Individuals who decide to mark a post-secondary education as the next step in their educational career are host to many emotions. Said individuals are anxious, sad, nostalgic, excited and anticipate the very best that college life has to offer. These youth, the future generation, are eager to make their stamp on the world; zealous pupils ready to absorb whatever knowledge and experience they are given.
In Will Lavender’s Obedience, Professor Williams’ Reasoning and Logic 204 class is in for a roller coaster of a semester. They are given the hypothetical situation of Polly. She is missing and if she is not found within six weeks or the end of the semester, she will be murdered. If half of my classes in college were this interesting, I’d be on the Dean’s List. The main female protagonist, Mary Butler is immediately intrigued, more by Williams’ persona than the actual case itself. As the class gets underway, Mary and the rest of her class dive headfirst into solving the case and “rescuing” Polly.
The readers gasp as Mary opens an email with a picture of her roommate sent from her professor. We experience a tingling sensation down our spine when Mary encounters Troy Harding for the first time in the professor’s office. We question Williams’ motives in getting his class this involved in something that has become quite unnecessarily convoluted. Lavender enables his audience to sit on the edge of their seats. We become nervous yet want to turn the page for more because we, like Williams’ Reasoning and Logic 204 class have become pawns in Lavender’s thought-provoking narrative.
Through interesting twists and turns, clues and behavioral patterns that have you questioning the value of ethics, Lavender keeps you guessing the entire novel, only, unfortunately to let you down considerably with a mediocre conclusion. After experiencing the nerve wracking trip into Bell City and Cale and hoping for a “happy ending,” the reader is left unsatisfied with the ending; yearning for more and knowing that his/her reaction of “that’s it?” was slightly inevitable. All in all, Lavender knows how to draw his readers in while keeping their attention focused on all the subtle clues, yet when it comes to delivering the anticipated ending to a 287 page mystery, he exhibits characteristics that are similar to the ending itself; weak and void of suspense and intrigue.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
First Book Review - Dream When You're Feeling Blue
Usually when an individual is upset and focusing on all the negative aspects of his or her life, the last thing we, as thoughtful and concerned relatives, friends, significant others, propose to them is to look at the dark side. We mention great memories to reflect upon, the ever annoying euphemism of the proverbial boat and the great opportunities that are sure to come. We never dare to suggest to dwell on the what-if’s, it won’t’s or I can’ts. We tell them to smile because life could invariably be worse and to dream; Dream When You’re Feeling Blue.
Elizabeth Berg’s Dream When You’re Feeling Blue is a novel that is fictitious in its characters, and literal plot, yet feels more real than the most non-fiction piece I have ever read. Berg’s ability to weave an intricate storyline while discovering and revealing in-depth characters is pure talent. The story primarily centers on Kitty Heaney. Kitty is what could be described as a firecracker; a dynamic personality with a sharp wit. Her interactions with her sisters, Louise and Tish, allows the reader to be transported to the kitchen where the sisters spend endless evenings writing letters to the troops serving in WWII; Kitty writing to her boyfriend, Julian, Louise to her boyfriend Michael and Tish to an assortment of young men serving their country whom she meets at the USO dances. The kitchen scene is where we see the priceless exchanges and intimate connections the sisters share along with the overall family dynamic.
Throughout the book, Kitty develops into a mature young woman with a different mentality and viewpoints while still managing to hold on to her identity as someone who cares for the troops serving her country and who wants to find true love one day. Kitty enables herself to change by quitting her job at Munson’s Jewelers and going to work at Douglas Aircraft; putting new parts on planes that are used in the war. She knows this is not respectable work for a woman and yet she has an insatiable urge to make herself part of the war effort. Kitty is setting an example for her family and it is this simple act that really defines her as an evolving young woman, enabling her to be perceived by the reader as a round character.
There are many characters within the book that demand significant attention; fickle Tish with her many interests whom she provides comfort to with her letters, serene and wise Louise, who devotes her life and heart to Michael, assuring him that he will return home to marry her. Margaret Heaney, from whom Kitty inherits her firecracker personality and sharp wit, who rules her roost with an iron fist, yet finds time to share tender loving care with her family who keeps her going, Tommy, the most demure member of the Heaney family, whose inner obligation to help the war effort perhaps rivals the most active citizen’s sense of duty. The family is comprised of many unique characters, yet the one specific person that made an indelible impression with me was Frank Heaney. His love for his family is not ostentatious, yet palpable and the reader can really get a sense of his protective love for his wife and his children. If it is sneaking a piece of Margaret’s cake, or eventually approving of his daughter’s change in employment, Frank Heaney is the epitome of a family man and he is perhaps my favorite character.
While peppered with laughs and quick-witted responses shared with us from the many characters Berg thoroughly develops, the reader must not forget the poignant undertone the novel possesses that is representative of the crucial fact that there is war taking place and lives will be lost. It is especially poignant for this author as there is a war now and lives are lost now. While feeling just a little bit guilty at benefiting from life’s creature comforts and respecting those that are fighting a war so that those comforts can continue, I take solace in my favorite character, Frank Heaney’s words, “We live but a short time, at the longest. How do we make our lives mean something? If we die in glory, with our minds and our hearts fixed on achieving a great goal, we have lived a life that mattered” (Berg 214).
Elizabeth Berg’s Dream When You’re Feeling Blue is a novel that is fictitious in its characters, and literal plot, yet feels more real than the most non-fiction piece I have ever read. Berg’s ability to weave an intricate storyline while discovering and revealing in-depth characters is pure talent. The story primarily centers on Kitty Heaney. Kitty is what could be described as a firecracker; a dynamic personality with a sharp wit. Her interactions with her sisters, Louise and Tish, allows the reader to be transported to the kitchen where the sisters spend endless evenings writing letters to the troops serving in WWII; Kitty writing to her boyfriend, Julian, Louise to her boyfriend Michael and Tish to an assortment of young men serving their country whom she meets at the USO dances. The kitchen scene is where we see the priceless exchanges and intimate connections the sisters share along with the overall family dynamic.
Throughout the book, Kitty develops into a mature young woman with a different mentality and viewpoints while still managing to hold on to her identity as someone who cares for the troops serving her country and who wants to find true love one day. Kitty enables herself to change by quitting her job at Munson’s Jewelers and going to work at Douglas Aircraft; putting new parts on planes that are used in the war. She knows this is not respectable work for a woman and yet she has an insatiable urge to make herself part of the war effort. Kitty is setting an example for her family and it is this simple act that really defines her as an evolving young woman, enabling her to be perceived by the reader as a round character.
There are many characters within the book that demand significant attention; fickle Tish with her many interests whom she provides comfort to with her letters, serene and wise Louise, who devotes her life and heart to Michael, assuring him that he will return home to marry her. Margaret Heaney, from whom Kitty inherits her firecracker personality and sharp wit, who rules her roost with an iron fist, yet finds time to share tender loving care with her family who keeps her going, Tommy, the most demure member of the Heaney family, whose inner obligation to help the war effort perhaps rivals the most active citizen’s sense of duty. The family is comprised of many unique characters, yet the one specific person that made an indelible impression with me was Frank Heaney. His love for his family is not ostentatious, yet palpable and the reader can really get a sense of his protective love for his wife and his children. If it is sneaking a piece of Margaret’s cake, or eventually approving of his daughter’s change in employment, Frank Heaney is the epitome of a family man and he is perhaps my favorite character.
While peppered with laughs and quick-witted responses shared with us from the many characters Berg thoroughly develops, the reader must not forget the poignant undertone the novel possesses that is representative of the crucial fact that there is war taking place and lives will be lost. It is especially poignant for this author as there is a war now and lives are lost now. While feeling just a little bit guilty at benefiting from life’s creature comforts and respecting those that are fighting a war so that those comforts can continue, I take solace in my favorite character, Frank Heaney’s words, “We live but a short time, at the longest. How do we make our lives mean something? If we die in glory, with our minds and our hearts fixed on achieving a great goal, we have lived a life that mattered” (Berg 214).
Monday, March 30, 2009
Excerpt from O Italy
O Italy. The glorious, unadulterated, mind-numbing smells of Italy. The rich creamy mozzarella, the smooth flirtatious taste of the wine as it cascades down one’s throat, the jaw-dropping landscapes that tricks one into thinking that it’s not real life they stumbled into but a Thomas Kinkaid painting; their surroundings so beautiful, it seems unreal; a fantasy painted in pastel pinks and greens. O the culture, the music, the people of Italy; o the wonder of it all, the magic of Italia. It has been a year since my voyage to this wonderful and too-good-to-be-true location, with its olive trees and Mediterranean landscapes. It was, by far, my favorite trip anywhere, ever. It is only fitting then, to write a tribute to a year anniversary of the best adventure of my life.
My mother’s side of the family was not close-knit; not as close-knit as people who entertain common stereotypes would think it to be. We hardly got together except at the occasional wake (which I rarely attended), where raucous laughter and joviality were frowned upon. My mother also regaled my father and I with stories of growing up in a house that is now over one hundred years old; her grandmother sitting on the porch in the middle of summer in the heaviest sweater she owned. She helped me imagine being seated at the table while the family enjoyed Sunday “macaroni” dinners with “gravy” and salad that true Italians eat before their main course. Fond memories of Uncle Louie and Uncle Tony in the garden in which they took such pride, often surfaced, ones that I could contribute to as well, as I was a young child who woke up excited each Saturday morning ready to “help” my uncles garden.
My grandmother was born here but her parents emigrated to America and ventured, bravely, through the haunted halls of Ellis Island, being humiliated while their identity was altered and culture was diminished. They made a life for themselves and found a way to implement their history and lives into their newfound lives here during a time that couldn’t have been more difficult yet easy at the same time. Those generations dealt with acclimating themselves to an entirely new way of life, yet raised children when doors did not have to be locked or trusting a neighbor when he/she said he/she was bringing little Joey home.
My mom knew her neighbors, she knew when her curfew was and obeyed it and she knew ice cream stores and delicatessens that are no longer in existence as well as the man who was known for his sausages that were created in his garage! Imagine that, a time when food could be cooked where an automobile rested its weary heart and not result in being written up for violating a health code! The times were different and the neighborhood itself was different. People with last names not only ending in vowels but hosting them throughout existed all over, Sunday “macaroni” dinners and no other dinner for Christmas Eve except Baccala. Stories and nostalgic reveries would be unappreciated by me for a long time until one week in what could be argued the most magical and romantic place on Earth, would change it all.
I grew up never really being able to connect to my maternal side of the family. This was ironic considering I had more of a chance of seeing them than my paternal side. We lived in abutting towns and had more than ample chances to see each other; we just never did. Adjectives such as “dysfunctional” and “immature” circled my family like angry, hungry vultures, ready to attack the nearest form of nourishment, which in this case was gossip. My mom’s happy memories were often shaded by dark nuances of her past and made me resent the male species and the male Italian species even more. I was and am grateful for her stories; they provide me with a chance to listen and learn and glean glimpses of what my mother perhaps was like before she became a grown-up with responsibilities. However, despite the story-telling and a recipe for my grandmother’s meatballs and sauce that would make the hardest food critic’s mouth water, I still felt no real connection to my Italian heritage and what was worse, I did not feel the yearning to attain it. All that would change the first week of March, 2008.
On the way to class one morning in the Communication Department, I spotted an ad for a travel study trip to Italy with Marianne Dainton’s class, Non-verbal communication. I had always wanted Marianne as a professor and here was an added bonus, a week in one of the most romantic, beautiful places in the world! The first thought that crept its way into my mind that morning was “I am going to be on that plane.” And then reality set in. Despite the advice I had always been given about aspiring to attain one’s goals, I knew, realistically, finances were going to come into play. I had a lot of planning to do in order to guarantee my behind in that narrow, smelly coach seat.
After many discussions with my parents about various financial options, I was well on my way to Italy, except for one little problem: fitting the class into my schedule for the spring semester; as badly as I wanted to travel to Italy, I also wanted to graduate on time. Three visits to my advisor and several emails later, I was enrolled in Marianne Dainton’s Non-verbal Communication class that would be traveling to Italy in the spring.
The class got underway and as we got to know each other, I realized that not only would my individual experience in this great country be awesome, but as a group, we would be able to really garner different aspects of the culture. We were a melting pot of funny, serious, smart, stylish, sarcastic, shy, eager students that were ready to venture off into unknown territory unafraid for we had each other. The trip was quickly approaching and I was excited and nervous about how I would be perceived in a land that bore my ancestors and had so much to teach me about not only my heritage but about myself.
February, 28th, 2008 was a day that I will always remember. I left my townhouse that morning, all packed and ready to go to a faraway land where chocolate was food of choice and where beautiful men said beautiful things… I attended my morning classes and then headed to the cafeteria to eat. Due to a sensitive stomach, I knew that to inhale eggs and bacon would not be the smartest idea, but I needed to have a substantial meal for I had a long trip ahead of me. We were due to board the bus at 12:30 pm and while eating my hashbrowns, I kept glancing at the minute hand that was taking forever to get to its destination. I finished my breakfast and made my way over to another table with a few of my fellow journeymen and women. We made small talk, and laughed; I just think we were all so nervous and excited that we didn’t have the mental capacity to have detailed conversations. I looked once more at the clock and saw with extreme happiness that it was time to head down to the bus.
I was the first one there, (no shocker) there and was trying not to smile smugly as one of my classmates had to throw some extra clothes in her car because her suitcase was over the limit. Everyone arrived shortly and we were off to Italy. First stop, Sorrento.
Six hours and an infinite delay later, we were on our way to Sorrento…by bus. We were supposed to hop on a plane to take us to Naples from the Rome airport, but you can always count on Europeans to disregard time. But it was ok, I was prepared; we had studied this in class. We are a fast-past culture and while that is ok because it works for us, while in another country, we must appreciate and respect their way of life. In this case, it was respecting the lack of punctuality. We were tired, hungry and cramped on a bus, but while my classmates were complaining, I was digging for my camera cursing myself for not having it at the ready as the mountainous regions and palm trees were passing me by. I finally retrieved it from the depths of my carry-on and tried to get the best pictures I could despite my aisle seat. Off we went on to Sorrento, the land of mozzarella cheese and cobblestone streets with a very exuberant tour guide named Anarita.
I managed to stay awake for the duration of the trip and as the bus climbed the perilously high mountain roads, my classmates roused themselves out of their slumber and were quickly awakened and awe-struck as visions of crystal blue water lapped calmly at the shore a million feet below us and the brilliant gold sun dominated the blue sky. The whole bus was awake now and flashes were going off all around me. I remember thinking that a thousand pictures would never capture the true beauty of this moment.
Arriving at the Michelangelo hotel a half hour later, resulted in lovely cries from the passengers. Our hotel was regal. We unloaded our bus and made our way to the lobby. After managing to abate growing chaos during check-in, Marianne told us to get settled but not to dilly-dally; we had a great dinner awaiting us at a cute little Italian restaurant in town. Marianne had been to this wonderful country many times so we definitely trusted her judgment.
Finding our rooms was like being in Leapin’ Lizards all over again. We were school children in a playground; running from one end of the corridor to the other trying to find where each other was staying. I wanted my privacy, yet I didn’t want to be totally isolated. I was in close proximity to my friends, I was satisfied with my bathroom and I was in Italy! Life was good. My roommate and I met in the bar with Marianne and our other chaperone, Tonya and we waited for the rest of the group to convene.
I had always prided myself on traveling; on seeing different parts of the world due to having parents who believed travel was very important. I often joked with my friends that I had seen more of foreign destinations than I had my own country. Here I was in my element and for the first time, despite my frequent conquests, I felt comfortable, I felt at ease; dare I say at home? Nah, it was just the novelty of being somewhere other than 1900 West Olney Avenue. I was sure it would wear off…
My mother’s side of the family was not close-knit; not as close-knit as people who entertain common stereotypes would think it to be. We hardly got together except at the occasional wake (which I rarely attended), where raucous laughter and joviality were frowned upon. My mother also regaled my father and I with stories of growing up in a house that is now over one hundred years old; her grandmother sitting on the porch in the middle of summer in the heaviest sweater she owned. She helped me imagine being seated at the table while the family enjoyed Sunday “macaroni” dinners with “gravy” and salad that true Italians eat before their main course. Fond memories of Uncle Louie and Uncle Tony in the garden in which they took such pride, often surfaced, ones that I could contribute to as well, as I was a young child who woke up excited each Saturday morning ready to “help” my uncles garden.
My grandmother was born here but her parents emigrated to America and ventured, bravely, through the haunted halls of Ellis Island, being humiliated while their identity was altered and culture was diminished. They made a life for themselves and found a way to implement their history and lives into their newfound lives here during a time that couldn’t have been more difficult yet easy at the same time. Those generations dealt with acclimating themselves to an entirely new way of life, yet raised children when doors did not have to be locked or trusting a neighbor when he/she said he/she was bringing little Joey home.
My mom knew her neighbors, she knew when her curfew was and obeyed it and she knew ice cream stores and delicatessens that are no longer in existence as well as the man who was known for his sausages that were created in his garage! Imagine that, a time when food could be cooked where an automobile rested its weary heart and not result in being written up for violating a health code! The times were different and the neighborhood itself was different. People with last names not only ending in vowels but hosting them throughout existed all over, Sunday “macaroni” dinners and no other dinner for Christmas Eve except Baccala. Stories and nostalgic reveries would be unappreciated by me for a long time until one week in what could be argued the most magical and romantic place on Earth, would change it all.
I grew up never really being able to connect to my maternal side of the family. This was ironic considering I had more of a chance of seeing them than my paternal side. We lived in abutting towns and had more than ample chances to see each other; we just never did. Adjectives such as “dysfunctional” and “immature” circled my family like angry, hungry vultures, ready to attack the nearest form of nourishment, which in this case was gossip. My mom’s happy memories were often shaded by dark nuances of her past and made me resent the male species and the male Italian species even more. I was and am grateful for her stories; they provide me with a chance to listen and learn and glean glimpses of what my mother perhaps was like before she became a grown-up with responsibilities. However, despite the story-telling and a recipe for my grandmother’s meatballs and sauce that would make the hardest food critic’s mouth water, I still felt no real connection to my Italian heritage and what was worse, I did not feel the yearning to attain it. All that would change the first week of March, 2008.
On the way to class one morning in the Communication Department, I spotted an ad for a travel study trip to Italy with Marianne Dainton’s class, Non-verbal communication. I had always wanted Marianne as a professor and here was an added bonus, a week in one of the most romantic, beautiful places in the world! The first thought that crept its way into my mind that morning was “I am going to be on that plane.” And then reality set in. Despite the advice I had always been given about aspiring to attain one’s goals, I knew, realistically, finances were going to come into play. I had a lot of planning to do in order to guarantee my behind in that narrow, smelly coach seat.
After many discussions with my parents about various financial options, I was well on my way to Italy, except for one little problem: fitting the class into my schedule for the spring semester; as badly as I wanted to travel to Italy, I also wanted to graduate on time. Three visits to my advisor and several emails later, I was enrolled in Marianne Dainton’s Non-verbal Communication class that would be traveling to Italy in the spring.
The class got underway and as we got to know each other, I realized that not only would my individual experience in this great country be awesome, but as a group, we would be able to really garner different aspects of the culture. We were a melting pot of funny, serious, smart, stylish, sarcastic, shy, eager students that were ready to venture off into unknown territory unafraid for we had each other. The trip was quickly approaching and I was excited and nervous about how I would be perceived in a land that bore my ancestors and had so much to teach me about not only my heritage but about myself.
February, 28th, 2008 was a day that I will always remember. I left my townhouse that morning, all packed and ready to go to a faraway land where chocolate was food of choice and where beautiful men said beautiful things… I attended my morning classes and then headed to the cafeteria to eat. Due to a sensitive stomach, I knew that to inhale eggs and bacon would not be the smartest idea, but I needed to have a substantial meal for I had a long trip ahead of me. We were due to board the bus at 12:30 pm and while eating my hashbrowns, I kept glancing at the minute hand that was taking forever to get to its destination. I finished my breakfast and made my way over to another table with a few of my fellow journeymen and women. We made small talk, and laughed; I just think we were all so nervous and excited that we didn’t have the mental capacity to have detailed conversations. I looked once more at the clock and saw with extreme happiness that it was time to head down to the bus.
I was the first one there, (no shocker) there and was trying not to smile smugly as one of my classmates had to throw some extra clothes in her car because her suitcase was over the limit. Everyone arrived shortly and we were off to Italy. First stop, Sorrento.
Six hours and an infinite delay later, we were on our way to Sorrento…by bus. We were supposed to hop on a plane to take us to Naples from the Rome airport, but you can always count on Europeans to disregard time. But it was ok, I was prepared; we had studied this in class. We are a fast-past culture and while that is ok because it works for us, while in another country, we must appreciate and respect their way of life. In this case, it was respecting the lack of punctuality. We were tired, hungry and cramped on a bus, but while my classmates were complaining, I was digging for my camera cursing myself for not having it at the ready as the mountainous regions and palm trees were passing me by. I finally retrieved it from the depths of my carry-on and tried to get the best pictures I could despite my aisle seat. Off we went on to Sorrento, the land of mozzarella cheese and cobblestone streets with a very exuberant tour guide named Anarita.
I managed to stay awake for the duration of the trip and as the bus climbed the perilously high mountain roads, my classmates roused themselves out of their slumber and were quickly awakened and awe-struck as visions of crystal blue water lapped calmly at the shore a million feet below us and the brilliant gold sun dominated the blue sky. The whole bus was awake now and flashes were going off all around me. I remember thinking that a thousand pictures would never capture the true beauty of this moment.
Arriving at the Michelangelo hotel a half hour later, resulted in lovely cries from the passengers. Our hotel was regal. We unloaded our bus and made our way to the lobby. After managing to abate growing chaos during check-in, Marianne told us to get settled but not to dilly-dally; we had a great dinner awaiting us at a cute little Italian restaurant in town. Marianne had been to this wonderful country many times so we definitely trusted her judgment.
Finding our rooms was like being in Leapin’ Lizards all over again. We were school children in a playground; running from one end of the corridor to the other trying to find where each other was staying. I wanted my privacy, yet I didn’t want to be totally isolated. I was in close proximity to my friends, I was satisfied with my bathroom and I was in Italy! Life was good. My roommate and I met in the bar with Marianne and our other chaperone, Tonya and we waited for the rest of the group to convene.
I had always prided myself on traveling; on seeing different parts of the world due to having parents who believed travel was very important. I often joked with my friends that I had seen more of foreign destinations than I had my own country. Here I was in my element and for the first time, despite my frequent conquests, I felt comfortable, I felt at ease; dare I say at home? Nah, it was just the novelty of being somewhere other than 1900 West Olney Avenue. I was sure it would wear off…
Thursday, September 11, 2008
First Article for YBE Magazine - Gloria Mayfield Banks
“I envisioned a company in which any woman could become just as successful as she wanted to be. The doors would be wide open to opportunity for women who were willing to pay the price and had the courage to dream.”
- Mary Kay Ash
In 1963, Mary Kay Ash started Beauty by Mary Kay. Ash’s goal was to allow women to become successful while elevating their self-image. Ash’s dream had become a reality; approximately five hundred women worldwide have become Independent National Sales Directors.
One woman within this company has set high standards for herself and her staff. She is a woman who knows that making one’s goals a reality is based on hard work, perseverance as well as high self esteem, encouragement, and acknowledging one’s support system. Gloria Mayfield Banks is this woman, a graduate from Howard University who also holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and an Elite Executive National Sales Director for Mary Kay cosmetics. Banks brings in annual gross revenue of more than one million dollars, has sixty-five thousand women in Mary Kay worldwide and is the first African American woman in Mary Kay cosmetics worldwide.
Banks joined Mary Kay cosmetics in 1988; she wanted to achieve success on her own and helping other women do the same, became one of her primary objectives. Friends and family were confused and questioned Banks’ direction; few of them could understand why a woman who graduated from an esteemed institution such as Harvard would be working with Mary Kay. In an interview with Andy Barth from ABC News, Banks states, “It has been very well worth it.” Gloria’s career has been influenced by both her personal and professional past. She has had to learn how to manage her time, evaluate people and the roles they have had in her life and to assess the cost of drama within her life. Banks gets to the heart of the matter when she states, “My past is my educational environment.”
Banks also attributes her savvy business sense to the information she garnered from different courses she took at Harvard Business School; the courses aiding her to properly differentiate a promising career from a useless one. She states, “I understood the company…where it’s going…not just where it affects me. If I was going to be with Mary Kay for a while, I wanted to know that they were able to carry me as a company.”
Banks has established herself as a very successful and charismatic businesswoman. Reaching her female audience through her business requires hard work to attain her goals. Gloria finds it imperative to train and to enable these women to construct their own circle of influence that is able to be made, changed and maintained. Banks emphasizes confidence and its impact on her eager pupils. She also centers on setting the correct goals by adopting the attitude of “keeping the main thing, the main thing.” Her final step in reaching fellow women is to teach people skills. Banks believes that hard work should definitely be a driving factor in gaining success; “Desire alone will not bring results.”
Banks can definitely be considered a strong role model for the African American community, specifically women. However, she prefers to be recognized as a smart woman, stating, “I don’t have to be Afro-centric to be relatable to African Americans.” She embodies hard work, determination and epitomizes the notion of an indelible work ethic. She also makes many women realize that they too can make a better life for themselves; promoting higher self-esteem, respect and motivation to do the same for others, as well as financially. Banks serves as a leader and role model for the African American community primarily through her children who are ages 27, 25, 23 and 21; she has frequently spoken at her children’s schools and she considers herself to be a role model through association. Banks also has many cds and tapes that women and their children listen to.
Banks states that the qualities that she found helpful when obtaining success was a major sense of self-esteem and becoming knowledgeable in the industry she pursued. Gloria states, “There’s no problem with women working together. Women have worked together for years. Women worked together in families, they work together in church. They work together in all kinds of environments.” Banks can certainly relate to other women who are struggling balancing family and managing a demanding career.
In addition to being one of the top Executive National Sales Directors within Mary Kay, Gloria is also considered a world-renowned motivational speaker; discussing a myriad of topics in addition to attaining success such as people skills, team management and leadership, goal-setting and how to not only get people to work for you, but how to hire them, keep them and enable them to be effective. Notes Banks, “You have to become a risk-taker.”
Banks has truly continued to allow Mary Kay Cosmetics to remain as Mary Kay Ash envisioned when it was first started in 1963; as a conduit through which women can find their niche in the corporate world, help pay their success forward and to become as affluent as they one day had dreamed. “I’ve really been working on my life purpose and I got it. It is to greatly impact others to get what they want and to become who they’ve imagined. That’s what pushes me now.”
Sources:
www.charismafactor.com
www.cnbc.com
www.alicepirola.com
www.marykay.com
www.turningpointmagazine.com
www.youtube.com
Steps to Success
If I were told that I could become successful (and I mean really successful) with five easy steps that were far from rocket science; I would be eternally grateful. Lucky for me, (and the rest of society), I have been. Gloria Mayfield Banks, an Executive National Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics appeared on the “The Big Idea” with Donny Deutsch and provided the public with the five key steps to success.
1. Become a People Magnet
The more people are comfortable being in your presence, the more effective you are as an individual, an aspiring entrepreneur, a mentor and co-worker. “People want to be Celebrated, not Tolerated,” Banks states. Also, a positive physical appearance demonstrates that you are affirmative and confident which speaks volumes to the people you surround yourself with. Creating a positive environment where people can win is also paramount to ensuring upbeat feedback. “Become expert at finding people’s needs and filling them when you can.”
2. Short Term Clear Strategic Goals backed by Big Thinking
Banks mentions that it is imperative to not just dream but to support your visions with specific short-term BIG goals; this places your objectives into perspective while building confidence. Being organized also aids in reaching your aspirations. This can definitely be accomplished by compiling lists. Notes Banks, “Clear goals create passion; passion drives the creativity that pushes you to a place you have never been before. To get the fruit, you must go out on the limb.”
3. Create a Powerful Circle of Influence
Surround yourself with positive people. Tell people who share their negative vibes or personalities, goodbye; it is only temporary while you work toward success. Take advice from people with whom you could trade places with – avoid taking advice from people who just offer it. “Show me your friends and I will show you your future.”
4. Work the Numbers
Focus on asking people the next step instead of just assuming their reactions; which is often based on your fear. Also, concentrate on the numbers not just the answers. Do not take no’s personally – keep in mind that the person you are asking does not know you well enough to form an accurate judgment. “Once you are clear that you have something that will make a positive impact on others be willing to asking enough people, make enough presentations, deliver enough explanations so that you are in front of enough decision makers that yes’ will come in volumes.”
5. Study hard to become Skill-based
Know the industry in which you are interested. You cannot educate or lead others if you have not educated or led yourself. Awareness makes change easier to deal with. “Being skilled and knowledgeable turns a professional into a problem-solver and leader; which in turn increases their effectiveness and quickens the pace of moving towards the goal…Put the time in book study, internet study, people study – Class is never out for the pro.”
- Mary Kay Ash
In 1963, Mary Kay Ash started Beauty by Mary Kay. Ash’s goal was to allow women to become successful while elevating their self-image. Ash’s dream had become a reality; approximately five hundred women worldwide have become Independent National Sales Directors.
One woman within this company has set high standards for herself and her staff. She is a woman who knows that making one’s goals a reality is based on hard work, perseverance as well as high self esteem, encouragement, and acknowledging one’s support system. Gloria Mayfield Banks is this woman, a graduate from Howard University who also holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and an Elite Executive National Sales Director for Mary Kay cosmetics. Banks brings in annual gross revenue of more than one million dollars, has sixty-five thousand women in Mary Kay worldwide and is the first African American woman in Mary Kay cosmetics worldwide.
Banks joined Mary Kay cosmetics in 1988; she wanted to achieve success on her own and helping other women do the same, became one of her primary objectives. Friends and family were confused and questioned Banks’ direction; few of them could understand why a woman who graduated from an esteemed institution such as Harvard would be working with Mary Kay. In an interview with Andy Barth from ABC News, Banks states, “It has been very well worth it.” Gloria’s career has been influenced by both her personal and professional past. She has had to learn how to manage her time, evaluate people and the roles they have had in her life and to assess the cost of drama within her life. Banks gets to the heart of the matter when she states, “My past is my educational environment.”
Banks also attributes her savvy business sense to the information she garnered from different courses she took at Harvard Business School; the courses aiding her to properly differentiate a promising career from a useless one. She states, “I understood the company…where it’s going…not just where it affects me. If I was going to be with Mary Kay for a while, I wanted to know that they were able to carry me as a company.”
Banks has established herself as a very successful and charismatic businesswoman. Reaching her female audience through her business requires hard work to attain her goals. Gloria finds it imperative to train and to enable these women to construct their own circle of influence that is able to be made, changed and maintained. Banks emphasizes confidence and its impact on her eager pupils. She also centers on setting the correct goals by adopting the attitude of “keeping the main thing, the main thing.” Her final step in reaching fellow women is to teach people skills. Banks believes that hard work should definitely be a driving factor in gaining success; “Desire alone will not bring results.”
Banks can definitely be considered a strong role model for the African American community, specifically women. However, she prefers to be recognized as a smart woman, stating, “I don’t have to be Afro-centric to be relatable to African Americans.” She embodies hard work, determination and epitomizes the notion of an indelible work ethic. She also makes many women realize that they too can make a better life for themselves; promoting higher self-esteem, respect and motivation to do the same for others, as well as financially. Banks serves as a leader and role model for the African American community primarily through her children who are ages 27, 25, 23 and 21; she has frequently spoken at her children’s schools and she considers herself to be a role model through association. Banks also has many cds and tapes that women and their children listen to.
Banks states that the qualities that she found helpful when obtaining success was a major sense of self-esteem and becoming knowledgeable in the industry she pursued. Gloria states, “There’s no problem with women working together. Women have worked together for years. Women worked together in families, they work together in church. They work together in all kinds of environments.” Banks can certainly relate to other women who are struggling balancing family and managing a demanding career.
In addition to being one of the top Executive National Sales Directors within Mary Kay, Gloria is also considered a world-renowned motivational speaker; discussing a myriad of topics in addition to attaining success such as people skills, team management and leadership, goal-setting and how to not only get people to work for you, but how to hire them, keep them and enable them to be effective. Notes Banks, “You have to become a risk-taker.”
Banks has truly continued to allow Mary Kay Cosmetics to remain as Mary Kay Ash envisioned when it was first started in 1963; as a conduit through which women can find their niche in the corporate world, help pay their success forward and to become as affluent as they one day had dreamed. “I’ve really been working on my life purpose and I got it. It is to greatly impact others to get what they want and to become who they’ve imagined. That’s what pushes me now.”
Sources:
www.charismafactor.com
www.cnbc.com
www.alicepirola.com
www.marykay.com
www.turningpointmagazine.com
www.youtube.com
Steps to Success
If I were told that I could become successful (and I mean really successful) with five easy steps that were far from rocket science; I would be eternally grateful. Lucky for me, (and the rest of society), I have been. Gloria Mayfield Banks, an Executive National Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics appeared on the “The Big Idea” with Donny Deutsch and provided the public with the five key steps to success.
1. Become a People Magnet
The more people are comfortable being in your presence, the more effective you are as an individual, an aspiring entrepreneur, a mentor and co-worker. “People want to be Celebrated, not Tolerated,” Banks states. Also, a positive physical appearance demonstrates that you are affirmative and confident which speaks volumes to the people you surround yourself with. Creating a positive environment where people can win is also paramount to ensuring upbeat feedback. “Become expert at finding people’s needs and filling them when you can.”
2. Short Term Clear Strategic Goals backed by Big Thinking
Banks mentions that it is imperative to not just dream but to support your visions with specific short-term BIG goals; this places your objectives into perspective while building confidence. Being organized also aids in reaching your aspirations. This can definitely be accomplished by compiling lists. Notes Banks, “Clear goals create passion; passion drives the creativity that pushes you to a place you have never been before. To get the fruit, you must go out on the limb.”
3. Create a Powerful Circle of Influence
Surround yourself with positive people. Tell people who share their negative vibes or personalities, goodbye; it is only temporary while you work toward success. Take advice from people with whom you could trade places with – avoid taking advice from people who just offer it. “Show me your friends and I will show you your future.”
4. Work the Numbers
Focus on asking people the next step instead of just assuming their reactions; which is often based on your fear. Also, concentrate on the numbers not just the answers. Do not take no’s personally – keep in mind that the person you are asking does not know you well enough to form an accurate judgment. “Once you are clear that you have something that will make a positive impact on others be willing to asking enough people, make enough presentations, deliver enough explanations so that you are in front of enough decision makers that yes’ will come in volumes.”
5. Study hard to become Skill-based
Know the industry in which you are interested. You cannot educate or lead others if you have not educated or led yourself. Awareness makes change easier to deal with. “Being skilled and knowledgeable turns a professional into a problem-solver and leader; which in turn increases their effectiveness and quickens the pace of moving towards the goal…Put the time in book study, internet study, people study – Class is never out for the pro.”
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