Cindy Seip, Director of Book Design
Born with a crayon in one hand and a camera in the other, Cindy Seip has never ventured far from her creative instincts. Through the years, her creative side took hairpin turns but always finished with a checkered flag.
As an “A+” student in art, it was her 12th-grade art teacher, Mr. Popovitch, that set her on a professional course in design, introducing her to the Ft. Lauderdale Art Institute. There, she would earn her degree in Advertising Design.
She began her career at the Miami Herald Tropic Magazine and later started her own design + underwater portrait photography business.
Over the years, Seip has amassed an impressive client list with some high-profile names like Sony, Nasdaq, Ericsson, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AvMed, Miami International Book Fair, Breakthrough Miami, and many more. Her accolades reflect her keen eye for design.
Seip resides in sunny Miami with her husband, Miami Herald Photojournalist, Al Diaz, two great kids, and a cute Wheaten Terrier named Amanda Bubbles.
By Hope Katz Gibbs
The Costco Connection
September 2011
Love. Loss. Survivorship. These are the themes that are at the heart of the 18 novels, eight young adult books and three books of short fiction that the prolific Alice Hoffman has crafted since the beginning of her career in 1973.
Her novel, Here on Earth, was an Oprah Book Club choice in 1998. That same year, her book, Practical Magic, was made into a Warner Brothers film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Her young adult novel, Aquamarine, made it to the silver screen in 2006, starring teen queens Joanna “JoJo” Levesque, Emma Roberts and Sara Paxton.
Hoffman says that while it’s thrilling to watch her books make a splash in theaters, her goal is to understand life’s biggest questions. Her novel, At Risk, for instance, concerns a family dealing with AIDS, and can be found on the reading lists of many universities, colleges and secondary schools.
“I have a deep desire to find the answers to questions about love, death, and how to cope with disappointment,” the 50something writer tells The Connection from her home outside of Boston. “I work to find those answers through writing, because it’s not really something you can do in every day life.”
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WEBSITE — Inkandescent Networking
Click image for larger view Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Website design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
About Inkandescent Networking
Are You Ready to Start Networking in 7 East Coast Cities?
At Inkandescent Networking, our goal is to help your business grow by connecting you to potential customers, strategic partners, and employees / employers through networking events and online introductions.
That’s why we developed this incredible website, which is packed with lists of networking events in 7 east coast cities, and profiles the organizations that host them—and the professionals that you want to meet.
Affordable, fun, and effective. Those are the qualities entrepreneurs embrace.
That’s why posting a 250-word profile is free!* And for $2 a day or less, you can get even more visibility for yourself and your business. Below you’ll find seven ways to join us. Plus, we’ll give you a free gift.
Click here to get started!
August 19, 2011, Inc. Magazine — “An old joke among human resources professionals is that employee reviews are like fruitcakes. They come once a year whether you want them to or not,” writes Inc. Magazine reporter Elizabeth Sile in her article, It’s August. Time for Employee Reviews?
Because these reviews remain necessary evils, Shile turned to Sharon Armstrong, author of The Essential Performance Review Handbook, for advice.
Armstrong said, “It is crucial to gather as many specific examples of good and bad behavior as possible and collect objective information on employee performance. This shouldn’t be done right before a performance appraisal meeting; rather, achievements and slip-ups must be tracked throughout the year.”
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“The Licks. The Life,” by Arlington musicians David Martell and Jamie Troutman is the first from this Arlington band, and can be heard here. Don’t miss their performance on Sept. 18.
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Guitar is a way of life for Logan Spicer, an Arlingtonian who grew up playing his way through school. As a college student, he and his mate, bass player Alex Cortes, charm and delight crowds with their rock covers and original music. We look forward to hearing them play on Sunday, Sept. 18.
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August 15, 2011, Washington DC — Career transition coach Mimi Darmstadter knows the statistics. Since December 2007, 8.8 million people have lost their jobs, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor.
While devising a plan for an alternative “safety net” career is easier said than done, she told Washington Post Express reporter Nevin Martell this week that you can take steps now to find the perfect next career—even if you haven’t lost your job.
“Soul-searching is hard,” Darmstadter says. “I force people to ask themselves the tough questions: ‘What do I want to be when I grow up?’ ‘What’s important to me?’ ‘What are the implications for other people?’”
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August 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — I have never met a bride who couldn’t describe, in detail, her dream wedding. Whether it’s a big church wedding, an intimate hometown affair, a lavish estate gala, a vineyard reception, or just a quiet ceremony for two on the beach—the bride just knows.
For couples hailing from the Washington, DC, area, there is another enchanting option—a wedding at one of the national memorials.
And really, what better place to celebrate than at one of the area’s quintessential landmarks?
Applying for a wedding ceremony on the National Mall is easier than you might think. And though the list of “cannots” may be twice as long as the “cans” … we think the simple elegance of the location is well worth the effort.
There are several items to consider before choosing a national memorial or park as your ceremony location.
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August 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — What have you done to your website to capture, captivate, and beguile your target visitors so they stay on your site longer and read more of your Web pages? Here are six search-engine-optimization (SEO) tips to boost your site’s charm for deeper visits from your target audience.
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August 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — “We’re not going to be at a competitive advantage here [in the United States] unless we provide the appropriate skills, tools, and training,” noted Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis at a recent policy summit in Washington, DC, that addressed our changing workforce dynamics.
Among the topics discussed and frequently repeated by a very diverse panel of leaders in government, business, education, and at think tanks was the mismatch between our educational system and future job skills, with the missing component being a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills.
Check out the Power of STEM.
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June 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — At last, soccer players and fans can take a deep breath. The suspense of the Women’s World Cup in Germany is over, and although our country cannot celebrate a first-place victory, we can bask in the glory of what was one of the greatest tournaments in any sport.
The game got an 8.6 rating on ESPN, which is the highest rating for any World Cup game—for men or women. (For a little perspective, consider that last year’s World Series between the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants got an overnight rating of 8.4.)
Even more spectacular, the World Cup final broke the Twitter record for tweets-per-second (7,196/sec).
Who would ever have guessed that in 2011, we’d finally see this kind of following for a women’s sport?
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August 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — You have heard the adage, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Well, I believe the reverse is also true: You will see it when you believe it.
If that sounds like an unrealistic fantasy, consider this. Researchers tell us that we have approximately 60,000 thoughts a day—and 90 percent of them were the same thoughts we had yesterday. Why? Because our brains love repetition.
The down side is that this process carves deep pathways in our brains, which ensure that we recreate our future from our past. The reason, psychologists tell us, is that each thought is attached to an emotion. And each emotion spurs us to action. The actions we take create our destiny.
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August 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — The other day I was coaching one of my clients, who said to me, “It’s ridiculous that I actually get paid to do my job. I just love what I do. I feel so blessed.”
What a wonderful thing to say, especially given that so many people feel underpaid for the work they do. But my client was talking about having tapped into something that is so important to being happy in our work and home lives.
When I asked exactly what it was that made him feel so enchanted by his job, he said it was because succeeding at work came easy to him. “I feel like I am doing what I was born to do.”
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Don’t miss this Board of Trade Speaker Series featuring Tom Gardner, Co-Founder, The Motley Fool and LouAnn Lofton, Author, “Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl, and Why You Should Too.”
When: Friday, July 8, 2011
8:00 am Registration and Networking
8:30 – 10:15 am Program and Book Signing
Where: Key Bridge Marriott, Arlington VA, Capital View Ballroom
Register Now: $75 Members / $100 Non-Members
What will you learn? Warren Buffett and all of the women of the world have one thing in common: They are better investors than the average man, a fact proven by psychologists, scientists, and the value of their portfolios. While men tend to be too confident, compulsive, and overly daring, women tend to be more studious, skeptical, and reasonable — traits that have led them to consistently outperform their male counterparts as investors.
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July 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — I’m embarrassed to admit that early in my career, I fell prey to repeating one of the ultimate cop-outs: “We are doing this event this way because this is the way things have always been done.”
Chalk it up to any number of reasons: lack of time or energy to offer a broader explanation, lack of interest in truly delving into the issue, or, simply, having heard the same response myself when I had asked, Why?
The reality is that a decade ago, when the economy was humming along, and business seemed to come easy, this status-quo approach was acceptable.
But it doesn’t work today. Organizations, nonprofits, and associations alike must constantly strive to adjust and grow to meet the needs of their constituents to remain relevant, interesting—and in business.
So step outside your comfort zone, and take some risks.
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July 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — While thinking big is a great concept for most sectors, the zeal for government spending has led to big deficits and outrageous debt. At the personal level, the quest for an ever-bigger house, helped out by big banks eager to provide loans, led to often-unaffordable mortgage payments for homeowners nationwide.
There is enough blame to go around regarding indulgence, but regardless of your political affiliation (I’m a liberal Republican turned Independent), I think you’ll agree that the pain from big foreclosures, big unemployment numbers, and big health insurance costs is felt most deeply at the local level.
So, what is the solution?
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July 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — Ever notice that as the temperatures rise during the summer, temperaments heat up, too?
That’s because during the summer, the sun’s rays hit the Earth at a steep angle. The light does not spread out as much, thus increasing the amount of energy hitting any given spot. Also, the long daylight hours allow the Earth plenty of time to reach warm temperatures. This change causes an increase in the what we call in Ayurveda, the fire element—one of five natural elements that impact our body’s health and well-being. Source: www.loc.gov
And that’s why during July, and especially in August, we tend to feel more intense, impassioned, excited—and perhaps a bit impatient, irritable, and hotheaded.
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July 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — You aspire for positive changes in your business and personal life. You’re thinking big and looking forward to achieving your aspirations with great excitement. In spite of that, at some point, too many of us give up on our dreams. Why?
The harsh truth is that although our conscious mind wants great things for us, we have a terrible troll—our subconscious—that does not.
In fact, this troll hates change of any type. Focused on self-preservation, it basks in the status quo and above all cannot tolerate one thing: fear.
*Where is your conscious mind in this process?
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“When leaders are looking to fill a staff vacancy, I suggest they start by creating an organizational staffing or resource plan,” says Alice Waagen, president and founder of the Washington, D.C.-based management training firm Workforce Learning. Think of it as a shopping list, not a wish list, created to fill specific needs for specific purposes, based on an actual inventory, not an ideal.
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June 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — Tell people you are about to head to a week-long “conference,” and you’ll likely get compassionate condolences.
We have all put in our time in dark, dated ballrooms listening to speakers and panelists talk at us — or worse, read verbatim from PowerPoint slides.
While being lifelong learners is critical to our growth as business owners, a lust for learning simply isn’t enough to keep the attention of most guests for extended periods of time.
That’s why event planners and C-level execs are getting creative and adding fun into their conference. Increasingly, the customer experience is driving events, and that’s a win-win situation for everyone.
To add some spice to your next conference, here are a few suggestions to consider:
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JUNE 2011 ENTREPRENEURS OF THE MONTH:
DAVE AND SAM BARRY
We’ve heard it before: Laughter is the best medicine. Funny brothers Dave and Sam Barry share some thoughts on why humor is mission-critical in their lives.
Odds are good that if you have been awake for some of the past 20 years, you know Dave Barry. The humor columnist (pictured right) has been syndicated in more than 500 newspapers in the United States and abroad. In 1988, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, and his book, “Dave Barry Turns 40,” became the basis for a TV show that ran for four seasons on CBS.
Dave has also written dozens of fiction and nonfiction books, two of which were used as the basis for the CBS TV sitcom “Dave’s World,” in which Harry Anderson played Dave. He also plays in a band with other famous authors — including Stephen King, Amy Tan, Ridley Pearson and Mitch Albom — called The Rock Bottom Remainders. For more information, visit Dave’s blog.
What you may not know is that Dave has a very funny brother named Sam. When he isn’t working as a marketing manager for HarperOne, a division of HarperCollins, Sam writes books — including “How to Play the Harmonica: and Other Life Lessons.” And, with his wife and literary provocateur Kathi Kamen Goldmark, he co-authored, Write That Book Already!
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June 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — “Ever since I was 6 years old, I knew I wanted to be a professional soccer player,” writes Joanna Lohman. “No, the profession didn’t yet exist. And yes, all of my teachers laughed at me. But I just knew.”
The good news is that after two decades spent playing on traveling teams, middle and high school soccer leagues, and as a college player, her dreams have come true. Lohman is a professional soccer player for the Philadelphia Independence of the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league.
What is her life like as a professional soccer player?
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June 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — You can have a ball playing with your food,* especially when it come to whipping up body care products. More than simple cleansers, herbal blends have been used for thousands of years in the field of Ayurveda to balance the body and the mind, prevent disease, and address health concerns.
What is Ayurveda? As I have noted in earlier Healthy Living columns for Be Inkandescent magazine, Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that translates as “The Science of Living.”
It is the world’s oldest holistic health care system, dating back more than 5,000 years. The primary focus of Ayurveda is the maintenance of health, the prevention of disease, and aligning the body and mind with the rhythms of nature.
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Catherine Thombs, summer intern 2011
In the summer of 2011, Catherine Thombs successfully completed the Inkandescent Group’s eight-week summer intern program. In addition to being our lead researcher on InkandescentNetworking, which we launched in August 2011, she helped to manage and maintain the website’s complex database.
With the goal of pursuing a career in the communications field, Thombs earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, before studying for a Master of Arts in English and Publishing from Rosemont College in Pennsylvania.
May 25, 2011, Northern Virginia magazine — In her article, Dodd-Frank—Congress takes a closer look at how money men work with you, reporter Amanda Millward writes:
After the demise of the financial sector—stock market crash, Enron and Worldcom scandals, housing market collapse, Madoff Ponzi Scheme, ETC.—it’s no wonder that the public is skeptical about entrusting their money to industry representatives. Many don’t understand the different roles financial professionals can play, or the amount of education they should have. It’s important for consumers to know as much as possible about their financial planners and how they work. And while the average person does a bit of homework, congress is working to ensure anyone who dubs him/herself as a financial pro is putting the consumers’ best interests first.
They were watched, but were they watched close enough? She asked financial planner Bryan Beatty to weigh in.
Beatty said: “They haven’t done any real work on the regulations to sort of control any behavior to [the] client adviser since the 1940 Act. [The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act] is going to change the industry.”
That’s not all! Click here to read the entire article.
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May 3, 2011, Philadelphia Inquirer — To determine whether management is for you, ask yourself three questions about your current position, says Dr. Alice Waagen: How much do you love what you do? Can you be happy not doing it? Can you stand watching people do it less capably?
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May 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — Soul singer, actress, and author Sheila Ferguson once said, “Soul food is just what the name implies. It is soulfully cooked food that is good for your ever-loving soul.”
That definition has stayed with me as a reminder as to why soul food is so good for us. Given the continued downturn in the economy, rising gas prices, and the speed at which life seems to whirl around us — more of us are reaching for comforting soul food as a way to soothe our ever-loving selves.
Unfortunately, much traditionally prepared “Southern fare with flare” is often served up as big plates of fried chicken, and biscuits dripping with honey. While these dishes are undeniably delicious, they were initially used to help sustain captive workers in slavery-era America.
Given their grueling workload, they metabolized the food as fuel. Today, however, all of that starch, fat, sodium, cholesterol, and calories accumulates in the body, resulting in some of our most common diseases — high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack.
The good news is that you can have your cake, and eat it, too.
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WEBSITE — Edinger Associates
Click image for larger view Writing by Hope Katz Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
About Edinger Associates
Edinger Associates is a boutique business and finance law and consulting firm based in Washington, DC, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, exchanges, joint ventures, capital formation, restructuring, and communications, regulatory, and licensing matters. Its core expertise is in assisting enterprises, lenders, and investors to identify, arrange, negotiate, and close deals.
“We solve problems and find paths to achieve our clients’ objectives by applying principles of creativity, responsiveness, collaboration, and efficiency,” explains founder Brook Edinger. “We pride ourselves on understanding our clients’ business needs on every transaction and in every matter.”
Clients of Edinger Associates range in size from global multinationals to start-ups and individuals. Their approach has proven successful in hundreds of deals involving billions of dollars of assets in the United States, Latin America, Turkey, Southern Europe, and Central Asia.
April 2011, Yelp.com — In an effort to work more closely with their patients, Simplicity Urgent Care founders, Drs. John John and John Maguire, posted a new video to their homepage on Yelp.com.
“We strive to keep things simple, and there’s no better way to do that than to make it easy for our patients to share their thoughts about the work we’re doing on the powerful social media website, Yelp.com,” says Dr. Jones.
Dr. Maguire adds: “In this video, we were able to tell our story in words and video images, and I think that’s very helpful to people who may not have had the opportunity to use our services. We simply want people to know that if they need us, we’re here.”
Click here to view the new video: www.yelp.com/biz/simplicity-urgent-care-arlington.
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April 2011, Ask Men magazine — “If you’re not motivated to get in shape, consider this: Fit men get hotter girls, earn more money and outshine their coworkers,” writes reporter James Fell in this month’s issue of Men’s Health.
“It’s not all about being pretty when it comes to making money off getting in shape; you can save cash just from being healthy,” he notes, and for evidence interviewed Scott Golden of Golden & Cohen LLC, about how healthier people save money on life, health and disability insurance. He told me that when it comes to life insurance, a really healthy guy with a good family history can garner the “super preferred” rate, which translated from insurance-speak means, “Sure, we’ll take your money because we don’t think you’re going to die any time soon.”
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By Hope Katz Gibbs
founder and president
Inkandescent Public Relations
Screenwriter Leo Rosten once said, “I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.”
That thoughtful philosophy has long guided my life. It is also a core belief for my PR firm, Inkandescent Public Relations. I tell my clients, most of whom are entrepreneurs: “If we are going to write something, it must matter to the reader.”
That is especially true when it comes to writing content for websites. Here’s why—and how.
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April 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — Microsoft rules. I am telling you the truth, because I had the opportunity to witness firsthand one of Microsoft’s launches where they pitched several new product lines to the media.
At the 2010 New York auto show, Ford announced a partnership with Microsoft to provide the next generation of control technology for electric cars.
Clearly, an enormous amount of time and money had been invested to make the entire day a splashy and entertaining affair, as they courted the bloggers, tech writers, and gadget geeks. But then, this is Microsoft—the largest company in the world.
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April 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — “There’s no such thing as having too much fun,” insists author, singer, and entrepreneur Kathi Kamen Goldmark — the woman who in 1991 founded the infamous writer rock band, the Rock Bottom Remainders. “Fun is good for you. So get out there and start playing.”
That philosophy of life, in fact, is what motivated the then book publicist to pull together some of the authors that she was schlepping around San Francisco when they’d come to town to do a book tour.
“I was known as the media escort who had the best music selection in her car,” says Kathi, who is actually a musician in her own right. “When I was a kid, I wanted to be a combination of Joan Baez and Judy Collins — at the same time. Sadly those jobs were taken by the time I got around to applying.”
She did, however, get a good taste of life as a rock star when, after graduating from Antioch College, she moved to Los Angeles with her boyfriend, Jimmy Hodder. It was 1972 and he had just gotten a gig to be the original drummer for the rock band Steely Dan. “It was a fabulous adventure being the girlfriend of a rocker,” Kathi recalls.
So when Dave Barry, Barbara Kingsolver, Ridley Pearson, Amy Tan, and other notable writers told her they not only had a secret fantasy of being a rock star, but also were relatively decent musicians themselves — it got her thinking.
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APRIL 2011 ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH
Be Inkandescent magazine
What does it take to sustain a career in rock and roll for more than five decades? The Byrds founder Roger McGuinn, and his wife and business partner Camilla, show us the way.
By Hope Katz Gibbs and Michael Gibbs Publishers,
Be Inkandescent Magazine
At 68, legendary rock star Roger McGuinn is going strong. On April 1, he performed at the popular DC music venue The Barns at Wolf Trap, where his one-man show wowed the packed house. McGuinn strolled out onto the stage singing “My Back Pages,” which was penned by his long-time friend Bob Dylan.
For the next hour and a half, the minstrel in the Stetson sat before a beautifully lit ruby backdrop surrounded by his favorite three guitars and a banjo. As he eloquently shared the history of folk music and told the story of his career, he sang and strummed dozens of the songs that he and The Byrds have made famous.
For the finale, he sang “May the Road Rise,” an old Irish blessing he turned into a ballad with his wife of more than three decades and official roadie, Camilla McGuinn. April 1, in fact, was their 33rd anniversary, and the inspiration for the name of their music label, April First Productions.
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April 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — Whether you realize it or not, there is an incredible pharmacy in your kitchen — your spice rack. In fact, common herbs and spices have been used for their medicinal properties for centuries.
My Russian grandmother knew this. She donned her apron with dignity, acknowledging that her role in our family was — first and foremost — to be our health care provider. Her tools against what might ail us were all in her pantry.
Chicken soup to cure a cold or flu? Definitely. She knew that a generous use of parsley in the soup, dill with our potatoes, cinnamon and raisins in our oatmeal, would keep us healthy.
Similar examples are found in cultures and cuisines the world over. Indian grandmothers have been sprinkling turmeric into food for centuries. Scientists are now validating the fact that this fragrant yellow spice is a wonderful way to reduce inflammation. Cinnamon is a natural remedy for lowering cholesterol. Ginger is a great choice to heal the symptoms of colds and the flu.
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Mr. Edinger represents U.S. and international clients, handling all aspects and sizes of deals, including negotiating, documenting, coordinating due diligence for and closing U.S. and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, finance, and joint-venture transactions.
Mr. Edinger also advises debtor and creditor clients on workout, insolvency, and reorganization matters, as well as structuring, formation, and governance matters, including duties of directors and officers.
In addition, Mr. Edinger serves as outside general counsel to a number of small and medium-sized enterprises. After living in Istanbul for two years, Mr. Edinger has established a broad network of contacts in finance, business, and law in Southern Europe and Central Asia, particularly in Turkey, and he regularly arranges and staffs all aspects of deals, from identifying counterparties and professionals, initial discussions, and term sheets, to diligence, documentation, and consummation.
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March 2011, Counselor Magazine — Simplicity Urgent Care recently made news in Counselor Magazine regarding the promotional products they created to give to their patients. The marketing savvy doctors had their creative team put the Simplicity logo on lip balm, hand sanitizer, and refrigerator magnets — plus they mailed out brochures and postcards to thousands of residents living in the neighborhoods surrounding the urgent care center.
It helped draw attention. One patient, in fact, came in because a friend had given him a lip balm just days before he came down with the flu. Thanks to the fact that the logo and address were on the lip balm, the gentleman knew exactly where to go for treatment.
The docs give credit to Kelly Jan of CGMarketing, and the New York design firm run by Kelly Makes, for their help in creating these powerful marketing tools.
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March 29, 2011, Washington, DC — Edinger Associates founder and principal Brook Edinger announced today that he and his partner, J. Ladd Johnson, welcome Scott W. Woodworth as their new associate.
“Scott brings to Edinger Associates years of experience on communications issues, having represented clients before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other federal agencies,” Edinger explains. “In his impressive law career, he has represented broadcast, media, and other communications clients in all types of FCC rulemaking, application, and enforcement proceedings.”
Johnson adds, “We were also impressed that Scott had advised clients on media transactions, with an emphasis on FCC rules and policies, which is one of our key practice areas. We know he will be a valuable addition to our team.”
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March 29, 2011, Washington, DC — Brook Edinger and J. Ladd Johnson, of the Washington DC law firm Edinger Associates, are pleased to announce that Dag Wilksonson has joined their firm as senior counsel.
“With more than 25 years of experience as a large law firm partner and general counsel, Mr. Wilkinson brings to Edinger Associates a wealth of corporate finance, securities, transactional and executive expertise,” Edinger explains. “He has a proven track record of forging long-term working relationships with executive management teams.”
Mr. Wilkinson was previously Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Capital Pacific Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded $600 million real-estate company based in Newport Beach, California, with operations in multiple states.
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March 28, 2011, Washington, DC — Having spent 25 years working as an educator and marketing executive, entrepreneur Robin McDougal married her understanding of education with her flair for fashion in 2001 when she founded e-GLAM, a company that manufactures fashionable business products and sells them to the wholesale market. Her mantra: “Pursue your dreams in style.”
Beginning April 1, she will take her skills and knowledge to a new level when she becomes the Leadership columnist for Be Inkandescent Magazine, an online business and lifestyle publication with 15,000 subscribers and more than 75,000 readers.
“I am very excited to be branching out into this area,” says McDougal, whose company creates beautiful and functional organizational laptop bags and briefcases that help business people move more easily through their busy days. “Business people are my customers. I have had the privilege of meeting some spectacular leaders who have taught me tremendous lessons about success, empowerment, and balancing work and life. I’ll be interviewing these savvy leaders for my column, and will also be interviewing them on my new blog radio show. My goal is inspire others and help propel them toward greatness.”
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By Hope Katz Gibbs
Founder & President
Inkandescent Public Relations
Greater visibility. That’s the goal of any public relations and marketing campaign. So what does it take to get out the good word about your company so you can build your business? Whether you are just starting out, are looking to increase sales, or need to rebrand your firm, click inside to read a dozen tips that will help you accomplish your communications goals.
1. Pick good PR partners. The first step in any strong communications campaign is to partner with the right creative team. Their track record for creating successful campaigns is important, but they must also share your vision, and have a style that dovetails with yours—or you’ll drive each other mad.
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Since March is Women’s History Month, each year we dedicate our March issue to the incredible work being done by female entrepreneurs.
As Dr. Helen Fisher explained in our February issue: “When women began returning to the workforce, the balance of power between the sexes shifted. And as more women graduate from college—not to mention earn as many PhDs as men—their economic and political power will only continue to grow.”
Head over to “www.beinkandescent.com,” to view the entire issue. You’ll find that all of our columnists this month are women, from our Entrepreneur of the Month Lee Woodruff, to our featured Leadership columnist, Joanna Barsh, the author of How Remarkable Women Lead, and our Truly Amazing Woman of the month, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
But what does it mean to be a powerful woman? Like the heroine in the opera Carmen, illustrated above by Michael Gibbs, women make tough choices every day. This issue is dedicated to helping readers dive deeper into considering how to best ways to grow their companies, care for their families, and make time for themselves. Those who do it with grace and courage are profiled in the book I’m writing, Truly Amazing Women Who Are Changing the World. I invite you to click on the website for the book, www.trulyamazingwomen.com, to learn more, then send me an email to tell me about you and your work for possible inclusion: hope@inkandescentpr.com.
Here’s to seizing your power, and to crafting your personal definition of success. — Hope Katz Gibbs, Be Inkandescent
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March 10, 2011, CareerBuilder.com — “Can bad spelling ruin your chances of landing a job?,” asks CareerBuilder.com reporter Rachel Farrell. “Almost every time you hear about mistakes to avoid in your résumé or cover letter, you see the same things: lying about your experience, providing too much information or using the same generic résumé for every application. We also preach about spelling,” she writes.
“Excellent communication skills can pave the way to promotions for employees,” says Sharon Armstrong, president, Sharon Armstrong and Associates. “If you are a life-long learner, you’ll continue to work on the skills that will help you grow and develop. Any company that cares about their ‘brand’ will be put off by bad spelling. A company that cares about the details will want to always show a professional image.”
“Read the entire article here.:http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2568-Job-Search-Can-bad-spelling-ruin-your-chances-of-landing-a-job/
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March 1, 2011 — Inkandescent Public Relations new client, artisan Stephanie Ponder of Seattle, WA says she has always liked to keep her hands busy.
“I’ve cycled through latch hook rugs, bubble gum wrapper chains, cross stitch, knitting and finally the pendants and other pieces made with resin,” she shares. “But when I saw examples of resin on Scrabble tiles, I knew it was something I had to try making. In the last couple of years, I’ve battled with errant bubbles, resin that doesn’t cure, and paper that isn’t sealed properly. Nonetheless, each imperfect piece was a learning opportunity.”
Today, she has mastered the art of adhering art to Scrabble tiles. “It’s amazing to see how an image will read when it’s reproduced in such a small format. It doesn’t hurt that the resin helps images pop. It’s also fun to see the effects of a little well-placed glitter.”
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March 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — From “total you” empowerment conferences and women-in-business programs, to parent-focused seminars, health and wellness symposiums, and community sporting events, women-focused functions are all the rage.
Some standard elements inspire their success, however.
For instance, all these events seek to foster an environment of equality to create a safe and inviting atmosphere for attendees. They also strive to empower guests to share of themselves, and enable women to build camaraderie through business and personal networks. And, they often focus on specific women’s issues such as heart health and breast cancer awareness.
As a woman, I think that’s terrific. As an event organizer, I face a new challenge because a ballroom packed with women requires a special touch to ensure that the organizers and guests get the most of their time together. Whether the goal is to inspire, celebrate, or foster friendships, here are tips on how to make your guests feel at home.
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March 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — These are truly stressful times. Regardless of your age, status, or accomplishments, we all have one goal: To find a sense of well-being.
While it is tempting to look outside ourselves for a supplement, the latest diet craze, the perfect exercise program, or a partner who can provide us with what we need, we all know that the real solution is to look within.
For women especially — even those who have a partner, the children they dreamed of, and work that makes them feel fulfilled — it is important to take time each day to listen to the wisdom inside. When we do, we will find she actually has quite a bit to say.
I would venture to guess on the top of her list is, KISS: Keep It Simple Sweetie.
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March 2011, Be Inkandescent Magazine — After spending 25 years working as an educator and marketing executive, Robin McDougal married her understanding of education with her flair for fashion in 2001 when she founded e-GLAM, a company that manufactures fashionable business products and sells them to the wholesale market. Her mantra: “Pursue your dreams in style.”
That philosophy put her in the company of Marie Osmond in 2008 when the pop icon hosted the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women — Untold Stories of the Heart campaign.
“Participating in Go Red For Women provided me with an opportunity to combine my passion for education, women’s health, and fashion, with my desire to give back through e-GLAM,” says Robin. “It was an incredible opportunity to share my laptop handbags with the world.”
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Who says you can’t be smart, clever and beautiful all at the same time? Check out these great pendants by Stephanie Ponder. The Washington State artist is happy to create tiles that feature the images of your choice. Or pick one from her collection.
Price: $10 each, or 3 for $20.
Send Stephianie an email to order: seponder@hotmail.com.
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These big, beautiful barrettes can feature the images of your choice. Or pick one from Stephanie’s ready-made collection.
Fun and engaging, these never cease to get a conversation started.
Price: $15
Send Stephanie an email to order: seponder@hotmail.com.
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Need a little pick me up? Try this delicious recipe by Culinaria Cooking School Chef Robyn Alexander that features the subtle flavor of green tea. (Note: Matcha, which is Japanese powdered green tea, can be found in the tea section or the freezer section of many Asian grocery stores.)
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Chef Stephen Sands is the co-founder and CEO of Culinaria Cooking School.
A nuclear physicist for more than three decades, he began his culinary career in 1989 as the lead assistant for Francois Dionot, the director and founder of L’Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda, MD. Stephen assisted both L’Academie chefs, and visiting guest chefs, ensuring the execution of classes for the chefs was seamless; and assisted students in the participation classes with instruction and techniques during classes.
He graduated from L’Academie de Cuisine’s part-time professional program in 1996, and began teaching as a chef/instructor at the school. There, he developed curricula and original recipes for classes he taught at L’Academie. Stephen taught both demonstration and participation classes, and also instructed L’Academie’s private parties and team building events.
In 2004, Stephen formed Capital Food Partners, LLC, along with his business partner Pete Snaith, as a cooking school and catering company. He left L’Academie de Cuisine as a chef/instructor in the spring of 2009, and retired in March 2010 after working for 35 years as a nuclear engineer working for Westinghouse, Exxon, and NRC to pursue the development of the Culinaria Cooking School.
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Founded in 2008, Culinaria Cooking School brings together professional chefs and wine experts who want to share their passion for the culinary arts with the community.
Conveniently located in the heart of Vienna, VA, this state-of-the art facility will feature modern equipment for use by instructors and students.
The team includes (from left to right) Chef and CEO Stephen Sands, Office Manager Stefanie Sacripante, Chef and VP Pete Snaith, Chef Brian Batsel, Chef Robyn Alexander, Chef Bonita Woods, and Wine Director John Peters.
“Our classes are built around teaching the fundamentals of cooking,” says Chef Stephen Sands. “They appeal to novice chefs, seasoned cooks, and beginners. Not only do our classes emphasize food preparation, but we also teach the presentation aspects of the dishes you serve — and offer tips on how to entertain with style and class.”
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By Chef Marilena Leavitt
Introduction to Greek Cooking
Culinaria Cooking School
Welcome to the Greek table! I am excited to introduce Culinaria Cooking School students to an array of classes based on fresh, seasonal ingredients central to Greek cuisine.
March 18: Introduction to Greek Cooking. Students will learn to prepare foods that are the heart of any taverna menu, from tzatziki with zucchini fritters, to savory skewered meatballs with pita, to Greek peasant salad, to delicious almond cookies.
April 1: Cook with Fillo Dough. Students will learn to cook and bake with this versatile ingredient to make spanakopitakia, creamy chicken fillo pie, and mouthwatering baklava.
April 14: The Foods of the Greek Islands. In this class, students will make mini sesame bread rolls, olive tapenade, baked fresh fish wrapped in parchment paper, coriander potatoes, fennel and orange salad, and walnut spice cake.
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By Elise Museles
Mindful Meals and More
Culinaria Cooking School
Despite our fast-paced world, we need to slow down, prepare a home-cooked meal, and spend quality time with those we love.
Eating consciously and making simple lifestyle changes will not only release you from the endless cycle of dieting, it will calm and relax you so that you can enjoy the wonderful life that you have created.
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What’s love got to do with it? “When it comes to business, romance, and life in general, love is the engine that powers just about everything we do,” says our February Entrepeneur of the Month, Dr. Helen Fisher.
A world-renowned anthropologist and expert in the science of human attraction, Fisher wrote the questionnaire behind chemistry.com. Below you’ll find details about why we choose the mates, and business partners, that we do. In our Tips for Entrepreneurs column, she tells us when and why to trust our intuition.
Because February is the month of amore, we feature Rachel Machacek’s The Science of Single, a deliciously devilish account about her search for Mr. Right. Don’t miss Dr. John Maguire’s tips on heart health, the breathtaking wedding photos of Charlie Archambault, the work of personal historian Sherry Andersen, who preserves the legacy of loved ones on video, and our Truly Amazing Woman of the month, Anne Hastings, who runs Haiti’s largest micro-bank. To spark the romance, indulge in Culinaria Cooking School’s Valentine’s dinner menu, and learn to prepare a healthy elixir by our new Healthy Living columnist Jill Leslie.
From all of us at Be Inkandescent Magazine, here’s to an enchanted month! – Hope Katz Gibbs, Be Inkandescent • Illustration (of La Traviata) by Michael Gibbs, for the Virginia Opera.
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January 18, SHRM — “HR consulting is a relationship business, which can be both good and bad,” writes reporter Lin Grensing-Pophal in today’s issue of SHRM.
For the bright side, she interviewed Dr. Alice Waagen, founder and president of Workforce Learning, who explained: “I am very pleased when a client of mine leaves their current position to join a new organization. I see their transition as potentially increasing my client base with a new organization.”
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Happy Valentine’s Day! As I mentioned in my New Year’s Eve newsletter, I think it’s a shame to drink this effervescent gift from the gods only on fancy holidays. That said, I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the joy of love than with a glass or two of champagne on February 14.
To add even more fun to the day, Chef Stephen Sands and I worked to pair some lovely champagnes with a menu of delicious dishes: Mussels with Avocado-Chili Cream; Steamed Corn Custard with Lobster; and Mixed Berries with Champagne Zabaglione.
Don’t know which champagne to pair with each course? Click here to view my primer, Champagne Supernova, which provides tips for choosing delicious, affordable bottles of bubbly.
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When I was a young boy growing up in an Italian family in New Jersey, food and cooking were an important part of life.
I spent countless hours in the kitchen watching my mother and grandmother prepare family recipes, which filled our home with the scent of old-world goodness.
As a teenager, I learned to prepare these wonderful traditional dishes so that I could share them with others. I then went on to study architecture in college, and learned design skills and how to make a perfect presentation.
I now blend my passions as a professional chef through my firm, Roberto’s Creative Cuisines, which provides in-home meal preparation and cooking classes, as well as caters dinner parties and corporate events.
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February 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — I love romantic venues. Everything from big, open museums to well-lit art galleries, and private homes with spectacularly appointed interiors — each allows wedding guests to mix and mingle while celebrating the couple’s special day.
I know this from personal experience, as I tied the knot myself last fall. So it was an interesting exercise to apply to my wedding the advice that I offer to couples looking for the perfect venue: “Embrace your personality as a couple.”
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February 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — It’s that time of year when shop windows are ablaze in red, and grocer’s shelves are stocked with hearts, flowers, wines, and candies.
While there’s nothing wrong with a glass of smooth merlot or a chunk of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, with a little know-how you can choose healthier foods to ignite your passion — and not just on Valentine’s Day.
I know what you are thinking: “Aphrodisiacs as part of my daily routine? Oysters for breakfast, chocolate-covered strawberries for lunch, and a bit of bubbly for my afternoon pick me up?”
While our Western notions of aphrodisiacs may be enticing, those selections may not be the best way to balance the body, mind, and emotions.
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Simplicity Urgent Care is a neighborhood center that is open evenings and weekends, and never requires on appointment.
Located at 3263 Columbia Pike in Arlington, our goal is to provide a medical center where you can see a doctor any day of the week – whether you have insurance or not.
From treating sore throats and cold-and-flu symptoms to cuts and abrasions, strains and sprains, and urinary tract infections, the doctors on our staff provide fast, friendly care, as well as immunizations, X-rays, drug screenings, travel medicine, and more.
For more information, visit www.simplicityurgentcare.com.
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Arlington, VA, January 20, 2011 — Imagine a neighborhood urgent-care office that is open nights and weekends, and accepts major insurance. That’s Simplicity Urgent Care, located at 3263 Columbia Pike in Arlington, VA.
The founders, Dr. John Jones and Dr. John Maguire, were joined by Arlington County Board Chairman Christopher Zimmerman, and Arlington Chamber President Richard V. Doud, Jr., for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“The Chamber is very excited to have a new urgent-care center in Arlington,” says Arlington Chamber President Rich Doud. “The facility is huge, incredibly clean, and very efficient. Those who choose Simplicity can rest assured that they’ll get the finest care.”
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January 19, 2011, Patch.com — Patch.com reporter Christine Neff featured Culinaria Cooking School in an article that explained CEO / Chef Stephen Sand’s belief anyone can cook and cook well – with the knowledge of basic techniques. “The techniques translate from country to country, recipe to recipe. If you have those, it doesn’t matter what you attempt,” Sands said.
Neff wrote, “This chef and retired engineer has been teaching cooking classes to people of all skill levels for many years now and claims to have never repeated a recipe in his courses.”
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Happy New Year! In this issue of our newsletter, we usher in 2011 with a feature article on page 2 by Trow & Rahal founder Linda Rahal, who encourages readers to Consider These New Questions Employers Must Answer on Revised Form I-129. This valuable guide will help employers seeking nonimmigrant visa status for foreign national employees.
In our Immigration Update on page 3, you’ll learn more about the Delayed Implementation of Deemed Export Requirement in Revised I-129 Petition. We also share details about the H-1B Cap, which is close to being reached.
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January 13, 2011, Washington, DC — Ladd Johnson, a partner at the Washington, DC-based law practice Edinger Associates, learned today that he was named one of Utah’s Legal Elite for 2011 by Utah Business Magazine.
“This is a prestigious list, and I am very pleased to have been recognized,” says Johnson, who has a wealth of experience representing public and private companies of all sizes in business and finance matters.
For nearly 10 years, Utah Business has published the Legal Elite list showcasing the state’s best-of-the-best lawyers, the editors explain. Each lawyer on the list received votes from numerous peers.
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By Dr. John Jones
Medical Director
Simplicity Urgent Care
It always seems to happen at 6 p.m. You left your happy, healthy baby at the daycare center this morning, and now you have a cranky baby with a runny nose, cough, and a fever. Since your pediatrician’s office is closed for the day, you know you can wait until morning to see a doctor, or take your child to the emergency department or urgent care center. But are you overreacting?
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By Chef Robyn Alexander
Director of Programs for Youth and Families
Culinaria Cooking School
Kids are usually more interested in eating an item if it’s something that they’ve made themselves. So, get busy with them in the kitchen. Here are six tips that work with my students and four children:
1. Work together to make their favorite restaurant meals from scratch. Cooking experiences make food more memorable, even if the meal is not cooked perfectly.
2. Let kids decide. Make personal pizzas on whole wheat dough with your own homemade red sauce, and let kids choose their own toppings. Sauces are a wonderful way to use “stealth” to make sure the healthy veggies are incorporated into a diet. Carrots, red peppers, onions, and even spinach have been known to make it into pizza sauce at our house.
3. Get silly with food. Make polka dot mashed potatoes (peas mixed in with mashed potatoes) or use skewers, shape cutters and fancy toothpicks to present a visually appealing meal.
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January 2011, Be Inkandescent magazine — Since planning and pulling off huge galas for nonprofit organizations is a large part of my business, this year I’ve been asked repeatedly: Are huge, expensive galas going out of style?
The simple answer is yes. And no. Some organizations are definitely rethinking throwing the ballroom event filled with giant TV screens, high-profile speakers, and cheerleaders (yes, cheerleaders) that annually asks supporters to whip out their black ties, diamonds, and checkbooks. Others, however, are sticking with the tried-and-true gala as a way to celebrate and show off the work they are doing with donors.
In fact, in December I was thrilled to see one of my clients who throws incredible annual galas have another fabulously successful event. The organization grossed more than $1 million at the event, which is obviously no small feat in the current economy. How did they do it?
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Happy 2011! This issue marks our second year publishing Be Inkandescent Magazine, so this month we look toward the future.
Philanthropy is our theme, and our three Entrepreneurs of the Month are the leaders of some the largest nonprofits in the country – The Nature Conservancy, The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, and The Humane Society. Scroll down to read about their strategies for 2011, and learn what keeps them up at night.
You’ll find an overview of what lies ahead in our Nonprofit column. Nonprofit consultant, and author of “Give a Little,” Wendy Smith shares donation trends for the coming years. We also talked to DC Central Kitchen founder Robert Egger, the author of “Begging for Change,” and our November 2010 Entrepreneur of the Month.
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Happy New Year’s Eve! In anticipation of the big celebration on Friday night, you’ll find tips for picking the perfect bottle of bubbly in this week’s newsletter.
Personally, I think it’s a shame to drink this effervescent gift from the gods only on New Year’s Eve.
So I make a point to serve champagne and sparkling wines year-round, because bubbly sets the perfect mood for any celebratory event – from birthdays and anniversaries to graduation and Super Bowl Sunday.
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WEBSITE — Pavilion Medical Home Health & Staffing, LLC
Click image for larger view Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Website design / coding / database by Gregg Hurson, Top Shelf Design
About Pavilion Medical Home Health
Pavilion Medical Home Care is a leading home healthcare and staffing agency, licensed in Virginia and certified by Medicare / Medicaid. From our offices in Annandale and Manassas, VA, we provide a full range of home healthcare and skilled nursing services to hundreds of individuals and dozens of institutions throughout Northern Virginia.
Independent, objective and qualitative measurements show that after Pavilion Medical Home Care has completed its treatments, our patients report having increased functional capacity, improved bladder control, better ability to bathe themselves, improved ability to correctly take oral medications, improved or healed wounds, and less tasking effort to live independently.
For every patient, we devise a comprehensive care plan, addressing patient needs and guardian concerns. We are dedicated to upholding the Patients Bill of Rights, and provide services 24 hours a day / seven days a week.New patients, including permanent placements, are admitted within 24 hours. We also recognize the comfort that comes from communicating in one’s native tongue; our staff is fluent in English. Filipino, Korean, and Spanish.
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