Age: 43.
Business & location: City Girl Farming + Prepared Meals, Dubuque; and Sinsinawa, Wis.
Founded: 2019.
Female you look up to: I look up to my late grandmother, who was fearless, funny and spirited in the most magical way.
What inspired you to launch your business: Ultimately, the more I learned about our food systems and its implications, the more powerless, hopeless and angry I grew. I found my way out of that negative realm through farming. It provided me a way to reconnect to the very core values I grew up with and by doing what I know how to do best (make delicious food and enjoy it with the people I love). City Girl Farming was born out of the desire to create a new way to connect people to their food in a healthy, sustainable way.
Biggest thing you’ve learned or best advice you’ve received as a business owner: The journey of entrepreneurship has been a journey of self-discovery. The biggest thing I have learned is that I can trust myself, I must take care of my needs first in order to be of service to others and that not everyone is going to like me, and that’s OK.
Your advice for other female entrepreneurs: It’s essential to clearly identify your values and to use them as a filter for all your decisions. Stay true to yourself and keep connected to your vision. Also, remember, progress not perfection.
