Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

12-year-old Nicole Swanson. A little girl who wanted to build something but had no direction, no guidance, and no one willing to help her get there. She had access to the dream but not the door. She imagined being the woman who could push the next one forward, who could make the impossible feel possible for someone else. I see her in every woman I meet who is trying to build something real with limited support and unlimited potential. She never stopped dreaming. She inspires me in business.

How do you stay motivated?

Data, Results and faith. When I watch a woman move closer to the bar she set for herself, because of the work, the time, the knowledge poured in… that’s proof. Proof that the mission matters. Proof that faith works. I don’t need a standing ovation. I need to see the shift. That moment when someone realizes what’s actually possible for them, and to see a successful result - that’s what keeps me going. It never gets old.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Invest it directly into expanding program access for women who can’t afford to wait - the FuelHer and Early Startpreneur programs under Productive Business Women Inc (non profit 501 c3 ), New workshop series, stronger mentorship infrastructure, and resources that meet women where they are, not where we wish they were. The gap between a woman with potential and a woman with a thriving business is usually access, knowledge and capital. This funding closes that gap faster.