YWCA Metropolitan Chicago CEO Dorri McWhorter has put together her list of holiday favorites in the YShop:

With all these partners and many more, YShop is truly your one-stop-shop this holiday season! Anytime you buy on YShop, you are making a #PurchaseWithPurpose because a portion of each sale benefits YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.

Our very own in-house fashionista and CEO, Dorri McWhorter, has put together this year's list of her favorite YShop products.

With all these partners and many more, YShop is truly your one-stop-shop this holiday season! Anytime you buy on YShop, you are making a #PurchaseWithPurpose because a portion of each sale benefits YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.

Reddy Set Yoga is proud to be a YShop Partner. We incorporate yoga and nutritional therapies, and healthy, safe, effective, clean products to promote easy 360 clean living. YShop customers will receive a complimentary 15-minute personal health consultation regarding our products and services. Please mention the YShop when you contact us and Reddy Set Yoga will donate 50% of all profits to the YWCA—to support programs that empower women and girls and eliminate racism.

The Reddy Set Yoga Approach

Research shows that most modern health issues are a result of stress and toxins. We offer solutions to minimize the effects of stress and toxins to allow the body to heal and achieve “vibrant health” rather than simply being “okay, with no serious health issues.” Our programs incorporate yoga (asana/poses, meditation, mindfulness, pranayama/breathwork) and nutrition education. Yoga is a wonderful tool for reducing stress at any age and any level of fitness or mobility. To reduce toxins in your system, we suggest being mindful of what we put IN, ON and AROUND our bodies. We also partner with the most scientifically advanced, up-to-date nutritional therapies for detoxing and balancing the body.

The Truth About Your Health

While we can be careful about what we eat, what we use on our skin and what we use to clean our homes, it's impossible to completely avoid toxins since they are present in our larger environment. Many of the toxins found in our food supply, skin products and environment are xeno-estrogens that act as endocrine disruptors in the body. These disruptions affect the regularity of our hormones and can cause a variety of health issues, including even developmental disorders and cancerous tumors. This is why it becomes essential to clean out our bodies seasonally using a safe detoxifying cleanse program that is recommended by top health practitioners and wellness professionals like those on our team.

Some of our biggest fans call this the 360 Clean Living Detox program (see below for more information). In the end, it's really about taking a holistic approach to health and clean living. We have done our research in this area, and the products listed here are our favorite picks for our clients based on the most up-to-date research. If we find something better, we will let you know. If you think you have something better, we’d like to know.

My Story

I’m not a doctor, and no, I do not play one on TV. I’m a Health Advisor who works closely with a team of health practitioners and wellness professionals seeking to implement a holistic, integrative and functional approach to medicine for healing their patients.

As a former corporate lawyer, I became ill while in a high-stress, high-profile job many years ago. I was misdiagnosed and put on the wrong medications. My health deteriorated further, and I developed auto-immune issues. Nothing seemed to help, so I began seeking integrative MDs to take a more holistic approach. Eventually we found some answers in my nutritional deficiencies and other imbalances in my digestive system and immune system.

I was able to heal myself through yoga, nutrition and other holistic therapies. After overcoming my health challenges, I was inspired to share my knowledge and help others heal. I became a certified yoga instructor for adults and kids and launched a wellness business that incorporates nutrition education and holistic therapies. I recently turned 50 and feel more vibrant and healthy now than ever before. 

Products We Love: The Reddy Set Yoga Collection

Reddy Set Yoga will donate 50% of all profits made through the YShop to the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago to support programs that empower women and girls.

1) Reddy Set Yoga Wellness programs that incorporate yoga (may include mindfulness, meditation, pranayama/breath work) and nutrition education.

2) Reddy Set Yoga’s favorite picks to keep our outsides healthy: Beautycounter skincare, haircare, cosmetics and make-up for all ages. These products are safe, effective and beautiful. We’ve tried a lot of natural and organic products, but we did not find them to be as high performing. Bonus: the company’s entire mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Thousands of harmful ingredients are banned in Europe, yet allowed in the U.S. formulations of the same or similar products.

We want to help change this. As a lawyer, I have joined Beautycounter’s efforts to lobby congress for stricter regulations so we can further the mission of getting safer products into the hands of everyone. Please reach out to me at Shruthi@ReddySetYoga.com if you would like more information about anything including (1) product recommendations and my favorite picks, (2) the "Never List" of harmful ingredients to avoid or (3) an opportunity to join this mission with the fastest growing skincare company in the world. 

3) Reddy Set Yoga’s favorite product pick for our insides: Orenda Ultimate™ & Clean Burn Shape*—These two food-based product lines work together synergistically to heal from the roots by supporting all body systems: immune system, digestive system and HPA-axis (hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis). The CBS 10-Day Detox program is a vegan, grain-free, whole foods detoxification program requiring you to consume 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily along with sufficient protein in a super-food shake. This is a lifestyle program that encourages people to prepare healthy food.

For those who are time challenged, we’re thrilled to offer delicious cleanse meals by the fabulous Chutney Devis. Individuals who are seeking to lose more weight would continue onto the CBS 30-Day program, which is still dairy-free and grain-free but allows clean/lean animal protein to be added back. The Orenda Ultimate™ core nutritional support products are cutting-edge nutraceuticals in the category of anti-aging and include: Otropin (for pituitary, HPA-axis––hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis), Immune (modulator to balance both arms of immune system), Eaze (probiotics, pre-biotics and enzymes all in one), All-In-One Vitamins (customized by gender and age), Balance (balances blood sugar), and OPC (anti-oxidants and more to combat oxidated stress and neuro-degenerative disorders).

See ReddySetYoga.com for resources and tools including this book recommendation:

Read "The Autoimmune Solution" by Dr. Amy Meyers. Most health practitioners share her view of everything we need to do to be healthy. The problem is that it becomes overwhelming and time consuming to do everything required and most people simply can not do it. Orenda Ultimate™ and Clean Burn Shape make it easy to implement the required lifestyle changes with two simple programs that address everything mentioned in this book and others. 

4) Reddy Set Yoga's favorite product pick for the environment around us: Norwex safe, chemical-free and highly effective cleaning products for counters, floor, bath and more. Norwex helps people live happier, healthier lives by reducing the amount of chemicals surrounding you every day. They also aim to improve the health of the environment by reducing chemicals and waste from traditional cleaning products with sustainable alternative solutions —from the original multi-use microfiber cloth to a wide variety of detergents and cleaning tools. 

To take advantage of ongoing education and free offers and promotions, please "like" and "follow" our social media pages including (1) Reddy Set Yoga & Reddy Set Health and (2) Orenda Clean Burn Shape Global (see the "long description" in the "About" section for all the information needed to support you on the cleanse or weight-loss programs).

We regularly post information about clean living, including helpful medical articles and healthy recipes. We host complimentary health talks with top MDs on the first Wednesday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the Gold Coast area. We also host Women's Wellness Fireside Chats (weeknights) and Women's Wellness Brunches (Sundays) at the homes of women leaders throughout the greater Chicago area and around the country. Please let us know if you'd like to host or attend one in the future. We are in the process of updating our website right now, but in the future all of this information will be easily accessible in one place under the Reddy Set Health tab at reddysetyoga.com.

The past four decades have taught me a lot about challenges that businesses encounter. As a business owner from a family of business owners, I learned as I watched my father and brother weather the cash flow roller coaster many businesses face.

This wasn't because their business wasn’t making money, but because clients don’t always pay on time; some never paying debts that they owe. As a business owner or key employee, we often think that because we are smart or have a team of smart people around us—we are doing the right things and making the best decisions. The problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know and that’s where WE CAN TRICK OURSELVES!!

Late or non-paying clients can jeopardize a business! You may mistakenly get angry, complain on social media or to someone who can’t do anything; consider writing off the debts on your tax return—but the truth is that if you earned it, you deserve to get paid! Rather than treat ourselves to qualified advice and help, we often wait and hope it all turns out okay.

Treat yourself and your business to less stress, more money and affordable help by reading the tips below.

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Avoid These Debt Collection Pitfalls

Your ability to collect a debt owed to your business hinges on the processes and policies you have in place. You can avoid some of the most common mistakes and improve your chance of successfully collecting a debt by understanding where problems often arise. Your LegalShield provider law firm is ready to help you understand the laws that govern collections, draft letters to debtors and assist you in taking further legal action if necessary. Call your LegalShield provider law firm if you need assistance with a collection matter or have any questions.

1. “We didn’t have a payment policy or written contract.” Handshake deals and verbal agreements are difficult to legally enforce. It is essential to have a signed contract for any product or service for which payment will be made at a later date. Your contract or agreement should include a uniform payment policy. Your policy should include exact due dates or a timeline for payment, the name of the individual or business responsible, accepted forms of payment and any potential fees or interest for delinquent payment.
2. “Our accounting records are a disaster.” Accurate and detailed records will help you quickly identify and manage delinquent accounts. Your customers and clients should know exactly where their account stands. Provide itemized invoices that include a specific due date for payment. If an account is delinquent, include the total amount owed, the number of days past due, the original due date and any late fees or interest owed.
3. "We waited because we didn't want to upset the customer." If a customer's account becomes past due, consider placing a hold on the account and contact the customer. The longer a customer's account is delinquent and the more debt they accrue the more difficult collection becomes. You may have to make the determination to stop providing additional services or products until payment is made. Always remain professional and courteous.
4. “We don’t have any documentation but I remember talking to the customer.” Good accounting practices will insure you retain copies of bills and invoices. You must also document your collection efforts. Your records should include letters and emails, as well as the dates and times of any phone calls or meetings. This information will be extremely important if legal action becomes necessary.
5. “I was so mad I couldn’t stay calm.” Remain professional and friendly during each interaction with delinquent customers. It is illegal to threaten, harass or intimidate customers who are unable to make payment. Never threaten an action you are not willing or legally allowed to make. Making the issue personal or becoming aggressive will hurt your chances of successfully collecting the debt and could land you in legal trouble.
6. “I didn’t really think the attorney could help.” Utilize your LegalShield membership. Call your provider law firm for assistance with collection matters. Your attorney can help you understand the law, draft a collection letter on your behalf, review your contracts and answer other legal questions you may have. If a collection letter does not resolve the matter, your provider law firm will advise you on additional legal remedies available to your business.

The content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. Readers should be aware that while certain principles outlined on this site may be similar to principles followed in their own state or province, laws can vary considerably. © Copyright 2013 Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. d/b/a LegalShield℠ One Pre-Paid Way, Ada, Oklahoma 74820 www.mylegalshield.com

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For a flat monthly cost, LegalShield can help your business with debt collection and much more…

LegalShield can also help your employees, AT NO OUT OF POCKET COST TO YOUR BUSINESS!

Contact YShop Partner Kiela Smith-Upton to get affordable help for your business needs or to enhance your company’s benefit package with LegalShield and ID SHIELD’s employee benefits.

Kiela gives back to YWCA Metropolitan Chicago for every business or employee purchase!

“I am excited to be a partner with the YWCA because they changed my life many years ago!! I want the YWCA to continue the important work they do in our communities! My heart is filled with profound gratitude and appreciation for the help they provided me, as a young adult. It was a major catalyst that assisted me with healing from childhood experiences.”

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

And this means only one thing: tis the season of giving! Whether it’s buying presents for your friends and family, or volunteering your time at your favorite charity, there is something in the air and it’s downright jolly.

 When searching for the perfect gift for those loved ones this year, look no further than YShop! Anytime you buy on YShop, you are purchasing with purpose! A portion of each sale benefits YWCA Metropolitan Chicago!!

 So who better than to take holiday shopping advice from than our very own in-house fashionista and CEO, Dorri McWhorter! We figure if Dorri is standing behind it, then it has to be good! 

With that we present to you: 

Dorri's Favorite Things Volumes 1,2 & 3!

VOLUME 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ns89BlHv8s

VOLUME 2: https://www.youtube.com/embed/VCCnSa7dEjc 

VOLUME 3: https://www.youtube.com/embed/HNi9SuiW0cU

With all these partners and many more, YShop is truly your one-stop-shop this holiday season! So this year, purchase you gifts with purpose on YShop! Of course we suggest trying out these wonderful products for yourself just so you can see how great they are! If these products are good enough for our “Wonder Woman”, Dorri McWhorter, then they are definitely worth checking out for yourself!

Happy Holidays and happy shopping! 

Meet Team Guard Llama! 

How did Guard Llama come to fruition?

My senior year of college a woman was kidnapped, raped, and murdered. They found her next to her cell phone and it changed the way I viewed the world forever. Her cell phone, which was supposed to be her life line to the world, did absolutely nothing for her. I knew there had to be a better way for people to get help and decided to dedicate my life to the cause.

Most of your founders are men which is really interesting. Do people ever comment or speak to this? 

People actually comment on this all the time. It is frustrating to me when people ask me "why I care about sexual assault and DV" or since these are "woman's issues there should be woman working on them." I find these questions to be insulting for assuming that for some reason my gender would preclude me from achieving my goal of empowering women to be able to go where ever they want whenever they want without fear. I also find these questions to be one of the reasons that we continue to see the proliferation of these two terrible epidemics. Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence are NOT A WOMAN'S PROBLEM, it is an US as a society problem. Both genders have to come together and say that we have had enough of it! As long as men keep burying their heads in the sand acting like it is not an issue, we will never see the end. I am happy that I can talk to others who are of my gender and not have them immediately shut off when I mention sexual assault (some advocates do not always get that luxury).  At the same time, I feel that anyone who asks about my gender as though it is a factor in this is totally missing the point. I truly believe that every person on earth should care about ending sexual assault and DV, not just women. 

What has been the most rewarding part about launching this product?

I know we will make a difference and change someones life. I have already had the mother of the woman who was murdered while I was at school reach out and thank me for putting this together. Saying that no parent should ever have to go through what she went though and that she is thankful it motivated us to make a difference and prevent it from happening to others. Even if you get to your phone, during an emergency, the average call to 911 is 2.5 minutes long! We eliminate that entire conversation and dispatch police immediately. In our last test, the police showed up in 1.5  minutes. We were able to have the police at our location a full minute before an average person would have even finished their 911 call. We are saving lives and making a real difference. There is nothing more rewarding than that. 

What has been the biggest setback you guys have faced when launching this?

Universities have been the biggest let down through this whole process. I started this 2 years ago with the belief that they would do anything to protect their students and this just is not the case. At the end of the day, it is all a numbers game to them and all they care about is their brand. It took me a year to learn this and it was a very rough year to say the least. 

How do you see Guard Llama changing the game for women and safety in the next 5 years? 

Guard Llama will be the new standard that other security systems are measured against. Predators will know that this system exists and they will think twice before committing a crime (I know that sounds cliche but I do believe it). I hate seeing generic safety bulletins telling people to be "aware of your surroundings" and "walk in pairs at night." Guard Llama allows women to go where ever the hell they want, when they want, in pairs or by themselves. I am excited to empower woman across America and love when women tell me that they can go about their day more confidently because of what we have built. 

Thank you, Guard Llama!

Now stop reading, protect yourself and those around you

And purchase one of these on YShop today! 

      Meet Jeannette Kravitz!     

Where did the idea to launch Peace Spa come from?

When the economy declined and funding was hard to come by for our charity, I wanted to find a way to develop a product or service that could help support our nonprofit.  (www.sponsorKIDS Charities.com) I knew I wanted to find a turn key business with female customers that I could be passionate about and we found one.  PeaceSpaProducts.org skincare was born. The first thing we did was to formulate products to be healthy, natural and botanic for our existing clients as well as select spas who started using our product line.

If you could pick two products you swear by that you sell, what would they be?

So much depends on the persons skin type! A few are pumpkin enzyme, peptide  firming serum and green tea moisturizer with SPF. So much depends on the weather and the time of year. It’s difficult to pick just two since all categories are essential to an overall regime.

What do you wish you could tell your teenage self about the importance of a skincare regime?

 My Portuguese mother and Cherokee father blessed me with good skin and the importance of natural botanic foods and skincare ingredients that often times were made at home. In today's busy world, I realize the importance of convenience.  My teenage self would thank my parents for this gift of knowledge and inspiration.

What inspires you in your work?

My work at the charity, especially our program www.PeaceJourney.com has provided me the opportunity to help children find their voice as we travel the world together in global cultural exchanges, documentaries, and  celebrity-music-focused events. PeaceSpaProducts.org donates a good portion of their proceeds to help make these trips happen along with attracting other sponsors. This entire process creates a full-circle of giving which inspires me every day.

What is your mantra to empower women and yourself?

 Spend specific time to discover your life's passion. Believe you will succeed. Visualize your future.  Act on opportunities.  Be kind and be fearless.

Thank you, Jenneatte!

Now stop reading, and get to shopping! 

      Meet Jennifer Worman!     

How did T+J Designs get started?

Inspired by our mom and dad who are entrepreneurs and our love of fashion and social media, Tiff and I came together to create something we loved.  t+j Designs provides affordable glamour for everyday life with our head to toe looks!

Who is your fashion icon and why?

I don't have just one! A blend of Olivia Palermo, Blake Lively, and Jennifer Lopez; but the overall theme is a woman who knows herself and what her style is.  

What is your go-to outfit for running around the city?

Definitely jeans, graphic tee, chambray shirt and a comfortable pair of heels! 

What is your favorite piece in your closet and why?

I would have to say it is an accessory, my classic white Chanel Bag that I purchased myself during a time when I was supporting myself, became a manager for a $30 million category, and whenever I look at it reminds me that I can do anything.

Thank you, Jennifer! Now stop reading, and get to shopping! 

      Meet Coco Meers!     

You may have seen Gloria Steinem tweet about her book, Beauty School Scarlet presents: #Iambeautyinspired or been moved by one of her many beauty empowerment workshops. Yshop partner, Renee Bolton embodies who the YWCA woman. Today, we asked her a few questions to get to know the face behind this powerful book...

How did #Imbeautyinspired get started?

 I started my business in 2012. I've always had a passion for beauty and writing. I've worked in the beauty industry for over 15 years and I've been writing poetry since the 8th grade. Writing about beauty is not just my passion; it's my purpose.

 When starting your own business, what kind of adversity, if any, did you face? And secondly, being a woman owned business, what setbacks did you face?

The adversity I face is how society views beauty. It's said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I'm a firm believer that beauty is in the mind of the beholder.

We as women sometimes struggle with embracing our inner beauty because we're told we should look a certain way.

 What inspires you in your work?  

All things beauty inspires my work. Music, art, nature and dance all give me the inspiration to create beauty with words.

 What involvement does your business and/or you have in the community?

I offer inner and outer beauty empowerment workshops targeting young adult and youth organizations. I'm a Board Member and Mentor for L.O.V. Mentoring. An organization empowering self-image, greater social awareness and responsibility for young girls.

            Thank you, Renee! You can learn more about Renee and her book on her                   YShop profile today!