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Maurice Hamilton Tallis Piaget Daryl Jemerson Lazarus Nunley Stephen Bruce Nicole Rice Regina Gleason Januarie York Dr. Sayini Devarajan Rease Kirchner General inquiries info inciteu.com editor inciteu.com Advertising information advertise inciteu.com Radio Show i2iradio inciteu.com Website www.inciteu.com Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com insight to incite magazine Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com inciteumag.com Contact us at the following Editor in Chief Executive Editor Executive Editor Photo Editor Creative Director Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Writer Writer We are extremely excited about the Nov Dec issue. It is our inaugural Inciteful Woman issue and who better to grace the cover than Ms. Robbie Montgomery of Sweetie Pies . This is an honor because we are the FIRST magazine to feature Ms. Robbie on the cover. Inciteful Woman is a signature column in our magazine that represents women from all walks of life that are succeeding in today s society. An Inciteful Woman is a woman of vision determination and action and Ms. Robbie exemplifies those characteristics through hard work and sacrifice. It was an absolute pleasure to meet with such an astounding lady. The i2i staff also saw it necessary to honor an additional 20 Inciteful Women that are making it happen. I d like to say Thank You to the women who participated. Letter from the Editor By the grace of God we have expanded into the Indianapolis area with our monthly version called i2i Monthly. We will officially launch the St. Louis tabloid version in January of 2013. And look for the new i2i radio show coming in December Please like us on Facebook follow us on Twitter and when you see us in the streets say hi Thank you for your support. As always - Seize the Moment Maurice Hamilton To contact the editor please email m.hamilton inciteu.com or info inciteu.com 4 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 5 14 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne Reena Carroll We have different color skin and we have different genders and we have different features and it s about embracing that and saying let s understand more about that...let s talk about that and let s learn from each other and not dismiss it and say we re all the same because that is not true. - Reena Carroll Focusing on diversity is an extreme necessity in St. Louis MO. As one of the most segregated cities in the United States it s a strong person with a noble cause that decides to do something about it. That person is Reena Carroll executive director of The Diversity Awareness Partnership. Like many people Carroll s path didn t include moving to St. Louis after she completed college. At least she didn t see it that way. From her hometown of Chicago IL Carroll left to attend college in Los Angeles CA. She loved it there. All kinds of people from all walks of life residing in the big city and she fitted right in. There was a little bit (or a lot) of everything for everyone. After finishing her undergraduate degree in Los Angeles Carroll came to a crossroads of sorts. Her friend suggested she look into Washington University s social work program. She followed her friend s advice and was accepted on a full scholarship into the graduate program. Her plan was to only stay in the Gateway City for the two years it took to finish her degree yet fate had another plan in turn she never left St. Louis. After a two year stint at The Interfaith Partnership where she eventually became the interim executive director there The Diversity Awareness Partnership needed an executive director. After interviewing over thirty candidates they found their perfect match in Reena Carroll. The Diversity Awareness Partnership is an organization designed to promote diversity in the St. Louis region around issues of race religion disability sexual orientation and gender identity. (www.dapstl.org) A poster of Isaac Bruce says Judge me by my ability not my skin color. On another poster featuring Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals Oshiomogho Atogwe formerly of the St. Louis Rams and Erik Johnson formerly of the St. Louis Blues that says It s good to be different. Along with others these posters are part of a clever marketing campaign to promote diversity in St. Louis. Understanding St. Louis and its love of the professional sports teams helped Carroll and The Diversity Partnership reach residents that would otherwise not pay attention to a message of diversity. In addition to their sports marketing campaign The Diversity Awareness Partnership reaches out to local students. With middle and high school students from across the St. Louis area Carroll and Diversity Awareness Partnership conduct a program called Give Respect Get Respect. The program focused on giving students tools to be leaders in their schools and helping them address everyday situations that involve diversity issues. With teachers and students from schools like Belleville Senior High Hazelwood West Senior High and Vashon High School the Diversity Awareness Partnership is able to reach many socioeconomic backgrounds. Carroll s goal is far reaching ...to make St. Louis competitive with other cities across the nation especially in a global market. We all have value... a black or brown person like a white person or a gay person like a straight person or a woman like a man etc. Now this is truly an insightful woman...Reena Carroll. 8 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne By Regina Gleason A Heart for People Dr. Jean Bae Nice laid back easy going are just a few words to describe Dr. Jane Bae. Recently Insight2Incite magazine had the opportunity to sit down and learn about her. Dr. Bae is originally from Korea along with her family they moved to America when she was seven years old It was a young age that the seeds for owning a business were planted. Originally Bae never saw herself owning her own business. She began her career in optometry the interest coming from having to wear glasses at an early age. She later discovered that it wasn t for her. Bae knew she wanted to be in the medical field so she tried her hand a dentistry. She quickly realized that dentistry wasn t it. Bae then enrolled in Pharmacy school and got the proper training. Now alongside her husband is owner of The Medicine Shoppe one of the largest independent pharmacies in Missouri. She admitted that she never saw pharmacy in her life. Although Bae has been around business all her life she has always known she wanted to help people. As an independent pharmacy she can help the senior community and those who need assistance or bulk orders. Dr Bae believes a big part of being successful is having the right attitude and being able to at least get a feel for what you want to do. InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 9 Quiet Confidence Yolanda Hairston It has been said that first impressions go a long way. If that s the case then Yolanda Hairston will go extremely far. The first thing that I noticed about Yolanda Hairston was her confidence. It was neither over powering nor rehearsed it was genuine. Hairston talked with passion about her mission her position matter of fact her words encouraging. Anyone could see that she was on a mission and she was determined to get results. Yolanda Hairston was born in the small town of Mayfield Kentucky. In banking now for 20 yrs her main goal is helping everyone to get financial guidance. she had a job to do. That job is educating and serving the highest rated population of unbanked individuals. A woman of vision armed with a plan there is a great deal of time invested when developing a market. When asked what the biggest sacrifice was. Hairston stated my children . A mother of two and married Hairston made a decision to juggle both her career and her family which means there were some things that were missed but the kids ultimately understood. Often on the road of success is you pick up many things along the way some material things some mental things some good and some bad. What is profound is how your attitude changes. I asked Hairston if she could do it all over again what would she do different. Her response Nothing I am truly a better person because of the things I have experienced in my life. No stranger to hard work Hairston spent over 16 years in Atlanta GA in banking building her book of business before moving to St. Louis. Now Financial Manager for Fifth Third Bank she is in charge of developing programs to educate the community on the importance of banking. Although the transition wasn t easy at first over time Hairston realized 10 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne Steady Wins the Race Shuntae Ryan Every once in a while you meet a person that just seems to have it calm cool collected matter of fact yet pleasant. Those are just a few attributes that describe insightful woman Shuntae Shields Ryan. Always on point Ryan has been the driving force behind the awareness promotion and excitement surrounding downtown St. Louis. As Senior Director of Marketing Communications and Public Relations it is her job to promote and market Downtown St. Louis. Not an easy task but under her direction she has managed to attract more than 50 million positive media impressions in 2011. Ryan is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and works with several organizations that serve the community. If that isn t enough she is founder of the newly launched Ryan Image Consulting which is a consulting firm that assists professionals executives and those needing an image makeover. The firm polishes their professional image establishing presence and exuding radiance. Married for over 12 years and mother of two it seems Ryan juggles a career and family with ease. When asked what obstacles she had to overcome Ryan stated There is a lesson in everything we re confronted with. I aim daily to turn my negatives into positives and never dwell on the obstacles. Simply put she considers any setback merely a situation that brings about personal growth. I also had the opportunity to ask if she had it to do all over again what would she change. Ryan confidently replied I wouldn t change a thing everything that happens along my journey is meant to happen and contributes to the person I am and the place I m in today. In a world where everything is fast paced and people have the right now attitude Ryan manages to keep everything moving at a steady pace. That is a true testament to being an insightful woman. Attitude is Everything Nicole Roach The right attitude plus positive energy equals success. Nicole Roach has grasped that concept easily. A woman of action she is a very integral part of thousands of students reaching their goals at Webster University. As director she oversees the day to day operation of the downtown campus. Nicole is an extremely intelligent dynamic woman who is not afraid of growth. She views every challenge as an opportunity to put into action what has been previously learned. Because she is solution oriented she never approaches any situation with negativity. She believes any problem has a viable answer. With a strong spiritual foundation Nicole Roach is a balanced individual who is results driven detailed and determined to live life to the fullest. Now that is truly the right attitude. InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 11 The Pastor s Wife Does Cry Shhhh Listen closely Come closer It s the cries of Pastors wives. Will you help her Can she talk to you Can she trust you Lady Bea Morgan goes behind the scenes of the church into her home sharing experiences as an abused Pastor s wife of 10 years. One woman drove the Pastor s car daily one parishioner along with the Pastor adopted a baby together as another woman served as his armour bearer. Pastor Claxton William Morgan a prominent man of God a preaching machine with an awesome healing ministry was sweet compassionate and comical at church but mean and selfish at home. Pastors wives suffer silently but very few know. One in four women suffers domestic violence. This means of 100 women 25 are abused. Of the 25 women how many are Pastors wives The abuse of pastors wives is not new it has been a national secret that is now making headlines. They silently scream Lady Bea shares her techniques to create strategic prayer warriors form fasting committees save churches marriages and families. She shares secrets to hear directly from the Lord. Her Memoir entitled Lady Bea Morgan The Extension displays more deep-seated encounters with her husband. His Christmas present to her was separation. He left his family and then resigned as pastor. Lady Bea writes to tighten relationships and heighten prayers with teaching on walking in forgiveness. A movie script entitled Released based on the two Memoirs is completed. She reached down into her past pulled it up and out emotionally relived it and wrote the script to comfort viewers who are suffering in their deep valleys. She shares experiences prior to becoming a pastor s wife such as cocaine co-dependency single parenting alcoholism and ministering to her husband s mistresses leading them to Christ. Bless your pastor s wife today She sheds tears. They may be tears of joy tears of sorrow tears of hurt tears of compassion or tears of complexity. Nevertheless under the hat The Pastor s Wife Does Cry ladybmorgan yahoo.com ladybmorgan.com St. Louis becomes the proud headquarters of a new company that supports female cancer patients. Vanessa Lacewell a local entrepreneur and cancer survivor has created a subscription based gift box service with a cause. My Pink Purse - Survivor Essentials is Vanessa s way of helping women who ve been diagnosed with cancer and who are going through the same stressful experiences that she battled through during chemo therapy. If you haven t heard the hype about all of the new gift-box subscription companies that are popping up you re bound to sooner than later. Women of all ages are signing up for these personally packed boxes filled with beauty and fashion products that are delivered straight to their doorstep. These services have been all the rage for consumers featuring companies like Birchbox the largest to date who s focus is on beauty and lifestyle products Citrus Lane a box packed with items for parents of toddlers ages newborn to three and PawBox a gift box stuffed with items for your favorite furry friends. These companies have been particularly successful for a combination of reasons. One the element of surprise that the box creates for recipients two the discovery factor that users get from receiving product samples and three the total value of the products and services included in the box. The personally packed box will contain items that support women with skincare antinausea beauty fashion relaxation healthcare comfort inspirational and everyday lifestyle products and services. The purpose of the box is to introduce women to products and services they may have not known about otherwise and to support and uplift women going through a very difficult time in their life. Women can purchase a subscription to the My Pink Purse - Survivor Essentials gift box for just 20 a month and can expect to receive their delivery stuffed with useful products at the end of every month. More information about My Pink Purse can be found online at www.survivoressentials.com. My Pink Purse is giving away gift bags as a special thank you for Community Support. Please nominate Survivors Friends or Family by visiting our website and submitting a story of your inspiring survivor of caregiver CONTACT VANESSA LACEWELL - (314) 749 - 2534 - promonet prodigy.net Carry Pink 12 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne THE LEGEND Robin Boyce A pioneer trailblazer and mentor there is no wonder why Robin Boyce is considered a living legend. With over 30 plus years of broadcasting experience you can t say communications radio or TV without mentioning Robin s name. If you took a communications class at UMSL chances are this insightful woman was your instructor. Robin Boyce started her radio career in the late 70 s within community affairs. Urban radio represented creative expression and a platform for blacks to voice their thoughts and opinions. Back then radio connected people to the community and the community to the talent. Robin Boyce was one of those talents. Boyce was given her first shot on air by the late Dr. Jockenstein. The rest is history. Mother of two Boyce has maintained her career and raised a family masterfully. This insightful woman Robin Boyce is currently in pursuit of her doctrine. Charmaine Smith has dedicated her life to empowering at risk youth. As executive director Smith is a certified Missouri Substance Abuse Prevention Associate and is a certified facilitator in Strengthening Families Project ALERT and Life Skills. Her goal is to serve schools where at risk youth are enrolled and provide those teens with the knowledge of better options. PASSION AND PURPOSE Charmaine Smith 34 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 13 Talented creative Vanita Thompson has a pure heart for music. True to the game Vanita is no stranger to the grind. Deeply rooted in music she understands the work that goes into building a brand and for the last few years that is precisely what she has done. Vanita Applebum is quickly becoming a household name as it relates to soul music in st. Louis. Her love for good music is paramount. The creativity comes through expression with events like the 5 spot the suite soul spot raw sugar and access exposing this city to some of the countries top soul music artists. As well as giving local soul music artists a stage to perform. Vanita Applebum Entertainment Services is not just known for music but also event planning conferences panel discussions and much more. I recently had an opportunity to talk with Ms. Thompson about success and the challenges. I asked her what she has learned Thompson states I realize I have everything I need around me in abundance. She also mentions I had to work on accepting the gifts that were presented to me in the form they were presented and try not to make it fit the way I wanted it. We also talked about the sacrifices she states My ego took a big it hit moving New York to St. Louis and financing . What is also compelling about Thompson is her positive attitude and . I asked if she could do it all over again what would you change. Thompson states Nothing the road has been nothing but lessons. Ms. Applebum You Gotta Put Me On Vanita Applebum Thompson photo by BFREEPAPARAZZI So look for the green apple around the city and take advantage of the opportunity to be exposed to good music. Strong structured confident and determined are just a few distinguishing qualities that describe Marshiana Shaw. Another truly insightful woman Shaw had to overcome a great deal to reach the level she has achieved today. Shaw s adult journey began at the young age of 18 as a teenage mother. Determined not to be a product of her environment or another statistic Shaw made the hard decision to put college on hold and give her daughter all the attention she needed. Along the way she overcame much adversity in the forms of domestic violence low self worth and being a teenage mom. Conquering those adversities would ultimately shape the woman she has become. Fast forward add another daughter (a senior in high school) along with her first daughter who now works in the mortgage industry and this is proof that Shaw has persevered. Shaw holds a degree in business and serves as the newly appointed Business Development Representative for the Art Institute of St. Louis. She is in charge of creating awareness and ultimately growing the Institute. Shaw has found her niche and genuinely enjoys her career. In her previous role with the institute Shaw developed a strong passion for helping new students. Some students may come to the table with multiple challenges but Shaw gives them hope and ultimately shows them a path for success. In her new role that type of passion will definitely take her far. I asked Ms. Shaw what she learned from all of the adversity she stated I have learned to always work hard for what I want and to think bigger than myself. That will allow me chances that I could not even dream of. She continued by saying I had to realize that the plan has already been written it is up to me to be prepared to receive what is coming and not shy away from the challenges that can take me to the success I am destined for. Her story unique in some aspects caused me to ask her about the sacrifices and interestingly she responded with My innocence and to some degree selfrespect. I asked Shaw if she could do it over again what would she do differently. She said To say at this point I would change anything would mean that I am not happy with whom I have become. So I have to yell from the roof top that I am strong assertive and confident in my convictions and in my decisions... so I WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING Marshiana Shaw is truly a powerful insightful woman. Art Institute of St. Louis Marshiana Shaw 14 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne By Tallis Piaget 16 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne t doesn t matter your background where you attended school how many degrees you have or the race you belong to. One truism in life Attitude is everything. This lesson is exemplified in Ms. Robbie Montgomery. At 72 years of age Robbie Montgomery has persevered and with her faith and overwhelmingly positive attitude she is now living her dream. Ms. Montgomery has the top rated show on Oprah Winfrey s network (OWN) titled Welcome to Sweetie Pies . She has also opened three restaurants in the city which are all considered St. Louis landmarks. Robbie Montgomery was born in Columbus Mississippi and at age 3 her family moved to St. Louis. She grew up during the Jim Crow era when racism was extremely prevalent. Ms. Montgomery recalls her destination limitations because of the strict rules blacks adhered to. Her mind drifts to her childhood and her voice softens as she speaks of the Fox Theatre being off limits to Black Americans. She also remembers how segregation kept her confined to her small area discouraging her from venturing passed Kingshighway Blvd. Ms. Montgomery grew up singing in church and got her big break when she was chosen to be an Ikette. She started singing on stage with Ike and Tina Turner to thousands of adoring fans. She also began to learn the art of management from Ike Turner who most saw as a good business man. She later went on to have a very successful solo career as a writer and singer. In 1995-96 Ms. Montgomery started experiencing health problems and after a visit to the doctor s office she was informed of a collapsed lung. Her singing career was over. I InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 17 Robbie Montgomery decided to move back home and commenced her next career as a dialysis technician at Barnes Hospital. But when the hospital underwent a major business merging she lost her position. It was then she decided to start her own business. Ms. Montgomery stated I had always been a pretty good cook so I decided to open a soul food restaurant. Armed with her mother s recipes it was then she decided to truly pursue her dreams and just go for it. Ms. Montgomery is the oldest of 9 children and as the matriarch of the family she always felt the need to give. She had two children with one child still living Tim. Tim was incarcerated and prior to his release Ms. Montgomery wanted to have something he could come home to. She also wanted to leave her son a legacy. Ms. Montgomery said I wanted to have something for him to be a part of when he got out of jail... that was very important to me. That same positive attitude carried over to her business. When the original Sweetie Pies opened its doors at 9841 W. Florissant she worked hard. She did a lot of the cooking and a lot of the cleaning. Determined to make it work she even got her entire family involved. There were many people that told her that no one wanted a soul food restaurant but the hate fell on deaf ears. Through perseverance Sweetie Pies quickly became the place to go after church on a Sunday afternoon. Soon people were driving all across the St. Louis Metropolitan area to get a delectable taste of Sweetie Pies . As the business grew so did her popularity. Becoming famous for great food and treating customers like family her business clientele expanded massively. After a few years of constant success her patrons inquired about opening other locations in different parts of the city. Ms. Robbie talked about her customers actually picking her second location. That restaurant is located at 4270 Manchester in The Grove district. The Grove is a part of the city that is experiencing an extreme make-over and Sweetie Pies is the catalyst that fostered the neighborhood s rejuvenation process. Today the Grove District is a major hub in St. Louis city and Sweetie Pies is a vital part of the areas growth. Even with the success of the original location Ms. Robbie was still faced with negativity and criticism on opening a new location. Faced with adversity again Montgomery pressed on saying My customers said they would come so I believed them and they came. She goes on to say how thankful and grateful she was for her supporters. With her second location having more space she was able to add music to an already warm atmosphere. Ms. Montgomery was able to incorporate her two loves (cooking and singing) in one arena. Her dreams were truly coming together. With her son Tim helping to manage the business things seemed to be going well. So I asked Ms. Robbie how did she get involved with OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). She grinned and said Honey that was all Tim. Tim started looking for a film company to record this stuff. I didn t want to do it... I didn t want to be on display... I prayed just let it be good. Tim sent in the tape and a few months later the OWN said they liked it and as they say the rest is history. Now having the number one rated show on Oprah s network Ms. Robbie counts her blessings. She and her family are now celebrities and people are coming from all over the country to get some of their world famous food. With this new level of fame Ms. Robbie has managed to remain determined and humble even after opening her third restaurant. The Upper Crust is a gorgeous eatery complete with meeting rooms and a banquet facility that seats over 500 people. I asked Ms. Robbie about the struggles and she smiled and said I ve learned that things happen to people when its time. She continued with heartfelt platitudes Be in tune to your blessings... let go and let God... gotta have patience. Ms. Robbie also admits to having some pride and not wanting to be on display at her age. When asked if she missed performing she responded Yes I miss performing because I like people to cater to me. But I love catering to people too and now I treat this like I m performing and the customers are my audience. One of the most Intriguing things about Ms. Robbie outside of her uncanny youthful appearance is her humility. Robbie Montgomery remains humble thanking those that helped her along the way. She also remains genuine what you see is what you get. Let s return to the time of old and think about that young girl living in a segregated city unable to visit the FOX Theatre because of the color of her skin. Now that same individual has one of the best restaurants in St. Louis right down the street from the very place she couldn t frequent as a child. Ms. Robbie Montgomery reflected on the aforementioned and left us with this final tidbit No matter what don t give up on your dreams. Although I m 72 I m not done yet. Catch the new episodes of Welcome to Sweetie Pies every Saturday at 8pm est on the OWN. 18 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne photos courtesy of OWN Network InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 19 For a healthy lifestyle Cambria Ernstrom Cambria Ernstrom is one of our featured Inciteful Women of the month. She hails from a small town in Idaho. She s married to Dr. Ed Ernstrom and has 3 beautiful boys ranging from 4 to 9 years old. When asked what got her interested in the Body by Vi Challenge she replied a friend told her about the product while working out at the gym. Cambria said she was diligently working out but wasn t happy with the results. She wanted more lean muscle and more energy so she decided to try the Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge So what is the 90 Day Challenge Cambria explained that the 90 Day Challenge includes an extensive 90 day exercise plan made specifically for your goals. It also includes drinking 2 protein shakes a day which is part of a weight loss meal plan. She tried it for 30 days and in a couple of weeks Cambria loss twelve pounds. Shortly after Cambria became a promoter of the product. She has been a promoter since April 2012. Even though Cambria completed her 90 Day Challenge goal of attaining more lean muscle and gaining more energy she still continues to enjoy her protein shakes. Cambria states that there are 3 important things when starting the 90 Day Challenge. 1. 2. 3. Be consistent. Be realistic in your goal setting. Know your intentions as well as make a commitment to a lifestyle change. Those 3 things are the key ingredients needed to ensure success in obtaining your goals. Individuals who start the program need to remember that there are no quick and easy fixes to weight loss. It takes hard work and commitment. As a promoter of ViSalus Cambria assists members in developing a weight loss plan to fit their needs as well as defining their realistic goals. ViSalus has a choice of 5 different kinds of shake kit plans to fit the needs of every customer. The different shake plans include Fit Kit Transformation Kit Core Kit Shape Kit and Balance Kit. There is also an on-line community that supports members on their journey in weight loss. The on-line community encourages members to share recipes exercises personal testimonies and before and after pictures. I asked Cambria why you want people to try ViSalus 90 Challenge. She said since Mo is one of the 5 most obese states in the country she wanted people to know they can live a healthier lifestyle by trying the 90 Challenge by participating in a Challenge Party. A Challenge party is an informational meeting where individuals can sample the protein shakes and view a presentation about the Body by Vi Challenge. Body by Vi Challenge also offers employment opportunities especially part time work for the stay at home mom. Cambria states that working for ViSalus allows her to do something she loves as well as be there for her family. Cambria Ernstrom 208-569-7825 https cambriaernstrom.bodybyvi.com ernstromfam sbcglobal.net or visit www.visalus.com 877-visalus Helen Chesnut is a Survivor of breast cancer and confidently leads one of the largest grass roots organizations for breast cancer in the country. As the executive director of the St. Louis affiliate Chesnut is committed to education innovation and funding health programs that will not only raise awareness about breast cancer but help put an end to it forever. A SURVIVOR Helen Chesnut Warm and caring yet commanding are a few attributes that describe Brenda Stewart. She is also a very genuine person with unparalleled drive. These great characteristics are all vital for the important societal role she plays. Brenda is the Development Director for the Alzheimer s Association and her goals are simply to educate and find individuals (and organizations) that will champion the cause to end Alzheimer s. Imagine the challenges that come with directing an organization of this type. On a daily basis Brenda Stewart must have depressing phone conversations and she often encounters families that just can t be helped. Dealing with such sadness truly takes a strong person with great personal skills. It also takes determination to endure and function at such a high level on a daily basis. When asked what were some of her obstacles and what did she learn in life. Stewart replied My obstacles were internal in terms of personal patience and perseverance. Putting my mind to what I wanted to do and following through. I have learned that being open minded about change and new ideas are very important to success. So often we ve heard that with success comes sacrifice. Well Stewart is no different and she admits that her biggest sacrifice was spending time with the family. In her position she is in high demand which can occupy a lot of her time. But she has no regrets and when asked if she could do it all over again what would she change Stewart responded I would have networked with more professionals at a younger age. This may have opened opportunities and sent me in this direction earlier. Development Director Alzheimer s Association Brenda Stewart InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 21 In this world today we all have had a Fourth Quarter experience at some point in our lives. We have all been in situations where setbacks arise with ourselves our families our relationships our finances and or our spiritual lives. If you say that it has not happened to you then you are living a dream. There are times when you may think situations are too much to handle and you want to give up. What do you do to keep pressing forward The world has plenty of temptations that can rid you of the frustrations in your life. It does not even need to be some sort of vice. I personally like to play sports and video games to de-stress. However at the end of the day the issues are still there. Focus on the Fourth Quarter So what is going to give you the mindset to win at all costs The answer comes down to placing a stronger focus on God s word. In the Bible 2 Corinthians 4 16-18 explains how we can focus on having a Fourth Quarter mindset 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal (NKJV) The apostle Paul wrote this in a letter to the church at Corinth in the New Testament. He was dealing with much adversity as he traveled preaching the gospel of Jesus throughout the nations. What did he do First he did not lose heart (or faint or quit). We have to have the mentality of winning regardless of how hard it is. We cannot give up when setbacks occur. Second he called his struggles a light affliction . In other words he is willing to keep pushing forward to complete the calling that God had for him. We need to view our situations like this so we can stop stressing out. We need to allow God to help us with our circumstances (see 1 Peter 5 7). Finally Paul looked at things that he could physically see as temporary. So the issues you may be having (a relationship a job or a financial problem) is only temporary IF you stop trying to figure things out and let God (who is eternal) lead you out of your situation. By no means am I saying I am perfect. I am talking to myself as well as you. Regardless of what I do in my life (playing sports focusing on my career or striving to be a better man for my wife and daughter) my goal is to have a never-quit mindset. I am sure that many of you are the same way. However the challenge comes when we feel we can solve our own issues without God s help. Jesus died for everyone so we can live life in abundance (see John 10 10). So what changes are you going to make so you are successful during your Fourth Quarter Do not let setbacks keep you down. Learn from your mistakes and press forward to a victorious life. by Daryl Jemerson 22 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne care of a relative. We are delighted to serve our community and take pride in what we are doing. Our goal is for clients to remain in their home and as independent as possible. For more information you can call Tiffany Jackson at (314) 660-4191. Grand Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is a skilled nursing facility in which we provide short and long term care. We assist people who need twenty-four hour nursing and therapy care through Medicare Medicaid Medicaid Pending & Private Pay funding sources. Grand Manor is a warm very comfortable living environment sensitive to the special needs of each resident. You or your loved one will enjoy the benefits of a full staff of professionals who are dedicated to serving individual requirements at any time day or night. All of our beds are dual certified making it convenient for residents and their families. Our goal is to assist in the healing process of your loved one while allowing them to experience a home environment. We offer a Better Nursing Home for a Deserving Community here in the Heart of St. Louis MO. For more information please call Brandie Gholson at (314) 308-2726. Vitas Hospice focuses on the symptoms of chronically ill patients when a doctor deems that the illness can no longer be treated in a curative mode. Our goal is to provide comfort care and pain management to terminally ill patients. While addressing the needs of the patient we focus on the family as well by providing spiritual emotional and physical support. We desire for our patients to experience pain free living until that time comes while providing services for the whole family. Vitas Hospice strives to educate and advocate for our patients with compassion. For more information contact Lorraine Hall at (314) 769-4200. INCITEFUL CIRCLE OF CARE I2I What is Circle of Care Associates How does it work How often do you meet COC Circle of Care Associates is a group of three women apart of three different entities of the health care field with a mission to inform the community of the various services available to them. We meet at least once a week in order to discuss the next location to spread awareness of our services to our deserving community. We identify opportunities and venues to educate and empower people to be proactive regarding their health care needs. I2I What is the inspiration behind this COC The inspiration comes from each of our individual passions to serve educate and involve our community in meeting the needs of public. We found that no one agency has it all so we decided we would better serve with one another as opposed to separately. I2I Explain what each of you do and how you all work together Is there competition Helping Hands is a Medicare & Medicaid certified home health agency that provides nursing physical and occupational and speech therapy as well as light housekeeping and chore services to the senior and disabled community. Furthermore we have a program in place where a loved one can earn money while taking I2I Are there any goals that you set Is there a certain number of patients you want to serve COC Yes but that goal is not quantitative it is qualitative We want to serve anyone in our community who needs assistance and you can t quantify that amount because we feel it will limit our abilities to serve the population as a whole. I2I What are ways to get more exposure COC Good exposure can come from a plethora of places including but not limited to Media outlets such as Newspaper Magazines Radio Television Internet Facebook Twitter and one of the best ways to expose Circle of Care to the community has been word of mouth. I2I Why is the senior demographic so underserved COC Many times they are under served because of the lack of knowledge lack of trust and lack of transportation. When we discovered the need to help this underserved demographic it tied directly into our goal of informing the community of what is available to them and bringing the knowledge to their doorstep. InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 23 A Visionary Pastor Nicole Crank If there is one woman that epitomizes an inciteful woman it is Pastor Nicole Crank. A true woman of God I had the honor to talk with her about her life and her vision. Of the many accolades I can give the one thing that stands out about Pastor Nicole and what I believe to be most impressive is she is humble. Armed with a testimony and a heart to please God throughout the interview she let it be known that its all God not her and for that she was thankful. Starting out with her husband in a 200 member church. Pastor Nicole wasn t always pastor She was a very successful sales woman in the telecommunications industry. A go getter bread winner for the family and a true supporter of her husband the day came where she heard from God about her involvement with the ministry. Pastor Nicole explains that she felt like she need to be more involved with the ministry. Then within a few months she said God told me to quit my job . Willing to do what she was told She admitted n worried about telling her husband but it turns out that he agreed with no strain. So what Pastor Nicole did next was I believe a defining moment at that time she said I wanted to honor God so I took all of my sales contacts put them in a pile took them to the back yard and I burned them all. Pastor Nicole then goes on to say I didn t want to get tempted in case things got hard. The rest is history. For four years Pastor Nicole served in the church. She volunteered wherever she was needed. Served as needed often times with no voice. Then one day her husband suggested they do a sermon on Valentines Day and she should speak from the perspective of the woman. After that message Pastor Nicole began to speak more and in 2007 she gave her first sermon called Damaged Goods. Today Pastor Nicole preaches a message of hope that God uses everyone and even through her own personal trials with dealing with the affects of being raped and molested she states with conviction I realized that my healing comes through God . A proud mother of two children and wife Pastor Nicole is now spreading hope and casting vision to help as many people as she can realize focus is on women and having fun. 24 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne Molly Rockamann EarthDance Farm. How cool of a name is that It immediately makes you want to know more like Is that a festival Oh an organization in North St. Louis County has a name like that Maybe they are really located in Webster Groves and you re just mistaken But with a short conversation with Molly Rockamann it becomes very clear what EarthDance Farm means. Her journey began in St. Louis County. She knew about the Mueller Farm as a young girl but it would be a while before she and the farm would join forces. Even though she had a love of nature as a girl she didn t realize her true calling until she finished college. It was then that she discovered her passion for organic agriculture and pursued further education in that area. After an intense study in Fiji Molly s goal came into focus. Rockaman aspired to help farmers change their farms to organic but that didn t quite happen. Now she works for the nonprofit organization EarthDance Farm. The Mueller Farm Rockamann seized an opportunity to keep the Mueller Farm going. After Al Mueller passed away in 1999 his widow Caroline Mueller had trouble maintaining the already organic farm herself. Rockamann decided to take the reins and continue the legacy of Missouri s oldest organic farm (the Mueller Farm has been operating since 1888). Rockamann is especially proud of assuring Caroline Mueller of the survival of the Mueller farm before Caroline passed away. Located in Ferguson MO along the Kinloch boarder EarthDance has become a training ground of sorts. Among many activities sponsored by the group like weekly community tours the main function of EarthDance Farm is an apprenticeship for aspiring organic farmers. People ages ranging from 15-67 have studied to hone their skills in organic farming. They learn many aspects of organic farming such as using compost maintaining the farm and selling the produce. Many students have a wide range of goals from growing food for their personal use to starting their own organic farms. Quite often the students leave the apprenticeship to go on to great things. In the future EarthDance Farm has many aspirations to grow. They are currently working on building a barn to complete the farm. In addition Rockamann wants to incorporate the arts with farming and continue her ceaseless efforts. Being the head of a nonprofit organization definitely has its challenges but Rockamann is constantly striving for the farm s continued success. It seems she wants the earth to dance both literally and figuratively. It looks like Molly Rockamann is successful in doing just that. Howard Shannon. Green Goddess EarthDance at Mueller Farm. NOCO. (2009) n. page. Web. 19 Aug. 2012. http nocostl.com 2009 10 green-goodnessearthdance-at-mueller-farm . By Regina Gleason InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 25 Alexandra Detrick When first calling Ms. Alex for our interview session I was immediately struck by one thing... her extremely honest character. Throughout our discussion she was polite forthright and always spoke with brevity. Her soft voice and her calm demeanor were soothing and her business acumen helped to facilitate a productive discussion. It was my pleasure interviewing such a delightful woman the following is a little insight into Ms. Alexandra Detrick. Ms. Alexandra was born in Baltimore Maryland but moved to St. Louis Missouri while still in middle school. With a mother who was very active in neighborhood affairs and is now an alderman Alexandra was destined to have a similar passion for community improvement. This is why she has chosen her current career path. She works for the Missouri History Museum and manages partnerships between the community and the museum. This entails coordinating modest events such as book discussions (recently having one regarding Sister Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry) and major events such as Sista Strut a huge walk for breast cancer initiated by 104.9 KMJM with over 6000 participants (they are expecting more than 10 000 next year). Ms. Alexandra Detrick chuckles as she tells me about her role explaining she is one of the few people working for a history museum that doesn t have to dwell in the past but can focus on present circumstances and future possibilities. Her job deals with everything outside of the history museum. When asked what does she like most about her job without hesitation she responded Working with other inspired people. She s worked along side of Andre Royo Malik Yoba and has met Phil Donahue Tavis Smiley and so many other inspirational famous people. When she isn t working (which isn t often) she s either writing poetry watching a good movie or going to listen to live music. It s wonderful to meet people who love their jobs because they tend to be happier people and Ms. Alexandra is proof of that idea. She loves her job which adds to her warm kind disposition. She really enjoys living in St. Louis and speaks on the city s appeal. She feels St. Louis best attributes are its character its positive vibe from the people and just the different flavors with the Delmar Loop being her favorite hangout place. Conversely she feels there are still areas St. Louis could improve upon with the economic and racial division being at the top of the list. Regardless she loves the city the people and all of the different flavors. Her only fear is failure and her lifelong goal is to simply give her all to the people she loves and her community. If St. Louis continues to contain people like Ms. Alexandra Detrick it will continue to be the great awe inspiring city it is. 26 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne By Tallis Piaget Triumph Through Expression Lory Fabian The definition of expression is to make ones thoughts or feelings known. What better way to do that than a card. Meet Lory Fabian an inciteful woman that speaks through her business Send out Cards. Forced out of the NFL after thirty two years of service Fabian was forced to make a lifestyle change. At a crossroads being too young to collect retirement or pension Fabian made a choice to make the most out of her situation. She created a business that would speak from the heart. Ms. Fabian is a very warm pleasant woman. I couldn t imagine anyone being mean or disrespectful towards her. The biggest challenge in her life was letting go of a career she loved. It was then that she learned that everything in life is a choice an attitude. Fabian adopted the motto Let Go and Let God When asked what she learned to make to this point she responded First and foremost stay the course You need to believe in yourself and your product 100% without doubt. Also PDCA has been one of the most valuable tools I ve learned and use Plan Do Check and Adjust. I apply it to every aspect of my life. The results are amazing. Fabian also talks about working in multi-level marketing sometimes has a negative connation. However if you find the right company with visionary leaders that have both heart and integrity you won t go wrong. I talked to Ms. Fabian about sacrifices along the way and I found her response to be intriguing. Fabian states I choose to believe my life is a journey and therefore nothing in it is a sacrifice - Only a learning experience. When asked If you had it to do all over again what would you change She states If I could I would change how I was fired. Everything else I look at as every step I took backwards I moved forward 3 steps. Failing is the best way to learn how to do things better. Visit Send Out Cards today. InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 27 THE QUEEN B IS IN THE BUILDING Beth Davis Strong motivated and results driven are just a few terms used to describe Beth Davis. Davis is the President Regional Market Manager of one of the most powerful media groups in the city Clear Channel. Known as the best in the business and with over 20 years experience she has mentored and developed many individuals during that time. Cleary at the top of her game she is one that remains a constant in the ever changing world of media. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Angela Brown Midwest Marketing Manager of Live Nation the world s leading live entertainment and eCommerce company. Our busy schedules finally allowed us to meet but only for a quick 20-minute phone interview. From the moment we commenced she was completely open honest and had no qualms answering any question I presented. The delightful discussion and quick talk unintentionally converted into an hour-long conversation. Throughout the talk I could see her smile through the phone. She was extremely positive and was not ashamed to laugh. Her energy was palpable and she just emanated a real vibe. We spoke about the positive role Angela plays in society and following are a bit of the details. With two great parents especially a passionate supportive mother Angela was destined to be a success. While studying Communications at the University of Missouri- St. Louis she became an intern for Live Nation. Almost 17 years later she is the marketing manager of this mega-business and loves her job to death. She is in charge of all promotional activity involving concerts including TV ads radio promotions outdoor marketing ticket giveaways backstage meet-and-greets and much more Her favorite aspect of the position is the chance to meet good people and build everlasting relationships. Angela is also the co-founder of Cafe Soul a monthly live local music event in St. Louis. Cafe Soul provides a platform for local and national artists to perform while being accompanied by a live band. Cafe Soul is celebrating 6 years in the business this year and is continuing to change the landscape of live music all over the city. Although she works long and hard she occasionally gets a chance to engage in other activities. When the opportunity arises she reads books travels and spends as much time as possible with her family. Angela s lifelong goal is to simply understand and accomplish her purpose. I believe she has completed this purpose which explains why Ms. Angela Brown is a person filled with joy and will undoubtedly attain more success in the future. Angela Brown By Tallis Piaget photo by BFREEPAPARAZZI 28 InsIght2IncIte MagazIne Jill Segal is the successful owner of Jilly s Cupcake Bar and Caf now with two locations. Jill has been in the cupcake business since July 2007. When asked what makes Jilly s Cupcakes so special Jill stated My cupcakes are made with the freshest and best ingredients incredible bakers and pastry chefs with true culinary genius. Jill s pastry chefs create homemade butter cr mes powders cream cheeses real fruit fudge and purees that bring life to her delicious cupcakes. Her establishment has been voted top 10 places for cupcakes in the USA. Not taking short cuts has enabled Jilly s Cupcake Bar & Cafe to appear in an episode of Food Network s Cupcake Wars which aired Tuesday June 28 2012. The Love is in the Details Jill Segal Once the judging is completed the best tasting and looking cupcakes win the cupcake of the month status. Jill s cupcakes also differ from her competitors by coming in three sizes mini standard and gourmet. Jilly s cupcakes aren t just your average cupcake it s a welcoming delicious dessert. Jill believes it s important for any business to give back to its community. Your community is what keeps businesses in business is Jill s point. That s why she donates to charitable organizations in the St. Louis area. Jill stated that making a difference in someone s life is the key component in her business. She said If you re interested in starting your own business be sure to surround yourself with individuals who believe in your concept. Research your concept have faith give back to your community and respect yourself and others. Some advice to live by. Coming Soon Be sure to look for more Jilly s Cupcake Bar and Caf sites in Chesterfield Mo and Edwardsville IL. For some of the sweetest treats in the St. Louis area contact Jill from the information below. Jilly s Cupcake Bar and Caf at 8509 Delmar Blvd St. Louis Mo 63124 314-993-JILLY(5455) and Jilly s Cupcake Bar-a-Go-Go 1131 Colonnade Ctr Des Peres MO 63131 314-821- JILLY (5455) management jillyscupcakebar.com. by Nicole Rice When asked what are the important things needed to start her business she replied It takes your passion blood sweat and tears. Jill also said You can t open a business without growing pains. Everybody gives 150% to their job from the dishwasher to her top pastry Chefs Casey Shiller Certified Executive Pastry Chef and Dana Holland. It s a team effort. Everyone is valued for their contributions to the company. One of the most important things Jill values is her customer base. She doesn t take their support to lightly. It s through her customers continued patronage she has managed to create some of the best tasting products for their anniversaries baby & bridal showers birthdays and weddings. Jill said she wants every event she does for her customers to be personalized. I asked Jill how does she stay creative and how does she determine what kind of flavor or design will be on the next cupcake Jill says she stays creative by researching holidays and seasons. The pastry chefs judge each other s creations as well as samples that are displayed in the store for customers to try and offer comments. InsIght2IncIte MagazIne 29 The Perfect Set of Bristles by Januarie York For the first year I was plagued by insecurities that almost caused several relapses and there was this overwhelming feeling that I owed it to someone to straighten my hair again. A great amount of time passed before I realized that I didn t owe it to anyone to perm my hair. I had to learn that my hair is merely a canvass that I can paint over and over as many times as I want. All I need is a good brush with the perfect set of bristles. There are few differences between natural hair and permed hair that are not surface driven. A head of natural hair might grow faster and healthier than a relaxed head of hair but both situations require a lot of attention and nurturing. There must also be a willingness to learn how to take care of either condition. As chemically treated hair is greeted with more and more disdain it should be stated that there IS such thing as healthy relaxed hair. The experiences and results might differ but trust scalp burns and potential breakage are no less stressful than learning about tight coils loose wave patterns and organic products. Each has the ability to make one feel beautiful but neither has the power to eliminate insecurities. We all invest time and money into hair maintenance in hopes to maximize how often we are pleased with our reflections. Regardless of one s choice be it locks twists roller sets or weave extensions we are all beautiful women and should approach and treat each other accordingly. All of us have at least a small portion of our story silently told to onlookers by our hair. African American women have a relationship with their hair that no (wo)man shall put asunder and perhaps that is the cause for the silent hair wars that take place. Natural hair women are holding picket signs to the left and those with chemical straightening have drawn sand lines on the right. Are we in the midst of a subconscious re-enactment of the beauty shop scene from Spike Lee s 1989 movie School Daze Do we really look at each other as a bunch of wannabes and jiggaboos The truth is there isn t enough spare time to point fingers and wage wars on freedom of self expression. Permed or natural hair does not cure all that is wrong or right with our personal worlds. Be assured that natural hair does not come Two years ago I returned my hair to its natural state. with a pot of golden smiles at the end nor does permed hair. The style of your hair can only hide or accentuate your facial features not change them. Natural hair doesn t eliminate crows feet just as permed hair doesn t straighten crooked teeth. Regardless of how you define good hair there will still be days where you cry hurt bleed and love like no other. Education relationships work and self esteem will still have the power to make you cower in a corner wondering if anyone has ever experienced any of your pains before. So whether you are natural or relaxed try refraining from pointing out the wrongs of the opposites and start celebrating how beautiful all our canvas are. Our differences are minimal at best and limited to our scalps - and maybe the style of brush we paint with. 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