Keke has starred in numerous other roles including movies like Shrink, The Longshots, Madeas’s Family Reunion, The Wool Cap and Jump In. Her energetic and upbeat personality and truly natural talents, spanning film, television, and music alike, have made her one of the fastest rising young stars in entertainment today. She started pursuing her dreams of singing and acting at a young age, and her hard work and determination has really paid off!

Our media partner The Valder Beebe Show chatted with Keke about the advice she would give to young people on following their dreams. Read and listen to what she had to say:

Q: You found out and pursued what you love to do at a young age. What advice would you give young people on finding their passions and following their dreams?

Keke Palmer: You know I have parents that allowed me to be myself. It’s easy for me to be able to explore who I was because you know my parents inspired…urged me to do that… They told me to try stuff, they told me to be free and to be open and be creative and so I was lucky for that… and a lot of kids I know don’t have that.

So the best thing to do I have to say is you know, if you think you’re interested in something try it out…don’t be afraid or don’t be worried about what people might think. Just try it out because it’s in those things where you figure out who you really are and what your true passion is, you learn by trial and error.

Great advice! You can keep up with Keke and all of her projects at her website www.kekepalmer.com. She recently wrapped up filming if the movie A Joyful Noise alongside Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton and is working on some new projects, including a new album of which she’ll be releasing two new singles in July.

Along with her acting and music projects Keke also gives back to the community and especially to youth. Last year she was honored with award from the organization “Black Girls Rock” and she gave some inspiring words to girls on following their dreams; check out the video below:

Photo Sources: www.kekepalmer.com & www.keke-palmer.org
Interview design & video: Julene

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• The Power of Perseverance: Interview with David Archuleta On His Book and Music
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Interview: Alyson Stoner and Her Mom On Healthy Habits for Back to School
• Serving Up Style: Interview with Young Entrepreneur Raymond Lei Founder of ooShirts

You might know David Archuleta mostly for his soulful, relatable music, but did you know he also wrote an inspirational book that was on the New York Times Bestsellers List? The American Idol runner-up penned Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song and the Power of Perseverance where he shares the unexpected journey from the competition to his successful singing career, and how he overcame obstacles like vocal cord paralysis to achieve his dream of being a singer. Dreamer ENT’s media partner The Valder Beebe Show spoke to David about the success of the book and of his recent music; read and listen to what he had to say below:

David On Writing His Book Chords of Strength

More About Chords of Strength

“In this personal memoir, David Archuleta reveals insecurities he felt about his voice-before he realized that he loved the way singing made him feel more than he disliked the way he sounded. He opens up about the strength he draws from his unshakable faith and unyielding family. He pays tribute to those who continue to inspire him and through their example help him believe in himself, his talent, and his abilities.

“Intimate and uplifting, Chords of Strength allows a unique glimpse of the man behind the music and offers hope to anyone with a passion and a dream.” – Publisher’s Description

We love David’s song “Something About Love,” from his latest album The Other Side of Down. David says the song is more uptempo then what he’s been known to do, and that he was excited to get more involved with the writing process of on the album.

“I just wanted to show more of me and show more of the things that I believed in… allow people to relate to me more, kind of see my personality more in the songs.”

David’s Blog

From David’s Website: “Check out this recent video blog from David, all about family, appreciating what you have…and a little bit about exercise. So make sure to give your family some love, and get out there and exercise a bit!”






Recently David journeyed to India to serve with the Rising Star Outreach. He says in the video below it was, “Very humbling to go there and even though it was a short trip it was a life changing experience. Just makes you appreciate things more and gives you a different perspective of things.” Watch him talk about it below:

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Interview with Keke Palmer: Discovering Your True Passion
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Interview: Alyson Stoner and Her Mom On Healthy Habits for Back to School
• Serving Up Style: Interview with Young Entrepreneur Raymond Lei Founder of ooShirts

Today’s tweens and teens lead busy lives, especially with school starting back up again. Sometimes in the bustle between classes, homework and after school activities they may not take the time to practice healthy habits.

17-year-old Alyson Stoner knows how challenging it can be to stick to a healthy routine, especially with a packed schedule. She began performing in dance at the age of three and at the age of six, she took modeling classes that eventually lead to her dancing and acting career.

Now, Alyson can be seen in two new movies, “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam” which premieres September 3rd at 8pm/7c on the Disney Channel, and “Step Up 3D.” She is currently on the road with her mother touring with The Jonas Brothers and the cast of “Camp Rock 2,” promoting the movie. Alyson has also been working on her music, including the inspiring song “Make History.” Her life has been anything but simple; but, with the help of her mother, they are able to keep up great health habits even on the road.

Fresh off the Camp Rock 2 premiere and in the midst of touring, Alyson and her mother LuAnne are spreading the word together of how young people can make healthy and smart choices. In this interview with Dreamer ENT’s media partner The Valder Beebe Show, Alyson and her mom discuss how to build strong healthy foundations when leading busy and active lives, from things like fitness, good hygiene, nutrition and proper oral health.

Did You Know?

A few years ago Alyson launched The Alyson Stoner Project, which she called an “Original Dance Instructional Musical Fitness revolution!” Click here to learn more about the project.

MORE ABOUT ALYSON STONER:
Alyson Stoner is a multi-talented young actress, singer and dancer. She is well known as “Sarah” from the Cheaper By The Dozen franchise and was a main character, “Caitlyn,” in the Disney Channel hit original movie Camp Rock with the Jonas Brothers. In addition to being a diverse actress, she is also trained in many different styles of dance including ballet, tap and jazz. Her breakout performance was in Missy Elliott’s music video Work It followed by two more music videos and many live performances with her.

On the big screen, Alyson starred as the title character Alice in Alice Upside Down co-staring Lucas Gabrial and Luke Perry (where she also sang the title song) and played Channing Tatum’s little sister in Step Up. Alyson also has many successful voiceover projects including the voice of “Isabella” on the award-winning animated series Phineas & Ferb (Disney Channel), Lilo & Stitch, W.I.T.C.H., “Holly” in the DVD series Holly Hobbie, “Pompoko”, Kung Fu Magoo (Cole and Dylan Sprouse), Kingdom Hearts and is the “Little Engine” in The Little Engine That Could. She was cast as “Sally” on the longest running Disney Channel show Mike’s Super Short Show, recurred on the Suite Life of Zack & Cody as “Max” and shot her own pilot for the Disney Channel titled Better Days. She also made guest appearances on Disney’s That’s So Raven and the hit series Drake and Josh on Nickelodeon.

This year will bring the release of Step Up 3 (in which she returns as “Camille”) and Disney Channel’s Camp Rock: The Final Jam where she’ll reprise her role as “Caitlyn.” Alyson is also currently in the studio writing and recording her own music. She recently released a new single in July 2010 called “Make History.”

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Interview with Keke Palmer: Discovering Your True Passion
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• The Power of Perseverance: Interview with David Archuleta On His Book and Music
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Serving Up Style: Interview with Young Entrepreneur Raymond Lei Founder of ooShirts

Entrepreneurship is all about fitting your skills and creativity to serve the needs of those around you. 19-year-old Raymond Lei is doing just that as he helps people everywhere customize their style through his T-shirt company ooShirts.com.

The idea for ooShirts was sparked in 2006 when a group of Raymond’s classmates needed custom t-shirts for their school club, “Monta Vista Tennis Club.” Then a sophomore in high school, Raymond took up the task of finding a company to print their shirts. He looked through both local and online companies, only to discover time after time that the Tennis Club couldn’t afford to have its design printed.

Disappointed at the poor selection of affordable services, Raymond vowed to one day start a t-shirt company that saved its customers money. He gathered up $2000, began planning and in March of 2007 the first ooShirts website was launched. The site allows anyone to upload their own design, pick a shirt style and color and have their t-shirt printed and shipped. Ever since, Raymond has been serving up personalized style a tee at a time. Check out what he had to share with Dreamer ENT about being a young entrepreneur:

Dreamer ENT: Tell us about you: How old are you, what school do you go to, your major and year?

Raymond Lei: I’m 19 years old and I’m a business major at UC Berkeley. I’m going to be a sophomore next semester.

DE: Tell us about your company and the concept and mission behind it. Where did the name come from?

Raymond: The company sells custom printed t-shirts to groups. Typically, you need a large budget to get your shirts done, but my goal is to make this affordable by running a more focused and efficient business.
When I was 16, I saw that Google and Yahoo, two of the largest tech companies, had two o’s each in their names. “That must be the trick!” I thought to myself, and named my company ooShirts.

DE: When did the idea of ooShirts come to you and what sparked it?

Raymond: I was actually ordering t-shirts myself for a club at my high school. I was making a fairly large order for 50 shirts, and I wanted to have a fancy design printed on it. Unfortunately, every company I talked to, online and offline, couldn’t provide prices that satisfied my budget. They told me I had to use a black and white logo for my shirts. Unwilling to settle, I did quite a bit of research on this and determined that the prices were high because the industry isn’t very efficient.

DE: How successful has business been so far? Are there any milestones you can tell us about?

Raymond: We sold more than 10000 shirts in the month of June, and are aiming for this number to grow to 30000 per month by December.

DE:Wow! What type of customers would you say is your main base so far?

Raymond: The main customer base is people like me when I was ordering shirts for my club. I had a design in mind, I needed a lot of shirts, and I wanted them at a low price. We provide quality shirts and service at a lower price.

DE: What would you say sets you apart from your competitors?

Raymond: Price. Our website, customer service, and print quality is at the same level as our top competitor, but our prices are 30 to 50 percent lower than theirs. We do this by being more efficient through a combination of automation, supply chain optimization, and outsourcing.

DE:- I like how your site is set up. Do you also let people set up storefronts on your site or from their own sites to sell shirts they design?

Raymond: No, not yet. I can see that happening one day, but I don’t think we’re ready to set up a platform like that just yet.

DE: Are you working on any other business ideas?

Raymond: Not right now. ooShirts is growing very quickly and it’s simply not worth it to invest time elsewhere. In the past, however, I have experimented with a few social networks but found them to be a little too unpredictable for me.

DE: What do you hope to do after college?

Raymond: Continue with ooShirts and, when ooShirts has matured, start new businesses.

DE: Who are some of your inspirations in business, life and the career field you are pursuing?

Raymond: I think many businesses out there are really poorly run. I won’t say any names, but everyone out there can probably name a few businesses that are frustrating to deal with, and only manage to stay in business because they are already so large and no alternatives exist. I want to one day have the capital to compete against these companies and give people better alternatives in who they do business with. In the end, businesses are supposed to help people, and I want to encourage that.

DE: What are some of your other hobbies; what do typically like to do for fun?

Raymond: I enjoy playing tennis, playing ultimate frisbee, talking about ideas, tasting food, playing poker, building exceptionally fast computers, and having meaningful conversations.

DE: Do you give back to the community in any way or have any plans to do so?

Raymond: Yes. I enjoy listening to peoples’ ideas and discussing ways to make them become true. During my next school year, I plan to host a $10,000 startup competition at my university.

DE: What advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs

Raymond: Do something you enjoy – if you view your work as a means to an ends, you shouldn’t do it. But if you enjoy what you do and think others will appreciate it as well, don’t let anything stop you.

DE: Thanks Raymond for sharing your story and advice.

You can find out more about ooShirts and how you can design your own customized shirts online at www.ooshirts.com.

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Interview with Keke Palmer: Discovering Your True Passion
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• The Power of Perseverance: Interview with David Archuleta On His Book and Music
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Interview: Alyson Stoner and Her Mom On Healthy Habits for Back to School

Recently Dreamer ENT’s media partner the Valder Beebe Show chatted with Chelsea about the new season of JONAS L.A. that recently premiered. In the interview Chelsea talks about how she connects with her cast-mates, whether there’s a little real-life romance in air, balancing her career while staying grounded, and how the acting bug bit her at a young age.

Below Are Some Highlights from the Interview:

Chelsea On Balancing Her Career & Home Life

“…I think for me I really got into it for the acting. I grew up doing theater and I moved up to L.A. to continue to act, not to kind of make a name for myself, and so I think as far as that goes I’m happiest when I’m on set not when I’m on a carpet.

“And I think as far as my parents and my grandma and my friends – most of my friends aren’t even in the business. They don’t care they don’t want to talk about it, they want to go to the movies or the beach, and talk about boys. I think that’s what keeps me grounded, it’s just kind of surrounding myself with people who could care less if I was on a TV show or not… It’s like, let’s talk about something else, let’s talk about something we can all relate to, and that’s really refreshing…”

On Doing What She Loves

“I love it. It feels great, I feel like I was just one of those kids that just always wanted to perform in some capacity. I was always singing and dancing around the house, and then I was finally old enough to audition for some community theater, that’s when I really got the bug. It’s kind of putting on a show and feeling that great energy from the audience, and it was so gratifying when it was over.

“Then I actually did the Broadway tour of Showboat and that was the first time I realized that people actually make a living out of it, and get paid to perform. That’s when I got really kind of obsessed with it and I begged my parents to let me pursue it. You know I’ve just been really lucky of course, but I also worked pretty much from the time I was 6-years-old to just be acting or singing or performing.”

- Chelsea Staub

For more on Chelsea visit her website at www.ChelseaStaub.com and follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itschelseastaub. You can also catch JONAS L.A. Sunday nights at 8:30pm EST on the Disney Channel.

Check out the video below where Chelsea and Jonas co-star Nicole Anderson talk about the new season:

Chatting With Chelsea

Here are more facts about Chelsea Staub, from her website.



Whose career would you like to model yours after?
I admire beautiful actresses who aren’t afraid to make fun of themselves and who are able to do a wide range of roles. People like Goldie Hawn, Debra Messing, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Meg Ryan and Reese Witherspoon.

What was your favorite academic subject in school?
I actually liked math. I loved problem solving and it was my favorite subject until I hit high school and ran into a teacher that destroyed my interest in it. “One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch” was never truer.

What was your first paid acting gig?
My first paid job was in the national Broadway tour of “Showboat” and my first paid television commercial job was for Travelodge. The other girl that was cast with me happened to be Vanessa Hudgens! What a small world!

If you weren’t in entertainment, what would you do?
If I hadn’t followed the entertainment path, I think I might have gone into oceanography. We took a school field trip in sixth grade to the Catalina Island Marine Institute and I was fascinated. And some of my favorite family trips were to Sea World and different aquariums. I have always been interested in sea life.

How do you stay in shape?
It’s fortunate that I like healthy foods. Veggies and fruit and fish are my favorite things. But I also LOVE desserts and bread and pasta, so I try to exercise when I can. My main exercise is walking. I have a favorite 5 mile path that I walk at least 4-5 times a week. I also do sit-ups and push-ups, yoga and stretching. I love dance classes, but it’s difficult to make myself go at the end of a long work day.

What do you do to relax?
I love a hot bubble bath and a book! I’ve also been known to lay a blanket on the floor and put on headphones and turn off all the lights and just zone out to some great tunes.

Do you have any hobbies?
I love to travel, paint, write, take photographs and do scrapbooking projects.

What is your greatest strength?
Bouncing back. When things go wrong, I have a great ability to push it out of my head and stay focused on the task at hand and deal with it later.

What things do you want to improve on?
Not being such a perfectionist. I worry about a lot of tiny details that aren’t really important in the big picture. I would like to gain back some of the hours that I spend sweating about the small stuff.

What would you say to kids who want to get into the business?
My advice about getting into show business is to do everything you can – whether its school plays, community theater, talent shows, church choir or dance recitals – just find any opportunity to perform. I grew up doing musical theater in Arizona, and I can’t tell you how much having that experience and those credits on my resume helped when I decided to pursue this as a career. Theatre is so much fun, and you’ll learn blocking, timing, memorization and working with other actors plus find out quickly if this is something you truly love to do.

Image Sources: ChelseaStaub.com & Disney.com

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Interview with Keke Palmer: Discovering Your True Passion
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• The Power of Perseverance: Interview with David Archuleta On His Book and Music
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Interview: Alyson Stoner and Her Mom On Healthy Habits for Back to School

There’s nothing like a good book; you can immerse yourself in different worlds, share someone else’s experiences and ignite your own imagination to what’s possible in the world.

Adele Ann Taylor has such a passion for books and at the age of 13 decided she wanted to share her love for reading with other kids, to show them how much power it holds and how much fun it could be. This is why she founded her non-profit organization Adele’s Literacy Library™ (A.L.L.) in December 2008. The goal of A.L.L. is to “instill and empower that reading is not only fundamental, it is the key ingredient to success and through reading ALL things are possible.”

Throughout the past few years since founding A.L.L., Adele has already donated thousands of books and spoken to hundreds of kids about the power of reading. Her main goals are to donate millions of brand new books and bookmarks to schools, libraries and charitable organizations, and to “make a difference” in the lives of others through a book. She also wants to eventually offer scholarships to graduating seniors who want to pursue their educational dreams.

Adele was crowned Miss Heartland’s Outstanding Teen 2009, making her an official representative for the sister group to the Miss America Organization, and she was most recently crowned Miss Bonnie Blue Outstanding Teen 2010. She is also a featured Hero on the website Kids Are Heroes that shows that young people can make a difference in the world. Watch Adele in the video below from a Kids Are Heroes event, where she speaks about her organization and how other young people can become change-makers in their communities:

KidsAreHeroes.com Presents Adele Taylor

Adele aims to motivate people of all ages to develop a passion for reading and show them that “regardless of where you come from, you can go anywhere in the world by reading a book.” This inspiring teen spoke to Dreamer ENT about how she got started and what she’s up to now – ALL for the love of reading.

Dreamer ENT: Tell us about you – how old are you and what grade are you in, and a little bit of your background?

Adele Taylor: I am a 14-year-old freshman [will be entering 10th grade in the upcoming year]. I am the oldest of three; I have a younger brother and sister. I enjoy rock climbing, roller skating, ice skating, hanging out with my friends, dancing and of course reading.

DE: When and why did you start Adele’s Literacy Library? What sparked the idea and what did you do to get started?

Adele: Well, I love to read and I always have wanted to make a difference in the world. I started Adele’s Literacy library or A.L.L for short, because I wanted to empower people of ALL ages to read. I feel that there are so many people of all ages that don’t realize how important literacy is and how without it, you can’t achieve in life.

Basically, I approached my parents about what I wanted to do and they liked the idea. They hosted a fundraiser at our annual holiday party where every guest was to bring a brand new book. I collected over 200 books that night!

DE: When did you first have the passion for reading? Why do you believe it’s so important for young people, or anyone?

Adele: I remember my mom reading to me ever since I was little, and I’ve just grown up having a strong passion for reading; it is the one thing I never get tired of doing. Reading is important for everyone. Could you imagine being in school struggling with reading and asking your parents for help only to find out they don’t know how to read? Where would that person be today? I don’t know too many jobs that are available where reading isn’t required.

DE: About how many books have you raised so far and what type of places have you donated to?

Adele: Adele’s Literacy Library has given out over thousands of brand new books and bookmarks. We’ve donated to The Boys and Girls Club, The Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, as well as various libraries, schools and organizations.

DE: Tell us about one of your favorite events or projects you’ve done through Adele’s Literacy Library?

Adele: My favorite event was Adele’s Literacy Library one year anniversary extravaganza. We raffled prizes from gift cards, to spa packages. It was a nice turnout and everyone was so supportive, the guests were competing for certain prizes and bought a lot of tickets. I had a lot of fun and raised money for ALL at the same time.

DE: What are some of your favorite books now, or one’s you’re currently reading? Do you remember your favorites as a kid?

Adele: Hands down I will always love the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, and the Crank series by Ellen Hopkins. However, I love ALL Nicholas Sparks books, and Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. When I was kid I loved Dr. Seuss, and enjoyed The Magic Tree House series.

DE: What are some of the other things you do in your free time? What are your favorite classes in school?

Adele: When I have “free time”, (which isn’t often) I love to hang out with my friends because most of my friends I don’t see on a regular basis; they’ve moved to other states. I love music and dancing and often find myself making up little dances. My favorite classes in school are surprisingly math, and history.

DE: Who are some of your inspirations and role models and why?

Adele: I have many role models, but my mom comes at the top because she has taught me that family comes first and to believe in the power of my dreams.

DE: I read you were named Miss Heartland’s Outstanding Teen 2009. How was that experience; did this along with your organization allow you to mentor other girls? What would you say to a girl who felt shy or unconfident about herself?

Adele: Yes, in the year 2009 I was crowned Miss Heartland’s Outstanding Teen, which is a local pageant to this sister organization, Miss America. I had a great time during my year of service where I got to promote my platform, literacy. I am currently Miss Bonnie Blue Outstanding Teen 2010 and will relinquish my title in August. I love this Miss America Organization as it has given me the opportunity to promote my cause, literacy, while wearing the crown.

I would tell anyone that was shy or unconfident about themselves that they are special and everyone was placed on this earth for a reason. Write down all the things you like about them and read it every day. The main thing is to be you and be true to yourself.

DE: How would you encourage reluctant readers or those who thought it was boring?

Adele: I would say to find something that interest you and find a book on it! The beauty with books is that you can go anywhere and be anything when reading a book!

DE: What is one thing you’ve learned by starting your own non-profit organization, where any challenges?

Adele: Wow! I have learned so much in such a short period of time, I think organizational skills would have to be on the top ten of my list.

DE: What are your future goals for Adele’s Literacy Library, do you hope to expand the idea? Any upcoming events or special projects?

Adele: My goal is to have ALL centers globally and to eventually give out scholarships for those that are less fortunate and would like to fulfill their educational dreams.

DE: Do you think you’ll ever pen your own book?

Adele: Yes, one of my goals is to write my own book, I currently write poetry just for fun. I would like to write a children’s book. I have had offers from a few that would like to feature me in their book but for now writing my own is not in the immediate future.

DE: Would you encourage other young people to start their own businesses, or follow a dream like you did and why? What tips would you give?

Adele: Absolutely! I would encourage anyone to start their own business. Surround yourself with people who will not try to bring you down but would help. Also to make sure you do your homework before starting your business, haste makes waste.

DE: What’s your dream career or what you hope to do when you get older?

Adele: I’m the type of person who wants to do it ALL, I don’t have a dream job right now for my future; I do love what I am doing right now though.

DE: Is there anything else you want to mention about your organization or how people can support what you’re doing?

Adele: I would love for people to frequent ALLforBooks.amazonwebstore.com This is my web store, powered by Amazon that allows people to purchase a book have shipped anywhere and the proceeds go directly to Adele’s Literacy Library where I can empower more people to read. If you don’t see a book that you want, simply email us at webstoresupport@AdelesLiteracyLibrary.org and we will make every attempt to accommodate. Also, if you know of any schools, organizations that would like me to host Storytelling with Adele, please email me at READ@AdelesLiteracyLibrary.org

DE: Thanks so much Adele, you’re really inspiring and are truly are spreading the love of reading!

Be sure to connect with Adele’s Literacy Library by visiting her website at www.adelesliteracylibrary.org and the ALL Facebook page.

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Interview with Keke Palmer: Discovering Your True Passion
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• The Power of Perseverance: Interview with David Archuleta On His Book and Music
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Interview: Alyson Stoner and Her Mom On Healthy Habits for Back to School

18-year-old Jason Dolley started following his dream of becoming an actor at a young age when he entered a school talent show. By 11-years-old he had made his film debut as the lead role in the award-winning short film “Chasing Daylight”. He later went in to star on major shows like Mel Gibson’s ABC comedy series “Complete Savages,” and made us laugh with his fun-loving character ‘Newt Livingston’ in Disney Channel’s original series “Cory in the House,” alongside Kyle Massey and Madison Pettis, as well as a number of other shows and films.

Now Jason is starring as PJ Duncan, older brother to baby Charlie in the Disney Channel Original Series “Good Luck Charlie” that premiered April 4. The series is about the Duncan family, who are still getting used to the “surprise” birth of their fourth child, Charlotte “Charlie” Duncan.

When their parents return to work, they ask their three older children—teenagers Teddy (played by Bridgit Mendler) and PJ (Jason’s role), and their ten-year-old brother, Gabe (Bradley Steven Perry)— for help raising their little sister. Teddy starts filming videos giving advice to Charlie about their life at home to give to her when she gets older and when Teddy leaves for college. The show definitely looks funny and like something the whole family would love. (Click here to watch the official preview video for the show and visit the show’s official website for more info and fun features.)

Dreamer ENT’s media partner the Valder Beebe Show chatted with Jason about his previous role on “Cory in the House” and new role on “Good Luck Charlie,” as well as how he stays grounded in his rising career.

Listen in to the full interview below:

Jason on How He Stays Grounded:

Question: You have such an opportunity that many are envying in the world, they say “I wish I could be on that sitcom, I wish I could be on TV…” How are you going to keep your balance, how are you going to keep your perspective?

Jason Dolley: I think how I’m really fortunate in that area is I grew up in southern California, I lived in the same house that I was born in, which only half an hour to an hour away from town. So when I’m not working and I’m at home I’m where I grew up, I’m in my roots, you know I can hang out with friends who I grew up with and I can just feel like one of the guys and I think that and having an incredible family support that’s just been with me all the way has been really integral to keeping me grounded.

Jason currently lives in Los Angeles with his family, and according to his website he’s also an excellent student, maintaining a consistent 4.0 grade point average throughout high school. Now that’s impressive! Currently a college student, he enjoys playing his guitar and piano, video games, and paintball battles with his friends. Visit his site at www.jasondolley.com to learn more about him and his upcoming projects.

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Interview with Keke Palmer: Discovering Your True Passion
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• The Power of Perseverance: Interview with David Archuleta On His Book and Music
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Interview: Alyson Stoner and Her Mom On Healthy Habits for Back to School

Interview by Julene Fleurmond, Editor and Founder of DreamerENT.com

Jasmine Lawrence is a young successful entrepreneur who has definitely been soaring and growing toward her dreams. It all sprouted when she was 11-years-old, after she mixed together natural ingredients to create her own hair oils for her broken, damaged tresses. By age 13 her hair was flourishing, and she was selling her hair products to friends. At 15 she shared her story with Oprah and other major news outlets, and began discussing distribution deals with Wal-Mart – all while striving to get her homework in on time.

Now at 17-years-old, Jasmine’s natural beauty care company Eden BodyWorks has bloomed immensely, and she hopes to bring it to even greater heights. She recently graduated from high school, and is studying computer engineering at Georgia Tech. She’s also featured in the film Ten9Eight: Shoot for the Moon (that we wrote about in a previous post) featuring young entrepreneurs. Watch Jasmine below in a clip from the film:

Jasmine spoke to Dreamer ENT about her amazing experiences, what motivates her to keep going, and how other young people can bring their dreams to fruition:

Note: There are clips from the audio interview sprinkled throughout. Make sure to read the second half of the interview below.

Jasmine On How She Got Started

Dreamer ENT: So tell me a little about your business. How did you decide to develop your own hair products?

Jasmine Lawrence: It was when I was 11-years-old. I got a relaxer that was put in my hair, and it caused almost all of it to break off. So, just loosing my hair was really devastating for me… I’m really usually an outgoing person but I turned into a really shy person… I didn’t want people to take pictures of me, I didn’t want people to look at me because I was so embarrassed all the time. I tried to make different ways to make my hair grow back whether it was taking medications or using hair treatments and things like that but they didn’t work for me, and they were just using more and more chemicals that was making my situation worse.

So what I decided to do was to just use natural things, and I did research online and in books, and I eventually developed a hair oil. It was actually after I went to NFTE that I decided to start my own business.

DE: How did you learn where to get ingredients for your products from?

JL: I started just by going to different natural stores, just getting small quantities of herbs and little essential oils in the city actually, in New York. Then I actually ventured on to the Internet and my parents let me order offline, and that’s when I actually started importing ingredients from different countries.

DE: That’s cool, for NFTE was it a summer camp you attended? (NFTE, or the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship is an organization that helps young people start their own businesses).

JL: Yes, I went to a NFTE BizCamp, and it was just really inspiring.

DE: And what type of things did you learn there?

JL: Wow, I learned, oh goodness I learned so much stuff there! I learned – I learned about the different types of businesses you could be whether you’re a retailer or a wholesaler. I didn’t know that there were different types of businesses – corporations, limited liability and sole proprietorship.

I learned basically how to break down what you’re selling into units, and the difference between profit, revenue… And I learned a lot about marketing and networking. I learned about SWOT, which is Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The three C’s which is customers, concept, and capital. I learned a lot and I still use my NFTE textbook today when I speak to other kids about entrepreneurship.

DE: You said you speak to other kids, do you have a program, or do you speak at schools? How is it?

Listen to Jasmine reflect on her speaking experiences in this clip:

JL: I do a lot of motivational speaking, not just to elementary school kids but to high-schoolers, colleges, and also adults. And I just really enjoy seeing that the adults and the children have the same responses afterwards. They’re both encouraged, they both have, you know, ideas running through their mind, and really all they needed was someone to tell them, ‘You can do it,’ you know, just a positive example of someone whose on the right track.

On Balancing The School Books With Business Books

DE: So your senior year of high school, I know it could be really crazy with senior trips and prom. How is it balancing your business with school?

JL: It’s been pretty difficult to balance school and the business. But over the – (laughs) well I can say over the years now – over the years it has gotten a lot easier. I usually try to schedule my events to be after school, over weekends or over long breaks, so I don’t miss too much of any of my years in school. I usually bring my homework with me and study on plane rides. And when I am in school, I make sure I pay special attention and take notes on whatever the teachers are saying, and even stay after school if I do need extra help. So I make sure my grades don’t slip just because I have to go to a different event or stay up late researching or something.

DE: So is education really important to you?

JL: Oh yeah, definitely. Education is number one for me right now. My business is great, but I definitely plan on going to college and getting a degree in engineering, and in business.

DE: That’s great, it’s great to see young people passionate about their education.

Seeds of Success…

After you started your business, how did it start picking up? Did you start selling it at your school or to your friends?

JL: When I first started I initially just sold to my family and friends, and I moved on to actually selling at my church. Then I actually went to different braiding and beauty salons and I tried to sell it to them… Eventually I got picked up by Wal-Mart, and that was, that was crazy.

DE: I read somewhere that you’re in Whole Foods?

JL: Whole Foods carries one of my lines, and I was really excited about that. And I’m just hoping to continue to expand into a lot of different major retailers so that I could be more easily accessible by everyone.

DE: Can you talk about what makes your product line unique?

JL: Well, there are a lot of things that make it different besides the fact that I made it when I was 11, but the key things that I like to focus on are the fact that my products are truly all natural. A lot of people will just state that, they’ll put one natural ingredient on there and they’ll call their product natural, but I truly, truly strive to put the most natural ingredients in there. Secondly, I try to make my products affordable because I believe everyone should be able to use natural products – they shouldn’t be 30 bucks for a bottle of shampoo. I think that’s ridiculous, it should be something that you can afford to use whenever you need it.

DE: And are they for anyone to use, anyone of any background, any type of hair?

JL: Oh yeah, that’s another thing that I’ve been trying to stress – that they’re for any age, any race, anyone out there who basically has hair. I’ve been using it on my little sister since she was born, my nephew was just born and he uses it. My grandmother whose 80 uses it. I’ve had people from all over the world, I’ve had orders from so many countries, and Europe and Asia, even to Australia, who’ve used the product and loved it.

DE: Wow that’s amazing!

Jasmine Shares Hair Care Tips

DE: So what’s your hair care regimen?

JL: (Laughs) I wrap my hair at night, and I usually wash my hair every other week. I try not to press or flat iron my hair everyday. I use my oil in the morning to get rid of any dandruff or dry scalp… I use one of my products called Hair Milk when I kind of want that natural wavy look. (Laughs) I don’t know, I’m a big fan of headbands, and side bangs.

DE: Do you have any tips for someone who wants to go natural and stop using chemicals in their hair, like what products do they use?

JL: I have a set of three products and I put them together and called it a hair care pack. It’s a shampoo, a conditioner and a hair milk, and I think those three things will definitely help anyone who wants to go natural with their hair. The shampoo and conditioner is great for helping your hair grow, cleansing it, and just restoring health back into it. The hair milk is a great moisturizer, and the shampoo and conditioner also help with dandruff, split ends, and a lot of problems that everyone has – and it’s reasonably priced. There’s two different ones that they can choose from right now, and I’m working on expanding that too.

On Her Visit to the Oprah Winfrey Show…

DE: You’ve gotten so much press from so many venues, and you’ve gotten press from where everyone wants to get press from – the Oprah Winfrey Show. How did you get to be on that show and how was your experience there? (Click here to read about the episode).

Below, listen to Jasmine talk to us about her experience on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the result it had on her business:

JL: Well, the experience was – I’ll start off by saying the experience was amazing. I had a great time while I was there, I had a great time when they actually came and filmed at my home, my family was just so excited, and Oprah and all of her people were just so welcoming, so helpful, and they just made everything so easy for me. Flying out to Chicago, and being there was just a dream – I was smiling, the whole time I was on cloud nine.

But really, I’m still even to this day not a hundred percent sure how they found me, but one of the producer’s family members, I think it was, was actually using my product, and they saw my story on the bottle, and one day I just got a call from them one day after school and they asked me to be on the show.

DE: Wow, that’s so amazing, and how was the response after the show? Did you get a lot of orders?

JL: Wow, I got thousands of orders after that show, and just the credibility of when Oprah says that you’re doing a good job, (laughs) a lot of people really respect that. And that was one of the boosts of respect that I really needed, someone to just back what I’m doing – not necessarily endorsing my product, but, just telling people my story and why I started this business. It’s one of the things that keeps the quality in my products, because I’m not just doing this business to make money, I’m actually doing it to help other people.

DE: Definitely, that’s that great thing to have as a mission – not only making money but also having a mission statement for your business.

Continue reading the rest of the interview with Jasmine below, where she talks about what she loves to do for fun, and shares some inspiration:

Giving Back & Having Fun

DE: You mentioned that you talk to schools, do you have any other community service ventures or anything that you enjoy doing?

JL: I’m in a club called Rebel, and its “Reaching Everyone By Exposing Lives,” it’s a youth-led anti tobacco organization, and we definitely spread the word about big tobacco, and just trying to encourage teenagers and kids not to smoke, and to also help them help their family members quit smoking. I’m in a club called Interact, and we basically just do community service, not only in our neighborhood but all around New Jersey, we do clean-ups, we do walks, fundraisers, just different things… I’d say one of those things was this past holiday season, a member of our community, their house burned down, and we collected toys and money just to help them out…

One of my favorite things is that my company does the Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk every year, it started three years ago, so that’s one of the things I love to do, we go to Pennsauken and walk around Cooper River Park, and we always raise a lot of money.

DE: Wow that’s awesome, and do you do anything for fun too?

JL: (Laughs) That is fun!

DE: (Laughs) Of course, that is fun, I mean like extracurricular activities and hobbies, do you play any sports?

Below, listen to Jasmine talk about some of her hobbies:

JL: I did play basketball, I did stop because I am ridiculously busy, but I love playing basketball. I play the harmonica, I love to crochet… I love going bowling. I’m always at the movies, whenever – every week I probably go to the movies every week. We actually have a drive-in theater near where I live, I’ve been there a few times, and it’s a really cool experience.

DE: I’ve never been to one of those.

JL: Wow, I would definitely go, because the screens are huge (laughs). But, I mean I have a big group of friends, we hang out all the time. We do lots of different things – I had a tea party in December, we do Christmas in, like October, and just lots of different cool things.

Jasmine On Inspiring Others

DE: That’s awesome. So, have you inspired any of your friends to be entrepreneurs or to start their own businesses?

Jasmine tells us about her neighbor Adele who was inspired by entrepreneurship:

Jasmine inspired her next-door-neighbor Adele, who started her own non-profit organization, Adele's Literacy Library.

JL: Actually, my next-door neighbor actually started her own business, and I’m so proud of her, and it’s called, I’ll tell you, it’s called Adele’s Literacy Library, (www.adelesliteracylibrary.org) and she’s collecting books and encouraging reading in youth, and I’m just extremely proud of her. She just had and event, I want to say in December and she collected over 180 books.

DE: Wow!

JL: Yeah, and she’s only, I want to say that she’s 13! 13, and she donated all of those books to our local school.

DE: Have you encouraged her to seek out NFTE and different types of resources?

JL: Oh yeah, I definitely want her to go through the NFTE program, since she’s next door to me I always tell her about the different events that I go through, and if I do have NFTE events then I have no problem definitely bring her with me, just to experience the networking and hopefully one day you’ll be interviewing her.

DE: Yeah, definitely, I love hearing stories about young people who are doing things in the community, that’s awesome!

DE: That’s great, and what advice do you have for other young people to start their own projects – it doesn’t have to be a business, what advice would you give them?

Jasmine gives inspiration to other young people on finding and following their passions:

JL: My advice for other teens, other kids is to just find your passion and live your dream, and I’ve really been going with this for a while now. I really think that if you find something that you love to do, you can do it for the rest of your life, you know. Whether you make money off of it or not…

Whether it’s going to college or just any goal you have for yourself, you have to have a passion and a motivation, like deep inside yourself that no one else can give you. And if you can find that about something that you really, really love then you’ll make the best of it, you’ll be amazing at it. All you have to do is just stay dedicated, stay focused and just keep your mind on what you really want to do.

DE: Definitely, passion and purpose are definitely two great things.

Reflecting & Preparing for the Future

DE: And is there any thing you wish you knew when you started your business or anything you would do differently?

JL: I’m actually pretty happy with the way that things went, I wish I knew more about hair care, like I wish I could go to hair care school, you know at 13 I wish I could go to college for, I guess it would be considered cosmetology. Definitely when I go to college I want to study engineering, I want to learn more about natural ingredients, just scientific things… There’s a lot I can read about in books and things like that but I want to be taught, I want to have a lab and do projects in school about it… But I definitely have a hunger for learning and it will never be filled.

DE: Definitely, and what other plans do you have for the future, do you plan on starting other businesses, or what career plans do you have?

Jasmine talks about her big plans for the future and shares her favorite experiences:

JL: I want to definitely grow the business and have a facial care line, a men’s line and a kid’s line, and I want to get into a lot more retailers, not only in the U.S. but I want to branch into Canada, and also Europe… I just want to go completely international with my business, I want to be more commonly known, you know like Neutrogena, Pantene and L’Oreal, I want to become one of those big names pretty soon… I know that it takes years but I want to do it now (laughs).

I want to not only encourage people to use natural hair care products, but I want to encourage people to just live all natural lifestyles: eating healthier foods, exercising, just lots of different things like that. I want to be really – I want to be one of those go-to people when people think about natural products and just, nature.

I want to go back to school and study culinary arts and I want to do – have you ever seen that show Ace of Cakes?

DE: Yeah, oooh I love that show…

JL: Yeah, I definitely want to go back to school and learn how to do that – I think that is amazing! And I want to get a degree in computer engineering and maybe work for the FBI or CIA doing artificial intelligence. (Laughs) All these dreams are crazy but, I don’t know, I want to do it.

DE: Yeah, I’m sure you will, it’s good to dream big. What have been the best experiences you’ve had so far in your company?

JL: Um, honestly being on Oprah was a really good one, – oh wow, there’s so many! Everytime that I get to travel somewhere and meet a new group of people, it’s just so priceless, all of the friends that I make, all of the celebrities that I’ve gotten to meet… it was a really great thing to write on your college application, I could tell you that.

DE: So what would you say motivates you and drives you to do what you do, who or what motivates you?

Jasmine shares what motivates her to keep going:

JL: It’s really what drove me was what happened to me and just not wanting anyone else to go through what I had to go through, just to be able to help other people, honestly. When I get comments on my blogs or emails from people who use my products and it really helped them because they were balding or had alopecia or they were a chemo patient and now their hair is starting to grow back healthier – just to be able to read those things and hear from those people just really keeps me going everyday.

And I spoke to my school’s middle school, and everyone in the class that I spoke to they wrote me little letters and I had them laminated and put into a book, and I like to flip through that every now and again.

DE: That’s really cool that you have a lasting impact on people. What would you say to a young person who maybe went through a difficult situation, what would you say to them about their dreams and could their dreams come true if they didn’t believe that their dreams could come true?

Jasmine gives more inspiration on reaching your dreams:

JL: I would definitely tell them no matter where you came from, no matter how old or how young you are anything you want to do is possible – anything at all. There are no limits to what people can do, they just truly have to believe in something, because if you want it enough, you’ll be able to get it. If you do everything in your power to make something happen, it will. I truly think that it will.

DE: Definitely, and is there anything else you’d like to say, or how can people purchase your products – where can they find you?

JL: Oh yeah, definitely, you can find me at EdenBodyWorks.com

DE: Thanks so much for letting me talk to you today, it was great to talk to you.

JL: Thanks, you have a good day.

Jasmine’s story is truly inspiring, and we’re sure she’ll be achieving even more of her dreams; and so can YOU!

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Interview with Keke Palmer: Discovering Your True Passion
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• The Power of Perseverance: Interview with David Archuleta On His Book and Music
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Interview: Alyson Stoner and Her Mom On Healthy Habits for Back to School

You know her as the outspoken “Sam Puckett” on Nickelodeon’s show iCarly and have seen her appear on several other shows like True Jackson VP. Jennette is definitely multi-talented and definitely keeps us entertained on iCarly with her funny antics and great acting, and we also love her musical talent. She describes her sound as “power country” and says, “I think country music is so real and so great, and I have a lot of country influences, but a lot of pop and rock influences as well. I wanted to make sure there was a little bit of all of the influences in my music…”

A few months ago Dreamer ENT’s media partner “The Valder Beebe Show” did an interview with Jennette McCurdy, who talked about her music and acting careers, and gave some inspiring advice to others on following their passions.

Read and listen to a portion of the interview below:

Jennette McCurdy On Following Her Passions

Well let me ask you, you’ve become a star on iCarly… and you’ve starred on a number of other television shows including Malcolm in the Middle, Zoey 101, Will & Grace, Strong Medicine, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit – you are quite busy!

Jennette McCurdy: (Laughs) Yeah, I’ve been really busy. I don’t know, I knew I wanted to act since I was six years old. I knew that’s absolutely what I had to do. And, I don’t know, I wouldn’t settle for anything other than acting. I love it so much.

How is it that you pursued your passion, or know to pursue your passion at a young age? You know there’s adults who don’t know what you obviously know or haven’t done what you’ve done. How do you know to pursue that passion? Or better yet, what gives you the ability to continue to pursue your passion, when you get “nos” and rejections, but you still go on.

JM: I think it’s really important that you know what your passion is, you know that that’s your passion – you can’t want to do it for any other reason other than an absolute love. It’s almost unexplained, you can’t really convey to other people why you love something so much when you love it that much, because they wouldn’t necessarily understand unless they shared the same passion. So whatever your passion is, you have to make sure that its going to be strong and last forever…

Because so many times you go on auditions and callbacks, and you keep going and pushing through, and you might get a job and then there might be a couple of months when you don’t get a job. Then you might get two jobs back to back, and there might be a couple of months when you don’t get a job. But you have to have such a strong love for it that you just keep pushing through no matter what…

No matter what roller coaster ride you’re on you have to keep going forward because if you love it, you’ve just got to know that it will work out, and you’ll get what you’re working for – what your goal is.

Listen to Jennette answer the questions below, and at the end of the clip hear her first single “So Close”:

Check out this fun video Jennette recently posted on her Youtube channel. In it she’s performing a cover of the song “In Color” alongside singer-songwriter Darius Rucker (former Hootie and the Blowfish lead singer who is now on the top of the country music charts).

Related Posts:

• When You See Her – Show Some Love
• You Are Loved
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shine: Interview with the Founder of Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms
• Interview with Keke Palmer: Discovering Your True Passion
• Editor’s Corner – Jules’ Gems of Inspiration: Find Your Purpose & Shine
• The Power of Perseverance: Interview with David Archuleta On His Book and Music
• Live With Passion: Motivation from Life Coach Evelina Solis
• Interview: Alyson Stoner and Her Mom On Healthy Habits for Back to School