in the format and Facebook will automatically show you a preview on how it’s going to look like. You can even choose what type of animation you want to use for your photos.

As we mentioned earlier, this format is ideal for people who don’t like clicking next to see your succeeding content. Just in case they don’t like the first photo on your video, there’s a chance they will like the next ones as the video plays out. One disadvantage is it loads slower than photos.

LEAD GENERATION

Lead Generation forms are effective in getting new leads for your business. Contact details such as name, email address and mobile number may be asked from your audience. With this, you can reach out to leads and close the sale. Keep in mind that some people are sensitive in giving their mobile numbers and contact details so we recommend asking for an email address instead.

INSTAGRAM

Since Instagram is now owned by Facebook, your ads will also be shown on this platform as well. It is ideal that you have an Instagram account to make sure that when the audience clicks your Ad there, they will be directed to your profile in the same app.

You should also connect your Facebook page to your Instagram Page to make sure that your content and ads are all aligned.

SHOP NOW

Shop now buttons can be added to the ads as well. Instead of having to message your page or have them manually search for your site, you can directly include a product / service into your ad that will bring them to the exact site page where you want them to go.

This makes it easier for your audience to browse what your offer is all about and the details they would need to know to make a purchase.

ANALYTICS

Not an ad type, but all ads and even your page itself is provided with analytics on how your efforts are reaching people. This includes the following:

• Post or Ad reach: The number of people who have seen your material
• Story Reach: The number of people who have seen your story may be boosted or not.
• Post Engagement: The number of people who reacted, commented, clicked and shared your post
• Videos: Number of people who played your videos for more than 3 seconds
• Page Followers: Number of New followers gained by your page
• All statistics come with increase or decrease percentages against the previous period too.

Whatever Facebook Ad format you have in mind, we guarantee that the materials we will be using for your business are interesting and will leave a lasting impression on your audience! 

Schedule your FREE consultation with us and we’ll be right there with you!

https://calendly.com/ohenewa-71/15min?month=2022-04

This month, we are celebrating the strong, independent and loving women in our lives! Happy Women’s Month!

We interviewed Alaskan Women in Business and asked what it took them to succeed in the paths that they have chosen. Even in this age, women still do face unique challenges in the corporate world.

So, let’s dive into the colorful worlds of these ladies!

https://www.audaxwealth.com/

Christina Gamache is the owner of Audax Wealth Management. She does financial planning to business owners, combining business and personal finances.

Michele Girault is the Executive Director of Hope Community Resources, a local nonprofit, based in Anchorage. They also have offices throughout the state providing support to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities as well as mental health challenges.

Shannon Martindale Is with Five Rings Financial. Their vision is to help the middle-class Americans get out of debt and grow their hard-earned wealth. They promote financial education through events like Money 101, Wine Women & Wealth, and Mommy Money and Me. The events teach wealth tips and financial education that is not taught in our local schools or communities. We find out where people are at whether it is personal or business and help move them forward into their financial and retirement goals.

Ohenewa Anno is the Founder of BrushPic, a digital marketing and design services agency.

Julia Tenison is the owner and creator of an online news website called Anchorage Good News, a very local and focused news site. It is an idea that came to her when she was in college. She thinks that it is beneficial to any town, but particularly to Anchorage with the changing economy over the last several years, to be able to get good news about where they live. To help people feel good about where they live. She has been on YouTube and Facebook for over 3 and a 1/2 years.

https://www.hopealaska.org/

As an empowered female leader, what has been the most challenging part of your business?

Christina: Mostly I think the most frustrating part is finding qualified help. Right? It’s probably the same as many other businesses today. Finding the right person to do the right job for my business has been difficult. And thank goodness, I found you. One other thing, I checked off my list.

Michele: I’ve been in this business for decades, but the last couple years have probably been the most challenging in terms of the pandemic variables and workforce shortage, which existed prior to the pandemic. But I think developing workers that are talented and invested in helping people, and assuring that they have a living wage has been one of the biggest challenges.

Shannon: It has been fun getting out there and helping to give back to other women through financial literacy and education to really help them further understand and empower them to move forward. The hard part but most exciting part is moving out of the corporate JOB and into an entrepreneur roll where I can be authentic and deciding what that would look like and being consistent with it.

Ohenewa: Time management or Management of activities. That has been very important and challenging to master.

Julia: The most challenging part of my business has been able to distinguish content that I create as unique and adding value to people’s lives. There’s a lot of news out there that’s based on fear and war, and people have become very accustomed to hearing that. As one classmate of mine said to me years ago, ‘I am far too obsessed with the bad news to want to pay attention to the good news’.

www.martindaleconsulting.net

What do you think helped you the most to make your business successful as a woman?

Christina: I originally thought that having to go remote would be a challenge for my business. But I actually think that in hindsight, it has been good for me to go with because I’m able to flex really quickly, whereas if I had stayed in corporate, it would have been a little bit more difficult for me to meet my clients.

Michele: That’s a really good question. I think that I fell in love with this work kind of by happenstance; I was invited to work at a small institution in California by a college friend. It wasn’t a path that I chose. But I fell in love with the work and the people. So I think realizing that disability justice was something I had a passion for was something that helped me stay grounded in the work. And it was realizing that it’s a marathon, not a sprint , that social change takes investment of time and effort. Seeing and surrounding yourself with people that share that passion has been really important. I think having the social support of others, has kept me upright and moving forward.

Shannon: My husband and I went through a time in our marriage where we were having financial struggles and had a difficult time being able to communicate to one another about financials. We were in debt and to get out of debt you had to have those conversations to learn how to make some kind of agreement on how we will allocate our money. It is in my heart that there are other families out there that have some of those same struggles, and they just need a hand up to help work through those difficult conversations and times they may be currently facing. Given we have experienced trying times and have recovered too, I can give hope to other women, relationships, or families out there.

Ohenewa: As a woman, just looking to learn from others’ mistakes or other women and just from other people. Learn from their accomplishments and learn from their mistakes has helped me the most in making my business successful.

Julia: I care about other people and want to nurture them in ways because I’m a mom. I’m able to look at situations and see good stuff. Not necessarily Iook at the bad stuff that’s going but this is a good side of it. Just to be able to see good news that is happening amongst all of the bad stuff that is happening out there.

Brushpic.com

What is one thing that you wish you would have known earlier?

Michele: I think it’s important to this business when you are connected to state funding and legislative issues. I think I wish I had developed personal relationship with legislators earlier in my career. I’ve got that now, but I think not being afraid to do that, to realize that legislators or elected officials work for me. I think sometimes people put them on a pedestal; and it’s too far away. I think leveraging those relationships for the good of the people that you’re supporting is really important, whether it’s a state level or a federal level- those representatives are working for you.

Shannon: That I am capable of being an entrepreneur and not have to have a status within a company in order to be successful! I use to look at a beautifully dressed woman and think “oh they have it all together” when in reality they have a story where they had to work through junk or struggle’s to get where they are or, possibly they have not made it there and creating an outside identity. Everyone has their own struggles just as you or I may be going though, and it is OK to experience them. They are lessons for your growth, not to be a disappointment to you.

Ohenewa: The way women relate to each other and the chemicals that it produces within them. If I had known that earlier, I might have taken a deeper dive into the psychology of women and just people and understanding how they function on a fundamental level. This is not related to business. This is just something that I’m interested in.

Julia: My biggest mistake has been being far too timid about asking for financial support. As in approaching people about ads or going after financing campaigns through online services such as Patreon. Also, being far too concerned about what other people think about me, which is something I think women struggle with more than men.

Anchorage Good News

What’s your style in leading your team?

Christina: I don’t know what my leadership style would be. But I do know that the last two years have taught me to lead with a lot of grace and forgiveness of life happen and there’s not a whole lot that we can control sometimes just understanding that people are human, and they make mistake. And really just seeing that they are not just vendors or customers or partners, that we’re all people at the end of the day.

Michele: I think I’m probably known to be a collaborative leader, to pull people in and use the gifts and talents of others.  And I think that really shepherding and acknowledging the gifts and talents of others and letting them shine. is I think  we all shine brighter when we stand in the light of others. So that’s been my style.

Shannon: Everyone has their own learning styles and what connects in order to move them forward in their growth. I have great interest in learning their style of learning, whether it is hands-on or reading and try to lead them in that direction other than doing what worked for me.

Ohenewa: My Leadership Style is really to provide direction and opportunity for people to grow into a better version of themselves. Come equipped and to give people the opportunity to just take the lead themselves with a little guidance. So I just want everybody to feel strong enough and capable enough to accomplish what everyone is trying to do for the whole team. And my style is to hand the tools over that allow people to blossom into their own stronger version.

Julia: I work alone most of the time. I do have a camera operator that I work with recently. For me, it’s about communicating the purpose and intent of the work as much as possible so that he understands and know what’s expected of him.

https://www.audaxwealth.com/

What are your biggest sacrifices in making your business successful?

Christina: Sacrifice? I think my biggest sacrifice was giving up my cushy corporate job. Okay, I had a very cushy job. And that was the biggest sacrifice. But looking back, it’s not so much of a sacrifice when I see what I’ve built.

Michele: Well, I think it’s interesting we’ve talked a lot at about work life balance at Hope. I think that throughout a career when you’re working in a field that’s 24/7 it never stops, you know.  I was planning to go into a teaching career and there are moments where the world stops, you get a holiday vacation or a summer vacation. But when you work in residential services or services to people, it’s nonstop. So I think that there have been some sacrifices of personal /family time. But I think for me, it’s been a choice not a sacrifice. For me it’s something that I have chosen- to blend my passion for what we do with my personal life.

Shannon: What I am doing right now! Getting out, meeting people, and starting from the ground up to really grow the roots and make an ultimate foundation for itself. Just like the oak tree, the roots grow miles wide below the surface before you see the sprouts of your hard work.

Ohenewa: Time has been my biggest sacrifice. I’ve put in tons of time: everyday, year after year, in order to take my business to the next level.

Julia: Being able to communicate with people and my family and keep connections on a personal level long distance. Because something’s always happening or something’s going on or I need to keep my eye on the ball then I have a tendency to let communications with my family go.

https://www.hopealaska.org/

Who are there female leaders or mentors that you look up to?  What did you learn from them?

Christina: Many? Yeah, when I was in corporate, I did not have any bosses that were female for my entire career of over 20 years. And so when I left to start my own business, I actively sought out women mentors. And I have two mentors now. One is her name is Teresa Jacobson. And she is with JW Industry Group over in Anchorage, and she is fantastic! And then I also have a woman by the name of Holly Donaldson who is also a financial advisor, but out of Florida.

Michele: I think that there are. It’s interesting that a loved aunt just passed away, and her name is Emily. She was definitely a mentor, but her peer group is Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Betty White, you know, icons of their generation. I am a fan of Michelle Obama. Somebody said,  “if you could have lunch with anybody, who would you choose”? For me it would be  Michelle Obama, I so respect her and how she walks through the world. But I think, women who have stood for justice, stood for the rights of women, love animals, those types of things have always been something I look up to, and I’ve learned from.

Shannon: I am passionate about personal development. I have worked harder on myself than anything through personal development. I was invited years ago to attend a weekend conference called Dani Johnson. This wonderful lady had personally gone through a lot of junk. She does an amazing job teaching people to use that just as lessons, not as a downer or cause misery in your life. Through her work and my intentional studies, I believe that is what played a huge role of who I am today. I continue to work on personal development today. It will be an important role in my life forever!

Ohenewa: Female mentors I look to for guidance on how to be the most holistic version of yourself, like I actually am inspired by Bjork, the musician, because she’s a truly authentic woman and successful too. In terms of leadership, from the woman in my life, my mother and I suppose from the other close women I personally know. I learn from what they gained over the years and how to just make better choices and just be a great person and help others. A community is a big thing for women and that’s part of why I’m interested in highlighting women this month to connect with community on a higher level.

Julia: I have seen Laurie Brewer who is owner operator of Caffé D’arte here in Alaska and very much respect how she runs her very successful coffee business. I learned from her what it is to be able to look around to see good resources and learn how to utilize them, specifically to let her compassion work in her business. To help other women who have been in very unhealthy positions in life, be able to have an opportunity to improve their life.

www.martindaleconsulting.net

How do you use your influence to help other women who are in business too?

Christina: So right now I’m serving as a committee member for Alaska behavioral health, and they’re doing a project partnership with the Steven A. Cohen clinic. They provide mental health services for veterans and their family. I’m also on the board of directors for the Alaska Women’s Leadership Forum.

Michele: Just that idea of, there’s so much more work to do worldwide and elevating women. We have a staff member or a previous staff member at home that’s doing filmmaking that’s elevating women; the issues are shining the light on issues for women in other countries. And I think that, working together continuing to elevate whether it’s pay equity, whether it’s access, whether it’s education in developing countries that that those of us that have that don’t walk out the door, being afraid of going to work or having a job or being able to drive a car need to support the women of other countries where that’s that freedom does not fully exist yet.

Shannon: Being an example of taking a leap of faith and getting out there, being authentic of whom God made you. Within our community of events, we host is Wine Women and Wealth. At this event we are pouring into the women of personal development, mindsets, and being the hub for ladies to further grow in all areas of their life. This event is monthly and has been so powerful amongst the group!

Ohenewa: This is one of the ways that I’m hoping that I can influence other women by just sharing stories in the city that I’m in at the moment. BrushPic is a worldwide company, but I am currently in Anchorage and I want to share with my present community on what other women and business owners are doing.

Julia: One of my most recent stories has been about Lady Snow Meditation. It’s run by Lady Snow Mustang, who is a local businesswoman with a YouTube feed that runs weekly. She does meditation now, wants to teach it in the future, but she’s starting with talks about encouraging self-improvement and handling domestic problems.

Brushpic.com

What’s your advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs?

Christina: So if they say: if you find something that you love to do, then you never have to work a day in your life. We’ve all heard of that. Yeah, yeah and it’s so true. But at the end of the day, where a lot of women, business owners, I think they just recognize that owning a business is just one way that we can take care of the people and the things that we love. I mean, to an end. So fine, if you can find that means to an end, that’s great. But if you can make it so that it’s fun for you, then it makes the entire tedious thing, not so difficult. And then also just networking, and nobody likes networking. They always say, Oh, I have to go to another networking event. But really, it’s just getting to know people, and not really asking them to help us, but kind of figuring out how you can help that person that you’re moving. Can you connect with that person too? What resources can you share with that person? Because that’s going to build up your community faster than you ever thought possible.

Michele: I think that the generation of today has so much more expectation for good, maybe than women of previous generations. I walked through a world where there’s  been disparity in income for many years: recognizing that men were making more than I was just because they were men. So I think to stand up for yourself, value your talents; use other women to collaborate with and to be fearless. That’s probably not a message that’s new for the women that are coming up today. They’re much more. There’s been a good track laid by women of my generation and the generation ahead of me to say you are somebody, you are a big deal and walk through the world with your head up.

Shannon: Go do it. Go give it a shot. You will be blessed time and time again for giving back into God’s country and helping his children grow. Alling you to work for yourself as an entrepreneur gives you time and grace of freedom. Or for the lifestyle that you want to live. Whether you are raising a family or you are trying out what your purpose is in life. The more you get out and exercise your own business that you are working to build, you will either resonate with it and be passionate about it or it’s just not your cup of tea.

Ohenewa: Do what you love because then you don’t have to work a day in your life. But do what you’re passionate about because there’s a huge satisfaction in seeing something beautiful coming from your passion because your passion is a gift to everybody. So that would be my advice.

Julia: For any young women out there that want to become entrepreneurs I would suggest… First of all, be OK with who you are. Who cares about what other people think about you, just bring your best to the table and be OK with who you are. Secondly, if you haven’t had any kind of financial background experience or taking any classes in finance and business, take a few. Get to know someone really well that has a business and pick his or her brain a little bit about what it takes realistically to run a successful business

Michele’s interview highlights can also be watched here:

We do hope that you enjoyed these interviews as much as we did! Always remember that you are not alone. Women from all walks of life are now helping and collaborating with each other to strengthen each other’s businesses.

If you need more guidance on what to do, BrushPic is always open for a conversation.

https://calendly.com/ohenewa-71/15min

No strings and no pressure. Let’s just sit for a few minutes and see where it leads us!

Anchorage Good News

Interviewees’ Contacts:

Christina Gamache

Audax Wealth Management

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

Website: https://www.audaxwealth.com/

Michele Girault

Hope Community Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-girault-6519b311/

Website: https://www.hopealaska.org/

Shannon Martindale

Five Rings Financial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-martindale-68b53064/

Website: www.martindaleconsulting.net

Ohenewa Anno

BrushPic

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

Website: https://brushpic.com/

Julia Tenison

Anchorage Good News

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-tenison/

Website: https://anchoragegood.news/

Ohenewa: “I would like to introduce you to Mathieu Frohlich with Finance of America Mortgage. Mathieu is a Mortgage adviser at Finance of America Mortgage. They make financing easy and offer a range of options from VA, FHA, Conventional, 203K, USDA, Jumbo Loans, or Hud 184. Thank you for making the time to take this interview with me. What made you get into this field?

Mathiue: “ I have some family, that owned the branch and they showed me how the company works what the opportunities are. They really show the ins and out of how lending works and it was really interesting, they convinced me to join them.

Watch the interview highlights on our youtube channel:

Ohenewa: “How is finance of America different from other mortgage companies?

Mathiue: “Finance of America really empowers their loan officers that are facing the clients. So they really want the individual loan officers to be the ones out finding the clients, building that relationship and give them all the tools they need to be successful, whereas a lot of other lenders are more focused on marketing, advertising bringing in clients through more of a call center type thing where you’re more of a order taker, they give you a client compared to focusing on the relationship between a lender and their client.

Eva: “Can you tell me about some of your loan programs?

Mathiue: “We offer a huge variety of loan programs overall ideas we want to be able to help you no matter what your situation is. Our job as mortgage advisors is to make sure you get the right financing to fit those needs but we do all your traditional loan programs. VA for your veterans, FHA .HUD 184, conventional loans, jumbo loans. Those are more what you consider traditional ones, but we also have a lot of in house loans that we make available so we have commercial ones so people can buy apartment buildings up to twenty units. We have lines of credit for builders so they can build new homes, so we try and be all encompassing for our lending options.

Ohenewa: “What is the most typical program that house hunters here in Alaska look for?

Mathiue: “We have a lot of veterans up here and the VA programs is the best one. That’s what I used to buy my house, is by far the best program has great rate, it’s a zero down program it’s very easy to use, so that one’s extremely popular, the other next one that we see is probably FHA, which is really friendly for first time home buyers.

They work with you, credit issues income issues are very flexible in their terms, as a lot of your first time home buyers will do that and then, of course, your conventional ones.
Conventional loans, you’ll see a lot for anyone making larger down payments or most common is where you’re selling your first home in order to be a move up buyer and buy that larger home.
You  just got a promotion and want a bigger house, or your family’s growing, and you need a bigger house so that’s where you will have more of the conventional loan style.

Ohenewa: “I heard that getting multiple loans will badly affect your credit. What are your thoughts on that?

Mathiue: “So, multiple loans is more, how many are we talking about? If we’re talking about credit cards, personal loans, auto loans, things like that there are most of your experience, transunion, equifax, they want you to have several loans out there they want to see that you’re using credit that you’re paying your bills on time and that you have a couple different sources of credit, whether it is at auto loan, home loan, credit card things like that. They want to see a minimum of three trade lines. TransUnion won’t report a credit score if you don’t have at least one active trade line going the longer you have a trade line open, the better credit, a lot of credit is based off of your history. So don’t close a credit card if you’ve had it for a long time to keep it keep using it, use it once or twice a year, just keep the account going over time, as long as you’ve made all your payments. This really helps boost your score, otherwise the number of loans depends on how you’re using them. If all of your credit cards are maxed now that’s a bad thing, if you have ten credit cards, but they all have only ten percent on them for their overall bounds well, then that’s more of a good thing, because then you have a lot of credit that you can use in case of emergencies, unexpected bills or anything like that.

Ohenewa: “What would you say with someone wants to do a refinance but they worried that it could badly affect their credit?

Mathiue: “Having your credit checked normally only affects your score down a couple points, having your credit checked by multiple loans; five, six, seven times that’s where it starts, really taking an adverse hit on your credit so if you go around shopping for different credit cards and you don’t end up actually getting any credit card that’s also seen as bad shopping, with the even lenders, credit agencies expect you to shop around two or three different lenders, but your shop with ten- they start thinking something’s wrong, and you’ll really start hitting that, seeing that hit also hard inquiries you don’t want, you want to keep them down as low as possible. But anywhere in the two to four hard inquiries in a given period of time isn’t seen as that bad, isn’t really going to drive down your credit.
So if you’re thinking about refinancing, if you haven’t applied for any other loans recently, then it doesn’t hurt to have your credit pulled.

Ohenewa: “What is one of the misconceptions that people have about mortgages?

Mathiue: “That like your biggest one is probably that your bank is going to give you a good deal just because you bank with them, or that all lenders, all mortgages, are created equally.
They’re not, all of your companies operate differently they all have different fees they all do things differently and how they operate and so one lender might have a whole different program that meets your needs much more closely than another lender, and you don’t know until you go around in talk with a few of them.

Ohenewa: “Can you work with people outside of Alaska?

Mathiue: “So I’m personally licensed in Alaska, Arizona, California and Oregon, so I can do loans in those individual states but our companies licensed to nationwide and I can always refer to colleague, a fellow lone officer in a different state so it doesn’t matter where you’re looking to buy refinance, we have someone that can help you out.

Ohenewa: “I heard loans gets sold out without consent, is it a standard procedure?

Mathiue: “Every single person sells your loans, every single lender is going to sell your loan except in the rarest of cases it doesn’t matter who the lender is. They all get packaged up in mortgage backed securities and sold off now what happens there is, depending on who buys the package of all those loans at thousand loan block that gets sold off, they might have a deal with a different company, a servicing company that is a one you actually make your payments too.
So the people that own your loan are not the same ones that collect your payment a lot of time and so since they have that arrangement, you’ll get that letter in the mail saying, your servicing provider has just been changed and your loan has been moved because even then, sometimes your loan one can get sold four or five different times and stay at the same service and you’ll never know that that package of loans are sold, the only time you know is when your servicing company changes, and who’s collecting the money is a new company

Ohenewa: “So it’s not really a bad or good thing for the consumer?

Mathiue: “No it doesn’t affect the consumer, the biggest thing is the setting up of a new account with a new service provider to have your   mortgage payment automatically withdrawn especially if it’s happened four times in a row,  every single payment was made to a new service in the  company because no one really had an idea about what was going on so selling them, buying and selling them again and they were just a little frustrated because they’re like, hey, i just may open an account, just made a payment to these guys and now i tried to do the same the following month, and they say, I can’t make the payment because my loan has been moved to another service in company, so it’s more of the frustration factor, but it doesn’t affect your loan you actually have a little more of a grace period during that time that the new account set up, so oh, every month, so don’t think that your grace period means you can skip a payment, but it does mean that if it takes an extra couple of weeks to find out who the new servicer is and to get that payment sent off, that won’t affect your credit that won’t affect your payment history whatsoever ,

Ohenewa: “Are there any email coming up webinars?

Mathiue: “That will be every Wednesday at six pm I want to get that started here in the next couple of weeks, and it’ll just be a consistent every Wednesday six pm, when you’re ready to learn more about buying your first home, or if you just want a refresher on how the home process home buying process works, you can join for free. FAMhomeloans.com

Ohenewa: “What are some tips that you can share with anyone looking to find the right mortgage lender?

Mathiue:“Definitely shop around and look strongly at the loan estimate so all lenders when they get a complete application are required to give you a loan estimate and in there is our best guess scenario on what all of the costs for all of your closing costs are but also what we put in for any origination costs that’s what you really want to focus on how much are you paying to get the loan? Origination costs a lot of times, lenders will charge a flat percentage fee and so that they’re charging one percent of origination fee that can, be quite a few thousand dollars, if you buy four hundred thousand dollar house, if you’re looking at a four thousand dollar origination fee, Finance of America does charge an origination fee, but it is a flat fee it’s one thousand four hundred and ninety dollars, and that’s all of our fees. We don’t have any other fees in there and is for our branch some branches are different based off location our Alaska branch is just a $1490  some other ones will hide in discount points those are the points you pay to buy down your interest rate so they might say, oh, hey, we can beat other lenders by giving you a three percent, instead of a three point two five percent
but that discount point might mean that you’re actually buying down that rate and paying more upfront costs and so they kind of hide it in sometimes other common fees that you’ll see will be something like document preparation fees, admin fees, copier fees they can hide in a bunch of fees in there it’s really focusing on that part the third party costs are going to end up being the same, no matter what lender you use because that’s
an appraisal fees and appraisal fee, we don’t take any money for that, no one else is allowed to take money for that it’s going to be the same, no matter who you use.

Ohenewa:“Can you tell me a little bit about the work that brushpic has done for you and your business?

Mathiue: “Yeah so brushpic has designed website, has designed powerpoint presentations, some logos, marketing material,and are about to design a couple more websites for me.

Ohenewa: “Bonus Question: If you were shipwrecked on deserted island and had food and water, what two items would you want to bring with you?

Mathiue: “Well, satellite phone and a battery to power it.
Ohenewa: “One last question, what is your favorite hobby?

Mathiue: “I like, getting out to the cabin and spending as much time there as possible
outside of the city and absolutely perfect for four wheel and snow machine and fishing, you name it that’s a fun place to be.”

 

About the Interviewer

Eva Ohenewa Anno is the founder of BrushPic™. Eva is a multi talented digital artist and entrepreneur  with a  passion for helping others show up as their best version.

CREATING A LOGO FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

It’s just one month and the corona virus pandemic has already overwhelmed many healthcare systems around the world. As if that wasn’t enough, almost every other industry has been crippled due to the virus and there’s no end in sight for the lockdown. However, while it might seem like everything has stopped, it’s important to remember that covid19 will pass and this is not a time that one should get too apathetic.

But what exactly does this mean?

Well, it means that things might feel uncertain right now but this is also a time when digital marketing strategies are being used to take back control. In other words, this is not the time for waiting to see what happens but rather to think differently and implement strategies that will place your business in a better position moving forward. In this article I will highlight two out of many industries that have shown that kind of innovation.

1. The Restaurant Industry; A New approach to an existing system.

Innovation is all about new methods and innovators always try to look at situations differently to come up with ideas others cannot. For some, this might mean a revolutionary product but for others, this can also be just a new way of doing things.

Crush Wine Bistro in Anchorage, Alaska has offered a “Take n’ Bake” service to locals and an online order process for quick and easy meals. Through the “Take n’ Bake” service offered, the restaurant prepares and sells uncooked meals to customers, who then cook these meals in the comfort of their own home. In this case, customers simply drive downtown and park up near the store where they can grab and go in just a few minutes. What’s more, Crush also assures customers of reserved parking spaces through EasyPark and even more convenience at the bottle shop next door. While this is something entirely new for the business, “Take n’ Bake” has enabled Crush to keep the ball rolling and provide a valuable service during covid19.

It would seem like Crush was also ahead of the game with this one by bringing exposure to their business through adaptation. Another notable adaptation in the food industry was adopted by the fried chicken restaurant Yonder called the “Yonder’s Pandemic Pantry” in Portland, Oregon.

https://yonderpdx.smartonlineorder.com/

They have created a special page on their their website offering some of their signature spices not normally for sale such as their house made chicken stock and their pint of bread & butter zucchini pickles. That people can order and receive on the same day.

2. The Real Estate Industry- 3D Rendering and Virtual Staging

Most buyers and real estate agents are currently stuck inside. It’s a challenging time for people that wish to sell their homes or buy property. However, many companies such as Compass Realtors are quickly adapting and sharing homes via a virtual tour.They recently implemented a virtual agent service which enables technology to show homes as well as communicate to clients.

Virtual environments are nothing new for us at BrushPic but restructuring a business with these tools to ‘stay in the game’ is extremely valuable. Not only can 3D rendering be used for virtual staging but it can also be used to show an interactive walkthrough of a space that exists or does not yet exist. There are many options for creating a virtual tour of an existing space. See this simple and useful guide.

With this in mind, sellers and real estate agents are using these tools and methods to enable potential buyers to take a look inside the properties. In fact, Berril Properties insists that virtual staging is the way of the future regardless of the covid19 situation.

3. Age old methods- Focusing on Brand Loyalty and Customer Satisfaction

During this time of great uncertainty, there is an increased need for customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. That is to say, there might not be any bookings right now but taking this proactive approach can at least help serve the wider community, while keeping their brand name and reputation intact during the pandemic.

For instance, many personal trainers and gyms such as Planet fitness are offering free at home workout classes. This support shows customer care that goes above and beyond what they have to do, therefore maintaining loyalty.

There is always a cost involved when going above and beyond but investing in some or all these areas could help bridge the gap between the supplier and the consumer.

Final Thoughts

As with any digital marketing strategy, it’s important to focus on retaining your current customer base especially during the current pandemic. That being said, this is also an opportunity to gain even more traction with your target market with new and innovative strategies. After that, it’s all about measuring and improving your strategy, while keeping in mind that everything comes to an end – even Covid19.

By the way, need any help with your digital marketing strategy? Get in touch!

Eva: “I want to introduce to you Fatukanu Kabia, she is the owner of Diamond Janitorial Services, they provide excellent cleaning services for residential cleaning, commercial cleaning, move in and move out cleaning, Air BNB, office cleaning and more. Thank you for taking this interview with me.”

Eva: “Firstly, I’ve noticed you have a lot of passion for your work and this business. Where does that come from?”

Kabia: “The passion for my work comes from just the need to help people better their lives and deliver easier stress free life. For me I know I have two kids and I work about 12 plus hours a day and my home and my space is my is my serenity. I need it to be clutter free and I need it to just be clean in order for me to just come home and put my feet up and just rest and relax so I can be rejuvenated to go on with my day. So I think it’s just the ability to want to help people and to just want to make their lives easier and more stress free.”

Eva: “What made you get started in this business? Did you receive Someone guide you through it to get it started or how did it start?”

Kabia: “I have always been a neat freak. I hate clutter.

I hate smells, am a nosy person. I would like to say.

“So for me, when I first got a job with a cleaning company, I mean, it wasn’t nothing that I had to be taught. It was just something that I knew. I was just a natural at the business. And from there on, I just kept working with this particular cleaning company to learn everything that I could learn. And I just felt very under appreciated by the whole process of what they were doing. And all my attempts that I had given this company to try to help was falling on deaf ears. So I took it upon myself after a series of events into starting my own business. But that didn’t take off right away. I had to work for a couple other companies while my business was getting off the ground. So yeah, I did work with somebody for a little bit, kind of learned a little bit more about running the business of cleaning. But as far as the talent for for cleaning, that was always in me. I mean, I’m African. We have a lot of people in our family. And you got to always keep behind those kids picking up every day.”

Eva: What’s this thing or the strangest thing you’ve found missing in someone’s home that you were able to return to them?”

“Maybe something behind the fridge.”

“Those are the best. Like you might be doing a move out clean or thing for somebody and you’re cleaning under their vanity and you cleaning under the sink. And you know, you have that gap that goes under your sink and sometimes you can clean your bathroom, but you can’t really get under there. So we had clean one of my client’s homes. I’m not going to put her on the spot or anything.”

“So we found a binky under her van. It’s like the thing that the baby’s stuck on. And her oldest kids, she had been living in that house for about 20 years. Her oldest kid was 17.”

“So you can only imagine. Well, her youngest kid was 17. You can only imagine how long that Binky has been under there.

It was there for a long time. We found first generation iPhones and people’s couches.”

“And that’s first generation there, although we have iPhone 11s now. So when they get these things that they just look like dinosaurs. And then when it comes to doing move out Queens, we found some things in there that definitely the tenants probably left that they want back. But the owners just want us to throw it out.” “So we saw some pretty interesting things with this cleaning jobs, so definitely makes it exciting every day to do it.”

Eva: “Can you tell me about your community outreach?”

“I think we do a lot of community outreach. Personally, the type of lifestyle that I’m from and all my experiences that I’ve had has given me the compassion to be able to work with ladies in this community that want to change your lives from what they used to do before. So we work with a lot of sober living places. We work with a lot of people in recovery that do want to change. I do want that opportunity to do better for them and their kids. So we do a lot of outreach in that in that aspect.”

“I think of myself as more of like a big sister to a lot of these ladies. If I can do it, they can do it, too. And it’s my pleasure. And I have it in my ability to be able to lend them a hand with anything that they need.”

Watch the interview highlights on our youtube channel:

Eva: “What is the work environment like?”

Kabia: “Well, for a lot of you guys that have used our services. The work environment, you can see it’s like a family unit. We have fun at work. For us, it’s our happy time. It’s art therapy. It’s our friendship time. We just love the the atmosphere that we’re around. And the ladies just love what they do. So for them, we keep it light. We keep it fun. I mean, we’re telling jokes the whole time. We’re talking about our lives the whole time, as well as doing a wonderful and great job for our clients. They love interacting with with us as cleaners. And some of them actually like to stay in the home while we’re cleaning because they love laughing. They love interacting with us. And they love hearing all our different stories because all our girls are like chatty Cabbies. They want to talk to you. They want to know what you’re about and they want to know how we can better help you.”

Eva: “What kind of products do you use?”

Kabia: “We use all green products; we know that everybody’s different. Some of our clients have a high irritation to strong smells and some of them don’t mind. Some of our clients, they think if they smell bleach, it’s clean. And some of them, they don’t want to smell bleach at all. They just wanted to be, you know, a light scent. So we offer our clients a couple of different options. We have a green option and then we have a regular option. Our regular option is very green in itself.”

Kabia: “We use just regular basic products like simple green spray a way glass cleaner regular pledge. And we dilute the simple green, of course. And we use Bohner for wood floors and then laminate for cleaners for our regular floors. So when it goes to doing green cleaning, we like to introduce them to either to Melaleuca or Mires Clean Day, something that they would like using even seventh generation or thieves would work for them.”

Kabia: “I personally provide the Melaleuca because I have a membership with Melaleuca so far off some of our clients who want Melaleuca products. We offer that to them and see if they like it and they do like it. We just charge them $10 more on their bill because those products do cost a lot of money. But if they do want H2O or any of those other products, we can refer them to somebody that sells those products so they can be able to buy it for themselves. So our products are pretty green. We don’t have a lot of clients that have a lot of problem because we do ask them if they’re allergic to anything and what their irritation level is to smells when we do a walk through.”

Eva: “What can we expect during a walkthrough?”

Kabia: “There’s a lot of fun time. I love doing my walkthrough. You get a chance to get to know the client, get a chance, an opportunity to ask them what they are really looking for and why they’re getting cleaning services. Everybody has a different reason why they’re getting cleaning services and what a walk through really enables us to do and enables us to see the walk through of the house, kind of get the vibe with a client, can offer him a couple different options and just kind of really put their mind at ease into as in who they’re having in their homes. And one thing that we also offer our clients is we do have the ability and the we just love working around people. Some clients want to get to know their cleaners before they just give them clothes and stuff like that inside their home. So we always offer the client to do their initial clean on the Saturday because we know a lot of people are home on a Saturday. So we get to meet the whole family. They get to meet the whole staff. And on top of that, they get to hang around and they get to kind of see how we interact with each other, how we joke around with each other and the process of us getting the house clean.” “And at the end of that initial cleaning, they get a very calm sense of they’re comfortable. They’re happy that this is these this is just a bunch of girls and a group of people. They’re just they’re having fun and they’re talking about.” “Girl, what do you do yesterday? How did the movie you rented go? You know, we were just talking about real life things that are happening in our lives. And we’re just focused on getting your space clean. It’s nothing shady. It’s nothing weird. We’re just doing our jobs and just having a fun time doing it.”

Eva: “Do you have any cleaning tips for us?”

Kabia: “Well, if I have to tell you, I have to kill you.”

Kabia: “But when it comes to cleaning tips, there’s a bunch of different things that people just don’t know. And what can get things really out like one thing you definitely need in your home is a juga, simple green.”

Kabia: “You need that just because when you’re cleaning your tubs or things that have really that deep ground in it, kind of dirt, you kind of just need pure version of simple green with your other best friend, which is a box of magic erasers.I f you don’t have a box of magic erasers, you’ve been doing way too much work cleaning your own house. I’m telling you, if you haven’t called us yet, that that is. But Magic Erasers and simple green are your best friend because those two combine can get almost just anything out of your out of your home, out of your tub, out of the sink, out of anything that you’re cleaning. And then on top of that, the reason why we use spray with glass cleaner is because it just leaves that streak free shine. We know everybody loves their Windex. Everybody loves their wooden nicks. Well, we’ve had some instances where Windex had left the film on the windows and it doesn’t really do a good enough job. So for me, the best tip is to get the right products, even if you are the best cleaner in the world. If you don’t have the right product and if you don’t have that knowledge and you don’t consult with an actual professional cleaner, you can be scrubbing for days for something that takes me 2 minutes to clean. Thanks.”

Eva: “Can you tell me about the work Brush Pic did for you?”

Kabia: “The work that brush Pic did for us and is continuing to do for us is just custom branding. It’s really just liberating to feel as if I can sit down with a fellow sister, explain to her exactly what I need, what I’m looking for, because I’m busy. I don’t have time. I work twenty-five hours a day, eight days a week where I get this extra time, I don’t know.”

“But Eva the owner BrushPic is really good at just getting my ideas all together and just making sure that it is delivered in the way I want it to be delivered. She does a wonderful job and we will continue to keep using her for our branding because oh, I love the ability to be able to call somebody my like girl. I need this done. I’m going to get it written out for you. And then she shows up and she’s like, did you write it out? I’m like, I’m too busy. Those are the really, really intuitive and fun to work with. And she’s good at getting it done and getting it down and making sure that she fills in those gaps for you that I know I’m only one woman, I can’t do everything. So she’s an extra arm that I have that can kind of help us up with the branding things that we need.”

Eva: “:)Thank you.”

visit: www.stylelabalaska.com

“I would like to introduce you to Michael King. Michael is the owner of Style Lab Alaska , he provides a range of services from Yoga lessons, Interior design services to Real estate services, and skincare.”

Eve: “Living a well rounded life seems to be at the core of you and your business, What did it take to reach this point?”

Michael: “Well, you know, that’s an excellent question, because I really arrived at this point just as a result of all the different experiences that I have had personally and professionally. And I was trying to figure out a way where I could have a house or a place, if you will, where someone can learn about all the different things that I have available to you, whether it’s for interior design, whether it’s for personal styling, whether it’s for finding out where I am teaching yoga. And so that’s what style lab really is. It’s it is literally a lab and it is your one stop shop for a number of things related to your personal well-being.”

Eva: “Why did you decide on the name Style Lab Alaska? Are you open to work with people outside of Alaska?”

Michael: “Oh, absolutely. I think Alaska carries a fascinating idea in the minds of people worldwide. And so Alaska, because of its ruggedness, because of its outdoorsyness, because of its clean fresh air is very desirable. And so I wanted to create a brand around desire and desirable. And by having Alaska in my name Style Lab Alaska, it’s just denoting that this is where I’ve started this business. However, it could happen anywhere in the world.”

Eva: “Some people wouldn’t associate outdoors to style. What is your take on something like a holistic lifestyle in combination with fashion or actually having a sense style?”

Michael: “Well, actually, a lot of design is driven by ideas that come from nature. So whether it’s a fashion designer that’s inspired by flowers in a meadow, whether it’s the color of the water that inspires a collection of paint, whether it’s the way that leaves rustle, that maybe inspires a musician to want to recreate that in a concert. I think all of those things kind of embody the idea around what style lab Alaska is, because when I work with someone, I want them to feel like it’s an organic process, not that it’s contrived or that I’m sticking something on them or putting something in a room that just doesn’t make sense. It needs to be natural and feel right. So I think that’s the piece about the Alaska that I’m looking to really solidify with Style Lab Alaska. Yes, style is involved. Yes. We’re going to come together with a bunch of different ideas and we’re literally going to try experiment until we get the right combination. And we’re gonna do it the Alaskan way. We’re going to incorporate organic natural ideas in the process.”

Eva: “How does real estate work in line with your other services. How do they go together or do they not go together?”

Michael: “They do go together because that’s been my primary career focus for almost the last decade. And so often times people come to me with a real estate need to purchase or sell their home.”

https://michael.alaskahomesearch.com/

Michael: “And then in that process, they may need some help in paint colors and furniture placement, whether it’s just to make the house as pretty as possible for selling or whether they’re acquiring the house and they want to improve upon the environment in which they call home. Then it may go to, you know what, you really helped me really create a really nice environment in my house. Can you help me with my wardrobe? Yeah, I can help you with your wardrobe. Oh, you have an issue with dry skin. OK. Well, I have some products that might be able to help you because I am a consultant with Rodan and Fields. And so, yes, I want to be able to solve as many problems as I can for my clients, whether it’s skin care, whether it’s a home, whether it’s interior design, whether it’s that they need to improve their health through yoga. All those things I can do.”

Eva: “So what is the best thing about being a yoga instructor?”

Michael: “You know; I think the best thing about being a yoga instructor is seeing the transformative process that happens in an individual or individuals. When I’m teaching a class in just an hour, because you can go in and maybe not be feeling at the top of your game or a little tired. Yoga. It’s all about breathing and stretching your body and strengthen your body and using the natural flexibility that you have and your breath to be able to gain more mobility, more strength. And I think that’s what I love about it the most, is just seeing that transformation that happens in just an hour and then the compounding effect of that over time.”

Eva: “So how many times should a beginner go to yoga per week?”

Michael: “Well, at least a couple of times a week. Ideally, you’re going three times a week, maybe a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. And if you can make it a couple of times a week, that would be great, because you as you start to get more familiar with the different poses. Or what we call in yoga, Yoga Asana and how you get into and out of them and what they’re called in English, what they’re called in Sanskrit. And then it just becomes a natural process for you as the individual.”

Eva: “I read that the mantra Om is the sound of the universe. Do you believe in including mantras to your yoga sessions? And how does that relate to someone who does not know what certain things mean?”

Michael: “Absolutely. I do think that it’s important to include Mantra in yoga. Yoga and Mantra are there are different aspects of the same thing. And so therefore I like to actually say Mantras at the end of my yoga class. It’s not required for people to say the mantra with me. So even if you don’t know the mantra, you can still be affected by the mantra.”

Eva: “Who is your biggest role model when it comes, I suppose the favorite aspects of your work?”

Michael: “My biggest role model when it comes to their favorite aspect of my work. So in yoga, it’s definitely my meditation teacher, Swami Ravi Rudaw, who is actually out of Asheville, North Carolina. I have learned so much and grown so much from him and everything that I learned from him. I then translate and transmute and put into my practice when I’m teaching about yoga or about breath or about meditation. Most definitely.”

Eva: “Do you continuously learn from him or did you spend some time where you got some specific lessons?”

Michael: “I continuously learn from him. I’m actually in a process right now where I’m going to continue to learn from him over the next two and a half years.”

Eva: “Can you tell me about the course that you’ll be taking?”

Michael: “Yes. So one of the things that I thought was an excellent fit for the style lab brand was being able to provide corporate and personal etiquette training for executives and for just individuals that maybe want to brush up on their own personal polish. So, for example, maybe you’ve been promoted into an upper level management position. You know, you’re going to be traveling to, say, Japan, but you’re not very familiar with the customs of Japan. Well, I’m going to be certified to be able to provide training to you as the individual on how you present a business card, how you address a Japanese business person. What are the protocols in a Japanese dinner? Do you know how to use chopsticks? I can show you how to do these things. And so I’m actually going to be attending the Protocol School of Washington in Washington, D.C. I’ll be going through a certification process there. And then I will be certified to be able to teach protocol worldwide so that I am very, very excited about it. And I’ll be doing that in the fall. And you can look to see a lot more about this development with the Style Lab, Alaska business and brand here in the near future.”

Eva: “What was the last gift you gave someone?”

Michael: “The last gift I gave someone was on Valentine’s Day. I actually wrote a poem and videoed it and sent it to them and wished them a Happy Valentine’s Day. He is my Valentine and name is Stevie and he lives in England and he loves when I do these kinds of little things for him. And so I made him his own personal poem for Valentine’s Day.”

Eva: “What is your methodology when it comes to personal styling?”

Michael: “You know, so my methodology when it comes to personal styling. We’ll start with an assessment of your existing wardrobe and we’ll literally go in your closet. And I’m going to ask you some questions about what things appeal to you and why they appeal to you. And then I’m going to ask you, once we do that, what do you want to accomplish in an update of your wardrobe and your personal style? And then from there, we’re actually going to do some shopping in some local stores and then some shopping online. And some of the things I will be there with you and some of the things you will do on your own, especially online, because you ultimately want to get to the point where you can cultivate your own personal style from a place of confidence. And then related to that is I’m going to find where your point of nervousness is in terms of how much risk you want to take in style. And we’re going to take one step beyond that. It was often said by a designer, and I wish I could remember who it was. She said, if you work on design and style is a part of that, if it’s not making you a little bit nervous, you’re going to be underwhelmed with the finished product.”

Michael: “And that is so true in both design and in styling. You have to kind of go beyond where you feel most comfortable. Just a little bit. Not a lot, because when you do that, that’s when the style really pops. That’s when your character really gets personified and modified and exemplified by what you chose in that little pop of color. Maybe you wouldn’t have chosen a fuchsia tie. You would have chosen a red tie. But then with fuchsia tie it, you will notice that people are complimenting you on how you look, which in in turn makes you feel more comfortable, competent about what you’re doing. And that’s where my role is. It’s to help you get to that point. You know, I’m not so sure about that. And I’ll say yes, just give this a try. There’s no harm in giving it a try. And then we’ll play see where we can find that balance between where you’re comfortable and where you can go a little bit beyond that design idea and create something that’s completely new. But it’s also exactly a part of who and what you want to represent.”

Eva: “Yeah, that sounds very insightful because, Real growth comes from getting out of your comfort zone.

Michael: “Exactly.”

Eva: “Comes from. Discovering a new part of yourself, through that.”

Eva: “Any style tips?”

Michael: “Yes. Black belt, black shoes. Brown belt, brown shoes. Burgundy belt, burgundy shoes. If you’re a man, those are three style basics. Foundation for women. Less makeup is always better than way too much makeup. You want to keep it fresh and light. And if you’re not sure about something, there’s always great consultants that can help at the makeup and beauty counters at any cosmetics place. And so, yeah, those are the two style tips I’m gonna leave out today.”

Eva: “What was your experience working with BrushPic and how did this help your brand?”

Michael: “Oh, BrushPic made my brand what it is today, without a doubt. I wouldn’t have what I have in terms of the following of the raving fans that are on my social media and the overall look of the brand without BrushPic. It was very easy to work with BrushPic. I was able to articulate kind of what I wanted and what the feel of it was like. And the process and the progress was pretty remarkable and the speed with which things went from concept to completion. So yeah, I would highly recommend BrushPic and I have been recommending BrushPic to people that need new Websites, that need design, any kind of graphic design or for individuals that just need to figure out, you know, my Website is here. I already have one, but it’s not doing X, Y and C. So to help with those enhancements as well.”

Eva: “Thank you.”

Michael: “You’re welcome.”

visit: https://www.facebook.com/diamondVIPservices/

Eva: “I would like to introduce Bayinna Kerah. Bayinna is the owner of Diamond VIP Services, providing an an amazing experience for Alaskans, attending big and small local events.”

Eva: “So Bayinna, what made you get started in this business?”

Bayinna: “Truthfully I wanted to go and see a concert. I wanted to go see Twista in concert. I didn’t have the money to pay for it and because I have a relationship with the promoter. I asked her if I provided the Red Carpet Service, If I could enjoy the concert and have some extra tickets for me and my friends.”

Eva: “So do you think Fashion is a big part of the red carpet experience?”

Bayinna: “Not so much in Alaska. I do know that as far as Alaska is concerned when they think of red carpet, the first thing that comes to mind is the Oscars, the Grammys but we don’t live in LA. So my idea was to promote the Fashions at step onto the red carpet, but not let that be the focus because some people come to events and you know Carhartts and Wranglers and that’s Alaskan Fashion. We dress not only for style or not for style first, we dress for warmth and for the elements first and sometimes that means putting on a pair of snow boots to get to the where you need to be and if you’re like me your knees cannot handle, you know, 4 hours of high heels!”

Eva: “So did you manage to go to that Twista event?”

Bayinna: “I did I did, it was an amazing event. Pretty much what ended up happening was Twista ended up taking over my red carpet and I barely even got to host on it. But the he was happy the client was happy and I got to hear him sing one of my favorite songs and make you a celebrity overnight. So, you know, I feel like that was a good starting point for me.”

<strong>Watch the interview highlights on our youtube channel:</strong>

[media_video url=”https://youtu.be/JJZ7no4R2o0″ width=”500″ height=”400″ __fw_editor_shortcodes_id=”2003e8914ecef6cc4c11c5cb7d01830a” _fw_coder=”aggressive”][/media_video]Eva: “Okay, tell me about the beauty Mirror?”

Bayinna: “The Instaglam Beauty Mirror Smart Booth. Well, I’ve had my red carpet experience business Diamond VIP Services, It’s been in business for about 4 years now. Although we have gained a lot of momentum and we have expanded our brand to include many other Industries and we have really great clients. I still didn’t feel that there was a fast enough to turn around. So I invested in a basically a Photobooth on steroids! It is a Photobooth that looks like a large round mirror and when you interact with it, it interacts with you, it tells you to take picture, it tells you to strike a pose, you can share via email or your Facebook or Twitter. There’s so many things that you can do with it. We’re just barely scratching the surface right now.”

[media_video url=”https://youtu.be/XUoEBuLYP_A” width=”300″ height=”200″ __fw_editor_shortcodes_id=”9c78f396171d9b86f4263b1b78f00dc0″ _fw_coder=”aggressive”][/media_video]Eva: “What’s the best thing about your job?”

Bayinna: “The best thing about my job, probably all of the faces ,all the smiling faces that you know, I see when I’m not on the red carpet and they see me out and they tell me how they felt upon entering an event and how it really made them feel like they were not in Alaska and made them feel like they were celebrities and they just didn’t feel like they were going to another event. The other thing too is having my own schedule and being able to know I have a business that people appreciate and gives them some self-confidence no matter what they’re wearing no matter their Alaska fashion, no matter you know, if it’s at the Eagan center or the Dena’ina center or at a park.”

Eva: “It seems like community is a big part of your mission, can you tell me more about this?“

Bayinna: “Well aside from being in business for the last four years, I’ve lived in Anchorage for the last 20 years and because of the people that I’ve met throughout the years and knowing all of those people, I got access to different opportunities from going fishing, to going camping, hunting. I mean minor things in comparison to most things that people have done in Alaska, but for me, it was just about meeting new people and I guess that’s how I’ve always been. I’ve always been interested in, hearing the stories of other people, sharing my story and just connecting and meeting and just trying to learn as much as I can about where I’m at. You know, who I’m there with and what I can do to make the community, sparkle and shine.”

Eva: “Do you see yourself taking Diamond VIP Services outside of Alaska?”

Bayinna: “I see that every single day. I don’t mean like taking like going somewhere. I mean with our current expansion. I would like to see diamond on a bigger stage on a national stage where you know Diamond VIP Services is celebrating Alaskan lifestyle Arts entertainment, Outdoors, travel, just everything and that’s really the way I’m going right now.”

Eva: “If you could meet your Idol, who would that be?”

Bayinna: “Josephine Baker.”

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Bayinna: “Because I kind of see myself in her a lot and I know that she had a very sad story, but it was also a story of Triumph and growth and lots of love. She adopted a bunch of different kids from all different backgrounds and it was her rainbow family and she never accepted someone to help her sustain that and I think that’s the tragic part of it, is that she she died alone, she was homeless… It’s a tragic story, but I would love to meet her and I really would I think that if I can meet her she would give me some great pointers of what not to do, I’m not going to be adopting a whole bunch of kids, but you never know!”

Eva: “What keeps you so motivated?”

Bayinna: “I feel like I might as well just use what I got and trust that God is going to open up the doors and I think my faith is what keeps me motivated and my fiancé he definitely helps with that, and the support from the community that I have really keeps me motivated and also hearing from my advisers and my team, things that I can improve on how I can be better, those type of things motivate me.”

Eva: “Are there any events, we should have Lookout for coming in the end of the year or next year in 2020?”

Bayinna: “Well, I will tell you about some stuff coming up in 2020. That’s really exciting. First, in December we have Trich Productions is having a fundraiser for the ski talk which they’re building out in Hatcher’s pass a ski area and Resort. In January, we got the 6th annual Alaska hip hop and R&B awards and we will be hosting a red carpet for that media series is coming up really soon. We’ll be shooting first episode for that tomorrow. So I’m really excited and the biggest thing that’s going to be happening in 2020 is the Great Alaskan cannabis Bowl which will be a three-day event out at Beauty Settler’s Bay. It will have overnight camping all three days. The solstice Festival, in Fairbanks is a weekend festival. And for that diamond VIP Services would be the hostess of the VIP tent that will be really great because I started my life in Alaska in Fairbanks and I’ll never forget when I was there. I had the opportunity to make a commercial for Terry’s liquor. I don’t drink anymore. But when I think about that, you know when I was in Fairbanks, first time ever being in Fairbanks and I get this opportunity to do a commercial. I’m just like wow, so if I’m able to shoot the solstice and host that VIP section that would kind of make things full circle for me and it would be confirmation that I’m supposed to be here.”

Eva: “Can you tell me something great about last year’s cannabis bowl event? What was your highlight at the event?”

Bayinna: “Well, the great thing about the Cannabis ball is that I was completely in my element. I was able to produce some quality media footage, get some really awesome interviews with some very well-known celebrities and local vendors and it was really great. This year the GACB 2020 is going to be off the chain because they have not only hired me again, but they have also extended the festival to make it three days. They’ve included camping and the VIP tent is going to be open all night and when it closes there’s another area, you know, so it’s just going to be a really beautiful time.”

Eva: “Thank you, do you have anything to add?”

Bayinna: “I just want to say, thank you to BrushPic for all the work that you do for me and all of your assistance. I’m sure, I am positive that the reason why I’m sitting right here is because of all of the wonderful things you have done to make my business look better online and have a stronger engagement and I appreciate that and also I just want to thank my diamond VIP Services Co-teammates, Ichiban love and Tim and of course David Foster my editor and I just I just want to thank God for having the opportunity to live my best life and be myself.”

[media_video url=”https://youtu.be/KwEdJzrDOO8″ width=”300″ height=”200″ __fw_editor_shortcodes_id=”3116506e71e78681035e9aac28e94fb6″ _fw_coder=”aggressive”][/media_video]About the Interviewer

Eva Ohenewa Anno is the founder of BrushPic™. Eva is a multi talented digital artist and entrepreneur  with a  passion for helping others show up as their best version.