#pvd lady project

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A day spent with other amazing women at this year’s Lady Project Summit has left me inspired. Can’t wait to put some things into motion the next few weeks/months.

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April 12th Lulu  Locks owner of Providence Pinup and Suite tart will be presenting at The Lady Summit. Nothing But a Pocket Full of Willpower — Lulu Locks  3:15

Let's get real about what it takes to start a business with nothing! This 45 minute conversation will cover some of the challenges and rewards of building a business from the ground up. Local entrepreneur LuLu Locks will share her experiences and plenty of laughs about how she founded her business with "$400 borrowed from the household budget, and a pocket full of willpower."

Join us for The Lady Project Summit on April 12 at the Southside Cultural Center in Providence, RI

An amazing day filled with awesome speakers, professional workshops and amazing connections. 

We cannot WAIT for The Lady Project Summit! On April 12 at the Southside Cultural Center in Providence, we'll be kicking off the Summit with morning Keynote Speaker, Tammy Tibbetts (founder of She's the First) before heading into two rounds of workshops.

At lunch, hear from a Media Panel with ladies from The Huffington Post, BUST Magazine, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and The Rhode Show, followed by our lunch Keynote Speaker, Michelle Kwan.

After lunch, there are two more workshop rounds followed by our signature Lightening Round: three quick, 15-minute fun mini workshops on "Wine & Cheese Tasting" with Whole Foods and Constellation Brands, "Coffee Pairing" with Dave's Coffee, and more. 

After the Lightening Round, our closing Keynote Speaker, Meredith Walker (co-founder of Amy Poehler's Smart Girls) will take the stage. 

Then, the After Party starts! The After Party, styled by Champagne & Ink, will have a special performance from CHIFFEROBE, wine from Milestone Wines, a fun photo booth, and more special surprises throughout the night - you don't want to miss it! At the After Party, you'll get your limited edition Summit tote bag packed with goodies from our sponsors, Lady Project members, Tatly, Susty Party, Yes to Carrots, Lemon & Line, and more! 

Check out the full schedule of the day, including workshop descriptions here. 

Fun activities between workshops include a special spa station by Alayne White Spa, headshots by Lady Project photographer, Jen Brister from Brister Photo, and a WAVE table with attorneys from PS&H WAVE where attendees can ask legal questions.

The Lady Project Summit is sponsored by Squarespace, Mailchimp, Partridge Snow & Hahn WAVE (Women AdVocates for Enterprise), Batchbook, Visual Magnetics, Consellation Brands, Dave's Coffee, The Dean Hotel, Dear Kate, and Uber. Special thanks to Hint Water, They're Using Tools, Champagne & Ink, and Alayne White Spa and to our Media Sponsors: BUST Magazine, Providence Journal, The Rhode Show, and the RI Small Business Journal. 

Ticket price is $75 for members, $100 for non-members with the option to donate to She's the First. 

Members: you received a discount code in an email or check your Facebook group!

For more info, visit ladyprojectsummit.com for the latest updates, Speaker bios, FAQs, and sponsor updates. [email protected] Suitetart.com ProvidencePinup.com Suite Tart 150r Broadway Providence RI 02903 401-272-8278

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Member Spotlight: Jennifer Spaziano from Yoga and Pilates Passport

Member Spotlight: Jennifer Spaziano from Yoga and Pilates Passport

Jennifer Spaziano is the co-founder of the Yoga and Pilates Passport.

Jennifer is the next Member Spotlight of 2013- a few times a month; we’ll chat with one of our members and give you a behind-the-scenes look at their business. 

How did you get the idea for your business?

According to Jennifer Spaziano, co-founder of the Yoga and Pilates Passport, it’s often times daunting – and expensive – to decide where to start, or grow, your practice. A locally-grown project, the Yoga and Pilates Passport, connects yoga enthusiasts with hundreds of hours of yoga and Pilates at numerous studios statewide at an affordable price. “As a yoga teacher, I’ve heard from students that the hardest class to attend is the first one,” explains Ms. Spaziano. “And with so many different styles and levels, it’s confusing to know what’s best for each individual. Our mission is to reduce those barriers – time, money, confusion – and get people to take the first step.

Additionally, the Passport seeks to support the growing, yet fragile, wellness industry in the State.” Joining forces with another friend and yoga teacher, Jenn Thomas, the two embarked on the Passport project to overcome these barriers while building camaraderie among local wellness businesses. The Passport is available on line at www.yogaandpilatespassport.com.

“What we saw was an opportunity to create a platform that supports an individual’s personal ‘Rhode to Wellness’”, Thomas said, alluding to the parent company launching the Passport. “The Passport inspires people to explore all that yoga and Pilates has to offer locally – even for the current student who may be stuck in a rut and needs motivation to explore new styles and teachers.”

What has been the most challenging part of your business? What's the best part?

We're so inspired by the outpouring of support for the Passport. The idea seeks to support wellness businesses statewide in a unique way. because the opportunities are so vast, and we both have other jobs, it is super challenging to get the word out about this opportunity - which most people, when they find out about it - simply love!

How did you get the idea for the name of your business?

RI Yoga and Pilates Passport - a no Brainer :) The Rhode to Wellness came in a flash of insight when we were trying to think of the "Who" in terms of "who would launch the Passport". Because we want to promote general wellbeing, Rhode to Wellness was born.

Tell us your background- where you grew up, past jobs, where you went to school, hobbies, etc.

Why practice yoga? Yoga teaches us how to regulate all thoughts, desires, and actions. Yoga gives poise and the tremendous will-power needed to become a master of oneself. When we master the constantly changing mind, we find lasting peace. And the truly peaceful person brings peace to all who encounter her. What "style" do I teach? That depends. Sometimes gentle, sometimes rigorous - but always safe and grounded. In most classes you'll experience some pranayama (breath work), vinyasa (intentional placement of breath and body) and meditation. With a focus on core strength, safe alignment and balance, but ultimately you will be asked to surrender to what is and work hard to stay true to your authentic self. Who am I? Tat Tvam Asi. In clock time, I am a mother of two wonderful girls, a marketeer for an amazing nonprofit and a wife to a passionate, public service attorney. I've lived in the suburbs of Boston, Spain, Los Angeles, New York City, and now Providence, RI where I've found a home. I have a BA in Psychology, Philosophy and Spanish from Providence College and I spent my semester abroad (oh so long ago) at the University of Salamanca, Spain. My day job now consists of mothering and business development work with ACCION USA, a rock star of domestic microfinance and promoter of small and local entrepreneurs. Practicing yoga has allowed me to stay healthy and grounded, even in the face of hardship. Yoga itself comes with its own struggles. It takes work and practice to maintain balance and to grow as a person. Dedication and commitment are big words. You cannot fool your way to health and healing. Yoga is a gift that I love to share. The more I teach, the more I learn. Come share in the experience and learn for yourself just how yoga can positively impact your life.

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Member Spotlight: Alyson & Esther from Women's Health in Emergency Care

Alyson McGregor and Esther Choo developed a new division within the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University called Women's Health in Emergency Care (WHEC). 

Alyson is the next Member Spotlight of 2013- a few times a month, we’ll chat with one of our members and give you a behind-the-scenes look at their business. 

How did you get the idea for your business?

Sex and gender matter when it comes to health and disease. Until recently, everything about American health care from research protocols to public health policies reflected an intellectual assumption that men and women are so alike that it’s not important to study women directly. Men have been used as the model for research to limit the uncertainty of fluctuating hormones. This is referred to as a “one size fits all” medicine. This resulted in the notion that “women’s health“was limited to issues surrounding reproduction and breast health as though her heart, brain, and every other part of her body were identical to those of a man. This view has been termed “Bikini Medicine.” Science is now showing us that gender is much more than an add on. We developed a new division within the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University called Women's Health in Emergency Care (WHEC). The division aims to advance and promote gender-specific research pertaining to acute health conditions; to increase advocacy and awareness for gender-based health topics; and to create educational resources and opportunities so that gender medicine may be systematically included in medical training. We came up with this concept because the Emergency Department (ED) has become a primary point of contact for health care in the United States with encounters that reflect acute presentation of a spectrum of diseases. It is the perfect setting to embrace the concept that differences between women and men will ultimately improve the precision and quality of healthcare for everyone.

What has been the most challenging part of your business? What's the best part?

Most physicians are not used to incorporating sex and gender considerations into their thought processes when they learn and practice medicine. So we have been challenged to raise awareness, understanding, and acceptance of what we do. The best part is knowing that we are exploring uncharted territory and thus have an amazing opportunity to contribute to the practice of emergency medicine.

How did you get the idea for the name of your business?

Our aim is to focus on women’s health from the emergency department perspective. Although gender specific medicine is not just about women’s health, there is some catching up that needs to be done on the unique health care needs of women in all aspects of medical care, not just reproductive areas. We are creating a campaign “We Know the Difference” when it comes to Sex, Gender and Health. “Your Emergency is as Unique as You are!”

Tell us about your background- where you grew up, past jobs, where you went to school, hobbies, etc.

Alyson: I am a native of RI. Born in Coventry and graduated LaSalle Academy High School in Providence. After making the New England Rounds: University of New Hampshire for Undergraduate and Boston University for Medical School, I headed right back to Providence to complete my Emergency Medicine Residency at Brown Medical School. Needless to say, I have stayed ever since. My academic interests are in women’s health and gender-specific medicine. I fill my free time with organic farming, cooking and yoga.

Esther: I grew up just outside of Cleveland, OH and came east for college and medical school at Yale. From there, I completed residency at Boston Medical Center and a health services research fellowship at Oregon Health & Sciences University. I came to Providence to join the Emergency Medicine faculty at Brown in 2009. My research involves prevention of violence and substance use. When not working, I pretty much just hang out with my husband and our three young kids.

What do you love about being a PVD Lady Project Member?

We love being a part of something that is meant to connect, inspire and showcase awesome women doing amazing things! How could we not love that!

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Melinda and her team from They're Using Tools are filming a special birthday video at our bash on Feb. 22. So excited! 

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Member Spotlight: Ewe Have Me In Stitches

Member Spotlight: Tara Coogan from Ewe Have Me in Stitches

Tara from Ewe Have Me in Stitches creates gorgeous quilts, accessories and more- all handmade! 

Tara is the first Member Spotlight of 2013- a few times a month, we'll chat with one of our members and give you a behind-the-scenes look at their business. 

How did you get the idea for your business?

What has been the most challenging part of your business? What's the best part?

The most challenging part has been finding time to promote my shop (as I type this I'm rushing to eat breakfast and get to my office!). The spare time I have is spent designing and creating, and the rest gets pushed to the back burner. Thankfully I have incredibly supportive friends and family who take my quick Facebook post about a quilt and re-post it all over the internet to get the word out.

The best part is getting to design a customized piece for someone. It lets me enjoy new fabrics that I wouldn't have picked out before and the excitement my clients have over their idea being translated into a quilt is really encouraging and rewarding.

How did you get the idea for the name of your business?

When I was creating my brand, I wanted something light, fun, and whimsical, because that's how I feel when I am designing and quilting. Ewe Have Me In Stitches was a name developed by my step-dad (who is always making corny jokes that have a play-on-words) and a logo designed by my artistic mother. My sister-in-law, a talented graphic designer, translated that sketch into an adorable logo, and her dedication to helping develop my brand really allowed me to get my store off the ground. 

Tell us about your background.

I grew up in Connecticut and went to school for Business Management at Johnson & Wales University in Providence. I fell in love with the city and knew this is where I wanted to be!  I completed my Master's Degree in Financial Management at JWU and now I work for an investment company in downtown Providence. I love what I do and also love that my creative side has an outlet through Ewe Have Me In Stitches.  My hobbies used to consist of all sorts of crafting, but quilting has stolen my heart, 

What do you love about being a PVD Lady Project Member?

I am excited that ladies from different points in my life are members! From college to co-workers to new friends. When I attended the first meeting in February last year I was still a closet-quilter (no Etsy store, no business cards, no brand), and after meeting another Lady Project Member who quilted, I realized "I want to share this with people".  The networking that I have had with this group has been so motivating and it recently led me to the Rhode Island Modern Quilting Guild, which I am so happy to be involved with. The PVD Lady Project brought my creative side out in the real world and motivated me to share it with others. 

Follow Ewe Have Me in Stitches on Facebook

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The PVD Lady Project Holiday Gift Guide is finally here!

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