So I was hanging out with Tim Gunn the other night…yes, that Tim Gunn, and yes, I was really hanging out with him!  Tim Gunn was in Cincinnati to kick off the SmartTalk Connected Conversation Series at the Aronoff.  Tim packed the house with the VIP reception party prior to the event.  Gracious as ever, he really took the time to meet people, ask them questions, sign portfolios, and even encourage some design students that were hanging on his every word (understandably).  I envision those young fashion design students to be dedicating their early influencers to Mr. Gunn.  Tim was everything a star should be…kind, gracious to his fans, and engaging.

Tim’s speech was equally engaging, as he shared his experiences at Parsons, Fashion Runway, Tim Gunn’s Guide To Style, and Hollywood.  Tim’s style is to “make it work” for your particular body style.  He isn’t trying to push a near-skeletal frame to women, insisting that it’s the only way fashion will work on a woman’s body.  Instead, he personalizes style more to the individual.  And he delivers it all with his unmistakable “Tim Gunn” charm.   He has a confidence that just oozes from him.  Classy, yet not stuffy.  Kind to the core.  Kudos to SmartTalk on thinking out of the box with January’s speaker (first male celebrity ever!)  Join us in February as SmartTalk welcomes Arianna Huffington to the Aronoff in Cincinnati.  Click here for tickets and information.

Tim Gunn will be at Cincinnati’s Aronoff Theater on January 14th for a night of fun and insight with SmartTalk Connected Conversations.   SmartTalk has been bringing women together to experience the power of the spoken word since 1991. In the past several years, SmartTalk has grown into one of the most powerful and entertaining live events in the nation. The core mission of SmartTalk stems from the idea that women are inspired by the heart and voice of other remarkable women. In fact, we became more than just a lecture series but a series of connected conversations. These thoughts, stories and pieces of advice shared face to face create invaluable connected conversations that truly renew, enrich and uplift the spirit.

You have a chance to win tickets to see Tim Gunn!  Simply leave a comment and let us know you want to see Tim!  A name will be drawn at random, and the winner will receive two tickets to attend the show.  Good luck!

Looking for the perfect gift for the fashionista in your life?  SmartTalk will bring the sensational Tim Gunn to Cincinnati on January 14th, and there’s no time like the present to get tickets…and save.  Shop SmartTalk’s Holiday sale for 20% off tickets – starting Tuesday November 18^th.    Simply use “SANTA” to get the discount.  Shop now and save big!

Cincinnati is gearing up for its 2012 season with some of the biggest names in show business.  Smart Talk Connected Conversations is bringing the above noted speakers to the Aronoff from January through May 2012.  What could be better than hearing fabulous celebs sharing their stories with you and then a personal meet and greet photo opportunity?  How about discounted tickets?!  Simply use the code SB2012 when purchasing tickets to receive your tickets at VIP pricing.  Join us January through May for the hottest ticket in Cincinnati.

Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born in the 1960s through the late ’70s. Gen X’ers have proven to behave differently than any other generation in history in that almost half of them are opting to be childless. About 43% of Gen X women have no children.  This is largely attributed to women delving into their careers. One difference between the 1950s housewife and a 2011 career girl is that women don’t need to “couple up” in order to survive.  In many instances, women are earning far more than their male counterparts.  But this doesn’t come without a price.  Because of 60 hour work weeks and more often than not, crushing student loan debt, women barely have enough time to take care of themselves, let alone other human beings.  Families are certainly shrinking in size, and with 43% of our Gen X’ers without children, we shall surely see the effects of this in our society in 10 years.  Interesting!  Did you opt for career of children?  Or both?

Need some inspiration to start that business or follow your dream?  If you take a chance and are successful, you could join the ranks of Forbes Magazine’s Highest Earning Women.  Take a look at their W2′s for the year and see if it inspires you to follow your dream!

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Miss Oprah, a longtime reigning breadwinner earned a cool $290 million.

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Second on the highest earners list is Lady Gaga.  For this female artist, going against the grain and being outrageous has proven mega success, and a $90 million dollar paycheck this year.

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Breakout reality TV star Bethenny Frankel surprises the masses with her genius brand marketing of Skinny Girl that padded her checking account with $55 million dollars this year.

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Throwing the notion, beauty is only skin deep, to the curb, Gisele Bundchen made $45 million dollars off of her appearance this year.

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Ellen DeGeneres tickled our funny bones to the tune of $45 million dollars.

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Our great partners at Smart Talk Connected Conversations have been working very hard to line up the best speakers for Cincinnati’s 2012 season!  Get your first sneak peek right here!  Great ready for an amazing season with the following amazing speakers!  More info to follow….stay tunned!

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Tim Gunn

Gunn’s Golden Rules

Saturday, January 14, 2012

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Arianna Huffington

On Becoming Fearless in Love, Work & Life

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

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Kara DioGuardi

Surviving Life, Love & American Idol

Thursday, March 22, 2012

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Vy Higginsen

Seeing No Limitations

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

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Andie MacDowell

Acting as a Way of Life

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Neurologist have found that the brain cannot decipher between actually doing something that makes you happy or just thinking about it.  And that’s good news if you aren’t particularly happy with _______ (insert any pain-in-the-tail item here).  If you are not in your sweet spot in life, then imagine yourself being there. 

When you open yourself up and think deeply, ask yourself what it is that you’d do or have if failure was not an option.  A new house, a new relationship, a new body shape, a masters degree?  What do you want, specifically?  Think about how you you’d decorate your new house.  Think about the clothes you’ll wear with your new body.  Think about how you want to be treated in your next relationship.  Imagine it.  Get into the moment of it. 

You become your thoughts.  Whatever it is that you think of all day, that’s what you’ll bring into your life.  If you are thinking about bills, about being late to work, about how bad work is once you get there, and about how much weight you’ve gained….this is the energy your are providing for your brain.  Luckily, the exact opposite works, too.  Think about routes of cash flowing into your life.  Think about your ability to land a better job where you can use your talents better.  Think about how responsible you are and how you are always on time.  Positive energy works, and it works every single time.   Think yourself into a better state of mind, and therefore, a better overall life.  There’s nothing wrong with faking it until you make it!

A big thank you to EcoBold for not only supporting eco-minded people and businesses, but for also featuring Supernatural Botanicals today.  The following article is courtsey of EcoBold.  Visit their site to learn more about the great work they are doing…then let it inspire you!

The founder of Supernatural Botanicals, Robin Feltner has a chemistry background and she just knows what ingredients should or shouldn’t be inside skincare products. This line is completely paraben-free and phthalate-free. Learn more with the interview below:

Tell us a little bit about the background and story of Supernatural Botanicals.
Supernatural Botanicals is an eco-chic bath & body company specializing in skincare that follows Green practices and principals, and formulates its products with intent and purpose.

At the inception of Supernatural Botanicals, we knew we wanted to create a company that knows its demographic. Growing increasingly disappointed with mainstream bath & body stores catering to teenagers, Supernatural Botanicals wanted to target the grown sexy woman demographic. We also wanted to focus on being Green and creating products that not only feel and smell amazing, but products that are highly beneficial for the skin.

We created products formulated without Parabens or Phthalates. Green products come from natural and organic ingredients, and that’s exactly how we formulate our products…with intent and purpose, and as natural as we can. After literally hundreds and hundreds of prototypes, we formulated perfection, bringing to you natural products that smell as incredible as they perform.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? 
I’ve always had “entrepreneur” in my genetic makeup. I was selling homemade cards to neighborhood ladies at the age of 4. I wanted to grow up and have a double major as a fashion designer and interior designer. That dream never materialized. In hindsight, I wish I would have had a mentor to help me prepare, telling me which art and business classes I should have taken.

What’s wrong with standard skincare products and why do you think such ingredients are allowed? 
I believe lack of quality ingredients poses a huge threat. Not only has quality fallen by the wayside, but we also should be concerned with the toxins in the products we are using every day. Many common ingredients have been proven by scientists to be harmful, yet manufacturers continue to use them because they are inexpensive, thus allowing for more profit.

How did you choose your ingredients and what to put in each product? 
Extensive research! Having a chemistry/pharmacy background, I’m always extremely cognizant about using quality, natural ingredients.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned while starting Supernatural Botanicals? 
I’ve literally learned a wealth of knowledge in forming my company. I’ve learned that customers sincerely do appreciate companies that are going the extra effort to keep them healthy. I, too, have learned how many mainstream companies use cheap fillers in order to make profits. 

If you could choose just one of your products, which one would it be? 
Extremely hard to narrow that down as I love all of the products. I do favor our Beach Body Spray. Not only does it smell absolutely amazing and I get numerous compliments on it every time I wear it, but it’s a multitasker. It works great in your hair, giving your hair extra volume and beautiful scent. I even use it as a linen spray on my bed sheets. It’s also our best seller.

Describe a typical day in your life.
I’m an early riser. I tend to get a tremendous amount accomplished in the early hours. I work on the business end of the business from 5-8…networking, emails, following up on orders, PR, social media, etc. From 8-6 I’m in our workshop, formulating skincare products and filling orders. The day flies by, and I’m always hungry for more hours at the end of the day. In the past, it would be very common to find me in my workshop until as late as 11 p.m. I’ve luckily learned time management, and the importance of accomplishing that task.

What’s one thing we could do to have an awesome skin, naturally? 
Check your labels. Use products that do not contain parabens. Don’t be fooled by companies that splash the name of an all natural ingredient, only to flip the label over and realize that they natural product they are promoting only has trace elements within it, and is filled with other harmful fillers. 

If there is one thing/thought/idea that you could pass on to the next generation, what would it be? 
One huge concern I have for our next generation is the condition of our planet. Global warming and eco concerns will certainly be a problem in which they inherit. My hope is that we can educate the masses enough to get everyone on board with being green and eco-responsible. 

What’s your # 1 green tip? 
Recycling is an easy way to start being green. Every human being on the planet creates waste. There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t be more responsible for the garbage we create. This is also something that even children can learn and be a part of. If we start them early, it will become second-nature to them.

Smart Talk Connected Conversations will host Della Reese in Cincinnati May 17, 2011.  Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Della Reese is a world famous singer, actress and television star.  As well as a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association and an Ordained Minister!  Ms. Reese was born Deloreese Patricia and began singing at six years old!  By the age of thirteen she was hired by the late Mahalia Jackson to tour and perform with her.  A generous amount of television exposure followed Ms. Reese’s first recording successes. She was also the first female to host The Tonight Show. She was soon asked to host her own talk show, Della, (making her the first Black woman to host her own show). Her most recent television credit,Touched By An Angel she was able to combine her talent for acting and singing, as she sang the theme song. Della will inspire you with her ability to be more than an entertainer, more than an actress and more than a minister- she is living proof that you can dream larger dreams and watch them come true!

And we have free tickets to see Della Reese on May 17th.  Leave a comment below and let us know you want to go.