women with know how e magazine june 2011

8/6/2019 Women With Know How E Magazine June 2011

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CONNECT AND GROW WITH WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY

June 201

`

Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House

Johnson-Gibson

!

MonaPeople Make Me Happy


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Mimi Zelman

Utilize social media,this avenue is free andreaches your audience in adifferent way.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Now that we are in the last part of the year, areyou on track meeting your goals? If you are, thatis wonderful and should be congratulated! If you

are not there yet, what are you going to do tocatch up and meet those goals? First, what isyour or who is your target market? What are youdoing to reach those people?

All lot of businesses fall into the trap of notbelieving in enough advertising! Businesses needto have name recognition and branding. Set up abudget and bigger is not always better, have a fewsmaller ads in more places to reach the peopleyou need to.

Utilize social media, this avenue is free andreaches your audience in a different way. To havegood branding all of the above should be in yourmarketing plan. If you dont know how to do this,you can contact me and I can refer you to peoplethat can.

We at Women With Know How would love to earnyour business and we have a plan to work with allbudgets. We will be offering video ads in the next

few months. What a great way to send yourmessage and compliment to display ad for verylow cost. Why wait? Give us a call!

We are very excited that our new logo willdebut soon! Let me know how you like it!!Till next month, Mimi


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CONTENTS

FEATURES

16 26 34

COVER STORY PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS

Mona Johnson-Gibson SPOTLIGHT Vilma Betancourt-OdayLena Lumelsky

YOUR CAREER 10Robyn Crigger

WELLNESS 12Vickie L. Bunzey

36

FOOD

Grilling Up ASummers Feast

DEPARTMENTS

Business 22Janis White

FINANCE 28April Oliver


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Visit OurOnline Store

You know your stuff,now show the world!

Whether youre heading to your companysboard meeting or your daughters soccer

practice, youll be stylin when you show the

world that you are a Woman With Know-how.

Weve handpicked a select group of items

all in rich black, to showase the gorgeous

fuchsia pink and silver metallic embroidered

message that tells everyone you are trulya woman to be reckoned with.

www.womenwithknowhow.co

Serving Charlotteand Charleston

PUBLISHER/PRESIDENTMimi L. Zelman

[email protected]

Cover photography:Dustin Shores

DESIGN AND PAGEPRODUCTION

The Resource [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT OFMARKETING

Wendy Whitehurst

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSVilmaJanice WhiteVickieRobyn Crigger

CHARLESTONContact Mimi Zelman

[email protected]

For more advertising information callMimi at 704-491-1207 or email her at:

[email protected]

Copyright 2011


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Press Release

Olivia Kole Fashion

Olivia Kole Fashion House will debut theirFall 2011 Prt-a-Porter Collection at a fashionshow presented by Butter NC on June 16th from6:30-10pm. The event will take place at the

Outdoor Plaza of the NC Music Factory with anafter party at neighboring Butter NC to follow. Aportion of the proceeds for the event and silentauction will benefit A Childs Place.

Further complementing Olivia Koles stunning fallline, Perrys at SouthPark will decorate themodels with select fine, antique and estate

jewelry pieces. Over the past 30 years, Perryshas gained recognition as one of the nations

finest antique and estate jewelers. Guests willhave a chance to bid on select Perrys jewelrypieces at a silent auction during the pre-partyfrom 6:30-9:15. The auction will include severalpieces worn by the models as well as otherbeautiful and elegant pieces. Attendees areinvited to attend an after party at Butter NC,immediately following the fashion show. Therewill be a meet and greet with signings in theupper lounge of the club immediately following

the show from 10:15-11PM.

Bask Restaurant will provide hors doeuvres.Tickets can be purchased online atwww.ticketleap.com, keyword Olivia Kole. Formore event information, please call704.295.1565. Dress to impress.

About Perrys at SouthParkPerrys at SouthPark has been in business f

over 30 years and has been established as the nations finest antique and estate jewele

Ernest Perry, the companys owner and

president, has more than thirty-five yearsexperience and expertise in fine, antique anestate jewelry. Perrys consigns, buys, sells

trades vintage, antique and estate jewelry, g

coins, diamonds, silver, platinum, and muchmore.

About Olivia Kole Fashion House

Olivia Kole is a unique fashion house and coclothier focused on the creation of custom pwith a limited prt-a-porter collection offered

season. They are committed to assisting no

profit organizations for disadvantaged childrand equine rescue centers.

About A Childs PlaceHomelessness for children isnt just about w

they lay their heads at night; its about wher

heads are during the day at school, too. Foin 1989, A Child's Place (ACP) ensures homstudents are in school, physically and menta

prepared to learn, and connects homelessparents with services to address their housin

crisis. The only nonprofit in the country focu

on homeless childrens education, ACP will some 2,200 of the 4,453 homeless studentsattending Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools th

year.


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Robyn Crigger, CEO Compass Career Management

For the past thirty-five years or so, businesses have had afairly dependable, hard-working, and skilled workforce. Ofcourse, part of that is due to the excellent training thatemployers offered. However, one of the largest generationsof workers (Baby Boomers) is now preparing to retire.

Over the course of those 35 years employers would

recognize talented or aggressive employees, who wanted togrow and expand their abilities. Most employers wereconsciously aware of the need for future management orbusiness leaders. Therefore, businesses would have plansto develop those capable employees, who had the potentialfor jobs with more responsibilities.

For example when my husband graduated from college withhis Masters degree and chose to be in the grocery business,the company exposed him to all aspects and levels of thebusiness, particularly since he was going to become ahuman resources management executive. It gave him greatinsight to understand all the workings of the business. Inaddition, the company also trained him in union negotiation,many legal aspects of the business, as well as mediatraining. That company was an excellent employer traininga talented employee to develop and grow into his fullpotential, while meeting a companys needs. Though thephrase wasnt used back then, this process would now bereferred to as Talent Management.

Unfortunately, many employers today have been so plaguedby a distressed economy, that they have mainly focused onsurviving. This really hurts employers now since the BabyBoomers will soon be retiring, and their talent pools havereceived little or no training. A big portion of Boomers holdleadership or management positions. As they exit, manycompanies do not have people trained to be effectivesupervisors, managers, or executives.

Talent Management- Why Is It Important To A Company

YOUR CAREER

Programs like Leadership TraininTeam Building, and ExecutiveCoaching have fallen to the sidewhile companies have tightenedtheir spending to survive. The wof the recession may have slightleased, however, companies still

need to be cautious. On the othehand training and coaching NEEto be resumed in order to avoidserious casualties as the Boomeleave.

Talent Managementis a processthat all organizations and companeed to have in place, which helpthem prepare for Succession

Planning. Eventually, all those hworking, mature employees will bready to take their retirement andturn the keys over to the nextgeneration. That time is quicklyapproaching!!! Companies wouldwise to select a human resourcepartner to help them through thistransition. It is unfair to dropunprepared, untrained workers insupervisory or management slotsThat is devastating for a companTake action today!!!

For More Information:MORE INFO!"#$%&'()&*#"(+,#-#./01%**#

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!!!"+/01%**+%&))&"#$%&

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1#1233415#$%6788#71441"#$%


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WELLNESS Vickie L. Bunzey, Certified Holistic Health Coach

One last bag of chips, onelast indulgence in pie, onelast Friday night pizza party,one last piece of chocolate.Monday morning my diet

starts. I will be good, I willeat healthy, I will exercise,and I will fit into my skinnyjeans. How many Mondayshave you started out with anew mantra of I will be thin,I will be healthy?

Unfortunately, this is a yo-yocycle of dieting that toomany women know only toowell and cant seem to stop.No matter what you do, youcant seem to keep theweight where you want it.The good news is that it maynot be all your fault. The

bad news is that no one istelling you how to stop theyo-yo dieting.Understanding the factors ofweight gain will help you

lose the weight forever.

First, know where you stand.Grab your tape measure. Awoman with a waistline morethan 35 inches may be facedwith increased risks forhealth problems. Thisstatistic comes from a study

done of over 100,000 meand women.

Over a 10 year period, thwith a larger waist line we

more likely to die from hedisease, cancer andrespiratory disorders asthose whose waists wereslim. This was true withpeople whose body shapchanged to a larger waissize but did not significangain weight.

Increased abdominal f

can lead to inflammatihigher cholesterol andinsulin resistance andultimately many otherhealth problems.

Whats Making You Fat?


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Why do so many of us suffer from excessive belly fat?

Heres the top 10 countdown.

10. Medications

Stop and think about the TV commercials youwatch. It seems to me that every othercommercial is for some drug fixing a healthconcern. The number of people who are onmedications is growing daily. Medications candecrease metabolism regardless of changes tothe diet, and the medications can changehormone levels in the body. This impacts ourability to lose weight and keep the weight off.

9. Disease and Illness

Thyroid Disease, Diabetes and Cushings disease(increased production of corticnl in the body) havebecome common ailments. Again, people end upgaining weight and undergo medical treatment forthe disease as well as to slow down weight gainor decrease the weight gain. Hormone levels areout of balance, metabolism is hindered and weightis hard to lose.

8. Genes

Its true, you can be predisposed to gaining weeasier than your friend. Research shows thateven though your chances of gaining weight mbe higher than someone else, environmentalfactors and individual lifestyle choices play amuch bigger role in a person being overweighthen genetics.

7. Stress

Fight or Flight. This is our bodies natural systeto deal with stress. When stress increases, oubodies prepare for us to fight or run. When strlevels rise, cortisol is released in the bloodstream, causing changes in the body. Cortisohelps release sugar, stored in the muscles andliver, into the blood stream for quick energy usThis hormone is responsible for accumulation fat in the abdomen which is hard for the body tget rid of. As long as there is stress, cortisol

remains high making it hard to lose weight.

6. Portion Sizes

America is the land of supersized portions.Portion control is a leading factor in weight gain.We tend to over eat foods that are high in fat andcalories, and do it on a daily basis. Most of usdont know what a healthy portion size is. We areserved on oversize plates and drink fromoversized cups. We have lost control of our

portions.

5. Skipping meals

Werent you told in school not to skip

breakfast because its the most important meal of th

day? Skipping meals is bad. It slows down yourmetabolism. Your body is lacking the nutrients it n

to refuel. Skipping a meal usually leads to overeatbecause you are so hungry by the time you stop to

When you are overly hungry, food choices are usuaquick and easy and portion sizes are large. Of cour

this leads to weight gain from too many calories anguess what, the extra calories are stored as fat.

4. Low Fat Foods


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We have been told that fat is bad and thus the low-fat food craze. Just because a label says lowfat does not mean lower calorie (or healthy). When buying a low fat product, remember to look the label and see how many calories and what the serving size is. Because low-fat food produare highly processed food, they do not satisfy our body so we tend to eat more. Many times it isbetter to each the real food and just use portion control. Processed foods are a problem inthemselves. For multiple reasons, they hinder weight loss.

3. Lack of exerciseIt is important to practice both strength training and cardiovascular exercise. By performing both types oexercise you can help increase the amount of calories burned. Many people do less and less exercise eat more calories. The combination of lack of exercise and high calorie intake is why we gain weight. Tmore strength training you does the more muscle you gain, which leads to higher metabolism. A highermetabolism burns more calories at rest and during exercise.

2. Slow Metabolism

Muscle will burn more calories than fat which is why need more muscle than fat. It is a commo

belief that as we age, we lose more muscle. This is only true if we do not remain active.Continuing to do strength and cardiovascular exercises will keep the lean muscle mass needed keep our metabolism burning. With a properly running metabolism, the worry over calories islessened. I am living proof of this.

1. Poor Food ChoicesThe fact is that generally our diets are not good. Our diets are filled with processed foods that aeasy to prepare and full of empty calories. Portions are large and meals are lacking essentialnutrients from foods like fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Fast food

prepackaged foods can lead to extra weight around the waist due to a lot of fat and extra calorieEat real food. Its what your bodyneeds.

Next Monday start over the right way.Diet and exercise will help monitorweight gain. Making better foodchoices, the right portions and notskipping meals will help you loseweight. Understanding the causes of

your weight gain, will help you takecontrol. Keep a journal. Studies showthat people who keep a food andexercise journal double their weight loss.Consider a health coach. Successfulpeople whether they be an athlete or in business, work with coaches. Next Monday start over and makea lifestyle for the rest of your life. End your yo-yo dieting.


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ByMimi Zelman and Mara Campolungo, Partner, SandboxSolutions. InYourSandbox.com

Just seeing Mona Johnson-Gibson graciously

stroll through the Ronald McDonald House

makes one say, WOW! even before you know

anything about her life. Once you hear her

speak and share her thoughts about life, people

and her mission to lead the Ronald McDonald

house, you will be left saying WOW as well.

We had the privilege of meet Mona and it

became readily apparent she is indeed a

Woman With Know-How. Mona is generous and

gracious with her time and talent and she

possess an internal glow that truly defines her.

She radiates confidence, compassion, fortitude

and open arms for everyone she meets.

What follows include highlights of our favorite

Mona-isms from our 1:1 meeting with her.

Happiness is the key to the whole world.

She lives it, she breathes it and she believesit! And she brings happiness to every facet of her role and to everyone she meets.

Mona

Johnson-GibsonExecutive Director, Ronald

McDonald House of Charlotte

People Make Me Happy.


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People make me happy

And the feeling is mutual.

I have the most wonderful husband, the most wonderful

family, the most wonderful friends, the most wonderful joband the most wonderful house in the most wonderfullocation. Life is wonderful!

Mona is a woman who exudes gratitude. She is able torecognize all that has been given to her, both good and bad andturn it into a positive part of who she is.

Life for me today doesnt get any better.

What else can be said?!

I have always worked in the helping others field. I just likehelping people and meeting different people.

Those that have had the pleasure of meeting Mona quickly feelher generous spirit and authentic willingness to be of service toothers.

I feel like everything I have done in my life up to this point,career, personal, school, has prepared me for this job as

the Executive Director of the RMH of Charlotte. This iswhere I have been striving to be, I am here for a reason.There are no coincidences.

Mona has allowed her life to take it where it needs to go, with ahealthy dose of hard work, fortitude and a willingness to let herexperiences direct her.

The best advice is to surround yourself with good people,people smarter than you, loyal to you, kind to you, believe

in you. Be part of groups, network, and get to know lots ofpeople, really know them. Be real and sincere, remembereveryone matters. Always do what you say you will do andalways follow up, show people you care, listen. These arealso the kind of people I choose as my mentors. Peoplewho can help me grow into what I can become, support andlove me

Mona is the master atconnecting and it is a simformula: Acknowledge thwe are all a community opeople working our best showcase the best possius.

I am living my bucket every day, hour by hou

accomplishing more thyesterday and meetingmore people and morechallenges.

Mona is a living examplehow we should all live oulives: fun-loving, caring,living life to its fullest, butshe also said, not crazy

stupid. Her life has purp

Mona is an extraordinary

woman who has touched

world with countless acts

kindness and has made a

eternal contribution to oth

whom she will never know

on earth.


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Their primary goal at the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte is toprovide families a safe, comfortable and supportive environmentwhile their children receive medical treatment at nearby medicalfacilities. To serve families during their stay, they offer the followingservices:

Health and wellness programs Connection to ministry and spiritual support

Educational support for school-age children Transportation Sibling activities Holiday and birthday recognition

Parent interaction and sharing Nightly family meals

Weekly family-friendly activities

How You Can Help

Realizing our vision for the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottewould not be possible without the compassionate efforts of so manyfriends from our community individuals, corporations and ourdedicated Staff. With your support we can continue to provide themuch needed services that support children and their families duringa difficult time.

Your caring participationmake an impact on a chillife.

Opportunities to get involveinclude:

Donate cash or in-kiitems/services

Volunteer your time talent

Sponsor or partner wus

Host your own evenhelp in other ways

Include Ronald

McDonald House inyour planned giving

Contact Information:

Ronald McDonald House oCharlotte1613 E. Morehead St.Charlotte, NC 28207Phone: 704-335-1191Email: info@rmhofcharlotte

Mona Johnson-Gibson is theExecutive Director for the RonMcDonald House of Charlotte

home away from home for

families of seriously ill childrebeing treated at the children'shospitals in the area. Mona i

responsible for the overalladministration and managem

of the house and staff. She ho

a Bachelor's degree in Crimin

Justice and a Master of Artsdegree in Counseling from UN

Charlotte and has more than

years of experience in the fielof human service, marketing,

training and administration.ThRonald McDonald House ofCharlotte opened its doors to

families on May 9, 2011!


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Business Coaching Janis White

ven the best organizations want to

improve employee productivity inorder to grow overall business performance andcorporate value. But the tool most often used to

evaluate and improve performancethe performancereviewreally isnt capable of helping organizations

reach their overall goal.

The biggest strike against performance reviews is thatthey are the equivalent of looking in the rearview

mirror to see where the employee has beenandperhaps failed. Why not look ahead to see where the

employee can successfully go? Additionally, sinceperformance reviews occur once a year, if at all, they

require us to look back over a long period of time. Theymake the manager look petty (!Lets talk about your

performance on that project nine months ago"), andeven if viewed positively, any corrective solutions are

generally too late to do any good.

Heres a helpful idea: Coach early and often. Early, tocatch potential problems before they happen. Often,

because the continuous interest shown in, and feedback

given to, employees through coaching guarantees betterperformance.Coaching provides counsel in real time and clearly

identifies goals in the context of the employee's job.Good coaches understand the current reality of the

employee's world, and are aware of issues that mightprevent a worker from reaching his or her goals. Good

coaching provides the right environmentto development strategies that allow an employee to

achieve his or her goals.

Coach Early And Often

E


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Imagine a husband and wife sitting down on their anniversary each year for a formal chat: !First, lets review a

things youve done well over the last year and then well set goals for the coming year." Doesnt sound like muchrelationship, does it?

Im certainly not suggesting that a manager should be married to his or her employees, but a healthy marriage

relationship built on daily dialogue and frequent two-way communication. The same culture of dialogue can beemployees and managers alike. Conversely, a once-a-year meeting more likely resembles a gripe fest: while one

lists frustrations and shortcomings, the other side could be taken aback and either retreats or goes on the defenThe bottom line is that no one wins.

Janis White, SPHR founded SMART Talent Solutions as a Strategic Business Partner with Profiles International af

personally using the suite of assessments in her previous role as the Human Resource Manager for Compass GroupInc. Profiles has been known as "the worlds innovator and leader in employee evaluations" since their inception

1991. They provide assessments grounded in advanced behavioral science that we continually validate through outeam of PhD Psychologists and Psychometricians. The assessments are delivered effortlessly through our state-of

art virtual assessment centers. Our assessment reports are written for mangers and contain practical insight andadvice to get the most from their people. Our business is both high-tech and high-touch, and laser-focused to help

clients succeed.

Develop a Strong Organization -

Invest in Your Talent

Compass Offers:TALENTMANAGEMENTAssess your workforce & determine potential leaders.

Provide training for growth & leadership opportunities.

Clarify company expectations for leaders.

EXECUTIVECOACHINGOne-on-One support for future leaders

Enhance performance, productivity & effectiveness

Strengthen & expand talent

Improve communication skills

LEADERSHIPDEVELOPMENTPerform SWOT analysis on management team

Select members of your A-Team & recruit others

Customize programs for all to reach full potential

CONFLICTMANAGEMENTConfirm core preferences (values) of workforce

Identify and address major conflicts of workforceStress importance of mutual respect and communication

RETIREMENTWORKSHOPSProvides ERISA 404C requirements

Unbiased financial education, valued by employees.

OUTPLACEMENT: We remain Experts in this

industry of Change Management.

(704) 849-2500

[email protected]

www.CompassCareer.com

!!

!!!

!!!

!!!

!!!!


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PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT Mimi Zelman

Lena LumeiskyOwner of Woland Technology

How did you get started in this

business?

My husband and I moved to

Charlotte, North Carolina from

London in 2005. We had no roots in

the city, no family close by who

knew where to find good parks and

playgrounds where we could take

our two (now three) young

daughters, where to look for good

pediatricians, summer camps,schools, you name it. Once we

settled in, I realized how helpful it

would have been if someone had a

website where I could find all of this

information ahead of time. Thats

how KidsInChlarotte.com was born. I

took all of the information I could

think of that might be helpful to

parents who are new to Mecklenburg

County and put it in one place on the

Web.


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It went live in October 2005 and I hope it

has been a useful tool for parents like me

and my husband, who are moving to the

area. It was a dry run for Woland

Technology, and looking back Im pretty

happy with the way it turned

Currently, KidsInCharlotte gets 25,

visitors a month, on average.

What is your background-what were

you doing before this business?

I have a Masters degree in Computer

Science from the University of Michigan,

but I didnt start out creating websites.

Most of the programming Ive done before

Woland working at large financial

institutions like Goldman Sachs, DeutscheBank and Merrill Lynch involved designing

customized software systems for their

sales, trading and back-office operations:

complex database-driven applications

written over many months by teams of

programmers around the world. It was

everything you might expect from working

on Wall Street during the tail end of the

Dot-Com era: long hours, lots of pressure,

and no end of colorful personalities and

general craziness. Despite the stress, it

was a great experience that taught me a

great deal about how to manage projects,

motivate my employees, and deliver a

product my clients appreciated.

Incidentally, when your clients have

included Wall Street securities traders,

theres not much any other client can do to

shock or upset you. Its a very high bar.

The fork in my road came with the birth of

our first daughter, Rebecca, right around

the collapse of the Dot-Com bubble on Wall

Street, and two months to the day before

9/11. It seemed like a good opportunit

become a full-time mom, and I took it

year later, we moved to London, where

second daughter, Polly, was born. A

years after that, we moved back to

U.S., where our third daughter, Mia,

born, and I began to write KidsInCharl

on a whim. Once that project was do

and I realized I could do it flexibly eno

to accommodate my childrens schedule

formed Woland Technology and hung

my shingle (or meta-shingle if were tal

about Google). The technical side wa

very hard after my experience at the N

York investment banks. Plus, I qui

realized how much I love working

different kinds of businesses, meeting people, entrepreneurs from ev

background, who have so much enthusi

and such amazing ideas. Its a lot of

and very gratifying to know, and to be t

youve done a great job.


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What are some interesting statistics

about your business?

Weve been in business since 1996. We

now work with over 70 clients and our

business is growing at more than 50%

per year based on revenue.

What is unusual or unique about your

business, in comparison to your

competitors or similar businesses?

Woland Technology doesnt try to be all

things to all people. We focus on webdesign and internet marketing, and we do

it really well, in my opinion. We are agile

enough to service many different

industries real estate, education,

fashion, retail, industrial but we

succeed on our strengths, which are,

first, designing responsive, functional and

elegant web sites that meet or surpass

our clients expectations, and second,providing the dedicated support that our

clients need once their sites go live. We

concentrate on building what, for many of

our clients, will be the public face of their

company the mental impression that

their potential customers will form in

first 15 seconds after hyper linking

from a Google list of, literally, thousa

of search results. If weve done our

properly and the site stands out hthe customers attention everything

to work seamlessly to provide th

quickly with the information they

looking for, or, in an e-commerce s

lead to a sale. If its not working

intended, we collaborate with the clien

make sure it does. For some of

clients, whats important is that w

local their concerns or spontane

ideas are not funneled through a

center in the Philippines. It reinfo

their trust in our ability to support t

business in a committed way.

Our other secret weapon is our allia

with Paper Blossom Marketing, a fanta

Charlotte-based company specializing

social media and marketing, run by KYale and Shannon Hawk. They

experts at enhancing corporate bra

and getting companies linked

Facebook and Twitter, all crucial t

strong Web presence. Our collabora

with Paper Blossom has been a h

boon to our clients. It has with

question provided both our teams

opportunities we would not have

working separately.


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Finally, a lot of web designers start out in

graphic arts and migrate to the technical

side. My experience in the IT world meant

Woland was established, first and

foremost, on a solid technologicalfoundation. To be sure, there is no right

or best way to get started in web

design. But having a strong techie

background enabled me to do more

complex projects such as e-commerce

sites, photo galleries, and database-

intensive services like Chai Expectations,

an online matchmaking site. One project

involved creating from scratch a web-

based payroll application for a local

company with nearly 900 employees.

Building a software application like that is

not really web design but youd be

surprised at how much they have in

common.

So, whats unusual or unique about

Woland? Its a young company helpingother young companies build their

business and seize the remarkable

opportunities that the Web offers. We

build websites for entrepreneurs. We

know the challenges they face and

understand a basic fact: what they often

need is not so much a service provider

but a partner.

What are some of the greatest

challenges in your business?

I think web design is one industry that

has not become commoditized yet. Maybe

its gradually approaching

commoditization, but its not there yet.

Still, many companies select a

design firm with the commodity parad

in mind. A startup company on a bud

may balk at an estimate because t

friend offered to write them a site jus

good for a quarter of the price in t

spare time. An established company

a seven figure turnover may needrationalize their large marketing bud

by massively overpaying for t

website, when they could have gotte

better, more professional result from

smaller, more engaged and nimble sh

Granted, its hard to tell if a compan


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worth its salt without doing research,

talking to the owner, looking at the

portfolio, understanding what the service

contract says its all time-intensive

work. How much easier to fall back on thecommon assumptions that all web design

companies are basically the same, and

you get what you pay for. Common, but

wrong.

So, one of the greatest challenges for me

is exploding the commodity myth through

marketing, making personal connections

with potential clients as well as with

teammates, like Kelly and Shannon at

Paper Blossom. And, of course, thro

hard work and creative approaches

each clients needs.

Another challenge is keeping up a wit

rapidly evolving industry. The Web di

really exist, functionally, until the m

90s. Thats only fifteen years ago.

most cutting-edge technologies and t

available to do what we do at Wo

may be obsolete in five years. If we d

keep pace, so will we. Its exciting, b

requires a strong technical backgro

and a constant willingness to learn f

everyone on the Woland team.


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addition, running this company requires

enough discipline and pragmatism to

realize that a client may not want or need

the latest untested whiz-bang feature on

their website. But what they will needalmost certainly is a site that looks great

on multiple platforms, like a home PC and

a tablet computer (e.g., an iPad).

What would you like our readers

know about your journey

business?

The aphorism about the fox and

hedgehog is, the fox knows many l

things, but the hedgehog knows one

thing. As much as I love the techn

aspects of my business, the hedgeh

side of it, I accomplish more by bein

bit of a fox: sharpening my networ

skills, finding a common language w

my clients and employees. Learning

recognize what Im good at, and focu

on that without losing sight of

interpersonal relationships that re

drive my business.


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FINANCE April Oliver, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

t isnt unusual in these times

for individuals to be

temporarily out of the

workforce. In some cases this

is a voluntary act such as a

maternity or paternity leave or

planned early retirement.

Challenging economic times

and changing demographics

have also made it more

common for some to leave

work because they have to,

through a layoff, forced early

retirement or to deal with family care-giving issues.

Time away from work not only means a loss of current income,

also, in most cases, the suspension of contributions to a retirem

plan. If there is no cash flow due to a time off, chances are that

money is not available to continue funding your nest egg.

So if you are getting back into the workforce or intend to soon,

have an opportunity to look at your financial circumstances in a

whole new light. Can you free up money for retirement savings

once again? Here is a process to help you determine what is

possible in your situation.

A Return To Work & To Retirement Savings

I


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Step 1 Take care of regular expenses and debts

Make sure your cash flow can pay for your lifestyle. First and foremost, that means paying for necessities

food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Limit extraneous expenses until you are into a steady routine w

work and with managing your paycheck.

In addition, make sure you can continue to pay off any debts that remain on your personal books. Car loan

student loans and credit card debts must be paid on time. If it is possible, pay more than the minimummonthly payment required on high-interest credit card debts in order to reduce the principal balance each

month.

Step 2 - Manage your spending

When paychecks start rolling after a period without them, it is easy to feel rich again and quickly turn o

the spending spigot. After all, depending on the circumstances of your time away from work, you may ha

significant pent-up demand for items youve delayed purchasing.

feeling is understandable, but it is important to spend money responsibly. You already know better than m

the challenges created when cash flow from an employer or your own business stops. This is not the time

begin careless spending habits, but instead to prudently manage your income.

Step 3 Pay for your future security

Take advantage of your improved cash flow position to save for your future. The importance of saving fo

retirement cannot be overemphasized, regardless of your economic position. Today, you have the ability t

work and generate income. There will come a time in life when this will no longer be possible.

If youve been away from work for a while, you should be particularly inspired to resume a serious retirem

savings regimen. You have a keen understanding of the financial challenges involved when regular

paychecks dont arrive. This is similar to what most Americans face in retirement. Their well-being is

dependent, in large part, on the foresight they had to save money for their future financial security.

ind out what retirement savings options are available through your employer. If you can contribute to

plan (such as a 401(k) or 403(b) plan), you should make that arrangement as soon as you can. The

oser you are to retirement, the more you should be saving, as your time to let wealth accumulate in

our investment accounts is limited.

April M. Oliver, CFP

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER practitionerdvisor is licensed/registered to do business with U.S. residents only in the states of CA, CO, FL, IA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NY, OR,

A, SC, TN, TX, VA.

okerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. MemberNRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients.

2011 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights


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26

Family Features

ManageMailbox

YouCustomize How Businesses Contact You.


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27

There are many ways to learn

about the local and national

businesses that serve the

community whether through

mailed catalogs, e-mail,

online ads, you name it. Justas consumers use a variety of

ways to find information,

businesses use different media

to market themselves to

potential customers. You may

use some of those sources and

not others, but you have the

ability to easily customize

how local businesses contact

you and its easier than youmay think.

Direct Mail.

The Direct Marketing

Associations (DMA) Mail

Preference Service lets you

opt-out of receiving

unsolicited commercial mail

for five years. Register atwww.dmachoice.org, or mail

your request to: DMAchoice,

Direct Marketing Association,

P.O. Box 643, Carmel

NY10512. This will not stop

mailings from companies that

do not use this service, Bulk

Mail or Current Resident

Mail, but it will reduce your

junk mailings by quite a bit.

If you do not wish to receive

prescreened credit card offers,

you can opt-out at

www.optoutprescreen.com, or

1-800-OPT-OUT. You will

have the choice of opting out

for five years or permanently.

To opt-out permanently, you must begin the process at the web

then return a signed Permanent Opt-out Election form, which y

will be sent when you register.

Stop unwanted catalog deliveries by visitingwww.catalogchoice.org.

Online Ads.

Online marketers can track your Internet usage, gather data abo

you and tailor ads to you based on that information.

The Network Advertising Initiative has an online opt-outool that lets you select member companies from which y

wish to stop receiving ads. Visit

www.networkadvertising.org. It wont eliminate all of th

but you should see fewer ads.

The Google Ad Preferences site lets you opt-out of all ad

categories, or you can add or remove selected categories

www.google.com/ads/preferences.

Yahoo has an Ad Interest Manager that lets you do prettymuch the same thing. Visit the Privacy section at

www.yahoo.com.

Phone Books.

Phone books are a valuable resource for consumers looking for

local business information. Research shows 7 out of 10 U.S. aduse Yellow Pages directories each year, but if you choose to ge

your local business information elsewhere, youll be glad to kno

theres an easy way to adjust or stop your print deliveries. Visit

National Yellow Pages Consumer Choice and Opt-out Site atwww.yellowpagesoptout.com to select which directories you w

to receive, as well as to learn more about the industrys sustaina

production efforts and how you can reuse and recycle your old

directories.

Email.

The DMA also has an Email Preference Service (eMPS)lets you opt-out of receiving unsolicited commercial ema

from DMA members for six years. Register at

www.dmachoice.org.

Make sure your email spam filters are activated. Send thfiltered emails to a specific folder so you can check to m

sure that non-junk emails dont get automatically deleted


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Telemarketer Calls.

The National Do Not Call

Registry lets you opt-out of

receiving telemarketing calls

at home or on your mobilephone. Once your number has

been on the registry for 31 days, most telemarketing calls shoul

stop. This will not stop calls from political organizations, charit

telephone surveyors and companies with which you have a

business relationship or those that youve given express written

agreement to receive their calls. Register at www.donotcall.gov

call 1-888-382-1222.


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29

Penny

Travel Tips For Summer

Pinching


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Being on a strict budget may mean

making sacrifices along the way, but witha little smart planning and shopping your well-deserved vacation getawayneed not be forsaken.

The Internet, including online travelagencies, brandedsuppliers and otherwebsites, is the leading

source of travelinformation,surpassing referralsfrom friends andacquaintances andtravel books,according a 2009survey by the U.S.Travel Association.

With so muchinformation available atyour fingertips, its easyto plan ahead andmanage your travelspending. Not only that,a wide range oftravelcoupons are availableonline to help trim costseven further.

Follow these tips fromthe cost-consciousexperts atCheapSally.com to makeyour vacation dollarswork hard for you.

Accommodations:

According to the U.S. Travel Associationlodging is the second highest source oftravel spending in the country (second o

to food). But your accommodations donthave to break the bank.

First, consider what type of hotel will bessuit your travel needs. Will your trip be filwith sightseeing, tours and excursions thkeep you away from your room most of ttime? Or do you prefer to spend a leisure


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stay at the hotel, enjoying its onsiteamenities and attractions?

Depending on your preferences, you canallocate your spending to the elements that

matter most. In other words, if exploring ison your agenda, save some cash bybooking a lower-cost hotel with feweramenities.

Online tools will allow you to search byamenities, location and even by othertravelers ratings. Many sites offerhoteldiscounts, as well as tools to determinewhich arrival dates offer the best rates.

Flights:Pack light. Most airlines nowcharge for checked baggage, and extra feesapply if you exceed quantity and weightlimits. Remember, youll have to doublethose fees if you want to return home withyour luggage.Start early and do your homework. Severalservices are available that help youcompare rates, as well as the number of

stops and travel schedules, side by side.

Youll get better rates booking well inadvance. And never make an onlinepurchase without checking first to seewhether any discount codes are availablbring your price even lower.

Car Rentals:Beware of extra expenswith the add-ons, taxes and fees.Whenever possible, return the car witfull tank of gas. Know that airport carrentals are at a premium. If you canarrange for other transportation sucas a hotel shuttle look for rentallocations near, or even at, your hotel t

are likely more competitively priced.

Be sure to try variations in yourpick-up and drop-off dates andtimes. Even minor alterations canimpact your price, for example,taking you out of the daily rate aninto weekend pricing.

Vacation Packages: Numerous airlineand travel sites offer vacation packages myriad features. Flights and car rental, crental and hotel, all three - you name it. Iaddition to discounts on the key elementthe package, many also offer steeplydiscounted or even free add-ons sucas entertainment tickets or meal vouche

For the best deals, look for last-minutepackages, where prices have been slashto help fill vacancies, or for off-seasondestinations.

To find more travel savvy tips and savingvisit www.CheapSally.com.


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As a woman business owner, are you aware

of the numerous resources available to youwithin the State of North Carolina? Did you

know that many of the services and trainingare free?

Thanks to TammieC. Hoy, RegionalCommunity

DevelopmentManager at TheFederal Reserve-

Charlotte (TFRC)for coordinating

the Women inBusiness Forum.

TFRC hosted thisfree event on May16, 2011, during

Charlottes SmallBusiness Week inpartnership with

the CharlotteLeague of

Businesses, NorthCarolina Instituteof MinorityEconomicDevelopment,

NationalAssociation ofWomen Business Owners-Charlotte and

other local small business partners.

Participants heard from women owned

small businesses about successful busine

strategies, value-added businessdevelopment relationships, increasing sa

marketing strategies, supplier diversity,government procurement and the variobusiness certifications.

Following is a synopsis ofvarious speakers, theservices they provide an

websites you may visit fomore information.

Did you know that NorthCarolina Governor Beve

Perdue signed ExecutiveOrder Number 13 on Ma

2009? It is expected thaeach agency will issue aaspirational goal of at le

ten percent (10%), by doamount, of the Statespurchases of goods and

services that will be derivfrom HUB firms.

(http://www.governor.stnc.us/NewsItems/Execut

OrderDetail.aspx?newsItD=438). What is a HUB fiThe term "Historically

Underutilized Business" (Hmeans a business that is:

least 51% of the business is owned,

operated and controlled by one or mor

Women in Business ForumBY - Vilma Betancourt-O'Day


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citizens or lawful permanent residents of the

US who are members of at least one of thefollowing groups: Black, Hispanic, AsianAmerican, American Indian, Female,Disabled or Disadvantaged.

According to the OFFICE FOR HISTORICALLYUNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES PURCHASING

(GOODS AND SERVICES) ANDCONSTRUCTION PROJECTS REPORT for fiscalyear end 09/10, Women Business Enterprises

(WBE) had the highest percentage ofparticipation (3.56% out of 6.54%). Forconstruction projects, WBEs were grantedthe highest percentage of contracts

(12.42% out of 18.49%, $96,481,757 out of$143,619,332).

How can we help Governor Perdue meet

the 10% procurement goal she has set? Wemust get our small businesses HUB certified

and register as vendors with the State ofNorth Carolina. Bridget Wall-Lennon, StateDirector for the North Carolina HUB office,discussed the role of the HUB office and

how it can help small businesses. As an

experienced government contractor, I ama strong advocate for the programs, time

and effort that Governor Perdue, Ms. Wall-Lennon and the HUB staff put forth inhelping small businesses in our region. For

more information on the requireddocumentation for this particularcertification and for procurement

opportunities, please visithttp://www.doa.state.nc.us/hub/prog-

certification.htm.

Did you know that the Small Business

Administration (SBA) has a Women-Owned

Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract

Program which became effective February

4, 2011? Lynn Douthett, North Carolina

District Director, spoke about the final rule

which authorizes contracting officers to

aside certain federal contracts for eligibWomen-owned small businesses (WOSBseconomically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs). Ther

are over 300 6-digit North American InduClassification Systems (NAICS) codes thaare eligible for Federal contracting unde

the WOSB Program. (Please visit:http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/figc_wosb_naics_grids.pdf for the specific

NAICS Industry Codes). For moreinformation on this program, please visit:http://www.sba.gov/content/contractinopportunities-women-owned-small-

businesses.

Ms. Douthett introduced the winners of t

very coveted awards: the 2011 SBAWomen in Business Champions of the Yefor the State of North Carolina and REGI

IV which includes Alabama, Florida,Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, NorthCarolina, South Carolina and Tennessee

Sherrie Aycock and Tara Olson, Co-CEOsince 1996 of AllPoints Research, Inc., a

marketing research firm which offersservices in business strategy and

communications. Ms. Aycock participain the Women Entrepreneurs panel andshared with us tips on how AllPoints keep

their employees engaged, resulting in aproductive and proactive environment.Congratulations to the AllPoints team on

their significant achievements.(http://www.allpoints.biz)

Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)certification and its benefits, which incluopening up opportunities and speeds upthe sales process, was discussed by Rob

Lake Hamilton, President of the CarolinaMinority Supplier Development Council.Your business must be at least 51% ethnic

minorityowned by a U.S. Citizen in order


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qualify for this certification.

(http://affiliate.nmsdc.org/carolinasmsdc)

As a Site Visitor for the National WomenBusiness Owners Corporation, I discussed

Women Business Enterprise (WBE)certification, capability statements and theimportance of having your business

certifications posted on your website.(NWBOC.org)

La-Tasha Best-Gaddy, Assistant Director ofBusiness Development North CarolinaInstitute of Minority Economic Development

(NCIMED) made introductions andmoderated the two afternoon panels. TheNCIMED partnered in 2000 with the SBA toform The Womens Business Center. Their

mission is to promote economic self-sufficiency for all women of North Carolinathrough entrepreneurship. This organization

provides, among many other services,excellent workshops, seminars and onlinewebinars. I highly recommend

participating in their events.(http://www.ncimed.com/index.php?optio

n=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=33)

Joyce Siler, Director of the WomensBusiness Center, where she oversees the

development of education and trainingprograms that address the needs of womenentrepreneurs, was the moderator for the

Women Entrepreneurs Panel. Ms. Aycockparticipated on this panel, along with Lynn

Ivey, founder and CEO of The Ivey(http://theivey.com), a not-for-profit adultday care center located in South Park, andJessica Hope Murrell Berryman, owner ofLango Kids RTP,

(http://www.langokidsrtp.com) wherechildren between the ages of 18 monthsand 11 years are taught how to be fluent in

French, Mandarin and Spanish.

The Resources for Women-Money, Marke

and Management panel included HilaryComan, Principal of the Coman Compa(http://www.comancompany.com), CaCritz, Principal at Solutions FYS

(http://www.solutionsfys.com) RobertaMcCullough, Financial Services Director the North Carolina Minority Support Cen

(http://www.ncmsc.org) and David A. WPrincipal at NuLevel Strategic Solutions(http://www.nulevelsolutions.com). Som

topics discussed were strategic planningmarket analysis, optimizing manufacturinand business processes, businessinnovation, capital formation and fundin

available through credit unions.

The high energy in the room was

contagious and I believe that everyonewho was in attendance acquired a vastamount of knowledge. The State of No

Carolina provides us with very effectivebusiness resources whose mission is to hewomen and minority business owners an

urge you to contact them.

Contact Information:

Vilma Betancourt-O'Day

Women Wrule803.517.4030

[email protected]

http://www.linkedin.com/in/vilmabetancourtywomenwrule


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FGrilling Up

A SummerFeast


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Grilling Up a Festive Summer FeasSimple cooking tips to create a delicious barbecue

(Family Features) Summer is filled withfamily picnics and barbecues, but you needto make sure that those burgers and pastasalads arent served with a side of bacteria.Celebrity Chef Cat Cora is an expert atovercoming the complexities of cooking withexotic ingredients, including ostrich, oystersand venison; but even working with everydaystaples, like chicken, beef, eggs and freshvegetables, can present cooking challenges.

These foods can carry common bacteria,such as E. coli, Salmonella and Staph allof which can thrive throughout the cleanestkitchen. To help spread awareness aboutbetter kitchen practices, Chef Cora partneredwith Ultra Palmolive

Antibacterial Dish Liquid, offering tips andproviding simple solutions to help preventcross-contamination in your kitchen.

Research shows that bacteria can easilyspread to kitchen surfaces while preparineven the most simple of meals.

Bacteria on a cutting board can doubleafter ten minutes of use, whether cutting rmeat or vegetables.

Ten percent of bacteria on a cutting boacan transfer to lettuce during chopping.

E. coli that remains on washed and driedishes can survive up to three days.

Like all moms, I want to provide the best my family while creating memorable meahome, said Cora. Cleaning throughout tcooking process gives me peace of mind Im doing all I can for my family.

Grilled Vegetables and Ginger Citrus Mayonnaise Serves 6 to 8

(2) each crookneck or summer squash, baby zucchini, large whole carrots, large fennel or 3 medium fennel bulbs (5) to 6 shallots Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper Extra virgin olive oil

Ginger Citrus Mayonnaise (3) juicy oranges, grapefruits, Meyer lemons, mineolas, tangerines, Mandarins, blood oranges, etc., cut in half (6 halves total) (3) tablespoons (or more for desired consistency) store bought preferred mayonnaise Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper


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(1/4) teaspoon cayenne pepper (1/2)teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat grill for vegetables.To make the mayonnaise, squeeze all the juice out from 5 of the 6 citrus halves into a saucepan andbring to a boil over high heat. When juice begins to boil, lower heat to medium-high and reduce juice thick and syrupy, being careful not to let it burn.Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, and allow to cool slightly. (At this point you can grill the vegetabWhisk in mayonnaise, ginger, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Squeeze in juice from last remainingcitrus half, and season to taste with salt and pepper.Cut all veggies in half lengthwise, rub all sides sparingly with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and blackpepper. Grill, cut side down first, for 4 to 6 minutes if small, 5 to 8 minutes if large pieces. Flip so skinside is down, and grill all an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until all veggies are firm but easily sliced with aknife. Serve on platter alongside bowl of ginger citrus mayonnaise or drizzled on top of vegetables.

Greek Burger Sliders with Avocado Tzatziki Serves 4

1 pound lean ground beef1/3 cup Kalamata olives, chopped3 tablespoons crumbled feta1 teaspoon dried dill3 tablespoons breadcrumbs2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion1 tablespoon chopped scallions

Salt and freshly ground black pepper1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

(or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano)4 brioche rolls, split and toasted4 lettuce leaves, washed and dried4 tomato slices4 cucumber slices (optional)4 thin slices red onion (optional)

Stir together all avocado tzatziki ingredients (see recipe) and chill in fridge at least one hour olonger.


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women with know how e magazine june 2011

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