VOL.8 NO.2
THEMBA GORIMBO Bienvenido a MIAMI
FEBRUARY 2024
Person of the Month: FOUNDER | Jay Shapiro Luxury Chamber Media Group jay@southflorida.in Fashion Editor | Juliana LaBonte juliana@southflorida.in Travel Editor | Christina Ricci Business Editor | Cindy Ragan
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Bita Banijamali Keller Williams
ZOA Energy Announces Sponsorship of UFC Professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter, Themba Gorimbo
ZOA Energy, the better-for-you energy drink company, is proud to announce its partnership with UFC professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Themba "The Answer" Gorimbo. Gorimbo is the first Zimbabwean fighter to win in the Octagon at UFC Vegas 73 and a passionate philanthropist who embodies the values of ZOA Energy.
Just as ZOA is designed to ignite bold action and inspire others to reach maximum potential, Gorimbo is committed to bettering the lives of those around him. Before his first UFC victory in May 2023, Gorimbo had $7 in his bank account; following the win, he auctioned off his fight uniform and used the funds to build a well for the people in his village in Zimbabwe. The selfless gesture caught the attention of ZOA Co-founder and Chief Energy Officer Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who surprised Gorimbo with a new house in Miami and an in-person visit that has inspired an enduring friendship. "Themba is a prime example of who we want on our team at ZOA Energy to activate the world's potential and inspire others," said ZOA Co-founder and Chief Energy Officer Dwayne Johnson. "As many know from My Seven Bucks Story, I have been in a similar situation to Themba. I was moved by his actions after his first career win— of all the ways he could have celebrated, he chose to pay it forward. As soon as I heard, I knew I needed to book a flight to meet him in person and shake his hand. Themba is as much of a powerhouse in the ring as he is in the community, and that's the kind of character and maximum performance we fuel at ZOA Energy." The ZOA Energy team stands behind Themba Gorimbo in his upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Night against Pete Rodriguez on February 3, and will celebrate his fighting spirit throughout the year. As part of the sponsorship, Gorimbo will appear in ZOA Energy's social media, point of sale in-store and additional marketing efforts. "The universe works in mysterious ways! After I won my last UFC fight, I posted my bank statement which was close to seven bucks, which somehow, Dwayne Johnson saw and reposted on his account because it reminded him of his own journey and time in his life when he only had seven bucks. A week later I got a call from him," said Themba Gorimbo, professional MMA fighter. "I'm blown away by how quickly our friendship has evolved and by his constant support including with this incredible partnership with ZOA Energy. Through this partnership and in everything that I do, my goal is to better myself and the lives of those around me. I am both humbled and proud to be in a position to enact change and inspire others as a ZOA Energy ambassador and a professional MMA fighter."
PORT 32 Marinas Acquires Lighthouse Point Marina Prominent purchase represents PORT 32's renewed focus on acquisitive growth along both the US Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico PORT 32 Marinas, LLC (PORT 32) today acquired one of South Florida's most admired waterfront properties, Lighthouse Point Marina. Located at 2831 Marina Circle, Lighthouse Point, FL, the marina is one of the area's most coveted destinations in the heart of the "Yachting Capital of the World." It is situated on the Intracoastal Waterway, just minutes from the Hillsboro Inlet. PORT 32 is a leading owner, operator, developer, and acquirer of a growing collection of irreplaceable marina assets in nine premier markets across both coasts of Florida. The purchase of Lighthouse Point represents the first marina acquisition by the new PORT 32 leadership team, which joined the company in late 2022. With the addition of Lighthouse Point, PORT 32 seeks to grow its family of marinas within Florida and to expand strategically into new markets along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico. "Lighthouse Point Marina is a special lifestyle property in an extraordinary location, tucked just inside the clear Atlantic waters of the Hillsboro Inlet. Here at PORT 32, we love cruising with friends and family, saltwater fishing, and ice-cold drinks on the waterfront, which makes Lighthouse Point a perfect fit for our growing portfolio of premier coastal marinas," said Austin Schell, CEO of PORT 32 Marinas. "After almost 60 years of unbroken family ownership, we are thrilled the Spiekers chose PORT 32 Marinas to carry on their legacy as the first non-family owner of Lighthouse Point. To all our Lighthouse Point Marina members and the surrounding community, we look forward to introducing you to our leadership team and hope to meet you on the docks, at the Nauti Dawg restaurant, or on the saltwater sometime soon."
PORT 32 Marinas Acquires Lighthouse Point Marina
CBRE's Julie Fisher Berry and Sheila Roux represented the seller, Lighthouse Point Marina Inc., in the transaction. Led by Julie Fisher Berry, CBRE's Marina and Shipyards brokerage team in South Florida has transacted over $1.5 billion in marina and shipyard sales. Featuring 102 wet slips that can accommodate 25- to 80-foot vessels, the 4,410 total linear footage marina had been family owned and operated for over 50 years and had never been offered for acquisition previously. Located less than ½ nautical mile from the Hillsboro Inlet, Lighthouse Point Marina provides immediate access to the ocean, a significant feature for sportfishing enthusiasts. Amenities, such as the fuel dock, the live bait station, the popular Nauti Dawg restaurant, the ship store, and other features make this one of the most desirable marinas for boaters. "Lighthouse Point Marina is one of the most coveted marinas in South Florida due to its location near the Hillsboro Inlet and the surrounding area of Lighthouse Point. The owners have built a loyal customer base by providing great service, operating an excellent restaurant, and keeping the marina in impeccable condition," said Julie Fisher Berry, a senior vice president with CBRE in Fort Lauderdale. "CBRE is honored to have represented the owners and identified the buyer of this high-profile marina property. After a strategic offering process, PORT 32 Marinas emerged as the perfect buyer. CEO Austin Schell and his team have engaged with the owners and staff for a smooth transition that will continue the successful legacy that the Spieker family built." "Lighthouse Point Marina has been owned and operated by one family, the Spieker family, for over half a century. As secondgeneration owner-operators, it was important for us to find a buyer that will respect what we have created and retain our staff and family culture with the intention of maintaining and even improving the site with time. We believe we have found that buyer with PORT 32 Marinas. On behalf of owners, Debbie Edwards, Christian Spieker and myself, we feel the Lighthouse Point Marina and Nauti Dawg Marina Café are being left in good hands, and we look forward to watching both entities blossom under the new leadership of PORT 32 Marinas," said Maureen Canada, former president of Lighthouse Point Marina.
Ragan & Associates’ Cindy Ragan Speaks at FICPA Conference
Cindy Ragan is a Professor of Economics at Broward College and the leading expert in the genre of CPA mergers. Her speech: “Recent Valuation Trends of CPA Firms“ Received a 4.9 performance review based on feedback from the FICPA.
INVICTA WATCH GROUP ENTERS THE F2 CHAMPIONSHIP AS INVICTA RACING Invicta Watch Group has announced that it has taken an ownership stake in UK-based FIA Formula 2 Team Invicta Virtuosi Racing. As part of the agreement, the team will adopt the brand identity of Invicta Watch Group, including Invicta's iconic yellow and black branding and be renamed Invicta Racing from the start of the 2024 season. The investment will allow the team to continue to operate with its winning culture and team, as well as developing operations off-track by bolstering its marketing and communication activities. Invicta plans on releasing a collection of Invicta Racing watches and other lifestyle products which will encompass all elements of Invicta's growing participation in motorsport. As the official feeder series to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, Formula 2 has continued to grow exponentially in 2023 with the series' TV audiences and social media following trending upward at unprecedented levels. The season also saw great racing with three Feature Race wins for Invicta Virtuosi Racing, including dominant performances in Hungary and Abu Dhabi, as well as a sensational charge from the midfield to win at Spa-Francorchamps. Eyal Lalo, CEO of Invicta Watch Group said, "We are thrilled to expand our presence in Formula 2 and in one of the best performing teams on the grid. Invicta continues to be one of the fastest growing watch brands in the world, and our association in Formula 2 only supports this. Our collectors have certainly shown how much they enjoy our participation in motorsport, so this was a natural step forward. This announcement represents a significant increase in Invicta's involvement in Formula 2, a championship we see as having a tremendous reach with a loyal and engaged fanbase. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Declan, Andy, and Paul for their help and support in putting this together and we look forward to working with them and their amazing team as we continue to embrace a winning culture." Declan Lohan, CEO, Invicta Racing said, "It's been a pleasure working with Invicta over the past twelve months as an official partner of our team, and our partnership to date has certainly helped elevate our team's presence both inside and outside of F2. This new partnership allows us to increase our competitiveness across all facets of our business, and so we are delighted we could make it happen." About Invicta Watch Group - INVICTA, the flagship brand of INVICTA WATCH GROUP was founded in La Chaux-deFonds, Switzerland in 1837. Invicta has been recognized for its vast number of designs and product innovations targeted to all demographics and age groups as well as a strong following from collectors worldwide. Invicta has over 4000 unique models and styles of watches, and has received over 55 design and mechanical patents, in addition to holding over 1,250 trademarks. The company has received the coveted Red Dot design award for product design and innovation. This long and rich heritage in innovation and design continues to define the Invicta brand identity and its unique and exclusive positioning in the watch industry. In addition to its iconic INVICTA brand, INVICTA WATCH GROUP owns, designs, manufactures and distributes the TechnoMarine, S. Coifman, and Glycine Switzerland brands. Additionally, it has long-standing license agreements with Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, DC Comics, Warner Brothers, US Army, US Navy, NFL, MLB and the NHL, among others, for high end collectible and limited-edition watches. From high-end, luxury Swiss time pieces to accessible fashion watches, each of the Invicta brands is recognized for inherent quality and distinctive style. Collectively, the Invicta brands are sold worldwide in over 3000+ retail points of sale. Please visit www.invictawatchgroup.com and www.invictawatch.com for more information on all of its brands.
Exclusive Interview with Dr. Julie King Sprouting from your roots, how did you go from being a celebrity musician to a psychologist? In 2012 I was invited to hold research on the impact of music on cognitive behavior of the human brain in Singularity University, NASA. I was always curious and wanted to understand why my audience cries when I sing. When I saw the emotional response and projection of neural activity that my song “Forgiveness” evoked in ten different subjects, something clicked inside of me. It was the turning point in my career’s journey. I wanted to understand the relation between human biomechanics, energy fields, and chakra systems, and how they affect the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of humanity. I realized that there was a deeper calling inside of me than simply entertaining, that there was a bigger mission hidden beneath it all. While producing music and working on my previous album “Soldier”, I stepped on to the journey of self healing, and began attending to my childhood wounds. I got into life coaching, neurolinguistics, NLP, Reiki. I got myself two mentors in conscious breathwork and went into deep shadow work. Day by day, month by month, I began excavating layers of trauma, depression, anxiety, stress. While touring over seas, I would lead conscious breathing and sound healing workshops and seminars. I have been a guest speaker in different festivals such as Rebirthing, Global International Conference, in Germany, Breathe for Life, in Sweden, Breath Festival, in Mexico, and a guest for the Awake TV with Kathleen Riley By the time I realized that my life was leading me to become what I am today, I was already doing it. Before I knew it I had 15 certifications in different holistic modalities under my belt, became a Transcendental Vedic Psychologist and helped thousands of clients. You mentioned breathwork as your main anti-aging device. How does breathing keep you youthful; besides the obvious? Besides natural process of time taking over the human body stress is the main problem of aging. With an expert facilitator in one conscious breathwork session it is possible to release decades of stress, trauma, anxiety, phobias, fears, which you can’t do in a luxury spa, sports, or medical presider. During conscious breathwork different type of toxins elevate from the body. Conscious breathing naturally oxidizes the blood, relaxes the parasympathetic nerve, calms the nervous system, removes years of stress, layers of trauma, and the body naturally rejuvenates. I called my company Breath Works Miracles because conscious breathing does just that, works miracles. Conscious breathwork is going to be the number one holistic modality for relaxation, rejuvenation, and restoration passing yoga in no time. How does music contribute to the overall well-being of your clients? Music has been used as a healing modality for centuries. What we know now is that specific frequencies of sound can tune the human body, relax, the mind, calm the nervous system, and create a safe heaven. By simple humming, chanting, singing, the human body can elevate it’s vibration and attract a different type of life. When our nervous system is calm and our mind is still, we live a more conscious life, we are more aware of our surroundings. We live in the present moment, here and now. This is why I combined these two incredible holistic modalities of conscious breathwork, sound healing with combination of 15 other modalities and created my own signature program Rise Up and Reclaim Your Life. How did you end up in South Florida? One of my dreams has always been to live near the ocean. A dear friend of mine from college invited me to visit him and his fiancé during the pandemic. When I came to Miami I was suppose to stay only for a week, I extended my trip for two more weeks as I fell in love with South Florida. I love waking up in the morning and going to the beach to watch the sunrise, to meditate, to swim in the ocean, and to gather my strength from nature. I got inspired and started writing music again. Are there any causes or social issues that you're passionate about and actively support? I’m passionate about helping people with transforming their trauma so they can live a purposeful and powerful life. Majority of people suffer from depression, anxiety, stress, and trauma. Some people don’t even know they suffer based on limited believes, social conditioning, their up bringing, and various individual circumstance. In my signature program Rise Up and Reclaim Your Life, I create personalized blueprint for my clients to overcome these obstacles which aligns them with their higher purpose so they can stand in their full power and thrive. Can you share any advice for aspiring individuals who hope to achieve success and recognition in their field? Embrace your authenticity. Find that which set’s your soul on fire and you can thrive. You can Book a free Freedom break through sessions with me today by visiting my website. During the session we will assess your biggest challenge and lay out a personal mini-plan. If it’s a fit to do more work together, I’m committed to helping you create a program that will elevate your mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional pains. So you can Rise Up and Reclaim your life be recognized in your field and achieve great success like thousands of my clients before you. Do you think that AI will be a positive force in your industry? Yes and no. AI can provide a ton amounts of information ranging from spirituality, mental health, and psychology. It can track mental health patterns, guide you into a meditation, and provide various resources. It can give you a list of practices, tools, and suggest what you should do in order to feel better. However, what AI can not do is understand the complexity of human emotions. It can not help an individual through a traumatic event of grief, assault, loss of business, and serious life circumstances that make your whole life crash in front of your eyes. AI is unable to create a safe, nurturing, sacred space for you to heal. It will just suggest you seek professional help and send you to an expert like myself, a doctor, piece officer, or an attorney. And same goes with the music industry. Yes, music producers rely on technology, new sounds, new programs, and different new plug ins, but there is stills something about a life instrument sound that is produced by a human. An instrument plays through the soul of a person, that can not be replaced by mechanics. Have there been any particular mentors or role models who have significantly influenced your career? There is a whole list of people that have influenced my life, ranging from world renowned composers like Daniel Catan, Walter Afanasieff, Bernardo Feldman, to life coaches like Sage Levine, and Tony Robbins. I was greatly influenced by Masaro Emoto a scientist who held twenty years of research on hidden messages in the water. After reading his book I stopped using foul language and became very conscious of the energy behind the words that I speak, how I think, and the type of music I compose. What goals or aspirations do you have for the next few years As I am getting ready to release my 7th album with my new group Shakti Theater, I have set new goals for myself. My new goal is to take my transcendental psychology practice to a corporate level and work with executives of big corporations. I want to hold retreats over seas and create a spiritual sanctuary where my clients can regain their strength, rejuvenate, get inspired and create content which will help make the World a better place. My dream is to continue contributing tools and effective techniques that will help my clients live a powerful and purposeful life. It all begins from a powerful mindset and understanding that anything and everything is possible.
Photography by Victoria Bihyn - Makeup & Hair - Kateryna Cherkasenko