women with know how february issue

FEBRUARY 2014

YourAuthenticPersonal

Brand

ThinkOutside the(Chocolate)

Box

Individuals at-risk for Cardiovascular DiseaseHave a Voice with thisPassionate Advocate

Claire Blocker

PresidentThe HeartBright

Foundation

Claire Blocker

In Beautiful Charlotte North CarolinaAt the Exclusive Doubletree Hotel SouthPark

6300 Morrison Boulevard bull Charlotte NC 28211

th Caroh CCAAAtAt

IAt t

Int th

Inth

n Bthe

n Bhe

n Bhe E

Mara Campolungo

Sarah Batista

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb

Mara Campolungo

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb

Friday March 28 900 am - 300 pm

Tickets $60 per person Enjoy Lunch (Included)

To Register Click anywhere on this pagewwwwomenwithknowhowcommaking-an-impact-conference-for-women

Featuring~E x e c D i r amp C o - F o u n d e r

T h e S a n d b o xA u t h o r S p e a k e r

S u c c e s s C o a c hE n t r p r e n e u r W r i t e r

V i s i o n a r y

stasiitttBa ggggp gppolunggpolungppolungCampCamppCamCampp gggggpppppp uuuaaa oooCCC nnnlllmmmmmm nnnmmm oCCC uuu a Perriere Perriereerrierea PerriereaaaLaaLaaaaa eeeeeeeeeeeeLLLL PPPP iiiirrrrrrrr rrrLa Perriera e e e W bbbbbbbbbebebeebWeWeWWe bbbbbbbbeeeeWWWWWWWW bbbbbbbbebbSarah Batista

A w a r d ndash W i n n i n gJ o u r n a l i s t

Life LessonsofThe Sandbox WhenYou Believe

BEING INTENTIONAL THE SUCCESSOF YOUR BUSINESS

BuildYourBusiness Find YourTwirl

Taking risks to PURSUE

YOUR PASSION

Lessons amp Insights From my journey

2014 Making An Impact Co n f e r e n c e Fo r Wo m e n

Wo m e n



th Caroh CCAAAtAt

IAt t

Int th

Inth

n Bthe

n Bhe

n Bhe E

Mara Campolungo

Sarah Batista

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb

Mara Campolungo

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb







V i s i o n a r y







YOUR PASSION



Wo m e n

4 Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

I am very excited to announce our 3rd ldquoMaking An Impact Conference For

Womenrdquo It is being held on Friday March 28th 2014 at the Doubletree Hotel SouthPark

in Charlotte NC This yearrsquos speakers will inspire and encourage you to grow both professionally and personally Register today on our website wwwwomenwithknowhowcommaking-an-impact-conference-for-women

This monthrsquos feature story is Claire Blocker president of The HeartBright FoundationFebruary is American Heart month and I want to bring attention to our readers the significance of heart disease in womenFact One in four (25) women in the United States die from heart disease one in thirty (3) die from breast cancer Fact More women than men have died from heart disease each year since 1984Fact Most women believe heart disease is only something that happens to menMake sure to WEAR Red on February 7th to help raise awareness to this diseaseFor more information go to wwwgoredforwomenorg

Our professional spotlight this month is Women With Know How magazinersquos very own Creative DirectorWe are thrilled to have her in this position She is available to create any marketing materials you may need and she would welcome the opportunity to hear from you Look for her design special on page 11

Have a great month

Mimi

DMimi ZelmanPublisher

Dear Readers

5wwwwomenwithknowhowcom FEBRUARY 2014

16 Build Your New Personal Brand

26 Claire Blocker President of The HeartBright Foundation

40 Think Outside the (Chocolate) Box

4842

6

22PublisherPresident

Mimi L Zelmanmimiwomenwithknowhowcom

Creative DirectorRebecca Fairchild

wwwfacebookcomAzureDoorCreative

Contributing Writers Briana BarbeeTerri Bennett Elyshia Brook

For more advertising information call Mimi at 704-491-1207

or email her atmimiwomenwithknowhowcom

Copyright copy 2014

Con

tent

s

On the cover

ClaireBlocker

Photo byKenneth W Gordon

4636


prof

essio

nal s

potli

ght

H ow d i d yo u g e t s t a r te d i n this business

26 years ago a position with a man-ufacturer of check-sorting machines taught me the skills to operate high-speed duplicators With that expe-rience I procured a position with a small print shop where I did copying quoted and received printing orders carr ied out retai l duties and used various bindery equipment to cut bind fold and pad printed materials

Eventual ly one job within the pr int ing industr y led to another

One such job allowed me to take a college course about a new technol-ogy - desktop publishing I learned the basics of Quark XPress That opportu-nity sparked my interest in pursuing an Associates Degree in Graphic Arts Management from Central Piedmont Community College There I learned t h e b a s i c s o f d e s k t o p publishing M y p re v i o u s experience a l o n g w i t h

RebeccaBy Mimi Zelman

Azure Door Creative OwnerWomen With Know How Magazine Creative Director

Fairchild


my newly earned diploma gave me the resume to begin my career in the printing industry which lead to my current advertising and graphic design business

What is your background - what were you doing beforethis business

I rsquove always been in the printing industry in one capacity or another After desktop publishing came to the forefront of the publishing arena I was able to focus in on what I love creating visual ly-pleasing pr inted pieces Before being able to be a good designer and know what works I had to learn the mastery of the tools - computer software designed for pub-lishing and design

What is a good early story about your business

I started my free-l a n c e b u s i n e s s a t a cof fee shop Af ter being laid off from a job I was working on personal projects and subsequently networking from Caribou Coffee While there I met a business entrepreneur He liked my work and hired me for a day to work with him to design a brochure for his company For years I continued to do design for him Early on he intro-duced me to another small business group whose company would utilize

my talents and afford me a notable accomplishment My first client from that coffee shop a few years later hired me to work full time for his company My first freelance job turned into a full time Director of Marketing position

W h a t i s u n u s u a l o r u n i q u e about your business in compari-son to your competitors or similar businesses

Because of my many years of expe-r ience in printing publishing and advertising I not only have the skill to use the tools most efficiently but I understand the processes involved in every step of the way through concep-

tualization forming a plan and a goal for a piece and working through achieving the desired effect for a client My way of doing business

is very fluid and flexible Whether a client needs a basic marketing tool or a complex one I can adjust where when and how long a project will take as well as fit the cost to the clientsrsquo budgets and my availability as I deem appropriate and fair


Is there a customer experience of which you are most proud

I designed a logo and produced advertising pieces for a fitness company in Charlotte In the normal course of business when requested to do so I sent

their logo to the Carolina Panthers office When asked my fee I said ldquono fee No problemrdquo But I was given two tickets as my pay I was very proud to see the logo I had designed for 1 on 1 Body Design the trainers of the TopCatsTM the Carolina Panthers Cheerleaders in the Official Pantherrsquos program and displayed larg-er-than-life up on the Bank of America Stadium scoreboard

Do you do any charity or nonprofit work

In my advertising and design busi-ness I have helped out a non-profit orga-nization when the opportunity arose Irsquove designed logos and provided materials at cost As in my personal life I always try to help others where I can

Who are some of your most notable clients

Women With Know How 1 on 1 Body Design On-Site Clinical Solutions Victor Hussey Catering Disaster One Inc the restoration company Ihsan Rajab author of ldquoThe Son Also Rises In the Westrdquo and Dorothy Fairchild author of ldquoShannon Songrdquo among others

What is an interesting story about a client interaction you had

About six years ago there was this one particular client She was an ad exec-utive in a regional business magazine business for which I was creative direc-tor No I didnrsquot own the magazine and no she didnrsquot pay a fee for my services but yes she was my customer She was


a planned approach constrained by budgets and time A challenge is an opportunity however An opportu-nity will r ise up as communication is effective and creative Everyone has something in their mind as to what they want to accomplish with a certain project As the process plays out through meetings proofs and pro-duction I see the greatest challenges become awesome outcomes

What would you most like the reader to know about your journey in business As a creative woman I have a little ldquoKnow Howrdquo when it comes to advertising and design I have been working in many areas of the printing and design industries in my lifetime During that time I have learned many practical skills I have had the opportunity (nay challenge) to learn desktop publishing in the middle of the technical revolu-tion - real time - and currently work with ever-changing tools of my trade Those years of practicing what I have learned and challenging myself to change with the technology has given me a broad foundation on which to build my career and an exciting and rewarding means of expression that is most fulfilling when I can help another entrepreneur see their own dreams realized

Azure Door CreativeGraphic Design ldquoAz-Ure Like ItrdquoRebecca FairchildwwwfacebookAzureDoorCreativeEmail fairchildbeccaaolcomPhone 704-890-5218

bringing in advertisers to help ensure the magazinersquos success She was devel-oping relationships with those clients she had established and she needed my help to satisfy the creative needs and desires of her business associates

That person was Mimi Zelman She and I had then and still share an easy professional relationship and friendship We worked well together then and we are looking forward to the years ahead for Women With Know How Most of all neither of us imagined that after we left our employ with that magazine would we be here years later locked-arms in sync working together to bring another publication of integrity and supreme quality to a whole new readership I am very proud of the work Mimi has done to develop an outstanding product over the past several years and also so very humbled for the opportunity I sincerely anticipate and am excited for the days months and years to come as I add our readers and advertisers to my portfolio of friends

What are some of your greatest challenges in your business

A great challenge in my business the business of marketing and design is to be able to listen to what people need then helping flesh that out in



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To Email Order (Reg $7500 Place order by March 10 2014 With Women With Know How ad place-ment purchase only For purposes of this special only - web quality not for printing )


busin

ess The Carolinas Chapter

of the

National

Diversity Council

to host

Women

in

Leadership

Symposium

This WILS has a far more collabora-tive format for our Greater Charlotte Area as we feel the opportunity to discuss issues col laborat ively and encourage men to become involved in Womenrsquos empowerment are key to success for everyone The goal of this event is to provide useful knowledge strategies and tools to empower our par t ic ipants to achieve their own goals I n format ion i s ava i lab le at httpndccarolinasorgwhat-we-doevents-and-programscharlotte-wils

FacilitatorsEmpowerment- Denise Cooper

Chief Reinvention Strategist at httpwwwcoachhrcom Coach HR and Professional Speaker

Inf luence - Ivy Chin SVP eCom-merce httpwwwbelk com Belk and Omnichannel Digital

Co m m u n i c a t i o n - D r C h r i s t i n e S D a v i s A s s o c i a t e Pr o f e s s o r o f Communication Studies and Graduate

T he Carolinas Chapter of t h e N at i o n a l D i ve r s i t y Council (NDC Carolinas) w i l l b e h o l d i n g t h e

2nd Annual Charlotte Women in Le a d e r s h i p Sy m p o s i u m ( W I L S ) a t t h e O m n i H o t e l i n u p t o w n Charlotte on March 4th from 8am - Noon The purpose of the Women in Leadership Symposium is to cel-ebrate the successes of women in the workplace as well as help to ensure that womenrsquos empower-ment continues in our area We will engage each participant through an interactive process and encour-age men to attend to learn how to become advocates and sponsors This year rsquos theme is ldquoPolitics of Power Communication Influence and Empowermentrdquo

WILS have been one of the most common and successful events for the NDC nationwide and will be our second annual WILS for Charlotte

March

4th

2014

March

4th

2014


C o o r d i n a t o r o f C o m m u n i c a t i o n Studies at httpcommunicat ionunccedu UNC Charlotte

The 2014 Char lotte ( WILS) wi l l be a ser ies of br ief presentat ions fol lowed by faci l i tated group dis-cussions focusing on one of three to p i c s c o m m u n i c a t i o n e m p ow -erment and inf luence Each table w i l l d i s c u s s t h e i s s u e s i n fo r m a -t i o n i n t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n s a n d re p o r t t h e i r d i s c u s s i o n s b a c k to the group This wi l l be fol lowed by QampA and network ing Par t ic ipants w i l l r e c e i v e e d u c a t i o n i n s p i r a -t ion and encouragement as they r e f l e c t o n t h e i r o w n g o a l s a n d s t r u g g l e s Pa r t i c i p a n t s w i l l h ave the oppor tun i t y to express the i r o w n k n o w l e d g e a n d n e e d s a s wel l as learn f rom their table the audience and the exper ts

ldquoOur programs are designed to fac i l i tate dia logue amongst busi -n e s s l e a d e r s p r o f e s s i o n a l s a n d c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s i n o r d e r to c reate a more inc lus ive wor k-force which wi l l u l t imate ly lead to more productive work environ-mentsrdquo Dennis Kennedy Nat ional D i v e r s i t y C o u n c i l Fo u n d e r a n d CEO said

W e w o u l d l i k e t o t h a n k o u r s p o n s o r s C a r o l i n a s H e a l t h C a r e Systems Aerotek Snyder rsquos-Lance and Women with Know How

About the Carolinas Chapter of the National Diversity Council

N D C C a r o l i n a s i s a 5 0 1 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization which was launched in August of 2012 Under t h e N a t i o n a l D i v e r s i t y C o u n c i l umbrella NDC Carolinas champions diversity and inclusion throughout Nor th and South Carol ina in aca-demia businesses and communities NDC Carolinas creates a platform for discourse and collaboration around common inclusion issues and pro-vides education development and community building opportunities fo r a l l communi t y members and professionals

H e a d e d by s t a te c o o rd i n a to r Br ian R ichards NDC Carol inas has established a presence in Charlotte Greenvi l le NC the Tr iangle and Wilmington with plans to expand into the Triad and Columbia SC in 2013 Effor ts are currently focused on gender equality healthcare diver-sity empower veterans generational diversity and preparation for and con-necting college students to careers in corporate America

More information about the NDC Carolinas can be found at HYPERLINK httpwwwndc-carolinasorg

or by emailing Coordinator Brian Richards at brianrichardsnational-diversitycouncilorg

Phone 713-592-6998 or 740-274-9677


SAVE THE DATES

Early 2014 Calendar of Events

If you would like to learn more about the NDC Carolinasrsquo Diversity Councilrsquos chapter meetings events or leadership opportunities please contact us at

infondccarolinasorg

Women in Leadership Symposium

March 4th Charlotte Omni Hotel

Charlotte NC

Monthly Leadership Meetings

middot Triangle Advisory Board First Thursday from 1-2middot Charlotte Advisory Board Second Monday from 10-11middot Board of Directors Third Tuesday from 2-3middot Wilmington Advisory Board Fourth Tuesday from 3-4

Charlotte Social MixersFebruary and May 2014

BlackFinn Saloon Charlotte NC

Triangle Social MixersMarch June September

December 2014

Healthcare Diversity SummitApril 23rd

Greenville Convention CenterGreenville NC

Generational Diversity Summit

February 19th Marbles Kids Museum

Raleigh NC

Diversity Boot Camp March 14th

Charlotte NC


mkincaidkincaidandassociatescomwwwkincaidandassociatescom


By Elyshia Brooks MBA

Change From the Old Mindset to Build Your

NEW AuthenticPersonal BRANDm

arketin

g

perhaps are playing small but want to LIVE BIG change-agents influencers and those who know that there is a bigger assignment for you to do than where you are now I t may be that your journey has not allowed you to get there as of yet because of some stumbling blocks setbacks mindsets other peoplersquos problems not having clarity and perhaps not living your true authentic self All of which will hold you back from living your true potential WellhellipIt is time to make a change NOW What if you donrsquot have another opportunity to live the life you were created to do because you harbored fear or thought small How long is that going to keep you down

When we not only allow ourselves to keep us back but others as well that becomes a huge problem

WWe all have a message within us based on our own personal journey a n d t h e d e s t i ny i n w h i c h G o d has placed within The question ishellipis that your personal dream and pursuit or are you fulfilling someone elsersquos dream

The message that is within is des-tined to come out and it needs to be shared with the world and guess what you are the messenger in which it shall come through God did not give you a purpose dream destiny voice or message for it to stay bottled up and not be released He did not allow you to go through all that you did for nothing He did not give you gifts and talents to lie dormant and just make others rich and wealthy

I am talking to the dreamers and to those who know their purpose and


Your destiny is in your hands and up to you so donrsquot give it to someone else who wants to keep you at their level or below so that you donrsquot have more than them Break away from anyone who i s hold ing you back mental ly phys ica l ly emotional ly spiritually or financially There is so much more in you and that is their problem that they donrsquot recognize what is inside of you This year is the ldquoYear of Open Doorsrdquo Open doors to new opportunities relationships business projects joy and happi-ness peace of mind weal th and abundance are yours to be claimed You cannot do that with other peo-plersquos feet on your neck Donrsquot allow this whole New Year to pass you by again How many t imes have you been around this mountain only to see receive the same results

This year as you bring your busi-ness idea brand church ministry and creativity to the forefront there are a few things that I would like to share to keep you focused and grounded on your passion and purpose

Understanding Timing We may think that we have al l the t ime in the world but we donrsquot You cannot keep putting off what is purposed for your life How many excuses are you going to continue to make We k now that t ime waits for no one You have a window of opportunity to make things happen and when that is bir thed in you you wil l be rewarded

Donrsquot Allow Others To Dictate Your Life You were given gifts talents and a mind to think After all that is what makes us unique and different Stop allowing other peoplersquos opinions thoughts negativity actions words and deeds hold space in your mind heart and spirit Man did not create you so stop giving your power away Watch how others will steal your time your dreams and create a space for you to feel like you are ldquostuckrdquo Write the vision and make it plain and do that action needed to make it happen without the naysayers

Watch What You Say To Yourself Your Mindset As a change-agent messenger your own brand you must be careful about what you think and allow to fester in your mind Rid yourself of the negative thinking and stop telling that same old story It is time to write a new story donrsquot you think Speak life in and over yourself your vision and your business every-day and BELIEVE IT This year move yourself out of the way and create that business and brand that speaks your true authentic self that God has called you to be

Decide What Your Brand Wil l Say This Year Now that we are in a new year and we all had the oppor-tunity to reflect on what has trans-pired both in our businesses and personal l ives so did our external world match our internal world Did you accomplish all that you set out to do If not why What held you back


What stopped you in your tracks or either pushed you for ward What was your biggest accomplishment in 2013 Did God give you clarity about His manifesting purpose and destiny for you For some there were many who have been wondering wanting clarity about their destiny and finally received it That is a huge accomplish-ment So what does that look like for you and your brand in 2014

This year what do want your brand to stand for The value of your brand is determined by what you set it to be and the energy that you place out into the world Your energy is about ldquoYOUrdquo Both your internal and external value system plays a huge role in how you communicate your message and how your clients not only receive your message but perceive your message and brand Because it is the beginning of the year it is a good time to re-group re-vamp re-design re-dedicate your inner-self and business brand so that it would be in alignment with your true authentic self We all are aware that what is on the inside wil l be what manifests externally in our envi-ronment However with that you must understand that when you are walking in your divine purpose and destiny your soul should be leading and guiding you if you are commit-ted to building a conscious-centered business and personal brand A con-scious-centered and soulful business is dedicated to ser ving with love

passion and a mindset that connects with your divine clients emotionally spiritually and soulfully

For 2014hellipWhat if you decided to build a brand totally based on ldquoYOUrdquo Who are you really - Spiritually E m o t i o n a l l y O r g a n i z a t i o n a l l y Mentally Compassionately Physically How can you incorporate a soulful ldquoYourdquo in every aspect of your business How can you keep your divine clients and community engaged and con-nected How are you communicating with your community and keeping your brand in front them also how often When you are building your authentic personal brand make sure that how you market your business is a true reflection of you and who you are at your core Make 2014 Your Best Brand Breakout Year Ever Dream BIG Play BIG Do Business BIG How deep are you willing to go What about BIG Brand Awareness in Who ldquoYourdquo Are Authentically Start from your inner core and let that speak to the world through your business and brand

Elyshia Brooks MBACEOPresidentElyshia Brooks International IncPersonal Authentic Branding CoachsultantAuthor ldquoBranding The Authentic YourdquoPhone 800-511-5410wwwfacebookcomElyshiaBrooksInc



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finan

ces

changes in their finances it is helpful to determine how to best ensure you achieve your goal

ldquoIrsquoll be the first to admit keeping to a financial resolution takes a lot of hard work It takes good behavior and good habitsrdquo said Farnoosh Torabi a consumer finance expert ldquoWith life being so complicated stressful and complex we often abandon them Get the systems in place mdash the small steps you need to take now mdash to help you get on the right trackrdquo

Research shows that consumers who understand their behaviors and motivations are more likely to build and keep positive habits for the long term Thatrsquos why it rsquos so important to have strategies to keep those financial resolutions throughout the year A few pointers to stick with your financial res-olutions include

Prepare before your resolution begins Putting thought into your

W ith the new year under-way there is a heavy focus around resolu-tions Whether you are

making a resolution to celebrate a fresh start or looking to make a change no matter the time of year maintaining resolutions can be dif-ficult In fact a recent survey from Bank of America found that 49 percent of respondents donrsquot make New Yearrsquos resolutions because they prefer to set goals throughout the year

Goals tied to the new year and those set at various points in the year are all aimed at making significant life changes According to the survey 81 percent of resolutions involve health and fitness 45 percent involve per-sonal finances and 30 percent are tar-geted toward making changes in social life and relationships With the large number of people planning to make

Financial Resolutions

Stickingwith

Your

Get

ty Im

ages


resolutions before you spring into action can put you on the path to change Starting early with a few small changes can also improve your odds of staying the course to achieve your goals

For example if yoursquore looking to improve your financial health begin by imagining a debt-free life Visualizing how things may change can provide additional motivation you may need to move forward Think about having more money available each month and how it would change your stress levels Imagine what it would be like to not worry about meeting your payments or saving more for retirement educa-tion or emergencies Thirty percent of survey respondents said they identify their New Yearrsquos resolutions early as a way to stick with them throughout the year

Develop an action plan It rsquos fine to make a resolution but the odds of sticking with it improve dramati-cally if you create an action plan of smaller steps to support your goals I f your number one resolution is to lose weight your plan might include budgeting money for a gym member-ship and cleaning out any junk food from your pantry Creating a budget Start by tracking your spending to see where the money is going Then create a budget thatrsquos tight but workable to give you more flexibility to pay down debt increase savings or invest for retirement If have to carry a balance but want to responsibly manage your

credit card consider a card that helps build positive habits For example Bank of Americarsquos Better Balance Rewards card pays you to manage your credit card use Every quarter that you pay more than your minimum balance on time you earn $25 cash back If you have at least one other qualifying account with Bank of America you can receive another $5 bonus totaling up to $30 a quarter Yoursquoll be eligible for up to $120 a year toward your balance and yoursquoll feel better knowing how much you can spend each month

Write it down Forty percent of sur vey respondents say they use written reminders to help stay on track with their resolutions

Tr y writ ing your resolutions on Post-it notes in Evernote in calen-dar reminders or on notes stuck to

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the refrigerator -whatever yoursquoll look at regularly - to keep yourself com-mitted and on track Research shows that a written goal is more likely to be achieved If your goal is managing your finances better write a reminder on your daily calendar to check your credit card statements as they come in - itrsquos the best way to spot transactions you donrsquot recognize

Get a little help from your friends Sometimes a gentle reminder from a family member or friend can work wonders Share your resolutions with a trusted person and ask for occasional reminders Some 23 percent of survey respondents plan to enlist help this way A friend may be able to coax you to going to the gym or even talk you out of buying that handbag yoursquove been eyeing thatrsquos out of your budget The key to cutting debt is to stop adding to it If yoursquore in a hole stop digging

Partner upFind a friend or loved one with the

same resolution and agree to motivate and support one another to stick to your goals Itrsquos easier to manage a diet exercise plan or budget if you have support Twenty percent of respon-dents plan to partner up to keep to their resolutions

Start your New Year rsquos resolutions thinking today and keep the big goals in mind every day whether they aim for better health sounder finances or better relationships With the right atti-tude and commitment 2014 could be a very good year

Ban

k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

info

rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

ww

ban

kofa

mer

ica

com


Kim Fewell1230 Charlottetowne AveCharlotteKimFewellallstatecom

Call me today to see how muchyou could save with Allstatersquoshome amp auto discounts(980) 875-9385

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national logistical management firm providing planning management and implementation ser vices for conventions trade shows and cor-porate new product introductions

In the fall of 1994 at only 47 years of age Claire had a stroke In March of 1998 she had a heart attack and learned that she had eight major block ages 90-95 blocked and needed quadruple hear t by-pass surgery At that time she discov-ered she had genetic heart disease


C laire Blocker is the President

o f t h e H e a r t B r i g h t Foundation a non-profit organization committed to

advocating for individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease Claire works in the community to create an awareness and understanding of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease in our region through local regional and national channels

Pr ior to her current posit ion she was President of Eventworks a


in the community hospitals the Rock Hil l chapter of the Mended Hear ts suppor t group and as a continued member of the Womenrsquos Hear t Ac t ion Team in R ock H i l l South Carol ina and a nat ional ly recognized WomenHeart member In October of 2002 Claire attended t h e S c i e n c e a n d L e a d e r s h i p Symposium for Women with Heart D i s e a s e a t t h e M a y o C l i n i c t o f u r t h e r h e r p e r s o n a l e d u c a t i o n about heart disease

Tw o y e a r s l a t e r i n A p r i l o f 2000 Claire was selected by the South Carolina Cardio Pulmonary Rehabilitation Association as their f i rst ldquoPatient of the Year rdquo recipi-ent She was awarded this honor because she modeled the attitude needed for the cardiac patient to fully return to life In addition to her own personal commitment to lifestyle change she advocated for others with heart disease through contributions made as a volunteer


by Mimi Zelman

Advocating for Those inOur Community at - risk forCardiovascular Disease

Claire Blocker~a Heartfor Helping


She was raised in Moorestown New Jersey but has lived with her husband Tom in the Charlotte area since 1989 They share their home with two golden retrievers a cat and a rabbit Claire and Tom have five children and six beau-tiful grandchildren She believes that the love and support of her family and friends has been pivotal in her recov-ery and continued wellness

How did you get started ldquoI had a stroke at age 47I had a Heart Attack and quadruple

by-pass surgery at age 51I went to Symposium at Mayo Clinic

to educate on cardiovascular disease at age 54

I decided to create a resource in Charlotte for prevention and well-ness management of CVD and related issues to help others not get as sick as I did

I borrowed $15000 personally to incorporate and set up the HeartBright Foundation Inc in February of 2003 and paid it back within first yearrdquo

H ow h ave yo u r p r i o r c a re e r experiences prepared you for your journey in life

ldquoMy career as a logistics manager for large corporations gave me over thirty years experience in large project man-agement to include development administration marketing database management and financial manage-ment All of these skills are needed to run a foundation and have served me well at the HeartBright Foundationrdquo

In 2003 Claire and her husband Tom Blocker founded the HeartBright Foundation to ensure that others would not get as sick as she did She leads the HeartBright Foundation with not only with firsthand experience as a cardiac patient but as a person who wants to help others face their chronic care issues with as much knowledge and advocacy as she and her volun-teers can provide Claire has been an exemplary model for those who need to understand that a positive attitude and a willingness to seek the answers can make all the difference in overall wellness At HeartBright patients are taught to not only self-ad-vocate but to cooperate with phy-sicians to manage their health and future quality of life In 2010 Claire led HeartBright and her team as they were awarded the National Access to Care Treatment and Services Award as she accepted the Foundationrsquos award in Washington DC She is proud of the fact that HeartBrightrsquos model for well-ness and prevention is being held as the national standard for how well-ness and prevention of cardiovascular disease and its related issues should be treated within individual communities across the nation

C l a i r e h a s b e e n f e a t u r e d o n MS-NBC on l ine in the Char lot te Observer The Rock Hill Herald and The Charlotte Woman Magazine She is WBT Radiorsquos 2005 Hometown Hero and the 2009 Healthcare Hero for The Mecklenburg Times


What would you m o s t l i k e o u r re a d e r s to k n ow about your journey in business In life

ldquoTo know that life i s a n e d u c a t i o n a l journey Giving up i s n o t a n o p t i o n c h a n g i n g y o u r mind or f inding a n e w p a t h i s p a r t of the journey and o f t e n i n c r e a s e s your options in life however just flat out giving up means to me that you are giving up on ldquoyourrdquo life That to me is just not okrdquo

Who would you describe as your mentor(s) and why

ldquo I have had numerous mentors along my journey in life My Mother who taught me that I should never say ldquoI canrsquotrdquo but that I should always try and to do my best

M y grandmother who t r ied to teach me grace compassion and not to ask others to do something that I would not myself if there was time

My second grade school teacher who taught me that I should always persevere that I should stay focused on my goals and believe in myself

My fr iend Alice who taught me to s to p b e i n g i n s e c u re b e c a u s e o f bumps in the road that I had encountered

My friend Arlene who taught me

about being in business from a prac-tical aspect

All of my daughters and grand-daughters that continually challenge me and broaden my horizons

My mother-in-law who has taught me torsquo be kind to others and how to age gracefully rsquo

I have been very blessed in my liferdquo

Whatrsquos on your bucket list and whyldquoTo be a good partner in my mar-

riage to my husband Tom that I adoreTo be a good mother to our five

children (36-48) and grandmother to our six grandchildren (2-24)

To leave behind a legacy of caring t o m y c o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h t h e HeartBright Foundation I started in 2003 to help our community not get as sick as I did with cardiovascular disease and its related issues and to enjoy my remaining years with my husband as we have new adven-tures together


The why Because I donrsquot want to waste the time that I have on this earth and I want to be grateful for every of the days and experiences I haverdquo

Any difficult times yoursquod care to share with our readers And if so what lesson have you learned

ldquoA divorce at a young age and being the single parent of three children This reinforced the perseverance that I learned in the second grade Health issues that began at 47 and continue to be extremely challenging It took me almost a year to regain 95 of my right side I was very young for a stroke At 51 I had a heart attack that resulted in quadruple by-pass surgery because I had 8 major blockages that were 90-95 blocked

Within 5 months 3 of the 4 bypasses had failed This caused me to make

a decision with my cardiologist to try to buy me time so that technol-ogy could catch up with where I was with my disease We did this by my enduring three annual sessions of thir-ty-seven one hour sessions of exter-nally enhancing counter-pulsation therapy (EECP) this was very difficult and very challenging and without my family I am not sure I would have made it In early 2002 I received three cobalt chromium stents placed contiguously into my circumflex addressing an area that had not been addressed with the by-pass 4 years previously Since this time I have had an additional two stents in my heart and one in my right renal artery cardiovascular disease attacks ALL arteries In 2013 I had a per forated colon which created an emergent need (I became septic) and this resulted in a colostomy


I was able to have an ostomy take down in November of 2013 and have fully recovered This ordeal was very challenging I have continued to learn to have perseverance and to always find the positive in every situationrdquo

If you could do one thing differ-ently in your life what would that be

ldquoI am not really sure that I would have changed anything actually for all of the challenges that I have faced makes me who I am today at 67 and frankly I am a very happy girlrdquo

What do you wish you knew 20 years ago

ldquoI wish that medicine had been more advanced twenty years ago and that it had taught prevention and wellness so that I would have not taken my body for granted (making other things a pri-ority) and that I realized at an earlier age that I should actively be taking care of my bodyrdquo

What is something people would be surprised to know about you

ldquoPeople would probably be sur-prised that I am a little bit of a lsquogear headrsquo and used to race a 55 Chevy in the lsquoPowder Puff Derbyrsquo at Atco Dragwayrdquo

What inspires you What makes you laugh

ldquoL i fe and people insp i re me I laugh at me all of the time I smile at those I care about including my numerous petsrdquo

If you could stand up and defend anything what would it be

ldquoActually I advocate everyday for individuals to be proactive in their ow n h e a l t h c a re to p a r t n e r w i t h the i r phys ic ian and to ask ques-t ions of the c l in ic ians when they do not understand thoroughly how to implement what the special ists have asked them to do how med-icines and procedures affect their bod ies both pos i t i ve ly and neg-a t i ve l y Th e m a i n t h i n g i s to a s k questions gain an understanding of the pros and cons and not to be afraid to give appropriate feedback to our clinical team Patients have t o b e re s p o n s i b l e fo r t h e i r o w n wellness and be part of the health-care solutionrdquo

About HeartBrightOur Mission O u r m i s s i o n i s to

promote card iovascular wel lness t h ro u g h p re v e n t i o n a w a re n e s s and par tnerships in the Char lotte Mecklenburg area

Our Vision Is To create an awareness or under-

standing of risk factors for cardiovascu-lar disease in our region through local regional and national channels

To act as a liaison between the high-risk individual and essential commu-nity resources

To conduct an ongoing needs assessment of the state of cardiovas-cular disease prevention in our region


With the use of assessment data to s u p p o r t i n n ov a t i ve p ro gr a m s that eliminate existing gaps in pre-ventative ser vices with respect to cardiovascular disease

To coordinate the provision of ser-vices that are provided by existing local agencies whose mission incor-porates the prevention of cardiovas-cular (heart) disease in an effort to reduce or eliminate duplication and optimize utilization of those services

The Hear tBr ight Foundat ion is a 501(c)3 charity headquartered in Charlotte NC Our main focus is pro-viding education for the community in healthy lifestyles and to fund preven-tive cardiology programs in economi-cally disadvantaged communities

Their services are structured around our four step AMES approach

A AlertM MeasureE EducateS Support

Alerting the public about risk factors of heart disease Measure individual risk assessments via current testing technologies Initial and ongoing edu-cation to assist individuals with their new heart healthy goals Support indi-viduals via resources motivational programs and management tools

Claire Blocker is President and Founder of the HeartBright Foundation For more information about HeartBright visit wwwheartbrightorg

Email claireheartbrightorgHeartBright Foundation2923 South Tryon Suite 200Charlotte NC 28203Phone 704-373-3002704-373-3004


YOU CAN SURVIVE

DIVORCELicensed in NC amp SC

bull Complex Family Law Litigation

bull Certified Financial Mediator

bull Certified Superior Court Mediator

bull Certified Specialist in Family Law

Avoid Costly Legal Bills thru MediationThere can be a significant cost savings for both parties when they decideto mediate rather than litigate a case We are committed to saving youmoney that can be much better spent towards a personrsquos or familyrsquos future

704-556-0707 bull kruschlawcom(located in the heart of Southpark)

Two Fairview Center6230 Fairview Road Suite 105

Charlotte North Carolina 28210

heal

th Tips to Support aHealthy Lifestyle-Re-energize YourWellness Routine

wrong with star ting small Setting achievable goals ndash such as jogging or walk ing for a certain amount of time each day ndash will help to keep you working toward the goal of running a10K in the long term

Buddy upBy now yoursquove likely commiserated

with friends about the lapse in your health and wellness goals This is the perfect opportunity to ask someone to partner up in your healthy pursuits Ask friends family neighbors or co-workers if they are interested in joining a gym taking a boot camp class or participating in a healthy cooking course

Supply your body with quality nutrition

Beyond getting in your required f ru i t s vegetab les l ean prote ins healthy fats and whole grains through a balanced diet taking a high quality supplement can help br idge any nutrient gaps and help you get what your body may be lack ing Bannan

If the decadent dishes and busy schedules of the holiday season have set back your effor ts towards a healthy lifestyle fear

not With the right plan in place itrsquos easy to get back on track re-energized and refocused for the year ahead

Shorter days and colder weather may seem to heighten the desire to indulge in comfort foods just as much as it can lessen the motivation to take part in physical activity like hitting the gym or taking an afternoon stroll

Health expert author and registered dietitian Patricia Bannan shares a few simple changes to help re-charge your routine and get excited no matter what the thermometer reads outside

Set realistic expectationsI f you havenrsquot been running in

months and plan to jump on the tread-mill tomorrow it rsquos important to take your new workout in stride Having high aspirations for your health is a wonderful thing but therersquos nothing


recommends Adult Gummies EnergyDagger B12 from Nature Madereg the 1 phar-macist recommended brand of letter vitamins1 Vitamin B12 supports cellu-lar energy production by helping the body convert food into energy and gummies offer an enjoyable way to take your vitaminsdagger

Swap out ingredientsHealthier alternatives exist for all of

your favorite dishes If you crave a hearty bowl of chili switch out ground beef for a leaner variety of ground turkey Use whole-grain pasta in your favorite Italian dishes or whole-grain breads for sand-wiches These changes are small but can

have a big impact on your overall nutri-tion when put into practice

By incorporating a few of these simple tips into your daily wellness routine yoursquoll be on the path to a healthier new you For more information visit wwwnaturemadecom

1 Based on US News amp World Report - Pharmacy Times Survey

DaggerVitamin B12 supports cellular energy pro-duction in the bodydagger

Photo courtesy of Getty ImagesSource Nature MadedaggerThese statements have not been evalu-

ated by the Food and Drug Administration This product is not intended to diagnose treat cure or prevent any disease



February 6 2014Informal Networking 1030 am to 1130 am Program 1130 am to 130 pm

Hilton Charlotte University PlaceFive Critical Tools for Teamwork Success

Speaker Amy Burkett

Join Us at the eWomenNetwork February Meeting too

For more information visit wwweWomenNetworkcomGreaterCharlotteRegionOr contact Lori Dvorak Executive Managing Director at loridvorakewomennetworkcom

Hear eWomenNetwork founder Sandra Yancey share how you can choose to live an inspired totally fulfilled life Living brave doesnrsquot mean you are fearless It means that you move forward and ldquogo for itrdquo in spite of what scares you and the discomfort of the unknown The power to succeed is always within you The life you want is attainable it can be yours if you are ready to LISTEN be BRAVE and EMBRACE your power

Yoursquoll LearnTo access and use your personal power to accomplish your lifersquos ambitionbull The steps to being BRAVE and working through discomfort and uncertaintybull How to redesign your life and create exciting real possibilities that invigorate your spiritbull How to avoid the destructive forces that sabotage your successbull How to energize your life and attract abundance fulfillment and joybull How to engage insightful new ways to ignite the growth of your businessbull

5th Annual eWomenNetwork Womenrsquos Success SummitMarch 6 2014

Informal Networking 1030 am to 1130 amProgram 1130 am to 230 pm

Hilton Charlotte Executive Park Hotel


goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een

Valentinersquos Day is sup -posed to be al l about love thoughtfulness and maybe a few decadent

treats But did you know whatrsquos really involved in getting some of the tra-ditional Valentinersquos Day gifts to your loved one Itrsquos not always so rosy This year Do Your Part as you send flowers prepare dinner or even deliver the sweetest of gifts

The Flower Delivery Be informed before you buy that traditional Valentinersquos bouquet Many imported roses can actually contain 50 more pesticides than whatrsquos legally allowed on food in this country My best advice is to look for retailers who are committed to selling safer flowers Those selling VeriFlora cer-tified ones meet strict environmental standards There are other certifications that will give you peace of mind includ-ing ones from the Rainforest Alliance and EcoBlooms And donrsquot forget how far flowers usually travel only to last a few days Opting for flowers grown at local nurseries will help cut down on the resources need to ship and store them Also potted plants you buy are usually grown locally and will last a whole lot longer than cut flowers Many can be transplanted outdoors to last for years

By Terri Bennett

The Dinner and Drinks Why not show your Valentine you really care by making a thoughtful dinner from scratch Seeking out organic and locally grown fruits vegetables and meats are good for you and the planet You can visit a farm-errsquos market for inspiration or even the local section at your favorite supermarket Adding a delicious local wine is also a nice touch as are a few candles Instead of tra-ditional petroleum-based candles light soy or beeswax ones They wonrsquot pollute the indoor air as you enjoy your meal

The Dessert Dessert is always my favorite part of a Valentinersquos Day dinner Whether you are making a decadent choc-olate dessert or shopping for that perfect box of candy know what you are really eating If you go for organic chocolate your treats will taste even better because yoursquoll know that the cocoa beans were grown without any synthetic chemicals which is better for you the environment and the farmers who grow them If you want to go one step further when it comes to protecting farmers look for chocolates marked lsquofair tradersquo which ensures that those in the field have safe working condi-tions and were given a fair wage

wwwdoyourpartcomgreen-livingvalentines-day-think-outside-the-choco-late-box

Valentinersquos DayThink Outside The (Chocolate) Box



Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

By Briana Barbee

On a breezy fall afternoon in the fall of 2013 I fell asleep early one evening around 7pm absolutely exhausted from my daily trials with my newborn preemie daughter Kennedy Irsquod been going to bed earlier amp earlier every night and popping more Tylenol than Irsquod ever taken I had a constant headache My shoulders felt like they needed constant ldquoadjustingrdquo I felt like someone had been tossing me around like a rag-doll like I had invisible finger-prints all over my body I thought what I was feeling was normal after a crazy preg-nancy but would come to find out that Irsquod been suffering with a silent amp often misdi-agnosed issue

Kennedy was our first child and my pregnancy with her from the beginning was no cake walk Less-than-perfect genet-ics had manifested a myriad of roadblocks on the journey to her birth My first trimes-ter seemed like it stretched out for years My second trimester brought the twice-weekly hospital visits for NSTrsquos amp nightly 2am calls to my mom amp sister for advice The third trimester didnrsquot last very long At 32 weeks my OB said ldquoIrsquom concerned about the development of the baby and you need to see a Maternal Fetal Specialist Todayrdquo So off we went One more co-pay

The ldquoBirthrdquo of Autoimmune Disease Learning to Fight Backhe

alth

42

one more missed day of work ten more things to obsess over Not only was my bank account drying up before our little one even made her debut but I was in a lot of pain exhausted amp utterly terrified

The Maternal Fetal Specialist quickly broke down the situation while in utero Kennedy had sucked every iota of energy amp nutrition that my body could physically manufacture and in order to continue developing she needed more than what I could physically give her Her primal instinct to survive had overridden what my body could handle and the decision was made to take our chances with our precious baby in the real world instead of praying that shersquod continue to grow inside My partner amp I held hands said a prayer took deep breaths and stepped into Labor amp Delivery with heavy yet hopeful hearts Irsquod never met her but loved this tiny person growing inside me like Irsquove never loved anyone I wanted to hear her say ldquoI love you Mommyrdquo and could imagine her saying ldquoDaddy I want Goldfish crackers ldquoPlease God let us get through this Just let her be OK

On May 23rd when Kennedy Ruth arrived via emergency C-section four weeks early and after 30 hours of active


peanut butter cookies But the physical pain that I felt over

every inch of my body didnrsquot get better It continued to worsen until one day in December I finally made an appointment with my doctor amp bawled on her table that I couldnrsquot take the pain anymore Tylenol wasnrsquot cutting it and I had a newborn to take care of Was this normal Was I crazy To quote my partner did I just need to ldquopull myself up by the bootstraps amp deal with itrdquo If so how

ldquoAbsolutely notrdquo my doctor replied ldquoConstant pain for this long is not normal Something more serious is going on inside amp wersquore going to figure out what it isrdquo

After a battery of blood tests for lupus cancer multiple sclerosis amp Hashimotorsquos disease the diagnosis came with remark-able low fan-fare I had fibromyalgia Severe debilitating fibromyalgia And guess what All that pain amp tiredness I was having wasnrsquot just new-mommy growing pains it was an autoimmune disease taking a firm hold on my body Now what Time to get educated

Auto-whatAutoimmune diseases are character-

ized by the abnormal response of your immune system to foreign bodies that are presented to it These illnesses diseases are classified into two broad categories

Systemic autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis httpwwwnews-medicalnethealthScleroderma-What-is-Sclerodermaaspx scleroderma HIV amp AIDS fibromyalgia amp lupus and Local syndromes such as httpwwwnews-medicalnethealthWhat-is-Type-1-Diabetesaspx diabetes type 1

labor she weighed only 4 frac12 lbs was 20rdquo long and had not one ounce of fat on her body She was wrinkly skinny as a rail and preemie clothes were swallowing her whole Socks fell off Hats fell off Receiving blankets looked like parachutes wrapped around her She was pink and beautiful amp peered knowingly into my eyes in the moments after her father laid her on my chest and in those moments time stood still Those Carolina-blue eyes were the only thing my hazel ones were locked on and every nuance of energy I had I devoted to her This tiny creature cooing in the incubator next to my hospital bed was somehow perfect and she literally scared the hell out of me ndash more than Irsquove ever been scared in my life

ldquoKeep on keepinrsquo onrdquoAfter 8 months of making another

human being my body was just beyond tired past exhausted just completely on auto-pilot Every day I felt like a zombie dead on my feet This is what new mother-hood feels like right Of course not sleep-ing more than an hour at a time without jumping up to check every whimper coming from that little wriggly thing in her bassinet had made me foggy-headed No doubt that the variable cocktail of post-na-tal hormones was making me irritable incredibly sensitive amp downright crazy at times Surely my strength would start to come back once I was more comfortable changing diapers amp feeding every 2 hours My nerve amp pain receptors were on over-drive Everything hurt Everything upset me I cried over coffee that was too strong amp lost my composure in Subway when the guy in front of me bought the last of the


Hashimotorsquos d i sease ht tp w w wnews-medicalnethealthAddisons-Disease-What-is-Addisons-DiseaseaspxAddisonrsquos disease or hemolytic httpwwwnews-medicalnethealthWhat-is-anemiaaspx anemia

Other autoimmune diseases such as certain cancers fibromyalgia and Cushingrsquos disease are often thought to be idiopathic meaning there is no speci f ic reason as why the pat ient developed a particular autoimmune disease This var ies from patient to patient yet the characteristics of each autoimmune affliction are remarkably similar For example diabetes myelitis type 1 is what most people refer to as ldquoinsulin dependentrdquo based on the body rsquos response to producing and

regulating insulin through the pan-creas Patient A may need an insulin p u m p t o s y s t e m a t i c a l l y r e g u l a t e insulin levels while Patient B controls their insulin through diet amp injections as needed

I t has been estimated that auto-immune diseases are among the ten leading causes of death among women in all age groups up to 65 years1 A substantial minority of the population suffers from these diseases which are often chronic debilitating and occa-s ional ly l i fe -threatening There are more than eighty illnesses caused by autoimmunity2 and others are dis-covered every year

Fighting BackFor some analgesics such as tra-

madol opiate drugs like oxycodone amp other pain relief drugs are the end-all for f ibromyalgia suf ferers I d idnrsquo t want to go that route Irsquom a massage therapist An educated experienced amp medical ly-minded bodyworker I know my pathology amp pharmacology and knew what the potential addic-t ive ef fects of cer ta in medicat ions could be Taking care of a brand new little one seemed a daunting task for anyone especially someone under the effects of serious pain killers Narcotics werenrsquot an opt ion What about my beloved essential oils castor oil packs amp massage therapy

In 2013 researchers at the University o f M iami School o f M edic ine per-formed a study to see whether people with autoimmune diseases benef i t from receiving regular massage


The team recruited 42 adults al l whom were a f f l ic ted with var y ing degrees of rheumatoid ar thr i t i s a d i s e a s e t h a t b e h ave s s i m i l a r l y to f ibromyalgia amp is occasional ly mis-diagnosed as such Half of the par-ticipants were assigned to received moderate pressure massage therapy once a week for four weeks as well as being taught self-massage to perform on themselves daily The other par-t ic ipants were given l ight pressure massage amp taught self-massage

Publishing their f indings in the journal ldquoComplementary Therapies in Clinical Practicerdquo the authors reported that patients who received moderate pressure massages tended to benefit from less pain greater perceived grip strength wider range of motion in wrist hips elbows amp shoulders and a greater sense of general well-being 3

Additional research on the internet found copious studies performed on various patients with varied illnesses and all of the feedback pointed in a positive direction safe non-invasive properly-performed massage therapy is proven to reduce the symptoms of many dif ferent i l lness amp disease especially those affected with autoim-mune disorders Proven scientifically to the point that massage therapy when recommended by a physician or medical professional is an allowable expense for Flex Spending amp Health Savings Accounts4

Fibromyalgia in recent years has been categorized as an autoimmune disease although researchers have

yet to pinpoint one specif ic cause One theory that seems to be garner-ing the most attention that fibromy-algia sufferers have in common is that they have been long-term sufferers of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

In my case my brother rsquos life-long battle with Leukemia has taken its toll on all the members of my immediate family Through proper counsel ing consistent bodywork constant mon-itoring of meds amp a voracious love of science and complementar y health care has put me into remission I have a team (yes a TEAM) of ver y dedi-cated medical professionals that thor-oughly amp routinely delve deep into my medical history and background as those waters are unique dark amp unchartered My fi le at my primary care physicianrsquos office is housed in a D-r ing binder Reading mater ial for when flu season dies down I suppose

B u t t h a t rsquos a n o t h e r s t o r y f o r another day

Acknowledgments Noel R Rose and Ian R MacKay ldquoThe Autoimmune Diseasesrdquo fourth edition

ldquoNational Institutes of Healthrdquo University of Miami School of Medicine

ldquoComplementary Therapies in Clinical Practicerdquo June 2013

IRSgov

Briana L Barbee LMBTCenter DirectorLaVida Massage at the Promenadebbarbeelavidamassagecom704-708-5044


add a spark or interest to any individual to achieve and keep this thing we call LOVE

Do Keep Physical Appearance Up - Includes nice smile neat hair makeup applied to enhance features and being well-groomed

Donrsquot apply makeup i f y o u h a v e n e v e r r e c e i v e d a t u t o -rial or instruction from a professional mak eup a r t i s t o r have never been to the MAC counter

Do Wear A Dress o r S k i r t W h e n e v e r Possible - This can be cha l lenging in Winter Months but we strongly encourage women to purchase long-sleeved dresses

Donrsquot wear jeans or sweatpants ALL the Time The goal is to keep or spark interest Do this by never looking the same and changing up your look There is a time and place for sweats

Dre ss For Love

AAs we enter into the ldquoSeason of Loverdquo and Valentinersquos Day is upon this article will empower you with the Dos and Donrsquots of Attraction As we approach Valentinersquos Day for Singles it is a time to reflect and think about ways to capture love

For Married couples Valentinersquos Day is a time to celebrate the love you worked hard to achieve However when it comes to attraction letrsquos face reality your outer appearance is the first thing people see when they meet you so if you are not dressing for love then you are not in the game It doesnrsquot matter what your relationship status is dressing for love is a key tool to securing maintaining and keeping things fresh and exciting

No man or woman is the same every-one is different and as the world con-stantly evolves our perspectives and opinions change on attraction What may be extremely attractive to one set or group of people may not be for another Our list in general applies to universal phys-ical and mental attraction that will

By Cherry Gooding

Dorsquos and Donrsquots of Attraction

Dorsquos and Donrsquots of Attractionfa

shio

n


Do Purchase Clothes That Work for Your Body - Wear clothes that fit and work for your body type everyone is different an image consultant can advise you on what looks work best for your body type

Do Wear Heels - I k now that we love our loafers and f lats but on date nights pul l out the heels even if it is a low one

D o s h o w some Skin - Unless y o u r c u l t u r e o r beliefs keep you com-pletely clothed or covered s e e i n g s k i n o p e n s u p t h e touch sensors so show off your best feature but in a tasteful and age appropriate way

Donrsquot Display Unshaven Sk in - Including legs arms face or back If you are a naturally hairy person laser hair removal is a great option

D o W e a r C o o r d i n a t e d a n d Appropriate Undergarments - This is paramount in looking and feeling great Your undergarments are one of your best accessories

Do ClassicTimeless Attire - We canrsquot follow every trend and we must dress for the purpose of attraction Women follow trends so that other women can look at us The goal is to look nice and feminine

Do Keep Your Look Natural - Most want a real Woman if everything is fake your character will be questioned

Do Be Confident and Show Your Personality - Be true to who you are and confidence is the greatest thing that you can wear to Dress for Love

Cherry GoodingPrincipal ConsultantPHOEBYCERISEhttpwwwpcimageconsultingcomPhone 704-779-1440

busin

ess

Mentors Key To Small BusinessOwner Success

are still in contact with their mentorldquoFor many s tar t ing a bus iness

can be overwhelming - it rsquos not just about exp lor ing

a passion or following

a dreamrdquo s a i d W

Kenneth Yancy chief executive officer of SCORE a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground ldquoA mentor can help navigate the complex challenges that often come with being a business owner and the guidance from someone who has been there themselves can be a real assetrdquo

Beyond the intangibles - access to knowledge and the confidence that comes from having a respected colleague rooting for your success for example - a mentor relationship

Y ou have a compelling business model ambi-tion entrepreneur-ial spirit Add in a solid

business plan and the necessary capital and you may be well on your way toward launching a business But before you take the leap into owning your own business itrsquos worth-while to consider adding in another important element- the guidanceof a mentor

According to a recent survey con-ducted by The UPS Store 88 percent of smal l business owners bel ieve having a mentor has been invaluable As evidence of the value this unique relationship brings more than two-thirds of business owners who had a mentor prior to starting the business



can have a very real impact on your bottom line In fact 70 percent of small business owners who receive mentoring survive for five years or more double the rate of those who do not

ldquoMany s m a l l b u s i -ness owners f e e l l i k e t h e y rsquo r e a l l a l o n e w h e n i t c o m e s to fac ing cha l -lengesrdquo s a i d T i m D av i s p re s -ident of The U P S S t o r e ldquoGetting h e l p f r o m an expert or adv ice f rom another busi-n e s s o w n e r whorsquos already experi-enced some-thing similar c a n b e invaluablerdquo

A m e n -tor rsquos contr ibutions can take many different forms so it rsquos important to find a partner whose expertise and approach to business is s imilar to yours Through organizations such as SCORE small business owners can - at no cost - pull from a pool of more

than 11000 cer tif ied experts from every industry to find a mentor that f i ts their personal work sty le and needs

Before choosing a mentor con-sider the following questions to help

y o u f i n d a match who c a n m a x i -m i z e y o u r business potential

How s t r o n g a ro le would y o u l i k e your mentor t o h a v e A r e y o u look ing for someone t o b o u n c e ideas off of or someone w h o w i l l guide you

What time-frame d o e s y o u r schedule a l l o w A re you looking

for a mentor to connect with weekly Bi-weekly As needed

Where are you most comfortable meet ing with your mentor Is an electronic or phone-based relation-ship acceptable or do you prefer chats over coffee

Family First John Davila third generat ion architect and founder a n d C E O o f L B C T A r c h i t e c t u r a l Engineer ing and Des ign learned everything he knows about architec-ture from his mentor

In 1919 Johnrsquos grandfather started an architecture business in Scotland He mentored Johnrsquos father for many years who eventually took over the business and finally when the time came his knowledge and expertise were shared with John

ldquoMy father is my mentor I took the knowledge from him to create my own business that incorporated some of his principles with my busi-n e s s g o a l s rdquo s a i d D av i l a ldquo H av i n g a mentor he lped prepare me for obstacles I faced as a small business ownerrdquo

J u s t l i k e h i s f a t h e r J o h n h a s found great joy in mentoring John is cur rent ly mentor ing a past c l i -ent rsquos daughter who has interest in entering the architecture and design indust r y John k nows the impor-tance of being educated in the field you are hoping to turn into a career and feels that a mentor rsquos experience is extremely helpful when making the transition of opening a business

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Source The UPS Store

Are there specific sk ills you lack that a mentor could help develop

W h a t c r e d e n t i a l s d o e s y o u r mentor need in order to provide you the greatest benefit

To access tools templates and other resources to help you find a mentor and to search for a mentor with exper t i se in your f ie ld v i s i t wwwtheupsstorecomscore

The B ottom Line Smal l bus i -nesses that receive mentoring are 20 percent more likely to experience growth than those that donrsquot

S m a l l b u s i n e s s e s t h a t re c e i ve 3-plus hours of mentor ing repor t higher revenues and increased busi-ness growth

7 0 p e rc e n t o f s m a l l b u s i n e s s o w n e r s t h a t r e c e i v e m e n t o r i n g survive for five years or more

M a r k e t i n g Yo u r B u s i n e s s A smar t bus iness plan includes a market ing strategy to help guide t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d gro w t h of your company As you consider how yoursquoll approach marketing for your new business yoursquo l l need to consider things like your marketing goals your target market and what the compet i t ive landscape looks like

For help creat ing your market-ing plan visit the SCORE Marketing Assessment Tool at wwwtheupss-torecomscore The free tool offers a s u r ve y t o h e l p s m a l l b u s i n e s s owners plan and execute an effec-tive marketing strategy


finan

ces Simple Ways

to Improve Personal Finances

look for a card that has low interest and reinforces good payment practicesrdquo

Along with these practices there are other ways to promote good spending and personal finance habits such as

Limit Number of Credit Cards According to the survey three out of 10 respondents carried four or more credit cards Limiting the number of cards you own can help limit your spending and increase the likelihood you can pay above the minimum balance Before you start cutting up your plastic remem-ber having more than one credit card can have merits If you need money for an emergency the immediate buying power of a credit card can be a lifesaver Try a card with no annual fee and a gen-erous credit line to cover unexpected expenses One idea is to have three cards one in a safe place at home for emergen-cies and two with you at all times

Reap the Rewards With so many rewards programs available for credit card holders itrsquos important to do your homework so you can cash in on things your family really needs While some credit cards will offer rewards to use at your favorite hotels and airlines others

As more Americans make strides towards respon-sible spending and debt management there are

still ways to improve the control of family finances

According to a survey recently con-ducted by Bank of America which asked respondents about their credit card usage balance and rewards less than half of cardholders always pay their entire credit card balance With more than half of individuals carrying credit card debt Jason Gaughan card prod-ucts executive for Bank of America said to think about personal spending before taking on a credit card

ldquoCredit cards provide consumers an efficient and protected way to make purchasesrdquo said Gaughan ldquoThey are more convenient than cash and they are incredibly useful in an emergency The key to successfully managing your credit card account is to understand your budget and stick to a plan that works for you when borrowing You want a card with a rewards program that fits your lifestyle and how you manage your finances If you typically carry a balance



will give you special discounts for the purchases you make on a frequent basis The most popular of these programs is cash back for spending Some cards such as the BankAmericard Cash Rewards credit card let you earn more cash back where you spend the most money like gas stations and grocery stores The BankAmericard Better Balance Rewards credit card helps customers responsi-bly manage their credit card balance Whatever rewards you are seeking there is likely to be a card suitable for you

Track Spending Habits Now I f yoursquove been lax about keeping track of your spending take the first step towards tracking as soon as possible Include info on where you spend when you spend and how much you spend Making note of all of those little pur-chases mdash a cup of coffee here or a gift store trinket there mdash will help you see how quickly they add up Whether yoursquore the old-fashioned pen-and-pa-per type or if you prefer a more modern digital form of tracking the importance is in the act itself

Evaluate All Debts Many carry debts beyond credit cards including student loans car payments and mort-gages While some may consider these types as necessary debts it is import-ant to keep track of the balance due for each as well as the interest rate you are paying According to the survey when respondents were asked what they would do with $1000 nearly half (44 percent) revealed they would pay off debt Evaluate your debts and decide

which ones have the highest interest rates Making it a priority to pay down these debts first will save you more money in the long run

Create a Budget Itrsquos never too soon to put yourself in control of your money and stop letting it control you A budget will give you financial peace of mind and it can help you stretch the income you have First write down the finan-cial goals you want to achieve in the next few years and the ones you want to accomplish for the long term Then gather all of the purchasing information for the household and categorize each type of spending Divide your expenses into fixed expenses (those that stay the same from month to month such as a mortgage payment or cable tele-vision bill) and variable ones (those that may change such as fuel bills or entertainment) Be sure to also set aside some money for personal savings and an emergency fund Once yoursquove cal-culated your income and expenses a month ahead of time and set your budget you can focus on the most important part mdash adhering to the plan Find ways to decrease spending Adopt just one new way of trimming expenses each week and yoursquoll find your overhead shrinking fast Though you may not be on-point every month the simple act of tracking and communicating your familyrsquos finances will be a huge step forward in your quest towards responsi-ble spending

For more information visit wwwban-kofamericacomcreditcard



th Caroh CCAAAtAt

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Int th

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Mara Campolungo

Sarah Batista

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb

Mara Campolungo

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb







V i s i o n a r y







YOUR PASSION



Wo m e n



th Caroh CCAAAtAt

IAt t

Int th

Inth

n Bthe

n Bhe

n Bhe E

Mara Campolungo

Sarah Batista

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb

Mara Campolungo

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb







V i s i o n a r y







YOUR PASSION



Wo m e n







Have a great month

Mimi


Dear Readers





4842

6








Copyright copy 2014

Con

tent

s

On the cover

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March

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March

4th

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Phone 713-592-6998 or 740-274-9677


SAVE THE DATES



infondccarolinasorg



Charlotte NC






December 2014





Raleigh NC


Charlotte NC







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Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



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by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










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By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




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Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



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ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways




















th Caroh CCAAAtAt

IAt t

Int th

Inth

n Bthe

n Bhe

n Bhe E

Mara Campolungo

Sarah Batista

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb

Mara Campolungo

Leona La Perriere

BB Webb







V i s i o n a r y







YOUR PASSION



Wo m e n







Have a great month

Mimi


Dear Readers





4842

6








Copyright copy 2014

Con

tent

s

On the cover

ClaireBlocker


4636


prof

essio

nal s

potli

ght







Fairchild




































busin


of the

National

Diversity Council

to host

Women

in

Leadership

Symposium









March

4th

2014

March

4th

2014











Phone 713-592-6998 or 740-274-9677


SAVE THE DATES



infondccarolinasorg



Charlotte NC






December 2014





Raleigh NC


Charlotte NC







arketin

g


























Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

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ty Im

ages

















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vis

it h

ttp

w

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kofa

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ica

com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

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By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways
























Have a great month

Mimi


Dear Readers





4842

6








Copyright copy 2014

Con

tent

s

On the cover

ClaireBlocker


4636


prof

essio

nal s

potli

ght







Fairchild




































busin


of the

National

Diversity Council

to host

Women

in

Leadership

Symposium









March

4th

2014

March

4th

2014











Phone 713-592-6998 or 740-274-9677


SAVE THE DATES



infondccarolinasorg



Charlotte NC






December 2014





Raleigh NC


Charlotte NC







arketin

g


























Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

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ty Im

ages

















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kofa

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by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

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goin

g gr

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By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































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Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



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n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways






















4842

6








Copyright copy 2014

Con

tent

s

On the cover

ClaireBlocker


4636


prof

essio

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potli

ght







Fairchild




































busin


of the

National

Diversity Council

to host

Women

in

Leadership

Symposium









March

4th

2014

March

4th

2014











Phone 713-592-6998 or 740-274-9677


SAVE THE DATES



infondccarolinasorg



Charlotte NC






December 2014





Raleigh NC


Charlotte NC







arketin

g


























Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

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ty Im

ages

















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k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

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rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

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ban

kofa

mer

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com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

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By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































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Dre ss For Love




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shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways



















prof

essio

nal s

potli

ght







Fairchild




































busin


of the

National

Diversity Council

to host

Women

in

Leadership

Symposium









March

4th

2014

March

4th

2014











Phone 713-592-6998 or 740-274-9677


SAVE THE DATES



infondccarolinasorg



Charlotte NC






December 2014





Raleigh NC


Charlotte NC







arketin

g


























Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

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ty Im

ages

















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k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

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rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

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ban

kofa

mer

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by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways





















































busin


of the

National

Diversity Council

to host

Women

in

Leadership

Symposium









March

4th

2014

March

4th

2014











Phone 713-592-6998 or 740-274-9677


SAVE THE DATES



infondccarolinasorg



Charlotte NC






December 2014





Raleigh NC


Charlotte NC







arketin

g


























Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

Your

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ty Im

ages

















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k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

info

rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

ww

ban

kofa

mer

ica

com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways




























Phone 713-592-6998 or 740-274-9677


SAVE THE DATES



infondccarolinasorg



Charlotte NC






December 2014





Raleigh NC


Charlotte NC







arketin

g


























Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

Your

Get

ty Im

ages

















Ban

k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

info

rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

ww

ban

kofa

mer

ica

com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways



















SAVE THE DATES



infondccarolinasorg



Charlotte NC






December 2014





Raleigh NC


Charlotte NC







arketin

g


























Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

Your

Get

ty Im

ages

















Ban

k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

info

rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

ww

ban

kofa

mer

ica

com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways
























arketin

g


























Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

Your

Get

ty Im

ages

















Ban

k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

info

rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

ww

ban

kofa

mer

ica

com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways






































Corporate Events

wwwsnapwerxbiz



finan

ces









Stickingwith

Your

Get

ty Im

ages

















Ban

k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

info

rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

ww

ban

kofa

mer

ica

com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways



















finan

ces









Stickingwith

Your

Get

ty Im

ages

















Ban

k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

info

rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

ww

ban

kofa

mer

ica

com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways


































Ban

k o

f Am

eric

a

For m

ore

info

rmat

ion

vis

it h

ttp

w

ww

ban

kofa

mer

ica

com
















by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways

































by Mimi Zelman

































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways
















































































YOU CAN SURVIVE










heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways


















heal



























Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways































Speaker Amy Burkett









goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways



















goin

g gr

een

goin

g gr

een




By Terri Bennett








By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways




















By Briana Barbee




alth

42


































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways
















































IRSgov








Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways
























Dre ss For Love




By Cherry Gooding



shio

n











busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways




























busin

ess






































finan

ces Simple Ways












































finan

ces Simple Ways


















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