TalkingWithTami.com: Congrats to you Kimberly for launching your second book! Im so very proud of you! Wow, your doing it in 2009! Tell us all about your new book,”The Mocha Manual to Turn Your Passion into Profit”?
The Mocha Manual to Turning Your Passion into Profit is all about creating the life you want for yourself. In these economic times, nobody wants to be at the whim of their employer, women want greater control of their finances, their future and their careers and turning your passion into profit is the way to do it. I’m really proud of this book, because I interviewed hundreds of women in different phases of entrepreneurship—some came from broken homes, some were high school dropouts, former addicts, middle class, upper class, you name it—but they all successfully turned a passion into profit and every woman out there, with the right tools & motivation, can do it too. In the book I help readers, define their life, release the fear, find the right business match for their personality and then give them the tools for success. Plus, I share my own trials and pointers from growing The Mocha Manual Company.
TalkingWithTami.com: Im am very excited about your new book because I am also quoted in there lol. Tell us some other ladies you interviewed in this book?
Lisa price, president and founder of Carols Daughter
Gina Stern, an amazing and inspiring woman who was a high school dropout from the Bronx, but out of sheer tenacity convinced airport personnel (after years of trying) to give her untested idea a chance, and she pioneered the airport spa concept. Departure Spa, now in two Newark Airport terminals and Orlando Intl airport is a multimillion dollar business.
Monique Greenwood, former EIC of Essence, author and owner of the Akwaaba chain of bed and breakfasts. And so many more…
TalkingWithTami.com: Kimberly you use to be the editor for one of the most popular african american magazines in the country called,”Essence”. What was it like working for them and why did you leave?
Well, I was a senior editor, not THE editor. But working for Essence is an amazing experience. As a journalist and a black woman it’s a dream job. I learned so much about connecting to and responding to black women that I put into practice everyday now as editor in chief of MochaManual.com. I am very grateful for all I learned at Essence. In my book, I talk about my own journey from a successful career and enviable job to taking the leap of faith to make it on my own. I talk about the privilege of inspiring women through the pages of Essence and the challenge of wanting to live the life. Instead of advising women to live the live of their dreams, go for it, and take the leap of faith I wanted to live that myself. Secondly, like many women my Side Hustle at the time (my books and running www.mochamanual.com) was taking a lot of my time. I discuss it thoroughly in the book, but there comes a point where everyone with a growing side hustle has to choose. And that’s what I did.
TalkingWithTami.com: You have your own company The Mocha Manual Co. When did you launch it and how has it grown?
The Mocha Manual Company is my umbrella business for my multimedia brand for women. Online, I have MochaManual.com, which is the fastest growing online magazine for black moms. The Mocha Manual to a Fabulous Pregnancy DVD (based on my first book) is available at Walmart.com and Acme Supermarkets. And I author The Mocha Manual series of books: the first book, the pregnancy guidebook, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award ( I think that’s when we first met, Tami. You were fabulous on the red carpet!) . Passion into Profit hits stores on Tuesday. And The Mocha Manual to Military Life –a book I wrote with a 20-year Army wife, will be released in June 2009. The business was originally launched as a “mocha-flavored” maternity and Daddy tee shirt line that is still very popular and sold on the website. I started it in January 2006 after the release of my first book.
TalkingWithTami.com: As a single mom, and having a busy career,did you find it difficult to write the second book?
I’m newly divorced, so I still trying to get the hang of the single mom thang. But it is definitely a challenge. But the end of my marriage made it even more important for me to create my own schedule and a life where I can be home for my two kiddies. (age 8 and 4) I usually work a lot at night and I’ve made a lot of personal sacrifices (no TV, no girls nights out, limited social life) so I can complete my book projects. I’m thankful for the girlfriends and my mom,who came all the way from S.C., to help me out so I could finish the book. Girl, it definitely takes a village.
