Women With Know How Magazine

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Starving Artist?

No Thank You! Professional Spotlight p g

Pam Sheppard Easy, Elegant Holiday g with Entertaining

American Lamb Never Let Your Past Become Bigger Than Your

Dreams

From the publisher Dear Readers, Dear Readers, Our cover article is Belinda Kendall who is really an inspiring woman.

Her ability to overcome extreme obstacles is amazing!

If you know anyone who is going through what Belinda has, please forward them this issue.

Mimi Zelman

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Publisher

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As we approach 2010 Belinda is an inspiration that we can all accomplish anything when we set our minds to it.

I also would like you all to know that Lea Ann Meech is now Vice-President of sales and marketing for Women With Know How. With her on board watch for some terrific new things coming to WWKH in 2010.

All of us at Women With Know How would like to wish our readers and their families a very happy, safe and prosperous holiday season!

And also thank you all so much for all your support, to our advertisers, and writers, we couldn’t have gotten this far without you!

Thank you,

Mimi Zelman Mimi Zelman, Publisher

Contents 4 8 Serving Charlotte and Charleston

Vice President Sales & Marketing Lea Ann Meech lmeech@womenwithknowhow.com Creative Director, Graphic Design SPARK Publications Copy Editor Cristina Cassidy Sales Representatives Kim Hughes kim@womenwithknowhow.com Contributing Writers Dawn Leitner of Couch You 2Lead

PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT

Pam Sheppard International HR Consultant and Business & Executive Coach

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Important Job Search Tips Through the Holidays

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Never Let Your Past Become Bigger Than Your Dreams

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Where, Oh Where Should I Go? Starving Artist? No Thank You! Your Personal Inventory Have You Achieved Success and Prosperity This Year?

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Kim Hughes of Women With Know How Charleston Contact Mimi Zelman 704-491-1207 mimi@womenwithknowhow.com

Spread Cheer, Not Germs When Entertaining This Holiday Season

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For more advertising information call Mimi at 704-491-1207 or email her at: mimi@womenwithknowhow.com

Easy, Elegant Holiday Entertaining With American Lamb

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Janet Anderson of Anderson PC Training

Gadget Gift Guide 2009

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Publisher/President Mimi L. Zelman mimi@womenwithknowhow.com

But Wait There’s More!

Copyright ©2009 Cover photography: by Episode XI Studios, LLC

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Communication

by Janet Anderson Anderson PC Training

But Wait,

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

There’s MORE!

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Part One of a Two-Part Series Introducing You to Office 2007 Features

the office and you were working on your normal documents, and today you walk in and you are told the company has now loaded Office 2007 on your machine… have fun! Even though this version of Office has been around for awhile, most companies are just getting around to adopting it, and you get caught in the middle.

Some companies are a little kinder about this transition than others, but there are times when the training comes later than the installation. Here are some quick tips that may help you get through those first painful days.

Where’s my file menu?

First….urgh!!! “Where is my File menu?” Your first thoughts are: “Where are my commands where I can create a new document, open an existing

one, print, save and save as?

They’re gone!” Well, not really.

They are in a menu that is accessed by the Office button - the Office logo looking button on the upper left-hand corner of the screen in the Office applications. A sigh of relief can be heard in unison as folks find their beloved ex-File menu. First issue solved!

No menu bar?

Next is ….”Where is my menu bar?” The whole structure of Office has changed - for the better, in my opinion. Instead of Menus that contain a long list of choices, you now have tabs that when clicked reveal what is called a ribbon. On the ribbon, there are a LOT of buttons divided into groups. For example, on the home tab in Word, you have the following groups: Clipboard, which contains cut, copy, and paste buttons; Font – buttons that change the character formats (bold, italicize, etc.); Paragraph – buttons such as centering, bullets (all paragraph formats); Styles – contain samples of styles to use; and Editing – find and replace buttons are here.

Think of each of these groups as being toolbars; you can see you have five toolbars with 41 buttons to choose from. Then with ONE click you can access another tab and its ribbon - say, the Insert tab which exposes seven toolbars with buttons such as cover page,

table, picture, clip art, hyperlink bookmark page number, header and footer, to name a few. In Office 2003, you couldn’t switch from having five toolbars up to having seven different toolbars up, available to you in just ONE click. Pretty clever, huh?

But wait, there’s more!

I love saying that. Even when you see the toolbars/groups in front of you and all of the buttons I mentioned, it may not get to the one thing you need. How do you get to more information? You can choose the launcher button on the bottom right-hand corner of the group. Not all groups have them, but with the ones that do, another dialog box or task pane opens. Guess what? It is the SAME dialog box you are used to seeing in the old version.

For example, in the Font group, the launcher button produces the usual screen for you to change the font, size, double underline, underline color, etc.

In some groups, especially those that offer advanced

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Oops, yesterday you left

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Next month I will conclude this quick insight into Office 2007 and I will reveal a wonderful

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

tool you can use to find anything.

But wait, there’s even more!

If you hover over the choices, you will see your selected text change before your eyes. This is called live preview, where you can check them out before applying them.

There is a scroll bar next to the few choices in your gallery where you can see the next grouping, but if you click on the MORE button, right below the scroll bar, you will see the whole gallery. In styles, you have 17 in the default gallery. Now, you can take a look at your selected text in all 17, one at a time, before committing to one. This action alone will save you lots of time.

But wait, there’s still more!

Next month I will conclude this quick insight into Office 2007 and I will reveal a wonderful tool you can use to find anything.

I wish all of you and your families a safe and Happy Holiday and Happy New Year!

MORE

susie sheftel designs 843•330•9551 www.susieart.com susie@susieart.com

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formatting choices, you will see a sampling or gallery of choices.

For example, if you select text, and look at the styles group on the Home tab, you will see examples of some styles you can select by clicking on them.

Janet Anderson Anderson PC Training 980-438-2066 www.AndersonPCTraining.com

Our expertise is managing change and cultivating talent

Executive Search Executive Coaching Outplacement Succession Planning

Search & Recruiting Leadership Development Retirement Workshop Individual Career Counseling Assessments Plant Closings For information call 704-849-2500

8509 Crown Crescent Court Charlotte, NC 28227

Change is constant but never easy!

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

www.compasscareer.com

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Professional Spotlight

Pam Sheppard International HR Consultant and Business & Executive Coach

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

By Kimberley Hughes Explain what a coach is, specifically a business or executive coach?

Coaching is one of the leading tools that successful people use to be their best. As an experienced professional coach, I provide the structure, accountability, and focus that enables my clients to set better goals, explore bigger possibilities, overcome barriers, and achieve greater success and satisfaction in any area of work or life. One of my special talents is supporting clients to live their values while creating an environment of success as leaders, employees, and business owners.

Executive coaching enables individuals, teams, and companies to achieve performance improvements, accomplish goals, and advance careers by learning new skills, enhancing communication abilities and

Pam Sheppard International HR Consultant and Business & Executive Coach

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What do you notice to be one of the most widespread problems that individuals face in business currently?

People are lacking a real vision for their businesses and their lives - without clarity around your vision, mission and purpose it is really hard to prioritize and stay “on track”. I work with clients to gain clarity around their vision and create a realistic strategy with achievable goals to make it happen.

What book has made an impact on your life, personally or professionally?

Books are a great source of inspiration for me. As a young woman I read and re-read Jonathon Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. In more recent times I discovered The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Sander and Benjamin Zander.

Being from the UK, what do you notice is the biggest difference professionally and in lifestyle compared to the U.S.A? Folks in the UK do tend to be a bit more reserved and take a less direct approach. So, I modify my communication style accordingly.

What is a little known fact about Pam Sheppard?

As a girl I used to take ballet lessons and although I was never good enough to continue on a professional level, I still enjoy music and dance.

What has been the key to making your business successful?

I have built my business in the areas where I have the greatest credibility and experience – working with executives, businesses owners and people in career transition. I really enjoy working as a coach – absolutely every second – I believe that if you follow what truly brings you joy you will always be successful.

What is the most gratifying aspect of your business?

On the simplest level, it is very gratifying to ask that one great question and see a client have a real “ah ha” moment creating a huge shift in their perspective in an area that has been a challenge for them.

What do you do to center yourself and unwind in times of stress?

I am passionate about travel, adventure and the great outdoors – so I spend time hiking, mountain biking, and skiing. Fitness has always been a big part of my life and exercise is a great way of de-stressing and lifting your mood.

What do you find to be the most enjoyable aspect of being a Charlottean?

Charlotte has a very “small town” feel and the people are friendly and welcoming. Also, the climate – it is much warmer and we see a lot more sunshine than in the UK. MORE

At what stage in someone’s business do you suggest they contact you for your services?

Whenever someone feels the need for a strategic partner who can support them in achieving their goals.

Interested readers wishing to setup a complimentary coaching consultation should contact Pam via email at: 704-451-3719 pam@sheppard.net http//pam.sheppard.net

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

building successful teams.

Business Coaching includes discovering what business success means to you, brainstorming new possibilities, discovering and setting the priorities in your business, setting and achieving goals more quickly, strategizing potential ‘next steps’ for your business and ultimately developing a profitable business that runs smoothly — all while creating your own unique balance in your daily activities.

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Straight Talk

By Robyn Crigger, CEO Compass Career Management Solutions-Oi Partners Inc.

Important

Job Search

November 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide December

Tips Through the Holidays Job Hunting During the Holidays and Beyond

As if searching for a job isn’t tough enough these days, you may discover that over the holiday season it is even harder to reach decision-makers. So what can you do?

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Don’t be too concerned if you don’t hear back from

• Make sure you have an “employer-friendly” resume, businesses promptly not too wordy, that offers solid information from the beginning. during the holidays.

Don’t make the resume so generic that the employer • How often is appropriate for doesn’t know what kind of job staying in touch? No more you really want. than once a week and possibly every two or three weeks is the • Be selective where you best approach. network. Though anyone can offer a solid lead, first select organizations where you might • Though companies may not do much hiring during the meet decision-makers or their holidays, they will commonly close associates. scan resumes and research potential people of interest. This • Be well rehearsed in your is why you should stay in touch “60 second commercial”, with these people and show making it brief but with an interest in their companies, pertinent information. but avoid being too pushy or overly enthusiastic.

• Don’t talk too much, but be a good, attentive listener. Note • Read a variety of business the person’s key comments media info and watch for or feedback. events related to companies of interest. Use this information • Request a new contact’s as a reason to contact a business card so you can decision-maker. follow up soon after meeting them.

• Often top decision-makers use their associates or admins • Build a respectful relationship to screen for people who are with your new key contacts, professional and respectful, showing an interest in getting yet also assertiveness. better acquainted. Find out Remember that when talking who they know, and other to these associates. valuable information.

• Ask new contacts the best way to contact them, and respond accordingly.

Be Open to Learning You can also use this time to take a class, seminar, webinar,

etc., to strengthen or add to your skills. This demonstrates to a potential employer that you are someone who uses your time wisely and places value on increasing your knowledge. Also, consider taking a workshop to help you in an area where you may need to improve your communication or interpersonal skills. Showing that you are open to self-improvement is another positive trait.

Hearing Back from Contacts Don’t be too concerned if you don’t hear back from businesses promptly during the holidays.

Mailing, emailing, or faxing items to key personnel during this quieter time will be noted. Just remember not to contact them too often.

All of these job searching tips can be used long after the turkey has been eaten and the holiday decorations have been put away. Most importantly, even if you are job searching, don’t forget to enjoy your time with friends and loved ones over the holiday season.

MORE Robyn Crigger is CEO of Compass Career Management Solutions/OI Partners.

704-849-2500 rcrigger@compasscareer.com www.compasscareer.com

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Helpful Search Tips Here is some practical advice that you can use in your search during the holidays and beyond.

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December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Dreams

Never Let Your Past Become Bigger Than Your

The Power of Divine Purpose Some people we encounter have a definitive vibe – an energy that we cannot explain, a magnetism that cannot be denied, and charisma that evokes buried emotions to be confronted, while bringing forth trust and a sense of relief and peace.

They have a presence that is calming and serene, yet powerful and resilient. As common as some of these characteristics may be individually, it is rare to find someone who encompasses them collectively.

Charlotte is blessed with a figure who possesses characteristics that are changing and will continue to change the community and world – local radio host, Belinda Kendall. Belinda combines her qualities, personal struggles, and talents to assist her listeners in the Charlotte Metro community to change their lives by offering them help, support and an opportunity to break through.

Belinda combines her qualities, personal struggles, and talents to assist her listeners in the Charlotte Metro community to change their lives by offering them help, support and an opportunity to break through.

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

A Woman Who Has ‘Been There’ Helps Others Find Their Way

A few years after her first husband’s death, Belinda married a prosperous man from New York, moved to Cary, North Carolina where she opened a Daycare serving over 150 children along with a staff of 30 childcare professionals. “I thought it was better, but really sometimes women will take something that is only ten percent better than what we had,” says Belinda.

Together they had two children, Frances Wilhamina, now 15, and Gregory Benjamin, now 12. Belinda’s second husband proved to It wasn’t long before Belinda be as abusive as her first, began to suspect her husband was an alcoholic. He only he took his anger and hostility to a new level. was frequently abusive and full of rage. After two years of marriage, Belinda had a The Beginning of a daughter, Claire Alexandria, Realization now 23. During this time, Belinda’s daycare center Belinda discovered that business started to thrive, her husband secretly was which made her husband abusing drugs. Just before angry, so he quit working. He Claire turned two, Belinda’s said he wanted her to stay husband died from being a home while he worked; this substance abuser. was his way of maintaining control. Belinda soon realized The Journey to the Depths Belinda Kendall was born and raised in a well-to-do family in Wadesboro, North Carolina. As a self-professed, free spirit, Belinda enrolled at North Carolina Central as a theatre and ballet major.

She went on to marry a man she thought was satisfactory, without feeling a true sense of love. Marriage seemed the only way she could escape Wadesboro. Together, Belinda and her husband moved to Charlotte, North Carolina,.

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December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

that she no longer had to ask for the things that she needed; she could support herself financially. Her husband took his anger and control issues to a new level when he told Belinda if she wanted a divorce, she was going to suffer for it. He dragged her name through the mud, refused to pay child support, and sent Belinda spiraling into legal troubles.

When Belinda left her second husband, she was still breastfeeding her youngest child. “I said ‘God, I will sit on the side of the street and eat worms before I let my children see this (marital abuse) and think this is the right thing for them to do.’“ In the divorce settlement, Belinda lost the daycare

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center and struggled to support her three children.

When she told her husband she had nowhere to go and their children needed things to survive, he said coldly, “That is what you get for leaving me.” “He was so focused on getting me back,” said Belinda, “He never realized he made his kids suffer.”

Belinda went from living in a 6,000 square foot, milliondollar home to moving constantly and living mostly in motel rooms. She was forced to bounce checks at grocery stores to feed her family, and had to fight hard to keep their lives together.

Her family members started looking down on her, due to meddling by her former husband, who told them Belinda had boyfriends, was

addicted to drugs, and had sabotaged the marriage.

Because of this, Belinda is estranged from much of her family. “People do not realize how powerful words are. You are often defined by one event in your life and often it is not an event you are proud of,” Belinda states. Belinda keeps one very close friend, Janice Jolethea Richardson-Hunt.

“Janice likes me and I realized I would rather have someone like me than love me. She doesn’t judge me and I do not judge her.”

Piecing the Puzzle Together Having been raised in a wellto-do-family, Belinda didn’t know what Food Stamps were, but she qualified for them. No one told her about housing options and resources

not want to talk about similar troubles they are having.

Cautions Belinda, if you are stuck in a bad situation, surround yourself with people who will remind you of who you are. “Be mindful of what you hear, what you see, because it can be like subliminal messages saying you cannot make it.”

Surround yourself with people who will remind you of who you are.

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

available for people at the poverty level. Belinda feels that if someone had been a community resource for her, her kids and she would not have been in such a harsh predicament. She believes that many people who reach out to others do not receive the help they need, not because people are heartless, but because the people they reach out to may

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December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

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Taking Life Full Circle Belinda did not allow herself to be held down and knew that where there is a will, there is a way. Today, she has her own radio show called Kendall Konnections - a weekday radio program connecting the needs of the community with local professionals and businesses that have the answers to help. Kendall Konnections offers solutions and ideas of assistance, while being transparent. Belinda’s passion is to make a difference each day. She believes that one word, a quote, or a statement, can save someone years of misery and struggle. “If everyone knew about Kendall Konnections, I wonder how many lives could be saved,”says Belinda.

Now we have to learn to trust God and ourselves.”

Belinda is concerned people’s lack of willingness to help, citing the all about me mentality. “God doesn’t care how big your house is, but wants to know who you let stay there. God doesn’t care how nice your car is, but cares about who you gave a ride to work to when they were standing in the rain.

He doesn’t care how much money you have, but who you have helped.”

Hard times are not always negative; trials and tribulations can instill optimism in your heart, mind and soul. “When people go through many hard times, I think, ‘Well, who in the hell are you that the Devil would do all this to?’ You must be a threat to his kingdom.

Kendall Konnections offers When Oprah was little and listeners information on job was molested, picked at and hunting and gives advice on how to start an entrepreneurial moved from house to house, it was almost like the devil enterprise. “I think that this economy has brought us to a peeked into her future and point where we have no other said ‘I need to mess her up because if I can mess her up, choice than to bring our face she will never become Oprah, to God,” says Belinda. “We and that will bring black and cannot trust our jobs. Look white women together, which at IBM, that said they would would let women know you never go through lay-offs. don’t have to be skinny to We cannot trust our money be successful, which will or financial institutions. One woman I know had $300,000 make women think I can do it myself.’” The devil must say, in her 401K, brought her lunch to work every day for 10 ‘I have to destroy her now years to save money and that because if she gets to do that, I will be screwed.’” large 401K is worth $75,000.

Moving Forward Belinda never forgets what she endured and the people who affected her, both positively and negatively along the way.

“People look at me and say, ‘You are so put together,’ but they didn’t know how many nights I cried myself to sleep.

They didn’t know that I would fix dinner and my kids would say ‘Mommy, you’re not eating dinner?’ and I would say ‘No, I am trying to lose weight.’ I still cry about that – it still hurts.

That part of me has not healed but I didn’t eat because I didn’t know if it would be enough.

Now things have changed and I learned how I can help people survive like I did.”

As Belinda’s life proves, we women have the skills to make changes, become better, and break through the chains that hold us down. We need to build confidence in ourselves and realize how worthy we are, what amazing capabilities we are blessed with, and how outstanding our futures can be. What feels comfortable or right at the moment, may not be what is best. What is best for us is to create a life we can be proud of, where we can be our own inspiration and look back and say – I made it!

Kendall Konnections airs live Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on WGIV 103.3FM - 1370AM

members in search of work or looking for entrepenurial opportunities. Belinda is also a strong resource for community members and invites people to contact her

for connections. To contact Belinda Kendall please visit WGIV.com or contact her directly at 704.430.3262 or email BelindaKendall@ yahoo.com

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

and is steamed live at WGIV. com. Kendall Konnections is currently looking for small business who would like to put their business on blast to support the community

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A d v e r t o r i a l

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Hair Products

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Alan Daniel Salon

Where, Oh Where Should I

Go?

A d v e r t o r i a l

I have written about the structure, styling techniques, the purpose and enhancing methods, cuts and styles of hair, but I haven’t discussed where to go for these services.

Where do you go to for your hair care services? In some markets or communities customers seek out beauty shops; in others, hair salons are preferred. What is the difference? After all, a cosmetologist receives his or her training from a reputable school that includes all the basics as well as advanced, hands-on training, to be competitively and professionally prepared for their career.

A “Beauty Shop” is a local term used to describe a place where hair is transformed. The term “Hair Salon” denotes an exclusive environment where specialized services are delivered. A Beauty Shop or a Hair Salon are both cosmetology environments that can take care of specialized hair needs. Many ethnic clients, however, are reserved about walking into a “Hair Salon.” At Alan Daniels Salon, hair care is our principal concern, not someone’s ethnicity.

The difference between a Beauty Shop and a Hair

Salon is the basic on-the-job training an individual is prepared for - innovative training with professional products, techniques and trainers. A stylist at a Hair Salon takes advantage of all these opportunities until they are so proficient that servicing a client or “guest” (as Alan Daniels Salon prefers to call our customers) becomes a consultative relationship. This relationship is developed through information exchange, individual assessment, and carefully maintaining a guest’s history.

important aspect in choosing a Hair Salon is that you are sure that the professionally trained stylists can take care of all hair types. Healthy hair care service is primary. Course, curly, thin, long, short, straight, wiry - it doesn’t matter. Hair is basic protein and with professional training, Alan Daniels Salon stylists are very capable and prepared to provide the hair salon treatments and services you are seeking.

Call Alan Daniels Salon at 704-544-7655 and speak with a professional Your hair is in excellent hands at Alan Daniels Salon. The most stylist today.

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

I was talking to a colleague recently, and she inspired me to write about where to go for hair care needs.

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Straight Talk

By Cristina Cassidy Cristina Cassidy Productions

Starving December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Artist?

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No Thank You!

If you are an independent woman artist you might find it hard to market yourself. I know it was for me. I was afraid to put myself out there and face possible rejection. But I knew that if I wanted to put food on the table and do my art, I had to learn how.

You are Not Alone The most important thing is to avoid isolating. Remember there are other women out there just like you, blending their artistic talents with business savvy.

Together, we women artists can start changing the way people think of us.

I’d like to see a day when the word “starving” in terms of artists is replaced with the word “successful.” We can make it happen!

MORE Cristina Cassidy is a documentary filmmaker and owner of Cristina Cassidy Productions, LLC, located in Charlotte, NC www.cristinacassidy productions.com).

Five Helpful Tips Here are some ways to get out of your studio and into the world of business:

1.

Find local business networking groups and join one. There are tons in Charlotte, such as the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and groups connected with BNI (Business Networking International). You might feel like a fish out of water at first, but you’ll be surprised at how inviting these groups are to artists.

2.

Join a networking group specifically designed for women business owners. Groups like MBPW (Metropolitan Business and Professional Women) and the Charlotte Business Woman’s Networking Group meet on a regular basis. The professional and emotional support these groups provide is invaluable. In addition, Women with Know How hosts all kinds of empowering workshops for women business owners. And remember, as an independent artist, that’s just what you are!

3.

Find out about programs being run by local and regional arts councils to help artists learn about business.

The Charlotte Arts and Science Council hosts workshops of this type, as does the Asheville Artists Alliance.

4.

Start your own artists’ meet up, where you can network with other artists with similar business challenges. The group can create its own workshops to help artists improve their business skills.

5.

Create strategic alliances with other artists. As a filmmaker, I’m often asked if I know a good still photographer. Find out if other artists with your skills ever need someone to help them out. I know a makeup artist, for instance, who does weddings and often hires out additional make up artists when she has a work overflow.

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

How many of us think of the word “starving” when we hear the word artist? We’ve heard about artists who suffered for their art and died young only to be discovered posthumously years later. I’m an independent artist, and frankly, I’d rather be discovered while I’m alive and kicking!

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Let’s Talk

By Marcie Browning

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Owner Chrysalis Hypnosis Center

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Have You Achieved Success and Prosperity This Year?

Your

Personal

Inventory

some words of wisdom as we reach the end of the year, winter solstice, spiritual holidays, and times of celebration.

The tradition for many of us is to review the year, take inventory of our successes, misguided choices, goals, general well being and prosperity. Economic challenges have given each of us a reason to examine our definition of these things. In that light, let me suggest a few items to ponder.

What is Success?

Most of us consider success as achieving a goal, reaching a milestone, or simply making more money. Think about ut success in a different way ay for a moment. Staying with the economic theme, perhaps ps your goal was to continue ue with the goods and services you currently enjoy, but to save ve money on those services. s. As you look at the end of thee year and realize that you did save money on those goods and services, you would consider sider that a success. If you didn’t dn’t save on all of the goods or services ervices on your list, is that a failure? re?

Success is determined by how you view it. As you review your year, consider eachh goal

achieved as a success, even if you didn’t reach all of your goals.

What is failure?

We are our own worst enemies when it comes to judging our success and failure. Much of this is related to our definition of perfection. We believe that to be perfect we must reach every single goal exactly as we set it, without any change or deviation. In this world, the only constant is change, and embracing change and the unknown helps us to be fluid with our goals and to truly realize the achievement of those goals. I prefer to change the word failure to misguided choices. Each misguided choice simply tells us what doesn’t work and gives us the opportunity to change direction.

My definition of perfection is

doing my best at any given time with what I know, how I feel and where I am in my own personal evolution. I suggest that each of you consider changing the word failure to misguided choices and adopting this definition of perfection.

What is prosperity?

Prosperity, for most people, means material wealth and possessions, which I call treasures. These are certainly part of being prosperous, but do not paint the complete picture. Many people are looking for, begging for, praying for, stealing for, and cheating for treasures. If we consider the common belief that prosperity equals material things and money, then we can begin to understand why people can rationalize their method of obtaining treasures. I suggest

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

I want to share with you

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December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Are you in spirit in your personal relationships, your business and your relationship with money?

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you consider prosperity more of an inner quality than outer possessions. If you could adopt the attitude that material prosperity is not “how much” you have, but rather “how happy” you are with what you do have, how would that change your world? If you could look at your possessions in terms of quality versus quantity, how prosperous would you be?

What about mental prosperity?

Much of our prosperity falls into the mental category, and yet most people don’t even consider their mental state.

Being mentally prosperous is having peace of mind, knowing the difference between positive and negative thinking and choosing to think positively. It is being able to distinguish selfdelusion from reality, being able to forgive, which results in the blessing of a clear mind and

How about spiritual prosperity?

Prosperity includes all areas of our lives including spirituality.

As you inventory your life, look within your own mind and heart for prosperity. Being spiritual means being In Spirit. Are you in spirit with your belief system, your relationship with your creator, your own actions, thoughts and feelings? Are you in spirit in your personal relationships, your business and your relationship with money?

What can you change today to establish a clear path to prosperity in the coming year?

Dreams don’t retire.SM A unique and collaborative approach to financial planning that starts with your dreams, not just numbers.

Diane S. Davis, CFP®, CLU® Financial Advisor 5200 Park Road Ste. 117 Charlotte, NC 28209 (704)522-6565

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC.

As you review the past year, look at each of these areas and take your own personal inventory. Which areas need improvement? Which areas are more prosperous than you first thought when you consider them in a different light?

What can you change today to establish a clear path to prosperity in the coming year?

MORE Marcie Williams-Browning, CH Chrysalis Hypnosis Center 1208 The Plaza Charlotte NC 28205 803.493.0332 www.MindBodySpiritBiz.com

Dr. Kandyce Thomas

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December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

conscience, and being able to control and guide your own mind for the betterment of your life, or to see all sides of every issue without judgment. Mental prosperity sets the stage for all venues of prosperity and is critical to personal evolution.

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Holiday Entertaining

Spread

Cheer

Family Features

When Entertaining This Holiday Season

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Not Germs

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Stock Up On Sanitizer. In addition to having alcoholbased hand sanitizer in the bathroom, place a bottle on the buffet table and on other commonly used surfaces. This gives guests an opportunity to kill germs before filling a plate and provides a friendly reminder to engage in this healthy practice.

Offer Disposable Guest Towels. Multiple-use cloth towels are a haven for germs.

Rather than asking guests to share one cloth towel, set out disposable guest towels.

“Individual disposable guest towels, like those made

by Chinet, combine the elegance and absorption of cloth while minimizing the spread of germs,” said Julie Stoetzer, marketing manager for Huhtamaki, the makers of Chinet. “And since you can find these guest towels at your local grocery store, it wil willll

affordable and attractive option to community dishes and will eliminate the temptation guests might have to place their hands into a bowl.

There are some tips holiday entertainers can follow to spread cheer—and not germs—at their parties.

mean one less trip during the hectic holiday shopping season.”

Serve Snack Items in Single-Serving Bowls and Cups. Candy and nuts are snacking staples in many households. To prevent germs from being transmitted through common dishes, present your snacks in singleserving containers. Disposable cut crystal tumblers are an

Provide Guests with Drink Identifiers. In the excitement of a party, it’s easy to mistakenly grab the wrong glass.

Using wine charms or decorative swizzle sticks can ensure that partygoers only drink from their own cup.

Another option is to decorate and personalize disposable tumblers with permanent markers.

By taking these precautions this holiday season, you can help your friends and family have a happy—and healthy— New Year.

Get more holiday entertaining tips at www.mychinet.com.

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

During the giving season, the one thing you should avoid giving to visiting friends and family is the flu. Gatherings have been shown to increase the risks of spreading germs and illness; however, there are some easy tips holiday entertainers can follow to spread cheer—and not germs—at their parties.

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Food

Family Features

Easy, Elegant

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Holiday Entertaining With American Lamb

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Serves 8 2 frenched racks of lamb 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons coarse grain mustard 2 cloves minced garlic 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs 3/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans 4 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided 4 ounces semi-soft goat cheese, crumbled 1 cup balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425°F. Rub lamb with oil and salt. Place in a roasting pan, fat side down. Roast 8 minutes. Turn and continue roasting 8 minutes. Remove from oven, leaving oven on. Combine mustard, bread crumbs, garlic, pecans, 2 tablespoons rosemary, and goat cheese. Spread over lamb.

Return to oven and cook 15 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cover with foil to keep warm.

In saucepan, combine balsamic vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons rosemary and let simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until reduced to half.

Slice lamb into individual chops and drizzle sauce over chops.

Serve with roasted butternut squash.

Nothing says special celebration like elegant, delicious American Lamb.

Whether it’s a holiday feast or an intimate family dinner, American Lamb is elegant yet easy to prepare. From the traditional leg roast to the quintessential rack, there’s a lamb dish for every holiday occasion. American Lamb’s unique, rich flavor can make any meal seem special and will make your family and friends feel especially appreciated.

Rack of Lamb — a Show-Stopping Favorite An impressive presentation that is surprisingly easy to prepare at home, the rack offers versatility for holiday entertaining. The rack of lamb is an icon of fine dining menus across the country. Serving a rack of lamb during the holidays makes it easy to have an effortless, restaurant quality meal at home.

Rack Lingo Lollipops — the rack is cut into individual chops and trimmed of all fat for an appetizer that is simple to make, impressive to present, and easy to eat right off the bones.

Frenched — A few inches of meat removed from the end of the bones, creating an attractive presentation.

Tips For a holiday party, cook two rack roasts at a time; they will fit side by side in most roasting pans and two rack roasts will feed 8 people.

Serve the two racks interlaced with fresh herbs twisted around the bones for a show stopping presentation.

American Lamb Roasts for Holiday Entertaining Perfect for relaxed entertaining, American Lamb roasts make a great holiday meal for sharing with family and friends. Nothing could be easier than roasting lamb.

While lamb roasts need to cook slow and low, they take very little preparation time, allowing you to spend time with your guests while the lamb cooks to perfection!

Leg of lamb is a popular and traditional roast and is readily available at most grocery stores during the holidays.

Shoulder roast and boneless

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb With Rosemary Balsamic Sauce

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American Lamb Lollipops With Minted Tomato Sauce Serves 8

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

1/2 cup Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 frenched racks of lamb

Combine mustard, balsamic vinegar, oil, rosemary, garlic and salt.

Place lamb in a roasting or sheet pan with the ribs curving down, and coat the tops with mustard mixture.

Allow to stand for 1 hour at room temperature.

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Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast lamb for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil.

Allow to sit for 15 minutes, then cut into individual ribs and serve with sauce.

Minted Tomato Sauce 1 clove garlic, crushed with a little salt 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 to 3 tomatoes, crushed 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped mint

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend for 1 minute.

Roasted Leg of American Lamb With Feta Vinaigrette

Feta Vinaigrette

1 6 to 7-pound boneless leg of lamb 1 pint plain Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon curry powder 4 cloves minced garlic 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup juice from 2 lemons 2 ounces red wine vinegar 1/2 bunch parsley chopped 4 ounces extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 pound feta cheese (coarsely crumbled)

Mix all marinade ingredients together and rub over lamb.

Marinate overnight in fridge.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a bowl mix together all ingredients except cheese.

Add cheese at the end.

Serves 8 to 10

Serve lamb roasts family style with carved, sliced meat arranged on a large platter with fresh herbs and roasted vegetables. loin roasts are also great options but may need to be special ordered by your grocery store or butcher.

Tips Let the lamb roast rest for 10 to 15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches the ideal temperature. A cooling period will allow the meat’s juices to settle and make carving easier.

Serve lamb roasts family style with carved, sliced meat arranged on a large platter with fresh herbs and roasted vegetables.

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Place lamb on roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast lamb for approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches desired doneness. Once lamb is removed from oven, let it rest for 15 minutes. Slice to desired thickness and top with feta vinaigrette. Serve with roasted fingerling potatoes and green beans.

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December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Gift Guide

Gadget Gift Guide 2009

32 Family Features

E-book Reader What it is: A small, portable device that lets you download entire books, newspapers and magazines in digital format. Made to mimic ink and paper publications, you can read with ease any time, anywhere. You’ll find a range of prices and services with Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle, Cool-er, iRex iLiad and Bookeen Cybook.

This quick gadget guide will give you the scoop on what to look for so you can spread some holiday cheer.

What to look for: Long battery life and an easy to read screen. The reader should be easy to carry and must be readable even in bright sunlight. Note that some e-readers must download materials by being connected to a computer, while others can do it wirelessly.

Who to buy it for: Travelers, gadget-lovers, busy book lovers.

Bluetooth Headset What it is: A wireless headsets that lets you talk on the phone hands-free. You can find headsets from $20 and up.

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Not sure what to get the gadget-lover in your life?

This quick gadget guide will give you the scoop on what to look for so you can spread some holiday cheer.

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What to look for: • Make sure the headset runs the same version of Bluetooth that the user’s phone does.

• If they wear glasses, look at in-ear headsets rather than those that go over the ears – glasses and a headset can get cumbersome.

• Headsets with good noise cancellation can make conversing in busy, noisy areas a lot easier.

December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Who to buy it for: Phone fanatics, road warriors.

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Cell Phone Signal Booster What it is: A small electronic device that reduces dropped calls and improves cell phone signal by capturing the stronger signal from the outside and amplifying the signal indoors. According to the zBoost “State of the Cell Signal” survey, 70 percent of cell phone owners experience problems with cell phone service, including dropped calls, poor signal reception or dead zones in their homes. A signal booster can make those problems a thing of the past.

What to look for: Make sure the signal booster you get meets the needs of the intended user.

up to 1200 square feet.

• For more cell phone signal booster options, visit www.wi-ex.com.

Creative’s Vado are affordable options.

Who to buy it for: Road warriors, home office workers, rural or urban dwellers.

Pocket Camcorder What it is: A pocket-sized digital video recorder that can go anywhere, making it easy to record events and special moments. Video is usually very easy to download to computers and the web.

Camcorders such as Flip from Pure Digital, Kodak’s Zx1 and

What to look for: • Resolution - Digital camcorders come in standard definition and high definition (HD). Standard definition offers video quality fine for viewing on a computer or a non-HD TV, and will usually cost less than HD. High definition produces wide-screen video suitable for viewing on an HD TV. Who to buy it for: proud parents, college students, travelers.

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December 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide

Think about: • How much mobility will they need – will they be working at their desk or within a larger area?

• How many phones or devices need signal boosting, one or several?

• Where does the reception need to be improved, indoors or in a vehicle?

The zBoost-ONE PCS, for example, is the industry’s first one piece cell phone signal booster. It works with PCS carriers like Sprint or Metro PCS. Place the unit in the window, plug it in and enjoy all of the voice and data functionality on a PCS phone

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self-publishing

custom publishing

effective marketing design

your idea

our expertise

it’s your time to self-publish

May-June 2009

Charlotte, NC Winter 2009-10

STACEY SIMMS

Currents PRIDE Charlotte’s African-American Magazine

I Can’t

Concrete2Green revitalizes communities, spreads love of soccer

Cook, But I Know Someone Who Can

Reading, writing and diversity at Trinity Episcopal School

Daniel Stowe in Full Bloom

2010 PRODUCT CATALOG

For founder of real estate firm, priorities are about more than finances

Mooresville’s Artistic Side

& Recipes Advice From s Charlotte’ Top Chefs

Border Concepts, Inc. Forward by

Carolina Panthers Coach John Fox

Manufacturer Importer Distributor Innovative Garden Solutions for Independent Retailers

www.borderconcepts.com

CATALOGS SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS

Great Winter Parties Entertainment Tips from Area Event Planning Professionals

Self-taught topiary artist’s yard is a cut above

George Winston Welcomes Spring in Davidson

Man on a

mission VOL. 2 NUMBER

MARCH 2009

Richard ‘Stick’ Williams, who’ll be the YMCA’s first black chairperson in 2010, makes community involvement his business

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