Area Businesswomen Divulge Their Greatest Guidance
In honor of International Women’s Day—celebrated annually on March 8—we’ve asked area businesswomen the best advice they’ve received. Whether personal, professional or in-between, the below words of wisdom have lasted a lifetime.
Ruth Ann Heeter, Publisher and Managing Editor, Fox Cities Magazine
The advice: Be confident that you know more than you think you know.
“That advice came from Leota Ester, owner of Landmark Staffing at the time, during one of many conversations as we networked throughout the business community. Leota was a great mentor to many of us young women—and probably young men also—getting involved in a growing Fox Cities.
“Not sure why, but that comment truly had a great impact on me. I can’t tell you how important that has always been to me. I remember writing it down at the time and having it on my desk to view daily. It is still on my desk!
“At the time, as a young person, her advice was sort of a ‘slap in the face’ telling me that the experiences I had encountered continued to teach me day by day, and that I should follow my instinct and not doubt myself. You learn something new every day.”
Sharon Hulce, President/CEO, Employment Resource Group Inc., Appleton
The advice: Be the buffalo.
“The buffalo is the only mammal that runs toward the storm rather than away from it to get through it quicker. All other animals run away hoping to avoid it—but as we know, the storm still comes anyway. So is true with life, storms will come and go so running toward the storm, embracing the impact or challenge, will help to get through it faster. All decisions within both my career and personal life I address remembering this mantra, and it has served me well.
“The first person who told me the story was Joyce Bytof. She was a fabulous mentor and friend and we shared many candid conversations about life’s ups and downs over the years.
“As a new business owner, I felt very ill-equipped to make tough decisions. This helped me to jump in with both feet to make timely decisions and not to procrastinate no matter how difficult.”
Amy G. Moorefield, Executive Director, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass, Neenah
The advice: Be creative. Look at the horizon line when dreaming and try not to be bogged down by the details.
Build a “kitchen cabinet” of mentors to lean on when you need advice: a group who would give honest feedback.
“For general advice, my mom! She always encouraged me to be creative. To look at the horizon line when dreaming and try not to be bogged down by the details. She helped me see the big picture in achieving my goal to work in a fine arts museum, even taking me to many museums when I was a child. (I’ve wanted to work in museums since I was 7 years old!)
“In the professional realm, a museum mentor of mine, Alex Nyerges, who is the Director and CEO of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, has been a wonderful source of advice for me during pivotal moments in my career. He encouraged me to build a “kitchen cabinet” of mentors who I could lean on when I needed advice-a group who would give me honest feedback.
“In both of these examples, their collective advice has helped me dream big but also know that I have a group of people who can help me stay grounded when needed. Also through their insights I learned to trust my instincts in many situations.”
Kara Manuel, Owner, Lillians of Appleton
The advice: Follow your dreams! It’s a big world out there and you can do whatever you want. The main thing is to always have fun doing it!
My mother gave me this advice when I was headed off to college and then later as I started my career in retail. I moved quite a bit and traveled to a few different states. She always said (this) to me.
“She was an extremely hard worker and taught me about what it meant to have a good work ethic. When we opened Lillians, she was so excited and said to me one day, ‘Look, you did it, you followed one of your dreams!’
“She passed away a year after we opened Lillians. Her picture hangs in Lillians and she is watching over us every day cheering us on!”
Barb Nelson, Owner, Brinkley’s Boutique, Oshkosh
The advice: (You) have the commitment, strength and background for a successful business, along with an amazing story.
“During the initial stages of opening a women’s clothing boutique, I sought advice from a woman who was the department head at the UWO campus in the small business/entrepreneur department.
“At the time, I was considering signing a contract with a boutique franchise. We spent several sessions together discussing my background and what/why I wanted my own business. It was with her advice, support and encouragement that we opened Brinkley’s Boutique instead of being a franchise and it is one of the best decisions that I have made.
“She convinced me that I had the commitment, strength and background for a successful business, along with an amazing story. It was with her help that Brinkley’s Boutique was created. Brinkley is my granddaughter and has special needs. It is my mission to create a world of inclusion and to “B” Kind just the way our grand daughter is.”
Catherine “Cathy” Karl, Owner, Heart & Homestead, Manitowoc
The advice: A rising tide, raises all ships!
“Most of us midwesterners are raised with a great work ethnic and a ‘stick to it, until it’s done attitude.’ Sometimes, along the way, it seemed like things didn’t always go as quickly or as smoothly as I had envisioned, so on a professional level I needed a mentor to observe and learn from because experience, not only in certain business functions but also social interactions, are required to get along in the real world!
“Early on, in my nearly 30 years of retail, the motto, ‘A rising tide, raises all ships!’ was often mentioned at many meetings of the neighborhood businesses and since our downtown is on this beautiful lake, it made sense to me!
“I had a great friendship with a well-respected business gal and learned from her experience, which had begun 20 years prior to my own. Working with and observing many other community-minded individuals and following their successful examples was also very helpful.
“Being community minded in any neighborhood will always lead to success. I’ve gone on to help with or lead many great downtown events and although my store doesn’t always garner the accolades of many others, we have a well established customer base that we’re very happy to know and are thankful for!”
Elise Theobald, CEO/Owner, Covenant Signs & Graphics, Green Bay
The advice: Be true to who you are, and know that you are worthy of success, just as much as anyone else.
“On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the strength, resilience and leadership of women across generations. For me, the 
foundation of that strength began with an unexpected source: the best advice I have ever received did not come from a woman, but from my father (my stepfather, a U.S. Navy officer stationed in the Philippines).
“My father was the catalyst for the life I live today. He gave my siblings and me the opportunity to come to America, an opportunity that, had it not been given, would have altered the course of my life entirely.
“Growing up in the Fox Cities, I learned early what it meant to navigate a new culture while facing the challenges of being a minority. Through those formative years, my father grounded me with one unwavering truth: be true to who you are, and know that you are worthy of success, just as much as anyone else.
“That belief became my compass. Along my journey, I have been blessed by many strong, admirable women, mentors, leaders, and friends who have lifted me with their encouragement and wisdom. Their presence has reinforced what International Women’s Day represents: the power of women supporting women. Yet it was my father who first taught me to stand confidently in my worth, preparing me to receive and grow from the strength of the women who would later walk alongside me.
“I remain deeply grateful for this extraordinary country and the opportunities it has provided. I would not have the life I cherish today without my father’s unselfish act. That blessing continued to unfold through a loving and supportive husband, children who make me immensely proud, and the greatest joy of all, my grandchildren.
“As their Lola (affectionately known in what appears to be a “boys-club-only” arrangement), I am reminded daily that legacy matters. On this International Women’s Day, I celebrate not only the women who lead today, but the generations before us who paved the way, and the generations after us who will rise even higher, grounded in faith, confident in purpose, and supported by one another.”
Tina Plummer, Owner, Chandelier Boutique, Appleton
The advice: Be proud of every accomplishment and to celebrate every success!
“My best advice is from my Aunt Becky Ploederl, who helped me get the store looking pretty in the beginning and helped me run the store on Fridays for the first 6 months!
“She told me to be proud of every accomplishment and to celebrate every success! She stated that this is a growing process and every success is a win and to not compare myself to others—to not be upset if things don’t happen overnight! She reminds me to celebrate every new moment and every step forward, even if it’s a tiny one!”
Jennifer Stephany, Executive Director, Appleton Downtown Inc.
The advice: Don’t underestimate your value!
“It was a simple piece of advice that has been a constant reminder to me. The advice was from my first boss, Mr. Ronald Erlien, at R. Erlien Jewelers in Sheboygan.
“I was home from college over the holiday and was able to work some hours at the jewelry store. At the end of the season, Ron asked me what I thought my time was worth. Not expecting him to ask me that, I took a moment to add up my hours and replied, ‘How about $300?’ He paid me that amount and then told me he was planning to pay me $400, but that I underestimated my value.
“I never got that additional $100 and it taught me a valuable lesson well beyond financial worth consideration. I have applied this lesson to many areas of my life including the value of my self-worth. Now, I also remind my daughter of the same message: don’t underestimate your value!”
