WINTER 2023
NATIONAL FEATURE
DENISE SHULL
SPOT THE TASTE ANGIE CAMPBELL
MINDFULNESS MAKE CHANGE LAST
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
AROUND TOWN
MINDFULNESS
CRYSTALS CORNER
SPOT THE TASTE
FEATURE: DENISE SHULL
WOMEN TO WATCH: COMMONS
REAL ESTATE TIPS
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2023 is here! Or as I like to refer to it, the GOAT year. As someone who I into numbers and the energy behind that, I’m super excited to be entering our 5th year of production in a year filled with promise and opportunity, even if we can’t see it yet.
I ended a rough 2022 and had to let a lot of things fall apart personally, professionally, and spiritually so that I could see what was left and worth saving. I’m so happy I took that much-needed time to sit uncomfortably through the process. Now I’m ready with a newfound purpose and intentionality to face 2023 with a vigor that I’ve been missing.
As you read through this latest issue, I hope you see similarities in your journey wherever your stage is and receive inspiration as you read the stories of the amazing women and companies we are highlighting to start the 2023 year off.
We’ve added a few new sections that I hope you enjoy; Crystal’s Corner- where this year I share the process of finding a word for the year and how to incorporate that word into your everyday life and Spot the Taste- hear about local restaurants from our staff writer Angie Campbell as she shares her experiences and recipes for you to try.
In this issue, we have Nationally acclaimed performance coach Denise Shull who shares how she created ReThink Group and how her real-life inspired the character Dr. Wendy Rhoades on the hit show “Billions.” Women to Watch features natural wellness brand Commons founders Tahira Rehmatullah and Jacqueline Bennett. Lawrence Lady Boss turns the attention to the founder Amanda Gregory who opens up on what inspired her to start this Lawrence Lady Boss as they enter their 4th year of hosting events and so
As always, I hope you enjoy and thank you for all your support throughout the years! I’m forever grateful!!
Crystal Swearingen, Founder | Editorial Director Luxury Lifestyle Limitless
New year, new me. We’ll read that all over our feeds on social media for the next few weeks. It is motivating for short while, then we realize that we are still carrying the weight of our stresses. My encouragement for everyone in the new year is self-acceptance. Not to simply try to discard the “old” you, rather work to gain a deeper validation and appreciate for what you have experienced in your life that shaped who you are now. Of course there are changes we want to make, healthier, happier, more adventurous, more connected, all of it. And it will be more difficult to realize this type of growth until we better embrace the pot and soil our flowers are already growing in.
A core component of mindful living is our ability to observe. To observe our experiences, thoughts, emotions, actions, actions of others without judgment; to seek understanding with curiosity rather than defensiveness. I had the great privilege this past moth to visit Guatemala with a beautiful family to help facilitate a healing retreat, and while we were there one of the local volcanos erupted. It was beautiful, but only because I was safe several miles away! It occurred
to me that if I was at the top of the mountain, it would have been unbearably hot, loud, windy, feeling like this was the end. And from a distance I was able to observe the act of creation, of change, of rejuvenation and that sometimes creations requires destruction. Thankfully the city was safe other than a layer of ash on the cars the next morning.
I share this memory as an illustration of how mindfulness of observation operates. When we are in the trenches of change, nothing feels like enough. The change may feel overwhelming, chaotic; and when we take a step back and observe the broad view of our lives we can better accept the nature of change. It can be slow, but long lasting. We may look around us and see what others may be accomplishing, and comparison is the thief of joy. Change is hard. Exercising the discipline, maintaining motivation and committing to consistency is the challenge we face when evolving. And it is possible, so long as we know and accept our “why”.
My encouragement as you step into this new year is to start small and be specific. The most common mistake many make is trying to change too much at once. We set so many damn resolutions for the “new me” and none of them get any attention past the first couple weeks of the year. Try setting one, meaningful, specific and tangible goal that you feel will enhance the quality of your life. The four laws of change from Atomic Habits by James Clear tell us to:
1. Make your goal obvious. This means to make your goals clear. Know exactly what you are trying to accomplish and how you will know when its complete.
2. Make your goal attractive. If you want to complete a goal, the steps have to be desirable. You are more likely follow through when you enjoy completing the steps
3. Make your goal easy. Make your steps accessible. You must shape your environment to allow for much easier completion of the steps. The more you complete the small steps it is more likely to become a long term habit.
4. Make your goal satisfying. There must be a reward you feel in order to want to continue. The habit is formed when the short term reward contributes to the long term realization of a goal.
And through all of this, we work to practice of acceptance that nothing changes fast. Slow, steady, consistent progress is paramount. We can observe our progress without judgment, balancing being fully in the moment and seeing the progress over time. I wish you all a beautiful and peaceful new year.
Anthony Gonzalez, LCSW, QS Alere Emotional Health LLCEvery year when I’m working on my vision board for the next year I try to find a word to start the year and have that as the base of my plan. Over the past few years I’ve reached out to friends and asked them what words they feel most describe me, from that I’ve had words like resilient, inspiring, focused, and this year I learned a new word, “Sedulous: which means showing dedication and diligence. None of these words seemed to resonate with me this year. I felt like I had so much going on and while it looked focused, I felt scattered.
I want to share with you all 3 things that I’m incorporating in my life so that I can live everyday more INTENTIONAL.
1. Prioritizing self-care:
Making self-care a priority is an intentional way to live. It involves setting aside time for yourself to rest, relax, and recharge. This could include activities such as meditation, yoga, journaling, or simply taking a walk in nature. This one is really difficult for me but something i’m making an intentional part of my life in 2023. I know in all my personal relationships I give so much but I have not been as giving and supportive when it comes to taking care of myself.
2. Setting boundaries:
Setting boundaries is another way to live intentionally. It involves being clear about what you will and will not accept in your life and relationships. This applies to your family, your kids, friends, co-workers EVERYONE! For example, setting boundaries with your time by saying no to commitments that do not align with your values, or setting boundaries in your relationships by standing up for yourself when you feel disrespected.
3. Practicing mindfulness:
As you know every issue we include a mindfulness section because I believe everything starts with the clarity you get in your quiet moments. Mindfulness by definition is the practice of being present in the moment and paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. By practicing mindfulness, you are able to be more aware of your thoughts and emotions, which can help you to make more intentional choices in your life. For example, you might be more mindful of how you feel after consuming a certain food, or how you feel after spending time with a particular person. This mindfulness can help you make more intentional choices about how you spend your time and with whom.
Using the 3 steps above I am looking forward to having a year filled with intentional decisions, intentional relationships and prioritizing how I can maintain control in my life. I wish you the best this new year in whatever journey you are on!
Crystal Swearingen
This debut article of “Spot the Taste” is taking you to France. Well not actually France but literally the very closest French experience you can get in Kansas City. No passport needed but you may want your translator app to understand exactly what you’re ordering. This little gem of a restaurant is called Aixois and is located amongst an adorable row of shops in Kansas City. Walking past the beautifully decorated windows perfect for window shopping gave me a total Paris vibe as I made my way to the little bistro on the corner.
This place was so French the entire wait staff had to get a glimpse of what was happening with the World Cup. The bar is fully stocked with elegant French liquor such as a beautiful centennial addition of Grand Mariner. This is where you’ll hear
many languages so definitely feeling like you are suddenly across the globe.
Now for the fun part, what I ate! So I’m a huge mussels fan or any seafood for that matter. These mussels are worth this entire article. The name, Moules Marinieres, which are Mussels in a shallot and herb wine broth and served with pommes frites, merci beaucoup! I was in absolute mussel heaven! I devoured the entire pile all by my petite 5’2” self. I suggest if you’re extremely hungry and feel the need to share, order 2 lunch portions. You can ever so slightly taste the buttery wine which paired with a beautiful Rose you’re immediately transported to a sea side experience of the French Riviera. You must save a little room for their decadent French pastries or desert. I did just that!
Crème Brûlée! Oui magnifique!
The silky sweet custard with the finest French vanilla of course. Then encrusted with crunchy pure golden sugar on top. Is your mouth watering yet? The perfect dessert to pair with the mussels of plenty. There’s something so simple yet satisfying about Crème Brûlée. I actually love making it at home. You can easily impress your friends by creating this elegant dessert. The very best display of only 5 ingredients, ever! Here is my favorite recipe by Faith Durand. Faith is the Editor-in-Chief of Kitchn, and the author of three cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning The Kitchn Cookbook. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters who I’m sure are the very luckiest of taste testers. Bon Appétit!
- Angie Campbell
6 Egg yolks
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 Vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 cups Heavy cream
Heat the oven to 300°F and bring about 3 cups of water to a 1. boil on the stovetop or in an electric kettle. Place 6 (6-ounce) ramekins in a roasting pan or metal 9x13-inch baking pan.
2 Make the crème brûlée custard mixture Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl If you are using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise with a knife and scrape out its seeds into the bowl Whisk the egg yolks to break them up. Add the powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, and whisk until uniform. Add a drizzle of the cream and whisk it into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it, then add the rest of the cream and whisk
3 Strain the crème brûlée custard mixture into a spouted container. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or liquid measuring cup this will make filling the custard cups easier. If using vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean, add it now, to the strained custard.
4 Divide the custard between the baking cups Pour the custard into the prepared ramekins Fill the ramekins as close to the edge as you can; you do not want a lot of empty space between the surface of the custard and the top rim of the ramekin.
5. Add the boiling water to the baking pan. Place the baking dish on the rack in the preheated oven, and pour the boiling water into the baking dish around the ramekins, being careful not to let any water splash into the ramekins
6 Bake the crème brûlée for 45 to 60 minutes The depth of the ramekins will determine how long it takes for the custards to bake When using very shallow dishes, with the custard less than 1 inch deep, bake for about 30 minutes. When the dishes are narrower and taller, with the custard about 2 inches deep, bake for at least 50 minutes, and up to 60.
7. How to know when the custard is done. The custard will be quite wobbly; it should jiggle from side to side when nudged However, it should not be liquid in the center It will be barely set, but not liquid The custard will firm up considerably in the refrigerator, so take it out of the oven when it has set into that very-jigglynot-liquid consistency.
8. Remove the crème brûlées from the water bath and chill. Use tongs to remove the crème brûlées from the water bath to a rimmed baking sheet. Let them cool for about 5 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve
9 Prepare the crème brûlées for brûlée When ready to make the sugar crust, take the ramekins out of the refrigerator Gently dab the tops with paper towels to remove any moisture or condensation Even sprinkle the tops with a fine layer of granulated sugar The key here is for the sugar layer to be of even thickness. Shake the ramekins back and forth to distribute the sugar evenly. Tap out any excess sugar; you should be able to almost see the custard through the thin layer of sugar.
10 Brûlée the crème brûlées with the broiler Arrange a rack in the oven in the highest position Place the ramekins on the rack and turn on the broiler Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, rotating them frequently so that they broil evenly. Take them out when they are golden brown and bubbling.
11. Refrigerate the crème brûlées again or serve warm. It is traditional for crème brûlées to be served cold. If you like it cold, place the ramekins back in the refrigerator. They can be refrigerated for about 30 to 45 minutes before serving (no longer, otherwise the sugar crust may begin to soften) If, however, you like them lukewarm in the center, as I do, you may serve them after the sugar has set (about 5 minutes)
Make ahead: The crème brûlées can be made and stored in the refrigerator before the final brûlée for up to 2 days
I recently connected with Denise Shull, an internationally recognized leader in market, investing, and trading psychology. A renowned author, speaker, and frequent media contributor, Denise is a celebrated performance coach who specializes in working with hedge funds, Olympic athletes, and other high-octane professionals at the top of their respective fields.
An expert in resolving mental blocks and optimizing the X-factor of human performance, Denise is known by many as the inspiration for the “Dr. Wendy Rhoades” character from “Billions” on Showtime.
Since 2004, Denise has led The ReThink Group, an elite team of risk performance and strategy advisors who guide their clients to make optimal decisions within the context of their craft – professional investing, trading, sports, arts, and entrepreneurship. Under Denise’s leadership, the team offers The Shull Method, a signature consulting and coaching framework, leveraging the latest neuroscience and psychological research into perception and judgment. The ReThink Group’s clients span four continents and over ten countries.
Denise has keynoted for UBS, Credit Suisse, MIT’s Sloan Fellows, Harvard Business School, and the US Ski and Snowboard Association. A sought-after speaker, Denise has traveled the globe to teach how confidence, conviction, intuition, instinct, and even fear work together to inform the best risk decisions and to support the most productive teams. Her 2012 book, Market Mind Games, published by McGraw Hill, has been called “the Rosetta Stone of Trading Psychology.” Her next book, tentatively titled The Feelings
You’re Not Supposed to Have, is expected in 2024.
How did you get into the work that you do?
That’s actually a good question. In some ways, it seems random. I was at IBM, getting promoted, and slated to take a leave of absence to go to Stanford B School when I realized I didn’t want to sell computers when I was 40. I quit, went to Aspen for a season, and landed myself in Chicago to get a Masters at either Chicago or Northwestern. As I was finishing my research, a trader guy I was dating persuaded me to hang with him and his trader friends in one of the first upstairs trading offices (i.e. off the trading floor). Soon, I ditched the Ph.D., traded fulltime, and moved to NYC to run a trading desk. Then someone wanted to publish my MA thesis. In rewriting it, I found out that emotions are required in all decisions. This was radical. I started talking about it and it took on a life of its own.
What was one of the most satisfying work experiences? The most frustrating? What did you learn from each?
The most satisfying is the same over and over – a client comes to see themselves more accurately through a true understanding and acceptance of their emotions and in turn starts to become more of who they are capable of being. The most frustrating probably is the opposite – someone who hires me but is psychologically defended against really understanding their feelings.
The thing I learned many times is to judge their openness and calibrate my
questions to move each one forward.
As most of our readers are women, what do you think is the biggest emotional blockage that keeps women from achieving their goals? (i.e.…Imposter syndrome, confidence, courage)?
Not understanding how to use their frustration, anger, and aggression in a way that’s effective – feeling guilty, bowing to the pressure to be positive.
You consulted on “Billions.” How do you feel your work was represented in the hit series?
This is a loaded topic and in some ways, the most frustrating work experience.
There are certain moments where the show borrows Wendy, Axe, or Taylor’s words from my Twitter feed or my book, “Market Mind Games,” so those moments are quite good. They are, however, subtle and the average viewer won’t get it. Rath-
er they have an overriding impression of Wendy being conflicted over power versus the quality of her work.
What would you like to share about your background?
Anyone can make it to the next level with the right understanding of themselves.
What type of clients do you currently work with?
I am a risk and decision consultant working with Olympic and pro athletes, investing clients (hedge funders, traders, bankers), and individuals across the entertainment, healthcare, and art world.
How can readers contact you?
Readers can contact me via my website – https://therethinkgroup.net. You can also find me on Twitter @DeniseKShull, where I am pretty active.
entered the cannabis world in 2014, working for a variety of companies in her career prior to founding Commons. She also serves as a member of the board of directors for Akerna Corp., Ceres Acquisition Corp., and the Last Prisoner Project.
Jacqueline Bennett is Chief Growth Officer at Commons and Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Highlands Venture Partners. She is a crusader for unlocking possibilities through community building, product innovation and provocative conversation. She invests in and advises teams building companies in emerging categories including cannabis and psychedelics with a focus on supporting women and minorities. Jacqueline is a Committee Member at Council for Federal Cannabis Regulation (CFCR), Council Member at NationSwell, and Advisory Board Member at Last Prisoner Project, NOVRA Capital and VITAL Card.
Tahira and Jacqueline sat down with us to share more information on why they entered
lung cancer, as happens with a lot of families who are going through that experience. My mother started looking for alternative treatments and kept coming across cannabis in her late night Google searches and this was 2013, so there wasn’t a lot out there. My family is in Ohio and so it certainly was not one of the early legal markets either. So just the awareness that kind of came to us was the lack of availability and the understanding that there was so much information out there about how cannabis could really help people. But all we knew was the illegal stigma side of it. I was really surprised by what I started to learn, especially on the racial justice side. That was just something that I felt like was a hidden element of the industry, that a whole different narrative was shared with us at that time. There was so much more opportunity, but the same people who really paved the path for cannabis and legalization and the opportunities that came from the power of the plant were also being left out of the industry. And the more that the market became available, the less people seemed to understand it. There’s just a big gap in education and understanding and so we wanted to create something that would real-
ly focus on access, on education and financial opportunity for a wider range of people.
Jacqueline: I worked with a lot of early stage disruptive brands who are now not early stage. So it would be companies that were doing things differently in their categories, whether it was Rent the Runway, or Peloton, or Sweetgreen, just kind of taking a category and doing something differently. And it gave me a good appreciation for why things worked, why they didn’t work. I found I just had this sort of fascination for emerging markets, anything emerging. I came across cannabis through that, and through my role at J.P. Morgan, ended up moving into the industry. And then seeing that there was a lot of interesting discoveries around the endocannabinoid system and how that related to the female reproductive system, and that we were seeing sort of parallel movement and advancement in products formulations that can actually improve the life and life cycle of a woman and sort of take away that normalization of pain.
What is your model?
Our approach is a little different. We have Ambassadors and customers. Customers buy directly from the website, and Ambassadors are our advocates who can also earn commission by selling products and/or building a team, while receiving exclusive discounts and educational resources. We wanted to create a real community and a way for people to earn additional income sharing products that actually help people.
What did you learn on the way? What was something surprising or uplifting? We have learned so much from our Ambassadors and customers -- that so many people struggle with sleep, pain, anxiety and are desperate to find solutions. People are also needing and wanting additional ways to earn income. Commons allows for both! The testimonials we receive are incredibly validating and uplifting, reminding us on our toughest days that we’re on the right track and as long as we stick to our mission of democratizing access to health and wellness products and the opportunity to participate in the cannabinoid industry.
As a National Mortgage Lender, I have a passion for helping people purchase their new home, refinance their current loan or build their dream home. In addition, I am a Certified Military Home Specialist and have the privilege of assisting both service members and veterans through the VA loan process. Whether you are a seasoned or first time homebuyer, I am dedicated to guiding you every step of the way.
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1. What inspired you to create Lawrence Lady Boss? Many years ago, when my husband was in the military, I started a blog. Through blogging I found a community of military spouses all across the globe that bonded immediately through written words about our military related adventures. To this day I still send Christmas cards to some of these women who never held an in person roll in my life but supported me through some of my most life altering moments. Each time the military would move us to a new duty station, my first resource was always those bloggers that had previously been stationed wherever we were headed. Fast forward to 2016 when my husband separated from the military. We moved to Lawrence, a community 30 minutes away from what I call my hometown. I wanted to find that group of creators in the local area to connect with, so I found myself driving to Kansas City for networking events. I thought, why doesn’t Lawrence have this? At the time, they did. But the format was different from what I was looking for. So late one night in 2019, I started a Facebook page. Our first event was in April of that year and from there things have grown even larger than I could have ever expected.
2. What’s the most challenging thing about running the organization, and what’s the most rewarding? The most rewarding thing about Lawrence Lady Boss Project is hearing the success stories. Over our four years of hosting events and providing the opportunities for connections, there has been countless women that took the plunge into entrepreneurship, created unlikely partnerships and collaborations and found lifelong friends. To be a part of those stories, even in the most basic sense keeps me going when times get tough. Hosting any event can be tough and challenging. I put a lot of time, energy and effort into everything I do and I do all of it in a volunteer capacity. So it is always challenging to plan and execute an event and then have attendance numbers low. I am always thankful for the first car down the drive of a venue, the first face to show up at an event and the enthusiasm at the end of a successful night.
3. How do you select the women you feature on your weekly social media lady boss profile and how can someone nominate a person? Our weekly social media posts are 100% voluntary. We feature anyone associated with Lawrence and the surrounding communities. All the women featured put themselves out on a limb and utilized our network to help grow theirs. So getting a feature on Lawrence Lady Boss Project is as easy as sending me a message on Facebook or an email! In return, I will send you a list of questions to fill out. Your answers and a photo are all you need to get a feature done on our page.
4. Entering into the 4th year of hosting these networking events, what’s something you have learned about yourself? I truly feel like this project came to me when I needed an identity outside of being a wife and mom of three girls. Post military life for our family included staying home and raising my babies. But through this project I have really learned who I am. I am passionate about community over competition. I am passionate about women finding success and supporting each other. I am passionate about the very basic idea that we can do all the things we truly put our mind to. This group has shown me just how capable women are, both in the community,
the home and in every other area of life. My successes have been thanks to many people saying yes and without those women believing in me, I would not be able to provide the same concepts for other women in our community. The saying “we rise by lifting others” could not be more true for Lawrence Lady Boss Project.
Lawrence Lady Boss Project is on Facebook and Instagram at @lawrenceladybossproject. We are also on the web at www.lawrenceladybossproject.com.
C r y s t a l d i d a n a m a z i n g j o b w i t h a l l t h e d e t a i l s o f s e l l i n g m y h o m e . S h e w a s q u i c k a n d h a s a g r e a t
n e t w o r k o f f o l k s t o h e l p w i t h a f f o r d a b l e r e p a i r s a n d
u p g r a d e s t o p r e p f o r c l o s i n g . I h a d a l r e a d y m o v e d
a n d h a v i n g h e r o n m y t e a m l e t m e f o c u s o n m y n e w h o m e w h i l e s h e s o l d m y o l d o n e . H i g h l y r e c o m m e n d !
S a n d r a Y o d e r
L I C E N S E D
I N K S , M O , & C A
B u y i n g o r s e l l i n g a h o m e c a n b e a s t r e s s f u l p r o c e s s i f y o u d o n ' t h a v e t h e r i g h t R e a l t o r ® . W i t h 1 5 y e a r s o f e x p e r i e n c e , y o u c a n r e l y o n C r y s t a l t o g e t y o u t h e b e s t p o s s i b l e r e s u l t .
