Lioness Magazine - October 2012

http://www.thebusinewschannel.com

ISSUE 13 OCTOBER 2012

F E A T U R E S

12Meet the new“M’Lynn”

5 EDITOR’S LETTER16 LIPSTICK CHRONICLES20 YEAH I DID

10

ON THE COVER

Queen LatifahPhoto by Kevin Lynch,Copyright 2011

Ask AnEntrepreneur22Prospecting Tips29Seven Steps to AchievingYour Goals33

– BUSINESS

http://www.thelionessgroup.com

ISSUE 13 OCTOBER 2012

©2012 Lioness Magazine is thefirst online magazine gearedtoward female entrepreneurs. Wedeliver sharp and compelling infor-mation on a variety of topics thatare relevant to female entrepre-neurs and professionals. Our mis-sion is to elevate, educate and sup-port female professionals.

We celebrate the unique challengesand achievements of women inbusiness. We believe women aremulti-dimensional creations whoflourish, personally and profes-sionally, when they take time tonurture their spirits.

Editor-in-ChiefNatasha Clark

Copy EditorJeanne Wroblewski

Art DirectorLeonardo Pilares

Director of PhotographyDenise Smith

ColumnistsCrystal Senter Brown

Brenda’s ChildErin CorriveauKatelyn GendronKristina Chapell

Contributing WritersLamara HunterEmily ThurlowJennifer Sawyer

mailto:[email protected]

LIONESS OCTOBER 2012 5

Natasha

Natasha Clark

welcome to lioness

editor’s letter

The

ReigningQueen

The 80s woman was a force to be reckoned with. She was more likely to becollege educated, co-head a double-income household and her voice was start-ing to be heard in the boardroom. Dolly Parton was working “9-5,” Janet,Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty, was taking “Control” and there was this womaneveryone kept talking about named Oprah; she was becoming a talk showphenomenon.

As a youngster I knew I wanted to be this type of woman – one who took herdestiny in her own hands. My mother told me I could do anything I wantedto, and I believed her. Women such as the reigning Queen Latifah onlycemented the idea. While she was on my radio singing about putting “LadiesFirst,” the impeccable Phylicia Rashad was on my TV screen dominating“The Cosby Show.” They had style, they had class, they had something to say;and the bonus was that they looked like me.

I admire versatility. It is not an easy task. Latifah has been brave enough totake her interests and pursue them wholeheartedly. A rapper, a jazz singer, TVstar, film lead, author, producer, spokesperson – her endeavors are endless.

While Hollywood’s A List has contained few people of color, Latifah spent the90s rising in popularity, and the quality of her body of work has been remark-able. It inspired other young women, especially those who did not fitHollywood’s limited definition of beauty.

In 2008, Latifah told Time.com, “There is always an attempt to put a glassceiling on a woman in general. Networking is the key. It’s about workingtogether. It’s about connecting with people who don’t look at you with limits.Some things are just timing and determination and perseverance.”

This month we celebrate our astounding cover woman as writer CrystalSenter Brown takes us inside Queen Latifah’s latest endeavor, remaking theclassic film “Steel Magnolias.” We hope this issue inspires you to take yourseat at the throne of whatever kingdom you desire to establish. Today is alwaysthe perfect day to unleash the Lioness within.

Queen Latifah

Photo by Kevin Lynch,

Copyright 2011

http://www.youngfemaleentrepreneurs.com


drienne MacDonald of Marietta,GA, will be one of 33 women fromwestern countries, includingAmerica, to go to Jerusalem andparticipate in bringing 33Palestinian and 33 Israeli women

together in a three-day celebration of peace andharmony. This event is scheduled for Oct. 25 –27, 2012, near Jerusalem, at the Little EverestHotel, Beit Jala, West Bank of Israel. It will befilmed as part of an ongoing documentary onthe BraveHeart Foundation’s continuing effortsto bring together women in conflict zonesaround the world.

MacDonald reaches out to other women locallyand globally, as one of BraveHeart Women’s“Resonators,” encouraging collaborationthrough education and inspiration. In late July,MacDonald participated in the organization’sweek-long training involving an integrated seriesof exercises and role development forResonators, held in Ventura, California. It wasattended by women originating from the UnitedStates, Canada, England, Ireland, Iran andPakistan.

“The BraveHeart community is passionateabout helping women be part of an ever expand-ing global collective of women who intuitivelysense they have a critical role to play in shapinga more harmonious future for our world and Iam proud to be a BraveHeart WomanResonator,” said MacDonald, a businesswomanand former nurse.

A central part of BraveHeart Women events areOxytocin Circles, which incorporate breathingtechniques and exercises that transform the bodyfrom “fight or flight” mode to a state of “createand collaborate,” enabling women to do so morenaturally and effectively with one another andwith less stress.

“We are teaching women to collaborate in amore feminine way based on a scientific formu-la,” said Dr. Ellie Drake, founder and visionaryof BraveHeart Women. “We have started a grassroots movement empowering women to bemore, create more and collaborate more.”

BraveHeart Women across the United States arecurrently engaged in activities and fundraisingefforts for the October 2012 Jerusalem Oxytocin

Project. Their goal was to raise $231,000 bySeptember 20, 2012. These funds will pay for 33western women to travel to Jerusalem, 33 Israeliand 33 Palestinian women to be transported tothe event, accommodations and food for all thewomen, and the film documenting the event.The purpose of the event is to bring togetherwomen to lessen tensions in conflict areas,understand each other and forge common bondsthrough collaboration.

This project began in 2010 when eleven womeneach from Israel and Palestine came together, onstage, at the organization’s annual Rise event inNovember. This project will culminate in July of2014 with a thousand women coming togetherin Jerusalem. The documentary of this projectwill be released in November of 2014 to helpsupport on-going fund raising efforts to contin-ue bringing women together in conflict areasaround the world.

MacDonald said she is raising awareness for theglobal efforts of BraveHeart Women and theJerusalem event by holding local, free-of-chargeOxytocin Circle events.

Dr. Ellie Drake was born in Iran and immigrat-ed to the United States in her late teens. It washer parent’s desire that she become a doctor. Shefulfilled that vision for her parents and thenwent on become a successful personal growthentrepreneur. She is now called to collaboratewith women. She has developed a scientific for-mula which utilizes Oxytocin, a naturally occur-ring hormone that creates a feeling of connec-tion, trust, bonding, and harmony. Dr EllieDrake’s Female Success Model is a mix of sci-ence, intuitive knowing and entrepreneurship.

At the Vancouver Peace Summit in September2009, the Dalai Lama spoke on the need formore effort to promote basic human values ofcompassion and affection while noting thatfemales have more sensitivity to other’s pain andsuffering.

“The world will be saved by the Westernwoman,” he said indicating that “Western”women have access to so many resources toaffect change. The BraveHeart Women havetaken up the Dalai Lama’s call to initiate theeffort to shift the world toward a more peacefuland harmonious planet.

Adrienne MacDonald,Marietta GA

AWomen with Bravehearts

“THE WORLDWILL BE SAVEDBY THEWESTERNWOMAN.”– Dalai Lama

8 LIONESS OCTOBER 2012

he examination of records of more than 60,000Consolidated Credit clients nationwide revealeda pattern: single women are more likely than sin-gle men to carry credit card debt. According toConsolidated Credit’s records, 70 percent of thecalls received in the last six months are fromwomen seeking credit card help.

One of the reasons for higher debt amongwomen is gender pay gap.

Even though women have made great stridesequalizing pay disparity, men still receive highersalaries in most occupations. Women earned 81cents for every dollar earned by men in 2010,according to a report by the Bureau of LaborStatistics (BLS).

“In order to make ends meet, women have tostretch their paychecks much more than men,incurring credit card debt quite often,” saidHoward Dvorkin CPA and founder ofConsolidatedCredit.org.

Women who work as personal financial advisors,retail salespersons, insurance sales agents, andlawyers earn lower salaries than men in the samefields, according to the BLS.

Despite receiving lower salaries, single womentend to spend more much more than men onhousing, personal care, drinks, food and cloth-ing. For instance, single women spend 39.8 oftheir income on housing, while men spend 30.3percent. When it comes to personal care singlemen spend 3.9 and single women 7.9 percent,according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Dvorkin has the following advice for women indebt:

Negotiate salary: Women earn less than men inalmost every industry, including highly paid pro-

fessions like doctors and lawyers. Before going toa job interview, women should research pay ratesfor the type of work they intend to do.Salary.com could be a great resource for singlewomen looking to advance in their careers. Also,women need to find out if their employers offertuition reimbursements and take the requiredclasses to get promoted.

Pay off one debt at a time: Women shouldmake the minimum payments on all credit cardsand put the extra cash towards one debt. Toselect the debt they want to tackle first, womenshould look at the one that has the highest inter-est rate (APR). The idea is to get rid of the debtthat is growing fastest and start paying it off!Once the highest interest rate credit card is paidoff, it’s time to tackle the next high interest ratedebt, and so on.

Invest in the market: Men are more likely toinvest than women, but different studies showwomen make better investors than men. Joiningan investment club with other women could bea great start. It is inexpensive to get started, andit helps single women make better decisionsabout their retirement funds.

Get credit in shape: Often single women rackup debt as a result of not checking their creditreports. Women should check their creditreports at least once every year and correct errorsif necessary. To obtain a free credit report, visitannualcreditreport.com

Total up all monthly expenses: One of themost common problems people run into whencalculating their monthly expenses is forgettingabout the little things. It’s important to includehair appointments, gym memberships andmorning coffee costs in monthly budgets. It'salso crucial to add in seasonal costs, such asholidays, birthdays and even vehicle registration.

Single women are more likelythan their male counterpartsto incur credit card debt

“IN ORDER TO MAKE ENDS MEET, WOMEN HAVE TO STRETCH THEIR PAYCHECKSMUCH MORE THAN MEN, INCURRING CREDIT CARD DEBT QUITE OFTEN,”

– Howard Dvorkin

http://www.womego.com


The AVNI CollectionBoston Fashion Week photos taken by Emily Thurlow.


G. KIM StudioBoston Fashion Week photos taken by Emily Thurlow.


Crystal Senter Brown has appeared in Essence Magazine, Vibe Magazine andRedbook Magazine and has released three music cd’s and three books, most recent-ly “The Rhythm in Blue” (www.therhythminblue.com.) But the role she is mostproud of is being Adonte’s mother and Corey’s wife. Learn more about Crystal atwww.crystalsenterbrown.com.

The Queen reigns inSteel Magnolias

– Shine On Sista! –

(L to R) Director KennyLeon behind the scenes withhis stars Queen Latifah,Condola Rashad and JillScott of the all-new LifetimeOriginal Movie, SteelMagnolias, premieringSunday, October 7, at 9pmon Lifetime. Photo by EricLiebowitz, Copyright 2011


f it ain’t broke,don’t try to fix it”has always beenmy motto.Whether it is abeautiful song,painting or classi-cal movie, I’vealways preferred

the original to be left alone if it was done well thefirst time.

So when I heard that Lifetime TV was producinga remake, I immediately gave them the side eye.In my head, Steel Magnolias is like my mama’speach cobbler, no one can make it better than shedoes.

My mind began to change when I heard whowould play some of my favorite roles. PhyliciaRashad is Clairee, Jill Scott is Truvy, AdepeoOduye is Annelle, Alfre Woodard is Ouiser,Condola Rashad (Phylicia Rashad’s daughter) isShelby and Queen Latifah is M’Lynn.

While I am a fan of the entire cast, my favorite isQueen Latifah. Born Dana Owens in Newark,New Jersey, I have adored her since I first saw herin her U.N.I.T.Y. music video in 1993. As hermusic career blossomed and her feet danced fromconcert stages to movie sets, Latifah’s acting rangehas become limitless. Whether she is playing alesbian bank robber (Set it Off), magazine pub-lisher (Living Single) or bee keeper (The SecretLife of Bees), she owns the screen. She has lenther voice for animated characters (Ice Age andFairly OddParents) and even played oppositesome of my favorite leading men including L.L.Cool J (Last Holiday), Common (Just Wright)and Mos Def (Brown Sugar).

A few weeks ago I was offered the opportunity tointerview Queen Latifah along with the produc-ers of the 2012 Steel Magnolias (Neil Meron andCraif Zadan.) The day before the interview, myhusband and I watched an exclusive viewing ofSteel Magnolias provided by Sony Pictures/Lifetime.

When the movie started, I was sitting with myarms crossed, not knowing what to expect.Would it be as good as the original version?Well, it was not only as good as the original ver-sion, in my opinion it was better. The 2012 ver-sion is much more contemporary, with severalupdates/ changes Steel Magnolias fans will recog-nize right away. Even Shelby’s life-threatening

Continued on page 15

Queen Latifah stars as“M’Lynn” in the all-newLifetime Original Movie,Steel Magnolias, premier-ing Sunday, October 7, at9pm on Lifetime. Photo

by Kevin Lynch,Copyright 2011


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the queen reigns in steel magnolias

health condition in the 1989 version is updatedto reflect the changes in modern medicine. Producer Neil Meron said they wanted to “honorthe material it was based on” while “updating itand making the changes that were appropriate tosetting the movie now such as texting/Facebook.”

The setting is the same and mirrors the 1989 ver-sion of the film almost scene by scene, but that’swhere the similarities end. You won’t find a traceof Sally Field in Queen Latifah’s M’Lynn, andAlfre Woodard’s Ouiser had me laughing outloud.

The producers of the film repeatedly stated dur-ing our interview that the 2012 Steel Magnoliasis not a remake. Craig Zadan said “We were look-ing to do it again based on what’s on the page andnot on what’s been done previously. When yousee Jill Scott’s performance, it does not make youthink of Dolly Parton. Jill Scott is doing her per-formance as an actress for that role as written onthe page. She is not trying to recreate DollyParton.”

Queen Latifah raved about her cast mates, evencalling Phylicia Rashad “the world’s mom.”Latifah said Phylicia was “Michelle Obamabefore Michelle Obama.”

When Meron was asked why he chose to cast themovie with an all-black cast, he said “SteelMagnolias is a timeless and universal piece and itjust works in whatever community you set it in.”

I agree with Neil, especially after watching thefilm. While it stayed true to the original script,several themes that are only found in the blackcommunity were definitely evident, from the waythe lines were delivered by each actress, to the

selection of music for various scenes throughoutthe movie. The 2012 version of Steel Magnoliasfelt like it was made just for me, and I’m sure thatwas the goal of the director and producers.

And once you watch Steel Magnolias, you’ll feelas though it was made for you, too! So round upyour girlfriends, cook up some southern foodand tune into Steel Magnolias during the monthof October on Lifetime!

(L to R) Executive Producer Neil Meronand Executive Producer and star QueenLatifah behind the scenes of the all-newLifetime Original Movie, Steel Magnolias,premiering Sunday, October 7, at 9pm onLifetime. Photo by Eric Liebowitz,Copyright 2011



Kristina Chapell is a single gal in her thirties making her way in the world. Passionate,savvy, and stylish; Kristina is a social relationship builder. You can often find her onFacebook and Twitter keeping up with the latest news and always supporting causes sheis passionate about such as the Alzheimer’s Association, Link to Libraries, and TheBusinews Channel.

Dressing to impress – The Lipstick Chronicles –


WWe’ve all heard the expression “don’t judge a bookby its cover,” but we all know deep down this isn’ttrue. In fact books aren’t sold for what is on theinside but yet are sold based on what is on thecover. After all, the cover is the reason we take thebook off the shelf.

How does this relate to you? Simple… just like abook you may be fabulous on the inside but if youhaven’t peaked people’s interest with your “cover”they will never know how fabulous you really are.This being said, your image is your book cover; theclothes you wear, the car you drive, your hairstyleand even your personal hygiene. Your image maynot convey the whole story but it will allow othersto take a chance and find out more.

First impressions are made in less than 30 seconds,right or wrong, it happens. So, whether you aredating or going for a job interview, heed this warn-ing, “you never get a second chance to make a firstimpression.” The impression you give should beimmediate and long lasting. The philosopher, Socrates, promulgated “The Law

of Cause and Effect” - all actions have conse-quences and produce specific results; and todaynot much has changed. If you dress like you don’tcare then others won’t care either. When youchoose how you look, you choose how others willrespond to you. However, it is also about choos-ing your outfit for your audience. Are you dressingto impress men or women?

Whether dressing for your friends or to impressyour date it’s not about how much cleavage youcan show, but instead you should select an outfitwhich accentuates your pros and conceal your not-so-flattering aspects. Modesty has some positives,especially as a guy looks for a girl he is proud of not one who looks like a one-night stand.

How do you dress to impress without looking toosexy or taking it too far? Some ideas are:

Many of these tips can be translated into job inter-views or business meetings as well. Always lookput together and keep the “girls” covered; this isdefinitely an area when cleavage should stay cov-ered. Often times it is said “dress for the job youwant, not the job you have,” so do just that – dressthe part.

Whether you are dressing for a date or for aninterview, it’s okay to experiment to determineyour style, one that enhances your natural proper-ties. Whatever that style remember you shouldalways be a mix of conservative, sophisticated,feminine, slightly sexy, and smart.

• Wear one “skimpier” piece. If on topthan cover up on the bottom, like a cutehalter top and nice pants.

• Don’t dress for how old you want to bebut how old you actually are; and don’t dressolder than you are. No matter what your sizeyou can find outfits to flatter you and fityour age.

• Go for comfort. No matter how cute the5-inch heels are if you can’t walk in themthe shoes won’t be ones getting noticed.Also goes for clothes you can’t breathe in.Eventually you feeling tortured on theinside will show on the outside.

• Fabrics and colors attract too.Cashmere and silk connote class and sexinessand colors like red and pink are sexy.

• Trends don’t matter to men. Theydon’t know what is in style or who the latestdesigner is.

• Keep nails trimmed and manicured.This goes for toes too.


Ellen Freyman is the co-founder ofOnBoard, a nonprofit organization thatmatches people with jobs within variousorganizations, particularly women andother under-represented populations.She serves as vice president of the STCCFoundation, which works to assist thecollege in meeting its academic goals andproviding educational opportunities tomembers of the community. She alsoserves on more than 10 additionalboards in the area focused on a widearray of educational and communityservice-oriented pursuits.

llen Freyman of Longmeadow, Massachusettswas recently announced as a William Pynchonmedal recipient and will be inducted into theOrder of William Pynchon on Thursday,November 15. This year marks the 98th year theAd Club has presented the Pynchon Awards.

The Order of William Pynchon was establishedin 1915 by the Advertising Club of WesternMassachusetts (then known as the PublicityClub) for the purpose of giving public recogni-tion to those citizens in the region who haverendered distinguished civic service.

A partner with the law firm Shatz, Schwartz &Fentin P.C., Ellen Freyman of Longmeadow,Massachusetts was also named the 2012 Womanof the Year by the Professional Women¹sChamber, a division of the Affiliated Chambersof Commerce of Greater Springfield.

Freyman receivesWilliam Pynchon Medal


Erin Corriveau is the Marketing Manager for Reliable Temps, Inc, a full servicestaffing firm founded in 1989 with offices in Agawam, Easthampton andGreenfield Massachusetts. An avid writer, Erin has primarily worked in commu-nity and public relations adding Environmental Compliance Services,MassMutual Financial Group and Baystate Health among her previous employers.Visit www.reliabletemps.com.

Surviving Breast CancerOne woman’s touching tale

– Yeah I Did –

Gwen and her friend Lizat The Pink Petal


Imagine sitting in the waiting room of your hos-pital’s radiology and imaging department. It’syour annual mammogram appointment andyou’re loathing the idea of “getting squished.” Todistract yourself, you pick up the worn, six-month-old copy of Woman’s Day magazine sit-ting in front of you at the table and leaf throughhow you can drop five pounds in 10 days orbake the perfect apple pie.

The door opens and your name is called. Tenminutes later, the look on the radiology tech’sface is all-too telling. Suddenly, baking an applepie can wait. Suddenly, dropping those fivepounds isn’t important.

You know you have breast cancer.

This was Gwen Burke in February 2012. Asmart, sassy and confident lady, she was fitting ina quick mammogram at Mercy Medical Centerin Springfield, Massachusetts before a moviedate with her close friend of over 18 years, Liz.

“Breast cancer was never something I thought Ihad to worry about. My father was killed in a caraccident when I was nine years old and mymother was adopted. My family medical historywas truly a mystery to me,” Gwen recalled. “Idid some research and found out that due tothese circumstances my insurance would pay fora BRAC analysis which is a hereditary test forbreast and ovarian syndromes.”

To Gwen’s delight, the BRAC came back nega-tive. “Coupled with the fact that I had my chil-dren young and I breastfed, I was at the lowestrisk for breast cancer. All I could think of was,‘Great! One less thing to worry about!’”

With this is mind, she didn’t give this impend-ing mammogram a thought, that was until shemid-way through the test. “Suddenly, I justknew. I felt it. I remember thinking ‘I havebreast cancer’.” The tell-tale look on the radiolo-gy tech’s face only enhanced this feeling. Sure

enough, she was told there were abnormal spotspresent in her right breast. She was whiskedaway for an ultrasound where they discoveredmore abnormal spots. The radiology tech knewthat Gwen didn’t want her daughter-in-lawDanielle or her daughter Michaelan, who bothwork at Mercy, to know, so she kept her hidden.

Her eyes welled with tears and her voice crackedwith love as the anguish of that moment camerushing back to her. “These are my kids. As amom, you are supposed to protect them. Icouldn’t tell them anything yet. I couldn’t worrythem without knowing exactly what was goingon.”

Soon after, she was dressed and leaving the hos-pital with an appointment for a biopsy the fol-lowing Wednesday. “The staff at Mercy waswonderful and moved so quickly to get the testsdone and the biopsy scheduled,” Gwen said.

She kept her date to meet Liz at the movies andimmediately told her the news. Gwen laughed asshe recalled her old friend’s reaction. “Liz lookedright at me and said, ‘So do you wanna see amovie or go for a drink?’”

There they were at Lattitude Restaurant forquite a long time that afternoon - sharing hopes,fears, laughs and a cocktail or two. It was whatshe needed to process what had just happened –a familiar, safe and comfortable place with an olddear friend. The hardest part came next, tellingher husband and her children: Nick and hisfiancée Julie, Michaelan and her husbandGeorge and Kevin and his wife Danielle who arethe parents of her beautiful little grandson,Nolan.

Married to Chuck for 36 years, they shared a lifefull of adventure and love. I’ve had the pleasureof visiting Gwen and Chuck’s home, specificallya room called The Visitation Pub. It’s a roomwhere guests can enjoy a pint, or a pinot, andtake in the items that adorn the walls that tell the

story of the Burkes from Chuck’s hat he worewhen they dated to a child’s ice skates to special-ly made wedding napkins. There are pictureseverywhere that detail these moments. There isno doubt to anyone who visits that this is a spe-cial family, very rich in love.

Gwen had to break the news to the man whomade those memories with her. “Chuck has beenabsolutely wonderful but in the beginningChuck didn’t expect to hear this news and tookit very seriously. I would use humor and laugh-ter as my medicine, but Chuck would say,‘Gwen you need to be more serious.’ He keptsaying he wished it was him instead, that he wasthe one that had to go through it. I often thinkit’s easier to be the one with cancer as we havecontrol whereas being the one watching some-one you love so much go through it – you feelhelpless and out of control, out of the driver’sseat. It’s something you can’t make better.”

Following her biopsy, Gwen got the call to comein for the results. With Chuck and Michaelan byher side, Dr. Steven Shonholz shared the news.“He told me that I had In Situ Carcinoma whichmeans a “contained” or “in place” carcinoma inmy milk ducts.” Walking out, Gwen wasstunned. With Chuck having to return to work,Michaelan looked at her mother and said, “Doyou want to go home?” “No,” said Gwen. “Iwant to go shopping.”

Shortly after, she marched into her employer,BusinessWest, and walking right up to GeorgeO’Brien and Joe Bednarz and said, “So, I havecancer. What are we going to do about it?” Thevery next issue of BusinessWest showcased an adfrom Gwen sharing her diagnosis and urgingwomen to get their mammograms. “The way Isee it, God knows I’m not a quiet person. Hegave me this job knowing I would not sit quiet-ly. He knew I would spread the word. “


1) How long have you been in business?Creative Futures LLC opened in Dec 2009 and will complete its third year of operation this year.

2) Why become an author?Being an author for me has been one of those dreams that I have held for a very long time, but nevermade time to do anything about. However, when both opportunity and time presented themselves tome to write my book “I AM: Renewal From Within the Garden” in the same moment, my spirit wasmoved to not only recognize their appearance in my life, but to finally seize the chance to take thesteps needed to do something with it.

3) You’ve changed careers later in life. How has the transition been?This most recent career change to become the founder of Creative Futures LLC was actually the lastof perhaps six career changes that moved me from education to business and back again over myprofessional life and I can use each of these prior events to compare to this one. Although each ofthese earlier transitions presented an interesting set of issues to work through, such as what environ-ment would I be most comfortable in, what type of work might I be interested in doing and whatindustry would I consider working in, they were each points of change that were about what choices Ineeded to make with respect to how to continue to make a living. However, perhaps because this lastone was, as you say, happened later in life, it seemed as if it was more about what I really wanted toaccomplish with my life and what I wanted my life to mean. Making the decision to go out on myown was one of the most frightening decisions I ever made, but it also seemed to be the most neces-sary. I don’t know if it was age or timing, but I felt the urgent need to take charge of my destiny andnot just continue to fit into a pre-defined 9-to-5 time-for-dollars structure. Even though it was one ofthe scariest times in my life, it was also the most exhilarating because I had to reach deep insidemyself in order to find me and not the image of who I had come to accept--in other words, that methat the world had defined me to be. I actually started a blog called “Transitioning with Grace”(www.transitioningwithgrace.com) to wrestle with all of the emotions and thoughts that dizzied mymind during those early months of redefining myself as well as my path. This transition has been thebest gift I ever gave myself.

4) You could have worked for anyone and would have been successful,why become an entrepreneur?As I went through the process of self-discovery, part of that process was the understanding that Icould not just start over somewhere else as the new kid on the block one more time. While I hadnever considered being an entrepreneur before that moment, that still small voice inside knew thatdoing so was going to become a central piece in defining my new future. My challenge was to let goenough to be able to listen and act with courage in spite of any lingering inner uncertainty. I didsomething I never did before. I leaped and began Creative Futures LLC on faith knowing that thecourage to do so had been planted in my spirit and I would be led by God’s hand through the steps tosucceed. Writing “I AM” was one of those steps.

5) What was your last, “why did I go into business for myself” moment?In the beginning that “why did I go into business for myself” moment came almost every day. Thejourney to build a business is a challenge that requires constant energy, focus, and commitment. Italso requires developing new skill sets that I never imagined needing. I used to wake up regularlythinking about things that needed to be done, like having to build a company website, to get to thenext level and the idea that it would probably be easier to just be working for someone else wouldcreep into my thinking, but then I would remember what I stood to lose by turning back. I have beenblessed with the ability to build the plane while I fly it so I just dove in and tackled one task at a time.The day I first published my company website, www.creativefuturesllc.com, I knew I had climbed anew ladder and won. From that point, each successful baby step that inched me forward toward cre-ating my new beginning lessened those panic-filled moments. As a result, the “why” comes muchless frequently now, usually when the 90 hats that an entrepreneur must wear get a little out of sync.Those are the times that I look around and wish that I had a boss that I could complain to who couldmake the accounting, IT, or the marketing staffs come help get the work done. I try to complain tomyself, but unfortunately, the answer is rarely empathy resulting in more hands on deck.

Lucie Lewis is an experiencedfreelance technical and creativewriter and the owner/founder ofCreative Futures LLC (www.cre-ativefuturesllc.com). She holdsan Ed.D. from William HowardTaft University in EducationalLeadership, an M.A. in HumanServices Administration fromSpringfield College and a B.S. inElementary Education fromAmerican International College.Her writing has appeared in AfroAmerican Point of ViewCommunity Newspaper,Executive Forum Magazine,Western Mass Women’sMagazine and onUnityFirst.com.Magazine and onUnityFirst.com

(Answers By: Lucie K. Lewis,Creative Futures LLC

Ask an EntrepreneurLucie K. Lewis, Creative Futures LLC

6) What was your last, “this is why I went into business for myself” moment?The truth is that even from very early on anytime that I have heard the doubts rumble in my mind’sear, I also heard the words whispering in my head, “But never have you felt so purposeful and ener-gized and never has the image of possibility or the appreciation of satisfied clients meant so much.”The resounding Ah-Ha that I made the right decision counters all doubts with a right-cross that justends the internal debate. I could count almost any day as the last time a moment of questioning arosebecause the work of an entrepreneur seems endless and the roller coaster has its reoccurringmoments, but the deep questioning that stems from uncertainty and doubt stopped to long ago toremember.

7) Every female professional should have __________.…the inner courage to stand up for themselves, their beliefs and what is right.

8) If you could steal some business mojo from another mogul,who would it be and why?For me, it is not necessarily someone whose mojo I think it would be nice to steal, but the source ofthat mojo. As I look around, successful business women have a self-assurance and presence thatdrives their imagination, creativity and social interactions. Growing into that place is a process that iswedded with experience. Becoming an entrepreneur later in life as I have also means that I have notyet enjoyed some of those learning opportunities. I wonder sometimes what would change if I couldsteal that collective wisdom gained through time as a plug and play, but then I remember that it is thelearning process that gives wisdom its breadth and I decide that there is probably little value in suchan act of thievery.

9) What is the message of your new book?“I AM” Renewal From Within the Garden shares a message of hope, inspiration, empowerment, revivaland restoration. Although the book was not written from any specific theological construct, it is a bookabout finding my faith based upon Biblical instruction. During a time of deep depression, I turned tothe words of the Great I AM found in the Gospel of John to find my true center. Through the lessonsthat soothed my weary soul, as shared in the pages of the book, I try to explain the journey that I tookto re-anchor my spirit and craft my path to a new emotional beginning, to find the answers to ques-tions that could give me an inner peace, and to recognize the insights that would empower me toembrace my inner strength. My hope is that in reading through its pages others will find the sameinner awakening. When I had finished the journey retold in “I AM,” I knew I did not stand alone. As myreaders reach its closing pages, I hope they too are ready to stand and say, "I am" knowing they arenot alone either.

10) What is your business motto?The business motto for Creative Futures LLC is based on the belief that every business has a uniquestory that needs to be told and it is my job to help them tell it. This is why our motto is informationthat you need—the way you need it.

11) If you could give other entrepreneurs three tips, what would they be?a. Believe in yourselfb. Never stop moving forwardc. Celebrate your small victories – you have earned it.

12) Has there been a piece of technology or software that has beena lifesaver to you?As a freelance technical and creative writer, being able to communicate with clients electronically,share files and make changes to documents quickly has proven to be invaluable.

13) What is your goal for the next year?Creative Futures LLC operates three facets to the business: client work, published articles andauthorship. One of my goals for next year involves authorship. I hope to make progress on thegenealogical and historical research required to tell the story about my great-grandmother. Her storyinvolves a look back at the very difficult years after the civil war and I hope to be able to snatch aglimpse at the struggles that were faced by her generation, which was the first generation of African-Americans born as freed persons. Based on the depth of the research required to write this storywell, I anticipate it will take several years to complete this project.

14) When someone is telling their friend about your business,what do you hope they say?I hope that someone telling a friend about Creative Futures LLC would say that I dealt with them fair-ly and honestly, that I produce quality work and that the project that I did with them was relevant,useful and helped to make a difference in their business.

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Next, an MRI was scheduled. True to Gwen andher spunky character she again laughed, “Iremember it was Ash Wednesday because Chuckand I went to McDonalds for fish sandwichesafterwards.” There at the MRI, they found threehot spots. When she asked what was next, herdoctor said, “You could do another biopsyor…”Before he could finish Gwen answered,“No way! Just take it off!” and she meant it. Shewas moving ahead and wasn’t playing around.

Gwen found a trusted plastic surgeon to conducther reconstructive surgery - Dr. Melissa Johnson.Chuck accompanied her to her consultationappointment and there she continued her mis-sion to have fun along the way and make themost of every moment. Much to Chuck’s dis-may, Gwen found a “bag of breasts” hanging onthe back of the office door and she began to takeout various sizes and dance around the officeasking Chuck what size he thought she shouldget.

I laugh myself at this point because it’s exactlywhat I would expect her to do and am takenwith her strength to have fun with everythingshe can along her journey. “Chuck just shook hishead,” she laughed. “All along I had the attitudethat this is part of life, and I just had to roll withit.” As she says this, I’m reminded of a t-shirt shepurchased recently that reads, “Yes, they’re fake.My real ones tried to kill me.”

Her mastectomy was scheduled for April 4th,just about two months after her mammogram.Armed with a beautiful handmade quilt honor-ing the fight against breast cancer that herdaughter Michaelan made her, Gwen preparedherself for surgery. “The night before, I felt suchan outpouring of love and support that I was justovercome. The amount of love I felt could’ve litup the entire City of Springfield!” It didn’t stopthere. In the days following her surgery, peoplewere calling or stopping by to visit. Dozens offlowers were delivered. “The inside of my houselooked like a garden,” she happily recalled. Sheeven had six Edible Arrangements delivered inone day. “The delivery girl and I just startedlaughing each time I opened the door and shewas there.”

All of this is what kept her going during the nextpart of her journey. While in surgery, an invasivetumor was found – something that was not

anticipated. This tumor had to be sent to a labin California to be examined, diagnosed and atreatment plan created. This process took a tor-turous six weeks. “It was awful, the longest sixweeks of my life but that same love and supportthat everyone kept showing me is what kept megoing.” The results: Stage II cancer. The careful-ly prescribed care plan: Tamoxifen, a drug thatblocks the actions of estrogen in the female bodyreducing the odds of cancer metastasizing any-where in the body.

“I remember Dr. Philip Glynn, my oncologist,telling me that without this medication, I had a20% chance of the cancer metastasizing. I waslooking at the side effects, which range frombasic (hot flashes) to rare but serious (cancer ofthe uterine lining, increased risk for blood clotsand increased chance of stroke and finally cameto the decision that I would take it,” Gwen said.

She began to take the medicine but after a whilewent back to Dr. Glynn to re-assess the need. “Ididn’t feel ‘good’ anymore. I had good days andbad days but overall I wasn’t feeling like I usedto. Then again, cancer does change you in manyways.” Glynn reminded her of the 20% risk ofthe cancer coming back without this medica-tion. He made the point that her chances of get-ting cancer originally were extremely low andshe still ended up with the diagnosis. Did shewant to chance the 20%? No, she didn’t.

In June, Gwen found herself in a different role.She was no longer in the driver’s seat as she help-lessly learned that her friend Liz had recentlybeen diagnosed with breast cancer. Liz - the verysame women who she met at the movies the dayof her own mammogram in February. Liz - thewoman who spent the afternoon with her thatday helping her process her predicament andreminding her to laugh. It was odd being the onthe side. “I now knew what Liz felt having towatch me go through this, and she now knewhow I felt having to be the one to go through it.”Having breast cancer has only strengthened theirfriendship. They wig shopped for fun and sharedtheir ‘good bad days’ and their ‘bad bad days’.

Today, Gwen is still the spunky, fun, out-of-boxwonderful woman that many of us are lucky toknow. Normally a brunette, she sports a newplatinum blonde pixie cut that fits her ‘carpediem’ lifestyle. She is a breath of fresh air and she

is honesty in its truest form. She is still Chuck’sbeautiful wife and she is still the amazing momwho cooks Sunday dinners for her three amazingchildren and their families.

She’s the bright blue wig she puts on for fun.She’s the hug you need on a hard day and thefirst one to help celebrate the best days. She’s thewelcoming, familiar laugh recognizable acrossthe room. She’s an inspiration to many women,especially this one. Finally, she is a messengerbearing one very, very important message. “Mybottom line is this: one in eight women will getbreast cancer. One in 36 will die from it withinfive years of being diagnosed. This should be 0in 36 women! We need to educate women to gettheir mammograms! Yes, they can be life-chang-ing, but they can also be life-SAVING. Ladies,do yourselves the biggest favor you can andmake your appointments today!”

Yeah, she did…and so should you.

surviving breast cancer


ust in time for National Breast CancerAwareness Month, author Amy K.Hauser offers readers her new memoir“In His Grip… a Walk through BreastCancer” (published by WestBow Press),an intimate walk through her experi-ences as a breast cancer survivor.

“In His Grip… a Walk through Breast Cancer” isa raw, open glimpse of a day in the life of a cancerpatient and the story of what she describes as Godintersecting her life in progress. According toHauser, her life is an example of how God worksin the midst of a person’s biggest struggles; but shesays it is a personal choice whether or not to allowGod to help.

Hauser reveals to readers the experiences that sheand her family have had before, during and afterher cancer journey, reflecting on various journalentries that show what she learned along the wayand after the fact. She shows readers how she

came to a point in which she allowed God towork in and through her cancer to heal herwounds – both the obvious and the not-so-obvi-ous wounds.

Hauser is adamant about how God intervened inher life. “I had tried many things in my power tochange and be what I thought the world said Ishould be,” she explains. “It never worked. WhenGod intersected my plans with His and I learnedto understand what He wanted for me, I was ableto draw closer to Him than I ever thought possi-ble.”

She never thought of herself as an author. Fromher self-admitted “lifelong inability to properlystart and stop paragraph formations, among otherthings,” to being busy raising two children fulltime, a book simply was not on the radar… butshe says God said otherwise. She lives with herhusband, Tom, and their children, Ross and Sara,in The Woodlands, Texas.

Hauser shares her walk with breast cancer

J

was 48 years old when I found a lump on the side of my breast. I never went for a mammogram even though I knew I should. I felt fine. I wasvery busy and, frankly, I just blew it off thinking nothing will happen to me.

One day, while shaving my underarm, I felt a lump that wasn't there before. I finally went to see my doctor and she confirmed it was breast can-cer and referred me to Dr. Steven Schonholz. That was a lucky day for me, because he is the best. He told me that my tumor had been in there

for about nine years. So, I ended up having a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery to build my breast again. I also had chemotherapy and radiation.

Today, I'm a big advocate of mammograms and getting your checkups. I tell people, "don't be like me, get a mammogram." I try to help as many womenas possible with support and sharing my story hopefully to inspire others. Early detection saves lives.

– Leonor Salvador

In her own words I

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

… Leonor shares her story


LeonorSalvador

http://www.theceomamma.com/blog


Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is an award-winningkeynote speaker, business presentation expert,sales presentation skills trainer, and in-demandspeech coach to executives and celebrity speak-ers. Meetings & Conventions magazine namedher "One of the 10 most electrifying speakers inNorth America." She delivers high-energy, high-content, and dramatically memorable presenta-tions. Kiplinger's Personal Finance identifiedPatricia Fripp Speaking School as one of thebest ways you can invest in your career. Formore information visit www.fripp.com.

Don’t overlook the obvious. Go through youraddress book, data base, Christmas card list andconfirm everybody you know is familiar withyour profession, what your specialty is, and whois the perfect prospect for you to best serve.

If you used to work in another industry, updateyour satisfied clients that you can still serve themin this different capacity.

Keep in touch with your present clients more fre-quently. Not just asking for referrals. The betteryour relationship with them the more they willwant to send you new prospects.

One of my friends in the advertising specialtybusiness had a very creative office decor. Anyonewho had seen it raved about it. Going up in theelevator of his building of 22 floors I had a con-versation with a fellow passenger. I asked, “Doyou work in this building or are you visiting?” Hementioned he had worked there for 2 years. Iinquired if he had ever heard of my friendJonathan and his unique and memorable office.He said “No.” My recommendation to my friendand everyone else who works in a large building isto every few months go from floor to floor, officeto office, and introduce yourself to your neigh-bors. You could well quadruple your businessclose to home.

Don’t forget to work on your sales presentationskills!

Sales Generation: ProspectingTips for a Slow Economy

Frippicisim:It is not your clients’ and prospects’ job toremember you. It is your obligation andresponsibility to make sure they don’t for-get you.

5

4321by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE


SBA co-pilots new program toassist Hispanic entrepreneurs

The U.S. Small Business Administration andthe U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce(USHCC) are teaming together on a pilot pro-gram in eight states to broaden the impact ofthe agency's programs among Hispanic entre-preneurs.

"An economy built to last includes boostingentrepreneurship opportunities in HispanicAmerican communities," said SBAAdministrator Karen Mills. "The SBA is havinga powerful impact in this sector, with a billiondollars in loans to Hispanic-owned businesseslast year alone. The pilot program we areannouncing today will help us do better."Combining our resources with the U.S.Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will spur newbusiness growth, drive competitiveness andinnovation, and strengthen our economicrecovery and growth," Mills said.

The new pilot program between the SBA andthe USHCC will help widen the agency's out-reach efforts and connect Hispanic small busi-ness owners and entrepreneurs with locallenders and business counseling to help themgrow and create more jobs. The pilot partner-ship will launch programs with Hispanic cham-bers in four cities and statewide programs infour states: Austin, Texas; El Paso, Texas;Nashville, Tenn.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Florida;California; Ohio; and Utah.

The pilot program follows a memorandum ofalliance between the SBA and the USHCC,signed in May. The agreement allows bothorganizations to help Hispanic entrepreneurs

achieve their goals through education of busi-ness start-up opportunities, and will work toincrease lending within the Hispanic businesscommunity.

The aim of the partnership is to help increaseaccess to lending and counseling for Hispanicsmall businesses, widen participation of smallHispanic-owned businesses in SBA's procure-ment programs, and spread awareness of SBA'sprograms and services among Hispanic-ownedsmall businesses.

Today the SBA is helping thousands uponthousands of Hispanic small business ownersreach that potential. Since 2009, SBA has sup-ported more than 12,000 loans worth $4.4 bil-lion to Hispanic-owned small businesses, withnearly $1 billion in lending in 2012 alone.Over the same period, SBA has trained andcounseled more than 532,000 Hispanic-ownedsmall businesses through its network of districtand field offices, and resource partner network,including Small Business DevelopmentCenters, Women's Business Centers andSCORE. SBA also has helped Hispanic-ownedbusinesses secure $32.7 billion of prime con-tracts from the federal government, providing amajor revenue base.

The national alliance will also help to forgestronger relationships among SBA districtoffices, local USHCC chambers chapters andSBA resource partners, and strengthen effortsto help even more Hispanic-owned small firmssucceed, and expand the reach of SBA's pro-gram and services.


hether it's shopping for gro-ceries or clothes at the mall,we're always on the lookout forthe best deal. Though it maybe through more subtle means,you can apply the same

money-saving principals toward other everydayexpenses. The money you spend on gas is a per-fect example.

By making a few adjustments like changingdriving habits and shopping smart, you canmake the most out of each gallon you pumpinto your tank. Here are five tips for getting realand consistent savings at the pump.

1) Follow simple maintenance procedures. Themost practical way to improve your fuel econo-my is making sure your tires are inflated proper-ly. You can find the correct tire pressure for yourvehicle on the placard inside of your door, or inyour car's owner's manual. Using the recom-mended grade of motor oil can also increaseyour fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent, accordingto the Environmental Protection Agency.

2) Use rewards programs to your advantage. Asan example the new ExxonMobil Smart Card, acredit card issued by Citibank, N.A., saves users6 cents/gallon on Exxon- or Mobil-brandedgasoline and diesel fuel when they use the cardto purchase at least 45 gallons in a billing cycle.Savings apply from the first gallon up to 100gallons each qualifying billing cycle, and arereflected as a monthly statement credit. While a

few cents may not seem like a lot, the dollarsadd up quickly over the course of time whenyou consistently use rewards programs. TheExxonMobil Smart Card can save you up to $72in one year. You can apply for the ExxonMobilSmart Card at www.exxonmobilcard.com.

3) Reduce weight and drag. You might notnotice your carrying rack affecting the quality ofyour ride, but racks and other add-ons to yourvehicle cause a lot of drag, taking a big bite outof your fuel efficiency. It pays to take them offwhen you aren't using them. Removing extraweight, by cleaning out everything you don'tneed that's stashed in your trunk or car, can alsohelp.

4) Watch the way you drive. Most cars travelwith highest fuel efficiency in the 50 mph rangewhich begins to drop significantly the faster yougo. Keeping your highway speed to the postedspeed limit not only keeps you safer, but cangreatly improve gas mileage. Aggressive startingand stopping also puts more stress on yourengine, and uses more gasoline.

5) Technology is your friend. Your mobile GPSunit can help you get where you need to go inthe most efficient way possible.Shopping smart at the pump may be easier thanyou thought. By putting a few of these simplefuel-saving tips into practice, you can get realand consistent savings.

– ARA

Five ways toget real and

consistentsavings atthe pump

W


Do you realize that every word you say is eithertaking you closer to or further away from your des-tiny? Many people use their words to describe theircurrent situations as opposed to using their wordsto change or design their destiny.

What are affirmations? Affirmations are state-ments or self-scripts you repeat to yourself untilthey become beliefs that are deposited into yoursubconscious mind which then passes the batononto your actions to attract your desired results.Consider affirmations as a team of words synergis-tically working together to accomplish a signifi-cant yet common goal. What is the goal? I’m gladyou asked! The goal is to effectively deliver animportant message or proclamation to the part ofyour mind (subconscious/unconscious mind) thatinfluences your actions (behavior) and conse-quently attracts your results.

The Main Goal:The main goal is to permeate thesubconscious mind and reprogram yourself foryour desired results.

I had the following visual as I studied to teach myteam about the subconscious mind and how toproperly influence it to get their desired results.Imagine with me, if you will, that there is an audi-ence inside of your mind (let’s refer to it as your“mental audience”) and you are the speaker. Yourgoal is to deliver a message to your audience in thelanguage they can understand and inspires them totake action. After much research and deliberation,you realize that this particular audience really getsfired up about carrying out instructions when themessage is given with much fervor and intenseemotions. More specifically, you also need to keepin mind that there is a strong correlation or rela-tionship between the type of emotion exhibitedduring the speech and your audience’s results. Forexample, when you emit positive emotions as youdeliver your message, your “mental audience” car-ries out positive actions and attracts positivelydesired results. However, when you emit negativeemotions, your inner audience carries out negativeactions and brings back negative results. In addi-tion to delivering an emotionally stimulating mes-sage to your mental audience, it is also very impor-tant to create a picture in the mind of your audi-ence as you instruct, inspire, and invigorate them.

We decided to provide this visual of a “mentalaudience” for those of you who have a negativescript flashing on the screen of your mental canvasas you affirm your results or find it challenging toembrace the philosophy of “self-talk”. Perhaps,you may have a better encounter with your affir-mations if you embrace the idea that you are com-municating to an audience who resides in yoursubconscious (unconscious) mind. (Side note: Iapologize to any of my psychology colleagues whofind it challenging to embrace the term “subcon-scious mind”. I recommend you translate it into

the formal terms we learned in school as opposedto “throwing the baby away with the bath water”.

The Main Ingredients: The 3 main ingredientsneeded to help you manifest your desired resultsare words, images, and emotions (W.I.E). In thebook, Say It Until You Seize It by Kim Phillips, theauthor has provided the words which will help youpaint the appropriate images on your mental can-vas; however, you must provide the emotions andpre-play what you desire to experience prior tomanifesting it. It is also helpful to remember thatthe main agent you are influencing is your subcon-scious mind and it doesn’t really know the differ-ence between what is considered “real” or “imag-ined”.

Do Affirmations Really Work? This is a veryprevalent question. Many people curiously ask ifaffirmations really work; however, I personallybelieve this is not the best question to ask in thissituation. It is very important to choose our ques-tions wisely because the answers we get in life arein direct proportion to the questions we ask. Thequestion we should ask here is how can I make myaffirmations work better for me? Or what can I doto increase my effectiveness with my affirmations? Most definitely, affirmations work for those whowork them effectively. In fact, we have developed15 principles or helpful pointers below to help youwork the affirmations instead of waiting on themto magically work for you. All of the componentsstart with the letter “p” and are written in an allit-erative form in order to make it easier for you toremember.

The Main Principles to Affirmation Success:We have listed the 15 principles covered in detailin the book, “Say It Until You Seize It” by Kim Phillips. Forbest results and to literally put your results onsteroids practice these principles as you engageyour affirmation. Make sure your affirmation isPersonal, Present-Tensed, Positive, Precise,Passionately-Emoted, Pictured Vividly,Purposeful, Principle-Based Versus Presumptuous,Predicated Upon Belief and Self-Image, Professedor Penned Repeatedly, Persistently Performed,Patiently Anticipated, Praise Induced, Preparedand Pre-Played, and Partnership Supported.

“Say It Until You Seize It,” will teach you how tonavigate through the vicissitudes of life as you re-program yourself and arrive at your desired desti-nation. Each affirmation in the book has beencarefully crafted with wisdom keys intricatelyinterwoven in its fabric. We would love to teachyou how to voice-activate your victory and re-write your life’s resume by applying these princi-ples as you affirm your way to success. There is awinner inside of all of you and properly applyingthe affirmations in this book will unleash it! Formore information, visitwww.kimphillipstoday.com.

Benefitsof positiveaffirmationsBy Kim Phillips

Partial Affirmation on Self-AcceptanceI accept and approve of myself regardless of what others say or do.I love myself.I am self-assured.I like being with myself. I enjoy my own company.I am great at being myself even when I am in the company of others. I find myself interesting and absolutely amazing.I validate myself and my own self worth.I am so valuable. I am one of the most amazing people I know.

Makeovers on television shows and in magazinesare enticing for women the world over. Of coursethe reason they are so popular, is because the ideaof getting a fresh start in life is a golden key wehave all dreamt about at one time or another. Nomatter what their lives are like, everyone has some-thing they wish could be different – their home,their body, their friends, and even their career. Career makeovers are not a new concept and ifyou think about it, making over your career willautomatically set a chain reaction in motion thatwill affect all aspects of your life, particularly thosethat are unsatisfactory. If you’ve ever changed jobsor industries, worked with a recruiter, drafted anew resume or pursued additional education toincrease your job prospects or opportunities,you’ve already taken steps to improve or “makeover” your career.

Here are some ideas which can take your careermakeover to a whole new level:1. Look inside yourself. How do you perceiveyourself? Are you confident? Do you like yourself?Are you proud of your accomplishments? What isyour attitude to life, on working, on the value thatyou bring to your job? How do you feel aboutyour career? Do you feel in control of your future?Working on your “inner self” is of critical impor-tance when it comes to creating a career makeover.If your internal thoughts are not consistent withthe actions that you need to take, you’ll continu-ally feel a sense of disconnect. Others will feel ittoo. All change starts on the inside. If you needsupport in this area, consider counseling or coach-ing, whichever is most appropriate for your situa-tion. Until the inner issues are resolved or healed,it can be very challenging to take the necessarysteps that lead to a fulfilling career.

2. Get balanced. A key component of effectivelymanaging your career starts with managing yourtime efficiently. Do you keep your work life sepa-rate from your home life? Do you take work homein the evenings or weekends? Do you talk aboutwork ALL THE TIME? Do you take time torecharge your batteries so that you feel refreshed?This is probably one of the most difficult areaswhen it comes to career makeovers. It takes a lotof courage to “draw the line” when it comes to bal-ancing your life. Many women feel that if theydon’t give everything to their job, then they won’thave a job, yet, the opposite is actually true. Ifyou’re working for a company which does notallow you to set boundaries around your time, youWILL burn out. Before this happens it is probablybest that you start looking for a new position. It’sa difficult choice to make, but ultimately it’s up toyou to set boundaries around what types of treat-ment you will accept from others – including youremployer. If you can’t achieve work/life balance inyour current job, you will never be able to give ityour best, simply because you will not be at yourbest which in turn will affect your future careerprospects.

3. Get your relationships in check. They saybirds of a feather flock together. Are your friendsdragging you down? ( I was told my friends wereholding me back by a naturopath when I was inmy early 20’s I was VERY angry with him andprotective of my friends – but a year later when Ihad taken a grip of my life and moved on, I real-ized he had been completely right!) Is your net-work of friends and associates supportive of youand your goals, or are they constantly telling you



Career coach Krissy Jackson, CPC,specializes in working with women in ITand communications who want to takecharge of their lives and careers. Fromcareer planning to promotions, fromtime management to transition strate-gies, Krissy empowers her clients todesign and develop their careers ontheir own terms. To read more of herarticles and career coaching tips, visithttp://www.ITGirlsCoach.com.

The Career Makeover:7 Steps to Achieving Your Goals

that your dreams are too lofty? Do they drag youinto their gossip or do they inspire you withthoughtful conversation? In essence your ambi-tion can be affected by the people around you andbecause of this your personal and professional rela-tionships will have a tremendous influence onyour career success. Therefore, to get your rela-tionships in check, evaluate your friendships andacquaintances. It might be time to start gently let-ting go of some of the relationships that aren’tserving you, which will allow you to fill the emptyspaces with new friends who will support you.Make sure you’re forging relationships with thepeople who see your value, and surround yourselfwith mentors who are helpful in assisting you tomove forward.

4. Begin with a vision. Having an idea of whereyou want to go is one of the most important stepsin your career makeover. Until you know whereyou want to be or what you want to have, it’simpossible to decide on the correct steps to getyou there. How do you envision your ideal life?What type of job would make you happy? Whatbrings you the most joy? What type of positionwould you like to see yourself working in 5 yearstime? Give yourself permission to think aboutwhat you really want, dare to dream a little.Remember what seems impossible today is only sobecause you haven’t had the opportunity to breakthe journey from here to there down into manage-able chunks – now you are ready to start workingon your career makeover.

5. Be the change.Once you have a vision of whatyou think you might want. It’s now time to assess

where you are now. What are your strengths andyour weaknesses? What skills do you have? Whichones will you need in order to achieve your careervision? You need to know where you are now ver-sus where you want to be in the future. The rest isabout managing the “gap” in between. Here iswhere the career makeover really takes place andthis is the secret to making it possible…

6. Start at the end and work backwards.Imagine you have your dream job and are livingyour dream life. What was the final step you hadto take to make this all possible, now what was thestep before that? Work this process through untilyou arrive back at where you are today. Now youare aware of these steps, you know what you haveto do to achieve your goals in manageable chunks.Your next course of action is to develop a plan forachieving these goals thereby giving each part ofthe process a timeline.

7. Now hone your skills. One of the most obvi-ous ways to create a career makeover is to work onyour skills. Whether you go back to school to earnan advanced degree or take training classes hereand there, anything that you can do to improveyourself can benefit your career. Learn more aboutyour industry; attend conferences where you cankeep abreast of the latest trends. Network withpossible mentors. Buy books written by leaders inyour field. Read industry periodicals and othermaterials that deep your knowledge. Check withyour human resources department to find outwhat types of internal training opportunities areavailable. Take advantage of your company’stuition reimbursement programs. Continuing

your education is essential no matter how you doit. Studying will not be a chore. If you are doingwork you love you will be passionate aboutabsorbing as much information about your fieldas you can!And finally plan for the future. No matter whoyou are or whom you know, you career will haveits ups and downs. These days it’s unrealistic tothink you’ll have a job for life. You might be trans-ferred, demoted, or get a new boss that you don’tenjoy. You could even lose your job because of adownturn in your industry. These are realities ofwork life today. To lessen the possibility of yourbecoming an economic statistic it’s always a goodidea to have options. This means you need tothink about your exit plan. What would you do ifyou wanted to leave, or lost your job for whateverreason? Even the people who are happy in theirjobs today should have an exit strategy, so take myadvice and start working on it now. Don’t waituntil it’s too late and you’re in panic mode.

In conclusion, always remember, no matter whatcareer or life choices you make, ALL women needa strategic career plan. Your career makeover isultimately your responsibility. You are the masterof your life and it’s up to you to make a plan. Onceyou have a clear plan, take the steps that lead youto fulfilling your ultimate vision. One powerfulway of helping you stay on track is by workingwith a coach who can help you make the transi-tion more quickly. A good coach gives you sup-port you need, helps you to stay focused and ontrack. With proper guidance, you will quickly findyourself achieving your career goals.


the career makeover

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Lioness Magazine - October 2012

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Transcript of Lioness Magazine - October 2012