Can you plot and plan with out understanding the industry you are apart of?
I feel it is so important to do your research on what the ins and outs of your chosen area of interest and strengths in an industry and how it works today.
I have found that much of the information I have obtained over the years about Indie Arts & Entertainment is the same but the presentation is different.
Industry mover & shakers are not just looking at talent, they are looking at your social media interaction and real following.
They want to see the work you have put into you public presence and if you have the ability to fill a venue or sell product.
Social Media is a huge factor in how those with the capability to open doors of opportunities will be looking at.
Another question to ask yourself, if someone was asked what they know about you and think, what would they say? Do you know?
Learn about your industry and what you need to understand to level up. Do your research.
I recognized at a young age, the importance of communication. I suppose a lot if comes from the fact that I was surrounded by elders in my life that we effective and valued communicators (even though at the time I didn’t know that is what they were about.) I also now recognized because of who I was raised by my parents, god-mother and their friends, colleagues and associates we business or influential people, as an adult that is the type of interactions that I am drawn to. Yes, I can fall into the chit chat and I do believe that even chit chat serves a purpose in connecting with others…but my soul craves conversations of what I call substance, interactive, thoughtful, though provoking, challenging, inspiring and feel good.
The past couple of years I have spent time learning and understanding Autism. This has been an eye-opening experience and I have learned so much about people and styles of communication or the understanding of the feeling of disconnect. You can look at a person and not realize that they honestly may not be getting what you are saying but try their best to act like they do. This does not just stem from Autism but a variety of people who we maybe communicating with on a regular basis. So, I would encourage you to be mindful when you interact with others, they can honestly be family and friends and you just never took the time to understand that they are not trying to be funny, but they may not understand what the meaning of what you are saying. People on the Autism Spectrum do not read body language or grasp the tone of your voice…so they may not react appropriately to you or others.
I also believe that the environment that we come up in sets the standards of what we understand and how we communicate. Think about it….how did or do the people in your family communicate, along with those in your community and friends?
I believe that some people are naturally good communicators and I also believe that good communication skills can be learned. Sometimes life is about being an actor and knowing the role to play depending on the situation you are in…some might think this is being fake, I see it as adapting to your circumstances to have a favorable outcome. My god-momma raised me that you can talk slang out there with your friends but I was never to do it with my parents, her or my elders. I respect that… But I am up in a home and community were respect was given from the adults we witnessed to we as the youngest had to fall into place. So maybe I was raised in an unusual influential environment that I took for granted. I have always felt that I was a good communicator and thoughtful in listening and responding. But then Vegas happened and I have at times felt like I was an alien and speaking a foreign language, exploring what I could have said differently or why the miscommunication was happening.
Despite the challenges I have experienced, I do recognize the importance in people skills and learning to maneuver amongst a variety of people and having the understanding of how to connect. I also understand that when being apart of Team for a Creative Soul, sometimes they are not the best in communication with potential opportunities and need to appoint someone that represents them in business dealings. In a situation like this, it’s important to be honest with yourself on your people skills and when you need help.
I would encourage everyone to stop and take the time to evaluate their communication styles/people skills and where your strengths and weakness are. I have take the time in this area during the Pandemic and have identified areas of they own strengths and weakness are,
HowsYourPeopleSkills Do You Know? #EffectiveCommunication #CanYouSealTheDeal #AreTheyListening #AreTheyResponding #YourApproach #CanWinOrLoose #DoYouFitTheMoment #KnowHowYouComeAcross You Maybe The Problem #Welcoming #Tone #EyeContact #Approachable #FollowThrough #Prepared #Sell #ChoiceOfWordsAreImportant
I would love to hear from you and your thoughts on People Skills/Communication Styles…feel free to share your own challenges or ones that you witness in your world.
I have always loved creativity of others, never really thinking of myself as an artists, but I guess I have in my own way. I was apart of the floral industry for over 20 years, having my own freelance business, “A Touch of Sunshine.” I have always love reading books and listening to music….this was apart of my everyday life and experience.
When I built Flava Coffee House, I knew that I wanted to to represent the diversity of my community and express a welcoming experience for those that loved creativity. I played local artists music, hung local art on my walls, sold indie books, crafts, music, graphics and more… I worked closely with an architect to creative the vibe and everything that Flava represented made sense to me and to those that came to be family within her walls. This is where my true passion was birthed and I recognized that this was my calling to create a variety of platforms to support the ones that grabbed at my soul to want to share to my network presence in person and online.
Moving to Vegas, I thought I would fall right into a variety of experiences that would open the door to my purpose and goal for moving to the Entertainment Capital of the World. I was in for a rude awakening, but there is apart of me that has not totally given up.
I love Original, Authentic, Fresh Creative Experiences. I do not embrace all that comes across my path and that stems from a variety of reasons… When I designed Flava Coffee House, my Slogan was and still is “Flava is a Taste, a Style, a Feeling…What’s your Flava?” Everyone is draw to what they are drawn to, it does not mean someone is a ‘Hater” it may simply mean that they just don’t like it.
I crave to find infectious energy and to be wowed by something New and Fresh. I have been in love with Creative SoulZ for along time and will always Wave My Invisible Leopard Pom Poms for those that I am drawn to and believe deserves to be experienced by the masses.
I know that I am just one person, and I also understand that people may not care if I show support…but God put me on this journey almost 20 years ago and it’s in my spirit to continue on this path. Things have changed from when I have first started and many of my colleagues no longer do what we once collaborated to do around the U.S.A. but I realized almost every morning that it has never left me. So, these days I write blogs about how I feel and what I think is of valued to share.
Support
Promotions on Social Media
Effective Communication
Health and Wellness…Taking care of yourself Mind-Body-Spirit
Influencers
and more….
Everything I write about main focus is on Creative SoulZ, but can make sense to the life for a diverse group of people.
Lady Flava The Indie Artist’s Cheerleader/Artist’s Advocate…I Support Creativity from All Genres and Art Forms.
What Role Does Art and Creativity Play a Role In Your Life? I would love to know.
Please keep Health Care Workers in Your Prayers. Covid/Omicron is spreading rapidly in Vegas.
Be Safe. Be Mindful. Wear A Mask when amongst people. You might consider wearing a face shield or goggles when in public amongst many people. Social distance, wash your hands when you get home, use hand sanitizer. Also think about taking a daily immune supplements to help you from contracting Covid. Drink water, all temperatures…add some lemon or lime. Take care of yourself and look out for those you love.
My job is effected terribly by this outbreak. Staff and patients are contracting it quickly. We don’t have enough healthily staff to care for the patients needing to come to out facility. My staff are getting worn out. It is taking a tremendous toll on all of us.
Once we could wear disposable masks. Now we have to wear KN95 and N95 masks with goggles or face shields.
If you think you are safe from getting Covid, think twice…no one is safe. If you are vaccinated, the symptoms may not be as severe or the length of time may not last as long. Unvaccinated, vaccinated, children, elders, no one is safe and needs to practice safety precautions.
I know it’s hard to stay home…we have been living through this going on 3 years. It’s going to continue to spread as look as we are careless.
Going on 7 years ago, Facebook forced my name to be changed from Lady Flava to my birth name, Susan Koshi. I went around and around with them on proving my business name, business card, website and all, what mattered to them was the name on my driver’s license. Yep, Susan Koshi…I have a personal Susan Koshi page which is for the people in my life that have known me as Susan…Family, friends, school mates, church family, neighborhood folk and so on.
Now, to be on Facebook as Susan Koshi when my Industry Name and Brand was Lady Flava…slowly at first my brand drifted away. And I will be honest, this hurt my soul…The connection to Creative SoulZ lessened and I felt like I was craving to be acknowledged as Lady Flava who’s Purpose and Passion is Supporting Creative SoulZ.
With my move to Vegas and my name change on Facebook, more and more people call me Susan when they see me out at a show. It felt like a stab in my heart (I know that sounds dramatic.) I want to tell everyone, please call me “Lady Flava,” but I just smile and greet them in return. Yet, the frustration was present in my soul, what happened to being recognized as Lady Flava?
I had a conversation with someone, I don’t even remember who it was, but they say, “at least the are calling you something.” 🥸. Was that true, I guess my presence was being acknowledged, right?
I have pondered and ponder over this for years and had conversations over and over too. With no real resolve what makes sense to my comfort zone.
My day job took over my life along with Covid. Less and less I felt like Lady Flava and Susan was fully present with remnants of Lady Flava hanging in there. My job drains me, as I work at a rehab hospital with so many personalities and energies coming at me 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. The challenges of the life of an Empath is my life… So, I live life as Susan, craving the life of Lady Flava… Yes, two different personalities in a way 🤔
How important is your Brand Name to you?
For me, being identified as Lady Flava in association to my Brand as been so important since Facebook forced my name change. And I saw the dwindling of connections to creative soulz becoming nonexistent (that’s not true, but drastically less.)
Does the change in my name and industry lessen my purpose?
I would love for you to chime in with your thoughts on this. 😊
There is much more to Vegas than I realized. Check it Out! 😁
Being a person who lives in Vegas, people in Vegas and those who are coming to Vegas, ask me, “What’s Happening in Vegas this week, this weekend or when I come.” If you live in Vegas, has anyone ever asked you too?
I did some research to see if there was sources to find out what was happening in Off Strip Black Events. I googled, and found nothing. So I started to go through the different social medias that I am apart of. I became excited to see there was much more to Black Events in Vegas than I realized. I talked to an industry colleague about my thoughts and was encouraged to do it.
As, I was drawn to the challenge of exploration on what I would find…I saved fliers and uploaded them to my “What’s Happening in Vegas” calendar page on Lady Flava News. This is fun for me. I began advertising the page and offering to post events if someone wanted to email it to me.
I have come across events that I wanted to explore. Events that I would never have known about if I had never chosen to take on this self designed project 😁
Now, I invite you to explore what’s happening in Black Events (People of Color) in Vegas.
Top Priority 702 Mobile Detailing Service They Handle Business
Last Saturday 11/27/21 I was out running errands and luck on several choices of people set up to wash cars in the large parking lot outside of Burlington on W Craig Rd in North Las Vegas.
I made my choice, ran to the bank across the street and came back to settle on the curb even though I was offered a chair. Mike clearly is the man in charge, giving instructions to 3 other young men as they began cleaning my Hooptie Poopsie inside and out.
My Hooptie Poopsie is my 21 year old Baby Ford Taurus Station Wagon who brought me from Seattle to Vegas in May of 2017. She has been a wonderful car with very little mechanical issues, with regular maintenance. Well, I have neglected her. A couple of years ago I drove her through a car was and her driver side mirror came off. Luckily one of the works had an electric drill and screws and put it back on for me. Ever since, I have not taken to to a car wash since. When I run into someone washing cars and I have time I stop, but this past year I hate to admit I have had her washed. That’s not right on my part.
So I was blessed to run into these young men. They handled their business so professionally and thoroughly. Poopsie left with smiling rims and smelling good. What I was quoted was way under what they provided, so of course I had to give them more. There was also a youngster helping so I made sure this cutie made some money too.
My rims have never been so clean!I nice touch and surprise.
If you are in North Las Vegas, I highly recommend hooking up of Mike & Friends at Top Priority 702 Mobile Detailing Service… Tell them that Lady Flava highly recommended them.
Have you every thought about the conversations that you have with people? Personal, professional, love, life…conversations. Sometimes we fall into conversations with no purpose and meaning, they just happen. Then there are the conversations that can go on and on exploring and then nothing. Then there are the conversations that move your spirit and motivate your whole being. Think about it, the conversation really matters. At least this is what I feel.
Different people have different goals in lift and you can tell by what they talk about and what they do. If you want to achieve things in life, you need to have conversations with people that are achieving. If you want to be in love and make a relationship work, you need to talk to those in loving and healthy relationships. If you want to create, you need to have conversations with people that love the arts and will support you in being a creative soul. You get the picture, right?
The conversation really matters. As I continue the journey as Lady Flava and thinking over my life in Vegas, the conversations are so very different with people around Vegas Entertainment and with people explore what it is to be Indie and creating their own authentic artistry.
That has been my problem in Vegas, the conversations… Indie Entertainers and Indie Artists have a very different conversation. In my opinion, one is trying to up the next and who is doing what and who is going to their shows and the numbers, vs creating a surprise and intrigue. They do master the sound of their genre and have created a following from the locals to come out for the experience of the music and what appears to be the experience of being social and seen. I’ve come to realize that this is valuable and truly serves a purpose and that is not a bad thing.
The the indie artists works on and tweaks over and over that they are creating, sharing ideas and seeking advise not from just anyone, ones they trust to share with. Dreaming, plotting and planning and exploring the next move, then taking action even if it doesn’t work. Coming up with a design, exploring what the next move should be, reaching out and reaching out in hopes for a response to share what they have created. There is a risk and that moment of holding your breath to see the reaction…will the people get what you spent so many hours of working on before bringing it public. The anticipation of that moment…
I miss the plotting and planning with Indie Artists and all that goes along with it. I spoke to my Seattle business partner, Jace ECAJ of Black Stax Soulful Hip Hop duo with Felicia Loud and just in 45 minutes I felt heard, valued and alive. My mind starting dreaming a little and visualizing the possibilities a little. Conversations like this, I crave and need in my life. I clearly have been away from home for too long.
I have experienced the wrong conversations in Vegas, and I should have stopped them before they did damage to my spirit. It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make in my life, but I was dying with the conversation of someone who did not see me and my worth. I need more out of conversations like healthy back and forth dialogue where there is support and feedback for betterment and growth. Laughter and peace was missing. I cannot do one sided conversations, how about you?
So, I challenge to think about the conversations that you have and do they bring value to your life. Everyone is different and everyone has different needs in life…seek out what makes sense and close doors on wasted conversations if you need to. In your personal world and in your professional life there is always a way to change your perspective and put the conversations where they belong. This is a lesson that I am learning. Not all doors need to be closed, just limited for what the value is and purpose in your life.
Again, in my opinion…The Conversation Really Matters. Define what is missing and seek out those that can provide you with what you need. The other thing is, know yourself and what you bring to the table…I do believe we attract where are spirit is. We can always better ourselves and make the needed shifts…so that we can attract the right conversations.
Lady Flava News 