Ten Local Business Owners Receive the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award

“The SOE Awards are a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and honor these amazing women for the hard work they have put in to keep their businesses thriving. This year’s winners are even more inspirational when you factor in the challenges presented throughout the past year,” said Kathy Odell, CEO of WEV.

In addition to the 10 category awards, WEV also presented entrepreneur and activist, 92-year-old Lupe Anguiano with the 2021 Rock Star: Lifetime Achievement Award. Anguiano was honored for her more than seven decades of work on women’s rights, the rights of the poor, and the protection of the environment. This prestigious award is presented annually to an individual who has made an indelible impact on our community and who serves as a role model for women.

Major sponsors of the 2021 Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards include Aligned Pilates, Wellness and Physical Therapy, American Riviera Bank, City National Bank, Cox, County of Ventura, JP Morgan Chase & Co, La Arcada, LinkedIn, Lure Digital Agency, Montecito Bank & Trust, Pacific Western Bank, Tileco Distributors, and Ventura County Credit Union.

Winners by Category:

Arts & Entertainment: Devyn Duex, Nebula Dance Lab, nebuladance.org

Green & Social Entrepreneur: Pam Plesons, Plow to Porch Organics, Inc., plowtoporch.com

Health & Wellness: Jill Agonias, Divinitree Yoga, divinitreesantabarbara.com

Hospitality & Tourism: Gabrielle Moes, Seasons Catering, seasonscateringca.com

Media & Communications: Lynnette Coverly, Coverly Professional Services, coverlypro.com

Nonprofit: Mary Maranville, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture, Inc., seeag.org

Professional Services: Laurice Tamura, Urban Planning Concepts, Inc., urbanplanningconcepts.com

Retail: Ashe Browne, Pura Luna Apothecary, puralunaapothecary.com

Science & Technology: Rashi Bahri Chitnis, Shoonya, shoonyadigital.com

Wholesale, Mfg, Online Retail:  Reyna Chavez, Scrubs on the Run, scrubsontherununiforms.com

About Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV), www.wevonline.org

Women’s Economic Ventures is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women.  WEV is a business resource network for anyone looking to start a business, grow a local business, or improve their business skills. WEV provides small business training, advisory services, financial literacy programs and small business loans in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.  While WEV’s focus is on women, it welcomes people of all gender identities into the WEV community. Business courses, programs and loans are provided in both English and Spanish.

Since 1991, WEV has provided business training and small business advisory services to more than 19,000 people throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. WEV has made more than $6.4 million in small business loans and helped more than 5,000 local businesses start or expand, generating an estimated $770 million in annual sales and creating nearly 12,000 local jobs.  WEV is a U.S. Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Center and Microlender, as well as a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).