Before You Say “I Will:” Costs of Being a Bridesmaid

Pink poufy dress you’ll never wear again? $150. Fancy schmancy up-do and manicured nails? $100. Being a bridesmaid in your friend’s wedding? Priceless…or is it? According to TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com 2010 Real Weddings Survey, the average cost of being a bridesmaid is $1,695. Yikes! Once you factor in the dress, alterations, hair, makeup, gifts and accessories–not... Read More
Best Companies for Multicultural Women

Congratulations to the 2011 Working Mother Best Companies for Multicultural Women! Allstate Insurance Company American Express Company Technologies JPMorgan Chase & Co. KPMG LLP CA Macy’s Inc Chubb & Son Cisco* Citi Macy s Inc. McDonald’s Corporation New York Life Insurance Company PepsiCo Colgate-Palmolive Company Deloitte* Mills* PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Procter... Read More
Job Discrimination At All Time High

Despite the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) findings in 1987 that ruled barring people from jobs based solely on a criminal conviction disproportionately excluded African Americans and Latinos from the labor market, countless American companies and employers still continue to practice consistent, and sometimes overt, job discrimination. In the same way that... Read More
Dollars and Scents with Actor Lamman Rucker

Leading man Lamman Rucker’s creative energy keeps ticking after many of us are tucked in. The actor recently launched his natural body care products, Forplai. The collection features a steamy assortment of sweet smells to condition skin for women, couples and especially the brothers. A Carnegie Mellon University graduate, Rucker is most known for his onscreen charisma... Read More
Credit Cards May Soon Become Obsolete

It’s only a matter of time before you’re paying for most things with your phone instead of your credit card, according to financial experts. As credit card and phone companies continue to embrace the concept of mobile banking, which allows users to utilize their mobile devices as credit cards, experts say the use of actual plastic credit cards will begin to decline sharply. “Your... Read More
Tips For Urban Entrepreneurs from Bryan-Michael Cox

Want to start your own catering business? Finally ready to get your bridal company off the ground? Need the money and a bit of mentoring to make it happen? Recently producer/songwriter Bryan-Michael Cox took a studio break to tell Heart & Soul about his involvement with 100 Urban Entrepreneurs. Pulling on years of experience, Cox serves as a board member and mentor with... Read More
The Budgetnista’s Guide to Love on Valentine’s Day

Ladies, make no mistake, these tough financial times have trickled down to dating as well. With Valentine’s Day looming near, we must all adopt a new way of thinking: finance does NOT equal romance. Take the pressure off of your honey (or would-be honey) by letting him know that you think savings is the new sexy. Every man that I know appreciates a woman that digs them and not... Read More
Black Women and Home-Ownership: Three Things to Know Before You Buy
It’s been on every news outlet that women, many African American, led foreclosures in the recession. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get the home you have been saving for, but it is a reminder to proceed with care. Bankruptcy lawyer and foreclosure expert Tami Wells Thomas has represented hundreds of women in the Atlanta area and is the owner of Wells Thomas... Read More
Are Women Afraid of Competition?

Though women are entering the workforce in record numbers, there still are far less female CEOs and executives in the corporate world than men. And it may come down to the ability to handle competition. In a recent study, University of Chicago economics professor John List found women shied away from competitive jobs, Time magazine reports. List and other researchers placed help... Read More
Turning Your Passion Into Success

Knowing your passion is a big step in transforming your life. Now “Passion . . .Who Needs It?” author Shaunice Hawkins shares how to be passionate about anything and turn your innate skills into a fulfilling career in Part III of our series. To turn your passion into professional success takes effort and requires a paradigm shift in the way you approach both passion and... Read More




