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Dive into our first issue of the year.
Citation preview
jan 2014jan 2014
Nom! Nom!Nom!Chef's Workshop
Kai’s KoffeeFuego & Metro
Dance Trancep.10
Alabama Women in Businessp. 22
Turning talent into businessp. 16
Coming soon...
Krishann McConico turned her natural abilities into a self-made business
12
16
Kai’s Koffee shop serving up a cozy atmosphere
20Out and about with Mountain Brook Art Association and Leading Ladies Networking Group
8
10
18
Rock Your Body Studio features an alternative fitness experience with Dance Trance
Kai Smith
22Alabama Women in Business
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Fitness
Table of Contents
Inspiration
Local chef Marlon Boyd is cooking up Southern food with a healthy twist
Nightlife
Lifestyle
Spotted
Spotlight
Networking
Krishann McConico
Alabama Women In Business
Metro Prime Steakhouse and Fuego Cantina
301 Beacon Parkway West
Suite 120Birmingham AL 35209
WH
O W
E A
RE
Sims Blackwood
Muir-Taylor Taylor
Ebert Green
Staff PhotographerKristofer Pruitt
Kaneshia SimsEditor-in-Chief
Amanda BlackwoodLayout/Creative Editor
Casey Muir-TaylorCopy Editor
Staff Writers
Kirsten EbertCiara Green
Valerie Taylor
Warren Hudson
Shaneice SimsMedia Manager
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Letter from the Editor
Kaneshia Sims
KaneshiaEditor-in-Chief
@REDPaSHMAGAZINE www.southernpash.com
Red PaSH Magazine is excited for the beginning of a new year. We look forward to all the wonderful opportunities Birmingham has to offer. In this issue you will read about Dance Trance and The Rock Your Body Studio on page 10. This is the perfect way to live up to your New Year’s Resolution of staying in shape. Page 16 will open your eyes to the wonderful world of math and give insight to why Krishann McConico loves tutoring her students. Delectable Chef, Marlon Boyd, cooks up a career on page 8 at Chef’s Workshop and Kai’s Coffee brews up a beverage that will have the city of Pelham wide awake on page 12. We hope you enjoy our first issue of the year.
AWIB
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Cooking up soul in Marlon’s kitchenby VALERIE TAYLOR
An artist has the ability to create something beautiful using talent, creativity and imagination. Some artists use a pen and paper, others use clay. Marlon Boyd uses food. This chef is able to take common ingredients and create something beautiful to see and beautiful to taste. He uses his catering business, MR.B Catering, to share his creations with the world. The chef caters events of all sizes with a healthy twist on traditional soul food. Food is Marlon’s passion, and it shows in his cooking. He put on his chef hat when he was a child, and hasn’t taken it off since. Time spent in the kitchen with his mother fueled a growing fire in Marlon’s soul for cooking and sharing his food with others. Some people say that the easiest way to a person’s heart is through their stomach. If that is true, MR.B Catering must be in the hearts of many. He thrives on seeing people come together
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over the food he has prepared. “The best sound in the world to me is hearing a fork drop onto an empty plate,” he said. His ultimate goal is to touch the lives of people who enjoy his food. Inspired by God, his mother, his father, and close friends, Marlon plans to show the world the talent that he has been blessed with. Health and soul food are two words that don’t typically appear in the same sentence. However, Marlon was taught from a young age that by including home-grown vegetables and keeping health in mind, you can enjoy guilt-free soul food. Marlon features classics such as homemade cinnamon rolls, barbecued ribs, mac and cheese, and apple pie. He keeps his dishes healthy by cooking with olive oil, garlic powder, fresh bell peppers, and onions help him to flavor his food. Substituting unhealthy ingredients with fresh, more nutritious food keeps Marlon’s dishes a step above the rest. Marlon has managed to sauté, bake, and flambé his way into the heart and stomach of this city. To learn more about MR.B Catering and have him at your next event, visit his website at www.mrbcater.com.
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Rock Your Body Studio (RYBS) is not your average gym. If you’re looking for a run-of-the-mill fitness program, you won’t find it here. Five years ago, four passionate ladies—Carla Higginbotham, Melissa Dameron-Vines, Krista Niedermeier and Erin Mooney—opened RYBS to showcase a national fitness program dubbed Dance Trance. Participants of the program are captivated by the experience just as the owners were years ago. The upbeat music, flashing lights and unique choreography provide a party atmosphere and exciting workout experience for everyone. “People come to the classes because they want to be able to dance, they keep coming back because there is nothing like it in town,” says Carla. Whether you want to lose weight, de-stress or just dance, RYBS can be the place for you. “We are more than just fitness-for-you body, we are fitness-for-you mind and soul,” says Krista. “It’s not like you’re exercising, you can let yourself go and enjoy the music.” Carla got involved with Dance Trance shortly after the program’s inception 20 years ago. “I was fresh out of college and was working out at a local gym doing boring high-low aerobics, watching the clock the entire time so I could go home, when I saw a flyer for a new dance fitness class,” says Carla. “I took the class and was immediately hooked.” The other three owners of RYBS are also Dance Trance participants turned instructors. “After graduation, I wanted to stay fit, but Jazzercise was the only thing I could find that
interested me,” says co-owner Melissa Dameron-Vines. “A friend introduced me to Dance Trance when it was housed at the Jewish Community Center, and after the first class, I was hooked.” Melissa has been a part of the program ever since. Dance Trance originated in Birmingham, but eventually moved its home office to Jacksonville, Florida. Upon this move, Carla was named the director of the Birmingham program. She and the others began teaching classes in various gyms around the city, but were constantly hindered by gym schedules and rules. “Rock Your Body Studio was a dream for those of us who had been involved with Dance Trance since the mid-nineties,” said Melissa. “After having our programs in so many gyms, we wanted to open our own studio to feature our program.” In 2008, this dream became a reality. While Dance Trance is still featured in many gyms, RYBS is exclusively committed to showcasing the program. The four instructors translated their fervor into a business. None of the four are prior business owners, all four are married with children, and all four have other jobs apart from RYBS. These ladies illustrate how, with passion and planning, anyone can start their own business. “Definitely do your research,” says Carla in reference to starting your own business. She explained that the ladies have gotten ample advice from other local business owners as well as the owners of Dance Trance in Jacksonville. “Know your strengths and limitations,” adds Krista. The four also agree that their unique,
individual strengths make dividing responsibility and operating the studio easier. “Each one of us brings something different and desperately needed for our business,” says Melissa. The ladies danced and taught together long before they started the business, so the relationship between co-owners came naturally. Owning a business that they love benefits both the owners and the participants. “We can use what we love to do, dance, to help others become confident and excited about getting in shape and doing something for themselves,” says Krista. “We are on the floor almost every night dancing alongside our clients and loving it as much as we want them to,” adds Melissa. Just as they love what they do, the owners love where they do it. All four of the ladies were raised in Birmingham and love what the city has to offer to their business as well as to their personal lives. “Birmingham is beautiful and offers events and opportunities found in large cities, yet it still has that small town feeling in so many ways,” says Carla. She commented on the great music venues, shopping and food that the city has to offer. “I love the cultural vibe of Birmingham,” says Melissa. “We have excellent creativity and spirit in this town.” Just as they revived their mundane workout routines with Dance Trance, they added diversity to their lives and to Birmingham by starting Rock Your Body Studio. For more information visit rockyourbodystudio.com or danctrancefitness.com
by KRISTEN EBERT
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For the love of coffee
Over 50 percent of adults drink coffee every day. Many people claim that they can’t even start their day without a cup of their favorite blend. What is it about coffee that keeps people coming back day after day for more? Is it the caffeine? Could it be the warmth that a hot cup of Joe brings on a cold January day? Or is it something more? Maybe there is something about sitting down in a comfortable environment with friendly faces and taking a few minutes to enjoy something special. Kai Smith is a former high school Spanish teacher turned coffee queen. She opened Kai’s Koffee in Nov. 2013 and since then the people of Pelham have fallen in love with every sip. Opening her own shop has been a dream of Kai’s for 10 years, and said it was God’s plan for her to make this happen. Her interest in coffee began with visits to coffee farms. “I learned about beans and cupped some of the beast coffee in the world,” she said. These visits led Kai to quit her teaching job and pursue her dream. When she isn’t busy making her mark on the coffee industry, Kai works as a Famers Insurance agent. When she went into the insurance business, she assumed that she would not be able to open a shop until after she retired, but this dream
was too big to wait. “My favorite thing about Kai’s Koffee is actually seeing people laugh, smile and talk to each other. I love the chatter in my shop,” she said. To Kai, it isn’t just about the coffee, it is also about the experience. Supported by her husband and daughters and inspired by Zig Ziggler, Kai is on a mission to show everyone how great coffee can be. But coffee isn’t all that Kai has up her sleeve--this coffee shop is also quite a pastry heaven. Kai’s favorite item on the menu, and also her best seller, is her Kai Kakes. They are made with sweet potatoes but taste like cake. These little delights are so good that Kai’s employees insist that they ought to be called Krack Kakes. Take a peek at any of these delicious muffins, cakes, streusels, and cinnamon rolls, and your mouth will be watering in no time. If the love of coffee really does have anything to do with a comfortable environment, friendly faces, and taking a few minutes to stop and smell the coffee beans, then Kai’s is truly a home away from home. This up-and-coming shop has mastered the art of coffee brewing and is ready to share the love. If you’re ready to take your first sip, stop by Kai’s Koffee in Pelham or call them at 205--352-2290 to reserve their cozy meeting room.
by VALERIE TAYLOR
Lifestyle
“Go after your passion,
no matter what.”
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Krishann McConico always dreamed of having her own company. After her passion for mathematics became so evident, she started Mathematics4U Tutorial Services in 2012. For Krishann, math is second nature. “I speak fluent mathematics. Everything I see involves math, and without it, nothing would exist or make sense to me,” stated Krishann. Her faith and passion to help people are what drive her every day. After starting her business she realized her dreams were limitless and that she was the only one standing in the way of herself. “If you love it, do it,” exclaimed Krishann. She is no stranger to challenges. Outside of a love for mathematics, she has an artistic side where she enjoys dancing, singing and writing. With no age limit on her services,
Krishann caters to each student’s learning pattern and stands by her mantra of “Remember: a positive attitude” to keep the fear of math away. She advises parents to correlate math with something their children love so they will remain focused and find math to be something they enjoy rather than struggle with. Every student that has worked through Krishann’s teaching methods has passed their math courses and increased their scores by two letter grades. Her sessions are available by appointment between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. everyday. She also tutors via phone, Skype, and Oovoo for those students that are tech-savvy and students who cannot meet for face-to-face contact. You can reach her at 205-542-5062. [email protected].
Inspiration
Second NatureSecond NatureLocal woman turns knack for math into business
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For the love of coffee For the love of coffee
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Fuego Cantina, a familiar hotspot in the 5 Points South area is owned and operated by local entrepreneurs Brett and Kaci MacDonald. The couple opened their doors for the first time in June of 2009, and have since opened a second restaurant, Metro Prime Steakhouse in 2011. Kaci explained, “We picked 5 points for Fuego Cantina and Metro Prime because they are in the perfect location for travelers. We want to show everyone what great food Birmingham has to offer.” Brett, a graduate of the University of Alabama's Restaurant Management program has always had a passion for food and cooking. He met Kaci at a dinner that a mutual friend was hosting while they were both in college. The couple married in 2005 and decided to take a leap of faith and follow their culinary passions. Fuego Cantina is known for some of the best Mexican food in the 5 Points area. Accompanying the savory and spicy foods, you will find some of the towns most popular cocktail and beer selections being served until 2 a.m. The beautiful patio is surrounded by cobblestone and highlighted with a fire pit near the shaded seating. The festive interior holds two bars featuring live entertainment and Loco Happy Hour on Monday-Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fuego's most popular night is Taco Tuesdays where patrons can claim one of Fuego's popular tacos for only
$2. You can always find a good special on the menu or fun event to attend here. Brett and Kaci found the heart of downtown to so welcoming and rewarding, they were inspired to open their second restaurant, Metro Prime Steakhouse. The new kid on an old block stood out because of its upscale dining in the middle of Birmingham's excellent nightlife. Along with premium steaks, two other featured items are fresh seafood and cheesecake flown in daily from New York. The city's only local prime steakhouse includes a small private dining room that accommodates up to twelve guests. This space provides state-of-the-art audio and video equipment for business meetings and other private events. Metro's additional private event space accommodates up to 100 guests for banquets and is also equipped with the latest audio and video instruments for meetings, sports events, or rehearsal dinners. Both spaces require reservations and have exclusive menus. Beginning with the people that walk through the door to the closing tabs at the end of the night, owning Fuego Cantina and Metro Prime Steakhouse has given the MacDonalds the opportunity to experience diversity to its fullest.
Nightlife
Entrepreneur duo serving up great food at two locations
Fuego Cantina and Metro Prime Steakhouse
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Spotted
Mountain Brook Art Association's Holiday Art Show
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The Leading Ladies Networking Group
The Birmingham Ballet
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Networking
Birmingham has big-city flare with small-town charm. We are a city with much to offer, but without the proper connections, gaining knowledge on resources and information can be hard. Most small business owners, as well as entrepreneurs, rely on networking. Networking offers the opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs, learn tricks of the trade, gain exposure for your business and the opportunity to ask for referrals and learn about other business owners. Another great perk is building lasting relationships and meeting potential clients.
Networking group Alabama Women in Business is just one of the many great networking groups this city has to offer. Meeting once a month, typically the last Tuesday of each month, at The Club located at 1 Robert S. Smith Drive Birmingham 35209. Meetings consist of a thirty-minute networking period beginning at at 11:30 a.m. followed by the program which consists of a speaker and catered lunch. For more information about this organization, membership, and how to register for its next meeting, please visit www.alwib.org.
Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey recently visited a monthly Alabama Women In Business meeting
Alabama Women In Business
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