Huami Magazine for Hampton Roads Nov./Dec. 2020

HAMPTON ROADS

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Nov./Dec. 2020 Vol. 1 Issue 8 FREE

PaperboyFly Clothing Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2020

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There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!

Doors Open, and Doors Will Close There Will Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It! A Letter Editor A Letter Fromfrom Thethe Editor A Letter from the Editor

To say the ifyear of 2020didn’t has been overwhelming would be an What tomorrow arrive?

All of your plans, hopes understatement.

For as long I can remember, and dreams wouldn’t haveas a street to park on. there Whathas if always that you decided to put off until tomorrow never beeneverything some etched in arrive? my mind the year hopes 2020.

Whatmystique if tomorrow didn’t Allabout of your plans, happened?

There would beano reason to save a rainy What will happen?

What won’t happen?

By now, I believe and dreams wouldn’t have street to park on. for What if that day, and could someone thethe trouble of making everything that youspare decided to off until tomorrow never everyone hasyou their own version of put what year has turned out promises.

What if would your last opportunity expired happened?

There be nohave reason toseemingly save for aoutcome. rainy to be.

I am hoping that 2021 will a much better today? wouldspare you do? day, andWhat you could someone the trouble of making promises.

What your 19, lastit’s opportunity seeminglythat expired With the onset ofifCovid my interpretation many I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. today?

What would you do? people may have taken the eventual pandemic for granted. All I feel like am not doing I’m a firm of a Honestly, sudden, and out ofI nowhere, the enough way weand go about our daily believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. lives was interrupted. Can’t go to church because of the dangers that I couldn’t handle.

I sometimes wonder how life would Honestly, I feel I amSchools not doing I’m a firmhave associated with thelike virus. areenough closed,and businesses be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything onme. me I been closed and in some cases, even shut down permanently. have found that to be very boring.

In my opinion, opportunity that I couldn’t I sometimes howcovering life wouldto Everywhere I go, Ihandle. must wear a mask orwonder protective is aifblessing that isn’t afforded to what everyone.

A challenge be I chose to sit idle and accept it presented to else. me. I ensure that I do get infected or possibly infect someone to me is an adventure.

What is the worst that can happen? found that to even be very boring. as Inamy opinion, opportunity Thenhave a new word was invented result of our new way If aI do nothing, if I try to I don’t, but instead learn is blessing thatI fail, isn’tand afforded everyone.

A challenge of living; social distancing. Oh, how things have changed. something new about myself. yourcan pride and in to me is an adventure.

What is Relinquish the worst that happen? return acquire life.

If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn Even with all of the discourse and confusion, God has something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in continued to show His might and power through it all. While The best advice return acquire life.ever given to me happened when someone some things have been away, He hastoday. replaced them so with told me to make my taken tomorrow happen In doing evenI have greater ones.

With new many business owners pressed my waythe through doors with a key thatsomeone only The best advice ever given tonormal, me happened when including myself have been forced to develop new ways of how hopeme provided. have also learned the today. difference between told to makeImy tomorrow happen In doing so we do business.

Asmy a me result our businesses have flourished and God blesses and what can with Iwhat have pressed waywith through doorslife with a burden key thatme only become even more dynamic.

All that I am left with to think as well.

I compare it toalso knowing when be confident andis, but hope provided.

I have learned the to difference between God.what God blesses me with and what whenlife tocan be quiet, burdenbecause me with may get it confused as well. I compare it to knowingsomeone when to be confident and I’m excited about what God is preparing for everyone in with being when to bearrogant. quiet, because 2021. While we are closing out the year, we must continue to be someone may get it confused mindful of all of the things that Make youarrogant. tomorrow with being God happen didn’t allow tobut happen, today, most and importantly make it count. appreciate He has.

What Makewhat you tomorrow Life is to but a whisper andGod I continue learn is when happen today, but most we mustthings putmake ourselves a it count. takesimportantly some away, Heinalways position hear what it is Life isthem buttoawith whisper and replaces even greater telling us.put we must in a things.

When oneourselves door closes, position to hear what it is another one will open. Knowing us. stay encouraged and this, telling we must Terry L. Watson continue to pursue our purpose.

More thanEditor/Founder anything, we must Terry L. Watson always trust God.

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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2020

HAMPTON ROADS

CONTENTS

Empowering Others

NaQuetta Mitchell

On The Cover

PaperboyFly Clothing Sammy Gulley

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D King Electric

Dmitri King

NOV./DEC. 2020

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14

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SlS Sound & Lighting

BJ Brown

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GlamHer Hair Addiction

Warren & Barbara

Also Featured

S. Elle Clark She is always up to something.

Meet the face and founder of Sipping Good.

Atlanta, GA

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Javion Woods Through her pains and struggles, she is able to help others.

Greenville/Spartanburg, SC

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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2020

Russell (Russ) Pennix He is the cutest, and has been selected as Huami Magazine’s Cutest Baby.

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PaperboyFly Clothing

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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2020

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Sammy Gulley Sammy Gulley can be described as modest.

He is a humble guy from Meridian, MS by way of Yonkers, NY. He’s a husband, a father of two, a wine aficionado, and so much more.

He was raised by his mother along with his two sisters. There, he learned valuable life lessons that prepared him for life.

After finishing high school, he enlisted in the US Navy and served his country for eight years. After he got out of the Navy, he began working as a civilian over in Okinawa Japan. After leaving Okinawa he moved back to the United States to Virginia and got a job working at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. He started as a trainer/ SA (System Administrator) for DOD EHR Essentris, and was later promoted to the leading System Administrator.

Today, Sammy is the owner of PaperboyFly Clothing, a fashion apparel line of T-shirts, sweaters, crop tops, sweater dresses and more. He will be adding suits and other items down the road to make his catalog more well-rounded and give customers that full fledge PaperboyFly experience.

Sammy started to get more into fashion shortly after leaving the military. “I couldn’t wear a uniform anymore so I had to put more effort into what I wore. I would always get compliments on how I dressed and the combinations I put together. Once I got to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, the compliments kept coming and I thought maybe I can turn this into something. People would ask if I ever thought about having my own clothing line and I would respond “no”.

However as time went on the idea began to grow on me. I would always wear paperboy hats from years ago and so I thought the way I dressed was fly that I put two and two together, and came up with PaperboyFly,” he says.

As the owner of a fashion apparel company, Sammy says he loves being able to see his ideas come to life. “Seeing others excited about my brand and the possibilities that we have in front of us, and being able to show my children that they can also be owners of their own companies is what it’s all about,” he says. “I find that I get inspiration from so many sources. Whether from my family, friends, colleagues, or neighbors. I’m inspired by other fashion icons and brands Continued on the next page Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2020

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such as Sean John, Roca Wear, Gap, Ralph Lauren, Karl Kani, and Tommy Hilfiger. I also try and find inspiration from within and make my style fit my mood, or the day or the season of life I’m in,” Sammy says.

Sammy has faced a few challenges in business. One is getting a consistent footing on the marketing and making consistent sales and exposing himself to a broader market.

Others he says are finding manufactures that have the quality and scalability that can support the needs of an upstart company like the one he has. “Honing in on that customer base that will support your product and vision not just at the beginning but be repeat customers can be quite challenging,” he also says. “We are always trying to expand our range of products while maintaining our quality and service to customers.”

“I couldn’t wear a uniform anymore so I had to put more effort into what I wore. I would always get compliments on how I dressed and the combinations I put together.”

The journey that Sammy has experienced with PaperboyFly Clothing has helped him to become a more well-rounded businessman.

He says if he could have done some things differently, he would have. “One would be doing more market research before my initial launching. Having a better marketing plan I’ve learned is so important. I would have hired a professional to make my website or at least consult with them on the overall aesthetics and functionality of it. I also wished I would have learned more about drop-shipping,” he says.

Moving forward, the focus of PaperboyFly Clothing is to expand their customer base.

They will also continue to improve the overall experience for their clientèle and ensure that customer service is provided at its best.

Sammy also offers some advice to others who may follow in his footsteps. “If you can find a mentor, study them and get advice.

Do your research and find your niche. Most importantly, do not give up if this is something you believe in and are passionate about. Stay with it and remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he says.

To learn more about Sammy or PaperboyFly Clothing, visit their online store to checkout their latest line of apparel and fashion. h

Sammy Gulley

PaperboyFly Clothing www.paperboyflyclothing.com 8

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Empowering Others For Greatness

By Terry L. Watson Photos by NaQuetta Mitchell NaQuetta Mitchell of Hopewell, VA is truly a “Woman Of Endurance”.

She is the mother of two amazing young ladies who are the driving force behind her desire to accomplish each assignment God puts before her.

She is also the face and founder of Higher Than This Transformational Coaching, and a nonprofit organization, Women of Endurance.

Higher Than This is a coaching firm that specializes in transforming relationships that include self, romantic, platonic, familial, and community. “At Higher Than This, we specialize in bringing hope and clarity to your relationships. We will help you understand what options are open to you. We will help you feel confident in making your decision,” she says. With Women of Endurance, its focus is geared towards assisting women with turning devastation into determination.

NaQuetta shares how her journey began. “I got started officially in 2014. During that season of my life I was a mother of one and expecting my next child, all while going through a divorce. It was during this season that I had decided to move back to my hometown of Hopewell, Va. While going through this transition, it was not a lot of assistance for women in my situation. Even though I was married to the military, they couldn’t help me. Even though I was going through a divorce, social services couldn’t help me either,” she says. NaQuetta knew at that moment there was a void that needed to be filled.

Some of the services offered with Higher Than This are one on one coaching sessions, group sessions, and speaking engagements. “My services are geared towards those who have a desire to be the change they wish to see,” says NaQuetta.

To accomplish everything that she does, NaQuetta is often faced with challenging situations. “That work and life balance is tough. I have so many goals to reach but I also want to hang out with my daughters at Chuck E. Cheese and eat Pepperoni Pizza. I am slowly getting my business to the point where I am able to plan more self care and mommy daughter adventures with my kids, and date nights with my honey. I am also trying to include some time with friends and family,” she says.

There are some things that she loves about being a business owner as well. “I absolutely love that with being a transformation coach, I am able to run a business that aligns with my values. I am determined to constantly grow and develop clients into who they desire to be. Being self employed offers a flexible schedule, both in terms of when and where I work. One of the best things and biggest advantages of being a business owner is I can work from home, work from my office, and work from virtually any destination with a great view and a latte in my hand,” NaQuetta shares.

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NaQuetta shares her life has been impacted by women of color. “I have always been surrounded by strong women such as my mother, my father, my maternal and paternal Grandmothers, my aunts, my high school business teacher, and my high school marketing teacher.

These individuals led me to believe that anything I put my mind to, I can do and most importantly that if an obstacle or obstacles come my way that I could overcome them,” she says. NaQuetta finds inspiration being able to provide a good life for her daughters.

Though the journey has been interesting for NaQuetta, she has endured. There are a few things that she would change about it if she could. “I would have attended Virginia State University as soon as I graduated high school and graduated with my degree. Even though I have worked diligently to show and prove how qualified I am, most organizations don’t give me the opportunities that they give those with a degree.”

What lies in the future for NaQuetta? She plans on releasing her long awaited book early 2021. It will be a book of devotions and encouragement for women who are in transition into their next season. To learn more about the programs and services offered by NaQuetta Mitchell, please contact her directly or visit her website. h

Marriage On Life Support “My wife and I were truly on the brink of throwing away 10 years of marriage over a break in communication. I am not a therapy kinda guy, so it was honestly a breath of fresh air receiving a referral to check out a relatable, down to earth relationship coach. I can not thank NaQuetta enough for coaching session that helped my family stay together.”

Client Testimony

www.naquettaspeaks.com FB and IG: (Business Page) Higher_Than_This (NonProfit) WomentOfEnduranceVa

D KING ELECTRIC

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton - Photos by Khi Visualz

The trajectory of your life is usually determined by the decisions you make for yourself and the odds that may be stacked against you despite those decisions. Unsurprisingly, black men tend to face these odds at a larger rate than any other ethnic category.

In high school, in Greensboro, NC, Dmitri King was traveling down the wrong path. He was hanging out with friends late at night, taking the family car without permission, and eventually ran into trouble that he couldn’t escape. After he graduated, not much changed. Things got worse even. He and his stepfather weren’t getting along due to his constant mischief and eventually he was kicked out of the house. A close friend and his family took him in and for years it seemed his life was turning around…until he got arrested and thrown in jail.

While spending time behind bars, King received a phone call from a close cousin that would change his life more than he could’ve ever imagined.

“My cousin came and bailed me out and asked me was I ready to leave Greensboro, NC now. I knew I couldn’t keep doing what I was doing. So not only did he pay my bail, but he paid to rent a moving truck, packed up all my stuff and brought me and my son down to Buford, GA put us up, and put me to work that week,” King explains. He is beyond grateful to his cousin and freely admits that he could never repay him for giving him the career he currently has and a new lease on life almost two decades ago. Perhaps he’s reimbursing him by following in his cousin’s footsteps and being a successful businessman.

King’s cousin owned an independent electrical business and taught him almost everything he knew at the time. The New Jersey native absorbed as much knowledge as he could and moved on to another company where he worked alongside seasoned electricians who poured into him. Years later he transitioned to another cousin’s business, expanding his knowledge base even further.

“I learned on three different levels and learned three different ways to run a business. They were all so smart and took their time to teach me everything about wiring and lighting and all of that,” says King.

In 2010 King felt he’d had enough hands on experience to branch out and start a business of his own. He became a Certified Electrician and opened DKing Electric, LLC under the parent company Metro Atlanta Electrical, LLC. It wasn’t easy for me, but it wasn’t that difficult because I had support.”

When one of his former employers changed directions to focus solely on commercial contracts, he referred two of his biggest residential clients to King because of his talent and the level of trust in his work.

King met several more loyal clients who gave excellent references so it wasn’t long before his clientele began to grow. Popular nightclub owners, restaurant owners, and new construction home builders all across the area came calling and then connected him with others. Soon he had more clients than he could handle. That push only made him work harder, hire more workers, and make more money.

The once troubled kid perfected his craft and is proud that he can wire an entire home by himself from ‘top to bottom’.

Fortunately, he’s so busy with inspections, contracts, and clients that he doesn’t have time to do that anymore. He hires professionals whose work is just as thorough as his, so he can trust them to do a job when he’s not there. He’s currently training another cousin to one day take the rein or at the least, be his backup.

“You’re only as good as the people you hire so I make sure I employ smart people who know what they’re doing.”

A typical day for King consists of driving from city to city, managing projects and the variety of work that has to be done on each job. “The biggest part of my day, really, is going to a [home improvement] store several times! Easy. There isn’t a day when I’m not there at least twice. Sometimes five or six times in a day.

So much that I should purchase stock!” he laughed.

As busy as it is and as intricate as it can be, King can’t imagine where he would be without DKing Electric, LLC. It’s like the heart of his family. His wife lends her time to the business by handling the bookkeeping and much of the paperwork and he manages the field. His 24 year old son helps out from time to time but has his sights set on entertainment for now. His bonus-daughter watches from afar.

The life-saving cousins King embarked on this journey with have now expanded to being builders and restaurant owners, and he is itching to do the same. Don’t be surprised to soon see Dmitri King’s name on something bigger and better around the Atlanta area. Whatever it is, it will be lit. Literally. h

“You’re only as good as the people you hire so I make sure I employ smart people who know what they’re doing.”

D King Electric 678-791-3314 www.dkingelectric.com 15

Leading By Example

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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2020

By Laci Ollison Photos by Javion Woods ​ For Javion Woods, much of life has been spent serving others and raising her ten children. However recently, she has decided to steer her life into a different direction; running a business, managing a non-profit organization, and encouraging others along the way. ​ Javion was born in Clinton, North Carolina and raised in the Bronx of New York. She has spent much of her life living in Greenville, South Carolina, the place this accomplished business woman calls home.

She was married and became a mother at a young age. “​ I gave my life to my husband and to being a mother because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do,” Javion said.

“I thought that was one of the admirable things a woman was supposed to do.” B ​ ut over time things began to change. “ ​ My husband became abusive and controlling. He was older than me so he thought he could tell me what to do. So I had to figure out what to do.” ​ Javion found that leaving wasn’t easy to do. Javion quickly realized that there were not many resources for a single mother at the time. “ ​ I left my marriage with no college degree, with eight children, and one on the way,” she recalls. “I was fleeing with my babies, but I had nowhere to go. I couldn’t knock on a friend’s door because there were so many of us. I couldn’t apply for section eight assistance because my family exceeded the occupancy limit. Shelters weren’t an option because there was a rule that boys over seven had to go to the male shelter, so some of my kids would be with me and some of them wouldn’t. I had to make a decision.” ​ Javion prayed for an answer. God spoke to her and told her that she was more than just a wife and a mother. That message from God was very clear and was carried on to the inception of her non-profit, More Than A Mother. The organization’s message is a simple one. It pushes women to pursue life outside of being a mother and a wife. ​ “While those are wonderful attributes,” said Javion, “Your business and your purpose does not stop just because you get married and have children. When roles change, women adapt to the challenges but sometimes put themselves on the backburner.”

“Your business and your purpose does not stop just because you get married and have children.”

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More Than A Mother started as a Facebook group on the basis of providing women a platform to begin talking about things that mothers dealt with. Within 30 days, the group had reached 2,000 members. Javion shares that she wasn’t mentally or emotionally prepared for it because there was still some healing that she needed to do and some healing that needed to take place inside of her. ​ Javion said that after she healed, she was able to come back and form the non-profit which now focuses on a variety of different initiatives. ​ “I’m also a domestic violence survivor. So of course I’m a domestic violence advocate. But I’m also a mental health advocate and we’ve also done things around breast cancer awareness,” she says. T ​ he organization is in the 2nd year of hosting a breast cancer awareness luncheon. “ ​ We pick things that affect the community and we focus on that. We recently did a homeless drive to fight COVID-19. So we’re not stuck with serving one purpose permanently, we try to do a variety of things.” T​ hey also held a Bee Essential Back to School drive, collecting kits for teachers and childcare workers. ​ Javion is also in the process of hosting a retreat for mothers called Mom Boss Launch. The retreat will encourage moms to pursue passion and vision while still being effective in their roles of mom and wife. ​ In addition to managing her non-profit organization, Javion is also the owner of LifeEaze, a virtual assistance company that also offers business strategy and business coaching services to entrepreneurs. ​ “I’m a Human Resources Manager by trade,” Javion said. “I was working as a government contractor and I was the executive assistant to the CEO. So I did everything and learned it all.”

O ​ ne night, Javion went to a church service and realized that so many people there who owned businesses didn’t know how to do things like file for an LLC, manage their social media pages, or create a landing page. “​ At first I was offering my services for free,” she said. “One day I heard my pastor preach a sermon and he said that everything you need is already inside of you. If you’re asking God for a financial increase, take what you already have and use it.” ​ ​ Once Javion launched her virtual assistant businesses, clients became her norm. “Just about every time I did a consultation, I booked the client.”

A ​ s a mother, business owner, and non-profit CEO, Javion has learned to be her biggest supporter. “ ​ You can’t control what other people say or do. Other people may not clap for you, so you have to clap for yourself. Every day you look in the mirror and decide to show up for yourself,” she said. ​ Javion is the proud mother of Patience, Malachi, Charity, Faith, Kevin Jr., Zion, Nehemiah, Soloman, Ezekial, Harmony, and a bonus child, Jayda. h

Javion James More Than A Mother www.iammorethanamother.org 864-982-7831 LifeEaze Virtual Assistant www.lifeeaze.com 864-982-7831 Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2020

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Creating & Selling Solutions

By Laci Ollison Photos by Chanel Mason Everyone experiences hardships in life. Things happen that attempt to throw us off course.

And unfortunately for many entrepreneurs, taking time to process and destress doesn’t always come easy. Elle Clark, however, was able to reignite her passion for entrepreneurship through self-care and a sabbatical.

“Last year God blessed me to be able to take a year off from business and work,” the Mississippi native said. “I had never taken off work in about 16 or 17 years.

Elle said that it was her friends who encouraged her to take a break after experiencing some difficult times. “They told me I needed a break to just chill and relax,” she said. “I was really stressed. And my friends reminded me that I hadn’t stopped through any of the things that I had been through.”

But then, Elle said that her mental health began to become affected because of not being able to take a break. “I started having bad panic attacks and anxiety attacks,” she said. “That’s when I knew I had to do something.”

The single mother reluctantly agreed to take a break, but it wasn’t a decision that was easy to make or adjust to. “It was crazy to not get up and go to work,” said Elle. “I felt like an underachiever. I felt like I was being a slacker and like I should be up doing something. I just felt like I was wasting my life.”

By the second month Elle told herself that she was blessed and that she could do this. By the third month she pushed herself to find a routine.

The year-long sabbatical gave the entrepreneur time to process some of her life’s experiences. “It gave me time to release a lot of things that had hurt me,” said Elle. “I unloaded a lot of hurt, stress, and pain, and had time to process things that I had been through.”

It also gave her a chance to remember why she started her businesses in the first place.

“I shut down all my businesses,” Elle said.

“I didn’t do anything work related and it was hard. It gave me time to plan, time to meet with suppliers, and that’s also when I came up with my organization, ‘Passion Funding Purpose.’”

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Passion Funding Purpose is a non profit organization that Elle founded in hopes of assisting working class men and women with everyday life necessities: food, housing, medical expenses along with attorney fees of black fathers who are battling tough child custody cases.

“The inspiration for Passion Funding Purpose came from me and my own experience,” Elle said. “To be in full time business and raising a child, you find yourself needing help sometimes but there’s not a lot of help for the working class.”

Elle said that business owners and working class shouldn’t have to worry about essential things like childcare, housing, or making sure they have food for their family when times get hard.

Assisting others was also part of the inspiration behind another one of her businesses, Sippin Good. Named by her son, Sippin Good offers cbd teas and organic loose teas that are geared toward health and wellness.

“All teas are geared toward the body,” Elle said. “We felt that it was the perfect time to launch this type of business during a pandemic.”

The teas were specifically created to help with ailments that many people experience such as diabetes, dementia, joint pain, anxiety, alcohol and substance addiction, fibrosis plus so much more. All ingredients from the teas are sourced from suppliers found within the United States.

“It was crazy to not get up and go to work. I felt like an underachiever. I felt like I was being a slacker and like I should be up doing something.”

Elle along with her son had hopes of opening a storefront but due to the pandemic, they have pushed their open date to March of next year.

For now, their line of teas can be found on their website. “The goal is to come to the café and have a full tea experience,” she said.

Along with her non-profit organization and her tea business, Elle is a Georgia Notary and full time Georgia Realtor of 16 years. Elle Clark Solutions offers Real Estate and Small Business Strategy Solutions to entrepreneurs who need assistance defining their goals, creating an execution plan and scaling their business.

Elle says that she hopes to handoff her Real Estate business to her son in the next six years. “I don’t see myself opening up any other businesses,” she said. “But the goal is to have all my businesses go on auto-pilot.” She also hopes her 12 year old son will continue to build his entrepreneurial skills.

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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2020

“Both myself and his father are entrepreneurs,” Elle said. “So he is a product of his environment. Our goal is to make sure that he knows that he doesn’t have to work for anyone else. Our goal is to make sure that he knows that an unplanned direction to college or working a job for someone else not knowing his skills does not have to be his path. I want him to look at himself and know that he has options based on learning his purpose. She hopes to leave a legacy for her son to follow. “I have to ask myself, “what am I leaving behind”? “If I departed this world today, what did I as a parent teach him to do without me?”

“Have a clear, concise, and well strategized plan,” she advises. “Plan for long and short term.” The business strategist says that entrepreneurs should also save and budget for the potential costs that come along with starting a business. “Have the money because nothing is free,” she said. “We’re past the days of being able to start a business for $500 because legal filing fees cost that much alone.”

Elle also says that business owners should be able to adapt to changes that they may encounter along the way. “Be open to change. Business is not one dimensional no matter how many years you have been in it. Every year and every quarter you should be rising to a new level and still learning while maintaining that which you have mastered at the same time.”

Elle says that she is proud of how she herself has been able to adapt to change. “I find strength in knowing that I could do this by myself with what God placed within me. In spite of adversity and in spite of the lessons that I had to learn, I stayed the course.”

Elle’s next goal is to make a “little time” to be found by true love and marry in the near future. h

“Some companies give good ideas, we sell great Solutions”

Sippin Good LLC 833-7SI-PPIN www.sippingood.com “Enhance your mind, body and wellness while Sippin Good” Facebook & Instagram @Imsippingood

Elle Clark Solutions Real Estate & Small Business Solutions 770-421-5531 www.elleclarksolutions.com 800 Battery Ave - Ste 100 Atlanta, GA 30339 Facebook & Instagram @elleclarksolutions 25

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GlamHer Hair

Addiction

By Laci Ollison Photos by LA Photographie During the day, she has the responsibility of delivering packages and mail to local residents as a postal worker, but at night she is mixing, creating, and serving up natural haircare products to her male and female customers who are looking to grow and maintain their healthy locs and manes.

Thirty-three-year-old Jaquesa Hayes-Finney is the proud owner of GlamHer Hair Addiction, which offers natural hair products for all hair types. She founded her company after gaining inspiration from her sister who was diagnosed with cancer and lost all of her hair.

Her oldest daughter also has eczema on her scalp which lead Hayes-Finney to create a product that could be used on children’s hair as well.

“I wanted to create a natural hair product to help women and children who have lost their hair for different reasons and to help establish healthy hair habits,” stated Hayes-Finney. “Although many of my customers wear extensions, I want them to understand that it’s okay to wear them but their hair should be healthy underneath as well.”

She shares that her best-selling product is her, HERJuice which helps with the health of the scalp which is vital for healthy hair. HERJuice also helps with hair retention, density and breakage.

Hayes-Finney states, “This product has helped women that have experienced loss due to alopecia, chemotherapy and eczema. It can also help with chemically treated hair and stress points.”

“I went to cosmetology school, but I never wanted to actually do hair. I was always more focus on the anatomy of the scalp so I could formulate, mix and create my own products.”

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Customers have also used her natural products on baby’s who have experienced cradle cap and need moisture on their scalp and help with their hair growing back.

GLamHER Edges Control

GLamHER Conditioner

GlamHer also offers a variety of other haircare products for customers such as shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, leavein conditioner, butter crème and edge control.

“My edge control works with all different types of hair,” said Hayes-Finney. “I have a lot of customers who wear locs and they like to use the edge control to retwist their hair.”

The single mother of two said that she has always wanted to work for herself and to own her own business. And although she has always had a passion for hair, she says that she was never really interested in becoming a hair stylist. “I went to hair school, but I never wanted to actually do hair,” she said. “I was always more focused on the anatomy of the scalp so I could formulate, mix and create my own products.”

Hayes-Finney said that the science behind hair and hair products drew her more because she loves science. She also earned a degree from Baptist College of Health Sciences in Memphis.

The Nashville native said that the anatomy behind the hair and scalp drew her to taking online courses to create her own product line.

“I took classes on how to mix products together and I learned what mixes well. Once I learned how to make the products, then I added my own twist to make something that would work for all hair types,” Hayes-Finney said.

She also states that when coming up with inspiration for her products, she had a specific type of hair and customer in mind.

“My target was 4C hair because that’s the type of hair that my oldest daughter has and it is the hardest texture of hair to maintain and find products for,” Hayes-Finney said. “My youngest daughter has curly 3C hair and I have 4A 4B hair. I made the product to where it is versatile on all type hair.”

Hayes-Finney said that it was important for her to create a product that would work perfectly on all of her family’s hair, no matter the texture.

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I keep my daughters very involved in the business. Not only do they assist with getting the products together by helping with packaging, but they are also co-owners of GlamHer Hair Addiction.

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As an entrepreneur, Hayes-Finney states the hardest part about managing a business has been the marketing but being consistent and having good customer service is what has helped her be successful as a business owner. And although, working a full-time job and raising her daughters while managing her business can get tough at times, she keeps with the grind because failing is not an option. She hopes to pass down the importance of entrepreneurship to her daughters.

“I keep my daughters very involved in the business,” Hayes-Finney said. “Not only do they assist with getting the products together by helping with packaging, but they are also co-owners of GlamHer Hair Addiction,” she says. She encourages her daughters and teaches them that they can be their own boss and pave the way for the next generation to come.

The businessowner is now looking to start two lines of products specifically for kids and for men. “The men products will be for men who may be experiencing hair loss, or who may just need a good moisturizer for their beard,” Hayes-Finney said.

GlamHer Hair Addiction has been in business for over a year and you can also find the natural hair styling products on the shelves of Colored Essentials on Jefferson Street. All of the products that GlamHer offers are vegan friendly, kid friendly and have been approved by the FDA. h

Ja’Quesa Finney GlamHer Hair Addiction www.glamorousbombshell.com 615-863-1578

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By Terry L.Watson Photos by BJ Brown When the quality of your service speaks for itself, the chances of your business being successful are a lot higher.

That is what is taking place with Southern Lighting and Sound, Southern Wave Studios, and Southern Wave Music Group in Charleston, SC.

Owned and founded by BJ Brown, SLS provides audio, lighting, and visual production services for concerts, weddings, festivals, corporate events, and religious events.

Additionally, they offer live and studio recording, mixing and mastering, and pre and post production studio work.

BJ’s family is well established in the Charleston community. He is married and a father of four. He graduated from R. B. Stall High School in 1999. That same year, he started his career as a firefighter for the City of North Charleston in September, and is currently a Captain at Station 2.

When BJ is not at the fire station, you can catch him at Southern Wave Studios, where he works with several great singers, song writers, and musicians. The Southern Wave Music Group is the record label that BJ owns.

“Music has been in my life since I was born. Both of my parents, the Rev. Bernard and Carrie Brown, are well known singers and musicians in our community. They have cultivated a musical experience in my life for as long as I can remember, so it made sense that I would fall in love with the music scene, and all that it offers. My first dose of live audio production came in high school where I sang the chorus. This experience allowed me to set up the mics and speakers for all of our events, including events held in our school Auditorium/ Gymnasium. I knew then I was called to work in this field,” he shares.

In 2002, BJ started producing music tracks for some friends. Not knowing what he was doing, BJ says he started making tracks with his brothers’ keyboard and letting his friends listen to them. “This started my love for studio work,” he says.

When he first started, BJ says he faced a few challenges.

One was being the new kid on the block. “Most clients want the experience but don’t anticipate the cost for their requests,” he shares. Being in the south BJ says comes with its own set of challenges that every black business owner faces. “Not just racism, but the lack of support we receive from other people of color is unbelievable. At times, we can be our worst enemy.”

BJ says he loves working with his clients. He also enjoys setting up the live audio system, which is his favorite part of his job. “Mixing the instruments and mics can be so rewarding when I see the audience really enjoying what they see and hear,” he says.

BJ says he is inspired mostly by his family, music mogul, Sean Puffy Combs, and his community of audio engineers. Some of his notable clients are Mike Brown and F.O.C.U.S, Jarell Smalls and Company, Fantasia, The Whispers, Gladys Knight, Travis Greene, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, John P. Kee, Anthony Brown & Group Therapy, Tamala Mann, PJ Morton, Confunkson, Midnight Starr, Atlantic Star, Loose Ends, Pieces of A Dream, and many more. “SLS has recorded with some of the best performers in the world. We can provide you with up to 128 tracks of your live performance. Our technicians are skilled in capturing the live essence of your event,” he says.

The future looks bright for BJ Browns and his for his company.

He has plans to expand outside of Charleston and into other areas including Georgia and North Carolina. To learn more about BJ Brown and SLS Lighting & Sound, Southern Wave Studios, or SLS Music Group, please contact him directly or visit their website. h

SLS Lighting & Sound 843-270-3546 www.slsstage.com

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MAGAZINE

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To submit photographs to be placed in the Huami Magazine Cutest Baby feature, please send a detailed email to huami.cutestbaby@gmail.com

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