Spotlight on the 2023 SBA Finalists: Mama’s Canine Mix

by Andrea Winey

Congratulations to Mama’s Canine Mix, a finalist for Home Based Business of the Year! Check out all of the finalists here. These responses are written by Mary Hayes, owner of the business. Tell us the story of your business/nonprofit and how it’s evolved. The story of Mama’s Canine Mix is a testament to entrepreneurship, a love […]

Spotlight on the 2023 SBA Finalists: Function-N-Fitness

by Andrea Winey

Congratulations to Shannon Curvey, owner of Function-N-Fitness, for being a finalist for Health & Wellness Business of the Year! View all 2023 SBA Finalists here. Tell us the story of your business/nonprofit and how it’s evolved. In 2015, after working fourteen years in health and wellness, I observed a gap between healthcare and fitness. People […]

Spotlight on the 2023 SBA Finalists: Birch Tree Books

by Andrea Winey

Congratulations to Birch Tree Books on being a finalist for the Main Street Business of the Year! Check out all of the 2023 SBA Finalists here. Tell us the story of your business/nonprofit and how it’s evolved. Birch Tree Books started as a dream that downtown Leesburg could one day have an independent bookstore. Bookstore’s […]

Women’s History Month Spotlight: Ferri Riar, Orblynx Academy LLC

by Andrea Winey

 Thank you to Ferri Riar, Founder and CEO of Orblynx Academy LLC and Chair of the Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls (LCWAG), for answering our questions! Learn more about the Chamber’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Committee here. Where were you born and raised and, if it was someplace else, when and why did you come to Loudoun?  I was […]

Women’s History Month Spotlight: Devina Mahapatra, Dulles South Soup Kitchen

by Andrea Winey

Thank you Devina for answering a few of our questions! Check out the Dulles South Soup Kitchen website here. Learn more about the Chamber’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Committee here. Where were you born and raised and, if it was someplace else, when and why did you come to Loudoun? I was born in Kuwait […]

Women’s History Month Spotlight: Sharon Wright, Loud & Clear Marketing

by Andrea Winey

Thank you to Chamber Board Member Sharon Wright, founder and President of Loud & Clear Marketing, for answering our questions! Learn more about the Chamber’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Committee here. I was born and raised in a suburb of Pittsburgh and had what I would describe as a pretty idyllic childhood. It was the era of great […]

Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight: Darlene Shenier

by Andrea Winey

Thank you to Darlene Shenier, owner of Darlene’s Photography, for answering our questions! Learn more about the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility Committee (DEIA) here. Where were you born and raised and, if it was someplace else, when and why did you come to Loudoun? I was born in Los Angeles, CA (my mother was born in […]

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Dr. Vani Takiar

by Andrea Winey

Thank you to Dr. Vani Takiar, owner of Tooth Clues PLLC – The Dental Detective for Kids, for answering a few of our questions! Learn more about the Chamber’s DEIA Committee and get involved here. Where were you born and raised and, if it was someplace else, when and why did you come to Loudoun? My journey […]

Arab American Heritage Month: Dina Abdel-Hamid

by Andrea Winey

Thank you to Dina Abdel-Hamid for answering our questions! Check out her business, Meows Corner here. Learn more about the Chamber’s DEIA Committee and get involved here. Where were you born and raised and, if it was someplace else, when and why did you come to Loudoun? I was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey […]

Arab American Heritage Month: Natasha Magrath

by Andrea Winey

Thank you Natasha Magrath, owner of You’ve Got Maids NoVa, for answering our questions! Learn more about the DEIA Committee here. Where were you born and raised and when/why did you come to Loudoun? I was born and raised in Lebanon.  During Lebanon’s Civil War in the mid-1970 my family fled to France where we have relatives […]