It's not always sunshine and rainbows when you are a woman running a business in Fort Worth. Often, success is measured by how quickly a leader can assess a problem and ride the waves that come their way.
From economic downturns to fierce competition, Fort Worth businesswomen have the resilience of a trusty umbrella in a Texas thunderstorm and show time and time again that with a bit of grit and determination, even a misstep is a chance to learn and gray.
Whitney Kilpatrick, Founder, Owner
Maven Fort Worth Hair Co.
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
One significant obstacle I've faced in my career was transitioning from a hairstylist to a salon owner. The shift required a change in my skill set and a profound transformation in my mindset.
Starting as a suburban stylist and evolving into the Founder of Maven Fort Worth Hair Co. was a journey filled with challenges. The biggest hurdle was cultivating a strong salon culture amidst rapid growth and ensuring that the quality of service remained unparalleled.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
This journey of overcoming obstacles has been incredibly impactful. It taught me the importance of resilience, clear vision, and effective leadership. By facing these challenges head-on, I established a salon that represents excellence in the hair world and is a beacon for nurturing and developing talent.
Owning a business has allowed me to mentor and inspire others in the industry by sharing insights I've gained and fostering a community that upholds my high standards and values.
My past difficulties have shaped the leader I am today, and I'm committed to elevating the industry and empowering the next generation of stylists.
Dr. Emily Johnson, DO
817 Surgical Arts
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
Medicine has been my calling since the young age of eleven. But I have had to work hard, balancing a rigorous personal, academic, and professional schedule since the beginning.
After graduating from TCU, I started my first career working for Texas Health Resources on their electronic medical record. Soon after, I married and started a family, but my pursuit of a medical career never stopped. Six years after graduating college and only 3 weeks post-delivery of my second child, I started medical school. During medical school, I balanced my studies and family responsibilities, somehow making time for the honors research program.
My studies continued after graduation, and I went on to complete a rigorous 5-year surgical specialty residency, living separately from my husband that first year. I then completed my fellowship in another surgical subspecialty, becoming triple board certified in my field.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
My passion for my field has led me back to Fort Worth, where I am proudly the only female facial plastic and cosmetic surgeon in the greater Fort Worth region!
Olivia Partin, CFP, AAMS, Senior Financial Planner
Diesslin Group, Inc.
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
I’ve been in the finance industry for nearly ten years, but before then, I always put my career on the back burner. Whether it was a spouse’s career, a sick parent, or taking care of a newborn, it always felt like I couldn’t put my career first.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
While these obstacles felt debilitating at the moment, they led me to an unexpected opportunity in 2021.
In June of 2021, Diesslin Group reached out for a role as a Financial Planner. I didn’t hesitate to accept and have hit the ground running ever since. Almost three years later, we have accomplished so much as a team at Diesslin Group, largely in part due to my managing director, Rocky Farr, seeing something in me I didn’t see in myself.
Looking back at how far I’ve come, I am grateful for the obstacles that led me to where I am now.
Andrea Wilson, Partner
William Campbell Gallery
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
My most unique career obstacle has also been my most recent. My previous job was at a global advertising firm focused on marketing strategy for luxury retail brands, and over the past year, I transitioned to helping run the William Campbell Gallery. It was immediately apparent how vastly different the two roles were. Owning your own local business and all that entails, the uniqueness of the art industry, and counting on friends and acquaintances to support your business are all things I’ve had to adapt to, and it is extremely different from the established advertising agency I was a part of for the majority of my career.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
It’s had an amazing impact! By focusing on our local gallery, my world has grown larger and more diverse. Like art tends to do, it has enriched my life with creativity and color. From experiencing works of art, spending time with our talent and artists, collaborating with local businesses, hosting and enjoying our fun social events, and seeing the joy clients have when they fall in love with a piece they just must have, it all brings me so much happiness. I could never go back to a life without being surrounded by Fort Worth’s fabulous art community!
Dr. Jade Carlson, DDS
Drennan Family Dentistry
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
At 14 years old, my childhood dentist determined I needed major reconstructive jaw surgery. I had dreamed of starting high school socializing and playing volleyball with my friends, but instead, I faced an intense recovery with my jaw wired shut, eating through a straw, and enduring a swollen face during my months-long recovery.
I’m certain I wouldn’t have felt as hopeful during the process if it weren’t for the amazing dentists and oral surgeons who worked on me and offered me their empathy and compassion.
Not only did they give me a smile I was proud of, but I gained a renewed sense of confidence that completely transformed my life!
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
My experience at 14 years old had such an impact on my life that I told my parents I was going to be a dentist that year, and I followed through, becoming the first dentist in my family.
My philosophy of patient care is inspired by the doctors who changed my life. I strive to provide my patients with an experience that emulates the one I received from that incredible team of dental professionals.
I desire to build meaningful relationships with my patients, leaving them with a healthier smile and a renewed perspective of dentistry. Having encountered dentistry from both sides of the chair, I am grateful I found purpose in my circumstance that allows me to serve my patients with trust and understanding.
Dr. Ann Ranelle
Fort Worth Eye Associates
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
I don't view obstacles as mountains, but rather, as opportunities for growth and personal development. As a female surgeon navigating a predominantly male field, imposter syndrome was an early career challenge that I had to work through. Balancing the demands of motherhood, running a business, and maintaining advanced, modern surgical skills and diagnostic knowledge to ensure professional excellence has definitely required long hours and a loving, supportive family. However, I embrace these challenges as chances to hone my skills, cultivate resilience, and become a better person.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
I am stronger and more committed to being the best physician, surgeon, mother, spouse, and leader I can be. Every challenge is a chance to thrive and flourish, not merely to survive.
Kay Genua, Owner
Kay Genua Designs
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
I got my start in the world of Interior Design in 1990. I loved the store I worked for and even got to go to Paris three times to buy antiques. When they started having financial difficulties in 2002, it affected my orders. I was at a crossroads because I could not tell my clients the truth about why their orders were not shipping as quickly as I said they would. I decided to go out on my own in the fall of 2002. I quietly told my large clients and enclosed my new business card in my Christmas cards that year. I opened Kay Genua Designs with $600 in the bank and many prayers. I am proud that 97% of my clients continued to use me. Twenty-two years later, I am still going strong!
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
Starting my own business was scary! I remember thinking I would never receive a paycheck again. The only money I would make would come through my design work. My relationship with my vendors and clients was so strong that I never missed a beat. My twins were in second grade when I founded Kay Genua Designs. It gave them a great sense of pride to say that their mother had her own business even at that young age. My son referred to me as Super Woman to his college friends, and when I found that out, it made me cry! I bring my dog Tutu to work with me every day and take her to many clients' homes and the Design District. I am living The American Dream!
Kristi Judd, Founder, Owner
Music Junkie Studios
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
As the owner of Music Junkie Studios, one of the significant obstacles I've encountered is finding a balance between creating a culture that effectively supports our local musicians and one that warmly accommodates our student families.
It's been a challenge to navigate the delicate balance between these two priorities while staying true to our mission of helping musicians work solely in music and creating the type of studio environment I, as a mother, crave.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
By striving to strike a balance, I've cultivated a culture that serves the diverse needs of local musicians and families and also aligned our studio with the values of our beloved city, Fort Worth. Our commitment to reflecting Fort Worth's family-friendly nature and "Funkytown" reputation as a hub for the arts and small businesses has not only enhanced our studio's appeal but strengthened our community ties.
There's more work to do, of course, but I'm so proud of how far I've come. This journey has taught me invaluable lessons about empathy, flexibility, and resilience, shaping me into a more effective leader and advocate for musicians and families. I've grown as a leader, businesswoman, mother, and musician, and look forward to my continued growth for as many years as possible!
Amanda Pastusek, Co-owner
The Art Of Grazing
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
I think the biggest obstacle I have faced is not just one giant hard thing, but the persistent onslaught of obstacles that come at you every day as a business owner and not giving up or folding under the weight of those things. The learning curve, for me at least, was a steep vertical line, and many times, I would hit a wall and face something I didn’t know how to overcome. Over and over, there were new things to learn, forms to fill out, inspections to pass, and books to keep, none of which I had ever done before. I was a science major, which was predictably zero help. I just wanted to make cheese boards!
I see why the majority of small businesses close after the first two years because that’s when so much of that tidal wave comes at you. And you can either throw in the towel or put your head down and commit to getting through the hard stuff.
It’s great to have a dream, but you can’t get there without going through the muck and getting your hands dirty with things you dislike doing or are unaware of.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
Pushing through those hard days made it that much more amazing when the dream started to materialize. All the late nights with nothing to show for it, the work with no perceivable reward, it was moving the needle, bit by bit. It taught me gratitude for small successes because those little wins make up the big ones.
I’ve always tried to hold the dream loosely, not to let it rule me, and to be okay with failing. I think that has allowed me to have the freedom to take risks and to trust God with the outcome.
I trust that the work we do is worth it, that it blesses people, and that it adds something good to people's lives; because that's what we’re here for.
Gwen Hanson, OTR, CEO
The SMART Institute LLC
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
I took a big chance early on in my life and it led me to my career.
I was a single parent and realized my current job was too stressful. I wanted to do something more meaningful with my life. Remembering a high school interest in occupational therapy, I went back to school. When I discussed my desires with a counselor, they said I would never be accepted into the program. But I was stubborn and determined to follow my passion.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
Today, I find myself loving my life and my work at The SMART Institute. I am honored to work with a team that focuses on whole-body care. Our goal is to enable every patient to achieve their highest level of functional independence possible, while physically, emotionally, and socially improving their overall quality of life.
It’s a beautiful thing to witness the transformations.
Dr. Marie Woerner PT, DPT, WCS, CLT
Owner, Physical Therapist
Woerner Physical Therapy LLC
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
Leaving Corporate America and starting my own business was a pivotal time that would change so many things for me.
In the short term, I knew it would be hard and a challenge for me in many ways, but figuring out how to manage the stress it has brought and pivoting when things don’t go as planned, has been a struggle.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
Managing stress is still something that I struggle with, but each year, it gets a little easier. In hindsight, I feel like it has made me more resilient as a person, and I respond to these ups and downs with more positivity versus fear and anxiety.
Shelby Whitfield, RID, Owner, Principal Designer
Modern Menagerie
What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your life and/or career?
The transition to business ownership was a necessary challenge for me; when my son was born, I realized I needed a way to balance my career and family better than I was as an employee with a long commute. And while it has been worthwhile, starting a service-based business less than six months before a global pandemic with a newborn at home came with some unexpected obstacles.
How has this had a positive impact on where you are today?
The unfortunate timing of starting Modern Menagerie allowed me to practice both flexibility and resilience as I developed a stronger foundation for the business, and I'm so grateful that remote work made working across the country more natural as clients relocated and took me with them. I was able to take on projects in Los Angeles and New Mexico, in addition to clients local to the Fort Worth area, and I still enjoy the design challenges in the variety of client styles and the travel that allows me to discover new things for them.
