It’s a long title but the feedback from her mic drop is still reverberating around the world so I thought it was appropriate. I haven’t stopped thinking about the Super Bowl for two obvious reasons: The Broncos WON! And, Beyonce pulled the most epic marketing coup that I’ve seen in years. And I kept wondering why in all of the discussions about Beyonce’s epic weekend that no one talked about the EPIC money message that she sent not only Black Americans but Americans in general and the money lesson that we all should learn asap. I will get to the money lesson in a second…or five.
6 Days
It has been six days since Beyonce dropped her epic new video Formation. The reaction was swift, fascinating, and some reactions making no sense. Was it all a part of her Master plan? The Formation video was a revelation. Finally, there was a famous, powerful Black woman who owned that she was unapologetically black, with an afro, and carrying hot sauce in her bag (like I do). That video was like someone finally, finally got what people have been trying to say and synthesize our frustration in an epically powerful thumbing your nose, afro-licious, unapologetic way.
Let’s Be Clear
The criticism of the video from people who didn’t quite get it was swift. And, undeserved. She was not:
- Condoning violence against cops as some people argued. This one just does my head in. It doesn’t make sense.
- Inappropriate about sharing the song during the Super Bowl. Which quite frankly benefited immensely by having Beyonce/Coldplay/and Bruno Mars perform UNPAID and bring their fame and fans to watch the half-time show. The half-time show that benefited from the ad revenue and viewers that these performers brought in.
What Was the Video About (in my humble opinion?)
- Affirming her beauty-I bet you didn’t know that when I was little my mom use to have me look in the mirror and tell myself that I was beautiful-almost on a weekly basis. She was concerned that I would internalize the negative messages about being black and she wanted to fight that negative messaging. Beyonce has a daughter and I’m sure that she worries about the same thing. Of course, Blue Ivy’s mom is Beyonce so she’s got a great role model.
- Creating Awareness-Again, Beyonce has a black kid and I’m sorry but fame or being a child of famous parents doesn’t always protect your child from the possibility that they could be at risk when they are away from their parents. It is, in my view, irresponsible for famous people to not speak out against injustice. I’m proud of her for taking a stand through her art.
- Financial Empowerment-This is where I really want to place my focus. I believe that Beyonce pulled the most brilliant, epically capitalistic, marketing moves that I’ve seen in years and what we should learn from it.
#29 Days
I’m currently participating in Colorful Money’s 29 Days of Facts sharing financial facts, information and knowledge affecting all people of color. I am very clear that even with all of the mess that I’ve dealt with in my life-I’m still doing better than a lot people who look like me.
The American economy is not producing jobs that rely on workers to do the tasks. This is a trend that is happening not only in the United States but all over the world. This trend began when the United States opened up its economy aggressively in the 80’s. We shipped out jobs to other countries with cheaper workers and sold out American workers as a result of that process.
What politicians and economists didn’t consider was the way that our economy would change, become mechanized, and globalized in ways that we couldn’t imagine. What does this have to do with Beyonce? Actually, a lot. Just stay with me.
Entrepreneurship is Our Way Out
Of poverty, of relying on other people to hire us and the endless wait for jobs that pay in equitable ways. We need to get people thinking about owning the fruits of our labor, thinking creatively, and taping into the powerful feeling of owning the fruits of labor.
A Universal Message
That is getting lost in all of the crazy talk and fabulous Chanel outfits. I don’t care what color you are-it is imperative to develop a stream of income that is separate from your day job and that you own completely. A stream of income that occurred because of your creative thinking, hard work, and focus.
The changes in the economy are hurting everyone and those changes are the result of almost 40 years of government policy sending our jobs out of the country. Why do you think our: clothes are so cheap? Our cars are so cheap? And the list goes on. The cheap labor that produces our goods also took our jobs away. We gave away our jobs for cheap sh$t.
This is the reason why I am so focused on buying locally. Because every time I spend on an American product I am helping to keep Americans of all colors employed. I try hard to always buy Colorado.
Beyonce’s Money Message
From a multi leveled marketing perspective Beyonce created the ultimate sales funnel. She shared an amazing video on Saturday creating a frenzy, a lot of conversation, a run on Red Lobster post coitus, and many of us admitting to carrying mini bottles of hot sauce in our purses. Ahem.
You can only purchase her music via Tidal-her husband Jay-Z’s streaming service. I am reminded of Oprah Winfrey’s O Network and how it struggled during it’s first few years.
She and Bruno Mars then upstage Coldplay during the Super Bowl and she followed up by announcing her next World Tour thus setting herself up to earn MILLIONS in less than a week.
Own your labor. I have recently made some very intentional shifts in my personal business. I will be developing informational products sometime this year. In fact, I’ve spend a lot of time specifically looking at successful bloggers and online entrepreneurs they almost always have their own products. Online entrepreneurs understand that they have to own their brand and their message.
BE AUDACIOUS!
She didn’t ask permission-she owned her voice. Because she is an artist and with most (great) art you provoke a conversation. Which she has. Stop asking for what you want! Set an intention and go for it.
Think about what type of value that you can create and provide to others. Take time to figure out what your strengths are:
- Great at cleaning-Start a cleaning business and contract to clean businesses in your town.
- Love Computers-Niche your knowledge and then find clients who need your knowledge.
- Love to cook-Make meals and deliver them to people who don’t want to pay Blue Apron prices.
- Passionate About Reading? Read to people with failing eyesight, read to kids, or tutor people online.
Keep Learning
I spend several hours a week learning new skills. Things are changing all the time and I don’t want to be caught off guard because I stopped learning. Skills that I’m learning or have learned:
- How to Run a Webinar-I’m running my first webinar next week.
- How to Run My Business-This is an ongoing process.
- Computer Stuff-I’ve learned tons of stuff about putting websites together and trouble shooting technical problems.
- Financial Education Related Information-This is ongoing.
- Sales Funnels and Email Marketing-This is a new skill.
Thank you Beyonce so much for showing me that Entrepreneurship is the key to my empowerment and that I have an obligation to teach other people what I’ve learned and continue to learn so that other people can take control of their earning power.
The Internet
Is the great equalizer. Almost all of us have varying degrees of access to it. Use that access to your advantage. Think BIG. Dream BIG. And then-go for it.
I think I’m going to listen to the song again.
What Do You Think Of Beyonce’s Money Message?
For information on The D.O.N.E. Society click HERE. Request to join the private Facebook group HERE to connect with other digital entrepreneurs who are working on the process of transitioning to full-time entrepreneurship.
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thedonesociety@gmail.com
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I love lifestyle design. I want you to be able to design your life and have a wonderful life.
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Shoot! I don’t think my comment posted. 🙁 I said I have no idea what is going on with Beyonce in the news with her (since I’m all but off social media) but I loved her at the super bowl!
I think you have to see her video to get a better context for the criticism. There has been some negative reaction to her performance and to the video from people who feel that she is against the police which is insane.
The comment on the photo though! I’m gagging!
I just knew that someone would say something-so I let them know why she isn’t in the photo 🙂
So good to know that Beyonce had a good influence on you, Michelle. I gotta see her performance. I heard it was really good.
To be honest Jayson, I was a bit ambivalent about her before. I felt that she was like every other pop star…bit fluffy, not enough substance, great hair and fashion. Before you watch the Super Bowl performance you actually would need to watch the Formation video for better context about the controversy surrounding the performance. Now that she actually had stood up for something I became a hardcore fan.
I actually think that everyone can be an entrepreneur. Everyone has a skill, a gift, a problem that they can solve for someone else. Do they want to be an entrepreneur is a whole different question. And, if they are hungry, have been searching for jobs and not getting one, that’s the time to dig deep and figure out how they can make some money. I just read “The Power of Broke” by Daymond John and the power of broke is a very real thing. I also think that dipping your toe into entrepreneurship long-term vs. short-term is something that people don’t talk enough about. If you do not want to be your own boss as a long-term solution to your employment/earnings goals that’s fine. BUT, if you have been looking for work and can’t find a job I want to urge people to become entrepreneurs to mind the gap until they can find a job. Not all businesses rely on physical products. I’ve cleaned houses and that’s what a lot of well-educated immigrants do when they arrive in their new country. They understand that they have to eat, and pay bills. Everything else is secondary. It’s easy to take digital affiliates off the market and if that person is smart they’ve paid bills and saved money.
I loved this post Michelle and how you interpreted her performance and message! I was thinking a lot of the same things. I didn’t hear a lyric in her song about anything anti-police so some of the negative backlash I’m hearing sounds like a major dramatic stretch. I’m excited to see all that you have in store for the future. I’m definitely hoping to launch a product this year myself.
I talked about this with a friend of mine today and she hadn’t considered the financial implications of what Beyonce did Super Bowl weekend. Quite honestly the NFL doesn’t pay these performers and if you’re a performer you should have something meaningful to say. I’m over all of the pop fluff that has been produced for so long. I love that Beyonce had something meaningful to say-it’s refreshing. I wish other performers (regardless of color/etc.) would dig deeper and connect with what’s important to them.