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.
AtlantaCreatives.org Human Edited SEO friendly Link Directory Project!

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.

Lately, for me, the community and world news both seem to be more overwhelming than usual. There seems to be more despair in the air due to the recent earthquake in Haiti, violent storms, floods, and now, the earthquake in Chile. All of this sad news, in addition to the current economic situation that many people are facing, is leading to feelings of emptiness and despair.

Every once in a while, I believe we need a new hope. We need a hope that can keep us motivated even when the dust gets in our eyes and our vision seems to get cloudy. We need a new hope that will keep us going in the midst of life’s setbacks and challenges. We need a hope that will remind us that if we keep putting one foot in front of the other, not only will we move forward, but we will also prevail.

Where can we find this new hope?

The only place I can find it is . . . inside. I believe if we keep looking within, we can find our way. Every day must be symbolic of a new beginning. This is a journey for us all. We may not be in full control of where it leads us, but we can grab hold of a belief that we WILL make it through.

- Jacqueline

Another color expert, Lauren Battistini, founder of Color My Closet in Houston, Texas, maintains that color accounts for up to 90% of the first impression we make and she teaches women how to use it to their advantage. “The right colors visually shave 10 pounds and 10 years in an instant! Women can wear virtually any color in the right hue, and their personalized palettes contain their 64 best colors,” says Battistini. “Up to two-thirds of women are neutral–not cool or warm–and Color My Closet’s system more fully represents the skin tones found in all ethnicities.”

Lisa Ford may be reached at www.inventyourimage.com. Find Lauren Battistini at www.colormycloset.com.

Jackie Silver is the founder and president of Aging Backwards, LLC and author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young (http://budurl.com/kdzv). Follow her on Twitter, @AgingBackwards. Sign up for her free newsletter at: http://agingbackwards.com/.

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!

______________

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 compliment 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.

Contact: GiGi Benjamin
770-460-5995

People You Need to Know Proudly

Announces Staples Sponsorship

ATLANTA, GEORGIA, 18 February 2010 – People You Need to Know (PYNTK), Metro Atlanta’s premier business spotlight publication, is proud to announce Staples, Inc. as its official corporate sponsor.

Staples, Inc. is the world’s largest office products company, serving businesses of all sizes and consumers in 27 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It has more than 2,000 stores worldwide.

PYNTK’s relationship with Staples is a perfect match because they are both committed to helping businesses grow. Staples is dedicated to contributing to each and every community it serves.  Since 1986, Staples has been making the lives of business people easier when shopping for office supplies.  People You Need to Know has been making it easier for metro Atlantans to find first-class business professionals such as doctors, attorneys, dentists, real estate agents, and more since 1993.

To promote the partnership, PYNTK will banner the official Staples logo on its website, SparkPlugPeople.com.  The front cover of upcoming issues of People You Need to Know will also bear the Staples logo.  Furthermore, expect the Staples logo to be featured prominently at the People You Need to Know tent at business Expos, trade shows, and festivals.  These events are expected to attract more than one million people.

Sharing his thoughts on the partnership, Anthony “Spark Plug” Thomas, publisher of People You Need to Know says, “I appreciate this agreement with Staples. I’m sure it will be a win-win situation for both of our organizations because Staples is about supporting businesses and PYNTK is about promoting businesses.”

People You Need to Know publications are available at Publix, Kroger, Whole Foods, and many other retailers throughout metro Atlanta, as well as an online digital version.

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