Brutha SEP/OCT 2017 Issue #14

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CON TEN TS

issue o N 14

artist spotlight 38 Ushering in a new era through art forms.

cover feature 50

This real life Bahamian fashion icon on how we can grow the industry globally.

man on the rise 60 The Detailed Man featuring Pico Lapelle + This millennial executive shares his experience.

femme fatale 70 Experience #blackgirlmagic

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06 EDITOR’S LETTER 08 COntributors 09 Credits 10 power & money Most Powerful 4-Letter word used by millionaires.

12 creating the balance What breaks trust in a relationship? + How women lose respect for men everytime.

16 WORK IT Could this new trend become the norm?

18 fashion #CobaltFashion

28 fashion feature Style tips for this season’s hottest looks.

30 face it Bearded Confessions.

34 fitness Ethan on making a busy schedule work for you.

48 Feeding me Creamy chicken enchiladas for dinner.

74 bruthaman Here’s why you lack confidence...

ON THE COVER: OWEN BETHEL Photographed by Anita Clare in Nassau, Bahamas

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editor’s letter To my Brutha, Have you ever felt less than?

Less than your achievements, goals or peers? Less than your siblings and family?

Generally, less than what you know you’re capable of? I’m sure you have. You’re not alone.

Shit happens in our life that causes us to think we aren’t getting anywhere.

Sometimes we’re moving so fast, experiencing great amounts of success and then one day something happens that causes us to park. We lose confidence in ourselves and our abilities. We question everything. Like I said, we all go through it. The only difference between winners and losers is quitting. That’s my word to you today...don’t quit. It may feel like too much but push pass that feeling no matter how long it takes becuase you’re a winner. You may not ever be celebrated by others but self-motivation can take you a lot further. Believe.

IN THIS ISSUE: we have featured Owen Bethel, a Bahamian fashion icon and founder of Islands of the World Fashion Week. We bring you up and coming fashion designer and mogul, Keron Wood, along with the ‘millennial executive’, Norman Lightbourne as our men on the rise. Not to forget the Bahamas’ top filmmaker of this season, Kareem Mortimer on how we can usher in a new era in the Caribbean through the arts. Moreover, we have amazing hot topics on love, sex, relationships, food, fitness, women, power, money and motivation. All for you.

Until next time...much love Brutha,

Travis T. Sweeting Editor-In-Chief

Let me know what's on your mind by following me:

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@travunlimited

let’s make magic.

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*CONTRIBUTORS ETHAN QUANT

At a max weight of 306 pounds, Ethan found himself depressed and unhappy and of course living a very unhealthy lifestyle. He made a decision to not just transform his body but his life as well.

He not only loss 110 pounds but built an impressive body worthy of being judged against the best in the country.

He became a certified Corporate Wellness Specialist, recognized under the Corporate Health and Wellness Association of America. Currently Ethan is the Chief Executive Officer at Elite Wellness Solutions. Ethan is on a personal mission to improve the health of Bahamians.

KEDAR JOHNSON

ERIN GAY

Founder of Link Bahamas.

Link Bahamas is social networking company that focuses on love, relationships and dating. Born and raised in the beautiful Bahamas. Surrounded by beauty, a priceless island life and, of course, a unique small island dating community.

I believe in love and laughter. I’ve had my share of love and life experience, some great, some, not as great. But, at the end of the day there will always be love, especially where you least expect it.

RASHAD LEAMOUNT

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Rashad Leamount is a singer/ songwriter from The Bahamas. His brand of well crafted R&B is both classic and contemporary; rooted in the neosoul sounds of the 1990’s yet driven by the innovation of current Indie R&B/ Hip-Hop. His sound is a seductive storytelling of love, loss, & lust set to the backdrop of effortlessly layered ambient sounds and Kanye-esque percussion. His risque wordplay and acute vulnerability typifies his passion for creating what he calls “soundtracks to urban novellas.”He takes inspiration from a wide spectrum of Contemporary R&B, Pop, & Rock styles with his major influences being Janet Jackson, Prince, Patti Labelle, Lenny Kravitz, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Miguel, Solange & Kanye West.

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My name is Kedar Johnson and I like to take pictures in my free time. Born in New York but, matured in Florida.

This was a hobby that I decided to take a bit more seriously. I specialize in making people look and feel good.

I have a true appreciation for colors and all things vibrant. At the core, I’m an artist. I like to think outside of the box and be creative. What I appreciate the most about photography is that every photoshoot is unique and a new opportunity to show people that I love what I do. If you’ve made it to this point and haven’t already, you should check out my portfolio!

BRUTHA CARIBBEAN

@travu

nlimited

TRAVIS T. SWEETING Editor-In-Chief // Publisher

CLARENCE ALBURY gs n Executive Editor i h t e r a _ s @word CLARENCE CARVEL, ERIN GAY, ETHAN QUANT, TRAVIS T. SWEETING , KYSHAUN MILLER RASHAD LEAMOUNT, DAVID WYGANT Copy

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hy p a r g o t o ANITA CLARE acph

@an

Art Director

ANITA CLARE, kedar johnson Contributing Photographers

CRAIG BAIN

Managing Editor, BruthaMag.com

ADVERTISING

hello@trytrav.com | www.trytrav.com september/october 2017, ISSUE 14

This Magazine is published Bi-MONTHLY. No part of Brutha Magazine may be reproduced in any form by any means without prior written consent from Sivart Media Group, LLC. We reserve the right to edit, rewrite, or refuse material and we are not responsible for products that appear in this publication. © 2017 Brutha Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

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>>> power & money

the most powerful 4-letter word used by millionaires ‘If you want to be the most successful version of yourself, I strongly suggest you learn to use the word help.’

BY david wygant | davidwygant.com

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o you remember when you were young? Certain words you weren’t allowed to say?

There was this word that your parents threatened.

It was a four-letter word that would send chills up and down your spine. Well, okay, there were two four-letter words that did this, but let’s talk about the lesser of the two evils. Now granted, hearing a little kid say shit is kind of amusing, but it isn’t funny when a little kid’s in the schoolyard when he says it and all of a sudden every other kid looks at them and says, “You just said a bad word,” then nobody wants to play with them.

The Most Powerful 4-Letter Word for Adults As adults though, outside the schoolyard, we have another four-letter word that holds so much power. This magical, beautiful word that most people are so afraid to use because they feel like it devalues them somehow. Do you want to know what this magical word is? It’s called help. Help. Help. Help.

That’s right, I said it four times. Two more times and it’ll get into your subconscious mind and you’ll start thinking of things the right way all over again.

You see, whenever we go and do something, whatever it might be – it might be as simple as putting together a barbecue grill – we have this urge to do it by ourselves. We want to prove something. We let our egos get in the way. I remember the time I put together a gas grill. My girlfriend was downstairs.

I didn’t ask her for help. My ego didn’t allow it. When I was finished, there were missing pieces and left over pieces all over the place. When I went to light it, the thing would not light at all. I could smell the gas but I couldn’t figure out why the button was not working. So I decided to drop a match in there.

And when I did, the whole thing exploded in front of my face.

I went downstairs with my singed eyebrows and my girlfriend looked at me and asked what happened. I told her the story and she said, “Why didn’t you ask for my help?” I shrugged my shoulders like any male does with a big ego and said, “I don’t know.” Let me repeat that, I don’t know. How many times have you put together Ikea furniture and there are a few pieces left over and then you go to your daughter’s room and you put the fish tank on the newly build shelf or table and you realize you forgot to put the support brackets on and the fish are now swimming in your daughter’s Ariel pajamas on the floor? Not exactly something your little kid wanted.

All these little tiny things we have trouble asking for help for.

Most men won’t ask for help when they need directions. They don’t want to admit they need directions. They’d rather get lost. That’s why GPS was invented. But there’s no GPS when a man is looking for help in the business world.

Navigating the Business World with Help When a man is looking for help in the business world, we think we can do it all ourselves. Our egos get in the way. Every mistake that I’ve ever made in my life is because I never reached out to

my network of people and asked for help. I didn’t want to look weak. I’m a man. I’m super man. I’m strong. Why should I look weak? I wanted to do it all myself. As a matter of fact, that kind of sounds like my five-year-old at the times. I try to help her now and she says, “Let me do it myself.”

Basically, when a growing man in his 30s or 40s, or any age for that matter, refuses to get help, he’s acting like a little toddler.

It’s no wonder why most successful people in the world have a circle of trustees around them. Every great corporation, every great company owner always has a team of people to help them with anything that happens. At any time, they can turn to this team and ask for help. There is a show called Billions on Showtime. The lead character, Bobby Axelrod played by Damian Lewis, has a therapist that works in his office, so whenever he needs help he goes to her. She’s right there, always.

People, campaign managers, are used for candidates so they can get help. Every successful person has highly intelligent and qualified people around them so when shit hits the fan they are able to work through it efficiently, and it all starts with the word help.

If you want to be the most successful version of yourself, I strongly suggest you learn to use the word help. Otherwise you’re just going to be another egomaniac that ends up broke with your family life in shambles, wondering what went wrong.

Help. One of the most powerful words you will ever use.

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>>> creating the balance

What Breaks Trust?

BY erin gay 12

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...Even the little lies can do big damages in the longterm...

L

ies!

If you can lie about one thing, you can lie about anything. Okay, that sounds a bit harsh, but it’s true.

Once a person can lie to you and get away with it, it can become habitual. Habitual lying is annoying and leads to dishonesty, which ultimately breaks down trust in a relationship. Even the little lies can do big damages in the longterm.

Here’s a perfect example: if you tell your partner that you will be home in ten minutes but show up nearly two hours later then you should not be surprised by the backlash you might receive in response to this. Of course, this could be avoided.

Instead of withholding your true intentions, you could just say that you are stopping to have a drink with your boys (if that’s what you’re really going to do), or say to your partner, “I’ll be out late tonight, so don’t wait up.”

This may not be what your partner wants to hear, especially if he or she was hoping you’d be home early. But, at least you would have communicated your whereabouts and could put to bed any doubts in the mind of your partner about whether you can be trusted or not.

By telling unnecessary lies, you unintentionally plant seeds in your partner’s head that very often become very hard to get rid of in the long run. Never underestimate the mind of a female!

Our minds are vivid and we can conjure up an entire novel in our heads to try to make sense of a situation. Especially a “sticky” situation.

The point is, we don’t like to be lied to. And, contrary to popular belief, we are forgiving and are more understanding than we are given credit for.

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>>> creating the balance

HOW WOMEN LOSE RESPECT FOR MEN EVERYTIME

by david wygant

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ecently, a friend of mine from Europe wrote me a great email. Now, he’s a confident, good-looking guy who really understands the power of his mind and his attitude. He sent me something this morning that really resonated with me, and I’m going to call it “Be The Selector.”

Most men will go to the bar, find a position, stand there, drink some booze, and hope either the right woman walks by so they can talk to her, or that they get up enough liquid courage to walk over and talk to someone. Does this sound familiar so far?

This same man will also wait for the hot woman to be near them and then they will commit the number one cardinal sin. They will buy her a drink and she will of course spend the obligatory 2 minutes with him and then walk away. Only to be seen 30 minutes later sucking face with a dude in the corner sipping the drink you bought her.

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As the night progresses, the women will be hit on more and more by different guys using the same boring approach. A guy will be standing there at the bar waiting his turn. Once he finally figures out what to say (which he thinks is so clever and original), it is really the exact same thing all the other guys have been saying. The guy finally gets his turn, and he gets shot down even quicker than the other guys. Why does he get shot down quicker? Because she’s already heard what he’s trying on her, and her patience is at a night time low for all the un-clever banter that ’s been brought over to her. Not only is this something that men do, but men will repeat this over and over every Friday night hoping that this will work one time. They might as well send the 100 dollars they spend in the bar to a charity, at least then the money will be put to good use.

When you learn the power of being the selector, you are now different than every other guy who wishes they were selected. Women feel your lack of confidence right when you walk over to her. Women

smell a routine a mile away.

Let ’s talk about a routine. There are good routines and bad routines. What makes the difference between a good routine and a bad routine? A bad routine usually has the man talking nonstop. Because he’s so nervous and he doesn’t want even a moment of silence, he becomes the “routine man.” He’s either telling a story or asking a question, but he never listens to her response to know what to say next. Plus, a bad routine will only work on drunk 22 year old club girls, and when you think you have a potential date with them you’ll find out when you call that she either a) gave you a wrong number or b) all you get is a voice mail and no phone call back. For every 10 times the typical guy uses a routine on drunk girls at a bar, the odds of getting a phone number is 20%, and then the odds of getting a date is 5%...Think about those numbers for a second. This means in order to get a date, the typical guy has to talk to twenty girls, so 4 of them will give him their numbers, and only 1 of them will agree to go out with you. Think about how long that takes, and how terrible those odds are. A routine guy will brag about all the numbers he gets, the reason why is because he knows that the majority of women that he gets a number of will never turn into a date.

Do you want to be a routine guy so you can brag to your friends about all the numbers you get? Or do you desire to be a Selector, a man that not only gets the number but she can’t wait for him to call. Not only that, when you are a Selector a woman will actually chase you.

Let ’s talk further about how a Selector makes this happen. A selector will walk over to a group of women with a very clever opener that will get them speaking and competing for his attention. For instance, you’re in a bar and three women are standing there. They ’ve already rejected two or three guys. A routine guy will walk over with the same routine that those last guys did. A selector will walk over with a purpose – he is going to get every woman intrigued by him.

One of my favorite openers in a bar is ‘the text opener.’ I will have my friend text this into my phone: ‘Hmmm . . . Last night was really interesting. What are you doing later?’ With this in your phone, you need a back story, which is you went out with this woman the night before, had a glass of wine, and said goodnight without any kiss. So you approach the group of three women, and you ask them “Can I have your opinion on something? Before I show you what I need your opinion on, I need to tell you the back story.” Then you explain to them about the date the night before.

And then? . . . Then the fun begins. You pass them the phone, and every one of them will have a comment.

Within three to five minutes, you will find out about their booty call rules and their dating habits. The key to making this work is to listen. If girl #1 says “She’s booty calling you,” you need to challenge her and say “Is that what you do when you booty call a guy?”

As all of you know, I’m not a big routine guy. Everything I teach is all about observation and being present in the moment so you can connect with women. But bars are a different ball game, and a lot of women when they go to a bar are very guarded. Truthfully, I don’t blame them. If I was out on a Friday night and everybody looked at me like a piece of meat on a grill, and all that was missing was the A1 Sauce, I can see how they begin to get this way.

Now I know women right now are reading this and thinking “Why do men have to play games and use routines?” The reason is obvious. Most women don’t make themselves available when they go out on a Friday night. They hover in packs, and barely make any eye contact with men. So we feel like we have to come up with something to say to get your attention . . . and ‘hello’ just doesn’t seem to cut it.

So in order to become the selector, you also have to be able to be unique and different. Selectors may have little routines from time to time, but the key is not what you say . . . it ’s how you say it and listening.

If you listen, you will become the selector. Try this out in a bar and you will realize that women will not only find this entertaining and fun, but different. Not only that, by saying you went out on a date and then having them see what ’s in that text, they will wonder what you said on an hour date that made her text you at 10:00 pm on a Friday night.

A friend of mine used this approach on a group of women out for a work function, and all the women in the group wanted him after that. One walked by and let her business card fall. Another one met him at the bathroom. The one he initially spoke to when he walked over to the group called him twenty minutes after he left the bar. They all became hookups for him.

It ’s all about confidence, and not worrying about what you look like or what happens if you get turned down.

The more you talk to women, the greater chance of success you’ll have. In my friend’s email he said “I’ve stopped chatting them up, because it always works and I have no time anymore for all these women.”

The power of being the selector is within you. Women desire the man who selects them . . . not the man who begs them. Time for you to kick ass, and start learning how to listen and attract all the women you desire!

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>>> work it

keeping it old fashioned by erin gay

“If you can’t communicate with someone that is a clear sign to move on.”

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ating is a process that will never change. It may evolve over the years, yes, but the roots of dating remain the same. We date for companionship; it can be casual, temporary or permanent. No matter how casual or permanent our dating life might be,

we often seek out the rules and seek advice on it. Although complicated, dating can be very simple. I believe in the KISS principle, ‘keep it simple, stupid.’ Basically, what it means is that the simpler you keep things, the more progress or clarity you will receive. What happens when we try to add too many elements to one thing? It often gets complicated unnecessarily.

But, rather keeping it simple, it helps to keep things more light and steady and often guarantees better progress. So why not apply this to your dating life? Keep it simple.

If you’re anything like me I’m often intrigued by relationships and how they are formed, developed and maintained. Basically, the best observation and advice that I have found was to keep it simple and go back to the basics, keep it old fashioned! “But it’s the age of the millennial! We are advance, techy, modern!”

Yeah, yeah, I get it but let’s keep it real, how effective is the modern way? Yeah, we might create a profile on a dating site, receive DM’s through social media that initiates conversation, but how effective is it? While these modern tools arehelpful and can connect us instantly to a variety of people (in the hundreds) what happens after that initial contact?

Here are a few ‘old fashion’ tips that we can use and incorporate into modern day dating.

1. Ask for a phone number to call the person!

Yes, to call! When was the last time you asked someone for a phone number to call him or her rather than to Whatsapp or text message them? When was the last time you actually picked up your phone, dialed a number and had a conversation with your person of interest? Seriously? In this era of smart phones and data, 9 chances out of 10, after the initial meeting of that person, the second interaction that we have is to text the person. That text is usually to ask the person “what’s up? Want to meet up?” I get it. This is how things are done these days, but the art of verbal communication, opening up your mouth and speaking to people is slowly dying. Often times, texting leads to miscommunication, which leads to the next dating tip:

2. Communicate.

Communication is key! In order for people to understand each other, we must communicate, whether it’s through your words, actions or both. Each individual is unique, and communicates with others in their own way. Make your intentions clear from the break! If you want something casual, say so, if you want something serious, say so etc. Even if you don’t wish to have either, communicate it through your words and your actions. No mix signals. If you feel as if you’re receiving mixed feelings, communicate it! Don’t let things build and become complicated. If you can’t communicate with someone that is a clear sign to move on. Avoid the headache. Trust me!

3. Be polite and courteous!

Please, thank you, you’re welcome, good day, excuse me, these timeless expressions go a long way. Being polite gives a great first impression. It makes the other person feel a bit more relaxed. It helps to lighten the mood and keeps the negative energy at bay.

4. Dress to impress and smell good.

This really doesn’t need an explanation. This might seem a bit shallow, but, we humans appreciate beauty, and, pleasant scents are actually stimulating. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and who wouldn’t want to be around someone that smells and look good!

5. Tame your sense of humor.

We all love a good laugh, but what may seem funny to you might be offensive to me.

Your date might chuckle at your joke, but only to be polite.

We live in a very politically correct world and sensitivities are very high! While you might be thinking you are lightening the mood or perceive yourself as a cool, funny person it can easily be translated as rude and insensitive. If your date expresses concern about what you have said try not to be offended and discuss the matter.

6. Thank your date. Yes, thank your date. Like you, your date

could have been doing something else, with someone else, somewhere else. If it was a good date, they will feel appreciated and it helps to encourage and initiate a second date. If it was a not so good date, at least in the back of their mind you can leave them with the thought of you being a polite person, and not fully crush their ego.

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>>> fashion

fash

#cobaltfashion 18

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hion Photographed by Kedar Johnson Tampa, FL

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>>> fashion

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Brandon Huyler // Photographed by Kedar Johnson // Tampa, FL

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>>> fashion

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>>> fashion

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Jordan Cleveland // Photographed by Kedar Johnson // Tampa, FL

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>>> fashion

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>>> fashion feature

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Fall Style Tips

by Kyshaun Miller

Fall is upon us, which means that those board shorts, flip flops and all the sand that is permanently stuck in everywhere in our clothes and bags will be missed until next year. Fall brings the opportunity to come back to the work force, school, and social gatherings with a renewed and more sophisticated look that alludes distinction and class. With that said let’s explore a quick style guide for Fall that will help you stay ahead of the game this season.

Knowing your colour palette and which colours you feel comfortable with or which match your skin tone is a great place to start. These 10 fall trends will definitely have a positive impact on your wardrobe and social status.

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>>> fashion feature

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PUFFED JACKET The Puffed jacket is a major piece that has been hitting all of the

latest run ways from earlier this year to make its grand debut this fall. While Fall 2016 was taken over by the Bomber jackets, Fall 2017 is being ruled by the puffed jacket. It’s a slightly different look with variations that look similar to the bomber, but serves the ultimate purpose of keeping you warm and giving a great casual layered look to your outfit. Fast fashion house Zara is sporting them starting at $89.00

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CHECKED PANTS Checked pants are a personal

favorite of mine. These brings back that 60’s feel, mimicking gangster and mafia life portrayed in movies.

This is a statement piece that I don’t see going anywhere for the next few seasons, as this look has been revived and modernized, and truly a piece for every man who does business and wants to look professional or even make a statement with eye catching checked pants. ASOS has many designs and colors starting around $80.

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FUR Fur, whether it be faux or real is a statement piece. So, if you have

confidence or want to be noticed this is definitely the avenue to go.

However, if you’re not much for drawing eyes to yourself it’s okay to skip this trend. However, if you are opting into this trend beware not to over-indulge. One item of fur is enough. We don’t need a meme of you breaking the internet with the caption ‘What does the fox say’. A personal favorite is the pile-line faux fur jacket. These are excellent for outdoors and gives a slightly more rugged look to your wardrobe, almost as if I can trust you if we get lost out to sea, im partial to dark green and grey as they tend to bring out skin tones more and are more versatile. H&M has these starting at $80.

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OUTDOOR INSPIRED ITEMS

Gotta love the great outdoors and all of the inspiration it has given us in fashion, which is no wonder this fall season is racked with numerous outdoor inspired designed. Take the Nike Lunar Force 1 Duckboot ’17 for example. This rugged and durable piece is a great casual wear to your next basketball game, or social gathering and is bound to get you compliment after compliment. Going for around $170 this is not a bad investment and I personally assure you that you will not regret it.

DAD HATS I’m not much for head

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CLASSIC CAMO Next is the classic camo, that

is always and ever present.

Camo coming from a military heritage is easy to over-do.

I strongly caution against wearing camo from head to toe. It’s a bit of a staple statement piece. Less is more.

Also, be aware that if you do decide to bend this rule and wear camo from head to toe, please ensure that it is the exact same pattern.

Two great pieces are these H&M Short Parka and Front button shirt. These are casual pieces that can be pairs with light grey tailored track suit pants or joggers, and low top sneakers. The Short Parka goes for $50 and the Short for $35.

accessories. But I’m also not much for brushing or combing my hair either. So, when you’re in those ‘nubby’ phases of dred locks, or having a bit of a rowe with your brush and comb because your conditioner magically ran out, a hat is a great leisure piece that saves you the scornfulness of those people who simply don’t get that you care more about your physical appearance (ha!) than why you left the house that morning. These are affordable from places such as Nike and other sporting places, however, Forever 21 men has a few cool designs starting at $10.

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RAIN JACKET Fall brings the rain in copious

amounts it is horrible to get your nice Oxford shirt or even casual tee’s wet in the rain.

And one of the major trends this Fall and a staple for your wardrobe is a rain jacket. It’s an investment into your look and into the preservation of your clothing. Make sure that your rain coat is good quality.

I’m partial to ones with the hood that can be removed and that unbutton or zip in the front for ease of removal.

Everlane at Nordstrom has a great line of these like the one below that can suit almost anyone’s budget, the one shown below is listed at $138.

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>>> fashion feature

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Kr orEthT JthAe C great InoLt reTallEy aD U e bomber jacket a Q puffe of n fa ilted d winter is the Qu If you’re

fall an alternative for the member trendy and stylish s and colour, but re le sty of ty rie va a e in to make the Jacket. These com blue is really going vy na or dy un rg bu has a lot it’s fall so a grey, or al and formal. ASOS su ca n ee tw be ar we piece for versatile ound $100. ar ng rti sta s of look

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CHUKKA and CHELSEA BOOTS Boots are must and are definitively one of the most versatile

pieces on a man’s shoe rack. They literally can be worn all year round and make for great accent and statement piece for your outfit. They can easily be taken from a casual look and made into a dressier look depending on the style and make of the boot. For fall 2017 we are going to be focusing on two specific kids of boots the Chukka and Chelsea. The Chukka is more street wear although it’s not uncommon to see a Chelsea boot in street wear, particularly the same way you would wear the Chukka, with chinos, cable knit sweater. But where the Chucker boot has a slight angle on the Chelsea is that it looks slight more rugged and durable. These are the boots that are for gather’s that would require more walking than standing and if you hand to climb a case of stairs for than once or twice for the evening or if the event was per se at a cabin or semi-outdoors, with a flannel shirt and semi-destress jeans.

Designer Shoe Warehouse has these starting around $70-80.

The Chelsea on the other hand is that classic boot that you wear as a statement. These are for more formal events but have the versatility as I stated for street wear, these are an excellent way to stand a little taller as most of these boots at minimum add an 1.5inches to your height on average. This is a purchase one doesn’t regret because once taken care of these boots can last you a very long time. ALDO has a variety of styles and colour like these cognac and bone colours averagely around $165.

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CHINOS Chinos are a great alternative

to jeans especially in the fall, if you’re going for a semicasual/smart casual look. And are a great match up with the puffed jacket or bomber jacket. These pants are truly a staple to be had in everyone’s closet and are made in a variety of colours. For a quick fashion hack for the fall I’d personally recommend getting them in grey, navy blue or olive green as these colours are right for the fall and winter season. These can be found at Zara, H&M and Urban Outfitters for around $40 a pair.

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SHAWL NECK CARDIGANS I personally consider it a cardinal

sin for any man to not own at least one of these. As a man that has more than one to choose from Shawl Neck Cardigans and sweaters are a life saver when you need to quickly class up a pair of dark jeans or dress pants when you weren’t fully briefed on the nature of an event. A proper fitting one will give the illusion that your arms a bigger than they actually are and hide a little of your gut. These are great staple pieces, so please repent of your unfashionable ways and invest in a pair of these this fall as this is one trend that is not going anywhere for a long while because it is such as classic and staple I assure you the season would be amiss without it. Zara has a proper lock on this look starting at only $40 so do your penance and get yours.

bealiv.com

MyAliv

iamaliv

@be_aliv

ALIV

611 or 300.2548

believe in music

believe in best

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>>> face it

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BY rashad leamount

BEARDED CONFESSIONS W

aves, fades, lineups...

This has been the go to ‘fresh’ look for men of color for decades it seems. Though, as the diaspora continues to evolve, the shapes, lengths, styles and presentation of black hair have taken on new heights.

While the beard trend has been getting quite a bit of international press for some time, thanks to the glorious #menwithbeards hashtag, it’s only most recently that Bahamian men have begun embracing the scruff and joining the ranks of stylish black men worldwide.

Here, we talk to three bruthas, adorned in some of the best beards Nassau has to offer. What we found out was that their beards were as diverse as their personalities and their care regimes varied as vast as their song choices.

Photographed by Anita Clare in Nassau, Bahamas

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>>> face it

#

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e b ith

s d ar

THE CLASSIC MAN Lorando Ferguson

Owner of Celebrity Status Bar & Lounge Age: 33 Described by Friends As: Conscious, Open-Minded, Driven Sign: Scorpio Beard Length/How Long Have You Been Growing It: 11 Months Song On Repeat: Anita Baker Caught Up In The Rapture Signature Scent: Givenchy Very Irresistible Favourite Beard Product: Originals Carrot Tea-Tree Oil by Africa’s Best Lorando is the modern entrepreneur; balancing his time between various ventures, including a bar and lounge, as well as a string of barbershops and salons. He’s driven and focused on establishing his empire. He’s a classic man through and through, from his signature scent to his favorite tune on shuffle.

..... . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THE QUIET STORM Allan Jones

Photographer Age: 27 Described By Friends As: Cool. Calm. Super Talented.

Sign: Pisces Beard Length/How Long Have You Been Growing It: 3in/about 8months Song On Repeat: Blue Pill ft. Travis Scott Signature Scent: Agua de Chuva Favourite Beard Product: Coconut Oil & Olive Oil Mr Jones (the introverted creative) is the quintessential Piscean. Shrouded in mystique, he possesses a certain kinetic energy akin to the ocean. Mostly calm but with the potential for massive waves. He is THE QUIET STORM. A lifestyle photographer who documents the human experience through his candidly matte gaze, he rolls back the glamour in favor of the unfiltered truths and the beauty within them. I mean if you consider his favorite song is a hazy trap-rock anthem and his signature scent is an “obscure” Brazilian brand, he’s far from your run-of-the mil guy, but he’s definitely not trying to be. He moves with the current and abides on whichever shore they crash him into.

..... . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THE MODERN SIMPLIST P-Giovanni A. Armbrister

Works in Media/Television Production Described by Friends As: Quirky, Intelligent Compassionate Age: 28 Sign: Aquarius Beard Length/How Long Have You Been Growing It: 1 year 2 months Song On Repeat: Chained to the Rhythm - Katy Perry Signature Scent: Hugo Boss Extreme Favourite Beard Product: Leave in Conditioner (No specific brand) P-Giovanni is THE millennial guy. He works in media, so he’s tech savvy and has the pulse on new trends. He’s not afraid to try new things or to be the BOLD one in the room. At the core though, he doesn’t crave the flash - sure he can grab the spotlight but he is equally comfortable being the man behind the camera (so to speak). He doesn’t take himself too seriously. Doesn’t chain himself to any ridiculous rituals. He just kinda is.

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>>> MR. FITNESS

it F k r o W a h t i w n e v e t i f g n i Stay

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le u d e h c s g n i d n a m de

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e work more than we do anything else and spend more time with coworkers than anyone else. It’s no surprise then that what we do at work influences our total well being and that of our coworkers. A healthy employee is a happier more productive employee.

Exercise during work hours can directly influence your success. It helps improve concentration, learning capabilities, memory, mental stamina, mood and even lower stress; all useful tools in today’s corporate world. Work exercise positively affects your coworker’s environment and can be contagious.

Imagine everyone in your office taking a quick 60 second exercise break; the comradery it would build and the healthy fit employees your company will have.

Studies have shown that employees can use work time for exercise and still be as or more productive at work. Less sick days are taken and you can improve your work-life balance giving yourself more personal and family time. At work exercise helps protect against job burnout and improves your mood. If you can get in at least 4 hours at work exercise per week, you will see the difference it make. If you can’t fit in 4 hours, don’t despair, any exercise is better than no exercise. A quick 20 / 30 minute session at work still works in your favor.

Choose how, when and where you want to exercise.

Pop in the office gym either before or after work or even on your lunch break. Take the stairs all the time and park as far as possible so you can walk. 60 second bodyweight exercises like squats, pushups, lunges and jumping jacks are excellent for those with very demanding jobs.

Find a coworker and get them involved; before you know it, everyone will join in.

eq @callme.

BY ETHAN QUANT elite wellness solutions

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>>> mr. fitness

Incline barbell press

Sit On An Incline Bench Set At 45 Degrees. Start By Holding The Bar Over Your Upper Chest With Your Arms Straight And Grip Slightly Wider Than Shoulder Width. Slowly Lower The Bar Until The Barbell Makes Contact With Your Upper Chest.

Then Press The Barbell Straight Up Over Your Chest Until Your Elbows Are Locked.

incline dumbell chest flyes

1.Lie On An Incline Bench Set At 45 Degrees Holding The Dumbbells Up Over Your Chest With Your Arms Straight. 2.Lower The Dumbbells To The Sides Of Your Body In An Arc-Like Motion Until Your Elbows Are At The Same Level Of The Bench. 3.Raise The Dumbbells Back Up Over Your Chest, Keeping Your Arms Straight Throughout. 4.Repeat

dumbbell bench press

Lay On A Flat Bench With Dumbbells In Each Hand. Bend Your Elbows At A 90 Degree Angle So That Your Forearms Are Perpendicular To The Ground. Press The Weights Upwards Until The Two Weights Meet At The Top. Pause And Lower Back To The Start Position.

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dumbbell lateral raises

Stand And Bend Forward Slightly With Your Knees Bent Too. With Dumbbells In Both Hands And Elbows Bent, Raise Upper Arms To Sides Until Elbows Are At Shoulder Height. Pause, Lower And Repeat.

dumbbell shoulder press

Start With Both Dumbbells Positioned To Each Side Of The Shoulders With At A 90 Degree Fashion. Press Dumbbells Upwards Until Arms Are Extended Overhead.

Lower And Repeat.

barbell upright row

1.Stand Upright Holding The Bar With A Closed Grip, With Your Arms Straight And Palms Facing Back.

2.Raise The Bar Up To Just Below Your Chin, Keeping Your Elbows Above Your Hands, Bar Close To Your Body. 3.Return To Starting Position.

4.Repeat.

MODEL: Nathan Sweeting Photographed by: Anita Clare in Nassau, Bahamas

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>>> artist spotlight

Kareem Mortimer

on Ushering in a New Era

BY renee caesar

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Photographed by Anita Clare at Potters Cay Dock, Nassau, Bahamas

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>>> artist spotlight

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ith the recent local release of his film, Cargo, on October 19th, Kareem Mortimer graciously made time to sit down with me.

Well, “sit down” may be a bit of a stretch.

It was more like dashed through the rain sharing his umbrella, drove across town to help a friend and coworker at The Island House, dashed through more rain and drove back across town.

During our adventure, the man behind the largest Bahamian film to date, gave me a glimpse into how his mind works. The conversation began in earnest when I expressed my belief that the arts community: people like Kareem, have the unique ability to save this country.

“I think the artists have to lead the way or inspire the people.” he replied, fully invested. “I was in Trinidad and in Toronto (for film festivals) and I was with all these Caribbean Filmmakers and the idea of these small island states is ridiculous! We have these weird ideas of nationalism and, you know, at the end of the day we’re like 400 thousand people and we have ‘this is The Bahamas, and that’s Haiti, and this is Cuba mentalities, but we all aren’t existing on our own, but as a unit, as a federation, we could. We wouldn’t need anything!”

He continued: “We’d have 47 million people! We’d have oil!

We could feed ourselves. You’d have resources you could trade among yourselves. You don’t have to change anything.

You don’t have to change your language. Keep your tax rules.

The only thing we’d do is open up the borders a little bit but who really cares? People need to mix anyway and people tend to stay where they want to stay.”

“I know we have a fear of Haiti but,” he sighs, “the Caribbean has to fix Haiti. That’s just what it is and the longer we don’t fix it the worse it is and it affects us. You need free movement of people and labor. What would happen is that you’d have an arts council that gives money for people to promote their

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There's a reason why they broke us all up. They profited a lot from us, created massive amounts of wealth, and then they leave us with these small islands and we have to borrow money so we're still feeding into that system in a different way and I think that change has to come from the artists.

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>>> artist spotlight

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art and preserve the cultural identity endemic to the particular islands themselves. Anyway, all those artists (at the festivals) are thinking about that because we need audience for our work; to sustain a long term career. I mean you speak Spanish and I think that’s the way to do it. There’s a reason why they broke us all up. They profited a lot from us, created massive amounts of wealth, and then they leave us with these small islands and we have to borrow money so we’re still feeding into that system in a different way and I think that change has to come from the artists. These systems are not sustainable and the constraint will only cause continued increases in violence. The only way we are going to effectively fight against things like global warming; which heavily affects us, is if we band together as one voice. That’s how we fix ourselves!”

“What’s really the difference between Haiti and ourselves?

I just don’t understand it. We’re just lucky. It has nothing to do with you.” He laughs. “You just happen to be born here. You just happened to be that lucky sperm and that lucky egg. Maybe one of your ancestors was dropped off here and the other in Haiti!”

We take a break here while Kareem teaches someone how to use a theatre projector. Once he’s done we shift the conversation a bit more toward the film itself. I’m surprised to learn that the short film (Passage) which preceded Cargo was actually written after Cargo. “The original story was called ‘Shallow Waters’ or something like that.” The project has been in the works for about 7 years; 3-4 of those years spent actively looking for funding.

Once the money was sourced there was a graduation to the inherent obstacles of filmmaking in general as well as the issues that are specific to communities like ours such as not having an established industry here and needing to import a large percentage of the necessary equipment.

“Another challenge,” he adds, “was explaining to the communities that welcomed us that they were valuable partners for us and that we weren’t there to exploit them.

I think we met that challenge head on.”

I asked a few final questions.

First, was film his full time career?

“Yeah, I’m in the business of self expression. I’m a commercial director sometimes and I’m able to pick

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>>> artist spotlight

and choose the life I wanna live. What I do at The Island House is I’m a curator and a buyer, so I’d buy the films and maintain relationships with the studios. We also have a film festival that happens in January and a quarter of the work that we show at the festival is Caribbean. We invite all the filmmakers down and we have free programs for the community. We feel that if we invite someone down here to share their knowledge then it should be a service that we give back. With Cargo I’m actively working along with my business partner, Alexander Younis, in distribution of the project. So yea, I’m working in film. I only work in this industry.”

When you first started was it a difficult decision?

His response was immediate and unfettered. “There was no decision. It was just what it had to be. I worked in PR before and I was making a decent amount of money. I was about 25 and it wasn’t a bad salary for someone that age but I was bored. You have one life and you have to figure out what it is that you want to do. I never really think about tough days because you’re never gonna go hungry; I mean obviously I might have a different reality than other people but to think about it being difficult just doesn’t enter my mind at all because it would paralyze me and there just has to be forward momentum. There’s gonna be times that it really sucks and then someone makes me laugh and then it changes. I don’t really think about how hard it is. And you figure out ways to keep your head afloat. I edited films for a very long time. I worked in Production as a PA. You make it work. I did a lot of corporate videos.”

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I see many people who need to be recognized, and we all struggle with this, but what fulfils you is the work that you make and everything that you do serves the work.

In light of what you know now, do you have any words for people trying to jump into a career in the arts who may be worried or afraid?

“The only person responsible for that fear is you. You know what I mean? It’s scary for everybody so you have to decide if you’re going to use that as an excuse to not do what’s in your heart and you have to be okay with that or you have to just go for it. Obviously you do have to plan certain things and think about how you can provide for yourself but I would say just move forward without any fear. Not to be corny but listen to your inner guide and what your instinct is telling you and make sure that it’s rooted in something true and real and not so much in the ego.

You know, I see many people who need to be recognized, and we all struggle with this, but what fulfils you is the work that you make and everything that you do serves the work. Then everything kinda falls into place.”

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>>> feeding me

creamy chicken enchiladas ingredients: .........................................................................

FILLING: 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great here or this simple method for quick, cooked shredded chicken) 2 cans (4-ounces each) green chiles, lightly drained 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, light or regular, softened and cubed 1 can (15-ounces) white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here or leave them out) 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro1 tablespoon fresh lime juice SAUCE: 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion) 2 tablespoons flour 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 cup (8 ounces) green chile enchilada sauce (or salsa verde) –homemade version here 1/2 cup sour cream, light or regular ASSEMBLY: 8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded 8 medium (soft taco size) flour or corn tortillas Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

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makes

6

directions: 1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.

2.In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken, beans, cilantro and lime juice. Mix to combine. Set aside.

3.FOR THE SAUCE: in a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.

4.Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas.

5.Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I get about 8 enchiladas for this recipe; the exact number will depend on the size of tortillas).

6.Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas and spread evenly.

Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

receipe by www.melskitchencafe.com

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o

>>> feature

Real Life Bahamian Fashion Icon

By Clarence Carvel

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Owen Bethel

Photographed by Anita Clare

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>>> feature

T

he fashion industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry. It is responsible for notable names like Donatella Versace, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior and the iconic Coco Chanel. The brands we know and love—Gucci, Prada, Christian Louboutin and the Tom Ford exist because this industry makes it possible for style, glamour and uncommon creativity to flourish.

From the surface though, it can seem as if absent designers and runway fashion models and catwalks, the fashion industry would fall flat on its backside. Rarely do we ever stop to think about the people behind the scenes who make designer brands come alive, who ensure fashion shows are grand and who ensure department store shelves remain stocked every season, all year long.

Owen Bethel is not a man who dreamt of becoming a fashion designer. He’s not the guy who spent countless hours reading fashion magazines. Drawing sketches. Day dreaming about having his name called among the great designers of all time. Owen is an investor. A man with many interests. In his lifetime, he has invested in finance, film, and yes, fashion. He calls it the “triple f@ck” effect. If you did not know him personally, you would think he is just an average Joe, who is trying to figure it out just like the rest of us. But, this calm and collected fellow is so much more than what meets the eye.

When it comes to investing, Mr. Bethel is a man of vision.

With his keen eye for spotting a good opportunity, Owen used his influence and financial resources to create one of the country’s premier fashion showcases—Islands of the World Fashion Week.

“While serving as the government representative for the Bahamas at UNESCO in Paris, France, I saw that there were really no islands or developing country designers that had gotten any real recognition other than Oscar de la Renta, and so the idea was to create something that would expose designers from these countries to the international media.”

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>>> feature

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>>> feature

If you are going to present yourself to the consumer, then you need to know what the consumer want to buy. It’s not simply designing what you like, but rather the intent to create something that is to be sold.

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This idea was brilliant. Islands of the World has gone on to offer a unique platform that has launched designers from throughout the Caribbean and other developing countries around the world. The show is now in its seventh cycle.

Mr. Bethel has also achieved enormous success as a visionary and as an investor in the film industry. His company, The Montaque Group has worked with blockbuster movie franchises such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Casino Royale, and MGM studios who is responsible for the hit movie “Into the Blue”, and local Bahamian directors Kareem Mortimer, Travolta Cooper, and Maria Govan on “Children of God”, “Black Moses”, “Rain” and “Play the Devil” respectively.

When it comes to the fashion, Owen believes that designers should approach their work as a business. “From my own perspective and looking from a business and entrepreneurial perspective, I wanted to ensure that designers come with a mindset that they are going to look at this (fashion) as a business.”

Owen believes that if the fashion industry in The Bahamas and across the Caribbean is to evolve, it must go further than fashion shows, so that it can attract international buyers and gain the exposure one needs to go to the next level.

When it comes to the challenges designers from developing countries face, Owen notes that access to capital is the biggest hurdle of them all. So, just two years ago, Mr. Bethel launched Exiles, which is an incubator like clothing line created to give designers an opportunity to launch their work, and from a business perspective produce a complete collection of design wears for sale to international buyers. Currently the line has five contributing designers.

In looking to the future, Owen believes that fashion must evolve in terms of government policy, access to capital and product quality. “Government in terms of creating incentives to allow the industry to grow is how best I believe government can help.

Things like relaxing import duties on products and material and equipment, and removing the bureaucracy in accessing such incentives that makes the process onerous for creatives.”

“In terms of the industry itself, the players and the stakeholders, The Bahamas as a population is only some 300,000, and so we need to wrap our heads around the idea that the larger target market has to be, which we have at our door step, the tourist market. We must start looking at developing fashion products which are there and which they (tourist) want to buy.”

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>>> feature

According to Owen, at the end of the day, it can be a win-win situation for both sides when it comes to fashion contributing to the local economy.

“In terms of bringing in dollars, in terms of export potential, and developing the entrepreneurial core of cottage industries and micro-enterprises....people can add real value to the economy as a whole.”

Being a black brutha in the fashion industry, Owen knows how stereotypical the industry can be when it comes to male involvement.

“In this society, homophobia becomes more dominant, and so a lot of Bahamian men shy away from the industry because of what it might do to their image, even at the cost of their passion for it. But having said that, now we see an interesting dichotomy or contradiction as men become more conscious, not only from the physical perspective, but with what they wear also.”

Owen has some advice for budding designers and those who are looking to enter this illustrious, competitive industry.

“First of all, we should distinguish between fashion designers, seamstresses, and stylists. While they are all relevant to the growth of the fashion industry, they are distinctly classed. It takes passion to be a designer and you need to be constantly learning and growing your craft. You’re not born a designer, which means you have to put in the work to be good at what you do.”

He added, “If you are going to present yourself to the consumer, then you need to know what the consumers want to buy. It’s not simply designing what you like, but rather the intent to create something that is to be sold.”

The future looks bright for the fashion industry in the Bahamas and around the Caribbean with visionary leaders like Owen Bethel, and Brutha Magazine is so grateful to call this home grown fellow, a ‘Brutha.’

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>>> man on the rise

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hello pico.

Keron Wood is The Detailed Man.

By Clarence Carvel

H

aving your own personal style” isn͛ t just a slogan for Keron Wood. It is in fact the thread that runs through the fabric of the Pico Lapelle brand—a lapel fashion accessory company that is now a household name in the country.

Pico--a middle name Keron admits he didn͛ t like growing up, has come a long way from an idea to now being one of the most recognizable local fashion accessory brands.

Keron is not the typical fashion designer. He didn͛ ’t always dream of being in fashion nor would he call it a passion at first. Keron grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. He remembers his childhood as a “humble beginning” where he learnt the importance of hard work. He believes that his humble upbringing in the care of his grandmother gave him an appreciation for being self-sufficient and to not expect handouts from others.

He says, “I attribute my humble beginnings for my drive and ambition. It has helped me understand that nothing is ever given to you. You have to work and figure it out for yourself.”

Photographed by Anita Clare in Nassau, Bahamas

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>>> man on the rise

Keep pushing the envelope and keep trying new things.

A product of a single parent home, Keron entered the workforce at a young age to help his mother with the bills. His mother—whom he calls his superhero, worked very hard to provide for her children. It was his mother who gave him his first lesson on ‘hustling.’ She taught him to be independent and to go after ‘what you want.’

For Keron, entering the workforce young also meant more opportunities to rub shoulders and network with other successful entrepreneurs. Something he welcomed openly.

“I didn͛ t quite know what my talents were for a very long time,” the lapel designer said when asked about his interest in his earlier years. “I had a lot of interests and wanted to be different things—like a police officer and a veterinarian just to name a few.” He later settled on becoming a criminal investigator which led him to enroll into a Law and Criminal Justice program at the then College of the Bahamas. Though, this was short-lived. Keron quickly changed course a final time after just a few semesters and changed his major to Marketing.

Which was a match made in heaven.

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Like most entrepreneurs, Keron didn’t become an overnight success story. It was a long journey, with its typical ups and downs. Most entrepreneurs would be the first to admit; balancing work, school and a side hustle isn’t easy. And, it is not for the faint hearted. “My first attempt at entrepreneurship happened while trying to break my addiction to online shopping. I thought, why not turn this habit into something profitable. So, that’s how my first business started. But, after a while I hated it. And the main reason was because I didn’t think that the business was up to the standard I felt was good enough.”

After his first business venture, Keron’s interest in fashion grew stronger. This was evident in him becoming a collector of GQ magazines. “I collected magazines to get men͛ s fashion ideas.

I knew I didn’t want to sew garments, but I knew I wanted to carve out my own little space in the fashion world.” Keron went on to say that it was in a GQ magazine that he came across the lapel pins. “The lapels stood out to me because I thought they were stylish, and they were kind of missing in

the Bahamian market. I had seen them around in stores, but most of them were generic and pretty basic. I thought it would be more interesting if they were handmade, Bahamian and good quality. So pretty much thats͛ how Pico Lapelle was born.”

In the early phases of Pico Lapelle, the young brand had its challenges. As every successful entrepreneur learns at some stage in their development, mentorship is important when starting out. Keron knew that with his limited sewing ability and him being an amateur in the business, he would need help. “I had no idea how to sew or how go about making lapelles, so I spoke to a close friend who is a fashion designer and he taught me how to make my first one.” “I started with one design—the bloom, which is made completely out of fabric. I continued perfecting it until it was the best quality lapelle I could produce,” he emphasized.

Since its inception, Pico Lapelle has certainly changed the way fashion enthusiast accessorize their apparel. Both men and women with a keen sense of style look to the brand to help make their wardrobes come alive with the unique designs and stylings the brand has to offer its customers.

When asked about his vision for Pico Lapelle, Keron was not at all hesitant to say that he sees his brand being visible in international markets. “I want Pico Lapelle to be in all the major retail fashion stores around the world. I see it being on display in Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and other major fashion boutiques,” he continued. The brand operates on three ideals: luxury, quality and originality.

“This is what I want to offer to each client. Pico Lapelle provides the ultimate finishing touch.” Keron’s advice to other up and coming young entrepreneurs looking to stay competitive and who are trying to grow their business is this: “Keep adding to your line of products and focus on the quality. Keep pushing the envelope and keep trying new things.” He went on to say, “Don’t be concerned about what other people are doing or whats͛ already in the market. If it’s not a fad or trendy, you can create the trend.

The point is to focus on yourself.”

Besides being a fashion accessory designer, Keron is also an avid traveler. And he͛s found a way to earn an income doing it. “The travel business has allowed me to do a lot of things. Like quit my full-time job and travel all around the world. Life is about experiences, and when we die whats͛ going to matter is how we͛ve enjoyed our lives. So, my advice to others is to keep a bucket list, and go out and live.”

This brutha is definitely making his mark in the world.

We͛re grateful to him for sharing his experience with us and for accepting our invitation to be our man on the rise.

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>>> man on the rise

norman lightbourne is

TheMillennial Executive 68

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Photographed by Anita Clare at The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas

By clarence carvel

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>>> man on the rise

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I

n times past, when a company introduces an executive, the expectation is that you’d be greeted by some grey haired woman or man with a lengthier-than-usual resume, who probably has a family, lives in the confines of the coveted white picket fence and maybe owns a dog or two - or three.

Fast-forward to today, two thousand and seventeen, executives are not only younger, but are more focused on their careers and personal development rather than settling down for marriage, children and happy-ever-afters.

It may also come as a surprise to many that this ambitious bunch are not in fact lazy, entitled and hard to manage, as often described. Like previous generations, they too have good work ethic, marketable skillsets, and possess the drive to perform at the top of their fields. Yes, they are crushing it. And, they’re adding tremendous value in the process.

Insert Norman Lightbourne, ALIV networks’ marketing executive and by extension, one of the youngest executives in the country. A reserved fellow at first glance, Norman doesn’t strike you as a guy who sits around the table in the boardroom, making very important decisions for the county’s newest and fastest growing telecommunications provider. But, maybe that’s his secret. Maybe his accomplishments, such as completing a digital marketing course at Harvard University, could be attributed to his ability to move under the radar: focusing more on doing the work than seeking attention.

With so much noise in the market, and so many people working overtime to put themselves out there, it’s refreshing to come across a young gentleman who knows what he wants and what he’s trying to accomplish in the world. And, who’s not trying to be anything or anyone but himself.

I had an opportunity to sit down with Norman Lightbourne so he could share a little about his journey:

1. Norman Lightbourne is...

A son, brother, go-getter, goal-oriented and a proud Bahamian.

2. What’s it like being one of the youngest Marketing Executive in the country?

To be honest I’ve never put much thought to it, since college I had my personal goals on what I would like to achieve and I always viewed those goals on an international level instead of just locally. In the world we live in today we must be able to compete with persons from around the world as we never know where our next opportunity might take us. That being said, it feels great that a company like ALIV would recognize young talent and value what we would have to bring to the table. At ALIV’s Head Office the average employee ranges in age from 20-45. They’ve sourced some of the best young talent in The Bahamas which opened the door for a vibrant fresh take on the corporate culture.

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I know for sure that where you start isn’t where you will end.

Your destination is up to your determination.

3. Who would you say is your biggest influence to date?

My biggest influence is definitely my parents. I grew up in a home where certain things were just expected, going to college being one of them, as a form of self-improvement. My parents always believed in me and my talents long before I believed in them myself. I grew up in a Christian home and the word of God has always been the foundation of our household. The Christian way of life has definitely influenced me greatly in my day to day interactions with the people around me from the way I deal with clients and co-workers to the people on the street.

4. How did the ALIV opportunity come about?

I heard about the opportunities at ALIV probably the way most people do—from the newspaper. When the announcement was made that there will be a new mobile service provider under Cable Bahamas. I sent my resume in hoping for the best as the company was a start-up and I’ve worked in that kind of environment before. When I got called in for an interview I knew I had to give my best presentation possible as thousands of applications had already been submitted. I figured the best way to be memorable was to be myself. As the questions came I paused, gave it some thought and then I responded as truthfully as I could. As they say the rest is history I had a second interview and was offered the position. All of my previous employment opportunities along with my educational background lined up perfectly to prepare me for the job.

interested in your story your way. Always be mindful that what you put out there you can’t take back. Everything that seems cool today may not seem cool tomorrow, present the best you today. As humans, we transition into our full selves over time and the journey is awesome, share some of your highlights with others while still maintaining a personal life.

8. What do you want your legacy to be?

Growing up being a “junior” I often wondered what would set myself apart from the great work of my father. When I considered what I would want to be remembered for is being as much of a game changer as I could be. A person who beat the odds and made a mark in my own way. The Bahamas is full of talented young adults and I would like to be considered as someone who assisted in that development in some way even if it’s in being an example.

9. What do you know for sure?

I know for sure that where you start isn’t where you will end.

Your destination is up to your determination. In life, we will have highs and lows, peaks and valleys but how we handle our self in those situations will determine how far we’ll go.

10. What’s next for Norman Lightbourne?

What’s next for me is continuous self-improvement – I will continue to hone my talents and my gifts, to continue learning and growing while taking calculated risks.

5. Many people still don’t quite get what a career in Marketing consists of, can you enlighten us a bit?

A career in Marketing consists of many variables coming together. It is a great field for people who like to strategize and identify patterns and trends. If you choose a career in marketing your typical tasks will include approximating the need for products or services, distinguishing potential markets for products or services, monitoring trends, developing pricing and sales strategies, and working along with units across the business especially public relations, product development and sales departments. Careers in marketing require knowledge of market research, consumer behaviour, sales, visual arts, and general marketing.

6. Tell us about a day in the life of Norman Lightbourne.

A day in the life...I wake up, reflect, hit the shower and start my day. Each day is so different after that but that is what makes it so exciting. An average day can range from meetings, interviews, travel, signing contracts and planning strategy with the team. We have a tight team in the marketing department so each day definitively involves interaction with the country’s best.

7. What advice would you give to millennials on personal branding/standing out?

I would say definitely be yourself, that is what truly makes you unique. I find that more often than not persons try to be different by mimicking someone else’s approach. No one views the world the way you do besides you and people will be

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#blackgirlmagic

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We can’t have war between black men and black women because no one can be free if one half of the mind of the people is tied up in conflict.

It’s going to have to be both of us or none of us. > Dr. John Henrik Clarke

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>>> bruthaman

The Real Reason you lack confidence

BY Davd wygant | www.davidwygant.com

A

couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog post called, “The Power Of Investing In Yourself.” Almost a week later, everyone was still talking about what I charge an hour for coaching. Some of you will never pay that kind of money, and can’t imagine anyone paying $300 an hour for a dating coach. My coaching IS $300 an hour, and I’m worth every penny. As far as I’m concerned, I should charge even more. You see, as an entrepreneur, and as someone who believes in themselves, one of the first things you do when you start your business is to answer the question, what do you value your time per hour? In order to be successful, you have to value your time per hour. You guys are fixated on all the wrong things from that blog post. I read your comments. I don’t have time to react to all of them because I’m busy doing other things, but I do read all your comments, and I do respect your opinions. That said, so many of you have such limiting beliefs it’s unreal! Who cares what I charge? Who cares if you don’t think I deserve it? Who cares if you think people are crazy to pay it? It doesn’t matter. That wasn’t the point in the blog. The point of that post was to get you to start thinking about life on a much deeper level. Instead, you guys became obsessed with dating coaches, and what they charge.

Some of the crazy comments about how dating coaching isn’t an industry, and that real estate is an honest industry. IT workers only get $100 an hour so why should dating coaches earn more. The whole point was about investing in yourself. It was about doing the little simple things for yourself to make your life amazing. It’s not about the money.

It’s about making your life unique, special, and amazing. You only have one life. You have one shot. The way you value your time is your choice. I respect the guy that works in McDonalds for $10 an hour as much as the consultant that charges $10,000.

It’s whatever the market will bear as one of you said correctly.

The guy who makes $10,000 is different to the guy who works at McDonalds because the guy at McDonalds doesn’t believe he can make $10,000 an hour. Years ago there was a guy who did seminars about millionaire mindsets, and one of the first things he taught me was this...You have to decide how you

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value your time. What do you want to make, and what do you value your time?

To be successful in life you have to do that; even if it seems like a ridiculous figure right now. For instance, if you’re used to earning $30 an hour, earning $100 an hour probably seems outrageous. It’s all you’re used to. Change your beliefs. Change your mindset. Change your outcome, and learn to dream big.

But when you dream big, you need to be sure you have the work ethic to make it happen. If you think you can reach your goals. Then live it, breathe it, be passionate about it, and be damn good at it. I know a guy that charges $1,000 an hour just to talk to him. He’s an insurance sales guy. I think to myself, “I would never pay him $1,000.” But I know many people have, and they’ve learned so much because those 60 minutes were so precious to them. They learned so much, and they’ve all benefited immensely in their business. It’s all about beliefs.

You’ll read about beliefs are all over this blog, and that’s why I write this every single day. That’s why I put keep putting out programs to help you with different dating and relationship issues. If you don’t feel like buying them, other people do. If you think they’re overpriced or underpriced or whatever it is, I don’t care. Change your beliefs, and change your mindset. Life is limitless. Stop limiting yourself. I read the excuses every day.

“I’m 5’6”, I can’t read women. I’m a little overweight. I can’t meet women. I can’t meet men because no man over the age of 50 likes me, and I’m 61.”

It’s unreal. The limiting beliefs are non-stop. I don’t have any limiting beliefs at all, and when I do have a limiting belief, I work on it. I call myself out on my shit. That way I no longer have those limiting beliefs. I do this every single daywith myself.

I make sure I call myself out because I want to live the most amazing life every single day. Is my message getting through to you, or are we going to spend another week obsessing about what I charge? Once again, you may not think it’s worth it, but tons of people do. The people that do think it’s worth it get a lot from it. People tell me all the time how their life is infinitely better after they work with me.

‘You have to decide how you value your time.’

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