Women-owned firms made up only 19.9% of all firms that employed people in the United States in 2018, according to the US Census, but their numbers are growing. Meet these incredible women in business in our community!
Mellisa McDaniel, the passionate owner of Inspiring Empathy, LLC, has always loved cooking and baking. Since childhood, Mellisa found cooking fascinating, and she saw it as a form of art
Jen Tinsley joined theClubhou.se to find a networking community of small business owners and entrepreneurs like herself. She has since opened FIELD Botanicals, an indie skincare and beauty store located in downtown Augusta.
In 2019, Tonia Gibbons left a comfortable check and a steady job as director of community relations and engagement in the City of Augusta mayor’s office. Her plan? To open her own PR consulting business. The COVID happened…
Catherine Bichard stumbled upon the Make Startups program as she searched for ways to utilize her skills and create a sustainable career. Inspired by the idea of starting her own business, she poured into the program, drawing upon the skills she had developed from her previous jobs. With the help of the Make Startups team, she transformed her passion into a reality.
“I give theClubhou.se credit for making my dream a reality,” says Cobb. “I knew I had a love for children, but I didn’t know all the paperwork necessary or the attitude I had to have going in to talk to people. It helped me realize it can be a career.”
“I have education, I have knowledge and I have skills, so I took that leap of faith and decided to start my own business.”
Relationships are the most important thing in any business, and that’s what theClubhou.se does. They not only make that possible, they make it easy.
“I feel better working from theClubhou.se versus working at home, I’m going to be more productive.”
“theClubhou.se filled the gap,” Ortiz says. “With the size of my business, there wasn’t another alternative. theClubhou.se was a perfect fit: It has the right amount of resources and price range that a small business like mine can afford.”
“theClubhou.se was the place that helped me realize that my business was no longer a hobby,” shared Jasmine.
As soon as Brittany Sherell walked in to theClubhou.se, she says, “I felt like this is what I was searching for—a space to work outside of my home, where I felt safe and that also had the functionality of an office space.”
“The problem Make Startups solved for me was the confidence and ability to start my business and get my first client,...now when I’m going through my business, I know what I’m doing."
“With Make Startups, I came to the realization that I didn’t really know what I didn’t know,” says Georgia Alexander of startup SOCA Vegan Kitchen. “Make Startups really helped out, so I was truly prepared.”
Tonia Gibbons, owner of Farr More and Associates, and graduate of Make Startups, officially launched her business last month at theClubhou.se.
Creating an opportunity is often better than waiting for one to come your way. During the beginning of the pandemic, Crystal Smith started a business and within three months she went part-time with her job. One year into entrepreneurship, she has a packed schedule and is no longer working for someone else.
Keisha Shields is the Leadership & Business Adviser that women executives turn to when they want to show up authentically with zero apologies. She understands value, recognizes accomplishments, and sees the potential in people to rise above others’ stigmatizing mentalities. She has set up shop at theClubhou.se!
