January 2018 - The Brick Magazine

Forget Overcoming: Embrace Your Business Challenges

Sarah Whitsett2018-03-27T19:41:36+00:00January 31st, 2018|Ann Arbor Interest, Career|

FROM ZERO TO $16 MILLION WITH TONI MORELL by Kristen Domingue Our conversation with Toni Morell, one of three Zingerman’s Mail Order managing partners, reminded us of the importance of not only following our passions but paying attention to where they intersect with our strengths. Morell oversees the managers running the day-by-day operations of this $16M business with 90 year-round staff and over 400 people during the holiday time. Here’s how she got started, and how she’s keeping it all going. FOLLOW YOUR BIG IDEA, EVEN IF IT’S HARD AT FIRST.People often ask, “When you got started, were you nervous?” The truth? I [...]

The Importance Of Self Care

Sarah Whitsett2018-03-27T19:41:44+00:00January 31st, 2018|Spirituality|

Today is a cold winter day. I’m curled up in my favorite blanket drinking herbal tea that my friend Megan lovingly created, letting my mind explore the topic of self-care. Some would say self-care is a form of self-love, where we consciously and intentionally honor ourselves — in a sense, shower ourselves with love. I feel such a tenderness to life after reading the above quote, like the love we would give to a newborn baby. “Do you stop to smell the roses? Are we gentle with life’s delicate balance? Do we honor the present state of being, and adore the beauty?” “Our [...]

Turn Your Family’s Vacation Into A Vacation Not A Torturous Trip

Sarah Whitsett2018-02-25T15:53:56+00:00January 31st, 2018|Parenting|

By Randi Rubenstein Recently, my family enjoyed a lush vacation in the Bahamas. The water was crystal-clear, the weather was similar to a perfect day in San Diego, and the adult naps were plentiful.The reason I’m referring to our Bahamian winter getaway as a vacation and not a trip is because my children are 19, 16 and 11. I’m joking! Well, sort of. I will share with you my top 3 best tips for enjoying your next out-of-town family getaway, even if you still have little people tugging on your leg 24/7.First of all, can we establish that there is a big difference [...]

Botox And Beyond

Sarah Whitsett2018-02-25T15:54:57+00:00January 31st, 2018|Health|

By Lisa Profera The New Year is well underway, and it’s now time to focus on you a bit more. I hope that the health tips I shared in my last two articles have helped you feel better on the inside. Now it’s time to take a look at the outer you. Aging happens to as us all, and as we age, not only does our skin lose collagen and elastin, but we also lose fat and bone structure. Our face is the first to show signs of aging. These factors, in addition to the effects of gravity, cause deflation and a diagonal [...]

Choco Immunity Elixer

Sarah Whitsett2018-02-25T15:56:15+00:00January 31st, 2018|Recipes|

I start every new day with an elixir of some sort. In winter, I love to cozy up with a warm mug and take some time for myself before the bustle of the day. It is part of my morning ritual. Having a slow-living, self-loving mindset while drinking it will only amplify the benefits. If you have a few minutes, create your own ritual; light some sage or palo santo, grab a journal and set some intentions for how you want your day to look, be and feel. Now, the key to a tasty and satisfying elixir is to mix protein, fat, superfoods, [...]

Sweet Potato Toast

Sarah Whitsett2018-01-31T15:51:21+00:00January 31st, 2018|Recipes|

Sweet Potato Toast (savory, spicy and sweet) Serves: 2 • Total time: 35 minutes (cook time: 30 minutes) INGREDIENTS: 1 sweet potato Avocado oil (or other cooking oil) Sea salt TOPPING IDEAS: Cucumber, smoked salmon, capers, a pinch of coarse sea salt. Avocado, local kimchi from the Brinery, a pinch of coarse sea salt. Almond butter, banana, and cacao nibs, a pinch of coarse sea salt. INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Wash and dry your sweet potato. With skin on, slice sweet potato lengthwise about ¼ inch each. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and lightly coat both sides with oil.Bake [...]

Root Veggie Egg Nests

Sarah Whitsett2018-02-25T15:59:13+00:00January 31st, 2018|Recipes|

By Lisa Nogueria It’s time to check in on your New Year’s goals. It is widely known that by mid-February, most people have given up on the intentions and resolutions they set for the new year. It doesn’t have to be this way, does it? Perhaps we need to change how we are looking at these goals and find a sustainable way to continue. Is our goal too big or broad or overwhelming? We want to eat healthier, fuel ourselves with nutritious foods and promote health, but where do we start? Let’s look at every morning as a new beginning; a fresh slate [...]

Winter Hair Woes

Sarah Whitsett2018-01-31T15:21:33+00:00January 31st, 2018|Hair|

by Ryan Brooks We finally hit winter weather, and it is brutally cold. What happens to our hair? Dryness, frizz, static, a lackluster look — the list could go on and on. Certain treatments can easily fight these winter hair woes. Finding the right one for your hair can be a challenge. There are so many on the market, from treatment shampoos, hair oils, in-salon treatments, to hair masques. It’s difficult to determine which will meet your budget and needs.Let’s start with shampoos and conditioners, the first step to great hair. I’ll begin by saying that most clients are cut-and-color clients, and this [...]

Stay Cool Not Cold

Sarah Whitsett2018-01-31T15:10:12+00:00January 31st, 2018|Fashion|

Easy Tricks To Stay Fashionable Through The Freeze by Angela Harrison The festivities of 2017 have long dissipated, and with them went our will to conjure fun and interesting outfits. It’s hard to turn runway into every day at this point in the winter season, especially when you feel more like a delirious Kathy Bates in Misery than a radiant Elsa from Frozen. And while it’s enticing to try and remedy the cold by showing up to work in a belted comforter, there are still super easy ways to look good, feel good, and stay warm. The easiest way to boost your winter [...]

Woman On The Street: Adventures In Fertility

Sarah Whitsett2018-02-25T16:37:12+00:00January 31st, 2018|Health, Inspirational, Parenting|

Years ago, on a road trip across northern Wisconsin, I asked my 80-year-old grandma Anita how old she felt.“Thirty-seven,” she said, without missing a beat. This was my first clue that our chronological age doesn’t always match how we feel on the inside. I write this as a woman who, along with her husband, is in Baby-Making Mode in her early forties. In other words: We’ve used an app to track ovulation. We’ve timed sex for days 10-16 of my cycle. We’ve injected my belly with hormones. We’ve had him make his fatherly deposit in a plastic cup, take it to the doctor’s [...]

Journey Of A Lifetime

Sarah Whitsett2018-02-25T16:02:43+00:00January 31st, 2018|Relationships|

Have you ever considered how relationships offer us endless opportunities to travel extensively, experiencing inner and outer landscapes far beyond what we can even imagine at the onset? Connecting with another human being, regardless of whether they are new to us or known, has one instantly embarking on roads that can be smooth, exciting, and richly meaningful, or bumpy, filled with potholes, detours, and unexpected turns.A challenge we often face navigating the world at large, as well as the world of relationships, is that of managing expectations. When sight-seeing while traveling, for instance, if you can keep expectations at bay, you are more [...]

Real Change Happens In Real Relationships

Sarah Whitsett2018-01-31T14:44:48+00:00January 31st, 2018|Ann Arbor Interest, Inspirational, Relationships|

How One Woman is Changing Her Community from Her Corporate Desk by Kristen Domingue When we spoke to Praveena Ramaswami, lead of Community Relations at Toyota Motor North America Research & Development, we gained deeper insight into something you likely already know: relationships are everything. As Ramaswami, a super connector, “followed her bliss” — helping people and improving her community — she moved from a role with Toyota to a role as a community leader while she focused on raising her daughters, and then back into a role within Toyota that allows her to serve her community even more. Here’s how she did [...]