Self Starter Magazine April 2018 by selfstartermagazine

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SELF STARTER Magazine

INSPIRING, ENERGETIC, CONNECTING

MAKE YOURSELF A HOT CUP OF SOMETHING AND READ ON.

Abundant April

* you are ready * shine on, son * * tweet triumphantly * daring to change * * the cream of the crop * structuring your business *

"I GUESS I JUST HAVE TO WANT IT MORE THAN I`MÂ AFRAID OF IT"

ItsĚ&#x20AC; High Time To Get Productive! Mmmm, spring, although it has taken its time this year, is definitely in the air. It might be muddy still where you are, but pull your wellies on and get out into the garden; grab your spade, fork, and cutters from the winter storage and have a good old clean-out to make way for all things new and fresh and if you don`t have a garden, give your workspace or office a good old clean-out instead, just to get that rush of productivity running through your entrepreneurial veins! Remember:

"The Seeds Of Today Are The Flowers Of Tomorrow"

P 03

April Stars EST. 2018

www.selfstarter.com EMAIL selfstartermagazine@gmail.com INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/selfstartermagazine FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/SelfStarterMagazine TWITTER www.twitter.com/MagSelfStarter PINTEREST www.pinterest.ie/selfstartermagazine

Nicole Paulie

EoinÂ Shanley

The Soul Of Crete

wendy merrigan

Liz Valloor

Publisher & Editor-In-Chief Kajsa Kinsella

Arklow County Wicklow Ireland

Lynsey Hanratty

shirley copperwhite

dolores andrew-gavin

You Say-"What If I Fall?" I Say-"What If You Fly!" P1 P

AprilÂ Awakenings

Editors Welcome BY KAJSA KINSELLA Hi Everyone & All. I hope you all are well and that you are enjoying being outside, now that the weather is a liiiiiiittle bit drier and brighter. Earlier this month I took a huge leap of faith and had my blond locks chopped off, to a much shorter style. Let me tell you, sitting in front of that huge mirror with, as you think, EVERYONE staring at you looking like a drowned dog whilst someone is pulling and tugging at your head, must be the place where I feel the most weak and vulnerable ever... I was nearly in tears! But, at the point where I was just about to get out of the chair and say "No,no, let`s not, let`s leave it, I change my mind" and off I would have gone, my hairdresser starts to dry my hair; styles it and do you know what, as if with a stroke of magic, my confidence comes rushing back. Although I didn`t do anything other than sit down and let it happen, I had plucked up the courage to have my hair cut, although it was scary, I saw it through until the end and I`m so delighted that I did! I feel fresh and confident and pushing through the momentary discomfort and uncertainty was well worth it. This month, we will learn to find the courage to challenge ourselves, to change things, to believe in ourselves and to see that the only one who can be you, is you! Read the personal story of the author and speaker Liz Valloor about daring to overcome the burdening opinions of others, and read the deliciously inspiring story of The Soul Of Crete. Our wonderful writers have put some fantastic teachings together for you from their P1

experiences and expertise-ENJOY! P

For YouÂ This Month

P 9. The master of patterns,

P 14. Networking Nausea,

P 22. The Cream Of The

Shirley Copperwhite, tells

when you`d rather set fire

Crop, showcasing

her encouraging story of

to your hair, than socialize!

Ireland`s best produce, design and craftsmanship.

developing her business. P 12. Stop procrastinating,

P 16. Lunchtime! Make

P 24. Solving the puzzle of

stop waiting for the perfect

healthy, delicious tomato

how to structure your

moment-get going today!

and feta cheese fritters and

business. Wendy helps you

Nicole Paulie tells you how.

crunchy salad.

out with all things financial.

For YouÂ This Month

P 27. Feeling like an

P 32. Healty IceCream, you

P 39. Dare to break free

intruder? The nasty

must be joking!

from the shackles of your

Imposter Syndrome can be

Make your favourite

childhood and become the

crippling.

flavour today.

only master of your life.

P 30. From Crete with Love,

P 35. Shine On,Son! Lamp

P 42. Dolores Andrew-

read the inspiring and

designer Eoin Shanley tells

Gavin is among many

delicious story of Petros and

us how important support is

other things an expert on

Catherine Konsoulas.

for success.

Twitter,and will help us to get it all set up.

Teach Yourself To Be Assertive, And Confidence Will Follow. You don`t need to tell me that it's "easier said than done", this confidence thing. I as well as any, am often plagued by doubt and low self-esteem but what are we if not try-ers and do-ers, constantly eager to learn more, develop and reach the ultimate goal of confidence and calm contentment; being the masters of our inner worriers and critics. You see, even subtle changes create ripples on the water and they will make a difference in your heart and mindset. Let`s see if we can kick the butt of non-confidence once and for all and a very wise woman once said: "Don`t fake it until you make it, but fake it until you BECOME it!"

"The more you love your decisions, the less you will need others to do so for you" 1. Stand Up Straight

2. Keep Hands Out Of Pockets 3. Don`t Fidget

4. Maintain Eye Contact

5. Smile

Place your feet shoulder-wide apart, lift chin up and head up. Hands on your hips. This is the "Power Position" and just standing like this for a little while will increase your assertiveness immensely. Allowing your hands to be visible tells us that you are ready to handle anything, that you are confident, approachable and responsible. Most of us tend to fidget without us thinking about it, but someone who just met you is sure to pick this up as anxious movements, so "watch yourself from afar" so to speak and control your behavior. Being able to keep eye contact is probably the most important of all, as this signals calmness, honesty, friendliness and - guess what, confidence! A genuine smile has an instantaneously disarming and connecting effect, which you should use to your advantage when building true links between you and your customers.

Keep Hustling, you are a superstar! P

THE MASTER OF PATTERNS TELLS HER INSPIRING STORY

MY JOURNEY ByÂ Shirley Copperwhite

I was brought up in the heart of the countryside in Southern Ireland. My dad was an artist and he designed our family home in Limerick where we had a magical garden complete with orchards and a kitchen garden. My dad had his studio in our home as did my mother also an artist, so it was a given that creativity was a priority in our house. From a young age, I spent many hours drawing and creating. I was also very much inspired by my eccentric grandmother who had a flamboyant sense of style and a large collection of jewellery and ceramics. I grew up in Limerick city in the eighties when we were in the grasp of a bad recession.It was a grey and a rather dull place to live at the time. Today it is a very different place. Art was my escape, a world where things were a lot more colorful. School for me was quite a bland and mundane affair with some very austere nuns at the helm. I loved art and design so when I escaped the shackles of secondary school I studied Graphic Design at The Limerick School of Art and Design. College summers were spent in London doing whatever creative jobs I could find. It was an exciting time where inspiration was everywhere! When I graduated I worked for many years in Dublin as a graphic designer and freelance illustrator. I designed corporate identities, packaging, and brochures for a variety of high profile clients. I always had a niggle in the back of my mind that this was not really the path I wanted to keep on traveling, so I made the big decision to change direction once I saw an opportunity. A visit to Liberty's in London and a whole day spent at the V&A museum had inspired me and had sewn the seed. I started to make patterns for textiles, homewares and fashion accessories which I found I really loved! It's easy to work hard at something when your heart is really in it. I had my own vision for what I wanted to do so I started Shirley Copperwhite Designs in 2013. I am very glad I took the leap of faith.

"IT'S EASY TO WORK HARD AT SOMETHING WHEN YOUR HEART IS REALLY IN IT."

Licensing my designs forms a large part of my work. I have worked with companies in Germany and Canada creating and producing patterns for the textile industry. I also work on commissions and my latest collaboration was with Connemara Carpets where I worked on a large wool hand-tufted rug for a joint exhibition with my sister, the painter Diana Copperwhite. I have also worked with some of the best silk printers in Como, Italy producing limited edition silk scarves and accessories. As a surface pattern designer, my work touches on lots of diverse areas from everyday objects to limited edition pieces. My work is informed and inspired by a large mix of influences from folk art to graphic design. Working for yourself is not however without its challenges but very rewarding mostly. You have to wear a lot of different hats to start with. In my case, these are Designer, Accountant, Director of Marketing, PR and Social Media, Web Designer, Print Production Manager, Quality Controller, and Tea Lady! As your company grows, you will find that you can hire people to do all these things for you, apart from the design work of course! You are in charge of your time and to begin with, will probably need to work almost double the hours anyone else works, but, you are investing in your own company and in a lot of cases, you are probably learning on the job. I don't recall anybody teaching me how to run a business at college, unfortunately. Starting and running my own business was a day by day learning curve. Once you get to the top of that curve, you can look back with joy and realize how little you knew about running a business and where you are now. It is also important to have reliable and trustworthy people to talk to, for advice and pep-talks. It can be lonely running a business on your own but when things go right, the victory is all yours!

"Starting and running my own business was a day by day learning curve." P

shirley`s pointers Grasp the bull by the horns. There are so many people who have great talent, ideas and lots of enthusiasm but just never, for whatever reason make the decision to give it a go. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there. You will be admired, criticised, ridiculed, and loved all at the one time but no-one can ever say that you never gave it a shot!

Be ready to hit the ground running. Organization is so important when trying to make the best use of your time and resources. Having a clear idea of what route you would like your business to take is very important. You must be clear on your route to market and how to get there. This requires lots of research before you finally take the leap and register your business.

Your brand and marketing.

You will need a strong and clear brand identity. This will be used over and over and will represent your business, so make sure it performs this function and is recognizable and unique. Marketing is vital and keeping yourself in the public eye and mind, through social media, collaborations, or whatever way best suits your business.

Be aware you will have to wear a lot of different hats. Starting a business is not for the faint-hearted and will require bucket loads of inspiration and perspiration! You will need to fill a lot of different roles at the beginning.

Build a team of reliable advisers and professionals. Getting the advice and help of various professionals is always a good idea. After all, you need to focus on your area of expertise.No man (or woman) is an island!

Receive feedback gratefully.

The public will be your greatest critics and admirers so take feedback graciously and use it wisely.

And finally, be brave! Go into battle armed with all these tools and you stand a chance of winning the war.

IT’S OKAY NOT TO BE "READY"

Stop putting things off until tomorrow, know that you are ready today. By Nicole Paulie

I’ve always been a big believer that anyone can TRULY achieve anything if they put in the work. Anyone can do it, and you don’t have to procrastinate forever. All you have to do is get over that initial hump, holding you back from achieving your dream. I still have a little ways to go until I reach my full dream, but if I can do it, you can too. Never did I imagine I was going to be my own boss, especially this early in my professional career. I mean, growing up I’d always wanted to run my own therapy center, but that was just a dream, right? In the span of three months in 2011, I graduated from graduate school, got married and moved internationally to Ireland from the United States. Little did I know I was moving to Ireland at the height of the recession and no one was hiring, especially a recent graduate who had little to no experience. NOMADIC P

"I spent every waking moment trying to learn how I could be better and make this as successful as possible." Eventually, I found volunteering positions, but two years on, still nothing. I couldn’t even get a call back for an interview. I’m a sucker for inspirational quotes, and one day I saw online “If you wait until you’re ready, you’ll be waiting the rest of your life.” Surely at the age of twenty-seven, I was too young to be starting my own thing, right? I had no business experience, I’d only been practicing therapy for 2 years, but I couldn’t work for free forever. But that was it, I’d had enough of the rejections and came to the realization that no one was going to just create a position for me, I needed to create one for myself. I began spending every waking moment researching how to start building a business, webinars on how to become successful private practice therapist, videos on how to do my own marketing and accounting. I spent every waking moment trying to learn how I could be better and make this as successful as possible. And in the last four years, I was able to go from my mere 4 clients per week to a full client caseload, offering group therapies and corporate workshops and talks. It also allowed me space to finally start offering a brand new research-based therapy to help those with depression tackle their difficulties with lifestyle changes. Of course, there were times I was losing more money than I was making, and I felt unmotivated and needed support and motivation. However, there were a few things I found that helped me get going again during those times when I wanted to keep putting things off.

“If you wait until you’re ready, you’ll be waiting the rest of your life.” 1. Get Social – I’m a very extroverted person, and therapy is a very isolating profession (as are a lot of self-starters when it’s just you). I made it a point to join networking groups and continuously try to meet other people throughout the week. Talking to them about what I was working on and hearing what they were working on helped re-inspire and motivate me to keep going. 2. Do The Worst First – We all have certain tasks we’re dreading, and for me, it was the actual business piece I was nervous about. So, I made it a point to learn everything I needed to know about that FIRST. By doing this, everything else felt so much easier and there were a lot less daunting tasks ahead. 3. Use Momentum – When I was having a hard time getting going, I’d first start on a task that I did enjoy, which for me was writing self-help blog posts. I found that once I would complete one of those tasks, I would have the energy to keep going as I’d found my “flow.” 4. The 5 – Minute Rule – if there was still a task I kept putting off, I would agree to work on it for just five minutes. If after 5 minutes I still didn’t want to to do it, I’d leave it for another day; however, I usually found that I was able to keep going after those 5 minutes. 5. Setting My “Prime Time” – everyone has certain parts of the day when they feel more energized or motivated. For me, this was in the late morning and after I’d exercised, so I learned to capitalize on this time. From then on, I almost always did some form of exercise in the morning and would start my work first around 11 am. 6. Refocus – Sometimes I would get frustrated when I just wasn’t understanding something or I couldn’t get focused. So I would take a few minutes and either go do a deep breathing meditation or take the dog for a walk around the block (oh the joys of working from home). Usually by the time I came back I was refreshed and ready to crack on at it again. P

Investigating

networking nausea When you just cantĚ&#x20AC; seem to pluck up the courage to connect with people. By Kajsa Kinsella

I know, making friends is scary, timeconsuming, uncertain, risky and potentially disastrous...! But - no man or woman is an island, and connecting with like-minded people is undoubtedly an invaluable asset to both your business and personal life.

OVERTHINKING, SECOND GUESSING, SELF DOUBTING...the list goes on, and don`t for a second think that you are the only one who resists taking part in social events or gatherings, out of fear of emotional commitment, may it be online or in reality. Sadly, as human beings, we are brutally self critical and most of us despise talking about or promoting ourselves on any given day. I understand fully, as I`m most days walking in the same shoes as you, but truth to be told, in today`s world of overcrowded business, you most certainly have to get over yourself and get out there even though it`s scary and overwhelming! Frankly, ANY market place you study is practically saturated with very similar businesses and it`s a huge challenge to be "seen". To be honest, the driving force; the person behind the business-YOU, is often more important than the product or service itself. P

Have you ever had those moments where you think of every excuse under the sun, not to go to an event to network? Welcome to the club, letsĚ&#x20AC; change that! *show yourself compassion* *bring a friend* *prep conversation topics beforehand* *smile often* *put your phone away* *sneak out for a breather-break* *Be happy with babysteps*

CONSIDER THIS

*dare to be personal* *be authentic-you`re a great person to know* *book in anotherÂ event!*

"The key is not to push on too hard about business matters but to get to know each other first."

Cracking conversation starters * Have you been to an event like this before? *What is your story? *Which three words describe you best? *What was the highlight of your day today? *Working on anything exciting lately? *Is this your busy season/Is this a busy time for you? *What is your favourite way of switching off? *When you were a child, what did you want to be? *Who, in your life, had the most impact on the person you have become? *What is your secret annoying habit? *How do you think success should be measured? P

Lunch Time!

QUICK & DELICIOUS MAKE A MOUTHWATERING LIGHT LUNCH IN MINUTES P

FETA & CHERRY TOMATO FRITTERS

"I have to confess, I eat this nearly every day, its̀ so delicious!" A few months ago, I was enjoying a cookery program, which is one of my favourite things to watch on TV, when Jamie Oliver made a variety of these fritters and I simply couldn`t wait to make my own. They are low in calories and will fill you up all the way until noon and long thereafter!

Crack an egg into a bowl and whisk. Add one heaped tablespoon of plain flour to the bowl, mix until smooth. Remove the whisk and add a heaped tablespoon of cottage cheese as well, you can use the tablespoon to stir it in, to save on the washing up as your mum would most definitely say! Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then chop feta cheese in cubes, around one cm in diameter, cut cherry tomatoes in half, as many as you prefer and add this to the bowl as well. Fold everything gently together, then add butter to the pan and fire it up on medium heat. Spoon out three fritters on to the pan and turn the heat down low, let fry for a minute or two and when the mixture is firm enough, scoop each one up and turn them over to finish frying. Make a delicious salad of mixed leaves, more feta and tomatoes and a good dash of balsamic vinegar-YUM! P

Daunting

Exciting Exhilarating, Invigorating, Inspiring, Trilling, Compelling

Intimidating, Formidable, Alarming, Dismaying, Disconcerting

Information Intelligence, Statistics, Data,Documentation, Direction

Active

Inactive

Vigorous, Vivacious, Dynamic, Spirited, Nimble

Idle, Indolent, Inert, Stagnant, Torpid

Use

Your Words!Â Â

We all wish to feel confident in discussions and come across as intelligent and articulate, but it`s easy to feel hesitant and you somehow get "lost for words". Here are a few snazzy synonyms of common words to add to the conversation!

Engaged

Unengaged

Involved, Appointed, Commissioned, Committed, Devoted

Disenchanted, Disengaged, Shunning, Neglectful, Disunited

launch Advantage Asset, Leverage, Prevalence, Leeway, Edge P

Instigate, Institute, Initiate, Embark, Inagurate

Disadvantage Detriment, Pitfall, Disservice, Liability, Drawback

FREE ON THE NET

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PERISCOPE is a really cool app, which lets you broadcast and explore the world through live video. See where news is breaking, visit a new place, or meet people and share interests - all in real-time Find it in your app store.

SURVEY MONKEY is where you go to create free market research surveys for your website, blog or business, with loads of easy to use templates and themes for you to choose from. www.surveymonkey.com

Through the three T`s of Digital Marketing Pro App; Tutorials ,Tests and Tools,you will become a digital hero in no time. Find classes which translate complex theory into understandable information. Find it in your app store.

"A BUDGET IS TELLING YOUR MONEY WHERE TO GO, INSTEAD OF WONDERING WHERE IT WENT..." There are SO many excellent free programs, platforms, and apps on the net for business owners, which are just as efficient as the paid ones. You`d be mad not to at least try those out before the ones that charge. P

"Do not save whatsĚ&#x20AC; left after spending, but spend what is left after saving"

Think Money!

BUSINESS-ING ON A SHOESTRING By Kajsa Kinsella

Let`s be honest here, spending money is great fun and at least momentarily very satisfying! Dreaming of your own large, airy premises, your well-groomed staff, your shiny, new equipment, your top-notch produce and your massively influential marketing campaign is all fun and games until you realize, YOU have to pay for it all, until you have worked very very hard to find customers who are willing to pay for it all for you...rather Start Smart, than Regret Rapidly. P

When you are in the vulnerable (and awfully exciting) position of setting up your own business (unless your father is Donald Trump), you simply have to put these urges of extravaganza on hold and approach this with a cool, calm and collected head on your shoulders. Grow your empire slow and steady, learning about and reinvesting in your trade as you go along, rather than putting everything on one card and risk losing it all. Granted, many things, when it comes to getting a business off the ground will HAVE TO cost money, but saving capital wherever you can at both the initial stage of setting out and also throughout your entrepreneurship, is not a very difficult task. Don`t you agree, the cash is better off in your pocket, rather than sitting on the shelf gathering dust or becoming a burden if the business doesn`t take off as quickly as you might have wished? Here are a few ideas which will help you see that you NOMADIC | 24 can be so much more resourceful with your muchneeded finances than you think!

Smart Start-Up If Needed, Buy Second Hand Equipment Rather Than New

Rope In The Help Of Friends And Family Rather Than Outsourcing

Work From Home As Much As Possible, Availing Of Free Equipment

Host Free Webinars To Increase Awareness Of Your Business

Create Your Own Website Easily On Various FREE Online Platforms

Keep Your Own Records, Do Your Own Book Keeping Up To A Point

k c i P s ` r o t i d The Cream Of The E Crop Ria Organics

KaroArt This super sweet "Tweet" bowl is part of a collection-get the mug and plate too! Made by Karolina in Dublin. "Tweet Bowl Sorbet" From € 29.00 www.karoart.eu

The three siblings King have together created a delightful range of organic skincare, which is second to none. "Energising Daycream" € 40.00 www.riaorganics.ie

Cairenn Foy Ireland My little one is sadly too big now to fit into this adorable dress but if she wasn`t, she`d definitely wear one! "Julia Style Blue Floral" From € 52.99 www.cairennfoy.com

Waters + Wild

Limited editions created in small batches, this divine scent emporium from west Cork is led by the innovative friends Joan and June. Prices: See the full range www.watersandwild.com

Kinsale Bay Food Company

Harvest Moon

Nutritional therapist Angela Carney from Westport has created the most scrumptious range of healthy foods. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is our favourite! € See the full range www.harvestmoonfoods.ie

Who doesn`t have a weakness for good old honest home-cooked flavours! Stocked in Tesco, Supervalu, Dunnes and many more, you will be sure to find it. Hazel Mountain € See in store Chocolate www.kinsalebayfoodco.com Oh, La La! This handmade bar of delicious beauty is a product of head chocolatier Kasha Connolly and her team. "Irish Spring" € 5.50 www.hazelmountainchocolate.com

Everest Granola Burren SmokeHouse Treat yourself and a gang of friends to this delicious hamper, made by Birgitta and Peter Curtin-YUM! "Smoked Salmon and Cheese Hamper" € 145.00 www.burrensmokehouse.com

Young entrepreneur Seamus Tighe found a delicious solution to his own, personal trouble of finding a wholesome and sustaining yet tasty breakfast. "Protein Cup" € 2.29 www.everestgranola.com

What type of business structure will you set up? Various options include; sole trader, partnership or limited company. There are various advantages and disadvantages for each of these. The more important question to ask is; what you want to get from your business? What are your business goals and objectives? There are differing tax implications for the set up of each of these types of business. However, tax rationale I believe, should NOT be the deciding factor. What the business is to achieve and the goals of the business are the starting point, how this is then done in a tax efficient manner is the next step.

SOLE TRADERS If you trade as a sole trader, you operate a business. Your business name is registered with the CRO however, it is not protected and can be copied, unless you have protected it using a trademark. If something went wrong within the business and your insurance did not cover it, potentially your personal assets may be at stake (your home or your savings). Definitely, something to consider as you grow your business.

PARTNERSHIPS When working in partnership with others (whether you have a formal partnership or not) what many people don’t realize is if things go wrong and the business has liabilities, you will personally be liable for all of these (if your partner/partners cannot take care of their share).

LIMITED COMPANY A limited liability company means just that. You as a director of a company will have ‘limited liability’ (unless there are fraudulent issues arising). The limited company is a separate legal entity to you as a business owner. Therefore, personally, there is a lot less at risk if something does go wrong. Setting up a limited company could cost a few hundred euro. But having a limited company also means there are additional reporting obligations. You must have annual accounts prepared and filed with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) and file a company tax return as well as filing an income tax return. . This article is not written in a legal format. For full information on your own business or structure of your business and tax advice, please seek professional advice specific to your own needs. The article above is only a guide note. The writer has no legal responsibility to any reader for specific actions taken on the advice of the above. P

How to make the decision? The cost of compliance is definitely a factor when deciding how to structure your new business. Always discuss costs with your financial advisor, accountant or bookkeeper up front so you never have any nasty surprises. Requesting your accountant to do additional work or asking for a lot of assistance (on top of your compliance work) without discussing their pricing structure first might shock you when you receive a bill for the time cost involved.

Know your short and long-term financial goals and use this as the basis for deciding what type of entity you want to use for YOUR BUSINESS. If you don’t take time out regularly to work ‘on your business and not in it’, you will find you are constantly busy but maybe not feeling in control of the direction or growth of your business. In order to stay focused, it’s great practice to take time out at least once a month (if not twice) and review your targets, what’s most important for YOUR business action wise and ensure that gets done first. Wendy Merrigan is a Chartered Accountant with a practice in Dublin. She enjoys working with business owners setting financial goals, targets and putting action plans together the insure targets are reached. If you wish to talk to Wendy or attend one of her workshops, email wendy@williamsmerrigan.ie and set up a call or meeting.

"EAT WELL, SLEEP WELL, DO WELL AND ALL WILL BE WELL" P

FEELING LIKE YOU`RE ABOUT TO BE FOUND OUT

OVERCOMING IMPOSTER SYNDROME by lynsey hanratty

Starting out in business is scary, fear of the unknown can grip you at any time. You feel like you don’t know what you’re doing, and everyone is going to find out about the fact that you are winging it – welcome to Imposter Syndrome. This syndrome is very real for women and men just like you – no matter how many accolades or how much success you achieve, you still don’t think you deserve the success that comes with it. You feel like a fraud, any success you have is linked to just good timing or a stroke of luck, or that you have blagged your way into making everyone around you believe that you are better than you think you are. Imposter Syndrome is the inability to internalize success. Up to 70% of us harbor self-doubt and self-esteem issues, feeling we don’t deserve the praise or recommendations given to us, that it will all come crashing down around us some day. This is often the case when starting a side-business too – ‘Who am I to start my own business?’, ‘What am I an expert on?’, ‘Who’s going to buy what I have to offer?’. It’s OK to be a beginner, everyone has to start somewhere, so why do you think you need to be an expert when you are only starting out? If Sheryl Sandberg (the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook) and Pulitzer Prize Nominee Maya Angelou can feel Imposter Syndrome, then you’re in good company! So how do you deal with Imposter Syndrome? It can attack at any time, so it’s good to be prepared! Managing these feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt means that when they strike, you are ready to brush them off and get on with the job! Here are some tips to put Imposter Syndrome in its place:

NOMADIC

24 P

So how do you deal with Imposter Syndrome? 1. Don’t Suffer In Silence: Talk to friends, family, mentors, coaches - people who will help you make sense of your inner critic and rationalize your fears of inadequacy, don’t isolate yourself or the syndrome will get worse. That way you are addressing your vulnerabilities and tackling the root of the problem head-on before it becomes unmanageable. 2. Have Success Reminders To Hand: Have a file with supportive e-mails, feedback, positive comments from friends and family etc., remind yourself that you deserve your success and all your hard work has paid off and will continue to pay off as you build your business and reap the successes to come. You will be building on your successes all the time, so remind yourself of this when Imposter Syndrome strikes. 3. Be Terrible At Something! Just get that blog/product/service out there even if you think its rubbish! The world won’t end, and you won’t be pointed at in the street for being a big fraud. Just get less terrible on your next attempt, and then OK, and then better, just keep at it! Sometimes it’s good to have a laugh at yourself, don’t take it all so seriously, it will work with perseverance and consistency. 4. Focus On Providing Value: If you are feeling like a fraud or kicking yourself that you are not an expert in your field, you are thinking too much about yourself and your own needs. Just focus on providing value to your clients and know that THEY are your priority, it is necessary to provide your services to them in whatever way you can. Not everyone will like what you have to offer, but that’s OK too. 5. Remember Everyone Is Winging It! Don't forget that you are not the only person feeling like this. Everyone suffers from Imposter Syndrome and everyone feels vulnerable, and that they are just winging it at some stage - remember it had happened to people like Oprah and Madonna (whether they’d admit it or not!). Just recognize it’s Imposter Syndrome and move on, you deserve to be where you are, you’ve worked hard for it.

6. Stop The Comparisonitis! When I first thought of my business idea, I checked who was doing similar work. Cue the ‘comparisonitis syndrome’ on top of the Imposter Syndrome! I looked at all my business heroes, saw their gorgeous, informative, slick websites with tons of information and value and thought 'How will I ever get there?'. But I just remind myself that I'm learning my trade every day, setting new goals, and getting more confident. I'm learning on the job like everyone else. 7. Experiment: A good way to prevent Imposter Syndrome is to stop taking it all so seriously and try things out instead. Treat any business idea like a laboratory experiment, if it doesn't work, it's not the end of the world, just move on to the next experiment and use your talents elsewhere. You are not a fraud for trying things out - if it doesn’t work out, you have learned from the experience, if it does work, just do more of it! It is sad that most of us can't own our wins, can't take the compliment on a job well done, can't believe that our hard work and commitment has helped us achieve some accolade or promotion that we rightfully deserve. This can stem from our school days when we were told to raise our hand only if we knew the answer, that we should work together as a team and not brag about our wins, that we shouldn't act too different or too clever or too pushy. We’re conditioned from an early age to just accept mediocrity and not push or strive for the things that mean the most to us – freedom, challenges, being different and wanting to live our lives outside the office cubicle. Have the confidence to push yourself forward, to stick your head above the parapet, to get involved in something outside your comfort zone. Don’t let Imposter Syndrome cripple you and stop you following your business dreams. Make them a reality.

Lynsey believes you only get one chance in life, and its way too short to spend it not doing something you love. After 13 years of scientific research it was clear to her that it wasn’t cells and molecules she loved to work with, but people. She moved into coaching in both education and recruitment and has been helping people realize their potential ever since. Now Lynsey has started to fulfill her ambition to help others use their gifts and talents to start their own successful businesses, she does this by way of one to one coaching and speaking to groups. If you would like to avail of Lynsey’s 30-minute complimentary call to explore your business ideas and help you create a plan of action, you can contact her at hello@lynseyhanratty.com or call her on 086 3569689. www.lynseyhanratty.com

From Crete, With Love Undoubtedly, there are places in the world and moments in time, which will have an enormous amount of impact on our future lives, whether we realize it at the time or not. For Catherine Konsoulas, a lazy and warm summer holiday on the stunning island of Crete in 2002 was one such moment in time; one that would change her life forever. This was when she met the dashing Petros Konsoulas and as fate would have it, they fell in love head over heels. So much so, that Catherine ended up staying not only for the remainder of the vacation but for a couple of years, immersing herself in the rich ancient Cretan culture and food traditions. The more time she spent in the fruitful and bountiful Greece, the more she became enthralled by the many wonderful flavours and textures it had to offer, and she truly valued the organic ways of using natural ingredients in each meal and product.

WE HELP YOU GET WHAT YOUÂ NEED IN LIFE.

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As luck would have it, Petros was very interested in nutrition and active in the fitness industry and he, of course, having grown up with this endless wealth of clean, fresh food, shared her passion for great quality food produce.

"We Are An Irish Company With Greek Roots"

After a few years, the couple made the decision to move back to Ireland in 2005 and set up home in the beautiful County Carlow. As they started investigating the availability of Greek food produce in Ireland they found that it was very sparse in comparison to in particular the Italian food market. It was evident that the Greek pallet was much underrepresented, which prompted the pair into action. To start out with, Petros and Catherine began importing and selling the very best of award-winning Cretan olive oil in various sizes, which became an instant success and in 2015, the couple was accepted into the SuperValu Food Academy Programme, mentored by Musgraveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Bord Bia. This was, of course, a fantastic opportunity, and although neither Catherine nor Petros had any prior production experience in actual producing of artisan foods, they went headlong into this exciting challenge, which was going to test the strength of their passion and dedication ten times over. Through the completion of the programme, The Soul Of Crete had their Greek products placed on the shelves of various Super Value stores in Ireland, and to date, they have two very busy distributors. Although their selection of delicious Cretan foods and ingredients has increased with items such as Baklava, herbs and spices, fresh olives, sauces and dips, their pride and joy is, of course, their own produce, the Plain and Chocolate Tahini.

Petros and Catherine`s little son Billy was, as most kids are, a dedicated chocolate spread fan, but when the couple realized what actually goes into a jar, they decided to make their own. Astonishingly the amount of sugar contained in a jar of chocolate spread was astoundingover 50% per jar is pure sugar. The Soul Of Crete`s Chocolate Tahini contains a mere two teaspoons of brown sugar and no palm oils, but only honest, natural good ingredients. Once the production had outgrown the HSE approved home kitchen, the business found premises, only 10 minutes away from where they live where now a "Blitzer" machine takes center stage, blending the sesame seeds in next to no time, helping to speed up production immensely. As luck would have it, Petros was able to also rent storage facilities for their production in the same premises, which makes the entire process run very smoothly. The future looks very bright for The Soul Of Crete, and we, as consumers can look forward to many more delicious meals, snacks, and recipes from this dynamic duo from County Carlow! Thank you, Petros and Catherine, for giving me of your precious time and telling me your story of passion and dedication. You are both great examples of the ingenuity of entrepreneurship and I`m delighted to have gotten to know you both. Also, thank you for your delicious samples, my family and I had a right feast around the table, and who knows, even a few Greek words might have been spoken! I wish you every success in the future.

Healthy Ice Cream, WhoÂ Would Have Thought!

"Mmmm, finally a non-guilty pleasure!"

Strawberry Coconut Banana Ice Cream You Will Need: 3 Ripe Bananas 200 grams of Strawberries Desiccated Coconut 250 ml Milk 1 Teasp. Vanilla Essence Peel the bananas and chop them into quite large chunks, about 6 slices per banana. Place these in a plastic bag or container and freeze for an hour or so until solid. At the same time,pit strawberries, chop them in half and freeze as well until solid. Pull your blender out from the cupboard and add the frozen fruit to it, add a teaspoon of desiccated coconut, the milk and vanilla essence and mix together until smooth. Pour the mixture into a container and freeze for an hour before you can enjoy it!

"As mad as it sounds, this is so healthy, you could eat it for breakfast!"

"WHEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN YOU NEED, BUILD A LONGER TABLE, NOT A HIGHER FENCE." P

SHINE ON, SON! An interview with lamp designer Eoin Shanley

"I LOVE THE WAY WOOD DOES WHATEVER THE HELL IT WANTS!" ByÂ Kajsa Kinsella

I have done lots and lots of things in my life, which have ended up in pure disasters but I don`t regret a single thing. It led me to where I am today, and with the love of my life by my side and our two children by the hand, I really could not wish for anything more. No man is an island and the person this, in particular, rings true for, is electrical innovator and lamp designer Eoin Shanley from Delgany. For him, family; his parents; his sisters and the people he loves by his side are the fundamental cornerstones of his success and without it, he would not have been the happy, content and energetic man he is today. As many creative people tend to have, Eoin too had a very occupationally colorful past, He tried his hand at numerous interesting and personally developing jobs such as playing Santa in Arnotts which was a job he absolutely loved and could have done forever, as he says! He was a fisherman, which is still a strong passion of his and it`s where the second part of his business name comes from. He was also proudly part of a successful funk/ska band and you won`t believe it, but he was singing as Benny in the Irish band Abba-Esque! During my interview with Eoin, it`s clear to me that the man has a very strong voice, and when he says that he "still does a mean Johnny Cash", I for one believe him! Having started out his career in the arts as a fully qualified actor, Eoin spent many years within that sector and although he truly enjoyed it, he was constantly aware of the fact that it was a highly competitive business, and somewhere along the line, Eoin decided along with his encouraging wife to embark on another path as his interest wandered back to the fact that he always wished to make something with his hands; the fascination of seeing the entire process through and to be able to hold something entirely handmade in his hands.

Once the children were born, Eoin became the happy and dedicated stay-at-home dad that he is today, and do you know what, he absolutely loves it! The shed where he finishes putting his lamps together is right there, waiting out the back, once he has done the school drop-off and it`s ready for him to create his luminous magic of copper, wood, and glass. The passion for wood and all things salvaged began at an early age for Eoin, and if anyone calls for help due to a fallen tree, he is sure to be there in a flash with his chainsaw under the arm, and a huge smile across his face. The process of drying and curing the wood can take many years, so it`s important to have lots and lots and lots of supply... Even so much, that a family car trip to France resulted in the children barely being able to sit down on the way back, for fear of splinters from fibrous treasures! But, who can blame him-wood is such a magnificent element; alive and temperamental, and this is what truly fascinates the designer. In his main workshop in Cabinteely, the wood is prepared, cut to size, oiled and dried, then he brings them home to the shed to turn them into the most beautifully bespoke lighting objects I have seen in a very long time.

"IF ITSĚ&#x20AC; IN YOU, YOU JUST HAVE TO DO IT-WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOOSE!" The production of lamps actually started as he and his wife bought a 200 year-old run down cottage in County Leitrim, which had to be renovated and rebuilt practically from the ground up, which they also did. Under the tutelage of a former coach builder, who aided them in how to best restore the original beams, Eoin became hooked on the craftsmanship and soaked up every drop of information he could get. When it was time to put up lighting in the house and none suitable was to be found, he was ready to have a go at making his own and what he made was both beautiful and functional. This was a sensational success, and after having tested the waters in various pop-up shops and at markets, Eoin began displaying his lamps at national trade shows, which made the orders start rolling in. He is now represented by large nationwide retailers and there seems to be no end to his innovative designs and structures. All items are unique, fully handmade and one off pieces, so although the process might take a while, the result is so very much worth waiting for. Thank you, Eoin for allowing me to listen to your story of joy for life, passion for your business and your dedication for your family. It`s a true inspiration to see you do so well and I wish you every success in the future. P

"YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR WINGS, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO NOW, IS FLY" P

"THE WORLD WILL ONLY CHANGE AS WE CHANGE." By Liz Valloor "Learning how to say no was extremely difficult. It is like coming off a drug." My formative story is like the numerous stories we hear daily. We think it has changed profoundly but when you hear women being praised on our national stations for denying themselves and their lives for the sake of their children and their families, we see really the changes are superficial. Repeatedly, I hear, she was a fantastic mother, she never thought of herself. I was born on a farm in Co. Meath. I was the fourth girl on a farm that had been in the family for generations. I was told by my mother that at my birth I was such a disappointment that my grandmother wrote a letter of condolences. I attended our local National School and was happy enough though I was told on a regular basis “I never saw a Dillon any good”. I was changed to a bigger convent school in the nearby town aged nine-years. I had little self-esteem and found it difficult to make friendships. I progressed to the Secondary school and though I worked hard to do well in my exams it was motivated by a fear that I would have nowhere to go. I couldn’t stay on the farm and my parents were not involved in discussing options. This created tremendous anxiety so when I went to Dublin to do a secretarial course I suffered my first panic attacks. There was no understanding by doctors or parents at that time and somehow or other I managed to get a position in the Bank of Ireland. It was there I met my future husband and by twentyone years old I was married. It wasn’t unusual at the time because couples didn’t live together, we were bound by family and church rules. I had to resign on marriage as it was a societal rule at the time.

It was after I got married that I attended college. This was perceived as being outlandish. Thankfully, my husband was happy I do this as he wanted for me to be qualified so that full responsibility would not be on him, should we have a family. It was when I had children that my script kicked in. I did not see it like that at the time. What we do is, we either follow the pattern of our parents or react to it. It is the polarity. I was determined to be fully present in my children’s lives and to do as much for them as humanly possible. I created a cocoon. Though I qualified as a Primary School teacher I resigned from it when my second child was born. I did not want to let my children be brought up by a stranger. I founded my own preschool and ran it for fourteen years. I loved it because I could be myself with the children. I created a happy space for them where they could develop socially and emotionally. I was not overly concerned about academics as I knew that each child was different and would develop differently, though the children who were ready, I worked with them. There was no pressure. It was only when my children were teenagers that the whole dream began to unravel. They had difficulty dealing with more assertive peers and their self-esteem academically was low. I couldn’t understand this because I had a comparison. I saw them in my pre-school and I knew that they were talented and intelligent. Why was this happening? I was doing everything I could for them, I spent every penny I had on courses and activities for them, but it wasn’t working. I found an old school essay belonging to my daughter Helen where she wrote that she could never aspire to go to University. That would be like her father buying a Ferrari. It was never going to happen. Why should she at twelve years of age even think that? P

I had done everything I knew to make them happy and they were desperately unhappy. I was willing to be shown another way. I totally surrendered that day. I was in such despair that I sat in a church in Sandyford and prayed. I told God that I had become a human doing. I had done everything I knew to make them happy and they were desperately unhappy. I was willing to be shown another way. I totally surrendered that day. What had I to lose? I felt I was losing them as it was. Within a week I was handed a book by Anthony de Mello called Awareness. He outlined three basic truths. • You cannot make another person happy. Something must happen inside them. • You cannot make another person love you. They must open their own hearts. • You can only change yourself. He said that if we are reacting to a challenge in a relationship, then we are the one with the problem. Someone else in my situation would not be affected at all. There were many children not affected by the problems my children were facing so my question was WHY? I discovered we all have stories, scripts that we learned in our childhood. That the only way I had to discover mine was to identify why I was reacting. What past memory did it bring up in me? I also realized I was trying to change my husband by encouraging him, by taking responsibility away from him and I was doing the same for my children. In doing that I was making them dependent. The downside was by my overdoing, I was becoming resentful and because they were not experiencing the joy of being able to do for themselves, they were becoming resentful of me. Here was, I killing myself to do it for them in the hope that I`d be loved, and it was backfiring. That was the nub of the problem. I had not experienced love as a child and I craved it. I was also taught not to outshine the boys. Your place is in a supporting role. Not only was I doing for my family, but I could not say no to anyone. This left me very vulnerable. So long as I was approved I was fine, criticised and I crumbled. I went to Achill Island for a weekend on my own to get my head around what I was seeing. I was very overwhelmed as I sat on Keel beach in February 1995. I came back home to find my fourteen-year-old daughter cooking a meal that I would cook. Her father had gone out and she was minding the younger children. I saw mini-me. I also remember her as a free four- year old. What I was witnessing was a child becoming an approval-addict like her mother. That was the day I knew that my script was well and truly passed on. I understood what Anthony de Mello said. Stop trying to change others, be the change you want to see. I began working on me. I attended workshops to support me and I read avidly. I began to see that I had been taking one hundred and fifty percent responsibility. I could see where I was doing too much and so I began to slowly hand responsibility back to my husband, my children and I also learned how to say no. Learning how to say no was extremely difficult. It is like coming off a drug. I went through withdrawal symptoms. I lost people I had considered friends and felt abandoned and lost. This is not an easy road but as time went by, I began to gain confidence. What I also realized is that your inability to say no matches your inability to say yes. I would not go out to a concert, or the cinema as that would be selfish. I didn’t take a weekend away as I was continuing the life my mother had led. Timeout for you was not approved of. I found an Awareness Retreat in Chrysalis, facilitated by Dr. P.J. Francis who was Director of the Anthony de Mello center. I wanted to be near someone who had known this powerful influencer. When I attended the following year, Francis saw the work I was doing on myself. What I was achieving was living awareness and he said that very few people ever do this. They love the idea of freedom but find it too life-changing ever to go about it. He invited me to visit India. P

Every programme that I was ever taught came up to haunt me. How could I leave my children? By this time my marriage had broken down and I was a lone parent. So long as I stayed in my old role I was loved but the changed me was not good enough. In the end it was a choice, I could remain the same as I had been as a human doing, damaging my health and crippling my children or I could go solo. Sometimes, we think we have a choice but when there is a knowing within you that there is no choice, there is only one way to go. I chose that way. I believed before that I must stay at home and do everything in my power to make my children happy. I had become Mom’s Taxi as I see on the stickers on the backs of many cars. We do so much for our children that there is no time to relax and allow inspiration in. I was not listening to them, seeing their talents. Focusing on their weakness but not seeing their strengths. This way of being was depriving my children of their ability to take responsibility for their happiness. It deprived them of a means to understand themselves and be co-creators of their lives. I also saw that I was not actually seeing them. I was seeing them through my filter of need. How could they learn to see themselves and their talents when their mother couldn’t see her own? That first trip to India opened doors for us all and I returned to Lonavla to facilitate retreats with Francis many times. I was the only western woman to teach awareness at Sadhana Institute. It was a huge privilege. Strolling down the road eating ice-cream cones, my youngest daughter said to me “Do you remember when I said to you, what is there to look forward to in life now. Am I going to live a life like yours where all you do is work. Well, now that you have gone to India, I am seeing that there is more to life”. I was stunned.

"THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED IS NOT AN EASY ONE, MOVING FROM THE KNOWN TO THE UNKNOWN, BUT IT IS WORTHWHILE"

I had experienced so much guilt going on that trip, yet I knew I had to go. I had to do something with my life. The life I had been living was seeing through the filter of my subconscious memories. My reactions to challenges and relationships brought these memories to the surface and they will continue to come until we pay attention to them. When I saw that my perception was limiting, not only my life but theirs, that I was passing on my: "please for peace sake; don’t rock the boat; stop boasting you only upset people; you won’t mind if I don’t give you a present, but I did mind if my birthday was forgotten." I had no voice and I was teaching them how to follow my path. They will have their own life challenges, that is evolution, but I was determined that if it were possible to delete the apps I had downloaded, so that they were no longer present in my life. I am continuing that journey. Rome wasn’t built in a day and you take it one step at a time. You begin finding a voice in areas you know you can manage and you work from there. I knew I could no longer blame another human being. Blame leaves you controlled. The question I ask myself now is “What am I going to do about this? Sometimes, I stand back as it is not my problem. By trying to solve the problems of the Universe you can easily be distracted from your own. The Road Less Travelled is not an easy one, moving from the known to the unknown but it is worthwhile. Our happiness is to be found in the ordinary, it is there where you will see what is limiting you today, I received a bouquet of flowers from my children. The note said “Happy Mother’s Day from your Internationally planted begottens. We love you lots and hope you have a wonderful day. They are surely Internationally planted, singing their songs and living their lives. My desire behind my doing was that they should have the ability to live their own individual lives, until my eyes were forced open through the pain I was not able to see, that I could never see them until I could see me. The World Will Only Change As We Change.

Dolores Andrew-Gavin My journey When I first set up my personal Twitter account in 2011 I had inadvertently become a stay at home Mum.While I was pregnant with my second child in 2009, my freelancing days as a Legal Secretary were very obviously coming to an end and I found myself at home with my 5-year-old and a new baby. I embraced my new role as Mum and through that journey, my real passion was re-ignited, and I started to write again. The legal world hadn’t been a self-chosen career but was a world in which I was in for almost 20 years. During those years I had squashed down my real passions, as I was busily involved with Junior Chamber in the 1990s, being Chapter President of Junior Chamber Galway in 1998. I had also studied law and I qualified as a Legal Executive from Griffith College in 2004, the year my first son was born. I left the legal world behind me in 2009 and after two years at home with the children, itchy feet syndrome started to kick in. I began looking for natural ways to support my family’s health and wellness and so my journey into studying energy therapies including emotional intelligence, began. I also started my first blog in 2011, as well as setting up my first Twitter account. For the first year of tweeting, I literally shared my weekly blog to a non-existent audience! But at least I had a Twitter account, right? Well not really!! P

Doloress̀ Bio

Dolores Andrew-Gavin is an Author, Blogger, Podcaster, Founder of IrishHealthHour, Founder of Global Emotional Health Summit, Assertive and Empowerment Coach and Mum. She worked for 20 years in the legal work before eventually going back to where her real passions lie, in writing.

She combined this passion with her growing interest in all things emotional health. After her oldest son had an unsettling issue at school, her first children’s book was born as she realized that children do not always have the vocabulary to tell you what they are going through. She went on to develop a children’s website which gives children tools for dealing with their emotional health. Her first book has a male protagonist and her second book has a female protagonist, bearing in mind we can all have issues! She also developed a self-paced, self-study 7-week workshop for adults and children, called the City of Illumination, to help parents learn tools to support their children with their emotional health.

How to think and what to do when starting out on Twitter Like all strategies your Twitter strategy is best formulated with an action plan in mind, a goal of what you would like to achieve from it and a plan of how to do this. BY DOLORES ANDREW-GAVIN Why You do What You Do in Your Business. Finding your WHY you do what you do is a great place to start. Is your elevator pitch coming from your left brain cognitive side only? Finding your why will allow you access the core emotional reasons you do what you do. Put the two together and that’s when the magic happens.

Finding Your Tribe.

Twitter is a busy platform. You need to know where to find your ideal clients/customers/tribe are, so you can connect with them.

How are your ideal customers using Twitter?

After you have found your ideal clients/customers/tribe figure out how do they interact? Do they connect via direct messaging, hashtag-hours or blog posts? Connect with them the way THEY connect.

Build up a relationship with them before you start to sell, sell, sell.

Would you go over to someone at a networking event you have never met and do a hard sell without introducing yourself? At the very least you would hand them a business card. Food for thought whilst compiling your tweets.

BUT what will I say to my ideal clients/customers/tribe?

What are their pain-points? What solutions do you and your business have for them?

How will I get what I want to say into a Tweet?

If a pain-point is obvious to you, and you know that you have a solution that could help someone, introduce yourself and share something of value with them. Remember though they still don’t know YOU.

How do hashtag-hours work? Hashtag-hours are a super way to connect with your ideal clients/customers/tribe because people are there to engage. It’s a virtual networking event. Don’t be shy, get involved, tell them you are a newbie, USE the hashtag and the rest will be history!

Thank You! I hope you have enjoyed the magazine, that it has inspired you and given you a bit of a boost to start on your own path of entrepreneurship. My most sincere gratitude to this monthĚ&#x20AC;s contributors; Eoin Shanley, Wendy Merrigan, Catherine and Petros Konsoulas, Lynsey Hanratty, Dolores Andrew-Gavin, Shirley Copperwhite, Nicole Paulie & last but by no means least, the lovely Liz Valloor.