Thank you to everyone who entered our “Business Women Have Come A Long Way” contest! Your stories were so inspirational, and we had a hard time picking just three winners. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who entered. Keep an eye out for more opportunities to gain exposure for your small business!
Our three winners are … *drumroll please*
GRAND PRIZE – Janet Thrasher
“When my husband died unexpectedly, instead of being the office manager for our termite and pest control business I became the sole owner. Suddenly I had to make all the decisions while learning more about termites, ants, bees, and fleas than I ever thought I would. When I was at my lowest, other pest control operators stepped in to help. Competitors on paper, these people proved themselves to be true friends. Now, thirteen years later, my company has tripled in size, we’ve opened a second branch, and I’m still inspired by these selfless colleagues who put people above profit.”
2ND PLACE – Aleu Moana
“Ever since I was a young child I have been interested in the performing arts. I moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18 to pursue this dream. In between acting gigs and studying Marine Biology in college, I decided to start my own children’s entertainment company Sirena Princess Parties. My company specializes in fairytale characters, superheroes and most of all – real swimming mermaids! Now at the age of 22, my company is really starting to gain notoriety in the LA party circuit. We have even done events for celebrities and their children! I book and manage over 17 performers, deal with the finances and also perform myself as various characters! SirenaPrincessParties.com”
3RD PLACE – Audra Drysdale (most votes!)
“I think that one of the biggest secrets of happiness is to be amazed. And the first thing men were astonished by was Nature. But because we like to emulate things, we are curious and competitive, and we like to play God, we wanted to create our own beauty, an “artificial beauty”; so we invented Art. Art is our artificial source of astonishment. Some people make art, everybody looks for it. And I like to be one of those people who create beauty. Because I’m in love, I’m in love with beauty. And like a child I get very excited when I can let run the horses of my imagination… and start creating. I was born and I grew up in Italy, in the beautifully artistic city of Florence, and I went to Michigan when I was 19 to study graphic design. Now I’m a Graphic Designer, and I recently started my own graphic design business. There are so many form of arts, so why graphic design? Because it’s what I can do the best, it’s what I have a passion for, started with a great fervency for drawing. I know that the word “design” comes from the Latin signum which means “mark”, “symbol”, but also “sign”, with a magical acceptation that only the ancients were able to express. And I agree with them: Design is something magical: The power of expressing emotions, passions, and words in a visual way. I dream to bring a little bit more of Stendhal syndrome into this world; a little bit more of amazement and, consequently, of happiness.”
Thank you to everyone else who entered!
- Tiffini Brock, Blue Lark Entertainment
- Stephanie St. James, Amazing Fairytale Parties
- Kayla Knight, Kayla Knight Cakes
- Sara Marschand, PAW Custom Hockey
- Laura Civello, Lazy Daisy Pet Care
- Nicole Heriot, bringtheHoopla
- Diane Lindo, Minnesota School of Beauty
- Cathy Eagle, Boat charter captain and guide
- Laura Parker, Pinch of the Past
- Princess Alvarez, Photographer
- Nhung Le, Bella Nails
- Sarah Lock, Flower shop
- Susan Thames, StarDragonfly Herb Company
- Sarah Martin, Cleaning business
- Rivka Gluck, Hairstylist
- Jamie Selbe, Behavioral Case Management
- Jacci Castille, Photography/graphic design printing company