A $50,000 Boost for Emerging Entrepreneur
HEALDSBURG, Calif.—March 5, 2008—The dream of a lifetime came true for one budding entrepreneur. Today, Mirassou Winery® is pleased to announce that Jeannine Sargent of Charlotte, NC is the winner of the “Make Your Dreams Come True with Mirassou” contest that will award her $50,000 to start her dream business. In addition to the prize money, Mirassou will also provide a team of professional consultants, including business and marketing plan writers, as well as a graphic designer, financial planner, and legal expert. To help ensure her business’ success, Jeannine will also receive mentoring from an experienced entrepreneur from NAWBO.
Sargent’s winning business idea, “The Red Bow,” is a health club for women that offers a holistic approach for the body, mind, and spirit in a boutique setting. Her business model includes what she calls the “E3” strategy—evaluate, educate, and empower—which helps women make permanent lifestyle changes. “The Red Bow” will offer traditional gym elements, but what differentiates Sargent’s business concept is that “The Red Bow” will also provide health screenings such as cholesterol, bone density and blood pressure, as well as education programs in areas of interest to women, such as nutrition and stress management. Sargent plans to open the facility in the University City area of Charlotte.
“I am so blessed to have the opportunity to have my dream business actually come to fruition,” said Sargent. “What’s fantastic about the Mirassou award, besides the $50,000, is the support of experts to help guide my new business. Funds and expert support are essential tools to launch a successful company, and this is truly a once in a million chance for me!”
Mirassou is a longtime supporter of women-owned businesses, and the “Make Your Dreams Come True with Mirassou” contest embodies the winery’s longstanding commitment. Mirassou’s dedication to supporting female entrepreneurs stems from the family’s six-generation legacy. As America’s oldest winemaking family, the Mirassous have depended on the optimistic vision of the women of the family. In the late 1800s, second-generation Henrietta Mirassou became a widow early in life, leaving her to manage the family business and teach her young sons the art of winemaking. Even when she remarried and her new husband wanted to move, Henrietta remained steadfast, ensuring that her father’s dream of a family winemaking business would live on through her and her sons.
“I am pleased that Mirassou Winery continues to support optimistic and hardworking women who dream of running their own businesses,” said David Mirassou, a sixth-generation family member. “Our original winery overcame numerous challenges to survive six generations, and credit is due to my great-great grandmother, Henrietta Mirassou, and the tenacity of a long line of strong women who became business leaders long before that was common.”
Female entrepreneurs were rare in the 1800s, but today more than 10.4 million women own businesses in the United States. These companies generate $1.9 trillion in annual sales and employ 12.8 million people nationwide, according to the Center for Women’s Business Research.
Sargent’s winning concept was selected from more than 350 entrants who wrote an essay that described their business concept and its consumer appeal, and then outlined an implementation plan. Twenty semi-finalists were chosen and each was required to submit a formal business plan. Of four outstanding finalists that were interviewed, Sargent was chosen to make her dreams come true with Mirassou.