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It’s a rare person who would take on Microsoft, but that’s exactly what Eve Ashworth of Poughkeepsie’s Ashworth Creative has set out to do with the release of her new digital product, Go Gladys. Conceived as a PowerPoint alternative, the platform has morphed into an interactive content organizational tool, already used successfully by Crystal Run Healthcare and The Culinary Institute of America, among others. To top it off, MasterCard selected the software as one of only five products nationwide to participate in a product launch think tank at its headquarters.
Ashworth wasn’t always so cutting-edge. In fact, she and her husband Isaac began the business in 2003 as a traditional print-oriented, home-based design firm. “Our clients were the ones who pushed us to build our web products out,” says Ashworth, who emigrated from Warwickshire, England (Shakespeare country!) 22 years ago as a young adult. Today, her firm offers digital and video services and operates from the landmark Poughkeepsie Journal Building, employing 10 (half are female). Clients include Harney & Sons Fine Teas, the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, numerous community colleges, and heavy-hitters like the NYC-based Interactive Advertising Bureau. “Come to us with a headache, and we’ll figure out the best solution. Once you get past the really tough stuff, creativity can flow!”
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve received:
“Think higher level: As an owner, you should be working on your business, not in your business.” — from the Just Add One program for entrepreneurs at Westchester Community College
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Kathleen Bennett MaroldSix years ago, Kathleen Bennett Marold created textiles and interior products for upscale hotel design projects, working with such major design firms as Donghia, Brunschwig & Fils, and Zimmer + Rohde. But work kept her away from home — and her daughters — for 80 percent of the year. So, in 2012, she launched Floor […]
Nina SmileyNina Smiley and her husband, Bert, were pursuing successful careers in Washington, D.C., when the forest came knocking in 1990. Mohonk Mountain House, the iconic resort hotel founded by Bert’s great-grand-uncle Albert Smiley, needed someone to take the reins. The couple talked it over, and soon became the only married couple with Princeton PhDs to […]
Melody Gregory Reflecting on her early days at the law firm she’s been affiliated with for 41 years, Melody Gregory recalls that after graduating high school from Newburgh Free Academy, “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and thought law might be something to try.” She took a chance, joined Finkelstein & Partners as a […]
Filomena E. FanelliFilomena Fanelli launched her public relations firm with little more than a laptop and her kitchen counter. “When the kids were young, I used to clear Cheerios off the table before a business meeting,” she laughs. Since she formed Impact PR & Communications five years ago, it’s become a go-to agency for clients in the […]
Carol GordonAfter more than 30 years as an executive focusing on the “people” aspect of business, Carol Gordon decided to launch her own business as a business management consultant, focusing on employee relations and productive workplaces. “I noticed more people were seeking my input about employee conflicts and career advancement,” she says, and decided to strike […]
Leah PennimanTo call Leah Penniman’s work life a career wouldn’t do it justice. The word “mission” is more appropriate; she has a mission to fundamentally change our food systems so that they are more sustainable, healthy, and equitable. Specifically, she is educating and empowering the next generation of activist-farmers to own and farm land, and combating […]
Sandra LudlumSandra Ludlum considers her current position and her education her greatest achievements: “Not by virtue of the title, but because of my opportunity to get there,” she says, explaining that she joined Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union with an associate’s degree, and then — through its tuition reimbursement program — went on to receive her […]
Jennifer HowlandGrowing up, Jennifer Howland always had a talent for math and science. But a career in engineering wasn’t her first career choice. “I also considered hotel management, and I loved music. Actually, I wanted to be Julie, the cruise director on The Love Boat,” she laughs. But Howland opted to forgo a career on the […]
Kathy MergetAs a child, Kathy Merget aspired to be a gym teacher. Now, as the Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, her goal is to heighten the awareness and practice of wellness and self-care for more than 2,200 students, focusing on making a difference […]
Suzanne RajcziAs CEO of Ginsberg’s Foods — the Hudson Valley’s largest independent family-owned food service distributor — Suzanne Rajczi is responsible for a company that generates $169 million in annual revenue and sells more than 8,000 products across New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Rajczi attributes the company’s success to the relationships they create with their clients, […]
Tara SullivanShe’s the first female executive at the New York State Bridge Authority (NYSBA), and Tara Sullivan feels right at home in the job. “I love this work — and I love being a female leader in state government,” she says. From her office in Highland, she helps oversee the five major Hudson Valley bridges: Bear […]
Debra ForbesDebra Forbes prefers not to be seen or heard, and just lets the work happen. In her case, the work is applying paint and texture to create magnificent 200’ x 80’ hand-painted backdrops for Broadway shows. Her childhood artistic instincts were honed by decorating cakes at her father’s bakery in Philadelphia. A love for theater […]
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