Jenelle Kim: Beauty truly starts from the inside, so diet and lifestyle habits are just as…

Jenelle Kim: Beauty truly starts from the inside, so diet and lifestyle habits are just as important as what formulas we use topically

Beauty truly starts from the inside. So, diet and lifestyle habits are just as important as what formulas we use topically. They go hand in hand. This is a fundamental concept that I have been on a mission to spread for almost 20 years. This is very much based on the understanding of the body being holistic (with emphasis on the understanding of the body based on Traditional Oriental Medicine). Ultimately, true beauty must start from the inside out — your health directly affects your appearance and aging); as well as taking into consideration the significance of what you are applying topically and how it can affect your overall condition (another reason why clean and natural products are so important to incorporate into your daily regimen…after all, your skin is your largest organ).

As a part of our series about how technology will be changing the beauty industry over the next five years I had the pleasure of interviewing Jenelle Kim.

For nearly a decade, Jenelle Kim has shared with those she treats how to incorporate the power of Eastern philosophy into Western lifestyles, enabling her clients to live more balanced, purposeful, and harmonious lives. Jenelle passionately believes that by creating an awareness of the connectedness between the mind, body, spirit, and greater universe, then will you truly understand yourself, and therefore, will you understand your place in the universe, and what you are called to do in your life — your destiny.

Jenelle is devoted to integrating the philosophy, medical wisdom and expertise of East Asia with the advancements of modern life and medicine of the West in order to touch and positively affect the lives of others. Jenelle holds a Master of Science Degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine (MSTOM) and is Nationally Board Certified in Herbology, Oriental Medicine, and Acupuncture. She furthered her studies abroad, training with some of the most respected doctors and herbologists of East Asia.

Through the companies she co-founded — Orience ,Tao of Man, and JBK Wellness Labs — Jenelle is able to share the healing power of Traditional Oriental Medicine with a greater audience around the world. Now, Jenelle wishes to share the 8 Keys, a blueprint for life that will always lead one to find their correct path — the path of purpose, focus, fulfillment and the most optimal relationships with those around us.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was born to do what I do. I come from a long lineage of Traditional Oriental Medical doctors and herbologists, who have dedicated their lives to understanding medicine and the human mind and body in order to help us achieve our healthiest condition possible.

For my entire life it has been my wish to make a difference in the world. As an American born daughter of a Korean father and American mother, I learned from an early age the power behind centuries-old medicine and principles passed down from my mentors — the same principles that push me to continuously live a life of meaning, purpose, gratitude and giving.

As my mentor taught me, it takes one match to light a thousand — one person truly can make a difference in this world. I am fortunate in this lifetime to have the opportunity to share formulas the world that have the power to truly improve one’s mental and physical condition, and what is more important than our health. These secret formulas have been handed to through my lineage from generation to generation for centuries and were once only reserved for the royal families of East Asia.

This was not any easy endeavor especially considering that I was frequently told that no one would be interested in all-natural herbal formulations, no one would understand the beauty secrets of the East interesting seeing that Korean Beauty is now the most renowned in the world. I have had to break through many barriers and I have had to earn the responsibility of being the first women to ever have the honor of guarding my lineage’s secret formulas, which had never before been shared on such a large scale.

Since I was 4 I learned the understanding of the human mind and body from my mentor. I simply started with secret formulas in my head and a huge wish to take these formulas into the world so that they I could help as many people as possible with them. I went to the Bishop’s School in San Diego (so I am a native !), studied at Pitzer College (of the Claremont Colleges), and received my doctorate’s degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine after 6 years of studying (and that was on the fast track!). I went on to study and practice both here in the US and abroad in East Asia. While going to school I began developing high-end, all-natural products for the high-end spa industry. It was at the age of 20 when I started building the first company that brought these secret herbal formulas to the world. I would wake up at 6am to formulate and develop innovating products and creating the brand that would bridge ancient wisdom of the east with the technologies and developments of the west in formulation, I would then go to school to study my medicine, treat patients in clinic and return around 9pm to continue working into the wee hours of the night.

What started as a small two-person team in a laboratory in San Diego, has now grown into a team of 20+ employees, and the company is ranked in the top 1000 growth companies in the manufacturing sector based on Inc 5000’s 2018 rankings. Growth has been organic and steady and JBK has grown in concert with its client base. Its 50+ customers are carried on the shelves of Neiman Marcus, Whole Foods Market, Urban Outfitters, CVS, Kroger, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels, multinational direct-selling companies, and other locations. The business model is unique in that the products produced by JBK’s contain natural proprietary herbal formulas, which have been handed down from generation-to-generation and are only available from JBK. Therefore, there is a built-in mechanism whereby JBK’s clients are able to have truly special products from everyone else on the market, and the products cannot be duplicated by other manufacturers.

Together with my husband — Craig Nandoo, we built a strong all-natural herbal manufacturing lab. After many years of hard work and breaking common molds that spanned all beauty/wellness industries, I now travel the world educating on herbal medicine, and I overlook our labs as we continue to create powerful products that include: skincare, body care, topicals, dietary supplements and pet products.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

One of the most interesting things I have noticed since I began leading my company is how quickly everything can change. It is vital to constantly “go with the flow” or as I say, “move with the Tao.” I have watched the direction of our company change so many times, because in order to be successful I believe that you have to constantly move with the twists and turns of opportunity. My mentor always taught me, there are only so many times in life when the door of opportunity shows up — sometimes its 3 times in life, and sometimes it is only once. So, when you know it is there it is so important to seize the opportunity, to be open-minded, to think at least 5 steps ahead. By continuing to follow these principles I have experienced time and time again that in one year everything can change.

One particular moment in time when I definitely saw that expanding our minds and ideas to embrace something totally different than what was planned was in 2012, when my lab entered the CBD industry. I initially turned down the offer to develop formulas for what are now the pioneers of the industry, but when I saw that they had clear intentions of helping others with this powerful herbal ingredient, which has been known in Traditional Oriental Medicine for over 4000 years, I committed to doing my part in helping the world understand CBD correctly.

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?

When I first began developing and formulating herbal products I was in charge of formulating and developing the products, as well as marketing and promoting. I remember our office (of 5 people) receiving an order of 6 products and frantically running back and forth from the lab to the sales office, manufacturing and bottling one more bottle of cleanser only to run back to the sales office (about 45 feet) to send out the order. I had no idea what I was doing, but I did know that I had incredible formulas that I had to get out to the world and nothing would stop me in doing so. So, we figured it out. Fast forward almost 20 years and it is not uncommon for us to manufacture and ship orders greater than 100,000 units at a time.

I learned the obvious since the beginning — perfecting and scaling up the formulas for large clients around the world. However, the most important thing that this memory constantly graces me with, is the grounding action of perspective. I am always grateful for any opportunity that arises, because I never forget how everything began, and when things become overwhelming or we have to troubleshoot I take a moment to remember moments such as the one above.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My father and my greatest mentor. He was my everything. He was a man of deep compassion, wisdom and perspective. Above anything he taught me that the most important thing in life is to be a good person and then everything will unfold as it should.

He was certainly strict, I was raised with much tradition, duty, and respect for my elders and for my lineage. However, he always allowed me to find my own path. Just before I decided to study Eastern Medicine and share our lineages’ formulas with the world he asked me one simple question, “do you want to be special and achieve something in this life? To make this world better?” I of course answered, “yes.” To which he responded, “then never be afraid to be different and when everyone else is sleeping you keep moving.” I have never stopped.

I lost my father at 33. He has never stopped teaching me though. The lessons he taught me while he was physically here have actually reached me even deeper than they ever did while he was on this earth. I now have to stand solely on my own two feet, moving through experiences and obstacles and having to be very in tune and connected to myself and to the universe. By being this way, I am able to hear his voice in my mind’s eye guide me along my path.

The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” (pardon the pun) technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?

Our version of “cutting edge” entails combining the ancient wisdom of herbal/botanical medicine with the finest all-natural anti-aging ingredients to create clean and truly functional skincare that makes the best “food for the skin.” I am a strong proponent of incorporating the benefits of technology into our skin and beauty regimen, such as LED lights, silicone facial cleansing and anti-aging devices, and microcurrent machines; however, true and lasting health and beauty starts with proper formulas. Using properly balanced, clean and functional formulas help to create a strong foundation of longevity that is enhanced with technology.

Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

In terms of smart skincare apps, this can result with some concerns for various reasons. All technology is amazing, but sometimes skin conditions and skin care routines aren’t as simple as taking a photo and receiving technology driven recommendations. Diet, underlying health, and activity levels all have to be considered when looking for the right products for your skin.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry?

  1. Jade Rolling & Gua Sha — Our lab introduced these techniques to the western world back in 2006. We combined these powerful ancient techniques with formulas infused with the jade stones, which provided infrared and detoxifying properties to rebalance and purify the skin. These ancient techniques Jade rolling effectively works to improve lymphatic drainage and gua sha powerfully improves circulation, and helps to break up fascia, the connective tissue around muscles.
  2. LED Masks — This form of light therapy technology helps to effectively promote glowing skin and address problems with pigmentation and inflammation. When used in combination with clean formulas the results are manifold.
  3. Virtual “try on” apps — This is a great way for people to hopefully see that they are beautiful just the way they are, or if anything, not go as extreme in whatever it is that they are looking to change about themselves.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

  1. Some things are meant to be performed by a professional. For example microneedling can be a very effective procedure that helps to build collagen and smooth complexion; however, the use of an at home microneedling/dermarolling device can damage skin and can lead to serious risks such as infection.
  2. The consumer should be pragmatic regarding whether or not a tool/technology is actually effective and can deliver its promise.
  3. We are human, we are not robots. So, it is always important to note that while technology is an incredible adjunct to our beauty regimen, our condition is changing all of the time so it is important to understand the condition as a whole and choose regimens accordingly.

You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)

  1. Beauty truly starts from the inside. So, diet and lifestyle habits are just as important as what formulas we use topically. They go hand in hand. This is a fundamental concept that I have been on a mission to spread for almost 20 years. This is very much based on the understanding of the body being holistic (with emphasis on the understanding of the body based on Traditional Oriental Medicine). Ultimately, true beauty must start from the inside out — your health directly affects your appearance and aging); as well as taking into consideration the significance of what you are applying topically and how it can affect your overall condition (another reason why clean and natural products are so important to incorporate into your daily regimen…after all, your skin is your largest organ).
  2. Consistency is key. Our skin is our largest organ — it is alive, vulnerable, and its main role is to act as a barrier, which protects us from micro-organisms, pollution, radiation, mechanical impacts, pressure, and chemicals. Knowing its vital and active role, it can then be understood why it is so important to stay consistent with a daily skincare regimen that serves to purify and revitalize skin cells.
  3. Clean is best. If you continue to use chemical-filled products that are ultimately harmful to the skin, you may initially see positive results, but over time in the long term, the positive effects can become outweighed by the fact that you are forcing your skin to work harder than it needs to. For example, synthetic ingredients may make your skin feel silky and smooth in the short term, but may also be causing underlying issues that can cause dryness, a dull skin tone, or a host of other issues in the long term. You can visualize your skin hard at work fighting free radicals, pollution, bacteria and radiation, and every morning and evening you place a fine layer of product that contains harsh and sometimes toxic ingredients on to your face that rob your skin of nutrients and, furthermore, make your skin cells have to work even harder than they need to.
  4. We must read between the lines. The skincare industry is not regulated. Almost any ingredient can be incorporated into a formula. Even products that claim to be natural incorporate ingredients that may be harmful to your health. So, educate yourself and find experts and companies that you know you can trust.
  5. Mindfulness. Thinking and being positive directly affect how beautiful you feel.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

“It only takes one match to light a thousand.” One person can truly make a difference in this world. Every moment I have the utmost gratitude for the fact that in this lifetime I have the opportunity to share formulas with the world, which have been handed down through my lineage, that have the power to truly improve health from the inside out. Because of this opportunity I never stop working to make sure that I do everything in my power to share these formulas. So many of us have so much positivity to share; so, never give up on doing so, because if we all put our energy into spreading what we have to give to this world, we will light up the universe.

Can you please give us your favorite” Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Work tirelessly but be productive and have faith in the universe (regardless of what religion or belief system you follow). There is only so much in our control.

I truly believe that that if you put your heart and mind into what you wish to achieve, always be a good person and stay on a path of goodness you can accomplish anything. Always be compassionate to others. Regardless of our differences we are all human; so instead of focusing on the differences, focus on the similarities — on what bring us all together as one humankind. There is nothing more powerful than connectedness from a place of good.

How can our readers follow you online?

Facebook DrJenelleKim

LinkedIn — DrJenelleKim

Instagram — drjenellemkim

Jenellekim.com

Jbkwellnesslabs.com

Jenelle Kim: Beauty truly starts from the inside, so diet and lifestyle habits are just as… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Dr. Christie Prendergast: “Why you should start with being beautiful on the inside”

Start with being beautiful on the inside. I think a person’s internal beauty and energy is equally as powerful as external beauty. Some of the most beautiful people in the world don’t feel that way about themselves and its always a shame to see. When you have more than just your external beauty you have something to fall back on when you are not always feeling your best. One of the things lacking in our world today is an understanding of beauty. It is much more than external. There is power, sexuality, humor, intelligence, and attitude that all contribute to someone’s beauty.

As a part of our series about how technology will be changing the beauty industry over the next five years I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Christie Prendergast.

Dr. Christie is a double-board certified female plastic surgeon with a non-traditional path to medicine. She grew up in Europe & Asia with a large family and as a first-generation physician, never dreamed of becoming a doctor. At age 17, with $100 to her name, she moved to Los Angeles and through hard work and mentorship, found her way into medicine. Her osteopathic medical degree laid down the foundation of a holistic approach to plastic surgery — treating inside-out. Her passion for helping others, cancer research, and surgical artistry lead her to pursue a career in general surgery as well as plastic surgery.

Dr. Christie’s vision is to collectively use 16 years of education to change the beauty world! She wants to start by make beauty procedures less overwhelming for consumers through education and curating beauty treatments. The Beauty MatrixTM is a treatment strategy developed by Dr. Christie to help patients desiring rejuvenation navigate through cosmetic treatments. She believes correctly addressing all the components of aging with a long-term strategy yields the best natural results.

Dr. Christie is recognized by colleagues and industry professionals as rising star within the field of plastic surgery. She shares a passion for innovation, collaboration, entrepreneurship, & technology but isn’t afraid to call out the hype. She collaborates with the top cosmetic companies in R&D, education, and is a brand ambassador for many aesthetic technologies. Despite her many accomplishments, those who know Dr. Christie can speak of her kindness, excellent bedside manner, and dedication to her patients. To learn more about Dr. Christie, visit www.drchristiela.com

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I had a very unconventional path to medicine that started with realizing at a young age that the key to overcoming my socioeconomic disadvantaged background was education. When I was 17 I was living in LA supporting myself with no formal education and working odd jobs to make a living. I quickly realized that I needed to change my world because I wanted to give myself and my family a better life. I wasn’t sure where to start, but I knew that if I started with school, I would eventually figure it out. I started off by enrolling in junior college while working a full-time job supporting myself and my siblings.

At the time, my only influence was traveling all over the world and so I thought I wanted to be a journalist. Because of my lack of formal education as a child, I had really never had any exposure to math or science at this point in my life. As soon as I was exposed to science I was immediately fascinated. I never really considered being a doctor as I just didn’t think this was in the realm of possibility and did not have exposure to doctors as a child so it wasn’t even on my radar.

It was through mentorship at the university while teaching organic chemistry that one of my professors asked me if I had ever considered becoming a doctor that first made me consider pursuing medicine as a career. And this is what I love about mentorship, sometimes it can be as simple as taking an extra interest in someone’s future. After some research into medicine, I decided this was definitely the career path for me and I worked very hard to be given equal opportunity for acceptance. This was difficult as I had limited financial resources to apply to medical school and also had no connections for internships, research, or interviews. Through a lot of hard work, I was accepted in to medical school and found my way in to plastic surgery and have never looked back!

When I was young I never dreamed of becoming anything because my life was consumed with surviving. In a world where it is is harder and harder for kids that come from disadvantaged backgrounds to see equality in opportunity, I want to be an example of what you can achieve with hard work and mentorship.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Ha! I could literally write a book on interesting stories as a surgeon! Every day there are interesting stories. It’s hard to just pick one! I am a tiny person and am always mistaken for every other title except surgeon but, in my trauma surgery training my tiny size made me ideal for certain foreign body retrievals. As you can imagine, this comes with a number of interesting stories. As a plastic surgeon in the meca of los Angeles, I have met some interesting characters and had to accommodate a variety of requests and this is why there are shows like “Botched.”

But in all seriousness, there have been moments throughout my career that have been very impactful. I think every physician can say that COVID has been a recent interesting time for all of us. For me it was a forced pause in my clinical practice since starting this crazy whirlwind of a journey 18 years ago. It was also a time of transition and uncertainty that forced me to re-evaluate my career as a whole and once again, set an intention for how I would like to see my future. As a surgeon you never get the luxury of time so I took this opportunity to reset and focus on building my entrepreneurial goals.

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?

Success is an accomplishment of a goal and I would say throughout my life, I have had many little successes. My first and most memorable success was graduating from college. This was a huge personal accomplishment for me as it was my most challenging obstacle. I know I have only been able to achieve each goal by taking them one at a time, understanding the long term plan, and expecting challenges along the way. I have also worked my way from a childhood where we had nothing to becoming a plastic surgeon. I am so grateful that I have had this unique journey to medicine as I feel that growing up with responsibility and struggling to survive has given me a unique set of skills that I can apply to other aspects of my business. I also think innovation requires going outside your comfort zone and my childhood was all about being put outside comfort zones. What I like to tell those who I mentor is that your past sets the path for your future so remember that in the present!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I completely agree and I am no exception to this. I have had a number of people who have had key influences throughout my life that guided me to where I am at today. First, my grandfather was a math professor and seeing how he was able to provide for his family through education is what gave me my starting point.

One of the things that I love about medicine is the built-in mentorship. From college to completion of my training I have had key people who have influenced me through each step. I initially started college planning on doing optometry. I eventually transferred from junior college to college and while teaching organic chemistry to make extra money, my professor asked me if I ever thought of going to medical school. I ultimately ended up applying to medical school because of his encouragement.

In medical school, I was influenced by my City of Hope Cancer Center rotation and chose to go in to general surgery. I was fascinated by cancer biology and the complexity of cancer surgeries and was going to become a surgical oncologist. I ultimately chose plastic surgery when I saw what plastic surgeons can do as both artist and surgeon. I was hooked!

I love to mentor and believe it is such an important part of medicine and that collaboration not competition should always be part of our profession. I have integrated it into my company by helping junior surgeons coming out of training. This is a time in a young surgeons life where a lot of the built-in mentorship from training is suddenly over. Traditionally, we have also been part of a profession that can be very competitive and predatory at times. It is challenging for a young but very qualified surgeon to start trying to make a living, have confidence as a surgeon, obtain board certification, and run a full business for the first time in your life trust me, I know!. My goal is to help make this transition a little easier for them.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” pardon the pun technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?

We are in a cutting edge time in the beauty industry as the consumer demand for less invasive procedures has driven companies to new constantly invent new technologies. Technology really refers to all the energy devices that we utilize like lasers, ultrasound, radio frequency, etc. While a lot of the energy types are not new, the delivery of the energy is what has been refined over time. These refinements are built around giving patients more predictable results and improving patient safety.

I see a big future in the aesthetic technology as we are living in a world that is very conscious of beauty & wellness and there is a demand for less invasive treatments. Patients are interested in treatments that help them feel and look their best at every age without the need for surgery. I think a lot of these treatments go hand-in-hand with wellness. Investing in your skin and preventative measures are always going to pay forward when it comes to aging. At the same time, we are also in a rapidly growing cosmetic world where there is equally as much hype and scam artists trying to capitalize. My goal is to help shape the aesthetic world by making sure patients are educated about treatments so that they get a good return on their investment, and more importantly, don’t get “botched.”

My company is called Curated Beauty Rx because we really curate all of our products, technology, and services that we offer to patients. There is a lot of work into researching technology and understanding each device, indications, and appropriate patient selection as well as technologies that will be a good return on investment for both the practice and patient. So, when I chose a technology or device to carry and offer my patients it is after a lot of research into the technology and company. What I am looking for in both the technology and company is strong science and R&D with predictable results, robust safety profiles, low recurring costs, and something that can be used on all skin types. I am particularly excited about devices that offer options for all skin types especially ethnic skin (from a selfish perspective), but also because there are not a lot of great options for darker skin types. From the manufacturer of the technology, I want to see support of physicians/practices that carry their technology by offering ongoing training, networking, and marketing support.

I am really, really excited about a new technology that has not even hit the market! Alma laser has released Opus which is a plasma resurfacing and tightening technology & I have partnered with them as a brand ambassador. What is so exciting about this technology is that unlike other traditional forms of energy, plasma energy has really not been utilized in the aesthetics industry so it is a whole new approach to resurfacing and tightening. And, because this technology does not produce any heat, it can be safely used for all skin types. Ethnic skin does not typically do well with technology because heat-based treatments can stimulate pigment and is one of the things we struggle with. But on the flip side, we typically have thicker skin that responses very well to the skin tightening and remodeling effects of technology. It is really exciting to be able to have options for resurfacing that can be safely used on every skin type.

Another technology that I am really loving right now for my skincare services is the Salt Facial. They have a very unique facial machine that does not use suction for exfoliation but rather natural salt crystals that can be gentle or cranked up to act like an ablative laser. Once again, this is an excellent machine for patients who have sensitive skin like rosacea or are doing skincare in combination with other anti-aging technologies. This machine is also great for all skin types and conditions and combined with ultrasound and LED therapy this is a great return on investment for a practice.

Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

There can always be unintentional side effects to technology and this can be prevented by educating patients on which treatments are appropriate for them and improving the expertise of providers performing these treatments. All of the unintended side effects I have seen are due to either poor patient selection for the technology or lack of understanding of the technology by the technician. As we have more untrained providers entering the cosmetic world, we are going to be seeing more unintended results.

For example, I recently saw an Asian patient who had an energy-based treatment for skin tightening that caused the desired tightening however resulted in a line of pigmentation straight across her face. In this case, it doesn’t matter how much tightening you have achieved you have lost the battle because this patient has a permanent dark spot across her face that will be a challenge to reverse.

Another example, is a technology that is for skin tightening but also can result in volume loss. Volume loss is another component of aging so if you lose volume you are not going to appreciate the effects of the tightening. This would be an example of choosing the inappropriate candidate for the technology. So a technology is only as good as its technician!

I also recently saw a patient who was 25 years old and had 9 syringes of filler in her face! At this age, we are really not experiencing volume loss from aging. This poor patient wasn’t sure what was wrong with her but after analyzing her earlier pictures we realized she had lost a lot of her identity as she looked like a completely different ethnicity with that much volume in her face! After dissolving her whole face she looked normal again and we could start over with a strategy that started with addressing her acne skin (much higher yield for her). This is the kind of misguided beauty that wastes young girls money and causes unnecessary distress by not doing what is best for the patient or having a comprehensive approach.

These are the kinds of things that should be kept in mind when navigating through medical spa treatments. Technology is a double-edged sword and many of these technologies are backed by a lot of marketing without a lot of substance or safety directions and can have many unintended consequences. This is one of the reasons I developed the Beauty MatrixTM.

Can you share three things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry? Can you share a few things that concern you? How can we address these concerns?

1) I get most excited about skin tightening technologies. I think this area of technology is still in its infancy and the demand is going to drive new combinations for better results.

2) Using technology to create individualized patient experiences.

3) Technology shaping the way that patients approach beauty treatments

1. I am concerned about the amount of providers entering into the industry without the necessary aesthetic background to actually give good long-term advice. The core specialists that have extensive training in aesthetics are first plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, oculoplastic surgeons, & dermatologist. There is a reason why some of us go through years of extra training to ensure that we have the foundations for sound decisions and patient safety in place. Some of the unnatural beauty trends we are seeing is due to the loss of balance of all the components of aging and no long-term treatment plan. If you go to a medical spa that just does injections, guess what you are going to get? An injection! This is fine for a few times but over a period of a year or two you need to address other areas of aging and not just utilize injectables.

2. The other thing that concerns me is that many technology companies are first, directly marketing to consumers and then, present themselves to physician practices with technologies that are meant just to generate revenue. These can be expensive machines that deliver subpar results and do not offer a good return on investment for either the physician or patient. We need to do a better job as physicians to verify the technologies we invest in and take the opportunity to learn them in depth so we can get the best value for our practice and patients.

3. Lastly, I also think that there is way too much competition within the industry when there should be more collaboration. With collaboration and mentorship we can give our patients better results and guide patients to those best suited to treat them.

I am working on making strides to reform these parts of our industry by partnering with companies as a brand ambassador, key opinion leader, or consultant to be able to influence practitioners using these technologies to not only be educated about the technology but also understand where that treatment fits within the larger spectrum of a patients aging journey.

I have also developed a treatment guide called The Beauty MatrixTM to help educate patients and industry providers on putting all these treatments together from skin care to plastic surgery! Say a patient wants to rejuvenate their face but doesn’t know where to start? This guide helps patients navigate through the medical spa world. This helps patients create their own tailored beauty journey and gain the knowledge on each treatment so that they can get a good return on their investments. The primary goal of this concept is empowerment through education.

I am also working on creating a CBRx referral network where like-minded colleagues can work together to collaborate. This is also for ancillary services like eyelash artists, hair stylists, brow and tattoo artists, etc. and we are actively accepting applications for the network! Appropriate qualifications is the minimum requirement but we are also looking for other things like bedside manner, beauty philosophy, professionalism, office standards, experience, and artistry. I have met so many talented, passionate people in the beauty industry and I want to bring all this talent together for the good of our patients.

You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Start with being beautiful on the inside. I think a person’s internal beauty and energy is equally as powerful as external beauty. Some of the most beautiful people in the world don’t feel that way about themselves and its always a shame to see. When you have more than just your external beauty you have something to fall back on when you are not always feeling your best. One of the things lacking in our world today is an understanding of beauty. It is much more than external. There is power, sexuality, humor, intelligence, and attitude that all contribute to someone’s beauty.

2. Skincare. Good skin always helps you feel beautiful. This can be very achievable with a strategy and understanding of the products even if you are not blessed with genetically perfect skin. But, this is not something that happens overnight. Making this a priority in your beauty routine is important and worth the long-term investment.

3. Staying true to your natural self. I think the trend of fake beauty leads to a lot of long-term dissatisfaction because its almost like you are playing a character that isn’t really you and there is sometimes no end to the maintenance involved in this look. If you try to look your best in your natural state you will age more gracefully and it will feel more authentic. I don’t care how great you look on IG with a filter or photoshop, at the end of the day, we have to take our makeup and filters off and be more than just pretty.

4. Keeping up with other beauty services. I always think that a nice set of eyelashes, getting your nails done, or shaping your brows can really frame your features and help you feel beautiful.

5. Taking time for wellness. We never feel beautiful when we have been running around like a crazy person without time for ourselves. I know I feel the best when I am well-rested, exercised, and internally optimized. One of the areas that I think complements external beauty treatments is addressing your internal biochemical state and overall mental wellness. Whatever routine you may have that makes you feel rejuvenated is so important to maintain. I also think that these days, we are just not getting what we need from a nutrition standpoint in our food, and supplementation with the right products is really important to supporting all the external beauty treatments that we are doing.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I am passionate about bringing equal opportunity and equality in healthcare and specifically in the beauty industry. I would like to inspire a movement of equal opportunity for other kids like me who need mentorship to guide them to careers they may not even consider. I would also like to inspire equality in the beauty industry by helping to bring to market technologies and products that address all ethnicities and offer solutions for all different skin types.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Yes, I love the quote: “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” I am at a point in my life where I can reflect on all the hardships of where I came from and where I am at and see the lessons along the way. I often thought of this quote during the difficult times. It helped me not give up on always striving to achieve my maximum potential. I have learned that every challenge in life prepares you for your future and you really have to go through the hard times to develop the emotional bandwidth and skill sets needed for achieving greatness. So, with that, you should not have any regrets but take each experience as a lesson in something that your future self with you thank you for!

How can our readers follow you online?

curatedbeautyrx.com @doctor.christie

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

My pleasure. Thank you for the opportunity!

Dr. Christie Prendergast: “Why you should start with being beautiful on the inside” was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Dr. Leilani Carver-Madalon:”How One Can Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome”

Dr. Leilani Carver-Madalon:“How One Can Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome”

Stop beating yourself up over mistakes. As my two year old toddler belts out from the movie Frozen “Let it go.” You are human. Learn from it, apologize, and let it go. If you won’t remember it in a year, let it go.

As a part of our series about how very accomplished leaders were able to succeed despite experiencing Imposter Syndrome, I had the pleasure of interviewing Leilani Carver-Madalon,Ph.D.

Dr. Leilani Carver-Madalon is a Communication Strategist, Leadership Expert and Professor who seeks to empower others through pragmatic communication strategies and effective leadership tactics. Leilani is an Associate Professor of Strategic Communication and Leadership at Maryville University. Before earning her Ph.D., Professor Carver worked for eight years in prestigious communication roles in varying industries, such as Finance, Mobile Technologies and Consulting. She was awarded Maryville University’s Woman of Distinction Award and selected to deliver a TEDx talk entitled: Scripts that Ignite your Power. Additionally, Dr. Carver-Madalon has lived and worked abroad in both Taiwan and China and has taught university courses in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Switzerland, England, Australia, France and Italy. She has been conducting interviews with diverse female executives in Europe and in the States. Based upon her research findings, interviews and her own experiences, Dr. Carver-Madalon is now writing a book on leadership and empowerment.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?

When I was in college, I switched my major nine times… officially. I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career and my first eight years out of college involved working for lots of different organizations from a huge corporation whose corporate campus had its own zip code, to a small, environmental nonprofit where shoes were optional, to living in a remote area of China where I was one of eight foreigners working in a city of four million. I switched careers, not jobs but careers, three times by the time I was 30. I felt unmoored and I worried a lot . If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to be present in the moment and enjoy these diverse experiences because all those adventures helped shape me into a better person and provided the knowledge and foundations to get me to where I am today. Even now as a professor, I am still very curious. A friend of mine jokingly calls me intellectually promiscuous.

Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?

There have been two times in my life when I have taken huge, strategic risks. The first was when I had been working for a huge corporation and my whole team was laid off. I had been working with a wonderful Project Manager from China and she asked if I had any interest in teaching English in China. I had never been to China, did not speak Chinese, did not know anyone in China and was not a teacher. I moved by myself to China during SARS. I was so scared and I did it anyway. I felt like a total imposter trying to teach English those first weeks.

My second big risk was when I was when I quit a great job to go back to school to earn my Ph.D. I accepted a Graduate Teaching Assistantship and while I would not have to pay tuition, I would only be making around $10,000 a year. I was not married, had a small amount of savings and did not have a backup plan other than trying to find another job. It was terrifying and I felt like an imposter as a graduate student and wondered if I was smart enough to earn a Ph.D. I worried that I would fail out of the program. That first year, I won an Outstanding Teaching Award and proceeded to win a teaching award every year I was in graduate school.

My “take away” is that I would have never found my vocation if I had not been willing to take that strategic risk. Risk is necessary. Also, not letting yourself dwell on fear.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Maryville University stands out because of our value placed on technological innovation and our true focus on being student centered in everything we do.

Maryville University is an innovative and technology forward university as evidenced by our Apple Distinguished School designation. Regarding devices, each student is provided an iPad and an Apple Pencil so that hardware is consistent and professors can create curriculum knowing that all students will have access to the same device. While this is helpful, the exceptional part is that professors are continuously trained in learning technologies throughout the year and we have two weeks of intensive technological trainings (one week in Fall and one week in Spring) dedicated to learn best practices in teaching and learning on our many systems, as well as discipline specific apps. We are learning cutting edge technologies such as VR/AR and how to incorporate new technologies effectively to promote student engagement and learning. Additionally, we can request specific apps to use in our courses to advance learning. We are constantly asking how we can use technology to better serve our students both in our classes and in their careers.

This technology focus was invaluable when the pandemic struck and we needed to pivot our on-ground classes to a synchronous, virtual learning environment. Professors and students were both able to utilize technology to continue interactive teaching and learning. This pivot was able to happen almost immediately.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I have had, and continue to have, many wonderful mentors.

I never thought I would be a professor. I would not be in my dream job without my academic Fairy Godmother, Dr. Tracy Russo. Dr. Russo saw my potential before I did. I was working full-time and taking Master’s Degree classes at night, much like my grad students do now. Dr. Russo saw my potential before I even had considered it. She is the one who asked me if I had ever thought about being a professor (I hadn’t). I hope to be that kind of mentor, one who sees the greatest potential in people, sometimes even before they see it themselves.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. We would like to explore and flesh out the experience of Impostor Syndrome. How would you define Impostor Syndrome? What do people with Imposter Syndrome feel?

Imposter Syndrome is an experience where an individual feels like a fraud intellectually and/or professionally. Researchers Clance and Imes originally discovered the Imposter Phenomenon (often now referred to as Imposter Syndrome) in 1978 when analyzing high achieving women, although both men and women may experience it.

People who are experiencing Imposter Syndrome feel like they are not good enough, like they don’t belong and/or that they are a fraud and it is only a matter of time before they will be found out.

You can find out if you have Imposter Syndrome by taking the following test which was created by Clance, one of the original authors.

What are the downsides of Impostor Syndrome? How can it limit people?

Imposter Syndrome limits people because they never feel like they are truly successful. Underneath the façade there is often a lack of confidence.

Another potential downside is that someone may not go for what they really want. I see this happen a lot with some of my students who play small. This is often the effect of perfectionism and/or the fear of failure. If they only do what they are good at then they do not have to risk failure. So, instead of going after their dream job, they go after the safe job. They play it safe and then end up regretting it.

How can the experience of Impostor Syndrome impact how one treats others?

One of the problems of Imposter Syndrome is that you are very busy trying to prove your own intelligence or competencies that you are often not very focused on others. It is incredibly difficult to be fully present with another person or persons if you are afraid you will be exposed as a fraud. With Imposter Syndrome you are so wrapped up in yourself, you miss authentic, deep interactions with others.

We would love to hear your story about your experience with Impostor Syndrome. Would you be able to share that with us?

I still remember the first time I stood in front of a university classroom and was responsible for the education of 25 college students. My biggest fear was that a student would ask me a question and I would not know the answer and all the students would know that this was my first time teaching a university class and I would be exposed as a fraud. The irony is that now that I have been teaching for 15 years, I now love when a student asks me something I do not know because it gives us something to explore and learn together. My job is not the holder of all knowledge but as someone who teachers others how to learn, critically think and apply that learning.

Did you ever shake the feeling off? If yes, what have you done to mitigate it or eliminate it?

Yes, I have mostly eliminated that imposter feeling. The more experiences I have, the more confident I am in my abilities and my expertise. However, I do see my students struggle with this frequently.

I will say that with COVID-19 and working from home (with little or no childcare) and being a mother can bring in some Imposter feelings. I was a guest on a professional podcast and in the middle I hear my toddler (who we are potty training) shout “Mommy, I have to go potty NOW!” from the other side of the door. What do you do? I can’t just leave her out there and I have no idea where my husband has gone (he was taking an emergency work call).I had to ask to pause the podcast. They were very understanding but it made me feel like a fake for a moment. I had to remind myself that being a mother is a very powerful role and that we are in a pandemic and are having to manage multiple roles at the same time.

I have (mostly) eliminated my Imposter Syndrome by working on increasing my confidence. Additionally, I stopped trying to please everyone and/or worrying about pleasing everyone.

I often use a visualization exercise to help me in my decision making and to boost my confidence before a speech and/or event. I visualize that I have a boardroom of people in my head and that I am the Chairwoman of this board. This board serves to give me constructive and positive feedback. The people I love and respect (and who love and respect me) sit on this board. In my head, I check in with them (or if it is a really big decision/event, I check in with them in real life). I realized about ten years ago, that I had mean girls sitting on my board and they were giving unhelpful critiques constantly. These mean girls were people I did not like or respect… so I fired them. None of my real friends would call me fat, tell me I’m stupid or berate me for a minor mistake. Now, I only listen to voices who are wise.

In your opinion, what are 5 steps that someone who is experiencing Impostor Syndrome can take to move forward despite feeling like an “Impostor”? Please share a story or an example for each.

  1. Use Power Scripts.

We all have scripts, things we say repeatedly to ourselves. Some scripts are empowering and some are disempowering. Positive self-talk is so important. How you talk to yourself matters and if you are saying things to yourself that you would not say to a friend, stop saying them to yourself. A few years ago I found myself in a professional funk. I had lost my joy for my work. I kept telling myself that I needed to keep doing my job. I finally realized that I had let a prestigious title hold me in a job I did not enjoy. I started telling myself “Leilani, follow your joy” instead of “I have a great job and should be grateful for what I have.” I ended up stepping down from my position and started following my joy which has led me to interview successful women in London, Paris (before COVID-19), begin writing a book and also led to a TEDx Talk. I am energized and back to loving my work. One hack is to use self talk in the third person as there is evidence that it makes it more powerful. I pick a self-mantra for every year and have for the last eight years. In the past they have been… Leilani is powerful. Leilani is peaceful. This year is Leilani is Blooming. Right now, I should be teaching in Paris, but due to COVID-19, I have been self-quarantined at home since March. I am new ways to grow as a person and professional while being planted.

2. Create a “Brag on Me” List

Write down all of your accomplishments… everything… degrees earned, babies birthed/adopted, animals loved, friendships maintained, cities/countries traveled, cars purchased, money donated, hours volunteered, miles ran, software learned, pounds of kale eaten… whatever makes you proud of yourself. This is your “Brag on Me” List. Then, every month look at it. I started a list in college. Some of my fun adventures have included: Tried every type of dumpling at my favorite dumpling restaurant in Northeast China, attended two Presidential Inaugurations and an Inaugural Ball, visited 48 of the 50 States, went sailing alongside mother and baby whales in the WhitSunday Islands in Australia, surfed the South China Sea, and danced in a holy waterfall in Cambodia. These are just a few of the fun adventures that are on my brag list. When I become discouraged about all that I have not yet accomplished or if I feel like a fake, out comes the list and it reminds me of all I have accomplished.

3. Encouragement Email Folder/Box

Sometimes you need to hear how great you are from someone else. Create an encouragement box/email folder with notes, emails, letters of all the wonderful things people have said about you. I have this one email from this student from 12 years ago that I thought HATED me as he glared and crossed his arms the entire semester. It turns out that he thought I was the best professor he had ever had. I go back and read it when I feel discouraged. I read a lot of these emails and notes when I am feeling down. I also have a physical box of thank you letters, physical notes, and letters. If my house is burning down, besides first grabbing the living people and creatures, I want to grab this box.

4. Let mistakes go.

Stop beating yourself up over mistakes. As my two year old toddler belts out from the movie Frozen “Let it go.” You are human. Learn from it, apologize, and let it go. If you won’t remember it in a year, let it go. I teach my students to never email angry. This is because I have a little bit of a temper and will shoot off an angry email that I later will deeply regret. I did this just two months ago when I was Zoombied out, overtired and in a cranky mood. I sent off a heated email over something silly. And the next morning, I regretted it and sent a thoughtful apology email. Then I laughed at myself. Five years ago, I would have beat myself up over it for weeks. Now, I made a big sign on my laptop and I moved on.

5. Get a mentor and be a mentor. Mentorship reduces feelings of imposters syndrome.

I had a baby at 41 years old and was struggling with balancing motherhood with everything else on my plate. Everyone else seemed to do it so easily. I did not understand until I found a mentor who explained that no, it was ridiculously hard but that it would get easier (never easy) because I would figure it out. She also said motherhood was adding another full-time job to my life. Mentors help you feel less alone, help provide resources and champion you. Get a mentor and be a mentor to someone else. I feel so passionately about this that I helped started a women’s mentorship program at Maryville University. It has been hugely successful and there is nothing more rewarding than to hear how our students, staff and faculty have been empowered.

6. Celebrate Yourself.

Do not wait for others to validate or celebrate you. One thing I have recently learned is that people who often win awards may have asked others to nominate them or have even written the nomination and have asked others to submit it for them. This blew me away as I would never have thought about doing this. Yet, this seems to be part of the awards game. It is often things like this piece of knowledge (which I received from a mentor) that help keep the imposter feelings away. Celebrate yourself when you hit those cork popping moments. Share with others what you are doing. Others cannot know your value if you are not sharing it with them.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Right now I cannot think of any movement more important than the valuing of black lives.

The litany of horrific murders (with no justice), the huge economic disparities that are only widening and the disproportionate deaths from COVID-19 should be a blinding beacon that our current culture and systems are in need of great repair.

We are blessed that some very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them 🙂

Dr. Brene Brown because she is my academic celebrity hero because her research is so impactful but she shares it with everyone in a delightful and vulnerable way that is intended to make lives better.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Website: www.leilanicarver.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/LeilaniCarver

Twitter: www.twitter.com/leilanicarver

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Dr. Leilani Carver-Madalon:”How One Can Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome” was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Alicia Mae Smith of ILÈ Events: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway

…I’ve always wanted to start an “I Believe” movement, challenging others to follow their dreams. This social experiment would require people to commit and confess to the beliefs or changes they would like to make. Once others hear, they would also commit to helping them achieve that through social media or with words of encouragement. As a community, we do the best we can, with the resources we have, to help another achieve their dreams.

As a part of our series about “dreamers who ignored the naysayers and did what others said was impossible”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alicia Mae Smith.

Alicia Mae Smith is the CEO and Lead Planner of ILÈ Events. Alicia had her first itch of wedding planning when she assisted Mindy Weiss applying glitter tattoos at a Bat Mitzvah. From there she fell in love with hosting events and decided to combine her years of hospitality and customer service with event planning. Alicia serves as a confidant, advisor, and a calming voice for her clients during one of the most stressful times in their lives. Alicia has planned over 50 successful events, been mentioned on some of the top wedding platforms, and is trailblazing on social media.

When Alicia isn’t busy planning a wedding of someone’s dreams, she is jumping on the trampoline with her children, cooking something from Fit Men Cook, or reading and watching rerun wedding flicks. To learn more please visit http://www.ileevents.com.

Thank you so much for joining us Alicia! Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We are currently expanding the brand to wedding jewelry allowing our brand to be a part of weddings across the nation and sending a little happiness across the way.

In your opinion, what do you think makes your company or organization stand out from the crowd?

ILÈ Events offers a concierge-style wedding planning service that stands out in the crowd. We have exceeded the “norm” of full planning services and created our High Touch Service that allows our clients the flexibility to enjoy their engagement and continue their usual schedule without significant interruptions.

Ok, thank you for that. I’d like to jump to the main focus of this interview. Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us? What was your idea? What was the reaction of the naysayers? And how did you overcome that?

At the time, I was pivoting my company into a full-time career and relying on it as my primary source of income. My idea was to expand the company to create a multimillion-dollar brand. I shared my vision with peers, and they explained that planning weddings was just a hobby. My reaction was a simple nod, and my ongoing response is reaching my goals in front of their eyes.

I overcame the naysayers by keeping my vision in front of me, setting goals, and accomplishing them through small daily tasks. Although I see the whole staircase in my mind, I only focus on each step. That belief has rewarded me in many ways.

In the end, how were all the naysayers proven wrong? 🙂

I’ve made more money at ILÈ Events than any full-time job I previously worked. ILÈ Events has also employed over 20 team members, independent contractors, and other wedding planners. My company has provided opportunities for others to survive independently and pursue their dreams. I think that type of change has been worth all of my sacrifices.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful to who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’ve received excellent support from my parents and my husband. They have backed me from the beginning. I would also like to highlight Jewel Georgieff, owner of Pralique Weddings (www.pralique.com). She has been instrumental in my career as someone who is in the wedding industry and has proven success. Jewel has guided me in the details of my brand to align with creating vendor partnerships, practical methods, and processes.

It must not have been easy to ignore all the naysayers. Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share the story with us?

As an introvert, I am used to being overlooked and doubted. These actions have helped me create “blinders” to how other people respond to my ideas and goals. I have learned that their response is a projection of the feelings of their capabilities and not mine.

Based on your experience, can you share five strategies that people can use to harness the sense of tenacity and do what naysayers think is impossible? (Please share a story or an example for each)

  1. Create a blocker — Envision a goal in mind that you want to accomplish. Imagine how it feels when you achieve it and how it will affect your friends and family’s lives. Thinking back to this image in your low moments will help rejuvenate your focus. The more you use that image to block out the naysayers and negative thoughts, the easier your goals stay at the forefront of your mind. Every time I felt discouraged, I would remember my goal of ILE Events serving clients around the world. That dream has kept the company alive and thriving.
  2. Develop a plan — Many people set goals but fail to organize the execution of those goals. The easiest way to tackle any idea is to break it down to small tasks you can accomplish each day. For example, if your yearly sales goal is $250k, you would need to sell $20.8k/month or $5.2k/week or $742/day. Now that you know how much you desire to make, it’s time to attach your services. How many services or products will you have to sell to reach your daily, weekly, or monthly quota? Getting to the bottom of that number will help you reach your overall plan.
  3. Use Your Local Resources — It is challenging to start a business with limited resources; that is why you have to think outside of the box. Mastering ways to accomplish your ideas in an untraditional way will set your brand apart from the rest. I started using social media to tell the love stories of many engaged couples instead of advertising my services. This strategy allowed people to get a closer look at what they are getting when hiring me instead of taking my “word.”
  4. Find inspiring stories of people accomplishing the things you wish to achieve. I find myself watching documentaries of iconic creators like Walt Disney and Oprah. Watching their journey gives me so much faith. They had a dream, kept with it, and now are great legends in our society. I, too, will complete what I have started.
  5. Please don’t take advice from people who have not proven their success. It’s thoughtful that so many people want to help and see you succeed, but taking advice from them can be costly. It’s best to find a mentor who can help walk you through unfamiliar places. Having an ally you can trust, who’s been where you are about to go, can speed you ahead. If it weren’t for my mentor Jewel, I am not sure I would have easily overcome some of my obstacles.

What is your favorite quote or personal philosophy that relates to the concept of resilience?

Rosa Parks confidently stated, “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be?

You never know what your idea can trigger. I’ve always wanted to start an “I Believe” movement, challenging others to follow their dreams. This social experiment would require people to commit and confess to the beliefs or changes they would like to make. Once others hear, they would also commit to helping them achieve that through social media or with words of encouragement. As a community, we do the best we can, with the resources we have, to help another achieve their dreams.

Can our readers follow you on social media?

Yes! Follow our company on IG at @ileevents (www.instagram.com/ileevents) and my personal page on IG at @officiallyaliciamae (www.instagram.com/officiallyaliciamae)

Thank you for these great stories. We wish you only continued success!

Alicia Mae Smith of ILÈ Events: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.