Last week I had the pleasure of being part of the “Out of the Box Business Panel” hosted by the Delaware Financial Literacy Institute (DFLI) in celebration of National Entrepreneur Week.
These two free workshops were held at the Wilmington and Dover libraries which were great venues for attendees who came seeing information on either starting or expanding a current business.
Ronni Cohen, Executive Director of DFLI and Keyanna Mozie, Program Director kicked off each evening with a brief introduction of the program and that of it’s moderator, Terrance Vann.
Terrance Vann is not only a great moderator, he is also a very talented artist who’s work can be seen on his website www.TerranceVann.com and on his Instagram page.
On Thursday the workshop was held at the Dover Library, and Daneya Jacobs from Candy Connections joined Jaimie, Queon and myself.
We began with a brief introduction of ourselves and of our business, then the moderated questioning began. I can honestly say that not only did the attendees receive great take-away information, I think each of us on the panel did as well – at least I know I did.
National Entrepreneur Week was designed to celebrate American entrepreneurs and the lifelong learning educational opportunities that prepare the NEW business leaders of the future.
The Week is in response to the U S House of Representatives Resolution #699, supporting an annual National Entrepreneurship Week and encouraging the celebration of it annually at the local, state, and national levels.
Despite the cold temps and drenching rain those in attendance who had braved the elements came armed with insightful comments and questions. Questions ranged from how to take the ideas in their head and write a business plan to what are some of the licensing and insurance requirements for starting a business in Delaware.
Conducting these workshops in the libraries was great because public libraries contain numerous resources to help those searching for employment, starting or expanding a business and even studying course work online.
Over the past 13 years, DFLI has also become “A Community of Learners, A School Without Walls,” providing a host of services to adults, women, youth and families. DFLI’s signature program, The Money School, provides hundreds of students throughout the state with more than 600 free financial education classes.
Thousands of students have learned how to manage their money and save with DFLI’s award winning program, Bank At School. Programming such as From Purses to Portfolios, Money Clubs, and Passport to Prosperity offer women a wealth of resources, special programs and events, all to help participants take charge of their money.
DFLI’s newest program, The Center for Business Growth, provides small businesses with the critical entrepreneurial and financial skills necessary for business success and it was an honor being part of these fantastic workshops.
How did your state celebrate National Entrepreneurship Week?
Disclosure Statement: I was provided with a Kia Optima LX Turbo for a week to review, however, all opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. #Kia #DriveKia #DriveShopUSA
Two weeks ago a 2016 Kia Optima LX Turbo was driven into my driveway and needless to say, I was over-the-top excited to have her a as loaner for the entire week.
Thank you @Kia #DriveShopUSA and you can plainly see, we definitely belonged together as she complimented my outfit quite nicely! #kuteinaKia
Later in the day hubby and I sat inside listening to jazz on the Sirius Satellite Radio while checking out the bells and whistles, some of which included:
Then together, we took a slow, leisurely drive around the neighborhood before the sun set for the evening.
Wednesday, I left her in the driveway as I also did on Thursday because of the drenching rains. Having driven a small compact car (Bloggy Buggy) for the past 2 years, I was a bit apprehensive about driving this larger, more luxurious vehicle to work. I work in West Chester, PA, which is a 100 mile, 3 hour daily round trip commute.
The 32 MPG highway gas mileage for the Kia Optima LX Turbo is awesome, therefore, I doubt that I would have needed to stop and get gas to fuel up had I driven it to work those two days.
32 MPG
Friday was a vacation day from work but not a day off without a purpose as I attended a Friday Fuel Up, sponsored by Troy Farmer, www.tfarmerforeva.com This wonderful Women in Business event was enlightening and definitely rewarding as a new business owner.
Oh, I forget to tell you that I had officially launched my own business, A.Blake Enterprises, Social Media Management on the 13th of November. I will bring you up to speed with all the details but in the meantime, check out the website www.ABlakeEnterprises.com for more information.
After the empowerment session, driving home on a bright and sunny mid-afternoon, I took my time, leaned to the side and cruised along listening to Jazz playing on the Watercolors station from the Sirius Station. All the while thinking “I could get used to driving a car like this!” I pulled into the driveway, picked up hubby then we headed to the Dutch Country Farmers Market to get a late lunch.
Not wanting to buy too much because it was the week before Thanksgiving, we just bought some wings and pasta salad for the weekend and a few pounds of Oxtails for next week’s Slow Cooked Oxtail Stew – stay tuned for that recipe.
The Smart and spacious trunk of the Kia Optima LX makes it easy to load packages when your hands are full.
The MSRP on this fully loaded Kia Optima LX is $27,415 and these are just a few of the many standard features:
USB/Auxiliary Input Jack and 12 Volt Outlet
Bluetooth Wireless Technology
60/40 split-folding rear seats which are perfect for travel back and forth to college or a quick trip to your local Home Improvement Store
Push Button Start / Smart Key / Smart Trunk
The additional LX Technology Package Features on this vehicle included:
Dual Zone Auto Climate Controls with Rear Vents
Navigation System with 8” Display
Memory Driver’s Seat and Mirror Position
Blind Spot Detection System
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Rear Parking Assist System
Auto-dimming Rear view mirror
There are many safety features in the LX Technology Package which are definitely of benefit to me because I spend a lot of time on the road. With so many distracted drivers and others who need a remedial Driver’s Ed course, having these options are a definite plus especially the “Blind Spot Detection System”.
Saturday, hubby was feeling well enough to take another “Road Trip to Retirement” which was a regular feature on my YouTube channel before he began his chemo treatments. Check out the latest video of this visit to the Village of Eastridge, a 55+ Community in Smyrna.
I had an evening appointment with a Venetia Thompson, a small business owner in New Castle, who is featured this year on my blog in honor of #ShopSmall Saturday. When I got home there was another surprise…our youngest son was home from college.
He had come home early for the Thanksgiving break with a big bag of laundry, fortunately he has been washing his own clothes since the age of 10 so it was not my responsibility to handle!
The Kia adventure continued into Sunday when my oldest son and I went shopping and then created this mini video, once again touting a few of the cool features of the Optima LX.
On Monday hubby had a chemo treatment, so the Kia spent the day parked at the Helen Graham Cancer Center, then Tuesday morning, I had to say, “See Ya” to the Kia.
It was definitely a fun filled, wonderful way to spend the week with a Kia. Now it’s your turn to tell me what you would do if you had a week with a Kia Optima LX Turbo…where would you go, leave a comment below.
