May 2022 by Austin Woman Magazine

Celebrating 50 years! Austin true since 1972.

Why shop Roger Beasley Mazda? • One of the largest Mazda dealers in the U.S. • Locally-owned with 3 convenient locations. • Offering the same great prices as always. • Trade-in values remain extremely high. • It’s a great time to shop Mazda!

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44 FEATURE

WHO AM I? BY CY WHITE PHOTOS BY ANNIE RAY

54 FEATURE

MAIN SQUEEZE BY BRIANNA CALERI PHOTOS BY CHISUM PIERCE

ATXWOMAN.COM | 5

May CONTENTS

FROM THE DESK OF Arianna Salinas

STAFF PICKS What’s a local woman-owned food business you love?

COUNT US IN Women In Business: Here Today, More Tomorrow

ON THE MARKET Killy Scheer of Scheer & Co.

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH WATCH

ON THE MONEY Attracting Talent Amidst Staff Shortages

THE FEED Lunchbox.io

28 MICHELLE DOYON

29 SHAADI OREYZI

MAUREEN BROWN; STEPHANIE BUI-CATUOGNO, PA- C; LAWTON CUMMINGS

30 CINTHYA ROMRIELL

HEALING Rock-star Shaman Alyson Charles

31 CLAIRE HARRISON

TERESA GALLAGHER; BETH GOFF-MCMILLAN; KRISTY GOLDMAN

32 ANA VILLEGAS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

33 ANJI MADDOX

LISA GRAHAM; YESENIA HERNÁNDEZ PLASCENCIA; DOROTHY K . LAWRENCE

34 JACQUELINE

HUMMELL

35 MEGHAN HERMAN 36 JULIE M. HERRERA 37 ROSE STUCKEY KIRK

6 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

TRACI W. PIRRI, LCSW-S; MICHELLE SCHULER; JESSICA STANLEY AND AMY ARNOLD

WOMAN TO WATCH ROLL CALL

IVitamin

WAITING ROOM Bollywood dance instructor Shruti Anand

8 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

ATXWOMAN.COM | 9

A better birth starts at home.

At Austin Better Birth Midwifery, Licensed Midwife Jennifer Timbs specializes in personalized prenatal, birth, postpartum and newborn care. Having a baby should be an empowering experience. Austin Better Birth Midwifery’s focus is on helping to create and support a safe and comfortable environment for you to birth at home.

Contributors A PUBLICATION OF AW MEDIA INC.

This month, we asked our contributors: What is your favorite thing about summer?

VOLUME 20, ISSUE 9

BRIANNA CALERI JEN RAMOS PERKINS

Director of Business Operations

Writer “Main Squeeze,” page 54 • She accidentally became a photographer. • She has 42 species of house plant.

JAIME ALBERS

• She built her own guitar.

Creative Director

“As a Northeastern transplant obsessed with

CY WHITE

the cold, it took me a couple of years to stop

Managing Editor

running from the heat. Now I love wearing

DARBY KENDALL

Copy Editor KRISNA MENIER

Community and Events Manager

hats and reminding myself to be present and embrace the sweat.”

JANAYE BARABIN Writer, “The Healing Power of Animal Energy,”

ANNE COX

page 64

Production Manager DONNA MITCHELL

Sales Account Executive CONTRIBUTORS

Editorial:

Shruti Anand, Janaye Barabin, Brianna Caleri, Evelyn Deal, Jenny Hoff, Arianna Salinas, Brianna Salinas, Killy Scheer, Cy White Art:

• She recently adopted a dog named Roscoe. • She loves spending time with family. • She’s known her best friend since elementary school. “My favorite thing about summer is that first dip in the pool on a hot day.”

BRIANNA SALINAS Writer, “Wellness is a Lifestyle,” page 66

Alyson Charles, DJ Ferno | Open House Productions, Keira Hand, Lunchbox, Chisum Pierce, Annie Ray, SOMI Energy, Jessica Wetterer

• She hiked a dormant volcano in Hawaii. • She made a free throw shot at the AT&T Center. • She loves true crime podcasts but hates

INTERNS

Janaye Barbin, Evelyn Deal, Brianna Salinas, Devon Sayre

horror movies. “My favorite thing about summer is going paddle boarding and laying out under the sun (with SPF, of course).”

AW MEDIA INC. MELINDA GARVEY

KIP GARVEY

Co-founder/Co-owner

CEO/Co-owner

SAMANTHA STEVENS

Co-founder

EVELYN DEAL Writer, “Your Digital Dinner,” page 62 • She’s a film and digital photographer, mainly in fashion. • She pretty much knows every line from the movie The Outsiders.

• She’s named after her great-grandmother,

To offer feedback, email feedback@awmediainc.com. For submission information, visit atxwoman.com/jobs.

“My favorite part of summer is being outside

No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission. Visit us online at atxwoman.com. Email us at info@awmediainc.com. 512.328.2421 | 7401 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78739

and there are currently four Evelyn Elizabeths in her family tree. and feeling the warmth of the sun, then cooling off in the water. Here in Austin, that means getting a tan at Zilker and then swimming in Barton Springs.”

ATXWOMAN.COM | 11

Editor’s LETTER

e’ve almost reached the halfway mark of 2022. Can you believe it? Stevie Wonder said it best: “Simon says that now your mind desires a vacation.” I quote Stevie Wonder because I believe he was onto something. “Bird of Beauty” speaks to the need for the mind and body to truly rest, recover and experience life in all its beautiful, crazy, outrageous glory. The May issue is a time to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of the women in Austin. But May is also a month of great healing, mending the parts of ourselves that perhaps have been neglected and need a little extra love. Within these pages, we have stories of rediscovery of self and bold audacity. Our cover woman, Vasavi Kumar, knew from an early age that she was destined to live out loud. It took her some time to get there and fully embrace speaking her destiny into being, but once she did, there was no turning back. She challenges each and every one of us to “say it out loud” because she’s forced herself to do the same. It’s driven her to become the woman she is today: actor, author, self-expression and competence coach. Human. Meanwhile, the women of Juice Consulting know a thing or two about stepping out on a dare. With their intrepid leader, Heather Wagner Reed, at the helm, this crew of ambitious, driven and enthusiastic women have helped Reed redefine the world of PR. Rock-star Shaman Alyson Charles has walked in the wisdom, legacy and unparalleled strength of First Nations on her journey to healing. Bollywood dancer and yoga instructor Shruti Anand elaborates on the connection between dance and yoga, and how they benefit mind, body and spirit. Healing, self-discovery. Every single woman in this issue has embraced all of this on their paths to becoming the inspirational entrepreneurs they are today. If you take one thing from this issue, let it be that success is different for everybody. However, what these women have realized is that material success means nothing if you don’t feel comfortable in your own skin. Take stock of yourself. How are you feeling today? If not the best, are you giving yourself the grace and the space to heal? Are you being gentle with yourself? In May, be intentional about your own healing journey, and as these women did, define success for yourself and reach the goals that mean the most to you.

CY WHITE EDITOR

Publication of Austin Woman would not be possible without the support of our monthly advertisers and sponsors, who believe in the impact we are making in the Austin community. The following businesses have stepped up their support of our efforts beyond traditional advertising and we are proud to recognize them as our partners. The team at Austin Woman is grateful for these businesses that have shown their commitment to the advancement of women in Austin and hopes you, as readers, recognize their efforts and support these businesses and all our regular advertisers.

12 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

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DRIPPING SPRINGS COMMUNITY EXPANDS AMENITIES Located in the picturesque city of Dripping Springs, Caliterra is widely recognized for being a master-planned community focused on building streetscapes and resort-style amenities around the natural footprint of the land. More than 250 acres will remain undeveloped, allowing residents of this breathtaking new-home community to explore, play and relax among the open green spaces. The heart of the community is the collection of novelty amenities that allow residents to gather. The Front Porch is a welcome lounge for visitors and residents where they can grab coffee or a signature breakfast taco from the onsite coffee shop. The Hall is an open-air pavilion, often used for community events but also a casual place for residents to sit and watch their children on the nearby playscape or The Springs, the community splash pad. The Yard is also a stone’s throw away. This is the event lawn where neighbors enjoy all kinds of activities or concerts at the newly unveiled community stage. It is the perfect setting to host the annual Run to Brunch 5K, which features a route along Onion Creek and breathtaking views. For those there to cheer the runners on, there is live music, food and more. The 2022 Run to Brunch is on May 7. Visit caliterra5k.com to register.

The extensive master trail system has been expanded to wind along Onion Creek through the live oak groves and up the bluff, leading to The Cove—the Hill Country-inspired resortstyle pool that features a wading pool, beach entry and plenty of shade. This luxurious hilltop pool is bordered by The Run, the community dog park as well as The Grove, an oak savanna that houses camping sites, hammock gardens and future fire pits—a perfect place for stargazing or an afternoon of horseshoes. While the amazing amenities set the bar for master-planned living, Caliterra is also a trailblazer in energy efficiency and a prime location. Caliterra exclusively uses natural gas throughout the development, making it the first community in Dripping Springs to offer this highly cost-efficient alternative to propane gas. Just 25 miles southwest of Downtown Austin, Dripping Springs is known as the “Gateway to the Hill Country” and home to local breweries, vineyards and various entertainment and music venues. Located minutes to the charming downtown and the historic Mercer Street, Caliterra is also part of the highly acclaimed Dripping Springs ISD. Model homes by Drees Custom Homes, Scott Felder Homes and Pulte Homes are open daily for tours. These awardwinning homebuilders offer one- and two-story home designs with flexible spaces to best meet the needs of prospective buyers. Future phases are currently underway and will release new lots in the near future. Be sure to contact one of our firstclass builders for pricing and lot availability. Custom home sites are also available while they last. For more information, live chat or a virtual tour, visit caliterraliving.com. ATXWOMAN.COM | 15

From the DESK

You Control Your Energy SOMI Co-founder Arianna Salinas understands energy is the essence of every day. BY ARIANNA SALINAS

ost evenings you can find Arianna Salinas serving prime seafood and steaks at Austin’s original Eddie V’s on Fifth Street. But during the day, she serves as co-founder and CEO of SOMI, a newly launched natural matcha energy drink. While pursuing her bachelor’s in business from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Salinas worked for world-renowned companies Goldman Sachs and Wynn Las Vegas and often found herself alongside celebrity chefs such as Morimoto Masahru and Wolfgang Puck. Through more than a decade of work in the hospitality and restaurant industries, she was a constant force of energy, meeting the high demands of her patrons and exceeding the expectations of her employers. Like most of us, she soon found herself turning to a necessary evil to keep up with it all—energy drinks. From Sugarfree Redbull, to “better-for-you” sugar-filled alternatives, she couldn’t find anything suitable to meet her needs and satisfy her healthy lifestyle. So in 2020, alongside her husband, Angel, she set out to create an energy drink she could be proud to serve up to herself and others. Now, with SOMI by her side, Salinas has the positive energy she needs to power her busy life. ENERGY IS A MINDSET.

Every morning you are faced with a decision: Is today going to be a good day or a bad day? Am I going to go after it or drag my feet at all costs? It all starts with your mind giving your body the proper energy to seize each day. If you wake up feeling sluggish and want to crawl back under the covers, your mind needs to kick yourself into gear in order to make it out the door. Feeling energetic can come from within. ENERGY IS CONTAGIOUS.

Like the golden rule, or karma, you often get what you give and give what you hope to get. When you can be the positive energy you want to receive from others, you are the catalyst in a cycle of positivity. It has to start somewhere, so why shouldn’t that be with you? 16 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

ENERGY NEEDS FUEL.

Whether it’s your morning cup of coffee, your hearty lunch or your favorite energy drink in the afternoon, you need fuel to provide you with energy for your day. How you choose to fuel yourself is reflected in your behavior and your interactions with others. So what’ll it be? Coffee? A green juice? Salad? A cheeseburger? You want your fuel to make you feel great, not just energized. When you feel good, you do good. YOU CONTROL YOUR ENERGY.

It’s up to you. Grab the wheel and take charge of your energy. That could mean starting your day at 7 a.m. with hot yoga and a green juice, or maybe it means sleeping until noon because your creative juices flow best at night. Whatever your path, take hold of your energy and lead the way in your very best way possible. WIPE YOUR ENERGY SLATE CLEAN.

Some may call it old-fashioned, but the best way to rid yourself of bad energy is a good night’s rest. Starting each day with a fresh, new outlook opens a world of possibilities. But don’t take my word for it. Arianna Huffington, Jeff Bezos, Jennifer Lopez, the Dalai Lama and even Austin’s own Matthew McConaughey believe a good night’s rest is a must.

Photo courtesy of Arianna Salinas.

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Staff

PICKS

What’s a local woman-owned food business you love? The Austin Woman staff show love for local food businesses. EVELYN DEAL EDITORIAL INTERN

The curious spirit of Austin is kept alive by its culture and its people. A huge part of that culture is celebrated by indulging in a delicious meal shared with good company, and no one knows how to create exquisite meals better than the women behind 68 Degrees Kitchen. Joan Gillcrest opened 68 Degrees Kitchen in Austin following its initial success in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Serving Italian-accented dishes, 68 Degrees uses sustainably sourced ingredients. Joan is accompanied by her sister and business partner, Marion. Marion, who serves as 68 Degrees’ chef, is also the owner of Austin’s La Traviata. Both of the Gillcrest sisters prioritize the use of fresh and quality ingredients to complement the presentation and consistency of their foods. The friendly staff and modern-chic aesthetic create an appeasing and delicate feeling, which has allowed this power duo’s restaurant to flourish, despite only being around for a little over five years.

JEN RAMOS PERKINS My favorite local woman-owned food business is For the Love of Food, owned and run by Marcella Aguirre. First, Marcella is a badass superwoman: an amazing mom, wife, daughter, sister, aunt and incredible friend who is a full-time chef and somehow found the time to start an amazing catering business. Marcella is from Laredo, Texas, where her passion for cuisine stemmed from a beautiful tradition of cooking with her family. She learned to make tamales from scratch with her grandmother Nora, learned traditional Mexican meals eaten during the holidays from her grandmother “Titi” and made breakfast with her parents, Gloria and Cesar, every Saturday morning. A simple breakfast by Mexican standards: tortillas, eggs, potatoes, beans, barbacoa or chorizo and her dad’s incredible salsa. Marcela then attended culinary school and has worked in hotels, fine dining, mom-and-pop restaurants and now corporate dining. Her lifelong dream has been to have her own catering business to share everything she has learned and make people’s events special and memorable. Her beautiful charcuterie boards rival any, are delicious and made with love.

18 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

All photos courtesy of respective staff member.

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS

CY WHITE MANAGING EDITOR

Cheer Up Charlie’s has a very special place in my heart. I first got acquainted with the place in 2016 when I covered my first SXSW. A dear friend of mine was playing the festival, and that was his final performance spot. In fact, Cheer Ups was the location for the unofficial SXSW closing party, an afternoon shindig with some of the lesser-known acts from East Asia, including my friend. I always remember it because it was an incredibly sunny day, the tables around the stage were welcoming, the atmosphere was leisurely. After the nonstop hustle and bustle of the entire week, it was good to be able to sit down, get a burger from Arlo’s or a breakfast burrito, sip on something refreshing in the heat. Once I learned more about Cheer Ups, I knew it was going to be one of my favorite places to be in Austin. I will always support a lesbian-owned business, especially when they’re so dedicated to giving those who are often overlooked a place to call home.

BRIANNA SALINAS EDITORIAL INTERN

KRISNA MENIER

The first time I went to Chez Zee was on Mother’s Day of 2018. My family and I gathered on a beautiful Sunday to celebrate the matriarchs of our family, and we were blown away by the food and service that was provided to us. There is a very warm and welcoming environment that you walk into when entering the bistro. Yearround Christmas lights and art from local artists mount the dining area. Chez Zee is enveloped by an eclectic atmosphere and greenery that invites you to sit down and stay awhile. Before leaving, my mom and I took a picture on the infamous Chez Zee striped chair. According to their website, Sharon Watkins has owned and operated Chez Zee since 1989 and has been inviting Austinites and anyone looking for a delicious meal to her restaurant ever since.

COMMUNITY AND EVENTS MANAGER

Let’s be honest here. Even as a vegetarian myself, I do my best to stay away from vegan food because, simply put, it’s typically bland and boring. A mushroom steak here, a grilled tofu there. The same things time after time. But Counter Culture is changing the game. From their East Side Nachos to the Tempeh Reuben, they have cultivated a menu full of flavors, cultures and excitement. Sue Davis is not only the founder, owner and chef who created the amazing menu of all homemade items, down to the ketchup and mayo. But she is also a DJ and photographer whose artistry shines through in every dish. Whether you are looking for a delicious breakfast or a dinner with friends and pups (yes, their patio is pup friendly!) look no further than Counter Culture in East Austin.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 19

Count US IN

Women In Business: Here Today, More Tomorrow Women have proven time and again that we are the backbone of the business world. BY BRIANNA SALINAS ILLUSTRATIONS BY JESSICA WETTERER

$5,000

According to Fundera by NerdWallet, the average entrepreneurial woman can witness a $5,000 disparity between the offered average loan size and that offered to her male counterparts. In order to see a rise in loan amounts given to women, there must be a considerable rise in what women are willing to ask for. By requesting higher loan amounts, the loan amounts funded will, in turn, also rise.

84%

172%

While women-led businesses receive less funding, women’s companies are seen growing at a considerably higher rate than men’s. The average women’s company grows by 84%, whereas a man’s company will grow at 78%. Women are seen to have a faster rate of creating jobs and developing their businesses.

Since 2007, Hispanic women-owned businesses have grown at an astonishing rate of 172%. The National Women’s Business Council reports that Hispanic women can be thanked for supplying 570,000 workers with jobs. According to American Express, 400 Hispanic women-owned businesses are founded daily.

According to Forbes, female-founded startup businesses were shown to receive a higher revenue than businesses founded by men. The study, which was led by Mass Challenge and BCG, included 350 startups and found that women-founded businesses earned twice as much money as their male counterparts. This discovery proves that female-owned businesses are noticeably safer for investors. 20 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

43%

Women of color are the leaders in the entrepreneurial siege of women-led businesses. According to Business Wire, between 2014 and 2019, women-led businesses grew at a rate of 21%. Businesses that were headed by women of color grew at a noticeably higher rate of 43%–while African American womenowned businesses grew higher still with a rate of 50%.

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On the MARKET

Creating Your Forever Home Killy Scheer highlights how Austin’s growth has emphasized just how much value consumers put in their homes. BY KILLY SCHEER OF SCHEER & CO.

t’s no longer a secret that Austin has become one of the most booming markets for real estate and design in the country. With multiple companies and campuses opening in prominent locations throughout the city and the ever-growing population, Austin continues to see enormous growth. The influx of people has resulted in a continuous stream of renovation and home update needs, keeping the design and construction industries working at full capacity. However, with global supply chain issues and a shortage of workers, it is challenging to get anything done in a timely manner. That said, challenges are nothing new to the design and construction industries. This new “normal” has simply forced our community to stretch and grow as we figure out how to manage the changes while continuing to provide a high-quality experience for our clients. Just a few years ago, clients started projects with the idea that they would live in their houses for another five, maybe ten years. Considering the skyrocketing cost of real estate and the fact that renovations now take longer to complete and cost more, many people are planning to remain in their homes for far longer— sometimes forever (or as “forever” as we can predict these days). That can mean planning to age in place: considering how kitchens and baths might accommodate a wheelchair, thinking about changes in dexterity when selecting door and cabinet hardware, touchless faucets, adding blocking in walls for future handrails in showers and adding smart features for lighting automation. Even clients who aren’t necessarily thinking about aging in place are planning to stay in their homes for longer. We are taking extra special care in creating rooms that will grow as kids grow, looking to the future to design high-functioning kitchens and laundry rooms and discreetly carving out work spaces that blend seamlessly with the rest of the house.

22 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

Far more frequently prospective clients say they don’t want their houses to reflect what’s trending on Pinterest or Instagram. Instead, they want their homes to tell their personal stories—less generic, more unique. Whether it’s turning all-white kitchens and baths into those with jewel-toned cabinetry and highly patterned stone slabs, or moving away from relying on only accent walls for a pop of color, people are more comfortable with being bold and taking risks. Maybe we’ve all realized that life is too short and that it’s time to get those collections out of storage, learn to layer lighting, art, rugs and accessories so we can all enjoy them rather than let them collect dust. Design leans toward spaces that feel contemporary but maintain a depth found in pieces with history: vintage finds, classic furnishings and a healthy dose of layers. Like it or not, rattan and other woven textures including grasscloth, rush and caning, are back in a big way. People are getting more comfortable with mixing historic styles and periods to create timeless spaces. Influences from France and Italy, as well as movements like Bauhaus, art deco and Memphis, are taking center stage.

Photos by Chisum Pierce.

“

It’s no longer a secret that Austin has become one of the most booming markets for real estate and design in the country. —Killy Scheer Intriguingly enough, clients are incorporating crafts to infuse more character into their homes. We’re seeing needlepoint, tapestries, mosaic tiles and highly textured handmade wallpapers (or scenic murals painted in place). In kitchens and bathrooms, we love to guide our clients through the world of cabinetry styles beyond flat front and shaker. Homeowners are getting comfortable introducing more dimension and texture to highfunction spaces and are exploring a range of materiality—fluted, scalloped, beaded, cane insets, highly patterned woods, arched panels, hammered copper and even stone fronts. We’re seeing more bold stone selections, too—less plain white stone composite products and more splashy, highly veined marbles and quartzites. To get the full effect (and value), they are being applied as statement backsplashes so they can be seen both vertically and horizontally. Most clients want their bathrooms to feel like a retreat. That means luxurious finishes (natural stones, unlacquered brass, automation that makes the bathroom feel squeaky clean at all times); large soaking tubs; framed views bringing the outside in; the ability to fully control lighting (dimmers); cabinetry that looks and feels more like something you’d see in a high-end cocktail bar. Plumbing fixtures are having a renaissance as well—a little less serious and a little more whimsical. That may come in round or oval shapes, brighter, unexpected colors or materials like stone. The name of the game is higher functioning. That can mean removing a tub to create a larger, more luxurious shower, or rearranging a bathroom to incorporate a big soaking tub. More time is spent on designing unique tile patterns, whether a motif is to work with a contemporary space or more of a period home. Bonus spaces such as home bars have become quite a hot commodity. Perhaps everyone stuck at home over the last couple of years decided they wanted to bring the speakeasies to them, and they’re using that opportunity to create inspired and highly functional bars. Clients have requested home gyms and quiet, reflective spaces like meditation rooms and spa-like retreats with steam showers, body sprays, etc. to create an oasis at home. Clients also request more indoor-outdoor connections and spaces, whether that’s bigger windows, a wall of doors that fully open to a backyard or patio, or outdoor showers—anything that brings in fresh air and connects with nature. While these changes seem ever-evolving and never-ending, we’re enjoying the challenges and are dedicated to the process. We pride ourselves on being able to create a unique and personalized experience for each client, and with more value being put on our homes than ever before, we’re happy to be able to take each unique request and create something special. Find out more about Killy Scheer & Co. at scheer.co

ATXWOMAN.COM | 23

On the MONEY

Attracting Talent Amidst Staff Shortages Entrepreneurs need to hustle to get help. BY JENNY HOFF

usinesses across the country are facing a similar problem in a post(ish)-COVID world: positions to fill and nobody interested in taking them. It’s not clear whether service and retail workers went on to start their own side gigs, found remote work opportunities or became influencers, but small-business owners in particular are feeling the pinch when it comes to attracting staff. Many Austin businesses are offering double, sometimes triple, the national minimum wage to attract workers and are still coming up short. CREATE CULTURE

If you’re a small-business owner looking to find help, it may feel impossible to compete with bigger companies that can offer medical and vacation benefits. But increasingly, studies are showing that culture, inclusivity and simple kindness are some of the most important benefits employees seek. One of the greatest advantages a small business has is the ability to create a warm, personal work environment, unlike many bigger corporations. By creating a family-like culture, small businesses can attract workers who want to make every hour of their day enjoyable and valuable beyond just earning money to pay rent. If coming to work feels like visiting with friends and collaborating in fun and creative ways, the job will sell itself. Otherwise, an in-person environment can’t compete with remote work opportunities.

24 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

FOSTER FLEXIBILITY

The workplace has become too competitive with flexible offers for employers to stay rigid with old hourly expectations. By offering flexible schedules as well as roles and responsibilities, you’ll have a better chance to fill the positions you need. Perhaps you need someone to work 40 hours a week, but you’re finding it impossible to compete with the salaries bigger companies can offer. Instead, actively seek out people who might be highly qualified but unable to commit that kind of time, like stay-at-home parents, semi-retired workers and people furthering their education. Find two or three part-time workers instead who can commit some time and provide immense value, rather than struggling to find one who is only there because they couldn’t land a job elsewhere. Try to show that same flexibility with the positions you create. Talk with the potential hire about their interests, talents and skills. Maybe what you need most is someone to serve the coffee or tea, but if you find they’re also great with social media, photography or product creation, offer them opportunities to use those skills as well. If an employee feels like they’re growing and gaining new opportunities, they’ll be more likely to stick around. SELL YOURSELF FIRST

When putting out an ad for a position on social media or through a job board, sell yourself first before listing your expectations. What do you offer to the employee in terms of financial and social benefits? What kind of culture does your business provide? What growth opportunities can they expect? It’s a buyer’s market, and you’re the seller. Find your business’ strengths and shout them from the rooftops. With the right message and the right attitude, you’ll soon find the right people to help your small business succeed.

30TH ANNIVERSARY

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tru-skin.com 888.451.0139 ATXWOMAN.COM | 25

June 18, 2022 9a.m. - 4p.m.

As we come out of the pandemic, we find that anxiety about physical, mental and financial health is at an all-time high—especially for women. We created THRIVE, a wholistic wellness event that meets women where they are, in order to support our Austin Woman community. We’d love for you to join us at this event and bring your expertise, knowledge and support.

JOIN US FOR SUNRISE YOGA & SOUND BATH HEALTH & WELLNESS PANEL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS CONSCIOUS MARKETPLACE ROBUST FOOD VENDORS RAFFLES & MORE

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SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE 26 | AUSTIN WOMAN |

512.328.2421 MAY 2022 sales@awmediainc.com

Distribution Hall Austin, TX

ATX

WOMEN to WATCH Our pages are full of stories of Austin’s most engaging, empowering and successful women, and this section is specially designed to provide you access to even more incredible role models and success stories. Be part of this amazing group and share your story with thousands of women. Contact us at sales@awmediainc.com or call 512.328.2421 for more information. PHOTOS BY ROMINA OLSON

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MICHELLE DOYON

M I C H E L L E ’ S PAT I S S E R I E | F O U N D E R

ichelle Doyon is the pastry chef and founder of Michelle’s Patisserie, a locally owned bakery that for 20 years has specialized in custom cakes, wedding cakes, petit fours and desserts. The Knot regularly recognizes Michelle’s Patisserie in their Best of Weddings awards, and in 2020, Doyon was featured on Food Network. Recently the Junior League of Austin awarded her the Austin Entertains Culinary Fellowship, which includes a $10,000 grand prize. The Junior League of Austin awards this fellowship to a woman who gives back to her community and provides unique strengths to the culinary industry. Doyon plans to use part of the prize money to make improvements to her commercial kitchen, which she opens up to other women who are just starting their own food businesses. She believes in the importance of giving back because genuine acts of kindness lead others to do the same. jlaustin.org/austin-entertains

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SHAADI OREYZI

C E R T I F I E D H U M A N D E S I G N B U S I N E S S C O N S U LTA N T

haadi Oreyzi is one of 150 internationally certified professionals trained in the business application of the Human Design assessment system. With only a few pieces of information, Oreyzi accurately maps how you’re wired to make better, stronger decisions. Her clear directives and practical strategies will propel your business initiatives in the right direction. Operationally, she maps out the dynamics within teams, identifies underlying issues and solves problems so everyone is supported as a successful, collaborative unit. Oreyzi’s one-of-a-kind approach has made an impact on high-performing leaders from large organizations such as Adobe Workfront, American Airlines, Compass and Dell Technologies, to boutique companies such as Dr. Hyman Enterprises, Kindred Realty and Moreland Properties. Incorporating Human Design will transform the way your business operates and thrives by keeping it relevant, promoting greater satisfaction in the workplace and empowering you with the ultimate competitive edge. elevatehumans.com

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C I N T H YA R O M R I E L L

C I N F U L S W E E T S | C E R T I F I E D C H O C O L AT I E R A N D PA S T R Y C H E F

inful Sweets is a chocolate shop and bakery that stands for beauty, style, luxury, quality and consistency. We want to make your everyday a delicious one. How do we do that? By providing all aspects of pastry. We start each day from scratch, using nothing but the most wholesome, delicious and finest-quality ingredients. Quality ingredients breed a quality product. Using B Corporation Certified chocolate allows us to keep the integrity of our products. It is why we work exclusively with Valrhona Chocolate. They have created a range of unique and recognizable aromatic profiles, making that perfect canvas for all our desserts. We scour the world looking for the best spices and nuts while also using local fruits and flours made by local farmers to dazzle your taste buds. Our passion and dedication drive our motivation to create artful desserts that not only look too pretty to eat but taste amazing as well. cinfulsweets.com 30 | MAY 2022 30 | AUSTIN SPECIAL WOMAN PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM

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CLAIRE HARRISON

T E X A S C A P I TA L B A N K | A U S T I N M A R K E T P R E S I D E N T

laire Harrison recently relocated to Austin from Dallas with her family to help lead the implementation of Texas Capital Bank’s strategic vision in the rapidly growing market. As the firm’s Austin market president, she brings a successful track record of helping clients build out their corporate portfolios and will be a strategic advisor playing a key role in the development of new client opportunities by focusing on collaboration across the bank’s various lines of business. Passionate about building relationships, Harrison is constantly seeking ways to become more involved in the Austin community. texascapitalbank.com

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ANA VILLEGAS

NI | CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

s chief marketing officer, Ana Villegas is responsible for NI’s global marketing strategy and implementation across all regions, customer segments and solutions. Her focus is on promoting the strength of NI’s technology to drive growth, elevating the importance of test and celebrating the engineers behind today’s innovations. Previously, she served as NI’s vice president of demand generation and field marketing, and she spent more than 16 years at Dell in a variety of leadership roles. Villegas serves on NI’s corporate impact and DEI councils and sits on the boards of Latinitas and Raven + Lily. Additionally, she is on the McCombs School of Business marketing advisory council and the Fast Company executive board. She received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, a master’s in finance from the Universidad Pacifico in Lima, Peru, and a master’s in marketing and bachelor’s in engineering from the Universidad Catolica in Lima, Peru. ni.com 32 WOMAN | MAY 2022 32 | AUSTIN SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM

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ANJI MADDOX

S H E S P I E S P R I VAT E E Y E , I N C . | P R E S I D E N T

nji Maddox is the owner of She Spies Private Eye, Inc. In her younger years, she realized she wanted to be an investigator of some type. Maddox has a two-year degree in law enforcement and a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. She became a juvenile probation officer after graduating and realized her passion for helping youth. After seven years in the profession, she eventually met a private investigator. This perked her interest. She opened She Spies Private Eye in 2003, a full-service investigations company that specializes in domestic matters such as infidelity and child custody. Maddox has received recognition for being one of the top private investigators in both Austin and Dallas. Recently both Fortune and Forbes magazines named her one of the top six powerful women in Austin. She is a member of the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators. shespiespi.com

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JACQUELINE HUMMELL

TEX AS PROVINCIAL INTERIORS | OWNER, INTERIOR DESIGNER

nterior designer Jacqueline Hummell has been called “the best boutique designer in Austin” and “the most organized designer” by clients and general contractors. Her firm, Texas Provincial Interiors, specializes in designing remodels and creating cohesive spaces, from the finishes to the furnishings. She is especially known for her kitchen and bath designs and her ability to blend multiple styles. Uniquely, Hummell provides clients with renderings for every project, allowing them to see what their interiors will look like before the construction starts. Texas Provincial Interiors works with existing homeowners, highend clients building new homes and general contractors to provide exceptional design services. When not designing interiors, she enjoys staying fit and painting in her East Austin home. texasprovincial.com

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MEGHAN HERMAN

HARPERSAGE | FOUNDER AND DESIGNER

eghan Herman grew up in the 1990s, the youngest of five trying to keep up with her older brothers. She started playing soccer when she was 4 years old. Adults and peers were quick to label her a “tomboy.” She went on to play D1 soccer at the University of Wisconsin, Madison (UW), but she started to look for a creative outlet to balance out the grind of competition. She chose to study textile and fashion design at UW, eventually landing at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. She has designed for ultra-femme brands like Carolina Herrera and Anthropologie, where at times, her work was deemed too “masculine.” HarperSage was born from her desire to embrace her own duality. It’s the first ethical lifestyle brand to empower dynamic, multifaceted women through style and community. Herman hopes to inspire other women to believe they, too, can be anything they want, even if those things seem like opposites. harpersage.com

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JULIE M. HERRERA

T O Y O TA O F C E D A R PA R K , C I T Y L I M I T S S U B A R U | D E A L E R P R I N C I PA L

ulie Herrera is a South Texas native who entered the car business in 1990 as a sales associate. Today, she’s the dealer principal of the nation’s sixth best volume Toyota Dealership, Toyota of Cedar Park, where she leads a growing team of 350 employees. Toyota of Cedar Park spearheaded the Austin area’s only International Women’s Day Gala and regularly supports local chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations and countless community groups. The dealership has embarked on a $1 million campaign to lend financial support to the Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center. In the fall of 2023, Herrerra will launch City Limits Subaru in South Austin after a highly competitive selection process. She is one of a very small percentage of female owners in the automotive industry, yet statistics show 82% of all vehicle purchases are either made or influenced by women. “I want women to know they have a place in automotive. Our industry needs more talented women to share their gifts.” juliemherrera.com

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missing WTW

ROSE STUCKEY KIRK

VERIZON | SVP AND CHIEF CSR OFFICER

aised by generations of successful women entrepreneurs, Rose Stuckey Kirk realized from an early age the importance of entrepreneurship to the economic growth and stability of her own family and the communities around her. After several years as an award-winning journalist and corporate executive, Kirk took the helm of Verizon’s responsible business efforts. In this role, she led the creation and launch of Citizen Verizon, a responsible business plan that leverages the power of technology to address pressing social challenges among under-resourced populations. Citizen Verizon helps uplift communities and cities—like her own in Austin—through innovative education programs and game-changing entrepreneurship tools. Most recently, she spearheaded the launch of Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, a free online curriculum that includes over 30 courses, mentoring and networking to help small-business owners and entrepreneurs use technology to stabilize and thrive in today’s ever-changing economic landscape. verizon.com/digitalready ATXWOMAN.COM | SPECIAL PROMOTION | | 37 ATXWOMAN.COM 37

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M A U&RGoldrick E E N BRealtors ROWN Wilson MOSIE BABY | CO-FOUNDER AND CEO After struggling to conceive, Maureen Brown and her husband searched for a proven at-home option to avoid costly, invasive medical procedures. When they couldn’t find it, they created it. Thus Mosie, the first syringe designed for home insemination, was born. Brown happily gave birth to the first Mosie Baby in 2016. Now proven as effective as IUI, follow @mosiebaby for more info. mosiebaby.com

S T E P&HGoldrick A N I E Realtors B U I - C AT U O G N O , PA - C Wilson T R U - S K I N D E R M AT O L O G Y | P H Y S I C I A N A S S I S TA N T Stephanie Bui-Catuogno is a board-certified physician assistant providing medical and cosmetic dermatological care at our Round Rock and Cedar Park offices. She earned her bachelor's in health sciences and physician assistant studies from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and earned her Master of Osteopathic Medicine at Philadelphia College. tru-skin.com

L A&WGoldrick TON C UMMINGS Wilson Realtors C A P I TA L FA C T O R Y | G E N E R A L PA R T N E R Lawton Cummings is General Partner at Capital Factory, the center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas, where she co-leads their venture fund. Prior to entering venture capital, she practiced law, was a law professor and served as a legal analyst for a national network. An avid tech enthusiast, Cummings not only invests in and advises tech startups, but she teaches a Responsible Artificial Intelligence course for law students. capitalfactory.com

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TER S A GRealtors ALLAGHER Wilson &E Goldrick HYPERGIANT | SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER Teresa Gallagher is senior project manager and lead of the project management office with Hypergiant Industries. Hypergiant has a culture for attracting very capable talented folks wanting to make AI for good. Gallagher leads the company’s Service, Product and Space and Defense projects. That’s a lot of “cat wrangling,” but Teresa love’s the challenge. hypergiant.com

B E T&HGoldrick G O F FRealtors -MCMILLAN Wilson SKG TE X AS | OWNER AND CEO Beth Goff-McMillan oversees the meteoric growth of SKG as an industry leader in workplace furnishings. She is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, the first woman president of YPO Austin and on the steering committees for Austin Women’s Fund and BEAM. skgtexas.com

Wilson K R I S& T Goldrick Y G O LRealtors DMAN G O L D M A N L A W G R O U P | AT T O R N E Y A N D F O U N D E R Kristy Goldman founded Goldman Law Group (GLG) with the goal of providing critical legal services to her community by delivering exceptional results in an approachable and convenient format. GLG now consists of a talented team of attorneys and other professionals who serve clients in the areas of trust and will-based estate planning and guardianship planning for minor children. goldmanlawatx.com

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L I S A& Goldrick G R A H Realtors AM Wilson N OT L E Y | PA R T N E R A N D C E O Lisa has been a partner since founding Notley in 2015. She is also a member of the C-suite where she manages the Notley marketing, strategic programs and HR teams. Graham sits on the boards of Friends of the Children Austin, the Austin Kite Festival, Beam Founders Network and Philanthropitch. notley.com

YES& E Goldrick NIA HE RNÁNDEZ PLASCENCIA Wilson Realtors VISA | GLOBAL HE AD OF INCLUSION AND DIVERSIT Y Yesenia Hernández Plascencia serves as the Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity for Visa. She focused her efforts on establishing a strong foundation for Visa’s U.S. priorities for inclusion and diversity over the last two years. Today that work focuses on developing the global I&D strategy for Visa Inc. visa.com

D O R O& TGoldrick H Y K .Realtors L AWRENCE Wilson DOROTHY BUTLER L AW FIRM | P R I N C I PA L AT T O R N E Y A N D O W N E R Dorothy Lawrence is the owner and founder of Dorothy Butler Law Firm, a boutique all-woman firm in Dripping Springs, Texas. In 11 years, the firm has grown into a multi-office cross-discipline force. Since 2016, the Super Lawyers Association has honored Lawrence as a Rising Star—an honor fewer than 2.5% of lawyers receive. When not lawyering, she performs with Broadway Across America.

dorothybutlerlawfirm.com

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T R A C&I Goldrick W . P I Realtors RRI, LCSW-S Wilson HOPE FOR THE JOURNE Y ENTERPRISES, LLC Traci W. Pirri, LCSW-S, is the owner and director of Hope for the Journey, a group of trauma specialists who help kids, adults, parents and partners thrive after trauma with counseling that works. They also are working on national accreditation for a Trauma Sensitivity Certification program for other helpers. hopeforthejourney.org

M I C& H Goldrick E L L E Realtors SCHULER Wilson TIME INSURANCE AGENCY | COMMERCIAL LINES DIRECTOR An Austin native, Michelle Schuler is taking the helm at her family’s independent insurance agency alongside her sisters. With a fresh perspective on people’s needs and a lifelong education in the business, she’s modernizing insurance without sacrificing client care. Outside of work, she’s walking her doodle, Noodle, and supporting local causes like Muny Conservancy. timeinsurance.com

JESS C A S TRealtors ANLEY AND AMY ARNOLD Wilson & IGoldrick C A R D M Y YA R D | C O - F O U N D E R S , C H I E F M A R K E T I N G OFFICER AND CHIEF BRAND OFFICER Card My Yard is the original franchise yard greeting service that has transformed celebrations and events across the country by offering readily available and custom-made signs to commemorate all occasions. The company was founded by Amy Arnold and Jessica Stanley in 2014 to spread joy and create a positive impact. It has grown to over 500 locations across the country. cardmyyard.com

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AT T O R N E Y

Dorothy Butler Law Firm Dedicated team of attorneys located in Dripping Springs, Texas. dorothybutlerlawfirm.com 512.699.5632

Goldman Law Group Exceptional trust and will-based legal planning in a convenient format. goldmanlawatx.com 512.649.5341

AUTO Toyota of Cedar Park The Austin area’s #1 Volume Toyota dealer. Experience the difference! toyotaofcedarpark.com 512.379.5684

DESIGN/HOME Texas Provincial Interiors A full-service interior design firm based in Austin. texasprovincial.com 512.468.4565

COMMERCIAL FURNITURE SKG Texas Energize your workspace with furniture, strategy, design, installation and more. skgtexas.com • 512.481.1500

FAS H I O N HarperSage Ethical fashion that empowers multi-faceted women. harpersage.com 832.443.0

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FOOD & BEVERAGE

Michelle’s Patisserie Austin custom bakery specializing in creative cakes and pastries. michellespatisserie.com 512.433.6860

Cinful Sweets Chocolate shop and bakery that stands for luxury, quality and consistency. cinfulsweets.com 512.323.0994

FINANCE /BANKING

Texas Capital Bank Commercial lending, investing and financial management services for your business. texascapitalbank.com 214.932.6600

Visa A network working for everyone visa.com

H E A LT H & WELLNESS

Hope For The Journey Enterprises Trauma specialists providing counseling and training for Texas. hopeforthejourney.org 512.400.4790

Tru-Skin Dermatology Specializing in cosmetic and medical dermatology, focusing on healthy skin. tru-skin.com • 512.451.0139

INSURANCE Time Insurance Agency Serving central Texas since 1961 with their insurance and bond needs. timeinsurance.com 512.447.7773

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Card My Yard Yard greeting service that has transformed celebrations and events across the country. cardmyyard.com

Human Design for Business Discover your unique roadmap to success, individually and within teams. elevatehumans.com

She Spies Private Eye, Inc. Full-service investigations company with a specialty in domestic matters. shespiespi.com • 512.246.9889

Notley Austin-based band of relentless change-makers combating issues across multiple cause areas. notley.com

TECHNOLOGY Hypergiant Solving critical business problems using AI-powered custom solutions. hypergiant.com • 737.808.4055

NI NI provides software-connected systems forward thinkers need to Engineer Ambitiously. ni.com • 512.683.9477

PRODUCT I N N OVAT I O N Mosie Baby Artificial insemination at home with patented Mosie Syringe. mosiebaby.com

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Who Am I?

Vasavi Kumar is a woman in a constant state of evolution, and she embraces every part of that process. BY CY WHITE PHOTOS BY ANNIE RAY STYLING BY PARKE BALLANTINE WITH INSPIRATION FROM ESTILO, NORDSTROM AND HOLI CHIC MAKEUP BY MELISSA MICHELLE HAIR BY VICTORIA FOR STYLES BY V SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE SCOTTISH RITE THEATER

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itting in a chair in the backstage dressing room of the Scottish Rite Theater, Vasavi Kumar is getting her hair and makeup done for her cover shoot. She holds a few stapled pages and periodically looks down, then back up, mumbling the words on the page. Back down, then up again, to parrot the words back to herself. It’s a scene from When Harry Met Sally that she needs to memorize before her next acting class. All the while her makeup artist, Melissa Michelle, and hairstylist, Victoria, two professionals she found on Facebook, primp and prod. A stroke of the eyeliner pencil here, a spritz of hairspray there. Two hours of this pattern—head down, spritz, head up, a dab of foundation, a few mumbled words, head back down. Then Kumar looks up for the last time, a mirror placed in her hand. There’s quiet for the first time in two hours, then: “Who even am I!” Five minutes with Vasavi Kumar highlights one thing: quiet is not her style. Whether animatedly regaling everyone around her with stories of past relationships or her plans for the rest of the week, the subtle hum of muttered lines or the Caribbean wine and harmonic patois of dancehall coming from her phone, whatever space Kumar occupies knows very little silence. Truly, she embodies what’s become her mantra in the past several years: Say it out loud. She’s fought damn hard to give herself room to live fully within those words. VASAVI KUMAR: SPIRITUAL WALKER The conversation starts with a prayer. Kumar blesses the space, pouring guidance and healing over the words, sentiments and intentions. She asks that her wisdom reaches the readers. “Let them feel something; let them think differently about themselves. Let them realize that there is possibility for their life to be whatever they want it to be. Please allow me to use you in the form of my voice in this interview, in this story. And in your name, we ask for all things holy and pure and intentional. Amen.” This is a moment she takes for herself, to truly embody the deepest, truest parts of who she is. “I pray because I want to get myself into a state where it’s like I’m tapping into the most untainted, purest parts of myself,” she says. “I believe in the voice of God, which we all have access to.” There’s a noticeable transformation, from casual chatter to complete openness. It’s in the way she shifts in her seat, a subtle switch in her posture that signifies her transition into the fullness of Vasavi Kumar. This journey to self is one she’s still on, one she’s been on since she was a small girl growing up in a traditional Indian household in Long Island. Kumar’s life is one devoid of all pretense. It’s a trait that has followed her from childhood, the profound impact of family trips back to her parents’ home country of India. As many with her same conviction, Kumar has embraced her calling to serve, a duty to helping those who need it most stemming from an experience that brought the reality of suffering to young eyes and an even younger mind. “It started when I was about 4,” she begins. “My mom didn’t want my sister and I to lose our culture. We were born and raised in the States, so she would Let them feel something; let them bring us back to India every year. When I was 4 years old, I remember that’s when I really was waking up think differently about themselves. to poverty. You go to India, half our population lives Let them realize that there is on the street. Our country is one-third the size of possibility for their life to be the U.S., we have three times the population, though. whatever they want it to be. Please You can’t escape the level of poverty in India, and it’s allow me to use you in the form of devastating. People poop on the streets, little girls my voice in this interview, in this are carrying their newborn brothers and begging for money. It’s very painful to watch. And I was exposed to story. And in your name, we ask that type of suffering. for all things holy and pure and “I just remember my mom always telling me, ‘You’re intentional. Amen. no better than or less than that. We are all the same.’ She goes, ‘They still have God inside of them. You have —Vasavi Kumar to look at them in their eyes. They are no different

“

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than you.’ So when I was a kid, I just felt like, ‘Well, if you are me, and I am you, I don’t want you to suffer. I don’t want me to suffer. What can I do to stop your suffering?’ I didn’t understand why I had such a good life. I have plenty of food on the table, and I have a mother. Why does this man have to suffer? How come this man has to eat a banana peel out of the pile of garbage on the side of the road? And why don’t I suffer?” What an interesting dichotomy, this woman who lives utterly within her purpose, a truth of self birthed from the mind of a thoughtful child who believed for the longest time that her path to happiness involved suffering. “A part of me felt that in order to serve others, I have to suffer myself,” she says “I think my soul created my suffering for me so that I could learn my lessons. I don’t think that anything in our life is an accident. Our spirit subconsciously chooses the things in our life that happen, and I think everything in our life is for the evolution of our soul and our growth. I never think that anything happened to me. I always know that everything is happening for me. I may not realize it right in that moment, but I always look back and I’m like, ‘Oh, this happened for me.’ We need more of that perspective with everything going on in our life. Why is this being called into my life right now? What am I meant to learn from this lesson? Let’s let’s use this trigger, this discomfort to actually ask ourselves what’s going on inside.” In this way, she had to come into herself. She’s spoken candidly about the feeling of otherness she felt growing up. Her awareness of how different she was from her peers. Most, if not all, women of color (particularly brown-skinned women) carry this experience within them. It shapes us. We move on, of course, but we never forget. Kumar has never forgotten. It’s something that has informed much of her journey to the self, her ability to walk in the brilliance of her own light. “I don’t know my earliest memory of feeling like I belonged,” she admits. “I know my earliest memory of not belonging. And I also know how it felt, that first experience of feeling like I don’t belong and this notion of there’s something wrong with me. So therefore, this one part of me that has been shunned or invalidated or teased, she can no longer come out and play because she’s gonna attract the bullies. We need to shut her up. As a kid, I was very lively, very energetic, which I am today. I was very outspoken as a kid. I questioned things all the time, and I got in trouble for those things, for asking why.” This revelation comes with a sly grin and a chuckle. “I never took no for an answer. I just wanted to know why. Tell me why, don’t just tell me something. That, I would say, is God’s grace. “But I do know that I felt like there was maybe something wrong with me, there was some part of me that’s not acceptable—that I’m a girl, that I’m an Indian girl, that my name is Vasavi, that my mom wears a red dot. Kids would make fun of me. But there was always this voice inside of me. I believe every single one of us, even those who we claim as the worst human beings on this planet, everyone has that voice inside of them that speaks to them. That’s like, ‘Come on, you

could do better than this. Don’t be ashamed of who you are.’ Or, ‘You got this.’ Or, ‘Just love yourself a little bit more.’ That kind, caring, tender, compassionate voice. That voice has always guided me. I didn’t always listen to it. In fact, I thought it was BS most of the time. But we all have that voice, and I think the greatest gift that we can give ourselves is to get back to listening to that voice and realizing that that is our truth.” Everything is a lesson, right? Everything has a purpose, done for us not to us. The spirit of her need to serve led her to a master’s degree from Hofstra University in special education, then to living in India for a year to work with survivors of sex trafficking. This experience drove her to get her second master’s in social work from Columbia University. Her career path was never linear, but rather a winding road that led her to various crossroads and opportunities. Listening to that voice inside of her has brought her to this very moment. “This is why I’m such an advocate, why I’m writing a book called Say it Out Loud,” she says, hands constantly in motion as she speaks. “You know, the part of you that’s ashamed and says, ’Oh, I’m not at this level yet.’ Instead of stifling that voice, we need to actually turn toward that voice and say, ‘What are you ashamed of? Talk about that.’ Why aren’t we being kinder to those parts of ourselves? Instead, we ignore those parts, and we keep pushing and pushing and pushing harder. We keep changing strategies, ‘Maybe if I just change my diet, or if I just change this.’ No matter what you do on the outside, yes, it may move the needle a little bit, but if you want to see true transformation—sustainable transformation, and actually have it be a part of who you are, not just things that you’re doing, if you want to access the truth of who you are—you have to use your most sacred instrument, which is your voice, to give a voice to every single part of you that has not been heard.” VASAVI KUMAR: THE FAMILY GIRL To understand Vasavi Kumar, one must start with her family. Her devotion to her faith stems from a family life rich in the spiritual principles of her parents. “When we were kids, my father used to take my sister and I into Manhattan,” she recalls. “We’d go to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, because it’s beautiful. And my dad would say to me, ‘It doesn’t matter what place of worship we go to. God is everywhere. Whether you step foot into a grocery store or step foot into a Catholic church, you can invoke

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the presence of something bigger than yourself.’ He just wanted us It doesn’t matter what to never be like, ‘Oh, I can’t say amen’ or, ‘Oh, you’re Muslim, so I’m place of worship we go different.’ No, it’s all oneness.” In fact, Kumar owes much of her career in television and to. God is everywhere. entertainment to her father. “My father always followed me around Whether you step foot with a camera,” she says with a fond smile. “So I always loved the into a grocery store or camera, because it just seemed like a really great vehicle to provide step foot into a Catholic joy for people. My father loved seeing me on camera. It brought a church, you can invoke the smile to his face. So whenever there was a camera around me, I just presence of something lit up and wanted to be this person that you saw.” This relationship with her parents pervades every aspect of her life. bigger than yourself. “I can’t wait for my mom to see these pictures.” The photoshoot is —Vasavi Kumar, saturated with this energy, excitement with a heavy dose of disbelief. on her father She has the effervescence of a teenager who got into the college of her choice, or a young woman getting the promotion she’s worked so hard for. Kumar sees herself in her first outfit and again exclaims, “Who even am I!” She speaks with great fondness of her parents, of their patience and wisdom. Their unconditional love, even when explaining the difficulty she had communicating with them. Interestingly enough it was this inability to communicate with her parents that drove her to really embrace and embody living out loud.

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VASAVI KUMAR: THE PHOENIX BULL In her upcoming book, Say it Out Loud, Kumar explains that her road to addiction started quite early, smoking cigarettes at the age of 12, then moving on to heavier, much more severe vices as she got older. But if there’s one thing Vasavi Kumar is not, it’s hesitant. As gauche as it might seem to say, Kumar embodies every ounce of that Taurus energy. “My parents, they’re immigrants from India,” she begins. “They don’t understand this culture. They’re like, ‘What the hell is happening to our kids?’ I said to my parents, at 12 years old, ‘I need to go to a therapist, I can’t talk to you.’ I had that much awareness that I knew I needed to talk, but I could not get through to my parents, and it was hard for them. So at the age of 12, I had my first experience with my therapist; her name’s Virginia. I saw her for 16 years after that. Every single week for 16 years. From the first day of being with her, I remember sitting in her office and she asked me to talk about me. I just said, ‘Where do I begin?’ She goes, ‘Just start,’ and I started talking to her about how I can’t talk to my parents and I feel like no one understands me. All I needed was for someone to just give me the space, to create a space to just talk. I allowed myself to talk. I just said what was on my mind at the age of 12 because that’s how much I was keeping inside.” That’s the crux of this, isn’t it? Forcing the internal fight with one’s psyche to be out in the open. Kumar’s entire life’s journey is one in which she’s had to own even the ugly parts of herself that she might have been ashamed of. Shame, after all, is just a fear of judgment. Further than that, it’s a struggle between ego and honesty that feeds off insecurity and the oftentimes crippling desire to be accepted, to be loved.

LOCATION: THE SCOTTISH RITE THEATER Austin Scottish Rite Theater is an Austin gem—a fully operational modern theater thriving within a stunning historic landmark. We are Austin’s oldest theater, erected in 1871, the same year Austin became the capital of Texas. Nestled amid the State Capitol, University of Texas and Austin’s museum district, we at Scottish Rite are dedicated to building community through the arts. We provide quality shows for all ages, with enriching programming for children. For almost a century and a half, innumerable artists and events of all kinds have graced our venue, including dramatic performances, live music and multimedia children’s programming that delight Austinites today. Our excellent programming is created by experienced professionals and purposefully designed to meet the needs of diverse cultural communities in Austin. Scottish Rite Theater is dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable school shows and summer camps to Austin-area kids. 207 W. 18th St. • scottishritetheater.org

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A lot of my career choices that I made were based on what I thought I should be doing and what would look good. —Vasavi Kumar Nearly 30 years after her first therapy session, Kumar refuses to suffer the wrath (imagined or otherwise) of those around her. She knows her worth because since her preteen years she’s forced herself to acknowledge it. “It’s this belief that in order for me to receive more, I have to do more. This feeling of enoughness, that I alone am not enough. Where this has shown up in my life, as much as it’s shown up in many women’s lives, is how much we ask for. I recently raised my rates more than double,” she reveals. “I realized the reason I wasn’t raising my rates is because I didn’t believe anyone would pay that. And the reason I didn’t believe anyone would pay that was because I thought because I’d gone through so much stuff in my life—my mental health issues, my addiction, my recovery—I thought there was something wrong with me. I’ve gone through so much shit, who am I to ask for this much? “When we talk about impostor syndrome, when we talk about feelings of worth, it affects you at every single level,” she continues. “Even being on the cover [of Austin Woman] brought up my imposter syndrome. I was like, ‘Who am I to be on the cover? Oh my God, do I deserve to be here?’ In those moments when you doubt your worthiness, that is exactly when you have the opportunity to question that out loud and be like, ‘Wait a minute, why am I not worthy of it? Who am I to block my own blessings?’ I declared yesterday I am open for all of it. Give me the love; give me the orgasms; give me the money. Everything. I want all of it, I don’t need to do more. I just need to be more of myself. I need to be more of me. And the way that I go about being more of me is by integrating and understanding and talking to all the parts of me.” VASAVI KUMAR: LIVING OUT LOUD It’s exactly because she chose herself that she’s able to help others discover they are worth more than the fear their demons have wrapped them in. They are more exceptional, more beautiful, more powerful than the goblin under the bridge that rolls around in the muck of their insecurities. “A lot of my career choices that I made were based on what I thought I should be doing and what would look good,” she says. “Now the first half of this year has been dedicated to my acting and voiceover [work]. When you start to integrate all the parts of yourself, you can start to question your decisions. So while I loved being a therapist, I don’t go by that anymore. I’m really just a guide and a coach and a consultant for

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people. We all need somebody that’s gonna keep it straight with us. We have trained ourselves to be in denial of our own truth, because people in our lives often dismiss us and invalidate us. So we lie to ourselves, right? Sometimes it takes you being in front of someone and talking to someone who is honest and dishonest with themselves and can stop the bullshit. As long as you’re living a life of denial, you’re not really living a full life. That’s really what I provide for people, a space to be fully seen. “When I think about soulful entrepreneurship, it doesn’t just have to do with what you’re selling,” she continues. “It’s bringing all the pieces of you, all the parts of you to the table when you’re running your business, when you’re talking to people. I think that’s where a lot of entrepreneurs lose sight of why they went into entrepreneurship, because they lose sight of themselves. They think, ‘Oh, if I want to be in business, I have to be this way.’ It’s like, no. What we’re saying in this month is to really look at all the parts of you. All the parts of you deserve a seat at the table.” Shayda Torabi, founder and CEO of Restart CBD, knows full well the strength of Kumar’s convictions. Having met around 2018 when Kumar was hosting segments on Studio 512, Torabi now counts Kumar as one of the most important people in her life. Their connection is one of absolute trust. That’s the feeling one comes away with after a conversation with Kumar: complete and open trust that pervades every interaction. Healing, absolutely. She’s felt firsthand the healing power of just one conversation with Kumar. “She came over a couple of weeks ago,” Torabi recalls. “[My fiance] ended up going and hanging out with some friends, and Vasavi and I just got to have a little girl time. She’s like, ‘Can I hug you? Can we sit together on the couch? Can we talk?’ She walked me through some of her book and practiced some of the exercises. It was just good, cathartic. She had me sit in front of my mirror, and she’s like, ‘Don’t talk to me, talk to yourself. Say it out loud; talk to yourself in the mirror.’ We just sat in my room, and she kind of coached me, sat behind me and gave me space. That night gave me a lot of realizations about directions and things that I could now be doing.”

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This kind of direct healing, this practice of looking and speaking to the self, is at the very heart of the work Kumar does. It’s work she believes in so fiercely because she lives it everyday of her life. “You have a vision of who you want to be, who you are, and how you want to feel, and what kind of life you want. Stop waiting to get there to do it, and start embodying that today,” she encourages. “We can hear the truth of what we actually want when we start to dialogue with the parts of ourselves that haven’t been given a voice. We can tell when we are lying to ourselves, not just because we can hear it, but because we can feel it. So when we’re living with that incongruency, when we are living with that misalignment inside of us, that affects our bottom line. “I’ve worked with plenty of business owners who financially on paper are doing great, but then you look underneath the hood. They’re overworked, they’re burnt out, they never think they’re doing enough. Their partnership sucks, because they’re so focused on work. Then when we start to talk, they’re telling me all their numbers, all their goals, but I could feel that they’re tired. There’s a part of them that’s like, ‘I’m going to be successful. I’m going to do this.’ Yeah, you’ve leaned heavily into that part of you, but what about the part of you that just wants to play? What about the part of you that needs to rest? What about that part of you that just wants to have fun? “Here’s the thing, self-help, personal growth, it’s easy when you’re feeling good,” she says. “Yeah, when you have your makeup done, your hair done, maybe you’re feeling slimmer, you got a new outfit on, self-love is easy when you’re having a good day. The real work is when you’re ashamed, when you’re angry at yourself, when you’re annoyed, when you’re irritated, when you feel useless, when you feel like a slob. How do you talk to yourself? The growth is not just when things are good. That’s awesome. Also learn to celebrate yourself,” she points out. “But the real work is how do you treat yourself when you’re feeling like shit? How do you treat yourself when you hate yourself? That’s how you build that self-love. The way that I have found works best is to say it out loud. If someone else heard the shit that I’ve said to myself, they’d be like, ‘Oh my God, I don’t even want to be your friend because you’re so mean to yourself. I don’t want to even feel your wrath if you’re mad at me.’ When I’ve said the mean things to myself out loud, I’m appalled at how rude and how unkind I can be to myself. When I hear that out loud I can be like, ‘No, we don’t talk like that to Vasavi.’ There’s a side of me that could be angry at myself for things that I’ve done. There’s a part of me that’s just sad, that’s like, ‘Can you just love me?’ And then there’s this wiser part of me that’s like, ‘Let’s bring some gentleness, some compassion to this conversation.’ “That’s really what my clients work on with me, to be able to be more integrated with all the different parts of themselves. It doesn’t matter how much money you have in your bank account. Doesn’t matter how many accolades you have. If you don’t feel good about yourself at the end of the day, if you don’t like your reflection, it doesn’t matter. That is the true definition of success for me. That no matter what, I feel good about myself, about what I do. Even through moments where I hate myself, where I do not like who I am, there is a voice that I can tap into that’s like, ‘No, Vasavi, we’re not going to be unkind to you.’”

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As long as you are listening to your heart’s desires, as long as you are being true to yourself, you can’t fuck it up. You can’t get it wrong when you listen to your truth and act accordingly.

—Shayda Torabi

WHO IS VASAVI KUMAR? “Dynamic, bold and tender,” Torabi says. “Human. She’s done a really good job of humanizing her shortcomings, and I really respect her for that. My memories of Vasavi are rooted in reality and the ebbs and flows of the natural progression of life. She has this strong presence, but she’s really a sweetheart. You can have all the glamor, all the glory, all the goods in the world. But it’s how you handle that human side of life that really shows the character of a human being. And Vasavi will drop everything for her family,” she adds. “She is the most lovable, affectionate person.” Yes, dynamic. Yes, bold. Certainly tender and human. Vasavi Kumar embodies all of those things. More than that, she embraces it all. Her shortcomings, her triumphs, her insecurities, her incredible confidence. It’s all a part of who she is and ultimately how she lives her life. “As long as you are listening to your heart’s desires, as long as you are being true to yourself, you can’t fuck it up. You can’t get it wrong when you listen to your truth and act accordingly. Things may happen. You may have hiccups, but there’s no such thing as a wrong decision. You made the decision that you made based on your level of self-worth and self-esteem. If you can learn from that decision, the ‘wrong’ decision, how is it the wrong decision? It’s only leading you closer to who you are. So you can’t fuck it up, and you can’t get it wrong, period, if you listen to yourself. The way that you listen to the truth of who you are is by saying it out loud.”

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Main

Squeeze

The ladies at Juice Consulting give an insider look into creative PR. BY BRIANNA CALERI PHOTOS BY CHISUM PIERCE STYLING BY SAGE WALKER AND JUICE CONSULTING SHOT ON LOCATION AT FOTOHOUSE

fter achieving PR nirvana—working for five years with Queen Beyoncé herself—Heather Wagner Reed had one more step to take, and that meant starting her own reign. She began building outward. Juice Consulting, her full-service public relations and marketing firm, started in 2007 as a one-woman show in Bey’s hometown, Houston; Wagner Reed then hired help and made a move. This month she celebrates Juice’s 15th year in Austin. The PR entity launched with a focus in music and creative sectors, quickly acquiring legendary music clients like Asleep at the Wheel and Gloria Gaynor. The firm also worked on a special project with Erykah Badu. Like Wagner Reed, many of Austin’s business-savvy inhabitants show up having conquered one niche, and like the city of Austin itself, they start a sort of urban sprawl. Fifteen years after the big move, Juice is in that phase. The company has been exploring international relations, new technology and other miscellaneous ways to find more community equity. Sometimes those projects are related to music, sometimes not. That’s good news for the arts in general. Creative industries always need connections to keep innovating and supporting their contributors with very elusive revenue. Publicists—often regarded with suspicion and blamed for calculating stunts—are often the gateway between ideas and the public support to make them real. The music industry’s dependence on diverse gateways has never been more clear than it is in 2022, the year South by Southwest returned (to Austin, if not to normalcy). This means PR agents are definitively gatekeepers. It’s Wagner Reed’s job to decide what’s interesting in Austin and who she trusts to guard those projects. Right now, the firm has a tight-knit group of four employees beside Wagner Reed, all former interns who showed so much passion and initiative, she couldn’t let them go. The “big boss” (as team member Tyler Ostby calls her) rounds up her employees like a tour guide, knowing they’re fine on their own but are always looking to create an experience, anyway. From old friends of nearly a decade to new ones fresh out of college (or still working on it), the Juice team is visibly thrilled to be together. They gush about each other, using lots of nicknames. They all wonder out loud if they’ve rambled, unused to being on “the other side” of an interview. Austin Woman split up the group to answer the elusive question: What are publicists really like behind the scenes? Each of these women has different goals, but they’re all indefatigable people’s people. They’re here to get the truth out about good things in great packaging.

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Heather Wagner Reed

There’s a lot Heather Wagner Reed hopes for in Austin. Thanks to her marketing work with Universal Music Holland in the Netherlands, she’s seen firsthand how other countries handle their unique arts industries. Juice has worked with clients in international government initiatives from Japan, France, Canada and Great Britain. Over the last decade, these countries have engaged the team for a variety of South by Southwest presentations spanning music, immersive digital art, networking and more. Taking cues from these huge entities, Wagner Reed sees where the United States could improve life for its creators with more government-sponsored programs. It’s no secret that the U.S. underappreciates arts education. As a result, adult creatives are underprepared for the more technical aspects of their careers and are undersupported by a public that largely devalues them. While the agency does have government contacts (the Department of Defense’s tech accelerator, for example), Juice’s pull is more cultural than political. “I do worry about the funding for the arts in general,” says Wagner Reed. “I, personally, know enough about this to advocate. That would be where I would say I fit into those discussions on a state level.” Wagner Reed works closely with pro-bono client the Texas Chapter of the Recording Academy (best known for organizing the Grammy Awards), has been a board member for nearly 18 years and has served as their chapter secretary. Through the Academy, members can advocate for issues and bring them to national attention at events such as Grammys on the Hill in Washington, D.C. This advocacy event allows Academy members to lobby with politicians around legislation like 2018’s Music Modernization Act, which updated rules around royalties in musicians’ and songwriters’ favor. She’s also tackling the royalties issue through new client SongBits, a platform that lets users buy microportions of songs as NFTs. The goal here, aside from being trendy, is to provide a more direct version of royalties from the public to the creators. She links this opportunity to a larger trend of consumers “taking the power back.” One of the projects Wagner Reed is most excited about only has consumers in a physical and mental sense, as these consumers don’t pay a cent. FreeWater,

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which she describes as “a philanthropic marketing platform,” calls itself “the world’s first free beverage company.” The organization distributes free drinking water, paid for by printed advertising on the bottles. Eventually, the platform, which Wagner Reed took on as a client and later joined as a partner, hopes to offer enough products to become the world’s first free supermarket. “I really try very hard to pick our clients based on an authentic belief in them,” says Wagner Reed. “I do fight like hell for our clients, but we don’t take something on unless we believe in it. So whether it be a client that’s an artist…a technology accelerator or a startup…we do it if we know we can sleep at night. This is what we’re going to fight for.”

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Tyler on Heather: If you need anything done [around town], Heather is the best person to go to for that. She’s maneuvered through the pandemic affecting how media and PR works, and is still able to take on huge projects and big ideas. All of us are here because Heather has been tenacious throughout the last decade and a half.

Tyler Ostby

Senior Account Manager In the words of bell hooks, feminism is for everybody. Austin women are strongest with diverse, secure support systems, and everyone else in town benefits from this strength. Juice is mostly women by coincidence, but one other employee rounds out the team. Tyler Ostby—the proverbial man of the house—works closely with Madison Snelling on keeping in contact with clients. His coworkers all used words about support and reassurance when talking about him as a team anchor. Ostby shares the unique strengths of each of the women he works alongside every day. ATXWOMAN.COM | 57

Madison Snelling

Juice’s veteran employee wasted no time getting involved. In a relatively old-fashioned career move (or just a spectacularly lucky coincidence), Juice was Madison Snelling’s first job out of college, coming up on eight years in September. “I’ve been wanting to make sure that I get everything out of this position,” Snelling says. “I think you decide to leave once you stop learning. And I’m still learning.” Snelling, who studied English literature, sees PR as a creative outlet, albeit a different one than writing fiction. Writing bios comes closest, allowing her to relax into telling a story from the client’s perspective. Once the bio, press release or email introduction is out of a publicist’s hands, it can morph in infinite ways, making it even more important that the first impression sets a stage to build on, not just to distribute. Some of Snelling’s favorite client relationships are those that reappear as the client’s career evolves. Jane Ellen Bryant, a singer-songwriter from Austin, was one of the first clients Snelling took lead on. The musician tasked Juice to promote her first EP, then returned for singles and music videos as she moved up through the industry. Snelling also watched the growth of another Austin staple—501(c)(3) nonprofit Black Fret, which collects and distributes charitable funding for

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local musicians. After multiple balls, the organization, with its sprawling network, feels like family. “I really love working with all the musicians here, regionally,” says Snelling. “Whether [musicians] came to us just starting off and wanting to build their name recognition in town, or if they were more established and they just wanted us to get the word out [about] their new album, I really loved working so closely with all of those talented people.” As the most senior employee, as well as someone who loves watching personal growth, Snelling has been everyone’s mentor at some point in their Juice residency. While they posed for photos, her coworkers crowded around her, managing her high ponytail. “You feel comfortable sharing things that you might not feel in a more male-dominated company,” Snelling says. “I think it allows us to be there for each other and push each other.”

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Tyler on Madison: I interned under Madison. Back in the day, before we started doing brick-and-mortar or semivirtual, I would go into Maddy’s house and work with her there. She’s got the biggest heart, and she’s always willing to lend a hand. She’s always been the greatest team member because she was the first.

Jacqueline Mackey

Jacqueline Mackey has music in her blood and an instant connection with almost everyone she meets in the industry. Her mother, Theresa Jenkins, served as senior executive director at the Recording Academy Texas Chapter for 15 years, until her death from esophageal cancer. Jenkins was alive to see the chapter’s 25th anniversary gala in 2019 but was undergoing treatment and unable to attend, sending Mackey and her other daughter, Marina Munoz, in her stead. Delivering a heartfelt speech with her sister, Mackey fulfilled a landmark PR duty in a career she hadn’t embarked on yet— representing their mom with grace and honesty to the public. “Just having that opportunity and feeling that my mom trusted us enough or gave us the privilege to do that…” Mackey says, trailing off. Her mother told her, “I kind of felt like it was a funeral for me.” Despite the complicated emotions (or likely because of them), Mackey calls this “one of the biggest honors I had the privilege of doing before she passed.” Looking to stay connected to her mother after her death, Mackey decided to make a pivot. She held on to her publicfacing experience in real estate, marketing, web development and graphic design, this time focusing on the relationships more than the product. She went back to school at Austin Community College for music business and landed in Wagner Reed’s “PR and Marketing for Creatives” class. Wagner Reed had already known Mackey through her mother for over 18 years and made a quiet promise to protect her late friend’s daughter.

More importantly, Mackey was great at PR. Call it an outsider’s perspective or call it pure, old-fashioned work ethic (the same one that compelled Jenkins, the daughter of Thai immigrants, to pick up the phone book and suppose the Austin Chamber of Commerce was an important enough place to start her career). Mackey left Wagner Reed enamored instantly with her sense of initiative. It helps, of course, that everyone seems so comforted to find out whose daughter she is. They often greet her with anecdotes or pass on gratitude. “Hearing little things like that is what makes it all worth it,” says Mackey. “I have everybody else to help me fill that void without my mom.”

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Tyler on Jacquelin: Jacqueline has always had such a spark, from the minute I spoke to her on the phone. She brought so much experience in so many different fields, and she had a passion. It was inspiring to see, and she still inspires me with how much she takes on outside of her comfort zone.

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Madelyn Coleman

Madelyn Coleman is excited to be here. Yes, there is something endearing about the undergraduate enthusiasm—she’ll finish her degree in the fall—but moreso, it’s powerful to be near. Every other Juice member walked in with the subtly deferential air of someone who had been invited in. Coleman did not. She simply showed up where she was supposed to be. The student and employee says her packed schedule has made her “really proficient in time management.” She spends most of her daytime hours at work, nighttime in class and weekends catching up. “Sometimes I get to Friday and I’m like, ‘I have no idea how I did that.’” Juice used to have a street team for events, made up of volunteers who wanted access to events and potential networking opportunities. Coleman made it her goal to be as present as possible. It worked; when Wagner Reed and Ostby were discussing potential interns, Coleman was at the top of their minds. She put in six months getting the people skills she couldn’t learn in a classroom, and by then it was obvious Juice needed as much of her as it could get.

As a long-time guitarist and a newcomer, Coleman’s favorite experience in PR was helping Juice get Austin blues guitarist Zach Person’s early career off the ground. He was promoting his debut album on a tour through “tiny towns” (and not-so-tiny towns like New York and Atlanta), and although he was already gaining some traction with music mags and local media, Coleman was worried she wouldn’t find any coverage in farther areas with fewer media outlets. The Star Democrat in Maryland picked the story up first, and others followed. “When I got my first press hit, I was sitting in my bedroom at home and I screamed,” says Coleman. The rest of the crew delights in her excitement and seem to enjoy a window into the first year of a brand-new career. She saved the article, like most things that remind her of little milestones on the job. “I feel really lucky everyday to have been given the opportunity to really work in the field before I even graduated,” says Coleman. “I still can’t believe it sometimes. I have to pinch myself.”

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Tyler on Madelyn: PR is difficult sometimes, because it is directly reaching out to folks and having to put yourself out there, as not only yourself but the business. But Madelyn, I’d say, has always been fearless. She knows what she wants. She really reminds me of myself when I was in college.

60 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

ATXWOMAN.COM | 61

The FEED

Your Digital Dinner

Lunchbox is the software built by restaurateurs for restaurants.

n the world of business, everything is rapidly becoming more digitized. It seems as though the whole world is at the tip of one’s fingers. Banking, photography and even grocery shopping can be done with a couple of swipes and taps. But what happens when the digital movement begins to spill into the restaurant scene? For anyone who has spent a day in the service industry, the answer is simple: create software that understands the customers and benefits the people who run it. Meet Corrine Watson, the director of content and brand at Lunchbox, an online program that “offer[s] a collection of modern and creative products for restaurants [to] help them launch online ordering, phone applications, loyalty programs, marketing and more.” To put it simply, Lunchbox is the opposite of third-party online food ordering and delivery services. It helps the restaurant

62 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

directly. Watson produces educational content that teaches restaurants about trends and the best ways to approach their marketing, online ordering, menu design and social media. Third-party programs such as Uber Eats, Grubhub and Doordash may cause more harm to restaurants than people realize. The problem with ordering through third-party programs is that the restaurant cannot cater to its customers. These programs act as a barrier between the consumer and the restaurant, and often sell consumer data for their own benefit. “They keep your customer data,” Watson explains. “For a restaurant struggling during the pandemic, all they know about their online ordering is the name and the order, nothing else. They can’t remarket to them because they don’t have their email or cell number. So it’s a bit of a monopoly.” This is where Lunchbox comes into play. The company works directly with restaurants to help them advertise and build their own in-house ordering so the restaurants themselves can reap the rewards. But Lunchbox doesn’t stop there. The ability to understand the customer is one of the biggest problems

Photos courtesy of Lunchbox.

BY EVELYN DEAL

the restaurant industry faces. Lunchbox helps restaurants build their online presence through advertising, branding and design. “After all, the more you know about your customers, the more you can tailor your products, your pricing and your advertising to them,” Watson explains. The method of ordering food online was already on a steady incline; however, the pandemic has expedited that process significantly. If temporarily shutting down restaurants wasn’t detrimental enough to the business, using third-party programs put the final nail in the coffin. “Most people who order from Uber Eats and Grubhub don’t know that it isn’t good for the restaurant,” Watson reveals. “They just want their order. It’s on the restaurant to educate their diners about ordering first-party instead of the third-party. Our studio team has helped a lot of restaurants design packaging inserts to put into Uber Eats bags to encourage customers to order on their website next time.” Those behind Lunchbox understand the need for sustainable change within the restaurant industry. In fact, they have customers all over the United States. “We do a lot of events and advertising on both coasts, and in Austin and Dallas,” Watson elaborates. However, Lunchbox contributes much more to the food industry than just helping restaurants advertise and create an online presence. Lunchbox is an advocate for women in restaurants. “Half of the students at the Culinary Institute of America are female, but at prominent U.S. restaurant groups, women only occupy about 6.3% of head chef positions,” Watson explains. Such a small percentage of women holding leadership positions doesn’t sit right with the Lunchbox team. To combat this, the company publishes an annual list compiling the Top Women in Food to call attention to the women who are trailblazers in the food industry. Despite its newfound success, Watson knows Lunchbox is just getting its foot in the door. “We’re still a startup, so we have a lot to figure out,” she explains. “We raised our Series B financing in February of this year; we’re using that money to build more products and serve our customers even more.” Lunchbox has helped numerous restaurants and will continue to do so, but the company hopes to expand their horizons into other types of delivery, like grocery. Watson stays optimistic. “By the time this goes to print, we will likely have acquired another company, which is really exciting for our customers too.”

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Half of the students at the Culinary Institute of America are female, but at prominent U.S. restaurant groups, women only occupy about 6.3% of head chef positions. —Corrine Watson

Healing

The Healing Power of Animal Energy

Rock-star Shaman Alyson Charles explains how to connect with animal energy. BY JANAYE BARABIN

lyson Charles, also known as Rock-star Shaman, has been very outspoken about her shamanic journey. “For me, the name ‘Rock-star Shaman,’ the medicine name I was given, represents my connection to rock, Great Mother Earth and my connection to star, source, consciousness and spirit.” She believes in empowering others to find their own spiritual path while connecting deeply with themselves and the world they live in. Animal energy was an essential part of Charles’ healing journey as she learned to connect not only with herself, but with Great Spirit and Great Mother Earth. In her book Animal Power, she shares what she has learned. Animal Power is meant to be used as a guide to learn about the teachings each animal can provide. “One of the cool things about developing a relationship with all these different animals and using Animal Power as a reference is that you start to learn and understand how every single creature and insect has different healing properties,” Charles says. Your relationship with your specific animal is immensely important. “When we incarnate, there is a main power animal guide that chooses to be with us and gets assigned to us depending upon the spiritual calling that we are encoded with,” she continues. “The way that I most recommend, because it’s such a sacred relationship, is by going on a guided shamanic journey with a trusted shaman.” There are small practices you can do on your own to connect with a power animal and use animal energy for healing and grounding. First, close your eyes and take a few deep cleansing breaths. “Ask yourself if there is an animal that has been resonating with you lately,” Charles says.

Giving BACK In addition to prayers and honoring acknowledgment of First Nations, giving to organizations dedicated to the preservation of their cultures is also important. In the ‘Resources and Advocacy’ section [of Animal Power] I list a number of organizations that support the preservation of ancient and sacred lands, cultures and wisdoms. My friend and book contributor Nicole Adriana Cassanova is the founder of Root to Heaven (roottoheaven.com). I also love to support Jaguar Siembra (jaguarsiembra.com). They really give back to the Mamos in the Sierra Nevada region. 64 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

“Open up the invitation to the power animal guides and [say], ‘If there’s a power animal that wants to present itself to me, I’m open to become aware of who you are.’” Recall whether or not you’ve dreamed of certain animals or if they continue to show up around you. “You can ask it to work with you during your dream time, or you can ask it to come on a shamanic journey or share messages with you.” It’s also important to develop your relationship with the planet, Great Mother Earth. Charles points out that finding ways to honor the Earth doesn’t have to be complicated. “I really recommend asking the land that you live upon, ‘What can I offer to you that would make you feel appreciated?’ You might be invited to go out and sing to the land; you might be invited to cleanse the land with Palo Santo [a type of sacred wood native to South America]. [Take] a moment to see what aspects of nature want to be given back.” Another way to show respect is by making an altar. Charles explains that it can be as simple as using tealight candles and a rock you found while on a walk. The point is to make a designated space to connect to the divine and give thanks. “It’s imperative to say thank you to First Nations because so many of them went through so much strife,” she says. “Many of them had to suppress and hide their gifts and their ways for so long. It’s really vital that we’re all mindful and acknowledge how fortunate we are. They have had to carry exhaustively and relentlessly the sacred wisdom traditions and truths. They have held them on their backs and carried them through so many thousands of years. Those wisdom keepers, had they not lived in such devotion and had so much strength to do that, many of these most ancient practices would have disintegrated. “There’s nothing more powerful than prayer,” she continues. “Even if it’s a prayer at your altar just acknowledging First Nations for the line that they’ve had to hold for thousands and thousands of years, send a prayer up and thank them so that they feel heard and seen and acknowledged and felt.

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Health & WELLNESS

Wellness is a Lifestyle

IVitamin is reinventing proactive wellness treatments one IV at a time. BY BRIANNA SALINAS ordan Cobb and Jana Gavin of IVitamin strongly believe that being proactive is an imperative component of one’s health. These two entrepreneurial women both have a background in the medical field and understand how important it is to have your health be a top priority to live a well-rounded lifestyle. “Wellness is a lifestyle, not a gimmick,” says Cobb. Growing up, Gavin’s parents owned a pharmacy, and she went on to become a pharmacist herself. Cobb’s background is in medical and pharmaceutical sales. They have both seen the effects of illnesses and know that if treated preemptively, they could have been avoided altogether. “It has always made sense to me to get to the root cause of health issues, and not just mask the symptoms,” states Gavin. Their main areas of priority with IVitamin are the “culture and community.” They are firm believers in the term “work hard, play hard” and relate that to their business practices, which drive their company culture. Women entrepreneurs in the medical field are hard to come by. According to a Forbes article, only 13% of women serve as CEOs in the world of health care. Gavin notes that just like any other entrepreneurial venture, they were met with their fair share of challenges and obstacles. “Unlike other businesses, there is no blueprint for starting an IV hydration lounge. It is not a medical clinic [or] a medspa. We had to create all of our policies and procedures.” Meanwhile, Cobb recounts the trials of balancing their newfound business alongside entering motherhood. “Staying focused and present while at home and keeping that separation is almost impossible and still a work in progress.” At IVitamin, clients will work one on one with a licensed nurse practitioner to establish what wellness goals they want to achieve and the best service to fulfill their needs. The wellness clinic was built with the patient in mind. In the lounge there are oversized massage chairs where customers sit for the duration of their IV cocktail. The process takes between 30 to 45 minutes, all while cozied up with a pillow and blanket. “As we grow…it is important to have a strong culture across our team and clientele so the experience is exceptional and everyone is fulfilled,” Cobb and Gavin both emphasize. There are nine different IV cocktails consisting of “fluids and a high quality of vitamins and nutrients.” The effects of the IV vitamin cocktail will vary depending on each individual’s nutrient deficiencies when coming into the clinic. Those who opt for monthly treatments may “feel the effects more subtly while maximizing the benefits keeping nutrient levels optimized. 66 | AUSTIN WOMAN | MAY 2022

IVitamin is here for everyone. Gavin and Cobb believe that getting older does not have to mean feeling it. “[As we age] our bodies don’t produce or absorb as many vitamins [or] antioxidants,” they stress. “By supplementing to boost the levels of these vitamins and nutrients you can still feel as good as you ever have.” The benefits of intravenous vitamin therapy seem endless. According to Cobb and Gavin, clients report “more lasting sustainable energy, not getting sick as often because their immunity is supported, sleeping better at night, performing better in the gym” and so on. Looking forward, IVitamin plans to launch NAD+ intramuscular shots. The coenzyme NAD+ is known as the “anti-aging molecule.” The benefits include boosting energy and an increase in mental clarity. NAD has historically been administered through IV, but it is now available as a booster shot for overall maintenance. Cobb and Gavin have just opened up their second location on West Anderson Lane and are excited to start looking for their third location. “Austin, we felt, was the perfect place since it is already a very healthconscious city,” Gavin shares. “I wanted to use my pharmacist knowledge to create a wellness alternative for Austinites.”

Photo by DJ Ferno, Open House Productions.

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Waiting ROOM

Dance & Yoga:

A daily wellness infusion for everyone Bollywood dance instructor and yoga practitioner Shruti Anand shares her derivation of ancient wisdom for happiness of mind, body & soul. BY SHRUTI ANAND

hile on a treadmill one day, I remember thinking to myself, “What makes you healthier may not be a happy experience, but you still have to do it for your body, right?” What I didn’t know back then was that getting healthier relies on a multidimensional rhythm of energies, from your brain, to your heart, to your bodily constitution. Fitness simply doesn’t happen if your mortal frame is disconnected from your spirit. And how could one be committed to something that doesn’t make them feel happy? It is easy to blame the lack of commitment on a demanding job—signing up to crouch in front of a computer for insane hours. That was me in 2008, right before I started to encounter an excruciating version of back pain that numbs your limbs and pretty much renders you feeling utterly and completely powerless. Recovering from this state of destitution transformed my very approach to everyday health. A regular fitness routine should strike a balance for mental and physical restoration and recovery, along with enhancement and challenge. The infusion of dance and yoga can provide exactly that for you.

FIND YOUR GROOVE.

You don’t have to be a professional dancer to experience dance, just like you don’t have to be a flexible gymnast to experience yoga. Dance and yoga simply call for the movement of your body by opening your heart and freeing your soul. This ancient combination enables burning calories and strengthening muscles along with improving flexibility while connecting with your inner self. Athletes cultivate better hand-eye coordination. Children develop focus and motor skills. Adults gain body positivity. For me it started with Bollywood dance, a style based on folk dances to celebrate festivals and special occasions. Bollywood dance is for everybody. It is much like yoga, which originates from the same subcontinent as Bollywood dance. Yoga ignites the same connection of your mind, body and soul with a simple sequence of postures anyone can do. To explore a dance and yoga routine that makes sense for your mental and physical well-being, start with something familiar: a social dance like Zumba or ballroom, a technical dance style you’ve always wanted to try like hip hop, or a dance to a song you enjoy with a family member. Move at your own pace and find the right style. For yoga, research Hatha or Vinyasa and see what connects with you better, or take an online class from the comfort of your home before a session at the studio. FIND YOUR TRIBE.

The energy vibrations you may feel from an “aum” chant are real. So are the euphoric moments from a group clapping or stomping together. Dance and yoga can invoke a tribal link in us—the flow of breaths in unison to a gong or the movement of bodies in synchronization to beats. While a cheering audience and a supportive class have an important place in a dance and yoga experience, the human connection that experience can create at an elemental level is far more powerful. Consciously open up for such an exchange of energy with your fellow dancers and yogis. You will form some very special bonds and find yourself surrounded by positive human beings who will only contribute to enhancing your wellness journey.

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Dance & Yoga simply call for the movement of your body by opening your heart and freeing your soul. —Shruti Anand

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Do it for yourself. Learning choreography is not always about the next TikTok challenge. Perfecting a yoga pose is not always about the next cool Instagram post. Focus on creating a judgment-free space for your dance and yoga. Get inspired, develop your skill and improve your art. If you find yourself thriving by staying exactly where you are with your practice, stay your course. If you feel overwhelmed, take a step back and adjust your method. If you crave a higher level of engagement, get involved in retreats and conventions. If you are motivated by competition, train harder, go out there and show off. If you love sharing, elevate your commitment to teach. But keep your positive spirit through your journey. Preserve the purity of your intention in your practice. Strive to keep the integrity of your unique purpose and passion. The right balance of dance and yoga in your life will uplift your day by stimulating your senses along with building a healthier lifestyle.

Photo by Keira Hand.

FIND YOUR OWN HAPPY PLACE.

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