  Blog
#22: Three Tips for Becoming an Academic Entrepreneur
There are a lot of folks out here who want to get creative with their careers. Nowhere is this more true than with academics. University professors are oftentimes perfectly situated to leverage the #sidehustlelife. You're doing research, already seen as an expert in...
#21: Why you need a tax ID number and how to get one
So this won't be the most exciting episode of the Shontavia Show, but it definitely one of the most important for your business! The Internal Revenue Service (yes, the IRS) does not play about it's money, and I want to make sure we both stay out of trouble with...
#20: Finding extra time to start your business
If you've ever found yourself saying, "I'm too busy to work on this business idea!" or, "I wish I had more hours in the day to pursue that!," this episode of the Shontavia Show is for you. Life is a roller coaster and it can be incredibly hard to keep up with it...
#19: How to Use Conferences to Build Your Business
My little secret is that I’m a strong introvert that feels really, really awkward at conferences. Even so, my participation at conferences has been one of the single-best ways that I’ve honed my skills, grown my brand, and helped real people face-to-face. As...
#18: How to Turn a Viral Moment into a Successful Business with Sherrica Sims
We've all seen a viral post. Someone posts a silly, random, or insightful comment/video/photo, and it racks up hundreds or thousands of views and likes seemingly overnight. As the post gets more views and likes, folks start tagging two different people: their friends...
#17: Copyrights 101 for Content Creators
Do you create social media posts? Write articles/blog posts? Record videos? Take selfies/other pictures? If you do any of these things, you have created work that might be protected by copyright law. If you create any of these things for your brand or business, it's...
#16: What’s a trademark? How to identify one of most important parts of your business
What's your favorite brand of water? Evian? Aquafina? VOSS? If I put various glasses of water side by side, without the bottles and labels, could you look at each one and know DEFINITELY which brand was which? If you tasted each one, would you DEFINITELY know which...
#15: Raising Startup Capital with Bandwagon Founder and CEO Harold Hughes
Raising money to start and grow a company is some science with a whole lotta art. A quick google search will give you all of the steps of raising money, bootstrapping, and finding investors, but the real insights come from hearing the real life, ground zero steps that...
#14: Intellectual property basics for creators – patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets
Have you ever considered that the stuff you're posting on social media might be valuable property worth protecting? Consider these examples: Kayla Newman created the term "on fleek" as a teenager, but she has yet to receive appropriate credit (or compensation) from...
#13: Choosing a business structure: From sole proprietors and LLCs to corporations and nonprofits
Starting a business basically turns you into the final judge and jury for about 12,000 different decisions. This is great, but it might also be a little bit unnerving when you're considering X vs. Y without knowing a whole lot about either one. I created this episode...
#12: How to find a good intellectual property lawyer on a budget
Finding an intellectual property (IP) lawyer isn't the easiest thing in the world to do. The term "intellectual property" isn't all that familiar to people, and even if you know someone who knows a lawyer, the likelihood of that person being an IP lawyer is slim (it...
#11: Four steps to choosing a business name
Choosing a business name is a bit like naming a child--you want to get it right the first time, because it is a hassle to change it later. Your business's name actually could have even worse consequences--like social media takedown notices, cease and desist letters,...
#10: Three side hustle strategies when you can’t quit your day job
There are all kinds of reasons why you may want to start a side hustle....passion, money, hating your current job, a desire to be your own boss... I don't know your reasons but this is a no-judgement-zone (mostly) and I recognize that your reasons are valid no matter...
#9: From Employee to Business Owner with Dr. Nika White
You CAN take what you've learned at work + what you're passionate about and turn it into a business. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" This seems to be one of adults' favorite questions for kids, right? Interestingly, many adults are still wondering how to...
#8: Building a personal brand from nothing
Building a personal brand from nothing is like building a house from the ground up. First, you have to decide you want to buy. Then, you have to find the right location. After that, you should take care of the legal stuff. Then, and only then, can you lay a foundation...
#7: Creating content that builds your personal brand
Have you ever had a day where you want to sit at home, kick your feet up, and chill? Me too. Our bodies and minds need this kind of rest. What DOESN'T need this kind of rest is your content---your blog posts, website, social media posts, videos, interviews, podcast...
+50 places you can start when you’re broke and don’t know where to start, with inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
That feeling of wanting more but not knowing how to get it is frustrating--especially when your money doesn't match your mindset. It is tough to be broke with million dollar ideas! On this Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I believe my favorite quote by Dr. King can...
#6: Thursday Thoughts: How to do better with social media
Last year, I had the best of intentions with my social media. I was going to post more often, grow my following, and spend less time spinning my wheels about what to post. It was going to be beautiful--with videos, photos, and all kinds of amazing graphics. That ain't...
#5: Using your reputation and personal brand to build your business
What's your professional reputation? If I were to ask 5 people about their impressions of you and your work, what would they say? The answers to these questions form a major piece of your personal brand. Whether you've been strategic about it or not, you have some...
#4: Giving free advice vs. charging for it
"Hey, I need to call you! I need your help with something!""Can I pick your brain?""I have a quick question about...." We all know these questions pretty well, right? On the one hand, you're glad people trust you enough to ask for help. But, on the other hand, when...
#3: Starting your business before you’re ready
Starting your business before you're ready is terrifying. But, similar to parenthood, marriage, and adulthood in general, you'll never be 100% ready. Nobody ever has each and every detail worked out. Many of the greatest business owners and entrepreneurs began with...
#22: Three Tips for Becoming an Academic Entrepreneur
There are a lot of folks out here who want to get creative with their careers. Nowhere is this more true than with academics. University professors are oftentimes perfectly situated to leverage the #sidehustlelife. You're doing research, already seen as an expert in...
#21: Why you need a tax ID number and how to get one
So this won't be the most exciting episode of the Shontavia Show, but it definitely one of the most important for your business! The Internal Revenue Service (yes, the IRS) does not play about it's money, and I want to make sure we both stay out of trouble with...
#20: Finding extra time to start your business
If you've ever found yourself saying, "I'm too busy to work on this business idea!" or, "I wish I had more hours in the day to pursue that!," this episode of the Shontavia Show is for you. Life is a roller coaster and it can be incredibly hard to keep up with it...
#19: How to Use Conferences to Build Your Business
My little secret is that I’m a strong introvert that feels really, really awkward at conferences. Even so, my participation at conferences has been one of the single-best ways that I’ve honed my skills, grown my brand, and helped real people face-to-face. As...
#18: How to Turn a Viral Moment into a Successful Business with Sherrica Sims
We've all seen a viral post. Someone posts a silly, random, or insightful comment/video/photo, and it racks up hundreds or thousands of views and likes seemingly overnight. As the post gets more views and likes, folks start tagging two different people: their friends...
#17: Copyrights 101 for Content Creators
Do you create social media posts? Write articles/blog posts? Record videos? Take selfies/other pictures? If you do any of these things, you have created work that might be protected by copyright law. If you create any of these things for your brand or business, it's...
#16: What’s a trademark? How to identify one of most important parts of your business
What's your favorite brand of water? Evian? Aquafina? VOSS? If I put various glasses of water side by side, without the bottles and labels, could you look at each one and know DEFINITELY which brand was which? If you tasted each one, would you DEFINITELY know which...
#15: Raising Startup Capital with Bandwagon Founder and CEO Harold Hughes
Raising money to start and grow a company is some science with a whole lotta art. A quick google search will give you all of the steps of raising money, bootstrapping, and finding investors, but the real insights come from hearing the real life, ground zero steps that...
#14: Intellectual property basics for creators – patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets
Have you ever considered that the stuff you're posting on social media might be valuable property worth protecting? Consider these examples: Kayla Newman created the term "on fleek" as a teenager, but she has yet to receive appropriate credit (or compensation) from...
#13: Choosing a business structure: From sole proprietors and LLCs to corporations and nonprofits
Starting a business basically turns you into the final judge and jury for about 12,000 different decisions. This is great, but it might also be a little bit unnerving when you're considering X vs. Y without knowing a whole lot about either one. I created this episode...
#12: How to find a good intellectual property lawyer on a budget
Finding an intellectual property (IP) lawyer isn't the easiest thing in the world to do. The term "intellectual property" isn't all that familiar to people, and even if you know someone who knows a lawyer, the likelihood of that person being an IP lawyer is slim (it...
#11: Four steps to choosing a business name
Choosing a business name is a bit like naming a child--you want to get it right the first time, because it is a hassle to change it later. Your business's name actually could have even worse consequences--like social media takedown notices, cease and desist letters,...
#10: Three side hustle strategies when you can’t quit your day job
There are all kinds of reasons why you may want to start a side hustle....passion, money, hating your current job, a desire to be your own boss... I don't know your reasons but this is a no-judgement-zone (mostly) and I recognize that your reasons are valid no matter...
#9: From Employee to Business Owner with Dr. Nika White
You CAN take what you've learned at work + what you're passionate about and turn it into a business. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" This seems to be one of adults' favorite questions for kids, right? Interestingly, many adults are still wondering how to...
#8: Building a personal brand from nothing
Building a personal brand from nothing is like building a house from the ground up. First, you have to decide you want to buy. Then, you have to find the right location. After that, you should take care of the legal stuff. Then, and only then, can you lay a foundation...
#7: Creating content that builds your personal brand
Have you ever had a day where you want to sit at home, kick your feet up, and chill? Me too. Our bodies and minds need this kind of rest. What DOESN'T need this kind of rest is your content---your blog posts, website, social media posts, videos, interviews, podcast...
+50 places you can start when you’re broke and don’t know where to start, with inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
That feeling of wanting more but not knowing how to get it is frustrating--especially when your money doesn't match your mindset. It is tough to be broke with million dollar ideas! On this Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I believe my favorite quote by Dr. King can...
#6: Thursday Thoughts: How to do better with social media
Last year, I had the best of intentions with my social media. I was going to post more often, grow my following, and spend less time spinning my wheels about what to post. It was going to be beautiful--with videos, photos, and all kinds of amazing graphics. That ain't...
#5: Using your reputation and personal brand to build your business
What's your professional reputation? If I were to ask 5 people about their impressions of you and your work, what would they say? The answers to these questions form a major piece of your personal brand. Whether you've been strategic about it or not, you have some...
#4: Giving free advice vs. charging for it
"Hey, I need to call you! I need your help with something!""Can I pick your brain?""I have a quick question about...." We all know these questions pretty well, right? On the one hand, you're glad people trust you enough to ask for help. But, on the other hand, when...
#3: Starting your business before you’re ready
Starting your business before you're ready is terrifying. But, similar to parenthood, marriage, and adulthood in general, you'll never be 100% ready. Nobody ever has each and every detail worked out. Many of the greatest business owners and entrepreneurs began with...