Huami Magazine Richmond January/February 2019

RICHMOND

®

Jan./Feb. 2019 Vol. 1 Issue 9 FREE

Toni M. Winston Follow The Pink Squirrel

Richmond - Jan./Feb. 2019

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There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!

You’re Responsible For Your Own Happiness There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!

A Letter Fromfrom The Editor A Letter the Editor

According tothe a definition provided by Merriam-Webster’s A Letter from Editor if tomorrow didn’t All of plans, hopes online What dictionary, the word joy arrive? is defined byyour an emotion and dreams have aorstreet park on.orWhat evoked by well wouldn’t being, success goodtofortune, the if everything that you decided to put off until tomorrow never What if tomorrowwhat didn’tone arrive?

All ofThe your plans, hopes prospect of possessing desires. same happened?

There would be reason to save for aand rainy and dreams wouldn’t have ano street toofpark on.

What if dictionary defines happiness as a state well being day, and you could spare someone the trouble of making everything that you decided putpresence off until tomorrow contentment.

For many people,tothe of joy andnever promises.

What if would your last opportunity happened?

There be as noair reason toseemingly saveisfor aexpired rainy happiness is just as significant and water to their today?

What would you do? day, and could spareand someone the trouble ofor making survival, for you it can be hard impossible to move promises.

What if your last opportunity seemingly expired function without them.

I’ve been that I often today?

Whattold would you do? seem like I do too much.

Honestly, I feel likeothers I am not enoughThey and also I’m aseek firm Many people seek to doing fulfill them. believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. the assistance of things and objects for happiness. I don’tme that there I couldn’t handle.

I not sometimes wonder how would Honestly, Iisfeel like I am doing and I’mlife a firm believe anything wrong with enough doing this, however I be if I chose to sit idle and accept whatput it presented to me. believer in knowing that God wouldn’t anything on me know first-hand that things and people can leave you feeling I haveI found that to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity that couldn’t I sometimes wonder how life would empty and lonely handle. in their absence.

Others have their own is aifblessing that to what everyone.

A challenge be I chose to sitisn’t idle afforded and accept it presented to me. I agenda and purpose and putting someone else’s needs to mefound is an adventure.

What is the In worst that can opportunity happen? have that to be very boring. my opinion, before theirs can be quite a challenge, especially if it requires If aI do nothing, if I try to I don’t, but instead learn is blessing thatI fail, isn’tand afforded everyone.

A challenge for them to surrender their joy in the process. something new about myself. yourcan pride and in to me is an adventure.

What is Relinquish the worst that happen? return acquire life.

If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn While many people may get married to be happy, there something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in are return some who eventually themselves in a strenuous The best advice given to me happened when someone acquire life.ever find situation mainly because they didn’t possess any before. told me to make my tomorrow happen today. joy In doing so It isIimpossible to be the in someone world have pressed myever waysunshine through doors with a else’s key that only The best advice given to me happened when someone if you are internally with darkness and In pain. hope provided. have also learned the today. difference between told me to makeIconsumed my tomorrow happen doing so Ultimately, you are responsible for your own happiness. blesses and what cana burden with Iwhat haveGod pressed my me waywith through doorslife with key thatme only as well.

I compare it toalso knowing when be confident and hope provided.

I have learned the to difference between Happiness is obtained by spending time with yourself. whenlife tocan be quiet, what God blesses me with and what burdenbecause me with Youasmust learn who you are and what you like and dislike someone may get it confused well. I compare it to knowing when to be confident and about “you”. If you are unaware ofwhen your strengths, with being to bearrogant. quiet, because tolerances, limits, andget it confused someone may Make tomorrowto weaknesses, it you is impossible with being arrogant. happenindividual today, but most help another manage make itthe count.

Make youidentify tomorrow theirs. importantly Once you Life is but a whisper and happen today, but most source of your joy and happiness we mustor put ourselves make it count. developimportantly a plan strategy to in a position to hear what it is Life is but a whisper and make them a constant in your telling us.put ourselves life. In we thismust new year, your joyin a position to hear what it is and happiness may be connected telling us. to the amount you share with Terry L. Watson others.

Editor/Founder TerryTerry L. Watson L. Watson

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www.huamimagazine.com Editor In Chief

www.huamimagazine.com Terry L. Watson www.huamimagazine.com Alana Allen - Deputy Editor Editor In Chief

TerryWriters L. Watson Terry LAlana Watson Publisher Allen - Deputy Tonya Dixon Editor Terry L. Watson Dawn C. Thornton Writers Alana Allen Writer Tonya Dixon Toya Moore Jeuron Dove Writer Terry L. Terry L. Watson WatsonWriter Alana Allen Photographers Jeuron Dove Perfect Lenz Photography Ashleigh Crawley Photographer Shaw Photography Group Kimie James Photographers

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Mykel Media Company For General Inquiries mykelmedia@yahoo.com Linda Bennett (336) 340-7844 huami.richmond@gmail.com HUAMI MAGAZINE is published bimonthly quarterly by the mykelmedia@yahoo.com Mykel Media Company. Any reproduction of any (336) 340-7844 portion of this publication is prohibited without written MAGAZINE permission isfrom the publisher to HUAMI published quarterly prior by the doing so.

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On The Cover

Photo by Shaw Photography Group

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CONTENTS

JAN./FEB. 2019

RICHMOND

Art Gives Her Life

Christina Hairston

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On The Cover

Toni M. Winston Follow The Pink Squirrel

Representing Richmond

Jawanda Smith

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Giving God All of The Glory

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Huami Magazine Cutest Baby

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Rachel Snipes

Baby Boy Braxton

Also Featured

Porscha Danielle Starting on a new path in Greenville, SC

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Martin Bailey Meet the Voice of Triumph from South Carolina

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DeVona Boyd Bowties and Style in Charlotte, NC

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By Tonya Tolson and Denise Anquenette Photos by Kimie James, IYQ Phogtography

Toni M. Winston wears many hats—digital media strategist, brand coach, author, blogger, corporate worker, wife, and mom. Some might wonder how she manages to do it all or encourage her to take one thing at a time, but Toni has no intentions of slowing down or scaling back. She believes that many people, herself included, work better by staying busy on a number of projects. In fact, she refers to herself as a Multi-Passionate Creative. “It’s okay to navigate the world working on several interest sequentially or simultaneously. But the goal is not to just be “busy”. We want to accomplish things.”

Moving into 2019 Toni is shifting her focus from being busy to creating an atmosphere, for herself and her clients, of productivity and profitability.

Affectionately known as Ms. Toni Moni or “girl Toni” (since she and her husband both share the name, Tony), she was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia where she attended John Marshall High School and Virginia Commonwealth University. Toni also earned an Event Management Certification from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. For over 24 years she has worked in corporate America which she feels has equipped her with effective leadership, strategy planning, project management, and communication and organizational skills—the very skills she uses in her entrepreneurial endeavors and with her clients.

Toni began her entrepreneurial career with an event management company called Memorable Moments and Events where she planned social, corporate and religious conferences and events. It was during a client meeting that she was asked to describe herself as a color and an animal, Toni chose the color pink because it was cute and a squirrel because sometimes, she was just all over the place working on different things.

For those that chuckle, Toni reminds them that even squirrels have a backstory. “To a casual observer squirrels may appear to be all over the place, but they are actually gathering and storing up for times of need.” She says there are a couple of lesson to be learned here for entrepreneurs who are overly concerned about what people say. “First, having goals is the key to your success. Secondly, doing what works best for your brand and your business may not look smooth or logical. But when you do the work that needs to be done, your productivity will pay off.”

Not long after, Toni along with two girlfriends, appeared on the Dr. Oz show tasked to drop two dress sizes in 90 days. At the end of the 90 days, Dr. Oz requested she blog on his website and share, inspire and coach others towards their weight loss goals. This allowed her to blog on a national platform and helped to kick off her blog ‘Follow the Pink Squirrel’—covering a variety of topics and a behind-the-scene look at her life.

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With topics ranging from weight loss and meal prep to gardening, readers can find a topic that relates to their lives. No matter the topic at hand, Toni always circles back to goal setting, following dreams and overall mindset. She has followers from all walks of life and is confident that her strategies can help anyone create a roadmap for their own life.

She credits her family as her strength and for being a source of inspiration. Toni hadn’t set out to become an author, but it came about through a conversation with her then, four-year-old daughter. While at a doctor’s appointment, her daughter, who talked about wanting hair like that of her classmates said, “But mom my hair is fuzzy”. To which Toni replied, “But your hair is cute”. With that one conversation the poem “My Hair is Fuzzy, My Hair is Cute” was composed on Toni’s then blackberry.

In 2014 Toni secured an illustrator which took “My Hair is Fuzzy, My Hair is Cute” from a poem to a full-fledge children’s book. She learned the ins and outs of self-publishing so that she would be prepared to publish her own materials and assist others when the time was right. ‘My Hair is Fuzzy’ would later become a 2015 Best Seller in Children’s Books on Amazon.

Pictured with Toni is her daughter, Skylar

Her next book ‘Caroline’s Hair’, is scheduled to be released in 2019. This writing was born out of her daughter stating she wanted hair like that of her classmate named Caroline. Although children’s books have been Toni’s niche, she is looking to expand her audience and will soon release another project, ‘21-Day for Moving You from Vision to Victory’ which will focus on goal setting, action steps, and success mantras.

As if she wasn’t already busy, Toni also specializes in digital media creation which includes brand coaching, website enhancements, social media marketing, and more. In this role, she takes her client’s current brand and moves it to the next level by helping them gain brand clarity and online visibility. “You improve your social media presence by first, clarifying your goals, setting a strategy and creating content. That’s where I come in. I help my clients define those goals, build the strategies and refine those processes which leads to amazing content and success,” she says.

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Having this strategy to be successful for so many of her clients, Toni created her signature Victory Board Events. “That is my mission, to take clients from Vision to Victory. It’s a vision board on steroids,” she says. The workshop assists her clients with creating a road map to chart goals and dreams. The vision board process paired with practical application, goal setting and mindset applications propels their vision board to a “victory board”.

Combined with additional one-on-one or group coaching, Toni is able to develop a plan that is able to point them in the right direction.

For those who may have a road map or vision board in place but not active, she offers a ‘Resuscitate Your Vision’ session to help bring it back to life. It is done by revisiting concepts taught in her other sessions, intended to help clarify someone’s focus and reengage their efforts. All of her services are available for presentations at Girls Night Out, church groups, and social clubs. h

Having goals is the key to your success.

Doing what works best for your brand and your business may not look smooth or logical. However, when you do the work that needs to be done, your productivity will pay off.

Interested in hosting an event? Contact Toni M. Winston for more information. tonim.winston@gmail.com 804-467-5517 11

Christina Hairston Art Gives Me Life

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By Terry L. Watson Photos provided by CNH hristina Hairston is an artist and activist that strongly believes in the power of creating her own spaces. As an alumna of VCUarts with a degree in Communication Arts her visual art investigates the beauty, struggle, and intersectionality of black people. Christina uses art and design as a platform to inform and unite her community. Her most recent design work can be found at the Institute for Contemporary Art. There she has designed the newspaper accompanying Paul Rucker’s exhibit “Storm in the Time of Shelter”.

“I am a motivated artist that strives to help others. I’ve always been involved with activism. Art and activism go hand in hand because art is a medium for communication, expression and a tool to inform. I have always strived to help others in any way I can,” she shares. Christina is also someone who sets goals and pursues them, without failing. She admits there have been times when she didn’t get exactly what she expected, but understands by not doing so, that it is part of the growing and learning process of life.

With her business, CNH Visual Art & Design, she offers an array of services and products. With a fine arts background from Virginia Commonwealth University, specifically In Communication Arts, her services range from custom illustrations, paintings, digital art and branding. She also offers paint sessions for groups, training and classes for design, and also sell prints of her most popular work.

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Her interests in art began at an early age around, ten years old. Many artists In her family specifically her father, have encouraged and supported my interest in art. When she originally deciding on a career path she planned to become a nurse through the support of the A.V.I.D program at Locust Grove Middle School. She obtained her CNA license in 2012 from Orange County High School and was eager to purse nursing professionally. When it was time to attend college, she found herself at Longwood University as an undeclared major because their nursing program was full with a two year waiting list. During that first semester she soon drifted to her creative habits and signed up to take a few art classes in the spring semester of 2013. It was then she realized her true passion was to be an artist.

“After two years at Longwood, I decided I needed a change and transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University to pursue art school.

After meeting some like-minded friends I was encouraged to get out and promote myself and my art. I started small by selling prints here and there in Richmond, and began creating a fan-base of friends and professional colleagues. Now, I continually sell my work and do Graphic Design professionally for the Richmond Symphony,” she says.

Christina has many inspirations and influencers. Artistically, close friend and colleague Paul Rucker is one of her mentors who inspires her to work hard and stand for what she believes in. Professionally, her supervisor and friend Erin Frye is one of her biggest influencers who also inspires her through her positive attitude and sound work ethic. “I honestly find inspiration in people I encounter every day, so many of us lead exemplary lives in one way or another,” she shares. h

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Jawanda Smith Executing in Excellence

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Marion Thompson

Have you ever attended an event and could tell immediately that it was put together by amateurs? Sadly, fiascos happen way too frequently for you to risk irreparable damage to your brand by doing it yourself or hiring subpar planners.

Premiere Events By Jai is your solution. Jai Smith is the owner.

“My clients trust me to deliver fond memories that last the rest of their lifetimes not nightmares that never end.

Therefore, it is essential that I always execute in excellence and get it right the first time as there are no second chances,” she shares.

Jai is a second generation event planner with vast experience in prominent events, including celebrity (VIP) parties, corporate meetings, anniversary galas, wedding receptions, etc. If someone has an occassion to celebrate, call on Premier Events By Jai to be by your side, as they are committed to executing in excellence.

They are based in Richmond, VA but have the capability to stage events at any desired location, domestic or international.

“Your only limit is your imagination,” she shares. h Book your consultation today!

804-601-1335

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The Voice Of Triumph Martin Bailey

By Dawn Toya Moore Photos by Apollo Wonex

Psalms 47:1 says “O clap your hands, all ye peoples; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.” It was this verse, along with a need for an additional stream of income that led Martin Bailey to begin his company. He named the company “The Voice of Triumph” because he believes that God called on him to use his voice. And use his voice he does. Martin’s company specializes in voiceovers, but he provides his customers so much more. He creates commercials, writes specialty content and records voiceovers for entrepreneurs and business owners in South Carolina. His commitment to quality has made his business very successful in a short amount of time.

The business launched in October 2017, but Martin’s been on this path for as long as he can remember. At an early age he had a fascination with words. While growing up in East Orange New Jersey, he would watch and listen closely to the news broadcast. He says he did this, not necessarily for content, but because he was fascinated by the way the newscasters spoke. The cadence and tone of news reporters and radio hosts has always been something he paid attention to. While in school, he realized he had the ability to copy or mimic certain voices and would often copy the voices of his favorite on air personality, newscaster or teacher. This ability would be a huge benefit to him later in life.

After graduating high school, Martin enlisted in the Army reserves.

After one year, he transitioned to active duty status. During his time there, he was often complimented on the sound of his voice. People would even ask him if he had worked in radio before. Though he enjoyed listening to news and radio, he never saw it as anything more than that.

Little did he know that a seed had been planted.

Martin went on to retire from the Army after 20 years of service. He later moved to South Carolina and landed a position working with a health insurance carrier. In this position, he spent a lot of time talking to his customers on the phone. Again, people would consistently compliment him on his voice and ask if he’d ever worked in radio.

Things were going well, until they weren’t. Martin went through a difficult separation and divorce in 2017. After the divorce, money was tight, and he needed additional income. While trying to figure out what to do on his own, Martin says he was overcome by God’s presence. “I heard the voice of God telling me to use my voice or perish. God told me that if I did not do something, I would not be able to survive,” he says. The light bulbs were starting to go off in Martin’s head.

He realized that he was able to create an additional stream of income by using his voice to do voice-overs and commercials for others. That is how the voice-over business was born. He created a demo with Chris Clay at Nu Soul Productions in Charlotte N.C. He then shopped the demo with entrepreneurs, business owners and local professionals, hoping to get some leads. His first client referred him to others who needed voiceover services. Through word of mouth, his clientele grew. He testifies that by going through and surviving his own personal nightmare, a divorce and financial crisis, played a huge role in preparing him to be live his dream.

After the business was launched, and Martin settled into building his brand. After having a conversation with one of his coworkers, the trajectory of his life would change once again. His coworker just so happened to be interning at a local gospel radio station and knew about Martin’s voice-over business. She encouraged him to apply for a position there also. Now things were really coming together. Martin went to the radio station and applied for a position. Once they heard his voice, Martin was soon presented with a job offer. In December 2017, he began his training with WVFM 95.3 FM. In March 2018, Martin was hired on as a weekend radio host.

2017 was just the beginning for Martin. In 2018, he established himself as an entrepreneur and savvy business man. So, what’s next for him in 2019? We should expect to hear more of Martin’s voice throughout North and South Carolina, and beyond. Though his future appears to be very bright, Martin desires to be exclusive, so we will just have to wait and see…or in the case of the Voice of Triumph, we will have to wait and listen. h

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Huami Magazine Celebrates

Before there was Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin Information provided by www.pbs.org

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ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY Most people think of Rosa Parks as the first person to refuse to give up their seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. There were actually several women who came before her; one of whom was Claudette Colvin.

It was March 2, 1955, when the fifteen-year-old schoolgirl refused to move to the back of the bus, nine months before Rosa Parks’ stand that launched the Montgomery bus boycott. Claudette had been studying Black leaders like Harriet Tubman in her segregated school, those conversations had led to discussions around the current day Jim Crow laws they were all experiencing. When the bus driver ordered Claudette to get up, she refused, “It felt like Sojourner Truth was on one side pushing me down, and Harriet Tubman was on the other side of me pushing me down. I couldn’t get up.”

Claudette Colvin’s stand didn’t stop there. Arrested and thrown in jail, she was one of four women who challenged the segregation law in court. If Browder v. Gayle became the court case that successfully overturned bus segregation laws in both Montgomery and Alabama, why has Claudette’s story been largely forgotten? At the time, the NAACP and other Black organizations felt Rosa Parks made a better icon for the movement than a teenager. As an adult with the right look, Rosa Parks was also the secretary of the NAACP, and was both well-known and respected – people would associate her with the middle class and that would attract support for the cause. But the struggle to end segregation was often fought by young people, more than half of which were women. h

301-659-9766 @ Lmjewell68 @Lynnette M Jewell @Sistar2012 @lmichelleshow

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RachelSnipes “God Has Made A Way”

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Andy Smith Photography

Rachel Snipes is a mother of two adult sons and a person who loves to do anything creative. “I sing. I dance. I teach. I like to sketch, enjoy listening to music and cooking a great meal,” she says. Aside from her creativity, she also likes to read and learn new things.

School of Law Small Business and Entrepreneurship Clinic that helped to move her forward with legalization and educated her on everything she needed to know. The clinic discussed the pros and cons of various business structure formats and helped Rachel make her decision to move forward.

As a child, she was physically and emotionally neglected, and even molested. “I had low self- esteem and found myself in one failed relationship after another. I was in a very dark place, drowning in poverty, debt, and homelessness. The homelessness only lasted for five years, but I remember not knowing where I was going to sleep, or what I was going to eat. I went from house to house sleeping on floors, taking showers and living in shelters.

Though at times it felt as if I was about to lose everything, God kept me though,” she declares. Those experiences brought Rachel closer to the Lord in ways that she never thought of. She developed a compassion for people who are lost and broken.

As BCA began to develop, she made a personal promise to the Lord. “I promised Him that I will share my testimony with every person that He allows me to meet in the market place,” she says.

“The greatest impact in my life is the Lord Jesus Christ. Without Him I am nothing. It is the Lord who gives me the gifts and talent to create, the wisdom to run a business, and the opportunity to live a wonderful life. All of my praise and worship belongs only to Him because He truly changed my life.” She also credits her mom and dad, Apostle Bobby Mack and Almetia for being a tremendous spiritual influence in her life. In the darkest moments of her transition, it was their love and support that kept her steady.

Self described as intelligent but not arrogant, Rachel shares that she can be silly at times. “I love to work hard and play even harder. I am known for doing things off the cuff, just to get a laugh from people,” she shares. She is a nature lover as well and says “there is nothing more peaceful than sitting out on her back porch, listening to the birds singing in the trees and spending time with the Lord.”

She is also the owner of Berachiah Consulting Agency, LLC. Pronounced “Bear-a-ki-a” the word’s origin is Jewish and is derived from Berakhah which means ‘blessing’. The name also has roots in the Hebrew culture, meaning “whom God has blessed”. She shares when she found the name of the business, it really spoke to her heart. “I feel that it really describes the altruistic core of my spirit.”

BCA is a party planning and event services company. The services provided involve helping their clients find a venue for their event, and connecting them with vendors who can meet their individual needs for music, food, and transportation. They are capable of producing baby showers, birthday parties, family celebrations, anniversaries, and romance packages. They also provide their own ‘in-house’ designs for every event. Rachel recently released a project called, “Tablescapes” which allow them to offer online design concepts through Tumblr.

BCA was legally formed on April 30, 2015. Rachel had attended a free workshop hosted by the Greensboro Public Library and the Small Business Administration, “How to Write a Business Plan”. It took her about ten months to write the business plan.

Next she wanted to make the plan official and began inquiring about legalization. She found information at the Elon University

Like most small business owners, Rachel has faced a few challenges. One has been finding enough operating capital.

When the business began to take shape, she declares she only had a few hundred dollars, and spent them very quickly. She didn’t have any investors, nor did participate in any loan programs for small businesses. Her second challenge has been marketing her business. “It takes a budget to market your products and services. My ‘go-to’ resource for this is Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and any other forms of social media to get the word out about what my business is, and what it does,” she says. Rachel has also been challenged with developing a committed client base. She has done lots of pro bono work, and is patiently waiting for that client who feels the services she provides are worth paying for. Yet she remains focused and certain the day will come when she will be able to serve the public in a greater capacity.

In the future, Rachel plans to continue developing the ‘Tablescapes project,’ and expand her online presence through social media and develop a marketing campaign to sell custom designed centerpieces on a digital platform. She also intends to join a local merchants association and continue to educate herself on business management issues. “I also plan to host HATTACULAR III in 2020. HATTACULAR is an exclusive fundraising event held every two years to raise money for programs doing vital work around the issue of domestic violence. h

Rachel Snipes - Berachiah Consulting Agency, LLC (336) 954-6289 21

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Shamar Allen / Alan Lux Studios DeVona Boyd, affectionately known as DJ, is a 38 year old entrepreneur who is fully committed to a wholistic way of life. He was born in the small town of Whitmire, South Carolina. It was there that he learned how to be an entrepreneur. His mom is a seamstress and owns her own business providing sewing and alteration needs. His father owned a lawn care service and it’s obvious he inherited the entrepreneurial spirit from the both.

DeVona’s primary profession is serving as the Director of Music and Worship at the St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte. He is also the owner of DeJaBo Designs, a business with two focuses. DeJaBo Ties offers various styles of bow ties using creative and practical materials such as cotton, silk, leather, and wood. Some ties are reversible and some have a pre-fitted neck fixer, ideal for those who aren’t comfortable tying yet. Besides bow ties, he also offers neckties, pocket squares, cuff links, dress socks, arm wear, lapel flowers, and pins.

The decorating side of his business was created for special events as well as interior decorating. He is able to meet any party planning need, from helping someone find a venue, to preparing the event, to executing day of particulars. He provides event rentals and perform onsite set-up of linen, lighting, table decor, center pieces, and more.

The DeJaBo brand is taken from the first two letters of each part of DeVona’s name, DeVona Jaworski Boyd. His mother named him after a famous boxer and football player. All of his items are made in the Carolinas. Customers can shop directly from the company’s website and also find them at local pop-up events. DeVona also offers private showings of his inventory by appointment.

“I am fortunate enough to do all of these businesses simultaneously. It’s a lot to juggle but I enjoy what I do and I hope that my passion comes across in all of my work,” he says. “I have always been a creator. I remember even as a child building and creating things out of all types of material,” he says. DeVona became more focused on his artistic abilities as an undergrad at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C.” DeVona began both businesses in 2013 as a ‘home-based’ entity. He states the ‘when and how’ was pretty simple. “I tell others who ask me how to start a business, to just start it. In the beginning you’re not going to know all of the answers or know exactly what to do. You’re going to make a ton of mistakes, but the key is to learn from them because they will make you better. As a small business owner, we have to be very cautions of the overhead we take on and be creative in how to manage our resources given.”

The future is looking bright for DeVona. With the arrival of each new day, he strives to be a better person and business owner. “I never want to get comfortable with my artistry and always remain in a posture of learning. Moving forward he hopes to change DeJaBo’s web presence and hire someone to manage his websites. He also hopes to have a showroom and location to sell items. h

Devona Boyd 909-3DE-JABO (333-5226) www.dejaboties.com www.dejabodesigns.com FB and IG: DeJaBo Ties and DeJaBo Designs 23

By Tonya Tolson Photos by Apollo Wonex he beauty industry is growing by leaps and bounds, with several stylist gaining notoriety by social media and professional training.

This stylist has been working in the industry for over 13 years and is quickly making herself known. Porscha Danielle began her journey as a self-taught stylist. At 34 years of age, she is a single woman and the owner of The Salon by Porscha Danielle in Greenville, S.C. Porscha decided to go against the status quo and built a business based on corporate professionalism and natural talent. She was a computer science/business major who was on the path to a career in the technology fieldt at Coastal Carolina University. Although she did not have a passion for doing hair, a fellow student asked her to braid his hair. She actually could not braid hair, but quickly picked up the skill from a suitemate.

She started building her clientele from the students whose hair she did on campus. Most times when you talk to stylist they always say they have been doing hair since their teenage years, however she never was that person. She only did her hair and never wanted to start in the business.

Once she realized that she had a natural talent, she came to a crossroads and started to question her decision of college. She then had a conversation with her mother who encouraged her to leave Coastal Carolina and enroll cosmetology school.

While attending cosmetology school, she stood out as one of the top students in her class. During her time there, Porscha’s instructor chose her to participate in the Midwest Chicago Hair show. She placed first in the United States.

Her impeccable skills were recognized and qualified her to compete in the World Hair Olympics in Russia representing the U.S. team. She competed against 136 countries and placed in the top ten, coming in fifth place. This was an accomplishment that let her know she was made for this business. She finished cosmetology school and graduated at the top of her class.

As her career began, she has worked with several stylists, learned different techniques, and grew her clientele over the years. Porscha specializes in natural hair, but is trained in extensions, color, weaves, and is certified to do all types of hair. She also offers services for men as well. She is a certified makeup artist who has trained with celebrity makeup artists and stylists, and has participated in fashion weeks in Charleston, York County, and many other areas in South Carolina, Georgia, and even North Carolina. Over the years, Porscha has been privileged to work with various celebrity clients in these regions also.

The Salon by Porscha Danielle 2441 Laurens Rd Suite 116 Greenville, SC 29607 864-787-1196

Conituned on the next page

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She credits her family with her success. “My mother, Gloria Davis, instilled in me my drive for this industry,” she says. Unfortunately she lost her mother two years ago. She says, “When my mother was alive our relationship was ever evolving. We had our share of ups and downs, but because of her guidance and strength, I now understand what it takes to be successful. I admit that I did not realize the impact my mother made until after she was gone. As I reflect on the advice my mother offered, I realize she was giving me the strength and knowhow for when she would leave me. This just made me stronger and more determined to make sure I made her proud.”

This also prompted her to move into her own salon in November of 2018. After working in several salons over the years, she realized that she could run her own salon with great success. She decided to open The Salon by Porscha Danielle and within just one month, she increased her exposure and raised her customer base. “I learned that my clients enjoy more personalization and privacy when it comes to their hair care. Clients have all types of needs when it comes to hair. I have seen many various hair types, and assisted some who are dealing with hair loss from diseases such as alopecia, to a customer just wanting a personal hair session. Sometimes when you are in a salon you don’t receive the level of privacy you may need. By moving to my new salon suite, I can provide the level of comfortability that my client’s are seeking.

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As a businesswoman and entrepreneur, her drive comes from working in corporate America. She has worked in human resources and engineering. She declares that human resources taught her that all people want and deserve personalized care, whle the engineering side taught her precision and skill.

All of these factors have helped shaped her skill set and how she treats her clients, who she refers to as family. “I pride myself in making my clients feel like they are my only one when they walk in the door.

I individualize all of my customers’ experience and educate them on their hair type, what they need to maintain their hair.”

Looking into the future, she sees her salon expanding into a teaching facility. “I want to give my knowledge to the new generation of hair stylist; I want to include classes not only in cosmetology, but also business management,” she says.

Porscha wants to give credit to her wardrobe stylist Benjamin Wright for styling her for the photo shoot. She also credits her brother Taurean Davis and family for standing strong throughout life.

Additionally, she would like to send appreciation to all her family and friends that have been there and for giving her the strength and skills to be successful.

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