Jengerbread Marketing and Branding Firm

By: Jennifer “Jen-gerbread” Onwumere

If you’re anything like me, you were overwhelmed with excitement when you first discovered Spirit Airlines! What’s better than traveling roundtrip around the country for a little more than $200 bucks? Or even better, traveling internationally for under $600? That’s right! Not too many things are better! I have been a regular Spirit Airlines customer over the past few months because of the awesome rates--- that is until I discovered the dreaded Spirit “baggage fees”. I can truly say, since flying this airline, this is the first time, I have ever had an airline carrier try to charge me for a carry-on. Really Spirit?  A Carry-on?

However, from a business perspective, I totally get it. This provides a very effective way for Spirit to recoup the money lost on its discounted tickets, while regulating the amount of luggage passenger’s travel with etc. I get it, I get it, it makes sense. Even then, I am not comfortable at all, paying $45 for a carry-on (one way) and $60 for a checked bag. Thank Goodness I have found the perfect solution and it doesn’t cost me anything extra! What’s that? Yep, you guessed it- the “personal bag”.

Spirit empathizes with its customer and as a result allows each passenger to bring 1 “personal bag”. This can be a purse, a back pack etc. Thanks to Spirits gracious offer of a “personal bag”, I now can travel for 3-4 days without bringing a bang or a carry-on.

Here’s what I do:

I purchased a strong & sturdy backpack (one that people would typically use for hiking etc) in a general size.

Note: Spirit only allows your personal item to be 16" x 14" x 12".Make sure it can fit under the airplane seat.

Rule of Thumb:

If it fits under the seat= Personal Item

If it doesn’t= Carry On

Also make sure the bag you purchase has various compartments within the bag for storing & separation of various products. This bag had 2 net like storage compartments on the side, as well as 3 different zipper compartments & separation.

After selecting your bag, the next crucial aspect of your packing process will be to select the right clothing. I recommend clothing that is stretchy, bendable, not as prone to wrinkling ( though it is normal to expect a little wrinkle here and there), and finally statement pieces. Statement pieces are clothing items that you can easily mix & match with other clothing, such as

1)      A  Pair of Jeans

2)      A Black Pencil Skirt

3)      Flat Black Dress Shoes (Men) or Black Heels (Women) etc.

Here is an example of an outfit that I packed:

This is an outfit I packed for a Bachelorette party in Vegas. It was the perfect outfit because it was stretchy and easy to fold down to avoid taking up too much space in my bag. I have included some pictures above of the dress, as well as pictures of the dress rolled down to its smallest form. I also wore this dress with some black heels that I was able to wear with other dresses throughout the weekend.

Once you have finished selecting all your outfits for your trip using the guidelines listed above, line them in your backpack as so:

1.Shoes on The Bottom

2. Outifts on the second layer

3.  Undergarments on top

Use a clear ziplock bag, and lay your underwear and socks flat in the bag to avoid bulking. Do not fold.

You can fold your bras, and try to pack items underneath the cup to conserve spacing where applicable (mini makeup bags etc)

I know what you’re thinking. “Even if I can fit all these items into the bag, what about my purse etc?”. No problem! I have the solution. The trusted clutch! The clutch is great because it is something you can use during the day and is elegant enough for your evening outings.

Don’t feel like carrying a clutch while you’re running around during the day? No worries! Pack a small little knapsack/bag into your clutch. View the example pics below:

And finally, your toiletries. The good thing is, you can buy most of the toiletries you need when you arrive at your destination for relatively cheap (cheaper than checking another bag). For example, Wal-greens sells travel toothbrush sets that come with a toothbrush, toothbrush cover and toothpaste for $1. Can’t beat that! Be mindful of the size restrictions. Once you get to your hotel or the place you will be staying, utilize the drawers and unpack your items , so that they will be easily accessible to you during your trip. Happy Traveling everyone!

My Mindshift Experience with Daymond John

By: Jennifer “Jen-gerbread” Onwumere

Over the weekend, I was blessed with the opportunity to attend the Mindshift event with Daymond John (Creator of the Fubu Brand/ Star of ABC’s “Shark Tank”. The event was presented by 7-Eleven and Sederrick Raphiel; Founder of Dallas based Multimedia/Creative service company, The Design Factory.

I have been a fan of “Shark Tank” since its inception, so even though I was out of the country the day before the event, I did everything within my power to get back in Dallas in an effort to attend the event- and it was well worth it. As I’ve mentioned to others post event, the key message that stuck out to me from Daymond’s presentation was this (1) “People who say it can't happen should never interrupt those that are making it happen.” (2) “When Sharks stop swimming, they die. Keep it moving”. (3) He slept in a sleeping bag for 2 ½ years while building his company/brand, Fubu.

People who say it can't happen should never interrupt those that are making it happen.

Overall, surround yourself with people who believe in your dream, and distance yourself  from those who don’t. In life their our Innovators, people who change some aspect of our world, and the way we view it. For this day and age, Mark Zuckenberg, the creator of Facebook is an innovator. His social media platform has become an integral part of the way many people communicate today. What if he had listened when someone said it couldn’t happen?”

When Sharks stop swimming, they die. Keep it moving.

I’ve never believed that there was one course of action in life, that makes people feel “complete”. Winning the lottery, becoming a millionaire, getting a million degrees, getting married, having children, traveling the world; these are all great things. However, in life, it is a deep rooted part of our nature that once we conquer one area, we will always want more. This is not a bad thing. In life, we are always looking for a challenge. That’s why Donald Trump is not just content being a real estate mogul, he now serves as Executive Producer of the hit ABC Show “The Celebrity Apprentice”  ( he now makes about $3,000,000 dollars per episode making him one of the highest paid TV personalities on television according to Wikipedia). Overall, we never stop reaching and setting goals. That’s what makes life great, exciting and purpose filled.

He slept in a sleeping bag for 2 ½ years while building his company/brand, Fubu.

During the event, Mr. John stated that he slept in a sleeping bag on the floor for 2 ½ years when he converted his home into a factory to make the clothing. He only touched on this fact for a second, but after the event, I sat down and thought about  how long 2 ½ years is.

He slept on the floor:

-Long enough for 2 women to carry a baby to term consecutively, and long enough for one woman to give birth prematurely. (That’s a long time).

- Long enough for a college freshman to become a college Junior

- More than 1,000 days /More than 24,000 hours

I could go on & on. I guess my question is- How many of you would be willing to do this and more for your dream? Don’t worry, it’s a rhetorical question. Marinate on that……