International Women’s Day 2021

As a female-founded company, one of our company values is to uplift women, and International Women’s Day serves as an important reminder for us to continue to raise awareness against bias. This year, we asked our community to submit their stories so we can provide a platform where it can be heard.

Initially, we were going to choose 10 women to feature but as we read each story, we were inspired by every story in some way and each story is deserving of sharing. So, we decided to share them all, together here in one place, and we hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did.

Profiles are sorted in alphabetical order by first name.

International Women’s Day 2021

As a female founder, I want to take the opportunity to uplift other women by sharing their stories. For International Women's Day, we'd like to feature 10 awesome creators, business owners and influencers. If that's you, please fill out the form below by March 4th.

Nominations are now closed! Please follow us on Instagram @lifelapse_app for future opportunities.

See our International Women’s Day 2021 features here!

Click the profile image to read the full feature or keep scrolling to read them all

What's your story: After years of working as a corporate attorney at a big law firm…I had a baby! I had always loved the concept of companies that give back and sought them out as a consumer, but it was the moment my daughter was born that I felt compelled to 1) have the control and flexibility over my schedule to make time for my growing family and 2) spend my “work time” creating something GOOD. For me that turned into a company whose sole reason for existing is to give back. I picked flip flops because everyone has a pair, so why not make a really awesome, high quality version and give people the power to do what they were already doing – buying flip flops – but do so ON PURPOSE?

Our mission is simple: to do good in the world and to empower people – our customers – to do good. We worked hard to create quality, hand-made flip flops that are stylish, comfortable, supportive and versatile, and we donate 100% of our profits (~20% of the purchase price of every product sold) to our two giving partners: Atlanta Community Food Bank or MANA Nutrition. 20% means you buy one pair of flip flops, and we donate 48 meals via ACFB or 13 days worth of nutrition to MANA. The work they do is literally why we exist! Our customers participate in our mission by choosing which organization their give will be directed towards.

Favorite quote: “If you can't feed a hundred people, just feed one.” - Mother Teresa

Woman who inspires her: SUCH a hard question! But right now, my hero is honestly one of my best friends, Sarah. She has her last chemo treatment this Friday and she has shown such amazing strength, humor and determination since her surprise diagnosis this past fall. She is the perfect role model for her two daughters (and for all of us) and I could only hope to be like her in the face of something so daunting!

Most influential woman in her life: I don't think i can single out just one! I admire all of the women in my life - every single one is strong, ambitious, kind, hard working and many of them amazing mothers too. I'm a firm believer of surrounding yourself with people that inspire you.

Female-led brand/business that inspires her: I work with so many amazing female led businesses. What I love so much about working with independent brands is that you build a connection with every single one. Some of my faves are Oh Mumma, helping mothers get back a little time for themselves; Mutha-hood who inspire and educate through their amazing range of products including the infamous Strong Girls Club; and Callaly who are flying the flag for organic period care.

Her story: I’ve been an artist all my life but still always had a day job (still do). I make sustainable scarves and hemp tees and I’ve recently become involved in the slow fashion/sustainability movement. And although I care about the environment my bigger concern is human rights issues, garment worker’s rights, and making sure I’ve done all I can to ensure I have a transparent supply chain.

I want to bring attention to garment worker abuse issues, forced labor issues, and the ladies who have been doing amazing things to end these abuses and call out the companies that allow it to go on. I want people to know about the petition, the websites, the IG accounts to follow. 80% of garment workers are women, 73% of retail workers in the fashion industry are women. In the C-Suite? 12.5% of CEOs are women and only about 20-25% of board members are women

Favorite quote: 
2 current mantras:
1: No pressure, No diamond
2: Fall down 7 times, stand up 8

Woman who inspires her: Maya Angelou. She is one of my two favorite poets. She knew that no one gives you your beauty or belonging and no can take it away. It comes from within inside yourself. Your identity, ALL of the things that are most intrinsic about your identity, are internal. They don’t come from where you were born or your favorite sports team or what someone calls you. They come from inside you. The other reason is because she knew why the caged bird sings. He sings because he has a song. Anyone who has been through some low times, some tough times, maybe abuse or something similar, they know why the caged bird sings.

Her story: I started a cookie business with my niece last April in Lockdown 1.

On being featured: We want to share that against all the odds with hard work and the support of others you can make a business work

Favorite quote: Best Cookie wishes - talking cookies to make you smile 

Woman who inspires her: Kerry Whitt - my chocolate consultant helped me every step of the way and runs her own business @chocolatebymisswhitt

Her story: My name is Andrea de Groot and I am an influencer. I am all about women supporting women and I feature an older girl on my website www.LivingHip.nl and Instagram account every Wednesday. Every week my readers are so supportive, it’s heart warming to see. I am a little bit feminist and I think we women can do fantastic things if we support each other!

Favorite qutoe: “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.” – Zen Shin

Woman who inspires her: I love the story of Justina Blakeney, a self-made women who kept believing in herself and without any education about interior made it to become one of the greatest designers off these days. I love strong women!

Her story: I’m an Art Director and stop motion animator in Mexico City. When I was studying digital animation, one of my teachers gave me an opinion about wanting to be a set designer and explore creativity in stop motion for asa: he told me it was an old technique and don’t waste my time and money in something like that. I didn’t pay attention and started experimenting and knock doors for stop motion projects. After a few years, now I’m an Asóciate Creative Director in a cool place where I’m impulsing this technique with different global brands and at the same time, empowering young girls to learn the magic of this technique. Also I love to give masterclasses and to be a College Professor, so I can inspire young minds that you can try anything you want to explore and having fun while working is possible.

Favorite quote: “It is very important to embrace failure and to do a lot of stuff - as much stuff as possible - with a little fear as possible. It’s much, much better to wind up with a lot of crap having tried it than to overthink in the beginning and not to do it. “ - Stefan Sagmaister

Woman who inspires her: Paloma Rincon is a Mexican photographer and set designer that I really admire because all her surreal work with national inspiration and experimentation of techniques.

Her story: I'm a former magazine editor turned blogger who creates fashion and beauty content as well as tips for content creators to learn to pitch brands, negotiate deals and get paid to create content. For the last two years I've generated 5 figures in revenue for my blog while working full-time.

I've built up my online communities over the last 8 years to 11k on Instagram, 15k on TikTok and 4k YouTube subscribers and I've created an e-book called Right on Pitch that generates passive revenue for my blog.

I work full-time at a startup called Jumprope where I serve as the beauty content director for the app. My background is in magazine editorial and I've worked as an editor at both Nylon and Interview here in NYC. My work has been published in Refinery29, HuffPost, Teen Vogue and more.

I've learned to switch careers, create multiple revenue streams for my business and build a side business while working full-time.

Favorite quote: "Just start." The sooner you dive into something the sooner you can mess up, learn from it, and move forward.

Woman who inspires her: My mom really is my inspiration. She's shown me that emotions are a strength not a weakness and to always follow my creativity and go after what I want.

Her story: I was a small business owner in Florida, tutoring young leaners who were struggling to learn to read. Some of my students were diagnosed with dyslexia, ADHD, and dysgraphia. I loved my job!!! I am now living in Dublin, Ireland. Unfortunately my tutoring business didn't transfer overseas. During lockdown 2020 I trained as a life coach, specializing in mental health and wellness. My vision was to be able to support neurodiverse populations with this skill. Right now I have created my own volunteer project where I offer life coaching pro-bono. It's important to me that I do my bit during this pandemic.

Favorite quote: "To me, that conspiracy of craziness and that freedom of thought, well, that's what being creative is all about." - Kermit the Frog, TEDx Jackson

Woman who inspires her: My neighbor who I mentioned above, Roisin. Roisin is talented and hard-working. She has a strong sense of herself, much stronger than I did at her age. She has a brilliant sense of humor and just overall has brightened up my life. She walked me through getting my IG up and running, bless her.

What's your story: 2020 was a tough year. I lost my job of 4 years due to the pandemic. I was lost and afraid of what my next move was in life. After being down and depressed for weeks, I started focusing on what made me feel happy and good, which for me was my skin and health.

I always had problematic skin, from acne and dark spots. And I honestly spent years trying so many products to help my skin but here I was almost 30 years old looking like a teenage with acne. I took the biggest risk of my life, all my savings, and I hired the most amazing chemist to help me formulate and create natural and organic skincare products that cleared my skin and improved the overall health of my skin. Which was a huge deal for me personally, I haven’t had a clear skin day in a long time! It helped me so much, I decided to wanted to share this because I know there had to be other people struggling with the same skin issues. that I had.

I turned a horrible situation into a wonderful and fulfilling journey.

After 10 months and many sleepless nights, I created NBY Skincare, a natural and organic skincare line that focuses on fighting off the bad bacteria on your skin but nurturing the good bacteria, al while embracing and loving your skin throughout the journey.

I went from being unemployed, afraid, sleeping on couches, to becoming Founder and CEO of a new up and coming skincare company. I am so proud of myself and my brand. It was and still is the hardest thing I have ever done. But I would do it over and over again. Losing my job and investing in myself was one of the best things to ever happen to me.
If you asked me five years ago or even a year ago if I would be starting my own skincare company, I would have laughed. Even though there was so many ups and downs in 2020, It was the biggest blessing for me. I never realized my full potential until I started this journey, and now I know I will only go up and keep pushing forward from here.

I want my story [to] inspire anyone else to pursue their passion and what makes them happy. I want people to hear my story, to motivate them to never give up, even through the most difficult times. I am proof that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I want to inspire people to turn whatever difficult and negative situation into a positive outcome.
I always say that failure is just another step towards success. Especially as women, we are indestructible. We can fail and stay down, I believe we have an extra strength that helps us get back up and keep going.

Favorite quote: “The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance — and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.” ― Oprah Winfrey

Woman who inspires her: I am inspired by all progressive women. Women that lead, women that break barriers, women that come from all walks of life and backgrounds. Women that pave the way for entrepreneurs life myself and others.

Her story: I embarked on the journey of starting my very own production company, Copper Frog Productions! Right now, my mission is to help business owners, book authors, and musicians of all sizes and kinds communicate to a large audience what they have to offer in an eye-catching, fun, and light-hearted way using Stop-Motion animation. I would LOVE to connect with you, even if you're not in need of a Stop-Motion piece right now! I am a people person who loves to learn about other people. If you'd like to grab a coffee over Zoom, please feel free to reach me on Instagram at @StopMotionMovieMagic, or by email at Bridget@CopperFrogProductions.com. You can also feel free to peruse my website as well: CopperFrogProductions.com.

Most influential woman in her life: Is it cliche to say my mom? So what if it is! My mom is a Medical Malpractice attorney and single parent with the passion and ferocity of a lioness, the unwavering and selfless ability to help anyone in any way she can, all while encompassing the incredible style prowess of Diane Keaton. In fact, I'd like to take this moment to apologize for relentlessly making fun of her as a child for wearing pleated pants. I didn't understand the complexities of your high-fashion choices, mom. Can I borrow them tomorrow?

Female-led brand/business that inspires her: I know I'm going to read everyone else's responses and think, "why didn't I think of that?!," so I'm just going to go with my gut and say: I am forever inspired by powerhouse women in film and TV such as Joan Ganz Cooney and Christine Vachon. In such different ways (one uses furry, funny monsters, the other uses Party Monsters) and decades from each other, each has had a monumental impact on what defines the "Entertainment Industry." Both crashed through glass ceilings at the speed of light in order to create art that communicates and educates a wide-spread audience about the intricate and complicated lives of others. Each has continuously chosen to perpetuate conversations about what it means to be a woman in the industry, as well as blaze a trail for meaningful ways to portray their messages of acceptance, hope, and education. It's important to admire equally their contributions to the arts and entertainment, and the persistence it takes to bring each of their visions to life. GIRL POWER!

Her story: My name is Carla, I am an Aussie Mum of two. I turn 39 on March 10th (so next week omg) and I became a Cancer Widow 3 years ago when my wonderful husband, aged only 33, died after a short battle against one of the rarest cancers in the world. Yep, not just my town, my country - the entire world!!

Why do I say I’m a widow when introducing myself? Because this life event has quite literally changed every aspect of my life in ever single way. During his illness and treatment, I rediscovered crocheting and would end up eventually crocheting for up to 8 hours a day for at least six months while he was receiving aggressive palliative chemotherapy. Doing crochet bought me so much calmness and clarity - which I needed so much during this time when my world was falling apart. I also discovered a great love of yarn. Even saying that makes me feel like a grandma, but the bright colours, the different textures and the positive reinforcements that I would receive when gifting my creations to people, was truly something I never expected to feel or experience and how much it helped my mindset at the time.

After he died - my crocheting did not stop. It was my lifeline at times when I could not cope with my grief and sadness. I also knew that I wanted to help other people who are suffering from pain, loss, grief and teach them and show them how beneficial something as simple as crochet can be to help manage the process better. Even more than that - I wanted to have my own online space to sell all the yarns I love to create with - and truly felt that I could be surrounded by yarn all day, and do what I love to do and teach people this craft and spread my story and experiences in the hope I could help someone else to navigate through the most horrible experience, than that’s what I needed to do.

I started building my business at the start of March 2020, and little did I know, was also the very beginning of COVID. Life shut down, homeschooling began and I was more determined than ever, now 2 years after Greg’s death - that I would achieve my dream. Crochet and yarn, unfortunately, has the stigma of being something that ‘grandmas’ only do... so I have been so determined to try a new spin of marketing crochet and yarn to a much younger demographic. My target market are women in their 30’s, busy, Mums, wearing so many hats and wanting something satisfying they could create during those small chances we get to have ‘me time’. I want to make yarn modem - I want my brand, my website and my marketing to reflect yarn and crochet was not just for the elderly, with more pictures of yarn baskets by the fire on a furry rug.

Favorite quote: ‘Nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you get hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done’ - Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa

Woman who inspires her: I’m inspired by a woman named Kathryn Vercillo - an incredible author who wrote the book called ‘crochet saved my life. In this book, Kathryn opens up about her turbulent adolescence and how she found crochet in her teens and how she used this craft to navigate through life. I reached out to Kathryn, who lives in San Francisco, USA, when I started my business - and she has gone above and beyond to help me in any and every way that she can with advice, education and so much more with not wanting anything in return. She is truly an inspiration to me.

Her story: At age 15, I left my twin island of Trinidad and Tobago to pursue a volleyball career in Poland. Something quite taboo for a Caribbean girl who was raised in a society that believed in education as the sole route to success. The decision to allow me to pursue my dream was the last straw that resulted in my parents' separation. You can only imagine the trauma experienced for a young girl and her sisters, but by the grace of God, our family unit was restored. Thinking that I had left that hurdle behind and was on to a soar to a successful career in sport, I was deeply discouraged to find myself far from family only to spend two out of the three years with my team on the bench, with barely any opportunity to show the talent I knew I had within me. "All that distance and sacrifice to be a cheerleader," I thought, while my teammates instantly made the starting six. The very last game during my 2nd year, I was finally given the opportunity to prove my worth to my team, staff and coaches and earned a spot on the starting line up for year three. However, due to financial mismanagement, the club encountered money problems and my teammates and I were made to leave without ever seeing our salary.

Despite that scarring situation, I continued to pursue my dream career the following year in France, ready to begin again, only to realize that I was once again starting from square one. Year four of my career, back to the bench, waiting game by game to make my mark. Eventually it happened but the reigning experience arriving only at the end of the season was short lived.

I ended that year on a high performance, expecting this to be "IT!" I was convinced in my heart that I'd be recruited by a top team and my career would finally take flight. But that year, as seasons began all over the world I was stuck at home, jobless. 
Five months into the Russian volleyball season, I received a call for an opening on a team who had an injured player. Russia? Top team? Finally!!! The big break I had been waiting on for years! I packed my bags eager to go, but something about leaving my shores this time was different....

My boyfriend began showing signs of mental health challenges that he had never experienced before. He was always the rock, the most intelligent, wise, intellectual youthful man I had known and to see him decide to take a year off from studying at law school brought on an overwhelming feeling of guilt to leave him as I went on to pursue my career. Of course he encouraged me to go, but it simply wasn't the same.

Three months later, on February 4th, 2015, Akiel committed suicide. 

Nothing in my life prepared me for this. Of all the obstacles I'd had to overcome, this was by far the worst. I was allowed a total of six days to return to Trinidad to put my love to rest. Two days to travel there, two days for the funeral, two days to return to Russia. The day Akiel died, a part of me was buried 6ft beneath with him. No words, no hymn, no kind condolence could plaster the undeniable hole left my heart. Akiel's last words to me were, "I want you to go on and be the very best volleyball player you can be." However for the years to come it was extremely difficult, not just to come to terms with the loss, but to pull myself out of the dark space I entered when the sun suddenly set on his life. 

Nevertheless, I kept going. With the love and support of family and friends, some much needed therapy sessions, reading books on dealing with grief and the love and grace of God, I found Channon 'D Cannon' again and continued to chase my dream of being one of the best in the world and competing in Champions League! 

In 2018, I went through the same experience of not having a job for the first half of the season but was eventually recruited by a German team that I was able to assist jump several spaces in the ranking to finish among the top. At the end of that year, I was personally contacted by the head coach of the Championship team who recruited me to play for them the following season. FINALLY! My golden ticket to Champions League! With uniforms printed, sneakers shone, I was ready and eager to make my debut.

But shortly after the season began in October, on November 19th 2019, I tore my plantar fascia on the very first point during our home game.

Immediately I was rushed to the hospital and the doctor estimated six weeks for the comeback. That meant that I'd miss a few of the first games in Champion's League, but according to my calculations I'd have been back in time for the German Cup finals and the 2nd half of Champions League. "I could do this!" I thought.

Shortly after that rehab process began, I started experiencing persistent severe pain in my left knee which the doctors concluded needed to be operated on. Just when I thought this was it, I underwent a knee surgery that, not only completely snuffed out that season from beneath me, it also resulted in the club's decision to cancel my contract for the second year. What made it even worse was that after the season closed in March due to the pandemic, I was stuck in Germany, after all my teammates had gone home, because of the government's decision to completely close the borders in Trinidad and Tobago for locals and tourists alike. My emotional and mental health was severely threatened during this period but by the grace of God and acts of kindness by people who barely knew me, I eventually made it through.

As stressed, heart broken and disappointed as I was, I decided to keep going; managing to pick up the pieces and rebuild again. For almost an entire year, I went through intense rehabilitation for my knee and was fortunately recruited by a top Hungarian team as reinforcement to assist them to win this year's title! With all my excitement and readiness to get this show back on the road, I took the chance to leave my island with the borders still closed, in order to continue to pursuing my dreams.

During the very first practice with my new team, I completely tore my ACL.

After spending Christmas and New Year's away from family, this seemed far from worth the sacrifice. Immediately after diagnosis, due to the extended recovery period needed, my contract was canceled and a new player soon took my place. I would go home, but since the borders are still closed in Trinidad and Tobago, I have to wait for an exemption to return.

I now write to you from Hungary. After undergoing an operation on January 27th to reconstruct the torn ligament, I now begin again, the long road to recovery. Even though it has been a difficult journey, I am grateful for everything I've been through because it has made me who I am today. I share with you my story because no matter what has happened, this dream, this vision within my heart, I refuse to let it die. Because I see it so vividly when I close my eyes, I will continue to exercise resilience in the pursuit, with every breath I breathe.

And if I perish, I perish, but never will it be written of me the words, "She gave up." 

My story is still being written and this is what I believe will bring hope and inspiration to others. Many women are currently facing difficult situations and I want them to know that I stand there, in the storm, with them. Not from the standpoint of having gone through and waving from the other side, but in the boat with them, in the here and now; hoping that my courage in sharing my experiences openly and authentically, will inspire if even just one person, to keep on going.

There is something wildly dangerous about a woman who refuses to fold. No matter how many times life knocked me over, I purposed in my heart to keep bouncing back. And not only WILL I keep bouncing back, but I want to inspire that same ferocious resilience in other women, reminding them of the power that already lies within.

Favorite quote: "One day you will look back and see that all along you were blooming." ~ Morgan Harper Nichols
"As long as there is life, there is hope."

Woman who inspires her: Honestly, if you'd ask me this a few weeks ago, I'd be a bit stumped. But I recently discovered the story of a beautiful soul named Michelle Ana. (@lovemichelleana on IG) Her amazing story of love, loss and life after grief at such a young age, speaks to every innermost part of my being that threatens to give up. Witnessing how she rebuilt her life after a trauma that reminds me so much of my own, inspires me to keep on going not only for myself, but to show up and serve a community of other humans waiting on me to release my heart for their freedom.

Her story: I suffered with a rare pregnancy condition in 2015 and was very close to not becoming a mother. Despite the fact that the Duchess of Cambridge also suffers with this condition, Hyperemesis Gravidarum, there was little to no information available to sufferers, medical professionals still dangerously dismiss this condition and 1000s of women terminate because of that. I was nearly one of them.

Two years after my son was born I decided to do something about it. I am a film producer and presenter and launched a two year passion project into making the world's first documentary about the condition. The film is called Sick - The Battle Against HG and is currently on Prime Video in the UK, US, Germany and Japan.

The film was launched in 2020 (during a global pandemic!) with no budget, only a modest following on social media and the help of some women in the HG community, the film has been seen by thousands of women and for the first time ever women felt validated and could finally share with the people who had dismissed them what they had been through, something that is so difficult to articulate.

I have launched a Hyperemesis podcast which is in it's third series, that continues to provide women with a platform to tell their stories.

I am now as an HG campaigner delivering training via my documentary to the very people who have dismissed women in the past, students who will become the next generation of health care providers and have told my story on TV, in the press and online. I won't stop until the clinical guidelines have changed, attitudes have changed and until women's pain and suffering during pregnancy is no longer ignored.

On being featured: I didn't know how to do something. I wasn't sure how to make a difference. This stifled me for a while but when you just put yourself out there and start it is incredible what you can achieve. I had no funding, no production crew, just myself and my co-producer Lorna, and together we worked tirelessly and without recognition. We had so many set backs until we finally realized that we didn't need anyone else to make this a success but ourselves. I want other women to know that it is possible to make a huge difference without the frills, the backing and the platform.

Favorite quote: “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Woman who inspires her: Cleopatra - much has been written about this powerful woman. It is likely that we shall never know of her real power and sadly we are transported through tales of her beauty and how it was her enviable looks that defeated men. I have always thought it was her wit and intelligence. I think because of this she resonates with all women today thousands of years later.

Her story: I’m a creative entrepreneur who weaves magic into the threads of advertisements, marketing strategies and everyday life. I am on a mission to empower people to unlock their creativity, awaken their imagination and inspire them to take risks in pursuing what they love. Currently I’m teaching 98 stop-motion artists how to turn their creativity into a lucrative career in my Brand Magic online course. Enrolment for the first round is closed by you can sign up for the waitlist at coletteperi.com/brandmagic

Most influential woman in her life: The most influential woman in my life is my sister, Natalie. She is 3 years older than me and I’ve always looked up to her. She is my best friend and role model for what it means to be a strong, resilient and compassionate person. She is a public defender in Oakland, dedicating her life to helping others in need. She has taught me to see many new perspectives, and constantly helps me to become more empathetic and equitable in life and in my business.

Female-owned brand that inspires her: A female-owned brand that inspires me is Banyan Bridges (@banyanbridges). Rachael is a muralist, and also SO much more. She builds all sorts of things, rips out countertops with her bare hands and paints bold designs all over her house— because why not!!! She’s a true example of someone who is willing to try anything and therefore realizes she’s capable of everything. She makes me feel like I *could* renovate an entire home myself... and I’ve never even painted one wall. That’s inspiring!

Her story: Hey! I am Codi Lynn, a mama of three who is also a blogger & local business supporter, creating content on @creativecodilynn. My business partner, @basicbadmom, is as authentic as they come on her platform, sharing lots of the motherhood topics that most people avoid. We are a blend of the bas ass side of business, that gives zero f's and the other side that loves being creative with beautiful images and stop motion graphics. We came together to create Salty Socials, a new business that is hitting the ground running with clients jumping on board and loving our ying and yang business dynamic that brings the "salt" so to speak. We are creating content with flavour and building our brand portfolio with unique content that is both beautiful and engaging as well as holding onto the organic business story that makes each brand unique.

Favorite quote: “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories & magic” -- Seth Godin

Woman who inspires her: How do we pick just one. We are truly inspired everyday by women in our community. The hardworking lady boss entrepreneur that is eager to kickstart her business, the stay at home mom that rocks mom life to the fullest, the woman who is powering through school to gain more knowledge and bring her closer to her goals. At the end of the day, we are inspired by the women that are choosing to live their best life and chase after what makes them happy on the insides, knowing that that happiness is making them shine.

Her story: Courtney is the founder and owner of Simply Radiant Events is a Southern California-based premier full-service special event planning and design company. Clients include; Gallup, Mini Cooper, Acorns, Pac Sun, and more. Simply Radiant Events have been known to attract celebrity guests along with planning events for her celebrity clients. Simply Radiant Events has been featured in Redbook, Huffington Post, Glow magazine, and more. The California State University, Fullerton grad with a Public Relations degree, has a philanthropic side too. She has raised thousands of dollars for charity events. Her efforts have grabbed local media's attention, including KTLA 5 Morning News with Allie MacKay, Josh Rubenstein, Chief Meteorologist, CBS2/KCAL9, and more.

Courtney is in her final semester of her Master’s in Leadership Development at Chapman University. Her primary focus in the study has been to create ways the event industry can be more sustainable by making more eco-friendly planning decisions.
She is a regular writer for Reignland Magazine on planning tips for that upcoming season. She also co-wrote Your Wedding Sorted with other wedding professionals worldwide, a book about helping brides plan their weddings.

Favorite quote: "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." -Nelson Mandela

Woman who inspires her: Cho Spicer of SocietyGal because she is so humble and amazing to work with. She has built such an amazing community of women.

Her story: Hi, I'm Daniella! I'm from Ecuador, from the very beginning in my career I've been surrounded by men. I studied engineering, so I was the only one in my career. I started homebartending and founded Barofdani. At the beginning it was all about drinks, cocktails and fun facts about it, but it branched out and now I sell cocktails to-go, cocktail workshops and I'm trying to teach a sustainable way of making cocktails overall. Funny enough, this field is also ruled by man, there's few women working behind the bar, but I loved it!

Favorite quote: You don't need to be a bartender to make good cocktails.

Woman who inspires her: It sounds cliche but my mom and grandma, they're amazing women that have worked so hard all their life. It is not a flex but a reality to women all over the world, we have to work twice as hard than men. They have done it and they keep showing me resilience to overcome everything

Her story: My name is Dawn and I am long time lover of delicious food, playful cities and community. With a background in community design, urban planning and photography, I bring a unique perspective to my creative work. I animate and style products in a way that makes the impossible possible and provides everyone some joy in their day-to-day. The goal of Sunday Cereal is to create in a way that emits the emotion attached to the product or brand, so your audience can fully connect with it. I shoot photography and create stop motion videos that tell your story in 5-15 seconds.

I always enjoyed photography and I've been shooting all of the content for my partner's company, That Planted Fork, over the last 4 years. Between that and urban design work I started to realize my favourite parts of my day to day work were the most creative aspects, like designing public spaces or implementing pedestrian art. Over the last year I started to receive inquiries about photography for social media and then I became obsessed with stop motion, and that is how Sunday Cereal was born! I especially love how stop motion combines my creativity with the technical side of photography and design programs. It is so much fun to work on creative content for brands and I hope to find a way to combine urban design with stop motion as I grow this business. Starting Sunday Cereal has definitely been a silver lining of this unpredictable year.

Most influential woman in her life: My mom & sister! My mom taught me the importance of independence and always instilled a 'you can pursue whatever you choose' attitude in me. My sister Michelle launched her business @movewithguts a few years ago and inspires people every day with anti-diet and intuitive eating workshops and client work. Watching her create a job she loves and is passionate about inspires me to do the same! She may even be Sunday Cereal's biggest fan.

Female-led brand that inspires her: Knix: I love Knix because they support and encourage bodies of all types through their clothing and messaging. Their products are innovative and high quality and beyond that, Knix actively supports other women led businesses. I love brands that value collaboration over competition.

Mumgry: I love the idea of a business that began as a means to address a missing piece- in this case snack food that supports moms in each stage of motherhood (and everyone in between!). This company not only makes delicious nut butters but they also contribute to organizations doing valuable work.

Her story: I am trying in my own little way to build a world of equity and justice, where the black community can grow, and can create intergenerational wealth. I am doing this through my work at Afro Hub Market, a marketplace where black owned businesses can reach a wider consumer audience and gain the required resources to be sustainable. We have the power to make a difference and create the change we want to see in our world.

Favourite quote: "Those who change the world, first discover themselves" - Dr. Debbie Motilewa

Woman who inspires you: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala - Director General of the World Trade Organization. Ngozi continually shows me that is okay for me to be focussed, to have a dream, to work hard and focus on making a difference.

Her story: At the beginning of 2020 I quit my job in advertising in London after struggling with my mental health and went to Peru to do volunteering. With COVID happening short after my move, it has certainly been interesting. I decided to stay through the pandemic and ended up setting up my own business helping women in rural communities in the Andes and artisans get a fair pay and preserve their traditions. So changed careers completely and found purpose and meaning through helping others. I am now back in London getting everything ready for launch.

I'm due to launch in Spring, but so far I’ve provided work and a fair income to women in rural communities in the Andes, to men in jail who need to support their families, and to a family of traditional jewellers, whom with my help have been able to reopen their workshop, which they had to close due to the pandemic.

Favorite quote: Be so good they can't ignore you.

Woman who inspires you: Sheryl Sandberg for standing up to sexism in the workplace. It requires a lot of resilience and a lot of strength.

Her story: Founded GETMr. with my mother - a dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon - to help prevent skin cancer among men. We started two years ago - I went full-time during the pandemic - and in the last four months we were featured on Katie Couric, Forbes and all of it through a lot of hustle and persistence!

We've launched the first, FDA-registered mineral 3-in-1 moisturizer, aftershave with broad spectrum SPF 30 that hundreds of men have already started using. We have version 2.0 launching in just 6 weeks. Our mission is to make it much easier for men to start wearing a daily SPF, as we know men are 3x more likely to develop skin cancer in their lifetime, yet by wearing a daily sunscreen they can reduce their risk by nearly 40%

Favorite quote: "Keep your face always toward the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you."
“So how, children, does the brain, which lives without a spark of light, build for us a world full of light?”
(all the light we cannot see)

Woman who inspires you: My mother - of course - who is my co-founder. She gives all day, every day to the people in her life. As a doctor, to her patients, as an employer to her staff, as a mother, to her children (and grandchildren too), as a friend, as a community leader. She is so outside of her comfort zone yet she is doing amazing and I'm so privileged to work with her.

Jamie Schmidt - I listened to her audio book years back and have been in awe. It's pushed me to think what I can vs. cannot do and to always try to say yes. Even if it's going to be a bit more challenging, the answer can be yes. She is now giving and investing in the next generation of inspiring founders and is constantly working to provide resources to new entrepreneurs and founders.

Her story: Her story: I have always been a creative person growing up, making random art and exploring photography. When I got to college I studied graphic design but all the jobs I worked at had a photography element so before I knew it, my experience evolved into something that I am so passionate about!
I found stop motion in 2014 when I saw a Rachel Ryle paper stop motion video! I pitched the idea to my boss - that I can make a stop motion with paper for our clients! I continued to slowly develop my stop motion skills over time (in my agency job settings) but now turning it into a career is my dream! I recently took the plunge to dive in and am so excited!! I always knew being my own boss was the right path for me, I now have a full support team behind me and I hope to bring the same supportive energy to my fellow female artists and creators! I am also looking into ways to protect the environment and support underrepresented communities through my business profits (I am currently member of 1% for the Planet)!

Most influential woman in her life: Both my younger sisters - it’s hard to choose one! As part of Gen Z, they are growing up to be advocates for all voices. They are willing to be vulnerable, open, and honest about all of life’s topics, I text them constantly for emotional support and advice and they always lift me up!

Female-led brand that inspires her: Yasmeen Gonzalez’ plant shop in Clovis, CA (@foliage.clovis)! She was the first cousin in our family to dive into her business by buying a space for her shop. Seeing her hustle and thrive has been so inspirational and keeps me going on my dream!

Victoria Ramirez’ clothing boutique (@infopenelopeboutique)! Her motto of empowering women through her business is exactly what we all need! She is also my cousin and I remember hearing about this dream years before I made her logo and seeing her hustle and bring it to reality while working a full-time job is something I look up to!

Fellow female stop motion artists on Instagram who also have their creative businesses, whether it be a side hustle or full-time! There are too many to name and they are all so talented and take the time to teach others! It keeps me motivated to keep creating and build my community!

Her story: Hello! I am a freelance designer, illustrator and stop motion artist based in Los Angeles, California. I'm passionate about telling stories that help us feel more connected and less alone in this big world. I gravitate towards tactile materials like clay and paper, and love to embrace the hand-made aesthetic whenever possible. I've had a long and winding career path – starting in the stop motion animation industry, then the entertainment industry, advertising, and most recently freelance. Last year I took the leap and went out on my own, which has been the scariest but most rewarding decision yet. It took me a long time to get here, and I still feel like I'm just getting started.

I hope to inspire other women to take the leap, whether it's to start their own business, start living a life they love, or doing more of what they're passionate about. Building a creative career can be difficult, confusing and lonely at times, which is why I think it's so important for women to share their stories and build community.

Favorite quote: It's a tie! Between these two:
“You can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance at doing what you love.” – Jim Carrey
“Never give up on a dream because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” – Earl Nightingale

Woman who inspires her: Lisa Congdon – I am so inspired by her art and life story, especially that she came to a creative career later in her life. Our society can be so obsessed with 30 under 30 lists — it's so refreshing to see women who succeed and thrive later in life. I also love how she demystifies the creative process, and approaches it like any other work: with persistence, practice, and hard work.

Her story: I grew up in North Vancouver and did the typical 4-year experience out at UBC pursuing a BA in Psychology. While I didn’t exactly put my degree to use, I did follow my passions after graduation. My first love has always been the ocean and I can safely say I feel most at home under the surface. Before I started my company, I was actually working as a scuba diving instructor on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia! As a dive instructor, I was in the water every day and unfortunately exposed to the harsh realities of plastic pollution: it’s literally everywhere. Most people picture ocean waste as big chunks of debris floating along at the surface, but in reality, layers upon layers of household trash float all through the water column. It really broke my heart, and I was moved to do something that might help the situation and protect the ocean creatures I loved so much. That’s when I moved home and created a company that helps people find beautiful alternatives to common plastics.

I founded Bee Kind in 2017, and with the help of my mom, we started a mini beeswax wrap factory out of our kitchen in Halfmoon Bay. Many late nights next to the crockpot of wax ensued, and we realized this was no longer just a passion project: we were onto something much bigger.

Three years later, and Bee Kind has a thriving product line, a loyal tribe of supporters, is currently sold in over 100 locations across North America, and is all powered by an inspiring team of women in Vancouver, BC. Each beeswax wrap design is still hand-painted by my mom.

As an entrepreneur, so often it feels like I put my head down and work, and before I know it the entire year has flown by. An endless cycle ensues of working for the next milestone in my business without ever taking a moment to reflect and be proud of myself. This feels like one of those moments to pause and appreciate how far we have come and being a hard-working woman!

Favorite quote: "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." - Jim Rohn

Woman who inspires her: My mom! My mom approaches life with the most positive, 'can-do' attitude. Her creativity and enthusiasm for new projects is infectious and have instilled in me an "I can do that" mentality. It seems like every day she will be texting me a new picture of what she has gotten up to that day: whether it be chopping down a dead tree, finishing a painting, baking a new type of bread, or sewing up a pair of pants. I feel so lucky to have been raised by a woman who has never seen a challenge that she turned away from. "Strong women raise strong women." Thank you Mom for blazing through life and showing me that we can truly accomplish anything we put our minds to!

Her story: I am a Crohn’s disease survivor. I have lived with it all of my life. In 2007 and 20016 I had emergency surgery to remove parts of my bowl. During all of this time it was difficult to do daily activities. Work life, home life was a mess. Since 2016 I changed my health by changing my view of my body. Finding activities to be active that I enjoy. This helps my Crohn’s in ways I never knew. I also completely changed my diet by finding the things that work best for me, and don’t make me feel worse. 3 years ago, as a last resort for “management” of the Crohn’s, I joined a medical research study. Through the medication, and my healthy lifestyle, I have been said to be in remission. Crohn’s is an incurable disease but the longer I can stay in remission the longer I can put off my next expectation of surgery.

So many live with invisible illnesses, bowel issues, and no one likes to talk about it. I try to tell my story to everyone with no filter.

Favorite quote: “The future depends on what we do in the present.” -Gandhi

Woman who inspires her: My grandmother, Feliza Bursztyn. I never met her, she passed a year before I was born. She struggled and went through so much in her life. She had to leave the place she loved. I am currently working with a production company in Colombia to make a movie about her life.

Her story: Hi, I'm Hannah! I'm an artist and environmentalist using trash collected from the oceans & outdoors to bring light to our throw-away society! Through my artwork, I hope to bring greater awareness and action to topics such as plastic pollution, climate change and environmental justice. I love taking long walks on trash-free beaches, reading up on the latest environmental research and spreading my passion for a less trashy planet.

Favorite quote: "What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." -Jane Goodall

Woman who inspires her: Bringing it back to the quote I mentioned, Jane Goodall. She believed in herself like no other. She had true passion and with that passion she created true change in the world, socially and environmentally.

Her story: My name is Jacquelyn Rodriguez! I am a passion-driven, earth-loving, master intuitive neuro-coach, and holistic salon owner. I help female creative entrepreneurs get out of their own way and start stepping into their power to co-create a life that they love. I combine energy healing, neuroscience to help them get rid of your limiting beliefs and get super aligned with your higher self.

Favorite quote: “You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” ~Maya Angelou

Woman who inspires her: Maya Angelo her words and actions encouraged and motivated me through so many things in my life.

Her story: My name is Jennifer I am a 33-year-old mother of two beautiful girls. My husband builds powerlines and works long hours sometimes away from home and some times 7 days a week. This leaves me and the girls alone at home to take care of daily chores. I often find myself going to events with the girls by myself because of my husband‘s work schedule. His work has made me very independent and confident in my ability to do anything. I recently installed a bidet on my own which I was really proud of. I feel like a single mom because all of the home/kid responsibilities fall onto me. I am proud to be a wife and mother. I am proud of who I have become as a mother and as a wife of a lineman.

I would like to represent the moms who don’t have a 9-to-5 job, who often don’t get recognized for their hard work. I would like to represent the moms or wives in a similar situation to mine, with the husband who works long hours. I show others in similar situations that you can do it, that it is normal, that it is not uncommon and to validate that their feelings are legit. To show women who are stay at home mother’s that you do work hard, you are a bad ass, just because you don’t bring money home does not mean you are not valuable, that you are not worthy. I would be honored to represent this group of women.

Favorite quote: "It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light." -Aristotle

Woman who inspires her: Princess Diana. She stood by her beliefs and did not care to be judged by anyone. She was the People’s princess and owned that title no matter what. She inspires me every day do not care what other people think and to continue following your heart and beliefs.

Her story: Hi! I’m Jennifer and I’m from Nigeria. I started my Stop Motion journey last year. I’ve worked on content creation for a couple of years now, but Stop Motion has literally taken it to a whole new level. And I was really scared to start. Even coming up with my Rate Card was a hassle lol! But it’s been such a great journey. I now have a growing list of customers who love my work and refer my to others, plus I’m discovering more ways to monetize my craft.

I want to show everyone that they have a right to follow their passions and create beautifully unique things. The world is literally your oyster and nothing, not even failure, should stand in your way!

Favorite quote: Pressure is a privilege!

Woman who inspires her: Kemi Adetiba- she’s a Director in Lagos, Nigeria who shot this beautiful movie - King of Boys. She makes be believe that your “crazy” is actually a masterpiece in another language. And when you can share that with the world in ways they can understand, the world will never remain the same.

Her story: I started my company because I wanted to help people feel and live better and connect with others through my story and struggles. I started using CBD in conjunction with my conventional medications after I was diagnosed with Lupus. The Lupus diagnosis was the third autoimmune disease that I was diagnosed with because I had already been living with Hashimotos and Celiac Disease. Even with taking my prescribed medicines and seeing my amazing doctors regularly (rheumatologist, endocrinologist, and primary care physician), I was still feeling unwell. I was still tired, fatigued, and my muscle soreness was almost debilitating.

I started researching CBD because I simply wanted to feel and live better. I learned very quickly that there is a wide range of purity and quality in the CBD industry. Also, when I starting taking CBD, it was hard to find high-quality CBD products, and I questioned the quality and concentrations. I wanted the best, the purest CBD , and a source that I could trust. I wanted to know exactly what I was putting into my body, so I had to start my own company, RxCOMMEND.

After researching, sampling, educating, and fully emerging myself into the CBD industry, I knew I had to partner with the top growers and leading manufacturers to bring the best CBD products to you and the medical community. I named by company RxCOMMEND, because I believe it should be a more respected treatment plan, and the medical community should be recommending it more frequently to certain patients.

Now that I have incorporated RxCOMMEND CBD products into my daily routine, I have never felt better! I love using my tincture oils, topicals, and gummies because of the way I feel and live now. I do not experience the muscle soreness, which has allowed me to do the things I love: keeping up with my two active boys, practicing yoga, getting back on my Peloton, lifting, running, and just having the energy to enjoy every day. I have never slept better and my anxiety is at an all time low! I am back and better than ever! I want to give others that same feeling and let them know that RxCOMMEND is an option. I hope to help others be their best selves!

Favorite quote: "Little by little, a little becomes a lot!"

Woman who inspires her: My mother, Dodie Wollett, has always been my inspiration. She has always taught me by words and by actions to be kind, hard working, and loving. Her energy is infectious and makes me think: I can always do more! My mother is the most helpful person to anyone and everyone. She is the example of who I want to be and how I want to live.

Her story: I loved the product so much - I bought the company! I am a female manufacturer of the famous Eezy Fabric Comb. This little handheld tool revolutionised the life of woollens and soft furniture could be cleaned, and not thrown out. It was designed in Sydney, Australia in 1970 (I have the original drawings), and every copycat in the marketplace was spawned from this design. When I met the 84 year old owner, that had owned it for the last 40 years, he was closing it down, as he thought it had run its race! I had owned one of these handy little combs for over 15 years, and couldn't let that happen. I could see the potential for generations of people to know about this comb, and save them a lot of money, time, not to mention less landfill.

I'm one of the few female manufacturers in Australia, and that the product is still made on the original machinery today, with lots of small home-based businesses are part of its production. It's an honest product, with little environmental impact, as it lasts forever, requires no batteries, no cords, no stick roll-y things, so no worries!

Favorite quote: Have my cake and eat it too.

Her story: In 2010, sisters Jordan Catapano and Jocelyn Dunn launched their company, This Girl Walks Into a Bar with the debut of their first book, "This Girl Walks Into a Bar: A Women's Guide to Professional Bartending and Home Mixology." They spent years building their brand through their award winning blog, and secured sponsored partnerships with companies like Campbell Soup, Dole Food, Door Dash, Gallo Wine, Pottery Barn, and Tabasco. But business changed when the paid partnerships started flowing to the influencers who had tens of thousands of followers. These influencers did not necessary have any cocktail knowledge or expertise, but the pendulum had shifted.

To survive as a business, Jordan and Jocelyn reinvented themselves in 2016 and launched their bartending division. It was an instant success and today they enlist a diverse group of about 50 female bartenders in Los Angeles, and have plans to expand into other cities. Their bartenders are known for being professional, skilled, and friendly, and for going above and beyond with customer service.

This year they formed a new company, This Girl Walks Into a Bar Mixers + Snacks and will launch their long-anticipated mixer line this spring. They discovered the LifeLapse App in January and love the way it brings cocktail creation to life. Making drinks should be an easy process and LifeLapse perfectly captures that cocktail-making process while removing the mystery behind building a stellar drink.

Leading a team of female bartenders has been the most rewarding experience imaginable. The women we've hired come from all over the world, speak many different languages, have children, husbands, girlfriends, wives, and come from a variety of backgrounds. They are dancers, actors, filmmakers, biologists, teachers, graphic designers, marine scientists and so much more. We have learned just as much from them as they learn from us. We pride ourselves on creating a work environment that places high value on work ethic and professionalism but also on being kind and genuine people. We hope to open TGWIAB offices around the country, all lead entirely by women!

Favorite quote: Favorite quote is Maya Angelou's "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

This statement is so important and guides us in our relationships with our clients but also with our bartenders. A Margarita can be remade. A broken glass can be swept up. But it's so important to treat everyone with kindness and respect no matter what or the damage can be long and irreversible.

Woman who inspires her: Our mother inspires us because at 76 years old she is still pursuing her career. She grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and was often alone. She found she had talent in painting and went on to get a degree in art. She raised two daughters, has been married for 53 years, and has never lost focus of her career. She continues to apply to fellowships around the world and to push herself to produce her best art.

Her story: I am the Founder and Chief Sparkler of Sparkle Hustle Grow, an award winning multi-six figure subscription box and online community for female entrepreneurs. I have the honor of leading thousands of women through personal development and business training in a way that’s fun and supportive. Corporate girl turned entrepreneur. Wife. Mom. Outdoor enthusiast. Music Lover. Featured in Forbes, Business Insider, USA Today, POPSUGAR and more.

Favorite quote: The more you thank life, the more life gives you to be thankful for.

Woman who inspires her: My mom, Kathy Oleksak, inspires me because she is a breast cancer survivor. It gives me personal strength and inspiration to see how she pushed through such a difficult time.

Her story: Along with two other women, Heather Leigh Hoskins and Jeanna Dunlap, I started an online (and soon to be brick and mortar) creative reuse marketplace. We have all collectively worked in creative reuse for about a decade but saw that there was an opportunity to use modern tools and technology to bring reuse creative materials (secondhand arts and craft materials) to a bigger audience and further spread the gospel of reuse. Our mission is to reimagine the lifecycle of materials. We want people to always shop pre-loved first to reduce demand for virgin materials (an environmental win).

We want more people to know what creative reuse is and to help educate people about reuse as one of the most important ways to consume responsibly. It’s also a really fun idea, getting creative...sustainably!

Favorite quote: “If I can’t dance I don’t want to be in your revolution.” -Emma Goldman

Woman who inspires her: I’ll stick with Emma Goldman (although there are countless women who inspire me every day from moms holding down two jobs to CEOs). Emma Goldman challenged every notion of what womanhood was supposed to be during her time. She was revolutionary, entrepreneurial and courageous. She was a feminist, anarchist, refugee, midwife, convict, and intellectual.

Her story: I’m Kelsey, your resident creative mind of Acorn & Artisan (previously Farmhouse Fluid Art). Growing up I was always encouraged to be creative. Whether it was a drawn on lamp shade for funky hat day at school or summers at the local craft store art was a huge part of my upbringing.

In 2015, I moved to Georgia from Massachusetts to pursue my MS Biology at Columbus State University after spending my undergrad years at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. About a year into my masters degree I met a quiet southern boy from Louisiana and we clicked immediately.

We moved to rural Maine in August of 2015 and purchased our farmhouse. That sweet soul and I were married in September of 2016 and began trying to start our family summer of 2017. Unfortunately, like for many couples, our family took a lot of work to create. By January of 2019 we both had underwent numerous medical procedures to figure out why we weren’t pregnant, went through 4 IUI’s, and eventually had the dreaded IVF talk with our reproductive endocrinologist at Boston IVF.

If you don’t know anyone who has gone through the infertility tango and/or IVF, it’s a long process that is emotionally, physically, and mentally taxing (never mind the fact that is it $$). Around this time, my sister told me I needed a hobby - something to get my mind off of the what if’s and how come’s of our situation. Farmhouse Fluid Art was “opened” in 2019 as my creative outlet and I’ve slowly worked to make my studio, a “bonus” room that connects the renovated barn section to the main part of the house, the perfect creative oasis with the benefit of a short commute.

I started making fluid artwork with resin as a sealant in 2019 when we started IVF, and then transitioned those skills to jewelry. Most of my pieces have a resin element (minus the chewable, teething line of Little Farmhouse). Our earrings and necklaces have a mix of resin, alcohol inks, and fun embellishments to make each piece unique.

All of my pieces start with resin and alcohol inks. I try to start each piece with a vision in mind. Lately, I’ve been really inspired by the colors of nature as the seasons change and have tried to reflect this in the pieces I’ve made. The way the inks are layered and the depth of the resin cause different reactions and, in turn, the end result is always a little bit of a surprise. Each piece is made with a durable, scratch resistant resin that cures for 72 hours. Once it’s cured, I clean the pieces before assembling. Assembly for each piece is a process where I can be thoughtful and add little bits of flare and fun to make the piece unique.

We were blessed on lucky embryo transfer #3 and now have a beautiful baby girl name Eila. She is the little rainbow after the storm that I never thought I’d get and makes everyday so much brighter. It was important to me as I thought more about my business to include her in it. Fun fact: Eila means oak tree. For my husband and I since she arrived Earth side in April this means that acorns have taken on a special meaning. Wanting to include acorn into my new name I enlisted the help of my mom to brainstorm. Thus Acorn & Artisan was born. Growing up I was attached to a blanket at all times. Months before Eila was born I went with my mom in a shopping trip to find the perfect blanket or stuffed animal for her to snuggle with as she grows. In our search we found a tan rabbit with long floppy ears who is clutching a blanket with crescent moons on it. One day as I rocked Eila to sleep I happened to look over at her stuffed animals and had a light bulb moment. What if my logo was this little rabbit and moon I hold so dearly?

For many years I based my view of what being successful was on the views of those around me. I tried to fit a mold of what was expected of me as a daughter, wife, and now mother. This past year has been a rollercoaster, but if nothing else it’s taught me a few things. Growth and change can be incredibly scary, but also can be liberating. In an ever changing world where face to face interactions are limited what better time to embrace the changes we want to see in our own lives. Whether it’s something small or big like taking the plunge to achieving your dreams, 2021 is all of our time to shine.

Favorite quote: “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” - Coco Chanel

Woman who inspires her: My mama - growing up the woman worked 80-90 hours a week. As a kid I never really understood the why behind her drive. My mom started working at a local restaurant at 17 years of age and at 25 she became its owner. For over 40 years she worked, operated, and grew her business. She created a community where all felt welcomed, seen, and loved. She developed such deep relationships with both her customers and employees alike and no matter how tired at the end of the day always had time to be an amazing mom.

Her story: When I started college, I entered in as an ambitious girl trying to prove my worth as a scientist. My whole life, I always felt like I had something to prove: I wanted to prove I was smart enough, that I could do hard things, that I could be anything I wanted to be, so it was a no-brainer that I would major in Biology with a minor on Neuroscience. For my friends and family that know me well, they know that when I set a goal for myself, I will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. So, for the first 2.5 years of my college career, I dedicated my life to the science world.

Along the way, I started to become unhappy. Things that used to excite me no longer gave me joy. I had little motivation, and most days I just wanted to lay in bed. I started failing classes, which added on to my stress level and made me feel inadequate. I couldn't let other people know I was struggling, though, because I had to prove to everyone that I am start and strong and a happy person. For far too long, I faked a smile. I faked a life that was slowly killing me inside -- all for the sake of proving my worth in something that was contributing to my unhappiness.

Struggling silently and alone finally lead to my breaking point. It wasn't until I attempted to take my own life that my world completely flipped upside down.

After my traumatic experience, my friends and close ones finally felt the pain I had been enduring alone. They pushed me to get help, and I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I didn't want to drop out of college, so I decided to make a difficult decision and change my major to Marketing - a whole 180 flip halfway through my college career. I always had a creative side to me, but I never let myself explore that avenue because I was so focused on proving I could make it in the science world. After changing my major, I let myself explore my creativity more and it lead to me starting my own business.

Just over 2 years ago, I create my business, Live Inspired, where I hand design planners that are designed to help with your physical and mental health. My goal when creating this company was to help other people manage their busy life while finding ways to take care of themselves, something I neglected to do. I also donate the profits to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and work closely with them to help end the stigma surrounded by mental health. This year, it is my goal to donate $15,000 to their mission to stop suicide.

Owning my own business has taught me a lot of things, but one of the most important things this journey has taught me is the importance of sharing your talent with the world. It took me a long time to call myself a "creative" person, but once I owned that identity, I have been able to explore different forms of creativity that can touch other people. My favorite things about my small business is being a safe place for people to come to who may be struggling with their mental health, and seeing a first-hand survivor give them resources to help them know they are not alone. I've been able to impact so many different people's lives simply by creating something that brings me joy. I hope to continue this journey of helping others, and I'm excited to see where my art journey takes me next.

I'm a big believer in sharing my story because I never know who may need to hear it. I never want anyone to go through what I went through alone, and I want to be a resource for people who need the extra inspiration or guidance to helping them improve their mental health.

Favorite quote: "One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through and it will be someone else's survival guide." - Brené Brown

Woman who inspires her: I'm inspired by another artist-friend, Cath, for the way she creates art that makes her happy instead of focusing on what would get her the most likes on Instagram. Cath always stays true to herself, and she lives authentically her. There's something about the way she cares about others that makes even strangers feel accepted. She's never afraid to share her talents with others in helping them create their artistic voice, and I am so lucky to learn and grow alongside her.

Her story: My story is a work in progress. I'm a dual citizen (Australia and Canada) residing in Vancouver, BC for over a decade now. I came because of my love of travel and needing a new adventure. I stayed because I couldn't make myself leave...the roots have been planted too deep and the Vancouver landscape is breathtaking.

After knowing for quite sometime that I was in the wrong career, I chose the middle of a global pandemic to try to make a change once and for all because I couldn't delay it any longer. As a result, I spent the latter half of 2020 exploring and experimenting creatively, which was a side of me that I had never really entertained before. I dived in and followed the breadcrumbs, which brought me to the world of food photography and stop motion. I've always loved to bake. I think I got the bug from my grandma and all the time spent at her house when I was a kid concocting up some treat or craft project. I love to take photos too; I have thousands on my iPhone and recently purchased an entry level DSLR.

I never in a million years thought I could lead a life of creativity until I took my jump. Although it has been a steep learning curve and I am still trying to figure out how to turn my creativity into a living, I have not looked back once. There is a new fire in me and it burns brightly. An added bonus in all of this has been the capacity to deal with living by myself during a global pandemic much better than I would have without the passion and purpose I now have.

Favorite quote: Back in June 2020 I started a blog to document my career change journey: A Series of Next Steps, which I post to twice a week. I start each post with a quote. My first post, has my favourite quote:

“What if I fall?”
Oh, but my darling,
What if you fly?
- Erin Hanson

Woman who inspires her: To name only one is tough. I have so many friends and family who inspire me on a daily basis and for different reasons. From my sister who also successfully underwent a career change in her thirties to my cousins who are successful small business owners in their own right, one of whom while dealing with serious medical issues. To my friend navigating first-time motherhood during a pandemic. To my other friend who is ambitious, smart and successful in her own right in her chosen long-term profession and is one of my biggest cheerleaders. To the very first friend I made in Vancouver, who became family and always goes above and beyond with everything she sets out to achieve. Honestly, the list goes on and on. To the women I only know through social media, who aren't afraid to keep it real while showcasing their amazing talent, drive and determination. The females who raise each other up on said platforms and give regular encouragement without asking anything in return. Those women do so much by doing so little.

Her story: Hi! I’m Lina, a stop motion content creator based in Barcelona, Spain. I make fun videos for brands, businesses, holidays and anything I find too cute to stay static. I aim to make those Instagram scrolling fingers stop to watch and engage with original content.

Most influential woman in her life: My mother, and I would also add my sister. I’m lucky to have seen their every move growing up, always working hard and sharing support for everyone. Definitely my role models and the ones I always look up to.

Female-led brand that inspires her: I really admire Lindsay McCormick from Bite Toothpaste. Mostly because she has been recognised for her hard work and creative problem solving in a world that is screaming for environmental change. The best part is that none of those points have to do with gender and consequently neither does her success, which is ultimately what matters.

Her story: MAYTA Collection is a boutique ethical fashion brand fueled by a love of travel, culture, and tradition. Founder and designer Maggie O’Reilly travels frequently and has connected with numerous artisans on her journeys. Inspired by the colors, textures, and materials in the markets and the relationships developed with artisans worldwide, Maggie launched MAYTA Collection in 2016 to share her unique designs with the world.

Our line includes home goods that are high quality, one of a kind and colorful as well as our iconic weekender travel bag. Each piece is handcrafted in small batches using up-cycled textiles and fabrics. The step by step creative process is done with care, from the first sketch to sourcing the materials, cutting and sewing the textiles and putting the finishing touches on each piece.

We believe in disrupting the fashion industry by designing items that are not mass produced. That’s why every item in our collection is one of a kind: we want our customers to be inspired to travel along with expressing their personal style through each item they purchase.

You can be a small business with not a huge following but produce something beautiful, high quality and should be given the chance. These days, it seems like the "big players" are always on top yet the smaller brands are what really were here all during the pandemic - working to make connections in their community, with their customers, working overtime to serve.

Favorite quote: Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help and brave enough to ask for it

Woman who inspires her: Raegan Moya-Jones from Aden and Anais - after I listened to her interview on How I built this from NPR - I felt like so many of the things she said and how she started as an entrepreneur, as a mother and as a do-er I related to her. Reagan showed me that you do not have to be specialized in something to begin the journey of entrepreneurship, you need to have determination, take risks and stick your neck out there.

Her story: My name name is Marine Delmau, I am the founder and believer of Lâcher Prise Apparel, a unisex and ethical clothing line that has the power to "let go". The ideology of the brand is the reflection of its French definition, Lâcher Prise meaning "liberation from the desire to control”, and letting go of emotions restrictions.
I wanted to introduce a new air of innovation to these ideals. I decided to make ingenious collections rich in meaning and giving another dimension to clothes. The brand's major ideology is to focus on eco-responsibility, transparency and the quality of our designs. Evoking and drawing inspiration from the urban environment, the energy of the city and its inhabitants, the beauty of natural elements, and the desire to leave a positive imprint behind.

I decided to become a committed designer breaking new ground, an uninhibited brand responding to the codes of the new generation, "gender fluid" and responsible, to influence the world of fashion and its consumers.

Favorite quote: "The greatest glory in living lies ... Not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall "

Woman who inspires her: Greta Thunberg, at such a young age she is one of the strongest and most influential environmentalist this century has seen. This world needs more women like her to make a real change!

Her story: I'm a Canadian living in the UK. I'm a content creator for a digital agency based in Cambridge. On the side, I radio broadcast for BBC Radio Cambridgeshire but mostly I love bringing the world to life, creating stop motions for brands and (most importantly!) to delight my two toddlers! I spend my free time (which is less than I'd like right now) bringing the world to life and making even the most mundane of topics more joyful through stop motion. It feels fabulous to be part of a creative community from all over the globe, just trying to make interesting content people will enjoy and inject a little fanciful magic into the world.

Favorite quote: "We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."
(Japanese Proverb)

Woman who inspires her: Coco Peri (as many interested in stop motion will be familiar with). She embodies a positive, generous, creative life, always going above and beyond to share her industry insights, ideas, and behind the scenes tips.

She's all about amplifying voices for positive change, especially other creative women, which we need so much more of in the world! Sharing, supporting and having a community of people to turn to for inspiration and support is just so refreshing and fabulous.

Women supporting women, women supporting entrepreneurship and women in business. I just love it! (plus she has two adorable kittens - a delight!).

Her story: I’m Meredith! I make fun, thumb-stopping videos that help bring brands’ creative visions to life. I’m currently working on incorporating hand lettering into my stop motion biz! I’m experimenting with tactile lettering (i.e. making words and phrases out of real, 3D objects) which I am super excited about. It’s great for getting brand messages across! I’m even hoping to put some art prints for sale up on my website!

Most influential woman in her life: I could never pick just one influential woman in my life! I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my loving mom, two amazing sisters, incredible friends, and crazy (awesome) aunts! They inspire me with their intelligence, creativity, loving hearts, and aspirations for constant self-improvement. I love each of them and I know we can continue to inspire each other. 

I love Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff of the My Favorite Murder podcast. Not only are they funny as hell, but they are great examples of lifting each other up and supporting other women. They are huge advocates for mental health as well which is increasingly important in today’s world.  And recently they expanded their business into an entire podcast network! How cool is that?!

Her story: We create cookies! Handmade custom designs for events ranging from birthday parties to big corporate events. This July, dough re mi turns five - and what started out as a business with 2 friends (Jessie left a year later as we were too busy and she had massive commitments with her family) - I now employee a team of 11 incredible females. We ship cookies across Australia- and had also shipped to France, the UK, New Zealand and also Japan.

Favorite quote: Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History

Woman who inspires you: Michelle Obama is always someone I have looked up to. She has such a strong character - no matter how controversial the issue, if it was something she believed in she fought for it. She takes charge of any room she is in, people stop and listen to what she has to say and she is also filled with empathy, a trait that people see sometimes as a weakness. But I know it’s my super power as well.

Her story: I’m Mieka, and I’m the hand knitting knitwear designer and teacher behind Salt & Stone Knits. I love knitting but my real passion is business. I always knew I would have my own one day but I didn’t know exactly what that business would be until I moved from NYC to Amsterdam.

When I moved in 2017 to be with my Dutch boyfriend, Kasper, my knitting and crochet supplies were the only crafts that made it through the move. After the initial chaos of moving, I found myself with a lot of alone time and so, I picked up my crochet hook as a way to fill those idle hours.

It wasn’t long before I was ready to go out and make some new friends so I decided to go to my local yarn shop on craft night. That night we talked and joked as we admired each other’s projects. The sounds of wine glasses clinking and needles clacking punctuated our conversation. I felt a sense of belonging and, while it didn’t happen overnight, I put down roots and found a wonderful and inspiring group of friends that led me down the path of knitwear design.

After some time assessing the competitive landscape and identifying hurdles and strengths, I weighed it all out and decided that becoming a knitwear designer is what I wanted my business to be! Once I decided, I couldn’t wait to run with it at full speed. I was excited for the challenge of the many hats you have to wear, the endless ways to improve, the strategy, and identifying weaknesses to come up with creative solutions to overcome them - all of it!

I’m lucky to have been able to combine my love for knitting and my passion for business to build Salt & Stone Knits. On the one hand is business and strategy and on the other, I get to stretch those creative muscles and create things with my hands. I get to take beautiful yarn, design sweaters and accessories and write up the instructions for other hand knitters to follow the same motions my hands have made to create their own versions of my designs.

Cheers to all the entrepreneurs that know that’s what they are and are just waiting to discover what industry they’re going to dive into and make their own! You often hear about business owners starting from the passion of what their business is about - especially a hobby industry such as hand knitting. I’d like to share my story of identifying my passion for business and waiting to discover what that business would be. In my case - knitting! When I first began, I felt uncomfortable and insecure with the fact that I knew I wanted a business and it could be about anything. It made me feel like the focus of my business was less genuine when I know that’s not true. I’m lucky to have been able to combine my love for knitting and my passion for business to build Salt & Stone Knits.

Favorite quote: "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” - Voltaire

Woman who inspires her: My grandmother who brought her whole family to the United States from Mozambique with her strength and savvy.

Her story: I’ve been in healthcare PR for 15+ years but always had this feeling and urge to do my own “something” - I just didn’t know what that something was... After a long time subconsciously thinking - I found my opportunity and launched The Masked Gifter, like a personal shopper but for gifts! Combining two things I just LOVE - gifting, and shopping! ;)

I was always umming and urring on whether I give my own thing a go; you can tell yourself a million reasons why you shouldn’t or why it ‘won’t work’ but life’s too short to not try!

Favorite quote: “Don’t fear failure. Fear the absence of progress”

Woman who inspires her: Jessica Alba! Ok a modern day inspiration but still really is for me - she got to the top of her game in Hollywood but was wanting more, then before we all knew it WHAM her Honest business has done phenomenally well! What I particularly like is how much fun she has with it all! Doesn’t take things too seriously, it’s a breathe of fresh air and does inspire me to work hard but not take things OTT.

Her story: My name is Mylinh, the founder of BoxOnly. I'm an entrepreneur working towards my dream of establishing a brand with a purpose. It has always been my dream to start a business with a purpose - in this case, the purpose is to spread self-love and create a community around that. I want to build a brand to encourage people to dig deeper and to help them figure out who they are as their individual, and learn to love themselves before they can love anyone else! Im all about creating a community! I want to build a space for others to express themselves fully, and to let them know that they are not alone in this process of finding who they are! This is why BoxOnly was created.

This brand was created to help people find joy and confidence in themselves, and allow them to see that they are not alone when having self-doubt. Because we all struggle with self-doubt, it may vary in different degrees, but it is inside all of us. We often say to ourselves that we are not good enough, not talented enough, not beautiful enough, or not strong enough. These are the self-doubts, the voices inside of ourselves telling us to give up, or that we will never be who we dream to be. That is why I’ve decided to create BoxOnly. To help people find the good in themselves and find the enthusiasm in who they are as their own individual.

BoxOnly aims to make this process fun and more exciting with our products. Our philosophy is simple. Before you can think outside of the box, first you need to start looking within the box and embrace it.

Favorite quote: A quote from our own mission: “Before you can think outside of the box, first you need to start looking within the box and embrace it”.

Woman who inspires her: My superwoman will always be my mom. The most hardworking woman alive. She moved to another country and sacrificed her needs to take care of her children and family. Until now, she always puts others first before herself. This is the same challenge many individuals out there still struggle with, especially mom's and those who are a guardian. My mom will always be my biggest inspiration, no celebrities or idol will be bigger than her. My work ethic and my big heart come from her. I am forever grateful to have an amazing person by my side, always.

Her story: During the first COVID lockdown, I searched for the perfect gift for my father. I settled on the idea of a gift hamper but failed to find one that included all the things he liked and had to overspend and purchase a larger hamper that included items that he does not like. This is how my business came about. I love and live in the countryside and respect have lots of respect for small and independent businesses so have always tried to support UK companies. I choose to make Orpah lifestyle a platform to share and highlight and British/UK businesses and sell British/UK home goods, food and drinks in my hampers.

Favorite quote: Oh that’s hard.
You’ve got to be in it to win it!
(Seem to use that more these days lol)

Woman who inspires her: My mother, she’s a hard worker who does not let anything get in her way. She’s supportive to those around her and dreams big and wild! It’s magical to see!

Her story: I am a female small business owner, just starting out with a creative venture. Trained in chemistry and forensics, I’ve worked for the FBI, Secret Service, and numerous police departments and crime labs. I’ve been picked up by the FBI directors’ personal helicopter to fly me back to Washington DC to brief Congress of the functionality of the Boston Marathon bombing’s explosive devices. But even with all of those amazing experiences, it left me wanting to fulfill my creative needs. Wanting to spend more time with my children and focus on woodworking, I decided to leave my full-time job a few weeks ago to pursue my own business making wooden toys and play sets for children.

My inspiration for my business is my two girls. Trying to find toys for them, I disliked all of the primary-colored plastic toys that inevitably ended up being donated. I wanted to create heirloom quality wooden toys that children would enjoy, and parents would want to pass on to others. I strive to create beautiful toy storage that blends in with your beautifully curated home decor, so no one knows what’s hiding within the beautiful box on your shelf.

Favorite quote: “Everything is figureoutable” - Marie Forleo
I love this quote and everything it implies, especially as a new business owner who has just switch fields and made a huge life change. When things get difficult or confusing or overwhelming, I just remind myself that everything is figureoutable and that I can figure it out.

Woman who inspiresher: Shevonne @thehomeschooldiary. I love how she can homeschool numerous kids of varying ages, while keeping it fresh and new. While I’ve never met her, I feel as though I’ve gotten to know her through Instagram, and I have so much admiration for her, and women like her. I love how she’s seems like the woman next door, and someone you’d want to be friends with. I want my business persona to be similar - sharing stories and getting vulnerable so others can get to know me and my brand better.

What's your story: I moved to LA in 1991, with $400 and a car full of clothes. With no direction, aside from my gut and intuition... I had many twists and turns until I found success and was able to create a life that was happy and healthy. I was penniless and had many jobs from being a cocktail waitress at the House Of Blues, to being an assistant, and even delivering bread to eat dinner for free. Then sometimes in life, you meet someone and they help change your story. That person for me was Mari Winsor, the infamous women who made Pilates the exclusive workout in Hollywood. (Mari is no longer with us, she died this year due to ALS) That was my first big break, to becoming a pilates instructor and from then on, I was fortunate to work with many celebs and I'm most known for Kate Hudson (20+years) but also including; Courtney Love, Goldie Hawn, Anne Hathaway, Demi Moore, Anna Farris, Ashley Benson, Julia Ormond and many more. I've been train now for 20+ years and if you Google me you can find my entire story (over an hour, for a more detailed version of my ups and downs) on a few podcasts one being this one.

I created a product called FITBIB, www.fitbib.com to help women with their decolletage, from being damaged by the sun, when doing any type of fitness outdoors, even driving in your car :) the sun is so powerful and many women forget about their chests and it's one of the most neglected areas on a women's body. Many women get skin cancer there as well, in fact, I had two clients who had a melanoma on their decolletage. We were just accepted in Walmart which is awesome.

Favorite quote: "Failure is a gift, for we can not learn and appreciate success until we have have failed."
"Consistency and never giving up, over a long period of time, will get you results you desire."

Woman who inspires her: Oprah of course, Sara Blakely

Her story: I am a software engineer by profession and I am an artist by passion. From my childhood I used spend my free time doing art and crafts instead of playing. Even now I am soo occupied with my packed schedule at work as I manage two teams in a reputed company along with managing my joint family. I struggle to get some time for myself even to sit and relax, but when I get it I invest all of it making some creative art and craft or some creative content for my social media page. So I would say being a women we have got the power of multitasking ️

I created this page 5 yrs back just to store my art work at one place as I kept on changing my phone and losing my art work. But slowly I started seeing how people liked my work and encouraged me to create some better content.

Favorite quote: Where there is a will, there is a way.

Woman who inspires her: I am great fan of Sudha Murthy (co-founder of Infosys foundation)
Reason: very ambitious, humble human being whose only motto is to serve people. She invests all her money in her foundation which helps other women to get education and grow

Her story: I am a creator or Summer Space Studio - a handcrafted paper florals studio based in NY. I founded and taught myself how to make paper flowers through a project called '100 days of Making' while I was in my low time trying to find a job as a UX designer in NYC. Each day, I gave myself 2 hours a day to work on the flowers and took a photo in my tiny 5th-floor walk-up in the UES. After a 100days, I've fallen in love with paper flower making and started to use those photos and flowers to pitch to stores in NYC offering to do a pop-up shop, teach workshops and partnership. I worked on the studio as a side-hustle for 2 years as I've been working as a UX designer at a world-renowned company but then with COVID, I've lost my full-time job. It forced me to pivot and focused 100% on the studio. It's been 6 months since I fully invested myself into this studio and I have been waking up happy every single day. The fact that I've been through those moments where I had to Mcgyver everything to put things out there, taught me to not waiting for things to be perfect but keep creating and tweak as I go.

Favorite quote: Start where you are, Use what you have, Do what you can.

Woman who inspires her: Brit Morin | Brit+Co: her passion to lift others up is contagious and inspiring. Her story about how she started Brit+Co inspired me that I could one day, create a company that inspire people to do things that they love and make the money they desire.

Her story: I am the founder of Femme Force, a full service virtual support firm, powered by women. It has been almost 40 years since my parents fled Afghanistan. I've always had guilt, this unsettled feeling of being one of the lucky ones whose family escaped when so many others were left behind. But I now realize that by living, working, and being educated in the West, I am able to give back to women around the world  in a meaningful and impactful way. My mission is to empower women from around the world by providing them with roles in the modern and digital workforce, starting with my home country. 

The latest advancements in technology have already started to erase geographical borders for virtual workers and have allowed these educated and driven women to take on virtual jobs and have opportunities that did not exist before. Our female led company, called Femme Force, exists to support them. We employ female university students and graduates who support companies in all sectors: from bookkeeping to web design, from social media support to virtual admin assistant, from data entry specialist to IT support.

Favorite quote: Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. 

Woman who inspires her: The Honorable Maryam Monsef, Canadian Minister for Women and Gender Equality. Maryam and I lived in the same cul-de-sac and use to play together as kids. Both our families  encouraged us to pursue our academic goals so that we can be a beacon for change both within Canada and abroad. 

Her story: I gave up my dream job as a wildlife TV producer to help fight the war on waste - and built Teddy Locks. Teddy Locks socks are TRASH - ethically made in the USA from recycled plastic bottles and upcycled textiles. So far I have recycled more then 10,000 bottles into our socks and saved more than 1,500lbs of trash from landfill! Not only did I decide to take on this challenge, but I was 9months pregnant when the brand went live online - this first year of business I have been juggling being a first time mum and a small business owner - while living in a global pandemic. I am making small steps - but with socks that are stamping out single-use plastic - and that is worth the fight!

I would love to show other women that it is possible to take on what may seem impossible and to help others to lower their footprints - while stamping out even more single-use plastic!

Favorite quote: Putting out their fire, doesn't make yours burn brighter!

Woman who inspires her: Marielle Elizabeth - she is creating a positive and safe space for women to be loved exactly as they are! An asset, inspiration and beauty.

Her story: I am a self taught Stop Motion Artist. I saw a stop motion video ad two years ago and couldn’t stop drooling over how magical it made the product look. Since then, I have been honing my skills in this art form and am so excited to offer this service! My day job as a Social Media Specialist and my love for stop motion led me to start the other half of my business as a Content Coach. I train businesses to visually tell their story with strategic content that sells their products and builds a community. Working with so many incredible business women inspired me to launch The Creator's Honey Podcast. Each episode highlights entrepreneurial stories of women all over the world who have broken out of their comfort zone to build something amazing! I would love it if you took a listen!

Most influential woman in her life: My mother and grandmothers give me added strength and inspire me to remember my roots and what I stand for. When I first started shooting stop motion I stayed at my mom's house for a week. She welcomed me with open arms and spent the whole week helping me plan my first shoots and learn how to use all my new equipment. She has been a great support to me and my business.

Female-led business that inspires her: El Camino Travel is a female led business that inspires me so much! Katalina Mayorga is one of the co-founders. I love how thoughtful the trips are put together and she has had an amazingly resilient attitude during covid. They have done an incredible job pivoting during this difficult time for the tourism industry. I grew up in Latin America and have a background in tourism so I am really drawn to their approach to social and environmental responsibility in that Latin American region.

Her story: I run an interiors and lifestyle online furniture retail store offering affordable Scandi style furniture for a modern style led home with Art Deco and Mid Century influences and Biophilic touches to keep mindful of a place to relax and be at home whilst enjoying a creative and welcoming atmosphere.

Favorite quote: When you know better Do better Maya Angelou
Good done anywhere is good done everywhere x

Woman who inspires her: Jane Fonda - constantly inspiring women
May Angelou - for riding above and changing the story

Her story: In April 2020 I was furloughed from my position as a criminal defence lawyer, due to the pandemic, and decided to use my time to fulfill a long term dream and launch The Cookie Mail.

The Cookie Mail is a letterbox cookie company where our freshly baked cookies are sent to peoples’ homes across the United Kingdom. My business was built during lockdown to enable people to access high quality home baked goods without having to leave their homes. Cookies through the letterbox is a simple concept, perfect for contactless delivery and gifting. 

In October 2020, I left my full time job and began to work as a legal consultant which has allowed me to continue running my business. As I approach the one year anniversary and over 20,000 cookies later I am still genuinely blown away by the success of my start up. I built this company with the hope to offer opportunities to people who really need it and I’m not at the stage where I am able to do just that.

From a very young age I have always wanted to own a bakery, but I also wanted to be a lawyer so I had a life changing career decision to make at the age of 18. I chose law and have spent the last 11 years working relentlessly to protect peoples’ liberty. The Cookie Mail has enabled me to fulfil my childhood dream and I’m now doing both!

Favorite quote: Life is a journey not a destination

Woman who inspires her: Camilla Ainsworth, she is a young female entrepreneur who has built a number of businesses from the ground up. She is the queen of time efficiency and spends a huge amount of time helping small business owners to build their brands. I followed her on social media for a couple of years fan girling over her business acumen. I reached out to her at the end of 2020 about my business she agreed to take me on as a client for her business mentoring service.

Her story:​ Shari-Beth is a big believer in throwing “IT” against the wall and see what sticks. In this case its paint!
Shari-Beth has been a personal trainer for the past 19 years. Her love for fitness is contagious. She loves working with men and women to help them create a lifestyle that includes weight training, cardio and healthy nutrition.

In September of 2016 Shari-Beth became an empty nester. With some extra time on her hands she thought she would
spend time with her aging mother. But that idea changed when her mom passed away later that month. In a 2-year span Shari-Beth lost her mother, father, brother and father in-law and somewhere in between she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This combination could make your head spin. But, this led her to art -specifically Resin Art.

After YouTubing abstract techniques she fell in love with Resin Art. By using acrylics and resin on a wood panel, each original painting is completely unique and full of depth. As light reflects off the glassy surface of the resin, the complexities of the multi-layers are revealed, conveying a sense of wonder. She builds each piece one layer at a time, carefully controlling the flow of resin, while allowing it to settle on its own. This style is a way for her to explore her thoughts without constraint and find peace and beauty in the unknown. For her, art is more than something pretty to look at; it is about expressing emotions, creating an experience, and connecting with others.

She named her company Act 2 Art because she feels this is her second Act. Don’t worry she is not quitting her day time passion as a Personal Trainer but she is available for commission pieces.

When she is not painting, you will find her training her clients, running, biking or having fun with her husband Jeff, her 3 boys Jacob, Ben, Noah and their dog Woody.

Favorite quote: Take care of yourself first so you can take care of others.

Woman who inspires her: Honestly, all women inspired me. I love learning from everyone. Each one of us have a gift! Listening to women across the globe is how we can all learn and lift each other up!

Her story: I'm a Pakistani-born writer and food educator. I moved to the UK about 16 years ago and left a career in law for food writing and teaching. I was the first food writer to give a voice to Pakistani cuisine in the UK and the world, with the first proper cookbooks published on the subject. I am gone on to become a BBC broadcaster, open a social enterprise cook school in Scotland and also win an emerging writer award for my upcoming food memoir about growing up as a woman in the kitchen in Pakistan, learning to cook with senses.

I feel not enough Pakistani women especially with artistic or creative careers get much of a voice, became it is always a career that isn't supported by Asian families. I want to inspire others to follow their dreams, because it’s never too late to achieve them.

Favorite quote: There is flavour in your hands.

Woman who inspires her: Madhur Jaffrey - who is also a personal friend now - because she gave a voice to Indian cuisine at a time no one knew it, I am always given hope just thinking of her journey.

Her story: Polly Ann Collection makes custom wood signs for businesses, brands, newborns and everything in between! My journey as an entrepreneur began as a creative outlet. My full-time job in the construction industry doesn’t lend to my desire to be colorful and collaborate with entrepreneurial-minded boss ladies. I’ve been fortunate to find all of that and more by starting this small biz.

After having 3 kids in 6 years (HELP!! LOL!) I’m still learning how important it is to carve out a space for myself and fulfill my dreams. And also how to give myself LOTS of grace because managing all the things is no easy feat.

My story is one of inspiration. I know many women who have full time careers or are home with their children and want to start a side hustle but don't know how they will manage it all. I want people to see that it is possible and that they can be successful with the right systems in place!

Favorite quote: "If you stay ready you don't have to get ready!"

Woman who inspires her I am inspired by Bozoma Saint John (@badassboz). She is unapologetically bold and not afraid to talk about her accomplishments and why she is highly sought-after. We could all learn from her fearlessness!

Her story: I am a Story Coach and the founder of Resilient Storytelling where we explore how to use storytelling to grow your inner strength and build community. I help people turn their life experiences into stories that engage, transform, and heal. Some folks do this for their own personal growth. Others do this work so they can learn how to talk about themselves in the context of their business. I know that stories can change lives because telling mine changed me. I believe every story matters, and I can’t wait to help you tell yours.

Favorite quote: “People will forget what you said.
People will forget what you did.
But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou

Woman who inspires her: Maya Angelou bc her journey from not speaking at all to finding her voice to becoming so fully and unapologetically herself reminds me that speaking our truth can help us heal.

Her story: My name is Tiera Simpson. After giving birth to my only child Amir Cincere I didn’t feel as beautiful, my skin was terrible my body was different. And being active duty with a newborn I didn’t have the time nor funds to get all dolled up. So, I had to use what I had my natural skin and natural products. Thus, became the creation of my skincare line. So Sincere Skin Care, inspired by my son’s name. Becoming his mom made me realize I was strong, brave, and beautiful even if I was Bare... no filters no makeup. And that’s the way I want my clients to feel both male and female. Providing them with quality skincare products made from ingredients you can pronounce and results you will see. Know that So Sincere Skin Care is devoted to helping you on your journey to clear skin.

Looking and feeling my best has helped me get through some of my darkest times and I want to spread the things I’ve learned about taking care of yourself inside and out.

Favorite quote: “Be kind, work hard , stay humble.”

Woman who inspires her: Benita Smith. My mother so brave and strong. Growing up watching her work ethic and faith her knowledge helped me feel the same way, even when things got hard for us she always went through those hard times gracefully.

Her story: I created a beauty brand to help inspire and lift up others! I base my whole brand around self confidence and empowerment building. I also give back by supporting breast cancer research through the sale of our Caren lashes, which are named after my mom who I lost to metastatic breast cancer. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this style are donated. I work in a male dominated industry (mining) and my business brings me so much joy! The kind messages and relationships I’ve built through my business, are nothing short of amazing! If I can inspire even just one woman to believe in herself, my mission has been accomplished!

I’d love to inspire other women by showing them that if you put your mind to something, you can achieve anything! I started my business on my own, without any real entrepreneurial experience, and have already built it into something incredibly special. Being that I am usually always the only female at my day job, I have also taken it upon myself to also become an advocate for women in the trades as well.

Favorite quote: My brand slogan is “Be yourself today, you look BEAUTIFUL like that.” It truly embodies everything that I stand for!

Woman who inspires her: My Mom is my main inspiration and the “why” behind what I’m doing with my business. She fought a courageous battle with stage four metastatic breast cancer, and sadly lost. I learned how to be strong and push forward with my ideas by learning from her. She was an incredible support to me, and always inspired me to take no shit from anyone. That I could always do what I set out to accomplish!

Her story: My name is Vanessa Choot and I've been running my hobby Lifestyle Blog ModernMixVancouver.com since 2008. As a lifelong Vancouverite, there’s a pride and joy that comes from being one of the first to discover something new in our city – and then sharing about that experience. Especially with a passion for supporting Canadian small businesses, I've kept my readers and followers in the know on local happenings, facilitating for the discovery and support of brands, businesses, and experiences (especially those run by women) available in our city. In fact, many well-loved and now-established Canadian brands attribute their first media interactions to being featured on Modern Mix Vancouver!

In 2018, my partner (now husband) and I both left our full-time corporate day jobs, and departed from Vancouver to travel for a year. We visited 25 countries during our 'world tour', beginning with Nicaragua and ending with New Zealand. Always one to share my experiences, I also shared about my year of travels on ModernMixTravel.com.

Upon returning back to Vancouver, I went immediately into starting my own marketing freelancing business, and now happily work with growing businesses in Vancouver on their photography, social media, and marketing strategy through Modern Mix Marketing.

Favorite quote: Don’t risk spending your life not doing what you want on the bet that you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.

Woman who inspires her: Jill Biden. For her passion and dedication to her work in education, for her ability to live a life both together and apart from her husband, for her focus on family.

Her story: About 2 months after first being introduced to stop motion I ordered some lighting and downloaded Life Lapse on my iPhone to try it out. The first video I ever shot was a circle of colored Sharpies spinning around! Soon after I downloaded Life Lapse, COVID-19 hit. I was out of a job and had more time on my hands than I knew what to do with. At this time I figured I might as well try to turn this little hobby into a career and started reaching out to brands. 

I gave myself 4 months to start making money and to my surprise, I got my first paid job almost exactly at the 4-month mark.

Stop motion is such a learning process. With each shoot, I get better, gain more confidence, and dig deeper into my creative mind to explore new and exciting ideas. I have had a chance to work with some brands that I have loved for years. It is so fun to visualize a shoot that reflects each brand’s aesthetic and watch it come to life!

I am working on building my business! I create photographs and stop motion animations for brands across the country. I would love to discover more female-led brands to work with to create some eye-catching content for digital advertisements and social media content.

Most influential woman in her life: Without a doubt, my mother. She is the most inspiring, creative, selfless person I have ever met and I am so lucky to have her there to support me in everything I do.

What female-led business inspires you? Honest — Not only is Jessica Alba absolutely amazing, she created a wellness brand where you can trust what you put on, in and around your body. Jessica used her platform to create a brand that you can trust has safe products and simple solutions. Along with the clean products Honest has developed, each year they donate millions of diapers to Baby2Baby. Jessica Alba and Honest is 10000% a brand I love to support

Her story: I was diagnosed with breast cancer while I was pregnant and also schooling at the same time all together but I made a breakthrough and decided to fight for my unborn child as well as my life. I have been discriminate against in so many ways because I have lymphoma on my left hand which was as a result of my cancer treatment, but you know what?
I AM A PERFECT WOMAN despite my ordeal. I made it through and since then I decided to support other women because a lot of women are going through life challenges and have no one to support them.

I’d like to share my story with women around the world and also like to let them know that they are never alone, life challenges doesn’t define us but what we decide to do with our situation can define us. We are stronger when we encourage each other as women.

Favorite quote: “Happiness is not a station you arrive at but a manner of traveling.” - Margaret Lee Runbeck

Woman who inspires her: Lisa Nichols - Her life story is similar to mine when growing up as a child, but listening to her speak motivates me a lot.

Her story: After graduating media, film and television studies in university I started working with my now husband Mark as his assistant film editor in several tv series. Our stop-motion journey though started with Lego, we have a massive collection of bricks, tiles, rare minifigures and in our own time, which was very limited, we were making Lego stop-motion movies even had a Youtube channel for it but we couldn’t maintain it so eventually stopped doing it. Then we had our daughter and I quickly realised that I no longer have desire to work in the film industry, I was burnt out. After that point it wasn’t fulfilling my creative needs and I wouldn’t be able to spend time with my child in her very important early ages, so I had my maternity leave and never returned back. Mark respected and fully supported my decision. 3 years later I was trying to build my own video/photography business. I started following creative accounts and searching for inspirations for my business plan then one day while scrolling through instagram I saw a stop-motion challenge post from Colette Peri in collaboration with Peak Design. I felt this urge to participate, I spoke to Mark and we came up with a concept, shoot it in one night, edit it the other night and post it. Then one morning we woke up to the news that we won the challenge. I was pretty sure that this was “the sign” I was waiting for, so after I had a one-on-one couching call with Colette, I decided to go for it. I asked Mark if he’d like to join me on this, he said “Yes!” and here we are again creating mostly stop-motion videos, imagery and videography in our little creative studio we built together.

Although I work hard and I’m confident with my work, I feel like I’m thriving with my partner that shares the same interests and has the same mindset with me. My partner Mark, he also happens to be my partner in life. I love the way we work together, always challenging and motivating each other. We’ve been working together, I don’t know since we met maybe. We are constantly dreaming and creating something: films, short films, stop-motions, photo shoots... Lately we put all our attention to Maze Visuals, our boutique creative studio where we make stop-motion animations, editorial imagery and videography for brands. Currently we are working on our website www.mazevisuals.com, you can also check out our instagram account @maze.visuals

Most influential woman in her life: Parents are the ultimate role models to their children. My mother, for sure, is the most influential woman in my life. She married and had me at a very young age so it was almost like we grew together. She taught me how important it is to listen and have my own voice when I speak. She constantly likes to challenge and educate herself in different areas and I find this truly inspiring.

I also have a group of college girl friends that I’m in touch with. We are literally located all around the world now and have our own busy lives but our whatsapp group is extremely active and it’s a little tribe of incredible 7 women. They always inspire me in many ways. We support, motivate and cheer each other. I’m forever grateful to have such strong, successful, creative and supportive women in my life to share every sorrow and celebrate every little win.

Female-founded brand that inspires her: I’m really, truly inspired by Weekend Creative lately. Arabella and Elle are doing a stupendous job managing their creative photography business, they are super organised and talented women, leading the industry. They are also producing high quality educational content and have a hilarious podcast about freelancing.

“Bravery Magazine” is another female-led business, a publication featuring strong female role models for kids. Ashley and Elyse are co-founders of this beautiful magazine. It’s not just a children's magazine, every issue is full of amazing illustrations and designs. I have so much respect for all these women having children, running a business and trying to make a difference.