Lauren, (mytime) emailed me yesterday and told me to check out Nichole Heady's blog, http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/. I did, and was literally moved to tears. Nichole had recreated the recent Rockin' Girl Blogger icon and titled it to read Rockin' Girl Entrepeneur. She then gave a heartfelt, eloquent and utterly moving post on what she sees as an optimistic shift in the stamping industry. How smaller, independent, women owned companies are making a dent, a serious dent, in an industry previously dominated by large companies. How she is proud to be part of that change, and then mentioned other woman she felt were also a part of that change. She mentioned me. I was and am so overwhelmed to see myself included on that list of women I so admire and respect. To say I am honored is not enough, to say I am thankful is just plain hollow sounding. I know of all these women, have been customers of most of them, have conversed with a few of them and all of my dealings have been accompanied by such openness and warmth. I hope someday to do the same for a fellow business woman. I hope to repay the gifts each has given me. I am very passionate about this little company I am growing, I live and breathe it every minute and have taken many risks to make this a reality. I oftentimes look at my husband and ask him "Guess what? I own a stamp company!" Not from a place of egotism, but from a place of deep gratitude and humility. I love this company, the people it affects, the relationships it has allowed me to form and the prosperity I intend it will one day bring my family and those around me as I will most certainly pass it along. Thank you Nichole, for your post, for your inspiration and for your incredible generosity. You have made a friend for life! In the same spirit, I have a couple chicks I'd like to nominate as well! Alma from The Cat's Pajamas, http://www.thecatspajamasrs.com/. She is just one of my favorite people! We have monthly conference calls and I just love it when I know it's her on the other end of the line! You go girl! And Christie Ortman, http://www.paperpretties.net/, another one of my favorites! She is just too cute and I love chatting away about stamps and life and building new companies while juggling it all! I saw Linda from Amuse was already mentioned, and even though she's not a business owner per say, I have to mention JulieHRR, http://papertrufflez.typepad.com/, who has ALWAYS made time for me and given me the most sage advice I've ever received. I would do anything she asked me to do (provided it was legal, wink!). And this Rockin' Girl thread would not be complete without a thorough and sincere thank you to all the women behind the women who make this work seem effortless. For me those women are my concept designers and my customers. Those who design for me, each on is priceless and someday I hope and intend to pay them what they are worth to me. And without the women who support me with each new release and every day in between this wouldn't be happening. Thank you, thank you, thank you.