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The women in this feature didn’t inherit success, they built it. Through grit, vision, and determination, they turned setbacks into stepping stones and created paths where none existed. Their journeys prove that self-made isn’t just a title, it’s the power to rise, lead, and inspire others to believe they can do the same.
Lisa Duncan – Inspiring women to dream bigger at every age
For more than sixteen years, Lisa Duncan has invited women into her world through her YouTube channel, creating a space where style, beauty, and confidence come together. What began as a love for fashion and makeup grew into a career that now spans coaching, product collaborations, and community-building. With nearly half a million subscribers, Lisa has proven that consistency and authenticity can build not only a brand but a movement.
Her journey is marked by standout moments from being invited to the Zara Barbie Collection opening as their top affiliate, to attending the Louis Vuitton Murakami launch, to hosting subscribers at the Comfelie Fashion Show in what felt like a personal meet and greet. Beyond these glamorous milestones, Lisa has built a thriving business as a content creator and mentor. She is an LTK Millionaire, a certified life coach, and a course creator whose programs on feminine energy and lifestyle have reached women worldwide.
Lisa’s vision extends beyond beauty and fashion. Her upcoming line of lipsticks and liners is another step in building the career she once only dreamed of.
At the heart of her success is a message she wants every woman to hear: life doesn’t slow down in your fifties, it opens up. Lisa believes this season is the perfect time to chase what once felt out of reach. Her dream of more fashion shows, a home in Soho, and a landmark brand deal is a reminder that possibility is always within reach.
Dr. Sable Staller: Turning challenges into confidence and inspiration
Growing up in a small town of 1,500 people, Dr. Sable Staller always dreamed of building a bigger life. Her inspiration came from her orthodontist, a woman who showed her that it was possible to have both a career she loved and the freedom to create the life she wanted. That moment planted the seed for Sable’s future as an orthodontist, content creator, and role model for young women chasing big dreams.
Her journey wasn’t easy. In her first year of dental school, Sable lost her father to lung cancer. It was a devastating blow, but she chose to keep moving forward, supported by her family and friends. She excelled in school, became chief resident in her orthodontic program, and eventually made her way to New York City a dream she refused to let others talk her out of.
Today, she helps patients transform their lives with a smile they can be proud of, while also using social media to educate millions about oral health. Her videos TikTok and Instagram break down barriers, showing that doctors care deeply about their patients and face challenges just like everyone else. Through her content, she also inspires the next generation of women in healthcare, encouraging them to stand strong in their ambitions.
Dr. Staller believes confidence is built from within but reflected outwardly and a smile can be the first step toward that transformation. Her vision for the future includes becoming a trusted name in New York City’s East Side Orthodontics, expanding her digital presence, and one day publishing a children’s book series that makes oral health fun.
Alexis Paul, CPA – Helping entrepreneurs find clarity and confidence in their finances
For Alexis Paul, accounting has always been more than numbers on a page. It is about helping people feel empowered, organized, and confident in their financial decisions. As the principal of her own CPA firm in Greenwich,CT, Alexis has built a reputation for guiding entrepreneurs through the often overwhelming world of taxes and accounting with clarity and care.
Her journey began at Ernst & Young in New York City, working on complex financial operations and compliance. Backed by an MBA in Accounting from Baruch College and a Psychology degree from Johns Hopkins University, Alexis developed a sharp mix of technical precision and people-centered leadership. Those early years as a student-athlete and Volleyball team captain shaped her ability to combine discipline with empathy – qualities that now define her approach with clients.
Launching her own firm gave Alexis the freedom to focus on the people she felt most called to serve: entrepreneurs, especially women, who needed more than a tax return. They needed strategy, education, and encouragement. One client, a tech founder overwhelmed by tax stress, saw her outlook completely change after Alexis recommended a new business structure that saved her over $20,000 in taxes. Moments like this capture her mission: turning confusion into confidence.
Today, Alexis and her team specialize in tax strategy, tax preparation, and small business accounting, with a focus on saving clients money while simplifying their systems. She offers in person appointments as well as all virtual services to serve her clients throughout the contiguous United States. Looking ahead, she envisions expanding her firm throughout the Tri-State Area, creating a trusted network where entrepreneurs know their finances are in capable hands. For Alexis, success is not just measured in dollars saved but in the peace of mind her clients carry forward.
Amy Reczek – Teaching the power of presence in sales and life
For more than two decades, Amy Reczek built her career in corporate sales, living the reality of quotas, negotiations, and deadlines. What ultimately set her apart wasn’t the transactions—it was the human moments that moved business forward. That realization became the foundation of Sales & Presence, the training and consulting firm she founded to help professionals connect with intention and deliver impact where it counts.
Grounded in psychology and sharpened by frontline sales experience, Amy blends science with practice in immediately usable ways. Her signature frameworks—the BREW Method, the Communication Wheel, and the Presence Profiles—have become trusted, repeatable tools across industries. She’s known not only for elevating hard sales skills, but for teaching presence—the ability to show up authentically, read the room, and create connections that last.
The path wasn’t without headwinds. Building a business from the ground up meant learning everything from contracts to branding. In parallel, living with a congenital heart condition forged resilience in the face of uncertainty. Each surgery and setback reinforced her belief in “micro-moments that lead to macro-results,” a philosophy she practices daily and teaches leaders to operationalize.
Today, Amy is a recognized speaker and author whose company serves national and international clients in insurance, financial services, and beyond. Named one of Selling Power’s Top Sales Training Companies and featured among MSN’s Inspirational Women of 2025, she continues to show that presence is power. Looking ahead, she plans to expand her work, publish her second book, and expand S&P Cares, a philanthropic branch dedicated to rescue organizations and causes close to her heart.
Courtney Epps – Turning struggle into strategy and building wealth with purpose
When you meet Courtney Epps, you’re not just meeting a tax strategist, speaker, and author, you’re meeting a woman who has lived through financial devastation, raised seven children, and built a seven-figure firm from the ground up. Her story is the definition of self-made, shaped by persistence, grit, and a mission bigger than herself.
Growing up in South Carolina and becoming a mom at 20, Courtney didn’t inherit wealth or connections. What she did have was drive. She earned her degree in Accounting, became an Enrolled Agent with the IRS, and used her knowledge to rebuild after hitting rock bottom. Bankruptcy, rejection, and the challenges of raising and homeschooling six kids at the time might have broken most people. For Courtney, they became fuel.
Through her firm, OTB Tax, she has saved clients more than $30 million in taxes, teaching entrepreneurs how to use the tax code legally and ethically to build real wealth. She isn’t interested in just filing returns; she wants people to understand how money works so they can create lasting freedom. Her bestselling books, More Relaxing, Less Taxing and What’s Your Plan B?, carry that same mission, breaking down financial literacy for everyday people.
Recently, Courtney co-founded Tax Rebels, an education and social media platform dedicated to helping one million people gain access to the tax and wealth strategies used by the top 1%. Through Tax Rebels, she is expanding her mission beyond traditional accounting, empowering everyday Americans to take control of their finances, lower their tax burden, and build generational wealth with knowledge once reserved for the elite.
Courtney has spoken on over 200 stages, sharing her journey and proving that hardship doesn’t have the final word. What sets her apart is not just strategy, but the raw experience of living through the struggle she now helps others avoid. Looking ahead, she envisions OTB Tax growing into a $50 million company rooted in service and impact, while she continues to inspire as a speaker and educator.
Melody Lubin – Empowering women to step into their power
Melody Lubin believes every woman has a voice inside waiting to be heard, a vision waiting to come alive. As a Mentor of the Feminine Arts, she has devoted her work to helping women trust themselves, honor their values, and create businesses that feel not only successful but deeply fulfilling.
Her journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t smooth. There were times when the future was uncertain, when paying the bills felt impossible, and when doubt could have stopped her, but Melody chose a different response, she leaned into the challenge. “Entrepreneurship is one of the deepest initiations,” she says. “You can’t hide from yourself. It asks you to rise, again and again. It shapes you into the Women you have to become to BE the business owner; the Women who is fearless with her vision and message”
Instead of following rigid formulas, Melody built her path around principles that felt true to her spirit. Her measure of success is not only financial but emotional: Does this business feel good? Does it create possibility, safety, and space for others? If the answer is yes, then the work is worth doing.
What sets her apart is her fearless honesty. She refuses to coddle women into their power; instead, she stands with them as they step into it themselves. Her approach is direct yet compassionate, challenging yet supportive. Women leave her mentorship not only with strategies but with a deeper trust in their own voice and vision.
Looking forward, Melody dreams of expanding her work into reconciliation between men and women, creating healthier ways of relating that reflect the changing times. At the heart of her mission is a simple but powerful truth: when a woman learns to hold herself fully, she changes her world – and the world around her.
Melissa Shevchenko – Building strength, inside and out
Melissa Shevchenko knows what it means to rise from challenge and turn it into purpose. The CEO of FitGirlsRock and a certified health and wellness coach, Melissa has dedicated her life to helping women reclaim their strength, confidence, and power.
Her journey into fitness began with a simple goal: stepping on stage for a competition. She achieved it, but what followed became the true turning point. Post-competition struggles with health, mindset, and self-image forced her to dig deeper and redefine what transformation really means. She learned that real change is not just physical, but mental and emotional too. That lesson became the foundation of her mission to guide women in creating sustainable results without sacrificing their wellbeing, a message she continues to share daily in her Facebook Community and coaching network.
Melissa’s path has been shaped by bold choices and resilience. From walking away from a 12-year relationship just two weeks before the wedding, to rebuilding her business after the Fort McMurray wildfire, to pivoting fully online during the pandemic, she has consistently chosen courage over comfort. Each defining moment reminded her of the power of raising standards and betting on herself.
Today, FitGirlsRock is more than a coaching business, it is a movement. Melissa has helped thousands of women worldwide transform their health and lives through a blend of fitness, nutrition, mindset, and education. In 2022, she achieved one of her proudest milestones: retiring her husband from his job so they could work side by side.
Her vision for the future is bold: to grow FitGirlsRock into a global movement, write a book, and host live events that inspire women everywhere to become unapologetically strong. For Melissa, fitness is not about changing bodies – it is about changing lives.
Brenda Mundt – Rising from heartache to help women heal
For Brenda Mundt, life took an unexpected turn that tested every ounce of strength she had. She once pictured her future as a fitness and nutrition coach, building her first business with passion and hope. But when her husband passed away suddenly, everything she knew was shaken. Grief arrived like a storm, while she still had to work full-time and help care for her elderly parents alongside her sisters. In that painful season, Brenda could have given up. Instead, she chose to begin again.
Searching for tools to move through loss, she entered the Grief Recovery Method program and later became a certified specialist. Breathwork soon followed, along with the launch of her podcast Heartache, Health & Healing, where sharing her story and amplifying others’ has been part of her own healing. Through this process, she didn’t just find recovery—she found her calling. Brenda created Energized Life Wellness, a space where women can reconnect with themselves, process heavy emotions, and begin to feel whole again. Her Burnout to Balance Blueprint is the heart of her work, blending emotional healing, breathwork, and self-discovery into a path that leads women back to clarity and strength.
What makes Brenda’s story powerful is that she has walked this road herself. She knows the darkness of loss, the weight of exhaustion, and the courage it takes to rise when life feels unbearable. That lived experience shapes how she works with others—with honesty, compassion, and a belief that transformation is always possible.
Today, through her coaching, her Heartache, Health & Healing podcast, and her programs at Energized Life Wellness, Brenda is helping women move from survival to renewal. Her journey is proof that even the deepest heartbreak can be the starting point of a new life filled with hope, energy, and purpose.
Petra Mace – Helping women rebuild strength and confidence after motherhood
For Petra Mace, fitness has never been just about appearances. It has always been about power, the kind of power that comes from healing, rebuilding, and stepping into the strongest version of yourself. As the founder of POWER by Petra and a certified personal trainer specializing in postpartum corrective core, Petra has made it her mission to guide women back home to their bodies after childbirth.
Her journey began long before she became a coach. A professional dancer for sports teams, Petra also competed in bodybuilding, completing five shows in nine months and becoming a national bikini champion. But after having children, her perspective shifted. She realized how little focus the fitness industry placed on postpartum recovery, particularly when it came to core health. Determined to change that, she worked closely with a pelvic floor physiotherapist, studied corrective techniques, and built a practice that bridges the gap between physiotherapy and functional fitness. Her intention is to create time efficient but incredibly effective workouts that moms feel inspired to show up to and can easily work into their busy lives.
Petra’s approach goes deeper than physical training. She believes true strength includes mental and emotional healing, as well as mindfulness. Her sessions are not only about rebuilding muscle but about restoring confidence, self-trust, and alignment. That philosophy is the heart of POWER by Petra, and why her clients feel seen, supported, and transformed.
Her career has already included writing for Status Fitness Magazine, earning national recognition as a champion athlete, and helping countless mothers rediscover their strength. Looking ahead, Petra envisions becoming an internationally recognized expert, working with leading brands and inspiring women on a global scale.
Through her work, Petra reminds women that they don’t have to return to who they were before children. They can build forward, creating a new version of themselves filled with confidence, strength, and self-love.
Katey White: Building trust, one Montana home at a time
When you talk to Katey White, you can tell right away she’s someone who loves what she does. A Real Estate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Montana Properties, Katey has been helping people find their place in Montana since 2006. From the wide-open ranches of the Big Hole Valley to small-town homes in Butte.
Katey’s journey into real estate wasn’t planned. After graduating from Texas A&M University, she came to Montana for what she thought would be just a summer job. Instead, she fell in love with the land, the people, and the man who would become her husband. What started as a temporary adventure turned into a lifelong calling. She tried different paths, from teaching skiing to working for the Forest Service, before realizing her true passion, helping others discover the same sense of belonging she found in Montana.
Starting out in real estate right before the 2008 market crash was no easy road. While many left the industry, Katey stuck it out with hard work, adaptability, and humor. She learned every form by heart, chased signatures across ranches, and changed diapers on tailgates while showing land. Her determination paid off. Today, she’s one of Butte’s most trusted agents, known for her down-to-earth personality and creative approach to marketing.
Katey continues to grow her business and mentor new agents, believing that success comes from authenticity, consistency, and care. For her, real estate isn’t just about property it’s about people, stories, and building a legacy rooted in integrity and heart.
