Follow Your Dreams Friday: 5 Questions with Miss Kentucky 2013 Jenna Day

Miss Kentucky 2013 Jenna Day did a fantastic job of representing our state this year! The beautiful, talented, and down-to-earth Louisville native and UK student has been an amazing ambassador for the Bluegrass State this year, and we can't wait to see what she does next!

HK:Tell us a little about yourself.

JD:

My name is Jenna Day. I am originally from Louisville Kentucky, but I moved to Lexington to attend the University of Kentucky. There I am a political science major and will begin my senior year this fall. A year ago I was crowned Miss Kentucky 2013 and I have taken a sabbatical from school to work for The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s “Kentucky Proud” campaign, During my year I was able to make hundreds of appearances, talk to over 60,000 students, and countless individuals. This past weekend I crowned the new Miss Kentucky who will continue on where I have left off, encouraging young people to buy local and create a healthier life for themselves.

HK: When did you first set your sights on the Miss Kentucky crown?

JD:

I had dreamt about the title of Miss Kentucky for a long time. In fact all of the women in my family competed for the title. My mother completed when she was young, my older sister competed, I even have an aunt who competed. When I became old enough, I decided to follow in their footsteps. However, it was never about the crown. It was always about the lives I could reach with the job.

HK: What is it like to hear your name being announced as the new Miss Kentucky?

JD:

There is no other feeling like it. Years of hard work pay off. I still feel so unbelievably blessed to have had this opportunity.

Jenna dons the Miss Kentucky crown for the last time before the 2014 pageant. 

HK: What’s next for you?

JD:

I will be finishing my degree at the University of Kentucky, continuing some of my advocacy projects, and praying that the Lord will direct my paths. Additionally I will be starting my own communications consulting business, because I believe in helping young women find their voice and establish their own leadership style. What is most exciting about living this dream and passing on the title of Miss Kentucky is that now I get to go and find a new dream. 

HK: What advice do you have for girls who dream of becoming Miss Kentucky?

JD:

Get involved, start attending some prelims to learn the ropes, and then dive in. Just remember, the most important thing is to be yourself.

The Wisdom of Dr. Gonzo

Today is the anniversary of Hunter S. Thompson's birth.

In honor of the weird and often wonderful writer and Louisville native, here are a few of my favorite nuggets of his Gonzo wisdom.

• Good news is rare these days, and every glittering ounce of it should be cherished and hoarded and worshipped and fondled like a priceless diamond.

• The writer must be a participant in the scene... like a film director who writes his own scripts, does his own camera work, and somehow manages to film himself in action, as the protagonist or at least the main character.

• Democracy as a system has evolved into something that Thomas Jefferson didn't anticipate.

• As long as I'm learning something, I figure I'm OK - it's a decent day.

Have a weird, wild, and wonderful weekend, y'all. It's what Dr. Thompson would do.

Follow Your Dreams Friday: 5 Questions with Chrishell Stause of Days of Our Lives

Today's Follow Your Dreams Friday spotlights Chrishell Stause, the gorgeous Kentucky-born actress who plays Jordan on Days of Our Lives.

Chrishell is a native of Draffenville, Kentucky and an alumna of Murray State who previously portrayed Amanda on All My Children. She was so sweet and friendly to interview -- she answered my request with a prompt "Sure! I have lots of state pride!"

Thanks so much to Chrishell for taking the time to talk charity, soap operas, and the pursuit of dreams! -- HCW

HK: Tell us a little about yourself. 

CS: I am a proud Kentuckian that graduated from Marshall County High School and then went on to get my degree at Murray State University. I always wanted to be an actress since I was little and after graduating college I moved to Los Angles to do just that. After a year of waiting tables, my dream came true and I was moved to New York City for my first job on All My Children. 

HK: What’s it like “living out” the crazy story lines of daytime TV? 

CS: Having worked in daytime for over eight years now I have gotten to play so many amazing and, yes, sometimes downright crazy story lines! I have a blast with it. It's a lot of work, but you never get bored because it is always changing and it definitely keeps you on your toes. 

HK: Tell us about your charity work with

Upward Bound House. It seems like a great organization. 

CS: Working with this organization has meant so much to me along with the families I've been able to help along the way. Homeless families are not only given a place to stay for a year, but during that time they are equipping them with the proper tools and education to enter the workforce and help them land and stay on their feet. 

HK: You’ve lived in NYC and LA. What do you miss most about Kentucky? 

I miss the people the most! I always feel so welcomed when I come home even if they are complete strangers. You really can't beat good old southern hospitality! 

HK: What is your advice for small town Kentucky girls who dream of acting? 

CS: Well, unfortunately my advice would be to move. I would give anything if I could do what I love and stay in my home state, but I will have to settle for hometown visits when I can. If they are still in school I would say to get into plays and take classes. But if you truly want to be an actor or actress, you have to make that scary leap and follow your dream to be discovered. And you also can't be discovered if you don't put yourself out there. So get out there and go do it!

{Follow Your Dreams Friday} 5 Questions with Mrs. Tyler Thompson of Kentucky Sports Radio

If you love the Kentucky Wildcats, you've read Kentucky Sports Radio, the most over-the-top, ridiculous, 'Cats-lovin website out there. In honor of March Madness, and the three Kentucky teams who play today, we sat down with KSR writer Mrs. Tyler Thompson for this special March Madness installment of Follow Your Dreams Friday. Talk about a dream job -- Tyler gets to write about Kentucky sports all day long! -- HCW

HK: Tell us a little about yourself. 

TT: I'm a Danville, Kentucky native who grew up spending Friday nights at Admiral Stadium watching high school football, Saturdays at Commonwealth Stadium watching college football, and any chance I got in Rupp Arena watching college basketball. I went to Davidson College in North Carolina, where I clashed with plenty of Tarheels and Duke fans before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, where I clash with plenty of Tennessee and Vandy fans. I like to think those experiences have hardened my UK fan-hood.

Kentucky Sports Radio Blogger Tyler Thompson with the 2012 Kentucky Wildcats National Championship Trophy

Tyler with UK's 2012 National Championship Trophy.

HK: How did you become a sports blogger? 

TT: It's actually a really random story. I grew up wanting to be a sportswriter, but in high school, my English teacher discouraged it because she thought reporting box scores and statistics would be too dry for my writing style (fortunately, blogging allows me to be more creative). In college, I pursued literary analysis and non-fiction prose, and wanted to go into publishing after graduation. I ended up with a job as a copywriter in Nashville, but because I am obsessed with UK sports, always followed the Cats via Kentucky Sports Radio. They had a "Who wants to be a blogger" contest back in 2008, and I entered, partly as a joke and a dare from my sister. I finished third and kind of put my blogging dreams back on the shelf for a while until my friend and I started RealGirlsWatchSports.com as an outlet for our sports obsessions. A few months later, Larry Vaught asked me to contribute to his site, and a few months after that, Matt Jones asked me to join the team at KSR. Over the next three years, I began to take on more responsibility, and in December 2012, I became a full-time employee. Looking back on it, it still seems like a dream. It just goes to show, don't ever be afraid to take a chance on something because it seems silly--it may end up landing you your dream job. 

HK: How is it different watching sports in order to write about the game rather than watching for fun? 

TT: It's very, very different, and still an ongoing transition for me. On KSR, we do live blogs for each game, which include play-by-play and analysis (and plenty of jokes), so there's not a lot of time to "linger in the moment," if you will. Also, you're not allowed to cheer on press row, which is always a struggle for me. Most of the time, I'm tapping my foot and chewing my lip during stressful moments. There have been a few times I've slipped up and let out a whoop or a holler, but thankfully, I haven't been reprimanded...yet. 

HK: For me, the “I wish I was half as cool as Tyler” moment was when you wrote about sitting next to legendary football commentator Paul Finebaum at SEC Media Days. What has been your major “pinch me; I must be dreaming” moment as a KSR blogger? 

TT: Honestly, it happens every single game I go to. I keep thinking that awe will wear off eventually, but it hasn't yet. Meeting Paul Finebaum was amazing, partly because he just happened to sit down next to me. He couldn't have been nicer. I'd say my most recent "pinch me" moment was when I met Jay Bilas during the Calipari Fantasy Camp. We were both in the gym watching the team practice, and I knew that I had to go introduce myself. He was unbelievably nice and offered to help me in my profession any way he could, which is something I'll never forget.

Kentucky Sports Radio Blogger Tyler Thompson with Sportscaster Jay Bilas

HK: What advice do you have for women who want to go into traditionally male-dominated fields?

TT: There will always be people who don't take you seriously because you're a woman (I like to call them the "make me a sandwich" crew), but instead of letting that get you down, use it as fuel to prove them wrong. Also, don't be afraid to connect with your audience in ways the guys can't; I'd argue there are just as many female Kentucky sports fans as male Kentucky sports fans, and I love being able to give them a voice. I'm not saying you should swap recipes or anything, but keep in mind you bring something to the table that most don't--a female perspective.

Follow Your Dreams Friday: 5 Questions with Lori Cheek of Cheek'd

Have you ever seen that show Shark Tank, which pairs entrepreneurs with potential celebrity investors? Tonight's episode features Kentucky native Lori Cheek, whose NYC-based startup Cheek'd is the next big thing in online dating. Lori graciously sat down for five questions with HerKentucky. 

Photo by

Kim Preston Photography

. 

HK: Tell us a little about yourself. 

LC:I was born and raised in a tiny, one stop light town in Taylorsville, Kentucky, which I thought was the smallest place in the world. As early as I can remember, I knew there was something out there I had to find and it felt far, far away. I eventually stumbled into a bigger city and studied architecture at University of Kentucky. During my studies, I guest interned at a New York City firm for just one week and was immediately hooked on the magic, diversity and energy of the city. On Graduation Day, in May of 1996, I tossed my royal blue tasseled hat into the air, sped home to pack up my Ashland Avenue apartment into a U-Haul and without a job or much of anything lined up, I headed straight for the big city to start building my dreams. 

After working in architecture, furniture and design for 15 years for companies such as Christian Dior, Goldman Sachs and Vitra, I came up with an idea that lead me into the NYC World of Love and Technology and am now solving missed connections one card at a time. I completely threw away my design career and am no longer building structures… I'm now building relationships.

HK: How does Cheek’d work? 

LC: Cheek’d bridges the gap between online dating and real-world romance by providing members with physical cards that they can use to entice people from the real world to flirt with them in the virtual world. It’s the 2.0 version of “Call Me.”  The cards offer a real purpose and advantage to other online dating sites and expand a subscriber’s dating opportunities beyond the pool of people registered with an online dating service.  By bringing the social aspect back into dating and moving it from your computer to your everyday life, Cheek'd is giving its members an opportunity to leverage technology without completely depending on it, while promoting a safe and playful interaction in the physical world at a time when virtual interaction is growing and online privacy is scarce. Cheek'd, coined by The New York Times as “the next generation of online dating” has gone global with customers in 47 states in America and 28 countries internationally.  And I know it works because after decades on my own relentless pursuit for love, one day a couple of summers ago, I was sitting solo at a Crab Shack in Montauk and with no AT&T signal, I decided to toss my best friend, “iPhone,” into my beach bag and when I looked up, a mysterious, gorgeous man in Ray Bans and a baseball cap sitting right next to me said, “Nice tattoos.”  I handed him the Cheek’d card that reads, “let’s meet for a drink.”  We met for that drink and now we're engaged!

Photo by

Ted Schafer Photography.

HK: Cheek’d is such a great concept — it adds a personal edge to online dating. How did you come up with the idea? 

LC: Six years ago, I was out to dinner with a friend & architectural colleague and I had excused myself from the table.  When I returned, my handsome dinner date had scribbled on the back of his business card, “want to have dinner?”  As we were leaving the restaurant, he slid that card to an attractive woman at a nearby table. He left with a pending date.  I left with an idea...  It had happened to me a thousand times during my NYC commute—spotting that intriguing stranger on a train, in a café, crossing the street, at baggage claim, etc. and nearly 999 of them got away.  Handing a business card could have been one answer, but I was entranced by the mysterious gesture of handing it to the object of your affection and removing the personal details included on a typical business card, which is simply too much information to hand to a total stranger.  A person’s name on a card, alone, could potentially lead you to their front door. My solution to the problem would apply a personal approach to online dating by moving the initial encounter offline with a smooth physical introduction.  In May of 2010, I launched Cheekd.com —my solution to the 999 missed opportunities I’d personally experienced.

HK: What was it like to be on Shark Tank? It had to be so exciting and surreal. 

LC:The journey leading up to the Shark Tank has been the most exciting year of my life. With 8.5 million viewers, I've finally been given the opportunity to share my million-dollar idea with the world. Deal or no deal, this experience has been life changing.  For weeks leading up to my pitch, I suffered a lot of anxiety and panic.  I’ve put everything I have into this business and the stakes are just about as high as they can get when you’re in front of the Sharks.  I’d never been more nervous in my entire life as I walked down what seemed like an endless hallway into the Shark Tank.  My heart was about to beat out of my body.  You’ve only got one shot and you can trust that I gave it my all.

HK: Here at HerKentucky, our motto is “Follow Your Dreams.” What is your advice to female entrepreneurs, especially those who have been told that an idea is too quirky or “unique” to work?

LC: My advice for other women in the entrepreneurial world is if you truly believe in your idea, give up excuses & doubt, surround yourself by a trusted and talented team, bulldoze forward and DON’T. LOOK. BACK. And if you’re single, you might even just find yourself a husband while you’re at it.  I did.

Thanks so much to Lori for taking the time to chat with us! Be sure to tune in to Shark Tank tonight at 9PM EST on ABC.