As we wrap up 2013, we hope you are inspired by the abundance of advice offered up today from our 43 FACES of Memphis and FACES of the South 2013 women. We certainly are.
FACES of Memphis
What advice do you have about balancing the demands of home and career?
“… time is the greatest commodity, so always search for things that will make you more efficient, whether it is a nap for your phone or help from a friend or colleague.” – Dr. Sylvia Richey.
What piece of advice would you give another woman with an entrepreneurial dream?
“The best advice I can give someone professionally is to take the leap. If it’s something you believe in, take the leap. Never stay in an unpleasant work environment either. It affects you physically and emotionally. Life is too short to do that.” – Heather Ryniec Balkunas
What is the greatest piece of advice you have been given?
“Believe in yourself and never give up.”-Dana Whitehead
What inspires you to keep going when the challenges of your work set in?
“… there are only so many hours left in this one short life. I want to accomplish my dreams. I want my children to realize their dreams. When it gets tough, I take a day or two off and usually get lost in nature. I unplug completely.” – Jen Bradner
What are some basic words of wisdom you can offer based on your professional experience?
“If you have an idea of something you want to do, just go for it and put everything you have into it! If you own a retail business, you HAVE to be there; the customer always loves to see you working the floor.” – Christy Muller
Best advice you have ever received?
“The best advice I’ve received as a working mother is to let go of the idea that everything has to be perfect all of the time. The second best advice I received was to sign up to bring the paper products for my children’s class parties or school events because no one expects those things to be homemade!”- Misty Estes
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“’Play hard-to-get.’My mom told me that.”- Kate Bradley
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“’We are not to compare ourselves to others.’ My Grandma told me that. This advice has kept my head on straight, especially in such a competitive industry.”- Star Hawks
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Follow your heart and your brain will follow.”- Lynn Shea
Favorite quote?
“Old yogic quote: ‘Everything in moderation … including moderation!'”- Grace Harwood
What are some basic words of wisdom you can offer based on your professional experience?
“I believe a woman can have it ALL–but just not all AT THE SAME TIME. Timing is critical to both building a career and investing time in the most important relationships of our lives–our spouses, children, friends, etc. … Time is friend and enemy both, so you must come to terms with it.”- Elizabeth Pounders
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Hire good people and get out of their way. My stepdad, who is the president of a company, taught me that and since I took this position, this advice has guided me in every hiring decision and management decision I’ve made.”- Alexis Amorose
What are some basic words of wisdom you can offer based on your professional experience?
“Never take no for an answer. If someone tells you that they can’t do something, then find someone who will. Anything is achievable, but you must be determined to see it through.”- Chantal Johnson
What is the greatest piece of advice you have been given?
“The whole time I was growing up, every time I would leave the house, my mom would come outside and tell me to “Remember who you are and from whence you came” in her thick Kentucky accent. It’s served me well so far.” – Kerry Crawford
What are your tips for successfully managing family and business?
“… shed the guilt. Moms feel guilty, but let me tell you, guilt is not productive. I think when kids see their mom as passionate and successful, they see a good role model.” – Amy Howell
Best advice you have ever received?
“My dad always says, ‘Don’t look up, or you might miss a good shot!’ This means that you should focus on and enjoy what you are doing right now; otherwise, if you are worrying about what lies ahead, you will miss the good things happening in the present moment.”- Austin Varner
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“No matter what task you are performing and regardless of its apparent significance, do it to the best of your ability.”- Janice Holder
Favorite quote?
“Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.”- Sophia Loren
Best advice you’ve been given?
“No one ever listened themselves out of a gift.”- Diane Jalfon
Best advice you can offer?
“I used to be a people pleaser to a fault. Now I try to do things that please myself, like doing my yoga or making myself a nice meal. I am no good to anyone if I am not right with myself.”- Sarah Stramel
Best advice you’ve been given?
“… my brother Michael [Oher] says, ‘Everything in life that is worthwhile is worth working hard for.’ His work ethic inspires me. And man, he worked himself right into a Super Bowl Championship!” – Collins Tuohy
What do you enjoy most about living in Memphis?
“I love living in Memphis. For one, there are so many great places to eat and free activities … I think the culture here of supporting small business and the arts inspired us to launch Front Porch Art. Memphis is the perfect city to grow our business.”- Caitlin Horton
Describe your family and how you balance home, work and other interests.
“If you make all your family work with you, then that’s how you balance seeing them!”- Cathy Boulden
Best advice you have ever received?
“I keep a copy of Desiderata on the wall of my closet and I read it quite frequently. I think it covers all of the parts of life that are important to me. On a lighter note, ‘Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.’ I like that a lot, too!”- Cary Brown
Favorite quote?
“There are four things that every woman should know. She should know how to look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, and work like a dog” (from an Unknown author)
Best piece of advice you’ve been given?
“When I was about 24, I met an older woman artist and asked her if I could come see her studio. She took me first to her file cabinet! She explained that she thought it was important for me to see that a lot of research, thought and background work, not to mention business practices, go into the artist’s career.”- Maysey Craddock
Best advice you’ve ever been given?
“Life is not a dress rehearsal! You only live once, so follow your heart.”- Ellen Hunter
What inspires you to keep going when the challenges of balancing work, family and more set in?
“It’s a good thing that looking at art is a fun activity to me. My work, hobbies, passion all blend together. I cannot imagine not working and not having a strong art focus. … I am very lucky that my husband, Ben, cooks dinner!”- Anna Wunderlich
What are three tips you can offer for making it through changes in life gracefully?
“Are you kidding me? Gracefully? I have no advice for doing anything gracefully. All I can say is: Nothing worth doing is ever easy. Persevere. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh, a lot.” – Kirk McClintock
If you could change one thing about Memphis, what would it be?
“I have lived by this quote by Dr. Margaret Mead, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’ … Let’s encourage Memphians to see the world from the perspective of love, not fear.”- Peggy Ingram Veeser
What are some basic words of wisdom you can offer based on your professional experience?
“I am very much a perfectionist and often very critical of myself, so for me the best advice I was given was that a mistake is not a failure unless you fail to learn from it. If you learn something from the mistake you made, then it was an opportunity.” – Kristan Huntley
FACES of the South
“Stand up for what you believe. Follow your gut, which most of the time is your heart talking. This has been my hardest lesson. I have given this advice and not always followed it myself. The truth is, there is no other way.” – Faith Hill
“Love what you do. Never compromise your dreams or desires for the sake of money.” – Carla Hall
“My friend and fellow jewelry designer Nicholas Varney told me: ‘Buy what you think is beautiful. If you do that, you will always end up with a beautiful final piece.’ It is true. I take that with me any time I am looking for materials to work with.” – Kimberly McDonald
“My father told me, ‘Remember who you are and who you represent.'” – Michelle Weaver
“If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that life passes by in phases, and phases end. So if you’re in a phase of life that is just totally amazing, then relish every second. On the flip-side, if you’re at a low point or in a stressful place, keep the faith because that phase will end and a new one will begin. You just have to hang on until then. I’ve given that advice to a lot of deployed troops or friends going through work or marriage troubles…or newborns, ha ha!” – Angie Johnson
“Strive for the three ‘Be’s’: Be naïve, be real, be hungry. Be naïve enough to believe in your dreams, but also be aware of the obstacles. Know the odds, but believe you can beat them. Be real enough to connect with consumers and cross that difficult divide from brand loyalty to brand love. Be hungry enough to realize that when ideas stand still, they get old and are eventually replaced by better ideas.” – Laurie Ann Goldman
“I was never allowed to say the word can’t or quit any sports when I was a little girl. My parents taught me that I could do anything that I set my mind to and that to be successful, you had to keep going even when the going gets tough.” – Heidi Elnora
“To live wholeheartedly with compassion, courage and connection. This is my daily mantra as a mother, sister, daughter, wife, friend, business owner and mentor.” – Elaine Turner
“During those heavy workload, sleep deprived years of the early 1990s, my mother-in-law, Mary Chapman, suggested I pray this simple prayer every day: ‘Lord, lead me today to those I need and to those who need me and let something I do have eternal significance. Amen.’ That simple prayer continually reboots my anticipation and openness about what a day might hold.” – Amy Grant
“Life is finite. Every single day I wish I could have just one more conversation, or cup of coffee, or even just one more laugh with my dad. But missing him helps me to love the people in my life with that much more abandon. And so it is the best lesson of all.” – Damaris Phillips
“It really goes back to my parents instilling in me the belief that one can do whatever they want to if they don’t give up. So, I guess, my mantra is all about guts and being willing to do things a little differently. The letter that hangs in my office from a reader in 2009 that says, ‘If you close this magazine, I will hunt you down and shoot you!’ was also a pretty good motivator to overcome the odds.” – Rebecca Darwin
“When something would come up that was something I did not feel comfortable deciding on, I have always sought advice from the people that had the expertise and knowledge that I did not have. I do know this: you must believe in yourself and in your product or service. Grow as fast as you can, but as slowly as you have to to maintain your quality. All things are possible with God’s help. I believe I was lucky to bring a product to the marketplace at just the right time—a fully-baked frozen yeast roll—when there was nothing else like it at the time. We filled a niche in the grocery stores, and that made it much easier to sell.” – Patricia Barnes
What a group of amazing women.
