"If I can say this last thing, to women and African American people from New Orleans, if you haven't learned anything from the natural disaster Hurricane Katrina, let me tell you this. Don't think the government, society and associates will have your back when times get tough.  You can't lean on them. You can never sleep, and never complain..." 

Styled by: Brandy Gomez-Duplessis from the current 
Essence Magazine article on Marian Wright Edelman

Brandy, however was recently displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Upon recently moving back to New Orleans check just a few of the fabulous jobs she recently completed.

Oct 2006-Montell Williams
Nov 2006-Tyra Banks Show
Nov 2006-R&B Singer Usher
Nov 2006-New Orleans Bride Magazine
Jan 2007-People Magazine
Jan 2007-Represented by Zenobia Agency in LA
Feb 2007-Essence Magazine-Marian Wright Edelman
Feb 2007-Taping of new show on TLC "Mind Your Manner" (Makeup Expert)
Feb 2007-Diet Pepsi Jazz AD
Mar 2007-Budweiser AD

Brandy on the Tyra Banks Show


her in interview follows:

Just About You
STRIVE: Tell me a little about yourself? Where are you from, Brothers/Sisters, Children, Affiliations, Marital Status or anything else?

BRANDY: I am originally from Long Island, New York, I am 5’ 3” and fabulous. I grew up an only child and loved being spoiled. I am married (Michael is my number one fan, he’s my rock and he loves to pamper me, and he is amazing) with two children (Envy and Jordan, who are beautiful inside and out, they both will be in the entertainment industry) and two yorkies (Miko and Ani who are boogie down brown with highlights in their hair like there mama). I am a romantic at heart, and when I am not out I love being at home with my family. Family is very important to me and I love my crew of friends whom are required to be sexy, business oriented or have some talent, loyal, outspoken with common sense, have great humor, and love a few drinks as much as I do. 

Styled by: Brandy Gomez-Duplessis


STRIVE: How did you get started? Have you always wanted to do this? Where did the inspiration and passion come from? 
BRANDY: I got my start in makeup when I was living in New York and I worked in Manhattan at the Estee Lauder counter. At the time, Estee Lauder Cosmetics were the best in the cosmetics industry. I wanted to work for the best and to know what women loved about Estee Lauder makeup as well as makeup in general. I knew that I was going to be in the beauty/fashion industry. I have always had a love for glamour, fashion, luxury, and diamonds (bling before bling became popular in the hip hop industry). At a young age I used to sit in my room and recycle clothing that I would buy, try out different hair styles and play with makeup for hours having my own “Girl’s Night Out” without the tini’s (chuckle). I don't know if it's the Libra in me or having parents always using the word pretty to me. I always had to be pretty and look like a lady, so I always made sure that every time I stepped out my room I was pretty. I eat and drink beauty/fashion, I love it so much. When I was in my early teens I would watch the classic movies like “Breakfast At Tiffany’s, How To Marry A Millionaire” and all the Hollywood vixens. Even at a young age I would try to copy their style because women back then were real ladies and there makeup, hair jewelry and clothing was elegant and gaudy at the same time. 

Styled by: Brandy Gomez-Duplessis



STRIVE: What jobs did you hold before you became successful? 
BRANDY: (chuckle)I use to manage retail stores (The Limited, Limited Too, Mimi Maternity) years, years, years ago, wait...do you remember a men store called J. Riggins? I worked there also, I use to love to do the window & store displays and suit alterations. But a lot of people remember me working in the music industry under guys like Ray Roll, Tyrone Clerk, B-Man, Kevin Black, James Cruz, Shawn Prez, Chris LaMonica, and Mel Smith...wow the list can go on. Oh my goodness, I just thought about BLACK , he was a wild boy. In 2000, I started my own Entertainment Marketing Company and I took a chance to bring something that I experienced but I knew was lacking in New Orleans. Everyone loved the first sexy female street team I put together and we represented Bad Boy Entertainment and Arista Records.

 
STRIVE: Who influenced you the most in your career/life when you were starting out? Is there anyone's path that you particularly admire and would like to emulate? 
BRANDY: My dad was the person that influenced me when I started out. I remember growing up having my dad and uncles around and they always had money and were always well dressed. I was the only girl in the family that seemed to like their lifestyle so I would sneak out the room to hang around and listen to them like a sponge. My nickname back then was "TOUGH ENOUGH". I learned everything about life, men and business from them. Later, I always surrounded myself around powerful people that everyone hated to work for. I learned in life that nobody wants to be around the boss who expected 100% out of you. But I knew they were the ones that knew how to make and keep the money. Still to this day the best person I ever worked for is Sean "DIDDY" Combs, what he asks of you seems harsh to lazy people but I think it only makes you stronger and at the end of the day his name was on the outside of the building, so he couldn’t sleep. I find myself working after hours and even though we are in different fields I can see his passion and love for what he does. My passion is to glamorize women but I want to take it to a different level different than what M.A.C. Cosmetics has done in the industry.

The STRIVER in You   

STRIVE: What signifies a STRIVER to you? 
BRANDY: A STRIVER to me is someone who has a goal, a life plan, and they work hard everyday to get to their goal. Someone who self taught themselves and who surrounds themselves with the people who are doing what they are striving to do. A person who understands that sometimes you have to work for free, work hard and learn the blue print about that field. A person who never stops, who works from when they wake up until they fall asleep, and that's if they sleep that night (smiles).

STRIVE: What makes you original or sets you apart? Why are you on top of your game? 
BRANDY: What's original about me off top is I always like to do extra in everything I do. I love to take something and give it a new twist, give it a part of me. For example, every spa or salon offers bottled water, tea, juice and wine to their clients. I know that I had to step it up and offer martinis to my clients serving them on branded BGD martini glasses which were a gift from my special two girls. I am on top of my game because everything I do is mapped out like a business plan. I am always a motivated for what I do. While other people are out partying, I am working, learning, and studying the CEOs or the head person in charge. See, I don't mind taking the small job where you don't shine while others want to shine off the bat, but at the end they walk away not knowing or not having learned anything. I walk away with contact numbers because I put in the hard work and then I walk away with the assignment because I didn't mind not partying with the client. I network with the people who are making the decisions and who are signing the checks while others want to be seen walking in or saying they had a drink with that person. I don't have to shine to the useless people…I shine to the power people.
  
STRIVE: How do you define success? People often talk about "Making IT", but when will you consider yourself as having made it? 
BRANDY: Success to me is living very well and where your money is working for you. Success is not just people knowing your name but knowing what you are successful for. In August 05’ I felt like I made it: I had a healthy marriage, I owned my own home, had 2 modest cars, kids were in private school and, I had a clientele of 694 women who came in to see me for services. I had my own makeup store, my own makeup line, makeup brushes, glassware, and apparel. I received a "Proclamation to the City" and worked with an A-list of people. 

Now after Hurricane Katrina, April 07’, I am on my way back and because I now know the formula and know what I need to do to get there. It will be only a matter of time that women not just in New Orleans, but nationally will be wearing my makeup line again. A lot of people don't realize that I would have women from out of town call to order my makeup and that is such a good feeling. Hopefully, I find an investor or an entertainer to help promote my makeup and BGD will be back, again.

To Our Readers 

STRIVE: Do you see any changes or patterns in the industry and what is your opinion of that? What is the insider perspective on getting ahead in your industry? 
BRANDY: The pattern in my industry is and will always be the same. Big companies always market to the ethnic market with a few color changes and maybe they will put the hottest minority female in the music industry as the spokesperson but that’s as far as it goes. Iman Cosmetics and now KLS Cosmetics caters to ethnic females, but I feel they are still missing a key component. In order for me to really make a change in the makeup industry, I need the right backing from the right female entertainers to help me get it where I want it to be. The world is and will always be who you know in the industry. Big companies won’t tap into the market because they don’t care about the ethnic consumers. They know they could just give us anything, over-price it and we will buy it... so why take the time to research and do a makeup line for us? 

STRIVE: What advice would you give others attempting to make their dreams come true? What are your 3 lessons for success? Or what is your recipe for success? 
BRANDY: Study, Study, Study the industry. Learn who the best is and why they're the best and then add your flavor. My recipe for success is paying your dues, intern, surround yourself around talented people who are doing something and making changes in their lives. Write up a business plan for your life place it in your personal bible and give it to GOD, and most of all you have to have tough skin for all the haters, all the no’s, and all the people who want to see you fail. 

Last Words 

STRIVE: What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning and what is the last thing you think of at night. 
BRANDY: (Laughing) Well, sometimes I don't sleep, but in my sleep I'm thinking; really. I sleep with my cell and blackberry. When I first wake up I'm talking to myself about emailing back clients, making phone calls, checking on inventory, what I need my assistant to do, what new marketing strategies I need to try to promote myself, check with my accounting and how much money I need to make today. Usually, I finish working around 3 am and my body starts shutting down and I start to get sloppy so that's when I know it's time to retire. But before I actually close the door, I make a list of things that need to get done the next day. I can easily write up a list of 42-43 things that need to get done.

STRIVE: What do you know for sure? 
BRANDY: I do know for sure that I will return to living a GREAT life again. I know that I will always be a brand, I will always make money and I will always have a successful business. My kids will follow in my path and continue to keep my passion alive for years to come. 

STRIVE: Any last overall advice? 
BRANDY: Life is not easy, but if you really want success I know you can get there. It’s a lot of hard work; know that you have to start from the bottom even if someone wants to offer you a better position. A successful person knows everything in their field and then some. If I can say this last thing, to women and African American people from New Orleans, if you haven't learned anything from the natural disaster Hurricane Katrina, let me tell you this. Don't think the government, society and associates will have your back when times get tough.  You can't lean on them. You can never sleep, and never complain because know one wants to really hear it. You have to work harder than everyone out there and always do your homework, so when it's your time to shine you walk in confidence and do you. Start supporting each other because at the end of the day we all have the same story. A story no one will ever understand. We have all experienced some type of economic racism being from New Orleans so let’s show the world how talented we are. You don’t have to be best friends to do business. If your talent can help the next person, why not share a contact person or a resource. 

Brandy's storefront in New Orleans:

"See Ya Bye & Luv U Mean It"

KEISHA BATTISTE
TELLS STRIVERS WHY SHE'S SO FLY


What is an ordinary day like for a flight attendant?
 

Well, the days vary from week to week. On any given day, I can literally travel in and out of up to 4 states within 1 day. So on an average day, I fly between 3-4 cities a day. When I reach my destination at the end of the day, I layover in that city for anywhere from 9-24 hours. On average, I'm usually on the road 4 days out of the week. The destinations vary with each trip, so one day I may be laying over in Los Angeles, the next day Chicago, or the next day in Atlanta. I also fly international trips to Europe occasionally.

 
What are some of the most interesting aspects of your job?

There are a few.

It is amazing how the job gives you such enormous access to the world. I've made friends in different parts of the world and until I started traveling abroad, I had a limited view of how people outside of the USA perceive life in our country to be. My friends in Europe have a different perception of life in this country than I do.

The other interesting thing is that many flight attendants have secondary careers or own their own businesses. I work with some very well educated and business savvy women. Traveling truly does wonders for your intellect if you are observant as you go along.

 
What kind of pointers would you give someone who is interested in becoming a flight attendant?
 

Be aware that there's quite a bit of sacrifice involved. You have to be extremely flexible with your time, very self sufficient, have great time management skills. Your personal time is great, but know that it is not like an average day to day job where you will be able to go home to your own bed every night and on the road, you spend a lot of time alone.

The thing is that when you do this job, you have to do it with your own personal goals in mind that expand beyond the job itself.

Make it work for you. The job is good for two main reasons: the flight privileges allow you to explore different parts of the world at your leisure and it also allows you to enjoy other outside business ventures because of the schedule flexibility.

 
Is it difficult to maintain relationships in this type of profession?
 

No doubt about it, it is a transient profession. You are constantly in motion, so you have to take the time to really nurture the relationships you're in. Because there's so much travel involved, especially in the beginning, it can be a challenge to a person who isn't accustomed to it and their partner. The partner has to be very secure with themselves or else all the travel will make them stir crazy. I find that it works well if I date someone who travels a bit as well. On the flip side, being away from the person you love for a few days can sometimes keep things fresh & fun because you get a chance to miss them.

 
What are your outside interests or ventures?
 

I have my hand in a couple of things right now. First, I am a writer at heart, so this magazine is a part of my passion.

A few years ago, I did stand-up comedy for a brief moment and I had a good experience with that, so I'm in the process of rewriting or revisiting some material. God knows my job sure provides me with enough raw material alone. Stand up is one of most challenging things a person can do, but if you've ever tried it and have witnessed a crowd falling out over your jokes, it's addictive, so I'm about to get back into that some time soon. No one would believe I could do stand up unless you see me on stage. I'm like a whole different person.

I'm also about to start doing print modeling again and start going back on auditions. I have some acting training and have done a few cool projects over the years. I got away from it and stepped away, but I am about to jump back in.

 
What type of projects did you work on when you were acting/modeling?
 


I've been very blessed to have gotten really cool gigs when I was out there pursuing it. I was with a really good agency for actors in Atlanta and did quite a bit of work through an agency here in New York, so I would get work in both cities.

I've done cameo appearances on The Wire, had a principal role on 1 episode of  PAX television's "It's A Miracle", had small roles in made-for-TV movies "Passing Glory" and "Selma, Lord, Selma", a movie based on Martin Luther King, starring Clifton Powell, and community theatre in Atlanta.  I also had a small role in a movie (mostly marketed overseas) entitled "RATS", starring Isaiah Washington.  Among my print work jobs, I did ads for Coors Light, Salon Profiles (Hairstyling) Books & Magazines, Genesis romance Novels, Industrials for Pharmaceutical Companies, Sheraton Hotel, and a swimsuit calendar that featured young ladies of Atlanta.

The funny thing is, every once in a while, a job that I did years ago will resurface out of the blue. Over the course of years, I've had random people ask me "Weren't you in a movie about Rats?" (which was filmed like 9 yrs ago) A friend said they saw it in Japan, another said they saw it in Brazil. To this day, my Mom will say every once in a while "Somebody said they saw you in some movie about Rats." When I was doing covers for these black romance novels, retailers like Wal-Mart and Target began carrying them. Wal-Mart is big down South, so if someone saw you on one of the covers, it was a hot topic. I would rarely ever talk about my gigs to anyone, including friends, so people would sometimes run across something like one of the novels and say "It's crazy, I saw this girl on the cover of this lusty book that looked like you" and I'm like "That WAS me."

 
Any words of wisdom you want to offer to single females that are out there dating?


Wew. How much time do we have left? (Ha)

Know Your Worth. When you know what you bring to the table, you can sift through and eliminate the b.s. a lot easier. When you notice that the person is coming to you with a fresh collection of Samsonite luggage (a.k.a. Baggage) with drama in tow, then know that he will bring your stock down, therefore, you must revoke his application.

Do Not Settle. Do not let anyone or society make you feel inadequate because you are single. Believe me, there's a lot more headache involved in being with someone who isn't right for you than it is to be patient and work on yourself until the right one comes along.  If he's wrong for you, don't try to justify it. Keep it moving! (Sure, he might give a mean foot massage, but he's mooching off of his baby's mama...go figure!)

Don't Limit Yourself To A Specific "Type." Try keeping an open mind. Don't always go for the obvious choice or the guy that every girl is after. For example, if you are only accepting applications from 'ballers', then you should be realistic in asking yourself what you're willing to compromise in the process of chasing him...because that's exactly what you'll be doing.  I hope you have good running shoes.

Bottom line is Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover. Your soul mate might be that understated, reserved brother that's laying low with a button down & khaki's. Don't limit yourself.

Don't Take "Casual Sex" Too Casually. Tricky, right? Just because he's hot, it doesn't mean he's supposed to occupy your bed. Sometimes we confuse casual sex with thinking that we are just satisfying a physical need, but ladies, a lot of times it is about a lot more than that. Believe it or not, spreading yourself too thin with multiple partners really does compromise your value. What happens when it's over & you're still not fulfilled in either capacity? Sometimes it's just not worth it...go get a good vibrator & a glass of wine.

It helps to approach dating from a learning perspective and keep in mind that you are the prize and you decide who & when you want to entertain, not the other way around.

 
(check out my article at "Keisha Speaks")

the big question

STRIVE: what are 3 simple ways african american women can wear their hair natural? feel good about their ancestry and attract men?
DIANE: Men like long free flowing hair - regardless if it is yours or not.   So I recommend
The Twist or Twist Out look on your free textured Fro - which will elongate your natural curl.
Texturizing your natural hair - gives you manageability, flexibility and options to wear your hair curly or straight. And finally,
Hair pieces or extensions, give you options to grow your hair out and create long flowing hair whether you want to wear, wavy, curly or straight hair. 
  
Feel the Texture - Men are visual, they like to feel the hair - straight, wavy, curly or coily
  
STRIVE: what about straight hair (of all ethnic backgrounds)... do you have any experience styling these types
DIANE: Yes, I trained with the best in the business and I work with all textures, whether, naturally straight, wavy, relaxed, textured, curly, coily, locs etc.  Hair is Hair Texture...different nationalities or different backgrounds is my specialty, since I am from a multicultural background, Caribbean (Asian & Black).   I work with hair - all hair textures... 
  
STRIVE: what's next for you?
DIANE: Glad you asked.  Just restructured the salon..TAI Texture/Serenity Salon, (a cooperative in soho) - there are two new stylist coming on board in January 2006. One being the talented: Javon Easter, celebrity makeup and hairstylist to artist like Vivica Fox and Amerie. And I have a new collection of styling products launching February 2006 - Tai Texture Hair Care... with 4 unique finishing ,styling and treatment products especially formulated for textured hair - to maintain, control and even create/long lasting straight hold on healthy natural hair .... It's exciting times...Texture & Light.
  
Much Thanks to Diane for taking time out for STRIVE.

check her online at: www.dianedacosta.com