As you check those lists twice, consider adding gifts from these local, female-founded brands to your holiday cart. From emerging side-hustles to thriving small businesses, these incredible women are building and creating with passion and purpose one inspired idea at a time.
Created by local entrepreneur Ashley Langer, Hot Tommies is a fashion-forward heated vest designed for women who refuse to sacrifice style for warmth —whether you’re on the sidelines or out for après-ski.
FLM: What inspired you to take the leap and start your own business?
Ashley Langer: Hot Tommies started because I was always cold — and tired of choosing between being warm or looking cute. I wanted a heated vest that felt chic. Seeing women light up when they put it on keeps me going. Every “I love this!” message reminds me I created something that makes women feel good and confident.
FLM: What advice would you give to other women thinking about turning their passion into a business?
AL: Start before you’re ready. You’ll never feel “fully prepared,” but momentum builds clarity. Remember: progress over perfection. Every small step forward counts.
FLM: Looking ahead, what’s next?
AL: My focus is on growing awareness for Hot Tommies. I’m also really excited to grow our give-back initiative. For every order, Hot Tommies donates $1 to Dress for Success, helping women gain the confidence and resources they need to thrive professionally. It’s incredibly meaningful to build a brand that not only keeps women warm but also helps them step into their power — in every sense of the word.
Rebecca Ashby is the owner of HOPE & JOY, a gift shop specializing in personalized gifts — with a mission to bring people positivity, hope and joy. Every item is made with heart and purpose.
FLM: What first inspired your journey into entrepreneurship?
Rebecca Ashby: I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. When I started HOPE & JOY in 2022, it was something deeply personal — honestly, a form of therapy. My son had been diagnosed as neurodiverse, right before the pandemic and I was struggling to navigate that new world as a parent. Creativity has always been my outlet. Around that time, my husband gifted me my first embroidery machine and I began making simple projects to give as gifts. I quickly realized how much joy it brought me — and to others — so I kept creating and experimenting.
FLM: How has your vision for the business evolved since you first started?
RA: It was a very slow start — but that was okay, because it was still my creative therapy. At first, my Etsy shop was a bit of a mix of everything that made me happy and it didn’t have a clear direction. Once I decided I truly wanted to grow it into a real business, I refined my skills, paid attention to what my customers wanted and even took business classes to learn how to grow. I spent countless hours improving the brand. In 2024, we launched our official website and began offering wholesale for select products. Now, as 2025 comes to a close, I’m living my dream — opening a retail store in downtown Fairfield.
FLM: What impact do you hope your business has beyond the products you offer?
RA: The biggest part of my heart is being an adoptive mom to Parker. He’s been my inspiration and my strength — a truly amazing young man. Through our journey, I’ve seen how deeply our country needs more mental health support. That’s why HOPE & JOY gives financial HOPE to those in need while spreading JOY through meaningful gifts. In addition to supporting non-profits that help adoptive parents in waiting, each month I donate a portion of proceeds to mental health organizations, including the Child Mind Institute. These causes are deeply personal to me, and giving back in this way truly embodies what HOPE & JOY stands for.
Blue Sound Gifts was created by the talented Jennifer Aaron. Combining her love of the beach and nurturing her creativity an artisan was born. Using clam and oyster shells, she decoupages them into thoughtful gifts for everyone. She crafts everything from ornaments, trinket dishes, keychains, to handbag charms, blessing beads and more. Look for her beautiful products (usually along with the best dog in the world) at local Craft Markets and Pop ups throughout Fairfield Country.
FLM: What inspired you to take the leap and start your own business and what keeps you motivated through the challenges?
Jennifer Aaron: In 2020 I was going through a rough divorce as well as dealing with the pandemic. I discovered how to take shells that I found on the beach and decoupage them. So mixing my love of beach combing plus my creative side I fell in love with this and just took it and ran with it. I am a flight attendant by day. Being creative is my therapy so I don’t choose pieces based on business. I choose them based on the shape of the shell and what I personally think looks nice. It’s the best kind of bonus when customers love it too!
FLM: Share one moment when you really felt proud?
JA: I absolutely love when a customer comes into my booth and sees something that they absolutely love and have to have. I always remember when I made it and it makes me feel so wonderful that they’re spending their money on something that I made and that they think it’s beautiful too.
With a background in graphic design, Georgina Real honed her craft working on iconic projects like the Macy’s Christmas windows and the vibrant billboards of Times Square. Channeling her artistic eye and passion for design, she founded Real+Co. Real+Co specializes in hand-poured soy candles made with the highest quality scents, each one reflecting her dedication to detail and beauty. They also craft luxurious body products including sugar scrubs and body butters, all designed to bring a touch of artistry and indulgence to everyday moments.
FLM: Can you share the story of how your business began — what sparked the first step?
Georgina Real: Shortly after my mother's Parkinson’s diagnosis, she moved in with us. I saw her physical and mental health decline, especially her ability to use her hands. She had always created everything with her hands, she was an amazing cook and dancer. I realized after her passing, I wanted to do something with my hands. I have sat at the computer for 25 years doing graphic design, which is still my first love but it was time to do something with my hands while I still had the ability to do so. That is what inspired me to start Real + Co.
FLM: What sets your products apart?
GR: I use clean ingredients, 100% soy wax, high-end fragrances that are phthalate free and blended with essential oils and cotton wicks. My husband has watched me from the very beginning and began to help by making the scrubs, soaps and body butters. It’s truly become a unique family business that we can enjoy together!
FLM: What do you love most about doing business in this community?
GR: What I truly love is being able to connect with people. Talking with people at markets and events. Hearing stories and sharing a product that I hope brings them a little joy in their day to day lives.
Salt & June is a handmade, ocean-inspired jewelry brand born from college student Rebecca Roll's creative spirit and love for the coast. Summer isn’t just a season, it's a state of mind she infuses into every piece she creates.
FLM: What inspired you to take the leap and start your own business?
Rebecca Roll: I’ve always been very creative. During COVID, I started making jewelry more as a way to stay connected with loved ones and to feel close to the Connecticut coast while my friends and I went away to college. On my 20th birthday, I decided to take a leap of faith and launch my website — with no real plan and no background in business as a psychology and neuroscience major. I never imagined that what started as a passion project would grow into something so meaningful.
FLM: What’s one lesson you’ve learned as a business owner that’s shaped how you work today?
RR: I’ve learned is that authenticity and genuine connection matter more than just making a sale. Customers remember how you make them feel and that comes from staying true to myself and my vision. I’ve learned to trust my creativity and my brand’s aesthetic, even if not everyone resonates with it. Staying authentic allows me to create meaningful pieces that reflect who I am and build real connections with the people who do.
FLM: What has been the most rewarding part of growing your business?
RR: Seeing people wearing my jewelry. It’s a surreal feeling knowing someone chose to wear a design I made by hand because it complemented their outfit or made them feel good. What makes it even more special is seeing my parents so proud, because my business wouldn’t be possible without their support. Sharing those moments with them and seeing their pride reminds me why I started and how far I’ve come.
As a working mom and woman on the go, Allyson Mandelbaum rarely had the time or energy to do her hair. She was always a little jealous of her husband, who could just throw on a baseball cap and look effortlessly put together. She could never find a hat that fit her well. If she couldn’t find the hat of her dreams, she'd make it. Shady Lady has grown and is now available across the country.
FLM: Can you share what first inspired your journey into entrepreneurship?
Allyson Mandlebaum: After not being able to find a hat that fit me well and learning that all hats were made from the measurements of a man's head, I knew I had found the right industry to disrupt. Women deserve products made specifically for them and I'm so happy to be a part of that movement. I'm also deeply fueled by being able to give back. Every year a portion of our sales goes to Surfrider CT to help clean up our beaches and oceans. We also hold community beach clean ups to further our cause. Living in Fairfield, the beach has given my family so much joy, we are passionate about keeping our beaches healthy for generations to come.
FLM: What’s one lesson you’ve learned as a business owner that’s shaped how you work today?
AM: Patience, which is not my strong point. I am learning that building a business takes time. Each week is filled with wins and loses and I'm trying my best to enjoy the journey. I have a sign in my office that says, "Don't quit before the miracle happens" and I look at it all the time as a reminder that the ones who stay in the game are the ones who end up on top.
FLM: What has been the most rewarding part of building your business?
AM: Seeing my family all get involved. My kids help me pack hats, make social media content and wear our hats and sweatshirts all around town. My husband helps with my website and marketing and my parents have come to my rescue many times late at night when I have orders to get out and no time to pack them. Getting to share this experience with them has been so fulfilling and showing my kids how much hard work, determination and patience goes into building something is invaluable.
Pink Cardinal is a heart-centered apparel and accessories brand that blends comfort, style, and purpose. At its core, Pink Cardinal stands for community and compassion. 25% of all proceeds are donated to nonprofit organizations making a difference, including Girls on the Run International, SeriousFun Children’s Network, and Operation Hope of Fairfield.
FLM: What pushed you to build something of your own?
Joy Errico: I wanted to create something that made people feel good not just about what they were wearing but about the impact they were making. I loved the idea of apparel that carried meaning but couldn’t find a brand that truly balanced comfort, quality, and purpose. So Pink Cardinal was born out of that gap, a desire to build something rooted in kindness and community, where giving back wasn’t an afterthought but part of the design itself.
FLM: How do you hope your business leaves a lasting impact on the community?
JE: I hope Pink Cardinal reminds people that kindness is powerful and contagious. If we can inspire even a few people to shop more consciously, support local causes or see giving as part of everyday life, then we’ve made an impact that lasts well beyond any single collection. I also hope my children see that it’s possible to build something with both purpose and heart and that giving back isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are.
Founded by Beth Maloney, Summer Hours' fresh fragrances capture the ephemeral joys of the season in a bottle. Made from ingredients that are clean, vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable.
FLM: What gave you the confidence to start your own business?
Beth Maloney: Confidence — in anything — comes from both knowledge and experience. I’d dreamt of having my own brand since university, so I spent years developing the foundation before I ever began. Experience followed. Starting was the hardest part; continuing has been easy by comparison. I enjoy the challenge of continually moving the brand forward, even if it means rethinking what came before. I now understand why people become serial entrepreneurs — once you’ve done it, you know you can do it again.
FLM: Any advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on how to “juggle it all”?
BM: Get clear on your professional and personal priorities, and let everything flow from there. If something isn’t aligned with those goals, question whether it’s worth the time and effort. Creative work, in particular, needs time and freedom away from other responsibilities. My best ideas usually happen when I’m traveling solo.
FLM: What moment or accomplishment fills you with the most pride?
BM: Summer Hours being featured in Vogue was a thrill — and so validating for the business. But deeper pride comes from growing it from a concept to a brand that’s resonated with customers around the country. It’s still surreal when someone tells me they found their new favorite fragrance through the Discovery Set. I’m also proud — and a little amazed — that my teenage sons seem to have caught the entrepreneurial spark.