The GlamourLESS side of Entrepreneurship: What they DIDN’T Tell You! About Being a Woman in Business

I’m excited to be part of this upcoming book…….

BOOK RELEASE MARCH 1, 2012 

The GlamourLESS Side of Entrepreneurship What They Didn’t Tell You About Being A Woman In Business   is a highly anticipated book designed as a guide for promoting the success of women who choose to embark upon entrepreneurship.  Knowledge is power and this book offers clear and concise knowledge of what it is really like to be an entrepreneur – the untold truth.  Each contributing author shares their “behind the scenes” story of what they have experienced as a woman entrepreneur including the unexpected challenges that no one ever told them about.  Some of the women have been in business for 4 years, 8 years, 10 years, and longer.    This book promises to empower and equip women to succeed in small business versus walking into this journey blindfolded and on the verge of failure.  This book will inspire beginner and seasoned entrepreneurs as well as those contemplating entrepreneurship.  Learn all about the untold and uncut experiences of real women in business and why, despite the “GlamourLESS Side of Entrepreneurship,” they persist in this journey.

Meet our SPOTLIGHT AUTHORS.    Each SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR, along with all contributing authors of this project, will walk you through some of the “GlamourLESS” experiences and challenges they have faced as a woman entrepreneur.  They will explain the steps they took to overcome those challenges and explain why they persist in this journey.  Finally, they will provide YOU (the reader) with inspiration to stay the course in pursuing your own entrepreneurial journey. Learn more about our SPOTLIGHT AUTHORS below.

Cheryl WoodCheryl Wood is an award-winning Author, Speaker, Trainer & Small Business Coach who inspires women to transition from ordinary lives to extraordinary lives. Her mission is to “Equip women to live Fearless, Focused & Fulfilled” by discovering their passion and giving birth to their dreams. Cheryl equips women with strategies to overcome fears, take risks, and eliminate self-imposed barriers that hinder personal development and growth. Through various platforms including speaking, training, live events, tele-classes, and coaching, Cheryl helps women to propel their success in achieving personal, professional, or entrepreneurial goals. As an entrepreneur who turned her passion into profit, one of Cheryl’s primary focal points is being an advocate for women becoming financially independent by pursuing entrepreneurship. Her most recent initiative, Women Entrepreneurs Partnering for Profit™ (WEPP), promotes the profitability of women in business through shared knowledge and resources, increased visibility and exposure, and increased revenue potential. Cheryl’s commitment to living “Fearless, Focused & Fulfilled” in her own life has been demonstrated in her entrepreneurial journey since June 2009. Some of her notable achievements include: 2011 Small Business Influencer Award 2011 “Seed Harvester” Award 2011 Elevator Pitch Olympics WINNER – FraserNET PowerNetworking Conference 2010 Business Woman of the Year – The Professional Black Woman 2010 Entrepreneurial “Spirit” Award – Morgan State University 2010 Woman of Power Award – Women 2 Women 4 Women 2010 Governor’s Citation for Excellence in Small Business Cheryl makes frequent guest appearances on local talk radio stations including Radio One, Pacifica Radio, Elite DC Radio, and WEAA Radio to share her message of empowerment. She also hosts her own radio show, “Living Outside The Box,” where she spotlights women who are defying the odds and eliminating excuses in order to pursue their dreams. Cheryl’s professional clients have included the Small Business Administration, Morgan State University, Women of Prince George’s and the National Association of Bridal Consultants, to name a few. She is author of the book, How I Flatlined and Woke Up in 45 Days, a book of empowerment for women, and has announced the release of her second book, The GlamourLESS Side of Entrepreneurship – What They Didn’t Tell You About Being A Woman In Business, due to release on March 1, 2012. Lucinda Cross is a powerful, inspirational, thought-provoking speaker. Her wonderful sense of humor, straight talk, no-nonsense approach empowers yet challenges individuals to step into their greatness. As “Mom-entrepreneur” and Business Midwife Lucinda Cross of Yonkers, New York was motivated to start her own business while she was working frantically in the 9-5 corporate rat race, and shuffling her children back and forth to daycare each day. The routine was not healthy for her or her kids, and, spending only 45 minutes of quality time with them each day was not enough. Cross wanted more. She was stressed, overworked and underpaid. Fast forward to 2011, and Cross is now a successful speaker, author, small business start-up expert and “mom” who has achieved the work/life balance that every woman dreams of. Cross has been featured on ABC, NBC, WLIB the Al Sharpton Show, over 100 blog talk radio shows and several blogs including Babble.com Top 50 Mompreneurs and more. Her first book was published in October 2009, the best selling book Corporate Mom Drop Outs – Women who have traded in the life sentence for a profitable lifestyle will help “wanna-be” and “start-up” mom-entrepreneurs everywhere turn their dream of owning their own business into a reality. Written in trimesters, the book mimics the birthing process from inception to a healthy full-term business. Her life has been filled with wonderful experiences – from being a single mother, to a Mom-entrepreneur, sharing her gifts as a marketing strategist, mentor and writer she uses that wisdom and insight to motivate moms to create a better life, a better community and a better business. Cross will be releasing her 2nd book The Road To Redemption: Overcoming Life’s Challenges in 2012. Ann Quasman is a woman on a mission. Her goal is to encourage and facilitate conversations that will help women connect with and rely upon the wisdom within their hearts as much as they do the wisdom within their minds. As host of WomanTalk Live, Ann brings women everywhere deeper into topics that both inspire and inform. Her unique ability to get to the heart of the issue and to the heart of the woman has made her one of the most respected and loved media personalities in Baltimore, as well as a sought after emcee, speaker, board member and strategic partner to businesses and non-profits. Ann’s message and her desire to initiate a more conscious conversation is a direct result of her “past life” in corporate America. After years in the investment management and banking industry, Ann had an epiphany (a.k.a. a vision brought on by total exhaustion and having “no life”). She realized that she was in no way close to leading the life she wanted to live and that she had strayed very far away from her own heart. Something had to give. That “ah-ha moment” triggered a series of shifts that ultimately led to WomanTalk Live, Girls Gone Great and the Conscious Conversations Café. With her in-depth corporate background under her belt and after creating her business, Living in Your Heart, to provide “life” workshops and retreats for women, Ann turned her strategic acumen into a brand new concept – a radio show that would dive deep into women’s issues, while avoiding the cliché beauty, fashion and weight loss topics. Ann grew WomanTalk Live from a local radio show plunked down between male-focused programming to a true community of women and men who actively engage in a more conscious conversation with Ann and each other every day almost 24/7. In fact, “from the heart” one-to-one conversations with listeners, community members, show sponsors and others who are making a difference for women is Ann’s passion. Her goal is simple: To each day start a conversation that moves even one woman from talking to doing. Ann is passionate about supporting community and national efforts and causes – and, WomanTalk Live sponsors numerous events each year.  In addition, Ann serves as a board member of The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA), the statewide collective voice advocating for accessible, compassionate care for survivors of sexual crimes and accountability for all offenders.

Dr. Joy Ohayia,PH.D.  Dr. Joy is a highly sought after motivational speaker, television host of her own show, and an author as her lively presentations infuse real-life scenarios with practical tips that anyone can apply. As the producer and host of the Dr Joy Show - “Your Prescription For Total Wellness”, she inspires viewers to achieve total wellness and optimal health regardless of where they are in their life journey. Dr. Joy is the author of Don’t Let “IT” Get You!: An Empowering Health and Fitness Guide for Women. This complete guide encourages physical and emotional health and shows readers how to breakthrough obstacles and people who hinder them from health and happiness. She is also featured in Blueprint for Success – Proven Strategies For Success and Survival with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard. Dr. Joy leveraged her experience from executive level positions at AT&T and Merrill Lynch; she provides a roadmap to success and encourages readers to find their passion. “Dr. Joy is a powerhouse, a ball of energy! Her passion for total wellness fused with integrity and a keen business sense have taken her from Corporate America to entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, wellness expert, and television show host.” Lisa Thomas, CEO and President The P3 Group Inc. “Dr. Joy encourages men and women to find Life Balance. She often asks, “Why live, when you can thrive?” Dr. Joy employs a holistic approach that incorporates total balance in health, nutrition, self-esteem, finances, relationships, and spirituality just to name a few.” Gwen Evans, RN Brookdale Community College Director Student Health Services “Dr. Joy’s ultimate goal is to help you be the BEST You!” Jacqueline Glass, M.Div, CEO At The Well Conferences, Inc. bookdrjoy@drxjoy.com. Dr. Joy resides in New Jersey with her husband and their two sons. She holds a PhD in Natural Health and Holistic Nutrition from the University of Natural Health. Dr. Joy is also a certified member of the American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA) with professional certifications in Weight Management, Nutrition, Wellness and Personal Training To book Dr. Joy, call 1-888-497-9996

Doreen RaineyIn 2005, Doreen Rainey left behind her 17 years in Human Resources in Corporate America to launch Empowering Moments LLC, a personal and professional development company driven by a singular vision:  to help people define success for themselves and then have the guts to go after it. Drawing on her skills and experience in employee relations, conflict resolution and creating harmonious, fulfilling workplace environments, she began one-on-one life coaching and speaking to groups at women’s associations, business groups and community programs.   Then Doreen got RADICAL, developing a coaching method that walks her individual and corporate clients through seven steps to define their goals and corresponding action steps. Employing her trade    mark RADICAL Success Coaching Method, she challenges her clients to take charge of their professional and personal lives, working with them individually and in small groups to help define and clarify goals, improve professional and personal relationships and to chart a path towards personal fulfillment.  Now, thousands have benefited from the powerful tools she has given them to attain balance in their lives, success in their careers and improve their overall personal health and wellness. In 2009, Rainey launched her flagship event, the “Get RADICAL Women’s Conference,” a high energy, action focused day featuring dynamic speakers who weave their own inspiring success stories with practical steps for accomplishing life goals. Doreen’s coaching programs, through her RADICAL Success Institute, offers the opportunity to get training, coaching, masterminding, support and accountability to help her clients achieve their goals.   Doreen also conducts teleseminars, workshops, distributes a weekly newsletter and delivers keynote speeches. Doreen received her undergraduate degree from Spelman College, her M.S. in Conflict Negotiation and Conflict Management from the University of Baltimore, and her coaching certificate from The Coaches Training Institute.

Contributing Authors Include Barbara Greenwald                             Bridget DiRico Marcella Mollon-Williams                    Linda Hillman Katrina Harrell                                     Wanda Forden Chere Cofield                                       Tiffany Lymon Imani Harris                                        Monica Ly Cleopatra Islar                                    Theresa Royal Brown Pamela Reaves                                    Roxanne Robinson Rekisha Ari Squires                             Theresa Hays JaNae Williams                                   Joan Wilson                 Cheryl Vanessa Smith                         Felicia Pratt Sonya Smith-Valentine

Purchase the book at Amazon.com www.cherylwoodempowers.com kindle

Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo Still Unsafe for Babies

We received a lot of our Baby Products as gifts from family and friends. As a mom that uses Johnson and Johnson products on my 2 kids, I am livid about this recent news about Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo that has cancer causing ingredients in their products.

I read this recent post from Nature Moms and wanted to share this information….

http://naturemoms.com/blog/2011/11/02/johnson%e2%80%99s-baby-shampoo-still-unsafe-for-babies/

SF Birth and Baby Fair: Sunday, October 2, 2011 at Fort Mason, SF

We are super excited to be a part of the San Francisco Birth and Baby Fair Again this year on Sunday, October 2, 2011

Where: Fort Mason Herbst Pavillion (99 Marina Blvd. CA)

7 Tips to Help Relieve a Baby that Scratches!

Its the middle of the night, your baby is crying and scratching uncontrollably. You hold her arms. You sing a lullaby to soothe her. You’re up most of the night..and she falls back asleep eventually…..

I woke up one morning and saw that my daughter had scratched the sides of her face so much that I could see raw red skin on both sides of her face. When I looked closer, it wasn’t just her face, it was around the earlobes, her wrists, her ankles and all over the back of her legs. I remember when she was a baby, this was the norm.

Although, she has outgrown most of the eczema, my son, who is 19 months old, has food allergies and also eczema, so we still experience the heartache of seeing him scratching uncontrollably. I write this to help other parents or caregivers who have children that also scratch a lot. These are a few tips to help find some relief for your baby:

1. Cut their nails – Nails grow incredibly fast, so it is important to stay on top of cutting your baby’s nails every few days, to ensure that they don’t easily hurt themselves with long nails. Try to keep a nail cutter handy, even when you’re out.

2. Use Aquaphor -Lubricate your baby’s skin 3-4 times a day, especially in areas that your baby scratches a lot. This helps soothe the dry areas. I’ve tried almost all the brands that claim to help babies with eczema, and have found Aquaphor to work the best. We have a big container of Aquaphor in almost every room. (p.s. I am not sponsored by Aquaphor, but wish I was) We use it so much!

3. Bathe baby in a bleach bath – It was extremely surprising to me when I first heard about this, but putting a little bleach in your baby’s bath water, actually kills off the top layer that causes eczema. I put it in my baby’s bath water about twice a week, or whenever the itchiness is severe. Think swimming pools…

4. Keep babies hands and feet covered at night – Baby’s will most likely scratch the most at night, when you can’t be there to hold your baby’s hand, while they are scratching. Keeping them covered will help. We used to put socks on the hands, and stockings on the legs, and use a swaddle blanket. Today, my son wears GCT clothing almost 24/7.

5. Be mindful of what your baby is wearing – Sometimes the fabrics (clothes, blankets, etc) play a huge part on whether your baby scratches. Try to have organic fabrics that are soft and hypo-allergenic on your baby. Support brands that offer green, eco-friendly fabrics and clothing.

6. Be mindful of what your baby is eating.- There are more and more babies and people with foods allergies today. My son was tested for food allergies when he was about 1 year old, and we found out that he was allergic to wheat, soy and dairy. Find out from your pediatrician if there are any foods that your baby is allergic to. It’s quite common these days.

7. Be mindful of the temperature – Is it too hot? Is it too cold? What climate you live in can greatly impact your baby’s comfort level. We live in the Bay Area, but when we took a trip to Hawaii last year, my baby’s eczema completely disappeared. I had never experienced such smooth skin on my baby, ever! That was a surprise. Maybe we need to move to Hawaii.

As a mom who has first hand experience with 2 babies that scratched a lot, I offer these 7 tips to help other parents or caregivers to improve your baby’s comfort level. Although my son still scratches to this day, probably because of his food allergies, and not as much his eczema, we still find that every little bit we do counts!

I started an eco-friendly clothing line, Golden Curly Tail, as a result of my kids having eczema. Check us out here!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical expert. I am a mom. Both my children have eczema. My daughter has outgrown most of her eczema, but my son, still scratches all the time. These are some of the things I do to help find some relief for him.

BAY AREA! Check us out at the San Francisco Birth and Baby Fair on June 25 at Fort Mason!

Get your tickets now….we would love to see you at this fair. Come check out all the amazing items for you and your baby. And don’t forget to stop by and say hello, we would love to meet and see you there

http://birthandbabyfair.ticketleap.com/san-francisco-birth-and-baby-fair/t/golden/

Check out this short video of the Birth and Baby Fair from last year, 2010:

Lift the Heart: Yogathon and Music Social

We are super-super excited to be part of this event on May 14th, 2011 in Oakland… Its a fundraiser for Niroga Institute. Niroga brings Transformative Life Skills to students, vulnerable youth, cancer survivors, seniors and people battling addiction. The work of Niroga directly uplifts thousands of people every week in schools, juvenile halls, homeless shelters, cancer hospitals and rehab centers.

Golden Curly Tail will have a booth at this fundraiser and 20% of the proceeds from the day will go towards Niroga’s Programs.

Come join us in supporting Niroga Institute on May 14, 2011

111 Fairmount Ave.

Oakland, CA. 94611

For Info: 510-375-4384

Sliding Scale: $5 – $100

Allergic to Wheat, Soy, Dairy and Egg Whites? What?

Before my son was born, I did not really think much about what I could or could not eat, since I did not have any food allergies, but a few months into his newborn life here on earth, we got him tested for food allergies, and found that he was allergic to wheat, soy, dairy and egg whites. Since I was still breastfeeding  him, I slowly had to cut out these foods from my diet. I must say, it was not easy. I had to start reading labels when I when grocery shopping. I had to really look closely at the menu when we went out to restaurants and food places. I had to make special requests when dining out or visiting friends places for dinner. It was a very meticulous and detailed process. Although, I really tried to cut out these foods from my diet, it was not 100% out of my diet. And I would see him suffering, after I fed him. He would scratch and scratch, and cry and cry. It was very hard to watch.

About a month ago, I stopped breastfeeding him completely. Not surprisingly, his skin has been about 90% better. For some reason, he still scratches, and we are scratching our heads, trying to figure out why…. because he has pretty much not been fed any of the foods that he is supposedly allergic to.

In the past month, my focus has been on educating myself on food allergies, learning about genetically modified foods in our food system and eventually learning how to cook foods that we normally eat, but now it has to be gluten-free, dairy free and soy free.

I read the book… The Unhealthy Truth, by Robin O’Brien

It was an eye opener, because it was written by a mom who,  because her daughter had an allergic reaction to eggs, has taken it upon herself to help expose the evils of Monsanto and the connection with the FDA and EPA and those in Washington.

I also watched the documentary The Future of Food by Deborah Koons Garcia, the widow of Jerry Garcia. It was so informative and also made me really conscious of the idea of how much of our foods is genetically modified. It really motivated me to make daily changes to better what I consume.

Since I’ve become more aware of food allergies, as a result of my son’s allergies to wheat, soy, dairy and egg whites, I have also been meeting more and more people who, either themselves have food allergies or knows of someone with a food allergy…. strange….

there’s something going on…..

How my baby’s excema disappeared while we were in Hawaii

I usually put a thick layer of lotion on my baby at least 3 times a day, but to my surprise, when we were in Hawaii, I did not have to put lotion on my baby’s skin at all.

Maybe we might need to move to a place like Hawaii, where the weather is better for my baby’s skin.

In my experience, taking a bath for my baby usually includes lots of quick moves to hold and prevent him from scratching once I take off his clothes to take a bath. At times, it takes 2 people to hold down his arms and the other person to dress him. He will sometimes scratch so much that there are fingernail marks all over his chest and arms.

I guess while we were in Hawaii, the humidity and the tropical weather did wonders on his skin. He slept well and so did we.

Power to the Peaceful!

Power to the Peaceful!    3 Days of Music, Art and Action.

This past weekend we attended the Power to the Peaceful event in Golden Gate Park.

The event was packed with over 100,000 people. It is a free event and has been happening for the past 12 years.

We went there specifically to check out the KID’S ZONE STAGE and area. It was a nice little family friendly area where there were kids activities. There was a jumper and a band called The Jack London Quartet that was playing when we got there. This band was amazing. When you close your eyes, you don’t realize these are kids playing. They sounded so great!

There was also a small booth called the Mom’s Breastrarant, where kids eat free. A place where breastfeeding moms can nurse and also a baby changing station, which I didn’t use, but thought it was great to have there.

While sitting and eating some organic Indian food, we saw a flyer on the table that said Yoga for Kids. Although we missed the Morning Yoga, which was one of the events of the day, we thought its so great to have kids doing Yoga at such a young age. We love it!

We also stopped by our friend’s booth, who is part of an artist collective, and they had their art displayed. They were also doing live grafitti art during the event.

We were also curious to hear and see Crystal Bowersox, the finalist from American Idol. Although we didn’t get to see her, we heard her from afar, which was about a mile away. We also only heard Michael Franti and Spearhead from afar.

There were so many cool things happening all at the same time.

Here are some Tips for a families planning on attending for next year:

-       Get there EARLY! (Carpool, bike, walk or take public transportation).

-       Wear comfortable shoes. (You might get lucky and find something close by, but most people we ran into had to walk for miles.

-       Pack light but dress in layers (It was sunny, but once the fog rolls in, its CHILLY!)

-       Bring a blanket or something to lay out on or even some portable chairs.

-       Bring a camera to capture all the fun and music.

-       Have your contact number on your kids, just in case they get separated from you. (There were soooo many people!)

Bleach and Eczema

Bleach and Eczema

These two words are hardly seen together. But, as a desperate mommy like myself, trying to find relief for my baby boy who scratches almost all the time from eczema, I had to do some research to find out for myself.

When I first heard about it, it was at our friend Luis’ place, on our way out the door. He said, “I know this sounds harsh, but my sister has been using bleach in her bath water, and it has helped her eczema.” I remember walking out the door thinking, that may be good for her, since she is an adult, but I would never put bleach on my baby, that’s just too extreme, especially for a baby.

I ran into her a few months later at a BBQ, and she told me that it has really helped her. And it was noticeably apparent when I looked at her skin. She told me that all her life she has been dealing with eczema. And have consulted with various experts and alternative healers, dermatologists and doctors. Somehow, the bleach baths that she takes once a week, has done wonders for her skin. She says that the bleach somehow kills the top layer that causes eczema. “Think of it as being in a swimming pool”, she said.

I’ve tried putting a small amount in my baby’s bath water, and honestly have seen a huge difference in his skin. Although he still scratches at night and during the day, the skin does look a lot better. His skin seems to get better for a few days, then gets bad again. It comes and goes.

If you’ve had any experiences finding comfort for babies or toddlers with eczema, we would love to hear from you.