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Contents m a rch
72
On the Cover
Ingrid Vanderveldt
Paying it forward with missionary zeal.
By Deborah Hamilton-Lynne
80
Feature
On the avenue
Photo by Annie Ray.
Austin Woman talks with five South Congress entrepreneurs.
Contents m arch
46 on the scene
gourmet
26 5 things
58 DINING International Cuisine 65 best-kept secret Departure Lounge
Five Family-Friendly Stay-cations
28 around town
Photos from Austin Events
30 philanthropy Mosaic Luncheon 32 spotlight event 34 horoscopes
Soweto Gospel Choir
Happy Birthday, Pisces!
must list 36 travel San Antonio and the Hill Country
home
to your health 66 fitness 70 health
Hot Lava Gym Endometriosis
opposite sex 86 memo from JB To Sleep, Perchance to Dream 88 Relationships He Paid. Does He Get Laid?
40 Interior design
From Drab to Fab
44 what’s in store
savvy women
Ten Thousand Villages
90 Austin Innovator Natalie Kennedy 94 LEADERSHIP Trail to the Top 98 EVERYDAY ENTREPRENEURS
style 46 accessories 49 SXSW
Dangerous Curves
Festival-Season Trends
56 beauty
Radiant Orchid
16 Austin Woman MARCH 2 0 1 4
AW Reader-Nominated Women
102 WORK BALANCE Sandra Spalding 104 last word Living the Entrepreneurial Life
on the cover
Photo by Annie Ray. Hair by Erikka Walor, makeup by Maegan Foster, Avant Salon, 9901 9901 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Suite 240, 512.502.8268, avantsalon. com. Styling by Ashley Hargrove, dtkaustinstyling. com. Shot on location at the W Austin, 200 Lavaca St., 512.542.3600, whotelaustin.com. Escada Mocca zebra dress $2,125, Ashley Pittman bone cuff, $825, Ashley Pittman bangle bracelet, $345, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com; shoes, model’s own.
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Volume 12, issue 7 Co-Founder and Publisher
Melinda Maine Garvey vice president and Co-Publisher
Christopher Garvey associate publisher
Cynthia Guajardo Co-Founder
Samantha Stevens Editor-in-chief
Deborah Hamilton-Lynne associate editor
Molly McManus
SEE SPRING IN A NEW LIGHT
with Mann Eye Institute & Laser Center
copy editor
Chantal Rice Art Director
Niki Jones ad designer
Jennifer Day ART ASSISTANT
Nora Iglesias operations manager
Katie Paschall brand manager
Jasmine Vallejo Account Executives
Kelly Keelan, Jackie Van Meter 512.328.2421 contributors
Rudy Arocha, Carla Avolio, Shana Berenzweis, Elizabeth Breston, Leo B. Carter, Jill Case, Bernadette Castillo, Teresa Chang, Temara Coggin, Beverly Demafiles, Ellen Fate, Maegan Foster, Ginny B Photography, Kaneisha Grayson, JB Hager, Dana Hansen, Sheri Heinrick, Ashley Hargrove, Nora Iglesias, Sam Jackson, Deano Jones, Monika Kelley, Eric Leech, Carrie Leigh, Jeff Loftin, Deborah Mastelotto, Rachel Merriman, Lisa Munoz, Arlen Nydam, Nick Paul, Monique Penner, Hope Petersen, John Ramspott, Annie Ray, Ricky Rodriguez, Tony Rudov, John Pesina, Sarah Quatrano, Megan Russell, Elizabeth Shear, Jarred Tennant, Jessica Teseny, David Wheeler, Kristi Willis, Erikka Walor, McKenzy Windham Interns
Leo B. Carter, Sam Jackson, Hope Petersen, Ricky Rodriguez, Megan Russell
Spring is right around the corner. If you’re ready to see Spring in a new light, the team at Mann Eye Institute is here to help however we can! In addition to our Blade-Free Lasik procedure, we offer: • Active Life Lens™ Procedures • Family Eye Exams • Dry Eye Treatment • Glaucoma Management • Laser Cataract Surgery
• Diabetic Eye Disease Treatment • Keratoconus Treatment • Contact Lens Fittings • Emergency Eye Care
Flex Plans, Health Savings Accounts and Most Medical and Vision Plans Gladly Accepted!
Call now to schedule your appointment!
512-774-5767 | MannEye.com
Austin Woman is a free monthly publication of AW Media Inc. and is available at more than 1,150 locations throughout Austin and in Lakeway, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Pflugerville. All rights reserved. For submission requirements, visit awmediainc.com/contribute. No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission. Visit us online at austinwomanmagazine.com. Email us at info@awmediainc.com. 512.328.2421 • 3921 Steck Ave., Suite A111, Austin, TX 78759
2600 Via Fortuna Suite #400 Austin, TX 78746
4314 W. Braker Lane Suite #215 Austin, TX 78759
From the Editor with determination and integrity. We also need successful role models and mentors as we venture out and take the leap to become entrepreneurs, and we could not have found a more accomplished or committed role model than our cover woman, Ingrid Vanderveldt. She is fascinating and multi-faceted. I guarantee that you will be inspired by her passion for helping women entrepreneurs succeed here at home and globally. Her insight in to what it takes to make it is invaluable. Best of all, Vanderveldt is determined to pay her good fortune and success forward. She would agree with my just-do-it assessment, tempered with a heavy dose of educate yourself and start with a solid financial plan for success thrown in for good measure. We also take a look at several successful small-business owners that populate the area of South Congress Avenue, as well as those who were nominated by our readers. We explore the qualities of leaders, the pursuit of passion while holding down a day job and how to rise to the top in your field. AW Publisher Melinda Garvey reveals how she faces her fears while living the entrepreneurial life and JB Hager reveals his secret for coming up with the entrepreneurial ideas of his dreams. March also brings spring and the festival season, so we take a look at fashions fit for both. Spring brings renewal and we look at decorating re-dos and a store guaranteed to refresh your look with an international flare. Not to ignore the foodies, Carla Avolio takes us on a journey to explore the burgeoning food scene in and throughout San Antonio and the Hill Country, and Kristi Willis creates the ultimate
MARCH Launch Party March 4, 6 to 8 p.m. Precision Camera, 2438 W. Anderson Lane
RSVP: aw.ticketbud.com/awmarchlaunch
Join us as we celebrate the launch of both the Austin Woman March issue and the ATX Man spring issue at Precision Camera March 4, benefiting Girl Scouts of Central Texas. This event will bring innovative and entrepreneurial thinkers together to inspire one another. Please RSVP to secure your spot today!
20 Austin Woman MARCH 2 0 1 4
BABY LOVE In honor of Mother’s Day, we want to include your most adorable, funny or downright laughable photos of your babies. The year doesn’t matter; we just want to see those baby faces. Please send pictures with a caption to submissions@ awmediainc.com with “Baby Love” in the subject line.
international cuisine menu, featuring some of Austin’s best restaurants. This month, we are asking our staff and our readers to send us stories of women who have inspired them. In my role as editor, I am fortunate to meet so many of Austin’s most accomplished and inspiring women and hope that by sharing their stories with you each month, I can in some small way inspire and encourage you to go for what your heart desires and for what you dare to dream. In the words of our cover woman, Ingrid Vanderveldt, “Move on past the glass ceiling. Focus on what it is that we want to do —what it is that we feel we must do. That is where women become exceptionally powerful.” Just do it! I look forward to sharing your success stories in the near future.
deborah hamilton-lynne Editor-in-Chief
Call for Summer Interns Ever thought you might like to work at a magazine or dream of becoming a writer, photographer or designer? AW is taking applications for summer interns. Please send your letter of interest to molly@awmediainc. com with “Summer Internship” in the subject line.
Photo by Korey Howell.
Just do it!
No, this is not a Nike ad. This is what I learned this month as I set out to determine what it takes to gather the courage and take the risk to become a female entrepreneur. The stats are daunting in some ways and encouraging in others. In data released by the National Federation of Independent Business in 2012, women have been starting businesses at a higher rate than men for the past 20 years. In the past 15 years, the number of women-owned businesses grew by 54 percent; there are now 8.3 million women-owned businesses in the United States. Women will create more than half of the 9.72 million new small-business jobs expected to be created by 2018, and more are doing this from home offices throughout the country. It’s a surprising statistic, especially considering that women-owned businesses only created 16 percent of total U.S. jobs that existed in 2010. It looks like this is a trend that is here to stay. However, despite owning nearly 30 percent of U.S. businesses, women attract only 5 percent of the nation’s equity capital. When it comes to first-year funding, women receive 80 percent less capital than men. And in spite of the hurdles, it appears that entrepreneurship is the new women’s movement. This entrepreneur issue comes during the month of March, which is also Women’s History Month and the month when we celebrate International Women’s Day, and I can’t help but think that the women who went before us to make history—gaining the right to vote, breaking the glass ceiling, ignoring the barriers placed in their way due to race or gender—would be so proud to see women honoring their authentic callings
drpotter.com
Contributors De ano Jones
CHANTAL R ICE
ANNIE R AY
MEGAN RUSSELL
photographer, “ON THE AVENUE”
AW Staff copy editor
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER, “Ingrid Vanderveldt”
WRITER, “SANDRA SPALDING”
Page 72
Page 102
that she is a grammar snob, and she is grateful this trait is considered an asset in the publishing world. She has been a working writer, editor and journalist for 16 years, and has contributed to a variety of regional and national publications. She’s been the copy editor for Austin Woman and ATX Man for more than two years. When she’s not busy writing and editing, Chantal spends the bulk of her time in roller skates as a member of the Texas Rollergirls, known as Killer Crouton.
Since 2005, Annie Ray has focused on bringing out the “real stuff” in everything she shoots. You could be a cupcake from the up-and-coming local bakery or a celebrity moonwalking up Madison Avenue. Her relationship with every subject will make 1,000 words say so much more. Annie has a 1-year-old English bulldog named Walter, who is the light of her life. “He is super smart and loves everyone he meets, human or animal. Most of all, he LOVES FOOD.”
Megan Russell is a Kansas native who moved to Austin in 2009 after a short stop during a chaotic road trip. She immediately fell in love with the Austin vibe and readily available vegan food. When she’s not writing or working as the managing editor for West Austin News, she tries her hand at any activity that makes her feel like a big, strong woman. Rock Chalk!
Which AW articles and sections do you look forward to reading most each month?
what advice would you offer someone trying to grow their photography business?
Page 80
Deano Jones is a bit of a
modern day Renaissance man. He’s the creative director of his own graphic design company, Polywog Design Inc., as well as a musician and actor. He’s also the author of an interactive novel, Rise of the Cafe Racer, which spent 16 weeks on Apple’s sci-fi fantasy best-seller list and was recently added to the Austin Public Library system. Find out more about his company at polywogdesign.com, or his novel at riseofthecaferacer.com. What do you think makes soco so unique?
“Each of the business owners I shot was a complete and total joy to work with. There’s a real sense of community and camaraderie among these ladies, and no doubt with all the local business owners there. Most of them knew each other and all were proud to be preserving an attitude of the old-school Austin: fun and unique. Plus, South Austin is just cool and laid-back in general!”
Chantal Rice admits proudly
“JB Hager’s Memo From JB column always leaves me giggling, and the reader-contributed Last Word stories are often touching. But my favorite articles are those in-depth cover story profiles. AW writers do such an amazing job of narrating the tales of Austin’s most intriguing women.”
“Best advice would be never to give up on the dream and always be nice to everyone. ”
What one quality is critical for a person to become a leader?
“Know yourself. Know your weaknesses, your strengths and most importantly, what you want out of life. Not knowing yourself isn’t just a problem for young women, but as Becky Blalock points out in her book DARE, it’s often a problem for women mid-career, as well. Know who you are, what your priorities are and don’t feel pressured into prioritizing what society thinks you should do over what you really want.”
have the last word? We love hearing your stories. Send in your submissions for our May Last Word column for a chance to be published. To be considered, email 500 words or less to submissions@awmediainc.com by April 1. May’s topic: “My Favorite Family Getaway.”
22 Austin Woman MARCH 2 0 1 4
Connect with us! find us online at austinwomanmagazine.com
Win this!
All of Me
tweet For a Pair of Concert Tickets! Grisha & Jerome Mouffe March 29, 8 p.m. GT Austin (2700 Northland Drive, 78756) Prepare for a spectacular Flamenco treat as aficionado Grisha is joined by Belgian virtuoso Jerome Mouffe. This collaborative concert, brought to Austin by the Austin Classical Guitar Society, will surely be one to remember!
Featured event Celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day Join in the month-long celebration of the contributions and achievements of women. AW will also bring you the events, including the sixth annual International Women’s Day celebration festivities and awards from Ten Thousand Villages. More events at austinwomanmagazine.com.
Watch this eyeopening documentary, which received a prestigious Audience Award at the 2013 Austin Film Festival, when it premieres March 22 on PBS’ Independent Lens, featuring a group of Austin women. More information at allofmemovie.com.
Can’t get enough of this issue?
31 Inspiring Women
Check out austinwomanmagazine.com
The AW staff has taken a 10-day fitness challenge and Editor-in-Chief Deborah Hamilton-Lynne was brought to heel when she and pups Bandit and Satchmo joined the pack at Taurus Dog Training. Our March challenge will be to identify 31 women of achievement who are our inspiration. Share the stories of women you admire and women who have changed your life by joining the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
➥
More stay-cation ideas for spending spring break in ATX and the Hill Country.
➥
More international cuisine. Best-kept secret restaurants and staff favorites.
➥
More entrepreneurial advice. Expert tips from Reputation Lighthouse.
➥ Plus: Reviews of dance, art, theater and more. ➥ The latest from SXSW 2014. ➥ More on Ingrid Vanderveldt’s global commitment to empowering women.
Follow us
@austinwoman
24 Austin Woman MARCH 2 0 1 4
like us
facebook.com/austinwoman
find us
austinwomanmagazine.com
5 things
1
4
5 2 3 5
Five Family-Friendly Ways to Stay-cation in Austin Compiled by Ricky Rodriguez
1
2
Lake Travis Zipline Adventures
Cameron Park Zoo
The ThinkerY
Extreme Mammals
This 52-acre wildlife park, home to more than 300 species of animals, gives its guests the opportunity to become world travelers. Your family can travel to all four corners of the globe as you make your way through each geographical habitat. In the South American Exhibit, you will find king vultures and Galapagos tortoises. Explore the Brazos River country as you cruise through a saltwater aquarium, where you will discover various indigenous animals from the Texas area. Visit the lions, crowned cranes and meerkats roaming across the dusty African Savanna, and a few steps away, enter the Asian Rainforest, where Sumatran tigers and Komodo dragons call an abandoned temple their home. General admission is $9 for adults and $6 for children 4 to 12.
Formerly the Austin Children’s Museum, The Thinkery has become a center for why and how. Almost twice the size of its old location, The Thinkery houses multiple exhibits and activities geared toward STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math). Kids are encouraged to create solutions to challenging tasks in The Innovators Workshop gallery. Explore the impact of color, light and shadow in the Light Lab and learn about the versatility of fluid dynamics at Currents, a water play area where your little guys can manipulate water to create playful music and whirlpools. Continue the fun at the adjacent Mueller Lake Park, which features multiple playscapes and jogging trails. Admission is $9 for visitors and free for children 23 months and younger.
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum will be hosting a one-of-a-kind exhibit titled Extreme Mammals: The Biggest, Smallest, and Most Amazing Mammals of All Time. This dynamic and interactive exhibit features various displays that give its visitors the opportunity to learn about the diverse traits of different species of mammals. Museumgoers can explore an indoor safari that is home to the smallest mammal, no bigger than a bumblebee, or walk under a 15-foot re-creation of the largest mammal ever to roam the earth. The Bob Bullock Museum also hosts free first Sundays, when admission to the museum is waved from noon until 6 p.m. the first Sunday of every month. There will also be activities for all members of your family to participate in. Experience 200 million years of evolutionary history for yourself and visit Extreme Mammals before it ends March 23.
Spanning 28,000 feet, Lake Travis Zipline Adventures is home to the longest zipline in the state of Texas. Spread across the canyons and Lake Travis inlets, this two-and-a-half-hourlong adventure will satisfy any adrenaline junky. Guests will enjoy spectacular Hill Country views as they make their way down five ziplines leading to a 20-story-high cliff and plunging 2,800 feet across beautiful Lake Travis. For an extra thrill, try the Night Flight tour. Turn your day trip in to a weekend vacation by reserving a luxury cabin for a two-night stay that gives you access to two private beaches, a grill and picnic areas.
Lake Travis Zipline Adventures, 14529 Pocohontas Trail, 512.614.1996, ziplaketravis.com.
Cameron Park Zoo, 1701 N. Fourth St., Waco, TX, 254.750.8400, cameronparkzoo.com.
26 Austin Woman MARCH 2 0 1 4
3
The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave., 512.469.6200, thinkeryaustin.org.
4
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave., 512.936.8746, the storyoftexas.com.
5 International Women’s Day Ten Thousand Villages, a fairtrade retailer of artisan-crafted home décor, jewelry, accessories and gifts, will celebrate International Women’s Day March 3 through 8, with a weeklong event dedicated to commemorating the accomplishments of women from throughout the world. Each day, Ten Thousand Villages will host a benefit shopping night from which a portion of all purchases will help support a different local nonprofit. Ten Thousand Villages also honors local women with its International Women’s Day Award, which recognizes Austinites for their outstanding efforts to create social change. Finalists are chosen by a panel of judges and will be awarded March 7. This event will surely be empowering, filled with plenty of exciting, culturally enriching activities and, of course, inspiring women.
March 3 to 7. Ten Thousand Villages, 1317 S. Congress Ave., 512.440.0440, tenthousandvillages.com/austin.
2. Photo by Sheri Hemrick . 3. Photo by Shana Berenzweig. 4. Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History. 5. Photo by Bernadette Castillo.
on the scene /
A New World of Timeless
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AUS T IN
RADIOL OGICAL
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ARA’s new CT scanners higher quality, lower radiation Austin Radiological Association is pleased to announce we have improved our diagnostic imaging with the recent installation of new Siemens SOMATOM® Perspective 64-slice CT scanners. ARA is always working to bring you and your family the best. Now we can offer a CT scan that allows for up to 60% lower radiation dose with improved detail and image quality.
I feel like my work at ARA makes a difference in people’s lives. I like that ARA invests in new technology that is even safer and more effective for my patients. ~ Niki Robinson, ARA CT Technologist
60 yeARS
Scheduling (512) 453-6100
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on the scene /
A rou n d t ow n
Great Urban Race Sponsored by Bacardi
Kelly Keelan, Jasmine Vallejo, Alexis Arendas, Molly McManus
Kendal Gladish, Patty Valadka, Margaret Roberts
20 Colors/20 Hours
Seth Winick
28 Austin Woman MARCH 2 0 1 4
Dell Children’s Gala 2014
Ali Watson, Sabrina Brown, Laura Craddick
Alan Topfer, Wendy Topfer, Bobbi Topfer, Mort Topfer
Hand to Hold “For the Love of Babies” Awards Breakfast
Doug Runyan, Janis Runyun, Nancy Sheppard, Stuart Alderman
Yvette McDonald, Kelli Kelley, Rhonda Sageser
Guitar Under the Stars photos by Arlen Nydam. Dell Children’s Gala photos by Tony Spielberg. 20 Colors/20 Hours photo by Christopher Hamilton. Hand to Hold photos by Beverly Demafiles.
Guitar Under the Stars
Costume contest winners
APRIL 24-25, 2014
is back for another year – and it’s only getting bigger! Visit mackjackmcconaughey.org to purchase your tickets today before it is sold-out.
MJ&M
on the scene /
phil a nth ropy
Mosaic Luncheon Fifteen, fashion and philanthropy. By Sam Jackson
30 Austin Woman MARCH 2 0 1 4
earning her this year’s Woman of Valor, awarded by the Women’s Division. She founded the Hebrew Free Loan Association, and is involved with the Austin Jewish Academy, the International Association of Jewish Free Loans Growth and Development Committee, and holds top leadership positions in six other Austin-based Jewish organizations. Cookie Ruiz, executive director of Ballet Austin, will appear as a special guest to discuss choreographer Stephen Mills’ acclaimed international production, Light: The Holocaust and Humanity Project and its debut performance in Israel. In addition, local fashion house Julian Gold will showcase a style show at the luncheon, and the Women’s Division kicks off the day with a special pop-up shop from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sponsor Jack Ryan Fine Jewelry will also be in attendance. Raise a glass to say mazel tov to the accomplishments of the Jewish Federation of Greater Austin Women’s Division, the Jewish community, Tracy Solomon and Susan Dell. Tickets are $45 per person. For more information or to register, go to shalomaustin.org/mosiac.
Sponsored Events Amplify Austin: I Live Here, I Give Here March 20 and 21 For 24 hours, Amplify Austin raises funds online for local nonprofit organizations, and since they reached $2.8 million last year, they’re looking to surpass $4 million this time around. Prizes will be given to donors, so get involved. For more information, visit ilivehereigivehere. org/programs/amplify_austin. American Heart Association Hays County Heart Walk March 22, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Texas State University Join the American Heart Association as teams walk at Texas State University to raise money for heart-disease prevention and pediatric heart-defect research. More information can be found at heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/home.
Solomon photo by Ginny B Photography.
On April 7, fashion and philanthropy combine at the Renaissance Austin Hotel for an event like none other, benefiting charities and Jewish organizations throughout Austin, Israel and the rest of the globe. Whether you practice Judaism or just want to support an invaluable cause, enjoy a memorable event at the Jewish Federation of Greater Austin Women’s Division Mosaic Luncheon. With the mantra, “Fifteen, Fashion and Philanthropy, Women’s Giving is Always in Vogue,” the event celebrates its 15th anniversary through fundraising efforts and increasing the visibility of the Jewish community of Austin. Donations and proceeds from this event will fund various community support groups for education, outreach and public services. This year, the Jewish Federation will honor two women for their charity work, both here in Austin and throughout the world: Susan Dell and Tracy Solomon. As the co-founder of the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Susan Dell has been instrumental in raising millions of dollars to fund charitable organizations in the United States, South Africa and India, among others. In 2000, she spearheaded the opening of the Dell Jewish Campus in Austin that is now home to the Women’s Division, and is a trustee of the Children’s Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas. For her service to the community, she’ll be presented with the Crystal Philanthropy Award at the ceremony. Tracy Solomon has been engaged in leadership and advocacy on behalf of causes that have defined and strengthened the Austin community,
Sponsored Events
IT’S YOur NIghT OuT at the Austin Symphony
American Heart Association Vestido Rojo March 29, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Crowne Plaza Hotel Held this year at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, this conference is a gathering of Hispanic women to discuss heart disease. It ’s a free event and it will feature keynote speeches, health screenings, presentations and food. More information at heart.org. Austin Classical Guitar Society Presents Grisham and Jerome Mouffe March 29, GT Austin Two classical guitar virtuosos team up for a benefit performance at GT Austin. There will also be a preshow dinner at Chez Zee. Tickets range from $15 to $60 and dinner is an additional $50. Tickets can be purchased at austinclassicalguitar.org. Cattle Baron’s Ball March 29, Star Hill Ranch Saddle up for the 20th anniversary of the Cattle Baron’s Ball. Attendees will be transported back to the Old West at Star Hill Ranch with live music, dinner, dancing, a raffle, silent and live auctions, games and more, all to support the American Cancer Society’s mission to end cancer. Tickets and more information at cattlebaronsball.com. Be the Difference Foundation: Wheel to Survive Austin March 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dell Jewish Community Campus An indoor cycling event held at the Dell Jewish Community Campus, Wheel to Survive participants pedal for six hours to reach Be the Difference Foundation’s $50,000 goal, which will fund ovarian-cancer programs. Beginner and seasoned riders both welcome. Registration fee is $40. More information at bethedifferencefoundation.org.
It’s date night every month with the Austin Symphony! The ASO has concerts every month for any occasion. Enjoy a beverage, a beautiful view of downtown, and then listen to some live classical music performed by your Austin Symphony!
2013–2014 Season PETEr BAY, MuSIc DIrEcTOr
Ask about group rates!
tickets/info (512) 476-6064 or austinsymphony.org
on the scene /
sp o t ligh t ev ent
South Africa Comes to Bass Concert Hall In their 12-year career, the Soweto Gospel Choir of South Africa has left an impressive list of achievements in their wake. Just one month after forming, their first studio album reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s world music list. Since then, the group’s runaway momentum has carried them through the U.S. talk show tour, collaborations with many of the world’s most famous musicians and a list of prestigious awards, including an Emmy, two Grammy Awards and an Oscar nomination. They have played with everyone from Robert Plant to U2’s Bono in a tradition of communal music making and spreading a message of international solidarity and the beauty of cultural diversity. The choir returns to Austin for the second time March 23 to play Bass Concert Hall. Expect an evening of vibrant color, syncopated rhythms and a fusion of musical forms spanning from traditional African gospel to modern pop. The 52-strong Soweto Gospel Choir and their talented soloists will make for a performance you won’t soon forget. Tickets are on sale at texasperformingarts.org for $28 to $38. B See the complete March calendar of events at austinwomanmagazine.com.
32 Austin Woman MARCH 2 0 1 4
Photo by Toni Rudov. Text by Leo B. Carter.
The highly acclaimed Soweto Gospel Choir returns to Austin for a performance to remember.
on the scene /
horoscopes
Happy Birthday, Pisces! Feb. 20–March 20 Your month: Generous, happy-go-lucky and popular but a little lazy and self-indulgent: That’s you in March. Fantasy plays a strong part, but it can be a creative channel, not just an escape. Independence and self-confidence are keys to growth this month, so be brave. Assert yourself. Focus on your personal goals and please, be patient with your friends. Try not to get touchy when they fail to keep up with your flights of fancy. If you find yourself thrust in to a leadership role (you don’t usually choose this), accept graciously. You can use your otherworldly talents to make an interesting contribution.
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March is a difficult month for love, a bit cranky and cantankerous, quick to begin a project or an argument and quick to end it—a little star-crossed and fatalistic. It’s two steps forward and one step back, or even the other way around. Just try to get through it without destroying every personal relationship in your life, OK? Aries (March 21–April 20): You feel a little overwhelmed by the world this month. You sense its dark undercurrents and you don’t like them, and may naturally be tempted to escape from reality by fantasizing, maybe about singledom. Be careful; don’t let that notorious and impulsive Mars temper trick you in to heated confrontations and arguments with your nearest and dearest. What you’re really working on this year is “the love that lasts forever,” so don’t throw all that effort away because of one or two difficult months. Be patient with everyone (especially yourself) and have faith. Try to make kindness your minimum standard. Taurus (April 21–May 21): Your energy’s zapped, no drive to get anything done, you see mountains of work pile up on your desk unfinished. Give yourself a break! This astrological production gridlock lasts for the next two months, so take plenty of time to get your work done, stop over-committing and don’t stress. Neither love nor career is easy this year, but at least you’ll have plenty of energy and drive to get all of the work done you want to do after March 19th. Then you’ll find yourself constantly busy. You’ll need that so you don’t get restless and anxious about your love life. Gemini (May 22–June 20): It’s already an interesting year, Gemini. Financial opportunities
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grow and thrive like kudzu in Louisiana but, as things tend to go, the opposite is true in love. This year, making love grow feels more like trying to keep a tea rose alive during a summer in Austin. You crave a close physical and emotional bond but you see every weed and aphid in your current relationships. You’re combative, ready to kill each other one minute and then rip each other’s clothes off the next. Please, before you throw in your trowel, just wait until March is over, OK? Cancer (June 21–July 22): You face an interesting dichotomy this month: Love is strong, important and very real, as it is all year, but home will be problematic until March 19th. Issues will be addressed, repairs will be made and arguing ensues. Or work changes, projects come home, arguing ensues. You get the picture. But step away from the house and—bliss. So, you simply have to get out of the house. Plan a trip, especially a long trip requiring a passport, and all will be right in your world. Embrace hotels and vacation rentals by owner, get someone to water your plants and feed your pets, and come back after March 19th. Leo (July 23–Aug. 23): You used to be such a happy sort, more interested in enjoyment than indulging in much introspection. This month, though, you’re looking deep in to your own soul.
Your focus is on serious subjects: What truly interests you, what is really important, what’s the big picture? You have plenty of drive and determination to make the necessary changes, but you feel frustrated. Why all these obstacles? Please don’t be in a hurry. Once you’ve mastered the lesson of learning when to be self-assertive and when to relax, then you’ll be able to count on the support of those closest to you. Virgo (Aug. 24–Sept. 22): This might be a difficult year for your career, Virgo. Even though your focus, time and attention have been toward your finances, there is a problem with March. You might lose an extra source of income, or you have to quit a second job or some unexpected expenses may come up, and you have to spend more money than you budgeted, or you might get some bad advice and make bad investments. Talk things through with people whose advice you trust before you make any big decisions. A little advice can go a long way, especially from someone who’s been there before. Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): Libra is traditionally the sign of balance, but lately you’ve been all over the place, and either your energy is too high or it’s too low, you’re argumentative or defensive (or both) and you aren’t willing to compromise. And to top it off, you may feel like someone pushed the pause button on the forward momentum you’ve been experiencing in your career. You are having to redo things you thought were completed, but you need to make an impact for the world to benefit from your actions. So, be patient. Things will look better at the end of March. Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): You can run but you can’t hide, at least not from the past. It’s coming back to bite you this month. You don’t have the energy to deal with it, even though you feel your personal power and self-control has somehow been eroded. Your first instinct is to escape and avoid, but it’s foolish to hold on to something you know isn’t necessary to your life anymore. Let it go. And try to do it without emotional outbursts or loss of temper.
You may feel a little directionless, with a vague sense of being off balance, but try to remember: It’s not forever. Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): You want excitement in your love life and in your relationships. You’re attracted to people who are unusual, different and original, and you want some spice, so you find yourself pursuing a completely different group of friends. You may even try to make significant changes in your love relationships to make things more exiting, but my advice is: Wait. Don’t jump too fast. If you act impulsively, things could go badly. Your new friends may turn out to be a bad fit for you later. Try not to make changes just for the sake of change. Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 20): Suddenly, you feel as though you’ve been zapped by an invisible ray gun sucking all the energy and drive from your body. With your career goals and ambitions, nothing usually stands in your way, but could it be that you lack confidence? You? And you’re fighting with co-workers, with people in your office, with family about your career, with bosses or mentors. You’re thinking you may need to reconsider, maybe look your plans through again to see what needs adjusting. Everything will likely change anyway, so be flexible. You may have taken on too much, so unload a little of the weight. You’ll feel better. Aquarius (Jan. 21–Feb. 19): If your love life has been a little out of kilter, or your partnership off balance, this year is the antidote. Wanderlust, travel fever, romance and career advancement should be daily themes, and somehow they all fit together like puzzle pieces. Make serious travel plans. This may require adapting and compromise, but if you’re willing to do the work, work, work, you should have some fun, fun, fun. Your daily routine will be over-filled, so let yourself have small moments of indulgence. Being rigid won’t help you. Allow time to relish life’s little pleasures and you will be better able to handle your caseload. By Deborah Mastelotto deborah@pinkaustin.com
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must list /
T R AV E L
Best of the West Get lured by the burgeoning gourmet scene. Venture out and explore San Antonio and the Hill Country. By Carla Avolio When it comes to getting away for the weekend, Austinites have often gone west, either down to San Antonio for out-and-out action at Six Flags, or across to Fredericksburg for boutique shopping and a hearty schnitzel. Although there will always be mandatory trips to the River Walk and the Alamo, and the region west of Austin will continue to draw us back with its reliable tourist attractions, now there’s another great reason to make the drive: a thriving gourmet scene. Nao
This is a food area on the move. A synergy between chefs and producers is leading a gastronomic boom that’s rooted in the surrounding land. “We have really evolved beyond the pervasive Tex-Mex,” says David Kellaway, managing director of the Culinary Institute of America’s campus in San Antonio. “Chefs are starting to
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embrace the region’s strong culture and excellent farm-to-table accessibility to the fertile Rio Grande Valley, offering diners worldclass cuisine.” At San Antonio’s iconic River Walk, a newly developed 1.3-mile stretch has created fertile ground for newly minted restaurants and cultural attractions like The Pearl. This converted
brewery—home to the CIA, boutique shops and eateries—has become a gourmet hotspot where high-end restaurants place a strong emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. On Saturdays, the square in front of the beautifully restored 1881 Brewhouse comes alive with a producers-only market. Stalls are piled with a colorful mix of fruits and earthy
Photo by The Culinary Institute of America.
San Antonio’s RIver Walk
Photo by Shuffield Photography.
Vaudeville Bistro
Country Resort, the ranch-style resort that local produce—still in its peak freshness—that vegetables that come and go with the seasons: sits at the foot of the Hill Country. At finecompels him to champion its use; it’s also a fennel in January, figs in June, melons in Sepdining establishment Francesca’s at Sunset, tember. Under a crisp blue sky, I spend a happy sense of responsibility. “These farmers work incredibly hard for us, Chef Dirk Troop uses fruits and vegetables morning sampling locally roasted coffee and so this is my way of supporting them,” he says. grown within 100 miles and tweaks the menu fresh goat cheese from Blanco as the sound of every 10 days to ensure he features what’s And it’s not just small businesses making live jazz floats in the air. The produce here truly in season. is the definition of local, The same goes for the coming from no more than “We don’t try to imitate California’s success, resort’s drink selection. I fall 150 miles away. but rather plant what works in this environment.” in love with the scarlet-tinted Next door at the Boiler sangria, which stars awardHouse, Chef Jeff White winning Cinco vodka from San Antonio, the most of the area’s abundance; big-name holds special dinners showcasing small farms Duchman wine from Driftwood, about 20 hotels are cottoning on too. Driving northin South Central Texas. Up next in January: miles out of Austin, and a smattering of berwest, San Antonio’s cityscape melts in to genbeef brisket and root vegetables grown 30 ries. Plus, five nights a week, Head Sommelier tly sloping hills blanketed with gnarled oak miles away at My Father’s Farm in Seguin. He Steven Kruger holds tastings of wines made trees. I soon find myself at La Cantera Hill says it’s not just the superior quality of the
River Walk photo by Tim Thompson SACVB. Francesca’s at Sunset photo by Stephan Hengst.
San Antonio’s River Walk
from grapes grown entirely in this state, which reminds me that here in the Hill Country, I’m sitting in the best place on earth to appreciate Texan wine. This is the location of so-called Wine Road 290, a small stretch of Highway 290 near Fredericksburg with the highest density of wineries and tasting rooms in the state. Almost two dozen are clustered there alone. I have dates with two of these wineries that have made headlines recently for winning gold and silver medals for viognier at a competition in France. Making my way to the first,
Pedernales Cellars, I turn off Highway 290 and drive to the top of a hill, where I’m greeted by Julie Kuhlken. A former philosophy professor, she teamed up with her winemaker brother and together, they started producing wine from their parents’ 20-year-old vines in 2006. “We don’t try to imitate California’s success, but rather plant what works in this environment,” says Kuhlken as we tour their barrel cellar built in to a natural hill. This means plenty of Spanish, Portuguese and Southern Rhone varietals that thrive under the blazing Texan sun. In the light-filled tasting room, I savor the subtle, fruit-tart notes of their Bingham Vineyards Moscato Giallo (sadly, the gold medal 2012 Viognier Reserve sold out within three months). With Kuhlken’s affable conversation and the sweeping views of the golden countryside, I find it hard to leave, but push on knowing how much more awaits.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK SAN ANTONIO Farmers Markets 303 Pearl Pkwy. #300 78215, 210.212.7260, atpearl.com Boiler House 312 Pearl Pkwy. 78215, 210.354.4644, boilerhousesa.com, chefcooperatives.com (local farm dinners) Nao 312 Pearl Pkwy. 78215, 210.554.6484, naorestaurant.com Francesca’s at Sunset 16641 La Cantera Pkwy. 78256, 210.558.6500, resortlacantera.com/dining/francescas_at_sunset
FREDERICKSBURG AND SURROUNDING AREA Pedernales Cellars 2916 Upper Albert Road, Stonewall 78671, 830.644.2037, pedernalescellars.com Becker Vineyards 464 Becker Farms Road, Stonewall 78671, 830.644.2681, beckervineyards.com Fischer & Wieser’s Das Peach Haus 1406 S. U.S. Hwy. 87 78624, 866.997.8969, daspeachhaus.com Chocolat 251 W. Main St. 78624, 830.990.9382, chocolat-tx.us Vaudeville 230 E. Main St. 78624, 830.992.3234, vaudeville-living.com
WHERE TO STAY La Cantera Hill Country Resort
16641 La Cantera Pkwy. 78256, 210.558.6500, resortlacantera.com
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Local convention and visitors bureaus provide the best source of information. Call toll-free and visit their websites. Fredericksburg CVB: 1.888.997.3600, visitfredericksburgtx.com San Antonio CVB: 1.800.447.3372, visitsanantonio.com Francesca’s at Sunset
austinwomanmagazine.com 39
HOME /
I n terio r D e s ig n
From Drab to Fab Inspiring before and after photos and design tips to help keep your home uniquely yours and beautifully timeless. By Monique Penner of Posh Interiors
Renovating, reorganizing and decorating can be overwhelming tasks for most people. The homeowners of this 1946 Austin bungalow wanted to give their home a fresh new look as well as incorporate their love of the mid-century modern furnishings and style. Deriving inspiration from the wonderful pieces this family already had, the key to updating their home was finding the right elements to bring those pieces back to life.
Dining Room Renovation
Before
Painting the walls and ceiling a fresh new light color opened up the space of the dining room. (Paint color: Sherwin Williams Natural Choice SW7011.) With the space feeling larger, the family’s current 1940s Duncan Phyfe table was able to be re-purposed, updating the look by extending it to seat six and adding a Carrara marble top with a sleek and sexy slight oval shape curve to it. To continue the update, four of the traditional chairs were reupholstered with a velvet Pandros Gold pattern fabric that brought in a mix of gold and silver, then added two new gray velvet head chairs for a perfect
mix of vintage and new. The extra Carrara was used to create a buffet top from another storage piece, as well as a small eat-at countertop for the kitchen. Adding new lightweight window panels with a mix of metallic and floral print keeps the room light and airy and not feeling like a stuffy dining room. The chandelier adds the drama to the room and continues the element of mid-century and modern together. For the finishing touches, vintage mirrors were added to reflect the natural light into the space, as well as two vintage sconces and some of the family’s oil canvas paintings to add color and texture.
Five Important Tips for a Successful Redesign: eep Your Home and K Neighborhood in Mind Using low-end remodeling finishes in a high-end neighborhood diminishes your home’s value, and putting high-end finishes in a lower-priced neighborhood won’t push your home’s sale price much above the last sale price.
Think Timeless Today’s trendy remodeling finish choices are tomorrow’s dated decor. Even a beautifully executed remodeling project fades in value over time. Brass bathroom fixtures, anyone?
Renovation and Design Concept Knowing what home renovations or design inspirations you want ahead of time will help you decide on budget and timelines, as well as prevent you from spending a lot more money than you ever intended.
Communication Like in any relationship, communication is key. Ongoing communication between you and your designer is very important through a renovation process in order to keep the client involved in the choices, as well as allowing the designer to make the decisions that will not only look good but will function for the space and family.
Budget and Timeline Both of these go hand in hand and are key to a smooth and successful project. Have a budget set for your project and for your designer’s fee, and some cushion for unexpected things that may come up or that you may want to add. Your timeline should include renovation, cleanup and decorating. After
40 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
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Teenage Bedroom Makeover Bedrooms are a key element that set the mood for many of us, and for this maturing teenager, it is also a very important living space. The room should reflect her personality as well as provide a beautiful and luxurious space for any guests that may stay in this room. Choosing colors she loves, it was important to keep the space light and neutral because it is a small space. Wallpaper was added to one wall to make the space feel longer and provide a pattern and texture. The existing Paul McCobb furniture was updated with a sexy high-gloss finish in
keeping to the mid-century modern feel of the home, as well as adding to the drama of the room. Adding pillows and fabrics in a bedroom is a simple must-have. To finish it all off, lighting. It will create the mood and set the feeling for your entire room. Here, the lighting is feminine and adds a little drama and sweet romance too. Monique Penner is the owner of Posh Interiors, specializing in interior design and home décor. For more information, visit poshinteriorsaustin.com or call 512.992.4220.
Before
After
Resources Bedroom 3 Graham & Brown (wallpaper), A Woman’s Touch, Juanita Carson (install) 3 Under Cover Upholstery, Sabrina Stewart (upholstered chair), Calico (fabric) 3 Live Oak Furniture Repair, Merritt Kaufman (furniture refinishing) 3 Jose Denova (painting, repairs, contractor) 3 lowes.com (light fixture), Geryn Madrid (electrician) 3 target.com (upholstered bed)
Dining Room 3 MidWest Tile Marble and Granite (Carrera marble on table and buffet) 3 Stone Age Granite, Rett Griffith (marble fabrication for table, buffet and countertop) 3 A Woman’s Touch, Juanita Carson (install) 3 Jose Denova (painting, repairs, contractor) 3 Crate and Barrel (light fixture), Geryn Madrid (electrician)
austinwomanmagazine.com 43
HOME /
W H AT ’ S I N S T O R E
Ten Thousand Villages By Ricky Rodriguez, Photos by Elizabeth Shear Ten Thousand Villages is one of the first and oldest fair-trade retailers, transporting artisan-crafted home décor and accessories from throughout the world. This longstanding and well-respected retailer prides itself on cultivating trustworthy trade relationships with artisans from more than 38 countries. Here, you will find high-quality pieces imported from exotic lands, adding an eclectic and bohemian flare to your home. Mosaic mirrors, hand-dyed woven baskets and painted paper fans are only a few of
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the fantastic home-design items that Ten Thousand Villages has to offer. Embroidered scarves and delicate jewelry are all perfect gifts that will surely add a touch of whimsy to any ensemble. “The mission of our store really speaks to Austinities and their eco-friendly, sustainable nature,” says Kitty Bird, manager at Ten Thousand Villages. “Many people will visit our store first for something specific like a planter, piece of jewelry or dishware before going to the big-box stores. Each time a
purchase is made, we print out the story on the person who made it. It makes a gift so much more meaningful. Where else can you get that kind of experience?” With such a wide variety of treasures from throughout the world in one convenient place, Ten Thousand Villages is an exceptional shop that always has both its customers and artisans in mind. Ten Thousand Villages, 1317 S. Congress Ave., 512.440.0440, tenthousandvillages. com/austin.
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1. Lotus Blossom Candle Set, $29 Two lotus candleholders with adorning taper candles, handmade in Nepal by Sana Hastakala, which works to preserve traditions of Nepali artisans. 2. Inscribed Singing Bowl, $99 Brass inscribed with copper finish and wooden stick made in Nepal by Mahaguthi, an organization that promotes the success of artisans and fair trade. 3. Petal Power Pillow, $39 Crocheted fabric flower pillow from Vietnam.
4. Bird Song Pillow Cover, $49 Hand embroidered, made by artisans of St. Mary’s Mahila Shikshan Kendra in India. 5. Masala Spice Tray, $99 Made from mango wood and bright ceramic tiles, crafted by Asha Handicrafts Association in India, representing more than 6,500 artisans. 6. Sea Drivers Chest, $450 Handcrafted, made from reclaimed entombed wood, adorned with metal hardware, carved by artisans in Jepara, Indonesia.
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Dangerous Curves These metals are predatory.
Photo by Rudy Arocha 46   Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
1. Lee Angel metal cabochon chain necklace, $132 4. John Hardy silver link necklace, $795 2. John Hardy chain bracelet with diamond pave clasp, $2,495 5. Eddie Borgo small cube bracelet, $290 3. David Yurman cable rolo chain necklace, $325 6. Konstantino oval-station bracelet, $1,680 Available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com. Ball pythons courtesy of Zoo Keeper Exotic Pets, 9012 Research Blvd., 512.453.8800, zookeeperpets.com.
Crank up the giving.
You look like a philanthropist—perhaps it’s the heart? We’re making donating easy for philanthropists like you on March 20-21, 2014. Just go to AmplifyATX.org and choose from hundreds of Central Texas nonprofits to make a donation. With your help, we can raise $4 million, making it a rocking good day for your favorite charities.
Do te
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#amplifyATX
style /
SXSW
Born To Be Wild Musicians Katie Paschall and Taye Cannon rock spring trends for the upcoming festival season. Photos by Annie Ray Styling by Ashley Hargrove, dtkaustinstyling.com. Hair by Ellen Fate and Temara Coggin, J.COCO Salon & Day Spa, 5400 Brodie Lane, Ste. 295, 512.891.0420, jcocosalons.com. Makeup by McKenzy Windham, Kiss n’ Makeup, 4402A Burnet Road, 512.388.1150, kissnmakeup.com. Shot on location at Sway, 1417 S. First St., 512.326.1999, swayaustin.com, and at Vuka, 411 W. Monroe St., 512.761.3842, vukaaustin.com. austinwomanmagazine.com 49
Katie Paschall Bringing listeners to tears at Austin Woman’s December issue launch party, this University of Texas Austin senior is a bagful of tricks. The 21-year-old singer-songwriter, journalism major and operations manager for AW Media regularly performs throughout town, playing guitar and singing lead vocals with various music projects. Originally from Leander, Texas, Paschall essentially grew up on the Austin music scene, influenced by the eclectic sounds emanating from the city’s core. “I’ve always been soulful and tried to channel that,” Paschall says about her own sultry sound. “I started out doing country and grew up listening to rock’n’roll with my dad, so I kind of have a mix between country and rock, with a little bit of bluesy soul.” In this month’s style shoot, Paschall teamed up with Roxy Roca frontman Taye Cannon to rock spring trends perfectly suited for the upcoming festival season. Typically sporting a “flirty bohemian” look, Paschall favored the patterned romper and fringe wrap, her young spirit shining through as she joked and laughed throughout the day with Cannon and the crew. Recently joining a new band, Paschall is optimistic about her musical future. “As a student and working part time, it’s hard to focus on one thing. I’m hoping when I graduate in May, I can put more time and energy into expanding on my music,” she says. Insider tip: Catch Paschall at the Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCullough March 21. More information at facebook.com/ katiepaschallmusic. –Molly McManus
50 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
Sway At Sway, traditional Thai influences and minimalist streamlined architecture come together to create a harmonious dining experience that envelops all five senses. Designed by Michael Hsu, Sway features a mix of contrasting neutral tones and industrial finishes, accented by colorful spirit houses adorned with fresh floral wreaths and sacred offerings. Sway provides both indoor and outdoor dining under a fantastic outdoor pergola wrapped in multicolored lights. Sway’s fusion style of cuisine has become a must experience for foodies who seek dishes that taste as exquisite as they look. –Ricky Rodriguez 1417 S. First St., 512.326.1999, swayaustin.com.
Vuka 411 W. Monroe St., 512.761.3842, vukaaustin.com. For more on Vuka, see Page 57 of the ATX Man spring issue.
Previous page: On Katie: Collective Concepts floral dress, $75, available at Maya Star, 1508 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.1475, mayastar.com; Cognac sandals, $29.99, available at Target, target.com; Deux Lux Bellini metallic wallet, $49.99; CocoBelle brushed silver elastic belt, $28, available at Y&I Clothing Boutique, 1113 S. Congress Ave., 512.462.0775, shopyandi.com; ring, $13, available at The Lash Lounge, 10601 RM 2222, 512.346-5274, thelashlounge.com. On Taye: Gant Rugger selvage madras shirt, $115, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com; JBrand Tyler Core dark wash jeans, $172, available at Co-Star, 1708 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.7970, costarstyle.com; Cole Haan Martin Chuckka boot, $278, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com; blue and white frames, $10, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com; watch, model’s own.
This page: Amanda Uprichard swan dress, $234, available at Co-Star, 1708 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.7970, costarstyle.com; Billabong oatmeal wrap, $54, available at Y&I Clothing Boutique, 1113 S. Congress Ave., 512.462.0775, shopyandi.com; Ugg Josie tall boots, $250, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com; vintage hat, stylist’s own; Mossimo cognac fringe messenger bag, $19.99, available at Target, target.com; necklace, $22, available at The Lash Lounge, 10601 RM 2222, 512.346.5274, thelashlounge.com.
On Katie: Flying Tomato lace and fringe wrap $50, available at Maya Star, 1508 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.1475, mayastar.com; Jealous Tomato smocking top romper, $47, available at Co-Star, 1708 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.7970, costarstyle.com; MinneTonka fringe suede wedges, stylist’s own. On Taye: Bonobos Henry gingham sport shirt, $85, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com; JBrand Tyler Core dark wash jeans, $172, available at Co-Star, 1708 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.7970, costarstyle.com; Converse John Varvatos snake sneaker, $170, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.
austinwomanmagazine.com 51
On Katie: Ella Moss Stella leather drape top, $118; Sanctuary camo travel chino, $118, available at Y&I Clothing Boutique, 1113 S.Congress Ave., 512.462.0775, shopyandi.com; gold-studded cuff, $13.75; purse, $91, available at The Lash Lounge, 10601 RM 2222, 512.346.5274, thelashlounge. com. Ugg short boots, stylist’s own. On Taye: Frye Logan men’s cognac messenger bag, $498; John Varvatos gray shadow vest, $198; John Varvatos flagstone plaid shirt, $98; John Varvatos dried sage pants, $198, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com; boots, model’s own.
austinwomanmagazine.com 53
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On Katie: Alice & Olivia black leather tank, $158, available at Co-Star, 1708 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.7970, costarstyle.com; Gianni Versace vintage couture check skirt, $125, available at Co-Star, 1708 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.7970, costarstyle.com; Jimmy Choo GINO metallic pumps, $625, stylist’s own; snake cuff, $35.75; black leather wrap, $35.75, available at The Lash Lounge, 10601 RM 2222, 512.346.5274, thelashlounge.com. On Taye: Robert Graham GEEP floral shirt, $268; Robert Graham Yardarm black pattern jacket, $998; Diesel black safado pant, $198; Converse John Varvatos snake sneaker, $170, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.
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STYLE /
B E AU T Y
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1. Loreal, Paparazzi Pleaser, $5.99 2. Revlon Colorstay, Bold Sangria, $7.79 3. Covergirl Outlast, Lav-endure, $6.79 4. Loreal, Royalty Reivented, $6.79 5. Essie, Warm and Toasty Turtleneck, $8.50 6. Sinful Nail Color, Enchanted, $1.99 Available at your local drug store. 7. Orchid Nail Lacquer, What’s Sa Rong? $4.97 Available at H-E-B stores.
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gourmet /
I n t e r nat iona l C u isi n e
Around the World in Five Courses Celebrate International Women’s Day with a culinary world tour, Austin-style.
You don’t need your passport to taste your way around the world. These Austin restaurants will take you on an adventure-filled global culinary tour without having to pack your bags.
By Kristi Willis
Tucked away in an unassuming shopping center near the Mueller H-E-B grocery store, Xian Sushi and Noodle whisks you away to the heart of China with its masterful soups featuring hand-pulled noodles, or la mian. Xian is the first restaurant in Austin to offer the wheat-flour noodles made painstakingly by hand through a process of stretching and twisting the flour into long, thin noodles, a technique that is considered an art. The beef hand-pulled noodles is a dish of satisfying soup with a clear, rich beef broth, delicate noodles, radish, cilantro and leeks. Diners get to pick the style of their noodles, from skinny vermicelli to thick papparadelle. The red chili oil that accompanies the dish elevates the flavor of the soup, but is quite spicy and should be ordered on the side for anyone adverse to fiery dishes. 1801 E. 51st St., Building C 370, xianfresh.com. There are no kitschy oompah bands or lederhosen at Fabi + Rosi, just expertly prepared European fare from German-born Chef Wolfgang Murber. In this elegantly appointed house in Tarrytown, Chef Murber serves modern interpretations of classic dishes using fresh, local ingredients. His schnitzel and spaetzle entree features delicate noodles with a rich mushroom sauce and a hint of bright lemon and parsley. The dish delivers the flavors of satisfying comfort food without overwhelming the diner, and is a perfect example of why Fabi + Rosi is worth regular visits. 509 Hearn St., fabiandrosi.com.
Xian Sushi and Noodle
58 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
For dessert, head to Dolce Neve for authentic gelato made by a trio of Italian natives, brother and sister team Marco and Francesca Silverstrini and Francesca’s fiancé, Leo Ferrarese. Drawing on Francesca’s award-wining work with Gelateria De’ Coltelli in Pisa, one of the most famous gelato shops in Italy, the Dolce Neve crew make gelato daily using seasonal ingredients and milk from a local dairy. The creamy treats include classics like hazelnut, pistachio and stracciatella (vanilla with small flakes of chocolate) and vegan varieties made with rice milk. The shop also offers gelato sandwiches, popsicles and other frozen delicacies. 1713 S. First St., dolcenevegelato.com. No world tour would be complete without a nightcap, and Russian House offers a truly unique experience of almost 100 types of infused vodkas. Flavors range from sweet, fruity concoctions to almost medicinal herbal varieties believed to aid in boosting the immune system and cure ailments, and the more adventurous like cigar. Using ancient Russian recipes, Chef Vladimir Gribkov uses only organic fruits and vegetables for the infusions. “The most important aspect is using good quality vodka and fresh ingredients,” Gribkov says. You can enjoy the vodkas straight or mix one of the sweeter vodkas with Champagne for a refreshing cocktail. Na zdorovye! 307 E. Fifth St., russianhouseofaustin.com.
Dolce Neve
Photos courtesy of Xian Sushi and Noodle and Dolce Neve.
At Barlata Tapas Bar, Chef Daniel Olivella and his wife, Vanessa Jerez, serve authentic Spanish tapas and paella in a bright and modern space that invites lively conversation and sharing with friends. Chef Olivella draws on recipes from his Spanish heritage and adds his own twists, elevating the dishes. His ceviche is particularly noteworthy. Filled with tender seafood and dressed with a tangy tomato sauce that has a touch of heat from habanero, this dish transports you to the sunny Costa Brava in Olivella’s native Catalan home. 1500 S. Lamar Blvd., #150, barlataaustin.com.
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Shrimp, Scallop and Octopus Ceviche Courtesy of Chef Daniel Olivella, Barlata Yields 6 to 8 servings
Directions: For the octopus: Defrost the octopus and rinse well. Place in a pot of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook until the octopus is just shy of tender (about 40 minutes). If the octopus is not completely submerged while cooking, weigh it down with a plate or lid. Remove the octopus from the water and transfer to a bowl. Wrap the bowl in plastic and place in the refrigerator. Once cool, peel the dark purple membrane from the side of the tentacles. Cut each tentacle at the base of the head and discard the head. Cut into bite-size pieces and set aside. For the shrimp: Peel and devein the shrimp. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the black peppercorns and bay leaves. Turn down to a simmer and add the shrimp. Poach the shrimp until they are cooked through, then shock in ice water. Cut into bite-size pieces and set aside. To finish: Sear the scallops in a hot pan with oil until golden brown. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, octopus, tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Dress with the ketchup, juice from the limes, hot sauce and extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with the scallops, lime wedges and cilantro sprigs. Serve immediately.
60 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
Photo by Lisa Munoz.
Ingredients: 1 octopus, about 4 pounds 2 pounds shrimp 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 6 scallops 3 roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and small diced 1/2 yellow onion, finely minced 1 bunch cilantro, finely minced 1/2 cup ketchup 4 limes 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Habanero hot sauce to taste Salt and pepper to taste
Find Yourself in Austin
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Schnitzel and Spaetzle with Mushroom Sauce Courtesy of Chef Wolfgang Murber, Fabi + Rosi Yields 4 servings Ingredients: For the Schnitzel: 4 5-ounce pieces of pork loin or pork cutlets 2 cups flour 2 cups of breadcrumbs 3 eggs 2 cups clairified butter (or vegetable oil) Salt Pepper Paprika For the spaetzle: 4 eggs 1/2 cup sparkling water 2 cups flour Pinch of nutmeg Salt 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 1/4 cup sliced chives For the mushroom sauce: 4 ounces crimini mushrooms, quartered 4 ounces oyster mushrooms, trimmed 1 tablespoon flour 1 ounce butter 2 tablespoons white wine 1 tablespoon shallots, diced 1 garlic clove, chopped
Directions: For the schnitzel: Pound the pork loin to about 1/8 of an inch using a meat mallet. Salt, pepper and dust with paprika on both sides, then dust with flour, dredge through beaten eggs and press into bread crumbs. In a large saute pan, heat up the clarified butter and fry the schnitzel until golden brown. For the spaetzle: Add eggs and sparkling water to a food processor. Turn to medium, using a spatula attachment to beat for one minute. Add nutmeg, a pinch of salt and the flour then beat for two minutes. Bring salted water to a boil using a large stockpot and squeeze spaetzle dough into it using either a spaetzle press, a potato ricer or a colander and a spatula. Cook for about four minutes (all the spaetzle should be swimming on top and water should be at a boil). To finish, melt 1 ounce of butter in a medium-sized saute pan. Add the parsley and chives, add the spaetzle, stir and salt to taste. For the mushroom sauce: Heat up a small saucepan, and add butter, shallots and garlic. Stir until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and saute for 30 seconds. Add flour and stir for 30 seconds. Add white wine and cream, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. To assemble: Place spaetzle on a dining plate. Add the schnitzel and top with mushroom sauce. Garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of parsley.
Infused Vodkas Ingredients: 1 75-liter bottle Russian vodka 1 bag fresh berries (blueberry, raspberry, cherry, strawberry and blackberry) 16 ounces honey Directions: Add thoroughly washed fruits and berries into a desired jar (must have a lid), add honey and vodka. Mix everything well and store in a dark place for a week. Daily, strain out the old fruit and add the same amount of fresh berries. Mix vodka and fruits well and store in a dark place for another week. Mix well and leave untouched for a month (must remain in the dark place with no sun exposure). Then it’s ready to be served. Traditionally, infused vodkas are kept and served at room temperature, and should not be kept in the refrigerator. Shelf life is about six months.
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Lavender- or Rosemary-Infused Vodkas When using herbs such as lavender or rosemary, add them to the vodka whole, and no honey needs to be added. The more herbs you add, the stronger it will be in the vodka. If using herbs or spices, use a good handful because they are stronger and will emit more flavor than fruit or vegetables. Pour the vodka into the jar and cover it with a lid. Place the jar in a dark place for a month. When ready, pour the vodka through a mesh strainer. Then it’s ready to be served. Shelf life is longer than for fruits and berries, but no more than a year.
Photos courtesy of Fabi + Rosi and Russian House.
Courtesy of Chef Vladimir Gribkov, Russian House
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B e s t- K e p t S e c r e t
Departure Lounge Come explore Austin’s one-ofa-kind coffee and wine bar with an adventurous twist.
Photo courtesy of Departures Lounge.
By Hope Petersen Sleek, elegant and modern. Austin’s newest and hottest wine and coffee bar offers exotic wines and cheeses, as well as mouth-watering coffees and sweet treats with a twist. The Departure Lounge comes fully staffed with travel advisors to help you plan your next exotic getaway. Plan your next trip to France while sipping from a tall glass of chardonnay or nibbling on a fine slice of Roquefort. Whether it’s a cruise to the Caribbean, a safari tour of the African Savannah or a historical visit to the castles of Scotland, the Departure Lounge has you covered. Their most popular destination? “Italy, by far,” says Keith Waldon, founder of the Departure Lounge. Is it the wine and cheese? Who knows! Guests can peruse hundreds of destinations from throughout the world via one of the many travel magazines the Departure Lounge has available, or, more popularly, from touch-screen TVs mounted on the walls or on iPads. Take the official Departure Lounge travel persona quiz to find out what type of traveler you are and go from there. Travel agents plan every step of your journey, from flights to hotel reservations. Your agent will create a personalized travel itinerary for you and your companions, so everyone can do what they want. Visit a museum while your husband samples the
local pub food, or take a gondola ride together. “We’re very well connected here,” Waldon explains. In addition to destinations, the Departure Lounge offers plenty of travel perks and deals. Their connections with the Virtuoso luxury travel network mean you get to enjoy the trip of a lifetime at the lowest possible cost. “We have connections to more than 1,000 hotels and resorts, as well as more than 400 cruise sailings per year,” Waldon says. Name a country, and the Departure Lounge can take you there. Even if you can’t afford to take your dream trip just yet, you can always come and enjoy the Departure Lounge’s elegant atmosphere and their wide array of drinks and snacks. The Departure Lounge features an exotic menu with drinks and treats from throughout the word. Get your morning caffeine buzz from coffees hailing from
places such as Costa Rica, Brazil and Tanzania. The Departure Lounge also features 85 boutique wines from throughout the world, all of which can be explored on their iPad wine list. Chef Jocelyn Harris, owner of Sugaplump Pastries and the Departure Lounge’s official chef, bakes treats with flavors that will transport you to far-flung locations such as Russia. Rounding out the menu is the delectable selection of chocolate truffles, cheeses and sandwiches. Although your body might not be able to make a trip across the globe, your taste buds will certainly find themselves transported. Whether you’re looking to plan your next excursion or simply wanting to enjoy some fine wine and coffee, the Departure Lounge has something to offer everybody. Treat yourself to an afternoon of wining, dining and adventuring at this one-of-a-kind Austin experience. The Departure Lounge, 311 W. Fifth St., suite 102, 512.322.9399, departurelounge.com.
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to your health /
F I TNESS
Hot Lava Gym An all-ages obstacle course ensures you’ll build strength while still having a lot of fun. By Megan Russell, Photos by Jessica Teseny Remember those rainy days inside when you were little? As restless kids, someone would ultimately suggest the game Hot Lava, where you’d jump around on the furniture trying not to touch the floor, which represented the lava. Luckily for Austinites, some of us never grow out of those childish games. When Kate and Ben Broussard had their son, Simon, they, like all parents, weren’t ready to leave him and go back to the reality of their 9-to-5 jobs. So what did they do to pay the bills and maintain a comfortable lifestyle? Open Austin’s coolest indoor gym/obstacle course. “We just had Simon and we wanted to be able to spend more time with him. We didn’t want to have to go back to work right away, so we were looking for a business we could set up and
66 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
would run itself. And the other thing we wanted was something like this to exist,” owner Kate Broussard says about her gym. But what exactly had they envisioned that wasn’t in Austin before? Hot Lava is an indoor obstacle course and Parkour gym. You may remember Parkour as the 2006 Internet sensation born from the opening scene of Casino Royale. Originally created by the French police, it’s about moving from one place to another as efficiently as possible and in the least amount of time. Also known as free running, Parkour involves flips, diving through holes and bouncing off of things. For Broussard, Parkour is more than just body movements. “It’s also very pretty to watch,” she says. “The people who have been doing it longer seem to hang in midair. It’s like watching a gymnast or Olympic-level athlete. It’s beautiful to watch the kind of things the human body can do.” Don’t let the intensity of Parkour throw you off. Hot Lava offers a multi-faceted environment for you to mix up your workout. Their indoor obstacle course is modeled both on military-style obstacles and American Ninja Warrior-style obstacles, like the pipe slide and quad steps. “We have a spring floor. We have a foam pit and what people do is come in and practice
skills that they want to do, pull-ups or climbing ropes, working on agility or balance, or they can coordinate and set up their own obstacle course,” Broussard says. And while most gyms of this nature are classoriented, Hot Lava takes a different approach. “[My husband] has always been really dedicated to play and to making time to goof off,” Broussard says. “The problem he always had is you have to be part of a class. For a lot of physical activities where equipment’s involved, you generally have to be enrolled in some sort of class that’s not freeform. So to have an opengym style with a lot of equipment that is also safe with mats and padding, but where you can just come in and use the space is an idea that he got really in to.” That doesn’t mean, however, they don’t offer some form of class for those who are interested. Wednesday nights are dedicated to a Superhero Study Group run by co-owner Ben Broussard. “It’s a weekly, informal meet up where people who want to learn skills or people who have a particular skill set come in and they all play around. We have a couple guys who do Parkour. Ben does gymnastics and martial arts and jujitsu. It’s an informal thing where people can show up and teach each other what they know,” Broussard says. The couple also partners with HueNox Motion,
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which offers Parkour classes, teaching both kids and adults, a fun option for family outings or events. “A lot of 8- to 12-year-old birthday parties,” Broussard jokes. But the 8- to 12-year-olds are a big pull for Hot Lava. “We designed Hot Lava for adults,” Broussard explains. “It was all adult sizes, but we had such a great reaction from the 8- to 12-year-olds that we did a lot of quick modifications to make sure kids could be welcome.” The gym also has couches and wireless Internet, so parents can work while their kids get out the energy, particularly good in the summertime. Kids younger than 8 are welcome in the space from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., so you have plenty of opportunity to get some serious training in without the little ones around. And the training that Hot Lava offers is extensive. Every activity is done using your own body weight, so no heavy dumbbell lifting. These activities include pullups, agility obstacles, balance beam, slack lines, cargo nets, ropes and rings. “We don’t have machines where you can lift weights or CrossFit-style things where you’re hauling cinder blocks. But if you want to move your own body weight around, which is exhausting after awhile, we have a lot of ways to do that. And we also have a lot of ways to play,” Broussard
is that even someone who’s really good at one thing, there’s always something that you can do that they can’t or have never tried before. As a woman, it’s inspiring,” Broussard says. Believe it or not, a lot of other women find Hot Lava inspiring too. Of the adults that work out at this obstacle-course-style gym, Broussard estimates that about 40 to 50 percent are women. “Women tend to not have the same upper-body strength [as men]. We tend to carry our strength in our hips and our legs. And so the balance and coordination obstacles tend to be a little easier and then the upper-body strength “Everybody’s working on a skill here, everybody’s tends to be a little bit harder. But Ben and I pushed really hard to have a good mix in the working on improving.” space. You don’t necessarily need to have a lot of upper-body strength to come in and that when I go to a regular gym. I see very serious use all the obstacles,” Broussard says. faces who are really concerned about working While owning a gym can be challenging at out, and you don’t talk to each other.” times, the best part for Broussard is that it If you’re looking for a gym where you can feel comfortable and welcome, Hot Lava is that place. even exists. “This is something that Ben and I just made up “It’s nice to have a warm and supportive place in our heads when we were sleep-deprived with where both the customers and the employees a newborn and now it exists and people can come are excited when you’re working on a new skill. out and they love it,” she says. There’s no shame or breaking you down or makClasses at Hot Lava start at $10 for a day pass, ing you feel bad because you’re still working on $40 for a month. For more information about the it. Everybody’s working on a skill here, everygym, visit hotlavaobstaclecourse.com. body’s working on improving. And what we find says with a smile on her face. Play is probably the biggest draw for both her and her husband. “We come in and play whenever we can.” While the gym may look intimidating and the exercises may seem like they require a lot of focus, Hot Lava is more about learning new things and having fun while you’re doing so. “What I love best is that people come in singularly or in groups and they start working out. If it’s a bunch of people who are here on their own, eventually they coalesce in to a group and they’re all playing together. And within minutes, everyone’s laughing and smiling and I never see
austinwomanmagazine.com 69
TO YOUR HEALTH /
Endometriosis What you need to know. By Jill Case What do pain, infertility, scar-tissue formation, adhesions and bowel problems have in common? They are all things that can be caused by endometriosis, a condition that affects at least 6.3 million women and girls in the United States, 1 million in Canada and millions more worldwide. It occurs when tissue like that which lines the uterus (tissue called the endometrium) is found outside the uterus, usually in the abdomen on the ovaries, fallopian tubes and ligaments that support the uterus; the area between the vagina and rectum; the outer surface of the uterus; and the lining of the pelvic cavity. Other sites for these endometrial growths may include the bladder, bowel, vagina, cervix, vulva and in abdominal surgical scars. Less commonly, they are found in the lung, arm, thigh and other locations.* To learn more about this condition, Austin Woman spoke to Dr. Lisa Jukes, an Austin gynecologist. Austin Woman: What causes endometriosis? Dr. Lisa Jukes: Knowing what can occur at the different sites [in the body] helps to understand what causes it. One theory is that it’s menstrual. This theory says that the endometrial tissue debris flows backward from the uterus toward the fallopian tube and spreads into the pelvis and abdomen during a menstrual period. The tissue will then implant and grow where it lands in the pelvis, which is called a retrograde menstruation theory. One of the other theories is that you are born with this type of tissue in places where it should not be. AW: Are there risk factors that people should know about that make them more prone to endometriosis? LJ: It is seen more commonly if somebody has a developmental disorder of the uterus, so if we have somebody with a uterus that did not develop normally (unicornuate or bicornuate uterus), we do see a high incidence of endometriosis. As far as its prevalence, it’s seen in at least 25 percent of the female population.
70 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
Ex pert Opinion
AW: What are the symptoms? LJ: Some women with endometriosis have no symptoms. The most common symptom is pain, especially in the pelvic area. It is most likely to occur with your period so the pain typically will occur just before starting the menstrual period, and painful periods can get worse over time. You can also have: r Pain between the periods, especially starting with ovulation, until the period begins. r Pain during or after intercourse. r Pain with bowel movements or while urinating, especially during your period. r Infertility. There are also some patients that were thought to have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or painful bladder syndrome, and it’s actually endometriosis. AW: Is there a typical age when endometriosis starts? LJ: Twenties to early 30s would be the most common time for diagnosis. AW: Why does endometriosis cause pain? LJ: If you think about why endometriosis hurts, it’s because your abdomen was not made to have blood in it, so when you have a period and these endometrial implants bleed in response to the fluctuations in your hormones or for any other reason, your body reacts to that blood as a foreign object, creating inflammation. The body wants to wall off that area so it creates inflammation and that creates scar tissue too. That’s where we have a lot of the pain. There are other theories. Endometriosis can embed into the nerves, which can cause the pain. It can make it difficult to have a bowel movement, or the ovary can attach itself to other organs, which can cause pain, especially when you ovulate. What we don’t know is why somebody with severe endometriosis can have no pain and somebody with very mild, pinpoint endometriosis can have severe pain. AW: Does endometriosis cause infertility? LJ: It can be a cause of infertility, however, there are many patients who have endometriosis and have no problem conceiving. Some of these patients are women who have had three and four children and no pain. We can’t always know if their infertility is caused by endometriosis. When we suspect that it could be an endometrioma, which can definitely cause infertility, the endometrioma needs to be removed prior to pursuing fertility treatments. AW: How do you treat endometriosis? LJ: Most practitioners’ approach is medical management, which is typically composed of antiinflammatory medications, such as ibuprophen and/
or contraceptives. We do that type of management for pelvic pain for three to six months and, if the pain doesn’t improve, we would do a laparoscopy. We put a camera in a tiny opening in the abdomen to look directly for endometriosis, and then we treat it. You can treat it by excising (removing) it, cauterizing it or using a laser to excise it. The studies have shown that if you can excise it, it gives you the best chance of having sustainable pain relief. AW: Does removing the endometriosis require abdominal surgery or is it usually done laparoscopically? LJ: We prefer a minimally invasive approach. My preference is da Vinci assisted laparoscopy because I have 3-D visualization with it. I’ve noticed that under the da Vinci robot console, I can see implants that I miss by looking at the regular 2-D video monitor. I prefer da Vinci because I have better control over my instrumentation, more finite movements and that helps me excise the implants better. I prefer this over open surgery. There are occasionally times when I find myself still returning to open surgery, but I would say 99 percent of the surgeries I do now are minimally invasive and that is largely in part to the better ability to excise the implants with da Vinci assisted laparoscopy. When you do open surgery, it’s because you may have to involve a general surgeon to excise a bowel adhesion, for example. AW: Is there anything people could do to prevent endometriosis? LJ: There is no way to prevent endometriosis. One of the best things you can do is stay healthy—keep your body weight down, and choose an anti-inflammatory diet rich in antioxidants and green leafy vegetables. There are some studies out there showing that the anti-inflammatory diet may reduce some of the symptoms of endometriosis. Lower body weight is important because when you are overweight, the fatty tissue produces extra estrogen, which further stimulates the endometrial implants, causing problems. AW: What is your advice for someone who has endometriosis?
LJ: r Make sure you are comfortable with your physician. Have an open dialogue. It should be a partnership. r Make sure that your physician is someone that has experience treating endometriosis. r Come in to your appointment with a list of questions. r Make sure that you have adequate follow-up with your physicians, especially when you are initially diagnosed with endometriosis. You should be seen every three to six months so that your symptoms can be properly evaluated. r Keep a symptom log to make sure that you’re keeping track of the intensity of your pain. The best way for you to know if you are improving is to write down how you feel. r Look in to some support groups. One to try is: dailystrength.org/c/endometriosis/support-group. r Be open to different treatment options, and to seeing other specialists. Some-
times I have to involve a gastroenterologist. Just because you have endometriosis doesn’t mean you don’t have other causes of pain, which can be gastrointestinal, urologic or bladder-related. It can also be musculoskeletal, and it can also be psychological. Sometimes with pain (even if it’s not psychological), over time, that can contribute to some depressive symptoms. We want to make sure that the patient is open to seeing other specialists if needed. We sometimes will involve a pain-management specialist just to give them a variety of ways to cope with the pain. r Do not be afraid to get a second opinion if you feel like you are not getting the results you need. r If your doctor counsels you that you need open surgery, you should ask if there is anybody they would recommend that would offer a minimally invasive approach. * Endometriosis Association: endometriosisassn.org
Terms and Resources to Know: –D a Vinci Assisted Laparoscopy: The physician makes small incisions to insert miniaturized wristed instruments and a high-definition 3-D camera, allowing them to see endometrial implants so they can be removed (or excised). –E ndometrioma: A pelvic mass that develops from a growth of ectopic endometrial tissue within the ovary. – Implant: Normal endometrial cells locate themselves, or “implant” themselves, outside of the uterus, causing endometriosis. – Open Surgery: What we think of as traditional surgery (with a bigger incision). For more information about endometriosis, go to endometriosis.org The Endometriosis Association: endometriosisassn.org WebMD Endometriosis Center: women.webmd.com/ endometriosis. Dr. Lisa Jukes is on staff at many Austin area hospitals and surgery centers, as well as the surgery center in Marble Falls. She is well trained, experienced and highly skilled in laparoscopic surgery, enabling her surgical patients to recuperate faster and with less discomfort. Jukes has been focused on gynecology and minimally invasive procedures and surgeries since 2003. She serves as a proctor or teacher to other physicians wanting to incorporate the use of the da Vinci system in to their practice. For more information, go to lisamjukesmd.com.
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72   Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
I
ngrid
V
anderveldt
Dell’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Paying it forward with missionary zeal. By Deborah Hamilton-Lynne Photos by Annie Ray
When I asked for quotes from friends and co-workers of Ingrid Vanderveldt, one in particular stood out:
“Ingrid is like a superhero, a force of nature. She jumps out of airplanes.
Sh e r u ns mar ath o n s. Sh e rides
motorcycles. She spends her days building a huge business and her downtime saving the planet.
Her energy or enthusiasm is boundless
and coupled with the pas s ion to make every moment matter.�
austinwomanmagazine.com 73
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74 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
The quote came from Heidi Messer, the chairman and co-founder of Collective[i] and a member of the Dell EIR Advisory Board, someone Vanderveldt describes as a mentor, advisor, close friend. She’s also the woman who encouraged Vanderveldt to attend her first Dell Women’s Entrepreneurial Network event, one of those precipitous events that led to an ah-ha moment and a calling. After meeting the petite force of nature named Ingrid Vanderveldt, I read this quote and I thought my job was done. Messer had described her friend in a nutshell and this would be the shortest article in the history of the magazine. However, there are so many facets to Vanderveldt and her life’s work that it seemed impossible to come up with a comprehensive description. Digging a little deeper, I reached out to Lauren Flanagan, managing director of BELLE Capital USA, and also a member of the Dell EIR Advisory Board. “Ingrid is a force of nature. Her energy is contagious and she brings the heart, soul and DNA of entrepreneurism back to Dell and to thousands of entrepreneurs and government officials in her role as Dell’s entrepreneur-in-residence. She is my hero and soul sister,” Flanagan says. So now that I have your attention, let me describe Ingrid Vanderveldt as a woman who lives life and everything she does with remarkable zeal. Living up to Webster’s definition of the word “zeal”: a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone very eager or determined to do something, she does not contain her passion for her calling—empowering entrepreneurs, particularly female entrepreneurs—to “authentically honor what they are called to do and then to move forward, to take action.” Vanderveldt, one of four children, grew up in Bethesda, Md. Her father was an engineer and her mother was a psychologist. They met at Catholic University of America and instilled a deep sense of faith and purpose in their children, so deep, in fact, that Vanderveldt seriously considered becoming a missionary. But entrepreneurship also ran through her veins. As a child, she would produce plays with neighborhood children and happily collected the quarters from the parents in attendance. After receiving a master’s degree in architecture from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Vanderveldt realized she had a talent for enterprise and was drawn to entrepreneurship, which led to Austin and the McCombs School of Business. Receiving her master’s degree in entrepreneurship,
When you get knocked down
and find yourself against a wall, it is very humbling. she also connected to influential mentors, including Dr. Royna Kozmetsky, George Kozmetsky, Tom Meredith, Bobby Inman, Red McCombs and Willie Kocurek. Launching her first company in 1998, Vanderveldt transferred her missionary zeal to a passion for entrepreneurship and never looked back. Today, she serves as entrepreneur-in-residence at Dell, heading global entrepreneurial initiatives for the company as creator/curator of The Dell Center for Entrepreneurs and the Dell Innovators Credit Fund. She is currently serving a two-year term as a member of the United Nation Foundation Global Entrepreneur Council as one of 10 members who help foster change and innovation throughout the world. The UN Global Entrepreneur Council features entrepreneurs age 45 and younger, spanning the corporate, creative and media industries. Her personal mission is to empower a billion women by putting a mobile device in each of their hands by 2020. Her combined roles of entrepreneurin-residence and head of global entrepreneurial initiatives for Dell have brought Vanderveldt full circle, combining her love of architecture with a purpose-driven enthusiasm to see women create and succeed at their own businesses. Referring to herself as a serial entrepreneur, she has created and continues to create companies that have all had one common denominator: a tie to technology. Speaking to a group of budding female entrepreneurs at the recent BIG Austin 1000 Women of Wealth event, Vanderveldt related a personal story of her successes and her failures, including a venture that took all of her capital and left her homeless. “I had just sold my first two businesses and we didn’t make a lot of money there,” she says. “I jumped in to another venture that I was extremely passionate about and I knew I could make it work. I jumped in with both feet without doing my homework. I was young, in my 20s and was a slow learner. I was also determined to be responsible about the people who worked for me and believed in me, so I kept trying to make it work. From that experience,
ing, I met with my first entrepreneurship I learned the importance of doing your professor, Gary Cadenhead, and we were financial plan and being the architect discussing ideas when he mentioned the of building a business. When you get concept of entrepreneur-in-residence and knocked down and find yourself against I got it. I met with Steve and was totally a wall, it is very humbling. Fortunately for authentic with him: ‘Here is what I want to me, Tom Meredith gave me the chance to do on a global basis, and how can we work learn from him how important learning together?’ Coincidentally, Steve had been and understanding financials are to succonsidering an EIR program for Dell, so it cess of a business.” was one of those timing things arranged Vanderveldt went on to create multiple serendipitously by the universe. We walked businesses and was invited to the pilot Dell out and said we were going to do it.” Women’s Entrepreneurial Network event Appointed as Dell’s first entrepreneurin Shanghai in 2010. Designed to conin-residence in 2011, Vanderveldt has largenect female founders, CEOs and leaders ly defined the role in relationship to corpoof high-growth businesses in the world’s rations as something previously most often top markets to share best practices and associated with universities and venture challenges, and to celebrate the impact capital funds. When asked what an EIR is women-owned businesses have on the and what she does, Vanderveldt describes global economy, the event immediately it this way: “The concept of EIR is to bridge impressed upon Vanderveldt that “there the outside in. Three or four months in to was no ask on the part of Dell other than the job, I began to go to Steve and later to asking us to share our stories and asking Michael [Dell] and tell them what entreus how they could help us succeed. They preneurs needed and they empowered me genuinely wanted to support women and to build what I wanted and needed when help us grow our businesses.” I was starting out. I strategized with the It was on the plane coming home from leadership team to find ideas to create the second DWEN conference held in Rio more value for the entire global marketde Janeiro in 2011 that Vanderveldt experiplace. They understood and got involved enced an ah-ha moment. with entrepreneurs and women at a time “I knew my commitment would be to women globally and that I would make that when no one else would do it, and it was a win-win for everyone. My plan was to commitment my calling. I asked myself, establish Dell as the No. 1 end-to-end ‘How can I, as a person of integrity and authenticity with the vision to help women globally, not work with this company that was also committed to a global reach?’ When the plane landed, I called the president of Dell [at the time], Steve Felice. I was so nervous because I had no idea how or what a job would be,” she says. “I just knew it had to happen and I asked for a meeting with him. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to ask for, but as it happened, just five Vanderveldt on a trip to Haiti. days before the meet-
austinwomanmagazine.com 75
solution provider for entrepreneurs worldwide, and that we execute that vision through the Dell Center for Entrepreneurs, which I created with my team. Separate from my role as EIR, I head up entrepreneurial initiatives globally for the company, including the Dell Center for Entrepreneurs, the Dell Innovator’s Credit Fund and I currently oversee the $115 million debt fund. I run those initiatives just like I would run an entrepreneurial venture. The goal is to keep Dell in the No. 1 position by using our four pillars—access to knowledge, expertise, technology and capital—to basically show up with our people and resources to get in there to support entrepreneurs, to figure out how we can help them succeed. We have not only created a new sales model, but we have created a number of ways to engage with our team.” For Vanderveldt, her work is not a choice; it is purely and simply a calling. She believes women need more role models and that when women see themselves as leaders, they can realize their fullest potential. That potential translates in to being a successful entrepreneur. Realizing women have a long way to go, Vanderveldt believes that the momentum is in our favor, citing statistics that 70 percent of new businesses are started by women and that through our dollars, women also control 70 percent of the world’s GDP. She encourages women by saying, “Roll up your sleeves and get to work. I feel physical pain when I meet people who say what they really want to do but aren’t honoring it for one reason or another. Take the first step. If you know the stats, you cannot fail.” What is the No. 1 reason women do not heed their authentic calling and take the leap to become entrepreneurs? Vanderveldt says it is purely and simply a lack of confidence and successful role models. But that is changing as more women head successful entrepreneurial ventures and men welcome them among the ranks of CEOs. “I challenge women to shift the mindset past the glass ceiling to it is what it is,” she says. “Focus on that and focus on what it is that we want to do. That is where women become exceptionally powerful. Women are getting more active now and historically guys have been the drivers, but let’s move on. I believe that the guys have just
76 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
been waiting for us to show up.” How do women get the confidence to take the risk and make the leap in to entrepreneurship? Get to the bottom of what it is you are authentically called to do and take action. Vanderveldt says the fastest antidote to lack of confidence and expertise is to take the first step. Find out what you need to know and learn as much as you can. “What gets me jazzed up is when I meet someone who actually knows what it is that they really want to do,” she says. “My mind goes to work and my process goes to work. OK, you are saying that now, but how bad do you want it? On your last day on this earth, do you want to look back and say, ‘Gosh, I wish I would have done something’? Or do you want to look back and say, ‘I did it and I lived the life I wanted to live’? ” According to Vanderveldt, success also hinges on four important factors: passion,
CEOs. The moment that an entrepreneur and especially a woman takes a deep breath and says, ‘You know what? I don’t know how to do financial, but I am going to learn,’ is the minute that women start to gain an understanding of how you model out a business idea. Financials force the important questions: Do I have enough money to start this business or do I need more? Can I afford to launch this right now? Do I need a loan? Do I need equity? Do my partners know people who can help me? It really makes you get real on what your risk profile is. I cannot tell you how many people I have met that jumped in to getting a business off the ground and when they later found themselves essentially bankrupt, say if they had done a financial model up front and understood the reality and the risk, they wouldn’t have made the mistakes that led to their failed business. My background is in architecture, so basically, if you build your plan and know what your resources are then you can model your business deliberately around that blueprint.” The future for Vanderveldt is all about paying it forward and empowering as many women as possible in both her personal life and her professional position. “I can’t tell what will come up next but I know that I haven’t even skimmed the surface. My commitment to play a global role to support women will only grow. My work in the policy arena is all going to grow. I can’t tell you what form that will take, but continuing to expand the reach is my priority. I want it to get bigger and bigger and more and more connected.” Throughout our interview, Vanderveldt never lost her zeal as she talked about her calling. I was reminded of another quote describing Vanderveldt given by Heidi Messer: “Ingrid represents a rare and new breed of executive. She’s driven to succeed in business without losing her sense of mission to better the world.” And I realized that she has come full circle back to her original purpose. The woman is spreading the gospel of the power of honoring your authentic calling through example. She has become a missionary out to make the world a better place by empowering a billion women.
Get to the bottom o f w h at i t i s yo u a re
authentically called to do
and take action. persistence, having a mentor and financial literacy. Each is essential to creating and sustaining a business. “The No. 1 thing any entrepreneur can do to move forward and give them the best chance of success possible is to get a mentor,” she suggests. “From my mentors, I learned the value of integrity, the importance of connections, the value of asking for help and advice, the importance of financials and how important it is to stay true to your calling.” Vanderveldt also says the importance of financial literacy cannot be over-emphasized when it comes to women in business. “One thing where I spend a lot of time and effort is on the financial literacy for women,” she says. “It is a huge thing, especially for women. When it gets down to the nuts and bolts, they have no idea how to do it and they need the reality of how to put a financial plan in to place. Richard Branson admitted that up until 10 years ago, he didn’t really know how to read a set of financials, and this is true of most
Ingrid Vanderveldt’s Top 10 List
for Women Building Successful Businesses 1. Get a mentor. 2. Form a support group. The Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network offers a great support network for women in business. Springboard Enterprises is an example of a women’s focused business accelerator. 3. Know your number and your risk (i.e., learn to run financial models for what you want to do and understand what you are and aren’t able to take on). 4. Show up and focus on what you are looking to accomplish. Focusing on the business as opposed to the fact that you’re a woman at the table equalizes the conversation. Everyone wants to work with a winner, regardless of sex, race, background, etc. 5. Leverage technology to open new markets and help keep costs down. Check out the Dell Center for Entrepreneurs at dell. com/entrepreneur for great resources for businesses at all stages. 6. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Everything takes time and anyone building a legacy has to sometimes walk through fire to get to the other side. It’s part of the journey and all great leaders have had to go through it. 7. Always be learning. Some great books to read include Overcoming Underearning, The Three Laws of Performance, My First Billion was the Hardest, SuperRich and The Laws of Divine Compensation. 8. Mitigate risk for business partners. It’s great to paint the big picture, but if you want a strong investor or client, figure out what the win-win is and how to mitigate financial risk for them while proving your capabilities and building their trust. 9. Screw-ups happen. Be transparent. Stay authentic. The most important asset you bring to the table is your own integrity. Keeping this will always help you to move forward. 10. Make the impossible possible! When you live your life and follow your passions when starting your business (think Simon Sinek’s Start with Why), then anything is possible. Lela Rose teal dress, $895; Ashley Pittman beaded necklace, $475; Ashley Pittman bone cuff, $825; Ashley Pitman bangle bracelet, $345; Christian Louboutin Air Chance pumps, $845, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.
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Austin Woman talks with five South Congress entrepreneurs, some who have been working on the busy strip for nearly 20 years, and others who are just beginning their journey. PHOTOS BY DEANO JONES
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MAYA STAR and CO-STAR by Rachel Merriman
In 18 years on South Congress, Maya Star has evolved from an import store to one of the most beloved boutiques in Austin due to its carefully curated clothing selection and cases of gorgeous, unique jewelry. If you’ve ever wandered up and down South Congress Avenue during First Thursday, you’ve probably stepped into Maya Star’s sister store Co-Star, located just a few blocks north. The expansive 3,200-squarefoot space houses women’s and men’s contemporary clothing, and in
keeping with SoCo’s love affair with all things vintage, features a large selection of designer vintage in a separate room in the back of the store. If the approaching springtime has you looking to clean out your closet and make a fresh start, be sure to check out Co-Star’s consignment program for designer vintage and contemporary clothing. Maya Star, 1508 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.1475, mayastar.com; Co-Star, 1708 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.7970, costarstyle.com.
Maya Krauss | Owner
On promoting her business: in the day. I went to the shows in Paris and was inspired to go a little more modern, and from there Word-of-mouth is the best promotion. I hope our On how she became an entrepreneur: it kind of took over. customers enjoy their experience and tell others about us. I also like to keep up my websites; they My parents are from the Northeast, and they want- On why she loves her job: are my calling cards. It’s a great way to give people ed to go to Guatemala to start an import company. I love beautiful things and being able to go a glimpse of what we are all about. They had clothing made from Indian weavings and out and find them for an affordable price On her biggest challenges: turned them in to more modern pieces, then they so that people can have them in their life. came up to Austin during the winter and sold at I couldn’t ask for a better job. The first 10 years were tough, but then I started the Armadillo World Headquarters and the Drag. doing well enough to open a second location. We On opening a second business: I was going to UT and working at the attorney went through some growing pains, which were I’d been looking at expanding for a long time, but difficult, but not impossible. It was such a learngeneral’s office when I decided to quit school and very careful about opening a second location. I ing experience and it made me stronger so I don’t my good job, take out my tiny retirement and open considered going to another city, but when I was in make the same mistakes in the future. a store on Congress. When I first opened, it was California, I realized that a lot of the most successmore of an import store. I would go to Mexico and ful stores had multiple locations in the same area. Her advice for budding entrepreneurs: Guatemala for antiques and folk art, [but] I always I figured it would be easier to expand if I could just Follow what inspires you because, in the end, that wanted to do clothing like my parents did back go down two blocks! will be what you are fighting for.
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SOUTH CONGRESS MASSAGE by Megan Russell Negeen Mosley has been working out of South Congress Massage, a co-op comprised of four individuals, since its inception eight years ago. Finding a space where you can run a successful massage business and maintain constant clientele is something many massage therapists dream about, but for Mosley, it’s something she just lucked in to. This self-described “nosey neighbor” lives off of South Congress Avenue, and poked her head in one day to find out what was going in to the newly renovated space. Turns out they needed a massage therapist and she was up for the job. South Congress Massage, 1210 S. Congress Ave., 512.445.7455, southcongressmassage.com.
Negeen Mosley
| Massage Therapist, LCT
On the benefits of being a massage therapist: For me, the benefit I get out of it is assisting people through blocks of all kinds. And not just in the physical sense, but the emotional sense as well. There’s something honorable and very rewarding with helping somebody work through the awareness that maybe they’re not really focused on in their body. We all tend to live so busy in our minds. I can help people come back in to their body a little bit.
On what she loves about being an entrepreneur: What I love most about being a sole proprietor is the flexibility I can create, especially in this line of work. To be able to set your boundaries about the amount of work you want to do in a day, as opposed to working for somebody else where they want to schedule you more than you can emotionally or physically handle.
On Austin’s entrepreneurial spirit: Austin is a young, progressive city. With the UT presence, it draws young people who are motivated to get out there and do something fresh. And there’s an energy here that’s always been outside the box, in Texas anyway, so there’s a lot more opportunity for people to find different niches and start these different businesses. 82 Austin Woman M A R C H 2 0 1 4
Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: I think you have to manage yourself, your time and your product. It’s important to have a strong work ethic and maintain a certain level of consistency and honorability of what you’re putting out there because you can’t really compete if you’re not. Taking that leap and establishing yourself in your market is challenging. But you have to put the investment in yourself and your idea because once you take that leap, if you stay with it and have that work ethic to maintain a quality to whatever you’re doing, then the people will find out about it and that business will come. Don’t let fear play in to the factor of why you don’t take a chance. Almost always choose to put yourself out there and listen to your instinct. Probably, for massage therapists who want to get out on their own, I can say just from my experience that location helps in so many ways. Being in an office park somewhere means you really do have to invest quite a bit in to having people find you.
On tools that have helped her business: Obviously, having a web presence these days is an absolute. People will come to Austin and Google “Is there massage on South Congress?” That’s why we picked the name. We wanted something very general that would come up easily if people were looking for us. And just being here on South Congress means the ability to get business. Very recently, we’ve started doing online booking, which I find has been really great. Not necessarily a marketing tool, but tools for people to access us when we’re not available, because if I’m in a session, I can’t book a client.
UNCOMMON OBJECTS by Rachel Merriman
Glass eyes. Turquoise rings. A stuffed armadillo. Anatomical models. Typewriters. These are just a few of the things you’ll find inside Uncommon Objects, Austin’s one-stop shop for all things quirky and vintage. Owner Steve Wiman opened the shop in 1991, back when SoCo was simply South Congress, and had a seedy rather than trendy atmosphere. Twenty years later, the huge “junk emporium” is always buzzing
with activity, drawing curious window-shoppers, collectors and designers with unique sensibilities. Unbeknownst to most patrons, the shop’s space is populated by more than 20 different vendors, which makes for a delightful cacophony of weirdness and beauty. Uncommon Objects, 1512 S. Congress Ave., 512.442.4000, uncommonobjects.com.
Mandy Lyne | Vendor On how she became an entrepreneur: In high school, I worked at a jewelry store and always loved the vintage aspect of that. After I finished college, I knew I wasn’t ready to go back to school and become a professional academic. I got the job at Uncommon Objects two weeks after I moved to Austin. I was so lucky to fall in to the Uncommon family. Everyone was so supportive. When I first started, I worked the counter and did visual display, which was a lot of fun for me. One day, I was doing a display and the owner asked if I had interest in being a vendor. I jumped on the opportunity and started collecting more seriously to sell. For about six months, I built up my inventory, and then started selling. It happened really quickly.
On why she loves her job: I feel like I learn new things every day, which is really thrilling. Every day is a history lesson, either from a customer who is a collector of something specific and can teach me about an item, or from some of the other vendors. I feel very lucky to be at the shop and have such amazing people to work with. I also get to exercise my creative side setting up my display.
On visual display: I’ve always loved to tinker and play with elements. In college, I was really in to the Japanese ikebana flower arranging. It is so exciting to be able to tinker with a whole wall. I usually pick a color, texture or theme and run with it.
On her process for sourcing unique merchandise: I recently did a trip through Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. It was really exciting to see the different flavors in each state. It’s fun to go to antique stores back East where I’m from. Antique stores in Boston are very different from stores down here. I also spend a lot of time on the road and developing relationships with people over time. In this business, you build up interesting relationships with people you’d never otherwise meet who have a line on horseshoes, antlers, rocks or cameras. The more you build up relationships with people, the more exciting it is.
On the demand for vintage: With the proliferation of mass production, vintage feels really special. Even if it was part of a series or edition, it feels special because you found it. It’s kind of a one-in-a million chance that you found this thing, and that it resonates with you and it’s probably the only time you’ll ever see it. It’s not everywhere. You can’t order one online. It feels special and authentic.
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SNACK BAR by Leo B. Carter
“So Nostalgically Austin,” reads the rotating marquee above the entrance to Snack Bar, one of South Congress Avenue’s most frequented eateries. It opened in 2009, which begs the question, what is the source of Snack Bar’s nostalgia if not age? Snack Bar represents the continuation of an Austin legacy that began when the Austin Motel first opened its doors in 1938. Snack Bar and the historic motel, the oldest in continual operation in the city, sit on the same property. Although Snack Bar has changed hands a number of times in the past several decades, owners Bethany André and her husband have sought to restore some of its original personality by providing a one-size-fits-all locale for regulars and visitors to sit and eat, sip coffee, watch movies and grow the seed of community. Snack Bar, contrary to what its name suggests, offers more substantive cuisine than just snacks. It’s a “farm-to-market global cafe.” Weekend mornings, the place is packed with patrons eager to try some of the chefs’ unique brunch creations. In the evening, they serve a creative assortment of international tapas. Snack Bar, 1224 South Congress Ave., 512.445.2626, snackbaraustin.com.
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Bethany André
| Owner and GM
On how she became an entrepreneur: It was an unanticipated transition. I’ve always been a designer and enjoyed creating space and ambiance. I was working as an artist doing ceramics design and I had this idea that I’d love to have a bed-and-breakfast where I could create a space, entertain, host events, have a studio and gallery space. This was my dream. But not having any business experience, it didn’t seem possible. So I took the job at the Austin Motel, which gave me my experience in hospitality. When this space opened back up, it hit me like a ton of bricks that this was what I needed to do.
please people and they didn’t always let us. I’ve always tried to help my employees and sometimes they don’t accept it. Sometimes I hang on, hoping they’ll turn things around. Learning how to let go of people, that’s the hardest thing.
On her biggest challenge as an entrepreneur: In Austin, the food scene is insane. Even 20 years ago, we had the most restaurants per capita. We are finally becoming somebody in this industry and being recognized for what we do. It’s really hard to try to maintain affordability and integrity while serving highquality ingredients.
On what she loves and hates about being an entrepreneur:
On the source of her entrepreneurial inspiration:
It’s the same answer: People and people. My mission statement is to cultivate community and camaraderie. I do this by providing a truly hospitable environment, and that means hospitable beyond just “hi” and “welcome.” Hospitable extends to being environmentally friendly. It means treating my employees with respect and fairness. Communication is the cause of and the solution to all of life’s problems. This is something we struggle with. When we opened, Yelp was becoming big and everyone was a critic. We try hard to
Dotty Dean, manager of the Austin Motel until her death in 2011. She played a huge part in the revitalization of South Congress. South Congress was pretty derelict. She gave up her career in San Francisco to help her parents run the motel. She put so much in to this place that her stepfather was able to see them win Austin Chronicle’s Best Motel award. She stuck to her guns, she was feisty, but she was completely compassionate as well. She was the one that gave me this opportunity. I had to convince her, but I got it.
THE HERB BAR by Rachel Merriman
Located just one block off South Congress Avenue, the Herb Bar has served as Austin’s modern-day apothecary for more than 15 years. Inside the tiny house covered in greenery, you’ll find more than 300 handmade herbal formulas and a wide selection of bulk herbs, supplements, teas, beauty products, natural oils, books and more. If you aren’t a guru of natural medicine, don’t fret; the knowledgeable staff will help guide you in selecting the right products. The Herb Bar also offers free talks led by naturopathic doctors and other Austin-area health practitioners on topics such as managing stress and grief, dealing with food sensitivities and balancing hormones. The Herb Bar, 200 W. Mary St., 512.444.6251, theherbbar.com.
Twila Dawn Willis
| Owner
On how she became an entrepreneur: I got to Austin and I didn’t know anyone, so I placed an ad in The Chronicle. Three or four days later, I got a phone call. The woman on the other end said, “You don’t know me, but I own this shop and I was wondering if you wanted to work here.” And it was the Herb Bar. I worked for her part time for a month, and then I [took] a full-time restaurant job. On day five, I said to myself, “Oh my god, I don’t want to do this.” While I had been working at the Herb Bar, I found out the owner wanted to sell the shop. I called her and said, “Would you consider selling me the store?” I thought I would never hear from her again, but she called me back and said, “Quit the restaurant job, come and work at the shop and we’ll work something out.” In July of 1996, I took full possession of the shop.
On making her business a community resource: I bring in practitioners to give free Saturday morning talks on diet, nutrition, shamanism, tai chi and all the different modalities that are available to us in Austin. The Herb Bar sign says we are a healing resource center. If we don’t have the answer, I want to have options for people to get the help they need.
On her biggest challenges: I created a business that requires people to be highly trained. We have to constantly stay on top of the latest research on different products and the best companies. Finding really good, high-quality products and knowledgeable staff to sell those products is my biggest challenge.
On being an entrepreneur: I love the freedom. For the first two years, I worked six days and tended bar three nights a week because it didn’t make enough money. Now I can come and go as I please, which allows me to do other things. I went to healing foods culinary school and did a 900-hour chef program, so now I prepare food and do diet consultations two days a week. I’ve been teaching yoga for nine years at the Town Lake YMCA. That said, I had to work really hard for 15 years to get that freedom.
Her advice for entrepreneurs: Be rigid enough to do things that have to be done, but also recognize that things are constantly in flux. Be flexible.
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opposite sex /
memo from jb
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream Unleashing my inner entrepreneur. By JB Hager Photo by Rudy Arocha I’m quite the entrepreneur. When I’m sound asleep. For whatever reason, I’m often starting companies in my sleep. When I wake up, it takes me a few minutes to determine whether that occurred in real life or another wacky dream. For a few fleeting moments, I buy in to the dream entirely, proud of my REM sleep genius at work. I think to myself, “That’s actually a pretty damn good idea!” I slither out of bed, make my way to the restroom and about halfway through brushing my teeth, the reality sets in. “That’s completely ridiculous.” It happened to me again the other night. The business I created in my sleep went something like this: I had decided from my own observation that humans were no longer willing to read news, labels, brochures, etc. It was just too much of a time commitment and mentally taxing on the human brain. My research had shown (???) that reading was on the outs. I had determined that humans were more than willing to gather all the information they needed in life in graphical form, primarily pie charts. I created a site that was constantly scouring the Internet for, you guessed it, pie charts. Then it would categorize them in a Pinterest-like fashion. So, if you were perhaps interested in buying a new car, you might search “Toyota Tundra” and a lengthy page of charts mentioning Toyota Tundra would unfold before your very
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eyes. So, in a few moments, glancing over the pie charts you would learn: 3 Toyota Tundra is in the top 10 percent of fuel economy for pickups. 3 Toyota Tundra is primarily purchased by 20to 35-year-old males. 3 Toyota Tundra is most popular in Arizona, California and Texas. (None of these have been fact checked since the dream.) At any point on any chart, you can click on a word and it would lead you down that query. For example, on that last Toyota Tundra chart, you might click on “Texas” and it opens up a whole new batch of charts. 3 97 percent of Texans own guns. 3 85 percent of Texas women have breast implants. 3 42 percent of Texans have both guns and breast implants. (Again, not fact checked but probably true.) In my dream, corporations and individuals would see charts that are unfavorable to their product, so they would release research of their own that would be linked to the non-favorable chart. Let’s go back to the Toyota chart. In that chart, Nissan was the least popular in Arizona, California and Texas. So, Nissan would do their
own study and find out that they are actually the most popular among 20- to 35-year-old Hispanic males. Interesting, right? In my dream, companies became obsessed with the site, therefore putting most of their marketing dollars in to research and pie charts. In my dream, we surpassed Consumer Reports as the go-to outlet for consumer purchases. I went on to develop an app that would read any barcode on a product and immediately pull up any charts containing that product in a research study. I was heralded in every major publication as the man that changed editorial, advertising and killed reading! (There goes my Pulitzer!) Is anyone still with me at all? Now, here’s the real kicker. What was this site and app named? I’m not making this up. I called it “I Love Pie.” (Free in the Apple store and Google Play.) Can you see how ridiculous this is? But for a fleeting moment one morning, you might feel like Einstein? Off to work I go, working for the man again today, but I can’t wait to go to sleep again tonight and unleash the entrepreneur inside me. Ya never know what I might come up with. In the immortal words of the bard, “To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub.” This, unfortunately, is a true story.
“I can’t wait to go to sleep again tonight and unleash the entrepreneur inside me.”
DON’T BE THE LAST TO HEAR
OPENING RECEPTION March 21, 6:30pm – 11pm at the Historic Kay Theater $25 per person in advance Featuring The Almost Patsy Cline Band (Texas Commission on the Arts) READINGS AND EXHIBITS March 22, Beginning at 9 am Admission is FREE
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Readings and exhibits continue throughout the day at: • The Rockdale I&GN Railroad Depot • The Lucy Hill Patterson Library • The Historic Kay Theater • Wolf Park Other Highlights Include: • Children’s Activities • Food & Craft Vendors • Car & Motorcycle Show
For more information,call 512-639-9004 or visit www.rockdalecityhall.com
opposite sex /
r e l at i o ns h i p s
He Paid. Does He Get Laid? Obligations vs. expectations. By Kaneisha Grayson
Question: I am recently divorced and in the early stages of a relationship and am unsure about who pays when we go out to dinner. In the past, if my date paid, sometimes I felt that he was looking for a payback (sex) at the end of the evening. While I am open to taking our relationship to another level, I would rather go Dutch than be obligated to sleep with him. The other problem is that I don’t want to offend him or appear too independent if he offers to pick up the check. Help! Kaneisha’s Answer: First of all, you are never obligated to sleep with anyone, whether they’ve paid for your dinner at Bess Bistro or taken you on a 10-day trip to Tuscany. Despite the primal desire to jump in to bed as soon as possible, most men who are sincerely interested in having more than a casual, sex-centered relationship with you are willing to wait until you’re ready. Any man who makes you feel like you owe him since he paid for dinner is a cheap creep that you want to get away from as soon as possible. As for who picks up the check in the early stages of dating, I tend to prefer a 3-to-1 ratio: for every three dates you go on, you plan and pay for one of them. Once you two are in a committed, exclusive relationship, I think it’s fair to do your best to plan and pay for roughly half the dates. If you want to financially contribute to the date, you can tip the waiter or the valet. If you feel really uncomfortable with the man paying but he still insists on covering the bill, tell him that the next date is on you, and then really follow through
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with planning and paying for the next date. Men generally aren’t offended when women offer to pay on dates. Many talks with my male friends reveal that men are offended when women don’t even bring money on a date (which sounds very strange and kind of dangerous) or when they do the fake reach, a slow-motion search into the bottomless hole that is your purse in a half-hearted attempt at helping to pay for half the bill. Either sit there gracefully with a smile and say, “Thank you,” as he pays, or whip that cash out so fast that he knows your intentions to contribute are genuine. Some may argue that the question of who pays on the date is a generational issue, but I beg to differ. I think this is a power issue. You should never feel like someone has power over or the right to your body just because he has more money (which wasn’t actually confirmed as the case from your question) or some other possibly enviable quality like attractiveness, youth or sexual experience. To make sure I wasn’t getting all “I’m the millennial woman. Hear me roar,” I consulted my 80-year-old neighbor, Joe, and this is what he had to say about it: “What? No way! That’s like saying, ‘I bought you a hot dog. Now let’s jump between the sheets.’ ” Now, I’m hoping your guy isn’t taking you out for hot dogs, but I’m in exact agreement with Joe. Just because a guy takes you out to Uchi doesn’t mean he gets the, well, you get the point. If you want to sleep with him because you’re ready for that level of intimacy with him, by all means, get your freak on. But if you’re dropping your panties because he dropped his American Express, you’re moving forward in to the dating world with your priorities all mixed up. You want to be with a man who not only can’t wait to shag you, but is also kind, generous and respects you. In the post-divorce dating world, it may seem like these kind of guys are few and far be-
tween, but you deserve to give yourself as much time as you want to make up your mind about a guy before sharing your heart—and your bed— with him.
Eric’s Response: If only all men had a 80-year-old wingman like Joe. Hot dogs (or coffee) aren’t such a bad date idea in the early stages of a relationship. It handicaps the ability to use money as a play for power and forces you to get to know each other without any external glitter to hide a lesser obvious red flag. My dad used to say, “You can’t put diamonds on a (insert your chosen object of disgust here).” And while I disagree because in actuality, you probably can, why would you want to? Be yourself, and at least you’ll know he likes you for you. To read ATX Man Relationship columnist Eric Leech’s full response, go to Page 78 of the spring issue of ATX Man. This article is dedicated in loving memory of Kaneisha's friend and neighbor, Joe Dunn.
Kaneisha Grayson is the author of the recently published book Be Your Own Boyfriend: Decide to Be Happy, Unleash Your Sexy, and Change Your Life. She runs MBA & MPP admissions consulting firm The Art of Applying and blogs about life, love and happiness at her blog kaneisha.com. She lives, plays and eats tacos in her hometown of Austin. To submit your own question to Grayson, email submissions@awmediainc.com with “Ask Kaneisha” in the subject line.
Grayson photo by Nick Paul.
In this issue of Austin Woman, our curiosity got the best of us. We asked AW and ATX Man Relationship columnists, Kaneisha Grayson and Eric Leech, to answer one reader’s question on expectations of who pays on a date and what it means to the relationship, wondering whether the two would give slightly similar or vastly different responses.
savvy womEn /
Au s t i n I n n o va t o r
Natalie Kennedy The founder and CEO of Kennedy Creative Events talks business, leadership and the snowball effect of the entrepreneurial spirit. As an event planner, you start from scratch to create a unique and memorable experience. It’s all in the details: the arrival of guests met with a glass of Champagne or a cocktail; the centerpieces, lighting and playlist perfectly matched with the event’s theme and overall feel; the seamless flow you would never know took hours, months, maybe even years to create. It is this balance of tactical planning and innovative creativity that sets the foundation for a successful event. With more than 20 years of working in the event industry, Natalie Kennedy understands the art of event planning, which is translated to the experience she creates at her company, Kennedy Creative Events. Kennedy Creative is a leading event-management agency producing destination and teambuilding events, creative tech conferences, soirees and weddings, and 2013 marked a big year for the company. The Austin Business Journal named Kennedy Creative one of the Best Places to Work in Central Texas. As the CEO and founder, Kennedy herself took bronze at the 2013 Women in Business Stevie Awards for Best Female Entrepreneur in the business products 11 to 2,500 employees category. So what about her business has warranted such recognition? “I’ve always been in to health and wellness,” says Kennedy, noting that she places the two at the forefront of her business. “When I feel really good, I have so much more energy and can get a lot more done.” The implementation of Kennedy Creative’s health and wellness program was a slow progression, with Kennedy adding one thing at a time as the money allowed. From stocking the kitchen with healthy options, to in-office
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fitness classes, Kennedy has consciously created a positive work environment that keeps employees energized, productive and happy. “Now [my employees] are encouraging one another and that momentum is what carries it through. They come to me with ideas on ‘How about we try this?’ or ‘Why don’t we do this?’ I mean, I think even our drinking has become healthier!” she laughs. In addition to the fitness and nutrition piece, Kennedy also hosts staff meetings at an off-site location once a month. “Being in a relaxed environment is healthy. … Get out of the office, get away from the phone ringing, your computer and the excuse to have to sit at your desk,” she explains about the benefits of the off-site meetings. The gatherings have been so popular that employees have offered to host dinner at their homes. “One of our employees just bought their first home, another just built their first home and they want to share that with everybody and you do make that personal connection then,” Kennedy says, adding that she happily stocks the parties because, as she puts it simply, “It’s what we do.” The team also goes on retreats, often taking place in Austin at a hip new venue or beautiful downtown hotel. And Kennedy has even taken her employees to retreats in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Colorado.
While all aspects of the health and wellness plan contribute to the morale and productivity in the office, there’s another piece that deserves more mention than the yoga and CrossFit classes. Kennedy privately offers counseling to anyone who is going through a tough time, at the company’s expense. “If I can help them to get back on their feet quicker, help them get back to their desk and not be distracted, I don’t see how that doesn’t benefit the entire team. It comes around to all of us,” she says. Just like the momentum it took to start the health and wellness program and keep it continuing, Kennedy points out a parallel with the momentum of the entrepreneurial spirit of Austin. “When I first tried to do [event planning] on my own, I would come in to some of these offices
Photo by Lucid Eyes.
By Molly McManus
Are You a Woman-Owned Business? Find out how to enter the Woman’s Way Business Awards.
Woman's Way Business Awards
AW Media is proud to present our first annual Woman’s Way Business Awards designed to honor women-owned businesses and the women who mean business.
Award Categories include: Best New Company Best Service Provider Most Customer Friendly Most Socially Conscious/Non-Profit Best Product Best in Health & Wellness Spirit Award
AW MEDIA PRESENTS
April 29, 2014 6:30pm · Fiat of Austin
2014 Woman's Way
Business Awards
For information on participating, call 512.328.2421 or visit:
PINKPAGESAUSTIN.COM/WOMANS-WAY
Heartfelt thank you to our sponsors and volunteers for their generous support of the Go Red For Women movement.
WEAR RED. SPEAK RED. GO RED FOR WOMEN.
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austingored.heart.org #GoRedATX Š2014, American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund. TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.
Honorees
Tricia Berry Tricia Graham Carla McDonald Heather McKissick Dr. Beth Nauert T3 Marketing and Advertising
at the AT&T Conference Center
Distinguised Workplace for Women
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with no portfolio, just it one step at a time, one mistake at a time. No one’s going to laugh you off the podium. Just keep going,” she advises. my passion and a blank Extremely project-based, Kennedy enjoys seeing something crafted notepad. It was almost out of nothing through creativity and execution. Not only does she get because I didn’t have to see that with each event Kennedy Creative manufactures, she’s seen anything that they said, it through the company’s growth, evolvement and on her personal ‘We’re going to give you entrepreneurial path. a chance.’ There’s this “Now that I run the business, I so often work on the business, not momentum that’s been in the business,” she explains of her transitioning role, helping to push created here,” she says. Kennedy Creative to the next level through better business practices, “We’re very blessed.” bigger and better events, as well as bettering the office environment. When Kennedy But it’s not always easy. With a husband and two boys, ages 8 and 7, started her company Kennedy discusses the work-life balance, admitting that it’s difficult. more than 10 years ago, Calling Kennedy Creative her first baby, then her sons as second and third, the support Austinites Kennedy believes that by placing value on each aspect of her life—whether are known to give to it’s business, family or health—it maintains the strength of each. Like tecpeople pursuing their tonic plates, each piece needs equal force to preserve the balance, otherentrepreneurial paswise the equilibrium is thrown off and overall quality of life decreases. sions was very much It falls in line with her philosophy on running her company as well, felt by Kennedy. She highlighting health and wellness to strengthen the quality of work coming proved through one out of the office, and letting people make mistakes to encourage the inner event at a time that she Team retreat to Puerto Rico entrepreneur in some of her staff members, to name a few. could deliver the results Commenting on the new ideas, perspectives and business plans that her clients were asking for. Client after client, she continued to build her people now come to her with, she laughs with her usual response, “That portfolio, scaling her skills to larger and larger events, going from a couple sounds crazy enough for me to join you!” hundred attendees to 15,000. Catch Kennedy’s contagious wave and let the entrepreneurial ride “I always tell my staff: Remember, you’re only as good as your last take over. event. Nobody cares about the 20 events you did prior that went fabulously. When you make a mistake on that one event that impacts the only event that they had, you’ll be the talk of the town in a real bad way,” she warns. However, mistakes, to Kennedy, can be a good thing. Fostering the entrepreneurial spirit within her office, she encourages leaders on her team to make mistakes and learn from them. “If you want to take lead on something, I’ll let you succeed or make a mistake on my dime because I feel like it’s worth it. I owe you that when you say, ‘I want to work for your company,’ ” she affirms. “I want to give you the opportunity to try something new and fall on your face if you have to, then help pick up the pieces and move on to the next thing.” Kennedy wanted to be an entrepreneur for this very reason: To inspire others to follow their own dreams, to motivate people through her passion. Having great mentors growing up, she encourages her staff and their ideas, serving as a mentor and resource. But she also wants to encourage the entrepreneur in us all. “There can never be enough entrepreneurs. So let’s get out there. If you have an idea, or want to work with Team retreat to Cancun, Mexico another woman to make it happen, go out there and do
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lenges of what it means to be a good leader. Both Levine and Blalock have ridden the glass elevator to the top in their own unique ways. For Levine, it was leaving a job on Wall Street and finally succeeding to reach the top of Mount Everest after a devastating failure the first time around. For Blalock, it was taking risks, even when she didn’t think she was ready for the job. While both women have distinctly different paths, each lives on the edge, daring to risk comfort and stability to get to the top. Now they inspire other women to help shatter the invisible barrier that exists between men and women in the business world.
Whether they’re at the top of the business world or the top of a mountain, these women are experts on what it means to be a successful leader. By Megan Russell Women rising to leadership positions has always been a hot-button issue. Most recently, the glass elevator has made news with General Motors’ new CEO, Mary Bara, for not only her new position (gasp, a woman CEO), but also her new salary, which will be half of what her male predecessor made. In Becky Blalock’s book, DARE: Straight Talk on Confidence, Courage, and Career for WOMEN IN CHARGE, she discusses how women in the business world are far less likely to take risks or ask for a raise than their male counterparts. “So how did I end up there, holding C-level positions at one of the most successful companies
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in the nation?” asks Blalock in her book. “I learned early how to dare.” No stranger to the executive suite of Fortune 500 companies, Blalock is highly sought after for her expertise on how to make it as a woman in a man’s world. In DARE, she offers up several inspiring interviews, stories and pieces of advice from women at the top in the world of business. Not your typical leadership expert, Alison Levine has experience that comes from a place where the right skill set could be the difference between life and death. “There is no shortage of leadership books written by presidents, politicians, CEOs, psychologists, military heroes and executive coaches. I am none of the above,” Levine writes. As a high-altitude mountaineer, polar explorer and team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition, she is no stranger to battling the chal-
Practical Advice for Any Woman on Her Climb to the Top On Working Backward “A great fallacy regarding progress is that it is defined by constant forward motion in the same direction. We assume that any steps in the opposite direction take us further from our goal. Not true, especially at high altitudes or in other extreme environments, where the problems and inherent challenges are especially complex. Getting to the top of Mount Everest, for example, generally requires a great deal of time climbing backward—away from the summit.” – Alison Levine, ON THE EDGE On Mentors “One of the first things I do when I arrive at base camp on any mountain is walk around and talk to members of the other teams. I like to drop in on all the various campsites to say hello and meet the other climbers whom I will inevitably run in to on the route. People often tease me about being overly social, but while I like meeting new friends, I’m not making the rounds in hopes of winning the Miss Congeniality title. I do it because if, God forbid, something happens to someone on my team high up on one of those peaks, I want the climbers on the other teams to feel emotionally obligated to help us. You’ve probably heard the stories of folks who just walk right on by a dying or an injured climber on summit day. It should never happen, but the reality
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is that it does happen. You reduce your chances of being passed by when you have strong relationships in place.” – Alison Levine, ON THE EDGE “Although each company has its own unique culture and environment, business organizations are much more alike than most of us realize. As long as your company and another are not direct competitors, you should create strong relationships with your counterparts at other companies. This is a great way to gain general knowledge and specific ideas about improving your own organization and solving problems.” – Becky Blalock, DARE “Always remember: Nobody gets to the top of Mount Everest by themselves. Nobody.” – Alison Levine, ON THE EDGE On Action “Initiative is action. Don’t sit and wait for someone to tell you what needs to be done to over-deliver in your position. I can’t tell you how many people in middle management I’ve watched make this mistake, and so there they stayed. Determine these needs for yourself. Satisfy them with action. Figure out what has to be done and start doing it. You’ve got to be smart enough to determine what your team, your customers and your company need, even if they don’t know it themselves. This may not be exactly in your job description, but this is, in fact, the unwritten reality of every job of any importance. The higher up the ladder you go, the fewer directions you will get from others.” – Becky Blalock, DARE “Complacency comes in many forms: doing something because everyone around you is doing it, or going through the motions out of habit. It
can be characterized by not preparing, not making a move, not moving fast enough or not being agile enough. Ironically, complacency is a risk that skyrockets when things are going well—when you feel safe enough. But it’s not just adventurers in extreme environments who have to watch out for complacency; businesses can also do themselves in if they aren’t able to adjust to the shifts in their environment.” – Alison Levine, ON THE EDGE On Weakness “Don’t let undiscovered, uninvestigated issues keep you from reaching the top rung on the corporate ladder. It’s a cliché because it’s a fact: We all have faults. You need to know your weaknesses and know them at least as intimately as you know your strengths. They can sabotage you and hold you back if you don’t. Own your weaknesses so you can conquer them—or, at the very least, learn to work around them.” – Becky Blalock, DARE On Women in Leadership “Today it is more important than ever for us as women to be able to match our male colleagues in the ability to step up and dare to risk; to say yes even when we know for a fact that we don’t yet know everything we’ll need to know to follow through. If you’re doing this, it will not just be for you—or even for the sake of our gender. Getting the new female majority to step up and lead is critical to our nation’s competitive future. As Saadia Zahidi, head of the World Economic Forum’s Women Leaders and Gender Parity program, once said, ‘Women make up one-half of the brainpower of the human capital that’s available to an economy.’ We need all the trained, experienced and capable brainpower available if we are to continue to grow economically. We cannot compete if more than half our workforce does not feel fully empowered to succeed.” – Becky Blalock, DARE On Failure “If you want to move forward, it’s time to get up close and personal with failure. Failure is one of the most rapid ways to develop experience,
which is the third pillar of confidence. Degrees and programmatic learning are great, but it’s experience that really qualifies you. Failure is a very specific subset of experience, one that’s particularly important to gaining the skills and confidence you need to be an executive.” – Becky Blalock, DARE “I am often asked what it was like to go back to that mountain eight years later, after everything I had been through and finally stand on top of the highest mountain in the world. I can honestly tell you (Wait for it. Deep breath.), it just wasn’t that big a deal. Heavy sigh. Think about it for a moment. It’s just a mountain. It’s nothing more than a big ol’ pile of rock and ice. And you are only on the summit for a very short time. You spend two months climbing that mountain, and only a few minutes at the very top. I was up there for 30 minutes. … Standing on top of a mountain is not important, and the people who stand on top of Mount Everest are no better than the people who turn around short of the summit. Because climbing mountains isn’t about standing on top of a pile of rock and ice for a few minutes. It’s about the lessons you learn along the way and how you are going to use that knowledge and experience to better yourself going forward.” – Alison Levine, ON THE EDGE
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Austin Woman ReaderNominated Entrepreneurs By Rachel Merriman Beth and Becky Taylor Hearty Vegan Beth and Becky Taylor are what you might call early adopter vegans; both mother and daughter have eschewed animal products since the 1980s, long before veganism became a well-known dietary choice. Beth Taylor began making tempeh nearly 10 years ago, and in 2003, they founded Hearty Vegan together. Tempeh is a protein-rich meat substitute that’s high in fiber, gluten-free and low in saturated fat. Like tofu, it’s traditionally made from fermented soybeans. Hearty Vegan offers five different varieties of tempeh: traditional soybean, spicy and mild sausage, soy-free black-eyed pea and soy-free garbanzo. “It is really important to me that I am spending most of my time and energy working on something that I feel brings the most positive change to the world,” Beth says. “Cooking vegan food has been a passion of mine since 1988. I find that feeding and nourishing people is a very intimate experience. Cooking, to me, is an art form where spices act as the paint and the eater’s palate, the canvas.” “I have been vegan most of my life and I love feeling like I am part of the movement,” Becky says. “I am vegan for the animals, for my health and for the environment. At Hearty Vegan, I feel like I am living up to my ideals.” heartyvegan.com
Kim Willis LibbyLu Photography Though her portrait photography business, LibbyLu Photography, is just a year old, Kim Willis has been behind the lens since she received her first camera in middle school. Willis’ part-time hobby became her full-time job by happenstance. She was unemployed and looking for a job she felt passionate about, but would also allow her to spend time with her two children, Olivia (Libby) and Luke (Lu). LibbyLu Photography specializes in portraits for individuals, families, children and couples—posed or candid, but always lighthearted and fun. “Howard Thurman said it best: ‘Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.’ I come alive when I get behind the lens and create beautiful photographs for my clients, and being alive is one of the greatest gifts I can give my kids,” Willis says. libbyluphotography.com
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Mikaila Ulmer BeeSweet Lemonade Nine-year-old Mikaila Ulmer loves bees. That’s why she sweetens her organic mint and flaxseed lemonade (which was inspired by a recipe found in her great-grandmother’s cookbook) with local honey and donates part of her proceeds to organizations such as Heifer International, FarmShare Austin and the Texas Beekeepers Association. Ever since Ulmer began making and selling lemonade at the tender age of 4, she’s remained a busy bee, taking beekeeping classes and teaching everyone she meets about the importance of the honeybee in our everyday lives. Try a taste at select Whole Foods locations and restaurants like Max’s Wine Dive and East Side Pies. “I really like that I get to use my own money from the sales of my lemonade to help solve a problem. Honeybees are very important and they are in trouble. One of every three bites of food we eat depends on the honeybee. That is why I lead workshops on how to save honeybees and donate 20 percent of the profits from the sale of my lemonade to organizations fighting hard to save the bees,” Ulmer says. beesweetlemonade.com
Leigh Simmons
Tarrytown Dance Dance is a way of life for Leigh Simmons, owner of Tarrytown Dance. She’s been on the move since age 7 and has taught dance for more than 30 years. Hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, tap—she’s done it all. The energetic dance company owner sometimes teaches up to 20 classes a week to kids as young as 2-and-a-half. For the slightly older (but young at heart) dance lovers, Tarrytown Dance also offers Zumba and Barre dance fitness classes. “I love my business because I observe the wonder of dancers growing and improving their skills daily! By teaching young dancers, I can instill a love for dance as well as a solid technical foundation. As dancers enter their teens, we focus on increasing their skill set and ensure they are dancing in a positive and healthy environment. There is no greater reward than to observe our most seasoned dancers progress in to professionals as well as confident young women and men,” Simmons says. tarrytowndance.com
Karen Richards Nature’s Treasures and Texas Office Products and Supply Karen Richards is perhaps one of Austin’s most prolific businesswomen—she’s started 11 businesses in total—and also one of the most successful. Nature’s Treasures, her 14,000-square-foot wonderland of crystals, gems, minerals, fossils and rocks, and TOPS, her office-products and supply business, both ranked on the Austin Business Journal’s list of top-grossing women-owned companies in 2013. In addition to the breathtakingly vast selection of specimens, Nature’s Treasures also offers gifts, bulk rough rock for your landscaping project or garden and polishing services. It’s also a place to learn. Almost daily, the community center offers talks and workshops on topics such as spirituality, energy work and the healing properties of stones. “My business is so much a part of me that it doesn’t feel like a job. At the same time, it also consumes all of me, so there is a tradeoff there. The secret is finding a happy medium. I am passionate about my business because it teaches me something new every day. I continually learn and grow as a person because of it. Knowing that it helps others to learn and understand the impact of nature in their lives enhances that passion,” Richards says. ntrocks.com
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Sandra Spalding Combining a job she loves with a passion she can’t ignore. By Megan Russell Women who are driven and successful know how to make choices in life. Every day, they are told to choose between their relationships and their careers, their lifestyles and their careers, their passions and their careers. But what happens when you have a passion for something and your career? For Twin Liquors’ Director of Marketing and Events Coordinator Sandra Spalding, this is a question she has to answer every day. “I’ve always been interested in beverage and alcohol,” Spalding says with a genuine enthusiasm that’s infectious. She started with the company in a retail position that eventually grew to where she is today. “I saw a need for certain things in the company. On the community-events side, Twin did so much but didn’t get a lot of credit for what they were doing. I wanted to be that person who shouts, ‘Twin Liquors’ from the rooftops on their behalf because they’re very, very humble.” While she loves her job, especially the people she encounters every day, in the melody of her voice, you can hear a rhythm that speaks to more than what the alcohol industry has to offer. “Music is a huge passion of mine. I devour music. I wish I could give it as much as I take from it,” Spalding says. “I was the tiny little kid, running around dancing to Michael Jackson in my underwear.” These days, when she’s not lip-syncing to MJ, she leads her own band, Audit Division. They have an electronic, dance sound she describes as “future wave,” which has an ’80s sound with a futuristic quality. Her husband, Ian, who works for the band Ventures (think Hawaii Five-0 theme song) is also in the band with her. Along with Audit Division, Spalding is also a Zumba enthusiast. It was the music that got her hooked on the fitness craze, for which she eventually became an instructor. However, for any busy woman who follows her extracurricular passions, Spalding knows how to balance and when she needs a break, deciding to put the Zumba on hold at the beginning of 2014 to pursue the band as her ultimate love. “It started to get overwhelming, especially because I was teaching Zumba and we were writing our album. Now we have an EP that we released back in August. We’ve been doing a lot of PR and it’s time to start
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thinking about the next EP and live performance. That just started to close in on me and overwhelm me,” Spalding explains. “And I never want to feel overwhelmed by my music or Zumba because those are my passions. I made the decision to put Zumba on hold. I still go to classes all the time and it doesn’t mean I can’t teach here and there, it’s just not a stress of regular commitment to teaching. So, I guess that’s how you balance—you prioritize.” After re-prioritizing, you’d think life would be a little less chaotic for Spalding, but sometimes marketing and music compete for her personal time. “There’s the possibility of playing shows and going to important work events. I’m expected to attend conferences and that takes away from my weekend or an evening that I would otherwise be at home writing music.” To balance, Spalding prioritizes her week ahead of time. The priority comes not just out of necessity for her job, but also out of maintaining sanity in her hectic life. “I always ask, ‘Is this enhancing my life and enhancing my work situation or is it just adding stress?’ If it’s a happy hour that I need to go to for work but it’s not going to enhance my work situation or it’s going to stress things out, I’ll make the decision to not go. As long as I feel what I’m doing is really important and enhancing, then I’m going to try my best to do it.” Luckily for Spalding, she not only has supportive friends and family, she also has a supportive work environment. “Ownership definitely knows about my music and I think that the people around me at work realize that I’m the kind of person who always needs that stimulation and that makes me creatively better at my job here at Twin,” Spalding says. “I’m not the kind of person who can exhaust all my creativity on one project. To me, creativity breeds even more creativity. If I’m constantly being creative, it’s like a volcanic explosion of creativity and the people here recognize that.” With all of the support, why has it taken this 39-year-old many years to pursue her passion? “Up until a couple years ago, financial [obligations] and the fear of failing [makes] you feel like you have to have a certain responsibility as you get older,” she says. So she chose the path of the responsible adult, a
path that started to wear on her about three years ago. After taking a sabbatical from her job and heading back to Southern California, she came home with her cup and confidence full. “I have always been very scared of failure, but a couple years ago, I decided I’m just not nervous anymore, somehow it will work out. I let go of that fear without really knowing what was going to happen and said, ‘Let’s just try it. Let’s just go for it.’ ” She encouraged her husband to quit his job and work full time on music. That leap of faith is finally starting to pay off, as Audit Division is getting airplay at college radio stations throughout the country. With her frenzied outflow of creativity, does Spalding ever have time to get away from the pressures of creative output and just relax? “My husband and I try to cook dinner together at least four nights a week. That’s our unwind time. We’ll spend an hour or two in the kitchen drinking wine, making dinner and the beauty of that, because we’re in the band together, we end up talking a lot about music and ideas.” Spalding also regularly does what she calls scheduling for spontaneity. After finding that she was scheduling herself silly, she decided to start blocking out her calendar every couple of weeks, not schedule anything and take some time for herself. After years of letting the fear and supposed responsibilities of life get in the way of living her passion, Spalding offers up some beautiful words of wisdom. “Make sure you’re living your passion in everything you do. I see people have these jobs that make them miserable so they go crazy on the weekends to let loose. But I’m passionate all the time. I want to be passionate about what I do over here every day, what I do out there every day, what I do on the weekends, what I do with everyone I interact with. I think part of that is giving everything meaning, making everything meaningful,” Spalding explains. “[Living] your passion, to me, is definitely making every moment of your life meaningful, whatever that means to you.” Audit Division’s first album is available at Waterloo and on iTunes. You can also listen to the band on Spotify. For more information about Audit Division, visit auditdivisionmusic.com.
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Living the Entrepreneurial Life Fighting the fear is all about finding your passion. I was recently asked to speak to a group about courage. “Courage?” I asked. “What do I know about courage?” The response was, “Well, you’re an entrepreneur. You must be fearless!” I never dreamed about being an entrepreneur; it was something that I fell in to—almost literally—because of an overwhelming passion I felt about an idea. Sometimes these days, I have nightmares about owning my own business, the responsibility, pressures, employees, customers, but my greatest fear is knowing that I can never go back. Nor do I want to. I always say my biggest motivation for success is knowing that I will likely never be able to hold down a “regular” job after having this experience. I would probably work fewer hours, be less stressed and sleep a lot more, but at what cost? When people ask me how I got the idea to start Austin Woman nearly 12 years ago, I answer honestly that I had too much wine one night when out with some girlfriends and when the idea came up about a magazine for women in Austin, it landed squarely in my lap because I had a publishing background. It could have ended there, written off as a silly idea after too many glasses of wine, but there’s nothing like that feeling in your stomach or the sensation of the hair standing up on your neck when you know in your heart you’ve just stumbled upon a great idea. I had no idea how to start a business, much less what it would require of me to make this dream a reality. So I wrote it all down, my thoughts, dreams and goals, and eventually put the research and numbers behind it to form a business plan. As that plan took shape, my fear began to subside, and whenever it threatened to overwhelm me, I simply referenced and reworked my plan
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until that confidence came back. I still practice this today, even nearly 12 years later, when things feel out of control, I put pen to paper and make a plan. And yes, that little glass of wine still plays an important role! I was then, and am still, motivated by two things: passion and fear, the two competing emotions that actually create momentum. Entrepreneurs are often labeled as fearless, but there is no greater untruth. Most entrepreneurs I know shudder at that label and freely admit that they are scared out of their minds a lot of the time. The difference is the overwhelming passion they feel for what they are doing allows them to channel that fear in to a powerful motivator. So my advice to those of you dreaming of a life of entrepreneurship? Don’t wait for the courage to do it. Simply find your passion and use the power of your fear to propel you forward. That’s what we do.
—Melinda Garvey May’s Last Word topic will be “My Favorite Family Getaway.” To be considered, email a 500-word submission by April 1 to submissions@awmediainc.com.
Illustration by Sarah Quatrano.