Last month, we started discussing nuggets to lessen the fear of public speaking. These are proven practices I use with coaching clients and talk about in my presentation seminars.

Reliance Bank has turned over a new leaf. The personal and business banking institution recently emerged from major losses during the recession to become a profitable player ready to meet the community’s finance service and lending needs. And expansion is even in the works, with a new branch set for the prime intersection of Clayton Road and Lindbergh Boulevard.

It is considered the most important day of your life—and you don’t want to spend it worrying about tables, décor and dealing with vendors. Brides who want to plan their own festivities often feel overwhelmed by the way things will—or will not—come together on the big day, and St. Louis event organizer Kate & Company offers a unique semi-planning services to help these brides stay blushing, not flustered.

Extremely rare pieces from one of the largest private collections of Alexander McQueen’s work are among those to be showcased in an upcoming exhibition at the World Chess Hall of Fame. 

A two-story home in Ladue with 12 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 5 full- and 1-half bath is listed for $1.375 million.

After the initial veil of financial hysteria lifted, the economic chaos of 2008 made a little more sense. Area professionals, as well as recent study results, weigh in on what we should do from here.

The work-life balance: Every professional knows the phrase, and every employee tries to find that harmonious level of give and take to somehow manage it all. For parents, this may be an even bigger challenge. But at the law firm of Carmody MacDonald, the support is there for employees to thrive in the courtroom, as well as at home. 

Spring means spring cleaning, and we know you’ve worked so hard to tidy up this season. Now imagine, after wiping away the dust, making repairs and clearing out the junk, you find you’re left with a boring—or worse, outdated—home. With its assortment of products and customizable design service, hidden gem B. Davis Design is here to help.

Beach season is almost here, and the look for summer is definitely Bohemian. Ethnic prints mixed with muted colors, fringe details and loose-fitting shapes work on everyone.

The common wisdom is that people who love their work are those who find the most success. Here, we feature three women who prove that common wisdom right: By following their dreams, each built a business that has seen more success than most of us would dare to dream for. As John Updike once said, “The refusal to rest content—the willingness to risk excess on behalf of one’s obsessions—is what distinguishes artists from entertainers and what makes some artists adventurers on behalf of us all.”

New technology is helping Oral Facial Surgery Institute & Implant Center perform cutting-edge dental restoration for patients with the most complex needs.

Homeowners have long focused on their property’s ‘curb appeal,’ trying to create beautiful gardens in the front yard that will welcome visitors; and one day, entice potential buyers. But more and more people are seeing the value of sprucing up their backyards, as well, since that’s where families spend a lot of time in the warmer months, notes Jim Graeler, president of Chesterfield Valley Nursery.

As I’ve stated in previous columns, speaking opportunities are business, career and leadership opportunities. No one ever challenges that statement. Why would they?

Smiling and giggling babies are a common sight at a Baby Boot Camp session in St. Louis. That’s because their moms are thrusting them into the air for shoulder presses, balancing them during yoga poses and swiftly pushing them in strollers through the park.

I have always advised clients to find a home they love, and the owners of this Ladue home state it most succinctly when asked why they chose to move here 20 years ago. “It had great curb appeal and a stately appearance—like a lovely woman who has aged gracefully, showing the wealth of her experience yet still radiating grace and beauty.”

With hit TV show, The Biggest Loser, bestselling books and 1.6 million people visiting her weight loss website each month, Jillian Michaels has become one of the nation’s most popular experts on healthy eating, exercise and leading an exceptional life. Now, she is sharing her success secrets with audiences across the country through her Maximize Your Life tour, a live show coming May 11 to the Fox Theatre. LN recently spoke with Michaels about her personal health journey and her upcoming show, which aims to help people kickstart their life and fitness goals and achieve health and happiness.

Just when it seems like the ethnic design trend has run its course, these out-of-the-ordinary patterns demonstrate their staying power. In fact, designers say ikat, susani, and batik-inspired patterns are so enduring, they’ve become staples in American design, just like traditional and modern.

My oldest child is 11 years old. And I believe that if you do something every day for 11 years, experience alone should make one proficient. However, parenting is more of an art than a science. What works one day may not work the next, and there are many factors that contribute to the ebb and flow of family functioning.

From every specially selected brick, cupola and stone fountain to each knowledgeable employee, Sterling Bank is “built to last,” says chairman and CEO Ken Poteet. And the company is building onto that rich culture with a new Chesterfield location, set to be open by the end of April and run by Poteet's son, Mclane Poteet. 

The shopping experience of a Parisian flea market is a different sort of antique exploration than the thrill and individual service a fine, independent antique shop offers.

There’s something about a courtroom drama that piques our interest—but with shows and movies about lawyers hitting the air waves every week, we wondered what the professionals watch. Here, we’ve asked area attorneys for their all-time favorites. (And we’re adding them to our list!)

It’s a common sentiment: You want to be healthy and you want your children to be healthy. Exercising with your children provides benefits outside the realm of fitness.

Kim Eberlein (Volunteer Leadership)

A 3-bedroom, 3-bath home in the Parkway School District is listed for $734,000.

The fear of public speaking is a fear worth confronting and overcoming because speaking opportunities are business, career and leadership opportunities. My clients’ stories confirm this. I often hear, I’m tired of seeing coworkers who are less qualified than me and don’t contribute as much to the company getting promotions, bonuses and leadership opportunities that I don’t receive. One of the reasons is they are giving presentations, even if the presentations are not that good!