interview

Fashion In The City Through No Boiz Allowed’s Eyes And Mini Interview With Eva Marcille

Remember our Fashion In the City Night Out? Recap (above), Mini Interview (below)

No Boiz Allowed: Eva, tell us who and what are you wearing tonight?
Eva: Well I am wearing a dress, some heels, a belt, earrings.. (laughs) no but I have on Gucci, Tori Burch, (and she runs down her entire attire for the night)

NBzA: A lot of ladies are beauty magnets but what advice would you give to young girls about maintaining a good beauty regimen?
Eva: I can’t stress enough how important healthy skin is. You know the saying “cleanliness is next to Godliness”, my grandma would always say that to me. Having a proper skin care routine is important and please ladies, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

NBzA: What’s next for Eva Marcille?
Eva: Girlfriend Confidential LA follows me and 3 other beautiful women (Denyce Lawton, Nikki Chu, Kelly Marie Dunn) to showcase our reality in the industry and what following our dreams is really like. Ladies can relate because we’re taking career risks, looking for love, and just trying to figure out our next step.

NBzA: Do you have any advice for the No Boiz Allowed viewers out there?
WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE WHAT SHE SAYS!

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HERstory feat. Desi “I believe you have to demand respect as you earn it”

1. Describe a typical day in the life of Desi? Typical? I don’t know that I have a “typical” day. Not one day is the same. But I do wake up at 7 am each morning, check emails, jump in the shower, grab coffee and then continue to spread myself between music and film duties. This could be anything from moving film gear in and out of a vault, taking creative meetings with clients, to dressing up for a music function.

2. WKND Warriors set the tone for a lot of the work that you do now. Are you still expanding with WKND Warriors or was that just a stepping stone? I don’t want to say that I’m leaving it behind but it definitely has transformed itself into something else. I still have the creative passion to make things within fashion. I have been tossing projects back and forth and am waiting for the right time. Before the product will come a new blog. The blog is what seemed to reel both women and men in. It’s all a process of growth.

3. How did you learn to gain respect amongst your majority male colleagues? Do you feel as a woman that respect is something earned or demanded? I believe you have to demand respect as you earn it. Nothing is worse than working your ass off and no one patting you on the back. Sometimes it takes for you to speak up and take a stand. I do things a little different. I don’t wear tight clothing into meetings, I sometimes go without make-up and am never afraid to get a little dirt on my hands. I never want my outer appearance to be a factor in who I’ve built my brand to be. Though it may help and may take me longer to get there… I know that loyalty will prevail over the superficial.

4. What is a little advice you’ve been given at any time in your life or career that you always resort back to for motivation? “Fxck ‘em”, is that a little harsh?

(photo source: thisislavie.com

5. The audience wants to know, does Desi have time for love/relationships? Is there a special someone in your life? The question everyone seems to always want to know. You make time for what you want to make time for. It’s funny dating in this “industry”. I tried dating a “normal” guy once and it didn’t work. He complained I never had enough time for him, as you can imagine that was annoying. I keep relationships sacred… if you know you know ;)

6. What traits would the perfect companion have to have in order to fit your personality and lifestyle? And what is an absolute deal breaker for you? I came to the realization that I love a man made of ambition. I need someone to keep me going. This career of mine gets to be tough at times and I need someone in my corner. I also need someone that is very secure with himself. I’m constantly around celebrities and I can see how it can be a bit intimidating. But I need someone to hold me down, trust in what we have, make bad situations into good ones and not be afraid to wear a rollie chain and gold fronts now and again.

7. If you can give 3 tips to other women on how to be confident in one’s self and business, what would you say? Have a weary “can’t nobody f*ck with me” attitude. By that I mean, go into everything with confidence but be cautious and prepared at all times. The “other woman” is not the competition… am I the only one that would rather get along with a female than hate her for no reason? We need to unite but separate our geniuses at the same time. Lastly, I would say to keep a heart of gold. Life is rough, there is no denying that. But you have to keep your heart strong, shiny in appearance and of worth.

8. Branding yourself as the “Underground Queen on The Rise” Explain the title in greater detail? I work with the brands and artists that aren’t quite there yet… the up and comers. My goal is always to create stepping stones between the minors and the majors. It’s easy to take a seat with companies and artists that have monopolized but I find greater joy in guiding those on their way. I too, am one of those brands.

9. Who are some women that you love and look up to in the same industry as yourself? I hate to say this but everyone that I look up to in film, music and fashion are all men. There’s not many of us around.

10. Where can the viewers see more of Desi and your work? (website, social networks, projects, etc.) Log onto my website www.desidollas.com to learn more about my background. From there you can be directed to my twitter, personal blog and instagram.

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HERstory: Miss Diddy “I am humbled by how big my brand has gotten”

1. I myself, like to call you Miss Diddy. It just sounds so bossy. But since you have various names (Gracey, Miss Diddy, Chloe, etc), which name do you prefer to be called and do certain people get the privilege to call you by a specific name?
LOL! Each Name has its own meaning and has become an ongoing joke I find funny each time someone brings it up. Everyone pretty much has called me Diddy for the past 8 to 10 years. Miss Diddy came from me signing up on Twitter and not just wanting the name Diddy. I wanted to add some femininity to it. Family calls me by my real name but my mom calls me Diddy often when she thinks I’m being sassy. Miss Diddy has built its own brand. I am humbled by how big my brand has gotten. It’s a hard name to carry as a women being that Puff is the greatest to ever do basically anything in entertainment. No shade to anyone else, that’s just my opinion. Therefore, I work hard to ensure I have substance behind the name and that everyone else sees it.

2. How did you first get into the entertainment industry?
My dad is a musician. I grew up around music and my whole family is music. My Great Grand Mother had her own publishing company and this was back in the day when it was unheard of from Blacks especially a Black Woman. She wrote with Mahalia Jackson. My dad’s godmother is Della Reese. He was signed to Holland Dozier Holland. So, I am really an “old head” in my mind when it comes to music and entertainment. My god father Leo Nocentelli was the lead guitarist in funk superstar of New Orleans band, “The Meters.” He was another reason for me being around music and entertainment.

I formally was introduced as my own brand in music/entertainment when Kanye West started G.O.O.D. Music. I did the west coast lifestyle promotions for G.O.O.D. Music by creating what was known as the G.O.O.D. Girls. It included about 20 beautiful ladies as a street team when it was just known for “rough looking dudes” doing street teams. The problem was I was young and I didn’t understand the totality of how major the brand was that I was a part of because they are family to me. Being with Kanye, he introduced me to everyone. I could never repay him for the relationships I gained and sustained as a result of him.

Kenny Burns who is also my mentor introduced me to Jenn Choi. Jenn Choi, at that time was the top #1 PR Chick in Hollywood nightlife. She was this Korean, two seater Benz driving, hard working, woman who saw the potential in me. She instantly put me on in the nightlife world. This was before buying tables was even the cool thing to do. The G.O.O. D. Girls would walk in a club and she would already have a table setup for us. She made sure the DJ shouted us out 20 times and she created this intense buzz around the G.O.O.D Girls and the rest is history.

3. For those that aren’t quite familiar with Miss Diddy and the work that you do, coming from the woman herself, what is the best way to describe your line of work/title/position?
Sheesh! I’m the Ambassador of LA. If you come to LA, you are going to need me to connect the dots. LOL! I am the only woman promoter in urban nightlife in Hollywood. I have a few things in the makings but I’ll have a surprise for people’s televisions soon. I’m a featured columnist for Edge Magazine. (EdgeMagazinesite.com) *features* #MissDiddysDEN. Also, I’m the Brand Ambassador for one of the top boutiques in Los Angeles called Le Bloc Society (leblocsociety.com), who is owned by my really good friend Keana. Truly, if I could, I would give it all up and dedicate my whole life right now to saving our generation.

4. From your experience and having many “celebrity” friends, what would you say are key elements to separating business from pleasure/friendship? Some of us just don’t know when to draw the line. It’s a very hard thing that I struggle with everyday because all I want to do is help everyone’s career. So sometimes I’ve had celebrity friends that end up being opportunists because of my connections. Mainly, the Celebrities that are my friends, we have been friends for years so I don’t separate them from my hardworking, 9-5 working friends who may not be on TV or radio. Anyone that knows me knows that I have had the same friends for over 10 years anyway.

5. How does Miss Diddy stay so fly? Being of African American descent and darker skin (like myself), what are some of your trustworthy beauty and skin regimens?
GIRL! I am Caramel BOO! I have been blessed with good skin. I inherited a bad habit from my Big Sis Meagan Good of not washing off my makeup when I go to sleep at night. She taught me all the good tricks about makeup. I do use Lady Dee’s skin exfoliation everyday which is on Robertson in Beverly Hills. I use witch hazel, ponds face moisturizer and Bath & Body works body cream. I’m a smell fanatic and I use MAC Makeup. Also, I only use Caress or Dove soap on my body.

6. If you could name something or someone, who/what would you say inspires you?
GOD! My Mother every single day! My brother Michael is my hero! I would never have the mental capacity and strength to battle my own reasons to throw in the towel without them.

7. What is something(s) that you absolutely can’t live without?
The 3 people in the previous questions. My close friends: Audra, Danelle, Dayana, Koloni, Zipp, Bridget Kelly, my phone, my close family, candles, some good tilapia, my incredible abs…SWAGG! My intelligence and charisma!

8. What would be your advice to other women out here when it comes to having goals, a dream and wanting to reach success?
Be Smart, Be Smart, Be Smart! Be Strategic, Be honest with yourself. Stay the Course when everything is against you. Keep your integrity at an all time high. Never let money be your motivation. Love God with your whole heart. Never think you know everything to the point you don’t listen to wise counsel. Never Stop! Be Diligent and Patient at the same time! Whew that’s hard to do!

9. What is one thing people would never know about you unless you tell them?
I’m actually very sensitive. I care about love more than my career. A perfect evening to me is laying in my bed and watching a movie. The 2 people I always listen to are Sam Cooke and Jeezy and Sam is playing on my Mac as I do this interview!

10. Where can we, the viewers, stay in touch with you and your work?
Twitter: @MissDiddy
Facebook: missdiddys.page@facebook.com
Website: www.graceyismissdiddy.com
Inquiries or bookings: MissDiddySays@Gmail.com

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Meet Arthur Clark, No Boiz Allowed’s Newest Eye Candy

Meet Arthur aka Art. The 6’4 Chocolate Model with a great sense of humor and an even greater future. With an exclusive interview from No Boiz Allowed, you will find out his outlook on the Modeling Industry, women and some of his latest work. Oh, and his child, how can we forget King? LOL Read his interview here

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The Life Of A Model With Quei Tann (part 2) HERstory

If you weren’t modeling what other direction could you see yourself in? (Do you have any other talents?)

Well as you know modeling is my passion. It’s not something I want to do, it’s something I have to do. But I do tend to retire at an early age and have an amazing life. I would like to branch out of just modeling have several business’, my brand and create an empire. I Honestly could not do anything else, this is my destiny! Other talents? Lets see, I can talk really fast for a long time without breathing. I can walk and run in high 9 inch heels… there you go I would be a street walker. Not really :D  I’m quite the comedian. 

Now I’ve seen you walk the runway, not only are you great at what you do but you have a big and fun personality on that stage! Where did you learn to be so confident?

It kind of takes me to a dark place in my life. I had a terrible child hood and my preteen years were also a very bad time. I was always put down and told I wasn’t good enough. I was “weird” and different and I just didn’t fit in. I wanted to just be liked and accepted so badly. Now looking back, I thank God i didn’t fit in. I would never want to be like the people that put me down && told me I wasn’t good enough. I want be a great amazing person that lifts people up and encourages them. Having to go through all of this I realized people come out of this type of bullying one of 2 ways. Miserable and alone. I decided that wasn’t going to be me so I chose to stand up for myself, be very confident and never let anyone put me down or hurt me in anyway. I came out on top stronger and powerful than all of my bullies and negative hateful people in my life. People told me constantly that I was ugly, too tall and many horrible names and honey I don’t know how it happened but all of a sudden, I wasn’t just confident, I was beautiful not only on the outside but it shined through my soul. So when I’m on that runway or just in my house or at the store, the beauty, the shine, the love comes through and thats were I get my confidence from. Also I’m very silly

-Quei

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The Life Of A Model w/Quei Tann (HERstory)

When did you realize modeling was a field in which you wanted to pursue?

Well I can’t say I always wanted to model but in 2003 when I was Seven years old, a little show came out about modeling on television, America’s Next Top Model. I was totally captivated. But the whole idea of women taking a picture and walking in heels just seemed silly to me. So I never thought much of it but I did continue to watch the show. As I matured and grew older I tried different things like dancing, which I wasn’t too bad at and singing which I was terrible at.

But I have the “I can do anything” attitude so I stayed consistent with it. I actually thought I was going to be a big singing star. But as my mother would say, “we make plans and God laughs.” I wanted somthing in my life but destiny had somthing far greater for me. I was doing a lot of volunteer work for charitable events last year (I still am). At one benefit around August right after my 15th birthday, I was asked to be on their cover with other young kids being productive in volunteering and making a change in the world. Well we shot the cover in September and it came out in October & that was the start of everything. I loved the shoot & the energy that went along with it. In a nut shell I went on to build a portfolio, made connections and begin to do runway shows which I love to do. I looked around and I saw all of these other women jealous and envious of me because I was “skinnier” or “taller” than they are. I found it ridiculous and I didn’t understand, so I started to ask questions and I became very informed on a number of things about how women struggle with weight issue and body image problems. I felt terrible that some people actually believed that the only way to be beautiful is to be tall and skinny and thats so untrue. I’m not saying I’m not beautiful, I’m saying that every one is beautiful in their on way.

You don’t have to fit a certain standard or be a certain way to be beautiful. I want every woman and person to know and understand that. That is why it’s important for me to spread that message to let these other women know. The only way for people to pay attention to me is to build and have a successful career. I can kill two birds with one stone by making a good living for myself and spread my message to make the world a better place not just for me and not just for you but for the next generation. I want them to have many powerful, smart, intelligent and all around beautiful women to look up to.

  So to answer your question, when did I realize I wanted to pursue modeling? That is when I realized someone needed to make a change. And I cant wait for “someone” to come along and do that, so I have to do that and so do all the other strong women in America and all over the world. ~ Quei TANN

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“I’m inspired by everyday people” – The Notorious KIA expresses herself through fashion. Check out her interview.

1. How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is very funky and original. I guarantee there’s not another person walking the earth with the same style as mine. My style is very out-of-the-box. I don’t follow trends – they are meant for people with no real sense of fashion so they fake it and follow these so called “rules” set by brands and designers to sell their clothes. I wear what I want, silk in the winter, suede in the summer. When it comes to my style you either love it or hate it. The ones who hate it just don’t get, and thats fine. I don’t expect everyone to like my style, thats life. But you’ll still be inspired to do better. The people who love my style understand the story I’m trying to tell. They understand the creative process of getting dressed in the morning and how your mood can dictate your current style. Above all I believe my personal style inspires people. People see that I’m not afraid or timid when it comes to expressing myself via clothes, shoes, & accessories and they are confident to do the same.

2. What or who inspires you?
I’m inspired by everyday people. People who get dressed because they genuinely love it, not those who have a stylist and get dressed for paparazzi and whatnot. Nothing wrong with having a stylist (I am one) but we’re talking about inspiration and my inspiration steams from things unfiltered, raw, and real, and thats who everyday, normal people are. Also, NYC is a mecca for creative energy. Just walking down the street you become inspired.

3. Are your career goals in fashion? If so what are they?
My career goals are definitely in fashion. Right now I’m working a everyday 9-5 job, it pays the bills but its not me or my passion. My goal is to one day open up a clothing boutique and offer a one stop shop for wardrobe styling, image consulting, and personal shopping, just all things fashion. The boutique will be a reflection of my personal style and experiences. Also I want to launch a fashion magazine that caters to women of color, I think our voice in fashion is really underrated and not really heard.

4. Tips for people afraid to take chances with their style?
There are people in this world that are fine with not standing out and just blending in with the crowd, if you’re into fashion this cannot be you, simple as that. Find out what you like, are you a boho chic type of chick? Are you a glam god? Is the hipster look you? Or does grunge speak more to your heart? Establish your own style. I cannot stress this enough. We don’t need a million Rihanna look a likes walking around. There’s nothing wrong with getting inspiration from someone but take that inspiration and transform it into something that is yours. After you established your own style now its time to put it into action. If you’re still a bit shy and unsure, start small and work your way up. Maybe change your hairstyle first or try some new shoes. There’s nothing wrong with taking baby steps, build up your confidence. Also introduce your new style to the world at a small event where nobody really knows you. You’ll feel like a different person. Remember to dress for you, nobody else. As long as you feel good about yourself nothing else matters. I can walk around in last week’s paper bag and feel like a million bucks!

(Kia recently designed these & will create a DIY video)

5. One item in your closet you can’t live without and why?
One item I cannot live without are blazers. I have about 30 of them and I cherish every last one of them. Blazers are amazing pieces. They can transform any outfit. I’m big on layering, print blocking, and color blocking and blazers are great for that.

6. Most embarrassing outfit choice?
My style is constantly evolving. I can look at a picture of something I wore just last week and ask myself “what was I thinking?” (lol). Seriously my most embarrassing outfits would have to be something I wore back in 2005 when all I pretty much wore were sneakers and jeans. Back then it was hot but every time someone posts a picture of me for #ThrowBackThursday from that era I cringe and beg them to take it down. More recently (2010) I submitted some pictures of myself to be featured on the Fashion Bomb Daily, they have a segment called “Bombshell of the Day.” Anyway the reception was mixed, they either loved it or flat out hated it. I was so confused because I loved every outfit. However what I didn’t notice then that I realize now is that I had a real serious issue with over accessorizing. I’m talking about a wrist full of bracelets, earrings, belts, necklaces, studs on the shoes…just doing way too much at once. Now I know less is more. One outfit in particular that stood out was one where I was wearing a purple turban, white tunic with a picture of a lady with some funky glasses on the front, a pink skirt, stockings, knee highs, glitter pumps with spikes on the back, and a wrist full of bracelets smh I was a H.A.M (lol) I’ve learned from my mistakes though. I know I will make a couple more, but thats what fashion and style is about – hits & misses, but learning from your misses.

7. Favorite place to shop?
Kinda cliche but the thrift store. You find a lot of original and dope pieces but you have to be patient. On days when I’m lazy, I do a lot of online shopping…Asos is going to be the death of me. There are so many hidden gems on the internet.

8. Where can we see more of you?
Check out my blog: www.modedopeness.com

My online store: www.dopesince1986.com

My YouTube channel: TheNotoriousKIA

I’m on twitter & instagram: thenotoriouskia

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Where Are They Now? Featuring Dennaya Famous


Catching up with Dennaya Famous, The innovator, stylist, creative genious behind the brand and boutiques DFame and Definition LV, you may remember her from the HERstory Interview featured here on NBA back in April 2011. As we all know, sometimes it’s not where you are, it’s how consistent you are, how determined you are and how bad you want it. Thus, describing Dennaya. Read on to see what she has been up to…

  • Since we have last spoken (April 2011), what has been the highlight of DFame career and success?  Since we last spoke so many amazing things have happened to myself and my store, but the highlight has definitely seeing my company become recognized world wide.


  • If someone would have asked you 5 years ago where did you see yourself in 2012, would you have imagined to be where you are now?  No, not at all I never thought I’d be on this path 4 years ago I was in college studying psychology. So to do a complete 360 career wise has totally been a mind blowing experience.


  • What has been or is continuing to be your biggest motivation to keep pushing forward? The desire to see my whole team reap from the fruits of our labor.

  • Oprah likes to describe the moment you found your calling, as an “Aha Moment”. Do you remember the day or moment you realized your “Aha Moment”? If so, please share. Yes I definitely do, it was my junior year of college at UNLV everything clicked for me mentally. I then realized that the career path that I was working towards wasn’t for me and I would never be challenged or truly fulfilled. As soon as I took the first small step in my fashion career everything fell into place.


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HERstory – “I feel myself and my mother treat people as people and not as if they are inferior” – @MsSassyMitchell

1. Describe a typical day for Sassy Mitchell? How many ladies are responsible for Sassy Mitchell as a brand? (introduce names if you would like)

A typical day of sassy mitchell begins at 10:00AM EST. From that time until 6:00PM, we are taking calls, managing online orders and valeting hair to different clients and stylists around the Atlanta area. Our hours end at 6:00PM, but from that time till 6:30PM we are transporting hair from the our home to the Post Office. Sassy Mitchell is primarily run by a mother and daughter who handle everything from ordering the product, inventory check, marketing, social networking, online orders and packaging of the hair.

2. When did you realize that the business of hair was the direction you wanted to head in?

I have always had a love for hair. I could not technically do hair, but I always LOVED to get my hair done! From the age of 7 years old, I always remembered loving getting my hair done. I wore micro braids for a long time till I transferred over to full sew-ins. I did not start wearing a sew-ins till I was 22 years old. I realized I wanted to be involved with the hair business when I began wearing hair extensions and noticed not too many businesses were offering good hair. I realized that a lot of my friends were complaining about the quality of their hair and I wanted to be able to provide an answer to their issues…thus Sassy Mitchell was created.

3. For those of us that wear weave, we do know that their is a difference between quality hair and cheap hair. For those that have no clue about extensions or weave as we call it, explain the difference between GOOD Weave and BAD Weave? And typically how long should a good weave last?
A good weave deals with how your hair is sewn in, styled and quality of the hair itself. One of the most important aspects of hair extensions is the weft of the hair. The weft is what keeps the hair from shedding and is one of the first aspects I look for in offering hair extensions. A bad weave is a weave that tangles and sheds everywhere. A good foundation (sew-in) is the key to a great weave! If you can have some good hair to a good foundation, that makes a great weave! A weave should last at least two months, the extension hair itself should last much longer.

4. If you don’t mind sharing, who are some of your favorite customers? and how important is Customer Service in this business?
Every person we speak with are our favorite customers. Customer service is very important with Sassy Mitchell, I believe it is one of the aspects that makes our business special. I reply back to each e-mail, every tweet and every text I receive in regards to the hair. Sharon, my mother, answers every phone call placed during our business hours and even works after hours to make sure everything with the business is together.

5. In this century with the popular use of Social Networking Sites such as Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and more, how have these sites affected Sassy Mitchell, whether good or bad?
Social networking is a good tool to use in business. It is a tool for free marketing and the easiest way for someone to provide a word of mouth referral. Twitter was a heavy influence on helping Sassy Mitchell become more recognizable in the hair industry.

6. I’ve been watching your business skills for quite some time and not only are you growing tremendously but you remain a business woman at all times. Recently you tweeted something a long the lines of “Never mix business with pleasure, not even on twitter.” Could you explain in further detail what that means?
I feel a business twitter, should be just that…business. There shouldn’t be room to provide personal opinions, arguments or other areas where people could judge your business based off of what you tweet. I like to keep the Sassy Mitchell twitter page, as professional as possible and only speak about information relatable to Sassy Mitchell and the products Sassy Mitchell offers.

7. What is the biggest misconception about women who wear weave?
They wear weaves because they do not have any hair on their heads. That is a huge misconception!

8. Do you think it’s a mans business to worry about the way us women maintain our hair? (whether it is natural, long, short, etc). Why or why not?
I do not think it is anyone’s business to worry about the way another person maintains their hair. Everyone has their preference to how they want to wear their hair and I feel your hair should represent you and what makes you comfortable.

9. What has been your biggest lesson learned this far? and what advice would you give another young lady looking to head in the direction of hair?
The biggest lesson I have learned thus far is to treat people as people. Given the type of business that Sassy Mitchell is, there are lots of opportunities where we interact with people. I feel myself and my mother treat people as people and not as if they are inferior. We wear weave, we love weave and we get just as excited about a new sew-in as our clients do! I believe our personality and helpfulness makes us relatable to all of our clients and their friends. The advice I would give another young lady looking to head in the direction of hair is to research hair prior to offering it and know the type of hair you want to offer. Also, determine how much of an initial investment you would like to put into building your business and the profit margins you want to intake based off of the products you offer. This can help build your business expectations. Also, be you and do not let success get the best of who you were prior to it.

10. Where can the viewer keep up with you? (website, twitter, etc)
Please follow the twitter @MsSassyMitchell and also check out the website at www.sassymitchell.com

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Let’s Kiss and Make-Up Creatively With Amanda Bee!

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