SNEAK PEEK at Lil Diva / 1,500 Editions / 10 Years of HealthcareCollaborative / The Critic

Building Generational Leaders PUBLISHER'S PEACE Changing Business Model Today marks the 1,500 edition of TBTNewsservice.com. After the 5th year of Like Tweet Pin +1 Subscribe Building Generational Leaders For the latest menu options, please CLICK! (Paid AD) NGLC Leadership Luncheon Partner. CLICK for details! (Paid AD) Paid AD Paid AD Paid AD C. Dwayne West / MG Media PUBLISHER'S PEACEChanging Business Model Today marks the 1,500 edition of TBTNewsservice.com. After the 5th year of the news service being distributed to its many readers, the online media brand is exactly what I've expected. Well, not really. There is one thing I hoped would have happened midway through 2015. I figured that after five-years of publishing one of Chicago's newest and most talked about media entities, one or more individuals would've stepped up to infuse some capital into the online outlet. I've been in several early staged discussions, but no one has come to the table to meet my investment request. To be completely honest, I've not really pursued outside investors aggressively, to date. I believe that if I did, I could secure someone either within or outside of my community. And I will, soon. I've contemplated the notion of being relevant and profitable without any outside money. This makes me feel quite confident and excited, since I've been able to sustain and grow TBTNews as a private and independent company, currently with no support from investors or a bank. The progress of any business or establishment requires you to make multiple adjustments during the journey. It's imperative that you plan strategically for changes - regardless of how small or large. I've enjoyed the direction of the business model originally created in 2010. Going directly to the consumer allows the news service to attract the common subscriber - easily catering to their need for relevant news and information about issues that they find important. I think we've obligated that request. Therefore, starting January 1st, 2016, TBTNews will go from being a free content delivery platform, to a paid subscriber mechanism. This will again allow our subscribers to address their support for the product. My ambition was to always grow into a business-to-business model, as well. I wanted to innovate a new dynamic of how my community consumed critical content. The news service will still be presented as a consumer focused platform, but we believe that black people, in general, need to spend more time discussing and examining how to build profitable enterprises. We must think BIG! We must assume responsibility for our community's progress and growth. If we want to change our trajectory, as well as our families' future, we must plan for economic development. You plan by having meaningful discussions, debates, observations and strategies. So rather you're rising up the corporate ladder or struggling through your startup; finding influence, power and wealth through business advancements are very important for growth and progress. And most times, it requires us to alter our business model for continued success. Peace and One Love I Write to Differ NOTE: As of today, TBTNews has published 1,500 issues. I consider this to be a monumental milestone. I want to thank all of the loyal subscribers and advertisers who support the brand. I salute the team, and I recognize myself for being committed and having faith that this innovative new business model would work. DAMN... it feels great! CLICK BANNER FOR DETAILS (Paid AD) CELEBRITY TRAFFIC Aisha Murff, her good friend Sa'rah and their posse rock out on the hood of boat (Photo: Shot by Chris) Karly O. West cooling on boat to celebrate Aisha Murff's birthday party (Photo: Shot byu Chris) CLICK FOR DETAILS (Paid AD) Lanette on her float last year SNEAK PEEK at Lanette Warbington Better known as Lil Diva, launched her jewelry business in 2005. Her traveling company has had the luxury of doing set-ups at respectable establishments like Mr. G's, US Bank and Citi Bank locations throughout Chicago and south suburbs. The Jewelry Diva, as she's also often called, has spent years at posted-up at Chatham 14 Theater, several police headquarters, skating rinks; she has even sold jewelry at Aldermanic and State Rep fundraisers, and during the Illinois Black Caucus Golf outing. Lanette Jewelry sells everything from specialty items such as neckless and earring sets, men's cuff links, men stainless steel bracelets and tie - hankerchef combos, and custom t-shirts. Lanette has provided timeless pieces for celebrities like Chaka Khan, Lil Kim, Avery Sunshine, Sheila E, Kem, Chico Debarge, Johnny Gill, Dwele, Tom Joyner and his morning show cast, and many more. This will be the 5th year that Lanette has placed a float in the Bud Billiken Day Parade. After over eight decades, Lanette Jewelry was the first, and still the only small business retailer to have a float in the celebrated parade. This is a proud moment for Lanette. "I feel unstoppable! I've made history by being the first retail vendor in the parade. That's huge for me," Lanette says. "Today, I consider myself to be a very successful business woman. And my most memorable moment selling jewelry was when my team set-up at Chatham Theater during the Madea Goes to Prison opening weekend; we sold over $3,000 worth of jewelry on opening night (Friday). Then we sold over $5,000 the second day (Saturday) of the film," states Warbington, gleaming with excitement. Lanette has such an amazing passion for selling jewelry. She loves to see people in her pieces, especially when repeat customers look for her at different locations. "I do it because I have a passion for fashion. I love making people look good - when they look good, they feel good. I consider myself to be a flash of love," states Diva. CLICK FOR DETAILS (Paid AD) HEALTHY COMMUNITIESUChicago’s South Side Healthcare Collaborative Marks 10 Years Special Correspondent: David Rudd This year, the University of Chicago Medicine’s South Side Healthcare Collaborative (SSHC) celebrates 10 years of helping improve health outcomes for Chicago’s South Side residents. Convened in 2005, the SSHC is a network of more than 30 federally qualified health centers, free and charitable clinics, and community hospitals. SSHC’s mission is to advance the work of its members through service, education, networking and advocacy. The ongoing transformation in health care increases the need for collaboration and patient care coordination among providers. The SSHC focuses on developing tools in the areas of information, education, clinical care and outcomes. The SSHC is the only formal collaborative on the South Side that unites health centers, clinics, community hospitals and an academic medical center to address organizational processes and systems, circumstances that affect patients’ care-seeking behaviors and access to quality, comprehensive care. “The collaborative is important to health care on the South Side, because it provides an opportunity for its members to work together and develop strategies to more effectively achieve impact,” said Brenda Battle, vice president, care delivery and innovation for the University of Chicago Medicine. “While the University of Chicago Medicine provides program opportunities, leadership and other resources to support the work of the collaborative, the organization’s success is due to the engagement of member organizations alongside UCM that help us all provide better care for our patients. The SSHC’s new information and education toolkit with materials to enable physicians, nurses and other frontline providers to gain an understanding of the major factors driving the changes in the health care environment. This information will help support consistent knowledge transfer from providers and staff to patients about mandatory managed care, benefits of primary care, insurance and other topics. The toolkit can be tailored by each member organization. The SSHC recently identified the most frequent diagnoses and risk factors for the patients on the South Side, as well common interventions to address these risk factors. Care coordination bubbled to the top of the list of effective interventions. In response, the SSHC developed a care coordination model now used by many member sites. CLICK BANNER FOR DETAILS (Paid AD) CLICK BANNER FOR DETAILS (Paid AD) THE CRITICChopin Production and 99 Years Studios Premiere "The Almighty" The Almighty will premiere at the Adventure Stage Theatre on Friday, August 7 at 6PM. The Almighty, written and directed by Joseph Chopin, is a film based on the life of a young woman who lacks love in her life. The main character CLOE, while dreaming, comes face-to-face, with a man she once knew. Her persistence in questioning him about past relationship issues wakes her up. The Almighty is a movie that focuses on the internal view of love and how to appreciate what one has in life. With a semblance of beautiful images, The Almighty creates the impression of every thought one might have before an epiphany. Please click this link to be taken to the movie trailer: https://youtu.be/J8F0LQaMHJM Choplin production is the first production company to have an incubator at Cinespace Chicago Film Studio. If you’re interested in learning more, please email Paul Patterson at paul@paulmarrgroup.com or at 312.498.0048. They Die By Dawn! This film is based on the lives of historic Black cowboys of the old west. Four outlaws each with a bounty on their head, set a date for a shootout, with the last one standing claiming the rewards. Featuring an all-star cast that includes Erykah Badu, Michael K. Williams, Rosario Dawson, Jesse Williams, Isaiah Washington, Giancarlo Esposito, Nate Parker, Bokeem Woodbine and Chicago's own Harry Lennix. The DuSable Museum of African American History presents this amazing film tonight, August 7th. Doors open at 6PM, screening at 6:30PM. Discussion after movie with filmmakers. $10 admission. YEAH!