Lifestyle Tips for Women Who Think And Create Big By Sheri McConnell

Much of my success with membership-based businesses is also because of my ability to continuously grow in the area of “mindsets”. Here are a number of tips to help you think and create in a big way.

Tip One–Honor Your Urges
One of the main reasons I left the corporate world and took the entrepreneurial plunge many years ago was so I could do more of what I enjoyed and less of what I hated. It makes sense doesn’t it? Yet, you would be surprised how many entrepreneurs don’t do more of what they love. Make sure you take advantage of the freedom you have by setting boundaries early on in your business. Successful entrepreneurs don’t create boundaries after they are wealthy. They create them so they can become wealthy. Not always being accessible actually creates scarcity and attracts more business. From now on when you want to take off and head to Starbucks or you want to take a week off and go on vacation, honor those urges, plan accordingly, and then do it.

Tip Two–You Can Work Hard and Still Have Fun
When you first start your company, you probably will wear all the hats and work harder than you ever have. But once the business is built and you start to gain new customers and sell products, it is a lot of fun. The best part of being a leader is being able to pick up the phone and have access to someone you have admired for years because you are a gatekeeper to a database of customers. You learn so much from those experts you now have access to, and your customers will love you for it when you graciously pass new information on to them.

Tip Three–Let Go To Grow
One of the main reasons I became an entrepreneur and left the corporate world back in 1999 was because I loved the freedom to just let go and have fun. I wanted to have a higher quality of life where I could be creative and earn more for that creativity. Unfortunately, what happens with many entrepreneurs in start up is they get too intense and end up chasing away the most beneficial business and personal relationships. Always remember “why” you are pursuing this dream in the first place and remember to let go and have fun with the people you meet and do business with. I love working with people who make me laugh, who have a wicked sense of humor, who get passionate about their causes, and who know how to let go, be themselves, and make “work” fun. The cool thing is these types of people attract others like them, and your fun “network” then multiplies exponentially. So do your revenues. Bottom line: Letting go and having fun in business is good for the soul and for the bank account.

Tip Four–Build Millionaire Relationships
NO ONE can reach seven figures without building crucial business and personal relationships along the way. The membership-based business model is a millionaire business model and by using it, you attract important relationships more easily. Millionaire relationships aren’t always measured by the financial return on investment (ROI) you receive either. One of the most exciting parts of building a company that you are passionate about is all of the dynamic and energetic people you can access. This type of ROI often shows up in the form of real people who serve as resources when you need them. All you have to do is decide to take action and work on getting to know people. Then you can communicate how your company can help them solve their problems.

Tip Five–Understand Entrepreneurial Energy
Millionaires rarely sit down, and they are often in great shape. They also don’t watch TV much, and they give of themselves freely. Millionaires have lots of entrepreneurial energy. They are creative, passionate, risk takers, who are big thinkers and always evolving. If this description isn’t you yet, start aiming for these behaviors today. Know that what you eat and if you exercise directly affects your bottom line. People are attracted to people (and companies) who take care of themselves and are full of energy. What you feed your brain (literally) determines your ability to solve million-dollar problems and come up with million-dollar ideas. (Just some food for thought!)

Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sheri McConnell is the CEO of Sheri McConnell Companies, Inc. and the president and founder of two global organizations, the Smart Women’s Institute of Entrepreneurial Learning (formerly the National Assn of Women Writers-2001) and the Global Institute of Associations-GIA. You can visit Sheri, access her free article archive, and grab lots of free stuff at http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com or http://www.giaconnect.com. Sheri lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband, their four children, a weenie dog, and three hermit crabs.

Black Skin & African American Skin Care Products-What To Use for Beautiful Skin

African American and Black Skin Products must have the right ingredients to really work. Some ingredients should be avoided for black skin or any other type of skin.

In this article I will show you which ones work and which ones to avoid. Some ingredients, for example, will cause hyper pigmentation while others will cause de-pigmentation. Here is what you should avoid and what you should use.

Avoid These 3 Ingredients in Skin Care Products

1. Sodium methyl paraben (any type paraben)
2. Petroleum-based products
3. Chemical bleaching agents

*Sodium methyl paraben – One ingredient that is commonly found in skin care lines is sodium methyl paraben. It, as well as, all parabens have been found in breast cancer patients. It is best to not use any product containing parabens. Sodium methyl paraben can result in de-pigmentation that may be permanent.

Products with petroleum content also can cause hyper pigmentation. Dark spots may appear that do not match other skin tone. Also propylene glycol and wood-based alcohols have been known to cause darker spots to appear on the skin. The reason often stated why these ingredients are in black skin care products is that they relieve oiliness. However, the products most people are using cause the oiliness. Petrolatum, mineral oil and other products that are petroleum-based CAUSE the oiliness.

Chemical bleaching agents are often promoted to those who want to lighten their skin tone. There are safe skin lightening products. I’ll cover that also in a moment. Chemical bleaching ingredients can bring much harm to your skin. Avoid them especially if you have black skin or darker tones of skin.

Compounds That Work Safely
– Extra pone nut grass
– CoQ10
– Jojoba
– Natural vitamin E
– Functional keratin
– Wakame kelp

Extra-pone nut grass is a very good ingredient that will even out the skin tone. It usually doesn’t take much to give a noticeable difference.

Natural vitamin E is an antioxidant. Since it is an antioxidant it will usually help get rid of hyperpigmentation of skin. In other words, skin spots.

Sebum – The Natural Moisturizer

Sebum is our natural skin oil that also is our natural skin moisturizer. However, some of us have either too dry skin or too oily or some range in between. So skin problems can vary from one person to the next. But skin problems in general have nothing to do with black skin or any other tone. Skin is skin. Only the skin tone maybe different, but all skin is composed the same. What the problem usually is, is the product being used on the skin. Especially if it is petroleum based. Petrolatum feels good but it can do a lot of subtle harm. If you use a good moisturizer, like the one I use, you will have 90% of your skin problems solved.

Sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands. All skin, black, white etc have these glands. Sebum is the skin’s natural moisturizer. Jojoba and passion fruit extract work well with the sebaceous glands. These two ingredients will help moisturize skin that is very dry. What is nice about them they will moisturize the skin without causing any skin flareups.

Anti Aging Ingredients

Most anti aging products don’t even come close to working. Companies take advantage of the popularity of anti aging and promote skin care products that do more harm than anything else.

You don’t need any special african american anti aging product. Let me tell what you do need.

In my vast searching for some skin care products that really work I found one that I am ecstatic about. The reason is that it is safe and it works on all skin types and skin tones. It is called “Functional Keratin”. When mixed with Wakame Seaweed (Japanese) CoQ10 and Vitamin E it produces new skin cells and fibers. This results in a younger looking skin because of the skin firmness that is taking place. See my website for more information on this truly amazing skin care ingredient.

Functional Keratin is the most successful and effective of all the antiaging products I researched. Functional keratin combined with Wakame kelp extract and antioxidants CoQ10 and natural vitamin E promotes the increase of new skin fibers and skin cells. Wakame helps prevent sagging by increasing skin firmness.

What causes harm to skin cells and other body cells is what is called free radicals. They basically go on a rampage and hurt other cells. The antidote is antioxidants found in compounds like vitamin E. Remember this please, avoid any ingredient ending in paraben, (for black skin especially Sodium methyl paraben). Avoid all skin care and other products that list petrolatum as an ingredient. Don’t even think about using a chemical bleaching agent. Use the ones I recommend. See my website for my personally tested skin cream. – Thanks, Margaret Bell

About The Author
Please visit http://www.AHealthyRadiantSkin.com for Margaret’s recommended Black Skin Carefor African American and all types of skin. A free Health Newsletter and Complete Skin Care Guide is available.

Getting to the Heart of the Matter ~ The Innerview™.

Getting to the Heart of the Matter

Have you ever hired someone only to discover afterwards the person wasn’t who you thought he or she was? Of course you have and you’re not the only one.

While I believe testing is a good way to help you minimize hiring mistakes, it’s not 100% foolproof.

For whatever their reasons, many salon/spa owners don’t want to go the testing route. Even if you do, here’s a way to interview that should help prevent you from hiring a Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.

The Innerview™ developed by Doug Carter, a professional friend and colleague, is a series of questions that allows you or your salon/spa’s interviewers to discover who the person being interviewed really is.

* What do you do?
* How did you get started doing this?
* What do you like best about what you do?
* What else do you do besides work?
* What were some interesting things about your life when you were growing up?
* Were you actively involved in school?
* What’s one memory that really stands out?
* Most people have at least one person who really made a difference in their life? Who was that for you?
* What did you learn from them?
* If you look at your life like a radarscope, there will be some ups and downs. What’s one of the ups for you?
* What does it tell you about yourself?
* What’s one of the downs?
* What got you through?
* If you had a young person here who asked you for advice about how to live their life, what would you tell them?
* What taught you that?
* What does the future hold for you?

Many salon/spa owners already have an interviewing system in place; however, even if you’re one of them, you still may want to consider using The Innerview™.

Andrew Finkelstein, President of the Beauty Resource, is a successful New York City-based entrepreneur, author, speaker, and coach who helps professional beauty businesses get more clients. Andrew’s E-zine The Finkelstein Report is the beauty industry’s #1 marketing resource with free articles, marketing tools, and valuable advice for salons and day spas owners. Contact Andrew at http://www.thebeautyresource.com or 212-831-2421 x202

This is great natural hair blow out

Its Hot and its Humid and Your Hair is a Mess ~ Let CLIO’S Therma – Shield Hair Serum Tame Those Frizzies

Features

• CLIO’S Therma – Shield Hair Serum, effectively shields all hair types against the ravages of extreme heat caused by hot irons, curling irons, flat irons, blow dryers, and UV exposure which leads to hair damage and frizz. Infused with Clio’s High Thermal Shield Complex (HTSQ), this proprietary formula, safeguards your hair strands with a layer of protective gloss, which effectively shields the hair against styling stress, breakage, split ends and minimizes color fading.
• CLIO’S Therma – Shield Hair Serum, does not weigh hair down or cause build up. It leaves your hair smooth and silky with vibrant shine.
• Protects hair up to 480°f including UV exposure
• Minimizes color fading & split ends
• Protects against damage and frizz
• Directions:
  Use after shampooing and conditioning with your favorite Clio product, towel-blot your hair. Use sparingly by dispensing a dime-size amount of serum into palms, rub hands together and distribute evenly throughout hair.
• Use more or less depending on hair length and thickness
• Can also be used on dry hair to smooth, shine and protect
• Style straight or curly
• INGREDIENTS:
  *CyclopentaSiloxane, *Dimethiconol, *Cyclopcntasiloxane, *Amodimethicone (silicon oil), Octyl Methoxycinnamate (sunscreen), *Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Hydrolyzed Silk (natural), *Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Aromatherapy oil (essential oil).
• *Natural Source

The Five Types of Smart Women

Sheri McConnell

Creating the Five Types of Smart Women is important and personal work to me because as women, we each have a huge responsibility to inspire younger generations to “practice awareness”. As you read through the five types of smart women below, hopefully you will see a little or even a lot of yourself in each type. My goal with the Smart Women Types is twofold: one, you can use them as a tool for self growth and two, you can use them to have a better understanding of how to market to each of these types of women in your own businesses.

Type One “Encourager”

The first type of Smart Woman is the encourager. She spends most of her time helping others accomplish their goals. She loves to share resources and actually refuels the more she shares them. The encourager also feels validated each time someone experiences growth from her help. She needs to be cautious of burn out and propping others up too much.

Type Two “The Big Thinker”

The second type of Smart Woman is the big thinker. She spends most of her time thinking and planning the big picture. She offers inspiration to those who are detail oriented and loves to be part of a movement. She is extremely productive when she takes time to see the moving parts. She needs to be cautious of overwhelm and not following through on her ideas.

Type Three “The Manager”

The third type of Smart Woman is the manager. She spends most of her time managing projects and people. She is in the zone when she can pull all the right resources together to complete a project on time and in an efficient manner. She needs to be cautious of micromanaging her team and not empowering them to come up with better solutions on their own. She should also be cautious of burnout.

Type Four “The Implementer”

The fourth type of Smart Woman is the implementer. The implementer is at her best when she can hop from one project to another and be a part of the end results. She would rather be in the fast moving thick of things than in start up. She needs to be cautious of not forgetting about low hanging fruit in her business before moving onto next project. She also needs to make sure she enjoys the journey.

Type Five “The Connector”

The fifth type of Smart Woman is the connector. The connector is at her best when she can bring people together and match strengths with other peoples weaknesses. She thrives when she is able to be social and resourceful at the same time. She is often looked at as the go to “people” person. She, like the encourager needs to be cautious that the majority of her time is not spent propping others up. She struggles when others disapprove of her.

To read about the five types in detail including all the red flags to look out for and how to grow into balancing all the types within yourself, make sure to pick up a copy of Smart Women Know Their Why

Sheri McConnell is the CEO of Sheri McConnell Companies, Inc. and the president and founder of two global organizations, the Smart Women’s Institute of Entrepreneurial Learning (formerly the National Assn of Women Writers-2001) and the Global Institute of Associations-GIA. You can visit Sheri, access her free article archive, and grab lots of free stuff at http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com or http://www.giaconnect.com. Sheri lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband, their four children, a weenie dog, and three hermit crabs.

Clio Hair Care Natural Product for Natural Hair

Clio is passionate about meeting the hair care and styling needs of each and every individuals unique hair. By integrating (PBEC) proprietary botanical extract complexes infused with organically grown ingredients, anti-aging antioxidants, and protective sunscreens, this amazing combination creates a superior line of products that revitalize and recondition hair as well as protecting the hair from UVA and UVB sun exposure, heat damage and pollution.

Clio products are tested and approved by salon professionals. Clio professional level hair products do not contain waxes or fillers commonly found in other hair care products that weigh down and cause irritating scalp build-up and flaking.

Clio styling and finishing products combat big hair and frizz, which is a challenge in humid climates. Vitamin and botanical rich formulas leave hair smooth and silky in dry and arid climates.

Clio is dedicated to their loyal customers and will continue to provide superior earth friendly products that Clio and its customers can be proud of.

We are looking for distributors in the following states:
Los Angeles, California
Oakland, California
Jackson, Mississippi
Gulfport, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Memphis, Tennessee
Birmingham, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Atlanta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
St. Louis, Missouri
Chicago, Illinois
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Detroit, Michigan
Washington D.C., Washington
Camden, New Jersey
Trenton , New Jersey
Brooklyn,New York
Charleston, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Little Rock, Arkansas
Kansas City, Missouri
Charlotte, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Tallahassee, Florida
Richmond, Virginia
Louisville,Kentucky
Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
Bronx,New York
Harlem,New York

Please contact us for more information 713.532.1111

How to Tame Curly Hair

Women, who are forced to spend hours with hot curlers in their hair, or work with curling irons and various hair products trying to attain a head of beautiful curls, often envy those women who are lucky enough to come by stunning curls naturally. However, women with wavy hair that looks as if they just rolled out of bed or got caught in a wind tunnel may not always agree that naturally curly hair is something to be jealous of.

If you have curly hair, you can tame your tresses without the extra fuss by using these uncomplicated tips designed specifically for curly and wavy hair types. The summer heat and humidity are not friends of curly locks. Keeping this fact in mind when shampooing, conditioning, and styling your hair, will help you to create attractive yet manageable hairstyles all summer long.

It is best to shampoo curly hair only two or three times a week at most. This is due to the fact that shampoos tend to strip your hair of its natural oils, causing it to dry out, frizz, fray, break, and become harder for you to manage. When you do wash your hair, try using shampoos with rich emollients in their formulas to provide your hair with added hydration. Use a wide-tooth comb to help evenly distribute shampoos and conditioners to your hair. Otherwise, you may hydrate the top of your hair very well while getting very little hydration to underlying layers of hair or hair tips. Follow up shampooing by applying emollient rich conditioner to your hair and allowing it to soak in for at least two minutes. After rinsing, apply leave-in conditioner to your curly hair.

Wrap your hair in a towel and gently rub to remove excess water from your hair. Vigorously rubbing your hair dry could cause damage to hair roots and, sometimes, causing some of your hair to fall out. It is wise to finger comb through tangles, or to use a wide toothed comb, for combing through those annoying knots in curly hair. This will help to avoid breaking hair. You will want to apply moisturizing, curl-activating hair gel to your hair while it is still wet. This step will help to lock in moisture and help your curly hair stay hydrated and more manageable all day long. Dividing your hair into sections and scrunching curls into place while hair is still damp can also help you to gain better styling control over curly hair.

High heat from blow dryers tends to dry out curly hair quickly and can cause frizzing, and hair breakage. It is best to let your hair air-dry naturally. However, if you do need to dry your hair fast with a blow dryer, use the lowest heat setting and stop drying your hair just short of completely dry. Apply anti-frizz serum and moisturizing hair gel to damp hair. Curly hair needs more moisture than straight hair to stay healthy and manageable. We all need to replenish the moisture we take out of our hair with blow-drying and the use of various styling products, but curls tend to sap more moisture from hair quickly and become unruly.

Using styling products not made for curlier hair can weaken and cause damage to hair and make your tresses even more difficult to style and manage each time you try. Even products designed specifically for use on curly hair should not be overused. Curly hair needs frequent timeouts from having a lot of styling products applied to it. Most women with curly hair know how temperamental their wavy hair can be.

Using styling products too often on your hair can deplete your hairs natural oils, making it more susceptible to breakage. Applying too much styling product to your hair can have another unpleasant affect by making it stiff and uncooperative once the product has dried.

A good rule of thumb on how much styling product to use when applying to your hair is to put a dime-sized amount of the product in the palm of your hand. Then, use a wider toothed comb for even application all over your hair. If you find that this amount does not provide you with enough styling freedom, or your hair feels extra dry after the product dries, experiment with different amounts until you find just the right amount for your curly hair.

Develop a new friendship and appreciation for your curly hair. There are plenty of women out there wishing that they had naturally curly hair like yours. Learning more about the many different products, tools, and methods that are available to help you in taming your curly hair can also teach you to love your luscious mane.

About The Author
Arianna Jordan is a freelance writer who writes about home organization often discussing a specific product like the wonder hanger.

Hair Care And Daily Exercise Q & A

Q: I exercise 4-7 days per week. When I do exercise, I sweat to the point that the back of my head is dripping wet.

I have had a relaxer since being a young girl. In addition, I recently cut my shoulder-length hair short and now it does not even go past my the middle of my neck. I can’t even where a ponytail now.

I was wondering what can I do to take care of my hair but maintain my exercise regimen?

A: You question is a very tricky one. We know that having a short hair cut (unless it’s a teeny weenie afro) is a commitment onto itself to keep it looking sharp.

The biggest issues with working out are:

1. Keeping a hairstyle.
2. Issues with the sweat residue in your hair.
3. Sweating out a perm.

I don’t know how you normally wear your hair, but it sounds like anything that involves a lot of body, volume and precision curls is going to have to take a back seat for a while.

The key is getting the salty sweat residue out of your hair and scalp because over time it can cause your hair to get brittle and break off.

The answer here is going to have to be to keep it simple when it comes to your hair styling routine.

If your hair is cut in the right shape you can do a sculpted/molded hair style after you wash/rinse your hair and let it dry like that. This means basically washing and conditioning your hair, then combing it back or making a part and combing it down, tying it and letting it dry that way.

Then if you want to add some shape into it you can blow it out lightly with a vent brush and bend the ends with a warm iron.

At the end of the day whatever you do is going to require a lot of work. A short relaxed hairstyle is never the easiest thing to deal with if you work out a lot.

How to do a Weave Ponytail

Want To Learn How To Do A Weave Ponytail?

How To Do A Weave Ponytail
The secret to a perfect looking weave ponytail is getting the foundation as smooth as you can and using hair extensions that look as natural as possible.

What You Need

* Light-hold Sculpting Gel
* Snag-Free Hair Elastics
* Invisible Hair Pins
* Pack of Weave Hair/Drawstring Ponytail

Step 1

Wash, deep condition and blow dry your hair. Clean, conditioned hair is the best start to every hairstyle.

Step 2

Gather your hair in one. Use a wide tooth comb and gently comb your hair into one at the spot you want the ponytail to be.

Step 3

Mold your ponytail base with gel.

* Take a little bit of conditioning hair gel and smooth it into your hair.
* Keep smoothing your hair into the position you want (use a soft brush to help get all your edges smoothed down as well).

Step 4

Secure the base of the ponytail.

* Use snag free hair elastic and secure the base of your hair.
* Take the ends of your hair and wind them around the base of the hair elastic.
* Use 2 or 3 pins to secure the ends together with the base of the elastic band.

Step 5

How to do a weave ponytail (using weft hair).

* Use a pin to attach the end of the weave track to base of the hair elastic (start on top of your own hair).
* Wrap the weave track around the base of the bun (use another hair pin every two times you go around).
* Use 2-3 more pins to secure everything to the base of your bun one last time.

How to do a weave ponytail (using a drawstring ponytail).

* If you’re using a drawstring ponytail do steps 1-4, then attach the ponytail with the combs securely at the base of your bun.
* Pull the strings tight and use two hairpins to secure the end of the strings to the base of the ponytail.

Step 6

Wrap the base of the ponytail.

* Take a piece of weave hair and wrap it around the base of the attached hair to hide the track line.
* Secure the ends with 1 or 2 more pins.

Step 7

Style the ponytail.

* Curl it, flip it, wave it or just leave it straight.
* Spray with a light oil sheen for a glossy finish.

Weave Ponytail Tips

Here are some more tips on how to do a weave ponytail and make it look natural and maintain your new hairstyle.

* Use hair extensions that match your hair’s texture. That guarantees you get the natural look you want.

* Human hair is always a better choice to do ponytails. It gives a nicer finished look and you can style it with hot tools.

* If your edges are out of control, tame them with gel. Use a silk scarf to tie them down for half an hour and they’ll behave.

* This style can last 3-4 days if you tie it down at night. Fluff the ponytail and use a little oil sheen every morning.

* Be careful putting hairpins in. If it feels bad, take it out and try again. You really don’t want pins digging into your scalp all day (it’s really uncomfortable!)

Get exclusive black hair style and care tips with my free e-zine Black Beauty Buzz!

Picture compliment of Shake N Go Freetress Ponytail Drawstrings: Shake N Go Freetress Louisiana Girl Drawstring Ponytail