Q & A With Business women who are Making a Difference in Our Community
Q & A With Business women who are Making a Difference in Our Community
The National Women’s Business Council reports that women-owned businesses “contribute substantially to entrepreneurship in the United States.” 42% of all U.S. businesses are owned by women (13 million) and employ more than 9.4 million workers. Women are three percentage points more likely to start a business than men.
Here we celebrate women in our community who are making a name for themselves while lifting up others in the process.
Jan Southern, CEO, J. DelSUR Marketing Group
How long have you been in business?
4 years
How long in your field of expertise?
32 years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
The most challenging part has been managing growth. We have experienced tremendous growth and that comes with its own set of challenges from hiring to internal process scaling.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
Marketing has always been my passion and it is such a joy to be able to share what I know with small businesses to help them grow.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
My advice is to listen to your gut. If you feel you have a great idea, go for it. You can never lose. Surround yourself with people who you admire and who have a positive outlook.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My husband, Morris, is my greatest supporter. He is honest with me and gives me the best advice. He knows me well and knows when I am not following my vision. He is not afraid to tell me when I am getting off track. It is a blessing to have him by my side.
Courtney R. Rawlins, President/CEO, The Greater Pooler Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, Inc.
How long have you been in business?
Since 1994
How long in your field of expertise?
5 years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
Branding. Building a unique identity that accurately reflects your business can be difficult. Crafting the right branding to properly convey your values and mission requires significant time, effort, and thought.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
An incredibly fulfilling aspect of running the Chamber has been the opportunity to get to know each and every one of our members. They have truly made us who we are today, and there is no greater reward than having their trust and belief in what we do!
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
It is important to hold yourself accountable in order to reach your goals. Surround yourself with an incredible support system of mentors who can provide valuable guidance and advice on the journey ahead. Women must also learn to believe in themselves —self-confidence is key when taking risks and pushing through roadblocks that inevitably come your way. Taking the leap into entrepreneurship may seem intimidating but it can be incredibly rewarding in the long run. Reach for the stars and keep moving forward!
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
I’m so thankful for all of my cheerleaders. The Chamber Team, for sure. They help me create positive change. My family’s continuous support has been instrumental in allowing me to leave a lasting legacy which I am proud to pass down through generations. Lastly, I have tremendous appreciation for our community whose success means everything to entrepreneurs like myself!
Jessica N. Sauls, Owner, By Jessica & Co Beauty Lounge/ Jessica N. Sauls
How long have you been in business?
7 years
How long in your field of expertise?
Since 2010
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
I would say finding employees.
What has been the most rewarding in running your business?
The reaction in making everyone who sits in our salon feel beautiful. It’s my favorite part—seeing that smile!
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Do not ever let someone tell you that you can’t. And if they do, show them you can—times ten.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My mom was my biggest cheerleader. I miss her to pieces. But also my dad and my boys Gage and Michael, they cheer me on constantly.
Lori Lewis, Owner/Head of School, Advanced Academics Academy
How long have you been in business?
3 wonderful years
How long in your field of expertise?
27 years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
Opening during COVID
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
The most rewarding and reason for being in business is to have a place where children thrive as learners!
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Just like in any field, find great mentors throughout your career to learn from best practitioners.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My greatest cheerleaders are other experts in education who praise what we are doing on our campus and my teaching staff who support so much fun in learning!
Casey Allen, Audiologist, Audiology and Hearing Aid Services
How long have you been in business?
AHAS has been in business 39 years, Me, personally, 6 years in May
How long in your field of expertise?
6 years in May
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
Battling over the counter hearing aids and online sales; proving sometimes that our degrees matter and you sometimes need medical treatment for hearing loss; we are not just sales people. I am here to help in any way I can.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
When patients come in and thank me for helping them hear or tell me about all the little things they did not realize they were missing out on or have not realized they were not hearing well.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
I think it is hard sometimes being a female with a doctorate, sometimes it feels like people do not always respect you, but when you have a great support team around you, it really helps. AHAS is a female-run department and we all work really hard to support each other every day with new ideas and staying on top of the shifting hearing landscape.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My dad; he will hand out business cards left and right and constantly gets on me about following up with people he has told me about or told them about me.
Whitney Lam Gilliard, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Gilliard and Company
How long have you been in business?
4 years
How long in your field of expertise?
10 years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
The most challenging obstacle in operating a non-profit focusing on the foster care system is curating consistent funding. Everyday it’s an advocacy challenge to encourage support for a demographic that faces tragic statistics.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
I get to meet people with fascinating stories and backgrounds. Every day I get to meet a young adult in foster care, and donors from our community who hold invaluable stories of their overcoming. The lives introduced to me are a constant reminder of why we do what we do.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Give each other a chance. Women are known to be the support for everyone and when it comes to our own leadership, many times we lean on our own support within ourselves,. I have made it much further than what I imagined through leaning on other women who know or are better at things that I don’t know.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My son is the first. His early understanding of the importance of helping others has truly created compassion for me in my hardest days. He has given me so much hope throughout the years, always giving me a hug and a kiss when I am stressed.
Also, my entire family consisting of my foster parents and foster sister have been the backbone of what I do. Gilliard and Company’s Executive Board, Bob Klusmeier, Antwan Lang, Derek Horne, and Paul Stephens have been nothing short of delivering exemplary guidance to move our mission forward. Our community of friends, donors, and volunteers who always show up when we need them.
Trisha Cook, Realtor; CEO, The Trisha Cook Team at Keller Williams Realty
How long have you been in business?
16 years
How long in your field of expertise?
16 years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
Learning how to lead & motivate other people on the team has been the most challenging aspect of running a business.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
Watching others reach their goals through real estate is my passion.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Oh, there is so much I could say! Probably the most important advice is to remain your authentic self! Don’t let opportunity control your loyalty or your integrity. You can be both successful and authentic at the same time.
At one time or another successful women will run into the hurdles of being in male dominated roles. Know your worth, stand tall and remember that you have earned the right to be where you are.
It can be lonely at the top. Find a good mentor/coach and a great support team that encourages you to be your very best.
Self care is important. It’s OK to make an appointment with yourself and keep it.
Keep your emotions between the lines. No matter what is going on, check your emotions at the door when you step into a professional setting.
Be consistent. Time on task beats talent everyday. We must get comfortable doing the mundane tasks that it takes to succeed too. Every step needed isn’t always glamorous.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
I am lucky enough to have an amazing husband, a great group of core friendships & an amazing real estate team who all are very supportive! I don’t know what I’d do without them.
Karen Denise Alston, Founder/Executive Director, 4 the Jewel N U Global, Inc.
How long have you been in business?
4 years
How long in your field of expertise?
13 years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
I have been most challenged in running my business just by the subject itself. 4 the Jewel N U provides resources tailored to individual needs as it relates to culturally responsive services to children, youth, and families who have been exposed to domestic violence.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
The most rewarding part of running my non-profit business is the ability to partner with like-minded individuals and organizations within our community to promote a non-violent, non-threaten environment to serve individuals in our community and surrounding areas.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
By far the most important advice is to leave all your emotions off the table. Utilize the services of professional agencies such as United Way, or the Small Business Association. They are equipped to provide you with the proper business structure and resources needed for success.
Keep an open mind, do not be afraid to make changes, and believe in your “why.” Why, you believe your business will be successful?
Never be afraid to admit your mistakes.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
The greatest cheerleader on my team is me, cheering for the unsung heroes – praising them, thanking them, and congratulating them on their wins, no matter how small or large.
My board members are remarkably successful, and they make things look so easy. Letting the triumphs of those in my organization inspire and remind me of what I want for me and the individuals we serve creates the will to continue to cheer for others.
My board members and remarkably close business associates reminded me of my purpose and encouraged me to believe in me for me. They reminded me to stay focused, speak evil of no one, get healthy in my mind, body, and spirit. They never stopped cheering for me. I am not what happened to me, I am a servant created to serve the jewel in each of you.
Ashleigh “Pandora” Montford, USOA Ms. Savannah 2023, CEO of The Opia Designs Company (Marketing & Consulting firm), Founder of Black Woman Made (Mixed-Holding Company), & Co-Owner of High Black Life (Boutique), The Opia Designs Company, Black Woman Made, & High Black Life
How long have you been in business?
Opia: 2018, BWMC: 2022, HBL: 2023
How long in your field of expertise?
10+ Years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
The most complex factor in establishing, building and maintaining businesses would be having a balance. It is so easy to fall into a routine of working that one could forget to actually indulge in a break ever so often.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
Contrary to my last question, being able to visually see the clients happy definitely makes the impact worthwhile. Nothing compares to the satisfaction in the person’s eyes when their ideation is brought to fruition.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
You can do it. No matter what, you can do it. Historically, we have been impacted at a totally disadvantaged rate and we’re still here, thriving and surviving. Do not give in based on the fact of obstacles and trials, those will occur. However, you must keep going, not only for yourself but for those that are watching you that you don’t even realize. When times get rough, don’t forget to breathe and lean on your team, and if you don’t have a team - now is the time to construct one. You can do it. I believe in you.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My cheerleaders would have to be my tribe of my closest friends, who have inevitably turned into family members, as well as those in my church. Without my First Tab Pastor and family, I just cannot imagine where I would be.
Amanda Williams, Chief Operating Officer, Extended Family Support Home Services Inc
How long have you been in business?
10 years
How long in your field of expertise?
22 years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
Balancing doing business with my heart and my head.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
Seeing services brought to our senior adults they didn’t know were available.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Have faith in yourself and surround yourself with like minded people and people that will tell you the truth, both good and bad. Keep your goals and your moves to yourself, because not everyone truly wants to see you succeed. Most importantly Pray constantly!
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My husband and children.
Karen L. Williams, Pooler Councilwoman, City of Pooler
How long have you been in business?
3 years
How long in your field of expertise?
3 years
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
Supporting smart growth while at the same time improving infrastructure.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
Serving others in a variety of ways.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Don’t be afraid to go after your dreams. You won’t have any chance of success if you don’t even try.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
Pooler business owners and the residents I serve.
Kimberly Patel, Studio Owner, Halo Salt Studio & Spa
How long have you been in business?
A year in April.
How long in your field of expertise?
I have studied wellness all around the world and have 12 years in education of body, mind and energy.
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
The most challenging part of running my business is sharing wellness organically and by educating people about alternative forms of healing. As the business owner, I have to put in the effort to explain and demonstrate why this approach can be beneficial and worthwhile for people’s well-being.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
The most rewarding part of running my business is the privilege of being able to help people improve their wellbeing and bring them closer to feeling their best. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to do so.
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Never stop learning—expand your knowledge and challenge yourself. Take risks—embrace the unknown to create meaningful experiences and opportunities. And, always prioritize self care.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My supportive husband and wellness team, I tell them to pinch me all the time because this was a dream of mine to open a wellness studio.
Carol Legasse, Owner, The Salt Table
How long in your field of expertise?
I have 30 plus years of experience in operations management, tax and accounting as well as being a passionate home chef! These skills have served me well in helping drive the success of The Salt Table, which I helped start in 2011.
What has been the most challenging in running your business?
Investing in people. In today’s strange economic times finding, hiring, and retaining employees has been our biggest challenge. But, that said, we love finding the “gems” and building a real core team that focuses on giving great customer service – which is key to sustaining any business.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
Seeing a concept and idea come together and be successful! It takes a lot of sweat equity and conscientious decision making to build a business. The biggest reward is when you have customers tell you how much they love what you do and love your products!
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Be willing to take risks but don’t be reckless. Also, invest in your community and give back. This is so important! Currently I have the pleasure of serving as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Greater Pooler Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau and helping the Chamber support other businesses in our community.
Who are your greatest cheerleaders?
My husband and partner David. He is always very supportive and quick to tell everyone that I am the genius and he “carries the heavy boxes”! We are fortunate that we both have different skills sets that work well together.
