Our bi-annual Women-Owned Businesses feature gives us the wonderful opportunity to highlight female leaders in our community and inspire other women with entrepreneurial ambitions. As a women-owned and run business ourselves, there is a certain pride we take in seeing so many other women leaders emerging in Lincoln. When women rally behind each other, amazing things happen. All women are powerful—stay-at-home moms and business owners alike. So please join us in celebrating the following woman powerhouses in Lincoln. Read their story, support their work, and do business with them. Who knows, one of them might even become your future mentor! If you are a women-owned business and want to be included in the next feature, please contact us.
Marci Hanshaw made her dream a reality in June of 2008 when the sign lit up for Carmela’s Bistro & Wine Bar (carmelasbistroandwinebar.com) in the quiet little area of Pioneers Woods Shopping Center, located on 70th and Pioneers.
“I was a very young entrepreneur back then at the age of 28,” said Marci. “In a sense, Carmela’s and I grew up together.”
Marci’s vision was to bring an elegant bistro with extraordinary food and wine to Lincoln. She was excited and nervous to join the ranks of all the other amazing restaurants in town, which were predominately led by men at the time.
“I was aware that restaurant industry was a strongly male-dominated space,” said Marci. “I was prepared to roll up my sleeves and do what I needed to do in order to be successful. Carmela’s was well received by Lincolnites, and we are still going strong after 14 years!”
Carmela’s Bistro & Wine Bar features date nights on Monday and Tuesday evenings, which includes a three-course meal for two and a bottle of wine for only $50! There are also Wine Down Wednesdays and First Thursday Wine Tasting events. Another highlight is the Chef Created Brunch Menu every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. To view the full menu and hours, visit www.carmelasbistroandwinebar.com or call (402) 489-0005.
Farmers Union Midwest Agency (fumafinancial.com) provides insurance protection to individuals and business of all sizes across the Midwest. They strive to build better communities by protecting where you work, where you live, what you own, and the ones you love. It is their individual and organizational goal to provide quality products and the highest level of customer service to not just meet their customer’s expectations, but to exceed them!
Jennifer Larabee joined Farmer’s Union Midwest Agency in August of 2018. Her insurance career originally started in 2005 at Assurity Life Insurance where she worked in multiple positions for 12 years and then with State Farm for nearly two years. When she was given the opportunity to start an agency at Farmer’s Union Midwest Agency, she knew this was the right fit.
“I have always been passionate about insurance,” said Jennifer. “I enjoy helping people find the best coverage that fits their needs and I want to be there for my clients by helping them understand their insurance benefits.”
Whether you need help with your individual life or health related needs or need assistance with your employee group benefits, Jennifer is happy to help! She can be reached at (402) 560-0047 / jennifer@fumafinancial.com or visit www.fumafinancial.com to learn more.
Jackie Svoboda owns Luxury Landscape (luxurylandscape-llc.com) along with her husband Ken. Under Jackie’s leadership, she has not only made Luxury Landscape a trusted landscaping company in Lincoln, but also an amazing place to work. She goes the extra mile to make sure each member of the crew feels valued, heard, and appreciated. Her funny, interactive marketing schemes and team-building efforts create a positive environment for both employees and customers.
Jackie left a 26-year career in physical therapy because she couldn’t deny her passion for owning her own company one day. Growing up as the youngest of seven siblings, Jackie has pretty thick skin…and she definitely isn’t afraid of getting dirty! She has two grown daughters of her own, and she gained two more children when she married Ken. Family is very important to Jackie, which is why she has made it a top value within her company as well. For fun, she enjoys golfing, traveling, and spending time with loved ones.
Luxury Landscape is a full-service landscaping company backed by almost 50 years of experience. To learn more, visit
www.luxurylandscape-llc.com.
Shannon Schultz-Hammerschmidt is the owner and founder of Nebraska LTC Pharmacy (www.neltcpharmacy.com). Shannon has spent her entire life in Nebraska and has worked in many different pharmacy settings before settling into her passion here at Nebraska LTC Pharmacy.
“Here at Nebraska LTC Pharmacy, everything is about YOU,” said Shannon. “We are a locally owned ‘concierge’ pharmacy that specializes in compliance and adherence as well as simplifying the medication process from start to finish. Our attention to every little detail decreases hospitalizations while prolonging our patients independence by keeping them at home. We offer a free in-home consultation, free blister packaging of medications, and free delivery. We accept all insurance plans, so what is not to love about our program!”
Nebraska LTC Pharmacy is off to a great start this year as they approach their 10-year anniversary this spring! There is no better time to join the Nebraska LTC Pharmacy family than now. Learn more online at www.neltcpharmacy.com or call the Lincoln office at (402) 328-0231.
Karalyn Hoefer, Tamera Toof, and Kalyssa Duncan are the dynamic trio that make up the Integrity Group of kwELITE.
“Connect, Collaborate, and Communicate!” These three powerhouses decided to do just that and joined forces to put their experience and expertise to good use. Together, they own Integrity Group (www.IntegrityGroupLincoln.com), a small boutique real estate team within the brokerage of kwEliTE.
Real estate is constantly changing and today’s competitive market reinforces the need for a strong advocate by your side, whether buying or selling. Integrity Group’s winning combination of negotiating experience, effective marketing strategies, and expert knowledge of the real estate market make them one of the top teams in Lincoln and Southeast Nebraska.
Karalyn, Tamera, and Kalyssa work very closely with their clients and pride themselves on the relationships they’ve created and the trust that they’ve built. They specialize in listening to their clients and cultivating a plan to achieve their clients’ goals. Each of these women are dedicated to helping their clients through all phases of life, and their TEAM approach means that there is ALWAYS someone to help you! Whether it’s buying your first home, upgrading, downsizing, or investing, Integrity Group has the experience, education, and expertise to smoothly guide you through the process.
If you are thinking about buying or selling real estate, Integrity Group of kwELITE looks forward to helping you! Call Tamera at (402) 450-8882 to schedule a consultation today! Visit www.IntegrityGroupLincoln.com to learn more.
“Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.”– Ernestine Ulmer.
Jaddin Reyes is the owner/operator of Sweets By J (facebook.com/SweetsbyJ402). Sweets By J specializes in gourmet chocolate-covered strawberries and more delicious sweet treats. Jaddin started making chocolate-covered strawberries for friends on holidays and birthdays just as a sweet gesture.
“I made my friend Ari a large letter-A-shaped box filled with chocolate-covered strawberries for her 20th birthday,” said Jaddin. “From there, I would get strangers asking me if I could make chocolate-covered treats for them.” Jaddin did a couple of dozen letter boxes before supporters encouraged her to start an official business. Sweets By J was established on January 20, 2021.
“I never expected to be a business owner at 20 years old,” said Jaddin. “When I graduated from Lincoln Northeast High School in 2019, I wanted to be a physical therapist assistant. Life always has a different plan for you. I’ve been living on my own since I was 17. Having to start ‘adulting’ was a rude awakening. When life hits you, you grab your umbrella and get ready to walk in the rain. That’s what I did. I made something out of nothing. The best thing about owning a business isn’t the money or being your own boss. The best part is at pick up when the customer sees their beautiful treats. The big smile and mini ‘eek’ is what makes it all so worth it!”
Jaddin has taken this opportunity in life to help other small businesses grow. Once a month, Sweets By J hosts a small business meeting. This is a chance for entrepreneurs to uplift other entrepreneurs and help each other grow and succeed! To learn more about Sweets By J, visit the Facebook page (@sweetsbyJ402) or email sweetsbyj402@gmail.com.
Lincoln native Heather Galloway is a licensed public adjuster, and her company is Claim Advocate LLC (www.ClaimAdvocatellc.com). Public adjusting is not a widely known service but it should be a part of every property owner’s vocabulary. Whether you own a small business, farm, rental property, commercial building, or a home, a public adjuster acts as your voice in case your property endures insurable damage and will work to maximize your claim settlement to bring your property back to pre-damage condition.
Heather is an independent contractor for one of the largest public adjusting companies in the U.S., Metro public Adjustment, Inc. She has two bachelor’s degrees—animal science from UNL and environmental sciences from Oregon State University. Fun fact: Heather is a certified PADI Scuba Diving Instructor!
If you would like a policy review to discuss your coverage, get a free home inspection, write a claim, or reopen a claim that has been underpaid or denied, call Heather at (402) 623-0900 or email hgalloway.metropa@gmail.com. You can also learn more at www.ClaimAdvocatellc.com.
John Henry’s plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning (JHLincoln.com) has been in business for over 25 years. One of their owners, Lindsey Reinke, has been working at John Henry’s for 20 years. While working at the business, she received her bachelor’s degree in business and marketing at Doane University. Currently, she focuses on the culture within the company, community support, and helping the business grow. Lindsey is very passionate about helping the community, which is why supporting local nonprofits is a high priority at John Henry’s.
“Owning a company in a predominantly male industry encourages me to grow it with the same family values that were instilled in me from day one of John Henry’s,” said Lindsey. “Our slogan is ‘Our Family Serving Yours’, because that is what we want you to feel every time you call us!”
Lindsey is the mother of two. She and her husband Joe enjoy attending their boys’ sporting events, traveling, and getting together with friends and family.
Learn more about the John Henry’s family at JHLincoln.com! You can also reach Lindsey at (402) 435-5555 or LReinke@jhlincoln.com.
Christine Dwinell and Karina DeBoer met 20 years ago when they both felt impassioned to raise awareness about autism and worked together on the first autism walk in Nebraska. They remained friends over the years, working in different industries, Karina in construction equipment management and high-level customer service and Christine in marketing.
Christine began working as a business broker two years ago. She recognized a real need in the Southeast Nebraska market for business brokers to help people sell their businesses in complete confidentiality, so she collaborated with Karina to purchase Transworld Business Advisors of Lincoln and Southeast Nebraska (www.tworld.com/lincoln) on December 10, 2021.
Transworld is a global company that focuses on helping buyers and sellers of businesses realize the American dream. Either to own their own business or sell their business and retire to live the good life! When a business owner wants to sell their business, they need to keep it completely confidential in order to retain employees and continue doing what they do best…run their business.
With a world-wide network of over 600 brokers, Transworld has the ability to find buyers from all over the globe. In addition, they can create a franchise out of your unique business or find a desirable franchise to buy.
Christine and Karina set out to fill a void in Southeast Nebraska and help business owners with an often very difficult task, requiring discretion, empathy, diligence, and knowledge of the market. Transworld has provided vigorous training. As pictured, Chris and Karina completed the two full weeks of coaching and collaboration at the
corporate office in West Palm Beach.
If you are interested in buying or selling a business, creating or purchasing a franchise, or just want to know more about being a business broker, give Christine and Karina a call at (402) 413-1095 or visit www.tworld.com/lincoln!
Jilly’s Socks ‘n Such (jillyssocks.com) is a local novelty sock shop in Lincoln. It has been owned and run by women all of its five years of business. Lori Goff, owner and retired LPS teacher, opened Jilly’s with one of her former students with the goal of sharing her love of silly socks and giving Lincoln a uniquely different gift boutique. Jilly’s currently employs three former teachers and two former students all from Lincoln Southeast High School.
“We are so grateful to our community for supporting our local business and giving us the opportunity to lift up so many women through our business,” said Lori. “Whether it be the women we employ or the organizations we work with, we are blessed to impact women around us. Like we always say, ‘Let your socks do the talking!’”
Jilly’s Socks ‘n Such is located at 3900 Old Cheney Rd. To learn more, visit jillyssocks.com or call the store at (402) 261-8308.
Shannon Filing started her first company, Transformation Marketing, nearly two decades ago. During that time, she met many great people, worked with a LOT of amazing companies, and even built a few additional companies of her own! Shannon’s success was made easier with the help of business coaches.
“I hired a business coach in order to take my business to the next level and sustain my family of four,” said Shannon. “I knew I wanted to shorten the learning curve and skip some costly and painful lessons.”
Today, Shannon is pleased to have the opportunity to coach, train, and lead others through ActionCOACH Lincoln (www.actioncoachlincoln.com). She is certified in leadership, speaking, and coaching. Her passion is utilizing her skills and experience to help business owners improve their time, their team, and build predictable cash flow. To learn more, visit www.actioncoachlincoln.com or let Shannon know how she can help you by contacting her at (402) 314-2181 / shannonfiling@actioncoach.com.
Dr. Sarah Rainey, DPT, Cert DN is the owner of Invigorating Motion physical Therapy, LLC (www.invigoratingmotionpt.com). She founded the business in 2020. Dr. Rainey has certifications in dry needling, SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment), FMS (Functional Movement Screen), the Y Balance Test, FCS (Fundamental Capacity Screen), and TPI (Titliest Performance Institute).
Sarah has been working as a physical therapist for 13 years. She played sports in high school and college which is what got her interested in PT to begin with. She decided to open her own practice after seeing so many changes in the health care system and it not being set up to PREVENT injuries, dysfunction, and disease. So many patients don’t even come to see therapists until they are already injured or have been dealing with pain for years. Sarah wanted to be part of the change. While Sarah truly enjoys working with clients after surgery, falls, or injury, she would love to reach these people before they have these deficits.
For her fitness clients, she utilizes Move2Perform, which is a movement measurement and analysis tool that identifies deficits and risk of injury. Move2Perform has been studied with overwhelmingly positive results and has been adopted by the U.S. military and professional sports teams internationally. To learn more, visit www.invigoratingmotionpt.com or contact Sarah at (402) 817-2455 / contact@invigoratingmotionpt.com.
Tammy Adcock, owner of Adcock Coaching (www.adcockcoaching.com), has personally been in a high-conflict divorce and custody case for over a decade. While in her own battle, she realized how much information was not made available to an individual unless they had an attorney and knew what questions to ask. Tammy obtained her master’s degree in management from Doane University. During her high-conflict case, she became very involved in volunteering her time to all fundraisers involving the local domestic abuse shelter.
“My passion to help women and their children continued to grow,” said Tammy. “This is why I decided to take the only high-conflict certification program offered and start my own coaching business. This work gives me the best feeling in the world—I love what I do.”
What makes Adcock Coaching unique is the wealth of personal knowledge Tammy brings from her background in a correctional facility. It has given her insight into the vast amount of families that are affected by domestic abuse. Together, with her personal and educational background and work experience, Tammy makes Lincoln a better place for women and families through her coaching services. To learn more, visit www.adcockcoaching.com or email adcockcoaching@gmail.com.
The APRNs at Health at Home Consultants (healthathomeconsultants.com) provide care for patients in their home, not a clinic. Founded by Jamie Peters MSN, APRN in 2009, Health at Home Consultants was the first nurse-practitioner owned house-call practice in the state of Nebraska. Patients all have a different definition of home: private homes, independent and assisted living, hospice, skilled, and long-term care. The Health at Home team works with the patient wherever they call home! They work with the patients’ primary care physician to provide a more comprehensive plan of care for the patient. The practice has a wide scope of care, including performing and interpreting diagnostic tests such as lab work and x-rays, flu shots, pneumonia vaccines, and all other injections; diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, and injuries; prescribe medications and other treatments; as well as mental health needs. Individuals best served by house calls are the elderly, chronically ill, people with disabilities, and psychiatric conditions. Jamie and her team at Health at Home Consultants provide compassionate, coordinated, and cost-effective care. Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance are all accepted.
Jamie is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Academy of Home Care Physicians, and the Nebraska Nurse Practitioners. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and traveling.
The goal of Health at Home Consultants, LLC is to provide home care medicine in one of the most rapidly expanding areas of healthcare. To learn more, visit healthathomeconsultants.com or contact Jamie at (402) 875-2500
/ jpeters@healthathomeconsultants.com.
Ashley Tobias created T Square Movers (tsquaremovers.com) in 2016. She shared the idea of a moving company with her husband, who had previously been in the industry. They took the things they liked and didn’t like from other companies to create what they believe to be an ethically sound service.
“One night, we were in bed scrolling through social media and saw a lady who was desperate for help getting a new couch into her apartment,” said Ashley. “The company she bought it from wouldn’t bring it inside and no other moving company would agree to help. I reached out and told her if she gave us a chance, we would agree to only charge her if we completed the job successfully. Once we got on-site, she was recording the entire move and it went viral within hours. By the next day, we had dozens of people asking us to help them! I’m forever grateful for that first customer.”
“I still remember how scared we were in the beginning,” Ashley added. “That fear drove us to hustle harder and ultimately drove our success.”
Ashley was born and raised in Springfield, IL. She and her husband, three children, and two dogs have called Lincoln home for eight years now. Ashley has an associate’s degree in graphic design and a bachelor’s degree in business psychology. Prior to owning T Square, she was in human resources for about 13 years.
T Square Movers is unique because they help those who couldn’t normally afford professional services. Their target audience is middle-class folks who really enjoy saving 35-40% using T Square’s services, while still getting professionally trained and vetted staff. To learn more, visit tsquaremovers.com or contact Ashley at (217) 720-2763 / contact@tsquaremovers.com.
Laurie Fraser leads her businesses with an “aggressive” mindset. She is also a servant leader. This was evident as the pandemic hit. She and her Doorstep Diner Catering (www.doorstepdiner.com) Co-owner Chef Jeff and business partner Chad Klein went off the payroll to try to save the staff. Even though this was an incredibly hard time, Laurie remained headstrong. She utilized social media and continued to reach out to potential clients that had any hint of a food or catering need. She wrote thank-you cards to anyone that spent money with them—hundreds and hundreds of cards, even if someone only spent a few dollars! Laurie had also bought Country Sliced Ham in March 2020, right as everything was shutting down. It was a good and bad thing. No one could dine in at the cafe, but Country Sliced Ham at 70th and O Streets sells a lot of retail food and is known for spiral-cut hams. Laurie owns The Event Space at 5550. She is thrilled to be hosting more events at this intimate event space in southeast Lincoln again as the world returns to normal.
Laurie’s spirit, resilience, and entrepreneurial heart are what get her up each and every day. You can connect with Laurie by calling (866) 505-2456. Learn more about her businesses online at www.doorstepdiner.com / www.countryslicedhamandcafe.com / www.eventspaceat5550.com.
Oak Electric (oakelectriccompany.com), your local premium contractor, is 100% owned and operated by Crystal Collins. Did you know that less than 10% of electrical contractors nationally are owned by women (according to NECA)? As the leader of Oak Electric, Crystal has intentional focus on her team to ensure everyone has what they need to be successful. This includes anything from a new tool in the field to skills and safety training to administrative support.
What sets Oak Electric apart from other contractors is not only the belief, but the initiative, that if you take care of your employees, the employees will take care of your business.
“Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” – Richard Branson.
Oak’s team of experienced electricians not only care about precision and craftsmanship, but value the real relationships that come with working with their customers. Oak Electric prides itself on delivering quality customer service on every single job and finding the best solution by tackling every problem with creativity and experience. Electricity, done right, guaranteed! Learn more online at oakelectriccompany.com or call (402) 440-5969.
Megan Leikam took over ownership and the executive director role at Associates in Counseling & Treatment (actnebraska.org) in January 2020. Megan has her provisional alcohol and drug license, provisional certified gambling license, and is certified as a domestic violence counselor. Alongside her duties as executive director, she serves the Lincoln community by conducting substance abuse evaluations, facilitating group, individual and family counseling sessions, and strives to resolve the mental health and substance use issues that affect our community in a caring, compassionate, and confidential manner. She believes that good mental health is essential for the well-being of individuals of all ages.
“Modern life can provide a variety of stresses that can have a negative impact on people. Problems can arise at any stage and our therapists can assist with helping you and your family with mental health and substance abuse,” said Megan.
Megan has worked hard to maintain much needed services in the Lincoln community and hopes that every individual that struggles with addiction, mental health, or domestic violence issues has an opportunity to get the help they need to recovery. To learn more about Associates In Counseling & Treatment, go online to actnebraska.org or contact (402) 261-6667 / information@actnebraska.org.
When Michelle O’Dea founded Domesti-PUPS (www.domesti-pups.org) 22 years ago, she created a ripple that would end up touching the lives of many. In some cases, saving lives. Domesti-PUPS trains and provides service dogs for a variety of disabilities, including balance disorders, wheelchair/mobility assistance, seizure response, and diabetic alert. This means that people with these disabilities get to experience the independence they deserve! They also experience improved self-esteem and psychological well-being. To make these service dogs available and affordable for these people is such a beautiful mission. Domesti-PUPS also offers therapy dog programs. From placing therapy dogs in the classroom to enhance the learning environment to taking them into nursing homes and hospitals to bring much-needed joy, these programs have a tremendous impact.
Michelle has had a passion for dogs since childhood. She saw the need for an animal’s assistance organization, and she hasn’t looked back. Dealing with a disability herself, and even having to use a wheelchair and a service dog for a period of her life, has given Michelle an even deeper love for the work she gets to do through Domesti-PUPS. Being the humble and sweet soul she is, you’ll never hear Michelle brag, but what started as a local nonprofit is now a nationally-known organization that deserves all the praise it gets. There are many individuals and families across the country that can attest to this.
To connect with the loving and dynamic Michelle O’Dea, email info@domesti-pups.org. To learn more about Domesti-PUPS, visit www.domesti-pups.org.
Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach (mtko.org) was founded in 1992 by women who saw an unmet need and began serving meals on Saturday nights to people experiencing homelessness and addiction. Since that first meal was served, over 2.4 million meals have been provided.
Susanne Blue was hired as the first executive director in 1999 and has worked tirelessly to develop outreach and prevention programs that go beyond hunger relief to comprehensively address the needs of the homeless and near homeless. Today Matt Talbot is a permanent fixture of Lincoln’s safety net with volunteers providing two meals a day and professional staff offering a wide range of services to prevent and alleviate homelessness.
“Our founders were strong faith-filled women who laid a foundation of compassion and hospitality,” said Susanne Blue. “Because of their vision, Matt Talbot is a beacon of hope and safety for our guests.”
Matt Talbot is celebrating 30 years of service to the community. Learn more at mtko.org.
Arrive Coworking + Community (www.arrivecoworking.com) is a woman-focused coworking space in South Lincoln. Its mission is to empower entrepreneurs in Lincoln to start and grow their business. Arrive offers flexible space to work: either dropping in to work like a coffee shop, having your own dedicated desk, or having a private office all to yourself.
In addition to affordable space to work or hold a meeting, Arrive offers a support system. It provides access to business resources, educational workshops, and networking. Arrive is a refuge for women to come together and connect with one another.
Arrive Coworking is owned by Jenna Vitosh. Jenna has been a financial advisor with Edward Jones since 2011, where her focus is serving mature, successful women as they prepare for and enjoy retirement. She also currently serves as vice president for the Girls Code Lincoln board of directors.
In 2019, Jenna’s passion for serving women in Lincoln blossomed into a business when she opened the doors to Arrive Coworking + Community. Arrive is more than just a coworking space, it is a community focused on helping women entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. To learn more, visit www.arrivecoworking.com or contact Jenna at jenna@arrivecoworking.com.
Emmy Gorman is the owner of Blush Bridal Boutique (www.blushbridalne.com) in Lincoln. Alongside being a business owner, Emmy is also a mother, a wife, and a pro-women powerhouse. She opened the doors of Blush in 2012 and has since changed the lives of thousands of women by providing them an unparalleled shopping experience. This year, Blush Bridal will celebrate 10 years in business with many exciting ventures on the horizon.
Emmy has 11 employees at her boutique, all of whom are women. She leads the team as not just a boss, but also as a mentor and guide through the world of bridal and business. She provides her staff with in-depth hands-on training to make sure every bride gets the best care possible.
The wedding dress shopping experience is unlike any other, and when asked why she wanted to start Blush, Emmy said, “This boutique has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl, and its flame was fanned in 2006 when my own wedding dress shopping experience fell flat.”
Due to her own lackluster search for her wedding gown, Emmy wants to make sure every single bride leaves Blush with not only their dream dress, but also memories to last a lifetime.
In the summer of 2021, Emmy launched Blush Bridal Boutique’s own private collection of gowns, Sweet Nothings. Sweet Nothings is exclusive to Blush, and designed/hand-picked by Emmy and the staff. This will allow brides to find a gown that is truly unique to them!
In the spring of 2022, Emmy will be opening the doors to the sister store of Blush. Refined Bridal Co will be nestled in the heart of downtown Hickman and will allow Emmy and her team to impact more brides than ever.
Emmy and her employees pride themselves on the care they show their brides. With thousands of positive reviews online, dozens of awards, and thousands of brides served, it is no question that Emmy and her team define women empowerment. They showcase what women in business can do. Emmy can be reached at (402) 261-5615 or emmy@blushbridalne.com. Learn more at www.blushbridalne.com.
Jenn Daum is a modern woman with a warrior’s spirit. She pushes forward even if obstacles seem insurmountable. She creates the life she’s always wanted instead of waiting for it to manifest itself for her. Butterfly Bakery (www.butterflybakeryne.com) is an artisan, from-scratch bakery that specializes in custom desserts and pastries. If you can dream it, they can make it for you! Butterfly Bakery strives to make the best quality product with a distinct artistic touch. Their passion to create shows in every edible piece of art to enjoy.
“I had always wanted to own and run my own business but wasn’t sure how I would make that dream a reality,” said Jenn. “A bachelor’s in psychology and experience in social work doesn’t typically lead to owning a business. My wife Katie Dunn had worked at Butterfly Bakery since 2016, and I joined in a sales and administrative role in November of 2020. The owner at that time lived out of state and had left all the business operations to myself and my wife. After much deliberation, we decided in 2021 that we would pursue purchasing the Bakery and make it our own.”
Jenn has created an environment that is a safe space to work and for the community to gather. The first thing you see when you walk into the bakery is a banner that reads, “Love is Love”. When you enter, you are welcome and you are valued. Learn more about Butterfly Bakery at www.butterflybakeryne.com.
Passionate, purpose, and perseverance. Those are the three factors that Alyssa Herold believes are required to build a successful woman-owned business. As a multi-business owner, she understands the grit required to overcome business challenges. Alyssa’s education and experience have allowed her to build the skills, knowledge, and self assurance to build a strong business, while encouraging others to do the same.
In March of 2020, Alyssa took her hobby and founded Hallie Jean Co. Photography (www.halliejeanco.photography) where she specializes in wedding, portrait, and lifestyle photography—as well as product, commercial work, brand-work, and her next venture, real estate. Alyssa chose the business name Hallie Jean by combining two leading ladies in her life, both of her grandmothers.
In June of 2021, Alyssa opened a brick and mortar called Cedar + Sage Studio. She turned a 1920s historic building into a photography studio and rental space for private events, in hopes of becoming a landmark amongst
the community.
“Never be afraid to take risks and fail, over and over,” said Alyssa. “Find your inner confidence and remain committed to your growth. The risk is the reward.”
Learn more about Alyssa’s businesses and stay in touch at www.halliejeanco.photography and www.cedarandsagestudio.com.
Jenny Moraga is the owner/operator of LaborMax Staffing Nebraska (www.labormax.net). With 12 years in the industry and five years of ownership in the Nebraska area, Jenny and her husband Donnie have developed four locations and are continuing to expand. “Changing people’s lives is what we do, putting them back to work is how we do it”. This is the motto LaborMax Staffing lives by every day.
“Balancing business ownership, family, team development, expansion, and working with business and people to create the right match is a passion,” said Jenny. “It is so fulfilling to help an employee find the right job for them as well as helping clients to find the right person and keep their business going.”
LaborMax Staffing has entered into the toughest employee market in history and still has success with matching employees and clients.
“You have to love this industry to do what we do every day!” said Jenny.
To learn more about LaborMax Staffing Nebraska, visit www.labormax.net or contact Jenny at (402) 805-4720 / (402) 614-2929 / jenny.moraga@labormaxstaffing.com.
Francene Blythe-Lewis (Diné, Sisseton-Wahpeton, Eastern Band Cherokee) is the executive director for Vision Maker Media (visionmakermedia.org). Francene specializes in cultural education, cultural arts programming, and executive management in the arts by building sustainable grant programs, curating cultural art programming, creating philanthropic partnerships, and advocating for cultural voices in the arts and media. Her passion to inspire others with knowledge and discovery has helped expand learning and understanding of Native peoples worldwide.
With 20 years’ experience in media making and the arts, Francene recently led programmatic strategic planning and developed grant making opportunities as the director of programs at the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, located in the Pacific Northwest. There, she fostered and implemented successful grant programs for individual artists, community artist mentorships, and community projects that centered on social issues and partnerships in and around Native communities.
Prior to this, Francene also served eight years as the Director of the All Roads Film Project at the National Geographic Society. She steered this international program into an award-winning portfolio of grants that funded meaningful stories in film and photo-journalism. These stories were created and produced by Indigenous and minority-culture artists from communities around the world. To learn more about Vision Maker Media or connect with Francene, please visit visionmakermedia.org or call (402) 472-3522.
Life and Business Coach Courtney Lockridge, owner of Courtney Lockridge Personal Coaching (www.courtneylockridge.com), is an entrepreneur and cheerleader at heart. She is on a mission to help her clients do life beautifully, one intentional decision at a time.
After launching her company, NebraskaWeddingDay, in 2002, Courtney quickly became aware of her desire to help people succeed. Having built and sold the company for profit after 10 years, she maintained her love for helping others find their passion and live a deeply satisfying life. With experience in direct sales, advertising, speaking, and personal development she discovered her love for coaching and now owns a private coaching practice.
Courtney desires to help multi-passionate, big-hearted women take the next right step so they can reach their goals and be present in the moments that matter most.
Certified through Crosspoint Ministries as an Enneagram instructor, she currently offers an insightful, entertaining, and interactive half-day workshop for leaders and teams to best understand, communicate, and respect differences in order to work better together.
“Courtney helped me align my work with what mattered most in a way that honored both my family and my profession,” said Chelsea Cousins, messaging strategist and copywriter, in a testimonial for Courtney. “ She has the rare ability to draw out what I needed to understand (and do) to reach my goals.”
To get in touch or learn more about Courtney Lockridge Personal Coaching, visit www.courtneylockridge.com or email hello@courtneylockridge.com.