As a former emergency medicine physician, her expertise and training have created the perfect skill set for a cosmetic surgeon where patient security and satisfaction are paramount. All of the procedures at Opulence are done with local as opposed to general anesthesia, focusing on the specific area to provide a more secure and less complicated way to achieve each client’s beauty needs.

A graduate of the University of Maryland, she later went on to receive her medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, graduating with honors. Experienced in both traditional and emergency medicine, she adds to her expertise by keeping abreast of the latest and most effective trends, products and procedures in the aesthetic industry.

Dr. Dodds has also received both national and international training and certifications in various cosmetic procedures and philosophies. She is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgeons, Diplomate of American Association of Anti-Aging Medicine and the National Medical Association as well as a Fellow of American College of Emergency Physicians.

As a former print, commercial and runway model, Dr. Dodds has a true understanding of putting forth the best image, no matter what your profession. Often called upon for her expertise, she has been featured on CBS Radio, “Atlanta & Company” –WXIA (NBC Affiliate) and has chaired sections of the National Medical Association, and has also lectured internationally.

Dr. Dodds was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was named “Who’s Who in America” while in high school, college and medical school. Like most modern women, she is multi-talented with training in classical ballet and performing arts and counts interior decorating as one of her favorite hobbies.

Dr. Nedra Dodds is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, married and mother of three.

Here, you’ll find an in-depth interview with one of Atlanta’s brightest stars in the world of business, Lisa Nicole Cloud. Lisa was gracious enough to take time out of her busy schedule to grant us this inspirational and memorable interview. It has been edited and abbreviated for the web. The audio version can be found here. Ms. Cloud will be speaking on March 26 in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Women’s Leadership Summit.

Spark Plug Intro: Welcome to People You Need to Know on Spark Plug Radio. I’m your host, Spark Plug, publisher of People You Need To Know, metro Atlanta’s premier business spotlight publication, where we are the best at promoting your business.

For more information, log on to SparkPlugPeople.com and discover more people you need to know. The sponsor of today’s program is Kissable, the new health and taste sensation in toothpaste, developed by Dr. Danielle Greene. We are honored to have as our guest today, Ms. Lisa Nicole Cloud. She is the CEO of Elite Marketing Strategies, a direct marketing company. Ms. Cloud, welcome to the show.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Thank you, Spark Plug. I’m very honored to be your guest today.

Spark Plug: Well, we’re honored to have you. Lisa, you were born in Baltimore, Maryland. You were an only child and you were raised by your mother. Your father was from St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Do you have any kind of relationship with him today?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Oh, absolutely. I visit the Virgin Islands at least once a year, sometimes two and three times a year. Over the last couple of months, I’ve been down there a lot because I’ve also been working in that market, so it’s nice when you can bring business and pleasure together. But yeah, my father and I over the years have gotten to be very close. He has a very peaceful, gentle spirit and he’s very laid back. He’s given me balance, so that I’m not just always driving, driving, driving, which I have a tendency to do. He just kind of says sometimes to me, “Lisa, just look around you. Enjoy the sunshine. Smell the flowers. You know, you only live once, so you’ve got to have that balance in your life.”

Spark Plug: Lisa, you’ve said your mission in life is to help people identify their God-given talent, so they can do more, be more, achieve more, and impact the community in a positive way. How long have you been living according to this mission?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Well, a couple of years ago, I attended a workshop called Inward Journey and it really helped you kind of reflect back on some of the voids in your life and it also helped to figure out exactly what your passion and your purpose in life was about. And from that experience, I realized that I had an entrepreneurial spirit and that I needed to get out of corporate America, but once I attained resources, I needed to give back to the community because I really believe to whom much is given, much is required.

Spark Plug: Okay, well, let’s go back to your childhood a little bit. You said at ten, you and your mother relocated to Atlanta, Georgia. What brought you to Atlanta?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Well, at that point, my mother still worked for the government and her job transferred her down to Atlanta. She stayed with the government for a couple more years and then she ventured off and started her own business, so everything is divinely ordered. I really believe that the government got us to Atlanta, but there was a higher calling on her life and she embraced entrepreneurship.

Spark Plug: You’ve said your mother taught you discipline and focus and because she was a single parent, she taught you about the importance of being independent and self-sufficient. How has that helped you in your adult life?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Yes. My mother was a single parent. She was very, very determined. She had me in her early 20’s and she worked also. She not only worked, but she got her college degree while at the same time raising a young child on her own, and so she really taught me that whatever you put your mind to, no matter what obstacles you face, if you really are willing to focus and work hard, you can accomplish whatever goals you set for yourself.

And so, I think there are lessons that are taught and I think there are lessons that are caught. I saw her facing obstacles and overcoming them. That really made a strong impact on my life because I have had obstacles that I’ve had to overcome and because of the discipline and the focus that she had, and that I witnessed while growing up, I was also able to develop those same types of characteristics.

Spark Plug: Your mother has been a good role model for you all of your life. You wrote that she was an entrepreneur and owned several companies in the medical practice acquisition industry. Tell us a little bit about that.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: She got involved in entrepreneurship, I guess, in the early to mid-80’s and at that time, the medical field was thriving. Doctors were making a great living. They were still in private practice and so she was one of the first in the medical field to start selling practices … when doctors were retiring … to new doctors coming in. And at that point, it was a very thriving business. She did extremely well with it. Like most industries, they have different cycles. You know, it’s usually probably a 5- to 10- to 15-year cycle and so as you know, the medical field rapidly changed. Managed care came in and private practice literally became a thing of the past. Most people were moving into group practices and at that point, she got out of that business and moved into something else.

So, no matter what obstacles came her way, she always landed on her feet and found the next business venture to get involved with, and I learned that you can’t just try something once and if it doesn’t work out or something changes about the industry, that you just go back to working a job. She did not want to ever go back to working a regular job and this taught me to persevere.

Spark Plug: Lisa, you went to middle school and high school in Georgia and then you attended college at Emory University where you were a Psychology and Pre-Med major.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Correct.

Spark Plug: Now, how did you become interested in Psychology?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Well, here is what happened, I was at Emory and I was on the Pre-Med curriculum track. I had a major at that time in Chemistry. My second year in college; however, my mother told me that she was not going to pay for the rest of my years of tuition and that if I really, really wanted to graduate from Emory, I would figure out a way to come up with the money to pay for school.

Spark Plug: Now, let me stop you right there.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Yeah.

Spark Plug: That was a great lesson your mother taught you.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Yes, it just taught me that you can overcome whatever obstacles come your way if you just put your mind to it and you work hard. The reason I bring that up is because I had to figure out a way to come up with … at that time, it was $30,000 a year to attend Emory. And so, I took a semester off and I started working for MBNA America Bank and I did really well and I moved into management and one of the benefits that they offered was tuition reimbursement. So that’s how I ended up getting through school. I worked full-time and MBNA paid what didn’t get covered by scholarships and grants.

Spark Plug: You found a way to make your dreams come true.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: I did. I did. I mean, you just cannot let anything discourage you. There are going to be so many obstacles that come your way in life and you just have to persevere and you have to be disciplined and you have to be persistent and consistent in whatever your goals are and work towards them.

You asked me how I was a Psychology major on a Pre-Med track. Well, MBNA would not pay for a Pre-Med degree because they couldn’t relate it back to the business need, so the lesson here is … don’t be discouraged, where there is a will, there is a way. What I ended up doing is making my major Psychology and my minor Chemistry because they could relate adult training to Psychology. So that’s how I ended up getting a Psychology major and Chemistry minor at Emory.

Spark Plug: Well, let me ask you a question about that quote you just mentioned, and we’ve been hearing that quote all of our lives, but do you think a lot of people take that quote for granted, “Where there is a will, there is a way?”

Lisa Nicole Cloud: I do. I think sometimes we hear these things and you know, they just kind of roll off our tongue, but we really don’t realize the impact that they can make or that they make. I believe you have the ability to speak your reality into existence and so if you believe what you say, if you believe there is a will and that you can find a way, then you’ll make that happen. But if you take these quotes lightly, then they’ll just be that, words, so you really have to believe what you’re saying.

Spark Plug: And how important is belief … to really believe that your dreams can actually come true?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: You know, I think many people out there have stopped dreaming. I think that’s one of the saddest realities that are out there. People have these lofty goals and dreams and then they end up settling for a job and that job doesn’t really meet the demands of their goals and dreams and so I think people kind of have to reprogram themselves and if the job isn’t getting them where they want to get to, then they have to figure out what else they can do to get to their goals and dreams.

Spark Plug: What would you say to the people out there, you know, our listening audience and on the Internet, people out there listening around the world, who may have stopped dreaming and they think it’s too late for them, what words of encouragement would you share with them today?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: I would say it is never too late. You know, in the business that I’m in, I meet people from all walks of life, all ages, all nationalities, it’s never too late. At my recent convention, a gentleman came up to me. He was 85 years old and he said to me, “I’m going to be the oldest senior vice-president in this company.” And I looked at him and I said, “You know what? You are because you believe you can be that and you will become that.” As I’ve said before, (one of my favorite quotes) what the mind can conceive, it can achieve. Your words are very powerful.

Spark Plug: Lisa, you were on track to become a doctor, but you decided that with your business background … now as a  matter of fact … I need to back up a little bit because your story is so interesting and so intriguing from your time at Emory to when you were 14 years old, when you worked in a professional position, such as a legal clerk in a well-known law firm. You were a service manager at Valley Fitness Center and you were in store operations at Target Stores.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Right.

Spark Plug: Please tell us about that because at 14 or 15, that almost sounds unheard of.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: I was a type of kid who always wanted to play business.  I would be in my room acting like a manager of a corporation at the age of 8 and 9 and 10, and so as soon as I could get a job, I got a job. I got that worker’s permit and I started working. It’s funny, because I’ve always had this passion for business, but a lot of times when you’re young, you want to kind of have your own identity and you want to create your own identity a little differently from what your parents did, and I kind of fell into that and didn’t want to be this business person. So I decided that I was going to go after the medical degree and pursue a medical career.

But what you always realize is that what God gives you, you really need to embrace that and that’s where my strengths were. I had to work hard when I was Pre-Med. I mean, I wasn’t one of those students where science was like second nature to me. I was the one who was in the library studying 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning trying to understand biochemistry, so that was a challenge for me, but I still pursued it.

But then after I graduated, when I had the degree, that business person came out of me again and it was like the second voice saying, “Well, okay, are you going to go and get $150,000 in debt, work as a resident after you go to medical school and maybe work and make $20,000 to $30,000 for a couple of years while you’re doing your residency? Or … are you going to go and start making money now, are you going to start pursuing what comes naturally for you?” Because I moved into management so quickly at MBNA, it ended up happening that I went the route of corporate America and not medicine.

Spark Plug: And how long were you with MBNA? Was it five years?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: I was with MBNA six years.

Spark Plug: Six years.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Six years, and I started off as a telemarketer on the phone in the telemarketing division. I did really well selling over the phone and moved into management in their telemarketing division, and then later went into their customer assistance division. So I always had a high level of business acumen, to do well, to communicate well with people, and to provide excellent service to the customers I was servicing. I learned that well at MBNA because that was one of their philosophies.

Spark Plug: Now, Lisa, tell us about your experience in pharmaceutical sales.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Okay, well, I spent seven years in the pharmaceutical sales industry. Some of the time, I was with SmithKline Beecham and I also spent some time with Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals. That experience taught me how to really leverage relationships, how to provide excellent service to my clients and also to really know how to sell a product that I believed in. So I think that with people that are listening that have an entrepreneurial spirit, just take everything you’re getting at whatever job you’re in and just realize that there is a lot to be learned from a corporate job that you can parlay into your entrepreneurial ventures.

Spark Plug: You had a burning desire to own your own company, so you took your sales/marketing experience and you started your own marketing firm. Tell us a little bit about Elite Marketing Strategies.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Well, Elite Marketing Strategies is a company that I started. I knew that my background and my strengths were in sales and marketing and as we discussed earlier, I believe when people venture into entrepreneurship, they should really embrace their God-given talents and that was what I was strong in. All of my years of working in corporate America had helped me to really develop those skills and so I just started a company of my own.

In this particular company, we focus on technology and telecom marketing. I work with people to help them build telecom and technology businesses. I can help people develop marketing strategies and execute the strategies they’re developing for their businesses. That’s what Elite Marketing Strategies evolved into. Initially, it was a firm that came up with various trainings and training content and also helping to develop and implement marketing strategies. But our strong suit is really in telecom and technology.

Spark Plug: So Lisa, what would you see as the major turning point or points in your life?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: I think the major turning point for me was when I had to overcome obstacles, figuring out how I was going to get through school. In your early 20s, $30,000 a year seems like a million dollars and I had no idea where I was going to get the money to finish Emory. I knew that my goal was to graduate from Emory, but I didn’t know how and so I realized when I successfully got a job, worked through college, maintained the grade GPA and still kept the Pre-Med curriculum … when I was able to do all of that, I realized there was nothing I couldn’t do if I put my mind to it and I wasn’t afraid of failing. I was just going to try. And once I let go of those fears, the sky became the limit. It seemed as if whatever I said I wanted to do, I accomplished it, and I accomplished it well.

Spark Plug: Well, today, Lisa, what drives you? What gets you up in the morning?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: My why is my family, my children, my husband, spending quality time with them. When I was building my business, I had to work a lot. I was making a lot of sacrifices and spending a lot of time away from them to be quite honest, but those short-term sacrifices were for the long-term rewards. Now, I’ve built a very successful business and I can spend my days with my children. My husband and I spend a lot of quality time together. You know, that’s my passion, and then I also wanted to help other people get to that place in life, too, because it’s very rewarding and very fulfilling when you have people come up to you and tell you how much you’ve changed their life and how thankful they are that you shared the opportunity with them. So those are the things that kind of keep me going and keep me motivated.

Spark Plug: Okay, so that’s another question I have for you, how do you stay motivated? What else do you do? Some people out there may be a single mother, she doesn’t have the husband to support her like you do. What would you suggest to her to stay motivated?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Well, the first thing I have to tell people when they ask me what motivates me is, you have to find a very strong why, and your why has to be bigger than you. It  has to be bigger than money or financial gain. My mentor once said to me, “If your why doesn’t make you cry, it’s not big enough.”

Spark Plug: Say that one more time. That’s really powerful, Lisa.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: If your why doesn’t make you cry, it’s not big enough. You have to find something deep within that you can get passionate about that can motivate you to get up and do things that you may not really feel like doing. For me, my why was my son when he was first born. You know, when I was first building my business, it was all about the money and consequently, I was working to get a check and that’s all I was getting, it was a check, and sometimes it was good and sometimes it was bad.

Well, my business didn’t take off until my why became my son because he motivated me to work harder than I had ever worked before. He motivated me to get uncomfortable for us to be in a comfortable place. He inspired me to greatness. I always tell people, “My son inspired me to greatness. I couldn’t do it for me, I did it for him.” When I was pregnant, I delivered him early. He came at 27 weeks, so almost seven months. So I was in that hospital and I was going to that ICU every day to see this little life, just holding on, and I remember praying and I remember talking to him and I just remember saying to him, “You just hold on and you fight. I will never let you down.”

And he made it. At 27 weeks, he made it and if you would see him today, you would never know he came out as a premature baby.  He’s just as healthy as he can be, no complications, but he fought. He had that fighting spirit within him. I guess maybe you pass on to your kids what you are made of, and he made it. And so at that point, I worked harder than I’ve ever worked before, to create something that would be a legacy for him. I mean, if I stopped working today, the beauty of my business is that it will still keep creating an income because people are going to still keep paying their phone bills. They’re going to still keep paying their cell phone bills. They’re going to still keep surfing the Internet and every month when they do it, there is a check coming for my family and that’s powerful.

Spark Plug: Well, Lisa, is there anything that you say to yourself every day that maybe some of the listeners might be able to benefit from?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: To always thank my Father above for the blessings that flow because ultimately He is the one in control of the blessings that flow, but I also try to stay humble. I try to not let success create an ego, be very thankful for the people that are in my life, as well as my business partners that I’m working with. I teach them things. They teach me a lot of things and I always remember to just work hard. Work hard, stay positive and find that passion that’s going to keep you going through the tough times.

Spark Plug: Okay Lisa, before we run out of time, tell us how you can be reached.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: My number is 1-877-299-6665.

Spark Plug: And your website?

Lisa Nicole Cloud: My website is LisaNicoleCloud.com.

Spark Plug: And finally, Lisa, where do you go to relax and unwind? As busy as you are, I’m sure you have a favorite place that you like to get away to.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Well, I love escaping to the Caribbean, you know, watching the sun set. I love spending time with my husband and with my children. When I travel, we always try to make it like a family outing, a family vacation, so it’s just nice being able to do business and pleasure at the same time.

Spark Plug: Well Lisa, I would definitely like to say thank you for being with us today and sharing your inspirational story.

Lisa Nicole Cloud: Thank you so much, Spark Plug, and I appreciate you for your magazine. It’s so needed and I hope that we continue to network together.

With clients ranging from the Jaguar Luxury Brand, New Era Cap, Ciara, Estelle, Amar’e Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns), Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Porsche, Adidas, Xbox and more, also with efforts appearing on MTV, BET, E!, VH1, NBA TV as well as  on the glossy pages of many of today’s most well-noted magazines and blogs, this author, instructor and practitioner has asserted herself as an authority in this mysterious field of publicity.

Opening The Garner Circle PR at the turn of the millennium, her PR firm represents clients in raw, rich, and unconventional territories.

1. FINE ATTENTION TO DETAIL:

An event planner that I once worked with who served as a great teacher and mentor told me, “Plan every event as if you’re putting on the event for the president.” The goal is for guests to leave not simply satisfied, but overjoyed. It is imperative to exceed their expectations and create an experience that cannot be found elsewhere. Glassware must be spotless and free of  fingerprints and dust. Props and decorations must be secure and never fall out of place. Smart space planning of furniture must be well thought-out, for the purposes of aesthetic value, convenience, and safety. The party area must be clean, free of trash and organized at all times.

2. ENGAGING ACTIVITIES:

It’s been said many times, it doesn’t matter where the party is, as long as you have the right people. This can be true in many situations, but is not always the case. Many parties have taken place where guests do not know one another. In a situation like this, people tend to stay segregated in their cliques and make no attempt to talk or interact with new people. This is why additional activities should be planned into the schedule. Games and contests can be great fun for both kids and adult parties. Certain amenities such as a pool, game room, or a dance floor are great central meeting spots that encourage guest interaction. The buffet and the bar should also be strategically placed because most conversations take place around food or drink.

3. SETTING THE MOOD:

Creating the perfect ambiance for the perfect party makes all the difference. This includes all forms of lighting, music, accessories, and the attire worn by guests. It is important to remember that each event is unique and the setting and style must be tailored to each particular event. For instance, at certain events it would be more appropriate to have a candlelit environment to convey a romantic tone, as opposed to artificial colored lighting to encourage dancing at a high-energy celebration.

4. FOOD AND BEVERAGE:

In the catering world, presentation is everything. All food must look appealing and taste even better. Something may taste delicious, but no one would try it if it looks like a messy concoction of ingredients thrown together.

Not only should it look tempting to guests, but small finishing touches can give dishes artistic flair and personalize the cuisine. Also, keep in mind that the beverages served should always compliment what is on the menu to create a robust and perfect combination of  flavors for your palette.

5. PERSONALIZE EACH PARTY, ACCORDINGLY:

What truly makes an event magical to guests is their sense of feeling welcomed as if their arrival was highly anticipated by many. For all crowds, large and small, it helps to envision each event as targeting a certain “market.” Each group has individual needs or preferences when it comes to food, music, and activities. It helps to know the audience and what they expect to get out of attending a party.

One’s job as a host is to be delightful, warm, and welcoming to every single guest who attends an event. Just by sending a warm greeting or periodically making small conversation with guests touches people and makes them feel like an important part of any occasion.

- Ingrid Priscilla Wiggberg is a successful Event Planner in metro Atlanta who specializes in dream parties and dream weddings. She can be reached at The Party Makers 770-853-2069.

No one ever saw it coming.

Skid-e-Kids Network launched the site in December of 2009, just three months after the initial conception of the idea. “We want to take over the world,” says Brandon Mychals, the company’s Account Executive and Chief of Operations.

Godwin and Mychals were both winding down careers in the entertainment industry when they recognized the potential wealth an internet company could gain. Using industry connections, the two men took their ideas and made them a reality. “When it comes to kids, we think this is something that’s long overdue,” Mychals says.

The overall goal of the company is to “improve the quality of life between the parent and the child,” says Mychals. He explains that through the website, children can make friends, play games, write blogs, and join groups while their parents are doing the same things with other parents. Mychals says that the site was designed with the child in mind. While the website is still very young, it is not at all underdeveloped. It was initially created for kids between four and eleven years old, but that has changed. Mychals says, “We’re going to let the people on the site tell us the way they want it to go.”

“Skid-e-Kids” is an acronym for Super Kids In Development Enjoying Kindled Interest Driving Success. Although it is a website for kids, it has something for everyone. Parents might find the site useful for making extra cash, networking, chatting, or blogging about parenthood. For teachers, the site has activity sheets, game ideas, homework tools, and a pen pal function.

In early March, the website will be launching their newest function, Toys and Games Swap. Brandon Mychals says, “It is basically an eBay for toys.” Members of the site can gather gently used toys and games and sell them to other members with no upfront costs.

Mychals mentions another way to use the site to raise funds is to advertise your fundraising cause on the website. It is a sure way to gain exposure. Already, the website has had over one million visitors worldwide.

The website also features a number of colorful characters who are citizens of “Skid-e-Ville”. In the beginning, the characters were marketing tools created to be role models for kids and a means of moderating the site. Since then, the cartoons have taken a life of their own. “They have a say-so in the direction they go,” says Mychals.

Each cartoon character, he explains, represents a different type of personality. One character, Hang Time the friendly ghost, is an athlete. He is not the best at playing sports and he has never won any awards, but he never gives up.

Something Mychals hasn’t told anyone is that Skid-e-Kids.com will soon be releasing a quiz that allows members of the website to see which character they are most like because he says, “There is a character to [reflect] every type of child.”

The founders of Skid-e-Kids Network agree that their journey has not been easy. There have been lifestyle adjustments and sacrifices along the way. Mychals says, “For me, it’s a lot of work. Each day we want to make progress.” He says that the sacrifices he has made for the company don’t feel like sacrifices in retrospect “because results outweigh everything else.”

Mychals says he hopes the work he has put in will be a blueprint for a very successful legacy. To other rising entrepreneurs, Mychals says, “My advice is to make sure you donate time to your dream. If you don’t, it will burn off.”

The website is currently endorsed by the Department of Education in Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. They are also in partnership with Communities In Schools, an organization dedicated to connect community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life.

Projected to be “the next Google” in terms of its fast growing success, Skid-e-Kids.com and the Skid-e-Kids Network represent the future of social networking. Their key to success, Mychals says, is to “force what’s in the outer world to match what’s in your head.”

-Alesha Johnson

Luisa Margarita Ayes is a native of Puerto Rico. She completed major studies in marketing at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. Highly motivated, energetic, enthusiastic, creative and social are some of the qualities that best describe this successful businesswoman.

Ms. Ayes is a co-founder of Hispanic Marketing Group, Inc., which is dedicated to linking corporate America and the Hispanic Community. She is also a co-founder of the popular and well-attended Festival Peachtree Latino.

Press Release from http://pitchengine.com

SIX ATLANTA WOMEN TO BE RECOGNIZED AT 2ND
ANNUAL CHOZEN AWARDS IN HONOR OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Cocktail Reception on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at Artist Trifecta Gallery

03.05.2010 – Atlanta, GA (March 1, 2010) — The CHOZEN AWARDS pulls out all the stops in time for the 2nd annual awards and cocktail reception. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at the Artist Trifecta Gallery (161 Mangum Street) in Atlanta’s Castleberry Hills district.

The highly anticipated community-based awards recognize the unwavering efforts of individuals and businesses that go above and beyond the call of duty. This year in honor of Women’s History Month, in addition to acknowledging the accomplishments of the nominees chosen by the people in the areas of business, health, music and entertainment, the CHOZEN AWARDS will also honor six dynamic women across Atlanta.

The group of honorees includes: WNBA Atlanta Dream General Manager and Head Coach Marynell Meadors; Georgia Institute of Technology Professor Dr. Catherine L. Ross; Recording Artist Monica; Entrepreneurs Luisa Margarita Ayes (Festival Peachtree Latino) and Dee Dee Cocheta-Williams (A.B.C. Publicity) and Radio and Television Producer Nina Brown (Frank & Wanda Morning Show).

A special presentation will be made to this multicultural group of professionals on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at Artist Trifecta Gallery, located at 161 Mangum Street #102, Atlanta, GA 30313, in addition to the winners of the online voting taking place now until March 17 at www.chozenawards.com.

This year’s sponsors include Artist Trifecta Gallery, Real Atlanta Magazine, The Style Suite, Deep Standard, Just BE, SIR Magazine, Only In the A and CHOZEN MEDIA.

The CHOZEN AWARDS
Established in 2008, CHOZEN MEDIA, a trend-setting, Atlanta-based, multimedia company, created the CHOZEN AWARDS to inspire, impact and empower the Greater Atlanta community in honor of the unsung heroes who are the lifelines of this city. Nominees are selected in the areas of business, entertainment, health, hospitality and the arts and are voted on by the public.

For more information about the CHOZEN AWARDS please visit www.chozenawards.com or contact Lenora Bowler, lb@justwant2be.com, 404-840-0516.

Save the date  – April 25th – Stone Mountain Park Memorial Lawn.

Feria Latina is a celebration of the diversity of Latin American culture that takes place in a historic venue.

Thousands of people from all over the state of Georgia attend the event to enjoy a day of performances by some of the best Latin artists, contests, giveaways, company exhibitions, arts and crafts, international food and Stone Mountain’s famous “Laser Show Spectacular.”

Last year, there were over 35,000 people in attendance and over one hundred companies participated in the event. Feria Latina at Stone Mountain Park is undoubtedly, one of the most enjoyable multicultural family events in the Southeast.

For vendor information, call the Hispanic Marketing Group at  404-321-0663.
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Attorney Rooks was admitted to the Georgia Bar in November 2000. She is a member of the Georgia Court of Appeals, Georgia Supreme Court, and the Eleventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. She is the owner and principal of Shana M. Rooks & Associates, LLC.

Professional affiliations and memberships include, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Gate City Bar Association, Clayton County Bar and the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. Attorney Rooks was awarded the National Order of Barristers in 2000. She was a member of the National Moot Court and ATLA Moot Court Teams, and the Executive Editor of the Sports Lawyers Journal while at Tulane.

Attorney Rooks values her call to service and believes to whom much is given, much is required. She graciously serves as the Second Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity, President of the Board of Directors for Shoot the Hoop, Inc., and President of the Board of Directors for the Southern Crescent Pearls Foundation Inc, an affiliation of Psi Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  Shana is also the Corresponding Secretary for Psi Alpha Omega Chapter and the Chair of Savor The Taste, the chapter’s premiere male cook-off and signature fund-raising event.

Attorney Rooks is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Clayton and also serves the citizens of Clayton County as a Clayton County Juvenile Court, Judge Pro Tempore and a Former Magistrate Court Judge. She is also a member of St. Philip AME Church in Decatur, Georgia.

Regardless of what you may have heard,

Here are some basic steps you should take to help ensure the survival of your business.

Determine who will succeed you. Will it be family members, your business partners, your employees, or an outside buyer? Each choice requires a different plan.

Prepare a time line. Barring death or disability, when and how do you plan to exit the business? Well in advance of your planned departure, equip your successors with the skills and experience necessary to take over.

Maintain complete and accurate financial records. Your company’s financial history is essential to preparing a fair business valuation. An accurate valuation is important for several reasons. First, you deserve a fair price for your business. Second, a buyer and his creditors will want evidence that the purchase price is fair. Finally, your company’s
valuation may have to withstand IRS scrutiny.

Create a financing plan. Your plan might include life and disability insurance, an employee stock ownership plan, or a stock redemption plan. Whatever your plan, it should take your future financial needs into account and provide a method for your successors to meet those needs.

Surround yourself with a team of advisors. Your accountant, your attorney, your banker, and your insurance agent can each have an important role to play in completing your plan. Failure to plan for an orderly transition can result in financial losses or even the loss of your business. A well-designed plan, on the other hand, can protect your family, your employees, your co-owners, and your customers.

Call By The Book Accounting for assistance in setting up a succession plan for your business at 678-608-2775.

Born in Staten Island, New York, Ingrid Priscilla moved to Georgia in 1991. The combination of the witty and wise New Yorker teachings of her parents and the sweet, Southern hospitality of her childhood gave her the best of both worlds, and shaped her into who she is today.

Ingrid Priscilla has been involved in planning parties and various events for as long as she can remember. Her mother, known for her art of entertaining and hosting, is the main inspiration for her desire to pursue event planning as a career. After her mother’s passing, she felt the need to take this inherited gift to the next level by starting a professional event planning business.

Because of this passionate spark that ignited the launching of The Party Makers, it is her main goal to transform one’s dream party into a reality. With Ingrid Priscilla’s fine-tuned attention to detail, sharp creativity, and strong understanding of how to create the perfect event, every client is treated as one of a kind.

The Party Makers’ mission is to give its clients an experience that is unique, magical, and unforgettable. 770-853-2069

The health fair is for anyone interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle through weight loss and health education. Lighten Up Expo will educate you, your family and friends on setting goals, getting back on track, nutrition, fitness, body image and more. You can also find out how losing weight affects your relationships and learn how to make the journey as a couple in a Love Sex & Weight Loss seminar.

If you are the parents of a child with weight issues, this is the place for you to get educated about the dangers of being overweight and discover solutions. We will help provide the right tools you need to maintain a healthier life. Don’t miss this awesome event!

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Charlie Brown, MBA, CAT, CSP, is a successful weight-loss surgery patient who has lost 137 pounds since January 2007. She is the Executive Director of Bariatric Care Network. She has an extensive fourteen (14) year background in relationship seminar facilitating and leadership communication, six (6) years as the Editor for a local parent magazine and five (5) years as a modeling agent.

She is a remarkable Renaissance woman who is hailed as one of the great relationship experts. Charlie is a highly sought after Bariatric Relationship Speaker. As a lecturer, educator, author, and relationship activist, she continues to travel the world, spreading her relationship wisdom.

Within the rhythm of her Love Sex and Weight Loss (LSW) seminars and the elegance of her style, Charlie’s unique Q & A portion of her LSW gives power to attendees to capture the intimacy in their relationship. Charlie motivates attendees through the vigor and grace of her approach. The LSW interactive workshop is for couples interested in building or maintaining a quality relationship.

Charlie has been married to her husband, Charles, for 19 years.  They have six daughters, and she understands what it takes to create longevity in a relationship. As an activist for strong relationships, she devotes much of her time to many small support groups to help couples achieve the quality relationships they so richly deserve.

As soon as you meet Lisa Nicole Cloud

Lisa’s in-depth experience in Sales & Marketing, Strategy Development & Implementation, and Training for several Fortune 100 companies has enabled her to revolutionize and build a large Direct Sales business in the Telecommunications and Technology industry. As a result of her groundbreaking achievements, she began and launched a successful direct marketing company, Elite Marketing Strategies. Her focus and success has been in the areas of Personal Development, Executive Coaching and Network Distribution Building Strategies and Training. To complement her training and coaching techniques, she has produced several audio training series on Personal Development and Direct Sales Building Strategies.

Over the last several years, Lisa has conducted several hundred high-energy leadership trainings and sales seminars throughout the US and abroad in which she impacted and trained thousands of representatives in areas of Direct Sales, Personal Development and Professional Networking. She has provided consulting services in the areas of Marketing Strategy Development & Implementation and Organizational Development for companies in various business sectors such as Healthcare, Sports Entertainment, Information Systems, Pharmaceuticals, and Telecommunications, just to name a few.

Don’t let her small stature fool you, Lisa is a Little Dynamo! Dynamic, Captivating, Charismatic, Passionate, and Genuine, are often terms used to describe her. Lisa’s mission in life is to help people identify their God-given talents so they can do more, be more, achieve more and impact our community in a positive way.

Lisa will motivate and inspire any audience as she consistently applies Management, Psychology, Personal Development and Leadership principles, bringing real-life experiences to her presentations and trainings. She captures and holds her audiences with high-energy, passion, captivating stories, real-life examples, and humor. Her messages motivate, inspire and produce quantum leaps in productivity and performance for any company.

Lisa shows audiences the power of dreams and shares the keys to turning them into realities through her simple message, “Your Attitude in Life determines your Altitude in Life.” Stay Focused and Live Your Dreams!

Lisa has helped develop and train thousands of entrepreneurs around the world and is a renown and well-respected trainer in the Direct Sales Industry. Lisa has been featured in “International Power Magazine”, “Your Business At Home”, “Success From Home”, “The Woman’s Journal”, “People You Need to Know”, and most recently “Atlanta Business Journal”. Lisa’s new book “Live Your Dreams…It’s Possible”- 8 Success Principles for the Christian Entrepreneur was released in December 2009.

For more information about Lisa Nicole Cloud please contact her office at 1-877-486-4774 or visit www.lisanicolecloud.com.

• January 30, 2010 – Get Body Beautiful Expo: Cobb Galleria
• February 27, 2010 – Lighten Up Expo – Georgia International Convention Center
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• March 07, 2009 – College Expo: Cobb Galleria
• March 14, 2009 – Women of Strength: Sheraton Gateway Hotel
• March 27, 2009 – American Association of Blacks in Higher Education: Sheraton Downtown
• March 28, 2009 – Women in the Media Conference: Spelman College – Sisters Chapel
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• April 04, 2009 – Health Expo: 8900 Tara Blvd. – Jonesboro
• April 10, 2009 – 100 Black Women’s Day at the Capitol
• April 23, 2009 – Synergy Business Expo – Georgia International Convention Center
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• May 02, 2009 – Mother/Daughter Breakfast – DeShawn Snow Keynote Speaker, Dekalb Tech Conf. Center
• May 04, 2009 – Sweet Auburn Heroes & Heroines Awards Luncheon
• May 06, 2009 – VIP Media Reception for Sweet Auburn Springfest – Atlanta
• May 08, 2009 – Sweet Auburn Springfest
• May 09, 2009 – Sweet Auburn Springfest
• May 10, 2009 – Sweet Auburn Springfest
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• June 04, 2009 – New America Media Conference (Atlanta Hyatt)
• June 20, 2009 – Cobb County NAACP Juneteenth Festival (Marietta Square)
• June 21, 2009 – Real Men Cook – Railroad Depot (Atlanta)
• June 22, 2009 – Pure Hearts Girls’ Conference (Decatur)
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• July 04, 2009 – New Birth Family & Friends Day Celebration – Lithonia
• July 11, 2009 – Pleasant Hill Community Impact Expo – Roswell
• July 25, 2009 – Vendor Day Celebration – Lithonia (Main Street)
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• August 8, 2009 – Wellness Fair (St. Phillip AME – Decatur)
• August 14, 2009 – National Action Network Summer Conf. (Atlanta)
• August 23, 2009 – Festival Peachtree Latino – Underground Atlanta
• August 27, 2009 – Women’s Wealth Conference – Doubletree Hotel Atlanta
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• September 5, 2009 – Business Expo – Little Five Points – Atlanta
• September 6, 2009 – House In The Park – Music Fest – Atlanta
• September 11, 2009 – Marietta Movie Night – Laurel Park
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• October 6, 2009 – Motivation for the Single Moms – Morrow
• October 10, 2009 – The Pink Party – Georgia World Congress Center
• October 16, 2009 – Rainbow Push Conference – Hyatt
• October 24, 2009 – Smart Women Business Expo – Decatur
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• November 4, 2009 – Marietta Business Association Expo – Cobb Civic Center

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2008 People You Need to Know Grass-Roots Publicity Tour!

• Sponsored by: Dr. Danielle Wilson & Dr. Sharon Harley

• April 07, 2008 – Bally’s – Cobb Parkway (Cobb)
• April 10, 2008 – Bally’s – Pleasant Hill (Gwinnett)
• April 17, 2008 – Bally’s – Stone Mountain (DeKalb)
• April 18, 2008 – Business to Business Mixer (Downtown)
• April 30, 2008 – LA Fitness – Morrow (Clayton)
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• May 02, 2008 – Urban Network Fridays (Downtown)
• May 03, 2008 – 2009 Front Cover Photo Shoot
• May 10, 2008 – Financial Literacy, Real Estate & Wellness Expo (Atlanta Voice)
• May 12, 2008 – Holistic Health & Fitness Fair – Sam Nunn Federal Center (Downtown)
• May 13, 2008 – Peachtree City Kiwanis Club (Tyrone)
• May 19, 2008 – Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia)
• May 29, 2008 – Women Make Things Happen Seminar (Atlanta – Cascade Library)
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• June 12, 2008 – Presentation @ Be Someone Summer Camp – Redan, Georgia (10:00 am)
• June 12, 2008 – Taking Control Of Our Image – Atlanta Metro Black Chamber – Paschal’s (6:30 – 9:00pm)
• June 15, 2008 – Real Men Cook (Georgia Railroad Depot)
• June 17, 2008 – Presentation (Branding) Michon’s Loft
• June 20, 2008 – Apex Museum (Juneteenth Celebration – Downtown)
• June 21, 2008 – Cobb County NAACP (Juneteenth Celebration – Marietta Square)
• June 25, 2008 – Public Speaking 101: What They Don’t Teach You In Toastmasters (Sandy Springs)
• June 26, 2008 – Women Make Things Happen Seminar (DeKalb – W.C. Brown Library)
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• July 23, 2008 – Life Lessons I Learned From A 110 Year Old Georgia Doctor (Buckhead)
• July 28, 2008 – Life Lessons I Learned From A 110 Year Old Georgia Doctor (Hampton)
• July 29, 2008 – Life Lessons I Learned From A 110 Year Old Georgia Doctor (Fairburn)
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• August 12, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Riverdale)
• August 14, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Clayton)
• August 19, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Morrow)
• August 26, 2008 – Public Speaking 101 – What They Don’t Teach You In Toastmasters (Tyrone)
• August 28, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Downtown Atlanta)
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• September 02, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Lovejoy)
• September 13, 2008 – For Sisters Only (World Congress Center)
• September 14, 2008 – For Sisters Only (World Congress Center)
• September 20, 2008 – Public Speaking 101 (Peachtree City)
• September 30, 2008 – Public Speaking 101 (Morrow)
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• October 3, 2008 – Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival (Downtown)
• October 4, 2008 – Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival (Downtown)
• October 5, 2008 – Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival (Downtown)
• October 11, 2008 – Business Expo (DeKalb)
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• November 16, 2008 – Gwinnett Place Mall