Be BOLD ON PURPOSE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS GET OFF THE | 9 SCALE
COVER
STORY
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GLAMAHOLIC
MIA RAY
ATTENTION LADIES THE FEARLESS ONE DO’S AND DON’TS WHY ORANGE?
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The Ambition Magazine Production Team Editor-In-Chief LeKeisha Nicole Editorial Consulting Ashley Ferguson
Letter From The Editor AMBITION IS 3!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? 3 is my favorite number, so I know we have amazing things coming our way. The 1st is going monthly! On March 26, 2012 when I launched the web magazine, you would have never convinced me that we would be a print publication or monthly. I thought we would still be a blog style magazine and quarterly. I never saw this type of growth. That shows how ambition and support can fast forward your goals. The 2nd is our new logo! As I said before, I had no idea that we would grow into print and went with a logo that was web appropriate. With the transition to print we wanted a bolder look. Something that reached out to you visually just as much as the other publications on the rack, if not more. That’s what we have done.
Print Greyden Press, LLC. Graphics Robert Wilburn Photograhy AP2 Photography Public Relations Agency Seven PR
The 3rd is expansion. I am so excited for the new sections and the new people that will be introduced to you all via Ambition. Our team is growing and creating amazing elements. Thought I was going to stop at 3, didn’t you? Nope! The 4th is the Ambitious List! The Ambitious List is compiled of people that we think are amazing, you all too because you nominated them. This is our first year and I am super excited for everything to come with the Ambitious List and a first inductees! Okay I think that’s all for now! Stay tuned and see all of the other things that we have coming your way. live, love, laugh & Be Ambitious
/ambitionmag @ambitionmag_ @ambitionmag
WRITERS
BIO’S
LeKeisha Nicole Dorothy Enriquez Marquinta Walker Dawn Michelle Hardy Juan Blanks Martina Borden Angelica Williams
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LeKeisha Nicole is Founder of Ambition Magazine. In addition to publishing Ambition, LeKeisha works as a small business web consultant and advocate for women networking positively. She has a passion for supporting and working with other small businesses and entrepreneurs. Dorothy works with career women who want motivation and inspiration to design the life they want. She provides tips and tricks to enhance their life & style + business using articles and workshops. She teaches them how to design a clear vision for their life while sprinkling laughter, fun and a motivational kick in the pants. Marquinta “Marcie” Walker, ACE certified Personal Trainer with Baer Fit, TRX Instructor, and Hip Hop Cardio Instructor. Marcy is passionate about working with other women to help them achieve an overall healthier lifestyle and making fitness fun. She offers individual as well as group trainings and classes in the Dayton area. You can email her for more info at Marcie@baerfit.com or check out Baer Fit’s website atwww. baerfit.com. Dawn Michelle Hardy President and Founder of Dream Relations, PR & Literary Consulting Agency has been called a “literary lobbyist” by Ebony magazine for her ability to help a variety of authors reach their readership using strategic promotions and media. An innovative self-starter she joined Serendipity Literary Agency where she serves as an associate agent building her list in narrative non-fiction with a specialty in sports and pop-culture. Juan Blanks of Dayton, OH, is the creator of Brown Girl Vittles. She is a food science who loves to cook. As a graduate of the Ohio State University’s agriculture department, Juan strives to bring home cooking back home! If that may be through gardening, cooking or canning, she is ready to take it on. Martina Borden, of St.louis MO is a master stylist at JCPenney. She has been a managing cosmetologist for about 11 yrs, that is also licensed in waxing. Martina loves to style, highlight, cut and install hair extensions. She has also competed in several hair competition. As the chief visionary of AW Management and Consulting, she oversees the day- to-day operations of the firm while simultaneously coordinating the schedules of her clients to meet their objectives and achieve successful outcomes. Angelica takes pride in providing consulting and management services to the clients she serves because it enables her to devise a strategic blueprint that will foster development and subsequently expand operations and their bottom line.
l a n o i t a N s i h c Mar h t n o M e Sauc Mutt’s Sauce g n ri tu a e .f …
his favorite flavors into one sauce. Only Mutt knew the complicated recipe, and when he passed away, the family thought the original recipe was lost. To their surprise, Mutt had given the recipe, which he kept folded in his wallet, to his granddaughter upon his death. The CEO is Charlynda “Charly” Nyenke. She is a native of Cookeville, TN. She is the first granddaughter of Mutt Ferrell. She is the only child of Mutt’s oldest daughter, Marsha. In July 2013, after learning she inherited the recipe, she dreamt that she walked into a small country store and saw his face on a bottle of his sauce. She woke up and got to work on fulfilling that dream and helping her family honor his legacy.
What is Mutt’s Sauce? How did Mutt’s Sauce get its name?
Mutt’s Sauce is a tomato-based condiment, infusing sweet, tangy and a little bit of heat into each spoonful. It is an all-purpose condiment: gourmet ketchup, marinade, dipping sauce, barbecue sauce, taco sauce… Mutt’s Sauce is what you make of it.
Who is Mutt Ferrell?
• Charlie “Mutt” Ferrell, Jr. was born June 26, 1934 in Carthage, TN • He earned his nickname Mutt from his ability to blend in anywhere while serving in the Air Force in Korea and Vietnam • Mutt passed away in 2005. His wife Joyce Jean passed away in 2008 of natural causes.
What is the story behind how the company was created? Mutt’s Sauce was created in his kitchen in 1956. Mutt didn’t like the idea of having a different sauce for each meal, so through lots of trial and error, he combined all of
She currently resides in Beavercreek, Ohio.
What is the company theme? Life, Love, Service, and the Sauce
Who manufactures Mutt’s Sauce? • Annarino’s Foods in Dayton, Ohio
What are the ingredients of Mutt’s Sauce?
Can you keep a secret? We can, too. *wink* What social networking does Mutt’s Sauce use? Our sites are gaining lots of popularity. Hit “like”, retweet, or post one of your personal Mutt’s Sauce creations on Facebook or Instagram! FB: www.facebook.com/muttssauce1956 Instagram/Twitter: @Muttssauce
Where is it sold?
www.muttssauce.com/locations Flavors: Original and Spicy Kickstarter.com Project Name is “Mutt’s Sauce Across America”
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Spring Cleaning
YOUR BEAUTY ROUTINE Faith Nicole
Well 2015 has been here for a few months already and my has time flown by already. How is everyone doing on their resolutions? January is usually the time when people decide to start something new like dieting and exercising but my philosophy is that it is never too late to start fresh. The good news is that in beauty the trends are always changing so from season to season you can do a different beauty routine. Outside of trying new trends you can also incorporate new habits at any time that will help you not only look great but reduce your risk of breakouts directly resulting from your makeup routine. For starters, makeup does expire. Yes that means the eye shadow you bought 10 years ago is no good today! Not all makeup was created equal and depending on the way you use the products will determine how long they will last. Did you know that most of your cosmetics will have an expiration date printed somewhere on the packaging? Keep that in mind when you are going through your makeup bag. Here is a general breakdown of the life of your makeup products:
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Mascara This product needs to be replaced every 4-8 weeks. When the wand is pulled from the tube bacteria is being introduced to the product. Since mascara is designed to go in a very sensitive area, it is the one product that needs to be replaced frequently. After all, who wants an eye infection? This is one product that most pros agree that drugstore brands work best.
Foundation Here is where the line can be blurred. The general rule of thumb is 1 year for liquid foundation especially if it has SPF in it. Powders can last up to two years but if water has been introduced then it shortens that life span to about a year. Stick concealers/foundations can last up to two years as well but be sure to check the expiration from the manufacturer.
Eye Shadow Since shadows are primarily powders they can have up to a 2 year shelf life. However, using dirty brushes is going to shorten this time span. Many companies have new formulas that can be used wet or dry and if you use them wet the life span reduces to about a year. I can’t stress enough that the introduction of water increases the chance of bacterial growth.
“A great tip is to keep products in a dark dry place like your cabinet especially if they are in your bathroom so they aren’t exposed to the moisture from the shower.”
Eye liner If you’re anything like me then eyeliner is a must have product. No other product makes eyes pop. Since liner comes into such close proximity of your eyes it’s important to keep it sharpened and sanitized. It is recommended to change it out every 6 months .
Lipstick/gloss
No look is complete without some sort of lip product and no girl I know has just one! Lipsticks and gloss don’t usually contain water and therefore are at low risk of developing a bacterial growth. However, since it’s used in the mouth region it is recommended to change out once a year. If you end up sick you will want to trade it out sooner so that you don’t re contract whatever illness you had. Always be sure to check the manufacturer’s guidelines especially once a product is open and has been exposed to the environment. If products have changed in consistency, smell or flavor then it’s a reliable indicator that it needs to be tossed. A great tip is to keep products in a dark dry place like your cabinet especially if they are in your bathroom so they aren’t exposed to the moisture from the shower. I can’t close this article without urging you to also clean your brushes. It’s ok to wash them with a gentle dish soap. I even use a dish soap and olive oil mixture to help get out dried products that can build up. I recommend doing this once a week. For daily cleaning you can use a brush cleaner or a mixture of 70% alcohol and orange essential oil to keep brushes conditioned. If you are using disposable sponges you don’t want to use them for more than 2 days. They hold bacteria similar to kitchen sponges and can be a source for breakouts. It’s never too late to try something new and the time is always now when it comes to sanitary makeup practices. Until next time, Besos If you have any beauty questions for Faith she can be easily reached at faith@fybeauty.com
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Get Off The Scale Marquinta Walker
The top of most people’s list is getting off all this extra weight we put on from the holidays. That’s a good goal, but let’s stops thinking of it as a “new” year’s resolution, that’s the same “new” resolution you had last year and every year before that! Start looking at being healthy and shaping your body as a lifestyle change instead and you will be way more successful! Now let’s deal with this whole scale issue. I’m not anti-scales completely, it does help you to stay on track with your diet and exercise, but this is just one of many tools you can use to assess your progress and in my opinion the least accurate in terms of showing over all progress. The scale is a huge culprit for causing people to give up on their fitness journey. Many people will change up their diet and train hard then when they get on the scale they see little to no movement, get discouraged, and give up. Please don’t let something as insignificant as a number on the scale mess up all your hard work and cause you to give up on your dreams. No one knows how much you weigh except you; we don’t walk around with our weight on our forehead! How does your clothes fit, do you have more energy, is your blood pressure lower, is your body fat percentage lower, are you able to workout longer without getting winded, look in the mirror…these are all great ways to check your progress. Personally I track my progress by taking comparison pictures once a week. I feel this is so helpful in showing my true progress and helping me to stay on track. The first picture was taken January 7, 2014 and the second picture was taken January 8, 2015. In the past I was a
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It’s that time of year again, “New Year’s Resolution” time. cardio only girl, I wanted to see the number on the scale drop and I knew that would do the job. With cardio only comes yo-yoing if I every slacked up a little on my diet or missed a few cardio sessions. My weight gains and losses were drastic, as much as 30 plus pounds! I researched the benefits of resistance training and how building lean body mass helps you to burn more fat even while you are resting which could help out with all the yo-yoing. I didn’t start a consistent weight training program until about March of 2013. Now like most people, I am guilty of splurging during the holiday. So in the first picture I had just packed on about 10lbs of holiday weight. Although I was very soft, you can kind of tell in my shoulders and arms that I’ve been doing do some lifting. I went back to pre holiday eating (clean eating 80% strict, 20% whatever I wanted), continued my weight training program, and continued my cardio. Now I don’t count calories, I eat when I’m hungry and I stop when I’m satisfied eating about 5 to 6 small clean meals a day. Fast forward a year and one day later, I stepped on the scale and what do I see?
I’m the same weight I was last year at the same time, actually I gained .6lbs!!!! If I was relying on the scale can you imagine how discouraging that would have been for me? Instead I pulled up the picture from last year and compared it to the new one. I’m tighter, my quads are poppin’, my abs are more defined, my shoulders and arms are slimmer, even my face is smaller! My body composition had completely changed. The scale doesn’t tell the full story; don’t let that be your only assessment tool. Eat clean, adopt a good resistance training program at least a couple days a week, and get your cardio in. If you need advice on nutrition or help getting started with a training program and staying motivated get with a personal trainer and/or nutritionist. Remember why you started and stay focused on making that dream your reality. This is a lifestyle change, not a new year resolution!
AMBITION TALKS WITH
TERRY DA VOICE Ambition talks with Terry is going to be a monthly piece where Terry Da Voice poses a question to our readers via social media. This month’s talk was on ‘forgiveness’. If you would like to keep the conversation going or add your opinion, chime in on the website, http://ambitionmag.com/forgiveness.
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MEXICAN CHICKEN AND RICE
5 Boneless Chicken Breasts 1 ½ cups brown rice (white can be used) 2 cups water 2 cups chicken broth 1 Tbsp lime juice ½ cup green bell pepper (any color is fine) ½ cup frozen or can corn ½ cup black beans 1Tbsp cilantro 3 Tbsp Ms dash fiesta lime 1 12oz jar salsa ¼ cups jalapenos (optional) 2 cups Colby jack cheese (optional)
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WASH THE CHICKEN AND SEASON IT WITH THE MS DASH. LET SIT FOR TWO-THREE HOURS. 11 | www.ambitionmag.com
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PRE HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.
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PLACE RICE AND CILANTRO IN A 9X13 DISH. SPREAD OUT PLACE CHICKEN ON TOP.
REC
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POUR IN WATER, BROTH, AND LIME JUICE.
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IPE By: Juan Blanks
SPRINKLE BLACK BEANS, CORN AND BELL PEPPER OVER THE CHICKEN AND RICE. www.ambitionmag.com |
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08
06
COVER CHICKEN WITH SALSA.
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BAKE FOR 1 TO 1 ½ HOURS.
AFTER CHICKEN IS DONE IF DESIRED SPRINKLE CHEESE AND JALAPENOS ON TOP. PLACE BACK INTO THE OVEN AND BACK UNTIL CHEESE IS MELTED.
APPLE CRISP
02
POUR IN FLOUR, SUGARS, SALT, NUTMEG, CINNAMON, AND APPLE SPICE. THE FLOUR IS GOING TO DEPEND ON CUT UP APPLES INTO SLICES AND THE THICKNESS YOU WOULD POUR LEMON LIKE YOUR JUICE ON THEM JUICE AT THE TO STOP THEM FROM END. LET SIT BROWNING. FOR 20-30MINS.
01
5 apples (green del) 2-3 tbsp lemon juice 1-2 Tbsp all purpose flour ¼ cups brown sugar ¼ cups sugar Pinch of salt ½ tsp nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp apple spice Topping: 1 2/3 cups flour ¾ cups sugar ¾ cups light brown sugar ½ tsp salt 1 cups oatmeal 2 sticks cold unsalted butter( if you use salted please omit the salt) www.ambitionmag.com |
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04
REC
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PRE HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.
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TO MAKE THE TOPPING YOU WILL NEED, A MIXER OR A FOOD PROCESSER. PLEASE THE FLOUR, SUGARS, SALT, OATMEAL AND BUTTER IN AND COMBINE UNTIL CRUMBLY AND PEA SIZED.
IPE By: Juan Blanks
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PLACE THE FILLING INTO 4 14OZ RAMEKINS OR A 9X13 DISH. COVER WITH TOPPING.
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BAKE FOR 45 MINTINS TO 1 HOUR. TOP WITH CARMEL OR ICE CREAM AND ENJOY!
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ATTENTION
LADIES
LADIES AT?
WHERE MY
IT SEEMS TO ME
THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HOMEGIRL
THE FEMALE ARTIST HAS BEEN ALL BUT EXTINCT
Nicki,
FROM THE RAP GAME.
Once upon a time females were very much relevant in our art form. Women like MC Lyte, Sister Souljah, Monie Love, MC Trouble, YoYo and Queen Latifah just to name a few, once shared the stage and rocked the mic with a style and substance all unique to themselves. They took pride in being females on top of their game, in an otherwise testosterone driven genre. When respect was not given, they demanded and took it. They gave us a peek into their own individual lives and spoke about social issues that affected the nation as well as their own neighborhoods. So I ask again, where my ladies at? Ya’ll have fallen by the wayside and let the machine that is the record companies and visual images on the television dictate what you are to be, (just like the men, but that’s another article) nothing but video hoes and objects of sexual desires to the men of rap music. This is your new and unrightfully given place. I for one know for a fact that ya’ll have way more to offer than a pretty face, long weave, big ass, big tits, and twerking skills. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with talking about sex and sexual issues. The women I spoke of earlier made music containing these subjects. The thing is that this was just one layer to them. Ladies, I along with the rest of the men in hip-hop need you back. We already have a Nicki Minaj so create your own lane. One female in the rap game is not enough, we need more. Balance is absolutely necessary. Come on back home ladies. Tell us about your day, tell us what’s on your mind, what’s bothering you, what makes you feel good, what we’re doing wrong, what’s happening in your neighborhood. We have to take back control of the music, our music. The first step is with the beloved female mc. We need you ladies to come forth and give birth to the new age of hip-hop. We’re waiting and listening with open ears.
Leon C. Campbell II
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i
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Ambitious
BE
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n o o
LEKEISHA NICOLE www.ambitionmag.com |
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Dorothy Enriquez
LET THE
GOOD IN When you shine a light in the dark places, you let the good in.
Get Comfy with Failure What is darkness? And what does it mean to shine a light in the dark places? Darkness is the unknown—unchartered waters only the foolish or the well prepared dare to explore. Peruse any history book. You’ll read about explorers who dared to do the unthinkable and potentially sail right off the planet. Those same history books will depict tales of failed expeditions and journeys that cost many pioneers their lives. To go into the darkness is to get comfortable with what will be revealed in the light. Entrepreneurship is a journey, an expedition of sorts, into the darkness. As an entrepreneur you shine a light in the dark places: untapped ideas, niche ventures and under explored products and services. If I could only pick two life lessons for the Adventures of an Entrepreneur, I would choose: get comfortable with failure and celebrate the wins. Winston Churchill said, “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” When the lights go out on your dreams, you have to speak your hopes back into existence. Failure is how we learn. The next time you fail, give yourself a hand clap and start a New Orleans 2nd Line. Why? Because you tried. How many people do you know who achieved greatness without falling on their faces in such creative ways that you couldn’t make it up if you tried? The difference between the successful and the rest is simple. The successful don’t quit. They are relentless. ‘No’ is just a stepping stone to ‘yes’. Their souls are on fire to complete the mission. What sets your soul on fire?
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Light Your Life on Fire To shine a light in the darkness is to trust. Trust what you remembered to be true in the light. When you fail, your journey back to trust is guarded and trepid. To shine your light in the darkness is to be bold and fearless. It is a testament to your level of awareness. The lights have blown out on many a dream. You are not the first. There are plenty of ‘almost successfuls’ milling in darkness. Light your life on fire. Be so bright that others will wake up and smell the passion. You were not designed to horde your gifts. Your light is precious. And to replenish it, you must share it with others. I don’t think you realize how many people are relying on your journey. They are depending on you not to give up. When you’re in the middle, you’re too far from where you were and still far from where you’re going. Your only option: light it up! What sets your soul on fire?
BE A LIGHT TO OTHERS When you’re failing left and right, the ugly cry becomes a monthly and in some cases a weekly occurrence. But, you know you win right? You are victorious. Failure is a bully. You lurch your fists towards the heavens and cry out for a miracle or an anvil to take you out of your misery. Either way, you must continue to dust yourself off. You wipe the mud from your face. You are no quitter. You never, never, never give up. Charles M. Schwab said, “A person can succeed at almost anything for which they have unlimited enthusiasm.” What sets your soul on fire? Once you know what you were designed to give back to others, you must reside in that space. It was created just for you. You’ll light up your life. Your light will shine brightly and help everyone depending on you to find their way through the dark and less traveled path called entrepreneurship. Relish in your light. Your illumination is beautiful. Your passion inspires. Your determination motivates. You’re a fearless entrepreneur. Let the good in and enjoy this journey. You’ll never experience anything like it. Prepare your spirit for the most amazing voyage of self-discovery, endurance and resilience. You do not want to forget your pilgrimage. You’re on your way to the pinnacle of what it means to be a fabulous, ambitious and brilliant business woman. The pressure, the fire and the refinement will produce a light so bright; no one can deny your shine. The naysayers will have no choice but to let your good in. #shineon
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authors
TALK
“I understand how I need to present my manuscript to my publisher and I have more patience for the workload that comes with the exchange of revisions.”
Dawn Michelle Hardy
November is National Novel Writing Month (NanoWriMo)—an international event where aspiring novelists are encouraged to write an entire novel in 30 days. As a book publicist and literary agent who continiously works with self published and debut authors I have seen many story ideas, that were poorly edited resulting in poor sales and bad reviews. In the words of Eryka Badu “you are an artist and you are sensitive about my &*%T.” Most authors are, but being sensitive to criticism in the editing process of a debut work can disconnect a book from its readership. I spoke with 3 first time authors Sadeqa Johnson, Love in a Carry-on Bag, Khara Campbell, Not My Will and Keyanna Ford, Living in Fear who shared their different experiences in working through the editing process. In the end they see how it made the difference. You self published your first book Love in a Carry-on Bag, which went on to win multiple national awards including The Phyllis Wheatley Award for Fiction and USA Best Book Award for African American Fiction ) Your debut went through 9 rounds of edits before publication. What was that process like working with a developmental editor? SADEQA: As I poured over my first few drafts, I knew that the manuscript wasn’t singing and clicking the way I wanted. I knew I needed to dig deeper to find the voices, love and connection between the characters that I craved. It became frustrating at about draft 5 because I thought it was ready for the world, but the publishing houses all turned me down. Around draft 7 I began working with The Scribes Window founder Cherise Fisher. When she came on board I was ready to do whatever it took to get the manuscript right. That’s not to say I didn’t face challenges because I did. A developmental editor reads through the novel and gives notes on plot and character development, pacing of the story and direction Sometimes I would look at her comments and think, “I don’t feel like doing all of that.” But then I’d sleep on it for a day or two, crawl back to my computer and force myself to go deeper and the results were always amazing.
tough. Editing was another beast. Although I did get a publishing deal and had my work personally edited myself before sending it in, my work still wasn’t perfect. The editor and I went back and forth about changes, and then I got big surprise when the publisher requested I shave 12,000 words from my manuscript.
Your debut novel Not My Will was published with Delphine Publications. It garnered you a nomination for Best Debut for the 2014 African American Literary Awards and you shared with Ebony.com the inspiration for the book, dating while celibate. You were offered a deal and then you worked with the publisher’s editor. How was your editing experience? KHARA: I thought writing the manuscript was
How have your grown as a writer from working with an editor on your first book. KHARA: The editing process told how to be more artistic with the use of certain words, how to format my manuscript and most of all consistency within the text and simple stuff like the correct use of All right instead of Alright. SADEQA: Working with an editor makes me feel like I’ve been to graduate school for cre-
You received a two-book deal with NCM Publishing. What was the biggest shock in working with an editor on your debut Living in Fear? KEYANNA: My biggest shock about working with an editor on my debut novel Living in Fear was the amount of times I had to re-read and revise my book. By the fourth round I was getting a little frustrated. Even when it is your own book you can start to get tired of reading over the same story. I thought this process was tedious but I understand the necessity. I learned that my grammar needed polishing. When I first got my edits back from the publisher I noticed that all the sex scenes were deleted. I had to contact my publisher and complain. I was informed that the editor was uncomfortable reading it and opted to just delete them altogether. The publisher assigned me another editor who was comfortable with the content and we worked on tightening the character development and the scenes.
ative writing. My editor pushes me to be better. Having a professional who has experience is invaluable; you really cannot put a dollar amount on what a qualified editor offers you when the work is edited properly. KEYANNA: I now have a better sense of the overall production process in getting a book out. I understand how I need to present my manuscript to my publisher and I have more patience for the workload that comes with the exchange of revisions. How did editing your second book differ from your first experience? SADEQA: For my second project I worked with my editor from the very beginning. I did an outline first and even with that I went through several drafts. I had a clearer direction of the story I am I telling and a solid outline to guide me. Having my editor on board from the beginning for the second novel cut out a lot of time. It took about ten years to write my first book and only a year and half to write the second one. Khara Campbell’s (@kharacampbell) second novel Purple Tears is set to release April 2015 with Delphine Publication. Sadeqa Johnson (@sadeqajohnson) has since signed a two-book deal with Thomas Dunne / St. Martin’s Press. Second House From the Corner will be published in Spring 2016. Keyanna Ford @KasheenaKaniece is currently working on the follow-up to Living in Fear. Dawn Michelle Hardy (@dreamrelations) has 12 years of publishing experience serving both as book publicist and literary agent. www.ambitionmag.com |
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THE
ARIAN SIMONE 23 | www.ambitionmag.com
ONE
S
She’s overcome homelessness; she’s conquered defeat in the form of a layoff; after being sought out for a contract marketing project she landed 5 to 7 projects in the course of two weeks. Leading to her building a successful Public Relations firm. Some know her as Detroit native, Arian Simone; we call her fearless.
- LeKeisha Nicole
Undoubtedly, her story defines fearlessness and ambition, as many in her situation would not have been able to overcome the circumstances. Following college, she was laid off from her first job, couldn’t afford an apartment and had to live out of her car for almost a year. Though it sounds like a nightmare, some of the greatest entrepreneur stories begin this way and Arian is similarly on her way to success. It was during this time that she was referred independent public relations work, leased an office and earned enough income to secure an apartment. Admittedly, she says, she’s had her days of doubt through the hard times; but as we know, character is defined when no one is watching. Arian’s fearless nature is exhibited by her ability to grow and produce results despite the negative. We are glad she did, because now she is here to be an inspiration to all of us. She has since grown her PR firm, created Fearless magazine and is expanding the entire Fearless movement. One of the first questions I asked Arian was about her public relations business and if she was still involved heavily in that world. She said, ‘Absolutely, you are basing what you see on social media. My PR business is always working.’ There was so much in that statement. In today’s business world you have some people who behave as though social media is the only way to run business and to speak with Arian who is thriving without it, is inspiring. She told me that one of her mentors doesn’t even have a website. Now I will admit, I thought that was crazy talk, but it speaks to the power of individuality and a strong brand. Arian has proven that you don’t have to conform to what society thinks is popular to have a thriving business. We have to remember, 10 years ago we were just being introduced to social media; yet many businesses were sustaining. Does she use social media? Absolutely! Does her business depend on it? Not at all. Readers who follow Arian on social media may have already seen the launch of the Be
Fearless product line and the 21-Day Fearless Challenge. This brand speaks to everyone! It helps us to diminish the fear from logic, reality, and past disappointments that we face as we become adults. There is not one person who can’t relate to an aspect of the ‘Be Fearless’ brand. The 21-day Fearless challenge also helps followers ease into the fearless lifestyle. Every day there is a different challenge from reading a book while sipping tea, to protecting personal health with a breast exam, to stepping out and trying a new workout not previously considered. Some of you are reading that sentence thinking how is that being fearless. But what Arian wants us to consider is that we can get so caught up in our work and side hustles and believe that relaxing begins is frivolous or allowing us to neglect something else. Some of the challenges are necessary parts of life and we shouldn’t let people intimidate us into believing otherwise. The breast exam is just an example of taking care of ourselves. At times we ignore, self-diagnose, or just put off things regarding our health. We do this to save
Arian has proven that you don’t have to conform to what society thinks is popular to have a thriving business. time or because it is convenient, but sometimes we are afraid of the results. Take time for your health. You can’t reach any of your goals if you aren’t here. The 21-day Fearless challenge also incorporates the most obvious… trying something new. Being unafraid of new experiences is what makes life fun and interesting.
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Fearless Leader Her openness about her life, thoughts and projects provided a space to learn from.
Arian also chartered Fearless University, which is an initiative dedicated to helping others find their path. The courses are designed to help young adults grow both personally and professionally. These courses are available in the Atlanta area. Interested? Find more details online at http://ariansimone.com/fearless-university/. In talking with Arian, there were two things that struck me about her that were awesome: her positivity and her humility. One of the things that we discussed was this idea of your circle becoming smaller as you become more successful or as you simply begin to develop that tunnel vision towards your goal. She told me that this was something that she did not experience. It could be because many of her friends are in a similar space as entrepreneurs,
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business owners and successful business people. This really amazed me because that is not what you hear in most experiences. Arian expressed that there have definitely been changes in her relationships, so while there were people she used to communicate with daily, those conversations may now happen weekly, monthly or even less frequently. The point is that there is no love lost or beef involved. Everyone in her camp seemed to understand that as time and life evolve, relationships change. That was encouraging in many ways. Then there was Arian’s humble spirit. Whether she knows it or not she educated me during our interview. Her openness about her life, thoughts and projects provided a space to learn from.
What’s next for the Be Fearless leader? Arian says that she has had the opportunity to do so much already that there is not one specific thing she wants to do or one person she wants to work with. Right now, for her, it is all about the right project. Well we are waiting and watching to see what Arian will be coming up with next; we are sure that it will be something great.
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1
THE BUSINESS
signature
OUR SIGNATURE IS ONE OF THE UNIQUE IDENTIFIERS THAT DISTINGUISH US AS AN ENTITY. OUR SIGNATURE AUTHENTICATES WHO WE ARE. IN BUSINESS THAT WORKS THE SAME. OUR LOGO IS A UNIQUE IDENTIFIER THAT DISTINGUISHES US FROM OTHER BUSINESSES. IT’S OUR SIGNATURE, THE FRONT LINE OF THE BUSINESS. A LOGO SHOULD DERIVE MEANING FROM THE QUALITY OF WHAT IT REPRESENTS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. MOST BUSINESSES HAVE A HARD TIME WITH CHOOSING A GOOD LOGO. CHOOSING A LOGO CAN BE HARD BECAUSE OF WHAT THE LOGO HAS TO CONVEY TO ITS AUDIENCE. A GOOD LOGO IS DISTINCTIVE, APPROPRIATE, GRAPHIC, AND SIMPLE IN FORM. A LOGO SHOULD CONVEY THE MESSAGE OF THE OWNER, WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO SAY A WORD. BELOW ARE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF AN EFFECTIVE LOGO DESIGN:
Easy to recognize, unexpected, unique
2
Memorable
3
Timeless
4
5
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Simple
Achieved by keeping logo simple yet appropriate
Can stand the test of time; Leave “trends” where they are
Versatile
Designed in vector format; Effective without color; can be changed to different sizes
Appropriate
Has to be designed with intended target audience in mind
AMBITION MAGAZINE S UBSC R IBE Yearly Digital Subscription - $15 Yearly Print Subscription - $36 http://ambitionmag.com/shop SNAP THE CODE TO SUBSCRIBE TO AMBITION!
Scan the code with your smart phone to read your copy of Ambition Magazine wherever you go! With the print edition, you’ll get access to each issue digitally through your mobile device.
- Martina Borden
Hair Care Tips: DO’S
Do get a haircut (trim) – It actually gets rid of split ends. No split ends = healthier hair Healthier hair = longer hair Do experiment and cocktail with different products. There is not one product that does it all so cocktailing your products is greatly recommended. Do drink lots of water. Taking care of your health will show on the outside. Do wear protective styles. The less you brush, comb and apply heat to your hair, the healthier your hair stays. Do buy salon products. You should have three different brands of shampoo and conditioner. Your hair adapts to you using the same products, so a change can actually rejuvenate the hair shaft causing you to have beautiful bouncing hair. Do know your hair texture. If you are natural it is vital that you recognize your hair pattern. You can go to a website and they have pictures of different textures label with numbers to help you understand how to tame your natural coils. Do know your hair texture. If you are natural it is vital that you recognize your hair pattern. There are websites with pictures of different textures labeled with numbers to help you understand how to tame your natural coils.
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DONT’S Don’t go to your hair stylist and ask to get your hair clipped, the correct term is trim. Don’t use products that are heavily concentrated with wax or unnatural ingredients. Your hair needs to breath. Drenching it with oil only makes it stiff and lifeless. Don’t wear rubber bands. Do you wear a rubber band around your forehead? No, because your suffocating your hair, when you wear them. Don’t go three weeks without shampooing your hair! Do you not take a shower for that long? Your scalp needs to be clear of residue and your pores need to breathe. Every two weeks is recommended to shampoo and condition your hair. Deep conditioning is recommended once a month. Don’t overdo it with different protein and keratin treatments. Your hair is like a sponge, it can only intake so much.
Follow these simple rules and your own way to healthy beautiful hair.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. The exact antigen — or target that the immune cells are sensitized to attack — remains unknown, which is why MS is considered by many experts to be “immune-mediated” rather than “autoimmune.” • Within the CNS, the immune system attacks myelin — the fatty substance that surrounds and insulates the nerve fibers — as well as the nerve fibers themselves. • The damaged myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which gives the disease its name. • When any part of the myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain and spinal cord are distorted or interrupted, producing a wide variety of symptoms. • The disease is thought to be triggered in a genetically susceptible individual by a combination of one or more environmental factors. • People with MS typically experience one of four disease courses, which can be mild, moderate or severe. Source: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS
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TYPES OF MS RELAPSINGREMITTING MS (RRMS)
SECONDARYPROGRESSIVE MS (SPMS)
PRIMARYPROGRESSIVE MS (PPMS)
PROGRESSIVERELAPSING MS (PRMS)
RRMS — the most common disease course — is characterized by clearly defined attacks of worsening neurologic function. These attacks — also called relapses, flare-ups or exacerbations — are followed by partial or complete recovery periods (remissions), during which symptoms improve partially or completely and there is no apparent progression of disease. Approximately 85 percent of people with MS are initially diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS.
The name for this course comes from the fact that it follows after the relapsing-remitting course. Most people who are initially diagnosed with RRMS will eventually transition to SPMS, which means that the disease will begin to progress more steadily (although not necessarily more quickly), with or without relapses.
PPMS is characterized by steadily worsening neurologic function from the beginning. Although the rate of progression may vary over time with occasional plateaus and temporary, minor improvements, there are no distinct relapses or remissions. About 10 percent of people with MS are diagnosed with PPMS.
PRMS — the least common of the four disease courses — is characterized by steadily progressing disease from the beginning and occasional exacerbations along the way. People with this form of MS may or may not experience some recovery following these attacks; the disease continues to progress without remissions. Source: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Types-of-MS
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AMB Credit Consultants is a credit consulting company that focuses on the education aspect of credit repair. Educating many on the ways to keep yourself out of trouble and helping those who already have some issue get into a better place. Check out our quick interview with our newest partner who will be helping to educate all of our readers on how to get to a better place with their credit. What do mortgage lenders look for when approving loans? I know the FICO isn’t the only thing. ANSWER: Well this question is best suited for a loan originator but I’ll share what I know. In addition to a fair credit score, they are also looking at time on the job (stability), qualified income, your debt to credit ratio, and your debt to income ratio. After the credit bureaus continues to say a debt was verified as mine I finally requested to the collection agency to validate the debt and they responded back to me that I didn’t provide them with enough information that the debt wasn’t mine so there they would continue to the bad debt as mine…. Can they do this and what should I do? ANSWER: Yes, this is a very common tactic used by collection companies. You just have to refuse to settle for it and respond to them, demanding that they prove “THEIR” claim – it’s not the other way around. 2 questions, 1. If someone opened up a credit card through capital one in my name but never used it (says 0 balance) why is it even in my collections? 2. I planned to pay off a collection account that’s about 4 years old but the debt amount is invalid and I’ve been disputing through a credit bureau but they always claim it’s been verified and now out of the blue it’s listed as closed. Can I still do a pay for deletion on closed accounts or still even dispute it? ANSWER: 1. If anyone opens an account in your name, then it’s going to show up on your credit report. Whether or not it’s been used or should be in collections, would be up to you to dispute. 2. You can try to do a pay for deletion but there’s no guarantee that it’ll be deleted. If it were my collection and it had an invalid balance, they wouldn’t get any of my money. I would dispute it all the way. But that’s just me! I hope this helps. ☺ What’s vantage score? I just went on credit karma and my score lowered significantly because of the new vantage score system. (ashaalieh) ANSWER: The Vantage Score is just one of multiple different scoring models (such as the FICO score) that the credit bureaus
have developed and now own. Most lenders do not use the Vantage scoring model for making their lending decisions. Most of them will use the FICO score. How can I get rid of a judement? OI got it removed off Experian but transunion and Equifax are being stubborn. Transunion keeps coming back verified and they keep saying they want to investigate anymore. (cocopieces) ANSWER: You have to be persistent and just keep disputing. If they’re saying it’s been verified, then you should be requesting that they explain exactly “HOW” they verified (who they talked to, etc.). If a closed account shows up in the negative section of a credit report due to late payments, does it have an affect on the FICO score given the closed/ transferred status? Or does the FICO model only factor in accounts that are open? (C_nelson0) ANSWER: Yes, closed accounts are still factored into your credit score. If this closed/transferred account is reporting the late payment history, then you can rest assured that it is, in fact, hurting your credit score. If you started with excellent credit but lost your job and several of your credit accounts are not closed due to being several months past due and aren’t yet charged off but on the verge, what should you do if you just started back working? (cecily0708) ANSWER: You can try to bring the accounts current BUT even still, your score will still be poor due to all of the late payments which will still be reporting even after you have brought the account current. I have a charged off auto loan that I still have possession of and currently making payments on monthly… what happens once vehicle is paid off. (swhit94) ANSWER: It’s not charged-off it you’re making payments on it so if it’s reporting like this, then you should be requesting that they correct wording. But once it’s paid off, then you should be free-and-clear with a clean title. www.ambitionmag.com |
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AdvertiseWithAMBITION
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WHYORANGE? Why not? March is National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness month and the awareness color for MS is orange.
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and Google until July 19th. Not a good thing. I was so emotional. I cried at the mere thought of the words MS coming out of my mouth. My friends had no idea what to do with me because I am not really an emotional person. And this was just in April. At the beginning of May after driving myself crazy with research I told myself I would not look up another piece of information and I told my friends and family not to either. On July 19th I went to meet my Neurologist. Of course their computers were malfunctioning that day and he couldn’t read my MRI. No decision still but I was scheduled for a Spinal Tap on July 25th. Finally on July 24th, the nurse called and said that the Neurologist was able to review my images and indeed was diagnosing me with MS, Relapsing-Remitting to be exact. I thought I was emotional before! I was all over the place. Angry and sad all at once. Looking back I feel like my eyes were permanently filled with tears for weeks.
For those who are new to Ambition, Multiple Sclerosis is our cause of choice. I launched Ambition on March 26, 2012. Exactly one week later I was in the emergency room. I will admit to you that before April 2nd 2012, I had a bad habit of self-diagnosing. So while I had been having terrible migraines and blurred vision, I kept attributing it to the fact that I had a history of migraines and that I lost my glasses so I must have been straining my eyes. This day changed all of that. I sat on the end of the bed in the ER and did the basic eye exam as the doctor requested. I covered the left eye, everything was normal. I covered the right eye and the whole bottom of the room was BLACK. I couldn’t even see the doorknob on the door I was looking at. I was trying so hard not to freak out, so I look over at the doctor thinking she is going to give me some quick diagnosis and I see she is not settled. Now my mind is running like crazy. I get every test, probably known to man ran on me. I’m thinking, ok they are going to admit me. Doctor comes back and says we’ll let you go but you need to get into to see this Ophthalmologist first thing in the morning.
It took me weeks, honestly months to get to a point where I could talk about it. I knew I wanted to do something to educate so I began hosting zumbathons and fitness events to try and raise money for the national organization. For extreme cases, MS can take away the ability to move. Not knowing what tomorrow would bring I decided that I would move and encouragement movement. So as I celebrate the 3rd anniversary of Ambition, I also celebrate 3 years of pre-diagnosis with no relapse. It is a struggle not knowing what the next day brings because it can attack your body in so many different ways. It is also a blessing because I am confident that had this not come into my life at the time that it did, that I wouldn’t understand the necessity to ‘live my ambition’ and keep working to grow Ambition. “For we walk by faith, not by sight“ 2 Corinthians 5:7 - KJV
I won’t bore you with all of the details of that all day appointment but as you can see in the picture there was actually only about 25% visibility in my left eye. From there I went on the have an MRI of my brain. I was diagnosed with Optic Neuritis and told that based on my MRI there was a potential that I had MS. This was April 12th, I was left to my thoughts
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GLAMAHOLIC
MIA RAY Some things people are just gifted with certain qualities. For some it is their ability to captivate an audience, for some it is amazing athletic ability, whatever it may be there is a natural talent there. In most cases people go on to improve upon this gift and maximize their potential. In the case of fashion blogger, Mia Ray, I believe after speaking with her that she has many gifts. One of those being her ability to influence and the other being her fashion sense. Mia took her ambitions, ran with them and is now a well-known fashion blogger. Mia, the mother of two great young men (13 & 1), was born and raised in Detroit, MI. Being a teen mom and having her first child at 17, inspired her work ethic. She said she worked and excelled at just about everything you could think of when it came to jobs (customer service, janitor) working sometimes 2 and 3 jobs to provide. Several years ago she decided that she did not want to be confined to the 9 to 5 and wanted to chase her passion and purpose. Mia is now in her 6th year of her fashion blog (Confessions of a Glamaholic), which over the years has expanded to a lifestyle accessories line (Glamaholic Lifestyle), and her hair extension line (Same Girl, Different Hair). I was lucky enough to get a few moments with Mia to find out more about her journey, where she is now and what we can look forward to in the future.
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LeKeisha Nicole: When you look at yourself from day 1 to today, where do you see the most growth? Mia Ray: I see the most growth in myself as a business woman, as a whole. Starting out with the blog I didn’t even look at blogging, as a business. I didn’t see or really even know the potential I could have, from doing so. From that I have just evolved and grown so much as a business woman. I can’t really put my finger on it and say just in fashion or any particular category. I feel that it is all a melting pot of what I do. I just feel I have grown so much as a business woman. L: With your fashion blogging, I appreciate the fact that you always post things that are very reasonable. Is there a method to the madness of that, is it intentional or was it happenstance? M: Well the mission statement and the vision of my blog is for all everyday women to be able to relate to it. I am an everyday woman. I was not raised with a silver spoon in my mouth. The only way I know how to shop and how to dress is to do it in an affordable way. I am not the type of girl that lives about my means. I do not purchase things I really know I cannot afford or purchase something when I know that I should be paying my light bill. I am not the type of girl who lives beyond my means. I was not raised that way and I’m still that way. It’s for everyday women to be able to relate to it and say, “hey, I can still look as nice as Beyonce’ or Kim Kardashian but in my price range, my budget.” L: Now with the fashion blogging, you see so many things about how to become a blogger and make money in 60 days and so on. I know that you said earlier that you didn’t see the potential in blogging to make money, so did you go into it as a hobby or did you said this is what I want to do and I am going to make it happen?
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M: I went into blogging as a hobby. I genuinely just wanted to talk about the latest lipstick or a cute pair of shoes that I saw or I dress that I bought last weekend. I went into it because I wanted to talk to other girls about beauty, hair and fashion. I had no idea that bloggers were making millions. I had no idea the type of influence that I would have, right now. No clue, whatsoever. I blogged every day for the first 3 years, just for fun. I didn’t earn not a penny, not a dime. I just went into it because I really loved it. I didn’t earn my first check from my blog until about a year and a half ago. L: What turned it around, what turned it into the business that it is now. M: When I began to see the type of influence that I had over my readers, that’s when I knew. Hey, I’m making a lot people, a lot of money and I’m not getting a penny. When I realized I was making a lot of people, a lot of money and I wasn’t getting a penny; I realized I have to turn this around some type of way, because I am helping them. Another thing was, I knew that with that power that I have, I could easily transition that power over into things that I wanted to do. Which is why I began Glamaholic Lifestyle. If my readers would support something that I post about Target, then I just knew that they would support me to. I wanted to put out a product that was relatable to my readers and things that I felt they would need in their everyday lives. So that ended up sparking Glamaholic Lifestyle, for me to end selling my products to them, as well as promoting other people’s products. L: What sparked Same Girl, Different Hair? Are you the type of person who always liked playing around with your own hair or did you see the financial potential? M: I’ve always for years, ever since my mother gave me ‘go’, to do whatever I wanted to do with my hair I could do it, I did. I had gray braids in high school. Long before everyone was wearing gray hair, I had gray hair in high school. I dyed my hair red in the 10th grade. I felt that my hair was the ultimate accessory. I can change it whenever I want to, I can make it green, I can make it blue, I can make it long, I can make it short. Same girl, different hair actually came from my best friend’s father, he would always say, “I never know if that’s you” and I would say, ‘yes it’s me, same girl, different hair.’ A friend of mine said, ‘you need to put that
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one a shirt, do you know how many girls can relate to that.’ I know plenty of girls that are just like me and girls were always asking me for hair advice. I have always loved her, it was just an obsession. This was way before everyone selling hair, and the hair market, becoming saturated [as some people call it]. I’ve always just had a love for it and I’ve always had a dream of opening my own hair salon. This is something that has been in the making for years, I am talking since I was in high school. It’s always been a good or dream of mine. L. Is the hair salon still on the horizon? M: I’m praying for it. (Ambition will be at the grand opening, and I will be in the chair ☺.)
L: Where do you find the balance? Through your social media you allow us to see a snippet of your home/ personal life and the way you balance it all is just amazing. M: It’s hard. He’s sitting right next to me, right now. I knew at 2 o’clock I had to turn on Sesame Street so that I could do this interview. At the end of the day I have to do what I have to do. If I have to take out 5 minutes to entertain him or get him set with an activity to do so that I can have 45 minutes to work on something; I have to make the most out of that 45 minutes until the time comes around for him to want something again. It’s really about time management. I do certain things throughout the day that are based around him. If its naptime, I know from 4 to 5:30 I can get a lot of work done. I know I can wake up at the crack of dawn and start my day before he even gets up. I know by 6 I need to have dinner on. It’s really about time management, preparing your day and really being organized. It’s not easy. It might be a night where he is teething and I am up until 4 am and that next day I can’t really work. It’s about maximizing on that downtime. I devote my weekends to my family and my kids. I don’t work on the weekend. I work Monday – Friday. I do not work on Saturday and Sunday. I feel that I devote so much of myself to my work that I owe them those two days to have me free and clear to themselves.
clients now that when I see them, it’s just like wow. I am going to grow into doing maybe a few online ebooks because maybe everyone can’t afford it but they still need the help. I am going to offer a few free classes about blogging. Everything I am doing is not about money so
L: How are you feeling about you 1-on-1’s and what made you started doing them? How did you know it was time? I’ve told people myself, if you are trying to get into this blogging life you need to get on board because it is first-hand information. M: I’ve been doing them about a year. The reason I started doing them is because my emails, my text messages and my inboxes where just overflowing with people that needed help or people asking me questions or people that wanted me to take a look at their business plans. One thing about that is that I have to take time out of my busy day to take to look at what you want to do. I can’t give you my undivided attention. I felt that I should start consulting people because when I started I didn’t have anyone that I could ask questions to, or anything that could help with me blogging. It was just kind of like, requested by my readers and followers. They needed my help or they wanted it. I feel that it is growing into a really great thing. I have so many successful
We are looking forward to all the things coming from Mia in the future and plan to keep you posted along the journey. If you are not already familiar with Mia Ray and the Glamaholic Navy, check out her website, http://www. confessionsofaglamaholic.com/, and follow her on Instagram (@MiaRay)
L: Do you have anything in particular that you are working towards in 2015 and what can we expect from you in the future? M: I don’t really want to say that there is anything specific. I just want to continue doing everything that I am doing now just 10 times better. Become a brand ambassador for larger companies. Bring more awareness to who Mia Ray is. I am not really the type of person who says, in 2015 I want to do blah, blah, blah. I just really want to be better. I just want to become bigger and better as a brand. L: What advice do you have for our ambitious readers? M: I always say the only time you fail, is when you don’t try. So give it a try, at least try. You never know where it may lead you. When I first started this I never thought in a million years thought that this is where I would be. I wanted it, so I just tried. And this is only the beginning. Go for it and don’t stop.
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Model: Rachel Hodnett MUA: Faith Redd-Walker Top and Skirt: Lubna Designs Jewelry: Nicki Marie Jewelry Computer Bag: Tohni Bekka Handbags Fur: Minkas Furs Photography: AP2 Photography Wardrobe Stylist: Rachel Martin, IL Moda Stylist
Nicki Marie of Nicki Marie Jewelry is a Columbus, Ohio native who has been creating handcrafted jewelry for a number of years. Having a passion for the artistry of jewelry design and being a lover of the arts, she designs jewelry that is focused around the illuminitions of color, light, and angles, with the combination of mirrors, colors, and metals such as sterling silver, gunmetal, antique copper and brass. Nicki Marie Jewelry is the Artistry of Eclectic Jewelry, giving every piece a Simplistic Edge.
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Model: Tomi Jones MUA: Faith Redd-Walker Duster and Palazzo Pants: Lubna Designs Jewelry: Kewpie Dolly Handbag: Tohni Bekka Handbags Photography: AP2 Photography Wardrobe Stylist: Rachel Martin, IL Moda Stylist
Tohni Bekka is a designer handbag company headquartered in Columbus, OH and was founded in 2012. Founder and lead designer Jovanna Robinson is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art & Design. Robinson started this brand as an extension of her design acumen and love for high-end accessories. As a brand, Tohni Bekka prides itself as being a curator of American opulence. Each piece is crafted with attention to detail and design that feature unique pieces made of handpicked leather and hardware to ensure that the quality meets the Tohni Bekka standard. This company is committed to providing highly designed, premium quality handbags and cargo devices by staying loyal to our principles of quality and design.
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Models: Tomi Jones and Rachel Hodnett MUA: Faith Redd-Walker Palazzo Pants: Lubna Designs Jewelry: Kewpie Dolly Handbag: Tohni Bekka Handbags Fur: Minkas Furs Photography: AP2 Photography Wardrobe Stylist: Rachel Martin, IL Moda Stylist 43 | www.ambitionmag.com
Jasmin Tucker of Minka’s Furs had a vision of taking ordinary into extraordinary. She wanted to add a touch of glamour in your everyday life. Minka’s furs are synonymous with both luxury and creativity blending tradition with innovation.
Models: Tomi Jones and Rachel Hodnett MUA: Faith Redd-Walker Blazer/Bralette & Duster and Palazzo Pants: Lubna Designs Jewelry: Kewpie Dolly (left) Nicki Marie Jewelry (right) Photography: AP2 Photography Wardrobe Stylist: Rachel Martin, IL Moda Stylist
Lubna Designs BIO: Lubna Najjar, designer and owner of Lubna Designs Inc., is a Jordanian American designer merging her middle eastern culture, passion for fashion, and professional business career into a clothing brand marketed globally, by IL Moda PR in Columbus, Ohio. “Be Empowered by What You Wear,� Lubna Najjar.
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Models: Tomi Jones and Rachel Hodnett MUA: Faith Redd-Walker Blazer/Bralette & Duster: Lubna Designs Jewelry: Kewpie Dolly (left) Nicki Marie Jewelry (right) Photography: AP2 Photography Wardrobe Stylist: Rachel Martin, IL Moda Stylist
With a lifetime of interest in design and fashion Nicole Pongonis started Kewpie Dolly in 2008 to satisfy a creative itch. Her jewelry mediums include real bullets, vintage findings and natural crystals. Nicole designs for the modern girl with a gypsy soul. Each piece is its own and hand made to be one of a kind.
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Thank You On this journey of building a business/ brand and with doing that being an entrepreneur there are struggles. There are difficulties. There are days when the support seems non-existent. Then you open up Instagram and you see you were tagged to a photo of someone receiving their copy and enjoying it with a cup of their favorite drink. Or you go out and meet someone new and find out they know about Ambition already. Sometimes it just hearing from your peers that you thought weren’t paying attention tell you good job. I said all of the above to say I appreciate you. Whether you realize it or not, you motivate me on the rough days to ‘live my ambition’.