Real Talk with Muriam Cinevert:
2024 DYNAMIC Haitian BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
JUne 2024 | By LYNN HENRY-ROACH
Photo Credit: Valcin Legacy
During the Women's International Month celebration in April, Muriam Cinevert was awarded the distinct honor of 2024 Dynamic Businesswoman of the Year, bestowed upon her by the Georgia American-Haitian Chamber of Commerce, Inc. Lakol Magazine's Conversation with Muriam Cinevert, a Media Mogul and Inspirational Business Leader.
The Power Behind the Name and Childhood in Haiti
Lakol Magazine: Let us start with the story behind your name because names are powerful. Do you know who you were named after?
Muriam Cinevert: I do, and it is a crazy story. Have you heard of the South African singer Miriam Makeba? When I was born, my father wanted to name me Beatrice. But my mom objected, saying all Beatrices were no good. So, when my father filled out my birth certificate, he intended to name me Miriam but misspelled it, and I became Muriam.
Lakol Magazine: Where were you born and raised?
Muriam Cinevert: I was born at General Hospital in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and came to the United States when I was eight.
Lakol Magazine: What do you remember about Haiti?
Muriam Cinevert: I was still young, and my mom and dad had seven children. She took the older ones and left the three young ones—one was me, my brother before me, and my youngest brother— and left us in Haiti with our dad and a housekeeper to raise us. I was a tomboy at heart. I loved climbing trees and playing marbles, checkers, and chess.
Adjusting to a New Life in the US
Lakol Magazine: What was the first place you settled when you came to the US?
Muriam Cinevert: I came straight from Haiti to New Jersey, and we lived on Park Street in East Orange, New Jersey. That is from Kennedy Airport to New Jersey, and for me, it was strange. Of course, it is a new country, and I did not want to come because I remembered going to the airport that day. While in the vehicle, it was moving; I opened the door to escape because I did not want to go.
Lakol Magazine: Did you not want to go with your parents?
Muriam Cinevert: I did not want to come because I was not ready to leave.
Lakol Magazine: Tell me about your experience once you arrive. Did you struggle to learn a new language or make friends at school?
Muriam Cinevert: Surprisingly, I adapted quickly. It is something about me that I never knew until I was older. I do not have a problem making friends, so I am incredibly open. I took ESL classes; I did not feel like the language was hard. I started speaking English, and it was easy, and making friends was not hard. I had made one friend named Natasha, and we were friends for years.
Educational Journey and Early Career
Lakol Magazine: Do you visit Haiti?
Muriam Cinevert: I have not returned since I arrived and have no interest in going. My parents never took me. As far as I can remember, my mom only went back once.
Lakol Magazine: What was growing up in New Jersey like?
Muriam Cinevert: I attended East Orange High School for two to three years but did not graduate. I dropped out and got my GED instead. Later, I went on to study hotel management. I worked in accounts payable while I attended Essex County College to study journalism. While pursuing my associate degree, I also wrote for the college newspaper. I remember my first article was about tattoos. I called it "Get Fabulous," it was about everybody getting tattoos.
Overcoming Personal Tragedy
Lakol Magazine: Tell me about the death of your mom. How has that affected your life?
Muriam Cinevert: I was twenty-three when my mother passed away. I just threw away everything because I did not think I would revisit writing and stuff like that anymore. My mom was my best friend because we discussed everything. Am I the biggest baby at heart? I remember going and lying next to her and talking to her. When my mother was diagnosed with HIV, it did not take long for her to pass because she did not have the money to buy the medication that she needed for her to live longer with the disease. So, within two years or so, HIV developed into AIDS because no medication was taken. It was still a new disease in the nineties, and many medicines they have now were unavailable.
When she passed away, I did not feel anything. For me, it was a relief because she was suffering without any comfort. Nothing made her feel better. It hurts occasionally. When I think about her, I still feel her around me. Because of my mom, I used to love to dance, so dancing is one of my go-to places whenever I want to feel happy. I can be on a dance floor for three hours nonstop… and do not care who is watching.
The Power Behind the Name and Childhood in Haiti
Lakol Magazine: Let us start with the story behind your name because names are powerful. Do you know who you were named after?
Muriam Cinevert: I do, and it is a crazy story. Have you heard of the South African singer Miriam Makeba? When I was born, my father wanted to name me Beatrice. But my mom objected, saying all Beatrices were no good. So, when my father filled out my birth certificate, he intended to name me Miriam but misspelled it, and I became Muriam.
Lakol Magazine: Where were you born and raised?
Muriam Cinevert: I was born at General Hospital in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and came to the United States when I was eight.
Lakol Magazine: What do you remember about Haiti?
Muriam Cinevert: I was still young, and my mom and dad had seven children. She took the older ones and left the three young ones—one was me, my brother before me, and my youngest brother— and left us in Haiti with our dad and a housekeeper to raise us. I was a tomboy at heart. I loved climbing trees and playing marbles, checkers, and chess.
Adjusting to a New Life in the US
Lakol Magazine: What was the first place you settled when you came to the US?
Muriam Cinevert: I came straight from Haiti to New Jersey, and we lived on Park Street in East Orange, New Jersey. That is from Kennedy Airport to New Jersey, and for me, it was strange. Of course, it is a new country, and I did not want to come because I remembered going to the airport that day. While in the vehicle, it was moving; I opened the door to escape because I did not want to go.
Lakol Magazine: Did you not want to go with your parents?
Muriam Cinevert: I did not want to come because I was not ready to leave.
Lakol Magazine: Tell me about your experience once you arrive. Did you struggle to learn a new language or make friends at school?
Muriam Cinevert: Surprisingly, I adapted quickly. It is something about me that I never knew until I was older. I do not have a problem making friends, so I am incredibly open. I took ESL classes; I did not feel like the language was hard. I started speaking English, and it was easy, and making friends was not hard. I had made one friend named Natasha, and we were friends for years.
Educational Journey and Early Career
Lakol Magazine: Do you visit Haiti?
Muriam Cinevert: I have not returned since I arrived and have no interest in going. My parents never took me. As far as I can remember, my mom only went back once.
Lakol Magazine: What was growing up in New Jersey like?
Muriam Cinevert: I attended East Orange High School for two to three years but did not graduate. I dropped out and got my GED instead. Later, I went on to study hotel management. I worked in accounts payable while I attended Essex County College to study journalism. While pursuing my associate degree, I also wrote for the college newspaper. I remember my first article was about tattoos. I called it "Get Fabulous," it was about everybody getting tattoos.
Overcoming Personal Tragedy
Lakol Magazine: Tell me about the death of your mom. How has that affected your life?
Muriam Cinevert: I was twenty-three when my mother passed away. I just threw away everything because I did not think I would revisit writing and stuff like that anymore. My mom was my best friend because we discussed everything. Am I the biggest baby at heart? I remember going and lying next to her and talking to her. When my mother was diagnosed with HIV, it did not take long for her to pass because she did not have the money to buy the medication that she needed for her to live longer with the disease. So, within two years or so, HIV developed into AIDS because no medication was taken. It was still a new disease in the nineties, and many medicines they have now were unavailable.
When she passed away, I did not feel anything. For me, it was a relief because she was suffering without any comfort. Nothing made her feel better. It hurts occasionally. When I think about her, I still feel her around me. Because of my mom, I used to love to dance, so dancing is one of my go-to places whenever I want to feel happy. I can be on a dance floor for three hours nonstop… and do not care who is watching.
The Road to Entrepreneurship
Lakol Magazine: First job?
Muriam Cinevert: My first job was at Sal's Dry Cleaners on Ninth Avenue in Irvington (NJ). We washed the tablecloths and laundry from the restaurants and hotels. Then, I worked at Wendy's. I had so many jobs. I worked at a hotel, and I was the wake-up girl. I would call the hotel guests to wake them up. In 1990, I took business classes and earned my accounts payable diploma. I later became a personal shopper for these fancy women who had social calendars and always needed an outfit. I would call them and book an appointment to try out five or six outfits I had selected for them. I enjoyed this because of the creativity.
Lakol Magazine: How did you find the Haitian community in Atlanta?
Muriam Cinevert: I transferred from ADP in New Jersey. I bought a house in Covington, GA, and commuted to Alpharetta, GA. I had to start work at 8 o'clock, and I would leave my house by five. Sometimes, I was still late for work. That was a great deal of pressure, and I was stressed. I had just had my son in New Jersey, who was only four months old. I did not have friends yet; I did not have family here. It was just me and my ex-husband, so that was it. I did not have any support system besides God. They did not understand my accent, and I did not understand their accent, so I would not say I liked it.
I got to know the Haitian Community in Atlanta after I divorced in 2010. When I separated from my ex-husband, I met a friend. He owns Fiducia, a financial group he started by himself. I joined his company, and we have worked closely ever since. At Fiducia, we provide life insurance and tax services. We went on to educate people about life insurance by visiting churches and finding our Haitian community.
Birth of True Self Magazine
Lakol Magazine: How did the idea for True Self Magazine come about?
Muriam Cinevert: I was working on a project that did not go through, as many of us will do when a project does not go through. We ask ourselves why and ask where we went wrong. In February 2018, I received confirmation to start the magazine through meditation. Everything fell into place; people with the right skills found me, and we built a dedicated team. It was all aligned for me. Through networking and friends, I met the right people who shared my vision and mission for the magazine.
Expansion and Recognition
Lakol Magazine: How often does your magazine come out?
Muriam Cinevert: We publish quarterly, though we started monthly. It is available nationally at retailers like Books-A-Million and online at Walmart.com. It is in digital and print formats. We went national in 2022. You can find True Self Magazine at Books-A-Million in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and New Jersey. We recently signed a distribution agreement for Atlanta, LA, and Chicago airports; I just got news —a distributor will put them in the 7-Eleven stores. I also have beauty salons and boutiques that carry the magazine.
Lakol Magazine: What is the cost of the magazine?
Muriam Cinevert: The print edition is $7.99 in stores, and the digital version costs five dollars. Initially, I gave it free as marketing to grab. Now, I have 13,000 subscribers.
Daily Life and Creative Direction
Lakol Magazine: Take me through a day in Muriam's life.
Muriam Cinevert: I am still part of the educational financial group business, where I am a licensed insurance broker. So, I have clients who need health insurance and business coaching. My day starts at 9 am, and I am in the office. I must coach clients on Wednesdays when I do business coaching. I enroll people into the insurance plans. My day varies from three to four pm. Sometimes, I go to a photo shoot and do creative directing, especially because of the magazine, so I collaborate closely with several photographers, movie directors, and producers.
Lakol Magazine: What does relaxation time look like for you? Is there someone special in your life?
Muriam Cinevert: No. My girlfriends want to hook me up on a date, but I will wait for someone who aligns with me. I love dancing and can dance for hours. Nonstop. It is my happy place. Meditation helps me, too.
Future Projects and Philosophies
Lakol Magazine: Do you want to announce any upcoming projects?
Muriam Cinevert: "Beauty Is Me" movement. I have a full-figure search competition this October, the third annual year I will be putting on this big show. First, I gathered eight women who wanted to empower themselves and be confident. I taught them that, and we spent four months training. Afterward, we put on the show. We got judges for the contestants, and the winner is featured in Magazine Café. For someone to see you deep within, you must see yourself. Know who you are deep within; when people see you, people say you are beautiful. It is just that people do not know about spirituality. They would think they are looking at your skin, but they are looking deeper than that at your character. This is Who You Are because that is what shines through, not what you wear. The one thing people might not know about me is my weaknesses. My weaknesses are me for people. I love people, and I have always wanted to see the best in them. For me, it is not about a dollar.
The second thing about me is that I love meditation. People meditate with prayers; I do that, too, but meditation is where you decide to take your mind. I could be meditating in a room full of 20 to 30 people. I can be with you, and I am meditating. That is meditation. Meditation is the mind. Is it where you want your mind to go? I view meditation as a form of working because I work in the mind before I work on paper. I create my magazine in my mind before I put it on paper.
For me, there is no such thing as competition, and there is no such thing as success. You cannot go by other people's opinions when some measure their success with dollars and some measure that with accomplishments. The greatest lesson I have learned from my coaches is knowing your principles. Once you have your principles, that is a way of knowing who you are. And it would be best if you stuck to your principles.
I started the Muriam Cinevert Show on YouTube two months ago, and it has about 6,000 subscribers. My magazine subscribers are also converting to viewers.
Lakol Magazine: First job?
Muriam Cinevert: My first job was at Sal's Dry Cleaners on Ninth Avenue in Irvington (NJ). We washed the tablecloths and laundry from the restaurants and hotels. Then, I worked at Wendy's. I had so many jobs. I worked at a hotel, and I was the wake-up girl. I would call the hotel guests to wake them up. In 1990, I took business classes and earned my accounts payable diploma. I later became a personal shopper for these fancy women who had social calendars and always needed an outfit. I would call them and book an appointment to try out five or six outfits I had selected for them. I enjoyed this because of the creativity.
Lakol Magazine: How did you find the Haitian community in Atlanta?
Muriam Cinevert: I transferred from ADP in New Jersey. I bought a house in Covington, GA, and commuted to Alpharetta, GA. I had to start work at 8 o'clock, and I would leave my house by five. Sometimes, I was still late for work. That was a great deal of pressure, and I was stressed. I had just had my son in New Jersey, who was only four months old. I did not have friends yet; I did not have family here. It was just me and my ex-husband, so that was it. I did not have any support system besides God. They did not understand my accent, and I did not understand their accent, so I would not say I liked it.
I got to know the Haitian Community in Atlanta after I divorced in 2010. When I separated from my ex-husband, I met a friend. He owns Fiducia, a financial group he started by himself. I joined his company, and we have worked closely ever since. At Fiducia, we provide life insurance and tax services. We went on to educate people about life insurance by visiting churches and finding our Haitian community.
Birth of True Self Magazine
Lakol Magazine: How did the idea for True Self Magazine come about?
Muriam Cinevert: I was working on a project that did not go through, as many of us will do when a project does not go through. We ask ourselves why and ask where we went wrong. In February 2018, I received confirmation to start the magazine through meditation. Everything fell into place; people with the right skills found me, and we built a dedicated team. It was all aligned for me. Through networking and friends, I met the right people who shared my vision and mission for the magazine.
Expansion and Recognition
Lakol Magazine: How often does your magazine come out?
Muriam Cinevert: We publish quarterly, though we started monthly. It is available nationally at retailers like Books-A-Million and online at Walmart.com. It is in digital and print formats. We went national in 2022. You can find True Self Magazine at Books-A-Million in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and New Jersey. We recently signed a distribution agreement for Atlanta, LA, and Chicago airports; I just got news —a distributor will put them in the 7-Eleven stores. I also have beauty salons and boutiques that carry the magazine.
Lakol Magazine: What is the cost of the magazine?
Muriam Cinevert: The print edition is $7.99 in stores, and the digital version costs five dollars. Initially, I gave it free as marketing to grab. Now, I have 13,000 subscribers.
Daily Life and Creative Direction
Lakol Magazine: Take me through a day in Muriam's life.
Muriam Cinevert: I am still part of the educational financial group business, where I am a licensed insurance broker. So, I have clients who need health insurance and business coaching. My day starts at 9 am, and I am in the office. I must coach clients on Wednesdays when I do business coaching. I enroll people into the insurance plans. My day varies from three to four pm. Sometimes, I go to a photo shoot and do creative directing, especially because of the magazine, so I collaborate closely with several photographers, movie directors, and producers.
Lakol Magazine: What does relaxation time look like for you? Is there someone special in your life?
Muriam Cinevert: No. My girlfriends want to hook me up on a date, but I will wait for someone who aligns with me. I love dancing and can dance for hours. Nonstop. It is my happy place. Meditation helps me, too.
Future Projects and Philosophies
Lakol Magazine: Do you want to announce any upcoming projects?
Muriam Cinevert: "Beauty Is Me" movement. I have a full-figure search competition this October, the third annual year I will be putting on this big show. First, I gathered eight women who wanted to empower themselves and be confident. I taught them that, and we spent four months training. Afterward, we put on the show. We got judges for the contestants, and the winner is featured in Magazine Café. For someone to see you deep within, you must see yourself. Know who you are deep within; when people see you, people say you are beautiful. It is just that people do not know about spirituality. They would think they are looking at your skin, but they are looking deeper than that at your character. This is Who You Are because that is what shines through, not what you wear. The one thing people might not know about me is my weaknesses. My weaknesses are me for people. I love people, and I have always wanted to see the best in them. For me, it is not about a dollar.
The second thing about me is that I love meditation. People meditate with prayers; I do that, too, but meditation is where you decide to take your mind. I could be meditating in a room full of 20 to 30 people. I can be with you, and I am meditating. That is meditation. Meditation is the mind. Is it where you want your mind to go? I view meditation as a form of working because I work in the mind before I work on paper. I create my magazine in my mind before I put it on paper.
For me, there is no such thing as competition, and there is no such thing as success. You cannot go by other people's opinions when some measure their success with dollars and some measure that with accomplishments. The greatest lesson I have learned from my coaches is knowing your principles. Once you have your principles, that is a way of knowing who you are. And it would be best if you stuck to your principles.
I started the Muriam Cinevert Show on YouTube two months ago, and it has about 6,000 subscribers. My magazine subscribers are also converting to viewers.
Lakol Magazine: Will you advise our readers?
Muriam Cinevert: Get to know yourself and who you are, be patient with yourself, and love yourself. Nobody is responsible for your happiness and is accountable for giving you anything you need. You will go out there and find out how to get it, and you will find what you need because it is already waiting for you.
Muriam is the Regional Vice President at Fiducia Financial Group. She is also a best-selling author of "Love Me," Positive Life Changing Messages to help reprogram the self-conscious mind. She is a fashion ambassador for women in business and empowers them by giving them the momentum to become more successful and achieve their business goals. Muriam Cinevert employs a staff of over twenty and travels on location for photo and video shoots. Her happy places are creative… design, writing, directing, styling, meditation, and dance. She lives within a space of gratitude for all she gives and receives.
Are you looking for a speaker? Muriam's signature presentation, "Choose Me," is dedicated to helping many understand what is standing in their way of choosing who and what they wish to be in this world, from relationships to careers to simply fulfilling their wishes. She is all things creative… design, writing, directing, styling, and meditation and dance are her happy places. She lives within a space of gratitude for all she gives and receives.
Muriam Cinevert: Get to know yourself and who you are, be patient with yourself, and love yourself. Nobody is responsible for your happiness and is accountable for giving you anything you need. You will go out there and find out how to get it, and you will find what you need because it is already waiting for you.
Muriam is the Regional Vice President at Fiducia Financial Group. She is also a best-selling author of "Love Me," Positive Life Changing Messages to help reprogram the self-conscious mind. She is a fashion ambassador for women in business and empowers them by giving them the momentum to become more successful and achieve their business goals. Muriam Cinevert employs a staff of over twenty and travels on location for photo and video shoots. Her happy places are creative… design, writing, directing, styling, meditation, and dance. She lives within a space of gratitude for all she gives and receives.
Are you looking for a speaker? Muriam's signature presentation, "Choose Me," is dedicated to helping many understand what is standing in their way of choosing who and what they wish to be in this world, from relationships to careers to simply fulfilling their wishes. She is all things creative… design, writing, directing, styling, and meditation and dance are her happy places. She lives within a space of gratitude for all she gives and receives.