Huami Magazine Charlotte July/August 2018

CHARLOTTE

®

July/August 2018 Volume 2 Issue 7 FREE

RITA LARKINS

CORETTA FARRAR

Shanna Where Do You

Want To Go? Charlotte - July/August 2018

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Charlotte - July/August 2018

4822 ALBEMARLE ROAD STE-205 CHARLOTTE, NC 28205 980-949-8811 Charlotte - July/August 2018

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Forget What They Said, I Know Better There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!

A Letter From The Editor

In my family, I share the title of “the baby” along with my twin A Letter from the Editor brother.

Still, I proudly and boastfully state my position as big brother because after all, I am a few minutes older than he is.

Even as a young child I was just as stubborn and unmovable as What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All of your plans, hopes I can and be today.

One would find it very difficult to talk me out of dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if anything; candy,that games, toys, or to anything everything you decided put off else. until tomorrow never

happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy When it came competing against the others in sports, I couldn’t day, and you to could spare someone trouble of making be talked out ofWhat the game. hadopportunity to be givenseemingly a fair chance to promises. if your Ilast expired play and lose all on my own.

It was also very difficult for anyone today? What would you do? to make me feel as if I was anything less than a child of God becauseI’ve mybeen mama didthat a great jobseem of making mytoo siblings told I often like I do much.and I believe that weI feel were the best, day.

Evenand during time Honestly, like I am noteach doing enough I’m athe firm whenbeliever I wore my brand-new white sneakers to school in knowing thatpair Godof wouldn’t put anything on meand a neighborhood bully stepped on them,wonder turninghow the top of them that I couldn’t handle.

I sometimes life would brown. walked confidence because what I had be ifI still I chose to sitinidle and accept what itof presented to planted me. I on the inside of me.

It didn’t matter what others triedopportunity to make have found that to be very boring.

In my opinion, is or a blessing isn’tbetter. afforded to everyone. A challenge me be act like,that I knew to me is an adventure. What is the worst that can happen?

If I do nothing, fail,used and iftoday I try Iby don’t, butwho instead Those tactics are Istill those wantlearn to stop something new about myself.

Relinquish your pride and in others from living “out loud” and becoming what they are returnfor. acquire purposed I waslife. once told that Huami Magazine was nothing more than a newsletter. I knew better. I was once denied The best ever given because to me happened when acceptance intoadvice an organization I didn’t fit the someone mold. told me to make my tomorrow happen today.

In so Years later, that same organization came calling againdoing and invited pressedatmy way through doors withlevel a keythan thatIonly me toI have participate a much more prestigious initially hope provided.

I have also learned the difference between showed interest in. I knew I belonged from the very beginning. what God blesses me with and what life can burden me with as well.

I compare to knowing shut whenintomy beface. confident Even today, doors areit sometimes I am and still when to be quiet, because subjected to rejection by those someone may get it confused who think they are in more control with being arrogant. of my destiny than God is. I know better because I’ve been tried and Make you tomorrow tested happen and weathered a few storms today, but most for myself.

I have also learned importantly make it count. that dream early in the Life iskillers but a arise whisper and morning with one agenda.

But we must put ourselves in aif I keep God as my for itlife, position to source hear what is it doesn’ttelling matter us.what they may say, because I already know better.

TerryL.L.Watson Watson Terry

Editor/Founder

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HuamiMagazine.com 4 HuamiMagazine.com

www.huamimagazine.com www.huamimagazine.com Editor In Chief Terry L Watson

Publisher Terry L. Watson Allen - Deputy Editor DawnAlana C. Thornton Writer Dr. Marrissa Dick Writer Writers Terry L. Watson

Tonya Dixon Writer Terry L. Watson Alana Allen Todd Youngblood Tamara Smith Photographer Jeuron Dove Photographer Ashleigh Crawley JLG Photography Photographer Photographers Perfect Lenz Photography Todd Youngblood Photography

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HUAMI MAGAZINE is published bimonthly quarterly by the Mykel Media Company. Any reproduction of any portion of this publication is prohibited without written permission from the publisher prior to doing so. Mykel Media doesn’t accept responsibility for statements made by individuals featured or advertisers. Comments concerning this publication may be submitted to the editor by E-mail at terrywatson@huamimagazine.com Email or Telephone terry.editor@yahoo.com terry.editor@yahoo.com or to 336-340-7844 Mykel Media Company, LLC P.O. Box 20102 Greensboro, NC 27420 HUAMI MAGAZINE 2018 All Rights Reserved 2014 All Rights Reserved

On The Cover

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CONTENTS

Rita Larkins

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Harmony Organizing Ayanna McMullen

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Taxx 1040

On The Cover

Shanna Jenette Legendary Travels

JULY/AUGUST 2018

CHARLOTTE EDITION

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Finch and Associates, LLC

Dr. Aikyna D. Finch

Huami Magazine Cutest Baby

Zaheir Reed

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Also Featured

14 Maya Bowen Imperfections Are What Defines Your Beauty

17 Larysa Jaye Nashville’s Best Kept Musical Secret

Charlotte - July/August 2018

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Shanna Where Do You

Want To Go?

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HuamiMagazine.com

Charlotte - July/August 2018

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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Todd Youngblood hanna Jannette of Legendary Travel Agency has one question for those who may be thinking about taking a vacation or trip in the near future. Where do you want to go?

In the past, traveling was not always something that Shanna did, at least frequently. Just like many others, she didn’t have a clue as to plan for a vacation outside of the U.S., or even do it while staying within the margins of a budget. That all changed in the spring of 2016 when she decided to go on a vacation. She wasn’t sure where she wanted to go, but she knew she needed to get out of Greensboro for a few days. This led her to do as most people would – jump on the internet and start pricing flights, hotels, and excursions. She also contacted a travel agent to simply answer a few questions she had about planning it.

“In doing my research about booking my own trip, I read information about taking classes to get a certification to be an agent myself.”

Above, Grand Palladium Resort & Spa, Montego Bay, Jamaica. Below, Luxury Bahia Principe Resort, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Since Shanna was on break from her teaching job, she didn’t waste any time following up on what she had already discovered. She watched videos, did even more online research, and read as much information as she could get her hands on. She learned about different cruises and cruise lines, land vacations, excursions, and even different parts of the world, among other things. It took her approximately three weeks to complete the entire program and she received her certification after passing the final exam.

Her original goal was to simply obtain information on how to book her own trips, but within two weeks of becoming certified, she was building her clientele and seeking out amazing experiences for them. “My first client was a friend who wanted to go to Dominican Republic, so I was excited.”

The business quickly grew by word-of-mouth and with the power of social media. Months later she finally booked her first trip to Jamaica, for herself, using the tricks and tips that she learned.

When asked about the benefits of using a travel agent versus self-planning, Shanna admits that the actual findings can be similar, but the experience and cost will most likely vary. “When you use an agent, many vendors (airlines, hotels, etc.) will allow the customer to pay a deposit instead of paying for the entire trip up-front,” Shanna explains. Instead of shelling out thousands of dollars that you may not have initially, sometimes a $200.00 deposit will hold your flight, your lodging, and your ground transportation. That’s enough for the average person to at least explore the possibilities of utilizing an agent.

Shanna doesn’t just plan experiences for singles and couples, she also takes on large groups such as family reunions, girl’s trips, weddings, and countless other scenarios.

With large parties, she breaks out her spreadsheets and calculators to keep all travelers on track with their budget and payments.

“One of the biggest hurdles that travelers face when planning trips is the financial aspect. Many travelers may want to plan a really nice trip in advance but are often required to pay the full amount of the trip upfront, or pay a large amount of the cost of the trip in a deposit. That’s not feasible for a lot of travelers,” she says. It is during times like these where the true value of her services are revealed. “There are many benefits to booking with my company as opposed to planning a trip alone. When you use me as a travel agent,

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major travel vendors (for example American Airlines) allow me the convenience of booking a trip for someone with just a low deposit of $200 per person, no matter the cost of the entire package. Because of this convenience, I am able to book those same trips with a less expensive deposit of $200 per person, with remaining balance not due until 45 days before the departure date. I also have a lot of firsthand insight on many destinations and can help with narrowing down the perfect destination based on the client’s needs, as well as their wants.”

By day, the travel guru is a special education teacher and absolutely loves the impact she makes on her students. Their challenges range from autism to learning delays, to needing mild behavioral guidance. As an undergraduate student, she majored in Exercise and Sports Science and planned on being a physical therapist. While in college, she had the opportunity to work with a young boy who is autistic and is also nonverbal. During her 10-year relationship working with her client, she has been able to teach him to speak, learn light sign language, and even increased his physical movement. She loved this line of work so much, that she tried to figure out how she could combine physical therapy and autism, but seemed to only manage to relate autism to occupational therapy. After thinking long and hard about her future and career, Shanna decided to change her major to occupational therapy so she could follow her new found interest. Unfortunately, she was not accepted to the programs she applied to due to the competitiveness. Following a friend’s suggestion, Shanna slightly switched directions and began teaching children with special needs with “Teach For America”. She was immediately sent to a school in East Harlem, New York where she worked for two years.

“One of the biggest hurdles that travelers face when planning trips is the financial aspect. Many travelers may want to plan a really nice trip in advance but are often required to pay the full amount of the trip upfront, or pay a large amount of the cost of the trip in a deposit.”

“As a part of their program, “Teach For America” helps you pay for graduate school, so I was able to obtain my master’s degree in special education from Fordham University.” Shanna has been teaching with Guilford County Schools for almost three years and admits that it can be very stressful, but the rewards greatly outweigh the stress.

Helping people seems to be at the core of Shanna’s heart. From providing care and guidance to children to helping adults plan trips of a lifetime. Either way you view it, she’s enriching lives for the better.

Legendary Travel Agency’s packages to Jamaica currently, are really popular. Many packages leading into the fall season are under $1,000 per person and include four days, three nights, with flight included. Additionally, packages to Puerto Rico are very popular and reasonable while the island is looking to stimulate their economy and bring more tourists back after the hurricane from last year. She has several four night, three day packages to Pierto Rico priced for $700 or less per person, which also includes flight. There is no passport required to travel to Puerto Rico. And if cruising is more of your speed, Shanna has many cruises leading into the fall months priced between $350 and $500, per person.

Shanna says some of her best experiences has been working with wedding couples. She’s prepared two destination weddings and two honeymoon packages. She takes the burden from the newlyweds by securing hotel accommodations for their guests and ensuring a smooth process by finding the perfect location and resort for their honeymoon.

For more information, please contact Shanna Jennette and Legendary Travel Agency and allow them to assist you with all your traveling and vacationing needs. h

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Niagara Falls, Canada

Shanna Jennette 336-327-7646 www.mylegendarytravel.com

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton - Photos by Chiadi Ugorji Rita Larkins is all about women’s empowerment and helping the African-American community succeed. One way to do that is to make dollars make sense. The Washington D.C. native, along with her business partner Daniela Sloane, owns 1040TAXX, and not only prepares taxes, but aims to educate the community on how to manage their money and build wealth.

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Charlotte - July/August 2018

For years, Rita worked at popular tax services while also working in the education sector as a Training and Development Leader. Every year, she noticed the same type of people frequenting the name brand tax services, but not receiving the best treatment. “They just didn’t care about the customer. They treated them all the same and would just take their money.” She grew increasingly frustrated, especially because these services are in predominately lower income areas, serving minorities.

Rita is the daughter of a Certified Professional Accountant. All her life, she saw her father serve his community and operate several businesses. After obtaining her certification and working in chain stores, she knew she could offer customers a more personalized experience and help them budget their tax refunds. Both ladies were looking to start a business and this budding idea seemed like the perfect fit. When the time was right, they struck.

“In order to truly be blessed in your life, you have to be a blessing to someone else.”

“Once you have the desire to do something, you find the pieces to make it work. You find out everything that’s necessary to carry your business forward,” says Rita.

The ladies opened 1040TAXX in 2013 in Washington, D.C offering tax preparation services. By 2015, Rita had moved and opened a location in Charlotte, while Daniela opened the location in Atlanta. Since the inception, they have added credit repair and insurance services to include a full range of services.

“There is a saying that when you’re dealing with a black business you may not get the same level of service that you would get somewhere else. Well, we wanted to change that perception. We treat the person who’s getting the $10 refund the same as a $1,000 customer,” says Rita. The ladies decided they would be different by offering value-added services, highly skilled staff, an exceptional level of knowledge, and superior customer service. They revel in their customers’ results, whether it’s the ability to purchase their first home, or obtaining financing with acceptable interest rates.

While exploring entrepreneurship, Rita and Daniela, who is a project manager, noticed several other women in their same predicament. They wanted to own a business but lacked the knowledge on how to get started. Once Rita’s Charlotte location was up and running she sought other women to mentor and motivate. “In order to truly be blessed in your life, you have to be a blessing to someone else. We know that and we practice that.” Rita makes a point to work with non-profit organizations targeted at teens and young adults that teach job and life skills.

“We talk to people about practical things you can do to make changes in your life and setting tangible goals,” Rita explains.

Next year, the duo will offer workshops on how to start a business, goal-setting, and a host of other topics they’re currently developing. The partners also provide franchise opportunities in Charlotte to others who are interested in the tax industry. “I liken myself to Harriet Tubman, when I break free, I feel like I need to go back and free others too,” Rita laughs. h

Rita Larkins - 1040 Taxx 5736 N Tryon St, Ste 104 Charlotte, North Carolina

(704) 910-0518

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Ayanna McMullen

Harmony Organizing Richmond, Virginia

www.harmonyorg.com bad habits, to toxic friends. This self-discovery process is key to creating the lives they want and living up to their full potential.”

Ayanna usually works with career minded women who wear many hats, though she does have fantastic male clients. To be successful, she seeks anyone who is primed for change, or has a real, definite, and acute desire to change their cluttered lifestyle. Ayanna shares, “my clients who are primed for change have decided to take action due to personal circumstances or when everything in your life explodes and you don’t know where to pick up the pieces. I call these experiences a ‘Life Supernova’. I assist individuals who experience life transitions or unexpected events such as marriage, embarking upon a new career, starting a business or having to take care of a loved one who is sick.”

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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Petite Shards Productions yanna McMullen of Richmond, Virginia is an eclectic systems thinker who empowers people to navigate the clutter of life. By doing so she enables them to see the big picture and break it down into manageable parts so they can live their best lives.

Ayanna is an educator, songstress, long distance runner and salsaholic who loves silver bangles and exploring different cultures and ideas. Ayanna is a Professional Organizer and holds a B.A. in Political Science and a M.P.A in Public Administration. All of these attributes are utilized in the very unique business that she manages, Harmony Organizing.

Harmony Organizing is a consulting company that declutters and organizes the spaces in which people live, work, and play. “Most people think of space as tangible but there are also intangible spaces such as our minds and spirits.

Harmony works with people on these levels as well. How we think determines what items and people we surround ourselves with and vice versa. The things and items we keep close to us affect our minds. It’s a holistic approach; we address the entire person,” Ayanna states. “I think that’s what makes us unique in the field of professional organizing; addressing the person as a multidimensional being, which we all are. Harmony Organizing balances the dimensions of your life.”

As a pre-teen and teenager, Ayanna shares that her mother would move her from room to room. She shared a room with her two sisters and brother.

She was also the one who would often organize family trips and serve as the “ambassador” for herself and siblings to their parents. “Ayanna you go ask momma and daddy if we can” was a directive often given to her she states.

That was also her prepping ground for what would eventually become Harmony Organizing.

Organizing things was always something that came naturally to Ayanna.

It wasn’t until 2011, when she really began to understand the depth of how valuable it is to be organized and in balance. From then on, Harmony became her passion.

“We are such better humans when we are organized and in balance,” Ayanna says. “I view order as a systemic movement or flow that is not stagnant but creative and liberating. Order should naturally adjust to your lifestyle to enhance how you move, work, and play. My clients’ lives are enhanced during the decluttering process. They’re able to take inventory of their lives and make concrete decisions on the things they do and do not want, from piles of stuff, to

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Ayanna offers her services to individuals, groups, students, non-profits and for profits in various categories. These include Physical Spaces such as bedrooms, offices, garages and more. In regards to Mental Spacess Ayanna offers goal setting, vision creation, idea generation, and task lists. There is also a focus on scheduling and time for planners, calendars, schedules, communication boards, productivity apps and more. Finally, there are products geared around Cloud Space for things such as intangible files and information on computers, phones, and cloud storage. Additional services offered are geared to help clients organize their ‘Out of The Box Projects’ such as workflow management systems, human resources systems, group coordination and training, employee handbooks and more.

There are a few organizational tips that Ayanna offers to those seeking to make their lives clutter free. First, Know Who You Are. If you don’t know, find out. A simple strategy is to write down what you like and what you don’t like.

You’ll begin to see how your beliefs and values align to these. Does something need to change? Knowing yourself is also extremely important when working in cluttered environments with various personalities. Secondly, Know Your Big Why. Why do you want to become a professional organizer and why are you passionate about this work? This is the fuel that will keep you going when things are easy and when they are rough. Your Big Why is essential to creating your vision for your business.

The next thing you should do is Find a Mentor. Whether it’s for business development or someone who can show you the ropes of organizing. No need to reinvent the wheel if someone else can show you how. Just add your special touch to it. Next, don’t forget to Create a System. Systems leverage your time, resources, and energy. Build Your Team. A team also helps you leverage your time, resources, and energy. More importantly, a team is great to bounce ideas off of. Knowing that there are people who have your back and can fill in the gaps is invaluable. Finally, Create White Space.

Entrepreneurs, or up and coming entrepreneurs wear many hats. There is always something to do. Build time into your daily schedule to breathe, let your hair down, and just have fun. You’ll be refreshed and more creative when it’s time to work.

Moving forward, Ayanna plans to continue to build her team and expand her services. This fall she will host her 4th “How To Be #GoalGetter” workshop.

It will be a goal setting, pre-game for the 2019 year. This platform and other services will be expanded to an online version and plans are also in the works to officially launch the “Pay It Forward” campaign to assist those who are in financially distressed situations and experiencing life supernovas. These will be gifted, organizing sessions intended to bring harmony into their lives.

Contact Ayanna and Harmony Organizing today and allow them to help make your life simpler. h

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Charlotte - July/August 2018

HuamiMagazine.com

Things Will Get Better

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by JLG Photography Trouble doesn’t last always, and Maya Bowen is a true testament to that. On July 7, Maya will finally see the fruits of her labor when her long-awaited, Marks of Beauty Hair Studio has its grand opening. She’s ready to show the world that just because she was down for a moment, does not mean she’s out forever.

As a preteen, Maya’s brother would consistently beg her to braid his hair and that of his friends. She didn’t enjoy it, but she would do it. One evening, she had planned to attend her 8th grade prom, but she had no idea what to do with her hair. She figured out a style within minutes and was pleased with the outcome, considering it only took her a few minutes, it was free, and she created it herself.

Even then, being a hairstylist was the furthest thing from her mind.

Getting along with her mother and her abusive step-father was more important and nothing seemed to be working.

At the young age of 15, Maya became pregnant with her first child. By 18, she had welcomed a second. She was young, single, and struggling. Luckily, around the same time, her mother ended the relationship with her stepfather and things began to turn around. A once troubled existence with her mother, changed for the better and she finally had the mother-daughter bond that she’d always prayed for.

Raising two young children and creating a better life for them was Maya’s first priority. At one point, she attended nursing school with plans to become a nurse. When that interest faded, she enrolled in an information systems course and even landed a job as a technician at a popular company in the area. “After I started working, I realized that women don’t always want to listen to other women, and men don’t want to listen to women in the tech field.

They would get a man to say the exact same thing I just said, and it became really frustrating,” explained Maya. Discouraged, she asked to change her role, but stayed with the company.

In 2014, Maya decided to explore cosmetology, the one thing she had been steering clear of for years. She visited Empire Beauty School, enjoyed the instructor, and decided that day that she wanted to be a hairstylist. Her mother and children all encouraged her, picking up the slack while she worked during the day and attended class at night. To make extra money as well as perfect her techniques, she would take on clients on the weekend at her home. It took several months of around-the-clock running for the busy mother of two to feel the effects. Her health was already questionable because of an artery disease she had, and her body just couldn’t keep up. “I kept telling everyone that I was tired, but no one really listened,” she sighed.

Maya’s voice gets more intense as she explains how she’d resolved that she was ready to ‘take herself out’. She dropped her children off at church with her mother but didn’t come inside like she normally does. As she was driving, she sent her mother a text that she had planned to be her last. “I can’t do it anymore. I’m sorry. Please take care of my kids,” the text read. Her mother started calling her cell phone relentlessly but couldn’t get an answer. One of the children tracked her by using her computer tablet that was connected to her cell phone. By the time her family located her, she had ingested several pills and was immediately transported to the hospital. By the grace of God, she lived. Whether she wanted to still be on this earth or not, she was.

By now, her brother was in the military and doing well for himself, so he offered his sister and her children the opportunity to come and live with him while she attempted to get back on her feet. “After I moved with my brother in 2015, I met one of his friends who seemed to be so perfect for me. He was very calming and said all the right things,” Maya reflects. After a few weeks of meeting this gentleman, they fell in love, decided to get married and make a life together. It didn’t take long for her new husband to change and transform into a person she never thought he would be. He was jealous, abusive, and manipulative, to say the least. He tried everything in his power to break her spirit, and for a while he succeeded. Maya remembers the two years she was his wife as the worst time in her life. However, God gave her a precious daughter to show her that beauty and love always prevails.

Now with three children and her supportive mother and children by her side, Maya is ready to embark on her new adventure as a business owner. She’s ready to show others how to claim their beauty and regain their confidence, just as she had to do less than a year ago. She has battled many health issues, including a fibromyalgia diagnosis, knee problems, and mental illness but now knows how to manage them all with God and a stable home life. She lost a few friends during this rollercoaster but cherishes all the relationships that have carried her along the way and is grateful for those that didn’t give up on her. She can’t wait to show them the results of their unconditional support. h

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15

Crystal Burch

Opens New Location in Salisbury

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Todd Youngbllod

Crystal Burch is the face of Crystal Burch International Professional Hair, LLC. She has served the Charlotte community with professional hair styling services and has now extended her brand to Salisbury, opening a second location at 1921 W. Innes Street. “I moved to Salisbury in 2017 because I wanted a change of scenery. I was told the Salisbury area was is in need of a healthy hair care specialist, so I temporarily closed my salon in Charlotte, and picked up a new clientele base for Salisbury. Now that everything is settling in my new home and new salon I have reopened my salon in Charlotte at Salon Central on East Independence Boulevard,” she says.

After Burch graduated from high school, she enrolled as a student at a local beauty college. Initially, school didn’t go very well and in just three months she quit and started working full-time within the dining facilities at a nursing home. As fate would have it, things didn’t work out there and life would point her back to the hair industry. A family friend, Shandy Massey- Cureton, who is a hair stylist and salon owner was in need of an assistant, and eventually reached out to Burch. The lessons and experience she gained from Cureton were priceless, many of which she continues to practice today. Cureton also encouraged her to go back to beauty school and make some “real” money, not just the “shampoo” money. In 2009 she did so by enrolling at the Hair Styling Institute in Charlotte.

Most of the products Crystal uses are sulfate-free, natural hair care products such as Kendall, Salon Exclusive, and Nairobi. She specializes in multiple textures of hair for both women, men, and children of all ages. “I’m able to do any style or braids, including cuts, chemicals, relaxers, colors, perms, natural hair, sew-ins, quick weaves, and non-surgical cranial prosthesis (hair replacements). At her salon, Burch offers authentic international clothing accessories and jewelry. There is also a beauty supply store inside.

What Burch says she loves most about her career is the independence it provides. “I am able to call my own shots and make my own schedule. It didn’t make much sense for me to work for someone else and help make their dreams a reality, when I could work for myself and do the same for me.” Moving forward, Burch hopes to expand her business by opening additional locations. Due to her services being unique and very specific, she hopes to eventually reach others who are seeking alternative methods to treat hair loss. “The sky is the limit and it’s up to me to what I make of it,” she says.

Moving forward Burch plans to work more with her hair loss clinic in Salisbury and to build a team that has the same views in succeeding. More is yet to come, and Burch hints there may be a third location opening soon. h

(Salisbury) 1921 West Innes St. Salisbury, NC 28144 (Charlotte) 2925 East Independence Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28205 980-395-1352

Exclusive Realty LLC 1801 North Tryon Street, Suite B-349 Charlotte, NC 28206 www.exclusiverealtyone.com 704-626-2615 First Time Home Buyer, Down Payment Assistance Short Sales, Pre-Foreclosures, Bank Owned, Retail

“Deanna Has A Home For You”

Serving Charlotte and Surrounding Areas 16

www.larysajaye.com

Nashville’s Best Kept Secret

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Larysa Jaye

Larysa Jaye is an everyday woman. She’s energetic, charismatic, loving, and passionate. Mostly, she’s an individualist at the core. Being fully supported to be herself at a young age, she thrives when she is able to find her own lane and commit to it. She carries a number of duties, with the most important ones being a wife and mom. Without these roles Larysa wouldn’t be who she is today. She has a contagious joy that spreads to everyone that she comes into contact with, including family and friends.

And through her gifts and talents, she gives joy, encouragement, and inspiration.

Larysa is a Nashville, TN-based soul artist who synthesizes a broad range of influences in her performances. “I have a very eclectic style that I like to believe reaches every person in the room, regardless of background or music preference. There’s this “girl next door” feel that I have and I think that’s what draws audiences in. I’ll flow from genre to genre seamlessly, throughout a show without losing the essence of my artistry,” she says.

Larysa grew up playing piano around her house and singing at church and school. She picked up the guitar when she was 16 and started leaning heavier on that instrument after moving to Nashville.

“I was a PK (pastor’s kid) growing up. So, although I don’t proclaim to be a Christian artist, that still weighs heavily in my songwriting. My songwriting is a blend of life experiences and creative release. I am a talker, but I’m not big on trying to explain my feelings. So, songwriting is an outlet for me,” she says. “My music is a blend of Soul, Indie Folk, Americana, and even elements of Country when it comes to story telling. It’s definitely been a process discovering where to focus my concentration as an artist.”

The story of how she began is quite interesting. There’s no logical explanation for a little, black girl out of Wyandotte County in Kansas City, Kansas to have made it all the way to Nashville and somehow make a name for herself, with a guitar no less. She even had three children out of wedlock, but with a support system who provided constant encouragement, Larysa never gave up on her dreams. “It wasn’t easy and there were many times I couldn’t make gigs or couldn’t make music because of a lack of money and baby-sitters, and who knows what else. Thankfully, every time I wanted to have a pity party the Lord would place someone in my life at the just the right time to remind me that I wasn’t forgotten,” she said. “I remember back around 2009-2010, an event was held in Nashville every Sunday called Lovenoise that featured local artists. They also had an open mic. I remember getting my guitar and finally convincing myself to participate. I performed and was surprised at how supportive everyone was. Eventually one of the producers asked me if I wanted to perform my own show. I agreed, while not even knowing where to start. My first show was packed and very successful. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was pregnant with twins. All of the momentum from the show dropped off and I took a year off from everything to focus on being a mom. Then, around 2012, I got back into the swing of things but focused more on the singer/songwriter scene. I attended a lot of Caucasian venues and learned how to captivate an audience with just me and my guitar. I also learned how to talk to the audience and introduce myself and songs.”

As of late, Larysa has been using a more simplistic instrumentation to bring focus to her lyrics. She has birthed another child just this past January, and has found a joy in being able to perform a variety of styles and entertaining various audiences in many different places. She has also found peace in getting back to why she started performing music. “I initially wanted to share my story. By returning to my roots, I have began playing those songs that pull on ones heartstrings. In Nashville, a lot of times the shows are a mix of people coming to support, catch up with friends, or grab some food and socialize. All that means is that they came for a party or a good time.

Although I love being the highlight of a good dancing and bumping show, I am finding so much fulfillment in getting back to me,” she stated. h

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Finch and Associates, LLC

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Dr. Aikyna D. Finch Dr. Aikyna Finch of Nashville, TN is a Certified Coach, Author, Educator, Podcaster, Speaker, and Forbes Coaches Council Member. She has also found time to manage her own company, Finch and Associates, LLC. They provide coaching services in the areas of Empowerment, Life, and Social Media for individuals and groups. Additionally, she co-hosts the ‘Motivate Social Podcast’ produced by Changing Minds Online, another company she owns, where she speaks and livestreams about topics such as motivation, education, and social media.

Changing Minds Online, LLC began as a partnership in 2014 with an empowerment podcast and books. In 2016 she started Finch and Associates, LLC and included social media and coaching segments. She changed partners and directions in Changing Minds Online to make it more diverse and included Telesummits and Livestreams.

Finch received a Doctorate of Management, MBA in Technology Management and an Executive MBA from Colorado Technical University. She has a Masters of Management in Marketing Management from Strayer University and a Bachelors in Aeronautical Technology in Industrial Electronics from the School of Engineering of Tennessee State University. Her teaching disciplines include: business, leadership, marketing, social media, and information systems at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Finch has published and presented on topics related to youth and adult education, social media, and job search.

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Finch is the co-author of six books and launched her first solo project, Motivation Ignited in November of 2016. She is a contributor for Huffington Post, Goalcast, Forbes and Thrive Global. She has been interviewed and featured on Huffington Post, Hello Beautiful, Women Speakers Association, and many others. She has also spoken on many platforms including Periscope Summit, Women in Leadership Summit, The Boldly Empowering Entrepreneurs Conference, The Business Vlog Summit and many more. Some of the products and services Finch offers are Life, Business, and Social Media Coaching, Social Media and Digital Product Consulting, social media coverage for events, online courses, speaking, and books.

“My Life experiences as a woman in STEM and being a young leader in education has taught me what people are capable of and to always stay ready,” Finch says. “My faith and the drive that I can help others reach their goals is what motivates me to help others. I know what it feels like to be dismissed.

I excel because I know what it feels like to be stereotyped. I achieve because I know what it feels like to be called lazy, and I support others because I know what it feels like to be alone.”

In the future Finch is hosting the Social Power Summit, a two-day social media event for small business owners that are ready to “up level”. It will take place on September 14th and 15th in Nashville, TN. For more information, please visit www.socialpowersummit.com to learn more. h

Charlotte - July/August 2018

huami MAGAZINE

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Cutest Baby

Zaheir Kaiden Reed The son of Creg Anthony Reed and Briana Eller Photo provided by JLG Photography

To submit photographs to be placed in the Huami Magazine Cutest Baby feature, please send a detailed email to huami.cutestbaby@gmail.com

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Charlotte - July/August 2018