BELLA Boss: Summer Issue

By Lynette Barbieri and Jana Roos

Running a thriving business takes drive, determination, and a whole lot of hustle! We’re spotlighting four savvy entrepreneurs whose immense success proves how a little belief and a big leap of faith can land you a leading role in your own life. Looking to recalibrate your career path? Let their accomplishments be your compass.

Kit Hoover

“Access Hollywood“ + “Access Daily with Mario & Kit"
CO-HOST + MOM OF THREE
AccessOnline.com
Los Angeles, CA

MY BUSINESS:
My favorite “job” is trying to raise happy, healthy, driven kids. This is how I define my success. My day job puts me in the center of Hollywood and allows me to tell the stories of today’s biggest celebrities, athletes, and everyday people doing extraordinary things. Truthfully, I leave the studio inspired every day.

MOST REWARDING:
Being a parent—my kids motivate me daily and definitely keep me on my toes. My career pushes me to never stop learning, growing, and being open to new paths. My dad always says, “You can’t walk the same riverbed twice because it’s constantly changing underneath you.” Boy, is that true in this business!

SECRET TO MY SUCCESS:
The key to my success is staying endlessly curious, hopelessly optimistic, leading with gratitude, and knowing my worth.

Allan Jones

BAMBEE CEO + FOUNDER
Bambee.com
Los Angeles, CA

MY BUSINESS:

Bambee simplifies HR management for thousands of companies. Crafted and designed specifically for small businesses, we help resolve critical HR issues before and after they arise. Our technology, combined with a dedicated Bambee HR team, streamlines traditional HR workflows. Our customers enjoy guidance through the toughest moments, the fundamentals of good HR practices, plus same-day and next-day phone availability with their HR expert. Bambee helps transform and protect America's small businesses.

MOST REWARDING:
I set out to create a place that gives each person the most fulfilling experience of their career. Leadership must start from a place of authenticity and how you feel about the people around you. It's about the baseline of where each person is today, the potential of where they can be, and how I help them to get from point A to point B. It's the joy I receive in seeing the difference between how much people believe in themselves versus how much further they can really go to close the gap between belief and actuality.

SECRET TO MY SUCCESS:
I never shy away from having conversations that are tough. You can have all the plans in the world, but conversations are the glue that holds those plans together.

Colleen Burke

CTGRACE OWNER
CTGrace.net
Franklin, TN

MY BUSINESS:
CTGrace is a family-owned business whose purpose is to provide a ladies‘ boutique to help “Live Out Your Custom Lifestyle” with the latest fashion brand-name clothing and accessories. I chose the name CTGrace because it was the name of a company my husband Tim, who passed away from cancer five years ago, started for me before his passing. The initials stand for Colleen and Tim while "Grace" stands for the grace I try to live in my daily life.

MOST REWARDING:
The most rewarding aspect is to help women style themselves with a fabulous outfit, to have them feel great about what they are wearing, and to see them walking with confidence when they leave!

SECRET TO MY SUCCESS:
I have loved clothes and fashion for as long as I can remember, and when you do what you love, I think it comes across authentically.

Austin Bagwell

Fontainebleau Development
VICE PRESIDENT OF INDUSTRY RELATIONS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
FBDev.com
Las Vegas, NV + Miami, FL

MY BUSINESS:
Fontainebleau Development is one of the country’s premier real estate development and hospitality groups with a diverse portfolio that includes hospitality, gaming, residential, retail, commercial, and luxury services properties. The company builds, owns, markets, and operates these properties, providing expertise in each stage of a project’s life cycle with a relentless focus on detail and delivering the best quality in everything we do. I lead all global sales efforts for Fontainebleau's hospitality division, supporting our flagship property, Fontainebleau Miami Beach, the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort and Spa, the Hilton Downtown Nashville, and the forthcoming Fontainebleau Las Vegas—a hotel, gaming, meeting, and entertainment destination that will introduce our brand to the Las Vegas Strip (opening in the fourth quarter of 2023).

MOST REWARDING:
Nothing brings me more joy than curating extraordinary experiences for my clients. My goal is to provide them with opportunities to create lifelong memories and propel their organizations forward. Throughout its 70-year history, Fontainebleau has built a legacy of luxury. It is a privilege to represent such an iconic brand while contributing to our growth. My work is exhilarating and meaningful, and I am fortunate to do my job alongside so many creative, passionate hospitality professionals. Life is short, so you have to do what you love and love what you do!

SECRET TO MY SUCCESS:
Staying true to my authentic self.