POSSIBLE Magazine by Johnetta A. Alston

POSSIBLE MARCH/APRIL 2011

www.possiblemagazineonline.com

VOL. 4

Spring Clean Your Life

What’s happening in your life, wallet, and yes…..your closet?????

“POSSIBLE YOU”

There’s an event that’s taking place right now, the most important one of your life, because it is YOUR LIFE. Do yourself and the world a favor and show up in it……for real! When the curtains open and you take center stage in the production called you, what will it feel like? What will it sound like? Get excited about all of the endless possibilities with your name on them and then go get them, claim them. All of us at POSSIBLE want that for you and we’re here for you. To help you connect the dots, to fill in the blanks and to just plain figure it out. Take a moment and check out the POSSIBLE Planner Pages™ in back and get busy about the business of YOU. Be the best that you can be in every area of your life and watch what happens. Lights, Camera, Action….its show time. Be the Star in your life, not the Understudy!

From Me to

YOU!

New Beginnings are POSSIBLE I don’t know about you, but I’m so excited about all of the magic that awaits us! I’ve shared with you in the past, many of the ways that being BOLD can transform your life. What steps have you taken? As we enter a new season on the calendar, it should also represent and reflect a new season in YOU. Spring, come on, the word says it all, but let’s analyze it further, dig a little deeper if you will. Because I want you to have some real clarity on this, I looked it up. The word spring means to leap, to rise, to move or act suddenly, being suddenly released, flexible, resilient and my favorite, to come into being! WOW…..of course I know what the word means, but like a lot of things, we become numb to it, we take it for granted, it becomes familiar to us,

like friends; I’ll call Boring and Mundane. Have friends like that? Have family or co-workers like that? What are you going to do about it? I want the kind of spring that the dictionary describes. It makes me smile just thinking about it. That being said, thinking isn’t enough. We spend so much time thinking about stuff, feeling stuff…most of the time it’s bad, but we never take action. What are you waiting for? This spring, clear the debris in your life. This issue of POSSIBLE is about “spring cleaning” your life, all of it. Breathe, it’s okay to take baby steps, just do something. I love the beach, seeing and hearing the water. I love the smell of it. I especially love walking on the beach at dawn. I love creating my own footsteps. To me, it represents not walking in anyone else’s. I walk, talk to myself, walk some more and at just the right moment as the new day dawns and we’re all renewed again, here’s what I do. Every time the tide comes in I free myself of something. Anything that’s out of sync with my life’s purpose. Anything that’s weighing heavy on my

heart and spirit, I let it go. I release it into the water. It’s a powerful visual for me. When the tide comes in, I give it something to take out and cleanse from me and I’m done with it! I promise myself to leave it there and then I do just that. By this time, the sun is up and so is my husband. He’s been watching me from the distance making sure that I’m alright. That’s what he does and I’m one lucky woman. I feel loved, safe, protected and secure. One more thing. Someone else has been watching me too, my heavenly father. That’s what he does and I’m one blessed woman. I am loved, I am safe, I am protected and secure. That’s my ritual, what’s yours? You owe it to yourself to do whatever it takes to spring forward and “come into being”. Check out the article, 7 Steps to Getting Unstuck. That should give you a start in the right direction. Smooches, ;-) Johnetta

POSSIBLE because everything is! â&#x201E;˘ Publisher, Creative & Editorial Director

Visit us online at

www.possiblemagazineonline.com

Johnetta Alston Lake Assistant & Marketing Intern Ashley Johnson

Editorial Assistant Brittany Johnson

Contributors Steven Beeson Rae Burroughs Stephanie LH Calahan William Harris Cindy Macdonald Carlene Lewis Redmond Ellen V. Springer

Contact POSSIBLE Magazine at: 1-877-729-7557

You’ll Love What’s Inside A Closer Look 10

Need a Little Style Inspiration?

Carlene encourages you to Rise Up from the

7 Steps to Getting Unstuck

Roots 14

Spring Clean Your Closet with Cindy

Steve says, “Spring is in the HAIR” 23 Eat Right for Your Skin Type 25

Rae’s 2012 Spring Makeup Report 28 What’s Your Me-Ality™???? 32 Ellen’s 7 Tips to Starting

a Successful Business 34

Contributors Steven Beeson Steven has been in the beauty industry for almost 20 years. He is a Senior Colorist at the Louis Licari Salon in New York City and heads up the color department’s training program. In 2006, Steven co-founded SkyTown Entertainment, a video production company based in NYC, where he oversees the editing department and development of singer/songwriter Brian Sizensky. He’s also working to identify and develop new project’s to bring to SkyTown’s music and film divisions. Being able to combine his love of music, with his passion for detail and perfection when it comes to hair color, makes for an artistically, satisfying career. sbeeson@skytownentertainmenet.com Stephanie LH Calahan Stephanie works with intelligent, highly motivated, busy entrepreneurs, executives and other time-pressed professionals to coach them on how to do more with their time, space, information and thoughts. She believes that life is meant to be lived and businesses are meant to be profitable. As the creator of a number of programs, she focuses on helping you identify solutions for the way you think and work. She frequently delivers transformative presentations and workshops to kick start massive business success through systems and simplification. You don’t have to do it our way, because we help you find your way!™ http://www.ProductiveAndOrganized.net William Harris William is a certified fitness trainer with 15 years experience, This includes 5 years at Crunch Fitness Atlanta, 4 years corporate fitness trainer at L.R. Electrical Contractors and 6 years as the owner of Harris Fitness. In addition, he’s certified in weight training, assisted stretching, kickboxing, post-rehab and Adult CPR. His training motto is NO SHORT CUTS! wrh40@netzero.net

Cindy Macdonald Cindy is an Atlanta designer specializing in both the art of dressing well and flower design presentation. She holds a B.A. in Psychology as well as an M.B.A. From a very young age she loved fashion and more importantly SHOPPING! She was frequently taken on all-day shopping outings with her mother and grandmother, where she learned at the feet of two masters. After college she went on to have a successful retail career at the top women’s clothing store in Dallas. cindy@lucindamacdonald.com Carlene Lewis Redmond Carlene is a passionate child advocate who works to promote safe, permanent outcomes for child victims of abuse and neglect. The married mother of three holds degrees in computer science, sociology and public administration. She has written for Gospel Today magazine and other publications. careleneredmond@yahoo.com Rae Burroughs Rae is a talented fashion designer and stylist. Her raw talent for the “it” look is priceless. Her passion for fashion began at an early age. In 2002, she started her own line of clothing, “House of Synkari”, named after her son; that went on to be a hit in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area. Rae’s also a makeup artist and knows the power of adding that “icing on the cake” in creating the finishing touch to her productions. raeburroughs@gmail.com

Ellen V. Springer, MBA, CPA Ellen is a business leader and has been a CPA for over 30 years, providing business, tax and consulting services to individuals and businesses. Her passion is working with businesses and sharing her knowledge to help them be more successful in their business and have more money and time to spend with their family. Her book, Turn Your Dream Business into Your Bread and Butter: Recipes for Running Your Business from Scratch, was nominated for a 2008 Georgia Writers Association Award and it is at #1 Bestseller in The New Business Enterprise category on Amazon.com. www.springerCPA.com and www.RunASuccessfulBusiness.com

A Closer This feature new is sure that you don’t POSSIBLE is blessed to most amazing business! So, let’s at what you’ll find in time around.

Look dedicated to making miss a beat. have some of the contributors in the take “a closer look” their columns this

Ellen Springer hits a home run and then some with her 7 Tips to Starting a Successful Business article. Her no nonsense, nuts and bolts approach are just what you need to launch your dream business. Be sure to check out her bio and her awesome websites. Not to mention, she’s also a bestselling author! http://www.PassionDreamBusiness.com and www.springercpa.com

Carlene Lewis Redmond nails it in Rise up from the Roots and proves without a doubt that it’s not where or how you start, but how you finish! These stories will blow you away and shut your pity party down. carleneredmond@yahoo.com

Steven Beeson is a man on a mission and his talent is mind boggling. In the article, Spring is in the HAIR, we get just the info we need to pull off a flawless style transition. Hang on to every word and tip and you too, will be turning heads in no time. Check out www.skytownentertainment.com to see what else he’s up to. Cindy Macdonald is the diva you want in your closet. In her article, Spring Clean Your Closet, she shows you how to get to the bottom of your closet clutter, how to make a difference to someone else, and then how to have the runway, your way. You don’t want to miss her valuable tips! cindy@cindymacdonald.com

Rae Burroughs is all about the icing on the cake. In her 2012 Spring Makeup Report, she’s done the homework for you and has the 411 on the latest trends and application tips. So, go play, have fun and don’t be afraid of color. raeburroughs@gmail.com

Style Inspiration Who inspired your Every one of us has our lives that totally what I mean. The always so pulled

style? Think about it. or had a woman in had “it”. You know woman who was together, so

impeccably groomed, that could walk into a room and make an entrance without even trying. Was it your mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, cousin, teacher, a few of them? Men this goes for you too! Style isn’t gender specific. What man in your life made you want to stand taller, had the handkerchief ready, shoes always polished, and was the perfect gentleman? The beauty salons and barber shops of days gone by are reminiscent of a more elegant time. A time when the focus really could be you without all of the distractions we deal with today. I’d like to think that those days are closer than we think. I know they are. What images helped to shape the person you’ve become. If you’ve lost sight of that, find a way to get it back. I promise that it’s in that place where you’ll find the perfect base for your style platform. Everything comes full circle. Styles in clothing, hair, makeup, etc. have a way of coming around again. Some things we’ve seen a few times.

Prepare for your own style transformation. Find ways to incorporate some old images and put a new spin on it…..yours! I love the whole idea of a transformation. There are physical transformations, spiritual transformations and definitely style transformations. No matter what kind you embrace, you’ve got to know that it’s time for you. Life, none of this is a dress rehearsal. Most times, you get one shot at it. Don’t waste it.

This is an excerpt from The Road to YOU, The Ultimate Guide to Staging Your Own Transformation

http://tiny.cc/rpccx

POSSIBLE Magazine salutes Stephanie L H Calahan, of Calahan

Solutions, Inc. www.calahansolutions.com and www.productiveandorganized.net Check out her sites and scan below if you want to be better and do better, than you ever thought possible!

POSSIBLE Testimonies Rise Up From the Roots His was the ultimate rags to riches story...born in jail to a teenage mother and placed in foster care, the future looked bleak for little Daunte. Not much was expected from a child of his unfortunate beginnings. On the surface, it appeared that his fate was sealed, beginning life with the odds already stacked against him. However, as he grew older, his outstanding skills on the football field emerged. Through resolve and hard work, former Minnesota Viking and NFL superstar Daunte Culpepper transformed his otherwise predictable outcome. Daunte Culpepper is just one of many whose roots are in the foster care system, but now enjoy life successes beyond measure. Before her long stint on daytime

televisionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Young and the Restless, talented actress and author, Victoria Rowell, was a classically trained ballerina. She does not hide the fact that her entire childhood was spent in foster care. Rowell

chronicled her life story in the memoir entitled, The Women Who Raised Me. In the book, Rowell credits her foster mothers for shaping her into the accomplished woman she is today. His name, Tom Monaghan, may not be well known, but most folks have heard of the company he founded, Dominoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizza. The entrepreneur also founded a university and is a former owner of the Detroit Tigers baseball franchise. As successful as he is, few would guess that Monaghan, endured a childhood spent in and out of the foster care system. Monaghan did not let his troubled past deter him. Instead, he focused on pursuing his dreams. In his climb up the ladder of success, Monaghan enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, attended college, and opened his first pizza shop. With speaking engagements all over the world and countless television specials on the Public Broadcasting System, renowned author and wildly popular inspirational speaker Dr. Wayne Dyer, spent his formative years languishing in orphanages and foster homes. Dyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lengthy stay in foster care could have negatively impacted his future, but not only did he survive, he thrived. Dyer earned his PhD in counseling and now motivates the masses through his uplifting lectures and bestselling books. The steely drive and determination to reach for the stars makes one wonder if this group was trying to compensate for their fractured childhoods. Despite the fact that they spent a significant amount of their early years in foster care, they triumphed over obstacles and adversity to realize successes

that elude most. Being a former foster care statistic is not the end of the story. For some, it is just the beginning to a life full of possibilities.

Carlene Lewis Redmond is a passionate child advocate who works to promote safe, permanent outcomes for child victims of abuse and neglect. The married mother of three holds degrees in Computer Science, Sociology and Public Administration. She has written for Gospel Today magazine and other publications.

7 Steps to Getting Unstuck The Brick Wall

A brick wall is a still a brick wall, if it’s shutting you down in some way. It doesn’t matter how pretty it is, how smooth the surface is, you know what I mean. It’s in all the ways that we dress our “mess” up. Life sucks sometimes and we can’t always find our way. No matter what you do, or how hard you try; nothing works.

When you’ve had enough, you’ll do something. You’ll stop blaming everybody else and show up like a grown up. Now, right now, own who you are, where you are and more importantly, how you got there!! The good, the bad and the ugly. The not so nice

and the not so pretty. It’s not easy, but your purpose and who you’re destined to be is riding on it.

Your breakthrough is POSSIBLE! 1. BREATHE….you can’t accomplish anything if you’re holding your breath! 2. Put it on paper. Whatever’s troubling you, it helps to clear the debris by writing it down. Get a piece of paper, draw a line down the center and put the issue in the proper column, Good/Bad, Pro’s/Con’s, Why/Why Not. What you name it isn’t important, just do it. Call it out!

3. Enlist help. Surround yourself with a team you trust. Everybody doesn’t need to be, nor do they deserve to be in your inner circle. Pick 5 friends that have your back no matter what and who’ll give it to you straight…no chaser.

That’s real friendship, not how many Facebook friends you have or how many followers and connections you have. 4. Be honest with yourself. You know the stuff you say and admit when nobody’s around. That doesn’t mean bad stuff, please. But it does mean the real, in your face, make peace and forgive yourself kind of talk. The kind that gets ugly and there isn’t enough tissue in the room.

5. Decide what you want…..for real, then make it happen. Take baby steps, just do something. Create a plan. You wouldn’t build a house without a plan, open a business without a plan and you can’t walk around without a plan. Are we clear??? 6. Forgive yourself, love yourself and keep it moving. Prepare to make a clean getaway. That means leaving no unfinished business that will come back to haunt you and keep you up at night.

7. Trust yourself. You’ve got to trust yourself and know without a doubt that you’ll be okay. You’re going to be better than okay, you’re going to be just fine. 8. Here’s a bonus step……PRAY and BELIEVE.

Remember, everything is POSSIBLE!

Spring Clean your CLOSET…..it’s

POSSIBLE

Spring cleaning your closet is met with groans from some and excitement from others. Whichever is your response, it’s actually THE BEST opportunity to take a long, hard look at your wardrobe. We all collect clothes. Look at your white t-shirts. Are they still really white? Look at your black knits. Are they still black? Are you sure? Toss out the clothes that don’t look like they did when you bought them. Get rid of the clothes that don’t make you look and feel fabulous! Donate those items to the many charities in your community and get a lift knowing you have helped others in need. There are true emotional attachments to certain pieces. Put those (very few items) in a special place in your storage closet. After you purge all the items that are stained, stretched and unflattering, you have a grand palette to look at everything with the spring trends in mind. As in years past, spring is all about COLOR! ✓ Orange is hot, hot, hot! Color blocking, pairing one solid “block” of color with another solid block of a different color, is still a huge look. It’s even spilling over to include shoes and bags. So pair that orange top with purple pants. Or update a nude/beige suit with a

bright red top - so chic! Wear those cobalt shoes with an orange dress. ✓ Head to toe prints! From floral, to animal to vibrant geometrics. Think watercolors. Pull out those crazy paisley pants from the 70‘s and you’re right in style for Spring 2012. ✓ Embroidery! Classic white and black over nude or a color. Wear an embroidered top over hot pink leggings and hot pink camisole. ✓ Strong suits! There is a lot of leg this spring with skirt suits. Showing are bright colors or all white. Lots of detail: fringe, ruffles and lace. Also showing are peplum tops. Peplum is a short ruffle attached to the waistline of a jacket or blouse. Worn over skirts or pants - makes a waist look tiny:) ✓ Revisit the Classics! Loafers, blazers, cotton skirts and rolled up jeans. Think preppy. Accessories: should be small when clothes are “loud” and make a big statement when clothes are “quiet”. Jewelry: Multi colored bright mixed “stones” real or imitation are pretty for Spring. Make up: Bright pink lips are hot. Shades of coral and blue for nails are fierce!

Shake off the winter doldrums, clean your closet so you can actually see whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there to wear and make new fun outfits with current trends in mind. Make Spring 2012 your best ever! Cindy is an Atlanta Designer specializing in both the art of dressing well and flower design presentation. She holds a B.A. in Psychology as well as an M.B.A. From a very young age she loved fashion and more importantly SHOPPING! She was frequently taken on all-day shopping outings with her mother and grandmother, where she learned at the feet of two masters. After college, she went on to have a successful retail career at the top womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s store in Dallas. cindy@lucindamacdonald.com

Spring is in the Hair It’s time for cleaning and time for making changes. This includes your hair. It’s time to think about your hair color as well as what products you are using, or not using. Spring is a great time to reassess what’s happening with your hair color and to look ahead to warmer weather and take action. What’s this summer’s look going to be? If you are one of those people who like changing your color with the seasons, you know by now changing your color may take more than one appointment or process to achieve your goal. One thing I consistently hear is “look at so and so, her hair color is different in every movie. Why can’t I change my color that often?” My answer is “you can”. Remember, it takes a long time to shoot and edit a feature film. By the time you see a trailer, the film has been in the can for months, sometimes years. That’s why you’ll see Julia Roberts as a blonde in one film, red the next month, and another that is out at the same time where she’s a brunette

Changing and for addicting. It without you need is colorist.

your hair color is fun, exciting some people it can be can be done creatively destroying your hair. What a game plan and a good

Here’s a great scenario for changing your color with the seasons. Let’s start with the end of winter. You may have toned down your hair over the last few months, added depth, richer tones, or you may have just ignored it completely. Now that it’s spring the warmer weather encourages change. Start lightening your hair just a little. Add some subtle highlights, or brighten your color slightly, saving the brightest/lightest for the summer months. This works well with blondes, brunettes and redheads. I am personally a big advocate for the use of semi-permanent hair color in toning down, adding warmth, or overall changing hair color. It’s much gentler on the hair and fades over time leaving room for more options when it comes to changing your color in the future. If you’re into changing your color with the season, speak with your colorist about it. Even if the color change is subtle, a well thought out plan can keep your color fresh, changing and healthy in all seasons. Now……..about all those products you bought. If you’re like me, you’re a sucker for buying and trying new products. How many times have you bought what you were hoping to be that miracle product? You know, the one that you put in

your wet hair, let it dry naturally and it’s perfect. Ends up, it’s not, and you only use it a handful of times before adding it to your collection of abandoned hair products. Commercial products have preservatives that can extend the shelf life of up to 4 years. Natural or Organic products don’t last nearly that long, with an average shelf life of 4-6 months. Let’s start by pulling everything that’s still half full that you never use. What do you do with all those still good but you’ll never use products? I checked with a few shelters, nursing homes, and charities and they will usually only take unopened products. It makes sense, but at least I thought about it. What about family, friends and coworkers? How about having a Product Swap Party? Have everybody bring gently used products. It beats throwing them away. Who knows, you may just have that miracle product a friends been looking for, and find your own. Just try to leave with less than you brought. Don’t get too caught up! ;-)

Steven has been in the beauty industry for almost 20 years. He is a Senior Colorist at the Louis Licari Salon in New York City and heads up the color departments’ training program. In 2006, Steven co-founded SkyTown Entertainment, a video production company based in NYC, where he oversees the editing department and development of singer/songwriter, Brian Sizensky. He’s also working to identify and develop new project to bring to SkyTown’s music and film divisions. Being able to combine his love of music, with his passion for detail and perfection when it comes to hair color, makes for an artistically, satisfying career. sbeeson@skytownentertainment.com

Great Skin is POSSIBLE

Eating Right for Your Skin Type We’ve all heard the adage that what you put in, you get out. Let’s look at a few examples. You put money in the bank, you get money out of the bank/ you plant, you harvest/ you save, you earn, etc. I think you get it. What you put in your body, will definitely show up as well. That being said, let’s look at skin. We’re bombarded with thousands of products, procedures and services that promise to give us beautiful, supple, skin. There’s so much to digest and decipher that you don’t know what to believe or where to begin. If and when you’re feeling that overwhelmed, just remember to go back and stay with the basics of what you put in, is what you get out. Recently, there was a pediatrician on the news that shared how she got her patients to eat the right stuff…….translation, vegetables. She got them to promise to eat five colors of the rainbow every

day. How cool is that? It worked for them. Research shows and just plain common sense says, that it’ll work for you too. Let’s examine a few basic, common skin ailments and how to fix them. Get a magnifying glass out and let’s take a closer look at Acne Prone, Brown Spots, Dry Skin, Dull Skin, Rosacea/Redness and Wrinkles. Here’s the F.Y.I. on what to eat and what to avoid…………..

Acne-Prone What to Eat – Bright Red and orange fruits and vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts to oil-reducing Vitamin A. Think tomatoes and carrots. What Not to Eat – Iodine-rich salt, shrimp and seaweed stimulate oil glands, causing irritation of pores. Pure chocolate is okay, but super-sugary desserts are not.

Rosacea/Redness What to Eat – Calming foods like fish, cucumbers and licorice are great. Also, turmeric seasoning is high in curcumin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. What Not to Eat – Spicy Foods and any foods high in heat are not your friend. Alcohol and caffeine cause blood vessels to swell, making skin look even redder.

Dry Skin What to Eat - Drink lots of water and eat foods with good fats like avocado and olive oil. They help keep cell walls strong and prevent water loss. What Not to Eat – Black tea and coffee dehydrate your internal tissues and skin. Margarine and most fried foods can deplete levels of good fats and cause dry skin. Wrinkles What to Eat – Fruits rich in color like berries, have Vitamin C, which promotes anti-aging, skin-firming, collagen and anti-oxidants. What Not to Eat – Watch your sugar intake because it can lead to sagging. Avoid taking high doses of iron, it contributes to wrinkles.

Brown Spots What to Eat - Your best beauty bet is to embrace some broccoli, dark chocolate and pomegranates. They’re rich in powerful anti-oxidants that fight sun damage. What Not to Eat – Processed foods as well as alcohol and especially beer, weaken the immune system and make the skin more sensitive to sunlight.

Dull Skin What to Eat – Green and orange vegetables increase Vitamin A levels, making skin cells shed faster for glowing, radiant skin. Eating yams can also add some luster to your skin, making it appear supple. What Not to Eat – Garlic, onions and spices, oh my! They increase circulation and give the skin a healthy glow. Just don’t overdo it or you’ll be red in the face. Like everything in life, moderation is key. Just think how wonderful that facial is going to feel now. You’re on the right track baby, inside and out!

POSSIBLE Spring Makeup Tips Hey Dolls! It’s Ms. Rae again and as usual, I have just what you need to keep you in tip top shape for the new season! As always ladies, do not put anything on a naked face. That means a good cleanser, toner, and moisturizer are a must. Again, use products that work for you and your skin type. Make sure they’re natural and fragrance free. Mary Kay’s Time Wise Set works for me, but for all you ladies that want to try a different and fabulous moisturizer, Sephora Instant Moisturizer Light is the one. Skin Specialist, Ms. Veronica, of Sephora in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina says, “This is the best thing to put on your face before or after applying your makeup.” That’s right ladies, AFTER! You can pat a little of this moisturizer on top of your make up. Its’ water based, for all skin types, contains Vitamins A & E, and controls the oil on your face. At just $20 a jar, how could you go wrong? Great for moms, and all POSSIBLE Gals on the go! Now on to the fun stuff! Spring brings a whole new ball game for makeup, ladies. Think light and warm!

Tip 1: Every good thing starts with a great foundation! L’Oreal True Match and HD and MAKEUP FOREVER, are at the top of my list! L’Oreal True Match is priced at $8-$12, depending on which formula you want; Liquid or Mineral Powder! If you want HD (High Definition) Makeup Forever, go for it! Its light weight and easy to apply but please, darlings, do not use the High Definition Powder unless you have a photo shoot set up! Now HD MAKEUP FOREVER is a bit more, $24…. That’s twice the price but believe me it pays off in the end and soooooo worth it!! Whichever one you choose, just dab a little on your neck, if it blends in, then that’s your match! Once you have found your match, dab on your whole face doll, and Voila! You are set to go! Tip 2: Bronzer is back and for a lot of reasons, it never really left! This season you want to incorporate highlighter, blush, and bronzer, in the order. Get the lights, camera, action look with no effort at all! A natural glow is still the look to love and you will flap your eyelashes with joy when you see the results!

Ms. Lisa, a Makeup Specialist from Sephora in Durham, N.C., swears by Benefits’ Sunbeam as a highlighter for darker skin tones and Nars’ Unibronzer for lighter skin tones. Now Covergirl’s Cheeker Bronzer is just fabo at $4.50!!! It’s light, silky, dermatologically tested and gives just enough shine for the day!

Keep in mind, that applying blush, bronzer, and highlighter, can be tricky so here are some easy steps to follow: Step 1: Apply the blush at the center of your cheek bone and blend it forward toward the apple of your cheek. Step 2: Just above the blush, apply the highlighter slightly towards the under eye area. This will allow for that movie star glow when the sun hits it! Step 3: LASHES! That’s right doll, lashes are a hit this season AGAIN! For spring, pale eyes stand out with thick mascara. I think you know me by now, you can wear falsies or homegrown, however you wear them, wear them right, honey! Remember, if you apply it correctly you may not even want liner. If you want to work with a lash curler, apply one to two coats starting from the base to the top, the clamp down for 4 to 5 seconds and repeat all the way up to the top. Try colors for SPRING!!!! Pale blues, yellows, baby pinks, etc!!! Go for it, doll! Tip 4: Eyes, eyes, eyes!! Let’s start at the top… liner. For all my liner lovers, try Felt Tip Eyeliner from Stila’. Its $20, but honey it will not budge! Don’t just wear black. Try bright colors like blue, yellow, pink, etc. And if you aren’t wearing any shadow, apply a thick layer to stand out. Simply Beautiful! Now of course pastel colors are a must for spring, but my research and “glam-meter” say no one color stands out, so play, play, play!! And remember to blend, blend and then blend some more. Revlon’s Diamond Lust have beautiful colors like Starry Pink that just do the trick and at $4.99 the Pale Yellow is also a strong contender this season. For example, apply the Starry Pink and apply it evenly across the lid and blend half an inch below the brow. Now apply the Pale Yellow dead center for the pop look that I love oh so much! Blend and

admire! Shimmers and mattes can work together this season, just remember “BRIGHT IS RIGHT”! Tip 5: Lips! The richer, the better! Line your lips this season for that extra pop! Remember pale eyes, rich lips. Light browns, ruby reds, pretty pinks, and even flesh tones! Try Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmers, Tinted and Balms. They are under $4, all natural and give a hint of color without the heaviness of a lipstick. If you want to go with a little more color line your lips, apply the color of your choice, and add a lil’ gloss for shine, (just to say spring is here, wink!). So there you have it POSSIBLE Gal! Spring is your reflection everywhere you look around! Add these looks to your routine and make it your own! As always be primed, be prompt and always be

POSSIBLE!

Rae Burroughs is a talented fashion designer and stylist. Her raw talent for the “it” look is priceless. Her passion for fashion began at an early age. In 2002, she started her own line of clothing, “House of Synkari”, after her son; that went on to be a hit in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area. Rae’s also a makeup artist and knows the power of adding that “icing on the cake” in creating the finishing touch to her productions. raeburroughs@gmail.com

Finding the Right Pair of Jeans and Everything else you wear is

POSSIBLE We all know how frustrating shopping for, trying on and finally buying a new pair of jeans can be. It’s beyond aggravating. Shopping for clothing period can be challenging to say the least, well not anymore. That level of frustration doesn’t have to be your reality anymore! Retail Reality has got nothing on your Me-Ality, find your fit™ Fitting Room frustrations end NOW! Welcome to a better way to shop for clothes. In just 10 minutes, your FREE Me-Ality™ scan can help you identify the fit, style, design and cut that best match you. Here’s how it works.

SCAN – Step fully clothed into your body imaging system and in about 10 seconds, they can capture your precise measurements. FIT – Me-Ality™ matches you to clothes that will best fit your body. They make it easy for you to shop. You’ll discover how MeAlity’s™ 200,000 precise data points can help you find your best fit.

SHOP – Your Me-Ality™ Shopping Guide will recommend the brands and retailers where you’ll find the best fitting, and best looking styles for your body. Just think how happy you’ll be when you know exactly where to go and what to buy. Not to mention the time you’ll save! After you’ve been scanned, you’ll receive a Shopping Guide printout that provides clothing and style suggestions based on your specific measurements. For multiple brands and retailers with Me-Ality™, you’ll find what fits fast. They have matching stations (Kiosks) in malls across the country. It’s also a great way to find your size if you plan to shop online. You’ll know exactly what to order! Me-Ality™ is transforming the way people buy clothing. Are you for your transformation?

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Being Financially Savvy is POSSIBLE 7 Tips to Starting a Successful Business Starting a business can be exciting and scary, all at the same time. Will it be successful? Will it provide for my family the way I need it to? Will I know how to do it the right way? As a CPA for over 25 years, I have watched many businesses fail and others succeed against all odds. What made the difference? What did the successful ones do differently? I have found that they did seven very important things that allowed their business to be successful and actually thrive, while others did not. The First Tip: You must have a Great Professional Team to advise you so that your business will be successful, as quickly as possible. There are two ways to gain knowledge; you can learn how to do something by yourself or you can purchase knowledge from someone else. The first way allows you to learn through the “School of Hard Knocks”, which is mainly through trial and error. It is expensive in time and resources, and sometimes your business just cannot wait for you to learn what you need to know before it is too late. By hiring professionals to be on your team you will © 2011 Ellen Springer, MBA, CPA

eliminate mistakes that other business owners make (or have made), and you greatly increase your “odds” of becoming successful expeditiously. I recommend that you hire an attorney, a CPA, an Information Technology (IT) Consultant, and an Insurance Advisor. Before you start your business, the attorney should recommend a legal structure for your business and draft the contracts that you will need for running your business. The CPA should advise you on your legal structure from a tax perspective and help you set up your accounting systems. Then, the CPA should work with you regularly to make sure the systems are working properly. The IT Consultant should assist you with your decisions to purchase the right hardware, software, network, and communication systems for your business, and then help facilitate the integration of all these systems. And don’t forget to protect your business (and family) with a competent insurance advisor to recommend the insurance policies that you will need to protect the assets of the business, provide money to replace key employees, and to replace income, if necessary, for your family. The Second Tip: Your business must have Efficient Technology to compete in today’s marketplace. Don’t skimp in this area! When you design your system, build in opportunities to expand and grow as your business grows. It is very disruptive to your business to change and upgrade systems every few months or even every year. When you purchase software, purchase training and support packages so that your staff can learn from someone other than you. Your time will become valuable very quickly and you don’t want the business to revolve around training that you have to provide. © 2011 Ellen Springer, MBA, CPA

Make sure that you have a great backup system that backs up automatically, and that you test it regularly to make sure that it works! Don’t lose your data because everyone was too busy to make any backups. Recreating data is expensive and sometime impossible and your business may not recover from a loss of key data. The Third Tip: The most successful businesses Develop a Marketing Plan and put it in writing. Plans that are in your head can not be communicated very well to others and many times are not implemented. Take time to “plan” your plan. Analyze your potential customers, learn their buying characteristics, and target them. Focus, focus, and then focus again on them! Learn the marketplace. There will be a number of things that are relatively inexpensive to promote your business. Examples include attending networking events, attending Chamber of Commerce events, developing a “membership club” so that the customers have a reason to return to your business. Write press releases and post them on the internet at places like www.prweb.com. Write Articles and post them on www.Ezine.com. Modify your plan at least quarterly. See what worked and what didn’t, and always try new things. Make sure that you assign the implementation of the marketing plan to someone that will make it happen. As the business owner, monitor your marketing plan and let the staff know that it is important to you, and the business that the marketing plan be executed properly. Marketing is the lifeblood for your revenues. The Fourth Tip: “Legendary” Customer Service is mandatory to keep customers. There is no reason to spend time and money to bring a customer to your business and then drive them away with poor customer service. You only have one opportunity to make a © 2011 Ellen Springer, MBA, CPA

first impression, make it a great one! Make it easy for your customers to do business with you. If you use electronic phone trees, have a live person available when customers choose zero. Nothing is more frustrating than to call a business when you don’t know what department you need or the person that you need to talk to, and you can’t get “a live person” to help you! I’m sure we’ve all experienced a situation similar to this; just make sure it doesn’t happen within your company! Train your employees to be cheerful on the phone, even to smile when they talk. It makes a difference in their voice, and a “smile” can be heard! Plus, it is hard to be abrupt or irritating with a smile on your face. Retrain your employees and then call your office at least once a week and listen to them. Let them know that you are going to do this and reward them when they do it correctly. Once you have lost a customer, this customer will tell others and it will cost you money as well as other potential customers. The Fifth Tip: Your Company must have an Internet presence for credibility, and to target the customers that want your specific goods and services. A website that is updated regularly is a requirement. Make it a place that your customers want to visit to learn the following: a) new products and services, b) information about existing products and services, and c) to meet you and your staff. Consider selling your products and services by educating your customers. Put articles related to the expertise of the business on the website. Become the expert in your field. Everyone wants to do business with an expert. Offer “e-newsletter subscriptions” and build a list of visitors that you can turn into prospects and ultimately customers. A happy, satisfied customer will always buy more, and it is cheaper to sell to an existing customer than to acquire a new one. The Sixth Tip: A working Accounts Receivable System will keep the cash flow flowing; a bad one will bankrupt a business. “Bill” © 2011 Ellen Springer, MBA, CPA

often, daily if possible. Offer discounts for early payments and outline your payment terms, then enforce them. Customers can be like children and they will push the limits if they can get away with it. Use email to send the invoices and avoid the postal mail time. Give your customers several options to pay, credit cards, checks, cash, online payments, and PayPal. Before extending credit, have an application process and only approve those customers that meet your requirements. Test and make sure that your staff is following the procedures in place. The Seventh Tip: You must have a Written Financial Budget to provide the “road map” for success. It must be written and compared to actual results during the year. The budget will help identify cash crunches during the year, assist in determining a plan for a credit line, and help determine your break even points for sales. Software is available to assist you with this process. Be realistic and conservative, and make adjustments quarterly as circumstances change or dictate. The budget holds everyone accountable for the business’s results, and outlines the financial path that the company has chosen to take. Without written financial goals, the Company is like a ship “afloat in an ocean with no course to reach land”. And, it may or may not reach “land” before its resources run out. Conclusion: Therefore, the 7 tips for a successful business are to create: 1) a great professional team, 2) efficient technology, 3) a written marketing plan, 4) “legendary” customer service, 5) an Internet presence, 6) a working Accounts Receivable System, and 7) a written financial budget. These 7 tips will allow your business to have the best opportunity for success. This will also help ensure that you have happier customers, employees, vendors, your family, and of course YOU!

Resource Box: Submitted by Ellen Springer, MBA, CPA, www.SpringerCPA.com. Ellen has been working with clients for 30 years helping them be successful and achieve their business dreams. She is the author of Turn Your Passion into Your Dream Business, (Success Now Publishing, LLC 2011), www.PassionDreamBusiness.com

Author of Turn Your Passion into Your Dream Business, www.PassionDreamBusiness.com

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ÂŠ 2011 Ellen Springer, MBA, CPA

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POSSIBLE PLANNER PAGES™ These pages are for you. Here’s where you’ll jot down what inspires you, makes you think and anything else that is or could be part of your life’s plan. Download it, print it or put in on your desk, dresser. Whatever works for YOU! ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________

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