Denise Roden: Loss So Often Leads to Gain This weight-loss surgery patient drew on her own experience to launch a new business and turn her life around.
Dawn Richardson: From High School Teacher to Spirits Distiller This former teacher did a 180 and joined her husband to open a family owned distillery.
Mary Lou Bradley: Painting the Picture-Perfect Life With lots of life experience but no clear career direction, she decided it was time to open her own small business where people could paint and have a good time.
Tina Ambrogi: Setting Up Shop Her Way After working admin positions with Silicon Valley start-ups, she was ready to be her own boss.
Nicole Morgenthau: Once a Teacher Always a Teacher? From English literature to handiwork, this former high school teacher found her calling in a local sewing boutique.
Pam Shields: Fighting Alzheimer’s One Sit-Up at a Time Her personal experience with dementia and her professional skills merged to create the fitness practice she runs today.
Julia Westfall: Building a Community of Women Though she could have coasted to retirement, this former director of finance and human resources is on a mission to create not only a workspace for women, but a community.
Marlo Scott: The Sweetest Revenge is Just Being Happy Fed up with bad bosses and dysfunctional work environments, this media maven struck out on her own and opened a restaurant pairing gourmet cupcakes with beer and wine.
Lisa Crites: Helping Mastectomy Patients Feel Better and Heal Faster Incensed at having to shower in a trash bag following her mastectomy, this former TV reporter developed an innovative product to help other breast cancer survivors during their recovery.
Esther Nio: Bringing the Sweet Taste of Deutschland to Silicon Valley Homesick for fresh and delicious German baked goods, this Munich native opened a bakery in “tech startup central” almost a decade ago and has been serving up love from the oven ever since.
Lyndsey DePalma: Working to Create a Space to Relax This former HR manager longed for a place for busy professionals like herself to unwind, relax, and have a cup of tea.
Ellen Reich: The Square Peg Who Found Her Hole A labor union activist with strong values but not a lot of direction, Ellen Reich shares her journey of starting an ethically-sourced imports business.
