Handmade Beauty Connection
December 31, 2006
A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Volume 7, Issue 58
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I Feel Good! in 2007
I can hardly remember a time when James Brown was not somehow a part of my life. His passing on Christmas Day last week was a bittersweet reminder that all good things come to an end. I am not a huge fan of his music, but I am a huge fan of the
man. The way he overcame tremendous obstacles to be successful in his chosen
profession offers more than enough inspiration to help us get 2007 off to a
fantastic start.I remember the first time I heard a James Brown record. It was the early 1970s and I was visiting my mother's relatives in rural North Carolina. One of my cousins played a 45 record called "Get On The Good Foot" by James Brown. My cousin schooled me in the ways of R&B (rhythm and blues) and taught me how to do a dance called The Good Foot. I remember distinctly the sound of James Brown's voice. It was raw. It was emotional and enthusiastic. I was impressed by the funky sound and altogether pleased that my cousin was sharing music that I was sure my parents did not approve of.
James Brown's music is legendary but he also became known for moving mountains to create a successful career for himself, and the example he left for the rest of us is one of the reasons why
I Feel Good! on this New Year's Eve. I Feel Good! is one of Brown's signature songs. Released in 1965, the song is about how good he felt when he found the love of his life. The song includes his signature screams, shouts and hollers. When he passed last week, he was preparing to go on tour -- at the age of 73. He never retired. He just kept doing what God created him to do and in so doing, he made a living, enjoyed life and made a lot of people happy in the process.
As we turn our attention to 2007, we can learn a lot about how to enjoy life and business by looking at the example of James Brown. Yes, we have to overlook a lot -- arrests for drug use, firearms possession and charges of assault and battery leveled by a former wife. These challenges were of his own making, but with sheer determination, he weathered them and his life is practically a "how to" book when it comes to being successful in business. Here are a few tips from the God Father of Soul on how to look beyond adversity and use your business to take the world by storm.
1. Find And Use Your Talents
James Brown was born dirt poor in 1933 in the back woods of a little town called Barnwell, South Carolina. When he was 5, he moved to Augusta, Georgia where he lived at an aunt's brothel. He didn't have much of a childhood. Instead, he made money by picking cotton and shining shoes. When he turned 16, he was convicted of armed robbery and sent to prison. He was released about 3 years later. After a leg injury put an end to his attempts to launch a boxing or baseball career, he turned his attention to music. He quickly discovered that he had a talent, but not everyone agreed. At a time when African Americans had to use rear entrances and drink from separate water fountains, Brown endured a lot of rejection and humiliation. But he believed in himself and didn't let the prejudice of the day stand in his way. He knew he was created for greatness. When a door closed in his face, he simply found another one, opened it and danced on into the room.
2007 Resolution #1: When a door closes find another one, open it and go through
it (doing The Good Foot)
2. Dance To Your Own Drummer
Can anyone forget James Brown's hair? It could have easily been transplanted on the head of just about any woman in my family and looked perfectly fine. I guess when you're an entertainer, you have to dress yourself up so you stand out in the crowd.
Liberace
had outrageous diamonds and furs. The beautiful Florence
Griffith Joyner sported lacy tights and long fingernails painted to match her running
attire. Michael Jackson had his infamous silver
glove and the moon walk. Elton John wore crazy glasses. Those entertainers knew that if all they did was
perform, they'd look just like everyone else. So they said and did things to make themselves stand out.
What other man can wear the James Brown hairdo (except maybe Rev.
Al Sharpton who actually got his James Brown do from Brown's own stylist, and has worn it ever since in tribute to the singer). But standing out in the crowd is not just for entertainers. Each and every business must be distinguished from the crowd or it will die. You don't have to wear weird clothes or change your hair style, but to make it in the competitive business world of 2007, you do have to make yourself stand out from the crowd.
2007 Resolution #2: Find what makes you unique and shout it from the roof tops.
3. Never Ever Give Up
James Brown called himself "The Hardest Working Man In Show Business." A friend's mother told me that when she was young, she attended a James Brown concert and was lucky to get a set near the front row. She left the concert drenched in sweat, a lot of it having flown off the stage from the pores of James Brown. Gross! But then again, it is inspirational to see such passion.
It's hard to be in business, even harder to be a small business with limited funds, lots of financial obligations and maybe even a family to raise or
elderly parents to care for. I remember working with a coach once who listened to me on the phone for several minutes as I explained how hard my life was. Sick husband, Two small kids. Business to run. Little sleep. No time for me. Yadda Yadda Yadda. She let me finish whining, and then she said, "Yes, it's hard. Bravo for you. Now, you've told me all the reasons you can't be successful at what you are doing. Now tell me all the reasons why you can be successful." After I stuck my tongue out at the phone, I gave her a list of reasons, starting with the members of the Indie Beauty Network, and then of course my family and my desire to enjoy life on my own terms.
Do you have a list of reasons why business and life are too hard, and you want to give up on one or the other (or both!!)? I'm sure. Keep the list if it makes you feel better. Then make another list to compete with it and see which one wins. If the "woe is me" list wins, so be it. It's never too late to
change course and do something else. But if the other list wins, scrap the
whining and get on with it. That's what James Brown did, and the world is a better place for it.
In an interview last week, Rev. Al Sharpton told Larry King that he admired James Brown for many reasons, among them the work he did to help make
Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday. He also said that James Brown gave him a bit of advice once long ago. He said, "You can't go for nothin' small. You gotta go for the whole hog."
Spoken like the true southern man he was. That's good advice for people in business. Why
bother at all if you're not going to go for it?
As we start 2007, consider this. There was no giving up for a man born into abject poverty. There was no giving up for a man who was a hardened criminal before he reached the age of majority and who never quite figured out how to resist the lure of his old hard-headed ways. There was no giving up for a man who spawned many musical careers but who enjoyed a mere fraction of the financial rewards and recognition that have been enjoyed by his progeny. There was no giving up because he knew is passion.
God had gifted him and wouldn't it have been a shame if he had squandered
his gifts and chosen a different path. James Brown recognized his talent and
he was thankful for it, and determined to use it to support himself on his own terms -- and have a heckuvalot of fun along the way.
2007 Resolution #3: Focus on what you can do, not how hard it is to do it. And never ever give up.
James Brown was supposed to be in New York City tonight to welcome in the New Year. How amazing would that have been? If 40 is the new 20, the James Brown shows us that 73 is the new 25. I will miss his screams and hollers,
and I will always remember his voice and his example of hard work, determination and perseverance.
I Feel Good tonight! And I hope you do too. Wishing you the best in 2007 and always.
Happy New Year!
PS - IBN is launching a new site and a new look in a few days. Stay tuned!
Best & Success!!
Donna Maria
Editor, The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Indie Beauty Network | www.handmadebeauty.com
Copyright (c) 2000 - 2006 by The Indie Beauty Network (IBN) and Donna Maria. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized distribution or reproduction is prohibited. IBN does not necessarily endorse any product, event or ideology featured in The Handmade Beauty Connection (HBC) or on IBN's website. All information is provided on an "as is" basis and no express or implied warranties are given. Any use of the information contained in the HBC or on IBN's web site, including recipes, is solely at your own risk. IBN and Donna Maria disclaim any liability in connection with the use of all recipes, products reviewed and other information. Except for sponsorships, HBC refuses compensation from companies to feature or mention their names or products. Opinions expressed in any Product Review are personally those of the reviewer and do not represent the views of IBN, Donna Maria (unless she is the reviewer) or any other person or company.
