INTRODUCTION
This book is dedicated to women creators, business owners and visionaries – all female entrepreneurs dedicated to bringing their messages and hearts to our planet. We hope it inspires you to uplift your gifts and talents in service to others – our world needs you.
An entrepreneur is an individual who creates a new business out of nothing but an idea, bearing most of the risks, doing most of the work, and enjoying most of the rewards. The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services, and business/or procedures.
You may or may not have already started your business. You may just be ready to begin, or on a new path toward developing your ideas, or maybe you are already steeped in your business. Wherever you are, this book will lift you up, re-ignite your passion and prove to you that you are not alone. Creating your own business is incredibly important because:
Entrepreneurs boost economic growth by introducing innovative technologies, products, and services.
Entrepreneurs challenge existing organizations to become more competitive.
Entrepreneurs create new markets and wealth possibilities.
Entrepreneurial activity raises the productivity of economies.
Women Creating Our Futures (WCOF) was birthed out of a need we saw for women to have a community that nurtures their dreams and desires, providing both support and accountability. The evolution of our WCOF entrepreneurial journey has resulted in an annual WCOF Conference, an annual online Mastermind Program, the WCOF Possibility Portal and the Academy of Women Emerging (AWE – an in-depth program for women entrepreneurs). And as we continue down this path, there are more ideas, programs and tools ready to emerge! (To learn more about us, visit www.womencreatingourfutures.com.)
It has been our privilege to witness so many women step up and out in ways they could never have imagined, and it’s our joy to be catalysts for their growth and expansion. We hope that there’s a story somewhere in this book that inspires you and generates a desire to create whatever is calling you. Just remember: anything is possible and we all start somewhere.
Every contributor in this book has a fabulous story to tell. They have each walked their path with no roadmap or compass. Each woman dared to follow her heart and leap into the unknown.
One step at a time is all it takes. Enjoy and dream big!
Cynthia and Jean
Meet the authors
Cynthia James
Cynthia James is a transformation specialist who guides people as they make changes for lasting healing in their lives. Once a Hollywood actress, Cynthia excels as a speaker, coach, singer and multiple-award winning author. Cynthia has coached and supported thousands of people into vibrant living. Her Advanced Awareness Coaching offers depth, focus and results for high-level business leaders. Cynthia is personally committed to utilizing creative expression as a vital and effective healing modality that will assist everyone in their own personal and professional and growth.
Jean Hendry
Jean Hendry’s work is focused on supporting you in confidently living the fullest version of yourself by recognizing and owning your unique brilliance. Jean’s transformation evolved out of many years of self-doubt, low self-esteem and “not good enough-itis” to recognizing and loving her gifts and beauty and confidently sharing them with the world. Her passion is helping women escape those traps and see the beauty in themselves, bringing their brilliant best to the world and having the confidence and the self-esteem to live the full life they deserve.
Betsy Abrams
A self-described spa junkie, Betsy, owner and founder of Five Wellbeing Studio and pa is committed to the wellbeing and connection of her community and employees. She has spent the last 6 years creating a business that supports others in deeply caring for themselves and is currently most passionate about the work the spa is doing with caregivers and clients that have been experiencing cancer. After obtaining a double masters in Spiritual Psychology and Counseling Psychology and working as a psychotherapist now turned spa owner, Betsy has developed a unique perspective when it comes to offering a variety of unique and effective treatments that deeply relax and reconnect her clients to their best selves. Influenced by the memory of her late husband and her desire to bring more wellbeing to the community, she aspires to expand Five Wellbeing Studio and spa in the next few years.
Cassandra Babtkis
Cassandra is an intuitive energy artist, specializing in painting Energy Portraits for her clients. In this work, Cassandra pursues her passion for helping others by combining art, energy work, and soulful connections. Her intuitive abilities started from a young age with dream premonitions and has since strengthened over the years through her empathic and clairsentient nature. Her main focus now is painting beautiful and insightful Energy Portraits for her clients. Cassandra is very grateful for her gift and feels that she honors it by sharing it with others.
Diannetta Chargois
The Mother-Daughter team of Diannetta Chargois and Tramaine Chargois Singleton began designing clothes over twenty years ago. In 2001, they started Spoiled By Design Originals Ltd., which provides fashion design/consultation, formalwear and vintage clothing sales and rentals under the labels HOC Originals, HOC Formal Wear, HOC Vintage Boutique and Something Borrowed. In February (2015) Diannetta and Tramaine made the decision to put all of their services under the umbrella of ‘THE HOUSE OF CHARGOIS.” They are also the Founders of a newly formed organization, The Alliance of Fashion and Beauty Professionals Inc. They have mentored numerous college students about “what it takes to have a business.” They’ve tried to encourage them to always follow their heart and have vehicles to get them to their goals. Through strong faith in God and believing in their abilities they will get to a place called SUCCESS.
Cheri Coley
Cheri Coley is a Denver hospice nurse who founded A Restoration of Peace in order to help people following tragic loss. After the loss of her son to suicide and experiencing significant secondary traumatization by a lack of caring and competent crime scene cleaning providers, Cheri went about the much needed task of redefining bioremediation and postvention services with the mission to provide assistance in returning homes and lives to a place of peaceful existence in the aftermath of tragedy. As a registered nurse, educator and trainer with over 25 years experience, Cheri provides scene remediation along with networking and referral services. She was a 2011 honoree of HeartLight Center’s “It’s All about Love for our Community” for her work in helping to alleviate suffering in our community in outstanding ways. Cheri is a nationally certified hospice and palliative care nurse specialist, trainer/gatekeeper for recognition of suicidal ideation and prevention and is a COVA certified victims advocate.
Veronica Galipo
Veronica Galipo is a Certified Life Coach & Practitioner of Hypnotherapy. She is Australian born with Latin passion vividly running through her veins, aiding her to believe in each client through love & encouragement. Each time, lifting & shifting their mind, body & soul of their unwanted self-story to shine their truth. Veronica’s greatest gift is to raise people to reach full brilliance in their own, unique way. She desires to awaken each Woman to realize they have every right to get excited about living their ONE life… because they truly matter!
Cathy Hawk
Cathy Hawk is an expert in energy…human energy. Since 1994, she has coached thousands of thought leaders and entrepreneurs to turn human energy into peak experience and peak performance. She created the Get Clarity® Operating System, an innovative method to integrate body, mind, and spirit for life and business. This unique 3-part tool kit renews the body to its lights-on state, teaches positive thought remedies to sustain positivity, and provides a guide map to the journey to personal and leadership power.
Melinda Jacobs
Melinda Jacobs’ life mission is to empower people to transform personally and globally. Certified in Clinical Hypnotherapy, and trained in Metaphysics and Bodywork, Melinda has been working professionally in the healing arts since 1988. Her current Intuitive Coaching practice specializes in empowering people to heal through and beyond patterns established out of trauma. The combination of a heightened sixth sense and these unique trainings has given Melinda a unique perspective on peoples’ internal and external relationships and how to achieve a more self-realized and fulfilling life.
Christine Johnson
My name is Christine Johnson and I’ve been a teacher and children’s librarian, but always knew I was a healer at least to animals and recently I’ve realized I’m also capable of healing people through a combination of breathwork, reiki and tapping. I still work at an urban library, but am starting my side hustle business as a breathwork facilitator. This is my calling, my purpose and now more than ever people and animals need healing and I’m ready to say yes!
Carie King
Carie King has been on her own personal growth journey for 30 years and supporting others as a Life Coach for 13 years. By uncovering the limited beliefs that hold you back, she can help you find your own answers, to create the life you’ve been wanting. Her training and experience are extensive and eclectic, ranging from an MA in Counseling Psychology (Jungian, Transcendental & Positive Psychologies, etc.) to Indigenous practices like shamanism and Ho’oponopono and everything in between. Carie hears beyond words and heals beyond conscious understanding. With passion and grace, she will support your journey to further wholeness.
Liezel Lane
Liezel Lane (MA Industrial Psychology, Associate Certified Coach, Certified Youth Leadership and Mentoring Coach) As a performer, entrepreneur and executive for 30 years, she has mobilized initiatives that have maximized the potential of individuals and their environments. Amongst other achievements, she was awarded Woman of Excellence for Community Outreach in 2017 and Best Small Business in the Dance category for 2019 and 2020. Her non-profit organization (Atlanta S.E.E.D.s® Self Esteem Empowerment and Education through Dance) specializes in providing girls and women the opportunity to build self esteem through dance; and now spends most of her time helping “Gen Z” youth as a life, career and academic coach at MyTeenLifeCoach.com. Liezel is blessed with a modern blended family of 5 children and her husband.
Kristen Lena
Kristen Lena is a Catalyst for the Audacious Expression of Divine Feminine Leadership. After a 17-year fitness industry career, she discovered that the path to healing is the integration of all parts of self… heart, mind, body and spirit… and the courageous expression of all parts in all forms. Kristen has spent the last 20 years discovering her power and truth by discarding the pieces that were never her. She is a speaker, guide and mentor helping women own all parts of themselves so that they can do the work they are meant to do.
Katie Lewis
Katie Lewis is a software engineer, former elementary teacher, and the executive director of the Leon Foundation of Excellence.
She strongly believes in the importance of women in STEM, educational equity, and personal empowerment.
Courage and growth are the building blocks for her endeavors. In her free time she loves to workout, travel, and mentor students.
Janice McDermott
Janice McDermott grew up in a small town in eastern Iowa, she used her life experiences to write two books: “What Would Your Father Say?” and “Resilient: My Life Story.” She now works as a leadership/life coach, helping her clients achieve their dreams. She sees herself as her clients’ thinking/success partner. Her work with her clients is life-changing because they are energized, become clear about their next step,s and are committed to taking small actions consistently to achieve their dreams. She has prepared her whole life for her coaching work and it brings her immense joy.
Loretta Moore
Loretta Moore is an African American female published writer/ author, and produced playwright. Some of her published novels: The Color of Murder, The Way of Love, Bottom Tales and Others, The Light of Day, Saving Grace and Love, August His Family, A Narrow Path. Plays consist of: Down The Way with Calvin and Boogie, Gossamer’s People, Riding a Peacock, Churchtime in New Orleans, In The Light of Day, Journey, A Black Family Reunites in Mississippi, A Deep Rural Tract, The Lights Go Down. Ghostwriting is also something she’s done. Loretta is a volunteer in her community and serves in church, and is involved with other activities.
Kelly Grace O’Connor
Kelly Grace O’Connor, aka SeniorCareKelly, is a lifestyle advocate and elder care consultant with a national practice headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Her deep compassion, enthusiastic support, and expert knowledge of the senior care industry allow her to live her life’s purpose every day.
Janine Valentine
Janine Valentine became an entrepreneur in March of 2017 when she created her own real estate transaction management company. This work requires a trusting relationship between herself and the agent, which is one of her favorite things about her work. She’s very relational and enjoys creating community, which means that her clients not only experience her authenticity from day one, they also become part of her client community, leading to more genuine relationships and resources for them inside Janine’s Key TC Family. Janine now teaches others how to create their own transaction management business, and according to her, it’s thrilling to watch others preparing to launch this journey!