P
HOUSTON
Spring 2015 an HPT Media Publication
EROS SHAW
S.K.I.L.L.S. INTERNATIONAL rofile
Magazine
REAL ESTATE NON-PROFITS PEOPLE The TOP 5 KID BUSINESS OWNERS IN HOUSTON
Issue
Houston PROFILE Magazine | Spring 2015 1
Houston PROFILE Magazine | Spring 2015 2
Spring
CONTENTS
Arika Watson, Owner of Text Shirts Unlimited poses with her family at HPT Media studio.
Jazmyn Love [to the far left] poses with her siblings and dad, Jerome Love founder of the largest black business expo in Texas, at Texas Black Expo headquarters.
Editing – Content and Graphic: Rebecca Walton | Photography by Rebecca Walton | Photo Credits given to : Google Stock Images, Stocksy.com | Letters and Comments: info@hptmedia.com | Twitter: www.twitter.com/HPTMedia | Facebook: www.facebook.com/HPTMedia Advertising: 713.878.7882 | Want to write for us? Send a 300 word article to editorial@hptmedia.com. All submissions will be edited according to AP Handbook standards. Not all articles will be chosen. Payment is issued after magazine is published.
I wanted to dedicate an issue to the children in our community who are making strides within an area that is not traditionally cultivated until the upper teenage and young adult years. Prior to developing this issue, I asked myself the question, “Why isn’t kid entrepreneurship celebrated in main stream media within lower and middle class America?” There are Girl and Boy Scouts, Future Farmers of America, and a plethora of social organizations established through education mediums that focus on competition, volunteerism and basic social skills; but there aren’t any well recognized brands that come to mind when one thinks of children business owners. After unimaginable social achievements in pop culture, why haven’t we achieved a platform that is renown for children business builders? Don’t think it’s because we aren’t trying. When you Google the phrase, , you find articles and organizations from every major city highlighting what their children are doing in business. In the past there have been reality TV shows about the topic. There are government sanctioned agencies dedicated to cultivating and awarding children who are succeeding in business at a very young age. During my research to find these fabulous children, I came across several small scale or small branded organizations that are dedicated specifically to cultivate, highlight and celebrate children business owners. I even stumbled upon a local platform right here in Houston (Kid Entrepreneurs Expo) where children from all over are welcomed to showcase their business service and / or products.
Rebecca Walton at the PowHer Play women’s breakfast in 2014 | Junior League of Houston
But doesn’t it seem like something is missing? If all of these wonderful efforts are in full force, why aren’t more of these wonderful children recognized. Why are more teenagers –(than children entrepreneurs)–dropping out
of school to sell drugs in their communities? It’s as if these misguided kids have a burning desire to succeed in entrepreneurship against an insurmountable administrative wall that demands they get an “education” first. Maybe this crippled consensus is rooted in the historical initiative to protect children from being taken advantage of by the work force. Whatever the reason is, I think it’s time we fuel our efforts even more toward cultivating children business owners. As adults our responsibility is to develop the next generation into viable contributors to our Houston PROFILE Magazine | Spring 2015 4 society.
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Started her entrepreneurial efforts at the age of 5 by selling popsicles at the end of her streets. Her mom is a member of Delta Sigma Theta. By the time she became a preteen she started a kid’s business expo for the City of Houston. Is preparing begin her own design school for other designers her age.
tradeshows, https://www.facebook.com/pages /Text-ShirtsUnlimited/224063084460828
Owner of Text Shirts Unlimited
#1
Houston PROFILE Magazine | Spring 2015 7
Started designing shirts when he was 8 years old.
www.papaertoyclothing.com, tradeshows, popular events around Houston
Owner of Paper Toy Clothing
#2
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Images ©Paper Toy Clothing
Well spoken, cultured, driven, visionary and grounded – simply amazing that this young AfricanAmerican boy can be identified as these things at only the age of 12. Santana Draper recognized very early that it was necessary to not be wasteful. He saw his father provide for him–(which, by the way substantiates how important the image of a father is to his son)–and wanted to take some of the financial burden off of him. So, instead of receiving store bought action figures from his father, Santana decided to make his own to save his father money. It is somewhat unthinkable in this day in age where the majority of 12 year old boys are only concerned with the growing pains and processes of adolescents; that young Santana would be so apt to ease some of the burdens from his parents–simply amazing. Just say it was an added bonus, that he really liked creating his paper toys. He dreamt of different designs and would make his dream real on paper the following days. This circumstance manifested his decision to become a contributor by wanting to make his dream come alive even more while helping his parents financially. His parents loved him just enough to finance his dream. The Draper–Mills family unit is pushing the dreams of young Santana, despite his own struggles to get more exposure for his family brand. Despite the small hills he has to climb now, Santana’s fortitude will make his entrepreneurial road fairly smooth by the time he’s an adult. Get this, he doesn’t watch TV! His daily activities involve school, coming home to do home-work and then immediately off to the literal drawing board. Santana spends the majority of his free time sketching his t-shirt designs. He spends the remainder of his time setting the price points for his shirts. He desires to remain competitive in this industry.
Photo credit: Rebecca Walton
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During the Holocaust his grandmother (while she was sick) would sneak potato peels within the concentration camps to feed other people who were sick. In her honor Adam began Food 4 Them.
http://food4them.wix.com/food4t hem
Founder of Food 4 Them
#3
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Food4them
Adam Hoffman is quite possibly the most endearing entrepreneur in this group. He created Food 4 Them in honor of his grandmother (who is still living by the way) who survived the Holocaust. When she was 16 years old she was placed in a concentration camp, and even though she was sick, she would risk death to sneak out of the barracks at night and steal potato peels to make soup for others who were sick. Young Adam has the propensity to feed people honestly. The journey toward Food 4 Them began with his small efforts in volunteering at the Houston Food Bank. Little by little his efforts grew into a full scale operation that has the acclaim to have gathered and donated over 33 tons of food for people in need to date–INCREDIBLE! Adam doesn’t seem to have any barriers toward success. He is a young, energetic and very wise. He believes in maximizing the capacity of your work ethic and ability. He doesn’t let his youth stop him from doing what he wants to do, and most of all, what he can do. In his own observation, he understands entrepreneurship from a very basic perspective. He defines it as: “Working hard, getting into the free market system that America offers, working the opportunities that we have.” His wise take on entrepreneurship no doubt comes from his support system. His mother Judy Hoffman works right alongside her son nurturing his efforts and perspective toward business and life. As a result Adam understands that we are here to “pass it on”. His dream is to ultimately pass on Food 4 Them to the next generation of leaders who desire to make their contribution. He looks to get an education and finance and ultimately build work in any capacity that will allow him to pass along resources, capitol to those who are in need.
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Her big break came when she personally wrote a letter to Nordstrom’s about her flip-flops and they responded by ordering a shipment. Growing up in Galveston Texas Madison discovered her gift of design at 8 years old. She drew inspiration from where she spent most of her time.– at the beach. “
Nordstrom, Saks, Academy Sports & Outdoors and Bering's. There are FishFlop shops in Canada, the Middle East, the Philippines and Taiwan
Owner of FishFlops
#4
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By: Rebecca Walton Houston PROFILE Magazine | Spring 2015 14
The one thing Eros Shaw failed to consider was the amount of loss he would take in building a non-profit organization. Idealism, motivation and strategy were at the forefront of his thoughts and he knew the reward would outweigh the toll. So he pressed on without weighing the true cost of what would happen to his own family and environment. Then again, idealists always do. After all, Eros Shaw is a man of strength, vision and flexibility. Whatever the toll was, he would pay. The cost to improve the raw conditions of families in his neighborhood was a price he could afford–at least that was what he thought. He and his wife, Nikki responded to the raw conditions in their community through International S.K.I.L.L.S. – a non-profit organization established to repair marriages and families, and to put people back to work and into homes. After the first few years of getting into a routine of activities–hosting children and family events, putting on marriage and relationships seminars, teaching viable vocational skills–Eros recognized how easy it was to lose his heart behind the mission. He didn’t expect for his own family to fall into chaos, nor did he prepare for the many conflicts and failures within his administration. Moving inside these conditions, Eros learned how easy it was to focus on his self. He blamed himself when things didn’t go right, and he picked up the ball when it was dropped by others who were responsible. He was the typical leader; moving forward, making every mistake; nevertheless, moving forward. It was a hard lesson to learn that it wasn’t about him. He was there to serve and to fulfill a purpose that was outside of his self. Once he was able to keep that principle in the forefront of his mind, conflict resolution within his staff was more peaceful, orchestrating events at the last minute were seamless and dealing with chaos in his own family wasn’t so heavy. He appreciated the irony of the bigger purpose he was destined to fulfill—to conquer the very problem he was meant to address in the community, in his own life. Eros Shaw learned that the people he was meant to reach often didn’t have the capacity to receive him. Most people would move on from a person who didn’t want help; but Eros has the gift of strength and flexibility, and he’s been able to find a way when there was no way to reach certain kinds of people. For him this was where he saw God. He started to understand his purpose even deeper. The road he was traveling was not an easy road, but it was his road, and he knew he had the means to do it by God’s grace. He breaks down his means through a special way he likes to classify people. He calls people he is meant to help, threes. He calls people who are just like him, twos. He calls people who pour into him, ones. These are the kinds of people he surrounds himself. A healthy mixture of ones, twos and threes keeps him grounded, gives him the resources needs to keep International S.K.I.L.L.S. going and shows him his own true value when times get rough. He reveals that some people who have been ones didn’t even know who they were. And they weren’t your typical run of the mill rich successful power players either. Most of these people were the elders of the community; people who have lived and had the stories to prove it. Eros finds fulfillment in listening to these people talk about life, happiness, family and how they got over trials – the very things he will Houston PROFILE Magazine | Spring 2015 15 continue to use to keep International S.K.I.L.L.S. going.
Tiramisu Cheesecake
Ingredients · 1 box Nilla Vanilla Wafers, divided · 5 teaspoons Instant Coffee, divided · 3 tablespoons hot water, divided · 4- 8oz. packages Cream Cheese, softened · 1 cup sugar · 1 cup sour cream · 4 eggs · 1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping · 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder Directions Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spread half the wafers onto bottom of pan. Add 2 tsp. coffee granules to 2 Tbsp. hot water; stir until dissolved. Brush half onto wafers in pan; reserve remaining dissolved coffee for later use. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Remove 3-1/2 cups batter; place in medium bowl. Dissolve remaining coffee granules in remaining hot water. Stir into removed batter; pour over wafers in pan. Top with remaining wafers; brush with remaining dissolved coffee. Cover with remaining plain batter. Bake 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan. Top with Cool Whip and cocoa powder just before serving.
Houston PROFILE Magazine | Spring 2015 16 For more cheesecake visit www.cheesecakealamode.com
decisions; their place of power. And that’s okay. But Ramona decided to respond to the mind of Christ and By: Rebecca Walton allow His light activate her glow in her new place. She There is an age old idea that men, women and chil- found that it wasn’t so dark because she was there. dren reflect a kind of hue or color at any given time. Once she became comfortable with her new environThese colors tend to reflect our emotions, mood or as ment, she saw an opportunity and decided to take a hippie would describe our aura. It is our glow. advantage of it. Ramona Walton of Houston TX. is a Christian who is unafraid. Like the old folks say, “She lets her light shine.” She is the opposite of abrasive. She is pleasant and delightful with a smile at introduction. But that doesn’t mean she is without the understanding of sadness and brokenness. Like glow sticks sold at the amusement park, they must be broken in order to glow. Ramona Walton’s spirit was broken after a series of bad decisions. These happenings took her from a place of light to a place of darkness. She found resolve in the only thing she was faced with – her biblical principles, or as Christians like to say, the mind of Christ.
Her transition didn’t take away her affect she had on people, especially young women. Because of what she suffered she’s been able to intimately relate to the sufferings of women and she has been able to minister to them with the mission to reactivate their glow. She campaigns for young women to glow for God regardless of how they feel or where they are in their lives.
Ramona started the non-profit foundation called G.L.O.W. (which stands for Glorifying the Lord in Obedience and Worship) so that she can uplift young women who go through hardships and sufferings. Even though the initiative is still in its beginning stages, her mission is being fulfilled daily through her It’s safe to say that most would use the mind of Christ work at the Star of Hope. As a therapeutic case manto get back to that place light – the place of pre-bad- ager she works with young women every day and she is able to minister Christian principles to them in an effort to get them glowing again. For Ramona, it doesn’t matter where a person is in their life, they always have the opportunity to glow for God. Houston PROFILE Magazine | Spring 2015 17
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The measure of a man against the shade By: Rebecca Walton Kevin Pullam, leader of the Shade Tree conglomerate – Shade Tree Kevin Pullam | Photo Credit: Rebecca Walton Cash Deals, Shade Tree Real Estate and Shade Tree U, is poised to build the biggest and most recognizable real estate investment brands in the City of Houston and its surrounding areas. Currently, no other competitor in the industry is creating trends like Mr. Pullam. Whereas most investors are making leaps in bounds under the radar, cashing in on perhaps the most profitable housing market since the big crash of 07’ , Mr. Pullam, is capitalizing on the trends of generation X, Y and the millennials, and is “coming out” to be the face of his business. Today’s American is not about establishing a thirty year career in one field, going on to retire to the front porch, golf course or card table; as once did our parents and grandparents. The average American is succeeding in several fields at once, while building small businesses on the side—most out of necessity, but quite a few out of sheer drive and inspiration. Imagine the opportunity with a mass group of people with this kind of resilience. The story has changed from “The Little Engine that Could” to “The Little Octopus that Hustled.” Kevin Pullam is creating opportunities across the board for more jobs, more small businesses, and more lives impacted. He is teaching everyday people how to become investors with little to no money. A man with this kind of drive is the obvious alpha in his pack, right? He has the charisma, the agility, know-how, flexibility and strength it takes to orchestrate the protocols, and condition his people to meet the goal lines…? One would think, yes, obviously. But ironically this is not the description of one, Kevin Pullam. Kevin Pullam, like most black men in his generation, is a man who is bred from a debased survivalist way of thinking. Disregarding an the income that people with etiquette and refinement could have used to build an elegant lifestyle, Kevin Pullam was a rebellious youth with sharp intellect who strayed away from physically strenuous activity. As a young adult he made a few (just a few) smart decisions that secured him the path he now travels. Nevertheless despite those decisions, Kevin Pullam still struggles with trusting people who are as transparent as a crystal, and the fear of failure and emasculation. Not to mention the lack of educational degrees the typical CEO, or investment shark has. These cons measure even up against the kind of man who is a borrower and a liability. Ironically this is not the description of one, Kevin Pullam. Well who is he, you ask? Kevin Pullam is just like everyone else who has a dream to become great. He is no different than the average person who makes the decision to act out his plan. What sets him apart is his own way of conquering those cons that are tethered to another kind of man who fails to act. Mr. Pullam is constantly thinking about getting over, getting through, on to the next. And he consistently acts out the schemes he is able to configure in his head. So far every goal he has set has been met; but not without coming up against some walls that people who fail to act would deem insurmountable. How would you handle yourself if untrue seditious accusations about your personal and professional integrity were constantly hurled at you? How would you act if you were supporting a family while building a business in the red that generated millions of dollars per quarter? How would you exercise conflict resolution within your staff? How would you feel, if you found out outsiders were scheming to take your business from you? Kevin Pullam has answered these questions and some twice over with grace, flexibility and a clear vision to the end goal. No matter how inadequate you think you just like everyone else who made a decision to be
are take note from Mr. Kevin Pullam he’s proactive toward their dreams.
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