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Coral Gables, fitformer, miami, pilates, pilates proworks, summer christensen, the blogger union, women entrepreneur, workout

WOD: Pilates ProWorks Miami

In Blogging, Career, Entrepreneurs, Health, Lifestyle, News, wellness on June 28, 2016 at 09:00

Pilates-Por-Works-South-Florida-Bloggers-24

Have you ever tried Pilates?

I am not the athletic type, nor the most disciplined fitness fan, but I have tried everything from The Boss Chick Dance Workout, Burlesque workshops, Jane Fonda-type aerobic classes and excruciating boot camps. I know what I enjoy and what works for me and my body. That’s why I got very excited when I received an invitation from The Blogger Union for a workout at PilatesProWorks Miami.

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The Blogger Union members at Pilates ProWorks Miami

Pilates ProWorks is a fitness concept centered on the fundamentals of classical Pilates with a modern, innovative twist. Pilates ProWorks currently has 15 locations around the United States and South America. Miami’s the twelfth location in the US and the first one on the East Coast, located in charming Coral Gables, FL. To pair with the excitement of attending my first workout as a blogger, I found metered parking right in front of the studio!

Summer Christensen, PPW Miami Studio Owner

Our host and instructor was Summer Christensen, owner of Pilates ProWorksMiami. Summer, 37, first became part of the Pilates ProWorks family in 2010 when she helped open the first studio in San Francisco. “After teaching at the first Pilates ProWorks in San Francisco, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. Oscar, the Pilates ProWorks Founder and my business partner, built a company that truly values, and creates growth opportunities, for its people. I have the benefit of his years of experience, a solid business model and the wonderful Opening Training Team that he put together. Now I have my own studio and Oscar as a mentor and friend. Being a business owner has been a dream of mine for years. This endeavor has been six years in the making and is a true labor of love, hard work and perseverance.” said Summer, during a candid interview for our blog.

After taking us around the modern and welcoming facilities, it was time for these Princesses of the Blogosphere to hop on our carriages! Yes, forget those Pilates Reformer machines that looked like torture devices, PilatesProWorks uses a very comfortable custom machinery called FitFormer™ for a challenging 55-minute workout “ride” that develops strength and flexibility to the sound of an energizing playlist! It definitely got my heart racing and took my breath away!

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Summer aims to inspire clients to discover their inner strength by pushing themselves physically. And she practices what she preaches: Pilates ProWorks Miami and her baby boy are only five months apart.

How does she handle being a mom, and entrepreneur, teaching two consecutive classes some days, and everything else in her life?

Summer: “Everyone said we were crazy to open Pilates ProWorks Miami, have a baby and move cross country when I was 9 months pregnant. My two “babies” are five months apart but I wouldn’t change a thing. I am lucky enough to have a loving ‘village’ of family and friends who believe in me. I couldn’t do it without their help and support. Colin, my husband, works at night so he gets to spend most days with our son, Von. My mom recently retired and she is thrilled to be able to spend so much time with her grandson. Most of my girlfriends’ had children before me so they are a fountain of information, advice and empathy. I am excited to be on this adventure and look forward to seeing my babies grow and thrive.”

One last tip for thirty-somethings?

Summer: “One of the most important things I can do to keep myself sane, is to exercise. Carving that time out of my day, to take care of me, is vital. It gives me a chance to reset my brain, reconnect with my body and consciously breathe. It makes me a better owner, instructor, wife and mom. I come back stronger, more flexible and patient and better able to handle whatever life throws at me.”

Thank you, Summer!

Your Hard Core fan,

Laura

About PilatesProWorks Miami:

25 Merrick Way

Coral Gables, FL 33134
P:(305) 631-2534
E: miami@pilatesproworks.com

www.pilatesproworks.com/miami

Pilates ProWorks Miami wants to help you stay committed to working out through the summer season with their Save Up & Slim Down Membership Event through June 30th! The first month is $65 plus you get to choose a bonus gift from pairs of ToeSox, hand wraps, water bottles, t-shirt, tank tops or 2 months of Nutrition Pro. It can only be purchased in studio or over the phone. Hurry up!

About Summer:

A third generation Miami native, Summer is thrilled to bring Pilates ProWorks to her hometown. As a former dancer, Summer has been in the fitness industry for six years. She has been teaching Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga since 2009 and Pilates since 2010. Pilates ProWorks combines her passion for a healthy and active lifestyle with a fulfilling career.

Photo credits:

Summer Christensen’s: Tommy Hernandez

Bloggers’: Paola Méndez

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Let’s Work Together!

In Blogging, Career, Entrepreneurs, Finances, Giving Back=Paying It Forward, Lifestyle, News, Relationships, Spirituality, wellness on June 8, 2016 at 13:40

Thank You for Considering the Possibility of Working Together!

I Can Help You with:

COACHING

Would you like to become partners in a thought-provoking and creative process that will inspire you to maximize your personal and professional potential and produce fulfilling results?

I promise to listen deeply, to observe completely, and to customize my heart-centered approach to your individual needs, that way we can grow and harvest the seeds that God already put inside you.

I am currently training to be a Certified Professional Coach with the University of Miami, an Accredited Program by the International Coach Federation.

Please contact me to schedule a complimentary 30-minute call to meet and decide if we would be great partners!

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BRAND COLLABORATIONS, ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIPS

I’d Love to Talk with You About Brand Collaborations, Advertising & Sponsorships if I Deeply Know and Love your Brand.

Please contact me and we will decide together the most organic way to support each other!

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WRITING & SPEAKING

Do You Like My Voice?

I Can Lend it to You, Your Brand and/or Your Organization!

I am a freelance Bilingual Writer & Speaker about diverse topics such as:

Please contact me for samples and availability.

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COMMUNICATIONS

Public Relations | TV & Events Production Management | Marketing

I am a Multi-Passionate & Creative Communications Professional and Consultant with diverse work experience and an excellent track record that spans several cities in the United States and Latin America.

I have had the privilege of working with large and heterogeneous groups in multicultural environments for more than a decade, that has helped me develop strong communications and project management skills, and most importantly, I have managed to gain the trust of countless clients and colleagues.

Please check my LinkedIn profile for more on my career and please don’t hesitate to contact me for your future projects.

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BLOGGING

I learn and share blogging tips on The Blogger Union, please find below my latest posts:

What Should I Name My Blog

The Benefits of Joining a Mastermind

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Thanks in advance!

In Gratitude and Service,

Laura

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Acroarte, artistas, cervecería nacional dominicana, denise quiñones, ezequiel montalt, fama, gnomico, Larissa Martínez, liannet borrego, mariela encarnación, panky saviñón, Premios Soberano, república dominicana, Santo Domingo, shalim ortíz, talento, treintañeros

El Premio Soberano es para…

In Career, En Español, Entrepreneurs, News on May 27, 2016 at 07:35

El martes 31 de mayo se celebran en Santo Domingo los Premios Soberano 2016. Hace 13 años de la primera vez que trabajé en unos, en ese entonces llamados Premios Casandra. Mi primer empleo profesional, mi primer proyecto como Coordinadora de Producción y, sobre todas las cosas, uno de mis primeros sueños hecho realidad. Desde ese primer espectáculo y hasta el día de hoy, más allá de las grandes producciones, los aplausos escuchados, los créditos y los ratings, la satisfacción más grande de mi carrera es el haber conocido, trabajado y compartido con tantos seres humanos talentosos y dedicados. Larissa Martínez es una de esas personas y hoy me honra entrevistarla.

Larissa Martínez

¿Cómo ves a los artistas que representa tu agencia Miracle Box según su edad, en términos de madurez?

Los 30s son la antesala de la plenitud, en esta etapa el crecimiento y la madurez llegan a diario y depende de cada ser humano recibirla o no. En cuanto a los talentos que representa la agencia Miracle Box los veo muy centrados en sus carreras, con objetivos claros, determinados a alcanzar metas, en lo personal queriendo echar raíces, ser responsables y amorosos.

En el caso de aquellos con los que has trabajado entre sus 20s y sus 30s, ¿cómo los has visto evolucionar?

Ha sido muy interesante la evolución de los 20s a los 30s porque en los 20s se piensa mucho en fiesta y trivialidades, se sigue siendo hasta cierto punto infantil, y dependiendo de las experiencias que le toque vivir a cada cual la evolución es más fuerte o más sencilla. En la agencia hay talentos en sus 20s cuya actitud es a prueba de balas, que son inmunes a equivocarse y entienden que siempre tienen la razón. Los que están en sus 30s saben que pueden cometer errores, están más pendientes y son más cuidadosos, cuando se equivocan están más abiertos al aprendizaje.

¿Qué inspira a los treintañeros en tu catálogo? ¿A qué aspiran? ¿Con qué sueñan? ¿Qué los frustra?

Esta es una pregunta muy interesante porque el ser humano necesita de inspiración para alcanzar metas y me gusta saber lo que cada cual tiene en la intimidad de su corazón, la inspiración es muy personal, algunos se inspiran en la palabra de Dios porque todos estamos llamado a la grandeza, “Levántate y resplandece que tu luz ha llegado, la gloria del Señor brilla sobre ti” (Isaías 60:1), otros se inspiran en grandes personalidades, en logros y experiencias ajenas, algunos encuentran la inspiración dentro de ellos mismos. Como todos aspiran a lograr cosas, algunos piensan en grande, otros no tanto, aspiran y sueñan con ser reconocidos, con lograr grandes oportunidades, pero esto no para, al lograr una se está gestando la próxima meta lo cual es el alimento del artista. La frustración es parte del éxito y del crecer, la frustración es a veces hasta relativa depende desde donde se vea, el no conseguir algo deseado puede ser frustrante, el trato frío de alguna personalidad puede ser frustrante, con las frustraciones se forja el carácter y se aprende a dar importancia a lo que realmente la tiene.

¿Alguna diferencia entre los treintañeros y las treintañeras? ¿Y entre los dominicanos y los extranjeros?

Además de las diferencias obvias entre hombre y mujer, los 30s representan otro nivel de madurez y de pensar, las prioridades cambian en cada género y hasta las metas, se inicia la búsqueda de logros que llenen el alma, se reducen los amigos y círculo cercano, se van aquellos que no tienen la misma visión. Entre extranjeros y dominicanos lo único que varian son sus circunstancias. La República Dominicana es un país hermoso pero muchas veces no brinda las oportunidades que los talentos ameritan en caso de los extranjeros su proceder es más maduro y ágil pues deben moverse rápido para alcanzar lo que se proponen, las grandes industrias exigen más de los talentos.

¿Aprecian o se resisten a la influencia de aquellos que van delante en edad y experiencia?

Depende de las personas que pudieran ser ejemplo para ellos, hay que ser muy objetivo en cuanto a dejarse influenciar o buscar de quién tomar esa influencia, pero que creo en el momento en que saben lo que buscan se enfocan en la persona con quien se identifican y se dejan influenciar por ellos.

¿Cuál es el legado artístico de esta generación?

Atreverse a hacer cosas que antes no se atrevían, a usar todas las herramientas que estén a su alcance como las redes sociales. Es una generación que tomó lo bueno de la tradición y se enfrentó a un futuro con fuerzas.

¿Qué le recomiendas a nuestros lectores y lectoras que deseen desarrollar una carrera artística en sus 30s?

Nunca es tarde, lo importante es prepararse en el área que quieran emprender, tener metas muy claras, leer mucho sobre personas que han logrado lo que ellos quieren, buscar mentores con quien se identifiquen para trazar un camino, no es fácil y requiere de muchos sacrificios pero los logros son gigantes y hacen que olvidemos el dolor.

Sobre Larissa:

Dominicana, Fundadora y CEO de @Realredmag (RED) y @Miracleboxag, escritora y guionista. Gestora de licencias de música para películas. Emprendedora. Vicepresidenta de la Asociación de Mujeres del Cine (AMUCINE). Su agencia Miracle Box se encarga de manejar las carreras de Isaac Saviñón (Panky), Mariela Encarnación, Shalim Ortiz, Gnomico, Ezequiel Montalt, Liannet Borrego, Denise Quiñones, entre otros talentos dominicanos e internacionales.

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balance, biological clock, career, college, education, employment, feminism, gender equality, glass ceiling, motherhood, women, young girls

Choosing between career, motherhood is unnecessary

In Career, Entrepreneurs, Family, Great Articles Found Doing Research, Lifestyle, News on November 23, 2015 at 09:00

By Shelby Bradford

As a woman pursuing a college degree, I am keenly aware of the disadvantages and choices I face. However, I do not believe that I, nor young girls should be told that they have to choose between having a career and pursuing motherhood.

To this end, I strongly disagree with the statements made by Vivienne Durham, the former headmistress of an all-girls boarding school, in a recent article from the United Kingdom. In the article, she claimed telling girls they can handle having both a family and a career is “lying” to them about the reality of the glass ceiling, which states women and minorities face barriers in advancing in their careers.

I do not believe we have to force young girls to choose one over the other in order to explain societal inequalities to them, and I certainly don’t believe that saying “feminism” perpetuates the notion that the glass ceiling doesn’t exist.

A large issue with the claims made in the article is that Durham’s definition of feminism is flawed. She claimed she is not a feminist because, by her interpretation, being a feminist means you do not tell girls the glass ceiling exists. This is simply not true.

To many, feminism is about acknowledging the social disadvantages in place and challenging them. It is about not wanting to settle with the way things currently are because you know they are unfair and should be changed. By Durham telling girls they have to make a choice between having children and having a career, she is perpetuating that inequality and therefore stopping her students from achieving their full potential before they even have the chance to try.

The next problem in her statement was there was no happy medium in having a career and having children. She implied women who did choose to pursue both were either “juggling” them or were pushed back several years in one or the other, such as either postponing having children or not accepting a promotion in order to have them.

I acknowledge I personally have not taken on a child, but I know a number of professors and faculty at this University, as well as in my personal life, who have had children at the end of their collegiate career or the start of their professional one. They do not seem to be struggling to balance the two or were negatively impacted by their decision to wait the extra years to have children. This is something I felt Durham also skewed out of proportion.

To say that women who wait to have children so they can finish their education and start a career are ignoring a “biological clock” is ludicrous. Most professionals complete lengthy studies in their late twenties to early thirties, which leaves plenty of time to start both a career and a family.

While science has confirmed there is heightened risk of pregnancy complications as women get older, this doesn’t become a concern until 35 or 40. Therefore, women in their early and even mid-30s should not be concerned about conceiving, and if they are concerned, a chat with the doctor should clarify any issues.

There is no denying that women face unfair stigmas and biases in areas like education and employment. Despite the recent advancements in gender equality, we still live in an age where women receive unequal treatment to men. Women are paid less on average than an equivalently experienced male coworker, and they are given fewer opportunities for promotion than men.

To me, this isn’t an excuse to tell young girls that they can’t be mothers if they want careers. This is a cause worth fighting for, not a means to simply accept the blatantly unfair standards set in place for decades.

If we want today’s young girls to succeed, then we should bolster a sense of pride in their abilities. Yes, we must be honest about the negative reality that persists, but we shouldn’t lead them to believe that obtaining the life they want is impossible in the same breath. This is where Vivienne Durham missed the mark in inspiring her students’ success.

Credits:

Link to Original Article

Photo: metro.co.uk

P.S. Know any women debating between career and motherhood? Show them your support forwarding this post to your family, friends, and colleagues!

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afrobeats, alvin alley school, BCDW, BEING 30, boss chicks, dance fitness, dance hall, debbie allen, entrepreneur, fitness, H.I.I.T., hard candy fitness, hip hop, madonna, MFA, netherlands dance theatre, NYU, perform studio, racked miami, shape magazine, Simone Sobers, the boss chick dance workout, thirties, turning 30, twerkout, women workouts

Meet The Boss: Simone Sobers

In Career, Entrepreneurs, Health, Lifestyle, News, wellness on October 23, 2015 at 09:00

Ladies: Have you ever met someone who inspires you to work out, get healthy, do business, help others, and be a better woman for yourself and the ones around you while you feel sexy and have fun in the process? This is how I feel about Simone “The Boss” Sobers.

I met Simone a year ago through my client and friend Sandra Acosta from PerForm Studio, a dance fitness space in my beloved Miami, FL. You know you are doing things right when your clients refer you to new clients, and in this case, when God puts you in touch with determined women with clear goals like these two.

Simone “The Boss” Sobers, 31, is the creator of The Boss Chick Dance Workout™, a 60-minute high intensity hip hop, dance hall, and afrobeats fusion twerkout for women only that consists of:

40-minute Dance Cardio Set
5-minute H.I.I.T (High Intensity Interval Abs and Strength Training)
10-minute Choreography
5-minute Cool Down

While other workouts focus only on one rhythm, The Boss Chick Dance Workout™ features dance combinations set to the music and styles of three of them along with an abs series and stretch series! In addition to having a great time dancing the hour away, you sculpt your abs, arms, legs, and buttocks while you burn up to 1000+ calories!

Given the high rates of obesity and heart disease among women Simone inspires women to get healthy. There are not many Black women on the forefront or the face of health & fitness and Simone “The Boss” Sobers is changing that with The Boss Chick Dance Workout™!

“The Boss” takes the first step and makes the first move towards her dreams, that is why she is destined to success. She knows no barriers, as she speaks the universal language of music and dance. Since its inception in July 2013, The Boss Chick Dance Workout™ has reached thousands of ladies worldwide through Masterclasses in Miami, Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, London, Madrid, Bogotá, and Brussels. Regular classes are currently held in Miami, New York City, Houston, San Antonio, Morris Plains, Atlanta, Gainesville, Philadelphia, and London.

A native of London, raised in beautiful South Florida, Simone started her classical dance training 24 years ago and since then she has studied a wide variety of styles at notable institutions around the world such as New York University, Alvin Ailey School, and Netherlands Dance Theatre. A dance teacher of 15 years, always striving to excel in her already successful career, she received a M.F.A. in Dance from New York University Tisch School of Arts in 2010. In 2011, she instructed at Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy in Los Angeles. After growing interest and a booming fan base with her fitness vlog, The New Sexy, she also became a certified personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise® (ACE). In 2012, Simone was invited to train and work with Madonna and her team of dance and fitness professionals at Hard Candy Fitness. This was Sobers’ first taste of dance fitness and it was instrumental in her development as a Dance Fitness instructor: She got inspired to start up her own dance fitness program. The Hard Candy Fitness experience paired with her passion for dance, her love for personal training and the H.I.I.T. format plus her strong interest in women’s issues became the key ingredients for an exciting fusion: The Boss Chick Dance Workout™.

Being a dance freak myself, I am the kind of woman who always felt like being a backup dancer, but with The Boss Chick Dance Workout™ I feel like the lead performer, like a star! But, don’t take my word for it, please check out these features: Shape Magazine, Channel 7 News: Style File, Racked Miami, Gypsy Jaunt, and Your Fashion Highness.

Are you ready to join Simone “The Boss” Sobers and lead an all-female takeover in your city?

The Boss Chick Dance Workout™ is one of the first women only internationally certified dance workouts by American Council on Exercise® (ACE). Simone “The Boss” Sobers auditions all teachers through a very selective process and trains them to learn 60+ routines of choreography. Sobers also empowers The Boss Chick Dance Workout™ instructors with the tools and knowledge to make an impact in every class using their role to be leaders and world changers. Now you can get certified to become a Boss Chick Dance Workout™ Head instructor in your city. During the 8 hour practical Instructor Training you will learn the BCDW concept and methodology, routines, and key moves from 4 street dance styles: hip-hop, dance hall, afrobeats, and twerk techniques. You will receive all the resources and tools necessary to teach a successful Boss Chick Dance Workout™ class.

“I wanted to create a workout around something that we identify with: hip-hop and pop culture. All of the hip-hop and pop divas possess a strong feminine identity and nature present in their performances. Everything about them screams FEMALE Power. They are major influences that help sculpt our routines for The Boss Chick Dance Workout™. I love meeting new women all over the world who fall in love with it. Regardless of race, language, or color they share the sentiment of feeling empowered and sexy after a BCDW experience. You can feel liberated and burn calories while you’re at it. I wanted to create something unique that would inspire women to own their sexy and take charge of their health in a new way.” said Simone Sobers.

Congratulations Simone! You got it, “Boss”!

Credits: Matt Pendleton/Photos & Jesus Martinez/Graphic Design

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advertising, ethel+frank, facebook, kelly diaz, online store, vintage bags, women entrepreneurs

Meet Ethel + Frank

In Career, Contributors, Entrepreneurs, Family, Finances, Lifestyle, News on September 3, 2015 at 09:00

I met Kelly Díaz almost ten years ago, in our early twenties, when we were working at MTV Latin America in Miami Beach, FL. We were Production Assistants to different departments. We had nothing to do with each other, except for one magnetic friend in common, Laura Barboza, who introduced us.

After a brief period of sharing fun lunch breaks and chatting side by side in at least one fundraising walk, Kelly left MTV and Miami to go to New York, then San Francisco, and she is now back in New York. I haven’t seen her in years, but thanks to our mutual friend and Facebook, I’ve always been up-to-date with her life and successful career as an Advertising copywriter. I always knew that her attitude, style and sense of humor would take her far.

On Facebook, she would share the most creative and honest ads that I had ever seen for feminine products. And then, earlier this month, she wrote this on her Facebook wall:

“A year and a half ago, I quit a job I really liked to do something I would love. And that was to launch a fun chick brand. After working with (and annoying) hundreds of amazingly talented friends, that thing is launching.”

The news made me so happy. I needed to get in touch with her. I emailed her and we scheduled a call for the following week.

After a few minutes of catching up, I was amazed to see how she managed to create something of her own with the same honesty and character that she portrays: Ethel + Frank, an online vintage handbag shop that celebrates saucy old ladies, their closets and most of all, their spirit.

“I had been wanting to launch a chick brand with some personality and humor, after working on one too many stereotypical and “vanilla” female-targeting ad campaigns.” said Kelly, who took a major leap of faith. She left her steady job, worked on the project on and off, in between freelance jobs. First she dedicated 40% of her time and then upped it to 75% in the last six months prior to launch, all while branding the company, selecting the bags, models, and writing the advertising campaign.

One of the aspects that I love the most about Ethel + Frank, is the fact that it honors aging women, giving props to the ladies who first owned the shop’s curated pieces. As its website declares: “We think old is pretty rad. When it comes to fashion, old ladies ignore magazines and trends because more than anyone, they know style has little to do with the outfit you wear.” Now that Kelly is in her early thirties, I was curious to know if any of her decisions were motivated by her age. She doesn’t think so: “I am still waiting for the “turning-30 feelings”. It’s easy to be thirty in New York. Other than my “canas”, few wrinkles, and the need to spend more time with my family and good friends, I don’t feel any major difference. Business-wise, my experience made me feel comfortable enough to launch this; I was able to use my savings and lean on the expertise of friends in the business,” she said.

And for those who have a business idea and are afraid to start, this is Kelly’s advice to the entrepreneur in you: “Don’t think about your age. Make it happen, year by year. In your thirties You Do You.”

Congratulations Kelly! I am proud and inspired by you!

For more information about Ethel + Frank please visit them online and follow them on Instagram.

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WOD: Pilates ProWorks Miami

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