It's time for the b a q a A. The b a q A.
Okay, the b a q A what you say the b a q A. Welcome Black family, Brandavisian family. We are here for a Brandavision question and answers. You have questions, We have kind of answers. But we're not your mama, your therapist, your doctor, not even what we're your own like cousins. You know, we're not your financial advisors.
So certainly we.
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We don't even know you'll sometimes so how are we supposed to give you super specific advice? Y'all want to be anonymous.
Aka Sue your grandma, not us, So yes, man's brother. We have some questions for today.
Got some juicy, juicy questions. If y'all want to submit questions and have them read on our special baq and A episodes, go to brandnambissionpodcast dot com and click ask us anything. You can also email us at Brandambisson podcast dot com or slide into the DMS on ig. We are at Brand Ambition podcast and you could be answered on the show. If you want to be anonymous, fine, I don't know how many of y'all are on these witness protection programs.
I know.
Just pick up a fake name.
Honestly, here's my request, because it's fun for us. Come up with some outlandish name. You know, I don't care. You could say my name is Potato, just something fun like we're like, yeah, exactly, silly and Cincinnati something, you know.
I do like the last show when you switched it to Annie. So if you're anonymous, you're gonna be Annie. Okay, yes, all right, Annie says in all cabs, please withhold my name. Fine, I do. I think this is a great question, though. Ooh, I can't wait to get into this. Hey Mandy, she says. I'm the communicatations manager at a small nonprofit with about four hundred and fifty ish employees. We had a team meeting with my director and the media producer regarding commercials.
We all disliked the ads that we paid for and were created by a local TV station. Impulsively, I suggested that we write and produce our own commercial. Well, Sis, ad copy ain't in my job description, and at fifty eight K, I'm already a bargain. What was I thinking? Question? I have written one commercial and now I'm being asked to write another one. How can I gracefully back out of this and explain that they need to hire an ad agency? Side note, I'm a new hire in just
ninety days into a six month probationary period. She fell into a trap, the helpful trap.
Yeah, please trap.
And I'm not gonna lie chap. That's a trap. I've limited Toppy. I have to each delivered to my trap.
I'm not gonna be here for a while, permanent address at the trap. That's the real, real trap house for Brad.
So I'm gonna like it.
I'm gonna honestly let maybe take the lead because that this is not I'm like, I'm.
Listening, like, wait, so what will we do? Mandy? But I will say this is something.
This is what I learned from doctor Green because she like, this is something I did something similar and she said, just because you agree to something once, does that mean you agree to it for a lifetime? So she like, so that's something like I'm still honestly working on it because it's hard. And she said, so if you say I don't like onions when you're four, So Tiffany, you were a band from eating onions now that you're forty two. And I'm like, no, Well, She's like, well that's how
you're navigating. So I'm saying all that to say, that's all I know because I'm in there with you, girl, tell me what you want from Uber Eats because you and I in there together.
That's so Mandy, what should we do?
Yeah, so this is an opportunity for a boundary. I wouldn't beat yourself up too much because in a way, you needed to test out, you know, this new idea of creating an ad and doing it yourself. Test it out to see if you guys liked it. Okay, they liked it, and you're the I get it. You're ninety days into a new opportunity and you want to make
a good impression. You want to be energetic and enthusiastic and have great ideas, but you also want to show people how to work with you from an early stage when you're new, and I think in the first undy days it's an excellent opportunity for this to be your first capital B boundary. So I think this is also important.
Why when you are overseeing any project or any new initiative that you set in, you schedule time to debrief, and you schedule time to have sort of like a look back at how the project went and then what are next steps and how are we going to spin this forward and what are we going to do? Because that gives you an opportunity to say, so, I did it this time long, long term, we need to hire this agency in order to really you know, make this make this new commitment, or get the budget that we
need for it. So I think you approaching it by going to your manager and saying, you know, actually, let's have a conversation about this initiative and I'll give you a projection on what I think we need for this to be like a long term initiative for us, and
here's how much it could cost. You could even help them out by I don't know, suggesting two to three agencies that you've worked on vetting or even backing that up and saying, as a next step, I will, you know, if this is part of your job description, I don't know, look into some ad agencies and come to you guys and ask for them to give proposals and come to you guys with options so that you're not you're not taking away the new initiative. Everyone's excited about. You all
recognize you need it, but you are getting clear. You're getting clear with them that it can't just fall, you know, on your shoulders, And depending on how they respond to that, then you can decide, is there another conversation that needs to be had about what my duties and job responsibilities here?
So I can get clarity. But you don't want to let this go, because if you let this go, you're sending a message the same way my mom told me, make sure that you don't tell your boyfriend Enrique that you don't care about Valentine's Day when you're first dating. She's like, no, no, no, no, you don't want to set a president. You want him, you know what I mean. So those messages early on can really set up president for the rest of your relationship and the rest of your you know, your job here.
Yeah, no, that's good. I'm like, okay, I'm not making a notebook. I'm like, okay, does that stress you out? Said like the bee for boundary?
Uh No, honestly, no, all that you said, I've you know, it's true, and it's sometimes hard.
And so if you're someone like me who.
Has a hard time with the hard conversations, one of the things I do practice, and that doctor Green taught me, is to practice saying the hard things to in easy times, meaning like, uh, is there someone at your job that you know, like this is actually the nicest person to kind of approach with this to start planning that seed or just even outside of this, like you know, when the waiter brings you the wrong thing, practice saying, hey, this is not what I order.
So, like literally I have to.
Build up the muscle because wherever you are, there you go. And so I'm learning to practice the hard conversations with easy people so that way I have enough muscle built that when these hard conversations come up to create a boundary. You know, it's it's not that it's easy, but I at least had a lot more practice. So that's what
I honestly been doing. You'll see me say that. Like even during our last you know, when our first kind of like welcome back to like Tiffany podcast episode, right that, like I had to reassert the boundary because I knew if I did it.
You know that you know I would. I would. I wouldn't want to say.
I'm like, oh, I want to disappoint Mandy and everybody else, and listening, I'm like, no, no, no, no, Tiffany, you have to say the thing now. Because Mandy is nice. This is an easy person to practice the hard conversation with, you know, and so like, because there'll be other places that don't give a what and I'm gonna be like, okay, but I've already gotten my practice in and so like.
It's just that's what I could suggest if you're someone like me who really gets anxious about having the hard conversations, to really practice them with nice, easy people. So when it comes down to it, you know you've got some he got some practice under your belt.
Yeah, and I will. I'm going back to your question. Remind you that the manager is in your title communications manager, and as a leader and someone who's going to be overseeing strategy for that particular department, it's on you to tell them the solution for the problem. So you've told them the solution, we should do our own commercials. But they and you both took that to mean, we meeting me, but how easily could you have gone out and found
your own ad writer copywriter to write that commercial? And maybe you're overseeing it, but I think that was one of the really challenging lessons for me as a leader. And I actually just did a whole session on this with my Bandy money Makers last week and really just like cathartic for me, because in those early days as a leader, I thought me doing everything was how I should lead, and it's how I sent the message that
I'm a good leader because I can handle everything. But that's just a fast track to burnout, burnout and resentment and toxic work environment that you really create yourself. Because for me, the epiphany was being a good leader is necessarily doing it yourself. It's knowing what you need to do and then finding solutions for it and bring other people in and letting them help you, you know, achieve that.
And it's also really important in your first ninety days at this job to set expectations that your managers will give you the resources you need to be able to do that job. So if it's a you coming to them with this proposal for okay, we want to continue doing this here's the budget I need to hire a freelance ad writer, you know, here's the budget that I
need to get the recording equipment, whatever. And give them sort of a long term budget plan and then if they decide they want to put the resources in, then cool. But if they decide that they won't, then it's time to put that boundary down again and say, well, it's not going to be realistic for me to take on this responsibility with the umpteen other responsibilities that I have. So what are we going to do? Maybe there's no commercials for a while, and then be quiet and then be silent.
I love what you said because it's true. Good leaders let good people do good work. That is like a lesson that like really drove home. You know now that my team is much small, and I really look around and I'm like, when you have the right people in the right place, I don't have to sweat anybody. Like I'm like, tifany, just take a step back. Logan got it, Rose, got it. You've got to be in that email. If there's something there she needs, she gonna let you know.
Tam got it. You know. So yep, so we wish you loved Annie.
Good luck. All right, let's take a quick break out and be back with another of your baq and a's.
Hey, y'all, we are black and back.
Our next question is from Amanda, not to be confused with Mandy. Okay, so Amanda says, hey, y'all, hoping all is well, and Tiffany continues to heal. I am thank you, Mandy. I'm loving the solo content. Thank you for hashtag keeping all the things going true. Indeed, So here's my question. I've had a small consulting business for more than seven
years and not ever had a business credit card. My partner and I have business debit cards for routine expenses and travel, and we've had to hit our line of credit several times when cash flow is messy.
Child, do not know it?
I'd like to consider a business credit card, but how does it work? Do I, as the owner secure it with my personal Social Security number?
I have good credit? Good girl?
Does the business need its own credit? We have a done in Bradstreet number and haven't really used it, nor do I really understand it. Goals are to pay less interest for larger charges, a lot of credit alternative, and build points by charging and paying off regular monthly expenses.
Any extra info you could offer on the topic is so appreciated.
Bonus if you have a recommendation for a great buz credit card, thanks so much.
I got my business credit card when I started Mandy Money because I think there's just that common advice out there you establish your credit business credit early, and for me, I was the guaranteur, like me personally, because I didn't have a business for any long point of time at that point. So my personal credit is my collateral, you know, So yes, I use my social I don't even remember if they asked anything about my employment ID number or what's it called a t I N tax employment number,
tax identification number. I'm like, that does not that's not the acronym anyway. And because of my and because I have strong credit too, I got approved, you know, pretty quickly.
But I don't know.
Tip does it matter now that she's seven years in and she has a Dan so Dan and Bradstreet or is it done in Brad Street?
I forgot now she said Dan.
Dan and them, Danny and them.
You never.
This is the business version of like your experience and your ficos, right, they track your business credit. But you've had a business a lot longer.
So well, I to your point, Like someone told me, by the way, hey Tiffany, you should go ahead and get your business credit set up before you need it, because credit is really like you need to know me before you need me. So anybody listening with a new business,
go ahead and on ahead and do that. But Amanda, to Mandy's point, because you've been in business seven years, you might be able to just get it based upon your business currently because you've already had a line of credit, so you likely don't have to necessarily put your credit like.
On the line.
For those folks who are new, oftentimes, not only can you not get a regular credit card, Like for me, I started, like you know, months two, I went to get a credit card just to get one, and I had to get a secured business credit card that's like an actual thing like a secured regular credit card. You
basically it's like a credit card with training wheels. You put down a deposit, they put it into basically like a savings account for you, and then they give you a card that is the same limit as the as the posits that you put down. Typically for business credit cards, I think it's like usually the minimums around one thousand dollars personal. It's a minimum for secured cards usually like three hundreds, four or five hundred dollars.
So that's what I did.
I put down one thousand dollars and I got a secured business credit card.
You know.
I used it like wisely for like a year, and then they took the secured part off.
And me a regular business credit card.
So what I liked about that is I got to build my business credit up, you know, and now you know, I've got like an American Express card. So what's so great about a business credit card to your point, Amanda, is that we use our business credit card, especially we switched over to our American Express card because of the the what you can do with the points, it is just like magical.
So I use it for marketing. So if I'm running ads.
Which we do a lot, and sometimes we can spend seven figures in a year on ads, and so I have traveled extensively off them points that we get as a results of my business partner and I for the Literature Academy, we go back and forth with using the points from American Express. I mean I flew to baut BOLLI round trip first class off the points you know, I've.
Got you and your business partner like split them.
Yes, we split the points and we use them.
However, yeah, it's like a trust thing or what do you call it. I don't know. Yeah, you have to just like kind of say, okay, we share a joint custody at these points. Don't the share.
Are out points? Baby? You're like, it's your weekend, you know.
And so so that is the benefit of like having a business credit card. Yes, obviously you have access to more capital, you know, like that. I don't worry as much about the interest rates quite honestly, because we pay ours off every month in full. But I also don't have a physical based business, so that's not possible for all people. Me and Mandy have a service based businesses,
so that's usually more feasible. But yeah, establishing your credit getting a business credit card, it sounds like you're already doing you know, wisely and using your your business line of credit. Go ahead and do that. I wouldn't say that I have. I mean, I will say that I do like American Express because the points that you're able to accumulate, you could use it for so many things. But with American Express, be mindful that it's really like a charge card, so you have to pay it off.
Every month in full. Let me see what other do you.
Have a high like annual fee?
Oh yeah, that's the thing. It is a high annual fee.
But I will say that, from what I remember, with American Express, you could put it toward things like like I was able to get global entry, which is like four hundred bucks and so, but with American Express it was waved. So global entry means whenever I come back to the US, which you know I'm leaving, I'm going to Jordan. When I come back in to the US, I don't have to like wait in a super long line because they.
Basically preache long line makes me feel richer and more like lucks. Skip the long line of customs.
Yes, take my money.
I don't care. I'm sorry.
So you want to ask that like four hundred dollars, sometimes you can put it toward things, you know, like and that's one of them. I'm also too, I mean, well, this is not they don't it's not a business card. But Chase, I would probably ask, but for what I know, I don't think. I don't know if Chase has a business card that you know if that gives like incredible points. But you can ask because my personal Chase, like you know car, what's that car that I always get the name wrong on the.
Chase good card. Get the name of Chase.
Yes, yes, Chase.
I use my Chase a lot as well. But yeah, so I would just say start now, you know, start building your business credit. I mean you've already built your business credit because you've had a line of credit, but a credit card you use wisely can certainly be a great tool.
Yeah, And I mean for me, credit card offers changed so frequently, and especially now that the economy is coming back, well, I know it's well coming back ish, like there's so many issues and inflation and sock market crashing all the
kind of stuff. But credit cards rewards are coming back, so they you know, you saw a lot of cards pull back on the rewards programs during the pandemic when people weren't actually doing the things that we used to do, like eat out, and like the reasons you would justify getting a rewards card before kind of went away. So there may be new offers today that weren't even around last summer. So when I got my business card last
summer I went. I started off going to you know, a credit card comparison site and literally googling the best business credit cards. There's a bunch of lists that you'll find. Just look for lists where it's there's like people have actually written reviews based on their experience and not just because they get the highest affiliate revenue from referring those cards. And for me, I was looking for a no annual fee card, which means I don't get the amazing lucrative
benefits of an amex. It didn't make sense for me at the time because of my business revenue was non existent last June when I got the card, so I chose the Capital One Spark And what I like about it is that it is no fee and it's two percent cash back on everything, so it's pretty as a standard business card. It works for me, and I do get I do get cash back which I can then use against my balance or for whatever. So that's what
I use personally. But like I said, I would start with like a nerd wallet, a Magnify money credit karma again, just like compare and see which one fits, which one fits your business. Yeah, and how you were going to use it. Maybe you're buying a lot of supplies at Staples, so maybe you know a card that gives you cash back on office supplies makes sense exactly, or for a.
So I want to travel points, but you might not need that, you know. So yeah, to Mandy's point, you want to find a card that really fits you. And another benefit to like a business credit card is that it's something happens.
Credit card companies really.
Work with you, like, hey, I didn't I didn't twipe that, I didn't buy that, I didn't, you know, versus a line of credit, you know, where you're kind of like on your own. So there's a benefit to using your business card for things because there's a protection built in.
So wow, thank you for the question, Amanda.
Yes, if you'll have questions, ask us Briana Bision podcast dot com.
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And please give us a fake name. We like fake names make it silly, you know. I just feel like it's right, make it sassy so you know we can have a little fun with it.
We all had those like identity crises when we were fifteen, wanted to change.
What did you want your name?
Come on now, if you're a person ac right, everybody would detty, where do you go? You're like, if you're around my age, you'll want it. Stacey, give us something.
All my Sailor Moon fan fictions under the alias Adrian because that's who I want it to be. So who's your fifteen year old aliens?
All right, until next time, y'all?
Until next week, Bye, y'all, take care. Bye, Hey, ba fan, We could not do this show without your support or the support of our team behind the scenes. The Brown Emission podcast is produced by Cumulus Podcast Network. It's edited by the wonderful Emani Crosby and produced by Tanya Bustos. Dennis Stimplinsky is our in house tech guru, and I am Bandy Woodrid Santos your co host, and I will see y'all next week.