MAY HEROINE ENTREPRENEUR - REBECCA CARLSON + A GIVEAWAY

Heroine - 1. A woman noted for courage and daring action.
2. A woman noted for special achievement in a particular field.


Hola Beautifuls! I am happy to introduce you to this month's Heroine Entrepreneur...

                                                         ....Rebecca Carlson

1. Tell us about your business, products, services and what makes it special or unique.


Purely Delicious is a quarterly raw and eco-friendly lifestyle magazine. One thing that makes it unique is the production quality (design, quality of printing, professional writing and photography). Additionally, the fact that we are not focused on one small aspect of raw food, but on the entire lifestyle, from green products, pets and makeup to interviews, recipes and fitness makes us unique. The content of Purely Delicious is specifically geared to help people make small steps toward their goals, so we appeal to beginners as well as well seasoned raw foodists.


Our online retail store, 123RAW.COM, offers a full line of raw food products and eco-friendly items, such as bamboo towels and sheets and soy candles. 123RAW has the same target demographic and operating philosophy as Purely Delicious, and both the magazine and the store are focused on giving back to the community.



2. Purely Delicious is a high quality print magazine. How did you come about developing and delivering such a great product?

Thank you – that is very kind. One of my primary goals when I bought Purely Delicious, was to produce something that looked just as slick and professional as a Gourmet or Food and Wine magazine, but with a raw and eco-lifestyle angle. Luckily, I was able to call on my experience as a designer to help bring the raw message to a more mainstream audience. But I certainly couldn’t do it without the help and support of a lot of talented and wonderful individuals co-laboring with me.



3. What sparked the development of and idea for your business?

Before I embraced the raw lifestyle, I was at one of those life-turning points. I was successful in my career as a creative director, but had been doing it for many years and the stress was taking its toll on me. I knew I wanted to do something different but I wasn't sure what. Meanwhile, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which eventually led me to discover the raw food diet. Once my MS symptoms started going away and I was once again feeling so good, the diet evolved into a personal mission to help people by using the talents and skills developed over the course of my career.


4. Have you always been in the magazine industry? Do you have a history in this area?

I was a designer and a creative director for many years. I had the good fortune to work with some fun and wonderful clients, such as Animal Planet and Discovery Channel, and I also had the opportunity to work on a magazine for six or seven years. So the magazine industry wasn’t a new thing to me, though I was previously responsible only for the design, and was not involved in the editorial aspect. Now I work on all facets of production So while there has certainly been a steep learning curve, it's not as bad as if I hadn't had some past connection to the magazine industry.



5. How much support did you receive when you first started out?

Some people were incredibly supportive, such as my mom, husband and best friend. But I also met with quite a bit of resistance from people who were worried I was making a big mistake. They counseled me to go back to the safety of a full-time position, etc. But looking back – and even now – It seems that whenever I spoke a need, a few days later out of the blue someone would show up and volunteer to help or otherwise solve the problem. So, in that sense – from proofreaders to writing and photography, etc. -- the raw community has been extremely supportive.



6. Did you always envision you business growing to be sold in major stores like Whole Foods?

Yes. I remember standing there at the checkout line visualizing the cover in the magazine rack. It was only a short time after I did that, Whole Foods e-mailed me with a distribution contract to look over. I would love to see Purely Delicious in every airport and Borders too, but we’re not quite there yet. Baby steps.


7. Is there anything that you wish you would have done or handled differently?

Life is just too short to waste on regret, but I probably would have sought more outside funding earlier in the process and asked for help earlier.


8. What was your biggest hurdle in developing your business?

I think that would have to be the tendency of spreading myself too thin by not delegating and by working on too many projects and ideas at once. Even now, I have three to four binders of back-burner projects I’m just itching to work on.

Finding advertisers in such a down market is a hurdle too. We launched exactly when everyone was cutting back on their advertising budgets. Luckily, businesses are booking space now, especially now that we are in Whole Foods Markets and have received recognition as “Best Raw Magazine of 2009.”



9. How did you stay motivated or what kept you motivated whenever you hit a bump/pothole in the road or a difficult time?

My motivation came – and continues to come – from friends, family, my husband and lots of prayer. The funny thing is that just when I may think, "OK, that’s it – I’m quitting,” I'll receive a lovely and encouraging e-mail or phone call from a subscriber telling me how much the magazine has helped them or how a friend or family member picked it up and started reading it. That’s what keeps me going. I actually created a little mailbox where I place all of the nice e-mails. I need to put a label on it that says “Break glass in case of motivational emergency!”


10. What advice would you give to women who are seeking to do what you are doing?

Don’t make business decisions until you have developed a tight, one- to two-line mission statement defining your goals and values. Then pass every single decision you make through that mission statement to see if it fits. If it doesn’t fit, don’t do it.

Our mission statement is, “We make the raw food and eco-lifestyle understandable and doable for the masses in a fun, creative and upscale way. We give to charity and seek to bring joy and health to mind, body and spirit.” Also, don't be in anything solely for the money. Follow your passion, and the money will present itself


11. Is there anything new & exciting that we can expect from your Purely Delicious magazine in the future?

Absolutely! Some things are still under wraps because they are in development, but we are looking forward to unveiling a new and improved Web site and an online version of the magazine in the very near future.


**A note for Rebecca**
Rebecca, I cannot express to you how much I appreciate your time for this interview. I highly respect your work and am in love with your magazine. I am convinced that the work you do is bringing healthy and conscious living to the awareness of more and more people each day. I wish you great and continued success in your present and future.
Peace and blessings,
ChocolateOrchid
 
You can connect with Rebecca at:
Purely Delicious blog
twitter
123RAW.com
 
****THE GIVEAWAY****
**open to U.S. and Canadian residents only**
I'm sure that there are many of you out there who have no idea what the raw foods lifestyle is about. Or you wonder if its really for you. Or you're just plain curious about it. Maybe you're looking into living a healthier life and you'd like to learn more about it. Well, I am positive that reading Purely Delicious magazine will give you the answers you seek and more.
 
Thanks to the kind and lovely Rebecca Carlson, one person will win a 1-year subscription of Purely Delicious magazine. All that is asked of you is to leave a comment about your desire to embrace a healthier lifestyle and why. You have until Tuesday, May 13th at midnight EST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced on Wednesday, May 14th. 
 
I wish you all the best!!
 
 
 
**The top heroine photo is the Marvel comics character, Elektra**

Post Title → MAY HEROINE ENTREPRENEUR - REBECCA CARLSON + A GIVEAWAY

FEBRUARY HEROINE ENTREPRENEUR - SHELLEY CHAPMAN

Heroine -1 a: a mythological or legendary woman having the qualities of a hero b: a woman admired and emulated for her achievements and qualities

Introducing February's Heroine Entrepreneur - Shelley Chapman of Naturi Beauty Concepts.


1. Tell us about your business, products, services and what makes it special or unique.
Naturi Beauty Concepts is a brand. We promote radiance by enhancing your core and your crown. For the crown we offer natural hair care products. That started as a result of me not being able to find quality products that “delivered”. And so, I would find myself mixing three and four products in order to get a desired result. The other half of it was learning that the ingredients in them were carcinogenic, they were drying my hair, or they were linked to other diseases. I not only wanted a product that delivered results but a way to promote beauty naturally.
The other part about “nurturing and nourishing your core” is that I’m a personal chef. I provided culinary services for individuals and families. That started out as a passion for cooking. I started cooking and realized that I had a gift for it. I didn’t go to school for culinary arts so I struggled against that for awhile thinking that maybe that didn’t qualify me. But the proof is in the pudding. Anyone who tastes my food doesn’t ask where I went to school or where did I study. Their response is, “Oh, you can cook. Would you mind doing this event for me?”
The entire brand came together as nurturing and nourishing from your crown to your core.

2. How did you begin/start your business?
After I graduated from Harvard (where I pursued my Masters in Psychology), I was on my way to NYU to get a Doctorate because my plan was to become a Psychologist. And while I was at Harvard, a lot of things changed. Nothing bad happened, I just found myself forcing myself to go to class. I was forcing myself to be motivated about the subject. So I realized that I was doing it because I was good at it but not because I loved it. I’ve always done hair and I’ve been a foodie since I came out of the womb. If you read my first blog post at my Naturi Beauty blog, you’ll see that I talk about my passion for food as a child but I never paid attention to those because to me they weren’t real careers. I thought, “I’m not gonna work in a restaurant. I’m not gonna be doing anyone’s hair. I’m not gonna be a beauty stylist”. Those were just my own “isms” growing up. So I was like, “I wanna have something professional. I want to be a psychologist.” I still did hair all the time. And anywhere I traveled, food was a major part of it. I realized that those were my passions and I started pursuing them more. When I moved to New York, I met quite a few women who were entrepreneurs who owned their own natural hair product stores. This one sister I met, Karen of Karen’s Body Beautiful, was instrumental in this. She mentored me for a while. I watched her make products. She had a kitchen set up in her store so you could see her make the products as she sold them. And I realized that it was the same process as cooking. It’s the same art that goes into both of them. It’s the art of taking ingredients that are beneficial and making them into something more. I just took that, started researching and Naturi Beauty was born.

3. How much support did you receive when you first started?
I received a ton of support. I told my mom what I was feeling. She has always been encouraging. She’s always encouraged me to follow my passion. My friends were also very supportive, super excited and eager. They helped me to understand how my brand fit in. They would even speak higher dreams than what I was thinking. When you start something that a lot of other people are doing, then you wonder what sets you apart. Why would people support me over Miss Jessie’s or Karen’s Body Beautiful or Carol’s Daughter and all the other people that are out there.
Then in terms of the food or cooking, I’ve never had anyone meet a plate of mine that they didn’t like. I heard that! (laughs) So that’s always been affirmative.

4. Is there anything you wish you had done or handled differently?
No. Absolutely not. This process has been a journey. Where there are things that we may perceive as a setback, something negative or a hard time, it’s just a blissful opportunity to grow. I think I’m on the perfect divine path and I’m excited about it.

5. Was there anything that you may have considered a hurdle in developing your brand?
Yes. A huge hurdle was battling myself and the brand. Because when you create something people automatically associate it with the creator. And they don’t necessarily let it become its on entity. The other thing is that when we created something it is part of us. So for the longest, Naturi Beauty was like the divine, ultimate version of what I would love to be; which is the nourish, the nurture, you grow. Its’ nourishing yourself and not just through food; through your thoughts, your actions, your words and your environment. And then nourishing yourself with all that. Like being gentle with yourself. Not being too harsh with yourself when you make a mistake. And allowing those elements that help you grow into a better being. I had a hard time because I didn’t know if I was that woman. I thought, “How can I be the CEO of Naturi Beauty Concepts when I’m not necessarily that woman all the time?” It was difficult. And it wasn’t until this year when I started to reconcile that and realize that I am my brand and my brand is me. And the best thing I can do for my clients, customer and devotees is to be honest about that.

6. How long have you been cooking and making hair products?
I’ve been cooking since I was 15. I’ve been cooking for real since I was 18. From the age of 15 to 18, my mother forced me to get in the kitchen with her every weekend. I was like her prep chef and I hated, hated, hated it. Saturday would come and I couldn’t stand it. She would make me get into the kitchen. I felt like I was in “Hell’s Kitchen” (Gordon Ramsay show) because I wanted to be elsewhere watching BET or something. But I give thanks to her because through that I learned a lot. At 19, I went to the Dominican Republic on an exchange program and the food was awesome. I actually went there to learn Spanish, not to eat, but it worked out perfectly. So I realized as my trip was ending, that I wouldn’t be able to find the same dishes in Atlanta. So I began buying cookbooks and collecting recipes because I knew I’d have to prepare myself. And that’s when I started cooking for real. So when I got into the kitchen, it was all second nature. I started making hair products in 2004. Growing up, I was always mixing things, even as a teenager. But as far as hardcore getting into the kitchen, melting and mixing things up- 2004 was the year.

7. How did you stay motivated whenever you hit a bump in the road?
I would say, “My child”. I know this might sound interesting but I don’t have any children yet. I’ve always thought that whatever I do is going to affect my children. I believe that my children will be daughters. Whenever I feel myself slipping, I feel that they are around reminding me of the path I’m supposed to be on. It’s a very spiritual feeling.

8. What advice would you give to women who are seeking to do what you do?
Don’t do it because you feel as if it’s lucrative. Don’t do it because you feel as if it’s going to make you popular. Don’t do it if you feel as if you’re competing with what’s already out there. Do it because, internally, you feel connected to it. Do it because you feel that, divinely, it is your purpose. And when you do bring it you’re spreading more than a product or service. You’re spreading life.

9. Is there anything new and exciting that we can expect from Naturi Beauty in the future?
Yes. Naturi Beauty is revamping for 2010. While the overall brand will stay close to its original roots, it is getting a makeover. My brand manager and I have been working very closely so I’m very excited.
Naturi Beauty is also working very diligently with my producer to hook up with a major network and have a culinary show on air. Also, a culinary book is in the works. And more work and collaborations with other organizations that are promoting beauty. I’m really excited about everything that’s on the horizon for Naturi Beauty.

**A Note for Shelley**
I'm certainly excited for you and Naturi Beauty Concepts. I want to personally thank you for agreeing to this. It was a total pleasure interviewing you. Your spirit is a joy to be around. Thanks for sharing your light with everyone. I wish all the best for you and Naturi Beauty. {{Hugs}}

You can check out Naturi Beauty Concepts services and products here. While Naturi Beauty Concepts culinary services specializes in Vegan and Vegetarian cuisine with a global influence, they also use high quality, free range, organic meat, poultry and seafood. The Naturi Beauty Concepts offers an extraordinary hair product line, Naturi Tress, created by me, Shelley! Using only the most exceptional of ingredients, Naturi Tress caters to those who desire healthy, long, lustrous, defined hair.

You can connect with Naturi Beauty Concepts on twitter here.


The heroine illustration used above is the X-Men character, Jean Grey, of Marvel comics.

Post Title → FEBRUARY HEROINE ENTREPRENEUR - SHELLEY CHAPMAN

KONGO SQUARE CHAT at A CHOICE OF WEAPONS

Hi Beautifuls!

Just had to drop a shameless plug about a recent interview I was a part of over at A Choice of Weapons, where Mista Jaycee reigns. Let me tell you, this is one of my favorite blogs. Mista Jaycee is a writer, poet and musician. His topics range from politics, world news, entertainment, poetry and writings, music and anything that's on his mind.

I'm truly honored that he invited me to do the Kongo Square Chat. You can check it out here. But don't stop there. Take a look around his blog. His posts are quite interesting, humorous, honest, thought-provoking, at times provocative and definitely GROWN.

Have a wonderful weekend!
And as always, "Do you."

Post Title → KONGO SQUARE CHAT at A CHOICE OF WEAPONS

DECEMBER HEROINE ENTREPRENEUR -- VALANA MINERALS

Heroine
1. A woman noted for courage and daring action. 2. A woman noted for special achievement in a particular field.

Here to encourage, motivate and/or give you insight into what it takes to go after your vision, your love, your baby and make it work for you is the lovely Valerie Reed of Valana Minerals.



1) Please tell us about Valana Minerals and what makes it so special and unique.

Well, when it comes to natural cosmetics, there really aren't many companies that target women of color. And so, its unique that way. And to the best of my knowledge, its the only company that has the specialty of "all-natural and vegan" with the target of women of color. There's not another company that does that at all. So there's some (companies) that are mostly natural, or vegan but with some synthetics, or a combination of things. I think that's one of the things that make it very unique.

And our foundation colors are really diverse. So we have a very good selection of shades that I consider to be very realistic. Meaning that they are not too orange or that they don't turn orange on you after you've had them on a few hours. That's a common complaint. And they really are formulated so that they can cross ethnic barriers. So that people of Asian descent can find a number of selections that will work for them. People who are of African descent can find a bunch of colors. Latinas have choices. We have a lot of customers who are from India. Pacific Islanders. And so its very unique in that sense as well.

2) How was Valana Minerals birthed?

Well, I had trouble finding makeup for myself. and several years ago, I had a bad reaction... Actually it was an allergic reaction to antibiotics. And I was ill. As it turned out, I also had Selenium toxicity. And I went through quite the educational process to learn what Selenium was. Where it came from. And how your body uses it and needs it. And how you can end up with toxic levels of it . And that is what got me to look at my cosmetics. It was my acupuncturist who helped me figure out that that's what the problem was. And then we went through all my cosmetics and found that its in some brands of shampoo. And so, I didn't realize at that time that I was getting it in my diet in multi-vitamins and that it was a possibility that it could be absorbed through your skin. I had no idea. So that's when I started learning more about natural cosmetic ingredients. I would make things for myself like moisturizers, lotions, cleansers and things.

But I never really wanted to make anything to sell. That wasn't my goal. It was just kind of something for me. And I wanted to use makeup but I had trouble because every time I would look for colored cosmetics either they didn't have the color that would match or I'd find something that was kind of a close match but then it would make me break out. And so, I went for years and never wore makeup. And then I complained about it for years and years and then finally said, "If its going to get done then I need to do it myself." So I started the company.

3) In the development of your business, your company, where there any courses that you took or was it a learning process that you did on you own?

Well, when I decide that I'm gonna do something I can be very focused. And so, once I made the decision to do it I was kind of full-forced. So I found two mentors that really helped me tremendously. And a lot of what they did was just motivating me and helping me realize that I could do it. And that I didn't have to constantly compare myself to the "big boys". That it was something doable and manageable. That was really beneficial.

I think that mentors are crucial. And I think that we need several mentors for whatever it is we're doing because every professional has their own specialty. Each has something unique to offer. So when people say thing like, "I have A mentor." I'm like, "No, you need more than A mentor." You need several. I think my mentors are instrumental in helping me see the possibilities in what I could do. I'd bounce ideas off of them and things like that.

And when it came to money I had some that I had socked away from a refinance. I had refinanced my condominium. And I just put the money away rather than spending it on frivolous things cause I knew that I'd probably use it for something eventually. And I ended up using it as the seed money to get started.

4) How long has Valana Minerals been in existence?

Almost 3 years now.

5) Did you receive a lot of support when you first started out?

Well, from friends and family. And I still do. And of course there are those folks who are kind of negative. I actually lost a couple of friends in the process of starting the business because they weren't happy with the way things were going. They stopped talking to me. So that was kind of painful but for the most part everybody has been really supportive. My parents helped me a lot. I'm not married. I don't have any kids so I didn't have to negotiate anything with a husband.(laugh)
My parents have been really helpful and supportive. My little brother is instrumental in keeping everything going and that sort of thing.

6) Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done or handled differently?

*Thinks for a moment* I think I probably would have set up a bookkeeping system from the start. I think that would've been a smarter thing to do. I mean, I kept good records but it was good for me and what I was doing at the time. And in a number of ways, I built the company with the intent for growth. But I didn't do that with the financial record keeping part. When I first got started my goal was to eventually be able to sell to major market retailers. So when I chose the jars that the makeup was going to be in, even though initially, I wasn't selling a lot of it, I wanted to make sure that my jars would look good on a shelf at a department store. So I tried to do that sort of thing from the beginning as best as I could. And then adapt as I grew. And I think it would've been better to do that with the money and record keeping first.

Like I didn't even buy Quickbooks until I had already been in business for a year and a half, or two years. I just did everything manually. And then when I did finally invest in Quickbooks I had to switch everything over and input all the data. And that was just a pain. So it would've been smart to do that from the start.

7) Speaking of bookkeeping, are you still managing that yourself? Or do you have an accountant?

No, I have a tax attorney. A tax consultant. And then I have a regular attorney. A business attorney, one that deals with trademark and copyright and all that stuff. Um , but mostly my tax attorney and the tax consultant. They do everything. I just give them the documents and they just roll their eyes and say, "Okay. I'll go take care of it." *laughing*

8) How have you stayed motivated? Or what has kept you motivated whenever you may have hit a difficult time in your business?

Well, my customers. And my helpers really help a lot. I really do have amazing customers. And sometimes when I feel like I don't want to do this . Like I'm really tired. Like if someone offered me enough money I'd sell the business tomorrow. When I feel like that way, I really think about my customers and the fact that a lot of them depend on me cause there is nobody else doing this. And when I have a customer who says something like, "I haven't worn makeup in 30 years cause I never had anything that really matched my skin tone. Then I say, "Okay, if I stop now then she's in trouble." So I think that's a big motivator. Also, I do feel like its really making a difference. I really have had customers who've said things like, "I've never had makeup that matched me." And its not anything. It's makeup. Its not like its anything extraordinary, life-saving or anything like that. But its something that's ordinary that women of color really can't have in the mass market. And as ordinary as it seems, when you don't have it, it becomes extraordinary. And so a lot of women who have deep brown skin don't have a lot of choices.

9) There are quite a few women seeking to do what you have done. What advice would you give them?

Well, I really think its important to figure out what you do well. And accept the fact that you can't do everything well. And allow other people to help you with that. That's really important. And its okay to ask for help but know that there are limits because you don't want to burn other people out when you're asking for help. And know your niche and be really clear about it and focus on that. Like I always have customers who call and say things like, "You know your customer service is great. And I love your products but when are you gonna do skincare?" That's a long-term goal. That really isn't my focus. That's not my specialty. And so, there a lot of other company's doing that. And I'm sure that they have fabulous products. And when I do decide that I'm ready to expand into skincare, it'll be great. But that's not it right now.

I'm carving out a niche in one area. I'm branding in one area. And that's my specialty. I think sometimes we lose focus. And we start to think we can be everything to everybody. And when we try to do that, you're no good to anybody. Cause you can't do everything. Just can't. So I think those are some things that are really important.

And learn from other people who have done it. support organizations that help support women like Make Mine A Million $ Business. It's an organization that helps women entrepreneurs who want to take their business to the multi-million dollar level. They have competitions. They teach you how to pitch if you want investors. And things like that. I'm not ready for that yet. But I'm registered with them so when I am ready, I'm already there. They have newsletters. They have a website. You can watch some of the video clips. Some of the presentations that other entrepreneurs have given that talk about how you can do that. And learn from these people. They've already made all the mistakes so they can tell you what they did wrong so that you don't have to repeat it. And that's where mentors are, too.

And when you wanna know how to do something, there are tons and tons of books where people are literally telling you what they did. People, in general, like to talk about themselves. And so..listen to em. Rich people always tell you how they made their money. They write books about it.

10) Is there anything new and exciting that we can expect from Valana Minerals in the future?

*chuckles* We're actually making a lot of changes. I haven't sent out the newsletter recently because I've been so... just running around like crazy with some of the new changes. But we're introducing some new eye colors and cheek colors. We are changing all of our eye shadow jars. We did a survey a few months ago and a lot of our customers asked for new jars. They wanted a bigger lid for their eye shadows. So we were able to do that.

I also have a big announcement but I'm not ready yet. I can't say anything yet. I don't have permission from the folks that I'm partnering with.

11) Is there anything you wanna add? Just off the cuff. Anything?

Hmm... don't give up. Failure is an opportunity to start something different. And know when to quit. There are times when you try something out and you keep plugging along putting your effort into it. Year after year after year. You have to also keep in mind that maybe this isn't a good idea and you just need to try something else. Know when to quit. It's not always a bad thing to say, "This isn't working. Let me try something different now." I don't think that equates to failure. I think that's a pretty smart thing to do. I think a lot of people think quitting equates to failure and it doesn't always.

**********************************************************************************
This concludes my heroine entrepreneur interview with Valerie Reed of Valana Minerals. I hope that this has inspired, encouraged and/or enlightened you in some way.

I want to sincerely thank Valerie for taking the time out to allow me to interview her. I am grateful for the input and knowledge that you shared. I wish you continued and great success your future and in the future of Valana Minerals.

**The big announcement is that Valana Minerals will be carried in Whole Foods Market, beginning in Sugarland, TX. Go Valerie! Congrats to you and Valana Minerals!
It really warms my heart to see these heroines doing great things!**

You can purchase this 100% all-natural and vegan makeup at Valana Minerals.

**Picture of animated heroine "Shihouin Yoruichi" from the anime series Bleach.

Post Title → DECEMBER HEROINE ENTREPRENEUR -- VALANA MINERALS

COMING SOON......

HEROINE.

- 1. A woman noted for courage and daring action.
- 2. A woman noted for special achievement in a particular field. (from freedictionary.com)

According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
- 1 a: a mythological or legendary woman having the qualities of a hero b: a woman admired and emulated for her achievements and qualities

According to YourDictionary.com:
- a girl or woman of outstanding courage, nobility, etc., or of heroic achievements

All of these definitions encompass the women that will be featured in this future blog series. I chose the title "heroine" because I kept seeing the term "courage" in its definition. Courage, in my opinion, is an important piece of the puzzle to putting your passion to work. Courage is a part of what it takes to do what you love as your business. In lieu of this, I'll be interviewing/featuring women entrepreneurs who have done what some may look at as impossible or wonder ,"How can I do that?" or even, "Oh God, what've I gotten myself into? How can I go on?"

Now, of course, this will tie into the overall theme of this blog which loves all things natural, natural hair, organic, green, good for the environment, health, healthy eating...well, I think you get the idea. ;)

It is my hope and desire for this series to encourage, inspire and/or motivate every woman (myself included) who is seeking to break out of her box, move on her desires and make things happen. So if you have a yearning to do what you love as your business and/or need some encouragement to do so, look out for this blog post beginning this Wednesday.

Not sure whether I'll be doing this feature once a month or bi-monthly but I do know that it will be on Wednesdays beginning this Wednesday, the 18th. Hope you'll come join me.

Peace and blessings,
CO

Post Title → COMING SOON......

A DIFFERENT INTERVIEW WITH CHICORO..part II

Hi Beautifuls!

On yesterday, I featured part 1 of an interview with Chicoro, regarding raw foods. As I mentioned yesterday, many of us in the natural hair community are very familiar with Chicoro and her healthy, long hair but after really visiting her fotki, I was surprised (and excited) to see that she was into healthy eating via raw foods. Every interview I read of her was about hair. So I thought, "Wow! Does anyone notice that she's into raw/living foods?". This is the aspect of Chicoro that I wish to focus on in hopes of encouraging the thought to eat healthy and take care of ones self.


And so, here it is. The completion of "A Different Interview with Chicoro".

6) I can't talk about eating raw foods without talking about the detox that comes with it. I believe in being informed & informing. Did you have a period of detox? If so, how did you manage it?

Yes. My taste buds changed. Sometimes I found that I was sick of eating raw food and it was not satisfying. Some days I would be so hungry and would prepare a raw meal and it would taste so nasty, that I would just throw the whole thing out. I would be hungry, mad, and out of my money and my time.

At the same time, cooked food would taste greasy and fake. I guess my taste buds were transitioning! I also would sometimes have an increased number of bowel movements per day. In the morning, I would wake up with lots of waste in my eyes, lots of sleep in my eyes. My eyes sometimes would be sticky and my upper lid would be stuck to some parts of my lower lid when I would wake up.

Another interesting thing about "detox" is the detox of people in your life. I truly believe that when you venture into raw foods, you really need to be ready for your relationships around you to change. When you go raw, people leave your life and others come into it. I do not believe that there is anything mystical or magical going on and I hope no one equates them to what I am saying about raw food. It's like when you decide to stop going clubbing. The people who you used to go clubbing with fall out of your life. If you stop drinking, the people you used to go drinking with, fall out of your life. Raw food is no different.

But again, I would relate it to hair. When many of us go from relaxed to natural hair, sometimes our friends and even our significant others just don't get it. Some people vacate your life and others make an adjustment so that they can stay with you.

I think that when you go raw, it detoxes your relationships as well. You may discover things about yourself and the person with whom you live that you never ever knew before, no matter how long you have known or lived with him or her, or yourself!



7) I love your blog. Its so inspiring and truly feeds the spirit. Many raw foodists speak of gaining mental clarity and spiritual awareness from this lifestyle. Was your blog birthed from this place?

Thank you for the wonderful compliment regarding my blog. The blog was birthed from raw foods, but indirectly. My book series that I am working on was birthed from raw food. The blog was birthed from my book series.

Like with hair, everyone's expericence can be very different. But for me, yes, I was able to see more clearly. I think that when we ingest processed and food laden with chemicals, our bodies have their total focus on picking out the bad stuff from the good. Our bodies are busy. When we have only raw foods and natural foods inside of us, that frees up our bodies to be able to do more.

The body is not working so hard to get the junk out and separate the good stuff from the bad stuff. I think that is part of the clarity. I would liken it to us minding several children or having less of a course load at school or less of a work load at our jobs. Once you get a handle on things, you can focus on more than what is in front of you. You can start looking at the bigger picture, think and muse on other things because you are not so burdened down with having to keep up with all the children, all the classes and all the work. You can take a 'breather'. I think with raw food, this is what the body can do. It can finally take a 'breather'. Then, you have energy left over to focus on other things, hence, the clarity comes into play.




8) Finally, with statistics showing that a high percentage of blacks suffer from obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., in your opinion, tell us what you feel could be the reasons why alot of blacks don't do "healthy eating".

Healthy eating can be expensive if you are trying to eat one way and everyone else is eating a standard diet in one household. You literally are doubling the family food bill. It is far cheaper and easier to get a hamburger from the fast food dollar menu and a lot cheaper, than to buy three (3) organic apples for $2.50 per pound.

For the average person, that hamburger represents a filling inexpensive meal. Those apples are just an expensive snack that will leave you hungry, if not dissatisfied.

Amidst all of this, I feel that black people are focused on surviving. Even when we are stable financially, we may still be or feel as though we are under siege. That might look like doing a good job at your place of work but still having your skills and ability questioned. That might look like going to the store and experiencing women reach for their purses when you approach their basket, because they think
you are trying to steal their purse. And the ONLY reason you are even going near their purse is because it and their basket are in YOUR way and in the way of you accessing that food item you plan to purchase.

What I think black people need to understand is that we will either pay up front or we will pay in the end.

Either, you will spend the extra time it takes to ensure that you and your family have healthy meals and spend the extra cash on the food, or you can continue with eating only what tastes good to you and what is easy and cheap. People believe that they cannot spare the money for raw foods. But, can you spare money for health bills that may inevitably come in the long run, in the not so distant future?


What tastes good is not necessarily what is good for you. Like most things, whether it be bad hair care habits or bad eating habits, making a change takes effort and things may not look or feel good, at first. Just like you have to train your eyes to 'see' and appreciate and love your transitioning and natural hair, you need to do the same things with your tastebuds and raw food.

One cannot compare the taste of raw foods to that of cooked processed foods. You must embrace raw food for what it is just as you do with your natural hair.

Most of us know it is absurd for us to expect that our natural hair will look and feel like our processed relaxed hair. Yet, why do we expect for raw foods to taste and smell like processed food?

If you choose to pay on the back end and continue to eat only what tastes good- assuming it is the standard American diet type foods, things like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure tend to hit home sooner, at younger ages for us and harder, where blindess, amputation and death due to these illnesses visits us more.

There are no guarantees in life. With all things, your are accountable for your choices. In this life, you are on your own. I say give raw food a try and see how you feel. The fastest and quickest way to get results is to eat completely raw food for 7 -30 days. Try it for a weekend, from Friday to Sunday, or whenever you don't have to work or when you don't have outside, external obligations pulling on you.

Is it easy to do? Not necessarily. As with hair, you have to dive in and determine what best fits for you and your life. That takes trial and error and a leap of faith. Step out on faith. If you have health issues, consult your doctor before you embark on the raw food journey. Get some books and study, prepare and then go for it.


Chicoro, I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. Is there anything more that you want to share? Future plans? Words of wisdom? Whatever comes to mind.

The food you eat and the care that you give your body are very important. They can impact the quality of your life. I believe so much in this that I am writing a book called, "Nurture It" on food and self care. It will be published and available on Amazon.com in December 2009. It is the second book of the seven (7) book series I am writing.

Words of wisdom? Hmmm? I don't know. But I do know that you can be more beautiful tomorrow than you are today if you focus on yourself. It is not about being more beautiful than someone else. It is about elevating your beauty, your own beauty, to the highest levels. You control that and you are accountable. It is do-able, so just do it!


And there it is. We actually spoke for awhile over the phone regarding this and I can tell you Chicoro is truly passionate about this subject. After speaking with her, I do believe that a change in our way of seeing ourselves, our health, the world and how we operate in it is coming. I am so glad that I gave into that nugding that I had to contact her for this interview. I've come to the conclusion that if I operate by.. tune into..listen to my gut, my spirit then I'll more clearly see my path & my purpose.

Thanks again to Chicoro for her graciousness and taking the time to answer my questions. I'm really excited about her forthcoming book series. Hope that this has encouraged, enlightened and/or blessed you in some way.

Much Love,
ChocolateOrchid


**Chicoro is the author of the book "Grow It: How To Grow Afro-Textured Hair To Maximum Lengths In The Shortest Time".

You can purchase her book at the following link:
Amazon
You can also check out her site at Beautify Bit By Bit
and her blog here.
She's also on youtube here.

Post Title → A DIFFERENT INTERVIEW WITH CHICORO..part II

A DIFFERENT INTERVIEW WITH CHICORO

Hi Beautifuls!

Most people in the natural hair scene are familiar with Chicoro. You know, Chicoro with the beautiful and healthy long hair. The one who authored the book “Grow It. How To Grow Afro-Textured Hair To Maximum Lengths In The Shortest Time”. Yes, the same Chicoro with the awesome and informative fotki.

Well, lo and behold, when I was pleasantly surprised to see in her fotki that she’s into raw foods. I thought, “Oh, my God! I’ve got talk to her about this.” Well, after I stopped dragging my feet I reached out to her to share with everyone her way of healthy eating and thoughts on it. I hope that this interview inspires, encourages and/or motivates you to feed your body better, if just a little bit, than you have before.

Enjoy….

1) How did your interests in raw foods begin?

Before I begin, I wanted to tell you thank you for your time and for this
platform opportunity, your blog, to express my thoughts and feelings regarding
raw food and self care!

It happened over many years for me. It was not instantaneous. There were many aha moments for me. Here are a few that stick out for me right now. I have been dabbling in raw food since I was a little girl, before I was a teenager. The two turning points happened when I was an adult. I always had pimple marks and spots on my face so I sought out books to help me clear my skin. Food was always a key component. I began with juicing.

The second turning point was when I developed some health issues. I found books specifically for addressing my specific issues. In one book, in the food section of the book, it advocated the use of salads, green vegetables juices and fruit juices and herbs and water to cleanse and purify the body. The book did not refer to the food as "raw food" but called the food a part of the natural living lifestyle. Then, I found a book about raw food that had more variety. It made raw food do-able for me. I was so inspired that I took a raw food certification class with the author of the book.

2) We've all eaten "raw foods" at one time or another without giving it much thought. Like fruits, vegetable such as carrots, salads, etc. How long have you been consciously eating raw foods?

I first started eating raw foods conciously about five (5) years ago. I go in and out of raw. I have not been a raw foodist for five years!

3) What difference/improvements did you notice in your physical health after beginning to eat this way?

Let's start with the most fascinating thing first. When I am eating nothing but raw food, children respond to me the most. They turn to wave at me and speak to me. Whether they are in a grocery cart or their parents' arms, you should see how they twist around to wave or stare or say, "Hello!" My husband has witnessed this so many times. He always looks at me so strangely when this occurs. He can be standing right next to me and the children don't even acknowledge him.

When I first started eating only raw food, I felt that I was always walking around with my eyes bugged out and wide open. I even asked my mother and my teacher, "Do my eyes look like they are popped out? They sure feel like it." My raw food teacher told me that is the energy or buzz from all the live and raw food. It's like your eyes are opened, literally and figuratively.

In the morning when I am completely raw, I leap out of bed. I am up from anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30 am. This is not because I am UNABLE to sleep. This is because I don't need anymore sleep. I feel light and not groggy. But, I must say, when I first start back on raw food, I feel exhausted and tired for the first 3-5 days. The exhaustion is like when you just finished a project at work and you exhale and know that it is finally over and done. Then you can just collapse and relax. Or, when you get home from a business trip or get home from school. You are tired, but you are comfortable and can relax and exhale.

You glow! Physically, the texture of the skin on my face becomes creamier and smoother. My blemishes disappear and the yellow in my eye whites disappears. The skin on my body is smoother as well. There is less of a need for deodorant. Body odor, not that I smelled before, becomes even less apparent. It seems to just disappear. Cellulite also goes away, or decreases. If you have knots in your breasts, those tend to reduce in size as well- then knots, not your breasts! I could go on and on! Painful cycles become easier and less painful.

Emotionally, I am not moody or move quick to irritation like I am when I eat
processed sugary foods or meat laden meals and food.

Also, because the food is so clean, it burns through your body. You have to eat on a regular basis. Otherwise, you can become ravenously hungry. Because of this, I suggest that people try to eat 4-6 meals, including snacks,per day. You want to keep some structure in your life, even while eating raw food. I don't subscribe to the "eat all you want" because it is raw kind of thinking anymore.

4) The raw foods lifestyle is considered extreme, even foreign to most folks. Did you experience any opposition, negative comments and/or "side-eyes" to your decision to incorporate raw foods into your lifestyle?

When I first started, I was desperately trying to heal a condition I had.
I only had books as a reference so I literally experimented on myself. The first time around, I lost so much weight. I was emaciated, extremely skinny looking and
looked sick.

My mother was totally against my raw food lilfestyle and told me every time she saw me that I was too, too skinny. She is a nurse and she is indoctrinated in the medical industry way of thinking. She never encouraged me and did more discouraging than anything, at first. Then one day, on my 50th round of trying to get it right for me and my life, I went home. My mother lifted my chin, looked into my face and said, "You look good!" I was so happy that day. Two other relatives complimented me as well during that trip. That's when I knew that I had gotten it and that it was working for me!

Then, my mother met or crossed paths with a 45+ year old raw foodist and she said that he looked incredible. From that day on, she was more open to what I was trying to do. She recognized him [as a raw vegan] because all he had was vegetables and fruits and nuts in his cart. Also, of course because of how great he looked to her.
I have no idea who he was or how he looked, but to this day she seems to be in awe of that man. I wish I could have seen him. She has even shared raw meals with me and enjoyed many things I have prepared.

I am used to folks looking at me with side-eyes. They did it when I wanted to go work and live in Japan, when I said I wanted to grow my hair to my waist and when I decided to go raw. I was successful with all these endeavors. You just have to forget about what other people think and not look for approval.


5) What advice would you give to someone seeking to incorporate or transition into eating raw foods?

In the least, try to eat something raw everyday.

I would suggest that you eat something raw with EVERY single meal. Reduce the size of the portions of the cooked food and decrease the amount of meat, potatoes and rice you eat. Add a large pretty, salad to every meal. Leave the croutons and the bacon bits out. Use your favorite salad dressing for now, even if it is like a Ranch dressing. Just get used to having a large, raw vegetable or fruit laden salad with every meal. Eat all of it.

As with transitioning from relaxed hair to natural hair, you have to transition your mind FIRST. Start thinking of that large salad as the center piece of your meal instead of building a meal around a piece of meat. Build your salad and think of the other non-raw things as complements to your main meal component, your salad.


**Due to the length of this post, I will continue it on tomorrow. Check out the completion of this interview right here. See ya, tomorrow!**

Peace and blessings,
CO

Chicoro is the author of "Grow It: How To Grow Afro-Textured Hair To Maximum Lengths In the Shortest Time". You can find more information on it and her at her website Beautify Bit by Bit. She also has a wonderful and inspiring blog that you can see here. Subscribe to her on youtube here.

Post Title → A DIFFERENT INTERVIEW WITH CHICORO