Miss America, Nina Davuluri - Beauty, Brains and Ambition

On September 14, 2013, two beautiful women clad in full length gowns held hands on the stage of the Atlantic City Convention hall waiting in nervous anticipation for the name of the next Miss America to be announced. The announcer said, “Your new Miss America is… Miss New York,” and, with that, Nina Davuluri was thrust onto the national stage and made history by becoming the first Miss America of Indian descent. In shock and disbelief, she began her customary runway walk among screaming admirers and camera flashes. “It was such a crazy moment. I was looking for my mom in the audience,” says Davuluri.

After spending about 20 minutes with family and friends following her win, Davuluri was asked to pack up her belongings into two suitcases to begin her year of non-stop travelling. “Everyone wants to win Miss America, but not everyone wants the job of Miss America. It’s very much a year of service,” says Davuluri. “I travel incessantly – 20,000 miles a month.” The Miss America contest, since its inception in 1921 as an exciting local seaside pageant, is still a popular American cultural institution that has become entirely scholarship driven.

Brains, beauty and style are what Nina Davuluri is all about. With the $25,000 in scholarship money she won as Miss Syracuse, she was able to graduate from the University of Michigan with a degree in brain behavior and cognitive science, earning a spot on the Dean’s List, a Michigan Merit Award, and a National Honor Society award too.

Since being crowned Miss America, Nina Davuluri’s win has created controversy. However, Davuluri, whose pageant platform is “celebrating diversity through cultural competency,” hasn’t seem bothered. “I have to rise above that,” she says. “I always viewed myself as first and foremost American. Traditionally Miss America has been the girl next door, but that’s evolved as America has evolved.”
The silver lining is that her title as Miss America awarded her $50,000 in scholarship money, which she will apply to her next phase of studies. Amongst her many responsibilities as Miss America is acting as brand ambassador for the internationally renowned brand Joseph Ribkoff.

This article is from our latest edition of Luxury Report Magazine. You can read the full magazine here.

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Liz Gaspari - Supplement Business Mogul

Liz Gaspari

LR:  So, tell me about WinesbyWives.com...
Liz:  I love WinesbyWives it’s a wine “club” where my fans can share my favorite wine. At the end of a long hard work day I love to relax with a great glass of wine and now my fans can too.

LR:  I'd love to hear about some of the charities you're involved with.
Liz: Vitamin Angels, Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation, Lyme’s Disease Foundation.

LR: I have to mention as a Jersey girl myself, what is it about Jersey women that makes them so strong?
Liz: Jersey women are strong because we have to deal with Jersey men lol. I think we are strong because we live in a metropolitan area and most of us were raised by strong parents. We have so much opportunity here in business.

LR: Tell me about Gaspari Nutrition.
Liz: What can I say about Gaspari besides the great nutritional products… I spearheaded all the overseas sales and brought Gaspari Nutrition to another level. JERSEY GIRL power!!

LR: So, what else is new with you?
Liz: I am working on some special products and a movie that I am backing and I am really excited to be at this creative part in my career.

LR: I hear you are a definite fashion lover. How do you incorporate this into your lifestyle?
Liz: I am a fashionista at heart! I love shoes and handbags and clothes. I feel like if you dress for success you are already halfway there. My advice to women who want to be successful is get up, get dressed and put your make-up on even if you think you won’t see anyone that day. Be your best for you and no one else.

LR: What do you generally like to do when you aren't doing all of the above?
Liz: I love spending time with children of course. One of my favorite things to do when I am not working is yoga. It helps to center me and bring me back down. Sometimes between traveling, family and work I don’t know whether I am coming or going. Yoga has taught me to be in the moment and enjoy it.

LR: As both a mom and entrepreneur, how do you balance the two?
Liz: Being a mom is the hardest job. I want to be a role model to my children and at the same time I want to be there for them every moment. I do my best when I am home that we all eat dinner together, do homework, watch movies or play together. When I am away we use Skype so we all feel like we are together.

LR: What are you most known for?
Liz: The first woman Sport Supplement Business Mogul and the best mom in the whole wide world (says my little one Sofia).

Follow Liz Gaspari on Twitter: @LizGaspari

- LAUREN WEIGLE @NYCPRTeam

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HOW TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS

Why is it that some people reach success with what seems like so much ease, while others struggle at it every day? Let me clarify for a quick moment; when I mentioned success, it ranges from: maintaining a weight loss program, starting a new business or climbing the corporate ladder. Success comes in many different shapes and sizes; there are small successes and quite extravagant ones. None are negligible and all bring meaningful growth to our lives. Following years of reading gigantic arrays of self improvement/success books, picking the brains of people way more successful than I, as well as countless experiences with trial and error, I’ve put together four essential elements required to achieve success in any goal you’ve set for yourself.

1Positive attitude: The first key element and arguably the most important. Norman Vincent Peale once said: “Change your thoughts and you change your world”. A positive attitude will very quickly determine whether or not you will stick to your goals when times get tough. It’s the gasoline that drives your engine, the force that pushes you forward towards your dreams. Once you lose a positive attitude, you risk losing it all.

2Step out of your comfort zone: Successful people do what unsuccessful people won’t do. Whether it’s calling that business prospect nobody else will, or waking up extra early to head to the gym before work. Successful people have a habit of pushing themselves way outside their comfort zone. The more they do so, the more they are able to accomplish what they never thought possible. Whatever you’re afraid to do, do it!

3Begin today: How many of us have goals, dreams or ideas? Now, how many of us have had those same goals, dreams and ideas for quite some time now? Procrastination is the arch enemy of your goals. There's always a reason not to start something right now; I'll start Monday or when the weather gets warmer. I’m sure you’ve heard that you need a set plan, with specific outlines of your goals. Those are important, but you should start right away, the plan will come once you’ve gotten started. Most people are passive; set yourself apart and be proactive!

4Embrace your failures: Failures can either be the catalyst to your success or can completely destroy you. The choice is in your hands. Successful people have the habit of dissecting their failures; really understanding what worked and what didn’t and using that information to propel them forward. Successful people get disappointed, of course they do, but they don’t linger on it. They learn what they can, and move on.

I wish you all the inner strength and the persistence to apply everything here and use it to shape your life for the better. Let me know how it goes!

Find me on Facebook: Daniel Enayatzadeh

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