Welcome to Mind Talks with That Riverz Gurl and I want to say thank you for stopping by to my column where I will be talking about everything mental health, self-care and more! Let’s talk about self-care because I feel like self-care is very much needed in today’s society. I want to ask a question really quick. “What does self-care look like to you?” Some may say sitting on the beach with a glass of wine on site playing some reggae music or relaxing in bed listening to music. For me it’s watching my favorite shows on Netflix, doing nothing, (I enjoy doing that the most LOL), reading a book on self-care, and listening to music. Whatever it is that you enjoy during your self-care moment, indulge in the moment and allow your body to relax and soak up the positive energy around you. Let’s really get into the post where self-checking is important in daily routines. Here are some things you should be checking on a day-to-day basis.
Photo Edit by Shutterstock
Checking your environment: Do you have people or situations that you have to get rid of so you won’t get distracted? If so, cut them out!
Have positive energy: Make sure that you are displaying positive energy around you. I know sometimes that may be hard, but when you are displaying positive energy, your days will become better.
Make time to take care of your mind: Don’t overdo it! Take a break when necessary.
Take deep breaths throughout the day: Sometimes we all have to pause, close our eyes and take some deep breaths for relaxation.
“Learn to care for yourself because no one else will?”
As a spirit’s enthusiast, with over 10 years’ experience, collectively, working in the service industry and “behind the bar,” Tyemerica has successfully executed spirits promotions, helping to launch various spirit brand activations for Ciroc,Crown Royal, Hypnotic,Fireball,BelAire, Jose Cuervo, Titos, Seagrams, Bacardi (and many more). Frequenting large scale events such as Black Bike Week and CIAA, this provided her with the exposure and the ability to personally secure business working as a bottle girl and bartending with various party promoters in South Carolina and North Carolina. In addition, she landed the opportunity to work as a brand ambassador/ model/ bartender for the former SC Ciroc Fam, where she trained under the leadership of Charleston, SC’s Nightlife guru “Twenty.” She executed activations for high celebrity profile concerts, club appearances, booking events; college tailgating and homecoming parties by helping to create brand awareness and educating consumers for Ciroc Ultra-Premium Vodka. This eventually landed her a lead spirits promotional model position with a national agency, MKTG, Inc. and head bartender position with High Star Entertainment, based out of Charleston, SC. She has also been featured on the former Media and Arts, hosted by H-Dub, on-air personality for a top urban radio station in Columbia, SC. During the segment she discussed her love for the service industry, “modeling,” and the adult cocktail industry. This gave her visibility in the southeast region of the nation.
When not bartending or executing spirits promotions, she is juggling parenthood as a mother of 2, volunteering as the Operations Coordinator of the “Purple Stilettos” Women’s Empowerment Group, and creating content to grow her mobile bartending school and cocktail business “Kocktail Kulture.”
Patrice: What motivated/inspired you to start a business?
Tyemerica: The love and passion I develop for the hospitality industry and the need to support my family by legitimate means. It began in 2013 when I had little experience, I was given a shot at being a spirit’s promotional model and it took off from there. I’m not getting any younger. Sometimes the industry is vain, so I needed a backup plan for when my looks fade, lol. And of course the money!
Patrice: What makes you a pretty woman that hustles?
Tyemerica: My passion and drive to succeed; to make it to the top and bring others with me.
Patrice: What is the name of your business(es) and what are they all about?
Tyemerica: Kocktail Kulture is a mobile bartending school that travels throughout the state of South Carolina instructing individuals in the fundamentals of bartending; a beginners bartending class.
Patrice: Have you faced any challenges in your business?
Tyemerica: Yes, anyone who tells you they don’t face challenges in running a business is lying, lol. From having enough people in class or staffing for a party to not having enough funds for supplies like alcohol which is needed for class, you’re bound to run into challenges. I overcame them by praying for guidence and taking a step back from the challenge to approach it another day, so I can have a clear head to think it out.
Patrice: What projects are you currently working on?
Tyemerica: My plans are to partner with various venues/ locations to offer staffing and job placement for bartenders, shot girls, bottle girls, and spirits promotional models. In addition to other classes within the industry.
Patrice: How do you face diversity as a woman entrepreneur?
Tyemerica: Diversity is extremely hard, especially here in the south. I face it by remembering who I’m doing this for, by remembering who my audience and target demographic is and why I’m doing this. Also, when first starting out in this industry, people never wanted to help or give you their info. So I wanted to be that person who gave people direction and info to get started and to help them grow in the hospitality industry as a bartender.
Patrice: Is balancing your personal life, work life and business life difficult for you at times?
Tyemerica: Balancing is extremely difficult…work and business life. Other than taking care of family, I leave the personal life out of it because I’m a Capricorn and we’re all about our business and coins, lol, no time for personal lives 😉
Patrice: What does being an entrepreneur or business owner mean to you?
Tyemerica: It means having the freedom to work on your terms and work in your purpose and passion—when I want, how I want, and where I want. I quit a full-time job I use to have because I was tired of clocking in and out, day-to-day NOT doing what I love, waking up every day knowing I had to deal with a rude client, an incompetent boss, and not being trained on procedures but expected to produce outstanding work…you grow tired of chaos.
Debut author Kimberly Gowdy tackles the topic of surrogacy and infertility head-on. In The Colorless Womb, Gowdy talks about her struggles to conceive and carry a child. She discusses complications of three miscarriages and being trapped in an abusive marriage with her former spouse who valued his drug addiction more than his wife. The book follows her journey in search of alternative ways to have a family and how her faith kept her strong even in the darkest of days. After seven failed surrogacy attempts with two embryos left, the biggest surprise comes in an unexpected package.
Gowdy’s openness to share her truth is refreshing and brings the reader along for an emotional ride sprinkled with humor, pain, encouragement, faith, and transparency. She proves that help in any form can come in unseen ways and in people. “Since this is a true story, it was just a matter of telling my truth. The Colorless Womb shows that even with the racial tensions in our country, love is above racism. The person on the inside matters more than what is on the outside,” Gowdy says.
Patrice: Who is Kimberly Gowdy?
Kimberly: Kimberly is the eldest of eight children. A woman who previously lived a life under the secret of domestic abuse, the shame of enabling drug addiction, and a believer that she would never carry the title of mom, who’s now living her best life as a business professional, wife of a doctor and mother to a son.
Patrice: What makes you a pretty woman who hustles?
Kimberly: I’m a woman who has looked down the barrel of life’s darkest days and still decided I wanted more. I’m a woman who knows struggle, pain, and disappointment, but I also knew how to use it for my good. We can be blessed even by the mistakes we make. It all works together for your good.
Patrice: What is the name of your book, and what is it about?
Kimberly:“The Colorless Womb. “The Colorless Womb” is about the most painful part of my life. It’s about loss, brokenness, and the journey it took for me to become a mother. I’ve always believed that I would someday wear that title, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but sometimes God saves us from ourselves. The timing, the person, even the place may not be right. This book is a testament that our blessings may not always be recognizable.
Patrice: Did you face any challenges in your journey when writing your book?
Kimberly: I faced some challenges. The first was a matter of time. When I thought about writing, my son was two years old. My husband and I were also caregivers to my 90-year-old father-in-law. Having a child and a senior citizen in the house, we were going from the pediatrician for my son to the geriatric ward for my father-in-law all in the same week. I was a wife, mother and working full time outside the home. Between that challenge and not believing enough in my writing skills, it was difficult. But obviously, I overcame those barriers.
Patrice: What does a pretty woman who hustles mean to you?
Kimberly: A woman who is about her business. A woman who drowns out the negativity that she hears and sees on television and social media. A woman who believes that if I don’t believe in me, no one else will.
Patrice: Are you working on any current projects right now?
Kimberly: I am working on writing my second book. I’ll just say it’s more political. I’m also working on developing MOBY™. Mommy Older Baby Younger. It’s a name I trademarked to represent women who became mothers at or over 35. There are many of us. Not just actresses but everyday women. Women who may have married someone with children, surrogacy, adoption, or the good old-fashioned way. But we are to be celebrated because we didn’t focus on society’s timeline.
Patrice: How do you face diversity as a woman author?
Kimberly: I’m new to this industry, but I will say the books that I plan to write will reach a wide audience. Growing up in Connecticut, in a very diverse community, my experiences dictate that I will be cast a wide net in terms of those who will appreciate my stories.
Patrice: Is balancing your personal life, work, and business life difficult for you at times?
Kimberly: It can be difficult at times. I work hard, both in my profession and now as an Author. Most women are guilty of doing way too much to please others, it’s just what we do. When it gets too overwhelming, I step back, pray, and then imagine life without those around me who need me, and that usually takes me out of my pity party, that and a glass of Cabernet.
Patrice: What does being an entrepreneur mean to you?
Kimberly: It means leaving a legacy. It means knowing that when I leave this earth, there will be something with my name on it. I can say “Google me,” and you’ll see more than just my previous address history; you’ll see hard work, dedication, and commitment to my dreams.
Patrice: What do you want the readers to take away from your book?
Kimberly: That with race relations at an all-time low, we are more alike than different. And that one of life’s greatest blessings may come in an unsuspecting package.
I believe pretty is not about the outer appearance, but instead what is deep within you~ Feleshia Sams
Feleshia was considered the “go-to-girl” for make-up in college. Now she is the CEO of the Atlanta-based Academy of Advanced cosmetics (AAC,) a cosmetic training academy and hub for beauty technicians and artists. Feleshia is also the CEO of Coz Tat, a mobile app created with cosmetic artists and consumers in mind and 365 Greens, a holistic brand that boasts a green superfood powder that has proven to strengthen weakened immune systems and energy.
Patrice: What motivated/inspired you to start a business?
Feleshia: From the age of 5 I was saying that I told myself that I wanted to be the boss. At that time I had no idea of what I was going to do all I knew was that I wanted to run my own business. Growing up as an only child with only my mom and I. I saw how she was able to build her own business and that inspired me to want to do the same one day.
Patrice: What makes you a pretty woman that hustle?
Feleshia: I believe pretty is not about the outer appearance but instead what is deep within you. You can have a pretty face, body, and gorgeous hair but a ugly heart. Physical appearances fade and who we truly are resides within us forever. Being pretty is what do we do for our families, communities, those around us. How we live, work, and give back. Its my mission to be that “pretty” example for both my children and those that may look up to me and want to do what I’m doing today.
Patrice: What is the name of your business(es) and what does it intel?
Feleshia: I have 3 businesses. 2 are cosmetic related and 1 is health and nutrition.
Academy of Advanced Cosmetics is a cosmetic training academy that trains, mentors, supplies our very own cosmetic tattoo products to students in the industry.
CozTat is my app that connects cosmetic tattoo artist and clients together. We provide a complete business system for our artist to manage their calendars, take payments, send electronic consent forms, and showcase their work. The app is free to clients where they can check out reviews, artist pictures, check certification / licensing credentials, schedule, and pay all within the app.
365 Greens is my green superfood powder. This is a superfood powder that is a daily powder that can be mixed in water or your favorite drink to provide you all the multi vitamins and nutrients you need. It’s simple to mix and taste really good unlike most powders on the market.
Patrice: Have you faced any challenges in your business?
Feleshia: Being in business has a lot of ups and downs. Some recent challenges that I had to face was finding the right contractors and support for some of my businesses. For example, when I see that someone or company is not providing me what I need I have learned to move on, but before I do I always have a backup. When I initially started my app I started with one developer and then found that I was not getting what I wanted. As a result, I left and moved on the next. Yes, it was costly but in the long run I feel as though it was going to save me a lot in the long run. The same with my superfoods brand. Having my own vision of what I want and what others say they can do can sometimes cause you to redirect your vision to what they can do. So just as with the app I found myself moving to another manufacture that was able to give me exactly what I was looking for. Bottom line I have to trust my gut and stick to my guns and know that this is my vision. Sometimes others can’t see it and that’s okay but I know at the end of the day if I’m paying I need to get what I’m paying for.
Patrice: Are you currently working on any current projects right now?
Feleshia: I have a new project coming out that is an online business course. It’s called PMU Resources make 6 figures while working 3 days a week or less. This is through my Academy and will be available to all permanent makeup artist. I wanted to layout the blue print on how I did this my first year in and how they can do this to. Also, I am coming out with a green superfood for kids in May 2021. This is through 365 Greens and will be specifically for kids.
Patrice: How do you face diversity as a woman/man entrepreneur/author?
Feleshia: I would say while developing my app it was sometimes a challenge. Being that the tech field is so male dominant. Also, I was creating something as a woman for mainly women and they knew nothing about it. It was huge challenge. In the development phase we would have weekly conference calls and it would be all these men and then me. I knew from the first meeting that if I wanted my app to be a certain way I was going to have to drive my point across and let them know that yes this woman has voice. Despite the fact I was spending my money I always felt that I had to defend my view on why I didn’t like their ideas. This was part of why I switched developers. I’m still with a bunch of guys but I find this new group is way more respectful and inclusive.
Patrice: Is balancing your personal life, work life and business life difficult for you at times?
Feleshia: Yes, yes, and yes! Lately it has been a lot but I feel that once I get through these next few months I’ll be able to get more balance. I consider myself to be an extremely organized person so this helps tremendously along with a terrific staff.
Patrice: Do you have any new projects or events coming up?
Feleshia: At the Academy we use to do an annual PMU and Micro blading event. Due to COVID-19 we delayed it so the plan is to do it again March 2022.
Patrice: What does being an entrepreneur or business owner mean to you?
Feleshia: Being an entrepreneur means that I have no limits on what I can do in my career. As an entrepreneur there’s no glass ceilings and no climbing that corporate ladder. This is so rewarding to me and I am so blessed to be where I am today. It’s hard-work but I wouldn’t trade it for any 9-5.
A natural-born optimist, registered nurse, and practitioner, Keisha Brown has always believed that positive energy makes you feel healthier, happier, and more empowered. With over 5 years of experience at the helm, Keisha is an ER travel nurse who specializes in Pediatric and Adult Emergency Medicine. Her love for helping others was initiated at a young age and, over the years, has revolutionized that experience by infusing comprehensive wellness methods for clients all over the country. This carefulness has continued throughout her career, especially when serving as a frontline nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having learned the intricacies of patient testing, Keisha went on to serve as a primary wellness practitioner at Tyler Perry Studios and Warner Brothers, in an effort to enforce safe filming practices for talent and staff. The founder of D.O.P.E Healing, a concierge IV therapy and wellness clinic, Keisha specializes in helping clients unlock the healing power of holistic health.
“Never underestimate my potential, I’ve been essential,” ~Keisha Brown
Patrice: What motivated/inspired you to start a business?
Keisha: To give back to my community. Weather it was by providing nursing services, different resources or being able to create jobs. Instead of hosting or participating in conversation about wanting change. I decided to start by being the change that I wanted to see in this world. 2020, was a dark year for the myself and the world. After coming off the frontlines and experiencing depression, I had to find a way to get back to my safe place of happiness. I do that by helping others. I got tired of wrestling with the thoughts of choosing money and politics over morals. I knew my community needed help. I witnessed the world loosing trust in HealthCare. And they had good reasons to feel the way they did. I wanted to help bridge the gap and gain the public’s trust again. But we have to work together and have empathy for one another. Once I found other ways of keeping people safe and alive, then I choose to take that route. So that meant me leaving the bedside and getting back into my community. My focus was to keep people of out the hospital, especially if it wasn’t urgent or emergent. So in my mind I’m helping my fellow colleagues and the community at the same time. I also wanted to do something special with my daughter, usually men work on cars or build houses with their son. So I decided to build a brand and create a legacy with my daughter. This is me braking generational curses.
Patrice: What makes you a pretty woman/man that hustle?
Keisha: I’m a beautiful woman driven by the success that is reflected towards my passion for what I love to do. I enjoy what I do, helping a patient, putting a smile on a face, healing, helping, being a gift to others. Being of service. My journey has not been short or easy, however it was worth the travel, the experience and the lessons along the way. Along this road, I’ve lost people close and dear to me and I learned their impact carries in me. During the dark times that will come, I may bend, but I won’t break.
” Never underestimate my potential. I’ve been essential” Keisha Brown
Patrice: What is the name of your business and what does it intel?
Keisha: D.O.P.E. HEALING. D.O.P.E. stands for Delivering Only Positive Energy. We offer concierge nursing services, IV Hydration, Vitamin Injections, Rapid Co-VID testing, FIT testing, lab draws, urine drug and STD screening, CBD products and more.
“Energy is everything. Where the mind goes the body follow.” Keisha Brown, BSN,RN
Patrice: Have you faced any challenges in your business?
Keisha: Absolutely! I allowed loyalty to keep me in places that common sense would have taken me out of. Once I understood my purpose was greater than anyone’s opinion of me, I was ok with leaving people and opinions where I found them. Developing a business automatically comes with trials and failures because of the people you have to learn and adapt to (photographers, web designers, lawyers, etc.) Learning to mind the business that pays me, saved me from losing a lot of things like my mind, money and time. I have to protect my energy and peace at all costs. The energy that you have is the energy you put out. protect yourself the way others won’t.
Patrice: Are you currently working on any current projects right now?
Keisha: Yes. I’m working on starting non -profit organization. I’m planning an event on Mother’s Day in honor of my later mother Paula Nixon, who passed away unexpectedly January 16, 2021. My mother had a larger- than- life personality and a heart that loved without limits. This will be my 1st Mother’s Day without her, undoubtedly the hardest one so I want to put my heart into the world and make someone else smile. Over the summer D.O.P.E. Healing will be partnering with business owners, community leaders and sponsors for community health based events (Covid-19 testing, vaccine distribution, etc.) pending the events can be conducted primarily in regards to public safety.
You can find these announcements and/or updates on my website http://www.dopehealingatl.com, IG page: d.o.p.e.healing, Facebook: D.O.P.E. Healing.
Patrice: How do you face diversity as a woman/man entrepreneur/author?
Keisha: Day by day with a strong team in support. What is expected in any business is that there will be trials and tribulations. That is a guarantee. However how you choose to respond is what will define you as a person and will reflect in the strength for your business. Losses are inevitable but the perseverance is detrimental to success. Foundation to your motive of your business is also pertinent to success. Money is a side result of the service or product you provide. For that reason, stay grounded in your belief and your motive will exude and produce results.
Patrice: Is balancing your personal life, work life and business life difficult for you at times?
Keisha: Absolutely. I’m a wife, mother and CEO. For a while I felt as though I could only depend on myself to complete a task. Developing the right team to complete assignments was a challenge. Needless to say, I had trust issues, it was extremely stressful in itself. Because delegation and prioritization is a must to help cultivate a healthy balance to prevent yourself from burning out. So I had to learn how to trust, but verify. It’s still a work in progress.
For that reason, commitment to your business is imperative. If you don’t believe in it with consistency and passion, who will. One thing that I’ve learned and continue to work on, is separating my personal life from my business. But making sure I take care of things in my personal life first, so it does not show up in my business. Separate your titles, you are not your job, your job is what you do. you are not where you work but when you work is a reflection of you.
Patrice: Do you have any new projects or events coming up?
Keisha: I have several community events that I’m lining up for the Summer time. These events are contingent based and will only take place if it can be conducted safely. You can find these announcements and/or updates on my website http://www.dopehealingatl.com or on my IG page: d.o.p.e.healing
Patrice: What does being an entrepreneur or business owner mean to you?
Keisha: As an entrepreneur I am independent. I am responsible for a service and a production. As a business owner I have the capability to impact lives and provide jobs that are needed in my community. I provide an example to those who see me and see past their circumstance. It’s not about the destination. It’s the journey for me. Being the change.
I AM a woman who has a soft touch, but also one whose presence is felt.
Hi, I’m Wolf Cub Chlo and the 6 -year old author of “Once “a pun” a Time. I never thought I would be an author or even write a book; but, when the world changed, everything changed. People were getting sick, couldn’t go on vacation or see family and friends like they used to and were so sad and bored from being home all the time, I knew I needed to find a way to make people smile again. I couldn’t stop people from being sick, but I could help with their sadness. So, I found a way to use my brain to make people smile – creating silly jokes. But, I wanted this book to be different; I didn’t want it to have an ending. Don’t you hate when you buy something and have to toss it after one use, like a disposable mask? I wanted the book to have enough value to be read and re-read again and again. So, part one consists of my silly jokes and in part two, my secret joke formula is revealed. Wouldn’t you like the keys to unlock the smiles of others? Well, all will be revealed in part two. So you can practice these tips on others over and over again.
Tired of being bored? Tired of being sad? Looking for a new refreshing book to read? Well, here is a jumpstart to a new beginning. We can all get through this together. Helping re-shape the world one smile at a time.
Patrice: What inspired you or motivated you to become an author?
Wolf Cub Chlo: What inspired me was really seeing everyone so sick and sad. I knew I couldn’t stop people from being sick but wanted to find a way to use my brain to make more people smile. So, I started finding funny ways to tell jokes. I started with my mom and dad and then practiced telling everyone I talked to. So, I asked my mom how could I share jokes with more people so they could smile too. She said I could write them down and it hit me “I want to write a book! This way I could share my book with the world!”
Patrice: How many book (s) have you written?
Wolf Cub Chlo: I have one book out right now “Once “a pun” a Time” and I just finished two more books that my mom is helping to format.
Patrice: If you could co-author with any author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Wolf Cub Chlo: Hmmmm…that is a tough question. There are so many authors I love but I would have to say Kelly Starling Lyons. I just read her book about Jada and the sleepover scientist and lovvvved it. Definitely put a smile on my face because I also love Science experiments and the characters look just like me.
Patrice: Since becoming an author, have you faced any challenges?
Wolf Cub Chlo: My challenge is just finding more ways to get my book out so I can keep making people smile. I want to keep writing books forever. But, my mom told me don’t look at it as a bad challenge but a way we can keep learning in order to reach my goal.
Patrice: What does being an author mean to you?
Wolf Cub Chlo: It means a lot to me. Means that I was able to use my brain to help as many people as possible. Using my own words and own jokes and ideas to help bring smiles instead of sadness. I love it.
Patrice: Tell us about your marketing strategies as an author.
Wolf Cub Chlo: My handles everything. She built my website and my Instagram and tries to email and contact as many people as she can to spread the word.
Patrice: Are you currently working on any new book project (s) at the present moment?
Wolf Cub Chlo: YES! My second book is part two of my joke book. My third book is a completely different. A book that will still make kids smile but it will have characters of kids that look like me and other kids that look like me. It will also have pictures of kids we do not see often in books at all. I’m so excited to share it when it is finally done.
Connect with Wolf Cub Chlo:
Instagram: @wolfcubchlo_fans
Tik Tok: @wolfcubchlo
Youtube: @wolfcubchlo
Twitter: @wolfcubchlo
Website: wolfcubchlo.fans
What inspired me was really seeing everyone so sick and sad. I knew I couldn’t stop people from being sick but wanted to find a way to use my brain to make more people smile. So, I started finding funny ways to tell jokes. I started with my mom and dad and then practiced telling everyone I talked to.
PRETTY WOMEN HUSTLE ONLINE 