Women With Know How November 2013 Issue

NOVEMBER 2013

12 Amazing

Women

“Making An Impact Award Winners”

D

Dear Readers,

Mimi Zelman Publisher

This month’s issue is dedicated to the 12 amazing women who are the 2013 -2014 honorees for this year’s Making An Impact For A Cause. These women do so much in our community and so deserving of these awards!

Our charity this year was The Sandbox, which does so much to help children facing life threatening illnesses and their families!

Our live auction brought in over $3500 for this wonderful cause!

This is the time of year to give thanks!

I want to thank all my readers and advertisers first and foremost.

With you, there would be no Women With Know How. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your encouragement and support that keeps going and motivated to do all I can to support women in business!!

May all of you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Till next month, Mimi

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Contents

Publisher/President Mimi L. Zelman mimi@womenwithknowhow.com

46

Creative Director Juliana Lievano www.JulianaCreativeDesigns.com Contributing Writers Terri Bennett Elyshia Brook For more advertising information call Mimi at 704-491-1207 or email her at: mimi@womenwithknowhow.com Copyright © 2013

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44 42

10 “Hands-On Health Care” 12

18 When is a Divorce Action like the Government Shut Down?

Turning Facebook Fans Into Customers

On the cover

Making an Impact for a Cause Winners

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healthcare

By L. Barbee byBriana Terri Bennett

“Hands-On Health Care”

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raffic on the interstate crawls to a stop two exits from my destination, twelve minutes before my two-year review with the VP of my company. My daughter’s preschool just called, and she “seems hot” and “out of sorts”. Can I possibly pick her up early?

The blender quit working in the middle of making my daily smoothie and I don’t have the constitution for a $.99 “breakfast sandwich”.

The oil in my car should have been changed like, 6000 miles ago, my mother wants to know if four or five will be better for our family dinner on Sunday (oh, and could I bring a side dish and dessert?), there’s blonde dog hair on my black wool skirt and the thong of my sandal just broke. Deep breath. No Starbucks in sight. Finally at work seated at my desk & quickly scanning my schedule between shoving Goldfish crackers into my mouth & answering the phone at what seems like Grand Central, LIFE just got suddenly got very overwhelming. What now? A

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Bloody Mary at 9am just doesn’t seem practical, but there is a two-hour gap in my schedule this afternoon. If I could schedule some “me” time in between picking chicken up for dinner, yoga & bath time for the little one… Wait. My husband’s mom’s birthday is Thursday… aren’t those movies due back before midnight… I don’t think I have instant rice in the cabi… the phone rudely screams on my desk as I sigh and put my “I’m in charge and totally know what I’m doing” voice on. Sound familiar? Way too often these days.

Let me back up and start at the beginning. Everyday factors combine to turn even the most organized & level-headed person (I fancy myself ) into a raving stress mess. Pain, sleep deprivation, headaches & tension are the usual suspects when you’re not able to relax. But what about everyday LIFE? My day occasionally just stretches out beautifully like Route 66 in mid-August, but other days there are more tangles in my schedule than Carter has pills. Speaking of pills, where’s the ibuprofen?

The Issue If you’re like me, you’re a mother, a wife, a housekeeper, an executive, a chef, a maid, a taxi driver, a soccer coach, a lover (what’s that…?), a problem solver, a friend, a daughter & an overwhelmed mess. Learning more about ‘natural’ relaxing techniques has helped my personal situation, but let’s be honest here – when given the choice between “deep breathing guided meditation” and a tiny little pill to bring those AWOL brain chemicals back online, what’s the most popular (and sometimes easiest) choice? In theory, no one likes the idea of being pumped full of drugs, yet America has earned the name “Prozac Nation” for a reason.

Through a lot of trial & error, a few bottles of cheap zinfandel & eight therapy sessions later, I finally listened to a my best friend and discovered a solution, and it was so much more simple than I ever imagined – bodywork. Massage therapy, neuromuscular work, acupressure, trigger-point-whatever, it works. And it’s been working for thousands of years.

Massage Defined Good “Medicine” Massage therapy is one of the world’s oldest forms of medicine. Ancient Chinese scripts depict massage as far back as 3000 B.C. Massage therapy is traditionally defined as “systematic, therapeutic stroking, rubbing, or kneading

Advertising and Graphic Design w w w. J u l i a n a C r e a t i v e D e s i g n s . c o m

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of the skin and underlying muscle and other soft tissue of the recipient for the purpose of physical and psychological relaxation, improvement of circulation, relief of sore muscles, and other therapeutic effects”. Evolution of the practice and national regulation has turned this once pamperingluxury into an everyday stress maintenance plan. Massage therapists are well-trained health care professionals, not just “relaxation technicians”. Various institutes & universities have spent millions of dollars and countless hours researching the physical, mental, emotional and physiological responses that our bodies have to human touch.

ington, found that massage therapy works better than common treatments including chiropractic therapy and acupuncture to relieve pain, tension & stress from the body. It’s not clear why, but several studies show massage reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol while boosting the pleasurable hormones serotonin and dopamine. By increasing serotonin & dopamine and decreasing cortisol, heart rate slows, blood pressure is reduced and the nerve fibers that signal ‘pain’ are turned off. Massage also increases blood flow to the muscles, which may help them heal faster & retain range-of-motion & flexibility.

A study conducted in Romania in the 1980s of children ages six to 12, showed levels of the stress hormone cortisol were still much higher in those who had lived in orphanages for more than eight months, as opposed to those who were adopted at or before the age of four months, according to a study from Development and Psychopathology.

This study illustrates an important part of our culture that exists just under the surface – physical contact, human touch & interaction can literally aid the body in growth & healing.

Therapeutic massage benefits many different groups of people - various ages, body types, those afflicted with certain syndromes, illnesses or diseases. In recent years, it’s become a known fact that most pain originates in the soft tissues of the body. For example, headache pain often originates in the subscapularous muscles of the upper back & in the small, rigid muscles of the neck and head. Lower back pain typically is a soft tissue problem in the quadrates lumbered & gluteal muscles, which can contract & squeeze the sciatic nerve, resulting in pain, tingling or a “shooting” sensation in the legs. Many people become immediately concerned there is a disc

The Facts Researchers at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Wash6

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problem as opposed to muscular pain, not realizing the sciatic nerve is approximately one-inch in diameter and easily affected by muscular contractions or tension. Knee or leg pain may signify tension in the quads or hamstrings, resulting in tightening of the patellar tendon.

National membership-based massage franchises like LaVida Massage, Massage Heights, Hand & Stone and Massage Envy are making it easy to find the right massage therapist for everyone.

These companies require certification, licensure, and insurance & in some case an Art of Healing license for the protecAMTA, the American Massage Therapy tion of both client & practitioner. MasAssociation, states in a recent research sage therapists are required by law to article that, “Physicians and other follow the Health Insurance Portability health care providers are increasingly & Accountability Act (HIPAA). They folrecommending massage therapy to low the “primum non nicer (first, do no their patients as a supplement to traharm)” of physicians and doctors. If you’re ditional health care. According to one looking for a safe place to get bodywork, national survey, 54 percent of primary these are the places to start. Ask a friend care physicians and family practitioners for a recommendation. Go in to your lowould encourage their patient to pur- cal center & ask for a tour. Meet the therasue massage therapy as a treatment. pists. Ask questions. Google your state’s Consumers surveyed over the past massage laws & get yourself informed. three years say that when they discuss And then, get yourself an appointment therapeutic massage with their physifor massage. Try a 90-minute session, too. cians, more than 70% respond favorTrust me, your therapist would much ably.” Some insurance companies now rather have the extra time to make sure allow a certain number of massage vis- they hit all those problem areas. My MT its when prescribed by a Physician, and could spend three hours on my shoulthe IRS considers prescribed massage ders alone. Speaking of, I have a phone therapy a qualified deduction for Flex call to make. ● Spending & Health Savings Accounts.

Wait. So this feels fabulous, it’s good for me, and my HSA dollars will help me pay for it? Sign me up.

FIND THE RIGHT PRACTITIONER

Briana L. Barbee Center Director LaVida Massage at the Promenade o. (704) 708-5044 bbarbee@lavidamassage.com

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GoodWork Staffing

Congratulates...

Jessica Hoffman “Elite Advocate for Women” Award Recipient

A Division of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont

Changing Lives Through the Power of Work!

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technology

by Mercedes Tabano

Turning Facebook Fans Into Customers

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ith 1.26 billion people on Facebook, it’s easy to say that your customers are already on Facebook.

Many businesses have already flocked to Facebook Fanpages in an effort to reach more customers. However, many businesses are missing the mark when it comes to how to use Facebook. While they might have all the technical abilities down, such as posting, adding tabs and having a great cover, turning likes into actual money is more difficult than that. This article will show you how to truly turn your fans into customers.

Decide On The Purpose For Your Page It all starts with deciding on the purpose of your page. There are three reasons a business uses Facebook; for a for brand exposure, to monetize directly, or for customer service. A Facebook Fanpage is capable of doing all of these, but not all at the same time. Businesses who try to use their Fanpage for everything at once are often left with no fans. Once you decide on you page’s purpose, then you

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will know what kind of posts to make.

For example, a monetize goal is about getting people to click on links to buy something. Therefore, you need to get your fans used to clicking links by offering them interesting articles that they need to leave Facebook in order to read.

If your goal is brand exposure, then you should focus on being helpful. ; Offering useful tips about your industry is a great way to accomplish this.

Only a few businesses use Facebook for customer support. In fact, this is a somewhat risky practice for businesses that are unsure about social media. Whatever you say on social media can be taken out of context and will live forever. It’s for this reason that most small businesses skip it for customer support entirely.

Images and engagement are also key on Facebook. Even links should have a fun image. In order to get your fans talking, you should ask questions like which state they are from, what’s outside your window or name a word that starts with the ‘letter’. These types of engagement posts should be made several times a week.

Size Matters Size in this case refers to who sees your page, and bigger really is better. At any given time, you can usually only capture the attention of 10% of your market. Of these 10%, only around 6%-10% will actually engage with a page, commenting, sharing and just being social.

out increasing your budget. A typical Facebook ad can start for as low as $5 a day.

Facebook automatically optimizes your ad to keep showing the most popular ad.

How Penny Clicks Can Ruin Your Budget If you’ve spent any time online, then you’ve probably heard about penny clicks. People used to say that getting penny clicks was If your page has fewer than 1,000 peothe goal on Google, and now they say ple, then you can expect very little in the that about Facebook. However, there’s way of interaction. This can also make one thing wrong with penny clicks; they the business feel frustrated, as if they are don’t matter. The goal of your page is not posting, but no one actually cares. True to get the most fans; it’s to get the most interaction does not really begin until targeted fans. A targeted fan will buy more you reach 5,000 fans. Being able to truly than a non-targeted one. When it comes monetize your page does not happen to ads, it’s always about the return on your until around 10,000 fans. investment and how much a “like” is worth, instead of penny clicks. For example, if your Ads, Your Secret Weapon product is on the high end and each ”like” So, how do you get all these fans? Suris worth around $100, then you won’t prisingly, the answer is not through the mind spending even $2 a click. On the organic growth that many social media other hand, if each “like” is only worth a .01 gurus talk about. While it’s true that organ- cent, then penny clicks just aren’t worth it. ic growth does happen it usually doesn’t bring in significant numbers until around How Often Should You Post?

10,000 people. With the right ad, you can As often as possible would be the short easily attract 100-500 people a day to your answer. However, it really is more compage. While finding the right ad can be a plicated than that. At any given time, bit of a trick, Facebook has recently added only 16% of your fans are seeing any a wonderful split test feature. After insert- one post in their new stream. This is ing your text and image, Facebook will another reason that size matters. You give you the option to test with up to 5 want your post to be seen by hundreds more images. Once Facebook approves of people, not just one or two. Ideally, your ad, you can actually go back and you should be posting at least 10 times change the text on all 6 ads as well witha day, once every hour.

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Once you get 30 fans on your page, you’ll have access to Insights. Insights will give you valuable demographics about your market, like their ages, gender, and more. It will also show you when the busiest time for your page is.

That’s when you’ll want to post. If your page is super busy for longer than 10 hours, then you might want to consider posting more often than 10 times a day.

This can be accomplished with the use of Facebook’s built in scheduler.

A Little Known Way To Make Extra Money With Your Page…

Even if you have a page that focuses on brand exposure, you can monetize it further through the use of t-shirts.

People love to wear t-shirts of their favorite brand or topic. Once, selling t-shirts meant finding a print on-demand company and ordering hundreds at a time.

Fortunately, today there is a site called TeeSpring. TeeSpring is a site for crowd funding t-shirts. Simply upload your design and set a limit for it. Then post the t-shirt to your page. If it meets your goal within the specified timeframe, then the t-shirt prints and you get money. If not, the t-shirt doesn’t print, and everyone who ordered it gets their money back.

The TeeSpring method has been known to bring in as much as $2,000 per month for small, individually owned business.

Imagine what it can do with a larger one.

Using Facebook can dramatically increase your business. However, most business who use it fail. This is because their purpose is unclear, they have too few fans, and they don’t engage or post enough. However, with the right social media strategy, your Facebook page and your business can thrive. ● Mercedes Tabano mercedestabanoii.com/ www.facebook.com/DynamicDimensionsMarketing” \t “_blank” https://www.facebook.com/ DynamicDimensionsMarketing LinkedIn: Mercedes Tabano II

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legal

By Leigh Sellers

When is a Divorce Action like the Government Shut Down?

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he Government is shut down. Every day we watch politicians bicker on the nightly news and talk shows.

They pass the blame along to the other side; they insist that they and they alone, are in the right. They steadfastly maintain that they will not compromise, and that the other side must do more. Both sides insist they are doing what the American people want them to do.

While the elected officials fight each other, focusing on their respective agendas, nothing works. People are not getting benefits, or being allowed to work, obligations are not met, the markets react to the uncertainty, and the American people are very dissatisfied.

The two sides are fighting so hard to stick to their positions that ultimately, the cost could be higher than what the other side has sought. The American people just want resolution.

Sometimes, a divorce action looks very much like what we are seeing in Washington. Two sides fighting every issue, 16

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consumed with their respective positions, spurred by their belief that they are right and certain that ultimately they will prevail and the other side will fail.

Giving ground to the other side is unthinkable. A concession is equivalent to failure. Both sides become entrenched.

Sometimes, they become so blinded by the fight that everything else and everyone else in their lives are missed.

Any divorce action takes a toll on the participants. It can affect their jobs, their relationships, their health, their bank accounts and their general outlook on life.

But the goal of any divorce action is to resolve the issues and move on with life.

So, how do you prevent a shut down of your divorce action and move forward?

Some people turn to the Courts for resolution. A Judge will force the compromise. A Judge can decide what you will loose and what you will win. But there are no winners regardless how good an outcome in Court is for any particular person. There is a huge personal cost in a “scorched earth litigation� approach, particularly between parents.

It is not necessary that you agree with what the other side wants. It does not matter whether you agree the other side deserves to have what they want. It is simply necessary to accept that they must gain something. When you are going through a divorce or separation, until there is resolution, there is no movement. Nothing works; you are stuck in a place of uncertainly; the costs are high; there is anger and pain.

To move through and determine an outcome that achieves what you need, you will have to allow the other side to do the same. The best way to approach a negotiated settlement is to step back and try to be as objective as possible. Take as much of the emotion your position embodies, and look realistically at what you want to accomplish and what the other side needs to accomplish. This is hard to do. But the right people around you can help you get to that place.

The end result might not feel like victory

to you. But it won’t feel like victory to the other side either. Certainly, everyone has things they believe are worth a fight to the end. Just remember the other side feels the same way. Hopefully, you will find a way to make sure both of you can walk away with a result you can live with. And then, maybe, you can work on our representatives in Washington.

For more information on the process of separation and divorce resolution visit our website at www.kruschlaw.com and click on the tab about Alternatives to Court. ● Leigh B. Sellers Board Certified Specialist in Family Law Krusch and Sellers, P.A. 5950 Fairview Road, Suite 808 Charlotte, NC 28210 Phone: 704-556-0707 Fax: 704-553-7824 www.kruschlaw.com

CLICK ON AD TO VIEW OUR VIDEO

Any resolution outside of a courtroom demands compromise. But it also requires something more. Resolution requires accepting that the other side has goals that must be addressed. Fighting to meet your own respective goals, while blind to the fact that the other side also has needs, will accomplish nothing.

No one will agree to a resolution that doesn’t take meeting his or her needs, in some respect, into account.

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family

Simple Swaps To Make Holiday Meals Better For You

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The only thing harder than passing smear of mayonnaise. Instead, top up a delicious dish at a party is trying this traditional sandwich with delito talk yourself out of eating holiday cious, smooth Sabra® Hummus to leftovers the next day. While everyone save fat and calories. is entitled to a little indulgence now and then, it’s possible to have your • If you want to cut a lot of extra carbs traditional turkey and cranberry sand- out of your holiday diet, skip the wich and eat better too. stuffing. Instead, try wild or brown rice with your turkey.

The trick is to cut calories whenever you can, and that means making • Once you’ve filled your plate with simple swaps. Here are a few ideas to crudité instead of a high-calorie apget you started: petizer, don’t dip carrots and celery sticks in a vat of ranch dressing. Try • The day after a festive meal, stack a dip made from Greek yogurt, like your sandwich high with leftover Sabra Cucumber & Dill Greek Yogurt turkey, lettuce and cranberry sauce.

Vegetable Dip. But don’t blow it by adding a big

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Holiday Turkey Sandwich with Hummus and Cranberry

• Cut the fat and calories in mashed potatoes by making a dairy free option with creamy hummus instead of butter or milk.

• I t’s easy to drink a lot of extra calories during the holidays. Fancy coffee drinks, eggnogs and sugary cocktails can really pack on the pounds. Stick with seltzer-based drinks, sugar-free hot chocolate or herbal teas.

•O n very special occasions, enjoy a bite or two of a truly decadent dessert.

Then, switch to fruit-based sweets or treat yourself to a sugar-free beverage.

You may even find yourself a little lighter and healthier after the holidays. For more great snack and recipe ideas, visit www.sabra.com. ●

Recipe provided by www.smithbites.com Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: 10 minutes 2 slices sourdough or hearty country bread 1/4 cup Sabra hummus 2 leaves bibb or Boston lettuce 2 thin slices purple onion 2-3 slices leftover turkey, sliced about 1/4-inch thick 1/4 cup cranberry sauce

Salt and pepper to taste • Spread both pieces of bread with hummus, then layer lettuce, purple onion, turkey, cranberry sauce and another layer of lettuce, salt and pepper; add top piece of bread, hummus side down.

Hummus Mashed Potatoes Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 45 minutes Yield: 6 servings 6 yellow potatoes, or about 5 cups peeled and cubed 1 1/3 cup Sabra hummus 2 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and fresh pepper to taste 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges • Peel potatoes and place in bowl of water to cover to prevent discoloration.

• Cut potatoes into 1 1/2-inch cubes and place in medium sized pot with enough water to cover and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

• Bring to boil and simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until fork goes gently through potatoes.

• Once cooked, drain potatoes and place back into pot over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until moisture comes out of potatoes and they appear dry.

• Remove from heat. In same pot, start mashing potatoes with masher.

• Add 1 1/3 cup hummus, oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Top with sprinkling of fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedge to squeeze over top.

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What a success our 2nd annual Making An Impact For A Cause! Thank you again to all our sponsors and all who attended! We had a blast and raised over $3000 for The Sandbox!! Congratulations to all our honorees Photos By Jim Graziano of Snap Werx that truly make an impact in our great

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www.womanwithknowhow.com NOVEMBER 2013

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12Women Amazing

“Making An Impact Award Winners”

Amelia Old, editor of Pretty in the Queen City, is a former international talent agent. She was named Best Creative Professional in the 2008 American Business Awards, hailed as the “business world’s own Oscars” by the New York Post. In 2010, Amelia closed her agency to focus on the development of Pretty in the Queen City, a national lifestyle blog.

She’s an avid product researcher and writer, sharing her reviews and experiences through a variety of outlets. She has experience with digital media, brand marketing, product development and product launches both in the U.S. and Internationally. In addition, Amelia also assists nonprofit organizations with public relations, communication and ideation.

Most Impactful Women Amelia Old Pretty in the Queen City 704-930-1992 Twitter @PrettyintheQC

She is the current President of Social Media Charlotte, Board Member for All We Want is LOVE , Public Relations Director for the “18 Holes of Kindness- Golf Tournament, is an Ambassador for The Sandbox and handles all public relations for Transcend e.d. She will compete in the Mrs. South Carolina America Pageant as Mrs. Ballantyne America on November 9th 2013.

Amelia believes inner strength is the key to reflecting individuality and that many ignore their dreams because of self doubt and the first step in succeeding is believing in yourself. If you don’t, no one else ever will.

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April Oliver, CFP® has been with Ameriprise Financial in Charlotte for 11 years. She began as an employee advisor, moved up to a management role and then opened her own office on the franchise side of the company in 2006. The priority of April’s practice is to give her clients financial peace of mind by being their personal “CFO” and building a plan that encompasses all the areas of their financial lives.

Elite Wealth Advisor April M. Oliver Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 7401 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Suite 300 | Charlotte, NC 28226 Office: 704.540.7171 | Fax: 704.540.0168 april.m.oliver@ampf.com ameriprise.com

April works with her clients in the areas of planning for retirement, investment management, estate and tax strategies, and college savings. Community and professional involvement includes: Charlotte MBPW (President Elect, Public Policy and Past Treasurer), Dress for Success (volunteer presenter), Girls On The Run (coach), Charlotte Iowa Alumni (Past President), Women’s Impact Fund, Financial Planning Association, Million Dollar Roundtable, and Charlotte Magazine’s 5 Star Wealth Advisor Award.

A native of Iowa, she graduated with a BA in Business Management from the University of Iowa. She lives with her husband Jason, daughter Claire and dog Chief in the Plaza Midwood area.

Web site: http://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/april.m.oliver/ LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/aprillundyolivercfp

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Elite Small Business Owner Carly Gardner Leap of Faith Clothing (919) 247-3971 www.leapoffaithclothing.com carlygardner@leapoffaithclothing.com

Leap of Faith Clothing, LLC. is a Charlotte based company started in 2011. LOF clothing will inspire kids, big and small to use their imaginations! Our signature cape tee will quickly turn the wearer into a superhero of their own making! Our personalized tees will have you celebrating your inner super hero persona with creativity and playfulness. Whether you are a “Captain Cayden”, a “Jumpin’ Joey” or a “Superwoman Samantha” these pieces will have you saving you own little world! We are your one stop shop for personalized products that are perfect for gift giving! We now carry Monogrammed jewelry, Clutches, Bridal Wovens, Active T-shirts, Baby One Pieces, and much much more! My work experience thus far has given me a good knowledge of fabric construction, washes and color standards.

Gained experience with printed garments, using different print techniques. Launched multiple screen tee and denim programs. Created good relationships with my team members. Completed a Six Sigma project on Cycle Time Reduction.

Completed a mentoring program. My experience with Stella and Dot truly changed my outlook on life and work! Creating a business by building relationships really helped me develop to the next level and take the chance on opening my own business. Leap of Faith Clothing LLC. is currently a children and pet tee shirt line. Our specialty is creating tees that inspire the imagination! We currently offer personalized products that are perfect for gifts. Running under LOF is a new company called Style Gather. Style Gather is a social selling platform of women’s fashions and accessories! Both companies are very different and we have something for everyone!

Specialties: advertising, brand management, color, concept development, data warehousing, development, financial, inventory management, leadership, marketing, meeting facilitation, merchandising, microsoft mail, microsoft office, pricing, product management, quick, research, sales, six sigma, television, tops, trend, sales, relationship building.

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Claire Blocker is the President of the HeartBright Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to advocating for individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease. Claire works in the community to create an awareness and understanding of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease in our region through local, regional, and national channels. Prior to her current position, she was President of Eventworks, a national logistical management firm providing planning, management and implementation services for conventions, trade shows, and corporate new product introductions.

Elite Educator Claire Blocker

In the fall of 1994, at only 47 years of age, Claire had a stroke. In March of 1998, she had a heart attack and learned that she had eight major blockages; 90-95% blocked, and needed quadruple heart by-pass surgery. At that time, she discovered she had genetic heart disease. Two years later, in April of 2000, Claire was selected by the South Carolina Cardio Pulmonary Rehabilitation Association as their first “Patient of the Year” recipient. She was awarded this honor because she modeled the attitude needed for the cardiac patient to fully return to life. In addition to her own personal commitment to lifestyle change, she advocated for others with heart disease through contributions made as a volunteer in the community hospitals, the Rock Hill chapter of the Mended Hearts support group, and as a continued member of the Women’s Heart Action Team in Rock Hill, South Carolina and a nationally recognized WomenHeart member. In October of 2002, Claire attended the Science and Leadership Symposium for Women with Heart Disease at the Mayo Clinic to further her personal education about heart disease.

In 2003 Claire and her husband Tom Blocker founded the HeartBright Foundation to ensure that others would not get as sick as she did. She leads the HeartBright Foundation with not only with firsthand experience as a cardiac patient, but as a person who wants to help others face their chronic care issues with as much knowledge and advocacy as she and her volunteers can provide. Claire has been an exemplary model for those who need to understand that a positive attitude and a willingness to seek the answers can make all the difference in overall wellness.

At HeartBright, patients are taught to not only self-advocate, but to cooperate with physicians to manage their health and future quality of life. In 2010, Claire led HeartBright and her team as they were awarded the National Access to Care, Treatment and Services Award as she accepted the Foundation’s award in

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Elite Health Care Provider Dr. Tia R. Konzor The Renfrew Center Psychiatrist Charlotte, North Carolina tkonzor@renfrewcenter.com

Dr. Tia Konzer received her undergraduate degree from Albion College, a small liberal arts school in Michigan, and graduated in 2000 with a major in Biology and a double minor in Chemistry and Psychology. She completed medical school in 2004 at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine – Midwestern University. Dr. Konzer then moved to East Lansing, MI, where she completed an Osteopathic Internship with a psychiatric emphasis, a General Psychiatry Residency, and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship through Michigan State University. She is board certified in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. While training at Michigan State, she received additional training specializing in Sports Psychiatry, working with elite athletes from adolescence through college and into the professional levels.

Moving to Charlotte, NC, in 2009, she continued working with elite athletes of all levels including the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats, USA Olympic Canoe and Kayak teams, Winthrop University and local high schools. She is currently working as the psychiatrist for The Renfrew Center in Charlotte (one of the many locations of the nation’s first and largest eating disorder treatment facilities). She also works as Associate Medical Director at Strategic Behavioral Health Residential Facility and is the Medical Director for Mélange Health Solutions. Dr. Konzer serves on the Leadership Board for The Sandbox - a Charlotte non-profit organization that assists kids with cancer and other life altering illnesses by providing empowerment for the children and their families in their greatest time of need.

She also serves on the Board of Directors for Psych Dogs America. This Charlotte-based non-profit organization helps to educate the public and mental health professionals as to how psychiatric service dogs can saves lives and help those with mental illness live happier and more productive lives. Originally starting as Psych Dog Charlotte, the organization name changed to better encompass the communities that had already been served nationwide.

Dr. Konzer enjoys attending music performances/concerts, playing soccer and remaining active, engaging in activities and service through her church, traveling, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.

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Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

Jessica is the Director of GoodWork Staffing, a Division of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, a non-profit temporary staffing firm. She was recently promoted in January after starting with Goodwill as Staffing Manager in 2009, after four years in staffing on the for-profit side.

Most Impactful Advocate For Women Jessica Hoffman Director, GoodWork Staffing Services a division of Goodwill Industries 2122 Freedom Drive P.O. Box 668768 Charlotte, NC 28266 c: 704.201.5114 f: 704.916.1650

Goodwill was losing money in staffing but she helped to turn this around to nearly 2 million dollars in revenue. In the past four years, Jessica has grown Goodwork Staffing to 280 employees with 3 locations. Jessica has garnered huge accounts rivaling the biggest staffing firms in the city. Jessica was promoted to director last year and sits in a top leaders meeting of the overall Goodwill (youngest member of this team).

Jessica has served on the Annuvia Board of Directors, as well as led the Human Resources Executive Committee from 2010-2013.

Jessica also served on the Charlotte Junior Chamber’s Board of Directors as Vice President of Individual Development.

Jessica graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communications from UNC-Charlotte.

Jessica resides in Charlotte, NC with her husband, David, Yorkshire Terrier, Mr. Big, and they are expecting their first child in January.

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Most Entrepreneurial Women Kathy Gruhn My Baby Compass | Author | www.mybabycompass.com 2266 Shagbark Lane, Suite 100 Matthews, NC 28104 Phone 704-846-3007

Kathy Gruhn brings 35 years of child development experience to the creation of her My Baby Compass series. Holding both bachelors and masters degrees in speech and language pathology and a certification from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA), Kathy’s educational background is extensive. Yet, her diverse clinical experience working with both children and adults in hospital, school and home health care settings is what truly impassioned her to develop the My Baby Compass program. Kathy’s passion for speech pathology began when her father had a laryngectomy and was left with an electric larynx that made his voice robotic in nature. After attending speech therapy sessions with her father at the Mayo Clinic, Kathy knew she had found a career path. Later, in 1973, Kathy met Mother Theresa in India and was impacted by the spiritual leader’s energy for children. When Kathy returned to the United States, she combined her passion for speech therapy with her love of children. One of Kathy’s most rewarding career experiences – and a key source of inspiration for her My Baby Compass program – came while working in a United Cerebral Palsy Developmental Center, an environment composed equally of children with normal and delayed development. Through the therapy she provided and the relationships she fostered, Kathy witnessed great progress and improvement in the children. She soon realized that she was providing more than just insight and strategies for these families – she was giving them hope. With this in mind, Kathy developed her My Baby Compass program so that everyday families, like yours, can help your children and watch them flourish in this same way. A mother of two adult children, Kathy and her husband live on a farm in Weddington, N.C., near Charlotte, where she has completed the My Baby Compass series and is trying her hand at blogging. When she’s not at home, Kathy is traveling the country as a sought-after speaker on child development.

My Baby Compass allows a parent to record their baby’s development through quick and easy checklists. This information may be shared with a health care provider to give you confidence and peace of mind that your infant is meeting his milestones. In addition to the six age-elated booklets composing of over 275 skills, there are matching activities to enhance your child’s development. The reference manual includes sign language, appropriate vocabulary, helpful nurturing ideas, and pages to record your child’s progress. It also has a guide for what to do if your child is not meeting his milestones.

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Paige Sheehan is a member of the Corporate Communications team at Duke Energy. For the past eight years she has specialized in crisis communications and served as a media spokesperson for organization.

Elite PR/Marketing Paige Sheehan Duke Energy Director of Regulated Utility operations Communications 704-382-6982 phsheehan@duke-energy.com

Currently she leads the public relations team for the company’s chief operating officer for regulated utilities and she teaches a number of communications courses offered to Duke Energy employees. Paige also helps prepare executives for challenging media interviews. She also leads a team of talented PR generalists who support Duke Energy’s regional presidents and their staff in North and South Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Our group’s primary focus is to support the company’s regulatory and legislative objectives through effective communications, education and advocacy. We also provide executive speech writing support, offer PR counsel and craft and execute comprehensive communications strategies on challenging issues.

Prior to joining Duke Energy she led Public Relations for Mecklenburg EMS Agency and worked in PR at an academic medical center. Paige began her career as a broadcast news producer in upstate New York.

In North Carolina, Duke Energy also makes grants to community and technical colleges that provide training for manufacturing and related industry served by Duke Energy. The foundation’s website provides a list of eligible community colleges, grant applications and instructions for applying. For more information on this program, contact Paige Sheehan by phone at (704) 382-6982 or e-mail (phsheehan@duke-energy.com).

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Most Philanthropic Women Robin Devore Corporate Director of Compliance, LIFESPAN 200 Clanton Rd Charlotte, NC 28217 (704) 523-0100 rdevore@lifespanservices.org www.LIFESPANservices.org.

Robin Devore is the Corporate Director of Compliance and the Executive Director for the Piedmont Programs at LIFESPAN. She has been employed with LIFESPAN for 19 years.

Robin has a true passion for working with individuals with disabilities and has been doing so since she was a young girl volunteering with Special Olympics and in classrooms during her middle and high school years. She is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Robin is currently a Member of Health Care Compliance and is involved with the IDD Workgroup for Cardinal assisting with developing best practice modules for individuals with developmental disabilities.

She has been in the human services field for 26 years.

An advocate and volunteer, she is a past board member for Playing for Others (2007-2009) and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Odyssey of the Mind.

Robin resides in Charlotte and recently purchased a new home. She has one daughter, Savannah, who lives in New York City. Robin is an avid reader and enjoys scrapbooking, and spending time with her friends and family. She also enjoys traveling, especially trips to the beach and now visits to New York to spend time with Savannah LIFESPAN, Inc. is a non-profit organization, dedicated to empowering the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Mission LIFESPAN empowers children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing education, employment and enrichment opportunities to live, work and play in their communities.

Company Overview LIFESPAN, Inc. is a mission driven, non-profit organization that has been operating programs for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for thirtyeight years in North Carolina.

LIFESPAN empowers children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing education, employment and enrichment opportunities to live, work and play in their communities.

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Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

Sabrina Winters has been assisting clients in all areas of estate planning and probate for 14 years. After practicing in New York for 4 years, where she was born and raised, she and her husband wanted a change. They wanted to build their family and future with a better chance at a happier and healthier quality of life.

Charlotte provided this for them, which is where they moved to and where Sabrina began to build her Estate Planning and Probate law practice.

Elite Attorney Sabrina Winters Attorney at Law, PLLC 15720 John J. Delaney Drive Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28277 p: (704) 843-1446 f: (704) 973-0773 swinters@sabrinawinterslaw.com www.ncestateplanninginfo.com

Sabrina’s firm focuses on assisting families and business owners with all areas of Estate Planning (Last Will and Testaments, Revocable Living Trusts, Advanced Directives, Tax Planning, Medicaid Planning and Veterans Pension Assistance). No matter what stage in life, Sabrina has the experience and resources to plan an estate to meet her clients’ needs, wishes and goals. In addition to general estate planning services, Sabrina also assists clients with potential tax issues in implementing advanced tax planning strategies such as Dynasty Trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts and IRA Trusts. Sabrina also assists families with Probate matters; in alleviating the cumbersome and time consuming task of handling the estate of a deceased loved one. Her firm will assist the Executor and Administrator in obtaining an appointment to act on behalf of the Estate. In addition, she will assist in navigating the Probate Court and will handle all aspects of the Probate.

This includes filing documents with the Court, collecting and distributing assets, filing accountings and making distributions.

Sabrina understands that her clients are not required to retain her and that when potential probate clients meet with her for the first time that they are often times still grieving. She not only provides her legal experience, but she brings her personal experiences in having handled her uncle and father in law’s estates. Her client’s feelings are not only respected but are also understood on a personal level. Sabrina has been invited to speak to businesses, civic associations and parishes in the Charlotte area. In addition, she provides educational programs to the community throughout the year. She is a member of the Charlotte Estate Planning Council and has been named by Business Leaders as one of the Top 50 Entrepreneurs in 2012. In addition, her blog was voted by LexisNexis in 2011 as one of the top 25 Blogs on Estate Planning and Probate. Sabrina is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

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Sandra Guynes is artist, educator and advocate. She earned a Master’s of Science in Nursing Education from Walden University and Bachelor’s of Science from Hampton University.

She has utilized her nursing degree and experience to teach in both the undergraduate level and at the community is currently on faculty at Carolinas College of Health Sciences.

The focus of her health education career has been to create holistic and healing arts programs that help women gain confidence and provide a safe outlet for expression.

Elite Mentor Sandra Guynes President Pearls for Creative Healing Charlotte, NC www.pearlscharlotte.org www.hipchickphoto.com.

704-817-8793

Sandra is an eleven year veteran of the arts community and founder of two latin dance companies Clave Tumbao Dance Company and the Mambo Room; a studio for latin dance and cultural arts in Virginia Beach, Va. As the owner and artist at Hip Chick Photography, Sandra uses her craft to engage the community and provide photography as a form of expression, healing, and storytelling. In 2012, Sandra along with her husband Odell Guynes, founded the non-profit Pearls for Creative Healing focusing on utilizing the arts to raise the awareness of domestic violence. The organization serves the community by bringing creative arts programming that empowers women, educates the community and raises awareness of the crime that is domestic violence.

Sandra has been featured locally and nationally for her work with the arts and education . Most recently she was recognized and honored by Latina Magazine as a Inspiring Latina.

Known for her philanthropy and civic engagement, Sandra has been able to create arts and dance scholarships for youth, extensive fundraising programs for the children’s hospital in Virginia Beach and provide mentorship to children and women.

In her own words: “Everything I have learned has been through the care and love of other wonderful women. I have been surrounded by mothers and sisters who celebrated my successes and picked me up when I failed. I hope to continue their legacy by being a Pearl of Wisdom to others.”

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Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

Elite CPA Susan C. Benton Wilson Partner Boatsman Gillmore Wagner PLLC 5970 Fairview Road, Suite 402 Charlotte, NC 28210 O: 704-552-0553 F: 704-496-2210 www.trustbgw.com

Susan is a North Carolina CPA specializing in the area of tax. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a major in Accounting, and obtained a Masters of Science in Taxation degree from DePaul University in 1980. Her background includes 7 years with a national accounting firm in their Atlanta and Charlotte offices, 9 years in private industry, and 4 years with her own tax practice before merging with Wagner Noble & Company in 1998 where she was a tax partner. Wagner Noble & Company merged with Boatsman Gillmore PLLC in 2012. She now serves as a tax partner and the partner in charge of the tax division at Boatsman Gillmore Wagner PLLC. She serves both business and individual clients with tax compliance as well as tax consultations, planning and examinations.

Susan is a member of the NC Association of CPAs and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She is also a member of Metropolitan Business and Professional Women, which is a part of a state and national organization. She has served on both the state and local levels in various capacities for this organization and has been a member for over 20 years. She enjoys volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte.

She is married and has 3 step children and 8 step grandchildren.

She collects panda bears and enjoys cross stitching, reading, and landscaping.

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Are personal relationships why most consumers frequent small businesses?

From the mom and pop coffee shop to the small bookstore just down the street, people enjoy the personal interactions and convenience small businesses offer.

face interaction with its customers. Respondents also wanted a small business to be local, convenient and reliable.

Grow online: To account for consumers’ desire for personal relationships, small businesses should have a big presence on the Internet, but only 41 percent of In a recent survey about interactions small businesses surveyed even had a between consumers and small busiwebsite. Those without a website said nesses from Web.com, more than eight they didn’t see the need for one, or the out of ten consumers said it’s important cost of designing and maintaining a that a small business is customer-fosite was a barrier. On the other hand, 83 percent of consumers who responded cused and provides personal, face-to-

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said having a website and use of social media is important to their consideration and choice of a small business.

with too much of a good thing. Keep your messages consistent, concise and professional.

“Small businesses have historically relied on face-to-face relationships to grow and differentiate themselves, but today’s consumers are demanding that these relationships extend into ‘e-Main Street’,” says David Brown, president, chairman and CEO of Web.com. “Our survey found a significant disconnect between how small businesses decision-makers think they are delivering on customers’ expectations versus the reality of consumers’ perceptions.

The good news is small businesses are starting to realize the web’s untapped potential to reach consumers who are eager for online engagement.”

If you’re not sure how to get started, the Internet offers a lot of resources about how to successfully set up your online presence and use Google, Facebook and Twitter to market and grow your business online. You can also find information online at www.Web.com.

Stay in touch: Everyone knows how important it is to stay in touch with friends. If you’re a small business owner, don’t forget to stay in touch with your customers so they won’t forget about you. Use social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, along with email to notify your customers about special promotions or to just remind them about the great benefits you offer.

While it’s easy to blast an email to every customer or post an endless stream of cute pictures on Facebook, it’s important to not overwhelm or annoy them

Provide personal service: Set your business apart by giving every customer the personal interaction and convenience they crave. Simply asking customers about their purchases or how you can serve them better gives you a consistent stream of information you can use to refine your goods or services and increase sales. Make sure every employee understands the value in talking to customers and tracking feedback.

The bottom line for every small business is that consumers are demanding online interaction and involvement with businesses, both big and small.

Consistently reaching out to your customers through a website, social media and face-to-face interactions will help your business thrive.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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family Open For Business Choosing The Right Model For Your Small Business Dream

M

Millions toil away in their office cubicles, dreaming of owning their own piece of the American dream. Meanwhile, many entrepreneurial thinkers are using rough economic times as the catapult for making their small business dreams come true.

With so many types of business models available, it can be hard to determine which one is the best fit for you.

Brick and mortar Commonly thought of as the most

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traditional of plans, this business model involves businesses housed in physical buildings from which they sell their products. One major advantage of brick and mortar businesses is the personal interaction typically achieved between consumer and owner. Since the retail experience is part of what’s for sale, physical appearance and location of the facility need to be factored into the overall cost of running the business. Due to the rising popularity of online shopping, many brick and mortar busi-

convenience of a mouse click. Many businesses with a physical location also have a long-standing relationship with customers, and this can help boost their internet sales. This online component allows the entrepreneur to be well-positioned to compete with other online businesses. One disadvantage of the brick and click model is the higher overhead required to run both a physical location and keep a website fresh and current.

Many examples of successful bricks and clicks businesses are retailers which, in particular, sell clothing and nesses are turning to the internet, footwear. Local customers can go in combining a physical location with an to try on the wares physically and online presence. However, small busi- then purchase from the comfort of nesses that offer services that cannot their own home. These same cusbe purchased through the internet, tomers know they can ship items like hair and nail salons, still thrive anywhere with the easy distribution with this method. provided by the online component.

Bricks and clicks The “bricks and clicks� model is typically used to describe a business with a both a retail and an online location. A major advantage of the brick and click model is it allows customers to see the product physically, coupled with the option to buy products with the

Franchise A franchise is a business model that involves two parties — a franchisor and a franchisee. Franchises are a good fit for those with an entrepreneurial spirit but who also may lack

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Affordable Fashion Tips for Dressing Your Best

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stylish legwear from Hanes. Whether you’re looking for a silky sheer nude or a seasonless black tight, Hanes offers a variety of styles that offer a comfortable fit for all body types at an incredibly affordable price, thanks to their exclusive availability at Walmarts across the country. Perfect for year-round wear, Hanes legwear worn with a dress, skirt or even So, how do you keep up with the latest shorts can really elevate your look. Pair fashion trends on a budget? The fashion them with chic, high-heeled boots or experts at Hanes offer some affordable pumps to be ultra on-trend this season.

If you plan on sporting the chunky, lugtips and tricks: soled shoes or boots appearing on the runways, go for Hanes’ opaque tights Start with the basics - Select a few staple pieces that coordinate well togeth- which provide heavier coverage. er and can be mixed and matched with other items in your closet. Think black and Classics are always on-trend – Love every look that goes down the catwalk grey pencil skirts paired with white, grey but don’t know where to start? Choose and black tops. These timeless and traditional basics can be mixed and matched an inexpensive trend or two each season to add a little flair to your existing with pants, cardigans, sweaters and accessories in a variety of colors and provide look and over time your wardrobe will build as the seasons change. This year, the perfect canvas to build an outfit. everyone is wearing bold, monochromatic colors, like cobalt blue and glamA little legwear can go a long way – For an elegant finish to your look, add orous gold. Complement these trends With each new season comes the familiar urge to shop and stock up on the latest fashion trends. Whether you’re dreaming of the looks heading down the runway or shopping at your local thrift store for fabulous finds, it can be hard to get everything you want without breaking the bank.

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with affordable Hanes legwear in contemporary sheers, lace or opaque for a complete look. Find the latest styles for under $6 exclusively at select Walmart locations in your area.

and handles are also all the rage but just make sure to select a color that complements your everyday wardrobe.

The key to building a great wardrobe is keeping it updated with a few affordable trendsetting pieces each season. But before Always accessorize – The ultimate acyou go shopping, sort through your clothes cessory worth a little splurge is always the handbag. Filled with your daily must- to determine what still works and what haves and part of your everyday routines, should be given away to charity or sold at handbags are one area of your wardrobe your favorite consignment store. After all, that may just be the most splurge-worthy any money earned on things you no longer but make sure to invest in something that need can be reinvested in new fashions to is designed to last. The latest look in hand- keep you looking and feeling your best. � bags are structured bags with an old HolPhoto courtesy of Getty Images lywood feel inspired by the looks of the silver screen. Shiny metal chains, clasps

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Will your money last?

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Having a plan and the right financial solutions can help you put a confident retirement within reach.

As an Ameriprise financial advisor, I’ll work with you to define your retirement dreams. Then, I’ll apply our disciplined financial planning approach, considering all aspects of your finances. And together, we’ll create a plan that works for you — with the products and strategies that are right for your goals.

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Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients. Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results. © 2012 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.