Running a thriving business takes drive, determination, and a whole lot of hustle! We’re spotlighting seven savvy entrepreneurs whose immense success proves how a little belief and a big leap of faith can land you a leading role in your own life. Looking to recalibrate your career path? Let their accomplishments be your compass.
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JOY M.Hutton
Houston, TX
ON THE GO GLAM
FOUNDER
MY BUSINESS: on the go GLAM is an on-demand platform that delivers beauty services to men and women in the comfort of their home, office, or hotel. Although we are a consumer-facing platform, it is also important for us to show our providers they are valued through training and development and various incentives.
IN THE BEGINNING: In November 2016, I was attending an event in LA and I wanted my makeup done. It was 7 in the morning and I did not have any options because everything was closed. I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be great if there were an app where I could book an artist to come to my hotel?” This is when on the go GLAM was born. Prior to starting on the go GLAM I was running my first business, Joy of Consulting, a management consult-ing firm that helps institutions with their organizational structure.
MOST REWARDING: I love to see others win! A large part of why I am so passionate about on the go GLAM is not only helping consumers reclaim their time, but developing a strong workforce of beauty professionals. My goal is to give them the tools they need to be successful.
DEFINING BEAUTY: Beauty is embracing what’s on the inside and exuding those traits on the out-side through confidence, strength, power, and sensuality.
ELYSSA (LYSS) Stern
New York, NY
DIVA MOMS
FOUNDER, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, AND “MOM-PRENEUR”
DivaMoms.com, Kadoodle.Kids.com, ChamamaNYC.com
MY BUSINESS: Diva Moms is a multi-platform marketing company that connects brands to a specific type of mom: professional, socially aware, sophisticated, and family oriented. I’ve built a network of incredible mothers from all around the world through social, email, events and traditional media.
Kadoodle Kids is a venture launched last year with two friends, Pam Mandell and Jodi Okun, that makes educational, tactile activities for kids to inspire their imagination and creativity in a time when digital connection is removing those ever-important development opportunities. We’ve started with a design kit for kids that lets children design their own masks, dolls, and stuffed animals.
I’m about to debut Chamama, a more “grown-up” gift box people can send to loved ones and friends suffering illness during the pandemic with my COVID doula Liza Maltz. The boxes come with items like teas, CBD oil, dream water, candles, bath products, and other products to make anyone battling sickness smile—we call it a “hug in a box.” I also started a mom’s-time-out/off-the-grid retreat business with Wendy Siegel for busy moms who need to escape for a weekend to recharge their batteries.
IN THE BEGINNING: I’ve always been someone who can identify the needs and wants for people like me, find niches in the marketplace, and create communities and companies that fill the void. Diva Moms was born out of a lack of reasonable, sensible forms for women dealing with children and family to stay true to themselves. It started out as a forum for women to share their experiences and honest, uplifting, and useful advice and perspectives. That evolved into a marketing company that connected brands to this audience.
MOST REWARDING: So many! First and foremost, it’s knowing I’m filling needs in people’s lives with the products and programs I’ve designed. It’s knowing that parents can give their kids something fun and imaginative to do during the pandemic that is not on a screen, as well as knowing I’ve created a way for people to send thoughtful, curated gifts to friends and family members struggling with illness. It’s also knowing I’ve built a way for women to join a community where they can give and receive honest and real advice and inspiring messages and support. Finally, it’s giving my kids a living example of entrepreneurship. I want them to see that if you use your mind, effort, and passion, you can do anything.
DEFINING BEAUTY: Seeing the good and potential in others, and thinking beyond yourself!
SABINA Hitchen
Portland, ME
PRESS FOR SUCCESS
FOUNDER AND CEO
MY BUSINESS: At PressforSuccess.com we give small business owners, entrepreneurs, experts, authors, and coaches access to publicity education, tools, and resources—all online and for under $40/month—so they can get press for their businesses and themselves strategically, efficiently, and confidently. We educate and empower them to get in the news, build buzz, and leverage that into business growth and sales.
IN THE BEGINNING: You can be the best at what you do—the best graphic designer a yoga instructor, cupcake maker, accountant, fashion designer, you name it! But if nobody knows your business exists or why they should choose you instead of your competition, you simply will not thrive or even survive as a business owner these days. So, how do you figure out publicity and marketing when you’re not trained in that space?
That’s why I created this online platform—because there was no resource or easy way for a business owner to get publicity unless they were hiring a PR agency (which is fantastic if you have the budget) or they are simply Googling it. I knew there had to be a better way, so I created it.
In a way, this path feels preordained. Just like BELLA’s Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Coppes, I used to be an educator and actually designed education curriculum for high school students. I then moved to New York City on a whim and in my New York chapter, I worked in publicity and eventually opened a PR agency. The evolution to making publicity accessible and educating entrepreneurs on how to do it just felt really natural and meant to be!
MOST REWARDING: Seeing the way the press our students have been able to attain has changed their businesses and their lives. At this point, we’ve had over 4,000 business owners download our classes, and many of those have resulted in press success. Seeing those things happen lights me up every time. Knowing they now know how to do something tremendously important for their business is exciting to be a part of!
DEFINING BEAUTY: Glowing from the inside out because you know you are special, unique, and purpose-filled, and you love yourself for it—all of you. It’s all part of the same vessel. Women who love themselves and honor their value—who celebrate every part of their body and love it—they truly do glow with a special kind of beauty!
AMINAH Sagoe
New York, NY
EMMAUS BEAUTY
CEO AND FOUNDER
MY BUSINESS: Emmaus is a woman- and Black-owned skincare company dedicated to celebrating all skin types and complexions, and is committed to using professional quality, high-performance, and effective ingredients designed to improve the skin. All products are proudly made in the USA.
IN THE BEGINNING: I worked as a financial analyst prior to entering the world of beauty, but skincare has always been my passion. When my friends were spending money on clothes and makeup, I was spending money on skincare. As much as I loved skincare, I didn’t think I would actually own a skincare company, but I started to consider it when I realized how difficult it was to find clean and effective, yet affordable products. Long story short, Emmaus was born.
MOST REWARDING: I have dealt with a lot of skin issues in the past, and I know what it did to my self-esteem. I find it rewarding being able to help women (and men) achieve clear and healthy skin they are comfortable in.
DEFINING BEAUTY: Beauty has nothing to do with physical appearance. Beauty is within, and that which is within flows out for all to see. I would define beauty as kindness to all humanity.
EUNICE E. Park MD, MPH
Syosset, NY
AIREM
FOUNDER AND CEO
MY BUSINESS: AIREM is named after the Korean word for beauty. The brand is based on the concept of “gwallee”—a centuries-old Korean principle of maintaining a self-care regimen that helps us take care of our wellness and beauty with purpose and intention. AIREM offers medical-grade skincare, aesthetic treatments, beauty retreats, and aesthetic surgery in a brand new state-of-the-art facility designed to balance the Eastern and Western principles of beauty.
OUR MISSION: Nurture your spirit. Renew your beauty. Empower your confidence. Inspired by the benefits of Western medicine and the principles of Korean beauty, AIREM aims to make you feel good so you can find your great.
IN THE BEGINNING: After years of surgical training, practicing in a traditional medical practice, and becoming a surgical partner in one of the largest group practices in the northeast, I realized what I had worked so hard to achieve was no longer exactly what I wanted. I envisioned creating a practice that offered the best of Western and Eastern aesthetic beauty treatments in an environment that nurtured timeless self-care rituals in a collective beauty experience.
Navigating the construction and launch of AIREM in November of 2020 during the COVID pandemic was one of the most difficult and challenging experiences of my life. It pushed me to grow and develop as a leader. I learned that even the best laid plans can falter. In this new pandemic environment, working toward our goal required flexibility with limited resources and creativity in achieving our milestones.
Once we opened our doors, the outpouring of support was overwhelming. Visitors to AIREM felt transported to a calm, soothing, and nurturing environment that prioritized their well-being. It has been a special experience sharing my vision of beauty and self-care with our community.
MOST REWARDING: The most rewarding aspect of what I do is to help guide physical and emotional transformations. Whether it is a patient seeking balance and restoration after facial skin cancer treatment, a mother looking for a moment of self-care and rejuvenation, or someone seeking advice on taking the next steps in their aesthetic journey, as a facial plastic surgeon, I can offer the full range of non-surgical to surgical treatments that can be customized and tailored to each individual’s needs.
DEFINING BEAUTY: Beauty is portraying the best version of ourselves. It comes with the acceptance of our greatest features and our flaws.
ANNA Guanche MD, FAAD
Calabasas, CA
BELLA SKIN INSTITUTE
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR
MY BUSINESS: At Bella Skin Institute, we specialize in cosmetic dermatology and anti-aging beauty enhancements utilizing state-of-the-art skin rejuvenation procedures, laser surgery, and injectables. We also take care of medical conditions and diseases of the skin.
I understand there is a constant need for learning and growth in the field, so I’m always seeking methods to improve care for our valued patients, meet their needs, and give them “next level results” with minimal down-time. My company is full of powerful women who all work together to serve our patients, from teens to CEOs, to moms. We cater to everyone and make sure they feel seen, heard, and taken care of.
IN THE BEGINNING: Before opening up Bella Skin Institute, I was working at a private practice in Thousand Oaks. I enjoyed my time there, I learned a lot, and I loved the patients. However, I wanted a practice of my own, where I could choose what procedures we offer and design the look and feel of the place from scratch. I also wanted to be very close to home when my children were young. Indeed, the practice was set up within five minutes of where we lived at the time. This reduced my commute and wasting time in LA traffic.
MOST REWARDING: It’s building connections with my patients and helping them to look and feel their most radiant! It is truly an honor and a blessing to increase my patients’ self confidence and help them feel as good on the outside as they do on the inside. My work is about exchanging energy, lifting people up, encouraging, and inspiring. Imperfections that people focus on tend to cause them to feel diminished. When these are removed or improved, people feel confident and empowered.
DEFINING BEAUTY: As Audrey Hepburn said, “Beauty is being the best possible version of yourself, both inside and out.” Beauty is a set of alluring features—yes—but it is so much more than that. It is the energy, aura, smile, and eye contact. It is confidence. So many times throughout my day I realize that I am not adding to beauty as much as I am unleashing inhibitions caused by insecurity and shame. When one is ashamed of themselves—because of acne or excess hair or a distracting mole, or because they feel “old”— they do not allow their energy, smile, poise, and confidence to shine through. I am only allowing people to reveal their best selves. Beauty is confidence.
ELIZABETH Santiago
Brooklyn, NY
CELEBRITAY NEW YORK, INC.
CEO AND HEAD SKINCARE CHEMIST
MY BUSINESS: We offer s ustainable and environmentally friendly skincare formulations and health and wellness coaching services that promote self-love and a time for yourself experience.
IN THE BEGINNING: Before becoming an entrepreneur, I was in college pursuing a science degree in chemistry and biology and continued my education in pediatrics. I had two amazing little girls and was married at the time. Around 1995, I discovered melt and pour soap-making. At first, it was just something fun for me to do. I researched the ingredients on the soap labels and was horrified to learn how toxic most of them were. I decided to learn how to make soap from scratch and nourish them with herbs that I extensively researched and scented them with essential oil. I started sharing my soap creations with people and they would come back asking me if my soap had some sort of medicine because they instantaneously felt relief from their skin ailments like dry skin, psoriasis, eczema, etc.
In 1998, I became a part-time solo entrepreneur. We got pregnant with our third child in 2002 and something told me I needed to pursue a different career. I remembered how people felt about my handmade soaps and the incredible feeling I had hearing them say that about something I created from love. Helping them live a happier life made me immediately realie what I had to do—finish my BS degree in botany. I developed a formula with sustainable and eco-friendly healing botanicals and superfoods, and CeleBritAy New York, Inc. was born.
MOST REWARDING: That we are a beauty company that offers both sustainable green skincare products and health and wellness coaching services to help people achieve the radiant skin and lifestyle they want and deserve.
DEFINING BEAUTY: It’s something that you are proud of, flaws and all.
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