By Lauren Caggiano

The future is bright for those pursuing an education in the beauty/wellness industry. Kaydean Blackman Geist, co-owner of Masters of Cosmetology in Fort Wayne, Indiana said many career paths exist for students wanting to make people look and feel great. Masters of Cosmetology is committed to providing an education to both female and male students in the art and science of beauty.

That includes everything from hair, to skin and body massage. In regards to hair, color correction is always in demand, Geist said. But some students want to do more than just scratch the surface — literally. Instead, they might seek employment at a medical spa or similar facility. “We see a lot of (students) wanting to work in the medical field, alongside doctors,” Geist said. Others wish to take a more entrepreneurial approach, going into freelance makeup or hair design.

Geist specifically cited a trend in special effects/theater makeup. For example, graduates can create scars and other scary elements for theatrical productions or Halloween events. Another common theme Geist sees is the need to be a well-rounded graduate. A lot of students have prior education when they come to Masters, and it’s common for students to take business classes during or after their beauty school education.

“So many students don’t want to just be a hairdresser, but want to run their own business,” Geist said. Regardless of the career path, Geist says business classes can provide a solid foundation, so you can learn instead of making amateur mistakes on the job, and a cosmetology or esthetics background can come in handy, even if it’s not the chosen career path. That’s because it’s virtually a recession-proof field. Geist said Baby Boomers tend to be focused on health and beauty, so there’s a market for catering to their needs. And the statistics back Geist’s anecdotal comments.

Although growth rates vary by specialty, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment in this sector will grow by 12.7 percent. Demand to receive extensions, hair color, straightening and more could translate to 77,600 new cosmetologist positions by 2022. There are also the benefits of unlimited earning potential and freedom. Hairdressers and estheticians aren’t typically salaried employees; most are self-employed and many work part time. The BLS reports the median hourly wage for hairdressers in 2013 was $11.12, which translates to $23,140 a year. The best-paid earned approximately $44,220, while the worst-paid made about $17,010.

Brittany Schnare, who will graduate in November from Masters, is one who will enter the workforce shortly. She plans to pursue a career in a salon or become a freelance wedding cosmetologist. The 25-year-old said she has long known cosmetology was her calling. “I’ve always loved makeup and hair… making people beautiful,” she said. Masters of Cosmetology is one of several options in Indiana for those seeking training in the art and science of beauty.

There are many reputable institutions across the state. Here are a few, by region:

Northeast Indiana Ravenscroft Beauty College
4530 Lahmeyer Road
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46835
(260) 486-8868

Rudae’s School of Beauty Culture
5317 Coldwater Road
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825
(260) 483-2466

Central Indiana Empire Beauty School

3810 E. Southport Road Indianapolis, Indiana 46237

(317) 489-5656

Regency Beauty Institute

5939 E. 82nd St. Indianapolis, Indiana 46250

(800) 787-6456

Northwest Indiana Don Roberts School of Hair Design
152 E. US Route 30
Schererville, Indiana 46375
(219) 864-1600

Merrillville Beauty College
48 W. 67th Place
Merrillville, Indiana 46410
(219) 769-2232

Southern Indiana The Salon Professional Academy
5545 Vogel Road
Evansville, Indiana 47715
(812) 437-8772

Roger’s Hair Academy
105 N. Green River Road
Evansville, Indiana 47715
(812) 402-1100

By Victoria T. Davis

When talking about health care, disease and nutrition are frequently and freely discussed. Sexual health is not discussed as often, although it plays a vital role in an individual’s well-being. A study by the Alan Guttmacher Institute titled, Sexual and Reproductive Health: Women and Men, found at least three-fourths of all men and women had intercourse by their late teenage years, and more than two-thirds of all sexually experienced teens have had two or more partners. As the study shows, Americans are very familiar with sex, but are they educated on the subject?

Indiana Minority Business Magazine spoke with certified sex therapist and licensed mental health counselor Lara West, of Mount Saint Francis, Indiana, to get answers to some of Hoosiers’ most daring and embarrassing sex questions.

IMBM: Is it normal to lose interest in the middle of sex?

West: There are several reasons why one might lose interest in the middle of sex. Low testosterone can be a reason. Maybe your partner is not an attentive or competent lover. Maybe something else is on your mind or you are not in the mood. One thing you can do if you find your mind wandering during sex is to check in with yourself and your partner. Are you being an active participant? Discover what you can do to bring yourself back into the moment and make things more interesting.

Why do some people have a hard time achieving an orgasm?

There are multiple reasons for experiencing difficulty in orgasming. Medications, alcohol, anxiety and trauma are all factors that could prevent an orgasm. Check with your doctor to see if your reproductive area is working OK, if your hormone levels are within normal limits and to see if your medications have sexual side effects. If all of these check out OK, look at your alcohol use or other substance use before you have sex. Is anxiety or trauma affecting you sexually? And last but definitely not least, do you and your partner know your body well enough to know what stimulation you need to reach orgasm?

Is the G-spot real?

Yes, the G-spot is real. The G-spot (named after Ernst Grafenberg) is a spongy area on the belly-button side inside the vagina above the pubic bone. Some lucky women can orgasm when this area is stimulated, but not all women. Most women happily reach orgasm with clitoral stimulation; so don’t knock yourselves out trying to produce an orgasm by hunting down this elusive area, unless that is what makes you happy.

Some individuals find themselves ejaculating too quickly. What could be the problem?

Some men are biologically geared to rapid ejaculation. What I tend to see more often is less genetic and more anxiety-related. So for the moment, let’s not call it a problem, how about we just call it a pattern of behavior? Most patterns of behavior have evolved out of necessity, and so has rapid ejaculation. Maybe you learned this pattern so someone wouldn’t catch you masturbating, or you didn’t want the kids walking in on your date night, or your previous partner complained you take too long. So take this moment to retrain yourself. If Tiger Woods can refashion his golf swing, so can you.

Why can’t men have multiple orgasms like women?

I am happy to report that men can have multiple orgasms. After checking with my men’s sexuality gurus (thank you Jody and Jean), it appears that some men can have sequential orgasms, and it is more common when men can delay ejaculation. It helps to keep the sexual intensity at a high level as well.

Women are associated with faking orgasms. Are men just as guilty?

Heck yeah, men can fake orgasms too! Think about the man whose female partner wants to have a baby, but he does not, so he fakes an orgasm to make his partner believe he is doing his part. If everyone were honest and upfront about his or her sexual behavior with his or her partner, I would be out of a job! Seriously though, if someone is faking anything in a relationship, it may be a good idea to think about what is really going on. Why is there faking going on? Try to have an open conversation with your partner, and if this is not possible, seek out a therapist who can help clarify what the faking is about, what role it serves, and how to address it in the relationship.

By Ebony Chappel

About 59 percent of Americans over the age of 18 start their morning with a cup of coffee, according to the National Coffee Association. The 2:30 p.m. groggy feeling, as described in popular 5-Hour Energy drink advertisements, has many folks reaching out for the small sugary caffeine shot or one of the many other available caffeinated options that promise to stave off sleepiness.

The widespread use of caffeine among Americans may be due to the fact that sleep is becoming less of a priority, so much so that in 2012 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared insufficient sleep a public health epidemic. Data gathered by the CDC showed that among survey respondents, 35.3 percent of adults reported getting fewer than seven hours of sleep each night.

The outlook here in the Hoosier state is grim as well, with 29.2 percent of adults reporting similar sleep patterns. “I learned the hard way, the value of sleep,” Arianna Huffington, founder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post, said during a talk at TED Women 2010. Huffington had a rude awakening in 2007, literally and figuratively, when in a moment of exhaustion she passed out at work and hit her head on her desk. The incident left her with a broken cheekbone and a gash near her right eye that required stitches. After her dangerous encounter, Huffington went on a crusade, spreading the news about the importance of sleep – even for those who are extremely busy. Her movement and mantra have gone on to receive the Oprah stamp of approval.

This year, Huffington launched a six-week online course titled Thrive, which is available for purchase through the OWN Network website. “(Sleep deprivation) is something we see all too often… it is a very serious problem,” said Terry Cralle, certified clinical sleep educator and a spokeswoman for the Better Sleep Council. The practice of staying up later to get more done is a dangerous trap many professionals and business owners fall into. “I think it’s just our culture and our society. We have devalued sleep for so many years. We equate needing sleep with being lazy or with just not having a good work ethic,” Cralle said. Contrary to that belief, statistics show that passing up shut-eye greatly impacts productivity. A 2011 study conducted by Harvard Medical School showed that sleep deprivation costs the average American nearly $2,300 annually in lost workplace productivity. This figure translates nationally to $63.2 billion lost each year.

Studies also show that a lack of sleep impairs cognitive performance, mood and ability to problem solve, and it could result in a plethora of health issues. “We have to turn this thinking around,” Cralle said. “The research has clearly shown that we can’t be productive if we don’t have sufficient sleep… We have some people that think they can learn how to get by on less, that if they go so long with five hours a night they can get used to it.” Cralle explained that only 3 to 5 percent of the population is genetically set up to be “short sleepers.” For the rest of us, 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night are needed. “We need balance in our lives in order to be productive and have the best quality of life,” said Cralle, who suggests adding one extra hour of sleep per night for a week, for those who are trying to transition into waking up more rested. “Sleep is foundational. If we start off with sufficient sleep as our foundation, everything will be better.”

By Ebony Chappel

Hospitals in the U.S. fall into one of two categories — publicly or privately owned. Private facilities typically operate under the auspices of a religious group or are owned by a corporation and usually exist as part of a larger hospital system, similar to a retail chain. Public facilities are owned by a city or county and are run by a board of trustees, oftentimes composed of appointed civic leaders or elected officials and a paid administrator who manages day-to-day operations.

Experts say there are definite pros and cons to hospitals under each ownership type, yet some seeking care still hold certain beliefs and stigmas when it comes to smaller facilities, whether public or private. Dave Hyatt, CEO of Jay County Hospital, said patients’ biggest concern is the quality of care. “In all honesty, I’m not sure it’s so much of a designation whether you’re publicly owned or privately owned in the non-profit world, but more so based on your size,” Hyatt said. “We have a St. Vincent facility located 20 miles south of us in Randolph County, and I don’t think anyone thinks they do any better or worse than we do because they’re owned by Franciscan St. Vincent.”

Hyatt said sometimes when hospitals are independent, like his county-owned facility, issues such as access to resources arise. Hyatt is actually a paid employee of IU Health, whose presence at Jay County is made possible via a management contract. Jay County is the only facility that has a partnership of this sort with IU Health, which was ranked on U.S. News and World Report’s Best Hospitals list this year.

Jay County, a critical access hospital, has 25 medical surgical beds and a 10-bed LifeBridge/ Senior Behavioral Health unit. The hospital offers a range of services including radiology and nuclear medicine services, cardiac rehabilitation, a sleep lab, infusion clinic, respiratory therapy, obstetrics department, outpatient surgery center and more. According to the National Rural Health Association, people living in rural areas tend to make less money per year than residents of non-rural areas. In fact, the average per capita income in rural areas is $7,417 lower than in urban areas.

This figure is even greater for minorities living in rural areas. Rural residents are also less likely to have employer-provided health insurance, and payouts from Medicare to rural hospitals tend to be lower. This demographic also experiences a variety of health disparities (increased cases of cardiovascular disease, alcohol and tobacco dependence, vehicular/machine injuries, etc.), causing their health care needs to differ from that of their urban counterparts. “When you’re small you have limited resources, but you’ve got to have good, solid management and a good, solid team,” said Hyatt. “Do we have the resources of some of the larger systems? No. My IT department has five or six people, where some large hospitals may have 60 to 70.” He added his employees often wear multiple hats and juggle responsibilities to meet the needs of their clients.

Many factors, including the economic recession and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, have led to the closure of 57 rural hospitals since January 2010, but Jay County is forging ahead. “The ACA has had significant impact on the hospital. Whether you’re for or against the law, it has done a lot of good but it’s also made us challenge the way we do things. Nothing is perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction,” said Hyatt. “We have seen a slight decrease in our uninsured coming through the ER. However, with that you see an increase in Medicaid, and that still doesn’t cover the full cost of the care we provide.” In July alone, Jay County had 993 people come through its emergency room, many of whom do not have a primary care physician. “We are finding that people aren’t wanting to sign up for primary care. Now that they are insured, they are more apt to go directly to ER, and that has placed a challenge on our operations,” said Hyatt.

Last April, the hospital rolled out ClaimAid, an initiative to help rural residents become acclimated to how health care works, by assisting them in enrolling for a health insurance plan and choosing a primary care doctor. They have also recently brought in hospitalists to help with the process. According to columnist Jack Ronald of Portland, Indiana’s The Commercial Review, this was proof of Jay County Hospital “going the extra mile.” “Will it be a panacea? Of course not,” Ronald wrote. “But it is a meaningful step in the right direction.” “We talk about being the best in everything we do,” said Hyatt. “In a small hospital our patients are our family, neighbors and friends, so we have to provide the level of care we as clinicians would want and expect for our own family.”

By Terri Horvath

Men hold the top jobs in a large majority of U.S. corporations. No surprise. But doesn’t it seem ironic that men control the beauty product industry? On BrandFinance’s 2015 list of the 50 most valuable cosmetic brands in the world, only two — Chanel and Avon — are led by women. The brands ranked at six and 11, respectively.

Even Mary Kay, which was started by a woman, has a male CEO. Still, these companies makes products used primarily by women, and they often rely on women as sales people or middle managers. The reasons for this gender disparity in the beauty industry are probably the same as for other Fortune 500 corporations, said Ellen Kossek, the Basil S. Turner professor of management at Purdue University.

Women tend to value relational aspects more than men. Therefore, they take time out of their careers to be the family caregivers and lose seniority. They prefer to have a more balanced work/personal life. Then there is the proverbial glass ceiling that still exists. But Kossek says that a shift in the workplace is coming. “Some of the younger men who are on the fast track have seen the women in their lives, like their moms, going to work every day,” she says, so they tend to recognize women as business leaders.

Plus, an increasing number of companies promote a work-life balance for both men and women employees. Neither men nor women have to sacrifice family for the board room. Statistics also back the case for women. Research shows the value of gender balance on a company’s board of directors. “Those who do have this balance actually have higher financial performance,” Kossek said. Having women with a voice in marketing beauty products just makes good business sense. One Indiana company that kept an eye, either consciously or subconsciously, on women in management is Vera Bradley. Founded in 1982 by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia Miller, the company produces several fashion accessories, most notably quilted handbags. The company’s website shows Baekgaard remains a key figure with three other women accompanying her in the top eight slots. The CEO, however, is male. Some of the few female CEOs do feel a responsibility in encouraging women toward senior management roles, said Krista Hoffmann-Longtin, assistant professor of communication studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. “They have seen these gaps and have taken responsibility about doing something about it. And, we are more and more accepting of the idea that the more diverse voices that are in the board room, the better we can understand how to market to our customers.”

So, there are females in the board room, and the notion is growing. But for those wanting upward mobility, you need a key component, suggested Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow, senior lecturer of management at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business — an MBA degree. “If you take a look at some of these women who are CEOs, more often than not, you’ll see that most of them have one thing in common,” she said. “They all started out working in finance, and they have MBAs.”

She also agrees with Kossek and Hoffmann-Longtin on two other essential elements for climbing to the top — a mentor and an advocate or sponsor. “The mentor helps teach you, whereas an advocate is really like a cheerleader,” she said. Both are necessary, but an advocate is the one with the connections to get you into the leading roles.

Skip the glass ceiling by starting your own business

One way to surpass the corporate world’s glass ceiling is to start your own company. One business owner found success doing just that. Renee Gabet, co-owner of Annie Oakley Perfumery in Ligonier, Indiana, started crafting hand-blended fragrances and essential oils in her kitchen in 1980. Since then, her company has been recognized by the national media, won a 2012 innovator’s award in the Fort Wayne area and has had a significant jump in business.

In addition to sales outlets around the country, Annie Oakley relies on the Internet for sales. With hopes of finding similar success, other Indiana entrepreneurs are selling their beautifying wares on etsy.com. A partial listing includes the following:

Jael Skincare from Indianapolis featuring skin care products made with shea butter cream Lather and Lotions Studio from Fort Wayne featuring decorative soaps

Lilly’s Soap Kitchen from Indianapolis featuring a complete line of vegan skin care products

Tuttle’s Bee Butter from Goshen with skin products made of beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter and other oils

Favor Care Organics from Indianapolis featuring organic hair care and skin products

By Manon Bullock

Health care has always been one of the fastest growing industries, and nurses have consistently had a low unemployment rate compared to other professions. Chris Burns — assistant professor and course lead of pathophysiology-online at Marian University Leighton School of Nursing, and family nurse practitioner at Hancock Immediate Care — says a predicted shortage of nurses has attracted men to the occupation. Many schools have increased their efforts to recruit more men into nursing to increase the number of employable workers in the field. According to the American Community Survey, 9 percent of all nurses in 2011 were men. In 1970, 2.7 percent of registered nurses were men. Historically, the emergence of modern medicine in the 1900s brought about legal barriers to the entry of men in the nursing field, which created a stigma of male nurses. “When I was pursuing biochemistry as an undergraduate student, there were very few male nurses, but even then I thought it was odd,” Burns said. “I was raised on the idea of seeing TV nurses.” Burns did not plan to become a nurse. He was pursuing his R.N. certification on the way to becoming a physician when his wife, who is also a nurse, indicated that nursing might be the right field for him. “My epiphany was that there is much more to nursing. Analysis, assessment and application of sciences, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and all these were rolled up into one. Many nurses have a teacher’s heart. As a scientist with some teaching background, it fit perfectly,” he said. Darrien Curry had similar aspirations of pursuing medicine. He attended the health professions program at Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis and always dreamed of becoming a physician. He is currently pursuing his Associate of Nursing degree at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, and will go on to obtain his R.N. degree. Curry said he was not surprised to find that there are many male nurses in his program. After previously working as a certified nursing assistant, then a qualified medical assistant and now a student nurse at Alexia Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Illinois, he has noticed a demand for male nurses. “Some managers prefer men because we are very logical and can detach emotion when we need to,” he says. “We also have the physicality to be able to properly function in an environment that requires physical exertion.” As a nurse practitioner with the opportunity to see patients and diagnose, treat and educate them, Burns, who has a master’s in nursing, said he enjoys the autonomy that comes with his vocation. “I think male nurses have it all, because you can do many things,” he says. “There is a tremendous amount of complexity and analysis of thought, and you can also specialize.” The increase of male nurses may also help to decrease the number of men who wait too long to receive health care. Curry says male nurses may be able to more easily relate to men, and their male patients may feel more comfortable with them. “Men can be just as compassionate as women but when men, especially, get a male nurse, they may take their diagnoses more seriously,” Curry said. Both Burns and Curry said they find their work very rewarding. “I tell my students that they are going to have an intimate privilege of being in situations where and when people are vulnerable, and that is a tremendous responsibility,” Burns said. Both men are certainly glad to see the stigma of male nurses disappearing. “Being a male nurse doesn’t emasculate you as a man. It’s not shameful. It’s the same in every field,” Curry said. “Anybody can be anything.” I