Providing women with support to help start or expand a business or launch any type of creative venture, Ladies Who Launch inspires thousands of women to take the leap into a life of creativity and entrepreneurship.
Victoria Colligan
Former cozrporate lawyer and co-founder of Ladies Who Launch. Shares an office with daughters/future Launching Ladies Chloe (4) and Somerset (2).Beth Schoenfeldt
Columbia MBA and co-founderof Ladies Who Launch. Loves inspiring women to follow their dreams.
Claudine Struck
Claudinez
Claudine Struck has always seen the merit of thinking big. Originally from Jamaica and now living in Garrison, New York, Claudine began her career as a model and later earned certification as a personal trainer, yoga instructor and life coach. But after planning elaborate burthday parties for her children, Estella (5) and Tomas (1), Claudine recognized the potential for a party guru, whimsy expert and fairy godmother to time-stressed parents in upstate New York. Claudine's event company was born.
Claudine's parties focus on creativity, dress-up and imaginative play for kids and adults alike. Children dress up in themed costumes and preform a play or fashion show for the adults, followed by picture time, a tea party, cake and games. The party ends with a wishing circle to keep the dream going even after the party has ended.
With the success of her business, Claudine is now establishing the nonprofit branch of Claudine's called Whimsical Seasons. She also runs the Westchester/Putnam/Dutchess branch of Ladies Who Lauch.
Jodi Lewis
Bee Loved
When Jodi Lewis sets her mind to something, stand back and watch things happen. To her, charity equals training for months in order to run a marathon to benefit the American Stroke Association. To her, vacation is a three-week stint in Equador volunteering on a wild animal reservation. So when Jodi decided to start her own business designing customized ribbon watchbands under her brand Bee Loved, it was just a matter of time before she would wind up featured in New York Magazine. And that's exactly what happened.
Bee Loved watchbands are unique, handcrafted and interchangeable to suit the many moods of individual women. the collection features an extensive variety of satin, grosgrain and taffeta ribbons. they can be coordinated to match any outfit, briday party or school colors.
Jodi, a former social worker and rehabilitation counselor, believes her life began changing when she started asking herself, why not? "I thought, why can't I have a flexible work style? Why can't I create my own rules, my own schedule, my own life? There's a time when you ask yourself, what am I waiting for?"
After finding initial success, Jodi's next step is aqcuiring licensing for professional sports teams, colleges and schools. An avid sports fan, especially of her beloved New York Yankees, Jodi believes Bee Loved watchbands will appeal to women who are both sporty and fashionable. "It's possible to be a huge sports fan but also love makeup and clothes. Bee Loved reflects all the different sides of a woman." It seems her 'pitch' is right on the money.
Lindsay Mure
The Femme Network
Lindsay Mure discovered her talent as a networker at the age of 18 when she first volunteered for the American Cancer Society. Connecting with and helping people - especially women - had always been important; Lindsay's mother, a nurse, was an inspirational role model. After working for six years in online advertising and observing the success of myspace.com, Lindsay hatched the idea for a networking site connecting profoessional women - something she saw as sorely lacking. Thus The Femme Network was born.
Proclaiming "Femtastic Networking for Professional Women", The Femme Network connects and empowers women through online networking portals, exclusive news, weekly newsletters, networking events and monthly teleconferences. It provides access to exclusive business resources, a directory of companies within each industry, information and news about up and coming companies and a special Femme of the Month feature.
An important benefit of The Femme Network for Lindsay is the opportunity to fundraise for various charities. A portion of proceeds of all networking events is donated to, among other charities, ICHAN Westhouse (a women's transitional shelter in Hell's Kitchen) and Orphan's International.
"Helping people is a big part of who I am", says Lindsay. "After working so hard for commercial concerns, it feels good to know you're making a difference in women's lives."
Angela Jia Kim
Om Aroma & Co.
Angela Jia Kim is just your typical overachiever. She learned to play the piano when she 3 years old and gave her first solo recital at age six. As a touring professional, she performs across the U.S. and worldwide. She is a partner in her own co-op record label, Miro Classical. So it's really no surprise that one particularly fateful concert would lead Angela Jia to blaze a new path in the beauty industry.
It was just before an out-of-town performance when Angela used a moisturizer she had never tried before. Though she has highly sensitive skin, she thought the upscale brand would be harmless enough. Then disaster struck. While she was playing, she began to itch and broke out in bright red hives. She decided to begin concocting her own organic lotions at home. Giving them out as gifts eventually led to word of mouth requests for purchases, ultimately leading to the formation of Om Aroma & Co., Angela Jia's luxury natural and organic beauty product company.
Om Aroma is pioneering the "Sexy Green" movement in the beauty industry, marrying the sexiness of luxury brands with the green, organic sensibility. There are body creams, lotions, sugar scrubs, body washes, including a white truffle facial cream and caviar eye cream. They are free of parabens, formaldehyde, mineral oils, synthetic dyes and fragrances. Om uses fair-trade shea butter and employs women re-entering the workforce.
