Owning It

#OwningIt, Denise Gueli Business: The Bonadio Group Partner: Denise Gueli Industry: Accounting When Denise decided to pursue a career in accounting, she thought having a secure job was a fair trade-off for not having much personal interaction in her work life. She isn’t afraid to admit she was wrong. As a partner at The Bonadio Group, upstate New York’s largest independently owned CPA firm, Denise has spent the past 25 years helping businesses throughout Western New York grow. Working with clients ranging from manufacturers who make delicious candies, to auto dealers who help us get where we’re going in style, to construction companies that [...]

#OwningIt, Barbara Oliver Business: Barbara Oliver Jewelry Founder: Barbara Oliver Industry: Jewelry When Barbara opened her own jewelry shop in 2003, she realized a dream that began as a small girl growing up in Tonawanda. While her friends played with dolls and dressed up, Barbara immersed herself in gemological books and discovered a passion for gemstones that would become the foundation for her future. Barbara Oliver Jewelry is located on the third floor of the Caldwell Building, an office building on Main St. in Williamsville. When customers comment that the location is genius, Barbara laughs and tells them the reason she selected the location [...]

NAWBO Buffalo Niagara Declared “Women Doing Business Day” March 9 and Got Noticed March 9, 2016, started out with a Press Event at Ingersoll Painting and Construction at 9:00 am. A number of members from the local chapter of NAWBO in Buffalo gathered as well as representatives from the local press. The Press Event was held in collaboration with GM Tonawanda Engine Plant highlighting women business owners. The day was declared for women and minority business owners and their contributions to the economic development of the city and region.   Sabina Ramsey, President of NAWBO Buffalo Niagara started the press event with declaring March 9th as [...]

#OwningIt, Nikki Urquhart Business: Nikki Urquhart Founder: Break of Dawn International  Industry: Wellness The World Health Organization states that in any given year more than 350 million people worldwide will suffer from depression.  The majority of these people are women. Having suffered approximately 20 years intermittently with depression herself, Founder and CEO, Nickeisha Urquhart knew that several components around the topic of depression were required to bring about changes for the better.  With so many around the world who battle this debilitating condition, many are at a loss as to what to do to help someone in need. “Educating others on depression (symptoms, causes, [...]

#OwningIt, Lisa Coppola Business: Lisa Coppola Attorney & Counselor at Law & The English Gardener Founder: Lisa Coppola Industry: Law, Service Industry Her parents instilled in her the value of hard work, and Lisa Coppola has been at it since the age of 15, scooping pistachio and vanilla at the local ice cream shop. Initially making advertising and marketing her career path, Lisa segued into what has become a multi-decade career as an attorney partnering with clients in business planning, litigation, human resources and charter school law. She particularly enjoys working with budding entrepreneurs, supporting them through the challenges of navigating contracts and employees, and [...]

#OwningIt, Marcia Brogan Business: Marcia C. Brogan Agency LLC Founder: Marcia Brogan Industry: Insurance   Marcia C. Brogan , owner of Marcia Brogan Insurance Agency, is a WBE with New York State, The County and Erie and City of Buffalo.  Marcia has been helping businesses and individuals for over 34 years by providing insurance coverage that is complete and cost effective for their needs along with quality customer service. Marcia is affiliated with Niagara National to help provide the team approach for her  clients.  Niagara National  Insurance has a licensed support team of over 30 employees that  work with Marcia in providing excellent customer [...]

#Owning It, Annette Pinder Business: Buffalo Healthy Living Founder: Annette Pinder Industry: Publishing When Annette was approached in 2010 with the opportunity to manage and eventually own a magazine, it was nothing she had ever imagined. However, she literally owned her role and responsibility for the growth and development of the magazine, right from the start. She says, “It was initially scary to think about owning a business, and daunting to think about being responsible for producing a high-quality magazine every month.” But the magazine, which was initially 16 pages, has now grown to 48 pages and is read by more than 100,000 [...]

Behind the #OwningIt Campaign The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Buffalo Niagara Chapter is jumping into the autumn season by giving face to our members and Western New York’s women business owners. The campaign represents a myriad of professions and industries, from construction to coaching, marketing to manufacturing, law to technology.   Please participate in the campaign using #OwningIt.