http://www.kiwithebeauty.com

Today is a social spotlight series on Lisa Nicole Cloud. Lisa Nicole Cloud, named one of the most powerful women in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Journal, is a woman of Passion Purpose and Power. Lisa Nicole Cloud is a true multi-faceted business mogul who has achieved phenomenal success as a self-made millionaire, author, direct sales expert, fashion designer, TV star of Bravo’s Married to Medicine and founder of the Women’s Empowerment Network (WEN). I talk with her about her women’s empowerment series, her clothing line, and what is going on with her on her second season of Married to Medicine.

Kiwi: Before becoming a reality star, you were a fashion designer. Tell us more about the Lisa Nicole Collection and what in the works with that.

Lisa Nicole: Before I was even a fashion designer, I was a successful businesswoman. I had a large successful direct sales business with over 200,000 representative in my organization as it is still one of my major revenue sources. I took the money I made from direct sales and I invested in other businesses. The clothing line was just one of them and the collection has really taken off with my exposure on Bravo giving my brand some notriety. My brand is for the classy, sophisticated buisnesswoman and are powerful.

Kiwi: Although you started in direct sales, did you always know you were going to eventually venture into the fashion industry?

Lisa Nicole: I knew that was a elevolution of my brand, because I was already in buisness and mentor many women. A lot of time we would talk about dressing for success and first impressions are lasting impressions. A natural discuession on what is approipriate business attire in an office and corporate enviroment and what is approriate attire when you transition to after 5’0 clock setting and events. People already making judgement calls the minute you walk into the room and I always had an eye for style to give advice on it. I will say there was something that pushed me out there faster into the fashion industry. I had a speaking engagement and bought a really expensive outfit from a retail chain and low and behold someone else who was scheduled to speak had on my exact same dress on. I was with Russell Simmons in Madison Square Gardens and right then I realized as long as you are buying off the rack there is always that small chance someone can be wearing your outfit at an event. I swore that day it would never happen to me again and I started designing my own pieces. 

Kiwi: Any advice to women on what not to do when it comes to fashion & styling?

Lisa Nicole: You want to stay on trend but you don’t have to be so ‘trendy’. The best thing professional women can do is wear pieces that are elegant and powerful that are timeless. Something that is a classic cut but with a flair that if you need to pull it out of your closet in 4 years you can still wear it again. Quality is also a factor because in this society we want more for less, but sometime you definitely get what you paid for. 

Kiwi: Lets talk about your conference WEN (Women’s Empowerment Network) can you tell us more about that?

Lisa Nicole: This is actually my fifth year with WEN that started off as a women’s business conference focus on highlyprofessional ladies who are at the top of their game to teach their success strategies. Now  WEN has evolved into a conference that focuses on business, personal development, finances and spiritual devolopment. It becomes an enviroment where women can come and feel very safe, the element and spirit of sisterhood where these ladies start releasing and having breakthroughs too. Its a place where highly influencial and successful women bring collaboration and not competition and who believe in sisterhood. We share our strategies for winning, and I have yet to see a WEN event where tears are not flowing and cleansing. As women we tend to carry the weight of the world being nurturers for our children, to our husbands, our parents, the community and we cater to everyone else – and a lot of time we lack to take care of ourselves. WEN has became an enviroment where women can totally forcus on themselves and release, and I honestly believe you cant get to the blessings of the future until one release bagges and pain from the past. 

Kiwi: How are you loving your second season so far on Married to Medicine? 

Lisa Nicole: The second season has been a little bit of a challenge because I am not the drama queen of the show, I am in more controversy than I care to be apart of. 

Kiwi: Can you tell me about the contract with doing your women empowerment conference and being on a reality show were the sisterhood isn’t always that strong?

Lisa Nicole: When I decided to do reality tv, my goal was to shift the reality television sterotype that is made of African American women. To be a positive example on tv, showing that woman that is very sucessful in her business, that does believe in a poassion in entrepreneurship that wants to help and see other women succeed.To even mentor women on the show if they needed it when it came to buisness, and more importantly be more drama-free persona on the show. When I first came on board, the producers said ‘ Sure that’s exactly what we are looking for, we want that!” and I was excited on my first season because they allowed me to be who I was. But upon this second season, now people are questioning me and making it seemed like I skated through being a positive personality. People started associating positive with boring. 

Kiwi: So what did the producers think about your persona for this second season?

Lisa Nicole: At the end of the last season, the producers told me to prepare for the reunion, “Well you know, this is big. The reunion is like going into the lion’s den where everybody comes for everybody!” And I thought, well why would anyone come for me? I haven’t done anything…and the producers continued to explain this is where the producers secure their spots for the following season. The producers also encouraged me to be prepared and do a backround check on my castmates. I didnt know many of my castmaste prior to shooting Married to Medicine, so I did run a background check on them. Quad wasn’t the only one and the other castmates weren’t concerned at all. Quad was the only one that was livid about me running a backgound check on her.

Kiwi: Did you run the full background check to secure your spot?

Lisa Nicole: No, it was just to know who my castmates were. All of the cast knew each other prior to the show, I really didnt them very well. The producers definitely encouraged me to go forward with running the background checks to know my castmasts. I was not the only who did it, and when you sign up to do reality television you agree to have background searches on you. It’s something that is done in the industry…but I just want to put out a public apology to Quad, she took offense to it, it was never to offend her, never exploited anything in her background. I have been her target this season because of this background check, and I personality apologized to her before the cameras started to roll for this season. So I just wanted to put that statement out there.

——————————-

FYI* Our interview with Lisa Nicole ended shortly after that statement. As you all know on my blog I do not cover gossip, drama or exploitation of women and cattiness. I wanted to put this out there to my readers this part of the interview because Lisa thought it was important to know the backround of reality television. She issued an apology personally and publicly so as the season progress if you watch the show you will see Lisa’s side.  

Married to Medicine comes on air every Sunday on Bravo TV at 8/7c.

Learn more about the Lisa Nicole Collection +  WEN Empowerment Series + Personal Website