Category: Featured

Author Diane Helbig: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business

I would create the Curiosity Movement. This Movement would be based on the idea that until you know someone well, you can’t judge them. And that once you know them, you won’t want to judge them because you’ll understand them. If more people were curious instead of judgmental the world would be a more accepting place and people would be happier.

As part of my series of interviews about “How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Diane Helbig.

Diane Helbig is an international business and leadership change agent, author, award-winning speaker, and podcast host. As president of Helbig Enterprises Diane helps businesses and organizations operate more constructively and profitably.

Diane is passionate about guiding business professionals through the challenges of planning and growing a business. From leadership to strategic planning to sales training, Diane provides her clients with expertise based on over 20 years of business leadership and sales experience.

Diane’s no-nonsense, straightforward approach cuts through the noise and allows her clients and training participants opportunities to realistically and enthusiastically implement the plans they devise.

Diane is the author of Succeed Without Selling, Lemonade Stand Selling and Expert Insights, and is the host of Accelerate Your Business Growth podcast. Diane is the founder of Business Opportunity Network, a business development program where business therapy meets growth.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

When my father passed away I started evaluating my life and work. My sister suggested I become a marriage counselor because of the way I communicate. I thought that was funny because I hadn’t been known in my family as being an effective communicator. My best friend suggested I become a life coach because I like to tell people what to do. I hadn’t heard of coaching so I decided to explore. I realized I wouldn’t be able to get my Masters in Social Work while working full time and with two small children. However, when I explored coaching I found my destiny. At that time I decided to become a business coach. I knew I couldn’t be a life coach for a variety of reasons. However, thanks to my father and my previous business experience, business coaching was perfect. I could use everything I had learned over years of leadership and sales experience to help small business owners overcome challenges.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

My gosh, I find so many things I’ve experienced over the years have been interesting! If I had to choose one, I’d have to say my introduction to Jonathan Farrington and the Top Sales World program. When I started my practice, I began writing articles about sales and leadership and posting them online. One day I got an email from someone I didn’t know telling me one of my articles was a Top Ten Sales Article of the Week on a site I’d never heard of. The next week he emailed again to let me know my article had been selected as THE top sales article of the week. At the end of the month, I was informed that my article was the best sales article of the month. This same gentleman sent me a huge box with a sales game as a sort of reward for the accomplishment. This whole experience was even more amazing to me when I discovered that the man, Jonathan Farrington, was a Brit who lived in France. Imagine! My thoughts and ideas had been discovered by someone a world away. As we continued to correspond, we built a great business relationship. Because Jonathan believed I ‘got it’ when it came to what works in sales, he asked me to join his collaborative of sales experts — Top Sales World. I couldn’t believe it. Me, a part of a group of really stellar experts in the sales space. I’ve been a part of Top Sales World ever since. I’ve built incredible relationships with the other experts and have had many opportunities to participate in events and programs due to the affiliation.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

It was my 2nd or 3rd workshop early in my practice. I was talking about how we are all in competitive industries and picked insurance as the industry to make my point. I said, “You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an insurance agent.” When the program ended a woman approached me to say I had offended her because she loved cats. That caught me off guard! I mean, I’m a cat lover and that’s an old saying that people have used for ages. I certainly didn’t mean anything against cats! However, she thought I was talking about actually swinging dead cats. Point taken. I stopped using that phrase and started reviewing my content closely. I realized that how I am heard is up to me and I have to think about how the audience might receive what I’m sharing with them.

Which social media platform have you found to be most effective to use to increase business revenues? Can you share a story from your experience?

LinkedIn has been the most effective social media platform for revenue growth. I like to connect and engage with people on LinkedIn as well as share information. Over the years, I’ve developed relationships that have given me opportunities to conduct paid presentations. I’ve also gained a couple of clients through LinkedIn. When people connect with my content they then reach out to explore how I might be able to help them. LinkedIn is the perfect platform for me because I sell to businesses.

Let’s talk about LinkedIn specifically, now. Can you share 5 ways to leverage LinkedIn to dramatically improve your business? Please share a story or example for each.

Leverage LinkedIn with your profile. Your profile is the first look most people will get of you. Your picture should be professional. Your headline should indicate what you do instead of your position. Your summary should not read like a resume unless you are looking for a job. The summary is a great place to share why you do what you do and who you help. It’s your opportunity to let people into your world. You can add pictures or videos to your summary as well. Fill out your profile as much as you possibly can. That includes your high school years. It may sound crazy but the people you went to high school with trust you. There’s something about growing up with someone that circumvents the relationship-building phase. Since LinkedIn is about business relationships you want to build your community with all of the people you’ve known. And yes, that includes those you grew up with. The more information you put on your profile the easier it is for LinkedIn to connect you to people you might know.
Leverage LinkedIn with your connections. As I mentioned, the community you build will help you grow your business. When you connect on LinkedIn with people from all of your spheres of influence you exponentially expand your reach. You should not connect with people so you can sell to them. You should connect with people to further build a business relationship. Everyone has three spheres of influence. The first is full of the people you are closest to. Family, best friends, co-workers. The next circle consists of people with whom you have some relationship. This would include your neighbors, parents of your children’s friends, members of the religious institution where you engage, and people you went to school with. The third and farthest sphere is made up of previous co-workers, past clients and vendors, old neighbors, friends of friends, and friends of family members. Your closest connections are easy to engage with. The second group requires a strategy to ensure you are building those relationships. The third group is the one you will selectively engage with depending on certain parameters like where they work and who they know. If you decide to connect with strangers, have a reason! And write a note so they see the reason. Remember, that reason should not be to sell them something. I’ve had people connect with me just to start a conversation. Over time we’ve gotten to know each other professionally. Those relationships have led to some people being guests on my podcast, opportunities to participate in conferences and summits, and discovering resources I can share with my clients. The opposite is also true. I’ve had people connect with me and then immediately try to sell me their program, product, or service. I usually disconnect from those people. They aren’t interested in exploring whether there might be an opportunity. They are connecting for dollars. Ten times out of ten I don’t need what they are peddling. So, there is no reason to keep them in my community.
Create awareness and build credibility. LinkedIn is a great place to provide content that is relevant to your audience. When you share information that is insightful, informative, and engaging, people have the opportunity to get to know you and your level of expertise. This goes beyond the status updates. Share articles and videos in the LinkedIn Pulse section. Once your post is live, LinkedIn shares it with people who have expressed interest in the topic. This gets you in front of people beyond your connections. Keep an eye on likes and comments. Engage with those who comment on the article. Status updates are great for sharing content you’ve created elsewhere. Share links to your blog posts, podcast interviews, webinars, videos, and articles you posted on other platforms. Currently, I do a live short program on Facebook and YouTube every week where I talk about sales. Once that’s done, I share the YouTube link in my LinkedIn status update. It is current, relevant content directly related to my business. It increases my credibility and keeps me in front of my community. Include commentary and hashtags so people can find the content easily. And comment on the status updates of the people you are connected to. LinkedIn is an ecosystem. The more you participate the more you will be seen.
Check your notifications. LinkedIn provides you with notifications around a variety of activities. Get in the habit of checking your notifications at least once per day. And don’t just check them! Act on them. If someone mentions you in a post, read it, and comment on it. If someone is celebrating an anniversary or new job, congratulate them. Taking action keeps you engaged with the people in your community. And that engagement is crucial to relationship building.
Get introduced to your prospects through LinkedIn research. LinkedIn is not the place to sell to your target market. However, it is a great place to do prospecting research and discover how you are connected to those in your target audience. Let’s face it. There’s nothing better than a warm introduction. When you’ve built a community on LinkedIn you can quickly see who could be introducing you to your prospects. Example: John wants to meet with property managers. He searches for them on LinkedIn using the search function. He selects the location and checks the box for 2nd connections. He receives a list of people who have Property Manager in their profiles. For each person, there is an indication of connections. These are the people who John is directly connected to and the property manager is directly connected to. When John looks at those names he can determine the best course of action. He reaches out to one of the 1st connections and asks if the person would be open to introducing John to the 2nd connection. When everyone has been doing their relationship building, those introductions are easy. The 1st connection is happy to make the introduction because she trusts John. Her connection is happy to receive the introduction because he trusts her.

Because of the position that you are in, 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 would create the Curiosity Movement. This Movement would be based on the idea that until you know someone well, you can’t judge them. And that once you know them, you won’t want to judge them because you’ll understand them. If more people were curious instead of judgmental the world would be a more accepting place and people would be happier.

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment 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 with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

I would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with Warren Buffett. I think he’s brilliant and would love to absorb as much of his wisdom as I possibly could.

Thank you so much for these great insights. This was very enlightening!

Author Diane Helbig: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Tami Wloch: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business

I love animals so I’d love to see more companies be pet friendly. This is a win for the company because people are more relaxed around their animals AND it encourages customers to bring their animals also! We now only go to restaurants that are pet-friendly so we can bring our new puppy. PLUS, pets make GREAT social posts so highlight a new pet each week.

As part of my series of interviews about “How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tami Wloch.

For over 15 years, Tami has been providing Marketing services for companies, using her expertise in Social Media, Website Design, PR, Trade Shows, Radio/TV/Newspaper, print, and more to increase Brand Awareness & Sales. Because of her successes with Social Media Campaigns, she was invited to serve on Advisory Panels for both Facebook Corp & LinkedIn Corp where she is helping shape the future of Social Media. She also teaches classes, both in the US and internationally, to help business owners understand the complex world of gaining customers thru Social Platforms. She can be reached at: www.SCmarketinginc.com

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I have been lucky to be in marketing world for over 15 years. I saw the incredible change in digital techniques from designing websites from scratch, starting email marketing when few people had email accounts, and melding digital with traditional tactics like trade show booths, print, and radio. I really enjoy what I do, helping businesses grow, so I continue to take classes to keep up to speed with this rapidly changing field.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

It was really interesting when, about 3 years ago, I got a call from Facebook asking me to be part of an Advisory Panel. Of course, I thought it was a scam call and nearly hung up on them. Fortunately, I didn’t hang up and ended up being on multiple panels for Facebook and then, about 2 years ago, I was invited to join LinkedIn’s panel.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Years ago, I had just gotten a new client and he was very rushed in trying to get his first social posts up. To drive people to the grand opening, he wanted to highlight some great specials that people could get if they attended. I had created a great description and graphic and he had approved it with some minor changes. I made the changes and launched the campaign only to realize a bit later that I had made a typo when revising and it said $99 when it should have been $999. Fortunately, I was able to quickly pull the add before it was distributed but that was a huge panic moment. I learned to ALWAYS have the client approve the final copy before it launches.

Which social media platform have you found to be most effective to use to increase business revenues? Can you share a story from your experience?

LinkedIn is great because all of the “C-Suite” people are on that platform. The paid campaigns are more expensive than on other platforms but you have to expect to pay more to reach these customers. You can also sort on specific job titles which is a huge help when you need to reach specific jobs. Facebook is much less expensive so, if you can open up your targeted audience a bit, you can reach more people for less than half the cost.

Let’s talk about LinkedIn specifically, now. Can you share 5 ways to leverage LinkedIn to dramatically improve your business? Please share a story or example for each.

Absolutely — there are easy, FREE ways people can use LinkedIn to generate more sales!

Amp up your personal profile
Spend the money to get a professional headshot done! People do not take you seriously as a business person if you can see someone’s arm where you tried to crop the photo.
Also, don’t hold a cup, even if it’s just water. It can send the wrong message.
Lastly, don’t use a cartoon drawing (unless you are a cartoon artist) and don’t put up a picture of your pet as your profile pic. LinkedIn can reach customers with money so keep it professional.
Use that banner on both your personal profile AND your business page
This is FREE advertising so change it often — everyone who goes to your page will see this banner!
Make sure it includes your email OR your phone # OR your website — make it easy for customers to contact you
Join groups
Not just groups with others in your profession — join groups that contain your best customers
Post often in the groups so the people see your name and see your breadth of knowledge
Follow the 80/20 rule — 80% of the time share your knowledge and only 20% of the time ask for a sale or pitch a service
Make connections
The biggest mistake some people make is just connecting with only people in their own industry — this is fine, but it won’t get you sales
Set a goal to invite 20 people each week to connect with you — target those people who would be your best customers
Then, when you post each week (YES, you should post each week), your connections will see what you post (the 80/20 rule still applies)
Post at least once/week
Set one day each week to post to LinkedIn. It’s easy if you follow a schedule! Here are some great things to post about — use one of these ideas each week and you are set for months!
POST = New products/Services; Employee anniversaries/birthdays; Thank your customer for something; Welcome new customers; Customer reviews; Summarize and industry article; highlight one of your services/products

I love animals so I’d love to see more companies be pet friendly. This is a win for the company because people are more relaxed around their animals AND it encourages customers to bring their animals also! We now only go to restaurants that are pet-friendly so we can bring our new puppy. PLUS, pets make GREAT social posts so highlight a new pet each week. This would be particularly great if your business could sponsor a rescue animal and have them at the business once a week — post that on social also so the pet gets adopted!

Wow, I would love to have lunch with Warren Buffett — he seems to be such a down-to-earth person and he does so much good for businesses who are growing. He gives back so much to the world, both in teaching and in donations. I’d love to have the chance to talk about his struggles in growing a business & hear some advice on growing my business!

Thank you so much for these great insights. This was very enlightening!

Tami Wloch: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Rising Music Star VËR: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway

I’d love to be able to inspire young artists to follow their art and pursue it fearlessly and independently. By exploring the musical journey independently, it allows an artist to really grow into themselves, their story and their values in an unclouded, authentic way. The world will always need real, honest music.

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 VËR.

VËR short for ‘Vered’, the Hebrew word for ‘Rose’ is an independent Canadian-Israeli singer, songwriter and producer from Montreal. With a degree in Architecture, a diploma in Audio Production and having worked in the performance industry for many years wearing different hats, VËR’s worlds blend together through the passion for the creative process, music and connecting through song, art and creativity. Her musical identity is drawn from her middle-eastern roots, mixed with contemporary influences like Charlotte Cardin, Snoh Aalegra & H.E.R., with the soulful inspiration of Amy Winehouse, Norah Jones & Ms. Lauryn Hill. VËR’s debut EP ‘Bloom’ will be released in the early fall of 2020.

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

I grew up as a musical child. I was literally placed in front of a piano as soon as I could hold myself upright and started taking vocal lessons after attending my first concert at 12 years old (shoutout to Hilary Duff!) I’ve always had a passion for music but my journey to where I am today, pursuing it full-time, was pretty winding (from getting a degree in Architecture, to being on a quick season II of ‘La Voix’, to working a ton of different jobs (from transcriptionist, to dog-walker, vocal coach, online English teacher, hostess, and most recently, A&R/Music programmer at a Live Entertainment company). Telling my backstory always makes me sweat a little!

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I’m currently working on my first full-length album, and with a *really* special producer from England (which I won’t announce just yet!) The concept and narrative behind it revolves around my experience/awakening after having my life ‘uprooted’ by the recent pandemic. The job losses, the relationship changes, the big move, the realizations and newfound appreciations, the silver linings. I think it will help people because this pandemic is universal — it’s something that the entire world is experiencing together. The feel of this album and its genre will be very moody, vocal-centric and intimate, to really help transport the listener into a zen, introspective space. Something like an escape from the moment they were in prior to listening to the album. Hopefully this album will help listeners see the silver linings in this really cloudy, dark time.

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?

Totally — in February of 2013 to be exact! I was in my second year of architecture school and while I’m now grateful for having gone through the program, at the time, it was absolutely killer. All I wanted to do was be studying at Berklee as it was initially planned (that’s a story for another time). I was craving excitement and music in my life. Maroon 5 called on their fans to help create a special music video for their song ‘Daylight’. I immediately jumped to the occasion, sent in a clip where I opened up about ‘one of the hardest decisions I had to make in my life’, and was told by literally everyone who knew about it that there was no way my clip would get chosen. Well, it did. And that was the moment I discovered the power of manifestation (and simply being a ‘do-er’).

Maroon 5 was coming to town a couple of months later. Without hesitation, I bought tickets as close to the stage as possible. Then and there I decided I’d find a way to get myself onto his stage, telling my best friend who bought tickets with me: “he’s going to know his biggest fans are in the audience.”

I figured the best way was through a bright, fluorescent, sparkly poster. How else do you get noticed in a sea of 20,000 people? It said: “I was in ur daylight vid — let me sing with u?”. Instead of studying for my History of Architecture midterm which was the next morning, or drafting up floor plans, I was crafting the perfect, flamboyant poster — my ticket to the stage. People in my class thought I was actually insane. I remember the look on their faces when I left school at 7pm the night of the concert saying: “Bye guys, I’m going to join Maroon 5 on stage”. My family also thought I’d completely lost it — but they’ve always been good at just letting me do my thing.

The night of the concert, the stars aligned. I was meant to share the stage with Adam Levine — there’s no doubt in my mind. Upon entering the stadium, the security guard tried to take the poster away from me. I didn’t let that happen. Upon taking our seats, we noticed our friends in the second row, who were being brought down to the floor seats. We ended up taking theirs, getting that much closer to the stage (practically at eye level with the band!). After waving the poster and screaming/jumping like a maniac, Adam finally noticed the sign, winked and pointed at me. While it seemed promising, half the show went by without anything happening. And a wink was definitely not enough for me. Someone from the band’s team walking along the stage noticed my poster and gave me a thumbs up and pointed to the stage. Another promising moment, but nothing seemed to be coming out of it. Meanwhile, I was also hoping that ‘Daylight’ was closer to the end of his set so I’d have enough time to get my way to his stage! (Lucky for me, t was the second-to-last song ;))

I quickly realized I had to take this into my own hands if I wanted something to actually happen. I walked over to the crew member who noticed my poster and tapped him on the shoulder. He looked up at me with the biggest look of confusion. With the biggest smile on my face I said: “So, you liked my poster! Are you going to get me up there or what?!” He literally had no clue who I was. But after 5 minutes of convincing and explaining that I was the “poster-girl” in the band’s Daylight video, that it would be such a perfect story if I was brought on stage, and that I promised not to f*&$# it up, he finally smiled and said: “I’ll see what I can do.”

At that moment, I knew it had finally worked. I felt it all over. A couple of songs later, the lights in the stadium shut off abruptly, and I knew exactly what was happening. This is the only part of the night that is a blur because I was in such shock that it had worked, and I actually started to panic a little. (All the videos are on youtube if you’re curious!) Adam Levine ended up inviting me to come up and share the stage with him for the song ‘Daylight’. I’ll never forget how nervous I was walking up to the stage, and how the second I put one foot on the stage, the nerves disappeared immediately. I knew then and there that the big stage was the place for me, and that I’d work my ass off to be able to get there again (but next time, as the headliner! ;))

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

Search: “Dana Ben David on stage with Adam Levine” on Youtube 😉

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 about that?

I don’t think I’d be where I am today without my former vocal coach (and mentor) Erin. In my opinion, every young artist needs a guide, someone to believe in them, give them that boost, that confidence. Growing up, I wanted to be like Erin and wanted to make her proud. Not only were our weekly lessons also like ‘therapy’, but after 10 years of working together, she was so instrumental in training my voice and giving me the tools to let it develop into its own sound. I hope one day to be able to give to young artists what Erin gave me during my formative years of 12–21!

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?

Growing up, I had a pretty great support system, and wasn’t really surrounded by many ‘naysayers’. However that being said, I always found myself in very male-dominated fields (in Audio Production School, I was literally the only girl in my class). Being in those kinds of environments definitely contributed to my resiliency as there was no doubt an underlying sense of being the ‘underdog’ and having to prove myself to be at the ‘male-standard’. Sexism in the music industry is real in so many ways. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked if I knew how to set up my own mic stand, or assuming I don’t know how to use gear. And while I do believe that it’s starting to be dismantled (slowly), it’s definitely still rampant. When you’re faced with it often enough, and whether it’s blatant or covert, you end up building thicker skin and resiliency (if you don’t let it get to you, that is…)

Based on your experience, can you share 5 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)

Block out the noise: at the end of the day, it truly doesn’t matter what others think when it comes to your visions, your goals, your dreams. Getting caught up in other people’s opinions can only slow you down, or bring you to a complete halt! Learning to filter out the noise and the negative energy will allow you to see clearly, to stay optimistic and focused.
On that note: Focus! Don’t let yourself get distracted or forget the WHY (and trust me, sometimes it’s really easy to forget when things get tough or seem out of reach). Write down what your goal is and why you want it so badly. Put that paper up near your desk and keep it in sight!
Manifest (say it out loud): there’s something about saying your goals out loud that helps it materialize. When you actually say something out loud, a part of it actually becomes real. That’s the first step. Repeat it. Believe it. Visualize it and eventually, it will be!
Mindset is everything. It takes a level of fearlessness and “forgetting the rules” to accomplish the “impossible”, whatever that may be to you. It helps to think outside the box, have fun with your goals and to not take yourself too seriously!
Get rid of your inner naysayer. Sometimes, we’re our worst enemy and our harshest critic. Self-doubt is toxic and definitely doesn’t lend itself to being able to accomplish the ‘impossible’, so try to replace that with a little more self-love and that’ll help you get on your way.

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

It sounds really basic and probably a bit cliche, but for me, it really comes down to: “you can do anything you set your mind to if you want it badly enough”.

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.

Wow, that’s a tough one! I’m not sure about an actual *movement* perse, but I’d love to be able to inspire young artists to follow their art and pursue it fearlessly and independently. By exploring the musical journey independently, it allows an artist to really grow into themselves, their story and their values in an unclouded, authentic way. The world will always need real, honest music. Having the tools to create music, and having that outlet, is the most powerful way to heal yourself and others! I’d love to be able to start a charity one day that gives children the opportunity to get into music at a young age, by receiving weekly music lessons and bringing an instrument into their home.

Can our readers follow you on social media?

I would love to connect with your readers. The best way to reach out to me is via instagram at @thisisver. They can also follow me on my spotify page and facebook page www.facebook.com/thisisver

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

Rising Music Star VËR: 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.

Lindsey Dinneen of VidaDance: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway

If I could inspire people to start a movement, it would be a campaign to ignite kindness and empathy towards all humans. The “pay it forward” movement would occur daily. Each of us would have enough confidence in our self-worth to understand that everyone is going through challenges. Instead of being unreasonable, disrespectful, or unkind, we would find daily reasons to pay the love forward. It would promote a lifestyle of empathy, kindness, and compassion. This movement would literally change the world.

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 Lindsey Dinneen. Lindsey is an entrepreneur, creator, learner, and dancer. She founded and is the Artistic Director of VidaDance (a professional dance company) and the founder and host of the Artfully Told podcast (where people share stories about their meaningful encounters with art). She loves sharing the joy of dance and wellness with others, and creates online courses to teach various dance styles, stretching/toning, and healthy living. She enjoys dogs, coffee shops, friends, and art.

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

Absolutely! Thank you for having me. I have been dancing since I was four years old. After watching a video of “The Nutcracker,” I fell in love with the beautiful costumes, and my mom enrolled me in a ballet class shortly after that. I grew up mostly studying classical ballet, and in college at Mercyhurst University, I branched out to include modern, tap, and jazz while earning my BA in Dance. After college, I moved to Kansas City to dance professionally, and did so with various local companies for five years. I’ve been an entrepreneur at heart for a long time, but it wasn’t until six years ago that I finally took the first steps towards becoming one. I was inspired to start my own professional dance company, VidaDance, not only to affect change in the dance world, but to affect change in the world with dance. Seven months later, I founded VidaDance Studio, with a mission to inspire confidence and joy through dance classes. In 2020, due to COVID-19, I switched gears with the studio to host only semi-private and private classes so that I could personally coach and mentor each student individually. I am passionate about helping women and men live their most successful, empowered, and healthy lives.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I am always working on exciting projects! Most recently, I started a podcast called Artfully Told, where people share stories about their meaningful encounters with art. At Artfully Told, we know that art is a vital aspect of everyone’s lives. Everyone has a story about how art has impacted them — whether they are professional artists, amateur dabblers, or simply anyone who has seen a movie, read a book, attended a live performance, etc. Whether inspiring or humorous, sad or sweet, these stories have the power to connect us, and to transform the way we think about and experience art. We strive to make our podcast accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds and involvement with art. Together, we can create a community of people who value art in all its forms, and enjoy having their days be Artfully Told.

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

With VidaDance, we stand out from the crowd for several reasons. We have always wanted to produce dance performances that resonate with our audiences, whether they have an interest or background in dance, or not! One of the ways we do this is by creating shows that incorporate a wide variety of dance styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, ballroom, and world dance. If you’re not as interested in ballet, but you like other forms, you’ll see it all during the show. Another way we’re different is that we create entertaining, easy-to-follow storylines, so you don’t have to be a dance aficionado to know what’s going on. Each choreographer writes a short description about his or her piece so that our audiences know the backstory or inspiration behind it. We are a very inclusive group of dancers in everything from race to age to body type, because we know the power of dance to connect and inspire all of us. We highly encourage collaboration and laughter in our company culture so that everyone feels valued. All of this contributes to making our company stand out from the crowd.

I was in a program for dance education about a decade ago where the leadership was extremely critical of me and my goals. When I lost too much weight due to having mono, I was told that was a “good thing” for my physique. Instead of being encouraged towards performing professionally, they told me they thought that I would be “good at arts administration.” It felt like I had been kicked in the gut. I looked up to these people and would have loved to learn from them and be challenged to follow my goals, but instead I was consistently discouraged from my chosen path because they didn’t see a future for me dancing professionally. It was very difficult for me, mentally and emotionally, to move past their discouragement and continue to pursue my dreams without their support. I had wanted to be a dancer since I was four, and now I was being told it wasn’t my path. The only way I was able to overcome their criticism was to continue on down the road that I knew was meant for me, by auditioning for professional companies.

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

In the end, I was one of only two graduates that year that were offered professional dance contracts even before we had graduated. My hard work, ambition, and determination had paid off, and within just three months of graduation, I had moved across the country and started my career as a professional dancer. Four years after that, I founded my own professional dance company, VidaDance, and we regularly sell out our productions. In the last five years since we premiered at the Kansas City Fringe Festival, we won Best of Festival twice, and Best of Venue three times. Along my career path so far, I have also been invited to perform as a guest artist/company member for multiple other professional companies and productions. Despite the initial discouragement and criticism, I was able to prove the naysayers completely wrong.

A lot of people have really helped me along the way, and it’s hard to pick just one. However, my husband stands out as my biggest cheerleader and supporter ever since he met me. When I had an unexpected opportunity to produce a show for the Kansas City Fringe Festival, it meant I’d have only a couple months to put an entire production together — and launch a professional company — neither of which I’d ever done. Kevin was my encourager every step of the way, from giving me the confidence to say “yes” to that opportunity, not knowing how much it would take from both of us, to literally coming up with a piece storyline and actually performing in it, due to a last-minute drop-out from a cast member who got injured. He’s always been there for me, through thick and thin. We joke about his involvement, because when I first started the company, I promised him “terrible pay and horrible hours,” and he’s still supported me anyway. He has been a photographer, videographer, lights and sound technician, prop and set designer, performer, organizer, and everything in between. He researched and built our sprung dance floor, designs most of the marketing materials for the company, and is the best sounding board when I’m trying to brainstorm or problem-solve. I could not do what I do without him!

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?

I was blessed to grow up in a supportive family that allowed me to dream big, and encouraged me to hone my skills so that I could follow my passions. One commitment that really helped me to develop my resiliency was by being a part of The Congressional Award program. The program is for anyone ages 13½ to 23 and recognizes the setting and meeting of goals in four program areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration. It is a rigorous program, with milestones of Bronze, Silver, and Gold Certificates earned before Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals can be earned. For example, a minimum of 400 hours in voluntary public service, 200 hours in personal development, 200 hours in physical fitness, and four nights/five days in expedition/exploration must be completed to earn the Gold Medal. There were many times I was tempted to give up along the way, because it was hard and took so much time, but in choosing to continue to pursue that ultimate goal, I built up my resiliency, tenacity, and grit. I was awarded the Congressional Award Gold Medal in 2011, and consider that to be one of my greatest accomplishments.

Based on your experience, can you share 5 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)

Practice tenacity daily. We all face challenges on a daily basis. Refusing to give up when you don’t feel like doing something, and just doing it anyway can be practiced in little ways all the time. For example, very few people enjoy washing the dishes, and many people leave them to sit in the sink, sometimes for days at a time. Instead of hoping someone else will eventually do them, take the initiative and do the work even when you don’t feel like it (maybe especially when you don’t feel like it).
Establish goals. When you have exciting goals that you’re working towards achieving, it’s a lot easier to develop tenacity. Set measurable goals for yourself and then set aside time every day to work on them. Give yourself realistic deadlines and commit to meeting them. If you’ve been wanting to read more, give yourself the goal to read one new book every month. Schedule 20 minutes every day that is solely devoted to reading. Whether you feel like reading or not on a particular day, do it anyway.
Be bold. Tenacity requires courage. It’s important to be fearless in your pursuit of your dreams and goals, because there will be many times when they won’t feel worth the effort and frustration necessary to achieve them. You’ll be scared to take the next leap of faith sometimes, but you need to do it anyway. When I was interested in working for a local community college to teach dance, I noticed that they were currently not offering any dance classes. I sent an email, proposing the idea of developing and teaching dance courses, even though I wasn’t sure if I was qualified or ready for that step in my career. Not only did they answer my email proposing the idea, but a phone interview, panel interview, and class demonstration later, I became an adjunct professor at the college and created a dance program which is still going strong after six years.
Develop a growth mindset. Having the willingness and desire to continue learning throughout your life will carry you further than you ever thought possible. Be humble enough to admit when you’ve held an incorrect belief, and nurture a culture of continual growth in your life. I love learning and taking on new challenges, and I’m eager to develop my skills in areas in which I’m weak or unknowledgeable. Possessing a strong growth mindset has allowed me to cultivate tenacity when I need to obtain a new skillset in order to be successful.
Practice gratitude. Life gets really tough sometimes and it is easy to complain when things don’t go the way you hoped. Gratitude and tenacity go hand-in-hand. When you can express gratitude for the good that is in your life (and there is always something for which to be grateful), you can more easily move past the frustrations and keep moving forward. My mother always told me to count my blessings, especially when I felt like complaining, and embracing that habit has gotten me through challenging seasons.

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

A personal philosophy that I embrace is the concept of laser focus. I have so many examples of times where something I created (marketing material, choreography, idea for a new piece or show, etc.) was copied by someone else. It is so easy to get angry and derailed by people who shoot down your idea only to copy it for their own purposes later. For me, I’ve discovered the best way to handle this is threefold: one, acknowledge that what the person did was wrong and out-of-line. Two, remember that your haters believe in you, which is why you’re on their radar. Three, move on and get right back to your own path. When you do that, you are able to achieve amazing things because you don’t allow yourself to dwell on other people and their paths. You show up every day and do your best consistently.

If I could inspire people to start a movement, it would be a campaign to ignite kindness and empathy towards all humans. The “pay it forward” movement would occur daily. Each of us would have enough confidence in our self-worth to understand that everyone is going through challenges. Instead of being unreasonable, disrespectful, or unkind, we would find daily reasons to pay the love forward. It would promote a lifestyle of empathy, kindness, and compassion. This movement would literally change the world.

Can our readers follow you on social media?

Absolutely! I’d love to connect with anyone on social media. You can connect with me on Facebook and Instagram with @lindseydinneenofficial.

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

Thank you again for having me!

Lindsey Dinneen of VidaDance: 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.

Heather Rider: How One Can Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome

They don’t need to look for external validation. The need to acknowledge themselves constantly for all they achieve, no matter how “small” the achievement may seem. That self-validation is the constant reminder that they are good enough.

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 Heather Rider.

Heather Rider, known professionally as The Energy Synergist, is an anxiety specialist who personally overcame high-functioning anxiety and Imposter Syndrome while working in a demanding Tech job.

She works with clients from all over the world who want to take a nontraditional, holistic approach to healing anxiety.

She regularly writes and presents on the issues of perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome, high-functioning anxiety and other anxiety related topics.

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’?

For years I struggled with high functioning anxiety and perfectionism (the two go hand-in-hand). But I didn’t know I had anxiety and had never heard of high functioning anxiety. The “functioning” part is incredibly accurate.

I was highly functional and successful, but on the inside I was a “hot mess.” I just thought I was stressed out all the time.

Eventually, from years of overwhelm and anxiety, I got very sick with a severe autoimmune reaction. My nervous system was shot and my body just gave out.

That illness really forced me to slow down and heal. Through healing my physical body, I got the emotional healing that I didn’t even realize I needed.

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?

I used to work in Technology in Austin. Through recovering from that auto immune reaction, I really transformed my life. I overcame high functioning anxiety and I realized that my mission and the reason I am here is to help other people heal from the emotional reasons they have anxiety.

I left the world of Tech to open my business. I’ll talk more about Imposter Syndrome in my own life later. But, if I hadn’t beaten Imposter Syndrome, I wouldn’t have been able to have the courage to leave a very well-paying job to start my own business.

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

I take a very unusual approach to helping people heal from anxiety. It’s a mix of coaching and energy work, plus a lot of practical tips and tools. I’ve cultivated my method through working with hundreds of clients.

I had one client, Sarah, who told me at the end of her first session with me, “I got more out of this one session than years of therapy.”

My technique is unique, and clients are able to have noticeable results in a fairly short amount of time.

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?

I would define Imposter Syndrome as immense feelings of self-doubt or unworthiness. If you have Imposter Syndrome, you feel like a fraud and like you’re going to be “found out.”

That feeling can be surreal (I had a client describe it like she was having an out of body experience). When I suffered from Imposter Syndrome, I felt like I was in a movie, but it was my life. I remember thinking that “I can’t do this” while I was at work.

It didn’t make any sense. I was doing the think I thought I pretending to do. It felt like I was faking it, but I wasn’t. I was actually doing real, quality work.

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

Imposter Syndrome holds people back from work success and personal interests as well.

At work, on way that Imposter Syndrome holds people back is by keeping the person with Imposter Syndrome from providing input or sharing their ideas (particularly in meetings, where they won’t speak up or join in the conversation).

They fear they don’t have anything valuable to say, with an internal dialogue of keeping themselves quiet because of the fear they will say something “stupid,” or thinking that their ideas aren’t as valuable as others’, whom they see as having more experience.

In one’s personal life, Imposter Syndrome can hold people back in a myriad of ways. Often people won’t go to exercise classes (like yoga for example) because they think they don’t know what they are doing and compare themselves to others in the room who are more experienced.

People with Imposter Syndrome often won’t try creative pursuits as a hobby, like creating art for example. They think they have to be amazing right away, instead of allowing themselves to be a beginner.

They are really limiting joy and expression in their lives.

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

Because of the massive self-doubt that comes with Imposter Syndrome, that feeling of unworthiness can start to transfer over into other areas of someone’s life, including their personal romantic relationships.

Doubt can start to creep in about the relationship. The person with Imposter Syndrome may be thinking “I’m not good enough at work; maybe I’m not good enough for this person either.”

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

I got into the work I do now because a number of years ago, I was struggling with high functioning anxiety (which is hidden anxiety because I was highly functional in the world), I was also a lot perfectionism and Imposter Syndrome.

I worked in Technology in Austin in the early 2000’s. I left the field and Austin and moved to Charlotte, where I alternated as a stay at home mom and a school librarian, which I did because the schedule worked well with having little kids.

But, I made $38,000 as a librarian, and after I got a divorce, that wasn’t going to cut it.

So, I moved back to Austin to get back into tech and through the power of networking, got a job after being out of the field for 10 years. That is a really long time to be out of Tech.

And what happened, is I found myself at the job full of total overwhelm, feeling like I didn’t know what I was doing.

One day at work, I had the most surreal experience. I felt like I was inside a movie. Like I was an actor in my own life and that while I was doing the work, it felt like I was pretending to do the work. So there I am doing the work, but it felt like I was pretending to do the work, even though I was actually doing the work.

The sensation that I had was so bizarre that I did a Google search of some sort related to the way I was feeling.

I don’t remember what magical keywords I used, but a result for Imposter Syndrome came back.

I read this webpage and was like — whoa, this is describing me EXACTLY.

I did not know that Imposter Syndrome had a name — I had never heard of it and didn’t know that other people felt the way I was feeling.

So, I knew that Imposter Syndrome was really holding me back from success at work, because I was so full of doubt about everything I was doing, so much so that I wanted to quit that job.

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

Luckily, I had met a life coach right around that time at a networking event. I contacted her and bought a package of sessions with her.

I had never worked with a life coach, but I knew I needed help. And help I got.

We had a really powerful session that helped with that Imposter Syndrome.

And after that, I had a huge breakthrough at work and really knocked a project out of the park. That success gave me so much confidence that I wound up asking for a raise.

I did get a raise, but it wasn’t enough. So, I started job hunting and landed a job where I was offered over $35,000 more per year in salary, plus stock options. Which I said yes to (a big Heck Yes!!).

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.

One step is to recognize that in the US, it is estimated that at least 70% of people have experienced Imposter Syndrome. When you know how wide spread and pervasive the phenomena is, you don’t feel so alone. That statistic really put the syndrome in context for a lot of people.

A second step is to learn to recognize when the Imposter is talking to you. This takes a level of self-awareness and practice. The voice is so sneaky and invasive, at first it is hard to distinguish. But it is absolutely there.

Once you start to notice that it is talking, you can start to “reframe” it into a much nicer voice. The way to do that is with some gentle questioning. If the voice is telling you “You can’t do this; you don’t know what you’re doing.”

Ask yourself “Why do I think I can’t do this?” Ask yourself “Is it true that I don’t know what I’m doing?” Through this process, you’ll start to realize that the voice of the Imposter isn’t true. You’ll start to find evidence against what the voice is telling you.

Going back to the story that I shared about how I felt like I was in a movie (that surreal feeling I had) while I was at work and struggling with Imposter Syndrome, the voice inside my head said “I can’t do this.”

I was doing it. I was legitimately doing the work that the voice was telling me I couldn’t do. So, I should have been asking myself “Why do I think I can’t do this? It seems like I am actually doing the work.”

A third step is to talk to people that you trust either at work or that you admire about how you are feeling. Tell them how full of doubt you are.

This is the time to vulnerable. Since Imposter Syndrome is so wide spread, you’ll be surprised at the response you get, because most likely the person you’re talking to will be able to relate.

They will share with you how they felt like a fraud in their lives. You’ll most likely be looking at them and thinking “Wait. You are so successful! You’ve felt this way too?!”

I have had friends and clients who are incredibly successful tell me about how the Imposter appeared in their life. These are people that other people look up to and admire — successful business owners or employees, some of whom have won awards or are “top producers” and they too have felt Imposter Syndrome in their lives.

A fourth step is validate your own success and achievements, no matter how small. It is useful to keep a “Successes” journal that you write in either every day or at the end of every week. Write down your accomplishments, not matter how “small.”

People with Imposter Syndrome really discount their work. They make excuses for why their successes “don’t count.” They attribute the success to luck, or to other people’s role in the situation.

If you want to get past Imposter Syndrome, you have to start acknowledging how much you do know and how much you have achieved and continue to achieve.

I had a really big success at the job where I had Imposter Syndrome. That was a huge turning point for me. I recognized the accomplishment and I thought to myself “You did this. This was all you. If you did it once, you can do it again.”

A fifth step is to learn to ask for help whenever you feel like an Imposter. If it is at work, ask a trusted colleague or mentor for their opinion about what you are doing, or ask for them to share their knowledge with you.

People with Imposter Syndrome are afraid to ask for help because they think it will make it look like they don’t know what they are doing. If they feel like a fraud, they think that asking for help will only prove to someone else that they are a fraud.

This just isn’t true. I’ve found that people actually love to help other people because it makes them feel smart and validated.

People are usually more than willing to help and ultimately, it is good for them as well, because someone in a “teaching” role is usually getting something for themselves. They are learning through the explaining.

If you ask for help, you will be able to implement the knowledge that was shared with you and you’ll be able to move so much faster than if you try to “go it alone.” It makes it so much easier on yourself.

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. 🙂

My movement would be called the “You Are Good Enough.” Since I’m talking to you today about Imposter Syndrome, I really want your audience to know that they are good enough. They have accomplished enough and already have expertise.

They don’t need to look for external validation. The need to acknowledge themselves constantly for all they achieve, no matter how “small” the achievement may seem.

That self-validation is the constant reminder that they are good enough.

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 🙂

Brene Brown is amazing. She is real, vulnerable and has loads of wisdom for us all. It would be an honor to meet her.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrider/

https://www.facebook.com/TheEnergySynergist/

https://www.instagram.com/the.energy.synergist/

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

Heather Rider: 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.

The Future Of Beauty: Stem Cell Technology To Improve Skin And Hair, With Habib Torfi of Invitrx…

The Future Of Beauty: Stem Cell Technology To Improve Skin And Hair, With Habib Torfi of Invitrx Therapeutics

Your body is the most important part of staying healthy and beautiful. I basically recommend people a healthy diet, exercise, good sleeping habits and avoiding alcohol and drugs

I had the pleasure of interviewing Habib Torfi — The Founder, Chairman and CEO of Invitrx Therapeutics and Reluma Skincare.

Mr. Habib Torfi founded Invitrx therapeutics in Irvine, CA in 2003. Before founding Invitrx Therapeutics Mr. Torfi directed the Laboratory of Regenerative Bioengineering and Repair for the Department of Surgery at UCLA from 1998–2001. The laboratory goal was discovering and developing proprietary, cell-based therapeutics utilizing adult stem cells derived from adipose tissue. Due to Mr. Torfi’s reputation as a pioneer and expert in the field of stem cell biology a colleague reached out requesting the development of a stem cell product for his company.

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’m Habib Torfi, the founder, Chairman and CEO of Reluma Skincare and Invitrx Therapeutics, a company specializing in stem cell and tissue engineering, research and technology. I directed the Laboratory of Regenerative Bioengineering and Repair for the Department of Surgery at UCLA from 1998–2001. I was the director of Epithelial Autograft Facility at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California. Epithelial Autograft Facility provided three dimensional tissue engineered skin and cornea for burn, diabetic leg ulcer and patients with ocular surface disorders. I hold an undergraduate degree in Microbiology and a graduate degree in Human genetics. I published numerous papers and hold several patents in stem cell and bioengineering fields.

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?

Invitrx began as a developer of skin grafts for burn patients. We developed one of the first umbilical cord blood stem cell products. As this product was unique and the market was immature the demand for the product grew exponentially. We have since spent years developing proprietary processing methods that have increased the quality, safety, and efficacy of its products. From its humble beginnings our company has grown exponentially and organically through innovation and dedication to product quality to become a leader in the cell therapy industry.

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?

Having team members that you can depend on and be transparent with is crucial. We have team members who keep me grounded and help me avoid wasting time on negativity.

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?

Invitrx develops innovative cell therapy products to provide physicians and patients alternative treatment methods to traditional pharmaceuticals. Invitrx’s breakthrough technologies have become instrumental to the creation of numerous products such as Reluma Skincare.

In fact, every Reluma product, from facial cleanser to shampoo, is formulated with growth factors and matrix proteins produced using Invitrx’s proprietary Stem Cell Core Technology. This scientific approach to skin care has yielded remarkable results and earned Reluma a passionate and loyal customer base across the globe.

Our products were designed utilizing Stem Cell Core Technology to rejuvenate skin and hair to have a lustrous glow. Our Stem Cell Core Technology uses a proprietary method to retrieve the essence of Adult Fibroblast Stem Cells. This essence is our Polypeptide Enriched Media. We in turn use this as our main ingredient in the whole line of Reluma products. Notably, our active ingredient is the Polypeptide Enriched Media itself — there are no live stem cells in our products.

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

The universe of the science fiction Black Mirror is very interesting from an ethical perspective. In regards to the cell therapy industry, there are several sources of stem cells, but the two most common include embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells have historically been the most coveted since they can potentially become any cell in the body. However, they’re also the most controversial because they’re extracted from human embryos, which has raised ethical issues. Adult stem cells, on the other hand, present no ethical challenges as they come from adult tissues. And while they can’t give rise to all cell types, emerging research has revealed that adult stem cells are far more versatile than previously imagined.

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

These are 3 exciting things for me to look out for this year:

1- The cell therapy market is growing very rapidly, and the big players are following. It took 20 years for them to show interest in cell therapy technology. The increasing investments of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies in stem cell research are the key driving factors for the cell therapy industry. Today, we are talking about how we can cure cancer, reduce pain and improve the quality of life for people. It’s clear that advances in gene therapy are becoming more accessible in the beauty industry.

2- People start giving more attention and focusing on their skin health more than ever. We see that fact and we are taking the preventative steps.

3- Personalized products are the next step in beauty. We’re beginning to see completely personalized beauty products tailored to people’s unique skin type and needs.

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?

Three things that concern me are the lack of innovation in the industry, transparency issues and using unproven cell therapies. The FDA helps with the development and licensing of cell therapies where the scientific evidence supports the product’s safety and effectiveness.

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

Your body is the most important part of staying healthy and beautiful. I basically recommend people a healthy diet, exercise, good sleeping habits and avoiding alcohol and drugs

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

The cup is always half full. I’m pathologically optimistic.

How can our readers follow you online?

Twitter @htorfi

Linkedin @HabibTorfi

Facebook @HabibTorfi

The Future Of Beauty: Stem Cell Technology To Improve Skin And Hair, With Habib Torfi of Invitrx… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Of Beauty: “Ultrasound Beams That Can Tighten Skin” With Dr. Jacob D Steiger

The Future Of Beauty: “Ultrasound Beams That Can Tighten Skin” With Dr. Jacob D. Steiger

Beauty starts from within. You can be the most beautiful person in the world but if you don’t feel that way then it doesn’t matter. Working on your inner beauty is just as important as the things that I do to enhance your external appearance. Never forget to love yourself.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jacob D. Steiger, M.D. an accomplished, double board certified facial plastic surgeon whose background and credentials reflect his commitment to the highest standards of patient care, treatment innovation, and leadership within his specialty.

Dr. Steiger’s philosophy is centered around enhancing the lives of his patients by achieving natural-appearing results using the most advanced and proven techniques. He believes in customizing each patient’s care based upon their unique anatomical features, desires and expectations. His dedication to plastic surgery of the face, background and experience allow him to offer an unsurpassed quality of care to his patients.

Dr. Jacob D Steiger MD is board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery. He practices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida treating patients from Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, as well as patients from all over the US and from around the world.

Thank you for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Ever since I can remember I have always wanted to be a surgeon. My father was a car mechanic and I come from a long lineage of creative engineers. The act of being able to alter/fix something with my hands is what I was born to do. I have also been fascinated with art throughout my life. I minored in art history and have been sculpting since grade school. I continue to love art, perform art and I am an avid art collector. The combination of the science and art of plastic surgery was the perfect combination for me. I decided early on that I would specifically specialize in plastic surgery of the face. This stems from my love of detail and the intricacy of the face and neck. Facial plastic surgery is what I was born to do. I absolutely love my profession. I wake up every day excited to go to work and I go to bed excited for what tomorrow has in store.

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

Part of why I love what I do is that every day that I go to work there is a new interesting story. This is because my profession is not just about improving, altering and enhancing appearance; it is intertwined with the human element. Since I deal with keeping my patients looking their very best, I get to see them often. I get to know them and I get to know their families and their stories. This is one of the elements of being a great facial plastic surgeon. If you can understand the person, you can curtail their treatments to what will be best for them.

Since my first job when I was 15 years old, I have always gone in to work and gave it my 110%. Whether I was cleaning, scooping ice cream, selling computers, working in a genetic lab or practicing medicine, I give it my all. With each and every surgery that I perform, I aim to achieve the very best results. I don’t know anything different. I am one of the few people that started their own practice by themselves. I had a vision and I knew that I would get there. While there is not one specific tipping point that I can pinpoint, having more and more people out there, whom I have operated on has been the key to the success of my practice. I am to achieve satisfaction in all of my patients. I go above and beyond for them to achieve that. This is the foundation on which I built Steiger Facial Plastic Surgery. The people that witness it first- hand are ecstatic and they are proud to refer their friends and family to me.

I am very fortunate to have an extremely supportive family. My family has always been the foundation for my success. The emotional support has been integral in giving me the courage and confidence to achieve my dreams. I cannot thank them enough.

This is why it is so important for me to treat my patients as an extended family. They entrust me with helping them. I use the best techniques, the most advanced technology and the safest protocols that is available in my field today to help them achieve the best results. I wouldn’t perform anything on a patient that I wouldn’t do to my own family.

I am always looking into the latest innovations in technology, techniques, and procedures in my quest to achieve the best results. “Best” can mean many things. There are new technologies and techniques that can minimize the downtime. There are better ways to do things in order to achieve the best results.

In facelift surgery, I perform a specialized technique called the Deep Plane Facelift. I was one of the earlier surgeons performing this technique over 12 years ago. Now it’s gaining popularity because of the amazing results. It achieves the most effective lift possible, while maintaining the most natural possible results. This “untouched” look is achievable because the technique mainly focuses on the anatomy of the face. Instead of just pulling skin and muscle, the deep plane facelift actually restores the facial retaining ligaments to there more youthful/anatomic position. There are nuances to how every surgeon may perform a procedure, and I have innovated on this technique to achieve remarkable results.

I am always evaluating and investing in the newest technology as well. There are a lot of technologic innovations in non-surgical methods to rejuvenate the face. We were recently the first in the United States to purchase the Sofwave device. Sofwave uses an intense ultrasound beam in order to tighten the skin fine lines and wrinkles within the face and the neck. The ultrasound technology is not new, however the way that this device delivers it is revolutionary. We are excited to see the results that we are achieving with it.

I look into new technology on a weekly basis. We try to separate the wheat from the chaffe in my commitment to bring the best and most effective technologies to my patients.

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?

Since the Sofwave technology is kind of a version 2.0 of an existing ultrasound technology, we know a lot about the safety profile and expectations from this kind of device. The sofwave device makes up for some of the limits of existing devices. Both of these ultrasound energy tightening devices have their place in the practice. The original device is better at some things, while the new Sofwave device is superior at others. It all just depends upon the goals of what we are trying to achieve and the patients expectations. Considering that all FDA cleared devices are required to have clinical studies behind them, the guess work has been significantly mitigated for safety and drawbacks. I have been impressed with how proactive the sofwave company and many of the other larger device manufacturers have been about performing clinical studies to make sure that the devices are being used to the highest standards.

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

Surgical Innovation: I am always innovating on surgical techniques and surgical care. We want to make things better. Whether it comes to improving results, improving the recovery, reducing down-time, etc. This type of innovation is what drives me every day. I never try to stay in a routine as I think that part of my commitment is to drive innovation for my patients and for the industry in general.

New technological innovations : New devices, new products and new materials. This innovation comes from all over the world. Aesthetics is a competitive industry with a very high demand, which makes it beneficial for the consumers. Billions of dollars have been spent on research and development within the aesthetic industry. As part of what we do at Steiger Facial Plastic Surgery, we help separate what works from what doesn’t. We try to offer our patients only the best of what’s out there.

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?

Since this is such a large industry and a large market, there are many amazing providers but there are some that are not practicing to the safest standards. The ones that follow the rules tend to have excellent oversight, but the ones that don’t tend to slip by. This is why it is so important to choose a health care provider that is reputable and board certified in the specialty for which you are seeking treatment.

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.)

Beauty starts from within. You can be the most beautiful person in the world but if you don’t feel that way then it doesn’t matter. Working on your inner beauty is just as important as the things that I do to enhance your external appearance. Never forget to love yourself.
Invest in yourself. In order to look and feel beautiful you must invest in yourself. This is not just a financial investment, but an investment in time and energy. Things such as exercising, eating properly, drinking plenty of water are all things that will help you feel more beautiful.
Establish a relationship with a good facial plastic surgeon. We not only perform surgery, but we also perform many non-invasive procedures that can help you look your best at each stage of your life. Age management is a thing. Every step of the way we can help you along, whether it be skin care, Botox, fillers or surgery. When it comes to non-surgical treatments, it is better to do smaller amount more frequently than too much at once. Work with your physician to come up with a plan that’s right for you.
Skin care is essential. Our skin protects our bodies from the outside world. It can take a beating. Take care of your skin. This involves prevention, protection and rejuvenation. Prevent too much sun exposure and when you do protect it from the sun and use sun block. Invest in a good skin care regimen. This does not have to be expensive. There is a lot of fluff out there when it comes to skin care. The most effective products will give you a lot of mileage.
Reduce your stress. Stress has a tremendous impact on our emotional and physical state. Stress reduction is key to looking and feeling younger. Find the outlet that helps you reduce your stress. Vacation, yoga, meditation, exercise or whatever does it for you.

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.

Be kind to each other. I am always amazed the response that I get when I see a stranger and give them a smile. You never know what someone is going through. Do your best to put out as much positive energy as you can. It can all start with a smile.

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

90% of success is showing up. Whatever it is that you want to achieve, put your fears aside and just show up! When I moved back to South Florida after working up north, I was told that there was no way that I would succeed. There was too much competition, I was too young, I didn’t have any money, etc. There were countless reasons and there were people that just rolled their eyes at me. Well, I showed up. I stayed true to my ethos. Now those very same people have come asking me for advice for their own businesses.

How can our readers follow you online?

We have a very informative website that is educational about facial aesthetics. Also follow us on social media for the latest information.

Website: drsteiger.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/facialplasticsurgery/

Instagram: @steigerfacialplasticsurgery

Twitter: @drjacobsteiger

The Future Of Beauty: “Ultrasound Beams That Can Tighten Skin” With Dr. Jacob D Steiger was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Elle Nucci of EN Events: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway

Failure is not an option. My mom said this to me almost every day when I first started. I keep telling myself that. People have suggested I find a new career, close my office, move on, especially during this pandemic. While I have considered it, I just remind myself what my mom has been saying since day one.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Elle Nucci. Widely recognized as a leading producer of Los Angeles area events, Elle Nucci, the Founder and creative force behind EN Events, is a 15-year veteran of the food and beverage industry with a wide range of successes ranging from full festival productions for EDM’s giants Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) and HARD to catering & bar development for Madame Tussauds’ Wax Museum and A- list Hollywood Oscar parties.

With an underlying passion for concert experiences that stems from years spent following her favorite 90’s era boy bands touring across the country; she’s become is a proud “Blockhead,” still attending as many New Kids on the Block shows as she can.

Bringing her live music insights full circle into her work, she offers a no-nonsense approach and keen eye for detail while striving to push her creative energy into everything she produces.

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

I am the Founder of EN Events, an LA based beverage catering and events company that specializes in corporate events and Music Festivals from staffing to fully licensed Bar Services. I offer a versatility that not all companies can and that stems from many years of working my way up from being a bartender at nightclubs to working behind the scenes in venue management. As a festival fan myself, I’ve seen the best and worst practices happening in real time and bring that knowledge to my clients to create the best execution of their vision.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

When the events industry shut down, as COVID-19 was fully acknowledged as a threat to humanity, all of my work, either in progress or confirmed for later in 2020 came to a halt with no end or start date currently in sight. It’s understated trying to convey what this did to my community, my staff and colleagues who rely on this regular work and don’t have safety nets and huge savings to fall back on. It’s a tough question to respond to when your employees ask you, “When will events and concerts happen again?” It’s all so unknown and hard to imagine, but as a busybody and someone who is endlessly planning, I had to pivot and find a way to keep my business alive, to support those around me and also be safe at the same time. This is where my idea for a drink and snack delivery service was born. I had so much stock in my warehouse- alcohol, juices, food, cleaning products; things all bought in bulk and far in advance for events about to happen around the shut down and now I was stuck with them, so I started creating care packages for my friends and family, who told their friends and family and it all just took off! Suddenly I had requests for drink menus, custom orders, and larger delivery areas and I had to hire some of my staff to help and that’s when I knew I was on to something. It’s become a daily thing now that’s kept me busy and I love being there to help! I have friends who have kids and can’t leave the house or are immunocompromised and it feels good knowing they can get things they need from a safe, clean and friendly masked face in times like this.

As things start to resume back to “normal” we are working on some “out of the box” ideas for when events can happen again. Taking all of the necessary precautions to reopen but also including a better experience.

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

I have always based my business on relationships. This month will mark four years for ENE. I believe in loyalty when it comes to clients, vendors and employees.

In addition, our logo is a Red Rose based on me always having worn a red rose in my hair and it somehow became my signature. The staff wears branded shirts, hats and uses branded bar tools. People always seem to comment on it and remember us from it.

Before going out on my own, my entire career had been spent working for others. As a bartender, event manager, ultimately running a company, but at the end of the day I was not able to really do what I wanted and believed in. One day, I just realized I was too passionate to just do as I’m told, so I took the leap and EN Events was born. There were of course naysayers who said, no don’t do it, just take the check and let others deal with the hassle of payroll and insurance, but I knew I had the skills to make it happen. It just needed to finally feel like the time was right and I had to take the risk.

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

EN Events continues to thrive, even in a pandemic! I have clients calling me regularly to check in and let me know about the directions they are going in and finding ways to align with what I can help them with. When the time to pivot comes along again, I will do so with a new confidence that reminds me of our company motto that began at my dining room table turned office, “We got this!”

When I was 21, I was hired as a receptionist for my first “real office job.” The Owner was a dynamic businesswoman with funky clothes and pink hair. I learned a lot from her. You don’t have to wear a suit and look the part to succeed. I eventually left to pursue acting, but I always thought of her along the way when I eventually returned to the office world.

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?

I come from a family of performers, as my older sister is a theater singer and dancer and my older brother is an actor. We grew up in LA, auditioning constantly and learning to hear the word no. I want to think that it built us a thicker skin that doesn’t let failure get to us as deeply.

Based on your experience, can you share 5 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)

Don’t overthink — I often questioned things before I even tried. Once I stopped letting fear rule my brain, I stopped thinking and started doing.

Other people are not me — Often people with the best intentions offer unsolicited advice about how hard owning a business can be. That is their experience and I will have mine and while it can be hard, I am always up for the challenge.

Failure is not an option. My mom said this to me almost every day when I first started. I keep telling myself that. People have suggested I find a new career, close my office, move on, especially during this pandemic. While I have considered it, I just remind myself what my mom has been saying since day 1.

Sincerity — Be sincere, speak your truth, be honest, stay humble, and admit when you are wrong. Don’t be afraid to apologize. Self-realization is important.

Fool me once… Learn from your mistakes. I use past experiences to dictate how I will handle the next event or client. It’s ok to say no, it’s ok to believe in something and to not.

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

I succeeded by saying what everyone else is thinking — Joan Rivers

I have always loved this quote because as a sensitive person I can often seem confrontational when I feel strongly about something. It can be off putting, but most of the time I feel that expressing what you feel, speaking out and being forward has been well received by most and it’s easier to solve our differences than pretending everything is fine, in an effort not to ruffle feathers.

Adequate job training and opportunity for everyone. Pre -Covid I found many underprivileged communities have a hard time finding decent paying jobs and are often overlooked. I also find that being “overqualified” is a huge issue for people that have spent their lives working on a craft and then dismissed for less qualified candidates.

Can our readers follow you on social media?

@ENEventsLA & @Ellenooch

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

Elle Nucci of EN 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.

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.

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.

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?

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.
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.
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?

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.
The consumer should be pragmatic regarding whether or not a tool/technology is actually effective and can deliver its promise.
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.)

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).
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.
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.
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.
Mindfulness. Thinking and being positive directly affect how beautiful you feel.

“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.

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!

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.

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.