Clutch: Do you incorporate any social media tools (blogs, network, bookmarking) into your site, if not do you plan on it? We have several networks and blogs that are tied to SisterSpeak Online, though not posted on our site. We have a Myspace page, a Facebook site, a new Wordpress blog, a Business Network, and a new SisterCircle Network which we invite sisters everywhere to join. It’s free and all about networking and supporting one another’s ventures. We share these primarily with our subscribed readers and will incorporate them on our site in the near future.

Clutch: What type of woman reads SisterSpeak Online?[/b]Wow, our reading audience is so very diverse; it’s hard to describe a typical reader. I would have to say first that our readers are smart, worldly, educated, independent, and tech savvy and range from graduate student to CEO and everything in between. They’re largely professional women seeking balance, meaning, and connection as they juggle multiple responsibilities and priorities. They’re creatively carving out inroads for themselves in every segment of society and represent a host of religions, cultures, and backgrounds within the ‘Black experience’.

Clutch: What issues and subjects do you cover?
We really try to cover a wide range of issues keeping in mind those topics that are most relevant and current in our lives. Health and wellness are huge priorities for us given the disparities we face as Black women, and really deals with mind-body-spirit-material balance. We also highlight the work of Black authors and cover a bit of beauty, fashion, and entertainment and of course business development and entrepreneurship. Our readers are incredibly entrepreneurial and there is a big demand for tips, advice, and success stories of real sisters who are making things happen in business. We’ll be streamlining our departments soon, though, to really zero in on what readers are demanding, so readers will see less coverage in some areas, and a lot more in others.

Clutch: What do you think the biggest mistake or misconception women make when starting a business? I think the biggest mistake women make is in doubting our ability to be successful in business on our own, or feeling that we don’t know enough to get started. We think we must know everything about everything, when in fact we need to know enough and be open to learning the rest as we go. What we find in the process is that we know a lot more than we give ourselves credit for. We also often fear asking questions or seeking help and advice out of a fear of appearing incompetent. I’ve had to learn to get over that and to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of others who’ve been where I’m trying to go. It’s a learning process.

Clutch: Do you have any advice to women contemplating or who have just started a business? Yes…my biggest piece of advice is to have a concrete plan and understanding of what your business is, what you’re trying to accomplish and who you’re serving; and to map out the trajectory of where you’d like to be over time and follow it while still being flexible and open to change and necessary detours. This is in addition to the most important plan of how you will finance your business venture through prosperous and lean times. It’s also imperative to do your research and to know your field, genre, and audience inside-out so you can appropriately carve out your niche and perfect it over time. Then have faith, trust your instincts, and work hard as hell to bring the vision to life.

Clutch: What’s in the future for SisterSpeak Online?
Oh my, let me pull out my laundry list (smile)! Wow, there are so many things in store for us and so many things we’d like to do, not the least of which is updating the look and feel of the site over the next several months, launching a radio show, and hosting events that extend the experience beyond the website with the focus being on empowerment, personal growth, and wellness.

Clutch: What do you want someone to walk away with after visiting your site?
I want readers to leave SisterSpeak Online informed, inspired, empowered, refreshed, validated, and assured of their worth and their right to pursue a healthy, happy, passionate, and purpose-driven life — without apology. I also want women to walk away with a genuine sense of rejuvenation and confidence in their voice, their beauty, and their ability to do and accomplish whatever it is they desire. I want sisters who are struggling in some way to find strength and those who are in search of answers to find the information they need to make empowered decisions and choices. Finally, I want visitors who come across our site to leave with a fuller understanding and respect for the tremendous intellectual, spiritual, and material contributions Black women make to society and the world. If we can achieve these things through our work, then I know we’ve fulfilled our purpose.

Sister Supporting Sisters: Sister Speak Online Magazine « Clutch Magazine: fashion.beauty.life.culture