by Tami Briggs

Contributions from:

Heather Canada

Joe Cianflone

Janelle Harris

Astrid Mueller

Linnyette-Richardson Hall

Gabriela Salamanca

Chara Swodeck

Joshua Swodeck

Jill Velez

3 | Guide to Building Your Empire

I love the song “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z. It makes so many powerful state-

ments about scraping by in the concrete jungle in New York City to elevate to life

in the coveted TriBeCa neighborhood in lower Manhattan. And in this song, Jay-Z

is not dreaming about what the city has to offer; he has already got it. Now it is

time you got yours!

New York City is the sprawling and busy metropolis we fondly refer to as The Big

Apple. It is a city that is both a gritty place and an idealized, flashy dream. It is a

city that offers great challenges and equally great opportunities. New York City is

hustle and bustle. It is Wall Street and Broadway. It is cluttered and naked and un-

ashamed. It’s also a city filled with color. Splashes of color on walls and billboard

and brilliant neon lights.

But what exactly is an EMPIRE STATE OF MIND? And how can you infuse this mind-

set into your business so that you are positioned for the greatest level of success at-

tainable?

Having an EMPIRE STATE OF MIND is about being energized, inspired and strong.

Making it is about surviving, striving and succeeding. It is about big dreams, goal

setting and arriving. It is about hustling and making it happen.

5 | Guide to Building Your Empire

6 | Guide to Building Your Empire

Growing your business is certain to bring about several feelings, such as fear, un-

certainty, excitement and joy. And as much as I love social media and the Inter-

net for connecting us to talented souls, it can get a bit overwhelming. There are so

many choices. Who and what to invest in gets dizzying. We have all been there as

we journey to greatness as we build our empires.

This guide changes the game. You will find and have right-now access to a “Board

of Advisors” no matter what size or stage your business is at. Some of these re-

sources are free, some are inexpensive and some require a serious investment into

the future of your empire. ALL of them will help you get to the next level one way

or another.

Building an empire is hard work and having an EMPIRE STATE OF MIND is also know-

ing you cannot get there alone. Letting go of control and bringing in professional

help makes is easier for you to focus on the areas of your business that you love

and excel at. And at the same time, by working with a team of qualified advisors,

you are also supporting other to do what they love and excel at. There is no better

synergy than that!

I took the time to carefully select and limit our advertisers and contributors to those

that support the development of other wedding entrepreneurs. In this guide you

will also find tips and strategies to help you grow your empire. In each section you

will find worksheets, articles, checklists and resources for all of the major pieces in

your business development. PLUS there are some really powerful quotes through-

out these pages!

I chose EMPIRE STATE OF MIND for our guide because your mindset should not be

limited to what is right in front of you, but bigger and broader in scope. I want you

to be as strong as the concrete jungle in New York City. As tall as a skyscraper. As

vast as the sprawling metropolis. As diverse as the culture in The Big Apple. And as

powerful and financially charged as Wall Street. But I also want you to pick up that

paint brush and color your world the way you see it. The whole process is meant to

build you up and empower you to greatness.

Let’s Get Started!

Tami Briggs | motivator and educator | Backstage Bridal Pro Academy

It’s All In Your Mind Page 9

Successful vs. Unsuccessful Table Page 11

7 Maximizing Decisions Page 13

Snapshot of 7 Key Decisions Table Page 15

Happiness Table Daily Activities Page 17

Mega Happiness Booster Table Page 18

Happiness Lifestyle Changes Table Page 19

When It’s Not All Tea and Cupcakes Page 21

Copying… It’s a Problem Page 22

7 Rules for Handling Conflict Page 23

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due Page 24

Value Your Work Page 26

5 Time Management Steps to Increase Page 29

the Effectiveness of Your Productivity

Resistance and Blocking Your Dreams Page 31

Marketing Love Page 35

Business Cards 101 Page 36

Create a Business Card Design That Page 38

Makes Your Customers Fall In Love

With Your Brand

Must-Have Marketing Toolkit Page 40

Finding Your Voice Page 43

Of Flash and Music Page 46

Web Lingo Page 50

Save Yourself a Headache...Hire a Page 53

Copy Editor

12 Things to Ask Your Web Developer Page 56

The Social Media-Verse Page 61

Twitter Tips and Tricks Page 62