R aleigh, Nort h C aro l i n a (9 19 ) 964-4113 www. t hebossmagazi n e.n et Welcome to The Boss Magazine. The Boss Magazine is a men’s editorial that shines a light on men in business, ministry or simply making a difference in the com munity. This magazine will be a platform for men building empires and succesful businesses. Thank you for visiting our magazine. Be sure to share it with your friends, family and co-workers. Martin Dawkins
For General Ad verti si ng I nq ui r i e s Pl ease emai l or c al l us at : ubossm agazi ne@ gm ai l . c om (91 9) 964-4113 Disclaimer: The Boss Magazine is published bi-monthly. No reproduction of any part of this publication without written permission from the publisher prior to doing so. The Boss Magazine does not accept responsibility for statements made by individuals featured or advertisers. Comments concerning this publication should be submitted to the editor by email at ubossmagazine@ gmail.com The Boss Magazine’s publisher, staff and other persons involved in the creation, production or delivery of the magazine (in whatever format) or it’s content, do not assum e any liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information provided in the maga zine, nor shall they be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, conse quential or punitive damages arising out of the magazine.
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Charlie laughed n e r v o u s l y w h i l e he told me some o f t h e s t o r i e s that fol l owed. Th e re w as ph y sical abuse and o t h e r e x t r e m e behavior. The m o s t d r a m a t i c one was a drunk e n C h arl i e f i r ing a pistol at th e c a r o f a m a n who had driven t o t h e i r h o u s e to pick up the yo u n g m a n f o r a date.
T h e o l d e r B l a c k man walked up t o me a p p r e h e n sively. I w a s s t a n d i n g b y t h e coffee urn at m y 1 2- st e p m e e t i n g . As h e a pp r o a c h e d , h i s eyes focused n e r v o u s l y d o w n at the floor. He c o u l d n ’ t l o o k m e straight in the eye. I k ne w h im f r o m pr evio usly a t t e n d i n g t h i s r e c overy meeting. B e f o r e , w e h a d o nly exchanged p o l i t e g r e e t in g s, n ever a ct ua l l y h a v i n g a c onversation of s u b s t a n c e . B u t now he clearly h a d s o m e t h i n g heavy on his m i nd a n d w a n t e d t o sa y so me t h i n g t o m e , y e t having trouble d oi ng so . “ G o o d e v e n i n g , Charlie,” I s a i d , a d d r e s s i n g him, trying to p u t h i m a t e a s e. He was still hav i n g t r o u b le . C h a r li e c o n t i n u e d to look down at the f lo o r a s h e spo ke. “S a y… . I ’ v e h e a r d y o u talk before he r e …. A n d… . . I w a s w o n d eri ng… . ” H e p a u sed a n d st a m m e r e d b e f o r e h e could get the r e s t o f i t o u t . “ …Can I talk to y o u s o m e t im e ? ” “ W h y , s u r e ! ” I s aid, trying to b e a s f r i e n d l y a s possible and p u t h i m a t e a s e. “Let’s do it r i ght n o w ! ” T h e po o r ma n w a s a b u n d l e o f f r a y ed nerves. We s tr o l l e d o ve r t o a co uple o f
empty metal folding chairs, away fr o m the other meeti ng attendees, in hope of finding some small amount of privacy. As we walked t o t h e s eats , I had a pretty good id ea what was on Charl i e’s mi nd. H is menti on of ‘heari ng me tal k be fo r e, ’ undoubtedl y referred to a previous week’s meeting where, as all addicts who speak, I related my life story of being not only an a d d ict , but a gay addi ct as wel l . Charlie’s uncomfortable behavior lea d me to thi nk that s omethi ng I said may have touched something in his own life. Was Charlie perhaps t h e sa me as I? We sat down, and I waited for Ch a r lie to take a l ong s wi g of coffee and begin to unburden his soul to me. As it turned out, Charlie was n o t g ay, but has a gay s on. My friend related the story of his and his wife’s deep alcoholism and how they reacted when they discovered homosexual magazines and other paraphernalia in their then teen-age son’s room. There w a s a ngui s h, hi gh drama and other st r o n g emoti ons that were s oon to overflow to the breaking point. The en d r es ul t was a major es trangement between father and son that la st ed for years .
Eventually, the s o n m o v e d o u t of the house and c r e a t e d a l i f e of his own. The h a r d f e e l i n g s and estrangeme n t c o n t i n u e d to es cal ate. Fa th e r an d so n had practically n o c o n t a c t f o r years . Why was he tell i n g me al l o f his personal busi n e s s ? T h a t w a s al l I coul d thi nk o f w h i l e h e u n s pool ed hi s s tory. A s i t so h ap pened, as Cha rl i e e ve n tu al l y got sober and h i s b e h a v i o r changed, he had n o w r e a c h e d out to his son to m a k e a m e n d s and was fi ndi ng it di f f i c u l t to re pair the break w i t h h i s s o n , b u t al s o to accept hi s l i f e - sty l e I am certainly n o r e l a t i o n s h i p guru. I am no Op rah o r D r. Ph i l --or even Jerry S p r i n g e r . W h a t I coul d offer hi m w as th e be n efit of my own e x p e r i e n c e a n d humbl e obs erv at i o n s. I poi nted the o bvi o u s o u t to Charlie: that afte r a l l t h i s t i m e , hi s s on was probabl y j u st as afrai d, anxi ous an d h e si tan t about mendi ng f e n c e s an d reestablishing a re l a t i o n s h i p w i t h his dad. I empha s i z e d t h a t t h e i r relationship did n o t d e t e r i o r a t e ov erni ght—nor w o u l d i t be re paired as fast. Th e g o o d t h i n g , I told him, was t h a t t h e y w e r e both talking and k e e p i n g a l i n e of communicati o n o p e n . B y conti nui ng to do th i s, th e i r di a l ogue and awkward c o n ve rsati ons woul d i mpro ve . As a biracial gay m a n , I s h a r e d some of my ow n e x p e r i e n c e s with Charlie. I em p h a s i z e d t h a t
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www.thebossmagazine.net his s o n w a s c a r r y i n g a double-burden. Not only was he gay, but he was also Black and gay . T h e B l a c k c om m u ni t y h a s lo n g h eld a specia l d isa ppr ov al of the gay man, bas ed out of s trong rel i gi ou s c o n vi c ti ons and c u lt u r a l m ach ismo . I t is so st r o n g t hat i t has forced many B rothers to l i v e l i fe on th e ‘do w n low,’ f unc t io n in g p r e ca r io usly in a w o r ld o f wi fe, fami l y and Church--but s ecretl y engagi ng i n h o m osex ual b e h a vio r . Cha r l i e l o o k e d a t m e for several minutes without speaking, trying to process what I had told h i m . I k n o w I ha d l a i d a l o t o n h i m in one swoop. He explained that his son had wanted his parents to c o m e t o h i s hom e o n e t i m e s o o n for a meal. Charlie was uncomfortable enough with that prospect, aug m e n t e d b y the l i k e l i ho o d t h a t h is so n ’ s pa r t n er w o uld be there as wel l . I gav e hi m a n o t h e r pep t a lk t h a t h e h a d t o be grateful for hi s s on’s outs tretched hand of re c o n c i l i ati on. He s h o u ld a c c e pt t h e in vit a t io n a n d g o there and be as fri endl y and graci ous as pos s i bl e . I gu arantee d t h a t h is s o n w o uld be a s r id d en w it h anxi ety and fear as hi s v i s i ti ng parents woul d b e . Char l i e s h o o k m y h a n d a n d t h a n ked me pr o fus el y for taki ng the ti me to tal k to hi m. I mumbl e d so me thin g s e l f - d e p r e c a t i n g about “…not having all the answers…”—which I didn’t! But I expres s e d t o h i m my d e s i r e t h a t s o m e t hin g t h a t I sa id h o pefull y s truck hi m i n a good way. “Ch a r l i e , ” I s a i d a s w e waked away. “Just tell your son that you love him. I am sure he feels t h e s a m e way ab o u t y o u . N o m a t t er w h a t , h e is st ill your s on.” Fast - f o r w a r d s e v e r a l months. I’m happy to re port that now things are much better between f a t h e r a n d son . So m e t im e s t h e ir r ela t io n sh ip h a s been a bi t fros ty—but for the mos t part they hav e i mpro ve d tremen d o u s l y . P a r e n t s and son visit regularly now; the son is now back in the family loop of ho l i d a y s a n d o th e r gath e r in g s. Belie v e i t o r n o t , n o w Charlie can make good-natured jokes about his offspring’s life-style— a n d b o t h wi l l l augh a b o u t t h e m. Th ey a r e fa t h er a n d son agai n.
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Did you know that the popular belief that dry cleaning is healthy for your garments is just a myth? Caring for your custom suit is quite literally an art. One has to be extremely careful about how the garments are treated, how they are stored and how they are cleaned out. A bespoke suit is a luxury and must be cared for like one would care for their car; with love and a lot of attention. The maintenance of your custom suit is all about handling and storing them in the proper manner. There are several factors to consider and incorporate when taking care of your bespoke suit: 1. After every wear use a lint roller to remove any dirt, lint or hair it might have gathered. 2. Air your custom suit out before storing them away. This gets rid of any odor that might have gotten caught in the fabric. 3. If there are creases on your suit, hang the trousers and the
jacket separately in the bathroom and take a hot shower. This will fill the bathroom with steam and get you nice and clean. Let the suit sit for thirty minutes then bring it out and wait for the creases to relax out.
9. Any stains on the suit should be treated immediately and with a dependent and reliable stain remover.
10. Do not separate the jacket and the trouser of the suit. This will re4. Remove anything that might be sult in one wearing out faster than the there in the pockets so the fabric does other and you won’t be able to team not stress out and sag. them up as a suit. 5. Do not store your custom suit in plastic or woolen bags as this allows the The care of custom suits is a delicate affair and must be handled with care. fabric to collect moisture and mildew. When you need to dry clean your 6. Hang your custom suit on well- suit, go to a reputable cleaner. With padded heavy wooden hangers to proper care, the life of yur suit will last maintain the shape of the shoulder much longer than you’d expect. pads.
7. Dry clean your bespoke suit only once; at the end of the season. Drycleaning too often does more harm than good to the fabric of your custom suit. 8. In case something spills on your custom suit, brush it off. Do not, under any circumstances, try to run it off. This will leave a permanent mark on fabrics such as linen and silk.
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Ca n A ttra c ti n g W O M E N b e L e a r ne d ? ing in the pursuit. Sitting at home simply won’t do; you have to go out and approach them. Attracting women involves the application of learned skills in a consistent and persistent fashion. Just like any skill, it’s all about practice and playing the probabilities. You simply have to keep approaching women. When you play the numbers, however, remember that your chances of winning can be enhanced by other things besides the application of the techniques. Some of your strengths can be emphasized, and your weaknesses downplayed. For example, age differential, or shortness, or obesity may hinder you to some extent, but should not stop you. Instead, play to your strengths, and remember that women’s preferences are not all the same. If you persist, you WILL succeed in attracting women.
I think a fundamental question faced by men in the pursuit of attracting women is: Can attracting women be learned? Is it a result of genetics, of having been gifted with prominent cheekbones, lean muscularity or a sizable organ? Or perhaps having a prominent checkbook and the right surname? Is it about having a naturally outgoing personality, charisma, and sharp wit? Or perhaps possession of influence and personal power? As complex as women are, there is no one answer to explain their preferences. As individuals, they, like we, are different with different genetics, different experiences, and therefore, different tastes. And it’s been said there’s no accounting for taste. So, it may be true that
to some women, height and good looks matter a lot. Some schools of thought say that women value financial security more. Others say that personality, masculinity, sense of humor, or any of a variety of different criteria matters most. And so, the questions must of necessity be: Is it possible to attract women, and if so, can any man do it? And will it work with ANY woman specifically? The answer is yes, and no. Yes, in the sense that it is possible to attract the kind of women that you like, and who would like you in return, but whom you need to actively attract to you. This requires you to learn the techniques for attracting women, and actively engag-
However, it is not possible to attract all women, or just any specific one. If there were a specific woman that you wanted to attract, but who is simply not interested or attracted to you, no skill or technique or persistence is guaranteed to work. History is replete with stories of unrequited love of men who thought that they can make a woman want them. If they had simply tried to attract other women instead, and kept persisting, they would have been met with success. So, in sum, yes, attracting women can be learned. Will it always work? No. But if it allows you to attract the women you want, and who want you in return, isn’t it worth it to try?
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www.thebossmagazine.net N4orce Entertainment Agency, LLC is a powerhouse company that houses artists such as, rapper Rashun Fortune, R&B/Pop songstress Crimseon, Male R&B artist J-Quil, and rap group Triple Threat. they have booked gigs and worked with sensational saxophonist Marcus Anderson and comedian Grave Digger just to name a few. In 2003 to 2015, for the last 12 years it has been an amazing ride for the business owner Mike Gathings aka “Mike G” and to my surprise the first artists, Triple Threat were from my hometown Wilson, NC. The agency offers artist development, global music distribution, videography services, and artist promotion. His business and life partner, his lovely wife Bridgette Gathings, is known as crafty and creative owner of Honey Bee Expressions, the custom creative trinkets for events of your liking. I must also mention “On Blast TV” which is a YouTube sensation giving you behind the scenes looks into artists. There are so many depths to N4orce Entertainment Agency LLC that I wanted readers to know how this “Boss” operates! How did N4orce Agency LLC begin?
Entertainment
“It was my love of music because it’s a good avenue and release in regards to your emotional wellbeing. It can communicate across all genres. I kind of like a little bit of all it.” “I always wanted to own my own business and what better business than to have a business involving something that you love.” What services do you offer your potential clients? “Music consultation to get the artist’s production heard and we review the music. The main service is global music distribution to get their music to the retailers for digital and
physical retail distribution. We handle all genres of music. We operate globally whether it’s domestic U.S., in Japan or Europe we distribute to all of the major
“Yes, we feel it’s very important for you as an artist to network to increase and build your brand. The National Entertainment Expo and Producer Beat Auction events we attended in ATL gave me an opportunity to meet other artists. So you’re able to listen to talents from everywhere but when you find those that standout above the rest you know there is an opportunity for development.” What can we expect next from N4orce Entertainment LLC in the next year? “We are looking to increase our video productions to increase streaming revenue and expanding artists connects in Atlanta, Virginia and Florida areas through promotions and showcases for creating a buzz. Creating and building the Artist brand increases the availability for tours. We will also increase our artist connections of all genres as well. “
retailers such as, Amazon , Mp3, Spotify, I-Tunes, Google Play, Tidal and a contract with Viacom companies MTV& BET for video distribution.” Is your clientele mainly local artists or outside of the Raleigh/Durham Area? “Most are East Coasts artists so we have one in Virginia, Florida, and Atlanta so I am not limited to the local area.” Do you host artist showcases?
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S hopping th e B e s t D e a l s f o r T e c h n o l o g y t h is H o l i day By: A l i ci a P e t t y
theater setup, with a deeply discounted big-screen television, video game console and speaker system, if you shop carefully enough. 5. EBay: Believe it or not, eBay is an excellent place to look for holiday deals. You’ll need to keep in mind shipping times, depending on where the seller is and where you live in the US. However, eBay tends to clearly lay out safe delivery dates with enough buffer time in case anything goes wrong. And lots of eBay sellers forgo shipping fees on this holiday to sell even more items.
Getting the best deals while feeding your need to have the latest technology in your hands can be overwhelming. Some people have their favorite stores and prefer to not shop around because of the ease and/or familiarity of the retailer (or how close it is to your home or job). But for those that are looking to save a few dollars and are willing to shop around, here are some great options this holiday season. 1. Shop Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday: Starting earlier than ever, Black Friday 2015 will defy the skittish US economy and bring people to stores thanks to deals on tech toys. Apple’s iPhone 6S and iPad Pro, the Star Wars BB-8 drone and Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets will selling in droves. Great deals will follow online on Cyber Monday and you will be able to get huge discounts on consoles, phones, and computers. 2. Amazon.com: Amazon sells just
about anything and will be mixing multiple Deal of the Day promotions with time-limited lightning deals. Everything from TVs, to video games are going to be on sale again, while supplies lasts, and it’s always easier to ship with Amazon Prime. 3. Walmart/Walmart.com: Walmart often has best Black Friday deals in the US, and the perk here over Amazon is that you can often order online, but pick up gifts at local stores if you’re in a holiday rush. Walmart often discounts lastgeneration iPads, so we may see Black Friday sales on the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini. They also likes to keep things kid friendly with video game bundles everyone in a family can enjoy, so look out for consoles like Wii U, PS4 and Xbox One bundled with free games.
It’s impossible to know for sure which products will receive the biggest discounts this year but you can be sure that retailers have been talking to their suppliers about the kinds of promotions they can support. Head over to our Facebook page and share with us some of the great tech deals you found! Just search: The Boss Magazine
4. Best Buy: A techie’s favorite place to hang out, Best Buy is one of the last brick and mortar electronics retailers still in business, and it always loads up its homepage with Black Friday deals. You can walk away with an entire home
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