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Tech Layoffs, Pageants, & New Opportunities!

Tech Layoffs, Pageants, & New Opportunities!

Join the #DebtFreeBeforeGraduation Challenge - November 19, 2022

November 19, 2022

Happy Saturday!

Whew..time is moving fast. It's almost Thanksgiving!

If you're shopping for food next week, make sure you set aside more money than you typically do.

Watch Out for Inflation. Although the annual inflation rate (7.7%) was cooler than expected in October, that doesn't mean prices aren't rising quickly. Food prices are still rising at a historically fast pace. If you purchased a basket of goods and services that cost $100 a year ago, you'll end up paying $107.70 today for the same items.

Create Endless Opportunities. Since food prices are rising faster than paychecks, it's important to position yourself to create endless opportunities. Learn a new skill (classes available on LinkedIn Learning) or pick up a freelance writing gig (I earned six figures in 2021 by writing about personal finance, entrepreneurship, investing, and dividends). If you're looking to start a business, make sure you take financial statement classes so you don't lose all the money you worked so hard to make.

Don't miss out on upcoming scholarships, grants, and fellowships. We will deliver opportunities and updates to your inbox every Saturday.

For example, there's an opportunity for you to get paid to be a Grant Panelist in Chicago! The Cultural Grants team is looking for Chicago-based individuals to serve as grant application reviewers for approximately 40 total hours over a period of six weeks. Candidates must have arts and culture experience. Click here to learn more and apply.

Now, let's dive into all things Business, Beauty, and Brunch for the week.

Image Credit: Instagram (Monica Nia Jones of Chicago, Miss Illinois 2022)

Business

Go Getter Conference Candace Junée and Colony Reeves

RIP Twitter? Hundreds of employees quit Thursday after new CEO Elon Musk demanded employees commit to a hardcore work environment or resign. Prior to this, the company laid off half its workforce — many them were engineers. Is Twitter's platform going to collapse? If your job gave you this same ultimatum, what would you do?

Amazon layoffs. Amazon's corporate layoffs started this week and it's not over. CEO Andy Jassy told employees on Thursday that there will be more job cuts in 2023. The New York times estimates that 10,000 employees will be impacted. This represents the largest round of layoffs at the company. What would you do if your employer told you more layoffs were coming in a few months?

Facebook layoffs. Social media giant Facebook also laid off employees this month. On Wednesday, November 9th, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sent a letter to employees announcing the layoffs. The company laid off more than 11,000 employees, representing 13% of its staff.

I will start sharing more news on my YouTube channel. Subscribe here to get the latest business updates so you won't be left behind. Here are 3 moves you can make now to prepare for 2023:

Fellowships. If you're looking for a new opportunity, you can explore the world of fellowships. The good news is that you can find paid fellowships if you are a recent graduate, mid-career professional, executive leader, or never had formal education. For example, City Bureau offers Civic Reporting Fellowships in Chicago. You can do this on top of your full-time job if you're seeking to get your feet wet in the world of journalism.
Grants. If you already have a business and are seeking to grow, don't forget to apply for grants.
Receive Financial Statement Training. If you plan to run or grow a business, you have to know your numbers. Financial statements let you know how your business is doing and what it will take to get your business to the next level. Without financial statement knowledge, you limit the opportunities that are available to you. I teach financial statement training for journalists, investors, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders. The next Masterclass will take place on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Reserve your spot for the Financial Statement Masterclass.

Beauty

The most beautiful move you can make is to share the gifts inside of you and empower others to do the same.

“You want to set a goal that is big enough that in the process of achieving it you become someone worth becoming.”

Jim Rohn

It's pageant season! If you are looking to try something different (at any age) or do something that leaves you with no choice but to become a better version of you, then you should explore the world of pageants.

There is no one size fits all pageant and it's not all about beauty. I've compiled a list of upcoming pageants that you can watch or apply for to get you motivated about the opportunities that await you.

Miss America pageant. Monica Nia Jones of Chicago will compete for the title of Miss America on Thursday, December 15th at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut.

Miss Chicago pageant. If you've ever dreamed of becoming Miss America, you can apply to participate in the Miss Chicago competition taking place on January 7, 2023 at the Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago.

Miss Illinois USA pageant. The 2023 Miss Illinois and Miss Illinois Teen USA pageant will take place from May 26-28, 2023 at the Braden Auditorium of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.

Beauty Buy of the Week. I purchased the Fitbit Luxe this month to track my sleep, steps, water intake, and other health items. Not only is the Fitbit Luxe helping me to prioritize my health, but it's also sleek and sylish. You can also change the bad and I really LOVE that.

I'm always excited to wake up and check my sleep stats. On Thursday, I received 6 hours and 51 minutes of sleep. Make sure you are getting your beauty rest! You can grab your Fitbit Luxe or get a new band to change the look of your FitBut Luxe.

Brunch

Interested in the best food on Chicago's South Side? Of course you are.

Chicago is well-known for its food scene, but some of the best-kept secrets reside on the South Side of the city. From ethnic centric favorites to health conscious delicacies, you’ll be able to dive into an assortment of food that will make you feel right at home.

Since November is World Vegan Month, we'll start you off with some vegan options. Make new friends and catch-up with your besties at these restaurants around the city.

Debt-Free Before Graduation Challenge

Take a picture with the Debt-Free Before Graduation book (available on Amazon). Why? You want to create a vision of what you seek to accomplish. Look at the picture as often as you can and do what it takes to achieve your goal.
Send your picture to [email protected] and tag me on Instagram @charlenerhinehart. Use the hashtag #debtfreebeforegraduation. You have to make the vision so real that it has no choice but to become your reality.
Write a book review on Amazon after you purchase Debt-Free Before Graduation and read it. It's a quick read with six-figure tips!
The challenge will take place from November 12th - December 27, 2023. Winners will receive a Business, Beauty, or Brunch Gift Card and be selected during a Facebook LIVE in December and announced in an upcoming newsletter.

If you win a scholarship, let us know so that we can share in our next Chicago Southsider newsletter. We would love to congratulate you and share the news! Email us at [email protected].