Have you ever known better and actually wanted to do better, but didn't have the stamina, focus or courage to make it better?

Nicole Steele, author, speaker and Executive Director of  Diamond In The Rough, strongly believes that one of the biggest things that hold WOMEN back from fulfilling their God-given purpose and destiny, is having feelings of inadequacy. They also struggle with unworthiness, fear and regret that often come from having been broken at one point or another.

At the 2012 Helping Women Succeed in Atlanta Summit, Steele shared a vivid account of her personal struggles in dealing with brokenness as well as insights and tips to help others go From Broken to Brilliant. Her presentation included:

• Suggestions on how to transform personal pain into purpose
• Identifying the six primary types of brokenness
• Ten (10) practical tips on living the life of brilliance that was created just for you

If you missed the event or are interested in the full presentation, add the complete message to your audio library by ordering the CD, which is available at www.ditr.org or www.apricelessgem.com.

For more information on Nicole Steele or other materials available through Diamond In The Rough or Gem Makers, please call (678) 376-9676.

Born in Queens, New York, Dr. Danielle Greene is a pioneer in the dental industry. A leading African-American woman in the field, Dr. Greene's perseverance led her to achieve her goals, including owning an expanding, client-focused practice and developing a line of oral care products.

Dr. Greene graduated with honors from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. She was then selected to be Fullbright Scholar, a prestigious that allowed her to continue her studies at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

Following her studies abroad, she successfully completed the prestigious graduate studies program at the University of Maryland Dental School with honors and went on to establish her practice in Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Greene's commitment to her clients' oral health, educating the public and building self-esteem and general well-being resulted in her latest professional creation, "Kissable", a designer line of oral care products.

Initially available only to Dr. Greene's private dental clients, Kissable is now being made available for sale directly to the general public.

People You Need to Know Magazine is proud to salute Dr. Danielle Greene as our Person of the Week!

Corvida Raven, the 21-year-old mastermind behind SheGeeks.net, a Consumer Web 2.0 Application Reviews & Social Web Conversations blog is taking the technology world by storm. Fast Company Magazine called her in their Jan. 09 issue, one of the most Influential Women in Technology for a reason. As a former writer and community manager for ReadWriteWeb & The Industry Standard, she's now the new Blog Editor for Mr. Tweet, a Twitter User recommendation service, and co-manages projects such as EverythingTwitter.com and TheSocialGeeks Roundtable Podcast. You can follow her on Twitter @corvida or see what she's sharing on FriendFeed (Corvida).

The world is now driven by technology! Hear what one of Atlanta's most in-demand technology writers has to say about Twitter and how you can get the most out of it.

Ms. Corvida Raven is definitely one of the People You Need to Know.

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Bisa Batten Lewis is the Founder and CEO of Ideal Consultants, which is a service company devoted to providing quality technical assistance and professional development for early education practitioners.

With high adoration for children, Lewis dedicates much of her time to designing youth programs and writing children’s books. Her latest book, Let’s Potty, was released at the NAEYC Annual Conference in Atlanta in November 2006. She has published a number of articles, chapters in college-level textbooks, newsletters and more.

Lewis earned the Bachelor of Science and Master of Education Degrees in Early Childhood Education at Albany State University and is currently pursuing the Doctor of Education Degree in Adult Education at the University of Georgia in Athens. She serves on numerous state and local early learning boards, leadership councils, and committees.

Prior to becoming a full-time business owner, Lewis was the Director of Instruction at Albany Technical College where she supervised the Early Childhood Care and Education Division and Academic Programs. In addition to serving as an instructional dean, Bisa directed the child development demonstration centers leading the main campus program to Georgia Standards of Care Center of Distinction and national accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Lewis’ classroom experience ranges from paraprofessional to university Instructor. In the Department of Teacher Education at Albany State University, she supervised student teachers and served as Project Director for its four professional development schools and two child development centers.

As a Get Ready to Read Training Manager for Smart Start Georgia and Ready to Learn Consultant for Georgia Public Broadcasting/PBS Kids, Lewis partners with community organizations in Southwest Georgia to offer complimentary workshops to parents, teachers and childcare providers on how to help children and their families get the most from appropriate use of educational tools and programming, while maximizing literacy-learning opportunities in preparation for school-readiness.

With high adoration for children, Lewis dedicates much of her time to presenting child development workshops to enlighten the minds of parents and educators in hopes that all children will have sufficient opportunities to learn.

Listen as she shares with us how you can help your child become a successful learner.

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It's no secret that excellent communication skills are required to maintain good relationships. In addition, top-notch communication / presentation skills can also land you a better job! Ms. Catrina Brown was kind enough to grant us an interview on Spark Plug Radio to share some basics about improving our speech communications so that we can ultimately improve our lives.

Catrina Brown, MA, CCC-SLP, is the president of Speech Made Easy, Inc. She can help you enhance your communication skills by providing trainings to maximize speaking potential. Her specialty areas are articulation, language, accent reduction and oral presentations. Catrina received her Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree from Hampton University. Tune in and get some valuable information that can help you improve your skills "the easy way."

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David Jernigan is the Executive Director for KIPP Metro Atlanta, overseeing the network of KIPP schools in Metro Atlanta. Prior to assuming the role of Executive Director, he was the Founding Principal of KIPP WAYS (West Atlanta Young Scholars) Academy from 2003 to 2008. Under his leadership, KIPP WAYS Academy was consistently one of Atlanta's highest performing middle schools, and in 2008 it was named the #1 “No Excuses School" in Georgia by the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. David came to Atlanta through the Teach For America program, where he taught at M. Agnes Jones Elementary School in the West End of Atlanta.

Mr. Jernigan is a Morehead Scholar and graduate of the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and is the recipient of the 2003 Outstanding Young Alumni Award. He received his teaching certification through Georgia State University's Urban Alternative Teacher Certification Program and his Masters in Educational Administration from National Louis University in Chicago.

In 2006, Mr. Jernigan was nominated and selected for LEAD Atlanta, a program for emerging young leaders in the Metro Atlanta area. In 2007, he was honored with one of ten Outstanding Atlanta awards. He is passionate about improving the educational opportunities for students in Atlanta and looks forward to broadening the scope of KIPP's impact in Atlanta by helping to open additional KIPP schools in the near future.

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Like every great story, the People You Need to Know story has very humble beginnings.

Many years ago - 1993 to be precise - Anthony “Spark Plug” Thomas, started a business publication in Atlanta, Georgia, called the African-American Business Locator. Fueled only by his passion and a $3,000 loan from his late brother, Robert Lee Thomas, Jr. (1961-2008), Spark Plug’s dream of providing small businesses with affordable advertising began.

His first publishing endeavor was a tiny, black and white, digest-sized publication that included paid business listings. Always the creative businessman, Spark Plug was constantly looking for new avenues to help his customers generate more business. Before long, word started to spread around metro Atlanta about this ingenious young man who worked so hard to help his clients get new customers.

In 2000, the publication was renamed People You Need to Know because Spark Plug believed everyone needed to get to know a local dentist, physician, attorney, realtor, etc. Also in 2000, he decided to give full-page ads to every advertiser so they could all receive the best possible exposure at an affordable price.

In 2007, People You Need to Know on Spark Plug Radio was launched online and the show quickly became a favorite in the metro Atlanta business community. The radio show also has listeners around the country and the world. Podbean.com reports that the People You Need to Know Radio Show interviews are being downloaded in more than 35 countries.

In 2008, People You Need to Know formed a partnership with the Atlanta History Center to archive and preserve their Destined for Greatness radio interview series for present and future generations of researchers.

Today, People You Need to Know is metro Atlanta’s premiere business spotlight publication with an annual circulation of more than 500,000. It is distributed by the nation’s largest distributor of free publications and is available at Kroger, Publix, Blockbuster, Sears, Kmart, Bally’s Fitness Centers and online. More important, the publication is the engine that drives all marketing and publicity opportunities the company offers its clients.

People You Need to Know in print, on radio, via podcast, iTunes and on the web works to make life a little easier for anyone searching for quality business people in the metro Atlanta area.

In 2009, People You Need to Know will continue to participate in metro Atlanta’s major trade shows, business expos, health fairs, festivals and shopping mall events.

People You Need to Know, Inc. “works hard to help people find your business.”

Parents, you are your child’s first teacher. You know what can create a successful or disastrous day for your child. Be confident that you can offer valuable information to the school staff about meeting your child’s needs. In order to sufficiently do so, you must know your child's (IEP) Individual Education Plan. Be sure to understand the details, specifically in the areas of: goals and objectives, placement, and supportive aids (classroom modifications and testing accommodations).

Be Proactive

The person who initiates communication can set the tone for the relationship. Waiting until you receive that phone call or letter from school before making a formal introduction creates a reaction versus a proactive purposeful intent. Educators are there to support your child’s educational experiences. See them as a friend or colleague. Remember that as with any other relationship, the more you are supportive, the better the relationship works.

Be Present

In order to truly know what is working or not working at your child’s school or in the class, you must be present. Schools and teachers appreciate volunteers. Begin with your child’s class. You may start by reviewing your child’s homework, send in an extra set of supplies for the class, and make preliminary phone calls to set up a field trip, or gather materials for centers or projects. Those tasks may seem simple but really can support a teacher especially if he/she does not have a class assistant.

Some teachers are apprehensive about class volunteers, when they are secretly there as class spies. Being present is about building a rapport and trust with the teacher, so be mindful that your actions and words should be ones that uplift and support the relationship you desire for the sake of your child.

Be Persistent

Do not be dismayed by a teacher who refuses your support or presence. Begin by making small gestures of a weekly phone call or email. Sometimes teachers are overwhelmed and thinking about how you may help her possibly just gives her one more thing to do. Instead of waiting for her to give you a task, be observant. Notice things that may be needed in the class when you drop off or pick up your child. Look at project details or newsletters to identify ways you could contribute with those activities. Find out more.

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Orrin Hudson is teaching kids how to make the most of their endgame. Since 2001, he has been giving free, 16-week chess workshops for inner-city kids across the nation. But his students learn more than how to play chess. They learn to apply the strategies used in the game such as problem solving and thinking ahead to succeed in life.

So far, Hudson has coached more than 20,000 kids in more than 15 states. "You have everything within you to win the game," Hudson tells his students. "If you make the right moves, you can get the right results."

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