Hooray for power suits. Even pink ones.

Not everyone on our 10 Women to Watch list wears a power suit. But some do. And suits or no, all of these women are powerful in their own ways. Barbara Volk, the first female mayor of Hendersonville (see page 49), has a sort of quiet power. When we talked to her about shaking things up in 2010, the longtime Hendersonville City Councilwoman says she’ll be doing some “gentle shaking.”

Then there’s Asheville City Councilwoman Esther Manheimer, who also seems poised to shake things up (see page 42). Don’t look for her to be so gentle. A land-use attorney at a high-profile downtown firm, she admits some people find her intimidating. Though she has never held political office before, she appears self-assured about tackling tough city issues. So far, she’s hit the ground running—literally. For the VERVE cover shoot in January, Manheimer sprinted up the steps of the federal courthouse several times, wearing high heels and cracking jokes all the way. “For a land-use attorney, I’m about as zesty as they come,” she says. (No wonder she got more votes than anyone else last fall.)

We hope the rest of the issue helps you start the year off right. To help you get organized, Robin Edgar interviewed local “declutterers,” the British term for professional organizers. Asheville’s very own “Intrepid Declutterer,” Adriel McIntyre, gives excellent tips on page 28. On page 34, Maggie Cramer writes about five clever, playful ways to get in shape without setting foot in a gym. Personally, the mere suggestion of going to the gym makes me want to reach for a Twinkie. Which means I’ll eventually have to take Maggie up on her recommendations.

Happy reading,

Jess

jess@vervemag.com