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This Is Entrepreneurship: Postwell’s Jess Kerr

Some entrepreneurs have everything planned out, and when the time comes, they’re ready. As we sit in a tiny Oakley duplex surrounded by stacks of pads, perineal sprays, sitz, and more, Jess Kerr tells us she was not one of those entrepreneurs.

The postwell journey started with a moment of frustration on behalf of a friend struggling through postpartum recovery. What came next can only be explained through the perfect storm of a viral internet story, a stack of plain white boxes, and a woman determined to solve a problem.

This Is Entrepreneurship: Cloverleaf’s Kirsten Moorefield

Kirsten Moorefield never intended to start a tech company. Yet here she is, the co-founder and C.O.O. of Cloverleaf, an H.R. tech platform that allows individuals and employees to be their best selves both at work and at home. She sat down with us at Rhinegeist Brewery – back where it all began in 2015 – to chat about her journey as a tech entrepreneur; the many, many challenges along the way; finding her support network; and what it means to be a female leader in this space.

This Is Entrepreneurship: Originalitees’ Khisha Asubuhi

My favorite people are those who tell it like it is, and Khisha Asubuhi is no exception. At 5’11’’, she’s fierce inside and out, but she’s as real as it gets, and you find yourself instantly at home chatting with her. We sat down with the owner of Originalitees just a few weeks after the company celebrated 10 years in business to chat about Khisha’s journey of entrepreneurship, dreams for the future, and being more than “just a T-shirt shop.”

This is Entrepreneurship: Catherine Manabat and Julia Petiprin of Homemaker’s Bar

Neon lights. Bright stripes. Smashed fine china. Every detail of Homemaker’s Bar draws you in and tells a story. We sat down with co-owners Catherine Manabat and Julia Petiprin approximately one month after the bar’s opening to chat about what it’s like to be a woman in the hospitality industry, the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and how two L.A. ladies ended up falling in love with Cincinnati.

Good (Man)ners: Dani Isaacsohn on Cohear, Everyday Experts, and Changing the Norm

Like many who grew up in Cincinnati, Dani Isaacsohn left the city as a young adult. He attended Yale and Georgetown University, moved to D.C., and worked on both the Obama and Clinton campaigns. With a budding career in politics and law, Dani found his way back to his familial roots in Cincinnati. Inspired by his work on the campaign trail, he started CoHear, an organization focused on connecting everyday experts with local decision-makers. Together, they work to create innovative solutions to local issues that will positively impact all community members.

Good (Man)ners, Outreach + Advocacy, Features, EntrepreneurshipTracy P. Van WagnerSeptember 23, 2019Features

Cole Imperi: Death, Dying, and Doing It Better

Cole Imperi is also a varied tapestry: She writes and hosts podcasts and runs two small businesses; she’s a teacher; and she’s trained in both yoga and typeface design. She is, first and foremost, a thanatologist – a person who studies death and dying. Her passions come together and coalesce in her work here in the Cincinnati area, through her work at the Lloyd Library and Museum as a research fellow, and more. At the vineyards, Cole and I talked about life, death, grieving, and growing.

Arts + Culture, Entrepreneurship, Features, Health + Wellness, Science + TechLaura LeavittSeptember 16, 2019Features

Tanya Leach: ‘Do the things you don’t think you can do.’

Walking into the pottery studio where Tanya Leach often seeks refuge, turning lumps of clay into works of art, was like stepping into an alternate reality. The studio, a historic home in the heart of Covington, is filled with painted tiles and stacked shelves of tools, mixing bowls, and artwork, all covered in the fingerprints of a tight-knit community of women. Tanya, accompanied by her sister Tiffany and studio owner Jane, describes the environment as a place where women can show up and express their support and creativity freely with each other – all over good beer and even better conversation.

Arts + Culture, FeaturesSarah WheatleySeptember 9, 2019Features

Good (Man)ners: Rodney Christian on Finding Your Gift and Giving It Back

Rodney Christian grew up in East Westwood – to be frank, one of Cincinnati’s most struggling communities. Even as a kid, he was a leader, but he didn’t know it. One day a friend shined a light on Rodney’s gift of community and relationship building. He encouraged Rodney to help him open a basketball gym so the kids in their community had a safe place to spend their time. Today, Rodney manages a recreation center at Third Presbyterian Church in the heart of East Westwood. It’s open seven days a week, and there’s always an open door for the kids who need it.

Tamara Harkavy: ArtWorks' 'Accidental Director'

“Do you see this? It says, ‘Breathe.’ That’s my mantra.”

Tamara Harkavy leaned in to show me her gold necklace. Though I see her almost every day in my role as ArtWorks’ executive assistant and office manager, I’d never noticed it. The message is fitting. Nearly 24 years ago, Harkavy founded ArtWorks, the nonprofit responsible for over 12,000 projects that have turned the greater Cincinnati area into an art gallery. Not to mention the businesses which have become staples to our city who went through business development training through ArtWorks, like Brown Bear Bakery, Handzy, and S.R.O. Prints. She’s also a star player on the creative team organizing BLINK. It’s a hefty load.

Arts + Culture, Outreach + Advocacy, FeaturesSandra Okot-KotberAugust 19, 2019Features

Susan Casey-Leininger on Village Life and the Meaning of Global Citizenship

Susan Casey-Leininger has done it all – from working with Americorps to fundraising for the African Leaders Malaria Alliance to living and working in East Africa. Today, as the executive director of Village Life, Susan personifies the word “adventurous.” As shown in her work, Susan is passionate about cultural immersion and the benefits – as a community, society, and world – of learning about each others’ differences. Her various travels and work experiences have given her a unique and valuable perspective on fostering change both inside and outside of Cincinnati.

Outreach + Advocacy, Health + Wellness, Education, FeaturesCourtney ReynoldsAugust 12, 2019Features

From Runway Projects to ‘Project Runway’: A Conversation with Tessa Clark

For those of us born with a fascination with fashion, the shirts on our backs are about more than function. What we choose to wear can be a source of confidence, a way to tell someone passing by a little bit about who we are – even what we stand for. And on a rainy summer evening, I scurried down Vine Street with my deteriorating cat-ear umbrella to meet Cincinnati’s rising style icon and nationally recognized designer, Tessa Clark.

Arts + Culture, Entrepreneurship, FeaturesBrittany BarkerAugust 5, 2019Features

Good (Man)ners: Kick Lee on Ending the Starving Artist

Writing for Women of Cincy has given me the opportunity to meet and share stories with influencers and change-makers throughout Cincinnati. I usually walk away from my interviews feeling inspired, but Kick Lee is quite possibly the coolest person I never knew I needed to meet. He’s created a career and a lifestyle based around helping others achieve their dreams. As the founder of the Cincinnati Music Accelerator, he’s helping local musicians realize their worth as artists and discover how to take control of their own careers.

Monique Gilliam: ‘I am a beautiful mess.’

Monique Gilliam – mom of four, change-maker, mentor, advocate, and more – requested that we meet her at Findlay Market for our conversation. It was a peaceful Tuesday evening, and the weather was more than agreeable. She arrived with open arms, flashing her bright smile. She was rocking a gray O.T.R. T-shirt that listed the street names that she knows all too well.

Features, Outreach + AdvocacyKristyn BridgesJuly 22, 2019Features, Celebrate Black Stories

Putting Empathy to Work: A Letter from the CEO

Women of Cincy began on a whim on January 20, 2017, to document stories from the Cincinnati Women’s March. Five 20-somethings pulled together a few cameras, recorders, and an Instagram account the morning of the march. We had no idea what we were creating, or just how far it would take us.

This summer, we’re taking a moment to look back at that day and celebrate how far we’ve come, and then to share our vision for this movement going forward.

FeaturesChelsie WalterJune 24, 2019Features

Cincinnati Pride 2019: ‘Your found family.’

At this year’s Pride parade and festival, we asked Cincinnatians to tell us what brought them to Pride, the L.G.B.T.Q. folks that inspire them, and what the word “pride” means to each of them. They responded with poignant reflections on their personal journeys with L.G.B.T.Q. acceptance and the history of pride in Cincinnati.

FeaturesWomen of Cincy StaffJune 24, 2019Features

RefugeeConnect’s Robyn Lamont: Thriving, Faith, Motherhood, and More

“We wanted people to be able to thrive more quickly. I think surviving means holistically being able to find yourself in the chaos of a life that maybe you didn’t expect and no one would wish on anyone. ‘Thrive’ encompasses not only the individual or family unit of refugees, but also that the greater community wants Cincinnati to thrive.”

Features, Outreach + AdvocacyTara KeeslingJune 17, 2019Features

Marquicia Jones: The Alpha Mom of the West End

“I’ve never actually wanted to leave my community. Well… Let me take that back. I don’t know if I wanted to leave, but I would have left if there was no change. I knew as I got older and started to raise my family that what was going on in my community was not good for my children. I was trying to protect them from what I grew up with: the hustle and bustle. The crime. The drugs. The violence part of it.”

Good (Man)ners: Rico Grant on Paloozanoire and Being Black and Excellent

We sat down with “true Cincinnati kid” Ricardo (Rico) Grant to talk about his career in the hair and beauty industry, the inspirational woman in his life, and his upcoming adventure: PALOOZANOIRE, a three-day celebration bringing together over 2,000 men and women of the Black community from across the nation.

Julie LeMaster on Advocating for Local Immigrant and Refugee Families

It was a hectic ride in at 9 a.m.: fluorescent buses, playground yells, untied shoelaces, and a handful of teachers guiding school kids towards Roberts Paideia Academy in East Price Hill. The school day was beginning. For many of these kids, this school is a second home, a place to feel safe and to know they are supported. But for some, it’s even more than that.

Features, Outreach + AdvocacyBlaire BartishMay 20, 2019Features

Carla Walker: 'Think big; follow through'

Solopreneur strategist and C.E.O. of think BIG strategies, Carla Walker, welcomed us into her downtown office and out of the busy streets and Opening Day crowds. As the hours stretched into the late afternoon, our conversation traveled from harnessing interests in professional life and strengthening international relationships to morning rituals and the moments in life that change everything.