Women in Business 2021

WOMEN BUSINESS IN

A Special Supplement to The Daily Star Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021

Local businesswomen who are making a difference in our area

PLUS • A look at the modern businesswoman • How to become a successful entrepreneur

What are the keys to succeeding as a businesswoman?

NEWSPAPER TOOLBOX - The appetite for risk, the love for a good challenge, the desire to succeed, the longing to be one’s own boss, the appeal of a better balance between work and family life, and, most importantly, the immense passion for one’s job — these are the driving factors that are increasingly pushing women to

enter the business world. Today, many women enjoy great success and inspire others to follow in their footsteps. But how do you become an accomplished businesswoman?

Entrepreneurs normally have several essential qualities in common, starting with an unfailing desire to succeed.

Self-confidence and leadership are two other important characteristics to have to get ahead in the business world — an industry that is still largely male-dominated. And that’s not all! To succeed, women must master the art of organization, sales and networking. But above all, they must demonstrate a high level of creativity.

Furthermore, successful business­ women aren’t only conscious of their capabilities; they’re also aware of their limitations. In other words, they aren’t afraid to delegate tasks that fall beyond their expertise to others. Being an entrepreneur means surrounding yourself with the right people, specifically trustworthy peo­ple whose skillsets contribute to the company’s prosperous future. Lastly, it’s no secret that the recipe for success includes a lot of hard work.

Successful businesswomen are completely invested in their company and know the value of sacrifice. So, think you have what it takes?

Driven by intense passion and endless creativity, successful businesswomen are determined and confident in their abilities.

American Business Women’s Day is September 22 AMERICAN BUSINESS WOMEN’S DAY On Sept. 22, American Business Women’s Day honors the accomplishments of the businesswomen across the nation. Take a moment to reflect on the contributions and achievements of the millions of women in the workforce. Also, consider the impact of millions of women business owners in the U.S. The day also brings together businesswomen of diverse occupations to collaborate and network. The opportunity provides insight into platforms and inspirational ways for women to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally. Workshops and seminars offer leadership, education, networking, and national recognition.

Through small businesses and corporate leadership, women provide a variety of skills in the business world. They set examples for young women driven to become leaders themselves. Generation after generation pave the way for new and inspiring professionals. This day honors each and every one!

HOW TO OBSERVE #AmericanBusinessWomensDay Give a shoutout to a businesswoman you know. Attend a seminar, workshop, Ted Talk, or other resources to increase your business knowledge. Sponsor a leadership conference or speak at a local school. Attend a career fair and offer your expertise as a businesswoman to aspiring youth.

Support businesswomen in your area, whether they’re experienced or just starting out. Join forces with other business leaders and create a positive environment for women in business.

Share your business style, strengths, and creativeness #AmericanBusinessWomensDay to post on social media.

using

AMERICAN BUSINESS WOMEN’S DAY HISTORY American Business Women’s Association first sponsored American Business Women’s Day in 1982. Congress officially recognized the day through proclamations in 1983 and 1986. www.nationaldaycalendar.com

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e celebrate the accomplishments of the businesswomen in our communities who are making a difference each and every day through their hard work and leadership.

Here are just a few of the stories of successful women in business in our readership area. Say thank you today to a businesswoman who is a positive and inspiring light to our communities and our daughters.

SEPT. 22, 2021 | Women in Business - THE DAILY STAR

Debbie Mostert & Mary Manzanero Mostert, Manzanero & Scott, LLP 4 Associate Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820 Phone: 607-432-8700 | gzscpa.com I would like to nominate both of my employers, Debbie Mostert and Mary Manzanero for business women. Debbie and Mary are partners in the public accounting firm of Mostert, Manzanero & Scott, LLP along with Tony Manzanero and David Brownell.

Debbie has been in the accounting practice since 1988 and a partner since 2003. Mary has been a partner at MMS since 2018, but in the public accounting practice for over 25 years.

Both partners work on the firms’ audits, reviews and compilations, each specializing in their own sector.

Both partners prepare numerous personal and business tax returns, with Debbie specializing in New York state rural cooperatives, and Mary is an expert in the trust and estate accounting practice. Not only being active partners, they also take the responsibility of managing the firm very seriously, which was a key role in keeping our firm up and running during the COVID pandemic and making the office safe to work in.

Both partners have activities outside of the office.

Debbie is a huge golfer and you can see her on a course any given Friday afternoon and is also a Disney Vacation expert, going to Disney every year. She lives in East Meredith with her husband, Terry, and their golden retriever, Tanner. Mary and her husband, Tony, live in Otego, and enjoy taking their boat out on Cooperstown Lake, biking and walking. They have two adult children and two huskies, Bella and Max. Mary volunteers her time as treasurer for the Unatego Dollars for Scholars.

Congratulations to all area businesswomen.

We are proud of you!

CONTRIBUTED

From left: Debbie Mostert and Mary Manzanero, partners in the public accounting firm of Mostert, Manzanero & Scott, LLP.

Both women put in many hours at our firm, doing whatever is necessary to keep the firm running smoothly, the hours put in “behind the scenes” does not go unnoticed. I feel that both partners deserve to be acknowledged at great business women of the Oneonta area.

Submitted by Barbara Burnham

WOMEN IN BUSINESS THE DAILY STAR - Women in Business | SEPT. 22, 2021

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Customization is key to Unadilla woman’s business

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

By Allison Collins Contributing Writer

Megan Craver’s business took off after she looked for tumblers.

Craver, 26, a Unadilla resident, said she launched MT Originals after struggling to find affordable mommyand-me gear online.

“I started out because I have two kids and, one day, I wanted a mommy-andme set of tumblers,” she said. “I looked on Etsy and they were like $40 apiece, or $120 for three, so I said, ‘You know what? I’ll give it a shot and I’ll try to make them myself.’ I made a couple sampler tumblers and everybody loved them, then tumblers turned into sublimation and that turned into T-shirts and those were selling like crazy, so then I bought some women’s apparel.”

Sublimation, Craver said, is “inkbased dye, printed out on a piece of paper and put on a cup or polyester shirt (so that) the ink from the sublimation bakes into the cup or shirt and dyes whatever you’re putting it on.”

Such growth, Craver said, facilitated the opening of her retail space at 75 Chestnut St., Suite C in Oneonta in April 2021.

“Over the last two years, we’ve finally grown enough to open our brick-andmortar in Oneonta and it’s expanded very nicely,” she said. “We’ve expanded to selling bags and bath bombs and women’s and children’s apparel. We still do tumblers and custom apparel, but we’ve expanded to a wider variety to make it a full boutique.”

Craver said inventory growth has been guided by customers.

“We take a lot of input on our Facebook page and, before we order, we try to see what’s popular, what’s not and make sure whatever we get is in the 4

ALLISON COLLINS PHOTOS

Megan Craver stands in her Oneonta store, MT Originals, in early September.

best interest of our customers,” she said. “You’re not just going to Walmart hoping to find what you’re looking for; our customers know what’s here is something they’re going to like.”

MT Originals customers, Craver said, are typically “moms or grandmas between the ages of 20 and 40 buying for their kids or themselves.” And while foot traffic is localized, she said, MT Originals has “shipped all over the U.S.” Craver said she plans to continue enhancing customization options.

“Our big look for the boutique is to

SEPT. 22, 2021 | Women in Business - THE DAILY STAR

be a walk-in custom, like those gift shops you can go to … where they have screen prints on the wall and you pick your size and they press it on the spot for you,” she said. “We’re looking to take our production area from our home and up to the Oneonta location, so you can come in from one of the Cooperstown (baseball) parks as somebody visiting that wants something that says ‘Oneonta’ and pick a shirt blank off the rack and a design and we’ll make it for you.”

Getting started, Craver said, hasn’t been without challenges.

“It’s been difficult, because I don’t have any credit,” she said. “Being a single mom — I had my son at 19 — I was out on my own, doing my own thing and never had a line of credit, so getting loans has been difficult and we haven’t gotten any since opening the brick-and-mortar. It was very hard to get products to stock the store and pay our rent; a lot of those costs came out of pocket.”

But the Oneonta business community, Craver said, has been supportive.

“I definitely see that, especially in Oneonta, there are a lot of communi-

“It’s exciting and adventurous. It’s definitely something new, but it gives me everything I’ve ever wanted — I can be a stay-athome mom and still run my business. I get a good balance of being my own boss and giving customers all they need.”

20th Anniversary of a women owned business!

The sign Th i off success

1 Graand St., Oneonta, NY 607-4 432-4 4391 bensonre.com

MT Originals is at 75 Chestnut St., Oneonta.

An assortment of Halloween themed glitter cups available for purchase at MT Originals.

ty things,” she said. “A lady gave us a WOB, woman-owned business, sign to put in the front window of the boutique and I’ve noticed that some of our wholesalers give discounts for woman-owned businesses.”

Craver said, despite the hurdles, for her, business ownership checks all the boxes.

“It’s exciting and adventurous,” she said. “It’s definitely something new,

but it gives me everything I’ve ever wanted — I can be a stay-at-home mom and still run my business. I get a good balance of being my own boss and giving customers all they need.”

For more information or to place an order, visit buymto.com. Also, find “MT Originals” on Facebook.

MT Originals is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.

Betsy Shultis & Becky Thomas, Owners/Brokers

Celebrates all the Women Owned Businesses in our region as well as all the women who manage, lead, direct, and work throughout our community!

Join the Women Owned Business Roundtable the last Tuesday of every month Register at www.otsegocc.com Next meeting Tues. 9/28 at 8:30-10:00am Network and hear what businesswomen are thinking and doing in the county.

Smart Business Seminar Series 9/30, Catholic Charities - have funds available to help businesses hire/support workers 10/6, Dawn Lanouette, HH&K brings you up to date on all things legal - Heroes Act, Marijuana Law, Labor laws and so much more. $10 for members $25 for non-members 10/21, Michael Shram from Northwestern Mutual - “Three steps to paying down student loans for non-profit employees.” Free 10/30, Clean Energy Communities Program - Solutions and Savings! Incentives available through NYSERDA, presented by MVEDD. Free

www.otsegocc.com to register Or call (607) 432-4500 ext 2, email Kathryn@otsegocc.com THE DAILY STAR - Women in Business | SEPT. 22, 2021

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Oneonta businesswoman seeks to fill a gift niche

By Allison Collins Contributing Writer

Tara Gates, formerly of Binghamton, turned pandemic-induced delays and personal loss into her passion: Mathilda Jean, a boutique clothing and gift shop at 5375 state Route 7, Suite 5, in Oneonta.

Gates, 44, said the boutique grew from her previous business as an independent fashion retailer for multi-level marketing company, LuLaRoe. Gates said, after starting that business from home, she transitioned to a Chestnut Street brick-and-mortar store.

“I was (at the Chestnut Street site) for a year, then we had wanted to do this over there, but that’s when the pandemic hit,” she said. “We’d wanted to have it ready for baseball season, but then the world went crazy and my mom passed away during that time, so we said, ‘OK, let’s decide what we’re going to do.’

“I was personally missing a cute little gift store,” Gates continued. “Being from Binghamton, there were a couple spots I knew, always in the back of my head, where I could go to for a gift, even if it was right before an event, so I wanted to continue that.”

Mathilda Jean, which Gates said is named for her great-grandmother and mother, offers clothing, jewelry, specialty bath products and more. The store opened on June 12.

“It’s clothing, but especially plus-size clothing, and a gift store with distinctive gifts you can’t find anywhere else,” she said. “We do have a good selection of organic and vegan bath and body products, some gourmet treats and foods, posh baby gifts made with natural and organic cottons, we’re expanding our pet section with posh pet products for a dog’s birthday and we have a good line of jewelry that we carry. We call it finishing touches — hats, sunglasses, jewelry. I really try to keep it very different and things that you can only find here. And I try my darndest to keep it at a moderate price range, but still know you’re getting something you’re not going to get anywhere else.”

Many of the products, Gates said, are zip-code protected, “meaning you can’t get them anywhere else within a 60-mile radius.” Gates said hers is one of only three upstate New York stores carrying the Kinsley Armelle jewelry line.

SEPT. 22, 2021 | Women in Business - THE DAILY STAR

“I was personally missing a cute little gift store. Being from Binghamton, there were a couple spots I knew, always in the back of my head, where I could go to for a gift, even if it was right before an event, so I wanted to continue that.”

WOMEN IN BUSINESS Gates said she plans to adapt inventory to changing seasons and trends.

“We’re in a transition phase right now,” she said. “We were focused on lounge sets and hoodies — everything to wear during a pandemic, because everyone was home — but our fall line will be a complete 360: more of a dressy-casual, still with some athleisure but we want to focus on clothing that takes you from day to night, from work to drinks out, from a baby shower to brunch.

ALLISON COLLINS PHOTOS

Tara Gates is pictured in her boutique at 5375 state Route 7 in Oneonta in August.

Unique baby items, including clothing made with organic cotton and muslin, are customer favorites at Mathilda Jean, business owner Tara Gates said.

“My greatgrandmother was Mathilda, and my mom was Cheryl, but her middle name was Jean. So, it’s two strong women who endured a lot and who I miss terribly, but I wanted to keep their legacy alive.

Strong women build up strong women and they keep me going.”

“Then from there, in terms of the lines we carry,” Gates continued, “we buy in small batches, so we can turn it over quickly and keep it fresh. You never know what’s coming; if it sounds good and looks different, I try to bring it in.”

Gates said, as a woman business owner, she aims to support similar setups or causes.

“Along with trying to get things in that are organic and vegan, aside from clothing, 80% of the products are from woman-owned companies,” she said. “And I like products that are give-backs, (such as) Wounded Warrior or Take Care of the Turtles. We have ‘Food for Thought’ cards and one card equals one peanut butter and jelly sandwich. We just love to give back, so we support businesses with the same mindset.”

Reciprocal support, Gates said, has been affirming.

“My husband travels a lot for work, so me being the caretaker for my son, I have to be flexible; being a small business owner has allowed me to be flexible, but being a woman-owned small business, you find women supporting women,” she said. “I’ve met so many women who, when I explain my story and the name — what’s behind it and why I did this as ther-

Luxury soaps and bath products are shown at Mathilda Jean in Oneonta.

apy to get me out of my funk when my mom passed — once a woman hears that, the word-of-mouth and the community of women we have around here is amazing. They just want to support another woman and I think that’s phenomenal.

“My great-grandmother was Mathilda, and my mom was Cheryl, but her middle name was Jean,” Gates continued. “So, it’s two strong women who endured a lot and who I miss terribly, but I wanted to keep their legacy alive. Strong women build up strong women and they keep me going.”

Gates said the boutique’s customer base, though primarily women, is far-reaching.

“A lot of my customers carried over (from selling) LuLaRroe for four years, so my customers from that business alone have supported me through this, but we ship out as far as Hawaii, California — my online customer base is nationwide,” she said. “Locally, I have customers that drive from Albany, Utica and Binghamton area to come up and support me, so we have a good fan base.”

Gates said, after introducing “shop ‘n’ sips” through summer, she plans to offer similar events “frequent-

ly.” Find “Mathilda Jean” on Facebook for event announcements.

For more information or to shop, visit mathildajean. com.

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Unadilla woman turns love of beauty into a business

By Allison Collins Contributing Writer

Katrina Principe left Long Island to bring more beauty to the “Village Beautiful,” Unadilla.

Principe, 28, launched Beauty Bliss

by Katrina at 192 Main St., Suite A, in the village in early September.

Principe said she’s eager to put her recently earned esthetician’s license to work in the Otsego County village. Principe’s license was issued

through the New York Institute of Beauty.

“Being an esthetician, I offer facials,” she said. “I go over your skin type, your skin concerns and help you figure out what’s going on and any additional problems you might be having. Some stuff you’d need to go to a dermatologist for, but the skin is the largest organ in your body, so it’s definitely important to make sure you’re cleansing and taking care of it properly. It’s just being healthy and a part of hygiene.

ALLISON COLLINS PHOTOS

Beauty Bliss by Katrina in Unadilla offers facials, skincare consultations and makeup application for weddings and special occasions.

SEPT. 22, 2021 | Women in Business - THE DAILY STAR

“I also offer waxing — brow and lip and … I’m going to do underarms and legs — and I do makeup application for bridal trials and I travel for weddings,” Principe continued. “I’ll do prom and special occasion makeup and I’ll even do makeup lessons for someone who just wants to know how to apply a more natural look for work or who’s just getting interested in makeup. There’s not anything like that over here.”

Principe said she will also sell fulland travel-size Demalogica skincare products from the studio, based on client demand.

Principe said her beauty journey started with a love of makeup.

“I loved makeup, and that’s what really started me to go into skincare,” she said. “For a flawless makeup base, you have to have good skin, so I looked more into that and fell in love. I love helping people feel comfortable and beautiful about themselves, and that’s what I did on Long Island. I love doing bridal makeup, and figured I want to make a business doing makeup and facials, so went to school for it to combine those into one.”

Principe said, while family factored in her move upstate, her training and the move were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We moved from Long Island in the end of November (2020) and waited until I finished esthetics school,” she said. “I have an uncle and cousins that moved up here, so we used to come visit, and my parents moved up, so when I had my daughter, I wanted to be closer to them, because that’s important. “(The schooling) was supposed to be a year — 600 hours — then, with COVID, that shut us down and we were doing virtual learning,” Principe

WOMEN IN BUSINESS “Being a woman, it is rare to see womanowned businesses, but it’s happening a lot more now. I would just be happy to see it take off here. That’s the goal.” continued. “When it was time to go back for clinics, I didn’t go back until September of last year and I switched to full time, because I wanted to get it done and not be there an additional half a year. It was definitely a little challenging with COVID, but as soon as school opened up, I wanted to get back and make sure I was fresh for the state boards and did get that hands-on experience, because I feel like that’s so important for this field of work. So, I finished at the end of October, we put our house up for sale and moved up here.”

Though Principe said starting Beauty Bliss in Unadilla felt like “a risk,” she’s “optimistic” about the business.

“I don’t have too much clientele, because I am new up here, but that’s what I like about the small town,” she said.

“I’m hoping that being personable and having word-of-mouth, they’ll come.

I have a family — a husband and a daughter — and I want to build a community here. I have a lot of family support and, if you have that, you can really do almost anything, so I try to look at it as optimistically as possible and not let too many things stand in my way.

“Being a woman, it is rare to see woman-owned businesses, but it’s happening a lot more now,” Principe continued. “I would just be happy to see it take off here. That’s the goal. Long term, my goal would be … to keep this location and develop another, but that’s down the line. I want to make sure I have a solid clientele and get feedback on what they want or what I can do better. I’ve done weddings up here and in Oneonta, so I try to reach out, but it’s definitely hard. I’m hoping for the best and figure I’ve got to take the risk to get some sort of reward.”

Principe said, while clients are predominantly women, Beauty Bliss is for “anyone who needs a break from their day or some alone time.”

“It’s moms, grandmas and men,” she said. “I just love getting to really interact with people and make it personable, because makeup is not one-size-fitsall, just like skincare isn’t. I like being

Congratulations to all hard working women!

able to meet people, get to know them and perfect a makeup look for them and know what makes them feel confident. And I love a relaxing facial, because you really can sense tension on (a person) and I love to put them at ease.

That’s a big part of this business: it really is person-to-person contact – not just social media and watching videos – but building relationships with clients.”

Principe said she plans to offer loyalty and referral discounts, as well as season-inspired specials, such as pumpkin facials through fall.

Beauty Bliss by Katrina is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday; 3 to 8, Tuesday; closed on Wednesday; 3 to 8, Thursday; 10 to 7 Friday and Saturday; and 10 to 2 on Sunday.

For more information or to book a service, find “Beauty Bliss by Katrina” on Facebook, follow @trinaprina_ beauty on Instagram or call or text 631-388-9829.

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THE DAILY STAR - Women in Business | SEPT. 22, 2021

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A look at the modern businesswoman NEWSPAPER TOOLBOX When women contribute to the business world, they often bring a fresh perspective that helps companies to accelerate their growth. Studies have demonstrated that gender diversity in corporate settings increases productivity and innovation.

merous challenges in the business world. For one, the wage gap persists with full-time female employees making an average of $0.82 for every dollar earned by men in the same position. This disparity is even wider for women of color, Native American women and recent immigrants.

What’s more, women tend to bring a more humane leadership style to the table, one based on inclusivity and the empowerment of marginalized voices.

This open-minded and collaborative attitude has been shown to improve a corporate team’s performance, products and decision-making.

Additionally, women in business are less likely than men to apply and be considered for management roles. Often, this is due to implicit or explicit bias among male employers. Another factor is the persistence of traditional gender roles among many couples, which leave women disproportionately responsible for childcare and household tasks. Without a proper support system, it’s difficult for women to strike a balance

Obstacles to overcome

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Women continue to face nu-

and advance in the workplace.

Yet despite these hurdles, many women are thriving in the business world, and companies, as well as communities, are the better for it.

NETWORKING RESOURCES Women in business often lack the support and funding that have allowed men to be successful. Here are a few of the business organizations in the United States that offer resources, knowledge and encouragement to women.

• American Business Women’s Association (abwa.org) • National Association for Female Executives (nafe.com) • The Committee of 200 (c200.org) • National Association of Women Business Owners (nawbo.org) • Ellevate Network (ellevatenetwork.com)

Celebrating a woman owned business for 20 years!!!

Jo Bordinger

SFR, Owner Broker | Realtor | jbordinger@bordingerrealty.com | cell 607-434-2566

Contact Bordinger Realty for your Real Estate needs

607-432-9173 365 Main Street, Oneonta, NY

bordingerrealty.com SEPT. 22, 2021 | Women in Business - THE DAILY STAR

How to become a successful entrepreneur NEWSPAPER TOOLBOX - If you want to run your own company and become a successful businesswoman, here are some tips to help you achieve your goals.

• Believe in yourself. Confidence in your abilities is crucial if you want to attract employees and investors who see the potential of your product or service.

This will ensure you build a solid team around you.

• Decide on a mission. If there’s a goal that’s important to you, make it the mission for your business. This will help keep you on the right track. You should also determine what sets you apart from your competitors and, abo­ve all else, be passionate about your pursuit.

• Prepare yourself mentally. A good state of mind will make it easier for you to

face challenges head on when they arise.

In addition, being ready to overcome failures and keep moving forward is a key part of the process.

• Don’t be afraid to go for it. Stop doubting yourself and overthinking your plans, and just launch your business.

Whatever skills you’re lacking, you can pick up along the way. Remember that books and training programs can be great resources.

• Manage your time wisely. Since it can be challenging to juggle various professional and personal responsibilities, don’t be afraid to delegate tasks. In order to succeed, you must be organized and know how to make the most of your time.

Now, it’s up to you to show the world what you can do.

Woman owned Business for 15 Years!!!

The

Courtney Sweet, Judy Hurlburt (Owner), Kaylea Cetnar, Kirstin Hurlburt Judy Hurlburt pictured with her three daughters.

Her daughters played an important role in making this a successful business. Tiffany Borowski and many female staff members over the years have also been a vital part in The Depot team! There are many components in making a successful business. There are many special woman who have thrived and helped to build the business to what it is today.

Women in business wear many different hats!!!

Find Us on

Restaurant

HOME OF THE GARBAGE WINGS!!!

Hours of Operation: Tuesday-Saturday 4-9pm, Sunday 12-5pm (takeout only) Reservations are Strongly suggested.

607-433-2074 https://thedepotrestaurantny.com/ •

4 1/2 Railroad Ave, Oneonta, NY THE DAILY STAR - Women in Business | SEPT. 22, 2021

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Local business owner Sharon Wilsey O’Donnell has 30 years experience in wine and spirits. She provides free tastings daily at her Best Wine & Spirits store.

Sharon strives to make her customers completely satisfied. Her vast knowledge of food and wine pairing keeps her busy most days, helping plan dinners, parties and weddings.

Born in Oneonta and raised in the East End about one mile from her store truly gives her the feeling of local community commitment. She supports many local organizations and fundraisers in addition to the SPCA, St Jude and Make a Wish Foundation.

She loves her family, friends and customers. She wouldn’t want to work or live anywhere but here and it shows! Dealing with a major health issue, she reminds us all to be patient and kind, as we never know what someone else has going on in their life.

Woman owned business for 30+ years!!!

AKA The Wine Lady, The Bourbon Queen, The Scotch King!!!

GREAT LOCAL WINES, SPIRITS, and VINTAGE PORTS FREE tastings daily!

Right off I-88, Exit 16

(607) 432-4144 • 5626 Route 7 • Oneonta Price Chopper Plaza • 1000 Main Street • Oneonta www.bestwineandspirits.com SEPT. 22, 2021 | Women in Business - THE DAILY STAR