Lifestyle

A Rising Social Media Star, Gianni Mendes, is a Man Who Can Do It All!

Published

6 years ago

July 11, 2020

It is easy to add #YOLO under a picture on social media. It does not come as a surprise that this hashtag is one of the most commonly used captions among social media influencers and users. Used by millions of people, including adolescents, youngsters, and adults, the term ‘YOLO,’ holds a much deeper meaning than people have anticipated, and is much more than just a trending hashtag.

The phrase, ‘You Only Live Once,’ holds a deep message, especially for people who spend their entire lives building a stable career. YOLO is a form of motivation to push people into pursuing their passion, live their dreams, do everything on their wish list, and LIVE, because this life is the only chance they have.

Indeed, building a stable career to ensure financial stability is imperative for living a carefree life, but what is the point of earning big when one does not have the time to spend it? YOLO is a movement to help people understand that besides working on their careers, they need to make time for things that they admire and love.

Living life, the right way, and doing justice to the movement is Gianni Mendes Toniutti, better known as Gianni Mendes, an immigration lawyer, entertainer, singer, guitar virtuoso, and a rising social media star. Watching this man do everything in life has caused many people to think that he is not good at any of these fields, thanks to one of the most popularly used figures of speech, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Gianni, who is referred to as the ‘immigration guru’ in the United States, is changing perspectives with the kind of lifestyle he spends. He not only is a highly-esteemed Italian-American immigration lawyer, but is also a singer, an accomplished guitar player, a successful entertainer, and a social media influencer.

Gianni Mendes is the jack of all trades and master of everything that he does. He is an inspiration for the people living in a world where dreams and passions are crushed in the name of professional stability. As a young boy, Gianni had multiple passions, but did he let ‘professional stability,’ get in his way towards success? No. He gave all his passions equal attention and time. In 2002, when he completed his Juris Doctor degree, he also released his first album, “Colores.” He took both his passions together, following the true meaning of the phrase, ‘You Only Live Once.’

Becoming a social media phenomenon

Gianni is the co-founder of TLRT, an Italian-American law firm, and currently heads the immigration department. Being a lawyer was always his passion, but the entertainment sector was also where his interest lay. After thinking of ways he could stay connected to both these industries, he decided to become an immigration lawyer.

Referred to as the ‘Immigration Lawyer of the VIPs’ by several notable media platforms, Gianni has worked with innumerable celebrities from the entertainment industry. As an immigration lawyer, he has worked with notable Brazilian and Russian models, national and international modeling agencies, top 500 Fortune companies, entrepreneurs investing in multi-million-dollar deals, and several others.

After finding success in the world of law, he decided it was time to make a name in the social media sector. Owner of a vibrant personality, Gianni came up with an out-of-this-world idea, something that never crossed anyone’s mind.

One day, he entered the Zara Store, not with an intention to shop but to do something hilarious. He went in front of the escalator, right where shoppers could see him easily, and pretended to be a human mannequin, the first-ever human mannequin. The two-minute video was uploaded on Instagram and YouTube, becoming viral in just a few hours. It spread a lot of smiles and laughter and acquired more than 260,000 views on Instagram and over 30,000 views on YouTube. The video helped him become a huge Instagram sensation. Due to his rapid fame through this and many other viral videos, many media platforms have started referring to him as the next Gianluca Vacchi, a business tycoon who became a social media sensation after his dancing video went viral.

Gianni’s love for the world of law and entertainment helped him stay determined throughout. He is a well-known immigration lawyer, with his law firm operating in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Rome, and Milan. Moreover, the passionate individual born in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and raised in Bologna, Italy, is working on his first Latin-Pop single, “Te Amaré,” which is inspired by Latin and Brazilian rhythms. With all his successes in life, he proves to the world that Gianni Mendes, indeed, is a man who can do it all!

Lifestyle

The Message Women Need Today: Cathi Carrier’s Mission to Bring Back Self-Worth

Published

23 mins ago

March 27, 2026

Michelle Langton

Many women spend years quietly stepping out of the frame, avoiding cameras, hiding behind filters, or brushing off compliments because they no longer recognize the person staring back at them. It is not vanity that drives those moments; it’s a deeper feeling of slipping away from yourself. That emotional weight is something Cathi Carrier has witnessed for more than three decades, and it’s what shaped the mission behind Purely Bella.

Cathi didn’t build her career in a boardroom. She built it in a treatment room, one client at a time, listening to stories that rarely make it into conversations about skincare. Women would sit down and immediately apologize for their appearance, convinced they were “too late” to take care of themselves. What she saw instead were women who had given so much to others that they had forgotten how to give to themselves.

Her understanding didn’t come from textbooks. It began when she was a teenager struggling with acne that felt bigger than a skin issue; it affected her confidence, her social life, and even the way she carried herself. That experience gave her empathy long before she had professional expertise. She knew what it meant to feel uncomfortable in your own skin, and she never forgot it.

In her treatment room, skincare became something deeper than cleansing and moisturizers. It became a place where women were welcomed without judgment, where they could talk openly, exhale, and feel seen. Over the years, she learned that skin reflects far more than age or stress. It reflects how much space a woman has allowed herself to take up in her own life.

Stories like Sara’s stayed with her. Sara, a retired schoolteacher, walked in with her shoulders rounded and her spirit dulled. She apologized repeatedly for her skin, barely making eye contact. Carrier designed a simple treatment plan, but the real change came from the conversations, the consistency, and the small moments where Sara started to reconnect with herself. Months later, Sara hugged her and said she finally felt like herself again. That transformation, skin healing paired with emotional renewal, is what convinced Carrier that skincare can be a form of healing when done with intention.

Still, she reached a limit. Her treatment room could only help one woman at a time. The desire to create a greater impact pushed her to start Purely Bella, a brand built to carry her philosophy beyond the walls of her spa. The transition wasn’t glamorous. She had to learn manufacturing, sourcing, regulations, and everything in between. But she stayed focused on real women and real results, clean formulations that worked, without the fear-based marketing the industry often leans on.

Purely Bella’s mission is rooted in a simple promise: you don’t need to turn back time to feel beautiful. You need to move forward with confidence and grace, knowing your best self is not behind you. Cathi believes this deeply. She speaks often about how a morning skincare routine is not just about products, it’s a daily choice to care for yourself, a reminder that you matter.

Her mission is also a response to the pressures women absorb from the world around them. Society is quick to tell women their value fades with every birthday. Cathi rejects that entirely. She wants daughters to grow up watching their mothers feel proud in photos, not hide from them. She wants women to recognize that aging is not the enemy; the real enemy is the culture that tells them to shrink as they grow older.

In a crowded beauty landscape, Cathi Carrier is not asking women to chase perfection. She is inviting them to remember who they are, and to step back into the frame with confidence.