women with know how april 2012 issue

8/2/2019 Women With Know How April 2012 Issue

1/62

Just Here!

Tips forAchievingFinancial Fitness

6

April 2012

DeborahMatthew

Popular DietsDissected:The Good, TheBad and The Ugly

Jamie GillelandSpotlight

Her life, businessand much more!

wow!


2/62Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community2

Mimi ZelmanPublisher

Dear Readers,Dear Readers,I am so excited about this issue! We have Dr. DeborahMatthew o Signature Wellness on our cover, and she willalso start contributing articles on womens health issuesnext month.

We all talk about what we go through health wiseas women, so I look orward to reading her articles. I there

is a subject you would like to know more about, email meand I will let her know. Our Elite Networking group will bemeeting at her oce on Tuesday April 24. Our new web-site is launching with this issue, so be sure to check it out!!

Thank you Jamie Gilleland or all your hard work!Read about Jamie in this issue! April also celebrates EqualPay Day or Women. The next Equal Pay Day is Tuesday,April 17, 2012. This date symbolizes how ar into 2012

women must work to earn what men earned in 2011.Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committeeon Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness eventto illustrate the gap between mens and womens wages.Because women earn less, on average, than men, theymust work longer or the same amount o pay. The wagegap is even greater or most women o color and Hispanicwomen. To Celebrate this day: Wear RED on Equal Pay Dayto symbolize how ar women and minorities are in the red

with their pay!Thank you to all who came to our rst Women With

Know How Making An Impact conerence. A special thankyou to our speakers who inspired us all and to our sponsors!

Have a great month!Mimi


3/623

C o n t e n t sPublisher/President

Mimi L. [email protected]

Vice President Marketing

Wendy Whitehurst

[email protected]

Account Executive

Kim Hu

Creative Director/Designer

Juliana Lievano

www.JulianaCreativeDesigns.com

Contributing Writers

Terri BennettSabrina Winters

Robyn Crigger

Cover Photography

by Cover Photoghraphy by Benny

Dawkins o New Day Productions

For more advertising inormation

call Mimi at 704-491-1207or email her at:

[email protected]

Copyright 2012

34

4

5410Why Do We ThinkThere Are No Fees In Our401k Plans?

14Six Tips or AchievingFinancial Fitness

18Small BusinessOwners: What AreYour Goals?

22Do You Have aCareer or a Job?

26Learn to Move FromFear To Love!

28What graduates(and everyone else)need to know

32April 16th is NationalHealthcare DecisionsDayHave you put yourwishes in writing?

42Popular DietsDissected: The Good, TheBad and The Ugly

48Do Your Part:

Disinect withoutpolluting your home

50Five Questions toAsk Yoursel Beore YouCommit to a Project

On thecoverDeborahMatthew

www.womanwithknowhow.com APRIL 2012



profe

ssionalspotlig

ht

How did you get started in this

business? I started in business in the

Fortune 500 world, but time and timeagain, I ound mysel drawn to thetraining or developing sides o or-ganizations I was with. As my careerdeveloped, I ultimately ended up in amanagerial role with several startupcompanies and ound mysel manag-ing and building their IT resources.

The recurring theme I ound was theoverall inability o our websites andtheir designers to get our vision onthe screen in a timely ashion andkeep it looking resh and new. I oundour companies stymied by the initialhigh costs o designing and the atro-

cious costs o maintenance or thesesites and the overall product still had

no appeal to our customers. Atersome personal tragedy, I ound my-sel looking or a way to spend moretime with my children ... or at least,allow me more fexibility than thecorporate world could allow. Havingjust helped build a website or sev-eral riends starting a venture capitalgroup, I worked out a system that

would allow me to build the site andallow them to do the updates to it asthey saw t. That was when it clickedor me; here was the solution to theproblem o not controlling what theclient can see and being held hostageby some web designer that really

JamieGillelandBy Mimi Zelman


5/62www.womanwithknowhow.com APRIL 2012 5

doesnt understand your business.Over the last two years Ive been creat-ing websites, I have come to love thatI can give my clients that control overtheir site that they never thought theywould have the skills to manage. Thebest part is that my clients have grownmy business or me through reerrals.Because weve built a great relation-ship and trust that is what makes Mi-syte unique. Identiying that so many

IT personnel neglect building a strongcustomer relationship is what madethe dierence in my business success.My business has been grown on thatstrong customer relationship and wordo mouth marketing.

What is your background

-what were you doing beorethis business? I hold a BachelorsDegree in Inormation Technologyand an MBA in Marketing. My salescareer started in Washington D. C.selling computers in the late eightiesand early nineties and that gave methe desire to get into technology train-ing. I spent many years as a corporate

trainer or Wells Fargo, traveling thecountry handling technology as wellas leadership and management train-ing. Ater September 11, we oundourselves looking or that better en-vironment or our children, and wemade the move to Hilton Head, SC.

With my background in training and IT,I did a great deal o consulting in thetech eld beore becoming partnersin a technology based real estate salesconcept. In 2007, I was diagnosedwith a rare brain tumor and steppeddown rom that position to undergotreatment. With the success o thatprocedure, I counted my blessings andwent on to work developing applica-tions or the Palm sotware platorm

with a Canadian rm. Quite honestly,until now, I never really thought abouthow so much o what Ive done haspaved the way or what I do now.

Spa Treatments, Massages, Wraps, Facials

704.542.7306

Natures-Spa.com

Best Bodywraps

$20.00 O*

*With the mention of this ad. First timeclients only /One hour or more

Experience Charlottes



What is a good early story about

your business? Without a doubt,the best one is the nature o the name,Misyte. I love my children dearly, andas smart as they are (all three are onthe Honor Roll in their respective class-es), they cant spell very well. When Iwas explaining my ideas or a name,my daughter, who was eleven at thetime, jotted down the name as misyteand I thought, with an internet ull o

made up names like Google, Trulia,and Zillow, one spelled phoneticallyand describing what it really was - me

helping a client build what was, really,the site they had the vision or, was abrilliant idea. (And she HATES whenI tell that story!) So, an overzealouseleven year old girl gave us Misyte,where your business takes fyte

Another, more telling story is my rsttwo clients. They had both come tome with quotes rom large, establishedweb designers that gave them chills.

One was quoted $75,000 and theother was in excess o $100,000. I wasable to create the sites they needed

2nd Annual Power Walk to benefit Dress for Success

Charlotte Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Freedom Park

Check in at 8:00 am with a Warm Up with Nettie Reeves

Walk at 9 am

Register online

www.dfspowerwalk.org

A 5k Family Friendly event Walkers, Walk

Teams and Sponsors needed!



and give both o them all the unc-tions they wanted or a raction o theprevious quotes. Both clients were sopleased with the nal product, the fex-ibility it oered, and the money theysaved, both companies gave me stockin them as a Bonus.

What is unusual or unique about

your business, in comparison

to your competitors or similar

businesses? Without a doubt, it ismy technical training coupled with amarketing background. This allows meto help consider all the options or myclients and, or want o a better word;we can translate techno-jargon intoplain English or vice-versa. Many webcompanies are either designers (mean-

ing they can make it look good, but areclueless with unctionality or usabilityo the site), or they are developers(meaning they can make it work, but itlooks terrible). I pride mysel on hav-ing a team that can address the clientsmarketing needs and their vision othe site, determine the best design,and make it both unctional and intui-

tive so it is easy or them to manage.

Is there a customer experience

you are most proud o? I pridemysel on having never lost a client.I think that speaks as loudly as any-thing else I could say.

Do you do any charity or non

prot work? We have created severalnon-prot sites. I was extremely blessedwhen I went through my personal situ-ations, and the notion o passing thatblessing along is very important to me.

One non-prot that I am working with isgeared towards helping teach leadershipskills to high school students. We arelooking or high schools who are inter-

ested in becoming part o the beta test-ing on the program (ree or the studentsand the high schools), as well as mentorswho have something they can give backto these teens. It is an interactive Face-book style site with adult mentors whoare looking to help these students, andIm very excited to be involved with it.

Who are some o your most no-

table clients? Candace Muzney, Can-daceRacing.com; 101thingstodoHHI.



com and we just started working withWomenWithKnowHow.com and Har-bourtownLighthouse.com. The lasttwo sites will launch in April/May andall o the sites have a large ollowing oclients and visitors who visit on a regu-lar, and even daily, basis.

What is an interesting story

about a client interaction you

had? I belong to a networking group

called BNI and we, as members, helpto drive reerrals within our member-ship network. In this particular case, aclient who was also a BNI partner hadrecommended me to a husband andwie who owned a ranchise o a largechain o grocery stores. Obviously, ahuge part o my sales portolio is show-

ing potential clients my work and web-sites, and as I got out o the car andwalked into the clients business, I real-ized that I had no cell signal in the storeor my wireless modem to work. Eventhe trusty smart phone, the last resort,couldnt pull through or me. As westarted talking, I explained my servicesand oered to show them my work on

their oce computer. You guessed it.The internet was blocked due to it be-ing a ranchise o a corporation and I stillhad nothing to show them. I was morethan a little nervous trying to pitch asale with no tangible products to showwhen the husband looked at me and

said, Vicki said you were very good,and we trust her. Were ready to go. Iwalked out with the order or a newwebsite and a 50% deposit. I wasfoored that a word o mouth reerralcould be so powerul and that any-one could trust it so much, but theyhave been great clients to me eversince, and even now, they call me orreerrals when they need somethingoutside the realm o my services. That

means a lot to me.

What are some o your greatest

challenges in your business?Without a doubt it is the stereotype othe web designer... hard to work with,expensive, impersonal; someone withthe social skills o a badger. I take a

great deal o pride in building a web-site that is a refection o the needs omy client, and I do this by listening towhat the client wants.

What would you most like our

reader to know about your jour-

ney in business? My business pathhas ollowed a quote by Lewis Cass:

People may doubt what you say, butthey will believe what you do.

Jamie Gilleland/[email protected]/www.misyte.comCell - 843-263-5478Toll Free - 855 Misyte1 (647-9831) ext. 1


9/62



by Terri Bennett

fn

ancial

planni

ng

Why Do We Tink TereAre No Fees In Our 401k Plans?

by Joyce Palmer

W

hen was the last timeyou looked at your401k plans ee? For

most o us, the an-swer is never why would we, i weare under the impression that thereare no ees

Even i you are among the 20% whounderstand that there are ees, its noteasy to get your hands on these num-bers. Until recent new regulations,

these ees were rarely disclosed ullyand in a clear and concise manner.Truth o it is, you could be paying toomuch and this can have a huge im-pact on your retirement accounts.Ryan Alred, co-ounder and presidento 401(k) rating company Bright-Scope, believes roughly 50% o all

participants, and particularly those insmaller plans, could save money bymoving to low-cost options within anIRA. I your 401(k) ees are too high,some companies will allow in-servicewithdrawals, an option to movemoney into an IRA while youre still

employed by the plan sponsor. Othercompanies wont (to see which sideo the aisle your company is on, check

your summary plan description).In my rm, we encourage our clientsthat being proactive in looking atyour nancial uture is critical. Un-derstanding the ees in your 401k isa smart nancial discipline and couldhelp secure more o your retirementdollars. Consider the ollowing:

Do some researchIts airly easy to nd out what yourepaying or the investments in yourplan. You can plug the ticker sym-bols o mutual unds into a site likeMorningstar.com, and it will spit backexpense ratios. Its harder, however, toget access to other, noninvestment

expenses that your plan charges tocover administrative costs -- thingslike accounting, legal ees and record-keeping. You can generally requestthis inormation, but an even easierand perhaps more inormative wayto gain it might be to plug your de-


11/62


12/62

tails into the Personal 401(k) Fee Reporttool on BrightScope. The calculator willgenerate an overview o the ees yourepaying and tell you i theyre higher orlower than average. Once you knowthe ees, you can compute the aect itwould have on your retirement dollarsand compare the results to other alterna-tive plans such as an IRA or an Annuity.

Understand what high means

Finding out your plans ees is one thing,but how do you know i theyre air? TheBrightScope calculator will give you agood indicator, but i youd preer to goat it alone, Alred gave me a ew rules

o thumb. First o all, make sure yourecomparing apples to apples: A planwith a billion dollars in assets will chargeless than a plan with a million dollars inassets, simply because it has more ne-gotiating power. Alred says a low-costplan that holds a million dollars in assetsmight charge 75 basis points, while alow-cost plan with a billion dollars in as-sets might charge 25. On the high side, aplan with a million dollars in assets could

cost well above 3% in ees. Billion-dollarplans charging over 1% would be con-sidered high. Knowing where your planranks can make a huge dierence andwill help you determine just how much

Far from ordinary, yet close to everything.Located in one of Charlottes mostprestigious and historic neighborhoods,

The Duke Mansion offers you

exceptional hospitality with all the

conveniences of a modern hotel. With

our Four Diamond service and the

beauty of our 4.5 acre historic estate,

your stay at The Duke Mansion will be

unlike any other.

with private baths and wireless

delicious continental breakfasts to go

theatre and stores

For Reservations, call 704-714-4400

400 Hermitage Road | Charlotte, North Carolina704.714-4400 or 1-800-202-1009 | www.dukemansion.org

The Duke Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places,is a nonprofit supported by its patrons, donors and neighbors.

Photography: Paul Purser



you would need to be putting into yourplan ( 401k) to net the best results.

Take actionThe biggest expense in most planscomes rom the investments them-selves, so you always want to checkthose costs, An index und shouldcharge less than 50 basis points, saysAlred, and an actively managed undshould be less than 1% o assets. For-

tunately, these costs are also the onesyou have the most control over. Onthe trickier side are those administrativeees charged by the plan itsel. Man-age the amount that you are investingin your plan by comparing the cost benets against other options. I yound these are too high and you cantroll them out o current plan, try talkingto your benets administrator or yourHR department. Ask how theyre mak-ing sure those ees are reasonable, andask i theyve benchmarked them to seehow they stack up against other plans.

Also ask how the ees are allocated.For the most part, ees are allocated

based on assets. I you have a largeaccount balance, youll pay more inees. Lets say there is a ee or educat-ing investors, and you dont use thoseresources -- you might be paying toeducate other people.On the other hand, i the plan doesnt

base these ees on assets, and theyreinstead charged per capita, smaller ac-count holders will get wacked: Lets sayeveryone pays or record-keeping, andit costs $150 a head, says Alred. For asmall accountholder who has $1,000,thats 15% o their account balance.That may not be air.

Be on the lookout or some shock whenopening your statements, The new leg-

islation will require plan administratorsto disclosed in actual dollar amounts theadministrative expenses and individualexpenses including legal services, ac-counting, customer service and recordkeeping. The plan will also be requiredto disclose in a clear and standard ormatthe ees or things such as investmentadvice, commissions, transer ees andsales charges, to name a ew.

This inormation is meant to help em-ployees and employers make betterdecisions about their retirement plans.I or one think its a good thing and is agreat step in the right direction towardimproving our nancial literacy..

Joyce Palmer, Managing Partner & CEOJP Financial Group LLC

6000 Fairview Rd Ste 1200, Charlotte NC 28210704 543-6269 (oce) / 704 493-0279 (cell)888 600-0481(ax)www.jpnancialgroupllc.com


14/6214 Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

fnan

ce

Six ips for AchievingFinancial Fitness

by Diane Davis

Y

ou may be ocused ongetting in shape or swim-suit season, but take a

break rom the gym thisspring and spend some time on yournancial tness. Here are six tips tohelp get your investment portoliointo prime condition.

1. Shed the weight o extra accounts. Itsnot unusual to acquire multiple retire-ment accounts over the years, especiallyi youve changed jobs several times.Consider consolidating them to simpliythe management o your investments. Iyou have retirement assets with a ormeremployer, it could be to your advantageto roll them over to your own IRA andachieve more control over how yourmoney is invested. Consolidating ac-

counts may also make it easier to moni-tor the perormance o your investmentsand gives you the opportunity to ensuretheyre properly allocated.

2. Bulk up your retirement savings.Have you given enough weight to

what youll need in savings to re-tire comortably? Are you taking ulladvantage o employer matching

contributions and maxing out yourIRA each year? In 2012, you haveuntil April 17 to contribute $5,000 (or$6,000 i youre over 50) to a tradition-al IRA. Sock away as much as you canto build your retirement nest egg.

3. Grow stronger. The fuctuating nan-cial markets impact industries and indi-vidual investments dierently, and otenin ways that are dicult to predict. Youcan strengthen your portolio by mak-ing sure your investment dollars arespread across a variety o investments.With diversied investments, your over-all portolio is not as likely to be derailedshould one investment topple in value.

Rather than trying to pick individualstocks and time the market, considerpacing yoursel with systematic invest-ments and think long-term.

4. Achieve the right balance. In lighto the ckle nature o nancial mar-



kets, even a well-balanced portoliocan look dierent than what you mayhave expected over time. Thereore, itswise to periodically assess the volatilityo your investments across and withinasset classes (stocks, bonds, and soorth) and rebalance your portolio toachieve the desired asset allocation.

A nancial advisor can help you applyasset allocation strategies, and may

have access to tools that will help youdecide what may be a good matchor your risk tolerance and goals seetip #6.

5. Trim your waste. The Internet hasmade it easy to securely monitor yournancial aairs while also helping tominimize paper waste. Question everyprinted piece you receive related toyour portolio. Is it absolutely essen-tial to receive a paper statement? Doyou really need to print that 100-pageprospectus? Review the options pro-vided by your nancial institution andtake advantage o their green initia-

tives i youre comortable managingyour accounts online. With regardto your personal paper trail, keep inmind that your tax records and sup-

7804A Fairview RdSouthpark - Foxcroft

704 366-9599

12206 Copper Way

Ballantyne - Toringdon980 207-2815

Gift Cards Available

One Hour CustomMassage Session

One Hour CustomMassage Session

$4995ForNewClients

Signature Facial

lavidamassagecharlotte.com

Our expertise ismanaging change

and cultivatingtalent

Executive SearchExecutive Coaching

OutplacementSuccession Planning

Search & RecruitingLeadership Development

Retirement WorkshopIndividual Career Counseling

AssessmentsPlant Closings

For information call 704-849-2500www.compasscareer.com

8509 Crown Crescent CourtCharlotte, NC 28227

Change

is

constant

but never

easy!


16/6216

porting documents should be main-tained or seven years, while creditcard statements can be tossed ater ayear. When disposing o documents,always use a shredder to keep yourpersonal inormation sae rom iden-tity thet. Follow this advice, and yourle cabinet will be slimmer in no time.

6. Enlist a personal trainer or yournances. Like many activities, manag-

ing investments is more unand po-tentially more productivewhen youhave a knowledgeable person by yourside. A skilled nancial advisor can

guide you through simple exercises tohelp improve your investment tnessand cheer you on in pursuit o yournancial dreams and goals. Togetheryou can apply disciplined strategiesdesigned to strengthen your invest-ment portolio and help you get inthe best nancial shape o your lie.

Diane S. Davis, CFP, CLUCERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERAmeriprise Financial5200 Park Rd, Ste 117, Charlotte, NC [email protected]/diane.s.davis704.522.6565

TITANUP

TITAN provides our clients withconstruction, maintenance, andrepair services while maintaining

the highest level of customer servicewithout sacrificing quality, safety, oryour bottom line

TITANA Construction Task Force geared to

address the every day needs

encountered during projectdevelopment.

We employ qualified land developmentprofessionals who handle your projectfrom start to finish in a courteous and

professional manner.

WWW.TITANPROJECTSERVICES .COM

704-622-4724

CLICKONADTOVIEWOURVIDEO

Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community


17/62



insura

nce

an

dfnan

ce by Andrea J. Buschur

E

very small business owner

has a unique story to tell re-garding why they decided to

establish their company. Forsome, its the opportunity to be theirown boss. For others, its to satisy a

product niche that no other local busi-

ness is ofering. Still others are thinkingbig picture and looking to ofer some-

thing truly innovative that might take

of on a national scale. And or some, itsa combination o all o these reasons.

Regardless, once a business has gone

through the lean and mean early years

and started to establish a reputation or it-selnot to mention, a comort level that

it might be around or the long haulits

time or owners to give some thoughtto their longer-term personal objectives.

In other words, what would you like toachieve now that the business is up andrunning? Twenty or thirty years down the

road, what is the measure o success? Set-

ting personal goals and objectives, oncethe day-to-day questions about business

viability have been resolved, are impor-

tant, because this will help small business

owners dene exactly what they wouldlike to achieve, both or themselves, their

amily, as well as the employees whohave helped to make the business whatit is. In setting these objectives, its impor-

tant to ask the ollowing:

Am I working to strengthen my

personal fnances and build

wealth? Many business owners be-come so engrossed in running their

companies that they inadvertently endup putting their personal nances on

the back burner. Although its easy to tie

up most o your liquid assets into a busi-ness, to achieve nancial independence

and build personal wealth, it is impor-

tant to make personal savings a priority.By conducting regular nancial reviews,

and taking ollow-up action as needed,you can help develop and strengthen

your personal nancial position.

Am I preparing or retirement?Many tax-deerred, qualied retire-ment savings vehicles, such as 401(k)

Small Business Owners:What Are Your Goals?



plans, are available to business owners

and their employees. The retirement

plan that is best in a given situation is

oten determined by the size o a com-pany, as well as the ages and salarieso its employees. In addition, nonquali-

ed plans allow business owners to

provide selective benets or them-selves, as well as their key employees.

Have I developed an exit strategy?

Although its sometimes dicult to thinkpast any given quarter, its important

or small business owners to give somethought to whether the business will be

marketable i and when the decision is

made to sell it. Developing an exit strat-

egy can help provide cash commensu-

rate with the value o the business in theevent you chooseor are orced (due todeath or disability)to divest.

Are you looking to retain the

company within your amily?Your company, like many others, maybe a closely-held business, operated

by more than one amily member.I you wish to keep your companyin your amily, its important to learn

about transer tax issues and develop a

Call Today:855.MiSyte1(647.9831)We can help you with

your web presence like we did forCandace Muzny at CandaceRacing.com

Custom Web Designfor Better Results.We consult with you to determine

the right marketing approach for your budget.

FRE

EWEB

SITE

Evalu

atio

n

Creative digital to traditional end-to-end marketing.



business succession plan that will helpkeep your long-term goals and objec-

tives on the right track.

Stay FocusedUnortunately, these questions are not

ones that should be asked once andthen orgotten. Personal goals and priori-

ties change and develop over time. To

make sure the priorities that you estab-

lished in your thirties are still the prioritiesyou have as you grow older, its important

to conduct a periodic review o your

personal and business priorities. Annualreviews can help ensure your business

activities are still consistent with your

long-term personal goals and objectives.

Pursuant to IRS Circular 230, MetLie is

providing you with the ollowing noti-cation: The inormation contained in

this document is not intended to (andcannot) be used by anyone to avoid IRSpenalties. This document supports the

promotion and marketing o insurance

products. You should seek advice basedon your particular circumstances rom an

independent tax advisor.

The oregoing discussion is general in na-

ture and not intended as specic advice.Neither MetLie nor its representatives

are engaged in rendering tax, accounting

or legal advice. A qualied proessionalshould be consulted regarding the efect

o such considerations on the matters

covered in this publication.

Andrea J. BuschurFinancial Services Representative,Investment Adviser RepresentativeRegistered Representative. MetLie4410 Mint Hill Village Lane,Suite 201, Mint Hill, NC 28227Direct: 704-248-9620 Fax: 704-248-9621email: [email protected]

31,000



business by Robyn Crigger

A

s o April 2012, my com-pany, Compass CareerManagement Solutions

OI Partners, will be 18 yearsold! I am proud o that accomplish-ment. However, initially my careerpath was that o an elementary edu-cation teacher. When I told my ather,who was a high school English andJournalism teacher, o my career plan,he didnt respond as I expected. Heloved teaching and was passionateabout educating young people (as hetermed them). However, he becamediscouraged with all the tedious,somewhat administrative tasks healso had to perorm, and was also dis-heartened that many parents didntshow an interest in their high schoolchildren. Thereore, he suggested

that I also take some business courses.

I grew up in an age when we wereexpected to take such suggestion toheart without question or debate, butthis direction also required that I attendsummer school. Whew! (Our schools

were not air-conditioned, and the sum-mer school classes were more concen-trated and loaded with reading and

homework.) This was wise advice.

Later as I began working in the publicschools, I ound that I was eective indelivering classroom instructions andlessons. Yes, I also had to deal withrunny noses and tying shoe laces, asI worked around pre-school childrenand up through third graders. ThoughI loved working in a classroom andenjoyed seeing a childs ace light upas they grasped a new concept or idea,over time I elt mysel and my inter-ests change. Then my husband wasdownsized rom his job, and we had tomove due to his new position, which iswhen I began experimenting in dier-

ent types o jobs.

Over the next ve years, I had an op-portunity to dabble in several dier-ent jobs, though mostly in a busi-ness oce. However, at the end othose ve years, my husband and I

Do You Have a Career or a Job?



decided to begin our own businesso outplacement services, a humanresource service, assisting individualsthrough their job searches. We werehired by companies to help those a-ected employees.

As we met and guided and coachedthese released employees, I ound thatmany were never really all that happywith their previous jobs. A lot has

changed since 1994 when we beganour business, and now our companyassists with other transitional-type hu-man resource services, in addition toour outplacement service. My hus-band, Bill Crigger, has coined the ex-pression that we are career strategists.

I met with a man today, who I hadassisted when he was released romhis company ater working there over15 years. Though it was shocking atthe time, through our process andsupport, he has now been workingover 7 months with his new company,which he admits he likes even better.He commented that he now uses not

only his natural skills, but is also tap-ping into a passion o his! That wasmusic to my ears.

Job or Career?That conversation with this past can-didate made me think again about

the dierence between a job versesa career.

Most o us dont really take the timewhen starting our adult lives to giveserious thought and examination tothe selection o our careers. We jumprom high school to college and ndourselves alling into a career path ora variety o reasons. Yes, we may likewhat we choose, but how much did

we research all aspects o the careerand how well did we know ourselvesin order to make the best selection orthe best t?

At 17 or 18 years old, it is so very hard tomake the right career selection or our-selves. I wish parents would considerthe value o having their children to talkto an experienced career proessional,who can help them think through thisprocess. In addition, shadowing peoplein dierent careers is also a good idea inorder to understand the ull picture oany career or industry.

A person should take the time to

examine more deeply what careerwould meet more o the priorities oyour lie. Ones career should t withinones lie, which is why we try to teachpeople about Career Lie Coaching.No job or career is perect, but withcareul thought and research, you


24/62

may nd that there is a career that willmake you want to get up each day.

For me, I nd it extremely rewardingto help people, who are aced witha job loss, to understand that thisgives them an opportunity to take anegative and make it a positive. Witha credible proessional, one can beencouraged and oered solid direc-tion or taking those next important

steps to his/her uture career. Dontmake this about just nding a job,but instead make this challenge intoan adventure into your new career.

Statistics are showing that a large num-ber o working people are consciously

looking or another job, which is whymore employers should be doing allthey can to retain their good talent.However, I encourage any employeeor job seeker to give careul thoughtabout that next position. Is it a bettert or you? Does it use your skills andexperience as well as provide growthopportunities? Does this new positionaddress a void in your lie, does it makeyou eel good, more productive, etc.?

Choose careully and wisely.

Compass Career ManagementSolutions OI Partners Inc.8509 Crown Crescent Court, Charlotte, NC 28227704-849-2500Fax 704-845-2420www.compasscareer.com

24

CLICKONADTOVIEWO

URVID

EO


25/62



wellness by Rev. Marcie Williams-Browning

I

have mentioned beore andwill continue on the theme thatthere is much change aoot. I

encourage you to allow yourselto really examine your eelings andthen intentionally move rom ear tolove. Love heals everything! As I pulledthe cards or the month o April mysense is that there will be many eventshappening around the globe that mayseem or eel rightening. Please know

that everything that we are experienc-ing is clearing the way or a beautiuland peaceul world. That includesthings you may be clearing and chang-ing on a personal level.

Each month I pull three divinationcards and share their meaning withyou. My intention when I pull these

cards is that they will have a loving andpeaceul message or each person thatreads this article. This months cardsare rom Doreen Virtues Angel Therapydeck because each o one o you is anangel in disguise as a human being.KNOW that each one o you does have

a voice and that our Creator hears yourvoice and knows your heart.

The First Card is Hear and ListenThis card asks you to pay attention tosounds, conversations, nature sounds ormusic. These can come rom outside oyou or within. Sounds will play a largerole in your intuitive answers this month.They will be the answers to your prayers.

Become especially aware o repetitivesongs, overheard conversations thathave meaning to you, out o the bluereassurances even rom strangers andwords you may only hear in your mind.As you hear these things allow yourselto eel them. I they eel loving andnurturing then they came rom the an-gels and it would benet you to listen.

The Second Card is HealingThis intuitively eels like you have askedor healing or yoursel or a loved oneand the angels want you to know thatthey have heard your prayers and areanswering them now. Allow yoursel

Learn to Move From Fear o Love!



to realize that you are in control oyour body and your own health andthereore you must decide and accept

the healing that is being oered.I yourrequest is or a loved one please under-stand that your loved one has ree-willand they must choose their own desti-ny. Your prayers or them are heard andanswered based on the choice o yourloved one. Remember, we must ask orassistance rom our angelic helpers.

The Third Card is Cut the CordsThis card signies that we are all work-ing on removing old, negative pat-terns, people and circumstances romour lives. Cutting the cords is a greatvisual to remove these old patternsand relationships that no longer serveyour higher purpose.

Especially, cut the cords that hold earin your mind or body. Fear paralyzesus and intereres with our orward mo-mentum. Fear can be easily releasedby taking deep breathes and as youbreathe picture yoursel cutting thecords that link and hold you in ear.Final Thoughts and Messages

There are legions o angels and soulso the most beautiul light, more thanour minds can imagine helping andguiding us right now. Call on them orassistance whenever you are not eel-ing ull o love and kindness.

There are many changes on the ho-rizon which may leave you eelingrightened or discouraged. Do not be

dismayed because all is truly well andworking in Divine timing to shit ourworld and our planet into the placethat our hearts desire.

The Spiritual CoachChrysalis Hypnosis Center5200 Park Road, Suite 111, Charlotte, NC 28209704-631-9540 Voice Mail

803-493-0332 Cellhttp://the-spiritual-coach.inowww.MindBodySpiritBiz.com



Patti Mercer

Let to right: Elaine Marshall,

Mimi Zelam, WendyWhitehurst, Sherr DeMao

Sherr DeMao

Making AnImpact ConerenceWe are so proud o our rst Women

with Know How Making an ImpactConerence and thank you to all whohelped make it a success. A big thanksso our sponsors: La Vida Massage,Newks Ca, Alegria Shoe Shop (ReaRoad), Ballantyne Business Center,CricKet Communications, Lia SophiaJewelry, Shaklee with Mimi Vollum,

Simply Skin and Queen City Ballroom.Our speakers were so gracious andhad inspiring messages. For those whomissed We will have DVDs Available.

Contact Mimi Zelman or WendyWhitehurst or more [email protected]@womenwithknowhow.com



At the Duke Mansion

WWKH Conerence Stacey Simms

Wendy Whitehurst

Elaine Marshall,

Mimi Vollum



gettingittogeth

er

by Shay Prosser and Hallie Hawkins

W

ith graduation seasonalmost upon us wehave been getting a

lot o questions abouthow to help young people start oright nancially. As the authors o abook on the subject, we have someanswers that can help people start oright. Whether you are 22, 42 or 62you may be asking the same ques-tions. Here are answers to some o themost common questions we get rom

people young and not so young.

Whats the single most important

nancial thing to do now that I

have graduated?The most impor-tant thing to do nancially is to startbuilding up your credit and your sav-ings. Both o these things will give you

the nancial oundation you want asyou build your uture.

Do I need to have a credit card

to establish good credit? Having acredit card account that you managewell is a great way to establish credit. Be

careul: charge only what you can aordand pay it o every month. Do this andyou will start establishing great credit.

What should I do rst: invest,

save, or pay of my loans? Whychoose? You can pay down your debtand save or both the long and shortterm all at once. Well show you howto separate your money into bucketsand create a goal and a monthly con-tribution amount or each bucket.

I have my rst job. How much

o each paycheck should I put

away? Twenty percent o your pay-check should go to savings, and thisshould be split between short- andlong-term savings. This is a great timeo lie to build up a cash reserve while

you have ewer obligations and ex-penses than you may in the uture.The habits you create now will bewith you orever!

Im thinking o buying a house.

How will I know its the right time

What graduates(and everyone else) need to know



in my nancial lie? Buying a houseis about more than just the house; its

about making a good decision about anancial commitment you will have oryears to come. Think about how longyou plan to be in the area, how muchyou can aord to put down on a house,and the stability o your income.

What should I think about -

nancially i I want to go back toschool? The rst thing to think aboutis why you are going back to school.What will the next round o schoolingallow you to do that your current edu-cation will not? Does it make sense,both personally and nancially, to goback to school?

I plan to get married within thenext couple o years. What nan-

cial considerations come with

marriage? The rst thing to do is starta conversation about money with youruture spouse. Start talking about thelittle things, like how you choose tospend your money and why. Discuss

what youre doing, and what you wantto do to have a bright nancial uture.Then create a plan together.

I I have the cash, is it better to

pay of a student loan all at once,

or over time? As with all nancial

decisions, this one is about balance.I paying o your loans all at once

Licensed in NC & SC

704-556-0707(Located in Southpark) kruschlaw.com

5950 Fairview Road, Suite 808 Charlotte, North Carolina 28210

(licensed in NC/SC)

[email protected]

N.C. Bar Certified Specialist Certified Superior Court Mediator

Mediation Certified Financial Mediator Post-Separation Support

C A N I S U R V I V ED I V O R C E ?

A B S O L U T E L Y !



leaves you with no emergency sav-ings, you may want to consider pay-ing them over time. Commit to pay-ments that you know you can make,and then make additional paymentsas oten as you can while still keepingyour savings goals intact, too.

Whats more valuable in a job o-

er: a high salary or good health

insurance? Both are important; look

at the numbers. A company can tellyou what it costs them to insure youand any dependents you may have. Aswith all things, know what you needand how much you are willing to payor it. I youre in good health, a basicplan accompanied by a job with a highsalary may be right or you. I you have

health issues, great health insurancemay oset a slightly lower salary.

What can I do now to pay less in

taxes next year? To make sure yourehandling your taxes well, look at bothyour tax deductions and your paycheckwithholding. Are you contributing asmuch as you can to your retirement

plan? Are you recording every charitablecontribution you make? Are you with-holding enough rom your paycheck?

When should I start saving or re-

tirement? NOW! Do not pass GO; startsaving or retirement. Even i you only

put away a small amount each monthbecause o debt and short-term savingneeds, put away something. In this case,a little can eventually go a very long way.

Why do I need nancial power o

attorney? My parents have alwaysbeen able to do all these things orme. I youre over the age o 18, yourparents cannot legally do these thingsor you anymorewithout a nancial

Power o Attorney. I you want theirhelp and want them to be able tospeak to your nancial institutions, getone in place now..

I want to buy a car. What should I

know? Beore you set oot on a car lot,know exactly how much youre willing

and able to pay or a car. Know howmuch you have or a down payment,and how much you can pay monthly.I recommend that your car loan be nomore than 48 months. There are manyonline calculators that will help you, putin the amount you want to pay eachmonth, the amount o time you will pay,and the interest rate and it will tell you

how much the total car cost can be.

More inormation on all o these topics can beound in our book, Get It Together: The Real-WorldMoney Guide or Graduates order a copy or yourgraduate (or yoursel) atwww.shop.moneyandcreditguides.com


33/62



legal

by Sabrina Winters

N

ational Healthcare Deci-

sions Day is on April 16th,and it is an importantreminder or every adult

to share their private wishes aboutmedial treatments and possible end-o-lie care with amily.

Far too many people assume thattheir amilies would make the choices

they would want in an emergency.Yet everyday we hear stories o adultchildren, siblings or other relativesbattling during a health care crisisover what their loved one wouldhave wanted in that situation.

The Terry Shiavo case is a great exam-

ple o this. At the young age o 26, shesuered sudden cardiac arrest andslipped into a permanent and vegeta-tive state. She never documentedher wishes about things such as eed-ing tubes, lie support and long-termquality o lie, leaving her amily to

battle or years over these questions

in court.

Her husband eventually had her eed-ing tube removed claiming, Thatswhat she would have wanted. Butwas it really? Well never know becauseTerry didnt make her healthcare wishesknown to her closest amily and riends.Lets be honest, at the age o 26, many

o use were not thinking about theseissues. Maybe because we saw deathhappening at an older age or simply, noone told us we had choices.

But it is not enough to just tell some-one about your wishes. You need toclearly document your preerences in

writing, as well. Keep in mind emo-tions can run high during a healthcare crisis. It may be very dicultor your loved ones to make a deci-sion that could ultimately end yourlie. Having your wishes spelled outin writing helps make these types o

April 16th is NationalHealthcare Decisions DayHaveyou put your wishes in writing?



decisions easier or them, especiallyin cases when other amily membersdont agree.

So in honor o National Health CareDecisions Day, I encourage you tostart tough conversations with lovedones about your personal medicalpreerences or medical or long-termcare. Here are some important ques-tions to consider:

Whatareyourthoughtsonfeeding

tubes, lie support and other articiallie saving devices?

Isthereanytypeofmedicalcareyou

would NEVER want?

Ifyouwerepermanentlydisabled

or incapacitated, what things wouldcontribute or take away rom yourquality o lie?

Whodoyoutrusttomakeimportant

medical decisions i you are unable tospeak or yoursel?

Whatareyourthoughtsonnursinghome vs. in-home health care? Whowould you trust to manage yourlong-term care?

These are certainly not up liting orcomortable conversations to have or

many. But, imagine how much moreheartbreaking the uture conversa-tion about ending your lie may be oryour amily. Talk them over with lovedones and get something in writingthat spells out your wishes and thecare you want i something happensto you. I you have questions, talk toyour attorney and get something inwriting beore an unoreseen emer-gency strikes.

Sabrina Winters, Attorney at Law, PLLC15720 John J. Delany Dr. Suite 300Charlotte, North Carolina 28277swinters@sabrinawinterslaw.comwww.ncestateplanningino.com704-843-1446


36/6236 Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

Dr. Matthew and her team atSignature Wellness strive to helppeople achieve optimal healthso they may enjoy the bestquality of life today, minimizerisks for chronic disease andpreserve an excellent quality oflife for the future.

DeborahSignature Wellness

Matthew



Dr. Matthew

Dr. Matthew is the ounder and Medical Director o Sig-nature Wellness. She is Board Certied in Anti-Aging andRegenerative Medicine by the American Academy o Anti-Aging Medicine. In addition, she has advanced ellowshiptraining in Functional Medicine. Her interest in promoting

healthy living led her to develop The Center or OptimalHealth. Dr. Matthew treats men, women and children o allages. Dr. Matthew is also Board Certied in Pediatrics.

I am thrilled to eature Dr. Matthew on this months cover!Women I know and talk to get rustrated when our bodiesstart to change and I hope this article gives you our readers



Advertising and Graphic Designwww.Ju l i a naC rea t i v eDes i gns . com

some insight in ways to get throughsome o the issues we all go through.

Dr. Matthew specializes in Bioidenticalhormone replacement and is rst phy-sician in our area that does this typeo therapy. She also is a board certiedexaminer, testing other physicians whowant to practice in this eld and travelsthe world to do certications..

Why did you choose to become aphysician? I have been interested inhealth and wellness all my lie. InitiallyI enrolled in a Masters o Physiologyprogram but I quickly realized that Icould put the knowledge into action

by choosing a proession in healthcare. My ather is a medical doctorand medicine seemed like a naturalchoice or me.

What is your background - what

were you doing beore this proes-

sion? I was a tness instructor and inmy ourth year o study working to-wards a Masters in physiology beoreI went into medicine. When I went to

medical school, there was no trainingavailable in wellness or holistic medi-cine (I didnt even realize that thesethings existed at that time!). In actthere were only a handul o tradition-al choices so I chose pediatrics since

Logos, ads, newsletters, packaging design,restaurant menus and much more!



this involved a signicant amount opreventive medicine.

What is a good early story about

your medical practice? I was happypracticing as a pediatrician until Ilearned that there were other moretotal body approaches to care. I wasseeing up to 40 patients a day andrefexively treating disease as it pre-sented. I oten elt like I hadnt had the

opportunity to make a good con-nection with my patients. Ater seri-ous consideration o what I thoughtI would want as a patient, I decidedto pursue my original passion thatdirected me to medicine in the rstplace. My plan was to ocus on healthand wellness and spend more timewith patients so that I could makea more meaningul impact on theirlie. I chose to retire rom pediatrics,retrain and restart in nutrition-basedholistic medicine with an emphasison bio-identical hormones. Now Iam able to have a much greater im-pact on my patients health and I havemuch more job satisaction.

What are some interesting statistics

about your business? Most o ourpatients are women, ages 35-55. Itis common or them to bring in theirhusbands and children ater a ewmonths when they see the dierence

in our approach and eel the dierencein their lives. I am the only medicaldoctor in the practice. I have 3 admin-istrative sta members and 4 clinicalsta members. We have been grow-ing every year, largely through word omouth, even through the recession.

What is unusual or unique about

your practice, in comparison to

your competitors or similar busi-

nesses? Women ace health chal-lenges as they age. Hormonal chang-es, such as PMS, perimenopause andmenopause can cause mood symp-toms, insomnia, atigue, weight gainas well as increase risk or chronicdisease such as osteoporosis, heartdisease and cancer. Chronic stresscauses changes in cortisol, our stresshormone, and this can occur at anyage. Cortisol can cause issues withother hormones that regulate sexualdesire and arousal, such as testos-terone, leading to decreased libido.When women present to their doctorcomplaining o atigue, weight gain,anxiety, insomnia and low libido the

typical reaction is prescriptions: oranti-anxiety pills, sleeping pills, ap-petite suppressants, anti-depressants.The most common complaint I hererom patients is I just dont eel likemysel anymore. There is no prescrip-tion drug or that! But by improving



nutritional health and becoming hor-monally balanced women can haverelie o these symptoms, and canexpect to eel like themselves again.

Is there a patient experience you

are most proud o? A recent pa-tient came in complaining o anxiety,insomnia, night sweats, weight gain,bloating, irritability and waking everynight at 2 am. She elt sure that her

hormones were to blame, but herdoctor told her that at 40 she was tooyoung to be menopausal. In act shewas having heavy periods with PMSthat lasted so long, she really only had 1good week per month. She was oeredbirth control pills, anti-depressant medi-cation and sleeping pills. Her husbandhad a vasectomy, so she didnt want totake birth control and she didnt thinkshe was depressed. By helping herto balance her hormones with bio-identical hormones, eliminating some

oods we ound she was sensitive to,using some nutritional supplementsand helping her to nd some balancebetween work and home responsibili-ties she now eels great, sleeps well, herperiods are improved and she has lostweight. Her amily appreciates thedierence they see in her too. This is avery typical story.

Do you do any charity or non-proft

work? We have had patients whomwe really elt that we could help butwho struggled to pay or their visits,and we do what we can to help themby waiving ees. We have had patientswho elt so much better that theydonated money to help pay or othersto receive care.

What are some o your greatest

challenges in your business? Pa-tients are very appreciative o thecare we provide and easily see the

At Signature Wellness, weevaluate your current healthas well as your potentialfuture health risks using a

holistic approach.



benets. In medical school we wereprovided with an hour or two o train-ing on nutrition and none on thebenets o exercise. Our understand-ing is evolving at a rapid pace and it isdicult to keep up in all areas. Othermedical doctors may not understandour approach, and doctors are trainedto be skeptics, so gaining acceptancerom some in the medical communityis an ongoing challenge. I see great

progress in the past ew years as moreand more doctors are becominginormed about nutritional supple-ments, nutrition and bio-identicalhormones. In act, I am starting to seehealthcare proessionals rom a vari-ety o elds as patients now.

What would you most like our

reader to know about your jour-

ney in business? Starting a businessand changing careers takes cour-age. There is no business training inmedical school or doctors. It tooka long time to become established,maybe longer than normal since weopened just as the economic down-

turn started. I considered giving upmany times in the beginning. I amso glad that I persisted and stayedocused on my original plan o pro-viding care the way I would want itas a patient. The patients story oimprovement was the encourage-

ment and motivation that helped methrough those rst ew years. I lovewhat I do and I love seeing my pa-tients lives improve. I would not wantto be doing anything else.

I you could stand up and deend

anything, what would it be? Iwould deend the right o patients toobtain integrative, holistic health care.We have serious health care problems

in this country, both in terms o the

CLICK ON AD TO VIEW OUR VIDEO



health o Americans and our ability topay or health care. I think that healthcare reorm needs to be about morethan just talking about the way thatwe are going to pay or medicine inthe uture - we need to talk aboutchanging the way we practice medi-cine or the uture.Dr. Matthew and her team at SignatureWellness strive to help people achieve

optimal health so they may enjoy thebest quality o lie today, minimize risksor chronic disease and preserve anexcellent quality o lie or the uture.

Signature wellness also oers Aesthet-ic Medicine. Facials, Botox, Juvederm,and Sclerotherapy or spider veins.Here are some commonly askedquestions:

What is menopause?

Menopause is the time in a womanslie when her ovaries stop produc-ing estrogen and progesterone. Onaverage, this occurs at age 52, but canoccur much earlier or later. Typical

symptoms may include hot fashes,depressed mood, low libido, insomniaand vaginal dryness.

What is perimenopause?

As a woman approaches menopause,her hormone production may fuctu-

ate wildly, causing night sweats, moodswings, anxiety, irritability, sleep prob-lems, and more. Some women experi-ence symptoms early in some cases10-15 years beore clinical menopause.

What can be done?

An option is hormone replacementtherapy to provide relie rom symptomsdue to menopause and perimenopause.

What are bioidentical hormones?The term bioidentical means the hor-mone molecule is structurally identi-cal to the hormones produced by thehuman body. Bioidentical hormonesare available in many orms includingpatches, pills, topical creams, vaginalsuppositories and pellets inserted underthe skin. Some are available rom phar-maceutical companies and are FDA ap-proved and some are specially preparedby a compounding pharmacy.

Deborah Matthew MDSpecializing in Hormone Restorationor Men and WomenBoard Certied in Anti-Aging Medicineby the American Academy o Anti-Aging MedicineBoard Examiner or ABARMAdvanced Fellow Functional MedicineBoard Certied in PediatricsBoard Member NC Integrative MedicineSociety Medical Director since 2006

Signature Wellness3125 Spring Bank Lane, Suite ACharlotte, NC704-752-9346



health by Sunny Ayala

W

e all know them. Someo us have tried them.Some o have even

invented new ones!Diets. As numerous as the stars in thesky and most o them equally as hardto reach. Throughout the years theyhave evolved and changed and mor-phed to adapt to the age. Amidst theevolution, one thing has remained; themajority are not sustainable.

I actually dont even like the worddiet because o its connotation. Imean, just look at the rst three let-ters! Three quarters o the word isdestructive! However, i we use theword diet to indicate simply what weare eating, then its more palatable.

My clients are always asking meabout the benets o these crazydiets and which ones they shouldtry. So I thought it would be a goodidea to take the most popular dietsout there and break them down. Thegood parts, the bad parts, and the re-

ally horrible atrocities in each one. Ocourse the list will not be exhaustive,but will hit the ones we most hear

about each day.

No Carb Diets (Atkins):

No carb, high protein, high at

The Good: It eliminates bad carbs andis eective or short term weight lossThe Bad: It eliminates good carbswhich your body needs or energy,it increases at intake to a very un-

healthy level, it does not encourageruits and vegetables which are thebodies avorite orm o nutrients andantioxidants, and it causes the personto eel deprived.The Ugly: It sends your body into astate called ketosis. High ketone levelscan cause dehydration, constipation,

kidney and gall stones,osteoporosisand liver damage. The diet also sig-nicantly increases the bodys aciditywhich makes it a prime candidate orevery type o disease out there.The Conclusion: Its a way to loseweight, but its not a way to be healthy

Popular Diets Dissected:Te Good, Te Bad and Te Ugly



Low Carb Diets (South Beach):

No carbs, then ew carbs

The Good: It eliminates bad carbsand is eective or short to mid termweight loss, it encourages eatingruits and vegetablesThe Bad: It promotes consumptiono carcinogens in the orm o articialsweeteners, and causes the person toeel deprivedThe Ugly: Its not quite as ugly as At-

kins because the body, once in keto-sis, does not stay there or long sincethe carbs are reintroduced, this giving

the body some glucose to burnThe Conclusion: I you can ollow theplan without eeling deprived andwithout eating the carcinogens (akesugars) it could be a viable option

Shake Diets (Mediast):

Drink shakes all day, low calorie

The Good: Generally there is a goodamount o protein in these dietsThe Bad: Where do I start? Consum-

ing too ew calories is as unhealthyas consuming too many, there is nowhole ood eating encouraged at all,



46/62

Our Farmers

Thank You

cabotcheese.coop

Some of the 1,200 farm familieswho own Cabot.




it causes the person to eel extremelydeprived, most people dont stickwith it until the end, its not a realisticliestyle in todays society, it generallydoes not even result in weight loss bythe end o the program due to lack ostick-to-it-evennessThe Ugly: It doesnt give the body thenutrition or energy it needs to unc-tion properly, it is completely unsus-tainable and by the time you realize

you cant live like that any longeryour metabolism has slowed downso incredibly rom the lack o caloriesthat once you begin eating real oodagain, you gain twice as much weightback as youve lostThe Conclusion: It is not a good wayto lose weight or be healthy

Boxed meals (Nutrisystem):

Eat prepared, packaged meals

The Good: No-brainer, easy, can leadto some weight lossThe Bad: No-brainer - it removes the re-sponsibility and the education o choos-ing and preparing healthy oods or youThe Ugly: It s not sustainable in the

long run. Eventually you will have tostop ordering their meals and by de-ault, you will go back to the style oeating you are amiliar with that leadyou to need that diet in the rst place,you will probably gain back what youlost ater you stop the program

The Conclusion: Its not a good long-term diet

Meat and Veggie Diets (Paleo):

Remove grain, dairy, refned

sugar, legumes

The Good: It removes bad carbs,encourages most ruits and veggies, itresults in weight lossThe Bad: It also removes legumes,a very important plant-ood type, it

removes dairy (while that could be agood thing, its dicult or most peo-ple to do), it can cause deprivationThe Ugly: It decreases the carbs to apoint where i you are an avid exercis-er, you could eel sluggish and tired;i you ever stopped the diet and re-turned to the no-list you could gainmore weight back than you lost dueto the type o restrictionThe Conclusion: I you know you willnever want to eat anything on the nolist ever again, and you are not an avidexerciser, it could be a viable option



Counting Calories

(Weight Watchers): Use calories

or points to track what you eat

The Good: It encourages whole ood,ruits and veggies, no deprivation,exercise and personal responsibility,its sustainable long term and results inmid to long term weight lossThe Bad: Its tricky to learn how tokeep track, its time consumingThe Ugly: Its really an attractive diet

The Conclusion: I you are willing toput in the time to track, its a healthyand eective way to lose weight

Calorie Ratios (The Zone):

Pay equal attention to the type and

the amount o calories you eat

The Good: It encourages not just toeat the right number o calories or yourbody and liestyle, but to eat the rightkind o calories, it results in energy, andweight loss with no deprivationThe Bad: It takes some eort and timeto gure the right type o caloriesThe Ugly: Its another veryattractive dietThe Conclusion: I you are willing to

put in the time, its a healthy and e-ective way to lose weight

So we see that our bodies need carbs,they need protein, and they need at.They need whole ood, and a varietyo it. Our liestyle needs indulgences,

but not too many. We dont do welllong tern with deprivation. Its impor-tant to understand how many caloriesyou need and what kind. Its vital tohave long term success and not ridethe roller coaster o weight loss - weightgain. Remember, you are a uniqueindividual. You have your own meta-bolic rate, your own set o cravings andexercise preerences. What works oryour neighbor or your grandma, might

not work or you. So in your quest tond the perect weight loss diet, keep inmind the ew rules that apply to us all:

Our bodies were created or wholeoods (ones you can pick, pull, shootor catch) You need protein, carbsand ats. Nobodys body enjoys largeamounts o processed oods, articialsweeteners or rened sugarDeprivation has never lead to success

I you want help guring out whichplan is best or you, give me call. Wellsit down or a complimentary consul-tation and discuss your individuality!Heres to your health.

Sunny AyalaOwner o Fitness Instruction Today8041 Corporate Center Drive Suite 100Charlotte, North Carolina [email protected]: (704) 763-5662


49/62

If you or a loved one needs help

or you want to help save lives,

contact us today at 704.705.1850

or visit www.lls.org/nc

Photoby

NigelParry/CPi

Dessa G.non-Hodgkinlymphoma survivor

Since 1949, the survival rate for many blood

cancer patients has tripled. In some cases

quadrupled. Whats one more survivor?

Beautiful.



goinggre

en by Terri Bennett

W

hen it comes to clean-ing our homes, mosto us want to make

sure o one thing -that we are doing a deep clean andactually disinecting the rooms andsuraces in our house. Heres thething. You dont need chemical-basedcleaners to kill germs. Do Your Partand nd saer and just as eectivedisinecting options that will work orevery spot in your home.

Vinegar is my avorite all natural disin-ectant. Put equal parts vinegar andhot water in a spray bottle and get towork. This acidic solution eats away atmost germs on everything rom countertops to toilet bowls. The exception ismarble and other porous suraces. Vine-

gar will damage those. Use it ull strengthor tough germs. And dont worry aboutsmelling the vinegar or long. It dissipatesas the vinegar dries leaving a naturalclean scent thats way better than inhal-ing synthetic ragrances that are knowncontributors to indoor air pollution.

Hydrogen peroxide is another naturaland non-toxic option that I recom-mend or cleaning and disinecting.

It quickly kills bacteria, mold, andmildew. You can use it ull strengthon things like cutting boards or diluteit with water or the perect cleaneror nished suraces such as paintedwalls. Mix only what you need as wa-ter and exposure to light reduces thesolutions cleaning properties.

I you dont want to make your owndisinectants at home, you have morestore bought options than ever. Someo my go to and ready-made options in-clude Seventh Generation. Their clean-ers and disinectants are made usingplant extracts. And, new Proxi productsuse hydrogen peroxide to disinect sur-

aces throughout your home.O course bleach works great too butthe umes can be dangerous, espe-cially or little ones at home. I do useit sparingly in my home and alwaysheavily diluted with water. A little bit

Do Your Part: Disinfectwithout polluting your home



o bleach goes a long way. A quarterteaspoon o bleach mixed with 12 ozo water makes a powerul disinec-tant but again, mix as needed be-cause it loses eectiveness with time.This is a great solution or poroussuraces where you cant use vinegar.

The last thing any o us want to dowhen disinecting at home is to leavea trail o toxic chemicals in our wake.

Do Your Part to seek out saer optionsthat will save you money and wontpollute your home.

Terri BennettA veteran TV meteorologist, eco-expert and author

o Do Your Part: A practical guide or everydaygreen living available at DoYourPart.com.Send questions to [email protected]

Overture introduces you and your colleagues to

potential clients using our acclaimed multimedia

presentation. Many businesses, especially those

in professional services, need more than a website

and print collateral.

The prospect has to meet you. Establishing personal

chemistry is the key to cultivating a relationship, then

earning a clients business.

Business Development Opportunity With Every Email.

To find out more, call Karen Hund at 704.907.4376 or visit our website www.cv-vision.com

Meet Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere.




C

ristinasCorn

er

by H. Cristina Cassidy

K

nowing what work isright or you is one othe biggest challenges in

running a business. Youwant to take on work that expandsyour client base and increases yoursales. You dont want to get into theweeds by doing projects that dont tyour scope o work or that you neverreally wanted to do in the rst place.

Learning new skills and stretchingyour knowledge base are good oryou and your business. Sometimesyou will agree to do a project that isout o your comort zone, but thatyou know you are capable o doing.At these times, its always good tosay a resounding yes to a chance togrow you and your business.

Other times, however, it might begood to just walk away rom a po-tential client and/or project or manyreasons, even i it is something youknow how to do very well. There areno hard and ast rules, and you may

take on a project that you wish youhadnt and learn a great deal aboutwhat you dont want to get involved

with in the uture--or vice versa. Theimportant thing to remember is thatyou have a choice. You are the onewho gets to decide where your busi-ness is headed.

Here are ve questions to askyoursel beore you commit to a par-

ticular project :

1. What is my frst gut reaction to

talking with a prospective client?

I you nd yoursel eeling uncomort-able about the interaction, chancesare this might not be a good matchor you. Check in with yoursel andhow you are responding during the

conversation. Does your stomach eeltight? Is there something about thepersons tone that bothers you? Areyou a laid back kind o person, andyour possible client seems tense orextremely business-like? Or is the sce-nario the exact opposite? Trust your

Five Questions to Ask YourselfBefore You Commit to a Project



gut. I you are eeling uncomortablerom the get-go, chances are theremay be riction down the road.

2. What do I know about this cli-

ent and their company? Just as yourclient probably has done researchbeore calling you, you should get thelow-down on the client. Google thecompanys name and nd out whatpeople have to say about it. Use your

network o riends and colleaguesand ask i anyone knows about thiscompany and/or the person youtalked to rom the company. Justbecause someone is seeking yourservices doesnt mean that you haveto work with them, especially i othershave had negative experiences withtheir company.

3. Am I the best ft or the prospec-

tive clients needs? You may be reallygreat at what you do, and it may berelated to what the client is looking or,but you need to ask yoursel whetheryou are the absolute best person orthe job. I you are, by all means, go or

it. But i you have strong doubts, behonest with the client. Tell them youwould love to do the project, but youthink you know someone who wouldbe more attuned to their needs. Then,reer them to one o your colleagues.Will you be hurting your business? No.

Most likely, the client will be grateulor your honesty, and your colleaguewill appreciate your reerral.

4. Am I able to do the project right

now? Sometimes you may eel thatpassing on a project would be a lostopportunity, so you take it, eventhough you are on total overload. Iyou do this oten, you probably dontsleep much and may rarely spend



time with riends and amily. Bewareo this trap. Do what you have time todo, or else you may end up hurtingyour business by over-promising andunder-delivering.

5. Why do I want to commit to this

project?This is probably the mostimportant question o all. Have youever heard yoursel say, I dont knowWHY I ever took this project on! I

you know your motives, then you canmake better decisions about the workyou choose to do. I, or example, you

know that the project doesnt interestyou, but you need the income, thenyou can rame your attitude about theproject with that in mind. I you are juststarting out and need exposure, thentaking on a project or the market-ing value o it may be worth it, eventhough it might not be somethingyou are that interested in. Sometimesyou may even take on a project or lessmoney because you are simply pas-

sionate about the subject matter andwant to help the client get their mes-sage out into the world.

The bottom line is simple. The workyou choose to do, is just that--achoice. Asking these ew simple ques-tions will help you make positive andinormed decisions about the workyou do.

H. Cristina CassidyCristina Cassidy ProductionsOwner and president o Cristina Cassidy Produc-tions, a ull service video production companythat produces a variety o video ormats, includ-ing video or the web, educational andinstructional videos.

www.cristinacassidyproductions.comwww.concertoortwobrothers.comino.cristinacassidy@me.com



FoodsHealthier Smilefor aYour dentist can provide a list o

oods to steer clear o i yourelooking to avoid cavities, stain-ing, and enamel loss. But did youknow there are certain oods youcan eat that will actually helpkeep your mouth healthy?

Nutritionist Karen Krchma and Dr.Shawn Frawley, along with the

American Academy o Cosmetic

Dentistry (AACD) have devel-oped recipes incorporating oodsthat benet oral health in a reeRecipes or a Healthier Smile e-booklet. Use these ood tips andtry a delicious recipe rom theseexperts to ensure you receive ahealthy report during your nexttrip to the dentist.

fam

ily



Wild Salmon And Quinoa water or at least 15 minutes. Rinse andstrain quinoa. Bring chicken stock up

to boil, add quinoa; reduce to a sim-mer. Cook or approximately 30 min-utes. (Alternatively, you can add thechicken stock and rinsed and strainedquinoa to a pressure cooker and cookor approximately 6 to 8 minutes.)

4.While the quinoa is cooking or soak-ing, nely dice onion, celery, and toma-to. In large saut pan, add 1 teaspoon

oil; saut onion and celery until theyare translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.Add tomato; stir and turn o heat.

5. Add cooked quinoa to vegetables insaut pan. Strip thyme leaves o stemwith ngers and rough chop. Addthyme to quinoa along with enoughgrape seed oil to lightly coat quinoa

(approximately 2 teaspoons). Cook atmedium heat while stirring or 1 to 2minutes and keep warm.

6. Heat cast iron skillet on mediumheat. Place small amount o grapeseed oil in skillet. Place salmon inskillet skin-side down. Cook or ap-proximately 4 minutes while bast-ing sh with marinade every 30

seconds. Turn heat up to medium-high and turn sh over; cook oranother minute. Adjust cookingtime based on thickness o salmon.

7. Serve salmon immediately withapproximately 3/4 cup o quinoa.

Yield: 2 servings

Salmon:2 6 to 8 ounce wild salmon lets1 tablespoon resh dill, chopped1 tablespoon grape seed oilFresh cracked black pepperSea salt

Marinade:2 tablespoons resh lemon juice

1 tablespoon grape seed oil1/4 teaspoon resh cracked black pepper1/4 teaspoon salt1 clove garlic, minced1/2 teaspoon resh grated ginger or

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger1/2 teaspoon agave nectar

Quinoa Pila:

1 cup quinoa1 1/4 cups chicken stock1 medium onion, nely diced3 stalks celery, nely diced1 tomato, nely diced3 teaspoons grape seed oil (1 tea-

spoon or sauting, 2 teaspoons todress quinoa)

1 teaspoon resh thyme, chopped

1.Season both sides o salmon with salt,pepper and chopped resh dill. Letsalmon come to room temperature.

2. Combine all ingredients or marinade;mix thoroughly.

3.Soak quinoa in room temperature



FOR HEALTHY GUMS

Wild salmon Omega 3reduces infammation

Basil Natural antibiotic,reduces mouth bacteria

FOR WHITE TEETH

Pineapple and vitamin C-rich oods

Act as natural whitenersTo avoid cavities and plaque

Shiitake mushrooms Prevent oralbacteria rom creating dental plaque

For a complete list recommended oods

oral health, and to downloadree copy o the recipe e-bookle

visit www.aacd.com/smilerecipe

TO PREVENT ENAMEL LOSS

Quinoa Calcium-rich, good orbones and teeth

Onions Sulur compounds maykill streptococcus bacteria that can

cause tooth decayBroccoli Iron may create a pro-

tective barrier, shielding teeth rom

acidic oods and drinks



Around TownMaking An Impact

News about Awards, Events, Promotions and Business Meetings

Sabrina Winters, Attorney at Law,PLLC (SWL) has been named a Top En-trepreneur by Charlotte Business LeaderMagazine. Sabrina Winters has createdan innovative, high achieving law prac-tice that contributes to her industry.

SWL has been assisting clients inall areas o estate planning and probateor over 12 years. Ater practicing inNew York or 4 years, she began grow-ing the rm in 2005 in Charlotte, NorthCarolina. Sabrina speaks to businesses,

civic associations and parishes in theCharlotte area. In addition, she provideseducational programs to the commu-nity throughout the year.

Sabrina is also a aculty memberat Central Piedmont Community Collegein Charlotte, NC. She teaches the EstatePlanning course oered as a requiremento the Certied Financial Planner Certi-

cation Program.Sabrinas blog was selected by Lex-

isNexis as one o the Top 25 blogs in thenation or Estate Planning and Elder Lawin 2011. Sabrina writes on a weekly basison the subjects o Estate Planning, Probateand Special Needs Planning or adults andchildren, the rm has gained exposure.

Calendar o Business andProessional Meetings or Women:

Metropolitan Businessand Proessional Women

3rd Wednesday o every month

Maggianos

South Park Mall

11:30 am members $25 guests $35To register visit: www.mbpw.org

Charlotte Women With KnowHow EliteTuesday April 24tth 5:30pm Meeting at Signature Wellness3125 Springbank Lane Charlotte, NC28226. Come and meet Dr. DeborahMatthew and she will be speaking tous on bioidentical hormone replace-ment therapy. $10.00 includes dinner.

Send us your announcements thwould like to make or if you are an orthat focuses on business women sen

mimi@womenwithknowhow(Deadline is the 15th of every m

for upcoming issue)

Congrats!Wendy Whitehurst o CustomMarketing Solutions Inc,has been named oneo The Mecklen-burg Times 50Most InfuentialWomen 2012



Making an Impact for a Cause

3500 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 282156:00pm until 11:00pm

September 15, 2012

Charlotte Museum of History

Black Tie Optional Awards Dinner

Celebrating Women in Business with10 Awards given to 10 WomenMaking an Impact Around Town

Sponsorships availablewww.WomenwithKnowHow.com

Speaker:Emcee Terri BennettDo your part

$100 per ticket


62/62

Whether you want to provide for your loved ones, support the organizations that are important to you, or plan

your own comfortable retirement, I can help you plan for your goals. Il l look at all aspects of your finances, th

find solutions that are right for your unique needs. And as your goals and needs change, Il l be there to adjust

your plan and help put your dreams within reach.

Your financial needs are unique.

Our Advisors. Your Dreams. MORE WITHIN REACH

Call me today at (704) 522.6565

Diane S. Davis, CFP, CLUFinancial AdvisorCERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER practitioner

5200 Park RdSte 117Charlotte, NC 28209

704-522-6565

[email protected]

www.ameripriseadvisors.com/diane.s.davis

women with know how april 2012 issue

Documents