id Magazine Oregon's First LGBT Magazine » Business News

How Often Do You Use Portland Gay Yellow Pages?

Christian Messer — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:57:59 +0000

Since Just Out‘s publishing of their current cover story, “ADverse Effects – The story behind the clash of Unity Portland Pages and the Gay and Lesbian yellow Pages” we thought we’d pose this question to you: How often do you use the Portland Gay Yellow Pages? This question then creates new questions: Is there room for two yellow pages for the LGBT community? We’ll ask those questions at another time, but for now, tell us about your usage…

Discussion with NGLCC Member TrendyMinds, Who Represented LGBT Businesses at State of the Union

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:13:20 +0000

TrendyMinds of Indianapolis, Indiana was invited as an honored guest to President Obama’s State of the Union address January 27, Wednesday night. Part of the decision was because TrendyMinds is an NGLCC member, but another reason may have been because the company is so successful despite the economy and recession. id Magazine was able to speak with TrendyMinds principal, Trevor Yager.

id Magazine: How long have you been an NGLCC member?

Trevor Yager: We joined in October of last year, so if this is how they are all the time, all the better!

How has NGLCC helped you as far as acquiring clients?

Well since we’re so new to that, we’re getting into the supply diversity a little bit more. We’ve registered with their database and they’ve been really helpful as far as keeping us abreast of opportunities as they’ve come up with the different sponsors they have and the different corporations they work with…they have a very large audience, within the LGBT community, but also corporations they have a sponsors. They do matchmaking between the corporations and LGBT businesses.

For example, when I was out for their annual dinner in November, they arranged meetings with us and PepsiCo and IBM. So we were able to sit down with them and their top procurement people and give them an overview of our business, tell them a little bit about what we do, and they were able to give us some direction and point us in different directions of their company.

They’re well put together and how they can help businesses. They’ve got a great report with the White House. They were just, one of their executive directors was just up at the White House, discussing different ways to help small businesses.

Your success is amazing – how have you continued your success in this economy while others are floundering so to speak?

That’s an interesting question…I don’t think there’s one major way. Both myself and my business partner, we feel very blessed with were we are, we’re very fortunate. We know that we’ve got a great staff, we’ve got wonderful clients, and you know we do our best to work really hard, and we make sure we’re coming up with the best ideas to help our clients. We genuinely love what we do, I think that helps as well. Then you just add in several different components, and I think thats why we’ve grown and why we’re continuing to expand.
It doesn’t hurt to have an invitation to the White House either…

There was a quote in your press release that I found interesting, where you said – “Major corporations are now required to spend their dollars with minority businesses, and they’re recognizing the gay community as a very valuable segment of this market.”
Do you see that as two pronged – A. Awarding accounts to LGBT businesses because they are equally matched for the job and an untapped source and B. Spending advertising dollars geared to the LGBT community – again as an untapped source of disposable income.

Right…yes it is an interesting thing – because you’re seeing both sides, they’re trying to market out – that is one of the reasons I think the NGLCC programs are really working because corporations now realize that they now not only need to represent employees that work for them, but also those that will be buying their products or service. So it’s really important…then if they want to show they’re support they have to be genuine about it. You can’t just say, “Oh we’re going to throw some advertising dollars at you and you guys are going to love us, and you’re going to come and buy our product.” I think with what’s out there now, we do our background checks to see if they really do care about the LGBT community.

You know being in the branding business and especially since doing this magazine, I’ve seen a really big, swift wave of change of new advertisers that are now targeting the LGBT community which I find incredible…it’s so nice to see.

I’ve worked with the LGBT community on different levels in the past. So it’s cool to see how things have changed. Like what you’re saying with advertising, it is picking up a lot and I think with groups like NGLCC are really helping us. I spoke with a few members today and they were say, “It’s so great to see this, we’re experiencing some good things, and we’re excited about this too.” I think it’s neat to see we’re finally being recognized that we’re a great group of people and not only should we be marketed too, but we should also be hired to help out and help grow businesses.

On a PR/Marketing note, have you seen a surge in demand for Social Media to be included in marketing plans?

Yes – actually that is one of our service line…we have that folded in between interactive and PR because It is kind of both. We want to make sure it is used the right way and it’s not just people out there talking, talking and talking…you want to be sure there’s someone listening to your conversation. You know, there’s a lot of different tools out there, I think it’s important to see what’s the right fit for the right business. In this instance (referring to being invited to the White House) my Facebook page an Twitter have gone crazy today. It’s interesting, I commented earlier that usually people would call when your in the news story or you’re on the news…and then it was e-mail. now it’s Facebook posts and Twitter. So it’s been interesting to see that progression.

Yes – and some people are replacing e-mail with Twitter these days!

You can read an interview post the State of The Union that NGLCC’s BIZ magazine did with Trveor Yager here.

Under, where?  Andrew Christian brings a new meaning to tighty-whities

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:59:33 +0000

The 1992 billboard in New York City’s Time Square that featured hip-hop musical artist “Marky” Mark Wahlberg in a pair of Calvin Klein underwear proved to be a stroke of marketing genius that revolutionized men’s fashion. Walhberg’s well built physique, turned-back ball cap, and pouty bad boy look sent good vibrations into underwear sales and gay men’s hearts alike. As new technology enables greater comfort and visual appeal to factor into the design of the item of clothing most men wear all day, long gone are the days of standard tighty-whities.

On Saturday, May 16th, before a packed house of 200, fans at Boxes in downtown Portland, the city’s Under U 4 Men store hosted a fashion show with Andrew Christian, one of today’s most popular underwear designers. Christian made this, his first visit to Portland, to promote his new clothing line and to bolster support for his candidacy on the new reality television series The Fashion Show, currently airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo. Met with cheers from a crowd of fans snapping pictures with camera phones, local gym bodies modeled each pair from Christian’s latest line.

Having begun his career as a sportswear designer, Andrew Christian came to see designing briefs as an extension of his other concepts. Christian’s designs offer anatomical enhancement and greater comfort, using a softer bamboo fabric and a more flexible waist band to reduce the appearance of love handles, the effect he calls “anti-muffin top.” Christian says that his latest designs feature “no weird straps inside to provide you that visual appeal—letting it just work for you.” His new patterns add to the element of fun, invoking the boyhood thrill of running around in superhero briefs.

“I love how much fun, Andrew Christian’s designs are. Plus they make me feel sexy—more confident in myself,” says audience member Michael Seubert, who reports planning to expand his collection from four pairs of Andrew Christian briefs. “Though I am always attracted to a guys eyes and smile first, the proper underwear on a guy would be a bonus feature
Seubert’s appreciation for underwear illustrates what is true for many underwear aficionados: that in addition to a man’s hygiene regimen, his underwear is key in communicating his sex appeal.

While the underwear industry makes appeals with underwear advertisements in mainstream gay magazines, Stephen Lien, owner of Under U 4 Men reports that gay men are not his biggest market outlet.   “Most of our customers are women buying for the men in their lives. Something that used to be for gay culture we have now brought to the masses,” says Lien.
To see the latest Christian Andrew underwear and swim suit line for yourself, visit Under U 4 Men located at 507 SW Broadway, Portland, Oregon, or visit the store on the web.

By Matthew Free

Community Leaders

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:01:17 +0000

Michelle Lagos and Tom Barretto

Making The Cut

By Nikki Jardin

One of the primary elements that make our community such a beautiful place to live is how giving its people are. Portlanders seem to be, by their very nature, a generous bunch. Whether we’re talking about financial gifting to one of our many non-profits or by donating time and energy, this city is made of folks who care.

Michelle Lagos is one such community member. Owner and operator of Designs by Michelle; her Southeast hair and makeup salon, Lagos regularly contributes to a variety of local causes either through financial support, or by donating her considerable artistic talent.

Growing up in Eugene, Lagos moved to Portland in the early 1990’s. Now, a longtime volunteer for a variety of organizations here, Lagos has always felt the desire to give back to her community. Two years ago, Lagos began to look for a new outlet for volunteering. A friend mentioned SMYRC, the Southeast Portland LGBTIQ youth organization and drop-in center. Many of its youth are dealing with difficult “coming out” experiences, feeling underrepresented in schools, and like many, figuring out their place in the world.

“I had initially gone there with no expectations, thinking I wanted to be a mentor, for six hours a week,” she said. “What ended up happening is that I built a relationship with these youth and leadership and ended up getting involved in a way I didn’t think I would.”

“I fell in love and developed a passion for working with LBGTIQ youth, and I ended up quadrupling the time I had originally planned. Also, as an entrepreneur who had always done things on her own, I learned to work in a team and to co-vision with others. I went in thinking what I’d be able to do, what skills I would be bringing in, and ended up finding that I was actually the one receiving the benefits.”

Lagos reflects on her experiences with the youth, and has strong feelings about the work they do together.

“Things were powerful, and maybe this is a funny word, but it felt magical. It was really special. SMYRC is a very self-empowering program, it’s solid. Many these kids have so much they’re dealing with: gender identity, sexuality; some of them are dealing with poverty issues and addiction. This type of self-empowerment is imperative for healing, to understand that your voice matters, that you can have kinship. I’ve seen them take all that, and find their paths and,” she pauses and smiles. “Damn, that’s exciting.”

Her work at SMYRC has also given her inspiration to take a new direction in her life of learning and community building. Lagos has since decided to return to school and work towards a BS and possible future Master of Social Work degree in the Social Sciences. She hopes to work in a counseling capacity with youth.

Lagos parts on a meaningful note:

“The activist Gracie Lee Boggs is a mentor of mine. This woman was really proud of the fact that she lived with the people, and she was passionate about making change. She said that, ‘if everybody would just do a little, great things can happen’, and that is something I think and feel strongly about.”

Michelle Lagos’ salon Designs By Michelle is located at 3523 SE Belmont Avenue. Check out her website at www.atlantis-studio.com.

Contact Nikki at Nikkij@idmagazineor.com

Dr. Tom Barreto – “Cuál es Mejor?”
By Nikki Jardin

When Dr. Tom Barreto reflects upon his volunteer mission work—bringing eye exams and glasses to underprivileged countries in South America—his words speak to the satisfaction and hopefulness that comes from bringing good works into the world.

“This is my way of giving back,” he said. “I’m fortunate to be in an occupation that gives me the opportunity to offer something to others in such a significant way. To be able to give the gift of sight is a wonderful thing.”

Barreto, an optometrist in Portland, opened his shop Eyes on Broadway in 1991, and has been contributing to our local community while also providing more far-reaching efforts ever since. He currently sits on the board of the Equity Foundation, and his practice contributes regularly to such local non-profits as Our House and Basic Rights Oregon.

His work in South America began when he was a student at Pacific University and became familiar with Amigos; a community-service program focused on volunteerism in South America. At the time, he didn’t have the financial or time resources to travel, but has since gone to Nicaragua, the Philippines, and most recently, Peru with other eye doctors and students to bring vision to those in need.

“On this last trip we traveled to the Colca Valley, in Southern Peru. I had met another doc who suggested we bring eye care to the local people who had no access to this sort of care. One of the things about living in that area, it’s at such a high altitude, over 13,000 feet, so just by living where you are exposed to that much ultra-violet light, vision is going to be affected. We saw many people who had cataracts. Unfortunately, we were not set up to help those more serious cases, but I did just recently talk with a group of surgeons who are planning on making a trip there to address that.”

Flipping through a manila folder of photographs, Barreto points to a picture of himself sitting next to an older woman–

“She was lovely,” he says, “Look at her dress. All of the women make their own dresses, with incredibly intricate beadwork designs. This woman had been losing her vision to the point that she couldn’t do her close-up work anymore, and it was wonderful to be able to provide glasses so that she could continue doing this sort of handiwork. She was so excited that she could see again.”

Through various outreach efforts, Barreto and a team of ten other doctors and students were able to collect over 2500 pairs of glasses to distribute to villagers in the area. The team worked 12 hour days, examined hundreds of people who were bussed in from surrounding towns and waited in line for hours to receive assistance. At the end of their four day mission, over 1200 people had been given eye exams and glasses, free of charge.

“You know, in the end I’m probably getting more satisfaction out of this than the people we are trying to help,” he says, “we all need to do something for those less fortunate than ourselves.”