women's impact vol. 3

SUMMER 2014

SuccessREDEFINING

Three women, three paths, one destination

WOMEN’S IMPACT | 3SUMMER 2014

SUMMER 2014 THE SUCCESS ISSUE

Magazine

Success is most often achieved by those

who don’t know that failure is inevitable.

~ Coco Chanel

“ “Thank you

to our sponsors, advertisers, volunteers and supporters for making this magazine possible.

A portion of each ad purchased goes directly to Women’s Impact.

SUMMER 2014 4 | WOMEN’S IMPACT

CONTENTS

7 Founder’s letter

8 Letter from the editor

10 Women’s Impact: Entrepreneur finds fresh start during Empower Hour

12 Empower each other: Mastermind groups provide support for success

14 Doing good: Good Girls founder shares secrets to successful events

16 Community Impact: 8-year-old helps area homeless by making care packages

18 Fearless events: Women’s Impact holds annual International Women’s Day summit

20 Cover story: Three women take three different paths to redefining their own success

28 Women’s Wisdom: First woman to run Boston Marathon, Go Far Woman founder share passion

32 Impact your mind: Learn to live by design, not by default

34 Global Impact: World Vets’ founder shares how her little idea grew into an international organization

36 Upcoming events

38 Voices: Penpals with an 84-year age difference define what success means

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Megan Havig works with Women’s Impact, overseeing the website. She also freelances as a writer and marketing specialist and loves traveling, coffee and the outdoors.

Mary Jo Hotzler, who wrote the story about an 8-year-old’s mission to help area homeless (Page 16), is a wife, mom and journalist living In West Fargo, N.D. By day, Hotzler is the director of the Forum News Service, a regional news wire service provider in Fargo.

Jasmine Maki, a writer living in Minneapolis, wrote this issue’s Global Impact feature (page 34) on World Vets, a Fargo-based animal aid nonprofit.

Tracy Briggs, digital content development director for Forum Communications, wrote this issue’s cover stories on Amy Thielen and Angie Schulz (Page 20). Briggs lives in Moorhead with her husband, Mark, their two daughters, Laura and Jordan, and a dog who acts like Kim Kardashian.

Meredith Holt is a full-time features reporter for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. She also works part time at the Crystal Corset Bra Boutique, where she helps women look and feel better about themselves. She lives in Fargo with her fiance and two cats.

CONTRIBUTORS


Kirsten Stromsodt, a journalist living in Fargo, is the deputy editor at The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. The University of North Dakota graduate grew up in Mekinock, N.D. When not working, she enjoys watching her friends cook, cheering on the UND hockey teams, traveling, and gardening with her dad.

Carrie Snyder, Women’s Impact Magazine’s photo editor, works as a full-time photographer for The Forum of Fargo-Moohread. She grew up in Fargo and attended Minnesota State University Moorhead for print and photojournalism. She is passionate about photography, sports, the outdoors and baking.

Nicole J. Phillips is an author, speaker and mother of three kids. She’s married to former Bison Men’s Head Basketball Coach Saul Phillips. Her column “Kindness is Contagious” runs every Saturday in The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.

Merrie Sue Holtan is a communication studies instructor at Minnesota State University Moorhead. She has over 300 published articles as a freelance writer and is the author of “Power and Stride, The Nancy Burggraf Story.” She and her husband, the Rev. Phil Holtan, live on Big Pine Lake near Perham, Minn., and have three grown children.

Nicole Welle started working with Women’s Impact over a year ago. She works as a freelance marketing and branding expert and is honing her skills as a personal development coach. Welle grew up in small-town North Dakota and lives in Fargo with her husband, Christopher, two sons and a daughter.

CONTRIBUTORS

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Readers can reach Cris at [email protected].

Afew months ago, someone introduced me for a speech:

“Cris at Women’s Impact works with needy and struggling women.”

The expression didn’t sit well with me. When I go to WomensImpact.org and read the posts on our “Empower Each Other” list, I don’t see needy woman struggling to survive. I see hope and desire to grow. I see courage to ask for help and humility to give back. I see Fearless Women.

I see women like Lisa, who posted on our website for support with professional clothes so she could go to job interviews. In her search for support, she ended up connecting with Krista, a kind woman who not only offered Lisa clothes, but her friendship.

It was really inspiring to me to see both of them working together March 8 at our annual Fearless Event in honor of International Women’s Day.

At Women’s Impact, we believe that today you may need a hand up so that tomorrow you can be the hand up for someone else. The more we support each other, the more equality we will see in the world. Banding together makes dreams possible.

When I think about these amazing women, right here in our community, my heart also feels inspired and grateful for the two most empowering women in my life – my mom and my beloved grandmother.

My grandmother, who passed away a few months ago, worked day and night sewing dresses to earn enough money to send her three kids to college. Her effort helped my mom break free from the cycle of poverty and become a self-made woman, founding one of the best schools in the country of Brazil.

As a child, I listened to these stories of my family, and I never saw my grandma as a struggling woman; I always saw her as a strong woman who tapped into her potential to lift a family out of nothing and be a powerful force for good in the world.

When I feel powerless, scared or insecure, I always remember the women who came before me and the legacy they gave me – the power to know that I can overcome anything or anyone in the way of my path of fulfilling my true potential, including myself. It was their courage that still helps me through the difficult moments of my life.

Years ago, when I moved from Brazil to Fargo, I felt trapped by fear, insecure to speak in English, my second language, in front of people I didn’t know.

In my home country, as a clinical psychologist, best-selling author and radio host, I ended up being invited to speak everywhere about women’s issues – something that I was always passionate about. When I moved to the U.S., I not only lost my identity, but these fears robbed me of my life’s

mission and passion.I was bombarded by the negative voice saying: “What

if they won’t understand you? What if you make a fool of yourself?”

What helped me overcome these voices wasn’t finding answers to overcome my fears, but learning from the fearless women in my life to create a different question. Instead of asking myself ,“What if?” I started asking myself, “Why not?”

As I am writing this letter to you in English, something that is always a challenge for me, I can hear the voice of Grandma saying:

“Why not you? Why not now? Why not today?”Each one of us has an area in our lives where we can

challenge ourselves to take a leap of faith. It can be as simple as entering the next race or as daunting as writing a novel. Beyond each wish and journey, you will encounter the voice asking, “What if?” giving you excuses to walk away.

Or, you can be inspired by the fearless women in your life – your mom, your grandma, your sister, your friend – and start asking yourself two simple words: “Why not?”

FOUNDER’S LETTER

Strong women band together

Cris Linnaresfounder & presidentwith daughter Lulu

Cris Linnares is an international author, psychotherapist, founder of Women’s Impact™ and creator of Diva Dance®. Originally from Brazil, she lives in Fargo with her daughter and husband, Bill Marcil Jr., publisher of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.


Find your own pathAs I kid, I remember learning the mnemonic device

for how to spell “success.”“Double the C, double the S, and you’ll away

have success.”Turns out, it’s not quite that simple.As adults, many of us are constantly striving toward this

goal we’ve determined will mean we’re successful, but how do we know when we’re there?

For some people, it’s becoming the CEO of their own company; for others, it’s sending smart, kind children off to college.

But for all of us, our quest to success is likely ongoing, evolving as we grow.

The women we feature on our cover and in these pages have all achieved something special – whether they see it or not. They are all definitions of success.

Take Amy Thielen, the James Beard Award-winning cookbook author and chef. She left a high-paced job in some of Manhattan’s swankiest eateries to return to her roots in Minnesota.

Now, she’s found her calling as a Food Network host who invites viewers into her Minnesota kitchen each week for Midwestern cuisine.

We can’t wait to see what’s next for her.Maddie Moen was just an 8-year-old going to Costco

with her mom on a frigid day when she saw a man with no hat or gloves. His suffering sparked a call to action from Maddie to get the rest of the community involved in care packages for the homeless.

Maddie clearly is on the road to success early in life.Some women face others who wish them to fail, making

their success that much sweeter.In 1967, Katherine Switzer made history by being the

first woman to complete the Boston Marathon. Despite opposition from officials who literally tried to hold her back, she inspired a new generation of runners.

All of these women pursued their passion in their own ways without giving in the doubters who questioned their decisions.

So however you define success, go after it. You’re the true judge of whether or not you achieve it.

Heidi Shaffer works as the features editor at The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. She joined Women’s Impact in 2012 because of a desire to encourage and educate women to reach their full potential. Shaffer lives in Fargo with her husband. Readers can reach her at [email protected]. Heidi Shaffer

Editor

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR


“Thank you so much for all

you do, this was an amazing event and has inspired me in so many ways. ... Your speakers were AMAZING and inspiring. I loved getting to know the new friends at my table.” – Dina Rae Geiszler, executive director of The Social Connextion

“I love our community! I

put out a request for help with business clothes for job interviews through Women’s Impact Foundation. Krista Ulrich came and donated a bunch to me – bless her heart! … Feeling blessed and humbled. There are truly angels among us.” – Lisa Miller

“Women’s Impact is

such a wonderful concept. God bless each of you and all that you do for others.The magnitude and depth of your generosity will have an impact only a few can truly appreciate. Women’s Impact

is a remarkable organization.” – Donna Wood

“Love what you ladies do! You

are an inspiration to us all!” – Linda Halstead Birmingham, Designing Women 2

Tell us how Women’s Impact’s mission has affected your life. Connect with us at:

[email protected]

twitter.com/WomensImpact

facebook.com/WomensImpact


Dina Rae Geiszler stands by the entrance

sign at Women’s Impact International Women’s

Day “Fearless” event held in March in Fargo.

FEEDBACK


FARGO – Suriyah Stone needed a fresh star t. After much prayer and some sound advice, she decided to leave Chicago and an abusive relationship and begin again in Fargo with her three children.

She had no idea this change in location would unleash the woman she was destined to be.

Stone, affectionately known as Suga (that’s “Sugar” without the “r” for those of us who are Norwegian), walked into a Women’s Impact Empower Hour after seeing an ad in the last Women’s Impact magazine.

While some people would have felt intimidated, Stone says she immediately felt welcomed and knew she needed to surround herself with positive women.

One of the first women she ran into was Dr. Susan Mathison, who told Stone about the Women’s Star t-Up Weekend for fearless

females who had a business dream but needed the know-how to make it happen.

That conversation led to Stone revealing her longtime dream of star ting a soul food catering business. She left that night with a scholarship to attend the weekend event.

When Stone realized she needed to borrow a laptop to use at the event, she posted on the Women’s Impact website. Within five minutes, she got a response saying a laptop had just been donated. She didn’t need to borrow one; she now had her own!

There was nothing for Stone to do by cry with gratitude at the turn of events her life had taken in just a few short weeks. She says she was overwhelmed with joy.

Now, only months later, Stone has applied for her North Dakota business license and is anxiously awaiting the launch of Suga’s Soul

Food. It is evident that Stone

epitomizes the fearlessness talked about so frequently in Women’s Impact: “I feel like a great burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I have a peace in my heart that I haven’t had in a long time. This is my year!”

Her advice to other women? “It can be done. With God and positive women behind you, nothing is impossible.”

FR

ES

H S

TAR

TEntrepreneur starts business after Empower Hour

By Nicole J. Phil l ips • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

Nicole J. Phillips is a former television anchor for Fox News in Fargo. She is a proud Women’s Impact volunteer as well as a writer, speaker, and mother of three kids. Nicole’s Kindness is Contagious column runs every Saturday in The Forum. You can also get a Daily Dose of Inspiration from Nicole at www.nicolejphillips.com.

Suriyah Stone posted her need for a

laptop to help build her business on the

Women’s Impact website.

“Starting a Soul Food catering service has always been my dream. Now it’s actually happening.” Suriyah (Suga) Stone, on North Dakota Women’s Startup Weekend. Courtesy of North Dakota Women’s Startup

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M ASTERMIND GROUPS: S UPPORT FOR SUCCESSBy Nicole Welle • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

FARGO – “Let’s join a book club!”Your friend might pull you along,

thinking this is a great excuse to get together, drink some wine, maybe even do some reading.

Kelly Meyer would say, “Let’s join a mastermind.”

Meyer, a facilitator of mastermind groups in the Fargo-Moorhead area since 2009, knows the power a group of like-minded women can create. She’s both witnessed and reaped the benefits of this power over the years.

Meyer joined her first mastermind group in 2006. While she was mostly looking for a new experience and the opportunity to connect with other women, what she got was much more.

“Having a group of individuals who desire your success and offer ways to help you succeed is amazing,” said Meyer.

After taking part in a few masterminds, Meyer began

facilitating her own groups about five years ago.

Carrie Brusven is the owner of Rustic Trunk Vintage Rentals and Event Design and is also a wife and mother of two young boys. She attributes much of the success and happiness in her life to one of Meyer’s mastermind groups.

“I felt like it was time for a bold move to invest some time and energy into what I wanted my own future to be,” Brusven shared. “My goals were simply to allow myself time to read each week, reflect, keep an open mind and push myself to grow.”

What Brusven found was the encouragement to make her “hobby job,” Rustic Trunk, her full-time endeavor in the spring of 2013. She hasn’t looked back.

“What I ended up with was a really terrific support group of strong, courageous, successful women walking beside me on

a journey I never would have followed through on my own. Really, I thought I was just going to read an interesting book. Now, I am a completely different version of myself than I was a year ago. And I like this version much better!”

While Brusven is fairly new to the concept of a mastermind, Jodee Bock was one of the first to organize the groups in the area, through Bock’s Office Transformational Consulting.

Sylvia Lunski is one of Bock’s original mastermind group members. Lunski, who for eight years has owned Design Direction Interior Design, was first contacted by Bock to read the 1937 mindset classic “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. This book is often the starting point for many groups and gives the following definition of a ‘master mind’:

“The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people,

Gina Sandgren shares a thought with her Master Mind group in Fargo. Photos by Megan Havig / Women’s Impact

EMPOWER EACH OTHER


who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony. No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind.”

Hill’s concept has staying power. Even Lunski, who describes herself as “not a reader,” says she was hooked. Since they started seven years ago, her core group has gotten together every Saturday morning to be each other’s “third mind.”

“Since most of us were small-business owners, we often referred to our mastermind group as each other’s board of directors,” explained Lunski. “Our group became mentors to each other.”

Is a mastermind group right for you? Anita Hoffarth thinks that anyone who is looking to grow and has the time to commit should consider a mastermind for making herself a priority. Hoffarth, a wife, mom and owner of Reach Partners, joined her first mastermind group last May.

“It’s not a selfish thing,” said Hoffarth. “As adult women, it’s not always easy to find connections,” so the group offers a support she hasn’t found anywhere else.

While Meyer still sees a need for better communication to spread the news about mastermind groups, those who want to join a group should reach out to Jodee Bock or her, or talk to other successful women who have participated in a mastermind. Not only will they be a source of inspiration, they are often willing to reach out and nurture other women on a similar path.

“It has become a vital resource for me,” Brusven said. “Not only as a new entrepreneur, but for life in general as a mom, a wife and a woman in business.”

Top row (from left): Kathy Halgrimson Hanson, Gina Sandgren, Angela N. Schulz, Anita Hoffarth Bottom row (from left): Marvita Busching, Sarah Nasello, Kelly Meyer, Carolyn Lillehaugen

EMPOWER EACH OTHER


doing goodMary Fox • Good Gir ls Club founder

GRAND FORKS – “What is the Good Girls Club?”

I’ve been asked that question many times. To be honest, we’re still figuring that out.

What I do know is that our club is growing. It continues to grow with each good deed.

Now, the Good Girls Club has quadrupled in size, and the events have sold out the Empire Theatre in downtown Grand Forks – twice! It’s all for local charities and all because we are women who care about our community.

In addition to a multiple small,

simple events, we’ve decided to host one big event each year. These events have been successful because Grand Forks believes in giving back.

So how did we go from small gatherings to a huge show that sells out the Empire? We tap into the talents of our members, and we do some good old-fashioned cold

calling. The event highlights downtown

clothing stores, hair salons, restaurants and anyone who is willing to participate. We also ask businesses for giveaway items.

Our big annual gala is our exception to the rule about keeping it simple. It takes work to put together, but most people just need to purchase a ticket and sit back and enjoy the show.

The idea originated when Truyu and GGC member Sadie Gardner approached us about a possible collaboration.The idea

MAKING AN IMPACT

Good Gir ls Club founder shares 10 secrets to successful events


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of a downtown fashion night was born. It grew legs, and the response from local vendors made the night more than any of us could have anticipated.

Our next step was to decide how we should raise the money and who would be the recipient of the funds. Last year, we selected the Altru Infant Bereavement Program, and that program received 100 percent of the ticket sales. This year, we selected Camp Good Morning, a camp for children and teenagers who have lost a loved one.

Because of the growth of the event, we sold advertising space in our program to offset the printing, production and prize costs.

Once again, we had a long list of worthy charities. As much as I enjoy how giving back makes me feel, I also hang on to the hope that

all of the women in our group are inspiring their friends and becoming role models that encourage others to give back, as well.

Finding free time for any event, no matter how worthy, is often difficult for busy women. We are career gals, mothers, obligated to other activities. Our group is different because we try to keep it simple. So how can you get started?1. Create a guest list: Do you have some friends you wish you got together with more? Make a list with those names on it.2. Find a worthy cause. Once you start looking, the list can get long. Start with your local food shelf. Call and ask what items they need most.3. Keep it simple. 4. Find a spot. Do you have a restaurant or local watering hole you enjoy? Write that down.

5. Get your friends together. Tell them you know that the local food shelf is in need of said items and ask them to bring what they can. You or a designated person will be in charge of dropping off the items.6. Make a reservation if needed at your local meeting place.7. Show up at designated location.8. Marvel at how generous your friends can be.9. Bring the items to drop location and feel the pride of helping someone else.10. Start thinking about next event.

We hope you use our story as an inspiration to grab your best gal pals and do something good for your community and good for you.

After all, wine has proven health benefits.

Cheers!

MAKING AN IMPACT


ON a MISSIONBy Mary Jo Hotzler • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

8-year-old helps area homeless with care packages

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8-year-old Maddie Moen shows off some of her care packages she’s made for area homeless.David Samson / The Forum


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FARGO – Maddie Moen is on a mission.

At just 8 years old, this Fargo girl is hoping to make the world a better place and she’s starting in her own community. That mission? To help the area’s homeless population by supplying them with cold-weather survival items they might not have otherwise.

The idea took shape one frigid day in December – just before Christmas 2013 – when Maddie and her mom, Kandia Qual, were driving to Costco and saw a man who appeared to be homeless walking outside with no hat or gloves.

“I felt sad,” recalls Maddie, who attends Lewis and Clark Elementary in Fargo. “I just wanted to save him.”

Maddie tried to convince her mom to give the guy a ride. Kandia suggested Maddie could help in other ways. The ideas immediately started swirling, and the two came home from the store that day with a large pack of hand warmers that Maddie decided she would give out to those in need.

But Maddie wanted to do more, and her mom agreed to support her in any way possible. That’s when Maddie’s Mission was born.

What started out small quickly grew as word got out about Maddie’s Mission. Kandia created a Facebook page for Maddie, and soon the two were creating little bags together – filled with cold-weather essentials such as hats, mittens, chapstick, tissues and hot chocolate – that could be given to homeless people and to the groups that serve them. Maddie draws a picture and writes a message on each “Stay Warm” packet.

This past winter, Maddie delivered packets to both Homeless Health and the Gladys Ray Shelter.

Maddie and her mom purchased some of the items for the bags, but Maddie also approached a number of local businesses and asked for donations. Many obliged.

Kandia was a little surprised to see how far Maddie was taking her mission, but not surprised Maddie had the heart for it.

Kandia’s job as the program director for Dacotah Foundation has her working directly with homeless people. Maddie has never been sheltered from that reality and didn’t grow up thinking she was better than any of them, Kandia explained.

In total, Maddie has created more than 150 Stay Warm bags. But that’s just the beginning.

Sweatshirts, hats and mittens can be found in plastic tubs throughout the family’s south Fargo home, and now that spring is here, Maddie is focused on building supplies so she can be ready for when it turns cold again.

Maddie’s wish is for everyone to have the safety and warmth that a home brings, but for as long as homelessness exists, she plans to pour her energy into Maddie’s Mission and hopes to see it expand.

When asked how it feels to be able to help her community at such a young age, this energetic, articulate second grader describes it best: “Happy and excited.”

COMMUNITY IMPACT

18 | WOMEN’S IMPACT SUMMER 2014

Fearless Women’s Impact hosted a “Fearless” summit in March at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Tonya Stende, president of Dale Carnegie Training of ND, inspired women to share their voice in the workplace.

Ajit Berg, attendee, shared how she would be fearless to feel beautiful during discussion time at Fearless.

Dr. Susan M. Mathison, owner and president of Catalyst Medical Center, inspired women to be fearless to feel beautiful.

Mariah Prussia, owner of Xtreme Measures Women’s Health and Fitness Facility and president and founder of the NOW PROJECT INC., inspired women to fearlessly thrive in a compelling speech about supporting each other.

Cris Linnares, founder of Women’s Impact, inspires women to live a fearless life by taking daily steps of faith.

FEARLESS EVENTS

Photos by Hannah Sorensen


Women’s Impact hosted its inaugural International Women’s Day event March 8 at Plains Art Museum.

Volunteer Roz Randorf, right, invites women to discuss ways to live fearlessly after each 15-minute speech.

FEARLESS EVENTS


COVER STORY

WOMEN’S IMPACT | 21

SuccessREDEFINING

Three women follow different paths on road to achieving dreamsBy Megan Havig • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, was a catalyst in the conversation of life for women trying to balance family and

work. She released her book “Lean In,” last year, saying, “Fortune does favor the bold, and you’ll never know what you’re capable of if you don’t try.”

We wanted to celebrate three local women who, in our eyes, have “made it,” and ask them one question:

“How do you define success?”For a stay-at-home mom who felt

joy in raising her family but sensed that something was missing, success was the pride of founding a shirt and gift business that swept the nation with the precious nostalgia of summer days.

Peggy Heglie Kilbane of Lake Girl found success in the pride of creating.

For a writer and artist who loved

to cook and took the leap into New York City’s racing nightlife of restaurants only to find herself back in the peaceful woods of Minnesota, success was taking the leap of faith to publish her own book, which led to a Food Network show filmed right out of her home.

Amy Thielen of “Heartland Table” found success in a leap of faith filled with the happiness of raising her family.

For a woman on the fast track toward Broadway, who took a detour into marriage and family and now finds her fulfillment teaching children the art of expression through song and theater, Angie Schulz of Moorhead found success in teaching children the ways of theater and giving back her gift of expression.

For these women, success was the not the prize at the end, but every open door along an uncertain path.

Let their answers inspire your own.

SUMMER 2014

COVER STORY

Author Amy Thielen, left, found success through a leap of faith. Photo courtesy of Clarkson Photography / Random House


TWO INLETS, Minn. – Getting to Amy Thielen’s home isn’t easy. Winding country roads lined with trees lead to the land on remote Indian Creek in Two Inlets. When you step inside her screened-in porch, the earthy smell of firewood and home-cooked food serves as a greeting. It’s a world away from the streets of Manhattan and serving food to millionaires and supermodels.

But this is Amy Thielen’s life today. She’s as warm, comfortable and down to earth as her surroundings, and as we sit down for the interview, she doesn’t.

“I have to stay busy. I don’t sit still well,” she says.

She’s in the middle of making lunch. Today it’s German potato salad with kale – a recipe not found in her James Beard-nominated cookbook, “The New Midwestern Table.”

“No, it’s just lunch,” she says. She slices onions as we talk

– Mason jars full of spices above her shoulder and a wood-fire stove off to the side. It’s the homespun kitchen where her (also James Beard-nominated) Food Network show, “Heartland Table” is shot. As she adds

the onions to a frying pan, Thielen talks about growing up just 20 miles from here and the unexpected journey back.

“I never thought I’d be doing this. I thought I’d be a college professor,” she says.

And she could have done that, graduating with an English degree in 1997 from Macalester College in St. Paul. She landed a job in publishing in the Twin Cities, but she and her now husband, Aaron Spangler, found themselves drawn back to Two Inlets every summer where Spangler had built a rustic log cabin on his family’s land.

In the early days, there was no electricity or running water. The couple lived simply. Thielen calls them “fertile years,” when she felt connected to the women in her lineage who cooked out of their garden instead of a can. She also cooked at a diner in Park Rapids, but it still wasn’t a career.

“I think my family thought, ‘What are you doing? You have school loans, and you’re working at a diner?’ But I didn’t worry about that. I took the time to figure out what I wanted to

do with my life.”When she decided it was cooking

that she loved, she enrolled in culinary school in New York City, interning alongside famous chefs.

“I was too naive to be intimidated by that,” she says.

Eventually, she landed jobs at some of Manhattan’s finest restaurants, working 80 hours a week as a chef to the rich and famous.

“I remember being told: ‘Make it nice! It’s for Naomi Campbell.’ ”

But in her seven years there, she kept thinking about the Midwest and the food she grew up eating.

“I’d tuck these recipes away and think, ‘One day I’d love to write a cookbook.’ ”

Following the 2008 recession and the birth of her son, Hank, Thielen and Spangler, an artist, decided to move back to Minnesota.

“It seemed like the natural time. I could never picture a childhood for Hank in New York City. We grew up here around the lakes, and it was nice,” she says.

She says she “begged” for a job at the Park Rapids Enterprise – writing a column for $20 a week. That’s where

HOME IS WHERE THE f o od i sBy Tracy Br iggs • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

COVER STORY

Amy Thielen achieved her dream of publishing recipes when she released her cookbook, “The New Midwestern Table,” in September 2013. Photos by Megan Havig


she found her voice and her audience. After that, her long-dreamed-about cookbook began to take shape. It was published in 2013. When her publisher suggested the TV show, she was floored.

“I said, ‘What?! A show?!’ I had to pull over to the side of the road because I couldn’t get reception,”she says.

Now a television crew from New York City comes out to this remote location a few times a year to shoot the show, which in true Midwestern fashion Thielen insists is about “the food, not my personality.”

She puts the finishing touches on the German potato salad and dishes it up in vintage bowls she found at a flea market. It’s delicious, uncomplicated and full of flavor. As we eat, she seems almost uncomfortable talking about success.

“I don’t know. I just know it’s not about money. It’s about figuring out what’s really important to you. I think you have to tap into something you love and pour your energy into it.”

Today, that’s German potato salad. It’s just too bad Naomi Campbell isn’t around to enjoy it.

COVER STORY

Thielen cuts potatoes for a lunch recipe.


MOORHEAD – “I’m living the dream,” my friend Angie Schulz wrote on Facebook one seemingly ordinary Wednesday afternoon.

I hadn’t heard anything particularly new and exciting was going on with her.

When I asked her about the post, she told me she was simply having the best fall of her life. The actress and singer was appearing in “Young Frankenstein” for Music Theatre Fargo-Moorhead and volunteering for Moorhead High School’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

“All three of my daughters were in the show, so I didn’t have any of that mommy guilt from being away from them to perform. I got to perform and be with my kids!”

For Angie, this theatrical perfect storm came after years of feeling pressured to define success in other people’s terms.

She started on the stage in the sixth grade, and by high school her drama teacher told her she had what it took to make it on Broadway. Starring roles in high school and

on the mainstage of Trollwood Performing Arts School brought more praise and more pressure.

“In this field, everyone defines success as ‘Broadway,’ so I got the feeling that’s what people wanted me to do. I think I kind of wanted to, as well. But in all honesty, I don’t think I could have handled it. You have to be mentally tough to make it, and something inside me just knew it wouldn’t be right for me. I always felt that I disappointed people because I didn’t try,” she says.

She ended up getting a degree at Concordia College in Moorhead, marrying Brian Schulz and eventually having three daughters. She says she always dreamed of being a wife and mom. She threw herself into the role of stay-at-home mom with gusto.

“I decided that my performing days were done. I was a mom. I figured I’d join all the mom’s groups, wear the embroidered pumpkin sweatshirt and mom hair, and I’d support them!” she says with a laugh.

But she knew something was missing. So, in 2000, when the director of her daughter’s dance

school, Eddie Gasper (a man she had worked with during her performing days), asked her if she’d like to be a guest vocalist at their Christmas show, she figured she’d give it a shot.

A comment from someone after the show changed her outlook.

“A woman who had been working as a Broadway dancer came up to me after the show and said, ‘You’re doing exactly what I’d love to be doing. Having a family and performing.’ I didn’t believe her back then. I thought she was just being nice. But now I get it.”

In the years following that return to the stage, she rediscovered her love of performing and realized she could do it while still being a wife and mother.

“I think I realized that success is creating what you love every day and doing it as much as you can no matter where you are,” she says.

In theater terms, loving the process of rehearsing as much as showtime.

“I now know that success has become less about what I am doing and more about how I am feeling,” she says. And sometimes how you

‘ I ’M LIVING the Drea m ’By Tracy Br iggs • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

COVER STORY

Angie Schulz helps direct for the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre. Forum file photos


make others feel.Rebecca Meyer-Larson, the theater

director for Moorhead High School and Act Up Theatre Company, says she cast Angie in last summer’s “BARE: A Pop Opera” because of her “amazing” voice, but she soon became the heart of the show, an “earth mama” to the young actors moved by the emotional show.

“When our young actors would leave the stage (often in tears), Angie was the person backstage hugging the actors. She reminded them that the art they were creating was important, and she reminded them that they were loved,” she says.

Instead of listening to what others expected of her, Angie has managed to take two passions: performing and children, and combine them to create her version of success. A life’s path that gives her both peace and purpose. And that’s obviously reason enough for a Facebook post.

COVER STORY


DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – Golden images of laughing with family on the deck or taking running leaps into the water as the sun dips behind the tree line.

Lakegirl was founded in the hub of summer tradition in western Minnesota, an area that drew Peggy Heglie Kilbane back home after years away. A Fargo native, Peggy had reared her family in Scottsdale, Ariz. But after 9/11, a job as a corporate meeting planner faded away because of company traveling policies and corporate culture changes.

Restoring a condemned cottage on Lake Melissa and returning to her passion of crafting, Peggy and her husband decided to open up a store in 2003. They named it Peggary and sold repurposed furniture, vintage trinkets and new items, as well.

That first summer, she created a T-shirt that read “Lake Girl.” Underneath it was a graphic with the names of the Seven Sisters lakes – Ida, Maud, Eunice, Sallie, Melissa, Lizzie and Lida – etched into sand.

The phrase was a hit, and many customers asked for their lake names to be represented. What

began as a fun family endeavor became the beloved trademark of summer and Peggy’s dreams tumbled quickly into place.

Lakegirl clothing and gifts are now sold in 485 stores and multiple catalogs, including Sky Mall, a popular publication on airplanes. In the beginning, Peggy had no money and little training in wholesale market, but she had intuition.

“Young girls … who have an idea and say, ‘I want to do something’ will be very curious and say, ‘How did you do it?’ ” Peggy said. “I never thought that I couldn’t do it. I didn’t put a lot of planning into it with business plans and charts; I never thought it wouldn’t work, so I just kept getting up and going to work.”

Her onfidence was tested at her first gift show. Nervous, Peggy couldn’t stand in her own booth. She asked her sister and daughters to watch the booth as she hid in the back.

“The first thing I heard was a woman saying, ‘Lake girl! Oh, I’m a Lake Girl!’ ” Peggy said. “I still get goose bumps thinking about it, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh. This might

work.’ ” The Lakegirl clothing and gifts

embody the feeling of warmth and community that summers at the lake evoke.

“There are lakes all over this country, and the way we feel about our lake area is the same every woman feels about their area. Some have memories all the way since they were little girls.”

Peggy loves catching up with clients summer after summer and says, despite the advice of her husband to do otherwise, she has hired mostly friends to help with the success.

“It has just happened that way that I hire friends because I know what they can do and it feels like a team,” Peggy said. “I’ve never had to create that feeling of teamwork because knowing these people, right out of the blocks, we were a team.”

Often, as Peggy is locking up the store for the night, her daughter and other “lake girls” can be found sitting on the floor, giggling into the evening.

Family has always been a part of Peggy’s life. She had her first baby at 18 and spent much of her 20s and 30s taking care of her children.

CALLING ALL lake g i r l sBy Megan Havig • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

COVER STORY

Peggy Heglie-Kilbane unpacks new merchandise for at the Lakegirl headquarters in Detroit Lakes. Photos by Megan Havig


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Nurturing Lakegirl for the past 13 years has been a dream come true for the 63-year-old.

“I think I was an accomplished kid, and I know I was a good mom. But I never felt proud of myself,” she said. “I noticed a couple years ago, I’ll stand in that warehouse and think, ‘Wow, this is really great.’ I like the feeling of being proud of something. And that’s a different thing for me, because I went most of my life without that feeling.”

Finding a new kind of independence gave Peggy a sense of pride, but it is the support of her family that brings fulfillment full circle.

“I love that my family is proud of me,” Peggy said. “That’s all I really need. I feel good and happy.”

COVER STORY

On May 10, thousands gathered for the countdown to zero. The clock ran out and a herd shook the ground for the Fargo Marathon.

For many, this is not just a day to challenge their physical bodies, but to challenge the limitations of their minds. It’s not just a day to run toward the finish line, but to run toward new beginnings. It’s not just a day to run for oneself, but to run in honor of someone else.

Running in honor of someone else is what drives Sue Knutson, an inspiring health advocate and one of the forces behind this powerful event, not just to run the marathon, but to create the first women-only races in the area – Go Far Woman Run.

What inspired Sue to create this empowering race was her love for her sister, Dr. Renee Schwandt, a kind and generous OB-GYN at Essential Health who died at age 38. She dedicated her life to bringing healing to many families in our community, and touched the lives of many around the world through the mission trips. In honor of her sister’s life and service, Go Far Woman Run donates a portion of the proceeds to the Essentia neonatal intensive-care unit.

As women, we are all connected to the same strength and ability to transform our pain into someone else’s gain. When I think about Knutson’s power to use her loss to create the first women-only run in this area, I can’t stop thinking of another empowering woman who 47 years ago made a brave decision that would pave the way for women like Knutson.


W H AT A R E Y O U R U N N I N G F O R ?By Cr is Linnares • Women’s Impact founder

First woman to run Boston Marathon, Go Far Woman founder both share passion for empowering women

WOMEN’S WISDOM

Kathrine Switzer runs the Boston Marathon in 1967 despite spectators and officials who didn’t think a woman should compete. Photos courtesy of Switzer

Switzer is still an avid runner.


Her name is Kathrine Switzer, and she was the first woman

to enter and run the Boston Marathon, opening the

door for women all over the world to

run marathons.Against

the will of running officials who tried to physically hold her back and bring her down in 1967, the picture of Switzer running became one

of Life’s “100 Photos that

Changed the

World.” The photo captured the beginning of a revolution and shows what happens when a fearless woman decides to not allow anyone – including herself – to get in the way of a world of justice and equality.

Today, Switzer shares her voice of freedom and fearlessness all over the world, helping create opportunities for women to run where there is no outlet.

I had the pleasure to meet and be inspired by these two amazing women, whose life stories inspire us to transform the boulders in our way into stepping stones toward success.

Q. In the story of your life, what was the most challenging moment you needed to overcome?

Knutson: The most challenging moment of my life was the night that we lost my sister, Renee. I always thought that she would be healed – and continue her mission in life here on earth.

I’ll never forget the moment I was allowed to see her after she passed away, and when I kissed her on her forehead, telling her I loved her. I was in disbelief that the world could just keep going when my

world seemed to have ended.Switzer : Deciding at age 20 to

finish the 1967 Boston Marathon after the race director attacked me and tried to throw me out of the race. I was scared and humiliated, but I knew I needed to finish no matter what, to prove that women could run and deserved to run.

Q. What empowered you to overcome those challenging moments?

Knutson: The grace of God and Renee’s spirit gave me the strength to go on. My younger sister, Amy, and I went on Mission Jamaica, a medical mission trip, after Renee passed away, in her honor. There I found how important it is to give

WOMEN’S WISDOM

Sue Knutson is the director of Go Far Woman, a race that donates funds to the Essentia NiCU. Carrie Snyder / Women’s Impact photo editor


and help others. This wasn’t about my sorrow for losing her, but about the happiness and impact that she brought while she was here on Earth.

Switzer : Running itself. If you run every day, longer and longer, you feel fearless, like you can do anything. Thousands of women (ran) the Fargo Marathon, and they all (felt) the same way – empowered, accomplished and fearless to try much more than they ever imagined. You see, it’s not just the running, it’s undertaking the challenge to change your lives.

Q. If you gave the book of your life to your teenage self, what message would you want her to take away?

Knutson: I was very shy, introverted, and had a very low self-esteem as a teenager. I would

want her to know that she is worth more than what she thinks. That she has the power to work hard, endure pain, achieve success and feel accomplished.

Switzer : That sometimes the worst things in your life can become the best if you just turn it around and look for a solution. A solution is an opportunity for change. You can change the world this way.

Q. What would you say to women who need to feel empowered?

Knutson: Everyone has a talent, a gift, and a reason for living. They need to find that gift, and use it to help themselves and to help others. It might sound cliché, but you can do it! Give yourself credit for the accomplishments you have made.

Switzer : Well, I’d tell them to take

up jogging (laughs)! It sounds corny, but putting one foot in front of the other gets you someplace. It frees your mind and allows you to become strong, feel strong and have great ideas.

Q. How can women best impact the world today?

Knutson: Women can best impact the world by supporting each other, being kind and helping others. Women are great leaders, so we need to help the young women and girls achieve their success by being mentors, role models and supporters.

Switzer : By taking responsibility to correct something in their own life or neighborhood, to make it better. You don’t need to try to change the world, just small things help to create opportunities for women.

WOMEN’S WISDOM

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Living by designnot

defaultBy Merr ie Sue Holtan • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

7 Mindsets provide a blueprint for life

HORACE, N.D. – When Teresa Lewis sets her mind to something, she’s not afraid of risk.

She learned to have a “passion for having a passion” and big ideas from her grandfather and father. Lewis grew up in Rothsay, Minn., and her grandfather created the giant prairie chicken that’s become an iconic stop along Interstate 94. He also engineered a trolley to go up and down the hill from their cabin to the lake. Her father was a coach, educator, insurance executive and traveled the world.

“I realized how influential my father was in my life,” says Teresa, who grew up with one older brother. “My dad died suddenly in an accident in 2005. I learned from him how to have passion for what I do. If he lost his passion, he would find something else.”

Teresa’s journey has also turned and twisted as she followed her passions, but she always excelled at guiding and fostering strong relationships between people.

Since 2012, Teresa has owned Get Inspired, where she coaches individuals, small groups and businesses in personal effectiveness and leadership skills. Teresa, who lives in Horace, also has become certified as a “7 Mindsets” coach and trainer, which is working to promote the “mindset revolution” throughout the Fargo-Moorhead area and beyond. THE QUEST FOR DESIGN NOT DEFAULT

Teresa honed her skills in human resources at Butler Machinery in Fargo for 10 years.

“I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life,” she says “so I became a girl Friday of sorts and learned about human resources on the job. It was fun.”

From there she moved to Eide Bailly, where she led human resources for nine years.

IMPACT YOUR MIND

Teresa Lewis conducts a workshop on what it means to be an assertive woman in the workplace. Forum file photo

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“I loved the Eide Bailly family,” Teresa says, “but our two girls (Alyssa and Tara) were young at that time, and my husband, Steve, started his own lawn-care business. Life was crazy and a blur, plus my dad passed away.”

Teresa and Steve reassessed their lives. Steve encouraged Teresa to pursue her own business, so she took the leap in 2007 to become self-employed.

Teresa became a certified business/life coach and purchased a Growth Coach franchise in 2007. She says she became more intentional and strategic about her life and state of mind. “Amazing things” started to happen as she began to speak and facilitate workshops for associations and organizations of all sizes.

“I decided to change my model and put passion first,” Teresa says. “I had been living by default for years, simply reacting to what was happening to me at the time. I became much more strategic and intentional and decided to live by design.”

The 7 Mindsets RevolutionIn fall of 2012, Teresa and her

family had a chance to hear Scott Shickler, one of the world’s leading experts on youth empowerment, speak in Fargo to introduce the 7 Mindset concepts to the community.

“What Scott said resonated with me,” Teresa says. “It was focused on youth, but I thought that business people really need a mindset revolution, as well. I was all into this approach.”

Teresa attended a weeklong mindset training with Scott and partner Jeff Waller in Florida and returned to teach and coach with Mark Lindquist, co-founder of Breath is Limited Motivational Speaking, LLC.

“The toolkit Teresa provides to business leaders is priceless,” Lindquist says. ‘She has an incredible ability to convey life-changing material to employers of all backgrounds.”

He adds that the authors of 7 Mindsets provided him a clear and concise roadmap to follow to live a successful and happy life.

THE 7 MINDSET PILLARS1. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Dream big,

embrace creativity and expect great results. “Don’t think outside the box,” Teresa says, “because there is no box. Challenge your current thinking.”

2. PASSION FIRST. “Play to your strengths and focus,” she says, “not to safety and security. Seek ways to use your uniqueness to connect with the world’s needs.”

3. WE ARE CONNECTED. “Collaborate,” Teresa adds. “Develop your own dream team and tap into them for guidance and support.”

4. 100 PERCENT ACCOUNTABLE. “Avoid entitlement, blaming others and being a victim,” she says.” Be internally motivated, not by what happens outside you. Accept ownership and change what you can control.”

5. ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. “There is something to be learned in all situations,” Teresa says. “Abundance is a state of mind. Thank the people in your life for big and small things and expect that good things will happen to you.”

6. LIVE TO GIVE. “Align your gifts and passions and build on them,” she says. “Have the mentality of service.”

7. THE TIME IS NOW. “Take action and move forward one step at a time, “Teresa concludes. “Embrace the moment and train your brain to make all actions purposeful. Move toward your dreams and eliminate as many non-value-added activities from your life as possible.”

IMPACT YOUR MIND


‘ THEY L o ve THEIR PETS JUST THE WAY WE DO’Fargo nonprof i t making a g lobal d i f fe rence

By Jasmine Maki • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

FARGO – It started with a small donation jar on a veterinarian’s desk and grew into a global nonprofit organization. With a goal to save animals, World Vets formed in Fargo eight years ago and now helps 36 countries on six continents.

Its mission is to provide veterinary aid in developing countries and provide veterinary disaster relief around the world. CEO and founder Cathy King and her small team work with more than 5,000 veterinarian and non-veterinarian volunteers from around the world. Together, they develop, implement and manage international veterinary programs that help animals and educate more people about veterinarian care.

The idea for the organization came about after King volunteered at an animal shelter in Mexico, where she learned the challenges animals in developing countries face. She said some governments are willing to poison dogs just to get rid of them,

and other countries have absolutely no options for animal care.

The experience changed King, and she set out to make a difference. She wanted to get back and help more

animals.“I told my friends that were vets,

and they said, ‘We would love to go with you and help,’ ” she said.

Once she got her own veterinary practice, she set a donation jar on her desk, and soon she’d collected enough money for a one-week project to spay and neuter dogs. From there, the organization has

only grown.“The first year, we had maybe a

half a dozen projects. The next year it doubled, and the following year it doubled again,” she said. “Now, we send out a team of about 15 people once every week of the year.”

Those teams go everywhere from Egypt and Uganda to Cambodia and India. Their work ranges from herd health to small-animal sterilization to campaigns to end the poisoning of animals.

King said the key to the success of World Vets has been persistence and hard work.

“It’s a lot of long hours, and there’s a lot of things that really aren’t glamorous,” she said.

But those long hours in the office are worth it when she hears or sees the success stories from the organizations international projects.

Life-changing impact“People in developing countries

who don’t have the resources to care for their pets, they love their

GLOBAL IMPACT

Rhonda Aliah, a field service veterinarian from World Vets, examines a local dog during a World Vets community outreach clinic in Central America in 2013.Photos courtesy of World Vets

Cathy King, CEO and founder of World Vets, poses with Nicaraguan girls during a community outreach clinic for veterinary care in 2012.

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pets just the way we do,” she said. “The reality is most the time … they’re struggling at the highest level to maintain their own health, and paying for veterinarian services is just out of reach.”

With World Vets, those people have access to veterinary care, which can sometimes be life-changing. King said during one project, a woman brought in a 10-year-old dog with a tumor the size of a basketball.

“She came into our clinic, and they obviously saw the love and attachment she had for that dog,” King said. “She was devastated.”

But, the veterinarian volunteers were able to remove the tumor, and the dog made a full recovery.

During another project, a woman walked eight hours with her cat zipped up in her jacket to get to the clinic and receive care.

“People really go to great lengths to take advantage of the services we’re offering,” King said.

Sometimes the health of their animals can make a huge difference in their lives. During a project in Haiti, a woman brought a goat to the clinic who’d been severely injured.

“She had tears in her eyes,” King said. “That goat made the difference in her kids going to school or not going to school.”

Although schooling is free, King said the students needed uniforms, and the family paid for those uniforms with profits from the goat’s milk.

“It was life-changing for this woman to get treatment for her goat,” she said.

King said there are endless success stories from World Vets projects, but there are still plenty of animals in

developing countries in need of veterinarian care.“Most of the projects we do come about from requests

that we get,” King said. “Every year, we get about 100 requests around the world.”

She said she’d love to take on more projects, but she’s limited by funding. With the high price of supplies, travel costs, and import and export costs, King said a typical project runs about $25,000. And those projects can only continue with the help of donations and committed volunteers.

Still, King is hopeful that World Vets will continue to be able to take on more and more projects where people are in need of veterinary care.

To donate to the World Vets or access

volunteer information, visit WorldVets.org.

GLOBAL IMPACT

World Vets disaster response veterinarians help local livestock owners with goats displaced by the devastating Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in November 2013.

Roo was a stray puppy living on the streets of Nicaragua. He was neutered and treated for a skin condition and parasites at the World Vets Latin America Veterinary Training Center and was later adopted by a veterinary student from the US.

36 | WOMEN’S IMPACT

Open House & Silent Auction 4 to 7 p.m., May 15

Social Connextion, 2419 12th Ave. S., Moorhead, Minn.The Social Connextion’s mission is to provide a safe, comfortable

and supportive environment for people with a serious and persistent mental illness or symptoms of mental illness, who are

learning to manage their lives independently in the community by means of voluntary recreational social choices.

TEDx Fargo – On PurposeAll day July 24

Fargo Theatre, 314 N. Broadway, FargoTED is a nonprofit organization devoted to ideas worth spreading. Started as a conference in California 26 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with many initiatives. In the

spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers

combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. Register at http://tedxfargo.com.

Red River Zoo Doctor Doolittle Day

10 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 21Red River Zoo, 4255 23rd Ave. S., Fargo

Learn how zoo vets keep animals healthy by participating in fun-filled education activities. The day includes a blow-gun competition,

and try your hand at training and even a Teddy bear clinic. Kids who bring their favorite stuffed animal get in free.See info at www.redriverzoo.org/events.php.

Go Far Woman Run »Aug. 23

10K, half marathon and relay start at 7 a.m.5K Run & Walk starts at 7:15 a.m.

Scheels Arena, 5225 31st Ave. S., Fargo, N.D.Go Far Woman is a women’s-only running event that raises money for the Essentia NICU with Newt Running, an organization formed

in honor of the late Dr. Renee Schwandt. Register at www.gofarwoman.com

Upcoming Community Events

SUMMER 2014

EVENTS

I have been given a precious gift. I’ve gotten to see what happens when two people open their hearts to each other in kindness.On one side, we have Mrs. Johnson, a

92-year-old woman who began writing to my daughter more than a year ago when I mentioned in a newspaper column that I was sad my children didn’t have any grandparents nearby.

On the other side, we have Jordan, my 10-year-old daughter, who started writing back to Mrs. Johnson because she wanted to add some sunshine to an elderly woman’s day.

The unlikely pen pals became fast friends. Jordan shares fears with Mrs. Johnson that she doesn’t even share with me. Mrs. Johnson, in return, tells Jordan what it was like growing up in rural North Dakota, going to a one-room schoolhouse and how she used faith to combat those same fears Jordan is dealing with today.

I asked both of them to share what it means to be a successful woman. While separated by a lifetime of experiences,

their definitions are more alike than they are different.

“What is success? We are each endowed with various responses to this question. Perhaps it is raising beautiful children and each one turning out to be as you planned. Is it your dream home? Do you have modes of transportation? Is there money in the bank for college expenses?

Of course, this would be the utopia we would choose for our lives.

A successful woman sends all out into the world with clean clothes, finished homework, enriched food, and hugs to make them feel loved for the whole day. She is there to hear the words, ‘Mom, I’m home!’ And ‘home’ is a safe and predictable environment where one can be without negative responses as she listens intently to the wares of their day.

Yes, I have gained success as a registered nurse, but I believe there is not any greater opportunity for success than to be a woman who loves, guides and directs those under her care.

To you moms who get overwhelmed

with the mess, chaos and confusion, you will not remember that 10 or 20 years from now, but you will wear your crown of success proudly as you see the fruits of your labor.”

– LaVerne DeLores Froysland Johnson, age 92

“The key to being a successful woman isn’t how much makeup you wear or how much jewelry you have. The key to being a successful woman is letting your spirit shine. Sure, times can be tough, but if you hand your troubles to God, it can go away before you say ‘banana.’ A lot of people think money is the only thing that can make them happy. It is always fun to get new things, but as we all know, that new thing becomes ‘regular’ very quickly. If you have heard the song ‘Money Can’t Buy Happiness,’ you know that money cannot bring success, and money can’t buy happiness. It doesn’t matter what you do or what you look like, a truly successful woman is one who follows God.”

– Jordan Phillips, age 10

VoicesThe Mark of Success


By Nicole J. Phil l ips • Women’s Impact contr ibutor

VOICES

Penpals Jordan Phillips, left, and LaVerne DeLores Froysland Johnson look through letters they’ve written each other.Carrie Snyder / Women’s Impact photo editor

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