Testimonials—Inspiring Success

It was a year ago when fellow entrepreneur Mame Noonan of SendOutCards invited me to a Women TIES event. I had no idea what to expect, but went ahead with my red MaryJane pumps and a smile! That 1st Women TIES luncheon held on March 3, 2011 was perfect timing for the launch of my new business. At the event I met Joy Rafferty, owner of the Albany California Closets. Joy quickly opened her business to me and my new company Shush Shoes. Just 2 weeks later, Shush Shoes held its official “launch” party in the showroom of California Closets.

Soon after that event I attended the Women TIES Annual Retreat in Skaneateles, NY. It was about a 2.5+ hour drive. But the Retreat met every expectation and more! The speakers inspired me to keep on my goals and even brought me to tears as guest speaker Amy Dickinson of AskAmyDaily.com shared her life story. It was a day of my life well spent!

That event connected me to Cammi Clark, and her team of Today's CNY Women! One month later Cammi invited me to showcase my shoes at a huge Open House at her home in Camillus. At her party, I met our first Syracuse area shoe rep which launched my company in Syracuse. After traveling to Syracuse, I traveled to Utica where I met Kim Thompson, another women entrepreneur who hosted a Shush party in New Hartford AND joined my team of Shush ladies in January! It’s hard to point out all of the other connections that event opened me up to. The leads and contacts continue to come in to this day.

This week I traveled to the Women TIES event in Owego, NY. There, I met multiple women to introduce my business to as well as learn about theirs. Again the speaker was inspirational! I was home by 4:30pm and received a call that night from a woman inquiring to join my team!

The point of the story and needless to say….no matter if Women TIES heads to Saratoga, Syracuse, Binghamton, Plattsburgh, Buffalo, Utica or Ithaca, I will leap at the opportunity to put on a cute pair of shoes and drive there. Connections don’t just happen from behind the computer screen. In business, we go where we can, when we can to see what the universe has in mind for who you are meant to connect with in that region! Shush Shoes is grateful that the universe inspired this great lady, Tracy Higginbotham to start a company that is meant to bring together entrepreneurial women locally, regionally and statewide!

— Melissa, O'Reilly, Shush Shoes