Lifestyle CEO | Empowering Women in Life and In Business

The Original Lifestyle CEO Story
\Lifestyle CEO\n. A person who owns a business, not solely for financial gain, but also to enjoy the benefits of entrepreneurship, independence, flexibility and fun. Donna Maria is the Original Lifestyle CEO.

Using a unique combination of gifts, talents and indestructible determination, Donna Maria Coles Johnson has created an unprecedented connection with women everywhere. As the author of several "how to" books for people who like to make their own cosmetics using natural ingredients, "dM" has inspired thousands of people to enhance their lives through her breakthrough "View It Then Do It!" philosophy. Through the Handmade Beauty Network which she founded in 2000, dM has helped entrepreneurs around the world to discover, claim and maximize their ability to succeed, both in life and in business. Her weekly online newsletter, the Handmade Beauty Connection, uplifts and inspires nearly 6,000 loyal readers. dM's accomplishments and unparalleled ability to lead and encourage people from all walks of life has established her as one of the leading small business experts today.

Wife/Mother
Handmade Beauty Pioneer/Author
Attorney/Business Counselor
Volunteer
Publisher/Television Producer
Online Leader
Business/Lifestyle Expert
Speaker
Philanthropist
Selected Speaking Topics
Booking Contact

WIFE/MOTHER

dM has been married to her high school sweetheart, Darryl, since 2000. Darryl and their children, Brooks (2 yerars old) and Vanessa (4 years old) are dM's chief motivators and her biggest cheerleaders. Their presence in all she does helps make her life both fun and fulfilling. dM's first hand experiences as a business woman and home manager have empowered her with the type of valuable insights that allow her to inspire and encourage women everywhere to become successful in family and business -- without compromising either.

HANDMADE BEAUTY PIONEER/AUTHOR

dM began making her own cosmetics in 1993 after discovering a bar of lemon scented handmade soap in a local herb shop. By 1995, she had left a lucrative job as a corporate attorney in a Fortune 500 company to start her aromatherapy and bath shop, Maria Grace, in the historic district of Takoma Park, Maryland, a few miles outside of her hometown of Washington, DC. In 1998, dM self-published 3 books containing information and recipes to help other people make quality cosmetics products at home. In July 2000, her first collaboration with a publishing house culminated in the publication by Storey Books of "Making Aromatherapy Creams & Lotions." By 2000, dM knew that she could never be happy unless she was able to contribute her time and talents to something that she really loved.

In 2000, dM left her last job as a "Legal Beagle" and launched the Handmade Beauty Network. With over 470+ members around the world including Canada, the US, the UK, Japan, Germany, Australia, Africa and the Philippines, HBN is the leading industry trade organization providing business resources to manufacturers of handmade beauty products including soaps, cosmetics, candles, fragrances and aromatherapy products.

ATTORNEY/BUSINESS COUNSELOR

donna maria dM is a graduate of the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America where she served on the Catholic University Law Review. After serving as a law clerk and in law firms large and small, dM launched dM Law Offices after the birth of her first child to provide legal and business counseling services to women who need quality legal assistance but do not have the resources to engage the services of high powered law firms such as the ones dM had previously worked for. In 2003, dM was named the Home-Based Business Advocate of the Year by the US Small Business Administration's Washington, DC office. Through her home-based legal and business counseling practice, dM helps a select group of clients visualize, plan and realize their dreams of owning and managing a successful business and creating familial legacies and wealth.

VOLUNTEER

A committed philanthropist, dM gives back as both a volunteer and a benefactor. She is the Work At Home Network Director for Mocha Moms, Inc., a national non-profit organization serving the needs of stay at home mothers of color. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Lifestyle CEO Book are donated to The Enterprising Kitchen, a non-profit organization that uplifts women and encourages them to re-discover their talents, gifts and unique abilities to improve their lives and the lives of their families. dM also regularly donates her time as an attorney to serve as legal counsel to small non-profit organizations.

PUBLISHER/TELEVISION PRODUCER

dM is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School where she received her BA in Journalism. Her journalistic talents are displayed in thousands of articles providing insight into her unique philosophy of entrepreneurship and self-reliance. In 2003, dM began including Lifestyle CEO columns in the Handmade Beauty Connection and in November 2004, published The Handmade Beauty Cookbook: Do-It-Yourself Beauty Recipes & Secrets From Members Of The Handmade Beauty Network. In addition to recipes, the book featured details and contact information about handmade beauty businesses owned by Lifestyle CEOs across the country. The first printing was completely sold out within 6 months of publication. Today, dM hosts the Lifestyle CEO Internet Radio Show, a cable television show, an online magazine and is launching a series of books around the Lifestyle CEO theme -- all designed to empower women in life and business and to help them be effective home managers and business owners.

ONLINE LEADER

HandmadeBeauty.com is a premiere women's small business website, offering advice to women on everything from making cosmetics using natural ingredients to managing successful businesses while also keeping the home fires burning. dM's popular weekly online newsletter, the Handmade Beauty Connection, has well over 5,300 opt-in subscribers. The MangoButter.com site makes it easy for people to search for and find the ingredients and supplies they need to make their own cosmetics. The MakeYourCosmetics.com website enjoys has over 10,000 registered users and she successfully uses a variety of online locations to promote HBN member businesses and the sponsors who help bring her messages to so many people around the world. All websites contain unique original content. Through the Handmade Beauty University, dM has condensed her decade of industry experience into 8 classes so that others can start their businesses off on the right foot, maximizing scarce resources and minimizing missteps and financial losses. These websites provide entertainment and valuable business building resources for millions of viewers each year.

BUSINESS/LIFESTYLE EXPERT

dM has been blessed to share the Lifestyle CEO message in numerous media outlets, including most recently as a columnist for District Chronicles newspaper. Since some publications charge a fee for archived articles, direct links are not always available. Brief descriptions are provided where possible. Many articles and features, with supporting photographs, are here.

Business

The Bowie (Maryland) Blade, October 13, 2005 (dM subject of article entitled, "Bowie Woman Becoming Media Maven" by Annette Esterheld)
The Brand Called You by Peter Montoya (Peter Montoya Publishing, 2005) (featured personal brand)
ABC World News This Morning, September 2003 (dM interview by award winning journalist Derrick McGinty about the challenges of starting a small business and why so many people are doing it)
Global Cosmetic Industry, June 2003, ("Self-Made Maven")
Business Plans Made Easy: It's Not Has Hard As You Think! by Mark Hendricks and John Riddle (Entrepreneur Media, Inc., 2002) (featured business planning resource)
The Washington Times, June 19, 2002 (dM featured in article entitled, "Botanical Bonanza: A 'religion sprouts around handmade herbals" by Ann Geracimos)
The Chicago Tribune, August 5, 2001 (dM featured in article entitled, "A Passion For Work And Profit: Dream Jobs Can Be Dreams Come True For Some, Nightmare For Others" by Barbara Buchholz)
The Houston Chronicle, September 30, 2001 (dM featured in article entitled, "Turning To Plan B: Those With Real Passion Find Ways To Leave Their Jobs To Work On Their Dreams" by Mary Stit)
The Washington Business Journal

Women's And Lifestyle

Bye-Bye Boardroom: Confessions From a New Breed of Stay At Home Moms, (Capital Books, May 2006) (featured mom)
Time Magazine, May 15, 2006, (dM's philosophy on discipline and spanking is featured in article entitled "Is Spanking O.K.?" by Pamela Paul
Ebony Magazine, June 2005 (dM featured in an article entitled "Mothers of Invention" by Shirley Henderson)
Parents Magazine, July 2005 (dM featured in an article entitled "Being A Parent Made Me Better At My Job" by Pamela Kramer)
San Francisco Chronicle, June 25, 2005 (dM featured in article entitled, "Gloss The Way You Like It" by Anastasia Hendrix)
Crystal City Magazine, Fall 2001 (dM featured in an article entitled "Scent of a Woman" by Hope Katz Gibbs)
Upscale Magazine, October 2001 (dM featured in article entitled, "Sweet Smell of Success"
Washington Woman, July 2001 (dM featured in an article entitled "Legal Scents" by Hope Katz Gibbs); June/July 1998
Woman Today Magazine.com, dM's article "Beauty and the Bride"

Handmade Beauty/Natural Cosmetics

Hallmark Magazine (premier issue), Sept./Oct. 2006 (dM's recipe for hair mask included in article on hair products made with natural ingredients)
City Press, Cape Town, South Africa, August 20, 2006 (dM quoted on the benefits of making cosmetics at home using natural ingredients)
Organic Living, Winter 2005 (dM featured in an article entitled "Do-It-Yourself Organic Spa Treatments" by Barbara Feiner)
Prince George's (Maryland) County Journal, December 2002
CNN Money.com, March 12, 2001 (dM featured in article entitled, "Getting Started: Soap sells - Demand for handmade soap has hobbyists turning into business owners.")
Herbs For Health, January 2001
The Mansfield Ohio News Journal
Pregnancy Magazine, March 2001
The Aromatherapy Journal
Natural Health Magazine, May 2000
The Aromatic Thymes, Spring 1999 (dM featured in article entitled, "The Queen of Creams")
The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Newsletter
The Natural Foods Merchandiser
The Saponifier
The Takoma Voice, May 1998; December 1995 (dM featured in article entitled, "Maria Grace's Body & Soul Therapy" by Surabhi Dabir);
The Washington Informer, February 1999 (dM featured in article entitled, "Making Scents For Valentine's Day")
Creative Alchemy & The Poetry Of Soapmaking, A Publication of SunFeather Natural Soap Co, Fall 1998 (dM featured in article entitled, "A Soapmaker's Profile")

and others.

SPEAKER

dM has been called "the essence of entrepreneurship." She is a passionate advocate for empowering women and is a leading voice of inspiration and encouragement for thousands of people around the world. A portion of profits from the sale of her book are donated to help other women maximize their potential in life. This dedication to empowering others contributed to her being named the 2003 Home-Based Business Advocate of the Year by the Washington, DC office of the United States Small Business Administration.

dM is available for keynote and conference speaking, panel discussions and one-on-one-consultations. Her Lifestyle CEO message is suited for a variety of forums including women's groups, business and professional conferences, church retreats, educational institutions, community events, youth motivational outings and other events.

PHILANTHROPIST

dM donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Lifestyle CEO Book to The Enterprising Kitchen, a non-profit organization that provides workforce development and support services to women who are working to gain economic independence. She is the chairperson of the Small & Home Based Business Committee for her local chamber of commerce and the Work At Home Director for Mocha Moms, Inc., a national non-profit organization supporting the unique needs of at home mothers of color. She is also a ClubMom Expert on ClubMom's Work At Home Channel, with an emphasis on Entrepreneurship.

SELECTED SPEAKING TOPICS IN THE LIFESTYLE CEO SERIES

Each presentation is approximately 50 minutes long and can be adapted for different audiences.

The Lifestyle CEO: How To Break All The Rules, Build Your Own Corporate Ladder And Create The Life You Love! (This presentation is adapted from dM's new book.)

Blah Blah Balance: How To Stop Balancing And Start Living

Glorifying God Through Small Business Ownership: How Business Ownership Fulfills Our Highest Calling To Serve And Honor The Creator

Build Your Own Corporate Ladder: Seven Indispensable Steps To Establishing Familial Legacies And building Wealth Through Small Business Ownership

View It Then Do It: Stop Dreaming And Start Doing!

Saving Your Business Before It Starts: What You Can Do Today To Ensure The Success Of Your Business Tomorrow

BOOKING

dM travels regularly from her office in Charlotte, North Carolina to speak to conferences and women's groups. For booking availability, contact Muse works of Simi Valley, California, the exclusive booking agent for dM. Please send Muse works an email to book dM to speak for your group.