Feature Friday: Meet Toma Clark Haines

Toma Clark Haines is The Antiques Diva® – Chief Executive Diva of The Antiques Diva® & Co European Tours – Europe’s largest antiques touring and sourcing company.  As an American who has lived abroad nearly 15 years, it has been said Clark Haines is conquering countries faster than Napoleon.  Working with a team of 18+ locally-based agents, The Antiques Diva® & Co offers customized antique buying tours in 8 countries (and counting) working with both the public as well as the trade.  Her favorite part of her job is stocking clients antique stores and creating new trends in home fashions. 

When this Global Tastemaker is not taking some of the top names in the design industry on buying tours, Clark Haines is also a freelance travel and design writer, an international public speaker and a social media guru.   She is a champagne connoisseur, a vintage Chanel addict and her hobbies include driving fast cars and gourmet cooking.  Traveling extensively for work, she divides her time between her home in Berlin, Germany and each of her companies tour countries as well as quarterly visits to the USA.  Her long-term goals include expanding her company into Asia.  Her greatest challenge in life is remembering when she wakes each day whether to greet the day with a Buogiorno, Bonjour, Guten Tag or simply Good Day.  

 Meet Toma Clark Haines, The Antiques Diva.

Faten Abdallah (FA): What inspired you to go into antiques?

Toma Clark Haines (TCH):If I think about my life history, antiques and travel were always intertwined in my mind. My mother was a third generation American. Her grandparents moved over from England and my whole life I grew up hearing stories of far-away places and long-ago times.  The past was always a part of my present.  As a child we ate with the silverware my grandparents carried over on the boat when they moved to America.   I have always been a traveler – whether in my mind or in reality.  I’ve traveled in more than 45 countries – and to me antiques are another way of traveling.  They transport you.  Antiques transport you to other times, other places and give glimpses into other lives. They tell a story - they’re more than decor -  they take you on adventure to someplace less ordinary.  That’s the intent behind the tours my company The Antiques Diva & Co offers….  We are the largest antiques touring company in Europe - offering one on one customized buying tours to both tourists as well as the trade in 8 countries - France, Belgium, England, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden.  Our goal is to give our clients an opportunity to culturally cruise a country through antiques - the pieces one buys on tour give glimpses into what life is like inside those villa windows and Parisian apartments making their adventure part of a greater story.

FA: What makes antiques unique and valuable?

TCH: There are several rules of thought when it comes to what makes antiques valuable.  Die Hards will tell you - “In order to be antique it must be 100 years old.” Working internationally customs officials often accept “Almost Antiques”  (those items that are 75 to 99 years old) as an “antique” when it comes to import and export restrictions.  And the antique trends as of late are bringing Vintage into the modern day.  Technically - to be vintage an item should be from the 1940’s, 50’s or 60’s - but 1970’s and 80’s ceramics and furniture are ruling the market at the moment.  When it comes to what makes antiques unique and valuable - I’d say exactly what I told myself on my 40th birthday…. “Age Doesn’t Matter.”  Whether it’s a piece from the 1760’s, the 1860’s or the 1960’s - quality counts - how well it’s constructed, the lines, especially anything hand-made or limited edition add value, but decorative appeal counts most of all in todays market place.   People today buy based upon an asthetic - it’s less about pedigree and more about style.  While there are millions of fabulous antique value guide books giving estimates on antiques - my opinion - the value of an antique - especially in those decorative pieces - is entirely subjective.  The right price for an antique is what they buyer would be willing to pay - and working internationally - I know that price changes by country and/or region.  Value changes according to country and their taste preferences - in France long lives the Louis'… Gilt-wood still demands top euro.  Meanwhile in Holland where the Dutch like clean lines and interiors anything Rococo is practically given away.  A Louis XV style console in France that might sale for 1500E in the Netherlands might sell for 500E and then… bring that same item to America and the vendors will multiply their purchase prices by a mark up of 3 to 5 times their cost.  So if you ask me… The real value in antiques comes down to Love Sweet Love.   If you buy what you love you’ll never regret your purchases and it will always keep it’s value.

FA: What's the most interesting antique you have found, purchased or sold?

TCH: 1  in 5 queries coming into our company at the moment by clients seeking European Buying Tours are architectural salvage tour requests - antique dealers, architects, interior designers, developers, hoteliers and restaurateurs are all dying to source architectural pieces to use in projects. - these could be doors, mantles, windows, flooring, roof and flooring tiles, stairwells, bricks, etc.  The most interesting antique I’ve ever helped a client buy was a Neo Gothic Cathedral Ceiling coming out of a church in Maastricht - the client was searching for a painting ceiling she could use in the renovation of her home and this piece was perfect.  For 16K not only did it go into her own home - she (a designer) was also able to use parts of the piece in numerous clients homes as well!

FA: Advice on finding the best purchase prices for antiques.  What about those who would like to sell some of their pieces?

TCH: We’ve all heard the expression… “It’s Not What You Know… It’s Who You Know.”  When buying antiques as with most things in life… getting the best price comes down to relationships.  If you find a vendor whose style of inventory you love develop a relationship with them.  They may not have that exact item you’re looking for right now… but if you like their vibe/ their look then you can entrust them to search for inventory of your behalf.  The more you buy from one vendor inevitably the better of price you get from that vendor when you buy multiple items.  And returning customers are always given priority in pricing.  Be memorable. Chat with the vendor.  Most antique dealers are in this business because they love what they do - and if they know  you love what they do - they’ll appreciate you appreciating them! When you return to their store - remind them what you bought from them and why you love it.  My grandmother always said, “You can catch more flies with honey.” When buying Be Nice. (Heck, regardless of what you’re doing in life… Be Nice… Life’s Too Short For Anything Else!).  Some of the worse advice I’ve ever heard on antiquing is “point out the faults of what’s wrong with piece.”… Don’t do this! First of all - it’s not nice - and doesn’t endear you to vendors.  Second of all… that 18th C Spanish Console is Scratched??! Oh No! The vendor might need to RAISE THE PRICE THEN - You’re paying extra for that PATINA.  Antiques aren’t perfect - just as when we age we get wrinkles and gray hair…. that’s what happens with antiques and those signs of a life-well-lived are often what creates the patina that raises the price not decreases it!  Last but not least - always - always - always - ask for a discount.  If you don’t ask.. You dont receive.  The polite way to ask for a discount (if you dont feel comfortable negotiating) is to say “Is that your best price?” It’s easy, direct and to the point - if the vendor has room in their profit margin it puts them in control of choosing what discount to give you.  And… sometimes you’ll be surprised. Once I was going to offer a vendor 40Euro for an item marked 50E - but when I asked their best price they responded 30E! 

FA: What should someone look for when purchasing an antique?

TCH: When you buy antiques ask as much information as possible.  Find out the age, the material, where it was made, how it was originally used, who would have used it.  Ask where the vendor found the item - who they bought it from - gather as many details as possible about the story of the piece. Also google your purchases…. the internet is an amazing wealth of information on antiques!

FA: What have you learned about yourself as you made a career switch?

TCH: While today clients and readers know me as The Antiques Diva (R) - Chief Executive Diva of Europe’s largest antiques touring (and sourcing) company - I haven’t always been a diva! In a past life I worked in marketing and advertising working with clients such as Dunkin Donuts, Target, McDonalds, and Pearl Vision. This background has been fundamental in the growth of my company as I  knew how to market my services. I’ve always thought of myself as a creative person - and never gave myself enough credit as a business woman.  But what I learned about myself through starting my own company was that I actually enjoyed the process of running a business - making strategic decisions about the direction the company would take and implementing them.  I’ve also learned in running a company - that it’s not all about me - it’s about my team.  While I’m the face of the company - our business could not operate without the body.  I have a team of 18 people who work with me and while we operate as a whole - I’ve learned that I shouldn’t micro-manage them as in order for them to operate at their peak performance they needed to have ownership in their roles.  I’ve learned I dont have to do it all myself. Just because I can do something - doesn’t mean I have to do it.  I’ve learned to trust others, ask for help and listen to others as getting outside opinions has been instrumental to my companies success…. And last but not least… I’ve learned to Trust My Instincts.  Just because you ask for advice - it doesn’t mean you have to take it.  As an entrepreneur you have to be both wise enough to ask for advice and strong enough to trust your instincts on whats right for your company.

To Book an Antiques Diva European Buying Tour visit www.antiquesdiva.com or email toma@antiquesdiva.com

Feature Friday: Meet Nicole Alhakawati

Not many Americans are prepared to travel to Europe and other countries for leisure.  It is very common to meet people who have never left the US.  Traveling overseas doesn't have to be overwhelming to be an enjoyable experience

Meet Nicole Alkhawati, an American who has traveled to Europe.  She has agreed to give tips on preparing a trip overseas.

 Faten Abdallah (FA): What kinds of preparation was needed to travel to Europe? 

Nicole Alkhawati (NA): In order to travel to Europe, you need to have a valid passport and some planning skills.  I start saving money and planning an itinerary at least one year in advance.  I knew I wanted to go with my high school senior after her graduation, so I was able to plan with that in mind.  We looked at many websites about places to visit in England and France, which were our target areas.  We made lists of the places we wanted to visit and were able to make an itinerary based on those locations.  Trip Advisor is a good site to read recommendations from other people about what they enjoyed and didn't like about their trip.  We were also able to use our credit card points to buy discounted plane tickets and book hotels.  Getting a reward credit card is a great idea for planning these kinds of trips.

FA: How long should someone plan in advance to travel overseas?  

NA: The time for planning will depend on how many of your family are going with you and how much money is needed to save.  You can save money on hotels and train transportation if you book early.  I saved a lot on the EuroStar train, which is the high speed train that travels between Paris and London, by buying more than six months in advance.  Also, never book visits or buy tickets with the concierge at the hotels.  You can save a lot of money by using the computer in the business lounge or by buying all tickets online before your visit.  A good example is Disneyland Paris.  The concierge was offering an adult ticket at 80 Euros.  I went on the French website for the park and found that there was a Summer deal.  I called the park number and was able to book the tickets at 59 Euros each and picked them up at the Guest Services desk.  They only had to be booked one day in advance to get the deal.  

FA: What were your thoughts before visiting Europe?  

NA: I had been to Europe before as a teenager, so I knew what to expect, but my teenage daughter had never been there.  I wanted to make the trip memorable for her as well as for myself.  I did have some safety concerns about traveling at this time after there have been several attacks in France.  Being a Muslim, was an added concern.  I was pleasantly surprised that I did not feel at risk while there and I was welcomed in every place that we visited.  

FA: What places did you visit in Europe?  What was your favorite? 
NA: We arrived in Paris and took the EuroStar train to London the next day.  We did the sights in London for two days and then took a train to Bristol to spend the night in a castle!  We stopped in Bath, to see the Roman Baths and then made our way to the coast to take an overnight ferry back to France.  I had my former Rotary Exchange host family pick us up in Brittany and we spent several days with them before returning to Paris.  My favorite part of the trip was spending time in regular neighborhoods and grocery stores with my host family.  We saved a lot of money buying food gifts from regular stores and we were able to get out of the harried tourist trap areas that most people visit.  I enjoyed the touristic sites, but I also really just wanted to relax during our trip and not be rushed.  

FA: What have you learned about yourself as a traveler? 
NA: I learned that I enjoyed the trip much more as an adult than as a youngster.  Perhaps I could appreciate the trip more and I knew the value of it?  I also learned that it is good know what kind of traveler you will be spending your time with on the voyage.  It turned out that my daughter did not enjoy walking a lot and climbing stairs, though she wanted to see ancient sites.  She didn't realize that being at those sites took a lot of energy and walking.  Be forewarned that Europe is not as handicapped friendly as the US and most metro and Underground stops did not have but stairs for access.  Even Disneyland Paris was much less accessible than the US counterpart.

FA: Why should Americans travel abroad? 
NA: Americans should travel abroad because 'old' in the US just can't compare to old in Europe or other countries.  We need to get outside of our comfort zone to appreciate how clean and organized our life is in the US.  We can better appreciate our blessings when we head outside and walk the streets of other nations.  

Eccentric 77- Year Old Darla Shaw’s Accessory and Style Tips

There is no doubt that 77-year-old Darla Shaw is an eccentric…and she is proud of that label. When she is not teaching as a full time college professor, She may be playing in her Kazoo and steel drum band… or attending her belly dancing class, or teaching Alzheimer awareness to middle school students, or traveling to Bhutan to help underprivileged kids … and these are just a few of her weekly activities… the list goes on! Her endless energy, desire to learn new things and share this knowledge with others is an inspiration to anyone one at any age!

In this brand new episode of a the HooplaHa original series, The Wonderful World of Darla, Darla reveals her tips to accessorizing your wardrobe. Shower yourself with color, take risks! Be as bold with your fashion choices as you are about your life choices!

Feature Friday: Meet Jennifer Harshman

Every Friday, I plan to feature a woman who has a talent to share with the world.  I would like for you to meet Jennifer Harshman--freelance editor, writer, and writers' coach.

Faten Abdallah (FA):  What inspired you to become a writer?

Jennifer Harshman

Jennifer Harshman (JH): I started writing stories when I was three years old, just after I'd learned to read, because I realized that a person wrote the storybooks I read and that meant that I could write stories, too. Writing was natural to me. Many good writers did not experience an early epiphany or any kind of ease with writing, however, so people shouldn't be discouraged if they aren't "natural writers," or if they experience writer's block.

FA:  How do you avoid writer's block?

JH: Writer's block is usually not caused by a lack of ideas, but too many ideas along with a lack of decisiveness or direction. In between editing clients' books, coaching, and running a homeschooling household, I write a blog post a week, but I have several of my own books in the to-write stack. Part of it is a lack of time—I'm booked solid for 10 months out (for which I am very grateful)—but part of it is indecision, too. Last week I found myself with a spare hour, and a friend suggested I write for myself. I asked which of the eight books I should work on, and I laughed, but it is a serious problem. I ended up taking a much-needed nap, telling myself that within a week I would make a list of the books in the order in which I'm going to write them. (I did it.) 

Writers can avoid or break writer's block in many ways, and I wrote about a number of them here http://www.harshmanservices.com/get-past-writers-block/   and here:

http://www.harshmanservices.com/spark-creativity-writer-block/

FA:  What kinds of things have you written?

JH: ​I've written a wide variety of things, including poetry, grant proposals, articles, website content, radio commercials, ad copy, blog posts, manuals, and books. So far, the books I've written have all been done as a ghostwriter or under a pseudonym. I have a few books that will come out under my own name, but right now I have a list of books to edit for clients, and I keep my commitments.

 FA: Can anyone be a writer? What should a new writer know?

JH: It's so tempting to say that anyone can be a writer, and, with enough commitment to it and with proper help, perhaps it's true. I've seen some writers who were terrible writers, and there's no nice way to pretty-up that fact. I've helped some of those writers improve greatly, and I've helped some book manuscripts go from "Ohmagoodness, this is awful" to five-star reviews. Practice and a good editor and/or writing coach can make all the difference.

A new writer should know that while anyone can be published now (thanks to self-publishing), it is still hard to succeed. It can take years of hard work. There is no guarantee that anyone will buy your books. 

Writing is not a one-shot deal. The book, Write.Publish.Repeat. urges writers to write their book, publish it, and get busy on the next one, learning and improving their books as they go along. 

A new writer should also know that everywhere she turns, right in front of her eyes will be another "how to succeed at writing" book or course. She'll sign up for one newsletter and then will see a dozen more, and she'll buy one book and then Amazon will get in on the conspiracy to get her to spend more money on learning how to be a successful writer, and it will suggest six more books for her to buy. A dollar here, eight dollars there, or, in the case of courses, $300 here, $2,000 there . . . It won't take long before her spouse or accountant has steam coming out his ears and she realizes that she could buy and consume a thousand of those things and they still won't write her book for her.

       ​

FA: Some people think it is not necessary to hire or work with an editor.  What's the point of an editor?

JH: Many people think they don't need an editor. This is caused by one of a few things: 

• They are extremely egotistical and won't admit that they need something that everyone else needs (a little ego can come in handy when it comes to promoting their work, but too much is a bad thing).
• They think readers are stupid and won't notice that a book hasn't been edited. (Readers are smart, and they notice. Don't try to cheat them.) 
• They don't know even the basics, because if they did, they'd know that everyone needs an editor. Everyone. And not just one editor, but often two, because there are two very different types of editing, and it's important to get an editor for each kind.  
• They are lying to themselves and others by saying they don't need an editor. This may be because they don't have the money to hire a good editor, or it may be because they are too egotistical.

​Why is it so important to hire an editor? Any piece of writing is not ready for publication until after it's been edited (and proofread) at least once. Would you sell any other product to a consumer in an unfinished, unprepared state—a wedding cake without frosting, a home without doors and windows? Then don't do it with your writing. 

What if a writer can't afford an editor? Not all editors are expensive, but writers should expect to pay the industry standard rates set forth by the book titled, Writer's Market. Not only should a writer not skip editing, a writer should not have their cousin's neighbor's old-maid aunt who used to be an English teacher "edit" the book for her. With very rare exceptions, English teachers do not make good editors. 

The writer should find a good editor, and then work out a deal. Maybe the writer supplies the editor with 72 quarts of organic apple butter and applesauce made from the trees in his yard, in addition to paying half the editor's rate.​ Maybe a writer makes an arrangement with the editor to make monthly payments until she turns into an old man with a beard. Just about anything would be better than to publish a book without having it edited by a professional first.

Over the years, I've learned that it might take me a while to write something, but that's okay. Sometimes, though, a full book has come pouring out of me over the course of a few days, and I did nothing but write and sleep, and at the end of those few days, I needed to be showered, probably with a garden hose, from a distance. 

FA: What have you learned about yourself as a writer and editor?

JH: I've also learned that four of my strengths combine to make me a good editor who keeps clients coming back for more. 

1) I have a penchant for taking something that already exists and making it better.

2) Helping people say what they're trying to say comes very easily to me. I don't "take over" an author's book like many editors do. It's still the author's story after I edit it, just better.  

3) I have often been the "bridge" between people or groups, and I facilitate connections.

4) Having read 15,764 books now and adding more every day (most people, including editors, read fewer than 1,000 books in their whole lives), I have seen thousands of examples of how it's done, so errors jump out at me.

​When I decided to start editing books as a freelance editor, I drew on not only the libraries full of books I'd read, but on my years of experience editing and proofreading hundreds of papers and all of the writing at the places I'd worked. People sense who the good writer is, who the natural editor in the company is; no matter where I worked, people brought to me the things that needed to be written or edited. 

I started prospecting by emailing major publishing houses to see if they needed a freelance line editor. While doing that, I felt a sudden urge to visit the chat room on a certain website where I was a member. I thought it was weird, because that website was totally unrelated to anything in the world of writing or editing, and I wasn't one to use chat rooms. Why that, why now? I thought. But I listened and did it. Only one other person was in there, and we said hi and chatted a minute. When I said I had to get back to querying publishing companies as a freelance editor, he said his wife needed an editor for her book. Within minutes, I had met my first client. ​We emailed back and forth and came to an agreement, and now I do all of her books, and she sends me referrals. That was 2009, and I've never looked back. I now have clients who swear they'll stick with me for life, and I also have a waiting list 10 months long. Every single day—usually multiple times a day—I give thanks for my clients and the business they bring me. Without them, there would be no HarshmanServices.com. It is my honor and privilege to help writers make their writing better, and to encourage them through the whole process. My best wishes, thoughts, and prayers go out for everyone reading this.