The Connect_Winter Iss 2017 HiRes

INSPIRED LIVING FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
WINTER 2017
SERVICE
AND
SUCCESS
WITH
JANI-KING’S
VICTOR BERRIOS
JOE SCARLETT
SHARES ADVICE ON
LEADERSHIP
IN TODAY’S
WORKPLACE
WHY READING IS KEY
FOR
SELF-MADE
MILLIONAIRES
VISITING
NASHVILLE STUDIO
OF
DESIGNING
WOMAN KATHY
ANDERSON

Welcoming
Diversity
At Cracker Barrel Old Country Store ® , we think a key to our success
is welcoming diversity in our company, our country stores,
our restaurants, and our communities.
crackerbarrel.com • © 2016 CBOCS Properties, Inc.
0716_CB_HC_Diversity_Ad_CHECKERS_8.5x11.indd 1
7/8/16 11:26 AM

11:26 AM

Welcome
Production Editor
PUBLISHER, CEO
ERIC JORDAN
Ejordan@theconnectmagazine.com
C. Hugh Shelton
Hugh Shelton is a problemsolver
by nature. He truly
enjoys facing the challenge of
a creative crisis and devising a
number of viable solutions. He
approaches each project as a
talented professional aware of
the value of every part of design.
He automatically examines the
effectiveness of the intended
message with small tweaks to balance, composition, eye flow,
contrast, and font usage and type treatment. Hugh feels that a designer
is honored with the responsibility of producing the most effective
graphic within the given time of production.
With 35 years of experience in graphic design and printing, Hugh
started in his early teens by doing editorial and promotional line art
for the newspaper where his parents still reside in west Tennessee.
Beginning at the service bureau at MTSU, his early employment has
included layout artist, graphic designer for marketing agencies and
graphics director/manager at several print shops. His responsibilities
ranged from layout to production and from setting jobs for straightto-plate
printing to training corporate design concept departments. His
freelance work ranges from portraits to conceptual design. In pursuit
of even more creative satisfaction, he has done some minor work in
comic books, designed sets for plays, illustrated and produced posters
and book covers.
Hugh has been the art director of Power Source Magazine
since November 2005 and graphic designer and manager for 10
Inspirational Country Music Weeks and Awards Shows. He regularly
creates ads, writes and edits articles, and digitally produces a monthly
publication along with color correcting and editing photos for use
in CD sleeves, jewel cases, press kits, and billboards. Hugh began
teaching at Nossi College of Art in the fall semester of 1998, and he
now teaches three nights a week. The courses he instructs range from
computer graphic programs to production art and from copywriting
to sequential illustration. His artistic style lies somewhere comfortably
between Renaissance masters and comic book artists.
Graphic Design is an ever-growing and constantly improving
process. One successful outcome leads to another. In the current
trends of marketing, design has become just as important as written
content. Often overlooked but still integral parts of increasing value
of the message, facets of design include the psychology of color,
photography or video position and inclusion, along with location and
presentation of type. Hugh Shelton brings a great wealth of knowledge
and creativity to every task he faces.
PARTNER
DR. EDDIE D. HAMILTON, MD, FAAP
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
DAWN M. MASON
Dmason@theconnectmagazine.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BRANDON HIRSCH
Bhirsch@theconnectmagazine.com
PRODUCTION EDITOR
C. HUGH SHELTON
CHShelton@theconnectmagazine.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
KEELAH JACKSON
Kjackson@theconnectmagazine.com
SENIOR WRITERS
SHAWN WHITSELL
RYAN HIRSCH
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
JESSICA COLEMAN
Jcoleman@theconnectmagazine.com
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
BARBARA POTTER
Bpotter@theconnectmagazine.com
WEDDING ACCOUNT COORDINATOR
TEHKIA JORDAN
Tjordan@theconnectmagazine.com
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
CAROLYN WALLER
carolyn.waller@zeitlin.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
DAWN M. MASON JOE SCARLETT
KEELAH JACKSON K.K FOX
ROSALYN ROSS RYAN HIRSCH
SHAWN WHITSELL THOMAS C. SHEFFIELD
VIVIAUNA BROWN
DIRECTOR OF SALES
ERIC JORDAN
REGIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVES
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4 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

MOTIVATIONAL REASONS FOR BEING A
STRONG “SOUL PLAYER” IN A STARTUP
IF YOU’RE LOOKING to start your own
business in 2017, you need to be great
at listening. This may sound harsh, but
it’s true. The ability to build a passionate,
resourceful, and committed team is
paramount to the success of your new company.
It’s the first step in fulfilling your vision, which
is why it’s so important. For me, I pray for “soul
players” or what I describe as people who are
passionate about the work they do. Selling a
vision (to investors, employees, customers, etc.)
requires true passion and faith in what you’re
doing. While it’s possible to achieve this on your
own, having faith in God can make the process
easier by reminding you of your self-worth and
giving you confidence in knowing that God
wants to bless you and your business.
“Big Dreams Come From
A Big God!”
• PASSION - The entrepreneurial nature
of a startup undoubtedly creates a lot of
passion which means you will be working
with colleagues every day who have the
same positive energy and excitement as you
do. With a smaller team, each person at a
startup tends to have more opportunities to
share, voice his/her opinions, and influence
key decisions. You want that, right?
• LEARN - The innovative nature of a
startup usually allows you to have close
contact with the founders (who are usually
some of the best people to teach you honest
entrepreneurial insights). Also, expect to
get a lot of exposure to the intricacies of the
entire business operation.
• STOCK OPTIONS - Although working at
a startup could mean a pay cut compared
to a cushy corporate job, there are other
benefits worth considering--including stock options
(equity)--which may provide a huge upside for you
if the company does well. If you get in the door early
enough, this incentive can be positively life-changing!
• MORE DIVERSITY - There shouldn’t be much
pigeonholing at a startup; you’re going to do and
see a lot of different things. You will be thrown
out of your comfort zone. You will get a chance to
expand your horizons. With fewer (or zero) levels of
bureaucracy, everyone is closer to one another. You
should be well connected to your CEO as well as the
network of customers, vendors, VCs, friends, etc. that
surround the startup.
• PERSONAL GROWTH - Last, but by no means
least, you should join a startup because it’s a unique
experience to help build something and be part of its
growth from the very beginning. This means living the
high highs, low lows, and everything in between..
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other
up, just as in fact you are doing.
CEO/PUBLISHER
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 5

42
Contents
Winter 2017
Cover Story 24
Features 18
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ROYALTY, VICTOR
BERRIOS, SHARES THE SECRETS OF HIS
SUCCESS
THE PURPOSE OF DIVERSITY AND WHY IT
ACTUALLY MATTERS
World-renowned lasik eye surgeon and philanthropist
Dr. Ming Wang shares his thoughts about the
importance of diversity and why it really matters.
18
24
30
DESIGNING WOMAN
We stopped by Anderson Design Studio in Nashville,
TN to find out why Kathy Anderson is becoming one
of the most sought after designers in the country.
42
PHOENIX FORRESTER:
REAL EVENTS. REAL PEOPLE. REAL STYLE
Krystal Bonner explains the significance behind the
name of her company Phoenix Forrester and how
she arrived at the helm of this budding event and
design firm.
46
PHOTOGRAPHER JAMES COLE: THE WORLD’S
VISUAL STORYTELLER
Landscape and architecture photographer, James
Cole, takes us on a photographic journey around the
world and into his mind.
30
46
Columns 14
WORKPLACE LEADERSHIP: THEN AND NOW
Former Tractor Supply CEO Joe Scarlett reminds
us that the times may change, but the principles of
effective leadership remain the same.
20
PICTURES, POSTS, AND POLITICS: TIPS FOR
AVOIDING A SOCIAL MEDIA DISASTER
Why it’s nice to think twice before posting to
social media
34
GET FIT FOR YOU
Looking to jumpstart or restart your fitness journey?
These tips will help overcome your obstacles and get
fit for life.
14
34
36
WRITING LIFE
No matter what your reasons for journaling or the
style, The Connect Magazine’s own K.K. Fox shares
the importance of journaling in her own life.
The Connect Magazine is a quarterly lifestyle publication committed to
engaging our audience through inspirational stories of entrepreneurs, young
professionals, and businesses committed to making a positive difference in
their lives and in the lives of others
6 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

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Former NFL All-Pro linebacker Al Smith shares his
personal experiences and the lessons he learned from
his memoirs. Included are 17 lessons on what it takes
to go from amateur to pro in all aspects of life, not
just in sports or in business. This book will encourage
you, maybe even challenge you to take an all-in, allpro
mindset embracing the attitude and character it
takes to both think like a pro and act like a pro!
Al Smith is a former National Football League
player, author, and speaker with over 25 years
of leadership experience. He learned discipline,
structure, and values from his mother. Al is a former
executive with the Tennessee Titans, NFL Alumni
President, Sports Analyst and former Director of Player
Development at Vanderbilt University in Nashville,
Tennessee. Al serves on the Board of Directors for
the NFL Alumni Association and the American Cancer
Society and has contributed in multiple organizations
including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Bridges Domestic
Violence and the Ronald McDonald House. Al is
also an Ambassador with the Fuel Up to Play 60
Organization. Al’s career in the NFL included Pro Bowl
selections and first team All-Pro Honors.
12 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

EMPOWERMENT
WORKPLACE LEADERSHIP:
THEN AND NOW
PHOTOGRAPH BY BRANDON HIRSCH
WRITTEN BY: JOE SCARLETT
LEADERSHIP STYLE HAS evolved over the years, but its
most basic principles remain unchanged. In my 50+
years in business-leadership roles, I have been privy to
plenty of transformations in society and business practices
that impact leaders from all walks of life. I have learned
from many different mentors and, in turn, I have passed along some
enduring leadership tenets to the next generation of entrepreneurs.
One of the most positive shifts I’ve noticed is in the widespread use
of transparent communication. Back in my first managerial position,
my retail role models were very direct—in a different way. They gave
orders, with little or no conversation, and expected the work to be done.
Status as the boss was a big deal. So when the“king” said something
his people obeyed, seldom challenging any fresh ideas. In those days
business management and leadership took an almost a militaristic
approach to everyday work. That was just the way it was done.
Over time, as the workforce has become more educated, the
workplace has become a more collaborative space. In an increasingly
competitive marketplace, employee engagement often makes the
difference between winning and losing, so leaders have been forced by
circumstances to communicate more clearly. It follows that listening,
too, has become more and more important. Workers’ suggestions are
no longer an interruption; they are essential to productive operations.
The workplace has also made significant adjustments as a result
of the legal and societal movement to equal-employment rights for
women and minorities. When I was growing up, doctors and lawyers
were men. Period. Now more than half of medical and law-school
graduates are women—and those numbers continue to grow. As it
should be in a modern society, the allocation of talent in business is
no longer based on historic practices but rather on individual merit.
We’ve also seen the rise of the team. In most every business,
the collective talent of the team is the richest asset for long-term
growth and success. Real talent is so essential that employees are now
very often in the driver’s seat. Because the loss of top talent could
easily paralyze a business remaining laser-focused on retention is
paramount. More than ever, senior executives must stay on top of
employees’ needs, wants and concerns.
But the door swings both ways. Just as businesses want to retain
top-quality talent, they must also continue to secure top-quality
leadership — now a prime factor in influencing workers to take a job,
stick with it and thrive in the long run. Those who study employee
turnover know that the key factor to preventing it is always creating a
healthy relationship between boss and subordinate. Bad bosses lead to
high personnel turnover.
Although much has changed in workplace operations, the
principles of leadership remain the same. Open communication
encourages teamwork. Talent and collaboration produces results.
People follow and emulate exemplary role models. Leaders who
reflect on these fundamentals will see huge payoffs in the future.
Joe Scarlett is the retired CEO of Tractor Supply Company and Founder of the
Scarlett Leadership Institute. For more on leadership see joescarlett.com
Or write Joe at Joe@joescarlett.com
14 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

EMPOWERMENT
WHY READING
IS FOR
WRITTEN BY: RYAN W. HIRSCH
ACCORDING TO A study conducted by Thomas Corley,
it takes the average self-made millionaire 32 years to
achieve millionaire status. His report also suggests that
during this time, these individuals read an average of
two books per month, which suggests that the average
self-made millionaire, in his study, reads more than 750 books on
his or her path to success. This is not meant to imply that one will
automatically become a millionaire after reading 750 books. However,
it does appear to be a common denominator that will likely yield some
type of positive results if replicated.
A few years ago, I interviewed Nashville Councilman,
Walter Hunt, and he shared some interesting insights on
the importance of reading. He noted that typical U.S.
education systems are designed to spend grades
one through three, teaching children how to learn
to read, then spending the remaining years of
education teaching them how to read to learn.
Unfortunately, some children fail to learn
how to read properly during the first few years of
school, and it inhibits their ability to learn for the
rest of their lives. Others learned how to read in the
past, but have become so accustomed to watching
television, listening to radio and getting short updates
on social media, they have lost the desire to read and/or
significantly reduced their ability to do so.
Just as we need to diet and exercise to achieve our physical health
goals, exercising our brains is imperative to achieving our career and
learning goals. Multiple reports from researchers at Stanford and U.C.
Berkeley suggest that reading can indeed improve your cognitive health.
These reports cite benefits of reading that include enhanced memory,
focus, communication and analytical skills. These items can help you in
your current career and future business endeavors.
But there’s a problem.
Our attention spans are getting shorter, and in our society, we
don’t typically allow nor create the time necessary to read and reap the
benefits of doing so. With that being said, unfortunately, we’ve also
grown accustomed to accepting convenience and speed in situations
where quantity and quality are required. As a result, integral details are
effectively forsaken.
This yields misinformation or partial information and simply doesn’t
provide the depth required to add value to our understanding of more
complex topics. Although the internet and social media are inventions I
happen to enjoy, I recognize that not every idea and piece of information can
be consumed nor is meant to be consumed in 144 characters or less.
It’s fair to say that technology has also made me lazy at times. Since
most of the information I am interested in reading has been tailored to
my taste and instantly arrives on my newsfeed, I don’t always consume
objective, unbiased information, nor explore it at the depth
required to analyze its validity, practicality and real world
applications. In today’s age of using shorthand, emojis,
and other abbreviations to communicate, we are numbing
our traditional reading skills, which hinders are ability to
learn. Here, it is the luxury or convenience and relative
associated ease that prove to be the biggest obstacles to
consuming the best information available.
Think back to the self-made millionaires, who read an
average of 750 plus books, over the course of becoming
millionaires. What if we read books at this same rate? In
what ways could we grow and enhance our skills in 2017?
I encourage you to read one book this month, and evaluate the
benefits you feel after reading. Consider exploring a book that covers a
business, industry or individual that you are interested in learning about,
go from there, and let me know how it turns out.
As Operations Manager for NASBA’s Center for the Public Trust (CPT), Ryan W. Hirsch
is responsible for maintaining high ethical standards, while developing and promoting
ethical leadership skills through both student and professional programming. Ryan has
a Master of Education in Leadership and Organizational Performance from Vanderbilt
University and serves on the Youth About Business Alumni Advisory Board, a program
that introduces middle and high school students to the fundamentals of business and
entrepreneurship. This past year, Ryan was a finalist for the 2016 Middle Tennessee
SHRM Human Resources Professional of the Year Award.
16 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

HOT TOPIC
THE PURPOSE OF DIVERSITY
AND WHY IT ACTUALLY MATTERS
A visit with Dr. Ming Wang provides some practical perspectives
for progress and prosperity
WRITTEN BY RYAN W. HIRSCH
DO YOUR CUSTOMERS really understand the value
proposition of your company?
I recently conducted an eye opening interview
with world renowned lasik surgeon, Dr. Ming Wang.
He compared purposeful businesses to the human eye.
The human eye has a physical element that enables us to see, but seeing
without understanding what we are viewing is not always useful. There
is an emotional component to sight that helps us interpret what we see
and make sense of the images, shapes, and figures in our line of sight.
Similarly, businesses may have a physical presence but sometimes lack an
added dimension that helps others understand their value and make sense
of the business’ purpose.
To remedy this challenge, Dr. Wang has a surprising recommendation
for enhancing your company. He believes the answer is increasing
diversity, not just ethnic or gender diversity, but also diversity of thought.
Are you open to hearing what people don’t like about your business?
Perhaps listening to people who have different perspectives can help you
strengthen your company’s weaknesses or focus more on its strengths.
As humans, we often identify physical or mental differences as divisive
reasons to separate from one another, rather than appreciating those
unlike characteristics and collaborating to determine how we can unite
to grow and become stronger. We sometimes compete and fight against
each other, when a shift in our thought process could drive us to seek out
synergies that could allow our businesses to complement one another in a
way that helps both advance.
Dr. Wang noted that the science and faith communities sometimes
experience this dynamic as well. As someone who is passionate about both
faith and science, Dr. Wang has invested a considerable amount of time
exploring how to build a bridge between these two communities.
There are some who believe that praying eliminates the need for
doctors and medicine. Others believe that doctors and medicine eliminate
the need for prayer. For some, these two treatment options are polar
opposites and cannot be used together.
Dr. Wang believes faith and science can work together. Perhaps
praying is the first step that will help guide your doctor toward prescribing
the appropriate treatment that will relieve your symptoms. These two
communities do not have to compete. It is okay to believe that using both
science and faith together is beneficial.
To reiterate how two opposites can come together for a common
good, Dr. Wang noted how combining two unlike people can sometimes
create a baby that is stronger than the offspring that is created by two
people of the same ethnic group.
According to Dr. Wang, diseases like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia
can only occur when a child receives two recessive genes that cause that
disease (one from each parent). Since recessive genes for cystic fibrosis are
more common in Caucasians, and recessive genes for sickle cell anemia are
more common in African-Americans, babies who are born of parents from
two different ethnic groups are less likely to be born with either of these
diseases. It is rare that both parents would contribute the recessive genes that
are required for the disease to be present in the child.
This same concept can be applied to business. While it is easier and
more comfortable to stay within your own culture, Dr. Wang notes that the
opportunities exist when different sectors and communities mix. We are
stronger and have a greater ability to overcome challenges, when we build
diverse teams of people from various ethnic, gender, religious, political
and mental backgrounds. We should not aim to have diverse teams for the
sake of promoting that fact on our website or to be compliant with laws
and regulations. We should aim to build diverse teams because we actually
believe diverse teams are stronger than homogenous teams.
In the short term, it is tempting to operate businesses that are filled
with employees who are all alike because these types of teams tend to have
more harmony, consensus, and agreement. However, it is important to
know that harmony and agreement working together is not always a good
thing. It can lead to group think and cause business leaders to be blind
to the issues that are derailing their companies’ success. Conflict, on the
other hand, can often shine a spotlight on important issues and serve as the
catalyst that helps your business overcome these challenges.
Dr. Wang also believes that it is important for entrepreneurs to
remember that “doing the right thing” should drive their business
decisions. His ethical compass drives his business decisions. When
determining whether or not to operate on certain patients, he must first
determine whether he believes operating will actually benefit them.
Although performing surgery on every patient who wants it would
generate short-term profits, poor outcomes would ultimately lead to
declines in his business. His patient success rate for lasik surgery is
high because he turns down patients who are not good candidates for
surgery, and he only operates when he believes it is in the best longterm
interest of the patient.
After speaking with Dr. Wang, it was apparent that he has a heart
for helping others. In the American economy, the law of supply and
demand suggests that products and services that are in higher demand
can command higher prices. However, Dr. Wang has also established the
Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration which provides free surgeries
for blind or near-blind patients who need some of the most complicated
surgical procedures. I asked Dr. Wang why it was so important for him
to conduct these complex surgeries for free when he could make more
money by charging these patients? He shared stories about the people
who helped him when he was growing up in China and when he arrived
in America. He wants to help others as
a way of repaying all of the people who
helped him throughout his life.
I believe Dr. Wang’s engagement in
these types of endeavors is what helps
him make sense of his business. Being in
position to help others drives him to be
successful in his medical practice. As any
entrepreneur knows, we all have to make
money to survive, but we should all aim
to fulfill a need first. When others see that
we are operating a purposeful business
that adds value to our community, the
money will come, and it will support
long-term sustainable business growth
that lasts throughout your career.
18 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

HOT TOPIC
PHOTOGRAPH BY BRANDON HIRSCH
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM
WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 19

HOT TOPIC
Pictures, Posts, and Politics:
WRITTEN BY VIVIAUNA BROWN
WE’VE ALL SEEN IT: political faux pas, insults that
backfire, and intense posts that wreak havoc in
mere seconds. In the “good ol’ days,” issues like
these might have been quickly forgotten; however,
in a society obsessed with social media, using it
for everything from interaction with loved ones to expanding businesses,
colossal blunders being erased is simply wishful thinking. With the magic of
screenshot, mistakes made online are easily accessible and can cause lasting
damage for employers and employees. Bearing this information in mind, it’s
important for business owners and personnel to understand social media’s
impact on their brand and how to avoid catastrophic failures.
1. SAY CHEESE?...
The days of simply posting a status may be over soon, as more
people are adding pictures and videos to their captions as well; however,
sharing every experience online isn’t always the best choice. GoDaddy.
com’s CEO, Bob Parsons, learned this the hard way after posting his video
online. The disturbing video contained footage of Bob Parsons killing
an elephant and afterwards, natives (wearing GoDaddy caps) peeled
meat off the animal. To make matters worse, there were also pictures of
Parsons posing by the lifeless animal. Parsons was bashed by animal rights
groups, and companies even closed their GoDaddy accounts because of
his post (Freshminds.net). Another instance where posing for the camera
proved to be a bad idea is in the case of a disgruntled Lacoste employee.
Unsatisfied with the amount of his paycheck, the employee posted a
picture of it online—not realizing that doing so was against the company’s
confidentiality agreement. The employee was fired shortly after his post
reached Lacoste’s HR department (Igniyte.com).
TIP: Let the above scenarios be reminders that it’s a bad idea to always
“say cheese.” Just one post can reach thousands of people that you may not
want it to reach. Therefore, think twice before posting pictures or videos
that can damage your business or cost you your job.
2. TO TWEET OR NOT TO TWEET?
Often, businesses create custom hashtags on Twitter and similar sites as
marketing strategies. Unfortunately for one fast-food giant, their hashtag
caused their strategy to come tumbling down. In 2012, McDonald’s started
a Twitter campaign sporting a new hashtag (#McDStories), hoping that
people would use it to share their positive experiences. Regrettably, their
campaign quickly backfired when Twitter users immediately started using
the hashtag in negative ways. One user wrote, “The #McDStories I could
tell would raise your hair” while another said “#McDStories I lost 50lbs in
6 months after I quit working and eating at McDonald’s.” These are tame
examples of posts using the McDStorieshashtag; other examples are far more
brutal. McDonald’s soon pulled the campaign due to a plethora of negative
#McDStories posts, but the damage was already done, making the hashtag
virtually impossible to erase (Forbes.com). #McDStories is still alive and
well today, being used negatively, particularly on Twitter—it’s clear that
McDonald’s should’ve chosen “Not to Tweet.”
TIP: The above is the perfect example of a marketing strategy
catastrophe. While there’s no sure way of knowing if it could’ve been
avoided, had McDonald’s done more research and been more creative, they
may have made a different decision. McDonald’s could have reached out to
their followers first and offered them special deals for sharing their positive
stories, examined how other companies had been successful in creating
personal hashtags, or used another marketing strategy altogether (a new
video or radio promotion). Bottom line here? Do your research before using
new marketing strategies online, and be creative!
3. FACEBOOK: FRIEND OR FOE?
Politics are messy; representatives make vicious allegations; scandals
are inevitable, and way too often, individuals make insults, never stopping
to consider consequences. This last point holds especially true regarding
recent scenarios involving racist posts on Facebook. Shortly after Donald
Trump’s electoral win, Pamela Ramsey Taylor—an executive developer in
Clay County, West Virginia—made racial comments about former First
Lady Michelle Obama. Taylor wrote, “It will be refreshing to have a classy,
beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing an
Ape in heels.” Making matters worse, the mayor of Clay County, Beverly
Whaling, responded saying, “Just made my day, Pam.” Soon, both Taylor
and Whaling faced the consequences of their actions in true social media
fashion. Internet users bashed their comments, calling for their immediate
firing; some users even made petitions that quickly reached over 200,000
supporters. Taylor was fired, and Whaling resigned due to criticism over her
comments (CBSNews.com). In a similar scenario, an Arkansas teacher now
faces possible termination for his Facebook comments about the former
FLOTUS, as well. The teacher wrote, “Michelle Obummer…America’s
First Chimp.” When someone criticized his post, he replied, “Just good
to see that nasty chimp and her spider monkey husband gone for good.”
School officials called his comments “racially charged rhetoric”; the local
NAACP called for him to be fired, and some are planning to boycott events
at Malvern HighSchool (NyDailyNews.com). With recent issues of race
relations in America, it’s no surprise that several people were outraged
by these inappropriate posts, and that said posts spread overnight making
national news. Malapropos comments about political figures seldom receive
agreeable reactions from everybody, but regardless of one’s feelings about
someone, viciously demeaning and racial comments are never acceptable—a
lesson the individuals in these scenarios learned all too well.
TIP: People use Facebook to share opinions, often forgetting that the site
can swiftly transition from “friend” to “foe” when malicious name-calling
and degradation are thrown into the mix. Whether the target of the insult
is a political figure or not, conversations where besmirchment is involved
rarely end civilly. Too often, people will post words of belittlement,
attacking a person’s character, never stopping to consider who they hurt,
who may see it, and how it could negatively impact their lives—both
personally and professionally. Careful consideration of these activities and
outcomes are important to keep in mind when protecting one’s brand;
therefore, businesses and personnel should avoid posting content that
degrades, insults, or attacks a person’s character.
SUMMARY: Think twice before posting. Do your research, and be
creative. Avoid posting content that degrades, insults, or attacks a person’s
character. These tips may seem simple, but considering the real-life scenarios
mentioned earlier, it’s easy to see how often these tips are disregarded. Don’t
make that mistake. Whether employer or employee, use these tips to protect
your brand and avoid social media disaster.
20 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

SUSTAINABILITY
WRITTEN BY: THOMAS SHEFFIELD
SUSTAINABILITY HAS BEEN defined as the ability of one to
survive today without keeping future generations from having
the ability to meet their own needs. There are three different
areas of sustainability and they include: people, planet and
profit. People deals with treating people fairly and finding
solutions where as many people benefit as possible. Planet deals with
using the earth’s natural resources in a responsible way. This brings us to
the profit piece of sustainability. Can a business, local, state or national
government profit and gain a competitive advantage by incorporating
the principles of sustainability? The answer is yes.
For many years, the business community has believed that
sustainability is at best a strategy to save money. Tactics such as energy
and water efficiency were at the core of belief in business. The theory
was it would likely cost more or cause the company to lose money
when green ideas were implemented. The businesses could write off any
positive impacts for the community. The only place on the balance sheet
was through philanthropic contributions. Sustainability is no longer seen
as a cost or a way to lose money. It is a new way to make it.
There are now 10 companies globally that generate a billion
dollars or more in annual revenue from products or services that have
sustainability or social good at their core. These so called Green Giants
include: Chipotle, GE, Ikea, Natura, Nike, Target, Tesla, Unilever and
Whole Foods. These companies have made sustainability profitable and
have caused others in the business world to take notice. These companies
are performing 11% higher than their competitors over the last 5 years.
Sustainable companies are able to gain a competitive advantage because
they can lead the way in innovation. In his book, “Confessions of a Radical
Industrialist”, Ray C. Anderson describes how he changed a dirty, oil based,
industry of commercial carpet manufacturing to a billion dollar company
named by Fortune Magazine as one of the “Most Admired Companies in
America”. The company’s strategy is aimed to redirect its industrial practices
to include a focus on sustainability without sacrificing its business goals.
Sustainability should not only be a specialty of business. Our
government sees the value of sustainability in the lives of its citizens.
Government officials have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens to
ensure their well-being. Although the federal government has been slow
to enact change, many local government officials are leading the way.
Change on the national level is difficult to enact. It is easier to make change
on a local level. Cities have enacted their own sustainable solutions and
lead the way in making progressive change. Cities like San Francisco have
80 percent of the city’s waste recycled rather than going to landfills.
What will happen when more companies adopt sustainability in
their business plans? The businesses will be able to bring value to their
stakeholders in exciting and different ways. The business will foster an
environment of inclusion and innovation. The businesses will be able to
invent strategies to make their buildings more efficient, have engaged
more productive employees and better products. I really want to hear from
you. Please feel free to contact me thomsustainableconsulting@gmail.com.
Or you can follow me on Twitter @tcsheff. I have also created a new face
book page WordsactionChange Initiative. Please share and follow.
22 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

COVER STORY
24 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

COVER STORY
One Man’s Journey To Serve
WRITTEN BY: SHAWN WHITSELL
VICTOR BERRIOS WAS only five-years-old when his mom
brought he and his brother to Brooklyn, New York,
from Santurce, Puerto Rico, on a quest for a new life.
Berrios recalls growing up in a segregated New
York. Although he was well liked and got along well
with peers of all walks of life, he feels he didn’t fit in because he didn’t
want to belong to any one particular group. He liked being friends with
everyone. His heart for acceptance, diversity and inclusion would not
just serve him well in his personal life, but would manifest years later in
his professional life.
Although he loves the Big Apple and deeply appreciates his upbringing
and the education he received, Berrios wanted something more.
“I knew at an early age that I wanted to do something different,” he
said. “I didn’t want to stay in Brooklyn and raise a family. I wanted to
experience the world.”
Maybe it was the desire for something greater that led him to the U.S.
Army, where he served for over seven years before being honorably
discharged. He traded army uniforms and military bases for civilian
clothes and a college campus. He landed at the University of Colorado
in Colorado Springs, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer
Information Technology.
Later, Berrios parlayed his military experience and educational
background into the hotel business, where worked for over 25 years.
Afterwards, in the late 90’s, he and a partner invested in Harmony
Hospitality in Branson, Missouri. The pair successfully managed nine
hotels for various entities before Berrios sold his interest in the company,
and transitioned into vacation ownership. He opened resorts for the
Florida-based company and was later promoted to Regional General
Manager, with multiple hotels under his direction.
He then went on to open a furniture store in Seymour, TN before
purchasing the rights to the Jani-King franchise in Nashville and
later Memphis.
Though Berrios admits that he never imagine being in the hospitality
industry, he loves it and understands that just as he’s helped grow his
business, the business has also helped grow him.
“Once I was in it, I enjoyed the hospitality community. I enjoyed meeting
and talking to people all over the world, from different cultures, different
background,” he said. “I was actually growing as I was meeting these other
people. I became a sponge and that was intriguing to me. That line of work
gave me that opportunity and I really enjoyed that part of it.”
One of the many things Berrios enjoys about his job is the people and
the difference his company makes in the lives of all those associated with
it, which he considers to be the most rewarding aspect of his job.
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM
WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 25

COVER STORY
“What my company does, it helps improve the lives of others,” he
says. “When I looked at this model in this business, what appealed to
me about it was the fact that I can help other people become business
owners,” he said. “In franchising, you’re in business for yourself and
not by yourself. I took that to heart.”
Berriors says his passion is to provide a workspace that his employees
and franchisers can be proud of, as well as give them sense that after
they leave Jani-King they would be worth more in the marketplace
because what they did at his company.
Because Jani-King meets all its obligations, is growing fast and
provides what it says it provides, Berrios considers his company
successful by traditional standards. One might look at his life and career
and conclude that he’s a success businessman and though he understands
the sentiment, Berrios sees it slightly differently.
“From a personal standpoint, I don’t believe I can ever be successful
and the reason I say that is because once you say you’re successful
at something, you’ve reached a pinnacle at something. I can’t reach
that pinnacle because there are so many people depending on me
continuing on and not become complacent because I believe I’m
successful,” he says humbly.
It is probably because of this need to keep climbing that works
each day, as if he hasn’t achieved half of what he’s accomplished.
He calls the shots of a CEO but hustles like a hungry intern.
“I challenge me more than anyone can challenge me,” he said. “Every
day I get up to see what I can do today, how can I build, what can I
accomplish, what goal can I exceed.”
“With entering the military so young, my character, my personality
was molded to that military mentality and when I went into civilian life,
I carried a lot of that over,” he continues. “From a business standpoint,
it was great because I was determined, I had deadlines that I knew I
had to meet and I would do those things to make you successful in
business. However, from a relationship standpoint, it was tough to relate
to people and for people to relate to me because there was a wall there.
So, I had to break down that wall and the way that I did that was first
acknowledging that this was problem for me.”
The hammer Berrios used to knock down his “wall” was adopting the
idea that no one is a stranger; just people he needs to get to know better.
This idea has helped him conquered the anxiety he felt when meeting
new people and speaking publicly. It also helps him facilitate the idea of
inclusion within his company.
“People will do more for you and people will like to work with
you if you lead them instead of managing,” he said. “There’s a big
difference between leading and managing. You manage a process but
you can never manage people. You lead people. You lead by example
26 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

COVER STORY
From a personal standpoint, I don’t believe
I can ever be successful and the reason I say
that is because once you say you’re successful
at something, you’ve reached a pinnacle at
something. I can’t reach that pinnacle because
there are so many people depending on me
continuing on and not become complacent
because I believe I’m successful.
and you lead by inclusion. You become a servant leader. You can’t
be the head all the time. You have to ask for other people’s opinions,
ideas and contributions and include them in major decisions within
the company. Make them understand that they are an intricate part of
your company and you. I truly believe if you do that, people take more
ownership of what they do.“
Berrios also believes in the importance of people taking risks and
sometimes failing. His own maturation in the hospitality business was
fostered partly by the wrong turns he took and the mistakes he made,
which he considers to be a necessary part of the journey. He wants the
same for his employees.
“I like people to be themselves. I like people to be able to go out and
make mistakes. I truly believe that experience is nothing but a collection
of mistakes. I like my people to go out and do what they do, make the
mistake and let’s learn from them.”
When he’s not manning the reigns at Jani-King or serving on
the Board of Directors at the Tennessee Latin American Chamber of
Commerce, the Brentwood, TN resident enjoys softball, golf and
boating. He is also a married father of six. He refers to his five-year-old
(his only child under the age of 21) as his “greatest passion” and from
the sounds of it, he puts just as much energy into making sure his son
is successful as he does with his business, if not more; and give him
opportunities he (and his older children) didn’t have.
“I want to see him grow up to be a good solid citizen; a good solid
man,” he says.
When asked if he’s living the American Dream, Berrios, who stressed
that he’s not concerned with material things, says, “I’m living the dream
I set for myself. My dream is to be satisfied with who I am.”
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 27

BUSINESS
WRITTEN BY: KEELAH JACKSON
WELL, THE MILLENIALS have spoken, and it looks
as though just like Lenny Kravitz wanted to “get
away” all those years ago, so do they. The new
“in” is actually to be out--out of the country that
is. Working outside of the traditional office space
is the trend for some creative minds looking to broaden their horizons.
The coined phrase is “working remotely.” The freedom and accessibility
of being able to live and work from anywhere in the world while being
employed by a specific field or trade is not just reserved for entertainers
any longer. Earning a living is much different from earning a life, and
more aspiring creators and proprietors are starting to branch into the
remote frame of mind.
As people have moved up the corporate ladder, they have begun to see
that it’s not exactly more benefits that are desired; it’s the freedom to live
a lifestyle of a quality that people most want. A person within the remote
working realm desires independence to live anywhere and still be creative
and productive. Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, praises
working remotely as the serum that saved his life; the beauty of being able
to function and thrive anywhere on the globe, all while living the new
dream of “success,” is far more attainable than one could imagine.
Does the freedom to work while living a full and balanced life call
to your spirit? The issue among workers is not necessarily that there are
too many demands in a day, but that there is very little time remaining
in a day or week to live a personal life outside of work. There have been
generations of people who “work for the weekend,” only to find that the
two-day hiatus actually masquerades as more of the same old routine.
Also, one has to avoid the pitfall of trying to become a weekend warrior;
a person who tries to cram a life’s worth of existence into a short time
frame, and he or she ends up more tired on Monday morning than on
Friday afternoon! It has been proven by researchers that most employees
don’t even take their full allotted time of vacation days. The work grind
is a relentless beast! That is if you work the corporate schedule. If you are
an entrepreneur, then hopefully you are able to carve out the balanced
time of work and life while building your business. Remote work allows
the exploration of life and self along with working on the next best thing.
New sights, sounds, tastes, and experiences are really springboards to
creating amazing results… if freedom is what gets you motivated.
Honestly, work independence and interdependence can be attained
anywhere. Suppose you like the idea of working with a team; new
platforms like Slack and Skype afford teammates the opportunity of realtime
collaboration from anywhere in the world. The idea of having your
time to work at your leisure (and in your chosen location) can boost
your willingness to work well with others, even though you are working
apart from them. Remote work is no different than working from home,
especially if your home base can be in the tropics of Bali one day or in the
snowy Alps the next.
Virtual companies without brick-and-mortar headquarters themselves
are encouraging their employees to scatter abroad. They view the whole
concept as enriching and beneficial. Zim Ugochukwu, founder/CEO of
Travel Noire and member of Oprah’s 2016 Super Soul 100, constantly touts
the assets of working remotely. Not only did she build her exceptionally
groundbreaking business off of this enthusiasm, but her teammates and
employees are remotely located around the globe. They come together
occasionally throughout the year for planning and fellowship, but other
than that, she promotes their personal desires to travel, live, learn, and
grow independently. She knows that this practice helps them to think
outside of the box in all aspects of work and play.
Although working remotely may sound like a huge fluctuating hassle
to some, sacrificing one thing for another is truly worth the risk for people
who want the autonomy of being able to work from anywhere in the
world. Perhaps there are married couples with families or traditionallyminded
young travellers who want the best of travel and conventional
“grounding”--they can have it. The sacrifice of placing roots in one
place for encountering life around the globe can actually pay out better
long-term dividends because the invested time in travel lends to more
diversified, richer life experiences.
Brandy Burgans, a skilled artist and tattoo specialist based out of
Chattanooga, TN, is a working travelista, and she’s married. She has a
thriving business (Brandy Burgans Art/Fine Bespoke Electric Tattooing),
a clientele base that spans a few continents, a diversified knowledge of
people, and an outstanding husband. She has been able to be a determined
entrepreneur at her own pace anywhere around the globe because she
knows that she has the love and support of her husband, and they
experience the world together. This mindset has allowed her to live
and espouse all of her passions, which certainly include nurturing her
marriage. She feels that the combination of all factors has expanded her
personal and professional spheres.
According to Brandy, and several fellow remote consultants just like her,
the crucial skills that one definitely needs in the workplace--strong work
ethic, the ability to work and build within a team, the talent of being able to
think critically under pressure, and (don’t forget) the habit of working with
efficiency--are all gained while working and living globally. What better
way is there to perfect those much needed attributes than by exercising
them within different cultures, time zones, and real-life scenarios?
Ultimately, A person doesn’t have to stay chained to one place in order
to prove work commitment and excellence, but here are a few things to
consider before working and living the remote life:
• Flexibility and budgeting are musts because there are currency value
differences throughout the world. The jigsaw of figuring out how to
make the most of your money can be frustrating!
• Having an open mind about people makes working remotely
enjoyable and profitable.
• Freedom of surrounding does not discount the relevance of effective
time management.
Be safe, and enjoy your working travels!
SOURCES
• www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/06/how-millenials-arechanging-international-travel/373007
• https://smallbiztrends.com/2015/12/slack-use-team.html
• www.supersoul.tv/supersoul-100/entrepreneurs/zim-ugochukwu
28 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

FEATURE
WRITTEN BY: K.K. FOX
The Connect Magazine visits Nashville’s Anderson Design Studio
for a one-on-one with Kathy Anderson, Nashville’s own Designing Woman
T
UCKED INTO THE heart of downtown Nashville is the
Anderson Design Studio. I arrived at its tall, sleek storefront,
pushed the bell, and peered in looking for Kathy Anderson,
the talented interior designer and owner. The studio is in
an old brick building at the top of Second Avenue and fits
well into the busy location.
After being greeted by one of Kathy’s vibrant assistants, I found
Kathy at the coffee pot in boots and a long, suede jacket.
“Do you want some?” she asked. It was hard to tell if I was in her office
or in her home. The studio feels like a home. The desk space, chic and
efficient, is surrounded by soft fabrics, warm lighting, and exposed brick.
The top floor has been converted into an apartment that is illuminated
by natural light through tall windows and a skylight that Kathy added in
the ceiling, the structure of which was already there.
“We just added the glass,” Kathy said. She has an innate eye for
design, but she also grew up with a father who renovated houses. He
involved her in the projects as a kid, so early on, Kathy developed an
understanding of how space could be shaped and redesigned. A career
in interior design was probably a natural progression for her; however,
starting her own company was an unexpected challenge.
When her first son was barely a year old, Kathy made the leap from
working in architecture firms to opening her own studio.
“I wanted to be independent so as to better serve the client,” she said.
Twenty-eight years later, she wouldn’t change a thing, though she quickly
discovered the trials of having a creative brain while running a business.
Kathy admitted that management duties pull her away from beloved creative
tasks. If she had one “wish,” it would be access to a company that “manages
independent businesses.” Kathy is interested in someone on a contract basis
30 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

FEATURE
OPRYLAND HOTEL-Porter Wagoner Suite
OPRY BACKSTAGE
OPRY BACKSTAGE
OPRYLAND HOTEL1-Porter Wagoner Suite
OPRY BACKSTAGE
OPRY BACKSTAGE
OPRYLAND HOTEL1-Porter Wagoner Suite
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 31

FEATURE
Sinema Restaurant + Bar Nashville, TN
32 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

FEATURE
who can help with tasks, such as billing, only when needed. This makes
sense for a small business owner who does not need a full-time manager.
Though owning her own business requires added executive duties,
it also gives her the freedom to implement her creativity on her terms.
Unlike other designers, who most often specialize in one area, Kathy is
able to take on projects in both the residential and corporate fields. She
loves designing homes; often those clients become friends. Residential
projects can be more emotional than corporate ones. Since a project
can easily span the course of a year or more, Kathy becomes part of her
clients’ lives, sometimes going through big life changes with them. These
changes are not always pleasant or welcomed, but Kathy said she can help
a little “by making sure the client has a space that brings them comfort or
fits their needs at that time.”
Yet Kathy also relishes in designing spaces that the public can enjoy,
such as spaces of community and hospitality. She designed the popular
and fashionable restaurant Sinema, which was built inside of an old movie
theater. The bottom floor of the restaurant is a fine dining venue, while the
top floor, accessed by the original grand, curved staircase, is a lounge area
with plush seating and low, sultry lighting.
She pays attention to how a client lives, works, and
uses space. She works with a client to ensure satisfaction, and
she trains her other designers to do the same.
Sinema Restaurant + Bar Nashville, TN
One of her most satisfying projects was designing the backstage of
the Grand Ole Opry after it was destroyed by a flood in 2010 which
consumed most of Nashville. Because this was a project of rescue
and recovery, decisions needed to be made faster than on normal
projects. Everyone rallied together quickly, restoring a country music
icon. With wood finishes and a punched tin ceiling, she paid homage
to the Opry’s heritage. In sentimental contrast, she included an iron
marker on the wall, commemorating the height of the flood line in the
Opry (part of its new and continued history).
Being married to a songwriter and having many musician friends,
Kathy understood that the musicians who use the Opry’s backstage need
to feel comfortable. Kathy emphasized that the space around you affects
how you feel, so whenever she takes on a new client, the first thing she
does is listen.
“Being a good designer means being a good listener,” she said. She
pays attention to how a client lives, works, and uses space. She works
with a client to ensure satisfaction, and she trains her other designers to
do the same. Kathy’s business has grown to include four other designers.
Kathy prefers office spaces that “bring everyone together instead of being
separated and closed off from each other,” and her own office space for
her employees does just that. She added, “Usually, the employees need
each other to best do their jobs.”
Of course, Kathy’s own home falls last on her priority list. Like many
people, she’s not inspired to do job-related duties while at home. Not
only that, her house is sometimes treated like another showroom from
which she may pluck items for a design project. She told a story about a
Michael Kalish piece she once owned, a depiction of Jimi Hendrix, which
incorporated license plates for the image. She liked the artwork, but while
working on Kid Rock’s house, she decided that his project needed the
Kalish piece instead.
Then she laughed about how her bed at home currently needs a
headboard. “There’s pillows up against drapes,” she said. “You can’t even
sit up and read!”
But if there’s one thing Kathy has learned throughout her career, it’s
to be realistic. Clients usually have expectations about a project concerning
time frame, budget, and getting exactly what they want. Kathy warns of
those three to “pick two.” Having all three is virtually impossible.
Her own life is one of balance: the balance of residential and corporate
projects; the balance of designing a space’s efficiency and its aesthetic; and
the balance of thinking creatively while managing effectively. Even though,
Kathy admitted that her home falls last on her priority list, she said it’s still
an organized space. She couldn’t function in chaos.
Kathy Anderson works hard, and through all of her success, it shows.
She deserves a place to lie back and relax in her own home. As we
wrapped up the interview, Kathy said, “You know, maybe I’ll go get that
headboard today.”
I have a feeling she didn’t, but I hope that one day, she will.
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 33

HEALTH
up on a yoga mat and subsequently, now, joyously dividing my time
between teaching yoga, writing about fitness and acting.
Making time for fitness in my life was not easy in the beginning
and neither was coming face to face with the reality of just how much
my health had suffered after years of inactivity. Frankly, the fact that
I wasn’t overweight or dealing with any scary diseases had fooled
me into believing I was in shape. Sadly, I was not. Overcoming that
disappointment and setting an early intention to stay the course were
essential to my first steps toward a better me and a healthier future.
If you’re thinking about jumpstarting or, maybe even, restarting
your fitness journey, check out these tips for overcoming obstacles and
keeping your proverbial batteries charged.
WRITTEN BY: ROSALYN ROSS
TWELVE YEARS AGO I was sitting at my desk in my cubicle
at work when I suddenly got the worst headache of my
life, and it was particularly troubling since I could count
the number of headaches I’d had in my life to that point
on one hand. Worse yet, in addition to the pounding
inside of my skull, my vision was blurred.
I WAS IN TROUBLE
I had long been overwhelmed by a stressful work environment and
had endured far too many sleepless nights fretting over a to-do list
that, try as hard as I might, I just couldn’t seem to conquer. A week
after the headache, an equally mysterious onset of lower back pain sent
me running to a doctor’s office. He found no medical or biological
explanation for my symptoms and offered no prescriptions promising a
quick fix. Based on an assessment of my non-existent work-life balance,
however, he simply left me with a word of advice.
GET MOVING
The Mayo Clinic website lists the 7 benefits of regular physical activity
in an article of the same name. (link: http://www.mayoclinic.org/
healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389). My primary
care physician may as well have been reading straight from the site as he
gave me a rundown of all the reasons why adopting an exercise regimen
would be the best thing I could do for my health. Stress relief, better
sleep and a boost in energy were just a few of the ways exercise could
improve my quality of life. His gentle scolding that day is how I ended
1.) Remember it’s a lifestyle change, not just a New Year’s resolution.
Unfortunately, “getting in shape” is one of the most commonly
broken resolutions. One of the reasons is because the goal oftentimes
gets reduced to its most superficial interpretation, losing weight.
While that is indeed a benefit of an active lifestyle it’s probably the
most fleeting. Be sure to take stock of all of your progress. Some days
it will be a smaller number on the scale and others it will look like
a trip up the stairs without getting winded. Celebrate all the little
victories in order to stay motivated.
2.) Start slowly if needed. Prominent motivational speaker and fitness
trainer, Jay Jones of Atlanta, GA says, “A little bit of something beats
a whole lot of nothing.” Don’t let a full, demanding schedule deter
you from making this important investment in your health. Making
time to workout shouldn’t feel like one more burden to bear. The
CDC advises that the most important thing is to avoid being inactive,
noting that “even 60 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic
activity is good for you.”
3.) Find the activity that’s right for YOU. Having a workout partner is
awesome, but if your best friend doesn’t want to try that Zumba class
that you are just dying to try, go it alone. If the class turns out to be
something you enjoy, you’ll make friends there.
4.) Send some calls to voicemail. Consider your time at the gym or
in a fitness class as an opportunity to unplug, not the time to return
phone calls or check email. It’s hard to relieve stress if you’re busy
multitasking your free time away. Put your phone to use as a music
player instead.
5.) Create a workout space in your home. No matter the square footage
of your humble abode, designating a place for home workouts is critical,
especially in the early stages as you work to cultivate a regular routine. Don’t
think of this area as a space that needs to be filled with equipment. It simply
needs to be a place to go to in your home for the sole purpose of exercising.
Research some exercises to do at home with little to no equipment and don’t
let being away from the gym throw you off your game.
6.) Don’t forget about the food. It’s important that your body has the
right fuel to help you stay energized throughout your workout. Plus,
depending on your specific goals, certain foods are best for a lean
physique while others are for building mass. Know the difference and
apply the science of nutrition wisely.
7.) Be patient. Be patient with your body as change happens and
results are revealed in big and small ways from day to day. Be patient
with your family and friends as they adjust to your new schedule and
your new priorities.
Change is hard and traveling this new path won’t be without its
challenges. In the end, though, the rewards to your health will have
made the journey all the more worthwhile.
Rosalyn R. Ross is an actress, yoga instructor and media professional based in
Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to her group yoga classes, Ross also works oneon-one
with athletes seeking to expand their practice of yoga. For booking and/or
consultation information you can follow Rosalyn on Instagram @R_Trinity.
34 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

ESSAY/OPINION
ON DECEMBER 11, 1988, I wrote my very first diary entry
in a red-and-white striped Hello Kitty diary, complete
with a silver lock. The entry was only one page long and
ended with the admission, “Tomorrow I will be in a play,
I’m scared!”
I was eight years old when I wrote this. That means I was in third
grade at Beverly Woods Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina. I
know that information about myself without having to turn to a diary-
-that I lived in Charlotte during third grade. What I no longer know is
what play I was in! Did I have a speaking part? Why was I scared? I don’t
remember this at all.
Since 1988, I have kept a journal fairly consistently. I still have all of
the volumes, filled cover to cover, with dates, and often, actual times of
entries. The current journal is number eleven in the count. The only year
that appears to be missing is 1997, or all of my senior year of high school.
The hole in years comes just after an entry from 1996, which describes
a raucous lifeguard party at the end of the summer. I still remember this
party and how I ended up in tears merely because while developing my
sense of self as a woman, I felt a sobering truth that my gorgeous best
friend attracted more male attention than I did. I was “the friend”, the
supporting role, the sidekick. Oh, female politics! They have found their
way into my writing time and time again.
Although I remember that night, I have probably forgotten the majority
of other events recorded in these journals; I rarely look back through them,
even though they collectively serve as a reliable historical record of my life.
So why write it down if I never intend to read it? Well, these events also
come with feelings. Lots and lots of feelings. Therefore, journaling serves as
a source of therapy.
Flipping through a journal recently, I was surprised by my thoughts on
a crush I had in college. I remember pining after this person, though we
would never date. In the journal, I am totally annoyed with myself, calling
my longing too “high school”. Reading that, I find myself pretty proud of
her--that version of me. Apparently, she wrote that I should know better,
be better, after getting over a similar situation during high school days.
What a pleasant surprise to see that version of me calling myself out.
She wasn’t the total coward I remembered her to be. And yes, I say “her.”
When I look back on my life, I see earlier versions of myself as “other”
people whom I have molted over the years. I walked out of those shells
to make way for new growth. My husband, on the other hand, does not
see himself that way. When he looks back at his memories, he still sees
the same guy--the only difference being that he might make a different
decision now. When looking back in my own memories, I see someone
else. She is not a complete stranger but rather someone with whom I
empathize, yet with whom I no longer identify.
It should be said that my husband has never kept a journal, and
perhaps this makes a difference. He is a songwriter who spent much of
his twenties pouring some journal-worthy feelings into songs, but these
are not the same as the raw, exposed confessions in my journals. Too
often, I have read entries about unrequited crushes, or body image issues,
or despondent feelings over my identity that make me want to burn the
pages... Frankly, they are embarrassing. I don’t want anyone to read those
words and think that is me.
But it is me. Or was me.
Of course, no one may ever read my journals, except for the people
charged with going through my things after I die. Most likely, this will be my
children, and I am both apprehensive and curious about their reading some
of my darkest feelings. I should note that there are happy thoughts sprinkled
throughout, too. I also wrote about celebrations, hopes, and dreams. But I
have most often turned to the journal for release of stress or sorrow.
JOURNALING THEN,
NOW, AND FOREVER
WRITTEN BY: K. K. FOX
I have also journaled for the sake of journaling alone, not for therapy
or recording an event, but merely as a practice of discipline. This reflection
serves as a type of meditation, and to achieve that, I will write about
immediate sounds and smells. I might describe my setting right at that
moment. Unlike therapy, which attempts to dissect emotions connected to
past trauma, the act of journaling for meditative discipline pulls obsessive
thoughts away from the past or the future. Meditative journaling focuses the
mind on the immediate present, and it is a healthy and spiritual practice for
living only in the moment while releasing the stress of fixation or worry.
Journaling can have many purposes. It can be used for historical
record, therapy, or meditation, but the act of writing is inherently one of
communication. Even if I have no specific audience in mind, I am engaging
in the art of communicating with someone. It must be assumed that there
is someone, some abstract recipient, on the other side of my words. And if
so, who is it?
One answer could be that I am my own intended audience, but I have
to make a confession… I have always had the sense that someone else,
someone other than me, would be reading my journals one day. Because
of this, I have been doing my best to leave a clear, thorough account of my
story. I have always had the notion that I was affecting my own legacy.
That sounds vain. Perhaps it is, but memory is an unreliable source.
The human mind can, and often does, make changes to memories to
serve our emotional needs. We can rewrite our memories to be what we
need or want them to be. Other people may have their own versions of
a memory which can contradict our own. We can even deny memories,
banishing them from existence.
In contrast, recording your sincere perspective in real time and fixing
the events and the feelings onto the page for anyone else to read is really
an act of truth. Journaling (as a record, or therapy, or spiritual practice)
preserves identity in a way that nothing else can--not artistic works, nor
voice recordings, nor even videos! Journaling is a glimpse into the mind
unavailable in these other mediums, with this glimpse being limited only
by the insufficiency of language as translation.
So, no, I ultimately don’t think journaling is a vain act. That is reserved
for putting oneself in an immediate spotlight. There are many other
opportunities available to more effectively indulge one’s vanity. Journaling
is private by nature, though it is also a subtle resistance to being forgotten.
I have my memories of myself, or those other girls who are (supposedly)
no longer me. I think I tend to deny us the same identity because I am not
always proud of who we were. Though I have always been a hard worker,
I look back on emotional weakness with disdain, and clearly, I feel I have
exhibited far too much weakness. I am on a constant search for inner
strength, vowing to learn from past pain, refusing to ever feel it again. But
there, in my journal, on October 15, 1999, I wrote, “It has become high
school all over again as I scribble in my diary dreaming the impossible.”
That version of me proceeded to call this behavior “annoying.” She
understood the absurdity of the situation, even if she couldn’t change her
feelings. Had I not read this journal entry, I wouldn’t have given me (or her)
that much credit. I remember the infatuation. I remember the blues. I do not
remember the striving to be better, yet there it is, in my own handwriting.
I may still see those girls, those women, as previous versions of myself,
but one thing is sure--they have left their legacy so that I cannot rewrite
it. They have made certain that who I was at that time will forever have a
voice. They have made certain that I may never forget myself.
K.K. Fox lives in Nashville, Tennessee where she is writing a collection of short stories.
She received her MFA from the University of Memphis, and her fiction appears or is
forthcoming in journals such as Kenyon Review Online, Superstition Review, Tupelo
Quarterly, and others. Currently, she serves as Fiction Editor for Four Way Review.
36 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

NON-PROFIT
WRITTEN BY: DAWN MOIRÉ MASON
IMAGINE THIS: A school system that was once labeled as a chronic
underperformer in the basic fundamentals of learning now touts
reading and math proficiency rates well above the National
average. Imagine children who, despite their position within
a society that brands them as underprivileged and socially and
economically disadvantaged, succeeding in all that they do simply because
they are given access to tools that allow them to open their eyes, look in
the mirror and see nothing less than greatness. Breaking the cycle of gaps
in education based on where one is born and raised is not an impossible
goal but an achievable reality, and it is happening right in the heart of
Atlanta, Georgia.
On the information packed website www.horizonsatlanta.org,
Horizons Atlanta presents itself as a summer program designed to fill
those empty days between school years with a “project-based educational
model designed to fuel a life-long passion for learning, using a blend
of high-quality academics with cultural enrichment and confidencebuilding
activities.” The dedication of the leadership team, the goals
and commitment of the National organization, and the allegiance of the
host institutions, board of directors, volunteers, teachers and students,
all contribute to this program making an unprecedented impact that
continues well beyond the summer.
The Horizons organization has been in the Atlanta area since 1999
but the regional program has been a part of the city’s fabric since 2013.
Mary-Kate Starkel, the Horizons Atlanta Center’s Director of Development
who provides leadership, coordination, and strategy development for all of
the regional fundraising needs, said they are finally at the tipping point of
expansion. “We’re serving more and more students, and we’re now able
to be a part of the conversation. We are able to say here’s what educational
reform needs to look like in Metro Atlanta, and it has to include summer
learning. We can now demonstrate what the summer component can do for
children and their families and say August through May is just not enough.”
THE PEOPLE
Horizons Atlanta attributes the program’s success to the strengths of
their leadership, board, and partnerships. Members of the leadership
team are personally invested in the program with each of them having
direct experience in youth development, education, and the Atlanta
community. Emily Brenner Hawkins, Executive Director, joined
Horizons Atlanta in September 2016 to lead strategic growth. With
knowledge of Atlanta’s non-profit and philanthropic communities, she
previously served as Executive Director of Kate’s Club, an organization
dedicated to empowering children and teens facing life after the
death of a parent or sibling. Before that, she was Vice President of
Programs for Leadership Atlanta, whose mission is to develop, connect,
and inspire leaders to strengthen metro Atlanta’s communities. Matt
Westmoreland, Program Operations Manager, is a former educator,
now the District 3 Representative on the Atlanta Board of Education,
where he serves as chair of Budget Commission and Legislative Liaison
to the Georgia General Assembly.
While the center’s leadership, volunteers, and teaching staff are
imperative to the success of the program, the true ambassadors are the
Board of Directors. The impressive list of Board members includes the
Brocks. Named the 2015 Atlanta Philanthropists of the year with donations
over $1Million dollars to institutions of higher learning such as Georgia
40 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

NON-PROFIT
Tech, Vanderbilt University, and Emory University, Mr. Brock, recently
retired CEO of Coca-Cola European Partners, and his wife Mary Brock,
co-owner of the WNBA Atlanta Dream are devoted supporters and have
been a part of the Horizons Atlanta family since its inception. Mary Brock
served as a board member for Horizons National, which led to John Brock
becoming the board chair of Horizons Atlanta.
THE PARTNERSHIPS
The Horizons model is rooted in partnerships. A host institution is a
partner college, university, or independent private school that desires to
get behind the program, give back to the community by way of offering
space and resources, and to do so at no cost. The advantages to partnering
are numerous. There are hundreds of thousands of dollars saved on
facility costs, and the commitment of the institution’s administration is
demonstrative of the program’s sustainability. This strong and high-level
support allows Horizons to accomplish more and gain access to additional
resources at the host institutions.
The relationship between the host institution and Horizons Atlanta
fosters an exceptional recruiting pool. While many of the teaching staff
are recruited from the public school system, others are recruited from the
private and post-secondary host institutions. This mix of teaching staff
ensures that the program is offering the highest caliber of educators that are
relatable, diverse, and sensitive to the needs of the students and families.
Partnerships with private schools such as Holy Innocents’ Episcopal
School, Woodward Academy, and Atlanta International School, offer
benefits to the students attending the host institution as well. Those that
choose to volunteer make connections with students, assist with field
trips, tutor, and teach swimming. High school students sacrificing their
summers to become a volunteer with Horizons is a testament to the
impact the children have on the student volunteers.
The model of working with colleges and universities is fairly new.
With Atlanta being so rich in its higher education community, Horizons
Atlanta has the most university partnerships across the Horizons National
network. The program also affords college students the opportunity to
serve as student facilitators. This helps support the program’s 5-to-1
student-to-teacher ratio while allowing the collegiate level students to gain
hands-on experience.
THE PROGRAM
Although the average participation of a student is 6 summers, the Horizons
Atlanta program is offered as a 9-year continuum, Kindergarten through
8th grade; and a plan is set to pilot a high school program this summer
moving Horizons Atlanta to a full Kindergarten through 12th grade model.
“Over time, it’s a matter of setting expectations for students so that they
see not only what they are capable of but what the world requires of them.
There is significance in maintaining a student’s participation year after year
because a big portion of what we do is work with families to make sure
they have the resources necessary to support their children. We do things
like prioritize siblings for enrollment and host workshops and seminars
on topics such as the financial aid process for college and immigration and
documentation issues as it pertains to children and post-secondary education.
We’ve even offered these workshops entirely in Spanish. Also, middle school
transition years are extremely critical from a child development standpoint
so we want to keep them engaged while the fun changes in adolescence are
happening. The longer we have students and families in our program, the
stronger their commitment and better the outcomes,”Mrs. Starkel stated.
Horizons’ students across the country that remain in the program throughout
high school graduated at a rate of 99%in 2016. This is well above the latest
National average of 82% according to the National Center for Education
Statistics. With more than one-fifth of the Horizons National programs in
metro Atlanta, expanding to include the high school component will prove
extremely beneficial to the city’s participating students.
While typical classroom learning is a part of the programming for
Horizons Atlanta, the model offers a much more flexible instructional
method. Being outside of the school year, the program allows teachers
to try out new tools, new resources, and new ways of capturing
students’attention while still driving home the core focus on literacy,
science, and math. Combine a flexible instruction method with project
based learning, field trips, physical activity and other extracurricular
activities, and it is clear why the program becomes a mainstay with the
participating families.
As if taking on childhood literacy wasn’t enough, Horizons Atlanta
is also in the business of saving lives. Swimming is a part of Horizons
Atlanta’s program in hopes of limiting the obstacles preventing
underprivileged children of color from learning how to swim. Seventy
percent of African-American and sixty percent of Hispanic/Latino
children cannot swim according to the 2010 National research study by
the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis. African-
American children drown at a rate nearly three times higher than their
Caucasian peers according to the CDC. Horizon Atlanta’s commitment
to the swimming component of their program culminates annually at a
Horizons regional swim meet where students can experience a professional
swimming environment and learn about opportunities for college
scholarships in swimming.
Other areas of experiential education in the program are art, music,
theater, robotics, field trips to cultural and art institutions, and touring
businesses and science labs in an effort to provide students with the same
exposure as their middle and upper income peers. This summer, 500 Atlanta
Horizons students were special guests at the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream game.
Having access to these experiences while learning onsite at a private school,
college, or university allows the student to visualize themselves as a member
of that community. By the time the student is ready to advance to the next
chapter in their life, they will have a keen understanding of campus life;
they will have been mentored by high school and college students; they will
have traveled outside of their home environments; and they will set internal
expectations higher than if they had never had these experiences.
All programs are tuition-free, six-week, eight-hour, high quality
models. Efforts continue beyond the summer with specific components
available by site. These could include after-school programs, additional
support in math and reading, parent advocacy groups, and mentorships
allowing students to build pro-social relationships outside of the family
throughout the year.
Mrs. Starkel summed up why she and her colleagues are committed
to Horizons Atlanta: “Any child in Atlanta deserves the things I’m able to
provide to my daughter. Every child deserves the best that we have to offer
them. Horizons Atlanta will continue to make one more seat available at a
time until the whole community changes. That’s the end result. And with
our team and our program, we will make it happen.”
Since launching in 1965, Horizons National has grown to serve17
states, and by 2018, Horizons Atlanta will have 2 additional sites and
enough programs to serve 2000 students. Their efforts are closing the
education gap and exposing students to what learning can be; engaging,
fun and life changing. Imagine that.
To make a tax-deductible contribution, mail a check payable to:
Horizons Atlanta, Inc. to: Horizons Atlanta, 3330 Cumberland Boulevard,
Suite 500, Atlanta, GA 30339
For more information visit www.HorizonsAtlanta.org
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 41

FEATURE
Real Events. Real People. Real Style
WRITTEN BY: VIVIUNA BROWN
WITH AN ARRAY of unique details, opulent glamor,
and sophisticated style, events designed by Phoenix
Forrester truly capture the essence of Hollywood
glam. Because of this company’s ability to reflect
Hollywood glam in an accurate manner, artists such
as Little Richard, Mary Mary, Biz Markie, Debra Cox, and Kirk Franklin
are just a few of the well-known clients for whom Phoenix Forrester has
produced spectacular events. Considering the meticulous and innovative
planner behind the success of each event—Krystal Bonner—it’s no wonder
that the company has created wonders for celebrity parties along the way.
Nevertheless, Krystal stresses the fact that no matter the status of the client
or type of event, her company is efficient in producing designs that fit the
stylistic and financial needs of everyone. With clients’ satisfaction in mind,
the creative team of Phoenix Forrester strives to achieve the goal of creating
real events, for real people, with real style.
Before plunging into the main interview questions, I had to have
one question answered right away—who is Phoenix Forrester? Krystal
explained the name of her company enthusiastically, saying that it’s a
combination of two aspects that represent her and what she does. “The
phoenix [bird] represents transformation, and what I do is transform
spaces, experiences, and how people have a celebration. That was a perfect
representation of me.” She went on, explaining the meaning behind
Forrester stating, “Forrester is actually the street I grew up on in when I
lived in Memphis.” Krystal further expressed the fact that she did not want
to use her name because she wanted something that was transferrable in
case she decided to grow her business. “I wanted to use a title that was not
just about my name, but more about my work.”
When asked about her decision to start working in this particular
business, Krystal explained that she didn’t choose this career path, but
rather, it chose her. She recalled watching the movie Boomerang and
having a moment of realization about her purpose in life. “When I was
very young, I saw this movie Boomerang [with Eddie Murphy, Robin
Givens, and Halle Berry], and although I didn’t really know what they were
doing, I loved the perception of it. I realized later that they were marketing
executives, responsible for putting together ad campaigns, and that was
what I felt like I wanted to do—work with creating ads, work in retail, and
in the entertainment industry.”
Krystal recalled a moment of devastation at the beginning of her career
that she felt was the end of her dreams. While attending college, she was
interviewed by a retailing company; she thought she had the job, but
found out the week of graduation that she had not been hired. “I was
devastated. I didn’t know what I was going to do; I didn’t know what
else I was good at.” During her trying experience, one moment changed
her life, propelling her onto her dream career path. “One of my mentors
from college was on the board of the National Opera, and she said, ‘Hey!
There’s an open position here for an Event Director; I know you’ve never
done this before, but I feel like you have the natural skill set to excel in this
business.’” Krystal, having no current job proposals, agreed to the offer.
Soon after being hired, she was planning high-end intermission events for
the company’s board members, destination events in New Mexico, black tie
galas at the Belle Meade Country Club, and other events.
Not realizing prior to being hired that jobs such as this existed,
Krystal fell in love, engulfing herself into the position even more by doing
additional research of the industry. “I self-taught myself about wine, started
studying catering menus thereby learning about different dishes. The more
I learned, the more I realized this was what I was born to do!” Krystal
ended by confirming her previous statement. “I have a ton of other talents,
but they all lead back to one thing--creating experiences for people.” After
working with the Opera, she transitioned into the field of Public Relations
and expounded upon the experience she already possessed. Soon, her
company Phoenix Forrester was launched, and her creative journey began.
Regarding her process and how she (and her team) manages to
consistently satisfy clients, Krystal emphasized the importance of detail and
thinking of long-term goals. “We always start by profiling our clients to
understand who they are, what they want out of the experience, and who
their audience will be; after we understand all that, we develop a task list
and budget.” Krystal explained the fact that she upholds the satisfaction
of clients by assessing the initial plans, communicating efficiently, and
creating vision boards throughout the process. “We revisit our task list and
budget every couple of weeks so our clients know where we are from a
planning perspective; we create vision boards for clients to make sure our
ideas line up; from there, we put our design team together to bring the
event to life in our unique way.”
Phoenix Forrester has hosted events for diverse clients, with varying
budgets, doing so in phenomenal ways—the company has even gained
the attention of top notch entertainment mediums such as Ebony,
Munaluchi Bridal, and Nashville Bride Guide. When asked where she
draws inspiration, Krystal simply answered “People.” She expanded on that
thought saying, “I draw so much inspiration from people that I’m actually
changing my tagline; you’re the first person I’ve said this to, but my new
tagline will be Real Events. Real People. Real Style. I want to emphasize the
fact that all my clients can have what is considered an A-list event.”
With a desire to blend “lifestyles and milestones” together, Krystal
has mastered the art of bringing unique details, opulent glamor, and
sophisticated style to any event for any individual. As Krystal’s new tagline
suggests, Phoenix Forrester is all about…Real Events. Real People. Real Style
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 43

FEATURE
44 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Photographer James Cole:
WRITTEN BY: SHAWN WHITSELL
HAVING A MOTHER that took him places played a key role in
James McArthur Coleman’s creative beginnings. The new
places and faces he saw when traveling with his family, as
a kid, fascinated him; and he found joy in documenting
their vacation adventures through the lens of a camera.
When he wasn’t traveling with family, Cole nurtured his young
love for charcoal drawing and oil painting. He also harbored aspirations
of being an architect. Little did he know that these hobbies would
ultimately prepare him for his life’s work and color the road he’d walk
into his destiny.
After purchasing a “decent camera” 10 years ago, for the sake of
documenting life’s memorable moments in much the same fashion he did
as a youth, Cole unintentionally set out on an unknown path that would
lead him beyond his own aspirations.
After seeing some of his photographs, Cole’s wife Kathy, along with
friend and fellow photographer Mike Baker, recognized his talent and
encouraged him to put together a small art show. The show was such a
success that Cole did a few more the following year. Though it was never
his plan to become a professional photographer, his work took off and
he had to catch up with it. These days, he’s doing up to 24 shows a year,
showing off photographs he’s taken all over the world, including places
like London, England and Venice, Italy.
Cole, a thoughtful, reflective, self-taught architectural and landscape
photographer, works tirelessly. He takes his work so seriously that he
rises before the roosters, does extensive research on his subjects, travels
all over the world, immerses himself in the respective cultures, interviews
the locals and spends countless hours capturing the right shot, even if
it means sitting and patiently waiting for the perfect moment to catch
lightning in a bottle. Whatever it takes, Cole is committed to getting the
image he came for. However, it doesn’t end there.
After he’s gotten his capture, Cole experiments with different editing
practices and techniques. Sometimes it can take the meticulous and
intentional lensman weeks, months or even years to figure out what he
wants to do with the image, how he wants to present it and what he wants
audiences to see. For him, simply creating a beautiful photograph is not
what he works so hard for. Cole wants to capture the spirit of a particular
site and he wants it to be felt by all who behold his art.
Capturing the emotion of a place is something Cole is extraordinarily
passionate about. He uses the words “emotion” quite often in reference
to his work. He speaks with it as well, even pausing before admitting he
can “feel some of those emotions now,” as he reflects not only on how his
photography has changed his own life but also how it’s affected others.
“I try to get into the emotional value of wherever I go. I try to bring
that emotion back with me so that every time I look at it [the picture],
46 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Firenze Duomo
Manarola
Riomaggiore
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 47

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Havana Cars
Havana Street Scene
VeniceItaly Tranquility
Trattoria Sempione
LeEiffel
St. Mark’s Square
48 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
I can reminisce and remember exactly what it is about that place that
intrigued me,” he says.
Cole wants the same for those who encounter his work. “I want my
audience to have an emotional attachment.”
If that connection isn’t made, he doesn’t feel he’s done his job. One
of the primary indicators of this connection is audience inquiry. Cole
endeavors to pique their curiosity and prompt them to ask questions
about his reasons for taking a photograph a particular way or at a
particular time of day.
“If I can get the audience to ask me those questions, I have them
captivated with the photograph,” he says. “At that point, I know I have
them connected.”
As far as Cole is concerned, a photograph without emotional value
is just an image and that simply isn’t good enough for him, even if it’s
visually stunning.
“The one thing I want people to do with my photography is dissect
it,” he says. “Don’t just take it for what it is. Get involved. Look deeply
and try to figure out all the different aspects of it.”
He continues, “When you look at it and dissect it and then when you
put it together as a whole, it makes sense.”
This is something Cole himself does with a picture before the audience
even lays eyes on it. In fact, it’s his personal assessment that determines
if a particular image ever sees the light of day. He critically analyzes it to
make sure it delivers. If it doesn’t, he doesn’t print it.
“A picture isn’t a photograph until it’s printed,” he says. “I won’t
make a photograph unless I feel the audience can make some type of
emotional connection with it.”
An example of this occurred when a man attended one of Cole’s art
shows and was seemingly captivated by a particular photograph.
The man would leave and come back. He’d leave again and come
back. He would eventually purchase the photograph. Afterwards, Cole
asked him what was it about the piece (an image of a red “telephone
box” in London) that spoke to him and kept him coming back to it. The
man revealed that his young son had died of cancer and that one of his
son’s last requests was to travel to London to stand inside of one of these
historic red phone booths, which they did before his passing. The man
began to cry during the telling of his story. Cole and his wife were also
moved to tears.
In additional to emotional impact, Cole also wants his work to inspire
people to travel. He feels its part of his job to motivate his audience to go
see the locations he’s captured in person. “There’s so much beauty in the
world and it’s all for us to share,” he says.
“I truly enjoy people who have never seen it [the location],” he later
adds. They want to know where it is. They’re in such awe. It’s like the
Great Wall of China. You see it and you want to know how in the world
it ever got built or how long it took.”
Cole is aware that traveling to other countries (and for some, even to
other cities within the U.S.) is not an easy option for everyone. He knows
that sometimes his photographs are the only way some will ever see these
attractions. This gives him even more incentive to authentically capture
his subject’s true essence.
His desire to influence more people to travel goes far beyond just
inspiring people with his photographs.
“My biggest dream is start a program for inner city black kids to be able
to travel with me, doing photography,” he says, of his desire to expose
young people to life and culture outside of their own neighborhoods.
Although he’s tried in the past, funding kept him from fully realizing this
dream. However, a dream deferred is still a dream. Cole plans to revisit
this idea in the future.
Even with all of his success, the ever-appreciative Cole admittedly
struggles with receiving praise for his work, although he’s not quite
sure why. His best guess is that it’s because he’s always trying to push
himself to do better.
His humility shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of confidence. Cole isn’t
Hotel Marconi
Yellow Umbrella Venice
the most technical photographer, and although he thinks of himself as the
hardest working, he doesn’t consider himself the best. However, he does
think he’s the best at creating an image that touches others. “That whole
emotional contact is what drives me,” he says.
Cole says he doesn’t believe in failure when it comes to his photography
because it’s all a learning experience. “I’m not afraid to make a mistake
and I’m not afraid to admit it.” Cole sees it all as a part of his growth and
evolution as an artist. It’s all a part of the process.
“Photography has taken me on a journey that I knew it would,” he
says. “It’s probably the biggest emotional rollercoaster I’ve ever been on
in my life, outside the birth of my son,” he later adds.
Part of that journey includes traveling to Zimbabwe to photograph
Victoria Falls, as well as visiting Beijing, China and Cape Town, South
Africa in the near future. These are just a few of the locations on Cole’s
ambitious bucket list.
“Photography is a marathon, not a sprint,” he later adds. “I just keep
chasing that dream for that great moment. I don’t always catch it but I
keep chasing it.”
Cole isn’t just chasing the dream. He’s living it; telling the world’s
story, one image at a time, to all who have eyes to listen.
THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM WINTER 2017 | THE CONNECT MAGAZINE 49