I’m not sure we can say the word community enough here at Vend Raleigh. Vend Raleigh is a unique example of a Raleigh small business community. We partner, cross promote, educate and celebrate one another. One way that we make Vend Raleigh just a little smaller and a lot more relevant is our sub-groups, our Facebook groups that are specific to certain types of work. The women that lead these groups, lead out of pure passion for the mission of Vend Raleigh. They are inspired by you and your work. I couldn’t run Vend without them. Please meet the community leaders of our Facebook groups.
Gaye Esser is a Life Coach and owner of Redefine Balance. She is a certified graduate of Coach U and she works with Moms and Mompreneurs to connect with themselves and their businesses from the inside out. Wherever you are in your life or business, she helps you break through your barriers so you can find ultimate happiness and fulfillment every step of the way!
Gaye is the author and creator of several coaching programs including Complete with Kids, a 12-step program designed to help you find balance and reconnect with yourself after having kids. For Mom business owners, she has created a 9-part program S.O.A.R. How to Stand Out Above the Rest. This program shows you how to set yourself and your business up for optimal success by connecting with the true YOU! Are you ready to set the business world on fire?
Vision for the Coaching and Consulting Group: Gaye’s vision for the group is to create a safe environment for like-minded women to come together to find support and to discuss business ideas and topics. She wants everyone to share their big wins, post relevant articles and offer up advice that the whole group can benefit from. Gaye loves hearing each person’s voice in the group and she loves that the lead changes each month so the group gets a fresh perspective!
Connect with Gaye (A Vend Raleigh Directory Member) on her website, Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Hunter Forstchen is a mom of two and the creator of Katiebug Bows, LLC. Katiebug Bows specializes in handmade hair bows, headbands, ponytail streamers and more. Her products are now available through two online stores and four physical locations in North Carolina. She also works with local schools to provide hair accessories for their spirit wear needs!
Hunter has been an active participant with Vend Raleigh for several years. In addition to being a committee member for the Vend Raleigh Sip and Shop events, she has helped others figure out the confusing logistics of turning their hobbies in to businesses, too! Now she is the leader of the Vend Raleigh Retailers Group on Facebook.
Vision for the Retailers Group: Through this group Hunter hopes to bring Mompreneurs together that sell in a retail space, whether that is online through an eCommerce site or through brick and mortar establishments. She feels that those selling in a retail space have unique needs that other types of businesses do not face and wanted a place just for them to share, encourage, and grow!
Find more of Hunter (A Vend Raleigh Directory Member) and KatieBug Bows, LLC on Etsy, Facebook, Rita’s Décor and More in Fuquay-Varina, Team Attraction Gymnastics in Apex, Triumph Gymnastics in Cary, and Village Marketplace Pottery in Seagrove.
Michelle Bertoncino is a mom of 3, and the owner and creator of everything in her Etsy shop, Five Bees. Five Bees carries a wide range of handmade items for babies and kids from soft toys and dolls to room art and mobiles. On top of selling items in her Etsy Shop, she also sells at several local shows and has items in a local Cary, NC store. Michelle has been an active member of Vend Raleigh from the start. She helped organize the first two Vend Raleigh Illuminate Conferences, is the Coordinator of the Vend Raleigh Sip and Shop events and is the Group Lead for the Etsy Shop Owner group. In fact, Michelle is the person who envisioned the idea of creating industry specific Vend Raleigh groups to help stream line questions and support.
Vision for the Etsy Group: Michelle strives for the Etsy Group to continue to grow and be a great source of support for business questions as well as a shoulder for its members to lean on for business and mommy stress. The group has a great positive vibe where she and others have gained valuable connections and strong friendships. Michelle hopes that the feeling of community and comradery continues by bring back the monthly face to face Etsy Group meetings. After all, it is easier to bond with another person when you can see yourself in them. Whether it is when they are chasing their kids around Chick-fila or your conversation seamlessly goes from Etsy Tagging suggestions to potty training advice; that is where the connections are made.
Connect with Michelle (A Vend Raleigh Directory Member) more on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
Susan Newnam is a network marketing professional. She recently left her party plan business to chase a bigger dream. Jeunesse Global is an Anti-Aging Health & Wellness company committed to helping people restore their youth from the inside out, and she is so grateful to have found it! Susan has been a member of Vend Raleigh for over three years now, and she has grown so much because of it! As a mom of three ranging in ages from 15-4 she stays pretty busy, so her time with the Vend ladies is precious to her!
Vision for the Direct Sales Group: Susan’s goal is to provide a clearer picture of Direct Sales for this awesome group of ladies. So many things come to mind with the term “Direct Sales”, and she wants each of the members to learn where they fall into this category, and where they can thrive. It is also Susan’s goal to give everyone in the group a clear picture of how this group is different from “All the other FB groups” and what our true purpose is: Building Strong Businesses. Be on the lookout for some Networking Events headed your way!
Find more of Susan (A Vend Raleigh Directory Member) on Facebook and email.
Traci Huffman is married to her high school sweetheart and a mom to active twin 3-year old girls and their wild puppy Barkley. She is a full time photographer at Traci Huffman Photography and loves Jesus with all her heart. While most days there is a lot on Traci’s plate, she love her busy life and is so thankful to be able to do what she loves.
Photography is in Traci’s blood and has always been a part of her life. As a little girl, she remembers trailing after her artistic and creative grandfather with his Pentax Camera, learning as much as she could at his feet. Traci’s mom was also bitten by the photography bug and shot roll after roll of film throughout her childhood. At age seven, Traci’s parents gave her, her very own little hot pink camera, and she became known as the girl with the camera. She still has lots of those photos and love looking back on fond memories.
After becoming a mom, Traci wanted to document every single milestone and memory, and that passion extended to helping others do the same. She specializes in lifestyle maternity, newborn, child and family photography. She works on location, either in your home or at one of her many favorite outdoor spots around the Triangle.
Vision for the Professional Photography Group: A year ago when Traci attended her first Vend Raleigh event she had no idea what was in store and the paths that one SEO event would lead to. She has learned so much from being a part of the Vend Raleigh Business Directory, attending the events, building relationships, and taking advantage of the wealth of knowledge the Vend Raleigh Mompreneurs offer. It is an honor to lead the Photographers group. Traci’s vision for the Vend Raleigh Professional Photographers group is to create a community of Mompreneurs in the same creative business to be able to come together for support, advice, and sharing amongst all of the talented photographers. Stay tuned for future events and opportunities.
Connect more with Traci (A Vend Raleigh Directory Member) on her website, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
Ashley Shaffer is the mama of two very silly boys, a freelance writer, and the owner of the local lifestyle blog, Today’s NC. On Today’s NC, Ashley shares local events, local charities, recipes, and loves to highlight local businesses and their owners. By introducing the community to the faces behind these great places, Today’s NC makes it even easier for the Triangle to “Go Local.” Ashley is also developing Today’s NC as a platform for featured business owners to share information and exciting news.
Ashley has been active in the blogging industry for over 4 years and joined the Vend Raleigh community in August 2014. Now she is the leader of the Vend Raleigh New Media Group on Facebook.
Vision for the New Media Group: Ashley believes that the New Media Group is a fantastic fit for EVERYONE in Vend. Whether blogging is your business or you are blogging to build your business, new media is the place to be. Since the blogosphere is so much more than just a blog, it’s important to have a place you can find information on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and everything out there that makes up “new media.” Ashley hopes to create a group where all questions about the logistics and legalities of new media are welcome, a group to share ideas on engagement, and a group where you can reach out for help from your colleagues.
Connect with Ashley (A Vend Raleigh Directory Member) directly on Twitter and Pinterest. Visit Today’s NC and connect on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter too.
We invite you to join the group that suits your business best. Some of you may find yourselves in two groups, and that’s okay. Thank you group leaders for all you do- all the checking in, approving new members, keeping spam out, keeping the group atmosphere positive, sharing the microphone and your creative insight for events for your mompreneurs. I’m very happy to call you my business partners!
Cary Heise
Founder of Vend Raleigh
Publisher of Social Butterflies NC
Owner of Stay at Home Rock Star
Join the Vend Raleigh email list for future events.
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