Fall is in full swing and Spring is already in!

Today was the 1st day of Fall 2010 classes and we had an incredible time!  Many ladies have called, emailed, and "inboxed" on Facebook about the Spring semester.  As the Fall session concludes over the next few weeks, you can pre-register for Spring with just a $100 deposit!  Grab your seat now before the rest of Charlotte and the surrounding cities catch wind of this opportunity.  Your plus modeling career awaits...
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Watch This! The Open House Recap

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The "Thank You's"

The Open House was an absolute success.  Sponsors, vendors, and attendees alike were excited to be a part of The Plus Academy CHARLOTTE Open House.  However, the true judge of our success was none other than Executive Director, Gwen Devoe, who flew in from New York to meet the Charlotte interests.  Ms. Devoe was incredibly satisfied with the turnout, the energy, the instructors, and the venue.  (Thank God! Lol.)  (Quick plug for Spirit Square, a division of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center:  It is a wonderful and reasonable place to have an event with galleries, auditoriums, classrooms, and dance studios to accommodate even the most diverse event.  Visit them at www.blumenthalcenter.org.)  Now let's get started with these "thank you's".  So many people were responsible for the success of the Open House and will continue to use their talents to assure we have a wonderful Fall program.

Thank you:

• Gwen Devoe for giving me the honor of Affiliate Director of Charlotte.  We promise to continue to do it big!
• Diamond Sponsors: Sylvia Fierro of Mary Kay and Latta Jones of Latta Health for your contribution and support of this event.  It wouldn't have been the success that it was without your inclusion.  
• Tiffany Fant, you beat the streets with me to promote the event, made phone calls, paired us with WGIV, provided sound, remembered everything I had forgotten, helped set-up and break-down, and a bunch more innumerable tasks.  Spring is about to be a blast!!!
• Joshua Craig, owner of HelpfulNerd.com, for constructing The Plus Academy CHARLOTTE website.  
• Wendy Brown, owner of Plush Boutique in Atlanta, GA.  In less than 12 hours, I had 2 dresses to choose from plus accessories Fedex'ed to my door.  Everyone loved the dress by Dukes and Dutchess.  The jewelry was amazing.  Let me know how I can own it all! :)
• Kenny Boyd of Tailormade Graphics and Give N Go, Inc.  Thank you for donating your time and talent to design the fliers and business cards and for allowing us to support your non-profit.
• Joy Randall, owner of Flawless Makeup Art, for the divine glow you gave me, my mom, and Jay Jarvis.  My confidence was right where it needed to be because I felt good and looked great. Go Joy! 
• Wanda of Noda Nail Salon for hooking up my manicure and pedicure.  Ladies, visit the salon and ask for the "rockstar" polish. Once you try it, you will fall in love. 
• Tanisha Fant for transporting precious cargo, Ms. Gwen Devoe, from the airport to the hotel to the venue.  You have no idea how big of a help that was.
• Ashley Andrews, Spirit Square Operations Coordinator, for responding expeditiously to emails, confirming that we had all the supplies we needed, and making yourself available on several occasions.
• Jay Jarvis for playing the role of my personal assistant, confiscating and answering my phone, and emceeing the event.  Like slouch socks and high tops. You rock!
• Raymona Tanner aka Mommy for helping everyone feel comfortable, handling registration for your baby girl, and simply being a presence.  
• Johnatha Camp of Eventions by J. Camp, for your ingenuity and willingness to work with what we had.
• Yeng Moua for donating your time to capture the campaign, "I Wish I Was a Plus Size Model", on camera.
• Jameka Whitten of Charlotte Style Magazine for bringing your staff to cover the event.
• CINTHE Magazine and Andre Michael for being a part.  We look forward to the November issue.
• Loretta Spearman and the team at UR Tight for launching your women's line at the Open House and sponsoring one of your custom undergarments.  
• Will McGlenn, owner of 7 Figgas Clothing Company for designing and sponsoring the "I Love My Figure" t-shirts and donating to Give N Go.
• Gerwood Shephard of Bestram Productions for recording all of the Academy's classes, events, and developing promotional videos.
• And all of the instructors for delivering your spiels concisely and confidently.  The fullness of the program is up to us and it is clear that you all are the right choices to get the job done. 

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.  

Today is the Day!

Alright Ladies, it's 5:13 am and I am so excited about The Plus Academy CHARLOTTE's Open House.  Let's light the Queen City up today at Spirit Square! Be there by 3pm.  Dress up those curves, paint on your MAC lip glass, and slide on your favorite pair of shoes.  Go ahead, show your thinner counterparts why they want to be you!

I Wish I Was a Plus Size Model

If we were to be transparent just for the next few moments, we might agree that at some time in our lives we looked in a magazine, saw a show, or even another woman and thought, "Man, life would be so much easier if I looked like that.  If I was just smaller, thinner, taller" and on and on and on.  We've all done it at some point (maybe not today, not even last month, but some time in our far and distant pasts we dreamed of less of this and more of that).  

For some women, full-figured especially, these thoughts were nearly a chronic condition and tormenting for that matter.  Constantly seeing beauty portrayed in size 4, 36-24-36's, 5'11", shop anywhere, where anything, go braless, whatever!  A never-ending reminder of how supposedly unattractive or rather unwanted by American standards they were.  But, today is a new day! It's everywhere.  It's all around us.  Plus Size. Plus Size. Plus Size.  The latest trend.  The newest fad.  The "we've been here, representing over 70% of the U.S. for, um, years."  Opportunities to be a part of this target market and for retailers, take advantage of this target market are becoming more and more plentiful.  It's a most appropriate time for the tables to be turned with all this fashion, media, and retail attention we've garnered.  Give it a few more months, maybe one full year and our thinner counterparts may begin sharing this sentiment...

  

On the Air Today with BJ Murphy 103.3 WGIV!

Have you ever been in that deep, good old fashioned snugly sleep?  Well, that's what I was in the middle of when I received a call from my colleague, Tiffany Fant.  She had tried calling me several times but my phone kept reading "Private Number" and I said to myself, "Self, there isn't even a number, so back to nighty-night." (Sidebar: I am so not one of those folks that ignores calls because the number is not stored in my phone.  I run businesses.  My numbers are all over the Internet.  I answer the phone every time it rings. Ya' heard?)  Okay, so back to my delightfully interrupted sleep...

Finally, T. Fant texts me with these words, "Pick up the phone! I'm calling from work." Feeling reprimanded, I began reminiscing on my obedience to my Mom when she couldn't get me to return her calls when she would page me. Yes, I'm reflecting on transparent blue Motorola pagers.  Lol!  I call T. Fant and she passionately instructs me to get up and get ready to head down to WGIV radio station in Pineville (I live nearly 30 minutes away) and be there before noon (it was 10 am and I needed to put my face on, too)! Nathan Smalls had just posted on Facebook:

"TODAY IS RECORD DAY AT WGIV 103.3 FM. BRING YOUR CD WITH PICTURE AND BIO TO THE RADIO STATION 12PM -2PM ONLY AND WE WILL REVIEW YOUR MATERIAL FOR OUR ARTIST SPOTLIGHT. 9349 CHINA GROVE CHURCH ROAD, PINVILLE, NC 28134 ATTN. "NATHAN SMALLS."

ELIAH, my client at the The Consulting Studio definitely needed to take advantage of this opportunity.  So I packed up his demo, bio, and images filed them in a leather folder, stuck on my heels, beat my face, styled my hair (ha!), and left for South Charlotte.  When I arrived I was greeted by an unassuming gentleman who asked what I did.  Who knew it was the owner and general manager of the station, Mr. Frank Neely? We chatted for a few moments and then he introduced me to Nathan and BJ Murphy. Aware of the greatness of the opportunity, I could not fathom the fullness that God had planned.  As I introduced them to my artist, ELIAH, The Consulting Studio, and The Plus Academy CHARLOTTE, they each recognized the immediacy of PA Charlotte's Open House.  As Mr. Neely bounced around generous opportunities for my future endeavors (stay tuned for updates on that...), the star of The BJ Murphy Show asked if I was in a rush.  Of course I wasn't.  T. Fant only awakened me 2 hours ago.  My day wasn't due to start until ummm...6pm for the Celebrity Power Mixer at the Harvey Gantt Center. :) At that very moment, I heard God say to me, "Ask, seek, knock.  You did." In the next few seconds, Mr. Murphy asked if I would like to be on his show today at 3:30pm.  Without doing the dance of joy from the 1980's show, Perfect Strangers, I simply confirmed my availability coupled with sincere thankfulness.  

So today at 3:30 pm, The Plus Academy CHARLOTTE & your girl, Tip Jones will be ON THE AIR at Charlotte's oldest African-American owned radio station, WGIV 103.3FM.  I thank God for the opportunity.  

Love Ya'll!

10 Reasons to Choose The Plus Academy

1. We exclusively hire instructors who are reputable, notable, and leaders in their industries (ie. Liris, Chyna McGarity, Mia Amber, etc).
2. Industry-standard information is taught, equipping students to pursue successful careers in plus modeling.
3. Well-connected to the "top dawgs" in fashion.
4. Uh...Full Figured Fashion Week.  www.fffweek.com  Never been? Check it out.
5. Fully comprehensive program.
6. PA Directors have flourishing careers in fashion, modeling, entertainment, and marketing.  Gwen Devoe hires no slackers. ;)
7. A diverse menu of classes scheduled every semester.
8. More expensive than other modeling programs ($525).  Now, that's a good place to cheer! You get what you pay for, right?
9. There is no age requirement.  We encourage women ages 35 and over to register.
10. Become an integral part of the large network of The Plus Academies Nationwide, Bahamas, and New Mexico.  Plus, we have fun...and a lot of it!

Reserve your seat before someone else does. 

Pre-register Today!