“Growth and pain births success.” – Kelly Stone
2017 has been heaven and hell for Southern Laced. Fortunately, we made it to the end without giving up. If I were to give this year a name, it would definitely have to include the words “growth” and “pain”.
GROWTH
In order to move to the next level, growth is essential. When people speak of growth, it’s often from a pleasant perspective. That’s not the growth I speak of. The kind of growth Southern Laced experienced this year was a “breaking through concrete kind of growth”. This is the type of growth that’s accompanied by fear and uncertainty.
PAIN
Nothing hurts more than having a dream that lacks resources. While the pain experienced by Southern Laced wasn’t detrimental, it was definitely felt when deadlines weren’t met and money was funny.
Needless to say, growth and pain birthed new networks and connections. They demanded teamwork, which left no room for a one man/woman show. It was often that growth and pain became the driving force for us to just keep PUSHING.
SOUTHERN LACED
At the end of the day, there’s so much more in store for Southern Laced. With faith, consistency and courage, 2018 will be the year that we finally birth the essence of what Southern Laced is all about. We may not be at the top of the ladder, but we will get there. (Slow and steady wins the race.)
YEAR IN REVIEW
Over the course of the year, we’ve had several interviews and articles that our readers loved and shared on social media, which made some of our post more popular than others.
Here are the Southern Laced Top Ten Articles for 2017:
10. USING THE CRISIS TO BREAK THE CYCLE
When everything is not going as planned, and you already feel like your world is smashing into you, hearing someone say that everything happens for a reason may make you cringe and cause you to scream. Or maybe it is just me who screams on the inside mid-conversation. And it’s not that you don’t want to believe them, you may desperately want to. But how can you hold on to their words when deep down you feel that no one can understand what you are truly experiencing and if they did they wouldn’t tell you ‘everything happens for a reason’ and expect you to be able to just snap out of it automatically. [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
9. BE LIKE RIHANNA: 5 BEDAZZLED FLASK YOU CAN PURCHASE TODAY!
No matter what happened at the Grammys last night, Rihanna stole the show with her bedazzled flask! The Barbadian singer loved it… the cameras loved it… and we most definitely loved it too! [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
8. 7 HAIRSTYLES THAT WILL INSTANTLY MAKE YOU LOOK YOUNGER
Finding the fountain of youth is one of the never-ending quest of humankind. What if you find out you can actually achieve a much younger look without spending millions on botox, expensive medicines, and cosmetics? Just change your hairstyle a little, play with the color, length and the overall styling, and there you go! You look 10 years younger already! [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
7. REMEMBERING CHARLIE QUINTON ‘CHARLIE’ MURPHY
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSzqooGga9Y/
Charles Quinton ‘Charlie’ Murphy is an American actor, comedian and writer with an extraordinary legacy behind him. Charles Murphy died at 57 after a long battle with leukemia, an illness he kept so secret he didn’t even tell his co-stars on ‘Power’. The actor who was a brother to the world-famous comedian Eddie Murphy became popular for his role in writing and performing for “Chappelle’s Show“. Before his death, on April 12, 2017, Charlie had lost his wife, Tisha Taylor Murphy, with whom he has two kids to cervical cancer. [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
6. [INTERVIEW] MATHEW KNOWLES’ GROUP, BLUSH, RELEASES NEW SONG AND SNEAK PEEK OF VIDEO
BLUSH will leave your skin flushed! This versatile hip-hop and R&B trio is the new uplifting women’s empowerment, LGBTQ awareness, taking care of business, powerhouse force on the music scene. Recently, they sat down to have an exclusive interview with Southern Laced. The group’s members opened up to us and shared some of their qualities that make them “the group” to focus on and why they will steal everyone’s hearts and musical minds. [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
5. INTERVIEW: GBOOGIE TALKS TO TRICK DADDY ABOUT HIS CONTROVERSIAL IG COMMENT, HIS DUET ALBUM WITH TRINA, JAY-Z’S NEW ALBUM 4:44 AND HOW POLO IS ACTUALLY WORSE THAN HILFIGER
One thing I can honestly say about Trick Daddy is that even in interviews, he’s the same person that you hear on his records and see on Instagram… raw, opinionated and blunt. [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
4. AN ENGAGEMENT TO REMEMBER: CONGRATULATIONS KAELIN AND KYRAH!
What a way to start the year!!! Vloggers Kaelin and Kyrah took to Twitter to announce their engagement. [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
3. KELLY STONE TALKS TO LAMORRIS WILLIAMS ABOUT MISSISSIPPI MOTOWN
To find out more about Lamorris Williams, follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. For LABEL/PROMOTIONAL INFORMATION & BOOKING/EVENT INFORMATION call (601) 405-4534. Retailers can order music from Alliance Entertainment at INFO@LAMORRISWILLIAMS.NET. [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
2. “THE WAIT: A POWERFUL PRACTICE FOR FINDING THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE AND THE LIFE YOU LOVE” BY DEVON FRANKLIN, MEAGAN GOOD, TIM VANDEHEY
“Even if you never change, I will love you exactly the way that you are.”
-DeVon Franklin [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
1. 10 HOME RENOVATIONS THAT OFFER THE BEST (AND WORST) RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Aesthetics should not only be the only consideration when thinking of home renovations. It is a great idea to change something at home and make it look better. However, you should also start thinking about the return on investment. [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]
FINAL THOUGHTS
Last, but not least, I would like to thank my team at Southern Laced for all that you do. You have put up with my hundreds and hundreds of text without muting me. No matter how early or late, I can depend on at least one of you to be awake. As Claudia would say, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Southern Laced is what it is because of your loyalty and dedication. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Wishing everyone a prosperous and happy new year! Dare to march to the beat of your own drum.
Laced with Love,
Kelly Stone, Founder of Southern Laced
SOUTHERN LACED 