Women With Know how May 2014 Issue

MAY 2014

Sarah Batista

Award Winning TV Journalist, Entrepreneur & Speaker

Cooking Gifts For MOM

Can I Resolve Things Without Going to Court?

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Dear Readers,

This issue is dedicated to all Mothers.

On Mother’s Day, pay your most humble tribute to Mother!

Mothers are everything for us when we are small... our lives revolve around her. For everything that we need we call mother.

To protect us from all perceivable dangers we want her around us. To take us out we hold her arms. To kiss away our wounds we run to her. And for a warm hug and love we look for her. She is the focal point of our lives, the greatest human being in the world or should we say divinity on earth. On the special occasion of Mothers Day pay tribute to your mother - the greatest blessing of God on you.

On Mother’s Day Thank your Mother There is simply no way we can ever really thank mother for all she has done for us. She is the one who will be awake all night when we are sick. Praying to God to make us well and be ever ready to bear the pain that we may be experiencing. She is the one to wake up early in the morning to make the nicest breakfast and endure all our tantrums. Mothers are the ones who would forever complain that we are not eating enough or not eating right. They would cook all sorts of things so that we be strong and healthy. Mothers infact, worry more for our examinations than we must. They would take pains to complete our school projects leaving all other works behind while we play around with friends or just while away time watching movies.

On Mother’s Day Apologize to your Mother Mothers are the one on whom we put all the blame for our failures. We would not hesitate once to point her single faux pas though she would not miss even a slightest opportunity to praise us. Isn’t it tough to imagine how she must have borne our temper tantrums when we were teenagers? And how hard we must have made her life by behaving so rude and difficult. And yet she was so astonishingly cool. It easy for the kids to be so demanding from parents, specially mothers as we take her affection and care so much for granted. Most often to the extent of selfishness. Mothers Day is the right time to apologize for all the troubles that we gave to our moms, without even realizing at most times how troublesome we must have been to her.

Celebrate Mothers Day with your Dear Mother Mothers Day is the perfect day to celebrate the joys of having a mother. It is the time to make amends for not being able to spend quality time with her. So turn your wrongs right by making all efforts to give a perfect Mothers Day to your mother. Think about her likes and dislikes about gifts and idea on celebration and act accordingly. Strive to make Mothers Day absolutely hassle free for your mother and take the responsibilities on yourself for a day. Pamper her a little on this special day of hers just as she pampers you all the year round. Give her a warm hug and a big kiss as you wish her a Happy Mother’s Day! Hope all our readers who are Moms have a fabulous day!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mimi

Mimi Zelman Publisher

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Contents

6 Publisher/President Mimi L. Zelman mimi@womenwithknowhow.com Creative Director Rebecca Fairchild www.facebook.com/AzureDoorCreative

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Contributing Writers Terri Bennett Karen S. Boardman, Esq. Elyshia Brook

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For more advertising information call Mimi at 704-491-1207 or email her at: mimi@womenwithknowhow.com Copyright Š 2014

32 Can I resolve things without

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going to court?

60 Cooking gifts for mom On the cover Sarah Batista

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professional spotlight 6

Katherine Issacs

By Mimi Zelman

KTeas, Owner

How did you get started in this business?

I have to chuckle---or should I say in the modern vernacular: LOL! I devoted my first blog entry, “ HYPERLINK “http:// oflifeandtea.blogspot.com/2010/07/ spirit-of-tea.html” The Spirit of Tea”, to explaining why I can’t easily answer that question, because I can’t trace why/ how/when Tea took such a profound hold on my heart and soul. It just is, and seems to have always been.

On the other hand, much of what I talk about in that blog can trace the road

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which brought me to the intersection of life and tea that became KTeas. I was the Tealady before there was the internet to adopt usernames and handles on, because of my Love of All Things Tea. I took tea parties to housebound friends, I turned an afternoon of watching movies (on VHS, to date myself ) with the family into a tea party, and we always seemed to have at least one cupboard packed with teas. The Hospitality of Tea, the Ritual of Taking Tea, and the Spirit of Tea seeped into the Everyday for me.

Fast forward to when my husband and

I moved down here to NC/SC and then our daughter back in VA got engaged and I went back up there to help her with wedding planning. She knew my love of Tea and she took me to a tea room that had opened up after DH & I moved away!

I fell in love with it and joked that I would have to open one where I currently lived just so I’d have it to hang out in. I told my husband this funny idea when I got home, and he responded with “Why not?” I scoffed: “Me? Have a business?

Yeah, right.” However, it sank in over the months of repeating this exchange that he was serious and I could have my own tea business.

You’ll notice I said “I’ll have to open a tea room”, but KTeas is not a tea room.

At first, the concept of a tea room was the only way we knew of to have a tea business. Two pieces of advice in particular from the owners of that tea room most-strongly shaped what KTeas became. They told us to establish our own brand of tea, told us how to go

private-label—which made total sense for us in light of the fact that from the very beginning, I have desired to create my own blends (not carry exclusively our own blends, but have our own blends all the same) [more about blending in the challenges question], and they told us not to wait until we had a place. Get established with our brand first, work fairs and festivals and shows, plus find gift shops and other stores that will allow us to sell our products in their premises, before we ever try to open our own doors. Plus they told us to get a web presence. As we began looking into those two matters, we decided to start slow: start out with our own brand sold through a website: HYPERLINK “http://www.KTeasOnline.com” www.

KTeasOnline.com, and be on the lookout for fairs and festivals and so on to grow local awareness of KTeas. We wouldn’t even worry about the tea room until a few years down the road. Time passed, as time does. We attended industry conferences and education, and we met other small business owners in the tea industry. Thus, we came to realize that at the end of the day, a tea room is a restaurant, and we don’t have what it takes to run a restaurant. With remarkable timing, we began to see articles in tea industry magazines about a growing trend of tea room owners deciding they don’t want to be in the food business, their passion is the tea and that’s what they want to focus on, so a growing number of “dry tea purveyors” are opening tea shops where they sell the dry tea

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but don’t serve tea; at the most they have a small station where they let shoppers taste samples of teas of the day.

We recognized ourselves in those stories. We are Dry Tea Purveyors. Our passion is the Tea. Hence, we might open our own dry tea shop one day, but for the present, KTeas sells dry tea and tisanes, tea ware and accessories, baking mixes for scones, shortbread, biscuits, and other tea-related products like books, primarily on our website. We do have the good fortune of teaming up with some local businesses who sell KTeas products so that we have some local presence as well. Presently, KTeas products can be found in The Painted Attic (was The Celebration Cottage) in Rock Hill, SC, and in the KTeas space at BLACKLION Pineville (South Charlotte).

Meanwhile, we attended the World Tea Expo, the leading industry conference gathering tea people across every aspect of the Tea Trade from all over the world, to meet and build relationships with the tea wholesalers from whom we would get our tea.

It is important to us to know of Culture and Origin (where the teas are grown) just as much as to know about the taste of the teas we offer, but we are not yet in a position to visit Origin, to Source the tea ourselves. Hence, we vetted potential tea partners who do travel to Origin and import the teas into the U.S., we got to know them to learn who we knew

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we could trust as far as (a) the quality of their teas, (b) the fact that the workers on the plantations and in the factories that the wholesalers deal with are paid and treated fairly (Fair Trade, Direct Trade, Ethical Tea Partnership, etc.), and (c) the teas and tisanes they make available to us are as much as possible organic (more about that under the challenges question) or at the very least coming from plantations practicing sustainable growing. Having chosen to go private label, we needed to find such tea partners who would package those teas for us using the KTeas name after we tried the teas, ourselves, and selected them to literally carry our name. I really like it that two of our three main tea partners are woman-owned businesses. The third one was woman-owned when we began working with them, but unfortunately the owner passed away unexpectedly and the business that bought her business so that her husband wouldn’t have to close it down entirely is not woman-owned.

Furthermore, over the years attending World Tea Expo, we’ve cultivated relationships with the owners of some tea plantations so that we get select teas “direct from the grower”: from an Indian tea estate, a Sri Lankan estate (Sri Lanka used to be called Ceylon, and the teas are still called Ceylon), and a cooperative of tea gardens in Hawaii!

Part of our Passion for Tea is our desire to Share our knowledge and passion

with others, to Inspire an appreciation of the Camellia Senensis (the tea plant) leaf and of Rooibos and other herbals made into tisanes, and of terroir (it’s not just for wine!). To that end, another reason we’ve attended the World Tea Expo every year (sadly, due to a change in date of the Expo resulting in a conflict for us, 2014 will be the first year we’ll miss the Expo since we started) is to attend multitudes of educational sessions and tastings and workshops. We have also begun the journey through the Specialty Tea Institute’s certification program, so that we are Certified Tea Specialists aiming to be Tea Sommeliers when we complete all the levels of certification. I have also attended the Tea 101 Masterclass from Elmwood Inn Fine Teas and the Tea & Etiquette Masterclass from Benjamin Press (of Elmwood Inn) and Dorothea Johnson (founder of The Protocol School of Washington). Continuing Ed, you might say, so that we, ourselves, can provide the best possible education.

We seek venues (since we don’t have our own brick-&-mortar location) where we can conduct tea classes and tastings and pairings, etc., in order to share our Passion for Tea. Right now, as KTeas has reached our 5-year benchmark, we’re in the process of making the switch from sole proprietor to LLC. We feel like we’re growing up!

What is your background-what were you doing before this business?

I have a M aster ’s in Librar y & Information Science. I specialized in Cataloging and worked in libraries the

bulk of my career before making a business of being a Tealady. One of my positions was at the Ohio Historical Society and while there, I got to work on building OHS’s first website when the WWW was in its infancy. That was a remarkable experience, and in a way it may have been the start of my moving toward being an online tea purveyor. The World Wide Web kind of opened up the world for me. I love the detail work and the sense of both history and storytelling that I fairly breathed in, doing library work, and I have found that all of that carries over into the world of Tea very easily. What’s more, my love of books and reading and storytelling has inspired me to a possible next step in my Tea Journey: I’ve begun working on writing some fiction books or at least stories, meant to be Tales from the Intersection of Life and Tea. Another chuckle or LOL: my library background allows for another tie-in with tea and books. I parallel a book character! One of the first people we met in the tea industry: Melanie O’Hara Salyers, who owned a tea room in Johnson City, TN, has become an author, herself, beginning with a murder-mystery series called

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The Traveling Tea Ladies. One of the title characters starts out in the first book as a Librarian (a children’s librarian) and ends up deciding to take over the tea room that another of the characters is selling in order to take the next step in her own career, so that the librarian becomes the owner of her own tea business! I promise you Melanie didn’t know about my library background when she wrote the books, in fact that character is openly based on a librarian friend of Melanie’s where she lives----but I think the striking parallel, after I pointed it out to her, might be what prompted my own 15 Minutes Of Fame when Melanie asked me to write the Foreword to her second Traveling Tea Ladies book: Death in Dixie!

What is a good early story about your business?

Obviously, from what I said about the World Wide Web above, I realize that the WWW makes this a small world, a global community. Nonetheless, we must confess to being startled when the KTeas website got its first international orders! We had already received orders from all over the U.S., but then not only did orders from Canada pop up, but we actually received orders from Australia and from the U.K. Yes, England. A bit like “coals to Newcastle”, but we have shipped KTeas to the U.K.!

Speaking of the U.K., another thrill came from a colleague of my husband’s, his U.K. counterpart who occasionally (very occasionally, in the current financial climate) is flown over by their employer to take part in face-to-face meetings.

The first story associated with her is

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that when she learned we were starting a tea business, she thought it was grand fun that she, the Brit, drinks coffee and we, the Colonists, drink tea and were starting a business for it! The thrill, though, comes in when, for one of her visits across the pond, on a day that she & my husband and various other folks would be in an all-day training class, I sent in to work with my husband some teas and some scones I baked from our baking mixes, to fortify them through the day. Well, the next time that U.K. colleague was being flown over here, she contacted my husband beforehand and reported that she likes our scones better than anything she can get at home in Britain, would I be so kind as to bake her some in her favorite flavor?

To give credit where it’s due, the credit for that goes to the woman who created the baking mixes, who we met at the afore-mentioned World Tea Expo.

She had been supplying the mixes to inns and B&BS all around the country and these establishments would use the mixes to prepare scones and biscuits for their guests. Apparently many of them had been asking her for private-label resale bags of the mixes that they (the inns and B&BS) could sell to their guests to take home with them. It was fortuitous for us that we found her when she had begun offering the private-label mixes: because we’d already made the decision to go private-label with the teas, it made sense to have KTeas scone mixes and her other baking mixes as well! She did such a marvelous job creating the mixes and making them so easy to prepare, that I was able to wow the Brit with my scones

baked from our private-label mixes provided by The Scone Lady!

That is also an example of how we love to work with other small businesses, both local and not-so local (The Scone Lady is in Indiana, her day job is teaching at Perdue University), which I’ll speak more of under another question.

Who are some of your most notable clients?

One experience we’ve had that was notable and we’re very proud of is: in January, KTeas had the incredible opportunity to go to Hollywood! At one of the celebrations during Golden Globes weekend, we got to meet upwards of 130 celebrities and introduce them to the KTeas brand! We may just have to create a product category for our “Hollywood Line” of the products we presented to the celebrities that day. In the album on our Facebook page where I have merely begun to upload the photos from that day, you can see and read about which 4 teas we let them sample, the scone mix with recipe cards for some luscious variations, some tea-infused chocolate truffles, hand lotions made with our teas—and our signature blend tea: Serenity Waltz, which we were privileged to debut at the Golden Globes-related event, both as one of the samples of tea and as a bag of tea that was presented to each celebrity we met that day. (More about the truffles, lotions, and our

signature blend under later questions.)

Some of the celebrities we met that day have tweeted about our teas, so I think it would not be a violation of privacy to name them: Jennifer BlancBiehn, Patrick Gallagher, Carla Renata tweeted when she actually ordered more tea from us! Another notable client came to us as one of the international orders: a restaurant in England, Terre a Terre, contacted us about obtaining a large quantity of a particular tea strainer to use as they implemented a new Tea menu!

Even more interesting: the strainer they got, Mary Pop-In Teapot Spout Strainer, comes to us from Australia! As I said before, it’s a small world!

As notable as those clients are and as proud as we are of those interactions,

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I’d have to say that the customer experience/interaction I’m the most proud of is: One of the international orders came in the form of an email from a woman in South Africa whose daughter worked as an au pair in Texas. The daughter’s birthday was coming up, and Mom wanted to send her a nice homey comforting basket of teas and a couple of baking mixes. The daughter was particularly fond of Rooibos: a plant native to South Africa that is naturally caffeine-free and has been used like tea for centuries, there; and Mom was especially pleased to see that we had a number of Rooibos, plain and flavored, on our website!

I worked with her to choose the best products from our website, and worked with B.J. Greer of Southern Charm Gift Baskets to make a beautiful basket of the chosen products to send to the daughter in Texas for her birthday. Mom’s note to tell me that her daughter had received the basket and absolutely loved it was so very heartwarming.

Another reason I am especially proud of that customer experience is that I’m also proud of the interaction with a fellow small business: we were able to work together, to help each other fill that customer’s needs. That provides a direct segue into the next question, which deals with “how we roll”.

What is unusual or unique about your business, in comparison to your competitors or similar businesses?

Our passion is Tea, to be sure; that’s why we’re Dry Tea Purveyors and we chose not to go the Tea Room route,

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as I explained above. We love the tea room experience, ourselves, but for two reasons we chose not to make that our business: (a) I already mentioned that a tea room is a restaurant, and we quickly realized we don’t want to go into the restaurant business. (b) While we love the atmosphere and ritual of traditional tea parties, our passion for tea is by no means limited to the notion of Afternoon Tea. We realized recently that in the 5 years KTeas has been in business, we’ve not stipulated our Vision or our Mission Statement. You might say, though, that both revolve around our primary tagline, which appears in our logo: At the Intersection of Life and Tea plus two other taglines we’ve come to use over our 5 years: The Tea Experience of the 21st Century and: Indulge in the Extraordinary.

We’re all about all of the intersections of life and tea, which is why we don’t want to stop with Afternoon Tea. We’re not talking about excluding the traditional delights of Tea. We’re talking about Inclusion of so much more--the tea experience of the 21st century, exploring all the intersections of life and tea that we can find.

We teach classes about tea, conduct Tea Tastings, and Tea & Food Pairings when and where we can. I’ve mostly done Tea & Chocolate Pairings (you’ve heard of Wine & Chocolate Pairings?

Well … ) so far, but I want to learn more, myself, about Cooking With Tea and then be able to do a broader range of Tea & Food Pairings. I’d love to expand on

teaching Tea & Etiquette classes.

Some of the “off the beaten path” intersections where you can find KTeas are: We have some tea-based cocktail mixes for a different sort of Tea Party!

We found a tea partner (at the World Tea Expo) who also makes luscious artisan truffles and we’ve begun to carry some tea-infused chocolates from them, as well as several varieties of Europeanstyle Sipping Chocolates, some of them tea-infused, which are like sipping a chocolate bar, for reals! “Indulge in the Extraordinary”, remember? Furthermore, one goal we have is that we’d like very much to have some local fine-dining restaurants serve KTeas tea and we’d love to go in and teach their staff about tea so they can better serve their diners!

You might raise an eyebrow at that, and indeed we used to think maybe that was a far-fetched goal, but then we learned that some of our instructors at the World Tea Expo, the owners of The Cultured Cup in Dallas, had closed the tea shop except for an appointment-only tasting room so they could concentrate on supplying tea and training to fine restaurants around Texas and elsewhere. So we know that goal is something that is do-able, though we haven’t quite figured out yet how to approach it in our neck of the woods, and it remains a goal. Another form of Pairing we like to do is to pair up KTeas teas like the ones mentioned in the books we carry, with the books like The Traveling Tea Ladies series, for your sipping pleasure as you read the books.

Furthermore, as I’ve already mentioned, I want to write a series of Tales from the Intersection of Life and Tea. Off the

beaten path. The Tea Experience of the 21st Century.

Another aspect of KTeas that might be considered unique or unusual is that we delight in working with other companies. I’ve already given the example of The Scone Lady who makes our luscious baking mixes. The artisan chocolates and the sipping chocolates come from a small business in Montana who we met at World Tea Expo, just like The Scone Lady; they’re also one of our tea partners, and I’ll get more into that aspect of working with them under the challenges question.

We are even more proud of supporting local small businesses! Yes, tea comes from all over the world, and we ship KTeas all over the world. Nonetheless, we promote Shop Local, being a Locavore: we advocate the use of a local dairy farm’s butter and buttermilk to prepare the baking mixes no matter where we ship those mixes. We suggest that the person we ship the tea to in Portland, OR, say, use local honey and local milk in their cuppa. Just to name a few examples of supporting local business handin-hand with KTeas products.

Furthermore, not only do we support Shop Local, but KTeas loves to team up with other local businesses. I’ve mentioned teaming up with Southern Charm Gift Baskets; that was not a one-time event and we look forward to many future interactions. Plus, not only does The Celebration Cottage (now The Painted Attic; I’m told the new owners will have a website and Facebook page soon) sell our products, but I’ll be working with Libby Miller on Murder Mystery Tea

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Parties in coming months. Our interactions are not limited to strictly tea-related businesses, either---remember, we’re all about the intersection of life and tea: KTeas is joining forces with Karen Preston’s Cajun Canvas for Mother’s Day in what we both hope will be the first of many “pairings” of our businesses: I will conduct a mini Mother/Daughter Tea Tasting and Etiquette lesson, and then Karen will conduct the painting session.

I mentioned tea-infused hand lotions being given out at the Golden Globes party. Those were the result of meeting Amanda Sefton, the owner of Simply Divine Darling, at the 2013 Decadent Dreams Chocolate Festival and learning that she would love to make lotions and soaps and such products using tea. We sent her a couple of teas to start with and she made the lotions, they were a big hit, so we’re getting more made and plan to expand the line! Sandra Strauss and I found each other at a PBWA and are talking about ways that Harmony Oaks Farm and KTeas can join forces.

And breaking news: We’re very excited about a budding new relationship with a local business: The Enchanted Olive, an olive oil and vinegar tasting bar in Mooresville, NC, has approached us about adding KTeas to their wide array of products, because they like working with local businesses! While that restaurant in England counts as our first wholesale venture, it was most likely a one-time occurrence. We see The Enchanted Olive as opening up a new wholesale avenue for us, and we are extremely excited about teaming up with The Enchanted Olive because we believe that will lead

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to many new intersections of life and tea!

What are some of your greatest challenges in your business?

KTeas faces three major challenges: (a) Perhaps the biggest drawback to not having our own brick-&-mortar location—in addition to making it difficult to find locations where we can hold our tea classes and tastings—is that we don’t have a DHEC (Health Dept.)approved commercial kitchen. That is a challenge on several levels. One is that we cannot package our own teas. Since we made the decision to go private label, we have to rely on the tea partners who will package private label for us before sending the teas we order to us. It is wonderful that they do that for us, make no mistake, but we are limited by the types of packaging each tea partner offers, so that we do not have one consistent type of packaging. Furthermore, the Direct-From-the-Grower teas I mentioned above are not KTeas private-label because the plantations don’t private-label package and because we don’t have an approved facility, we cannot re-package the tea when we receive it into packages that have a KTeas label.

Another level of this challenge is that from the beginning of KTeas, I have wanted to create my own blends of tea.

Without a health-department-blessed facility to do the blending and packaging in, I can’t do my own blends and sell them. I’ve had a blend that I’ve wanted to make since before KTeas even got started, which others told us should be our signature blend when we did start the business, but without the right

licensing and so on, we haven’t been able to do it. (More about that in just a moment.) For about half of 2013, we thought we’d found the answer to our prayers: Lancaster County was trying to get the Lancaster County Agribusiness Development Center up and running.

KTeas would have been able to rent the sanctioned kitchen space to do repackaging and blending. Furthermore, it would have given us a chance to make special packaging for special occasions, say wedding favors, for example.

However, the County Council ended up tabling the entire idea in October of 2013, even though the Center was the proverbial “this close” to opening its doors. We were heartbroken, and we’d met other small business owners who looked forward to the Center who were also devastated at having this rug pulled out from under them.

One mitigating factor, though: one of those relationships we built at World Tea Expo came to our rescue: We learned that one of our tea partners makes “house blends” for restaurants and other businesses. So they set about trying to create the KTeas signature blend to my specifications. They went through several trial runs of sending us samples and asking for our input, but they did get it—just in time to package the KTeas signature blend for us to present to the celebrities at the Golden Globes party in January. That tea partner is the same one who makes the artisan chocolates, so the next step will be to create a tea-infused artisan truffle with KTeas’ signature blend! (b) The Organic question. There is

no easy “yes or no” answer to the question: Does KTeas have organic teas? The short form: we do have teas that are organic, however, KTeas is not able, at present, to put the USDA Organic seal on our labels or even proclaim that the tea is organic without the seal. As I discuss in the blog entries, this is a challenge for many small food businesses, such as local honey and family-owned vineyards, not just tea. In principle, the regulations concerning “organic” on the label exist to allow the consumer to have confidence that the product they’re looking at really is organic, or really does contain some organic ingredients, and that’s a good thing. As we all know, there are unscrupulous folks who, as soon as something becomes a buzzword that consumers are going to seek out, will put the buzzword, such as “organic”, on their label even though the product is not really organic, just so they can cash in on the trend and/or so they can charge more for the product. So it’s good that the regulations exist in an attempt to keep those unscrupulous folks from foisting non-organic products on an unsuspecting public and giving a bad name to the truly organic products. However, the inspection process is lengthy and extremely expensive and all too often the smaller companies cannot afford to undergo the process and perhaps also cannot take the time away from running their business to work with the certifying agency. Not only that, but regarding my statement that we have organic teas but they can’t be labeled as such: the tea partners who package private label for us: they are certified, that’s why I can say

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we do have organic teas. However, the way the regulations are, the tea partners cannot simply put the USDA seal on the KTeas labels because the organic chain (think chain of evidence in a police investigation) is broken at the point that the tea partner puts the KTeas label instead of their own label on the product. There is a lot of work to be done so that that tea partner can put the USDA seal on the KTeas label, but we are among the aforementioned small businesses that are too bogged down in running their business to pull away and get the certification work done, not to mention not being able to afford to pay for the certification yet. Thus, I’m always placed in a difficult position when asked if KTeas has organic teas. We do, I can honestly answer yes--but we don’t have the visible evidence of that in the form of the USDA seal on our labels, so unless I have a chance to explain all of that to the person asking, I look like I’m lying when they don’t see “certified organic” on the label. (c) Health benefits of tea. This is possibly the biggest challenge. Oh my, how I would love to talk about all the various health benefits of camellia senensis and of rooibos that we’ve learned about since we started on our Tea Journey. I would love to go into more detail about the antioxidants and polyphenols and flavonoids and how they are “good for you”---so far as I understand them, as a layman, not an herbalist, not a trained medical professional---and I’d love to talk about the growing body of knowledge about Dark Teas, of which Pu’erh is one, how they’re supposed to be such good digestive aids and may even act as a

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natural statin. There’s so much fascinating information about tea and its health benefits---but strictly speaking, I cannot say a single word about it. This is similar to what I just related about the organic challenge; only in this case, it’s the FDA regulations that hobble me. Again, this is an ongoing education for us. We agree that it’s a good thing that the FDA is cracking down. I was upset even before we began KTeas, on general principle, by commercials and ads I saw in print, making outrageous health claims about tea----their particular tea that they were charging lots of money for because supposedly this stuff would melt belly fat magically all by itself, or cure some condition, or prevent cancer, or whathaveyou. It’s just like putting the word organic on the label to attract the attention of the public who has been exposed to a new notion and goes looking for it. So I am actually relieved that FDA is starting to take action against those folks. The trouble is, probably as a function of the FDA being understaffed and underfunded, they’ve kind of swung to the opposite extreme in their crackdown on the outrageous health claims. Most recently, I took a World Tea Expo class in October 2013 on Legal Requirements for Tea Labels according to the FDA, taught by a lawyer who has been working in the tea industry for 12 years, or was it 14?

The class did cover things like how tea doesn’t actually require Nutrition Facts labeling because of the percentages of the absolutely-required nutrients, which is good for the small business tea purveyors so that we don’t have to send our teas to expensive labs to get that

info. However, quite unintentionally, at least on the instructor’s part, the class ended up covering health claims quite extensively, and on the whole it was very discouraging. Essentially, the FDA says that we cannot make any health claims of any kind (and they have a very broad definition of what constitutes a health claim!) on our packaging. Okay, fine, you say, don’t make the health claims on the packaging. Just say it on your website.

Say it in your pamphlets. Say it in your blog. . . . Guess what: the FDA counts our website and our pamphlets and our blog as “our packaging”, because it’s how we present our brand to the consumer and is all geared to convince you to buy our tea.

Okay, then, you say, don’t say it yourself, just give us links to medical websites and Dr. Oz’s site, and let us read it for ourselves, there. . . . Guess what: can’t do that, either. As far as the FDA is concerned, we’re providing you with those links so that what you read will convince you to buy our tea, so it constitutes making health claims on our packaging. We’re not allowed to do it. Well, then, you say, just talk about it when you’re teaching a class or at a tea tasting. People asked about that in the legal requirements class: could they not put any health claims in print but simply speak about them in their classes or tea tastings? The instructor responded: “Do you hope to sell tea in that class?” The answer was yes, and the instructor said, “Then you’re making a health claim with the purpose of convincing the people in the class to buy your tea. Don’t do it, for your business’s health.”

KTeas doesn’t have a location with

staff, but if we did and our staff made health claims to the customers, we would be held liable if it came to that, just as if we had put a health claim on our packaging. If the FDA deems us to be in violation of their regulations, they might “only” fine us and tell us we’ve been naughty and to stop it—but they also might completely shut us down. The ramifications of that would include: say we manage to get local grocery stores to carry our teas, if the FDA shuts us down, all those teas would have to be removed from the store shelves and returned to us, and we’d have to return the money to the stores. And who knows if we’d ever be able to get back up and running. It would depend on exactly what the FDA shut us down for and what it would take to resolve the issue. If we are able to resume business, we would forever after be on the FDA’s radar.

Now, you might point out that I said the FDA is understaffed and underfunded, so what are the chances of getting caught? It’s true, they’re not out trolling for violators, and they don’t have the staff for that. They’re likely to catch you only if they stumble across you doing something wrong or if you get reported. But KTeas doesn’t want to take that chance. We don’t want to risk getting shut down and possibly not being able to resume our business. We just don’t want to take that chance So you see what I mean: hobbled.

The instructor ended the class by saying, “And you don’t need to make all these claims to sell tea, anyway. Tea is so great; you can just sell it on its own merits. My hand shot up---as did others’, but she

www.womenwithknowhow.com MAY 2014

17

saw mine first and called on me. I told her that yes, that’s true, that’s how my husband and I feel about tea and that’s how we talk about it. Our passion is the Tea and that’s what we share with people. However, invariably, because people have been so exposed to these health claims in the media, they ask us. We always get questions such as, “What is that tea good for?”, or “Which one should I get for my headaches?” or “Which one will help me sleep?” or, of course: “Which one is the best for weight loss?” We try to play by the rules and not make health claims, so we tell them we can’t recommend anything to treat those conditions they’ve asked about.* Or we address the “What is that tea good for?” with something generic like: “Breakfast.”

Or “Helping you to stay hydrated.” Which is not what they want to hear. And when we can’t tell them what they want to hear, they lose interest and they go elsewhere. They find a different tea business which will recommend certain teas or herbals for headaches or whatever, or who will tell them that this tea is good for thus-and-such. Either because they don’t know the regulations, or they don’t care, they assume they’re too small to come on the FDA’s radar so they’ll never get caught, or they’re big enough that they don’t have to care because they have the money to pay any fines and to throw at lawyers to keep the FDA from shutting them down if they’re caught.

I didn’t go into this when I raised my hand in class, but in fact, even without the FDA regulations, we are not herbalists or medical personnel so we don’t have the knowledge to make specific treatment

18

Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

recommendations like that, anyway.

Unfortunately, that’s what people want because they’ve been exposed to all the touting of all those claims in the media. If we happened to have access to content information, either through paying for lab analysis ourselves or finding reliable factual information, we can make factual statements about the literal content of certain nutrients, how much EGCG is in this particular tea, or whathaveyou.

But, again, that’s not what people are asking. The instructor could only nod in sympathy and say that we all just have to hope that the lobbying efforts to improve these conditions come to fruition sooner rather than later. That class in October left us not knowing what we can say, if anything (other than those factual statements of content). I’m afraid I haven’t yet learned a good poker-face to deal with that quandary. Just a few weeks ago, for example, I was at an event where I provided samples of teas, and one woman tasted one of the teas and said, “That is good! Now, what does this do?” What does it do? It hydrates you, it tastes good, it refreshes you, and it might even soothe you if you find tea soothing. But I knew that’s not what she meant. All the frustration and dismay from that class in October welled up so fresh in my mind, and I got tongue-tied.

I tried to say something intelligible, but I know I babbled and could tell by the woman’s face that I completely put her off. Even more frustrating, in just the last few months, I’ve been seeing specialty tea businesses that I follow (the owners have been instructors at the Expo or whatever) making remarks about health

benefits of tea, and some of them have been the people who have told us we can’t do that. So now I really wish we were going to Expo this year so I might get to talk to some of these people in a not-public venue (I can’t respond to their Facebook post where everyone else is going to see, too) and ask: Why are they doing that after telling us we can’t make health claims? Have they decided it’s worth the risk because the FDA isn’t likely to come after them? Or do they know of recent developments that we haven’t heard yet? Did they maybe learn something at the Tea & Health symposium in Washington, D.C., which I think is every September, but we haven’t been able to afford the thousands of dollars to attend, or did something come out of last year’s symposium that hadn’t yet trickled down to the legal requirements class I attended in October?

Those are the biggest challenges faced by KTeas at this juncture.

Do you do any charity or non profit work?

KTeas has participated in a number of fundraising events for charities and non-profits. We’ve been a sponsor for “Fam Jam: a Community Wellness Day” each year our chiropractor has held the festival to benefit Rock Hill’s Children’s Attention Home. We’ve also consistently sponsored at the “Decadent Dreams Chocolate Festival” fundraiser for the Keystone Substance Abuse Services.

KTeas also sponsored Mimi Zelman’s November 2013 event Mak ing An Impact for a Cause in order to support The Sandbox charity. We have also

participated in the Professional Business Women’s Association of York County (SC)’s Candy Cane Market fundraiser for the PBWA’s Scholarship Fund.

As K Teas grows, I’d like to find ways to become more involved in the Community, with charities and non-profits. Just as one example of a possibility that goes beyond simply being a sponsor at a fundraising event: I would need to talk to Dress For Success Charlotte about whether this would fit any of their needs, but meeting their reps at Mimi’s Making An Impact Conference for Women in March inspired me to think of using my Tea & Etiquette training to teach some business etiquette classes for Dress For Success.

What would you most like the reader to know about your journey in business?

This may be the easiest question to answer: Simply put, KTeas may have been in business for five years, nonetheless our journey has only just begun.

Join us on our journey. You can find us At the Intersection of Life and Tea.

www.womenwithknowhow.com MAY 2014

19

health

Fight Back Against

Spring Allergies

with Help from

Dr. Travis Stork

S

pringtime brings warmer weather, outdoor family fun, BBQs, ballgames, and for many Americans, the start of allergy season.

As you plan outdoor activities this spring, Dr. Travis Stork, ER Physician and host of the Emmy Award-winning talk show “The Doctors,” has partnered with Church & Dwight Co., Inc., the maker of Arm & Hammer Simply Saline nasal mists, to share his top five tips to ring in spring for a for a healthy and congestion-free spring season.

Keep it Simple and Natural

The overuse of over-the-counter nasal decongestants can actually cause your congestion to return much worse 20

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than when it first appeared. Using products that are drug-free and derived from natural ingredients can help.

Dr. Stork says, “A product like Arm & Hammer Simply Saline Nasal Mist can be extremely effective in clearing nasal congestion, without side effects.”

Know When to Work Out

Staying active and exercising for at least 30 minutes a day is a great way to fight off illness, but for allergy sufferers, be sure to plan workouts accordingly. Pollen counts are highest in the morning, so it’s best to plan to work out during a time of day when pollen levels are a bit lower.

Allergy-Proof the House

Allergens exist indoors and outdoors, so take steps to make your

home allergy-proof. A simple way to keep allergens at bay is to wipe your feet and take off your shoes when entering the home. You can also prevent mold by keeping the indoor air dry with a dehumidifier and remove allergens by cleaning the floors with a vacuum that has a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter.

Mind the Kids

Congestion-causing allergens are everywhere – on the bus, in the park, on our clothes and even in our hair.

To avoid any impact on your family fun this spring, especially for the little ones, Dr. Stork says, “Keep congestion

remedies on hand, like Arm & Hammer Simply Saline Baby Nasal Relief for both infants and kids.”

Wash Away Those Allergens

Don’t ditch your favorite outdoor hobby just because you suffer from allergies, ditch the allergens stuck to clothes, bedding and bags. After a day in the garden, at the ballpark or family picnic, remember to wash clothes, bedding and bags as often as possible.

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21

personal finance 22

Financing the Future

Banking in the Millennial Age

T

hough much is made about millennials and their sense of responsibility (or lack thereof), new research suggests that when it comes to managing their money, this generation takes few risks.

According to the TD Bank Fi n a n c i a l E d u c a t i o n S u r v e y, 4 7 percent of millennials (adults ages 18 to 34) described their financial personality as being cautious when it comes to overall personal finance habits. A desire for more information to guide their money decisions was a common theme of the survey.

“Millennials want more support with their personal finances,” said Nandita Bak hshi, executive vice president, Retail Distribution and Product, TD Bank. “They recognize that financial education is a key component of financial success, and they need to feel empowered so they become more confident about their financial futures.”

According to the TD Bank survey, the majority (69 percent) of this generation has no formal financial Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

education training, such as a class at school, a seminar at a local bank or online courses. When it comes to looking for advice, millennials are relying primarily on banks and their families for answers.

Not surprisingly, this group of tech-savvy individuals uses the tools of online and mobile banking to their advantage. In fact, an overwhelming 88 percent of those sur veyed use online banking for executing dayto-day transactions. While technology serves as a huge resource, over half of respondents still use local branches for their banking needs.

“By arming themselves with information, this generation can take steps now to begin developing a sound financial future,” Bakhshi said. “Making responsible decisions, learning about the options available to them and taking steps to safeguard their private financial data in this technology age are important aspects of financial responsibility that will pay dividends in the future.”

Beyond the Basics

While the majority of millenn i a l s fe e l k n o w l e d g e a b l e a b o u t

basic day-to-day banking products such as checking accounts, there is room to learn about personal finance topics including savings accounts, credit cards and creating a budget. The exper ts at TD B a n k o f fe r t h e fo l l ow i n g g u i d e lines to get you started.

Savings account options var y from simple accounts (generally with lower minimum balance require ments, but also lower rates of return) to more sophisticated accounts that reward you with higher interest rates as your balance grows.

Understand minimum balance requirements before opening an account.

Consider opening a savings

account at the same bank as your main checking account. Many banks offer special benefits for having multiple accounts such as lower balance requirements or higher interest rates.

Look for accounts that offer low or no maintenance fees or ones that waive the fee as long as you maintain a low minimum balance.

Verify whether there are limitations on withdraws (which can be a good way to help ensure that what you earmark for savings stays put, but detrimental if an unexpected situation arises).

If you’re saving for a particular event or item, inquire about special goal-oriented accounts that generally www.womenwithknowhow.com MAY 2014

23

allow lower balances and can help ensure you reach your target.

Credit cards allow you to borrow money to pay for products or services. The upside is that responsible credit card management can boost your credit score, qualifying you for lower interest rates in the future.

However, it is impor tant to avoid getting overextended with debt.

Compare costs (the interest rate, as well as charges, such as annual and balance transfer fees) versus rewards.

While free is always appealing, remember that modest fees may be worth the expense in exchange for robust mileage or cash-back programs.

Check into policies regarding lost cards or stolen identity to understand your accountability if unauthorized charges appear on your account.

Confirm payment details, includi n g m i n i m u m p a y m e n t re q u i re ments, payment deadlines and the grace period.

Commit to always paying on time to avoid late fees and penalties to your credit score, and avoid paying o n l y t h e m i n i m u m to k e e p yo u r debt low.

Keep track of your credit score and report issues immediately.

Budgets may feel restrictive and even overwhelming, but a monthly financial plan can help reduce stress while learning how to better manage your money.

Fi r s t , i d e n t i f y a l l s o u r c e s o f income and account for all expenses 24

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for one month.

Avoid the mistake of only budgeting for major bills. Make sure to include monthly expenses such as a rent, groceries or gym memberships.

Remember to pay yourself and allocate money for savings.

Subtract your total monthly expenses from your monthly income.

If you have a surplus, determine how you’ll use it (such as devoting more to savings). If the balance is negative, make adjustments to ensure you’re living within your means.

Once your monthly budget is set, make it a habit of tracking your spending and revisiting your budget every few months to ensure you are staying on track.

Financial Success Begins with You

You may be sur pr ised by how the decisions you make as a young adult affect your long-term financ i a l s e c u r i t y. Fo l l o w t h e s e t i p s from the experts at TD Bank to lay the foundation for a smar t financial future.

Live within your means and pay your bills on time.

Take the initiative to learn about banking basics such as balancing a checkbook, paying off debt and creating a budget.

Begin investing in a 401K as early as possible.

Visit your local bank branch and talk to an expert about what products are right for you.

Visit www.tdbank.com/financialeducation for additional tips to get you on the path toward financial success.

The Many Benefits of Mobile

It’s easy to see why mobile banking has created quite a following. With the ability to manage money right from your fingertips, mobile apps are designed to serve everyday banking needs with ease. Here are a few of the convenient features these apps offer users anytime, anywhere:

Check Your Balance

View your account balance, pending transactions and history.

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Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

Transfer Money

Move money from one account to another without the need to visit a branch facility.

Remote Deposit Capture

Depositing money is a snap. Simply take a picture of a check and then directly deposit it into your account.

Person-to-Person Payments

This service allows you to electronically transfer funds from your account into someone else’s account, replacing the need for paper checks.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

www.womenwithknowhow.com MAY 2014

27

health

We Are What We hink T

O

Our thoughts shape our life and the direction in which our lives go.

There are so many things that go through our minds at any given time. It is said we think 50,000 to 80,000 thoughts a day. Consciously and subconsciously our mind is always working. Shockingly, most of those thoughts are the same thoughts from the day, week, month and year(s) before.

Until you make a conscious effort to pay attention to your thoughts, and make a conscious effort to change those thoughts, your life will not change.

How do you begin to change your thoughts?

One of my favorite quotes is by Dr. Wayne Dyer; “Change your thoughts, Change your Life.” This statement is true. How many times have you had a great idea, or a goal you wanted to accomplish, you felt the excitement, had the desire, and then suddenly you begin to think about all of the reason why it wouldn’t work. Before you know it you’ve talked yourself out 28

Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

By Kamonda Posada

of completing your goal, you thought yourself out of doing what you said you wanted to do.

Where do our thoughts come from?

I believe our thoughts come from three places; God, the enemy, and our life experiences. The thoughts you had for that new business venture or witty invention, the thoughts that you can accomplish your dreams. Those thoughts you are bigger than your current circumstances. Those are thoughts from God. His thoughts are life-affirming and loving; they gently guide you forward to become the best that you can be.

Thoughts from the enemy are defeating thoughts. They are the thoughts you have about not being good enough. They are the thoughts designed to keep you down, from not completing your goals, tell you to give up, that it will never work out.

Thoughts from the enemy are the complete opposite of the thoughts from God. The enemy’s thoughts will kill your spirit, steal your dreams, and attempt to destroy the plan God has for your life.

Our own thoughts are an accumulation of our life experiences. They consist of things we have heard from others about who we are, and unfortunately; in most cases what we have come to believe about ourselves. It is our belief about ourselves that has shaped our world.

What thoughts have you chosen to believe?

Are you believing your God thoughts, the enemy thoughts, or your own?

The mind is a battlefield and on that field, life is either won or lost.

Where are you in the midst of your war? Are you winning or losing? Let’s take a closer look at what is really going on in your mind and life.

I f yo u c h o o s e t o b e l i e ve t h e enemy and the negativity it will be reflected in the quality of your life.

You can’t expect to produce something good from something that is bad. Just as you cannot get a positive charge from a negative charge.

It doesn’t work that way. You have to constantly and consciously think in a different way. You have to literally reprogram your mind with the good things that you want in your life.

You have to think about the good you want to experience. Whatever you desire you have to think about it constantly.

Depending on your current circumstances. You may think this seems a little far-fetched, it’s not, not if you focus your mind on the thing that you desire most.

If you allow your thoughts to focus on the negative or the reasons why it seems impossible. Guess, what? It will become impossible. If you focus your thoughts on the positive and the possibilities. Guess, what? It will become possible.

I truly believe when our mind is right, our life will be right. It has no choice. Our life has to line up with our thoughts.

You might be thinking well if it’s that easy. Why isn’t everyone living a good life? Remember we have 50,000 - 80,000 thoughts per day. That’s a lot of information to process through.

Some will do the work and others won’t. It’s a choice.

The first step in shifting through that mental information is to take notice of your thoughts. Identify where those thoughts come from. Examine the origin or root of those thoughts and the finally begin to replace the negative self-defeating thoughts with positive life affirming ones.

Ch a n gin g yo ur th o ughts may not bring about an instantaneous change; it is a gradual process that will take time, prac tice and patience. If you constantly make an effort to change your thoughts, your life will change.

Kamonda Posada CEO/ Chief Creative Director PO Box 242400 Charlotte, NC 28273 Phone: 704-968-1046 Email: info@kamondaposada.com Website: www.kamondaposada.com

www.womenwithknowhow.com MAY 2014

29

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Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

www.womenwithknowhow.com MAY 2014

31

family law

Can I

Resolve Things Without Going to Court?

W

When I meet with a potential new client, I am usually asked if there is a way to resolve issues of custody, child support, alimony, and property division without going to court. I tell them that any and all issues can be resolved between the parties if both parties are willing to do so. Although many cases do end up being litigated in court, a resolution that does not involve a Judge making a decision is usually the best resolution to the issues at hand because an out of court resolution is something that both parties have input into.

Whether you are contemplating separation or are already separated, you can make the decision to work with the other party to reach an agreement on time with the children, cash flow, and 32

By Rebecca K. Watts

Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

division of assets and debts. Negotiation of the terms of an agreement often involves mediation, which is a process by which the parties and their attorneys meet with a neutral party, usually another attorney, who attempts to help the parties come to an agreement. A mediator is a neutral party who had no stake in the outcome of the matter, so is able to help the parties look at things objectively and work together to come to an agreement that meets both party’s needs. This process is not always easy, but if both parties are willing to work toward a resolution, many cases can be resolved without court intervention. If you are involved in mediation, or want to try mediation, what to do you need to do? Make sure your attorney knows that you would like to try mediation and talk with your attorney about what your goals and needs are.

Once the decision to mediate has been made, be prepared for both sides to exchange a lot of documentation and information – the more information that everyone has, the better chance there is to reach a resolution. Talk with your attorney about what your goals and needs are. Instead of focusing on what the law says you may be entitled to, focus on the result that you want and work with the attorney and the mediator to possibly get to the desired result in a way that may be different than how a court would handle it.

On the day of mediation, be prepared for a long day. Most of the time, if mediation is productive, everyone will want to continue working to try to reach an agreement that day instead of leaving for the day and coming back another time.

I always tell my clients to make sure they have breakfast before mediation and to bring snacks for the day so that they can avoid getting tired from not eating. I also tell my clients to be prepared for some down time in mediation – the mediator will usually shuttle between the room that you and your attorney are in and the room that the other party and his attorney are in and the mediator may be in the other room for a while, so it’s a good idea to bring a book or magazine or iPad for something to do when you and your attorney run through everything you need to discuss

and you are still waiting for the mediator to return. And, perhaps above all else, it is important to keep an open mind about how you get to the result you want. Creative solutions are often found in mediation and if a creative solution achieves a result that both parties can live with, then that is a good thing.

Rebecca K. Watts NC Board Certified Specialist in Family Law DRC Certified Family Financial Mediator Krusch and Sellers, P.A Two Fairview Road, Ste 105 • Charlotte, NC 28210 Phone: 704-556-0707 • Direct Line: 704-412-9103 . www.kruschlaw.com

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Sarah Batista

Award Winning TV Journalist, Entrepreneur and Speaker

by Mimi Zelman

36

Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

S

arah is an award-winning TV journalist, entrepreneur and speaker. Before launching her film production company Stories to Inspire, she worked 10 years as a reporter and anchor in local television news. In 2013, she left WBTV news in Charlotte to pursue her dream of documentary filmmaking. Stories to Inspire specializes in filming the stories of non-profits to inspire action, change and giving. As a reporter, Sarah covered a wide range of issues and draws upon that in her storytelling and speaking. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She currently contributes reports to the weekly news magazine show ‘Carolina Impact’ on WTVI PBS Charlotte. Sarah is passionate about experiencing new adventures and motivating others to pursue their dreams. She can be reached at Sarah@storiestoInspireFilms.com .

How did you get started?

I majored in Communication Studies and minored in Journalism at UNC Charlotte.

While I was in college, I did three semesters of internships at two Charlotte TV stations.

Even though the internships were unpaid, I gained much more in knowledge and experience.

Both stations allowed me to go out with reporters, practice writing stories, use a videocamera and edit video. I compiled a bunch of practice stories, put them on VHS tapes a n d s e nt m o re t h a n 2 0 re s u m e tapes to small cities around the country. I was hired by a station in Charlottesville, Virginia for my first reporting job. www.womenwithknowhow.com APRIL 2014

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How have your prior career experiences prepared you for your journey in life?

As a TV journalist, you learn so many skills. Reporters are responsible for putting together several live reports each day. That requires a wide range of skills, including having to make quick

to appreciate where you are in the journey, instead of simply thinking of the outcome. Somebody once told me they suffered from “destination disease” - meaning they were always wondering what’s next? I think it’s very important to set goals and work towards them, but what you learn along the way can help you once you achieve that goal. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to the journey and soak it all in.

Who would you describe as your mentor(s) and why?

decisions, problem solve, understand how to connect with people, earn trust and present complex information in an easy to understand manner. Those skills are invaluable when it comes to everyday life and managing your own business. I learned how to work under pressure and adapt to different situations.

What would you most like our readers to know about your journey in business? In life?

I believe that life is a journey, not a destination. That means it’s important 38

Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

I have had many mentors throughout my life. They’ve come in a variety of roles – teachers, friends, family, and colleagues.

I think a mentor is someone who can offer you solid guidance through their own personal experiences and knowledge.

Mentors are so important. I can’t think of any successful person who didn’t have people to learn from along the way. I think the best leaders understand their strengths and weaknesses and seek out mentors to help improve those weaknesses and manage the gaps. In business, seeking mentors and being a mentor is absolutely necessary.

What’s on your bucket list and why?

There is so much to do!! I feel as

though I haven’t even scratched the surface. I would love to travel to Africa soon for humanitarian work.

Europe and Hawaii are also on the list of places to explore. I plan to produce many documentaries and other positive, meaningful TV content. I’ve always wanted to learn an instrument.

Running a marathon would be pretty cool – but that’s a little further down the list. And as a journalist, I’ve always been inspired by Oprah, so I’d love to meet her.

Any difficult times you’d care to share with our readers? And if so what lesson have you learned?

Leaving my job as a TV reporter to start my own business was one of the most agonizing and difficult decisions I ever made, but I learned so much. I wanted to challenge myself to live a more balanced life and see what more I was capable of. I learned that if you don’t follow your gut, it will catch up with you somehow and create anxiety. That’s not a fun space to be in. I’ve also learned taking a leap into the unknown is both terrifying and thrilling, but worth it. The human spirit is resilient and I believe if you combine calculated risks with hard work and faith– you can get quite far.

www.womenwithknowhow.com MAY 2014

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If you could do one thing differently in your life, what would that be?

I would’ve taken more risks and maybe explored more places sooner. I always tell people that your life is not a dress rehearsal. You only get one, so live fully and passionately. Go for it!

There will always be naysayers who don’t see the possibilities you see, and that’s okay. Keep moving forward.

What do you wish you knew 20 years ago?

I wish I would’ve better understood that you can truly live the life you create.

Life is about choices – the outcome of our choices are revealed in everything we do, and determine our happiness.

Happiness is a choice and I believe it also comes from a place of gratitude.

When you can find joy and appreciation in the little things, it changes your

mindset. Over the years, I’ve learned to listen more to my gut and act on it.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I’m pretty easy to read because I wear my emotions on my sleeve, but I would say many people are surprised when I tell them I have a teenage son.

What inspires you? What makes you laugh?

I’m inspired by people who dream big and go for it. I celebrate people who take the bold leap of faith and go against the grain or status quo. It’s not easy to step out and lead, but it is so refreshing. I laugh all the time – usually when I’m with my family or friends. I also enjoy seeing other people laugh, because I like to see joy in other people’s faces.

I f you could stand up and d e fe n d a ny thing, what would it be?

I always tend to root for the underdog and will strongly defend any situation where I believe an injustice has been done.

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www.womenwithknowhow.com MAY 2014

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health 42

Making Changes for a Better Life

Tips for making successful life changes

Whether looking to advance their career, financial situation or personal life, taking the steps towards self-improvement is top of mind to many people.

In fact, a recent survey polled men and women across the U.S. to see what major life changes they plan to make in the near future. The survey, conducted

by Identigene, found that almost half (46 percent) of respondents are planning to make one or more major life changes within the year. But, as with anything that is new and unfamiliar, confronting the situation can often be an intimidating process.

“Change is vital to personal development,” said Dr. Janet Taylor, an author and community psychiatrist. “Changing important parts of your life can definitely be a daunting task, and feeling nervous about addressing these changes is normal.”

Preparing for a successful change Those that are successful in achieving their goals usually begin with a plan. For people looking to improve their lives, Dr. Taylor provides the following advice: Understand your stress: Any nervous feelings are to be expected. In fact, nine out of 10 Americans say they are nervous, on some level, about making their life change. Remember, taking even the smallest of steps toward your goal will help you see progress, overcome nervousness and build confidence.

Address difficult concerns: According to the survey, one in 10 people plan to address a paternity question within Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

the year. Some of the main motivators for addressing these concerns include finances, child custody, health reasons and peace of mind. Although the reasoning for addressing paternity questions varies from person to person, the benefits of confirming paternity are multifaceted and far reaching. A kit, such as the Identigene DNA Paternity Test, is available at nationwide drug stores and supercenters, and offers 100 percent accurate and confidential results within a few days.

Use your resources: When faced with an obstacle, it’s important to understand that you are not alone. In fact, 59 percent of people polled in a recent survey plan to use a friend or family member as a resource for going through a major life change. A close friend or family member can be a great source of emotional support. You may also consider getting help from a professional, such as a therapist or financial advisor.

Put it in writing: Sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start to make change happen. Grab a pen and put your goals in writing with an outline of the action steps required. With a written plan and the support of others, you will feel more confident about making your change happen.

“There’s no question that making major life changes can be difficult,” said Dr. Taylor.

“However, with a little patience and persistence, accomplishing this change can have such a positive effect for all those involved,” Learn more about Identigene at www.

DNAtesting.com.

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Date

S AV E T H E D AT E S

Early 2014 Calendar of Events Charlotte Social Mixers February and May 2014 @ BlackFinn Saloon

Triangle Social Mixers March, June, September December 2014

Charlotte, NC

Generational Diversity Summit

February 19th @ Marbles Kids Museum Raleigh, NC

Diversity Boot Camp March 14th Charlotte, NC

Women in Leadership Symposium March 4th @ Charlotte Omni Hotel Charlotte, NC

Healthcare Diversity Summit April 23rd @ Greenville Convention Center Greenville, NC

Monthly Leadership Meetings · Triangle Advisory Board: First Thursday from 1-2 · Charlotte Advisory Board: Second Monday from 10-11 · Board of Directors: Third Tuesday from 2-3 · Wilmington Advisory Board: Fourth Tuesday from 3-4 If you would like to learn more about the NDC Carolinas’ Diversity Council’s chapter meetings, events, or leadership opportunities, please contact us at info@ndccarolinas.org

family

Feed Your

Wild Side

Discover why everyone is going

Wild for Wild Blueberries

f you love to cook, discover the wild advantage and fill your freezer with Wild Blueberries. Packed with more intense blueberry flavor and two times the antioxidants of regular blueberries, Wild Blueberries are wildly different from the cultivated blueberries you find in the fresh produce section. Don’t be fooled by their small size, these berries pack more flavor and antioxidant power into their tiny blue bodies than any other blueberry on this big blue planet. This makes them the blueberry of choice for anyone interested in cooking, baking, making smoothies and more.

Here are three delicious recipes from three talented food bloggers with a shared love for tiny, potent Wild Blueberries and a passion for developing innovative, healthy and tasty twists on the classics everyone loves. Our suggestion is to try 46

Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

them all and feed your wild side.

For more delicious recipes, visit www.wildblueberries.com.

A Healthy Choice A growing body of research is establishing Wild Blueberries as a potential ally to protect against cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer ’s disease — so it’s no surprise that more and more people are picking Wild Blueberries than ever before.

A Tasty and Easy Option Convenience and freshness are frozen right in. Wild Blueberries are individually quick-frozen within 24 hours of harvest, locking in their intense blueberry flavor, nutrition and antioxidant power. Find them in your grocer’s freezer in convenient re-sealable bags and make sure you get the wild ones.

Gluten-Free Orange Pancakes with Wild Blueberry-Orange Sauce Recipe by Katie Heddleston, Healthy Heddleston, www.katieheddleston.com.

Yield: 12 to 15 thin pancakes Wild Blueberry-orange sauce:

1/2 cup frozen Wild Blueberries

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon granulated sugar (or honey) Orange pancakes

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar (or honey)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine First make sauce. In small sauce pan, combine all ingredients and place on low heat while preparing pancakes. Stir occasionally. Smash Wild Blueberries to desired consistency.

To make pancakes, combine all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Then add in wet ingredients. Whisk everything together until well combined; batter will be thin. On griddle or electric skillet preheat to medium heat. Make sure pan is hot before scooping batter. Using 1/4-cup scoop, pour batter (but not whole scoopful into pancake shapes on griddle). Batter is thin so not much is needed for each pancake. Wait until pancake bubbles before flipping. Flip and cook other side. Continue process until all batter is used. Pour sauce over pancakes while warm.

Note: Only one orange is needed for fresh juice and zest for both pancakes and sauce.

www.womenwithknowhow.com APRIL 2014

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family

Wild Blueberry Polenta with Grilled Onions and Sausage Recipe by Mireya Merritt, My Healthy Eating Habits, www.myhealthyeatinghabits.com Yield: 4 servings Onions: 1 1/2 l arge onions, cut in half/thinly sliced, about 4 C 1 1/2 t ablespoons olive oil Polenta:

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 3/4 c ups frozen Wild Blueberries Sausage:

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 sausages, prepared according to package instructions Saute onions in 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil until lightly caramelized, about 25 minutes. About 15 minutes before onions are ready, heat water in 4-quart saucepan until comes to a boil. Add salt and slowly whisk in cornmeal. Stir frequently until the polenta thickens up and texture is smooth.

Carefully stir in frozen blueberries, trying not to break them. Cook one minute and then turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow polenta to rest 1 to 2 minutes.

To serve, place large spoonful of Wild Blueberry polenta on plate, top with grilled onions and then place one sausage, sliced or whole, on top of onions. Serve with sliced oranges or garden salad.

Wild Blueberry, Coconut and Ginger Smoothie Recipe by Rachael Hartley, An Avocado A Day, www.anavocadoaday.blogspot.com Yield: 1 serving

1 1 1/4 2 1/2

cup frozen Wild Blueberries cup 2 percent plain yogurt cup light coconut milk tablespoons unsweetened, shredded coconut teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Serve immediately. Source: Wild Blueberry Association 48

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www.womenwithknowhow.com APRIL 2014

49

Cooking Gifts for Mom From those irresistible homemade cookies to favorite meals that always warm the heart; no one knows their way around the kitchen quite like mom. While thinking of what to give your favorite lady for Mother’s Day this year, consider gifts that allow her to tap into her inner foodie, chef or baker.

Everyone knows the best gifts are those that keep on giving. Cook for the Cure, a 13-year partnership between KitchenAid and Susan G. KomenÂŽ, has raised more than $9.5 million for the fight against breast cancer. In 2014, KitchenAid will donate $450,000 or more to Komen through the Cook for the Cure program, regardless of sales. The Cook for the Cure product collection, ranging from pink stand mixers and blenders to pink food choppers and hand blenders, is an easy way to give thanks to mom, and raise awareness towards a cause that affects so many women.

Fo r o t h e r gi f t i d e a s t h at h e l p s u p p o r t t h e c a u s e , v i s i t w w w.

KitchenAid.com and CookfortheCure.

KitchenAid.com.

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Simply Adorable Serveware

Featuring artwork by PBS cooking show host Jacques Pepin, the Pass the Plate serving platter generates a $5 donation each time one of these individually numbered platters is passed and registered online. Plus, participants can also track its travels.

With its fresh and cheer y design, this unique ser ving piece makes s h a r i n g e ve n m o re fun. A great gift for mom, the platter ($24.95) is available at Villeroy & Boch stores or by calling 1-888-886-8318.

Blending Style with Power

W i t h i t s r o o m y, 60- ounce patented diamond pitcher design and stainless

steel blades, the 5-Speed Diamond Blender in Raspberry Ice creates a powerful vortex to thoroughly blend everything from soups to smoothies. Automatic Soft Star t technology pulls ingredients into the blade rather than splattering them outward, keeping them together for controlled blending. This color ful blender ($179.99) offers stir, chop, puree, liquefy and pulse options — everything mom needs to create her favorite dishes.

An Essential, Everyday Tool

If some of her best culinary creations include savory sauces and delicious d i p s , M o t h e r ’s Day is the perfect opportunity to treat mom to an upgrade. This 3.5- cup Food Chopper in Cranberry is convenient for everyday use and takes up minimal space in the k itchen.

With two speed settings and onetouch chop and puree options, this chopper ($49.99) is ideal for creating a scrumptious salsa, creamy hummus or tangy pesto sauce.

Timeless Kitchen Addition

Add a pop of pink to mom’s kitchen with a classic gift that will last for years. With a 5-quart capacity bowl,

the Artisan Series stand mixer can handle multiple batches of dough, while its 10 speed settings allow cooks to knead, mix and whip a var iet y of foods and ingredients. With additional attachments that can make ever ything from pasta to ice cream, this mixer ($429.99) let ’s mom bake to her heart’s content.

Handy Little Helper

Whether you need to blend up a milkshake or puree cooked vegetables directly in the pot, this 2-Speed Hand Blender in Cranberry gets the job done with ease. Two speeds provide blending control for more delicate foods, such as smoothies and baby food. The blending arm twists off for quick and easy cleanup. This hand blender ($59.99) comes with a 3-cup B PA - f r e e j a r with lid, so mom can blend away, safely.

Source: KitchenAid