Woman Owned Agency

Stacey Edelstein: Storytelling and delineating between our brands

About our guest Stacey Edelstein: Stacey Edelstein is a community organizer at heart, helping bold causes leverage the creative power of branding, design, and technology to create change. At Raygun, she lead her talented team in developing beautiful brands and digital experiences that help organizations reach their audiences and create impact in their communities. She believes that when you can communicate your vision clearly and confidently, the possibilities for support are endless. Stacey is also an organizer for two regional design festivals — Tijuana Design Week & San Diego Design Week - as well as Creative Mornings San Diego, the largest monthly meetup for creatives in San Diego. Prior to running her own business, she was the website editor and lead designer at StoryCorps, a nonprofit oral history project that elevates the power of human storytelling to create a more loving, compassionate world. At StoryCorps she led nationwide branding, marketing, and design efforts for the organization and its partners across the country. Mentioned in this episode: Stacey's Company, RayGun: https://madebyraygun.com/ [https://madebyraygun.com/] StoryCorps: https://storycorps.org/ [https://storycorps.org/] YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/vBFYxN2K_eo [https://youtu.be/vBFYxN2K_eo] Shoutouts: * Maiya (Holliday) from Mangrove Web * Jen Derks at Four Fin * Kim (Gilroy) and Reva (Green) at Alfa Charlie * Jamie (Hampton) and also her husband Kareem (Bouris) at Mixte Communications * Teal Media * Big Deck

Diane Stogiannes: From Metallurgy to Tax Credits, The Winding Path

Diane Stogiannes is the founder of DST Advisory Group. She has had a fascinating journey through steel mills, innovation patents, tax regulations, and Taylor Swift concerts. Join us and listen in to this fun conversation that showcases the great rewards that come with being an entrepreneur.

Leslie Shields Botvidson: Starting a Health Company in the Midst of a Pandemic

Leslie Shields Botvidson is the proud owner of The Shields Agency, a woman-owned and operated insurance agency specializing in individual, Medicare, and small group benefits. To better serve their clients, they have also recently expanded into the property and casualty markets. The company has thrived by providing clients with high-quality service and treating them with integrity and honesty. After working with several national health insurance companies for six years, Leslie started her own independent agency in November 2019, which has seen tremendous growth in the last three years. In addition to her work at The Shields Agency, Leslie is an active member of the EO, Entrepreneur's Organization, where she is the MyEO Women's National Delegate and incoming Social Chair on the local board. She is active in the Fort Worth community and is President of the West Meadowbrook Neighborhood association. She enjoys spending time with her family. Toddler Harrison keeps Leslie and her husband Chris very busy. They are lucky to have grandparents and other family in the area, both having grown up in North Texas. The Botvidsons enjoy camping, traveling, and spending time on the family farm in Wisconsin. Leslie also has a passion for animal rescue, gardening, reading, and cooking. Company URL: www.theshieldsagency.com [http://www.theshieldsagency.com] Shoutouts: 1. Victoria Wise, Tanglewood Moms, Madeworthy Media 1. https://tanglewoodmoms.com/twm/madeworthy/ [https://tanglewoodmoms.com/twm/madeworthy/] 2. Holland Sanders, Holland Communications 1. https://hollandcollective.co/ [https://hollandcollective.co/] 3. Mentor, Dr Kristin Kahle of NavigateHCR

Amber Hinds: Creating a More Accessible Web

Amber Hinds is the CEO of Equalize Digital, Inc., a Certified B Corp specializing in WordPress accessibility, maker of the Accessibility Checker plugin, and lead organizer of the WordPress Accessibility Meetup and WP Accessibility Day conference. Through her work at Equalize Digital, Amber is striving to create a world where all people have equal access to information and tools on the internet, regardless of ability. Since 2010, she has led teams building websites and web applications for nonprofits, K-12 and higher education institutions, government agencies, and businesses of all sizes. In addition to accessibility, Amber is a recognized search engine optimization (SEO), UI/UX, and WordPress expert. Equalize Digital is a corporate member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) and a WordPress VIP Agency Partner. Beyond running her company, Amber is married to her business partner and has 4 daughters, ages 2-12. She lives in the Austin, Texas area and enjoys reading, camping, and hiking. She and her family were featured on an episode of Going RV when they bought a travel trailer to live in full-time and travel the United States. Mentioned in this episode: * Equalize Digital (https://equalizedigital.com/ [https://equalizedigital.com/]) * WordCamp US (https://us.wordcamp.org/2022/ [https://us.wordcamp.org/2022/]) YouTube link: https://youtu.be/Q-JA5KbHVhk [https://youtu.be/Q-JA5KbHVhk] Episode Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q-8_Ue1TpnxNkSH1iEpCNRtdCyFgKpq0/view?usp=share_link [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q-8_Ue1TpnxNkSH1iEpCNRtdCyFgKpq0/view?usp=share_link]

Lee Levy: Growing Local Businesses and Friendships

Lee Levy is a Los Angeles-based creative director and founder of Nex Graphics, with a proven track record of helping companies build a strong presence across the World Wide Web. Bringing 25 years of industry experience, she provides graphic design and web solutions identity with a refined aesthetic. She graduated with a BA degree from Florida State University, and began consulting with clients immediately, putting her skills to good use. 25 years later, she collaborated with many companies to improve their brand identity and web presence. With the constant evolution of the industry and the requirements to adapt, she is motivated to educate her clients and handle new challenges constantly. She overcame a battle with Breast Cancer in 2019, and has come back with a vengeance!!!! She was recently featured as a successful entrepreneur in DOTCOM and VoyageLA magazine. Mentioned in this episode: * Nex Graphics (https://nexgraphics.com/ [https://nexgraphics.com/]) * WordCamp US (https://us.wordcamp.org/2022/ [https://us.wordcamp.org/2022/]) YouTube link: https://youtu.be/GIGG7Uts8DQ [https://youtu.be/GIGG7Uts8DQ] Episode Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rOVteC7xtQM0ORlXlzlWN3AgRj1ftN9e/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115663019257131925403&rtpof=true&sd=true [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rOVteC7xtQM0ORlXlzlWN3AgRj1ftN9e/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115663019257131925403&rtpof=true&sd=true]