Dazzle Magazine Issue 34

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Issue 34

Eyekast

Visionaries in Motion

Chernika Squires-Lionel

Nails it Every Time

Amy Schwartz is The Dresser

Alberton Richelieu

Multifaceted in the Truest Sense

IrvinAce Loctar Instagram Filters

Taking Opportunities and Making the Most of it Try me!

from the publisher

G

reetings readers. Hope all is well and everyone is keeping safe and following Covid-19 protocols. The past 18 months has been challenging for everyone. However, we as resilient people have been able to persevere during this difficult time.

I have been asked on several occasions ‘how’s business and how have you been able to adapt to this new normal?” I can tell you that it has not been easy as we at Dazzle Magazine have had to adapt to the new business environment and focus our efforts to disseminate our content digitally in order to service our readers and followers. With that said, we have also seen an increase in new business which utilizes digital platforms to market, advertise and develop these businesses. Our Dazzle Fresh Biz online video interviews have been growing steadily due to this increase in entrepreneurship and we have to thank Bank of St. Lucia and Cream N Bean for coming on board to support this initiative.

As we continue you to grow in the digital space, we will strive/endeavor to create suitable initiatives that will assist in the growth and development of entrepreneurship and business.

To conclude, we are happy to present you Dazzle Magazine Issue 34 which is available digitally.

With that said, I wish everyone happy read and I encourage you to: • Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/dazzlethemag • Follow us on Instagram: Instagram.com/ dazzlethemag • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/dazzlethemag • Subscribe to us on Youtube: youtube.com/c/ dazzlethemagtv Happy Reading!

Rankin Morgan Publisher/Managing Editor

Dazzle Magazine is a dynamic Saint Lucian bi-monthly publication that provides muchneeded exposure to young professionals and entrepreneurs, and established businesses. It covers an array of topics and categories key to starting and running a business. It also offers practical advice on everyday living, tips for a healthy lifestyle and interviews with popular and up-and-coming personalities.

Dazzle Magazine is designed to appeal to a diverse range of readers but is especially targeted at working professionals and business owners between the ages of 21-50 years. We provide our advertising clients with value for money by offering them a powerful medium to market their products, offer deals and build their brand. Best of all, we give them the opportunity to be a part of a nationwide and online marketplace of actively engaged consumers who are ready to buy, all at an affordable price.

To advertise in Dazzle Magazine, contact our sales agent via telephone 758 484 4642 or email advertising@dazzlethemag.com for more information and terms and conditions.

table of

contents Features 14. Amy Schwartz - is The Dresser 20. Alberton Richelieu - Multifaceted in the Truest Sense 26. Chernika Squires-Lionel - Nails it Every Time 30. Eyekast - Visionaries in Motion 38. Irvin Ace Loctar - Taking Opportunities and Making the Most of It 411 8. National Idea Pitch Competition Top Three Look Toward the Future 24. Thinking About Getting Vaccinated?

Publisher Rankin Morgan Sales & Marketing Alana M.I Morgan Art Director Aldrin Henry Contributors Tanisha Prospere Nadège Knight Imran St. Brice Invest Saint Lucia Photography Aldrin Henry

Professional Progress 12. How the Best Entrepreneurial Minds Turn Failure into Success 36. Are You In A Toxic Relationship?

Irvin Ace Loctar

Mastering Marketing 18. Growing Your Online Business Through Social Media Branding:

facebook.com/dazzlethemag

Issue 34

Eyekast

Health & Fitness 7. The Health Benefits of Potatoes

Visionaries in Motion

Chernika Squires-lionel

Nails it Every Time

Lifestyle 28. Nail Trends Today 34. RECAP - Moxie

Instagr - am 46. Have You Gotten Your Covid Vaccine?

Multifaceted in the Truest Sense

is The Dresser

IrvinAce Loctar

Eating In 43. Shepherd’s Pie Gadget & Gizmos 44. Instagram Filters

Alberton Richelieu

Amy Schwartz

Instagram Filters

On the Cover Irvin Ace Loctar

Taking Opportunities and Making the Most of it Try me!

contact us

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For more information visit us at www.dazzlethemag.com or call us at 758.484.4642

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26

30

38

//Feature

Irvin Ace Loctar Taking Opportunities and Making the Most of it pg. 38

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The Health Benefits of

Potatoes Potatoes are stuffed with phytonutrients, which are organic components of plants that are thought to promote health. The vitamin C in potatoes acts as an antioxidant. These substances may prevent or delay some types of cell damage. They may also help with digestion, heart health, blood pressure and even cancer prevention. Here are some other ways potatoes can help with our health.

Blood Pressure Potatoes may help lower blood pressure for several reasons. It is found that the fiber in potatoes could help lower cholesterol by binding with cholesterol in the blood. They are also a good source of potassium. Potassium acts as a vasodilator (blood vessel widener), which would assist in lowering blood pressure.

Immunity The Vitamin C found in potatoes can help prevent anything from scurvy to the common cold. A single potato contains a good portion of the daily recommended intake for Vitamin C.

Skin Care All the nutrients present within potatoes have been proven to help keep skin smooth and creamy. So maybe having a few extra fries is worth it.

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DAZZLE 7

National Idea Pitch Competition Top Three Look Toward the Future

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nvest Saint Lucia launched a virtual business incubator and accelerator programme in September 2020, an ideal concept which promised opportunities in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. The launch marked significant development for Saint Lucia’s entrepreneurship space and Boost became the first of its kind in Saint Lucia.

Boost was the result of years of research into the missing link between having a business idea and creating an operational business. The board of Invest Saint Lucia had commissioned a survey in 2019 that changed the agency’s perspective on approaching entrepreneurship culture to facilitate more local investment opportunities. As a community of strategic partners, start-ups, entrepreneurs, and

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business minded individuals working together, the virtual programme is aimed at transforming the naturally vibrant local entrepreneurship landscape even further.

As a national programme, Boost’s role is to connect ideas to investors, to provide business-minded people with valuable information which will help grow their ideas. Boost will help support innovative individuals by matching them with professionals that have expertise in relevant industries and help translate entrepreneurship research into tangible improvements in the business world. Most of all, Boost expects to bridge the gap between businesspeople and the myriad of resources available in the public sector and agencies who can take them to success. Boost’s first initiative

was setting up a virtual hub, www.boostsaintlucia. com which entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs can use to connect with each other, experts, business development resources, live webinars and portals to other organisations which cover overall start-up needs.

Real 3D Printing

Real 3D Printing

The second item on the programme was the National Idea Pitch Competition (NIPC). In January 2021 Boost invited Saint Lucians with innovative business ideas to submit to the NIPC. Seven participants progressed to the finals with the best ideas now gained entry to a rigorous and intensive business development programme where the ideas were incubated into a fully-fledged business. They were paired with mentors and were given insights into the inner workings of running a business and the relevant agencies established to sustain and regulate the economy.

On Monday, April 26, 2021, the seven participants pitched their now developed ideas to a panel of judges of renowned business people. The competition took place at the National Television Network studios for a duration of about four hours. The following Wednesday, in a formal ceremony the top three participants were awarded prizes.

The winner was Real 3D Printing, owned and managed by Kayode James. The business idea won James and the business EC $10,000 worth of cash and prizes, inclusive of EC $6,000 from the Boost Entrepreneurship Seed Capital Fund, and advertising, marketing, and communication services from sponsors Invest Saint Lucia, Sagicor, 123 Digital, SLUDTERA and Advanced Intellectual Methods. The company pitched an idea to use 3D technology for scanning which will help to close gaps in research, to prevent human error and collect data in major industries such as health and manufacturing.

3-dimensional scanning is a modern standard for prototyping and designing across many industries previously dependent on traditional and timeconsuming methods prone to human error. The process analyses an object from the real world and collects data from the surface which can be used to recreate a digital copy, providing an indepth and more thorough understanding of the model. It allows for areas that are difficult to access to be easily viewed and it is easy to examine the object in a threedimensional space. A designer can make changes to the digital rendering and reproduce the object or prototype more precisely.

This allows for an increase in overall quality, efficiency, productivity, output, and it is cost effective. It can revolutionize the way real world objects are designed, modelled, visualized and re-created. This technology is useful in motor and electrical parts, fixtures and fittings, repairs, human anatomy and prosthesis, architecture and engineering. The potential applications are limitless, and the development of 3D scanning has opened doors for design innovation across several industries.

3SIXTY

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3SIXTY 3Sixty, founded by Kissia Peter, came in second place at the NIPC. Her company won EC $4,000 worth of cash and prizes from the sponsors. 3Sixty’s innovation is designed to bring a travel destination to tourists wherever they are through virtual reality. 3Sixty will create 360-degree virtual reality (VR) tours both for online consumption for a virtual tourism market and locally for consumption through a VR booth. 3Sixty will allow people to see what Saint Lucia looks like throughout the year.

The tours would help create a realistic experience for virtual tourist since VR allows for users to look in all directions and move around. In addition to the online tours and booth, 3Sixty has also envisioned a virtual tour backpack. Tour guides and site operators would be able to stream live on social media for tours and events. Tourists can have live interactions with the tour guides while on tour. The idea would create and entirely new tourism niche industry.

Bioganics

Bioganics In third place was Bioganics, managed by Kyle Nicholas, who won EC $2,500 worth of cash and prizes. Bioganics is a bio-chemical processing company which focuses primarily on the production of renewable energy and environmentally friendly products. Currently, their product line comprises methane gas and organic fertilizer to be sold for domestic and commercial use. They are produced through the full decomposition of organic waste 10 DAZZLE

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matter including farm waste, domestic waste, restaurant waste, and institutional waste. Bioganics aims to provide a cheaper alternative to liquid petroleum gas (LPG) as well as organic potting soil which are used both domestically and commercially.

The Bioganics facility will be the first of its kind within the Eastern Caribbean in which it will align Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean into a trajectory of sustainable development and self-sustenance.

The company will individually enable Saint Lucians to not be bound to the increasing global fuel prices and will reduce the balance of trade deficit through the reduction of the importation of LPG and organic fertilizers.

Each of the three winners have already planned into the future for their business, using the foundation from the NIPC as their guide. The NIPC was a pilot project which practiced a fast-tracked version of what Boost hopes the incubator of the programme to look like. These seven finalists got a firsthand experience of the programme and will continue to benefit from Boost’s resources as they grow their new businesses.

The top three finalists also won themselves spots in the Saint Lucia leg of the Entrepreneurship World Cup which will take place in July. This will grant entrepreneurs the chance to represent Saint Lucia in the international leg and possibly win the prize worth US $1 million.

Anyone can join the Boost virtual platform and follow the social media handles (Instagram: @boostsaintlucia, Facebook and LinkedIn: Boost Saint Lucia) to find out about upcoming programming. Boost will be launching its accelerator pilot later this year and is also working on GRASSROOTS leads to reach all types of entrepreneurs from all backgrounds.

//Feature

Amy Schwartz

is The Dresser pg. 14

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DAZZLE 11

How the Best Entrepreneurial Minds Turn Failure into Success

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f there’s one word we can all associate with entrepreneurship, it’s “risk”. Risk implies the chance at either success or failure, and every entrepreneur experiences both of them to some degree or another. While successes are always the desired goal, failures are inevitable. What is it then, that keeps entrepreneurial masterminds going despite facing failures, while a beginner in the field is struggling to make the most of their failures. There are several factors to consider of course… one group of them can be sheer determination and drive for success. In addition to that, we’ll suggest what sets various groups of entrepreneurs apart, and how you can possibly develop those traits to help you turn your failures into successes.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint Think about any famously successful entrepreneur… they’ve probably been in the business for a long 12 DAZZLE

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time, even before they were well-known and wealthy.

Admittedly some are lucky enough to be born into fortune, but the overwhelming majority have had to work their way to the top. What can you learn from this? Patience is key. You’ve heard it before, “success doesn’t come overnight” and that’s because it’s true.

The successful ones understand that entrepreneurship is for those who are in it for the long haul. One thing you’d do well to avoid in this marathon is complacency.

An innovative drive “Innovation…” a hotword found in many quotes you’ve probably heard before. We are all susceptible to becoming complacent after ample time in an endeavour… which is why innovation is necessary.

To innovate (according to Oxford Languages) is to “make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products.”.

Simple enough, right? But it takes tons of thought

failure and innovate a way forward that’s more likely to be successful. That’s what separates the greats from those who throw in the towel.

Mental toughness is a must

and experience to do it right and have a lasting impression in your space. Think of another famously successful entrepreneur with the word “innovation” in mind… if you thought of Steve Jobs then we’re on the same page. It won’t take long after observing his track record to know that the guy can easily be defined as “innovative”. Without that drive, the iPhone and iPad (to name a few) wouldn’t be where they are today. If you create a product or develop a service and it fails instantaneously, what do you do next? Sometimes it’s wise to pack it up and move on. However, what we often overlook is seeing how we can learn from the

Life hack: Have thick skin… and in the entrepreneurial space, this is also applicable. One who fails gets criticised. Their response? Backlash and possibly giving up. One who succeeds? Well, there are a number of ways to take it. Take Elon Musk for example.

Remember when he did a live demo of the toughness of the Tesla Cybertruck? If you haven’t seen it yet you’re missing out. The spoiler-free takeaway is that it failed, miserably, in front of thousands in attendance and for all the internet to see. In his shoes you’d probably freeze up. Elon, however, simply laughed it off and said “Eh, not bad”. Now that is mental toughness. You can almost guarantee that following such an embarrassing moment, he went back to the drawing board and sought out where he could improve on his R&D (Research and Development).

Equipped with these three traits (which to be sure, will take time to develop) you may well be on your way to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

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CONTACT US

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Grande Riviere P.O. Grande Riviere St. Lucia, W.I. 13 www.dazzlethemag.com Gros Islet, DAZZLE 1 758 519 9977 | 1 758 453 1139 | rohan.enterpriseslc@gmail.com

T

h an yo th Dresser- an

Born in S she went 1997. She non-co-ed Saint Josep on the art Manageme Although wasn’t ent

Amy start opportunit locations; Bay, her o to the test

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Amy Schwartz is The Dresser

here’s always a time when you need something nice to wear, nd there’s no time to browse or no concrete idea as to how ou should go about putting an outfit together. We’ve all been here, and we’ve all wanted easy access to something like The nd founder, Amy “Trish” Schwartz, made it happen.

Saint Lucia, Amy lived with her parents in Antigua where to school until she had to move back to Saint Lucia in attended Ave Maria, where she was first introduced to a d educational institution wherein afterwards, she went on to ph’s Convent Secondary where she was more inclined to focus ts. After Secondary School, Amy went on to study Hospitality ent at Monroe College with a minor in Sales and Marketing. she loved dealing with guests and people, she realized it tirely what she wanted to do with her life.

ted her clothing store in Vieux Fort before she got the ty to move to Jeremie Street in Castries. Now with two One on Jeremie Street and the other at JQ Mall in Rodney origin story of how The Dresser was born, is a thought put t.

Dazzle: How did the concept come about?

“I loved to dress up, even as a little girl. My family always encouraged pairing things together. One day my little sister looked at me and she said, “well you realize, everything in your luggage is for someone else?” And then it hit me that my entire suitcase—I traveled a lot so I always brought things for other people—didn’t have anything for me. My sister suggested that I open a store, or a boutique and I tested the theory to see how profitable it would be for me.”

Dazzle: What is The Dresser?

“I always found that people around me always needed help to get dressed. It’s out of that the concept of The Dresser was born. I didn’t want to call it stylist, because it’s a little bit of a harsh word to pronounce but the word dresser is familiar to people and I wanted to play on the words a little bit. At The Dresser, we tell people how to dress, what to wear with what and for which occasion. Whether it’s daytime, cocktail, wedding, evening party or birthday party.”

Dazzle: Did you always want to own a business?

“I actually owned two businesses prior to The Dresser, but I always knew I loved to manage and operate a business. Because of my creative nature, I’m not a 9-5 person. If I get an idea or get inspired at two in the morning, then I would get up and work on whatever project I’m working on then. I like the flexibility and a regular job won’t give me that. This profession suits me perfectly.

Dazzle: What challenges have you faced?

“Everyday there’s a new challenge that you have to overcome and it’s really all about your mindset. Are you going to focus on the mountain of challenges or focus on your achievements? What you focus on is what manifests so I choose to focus on the achievements. Everyday won’t be your best day but the best days exist.”

“Challenges can come in the form of flight delays and package delays. It can come in the form of a volcano eruption, something we have no control over and like we recently saw, it can affect more than just our brothers and sisters in Saint Vincent.”

“We don’t only style people in Saint Lucia. We have clients in the rest of the Caribbean as well so we just have to adapt and make things work as best as we can with what we have.”

Dazzle: How do you target your scope of clients?

“We get many referrals, clients who we have styled in the past refer additional clients to us.”

“When we get a client, we then ask what their requirements are and then we’re able to go in the right direction from there. Some people simply want guidance as to what they should wear with this, and some people want us to actually source those items for them whether it is for a wedding or a party. We don’t just stop at sourcing the outfit. If it’s for a wedding in Saint Lucia, we physically go in and help the bride, or groom, or bridal party get dressed.”

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DAZZLE 15

“There are many different facets of what we do.

There’s the styling aspect, the retail aspect and personalized shopping service.”

Dazzle: What is your support system like?

“I have a team that I work with in Saint Lucia and they’re amazing. We have really tailored our product for what the clients want in terms of the type of service we would want for ourselves.”

“In terms of family, there’s always different elements that help you along the way. It may not be your immediate family but there are strangers who offer support in terms of ratings and recommendations.

Initially when we started, everyone was a little skeptical about the idea of a stylist. It was unheard of in Saint Lucia but with the demand for parties and events and normal, everyday outings, people then began to realize how they would come to need our services.

fun facts What’s your favorite tv series?

Currently it’s Bridgerton, and I also like Suits and Grey’s Anatomy.

Favorite subject at school?

Mathematics and Art Who is your hero/inspiration?

God What is your biggest fear?

Heights What is your nickname?

Everyone calls me Trish

passed and what you’ve accomplished thus far, you realize how much you’ve grown. We’ve grown not just locally, but internationally as well and we’re grateful for it.”

Dazzle: What was the public response like when you opened?

“People were really supportive. They supported us, and especially in our Castries location, the traffic there was overwhelming. We had a lot of traffic from the cruise ship. We got a lot of crew members who would come in because there were theme nights every other night on the ship and we had exactly what they needed.”

“When COVID hit, there wasn’t a cruise ship or the traffic it brought in anymore. We really got the support from St. Lucians, whether they came in as customers or just to check up on the team, the support was there.”

Dazzle: Where do you see your business in the near future?

“It would be a dream of ours to have a worldwide company where we could tell people how to dress on a global scale. I never look at anyone’s dream and say you never know where you will be. Look at Google and Amazon and look at where they started. When you actually look at the history of those brands and where they started, there are some similarities between us.

If I could find out what they did, maybe it would help me get to where I want to be with my business.”

Dazzle: Do you operate on an appointment basis or can a client just walk in?

“At the JQ Rodney Bay Mall, we work on an appointment basis but our Castries location allows walk-ins.”

Dazzle: How has the business grown since it started?

Dazzle: What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?

“Remember, I started selling out of a suitcase. I was just going around to my friends and selling, or they would come over to spend time and they would buy from what I had in my suitcase. Then I had one physical store and then two, so it has grown quite a bit since the brand was conceptualised.”

“Whatever step that you need to take, ensure that you take it. The first step is always the hardest but if you don’t take it, nothing will happen.”

We wish Amy all the best in whatever’s next for her and The Dresser.

“Sometimes you don’t realize it when your head's down and you’re going full speed but when you pause and take a step back, and you see how much time has

Visit The Dresser in Castries on Jeremie Street and in JQ Mall in Rodney Bay to get your next best outfit!

Follow them on social media (@thedresserslu)

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//Feature

Alberton

Richelieu Multifaceted in the Truest Sense

pg. 20

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DAZZLE 17

Growing Your Online Business Through Social Media Branding: The most important factors to consider

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n recent times, many businesses have been forced into adapting their traditional business model to online exclusive operations. Those that have failed to do so have unfortunately had to cease all operations. Now more than ever it’s important to know how shifting to what’s current is important for a successful business. Here are a few pointers to hold on to.

Settle on a Vision Knowing what you want and actually producing it is often where the disconnect emerges. That disconnect then leads to your audience not getting the precise 18 DAZZLE

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message you want to send out… and ultimately causing your efforts to be ineffective. Starting off your social media page can be intimidating. However,

seeing other creators/businesses that have honed their social media skills over a period of time shouldn’t discourage you from following a similar path. One of the reasons that you may be inspired by the work of others is because they have settled on their vision.

Very rarely do they venture outside of the parameters that they’ve set for their brand. You may think, “That will get boring because of those limits” but this is where the age old hotword comes in “creativity”. Use the limits that you’ve set as a means of exploring every avenue for content creation. This is one of many things to keep in mind when growing your digital business.

Taking this point to the next level would be to include familiar faces engaging with your brand’s product or service. The variety of faces goes a long way in sustaining your audience’s attention.

Capitalise on Trends Much like keeping up with the times and shifting your method of operations, keeping up with trends is just as important. Memes, fads and the latest hit thing are all included in potential trends to hop onto. You may not associate your brand with memes and jokes, but embracing a lighthearted side to your brand’s identity is key. It’ll also work in adding to that personal touch we mentioned earlier. This method is one that must always be up-to-date. Rehashing old memes from years ago will scream “We’re behind the times” to your audience, and that’s not ideal. Finally on this point; be selective. Not every trend may be worth joining in on for your brand, choose wisely and confidently… your audience’s response (or lack thereof) should tell you whether or not it was a good move.

A Personal Touch By now we all would have heard it, “Keep your personal page and your business page separate.” While we wholeheartedly agree that selfies with the family shouldn’t be all over your business profile, there are other ways to add a personal touch to your business.

One of which is considering a face to the brand; a brand ambassador (or influencer in today’s terms). This person doesn’t have to be a hired professional, but opting for that may bring something special to the table in terms of what they can add to the brand.

Let’s recap. First, know your vision for your brand and be wise about how you express that in your online content; take inspiration from others. Second, don’t feel shy about making your brand personal and approachable to your audience. Finally, keep up with what’s current and new, it’ll go a long way in keeping your audience tuned in to what else you’re doing.

You can see more business and media related tips online at dazzlethemag.com

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DAZZLE 19

Alberton

Richelieu

Multifaceted in the Truest Sense The phrase “A man of many talents” carries certain expectations. For some, gaining expertise in various fields is a great life achievement in itself. If you know Alberton Richelieu, as we’ve come to know him, you’ll know he’s an apt example of this. He's a businessman with several thriving ventures and also an experienced tennis player. Prior to all of this, he started his journey in law school. Don’t just take our word for it, read on to find out what Alberton Richelieu shared with us.

Starting with a background on who you are and how you’ve gotten to this point: I’m from Mongiraud, Gros-Islet. Growing up I was a very active child. I was involved in several sports including tennis, which I started at age 7.

I’ve since stuck with tennis over the other sports because it’s an individual sport.

I attended St. Mary’s College for only 2 years. After that I got a partial scholarship to attend the IMG Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Notable talents like Serena Williams and Andre Agasaai also attended the academy. Because of tennis I’ve travelled all of the Caribbean, South America, a large majority of African countries and the US.

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What were some of the challenges you faced as a tennis player?

places include Korea, North America, China and Hong Kong.

The main issue was with financing. You’d come up against players from other countries who have bigger budgets allocated to sports facilities, training and so on. It was often the case that my parents and family would end up reaching into their own pockets to help finance the journey once the Government had reached its limit.

As for the construction side of it; The Dominican Solid Waste Authority contacted me to help with exporting lots of galvanized material, which I have expertise in. At that time in Dominica, there were a lot of construction projects going on. I happened to meet a very big client who wanted me to renovate a house for them. I didn’t have a lot of experience in the construction field so I took the contract and hired the right personnel to get the job done. They all came to Dominica to start and throughout that process I learned a lot about construction.

You first began studying law in Trinidad, what influenced that path?

My dad is a lawyer, and my mom works with him. My sisters are lawyers. On the other hand, my grandfathers are all businessmen, so it’s a mix of business people and lawyers. Outside of my tennis career I own four businesses; Construction & Recycling Inc., A&M Cooperate, Oasis 101 and Adventure Real Estate.

What was your thought process behind adding businesses to your portfolio outside of playing tennis?

While I was at school in Trinidad I found out that recycling was a big thing over there. I was lucky enough to meet with a strong buyer with connections to the owner of one of the biggest shipping companies in Trinidad. We had a conversation and I started recycling the following summer. Then I decided that I wouldn’t be going back to law school.

fun facts 2 things people don’t know about you?

I’m funny and emotional What makes you happy?

Living life Biggest pet peeve?

Nothing comes to mind Something you have to work on?

Time management and organization

What is Construction & Recycling Inc. all about?

We purchase scrap material and metals from individuals and corporate institutions. We process and export them to steel mills where it’s melted and turned into new materials. We export different metals to different places depending on the pricing. Those

How long has this business been established?

Originally I started it with a good friend at university, Ian Alcide, about 12 years ago. We split up because of a shift in market prices that caused financial strains. Ian is doing his own thing now but I always followed up with the recycling. This company currently employs about 20 people altogether.

What challenges do you encounter in the recycling and construction business?

The main area of difficulty for me is dealing with financial institutions as a young businessman.

But because I have a good team around me, we’re able to work around these situations. People are understanding the importance of it. With the Solid Waste Authority here in St. Lucia, they've been very good to me. They’ve done everything in their power to help me succeed in the recycling business.

Tell us about your other business, the restaurant: Oasis I came up with the decision to create Oasis during the pandemic. A friend who ran Joe’s and Rum Bar told me that he wanted to close down Rum Bar because Joe’s was doing well. I personally don’t know much about starting and managing restaurants. I consulted with my friend Nicolas Anthony, who I played tennis with and Matthew Hartman, who is the President of the Saint Lucia Restaurant Association. They took my ideas and put everything together; staff, menus etc.

My construction guys put something together based on a plan I drew up and that’s how it got started.

I sought inspiration online and through my travel experience I tried to curate things that I thought would make the perfect combination. I have a good team so I don’t need to be there 24/7.

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DAZZLE 21

What was the risk involved with opening a restaurant when you don’t have experience in that field?

When I see a business opportunity I just move forward with positivity. If I don’t think it’s a good idea, then I won’t do it. With the restaurant, I haven’t been able to identify what the stand out challenges are because we’re under 6 months of operation at this point.

What plans do you have moving forward as a businessman?

I plan on opening up a full time recycling plant with a car crusher and everything. I’m also working with the Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority to get their old cars onto the property. Having this setup would eliminate the middleman in my operations and allow me to export larger amounts to other countries right here from St. Lucia.

For Oasis, the plans include franchising the business and seeing how we can sell the business to different people. As for A&M Cooperate, we want to expand into opening our warehouse and carry out larger distributions on island items. With Adventure Real Estate we’re looking into doing more property sales, acquiring more property, all for middle income and working class clients.

How do you manage your time with all of the businesses that you’re involved in?

I manage to get free time. It’s down to having reliable and responsible people who have been there from day 1. They know the business; they know how things work so they just get it done without me having to be there doing things myself. Whether it’s good or bad times I get great support from my family as well.

What advice would you give to up and coming entrepreneurs?

Keep on trying. Most times we get a hurdle in the way and we want to give up. But if you remain positive and think of the solution rather than the problem you’ll always be prepared for when things go wrong.

Keep up with what’s going on with Alberton’s business at these handles: @constructionrecycling and @ oasis.101. We wish him all the best!

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//Feature

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SQUIRES-LIONEL Nails it Every Time pg. 26

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Thinking About Getting Vaccinated?

I

’m sure we’ve all seen and heard the comments and skepticism on the various COVID-19 vaccines.

Some people are for it, and others are strongly against it. Whether it be because of a theoretic conspiracy, or a personal belief, getting the vaccine has been a dilemma for some people.

We’ve seen the news and heard the stories too, especially reports from countries in the European Union about the risks involved in taking the AstraZeneca Vaccine after blood clot concerns. For a while, countries in that region suspended the use of the vaccine but after more research, the administration of the vaccine was resumed.

In hindsight, according to the World Health Organization, the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine greatly outweigh the risks.

The concerns are warranted, we agree. But take a look at the number of blood clot cases reported to the number of people vaccinated in that region. Over 17 million people in Europe have been vaccinated and less than 50 people have reported cases of blood clots.

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Is that enough to warrant panic?

It’s been said that there has been no scientific link between the reported deadly side effects with the vaccine. Of course, not everything that negatively follows a vaccine is caused by said vaccine, but with the doubts surrounding the vaccines and the virus itself, speculation is expected.

But either way, we have questions for you; Are you getting the vaccine? Do you have all the necessary information? Can’t make up your mind? Maybe we can help.

Depending on the type of vaccine, or depending on the manufacturer, the vaccine may contain a weakened form of the virus, part of the virus or its genetic material, according to the Ministry of Health.

The vaccine provides your body with the ability to use the contents to create fighter cells to attack the virus.

But how safe is it? The vaccine gives you a certain level of immunity to the virus that should protect

you from spreading it to others and is less likely to multiply in the body. With continued research going on, the vaccine is deemed safe after a series of tests and were administered.

The safety of the vaccine is usually called into question when people look at how quickly it was made and approved for administering. Yes, it was quicker than any other vaccination process, but let’s look at some factors that were made known to us.

•

New scientific data and approaches that help speed up the process Modern technology The level of funding available for research and development Existing research and development from previous vaccinations for similar viruses

People who are infected with COVID-19 should wait until they're fully recovered to take either vaccine.

Pfizer is available for anyone 12 years and older whereas AstraZeneca is available ONLY for people 18 years and older. If you have high fever, or high blood pressure, you should see your doctor before taking the vaccine.

It makes sense, right? The urgency to create a foolproof vaccine and the effort and energy from scientists worked out in our favor. Is it quicker than we expected? Yes. But that’s the upside of teamwork, determination and in all honesty, desperation.

If you’re eligible to take the vaccine, you should be aware that, like most medications and vaccines, there are a few side effects that you need to be prepared for.

• Nausea • Chills • Fever • Joint pain • Muscles aches • Fatigue • Headache • Swelling/redness at the injection site • Tenderness/discomfort at the injection site

• • •

While the vaccine is not a cure for COVID-19, it helps the body boost the immune system to fight the virus.

A cure would be great, but for now we can work with a little immune system signal boost. If you’ve ever been infected with COVID-19, it is encouraged to still take the vaccine after recovery, to help limit the chance of future infection.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, you can take a non-prescription painkiller to ease your discomfort.

Worldwide, a number of vaccines have been tested and approved for administration, but only certain types of vaccines can work in Saint Lucia. In April and August of 2021, Saint Lucia was given the AstraZeneca Vaccine, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and Pfizer developed by Pfizer respectively.

Are you eligible to take the vaccine?

Taking the vaccine has, and hopefully will always be a personal choice, but getting back to a relatively normal way of life is everyone’s current goal. With a virus that has killed millions of people worldwide and almost 60 people right here in Saint Lucia, doing what you can should be your main priority. At the very least, while you’re contemplating whether or not you should take the vaccine, ensure that you’re following all existing protocols such as keeping a six feet distance, washing your hands, wearing your mask over both your mouth and nose and staying home as much as possible.

With that being said, will you be taking the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines?

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A

s a full time nail technician, Chernika “Nika” Squires-Lionel is one of the many, but also one of the best.

An only child originating from the community of Gros-Islet, Chernika attended Corinth Secondary and then the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College. Between being a wife and a mother to her eight year old daughter, she dazzles and beautifies for hours on end.

Chernika sat with us to discuss what drove her to become a nail technician and how she manages to make everything work; her time, her business, and her personal life.

fun facts What's your go-to karaoke song?

Anything from Alicia Keys Where would you love to travel to?

Paris What was your favourite subject in school? Information Technology If you had a warning label, what would yours say? Baddest Nail Tech Ahead 26 DAZZLE

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chernika

SQUIRES-LIONEL Nails it Every Time

Dazzle:How did you get into nails?

Chernika:I’m a very creative and artsy person. I wasn’t entirely sure that this is what I would end up doing as a career but I suspected that it would be something creative at least.

I’m an only child so I used my mother and my aunt as my test subjects. Every Saturday when my aunt came over I’d have them sit and I would practice on them.

My aunt was unforgiving; she’d point out whatever I was doing wrong and it helped me to be better the next time.

Anyone who knows me, could attest to the fact that I started at Sir Arthur Lewis. I had one bag with nail polish and another one with my books and I would do my friends’ nails every free period that we had.

I suppose that’s where NailedbyNika was born and my dad, being the super supportive person that he is, built me somewhere I could do my work full time.

Dazzle:Did you do any formal training or classes?

Chernika:I got better off of practice, and doing tutorials online. At first I taught myself, but I traveled to Barbados and I did a course to get certification in 2018.

Dazzle:What did you want to be when you were younger?

Chernika:My mother was a teacher so I wanted to be that for a while. But at Corinth, I used to comb my friends at school and people assumed I’d take it up as a career. But I found my passion for nails and I’m glad I stuck to it.

Dazzle:What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

Chernika:Getting people to respect what I do is always a challenge. There are people who like to see more things but they don’t want to pay what it's valued at. They don’t take into consideration the money you have to put out to get the supplies needed to achieve the look and style they want.

that you work for yourself or you’re your own boss, you’re flexible when it comes to making appointments and keeping the time you promised.

During Covid, I took precautions but it didn’t hinder me as much as I thought it would. I’m grateful for having been able to work during that time.

Dazzle:How do you balance your personal and business time?

Chernika:That one is hard. I give most of my time to the shop. I would leave work and come home only to be on my phone answering messages and calls. It’s hard to balance the two and without my family, I wouldn’t be able to juggle being a mother to my eight year old daughter and running my business.

Dazzle:Is your family your support system?

Chernika:My family is my everything. They believe in me even when I don’t believe in myself and they push me to keep going. My parents, and my husband are my biggest supporters and I’m truly grateful to have some amazing clients as well. I’m thankful for the notso-good ones too because they motivate me to do better and to have patience.

Dazzle:Do you have any future plans for NailedbyNika?

Chernika:I'm thinking of expanding some time in the future. I want to offer more services and clients are now requesting pedicures and other services so I want to be able to implement that. Opening another branch might be on the list as well.

Dazzle: What advice would you give to up and coming entrepreneurs?

Chernika:Whatever you think you might be interested in, whether it’s just a hobby now or you like to do it for fun, you should go for it. Don’t doubt yourself, much like I did because I wasn’t even sure I would get this far with my business.

We wish Chernika and NailedbyNika good luck in their future!

Time is also something I struggle with. Getting people to respect your time, especially when they deduce

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Nail Trends Today

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rends are ever ongoing, never ceasing for a moment’s notice or to allow you to get up to speed. You’re either in, or you’re not.

While things may have moved at a slower pace during the last two years, nail trends continued to thrive and evolve. A pandemic, try as it might, was not powerful enough to stop the acrylic lovers and beauty hacks from getting their nails done.

If you’re into the whole getting your nails done thing, what’s popular today won’t be news to you. But if you’re not, and you’re looking to venture into that aspect of glam and glitter, then jumping onto the trend wave might help you adjust.

So what’s popular today?

Some nail designs are for the ages. No matter what year, or decade we’re in, trends like French tips, unique accent fingers and the overzealous white toes are part of the in crowd. But the newcomers are making a name for themselves, and every week there’s something new to try.

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French tips, but make it colourful We’ve seen the colourful, altered kid on the block that may or may not have originated from our oldie goldie, the French tips. Bright and youthful, the colorful tips are at the top of the list of what everyone’s getting.

Animal print Leopards and zebras are popular in fashion. We’ve been wearing stripes and spots for years, but nail technicians have made it an even bigger topic of conversation. Moderation is the safest bet; too much of one thing is never a good idea, but to those who can safely pull off a full acrylic animal print? Paws off to you!

Glow in the dark They’re low key gorgeous in the day and then hard to take your eyes off when the lights turn down.

They’re definitely a youthful design, meant to attract attention when needed. If you’re looking for a wow factor, you might just want to glow in the dark!

Ombré 3D sets Everyone’s gone 3D now! Gems and flowers are the most popular addition to acrylic nails. They complete a certain type of look that’s hard to miss, and even harder to not love. While it’s not for everyone, the boldness of it is what we love most about this set.

They come in colour or they come in nude but they’re subtle and classy in any form. It’s more of a laid back, soft design that you might miss on the first look but it makes choosing what to get so much easier!

Popular trends change by the day, and what’s unpopular today might be the next big thing tomorrow. Nail trends fluctuate, sure, but there are definitely some OG designs that’ll never get old.

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Eyekast

aving an eye for creativity and aesthetics doesn’t come naturally to most people. For some, honing a camera for photography and videography comes as easy as talking does for most, or walking.

The creative industry, as we’ve seen in the past years, has grown from photo studios and camcorders to high quality pictures and top notch equipment like DSLRs, Cinema cameras and aerial drones. Capturing your best moments in still life is great, but capturing them in real time is equally as satisfying.

Visionaries in Motion

in 2016. Before that, alumni from Sir Ira Simmons Secondary and Saint Mary’s College respectively, the duo transitioned from the British Army and banking to explore their talent and passions in videography and their willingness to give nothing but the best shows through their mission statement.

Eyekast is dedicated to delivering imagery that personifies excellence worldwide. We believe in providing solutions and creating ideas that are radically open to the creative collective; new and innovative to brands and culture.

Anyone can hold a camera and press record, sure, but there’s arguably more to videography and cinematography than most people care to understand. There’s the simple act of capturing movement from your iPhone, and then there’s aesthetically pleasing visuals that use expensive equipment, talent, focus and the ability to see things in ways most people don’t.

“When we started we were solely focused on drones,” They offered in the introduction. “Then we later got into doing weddings, events, documentaries, and 3D mapping.”

Eyekast, or Eyekast- Beyond Vision, is an example of talent, focus and the natural ability to make something simple look magical on screen. Eyekast joined us to discuss just how they got into videography and what we should expect from them next.

“We started out because of my background in the army,” Dwaine explained. “I worked with a lot of drones and then it became something I did on my personal time. I wanted to learn more—do more, so I started buying my own. I got in touch with Wyndell, and we realized the need for videography here in St. Lucia, so we continued to invest in better drones, and birthed the company known today as Eyekast.

The videography duo; Dwaine Tobierre and Wyndell Neptune, began their creative journey together

fun facts Sony, Nikon or Canon?

Sony and Canon Favourite movie currently?

Avengers End Game Current Music Album Made In Lagos by Wiz Kid and NF Beach or River Lime River Lime Favourite place in Saint Lucia Saltibus or anywhere in the south

With their feet in the corporate world as well, their reach in both the local and international creative industries sparked our curiosity.

As in recent years, Eyekast has made a name for themselves in the local, creative industry. They’ve transcended the scope of videography in Saint Lucia.

“Since we do so many aspects of videography, like weddings, events, documentaries and music videos, there’s no particular style to our production. We do so much that there’s no set way to produce, but one of the things that stand out is the quality of work that we do,” Wyndell shared. “We lean more towards the cinematic side of things and if you look at our work, you’d be able to tell that it was ours. There’s a look and feel that you don’t get anywhere else.”

While Dwaine mentioned their inspiration for starting Eyekast was each other, Wyndell expounded on that and explained their inspiration came from their

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passion for creativity and their desire to further explore what they could do with it. “I was an artist back in Saint Mary’s College and I’ve always had a passion for art and creativity and we wanted to take it to the next level and see how far we could take that love for art and digitize it. That’s when we got into media production.”

Since their introduction into production, Dwaine and Wyndell have worked with quite a showcase of people, both locally and internationally. “Since I live in London, I’ve worked with a few mainstream artists like Popcaan, Taurus Riley, Dexta Daps and Shenseea.”

Dwaine added. “We’ve also worked with Bunji Garlin, Machel Montano and Skinny Fabulous to name a few.”

In addition to their work in entertainment, Eyekast has also done production for carnival bands in the UK, Trinidad and in Saint Lucia.

Their extensive list of collaborations comes as a result of frequent travel; one of the many opportunities that videography has awarded them.

“We’ve done work for bands here and overseas and we’ve travelled to Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Dubai among other places.” They shared, “We’ve also done a lot of corporate work like we mentioned before, so we’ve worked with Discovery Education and major telecommunications services providers in Saint Lucia as well. We’ve worked with the Government and most recently did both Playlist 42 and Playlist Volume 2.”

Their extensive portfolio, both locally and internationally is one of the many reasons Eyekast stands out from other competing businesses.; Sugar Beach, Government of Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia National Trust and others. We’ve worked with almost everyone. We don’t limit ourselves to doing just one thing that’s what makes us different.

But even with a will and a way the last year has been hindering everyone; physically, emotionally and financially. The limitations that Covid-19 has imposed have been detrimental to some and a huge inconvenience for active workers, like Eyekast.

“It was kind of a perspective shift for us because we do a lot of field work. When it came to weddings, events, interviews and even corporate work, it was difficult to fit the brand into all of that during the pandemic.”

“We saw a major decline in March through to June and then we shifted our perspective into the digital market and it’s where we began to see a more successful approach. It’s also when we began working 32 DAZZLE

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with larger companies like Discovery.”

While the challenges during the pandemic are endless, we wanted to know about those pre global pandemic, despite knowing they’re avid problem solvers.

“Before Covid, one of our biggest setbacks in Saint Lucia was the lack of investment incentives and limited access to finance and support in obtaining equipment. They explained. “We’ve also had a few issues with expectations versus reality. When it comes to the quality of work and it’s worth, we realize that it’s hard for some people to understand the value of what we’re giving them.”

Starting out as just a hobby, the brand itself and how much it has grown is one of their biggest and noteworthy achievements. “It started off as a hobby and then expanded through the army because I did a lot of jobs like weddings, and from there I left the army to do it full time,” Dwaine answered. “That there was a big achievement and a huge step in the right direction for me.”

Their quality of work, as compared to when they first started Eyekast, has improved tremendously over the years. Their main focus is “excellence personified” and in harboring that goal, they always try to outdo themselves and make something better than it was the last time. Their only competition is themselves.

In the hopes of growth, the future for Eyekast is about expanding and improving on what’s already there.

“We’re hoping to expand the business to other international markets, to be more prominent in the UK as it pertains to corporate work in the international and digital spheres.”

With a long journey ahead of them, Eyekast left us with some encouraging words for any future entrepreneurs who might need them.

“A lot of what we learned is self-taught. Whatever you need, you have the internet at your disposal so don’t let anyone tell you there’s something you can’t do.”

We wish Eyekast all the best in their future endeavors!’’

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recap

I

found this fitting as it came out in March, a month said to be for celebrating women and their empowerment. Moxie, a Netflix original, is entirely about the young girls at a high school, banning together to fight the sexism they face on a daily basis.

Girl power, am I right?

Sexism, although highly disregarded, is a challenge most women face in the workplace, at home and at school. The seriousness of the topic however, doesn’t sway this film away from its ability to incorporate comedy and lightheartedness.

The movie centres around shy, 16 year old Vivian (Hadley Robinson) who finds courage and confidence from her mother’s (Amy Poehler) rebellious young days. Vivian anonymously publishes a magazine calling out, by name, the sexist students and faculty at her school. They challenge anyone who gets in their way despite the harsh outcomes it could bring and in spite of the authority figures who try to silence them.

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The main characters are a wide range of spirited, confident young women. Lucy; the confident new girl at school who’s the new target for the football jock, Emma; the cheerleader who’s struggling with whether to speak up, Claudia; who’s between a rock and a hard place with a strict mother and a revolutionary best friend, Kiera & Amaya; the athletes who are trying to prove girls can do anything boys can do, Kaitlyn; who faces discrimination because her body is more advanced than others and CJ; the transgender teenager that can’t seem to escape her old life.

While these girls stand behind Moxie, we acknowledge the few boys/ men who stand with them. As much as we hope something like this would bring about real change in the real world, how effective would Moxie be in today’s world?

Are you all for finding your voice and supporting women’s rights? Moxie gets two thumbs up.

//Feature

Irvin Ace Loctar Taking Opportunities and Making the Most of it

pg. 28

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Are You In A Toxic Relationship?

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elationships come in all forms, and in all states. The healthy ones are there, but they’re sometimes harder to come by. They’re also easier to pinpoint, so how do you know if you’re in a toxic relationship? What signs point to you or your partner being absolutely horrid? How can you escape or fix your relationship?

•

Is there dishonesty? Lying is a basic human instinct that some of the best people try to avoid. But constant lying is a sign that your partner has little to no respect for your feelings or your relationship. Dishonesty can be a root to other things, like cheating and theft.

•

Do you communicate with your partner?

The basis of any relationship, whether it be romantic or platonic is healthy communication between the parties. The only way anything can be done or fixed, is if both of you have a constant and proactive flow of communication. Does your partner talk to you?

•

He/She takes but doesn’t give. All take and no give is a clear cut sign of toxicity. In any relationship, there needs to be a balance. There needs to be equal share in all aspects and if

First, you look for the signs.

• Are you possessive? Is your partner possessive? Does he/she often keep you from friends and family? Does he/she often dictate who you can, or can’t interact with?

•

Are they abusive? Abuse doesn’t only mean physical abuse. Abuse can be both physical and emotional. If you’re walking on eggshells or if you’re tense or stressed, your partner may be abusing you emotionally.

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your partner gladly takes everything you give; attention, affection, money, and doesn’t give anything in return, something needs to change.

•

Any form of disrespect without remorse is a sign of a toxic relationship.When he/she doesn’t value your time, keeps “forgetting” important events, snaps at you in public or places blame on you where there shouldn’t be, it screams toxic.

There are so many more signs of what a toxic relationship can look like, but the above list is an example of the few things you should look out for.

We’ve heard it before; the girl (and sometimes the guy) refuses to leave because he/she hopes their partner will one day learn to love them the way they should be loved.

It’s happened. Some relationships have gone through the test of time to come out on the other side a winner. But how can you save your relationship? Is it worth saving?

•

Toxic relationships are more often than not, a result of toxic people. Both parties must want to make the relationship work, for there to be any kind of progress in rebuilding the relationship.

•

Admitting to any past wrongdoings personally that might’ve harmed your relationship.

•

Both parties must be open to getting help from others. Someone on the outside might see where the problem is, and might be able to find an unbiased and progressive solution.

•

Have patience, make the time and practice diligence when trying to fix your relationship.

There are some relationships that are worth fighting for, and some that are infinitely doomed from its inception. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but your motivation for wanting to stay with a partner who doesn’t treat you right, must be because you believe rehabilitation is possible and that you deeply care for your partner. Fear of being single or fear of what the other person might do or say is at the top of the list of reasons staying is a bad idea. For some people, counselors and therapists work. For others, all it takes is sheer will and determination. Either way, you have two options; fix it or leave.

Ask yourself, are you in a healthy relationship? If not, is it worth fixing?

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Irvin Ace Loctar Taking Opportunities and Making the Most of It

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singer, musician and producer, Irvin 'Ace' LoctorL is everything you'd expect from someone so invested in the entertainment industry. An alumni of Entrepot Secondary School, Irvin began his entertainment career as a young boy. Gifted with his love and talent for music, his ability to play the drums, keyboard and the bass guitar coincided with his skill to make beautiful beats in creative ways.

Irvin joined us to share his musical journey, from start to end.

Who is Irvin Loctar and what do you do?

I get asked that question a lot; what do I do? I always say I do a lot of things. I’ve kept myself involved in a lot, most of it being centered around the entertainment industry. I’ve been singing the longest, and I’m also a musician. I play the drums, the keyboards and the bass guitar.

How did you get into music?

My earliest memory of being inspired by music would be the era of Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. I was really young, and I used to hear the songs on the radio. I used to either put powder on the floor or put socks on to dance. That’s when I think it started for me. At school, I used to get scolded for singing but that later on developed into the love I have for it today.

My eldest brother, who is also a musician, got the opportunity to work on a cruise ship when I entered Entrepot Secondary. I thought then that this was it, a lucrative opportunity to travel the world. I made a drum set from tin cans and I would rehearse their musical set and pretend I was performing. Then one of my brothers said I was wasting my time, in so little words. To him, I wouldn’t become what I wanted to be, and I took that as a challenge. I joined a group of like-minded individuals who wanted to do the same things as I and they happened to be girls. They were talented, and I saw how I could fit in. I was the only boy, but we all had a common goal and it worked.

How did you get started after Secondary School, into music?

I started working while I was in secondary school. I was in form three and my brother had returned from the cruise ship. They were looking for work in Saint Lucia and when they found it, the lead singer quit. At that time, I was practicing a lot. I was much better, and my brother heard me and roped me into singing for them. I was nervous; I’d never been on stage before or sang in a band…never really performed for people.

When we first went on stage Victoria Rowell who played “Drucilla” on “the young and the restless “was at the hotel, and I had to sing for her because she was in the crowd. I had tons of nerves, but I did the best I could. I got the opportunity to meet her afterwards and she advised me to keep on going because I had a great voice… and that I had to keep practicing. She said; “You only fail when you stop”. That is by far the best advice I’ve ever received.

What was your first job?

My first job was with my brother. As soon as I left school in September of 1996 I had two waiting job offers. One with a local band called Rhythm Crazy and another band called Axis that was about to go on the cruise ship. The latter I chose because I admired the idea of travelling and what not. We did an Eastern Caribbean run from New York to Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, then back up to NY and Bermuda back to back. We’d then went as California through the Panama Canal and back to the West Indies. I worked the Celebrity Cruise Line, between the Zenith, Horizon and The Summit.

Tell us about your journeys and your contributions to the musical industry both here and abroad.

I’ve been very fortunate to have met the right people and make the right mistakes early, and learned from them. Off and on while I was still on the cruise ship, I’d make rap music with my friends and my brother noticed so he encouraged me with that. He introduced me to a Jamaican DJ at Sandals named Courtney Taylor. So Courtney gave me a challenge, he gave

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me a keyboard and sampler that I never used before.

Three hours later he came back and I had remade the Janet Jackson beat for “Got til It's Gone” and he was so impressed he said come back tomorrow. This man then taught me everything he knew, over the course of several years altogether. Every day after school I’d go to his apartment and he’d teach me about sound and recording and what not.

My first published production was with Mr. Vegas. At the time I was making lots of beats from my makeshift studio in my bedroom and sending it to a friend in Florida. He then sent those beats to DJ Delano. Delano happened to be driving with Mr. Vegas while playing my beats so Vegas asked about them and then a few weeks later he was in St. Lucia. One week after that he flew in a Grammy Award winning producer called Derrick Perkins. We ended up doing 3 tracks, all in my bedroom and I got a publishing deal at that time.

Those songs were “Oh what a night ft. Jackie”, and the other two songs were on the “Violin Riddim” that I made. From that I got a publishing contract that I signed without reading, because I saw money.

Later on I realised that I signed away all my rights for those songs. That experience started my journey in the music business. Courtney then taught me more about the business side of it. Then I was able to sign and work with Nicole David. The first song we did in 2003 was Matée and Shou Fly (doh bother me).

Thereafter we did a whole 18 track album, which is where Thygeson Penn Joseph came in. Thygeson is a friend from school and a good musician. The next artist I worked with and signed was Ricky T, producing songs like Container, Pressure Boom. We then signed Teddyson John and Isla Man, later on we worked with Mantius, Kakal, Skinny Fabulous, Kes ,Bunji, Fayann, Benjai, Fireman from St. Vincent. Machel Montano, Lil John happened later on.

What standout challenges have you faced along the way?

The challenge that I still face is that of education about the whole of the music business. I believe that what we did was so far ahead of what was being done in the country at the time, but we alone could not move the industry forward. The lack of vision and support system failed us in getting bigger faster.

Back then a lot of the artists didn’t believe that, that kind of success could be had simply because they had never experienced that journey. Foreign collaborations weren’t seen as a thing back then. We had big plans but a lot of people didn’t understand how we were getting them done. There was a lot of fighting against how we were moving forward by others in St Lucias’ infant industry. It hurt the group to the point that fighting for the advancement of the industry was 40 DAZZLE www.dazzlethemag.com

taking precedence over family and personal finances.

We made the decision to break up SLU Records and not renew artists contracts.

Tell us about the transition you made from producer to artist and making it to Jazz?

From 2006 I have been on Main Stage Jazz but not as a feature artist. I’ve performed with Boo Hinkson for a long time. In 2013 I got the opportunity to perform on Main Stage and I said no, they asked why and I said because the conditions under which I were to perform would not allow me to be exposed to international audiences who would have most likely showed up later in the night after my set would have finished. At the time I felt like I’d be doing it only for the money and at the time that didn’t impress me. I told them that if I’m doing this I wanted the advantage of having my own sound engineer and my own stage team because I understood how the festival worked with time constraints.

They granted those requests and I invited Mr. Vegas BiG Tigger from BET. We had a pretty good performance- opening for The Jacksons and Ginuwine.

fun facts

He-man or G.I. Joe? G.I. Joe

Biggest fear?

Not taking an opportunity that’s handed to me If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?

Ginger Tea All time favourite song?

Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire One thing you’ll never do again?

Not take an opportunity when it’s presented to me In 2016 I got another opportunity, and I made the similar requests. This time though, I have any guest artists; only my band two background singers and my engineer. Superstar Omarion opened and I were the second act just before the legendary Kassav.

That year was very memorable.

Which achievement means the most to you, the one that you will never forget?

That moment hasn’t come yet for me, but there

are a few that are right up there. Getting an artist signed to a major record and publishing label, working with international artist Maxi Priest. Working with a Grammy award winning producer is one as well. We at Studio758 have won Soca Monarch titles in 5 countries (St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, Guyana and Trinidad).

Being nominated for 8 International Soca Awards is another one. And to this date being the only people to receive 5 awards in one night is pretty significant.

Also as a side note, I had the privilege of being invited to the White House as part of a delegation with Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson back in 2013.

How do you see yourself evolving as a producer, as a person?

They always say that success in the music industry is based on your latest project. For me evolving is finding the next artist, that next project that’ll get me up there. There’s no timetable on it, it can happen at any time, So it’s just a matter of keeping up with the technology and the connections that I’ve made over the years. I’ve been doing more of educating artists and giving back in the mean time.

Tell me about commercial kings…

Commercial Kings is something that was part of the vision board back when I was 15. We’d go up on a hill somewhere and imagine what the future would be like. We thought that we’d be popular rappers, and doing commercials for companies. When we started Rhythm FM in 2005 it was always something that we wanted to do; marketing agency. It was in 2013 I made it official and launched Commercial Kings. I’ve worked with Digicel, LUCELEC, the VAT Office, M&C Home Depot, KFC St. Lucia and KFC Dominica. I really can’t name them all. I do the voicing, jingles, we do copywriting as well, we strategize and implement till the project finished.

What advice would you give to an up and coming entrepreneur?

Understand finances. Ideas can evolve and change but the truth about finances remains. You should try to spend less, and set up specific plans for growth.

You pay your taxes, you pay your employees (laughs).

Things like that are very important. You must be able to set up a plan for your business to grow to a point where you don’t have to be there everyday. As an entrepreneur if you’re doing the same thing all the time for all these years you’ll just be a business owner and not an entrepreneur.

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Shepherd's PIE

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 to 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered (3 large potatoes) 8 Tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 cups vegetables—diced carrots, corn, peas 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef 1/2 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in medium sized pot. Cover with at least an inch of cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender (about 20 minutes).

• When the potatoes are done cooking, remove them from the pot and place them in a bowl with the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter. Mash the potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

• While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and vegetables cook until tender, about 6 to 10 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the beef, onions, and vegetables in an even layer in a large baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the ground beef. Rough up the surface of the mashed potatoes with a fork so there are peaks that will get well browned. You can even use a fork to make creative designs in the mashed potatoes.

• Add ground beef to the pan with the onions and vegetables. Cook until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Bring the broth to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Add more beef broth if needed to prevent the meat from drying out.

• Place in a 400°F oven and cook until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

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filters

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W

hen Snapchat first came out with their lenses, more commonly known as filters, back in 2015, it was the craze worldwide. Everyone was using them whether it be at a party, at school or just hanging out with friends. Let’s fast forward to 2021. The Snapchat craze has died out, however, other social media platforms adopted some of the innovative features Snapchat brought to the new social media era. Instagram has been the next app that people go to for filters, especially with the integration it has with IG Live. If you haven't already, here’s why you should use Instagram filters.

The filters are fun! Everyone loves spicing up their stories! Whether it be adding makeup artificially or changing the colour of your hair or even just adding some sparkles to you and your environment. Filters blossom the creativity inside individuals and allow them to craft authentic and unique posts that can ultimately increase their following. Additionally, using fun filters can make people feel more confident and allow them to share things that they otherwise may not have.

Whilst there are so many fun things that can be said and be praised about filters, there’s the negative side of it. As the years grew on and social media became more and more of a necessity in order to grow your brand,

meet more people or just show off how flamboyant your personality can be, the topics of depression, anxiety and body-image have floated around with it.

Filters never really show a true representation of who people are, however, they show people what they want them to see; the unflawed, ‘perfect’ version of themselves. It is hard for individuals to not compare themselves to what they have saved in their gallery and post online to the masses. The person on the screen with that filter is not the same person staring at that screen in real life. Filters can be considered to be the makeup of the digital world, where people hide that one pesky pimple that would not go away, the freckles they have always hated and got bullied for or the vitiligo that developed over the years and wish people to never see because they are not comfortable in their own skin.

Mental health issues have skyrocketed ever since social media became a norm; as people became absorbed into this black hole of high beauty standards and newest fashion trends. However, once people know that the version of themselves on screen is digitally altered, they should be able to continue enjoying using the variety of fun filters offered. Filters are meant to be entertaining for everyone of conscientious age groups. So now it's your turn. Open up Instagram, find a filter you like and give it a go!

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