Jacqueline Jimenez, CEO of Newsworthy Stories, is a Consultant who specializes in generating news coverage for Television and Social Media. She has been helping forprofit companies and non-profit organizations struggling through the Pandemic to get the word out, by producing news stories about their businesses and organizations, and posting them on their Social Media platforms as well as her own. This is generating a great deal of NEW business and awareness for her clients, and is especially beneficial to the nonprofits who desperately need fundraising. Businesses are even using her news stories as a Sales Tool to pitch to their prospective clients. She has also produced several client Success Stories for the Florida Women’s Business Center in Delray Beach, FL, highlighting the Center’s clients that have pivoted to continue business success during Covid 19.

Using her handbook “How to Get Television News Coverage, It’s Easier Than You Might Think!” Jacqueline has been offering media consulting workshops to inform business owners on how to get Local and National News Coverage. She has achieved success in many cases, and this led to speaking engagements where she shares her expertise on this topic.

Jacqueline has been a news producer and freelancer for nearly 30-years. She has worked for ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX affiliates, and has produced documentaries, commercials and corporate videos. She states –

“I tell people my experience allows me to tell your story like a news story, while highlighting your service. It allows people to see beyond your product and buy into your purpose.”

Before COVID, Jacqueline’s plan was solely focused on media consulting workshops and freelancing, but she saw a greater need for news stories, so she took her iPad and began covering the stories herself, even voicing the copy! Now it’s a core part of her business. While she officially started Newsworthy Stories as a business, January 1, 2021, she began producing stories entirely on her own in May 2020 as a freelancer.

One business owner told Jacqueline, her news stories “Saved their Business,” for which she is most grateful.

Shanelle Lambert is the founder and owner of “Perfect Hair Look” beauty salon, established in 2020 and located in Lauderhill, FL. The salon provides services such as virgin hair extensions, wigs, and lash extensions in addition to selling hair products for all hair textures and styles.

Ms. Lambert, along with her daughter Erroshell Campbell, launched both a successful online business and a brick and mortar hair salon during one of the most difficult periods for the economy, the COVID-19 pandemic. In that sense, they become a role model for other business owners in Broward County and South Florida who are also pivoting their companies during these challenging times.

Shanelle started renovating the space with the initial intent of opening her salon in January of 2020. Suddenly without notice or warning, the pandemic started and Broward County mandated the closing of businesses which forced her to close the doors. With so many business and household expenses accumulating, and not being able to operate her salon, Shanelle did not want to wait – she decided to join forces with her daughter, business partner and local community to pivot and move her business forward:

“Being a single mom, you have a different drive, a different mentality – you have to keep going. The business incorporated that single mom mentality, to continue to move… to find solutions quickly.”

Shanelle’s plan of action involved using her background in Education and Cosmetology to do product and market research, to learn more about customers’ needs and how she could cater to them online, via an e-commerce platform, instead of in person.

Technology became Ms. Lambert’s best friend – Perfect Look Hair made hair consultations available to clients via video conference and over the phone. Shanelle performed test-runs of the website to create the best possible online store for her hair products, also establishing an online presence and marketing her business through social media, for which she received close assistance and guidance from the Florida Women’s Business Center.

Moreover, she participated in as many virtual workshops and online networking events as possible - this allowed her to engage with her local community, build a strong network and even meet the Mayor during virtual events hosted by the City Hall. These and other virtual networking events also helped Shanelle find the people who became members of her team and staff.

Perfect Look Hair also started to deliver products directly to the customers’ door to avoid shipping delays that were happening during the pandemic – making sure the staff was being tested weekly for COVID-19 to assure the safety of the clientele.

“A lot of strangers met online in workshops and networking events, came together, worked together and made the business happen… you have to stay positive, and to stay focused!”

Finally, she expressed appreciation for the support provided by FLWBC to her business:

“I really want to thank FLWBC for helping me with my business, and for their continued support.”