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WithGiselleBlondet

Giselle Blondet, Chispa Magazine
Living in Miami as the mother of three children, Giselle Blondet is your typical mom who cares, loves unconditionally, and provides laughing therapy. As her profession, she is an on-air personality, host, actress, model, designer, author, and yes soon-to-be producer.

Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, Giselle Blondet reached worldwide fame as one of Univision’s most popular on-air personalities. Very busy in 2014, the entrepreneur Blondet launched her jewelry and bedding collection, Gi by Giselle Blondet through Walmart. First in Puerto Rico and later reached the entire US this past fall.

For seven years as the host to Univision’s hit beauty reality competition Nuestra Belleza Latina, she helped guide young Hispanic women on their quest to realize their dreams. And soon Blondest herself will unveil her own television production, making her visions and ideas an actuality.

Prior to Nuestra Belleza Latina, Blondet served as co-host of Despierta América, which is the Spanish version of Good Morning America. For the past four years, she has served as the co-host to Univision’s star-studded red carpet events for the Latin GRAMMY Awards and Premio Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards. Blondet also participated in Historias Para Contar, a 60-minute program where she conducted exclusive interviews with popular celebrities from the Latin entertainment industry, including Juanes, Vicente Fernandez, and Thalia to name a few.

But her fame didn’t happen overnight and it surely wasn’t a coincidence. Hard work and perseverance were main factors in Blondet’s life. At the early age of 14 she began to work. “My mother’s hard work was extremely motivating,” she says. And rightfully so as she has played the lead, co-starred or guest-starred in more than 22 well-known Spanish-language dramas series. Blondet has also taken part in several miniseries, and in 2010, made her triumphal return to acting as part of the stellar cast of the third season of the highly acclaimed miniseries, Mujeres Asesinas.

In addition to her dramatic roles, Blondet has been at the helm of several programs, including talk shows, children’s’ programs, and game shows. Outside of television, she has appeared in 17 theatrical productions such as Prelude to a Kiss, Barefoot in the Park, and La Verdadera Historia de Pedro Navaja. She also played the female lead in the feature film Virtually Yours, starring alongside Terrence Hill and Marvin Hagler.

Blondet has been honored numerous times throughout her career, receiving in six separate occasions Puerto Rico’s Agüeybaná and Cemí awards in the categories of Best Novela Actress (1983, 1987, and 1990) and Best Actress (1984, 1986, and 1988), respectively. She received the Premios Inte Award as Best Television Host, as well as the Premio Ace Award as Best Television Host, and Best Actress.

Most recently, Blondet was among the Latin celebrities invited to the White House to speak with congressmen and was the host of the Hispanic Heritage Awards in Washington, D.C. And, she walked the catwalk as one of the celebrities in red for the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection.

Blondet, active in many charitable endeavors, serves on the committees of the American Red Cross and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. She also volunteers for the America Developing Smiles Organization and NAAR, an organization dedicated to helping autistic children and their families. She is also the godmother of the San Jorge Hospital in Puerto Rico.

To add to her list of accomplishments, Blondet has participated in many ad campaigns, including Got Milk?, Dove, K-Mart, and Minute Maid. And recently she has added the role of author onto her name. Blondet started with her inspirational autobiography entitled, Con Los Pies Sobre La Tierra, which instantly became a bestseller. Today she is closing 2014 and launching 2015 with the success of her second book, Tengo 50 ¿Y Qué? where she is making an impact in the book industry and has already reached No. 1 status on Amazon.

“It’s a book with life stories, advice, observations and truths that I wrote with great love for the ‘tonas,’ a fun way to reference women between thirty and ninety,” explains Blondet.

“For the first time I speak about many difficult moments in my life, I share secrets that have helped me succeed, and how to reach 50 feeling happy, productive, sexy, in peace, and more confident than ever. After never discussing my age for many years, I decided to celebrate it big by writing this book,” she says with a smile. “I want to lead a movement where women feel compelled to celebrate and not hide their age. The experience of all these years with the challenges that life brings us, is a wonderful treasure that can help us reinvent ourselves and to be happier every year. This book is a life manual with many tips, facts, and funny discoveries that have the power to change lives.”

With prologues from Colombian actress Sofia Vergara, Mexican host Alejandra Espinoza, and Peruvian journalist and host Pamela Silva Conde, Blondet has already obtained excellent reviews and inspired hundreds of women with the honesty and sense of humor that distinguishes her.

Tengo 50 ¿Y Qué? talks about the beauty tips that have kept Giselle Blondet looking young, as well as her thoughts on love, kids, spirituality, menopause, sex, self-esteem, grief, how to obtain financial stability, and much more. Among the most popular chapters there is a fun task list that Blondet recommends every woman do before they reach 50. For example, dance under the rain, take a selfie with their favorite star, enjoy a vacation alone, sleep under the stars, learn how to change a car tire, do something crazy for love, and scream at full force from a roller coaster.

“I am very big on keeping my personal life private, but I know that my situations and experiences will help many women (and men) with their own,” says Blondet. “You’ll laugh and cry with my new book, but most importantly, you’ll learn something new,” she promises.

Take 10 With Blondet

1: How did Giselle truly claim her chispa to continue trying and never give up?
Work and inspiring others is what keeps inspiring me to keep going and work harder.

2: With the many accomplishments you have achieved which title best describes Giselle?
Mother [to my three amazing kids].

3: What is your personal marketing strategy?
It’s very important to me to stay real and in the moment. I have a wonderful team that helps me , but I also have wonderful fans which I try my hardest to constantly touch base with through my social networks.

4: How does your business play out with your personal life, and how do you prevent burn-out, how do you balance family versus your social circles?
It’s very important to dedicate time to myself. It doesn’t matter how busy I am, I always make time to call my kids and family. I love working though so that keeps me going. When you do what you love and are inspiring others in the process, it’s difficult to feel burnt out.

5: What type of impact do you have on your family and what lasting impression do you want them to always cherish?
I’m a very positive person and always look at the bright side in everything. My kids call me “Mrs. Hallmark” because they say I always say things that sound like they could be in a greeting card. I think that’s something my family appreciates and has put into practice in their own lives as well.

6: Can you give us a glimpse on your role as Mom, when the kids were younger versus your current role as Mom?
When my kids were younger I was always working, which was very difficult, but no matter the age we always found a way to do what we love best: Lay on the bed watching movies together (she laughs); I don’t think that will ever change. My kids and I are very close and I’m happy I’m able to maintain that kind of relationship with them.

7: Say you woke up one morning and everything you treasured, except for your family, was gone… how would you move forward?
My family is what I treasure the most. With a strong family as the foundation you can always build everything else back up.

8:  If you had the entire female population listening to you across all seas, what three mini-lessons would you provide?
Stay positive, love and forgive others, and always give yourself the chance to dream.

9: Have you reached your life’s purpose?
I’m not sure. I do know that I still have so much more I want to do!

10: What’s next for Giselle’s career?
Right now I’m working on my own show, continuing work on my bedding and jewelry line, and a couple of other projects.

For more of the interview with Giselle Blondet, and photo shoot, order your copy of the December/January issue here

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Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Editor-in-Chief at Chispa Magazine
Mavian Arocha-Rowe is known as an asset to the business and communications industry and is motivating and advocating “your authenticity should be your strategy,” for all women, regardless of their season and roles. For the past 20 years she has directed magazines, plus multiple art and marketing departments as creative director and brand manager. What supersedes all of her great career moves is her role as wife and mother living in Atlanta. Challenging herself to discover and bravely pursue the calling for her life, Arocha-Rowe helps other women discover and pursue their life’s assignment. She is a passionate, and loud-laughing speaker on the topic of purposefully redeemed, and mentors young women so they can exercise a mind that is doctrinally pure, along with a heart that beats toward sanctification. She will almost never turn down Marlow’s Tavern double-tavern cheeseburger, a cooking-demonstration from Leaning Ladder, or any opportunity to head to Miami to spend time with family.
Mavian Arocha-Rowe

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Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Mavian Arocha-Rowe is known as an asset to the business and communications industry and is motivating and advocating “your authenticity should be your strategy,” for all women, regardless of their season and roles. For the past 20 years she has directed magazines, plus multiple art and marketing departments as creative director and brand manager. What supersedes all of her great career moves is her role as wife and mother living in Atlanta. Challenging herself to discover and bravely pursue the calling for her life, Arocha-Rowe helps other women discover and pursue their life’s assignment. She is a passionate, and loud-laughing speaker on the topic of purposefully redeemed, and mentors young women so they can exercise a mind that is doctrinally pure, along with a heart that beats toward sanctification. She will almost never turn down Marlow’s Tavern double-tavern cheeseburger, a cooking-demonstration from Leaning Ladder, or any opportunity to head to Miami to spend time with family.