by Solange Lopes | Jul 22, 2017 | Career, Find Your Purpose
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Growing up in Senegal (West Africa), I’ve always loved learning. Anything education-related, from shiny new notebooks to large academic books, had me doing a (mental) happy dance. I guess you could say I was a nerd, pink glasses, heavy backpack and all… As the second girl in a single-parent family, I had learnt very early on to treasure the gift of education, mostly because my dear mom sacrificed so much so all four of us could have access to it. In a country where women were (and still are) under-represented in so many ways, being educated as a girl was (and still is) precious!
As passionate as I was about learning, I would have never suspected back then that the gift of education would actually change my life. Fast-forward a few years as I completed high school, both my mother and I were called in to the principal’s office. Shaking with nervousness, I kept wondering what that was all about. As it turned out, I was in the running for a scholarship to a prestigious school. Except the school was in the U.S., and if I was lucky enough, I’d be starting in the next few months…
The power of learning and education will take you further than you may have thought, across continents and countries. Whether formal or informal, everything you learn takes you some place you’ve never been before…
A few years later, I was graduating from Undergraduate and Graduate school, proudly wearing my favorite handmade African outfit under my robe. As I walked across the stage, thoughts of my journey flashed through my mind. Never in a million years had I thought learning would take me halfway across the world, enhancing my precious roots, and experiencing new cultures, ideas and concepts.
It was the power of education that taught me never to stop learning. Even after graduating as an Accounting major, my thirst of learning cultivated from years as a student, never dried up. It had awakened in me a constant curiosity, this constant sense that behind even the most trivial of things or events, there’s always something to learn.
Once a student, always a student. Learning doesn’t stop at graduation, or after completing a significant milestone in life. We learn every single day, formally or informally, and we’re made better, stronger, and so much more fulfilled because of it.
It’s also learning that brought me back to my first love of writing through blogging. After getting a formal education, I kept informally learning about the one passion I had had since childhood. The more I learnt, the more I could incorporate what I learnt in and outside of school and college. The more I was able to combine my natural talents with professional demands and start building my own path…
That’s the thing about learning and education. It doesn’t have to be in a specific discipline or path. It’s not necessarily done in formal settings. It can take you from the cubicle to the corner office, lead you to try things you’ve never considered, and push you to explore those skills and talents you may have neglected before.
I’m thankful to have been given the gift of education, in both formal and informal settings. As my dear grandmother used to say in her native Cape-Verdean creole over her stove making the best soul food I ever ate: “What you know, no one can ever take away for you!”
Keep on learning and getting inspired by other students’ stories who are overcoming odds to achieve success in their lives through education!
How has the gift of education changed your life?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 20, 2017 | Career
I always look forward to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale to snatch some fashion goodies, especially in the Wear to Work area. This year is certainly no exception! The Anniversary Sale Early Access is currently on until July 20, which means you’ll be able to find brand-new arrivals at super sales prices.
As far as Wear to Work picks, overall, there are a lot of choices! If you happen to like ruffles, you’ll be served as a number of workwear picks feature either ruffled sleeves, hems or cuts. There are also a lot of colors and patterns to pick from, which is quite refreshing, especially in the dresses department. I would’ve liked to see more variety in pants and skirts, but the versatility of dresses and tops largely made up for it.
Here are my top Wear to Work picks:
Nordstrom Sale 2017 – Dresses
- Tahari Sheath Dress; 2. Maggy London Scissor Sheath Dress; 3. Eliza J Cold Shoulder Dress; 4. Vince Camuto Print Wrap Dress; 5. Lafayette 148 tie-waist crepe dress; 6.Tahari Knotted Scuba Dress; 7. Classiques Entier Sheath Dress; 8.Gabby Skye Colorblock BodyCon Dress.
- Pleione Ruffle Sleeve Shirt; 2. Diane Von Furstenberg Silk Shell; 3. Halogen Bow Neck Top; 4.Vince Cameo Polka Dot Jabot Blouse; 5. Astr The Label Satin Wrap Top; 6. Classiques Entier Layered Ruffle Sweater; 7. Vince Silk Blouse; 8. CeCe Bow Trim Tipped Sweater
- Classiques Entier Side Slit Slim Pants; 2. Halogen Kick Flare Knit Ankle Pants; 3. Vince Camuto Textured Skinny Pants; 4. Leith High Waist Crop Pants; 5. Cece Crepe A-line Skirt; 6. Halogen Ruffle Hem Pencil Skirt; 7. Rebecca Taylor Faux Leather Skirt; 8. Diane Von Furstenberg Lace Skirt.
- BOSS Wool Stretch Blazer and Coordinating Pants; 2. Classiques Entier Sculpted Collar Suit; 3. BOSS Jenesa Suit; 4. Halogen Pinstripe Suit pants and coordinating blazer; 5.Halogen Suit Jacket and Pants; 6. Max Mara Stretch Wool Jacket and pants; 7. Armani Snake Print Suit Jacket and Pants; 8. Halogen Suit Jacket and Skirt.
Dear readers: What are your faves from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 15, 2017 | Career
Welcome to our weekly career, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and fashion news roundup! Think of it as your online watercooler/work gossip station/coffee break spot for now…Want to add anything to our list? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
- This week was my birthday, and on The Corporate Sister, we were all about original ways to celebrate your birthday at work;
- Glassdoor lists 13 companies that are hiring now fast;
- The Lindsey Pollak blog lists 5 sources of summer work stress (and how to fix them);
- Forbes reveals the 6 signs you need a new job (and don’t even know it);
- Are you a recent college grad? Ellevate Network recommends 3 fields grads should consider
- Hello curly girls! If you happen to be in New York, Black Enterprise reminds you to stop by the third Curlfest 2017;
- Looking for a job on the DL? The Muse recommends a few tips to get out of work for job interview (without weaving a web of lies);
- The Nordstrom Anniversary sale is on and poppin’, and Corporette has the best workwear recommendations;
- Ellevate Network lists 5 tips on how to plan a work-free summer vacation.
Cheers to the weekend,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 12, 2017 | Career
Anyone who knows me, knows I’m (very) serious about birthdays (maybe a tad much). As in, I take the whole month to celebrate mine (don’t judge me), and remind my friends and family of the BIG day ahead of time. After all, birthdays are special! Except many times, the whole birthday thing happens at work. As in, in a corner of Cubicle Land somewhere in Big Corporate…After all, for most of us, the majority of our time is spent in the office, whether it’s a formal or informal office setting.
While not everyone is open to celebrating birthdays at work, ringing in co-workers’ milestones at work can go a long way in strengthening team’s bonds and raising morale. Additionally, it just shows that despite the tight deadlines, occasional (hopefully healthy) competition, and other office shenanigans, we do care about each other.
While the focus should not be into turning the office into a giant birthday function, there are a few fun, and original ways, to say happy birthday at work. Here are some of them that will make everyone smile, without hampering productivity or raising corporate eyebrows:
How about some gifts?
Use sites like Elfster to exchange gifts at the office, without making it overly obvious. It’s an easy way to show your co-workers that you appreciate them. You can even start a gift exchange with co-workers, and even opt for a charitable cause to donate to. Just keep in mind that most gifts should be kept under $25 to avoid any connotation of potential bribery, especially between bosses and their reports.
Do It For the Cause
If the whole gift exchange idea sounds like too much of a hassle, why not make a donation to the employee’s favorite charitable cause? Not only will they be personally touched, but you will also help out others in the process.
Make It Personal
Nothing like adding a personal touch to a co-worker’s birthday to make them feel special. It could be an inside office joke, or just a sweet memory. Whatever it is, try to bring a special touch to it!
I’ve seen some co-workers get customized cards, or even make custom videos for milestone birthdays. While these are great ideas, make sure to check with your department that they do not violate any officially (or unofficial) company rules.
Invest in Alternative Cakes Or Treats
Instead of the traditional sheet cake or ice cream cake, you can opt to raise the health barometer of your office by investing in alternative cakes or treats. How about some healthier snacking options like this Healthier Indulgences box for instance? You can also pick vegetable or fruit cakes, which are basically veggies and fruits disguised as cakes. It would be a good way to get more health-conscious employees involved as well.
How do you celebrate birthdays at work?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 9, 2017 | Career
Monday’s not exactly every one’s favorite day. There goes your fun and relaxing weekend, easily replaced with a load of to-do’s and deadlines to meet. During the summer months, Mondays are even harder to anticipate, as weekends are usually spent having fun and being on a mini-vacations.
As much as you may love your job, switching from bathing suit to more or less formal workwear can leave you in sheer professional despair. Not to mention struggling with chronic procrastination and playing catch-up, as you bury your head deep into a pint of sea salt caramel ice cream. According to Dr. Richard Citrin, PhD and author of “The Resilience Advantage”, this also results in us being disorganized, stressed and un-prepared for the week. Hence the Sunday night blues so many of us experience, over and over again!
Here are 4 hacks you can use on Sundays to boost your productivity all week, minus the Sunday night blues and sleepless nights:
Do Something that Really Fulfills You
Too many of us fill us our week-ends with chores and tasks we couldn’t get to during the week. I know, as a working mom, I leave cleaning the house and tackling the never-ending laundry to the weekend. The result? By Sunday night, I’m still folding laundry, dreading Monday, and drowning all my sorrows in tubs of ice cream topped with whipped cream.
Instead, think about outsourcing your chores and tasks, and instead reserving some serious Sunday space for stuff you really enjoy. You know, the stuff that fulfills you and makes you feel like, despite all the laundry in the world, life is good! It may be reading a good book, going for a walk, or just hanging out with family. Whatever it is that fills your soul, do that, minus the guilt and the stress!
Get more inspired by having FUN!
Remember the days when Sundays were spent playing board games or enjoying a good ol’ soccer or volley ball game on the beach? According to a study published by the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, the people who engage in more creative activities do better at work.
Whether you just run around the room with the kids, or pull out the Scrabble board, having more fun on Sunday helps you be more inspired on Monday. Who knew having fun could actually get you a raise or promotion?
Take some time to get organized!
I know what you may be thinking: “Who wants to organize anything on Sunday?” Yet, taking an hour or less to actually plan your week can have huge rewards! It doesn’t have to be a straining task either.
You can easily pull your calendar as you’re relaxing in your backyard, or watching the kids swim in the pool. Do a quick calendar check, draft a to-do list for your week, or email yourself a reminder. Not only will you set yourself for a more productive week, but you will also mentally prepare yourself to tackle your to-do’s.
Other things you can do is make time to quickly meal prep, or lay your clothes out for the next day, or even fold that last load of laundry. The point is to take an hour or two to set yourself ahead for the coming week, while reserving the bulk of your time for self-care and good ol’ fun and relaxation.
Keep it healthy!
Ok, this is the most difficult part for me! I love my food, and weekends are usually my time to indulge. Except spoiling your stomach on Sundays can result in stressful and low-energy Mondays, which doesn’t exactly help with the whole productivity thing!
Instead of over-indulging on Sundays, save the rich and calorie-filled meals for Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays, make an effort to eat balanced meals. Don’t forget to load up on veggies and fruits too.
My question is: “Can I still have my mimosa at brunch?” Yes, but only if you can drink enough water so as not to feel all sluggish come Monday.
What other hacks would you add to this list?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 7, 2017 | Career
Welcome to our weekly career, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and fashion news roundup! Think of it as your online watercooler/work gossip station/coffee break spot for now…Want to add anything to our list? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
- It’s summer, and the Lindsay Pollak blog is telling us all about #summergoals;
- Managing people you don’t like? The Evil HR Lady suggests a few tips to overcome this problem;
- Got apps? Undercover Recruiter lists 4 ways apps are increasing productivity at work;
- Ellevate Network shares the professional woman’s strategy for getting what she wants in business and in life;
- Black Enterprise gives you the deeds on everything to know about personal credit score vs. business credit score;
- Ever thought of leaving your stable, high-paying job to pursue your passion? The Muse tells you how coach, writer, and entrepreneur Susie Moore did it!
- Did you know women don’t take as many vacation as men? Ellevate Network via Fairgodboss tells us why;
- Want some summer reading suggestions for your “woke” kids? NPR has an interesting selection to ignite the social activist in them;
- Have you checked out Jay Z’s new (and sensational) 4:44 album? Forbes reveals it’s not only successful, but masterful;
- Hello swimsuit season! WhoWhatWear suggests 6 trendy swimsuits that are actually worth it;
- Is a blog in your career’s cards? This week, The Corporate Sister is all about telling you how you can start one in 4 easy steps with Bluehost.
Cheers,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 4, 2017 | Career |
Please note this post may contain affiliate links.
I’m often asked how I started my blog, and how challenging it really is to get started blogging. Let me first start by saying that starting a blog does not require you to be a technical wizard. When it comes to technical skills, I’m more on the challenged end of the spectrum. I don’t know how to code, and I still have to google most technical terms.
When I started blogging a few years back, I didn’t think of it as more than a hobby. That was before I realized that your career can actually benefit from blogging, in addition to it being a great side hustle. For some, blogging has actually turned into a fulfilling and lucrative career.
WANT TO START A BLOG ON WORDPRESS? CLICK HERE AND USE THE STEPS IN THE TUTORIAL BELOW.
Starting a blog doesn’t have to be expensive or overly time-consuming. You can actually start at a pretty reasonable cost, like I did. I didn’t have much money to spare then, and was looking for an effective yet inexpensive way to get started in the blogging space. You can do just that by selecting Bluehost as your blog’s host, especially if you plan to make extra money, or use it as a foundation for your business or freelance gig.
As one of the best web hosting services out there, Bluehost offers plans starting as low as $3.95/month. What I also find most attractive is that you can get your domain through Bluehost (which you will need in order to run ads, affiliate links, etc… through your site), and that you can set up the basics of your WordPress blog straight in Bluehost. While there are various web hosting plans available, including a 36-month plan, I have been using the 12-month plan which is very affordable and practical.
Click Here to Get Started.
How to start a WordPress blog with Bluehost
Why Should You Use Bluehost?
There are a number of web hosting services out there, yet I have to say Bluehost is my favorite. Here’s why I personally recommend it:
- You don’t have to be tech-savvy to use it! This is hugely important for me, as I mentioned earlier I have VERY limited technical skills ( and I mean, VERY);
- It’s extremely affordable! I know first-hand that when you’re starting out in the blogging space, you may not necessarily want to invest a lot of money upfront. I didn’t, and picking Bluehost allowed me to have reliable yet very affordable web hosting;
- If you don’t like it, you can back out! The 30-day money back guarantee is a great incentive to try it without fully committing yourself to it, in case you want to experience other services as well;
- Technical support is available 24/7! This is another great plus for me, as I don’t have to worry about not mastering any technical aspect of my blog. Customer service is available and very helpful;
- Your domain is FREE! One of the earlier mistakes I made with another blog of mine is not to have my own domain name. If you plan to establishing yourself as an authority, you want your own domain;
- Your WordPress blog is FREE through Bluehost! Once you sign up for Bluehost, you can set up your own WordPress blog free of charge;
- Being self-hosted allows you to monetize your blog! When TCS started out, it was hosted on WordPress. However, I quickly realized that in order to monetize my site, it would have to be self-hosted.
How to start a WordPress blog with Bluehost
Here’s a quick tutorial on getting started with setting up your WordPress blog with Bluehost:
Step 1: Got Domain? Register Your Domain Name
Have you thought about what you want your blog name to be? One of the first, and maybe one of the most important steps in setting up a successful blog, is to find the right domain name. For me, The Corporate Sister was born out of my own experience and story, so it felt natural.
If you’re having a hard time coming up with a domain name, just think about the purpose and mission of your blog and how it aligns with who you are. This way, it reflects both YOU and your mission. You may also want to go for a domain name that is easy to spell, remember and share!
Click HERE to purchase your domain name. As a bonus, you get it for FREE as long as you sign up for 12 months of web hosting through Bluehost. I personally prefer this option as you end up saving money on the long run, in addition to scoring a free domain name. Besides, you don’t have to deal with hiccups like change in credit card numbers or missed payments on a month-to-month basis, which can cost you your site being down for days! You can save even more by picking the 36-month plan, so you may want to consider which option is more economical for you in the short and long-term.
Step 2: Pick Your Hosting Plan!
There are various plans available for web hosting through Bluehost, based on your needs.
How to start a WordPress blog on Bluehost
I started out with the Basic plan, which is priced at the very reasonable rate of $3.95 per month granted you sign up for 36 months. If you sign up for a shorter term, the rate per month slightly increases. If you’re just starting out, that’s really all you need!
Keep in mind that you’re not locked into a particular plan, you can always switch plans later on. One additional recommendation I would make is to also pick the Domain Privacy Protection, which ensures your information is safe.
Step 3: Check that your domain and hosting are linked
If you purchased your domain through Bluehost, then this step is already taken care of for you.
However, if you purchased your domain name through other web services such as GoDaddy, you want to link your domain and web hosting. Consult this page from GoDaddy’s technical help for further information.
In Bluehost, you want to add the domain you purchased to your web hosting. You can do this by going to “Domains” in your account, click on “Assign” and follow the instructions. If in doubt, contact the Bluehost Helpdesk.
Step 4: Now Set Up Your WordPress Blog!
Last but not least, you get to set up your blog for FREE!
- Go to the cPanel in Bluehost , and click on “One Click Install”.
- On the next page, click on the WordPress icon.
- Click on the “Install” button.
As part of the installation process, you will have to click the dropdown menu and pick the domain you will be using. You will also have to choose your username and password for your WordPress website. Keep in mind to pick a username and password that are secure enough, with a combination of letters and numbers that’s not easy to guess.
Are you ready to create your WordPress blog with Bluehost? Click HERE to get started today!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
