"There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish," Michelle Obama once said—and the women of Rochester are living proof. They aren’t just living up to that sentiment, they’re setting a new standard. These women are healing, building and rebuilding, renovating, designing, and creating. Our region is home to women who are thriving in male-dominated fields and leading the way.
From a record store veteran breathing new life into a beloved eatery, to a dentist who crossed borders to follow her calling, to two friends who turned pandemic downtime into a design business, the women featured here are proof that determination, savvy, grit, vision, and a willingness to take risks can build something extraordinary.
Dr. Gabriela Carranza, owner of Victor Prosthodontics
Dr. Gabriela Carranza's passion for dentistry began at just nine years old, when her brother took a fall and injured one of his baby teeth. Unsure how to help in that moment, she later asked the tooth fairy for a microscope so she could examine her own teeth. That childhood curiosity sparked a lifelong calling, one that would eventually lead her to leave Guatemala and pursue her passion for the field in the United States.
In dental school, she was always drawn to the most complex cases, naturally leading her to prosthodontics. Today, she has owned Victor Prosthodontics for eight years, having purchased the practice from Dr. James Soltys upon his retirement. Since taking over, she has relocated and renovated the space into a boutique-like environment where she wants her patients to feel special. "They're the only ones that matter in the moment, not like a factory," she says. The approach is clearly working. What was once a solo practice has grown, prompting Dr. Carranza to bring on an associate almost six years ago, with patients now traveling from hours away to see her.
Breaking into a male-dominated field was only part of the challenge. Dr. Carranza also had to navigate language barriers and repeat her boards and certifications in the U.S. For her, every obstacle was worth it. The reward is "giving a smile back to someone when there was no hope," she says, whether that's a child born without teeth or a patient living with unexplained mouth pain. "Aesthetics go hand in hand with function," she adds.
Beyond her practice, Dr. Carranza teaches at the University of Rochester’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health and co-leads the Rochester Women's Study Club for female dentists in the area. She credits her mother, who raised four children alone after losing her husband, for shaping her work ethic and leadership style.
“There are moments when I step into my office and can’t quite believe I’ve built a place where purpose, passion, and profession come together, allowing me to help others in a meaningful way. I’m truly grateful every day,” she says.
Alayna Alderman, owner of Don’s Original
If there's one thing Alayna Alderman knows, it's what it's like to make a heritage business thrive, from her 40-year stint as co-owner of the legendary Record Archive, to her latest endeavor as owner of another Rochester icon: Don's Original.
While Record Archive is now in her rearview mirror, she looks back with pride on the four decades she poured her heart and soul into the business. Her swan song came last year when she was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame. Now at 60, when Don's Original, a neighborhood staple since 1945, went up for sale across the street and developers came sniffing around, she and her husband stepped in to buy it (she holds the majority ownership), ensuring the beloved business would survive.
"There's very few things that bring together people in this divisive world. One thing is music, and the other is food," Alderman says. "I'm happy to continue on in a business that brings stuff together.”
Although Alderman comes from customer service rather than food service, the transition has proven natural. Since reopening Don's Original last year, she has drawn on her experience with heritage businesses to honor tradition while moving forward. The once-seasonal spot is now a year-round destination, serving beer and wine, with a new patio, an opened sunroom, and a recurring music series called Don's After Dark. “This is where my relationship with the local music community is really coming into play. They know what I did at Record Archive. A lot of them have said they want to play here for me.. There’s a limitation of space. It’s more intimate, but it's still fun and well-attended. It’s a vibe.”
As she looks to the future, she hopes to expand the outdoor spaces and perhaps add a rooftop space overlooking the bay. “This next chapter is exciting, it's unexpected. I'm looking forward to challenging myself and making it a wonderful destination like I have with other things in my past."
Erin Eder & DeeDee DiMarco, Owners of Cedar & Deed
One of the reasons Erin Eder and DeeDee DiMarco work so well together, Eder says with a laugh, is simple: "DeeDee often has crazy ideas, and I rarely say no." Their partnership took root during the pandemic, when the two families formed a pod and spent much of their time together. Eder, a mother and educator with 20 years in the classroom, and DiMarco, a professional photographer and mother of six, found themselves at a crossroads, and the conversation turned to flipping houses.
It wasn't entirely unfamiliar territory. DiMarco had helped her father flip houses, while Eder had tackled a full build and interior design with her ex-husband. But from the start, their approach set them apart. "Our realtor was adamant we weren't flipping, we were transforming houses," Eder says, noting how the two would walk through a property and envision the person who would one day call it home.
Over that time, they renovated 11 homes, building a loyal following through their eye for design, work ethic, and growing social media presence. Then came their break into full interior design, when a realtor called on behalf of clients who wanted Eder and DiMarco to design their basement in an "extreme makeover" experience where the homeowners wouldn't see the finished space until it was complete. “It was cool because we had a ton of artistic freedom. We knew what they wanted, we knew what their style was, and they gave us free range to do that," says Eder.
The partnership works because the two complement each other naturally. DiMarco brings bold ideas and an artistic eye, while Eder grounds the vision with spatial and analytical sensibility. “I think we both have a good amount of creativity, and we agree 99.9% of the time on just about everything,” DiMarco says.
“As DeeDee said, we have a super aligned vision,” Eder says. “We have fun. In stressful times we have each other’s back. We have talked about how hard this would be to do on our own because we support each other so much.”
No Filter: A Conversation with Rochester's Women Entrepreneurs
Running a business is one thing. Running it while raising a family, nurturing relationships, and carving out space for yourself? That’s an art form in its own right. When ROC City Lifestyle sat down with these dynamic women entrepreneurs, the conversation turned to hard-won wisdom, the kind that comes with time and persistence.
For Dr. Carranza, the lesson was efficiency. "I'm more efficient now," she says with a laugh, crediting motherhood, of all things, with sharpening her sense of balance.
Alderman, with four decades of entrepreneurship behind her, finds that people are what’s most important. “Find good people to surround yourself with that you can look at as mentors,” she says. “You have to take time for your personal life,” she adds, noting how she’s married, has three kids, and was the caregiver for an older adult parent. “I think my girlfriends have been the best therapy. All my friends give me strength and power and support.”
For DiMarco and Eder, who stepped into business ownership later in their careers, the education has been an ongoing and collaborative experience. "We learn something every project, every day," Eder reflects, noting that surrounding yourself with good people is also a vital sentiment. Of course, prioritizing family while maintaining a balance of creativity, hard work, and fun is the graceful juggling act these woman do—and the quiet superpower behind everything they build.
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