Growth Women's Business Networks Magazine July 2022 Summer Edition

July 2022 Summer Edition

GROWTH WOMEN’S BUSINESS NETWORKS MAGAZINE

Best-Selling Author CEO/Founder of Inspire Publishing, LLC Founder of Mominate 1. Aspire to Inspire: Fix Her Crown 2. Who Said You Can Touch My Hair?

3. A Promise Deferred: The Massacre of Black Wall Street 4. Cornrows: My Hair, My Roots

Keisha Bass, Founder/CEO Her Dope Marriage, LLC

Owner of Elev8te Health & Wellness

Motivated By Purpose Publishing, LLC

Founder/CEO of E.L.A Interior Design

Self Publishing Your Book

News. Networking. Inspiration.

Visit Us Online!

Mission: Growth Women’s Business Networks Magazine mission is to empower and support women towards growth in their businesses within various industries. We believe in supporting one another and networking to assist you in reaching your overall mission of building a larger customer or client base.

Purpose: Our primary purpose is to be supportive of women in our local communities, in different states across the United States, and even countries Internationally. Growth Women’s Business Networks Magazine is here to support women authors, business owners, entrepreneurs, educators, health & wellness coaches, ministry leaders, nonprofit organizations, and podcasts/radio/television hosts.

Vision: Our vision is to reach people by sharing the gifts and talents from women in various industries who want to advertise and market their books, products, and services. The online digital magazine is available in printed copies and eventually will be sold in stores in the United States and worldwide.

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Twitter: www.Twitter.com/GWBNMagazine Subscribe to get monthly update on our website at www.growthwomensbusinessnetworksmagazine.com

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From The Founder..

Special Thank You From The Founder: Thank you to all of Growth Women’s Business Networks Magazine contributors, followers, and all the women/men who have been featured in our magazine.

Thank you to all of our readers who support GWBN Magazine’s mission, purpose, and vision in an effort to help us build up our networks.

God Bless You, Jennifer Diaby Growth Women’s Business Networks Magazine

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Contributors FOUNDER/CEO, Jennifer Diaby PUBLISHER, Danyelle Timmons CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, Tafadazwa Mazibuko Victoria Henry Chyrel J. Jackson Rolanda Pyle Kadenia Javis Lisa Bradley Verna Mayers-Fakunle Elizabeth Crawford Tamara Brown

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In This June Issue...

Cover Feature ………………………….. 7 ELA Interior Design ……………..… 10 Her Dope Marriage, LLC ………... 12 Self Awareness ………………………… 16 The Power of Voice …………………. 21 Elev8te Health & Wellness…….. 22 5

Dr. Tamecca Rogers Interviewed by Jennifer Diaby

Please introduce to tell the readers about yourself. I'm just a country girl, chasing my childhood dreams. As a little girl, I always had a passion for writing, acting, modeling, and speaking up for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. But then life began to happen. I was so wrapped up in school, work, and family that I had little time to pursue my dreams.

However, when the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, it forced me to slow down and focus on my dreams. Writing became my therapy, my escape, and my joy. I started journaling and remembered how writing can bring healing. I wrote my first published article from a place of pain and disappointment for MetroFamily, titled, "I am a Black Mother of Three Boys and I Feel Helpless."

George Floyd's murder played out right in our face, forcing me to have conversations with my 10-year-old that I wasn't ready to have with him.

So, I had to revert to my comfort zone and write about it. Through our conversations, my son, Keith Ross said, "Momma, we should write a book about this, so it can help other people." I thought that was a great idea that can serve several purposes. My son and I decided we were going to have characters in the books that look like him and his friends. I truly believe hat positive representation matters. It's healthy for children to see themselves in characters.

Therefore, I took my love for writing and helping others and my son's love for his friends and teachers, and we started making children's books that promote a positive self-image, literacy, critical thinking, and inclusion.

Dr. Tamecca Rogers, you founded a non-profit organization called “Mominate.” What is your non-profit organization “Mominate” mission? The name of our non-profit organization is Mominate. It is a play on words Mom + dominate = Mominate. The mission of Mominate is to build a thriving community by helping recovering and financially challenged mothers and their children through, education, health, financial literacy, and self-love. Mominate has two goals for 2022. The first is to assist recovering mothers and their children in Tulsa OK and the second goal is to help build a primary school in Mombasa Kenya.

Tell the readers about your book, “Aspire To Inspire.” What is your book about and the reason you wrote it? Aspire it Inspire encourages you to not only inspire others, but also yourself! Aspire to Inspire is the perfect starting point when it comes to improving your self-love and confidence levels. This book mainly focuses on cultivating your personal development and self-care, making sure that you are putting yourself first. As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Once you have filled your cup, you can aspire to inspire those around you.

This is not a replacement for medication, therapy, or mental health treatment, and I would certainly never steer you away from these vital practices. Instead, this book is designed to support those things. It is so important that you take time out of your day to practice kindness and compassion towards yourself. Whether the reader is recovering from a warped body image, coming out of an unhealthy relationship, or has made the bold step to start putting themselves first, Aspire to Inspire has exercises and advice to help create a life full of meaning and purpose.

Inside Aspire to Inspire, the readers will discover: ●How to be authentically themselves ●The importance of self-love ●Why they should give themselves grace ●How to find their passion ●The importance of being prepared for when opportunity knocks ●Why they should never stay in their box ●Ways to embrace their feminine energy ●Ways to master their leadership journey and lead like a woman ●Why they should focus on connections not competition

I wrote the book because everyday I make it my mission to encourage people through my social media and in person. A few of my social media friends asked me to write an inspirational book, and I said, “Say less. I’m going to get it done.”

Recently, you wrote a children’s book called, “Who Said You Can Touch My Hair.” I found the book title to be interesting. I read this children’s book and it has an inspirational and powerful storyline. Tell the readers about your children’s book and the reason you chose the title. Awwwww…thanks so much Jennifer for reading our book! That means a lot to us! Who Said You Can Touch My Hair?, is written in English, Kichwa, French, and Spanish. It’s a funny and witty story that teaches about the sensitive topic of touching a Black girl’s hair. The main character experiences the stress of having people who cannot relate try to touch her hair. However, she turns some moments into humor by teaching others the importance of why it is not okay to touch a Black girl’s hair and how compliments can be insulting. This story enlightens and educates many kids and adults on how to be respectful to Black girls and not alienate them.

I wrote the book because like many Black women, I dealt with the issue as a child and as an adult, I still deal with the same issue. Honestly, it’s exhausting to keep explaining to people why they should respect my personal space. As an educator, I have been in classrooms where I have seen teacher’s touch Black children’s hair, so this book also gives the children a voice, letting them know, that it’s ok to tell grown-ups to respect their space. The title came from my experiences and what I have been through.

You have published several books through “Inspire Publishing, LLC. Tell us about your publishing company and a few of your books published in the past few years. Inspire Publishing LLC is a company my son and I created to publish our books through. So far, we have published nine books. Eight of our books are children’s books and the latest we recently published is an inspirational book for women. Our two popular books are, A Promise Deferred: The Massacre of Black Wall Street and Now You’re It: Journaling to Perseverance. A Promise Deferred: The Massacre of Black Wall Street is an acclaimed children's book that confronts the horrifying true events of Black Wall Street, inspiring conversation about race and entrepreneurship. A Promise Deferred: The Massacre of Black Wall Street has a curriculum for all learning styles that focuses on the history of Black Wall Street, economic development, entrepreneurship, and the importance of acceptance and having a good character.

Now You’re It: Journaling to Perseverance is an interactive journal that highlights 35 groundbreaking African Americans, while encouraging literacy, critical thinking, perseverance, diversity, and inclusion.

This year you were one of the co-authors of “Women Motivated By Purpose” anthology book. Tell readers about your chapter in the book. It was a privilege to be a co-author of Women Motivated by Purpose. Thanks for the opportunity. My chapter is titled, Breaking Barriers: No Permission Needed. My chapter focuses on seven of my key principles I used to overcome my obstacles and to live in my purpose: 1-Accept My Dissatisfaction, 2-Acknowledge That I Didn't Have All of the Answers, 3-Recognize and Listen to My Gifts, 4-Lean Into My Blackness, 5-Embrace My Passions, 6-Overcome Tremendous Odds, 7-Realize My Purpose Isn't Just About Me

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I loved writing my part, but I also enjoyed reading the other chapters written by some pretty amazing, inspiring, and intelligent women.

You have been part of a lot of book fair tours and events. Tell us about “The Black Child Book Fair Tour” that you are scheduled to attend this month. The Black Child Book Fair Tour travels across the United States looking to improve literacy in Black communities by promoting Black authors and their books. It’s also a unique chance for many Black and brown children to meet authors and to see characters in books that look like themselves. I have been on several book fairs with the tour. The first one I attended was in my hometown Tulsa, Oklahoma. Then we were in Houston, Third Ward, and most recently, we were in Harlem at the Harlem Library.

Each one of them are great experiences. We enjoy meeting all of the little readers. Talking to them makes our day and my co-author Dr. Rogers visits Kenya loves signing his autograph. The Black Child Book Fair also gives us opportunities to network with other authors, which is absolutely priceless.

Congratulations on becoming one of the semi- finalists for Ms. Health & Wellness competition. What is your experience to become one of the semi-finalists in the competition? I think health and wellness is very important. Sometimes that includes unlearning things that we were taught as a kid. For example, “Eat everything on your plate.” Eating everything on your plate is not necessarily a good or healthy thing. As a mom, I realize sometimes we get too busy for ourselves. I like to encourage women to take time for themselves and to make their health a priority. The Ms. Health & Wellness competition is determined by daily votes. And what that showed me was I have an amazing support system. I want to continue to show up for them by leading by example throughout my health and fitness journey.

What is one of your greatest accomplishments? Raising my children and following my passion.

How do you find balance between your personal and work life? It’s a challenge, especially since I work a full -time job as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Tulsa Tech, an author, publisher, columnist for TulsaKids, real-estate investor, and most importantly, a mother to three boys.So how do I balance it all? First, I always make family a priority. Family is irreplaceable. And at the end of the day, nobody says, “I wish I could have spent more time at work.” Secondly, I hire people for things I can source out, which gives me more time with my family.

Do you have any upcoming conferences, events, speaking engagements or workshops? Every month I do two Aspire to Inspire: Fix Her Crown brunches. The first brunch is a networking event, which allows women to learn from other women. The brunch also gives women a space to support one another. The second brunch is a brunch I do monthly with my mentees. I mentor six ladies that range from the age of middle school to college.

The brunch creates a space to set goals, complete a vision board, support and inspire each other, while holding each other accountable.

Give us some words to educate, inspire, and encourage women and all of our readers of Growth Women’s Business Networks Magazine. Go get Aspire to Inspire: Fix Her Crown. The book gives tons of words to educate, inspire, and encourage women. I will, however, leave you with a quote from the book.

“Beauty and greatness lie within you. Tune inward more often to find out.”

—Dr. Tamecca Rogers Follow Dr. Rogers: https://www.facebook.com/motherandsonpublishing/ https://www.facebook.com/momsaspiretoinspire Instagram: @drtameccarogers

www.inspirepublishingllc.com or i https://www.mominate.org

Dr. Rogers with her children

Interviewed by Jennifer Diaby

E.L.A. INTERIOR DESIGN, LLC Ericka Austin

Please introduce and tell the readers a little about yourself. Hello.

I'm Ericka Austin Founder & CEO of E.L.A Interior Design LLC and also an Ohio Tri-state valley native currently based in Columbus, Ohio. Faith and family is my foundation and I am the proud single mother of two extraordinary young adults. My daughter Miss London Thompson is the Marketing Director of E.L.A. Interior Design, in which creative talents, professionalism, and innovative ideas are key to our future success.

What inspired you to become an Interior Designer? Over two decades ago, I started a small side business with a high school friend creating table centerpieces for dining and coffee tables.

Each piece was handmade, painted, and styled by myself and sales were a success for a short time. Although the business did not continue, my love for interior design was sparked. Money was pretty tight, so I learned creative ways to DIY home projects studying, learning, and watching every show on television before attending "The Academy of Art University for Interior Architecture and Design." Moving on to design remotely with "Modsy." Having my own design company was a long time dream, but unfortunately was put on hold due to suffering a ruptured brain artery at the start of the pandemic and being hospitalized. The journey of healing and recovery has not been easy, but through God's grace and mercy I am here today!

What inspired you to become an Interior Designer? My advice to someone interested in becoming an Interior Designer would be to learn as much as possible, not only about design, fabrics, furniture etc., but also study business and what it takes to be successful in marketing and every aspect of running a successful business. The administrative work may not be fun or in your comfort zone, but don't give up or let it get you down. It is crucial to your business in my opinion. Lastly, networking and working with honest and reliable trades who take pride in delivering great services and products.

What services you offer at E.L.A. Interior Design? Services we offer at E.L.A. Interior Design : *Full service interior design which entails Several in-depth consultations, product and trade research, interview and schedule services with trades. Deliverables( Renders, presentation, samples).

Procurement of supplies, textiles, furnishings and decor. Installment of all treatments, fixtures and decor. Photos and video.

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*Partial design service( which can start with an empty room or simply a couch and lamp), wherever your starting point is we will work with you to give you a complete space you will love and enjoy for years to come. *Renovations -Full/Spacial/ or by Room Flooring, new windows, appliances, lighting and decor. All services are custom to our clients specific needs and project goals.

Coming Soon!! Our furniture collection pieces, decor and other merchandise will be available for purchase on our website. Stay tuned for our transformation project videos on our site as well. My goal for my company is to show my creativity through the works of people's homes.

My passion is rooted in this expression of art by taking the visions of my consumer and bringing them to life.

E.L.A Interior Design Company is rooted in dedicating superior service to our customers to meet and exceed their expectations. We offer renovations which includes: consultation, research, development, procurement, execution, photography services along with staging and styling of the project. Our mission is to transform our customers' space with the intent of creativity and style.

Where can people contact you and schedule a consultation appointment? To schedule a consultation please head over to our website: http://www.interiordesignfromela.com You can book right on our booking page and choose the day and time that works best for you. If you are local you can choose online or in person consultation. *Payments made on or site are secure* If the readers would like to follow you on your social media pages or view your website.

Where can they learn more about E.L.A. Interior Design?

High style interior Design | E.L.A. Interior Design LLC.

www.interiordesignfromela.com ela.designs@yahoo.com http://www.instagram.com/e.l.a.interiordesign/

Author/Entrepreneur Spotlight

HER DOPE MARRIAGE, LLC Keisha Bass

Interviewed by Jennifer Diaby

Please introduce and tell us a little about yourself. My name is Keisha Bass. I am a wife, mother, and a full-time entrepreneur. I still have a hard time saying full-time entrepreneur. My husband and I will celebrate 33 years of marriage in November. We have two amazing children, Lakia and Tre. Mrs. Keisha Bass, you are a woman wearing many hats as a Wife Coach, Author, and Motivational Speaker. Please tell the readers about “Her Dope Marriage.” Her Dope Marriage is my passion and my purpose. About four years ago, God told me to use my story to encourage women. I didn’t know what that looked like at that time. I remember meditating on a name. I had a few, but this one, Her Dope Marriage sounded right. Honestly, when He first mentioned it, I didn’t move. I thought that I was too busy to add anything else to my plate. But after about a month of deliberating with myself, I said yes to God. My yes was based on what I didn’t have growing up or even when I was young in my marriage. I didn’t have anyone to fight for me or teach me how to fight for my marriage. My husband and I talk often about how when we were going through our hard seasons of marriage, and we had a few of them, how no one really showed up to help us navigate through those difficult moments. I remember questioning God, why didn’t you send help? He said, I didn’t want anyone else to get the credit for your journey. I walked you through even when you didn’t know I was there. I carried you even when you felt like giving up. I did this not just for you, but for those connected to you. I concluded that he took us through our journey and our valley experience because of the kingdom. He chose us and not only did He choose us, but He carried us through to be an example for others. Her Dope Marriage is a platform not only to encourage and motivate women in their marriage and those that want to be married but provide tangible tools to fight the right way in their marriage.

What I absolutely love about “Her Dope Marriage” is that you teach women how to become wives through coaching them. What advice would you give to women (wives) who are experiencing a difficult time in their marriage? I would tell them to learn how to fight the right way which is through prayer. Becoming a prayer warrior for your husband and marriage is an important part of surviving the difficult times. Just know that prayer alone won’t fix it, but it will help.

When you learn how to fight on your knees, when you learn how to watch your words, when you learn how to let God change your husband, then you’ll be able to see change in your marriage. I often say, be the change that you want to see in your marriage. We oftentimes carry expectations and assumptions from our past or even childhood; and sometimes they can become a weight in your present, if you allow it. Knowing when to release the baggage and push forward is crucial when dealing with the difficult seasons of marriage. Maybe the issue you are dealing with or he’s dealing with has nothing to do with your marriage, but all to do with what the other person is carrying. There’s power in extending grace.

Can you tell the readers about all of the services you offer clients through “Her Dope Marriage.” Her Dope Marriage is broken into two entities. Her Dope Marriage Organization is the nonprofit side. We are working to build funds to create

training and coaching for women that are having a difficult season in their marriage. Her Dope Marriage Services LLC offers one on one coaching for both married and single women.

We offer premarital coaching as well as couples’ coaching. We are working to create services for organizations and companies to assist women in work life balance.

WOMEN

You are an Author of several inspirational and powerful books about marriage for both men and women. Tell us about your books and the reason you wrote on the topic of marriage. I have several eBooks that I have written educating women to be the wife God has called them to be. They include ebooks on communication, prayer, spiritual intimacy, and understanding more about your husband. I released War Room Cards and Wife Motivational Cards early this year.

of Excellence

I found it interesting how you equip women who are new wives with the tools through the word of God, prayers, communication workbooks, and worksheets. What made you create the “New Wife Gift Bundle?” I created this bundle because I want to give women what I didn’t have. I didn’t know how to navigate marriage. I didn’t know how to be a wife. I wanted to create the bundle to give women tools and strategies that can help them become the wife they want to be.

You are the host of “Mirror Affirmations Podcast” tell us about your show. I’m really excited about this podcast. The objective is to encourage women to feel empowered and inspired to remove their masks, look into the mirror, and see/be who they were created to be.

As women, we are good to everyone except ourselves. We take care of them but neglect our own needs. Self-care is not optional. If you don’t love yourself, how can you love those connected to you. We are good at hiding our insecurities, frustrations, fear, low self-esteem, and even depression, but if we don’t deal with those things coming to weigh us down and rob of us our purpose, we’ll listen to the negative talk and abort what God has for us. My tag line is in order to change what you see, you must change what you say.

Where can the readers learn more about your books or services? My website, www.herdopemarriage.com.

Do you have any upcoming conferences, events or, workshops? I do have an upcoming retreat, my first, The LiftHer Experience Retreat. It will be on November 4-6th in Hilton Head, SC. This is a women’s empowerment retreat for all women married, dating, single, and engaged. During this 3-day Women’s Retreat you’ll receive inspiration that will energize your mind, body, and spirit. You’ll learn to connect with your inner self and go deeper with self-care tools to improve resilience and enrich your quality of life! You will leave feeling refreshed, empowered, and motivated as you continue to practice self-love and compassion when you return home. We have speakers that will share on mental health, women’s health, and relationships. Dr. Jackie Greene will be our guest banquet speaker. I’m excited about this assignment and believe God is going to transform the lives. I can’t wait!

Give us some words to educate, inspire, and encourage women, and the readers of Growth Women’s Business Networks Magazine. The one piece of advice that I would like to leave with your readers is to be obedient to God. What do I mean by that? Well, in August 2021, I left my corporate job. I had been in corporate for over 30 years. I was good at what I did, but God was telling me to jump. I was scared to jump because I was trusting my paycheck more than I trusted God. A year before I left my job, God gave me and my husband instructions to pay down debt. We didn’t know why, but we did it. Fast forward, a year later, God said, Keisha it’s time to jump and not only did He give me instruction to jump, but He also made it uncomfortable for me to stay. If we didn’t listen to God during our year of preparation (even though we didn’t know), I wouldn’t be a full-time entrepreneur today. So I say, when God tells you something, do it. Trust Him. And when you start your journey, don’t get caught up on whose supporting you and who is not. Those that know your voice, will follow you. I’ve learned that I’m not called to everyone, I’m called to those that know my voice. And finally, remember that your purpose is about transformation. Transforming the lives of those that are called to you.

www.iambecomingher.com

Get Your Marriage Back in 6 Weeks!

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SUMMERTIME SELF-CARE FOR THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT

By Contributing Writer, Elizabeth Crawford, M.Ed. Summertime is here! You’ve probably already designed and crafted your plans for how you will enjoy it. But, before you go on those exotic destinations, vacays on the beach, weekend getaways and visits with extended family, take out some time to take care of you!

No one will ever take care of you as well as you can take care of yourself. Plus, you’re never quite sure just how long someone is going to be available to you or remain in your life. Learn how to take good care of yourself and you’ll always be well taken care of!

We’re often concerned with how well we’re taking care of others, but it’s just as important to give yourself the attention you need too. Put into practice good self-care habits each and every day with these simple routines:

1 Unplug for at least an hour each day - This will

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allow your mind to have a break from the digital world “social media” each day. Turn off your phone, close the laptop, turn off the television. Free yourself from distractions. Go for a walk, read a good book, meditate, or talk to a real live person! You’ll be glad that you did.

Do a puzzle or try Adult Coloring Books – Engage and work your brain just for a little while. Try a crossword puzzle, jigsaw puzzle, Sudoku or whatever mental challenge that interests you. Put your brain to work and test its problem-solving abilities.

Eat mindfully – Pay attention while you’re eating.

Remember, to put your phone away. Avoid reading or watching television and engage positively with others. Focus on eating while you’re enjoying your meal. Keep your attention on the process. You’ll eat less and eat better. It’s easy to eat a lot of junk while you’re distracted by something else.

Spend time with someone who loves and cares about you – There’s nothing better for your heart and soul than spending quality time with those that adore you. The communication is genuine, they support and encourage you, they listen to what you have to say without interrupting you. They allow you to be yourself.

Stretch and Exercise – The older we get, the less flexibility we have. Stretching and exercise are good for you and although it may not feel good while you’re doing it, you feel so much better when you’ve finished. Use the time that you’ve been given wisely.

Therefore, think for instance when you’re standing in line at the store, take the opportunity to get in a few squats, arm raises or leg lifts. Walk daily. Humans are meant to move! Unfortunately, most of us move more than it takes to walk to our cars and back.

Speaking of cars, try parking further away from the building so you can get those added steps in.

Use your body each day even if it’s a simple walk in your neighborhood. Every little bit counts!

Wisdom & Insights LLC www.wisdomforlife101.com | Wisdomforlife101@gmail.com | @selfinvest101

yourself and give yourself some grace 6 -Compliment Imagine if you were your best friend. What type

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of compliments would you give yourself? Spend a few minutes looking at yourself in the mirror. When you look in the mirror what do you see? Focus on your beauty and not your flaws. Speak positive affirmations over yourself, mind, body and spirit.

Ask for help - You’re worth of receiving help from others. You’ll find life is easier when you get a little help too. In return, others will ask you for help. It’s totally reciprocal. Your self-esteem increases when you help others. You’ll even make a few new friends in the process or strengthen your existing relationships.

Eat a healthy diet - What better way to care for yourself than to eat healthy. Clean eating is not some fad, it should be a way of life. Nourish your body with food from the Earth. Your body will reward you in return.

Get plenty of rest and sleep – The importance of sleep is highly underrated. Sleep deprivation is the cause of many ailments. Sleep is great for every part of your being. Most of us fail to get enough of it.

You should try to go to bed early even if you do it only 2-3 times per week. How early? Early enough that you are not still tired when you awaken the next morning but refreshed.

Take a nice bath at least once a week - Showers save time and water. However, there is something uniquely significant about a bath. Stretch out and soak your body for at least 30 minutes. You may choose a bubble bath with candles, a bath pillow and light music, you may want to turn off the lights or read a book. Best practice, just close your eyes and relax. Give yourself this uninterrupted “luxury” at a minimum of once a week and experience how the stress will melt away.

People who are busy and do not take time for themselves are often stressed and lacking in self-care. It’s important to pay attention to your needs and recognize your limits. Good self-care practices can reduce burnout and stress levels. Be mindful that stress causes very serious health conditions! Keep your energy levels high and rejuvenate yourself each and every day by looking after yourself effectively. Be intentional about your “ME” time! Protect your peace and make yourself a priority.

Self- Awareness is Self-Care: A Journey Towards Mental Wellness

Self-awareness is key to maintaining mental wellness and to heal from life’s wounds.

Unfortunately, the world is not set up or designed for us to take breaks, check in with our emotions or affirm our values. We are unconsciously being conditioned to keep pushing our boundaries and limitations and to produce outcomes. But at what cost? The cost is a mental tax on our health. The cost is lack of enjoyment and engagement in our everyday lives. We self-sabotage and self-abandon and we lose in the end. To start to improve self-awareness, check in with yourself daily with the HALT acronym (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) and begin your journey of uplifting yourself with attending to these basic needs. And then go a little deeper to acknowledge your emotional needs (the need to be loved and respected and to be heard to name a few). Write a few things down to affirm yourself, for example “I can take more breaks” or “I am allowed to ask for help.”

It’s ok to have support on this journey towards wellness. A therapist can help you sort through the tools you need to grow in your self-awareness and healing. I encourage you to take the steps towards self-discovery and awareness today.

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Victoria L. Henry, MS, LMHC, QS Contributing Writer IG@livelightcounseling

Women Wellness

It was in a therapist’s office one day, after years of being overwhelmed and mentally drained, that she made the statement to me, “You have needs that are not being met.”

I paused for a moment to reflect on the thought that have needs. For a moment, I was given permission to simply focus on myself and not on others. I was being asked in that moment to consider myself. I was quiet and reflective and suddenly overwhelmed with a sadness that I’d missed me in my pursuit of “things” and people-pleasing. She urged me to take personal accountability for the Importance of prioritizing my mental and emotional needs in addition to my physical needs. What a concept! This was the beginning of a journey of self-awareness and inner healing. I walked out of that space feeling motivated to approach life with fresh eyes.

financial literacy

Small business owners have a number of options

on how to organize their business for tax purposes.

And if you sell items on eBay or Esty, drive for Uber, or offer your services as a writer or programmer, you are probably considered a flow-through entity in the eyes of the IRS. Frankly, so much of individual tax is paid by these small businesses, it is important for all taxpayers to understand this tax code logic as politicians debate trying to increase tax revenues.

How pass-through entities work

Pass-through entities do not pay taxes with a separate business tax return. Instead, the business's taxable income is reported on the owner's individual tax return. A sole proprietor does this on their Schedule C, while other entities like partnerships and S corporations send owners their respective share of profits via a K-1 tax form. Generally, business owners prefer pass-through entities because:

• •

The business income is taxed once instead of twice as in the case of C corporations.

The business format provides owners a level of legal protection that is not available by doing business as a sole proprietor.

What you should know •

Individual tax rates. Changes in individual tax rates have an impact on the amount of tax paid by all small businesses that are organized as pass-through entities.

• New 20 percent deduction. A 20 percent qualified business income deduction is available for pass-through entities and sole proprietorships. There are limitations and other complexities involved, but the bottom line is many small business owners will see a tax break due to this deduction.

• Owing the tax and having money to pay it can be a problem. Small pass-through business owners must pay income tax on their share of business profits. However, the business entity is NOT required to distribute cash from the company to help pay the tax. So pass-through owners could see a tax bill without money to pay the tax.

• Concerns for minority shareholders. Minority shareholders in pass-through entities are doubly cursed. They not only may not receive distributions to pay taxes due, but they are often precluded from selling their shares, and they do not have enough ownership to require distribution of funds through shareholder voting.

• Popular business entity type. According to statistics from the IRS, the S corporation formation is a popular business entity type with 4.72 million S corporations in 2017 – roughly three times the amount of C corporations. LLCs are quickly becoming the new entity of choice with growth from 120,000 in 1995 entities to over 11 million entities today.

With 95% of business entities being taxed on personal tax returns, it is important to understand that raising individual tax rates is really an increase in tax to most businesses in the United States.

Kadenia Javis, MBA, RTRP 18

A TRIBUTE TO DADDY'S MUSIC Ella jumps Sarah’s sassy Billie thumps Carmen’s brassy Gloria croons Aretha’s queen Gladys booms Diana’s supreme!

Nat’s king Jimmy plays Marvin sings John sways Miles blows Nancy’s mellow Ray crows Patti bellows!

Jazz strokes Gospel provokes Calypso whines

Reggae shines Blues soothes R&B smooths Rap grooves Music makes me want to move!

Learned to listen at Daddy’s feet Where he would listen to different beats Learned to appreciate with Daddy’s ear

Rolanda T. Pyle Contributing Writer

All kinds of music I would hear.

Learned that music was in his heart

www.rorosrainbowcommunications.com

That’s how my love for music got its start.

(A tribute to the music my father listened to, especially JAZZ! Also a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Carmen McCrae, Gloria Lynne, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Nat King Cole, Jimmy Smith, Marvin Gaye, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Nancy Wilson, Ray Charles and Patti LaBelle, who I listened to as I grew up.)

Rolanda Pyle (c) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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The Power of Voice in Your Business Tafadazwa Mazibuko, Contributing Writer

I dreaded attending the team meetings. “Did you meet your weekly target?” This was a standard question the team leader would ask looking around for a volunteer to start. For a couple of minutes there would be some silence until the team leader called out someone to give feedback.

“I did not meet the target.”

“The economy is bad we cannot make sales.”

“Clients do not read our marketing emails. I have been following up on a few clients who had shown interest but they are not committing.”

A series of excuses would follow and leaving everyone feeling low but with no tangible results. Dreamers who do not set targets live daily according to dictates of circumstances but circumstances like the wind are very uncertain they will move you one way today and another way tomorrow The reason I dreaded the meetings was how the power of negative voice affected everyone. Being around people who are negative in business is contagious. In pursuit of our dreams, knowing the power of our voice is a competitive advantage. Your voice can either sabotage you from reaching your potential or speed up the process! The people you surround yourself with affect your inner voice so you need to be in charge to neutralise the negative outer voice with a positive inner voice.

As a businesswoman what you tell yourself about your business determines how you go through or around challenges you face. Some call them affirmations but as the leader you need to create a culture of speaking life to your business. Sometimes everything around you makes it real to speak negatively but the negative energy in the office leads to negative energy hence low productivity.

What you tell yourself determines how fast or slow you achieve your dream. Vincent Van Gogh stated," If you hear a voice within you say ,"You cannot paint, then by all means paint and the voice will be silenced." There are many external factors that can make you and your teammates magnify the negative voice but silencing the negative voice is a culture that can be built. As a leader your teammates should hear you say statements like: Our business will be profitable this year.

We will meet and exceed all our targets this year.

We will excel despite the economy.

Our business will succeed despite the increase in inflation.

Our clients love our products and we find favour with clients.

It is difficult to say something negative around a positive person. As a leader of your business it is your responsibility to set the tone. Which voices do you need to amplify or silence to reach your potential for your business? It is June already. As a businesswoman, what voices did you tolerate the first half of the year that has affected your productivity and your teammates? What voices do you need to amplify going forward to create a positive energy in your business and increase your productivity?

Website: www.tafadzwamazibukospeaks.co.za Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tafadzwa-mazibuko-8377112/ Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Tafadzwa-Mazibuko/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/The-dream-that-was-worth-fighting-for-218787128459623/ 21

Author/Health & Wellness Coach

COACH DANA WATSON Interviewed by Jennifer Diaby

ELEV8ATE HEALTH & WELLNESS Please introduce and tell us a little about yourself. My name is Dana Watson, but my clients call me Coach Dana W. I’m a native of Norfolk, VA. I am a divorcee and the proud mother of two beautiful children, Nikiya and Trey. In addition, I am the grandmother of my beautiful grandbaby, Amariah. I have over 18 years of experience working in the education field, the criminal justice system, foster care, and nonprofit sector. My educational background is in both Education and Human Services Counseling. I am currently attending school to obtain my PH.D in Christian Counseling. I also have 2 honorary doctorates in leadership and divinity. I am multi-certified coach and the owner of Elev8te Health & Wellness, providing holistic and restorative services. Most importantly, I am an ordained minister at Immanuel Worship and Deliverance Ministries, where I served as the Youth Ministry Director for over ten years. My personal mission is to rebuild one heart at a time, as I am best known for advocating for domestic violence victims, facilitating healthy relationships classes, and now providing certification training program for healers.

Dr. Dana Watson, you are the Owner of “Elev8te Health & Wellness, LLC.” Tell the readers about your company and what services you offer clients? Also, where can the readers view more about your services? Elev8te Health & Wellness, LLC is both SWAM and BBB certified. I provide both coaching and consultation services to individuals, couples, and families who are impacted by stress and/or trauma by using evidence-based practices. I teach individuals how to to use their pain as a secret weapon to lose weight (emotional eaters), heal, become a published author, and/or start a business. In as little as 90 days, my clients can complete a total transformation program and turn their pain into their purpose. I also provide services to corporations and school systems teaching them about Trauma Informed Care and Social/ Emotional Learning. It’s important that leaders and those in the helping profession understand what being trauma focus means and how to show compassion in the workplace. I provide a wide range of topics (Anger Management, Stress, Nutrition, Grief, Trauma Informed Care, etc) that can be covered in both a workshop style or group coaching. In addition, I am currently working on obtaining my ADHD coaching certification because there is a great need in this area.

What areas do you specialize in as the CEO/Instructor of “Healed Academy?” As the CEO/ Instructor of the I-Am-Healed Academy, I specialize in healing from trauma type courses. I currently have an online course for individuals who want to heal from emotional trauma due to break-ups, divorce, and betrayal. I also have a certificate program for Christian leaders who want to incorporate trauma informed care into ministry and a certification program for healers. The I-Am-Healed Coach Certification Program is a program you can receive healing from due to your own trauma and become a Certified Coach after completing certain requirements such as skills lab, quizzes, and providing proof of practice sessions.

I believe that a lot of people have a calling on their life when it comes to helping others heal from trauma. We often wonder why we’ve been effected by so much pain in our lives. But sometimes our life experiences are not meant for us to just sit as victims of pain, but for us to take that pain and turn it into power to help someone else heal.

As a Transformational Coach, what advice would you give to someone who is struggling to move forward from difficult circumstances such as: Emotional trauma, grief, or a relationship breakup? The first step is to Acknowledge the brokenness and trauma. Secondly, seek help from a therapist or/and coach. It’s important that people understand that they do not have to heal alone. And with the right resources and tools you can heal.

Another piece that is really important in healing is forgiveness. One must not only forgive their perpetrator, but they must also forgive themselves in order to move forward.

I know you are a Tedx Talk Speaker and you spoke on the topic “When the Body Talks.” What is the reason you selected this particular topic? The theme of the Tedx was “It Takes a Village”. So, I had to find a way to incorporate what I do as a coach and tie it in with the theme. I remember after the death of my dad I began to emotionally eat. And my body was yelling at me with all types of aches and pain. The body talks to us, we just have to listen.

When we think of the body we are usually referring to the physical being, but I want you to think of the body in a different way.

You’ve heard of a body of water, a body of mass, a body of elected officials. But the village is a body too. We, a people of great diversity, make up one body of the human race.

And right now, our body is talking. It’s talking through the protests on the streets, the tears of our children, and the constant deaths we see all around us; because our body is hurting. Villages are considered to be family and we must find healing for the body, the same way we have to find healing for our physical bodies. I was able to come up with an acronym for FAM in order to start the healing journey. F-Forgive and let go of anything that is holding you back (that includes those who have betrayed you), A-Affirm; positively affirm your healing today by speaking it over your life; and M- Move forward from the past and release all of the trauma stored in your body.

Since you are a Motivational Speaker, how can someone book you to speak at their conference or event? I can be reached via email at danawatson.elev8te@gmail.com, Facebook.com/coachdanaw, and instagram.com/coachdanaw

Dr. Watson, you are an Author of Christian fiction books. Tell the readers about your first book, “Because He Loves Me” and the reason you wrote it? My first book, “Because He Loves Me” is a fictional book, inspired by true events. I wrote this book to tell my story of being a survivor of domestic violence. I was a young, single mother going through a really difficult patch. I felt like no one would understand that my relationship; which appeared to be amazing to the outside, was very much toxic behind closed doors. So I stayed in that relationship when I should have left. I wrote this book with a twist in mind. While many people believed that the author is speaking of the love between a man and woman, that keeps a woman in an abusive relationship. It’s actually the love from God that frees her. It was important that I told my testimony of how God loved me so much that he delivered me from the hands of the enemy, and now I have turned my pain into my purpose.

You also wrote another book, “Man of Deception” tell us about this book? This book is based on a dream my mother had before passing away in 2018. I was in the midst of a separation from my now ex-husband. I was dealing with loneliness and just needed a friend, so I met a guy on a dating app. But, I didn’t tell anyone, it was my little secret. After a couple of weeks of me talking to this guy, my mom told me she had a dream about a guy who was pretending to be a Christian in order to get close to me. She said she could not see his face, but he had on a white robe as if he was about to get baptized at the beach. And when she looked at his feet he had tennis shoes on. When she woke up, she heard the words, “Man of Deception”. I was able to take that dream and I wrote a book based on it. So, although my first book was mainly about true events, this second book was more fictional. And just like my first book, there was a twist to this story. You will have to read the book to find out who is the Man of Deception. I also have a new anthology book coming out this fall, “Life After Divorce: Turning Your Pain into Power”. I have about 10 authors who will be sharing their stories on how they used their pain from divorce to walk in their purpose, find true healing, find a relationship with the Lord, etc.

Where can the readers purchase a copy of your books? On Amazon or contact me via email at danawatson.elev8te@gmail.com Recently, you became one of the host of a show called “Curves, Curls, & Crowns” on the Mogul TV Global. Tell the readers about your show and where they can tune in to watch it? O..M..G.. I just love being a host on Curves, Curls & Crowns, with my co-hosts Katrina Willis and Mylira Green.

Curves, Curls, & Crowns is the #1 women’s empowerment show for women of color on television. It was created by women for women to embrace their beauty within and loving themselves through life’s obstacles. On this show, you will find great conversations, real transparency, and true healing.

Download the Mogul TV Global app on Roku and Amazon Firestick or watch past episodes at www.theMoguls.tv.

Special shout out to the founder of Mogul TV Global, Tameka Walker Chapman. I’m so grateful to her for including me in her vision.

Do you have any upcoming conferences, events, speaking engagements or workshops? I actually have a couple of events coming up. On July 16th, I was invited to speak at Queens Conference: Straighten Your Crown” garden event

on how mental health impacts our children. I also have some upcoming events under the nonprofit that my business is affiliated with. I volunteer my services and I am on the board of directors for The O.A.T. Foundation in Norfolk, VA. We have a Liver Cancer Awareness Walk coming up on October 1st. My mother, Dr. Virginia F. Barnett, was one of the founding members so we do the walk and a scholarship in her honor. On July 19th, we will be presenting the 2022 scholarship to this year’s recipient. I am really happy to be a part of this team and giving back to the community with free healing groups.

On August 26th, I will be speaking at an event in Atlanta, GA for an event for survivors of cancer. My mother and father both passed away from cancer. But, my mother’s diagnosis of liver cancer is the reason why I am who I am today. She is my why! And lastly, I am looking forward to a Wellness Retreat I was invited to speak at in Puerto Rico, in April 2023. So yes, I do travel for speaking engagements.

Please contact me at danawatsoncoaching.com or danawatson.elev8te@gmail.com to book me.

Give us some words to educate, inspire, and encourage women and all of our readers of Growth Women’s Business Networks Magazine. As women, we have made a lot of advancement when it comes to education, careers, and businesses. But, health is wealth. Remember to take care of you and practice self-love. Life is more than just chasing a bag. It’s all about balance. Try to find the middle path. We all need money, but no one needs $10 million. It’s not having $10 million that’s the problem. It’s the unreasonable pursuit of it. Find balance in your work, relationships, and possessions. Get your life back under control by seeking balance. And remember to always have fun!

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THERESA CRICHLOW Theresa Crichlow is the founder and visionary creator of Pressing into Prayer Ministries. Her vision is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to expand the Kingdom of God and its followers.

She is a seasoned prayer warrior, intercessor, positive prayer coach, and minister to her credit. She encourages God's believers to walk in his spirit and authority. Theresa also encourages them to exercise dominion over the powers of darkness and become worthy of their calling. She activates spiritual gifts and empowers believers to do the work of the ministry through impartation. Theresa is passionate about the souls of her followers and readers. She enjoys witnessing the manifestation of answered prayers through intercessional means. Her goal is to lead through an example to God's body of believers to become more prayer-driven.

Theresa has committed her life to God's good graces by offering prayer support, mentorship, and lifetransforming guidance to other believers worldwide. Her love for Jesus is evident in all that she does. This passion has resulted in many people's salvation and positively impacted several lives. She is the author of Pressing into Powerful Prayer. This inspirational prayer book came out of her prayer vigil to pursue the manifest presence of God and Jesus. It includes several prayers that have transformed many lives and will bring God's will to earth as it is in heaven. This book is sold in many online bookstores and donated to many prisons throughout the United States.

Additionally, Theresa is an entrepreneur who runs a specialty honey and tea café small business in retail and various online wholesale stores. BeeLoved, LLC is a specialty honey bakery and sweet-tea café that offers customers a variety of apothecaries at affordable prices.

Follow on Social Media: Instagram beelovedNYC

Pressing Into Prayer Ministries Group BeeLovedNYC BeeLoved LLC

https://theresacrichlow.com/ www.bee-loved.us

AVAILABLE in DIGITAL and PRINT!