Laila Ali
helps promote her products, “You defi- nitely have to work just as hard and you have to have a plan of action, especially if you want to be successful and surround yourself with the right team.” A woman, a wife and a mother of two,
is Laila’s main occupation. She enjoys be- gin a busy mom and recognizes that she is a role model and does her best to be a good example. In 2003, Laila co-authored Reach!, a motivational book written to in- spire young women. Using her own life experiences and challenges, the book de- scribes how the multi-talented entrepre- neur went from having a degree in Busi- ness Management and owning a nail salon in Santa Monica, California to selling her business and entering the boxing profes- sion. With little to virtually no help from her parents, Veronica Porsche Anderson and the legendary Muhammad Ali, Laila is self made based on her own accom- plishments and unique personality. Laila’s appearance on the 4th season of
ABC’s Dancing with the Stars proved that she could strut her stuff just as well on the dance floor as she could in the ring. In 2008, she joined NBC’s American Gladi- ators as co-host with Hulk Hogan as they followed a group of teens to change their own lives from diet and exercise to volun- teering and academics. Laila Ali joined the team of CBS’s The Early Show as a correspondent expert for Health, Fitness and Lifestyle. Health and Fitness has always been
Laila’s forte, she is currently serving as Subway’s spokesperson for the national “Eat Fresh” campaign for new and ex- pectant mothers to maintain a healthy life- style. In 2008, she joined California Gov- ernor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports as well as partnering with the American Heart Association in 2010 for their fourth annual National Start Walking Day. Laila is also the second person to ever appear on the MILK Mustache cam- paign three times. In addition, she sup- ports Feeding America and the Black AIDS Institute to promote awareness on the epidemic on the Black community. As the wife of NFL player Curtis Con- way and mother of 2 year old son Curtis Jr
70 PROFESSIONALWOMAN’S MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE
and newborn daughter Sydney, Laila stays quite busy and has been an inspiration to all. Professional Woman’s Magazine had the pleasure to sit down and ask Laila Ali to share her experiences as a dedicated mom and entrepreneur.
From being an athlete to a musician, where does all the motivation
come from? Well, I just do what I feel. I started
boxing at 18; I accomplished my goals in the ring and then started looking to other things to do. I always wanted to come back to fitness and start my own line of hair care and skincare, that expanded into a whole licensing empire. Singing is just a hobby, I wouldn’t consider myself a musi- cian or a singer yet, but I do like to sing. Being a mom however is a major part of my life right now as well.
What other business venues would you like to explore? I’ve just signed a deal to do a line of
salad dressings, seasoning and marinades. I love to cook; I cook all the time and in a healthy way with flavor. I really want to get into the food business and promote healthy eating and healthy lifestyle. I want to start with that and continue to ex- pand. I want to venture into clothing, ac- tive wear, make-up, and home design.
What philanthropic activities interest you?
I am the President of the Women’s
Sports Foundation which is Billy Jean King’s Organization. Our mission is to enrich the lives of girls and women from all walks of life through physical activity and sports; and that’s from young girls to professional athletes. Research has shown that being physically active and partici- pating in sports can help boost your grades, keep girls from dropping out of school, boost their self-esteem, and hav- ing self-esteem is big in this world. It
CELEBRATING 11 YEARS OF DIVERSITY
pours over into anything else you do in life, that’s where I’m most active. There are so many different causes you can’t spread yourself too thin. I do a lot of work with health, fitness and wellness. Trying to spread the word about taking care of ourselves and taking care of our bodies; it is all about body, mind and spirit!
How do you transition from career to family life? Is it difficult? I wouldn’t say it is difficult, I think that
it’s just a matter knowing when to say yes and when to say no. You have to have your priorities in order because there is always somebody asking you to do this or come here or go there. It is important to set time aside for yourself, depending on what kind of mother you want to be.
What kind of tips or advice do you have for working moms? Make sure you are taking out enough
time to spend with your family. I hear a lot of moms saying, ‘Oh, I don’t have time to cook.” And because of this, the kids are eating junk food and processed food; that really makes a difference on their health now and in the future. I think we need to take control as parents and make sure that we are spending time with our kids and know what is going on in their lives, so they can grow up to be independent, suc- cessful and healthy adults.
What do you want to be known for?
In the end, I think it would be nice to
be known as someone who has a success- ful lifestyle brand and as someone who gave back while they were here, I want to do that in various different ways.
What are your future goals?
To continue what I’m doing and make sure everything turns out to be successful.
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