Well, the June issue of Today's Woman is out and I am so privileged to be among the 2013 honorees nominated for the Most Admired Woman/Beauty and Fashion. Each year I have looked at the amazing women that have been nominated for these awards never thinking in a million years that someone would nominate me?! As a small business owner/ designer it has been an interesting journey to get to where I am today. After having gone to school at the University of Cincinnati's School of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning with my Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design & my Masters of Design tucked under my arm...I was ready to face the world. Or was I? After many years speaking across the country, lobbying politicians, running a foundation for Veterans...I wasn't so sure in 2007 when I started thinking about diving back into fashion. It seemed scary, almost like a nightmare of a thought. The fashion industry is HUGE...but I dove in with both feet. As one of my friends stated, "No Fear, Heather!" Well, maybe some weak knees and a big lump in my throat...I jumped feet first. Not a day goes by that I don't think about how much I love being able to actually call myself a "designer"...you know, the very thing I actually went to school to do! Today I think about all the scary moments from the very beginning trying to figure out international shipping, credit card processing, photo shoots, hangtags...you name it! Everyday I felt frozen with fear over not knowing all the intricate steps...but I have eventually found my way. Not saying that everyday is perfect...far from it...but I am living my dream. We ship to an average of 150 stores per year, have online retailers, and even a showroom in Louisville, KY. It's no small task to start a business and even more of a task to make it successful. My biggest hope is that my girls, ages 9 & 11, are seeing their mother work hard and achieve through that handwork...of course, there have been bumps along the way and I am hoping they are seeing those too...life doesn't promise us that everything will turn up smelling like roses but given enough hard work and dedication I believe that even those bumps can look more like embellishments on the fabulous fabric of life:>) --Heather
