Natasha Kubis | thesofiamagazine

When Only The Best will do

by Natasha Kubis | May 29, 2021 | Asheville, Business, Management, Women Empowerment, Women in Business

Biltmore Executive Support Team (B.E.S.T) is a dream come true for entrepreneurs, high-level executives, affluent individuals, as well as big and small businesses alike. More than just your average professional organizer, B.E.S.T is your proud partner in business management, bookkeeping, professional organization, and customized business support services. They help your business thrive in the most efficient way possible to “get you where you need to grow!”

Their team of professional organizers is specialized in office systems and design and they collaborate with their clients to create a highly functional and peaceful work environment. They are Asheville’s only professional organizers who are certified by the American Society of Professional Organizers AND specialize in accounting. B.E.S.T is certified in QuickBooks and payroll, and they offer professional bookkeeping through their sister
company Accounting Office Management, Inc.

Not only do they help you organize and declutter your physical environment, but they also help create functional paper management, organize emails and digital files, and maintain bookkeeping systems. They do every tedious and overwhelming task that you can think of such as organizing medical records, financial statements, and setting up bill payment schedules. Even CPAs love B.E.S.T because they streamline end-of-the-year tax preparation, saving time for accountants, and reducing hefty fees for clients. They also help executives who are relocating or downsizing by acting as compassionate coaches in the purging and decluttering process.

Linne Warner has always had a clear passion for business and a thirst for creativity, which makes her a hugely successful boss-babe and the multi-talented founder of B.E.S.T. Her story began on a ranch in Chino, CA where she was riding horses before she even learned to walk. This perhaps, is what helped spark her love of adventure in life and business, and her entrepreneurial spirit.

Linne began working at the Coca-Cola Company in her early twenties, where she first became acquainted with the corporate world. Armed with a more refined sense of business, she left the company at age 22 (during the later stages of her first pregnancy) and started her first small business called, Linne’s of Palm Springs, in Santa Barbara, CA, where she produced and sold her own line of hand-painted clothing.

Linne diversified her education by completing her studies in multimedia arts and technology, which allowed her to have a focus on graphic design and marketing. Linne juggled a great deal while accomplishing her educational goals, raising two small children, having her own businesses, including maintaining the accounting and administrative needs of her family’s electrical contracting business, and eventually working full time as a marketing director for a national wholesale floral producer. Her 10-year experience as a director helped her analytical skills and creativity flourish. It also tapped into her adventurous spirit and allowed her to travel to Hong Kong and China several times a year.

The next door on her career path opened while traveling home from one of these business trips. A man sitting next to her on the flight observed her as she worked and was impressed by her keen focus and drive. He recruited her to work at Select Staffing, where she excelled as the Santa Barbara branch manager. She became educated on staff and client management, accounting, and was a devoted student of Steven Covey (author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People).

The next stop along her career path was working as the Vice President of Marketing for the Third Age Foundation. This non-profit organization was developed to help elders in the third stage of life to have longer, happier, and more fulfilled lives. Linne loves helping disadvantaged people find their direction by supporting their personal development. This is why B.E.S.T loves working with elderly executives that need help getting organized, especially if there is any cognitive decline or chronic illness.

Linne is also fierce when it comes to empowering her team members.
Because of her staffing experience, she has learned to look beyond the face value of the resume and encourages people to exceed all expectations. Her team is the foundation of her business and she loves to showcase their many talents. Her executive assistant, Olivia, is even certified in Feng Shui! Linne also does her best to support the local economy by using and recommending businesses here in town. Even her own office is outfitted in art and décor from local shops.

Linne says, “We don’t need to bring others down to succeed! There is enough to go around in this life. God gives us everything we need, including ALL the gifts and blessings that should be used to assist and elevate others whenever possible!”

Linne has two amazing children. Her daughter, Lindsay Rae, is a successful hair and makeup artist, who has worked in Beverly Hills for the past 12 years. Her son, Lucas, will be taking over the family electrical contracting business in C.A. She gets to see her children often because B.E.S.T also caters to clients in the Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara areas.

Linne married the love of her life, Chris Warner, in 2011. The two are wildly adventurous and madly in love. “He supports me 120% in every crazy idea I have or adventure I suggest. I am so grateful that he has been blessed with some sort of divine resilience, and an extraordinary amount of patience, to put up with my never-ending flow of wild ideas!” The two love to explore together, which is how they ended up in Asheville. They sold all of their belongings and hopped into their RV for a 10-month long road trip from C.A. to N.C. They purchased 17.5 acres of land in Candler, N.C., and built their dream home where they’ve had a horse, a pig, goats, chickens, two tortoises, two dogs, and a cat!

In Linne’s spare time, she loves to ride her horse and is an annual pass equestrian member at the Biltmore Estate and Asheville’s Adult Riding Club. Linne says her source for everything is her faith in God. She is an ordained minister, an Officer of the Court of the Catholic Daughters of America, and a child and hospitality minister for St. Joan
of Arc Church in Candler.

B.E.S.T

Biltmore Executive Support Team

asheville-oms.com/best

828-785-2695

79 Woodfin Place, Suite 205A
Asheville, NC 28801

Special thanks to Jim & Barbara Whitmer, Owners of Encore Stables, for graciously granting us access to their farm, encorestablesinc.com

‘Tis the Raspberry Season

by Natasha Kubis | May 4, 2021 | Asheville, Cooking, Food, Raspberries

Not only do sweet and tart raspberries offer an interesting flavor profile for your palate, but they also have some amazing health benefits for your body. You can enjoy this delicious berry all year long, whether fresh, frozen, or preserved. The season for fresh raspberries begins in May, and depending on the variety, can last through October. Pick them straight off the bush in the summer and freeze them for baking throughout the winter.

Raspberries are one of the healthiest fruits found in nature’s bounty. They provide potassium, which is essential to heart function, and they also keep your blood pressure in check. The omega-3 fatty acids in raspberries can prevent stroke and heart disease. They also contain vitamin K and a mineral called manganese, which are both necessary for healthy bones and skin. One cup of raspberries provides over 50% of the minimum daily target for vitamin C, which supports immune function and boosts collagen production for healthy skin. Raspberries also can help to regulate blood sugar, and supply smaller amounts of E and B vitamins, copper, and iron.

Try these yummy recipes to get your daily dose of raspberry’s health benefits.

Refreshing Raspberry Smoothie

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

3-6 fresh mint leaves

1 cup pomegranate juice

1 banana

1 tablespoon protein powder

Add all the ingredients to a blender and puree for about 30 seconds. Add more liquid as needed.

Healthy Raspberry Muffins

1 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Zest of 1 medium lemon

1 1/2 cups of raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. In a large mixing bowl, combine and whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil, and honey or maple syrup, and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined. Gently fold the raspberries into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake the muffins for 22 to 24 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist
and certified yoga teacher.
For more information, visit acuwellhealth.com

For the Love of Raspberries

by Natasha Kubis | May 4, 2021 | Asheville, Business, Raspberries, Women, Women Empowerment

For Stacy Fields, life is all about family, faith, and raspberries. Her Hendersonville based farm, Raspberry Fields, is in its fifth growing season. It provides organic and fresh raspberries, fruit preserves, raspberry vinegar, and delicious baked goods to tailgate market shoppers, local CSA’s, wholesalers, restaurants, cafes, beer and cider brewers, bakeries, and other local merchants in Henderson and Buncombe Counties. Their offerings typically include pies, cobblers, muffins, sourdough bread, spiced pumpkin cheesecake, pinwheels, cookies, and pastries galore. They even cater to vegan and gluten-free diets!

Stacy’s agricultural roots began in Crumpler, N.C., where as a child she tended to her grandmothers’ raspberry patches. Her family also grew Christmas trees, tobacco, and had large gardens that provided nourishment for the entire family. Being in nature and having a green thumb has always been a part of Stacy’s identity. In fact, her most loved activity is growing flowers and hiking through the wondrous Appalachian Mountains.

Although being in the garden has always been one of Stacy’s passions, she wasn’t always in the business of raspberries. Both she and her husband, Chris Fields, had been in the construction industry for many years, but during the financial crisis of 2008 to 2009, their sector had been hit hard. As a result, they decided it would be wise to diversify their streams of income and explore the farming industry. In 2015 they purchased 10.5 acres of land in Good Luck, N.C. (15 minutes from Asheville), and sowed nearly 3,000 raspberry plants, and thus, Raspberry Fields was born. They pride themselves on their organic and sustainable farming practices, as well as their beloved variety of Autumn Bliss raspberries. This bright red berry has a superior flavor profile, a long growing season, and endless health benefits.

Raspberry Fields operates all year long. They start harvesting their berries in mid to late June, and the growing season lasts all the way through October. When their fresh berry season is over, they continue selling all of their preserves, vinegars, and baked goods at the holiday markets from October through December. January is typically the month to catch up on paperwork and taxes. February, March, and April are all about the pre-season work ensuring a healthy harvest for the rest of the year. This includes cutting the briars back down while they are dormant, replacing water lines, weeding beds, adding mulch, maintaining irrigation systems, and conducting soil testing.

This Wonder Woman wears many hats. In addition to tending to her raspberries, you can also find her selling specialty windows and doors for Morrison Millwork by day, and baking pies and hand-crafted goodies for the farmer’s markets on evenings and weekends. Her most beloved job of all is being a full-time wife to Chris, and a mom to a big family of 4 children; Ashley, Jacob, Lydia, and David.

One of the most pivotal moments of Stacy’s life was when she and Chris had experienced the same dream. “We both had a dream that we were going to give birth to our son, and his name was going to be David.” The dream was a profound experience for them both because at that time they had already had children who were in their teens and twenties. “We thought that we were passed that stage of our lives”, she said.

Little did they know that it would take them 3 years until their dream of baby David would come to fruition. Stacy had struggled with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which had made it difficult to conceive, and after lots of heartache and struggle, they finally found a supportive and compassionate team of healthcare practitioners at Carolina Fertility and Asheville Integrative Acupuncture. Stacy was finally able to become pregnant with the son that she had dreamed of, literally!

David is now two months old, and her journey to get him here has given her the insight that everything happens exactly when it’s meant to happen. “I’ve learned that timing is everything and it always works out the way it’s meant to. If we had gotten pregnant with David right away, we wouldn’t have had the time to build this network of love and support that we have today. It would have been much more difficult to do everything that we do on a day-to-day basis, without the friendships we have built over the past few years.” Stacy’s favorite bible verse, one that she refers to often, is Isaiah 40:31, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”

“Our family trusts in the gospel, that Jesus came to pay the debt we could not, and all the promises of God. We attend Biltmore Church and attempt each day to live in a way that brings honor to the Lord”, Stacy said.

You can find the Raspberry Fields bounty at the Hendersonville Farmers Market on Saturdays, the Etowah Farmers Market on Wednesdays, and the Flat Rock Farmers Market on Thursdays. Be sure to savor the taste of the fresh raspberries, jams, vinegars, breads, muffins, cobblers, and cheesecakes. Stacy’s berries are also included in the CSA for TRACTOR, a nonprofit food hub in Burnsville. You can also pick up some products at Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery, a sustainable grocery store in Greenville, S.C. Raspberry Fields has big plans for the future and they hope to open up their farm for events, which will be perfect for all the destination weddings in the Asheville area.

Raspberry Fields

[email protected]

raspberryfieldswnc.com

Facebook and Instagram
@raspberryfieldswnc

Healing in the Garden

by Natasha Kubis | Apr 2, 2021 | Acupuncture, Asheville, Health, Wellness, yoga

Claude Monet said, “Perhaps, I owe having become a painter to flowers.” There’s nothing that feeds the senses more than basking in the richness of nature’s canvas. Tending to a garden and bearing witness to its unpredictable splendor is a captivating experience that ignites a sense of holiness and meditation. Many Artists like Monet, Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Dali, and Kahlo cultivated beautiful gardens specifically to give them a pleasing natural subject to paint. Claude Monet used his garden to aid in his recovery from a debilitating depression, and then painted it on canvases to help heal the war-torn French nation.

For years, healing gardens have been found at nursing homes, hospitals, and healthcare facilities where they provide a place of refuge for patients, family, and staff. Places of worship, college campuses, and city centers often have a central garden where people can contemplate and find solace. When I lived in NYC, I was incredibly lucky to live across the street from Central Park, and would often bring a towel, music, or a book and hide out from the chaos swarming around me. Research has shown that when you connect with nature, positive changes occur in the body that include lowering blood pressure, decreasing heart rate, reducing stress, and improving mood. Most of us are dealing with stress in our everyday lives and could all benefit from our own healing garden.

April is National Garden Month, and a good time to create a healing and inspirational garden that indulges your senses. When you create a blueprint for your garden, include a place to sit and observe the beauty of nature. This can be a simple bench, a comfy chair, or a hammock. Add a focal point for meditation and reflection such as a sculpture, interesting rocks, art, or wind chimes. The sound of water evokes a feeling of relaxation and contemplation and can include a water fountain, a pond, or a waterfall. If you plan to spend time in your sanctuary in the evening, use LED lighting to set off plants to their best advantage. Drape a string of lights over an arbor or tree. Encourage butterflies, birds, insects, and other wildlife to the garden with bird feeders, birdhouses, and plants that supply nectar and food.

When deciding which plants to add to your healing garden, remember to grow what you like. Some colorful flowers that grow easily in most environments include:

– Sunflowers

– Coneflowers

– Zinnias

– Marigolds

– Morning Glories

– Impatiens

– Pansies

– Snapdragons

– Geraniums

– Dahlias

– Petunias

– Cosmos

Include some healing herbs that will be easy to dry out and make into medicinal teas:

– Dandelion supports a healthy liver, kidney function, blood pressure, and encourages the healing of skin ailments like acne.

– Echinacea is used as an immune stimulant and the tea is often gargled for a sore throat.

– Fennel stimulates appetite and supports healthy digestion.

– Garlic aids in immune function, supports healthy blood pressure, and is traditionally used in
remedies to eliminate common intestinal parasites.

– Lavender is typically grown for its beautiful flowers and lovely scent. It is traditionally used to support mental wellness. It can be used for tea or in bath sachets.

– Lemon balm supports headache relief, encourages stress relief,
and restful sleep.

– Thyme is used medicinally to support healthy lungs and corrects fungal imbalances.

You can make your healing garden adaptable to any living situation, whether in your backyard or with potted plants on your balcony, or in a sunny corner of your living room. It’s a great opportunity to let your creativity flourish and nurture well-being.

Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist and certified yoga teacher.
For more information, visit acuwellhealth.com

Monica Rousseau

by Natasha Kubis | Apr 2, 2021 | Asheville, Real Estate, Women Empowerment, Women in Business

Monica Rousseau is an innovator, a mentor, and a leader that has helped shape her community in positive ways with her optimism and forward-thinking attitude. She is a proud mama of 5 kids, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and an example of everything you can achieve when you believe in yourself.

She takes great pride in her work as principal broker at Realty ONE Group Pivot, one of the fastest growing real estate firms in Western North Carolina. Monica opened the office in 2019 because she wanted to offer a different kind of firm, one that is edgy and dynamic. She says it’s more of an “UNbrokerage” firm, where brokers can grow their businesses and provide for their families in an encouraging atmosphere that is agent-centric. Her business thrives on a culture of connectivity and support. “A rising tide raises all ships”, she says, and when one of her team members is thriving, the entire team is a success. The hallmark of her company is the mentorship and coaching approach she takes with each agent, becoming a teacher, confidant, and friend. This approach truly allows the team to become ONE family. Her brokers also utilize the most advanced technology tools to grow their businesses. For example, they were already strongly established in the online platform, so when Covid-19 hit and the industry had to make huge transitions, Realty ONE Group Pivot didn’t miss a beat and it has been business as usual throughout the pandemic.

Realty ONE Group Pivot is a full-service concierge brokerage firm that works with new construction, residential, land, and commercial spaces. They do everything for their clients from cleaning out spaces, coordinating services, estate sales, and introducing them to the best local hangouts. They anticipate their clients needs and they keep the process as seamless as possible in order to remove any stress factors. Monica’s favorite part of the job is building relationships with agents, clients, and the community. Buying and selling real estate, in particular, someone’s family home, is one of the most stressful events in life. “This job allows us, as brokers, to be a part of the most intimate space in a person’s life…their home. It’s so special to be a part of that.”

When this boss babe is not running her business and supporting her team of 36 brokers, you can find her advocating for her community through programs like Safelight and serving on various committees for the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. One of Monica’s proudest accomplishments was starting GAFA Studios, a non-profit dance studio in Wilmington, NC. Her daughter is an accomplished dancer and when her dance studio closed down, Monica decided to open up her own space. She has always been passionate about empowering children and is a strong advocate for their wellbeing, as well as an activist in ending child sex trafficking. The studio served as a means to accomplish that by helping boys and girls find their intrinsic worth, to know their gifts, and to feel good about themselves. “Everyone has greatness inside of them and I love to help other people find that greatness.”

The most important thing to Monica is her beloved family. Her greatest joy in life is when her and her husband get to watch their 5 kids do all the things they love to do such as football, softball, dance, and track. They are a family of athletes and her eldest son loves competing with her in the Spartan race (Monica is currently training for a triathlon). She will often bring her kids with her to the office to help educate them on the ins and outs of business operations.

Monica spends her free time training for races, playing golf, swimming, surfing, and skiing. She also loves to cook and is a huge jokester. “If it’s not fun, I’m not doin’ it”, she says. She doesn’t take herself too seriously and she strives to live from a place of authenticity and vulnerability. “I have faults and I make mistakes. It’s okay to pick yourself up, dust your knees off, and keep moving forward every day”, she says. She knows that we are all still learning and becoming the best versions of ourselves. “I get up in the morning to help people reach their goals, that’s what drives me the most”, she says.

MONICA ROUSSEAU
Principal Broker
319 N King Street
Hendersonville, NC 28792
m: 828.676.7264
o: 828.595.2494
https://linktr.ee/rousseau

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