Melissa and Cyril NeSmith (Photo by Howard Gaither)

A self-proclaimed country boy, Cyril NeSmith knows what it is like to skimp, and scratch and save and still come up short at the end of the day. The South Carolina native wasn’t raised with a silver spoon in his mouth. All he knows is hard work, dedication, a lot of passion and more hard work. All he knows and has is a direct application of what he was taught as a child.

Raised by his entrepreneuring grandparents, NeSmith was subconsciously taught to always have something on the side. Whether that “something” on the side included money saved for rainy days or owning a personal business, it was an example in fiscal responsibility that would later enable and empower him to own and operate a successful business.

In partnership with his equally successful wife, Melissa, the couple own and operate the successful accounting firm, DualVision, Inc. The company specializes in tax preparation, financial management, small business start-up, insurance, Medicare, estates, payroll, bookkeeping and various other services. The corporation is set-up to be an all-inclusive, one-stop shop for business as well as individual financial management.

“We cater to the business as well as the business owner,” says Cyril NeSmith, DualVision president and CEO. “It gets complicated going to different businesses for taxes, payroll and insurance. We can do it all.” DualVision takes the seemingly complicated business world and makes it accessible and relevant to even the smallest business owner. The company’s use of technology is comparable to even the largest accounting companies across the country. Clients even have 24 hour secure access to their information.

The NeSmith’s are extremely grateful and proud of the success of their business, but they are more concerned with propelling others to the same point. “Our main goal is to help our community get in order and get legal,” says Melissa NeSmith. Helping others and their corresponding business, “get in order and legal” is one of the major and daily services the DualVision offers. While the company works with various-sized businesses and clients they overwhelmingly are sought out by small business owners; owners who have extremely profitable businesses, but lack financial structure and responsibility. It’s to those clients that DualVision is able to educate which will in turn increase profit margins. “Our main goal is to help people, especially black people get their affairs in order,” says Melissa. In general, we are not generationally business owners. We may not know how to develop ourselves and how to properly run a business. Sometimes people just do whatever.”

Often times when clients come solicit DualVision services they come with shoeboxes filled with receipts, loose pages of bank statement, which indicate significant income, but total disorganization. Melissa admits she regularly encounters clients who obviously have very lucrative businesses but are failing to pay their taxes or don’t have separate personal and business bank accounts or want to make major purchases but can’t because they lack proof of consistent income.

It is during this first encounter with a client that Cyril and Melissa begin not only working on behalf of the client, but if necessary they educate. It’s not instruction regarding the client’s specific business because, as Melissa puts it, “they want to focus on doing hair, mowing lawns; they don’t want to do bookkeeping or paying taxes. They don’t want to focus on those aspects because that’s not what they do on a daily basis; that’s not what puts money in their pockets. But the back end or SOPs-Stand Office Procedures- have to be taken care of. Mowing lawns and doing hair won’t profit anyone if they are out of business because they didn’t handle the other aspects properly.”

Clients are taught to maintain receipts, expenses and income. They are taught to organize everything through spreadsheets. They develop ledgers. They accurately and consistently pay taxes. This information can then be easily and thoroughly computed and tracked by DualVision. Accordingly, the NeSmiths also encourage their clients to set and maintain high standards for their physical place of business.
Each client requires different needs and services and DualVision is more than capable and willing to do whatever it takes to propel clients to the next level. The company is equipped to help large clients who have been in business for decades as well as the small business owner who was recently laid off from a job and decided to take the plunge into business ownership. They endeavor to teach business procedures and services that will hopefully prevent future heartache.

Nevertheless, Cyril NeSmith says he had to endure that very heartache he tries to prevent in others. He graduated from college armed with an engineering degree ready to take on the world. He secured a position working for General Electric. He had the nice car, the pager, the cell phone, and purchased a home at the age of 21, but something was not adding up. “I saw my income was going up, but my quality of life didn’t mirror my income,” he says. “I would get a nice raise¸ but I wouldn’t see it. I couldn’t tell where my money was going. I would get in more debt; get another credit card. Where was my money going?”

Ultimately Cyril made the decision to get his “stuff” together. He took several financial management classes and learned more about money. He took control of his finances. Eventually he began sharing his knowledge to others. His passion grew. Before long, Cyril was working just as hard at learning the financial management business as he was on his full time job. After the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, he was without a job but not without hope. He found himself working harder in the financial industry. The passion he had was undeniable, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to pay the bills. He garnered another job but he remained focused on his business and building it.
“I started in my bedroom in the corner,” Cyril divulges. “Then I started having meetings at my kitchen table; then at others’ kitchen table. My problem was, like so many others, my business was becoming profitable; I was doing everything but I didn’t have my paperwork in order.” In essence, he says, even if a business owner has set up an office yet he doesn’t have the necessary things in order to be legitimate it’s as if he is still working from the kitchen table.

When consulting with individual clients and business owners, Cyril says he often hears people say, “you don’t know what it’s like out here, it’s tough.” On the contrary, he says he knows all too well the issues business owners endure; especially start-up businesses. “There were times when my home phone was off but I kept the business phone on. I have come home and the water was off but the power was on at the office,” says Cyril. Not always as willing to be transparent, he continues, “there were very dark times when I was near bankruptcy, in pre-foreclosure, using food stamps and on Medicaid. I’ve looked out the blinds in the morning expecting my car to be gone. I’ve been in the grocery store line, swipe my card and it’s declined. So when people tell me I don’t know what it’s like to bounce checks and have to go to Check into Cash, I tell them yes I do. There’s not much I haven’t experienced.”
Both Cyril and Melissa are very transparent in regard to their past financial struggles because they both agree it is what fuels their fire and passion for the business. DualVision is not just another job or business to Cyril and Melissa. It’s their passion that drives them and convinces them to go the extra mile for clients. After spending several years in the military, Melissa, who is a sergeant, tried her hand at everything from political science to medicine, but found contentment as an accountant. Both NeSmiths have honed their skills and obtained business degrees and certifications.

The next step is for the company to develop into a full service CPA firm, which by the way is not very far on the horizon. DualVision will be introduced to prospective clients in other areas as well as the company expands to Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem. The vision is clear for the NeSmiths, “we just want to see people, as well as their businesses, grow and flourish for generations to come,” says Cyril. “Despite it all if you have fight, courage, faith and intelligence, you can make it.” h

Jerry Brand (Photo by Jarvis Harris)

Jerry N. Brand of Greensboro, N.C., has a lot to be thankful for in his life. At 45 years of age, he is a retired North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper, former small business owner, and U.S. Army Veteran who served in special operations-military intelligence. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Guilford College. He is presently a full-time student, pursuing a degree in global international logistics and accounting. He’s a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and currently in a special relationship after being divorced. He has a 17 year old son and is determined to help his son make the transition into manhood. He says his son taught him how to have a short memory when someone corrects you or in your opinion mistreats you. His dad who is 94 years young has taught him how to work hard and that it will not kill you. His mother and grandmother instilled in him that you need a strong spiritual life to make it in this world. Having so many people pour into him, Brand says that he had call on his faith after experiencing a life changing situation. This is his story told by him:

“On the third day of March in 2006, while conducting a routine driver’s license checkpoint on Pettigrew Street near Briggs Avenue in Durham County, a green Honda made a U-turn to avoid a checkpoint. I was standing outside my cruiser when I spotted the vehicle and proceeded into a chase. The chase lasted approximately three miles before I lost control of my police cruiser, which became airborne due to a defect in the roadway. The vehicle traveled off the road to the left, down an embankment, and slammed into a utility pole and then a tree at approximately 100 miles per hour. The collision sheared the patrol vehicle in half and ejected the engine from the vehicle throwing it out into the roadway. I received multiple cuts, a broken left arm and factures to both legs.

I regained consciousness ten days later after being in a coma on March 13, 2006. I was in a high degree of pain and doctors had to use skin from my back to replace lost skin from my left leg, which had swollen to the size of my head. My left arm was numb and in a cast, and I had cuts all over me. I had over 200 stitches on both legs. My first reaction was one of disbelief because I thought I was having a bad dream; my injuries were a painful reality. My concern immediately was focused on my son who was twelve at the time; I was concerned as to how he was handling this. I worried how I was going to raise him because I knew he needed his father.

I was in Duke University Medical Center for 25 days and was later transported to a retirement home on March 28, 2006. I was placed with people twice my age because I needed 24 hour care. I later returned to Duke University Medical Center on April 19, due to an infection in my right leg. I was told by doctors that there was consideration to amputate my right leg, but if I chose not to be an amputee it wouldn’t be an easy journey. I chose the hard journey. I remained in the hospital for two weeks and then returned to the care facility for three months before leaving for my home in Pleasant Garden.

This began to be my routine for the next year and a half; entering the hospital, and then leaving fighting infections and pain management coupled with 18-20 surgeries. My physical therapy was simple at first; it consisted of learning how to sit up again in a chair to more intense workouts. I was in physical therapy for approximately a year and a half. I not only received physical therapy, but I also had to deal with the emotional effects of my injuries. Image being healthy and strong one day and wake up the next day in intense pain and unable to perform simple tasks such as going to the bathroom and taking a bath alone. I went from training troopers, a black belt martial artist, an active father, small business owner and student, to not being able to brush my teeth without assistance.
There has been times that I have asked “Why me Lord” but after thinking about it I still ask “Why me Lord? Why did you allow me to survive this because I know without a doubt that I could have not made it?” I was given a second chance and I grew stronger through this experience. I understand that chaos and hell can be all around you, but God can bring you through it.
I went through a separation of two years after the wreck and later a divorced after nearly twenty years of marriage. I remember eating lunch with my son alone at the care center I was in. He was then twelve and he shared with me how while he was at school the news of my wreck came across as breaking news on TV and he saw the car before anyone could get to him and tell him. I understood then the impact of the
wreck on others who loved me.

I love helping people; most people think of State Troopers as ticket writing machines, but during my career I helped so many people. Currently I am focusing my attention on motivational and inspirational speaking and continueing to do good things to help others.”

Kenisha Curtis (Photo by Kenisha Curtis)

Greensboro native Kenisha Curtis graduated from James B. Dudley High School and North Carolina A&T State University. Her love for styling hair began at an early age. Before deciding to pursue her passion, she worked in corporate America for ten years.
“My passion is to first educate my clients about the science of hair and continually provide results that are cost efficient as well as competitive in the industry,” she says. According to Curtis, the industry has been compromised by supply stores and chains, and she believes styling professionals have to constantly perfect their craft. “By doing so, we can reassure the clients that we are indeed professionals and we have their best interest at heart,” she says.

Curtis has been a professional stylist for seven years. She currently works at Wray Wells Hair Studio 710 West Market Street, located in downtown Greensboro. The services she provides includes Relaxers, Keratin Treatments, Color, Precision Cuts, Weaving, Fusion, Malaysian Weaving, Braidless Sew-ins and Natural Styles.

As a stylist, Curtis says she faces many challenges. One of the biggest is having individuals devalue her profession. “A lot of what we do is readily available and because of this we come under a lot of scrutiny. I’ve had clients come in and advise me that they can receive the same service from a neighbor/friend, who is not licensed, for lesser than what the average stylist charges,” Curtis explains. If her services are offered somewhere else and at lesser cost, Curtis says the results are not the same. “As a stylist, we have to remain professional, courteous and respect others time,” she says.

Curtis says she is inspired by serving the under served. “My mother used to say that a woman’s clothes can be old, but if her hair is fresh, everything else falls into order,” she says. “It is my desire to serve that population who effortlessly cares for others but in turn deserves pampering themselves.”

Curtis offers specials and free days because she says everyone deserves to feel good about themselves and their hair. “The feeling I get when someone looks at me and smiles and cries is priceless. It makes all the bad days worth while,” she says. She is happily married to Michael Curtis and a proud mother of three.

Malik Elliott Dargon

Who is Mylick?
I am 14 years old and I live with my mom and little brother. I love playing basketball and hope to go pro when that time comes. If it is not Gods will for me to go pro I plan on being a Pediatrician because I love kids. My mom has brought me up in the church and I am a true believer in prayer because of the many things I saw my mom go through.

What school do you attend?
Guillford Technical Community College Middle College in Jamestown.

What are your achievements?
During this first nine weeks of school this year it was a challenge for me with science. I made a “D” for the class but after meeting with my mom and the principal, they encouraged me to do better. I began to buckle down and study harder and was able to bring my grade up to a “B”.

What are your athletic achievements?
My dad has kept me active with sports since I was seven. I played football and basketball every year. Now that I am in high school I am focused on basketball and I currently play at the shooting guard position for Dudley High School.

What are your inspirations?
Jesus, my mom and Chris Hammond are my spiritual inspirations.

Who has impacted your life the most?
My mom has impacted my life the most because I have seen her go through the hardest times and she was able to still pray, laugh, and take care of me and my little brother.

Richard Lide (Photo by Howard Gaither)

Several years ago Richard Lide was primed to enter the NFL. The Raeford, N.C. native and North Carolina A&T State University graduate had everything planned. He had gone to several training camps, including the Carolina Panthers and the Washington Redskins. It was simple, he would be an NFL player, make millions of dollars and the rest would be history–easy living for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, everything didn’t quite go the way he planned, everything except the part about history. He completed college with a degree in history; this time he was sure his plans to be a history teacher and football coach would certainly pan out. At the time he was certain football would continue to play a tremendous role in his life.

Lide recognized his plans weren’t necessarily the plans of God. His NFL intentions never manifested, although he was inducted in the North Carolina A&T Football Hall of Fame. He received his degree, but decided not to go the route of a teacher and bypassed the role of a coach. Instead, after graduation, he found himself working for a local staffing agency. It wasn’t just a job he took because he found nothing else. It was a stepping stone along the path of fulfilling his purpose. Outside of playing football, the staffing industry seemed like the logical field of choice for Lide.

Throughout college he worked as an on-site recruiter for a national staffing firm. “After I graduated I went to work for another staffing agency here locally. I worked there for a little over six years until I went out on my own,” says Lide of his first position after college. “I was always intrigued about this industry. I liked the fact that I would be helping people get jobs so they can care for their families without government assistance. I liked helping people get on their feet or even get better jobs.”

The stage was set and Lide set out for his big performance. He initially started a staffing agency in 2002 along with two other partners. Unfortunately, for various reasons, the partnership did not work out and the group disbanded in 2006. Nevertheless, the amicable split afforded him the opportunity to start his own agency completely by himself. He says he was successfully able to totally implement his ideas. Those ideas have certainly paid off. Within the same year he launched his brain child, Patriot Services and he hasn’t looked back.

“We were recognized this year as the number three in the Triad’s Fast 50,” Lide proudly says. The Triad Fast 50 is the 50 fastest growing companies in the Triad. We were also recognized as the sixth largest minority-owned business in the Triad.

It’s no wonder Patriot Services is on the fast track and high touted by business clients as well as employee placements throughout the community. Lide and his staffing agency have not only worked with local giants such as the Cities of Greensboro and High Point and Dell Computers but he has even provided staffing solutions for companies as far away as Texas. He says it’s the new advances in technology that have given him the means to provide employment opportunities for so many in various areas. “Technology is a big part of staffing. People apply online and even interview online through the advent of Skype. As technology grows staffing is moving to a place of virtual offices.” Whatever the trend, it is certain Patriot Services will advance and expand as well.

Lide is quickly moving toward his goal of establishing Patriot Services as a regional staffing agency. The young, president and CEO, husband and father of two has already planted fully functional branches in Asheboro, Charlotte, Hickory, Durham¸ Rocky Mount, Roanoke, Va. as well as his flagship branch in Greensboro. Lide is looking to further expand into Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee as well as acquire other staffing agencies. His days are spent talking to clients, prospective clients, and staff, writing bids and overseeing the finances. As the business owner he is very hands on and involved.

It may seem Lide had an easy rode to travel toward owning a successful business but he admits he made countless mistakes along the way. “When I first started I made my share of blunders and mistakes. I had to get loans and credit cards (which by the way he says he has completely paid), I asked for help. There was a lot of trial and error, but I did whatever it took,” he says. “I didn’t have many business role models growing up. I prayed to God for guidance and direction. I’m a definite advocate of prayer.” he attributes every success he has received to God. He makes it crystal clear that he loves the Lord and understands nothing would be possible without God.
It is evident he has a very strong support system. He applauds his wife, Kim, who he says has been by his side every step of the way; from the beginning through the good and bad times. It’s his mother that he credits for encouraging him to continue to get his degree when things didn’t happen according to plan.

In his first year of business, Lide says the agency made over $1.2 Million, which may sound astounding, it rightfully is amazing for a start-up; however he says he wasn’t financially prepared. He says he learned the hard way the importance of being prepared, especially in such a cash flow intensive business. Accordingly, he says he eagerly takes the time to tell others interested in the business the lessons he learned. It’s all about gaining experience, at least five years he says, understanding industry procedures and terminology and having a well-thought out plan. Once those aspects are in place the funding will come.

Additionally Lide believes it is very important to reach back into the community and help the younger generation. As the owner of a staffing agency it troubles him to see young adults seeking employment but refuse to dress the part. “When I came up you put on your ‘Sunday-go-to-church’ clothes,” he says. “I really would like to work with our youth and teach them about being professional.”

It has been 10 years since Lide established his first business; moreover, it is increasingly apparent he is on track to forge onward for many years to come.

Sonya Sibley (Photo by Howard Gaither)

Sonya Norcott Sibley is the owner of Anointed Hands Hair Salon, and the founder of Ladies of Beauty Mentoring Program. She is the wife of Pastor Reginald Sibley of Eternal Life Global Ministries and the mother of Chad and Nicolas. She attended James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro and obtained her cosmetology license from Carolina Beauty College in 1994. Two days after graduation, she began her career as a hair stylist and opened Annointed Hands in 2009.

As a stylist Sibley says her business is very intimate and family oriented. The atmosphere of the salon is the direct reflection of who she is and the visions that she has set forth in her life. “I am a people person and value that life is about friends and fellowship,” she says. “My company thrives on respect, dignity, and professionalism. Many of my clients have traveled with me through my search to establish my foundation. My clients share the same values and are committed to an outreach of word of mouth in my success of competing with the next generation of clientele.”

Over the past 18 years of being a stylist, Sibley states she has truly had some challenges. Operating a business and maintaining it is a challenge all by itself. Knowing how to budget the money coming in daily verses someone getting a check every week or two weeks is difficult. She states that if a person’s mind set is not programmed to put that money in the bank daily you may overspend.

Although this is a business, Sibley shares her successes with her clients by meeting their needs not only in a beauty perception, but also by celebrating accomplishments and special events with their families, jobs, and personal endeavors. As humble as Sibley is, she states that in a perfect world she would be much obliged to shadow the high status of her business. She doesn’t feel that her shop is better than others but rather that her salon has a uniqueness that sets it apart from others. “Compassion for others and their individual needs along with privacy in the mist of maintaining a profitable business are a large part of the growth that I have experienced as a professional,” Sibley explains. “The salon is place that my clients (family) has expressed they can call home and a safe haven.” There is a connection she has with her clients that allows them to understand and know each other’s needs based on a simple look or passing glance.

In October of 2011, she developed Ladies of Beauty, a mentoring program designed to equip young ladies with low self-esteem, to help girls achieve their highest, God-given potential, making them better individuals, and citizens. It is designed for young ladies ages of 13 and up. It’s focused on empowering positive change in the lives of girls by allowing them to know that they can be the best that they can be.
The vision of Ladies of Beauty is to equip young ladies with low self-esteem, to help girls achieve their highest, God-given potential, making them better individuals, and citizens. Veronica Foster of Behind the Scenes will teach etiquette, Veronica Norcott will teach health and beauty, and Frannie Surgeon will teach the importance of nutrition, Tamika Harris will provide instruction on leadership. Others will provide instructions of financial literacy, real life preparations and many more topics that will empower the girls to be all they can be. “Encouraging young women to discover their dreams, to believe their future holds endless possibilities and empowers them to make it happen,” Sibley states.

The programs mission is to implement life skills through educational sessions, motivational speaking and outside experiences that will inspire and motivate the young ladies. As a result, she says they will grow and develop within as individuals as her staff intervenes and intercede with their knowledge to naturally encourage them to live beyond their obstacles and dream bigger than they have ever imagined.
Sibley says she has always understood the importance of giving and supporting her community. Having spent a lot of time working with Piedmont Health Services and Sickle Cell Agency she decided that she would like to do something to support the services the agency does for its clients. She knew they had suffered some budget cuts. She then began coordinating an annual Sweat Out My Curls for Sickle Cell Walk by forming a team of area beauticians, barbers, business sponsors and others. The inaugural walk will take this place year on Saturday, April 14, 2012 beginning at 5:00pm.

Sibley says that when it is all said and done, she wants to leave an impression on others and encourage them to become more involved in their communities and help others who are in need. She says that by her own actions she hopes that she can change the outlook on life for others and promote personal growth among young ladies and women.

Sorena Hayes (Photo by Howard Gaither)

In January 2011, the global giant American Express surprisingly, announced plans to downsize. The plan included closing the Greensboro location. The all-too-common corporate maneuver wasn’t something Sorena Hayes hadn’t heard before, but this time she was personally affected. After devoting nearly 16 years to the company she found herself without a job, or so she thought.

The job loss simply provided the perfect storm for her to completely pursue her love of exercise and healthy living. “It was the perfect time for me to focus more on personal training,” says Hayes. “For several years I have helped others with fitness training and weight loss, which I am very passionate about. So I made it official and became a certified personal trainer and started my own business, New Leaf Fitness 4 Life.”

It’s not at all surprising that Hayes has such an interest in physical fitness. The Eden, North Carolina native admits she grew up in a very active household. Someone was always playing football, basketball, soccer and even golf. The majority of the women in her family were cheerleaders, majorettes, and dancers. A 1990 graduate of Dudley High School and 1994 graduate of Shaw University, Hayes was an active cheerleader as well as various other activities.

She made it a priority to continue the family legacy with her own daughter. She says it was nothing for her young daughter to accompany Hayes brother, very active also, on daily jogs. Those lessons she instilled in her daughter at a young age are manifested today. Her daughter is now eighteen shares Hayes belief in the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.

Nevertheless, Hayes says her family was active and fit but many were still dependent upon various medications to control issues such as high blood pressure. Hayes admits she was even placed on blood pressure pills by her doctor, but she refused to sit back and allow herself to be controlled by a daily dose of medication. It was also during this time that Hayes’ mother was diagnosed with cancer that further encouraged her to “break the generational curse” and pull herself off the blood pressure medication and encourage others to tap into the natural healing effects of healthy living and wellness.

After paying even more attention to exercise, weight loss and healthy eating, Hayes was only on blood pressure pills for two weeks. She says her mother also adopted the principles that she teaches and is “living proof that exercising and being more alert about your health and eating habits promises you a longer life.”

It’s all about turning over a new leaf, which, by the way, is the basis for the business name. Although Hayes has been giving workout advice to others for three years, she took the next step and became a certified trainer in July 2011. The moment a client begins working with Hayes she takes an initial assessment of the individual. It’s very important, she says, because no one person is alike and requires an individualized plan of action. The assessment and questionnaire include different physical fitness tests as well as a statement of medical clearance to begin a regimen.

Hayes and New Leaf Fitness 4 Life offer all of the latest in physical fitness techniques and services as well as extremely affordable rates-rates far below the average cost of a personal trainer. Her fees are in no way indicative of poor competency. She just doesn’t want anyone to have any excuse, especially financial, for not taking the necessary steps to control their health. She says, “Often, our people don’t see the value in paying for a personal trainer. My rates are so affordable there is no excuse for anyone not to get fit and stay fit. My motto is, don’t let fitness just be an option; make it a priority for life.”

Hayes offers extended 45 minute sessions of custom-tailored activities for only $20. Most trainers offer only half hour sessions at higher prices. Among other services and exercise methods, intensive mobile boot camps (great for corporations, churches, school staff and sports teams), one on one training, couple training (designed to build stronger physical and emotional relationships), buddy training (for those who need a friend for motivation) and Zumba classes, which Hayes is licensed to teach, are offered.

As much as Hayes encourages people to solicit the help of a professional trainer, she believes that everyone can take small steps towards having a healthier body and living a healthier life. She says often it’s what people do that hinders their health verses what they don’t do. Hayes says people try to diet rather than use self-control and monitor portion sizes. “If I eat fast food, which I rarely do,” she says, “I order the kids meal.” All-in-all there are various do’s and don’ts, but Hayes is there to reassure and teach her clients throughout the process.

Hayes has clients in every age range. In fact, her oldest client is 80 years old. She says it’s important for people to realize there are exercise programs for everyone regardless of fitness level or age. Which is exactly why she believes it is vitally important to reach the youth and teach them to be responsible and concerned about their health. She’s so concerned about today’s youth and the ever-increasing diagnosis of juvenile diabetes that she has been asked to partner with several schools and civic organizations to maintain physical fitness classes and programs. If kids are taught to value their health, she says, they will grow to be adults who value health.

What’s on the horizon for Sorena Hayes and New Leaf Fitness 4 Life? She is simply excited about the opportunity to welcome people to the great, stress-free life that exercise and healthy living can provide. She is postured to do whatever it takes to encourage others to get fit. She encourages individuals to visit her at her studio located 620 South Elm Street, Suite #358 in Greensboro.

“The boot camp is hard work but has paid off significantly to my health and fitness goals. At my age, I thought it would be too much of a challenge but this camp is for everyone and every age. This my second time around participating in THE BURN BOOT CAMP and it is still hard, but challenging and fun. You meet people who share the same goals and challenges. So if you are not meeting your goals and are not having a challenging but fun workout, then you need to try Sorena’s boot camp!! IT WORKS!!!” – Evelyn 52

“The Burn Boot Camp is a life saver! I have never felt so energized and encouraged to change my health and fitness lifestyle. During my first week and half of camp I lost 4.5 pounds!! Hard work and motivation pays off!! Thank you so much Sorena!”` – Jazmine 25
I have set out to make a lifestyle change by becoming physically fit in addition to improving my health wellness. Within the recent weeks I have experienced a boost of vitality that inspires me to work vigorously to achieve my personal goals. I have lost almost 3lbs within one week thanks to the helpful dedication of Ms. Sorena Hayes and I know there’s more to come. These classes will benefit the young, the older, the weight challenged as well as the fit. Every day is a struggle but with hard work and consistency you will accomplish what you thought was the impossible. – Courtney 31

Let me share with you my special story of how exercise, nutrition, and determination changed my life from limitations of weakness, joints and muscle aches and reduced stamina. My exercise routine includes a training program, developed by personal trainer Sorena Hayes, which includes weights, cardio, and swimming. My nutrition program includes drinking juices, which I make, from natural fruits and vegetables that help me to maintain a proper diet. As women, we have a tendency to use most of our energy to provide and care for others. Consequently, this leaves us with little energy to provide for ourselves. It was through determination and perseverance to have a healthier lifestyle that I made the choice to make my health a TOP priority! I am blessed and happy to say that I am 65 years old! I have lost 35 lbs. and I DO NOT take any prescription drugs! – Peggy 65

“I’ve been working out about eight years off and on. After only one and a half years of working out I lost about 100 lbs, needless to say a couple years later I gained 15-20 lbs back. Every since losing the original weight it’s been difficult to loose and maintain a healthy weight. I’ve tried many different crash diets/diet plans, increase my water intake and different workout routines nothing really seem to be able to give me that extra push that I needed to stay focused. When I got word of “The Burn Boot Camp” at first I was thinking, “I have to be in wonderful shape to do any boot camp.” After inquiring and getting more information about “The Burn Boot Camp,” I set completing the camp as one of my weight loss goals. “The Burn Boot Camp” is very challenging yet fulfilling. The campers and I are of all different body frames, fitness levels and ages. The campers and trainer encourage me to push myself to the limits. After only 4 classes I can see my body changing, mentally and physically. After the completion of the camp I will be looking for another boot camp that’s instructed by Sorena. I’ll be encouraging more of my friends to join me on my weight loss journey. Deciding to do “The Burn Boot Camp” was the best decision that I could have ever made as far as my weight lost goals go.” Thanks Sorena for all that you do! – Andrea 33

Joined Sorena at “The Burn Boot Camp” today, and I have to give credit where credit’s due, she handled her business. I was extremely impressed and I’m the dude that’ll train a trainer and I thought that it was going to be some little “soft” type of workout, but I was dead wrong. I ended up getting a full body workout and she kept it fun, but yet challenging the whole time, and OH Yeah I felt the “BURN.” I’m looking forward to the next one. Fellas, if u wanna get right, I advise ya’ll to hurry up and join in next week, (after eating all that Thanksgiving food). Don’t be scared!” – Malik 42

Paula Ritter-Lipscomb and Andrea Wright (Photo by Warriors, Inc.)

Warriors, Inc. is founded upon legacy of the African American family and leverages the strength of that legacy to empower families and communities. We embrace the power of the past in order to awaken the confidence, resourcefulness and spirituality necessary to seize the potential within the present.

We believe that our holistic approach is the cornerstone of our effectiveness.

Our focus is to nurture the total family. Through our committed efforts, we help sustain the “village” concept and faithfully emphasize the need to heed the voices of the “talking drum.”

Our mission is to embrace, enlighten, and empower women and families of the Triad. We endeavor to expand the awareness of our constituents regarding the quality of life and connect them to available resources to fill their needs. With careful planning, we bring people together to build relationships that foster the spirit of community.

Warrior Inc. is changing lives with the following methods: Innovative, non-traditional information sessions designed to your group size. Sessions vary from 1 hour to overnight. “Let’s Talk”- Small to medium informal “living room” conversation sessions that build relationships and a sense of community.

“A Time to Stand” – Informal group conversations embracing the power of our ancestors and visions for the future. “E-Attitudes” – Motivational seminar promoting the attitude concepts of embracing, empowering, enlightening, and encouraging.

Their methods also include Overnight Retreats such as “Illuminating the Path”- Overnight evening of activities empowering spirit, mind and body. Workshops are designed to facilitate the process of making inner-self connections and becoming aware of available resources.

For more information about Warrior Inc. please contact founders Paula Ritter-Lipscomb at (336) 274-8951 or by email at paularitter@yahoo.com and Andrea Wright at (336) 375-6428 or by email at WRIGHTavbw@aol.com. h

Terry Watson - Editor

It’s a simple question. What are you connected to? What source or resource do you rely on for sustainability or encouragement? Who influences you and your life the most, and more importantly what do you put your absolute faith in? These are questions whose answers ultimately shape our lives and help to determine our destiny. We can find the answers by conducting self evaluations of our positions in life.

Our faith and belief in God is influenced by the connection we have to spiritual leadership. What church do you attend and how defiant of a relationship does the pastor have with God? Can you see God doing amazing things in their lives through healing, deliverance, and breakthroughs? Is the church membership experiencing healing, deliverance, and breakthroughs? Has your relationship with God strengthen under their leadership? Are souls being saved and Gods kingdom being strengthen? If so, this is a place where I would like to be.

Where do you work? How important do you feel on your job? How valuable do you think you are to your employer? Do you feel as if you are over-worked and under paid? Do you see others advancing and still you are overlooked? Are you hoping to brown-nose your way to the top, or are you engaged in a laborious journey to success. Do you complain about working conditions or offer solutions to make the job better? Our approach to employment opportunities can determine if we succeed or fail there.

Are you a person that understands the value in having sound relationships? In a relationship it is not about what that person can do for you, but instead how can you serve them. Relationships with the right person can lead to bigger and better opportunities, but the wrong one doesn’t have a positive conclusion. We must be diligent and cautious about who and what we decide to be connected to. We live in a world where everything about us is subjected to the judgement of our peers. Connect yourself to something great. Something that has a proven track record for the doing the right things without compromise. Our connections are a passport to success and failure, and a link to our past and futures.

Allen Thomas (Photoby Howard Gaither)

Allen Thomas is a young man who has a sense of urgency when it comes to making a difference in this world. He has seen and been through some very tough situations when it comes to experiencing domestic violence. He believes that he is responsible for taking on the task of speaking up for others who feel voiceless.
Thomas is the president of Operation Freedom NC, a nonprofit organization that was founded in late 2008—while trying to heal the wounds of the tragic death of his mother by the hands of his father. The organization seeks to provide domestic violence awareness and prevention services to people across the state. In addition, the organization raises money for other domestic violence organizations to ensure that more services are offered to address the growing needs of the community.
Operation Freedom NC has impacted the community in a very positive way. In 2010, Thomas spoke to more than 300 high school freshmen about dating violence, later that year the organization raised money for a deserving family affected by domestic violence.
Thomas has taken his message, “Love Doesn’t Hurt”, nationally to conferences from Los Angeles, Calif. to Tampa, Fla. “Operation Freedom NC has been blessed to make such an impact in the past three years that we have been around,” said Allen Thomas. “I pray that we continue to grow so that more lives are positively impacted by our work.”
Within the three years, Thomas has faced challenges with not being able to do the work of the nonprofit full- time. As a full-time youth counselor for the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, it’s tough making time to accomplish his goals, dreams and ambitions on a part time basis. However, what keeps him going is the memory of his mother, Linda Shaw-Thomas. His mother was a teacher who taught hundreds of children that they were important no matter what other people told them. His mother was an inspiration to all that knew of her. Her legacy and story will continue to live on through her son’s eagerness to raise awareness about domestic violence.
The advice that Thomas gives to victims of domestic violence is simple, “Love Doesn’t Hurt”. “If a person finds themselves in an abusive relationship they should seek help immediately and not just hope and pray that things get better,” said Allen Thomas. “Domestic violence is the cause of death for almost 100 people every year in North Carolina. Almost all of them probably never thought that their abuser would take their life. We have to get serious on this issue because one death is one too many.”
In the future, Thomas plans to continue raising awareness about domestic violence across the state and country. Anyone interested in getting involved with Operation Freedom NC or would like for Allen Thomas to speak at your organization, visit www.OperationFreedomNC.org for more details.