Category: People
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Joan Underwood, Author
Joan Underwood
Author, Managers’ First Aid Kit
Joan Underwood, Executive Coach, Master Trainer, HR Professional and owner of the boutique consulting firm, Underwood Talent Development Services, has gifted the management world an invaluable resource. Her book, Managers’ First Aid Kit takes the reader on an introspective journey, examining the management of self, others, systems and processes.
The book is a practical guide for managers and those on the path to being elevated to leadership positions. Many of the lessons, however, are applicable to everyday life which, if applied on a daily basis, will further enhance leadership skills when used in an office setting. The importance of communicating; are you assertive, aggressive or submissive; do you react or respond; how do you view change, and does a trust deficit exist? In Chapter 1 of the book, Joan says, “self-awareness is a precursor to wisdom and to self-regulation.”
‘Personal Reflection’ and ‘Application Exercise’ activities are included, thoughtfully inserted to reinforce salient points of what was previously expressed in the chapter. With the opportunity to put some of those theories into practice, even before it needs to be executed in a formal setting, the author skillfully makes the reader question how much of what was just read has actually being absorbed. A chapter re-read may be needed.
Managers’ First Aid Kit’s conversational tone makes it a comfortable read, with easy-to-understand concepts. Within the first few pages, you will quickly realize that the author’s knowledge, drawn from years of experience in multiple roles held over the years, will be invaluable. Readers’ confidence level will be boosted as many “Aha” moments unfold, and they will inevitably take comfort knowing they have that book to guide them along, its depth validated by career-based examples and anecdotes.
Managers’ First Aid Kit is the ultimate tool for self-development that every aspiring or current manager should have within their possession. Joan has provided something that will “reduce the likelihood of them falling prey to the most common pitfalls.”
Joan works with high performers tagged for leadership roles, and those already in leadership roles who may need improvement so they can maximize their potential. She is also a change practitioner.
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Natasha Green, Tilou Kanawa Restaurant
Tilou Kanawa Restaurant
Natasha Green wanted a name for her restaurant that was different and representative of her culture, primarily as a means of promoting and inspiring greater appreciation for her heritage. She wanted her business to capture the positive aspects of the Kalinago people’s culture and traditions. Having been instrumental in helping to start the process of revitalizing their Kalinago language, she thought that a name centered on that language would create the uniqueness she sought. Initially, the business was named ‘The Little Canoe- Restaurant’, however, she decided to rename it, using instead its Kalinago translation, Tilou Kanawa.
Born and raised in the Kalinago community of the Commonwealth of Dominica, from a very young age Natasha became involved with community groups and local initiatives and was even then, pursuing small business ventures. In 2008, she enrolled at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus to pursue an Undergraduate Degree in the field of Sociology, with the hope of strengthening her skills and capacity to assist with the development of her community. During that period, she founded the Kalinago Connections Inc, a local non-governmental organization to facilitate the implementation of plans, programs and projects in collaboration with other young professionals in her area.
In 2014, plans to launch her own business began. She undertook various small business trainings, developed her business plan, networked with other entrepreneurs and started construction on her business place in 2016. The multi-talented Natasha officially opened the doors of the Tilou Kanawa Restaurant to the public in October 2020. She took this opportunity to host a craft expo which included a display of brand Tilou Kanawa’s souvenirs, branded T-shirts and Kalinago crafts. Music, complimentary local traditional dishes and a party at the restaurant ended the memorable event. Although Natasha is currently employed by the Ministry of Tourism supporting the development of tourism related projects on the island, inclusive of the Kalinago Territory, she is also managing her business and the ongoing initiatives of Kalinago Connections Inc., in her spare time.
On a visit to Tilou Kanawa, you will be presented organic, delicious local cuisine, unique to the Kalinago people. Natasha hopes to promote greater use of their cassava/yucca plus other root crops and incorporate fish and fresh vegetables to encourage healthy eating through their farm to table concept. They are also presenting their meals in local fashion through the use of canoe shaped dishes, coconut shells, larouman handmade baskets and more. Larouman Reed is endemic to the forests of the Kalinago Territory. It is traditionally used for handcrafting baskets of various sizes and styles by the Kalinago people. It is cut, dried in the sun and stripped to make it flexible and useable.
Their signature dish is the Cassava Sandwich – made using traditional cassava flat bread. Cassava/Yuca/Manioc is a traditional dietary mainstay of the Kalinago people, used for making flatbread, kanki or ducana as it is commonly known and farine which is a cereal-type product of the starchy root crop.
The use of this crop has served as a major source of income for residents and has been further identified for its potential to be developed into an export-oriented product.
One of the more popular dishes is local fries which may be made of Plantain, Cocoy, Dasheen or Breadfruit – most of these ingredients sourced locally from the community’s Back to Basics Products.
Tilou Kanawa is family friendly and not generally crowded. Natasha and her team pride themselves in providing excellent customer service.
The ambience here is delightfully rustic and serene with a touch of class. The venue provides a picturesque view of the Atlantic Ocean and the French island of Marie-Galante lounging lazily on the horizon. Its location also affords an open view of the Kalinago villages/hamlets of Crayfish River and Bataca with Jolly John’s Recreational Park visible from the open deck. This Park is one of the main playing fields in the hamlet of Crayfish River, named in memory of the Kalinago Chief Jolly John, who served in the 1930’s. It is currently used for playing cricket, a sport very popular in the Kalinago Territory, soccer, and is also the venue of many community activities.
While at the restaurant, which is located at Salybia, directly opposite to the community Police Station, you can purchase special handcrafted souvenirs of their traditional canoes and canoe penholders, branded leather keyrings, mobile phone stands and souvenir t-shirts, which is a popular purchase. Natasha is working on having a wider variety of her Tilou Kanawa’s branded products available and also plans to offer organized eco-tours to visitors in the future.
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Building a family empire on Sint Eustatius
Building a family empire on Sint Eustatius
On the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Eustatius, a family consisting of a mother and her two sons are having a discussion at her home. If you are privy to their conversation, you would undoubtedly believe that a meeting at corporate headquarters was in session, with the President and CEO being Carol Cuvalay, and the two gentlemen sitting at her right and left at the dinner table – their boardroom – her two illustrious Vice Presidents.
Meet Carol Cuvalay, a strong, independent woman and active social worker in her private life, whose aptitude for networking and event planning always drives her to seek out influential persons to visit Sint Eustatius for the sole purpose of motivating and inspiring children, families and the community. Her outward attempts to empower others is a reflection of what takes place within her inner circle. She is the head of a family empire that is slowly being built on Sint Eustatius and has worked hard to nurture her sons who are now considered to be stellar role models in the community, and young entrepreneurs of note on this Dutch Caribbean island.
At the age of 11, Carol left Sint Eustatius to attend school on Sint Maarten, then on to Aruba. At the age of 17 she traveled to the Netherlands. She remained there after school, started a family and was blessed with two sons, the older, Ulyssese (now 29) and the younger Giuliano (now 26). However, her homeland Sint Eustatius beckoned, and she returned in 2000 intending to make a difference and contribute to the growth and improvement of her community. Her sons soon followed after they completed school, and the three minds are now constantly churning with business ideas, not only to benefit themselves, but to make positive contributions to their island. Carol wants to give to her community in a meaningful way and the creativity, discipline and cohesiveness that the trio brings to the table produces tangible results.
Carol’s older son Ulyssese is an IT professional, but he wished to explore something beyond the usual 9-to-5 job. He learned from his fiercely independent-minded mother that flexibility and economic independence were important. In 2015, his quest for something flexible, but sustainable, brought him to the fashion company, Opulence. Today, this is one of the successful businesses he runs with his mother and younger brother, Giuliano, who is an avid lover of videography and photography.
The Family Business
FeriBoyz
Their line of products that consists of beauty, fashion and health was introduced to Sint Eustatius with Carol being responsible for the sale of beauty and health products, while her sons concentrated on jewellery and fashion. The mother company, Opulence, headquartered in Canada, allow their partners to retail the products online or locally and host fashion, health and beauty parties. This venture has proved to be a very successful way to earn residual income and become financially free.
Twich Studio
This department is run by Giuliano better known as ‘Twich’. He started in the Netherlands filming music videos with his phone. When he was 21 years old, he purchased a camera, taking photos of the family wearing their FERI jewelry and fashion products to have realistic images for promotional use. His high quality of work caught the eye of people in the community and quite soon, his hobby was transformed into a business as increasingly, paid opportunities became available. Photography and videography services were being requested for musical events, corporate events, weddings, graduations, live-streaming of funerals and more. You can find his work here.
Kidz Korner Bouncy Castle and arcade games
Various events – government and private, especially birthday parties, seek out the in-demand bouncy castle and arcade games the family has brought to the island. Managed by Giuliano and Carol, these have become a staple at social gatherings whenever children are in attendance. It would not be possible, however, without the loyal support of their volunteer team.
Darkside Muzik Label
While at school in the Netherlands, Ulyssese better known as ‘Twizzle’ simultaneously juggled playing basketball (a sport he absolutely loves), music, and academics. Music eventually took precedence and his independent record label, Darkside Muzik, was born. Ulyssese is a singer – his genre, rap. You can find his music here. He manages this label and his studio resonates with music production for himself and others, almost daily. He also does graphic design, specifically album covers for clients and manages client’s social media accounts.
Farming
Ulyssese is the youngest farmer on Sint Eustatius and he’s creating quite a stir. Eating healthy is his passion and he views farming as a way to make quality, organic produce available and affordable to the people on the island. His mission is centered, not only on growing organic produce, but also on educating people about the benefits of healthy eating. No one else on the island in his age group has ventured into farming, so many people especially the older folks, have thrown their support behind him. The government too, has been closely observing his farming progress and in support have now granted him a piece of land. They are impressed with his ideas to seek ways to create a mentorship program, showing young people farming techniques, a very necessary initiative for the maintenance of a viable sustainable food system generations on the island can enjoy.
Carol is understandably proud. As a single mother, she raised her two sons to be respectful, considerate, independent and resourceful.
Theirs was a disciplined life with Ulyssese looking after his little brother after school, making sure homework was completed and other chores taken care of while mom was still at work. They knew they were not allowed to have friends visit when she was not at home, and they were also mindful that until all their school work was done, extra-curricular activities should not take place.
Even then at a young age, the boys were focused, and this persisted into adulthood. Ulyssese said, “My brother and I, we don’t hang out, or drop in to a friend’s house just to have fun and chill. We don’t have time to do that because for us, that is time wasted, every minute counts.” Giuliano, at 26, is full of wisdom. He said: “I think a lot has changed since social media came around. Growing up in the early 2000s there wasn’t social media, but the generation that I see now, they go to school, then rush home to social media, and their minds are all online now. And the sad thing is, anything they see on social media, they try to imitate. Back then, kids were not cursing and saying bad words. But now, if you look at the new version of this generation, these kids are screaming all kinds of bad words and stuff like that. So, it’s like the strictness that guided the younger generation has changed – a lot.”
With a matriarch of great caliber at the helm, and being taught from a tender age that it is fine to have big dreams because anything is possible, this family is now living that dream. So, what’s next for them? The response – continued meetings at the family dinner table to plan strategy, the pursuit of other dreams yet to be realized and providing Sint Eustatius’ residents with the tools to embrace sustainable, healthy lifestyles.
A sum of the manifestation of a mother’s vison for her sons.
“69 Red Flags – What Your Mother Never Told You”
The author’s enchanting personality seeps through each word, enveloping the reader in a blanket of charm, difficult to ignore. That charm is accompanied by wit and wisdom, carefully crafted to captivate, as one reads what can be described as a textbook of red flags every dating woman should have in their possession.
A strong, adventurous woman with an anthropological background, author, Raine Duske has managed to capture the attention of females around the world with her book titled, “69 Red Flags – what your mother never told you.” As women voraciously consume the book’s contents, rollicking with laughter when identifiable moments are described, it becomes evident that this is more than just a quick read. Admittedly, as each red flag is read and pages are avidly turned to get to the next red flag, then the next, chuckles soon turn into the somber realization that each point raised is deserving of more than a mere guffaw. This book is akin to a wise female companion, whose invisible presence must be attendant at every date and relationship a girlfriend attempts to step into.
Rainie Duske, a resident of Kelowna in Canada’s British Columbia, embarked on this red-flag documentation journey because, as she explained: “I am a mother, and I want my daughter, who has blossomed into a beautiful young woman, to be able to recognize some of the red flags maturing women encounter at different stages in her life.”
Many mothers can attest to sleepless nights spent worrying about the best way to talk to their daughters about relationships, impending or current. Some daughters may be entangled in relationships that are clearly unwise, yet attempts to talk them out of it oftentimes prove futile. Through this literary pursuit, Rainie aimed to bring dating red-flag tips not only to her daughter, but to all daughters and women who read her book.
A strong, adventurous woman with an anthropological background, author, Raine Duske has managed to capture the attention of females around the world with her book titled, “69 Red Flags – what your mother never told you.” As women voraciously consume the book’s contents, rollicking with laughter when identifiable moments are described, it becomes evident that this is more than just a quick read. Admittedly, as each red flag is read and pages are avidly turned to get to the next red flag, then the next, chuckles soon turn into the somber realization that each point raised is deserving of more than a mere guffaw. This book is akin to a wise female companion, whose invisible presence must be attendant at every date and relationship a girlfriend attempts to step into.
Advising with humor
Few people welcome unsolicited relationship advice, however, that equation changes when the delivery is subtle and laced with humour. Therein lies the cleverness of this book. Wisdom shared and advice given in a manner that many can relate to, and to those who can’t, at least they can laugh because there is a chuckle on every page. Admittedly, red flags in relationships will be interpreted differently based on each individual’s dating history and knowledge of the experiences of others, but “69 Red Flags – what your mother never told you” is not just another quick read. The book is wise and witty, clearly describing the relatable red flags that women should know. It is a text book and a handy addition to the purse, as important as a lady’s can-never-leave-home-without lipstick and other female tidbits.
What a man says and what a man really means
Rainie examines red flags that may rear its head at different stages of romantic relationships. She highlights the differences between what a man says and what a man really means. It is delivered as a mix of satire and sarcasm, but the insight is highly empowering for women. The author cleverly explores men’s actions and non-actions, juxtaposing both aspects to reveal the female interpretation of what he said which is not really what he meant – sorry, guys, but it’s usually very different.
The author does not claim the book to be a critique, but rather an inspection of different dating situations that some women across the globe may encounter. Nonetheless, the book does get a laugh out of male readers. Some men are able to humourously identify those red flags and see through the eyes of the female, the negative impression they may have once made, albeit unintentionally. And for the men with daughters, they may well say, “I’ll be having a chat with every boy who comes around my daughter, because I want to make sure he walks the perfect walk.”
Self-healing and empowerment
After reading the entire book and you reflect on its contents, it will become evident that the author meant to advise, yes, but she also intended the reader to come away empowered and healed. Certain red flags open the mind and invite you to look deeper into your dating situation, and if necessary, regain your power. Having now identified specific relationship nuances that may have previously being elusive, a woman can feel more confident and thereafter be one step closer to creating the life they desire.
“69 Red Flags – what your mother never told you.” is available on Amazon
