We sat down with Tia back in February at First Financial Bank to talk about the toll that planning, organizing, and prioritizing for others took on her mental, emotional, and physical health. And, more specifically, she talked to us about how she prepared for the loss of the corporate benefits she and her family relied on – healthcare, life insurance, employee assistance – as she prepared to leave a secure corporate job for the journey of entrepreneurship.
Read MoreDuring my time here I’ve spent hundreds of 12-hour days at my computer, fallen asleep on the Union Hall couches, taken home teeny-tiny paychecks, worked 5 extra jobs, cut off all my hair, and, painfully, grew it all back.
Read MoreWhen Jeannette Jones started out in finance in the 1980s, she couldn’t find a workplace that reflected her values or that appreciated her friendly and kind personality. So, she decided to create her own workplace where she could live her values and be her bubbly, lovely self. At the time, the Asset Advisory Group and its people-first attitude were considered unusual. But today, people-centered and value-driven financial planning companies are more and more common. By refusing to compromise on her vision or change her personality to fit the status quo, Jeannette was ahead of the curve.
Read MoreYou have everything inside of you to do whatever you feel like you're put on this earth to do, but you have to start. You have to take that first step; you have to try. You have to break away from the fear, which is terribly hard because you're going to fail. You're going to be laden with guilt because you've messed something up, or you've mixed up days and you've missed something. Or, you could not.
Read MoreTeaera specializes in cannabinoid medicine – often working with folks who are battling addictions to other substances. She opened Lotus Health when she recognized a need to treat patients holistically and search for the why’s behind their problems. Teaera set out to not only treat her patients as wholly human, but to use science as the backbone of her work as she challenges stereotypes. In everything that comes her way, Teaera never stops asking why.
Read MoreOn a chilly winter afternoon, we grabbed a latte at blaCk Coffee Lounge with Lisa Sloane, founder and C.E.O. of More Inclusive Healthcare. Lisa talked with us about her work improving the health of our country, and about how to establish your credibility at tables where you may not be invited to sit. She also gave some sage advice about staying true to yourself and your values, even with a quarter-million dollars on the line.
All the tea in the world comes from the exact same plant, Kathleen Kern informed me when we sat down to chat at the Rookwood location of her business, Churchill’s Fine Teas. I find this hard to believe as I survey the options available: The whole wall of the shop is devoted to a menu of more than 250 loose-leaf tea blends – green, black, oolong, and more. We covered Kathleen's tea journey up to this point, but it was clear that she has an exciting journey still ahead.
Read MoreSitting down to interview a female business owner on how she balances work and family is a little daunting. There’s the obvious question: Would we even be having this discussion if she were a man? And, how do we not make it sound like a version of the book I Don’t Know How She Does It – part awe and part comedy? Talking with Jackie Roberto, founder and partner of Madison Design, the importance of having these authentic conversations becomes clear. Over a glass of wine (but, of course) at Hotel Covington, Jackie candidly shares how she creates space for herself, her family, and her business. Sometimes it’s rocky; sometimes it’s smooth. But it’s all worth it.
Read MoreMichelle’s studio is the result of a desire to uplift others and share confidence with everyone who walks through her door, and it shows. My chat with Michelle was memorable, enthusiastic, and even a bit emotional. And you better believe I tucked a few of her quotes away for days I need a little reminder that I, indeed, am capable of most anything.
Read MoreWomen of Cincy began on a whim on January 20, 2017, as a way to document stories from the Cincinnati Women’s March. We were a few 20-somethings with cameras, recorders, and an Instagram account. We had no idea what we were creating, how much it would evolve, or how much it would change our lives.
Since that day, we’ve reached over 93,000 people, graduated 18 students from our residency program, expanded our volunteer team beyond 70 people, and so much more.
Read MoreAhh, the holidays! It’s the time of year when we get to spend quality time with our friends and families, eat lots of good food, curl up with our pets, and buy a bunch of presents for people we love.
Gift-giving is already something we put a lot of money and energy in. But it’s even more stressful when you’re trying to be an ethical shopper and a sustainability advocate. Luckily, Cincinnati has shops that offer low-waste, responsibly made items that anyone on your list would be thrilled to receive.
Read MoreKatie Taylor knew right away that she needed to surround herself with the right people if her business, Untold Content, was going to survive the early stages of growth – as her family grew, too. We sat down with Katie at Iris Book Cafe in O.T.R. not long after the start of the school year to talk about how she built her team, how she finds the right fit, and how they’ve grown together over the past three years.
Read MoreThe name “Rosie” just insists on optimism, and Rosie Kovacs was aptly named, for sure. She embodies entrepreneurial determination and a pure force of will to create opportunities and get things done. The C.E.O. of Sew Valley co-founded the nonprofit company in 2017, alongside C.O.O. Shailah Maynard, with the goal of bringing resources to apparel designers and entrepreneurs. The journey, of course, was anything but predictable. She shared with us the ups and downs of stepping away from her and life partner, Hayes’, venture, Brush Factory; the good, the bad, and the ugly that is the fashion industry; and more.
Read MoreSherry Sims went looking for a mentor early in her career. She was ready to grow and make moves, but she struggled to find someone who could help guide her.
Read MoreSome entrepreneurs have everything planned out, and when the time comes, they’re ready. As we sit in a tiny Oakley duplex surrounded by stacks of pads, perineal sprays, sitz, and more, Jess Kerr tells us she was not one of those entrepreneurs.
The postwell journey started with a moment of frustration on behalf of a friend struggling through postpartum recovery. What came next can only be explained through the perfect storm of a viral internet story, a stack of plain white boxes, and a woman determined to solve a problem.
Read MoreKirsten Moorefield never intended to start a tech company. Yet here she is, the co-founder and C.O.O. of Cloverleaf, an H.R. tech platform that allows individuals and employees to be their best selves both at work and at home. She sat down with us at Rhinegeist Brewery – back where it all began in 2015 – to chat about her journey as a tech entrepreneur; the many, many challenges along the way; finding her support network; and what it means to be a female leader in this space.
Read MoreMy favorite people are those who tell it like it is, and Khisha Asubuhi is no exception. At 5’11’’, she’s fierce inside and out, but she’s as real as it gets, and you find yourself instantly at home chatting with her. We sat down with the owner of Originalitees just a few weeks after the company celebrated 10 years in business to chat about Khisha’s journey of entrepreneurship, dreams for the future, and being more than “just a T-shirt shop.”
Read MoreNeon lights. Bright stripes. Smashed fine china. Every detail of Homemaker’s Bar draws you in and tells a story. We sat down with co-owners Catherine Manabat and Julia Petiprin approximately one month after the bar’s opening to chat about what it’s like to be a woman in the hospitality industry, the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and how two L.A. ladies ended up falling in love with Cincinnati.
Read MoreLike many who grew up in Cincinnati, Dani Isaacsohn left the city as a young adult. He attended Yale and Georgetown University, moved to D.C., and worked on both the Obama and Clinton campaigns. With a budding career in politics and law, Dani found his way back to his familial roots in Cincinnati. Inspired by his work on the campaign trail, he started CoHear, an organization focused on connecting everyday experts with local decision-makers. Together, they work to create innovative solutions to local issues that will positively impact all community members.
Read MoreCole Imperi is also a varied tapestry: She writes and hosts podcasts and runs two small businesses; she’s a teacher; and she’s trained in both yoga and typeface design. She is, first and foremost, a thanatologist – a person who studies death and dying. Her passions come together and coalesce in her work here in the Cincinnati area, through her work at the Lloyd Library and Museum as a research fellow, and more. At the vineyards, Cole and I talked about life, death, grieving, and growing.
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