Here’s to Strong Women:
May We Know Them.
May We Be Them.
May We Raise Them.
As we thought about the global holiday and equality campaign that is International Womens Day, we asked the local women we have featured on our instagram account @womenofclt to tell us who was and is their inspiration to do all the fabulous things they do to make our community a vibrant and creative place. We’re so excited to share their inspiration with you.
Meet the Women behind the Women of Charlotte.
Parker. Nominated by Molly Grantham
Who is the #1 woman inspiring me to be the best version of myself? My 11-year-old daughter. She unknowingly influences me, not just the other way around. Having a daughter can be like holding up a mirror to yourself. You see things you like, and things you don’t. Parker Meade—we share a middle name (I’m Molly Meade)—is not an exact reflection. Thank goodness. She handles middle school with more maturity than I did at eleven. She doesn’t have to know someone on the soccer field or a new volleyball team to bound into the crowd. She drops clever one-liners with great timing, things I’d never think to say. And she goes to summer camp for a month with confidence, ready to meet new bunkmates (I was on the same hometown summer swim team my entire childhood, never once thinking to branch out). Watching her grow, teaches me about… me. When she yells at her 8-year-old brother she uses my angry tone (I hate it), but when she loves over her 2-year-old brother, it’s my unconditional adoration (I love it). She makes me hear and see my goods and bads. I learn, while trying to teach. Is that all moms and daughters, in some form or fashion? Watching her evolve, makes me to want to be a good role model. I love her style, her savvy, her smarts, and the fact she can be a little too controlling (me), but also not scared to challenge herself (also me). Like all 11-year-olds, she’s figuring out how to live with cell phones, social media, and filtered comparisons which can cause disagreements between us, but watching her navigate each step of that minefield makes me overall way more proud, than frustrated. Last month Parker said she wanted to talk about the impact of breast cancer on families in a public setting. I wasn’t sure what to expect. She was calm, elegant, and poised, and—I’d never taught her this—knew exactly how to hold a microphone up to her mouth with her hand in the middle. Clearly, some things are just absorbed. Parker is my first gift, my only girl, and watching her is motivating, scary, and awe-inspiring. Yes, I want to know strong women. Yes, I want to be one. But mostly, I’m proud to be raising one.
Yuly Rodriguez. Nominated by Cris Rojas
I would like to nominate Yuly Rodriguez from Vida Wellness. She is a mother of two little girls, an immigrant married to an immigrant and as a family they own Vida Wellness Center in Concord. Her husband is a therapist who not only serves the hispanic community BUT they also offer programs that help people getting their counseling degrees to get their clinical hours PAID under their center. They also go into schools that have high rates of immigrants and spanish speaking kiddos and families, and they truly help the family with either counseling or translating, so many things. Yuly is focused on this, but also has a job and also sits on the board of other organizations that offer services like TAX preparation for spanish speaking people that either don’t understand or can’t afford to go to a tax service office. She’s remarkable. She’s now looking to throw a family fun day that will center on activities for the whole family, but centered in therapy to encourage hispanic people to seek therapy AND de-stigmatize that therapy is for everyone.
Alicia Collins. Nominated by Brittney Bogues
Working alongside Alicia Collins, Director of Operations of the Mixed Beverage Division of the Mecklenburg County ABC Board has truly inspired me in a plethora of ways so it will be hard to name just a few but I will try my best. As a woman in the spirits industry and a leader within the organization not to mention a woman of color she is often the other in the room, so whenever she gets the opportunity Alicia creates spaces for other minorities within the organization. She focuses on recruiting, retention and inclusion with an impressive leadership style. A style focused on collaboration, encouragement and leading by example. One of the major aspects of her job that translates to her personality is protecting others and her natural ability to motivate. In the Controlled Beverage Industry and the specific division Collins oversees, one of the main functions is community safety by keeping products out of hands of minors and citizens with addiction along with reinvesting into community programs that treat substance misuse. Collins ensures that everyone and every project she encounters is better then when she found it which is a motto I often echo. Overall Alicia Collins is a leader who talks the talk and walks the walk.
Megan Miller. Nominated by Molly Ruggere
I’d like to nominate my friend/colleague, Megan Miller. Megan and I are in a coaching community together, and when I posted in our private network that I was in a bind and needed events support to help me with a massive event I was hosting last month, she dropped everything to help me, pro bono, simply because she believed in my businesses’ mission to make social settings more inclusive for non-drinkers and normalize the idea for anyone to socialize alcohol-free, regardless of their relationship with alcohol. Not only is Megan a professional opera singer, entrepreneur/owner of an experiential marketing company, Megan Miller Marketing, LLC, but she is also an incredible mother to her young son Luke, who has been battling Lymphoma for several years. I’m nominating Megan because I admire everything about her—she’s unwaveringly passionate about her work, will go above and beyond for causes she cares about, resilient beyond belief, and has an ability to create incredible bespoke experiences for her clients that only a true artist can bring to life.
Bhumi. Nominated by Dana of Dotted 8
My friend Bhumi has been my inspiration, especially professionally. We met at work a couple of years ago and bonded just about immediately! She was born in India and overcame many cultural adjustments upon moving to the US. She worked hard to become a doctor and continues to push boundaries in her field and in other aspects of her life. She has relentlessly advocated for her value, especially in male-dominated environments. Bhumi finds time to cultivate all the parts of her that make her who she is, including her passion for photography. She’s an all-around powerhouse that gracefully carries herself with both boldness and gentleness. I love my Bhumi! 🙂
Dr. Samantha Polek. Nominated by Jeanette Crump
Before I began Show Up [Social Volunteering], I was an elementary school teacher for about ten years. The woman who hired me, Dr. Samantha Polek, was one of the first women in my professional life that inspired me. Sam was our principal, and her standards were very high. She is incredibly intelligent and consistently dedicated to her work. Outside of work, she is a wife, mother, grandmother, yoga teacher and cycling instructor. On the last day of school each year, she did a cartwheel for the staff – this woman does it all! Beyond that, she led with astounding compassion and grace. One of her subtle skills is knowing how to build people up, and maximize on each person’s strengths. She pushed me to be my best, as she led by example. I later found out the administration team nicknamed her The Velvet Hammer. When she spoke, she commanded the room. When she proposed innovative ideas, it was backed by research and data – you couldn’t prove her wrong. Yet, no matter how serious the conversation was, she somehow delivered it with iron-clad… eloquence. She could deliver a fierce message wrapped in flowers. Sam showed me that leaders did not need to fit a mold; they can be relatable and kind while also being bold and intelligent. Sometimes the world makes us believe that only a certain kind of person will become a successful leader – maybe someone aggressive, hard-hearted, or a total workaholic. Working for a strong woman like Sam was a reminder that I could also be a balance of strength, kindness and in Show Up’s case – fun! It was a reminder that I could help others along the way, and do my part to bring out the best in others.
Michelle Castelloe. Nominated by Greta McCoy
Michelle Castelloe inspired me to open my home furnishings & decor shop after working with her and seeing her success as the owner of multiple Moxie Mercantile locations! I’ve known Michelle for about 8 years, when I started selling a cocktail mixer I used to make in her Mercantile locations, her creativity and gumption is electrifying when you meet and know her. Our styles are very similar and she inspired me to get back to my roots of Interior Design and open a storefront in Cornelius.
Charlotte Lucas. Nominated by Nellie Allen
Charlotte Lucas of Charlotte Lucas Design began her business the same year she had her first child and has been the principal designer and owner of Charlotte Lucas Design for ten years now. She also started a wallpaper and fabric line with her sister, Liz Carroll, called House of Harris in 2017, so she runs not one but two successful businesses, while juggling motherhood and the general demands of everyday life. Her entrepreneurial spirit has rubbed off on our entire (female) team, with multiple former employees of hers going off to start lucrative careers of their own. She fosters growth in all of us and inspires our team to find their niche, lean into what they are good at, and explore it. She gives the team her trust & autonomy to handle their business as needed, while simultaneously guiding us and lending a helping hand or teachable moment when needed. Both House of Harris and Charlotte Lucas Design are female owned and operated, with entirely female teams. Charlotte exemplifies how to be a working mother successfully and gracefully, without sacrificing on either end. She encourages her children to come into the office to see what she’s working on, always noting to them the importance of working hard and doing your best. She’s an inspiration in more ways than one, with more strength & poise than I could ever articulate. I speak for our entire team when I say we could go on and on about this woman and the inspiration she is to us all.
Patricia & Allison. Mother & Sister of Julie Hurley
I’m very lucky- as I’m related to the women that inspire me, so I don’t have to go far for advice and support. My mother- Patricia, and sister- Allison, are two of the most thoughtful, kind, and supportive women that I’ve ever met. They both inspire me to be selfless, generous, kind hearted and brave as they practice these characteristics every day. Happy International Women’s Day to two of the best!
Priya and Danielle. Nominated by Priya Patel
There are two women who inspired me to embark on entrepreneurship and create Belovd Food: a serial social entrepreneur; and a first time novelist. Soon after moving to San Francisco, CA I met Priya H. through a college friend’s college friend. We immediately connected over our shared first name (she nicknamed me Tocayo which is Spanish for sharing the same name), and a desire to become mothers. Priya was a serial social-entrepreneur who focused first on doing good for others, and second on growing serious profit-making companies. She started her first health-related business in high school, and had recently sold her largest company to Ebay by the time I met her in 2010. We became fast friends and confidantes over shared failures and successes with IVF, discussing the healthiest foods for healthy pregnancies, and simply life as 1st generation Indian American women. She loved making the world a better place, her friends, and dark chocolate. I was in awe of her talent and ability to create something out of nothing, sell it and then start anew with an even better business idea and concept for helping others. To me she was the best kind of risk-taker…someone with the confidence to know it was a risk worth taking. I began to wonder if I too could create a business that espoused my values. Fast forward, we lived in Charlotte, NC and our twins were ready to start kindergarten. It was during one of the early school events that I met Danielle C. Danielle was high-energy, intelligent and fun conversation and I looked forward to our frequent but brief carpool catch-ups. It was during one of those waiting-for-dismissal catch-up sessions that Danielle shared she’d recently pivoted her career from teacher to pursue an idea that had been simmering for awhile —writing a novel. I was amazed. Danielle was not the first woman I knew who made a mid-career shift toward an entirely new profession, but she was an almost daily reminder of someone in a similar life-circumstance who did. After years of wondering in the back of my mind if I too could create a values-based business like Priya did, for me Danielle’s story was my cue-to-action. I started the better-for-you snack company, Belovd Food, to focus on creating delicious food with the key ingredient spirulina and bringing these functional foods into the consumer spotlight. Named for my beloved children and nut-allergic daughter, all Belovd Food products are nut free, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, refined sugar free and vegan.
Taylor Calamese. Nominated by Callie Langhorne
Recently, I’ve gotten to know Taylor Calamese of Charlotte FIT South and not only her personal fitness journey, but her dedication to helping women live their best selves makes me smile. She’s clearly living out her passion and that’s incredible to watch. She reminds me a lot of my other friends and mentors in the fitness space including Chelsea Cox of Barry’s, Jen Dufresne of Cross Conditioning Training, and Johnna Smith of Y2 Yoga.
Marissa West. Nominated by Megan Andriatch
Marissa West is the founder, owner, lead trainer and Chief Everything officer at West Kept Secret, a boutique gym here in Charlotte with a national audience. Born out of Marissa’s personal training programming that started in the room over her garage, WKS has operated in their Dilworth studio for almost 3 years now. Marissa has built a methodology and culture that compares to nothing else, advising any and everyone here in Charlotte, including the Top Cats and Olivia Culpo. The business, like many “small” ones, operates purely out of reputation – and Marissa’s shines brightly and authentically. Her team at WKS was built with intention and it is so evident that she pours her heart and soul into every facet, from the hand soap to the yoga mats, to the playlists. And!! That’s just her job!!! When MW isn’t operating as the owner and lead trainer at her business (which is always), she can be found supporting local businesses, lending her name, time and reputations to budding small operations, non- profits and spoiling the heck out of her pups. Marissa’s bio could span pages upon pages, but what inspires me is her heart, acumen and disposition. I’ve worked with hundreds of women in business here in Charlotte and MW is just a step above the rest. Her approach is one born of her true passion- building confidence and strength in the members of our city. Match that with her amazing attitude, her ability to take any and everything in stride, her motivational and constantly sunny disposition and her ability to remain genuine and true to herself ? To me that’s someone who should be highlighted at any and every chance we have.
Her Mother. Nominated by Marie Cloud
My mother. This woman raised me and my siblings with a firm belief that it is our purpose to work hard and go after our dreams. She worked on an assembly line for 30plus years to ensure we had a life that built grit and promise for our future. As an adult, it was her voice and encouragement that helped propel me to start my interior design firm and I haven’t looked back since! Growing up, my mom was was intentional about exposing us different lifestyles in hopes of inspiring us towards success. Through that she would take me to view beautiful homes in “nice neighborhoods.” I was obsessed with the homes and the beauty, and that was the springboard to my interest in the architecture and home industry. Above anything else, the confidence that I have in myself and my ability stems form the years of encouragement and modeling of and work from my mom. I am who I am because of her!
Sneha Calarese & Keri Clavin. Nominated by Nellie Allen
Sneha Calarese and Keri Clavin of Surya and the Moon. Both mothers with full time jobs, they chased a passion and launched their fine jewelry line (Surya and the Moon) as a tribute to Sneha’s mother, who recently passed. The line stands for heritage, craftsmanship, and the deeper meaning of jewelry amongst family. To them, it’s more than the gemstones and precious metals – it’s about the stories each piece holds and the legacy that lives on from generation to generation. The two women found a common bond and friendship through their mutual love of fine jewelry and the meaningful stories that come along with them. It all started after Sneha’s mother passed. As they went through an abundance of jewelry boxes at Swapna’s (Sneha’s mother’s) estate in India, Sneha and Keri discovered what felt like hidden treasures. Keri listened and learned about what the pieces meant as Sneha shared stories from her mother’s life as told through her gorgeous jewelry. While Sneha knew jewelry was always an important part of her Indian heritage and culture, it wasn’t until her mother’s passing that she learned the significance and deep meaning each piece had to her family. Keri had a comparable relationship with jewelry. Throughout her life, Keri’s father always gave her and her sister jewelry for big occasions and events, which transformed into a meaningful collection representing the milestones of her life. With these general feelings toward fine jewelry and all the inspiration from their India trip, they set out to create a line that modernizes traditional Indian Jewelry and have hit the ground running. Keri, an event planner, wife, and mother (amongst other things!), and Sneha, a plastic surgeon, wife, and mother (amongst other things), have managed to create a unique line that promotes heritage and connection. They bring different strengths to their growing business and inspire me with their entrepreneurial spirit and zest for what they are doing (on the side!). Their ability to juggle their many roles and pursue this dream is the ultimate inspiration.
Dr. Melissa Karp. Nominated by Sydney Bassard
Dr. Melissa Karp has been one of the best women I have met as a new business owner. When I first started working full-time for myself, Dr. Karp reached out to talk with me about ways for us to collaborate. She has been a great resource, mentor, and friend. Dr. Karp is eager to answer any questions that I have about business, patients, and potential projects for us to work on. Her office is filled with women that support each other. I feel so fortunate to know Melissa and the fabulous people in her office. I hope one day that I can be as inspirational to someone else as she has been to me.
Her Mom. Nominated by Bonnie Bradley
I’ve been blessed to have supporting women all throughout my life. Whether it’s a Sunday School teacher, a friend or someone over social media, strong and supportive women have surrounded me. Although there are many, the one that has always been my biggest cheerleader and has lead by example on never giving up has been and always will be, my Mom. She starting writing songs when I was little and continues to write today. She was a caretaker to her brothers, one an alcoholic and one with schizophrenia. Despite challenges with doctor appointments, medications and just trying to raise a family, she’s remained consistent in her faith and calling to write songs that uplift and share the message of Jesus. She’s had several groups record her songs throughout the years and knowing her message is blessing far more people than she could imagine is so rewarding. She’s always told me I can do anything I put my mind to do. Our words are powerful. She is by far the one who has inspired me.
