Cover Photo-Shelley Hayes. Photo by Nelson Shen. Inside photo- Shelley Hayes, with a Rockstars and Angels baseball cap with Donnie. Photo by Zane Berlin.

The Dog Stylist and Pet Advocate Is Realizing Her Passion  with Shelley’s Doggie Diggs

Shelley Hayes, of Houston, Texas, has taken her passion for dogs and made it into a lucrative business. She is the owner of Shelley’s Doggie Diggs, a business makes chic and distinctive outfits for yes, dogs. “It started out as an online retail outlet,” said Shelley Hayes, who launched her business in 2011. “I didn’t have any of my own stuff, I was just buying wholesale and retailing it out on my site.” Her original idea was to have her own designs on the site, so she modified her business model. “So right now I just have a just a clearance section (for her retail items).” Her new design line, which will be called Doggie Stylze, is in the works and will be coming into prominence this year.

Pets, including dogs, can be valued members of the family that comfort you in the bad times, enhancing a better mood for your environment. However many in the family dynamic often take dogs for granted. Shelley’s passion for dogs and empathy for mistreated animals galvinized the mother of three to make a difference. “Once I realized just how passionate I was about dogs and seeing all the neglect and abuse-I’m sure you see all those ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) commercials that make you cry-I had rescued a dog- it just kind of clicked one day that people really dote on their dogs and dress them up,” she said. “It’s a multi-billion dollar industry and I said ‘that’s what I can do.’ I can have an online store and donote a portion of the profits to the ASPCA.” In October of 2011, Shelly, a former gymnast and athlete, put her efforts in full force for the ASPCA, running to raise funds for the organization in their Rock and Roll ASPCA 1/2 Marathon.  

(L-R) Shelley Hayes, Actress Kaitlan Welton, Mario Lopez and Eric Zuley.

Through a mutual friend, she was able to set up a meeting with heartthrob actor, dancer and host Mario Lopez, while on vacation in Los Angeles. She dressed Lopez’s dog in her clothing and received his endorsement of her products. Lopez later invited her to be on the show “Extra” and she was interviewed about her feelings about the 9-11 catastrophe. “I hope that one day he’ll feature me on the show about my business,” she laughed. “He’s super nice.” Also, through promoter and entrepreneur Eric Zuley, she met the proprietor of a popular store on Melrose Avenue, Rockstars and Angels, Sasha, who committed to partnering with her to feature her dog clothing line in his store. Also in her future is the possibility of a reality show, with host and funny man Johnny Venokur of VH1, who is a dear friend of hers. Additionally, she plans on donating 30% of the proceeds from a specialty T-shirt she’s designing to help the ASPCA. But what makes pets, specifically dogs, important in the family? “I think that pets add a lot to the family,” said Hayes.”They teach children responsibility and can be an extra companion because they love so unconditionally.” Can you feel the love and passion Shelley Hayes has for her business? Shelley Hayes’ passion for dogs, empathy and spirit for success makes her a lock as one of the People You Should Know.

Visit her website at www.shelleysdoggiediggs.com.

Shelley Hayes on the red carpet. Photo by Nelson Shen. Visit her website at www.shelleysdoggiediggs.com.

Starla Porter-Community Heroine.

Starla Porter

Purveyor of Change

There are many heroes and heroines in the community that don’t get the fanfare they deserve. They quietly go about their way, helping others that are less fortunate. These dynamic individuals are purveyors of change and they positively affect every neighborhood, every village, every group and every person they encounter. Starla Porter is one of those incredible human beings.

There are several people that consider themselves life coaches. True life coaches have the innate ability to enrich lives by their sage advice and counsel. However, many life coaches don’t know the meaning of true adversity, so they lack the ability to be a sufficient guide for others. Starla Porter knows the meaning of adversity. She grew up in South Central Los Angeles, which can be an area of challenge. “My character was formed in that I saw many things, probably more things that any child should have seen,” said Starla Porter. “We were poor, but I didn’t know it. I don’t remember a day of not having a meal or anything like that because my mom knew how to stretch a dollar.” Starla’s family, which consisted of her father, mother and five other siblings, lived in a three bedroom apartment. “We lived across the street from what was then called Sid’s Cafe,” she reflected. “Mr. Jase(the owner) was the local hero for the kids, we’d go over and offer to help in the restaurant and he’d give us some change and a lot of the kids would wind up working there even and that would be their part time job. So I saw some good things and I saw some bad things.” Unfortunately, the bad things included the influx and epidemic of crack cocaine in the South Central community, which destroyed many lives. “That affected many of my friends,” she said. “And there were some that didn’t survive. They were both male and female. They have either been imprisoned or maybe still are, dead or on drugs. They just did not survive and didn’t make it out. So I’m grateful that I had something within me that always continued to press me and push me forward.”

Starla’s decision to help others came as a result of her growing up in a challenging environment. “Since I did not have many women to draw from, many mentors, I had purpose to become that myself,” she explained. But she did have teachers in school that saw her potential for doing great things. “I was what the kids would call a teacher’s pet,” she laughed, “because I have always been drawn to wisdom. The mentoring that I did get was always within in a school environment, it never was in my own community, though.” As in many communities, however, churches and the park recreational system were important parts of her life. “Those two places became foundational for me,” she said. But budget cuts as a result of new laws, coupled with drugs, gangs and violence saturated South Central Los Angeles. Starla saw changes that affected meny families. “I remember when Prop 13 passed, we no longer had basketballs for the gyms, we no longer had bats or balls or anything like that,” she said. “Nobody had money to go buy basketballs and things like that. When all that went away, then the gang activity increased.”

The gang activity touched her brother, who was also involved in the gang lifestyle. But Starla drew inspiration from her brother to start a publishing company. “Looking back on my journey, what I do today is as a result of helping him,” said Starla, who started Zoe Life Publishing (now Zoe Life Publications) in 2004. “He is extremely intelligent and extremely talented and a gifted writer. He was in and out of prison, I wanted to get his attention and that’s how I started publishing.”

A Certified Life coach and motivational speaker, Starla, out of the need for mentors in the community, started Sister’s Network in 1996, which eventually became The Lavender Room. “It was just a support group for women to come together, leave your titles at home,” she laughed. “At my first gathering I had 45 women. I was intimidated.” Among the group were lawyers, surgeons and other professionals. She realized that she had the beginnings of a successful woman’s forum. Later, she changed the name to The Lavender Room after it was decided that men needed to be part of the amazing forum. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Masters degree in Organizational Management.

Starla Porter is excited about a new book that will be released soon called “Living The Zoe Life Every Day.” Originally released in 1996, the book has benefits for all its readers. “It’s a personal coach that you can carry with you all the time,” said the author. “I’m really challenging the reader to be accountable for the choices and the decisions that we make in our lives so we can get the results that they want to see.” Starla is also excited about a new project she’s involved in, “Hole In The Head: A Life Revealed” a documentary narrated by Dennis Haysbert, which debuted at The Pan African Film Festival in 2011 by Wilbert Smith Ph.D. and Brett Leonard. For more information on this project visit www.smithleonardproductions.com.

The beautiful lady with the effervescent and bubbly personality often finds herself mentoring both the young and the mature.  In doing so, she serves what she believes is her life’s purpose. Occasionally, she mentors youth from South Central and the surrounding areas. One of the reasons Starla Porter has helped kids is because of her willingness to hear their stories and relate to their trials and tribulations. Many kids listen to Starla’s message because she truly understands them. “I know where you’ve been because I’ve been there,” she says to youth. “I think that once they understand we’ve been there, then the dialogue truly starts.” Change often comes by understanding and patience. A true purveyor of change, Starla Porter is a heroine in the community and for that reason, one of the People You Should Know.

Starla Porter hosts a monthly Meeting of the Minds Zoe Life Series every second Saturday of the month from 2-5PM. For more information, visit www.starlaporter.com.

Starla Porter-The stunning lady has a book, "Living The Zoe Life," due to be released soon.

Starla Porter in a photo shoot inspired by Sonya Finley.

 More on Starla Porter? Visit the following websites:

www.twotalkbooks.com

www.thecrevicesofmysoul.com

www.conversationsofcourage.com

http://twitter.com/TheZoeLife

http://twitter.com/TwoTalkBooks

http://www.starlaporter.com/

http://latalkradio.com/Starlafaye.php

http://www.facebook.com/TwoTalkBooksWithStarlaFaye

Srini Kumar is the Creator of Tinyvox, an exciting mobile application for cellphones.

Phone Call To The Future

Inventors are visionaries who have the innate ability to foresee a need. They make all the necessary moves to carry out their vision. “I’m an inventor,”said Srini Kumar, a visionary, destined for a bright future in the software arena.”You see holes in the world of products, things that haven’t been invented yet.” Kumar is the creater of Tinyvox, a product that will revolutionize the mobile cellular industry.”Look at what talking can do,” said Kumar. “Look at Martin Luther King Jr. and President Obama. Talking is a very powerful form of audio communication.” But what is Tinyvox? Tinyvox turns Facebook, Twitter, email and message boards into a huge voicemail system. “It is easier and more direct than typing,” he said. “And easier and more direct has real value on the Internet.”

Srini Kumar has an impressive resume. The winner of the Web Award at the South By Southwest Interactive Festival in 2008, he developed METANOTES, a real-time brainstorming tool that works like a shared wall of stickynotes. The inventor, who also developed StickerNation.com, which lets customers print custom vinyl stickers in small batches at low prices for their projects, studied at Stanford University earning a BA in Sociology. “All of this Internet stuff is Sociology,” he explained. “It’s coding society, coding people’s minds.” He also studied at the storied University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Kenan-Flagler Business School, garnering a MBA in May 2007. Born in Urbana, llinois and raised in upstate New York, Srini was always tech savvy.”I was an IBM kid,” he said. “I’ve been with computers since 1980, when I got my first PC.”

Tinyvox is an application that is useful for people on the move that don’t have time to type long messages. It is designed to be useful for tech and non-tech savvy users, including celebrities, sports figures, students, writers, artists and other consumers that use Twitter, which has a limited use of characters, to send messages that can be as long or short as desired. “Whenever you have an idea and you have to communicate it through the Internet right now, you have to summerize it into sequences of 26 letters,” said Kumar. “In terms of Twitter and Facebook, you’re typing, typing and typing all day. It’s very limited. Not only I have to incode it into words, you on the other hand, have to decode the words and try to get the feeling that I’m trying to get across.” Picture Paris Hilton or Ashton Kutcher or Jay-Z or Beyonce, who are on the go and don’t have time to type long messages on Facebook. They simply can use Tinyvox to deliver a message to their legions of fans by sending a link from their Tinyvox software, which turns their cellphones into powerful audio recording tools. And they can thrill their fans, who hear their voices, instead of just reading written text.

“Celebrities can communicate to their fans much quicker,” explained the inventor, who is an expert in Information Architecture.”Let’s say you’re a celebrity having a conversation poolside. You can Tweet it out to your fans. And then all their fans can live vicariously through them.” Tinyvox is also a useful tool for screenwriters. “If you’re screenwriting a fiction story, what better way to get that dialogue done than just embody that character,” he explained. “It turns the script writing process into a pleasure.”

A huge advantage of Tinyvox, says Kumar, is the ability of making people that lack spelling or writing skills to make intelligent messages that make them appear smarter than what they would have written on Twitter or Facebook. “With Tinyvox, you feel like you’re saying something for the ages everytime,” he said. “That’s important.” An additional advantage of Tinyvox, unlike video applications, like Skype or You Tube, is that the user doesn’t have to be seen and worry about makeup or dressing for the camera. “You Tube is a wonderful thing, but do you see yourself wanting to be on video every morning,” he laughed. “We don’t do it because it is uncomfortable. We don’t like to do it.” Tinyvox, a superb technological innovation, is the wave of the future and a very inexpensive software tool for mobile telephone apllications.

Find it today on the iOS App Store and visit www.tinyvox.com. Srini Kumar, who invented Tinyvox, a phone call to the future, is a visionary and inventor and one of the People You Should Know.

Srini Kumar, over coffee, explains the amazing advantages of using Tinyvox for your mobile phone.

Ann Deschenes. The CEO and Producer of Racing Girls, Inc. is revolutionizing women's motor sports.

By Buddy Sampson

Ann Deschenes of Quebec City, Canada is a revolutionary. Why? She is revolutionizing the motor racing industry as we speak.  The women’s motor racing industry, still in its infancy stages, has bright and amazing new stars, particularly in auto racing. But the women’s motorcycle racing industry, just commencing its ascent to the pinnacle of motor sports, has rising stars, committed to bringing the sport to the forefront. Ann Deschenes illuminates that credo, with her reality TV series, “Racing Girls Inc.” However, her path to the forefront has not been without its share of trials and yes, tribulations.

Ann has overcome adversity, from an auto accident that had left her extremely impaired, to financial difficulties, at one point living in her automobile. But she believes in her company, Racing Girls Inc. so much that she’s carving a story out of the clay of human endeavor and success. And she has reason to. Racing Girls Inc. is revolutionizing women’s sport. And she is generating a buzz that will make her success a foregone conclusion.

She started competition at the age of 11, competing in Snowshoe competitions, excelling at the popular Canadian sport. Along with her sister, France, she also competed in downhill skiing, always finishing in the top part of the contests. “I had never raced that before,” she laughed. “My dad said ‘just look in front, go fast and don’t crash.’ And I won first place. It was exciting.”  The two sisters were tough to beat. “The funny thing was that my younger sister Fran, who is three years younger, who was in the same category (of competition) as me, would always get the gold (medal) and I would get the silver or the bronze,” she said. “But she’s fast. She is good in sports.” Ann also competed in track and field, excelling in endurance sports. While in high school, she was inspired by a novel she read and always pictured competing in motorcycle competitions and making a difference in the sport. “The description of the sense of power  that you have and the freedom you have while riding, I could feel exactly what it was like and years later when I got a motorcycle It was exactly like it was described in the novel, “ she reflected. While studying in college, she bought her first bike, a Kawasaki KZ 550, intending initially to buy a car, but found that the weather was too challenging to ride at that time. “I took out my checkbook and I gave it to him and I said ‘I’ll be back in May to pick it up when the snow is out of the way,’” she laughed. “So I took a course, went back and picked up the bike.” Later, Ann studied in college, obtaining her degrees, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Quebec in Montreal and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration.  The busy lady also found time to study Fashion, specializing in haute couture. She’s always had a desire to work in special education. As a result of that desire, she worked as a teacher for five years, and also took a job in which she instructed other teachers how to work with challenged students.

However, fate took an ironic twist. In 1994, Ann was involved in a terrible accident. Doctors told her that she was going to be incapacitated for the rest of her life. “I had several neck surgeries,” she said about the life-changing experience. “Now I couldn’t work anymore as I wanted. I had to redefine myself. This led to eight years of torture. For someone that is super hyperactive, like me, loves sports and is out there, I couldn’t do anything anymore.” It led to a downward spiral of medications and financial troubles. But Ann’s story is one of determination and persistence. While incapacitated, she read magazines about motorcycles and dreamed about racing. But she knew that racing bikes was a totally different experience; an experience she never encountered. “When I was riding, (previously) I was on the street,” said Ann. “It’s a different feeling than being on the track and having your knee down on the track at 100 miles an hour.”

However, in 2003, she received some distressing news. Her doctors determined that she was permanently disabled.  Undaunted, she believed that she could rise above her unexpected trials. “I said, ‘I don’t think so,’ and I had been thinking for a couple of years doing research of what I can do,” said Ann.  And she was successful. After several surgeries and hard work, she recovered and regained enough of her health to become optimistic.  She stopped taking pain medication, as a result of her research, which she felt was interfering with her body’s natural healing process. Within six months, she was studying martial arts. “It made me feel more confident, and less afraid,” she explained. “And it was a lot of fun, it fit my personality.” She embarked to China and studied with the renowned school Shaolin in China, studying martial arts. “They were just starting to open up to women at the academy and a woman in the Chinese world is not very high on the list,” said Ann. “And if you’re over 23, you’re too old already in China and I was 41 at the time.”  Most of the students there, because of the harsh conditions and fierce training left after a few days. Ann was determined to succeed. She trained there for an entire year. “When I started, I scored the lowest ever, the first month,” she said. “But when I left, I scored third. For a 41 year old, I was pretty proud of myself.”

Her confidence at a high level, Ann, inspired by a poster of motorcycle rider she kept posted in her place, decided to write a screenplay about a woman who competed in motorcycle racing against guys. “Never for a moment did I think that this girl, that’s 41 years old who has had a major trauma, would be putting her life at risk and her body on a motorcycle, never,” said the gorgeous lady. She found a prestigious riding school, Freddie Spencer’s Riding School in Las Vegas. Her decision was to learn from the best. And Spencer, an American, is a former World Champion racer. “They had to lower the bike because my feet didn’t touch the ground,” she laughed. “I was petrified.” She bought another bike and after the second day in training on the track, she found her passion. “I said, no, no, no, I’m selling everything and moving to Vegas and I’m going to take another class and another class and another class,” Ann explained, excited about the prospect of racing. “I was hooked.”  She did odd jobs at the racing school, even mopping floors, just to be around the racing garage. Norm Harris and the other instructors took a liking to her, noticed her passion for the sport, and gave her riding tips. After a year, she made the decision to race. On January 7, 2007 she decided she had what it took to race. In fact, she chose her racing bike number, 717, because of the date she made the decision.

She competed in her first competition in May 2007 for WERA West in Las Vegas, Nevada, and, according to the script she made for her life, she competed against guys as well as ladies. “Even though I wasn’t very fast, I never got off my line,” she said, explaining that she was able to get in races due to her reputation as a safe rider, unlike many riders that often take unnecessary chances. But her first race had the signs of a mini-disaster. “I came in last and I got lapped,” she said. Due to magnificent strategy and gamesmanship she was able to advance in the competition. “But then, this is what I thought, ‘five idiots (riders) went over their limits and crashed,” she laughed. “I got points and the five riders that crashed were behind me (in the standings). I was laughing. It was too funny.” Her time on the track improved every race. Her reputation growing as a safe, professional rider, she subsequently found herself being invited to compete in major competitions. “I came in third in Utah in a national event because everybody crashed,” she gleefully said. ”I’m the luckiest person, you’ll ever meet.”  

But crashes are a part of racing and Ann, in her first race in Canada, during a practice run, was injured in a crash, suffering broken ribs and a concussion. She returned to Las Vegas to recuperate and regroup.

Later, Ann got invited to compete in a competition in Canada, a women’s race. She drove to Canada and realized there was one deficiency in her racing skills. “I had never, ever driven on a track in the rain,” she admitted. “Those girls up there are amazing because they could race in the rain.” Ann found herself in the qualifying race and unfortunately, she crashed. “It was 100 percent my fault, “she said, crashing on a yellow flag, which was to indicate that riders should not pass. “It was what we call a low side (crash), so low side is a good crash, if there is a good crash, because the bike just goes in front of you.”

But Ann realized that she was becoming an inspiration to other women riders and realized that she can be the lightning rod to empower women to race. Women would approach her and ask about racing. Guys asked about getting their girlfriends and wives to race. Racing Girls Inc. was born and Ann relocated to Los Angeles to sell Racing Girls Inc. and her concept to network and sports concerns. She currently is shopping Racing Girls Inc. and is in negotiations to make Racing Girls Inc. a household name. Don’t bet against this lovely and determined lady. After all, she’s conquered adversity and is on the verge of imminent success, becoming a revolutionary in women’s sports. Ann Deschenes’ determination, her persistence, drive and beauty makes her, definitely, one of the People You Should Know.

The lovely Ann Deschenes can handle a cocktail dress as well as a motorcycle.

Want to read more on Ann Deschenes? Visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Racing-Girls-Inc/152242748144410.  

Joe Alexander, Mentor and Motivator.

The Mentor And Motivator, Lives and Leads His Life By Example  

By Kim Somers Egelsee

I have had the honor and pleasure of knowing Joe Alexander, owner/CEO of Park Regency Realty in the San Fernando Valley for almost 20 years. My dad, Mike Somers, began as a realtor there in 1992, with my mom Nancy joining him soon after. The thing I noticed right away was that this was not your typical real estate office. This was something special.

My dad came home one evening and gave me a ticket to see Jim Rohn, an amazing man who is considered to be one of the biggest authorities on personal development and success. I was only 19 at the time, but my dad explained that Joe recommended us seeing Mr. Rohn, and that it would change our lives. And it did. Jim Rohn taught us to work harder on ourselves than we do on our jobs. I couldn’t believe that Joe Alexander, the owner of a company would promote this thinking. But then as my family and I began doing just that, we got it. 

Joe’s business is an office of motivation, inspiration and positive thinking. He guides the realtors to live extraordinary lives at work and at home. He has regular meetings where he coaches, teaches and pumps up the people of Park Regency. There is a library of success CD’s and DVD’s on the premises, where the realtors can borrow something by John Maxwell, Zig Zigler, or Niurka and more at any time. The people of Park Regency have an advantage over many other offices, in that they can absorb great energy at a moment’s notice. 

Of course, all of these years, I wanted to know, “How does Joe do it?”, “What makes him tick?”  I got the chance to interview him after speaking at a Thursday meeting, which is planned by my dad each week. They have speakers from all over, including the Tony Robbins organization as well as Niurka. I was thrilled to speak there, and so grateful since my journey to being a life coach and speaker began with my exposure to Jim Rohn from Joe Alexander. 

After my workshop, I met with Joe in his office. Since Mr. Alexander is so down to earth, it felt like we were just hanging out. But, wow did I learn. This information alone could help business owners, employees, and just about anyone live a more balanced, successful life. 

Joe Alexander went snow skiing at the age of 16 on Mt. Baldy, and broke his leg so badly, that he ended up in bed for nearly a year. The entire healing was a 2 year process that ended up being such a gift. Sometimes in life, the biggest mishaps end up being the greatest growth and learning. During this time, Joe’s father gave him a real estate book to begin a career. Joe got so into it, he went to school on crutches, took the test and passed, all by the age of 18. He immediately began working for Forrest Olsen, and the first 6 months thought he knew it all. Of course with that attitude, he did not succeed right away. After that he realized that no one can succeed alone, shut up, listened, got with the right people, started selling away, and was the second youngest person to receive the million dollar club award. 

From there he opened Park Regency in 1977, and has owned and ran it ever since. Joe was always blessed in the areas of charisma and communication, and has always been a natural teacher, mentor and counselor. Therefore, it came naturally to Joe, when putting together the first Park Regency meeting, to base it on personal development. Throughout the years, and many meetings later, he has seen many motivational speakers, read hundreds of books, and listened to tons of CD’s. Joe has truly developed his own style of speaking, to such a degree, that when Tony Robbin’s top speaker came to do a workshop at Park Regency, they asked Joe to come on board and speak around the globe. What an honor! Joe, however is so passionate about his business and the people, as well as his gorgeous family (he has a beautiful wife and 2 young children), he had to turn them down. 

Joe Alexander loves to see growth in people. Realtors tend to stay put at Park Regency for 10-30 plus years, which is generally unheard of in a real estate company. He is doing something right…many things right. Joe especially notices growth and productivity in the people that LISTEN to the inspirational meetings, read the books, and work hard on themselves. He also feels that people can truly learn so much from their children. Children are the greatest teachers. His biggest influences have been God for spirituality and his ability to trust and let go, his father for his work ethic, and the great Jim Rohn for taking him to the next level and sculpting his life to where he is today, and boy he is not stopping! 

Mr. Alexander’s advice to new people in real estate is to be surrounded by those who are willing to teach you, and who are doing well. It is the power of association. Stick to the basics and don’t get off track. Keep going and moving and you will get to success. As for new business owners, save money. Have double what you think you need to put away. Keep your finances in order. Do not hope, but PLAN well and take action. When Joe gets frustrated or disempowered, he just pops in a DVD or CD of one of the greats; Joel Osteen, Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn, etc., even when he doesn’t feel like it, and it changes his state and he begins to fuel back up his power; just like the people from Park Regency have learned to do, and you can choose to do too! 

So, at the close of the interview, I learned that Joe has been through a lot of life experiences, has taken each of those and grown from it, and applied all of those lessons to his teachings with others. He has used his life as a gift, and plans to do so always. He is kind, humble, sincere, and an overall great guy, which is a true leader living by example. Joe shows that to live an ideal life, we must help others, have gratitude, work on yourself harder than your job, and be kind. If we can all learn from this and apply it, we too will see our life get better. As a mentor and motivator, Joe Alexander is the epitome of that ideal. For that reason, Joe Alexander is one of the People You Should Know.

Mila Musiyenko. For those of you that missed the incredible Mila Musiyenko's article published in "People You Should Know" in March, you should check it out. Mila is an unassuming actress who studied in Kiev and is making her inroads in Hollywood.

Casey Nelson

Casey Nelson  

 Applying the Principles of Athletics to His Career

Athletes have a specific regimen for success. To become a successful athlete, preparation, hard work, practice and dedication is an absolute must. Actor Casey Nelson has taken those ideals and applied them to his expanding and successful acting career, making a push to become a great actor in Hollywood.

Nelson, who was born in Atlanta, Georgia, has developed a fine acting career in a relatively short period of time. An athlete who excelled in track and cross country and still holds his high school mile record of 4:19, he has been featured in several film and television roles. He has had lead and supporting film roles in “Tumbling After,” “The Real Deal,” “Promenade,” a movie slated for release this year, “Black Gold” and “Transformers 2.” “It was really intimidating at first,” said Casey Nelson, of working with director Michael Bay on the film. “But once I got those nerves out of my system, I was able to free up and have fun.” He has graced the small screen as well, appearing in several television shows, including CBS’s “Criminal Minds,” “Navy NCIS,” “The O.C.,” “Finding Scott Baio,” and “American Dreams” among others. A veteran of theater stages, Nelson appeared in the productions “The Future of Being Trapped,” “Bar 5,” “Miss Margarida’s Way,” “Compression of a Casualty,” and a critically acclaimed production “What We Don’t Remember.” “It was incredible,” said Nelson about the production. “It was kind of a part that I would generally never be called in for and for whatever reason, the director gave me a chance. I played a mentally challenged guy whose brother may or may have not killed his father. I got great feedback on it. It was an amazing experience.” The production sold out its last four shows and received rave reviews.

While growing up, Casey focused on becoming an athlete, but realized that he had another passion. “I was pretty obsessed with movies growing up,” he said.”I would literally talk my parents into dropping me off at the theater on a Saturday afternoon and leaving me until 10:00 at night, not by myself, but with friends and stuff.” His athletic exploits garnered him a scholarship to the University of Georgia, but fate took him in another direction. “I got injured in my junior year in college,” he said, which led him to his true passion, acting. He changed his major from Business to Dramatic Arts, graduated and made a decision to move to Los Angeles to further his acting aspirations. He began to apply the principles of sports to working at being an actor. “At the risk of sounding cliche, you just get up every morning and you do whatever it takes to take it to the next level and to keep moving forward,” said Casey. His work ethic drove him to take several classes in acting. He studied the Meisner technique at 3rd Stage Theater in Burbank and studied under Brad Henke at Henke/Stella Adler.

Currently, Casey is working on a film he wrote, “Off They Go,” which is in post production and is slated to work on a Suzanne De Laurentiis project “How Sweet It Is.”  However, once an athlete, always an athlete. Casey Nelson is a notorious gym rat and can often be found playing pick up basketball games in Hollywood.”They call me Steve Kerr (an ex NBA star) on the basketball court,” he laughed. “I’m a 5′9″ 155 pound Steve Kerr because I’ve been known to drain the three pointer.” Casey Nelson may not be a 7 footer on the basketball court, but his tireless work ethic makes him a giant off the court.

Casey Nelson’s dedication to his craft, drive for success and work ethic makes him a lock as one of the People You Should Know.

Mila Musiyenko.

Mila Musiyenko-

The Unassuming Ukrainian Tigress Is Making Her Move In Hollywood

Mila Musiyenko, unimpressed by the trappings of Hollywood, the fame, the notoriety and the many things that go along with it, is a true artist, who has spent her time from a young age developing her craft, her talent and her gifts to culminate in an opportunity of displaying it to an audience that will appreciate and value what she has, innately. The talented actress, who plays the piano, guitar and is an amazing dancer, will electrify Hollywood. The Ukrainian tigress, however, is determined to conquer and show Hollywood that talent can be the true indicator, not image, notoriety or fame.

Mila, born Lyudmila Musiyenko, who hails from the Ukraine, is making a move in Hollywood, slated to appear as one of the leads in an upcoming thriller “Snafu,” a spicy role.  ”Snafu,” currently in pre-production, is produced by actor and producer Paul Gregory, known for such iconic roles as “Westmoreland” in “Henry V.”

“From the age of six or seven, I liked gymnastics, plays and reading poetry,” said Mila. “I was doing it very early and I loved performing it and I loved dancing.” That love for her craft enabled her to receive attention from an unlikely source. She competed in a competition at the tender age of seven and received a modicum of attention from the Minister of Culture of the Arts of Russia, who handles literature, music and art, who took a great interest in her after she won first prize in the competition.  Mila, however, hasn’t had an easy road in her quest to display her talents. In Russia, acting programs and fields of creative endeavor are closely scrutinized- rigid programs that allow little leeway, which vastly differ from Hollywood acting schools. “Here, in America, people can be actors after six months-one year of training,” said Mila. “But in Russia you would never be able to go on stage before training for four to five years. And at the time I was studying, there was only one place to become an actor.”  

So later, when she was accepted to study at the only University that focused on her craft, The Kiev National I.K. Karpenko-Kary Theater, Cinema and Television University of Theater, (known widely as the Kiev University of Drama), she was quite honored and surprised, to say the least.  “I was the first person in my area to attend the school and it was extraordinarily unbelievable that I got in, “said Mila about the University, which has 250,000 applicants to only 25 available drama student spots. “I heard so many people tried and tried and tried to get in the school, so I felt extremely fortunate to be able to attend the University.”  Once she attended the University, however, she soon realized that the training was incredibly intense. At the school, they’d spend a year on developing imagination and improvisational technique. “You had to bring the fantasies and ideas, “she said. “There was nobody to tell you. They would say ‘put yourself on that stage and do whatever you want. Just impress me.’ And this was for one year.  I’ve never heard of any school that had training like that.”  After she completed the school, she soon understood that she had to find a place to showcase her talent and training. “I realized that if I was going to do all these things, where was I going to do it?” she asked. The stunning lady realized that Los Angeles was the premier location to achieve her creative pursuits and migrated there. Since her migration to the entertainment capital of the world, Mila is entertaining many offers and is establishing quite a name for herself. And her role in “Snafu” will help to make her a household name, although Mila has little interest in fame, she just wants to showcase her artistic talent. 

Mila Musiyenko. Photo by Paul Gregory.

Mila Musiyenko’s talent, unassuming persona and beauty make her one of the People You Should Know.

Abigail Schrader.

Abigail Schrader

The Young Actress and Model Keeps Close to What Really Matters

Abigail Schrader is an anomaly in Hollywood. From Enid, Oklahoma, a small town, Abigail bought her small town values to Hollywood and refuses to compromise those ideals. “I lived on a farm, so we had horses, cattle and drove a tractor,” said the 16 year old actress. “It kept me grounded because I spent a lot of time with my family. We had a big family and a little house and one bathroom.” The young lady, from a young age, knew the value of perseverance, instilled in her from her parents, who taught her an essential that equals success. “My parents are very supportive,” she said. “They’ve always instilled in me that with hard work, determination and The Lord, you can achieve anything.”

That ethic will help her quest for success as an actress in Hollywood. She has already graced a number of theater stages while in school.”In 7th grade, I played ‘Molly’ in the play ‘Annie,’ and did a lot of theater.” The pretty young lady, at the age of 16, is already building an impressive set of credits. She landed a role in a critically acclaimed film, “The Grief Tourist,” which features Melanie Griffith, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Michael Cudlitz. The film is in post-production and is tentatively scheduled for release mid to late summer 2011. She also played a part as bridesmaid in the soon to be epic film, “Black Gold,” a harrowing tale of struggle that takes place in Africa. “Being on set is fun and the crew, the guys and the girls are always fun,” she explained, caught on the set of a commercial for Behave hair products. She enjoys being made up for the camera and has begun to experience another benefit of rising talent in Hollywood. “Red carpets are a blast,” she laughed. “I love dressing up.” But her acting career started some time ago. She honed her craft on small stages, playing a variety of roles. She played the role of “Tootie” in the play “Meet Me In St. Louis.” “It was very fun because I got to use my little girl voice,” she laughed. “It’s fun to make everyone laugh in the audience.” She worked in several more plays, including “When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet,” and “A Christmas Carol.” “I was ‘Fun Scrooge,’” she reflected. “I was a poor schoolgirl that went to see her brother. I loved getting in those dated clothes. But it was very humbling to see and realize what they didn’t have back then.”

Abigail, who came to Los Angeles last year, in 2010, lists her favorite actresses as Debbie Ryan, Sandra Bullock and Selena Gomez. “She (Selena) seems really sweet and real and not changed by being in the limelight.” Speaking of that, she promises not to let fame and the spotlight change her. “I read The Bible every night and pray,” “It’s definitely been my stronghold away from family and it shows that you can be beautiful and still be modest. Sometimes your smile is the thing that counts.” In her rise to success, she credits a number of people, her parents and family, also a couple of mentors. “Suzanne (DeLaurentiis) and Ken Garcia are very supportive and they really want what’s best for us,” said Abigail when asked studying acting. She admits being thrilled to meet some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. She’s managed to meet Quinton Aaron of “The Blind Side,” Dennis Haysbert, Khloe Kardashian and Ernest Borgnine. “He (Borgnine) was very funny and very sweet,” said Abigail.” It’s really cool to meet some of Hollywood’s legends.” She graced the red carpet of “Night Of 100 Stars,” and was fortunate to meet astronaut legend Buzz Aldrin and the Dalai Lama.

She hopes to play roles that accent the lovely person she is. “I’d like to play roles that are like my personality, sweet and down to earth,” she said, although she wouldn’t mind going outside her intelligent personality. “I can see myself playing the ditzy mean girl.” She loves animals and had original aspirations to be a veterinarian, but changed her dream when she realized there were very unpleasant aspects of the job.

But Abigail, a very grounded lady who keeps close to what really matters, demonstrates the reason why she’s destined to be a star in Hollywood. “Never give up and reach for your dreams,” she said.”And have a good relationship with The Lord because, ultimately, that’s what matters.”

Her grounded personality, beauty, dedication to her craft and most importantly her faith, makes Abigail Schrader, one of the People You Should Know.

Abigail Schrader on the red carpet.

Ricky Del Rosario.

Painting a Picture With His Unique Brand of Comedy

Ricky Del Rosario, a hilarious comedian out of Seaside, California, has come a long way. In his hometown, there were lots of interesting subjects from which to draw his comedy. “There definitely was a cast of characters, ” said Ricky Del Rosario.”When I was a neighborhood kid, I would go around and hang out with a lot of cats in the projects every once in a while. My street was on the same street as the projects but the projects were about a mile away. We had projects where in the 80’s, the National Guard had to come in the projects. It’s not like that anymore.”

He grew up in a large family living in a small house with dozens of relatives sharing quarters all at one time. With such congestion, life was cramped to say the least. Ricky states, “Our living situation and outside life was a comedy writer’s dream. Without a bed or room of my own, nights were spent in the house, while days were spent outside hanging in the neighborhood with a colorful cast of characters. I didn’t need to watch Richard Pryor or Eddie Murphy videos to get my inspiration for comedy; I had my own family and neighborhood in which to draw upon.”

A very good impersonation comic, he been known to impersonate a variety of characters. The stage is his playground. “I consider myself a performance comedian,” said Ricky Del Rosario. ” I have punch lines, but I like to paint a picture of what’s going on and make you laugh by putting yourself in that situation and you’re watching the whole thing unfold.”

In his first year of college at Sonoma State University, Ricky decided to try an open mike night at a local comedy club. From then, he was hooked, and continued honing his comedic skills by performing frequently around the Bay Area.

After performing at a national comedy competition, Ricky Del Rosario was signed by a well-known Los Angeles-based talent agency, which made it possible for him to perform all over the country doing what he loves best. He participated in Jamie Foxx’s First Annual Laffapalooza in Atlanta, Georgia; performed two seasons on Comic View and was recognized by HBO as one of the Top Ten Up-and-Coming Comedians in the country (along with Mike Epps, Red Grant, Nick Cannon and Speedy Caldwell). He credits a comedy manager, Rick Sullivan, as a person that was instrumental in helping him getting his start. “He’s worked with a lot of major comedians,” he said of Sullivan, who spotted him performing for a less than receptive audience. “When I went on stage, he saw that I made this crowd that doesn’t listen to anybody, laugh, so he came up to me said that I had a great look, and a great personality and helped me to launch my career.”

Rosario, who lists Mike Epps as one of his favorite comedians, is a very versatile talent. He’s published a children’s book, became a professional kick boxer and is currently the owner of several small businesses.

Ricky Del Rosario will release his new DVD Ricky Del Rosario “I missed you…” in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 19th  at the LA Athletic Club. This will be one mega celebration as he joins forces with LA Laker’s forward Matt Barnes to the VIP NBA All Stars Weekend party. “My comedy is corner to corner on the stage,” said the entertainer. “You’ll see me use the whole entire stage, I’m all over the place, I’m in front of the stage, I’m behind the stage, so I try to, like a mime would do with speaking, is show you what I’m talking about with my vibe. I want to paint a picture for you also.”

Ricky Del Rosario, with his ability to paint a picture with his hilarious comedy, is one of the People You Should Know.

Ricky Del Rosario. Photo Credit Vinni Ratcliff.