Jeunesse Global Helps Customers Reach Health and Beauty Goals

Jeunesse Global Helps Customers Reach Health and Beauty Goals

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Jeunesse Global has risen from obscurity to become one of the top-selling health and beauty brands in the country today. The company was founded in 2009 by industry pioneers Randy Ray and Wendy Lewis as a means to pass their idle time in retirement. Little did the veteran entrepreneurs know that they would soon be sitting atop a global health and beauty empire that would be putting up a strong fight against some of the most established names in the business.

Ray and Lewis had both spent their entire lives in the field of direct-selling, founding some of the top companies in the industry. As they neared their 70s, the innately industrious couple decided to take a crack at retirement. They wanted to spend more time with each other and with their growing number of grandchildren. However, neither Ray nor Lewis had anticipated exactly how much of a change it would be to go from the fast-paced and exciting world of running their own business to one of having little or nothing to do.

It quickly became apparent that Ray and Lewis needed something more than days of sitting around and watching television to keep them satisfied. They were born to be entrepreneurs. So, the couple founded a small startup out of their garage that they named Jeunesse. Before long, Jeunesse started taking to the skies.

With Ray’s innate ability to sell both the business plan and the company’s products and Lewis’ decades of experience developing cutting-edge products across many different industries, the couple was able to quickly start growing Jeunesse Global at an exponential pace. By the end of the company’s first year, it had already done more than $1 million in sales. By its fifth year, Jeunesse Global was doing business in dozens of countries, with its products being sold by thousands of independent Jeunesse Global business owners and millions of customers worldwide.

And all of this success has been the product of the company’s dynamite compensation plan and its ability to field some of the best products that the global health and beauty industry has ever seen. Ray and Lewis were able to quickly spot underserved market niches for which they developed cutting-edge, highly effective products.

One example of this has been the company’s micro-crème and anti-aging formula, Instantly Ageless. Instantly Ageless is a deep-cleansing micro-crème that eliminates close to 100 percent of the grime and dirt that gets into the skin’s pores. This prevents the formation of blemishes due to irritation and infection. Instantly Ageless can keep users’ complexions clean and blemish-free, giving a healthy and youthful glow to the skin with just a single application each day.

But the real secret behind Instantly Ageless is the fact that it contains Jeunesse Global’s secret anti-aging formula, APT-200. APT-200 was developed on behalf of Jeunesse Global by some of the leading organic chemists and anti-aging product developers in the world. The molecule has been shown to reduce the incidence of wrinkles while also preventing new ones from forming. Instantly Ageless is also able to restore skin elasticity that has been naturally lost to the aging process. All told, Instantly Ageless is able to wipe years off of a user’s apparent age, helping people to look and feel their best in just a couple of minutes per day.

What to Consider Before Hiring a Celebrity Influencer

What to Consider Before Hiring a Celebrity Influencer

By admin on

Content marketing and social media platforms are very important tools when it comes to reaching customers or a mass audience. This is especially important for those in competitive industries trying to break through and command consumer attention.

Social media is one of the most effective marketing platforms, as almost every consumer you could want to target is active on at least one of the many platforms. Whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat, using the leverage of a celebrity influencer is a great way to place your business in front of a large audience, attracting them and then converting them into customers.

Celebrities often have large and loyal followings, and when they introduce your offer to their following the trust is already established. Their followers immediately trust your brand because of the celebrity introduction. This strategy can be wildly effective, however, there are certain factors that you need to consider before hiring a celebrity influencer for your business.

The number of followers.

The first thing that you need to consider is the number of followers the celebrity influencer has. The more followers your influencer has, the more people that will potentially be exposed to your brand and offer.

“While followers don’t automatically translate into sales, it’s a good idea to target celebrities with a decent amount, as the cost will typically be high, so you want to get the most out of your budget,” offers Darryl Howard of NuWays MD.

You also want to do a little audit of their followers, and make sure they align with your offer. Large numbers alone won’t help. You need to make sure their audience is one that will be interested in what you offer. For example, a fitness celebrity’s followers aren’t going to be interested in a candy brand. Target larger audiences based on audience and not just sheer numbers alone.

Celebrity status.

The status of the celebrity is also a huge factor that needs to be taken into consideration. For instance, a celebrity that has a strong online presence will have more influence on the audience that one that isn’t highly active online. To put it in other words, a celebrity that interacts more on an online platform will be able to generate more value-packed influence on his or her followers than a celebrity who is not that active online.

So, if you are planning to hire a celebrity influencer you need to make sure that he or she has a strong online presence to go along with a great number of followers — that is the only combination that will benefit your business.

The type of content they post.

Another thing that needs to be considered is the kind of posts usually posted by a potential influencer. “Remember, an influencer that you hire is representing your brand. If they have questionable or controversial content on their account it can reflect poorly on your company by association. Spend time to really make sure their content suits your brand’s message,” says Jake Braun of ChopperExchange.

When you look at a celebrity like The Rock, you know that his message is always positive. He is never in trouble and doesn’t post content that is offensive and rude. A comedian, on the other hand, might have video clips or posts with foul language that your brand would not want to be linked to.

Social media outlet.

Each brand or business needs to have a good understanding of what social media platforms their target audience is most active on. “A company that is targeting senior citizens, for example, wouldn’t want to hire a large Snapchat celebrity, as their audience doesn’t use that platform. Know where your audience is active, and then find celebrities that dominate those platforms,” suggests Optimally Organic’s CEO, Christopher VanDeCar.

So, if you are planning to hire a celebrity influencer you first need to make sure that he or she caters to that particular social media platform. Otherwise, there is no point hiring that particular influencer for your business, as there will be little to no return.

Audience engagement.

You want to target influencers that have high engagement rates in terms of likes and comments, but you also want to look for those that actually engage back with their following.

“You could do well by having a large account post about your product, but if you work with an influencer that will drop back into the comments and engage with the audience on sponsored posts, it will cause much more engagement, and thus more exposure for your business,” says Luqman Khan, founder of best water dispenser 2018 review company Wireloo.

A good celebrity influencer not only puts up quality posts, but he or she also interacts with the audience. Regular interaction means that they are likely to pay more attention to your posts.

The RealReal Is Fulfilling A Niche Market In Luxury Goods

The RealReal Is Fulfilling A Niche Market In Luxury Goods

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What do you think of consigned items for sale? You might think of electronics or specific brands of clothing being sold at a thrift store. Does luxury goods come to mind? It probably does not.

A new startup called The RealReal is changing the way people view consignment and luxury goods. This company is not only changing how people see consignment and luxury items but how people shop for them as well. This novel idea is now allowing people to snap up luxury brands such as Luis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel and many more at a fraction of their original prices.

People who want luxury but don’t want to pay the high costs of a new item now have an entire marketplace of consigned luxury goods to choose from. The RealReal has almost anything and everything you can think of. You can buy pants and leather goods for men. For women, there are dresses, swimsuits, handbags, purses, jewelry, boots, sandals, shirts and much more to purchase.

Most shoppers at RealReal are women, though men do make up a significant market segment as well. The founder of the luxury consignment market says that while men purchase less of the goods, they return their items much less frequently. In the end, she says it evens out. The success of this concept no doubt points to the fact that there is a strong demand for used luxury goods at bargain prices when compared to their original selling prices.

Strong sales have led to investors pouring in hundreds of millions of dollars into the venture. The luxury consignment store recently raised an additional 50 million dollars in funding. This was an investment by Great Hill Partners.

It is interesting that many of the people that sell their used luxury brand clothing or accessories are also buyers. Founder Julie Wainwright says that this helps keep a steady flow of inventory for the company. Many of the buyers are also repeat buyers. This is why her company has been able to not only survive but thrive in this niche luxury market.

Many people are hopping onto RealReal’s bandwagon either as buyers or sellers. For sellers, it is an easy way to make money off luxury items they may no longer need or want. For the buyer, the lure of buying a luxury item at a relatively low price is an irresistible lure. After all, it is not like you see luxury items for sale at inexpensive prices at every used clothing store, pawnshop or Goodwill.

RealReal is mostly an online or e-commerce operation. Most of the sales are made online. Their website has a massive amount of items available for purchase that can change daily.

A pop-up store in Manhattan for a few weeks did so well that Julie Wainwright said that she decided to open up a brick and mortar store in SoHo. That store offers a wide selection of used luxury items for sale. It is profitable and attracts thousands of shoppers who enjoy perusing the great variety of clothing and accessories available at the store. Wainwright said that men also accounted for about a third of the buyers at the SoHo brick and mortar store. Women dominate the online sales.

The success of the RealReal consignment store can be traced to its bargain prices and guarantee of authenticity. Experts authenticate every item. People who want to sell their brand name item must bring it to one of many RealReal offices where an expert looks at it. If it passes the test, then it will be listed for sale or displayed at its brick and mortar store. Authenticity, a clever online platform, and great prices are the secret to RealReal’s success in the secondhand luxury goods market.

Breaking LGBTQ Stereotypes One Book at a Time

Breaking LGBTQ Stereotypes One Book at a Time

By DD on

Spirited, fun and always a joy to talk with, we sat down with Nanishka Torres, author of The Prince.

Nanishka was inspired to write The Prince when she noticed a lack of positive LGBTQ books in the literary world. She felt it necessary to write a love story between two men that did not focus on their coming to terms with their sexuality. She wanted a story that showed the love between men with conflicts coming from other sources other than their sexual orientation.

The Prince is a fantasy novel that takes place in a kingdom called Finrir. Prince Callum is loved by his people and rules his kingdom with peace and justice. Lorkan, Prince Callum’s partner, is kidnapped by a radical religious group and the story unfolds.

Q. If you could give your book to one celebrity, who would it be and why?

A. Humorously, I’ve already given my book to a celebrity: Sebastian Stan. I based the character of Lorkan on Sebastian Stan. He is such a kindhearted person, as well as a person with conviction, and I kept him in mind as I wrote Lorkan.

Q. If you could give your book to one singer/musician, who would it be and why?

A. I would give The Prince to Henry Jackman. He composed the soundtracks to “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Captain America: Civil War”, and I absolutely love the way he supports the story with his compositions. I would love to hear what music comes to his mind while reading the book.

Q. If your book was turned into a film/TV show, who would you tap to play the lead(s)? Why?

A. Sebastian Stan to play Lorkan, of course. I also had James McAvoy in my mind as I wrote Rhett Ryckoff, and he would portray him magnificently. Jesse Williams or Aubrey Joseph (when he’s holder) would both be perfect as Callum, and Gabrielle Union is my ideal Queen Thestera.

Q. What is the core message you want to deliver to the world through your writing/books/stories?

A. The core message is that we will all do just about anything for those we love. I wanted to portray the love shared among these characters at equal levels to emphasize that we all love the same: gay, straight, bisexual, male, female, non-binary, trans, whatever, love is universal and has no boundaries. It isn’t more powerful when between a heterosexual couple than a homosexual one. It isn’t more powerful between romantic love than familial love or friendship love.

Q. Recommend a book from another author. Why should people read this book?

A. I just finished “Beat the Reaper” by Josh Bazell. It’s a really fun read with a main character you like straight from the beginning. I also recommend “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” by Seth Grahame-Smith. I absolutely love how well he wove history with fantasy, making all of the supernatural elements sound plausible.

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers

Q. Star Wars or Star Trek?

A. Star Wars

Q. Guardians of the Galaxy or X-Men?

A. X-Men

Q. Kittens or puppies?

A. Puppies

Q. Ninja or pirates?

A. Ninja

Q. Reading or writing?

A. Writing

Q. Marvel or DC?

A. Marvel

Q. Coachella or Broadway?

A. Broadway

Q. The ability to fly or mind reading?

A. Ability to fly

Q. Miley or Selena?

A. Miley

Q. E.L. James or J.K. Rowling?

A. J.K. Rowling

Q. Meat or Veggies?

A. Meat

Order a copy on Amazon

How to Make Your Event Successful

How to Make Your Event Successful

By admin on

How do take your event marketing to the next level by generating the necessary hype? Let’s start with the details as the first step in how to make an event successful.

Delegate the Details

This one should go right alongside your written event plan. When deciding the details of your small business event, also choose who will be accountable for each. It’s easy, as small business managers, to give yourself a lot of responsibility. But you’re going to be busy looking after your business, so don’t burden yourself with way too many event details.

Delegating is often as not as easy or as simple as hiring someone to help – an event planner, a caterer, someone who has knowledge and experience about these events. If that’s not in the budget, you can still assign details from your plan to employees or volunteers. Holding an event to boost business doesn’t have to bring your business to a halt – divide the details, delegate them and keep everyone in the loop with regular communication.

Venue

This is more than likely going to be one of the major costs of your overall budget and there are many things to think about when picking a venue. Is a purpose built venue compulsory or could deliberation be given to a neutral space, such as a warehouse or outdoor marquee, which could be done up?  Or perhaps an unusual, outdoor venue would be better? Some of the key problems to think about include cost and service delivery; what are the hidden costs such as, stewarding, traffic marshals, first aid provision, furniture, electrical supply and most importantly the catering? There are frequent venue sourcing agencies that can help you find the perfect venue and negotiate the best rates.

Hire someone famous

It is important that you look in to getting someone who is recognisable to all to speak at your event in order to make people want to come to your event. If your event is about business, you may want to talk to Karen Brady agent, or sports events you might think about getting a sports personality to talk. Celebrities will make your event seem high-class and important and will definitely make more people want to come to your event.

Get Social

Social media has become top dog when it comes to event promotion. With over a billion accounts on Facebook and more and more people entering the social media space everyday it would be unwise to ignore it. Automated social media campaigns are great for planned content. You need to keep in contact with your followers, answering questions and staying on top of comments. You can even post videos of the event and guest speakers.

While using social media platforms, don’t miss out on Twitter. It is a tremendously powerful tool, which will let you add a widget. This will show everyone that people are talking about your event. You then can have a prior idea about the number of people that your event is likely to attract. Social media can be a fantastic tool when it comes to marketing. And it holds true for your event as well. When you are looking for more people to come to the event, you should use social media in the best possible manner to get maximum returns.

Develop a budget

This will provide you with a financial blueprint for the event. The budget should be specific, and include revenue opportunities (sponsorship, ticket sales, donations, etc.) as well as expenses such as printing, permits, insurance, speakers, food, supplies and security. Maintain good records, keeping track of all income and expenses. Also, expect the unexpected, extra expenses will come up — so plan ahead.

Big Brother Season 20 Brings On A Life Coach

Big Brother Season 20 Brings On A Life Coach

By admin on

One of the original reality TV shows, Big Brother, is back for an all new Season 20. With it’s new cast in place, one of them is a life coach and this could be must see TV.

Life coaches are notorious for making people feel uncomfortable in the same way therapists do because they have the ability to deeply psychoanalyze individuals and see through their facade.

Some of the other contestants include a life guard, stay at home mom, a medical sales rep, a female football player, a former undercover police man, a fitness model, a Vegas entertainer, and a substitute teacher.

These reality shows are all about mixing personalities that cause friction where everyone gets on each others nerves to create havoc for our entertainment. The life coach selection is the one that seems like an interesting ingredient in the mix.

Will she try to fix everyone’s life?

Or will she just observe and commentate as everyone else implodes on each other?

Will she be the antagonist or the protagonist?

Only time will tell.

But the one thing that is certain is that she will make the show more interesting to watch since she will provide an analytical lens into the dynamics displayed by the others.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the show, Big Brother is a television reality game show based on an originally Dutch TV series of the same name created by producer John de Mol in 1997. The series follows a diverse group of contestants, known as HouseGuests, who are living together in a custom-built home under constant surveillance. The HouseGuests are completely isolated from the outside world and can have no communication with those not in the house. The contestants are competing for a $500,000 grand prize, with weekly competitions and evictions determining who will win the show.

This show came out before the other hit reality TV show Survivor and its premise was based upon Big Brother.

Empowering Women to Rise-Up

Empowering Women to Rise-Up

By DD on

A one-on-on with Raye Mitchell, author of How Women Negotiate From a Position of Strength.

Raye Mitchell, author How Women Negotiate From a Position of Strength, is on a mission to inspire women.  Mitchell is committed to helping women, particularly, young black women and girls, assert their power and better themselves.  For far too long the voices of women have been muted, their stories ignored, and their experiences dismissed.  Mitchell wants to help women find peace and common ground based on mutual respect and equality.

How Women Negotiate From a Position of Strength is an easy to follow, quick read. Complete with a step-by-step guide and an interactive work journal so the reader can instantly begin to blend thoughts and observations into an accountability plan with the insights captured in the book.

The book focuses on how to enhance negotiations with personal branding. Whether you are a woman making a decision early in your career, a mid-level manager, or a rising executive, How Women Negotiate From a Position of Strength helps you to master your rise-up in leadership.

Raye Mitchell inspired us, making us wanting to learn more.

 

Q. Why should people read your books?

A. I write about useable knowledge drawn from our common experiences as women, women of color and Black women.

Q. What is the core message you want to deliver to the world?

A. We are connected by our ability to build peace, find equality and be prepared to overcome set-backs and disappointments.

Q. What advice do you have for young black women and girls?

A. You are highly regarded, above average and brilliant contributing leaders designing a more better human condition of excellence. To beat the odds, be agile, be fair and be prepared to build bridges outside your comfort zones.

Q. What was the most rewarding part of doing what you do?

A. I love the prospects of helping someone get unstuck, breakdown barriers and personal obstacles to their personal success. I am a champion for hope and opportunity for all.

Q. Recommend a book from another author. Why should people read this book?

A. Standing Up After Saigon: The Triumphant Story of Hope, Determination, and Reinvention. Sharon Orlopp and Thuhang Tran.

This book inspires us all to hold on to what makes America work-diversity, inclusion, empathy and respect and not division, separation and isolation.

 

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers

Q.  Meat or Veggies?

A. Veggies

Q. The beach or the mountains?

A. BEACH

Q. Formal attire or yoga pants and a hoodie?

A. Yoga Pants

Q. Kittens or puppies?

A. Puppies

Q. Ninja or pirates?

A. Ninja

Q. Coachella or Broadway?

A. Broadway

Q. Selfie or group photo?

A. Selfie

Q. Alice in Wonderland or Lord of the Flies?

A. Alice in Wonderland

Q. Beyonce or Selena?

A. Beyonce

Q. Hardcover book or Kindle?

A. Hardcover book

Order your copy now on Amazon

Steampunk is all the Rage

Steampunk is all the Rage

By DD on

Gabbing with author Laurel Anne Hill about her steampunk novel, The Engine Woman’s Light

Laurel Anne Hill is the author of the award-winning steampunk novel, The Engine Woman’s Light. The story is set in an alternate 19th century California where steampunk and spirits are the new norm. A young Latina spiritualist is given a mission by her ancestors to save the lives of unwanted passangers on a train headed for misery.  Mysticism and adventure, the alternate reality of the novel incorporates Mexican and Native American cultures with steampunk enchantment.

 

Laurel drew inspiration for the novel from her own love for family, brushes with death, and belief in a higher power.  Step onboard the locomotive as we gab with the author of this exciting tale.

 

Q. What is something interesting/cool/unbelievable you discovered while researching your book?

A. I learned that my paternal Mexican great-grandmother, Hipolita Orendein de Medina, had been politically active, even in her teens. I also learned how to run a steam locomotive.

Q. Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?

A. I’m not sure about classical ghosts, but there are spirits out there. The spirit of my deceased husband, David, has made himself known to me upon a number of occasions.

Q. If your book was turned into a film/TV show, who would you tap to play the lead(s)? Why?

A. Hollywood isn’t known for its plethora of young Latina stars. Can anyone figure out how to call up the spirit of Selena Quintanilla-Perez? She might have some suggestions.

Q. Tell us something about you that no one else knows.

A. As a young child, I used to torture ants when they invaded the bathroom. Then I’d cry and apologize to their dead bodies.

Q. What is something you’ve always wanted to try but are afraid to?

A. For many years, I wanted to try sky diving. Fortunately, I grew out of the impulse before I grasped the opportunity to break every bone in my body.

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Star Wars

The beach or the mountains?

The beach

Marvel or DC?

Marvel

Zombies or aliens?

Aliens

Alice in Wonderland or Harry Potter?

Harry Potter

London or Istanbul?

London

Selfie or group photo?

Group Photo

Kanye West or Taylor Swift?

May I ignore both of them?

Evening gown or yoga pants and a hoodie?

Evening gown

Cats or dogs?

Dogs

Find your copy of The Engine Woman’s Light on Amazon. 

America, Land of the Time Travelers?

America, Land of the Time Travelers?

By DD on

An insight into the motivation behind the all-American book, Journeyman.

Mark Rose, author of Journeyman, has a fascination with the challenges humanity faces as technology rapidly evolves and interacts with science and society.  Rose goes back to a simpler time – colonial America – to take a look at America’s beginnings and the people who helped build our nation. During a tumultuous time in present-day American politics, Journeyman paints a refreshingly optimistic picture of America’s future using the colors of its past. Just in time for the 4th of July!

Mark Rose is the author of the new series Matt Miller in the Colonies. Journeyman, book one of the two book series, tells the tale of a 21st century man who time travels to colonial America only to find himself trapped, unable to return home. Now he must learn the skills required to survive in the new world as he gains the trust and friendship of his colonial brethren.

 

Q. Your genre, time travel/sci-fi, is popular right now, why do you think that is?

A. We are all fascinated with having the power to travel back in time and fix our mistakes, or to know the future so that we can prepare. Humans are the only creatures on the planet that sense time. As a scientist, I believe there is more to time than just its tendency to pass, and that our minds are just on the very edge of comprehending this other dimension. When humans sense that something is possible, they usually find a way to make it happen. We will eventually master time travel because we’re motivated by a deep emotional need. Until then, we’ll live our time-travel fantasies through good stories.

 

Q.  What is something interesting/cool/unbelievable you discovered while researching your book?

A. There are a number of phrases that we use today that have their origin in colonial times. One example is the phrase “saved by the bell.” I always thought this had something to do with modern boxing, but it actually comes from the fact that people were sometimes accidently buried alive in the eighteenth century. Because of this, they began tying a string to people’s wrists before they were buried and they would run the string to a bell on the ground of the cemetery. If you woke up in your coffin and pulled the string, you were known as a “dead ringer.” The people they hired to sit in the cemetery and listen for ringing bells worked the “graveyard shift.” Their job, then, would be to dig you up as quickly as possible. That’s cool stuff.

 

Q. What is the core message you want to deliver to the world through your writing/books/stories?

A. I want people to resist the temptation to try to judge colonial Americans based on the standards of today. These were good people and they were very progressive for their time in history. Colonial Americans created a system of government that hasn’t been fundamentally improved since the writing of the Constitution in 1787. Granted, it took a while for us to realize their dream of equal rights for everyone and we may still not be there, but that shouldn’t detract from their legacy. The United States has pulled more people out of poverty and tyranny than any society in the history of the world, and we owe it all to colonial America. Our first feeling towards our founders should be awe, plain and simple.

 

Q. What book haven’t you read that you know you must?

A. I’m halfway through “Crime and Punishment.” I set it down and never finished. Also, I bought a copy of “The Origins and History of Consciousness” by Erich Neumann. He was a student of Carl Jung. I’m hoping both books will help me sort out human emotion and motivation. I’d like to use this information in my writing as well as a way to help me understand the increasing negativity in US politics. We live in the greatest society the world has ever seen and have historically low poverty rates, yet it feels like we’ve become more and more miserable. What does it take for a society to be optimistic and happy?

 

Q. What advice do you have for other writers?

A. 1. Plan a time to write and then sit there and write, whether you feel like it or not. I’ve heard a number of successful writers say that they’ve done their best work in those times when they have felt the least inspired.

 

  1. There is no good writing, only good rewriting. It’s a lot more fun, too.

 

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers

Q. Guardians of the Galaxy or XMen?

A. Guardians of the Galaxy

Q. The beach or the mountains?

A. Mountains

Q. Zombies or aliens?

A. Zombies

Q. Sponge Bob Square Pants or Bugs Bunny?

A. Bugs Bunny

Q. Coachella or Broadway?

A. Coachella

Q. Chess or Candy Crush?

A. Chess

Q. Invisibility or mind reading?

A. Invisibility

Q. London or Istanbul?

A. London

Q. Hippies or hipsters?

A. Hippies

Q. Reading or writing?

A. Writing

Bringing awareness to Mental Illness, One Laugh at a Time

Bringing awareness to Mental Illness, One Laugh at a Time

By DD on

A Chat with Laurie Finkelstein, Author of Next Therapist Please

Next Therapist Please was inspired by author Laurie Finkelstein’s real-life events and struggles. Laurie weaves her personal experiences with mental illness into her hilarious, sidesplitting story. Grab a cocktail and enjoy this one-on-one chat with Laurie.

The novel tells the story of Janie, a free spirit and endearing main character who marches to the beat of her own drum. Janie has passed through so many therapist offices she cannot keep track, so she has started referring to each therapist by number. While some have helped Janie, others were duds. Janie recalls her experiences with a cocktail in one hand and a paint brush in the other.

Awesome fact about Laurie: She is so passionate about bringing awareness to mental illness, that she donates 10% of each book sale to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

 

Q: If you could give your book to one celebrity, who would it be and why?

A: Ellen DeGeneres. She would love the book and want to bring me on as a guest to talk about breaking the stigma of mental health one laugh at a time. All audience members would receive the book, and Ellen would bring out a big check donation to NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness. I donate 10% of my sales of Next Therapist Please to NAMI. With the rash of celebrity suicides it is essential we reach as many people as possible to give a message of hope.

Q: What advice would you give to Janie in your book and why?

A: Embrace and love herself for who she is despite her challenges. To be gentle and kind with her when depression or anxiety intrudes her day. Janie needs to know her mental illness does not make her less of a person. Learn and practice mindfulness, which will help manage her illnesses more effectively. I need to take that advice LOL!

Q: If your book were turned into a film/TV show, whom would you tap to play Janie? Why?

A: Leslie Mann is my ideal Janie. She has great comedic timing and plays tragedy really well. Love her voice and look.

Q: What three books are on your To Be Read list this summer?

A: LOL – that’s like choosing your three favorite Jelly Belly combinations. Checked by Jennifer Jamelli, Hypnotic Seduction by L.L. Kellogg, and Baker’s Dozen by Autumn Doerr are three of many.

Q: What is the core message you want to deliver to the world through your writing/books/stories?

A: I want to champion the underdogs, the leftovers. I want to be an example of successful living with mental illness in all its messy roadblocks and detours. I want to help people talk about mental illness openly and freely. I want to raise awareness and money for research and treatment of the mentally ill.

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers

Q: Guardians of the Galaxy or XMen?

A: XMen

Q: Meat or Veggies?

A: Veggies

Q: The beach or the mountains?

A: Beach

Q: Kittens or puppies?

A: Kittens

Q: Ninja or pirates?

A: Pirates

Q: Selfie or group photo?

A: Group Photo

Q: E.L. James or J.K. Rowling?

A: J.K. Rowling

Q: London or Istanbul?

A: London

Q: Hippies or hipsters?

A: Hippies

Q: Miley or Selena?

A: Selena

Want more? Grab the novel on Amazon!