Her Life

One of the questions we are most often asked has to do with the 'give back' portion of our motto. People are intrigued by the notion and have a desire to do so, but still see it as something reserved only for non-profits or those not concerned with the 'bottom line'. Contrary to what some may think, Her Startup™ is a for-profit company, but while we recognize the importance of the bottom line, we also believe in doing more than just looking at it. Sometimes the best way to answer a question is to lead by example. The following is one example of one of how we live what we believe. We encourage others to join us in doing the same.

The first thing we did after moving to St. Louis was not launch a huge advertising campaign, but to see where we could be of help. St. Louis is a large metropolitan area, but we were looking for someone that shared our vision and had a heart for helping women. I soon met Kathy Lambert, founder of Connections to Success. Their mission - to empower individuals to achieve economic self-reliance via job training, career development and other programs. Their need - someone to help the clients that wanted to own their own business. After meeting some of the women and seeing that in spite of having faced many challenges, they were all committed to improving their lives, we decided to offer 90 Days to Launch© as a pilot program pro bono.

We meet every Saturday morning for twelve weeks and each week built upon the last. Various topics were covered and guest speakers were invited to share their expertise. The ladies were required to complete assignments stretching them beyond their comfort zone, including conducting market research and focus groups. The result - On November 1st, seven women graduated and have either launched their businesses or are in the process of doing so soon after. Her Startup™'s investment - our time. The ladies' investment - commitment and determination. The rewards for all involved - priceless.

In addition to receiving completion certificates, each woman received a gift bag to reward them for their hard work. Contributing sponsors included GMS Incentives, Susan Wilson Solovic/SBTV, Fugly Lab, PR Newswire, The InSpot, and WomenPartner Intl.

WE ARE PROUD TO INTRODUCE:

Anne Murray, Knights by Murray
Provider to Male Medical Professionals
After working several jobs, Anne decided to become her own boss and pursue a lifelong dream to become an entrepreneur. Drawing on experience from a previous employer, she saw a need not being met in the Medical and Healthcare industry and decided to develop Knights by Murray - a woman-owned company catering solely to male medical professionals.

Gwendolyn Foster, Set the Caged Bird Free, Inc.
Minister
Our vision is to help free those hurting and ensnared; those who are struggling with issues; and those who desire to be strengthened, so they become more productive in life. Workshops and seminars are offered to those having trouble with emotional or physical trauma, poor self-image, and self-destructing behaviors, helping them develop an inner vision and walk according to their God ordained destiny through bible-based teaching.

Jana Gamble, One World, One Race
Author, Cultural Diversity Speaker
Jana was born into an interracial family and raised by a single mother. She identifies herself to be an African-Mexican American woman, or easier said- HUMAN. She has written two books and is in the process of developing a line of books for children. Her writings seek to reunite humanity by changing perceptions and embracing differences, and promotes D.U.E.S. - Diversity, Unity, Equality, Spirituality.

Joyce Marchand, Inspire Me Photography
Inspirational and Commercial Photographer
Joyce prides herself on being able to capture each moment and make it an inspiration. She loves nature and is continuously inspired by God's creation. This inspiration carries over into her photos and has led her to combine her photography with inspirational sayings that range from being suitable for framing to bookmarks and other prints organizations can use for fundraisers.

Kari Pruitt, Kari of Denmark
Organization, Cleaning and Property Staging
Originally from Denmark, Kari prides herself on helping clients organize their homes and offices, and therefore their lives. She helps her clients de-stress and by doing so, enables them to focus on their families, the things that are important to them, and enjoy more of what life has to offer.

Kim Manoogian, Kim Manoogian, LLC
Certified Life Coach and Life Plan Facilitator
Kim draws upon her experiences as passion coach, corporate executive, and public speaker to empower others to discover their foundation true self and live in the freedom to express their passions and purpose. Single parenthood at a young age was a strong motivator for Kim to experience the lessons of life and develop the inner drive to live her passion. Her lessons along the way have written the story that Kim shares with audiences to encourage, inspire and illustrate to others that anything can happen with focus and passion.

Ronda Fitch My Kitchen to Yours
Home-cooked Baked Goods & Hosting Consultancy
Ronda is highly motivated, having recently graduated from Florissant Valley Community College with honors. She offers affordably priced baked goods and hosting services for families on-the-go with the goal of bringing families and friends back to the table. In addition, My Kitchen to Yours is also able to fulfill custom orders for small to medium size themed events, corporate gifting, and a select line of related accessories to aid clients in food preparation at home.