PowHer Quarter Winter 2015 by HPT Media

CONTENTS

2015

HEALTH pg. 8

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT pg. 9

: Shunvonne McGilbra CORPORATE GAL pg. 10

Supply Chain Planner BASF BUSINESS pg. 12

BEAUTY pg. 13 by Rebecca Walton

HEALTH pg. 14

The Rose BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT pg. 17

: Ivette Weeks HOLIDAY LOVE IT LIST pg. 18

November 2014 - TCWF President, Shantera Chatman sat in the judges seat for this years Miss Black America Co-Ed pageant, which was held in Houston Texas.

note This holiday season I find myself thinking a lot about the things I have acquired throughout years. I have been blessed with a great career and a nice home but in actuality those things do not matter. Nothing really matters without the love of my family and friends. I know it sounds cliché but its true. No gift can ever take the place of walking in the door of my house and seeing my husband or sitting around talking about old times with my family. Christmas is my favorite time of year. Not because of the gift giving, but because of the time spent with those I hold close to my heart. It is a time to relax and get back to being me with those that knew me before the career and other stuff. We all can use a little time to recharge and spend with family. Please do not focus so much on the giving of gifts. Instead, focus on the giving of love and time. After all, it is those gifts that you cannot get back that means so much. It also makes them the most precious. Slow down, relax and enjoy yourself. I promise it will be time well spent. You are worth it. In this issue, we are focusing on business, all things beautiful. That means YOU. How to look and feel your best as you celebrate this season and also how to build, grow and enjoy your business. The ladies we showcase each have a great gift of helping others express themselves. From hair to makeup to improv; we explore ways to look and feel better at home and in the office. In this issue, we make it OUR business to showcase YOUR beauty. Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you so much for supporting the Chatman Women's Foundation and PowHer Quarter magazine.

-Shantera

MAGAZINE CREDITS Lyvia Seraline Contributing Editor HPT Media Rebecca Walton Managing Editor HPT Media

Photography Cover: Point and Click Photography | Stock Photo from Creative Commons on Google Inside Publication: Stock Photos from Stocksy.com | Stock Photos from Creative Commons on Google | Photographer Rebecca Walton, Editorial Design & Graphic Design Rebecca Walton

Volunteer Opportunities at The Day Center The Beacon Day Center is open every Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7:00AM to 3:00PM with four volunteer shifts. 1"Shift 6:45AM — 9:00AM 2" ’ Shift 8:45AM- 11:00AM 3"‘Shift 10:45AM - 2:00PM 4"‘Shift 1:30PM - 3:30PM

Volunteer Duties

VOLUNTEERS

● Prepare and serve meals ● Greet and register clients ● Wash, dry and fold clothes ● Clean up at Day Center closing ● Prepare for next days service

Day Center Groups Volunteering as a group is a great way to build teamwork skills, get to know colleagues and give back to the community. We can accommodate groups of 6-15 people, and with advanced notice, groups of 15-30 people. Our minimum age to volunteer is 16. If accompanied by an adult, children ages 13-15 are welcome.

Volunteer Opportunities in other Programs Brigid's Hope needs women mentors age 40+ and educators on life skills topics. Beacon Law is supported by attorneys, paralegal professionals and law students. Cathedral Clinic volunteers include doctors, nurses, dentists, dental assistants, case workers and psychiatrists. Applicants must be approved by Healthcare for the Homeless — Houston.

1117 Texas Avenue (mailing) 1212 Prairie Street (physical)

www.BEACONhomeless.org 713-220-9737

8 Tidings of comfort and joy may be what the popular song calls for, but they can be pretty hard to find during the hectic holiday season. If you fear burnout is creeping in for you or your team, practicing a few resilience techniques can mean the difference between losing your cool and feeling peace on Earth.

1 Breathe and Break The end of the year brings with it stressors that no other time of year seems to: at work there is often budgeting, fitting in last-minute meetings, and strategic planning for the next year. At home there is frantic shopping, too much baking, and a whirlwind of parties you are expected to make room for in the busy calendar. Teachers have known for years that the weeks leading up to the holidays are the exact wrong time to try to cram in lastminute work. Take a cue from their playbook and schedule your day with fewer tasks and more breaks, getting done the very most important things and letting the others slide. Find time to stop and take deep breaths in the middle of the chaos. The pile in your inbox will still be there the first week in January.

2 Set Realistic Expectations We all have a rosy picture of how the holiday season is supposed to go. When it doesn’t meet our expectations, we’re filled with frustration. But that frustration is of our own making, so being realistic on the front end can curb that freak-out feeling on the back end. No, your toddler twins might not sit still for a greeting card picture, so don’t expect them to. Your grandmother’s holiday roast recipe might not turn out as juicy. And your extended family might squabble from the stress of sharing one bathroom. The holidays exempt us from the real-life frustrations of the other 11 months of the year. Setting realistic expectations ahead of time means we won’t be so disappointed when life turns out to be, well… life.

4 Seek Moderation For years doctors have been telling us that we can’t “catch up” on sleep. The best thing to do is go to sleep and wake up at about the same times every day. The same philosophy holds true for holiday indulgences. Whether your holiday indulgence is food, wine, shopping, sports, sleeping, or anything else, don’t think of the holidays as an excuse for a free-for-all. Having a “feast or famine” type attitude to indulgences means you’ll only rebound harder when the celebratory season is over. Instead, get enough enjoyment out of your indulgence all year ‘round, so that the holidays are only slightly more indulgent than normal. If you gorge on whatever you enjoy now, you’ll only feel the loss more acutely when January comes, and the bleak winter months need all the enjoyment they can get. So don’t “pig out” in December thinking you can stop cold turkey in January. That kind of punishment doesn’t do your psyche any favors. A little here and a little there will bring you a whole year of happiness.

3 Make Time For the Truly Important Things, And Ditch the Should-BeImportant Things Along with setting realistic expectations, the holidays can also cause us to think we have to celebrate in a certain way. Maybe because family tradition dictates it. Maybe because we saw a beautiful layout in a magazine. There are only so many hours in the holiday season. Trying to incorporate every single possible activity or tradition into a few short weeks isn’t enjoyable, it’s stressful. So if you have been trying to make Family Ice Hockey Day, or Neighborhood Cookie Decorating happen, and it just isn’t catching hold, that is okay. Sit down and make a list of the things that are the most important to you and your loved ones, and prioritize those things. By making space for them, instead of cramming the holidays full, you will actually be able to enjoy them more.

By the end of the year, most of us are running on an empty gas tank. But these four techniques for powering through holidays will have you avoiding burnout and feeling like celebrating by the time you ring in the New Year.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Shunvonne McGilbra BROWN HEAD STUDIO The business of health and hair Q&A By: Rebecca Walton Photo by: Rebecca Walton

Shunvonne McGilbra sacrifices the competition of her industry for the sake of educating her clients about the health of their hair. She doesn’t showoff her work in shows, spreads, or shoots. All of her energy is devoted toward educating her client so that they can maintain healthy hair at home. To walk into her salon is to walk into a casual conversation with your girlfriends, except you receive the bonus of getting your hair done by a premier Houston hair stylist. With over 20 years in the beauty industry Shunvonne is in tune with her regular’s hair health and wellness and customizes their regimens to offset any kind of medications that interfere with the luster and beauty of their tresses. The salon is structured for her client. Time is precious and she understands the working lifestyle of her clients. She accommodates them with quick and efficient service, free wi-fi and an

tions. People don’t realize that thyroid medication, blood pressure medication plays a huge part in the health of your hair, and so sometimes people think that your being dry is a topical thing…sometimes it’s not. It has to do with your diet. It has to do with things you put in your body, if you’re taking a new Q: In what ways have you funneled the spirit of pill, you know if [your] formula has changed. Those health and beauty (other than the obvious) into your things play a huge part.” clients. Q: What trials and pitfalls have you overcome in A: “I try to tell my clients that what they put into their building your business. body [reflects onto their hair]… So I try to encourage… medications everything like that plays a huge A: “First of all I believe in myself and I believe in my work. I’ve been blessed to have a great clientele part in your scalp in your hair. that supports me and we grow together. I don’t Q: What kind of medications? know everything and I don’t try to. I know my lane. With my clients they trust me and with [their feedA: “Every time we get a new client we do a consulback,] and me learning their hair , it just ends up tation. [And we tell them that] any type of medicaworking out.”

environment to accomplish a lunch break hair-do. Shunvonne took a moment to answer a few questions about the business of Brown Head Studio and how she incorporates health and wellness into her clients.

713 527 4444 • 8900 Kirby Drive Suite 280C • Houston, Texas 77054 • www.brownheadstudio.com

1110

For 8 1/2 years Brandy has worked various capacities for BASF Chemical Company, to include Production / Operations, Procurement, and Supply Chain. Currently she is responsible for strategic planning and master scheduling of the BASF Acrylic Monomers and OxoC4 Alcohols business. She is the lead for the Sales and Operations meetings, with the overall goal to align with the business needs. She works closely with the Commercial, Operations and Finance Teams which are responsible for the Acrylics and OxoC4 business. She helps to identify, communicate and rectify all demand/supply imbalances and communicates required production schedule changes. Brandy is also an active member of Women's Energy Network, Women on Course, BASF African American Employee Group (Treasurer), BASF Brand Ambassador, and partners with several professional organizations, with efforts of identifying talent for possible career opportunities. She is currently working to obtain her APICS CPIM certification. Brandy is married and has one daughter. Outside her professional arena, Brandy enjoys spending time with family and friends, golfing, traveling, and is a wine enthusiast.

Supply Chain Planner III BASF

Brandy SAYS:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Appearance in the corporate environment is paramount; it not only speaks volumes about who you are as an individual (in regards to self esteem and self respect) but it also shows how you value the success of your organization/employer.â&#x20AC;?

Why is appearance so important in the corporate work space (other than the obvious reasons)? In the business world, it is common practice to be judged by your image. If your appearance and business ethics are not represented professionally, you could very well easily pose an issue that results in losing a potential client. It is always best to represent your appearance in a clean, prim and polished manner. People will take you serious and you will become the label of success. The key point to sustaining a corporate image is the use of common sense and good judgement. Is there a particular kind of appearance we should avoid? I would stress not to be too sexy or too comfortable in your attire. This goes back to the issue of perception; dressing too sexy or too comfortable in a corporate environment could declassify your corporate identity. It could also create an uncomfortable environment for your colleagues and clients. I recommend a review your company's dress code policy, and by all means adhere to what your company requires. What is your opinion on black women embracing their ethnicity in the work space. Is it acceptable? Should it be acceptable? Is it a right or wrong way to do it? In today's business world, many corporations are working towards making their organization diverse and inclusive. I personally think black women should embrace their cultural symbolism's. I am personally familiar with black women who question what is and what is not appropriate when in comes to wearing their natural kinky hair, weaves, braids, twists, etc. The thing that amazes me is

that we are fortunate to have such variety in our hairstyles in addition to our professional dress attire. I am an advocate for promoting natural beauty, along with any other hairstyle that promotes a women to feel their best in the workplace. As long as neatness and cleanliness are presented, I encourage black women to add extra flavor to their overall demeanor (omit green, blue, purple or any other exotic hair colors). At the end of the day, the talent is what matters most. Is there a defining line between being too sexy and not sexy enough? Is this apropos for the corporate work space? If so, how do you identify it in your head to toe look? Does this apply to men. I agree that there is a defining line between being too sexy and not sexy enough. When a women embraces her femininity by dressing and acting the part, there's this natural sexiness that can be present. Any individual who is intentionally too sexy should never bring this into the work place. Save it for happy hour. As a woman, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being too sexy or not sexy enough. There are times when the "too sexy" is brought into the workplace and it results in major distractions for business. Professional women can have a natural sexiness about them without having to go to the extreme. Women can rock their appropriate skirts, blazers, pantsuits, and dresses along with their stylist pumps and look absolutely amazing. Regarding men I think they should save the sagging pants and tennis shoes for after working hours, never in a corporate workplace. Always prepare to be well groomed;

clean shave, or make sure your beard and/or mustache are neatly trimmed. In you own experience, how did appearance contribute to your promotion? Everyday, I make it a top priority to look my very best. I take much pride in representing myself as a professional that everyone in my workplace can count on. My self image has gained me the utmost respect in my organization and I've been awarded numerous opportunities to assist in branding my company as a successful leader in the industry. If you display a top notch appearance, it shows that you take pride in yourself and your role within your organization. It is imperative that employees should familiarize themselves with the company dress code policy and be very observant of your company's culture. According to a survey Careerbuilder.com, 93 percent of executives believe that an employee style of dress at work influences his or her chances for promotion. I can attest to this statement as I've been awarded several career advancement opportunities throughout my career development journey.

12 Houston. In Houston, I continued my career as an organizational consultant, but at a smaller company that embraced entrepreneurship and big ideas. I immediately noticed that the skills that made improvisers kill (a good thing) on stage were the same that set great leaders, teams, and people apart at my clients and in my office. Being able to listen, think on your feet, and trust your ideas and your team’s support were critical to strong relationships, effective collaboration, and leadership. With the encouragement of wonderful mentors, I founded ImproVision, an organization aimed at developing individual and team soft skills through improv comedy workshops. In the last year, I've been blessed to share my passion with oil and gas companies, professional associations, non-profits, and alumni networks. The best part of facilitating these workshops is seeing minds blown when an improv exercise or subsequent discussion changes an individual’s perspective about themselves or the world around them. Here are just a few of my favorite improv lessons for the real world:

SHANNAN SCARSELLETTA

You’ve seen improv, or improvisational comedy. Whether on Who’s Line Is It Anyway or Saturday Night Live or even at a live theater like Second City or Comedy Sportz – you may have seen a team of players create a cohesive performance entirely on the spot – impossible right? Well, you may not realize it, but you already do it every day – at a party with your significant other’s work colleagues, your first day on a new project, that meeting where no one wants to follow the agenda, pretending to be tea-drinking dinosaurs with your daughter... Without a script, you listen, Be present to listen. I wonder how adapt, and improvise. many brilliant ideas go to waste because someone was only half listening. On What I’m here to say is not “try it out,” stage, if you are focused on yourself, on but rather “do it more.” Learning to delivering that hilarious pot roast pun create extemporaneous stories with oth- you've been working on, you miss your ers, or improvising, develops capabilities scene partner’s subtle suggestion that and teaches lessons that enrich your things aren’t going so well at robot personal and professional life. I learned camp. Don’t you want to know more this through experience, and it is my about what’s going wrong at robot mission to share it with others. In 2009, camp!? The audience does, dammit! I had no performance background out- Don’t half-listen to the people around side of portraying an unconvincing, 5’10” you. You’re missing the opportunity to redheaded Tzeitle in my 7th grade pro- embrace their big bold ideas, hear about duction of Fiddler on the Roof. But I felt their day, and learn something new. But stifled and isolated at a gigantic compa- listening requires being present and available. Put away your phone, take a ny in a new city, so took a leap and signed up for my first class at the DC breath and stop thinking about what Improv in Washington, DC.My passion you’re going to say next. Focus on for improv escalated with the speed and someone else, and you will genuinely intensity of a Real Housewives argu- connect with them and earn their respect. ment, and my troupe was soon headlining sold out shows around DC. When my Say yes to yourself and others. It is so boyfriend got a job in Houston, I quit my easy to see why something won’t work, corporate gig and traveled around study- spot the problem with someone else’s ing and performing in LA, Chicago, New idea, and dismiss your own idea as not Orleans, and finally at my new home in good enough. It also gets you nowhere. Improvisers walk onto a blank stage with

no script. If my scene partner suggests we’re on a space mission, and I deny it, we are back to nowhere. Also, my now salty teammate will probably stop making suggestions. But, if I say, “Yes, and as the last two humans charged with the survival of our kind, is it asking too much to have a little romance?” Now we’re getting somewhere! Specifically to an unrequited space romance – great! But, if I don’t trust my own ideas, I'll keep asking my scene partner questions Who are you? Where are we? - forcing him to do all the heavy lifting. It is hard to seek the brilliance in another’s idea; it is risky to offer your own ideas up for slaughter. Push yourself to stop defaulting to no, and start providing suggestions rather than questions. These behaviors are critical to building trust among a team, and to making great leaps rather than baby steps. Embrace failure again and again to dream big. Being innovative is about pushing boundaries, and pushing boundaries requires embracing failure. The people who accomplish big things, personally and professionally, didn’t take one big risk to be where they are. They failed, and failed a lot. Improv requires an almost child-like dismissal of failure. With no safety net, you go down in flames many times with a lot of people watching. But that constant risk is also what makes perfect scenes so magical, and makes audiences minds explode. As crazy as it sounds, back stage after the show, improvisers retell the bad scenes with as much relish as we do the good. Don’t punish yourself for your failures find beauty in them. It can be difficult, even scary, but over time, freeing yourself from the fear of failure liberates you to dream bigger, go farther, and achieve (or at least experience) more. As a leader, the creativity of your team hinges on whether they feel free to take risks and fail. If your coworker or employee falls short of a big goal, publicly applaud them for their audacity. No big ideas come from a group who knows it’s in their best interest to play it safe.

Success is measured in many different ways for many different people. Kathy Bullard began as a single mom, medical equipment sales rep who made a decent amount of money. She lived a decent life. Undoubtedly, during this time in her life most people considered her a success; after all, it seems very exciting to work in a technological industry that produces the latest in medical machinery and innovations – the very equipment that is used to save lives. For Kathy it’s possible that it was exciting at first, but at some point in her career it became clear that she needed something more. That need for “something more” is shared by all people - love, security, freedom, purpose. Yet it is the individual who will determine how those needs will be fulfilled. This is where the measure lies. For some, fulfillment comes when one is finally rewarded with their dream job of traveling the country selling medical equipment, for others it’s finding their one true love. For Kathy it seemed to have been: to have it all. Despite the cliché that most would say is impossible, Kathy Bullard does actually have it all. In some measure at the very least, she has love, security, freedom and purpose. To what extent, only she can reveal. But for those who are privileged to know her, they see the love of a husband, children, friends and colleagues. They learn about the financial security and wealthy lifestyle she is afforded. They get to witness the fearlessness of a person who is so anchored in their own truth, they are free to teach others how to acquire it. And for those who are most fortunate, they get to experience being the object of her purpose, which is to change lives for the better. To look at her outline of success it takes somewhat of a simple mind and a pure heart to appreciate the beauty in her story. With each success throughout her career she accomplished love, security, freedom, and purpose. Take a look at some highlights in her accomplishments. Contact Kathy Bullard at kathybullard@earthlink.net to learn more about Mary Kay and the Adopt-A-Mom initiative.

L ov e

Security

Freedom

os e p r u P

The Power of 3 by : Rebecca Walton

Throughout history the power of three has proven to be an absolute power society has sought after in order to breakthrough barriers, establish empires, and validate laws. Today, we are privileged to witness The Rose—a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing deaths from breast cancer by providing access to screening, diagnostics and treatment services; according to its mission. This pioneering charity has implemented the power of three to save one woman at a time. Talk about women doing it for themselves. According to Chris Noble –Director of Corporate and Business Relations for The Rose— Dorothy Gibbons and Dr. Dixie Melillo (who can only be described as two absolutely amazing women) started The Rose in response to the masses of women that died from breast cancer. They died because they weren't diagnosed early. They weren't diagnosed early due to lack of mammogram testing. They weren't getting mammogram tests because they didn't have insurance. Dorothy Gibbons and Dr. Melillo decided to combine their knowledge of the medical and insurance industries and create a program that would al- low three insured mammogram tests to cover a mammogram test for an uninsured woman. Amazing! One can probably count on one hand the number of insurance plans The Rose does not accept because virtually no woman is turned away from a mammogram test. They even

accept Medicare! There are two brick and mortar locations in the city of Houston and there are five mobile units, which will travel anywhere within the fourth largest city in the U.S. That means a stay at home mom, or a woman on the job can get a lunch break mammogram wherever she is located. The Rose has virtually re- moved every excuse and has given the greatest incentive for all women to get their mammograms – to save a life. There are few dynamics of sacrifice that call for another person to save themselves first in order to save another. The program at The Rose is one of those dynamics. Typically the one who sacrifices is the one who takes a loss, but at The Rose, the woman who simply uses her insurance not only perpetuates her own health and wellness but the health and wellness of another woman who cannot afford to do so. No wonder it's called The Rose for the plant is a symbol of exceptional beauty, which is what The Rose is – beautiful. If you, or any woman you know is of the recommend- ed age to get a mammogram, and is insured please go get tested at The Rose. Make your contribution to perpetuate the life of yourself and the life of another. For more information on how you can get involved with the mission of The Rose, or if you would like to share its platform with your network, log onto www.The-Rose.org

The names Yvette Weeks and Luxe Salon and Spa have become synonymous with beauty and health in Pearland Texas. Yvette has been dedicated to the beautification of women for over 20 years. She first obtained her license in the industry and continued her education by working with a top named Medical Spa in Houston Texas. In 2006 she decided to follow her passion with the opening of her first cosmetics studio franchise and for the next five years concentrated on gleaning all the information she could concerning skincare and product knowledge. In 2011 Yvette decided it was time to venture out into the full service spa industry and with the launch of Luxe Salon and Spa has spent the last three years educating area women on the importance of self maintenance. She has surrounded herself with a personable, knowledgeable and dedicated team that share her philosophy which is "Beauty on the outside promotes inner health and helps increase confidence". Taking care of oneself enables women to be the best they can be and allows them to tackle the tasks around them daily with a better overall mental attitude. Luxe is proud to offer spray tanning, lash extensions, skincare, hair, waxing, threading, and a complete array of nail services. Soon the spa will be partnering with a Medical Director to add Botox injections to it's ever-growing menu. Customer Service is paramount at Luxe Salon and Spa. It is important that each individual who enters the salon feel like they are the most important person in the world. Each experience is customized to the individual needs of the client. The beauty of the salon is only part of the the real picture. From the high end black and white decor to the tasteful art that adorns the walls, the real beauty lies within the smiles that are on the clients faces as they leave highly satisfied. Luxe has a staff that is friendly and outgoing with its clients and dedicated to making them comfortable and happy. They demand a high standard from themselves and that is clearly achieved by that top reviews that you can find all over the internet. Come and visit the amazing staff at Luxe Salon and Spa at 9215 Broadway Street, Suite 115, Pearland, TX 77584.

Holiday L Christmas is my favorite holiday. Could it be because my birthday is Christmas Eve; maybe? This is a wonderful time of year. We are celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ and there are gatherings all over the world to enjoy our families and friends. Here are a few of my favorite things for the holiday season. Of course some items change from year to year but these are my

Family Fun Polar Express: I am taking my nieces to Palestine, TX to ride the Polar Express and have a great family experience. This is fast becoming a tradition in most families. Check it out!

Sports Of course I am an Aggie and Texans fan, but really itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about J.J. Watt. There is nothing left to say but MVP!

Food and Beverage Hot Chocolate: Ghirardelli makes really yummy chocolate. Just add warm milk, a blanket, a fire in the fireplace and your sweetie to make the perfect evening. World Market Nyakers Ginger Snaps: I usually do not like ginger snaps but these are great. They are thin and the ginger is not too overpowering. They are super cheap for a tin and make a great crust for a holiday cheesecake. YUM!

Shopping

Rue La La & Amazon.com: Nothing beats a great deal online. You no longer have to stand in long lines and suffer through traffic to get the best deals on gifts for the family.

Love It List Clothing A&M Jesus T-shirt: I get to remember my favorite team and the reason for the season at the same time. Go AGGIES! Spanx Leather Leggings: You can tell from the cover that I love these pants. You get 2 for one: Tuck & tighten and cuteness in one pair of pants!

Holiday Movies

Music

White Christmas: I cannot go to sleep on Christmas Eve without watching this great classic. This Christmas: This is my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite. We watch it on Christmas Eve while eating chocolate cookies and drinking hot chocolate. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait!