BELLA Boss: January 2025 Reinvention Issue
By Lynette Barbieri + Danielle Kiriakos
Success in business demands ambition, RESOLVE, determination, and a relentless pursuit of goals. Here, we highlight successful entrepreneurs whose remarkable accomplishments demonstrate the importance of self-belief and daring leaps of faith.
If you’re looking to reshape your career journey, let their achievements inspire you to carve your path to success.
Photography by Gabrielle Robb
Angela Hedges DNP, FNP-BC
Burlington, Iowa
Innovaire Primary Health
InnovairePrimaryHealth.com
How do you prioritize your self-care and wellbeing?
I listen to my body when it tells me I am doing too much and need a break. I am a strong believer that if you don’t, then your body will eventually make you by both acute and chronic illness.
What made you decide to go out on your own?
I knew I wanted to practice healthcare where I could prioritize my patients and the only way to accomplish that is by doing an independent practice that I could control certain aspects. Healthcare is such big business nowadays and I wanted to go back to the basics where we can focus on getting people well, not just treating chronic illness.
Photography by Gabrielle Robb
What has been the most rewarding since opening your doors?
By far my patients! They just want to be heard and not shuffled through the doors. They are extremely sick, so much that it’s affecting their quality of life. Being a part of their healing journey is the biggest blessing.
What one piece of advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to switch industries or launch their own business?
Being a business owner and thinking outside of the norm is not for the weak. Without those willing to look for change and brave enough to want more, we can never progress.
Photography By Kevin Arkadie
Felicia D. Henderson
Los Angeles, California, and Chicago, Illinois
WaterWalk Entertainment Inc.: CEO/Writer/Director/Producer
TheRebelGirlsFilm.com
PRIORITIZING SELF-CARE AND WELL-BEING
Time management is everything! I schedule "Joy Dates" like spa days, theater trips, and time with loved ones to ensure I prioritize my physical and mental well-being before burnout happens.
ADVICE FOR OTHER ENTREPRENEURS
Make your team feel seen and heard by asking for their ideas and passions. You’ll gain valuable insights while keeping them invested in your shared success.
SECRET TO MY SUCCESS
An undeniable work ethic, treating everyone with grace, and hiring people smarter than me.
Photography By Lauren O’Neil
Jayne Gottlieb
Aspen, Colorado
The ALIVE Culture: Founder
AspenShakti.com
PRIORITIZING SELF-CARE AND WELL-BEING
I prioritize movement through my Body ALIVE practice, which includes breathwork, yoga, dance, shaking, and getting my heart rate up every day, even if it’s only for 20 minutes. I also make time for nature, connecting with the flow of the seasons, and staying spontaneous—drinking champagne is part of my self-care protocol.
ADVICE FOR OTHER ENTREPRENEURS
GO ALL IN, no back doors! Yes, things may pivot and shift, but when you’re all in, there is no way out, and you’re more apt to get creative and figure it out. Tenacity is one of the most important key ingredients to entrepreneurship.
SECRET TO MY SUCCESS
Trust in myself—specifically my creativity, resilience, and ability to take what is in front of me, stay positive, and work with it.
Photography By Tim Schaeffer
Hannah Fletcher
Beverly Hills, CA
The Hannah Fletcher Show: Host
TheHannahFletcherShow.tv
PRIORITIZING SELF-CARE AND WELL-BEING
Making sure I move my body as much as possible, and by consuming content that has positive messages and undertones to it. Both practices are extremely important to me, and I find that by making these adjustments each day, I am operating at my absolute best.
ADVICE FOR OTHER ENTREPRENEURS
Believe in themselves and their vision, as true belief in your ideas creates motion and leads to success. At the same time, it’s important to stay open-minded while remaining true to your principles, ensuring you never sacrifice self-fulfillment.
SECRET TO MY SUCCESS
It’s comprised of two words: consistency and persistence.
Photography By Katherine Nuñez
Kristen Mehmedi
Bayshore, NY
JMC PHOTOBOOTHS - CEO + Founder
JMCPhotoBooths.com
PRIORITIZING SELF-CARE AND WELL-BEING
Learning how to be selfish has been my biggest task to do date.
ADVICE FOR OTHER ENTREPRENEURS
Do not allow the weight of others to hold you down; understand that you are not a tree. You do not have to stay where you feel unwanted. If you believe in YOU, the rest is irrelevant.
SECRET TO MY SUCCESS
My success comes from both compassion & empathy.