Meet the Nominees

Alyssa is the owner of The Child Inspired, a pediatric speech-language therapy private practice serving children and families throughout Huntersville and the Lake Norman community. Her vision is centered on creating a practice where children feel supported, parents feel heard, and the professionals who serve them feel genuinely valued. She built her company from the ground up. Alyssa founded The Child Inspired in 2020 with a dream of creating something meaningful for herself and her family. For the first five years, she operated the company entirely on her own, driving throughout the Charlotte area to provide therapy in homes and preschools. Along the way, she welcomed her two sons, Miles and Oliver, who have become the heart behind her “why.” She transformed a solo practice into a growing team. This past year, Alyssa hired four speech-language pathologists and began developing new programs that extend beyond one-on-one therapy. Under her leadership, The Child Inspired has become a trusted resource for local families seeking compassionate, individualized support for their children. She believes relationships are essential to a child’s development. Alyssa is trained in DIR/Floortime, a relationship-based approach to supporting children’s communication development. She believes parents play a key role in developing their child’s language skills, so she has built a team that helps families understand how to encourage that growth at home and incorporate it into everyday life. She brings services directly into the community. Alyssa partners with schools and provides therapy within community settings, making speech and language support more accessible to children and families. She recognizes that meaningful change happens when professionals meet families where they are, and she has made that accessibility an important part of her practice. She is building a better workplace for speech-language pathologists. Alyssa believes deeply in her team and what they are capable of achieving. She is intentionally creating a company where SLPs can build meaningful careers while still having fulfilling lives outside of work, because she believes work-life balance should be the bare minimum, not a luxury. She supports her employees’ professional growth and fosters a culture where they feel trusted, encouraged, and appreciated. She leads with compassion and purpose. Alyssa understands that a successful practice is only as strong as the people behind it, but she never loses sight of why the business exists: to make a difference in the lives of children and their families. As The Child Inspired continues to grow, so will its ability to influence how children receive care, how families experience therapy, and how professionals can build careers that prioritize both people and purpose. Alyssa represents the kind of leadership the Lake Norman community needs—entrepreneurial, compassionate, community-minded, and committed to creating meaningful change. She is building a lasting legacy of support for children, families, and the professionals who serve them.

Amanda is a business owner, coach, firefighter, private security professional, caregiver, speaker, and community builder whose work centers on helping people become stronger for real life. She is the founder of The Rock ecosystem in Statesville, an integrated destination where fitness, recovery, nourishment, preparedness, and community come together. She transformed a neglected building into a place where people can rebuild. While advocating for her husband as he navigated multiple sclerosis and access to disability support, Amanda took on a rundown, dilapidated property in Statesville and gave it an entirely new purpose. She transformed it into a space where people can work out, recover, relax, refuel, and connect with others. She created an entire wellness ecosystem around real-life needs. The Rock brings together three businesses: The Rock 24-hour fitness center, Bell Haven Spa, and Anchor Point Café. Guided by the philosophy Train. Recover. Refuel., each business is open to the public and designed to make health and wellness practical, approachable, and accessible. She makes fitness adaptable to the person in front of her. At The Rock, Amanda develops programs for beginners, women, busy professionals, first responders, athletes, and individuals rebuilding after illness, injury, burnout, or major life changes. Her approach includes mobility, breathwork, recovery, confidence, and sustainable systems that can adjust to the realities of each person’s life. She recognizes that recovery is an essential part of strength. Through Bell Haven Spa, Amanda provides and develops recovery-focused services including bodywork, infrared sauna, cold plunge, red-light therapy, breathwork, mobility, sound therapy, compression, and nervous-system support. She created a place where people can slow down, care for their bodies, and gain tools for managing physical and emotional stress. She created a gathering place for the community. Anchor Point Café extends Amanda’s mission through handcrafted coffee, functional beverages, wellness ingredients, thoughtfully prepared food, and a welcoming atmosphere. It gives members, local professionals, and community residents a place to gather, work, connect, and support a locally owned business. Her work as a firefighter and security professional shapes the way she leads. These roles strengthened Amanda’s commitment to preparedness, personal protection, emergency response, and remaining calm during difficult circumstances. She uses that experience to educate others in personal safety, firearms, emergency readiness, tactical wellness, and first-responder fitness. Her understanding of strength is deeply personal. As a caregiver to her husband, who lives with multiple sclerosis, Amanda understands the physical, emotional, and logistical realities of building a life around circumstances that cannot always be controlled. That experience influences every program she creates and every person she coaches. She believes people need solutions that work in real homes, real businesses, and real bodies—not systems dependent on perfect circumstances. She turns knowledge into practical tools. As a speaker, educator, content creator, and program developer, Amanda creates fitness and recovery programs, breathwork resources, personal-protection education, women’s preparedness initiatives, chronic-health conversations, workshops, community events, and digital learning opportunities. Across every project, her goal is to give people information they can use immediately. She steps into every part of the work. On any given day, Amanda may lead a business meeting, coach a client, provide bodywork, develop a new program, work behind the café counter, plan a community event, repair something inside the facility, or care for her husband. She does not lead from a distance; she works alongside the people around her. She supports other small businesses whenever she can. Amanda is known for recognizing gaps and finding ways to fill them. That same mindset shapes how she encourages local entrepreneurs, creates opportunities for collaboration, and helps other small businesses gain visibility and succeed. Amanda does not define success by appearing to have everything perfectly balanced. She defines it by responding to real needs, building something meaningful, and continuing to move forward through changing seasons. Her philosophy captures the way she lives and leads: “I solve real problems with real systems. Strength over struggle. Real life over perfection.” Through The Rock, Bell Haven Spa, Anchor Point Café, her public-safety service, and her personal example, Amanda is building a community where people can become healthier, more capable, better prepared, and increasingly confident in their ability to handle real life. Her resilience, resourcefulness, and commitment to meeting people where they are make her truly deserving of this recognition.

Amanda Wise is strengthening the nonprofit community across Charlotte and the Lake Norman region by connecting local organizations with the people, businesses, resources, and funders that can help them grow. As Director of Nonprofit Partnerships at SHARE Charlotte, she turns relationships into measurable community impact while helping nonprofit leaders feel supported, visible, and equipped to fulfill their missions. She helps hundreds of nonprofits expand their impact. SHARE Charlotte partners with over 800 local nonprofits through a free platform where organizations can share their missions, current needs, employment opportunities, and ways for the public to volunteer or give. Amanda serves as a trusted resource for those organizations, helping them gain visibility and develop connections that move their work forward. She connects nonprofit leaders with practical resources. Through SHARE SHINE capacity-building programs, Amanda supports professional-development workshops, SHARE-a-Latte networking events, nonprofit resources, and opportunities for collaboration. She also helps organizations utilize Do Good Work job postings and access the tools, programming, and relationships they need to strengthen their operations. She helps mobilize the entire community around giving. Through campaigns such as Do Good Week, Shop for Good, and Giving Tuesday, SHARE Charlotte has helped generate millions of dollars in donations and thousands of volunteer connections. Amanda plays an important role in connecting nonprofits with corporate partners, community supporters, and individuals who are ready to help. She strengthens organizations by investing in their leaders. Nonprofit teams are often expected to address enormous community needs with limited resources. Amanda understands that helping leaders build their skills, relationships, and capacity allows their organizations to serve more effectively. When she equips one nonprofit professional, the benefits reach every person that organization supports. Her commitment to service extends far beyond her professional role. Amanda serves on the Board of Directors for Arts For Life, which provides educational art programs to pediatric patients and families experiencing serious illness or disability at Jeff Gordon Children’s Center and Levine Children’s Hospital. Through art and music, these programs help reduce stress and anxiety, provide a sense of normalcy, and support families during difficult medical journeys. She is part of a powerful circle of women supporting women and children. As a member of the 50 Fabulous Women’s Giving Circle, Amanda joins other women in pooling their financial contributions, resources, and influence to support local nonprofits serving women and children throughout the greater Charlotte area. Her volunteer service has earned meaningful recognition. Amanda received the STAR Volunteer Award from Charlotte Family Housing for her dedicated work helping families overcome homelessness and move toward long-term housing stability and financial independence. She has turned personal loss into continued service. This summer, Amanda completed her 12th mission trip with Samaritan’s Feet, helping provide shoes to children in need. She carries out this ongoing service in memory of her father, whom she unexpectedly lost to suicide. She courageously advocates for mental-health awareness. Drawing from her own experience with suicide loss, Amanda works to reduce stigma and encourage honest conversations about mental health, grief, and resilience. By speaking openly, she helps others feel less isolated and creates space for people to seek support without shame. Amanda’s influence is multiplied through others. She builds platforms, opens doors, facilitates introductions, and gives community leaders the connections and resources they need to create change. Her impact can be seen in the nonprofits that gain visibility, the volunteers who discover opportunities to serve, the families who find support, and the organizations positioned to reach even further. Amanda leads with purpose, generosity, and a genuine belief in the power of collective action. Her success is reflected not only in what she accomplishes personally, but also in everything she enables others to accomplish. That ripple effect makes her exactly the kind of leader the She Means Business Gala was created to celebrate.

Amber founded Carolina Crafts On Tap seven years ago with a trailer, a willingness to learn, and a vision for creating a better way to celebrate. At the time, mobile bartending was still largely unfamiliar across North and South Carolina, and there was no established roadmap to follow. Amber learned the licensing, logistics, and relationship-building side of the industry one event at a time, transforming a one-woman operation into the largest mobile bar company in North Carolina. She built Carolina Crafts On Tap into an industry leader. What began as one of only three mobile bar companies operating in the state has grown into a thriving business employing 25 people, expanding into new markets, and helping define what professional mobile bar service can look like. Her entrepreneurial spirit began long before Carolina Crafts On Tap. In high school, Amber participated in DECA marketing competitions and Junior Achievement, where she sold products at Notre Dame football games. Looking back, those early experiences were signs of the entrepreneurial drive that would eventually lead her to build a company of her own. She has earned recognition at both the local and national levels. Early in her career, Amber was named a Top 30 Under 30 Future Business Leader of Charlotte. In 2025, Carolina Crafts On Tap was recognized as one of Charlotte’s Top 20 Small Businesses, reflecting the company’s continued growth and influence. She established one of the most celebrated brands in the wedding and hospitality industries. Carolina Crafts On Tap has been named a “Best Of” winner by both The Knot and Zola for multiple consecutive years and has earned a place in The Knot’s Hall of Fame. Amber and her company have also been featured in 12 magazines, with published work highlighting the team’s creativity, professionalism, and impact within the events industry. She uses her experience to strengthen the hospitality community. Amber serves as Vice President of Membership for ILEA Charlotte and holds a position on the National Board of NACE for Membership Retention. Through these leadership roles, she helps build professional connections, support fellow industry members, and strengthen the organizations serving event and hospitality professionals. She turned devastating personal loss into a lasting force for good. After losing her sister, Tammy, to an aggressive form of breast cancer at only 42 years old, Amber committed herself to raising awareness and supporting others affected by the disease. She continually gives her time, resources, and platform to breast cancer organizations throughout the Charlotte area, including Carolina Breast Friends and Go Jen Go. She raised $7,500 in her sister’s honor. As a 2024 Carolina Breast Friends Big Wig, Amber wore a pink wig throughout the month of May while raising awareness and funds for the organization. Her campaign allowed her to honor Tammy’s memory while helping provide meaningful support to people facing breast cancer. She continually reinvests her success into the community. Through nonprofit leadership, event sponsorships, charitable partnerships, and the resources of Carolina Crafts On Tap, Amber consistently looks for ways to support the people and organizations around her. She has built a company with the reach to make a difference, and she intentionally uses that influence for good. Amber represents the very best of small-business leadership. She built something from nothing through hard work, persistence, and relationships; grew it into an industry leader through consistency and care; and then used that success as a platform to serve others in honor of someone she deeply loved. Amber’s story stands out not only because of what she built, but because of what she chose to do with it. She has turned personal loss into purpose while leading a company that now helps define mobile bar service in North Carolina. Her proven entrepreneurship, industry leadership, and unwavering commitment to giving back make her truly deserving of this recognition.

Amy Jolly is the founder of The Outpost, a welcoming Lake Norman gathering place built around local goods, great coffee, creativity, service, and the belief that everyone deserves a place to belong. Her journey to entrepreneurship has included tremendous loss, serious health challenges, and countless reasons to stop, but Amy continued moving forward because she believed her vision could make a meaningful difference for others. Her career has always been rooted in community. Amy spent 11 years at UNC Charlotte developing programs that connected alumni, students, and community members. Her work included events, service projects, awards programs, student achievement ceremonies, and scholarship fundraising in partnership with local organizations. Through that experience, she saw how thoughtfully created spaces and shared experiences could bring people together. Entrepreneurship began as a way to connect with her daughter. During COVID, Amy was navigating life in a new city, caring for a new baby, and helping her older daughter transition into middle school. She launched the online apparel brand Outsiders & Co. with her daughter, turning increased screen time into something creative and productive. What began as a project during an uncertain season became a meaningful mother-daughter venture and Amy’s introduction to building a business of her own. She continued building through unimaginable personal challenges. Amy faced several life-altering health issues, including emergency open-heart surgery. At the same time, she supported her mother through stage 4 ovarian cancer and endured the unexpected loss of her father, whom she describes as her best friend. After losing both parents within a short period, Amy continued showing up for her children, her work, and the community she hoped to create. The Outpost began with a need Amy could not find anywhere else. After years of fostering connection through her career, she wanted to bring that same sense of community to Lake Norman. She envisioned a place where people could shop from local makers, enjoy coffee, participate in events, and feel genuinely welcomed without needing to fit a certain mold. She built The Outpost around the realities of everyday life. Amy wanted mothers to have a place where they could meet friends without apologizing if their children were loud or messy. She wanted local makers and small businesses to have a platform for their work. Most importantly, she wanted people from different backgrounds and stages of life to have a comfortable place to gather, create, talk, and connect. She refused to let another health crisis end the dream. Amy signed the lease for The Outpost in April 2025. Just one month later, she suffered a heart attack. Even while recovering in the hospital, she continued reviewing and approving architectural and construction plans because she believed the vision was bigger than herself. She persevered through a difficult opening season. Following four months of construction delays, The Outpost opened in November 2025. Amy was starting a new business from scratch while entering the busiest retail season of the year, but she continued investing her time, energy, and resources into the space, its team, and its customers. Even as the business has worked to establish itself, Amy has continued reinvesting in its future rather than taking a salary. The space she created for others became the community she needed, too. In 2026, The Outpost grew into a place of connection, belonging, creativity, and support. What Amy originally set out to build for Lake Norman became an important part of her own healing...a reminder that community can carry people through seasons they were never meant to face alone. Giving back is built into The Outpost’s purpose. Amy is committed to ensuring there will always be a way to support others through the business. The Outpost’s events and initiatives have benefited The Heartest Yard, collected hats and wigs for cancer patients, supported earthquake relief efforts in Colombia, provided school supplies to students, and gathered Christmas toys for local children. Amy may not measure her success through a long list of traditional awards or accolades. She measures it through the people who find connection inside The Outpost, the local makers and businesses given an opportunity to grow, the causes receiving much-needed support, and the community members who walk through the doors and know they are welcome. Amy’s story is one of extraordinary resilience, but it is also a story of generosity. Through grief, health emergencies, business delays, and financial sacrifice, she continued creating the space she believed her community needed. Sometimes the greatest accomplishment is not what someone builds for herself. It is what she builds that gives everyone else a place to belong.

Andrea Howe Sparr, DMSc, PA-C, has transformed her healthcare career into a growing platform for education, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and community impact. As a board-certified dermatology physician assistant, author, speaker, creator, and founder of Equity Under the Sun™, she has built her work around a clear belief: healthcare education should extend beyond the walls of the clinic and remain accessible to everyone. Her journey reflects the power of continued growth. Andrea began her healthcare career as a surgical technologist before returning to school to become a physician assistant and ultimately earning her Doctor of Medical Science. Today, she is a board-certified dermatology physician assistant with over 16 years of healthcare experience and was named Best of Gaston County Physician Assistant in 2026. She identified a gap in healthcare education and took action. In 2026, Andrea founded Equity Under the Sun™, an initiative dedicated to making skin cancer prevention, early detection, and sun-safety education inclusive and accessible for people of every skin tone. Her work specifically addresses communities that have historically been overlooked or underrepresented in traditional skin cancer messaging. She brings vital information directly into the community. Andrea has created educational resources, events, partnerships, and sun-safety initiatives designed to reach people outside traditional clinical settings. By making dermatology and skin-health information approachable and practical, she helps individuals better understand their risks and take proactive steps to protect their health. She built her initiative while continuing to practice full-time. Andrea balances her clinical career in dermatology with entrepreneurship, education, advocacy, speaking, content creation, and community outreach. Her ability to turn professional expertise into meaningful public resources demonstrates both her work ethic and her commitment to creating change. She uses her voice across multiple platforms. Andrea is the author of Biopsies, Botox, & Bias, a book exploring dermatology, healthcare, and the experiences that shaped her career and advocacy. As a professional speaker, she addresses dermatology, skin cancer prevention, health equity, personal branding, career development, burnout and resilience, and building a career beyond traditional healthcare roles. She makes healthcare education accessible online. Through social media and other digital platforms, Andrea translates complex dermatology and skin-health information into content the public can understand and apply. She uses her growing presence to reach people who may never encounter this education inside a medical office. She contributes to leadership within the healthcare community. As a member of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society Board, Andrea helps advocate for meaningful physician and physician assistant engagement, professional education, mentorship, and stronger connections between healthcare professionals and the communities they serve. She shows women that a career does not have to fit into one box. Andrea demonstrates that it is possible to be a clinician, entrepreneur, author, speaker, creator, and community advocate while continuing to build alongside a traditional career. Her journey encourages other women to reject narrow definitions of professional success and remain open to education, reinvention, and ambition at every stage. She is committed to creating opportunities for others. One of Andrea’s greatest goals is to use the platform she is building to support young women who may not yet see themselves represented in healthcare, entrepreneurship, leadership, or business. She wants them to recognize that they belong in those spaces and have the ability to create paths of their own. What distinguishes Andrea is her willingness to turn ideas into action. When she identifies a need, she begins building a solution, whether that means developing accessible educational materials, creating community initiatives, forming partnerships, or using her voice to advocate for people who have been left out of the conversation. Andrea is still expanding the table and creating new opportunities to educate, advocate, collaborate, and lead. Her clinical expertise, entrepreneurial mindset, and genuine commitment to improving the lives of others position her to make an even greater impact throughout Lake Norman, Charlotte, and beyond.

Andreea is the founder of Poza Photo Booth Co., a creative event-experience company she built from the ground up after moving to the United States from Romania at only 21 years old. Through ambition, creativity, and a constant willingness to learn, she has transformed a small business into a growing company serving clients throughout Charlotte, Lake Norman, and the surrounding communities. She built a new life and a business of her own. Moving to another country at 21 required courage, independence, and adaptability. Andreea carried those same qualities into entrepreneurship, teaching herself what she needed to know and steadily building Poza Photo Booth Co. one client, event, and relationship at a time. She expanded the company across several areas of the events industry. Poza now provides experiences for weddings, corporate gatherings, nonprofit fundraisers, community events, and local organizations. Its growth reflects Andreea’s ability to understand different audiences and create experiences tailored to each client and occasion. She continually finds new ways to innovate. Andreea has expanded Poza beyond traditional photo booths by introducing AI portraits, personalized keepsakes, audio guestbooks, custom sports cards, and branded event activations. She is constantly developing new ideas, learning new skills, and finding ways to make both her business and the experiences she creates even better. She values relationships as much as growth. Andreea collaborates closely with local venues, planners, businesses, and fellow event professionals. She approaches each partnership as an opportunity to build genuine connections and contribute to a stronger, more supportive events community. She uses her business to support meaningful causes. Andreea regularly donates services to galas, awards ceremonies, and organizations she believes in, including Dress for Success and other local nonprofits. Through these contributions, she helps charitable organizations create memorable events while directing their resources toward the people and missions they serve. She actively champions local businesses. Andreea understands that small businesses become stronger through collaboration. She looks for opportunities to work with and support other entrepreneurs, using Poza’s growing presence to contribute to the community that has embraced her company. She is creating opportunities for others. As Poza continues to expand, Andreea is growing her team and developing stronger business systems. Her goal is to support sustainable growth while creating new employment opportunities and maintaining the quality and creativity behind the company’s success. Those who have watched Andreea’s journey describe her as ambitious, creative, exceptionally hardworking, and always looking ahead. They have seen the dedication behind the scenes—the constant learning, problem-solving, experimenting, and refining required to turn a small idea into a respected and growing company. Andreea is a woman to watch because she has already built something remarkable while continuing to approach the future as though she is only getting started. Her journey from Romania to entrepreneurship in Lake Norman demonstrates what courage and determination can create, and her continued commitment to innovation, relationships, and community impact makes her truly deserving of this recognition.

Annie Hanson is the founder of The Closet Niche, a business owner, mentor, community leader, and woman of faith whose success has become a vehicle for lifting others. She has built a thriving company through determination and hard work, but the clearest measure of her impact is how intentionally she uses that success to support her employees, strengthen local businesses, and give back throughout the Lake Norman community. She took a leap of faith and built a business from her garage. Originally from Mount Airy, North Carolina, Annie has been connected to the Lake Norman area throughout her life and has called it home for the past 24 years. While working in corporate America, she began praying for God’s direction and ultimately felt called to pursue entrepreneurship. In 2022, she stepped away from the familiar and founded The Closet Niche in the garage of her home. She transformed a small beginning into lasting growth. During the summer of 2022, Annie moved The Closet Niche into a small leased building. Over the next three and a half years, she worked relentlessly to grow the company, support her team, and establish a strong presence within the community. By the fall of 2025, the business had grown enough for Annie to purchase a building of her own, a powerful milestone for a company that began in her garage just three years earlier. She invests in the next generation of women entrepreneurs. In 2025, Annie established the “She Believed She Could, So She Did” Scholarship Foundation for graduating high-school women pursuing entrepreneurship. Through the foundation, she provides two scholarships totaling approximately $4,000 to $5,000, helping young women take their first steps toward building futures of their own. She creates opportunities through mentorship. Annie established a mentoring program through The Closet Niche in 2022, using her experience to encourage others, recognize their potential, and help them grow. Those who work alongside her describe her as someone who believes in people, sometimes before they fully believe in themselves. She gives back every single month. One of Annie’s favorite parts of owning The Closet Niche is donating a portion of the company’s proceeds to local nonprofit organizations. Her annual contributions total approximately $20,000 to $25,000, providing meaningful support to causes serving veterans, children, families, cancer patients, people with disabilities, and others facing difficult circumstances. Organizations and initiatives she has supported include Purple Heart Homes, Soul to Soul Connections, Field of Flags, Go Jen Go, Carolina Breast Friends’ Pink House, United Way of Iredell County, HOPE of Mooresville, Lewis Fitness’ Back-to-School Drive, Lake Norman Special Olympics, Tribute to Veterans, the Checkered Flag Foundation, The Longest Day benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association, and the American Heart Association. She has helped provide Christmas for children in need. For three consecutive years, Annie supported Children’s Hope Alliance by helping provide Christmas for approximately 25 to 30 children who had not been placed with families. Her generosity reflects a consistent commitment to noticing where help is needed and finding a way to respond. She champions the local business community. Annie intentionally keeps her advertising dollars local and sponsors numerous community events and galas that raise funds for nonprofit organizations. She understands that supporting local businesses creates a stronger community, and she puts that belief into action through her partnerships and investments. She serves through professional and civic leadership. Annie volunteers as a chair with the Lake Norman Home Builders Association and is also involved with the National Association of Home Builders and the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. Through these roles, she contributes her time, experience, and leadership to the continued growth of the region’s business community. She builds success with other people in mind. Annie does not work hard solely for herself. Every day, she works to provide the best life possible for her family and employees while continually looking for new ways to support the Lake Norman community. She leads with faith, generosity, and a sincere concern for the people around her. Annie’s story is powerful because of both what she has built and what she chooses to do with it. In only a few years, she grew The Closet Niche from a garage-based business into a company with a building of its own. At the same time, she created scholarships, established a mentoring program, invested in local businesses, supported community events, and donated tens of thousands of dollars to organizations changing lives. Annie Hanson is the definition of “She Means Business.” She is a visionary entrepreneur, mentor, leader, and generous community advocate who shows others what is possible when faith is paired with action. She took a chance on herself, built something meaningful, and continues using it to help other people believe they can accomplish extraordinary things, too.

Annie Watkins is the founder of Mind Block Media, an entrepreneur, educator, and enthusiastic advocate for women in business. She has built her company around a principle she actively demonstrates in her own life: community over competition. She took a chance on herself and entered entrepreneurship. In 2024, Annie stepped away from the corporate world to launch Mind Block Media. Since then, she has worked with over 15 local brands, helping businesses strengthen their online presence through intentional social media strategy and content. Her work produces measurable results. One of Annie’s current clients organically reached over two million individual accounts in a single quarter. Her success reflects her ability to look beyond surface-level metrics, understand what the data is communicating, and turn those insights into strategies that help businesses grow. She uses her knowledge to help others succeed. Annie dedicates her own social media presence to teaching people how to show up effectively online. Rather than keeping what she has learned to herself, she shares practical education designed to help creators and business owners approach social media with greater clarity and confidence. She created a new way for others to understand their data. Annie recently launched the Deep Dive Data Club, where she teaches creators, social media managers, influencers, and business owners how to interpret their analytics and use that information to strengthen their social media operations. Through this program, she is making data feel less intimidating and showing others how to make more informed decisions about their content. She genuinely lives out “community over competition.” Since beginning her business, Annie has consistently reached out to other women in her industry for one-on-one conversations, coffee dates, encouragement, and collaboration. She does not view women doing similar work as threats; she sees them as potential friends, resources, and partners who can grow alongside one another. One of those connections became an essential entrepreneurial friendship. Annie and the woman who nominated her started their businesses within two weeks of each other. Annie reached out with a simple message: “Hey, we do the same thing! We should be friends!” That conversation grew into a friendship in which they exchange ideas, learn openly from one another’s mistakes, navigate the difficult parts of business together, and enthusiastically celebrate each other’s success. Her nominator describes Annie as one of her greatest sources of support and someone she may not have continued her entrepreneurial journey without. Annie has shown her that running a business may be difficult, but no woman has to build hers in isolation. Her commitment to women’s empowerment extends beyond her business. Annie is involved with communities such as GrlSwrl, which encourages women to enter the traditionally male-dominated skating world. She also regularly attends and supports women-in-business networking events, continually finding ways to encourage women who are trying something new or building something of their own. Annie’s impact is found not only in the brands she has helped grow, but also in the women she has encouraged along the way. She shares her knowledge, builds genuine relationships, celebrates other people’s wins, and proves through her actions that collaboration creates opportunities competition never could. Annie reminds the women around her that they can go further when they lift one another up, and that is exactly why she deserves this nomination.

Ashley Dorado is the founder and owner of MyoMovement, a multi-location and virtual practice serving families throughout Lake Norman and the greater Charlotte area. Specializing in orofacial myofunctional therapy, breathing, speech, feeding, and whole-body functional wellness, Ashley has built her practice around helping people understand how oral function, airway health, sleep, and overall well-being are connected. Her business began with a deeply personal search for answers. Ashley’s daughter experienced feeding challenges, tongue-tie, thumb sucking, mouth breathing, snoring, clenching and grinding, sleep concerns, speech difficulties, and a narrow palate. As a mother, Ashley wanted to understand why these concerns were occurring and how they might be connected. With an established background in dental hygiene, Ashley began studying myofunctional therapy, tethered oral tissues, breathing, early intervention, growth guidance, nutrition, and whole-body health. During that process, she recognized a gap in care for families trying to understand the bigger picture. Her daughter’s experience, and eventually Ashley’s own health journey, became the foundation for MyoMovement. She transformed personal experience into a specialized practice. Ashley created MyoMovement to provide collaborative, individualized care for children, adults, and entire families. She understands what it feels like to be a parent searching for answers, and that perspective continues to shape the compassion, education, and attention she provides to every family. She achieved remarkable growth in only three years. Ashley expanded MyoMovement from a solo practice into a specialized team of five serving clients across three physical locations in the Lake Norman and greater Charlotte areas, along with virtual care. Despite the company’s growth, she has remained committed to the personal mission that inspired it. She has invested extensively in her professional education. Ashley is a Registered Dental Hygienist, Certified Orofacial Myologist, Certified Buteyko Breathing Instructor, Certified Personalized Nutrition Practitioner, Public Health Dental Hygienist, and Munchee Certified Practitioner. She also remains active in professional organizations and advanced-training communities, including ADHA, IAAH, IAOM, Airway Circle, MyoMentor®, TOTS Training®, Tongue-Tied Academy, The Integrated Therapist™, and Think Crunchy. She helps educate the next generation of dental professionals. As an adjunct dental hygiene instructor at Central Piedmont Community College, Ashley has experience in both classroom and clinical education. She uses that role to help future dental professionals better understand airway health, oral function, and signs that can easily be overlooked. Ashley has been recognized by Central Piedmont’s Health Professions and Human Services Department with a Certificate of Recognition and received the “Golden Scaler” award during her dental hygiene program. She contributes to professional knowledge within her field. In 2013, Ashley co-authored “The Benefits of Xylitol,” which was published in Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. Her commitment to education continues through her clinical work, teaching, mentorship, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals. She brings multiple disciplines together around patient care. Ashley leads a local Airway Circle chapter, creating opportunities for dentists, orthodontists, therapists, bodyworkers, and other healthcare professionals to learn from one another. By encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, she helps professionals see how their individual areas of expertise can work together to support patients and families. Her work has earned community recognition. In 2025, MyoMovement received two Best of Charlotte honors: Silver in Alternative Therapies and Bronze in the Woman-Owned Business category. These awards reflect both the specialized nature of Ashley’s work and the trust she has built within the community. She continues serving outside her practice. Ashley chairs her neighborhood Beautification Committee and served as a United Way grant panelist for three consecutive years. Her commitment to community involvement reflects the same collaborative spirit she brings to MyoMovement. She leads through education, mentorship, and empathy. Ashley is passionate about helping patients, families, and fellow professionals better understand the relationships between breathing, oral function, sleep, feeding, and overall health. She does not want families to receive isolated answers without understanding how the pieces may connect. Outside of MyoMovement, Ashley treasures time with her husband, their five-year-old daughter, and their cat—a loyal companion through many late nights spent building the business. She is also always searching for a truly great slice of New York-style pizza. Ashley’s impact is especially meaningful because she has never forgotten why she began. She knows what it is like to be the parent searching for answers and wondering whether someone will finally look at the whole picture. She turned that experience into a growing practice that now helps other families feel heard, educated, and supported. What began with one mother advocating for her daughter has grown into a specialized team, three physical locations, virtual services, professional education, and greater collaboration throughout the healthcare community. Ashley’s curiosity, expertise, determination, and compassion make her truly deserving of this recognition.

Brandy is the founder of Brandelle Designs, a creative studio she launched in June 2020 after earning her degree in graphic design. Over the past six years, she has used her creativity to help small business owners transform their ideas into brands and websites they feel confident sharing with the world. She continued building through the uncertainty of entrepreneurship, learning along the way what kind of designer and business owner she wanted to become. Building something of her own has challenged her in ways she never expected, and she is proud that she has continually chosen to keep going. She helps bring local business ideas to life. Brandy has worked with small businesses throughout the area at many different stages of their journeys. One of her favorite experiences is seeing something that once existed only as an idea or a sketch become part of the community. Every time she passes a business and sees her work in the world, she is reminded that she had the opportunity to contribute to someone else's story. Behind each brand & website she creates is another woman who took a chance on herself and decided to build something of her own. Brandy understands the trust involved when a business owner places that hard work in her hands, and she doesn't take that responsibility lightly. Her business has grown through relationships and trust. One local woman-owned business referred Brandy to several other women entrepreneurs after working with her. Years later, that same founder returned when she was ready to create her first website. That relationship has stayed with Brandy because it demonstrates the ripple effect of women supporting women: one person's decision to trust her created opportunities for Brandy to support several others. Her support continues even after a project is finished. Brandy regularly shares, recommends, and celebrates former clients because she remains genuinely invested in what they are building. Through those relationships, she has become connected to an incredible circle of women business owners throughout the local community. She gave herself permission to evolve. In 2026, Brandy completed Design Business Academy through The Brief Collective and challenged herself to question how she had operated for the previous six years. She rebuilt portions of her process and became much clearer about what she wants the next chapter of her business to look like. Six years into business ownership, she is still willing to challenge herself and grow. Her guiding belief is: “Be fierce. Be unapologetically you.” This message is woven throughout Brandy’s creative work, but it is also something she has had to embrace personally. To her, being fierce does not mean being the loudest person in the room. Sometimes it means trusting yourself enough to keep showing up for an idea you believe in, even while you are still figuring out the path forward. Brandy is proud of how far she has come, but she knows her story is still being written. She intends to continue creating work with meaning, building deeper roots throughout the community, and using everything she learns to help other women move forward too. When her work helps another woman believe a little more fiercely in what she is building, that is the impact Brandy wants Brandelle Designs to have.

Briana Evans is the owner of the newly opened goGLOW in Mooresville, where she has created a space focused on helping women feel confident, supported, and valued. Her vision extends to both the clients who walk through the door and the women who work alongside her. She leads with compassion. Briana takes the time to listen, offer guidance, and ensure her employees and clients never feel as though they are facing something alone. Even during her busiest days, she makes herself available and approaches others with patience and understanding. She invests in the women on her team. Briana encourages her employees to grow, holds them to meaningful standards, and gives them opportunities to develop confidence, responsibility, professionalism, and leadership skills of their own. Her team describes her as someone they can trust, learn from, and turn to for motivation. She recognizes and responds to the needs of others. When building her team, Briana thought carefully about the women in her life who could benefit from the opportunities she was creating. For one employee and longtime friend, a position at goGLOW offered the flexibility and financial support she needed to better care for her children. Briana saw an opportunity to help someone she cared about and acted on it. She brings positive energy into the workplace. Those who work with Briana describe her as kindhearted, genuine, enthusiastic, and mindful of the needs of others. She has created an environment where employees feel comfortable being themselves while also feeling encouraged to learn and become stronger professionals. She turns her vision into action. Building a business has required long hours, difficult decisions, sacrifice, resilience, and constant problem-solving. Briana continues to move forward with a clear sense of purpose and a commitment to creating something meaningful within the Lake Norman community. Her faith is part of how she supports others. Before she was a business owner, Briana was a trusted friend who answered calls, showed up during difficult moments, and prayed with and for the people she loved. That same care now shapes the way she leads her team and builds relationships through her business. Briana’s influence can already be seen in the women around her. Her employees are learning their roles while also watching a woman set ambitious goals, build a business, lead with confidence, care deeply for others, and balance entrepreneurship with family and personal responsibilities. By combining vision with compassion, Briana is creating a workplace where women feel capable of growing, and showing them what is possible when leadership is rooted in genuine care.

Brianna’s journey to entrepreneurship is one she never could have imagined. She began her career as a firefighter, serving others, remaining strong through difficult circumstances, and learning what it means to show up when people need you most. Those lessons in courage, resilience, and service would later become part of the foundation for an entirely different career. She took a leap of faith to pursue her creativity. After discovering her passion for photography, Brianna made the decision to return to school and study Digital Photography. She graduated with the award for Best Overall Portfolio, a defining moment that gave her the confidence to believe her passion could become a successful career. That dream became The Flashpoint Collective. What began with a camera and a love for storytelling has grown into a thriving photography business. Brianna has photographed over 500 weddings, along with countless families, graduating seniors, and meaningful milestones. Her work allows people to preserve some of the most important moments of their lives. She created opportunities for other creatives. As her business grew, Brianna began building a creative team and opening doors for other photographers and professionals. She understands how meaningful it is when someone is trusted with an opportunity, and she is proud to create space for others to strengthen their skills, gain experience, and pursue creative careers of their own. Her work remains rooted in service. Although Brianna’s profession changed, the heart behind it did not. As a firefighter, she showed up for people during some of their most difficult moments. As a photographer, she now shows up for people during some of their happiest and most meaningful ones. In both careers, she has been trusted to remain present, attentive, and dependable. At the heart of everything she does, Brianna is a mother. She has two children, and one of her greatest challenges has been learning how to build a successful company while remaining present for them. Her life includes long nights of editing, busy weekends, deadlines, and endless responsibilities, but it also includes school events, sports, family time, and irreplaceable moments with her children. She is building a business and setting an example. Brianna wants her children to grow up seeing their mother chase her dreams, work hard, take chances, and refuse to give up. She hopes they learn from her example that a person can change direction, begin again, and create a life around something they genuinely love. From firefighter to photographer, and from a personal passion to a thriving business, Brianna’s journey has required bravery at every stage. She had to believe in herself before she knew exactly where the path would lead and continue taking the next step even when balancing business ownership and motherhood felt difficult. Brianna is proud of what she has built, grateful for every person who has trusted her with their memories, and excited for everything still ahead for The Flashpoint Collective. Her courage, creativity, leadership, and commitment to both her family and her team make her truly deserving of this recognition.

Brianne is an entrepreneur, former school counselor, and devoted mother whose business journey began during one of the busiest transitions of her life. Through consistency, determination, and a genuine desire to serve others, she has grown a small operation into a business reaching more than 23 schools across four counties. She built her career around supporting others. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Brianne worked as a school counselor for five and a half years. That experience gave her a strong foundation in listening, connecting with people, and serving the needs of the communities around her—qualities that continue to shape the way she approaches her business today. She began building her business as a brand-new mother. Brianne started her business when her son was only three weeks old and opened her residential nutrition club when he was three months old. While adjusting to motherhood and caring for a newborn, she was also learning how to operate a business, build a customer base, and turn her vision into something sustainable. She transformed one opportunity into a four-county reach. What began with Brianne delivering teas to a single school has expanded to serving more than 23 schools across four counties. That growth reflects her work ethic, reliability, and commitment to developing genuine relationships with the people and communities she serves. She continues building while being present for her son. Today, Brianne grows her business while staying home with her now two-and-a-half-year-old son. She balances motherhood with the daily demands of entrepreneurship, continually finding ways to serve her customers while remaining devoted to her family. She is working toward an even bigger vision. Brianne’s goal is to open a brick-and-mortar nutrition club—a permanent space where she can expand the community she has built, connect with even more people, and continue serving others in a meaningful way. Brianne’s journey demonstrates what can grow from determination, service, and the willingness to begin—even during one of life’s busiest seasons. She has steadily expanded her reach while remaining committed to her young son, her customers, and the future she is working hard to create. Her story is still being written, but the growth she has already achieved shows just how far persistence and heart can take an idea.

I am honored to nominate my wife, Brittney, for this award. While I may be biased as her husband, her accomplishments, resilience, and impact on others speak for themselves. Brittney is the embodiment of what it means to be self-made. She is resilient, determined, compassionate, and extraordinary—not simply because of what she has achieved, but because of the strength, integrity, and heart she has demonstrated along the way. She was born and raised in Appomattox VA, a small town of approximately 5,000 people in Central Virginia. From those humble beginnings, she built something far greater than she ever imagined. What began as a small hobby became a thriving and respected career—not because success was handed to her, but because she had the courage to believe in herself and the determination to keep going. Brittney has faced challenges that could have discouraged even the strongest person. Yet every time life placed an obstacle in her path, she found a way to rise above it. She did not allow disappointment, fear, or adversity to define her. Instead, she used every challenge as motivation to grow stronger, work harder, and dream bigger. After moving to Charlotte in 2023, Brittney started her wedding-planning business in 2024 with a goal to coordinate 10 weddings within her first year and a half. She completed 12 weddings in her first six months alone. By the time she reached that original year-and-a-half milestone, she had successfully completed more than 50 weddings. Those numbers are impressive, but they tell only part of her story. Her true success can be found in the couples who trusted her with one of the most important days of their lives. It can be found in the heartfelt reviews describing how she brought calm to stressful moments, solved problems before anyone noticed them, and made each couple feel genuinely seen, heard, and cared for. Brittney does not simply plan weddings—she protects her couples’ peace, honors their stories, and creates moments their families will remember for generations. Her dedication has earned her consistent, year-over-year recognition from The Knot, WeddingWire, and Zola, three of the wedding industry’s most recognized platforms. She has been featured by multiple media outlets, published in a book, and invited to share her knowledge on several podcasts. She has also built a social media community of more than 100,000 followers across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok—people who follow her not only for her expertise, but also for her honesty, passion, and commitment to educating others. This year, Brittney will continue expanding her influence by attending New York Bridal Fashion Week and the Wedding MBA Conference. However, despite every award, feature, invitation, and milestone, she remains humble and committed to becoming better. When asked why she continues to study, attend conferences, and invest so deeply in her professional growth, she says: “I am a student of my craft. If I ever become so comfortable that I no longer want to learn, then I need to stop what I’m doing. Right now, my head needs to remain down and in the books.” That statement captures exactly who Brittney is. She does not pursue success for recognition or applause. She pursues excellence because she believes the people who trust her deserve her very best. She understands that true leadership means remaining teachable, serving others with integrity, and using your success to open doors for those coming behind you. I have had the privilege of watching Brittney turn a dream into a purpose, challenges into strength, and hard work into a legacy. She has proven that where you begin does not determine how far you can go. Her journey is an inspiration to every person who has ever wondered whether they were capable of building something meaningful from the ground up. Brittney is more than deserving of this award. She represents resilience in the face of adversity, excellence without arrogance, and ambition guided by heart. Recognizing her would not simply honor everything she has accomplished—it would celebrate the countless couples, families, and aspiring professionals she has encouraged, supported, and inspired along the way. For these reasons, I proudly and wholeheartedly nominate my wife, Brittney. She is not only building a remarkable business; she is creating a legacy—and she is only getting started. Website: www.houseofmatrimonies.com

Caitlyn is a licensed mental health therapist serving children, adolescents, and adults throughout the Lake Norman community. Through traditional in-office therapy, EMDR, and equine-assisted work, she provides compassionate care for individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and other mental health needs. Her passion for equine-assisted work began early. Caitlyn has always loved horses and began volunteering at equine-assisted camps for children with disabilities while she was still in middle school. Those early experiences showed her the meaningful role animals can play in helping people feel safe, connected, and supported. She discovered her calling through service. While in high school, Caitlyn participated in several Hurricane Katrina relief mission trips and witnessed the lasting effects of trauma throughout New Orleans. Those experiences inspired her to become a trauma therapist and shaped the direction of her future career. She continued serving others throughout college. While completing her undergraduate education at North Carolina State University, Caitlyn joined the service sorority Omega Phi Alpha and served as its service director. She later completed graduate school in Pittsburgh, began her professional career, and received her full North Carolina state license in January 2019. She turned a lifelong dream into her own practice. After years of working in group-practice settings, Caitlyn completed specialized training in equine-assisted trauma work so she could support trauma survivors in the calming presence of horses and companion animals. Following the birth of her second son, she opened her own equine-assisted private practice in the spring of 2023. She has become a trusted clinician within the community. Caitlyn is sought out for her work with adolescents and adults experiencing trauma, mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, ADHD, and autism. She offers both traditional in-office therapy and equine-assisted services, allowing care to be tailored to the needs and comfort of each client. She created an innovative and accessible experience for local children. In the spring of 2026, Caitlyn developed equine-assisted Confidence Camps for elementary, middle, and high school students. These are therapeutic and educational classes focused on gaining inner confidence, growing social/relational skills, and strengthening coping abilities alongside horse, chicken, and donkey companions. This summer alone, approximately 60 children and teens participated in the weeklong camps, working with animals and one another to strengthen their confidence, communication skills, self-reliance, patience, and emotional growth. The response has shown how deeply this program was needed. Summer spaces filled quickly, and post-camp surveys brought wonderful feedback from participating families. Caitlyn expanded the program into the fall, where sessions filled once again. She is especially grateful to provide local children with a unique and meaningful growth experience that remains financially accessible to families. She leads with kindness, wisdom, and genuine care. Those who know Caitlyn describe her as hardworking, loving, and someone who makes each person she meets feel seen and accepted for who they are. Whether she is supporting a client through trauma, helping a child build confidence, or raising her three young boys, her dedication to caring for others is evident. Building a practice that allows her to support the community in several different ways has been Caitlyn’s long-term goal and dream. Today, that dream is a reality that continues to create meaningful opportunities for healing, confidence, and connection throughout the Lake Norman community.

Chelsey founded Command Canine in 2018 and, alongside her husband, grew it into one of North Carolina’s largest independent dog training companies. Together, they have built a team of professional trainers serving families throughout Lake Norman, Charlotte, and beyond. Over the years, Command Canine has worked with thousands of dogs and their families, helping people who felt overwhelmed, discouraged, or out of options because of their dogs’ serious behavioral challenges. Command Canine’s approach goes far beyond obedience training. The team focuses on each dog’s emotional and behavioral state alongside practical training skills, helping build the mental and emotional foundation necessary for long-term change. This approach is especially important for dogs experiencing fear, anxiety, phobias, reactivity, and aggression. As Command Canine has grown, she has created jobs within the Lake Norman and Charlotte communities, mentored and developed professional trainers, and built a team capable of helping far more families than she ever could on her own. This work led to the creation of her second company, Keeper & Kin, which she co-founded with her husband. Keeper & Kin is North America’s only training and rehabilitation initiative built specifically for dogs bred and used for animal testing and laboratory research, commonly known as former research beagles. These dogs enter the “real world” after being released or retired from lives in animal testing, having experienced profound deprivation, isolation, and trauma. Many arrive with severe fear, phobias, shutdown behavior, compulsive behaviors, and bonding sensitivities that are often well beyond the scope of the average dog trainer. Their rehabilitation requires highly specialized expertise. Through this work, Chelsey has established herself as the country’s leading behavioral authority on the rehabilitation of former research beagles. She serves as the behavioral specialist and training partner for some of the largest organizations in the United States and Canada dedicated to former research animals. This role also allows her to work directly with fosters and adopters once the dogs are placed into homes. Through Keeper & Kin, she and her team have worked with hundreds of former research beagles across the United States and Canada, helping them navigate their new lives as “real dogs.” In 2025, Chelsey helped support the transition and rehabilitation of 45 former research beagles brought from a research facility in China to the United States through Operation Freedom Fetchers. In 2026, she was called in immediately following the official closure of a large-scale research facility to assist with the release, transportation, behavioral triage, and early rehabilitation of former research beagles leaving the facility. She co-created and hosts the Dogs Beyond the Lab Podcast. Through in-depth conversations with experts, advocates, rescuers, sanctuary professionals, adopters, and others within the animal research and rehabilitation community, the podcast gives a voice to the animals and people behind this work. Dogs Beyond the Lab provides her with a platform to bring together leaders from across the former research animal community, share knowledge that can improve rehabilitation, and help educate people throughout the United States and Canada. Through speaking engagements, masterclasses, and professional education, she teaches about complex canine behavior, severe fear and phobias, trauma, PTSD, and rehabilitation. Drawing on more than a decade of hands-on casework, she focuses on raising the standard of education and care for fearful, traumatized, and behaviorally complex dogs while giving owners, trainers, rescues, and other professionals better tools to help dogs whose needs are often misunderstood or beyond the scope of traditional training. One of her greatest achievements has been turning the success of a Lake Norman business into something that now creates an impact far beyond what she ever imagined. Through Command Canine, she has been able to help thousands of families. Many of those families felt they had already tried everything and were even facing heartbreaking decisions about whether they could keep their dogs. Giving those families a path forward has been one of the most meaningful parts of growing the company. The expertise she developed through that work ultimately became the foundation for Keeper & Kin, allowing her to take what she built locally and apply it to one of the most underserved canine populations. What began as a local dog training company has given her the platform, experience, and resources to create change on a much larger scale. Her goal is to improve education and raise the standard of care for all dogs, both in Lake Norman and throughout North America.

Corrie Slagle is the founder of Lily & Garnet Events, a wedding and event coordinator, youth mentor, and service-driven leader known for bringing calm, connection, and thoughtful care into every space she enters. Whether she is guiding hundreds of people through a wedding day or helping a teenager navigate a difficult season, Corrie leads with composure, faith, and a sincere desire to help others flourish. Her leadership began through ministry and the outdoors. Corrie served as a camp director in both North Carolina and Washington, managing teams of college students as they helped children explore nature, build confidence, and deepen their faith. Those experiences strengthened her ability to lead diverse teams, respond calmly to challenges, and create environments where people feel safe and supported. She has served communities beyond her own. Corrie has participated in international service efforts, including sorting and packing clothing for people affected by the war in Ukraine and traveling to underserved communities in Moldova to support children in need of encouragement and hope. These experiences deepened her understanding of sacrifice, cultural connection, and what it means to lead with love during difficult circumstances. She turned her leadership strengths into a business. In 2025, Corrie founded Lily & Garnet Events, a boutique wedding-planning and design company built around “Heartfelt Service and Personalized Design.” She approaches every celebration with the belief that the details should reflect the real people, relationships, and stories behind the event. She brings calm to emotionally complicated moments. Weddings can involve over 250 guests, multiple vendors, tight timelines, family dynamics, and competing expectations. When everyone else feels overwhelmed, Corrie has the ability to slow the moment down, remain focused, and guide people toward a solution. Her steady presence allows couples and families to breathe, remain present, and experience the celebration they worked so hard to create. She makes people feel heard and understood. From her first conversation with a couple or family, Corrie creates an environment rooted in honor, integrity, intentionality, and care. She listens closely to the stories and hopes behind each celebration, then translates them into thoughtful details that feel personal and genuine. She champions collaboration within the wedding industry. Corrie believes in collaboration over competition and actively works to build supportive relationships among wedding professionals. Rather than treating others in her field as rivals, she looks for ways to connect people, share knowledge, and create a stronger professional community throughout Lake Norman. She invests deeply in local teenagers. Corrie volunteers with a middle- and high-school youth group, creating an encouraging space where students can navigate formative years, strengthen their character, and deepen their faith. She also leads Tribe Time, a processing group that helps young women explore their identities, heal from difficult experiences, grow closer to God, and build meaningful bonds with one another. Her mentorship continues outside scheduled meetings. Corrie shows up for games and performances, meets students for dinner or coffee, checks in through thoughtful messages, and reminds them that someone is consistently in their corner. She also partners with parents, offering continued encouragement and support as their teenagers grow emotionally and spiritually. Her faith is the foundation of her leadership. Corrie humbly credits her wisdom and strength to her love for God and the influence of her family in Wendell, North Carolina. That foundation shapes the way she serves couples, collaborates with industry professionals, mentors young women, and responds when the people around her are facing uncertainty. Corrie is the person others look for when circumstances feel chaotic. She is calm yet focused, thoughtful yet decisive, and capable of seeing each individual as someone uniquely worthy of care. She understands that leadership is not about commanding attention, but rather about creating the conditions in which other people can thrive. Corrie Slagle is a leader of leaders, an anchor during life’s storms, and a woman who continually uses her gifts for the flourishing of others. Through Lily & Garnet Events, youth mentorship, community-building, and service, she is creating the kind of connection our communities need and leading with a love that cannot be easily shaken.

Cory Rindskopf is the founder of bells box collective, the unmistakably pink Cornelius studio where people make candles, celebrate the people they love, and leave feeling a little more connected. For nearly a decade, she has used her business as a place to create, gather, champion local people, and ensure others have a seat at the table. She left a career in finance to build a creative community. Cory created bells box collective as a studio where creativity feels accessible, people have a reason to celebrate one another, and the community can gather around a shared table. She has led the business through many changing seasons, including the difficult pandemic years, while keeping it firmly rooted in connection. She invests in the confidence of young women. This October, Cory will host and lead her 11th Junior Achievement Miss Business day at the University of Tennessee. The event brings together hundreds of East Tennessee high-school girls for a day of mentoring, reflection, confidence-building, and goal-setting. It is Cory’s favorite day of the year because she gets to remind young women that they can build something, lead something, and take up their full seat at the table. She uses her platform to champion other small businesses. Last holiday season, Cory offered a giveaway for a private candle-making class for 10 people—but entering required participants to submit a receipt showing they had spent at least $25 at another local small business. Hundreds of people participated, transforming a traditional giveaway into a meaningful shop-local campaign that directly supported entrepreneurs throughout Lake Norman. She gives back to the communities that support her. In 2025, bells box collective contributed over $3,500 in complimentary candle-making classes and donated products to schools and PTAs across Cornelius, Huntersville, and Davidson, along with local animal shelters and nonprofit organizations. She creates opportunities for women and local entrepreneurs. Cory founded and led LKN Female Entrepreneurs for two years, helping women build relationships, exchange ideas, and navigate the realities of business ownership. She continues mentoring small-business owners through candid advice, practical encouragement, and genuine connections. From the beginning, she has also invited local creatives and educators into her studio to teach, share their talents, and reach new audiences. She responds when her community needs help. After Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the region in 2024, Cory organized a community supply drive for families in Western North Carolina. Supporting the area was especially personal to Cory because of the role it played in shaping her own roots. She supports civic participation through creative fundraising. Cory’s candle collaboration with the Can’t Win Victory Fund supports candidates running in gerrymandered areas of North Carolina. The project reflects a belief that has guided her studio since the beginning: everyone deserves a voice, a vote, and a seat at the table. She leads with transparency and heart. Cory’s fertility journey changed the questions she asked about the products brought into her home and helped shape the ingredient standards behind her candles and home products. She is committed to giving customers clear information and thoughtful choices rather than relying on vague promises or greenwashing. Cory’s goal has always been to make Lake Norman feel as small as possible—in the very best way. She envisions a community that is connected, creative, willing to champion the person across the street, and proud of the women building meaningful things here. Through bells box collective, Cory has created far beyond a candle-making studio. She has built a place where people gather, local businesses are celebrated, young women are encouraged to lead, important causes receive support, and everyone is reminded that there is room for them at the table.

Danielle Benham's story is one of courage, resilience, and turning a deeply personal experience into a purpose that now helps others. At just 36 years old, Danielle was a mom to a six-year-old son with a family history of breast cancer. Her mother and maternal aunt had both experienced it, so she knew she couldn't afford to ignore her own health. But because she was considered too young, her insurance wouldn't cover a preventative mammogram. She decided to try thermography instead, something she knew very little about at the time. The images revealed a highly concerning area in her breast tissue, and suddenly Danielle was facing the terrifying possibility of cancer at just 36. But she didn't freeze. She took action. Over the next five months, Danielle committed herself to changing her health and doing everything she could to change the outcome. Five months later, that concerning tissue was clear. What could have simply been a frightening chapter in Danielle's life became the beginning of her purpose. At 37, she turned what she had learned through her own experience into a mission to help other women (and men and children) become more informed, proactive, and empowered in their own health at her thermography and wellness clinic. When Danielle overcame something difficult, she chose to use it to help others. She turned fear into action, experience into purpose, and her own story into a reason for others to take better care of themselves.

While awaiting major cervical spine surgery, Danielle Canter struggled to achieve the head and neck support she needed with a traditional pillow. During that challenging period, she began creating what would become Crown Lift®, a patent-pending adjustable pillow support system. Danielle transformed her idea into a market-ready product, guiding Crown Lift® from early handmade prototypes and testing through product development, manufacturing, and intellectual property protection. She founded Sanctuary Sleep Co., a North Carolina company focused on helping people better understand how pillow height, positioning, and support can affect sleep comfort. She is also developing The Clue-Less House, a sleep-tracking concept designed to help individuals connect changes in their sleep setup with what happens throughout the night. Her hands-on approach to pillow fitting and education incorporates pressure-mapping technology to visually demonstrate how different pillow configurations support an individual’s head and neck. Danielle has participated in entrepreneurial programs and opportunities throughout the Charlotte region while continuing to test, validate, and introduce Crown Lift® to consumers and wellness professionals. By building Crown Lift® in the Charlotte and Lake Norman region, Danielle hopes to turn a locally developed invention into a product with a much broader reach. Her journey encourages other women—especially those beginning later in life—to recognize that they do not need a traditional entrepreneurial background to identify a problem, pursue an idea, and build something meaningful.

Debbie O’Handley is the Executive Director of Hope House Foundation, a community leader, advocate, and changemaker whose work is rooted in one powerful belief: changing the trajectory of one woman’s life has the potential to change a family, and ultimately an entire community. Now entering her 13th year with Hope House, Debbie has dedicated her leadership to helping women and children experiencing homelessness move beyond crisis and toward economic stability, independence, and permanent housing. She helps women build lasting stability. Under Debbie’s leadership, Hope House has become a place where women receive the resources, accountability, encouragement, and practical support needed to rebuild their lives. Her approach reflects the organization’s three pillars: Educate. Empower. Impact. She understands that housing is only one part of the solution. Debbie believes sustainable change requires addressing the complex barriers that can prevent women and families from achieving long-term stability. Hope House connects residents with financial literacy, employment support, mental wellness services, transportation, case management, savings opportunities, and the confidence to envision a different future for themselves and their children. Her leadership has helped transform hundreds of lives. During Debbie’s tenure, 489 individuals have had the opportunity to rebuild their lives through Hope House. The organization directly serves and supports over 70 individuals while receiving over 1,500 housing inquiries annually. Although Hope House cannot accommodate every person who reaches out, each inquiry is met with support and referrals to other community services. She has helped expand the ways Hope House serves families. Debbie’s leadership has supported the growth and development of programs such as Transitional Housing, Hope Works, and Hope to Home. Together, these programs help women move from immediate crisis toward employment, financial independence, stable housing, and a sustainable future. She builds partnerships capable of creating broader change. Debbie works alongside local governments, businesses, churches, foundations, civic organizations, healthcare providers, law enforcement, volunteers, and community leaders. She understands that homelessness cannot be solved by one organization working alone, so she continually builds bridges between people and resources. She is a passionate advocate for affordable housing. Debbie uses her voice to represent women and children whose experiences can too easily go unheard. She has spoken before elected officials, participated in community panels and public discussions, and continually reminds local leaders that homelessness is connected to financial instability, employment, transportation, mental wellness, and access to supportive services. Her influence reaches beyond Hope House. Through advocacy, public speaking, collaboration, and her role as co-host of the Community Centered radio show, Debbie brings people and organizations together around a shared belief: communities become stronger when people stop working in silos and begin working collectively. She measures success through transformed lives. For Debbie, the greatest accomplishments are not found only in grants secured, programs developed, partnerships formed, or dollars raised. They are found in the moments those efforts make possible—a mother receiving the keys to her own home, a woman paying down debt and rebuilding her credit, a healthcare worker regaining financial stability, a child finally experiencing consistency at school, or a family moving from homelessness into a future they once believed was impossible. Debbie calls those moments “making HOPE happen.” Her journey has taught her that meaningful leadership is not about standing in front of people; it is about standing beside them. It requires a willingness to advocate, collaborate, challenge systems, build bridges, and remind someone that her current circumstances do not have to determine her future. Debbie believes hope is not something we simply give to people, but something we help them build. Her impact can be seen in the women who become financially independent, the children who gain stability, the families who find permanent homes, and the community partners united around lasting change. When one woman rises, the impact reaches her children, her family, her workplace, and her entire community. For nearly 13 years, Debbie has helped hundreds of women and children rise, and that is why she is truly deserving of this recognition.

Dr. Diep Nguyen is a board-certified pediatrician, educator, entrepreneur, and community advocate who has spent over 20 years supporting the health and well-being of children and families. Her work now extends beyond the medical office through programs that help girls and women approach major life transitions with knowledge, confidence, and pride. She has dedicated over two decades to community pediatrics. Throughout her career, Dr. Diep has cared for children and families with a strong focus on mental health and emotional wellness. Her years in practice have shown her how deeply education, communication, and trusted support can shape a young person’s development. She created a new way for mothers and daughters to navigate puberty together. In 2024, Dr. Diep co-founded Girlhood Charlotte with Mary Queen, RN. The in-home puberty program is led by medical professionals and designed for preteen girls and their mothers, giving families a comfortable environment in which to learn, ask questions, and begin important conversations together. She helps girls approach puberty with confidence instead of fear. Through medically informed, age-appropriate education, Girlhood Charlotte helps young girls understand the changes happening in their bodies while encouraging confidence, pride, and open communication with their mothers. The experience turns a transition that can feel confusing or embarrassing into an opportunity for connection and empowerment. Her innovative work has gained regional recognition. Girlhood Charlotte has been featured in Charlotte Magazine, Charlotte Parent, Shoutout Charlotte, and VoyageRaleigh, helping its message reach additional families throughout Charlotte, Lake Norman, and surrounding communities. She listened when mothers asked for support of their own. After seeing the success of Girlhood Charlotte, mothers began expressing a desire for similar education about the transitions they were experiencing. Dr. Diep and Mary responded by co-founding Womanhood Charlotte in 2026, an in-home menopause-focused educational experience led by medical professionals. She is helping women navigate menopause with clarity and confidence. Womanhood Charlotte gives women an opportunity to learn what to expect, ask honest questions, and better understand their changing bodies in a supportive setting. The program reflects Dr. Diep’s belief that informed women are better equipped to advocate for themselves and thrive through every stage of life. She developed a larger vision through Sisterhood Charlotte. Serving as the umbrella for Girlhood and Womanhood, Sisterhood Charlotte is built on the belief that life transitions should be understood and embraced rather than feared. Dr. Diep continues brainstorming new ways to support the health, confidence, and emotional well-being of girls and women throughout the community. She champions collaboration among women-led businesses. Sisterhood Charlotte actively partners with local entrepreneurs and organizations that share its mission. Dr. Diep has built meaningful relationships with women business owners throughout Charlotte and Lake Norman, creating opportunities to exchange ideas, support one another, and work collectively to improve women’s lives. Her service extends to vulnerable families and local schools. Dr. Diep is an active board member of Baby Bundles, a nonprofit providing newborn essentials to underserved families in Mecklenburg County and helping parents create a more positive start for their babies. She also serves on the Charlotte Latin School Physician Advisory Team. Dr. Diep had already created an extraordinary impact through over 20 years of pediatric medicine, but she recognized that many important health conversations needed to happen outside a traditional clinical setting. Rather than allowing that need to remain unmet, she created new ways to reach families where they feel most comfortable. Her leadership reflects curiosity, responsiveness, and a genuine desire to keep improving the lives of others. She listens to what girls, mothers, and women need—and then builds thoughtful, medically grounded solutions around them. Through Girlhood Charlotte, Womanhood Charlotte, and the growing vision of Sisterhood Charlotte, Dr. Diep is changing how families approach puberty, menopause, and the conversations connecting generations of women. Her commitment to education, collaboration, and lifelong wellness makes her truly deserving of this recognition.

Dr. Jennifer “Jen” Lidstrom is the founder and owner of Lakeside Sports Chiropractic + Physical Therapy, a practice she has built from the ground up while serving the Lake Norman community since 2004. For over 25 years, she has helped patients recover from injuries, remain active, and return to the sports, careers, and everyday activities they love. She brings advanced expertise to the care of her patients. Dr. Jen holds a Doctor of Chiropractic, a master’s degree in nutrition, a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician certification, and licensure in acupuncture. Her multidisciplinary education allows her to consider movement, rehabilitation, nutrition, and overall wellness when supporting her patients. She broke barriers for women in sports medicine. Dr. Jen is one of only five female chiropractors in North Carolina to earn the Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician designation through the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. She also became the first female chiropractor to work in NASCAR and is a lifetime member of Women in Motorsports North America. She has worked alongside the U.S. Olympic medical staff. Through multiple tenures at USA training facilities, Dr. Jen has supported elite athletes and gained valuable sports-medicine experience. She brings that same knowledge and level of commitment home to the local athletes, families, and active adults she serves throughout Lake Norman. She built a collaborative model of healthcare. Lakeside Sports Chiropractic + Physical Therapy brings chiropractic care, physical therapy, sports rehabilitation, and in-house mental health counseling together within one practice. Dr. Jen believes patients receive stronger support when healthcare professionals communicate, collaborate, and consider the whole person rather than treating one isolated concern. She continued expanding access to integrative care. In 2023, Dr. Jen helped establish Lakeside Integrative Healthcare, expanding the Lakeside family of services to include functional medicine, hormone optimization, and metabolic health care. She invests in professional growth and strong leadership. Dr. Jen participates in Breakthrough Coaching alongside chiropractors from across the United States, continually learning how to strengthen both patient care and her practice. Within Lakeside, she creates opportunities for healthcare professionals and team members to grow into leadership roles while cultivating a supportive, patient-centered workplace. Her practice has earned the trust of the community. In 2026, Lakeside Sports Chiropractic + Physical Therapy was recognized as Lake Norman’s Best Chiropractor and Best Health & Wellness Center. These honors reflect decades of consistent care, professional expertise, and meaningful relationships with patients. She gives back to the community she calls home. Dr. Jen supports local schools, student-athletes, charitable organizations, and community events throughout the Lake Norman area. Her commitment extends beyond the walls of her practice and reflects her desire to help local families remain healthy, active, and supported. She leads through perseverance and example. Those closest to Dr. Jen describe a business owner who works alongside her employees, cares deeply about her patients, and refuses to make excuses when life or business becomes difficult. When she encounters a setback, she digs in, finds a solution, and continues moving forward. She encourages women and young people to pursue leadership. Dr. Jen believes deeply in mentorship and in helping others recognize what they are capable of achieving. Her own career demonstrates what can happen when expertise, courage, persistence, and a willingness to break barriers come together. Alongside her professional responsibilities, Dr. Jen is a devoted wife and mother to two sons—and one golden retriever. She has built a successful healthcare practice while remaining deeply committed to her family, her team, her patients, and the Lake Norman community. Dr. Jen’s impact can be seen in the practice she built, the barriers she broke, the professionals she has helped develop, and the patients who have returned to the lives and activities they love. She is an accomplished doctor, resilient entrepreneur, and compassionate leader whose decades of service make her truly deserving of this recognition.

I am nominating Elizabeth Lavan because she is one of those rare people who has built a successful business without ever losing sight of the people at the heart of it. I have had the opportunity to know Elizabeth through my work with Nina’s Boutique, and what I have come to appreciate most about her is that she doesn't simply own a boutique. She has created a community around it. Nina’s is inclusive, joyful, and genuinely welcoming. Elizabeth has created a place where people can come as they are, discover something that makes them feel good, and, just as importantly, feel seen and connected while they are there. She has made shopping less transactional and much more personal. But what makes Elizabeth especially deserving of recognition is that her sense of community extends far beyond her customers. Her commitment to her own family is a beautiful example. She is the mother of three children who participate in band at Hough High School, and she wholeheartedly supports them by making time for their performances, important events, fundraisers, and opportunities. She shows up for her children in the same way she shows up for her community: with enthusiasm, consistency, and genuine pride. And then there are the moments that may never appear on a business résumé. Kids in the neighborhood will ride their bikes into Nina’s simply to say hello to Elizabeth, grab a bottle of water or a snack, and be on their way. That, to me, says everything. They know her. They know they are welcome. They know her store is a safe and friendly place to stop. Elizabeth has created a community center disguised as a boutique. She is a connector. She brings people together through events, collaborations, local partnerships, and simply through the relationships she builds every day. She supports other local businesses and gives her time and resources to schools, nonprofits, and community events. But what stands out to me is that her community involvement never feels performative. It is simply who she is and how she operates. Elizabeth has also continued to evolve as an entrepreneur. She has navigated the challenges of growing and relocating Nina’s Boutique while maintaining the welcoming spirit that made people love the business in the first place. She doesn't wait for community to happen around her. She creates opportunities for it. That is why I believe Elizabeth is a woman to watch. Her influence isn't limited to the success of Nina’s Boutique. She is showing what a locally owned business can be when it becomes part of the fabric of the community. She is creating a space where women feel confident and included, where local businesses can connect, where families are supported, and where even a kid riding by on a bicycle knows there is someone inside who will be happy to see them. Elizabeth's leadership is personal. Her business is personal. Her community involvement is personal. She leads by showing up — for her customers, her children, other local businesses, and the people who simply walk through her door. I can't think of a better example of what it means to be a woman who means business while still leading with heart. Elizabeth isn't just building a business in Lake Norman. She is helping create the kind of community where people know one another, support one another, and feel like they belong. And I believe her influence will continue to grow because she has already become such an important part of the community she serves.

Ellen is a registered nurse, healthcare leader, entrepreneur, and devoted mother whose career has been shaped by one consistent purpose: helping people live healthier, stronger lives. Whether she is supporting an older adult, leading a clinical team, building a fitness community, or raising her children, she approaches every role with compassion, resilience, and an extraordinary work ethic. She helped build a fitness community where everyone belongs. Since becoming a Franchise Partner and Owner of ISI Elite Training Denver in 2022, Ellen has helped grow the business into a community of over 250 members. She has worked intentionally to create an environment where families, couples, teenagers, and individuals at every stage of their fitness journey feel welcomed, challenged, supported, and included. She has dedicated over 15 years to nursing and healthcare leadership. Ellen is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in Nursing Administration and extensive experience spanning clinical care, leadership, and operations. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to improving the health, strength, and quality of life of the people she serves. She leads clinical care across two communities. As Director of Nursing for Homewatch CareGivers of Mooresville and Charlotte, Ellen oversees clinical operations for both locations. She works to strengthen caregiver training, elevate clinical quality, cultivate a supportive workplace culture, and improve the experience of every family receiving care. She continues serving throughout Lake Norman. Ellen also works as a per diem Nurse Supervisor at The Pines at Davidson, extending her clinical impact while balancing healthcare leadership, business ownership, and motherhood. She advocates for older adults and the people who care for them. As a Certified Dementia Care Specialist, Ellen is passionate about helping older adults age in place with dignity, independence, and a strong quality of life. She also educates and equips caregivers, families, and healthcare teams with the knowledge and confidence needed to provide compassionate, informed care. Her commitment to service began early. While attending the University of South Carolina, Ellen served as president of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha service sorority from 2004 to 2005. That experience helped establish a lifelong commitment to leadership, community service, and bringing people together around a shared purpose. Her faith shaped the way she leads. From 2014 through 2021, Ellen served on the launch team for Encounter Church in Boston. The experience deepened her understanding of servant leadership, meaningful relationships, and the importance of making a difference within the sphere of influence entrusted to her. She continues to live by the belief, “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.” She measures leadership by the people she strengthens. Ellen’s influence reaches beyond the individuals and families she directly serves. She invests in the employees and teams she leads, mentors, and empowers, helping others develop the skills and confidence to grow personally and professionally. She is willing to take risks and follow what inspires her. Ellen has never been afraid to go against the grain when pursuing work that aligns with her purpose. She has successfully built a career spanning nursing, healthcare leadership, and entrepreneurship without losing sight of the passion connecting them all: helping people become healthier and stronger. She leads by example for the next generation. Ellen is the proud mother of three children who attend Woodlawn School and Langtree Charter Academy. She strives to teach them confidence, compassion, and the courage to take chances. She hopes that influence also reaches their friends, classmates, and other children growing up throughout Lake Norman. Those closest to Ellen have watched her grow into an exceptionally strong, resilient, and consistent woman. They have seen her reach the end of her rope and still find the strength to keep moving forward. She gives her full effort to every responsibility, fights for the goals in front of her, and demonstrates genuine care for the people depending on her. Ellen’s impact can be seen in the fitness community she has helped grow, the families whose care she has strengthened, the healthcare professionals she has mentored, and the children watching her example. Across every role, she leads with the same combination of determination, compassion, faith, and service—making the people and communities around her stronger in the process.

Emilee is a photographer, entrepreneur, and mother who uses her creativity to help others feel confident, celebrated, and supported. As the founder of Graceful Memories Photography and Queenfluence Media, she has built platforms that preserve meaningful moments, create inclusive experiences, and invest in the next generation of young women. She creates an inclusive photography experience. Through Graceful Memories Photography, Emilee captures meaningful memories for individuals and families while ensuring every client feels welcomed and comfortable. Each year, she hosts autism photography mini sessions designed specifically to provide children and families in the autism community with a supportive and inclusive experience. She empowers young women through Queenfluence Media. Emilee founded Queenfluence Media to help pageant titleholders develop their personal brands through media, content, and new opportunities. She works with girls from Lake Norman, throughout North Carolina, and across the country as they represent their titles and serve their communities. She invests in titleholders who are making a difference. Emilee has provided complimentary photoshoots to local titleholders and created opportunities for them to raise money and bring greater awareness to the causes they are passionate about. Through Queenfluence Media, she also provides sponsorship opportunities to young women who are actively giving back, helping them gain the tools, exposure, and support needed to expand their impact. Her support extends far beyond photography. Emilee takes time to encourage the girls she works with, celebrate their accomplishments, and help them feel confident in their roles. She is deeply invested in who they are, what they care about, and the difference they hope to make. She leads with purpose and continues to grow. Emilee puts her full heart into everything she does and continually looks for ways to evolve, both personally and professionally. Her businesses are rooted in using her time, talent, and platforms to empower others and create meaningful opportunities. As an entrepreneur and mother to a young daughter, Emilee’s work has taken on an even deeper meaning. She wants women and girls—including her own daughter—to see what is possible when they believe in their dreams and are willing to work for them. Through her generosity, creativity, and dedication, Emilee is helping young women recognize their value, strengthen their voices, and use their influence for good.

Erin Connair is a devoted mother, wife, business owner, and community leader who continually gives her time, talent, and heart to the people around her. As a mother of two young children, she pours herself into her family every day. She is a loving and devoted wife and mother who somehow manages to balance the demands of raising a family with building a successful business and serving her community. Her children see firsthand what it means to work hard, care for others, and give back. She is also the proud owner of Bluebird Bridal, where she helps couples bring one of the most important days of their lives to life. Through her work planning and coordinating weddings and events, she doesn’t simply organize details—she creates meaningful experiences and memories that families will cherish for years. Her commitment to her community extends well beyond her business. She plans events for The Lake Norman’s Women Magazine and dedicates her time and expertise to The Hope House Foundation, using her talents to help plan events that bring women and families together and support important causes. What makes her truly deserving of this nomination is the way she gives so much of herself to others while balancing the responsibilities of being a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and community advocate. She is constantly working behind the scenes to make things better for the people around her, rarely asking for recognition in return. She is an example of a woman who leads with compassion, works with purpose, and builds her community through service. Her ability to juggle motherhood, marriage, entrepreneurship, event planning, and community involvement is remarkable, but it is her genuine desire to help others that sets her apart. I could not be more proud of the woman she is and the impact she has on our family, her clients, and the Lake Norman community. She deserves to be recognized not only for everything she accomplishes, but for the heart and dedication she brings to everything she does.

Harleigh is an 11th-generation member of the Denver/Lake Norman community who is building her future in the same place her family has called home for generations. At only 27 years old, she has grown from a solo esthetician into the founder of H2Glow Brow & Skin, leading a team of six across two locations in Huntersville and Denver. She transformed a personal dream into a growing beauty brand. Harleigh founded H2Glow Brow & Skin in 2019 after building her career in the beauty industry. What began as a solo practice has expanded into two Lake Norman locations. Even while overseeing her team and managing the daily responsibilities of business ownership, Harleigh continues working a full schedule as an esthetician because she remains deeply connected to the work that first inspired H2Glow. She built her business around confidence, connection, and care. With nearly a decade of experience in the beauty industry, Harleigh understands that beauty extends far beyond appearance. She has intentionally created an environment where clients feel comfortable and supported while the women on her team have opportunities to build meaningful, successful careers. She creates opportunities for other women to recognize their potential. Harleigh is a hands-on leader who works alongside her team, invests in their education, and encourages them to develop new skills. She finds genuine joy in watching the women around her grow in confidence and discover what they are capable of accomplishing. She created a larger community for women in her industry. Harleigh founded the annual Women in Beauty Gala, now entering its third year. The event brings women from across the beauty industry together to connect, celebrate one another, form meaningful relationships, and build a stronger culture of encouragement and support. She continually invests in education and innovation. Harleigh has traveled to conferences and advanced training programs throughout the country, including Colorado, California, Arizona, and Florida. She brings that knowledge back to Lake Norman, using what she learns to benefit her team, clients, and fellow beauty professionals. She continues expanding her entrepreneurial vision. Harleigh created H2Go, an athletic apparel line available online, inside H2Glow’s spas, and at local pop-up events. The brand reflects her willingness to explore new ideas, embrace creative opportunities, and continue growing beyond the original vision for her company. She refused to allow a life-changing health challenge to determine her future. After experiencing a stroke that left her with a disability affecting her left hand, Harleigh had to adapt both personally and professionally. She continued building, leading, and performing the work she loves without allowing that challenge to define what she could accomplish. As Harleigh explains, “I often joke that working is my therapy. Every day I get to show up, create, lead, and continue doing what I love is a reminder that our challenges don’t have to determine our future. They can simply become another part of the story that makes us stronger.” Her faith remains central to her leadership. Harleigh relies on her relationship with God when navigating uncertainty, making decisions, and planning the future of her business. She views H2Glow as an opportunity to use what she has been given to make a positive difference in the lives of others. “I truly believe I would not be where I am today without God. My faith reminds me that H2Glow is about more than building a business—it’s about using what I’ve been given to positively impact the people around me.” Those who work alongside Harleigh describe her as a joyful, resilient, and hands-on leader whose success has never been centered solely on herself. She is creating careers, investing in women, building community within her industry, and cultivating a workplace where people feel valued—all while remaining deeply committed to the Lake Norman community that has shaped her family’s story for generations. Harleigh’s growth from a solo esthetician into a 27-year-old owner of two locations is an extraordinary accomplishment, but her impact is also found in the kind of leader, employer, mentor, and community member she is becoming. Her resilience, faith, ambition, and commitment to helping other women grow make her truly deserving of this recognition.

Heather is the founder of Best Health Wellness, a coach, educator, author, speaker, and heart-health advocate who has spent nearly 30 years helping people create healthier lives through practical, sustainable change. Her work is centered on a powerful mission: helping women build the strength, knowledge, and confidence to live fully throughout every stage of life. She brings decades of experience to women’s health and wellness. Heather’s career has spanned fitness, nutrition, body composition, metabolic health, strength training, and healthy aging. She worked at the NBC Fitness Center in New York City, taught fitness and nutrition in Ireland, and has called the Lake Norman community home for 30 years. She founded Best Health Wellness to support women in midlife. Through personalized coaching and education, Heather helps women better understand their changing bodies and make informed decisions about their health. Her approach moves the conversation beyond weight loss and focuses on preserving muscle, improving strength and function, understanding important health numbers, and building bodies capable of supporting active lives for decades. She created free strength-training opportunities for women. Heather developed STRONG, a series of completely free, live virtual strength-training classes designed to eliminate common barriers such as cost, travel, intimidation, and uncertainty about where to begin. Women of all fitness levels can join from home, pick up their dumbbells, and learn how to become stronger in an encouraging environment. She makes wellness education accessible in the workplace. Heather provides individual coaching as well as on-site corporate wellness programs. She has partnered with employees and organizations from leading companies such as EY, Bank of America, Apple, TikTok, and PwC to make health, fitness, nutrition, and strength education more accessible at work and beyond. A life-threatening heart attack transformed her mission. At 48, despite being a lifelong exerciser, health coach, and nutrition professional, Heather survived a widowmaker heart attack. The experience completely changed her understanding of health and gave her an even greater sense of purpose in her work. She turned her survival story into a wake-up call for women. Heather now encourages women to know their health numbers, understand their family history and personal risk factors, listen carefully to their bodies, and advocate for themselves. She teaches that looking healthy or feeling healthy does not always reveal what may be happening internally. She wrote a book to help other women protect their hearts. Heather authored Five Things Every Woman Should Know About Her Heart, transforming her personal experience into an educational resource that could potentially save lives. She donates proceeds from the book to the American Heart Association so that her story can create an impact beyond her own business. She is redefining what strength means for women. Through speaking, coaching, social media, community education, podcast appearances, free fitness classes, and heart-health advocacy, Heather encourages women to FIND STRONG. Her message is not about becoming smaller. It is about becoming stronger physically and mentally while developing the confidence to advocate for their own health. Heather believes strength reaches far beyond what happens inside a gym. It is having the knowledge to take ownership of your health, the confidence to build a business or career, the ability to care for the people you love, and the resilience to continue showing up through difficult seasons. At the heart of Heather’s work is a message every woman deserves to hear: “I don’t want women spending the second half of their lives trying to occupy less space. I want them building the strength, muscle, knowledge, and confidence that allow them to keep living big lives.” Heather’s work is changing how women understand their bodies, their hearts, and their futures. By combining nearly three decades of professional knowledge with the perspective of a heart-attack survivor, she gives women practical tools to become stronger, advocate for themselves, and continue living boldly.

Jasmine Martinez is the founder and owner of Brighter Smiles Teeth Whitening, an award-winning boutique studio she launched in 2023. In just a few years, she has transformed one idea into a growing, recognizable brand centered on confidence, connection, and an exceptional client experience. She rapidly expanded Brighter Smiles across three communities. What began as one location has grown into three studios serving Charlotte, Lake Norman, and Matthews. With the opening of her third location this year, Jasmine has expanded operations, increased revenue, created local jobs, and made professional teeth-whitening services more accessible throughout the area. She created a different kind of teeth-whitening experience. Jasmine built Brighter Smiles around the belief that professional teeth whitening can be both effective and elevated without the traditional dental-office price point. She designed a boutique environment where clients can relax, feel comfortable, and leave with greater confidence. She built a team capable of carrying her vision forward. Jasmine has personally trained technicians to provide a consistent, high-quality experience across every Brighter Smiles location. As the company has grown, she has remained intentional about maintaining the care, professionalism, and attention to detail behind the brand. She creates meaningful opportunities for the women on her team. Jasmine recognizes the individual strengths of the women who work alongside her, trusts them to take ownership of their roles, and provides opportunities for them to develop professionally. She understands that sustainable growth depends on a strong team and leads with both ambitious vision and genuine care for the people helping bring it to life. Her leadership has earned significant community recognition. Brighter Smiles was named Small Business of the Year by the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. Jasmine has also been recognized as one of Charlotte’s Top 50 Women to Know and honored through the KNOW Charlotte community. She encourages other women to define success for themselves. Jasmine is passionate about showing women that it is possible to build a successful business while creating a life that reflects their individual priorities and goals. She uses her entrepreneurial journey to encourage aspiring business owners to take chances on themselves, step beyond their comfort zones, and pursue the ideas they believe in. What began as an idea in 2023 has grown far beyond what Jasmine originally imagined. She has expanded into three markets, built a recognizable brand, created jobs, developed a talented team, and earned respected recognition within the business community. Jasmine’s success reflects her willingness to take risks, embrace challenges, and remain committed to both her vision and her people. She is building a company that helps clients feel confident, gives employees room to grow, and reminds other women of what can happen when they believe their ideas are worth pursuing.

Jasmine Swaggard is a REALTOR®, entrepreneur, Broker-in-Charge of NÖIRE Group, mentor, and community advocate whose leadership is grounded in integrity, consistency, and service. Through her commitment to helping others succeed, she has become a trusted resource for clients, fellow agents, and families throughout the Lake Norman community. She has earned the trust to lead. After previously serving as an independent agent with NÖIRE Group, Jasmine was selected to become the firm’s managing broker and Broker-in-Charge because of the leadership she had already demonstrated. She now takes an active role in supporting the firm’s agents, strengthening the team, and helping others grow within their careers. She is a dedicated mentor. Jasmine invests personally in the success of the agents around her, offering guidance, encouragement, and accountability. Those she has mentored credit her with helping them grow both professionally and personally. She inspires and motivates through her actions, consistently demonstrating what dependable and thoughtful leadership looks like. She is a fierce advocate for her clients. Jasmine approaches real estate with genuine care and a commitment to helping each client achieve their goals. She goes above and beyond to ensure they feel informed, supported, and valued throughout the process, building relationships that extend well beyond the closing table. She creates opportunities for the community to come together. Jasmine has organized successful client and community appreciation events throughout Lake Norman, along with back-to-school drives and neighborhood events focused on connection and giving back. When she recognizes a need, she takes initiative and begins working toward a solution. She leads through service. Jasmine is known for being dependable, trustworthy, and committed to following through on what she promises. She does not lead for recognition; she leads because she cares about the people who trust and depend on her. Jasmine carries many important roles—wife, mother of two, entrepreneur, REALTOR®, Broker-in-Charge, mentor, and community advocate—and approaches each one with intention and grace. Her ability to lead by example while continuing to pour into her clients, colleagues, family, and community is already making a meaningful difference throughout Lake Norman, and her influence will only continue to grow.

Jenn Salameh is an entrepreneur, product creator, manufacturer, and mother of three who has built two Mooresville businesses around solving real problems and helping others bring meaningful products to market. Her journey from experimenting at a kitchen table to leading a consumer brand and full-service manufacturing operation reflects her curiosity, resilience, and determination to build something better. Her interest in beauty and personal care began early. As a child, Jenn loved lip balm and soap-making kits and spent hours creating products at her kitchen table. She later attended cosmetology school, where she developed a deeper understanding of hair, skin, and the ingredients used in everyday personal-care products. She turned a personal struggle into a business. After dealing with chronic acne for 15 years and finding little success with conventional treatments, Jenn began researching ingredients and experimenting with her own formulations. She created a natural face salve that worked better for her than the products she had previously tried. When her husband, Laith, later developed irritation from conventional deodorants, Jenn formulated an aluminum-free alternative for him. Those two solutions became the foundation for something much larger. In 2018, Jenn and Laith founded J&L Naturals. What began with products made for themselves, friends, and family grew into a complete personal-care brand offering small-batch products made in Mooresville, North Carolina. Jenn shaped the brand around natural ingredients, vegan formulations, thoughtful packaging, and a straightforward belief that personal-care products should be effective without asking customers to compromise their values. She learned the beauty business from the ground up. Building J&L Naturals required Jenn to go far beyond creating formulas. She gained firsthand experience in ingredient sourcing, packaging, production planning, quality control, inventory, wholesale, ecommerce, customer service, and fulfillment. Every stage brought new challenges, and Jenn approached each one by learning, testing, improving, and finding a way forward. She transformed that experience into an opportunity for other founders. As J&L Naturals grew, Jenn saw how difficult it could be for emerging brands to move from a promising idea to a professionally manufactured product. Founders were often forced to coordinate separate formulators, manufacturers, packaging vendors, warehouses, and fulfillment companies, making an already difficult process even harder. That insight helped lead to Formul8 Cosmetics, a full-service contract manufacturer serving beauty, personal-care, and pet-care brands. Formul8 brings product development, formulation, manufacturing, filling, packaging, quality control, warehousing, and fulfillment together under one roof in Mooresville. Jenn brings an uncommon perspective to this work because she has stood on both sides of the manufacturing relationship. She understands the technical discipline required to produce a consistent, high-quality product, but she also understands the uncertainty, financial pressure, and personal investment carried by the founder behind it. She knows that every formula represents someone’s reputation, livelihood, and dream. Through Formul8, Jenn helps entrepreneurs gain access to the knowledge, systems, and production capabilities they need to launch and grow. She has expanded her impact from creating products for one brand to helping build the foundation behind many others, giving founders a clearer path from an early concept to a finished product in a customer’s hands. Behind both businesses is Jenn’s greatest priority: her family. Jenn and Laith are raising three children while building their companies together as a family of five. Their entrepreneurial and family lives have grown alongside each other through kitchen-table experiments, long production days, difficult decisions, and the daily work of turning ideas into lasting businesses. Their children are growing up watching Jenn create, lead, solve problems, support her team, and help other entrepreneurs pursue ideas of their own. She is showing them that meaningful work is built through curiosity, integrity, persistence, and the willingness to keep learning when the path is uncertain. Jenn’s impact reaches beyond the products sold by J&L Naturals or manufactured through Formul8 Cosmetics. She turned a painful personal experience into a brand, developed deep operational knowledge by building that brand from the ground up, and then used what she learned to create opportunities for other entrepreneurs. Jenn represents the kind of leadership the She Means Business Gala was created to recognize. She is a founder who understands both vision and execution, a manufacturer who remembers what it feels like to begin at a kitchen table, and a mother building a legacy her children can see taking shape around them. Through J&L Naturals and Formul8 Cosmetics, Jenn is not only building businesses of her own. She is helping other people build theirs.

Jennifer Szakaly founded Caregiving Corner in Cornelius in 2005 to help older adults live safely and independently while supporting the families who care for them. Today, the firm serves more than 300 clients annually across 11 counties in North Carolina and South Carolina. Under Jennifer’s leadership, Caregiving Corner has grown into a 19-person Aging Life Care practice providing care management, medical advocacy, dementia care, family caregiver support, and professional guardianship services. The organization has also been recognized by the Charlotte Business Journal as a Best Place to Work. Jennifer holds a master’s degree in gerontology from UNC Charlotte and is a Nationally Certified Care Manager and National Master Guardian—the highest level of professional guardianship certification. She is also a Fellow of the Aging Life Care Association Leadership Academy, the association’s highest professional designation. Her influence extends regionally and nationally. Jennifer serves on the national Board of Directors of the Aging Life Care Association and previously served as president of its Southeast Chapter. She has contributed to national committees focused on professional standards, ethics, and education. Locally, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Caregiver Institute for Well-being, a nonprofit supporting caregivers. Jennifer is also a trusted resource for reporters covering dementia, aging in place, elder fraud, senior safety, and family caregiving. In 2026, she was named a finalist for the Charlotte Business Journal’s Healthcare Heroes Award. For more than two decades, Jennifer has combined entrepreneurship, advocacy, and professional leadership to improve how older adults and their families navigate the challenges of aging.

She’s a boss in the best way! Jessica is the broker-in-Charge and a realtor with Trump International Realty Charlotte, a position she has held for 11 years. Her natural passion for assisting people looking to make life-changing decisions and her fascination with the real estate industry make her one of the most enthusiastic, tenacious professionals you’ll meet. Originally from Bergen County, NJ, Jessica moved to Atlanta with her family at 12 and later attended the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) where she holds a BA degree in Risk Management. Prior to real estate, she was a commercial reinsurance broker for a small international firm and has also worked in marketing and administration roles for her father’s biotech company. She is a passionate member of the Lake Norman community and is deeply committed to giving back. She serves on the board of Hope at the Lake, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting local charities and organizations with immediate needs. Jessica also serves as co-chair in the organization’s annual Halloween Gala, which raises more than $100,000 each year to benefit the local community. She is a member of Mooresville First Presbyterian Church, where she serves on the contemporary worship team as a singer. Jessica and her husband enjoy playing tennis, boating on the lake, and spending time with their two dogs. Jessica is a proud citizen and loves calling Lake Norman home!

Julia Kraemer is the kind of woman who took one of the most difficult experiences of her life and turned it into a mission to make life a little easier for other families. Julia is the founder and owner of Kangaroo Cozies, a business created from her own experience as a NICU mother. Her son was born at just 27 weeks and weighed only two pounds, and her family spent three months navigating the NICU. During that time, Julia experienced firsthand the fear, uncertainty, and overwhelming emotions that come with having a baby in intensive care. She also saw a very real need for clothing and products designed specifically for these tiny, medically fragile babies. Instead of simply moving forward from that experience, Julia chose to do something with it. She built Kangaroo Cozies with the goal of bringing comfort and dignity to NICU babies and their parents—and she has made giving back part of the foundation of her business. A portion of every purchase is donated to organizations supporting NICU babies and their families, including Madelyn’s Fund and Bee Mighty. Her partnerships with these organizations demonstrate that Kangaroo Cozies is about so much more than selling baby clothes; it is about building a community around families during one of the most vulnerable seasons of their lives. What makes Julia especially deserving of recognition is the heart behind her leadership. She leads with empathy because she has lived the experience she is trying to change. She understands that sometimes something as simple as a thoughtfully designed piece of clothing, a resource, a donation, or knowing that another person understands can make an enormous difference to a NICU family. Julia has also become a voice for NICU parents beyond her products. She openly shares her own story and experiences to help other families feel less alone, including speaking about the unique challenges of balancing a NICU stay with life at home and caring for another child. Her willingness to be vulnerable has allowed her to connect with and encourage families who are walking a path she knows all too well. Her impact extends into the Lake Norman community through the relationships she has built with other local businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations. She demonstrates what it looks like to use entrepreneurship as a vehicle for connection and service. She is proof that a small business can have a very big heart—and that success is not only measured by what you build, but by who you lift up along the way. Julia is a woman to watch because she is just getting started. She has taken a deeply personal experience and created a growing business, a meaningful mission, and a platform for advocacy and support. Her vision reaches far beyond Kangaroo Cozies. She wants NICU families to feel seen, supported, and cared for, and she continues to find new ways to make that happen. Julia represents the kind of leadership the Lake Norman community needs: compassionate, entrepreneurial, authentic, and rooted in service. She is not waiting for someone else to make a difference—she saw a need, created a solution, and continues to use her voice and her business to help others. That is what makes Julia a phenomenal woman, and why I believe her influence will continue to grow and positively shape the Lake Norman community for years to come.

Karissa is the founder of Wild Rose Salon and Wild Rose Spa, two businesses she has built in the heart of downtown Mooresville. Her journey reflects years of belief in the community, dedication to her craft, and a commitment to creating opportunities for women throughout the beauty industry. She invested in downtown Mooresville before it became the destination it is today. Karissa began her career as a hairstylist and entrepreneur in downtown Mooresville while the area was still developing. She believed in its potential and chose to invest her time, energy, and resources into growing her business there as the surrounding community continued to evolve. She expanded one vision into two thriving businesses. Over the years, Karissa grew Wild Rose Salon into a successful beauty business and later introduced Wild Rose Spa, creating a second downtown destination centered on beauty, wellness, and self-care. Expanding while continuing to operate her original business required perseverance, adaptability, risk-taking, and the courage to keep moving through the difficult seasons of entrepreneurship. She has helped over 20 beauty professionals build careers of their own. Karissa’s goal was never limited to hiring employees. She wanted to give talented women an environment where they could develop professionally, strengthen their confidence, feel valued, and create individual paths within the industry. She created a culture of support instead of competition. Karissa understands that the beauty industry can sometimes feel highly individualistic. She intentionally built Wild Rose to feel different...a workplace where women celebrate one another’s accomplishments, share their knowledge, learn together, and genuinely feel like part of a team. She remains connected to the work and the people performing it. Even while managing and expanding her businesses, Karissa continues working within the industry herself. This allows her to understand firsthand the challenges stylists and beauty professionals face and continually improve the support, environment, and opportunities she provides for her team. She wants everyone who enters Wild Rose to feel valued. Karissa has created an experience where clients feel welcomed, appreciated, and confident from the moment they walk through the door. She works to ensure the professionals providing those services experience that same sense of care, belonging, and respect. Her businesses contribute to the continued growth of downtown Mooresville. Through Wild Rose Salon and Wild Rose Spa, Karissa has created local jobs, welcomed people into the downtown district, and added to the energy that makes the area a desirable place to live, work, shop, and spend time. Her proudest accomplishments are reflected in the women around her. Karissa does not define her greatest success by a particular revenue figure or business milestone. She measures it by watching the women who have worked alongside her grow in confidence, develop their careers, and recognize what they are capable of achieving. When Karissa looks back at where she began and where Wild Rose stands today, she is proudest of the people who have shared in the journey. She has built two successful businesses, but she has also built a community; one where women can grow, clients feel genuinely cared for, and downtown Mooresville feels a little more connected because Wild Rose is there.

Kayleigh is the founder of The Blended Pack Co., a business that brings together many of the things she cares about most: pets, creativity, small businesses, local events, and giving back. Through every part of her work, she looks for ways to use her talents and experience to make a positive impact on the people, animals, and organizations around her. She built her business around three guiding values: Care. Create. Connect. Whether Kayleigh is providing trusted pet care, helping a small business with photography or creative support, organizing a local event, or supporting an animal rescue or meaningful cause, those values remain at the center of everything she does. She has created a business that makes room for all of her passions. Instead of limiting herself to one traditional path, Kayleigh combined her experience, creativity, and love for helping people and animals to build something uniquely her own. The Blended Pack Co. allows her to serve pet owners while also creating opportunities for local businesses, organizations, and individuals to be seen and supported. Her work has earned meaningful recognition. This year, The Blended Pack Co. was recognized by Truist and the Charlotte Knights as a Most Valuable Business. The honor celebrated not only the company’s growth, but also the relationships, ideas, community support, and consistent work behind what Kayleigh has built. She uses her platform to support others. Kayleigh understands that growing a local business also creates opportunities to shine a light on other people doing meaningful work. Through creative collaborations, events, photography, and community involvement, she helps local businesses and organizations expand their reach and strengthen their connections. She is honest about the realities of entrepreneurship. Kayleigh is still building, learning, and figuring things out as she goes—and she believes that is an important part of the entrepreneurial journey. She demonstrates that someone does not need to have every answer or a perfectly mapped-out plan before taking the first step toward creating something meaningful. Kayleigh is proud of the work she has invested, the connections she has helped create, and the direction in which she continues to grow. Her journey reminds other women that they can begin before everything feels perfectly figured out, trust what they care about, and build something meaningful one step at a time.

Kelly Meyer is a business owner, accomplished real estate professional, nonprofit co-founder, community leader, wife, and mother whose life reflects a long-standing commitment to service. Whether she is guiding clients through real estate decisions, developing future leaders, serving her church, or strengthening her neighborhood and local schools, Kelly consistently steps forward when her community needs someone willing to lead. She built a respected career in real estate. Kelly is the Managing Broker and co-owner of Vessel Realty, a luxury boutique real estate firm she founded with her husband, Jason Meyer, in 2022. Together, they serve clients throughout the Greater Charlotte area with personalized guidance and a strong commitment to excellence. Her professional success has earned consistent recognition. Kelly has been named one of the Top 50 Lake Norman Women in Real Estate for five years. She has also ranked among the top 3% of real estate agents in the Greater Charlotte area for three consecutive years—2023, 2024, and 2025. She co-founded an organization dedicated to service and leadership. Kelly helped establish the Young Men’s Service League of Lake Norman, where mothers and their high-school-aged sons serve together through partnerships with over 25 local philanthropic organizations. She is helping prepare young men to become compassionate leaders. In addition to community service, the Young Men’s Service League offers a comprehensive four-year program focused on leadership and essential life skills. Its mission is to help young men become capable, confident, and compassionate leaders prepared to contribute meaningfully to their communities. She continues to lead within the organization she helped create. Kelly served as president of the Lake Norman chapter from 2024 through 2026 and currently serves as Vice President of Communications. Through her continued involvement, she helps expand the organization’s reach, strengthen its community partnerships, and create meaningful experiences for participating mothers and sons. Her service extends throughout every part of her community. Kelly volunteers monthly in her church’s Sunday school nursery, served as president of her neighborhood homeowners association for two years, and previously served as vice president at Woodland Heights Elementary School. Her leadership is not tied to a single title or organization; it is a pattern she has demonstrated throughout many seasons of her life. Her family remains at the center of everything she does. Kelly has been married for 27 years and is the proud mother of three young-adult children. The values she demonstrates through service, entrepreneurship, and leadership reflect the example she has worked to set for both her own family and the next generation. Kelly’s impact is found in the clients she has guided, the business she has built, the young men developing into stronger leaders, the mothers serving alongside their sons, and the organizations benefiting from their work. She has achieved significant professional success while continually giving her time and leadership to the community around her. Kelly demonstrates that leadership is not defined by one position—it is revealed through a consistent willingness to serve. Her professional accomplishments, dedication to family, and commitment to strengthening the Greater Charlotte and Lake Norman communities make her truly deserving of this recognition.

Kirsten is a first-generation college graduate and the founder of three growing businesses in Downtown Statesville. What began as a dream in her early twenties has become a powerful example of what can happen when a young woman trusts the vision God has placed on her heart and begins before she feels completely ready. She earned her degree through determination and sacrifice. Kirsten became the first person in her family to graduate from college, completing her bachelor’s degree while working full-time throughout the COVID pandemic. That season required discipline, perseverance, and the ability to continue pursuing her goals during a period of tremendous uncertainty. She opened her first business at only 22 years old. In 2024, Kirsten founded Branded Peach Boutique in Downtown Statesville. Her mission was to create a place where women could shop locally while feeling loved, celebrated, and supported. She wanted every customer who walked through the door to feel welcomed and valued. She transformed a young dream into a growing storefront. As both the business and its customer community expanded, Kirsten moved Branded Peach into a larger Downtown Statesville location in 2026. The expansion reflected the relationships, loyalty, and momentum she had built in only two years. She helps other businesses bring their brands to life. In 2025, Kirsten founded Branded Threads, a commercial embroidery and custom-apparel company. Through this business, she supports fellow entrepreneurs, schools, organizations, and local companies by helping them create professional products that represent their brands. She identified another need in her community and responded. In 2026, Kirsten launched Branded Peach Baby, the only dedicated baby boutique in Statesville. The store gives local families another opportunity to shop small while adding a unique retail experience to the downtown business community. She is creating opportunities for other young women. Kirsten currently manages three growing businesses while leading a team of young women and creating local jobs. Through her leadership, she gives team members opportunities to gain experience, develop confidence, and see firsthand what women can accomplish through entrepreneurship. Her work has earned recognition throughout Iredell County. In 2026, Branded Peach was voted Best Boutique and Best Women’s Clothing in Best of Iredell. These honors reflect the strong customer community Kirsten has created and the impact her business has made in a remarkably short period. She is deeply invested in the future of Downtown Statesville. Kirsten is passionate about keeping small-town business local and contributing to the continued growth and vibrancy of the downtown district. Through collaborations, community events, and shared experiences, she works to bring people downtown while supporting the other businesses around her. Kirsten’s success is not defined only by opening three businesses. She has created jobs, supported fellow entrepreneurs, encouraged people to shop locally, and helped strengthen the community she calls home. She is also showing other young women that they do not need to have everything perfectly figured out before pursuing something meaningful. Kirsten trusted her faith, took action on her dream, and continued building one opportunity at a time. Her courage, rapid growth, and commitment to Downtown Statesville make her truly deserving of this recognition.

Laura is the owner and creative force behind Peony and Gold, a floral design studio and flower shop in Cornelius. What makes her remarkable is that she isn’t simply trying to create another florist. She has a clear vision for bringing luxury, European-inspired floral design to Lake Norman while building a business that is creative, welcoming and deeply connected to its community. Laura originally founded Peony and Gold in England in 2017, where she built an award-winning wedding floral business and designed flowers for more than 500 weddings. When she moved to North Carolina with her family in 2022, she had to begin again from the ground up—in a new country, without an established professional network, local reputation or existing client base. And she did. In 2024, Laura opened Peony and Gold’s first Lake Norman retail location in Cornelius. Since then, she has been steadily rebuilding the business, creating local jobs and establishing its reputation within a completely new community. Laura has an exceptional eye for design. Her goal is to create the kind of flowers people save to their Pinterest boards: romantic, abundant, editorial and a little unexpected. Whether she is designing a large wedding installation, an arrangement being delivered to someone’s home or flowers for a local event, she wants people to see them and immediately wonder, “Where did those come from?” Although the Peony and Gold aesthetic is luxurious, Laura does not believe luxury should feel unapproachable. She wants someone receiving a $75 birthday arrangement to experience the same excitement as a bride seeing her wedding flowers for the first time. That combination of elevated design and genuine warmth is at the heart of everything she is building. Her commitment to community is just as important as her creativity. When a hurricane devastated Western North Carolina and flower shops in the affected areas were left unable to open, Laura found a practical way to help. She purchased flowers from those businesses so their stock would not go to waste, brought the flowers back to Peony and Gold, turned them into arrangements and sold them. She then donated every dollar raised to three charities supporting Western North Carolina. She used the skills and resources available to her to transform another small business’s potential loss into meaningful help for communities in crisis. Peony and Gold is also the sole local supplier of Mer Bleue candles and diffusers. Laura chose to stock the collection not simply because it is beautifully made in Lake Norman, but because of the story and purpose behind it. Mer Bleue was founded after its creator’s 11-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia, and a portion of its proceeds supports the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. For Laura, bringing Mer Bleue into the shop was an opportunity to champion another local woman-owned business while helping support families facing an unimaginable experience. This is characteristic of how Laura approaches business. She understands that local businesses do not have to compete for space; they can grow by supporting, recommending and creating opportunities for one another. She is passionate about working with Lake Norman’s network of wedding professionals, venues, realtors, businesses, charities and fellow creatives. Laura also brings something valuable to Lake Norman: an outsider’s perspective combined with a genuine desire to belong to and contribute to the community she now calls home. She sees how quickly the area is growing and how many incredible homes, venues, businesses and events are here. She believes floral design can grow alongside them and become part of what makes Lake Norman distinctive. Her vision extends far beyond operating a flower shop. She wants to build a recognizable Lake Norman brand known for extraordinary design, exceptional service and flowers that feel elevated without being inaccessible. She wants to raise the standard of floral design in the area, create work people immediately recognize and build a business that becomes part of how this community celebrates its biggest—and smallest—moments. There is something particularly inspiring about watching a woman take a business she successfully built once, move thousands of miles away and have the courage to say, “I can build this again.” She is doing all of this while raising two daughters. They are watching their mother take risks, solve problems, create employment, support other women, serve her community, pursue big ideas, occasionally figure things out as she goes and continue showing up for something she believes in. That is why Laura is a woman to watch. Peony and Gold may still be relatively new to Lake Norman, but Laura’s experience, ambition and impact are not small. She has already demonstrated that she knows how to build a successful creative business. Now, she is combining that experience with her European design background and a genuine commitment to her new community to create something specifically for Lake Norman. I have a feeling we are only seeing the beginning of what she will accomplish here.

Madalyn is the founder of Bentley’s, a community-centered business built around flowers, creativity, connection, and joy. She launched the company while newly postpartum with twins, homeschooling her oldest son, and navigating the everyday realities of raising three boys. Bentley’s was not created during a perfectly timed or easy season. It was built in the middle of real life, one event, relationship, and opportunity at a time. Personal loss became a catalyst for community impact. After Madalyn’s stepmother passed away in 2020, she created an annual fall festival in her hometown to honor her memory. All proceeds benefit the school where her stepmother taught, and Madalyn also established a scholarship awarded to one student each year. Through the festival, Madalyn saw how deeply people needed opportunities to gather, experience joy, and feel connected. That realization became an important part of the inspiration behind Bentley’s. She brought restoration, creativity, and nature together. After 13 years of practicing and teaching Reiki, Madalyn understood the restorative power of slowing down, creating with intention, and reconnecting with nature. When the idea for Bentley’s began taking shape shortly after the birth of her twins, she envisioned a joyful, approachable business that could bring those elements into people’s everyday lives. She built a growing company while raising three children. Madalyn developed Bentley’s while balancing homeschooling, work, motherhood, and entrepreneurship. Instead of waiting for life to become less complicated, she began with what she had and continued building through every season. She achieved remarkable growth in four years. What began as an idea has expanded into a fleet of vehicles and mobile bars, allowing Bentley’s to serve the community in new and creative ways. Madalyn has also employed over eight people, an accomplishment she never anticipated when the business began and one that has allowed her vision to create opportunities for others. Her work has earned recognition within the Charlotte business community. Bentley’s was recognized as one of Light Up Charlotte’s inaugural Top 20 Businesses, reflecting the creativity, momentum, and community impact behind what Madalyn has built. She uses her business as a vehicle for giving back. Community connection has remained at the heart of Bentley’s. From flower giveaways and collaborative events to recognizing meaningful people, milestones, and causes, Madalyn consistently looks for ways to use flowers to bring comfort, encouragement, and joy. She shows up wherever her community needs support. Bentley’s has donated its services, vehicles, and floral arrangements to numerous charitable events and organizations. Through these contributions, Madalyn has helped support children with cancer, mothers navigating loss, FeedNC, and animals awaiting homes in local shelters. Madalyn’s story demonstrates what can happen when someone begins before life feels perfectly organized. She built Bentley’s while recovering from childbirth, caring for twins, homeschooling, and raising three boys, and still made community service a central part of the company’s purpose. In only four years, Madalyn has created jobs, built a fleet, earned business recognition, supported charitable causes, and developed a brand that helps people slow down, connect, and experience joy. Bentley’s grew from a deeply personal understanding of loss and the need for community, and Madalyn continues using its success to create the very connection that first inspired it.

Mandy is the kind of entrepreneur who does not wait for an opportunity to exist. She builds it. She founded Indigo Collective Group (ICG) from the ground up with a vision for creating a different kind of marketing agency, one where businesses could have access to senior-level marketing strategy without needing to build an entire internal marketing department. What started with Mandy, her experience, and a belief that there was a better way to serve growing businesses has developed into a thriving marketing and PR agency working with clients across a wide range of industries. Building a business from scratch takes much more than being good at what you do. Mandy has had to be the strategist, salesperson, account lead, business developer, problem solver, and decision-maker while also learning how to hire, lead a team, build processes, manage clients, and create a business that could grow beyond her individually. She has built Indigo Collective Group without a roadmap, continually adapting the business as it has grown while staying closely involved in the strategy and success of the companies her team represents. What stands out most is that Mandy has never been interested in simply maintaining what she has built. She is constantly looking for the next opportunity to grow, both for her own businesses and for the businesses around her. That mindset led her to acquire ExploreCLT in 2026. Rather than starting another brand from scratch, she saw the opportunity to take an established Charlotte media platform with a large audience and build its next chapter. She is now bringing together two sides of marketing that are rarely connected under one entrepreneur: an agency that helps businesses develop their strategy and a media platform that gives local businesses meaningful exposure to the community. Her vision for ExploreCLT also extends beyond Charlotte. Mandy is actively working to expand the platform's presence throughout the greater Charlotte region, creating more opportunities for businesses, restaurants, entrepreneurs, events, and organizations to reach new audiences and tell their stories. That is where Mandy's impact has the potential to become even greater. She understands firsthand what it means to build a business, earn every client, make difficult decisions, take financial risks, and keep going when there is no guarantee something will work. Because of that, she approaches supporting other business owners differently. She understands that behind every local business is someone who took a chance on an idea. Mandy is also building more than businesses for herself. As Indigo Collective Group has grown, she has created opportunities for other women to build careers in marketing, take on meaningful client work, develop professionally, and have a voice within a growing company. She leads by giving her team ownership and trusting them to contribute to where the business goes next. Her career is a strong example of what modern entrepreneurship can look like. She took her marketing experience and turned it into an agency. She took that agency and built a team. Then, instead of becoming comfortable with that success, she took another significant entrepreneurial risk and became the owner of a major local media platform. Mandy is a woman to watch because she is still building. The next chapter of both Indigo Collective Group and ExploreCLT is focused on expanding their reach, creating new partnerships, and becoming even more connected to communities throughout the Charlotte region. As that growth continues, Mandy has the opportunity to influence not only how businesses market themselves, but how local businesses and communities connect with one another. She represents the kind of female entrepreneur who creates her own opportunities, takes calculated risks, brings other people along as she grows, and continues thinking bigger about what is possible. What she has built from scratch is impressive, but what makes her especially deserving of recognition is that it still feels like the beginning of what she is capable of building. Some links to learn more about Mandy and her companies: instagram.com/exploreclt/ instagram.com/indigocollectivegrp/

Mariesha’s journey as an entrepreneur began with a need she experienced firsthand. After becoming a mother at 20 and spending part of her early career in the corporate world, she stepped away to raise her growing family while also helping with accounts payable for her husband’s business. Grateful for the opportunity to be home with her children, but eager to reconnect with the working world, she recognized something missing in the Denver community: women had limited access to many beauty and self-care services without driving 30 minutes or farther. Rather than simply wishing that space existed, Mariesha decided to create it. She returned to school to become an esthetician, completing her education in 2017. The following February, her vision welcomed its first paying clients. What began as three women working from two treatment beds eventually grew into Proper Beauty Bar, a thriving business that has supported as many as 13 team members at one time. Today, its team of beauty professionals and receptionists provides a variety of specialized services to women throughout the area. Mariesha has continued to evolve alongside her community and the beauty industry. She was among the first professionals licensed in Lincoln County to offer cosmetic tattooing and microblading, and she later invested in bringing head-spa and scalp-care services (including scalp-analysis technology) to the area. Her willingness to recognize an opportunity and pursue it before the entire path is clear has helped Proper remain innovative and responsive to what local women need. In 2026, Proper Beauty Bar was named a BusinessRate Best of 2026 Award Winner for Beauty Salon in Denver, North Carolina, based on Google Reviews. For Mariesha, however, the heart of Proper has always been the women on both sides of its doors. She loves watching clients leave feeling beautiful and confident, but she is equally passionate about creating meaningful careers for the women who work there. Her corporate experience taught her what she did not want to recreate. She wanted women to have the opportunity to become financially independent, build their own clientele, strengthen their skills, increase their earning potential, and create schedules that could work alongside motherhood, family, and life. Mariesha eventually stepped away from providing services herself so she could focus on leading her team and creating opportunities for other beauty professionals. She freely shares the lessons she has learned, mentors newer entrepreneurs, celebrates other women’s accomplishments, and makes connections that help local businesses grow. She leads with generosity rather than competition and genuinely wants the women around her to succeed alongside her. That commitment was tested during COVID-19, when North Carolina’s shutdown of the beauty industry threatened everything she had built. Mariesha took on several small-business loans, which she continues to repay, and did everything she could to keep Proper alive so her employees would have jobs and her clients would have a place to return to. Growing the business has never followed a straight line, but her determination to protect the people who depended on it never wavered. Her dedication to serving others extends throughout the community. Proper hosts monthly events that bring people together while giving local vendors and small businesses opportunities to reach new customers. Mariesha and her team have supported Amy’s House, the Lincoln County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and Love Denver, where they have provided free haircuts to community members. They have also contributed donations, volunteer hours, and relief funding following the devastating hurricane and flooding in Western North Carolina and the Asheville area. Through Proper, Mariesha also sponsors three children in developing countries each month, helping provide food, clothing, education, and other necessities. She has remained committed to those same three children for nearly three years. Mariesha’s faith is central to the way she lives and leads. She is active in her church and participates in a Bible study held at Proper. The business also keeps a prayer-request box where anyone may anonymously share what they are facing, and members of the Bible study personally pray over every request. She wants people to feel cared for far beyond the service they came in to receive. Her perseverance is also deeply personal. In 2024, Mariesha experienced the devastating loss of her fourth son, Michael, during pregnancy and endured the unimaginable heartbreak of giving birth to him. She credits her faith and the close friends in her community with carrying her through one of the most difficult seasons of her life. Although the loss could have hardened her heart, God’s grace deepened her appreciation for family, genuine friendship, community, and the importance of showing up for others when life becomes painfully difficult. Financial independence has always held special meaning for Mariesha because of her mother. One of her goals in building Proper was to reach a place where she could help care for her mother as she grew older without worrying whether she could afford to do so. As her mother has faced ongoing health challenges, the success and flexibility Mariesha created through Proper have allowed her to provide financial support and step away from work whenever her mother needs her. To Mariesha, success is not defined only by what she has built; it is having the freedom and ability to care for the people she loves. Mariesha is a devoted wife and mother of three kind and compassionate boys, and she remains committed to being present for her family, including supporting her oldest son in the racing community. She wants other mothers to have the same opportunity to build careers and achieve independence without sacrificing their presence in the lives of the people they love. Mariesha never set out simply to build a large beauty business. She set out to help women feel confident, create meaningful careers, strengthen her community, and use what she had been given to serve others. Her impact can be seen in the professionals she employs, the entrepreneurs she mentors, the businesses she supports, the clients she encourages, and the relationships she has helped build throughout Lake Norman. Proper Beauty Bar represents what Mariesha has already accomplished, but it does not define the limits of what she will do. She continues to evolve, pursue new possibilities, create opportunities for women, and pour her success back into the people around her. Through her leadership, faith, perseverance, and generosity, Mariesha is helping women build confidence, independence, careers, and futures of their own.

Megan Miller is the kind of person who turns the hardest thing that ever happened to her into something that helps other people. In 2021, her son Luke was diagnosed at age three with stage III T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. What followed were years of treatment, hospital stays, and unknowns no parent should have to face. Luke rang his end-of-treatment bell in February 2024, and Megan has spent every season since making sure other families walking that road feel a little less alone. Out of that experience came Luke and the Lost Bell, the children's book she and her family created to help kids understand and hold onto hope through cancer treatment. Through their nonprofit, Next Chapter Station, the book is donated free to children fighting cancer — never sold to them. Megan built the nonprofit's fundraising from the ground up so that every dollar raised puts another copy into the hands of a child who needs it. Her advocacy hasn't stopped at our community. Megan has taken Luke's story to Washington, D.C., speaking directly with members of Congress about pediatric cancer research funding and the families behind those statistics. She shows up in the rooms where the decisions get made and tells the truth about what childhood cancer costs a family, because she knows exactly what it costs. At the same time, she runs her own business, Megan Miller Marketing, and uses it to lift up the small business owners of Lake Norman and greater Charlotte. Restaurants, family-owned shops, local arts organizations, and nonprofits — Megan gives them the kind of marketing strategy they could never otherwise afford, and she does it with the patience of someone who genuinely wants them to win. Ask any of her clients and they'll tell you she treats their business like it's her own. What makes Megan so deserving isn't only what she has overcome, but who she has chosen to be through all of it. Life gave her every reason to become hardened, and instead she became more generous. She celebrates other people's wins while quietly fighting her own battles. She shows up when people need her, loves without hesitation, and keeps finding the good in the hardest seasons. Megan doesn't let the hard things define her. She keeps loving, keeps giving, keeps fighting, and keeps building something beautiful — for Luke, for her family, and for every family and business lucky enough to be in her orbit. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.

Melanie Morris is the owner of Resilience Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, a Huntersville practice created to help both clients and therapists build stronger, healthier lives. She took a leap of faith and completely changed careers. After spending more than 13 years in the dental field, Melanie made the life-changing decision to attend massage school. She eventually found her calling in helping people move better, feel better, and return to the activities and responsibilities that matter most to them. She built her business during one of the most difficult seasons of her life. Eight years ago, Melanie was navigating the heartbreak and uncertainty of divorce while raising her daughter and trying to make ends meet as a single mother. The word “resilience” became a source of strength for them both—and eventually, the foundation of the business she would build from the ground up. She turned personal hardship into a way to help others heal. What began with a massage table and a dream has grown into a trusted practice serving clients throughout Huntersville and the Lake Norman community. Melanie understands that each client is trusting her with something deeply personal: their ability to work, care for their family, pursue what they love, and reclaim the parts of life affected by chronic pain, injury, or limited mobility. She is creating a different path for massage therapists. Early in her career, Melanie experienced the pressure of working constantly, seeing client after client, and giving everything she had simply to stay afloat. She knew she did not want that to become the future for other therapists. Resilience was intentionally created as a workplace where bodyworkers feel heard, valued, supported, and treated like people—not robots. She believes caring for clients begins with caring for therapists. Many massage therapists are deeply compassionate people who spend their days pouring into others. Melanie wants them to build careers they are proud of without working 40-plus hours a week or seeing 10 clients a day just to make ends meet. Her goal is to help therapists create financial stability while still having time for their families, their lives, and their futures. She mentors the next generation of bodyworkers. Drawing from over a decade of experience—and the lessons learned through her own mistakes—Melanie helps therapists identify the clients they are best equipped to serve, establish themselves within a crowded industry, and build something sustainable. She offers the honest guidance and encouragement she wishes she had received earlier in her own career. She advocates for positive change within her profession. Melanie is willing to challenge existing systems and encourage the industry’s governing board to provide stronger guidance, clearer direction, and better resources for massage therapists. She wants professionals entering the field to have a genuine opportunity to succeed without sacrificing their well-being. Her quiet leadership reaches far beyond the treatment room. Although Melanie describes herself as an introvert who prefers meaningful, one-on-one conversations over the spotlight, her influence can be felt through the clients she helps, the therapists she mentors, and the relationships she has built throughout the Lake Norman small-business community. Entrepreneurship has not been a straight path for Melanie. It has included incredible highs, deeply difficult seasons, constant learning, and tremendous growth. Through it all, her purpose has remained steady: to create a place where clients can regain their quality of life and therapists can build fulfilling, sustainable careers. Today, Melanie is proud that she took the leap, built something of her own, and created a community where both clients and therapists are given the support they need to become more resilient.

Natalie Storment did not set out to build a multimillion-dollar nonprofit capable of breaking generational chains. She simply said yes to four boys who needed a meal, a safe place, and adults willing to invest in them and show them hope. For 20 years, she has continued saying yes, and then built the relationships, resources, team, and organization necessary to serve hundreds more. She helped turn a kitchen table into a life-changing ministry. Natalie co-founded Power Cross Ministries in 2006 with her husband, Jeff, and their son, TJ. It began around the Storment family’s kitchen table, where four boys gathered for a meal, Bible study, encouragement, and backyard football. Natalie left her career as a professional photographer, Jeff left his career in regional technology sales, and together they went all in for the Lord. She transformed a grassroots effort into a sustainable nonprofit. What began inside the Storment home has grown into a major youth ministry operating campuses in Statesville and Salisbury. Today, Power Cross has professional staff, dedicated facilities, transportation, athletic programs, academic support, meals, mentoring, and daily discipleship, serving over 350 young men each year. She helped create opportunities extending far beyond childhood. Since 2016, Power Cross participants have received over $13 million in college scholarships, helping young men pursue futures that once may have felt beyond their reach. In 2024, the organization also launched the Power Cross Café, a for-profit extension of the ministry that provides career-development opportunities while expanding its reach within the community. She became a key relationship-builder and fundraiser. Natalie has cultivated relationships with donors, businesses, churches, foundations, volunteers, and community partners whose support allows Power Cross to serve families regardless of their ability to pay. Public IRS filings show that the organization grew to over $2.5 million in annual revenue by fiscal year 2023, illustrating the extraordinary scale of what Natalie helped build and lead. She has never lost sight of the individual child. Despite the organization’s tremendous growth, Natalie continues to focus on the young man standing in front of her. At Power Cross’ 20th anniversary, she summarized the heart of the mission simply: “We want to be a ministry that serves every child God sends to us.” She has spent 20 years building people. Natalie has invested deeply in young men, families, staff members, coaches, volunteers, donors, and community leaders who now help carry the Power Cross mission forward. Her influence also reaches the women she leads through Bible study and discipleship throughout the year. Her faith and family remain at the center of her life. Natalie is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, wife of nearly 30 years to Jeff, and mother to TJ and his wife, Katelinn. She is also a mother figure to countless Power Cross young men and looks forward to one day adding “grandmother” to the many roles she holds close to her heart. Natalie’s legacy cannot be measured by the size of the organization alone. It can be seen in hundreds of young men who have been fed, encouraged, mentored, discipled, and given opportunities to create a different future. What began with four boys at a kitchen table has become a powerful movement, and it all began because Natalie was willing to open her home, follow her faith, and say yes.

“Nia Brown is a woman who embodies what it truly means to turn purpose into impact. As the founder of PrincessMe, a children’s spa and celebration business she has successfully built and grown for 10 years, and the founder of The Co-Parenting Hub, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening and supporting families, Nia has used both entrepreneurship and service to create meaningful experiences for children, mothers, and families throughout the community. For the past decade, PrincessMe has poured into girls throughout the Lake Norman community and surrounding areas, creating experiences designed to make young girls feel celebrated, confident, beautiful, and special. But PrincessMe's impact reaches beyond birthday parties and celebrations. Over the years, the business has also become a place where many young girls and young women have received their very first job, giving them an opportunity to learn responsibility, customer service, teamwork, confidence, and the value of earning their own money. Nia has intentionally created a business where the next generation can not only be celebrated as children, but also grow into young women who are given opportunities to work, learn, and lead. But what makes Nia especially deserving of recognition is that her commitment to serving others extends far beyond the businesses and organizations she has created. As a mother of six, Nia understands firsthand the importance of community, compassion, and having support during difficult seasons of motherhood. That understanding inspired her to organize a Community Baby Shower, created to surround mothers in need with love, essential baby items, resources, encouragement, and a reminder that they did not have to navigate motherhood alone. The impact of that event became more powerful than she could have imagined. After attending the Community Baby Shower, one of the mothers later reached out to Nia during an incredibly difficult season in her life. She needed someone she trusted to temporarily care for and raise her baby while she worked toward getting back on her feet. Nia said yes. Already raising six children of her own, she opened her home and her heart to another mother's child. What began as a community event became a real-life example of what community is supposed to look like: showing up even after the event is over, the decorations are taken down, and no one is watching. That story represents the heart behind Nia's leadership. She doesn't simply create programs, she builds relationships. She doesn't just talk about supporting women and families, she steps in when they need someone. And she has shown that a successful businesswoman can use her platform, resources, creativity, and influence to make a difference far beyond the walls of her business. Nia is a woman to watch because she is still building. After 10 years in business, her impact continues to evolve, from pouring into generations of girls through PrincessMe and providing first-job opportunities to young women, to developing solutions for families through The Co-Parenting Hub and creating initiatives that directly respond to needs within the community. Her story is one of entrepreneurship, motherhood, faith, service, resilience, and action. She represents a generation of women who understand that success is not measured only by what they build for themselves, but also by what they build for others. Nia Brown means business, but more importantly, she means community, she means impact, and she means purpose. Her leadership and influence are only beginning to show what is possible when a woman decides to use what she has built to help lift others.”

Nieves Martino embodies the American dream through a remarkable journey that began when she arrived in New York from Spain at only five years old, unable to speak English. Through education, determination, and purpose-driven leadership, she built a successful career that now brings people together, strengthens local organizations, and creates meaningful impact throughout Lake Norman. Education transformed her life and inspired her earliest work. Nieves earned a scholarship to the University at Albany and later received a full fellowship to New York University, where she completed her Master of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management. Having personally benefited from educational support, she became deeply committed to ensuring that financial circumstances did not prevent other students from pursuing college degrees. She began her career by helping students access higher education. Before moving to North Carolina, Nieves worked at several colleges throughout New York and New Jersey. As a Director of Special Events, she coordinated fundraising initiatives that generated scholarship funding for students. She understood that tuition and living expenses can place students in a constant state of financial survival, so she devoted the early part of her career to paying forward the opportunities she had received. She transformed her experience into a successful Lake Norman business. In 2016, Nieves founded Events on the Lake, bringing her expertise in nonprofit management, fundraising, and event coordination into entrepreneurship. As the company celebrates its 10th anniversary, it has become a trusted wedding and event-planning business serving clients at prominent venues such as Fields at Skycrest, The Venues at Langtree, and Trump National Golf Club Charlotte. She has become an important part of the local business community. Nieves has served as an event coordinator for major area businesses, including Randy Marion Automotive Group and Anjolique Bridal Salon. Her work extends from weddings and private celebrations to corporate events and large-scale charity galas that connect people throughout Lake Norman. She uses events as a powerful tool for community impact. Nieves organizes multiple charitable galas each year for organizations such as Power Cross Ministries, Hope at the Lake Foundation, and The Christian Mission. Her expertise allows nonprofit leaders to focus on their missions while she creates memorable experiences that inspire guests to participate, contribute, and remain connected to local causes. Her events have helped generate significant support for local organizations. Last year, a creative Halloween gala coordinated by Nieves helped raise approximately $207,000 for Power Cross, Hearts & Hands Food Pantry, and other community organizations. Through events like this, she connects generous donors with meaningful causes and helps build sustainable networks of community support. Her partnership with Hope at the Lake supports a broad charitable reach. Throughout its 20-year history, the foundation has awarded over $2 million in grants to over 100 local charities. Nieves’ involvement helps strengthen the events and relationships that make this type of community investment possible. Her immigrant experience informs the way she leads. As a bilingual woman who built a new life in the United States, Nieves understands the importance of opportunity, inclusion, and support. Her journey gives her valuable insight into the challenges people may face when entering unfamiliar environments and working to create new possibilities for themselves. She demonstrates that business success and community investment belong together. Nieves has built a thriving woman-owned company in a competitive industry while continually using her skills to serve others. Her work proves that entrepreneurship can generate both professional success and lasting community impact. Nieves is not only planning events; she is creating moments that bring people together around shared purpose. From raising scholarship funds for college students to organizing galas that support Lake Norman nonprofits, her career has remained rooted in opening doors and creating opportunities. Her journey from a five-year-old immigrant to an educated professional, successful entrepreneur, and trusted community leader reflects the transformative power of education, hard work, and purposeful service. Nieves continues to elevate Lake Norman while lifting others alongside her, making her an extraordinary example of everything the She Means Business recognition was created to celebrate.

Rachel Pritchard, MSN, FNP-BC, is the Medical Director and Co-Founder of CODA Wellness in Davidson, a locally owned practice she founded alongside her sisters. At the heart of Rachel’s work is a simple but powerful belief: women deserve to be heard when it comes to their health. She is helping women become stronger advocates for themselves. Many women come to CODA after feeling dismissed, frustrated, or unsure of where to turn. Rachel gives them the time to share their full stories, asks thoughtful questions, and helps them better understand their bodies. As one nomination shared, “Rachel listens differently.” She is changing the conversation surrounding women’s health. Rachel helps normalize discussions about perimenopause, menopause, hormonal changes, fertility, sexual wellness, libido, sleep, mood, weight, metabolism, energy, cognitive changes, and healthy aging. She creates a judgment-free environment where women are encouraged to ask questions about topics they may have previously felt uncomfortable discussing. She approaches health by looking at the whole person. Through CODA Wellness, Rachel and her team provide individualized care addressing hormone optimization, thyroid health, digestive and gut health, metabolic and weight management, nutritional deficiencies, IV nutrient therapy, supplementation, longevity, preventative health, and overall wellness. She helps patients understand how different areas of their health may be connected instead of viewing each symptom in isolation. She believes healthcare should be a partnership. Rachel does not want patients to be passive participants in their own care. She takes time to educate them, explain their options, and give them the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions. Her patients leave not only with a plan, but also with a stronger understanding of themselves and the confidence to continue asking questions. She saw a gap in women’s healthcare and built something to address it. Creating a healthcare practice required Rachel to combine her clinical experience with vision, leadership, resilience, and a willingness to challenge long-standing ideas about how care should be delivered. She has helped build CODA around personalized attention, education, prevention, and meaningful relationships with patients. Her influence reaches throughout the community. When a woman better understands her health, regains confidence, or feels empowered to advocate for herself, the impact can reach her family, career, relationships, and involvement in the community. Rachel recognizes that supporting the health and well-being of women strengthens the Lake Norman community as a whole. Rachel is described as approachable, compassionate, and willing to meet women exactly where they are. She has created an environment where “questions are welcomed” and people can feel “seen rather than rushed through an appointment.” Through CODA Wellness, Rachel is helping redefine how women experience healthcare in Lake Norman. Her patients are reminded that wanting to feel well, function well, and understand their bodies is not asking too much—it is an important part of taking ownership of their health. Through her entrepreneurial vision, clinical leadership, and commitment to listening, Rachel is ensuring that women know their experiences matter and their voices deserve to be heard.

Raven, founder of Tan Tribe Mobile Spray Tan, believes something as simple as feeling good in your own skin can give a woman the confidence to do so much more. Her inspiration for creating Tan Tribe came from her own experience of struggling to find her tribe of women and knowing how isolating that can feel. She never wanted another woman to feel like she didn’t belong. So she created a business that became about much more than spray tanning—it became a space where women feel seen, celebrated, comfortable, and connected. Raven believes confidence has a ripple effect. A spray tan may seem like a small thing, but when a woman feels confident walking into a room, she may be more willing to introduce herself, make a new friend, pursue an opportunity, attend an event, take a chance, or simply believe in herself a little more. That is the experience she strives to create for every Tan Tribe client. Her mobile business brings the experience directly into women’s homes, creating a judgment-free environment where clients can relax, laugh, talk, and feel completely themselves. Her clients aren’t just seen as customers—they are seen, valued, and welcomed as part of her Tribe. Raven is a woman to watch because she is building more than a successful local business. She is creating connection and confidence, one woman at a time. Her vision is rooted in the belief that when women feel supported and confident, they are empowered to find their people, use their voices, and go do big things. And that is the kind of influence that can positively shape an entire community.

Samantha is an entrepreneur, educator, mentor, podcast host, and advocate who has built a multimillion-dollar career by helping women develop their voices, strengthen their skills, and create financial security of their own. Her work is rooted in one powerful belief: when a woman knows how to generate income, she gains the freedom to make decisions based on what is right for her life, and not simply what she can afford to survive. She turned an unexpected leap into an extraordinary career. Samantha began her professional journey as a special education teacher before entering entrepreneurship in 2014. What started as something she built from home while raising her family grew into a career, platform, and purpose she never could have imagined for herself. She became a groundbreaking leader within her company. Over the past 12 years, Samantha has built a multimillion-dollar career in relationship marketing and risen to become one of her company’s top leaders. She became the youngest woman in the company to surpass seven figures in career earnings and has since earned nearly $4 million throughout her career. She leads a global organization of entrepreneurs. Today, Samantha mentors a team doing business across 11 countries. For over a decade, she has taught women sales, leadership, communication, personal development, and the practical skills required to build businesses, generate income, and become effective leaders themselves. She helps women create the power to choose. Samantha believes no woman should feel forced to remain in a job, relationship, circumstance, or situation because she cannot financially afford another option. To her, helping women earn money has never been solely about a paycheck. Financial security creates choices, allowing women to make decisions from a position of confidence instead of necessity. She turned her own difficult experience into advocacy. Samantha’s journey through separation and divorce deepened her commitment to supporting women navigating similar seasons. She helps connect them with communities, resources, advocates, and professionals who can make an overwhelming process feel more manageable. Above all, she wants women to understand that they do not have to figure everything out alone. She advocates for healthier relationships across generations. Her personal journey also created a passion for teaching and modeling healthy communication, boundaries, mutual respect, and self-worth. Samantha believes adults have an opportunity to show the next generation what healthy relationships look like, even when doing so requires making painful or difficult decisions themselves. She makes sales feel approachable and empowering. Samantha hosts $2K in 20 Minutes, a sales-focused podcast created to help entrepreneurs and sales professionals become more confident and effective at generating revenue. She teaches that sales is a learnable skill and makes the process practical, understandable, and actionable. She believes the ability to create income is one of the most empowering skills a woman can possess. She creates space for honest conversations. Samantha also hosts I Said It Anyway, a podcast centered on the difficult, complicated, and deeply personal experiences women often navigate behind closed doors. Through candid conversations about what women may be thinking, feeling, or surviving, she creates a space where listeners can feel understood and less alone. She grew from a self-described introvert into a confident leader. Entrepreneurship required Samantha to learn how to speak publicly, take risks, advocate for herself, lead others, and engage in difficult conversations. Her background as an educator still shapes her leadership today. One of her greatest joys is helping another woman look at something that once felt intimidating or impossible and realize, “I can actually do this.” She proves that professional ambition and present motherhood can coexist. Samantha believes women should not have to choose between being deeply present for the people they love and pursuing meaningful professional and financial goals. She is proud of the career she built, but equally proud that she built it while remaining a present and involved mother. Her family shapes the legacy she wants to leave. Samantha lives in the Lake Norman area with her husband, Tim, and their blended family of six children. Raising them has made her increasingly intentional about modeling hard work, entrepreneurship, generosity, financial responsibility, healthy relationships, resilience, and the importance of creating opportunities for themselves and others. Personal loss clarified her purpose. After losing her mother to stage 4 cancer in 2024, Samantha became even more intentional about how she spends her time, the legacy she wants to create, and what she wants her work to mean beyond her individual success. Samantha’s impact can be measured in significant career earnings, global reach, and professional accomplishments—but it is perhaps best understood through the women she has helped recognize their own ability. She has spent over a decade teaching women how to lead, communicate, sell, create income, navigate difficult seasons, and build lives with greater freedom. Ultimately, Samantha wants the women she mentors, and the children watching them, to see what can happen when a woman develops her voice, builds valuable skills, creates financial security, and understands that she has choices. Her work does not simply change careers; it helps women change the direction of their lives.

After nearly five decades in corporate and nonprofit leadership, Sara Rubens unexpectedly lost her job at age 63. She transformed that setback into an opportunity to pursue entrepreneurship, founding Seed to Sanctuary in 2021. Her Davidson-based business designs and installs productive kitchen gardens while coaching individuals and families to grow their own food with confidence. Since launching Seed to Sanctuary, Sara has served more than 140 clients throughout the Lake Norman and greater Charlotte area. Her gardens can be found at homes, restaurants, schools, and community organizations. Sara also uses gardening to serve her community. Each year, she donates hundreds of vegetable plants to the Davidson Community Garden, where volunteers grow produce for a local food bank. She has also personally mentored two aspiring young entrepreneurs. One has built a successful microgreens business, while the other is developing a resource for siblings of children with special needs. As an author, keynote speaker, garden coach, and regular television guest, Sara shares lessons about resilience, reinvention, and creating the conditions for people to flourish. Her work has been featured by Charlotte Today, WBTV’s QC Life, Southern Living, Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Parade Home & Gardens, and The Spruce. Sara is the author of A Love Letter for the Garden-Centered Life: 52 Weeks of Growing, Gathering, and Living a Well-Tended Life. Her journey demonstrates that meaningful reinvention can happen at any age, and that leadership is not only about personal achievement, but also about helping people, ideas, and communities grow.

Entrepreneurship: Sarah is the owner of Home Theory, one of the fastest-growing Design + Construction companies in the Lake Norman area. What began as a vision for doing construction differently has grown into a team of two dozen permanent team members and trusted subcontractors. Home Theory is 100% woman-owned, fully licensed, and proudly holds a perfect BBB rating—something that’s exceptionally rare in the construction industry. Sarah truly believes in community over competition, so she lives that out by mentoring newer designers as they begin navigating the world of entrepreneurship. Designing With Heart: Something special happens when design becomes about more than remodeling a space. Sarah and her team are currently designing and furnishing a cabin for a local nonprofit horse farm that serves families living with disabilities, and this project is especially close to her heart. A few years ago, her son received a life-altering diagnosis, giving their family a firsthand understanding of the challenges families can face. Being able to use her talents, creativity, and resources to support an organization that brings hope, healing, and community to others is deeply rewarding for Sarah. Resilience Is Her Superpower: In 2022, a house fire destroyed Sarah’s home, vehicles, and nearly everything her family owned. It was one of the hardest seasons of their lives, but she couldn’t let a tragedy define her. Instead, she saw an opportunity to rebuild—literally and figuratively. Designing and remodeling the property became part of her healing and ultimately led to the beginning of a rental company. That experience taught Sarah that resilience isn’t about avoiding hardship; it’s about finding the strength and endurance to grow through it. Old-Soul Hobbies: When Sarah isn’t designing, she can probably be found doing something that feels a little old-fashioned: tending to her organic garden, embroidering, reading, canning, baking gluten-free and vegan treats, or making herbal tinctures. Her family even has a backyard full of ducks, chickens, and bees. These things fill her heart and refresh her soul so that she can show up for the people who rely on her, both personally and professionally. Mom First, Always: Above everything else, Sarah is a mom. She homeschooled all three of her children, and last year she celebrated one of her proudest milestones when her oldest graduated with both a high school diploma and a college degree at the same time. Today, he works alongside the team at Home Theory, learning the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and leadership as they prepare him to one day carry the company forward. For Sarah, building a legacy rooted in family, hard work, and service is one of the most meaningful things she could ever accomplish. Her two younger children are following in their brother’s educational footsteps while venturing into their own fields of interest.

It is my honor to nominate Sasha Campbell, founder and owner of Organized Sunshine, as a Woman Who Is Shaping Lake Norman. Sasha embodies what the She Means Business Gala celebrates: a woman who leads, builds, creates, serves, inspires, and makes a meaningful impact in her community. For more than 20 years, Sasha has worked as a physical therapist, dedicating her career to helping people heal. But anyone who knows Sasha knows that her care has always extended far beyond physical healing. She supports people emotionally, encourages them when life is difficult, and has an incredible ability to recognize when someone needs help and simply step in. That compassion is woven throughout every part of her life. Sasha is a devoted mother of two boys whom she loves dearly. Through all the demands of her career and business, she has made being present for her family a priority—cheering at sporting events, attending school activities, and taking care of the countless big and little things that come with raising a family. She is also a caregiver for her mother, who is living with Parkinson's disease, and gives her time to volunteer and serve others in the community. What many people may not realize is that Sasha does all of this while facing significant physical challenges herself. She has endured tremendous pain, yet she continues to show up—not just for herself, but for everyone who depends on her. Her entrepreneurial story is just as inspiring. During COVID, Sasha sat on a friend's kitchen floor helping her organize when her friend casually said, "You should do this as a business." From that kitchen floor, Organized Sunshine was born. Sasha took an idea and built it from the ground up. Today, Organized Sunshine has grown into a successful Lake Norman business with a team of 10 women working alongside her. But Sasha didn't simply create a professional organizing company. She created a business centered on helping people. She knows an organized home isn't about a picture-perfect closet or pantry. It's about decreasing stress, creating safety and function, giving families systems they can actually maintain, and helping people feel more in control of their lives. Her physical therapy background adds another dimension to her work, allowing her to incorporate safety and ergonomics into the spaces she creates. Sasha also understands that asking for help can be difficult. She meets clients where they are without judgment, learns what they truly need, sees the larger goal when they may be too overwhelmed to see it themselves, and breaks the process into manageable steps. Her favorite compliment may be being compared to Monica from FRIENDS because of her love of organization, but Sasha's real gift isn't simply knowing how to organize a space. Her gift is knowing how to take care of people. She has spent her adult life doing exactly that—as a physical therapist, mother, daughter, caregiver, volunteer, friend, employer, entrepreneur, and member of the Lake Norman community. Sasha has built a business from the ground up while raising a family, caring for her mother, supporting others, managing her own physical challenges, and creating employment and opportunities for a growing team. And somehow, when someone needs her, she is still the person who asks, "What can I do to help?" Sasha Campbell is shaping Lake Norman not simply through the business she has built, but through the lives she touches along the way. She leads with compassion, builds with determination, serves without hesitation, and inspires through her resilience. She is a builder, a caregiver, a business owner, a leader, and a woman who makes her community better simply by showing up and helping. That is why I can think of no one more deserving of recognition as one of the Women Who Are Shaping Lake Norman.

Sheryn is a writer, speaker, best-selling author, creative entrepreneur, and passionate champion for women. After reaching a point in her life where she no longer recognized the woman she had become, Sheryn made the courageous decision to change the course of her life. That process began with changing the way she spoke to herself, and eventually grew into a body of work that helps people recognize their strength, know their worth, and make choices that reflect who they truly are. She turned personal pain into purpose. Sheryn’s work was not born from a polished success story. It grew from the difficult, deeply personal experience of navigating profound personal change. As she rebuilt her confidence and changed her internal dialogue, she recognized how many people carry stories of fear, self-doubt, shame, and survival. She chose to use her experience to help them feel seen and remind them that they are still capable of creating lives they love. She uses her story to help others recognize their own strength. Through writing, speaking engagements, performances, and community events, Sheryn has shared her words and experiences with hundreds of people. Her willingness to speak honestly about pain, healing, courage, and personal growth gives others permission to examine their own stories and imagine a different future. She founded Something Wilder to inspire bold choices. Sheryn brings together products, experiences, and real-life stories that encourage people to trust themselves, take meaningful risks, and build lives that feel authentic. She created Dear Me Love Me to change the way women speak to themselves. What began with Sheryn’s own need to rebuild her inner voice has grown into a movement centered on self-compassion and healing. For every Dear Me Love Me bracelet sold, another is donated to a woman rebuilding her life. Each bracelet carries a message of encouragement while connecting one woman’s purchase to another woman’s journey forward. She created the I Will Wall to turn intention into action. This interactive experience invites people to publicly declare something they will do, pursue, change, or believe. By writing down their “I WILL” and placing it where others can see it, participants take a meaningful first step toward accountability, courage, and possibility. She helps people tell the stories they are often afraid to share. As co-creator of the True Story Project, Sheryn helped establish a Lake Norman open-mic community experience where people can remove the masks they often wear and speak honestly about their lives. The project gives participants an opportunity to feel seen, heard, connected, and less alone, and reminds audiences that vulnerability can create powerful community. She transforms her creativity into connection. Whether she is writing, speaking, designing a product, creating an interactive experience, or opening a stage for someone else’s story, Sheryn’s work consistently invites people to be honest about where they are and courageous about where they want to go. Sheryn is a true inspiration because she does not ask other women to believe anything she has not had to learn herself. She knows what it means to lose sight of who you are, make the difficult decision to leave, and rebuild your identity one thought, one word, and one brave choice at a time. Today, Sheryn uses the life she reclaimed to help other women reclaim their own. She is a creator who builds spaces for honesty, connection, and courage, and a champion who continually reminds women that their voices matter, their stories are not over, and the most important relationship they’ll ever have is the one with themselves.

Lake Norman and Lincoln County are home. She was raised in Denver, North Carolina, graduated from East Lincoln High School, and has built her career and businesses in the same community that helped shape her. Being able to now serve and give back to the place that raised her is incredibly important to her. Stefania completely changed careers to pursue real estate. After working as an orthodontic assistant, she took a leap of faith and left that career to build something of her own. She recently celebrated five years with RE/MAX Executive and the LKN Pros Team and has built a successful real-estate career serving buyers, sellers, investors, builders, and families throughout Lake Norman and the surrounding communities. She has been recognized by Lake Norman Publications for three consecutive years for leadership and impact in the Lake Norman community. Stefania was honored as one of Lake Norman’s Most Influential Women two years in a row and, in 2026, was nominated as a Lake Norman Woman of Impact. These recognitions mean so much to her because they represent more than professional success. They reflect the relationships she has built and her commitment to the community she calls home. Stefania helped bring the first professional rodeo to Denver, NC. What began as an idea to bring something new and special to her hometown is now entering its fourth year and has grown into a community tradition that brings thousands of people together while also creating an opportunity to showcase and support local businesses. Giving back has become part of the event as well, with the local raffle proceeds benefiting Amy’s House, Lincoln County’s shelter for women affected by domestic violence. Supporting local businesses is something Stefania is genuinely passionate about. She believes when one local business succeeds, there is an opportunity to help others succeed with it. Whether through her real-estate platform, community events, sponsorships, referrals, collaborations, or simply using her voice to bring attention to locally owned businesses, she makes a conscious effort to support the people who are investing in the community. She and her husband recently launched Earnhardt Lawn Care Services, another locally owned business rooted in the community where they were both raised. Building a second business from the ground up has given her an entirely new appreciation for entrepreneurship and reinforced just how important hard work, reputation, relationships, and taking care of people truly are. Faith, service, and giving back are a big part of who Stefania is. She is actively involved in her church and its missions efforts, and she believes strongly in using her time, relationships, and resources to support the needs of the community. Whether that means connecting local businesses with opportunities to give, supporting community organizations and causes, or simply stepping in where help is needed, giving back is something she tries to intentionally incorporate into both her personal life and her businesses. She believes success means more when it can be used to create opportunities for other people. Whether she is helping a family buy or sell a home, advocating for a client, supporting another small business, bringing an event to her hometown, helping a local organization, or encouraging another entrepreneur, she wants the businesses and relationships she builds to have a positive impact beyond herself. Part of her nomination: “Hardworking, dedicated, caring, loving, selfless, all things my mom taught me to be, never pass a homeless beggar without giving them something. Always open the door for the person behind you, please and thank you to every single person. Again, all things my mom taught me. As I live my life by these traits, the older I get, the more I’ve realize these traits are actually pretty uncommon in the world we live in today. But when I think of anyone who does all these things and more, there is absolutely no doubt that Stefania is the only one that fits this description. Not just fits it but exceeds and goes beyond the ability to even measure. She embodies what we all could only hope to be (...) There were times I battled depression when I separated from my husband and she would come over every night and help cook and clean. She helped organize my kitchen and bathroom when it was hard for me to even get out of bed. She was there when no one else wanted to be. And I find that’s where she turns up the most. She does the hard work. Now all that would be enough but I am just one small part of her reach. Our other neighbors who were/are elderly she befriended and has helped them for over 5 years!! Sometimes daily with tasks they needed help with and would take them weekly to dr appointments around town. Mind you these are people who are not related to her and she just befriended! She is just so truly special! She is the definition of who we all should strive to be. I love her and I hope she can finally get the flowers she so desperately deserves."

Stephanie Korczynski is someone who deeply believes that if she is going to build something in this community, it should make the community better, too. That belief has shaped so much of what she has built in Lake Norman. In June 2026, Stephanie opened SOAK Head + Foot Spa in Huntersville. It was a huge leap into an industry she had never worked in before, but she saw an opportunity to create something that didn't exist here yet. SOAK was built as a place where people could step away from everything they carry for an hour and actually slow down through restorative Head Spa experiences and herbal foot soaks and massage. In just a few months, SOAK has become so much more. Stephanie has been intentional about keeping as much of SOAK's impact local as possible. Many of the products and supplies used inside the spa come from local women-owned businesses. SOAK partners with other Lake Norman businesses through its membership program (currently at 12 local founding partnering businesses) and regularly looks for opportunities to cross-promote and introduce its guests to other businesses in the area. The spa gives back to local schools, organizations and community causes, and Stephanie has made supporting educators and veterans an important part of that commitment. SOAK has a strong community give back program managed by one of the SOAK staff members in an effort to continue to support local non-profits. She believes small businesses have a responsibility to support one another, especially in a community like Lake Norman. There is room for all of us to succeed, and she tries to operate SOAK that way. But SOAK is only part of Stephanie's story. Long before opening the spa, Stephanie had a 18 year corporate career in Financial Services as well her own online business coaching women on leadership and performance. She continues to coach women in the Lake Norman community who are building careers, leading teams and running businesses of their own. She helps them have harder conversations, trust themselves, lead with more confidence and stop believing they have to do everything perfectly to be taken seriously. That work is also taking Stephanie onto stages. As a keynote speaker, she speaks about what she calls “The Rules We Never Chose,” the expectations so many ambitious women have spent their lives following without ever stopping to question them. Work harder. Do more. Be a great leader. Be a great mom. Don't let anyone down. Keep everything moving. And somehow make it all look easy. Stephanie isn't interested in telling ambitious women to want less. She wants them to stop believing that becoming successful requires giving up their entire lives to get there. She knows that tension personally. She is raising two young children (ages 7 and 2) while building SOAK and growing her coaching and speaking work. She coaches her daughter's softball team. She is involved in the community where she is raising her family. And she is trying to build big things without missing the life happening around her. Stephanie was recently named one of the Top 50 Women to Know in North Carolina, but she still feels like she is at the beginning of what she wants to do. That's what makes her a woman to watch. Her vision is bigger than growing SOAK. She wants to use her voice and her businesses to help more women become strong, confident leaders while also raising families, building relationships and having lives outside of their accomplishments - especially right here in the Lake Norman community. She wants women to know they can be deeply ambitious without being consumed by their ambition. And as Stephanie's work grows beyond Lake Norman through speaking and coaching, she has the opportunity to bring something back with her: a spotlight on the women, businesses and community that helped her build it in the first place.

Susan is a highly accomplished Realtor, entrepreneur, breast cancer survivor, and longtime Lake Norman resident whose career has been built on experience, integrity, and trusted relationships. For over 22 years, she has helped buyers and sellers navigate some of the most significant financial and personal decisions of their lives while remaining deeply invested in the communities she represents. She has built an exceptional career in real estate. As a Realtor with Ivester Jackson | Christie’s International Real Estate, Susan specializes in Lake Norman and North Carolina’s High Country. Her extensive market knowledge, thoughtful guidance, and highly personalized approach have placed her among the top 3% of producing Realtors in the Canopy MLS/Metro Charlotte market. Her performance has earned respected industry recognition. Susan was named to the 2025 Christie’s International Real Estate Masters Circle, an honor recognizing exceptional performance in the luxury real estate market. She is also currently nominated for a Normy Award for Best Denver Realtor through Lake Norman Publications. She built her business through trust, honesty, and long-term relationships. Susan’s success is driven by repeat clients, referrals, and the confidence people place in her guidance. She is committed to telling clients what they need to know, even when the truth may not be the easiest answer. Her priority is helping each person make a well-informed decision that supports their long-term goals. She lives, works, and invests in the community she represents. As a proud Denver and Lake Norman resident, Susan brings firsthand knowledge and personal connection to her work. She is an active member of the Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce and served on its Board of Directors from 2022 through 2025. She expanded her platform to celebrate the Lake Norman lifestyle. Susan founded LKN Homes and Living to highlight not only local real estate, but also the businesses, people, and experiences that make the community special. Through the platform, she helps others understand what it truly means to build a life in the Lake Norman area. She continued leading through breast cancer. In June 2025, Susan began navigating breast cancer, a bilateral mastectomy, and reconstruction while continuing to operate and grow her business. The experience strengthened her perseverance and deepened her compassion for people facing unexpected, life-changing circumstances. She continues creating new chapters as an entrepreneur. Susan recently launched The Collective, a locally based vintage and home décor business inspired by her love of design, reinvention, and entrepreneurship. The venture reflects her willingness to explore new ideas and continue evolving both personally and professionally. She believes growth has no age limit. As the mother of three adult children, Susan is passionate about showing women that they can continue building, changing, and beginning again during every stage of life. Her journey demonstrates that a successful career does not require someone to stop exploring new passions or pursuing new possibilities. Susan is committed to raising the standard of service in the Lake Norman real estate community. She combines extensive experience and luxury-market expertise with the honesty, compassion, and personal attention each client deserves. Her impact reaches beyond homes sold or professional awards. It can be seen in the clients who return and refer their loved ones, the community she continually promotes, the new ventures she has courageously pursued, and the resilience she demonstrated during one of the most difficult seasons of her life. Susan’s leadership, perseverance, and commitment to continued growth make her truly deserving of this recognition.

Taylor has become a trusted and enthusiastic voice in the Lake Norman community, using her platform, @lknwithtay, to connect people with local businesses, nonprofits, events, and opportunities throughout the area. Her work is driven by a genuine love for the community and a desire to ensure the people and businesses within it feel seen and supported. She took a leap of faith to build a new career. After spending more than 10 years in banking, Taylor left her corporate career in 2025 to launch The Content Edit. Today, she helps local businesses tell their stories, strengthen their presence, and build meaningful connections throughout the Lake Norman community. She consistently champions local businesses. Her platform originally began as @exploremooresville, where she simply shared the places and businesses she discovered after moving to the area. As her love for Lake Norman grew, the platform grew with her and eventually became @lknwithtay. Through thoughtful features, recommendations, and shoutouts, Taylor now highlights small businesses, local nonprofits, community events, and everything happening around the lake. Her support also extends beyond social media. She builds relationships, celebrates others’ accomplishments, and encourages their continued growth. She creates opportunities for women to connect. From the end of 2025 through much of 2026, Taylor served as Community Director for Ladies Lifestyle Network LKN, helping create an empowering space where local women could meet, build friendships, network, collaborate, and support one another both personally and professionally. She brings people together. Taylor has a natural ability to make others feel welcomed and included. Whether she is highlighting a community event, sharing a new local business, or meeting someone for the first time, she creates genuine connections and encourages others to become involved in the place they call home. She has continued to show up while navigating profound personal loss. In 2024, Taylor lost both of her parents just three months apart, all before turning 30. That loss taught her to find beauty even in the hardest seasons and made her increasingly intentional about lifting others up, celebrating their wins, and making the most of the life in front of her. Even while carrying her own grief, she continued pouring kindness, energy, and encouragement into the people around her. She leads with kindness and generosity. Those who know Taylor describe her as thoughtful, funny, dependable, and always willing to show up for others, even when she has a full plate of her own. She brings that same level of care to her professional work, going above and beyond to ensure the people she serves feel valued and supported. Beyond any title, follower count, or business milestone, Taylor is most proud of the relationships she has built and the people she has been able to support along the way. She wants to be known as someone who shows up, creates connection, celebrates others loudly, and genuinely wants to see the people around her win. Taylor is helping shape a stronger, more connected community. Through personal hardship, professional growth, and every season in between, she has continued to lead with kindness and show up for others. Her consistency, resilience, and sincere commitment to lifting people up have created an impact that reaches far beyond her platform...and she is only getting started.

Tiffany Brown is a Davidson, North Carolina-based entrepreneur, interior designer, and community leader who believes success is most meaningful when it creates opportunities for others. As founder and principal designer of Brown Builders Design, she has built a growing design business while intentionally using her visibility, relationships, and leadership to elevate those around her. A first-generation entrepreneur, Tiffany founded Brown Builders Design in 2020 and has grown the company into a full-service residential and commercial interior design firm serving Lake Norman, the greater Charlotte area, and clients beyond North Carolina. Her work and leadership have been recognized by Business of Home, QC Exclusive, Axios Charlotte, SouthPark Magazine, and other industry platforms, and Brown Builders Design was named one of Charlotte’s Top 20 Small Businesses. Tiffany’s influence has also expanded nationally. She serves as an ambassador for the New York Design Center and the Case Collective, two highly regarded design communities that connect her with leaders, brands, and opportunities across the industry. She uses those experiences not only to grow professionally, but also to bring knowledge, relationships, and greater visibility back to her local design community. Her commitment to service is evident in how she approaches professional opportunities. After being featured on the design show Make It Mine and competing for the People’s Choice Award, Tiffany used the visibility surrounding the competition to raise money for nonprofits that educates and empowers young minority girls through entrepreneurship. She transformed a personal career milestone into an opportunity to invest in the next generation of female business leaders. As Vice President of the Interior Design Society Charlotte Chapter, Tiffany helps create educational programming, industry collaborations, professional development, and meaningful connections among designers, vendors, tradespeople, students, and emerging professionals. She has also volunteered with She Built This City, teaching a wallpaper installation class that provided women with hands-on exposure to skills and opportunities within the construction trades. Tiffany is a woman to watch because she is entering a new level of leadership while remaining committed to bringing others with her. Her growing national presence, entrepreneurial vision, industry leadership, philanthropy, and investment in emerging professionals position her to become an increasingly influential voice for design and entrepreneurship. As her platform expands, so does her capacity to create access, mentorship, visibility, and opportunity. Tiffany is not simply building a successful company in Davidson—she is building a legacy of leadership that has the potential to positively shape the Lake Norman business and creative community for years to come.

Valerie and Brianna Fiore are deserving of recognition at the She Means Business Gala because they have built BriVanna Boutique into something far greater than a place to shop. Together, this mother-daughter team has created a welcoming space where women feel seen, supported, confident, and connected—and where other small businesses are given opportunities to grow alongside them. Brianna began working in retail at just 16 years old and dreamed of owning a boutique by the age of 21. Valerie brought more than 30 years of experience in sales, customer service, banking, and real estate, along with a deep understanding of how meaningful relationships can transform a business. Their different generations and life experiences became one of their greatest strengths, allowing them to serve and style women of many ages and stages of life. BriVanna Boutique began online during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Through faith, perseverance, heart, hustle, and a shared dream, Valerie and Brianna grew it into a brick-and-mortar boutique in Huntersville. As a two-woman team, they personally handle nearly every part of the business—from selecting merchandise and creating content to styling customers, planning events, building community partnerships, keeping up with financial obligations and much more. Their journey reflects courage, resilience, and a willingness to keep moving forward, even when entrepreneurship is difficult. What truly distinguishes Valerie and Brianna is their belief that success should create opportunities for others. Their boutique provides a permanent in-store home for four local women-owned businesses: Sentiments, SOL & VSSL, SemiColon Soy Candle, and Moonbeam Provisions. By sharing their space, introducing these brands to their customers, and celebrating the stories behind them, Valerie and Brianna are helping other women entrepreneurs gain visibility and grow their dreams. Their commitment to “community over competition” is not simply something they say—it is something customers can see and experience every day inside their store. They also host regular events that bring together local creators, entrepreneurs, customers, and community organizations. They invite other small businesses to participate, collaborate with local publications and networking groups, contribute to charitable initiatives, donate to community causes, and use their platform to bring attention to people and organizations doing meaningful work. Their boutique has become a gathering place where relationships are formed, collaborations begin, and women genuinely encourage one another. For Valerie and Brianna, customers are never treated as transactions. They offer complimentary personal styling and take the time to listen, encourage, and help each woman find clothing that makes her feel comfortable and confident. They remember their customers, celebrate their milestones, and have created what they lovingly call the “BriVanna family.” That personal connection is at the heart of everything they do. Their work has already been recognized through honors including the Heart & Hustle Award and being named a finalist for the 2025 Impact Award, but their most meaningful accomplishment is the community they continue to build. BriVanna Boutique was founded on love, faith, and a dream, and Valerie and Brianna have remained committed to those values through every season of growth and every challenge they have faced. Valerie and Brianna are women to watch because their influence reaches beyond fashion. They demonstrate how two generations of women can combine their strengths, lead with heart, work with hustle, and build a business that creates room for others. Their vision for the future is not only to grow BriVanna Boutique, but also to continue uplifting women, championing local businesses, strengthening community connections, and helping make the Lake Norman area a place where small businesses can flourish. Their leadership is genuine, their impact is personal, and their story is still being written. As BriVanna Boutique continues to grow, so will the number of women, entrepreneurs, and community members encouraged by their example. Valerie and Brianna are proof that when women support women, dreams grow stronger—and entire communities grow with them. Their motto is Wear it with a smile 😀

Victoria Gadbois is the founder and owner of Victorious Skincare in Davidson, bringing over 14 years of industry experience to a business rooted in personalized care, education, trust, and meaningful relationships. Her journey has been shaped by profound loss, the courage to stop waiting, and a determination to build something that positively impacts the people around her. She turned grief into the courage to pursue her dream. Victoria opened Victorious Skincare after the sudden loss of her mother. Her passing became a painful reminder of how short life can be and gave Victoria the courage to stop postponing the business she had long dreamed of creating. She built a trusted local skincare practice. Victoria has created a welcoming environment where clients feel heard, comfortable, and genuinely cared for. She takes time to understand each person’s individual needs and provides honest, personalized guidance instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. Her clients return because they trust her knowledge, consistency, and sincere commitment to helping them feel confident. She is expanding her vision beyond skincare. Victoria is currently developing Victorious Wellness, an extension of the Victorious brand envisioned as an elevated, community-centered space focused on skincare, wellness, and restoration. Her goal is to create an environment that encourages women to make time for themselves and recognize that caring for their well-being is important. She uses her work to support women affected by cancer. After losing her brother to cancer this year, this commitment became deeply personal. Each October, Victoria partners with Sassy Caps to provide complimentary facials to women currently experiencing cancer or who have completed cancer treatment. Through these services, she offers time for comfort, care, and connection during an incredibly difficult season. Giving back is an important part of her life. Victoria volunteers with FeedNC, supports the Merry Magic Project and its mission, and fosters rescue bunnies while they wait for permanent homes. Whether she is serving people or animals, she consistently looks for meaningful ways to care for those around her. Her proudest role is being a mother. Victoria is the mother of two daughters, Vivian and Violet, and one of her greatest goals is to serve as a strong example for them. She wants her daughters to see that women can work hard, take risks, overcome painful seasons, care for their communities, and build something meaningful. Victoria defines success through the impact she creates, not solely through the growth of her business. She measures it through the clients who feel understood, the women who receive care during cancer treatment, the community organizations she supports, and the example she sets for her daughters. Victoria leads through hard work, integrity, compassion, and strong relationships. She has transformed personal loss into purpose, built a business her clients trust, and continues developing a larger vision for wellness within the Lake Norman community. Her determination to keep going and to bring others with her makes her truly deserving of this recognition.