Archive for July, 2013

An Amazing Message

Tuesday, July 30th, 2013

By Mary Duggan

grace restaurant mirrored selfie

Life has been a little rough lately. Lots of loss, some searing betrayals, some crappy disappointments. My heart was sore in my chest as we headed out to the BOOMbox Network’s B(l)oomers party during BlogHer 2013. But the never accept excuses from me Anne Marie Kovacs insisted that I come, at least for her promised hugs. So we went.

Waiting in line for the party on Saturday night we realized we were standing in front of the mirrored window to the acclaimed Chicago restaurant Grace. This is not just a world class restaurant to me – meaning I could never afford to go there. This is one of the most amazing stories of not just surviving against the odds, but of thriving as well. If you don’t know the story behind this restaurant, enhance your experience as a human being and read this heartfelt piece of journalism by my all-time favorite Kevin Pang. One of the most inspiring stories about not giving up – no matter how rough the road – that I have ever read. A  work of journalistic art so exquisite that it has inspired the making of a movie about this spirited young chef whose life is a work of art and an expression of grace.

We took a selfie. Today I looked at it and then I got it.

Never. Give. Up.

Grace.

Amazing.

 

His Saving Grace_with text intro

 

 

 

About the author:

Mary Duggan is Co-Founder and President of the Duggan Sisters.

The Duggan Sisters cracked the code and created a natural deodorant that actually works: lifestinks.  We hope you will spend a few minutes exploring duggansisters.com to experience their spirited approach to wellness through their natural products and healing stories.

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From Shark Tank to The Biggest Loser

Friday, July 26th, 2013

Can these two brands make beautiful music together? Time will tell.

By Mary Duggan

Shark Tank warns you repeatedly that at any point, even following filming, you can be eliminated. And you think you have registered the concept. But what you have really registered is OMG we are going to be on Shark Tank. (more…)

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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff; Just Complain About It

Friday, July 26th, 2013

Mary Duggan

By Mary Duggan

Trade shows are a part of what we do; so travel has become a part of what we do. As have flea bag motels. Last weekend was Natural Products EXPO in Columbus, Ohio and we popped for the Hilton. Lots of reasons: registered late for the show; no time to research hotels. But mostly – 3 gals tired and wanting a bit of a pamper. Wake up – show downstairs. End of workday – bed upstairs. No traveling 30 minutes to the discount hotel and then spending an hour trying to figure out how to get a gluten free meal ANYWHERE. Cherry on the sundae? (more…)

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FINALLY, We Can Talk About Shark Tank

Friday, July 26th, 2013

Can these two brands make beautiful music together? Time will tell.

By Mary Duggan

It’s finally over! But, talk about emotional whiplash.

Our experience with the Tank did not end following our casting call in Chicago last spring. We got the call back. We just couldn’t tell you. Secrecy is a big part of the Shark Tank experience. What happens in the tank, stays in the tank. We understood. You all thought we’d gotten eliminated. We hadn’t. We actually got the call back even sooner than expected.

Moving to Part Two was exhilarating and followed by INSANE amounts of really hard and time-consuming work. But we completed the assigned tasks and put it all in a box and mailed it to our charming Casting Producer. It weighed over 13 pounds. And again, we got the next call back sooner than we’d expected.

Before we knew it (more…)

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Pantyhose, Polaroids and Pivots: Conclusion

Sunday, July 14th, 2013

Mary DugganBy Mary Duggan

I know I still owe you a bit about the coworker who looked like a movie star. Specifically a va Va VAH VOOM superstar like Sophia Loren – that kind of sexy gorgeous. Teresa Naon and I had grown up together, at least from the middle of grade school on, when she and her family arrived from Argentina and landed in our neighborhood and our school. Our mothers quickly became friends and my mom was more than happy to have the Naon kids join us for lunch at our house while their mom was transitionally busy with work or school or something related to their settling in. From this phase of my life with Teresa I remember two things. The first was chocolate milk. (more…)

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Pantyhose, Polaroids and Pivots: Part Two

Sunday, July 14th, 2013

Mary DugganBy Mary Duggan

I have just one more thing to say about my time right out of high school spent working at a bank. Okay, maybe two or three things. Yes, I WAS miserable; but from the distance of four decades I can see that even at the worst times in your life – and working at a bank was so that for me – there is always so much going on, as well, that is magical and worth remembering. I think this is one of the gifts of maturing. I will not be saying aging for another decade, at least. The gift of seeing that the world, if you can just let it, or better yet work with it, is always trying to heal you. Three co-workers at Beverly Bank taught me that.

One of them looked like a rock star. One of them looked like a movie star. And one of them was related to a movie star. I will begin with the related one. And I will try to not say this again –  I was miserable working at the bank. But it was not all the bank’s fault; and Nancy helped me to address that and get on with my life. But, I have to talk about looked like a rock star first. (more…)

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Pantyhose, Polaroids and Pivots: Part One

Sunday, July 14th, 2013

Mary DugganBy Mary Duggan

When I was just a kid looking to find my way in the world of work, I had one guiding prerequisite. I wanted a job where I did not have to wear panty hose. I was not alone. There were plenty of other young women in my same predicament with my same tiny dream. You laugh now, you kids at jobs where you’re allowed nose rings and tattoos and visible arm pit hair that is braided and patchouli-scented; but I came of age in darker days. My first “real” job was in a bank. It does not get any worse than that – not then, not now.

I made $2.67 per hour to work in Loan Operations at our local bank. It was 1971, the economy was in quite a slump (more…)

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