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Monthly Feature: Under 40 & Changing The Game (8)

Who is (Name/Nickname)?

Chef Ivana Smith, MPH is an exemplary chef, event specialist, & CEO/Founder of Dainty Delights by Ivana LLC, a full-service catering & event planning company in Los Angeles, CA. 

What has contributed to your personal growth?

Hardships of every kind have been the greatest contributors to my personal growth. At a period in my life when I was under a great deal of stress, I became very ill physically, and it was my first real wake-up call that life is something to be cherished, and living a life devoid of passion and meaning was a life that I wanted no part of. I made really significant decisions that made me really uncomfortable and disrupted the stability that I worked so hard to create for myself as a young adult, including ending a long-term relationship, dealing with physical illness, and giving up lucrative and reputable employment opportunities to follow my passion of focusing full-time on opening a catering and event planning company, although that had NO guarantees of real success or becoming anything I could rely on financially. These experiences really helped me stretch and grow as a person, removing toxic people and places from my life that challenged my happiness, personal growth, or professional endeavors. For lack of a better expression, it really helped me grow a backbone and a spine, as I've shaken off much of my passivity as I've learned to assert myself and defend my happiness. I'm grateful for the hardships I've endured as I've grown as a person because they've humbled me and taught me that life is something to be lived with passion and zest, and I don't have to tolerate anything less than that.

In the next 5 years where do you see yourself going?

In the next 5 years, I envision Dainty Delights by Ivana LLC as a well-established, family-oriented, catering and event planning company in the Los Angeles community, known primarily for outstanding aesthetic presentation, delicious food, & unmatched client satisfaction. As a private chef, I hope to travel across the U.S. and internationally, bringing quality hospitality experiences to various cities and communities, hosting private catered social events, & providing event planning consultation services to hospitality, music, & entertainment professionals.

What are the 3 images that best describe your growth?

What message would you like to provide those people who have hit a road block with their personal growth?

When I felt really down and unsure of what move to make next in life, I would think of the Bible scripture Psalm 30:5 that states that "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." It reminds me that storms don't last forever and this storm that I'm in will also pass. You naturally feel happier in the morning when you see the sunlight creep in through your window, hear birds chirping, and wake up in a bed that's warm. That's all a blessing, and I remind myself of that when I feel stagnant. This experience is preparing you for your ultimate "Glow-Up Season,"  because hardships aren't given to people who are not supposed to do meaningful work during their lifetimes.

How would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a genuine, passionate, and authentic person who brought joy to others through service, love, and laughter in everything I did and every avenue I pursued in life.

What are your current ventures?

Currently, I'm working on building the Dainty Delights by Ivana brand and increasing the notoriety of the Dainty Delights within Los Angeles and online. We have some exciting projects in the works and will be getting our Youtube Channel up soon, featuring new and past content of events we've coordinated in the past, cooking demonstrations, and much more! You can follow Dainty Delights by Ivana and our journey to spread love & positivity through quality culinary & event experiences at www.iwantdaintydelights.com, IG: @daintydelightsbyivana, and FB: Dainty Delights by Ivana LLC. 

Additional information about Ivana

Fun Facts!

I earned a BA from UC Berkeley & Master's in Public Health from UCLA prior to opening Dainty Delights by Ivana LLC

My parents are from Panama and taught me strong values of family, education, and great hospitality growing up in their household

I enjoy dancing, reading, listening to R& B & hip-hop music, & spending time laughing with loved ones in my spare time

Prior to becoming a full-time chef & event specialist, I worked for several years in HIV/AIDS research with incarcerated men and transgender women

I'm a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Monthly Feature: Under 40 & Changing The Game (7)

Who is…?
My name is Malcolm Coley, and I am from Salem, New Jersey, for the most part everyone just calls me my name.

What has contributed to your personal growth?

Over these past like 5 to 6 years of my personal development and growth, I would have to say that my dad, John Coley has opened my eyes to a lot of things. My pastor Silvester Beaman has played a integral role in helping me to see things more clear. I follow Gary vee and watching him has helped me to stay motivated. Two guys that I hold in very high esteem, Newdy Felton and Travis Smith have guided me through path that I'm walking, which is helping me transition to a higher level.

In the next 5 years where do you see yourself going?

Where I see myself going in the next 5 years is loaded, simply because I see so many things being accomplished from now until then as long as I'm here on this earth. I'll say that I see myself being able to bring more value at a larger scale to the people around me and that can be done in so many ways.

What are the 3 images that best describe your growth?

What message would you like to provide those people who have hit a road block with their personal growth?

Whenever you have a road block, I just take a look in the mirror and I literally tell myself, today could be my last day on earth and time waits for no man. Also, take yourself to a place where you found the greatest comfort, because you will find the greatest growth. Keeping these few concepts in mind while you are traveling your journey can easily help you to push through.

How would you like to be remembered?

I honestly would like to be remembered for being able to provide value for those around me. I think a legacy or servitude within my expertise will carry my name years after I am no longer here.

What are your current ventures?

My current ventures: I have a natural hair organization that focuses on locs, called LocNationTheMovement (@LocNationTM on IG, LocNationTheMovement on FB and www.locnation.com) I created a marketing company with a few friends of mine called "The Influencers Lab," in which we are a digital media marketing company that focuses on social media marketing, online and offline branding. Our marketing company has a parent company called ACT generation that is a adult school approved by the Delaware department of Education and Technology company. We have a digital tv network similar to netflix, that gives people a platform to showcase their content. I'm also working on a natural product line.

Additional information about Malcolm

Just a little about myself, I have a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from Seton Hall University. I am a member of the greatest fraternity in the world Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. I have a beautiful daughter who will be nine years old soon. I am also a trustee at Bethel AME church in Wilmington, Delaware. 

I can be followed on FB,SC,IG and Twitter @MalcolmLocs.

Trying To Keep My Faith (Part 2)

            Honestly for the past year I feel that the amount of pressure from people to get back into church has made me not even want to go. I grew up in the church, my uncle and aunt are pastors so I know for me it’s very essential to go to church. I personally just hate being pressured into doing things I am not currently ready to do. The moment you pressure me the longer it will take me to do something or I just won’t do it at all.

            I have friends who are very religious and sometimes I want to smack them just because they always seem to try and push their ideas on me. Give me time and let me figure out how I’m going to get back in touch with God, if I even want to do that. Until my relationship with God is good I don’t think my future friendships\relationships will get better. I can’t see myself with have proper friendships\relationships if spiritually I am not good. My spiritual journey is literally MY spiritual journey and until I feel like I am back on the right path then things will have to take a backseat. It’s not that I don’t want to go to church and hear the word, I can hear that anywhere, but every time I go back to my home church I see my sisters casket in the front of the church. I just want to break down and cry sometimes. I made it to my home church for the 2^nd week and I want to continue. I have to get past it and get better.

            People don’t understand how things are damaging. When you don’t have the right people supporting you but instead pressuring you then things will never get better. Everyone’s life journey is different and I am just trying to keep my faith while trying to understand the reason behind why things happen.

Dating and Dating Again (Part 2)

            Most times with dating you think you are ready but sometimes you aren’t really ready. You may have inner demons that you have to deal with, your past constantly showing up or you’re just dealing with someone who just wants to go full throttle. You never want to rush something until YOU are ready. You don’t want to half ass something and in the end it falls apart.

            The thing about dating is that you have to be able to make sure that person is all about you and you are all about them. This always takes time and sometimes never happens immediately. You have to have that feeling of “damn this is the only person I want to be with” when you’re alone without them. Until you reach that point I feel you aren’t truly ready. It’s not so much of an infatuation its more so a non-interest in other people besides this one person. You could see another great person try to step into your life but you already have one and that person is amazingly occupying your time. You consider these other people a non-factor because you already have this great person in your life. Sometimes most of us don’t even get to this point and we just bite the bullet just so we have someone. No, don’t do that only because its unpredictable on how you may feel later on about them. After some time you may just lose interest or your interest in them may grow. You will never know unless you just step out and just try. Give someone a reason to make you their main dish instead of that side salad. Build that friendship so they can get to that point if they haven’t yet.

            You can’t date wrong it’s a continuous learning process. Somethings might happen immediately whereas others may take a while. Dating is literally testing the waters before making someone official. Hurt feelings happen and if you feel something isn’t going in the right direction, TALK ABOUT IT. No one ever wants to feel pressured to jump into something they aren’t 100% committed for and 100% ready for. We just don’t know what the other person is thinking and what inner battles they are going through but we do know that things take time. It is never wasted time but a learning experience that will help us in the future.