Meet Marina Kamen, an award-winning singer-songwriter, choreographer and musician based in New York.

Marina is known for her Billboard-charting record releases and her High-NRG Fitness workouts.MARINA is also co-owner together with her husband of Kamen Entertainment Group, Inc. In 2005, Marina was awarded the first People’s Choice Award in Podcasting for her original musical health and fitness programming. She launched MarinaOnline.com, which offers 1,200+ original downloadable music products.
Marina is also a mother of 3 and she has lost 100 pounds!

http://www.marinaonline.com/marinakamen/marinas_story.php

What do you enjoy most about your profession and why did you choose it in the first place?
I started dance, violin, piano & voice at age 7. Now at age 50 and pushing hard everyday to achieve my goal..I still love the fact that my talent and gift serves to qualify my vocation.

Tell us about the organizations your company supports and why?
With the health issue in terms of obesity & pandemic threat being at the fore front…These following organizations have my support…
Go Red….Obesity.org….GetReady.org…Red Cross…..Students Prep America..

What is the biggest risk you ever took professionally and/or the biggest obstacle you have overcome?
I would say that starting my own business with my husband of now 26 years. We opened Kamen Entertainment Group, Inc. in 1987 with no partners after both working at a mid-town Manhattan recording studio production company. It has been a long hall of learning while raising a family. Many obstacles..In addition…in 1997..I lost 100 pounds in order to get out from behind the glass of the recording studios and go back into live performance and solo video work.

From where do you draw inspiration? Who have been your role models, mentors, etc?
I have drawn inspiration from my mother’s memory. She became sick with an aneurism at the time my first child was only a year old. This has been 22 years without the guidance of my mom’s input…I am inspired by her memory. My husband and children inspire me to Never Stop Movin’!
Role models have included Oprah…Bette Midler…Hillary Clinton….

How is the current economic situation affecting your company/organization?
Being involved in advertising for commercials over the past 25 yeas with Kamen Entertainment Group, I see a down turn in the amount of business. Technology has changed enabling many to record right at home…voice over may now be recorded at your desk. After getting involved in Podcasting in 2005….we turned the corner into Online distribution in the are of Fitness & Music for fitness downloads. The website at www.Marinaonline.com now carries over 1,200 programs. This is more of a penny business…however…growing everyday fullfilling the need that this country has for affordable fitness solutions right at home.

What one thing would you like to learn this year?
Learning patience with finances is something to learn. Staying calm…but focused. Not letting the fear over take the day to day moments of life.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
5 years from now?…mmm…having the life long dream of touching people and helping them though my music and experience. Living a life that has included a weight issue has affected everything I do….Mothering…being a wife…buisness owner….singer song writer for sure. Sharing a problem tha is real for me is wonderful and humbling all at the same time.

What do you do for fun/relaxation/entertainment?
I love what I do in terms of writing…composing music..dancing/choreographing…playing violin and singing. These are my passions for real. Popping on those head phones and listening to great music to digest and draw from…

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
As woman who has balanced career goals…business…marriage…family and fitness….I feel for today’s young women who are trying to balance it all. What a crazy time…for even though there is more available to young women…the stress of trying to have it all at one time can be a lot of pressure.

Which, if any social networking sites do you belong to?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1007431130&ref=profile
http://twitter.com/marinakamen
http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_upphoto
http://marinakamen.livejournal.com/