Building Successful Online Communities into Rewarding, Engaging & Profitable Enterprises

MEET LaShanda Henry:  Innovative, creative and determined, LaShanda Henry (http://www.lashandahenry.com) is the creator of more than a dozen websites including WebTechGurl, Sista Sense, Multiple Shades of You, Black Business Women Online, Mahogany Momma Magazine, Pretty Professional Websites and Lil Bit Kids Books. This dynamic creative business leader is also a business coach, consultant, e-book writer and web designer.

WMI:   What were you doing before you launched Multiple Shades of You (MSOY)?

LH:       I started MSOY my sophomore year of college, so I guess prior to that I was a student / casual web user.

WMI:   As a young girl, did you envision yourself as a business owner? If not, what did you dream of becoming when you were a child?

LH:       My first “when I grow up” dream was to be a doctor until I realized I couldn’t make it through health class without thinking, “This is so gross.” I always had a seller’s mentality though, making and selling crafts was my thing as a kid. In truth, my high school dream was to get a cool job like working at IBM, so I almost fell out of my chair when I got to intern at IBM during college. After graduating I worked full time as a counselor, but always had my side hustle web gigs until I decided to work on the web full time. I guess the business woman was always in me waiting for me to really get down to business.

WMI:   You own a network of online businesses, including Urban Boutiques, Black Business Women Online and Urban Dynamics. Why did you decide to create a network of businesses versus focusing on one company?

LH:       As a true entrepreneur I always have a “great idea”. When I started MSOY it quickly turned into a web portal filled with different kinds of content and people often told me they loved it, but didn’t know where to start. Eventually I decided each “great idea” should have its own web site for better visibility and also to clearly appeal to a specific market. While I think the best way to go is to focus on one thing, creating a network of websites has worked well for me.

WMI:   How do your websites complement one another and how do they differ one from the other, in client offerings, etc.?

LH:       My websites are an extension of who I am; they all are heavily targeted towards women of color. For example, I have special-interest spaces like the Black Moms Club and Black Writers Connect and business service spaces like Pretty Professional Websites and SistaSense Coaching. The underling connection is that all the websites represent areas of interest to me, while appealing to their respective audiences. People like my social networks because they can connect with like minded individuals. They opt for my services either to mirror my own success online or to request my assistance in getting their own projects off the ground.

WMI:   Tell us about two to three key ways business owners can leverage the Internet to grow and manage their companies?

LH:       The appeal of online business building is that startup costs and marketing costs are significantly lower than offline endeavors, but the web can be a hard nut to crack without a clear understanding of how it works. To really leverage the power of the web one must work hard at becoming a thought leader; someone other people find credible and trustworthy. You have to build relationships with people via your blog, video, and even through social interaction so that you can ultimately attract a following and a steady flow of potential clients to your business.

WMI:   You also have experience working as a graphics designer and desktop publisher. Is it these skills that gave you the confidence to believe you could be successful operating online businesses? How so?

LH:       I guess my graphics skills boosted my business confidence in the sense that people saw and liked what I created for myself and wanted me to replicate that level of work for them. When I realized people wanted to pay me for my services I began to learn how to market my services more and expand the vision of my business model.

WMI:   When did you write A Better Today Brings a Brighter Tomorrow? Also tell us about topics covered in the book.

LH:       I self-published this particular book about five years ago in effort to share organizations and programs for Inner City Youth with parents and educators looking for college programs, after school programs, internships, etc. Essentially this guide is full of all the different kinds of youth based programs my mother put me in as a child to ensure I always had the right resources and people around me.

WMI:   Speaking of your book, A Better Today Brings a Brighter Tomorrow, when you look back over your physical experience thus far, can you see how the dots toward your larger success connected decades ago to now, helping you to continuously create brighter tomorrows? If so, how has that knowledge (seeing how the dots connect) changed the way you approach business and life in general?

LH:       For me, when I put the dots together I see that passion never dies. However introverted you may be, however oblivious you may be to your inner talents, no matter what people say or where life takes you, you will always find yourself on your God-Given path. I did not have a map to where I am today, but somehow things did and still continue to fall into place because with the support of my son’s father and internal determination I choose to just keep going.

WMI:   Tell us about one of the greatest obstacles or challenges (perceived or real) that you faced early in your business career. Please also share the steps (internal or external) that you took to overcome that obstacle.

LH:       Leaving my job and my home in New York and moving to North Carolina was a huge challenge for me. I made about $500 the 1^st month I worked at home in North Carolina. I felt truly blessed when I printed the 1^st issue of SistaSense In Print magazine and talked about my $5 to $50,000 transformation because that was a hard road to travel. For me the key to growth was being in tune to feedback; when people asked me for a service I learned how to turn questions into new income streams. I also researched internet marketing, affiliate marketing, and Adsense all of which helped to subsidize my monthly income and help it grow.

WMI:   What’s been one of your greatest success stories to date and how do you leverage that success to build momentum to continue to move forward?

LH:       One of the greatest success stories for me is the sum total of all the women who come back to me and tell me their lives and businesses have been changed because of what they have gotten from what I do online. It’s impossible for me to truly visualize the number of people my web work has touched, but I know they are out there and I feel blessed when they share their successes and stories with me. The emails and conversations with them keep me motivated and committed to doing what I do.

WMI:   Share with Write Money Inc. readers some of the business leaders you admire, people who deeply inspire you. What is it about these people that you appreciate so much?

LH:       I’ve always admired Tyler Perry because I feel he has the right stuff. He has not only transformed his life, but the lives of so many around him, creating space to share stories, personal growth and financial growth within the Black community. His journey was not easy and even now he is not always as positively received as he should be, but he keeps making it happen and I love that. I try to mirror his can-do attitude in all that I do.

WMI:   What’s next for LaShanda Henry? Where do you see yourself in the next two to five years?

LH:       I see myself hopefully building a community that extends from the web into the real world and expands across the globe. If I can create spaces offline that foster the kind of support, growth, and exchange that I strive to build online, I think I will have truly seen my vision turned into a reality.

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