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Interview: Miami Power Woman, Lea Black

Interview by Nadja Atwal / Photography by Greg Lotus They say “It takes one to know one.” Therefore, we asked successful business woman and political commentator Nadja Atwal (who made headlines first after she was named sexiest power woman by a top US magazine) to interview one of Miami’s most prominent power women: Lea Black. Power some galore! Black became known to a large audience on the show “The Real House Wives of Miami” where to many she was the stand out class act, the one real lady with smarts and calmness in a pool of vanity and madness. Like our former cover model Joanna Krupa, she was already a success story before she joined the show and has managed to diversify her career by building her brand, becoming a bestselling book author and making her charity one where actual A-listers line up. And all the while making family life work as a devoted mom and wife. 1. Most viewers thought you were the voice of wisdom on The Real Housewives of Miami…What did you take away from your time on the show and the high dosage of female drama? Any new lessons learned? I learned some people will do anything for attention and it’s best to stay away from people that have nothing to lose. Drama and conflict can be interesting when it’s organic and based on fact with good intentions meant for true resolution. But when it gets dark, or it’s fabricated, it’s not interesting or entertaining. 2. Your tag line for Season 2 of RHOM was “I can deal with a lot of things but I can’t deal with stupid.” How did it come to that… too many run ins with incapable people? Yes! I even put it on pillows and a cosmetic bag that we sell at leablack.com I realized that when dealing with smart people that have something to gain and something to lose you can usually come to agreement or agree to disagree, and at least have stimulating conversations.  But people that think any means justify an end or that are stupid enough to say and do anything not thinking about long term damage are just not worth being around and in their crossfire. Smart people make life easier even when you disagree. Stupid people are short sighted and too stupid to even consider collateral damage and consequences. Trying to reason with stupid is a waste of time. I never want to be the smartest person in the room. I want to be around people smarter than me to learn from them and evolve. 3. As power women we are easily pushed in the corner of  being harsh even dudish and the label “bitch” comes easily into play. Yet you look very feminine, and are a loving mother and wife. Do people feel confused about you and how would you describe yourself? I think for the most part I am misunderstood. People don’t really know me they just think they do. And what I think of myself is far more important to me than what others think of me. I know I’m fair, honest, have integrity, keep my word and try to do the right thing. People can interpret my actions and words however they want to and twist them to suit their preconceived ideas of me but I don’t compromise who I am and what I believe to expose who others are. They usually do a good job of that on their own. I’m a pretty down to earth jeans and tee shirt simple girl that enjoys the good life but I’m not beholden to it or defined by it. I know the difference between being and doing, and that gives me peace of mind.   4. On twitter you are very outspoken about politics. Even though I could not disagree more with you on our president elect, I always enjoy your tweets and applaud you for your outspoken attitude. Now how are you dealing with friends and biz friends who like you very much but also like our newly elected president?  People have different political beliefs for different reasons. I’ve always fought for the underdog. Many times I feel I fight harder for them than they fight for themselves. I don’t believe a guy who has been as self serving as Trump has been for 70 years all of a sudden cares about the underprivileged and middle class. He pushes all of my buttons. Even if I agreed with him on policy his behavior disturbs me and I don’t trust him. He’s said too many things that in my opinion denigrate the office of the President and how we are perceived in the world. I’m truly hoping the people that favor him aren’t disappointed. Many Americans want the same thing and just have different ways of getting there. Then there are the haters and haters are gonna hate. Period the end. So I just ignore them and don’t have them in my life. 5. As a business woman you built a respectable little empire already. Skincare, handbags…how and why did this all start? I started my business in the 1980’s. I created some beauty products that I really believed in and still believe in today. Along with top chemists I created Sudden Youth, a non surgical face lift kit that tones, firms, tightens, lifts and has lasting results. I’ve built a worldwide organization of sales reps that wanted to be able to earn income based on their accomplishments rather than what someone was willing to pay them. Many of them became very high powered business people earning large incomes today based on the training and entrepreneurial skills we taught them over the years. I’ve used Sudden Youth since the first jar and I still use it today along with customers I’ve cultivated over the years. Ten facials for $95 is unquestionably the best skincare for the best price that I’ve ever known of. I now sell it online at leablack.com along with affordable handbags and fashion jewelry. And we export. It’s a

Beauty, Business, Cover Stories, Fashion, Interviews, LIFESTYLE, MSM Online, The Issue

Adrienne Bosh: The Ultimate Cheerleader for Women – Cover Shoot

Interviewed by KATIE JACKSON, Photographed by IMANI OGDEN, Wardrobe Styling by BRIANNA AGOSTO, Hair & Makeup by TAMIA EVERETT FOR TAMIASTYLES, Location: MSM STUDIOS, EDGEWATER DISTRICT Excited for her cover photo shoot, Adrienne Bosh stepped into MSM studios and posed as photographer Imani Ogden snapped her picture. Music from Bosh’s personal iTunes library played over the speakers, and after a series of photos, she began to dance and laugh, lighting up both the camera and the room with her genuine warmth and positivity. This happy and positive attitude is what helped make Bosh the phenomenon she is today. As the wife of Miami Heat center and power forward Chris Bosh, mother of three, business owner, blogger, party planner, and active philanthropist, Bosh is so much more than meets the eye. Born in Indiana, Bosh says her Midwestern upbringing provided her with a solid ground of morals that make her the person she is today. Raised by a single mother, she learned at a young age the importance of independence, a quality she hopes to now instill in her own children. “I love encouraging my children to be self-sufficient, and to become whatever it is they want to be,” says Bosh. As a mother to Dylan Skye and Jackson, and stepmother to Trinity, Bosh feels that motherhood has enriched her life in every sense. “My kids have taught me amazing patience, and they have taught me the importance of living in the moment.” With her family as her number one priority, Bosh has also managed to create a movement so powerful that she has deeply impacted other families’ lives. In addition to holding the position of Vice President of Team Tomorrow Inc., a charitable organization founded by her husband, Bosh has made it her mission to encourage and empower women everywhere. She hosts an annual Mother’s Day brunch called Today I Can, which treats new and expectant mothers to a day of pampering and baby supplies. She has also chaired the Dress for Success Gala, an event that provides professional clothing and career development strategies to unemployed women in South Florida.  Apart from her philanthropic spirit, Bosh strives to provide multiple outlets for women to seek out when they are in need of fashion and health advice, laughter, or overall inspiration. Starting a blog on her website, AdrienneBosh.com, Bosh shares her own personal struggles and triumphs with her readers. “I feel like as a young woman, I didn’t have a lot of women share their secrets with me, their heartbreaks, their sad times, or their struggles,” says Bosh. “I just had to learn the hard way. I feel like we can do better as women to help equip the next woman sooner, faster, better. Those five minutes you take to talk to a young girl could change her life, and I just want to be able to do that.” But perhaps her biggest venture yet will be the opening of her retail boutique and event venue, Sparkle and Shine Darling. Opening in May, Bosh has put her heart and soul into creating a space where women can gather to celebrate each other. After her husband and closest girlfriends threw her a beautiful Parisian themed party in Paris for her 29th birthday, Bosh felt inspired to create a similar experience for Miami women. “My girlfriends spent months shopping to find these items from vintage stores and different themed stores. But they never found one store that sold all of these items,” says Bosh. “So when I came back from Paris, I really wanted to create a place where women could not only shop for items to celebrate these women, but also provide a place where they can have a beautiful occasion and party like the one my friends had given me.” In providing multiple themes for any occasion, including Breakfast at Tiffany’s, garden tea party, Gatsby champagne, and a Parisian rendezvous, Bosh wants to provide a space for customers to celebrate birthdays, graduations, baby and bridal showers, bachelorette parties and so much more. As far as the boutique’s name, Bosh wanted to incorporate her love of “sparkling and shining,” while also receiving a little help from her husband. “My whole theory behind sparkling and shining is that if you are totally confident, and totally okay with how you are shining and sparkling in life, then you will succeed. But I added darling because that’s my husband’s nickname for me. He’s from Texas and he’s very southern. So he always says ‘whatever you want to eat, darling,’ or ‘whatever you want, darling.’ So the darling came from him,” says Bosh. “At the end of the day, I want my darlings to feel the same way when my husband calls me darling. I want my darlings to feel loved, supported, encouraged, and confident. Because when my husband calls me darling, I feel all of those things.” Bosh also envisions her boutique as not only a place to host and celebrate occasions, but to throw events to bring communities of women together. “My goal is to have this as a space for any event meant to encourage women,” says Bosh. “Whether it’s a women’s entrepreneur night, a book club night, or new moms’ night, I want to provide a space where women can come together and support each other,” says Bosh. “It’s much more than a store, it’s a movement.” As Bosh’s interview comes to a close, she makes sure to thank every person in the room before leaving, showing that she truly lives and breathes everything she encourages. An example for women not only living in Miami, but women everywhere, Bosh is the epitome of a darling whose sparkle and shine will never go out. To follow Adrienne Bosh’s blog, visit http://adriennebosh.com For more information on Sparkle and Shine Darling, visit http://sparkleandshinedarling.com. Follow the boutique on Instagram @sparkleandshinedarling & on Twitter @SparkleDecorMia View May/June Issue Here View Online Issue Here

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