W2W AWARD BRACELET

FULL

CIRCLE

by MEGHAN CORBETT photo by MADELINE GRAY

Ten years ago, CARMIN BLACK was the first to win WILMA’s Women to Watch Award in the Business category for her jewelry company that focused on giving back to those in need. A lofty goal indeed, but one that Black was prepared to achieve.

Today, Black heads up a Wilmington-based jewelry and goods line that also has addressed those in need for the past decade. She comes full circle, and now is behind this year’s awards bracelet to the 2022 winners.

The beginning of her business path, however, was less than certain.

“At a pivotal moment in my life when my first career out of college was at a crossroads, I had to make a decision: Stick with the industry I’d gotten my degree in (journalism) or do an about-face and try my hand at something new,” Black says. “I spent six months doing soul searching trying to figure out my next right move. As someone who is results-driven, feeling like I did not have a goal to work towards was heartbreaking. One day, when looking for new employment opportunities, I Googled ‘jobs at TOMS shoes.’”

A few years earlier, Black had met the founder of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie, at a conference and was struck by how his business combined fashion and philanthropy to change lives. His company was hiring for a program they called Vagabonds, and the job was to travel the country hosting speaking engagements at high schools and universities.

“It was only a six-month commitment, (so) I applied, and out of thousands of applicants, twelve others and I got the job,” Black recalls. “What I hadn’t anticipated is that this experience would show me that my love of fashion and philanthropy could be combined to help people in need through business.”

Black’s time at TOMS taught her a lot about business and gave her the foundation to put those lessons to good use to make a difference in the lives of others.

“When my brother, Christian, and I started HALF UNITED, we only had $200 to our names to invest,” Black says. “We dreamed of working in a place like New York or LA but knew if we weren’t willing to seek funding for our idea, we were going to have to live and work in a place that was more affordable so we could reinvest every dollar we made into growing our brand and helping others. The first four years of running this business, we didn’t pay ourselves. That was hard, and looking back, I think about how motivated we must have been to pull it off. We worked odd jobs, eventually grew the brand to have a paid staff, and sincerely loved our community so much that staying here was an easy decision to make.”

The company has adapted along the way but kept its central priorities.

“Since 2009, our mission and our focus on fighting hunger with each purchase made hasn’t changed, ever. However, the way we go about giving back, helping others, and stopping hunger and poverty has grown tremendously since we first began,” Black says. “When we first started, we gave away 50% of total sales; as we grew, naturally, we learned that wasn’t a sustainable business practice. We tried giving away 50% of profits, but as our business grew and profits decreased, we realized that too wouldn’t accomplish our goal. What we did instead was to factor in the price of seven meals into the cost of each purchase made. This is where our business began to soar. We were able to factor in the price of meals into each purchase made and donate whenever a product sold, thus paying for the meals.”

They also learned that fighting hunger through meals helped, but it wouldn’t end hunger long term.

“In 2018, we had a wonderful and unique opportunity to employ hundreds of men and women in a rural community in Haiti to hand-make our leather handbags,” Black says. “It was in Haiti that we learned gainful employment is the No. 1 way to fight hunger and poverty.”

The business now employs people in Peru, Bangladesh, India, Djibouti, Mexico, Vietnam, the U.S., and Haiti.

Black’s dedication to her work is why she won WILMA’s award in its inaugural year and why she is participating in this

year’s honors.

To be asked to be a part of the awards “was a massive honor,” Black says.

“To me, it meant being recognized for my future potential, and there was something very encouraging and special about that,” she says. “When I received this award, my business was much smaller than it is today, so at the time, I took this as a sign that this business would work out and others saw its potential. This bracelet, from one female entrepreneur to another, was not only made with a spirit of encouragement but was my way of reminding them to press into their dreams and never stop until they achieve their goals.”

THE AWARD

Each year, WILMA selects a bracelet from a local company or designer that serves as the award for the Women to Watch Awards winners. The pieces, this year from HALF UNITED, will be unveiled and presented to the winners at the October 21 awards event.

WILMINGTON, NC • APEX, NC • POOLER, GA • NASHVILLE, TN

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CAROLINA CLEANING SERVICES

Debbie Sardone, Founder, Cleaning For A Reason & Aneliese Bard Andrades (l to r)

TIME IS A PRECIOUS GIFT

If there’s one thing we’ve all learned over these past few years it is that time is our most precious gift — especially the moments we spend with our loved ones.

This family-first mindset inspired me to start Carolina Cleaning Services out of the trunk of my car back in 1994, with just a handful of residential clients at first. I had recently moved to Wilmington from Brazil with my two little boys to be reunited with my husband Luiz, who had been living here for one year. With no “village” at first to help us raise the kids, I decided to become my own boss so I could have flexibility and still contribute to the household income. Of course it was a huge step, but the professional experience I had acquired from having been the first woman to become an account manager at one of the most prestigious car rental companies in Brazil gave me the confidence and skills I needed to thrive. I had faith that I was creating something good and worthwhile, a unique service unlike any other. And because having quality time with my family had always been a priority, I made sure that Carolina Cleaning Services not only offered high-quality service, but also gave people the gift of time so they could enjoy life in the company of their friends and family. Naturally, over the past 28 years, a lot has changed. And although that first handful of residential clients turned into hundreds of customers and a wonderful team of cleaning technicians, we remain a local, woman-owned, and family-operated business that values each client, tailoring our services to specific needs. I like to say that our business has a heart — we operate with kindness, integrity, and professionalism. As a Latino woman who’s had to reinvent herself multiple times to thrive in a new culture and country, I can tell you that building our reputation and getting to where we are now, a place we’re extremely proud of, didn’t happen overnight — well, it took almost three decades! It required a lot of hard work, resilience, and consistency. We’ve faced tough setbacks and challenges but bounced back every time with the help of the Wilmington community, who has welcomed and embraced us from day one. We call Wilmington home. It’s where we’ve built our business, raised our boys and where we witness our eight beautiful grandchildren growing up. We are immensely grateful to this community for consistently recognizing our hard work and helping us become a top-rated professional cleaning company and for being recognized by Wilmington Magazine as the Best Cleaning Company in Wilmington NC, both 2021 and 2022. As a thank you, we’re always looking for ways to give back to this town. One of our priorities is to help empower the women of the community through training and mentorship. My female cleaning technicians are taught responsibility, integrity, and a sense of community. At Carolina Cleaning Services they learn that they can do and be anything they want. And because we’re members of the ISSA, the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, our employees always have the most up-todate certifications. After all, our town deserves the highest quality service. Since 2017, we’ve also been partnering with Cleaning for a Reason, a non-profit that provides free house cleaning to patients battling cancer. By offering this service, we relieve cancer patients of the stress of having to worry about house chores, allowing them to solely focus on getting better. This is an effort I’m extremely proud of and an experience that provides our techs with a deep sense of pride, purpose, and joy, knowing that with kindness and compassion they can improve someone else’s life significantly. All this is an integral part of our culture and reflects the healthy work environment we cultivate. Aneliese Bard Andrades Founder & Owner Carolina Cleaning Services

CAROLINACLEANING.NET | 910.777.7665

CATAPULT

EMPLOYER-LED ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACE

TIME FOR A BRAINTEASER What’s the common thread in the following HR situations: A Muslim man fasting during Ramadan is the recipient of “good-natured” jokes at a company dinner; a hiring committee that uses a fake social media account to screen potential hires; a tattooed woman faces uncomfortable questions about her appearance from coworkers; employees confront a manager about perceived favoritism in the workplace. The Answer? Workplace Ethics. On this month’s Thinking Differently webinar series, attendees looked to Renee Watkins, Catapult Human Resources Business Partner and Advisor, for their expertise on navigating sticky-ethical situations with confidence and conscience. Renee who has supported Catapult Members and partners for 15 years, defined ethics as a reflection of “values, integrity and moral code.” And when it comes to work-related ethics? “They’re layered,” says Renee. OFFICE CULTURE INFLUENCES OFFICE ETHICS

Frequent ethical issues may have their “main root in the culture of the organization,” says Renee. Take time to really evaluate your workplace culture. A critical eye illuminates any shortcomings and helps you target the source(s). Diversify Work Force: It’s a big, big world out there and there’s lots of talent to be found. So why settle for any less than what’s represented? When a workplace environment is structured around employees thinking the same, having the same strengths, and even coming from similar cultural backgrounds, the probability of misunderstandings is high. In other words, when your workplace looks very uniform, it’s easy to single others out. Provide Harassment Training: “When a lack of respect and understanding is present,” says Renee, “it’s time to review their harassment policy and ensure that they provide harassment training.” Best practice? Train staff on the latest policies and workplace laws every two years. This includes education on anti-discrimination and antiharassment.

ETHICS IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Company leaders should be well-versed in their ability to judge what is right or wrong, but how they go about documenting, correcting and learning from ethical issues as employers isn’t always as easy. Transparency: Transparency is the best practice in protecting workplace ethics. Consider inviting others to high-level conversations, maintaining weekly companywide communications, and ensuring all staff has an explicit understanding of workplace hierarchy, expectations and objectives. Intentional Decision-Making: When it comes to ethical gray areas, the best foot forward is mindful decision-making. Having the ability to comfortably explain your decisions showcases ethical consideration and good intentions. Remember: You should not be defensive, but your decisions should be defendable. Create Space for Growth: Leadership positions have an ethical responsibility to help employees grow. Welcome conversations that focus on development by offering more than just a pat on the back. Show that you’re invested in your employees’ future successes and are there to actively motivate and help them achieve all they can. Performance-Based Rewards: Differentiate between unearned favoritism and rewarding employees based on performance. Always make this distinguishable and transparent to your team. When choosing someone to head a new initiative, consider the specific asks of the job and who is best suited to navigate them. PRE-EMPLOYMENT ETHICS

When it comes to setting an ethical tone during preemployment, everyone holds a piece of the puzzle. However, when in doubt, HR professionals can help your organization understand best practices. Document Your Process: When it comes to recruiting talent and reducing the workforce, it’s vital that your processes are well-documented. A “paper trail” and polished procedure will help your organization avoid being audited for discriminatory practices. Ethical Background Checks: Utilize a trusted source when screening employees. Look to our for dependable counsel in making the best-informed decision on applicants. Do Your Homework: Better develop your internal DEI program with our 6-part series which covers HR fundamentals your organization needs. Pride yourself on Thinking Differently? Register for upcoming Thinking Differently webinars at letscatapult.org/thinkingdifferently. Attendees of the webinar series also receive SHRM and HRCI recertification credits!

(866) 440-0302 | LETSCATAPULT.ORG

CITY OF WILMINGTON

MAKING STRIDES ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

In recent years, the City of Wilmington has grown in both popularity and population. This growth speaks to Wilmington’s desirability as a place to live, work, and play. It also presents challenges for city leadership, including preserving and creating affordable housing opportunities.

Two decades ago, the city committed to addressing affordable housing. In recent years, the Mayor and City Council doubled down on that commitment, funding a strategic mix of programs designed to cultivate new home ownership and create affordable rent opportunities. These programs leverage public funds to multiply their impact many times over by partnering with private sector and nonprofit organizations. Underscoring this commitment, Council voted in August to donate a former city fire station to Good Shepherd Center to develop up to 33 permanent supportive housing units. This type of affordable housing is among the most difficult to develop because it serves vulnerable populations and involves wraparound social services to help individuals remain housed and live with dignity and respect. Earlier this year, Council also voted to donate the proceeds from the sale of the former Optimist Park to affordable housing efforts, including Eden Village, a tiny home community that helps the chronically unhoused transition from the streets to stability in a safe and supportive environment. Within the past year, Council also appropriated $3.5 million from the city’s American Rescue Plan funds to provide “gap financing” for Starway Village, with a planned 278 affordable rent apartments. Together with $1.8 million from New Hanover County, gap financing will multiply these public dollars 11-times over to an impact of approximately $60 million. Yet another recent Council vote moved Canopy Pointe forward, a 72-unit affordable housing community for seniors.

Council also recognizes the importance of home ownership so low-to-moderate income residents can share the same opportunity to build wealth and pass it on to their next generation. The city actively maintains a home loan portfolio of $6.2 million, with an additional $4 million ready to deploy for future home ownership loans. These funds are used to provide 0% interest loans to qualifying homebuyers. Together with down payment assistance and home rehabilitation loan programs, more than 700 Wilmington residents and families have achieved or maintained home ownership. While these innovative programs help grow the city’s affordable housing stock, City Council also prioritized the building blocks for affordable quality of life when rewriting the city’s land development code last year. This code, which shapes the city’s physical development, provides new pathways and incentives for affordable housing that requires no public investment at all. The new code also encourages convenience to services and employment options, and easy access to efficient transportation, to support the city’s long-term affordability and livability. The City of Wilmington’s investments in affordable housing over the past two decades now exceed $50 million. With the Mayor and City Council’s heightened focus, this commitment is yielding real results and greatly expanding our city’s promise of opportunity and affordable quality of life.

Tony Caudle was appointed Wilmington City Manager in 2021 and previously served as Deputy City Manager since 2008. Stay up to date on city news and projects at TheWilmingtonCurrent.com and follow the city on social media: Facebook @cityofwilmington, Twitter & Instagram @cityofwilm.

wilmingtonnc.gov

TEACHINGHORSE™

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

There is no denying that we are living in a fatigued, fractured, and uncertain world. Here is a question for you: “What will bring us together and help us heal?”

From my perspective, the answers have been in front of us since the beginning of time. When was the last time you felt awe as you stood in nature’s vast beauty? When was the last time you stood in the presence of true wildness? Being in nature heals us. It is both invigorating and peaceful.

TeachingHorse was inspired by how wild horses lead their herds. We have been working in partnership with Return to Freedom, a Wild Horse Sanctuary in Lompoc, CA since 2005 and we have brought over 1,000 clients to the sanctuary. (https://returntofreedom.org/). In 2006, we adopted a herd of 3 wild horses. Living with wild horses dramatically expanded our understanding of what they have to teach us about navigating through uncertainty. Many of you who have come to Double Run Farm in Leland, NC have met our wild horse herd member, Hope.

In the past year, the number of people who are part of the TeachingHorse network of facilitators has tripled. Many of them had never been to Return to Freedom. Even with the magnitude of uncertainty we are all still facing, we decided to hold a TeachingHorse Summit at Return to Freedom in August of 2022, so that all our facilitators could have their own direct experience with the wild horses. Normally we only travel together to work with clients. Not this time. No clients, just us. This was a time for us to come together, to heal, and be inspired by wildness.

At the core of our work is The Diamond Model of Shared Leadership. This model was created to represent two fundamental aspects of horse culture. First, we explore how horses organize and collaborate to navigate through uncertainty. Second, we explore the capabilities that horses use to select their leaders (Attention, Direction, Energy, and Congruence).

My goal for taking our colleagues to Return to Freedom was to give them a first-hand experience of watching wild horses in their natural environments. I watched the light bulbs go off in their bodies, minds, and souls as they stood on 1,000 acres of the rolling hills of California surrounded by hundreds of wild horses, who live free to roam with their families as nature intended.

I could feel the sense of awe and wonder take over their spirits as they marveled at polarities playing out in the way the horses communicated with each other. We observed fierce displays of strength paired with tender displays of care between stallions and their young. We experienced a lead mare looking to the horizon, then taking time to make a sincere connection to another herd member. The wild horse herds went from looking at a group of humans as a possible threat to embracing us as part of their community. Nature's answers have been right in front of us since the beginning of time.

June Gunter has worked in the field of leadership and organization development for over 35 years and holds a Doctor of Education degree in the field of Adult Learning from North Carolina State University. She is also the Co-Founder of Go-od Consulting, LLC.

TEACHINGHORSE.COM | JUNEGUNTER@TEACHINGHORSE.COM

BUILDING BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITIES

Kate Eames heads her construction firm and a new council

by BETH A. KLAHRE | photo by TERAH HOOBLER

As a young girl, KATE EAMES, owner of The Anchor Group Design + Build and chair of Cape Fear Professional Women in Building Council, was hooked on the television show This Old House and dreamed to be show host Bob Villa.

Her mother emboldened the dream by taking her to Home-a-Rama, the annual parade of homes in their hometown outside of Richmond, Virginia.

“Growing up, I enjoyed everything related to home building and design. In art class, I’d draw floor plans and build small house renderings. I would clip pictures of windows, doors, and exteriors of houses from magazines to glue to my renderings,” Eames recalls.

Encouraged by her father, Eames attended Old Dominion University to study civil engineering. “My father provided the courage for me to enter this field knowing that I’d be one of few women,” she says.

Eames was constantly proving she had the same right to study engineering as her male colleagues. Even getting a first job proved to be challenging. Eames remembers door-to-door job hunting in early 2003 getting an offer to join the company softball team, go on a date, and even arm wrestle for a job, but no engineering job offer.

She took some graduate-level courses, subsequently landing a role with an engineering firm in New York. And then a visit to Carolina Beach sold Eames on coastal living. She relocated and spent the next nine years performing forensic engineering investigations and providing expert witness testimony for litigations.

Eames’ genuine love of construction moved her onto a project manager role with Wilmington-based PBC Design + Build in 2017.

“It was exhilarating, empowering, and exhausting,” she says. “To build someone’s home is a privilege and labor of emotional investment. Finishing a house for a happy, excited, and appreciative client is the best.”

Eames says that about a year ago she had an epiphany.

“I’m fully capable. I don’t need to work for anyone else, and I have the confidence to start my own business,” she says.

This past June, Eames opened The Anchor Group

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Design + Build, a construction company that provides new home builds, remodels, custom builds, renovations, and project consulting.

Owning her own company gives Eames the power to choose her projects.

“It allows me to continue doing what I love with the flexibility of being available for my family,” she adds.

Eames has three children ages ten, nine, and seven. She hopes she can be the inspiration for other women to take a similar leap.

Eames, who is a licensed professional engineer in both North and South Carolina, credits her success in starting The Anchor Group to many things she learned at PBC, including building, estimating, scheduling, and logistics.

“I learned the importance of relationships,” she adds, acknowledging her subcontractors who help facilitate projects.

Eames is the chair of the recently organized Cape Fear chapter of the Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council. Eames was nominated by a panel of her peers and accepted the leadership role in the local chapter after continuing to experience exhausting struggles to prove her worth.

Under her leadership, the chapter announced its mission: The Cape Fear PWB chapter is a pivotal group in empowering and supporting women in the building industry through connections and outreach.

“It can be intimidating for females to enter this industry, especially when they don’t see females paving the way,” Eames says, noting that less than 3% of the construction boots-on-the-ground builders and project managers are women. “I know I’m not the only woman who experiences the constant qualifications challenges. It’s the major reason why my mission to normalize the construction demographic is so important to me.

“I’m fortunate that I love what I do,” she says. “It’s allowed me to succeed. I hope the council grows, bonds, and gives back to our Cape Fear community for years to come.”W

Kate Eames’ profile ran in recent WILMA Leadership email. To sign for the daily newsletter, go to WILMAmag.com.

FEST

INSPIRE EDUCATE CELEBRATE

DECEMBER 3RD AT THE WILMA SHOW

Fun + Interactive workshops including STEM activities, inspiration stations with music, dance, art and more. Connect with local female leaders to learn, grow and be mentored!

WILMA’s Future Leaders is a part of our Women to Watch Leadership Initiative. To learn how to support and be involved in this program, contact us at marketing@wilmingtonbiz.com. 52 WILMA OCTOBER 2022Registration for Future Leaders Fest participants will open in November.

WILMA ONLINE

Keep up with WILMA all month long, through our website, daily emails, and social media.

Sign up for WILMA’s new daily emails at wilmamag.com/email-newsletter. Here’s the weekly lineup:

MONDAY IS WILMA LEADERSHIP with profiles on the region’s leading women, their business, personal, and career advice, as well as highlights on women who are making moves.

TUESDAY IS WILMA ROUNDUP, a focus on stories published on our monthly print issues and a look behindthe-scenes at the magazine.

WEDNESDAY IS WILMA WELLNESS where you can read about the latest fitness and health trends, as well as profiles on women in the wellness industry and get recipes and workouts from chefs and trainers in the community.

THURSDAY IS KEEP IT LOCAL, a collection of shopping finds from local retailers, sponsors’ content brought to you by the WILMA marketing team.

FRIDAY IS WILMA DOWNTIME, where we give you a backstage pass to upcoming shows and events in the community. You can also expect profiles and Q&As with local artists and highlights on the latest entertainment and leisure activities around town to get ready for the weekend.

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