may 2011 women with know how

8/7/2019 May 2011 Women With Know How

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StreSS,HmneSnd YuVICKIE L. BUNZEY

Stuc n utKim Hughes

MAY 2011

CONNECT AND GROW WITH WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY

nikki Faon Degnerof Nka Formal

aoor



2

®

Dear Readers,

I always get excited this time of every month,

because every time I see a new issue of WomenWith Know How completed, it gives as much

pleasure as the rst one we published!

It really is a feeling I can’t describe. I feel like the

magazine is like having a new baby every month!

I am especially excited this month to have Niki

Kapoor as our cover story. She really is an

amazing woman and the more I get to know her,

the more inspired I get! Speaking of having ababy every month, this month is Mother’s Day

and I wish all mothers the best mother’s day!

Those of us that are daughters, make sure to

make your mom feel loved. Nothing gives more

pleasure than when I hear the words I love you

from my daughters!

In closing I feel this poem says it best:

From tHe publiSHer Mimi Zelman

“ Those o us thatare daughters, make

sure to make yourmom eel loved.

More Tan A Moter

When God set the world in place,

when He hung the stars up in space,

when He made the land and the sea,

then He made you and me.He sat back and saw all that was good;

He saw things to be as they should.

Just one more blessing He had in store;

He created a mother, but whatever for?

He knew a mother would have a special place

to shine His reection on her child’s face.

A mother will walk the extra mile

just to see her children smile.

She’ll work her ngers to the bone

to make a house into a home.

A mother is there to teach and guide,

a mother will stay right by your side.

She’ll be there through your pain and strife;she’ll stay constant in your life.

A mother will lend a helping hand

until you have the strength to stand.

She’ll pick you up when you are down;

when you need a friend she’ll stick around.

A mother is one who listens well,

will keep her word; will never tell.

A mother never pokes or pries

but stands quietly by your side,

giving you the strength you need,

encouraging you to succeed.

A mother is one who can be strong

when you need someone to lean on.You’re more than a mother to me;

a reection of Him in your face I see,

a love that knows no boundaries.

I’m glad that you chose to be

all this and more to me.

You share a love that knows no end,

you’re more than my mother,

and you are my friend.

”



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34

buSneSS

How to Succeed as

a Small Business Owner

26

pFeSSnl

SptlgHt

Dickie Choate

contentS

FeATures

16

cve Sy

Nikki Kapoor

36

Fd

New Twists on Fresh

Summer Favorites

DepArTMeNTs

yuEEpEEu 22Kim Hughes

FcE28April Oliver

MkE 6Karen L. Dortschy

yucEE 10

Robyn Crigger

WEESS 12 Vickie L. Bunzey



4

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Servingcharlotteandcharleston

publisher/presiDeNT

Mimi L. [email protected]

DesiN AND pAe prDuTiN

SPARK [email protected]

vie presiDeNT F MArKeTiN

Wendy Whitehurst

NTribuTiN WriTers Mary Elizabeth Murphy

Marcie Williams- BrowningRobyn Crigger

Kim Hughesof 704events.com

hArlesTN

Contact Mimi Zelman

[email protected]

For more advertising information callMimi at 704-491-1207 or email her at:

[email protected]

Copyright ©2010

Cover photography: Dustin Shores

®

Whether you’re heading to your company’sboard meeting or your daughter’s soccer

practice, you’ll be stylin’ when you show the

world that you are a Woman With Know-how.

We’ve handpicked a select group of items

all in rich black, to showase the gorgeous

fuchsia pink and silver metallic embroidered

message that tells everyone you are truly

a woman to be reckoned with.

You know your stuff,now show the world!

Visit OurOnline Store

www.womenwithknowhow.com



6

®

“Consistency is Key toBuilding Brand Awareness”

marketing Karen L. Dortschy, Partner, Sandbox Solutions

h’ a o qz! Wat

a t stack

“n” (woman

mytoogca cat) ncod

n and wat t coo? Wat

dcton do t Nk woo

mo – ft to gt, o gt toft? Wat coo Tagt’ tagt?

(Anw ow).

Chances are you answered all three

correctly. Why? Because Starbucks,

Nike and Target are the ultimate

role models for brand consistency

– resulting in their companies

and products being easilyrecognizable and identiable.

You probably hear the words

“brand” and “branding”

often these days, as they

are buzz words thrown

around by almost everyone.

So what really is the denition of

a “brand”? In simplistic terms a brand

is a proposition – a message such

as “we deliver quality sportswear”.

There may also be sub-messages

and values which associate with that

message, but they all revolve around

the same idea. How this messageis communicated is often termed

“branding”, and one of the most

important aspects of communicating

a brand visually and subconsciously is

consistency.

The core message of all successful

brands never really changes. Let’s

consider Apple computers. Sincetheir brand’s conception, their brand

proposition was to supply state-of-

the-art, high-quality, great looking

and high-performing computers. This

message has never changed, although

the way they have communicated

this over the years has, as they have

MO R E I N FO

Karen l. Dor tch y

Sandbox Solu tions

w w w.in Yoursandbo x.com

mara@in yoursandbox.com

704.201.3354



®

kept up with modern design standards.

This has led to consumer recognition,

and then trust and loyalty from their

customers.

Think about other successful brandssuch as Nike, Intel, Disney and

McDonalds. Whatever you look at,

whether it’s a hangtag on a shirt, an

Internet ad, a store sign or product

packaging, you’ll see that each piece

is consistent in look, font, attitude and

message. From logo usage to package

design to website to store signage,

they’re consistent.

Consistency -- whatever the medium,

whatever the message, is the hallmark

of building a strong brand. But why

bother with brand consistency?

Brand consistency has one massive

advantage – recognition. With

recognition comes familiarity. With

familiarity comes trust and condence.Also, if done correctly, consistency

brings clarity and purpose which

customers buy into. They become loyal.

As people we don’t really like “new’

– and it’s been widely reported that

before a consumer purchases a

product or service, she needs to be

exposed to a brand 17 times. Seventeen

times! It’s essential that when a

potential customer comes across your

“brand message”, she knows right awaywhich brand is communicating to them.

This can only be done by consistency.

Otherwise, she can mistake your brand

with a competing brand, which means

your business potentially loses that

customer and may even help your

competitor gain her!

However, Marketing alone does notbuild a brand. Many communications

contribute to a brand and a brand

image-- including the product or service

Kim Fewell1230 Charlottetowne Ave.

Charlotte

[email protected]

Call me today to see how much

you could save with Allstate’s

home & auto discounts.

(980) 875-9385

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Marketing alone doesnot build a brand.

Many communications

contribute to a brandand a brand image.



8

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itself, people-to-people interactions

and all forms of communications,

including bills that are sent to

customers, checks that are sent to

suppliers, etc.

Even the way the copy on a companyemail is written should be considered

in the light of the brand messaging.

Standards include deciding if everyone

should write “e-mail” or “Email” or

“E-mail” or something else. Everything

should be consistent. If they’re not,

it causes customers to lose trust in

the brand.

Brand consistency often takes many

years to master before it really starts

working for you. This means you

need to think long term – and hit the

ground running with brand consistency.

Leading brands got there because they

have had many years of consistency

behind them and they have had long-

term, clear goals for consistency intheir brand, with the right people in

place to “guard” the brand.

So if you are just starting a business,

or haven’t had years to build brand

consistency, what can you do?

Start with the basics – email addresses

(all initial caps, or all lower case or

upper/lower), email signatures, fonts

for emails and other communications.Don’t use Arial for one medium,

Verdana for another and Comic Sans

for yet another.

The type and quality of paper used for

everyone’s business cards, stationery

and brochures. Your invoices and

statements. Your vehicle magnet signs

and your tradeshow booth signs. Yourvoicemail message and how everyone

should answer the phone.

Create brand standards for all of these,

that everyone in your organization

needs to follow. Designate yourself or

another leader in your organization that

is detail-focused, as the guardian of the

brand. Be diligent in ensuring everyonemaintains consistency – every day,

every communication. Then, you’ll be

on your way to becoming the next Nike,

Starbucks or Apple!

For more tips and recommendations

for branding or rebranding your

business, contact Sandbox Solutions

for a free copy of the newestSandbox Solutions Sand Paper (our

version of the White Paper), entitled

“Company Rebranding - Operational

Implementation”, or for more

information.

A n s w e r s t o P o p Q u i z : 1 . C i r c l e , g r e e n 2 . L e f t t o r i g h t 3 . R e d

Be diligent in ensuring everyone maintains consistency – every day,

every communication.



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Your career Robyn Crigger, CEO Compass Career Management

Wo an’t ad a t

gmng aot t oo

conomy, xn of a

knd kyocktng, and tat many

a t nmoyd fo mo tan

a ya? T a t many wo a

mat jo ac canddat woa ng fd any moymnt,

ng t xc of ng “o

qad”, wn cay t t

ag tat t aon. f co,

many moy know tat t

mat, xncd moy

wod xct a g aay

tan a yong, nxncd

on. +snc motmoy a t tyng

to k t cot down,

ty a ctng t

xncd jo

canddat.

As a business owner, I can

understand the dilemma for most

employers (especially small businesses)

as far as needing to keep costs down

in order to keep the business healthy.

However, there are many unemployed

people, who are really trying to get

hired. There are some challenges that

complicate matters. For instance thereare some unemployed people, who are

receiving unemployment checks, but can

only nd work that pays enough to lose

their unemployment benets but doesn’t

pay enough to cover their living expenses.

Obviously, our government’s pockets

are empty, and printing more money

isn’t the answer. So what can any of usdo? Some options could be:

The necessity to get more than one job.

A possibility if child care isn’t an issue.

Moving in with relatives or friends and

sharing/splitting expenses.

With gas so expensive, use public

As Economy Drags On, WhatAre The Umemployed To Do?

M O R E I N F

O

i p a r t n e r i n c. – o m a

a r e e r M a n ag e m e n t s o

l t o n

w w w. c o m a c a

r e e r.co m

( 7 04 ) 84 9 -25 0

0

rc r igge r @co m

p a s sc a ree r.co

m



®

transportation or carpool when at

all possible.

Review your spending habits and cut

out luxuries (Example: one TV storyshowed a family struggling, and yet the

mother was still buying “bottled water”

and chips, etc.)

The cutting of coupons for the grocery

store has been proven to save a LOT

of money!

There is one option that someunemployed people have chosen to

become “Self-Employed”. It is NOT

easy!!! But if you carefully choose

a line of business in which you are

experienced and could effectively

promote to potential clients, this

COULD be something to seriously

consider.

However, I will be the rst to tell you

that you MUST be organized and

learn all that is involved in being self-

employed. It is very hard work, and

you would either need to be able to

prove to a bank that you could be

successful in order to get a loan to

start the business. OR you would need

to have ample funds set aside to startyour business AND enough money to

live off of for six months to a year AT

LEAST! Many new businesses don’t

earn enough money to pay themselves

for 1-3 years.

In the meantime we all need to let our

legislative representatives know how

we feel about our economy and relay

what we expect of them. As “our”

representatives they need to know your

perspectives and needs. As for what to

do as an unemployed person, don’t sit

behind a computer, but instead get out

and talk to as many people as you can.Relay how you can help an employer!

Keep an open mind.

I will be the frst to tell you that you MUST be organized and learn all that

is involved in being sel-employed.



12

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“i am o td ot.”

How many times do you say, thinkor feel that if you have to deal with

one more thing you are going to

explode. Unfortunately, too many of

us experience this feeling every day.

Stress is so common place that we

may not even notice how much stress

we feel. It may be a relationship that

has a little bump or maybe a big bump

in it, a job we don’t like or even if wedo like it are overloaded with work, too

many things to do and too little time

for all the things you need to take care

of, too little sleep because you are too

busy. What can you add to the list?

ody ooy da

wt t, t at wat

xn?We can become tense.

Our blood pressure

can rise. Our breathing

increases. Our body

naturally goes into a

“ght-or-ight” stress

response. When this happens

a chain reaction happens. The stress

hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, arereleased. Cortisol is a hormone critical

in managing fat storage and energy

in your body. Cortisol is known to

increase appetite and may encourage

cravings for sugary or fatty foods.

So now with all that cortisol running

around our body we naturally reach for

our comfort foods. Most comfort foodscome in the form of high carbohydrate

foods, the bad carbs….sweets, mufns,

pastries, doughnuts, cookies, pizza,

mashed potatoes, breads, french fries,

chips. These foods cause a surge of

insulin in our blood stream. When

our body can’t absorb or process the

excess of insulin, we store it as fat.

Now we have two problems….stressand weight gain.

W a not don yt.

We now have adrenaline, cortisol and

insulin out of balance. When we reach

for fattening comfort foods during

stressful times in a sub-conscious

Stress, Hormones and You

MO R E I N FO

vickie l. bunze y

Certi fed Holistic Health Coach

w w w.simple WoleFoodNu tri tion.com

vickie@ yourbalancedhealthst yle.com

w w w. Yourbalancedheal t t yle.com

704.995.1951

wellneSS Vickie L. Bunzey, Certifed Holistic Health Coach



®

self-medicating state our body releases

serotonin. Serotonin makes us feel

good or better. It is no surprise that

when we are under stress we may not

make the smartest food choices. Whenwe eat sugary or fatty foods, we tend

to eat more and crave more. Because

we have an increase of cortisol, we also

become less sensitive to the hormone

leptin. Leptin tells our brain that we are

full and to stop eating. We have created

a roller coaster that is hard to get off.

Research is showing that this hormoneimbalance can lead to weight gain,

trouble losing weight, insulin resistance,

high cholesterol levels, high blood

pressure, thyroid problems, metabolic

burnout and inammation to name a

few. It is scary what stress can do to

our body. But you can turn the tables

on stress and you can put steps in

place to cope with your stress.

Nxt tm yo f td and

nd yof adng fo t

fgato o nack macn,

to and acknowdg t t.

Sit down and breathe. Think…are you

really hungry? Or are you dealing with

a situation or emotion? If you do this

repeatedly, you can create a new habit

for dealing with stress. Start now toretrain yourself in how you handle

your stress.

• eat ga ma o tat yo

don’t gt ngy and f a do



14

®

n yo ood ga. This will keep

you from unmindful eating.

• eat aty nack and ma

oton. Remember that food isfuel for your body. When you eat

healthy you equip your body to

handle stress better.

• Manag yo t wt

atnat to food. Regular exercise

can help prevent stress, manage

emotions and help you maintain a

healthy weight. Try new things like yoga,Tai chi or something you’ve wanted to

try. Don’t limit yourself.

• yof a ak. Whatever is

causing your stress, just step away

for a while. Find something more

pleasant to do to distract yourself.

• Tnk ot. Come up with a

plan to resolve the situation that iscausing the stress.

• rax. Whatever works for you….

do it. Breathe. Meditate. Visualize.

Listen to music. Take a hot bath.

• Do omtng fn. Get yourself out

and enjoy your life.

You can retrain yourself. Health is

about balance. Strive to balance your

nutrition, exercise, sleep and emotion

and spirituality. You will love how your

body responds.

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16

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nikki

aoorW

at do yo gt wn yo comn aty,

an, n ay and a g at?

Simply two words: Niki Kapoor I had the privilege of

meeting Niki last fall and it became readily apparent

She is indeed a Woman With Know-How. Niki is generous

and gracious with her time and talent and she possesses an

internal beauty that truly denes her.

She radiates compassion, style, fortitude and a wiliness to

dream, BIG.

What follows is my conversation with Niki that tells her

story.

Faon Degnerof Nka Formal



®



18

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Tell u about Nka:

Nika is a design house for prom,

pageant, wedding and social occasion

dresses. I design product that is cutting

edge and fashion forward. At Nika,we believe in pride of ownership. Our

dresses are made with high quality

fabric and hand-crafted bead work.

The inspiration for Nika comes from

appreciating the grace, elegance and

essence of women. Our motivation is

not to follow trends but to set them.

Wat are ome nteretng

tattc about Nka?

Nika is now an international brand. Weare in 14 countries. Our growth rate this

year, ngers crossed, is already 40%.

how dd you get tarted

n te faon ndutry?

I have been in the fashion industry

working as a designer and managing

operations since I was 18 years old. I

ofcially got started in this particularindustry (Social Occasion/ Evening)

with Mauri Simone right after college.

Mauri Simone was a Start-up. It was a

great learning experience in terms of

dening my look as a designer as well

as gaining business prowess. Since

the beginning, I worked not only as a

designer, but have also been involved

in running the business side of things.

Most designers don’t get that chance.

I feel very fortunate that life gave meopportunities that allowed me to grow in

both these areas.

What is unusual or unique about

your business, in comparison to your

competitors or similar businesses?

We offer a product that cross sells very

well. It is very diverse and versatile in

use. I can sell one dress for at least 3occasions and for age groups ranging

from 15 to 50. My style 4015 can sell

for Prom, Pageant, Contemporary and

Wedding and (in colors) for a young

mother of bride. This concept makes

it more protable for my stores to

carry my brand. Their ROI is higher for

my product.

Additionally, we have a very unique

look. It is truly different from my

competitors. As a result we stand out.

While everyone is going in one direction

with their designs, I go the other. I do

my own thing. So the look is always

fresh. Nika is a very innovative brand

and known for it. Honesty, respect

and sincerity are the cornerstones ofour customer service. Nika is not just

about turning a prot. Prot comes

with success. It is about the whole

experience the customers have with

Nika and the effect we have on the

industry.

“Nika is a very innovative brand andknown or it. Honesty, respect andsincerity are the cornerstones o our

customer service.



®

i tere a cutomer exerence

you are mot roud of?

I am proud of all of our customer

experiences. We work very hard to take

care of our customers’ every day.Once we had a store that forgot to place

a special order for a dress. When they

realized it they called us to order

it just a few days before the wear date.

We did not have the dress in stock

at that time. Instead of leaving our

customer hanging, we called the other

stores we had shipped the same dress

to and bought it back. We do this sortof thing all the time. However, I am

most proud of the fact that our stores

love our line and feel proud to carry it.

This is most fullling to me. Every time I

talk to them, they share how much they

love my dresses. Most of my customers

showcase my dresses in their window

display. Sometimes they buy a dress just

for the display to draw trafc. It is thebest compliment a designer can get.

pleae are your nvolvement and

commtment wt nonrot work?

I am very involved in non-prot work. It

is part of the reason I do what I do. I am

starting an orphanage in India for at-risk

Children. Our goal is to help as many

children as we can. But our focus will bechildren who are at risk of being sold for

child-prostitution or servitude.

Animal Rescue is another cause very

dear to me. I am very actively involved

in helping shelter animals nd rescues. I

am also involved with Kukri Foundation,

a non-prot my brother started. Kukri

helps impoverished children in rural India

with school uniforms and books etc.

Their goal is to help these children getan education and break the cycle of

poverty. I am also a mentor for teens.

I feel a positive self-image is crucial for

teenagers. They are ghting so much

outside inuences and pressures. Helping

them get self-empowered so they can

be true to themselves is very important.

People don’t realize it but by becoming a

mentor you can make such a difference ina child’s life. I love working with children



20

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and I feel it is my calling to help them

create healthy and purposeful lives. I am

a huge fan of self-empowerment and I

encourage it early on.

Wo are ome of your

mot notable clent?

Nika has a growing celebrity following.

We have dressed Brooke Burke, Carrie

Ann Inaba, and Karina Smirnoff from

DWTS. We also work with Vanna White

for Wheel of Fortune. She and her team

are lovely to work with, by the way. We

also dress Mya and Nikkole (both areGrammy nominated recording artists)

for red carpet events and concerts. Just

to name a few.

Wat would you mot lke our

reader to know about your

journey n bune?

I love being a designer. But I

also love the business aspectof my work. It has helped me

grow so much. These are the

things that have helped me in

my journey. I hope they will help you in

yours:

• Be true to who you are and do what

you love. Even if you make a few

mistakes it is not the end of theworld. It is like anything new you

learn. You are terrible at it initially.

But you get better as you practice.

Trust yourself and be wiling to take

some risks.

• Have a “can do” attitude. In the end

it is all in your attitude and where

you put your attention. I have alwaysbelieved I can do anything I want. My

parents instilled a “can do” mind-

set in me. I don’t think of obstacles.

I think of the best ways to get from

point A to B.

• Follow your intuition. My best advisor

is my intuition. In business I feel it is a

crucial tool to have along with reasonand logic. I have noticed that as I

trust my intuition more I have learnt

to trust myself more as well.

• Surround yourself with people wiser

than you and turn to them for advice

whenever you feel stuck. But in the

end do what feels right to you.

Watch for great things to come Niki’s

way! To see her fashions visit her

website at www.nikaformals.com

To contact Niki email her at info@

nikaformals.com or 1-800–783-6549.

M O R E I N F

O

N k a F o r m a l

w w w. n k a f o r m

a l .co m

( 8 0 0 ) 7 8 3 -6

54 9

i n fo @ n i k a fo r m a l s.co m



22

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Young entrepreneur Kim Hughes

Stuck in a Rut

it an to t t of .

W a cggng’ aong; dongwat w a ‘od’ to do,

damng o dam, wokng on

ng t f tat w a wokd

on oot off fo, and tn t

an. W’ nd-dd. W jt

an mack da nto a t.

Now, I can be real and tell you that I

have hit more ruts in my personal andprofessional life than I care to admit.

Truthfully, once a month I hit a rough

patch of some sort. Sometimes it’s a

struggle to pay bills, sometimes it’s a

situation where I haphazardly carry other

people’s emotions, which brings me down

to the 7th layer of hell, and sometimes, I

just don’t have an explanation.

What I dene a rut as is being unstable;

A place where we are restless and

perturbed with our work (or personal)

lives and our groove and rhythm come

to a screeching halt. Trying to dig

ourselves out is sometimes like trying to

dig an underground canal to China.

Typically when my rut occurs, I tend to

lean on and garner inspiration from mypositive ‘army’ – My band of allies and

mentors that always nd a way to lift

my spirits and help to realize my value,

which I become temporarily blind to.

In my last experience, even my ‘army’

wasn’t enough. For 2 weeks, I wallowed

in my rut without a soul knowing. Ok,

I am not that ignorant; I am sure a lot

of people knew but to crawl out of mytunnel of self-pity, I needed to conquer

this one entirely on my own.

I typically nd solace in quotes and

inspirational stories and what broke me

free of the chains of my own mind was a

renowned philosopher who created the

most basic, yet powerful quote I believe

has ever been muttered… MahatmaGandhi.

“Be the change you want to see in the

world.”

What is so great about this quote is that it

can be taken a myriad of different ways; it



®

can challenge you to create a movement

that will open the world to a higher

standard and state of living, it may awaken

the masses from a mechanically induced

coma or, in my case, it can propel youto make miniscule ‘tweaks’ to your daily

regimen that can get you back on track

and in the game.

I took the word ‘CHANGE’ and I started

to brainstorm and mind-map. Dening

what change meant to me and how

I felt mulling over the word ‘change’.

A slew of powerful and stimulatingwords jumped out at me but none as

compelling as ‘update’.

UPDATE – What a basic, run-of-the-

mill word but it spoke to me! I was at

a point in my professional life where I

just needed to update my practices. I

have been in the game for 6 years and

I’m not dumb but what worked for me inthe past clearly wasn’t going to catapult

me to my future. All I needed to do

was to update to a new standard in my

business.

I began creating survey’s for my current

and past clients to gain insight on their

experiences with me and my company,

I signed up for Jeffrey Gitomer’s Ace ofSales program, I began disassociating

from organizations and obligations

that were not conducive to my time or

energy, and I conjured up a new way

to reach out to my potential clients.

I even did something as modest as

restructuring my Smartphone’s email

signature. I took simple baby steps

which completely refurbished my

mental state.

Consider me broken free of my rut andtrucking down Positive Highway 12 at

full force again.



24

®

It doesn’t take something big to make

a forceful impact in our lives. Time and

time again, I have found the littlest action

or thought often makes the biggest

difference. Ever hear the phrases ‘it hit

me like a ton of bricks’ or ‘one day it just happened’? Well, that is your little

change occurring before your eyes BUT

the momentum behind that change isn’t

so little. You were taking the steps all

along but it was that tiny puzzle piece that

made each step fuse together to createsomething magical.

Think of it this way… The computer or

device that you are reading this article on;

when you bought it, it was fully functioning,

right? You were able to execute all the

tasks you needed to and it performed like a

champ. Over time, things probably stopped

running as smoothly as it did when it wasbrand new and periodically, your computer

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proFeSSional SpotligHt Mimi Zelman

How i yo sar i hississ? After Design School, I

pursued commercial work and was

employed with an ofce furniture

dealership. They were bought out and a

changing commission structure helped

me decided to do something on my own.

How lo Ha yo

bsiss? 17 yrs on my own and 21in the industry.

ha is yor akro-

wha wr yo oi for

his siss? I was working as

an Executive Assistant for a high end

Home Builder. Then a Retail Store

Designer and next a Commercial Real

Estate Developer. Each experiencerepeatedly involved me in scenarios

pertaining to design. It was a natural

progression to pursue a degree in the

eld of Interior Design.

ho is yor yia i?

Thankfully, there is no typical client...

that’s the great thing about the

Dickie Choateof Upscale Urban Design



M O R E I N F

O

u c a l e u r b a n D e g n, t h e

“ s t o r e W t h o t D o o r . ”

w w w. u c a l e u

r b a n D e g n.co m

( 7 04 ) 564 - 74 7

9

P. O. Bo x 6 72 7

2

C h a r lo t te, N C

2 8226

business, its diversity. I meet the most

interesting people who sometimes

have really unique needs. For instance,

presently I am partnering with another

Designer in furnishing an airplanehanger. Never done that before, so

it’s a special experience. As of late,

it has been a younger more urban

client. Charlotte has changed so much

over the past 20 years and clients

are demanding a more sophisticated,

broader spectrum of art and

furnishings.

ha is sa or iq

ao yor siss, i

oariso o yor

oiors or siiar

sisss? 6 yrs. ago, quite by

accident, I began making custom

furniture. I had a specic need and the

standard manufacturer wouldn’t modify.

I found this wonderful woodworkingshop near Lenoir. About the same

time, I found a custom upholstery

shop near Hickory. Both artisans have

been in the industry over 25 yrs. and

can build most anything faster, more

beautifully and more affordably than

major manufacturers. It has given me

complete freedom to design the look

and specic dimensions I need foreach project, simultaneously giving

the client superior quality and

affordability. Because a lot of stores

are out of business now and because

we can provide all products from oor

to ceiling, our slogan is, the “Store

Without Doors”.

ha ai o yo ha

for wo i rars o

orai? Before starting a

project, spend plenty of time in shelter

magazines discerning what you loveand identifying your style. Tear pictures

from magazines; take pictures of homes

or ofces you admire. It makes it much

easier for your Design Professional to

quickly plan your project if you are clear

on looks you love.

ha ki of ora

wo yo i o a wo js sari o hr siss?

Take advantage of all the great programs

we have in Charlotte for Entrepreneurs.

CPCC offers free business counseling

as does the Small Business Technology

Center. If you are concentrating on

Commercial Design, subscribe to the

Business Journal to become familiar

with what is going on in thebusiness community. If

Residential Design is your

focus, join one of the local

design societies to stay

abreast of products and

services available to that

discipline.

Take advantage o all the great programs we have in Charlotte or

Entrepreneurs. CPCC oers free business counseling as does theSmall Business Technology Center.



28

®

Finance April Oliver, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

’s sri a as. th irs

ar sii a h s

of arq s h air. s

yo rfor sh srii

rias as ara a as

ai, why o ak so

i o sr yor as?

iw hs iora isow so yo a rax a joy

h i saso kowi ha

yor aia hos is i orr.

Yor . There’s a good chance

that your cash ow needs will vary

during the summer months.

Not only does summer travel

come into play, but you mayalso need additional funds

for child care while the

kids are away from school.

This review may also reveal

opportunities to trim expenses

and increase savings goals.

Yor ri sai. Did you know

that you are entitled to one free credit

report annually from each of the three

major credit bureaus? Spring is a good

time to request yours from Equifax

(equifax.com), Experian (experian.com)

and TransUnion (transunion.com). You

can also get copies at no cost fromannualcreditreport.com. By reviewing

the reports carefully you can nd

anything from old accounts that should

be closed to outright identity theft.

Yor aia rors. Spring is

an excellent time to sort through old

statements, pay stubs, bills and other

records that you no longer need. Besure to keep up to six years of records

to support your tax deductions, since

that’s how long the IRS has to audit you.

Yor roio s. While de-

cluttering and ling paperwork, take

Spring Means Time orFinancial House Cleaning

MO R E I N FO

Amerpre Fnanca serce, inc

.

April M. Oli ver

april.m.oli ver@amp f.com

w w w.amerpread vor.com/

april.m.oli ver

704.540.7171



®

time to review life, homeowner, auto

and disability policies to make sure

you are still satised with your level of

coverage. If you’ve experienced any

life changing events like divorce orthe birth of a child, your needs have

changed and it’s time for an insurance

and beneciary review.

Yor sa a. Estate planning

is not just for the wealthy. While tax

reduction and gifting strategies come

into play for those with considerable

assets, everyone needs the most basicestate plan. If you haven’t already

done so, make sure you have an up-

to-date will, health care directive and

basic powers-of-attorney.

Yor s.Even though fall is

traditionally open enrollment time, spring

is a good time to make sure the benets

you’ve elected are being maximized. Ifyou are covered by a health savings plan,

make sure you are using the investment

component to your advantage.

Yor is a sais

as. There’s no better time for an

annual review to help make sure you

are on track to reach your nancial

goals. The process can help keep

tabs on your net worth, cash ow and

portfolio value. It’s also a good way todetermine if your portfolio has strayed

from your intended asset allocation

and rebalance if necessary.

Most importantly, don’t let your

nancial house cleaning overwhelm

you. Tackle items one at a time and

consult your nancial advisor for help

along the way.

Spring is an excellenttime to sort throughold statements, pay

stubs, bills and otherrecords that you nolonger need.



growi YorSa bsiss30

®

Family Features



®®

For anyone with a small business or whoworks for themselves, getting the word

out to new customers is critical. But if you

don’t have marketing experience, how do you

know what needs to be done and where to begin?

To help small business owners get the word

out and reach more potential customers, Bill

Klock, GSM Sales Training and Recruiting for

Yellowbook, has some sage advice.

us mor tha mho

“Word of mouth is traditionally an effective source

of new customer leads,” said Klock. “But while

referral sources are effective, they are not trying

to sell a product – they are simply sharing useful

information among their peers. It’s important to

actively market your business in a variety of ways,

particularly now when consumers are looking inmany different places for direction on where to go

for local goods and services.”

The most successful marketing plans consist

of a diversied portfolio that includes a mix

of print, direct mail, online and search engine

optimization/marketing (SEO/SEM) components.

“With so many affordable options available, nearly

every business should havean online presence.”



32

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32

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This multi-pronged approach helps businesses

get better overall market penetration.

Recent studies have found that nearly half of all

U.S. small businesses don’t have a website. “Withso many affordable options available, nearly every

business should have an online presence,” said

Klock. “Also, if you don’t know anything about

search engine optimization, make sure your

website creator or consultant does.” SEO/SEM

can help improve your search engine ranking so

your company’s website is more likely to be found

by your target audience.

According to Klock, by combining internet and

search optimization methods with direct mail and

print in a marketing program, local business are

more likely to reach existing customers and new

prospects across multiple touch points.

Fi ti Yor marki pa

According to the U.S. Small Business

Administration, a successful marketing planshould include market research, location,

the targeted customer group, competition,

positioning, the product or service being sold,

pricing, advertising and promotion. Refer to it

often and update it every three to six months.

Keep track of what has worked and what hasn’t.

Get customer feedback, as well.

“Smaller businessescan probably aim to revisittheir plans in the six-month

range because they haveewer moving parts.”



®

“Smaller businesses can probably aim to revisit

their plans in the six-month range because they

have fewer moving parts,” said Klock. “This

exercise can also help businesses uncover

seasonal trends and evaluate their performanceto help inform key management decisions.”

g profssioa H

“The success of your business is too important

to not position it well,” said Klock. “Professional

media consultants can often help a business

focus its efforts in ways that a family member or a

part-time staffer cannot. Marketing experts have

the skills to map out a customized strategy, aremore up to date on the latest market trends and

have a knowledgeable, experienced staff with a

proven track record on the sidelines to provide

valuable support whenever it’s needed.”

One popular outsourcing option isYellowbook’s 360-degree portfolio of

marketing tools, which offers a variety of

options for small business owners. Yellowbook

consultants can develop an affordable,

effective plan for a business so an owner

can focus squarely on business execution.

Business owners interested in a free no-obligation

consultation can call 1-800-YB-YELLOW

(1-800-929-3556), or submit a request onlineat www.yellowbook360.com.

Smart BusinessIsn’t Child’s Play

Contact us at 704.201.3354

or [email protected]

InYourSandbox.com

WE CAN HELP YOU...

Fill your buckets with new business

Reduce your printing expenses

Develop an effective social media strategy

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michelle Binks has always had an

entrepreneurial spirit. A move to a new

city provided her a chance to start

her own consulting business, building from the

experience she received from her employment inlarge human resource departments.

“Starting my company was not a tough decision, it was

learning how to maintain and grow my company to

where I wanted it to be that I needed help with,” said

Binks, president and owner of HR Consulting Solutions.

Family Features

How toSas a

SmallBusinessOwner

34

®



®

Binks was not alone in needing help. The Small

Business Administration says 50 percent of all

small businesses fail within the rst ve years.

But, according to a Dun and Bradstreet study, 90

percent of successful businesses say they sought

out expert help.

Binks found that help through the Business

Accelerator Program, a free program provided by

American Family Insurance that uses nationally

recognized small business experts to help small

business owners succeed.

“What’s great about the Business Accelerator Program

is the specicity it provides for individual companies,”

said Binks. “When starting my business, I didn’t realizethe huge importance of sales and marketing, but

the Business Accelerator experts worked with me

personally and covered these areas in a way that I

could apply to my business and make a difference to

my bottom line.”

She is just one small business owner who

has seen the positive growth in their business

because of the program.

“Entrepreneurs face new challenges every day,”

said Bob Wright, Wright Business Institute founder

and Business Accelerator career coach. “Overdue

payments, materials that don’t arrive on time,

employees who don’t show up for work, and

more. It’s easy to feel daunted and become

paralyzed. Often, just taking one small step

in the right direction will get things movingto really take off. The Business Accelerator

program is a great step that will provide

business owners the tools to make those

little changes that can immediately make a

difference in their business.”

The Business Accelerator program experts

offer these tips to help small business owners make

those changes to better their business:

Target your Audence - It’s tempting to try a little bit

of every type of advertising that’s offered to you. But

with limited budgets, entrepreneurs end up with a tiny

presence in each. Instead, select a few mediums thatreally reach your target audience and that you can

afford to establish a presence in by using frequency

and larger visuals.

set oal - What is your higher purpose for being a

small business owner? What matters most to you?

Write down your answers and keep them close at

hand. Share them with your business partners, allies

and friends. Remind yourself of them when you pick upthe phone, when you face rejection, when you squeeze

in another sales call on the way to pick up the kids.

sell hoe Frt - Many sales professionals make

the mistake of getting caught up in trying to sell

the features and dimensions of their product rst

– rather than engaging with the customer around

their hopes and dreams, about what they hope to

accomplish. It’s important to understand the biggerpicture in positioning yourself with a client and in

the marketplace.

To nd out more about the Business Accelerator

program, visit www.amfambusinessaccelerator.com.



®

FaorFsio

36

New Twists on FreshSummer Favorites

Family Features



®

F reshen up summer

entertaining with some new

flavor combinations that put a

twist on traditional favorites and add the

perfect touch when hosting an evening

of dessert and drinks with friends.

In these dessert recipes, familiar

peaches, berries, honeydew and

pineapple get an unexpected little

kick with a dash of hot sauce for

a delightfully sweet and spicy

flavor fusion.

If you’re looking for the ideal drink pairing for these delicious desserts,

fruit and chocolate are always

a winning combination. Godiva

Chocolate Infused Vodka, a perfect

combination of rich chocolate and

smooth vodka, is the essential

ingredient to create delightful

cocktails to serve at any special

occasion. New York-basedmixologist Elayne Duke has

created four drinks that are sure to

become entertaining favorites.

“Godiva’s new Chocolate Infused

Vodkas add rich chocolate notes to

any cocktail and mix well with a wide

variety of flavors,” said Duke. “They’re

also smooth and delicious on theirown, and can even be enjoyed over

ice for an easy aperitif that’s simply

chocolate perfection in a glass.”

scy iand d pnaMakes 4 servings

1 large ripe pineapple1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon original Tabasco brand pepper sauce

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat grill to high.

• REMOVE skin from pineapple; core and cut into1/2-inch-thick slices.

• COMBINE lime juice and Tabasco sauce in smallbowl. Combine sugar and cinnamon in shallow bowl.

Brush both sides of pineapple with Tabasco mixture;dip into cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat well.

• GRILL pineapple slices 8 to 10 minutes, turning onceuntil golden on both sides.

Serving suggestions: Serve as a dessert with vanilla ice

cream or whipped cream.



38

®

oda Mdngt MatnYield: 1 drink; drink contains 1.5 fluid ounces of alcohol1 1/2 ounces Godiva Chocolate Infused Vodka

Strawberry wedge for garnish

• POUR Chocolate Infused Vodka into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

• SHAKE WELL and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a strawberry wedge.

oda ocoat pomganat TwtYield: 1 drink; drink contains 1.5 fluid ounces of alcohol1 1/2 ounces Godiva Chocolate or Chocolate Raspberry

Infused Vodka

3/4 ounces pomegranate juice

• COMBINE Chocolate or Chocolate Raspberry Infused vodka and pomegranate juice in a cocktail shaker filled

with ice.

• SHAKE WELL and strain into a martini glass.

awa T fo Yo paty• To help guests keep track of their drinks, buy or make some fun wine glass charms for

stemmed glasses.

• To add a touch of style to your party, serve your drinks in an array of eclectic glassware.

Serving glasses in a variety of shapes and sizes will provide the unique touch you might

be missing.

• Don’t stop there: try serving your desserts in some fun cocktail glasses as well. Serve thePiquant Peach Melba in a margarita glass, or the Honeydew Granita in a martini glass.

• To encourage your guests to drink responsibly, prominently display a pitcher of water with

an assortment of colored tumblers to ensure a glass of refreshing water is never out of reach.

Always have plenty of delicious snacks.

For more fresh flavor ideas, visit www.drinkgodiva.com.



®

oda oco razz Ta

Yield: 1 drink; drink contains 1.5 fluid ounces of alcohol1 1/2 ounces Godiva Chocolate Raspberry Infused Vodka3 ounces iced tea

3 to 4 lemon wedges for garnish

• COMBINE Chocolate Raspberry Infused Vodka and iced teain a cocktail shaker with ice.

• SHAKE WELL and strain into a highball glass over ice. Garnish with lemon wedges.

oda ocoat à ’angYield: 1 drink; drink contains 2 fluid ounces of alcohol3/4 ounces Godiva Chocolate Infused Vodka

3/4 ounces Godiva Chocolate Liqueur1/4 ounces Grand Marnier

Orange twist for garnish• COMBINE Chocolate Infused Vodka, Chocolate Liqueur, and Grand Marnier in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

• SHAKE WELL and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with an orange twist.

honydw antaMakes 5 cups3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

4 cups honeydew melon chunks

1 tablespoon Tabasco brand green jalapeño pepper sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

• COMBINE sugar and water in a small saucepanover medium-low heat; cook until sugar isdissolved. Cool to room temperature.

• PURÉE melon chunks until smooth in a food

processor or blender. Stir in Tabasco sauce, lime juice, lime peel and sugar mixture. Pour mixture

into a shallow pan. Freeze 4 to 5 hours, stirringoccasionally, until mixture is frozen, granular and

slightly slushy.



As a young teenager, Fabi Preslar wasintroduced to Yvonne – a vibrant,outspoken French woman who would become her lie-long mentor.On Heaven’s Couch describes the journey that they took together andthe emotional and Spiritual strengthPreslar attributes to her lessons learned.She explains how Yvonne’s strongdose o reality coupled with toughlove and heartelt lessons helped herto transition rom a shy introvert to asuccessul businesswoman, empoweringpublic speaker and mentor.

Filled with bold lessons and poignantquotes, On Heaven’s Couch encouragesreaders to love lie, appreciate its littleheavens and, in Yvonne’s words, “Begood to yoursel.”

my journey with a masterful mentorHeaven’son Couch

SPARK Publications Presents

Ater thirteen years o helping others sel-publish their stories, SPARK Publicationspresident Fabi Preslar has switched gears,picked up her pen, and written her frstbook. Fabi decided to write On Heaven’s

has helped her connect not only with otheremale entrepreneurs, but with her clients, as well. “I knew writing a book was hard…butnot this hard! However, with the help o my SPARK Team and the same resources that

To purchase, go to: www.SPARKpublications.com/ohcbook

Orders will begin shipping ater February 17th.

may 2011 women with know how

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