Fearless Friday – Inventor Lisa Charleston May 30, 2008

Welcome to the fourth edition of Fearless Friday! This week I am so excited and honored to feature Lisa Charleston, inventor of the Night Helper Potty Watch. I met Lisa at Divapreneur and was impressed not only by her passion for the cause that her product serves but also by her loving and giving spirit. We have both worked in the health care field with elderly patients and share our thoughts and concerns. She is always thinking of others and was one of the first people at DP to rush in and lift me up when I was starting my business. She’s always there with an encouraging word and a virtual hug. As you’ll see from this interview, she is a woman of very strong faith. I’ve italicized her wonderful affirmations and hope that she doesn’t mind if we borrow them!

It is my belief that when we create and give something of value, we can not fail. Bed wetting is embarrassing and can be traumatic to children. Incontinence is humiliating for adults and the side effects from prescription drugs often cause other physical problems. Lisa’s invention serves a critical need and I know that doors will open for her. Please join me in wishing her success.

And now, I’ll let Lisa take over.

What inspired your idea for the potty watch?

The idea of the potty watch was inspired by my wonderful daughter Elexis. She had been potty trained for years then all of a sudden she had a relapse. From that point is where God gave me the vision of The Night Helper Potty Watch.

How does the Potty Watch work?

The Night Helper Potty watch works like a watch, but the features that make it unique make the Potty Watch an entirely different animal. It can be set multiple times during the day and night. In order to catch the wears attention, when the alarm goes off it plays a customized jingle it has a multi-color display , vibration mode and the face glows in the dark giving an added peace of mind and making the watch fun to wear for the younger minded. Used as a training medium….it will help to retrain that child to get up at the desire set time to utilize the bathroom (just like we get up everyday to our clocks ..sometimes awaking before clock goes off).

Have you gone through the patent process?

Yes, my company A.E.D. owns all rights and licensing since 2005

How did you fund the product?

Well, as it stands now I’m still trying to raise funds for my prototypes. Once I finish paying for them I will be able to obtain all the loans I need to further my journey.

I have spent many years with loan companies and banks and other funding resources but due to the product still being in the Research/Development stage I won’t be able to obtain funding help until they are finished.

Are you able to work at your passion as a full time job?

I am unable to work in the work force due to a chronic back injury so yes, this is my full time job when my back permits me to work. This is my passion and I won’t give up …..I’m doing it for the kids and adults that are in need of this device. My husband and children are the greatest, they have supported me from the first day God gave me the vision. It was my daughter who sang the jingle and my husband who designed it, so you see we all have a part in it, lol.

Do you have a website or blog?

Yes, I have a blog at Blogspot, NightHelper and my website will be up sometime this week or the beginning of next week. Will keep you posted.

What do you like to do when you’re not working on your business?

I love to read my Bible and I love to sing. I listen to music all day..jazz & gospel but even then I’m still working on my business. “I can’t stop until I reach the top,” getting my much-needed timepiece out to our users.

How do you achieve balance in work and play?

To achieve balance in work and play……well I pray first and ask God what it is I’m to do today. I begin in the morning giving him my time, then I start working once the kids are home… I back off and devote my time to them and my husband. Sometimes it’s hard but I manage pretty well.

What advice would you give to other women who have a unique vision for their businesses?

Never, ever give up no matter what…my motto is “A Dream Is Only As Big As The Dreamer And I’m A Big Dreamer.” I will get the much needed funding help because I will not give up. That’s what helps me make it through.

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Jafra Cosmetics International E-Party Ends Friday! May 29, 2008

This week has gone by so fast! Thanks so much to everyone who has expressed interest in Jafra and placed orders! I also appreciate everyone who has expressed support and well wishes for my new business, which I’m becoming more excited about every day!

With this party, I’m working on earning my Consultant Kit. I realize that with gas at almost $4 per gallon, we’ve all had to trim our budgets. I did want to point out that there are some wonderful products for under $20, and even some for under $10! For instance:
Garden Party Eye Shadow Trio - $11.00

Family Care Bath and Shower Gel - $12.00

Save $6 on the Family Set – Bath & Shower Gel & Family Care Lotion – $20..00
Sun Care Spray For Face & Body – $15.00

Duo-ended Shadow Brush – $5.00

and more! Just go to the What’s New Tab and scroll about halfway down. For complete details about the party, go

HERE

Thanks for reading, and I’m looking forward to being your favorite Jafra Consultant!

Tons of Craft Ideas May 28, 2008

Happy Wednesday!  I’ve been meaning to get this one added to the site.  I ran across Craftbits recently in my search for polymer clay and wire jewelry tutorials to share.  The site is huge and growing and has ideas for everything from bath and body products to wedding ideas.  When you register, you can save the projects you like and might want to try:

Craftbits.com

When I received their newsletter this morning and went to the site, one project in particular caught my attention.  The Dammit Doll reminds me of a long-necked doll that we used to keep in the office for stress release.  You could “choke” it and it would make funny noises.  The Dammit Doll includes little poems that you can include for Road Rage, Sports Rage and Computer Rage – I could have used a Computer Rage doll yesterday!

Don’t forget that the Jafra International E-Party is ON!  Please submit your orders by Friday!

Thanks so much for reading, and have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Blessings,

Parthena

Related:  Why I Chose Jafra

Jafra Cosmetics International E-Party! May 27, 2008

I’m SO excited to invite you to my first Jafra Cosmetics International e-party. Jafra has been helping women look and feel their very best since 1956. (the year I was born, isn’t that amazing?) We have a complete line of over 400 products to pamper you from head to toe. Be sure to check the product lines that are of interest to you:

Skin Care

Fragrance

Color (makeup)
Babies & Children

Body Care /Spa

Men’s Products

We will do a drawing for one mystery hostess…she’ll get the hostess gifts…for what ever level we achieve…$200/$400 or $600 in orders. Then we will also do several smaller drawing for people that order $25 or more.

You can see and learn about all of Jafra’s state-of-the art products by doing the following:

1. Go to My Jafra.com. Click on What’s New to see the current specials or go to the specific category you’re interested in. Since I’m just getting started, this is my District Manager’s website. Take the free interactive skin care profile to determine which products are right for you. I use Balancing Dynamics and love it.

2. When you decide what you would like to purchase, place the order. Be sure to include a note that lets her know your order goes toward my e-class. You can put “This order is for Parthena Black” in the comments section. All orders must be paid for at the time of ordering.
3. For Mastercard, VISA, or Discover payments please include the following information in your e-mail:
a. Type of credit card
b. Name on credit card
c. Credit card number
d. Expiration date
e. YOUR full name and address
5. You will receive your order approximately 10 days after the close of my party.

My party will end on Friday, May 30th, 2008! So – be sure to place your orders as soon as possible.

Why I Chose Jafra May 27, 2008

Happy Tuesday! I hope that everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. We had lots of rain and severe storms but the seeds I planted in the pots on the porch and my herb garden are sprouting beautifully! Yesterday after I took my shower I needed to lie down for a bit. I had cleansed and moisturized with my Jafra balancing dynamics, and when I woke up from a nap and saw my skin in the mirror, I was amazed. I don’t recall seeing my skin look so fresh and smooth since I was in my twenties. For real.

I’m dating myself here – but about thirty years ago I began having a lot of trouble with my skin after having never broken out in my life. At age 19, my skin became so bad that I didn’t want to leave the house. I gave up on my dermatologist after spending about $1,000 just to be told, “looks good,” each week and after receiving a second degree sunburn due to his failing to warn me about a topical medication’s interaction with the sun. I somehow came into contact with a Jafra consultant. I was so impressed with this product that I had my consultant get me a gallon of toner before I went to Europe to follow the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi – yes, I really did that – for three months. I lost touch with Jafra and thankfully, my skin cleared up after I returned to New Jersey after living in Los Angeles for five years.

I recently came into contact again through meeting my District Manager at Divapreneur. I took the free skin care profile, which determined that I have combination skin. She sent me some samples of Balancing Dynamics. I noticed that my face glowed after cleansing. To test this, I went back to my previous product for a day and there was no glow. I’m hooked, again – and I even chose to become a consultant.

I recently shared that through my hospice position, I gave free hand facials with my products to the attendees at a local Senior Citizens Center event. One of the products I used was our famous Royal Jelly lotion. The female participants were so impressed with what two drops of this product did on their hands that they insisted that several men come over and try a hand facial! Now, this is rural Oklahoma and these men have done some harsh farm work. To say that they were impressed is an understatement.

At the time that I initially tried Jafra, I believe that all they had was the skin care and maybe some makeup. The line now includes over 400 products, including anti-aging, baby care, hair care, men’s skin care, perfume and cologne and bath and body spa products!

For your free skin care profile, go to MyJafra.com. Since I’m just getting started, this is my District Manager’s site. Browse the products, and when you place your order, add “This order is for Parthena Black” in the comments section.

While you’re on the site, check out the Jafra opportunity. You won’t see Jafra on late-night infomercials or even magazine ads. For fifty-two years, the company has built its success mainly by word of mouth. The money that the company does not spend on commercial advertising goes into the hands of its consultants, who enjoy a fifty percent commission and a fun job where they set their own hours. Just one party per week could pay one of your bills. Which one would you like to be free of worrying about?

Have a wonderful day, and a fabulous week!

The Real Meaning Of Memorial Day May 26, 2008

I remember the day about seven years ago when I watched my son take his oath. He entered USAF BMT on September 4, 2001. Seven days later we were about to go to war. Immediately after boot camp, his Air National Guard Unit was given orders to deploy, but by some miracle those orders were withdrawn. He re-enlisted last year and now has orders to deploy to Kuwait in September. This was a group decision by his unit, the 138th Fighter Wing in Tulsa, OK, to volunteer. They volunteered for three months but the government got so excited that they gave them four – so they’ll be gone through all the big holidays. I’m so proud of him for re-enlisting and for having been willing to leave all this time. We’ve talked about it many times.

Neither of us will read the casualty lists although many of his friends who also enlisted in various branches of the military in high school have come home safe and sound. He knows that he may have met some of these soldiers in boot camp or in his travels. The majority of soldiers are the same ages as all three of my sons, so I can just imagine what their mothers must feel.

I grew up during Vietnam and a close family member was injured and presented with the Purple Heart – he told them what to do with it after seeing his best friend killed. I am in the age group where many of my friends and acquaintances are Vietnam vets. One of my BFF’s is married to one and she deserves a medal for being able to love him with his severe PTSD.

While everyone looks forward to Memorial Day weekend as a time of boating and camping and having barbecues – I’m sure that my son has been on the jet ski as well – it’s also a time to honor our fallen and currently fighting soldiers and recognize the sacrifice that they and their families have made.

Come Over To The Other Side – Of Me! May 25, 2008

Happy Holiday Sunday,

After viewing a friend’s blog at Blogspot, I considered moving this blog there because WordPress does not allow Google Adsense links. In the process of creating an account, I chose instead to create a new blog to focus on another one of my passions, my gift for dream interpretation and intuitive readings. I won’t have much time to spend on it for a while but will try to post a few times per week. I plan to include articles on dream symbols and divination as a means of meditation and connecting with the inner self and the Divine.

Here’s the link:

Parthena Black

I haven’t fully investigated yet, but I believe that Blogger has other features that WordPress doesn’t offer, such as e-mail subscriptions. If the features are useful and attractive enough, I still may move this blog to Blogger.

Don’t forget to pick up your free gift from my site:

A Quick And Dirty Guide To Dream Interpretation

Coming Soon – A Quick And Dirty Guide To Reading The Tarot…..

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A Free Gift For You May 24, 2008

Putting on one of my other hats for a minute – I’ve had a gift for interpreting dreams since I was a child, and this is something that my husband and I shared. I served as editor of the Dreams Site at Bellaonline.com for about a year and had built quite a following. When I took over, the site’s monthly traffic was about 23,000. In less than a year, it increased to 150,000 per month. One of my articles was used by a college professor in teaching a unit on dreams in a psychology course. My successor, Aisling Ireland, is doing a wonderful job and has kept some of my articles up with my permission as a guest author.

I’ve been working on a book for several years and haven’t rushed it because there are so many “dream dictionaries” out there and I want to be sure that my book is distinctly unique. In the meantime, I’ve expanded upon the free dream journal sheets I created for the Dreams Site and am offering you the Quick And Dirty Guide To Dream Interpretation as a free PDF file.

Download your copy HERE

Enjoy, and have a safe and happy Memorial Day.

Fearless Friday-Melody Anderson-Mellie’s Makeup May 23, 2008

TGIF and Happy Memorial Day! and welcome to Fearless Friday! I’m excited that this is already the third edition! I am privileged to have the opportunity to interview these fearless women and appreciate their openness in sharing their entrepreneurial journey. Melody shared that she enjoyed answering the questions because it helped her take the time out of her busy life to step back and take a look at her business.

I met Melody Anderson of Mellie’s Makeup when she had a newsletter contest at Divapreneur offering samples for being among a certain number to sign up. Melody e-mailed and asked questions about my preferences before sending the samples, another indication of great service. I received them right away and was impressed with the service and packaging. I switched to mineral makeup about five years ago and I’ve actually never tried the big brands advertised on the infomercials. My first introduction was from a small independent company like Mellie’s. Melody sent a sample of mineral blush in pink quartz. One issue that I’ve found with the several lines of mineral makeup I’ve tried is that the blush is often not colorful enough for me. The blush blended smoothly with my foundation and provided a subtle but visible glow. My favorite product is Mellie’s Foundation Primer. It’s soft texture feels like silk on my face and my test drive proved that it helped keep my makeup on and looking fresh all day!

Many of us will identify with the challenges that Melody has openly shared. I am thankful to be part of such an amazing support network. Just knowing that we are all facing the same challenges and sharing about how we are meeting them does so much to keep our spirits up. Please take a minute to visit her website to view her line of makeup and skin care products and join me in wishing her all the best for her success!

What inspired you to choose makeup as your art and your business?

In High School I was crazy about chemistry and I knew I wanted to work in the Cosmeceutical industry. I wanted to create the next big anti-wrinkle cream. I started college as a chemistry major and started collecting beauty products. My second year in college my Dad passed away and I changed majors to Business so that I could help with the family business. I never truly let go of makeup and grew to love the marketing/sales aspect of the industry. I finished my degree up in Business, took a couple of courses in Makeup Artistry and fell in love with every aspect of makeup. I loved applying makeup and started working on the side doing makeup jobs. I found out that building a makeup kit takes TONS of money and I decided to change that. I started doing more research on manufacturers and getting in to the business of labeling my own line. I have a passion for the color and texture of cosmetics and I want to offer great quality cosmetics without forcing people to shell out a lot of money.

How are you funding your company?

Right now my Husband and I budget a certain amount of our monthly income to help with the funding. I do not take any money from the sales either, we just put everything back in to the company, hoping it will grow.

Tell us about your makeup and skin care line. What are your favorite products?

Mellies Makeup is a culmination of many different manufacturers. I try and pick only products I feel have exceptional formulas and great qualities. I aim for high pigments but I also want the product to go on smooth and blend. It is priced reasonably so that women from all ages can enjoy it. I hate shelling out a large amount of money for a product that I am testing out. I might love it, but I take the risk of hating it and at department stores that could cost big bucks. I LOVE all the eyeshadows, I think I am addicted to having them. I love the eyelights, they create a nice glow of color. I use the eyeshadow pots everyday, they deposit great color and I get compliments on the range of colors I have. The Gel Eye Liner has to be second favorite product. It is something people look at thinking it is difficult to use, but it is really easy to apply with a brush and goes on really smoothly. It is hard to pick a favorite because many of the products feel like a part of me. I get so excited about each of them.

Are you able to work at your passion as a full time job?

Makeup is only a part-time thing. I try and do something with my line every night, but it never works out that way. I can get around to it maybe 3 times a week. I work a 40 hr a week job at the family business and I can squeeze some Makeup related business in during the day but for now Mellies is part-time. My Husband is amazing and is always trying to get me to do more with the makeup but we just got married and I want to enjoy the newness of that as well. He helps with everything and is even getting great with product names and what they are used for. My family is really supportive too and they tend to be my best customers.

Do you have a website and/or blog?

I have a website and blog at www.MelliesMakeup.com. It has all my products and the blog is some beauty tips with photos. I will have a gallery up soon with my portfolio and some work from a couple makeup artists that use my product solely. Keep an eye out for all that coming soon.

What do you like to do when you’re not working on your business?

I love spending time with my husband and we go camping to the beach alot. We go with my family to a lot of places and my nieces and nephews are too much fun to be around. We bought a fixer upper house so some weekends are consumed with renovation projects but we try and squeeze in fun too. I enjoy reading, and if I get the chance I will sit for hours. I practice makeup and apply it on family members just for fun if they let me. I truly enjoy being around my family and friends. I travel, not as much as I used to, but I have been to alot of really great places. I have been to Italy twice, Spain, France, England, Scotland, Mexico, and many of our own wonderful states. I just got back from Nashville TN which I loved. I learned to LIVE as much as possible from my Dad’s passing. If I feel like I need to do something, I make every effort to do it.

What do you do to achieve balance in work and play?

I can only do so much work before I feel bogged down, so I make an effort to stick to a schedule. I try very hard to manage my time in every situation, and I am a Pro at multitasking! What works the best for me is I try and stay in tune with my emotions, there are some days I am so ready to work on makeup that I can hardly sit still I am so excited. The moment I feel that disappear I will leave it be and come back later. I never want to resent that aspect of my life. It started out as something I loved and I would hate for me to resent it.

What advice do you have for other women starting their own businesses?

If you have passion and are willing to stick with it for all that it is worth you can make yourself a success. There are low points and days you feel like throwing it all away and going back to not having the stress, but if you can look at your product or service and still feel that surge of excitement, then you have what it takes to see it through. It takes hard work and time, sometimes more time then you are willing to give. Never stop learning about your product, industry, clients etc. Try and keep up-to-date on everthing because you will grow as your business grows. Never become discouraged if you don’t know the answer right away, part of being successful is using your resources to eventually find the answer yourself or utilizing your contacts to get the answer.

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Protecting Your Temple May 22, 2008

Just a shorty today, I’m a bit groggy from resuming my neuropathy medication. Walmart has changed their $4 prescription list and I’m able to afford it now! You may want to pick up a new list if you are using this service.

A few months ago, I was blessed with a copy of Paramahansa Yoganada’s 1935 work, Metaphysical Meditations – Universal Prayers, Affirmations and Visualizations at a Goodwill Store. Good things come in small packages – this is a tiny book that allows you to read just one sentence or a whole chapter. Last night I ran across this entry:

“Beloved God, protect the celestial temple of my mind against the entry of tenacious warriors of evil thoughts.”

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I have made a conscious decision to remain positive NO MATTER WHAT, and this is my affirmation and mantra. I’m going to add this one – I love thinking of my mind, body and spirit as a “celestial temple.”

I visualize those “tenacious warriors of evil thoughts” as cartoonish ugly little soldiers wielding little swords (of course, as a tarot reader swords would be the first thing to come to mind – the suit of swords represents mental and intellectual issues) and making grunting little battle cries. I visualize them as tiny – so that makes it very easy to just stomp and squish ‘em!

Go off into your day as the warrior goddesses you are!

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