Archive for Women Entrepreneurs – Page 16

The Honest Company

Posted by falcettatr1

· Monday, November 6th, 2017

· 3 Comments

When you see the name Jessica Alba you probably think of her as an actress, but she also is an incredible entrepreneur! Founder of The Honest Company, which is all about providing clean, safe, non-toxic products for families to use with their kids. As a mom herself, she saw the need for products that performed well and were “honestly free” of anything that could harm.

The company has adopted a “Honestly Free Guarantee” that promises that all of their products are made without “health-compromising components”. This sets it apart because their main goal is to keep kids safe and healthy, and not worry as much about the money or style.

Offering everything from laundry detergent, to diapers, to cleaning products, we are able to see how this business has grown and expanded from just products for kids, to products that the whole family can use. She also started her own beauty company that was also built on the foundation of clean and safe products. Her beauty company, Honest Beauty, opened its first physical location in 2015 and is now a popular brand among beauty gurus.

Alba shows that you aren’t stuck in one realm or career, you can be successful in many different areas as long as you are passionate.

3 Comments

Categories : Beauty, Women Entrepreneurs

SparkVision – MaryBeth Hyland

Posted by plaggekj17

· Sunday, November 5th, 2017

· No Comments

SparkVision – Igniting Advocates

SparkVision is a business that helps other businesses, such as associations, corporates, non-profit businesses, and more. Seeking to build a healthy, thriving, environment for team members and employees, SparkVision helps businesses connect their members through interpersonal connection.

“The end result?

Teams that are better able and more willing to

collaborate, empathize,

and achieve together.”

http://www.sparkvisionnow.com/life-lens/

MaryBeth Hyland, founder of SparkVision, didn’t always have a vision.

Growing up, she suffered abuse from her father, who told her that she was never going to amount to anything. The abuse that she endured from her parent has stayed with her throughout the rest of her life– it still affects her to this day– and she has a hard time coping with “success.”

However, using the pain and emotional abuse she experienced has led her to gain insight into minds of others. She is able to empathize and connect with others. Her past experiences has allowed her to culminate a business that is centered around connecting with others.

While I had not heard of SparkVision until recently, I find it inspiring that Hyland used her past experiences to cultivate a business that would give others the emotional connection and benefits that she never had. She ensures that business organizations would have teams full of connection– because where there is connection, there is purpose, and the organization thrives from happy, connected members.

No Comments

Categories : Millennial Enrepreneuers, Uncategorized, Women Entrepreneurs

Ten year old Girl Makes Heartfelt Impact

Posted by cameronsuorsa

· Wednesday, October 18th, 2017

· 5 Comments

Lorelei McIntyre-Brewer is a ten-year-old from Duncannon, Pennsylvania. She was born missing half of her heart, and her twin brother, Rory, passed away before the two could ever meet. She underwent major open heart surgery shortly after birth and has since then undergone 21 medical procedures including three open heart surgeries.

After her third open heart surgery, Lorelei’s lungs collapsed and she underwent a long grueling recovery where she was given a compression heart pillow to relieve the pain… but the pillow was much to big for a girl like herself. This made her think… why aren’t their smaller compression heart pillows made for children? So then at the age of 5 her mother taught her to sew and she began making compression heart pillows for pediatric open heart patients, aiding them in their own recovery’s. She named her organization Heart Hugs, and it spread like wildfire!

Heart Hugs works with children’s hospitals, orphanages and families to provide these pillows at no cost for patients and families through the kindness of volunteers around the world that help Lorelei ensure that no child is turned away. Her non-profit organization has only been the start of her work as she helps her brother Cavan, the 2015 Army Military Child of the Year, manage Socks for Vets, which provides goods for veterans and helped to train and care fore goats used in providing service support to wounded warriors.

Lorelei has been nationally recognized, receiving recognition from the Points of Light Foundation, the Maryland Volunteerism Award, and being featured on Dr. Oz show in 2015. She is affiliated with many organizations, including 4-H where she was recognized in 2016 and 2017, where I was lucky enough to meet her in person at multiple state conferences. Lorelei is not even thinking about slowing down. As she explained, “I am missing half of my heart, and people sometimes think I can’t do anything, but I can.” And she does.

https://www.facebook.com/CHDHeartHugs

5 Comments

Categories : Millennial Entrepreneurs, Social Entrepreneur, Women Entrepreneurs, Youngest Entrepreneurs

Nanoly and Enplug – Culture in Business

Posted by forddn17

· Wednesday, October 18th, 2017

· 5 Comments

Nanxi Liu grew up in a situation not typically considered conducive to innovation. After spending most of the first five years of her life without her parents in China, she could move to the United States and reunite with them. When it was time for her to go to college, she got into UC Berkeley and payed her way through doing odd jobs. After meeting a talented biochemist at a bar, she started Nanoly Bioscience, a company with a patented polymer for preserving vaccines without refrigeration.

Nanoly is built around the idea that many people cannot get vaccines because of environmental factors causing the proteins that make the vaccine work to become inactive. The polymer they developed is a sort of protective shell that functionally replaces a refrigerator. For this work, Nanoly earned many awards for social technological change, including Intel’s Top Social Innovation, Dell’s Global Social Innovation Challenge Award, and a Tech Award in 2014 for Young Innovators.

Social and technological change marry perfectly in this startup. While innovation is often thought of in the terms of apps or software, bringing about powerful social change is just as revolutionary. While the technology used is advanced and definitely a breakthrough, without a use that people care about, in this case a social use, it is simply another type of plastic. Because of this merging, Nanoly was able to make the world better.

Building upon this success, Liu more recently started Enplug, a technology/software business with a product that harnesses digital screens to allows users to link, control, manipulate, and post to any digital screen instantly. Plugging into any HD screen, the technology allows the user to display social media, presentations, news, or virtually anything. They also developed a software development kit, which allows experienced users to create their own apps to link to the technology.

The most innovative aspect of Enplug is the culture of the business. Over ten of the roughly 40 employees share a single house. This not only fosters a strong bond of cooperation in the employees, it also serves to bring innovation into everyday life and everyday life into the business world. Of course, it also saves money. This choice to treat a business almost as family is a demonstration of the innovative thinking that Liu brings to her businesses. Whether Nanoly or Enplug, Liu has a capacity for being intentional in the way a business is being run, instead of simply inventing a breakthrough product.

5 Comments

Categories : Communication, Medical, Social Entrepreneur, Women Entrepreneurs

Willow Tufano: Entrepreneurial Foresight

Posted by hodilrh17

· Monday, October 16th, 2017

· 3 Comments

Willow Tufano is a fourteen year old girl living in Florida with her mother who works in real estate. When the recession hit a few years ago, Florida was hit very hard and houses that were initial being sold at $100,000 were now being sold for only $12,000. Because of the low price of homes, Willow got the idea to purchase a house of her own! She had saved up some money by clearing houses and selling the included possessions online. When her mother found out that she wanted to buy a house at 14, unlike most parents, she was in full support (also in support of the rest of the needed funds). Knowing that the housing market would pick up in the future, Willow and her mother rented out the purchased house and charged $700 a month. They have already earned back their initial investment on the house and have even made a profit. In the future, Willow plans to buy her mother out and own the house alone. When the housing market picks up in the future, Willow is likely to see an amazing increase in her already impressive amount of profits.

3 Comments

Categories : Great Ideas, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Real Estate, Women Entrepreneurs, Youngest Entrepreneurs

Alley Cat Designs

Posted by perrykb1

· Monday, October 9th, 2017

· 3 Comments

Jewelry for the Purrr-fect Touch

When Alyssa was a little girl, she always looked forward to the special times when her grandmother would visit, bringing with her a bag stuffed full of art and craft supplies. Alyssa was creative by nature, so it never mattered much to her what was in the bag – it was all about the joy and excitement of creating something new, something beautiful, something that hadn’t been there before.

It was during one of these afternoons with her Grandmother that Alyssa first discovered her love for jewelry making. On that particular afternoon, the craft bag was full of beads, string and jewelry wire, and as the two sat making Christmas presents for her mother, a new passion was born.

From that day forward, Alyssa wanted to do more than just make beautiful new things. She wanted to make things that made other people feel beautiful. Alyssa had always found joy helping other people feel as beautiful as they always were in her eyes, and with her grandmother’s beads in her hands, she realized that she now had the tools to do just that: make things that could help women see just how beautiful they really were. And she was right – ever since clasping that first bracelet of plastic beads around her mother’s wrist, Alyssa has been designing the type of jewelry that makes the wearer feel beautiful and which reminds everyone that it is the bird that makes the feathers.

Today, Alyssa is fresh out of Cornell University with degrees in Business and Sociology and is working to launch her jewelry company, Ally Cat Designs . What began as the passion project of a little girl in love with all things beautiful has grown into a business which has inspired and empowered women all across the globe. Alyssa spends as much time traveling as she possibly can, drawing inspiration from women around the world. Along the way, she supports local artisans by collecting materials to incorporate into her jewelry, all of which is utterly unique and designed around the women who inspire her.

Alyssa prides herself on not being limited to one style or aesthetic; instead, she has something for everyone: from classic to edgy, minimalistic to romantic, each piece is handmade and one-of-a-kind, made to reflect the individual beauty of every customer. Her designs also reflect her commitment to sustainability and accessibility. Fast fashion this is not! Each of her piece features timeless style and is made to last. But rather than using rare metals which are expensive and easily broken, Alyssa carefully selects materials which are more widely available and which stand the test of time. Great thought is put into each and every element of the design process so that each piece tells a story.

Alyssa likes to keep things personal; for her, it’s all about relationships. She is dedicated to her clients and designs with them in mind. Her favorite method of sales is house shows: by bringing clients together in an intimate environment, she gets to meet and be inspired by the women she serves. She mingles among her clients, getting to know them and helping them find that perfect piece. And if you come back to a second show, she is likely to pull you aside to show you something special she designed with you especially in mind!

As her business has grown, she has also adapted her model to meet the needs of a wider audience and has launched a website to make her work more widely available. But even with her expanding platform, Alyssa has sacrificed neither style nor substance. She still makes each piece by hand and each is one of a kind!

Down the road, Alyssa hopes to use her business as a platform from which to support other artists and to promote ethically sourced fashion. She is also passionate about social and economic development in impoverished nations. Having traveled extensively in both South Asia and Africa, Alyssa is committed to building supportive relationships with artists across the globe and using her work to empower and give back to women both at home and abroad.

It has been my great privilege to watch my dear friend Alyssa build and expand her business over the years, and I am so excited to share her story with you. Her’s is truly a project driven by a selfless passion to serve the women of the world, and the more her business grows, the more lives she touches. She doesn’t create jewelry for women to hide their insecurities behind; instead, she creates pieces that tell a story and celebrate the unique beauty of every woman.

3 Comments

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Art, Fashion, Jewelry, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Social Entrepreneur, Upcycling, Women Entrepreneurs

Penny for Your Thoughts? Fighting Trafficking One Cent at a Time.

Posted by baileyaa1

· Thursday, October 5th, 2017

· 1 Comment

One penny may not buy a whole lot, but for Kendall Altmyer it is the key to a successful business.

After working with human trafficking survivors for three months in Greece, Kendall Altmyer knew she wanted to join the global fight against human trafficking. “I didn’t think I could make a dent in a worldwide injustice,” she confessed, “but doing nothing was not an option.” Using the resources and knowledge she had available to her, Altmyer created The Penny Story.

The Penny Story is an e-commerce store that sells small goods made from pennies. Some of her products include bracelets, key rings, and a “welcome box” with a variety of Penny goods. Each penny has the word “worthy” stamped into it, making a bold statement: it is not our material wealth that defines us, but our mere being, because we are children of God. This truth applies to those who are trapped in human trafficking, even though the world may tell them otherwise.

I admire Altmyer’s honesty. The quote above was found directly on her website, letting all viewers know that she doesn’t have everything figured out. This reality applies to all of us; as much as we’d like to learn everything there is about starting a business or making a difference, we simply can’t. But that didn’t stop Altmyer. She is now selling thousands of penny bracelets, and funding one of our country’s leading anti-human trafficking organizations, A21.

How did she manage this? By doing something. Altmyer explains that change begins by realizing you don’t have to be significant to make a significant change. This makes me wonder: if everyone had this mindset, how much more would we create? How much more would we be willing to put ourselves out there and strive to make a difference, even though we don’t have all the answers? I think the effect could be tremendous.

The product itself is beautifully simple, and The Penny Story’s website reflects that. Altmyer offers only a few products, each one simple. The result of this is that customers don’t get caught up in the variety of stuff sold. Rather, they can see a clear mission through a few appropriate items.

I always appreciate seeing an individual who takes what he or she is passionate about and mixes it with innovation to create something new and effective. Altmyer has done this with The Penny Story, and she has created an outstanding example for young entrepreneurs who know they want to make a difference but aren’t sure where to start. Don’t be afraid to make a move – it’s common cents!

1 Comment

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Jewelry, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Social Entrepreneur, Women Entrepreneurs

Tags : ecommerce, penny

Nannies by Noa

Posted by cameronsuorsa

· Tuesday, September 26th, 2017

· 8 Comments

Noa Mintz like so many others grew up with a nanny. Her parents would hire nannies to watch her and her siblings but they all simply seemed uninterested in the children that they were being paid good money to care for. Realizing this and eager to have a better nanny, she took matters into her own hands. Her parents let her select the next babysitter and soon she began helping friends and family select their caregivers. She saw a demand for a New York nanny agency that would provide caregivers that were carefully selected and represented the personality vibe that families deserve. At age 15, three years after the founding of her business “Nannies by Noa,” she had over 75 employees on her staff.

Noa found a niche in the market that was very personal to her. She learned how to design a website, purchase insurance, preform background checks and meet demands of hundreds of parents. After rapidly rising demand she found herself extremely busy and with high school approaching, she hired a manager to oversee day to day operations. In three years time she was able to create a well known caregiving company in New York that now generates her a salary of over $300,000 a year with the 15% initial matched caregiver salaries.

It is incredible that a 12 year old girl could create such a successful multimillion dollar business by acting on her idea. So often are children told that they cant do something real and then this discourages them from taking initiative to innovate our society.

8 Comments

Categories : Millennial Entrepreneurs, Women Entrepreneurs, Youngest Entrepreneurs

Jessica Lee, Young Entrepreneur of Cerise Tea

Posted by plaggekj17

· Monday, September 25th, 2017

· No Comments

Not only is Cerise Tea an amazing non-profit, fashion organization launched by a young entrepreneur, the name is fantastic as well. You may be wondering what even is “cerise.” Cerise is French for “cherry.” Now go back and take a look at the first picture on top of this post. And keep reading it (aloud) until you get it.

Jessica Lee, the founder of Cerise Tea, has many notable achievements as a current college student. Launching the company in 2014 as a high schooler, she has seen immense growth and excitement surrounding her start-up, non-profit organization. Cerise Tea sells clothes online geared towards teenage girls, which then donates its profits to the American Cancer Society. Realizing her love of fashion and her desire to give to those in need, Lee combined her two loves to be the driving passions behind a flourishing business. Cerise Tea’s mission to help others; the simple but trendy clothes; and the cheap prices amassed together were ultimately the factors in the success of the business.

https://www.instagram.com/ceriseteaclothing

While not much is known about Jessica Lee, her online resume lists that she attended high school from the years 2013-2017, and she first enrolled in college in 2017. Her resume doesn’t say it explicitly, but readers can inference that Lee is merely a college freshman.

A college freshman who owns a company…which has raised over $450K in sales.

Lee is truly an inspiring figure who not only developed a business derived from her passions, but also continuously works hard to learn more and more. She is presently studying business economics, and though her company keeps her busy, she has also been an intern, an ambassador/leader for various organizations, and created and pitched to Venture Capitalists at UPenn.

Sources:

https://jessicacarrielee.carbonmade.com/about

https://www.instagram.com/ceriseteaclothing/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/ceriseteaclothing

No Comments

Categories : Fashion, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Women Entrepreneurs, Youngest Entrepreneurs

The Rent the Runway Revolution: How Two Women Changed the Fashion Industry for Good

Posted by Elizabeth Finnegan

· Sunday, September 24th, 2017

· 2 Comments

In 2009, two young women attending Harvard Business School met for their weekly coffee and business brainstorming session. Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss both knew they wanted to start a business together, but for many months they brainstormed ideas which never seemed to stick. However, on this particular afternoon, Jennifer Hyman mentioned to Fleiss that her sister would be attending a wedding next weekend, but had nothing to wear. She voiced the frustration shared by women across America, that it is difficult to justify spending hundreds of dollars on a dress you only wear a few times. As she said this, she came up with a business idea which would solve this problem and revolutionize the market of high end women’s fashion.

Jenny Fleiss (left) and Jennifer Hyman (right)

Hyman and Fleiss conceptualized a business model where they would partner with different well-known, high-end designers from around the world and rent these designer dresses out to women for a few days for a fraction of the cost of buying one of these dresses. These two young women started out by buying dresses in their own sizes and going around to different college campuses on the weekends of big events and putting up flyers and sending out emails announcing that the female students could rent these designer dresses for a reduced price and simply return them after the event. With each campus these two went to, their business model proved very popular, and with each event, they continued to refine and adjust their model until they landed on the current business model of Rent the Runway. Since 2009, Rent the Runway has grown from a few designer dresses advertised through flyers on college campuses into a $15 million corporation with an extremely user friendly app and a variety of supplementary services.

One things which makes Hyman and Fleiss stand out as unique in the world of innovation and entrepreneurship is their approach to founding a startup. While many young entrepreneurs look for a problem in their field of study or expertise which they can construct a solution for, Hyman and Fleiss started with a problem they simply observed, despite their lack of knowledge in the fields of fashion or technology. However, by recording customer reactions to their product and collecting customer testimonials, these young women were able to get the designers on board and soon had enough funding to hire people with expertise in analytics, technology, fashion, and customer relations in order to create the best business possible.

Even eight years removed from its founding, Rent the Runway is an incredible company to watch innovate and expand. Because of the founders’ passion for giving women the opportunity to have that “Cinderella experience” and look elegant, extravagant, confident or professional for an affordable price, the company continues to grow its inventory, expand it market, and offer additional services, such as makeup and jewelry tips depending on the dress or outfit you rent.

Hyman and Fleiss at the opening of their first store

Hyman and Fleiss have also sought to optimize the customer experience by offering free shipping and dry cleaning, along with spending a great deal of time and money on analytics. This has allowed them to find what colors and styles customers prefer, along with how long customers like rentals to last so that they can give the customer the best, most convenient experience possible. Rent the Runway is constantly offering new features, different dresses, and featuring a variety of both well-known and new designers, which keeps their business in a constant state of growth and expansion.

Hyman and Fleiss are truly inspiring to all young women looking to be entrepreneurs. They actively thought about problems, and rather than waiting for funds or investors to back their idea, they eagerly engaged their clientele, pivoted based on the feedback they received, and then sought out investors and designers with confidence in their product and the data and testimonies to back it up. These two women are constantly pursuing excellence, passionate about their product and their clients, and dedicated to inspiring future women entrepreneurs.

2 Comments

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Beauty, Fashion, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Online Companies, Websites, Women Entrepreneurs