Presenting

8 | GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com W elcome to 2016, the year of the monkey according to Chinese astrologists who believe this is an ideal time for a quantum leap in your life. Now is the time to shake things up, create change, and innovate a new path. They profess that even the most ambitious plans can succeed. Well, I'm obviously not Chinese and only mildly enter tained by astrology but, this is a prediction I can embrace. I'm a person who loves change, in fact, I chase it. Never one to accept the status quo, I enjoy pushing boundaries and planning ahead of the curve. It is my love of innovation that gets me excited to hit the floor every morning. While my propensity for change leads me to pursue roads less traveled, it is confidence and of course, long hours and hard work that make up the secret sauce of success. Over the years, people have asked me where I got my confidence. This question perplexes me, because I can't exactly say where I picked it up. Unlike many children today who are showered with praise for mediocre performance, my parents barely noticed my success. They loved me and acknowledged my achievements, a little, but it was always expected that I would do well in school, be polite and work hard. While my parents may not have been the best cheerleaders, I realize now, that I undoubtedly inherited some of their confidence. They both left comfor table corporate careers in the 70's to star t their own businesses with great success. My father especially had unwavering faith in his ability. While researching for my ar ticle, Building Confidence, I found that confidence is actually an inheritable trait similar to eye color and height. Not only can we improve our own belief in our abilities, we can pass that faith onto our children. Ground-breaking science that even challenges Darwin's theories of evolution. On the topic of shocking developments, the current political climate encouraged us to examine the relatively small number of female politicians elected to office in the U. S. in MissRepresentation. We also have the pleasure of meeting some of the most dynamic women in fashion in our region. They share their experiences getting to the top of a very competitive industry and the challenges they faced. And, I always like to end an issue with a laugh. In my humor column, Road Hazards, I address the snow birds you find clogging the roadways this time of year. I wish you all a wonderfully happy new year. May it be a glorious time for us all to realize long awaited dreams! From the editor Jules Lewis Gibson President & Editor-In-Chief Follow Jules @SeasideJules Volume 3 Issue 1 | Winter 2016 Tampa Bay - Sarasota Edition PRESIDENT & EDITOR IN CHIEF jules lewis gibson EDITORIAL editorial assistant, bridget o'brien copy editor, austin holt contributing writers, nella decesare, sara mineo, katherine fererra johnson ART + DESIGN creative director, jules lewis gibson graphic design, laura long, morgan young photography, andrea hillman Gravitasmag.com facebook.com/Gravitasmag twitter.com/Gravitasmag pinterest.com/Gravitasmag Advertising sales@Gravitasmag.com Subscriptions Gravitasmag.com GRAVITAS Magazine © 2015 is published 5 times a year and distributed through home delivery. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express written permission from the publisher is prohibited. GRAVITAS Magazine cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of content or opinions expressed by its authors or advertisers. Subscriptions may be obtained for $14.95 U.S. by our website Gravitasmag.com. Principal offices located at: 1520 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, Florida 34236. SUBSCRIBE to GRAVITAS at GravitasMag.com 5 issues annually for only $14.95. For Modern Women of Style & Purpose TAMPA BAY - SARASOTA EDITION | WINTER 2015 WOMEN IN CORPORATE AMERICA GravitasMag.com Leisa Weintraub Vice President Neil Communities The NEW Face of Feminism The A rt of Reinvention P E O P L E I D E A S S T Y L E C U L T U R E N E W S $4.95 US G winter15 master FINAL.indd 1 2/24/15 5:09 PM

• Cover