One of the best things about my blogging journey is meeting so many incredible women along the way! These women inspire me with their drive and unique stories!! In honor of International Women’s Day, which is on March 8th. I would like to introduce you to some Women in business in Westchester. These women are not only super successful, smart and kind but also give back to the community! I hope you enjoy their stories, advice and inspire you to follow your dreams!
Sandra Guarriello – Co Owner of Iconic Lash Lounge
Sandra is enthusiastic and loves being creative while making others feel good! She left her criminal justice studies to pursue a career in esthetics. In 2018, Sandra and her husband Nick joined forces and opened ICONIC. Located in Yorktown Heights, NY ICONIC is a fabulous lash lounge. I have had the pleasure of collaborating with them on many occasions. They are one of the most hard working and nicest couples I have met! Click here to read a post about my first experience at Iconic.
Since opening ICONIC, they won best of Westchester in 2019. They opened a second location in CT! You can check out their podcast Lash Snob Radio podcast which is all about the lash world. Sandra and Nick collaborate with local businesses. They donate old Mascara wands to a nonprofit organization. Those wands are used to provide care for injured and orphaned wildlife.
Q; What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from your business?
A; Looking back on Iconic I’ve learned that success is not measured by the glitz and glam that the rest of the world gets to see during your proudest moments but by the hard work, blood, sweat and tears you put into it behind the scenes. Hard work and determination go a long way and your business will grow and flourish if you lead with integrity & from the heart.
Q; What is it like sharing a business with your husband?
A; I absolutely love it! Nicky and I have always worked extremely well together and in my opinion we’re both extremely creative when we sit down and brainstorm together. I love knowing that my partner in life is also my partner in business because we both share the same vision and I know that I can count on him 100% which I think is extremely important when going into business with someone. We rarely clash on anything because he handles a whole different aspect of the business than I do and I think we both have a mutual respect and trust for what the other does.
Q; From your experience and expertise, what would be your advice for new business owners in the beauty world?
A; I think the best advice I can give to a new business owner in the beauty world is to always lead with integrity & passion, always have a great work ethic and always remain CONSISTENT. The truth about being an entrepreneur is that there’s really no one to answer to but yourself. There’s no one who’s going to put you on probation if you’re slacking or lecture you for not showing up to work on time or not give you the promotion you think you deserve – you ARE the boss – so it’s important to be self-aware and self-disciplined enough to hold yourself accountable.
Q; Did you start your business with a plan or did you figure it out along the way?
A; We definitely started Iconic with an extremely detailed business plan. While I can say that we have definitely stuck to a good portion of that plan it’s also fair to say that you don’t know what you don’t know and a lot of it we had to figure out along the way! It’s all about adjusting and revising until you get it right!
Kate Schlientz – CEO & Digital Marketing Expert
Kate is definitely a superwomen and multifaceted entrepreneur. She is your go to woman for where to find the most delicious food in Westchester and Fairfield County.
She can match you to your ideal restaurant. She is what she calls herself “A restaurant matchmaker”. In 2013, she launched her website Intoxikate. It was voted best lifestyle website in Westchester in 2014 & 2015.
She is the CEO of Communicate Media LLC, Kate also has a radio show called “Fork This” on New Talk WGCH 140 AM. Kate is passionate about giving back to the community. She very often collaborates with Feeding Westchester. Her motto is “When we eat everyone eats“!
Q; What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from your business?
A; You have to listen. Clients need to feel supported, and in order to provide that, you need to listen to them so you can properly assess their needs and communicate effectively. You also have to be listening to the industry they are in to make sure your messages are in the proper climate.
Q; How did you transition from employee to being your own boss and owning an LLC?
A; I worked full time and my current company was my side hustle. It was a slow transition for quite some time, but when I was ready to go full time, it launched relatively quickly!
Q; Who or what is the resource(s) that has helped you the most?
A; Honestly? My calendar! Everything has a plan, and it is all mapped out there!
Q; Did you start your business with a plan or did you figure it out along the way?
You can probably guess from my answer above… I’m a planner! I definitely started out with a plan, but I’ve learned pretty quickly that you have to be fluid. You have to be open to new ideas, technologies, and needs. I am currently working on my plan for the next 5 years! I think it’s always a good idea to adjust. I have new projects in the works, and to reach those goals, I need to take a step back and make adjustments for my future.
Christina Rae – President Buzz Creators
Christina is a PR maven, with 20 years of experience as President of Buzz Creators, Inc. Which is a public relations boutique in Westchester. In December of 2019 Buzz Creators celebrated a milestone, 10 years servicing their clients and helping their business grow!!! In 2011, Christina won Westchester County’s most accomplished women entrepreneurs. Given by Westchester Magazine 914 Inc. Christina gives back to her community by volunteering in various organisations. Such as her local PTA, American Heart Association and The Alliance for safe kids. Her favourite quote and life motto is…”Work hard, play harder.”
Q; From your experience and expertise, what would be your advice for new business owners?
A; Find a great “team” of people to learn from and to help support you as a new business owner as you will no doubt have many questions along your journey. Having mentors is invaluable and I wish I had learned that earlier. This can come in the form of business organizations or just an informal group of smart people who you can tap into.
Q; What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from your business?
A; That is a TON of work to own/run a business – therefore, it should be something that you are really passionate about. That passion will help keep you going during the challenging long days you are sure to have. In the 10 years since I started Buzz Creators, I’ve had lots of long work days, but they have also been some of the best, most rewarding times of my life. I think the fact that I am still so excited about what I do, makes me successful because I give it my all and then some.
I was meeting with a potential new client one day, and he commented that he loved the high-energy and excitement that the Buzz Creators team brought to the table. He understood that energy would translate to better client service and increased results. When you truly enjoy what you do, it doesn’t (usually) feel like work. I always tell people to pursue something that they truly enjoy as a career – because not only will they be more successful, but most importantly, they will have a much happier life!
Q; What would be your advice for someone looking to excel in the PR world?
A; Always keep learning! Things change so fast in this industry, so it’s important to never lose your curiosity to learn and try new things. One of my favorite things about the world of PR is that I’m never bored – every day is different. In fact, the day often goes by too fast because we are so busy with projects. That can also be a challenge because you need time to hone your skill set on a regular basis – so we have ongoing professional development training sessions and participate in numerous conferences/workshops to stay up to date.
Q; What has been your most memorable client experience?
A; There are so many to choose from! Every time we help a client earn great media coverage, our team gets super excited. We also love doing events – from helping Barnes & Noble to open their Eastchester location (with their first ever Barnes & Noble Kitchen restaurant!); to helping DryBar open its shop in White Plains (free hair blowouts for everyone!), to helping HEINEKEN USA with many of their fantastic events (such as the New Year. Safe Ride program) – and, not to mention helping countless small businesses to launch their businesses as well in the community. It’s all been so exciting and rewarding! We truly enjoy the deep partnerships that we share with our clients — whether it be for a short-term project or supporting their PR and marketing efforts for years.
Q;Did you start your business with a plan or did you figure it out along the way?
A; One of the first things that I did when starting my business was create an in-depth business plan so that I clearly knew what the current business climate was, opportunities and challenges, competition, and the direction I wanted to head Buzz Creators towards. It certainly helped to get things rolling successfully, but a ton has just been learned along the way as well. A plan is just that – a plan. Real life often takes over and changes things so you have to be adaptable and flexible to changes in the marketplace and world overall.
Ellen Sledge – Owner Penny Lick Ice Cream Co.
Ellen is the founder of Penny Lick Ice Cream, which she started in 2013. She started with a push cart selling ice cream at the local farmers market. She now has an ice cream parlor in Hastings and a factory in Port Chester! I had the opportunity to visit the factory in 2019, it amazed me all the knowledge she had on the ice cream industry!
Ellen is so driven and passionate! She is a self proclaimed food nerd, her learning doesn’t stop! She continues to take courses in food science at Cornell University. She is a trained pastry chef, she attended The French Culinary institute. Ellen gives back to her commounity by volunteering at her local rotary with NYC Public school and local foster care programs.
Q; From your experience and expertise, what would be something you shouldn’t do if you want to own an Ice Parlor?
A; Do not ever launch a small business thinking you are an expert. Always assume you have a lot to learn. Because you do.
Q; From your experience and expertise, what would be something you should do if you want to own an Ice Parlor?
A;If you want to open an ice cream business, then you have to know that this is an extremely saturated industry and you have to bring something to the field that is different and offers a specific value. Actually, that’s really true for any business. (Penny Lick makes peanut/tree nut/sesame free ice creams. We operate our own factory and manage every step of the process, guaranteeing a clean, safe product. That is not easy to find, and that is the value we offer customers.)
Q; What motivates you to keep learning ?
A;I have a lot of motivation to keep learning. I want to succeed, and the more knowledge and resources you bring to any endeavor the better.
