maneandchic on tumblr

Ladies, I started a Tumblr at http://maneandchic.tumblr.com/. It's a much easier way for you to view Curl Spotter" and all the "Curls To Know" features. Check it out.

The Summer Issue 2011

I am creating a new situation: a more polished version of Mane and Chic and I'll probably keep Mane and Chic as a personal blog. I haven't really decided the logistics of it all, but it's happening NOW.

I know that there are some major areas I want to cover:

High Texture Hair (duh), but not super technical information... more aesthetic features and original imagery like innovative, but wearable hair styles and hair accessories.

Makeup/Beauty/Body - Cool new stuff and techniques and tips, but presented in a new way.

Lifestyle Design/Self Evolution - all the stuff I discuss in the "Evolve" feature. Life changing stuff that really matters in people's lives... no fluff.

Interior Design/Home Design: Cool stuff for your house, cool interior designers and generally cool spaces.

Wardrobe Building/Self-Styling/Worked: fashion features that show you how to work the hell out of a trend. Right now I'm obsessed with midi skirts so don't be surprised if you see that!

I want to create timelessness. I DO NOT want advertisers, gossip, negativity, fluff, meaningless content. I want the project to be fully supported by the true fans. That said, I'm pretty clear on what my true fans want, but I'm giving you the opportunity to sound off. Tell me what you really want to see in the Summer 2011 release of my unnamed project. Shoot me an e-mail or leave your thoughts in the comments.

Best,

Kai

Poll: Student Loan Crowdfunding?

I read this book a couple
of years ago. It was helpful.

So the other day, I had this idea to start a website for crowdfunding student loan debt? Kai, you have a lot of ideas. I can't keep up every week it's something new. Yeah, I know, but just listen. I'm sorry. I get a lot of ideas.

Ok so I have a lot of student loans. Why? I don't know. I knew a lot about money and investing before I took out the loans, yet I still managed to do the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life: take out more student loans than I needed. Reading all these books that I'm reading has made me see that all of this happened for a reason. I put myself in this situation for whatever reason. I think it's to make sure other people don't make the same mistakes and for people that already have, I want to help them. Don't you need to help yourself first? Yeah, I do. I'm doing that.

So have you heard of the Website Kickstarter.com? It's a cool crowdfunding website that allows normal people like you and me to broadcast their dreams and ask for funding from other normal everyday people. People donate the money. Yes, just totally give it away, no loans, no grants, just giving. I'm always on there. It's one of my favorite sites — ever! I love knowing that my little $1 or $10 donation is helping to make someone's dream come true. It's all kinds of cool exploring new coffee table books, new lingerie designers, new dress designers and the list goes on. Russell Simmons said, "If you are a good giver, you will be great getter". I so believe that. My grandmother always taught me that whatever you give will come back to you... maybe not from the same person you gave it to, but you get it back.

So, inspired by KickStarter, I came up with this idea for crowdfunding student loan debt? I said on Twitter this weekend that so many young people are plagued by student loans and it sucks because if we didn't have student loans to pay off we could better contribute to society and the economy. What if there were a Website where hundreds of thousands of people (maybe even millions of people could go to help other normal people to pay down their student loans? Would you donate? Would it have to be tax-deductible for you to want to help?

Did you know that Americans have accumulated well over $900 billion in student loan debt? That's higher than the total amount of credit card debt in the United States. It's really ridiculous and there really is no help for middle class educated people. There's so many resources for the poor and of course we need that, but if these normal, educated middle class people were free of their educational debt, there would be more people willing and able to help the truly less fortunate. Right? Yes, you have your own student loans to pay off, but what if you knew that $10 you donated to help someone else along with the $10 donations of 9900 other people could help pay off someone's $100,000 student loan in one day. What if you knew that that person was so grateful for no longer being strapped with debt, that they began to donate 10% of their income back into the Website to help others, thus causing a domino effect.

There are so many amazing organizations to help children, animals, the poor, the arts and libraries, but what about normal middle class people that are really struggling to make ends meet or working at jobs they hate just to pay back student loans?

So, my questions to you is...

(please participate in the poll)

The 4-Hour Workweek

For the past two weeks, I've been reading The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss. It's one of those books that I'll probably be reading for the rest of my life. It's just so packed with information that I get something new out of it every time I read it. I actually picked it up a few years ago, but I wasn't ready for it. Now, I've decided to design my lifestyle. I've made a commitment to creating the lifestyle that I want. What is that, you may ask. Well, my dream lifestyle is to be able to do whatever I want whenever I want and be a member of the New Rich. I want to travel the world, I want to love, I want to learn, I want to make art, I want to support the arts, I want to rehab old houses and I could go on and on here. To do all those things, I can't be stuck in a cubicle. I can't be stuck in a 9-5. I can't be glued in front of my iMac all day.

I grew up thinking: go to school, get a good 9-5, make a lot of money. I no longer think that is the life for me. It may work for other people but I love my freedom of time.  Time for me is like money. I don't cook or want to know how to cook. Why cook when you can go to a restaurant? Yes, it may cost more to go to a restaurant financially, but time-wise for me it's too expensive to cook at home. You have to shop for the food, prepare the food, cook the food, clean the dishes... it's just all too much. Plus, I don't like to cook. Wherever I can save time doing something I don't like, but have to do... I outsource. I had an economics teacher in college that said he made well over $100 an hour so it wasn't cost efficient for him to go grocery shopping. He outsourced his grocery shopping to an assistant that worked for $10-$15 an hour. It makes sense right? This book teaches you how to outsource your life and make more time for the stuff you love and really live life on your own terms. This book has been life changing for me because I am aligned with the message. It's so me. I don't waste time doing stuff I don't want to do. I just don't and if I absolutely have to, it's only a temporary step on the way to more freedom of time.

If you're happy with working a 9-5, this book is not for you. If you're content working for other people, this book might not be for you. If you want to escape the rat race, make your own rules and be able to do more with the time you have, read this book.

You know what's funny. In the book, Ferriss says that we read to much. I get his reasons for saying that, but I'm still on my personal challenge to read 1 book per week this year. On to the next one.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and Mind Over Money

I've been reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker for the last couple of weeks and I love it! It's definitely in the top 10 books (maybe top 5) life changing books I've read in 2011 and perhaps my whole life. You can buy it for as little as a penny on Amazon, so there is no excuse not to read it.

If you have any negative beliefs about money, you will never reach your full financial potential. If you grew up around hearing: "Money doesn't grow on trees", "Robbing Peter to pay Paul", "Money is the root of all evil", "Rich people are greedy" or anything of the like, you must read this book! The biggest thing I've learned this year is that our negative programming and negative belief system really is the biggest, most problematic obstacle on the way to our dreams. When we can eradicate fear, doubt, negative beliefs and all the other foolishness, then we can really live the lives we want. It's simple, what would you do today if you knew you couldn't fail?

If you're jealous of wealthy people, read this book. If you think it's ostentatious for people to drive $300,000 cars and you judge them, read this book. If you want money, don't have it and don't think you have any negative beliefs about money — I implore you to think again.

Reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth along with Mind over Money: Overcoming the Money Disorders That Threaten Our Financial Health by Brad Klontz and Ted Klontz will radically change your consciousness about your relationship with money. Once you know your condition, then you can change it. The bottom line is if you want money and don't have then, according to Eker and the Kontz's, you have some sort of dysfunctional with money. 

If you think you're too spiritual for money or money doesn't matter, you're dysfunctional about money. Did you know that Mother Teresa was born into a very wealthy family? Do you know how many millions of dollars in donations poured into helping her Missionaries of Charity organization each year? Even if you don't require palatial estates or imported luxury cars, you can always donate the money the charitable organizations to help the less fortunate. It's a big mistake to think you're too good for money and you don't need it. We all need money. It doesn't have to be a first priority, but it must be respected.

Money is energy. I think money is probably one of the most perfect examples of how the universe works. Whatever you put out you get back. If you're giving of it, it will give to you. If you respect it, it will respect you. If you work for it, it will work for you. If you love it, it will love you.

I could go on and on about these books, but you should really read them for yourself.

E-Book Coming Soon

With over 2000 posts, it's time for the Mane and Chic e-book. A lot of women are looking for the info I've learned over the past few years, but either don't have time to go through an entire blog or just are not interested in reading blogs. For that reason, I've decided to write an e-book. I think it's more organized and easy to get all the information you need. If you have a Kindle or nook or whatever, you'll be able to read the book on the go. You'll also be able to print it out, put it in a cute binder and use it as a reference whenever you need hair tips.

I'm hoping this will be an easier way for my readers to learn my hair tips in a very linear way. It's been in the works for a couple of years, but I'm into taking bold actions in 2011. So, expect to see the book by the end of the year. Of course, all of my e-mail subscribers will get a generous discount and you will be the first to know about its release.

My Hair Invention

Roughly 3 years ago, about a year after creating Mane and Chic, I invented a hair tool. So passionate about the invention, I shelled out quite a bit of money to have an illustrator draft a digital prototype for what I saw in my head. We spent countless hours drafting, redrafting and making improvements. Tons and tons of time was spent on researching manufacturers. I just knew my idea was going to be life-changing for women with curly highly textured hair.

Somewhere between then and now I lost the passion for it. I began to doubt myself and the concept, but something just told me that I needed to present it to you, my Mane and Chic tribe. I would like to present the invention to you and hear your honest feedback. Soon, I will be e-mailing Mane and Chic subscribers an image of the prototype and a short survey to fill out to see what you think of it. I just want your honest opinion. I'm not sure if I will proceed with the idea or not, but maybe it'll give some of you out there some inspiration to pursue your passions without doubt or fear.

Are you a member of the Mane and Chic tribe? Please subscribe by e-mail.

I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Best,

Digital Ad Sales

I am working on a special project for a new publishing entity I am building and I'm looking for someone with a background in digital ad sales. Do you have experience selling ads online properties especially in the fashion, beauty and home arena? I want to hear from you. Hit me up at info@maneandchic.com.