Supporting Women on a Grand Scale Vol. 4

This month's Kiva loan has gone to Sahar from Jordan. She is raising funds for her Beauty Salon.

If you'd like to contribute to this loan, or any others, please go to http://kiva.org/invitedby/supportingempoweredwomen

Ayana Organics

This is a particularly exciting post. It just goes to show how many women in our community are trailblazing their way into the business world! I started my new job and within a few days I'd discovered that my colleague's wife started an amazing business! Please welcome Samantha and her splendiferous business Ayana Organics.

AYANA ORGANICS

Ayana Organics: Natural skin care for pregnancy, postnatal, baby and the spa range for all women.

I created Ayana Organics 3 years ago, as I was keen to see a product on the market that ticked all of my personal boxes....a vegan, certified cruelty free skin care range that used only natural and organic ingredients; that was free of chemical preservatives; that supported fair trade and that had an environmental focus. 

Several years prior to setting up Ayana, I had come across the Gandhi quote: ''Be the change you want to see in the world". Rather than getting frustrated with companies that appeared to be getting on the natural or organic bandwagon, but not really delivering, I decided to create what I wanted to see. 

Working for myself has offered many benefits: I am able to remain at home with my children and watch them grow; to follow my passion; to get creative, to choose the stockists that I wish to work with; to support a fair trade project in Nepal, to donate products and to fundraise for charities close to my heart, and to employ other women who are in a similar situation to myself.

So Ladies, if you love yourself and your family then have a look at the utterly gorgeous products from Ayana Organics and head to http://www.ayanaorganics.com.au/osc/ or on the Facebook Page, Samantha also has a great blog which has been very informative and slightly addictive! 

*Dear Readers, I apologise for the formatting issue in the second paragraph. I cannot for the life of me get it to go away! Please disregard, I am aware of the mistake but I am powerless to stop it*

As It Should Be

I am very excited this week! Today I get to showcase the business of my very best friend in the world. She is my first girl love and she will be with me forever! Now, Fair warning; Robyn has written as enthusiastically as she speaks, and as plentiful! I've popped everything under headings so you can find the bits you need the best. She is not only an amazing and beautiful woman, she is also the Maude to my Ethel and I hope you'll all support her as much as I do.

As It Should Be

So, my company is called As It Should Be Massage and Personal Training. 

Gym Training:

I currently work at The Good Life in Mt Lawley so if you are a member, I can train you there. I charge $40 for a 30 minute session, $55 for a 45 minute session and $70 for an hour. This includes an initial consultation where we discuss what you want from your training, goal setting, any injuries you may have or any medication you may be on. Measurements are taken and some fitness testing done to find out what your starting point is.

Group Classes: 

I also offer outdoor group fitness classes that are not connected to the gym. These can be tailored to suit the specific group's needs - whether it be a bootcamp, sport specific or a mother's group. These will cost between $15 and $35 per session, depending on the number of participants. I also train individuals outside the gym and the prices are the same as above.

About My Outdoor Sessions: 

Training ordinarily runs for between 45 and 50 minutes, comprising a short warm up, followed by the main workout, a series of Ab exercises and finishing with a short stretch session, depending on the time.

Sessions mainly incorporate compound bodyweight exercises (ie - squats, push ups, burpees, etc), mixed in with interval training (running sprints and some stair work if we find a venue that has stairs), plyometrics (jumping exercises), circuit training, some light weight and exercise band work. Each session is different from the next and of course, each session gets progressively more challenging!

The venue of the sessions could be varied to include the beach, out in the hills, Jacob's Ladder and the like.

Massage:

I also run a Mobile Massage service - $100 for an hour, $75 for 45 minutes and $50 for 30 minutes. All done in the comfort of your own home. The client just needs to provide some towels and their own choice of music. Types of massage include Swedish (relaxation), deep tissue and trigger point therapy.

About Me:

I was a competitive swimmer growing up and tried my hand at a variety of sports - hockey, netball, surfing, squash, tennis, biathlon. So have been fit and active most of my life, except for a period in London where things got a tad of of hand and I ballooned to over 80kgs! So I do know what it is like to have been considerably larger than the norm. I decided that enough was enough when I tipped the scales at 81kgs and stared swimming again and joined Weightwatchers, but it was only when I was hospitalised with acute pancreatitis a few years later that I realised that I seriously needed to do something to get my health back on track, so I took up running, as well as boxing and went from someone who couldn't run for a bus to running 10k's in under an hour - no mean feat for a water baby who looks like a sick tortoise going backwards whilst running! By the time I left London, I weighed 72kgs and my health was back on track - no more blood tests and anti-cholesterol tablets meant for 50 year olds! Thank you exercise! 



I got back into competitive swimming (with a Masters club) a few months after moving to Australia and realised how much I loved being active and fit and competitive. I also started going to the gym and kept up my running a bit. My swimming career culminated in October 2009 when I competed in the World Masters Games in Sydney, where I won a gold, silver and bronze medal and swam Personal Best Times in all my events. While this was all going on, I kept thinking that I really should be doing something more with this whole health and fitness thing and the ubiquitous AIF ads with Michelle Bridges where starting to hit home. It wasn't until my whole life imploded at the end of 2009 (I left my husband, lost my job and had a falling out with some of the members of my swimming club - all in the same week!!), that I decided to do something about it and enrolled at the AIF to become a Personal Trainer and Massage Therapist at the beginning of 2010. Best decision ever!

I still like to compete and ran the 12k City to Surf earlier this year and will be competing in the Rottnest Channel Swim in 2012 in a duo. Next year I may even run the half marathon as well.

Robyn's contact details are robynphillipspt@gmail.com and number 0414 300 173.

So, if you love to look and feel awesome, give Robyn a call and support her business. Help a sister out!!

Kiss Me Quick

Kiss Me Quick is the baby of a very wonderful woman I met whilst out shaking my stuff one night. She is an insanely beautiful and talented women who creates sexy vintage inspired lingerie. I'm not going to waffle on too much about this because Simone's pieces simply must be seen and admired and perhaps a little strutting must be done in them!

" Kiss Me Quick started in 2006, its my little lingerie outlet, I’m the sole owner and doer of everything!

All items are designed, cut and sewn by me alone.

You know I cant say I know how my business benefits me or my family – haha – I work full time and then I come home and sew!"

Its not very exciting in that respect, but in others its created its own social outlet, at the moment I’m working on a new range and a pop – up shop, so all the associated meetings, with models, photographers and designers I’m collaborating with for the shop, are fun for me!

I love my business because its a creative outlet, because I have full control over what I do and I love all the people who make this world of alternative lingerie styling fun, the artists, performers, customers... wonderful!"

Please visit http://www.kissmequick.net.au/ or the Facebook Page!

Follow Kiss Me Quick on Facebook for all the latest updates and pics of new stock!

Help a sister out!

Body Mechanix- Holistic Health and Fittness

Here is yet another of my very good friends who has her own kick-arse business. Lisa and I have known each other for about 15 years after doing modelling and dancing together as kids. She has a great business and has been very enthusiastic about The S.E.W. Blog and has given us a great write up of her business.

www.bodymechanixaustralia.com is truly your one stop health shop! Lisa offers a caring and professional service - no drop-and-give-me-20's or getting yelled at here!

Lisa is a fully qualified and insured Naturopath, Personal Trainer, Massuer, Acupuncturist and Zumba instructor, and is now studying Psychology to look after your mind and soul too. Lisa aims to ensure that you gets the attention you deserve - paying attention to the entire body when something ails ya and not simply focusing on the one area you may be seeing for her. Hurt your back and you join in group training? She will make suggestions how to improve your diet and maintain your body through massage or meditation. Feeling stressed and coming for naturopathic consultations? What about joining in group fitness classes and having a massage also?

Lisa became involved in the health industry as she truly cares about educating and helping others about their lifestyles. Growing up heavily involved with sport and dance, Lisa always found greater gains from dietary and lifestyle management plans rather than the medications often prescribed by doctors. She believes in living life in moderation and enjoys the odd glass of wine and piece of chocolate. Life is for living!

Check out the website www.bodymechanixaustralia.com or call 0412 78 77 64 to find out all about PT, group fitness, consultations and massages. Lisa looks forward to talking to you soon!

Support Women on a Grand Scale Vol. 3

I got excited! I have loaned another $25 to Marian Sos because she just looked so serene in the picture that I just could't go past! Marian lives in Cambodia and will use the money from the loan to buy plastics to resell.

The link you'll need if you want to join in!

http://kiva.org/invitedby/supportingempoweredwomen

Marian Sos

Support Women on a Grand Scale Vol. 2

www.kiva.org

This month I have made a loan of $25 to Annah Moochi Nyatuka for her business selling soft drinks. Her goal is go into wholesale business in the future.

Please go to http://kiva.org/invitedby/supportingempoweredwomen to contribute to Annah's loan. And while you are there, have a look around the world and see if you can help any other women out. All terms and conditions for the loans and the repayment structure can be found on the website.

Annah Moochi Nyatuka

If you have made any Kiva loans, please comment below, I'd love to hear your take on this very wonderful programme.

Help a sister out!!