Women in Business THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY & BEYOND • 2014
Wood River Women Thrive In Business
In fact, none of the organizations responsible for tracking business trends in the Valley—from the recently revamped Sun Valley Economic Development (SVED) to the now-disbanded Ketchum/Sun Valley Chamber of Commerce—have concerned themselves with a study of women in he Wood River Valley area is home to myriad businesswomen whose business. smarts, talent and work ethic might make even Rosie the Riveter “We’ve never even given seem unmotivated to it a thought,” said Doug get the job done by comparBrown, SVED’s memberison. ship coordinator. “Because From north to south, the we live in a liberal commuValley boasts all sorts of nity, I think we’re past the female-owned businessconversation about whethes, many of which have er women are capable of enjoyed enough longevity heading up businesses. It’s to become vibrant local assumed they can do whatinstitutions. Blaine County ever they want, that there is certainly a welcoming is no glass ceiling here.” area for women in business Nancy Humphrey has in Idaho, boasting more likely had her own busifemale-owned firms per ness as long if not longer capita than the state as a than any other woman in whole. However, there still the Valley. She started The are far fewer female-owned Under Takers—a seasonal than male-owned compaChristmas decoration shop nies in the community. and tree-decorating busiWomen own less than ness with Ellen Fisher and a quarter of all the busiKaye Curran—in 1974. nesses in Blaine County, They started off offering a according to U.S. Bureau of choice of three decorated Labor Statistics numbers trees. Now Humphrey and from 2007 (the latest avail16 employees custom-decable). The Blaine County orate trees and homes average of 23.7 percent is across the Valley according slightly above the Idaho to their customer’s tastes. average of 23.5 percent, but Humphrey said business less than the national aversuccess is not so much age of nearly 30 percent. about whether people are Though Blaine County’s men or women but about numbers are below the nahow they relate to their tional average, many local customers. women in business recently expressed very positive Lisa Patterson, left, owner of The Wildflower in Hailey, poses with friend Amy Anderson, right. Patterson has engendered com- “Our customers know we’ll do everything and anything attitudes toward the area’s munity good will by donating goods and services to causes like St. Thomas Playhouse and The Advocates. for them,” said Humphrey, opportunities for female whose shop is on the second floor of The Galleria in Ketchum looking out entrepreneurs. onto Giacobbi Square. “We love that when they walk into their house, it’s “Sometimes I think women can fare better here than other places,” said so magical they go, ‘Whew!’ We even weave Christmas lights through outNikki Potts, who owns The Coffee Grinder, a business started by another door trees, going in and out every branch so we don’t choke the trees. That woman. “It’s a small community, and there isn’t so much of the ‘Oh, men way you can keep the lights on several years, rather than have to take can do it better’ attitude. People give you the chance to show what you can them off every year.” do.” BY KAREN BOSSICK
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Table of Contents
• 5B Paws N Claws (Kate Nixon), Hailey..........................................................................................................................Page 2 • Antique Alley (Alee Marsters), Ketchum.....................................................................................................................Page 4 • Bead Shop, The/Bella Cosa Studio (Sara Long/Tammy Schofield), Hailey...............................................................Page 5 • Bellissimo/Taylor’d Events (Terry Murphy/Taylor Sturges), Ketchum......................................................................Page 6 • Bisnett Insurance (Lindy Uberuaga & Betty Urbany), Ketchum................................................................................Page 3 • Christina Tindle, M.A., Hailey and Ketchum................................................................................................................Page 7 • Dr. Mariah Maricich, D.C., Ketchum.............................................................................................................................Page 4 • Huck & Paddle (Brandy Herold), Ketchum..................................................................................................................Page 11 • Jane’s Artifacts (Jane Drussel), Hailey..........................................................................................................................Page 10 • Ketchum Lighting (Heidi Titus), Ketchum....................................................................................................................Page 2 • NourishMe (Julie Johnson), Ketchum..........................................................................................................................Page 10 • Sun Valley Eyeworks (Ann McLean), Ketchum............................................................................................................Page 5 • Taste of Thai, A (Nina Chitnatham), Hailey..................................................................................................................Page 7 • Topnotch Fine Furniture & Interior Design (Arianne Heyser), Ketchum..................................................................Page 8 • Under Takers, The (Nancy Humphrey), Ketchum.......................................................................................................Page 8 • Tara Bella Weddings, Events & Floral Design (Tara Matteson), Hailey.....................................................................Page 9 • Wildflower, The (Lisa Patterson), Hailey......................................................................................................................Page 12
T H E W E E K LY S U N •
NOVEMBER 5, 2014
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