The Seven Mountains of Influence: Business featuring Quintus and Karen McDonald

The Seven Mountains of Influence: Business featuring Quintus and Karen McDonald

By Jahzara Bradley

    

(This interview has been previously published in Back2Eden News Mag)

   I had the opportunity to interview Quintus and Karen McDonald about business. They accommodated their schedules to assist me with this interview which is greatly appreciated. They were real and down to earth. Quintus formerly played in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and Karen works in Corporate America. The McDonalds are successful in business because their focus is not making a dollar but they realize when they serve and minister to others their blessings come from that.

Jahzara: What does it mean to you to be an entrepreneur?

Quintus McDonald:  To me an entrepreneur… it is a bit more than a business owner. I have found you have to blaze your own trail, your own path. I often think of people who are buying into a business who has a proven method. My perspective of an entrepreneur is one who has stepped out on faith and built something at a grass root level.

Karen McDonald: The biggest thing that it means is time freedom. I am really big on spending time with family and our church family and being an entrepreneur gives me the ability to have that time freedom.

Jahzara: Tell me a little bit about your background, work experiences and then how did you get into entrepreneurship?

Quintus McDonald: I posted a caption delivered on Instagram. Once upon a time, I used to drive across the George Washington Bridge in Spanish Harlem to deliver cocaine. I started selling drugs in high school. They called me the Candy Man. I have never talked about this publicly. I am now able to give back to people who have walked down the wrong path. I did not sell drugs when I was in college nor when I was in the NFL. At a point in time, I became my best client. I gave my life back to Christ. I actually gave my life to Christ as a child. In the 10^th grade, I gave my soul to the adversary. 2007, I gave my life back to Christ and came out of the jungle. 2007, is when I started the entrepreneurship.

 I started I AM Recycling LLC 2007. I partnered with a group in Indianapolis with a group, We POWER. We would do what we call “Lunch and Lead” at Cosco in Castleton through a relationship with the general manager there.  The one thing that I take from the streets that I hold dear is entrepreneurialism. It is about building solid relationships. Both parties are bringing something to the table as well as receiving from the table.

Karen McDonald:  I entered corporate America back in 1993, it wasn’t rewarding. I felt like something was missing. I was introduced to entrepreneurship via Primerica. I started with that back in ’93. From there I always wanted my own. So in 1997, while still working in Corporate America, I had a child and I recall my mom was sick and my manager was not accommodating to me. I needed to get the afternoon off. She stated that she had to go to the doctor with her child [adult child.] It almost felt like an ultimatum. At that point, I knew I needed a plan B. That was like the turning point for me.

Jahzara: What keeps you energized and motivated? The opportunity to help people.

Quintus McDonald: With the consulting company, putting together marketing plans. If you visit http://nittanysportshuddle.com/  you will see our platform which is integrated into social media as well. I am excited to be in a position to help people brand. It is exciting to find ways and means to help our clients meet their goals.

I AM RECYCLING LLC- we help people. We help people with their energy bills, petroleum bills. I get energized when I see an opportunity to help people. Maybe I was their first choice but if [I was not and now they are coming to me] then it is good that I was able to help them. Service…being able to serve is what really energizes me.

Karen McDonald: I think the fact knowing that I helped someone with my massage practice and with wellness. For me it’s not about the money but hearing my clients say that the feel better. Hearing my clients excitement is so rewarding.

Jahzara: So, Quintus, I think I know what you’re going to say but I have to ask you… what kingdom principles are connected to business?

Quintus McDonald: Service.

Jahzara: I thought you would say that, Quintus. Karen, what kingdom principles do you feel are connected to business?

Karen McDonald:  Integrity. Every business should have integrity as its foundation.

Jahzara: Quintus, what words of advice or encouragement do you have for believers related to business?

Quintus McDonald: Integrity. Keep integrity. Acting and living a life of integrity is important. Working and helping from a place of honesty and integrity is key. Stand by your numbers. Don’t bow down to pressure. If you know that your product is worth what you say it is, stand by it. Don’t give in on prices. You know what you’re worth stand on it and stand firm on what you believe.

Jahzara: What foundational scripture(s) do you use for your business?

Quintus McDonald: Matthew 26:33. That is the foundation of it all. I really like Proverbs 3:5-6. God gives me the vision, the vision comes. I call that my dance. When I allow God to lead the dance, there is much less turbulence in my life. I rest in that. The aforementioned are two of the many scriptures. Matt 26:33 speaks loud and resonates with my spirit. His will is for me to serve on this earth. My gifts and talents are limited but I try to do the most with the capacity that I have.

Karen McDonald: Every day I start with “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” So I am like He has given me this vision so I know that I can do it.

Jahzara Bradley is an authorpreneur as well as creativesseur. She is the author of the series My Love Won’t Last Forever, Crazy Faith, The Diva’s Dating Assessment Tool Girl, PLEASE!, Never Would Have Made It: A Testimony of What God Has Done in My Life. She is the Awesomely Amazing hostess of the radio show, Awesomely Amazing which is hosted on Josi’s Inspirational Network on Thursdays. Connect with Jahzara at https://www.facebook.com/jahzarabradley.   Visit her website to experience Tranquil Bliss https://www.tranquilbliss.net.

SIDE CHICK

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR NAOMI WASHINGTON-YATES, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

SIDE CHICK

BY: JAHZARA BRADLEY

JAHZARA BRADLEY: Tell us a little bit about who Naomi Washington- Yates is...

NAOMI WASHINGTON- YATES: I’m the daughter of the Most High. I’m a queen of a king, a mother,  grandmother, a sister, a friend to all, and  Madear’s daughter.

JAHZARA BRADLEY:  What is an interesting fact about you that you would like our readers to know?

NAOMI WASHINGTON- YATES:  I would like for readers to know that I am compassionate and full of love, always up for a good time, and I  love writing stories

JAHZARA BRADLEY:   So, we know that you like to write stories. Side Chick… how did you come up with the title?

NAOMI WASHINGTON- YATES:  I met a young lady in line at a store. She had tears in her eyes and we just began talking. It started off as small talking. A little ways into the conversation she began to tell her story of pain. Her husband had left for a young woman after 30years of marriage. That’s just one of many stories that I know of, and then there’s my own personal experience of being a Side Chick.

JAHZARA BRADLEY: Wow.  Why did you write the book Side Chick?

NAOMI WASHINGTON- YATES:  I wrote Side Chick to send a message to ALL the Side Chicks in my our words. I want to tell them how they are taking so many shorts. I want these ladies to know they are cursing their lives. I wrote Side Chick to convict, convert, empower women and help them t tap into their spiritual side.

JAHZARA BRADLEY:  That is great, Naomi. How has writing Side Chick impacted your life?

NAOMI WASHINGTON- YATES:  Oh wow, writing Side Chick has impacted my life in so many ways. I have been in awe as to the many emails, phone calls, texts messages, & other forms of communication from my readers letting me know how this book has helped them to make better choices. In a couple of conversations, some Side Chicks expressed to me that from reading my book it convicted them and they were getting out of the relationship.  Hearing stories like those, make me feel that my book is doing what it was written to do: Convict & Convert. 

JAHZARA BRADLEY:  What do you want your readers to take away from Side Chick?

NAOMI WASHINGTON- YATES:  I want everyone who reads this book to walk away knowing that they are so much better than a second place position. I want them to know that they are beautiful and shouldn’t be hidden. Also, I want them to consider that one day the Side Chick is going to be someone’s leading lady and then the Side Chick slot is going to be open. I want readers to ponder this question: do you want to experience the pain that you caused in someone’s life when you were a Side Chick?

JAHZARA BRADLEY:  That is a profound question that you leave readers with.  

What other projects are your working on?

NAOMI WASHINGTON- YATES: I’m currently working on the sequel, hopefully, it will out very soon.

JAHZARA BRADLEY:  Tell our readers how they can contact you.

NAOMI WASHINGTON- YATES: Facebook: Naomi Washington-Yates

    Instagram & Twitter: Hebrew13four 

     Email me @ : Hebrew13four@gmail.com

Jahzara Bradley is an authorpreneur as well as creativesseur. She is the author of the series My Love Won’t Last Forever, Crazy Faith, The Diva’s Dating Assessment Tool Girl, PLEASE!, Never Would Have Made It: A Testimony of What God Has Done in My Life. She is the Awesomely Amazing hostess of the radio show, Awesomely Amazing which is hosted on Josi’s Inspirational Network on Thursdays. Connect with Jahzara at https://www.facebook.com/jahzarabradley.  Visit her website to experience Tranquil Bliss https://www.tranquilbliss.net.

Color Outside the Lines

COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES--- CREATE YOUR OWN HAND SANITIZER SIGNATURE SCENT

     Sometimes I like to color to keep sane in an insane world. A few years ago, the guy I was dating saw this very picture and said, "Really Nicole! You know you colored outside the lines and when have you seen blue wheels?"

For a second, I felt cross because my creativity was being questioned. I mean who really wants to color inside the lines, conform with society and do everything a certain way because that's just how it is done. Why can't I have teal wheels on my van? Why can't my van have lots and lots of color on it if I want it to?

    Who says your fragrance has to be boring? Who says it has to follow a certain pattern? We certainly don't say that here in the " Color Outside the Lines" Division of Tranquil Bliss. As a matter of fact, we encourage you to explore and create.


CREATE YOUR SIGNATURE SCENT HAND SANITIZER...

   "Color Outside the Lines" is for those who are bold enough to make statements with their fragrance creations.



When placing your order you must specify in the instruction box on paypal up to 3 scents you would like to use. No more than 3. Here are your choices:

                   * Cranberry Mix               *Butter Popcorn      *Lime       *Cotton Candy

          *Black Cherry Merlot        *Raspberry Lemonade                  *Peach Guava

  *Strawberry Guava                     *Lavender Sage              *Monkey Fart       * Apple Maple Bourbon

*Vanilla                            *Brown SugarFig                       *Peppermint



Bottle is pictured in the image.


ALL SALES ARE FINAL! NO REFUNDS.

Getting Your Body and Mind Right

    Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Jessica Key, author of Confessions of a Buddafli: Relationships, Food, and Self-Esteem and I am sure as we head into the spring season, you will find this to be a refreshing piece.

  Jahzara Bradley: With spring here what advice do you have for people who want to lose weight?

  Jessica Key: Losing weight is not something that happens overnight but it is something that is achievable on purpose. For everything in your life you have to have a plan. If you plan on working in the morning you have to lay out your clothes the night before or make a decision in the morning. Even something as simple as brushing your teeth and flossing has to be an established plan an routine. If you are interested in losing weight the first thing you need to do is plan to do just that. Capturing the mind is the hardest thing about losing weight. You have to make time and schedule time to add meal prepping to your daily routine as well as at least a 30 minute slot for some type of physical activity. I always encourage people to meal prep for breakfast and lunch 2-3 days a week. It can seem overwhelming to meal prep for an entire work week and meal planning is not something that should be considered as an extra task. Starting to make healthier choices and planning to be successful should be a part of our regular routine. If you plan to succeed from the beginning you will have much more success.

  Jahzara Bradley: What words of encouragement do you have for people who have tried everything under the sun in order to lose weight but still struggle?

  Jessica Key: I have been there and done that! I have tried nearly EVERY diet out there. I’ve been successful and I’ve failed. What worked for me and what I still do to this day is live in moderation. I weigh in monthly so that I am not attached to the scale and I celebrate my 1 lb loses as much as I celebrate my 10 lb losses. Losing 1 lb a week is the equivalent of losing 52 lbs in one year. Most people can’t see past the 1 lb to know that success is on the way. Don’t give up. And if you ‘mess’ up don’t beat yourself up. Just because you have a ‘bad’ breakfast doesn’t mean you have to have ‘bad’ lunch and dinner. Every day is a moment for you to start over on your journey. You don’t have to be bound to anyone’s perception nor the negativity you speak about your own body. Don’t give up. Anything that is worth working hard for is worth having. There were some months that I only lost 2 lbs and other months that I lost 6-8 lbs. Either way I didn’t give up. Also and most importantly please don’t forget that muscle weighs more than fat and that inches are very important. I always encourage people to get their favorite pair or jeans or a dress and base their weight loss on how well or loose that outfit begins to look on you. Weight loss is more than the 3 numbers on the scale. And again DON’T give up nor beat yourself up about those 3 numbers.

  Jahzara Bradley: When did you begin your weight loss journey?

  Jessica Key: My weight loss journey started in January of 2016. And no it was night a New Year’s Resolution, lol. The truth is that in years previous to 2016 I had lost weight and fallen in love and dramatically stopped eating right and all workout routines. After ending that 2-year relationship I realized that I had gained over 75 lbs. I was 319 lbs. I looked in the mirror one day and realized I was not the same person I was when I went into the relationship. It was more than physical it was mental. So at that moment in January, I believe is was the 12th, I looked in the mirror and decided to make a change. I decided I wanted more than my life than to enjoy the next piece of pizza or the next slice of lasagna. I wanted to live.

  Jahzara Bradley: What things have you learned since you've embarked on your journey?

  Jessica Key:Since I made the mental choice to change my life I have learned so much about myself. I learned that I can dance, well kinda, lol. I started doing Zumba as a ‘try something new’ 6 months into my weight loss journey and discovered I liked it. It was something I could do without thinking hard. I didn’t have to come up with my own routine and I made friends that encourage me to continue to come to the class. Ironically, January 20, 2018 I became a licensed Zumba Instructor. This is something I never thought I would do or even be interested in doing but I did it. Over time I’ve found that to even say the words, ‘weight loss journey’ is to really be saying lifestyle change. I’ve learned that I will never fully be ‘cured’ from overeating or overindulgence. It is a choice that I choose to make every day. I don’t want to be bound to food because of having a bad day or even because of having a good day. I want to live beyond my next meal.

  Jahzara Bradley: Do you have advice for people whose weight tend to yo-yo, meaning go up and down?

  Jessica Key: If I could give one piece of advice about yo-yo-ing in weight I would say, Keep Pushing. There is no way to control the environment around yourself. If you work in a high stressed job or have a stressful relationship that will inevitably play a huge roll in your weight loss journey. Stress will not allow you to lose weight OR will enable you to lose weight but the key is consistency. If you find yourself at a plateau you have to make a conscious effort to push yourself through that plateau. What that means is that you will have to increase your cardio or decrease your food for a number of days in order to shock your body to get to the next level. I know it is easier said than done, BUT don’t be overwhelmed with the yo-yo. Be mindful that you lose weight based on what you are eating as well as what your are not eating. Continue to make healthier choices and switch up your routine in order to push through your plateau’s. As an added piece of advice be sure to do 7 day challenges. That could mean no soda, French fries, or sweets for 7 days in order to shock the body. That’s always helped me push through.

  Jahzara Bradley: What foods are absolute no-nos?

  Jessica Key: An absolute no-no for me is body shaming and negativity. NEVER do this. When I look into the mirror I always make time to let myself know I am beautiful no matter what size I am. It took years for me to get to this point so I totally understand if it may take you some time. But I speak life to my body and to my being every day because I know what it felt like to be depressed and suicidal and I never want to put myself in that head space again. Life hurts sometimes and can be overwhelming but I have to ensure that if everything around me is falling apart and shifting that I am the foundation and the one thing that will continue to motivate me to be the greatest and best at loving me.

  Jahzara Bradley: What is something that people would be shocked to know about you?

  Jessica Key: I can play the drums, lol. Who would have thought! Growing up in the church you had to be a jack-of-all-trades. So when I wasn’t singing in the choir I was playing the drums.

  Jahzara Bradley: How did your spirituality play a role in your weight loss?

  Jessica Key: God was a huge factor in my weight loss. I would cry some days when I just wanted to overindulge and would pray that God would touch my mind to know that he was more than enough for me and that I didn’t have to be bound whatever I was craving. I would pray before eating a meal and ask God to help me not to eat it all in one bite. I am honest with myself and my relationship with food and when I started my journey I told God that I needed him to be with me on this journey because I knew I wouldn’t make it without him helping me one meal at a time. God loves me and even something as small as how much of this chicken spaghetti should I eat is something that he cares about because he knows I care about it. Food is everywhere we go and it will never stop existing so I have to learn how to co-exist with it without completely losing myself.

  Jahzara Bradley: Tell us about your book and how we can get it.

  Jessica Key: Confessions of a Buddafli: Relationships, Food, and Self-Esteem is the autobiography of my life in 85 pages. It also includes 13 poems. Whenever I tell people it is 85 pages they are always shocked. I don’t think it takes all day to tell a good story or for that matter a true story. My book discusses my journey from elementary till 2016. I talk about being dark-skinned and overweight my entire life. I was 196 lbs in the 6th grade and graduated weighing 303 pounds from high school. I take readers on a journey through my own words. Although times got dark and I was full of hurt, pain, and even hatred; I still succeeded in life. If you would like to purchase the book can do so at the following: www.buddainspired.com/bookrelease 

 Amazon http://amzn.to/2DosnQb

Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2GNdIRv

Nisha Brown

NISHA BROWN

Nisha Brown is an author, model, radio show host, and self esteem advocate. She has two books Miss Caramel and Confessions of a Call Center Vixen. The latter will be a series of three. 

Nisha decided to become an author because of having self esteem related struggles. 

Nisha has been a published author for two years.

Nisha feels like the service is necessary because reading is important no matter what genre and she likes to uplift people with her pen. 

The advice Nisha would give to empower women is you are your most beautiful self. :) 

Norma McElroy

NORMA MCELROY

JAHZARA BRADLEY: What is your company's name? 

NORMA MCELROY: Norma's Bath & Body.

JAHZARA BRADLEY: Why did you go into business?

NORMA MCELROY: Due to a Car accident prior to 2004, I was unable to work. Eventually, I dived into soap making from home. I made soaps and other products for myself, then for family and friends.  Eventually, I setup with eBay in 2005. I love what I do. What a journey! I stepped out in Faith, God has helped me and I have never looked back. 

JAHZARA BRADLEY:  How long have you been in business?

NORMA MCELROY: I celebrated 14 bittersweet years in February, 2018. Again what a journey!

JAHZARA BRADLEY: Why is your service necessary, how is it of benefit ?

 NORMA MCELROY: Everybody uses Bath and Body. Why not enjoy homemade soaps and lotions too? 

You benefit from using my Norma's Bath&Body because your skin will drink up the lotions. Moisturizing, Fruity and addictive as well as all of my bath and body products. You'll see and feel the difference upon the first use.

JAHZARA BRADLEY: What advice do you have to empower women?

NORMA MCELROY: Just be a go- getter. Pray your way through all steps of your life. God will help you and strengthen you. He will give you the vision. Never give up. Fight against the negativity. 

Take that and soar. Never give up. Love what it is that you do. Love God. Love others. You are amazing. We're women. We're strong women!

CONNECT WITH NORMA AT https://www.facebook.com/Normas-Bath-and-Body-369285870973/

Faith Based Shirts

This year has been a "Faith Checking" Year for me. It is so easy to have faith when everything is going your way and the circumstances are ideal. I had a few less than ideal circumstances this year, that came to test my faith. I had to maintain faith under pressure. 

We hope you are inspired by our shirts.

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