Introducing Some Badasses

We’re all surrounded by talented women in our lives. It just so happens that we’re super extra fortunate to be a part of a co-operative work community that is chock full of badass female creators, innovators and community builders.  They wear many hats.  They take on a bunch of responsibilities.  And they do amazing work.  So this post is for them.  

We want to celebrate their spirit, tell their stories and amplify their voices this month.  While we are fortunate to have many, many female members in our community…too many to list here.  But these are just some of the folks doing big, cool or interesting things worth noting.  Our challenge to you…read their stories, connect with them, follow them.  They have causes you can support, skills and knowledge you can hire and stories worth sharing. When women thrive…we all thrive.

PS: There are 12 actually…we couldn’t help ourselves. 😂

Amy Johnson Ely

Amy is the Executive Director for The Palmetto Cycling Coalition whose mission is to make South Carolina bicycle and pedestrian friendly, by improving safety through better access and education, to promote healthy lifestyles and livable and economically viable communities.  Amy is a huge advocate for bicycle and pedestrian friendly communities and livable communities; activating stakeholders, citizens and evangelists alike.

Bianca Shelton

Bianca is an entrepreneur, wife, mom and a  pizza and Prosecco enthusiast. Her favorite meal is brunch (check out her podcast Books, Brunch and Babes), a lover of all books (she still buys actual books), a branding photoshoot pro (check out her company, the Crawford Austin Agency) and a travel snob.

Dawn Dawson House

Dawn is fighting to preserve, celebrate and elevate African American cultural heritage in South Carolina and beyond. As the Executive Director of the WeGOJA Foundation, Dawn leverages her 20+ years as a tourism professional, storyteller and convener to document, preserve and activate African American heritage in South Carolina.  Their wildly popular and award-winning GreenBook of SC provided one of the first of its kind travel guide to SC African American cultural sites. (a co-operative project with SOCO members).   

Fiona Martin

Fiona is a competitive triathlete, founder of the worker-owned digital marketing agency FGM Internet Marketing, and an environmental activist.  When she’s not designing digital campaigns for companies and causes she believes in, she’s competing at the highest level in triathlons around the world (competing in the ITU World Championships for Team USA).  Fiona is a vocal advocate for the environment, sustainable development and equitable access for marginalized persons and cultures. 

Helen Johnson

Founder and creative director of digital powerhouse HLJ Creative, Helen Johnson is passionate about combining eye-catching design with data-driven marketing strategies to create brands and websites that make the right impression, accomplish your goals, and lead to long-term growth. She’s an entrepreneur and a super mom.  She’s seeing incredible growth and is evolving her team’s capabilities to serve the needs of a new generation of clients.

Jada Willis

A high energy and highly impactful coach, consultant and thought leader in organizational culture, talent attraction & retention and leadership…Jada built and sold her first company in late 2022 and is now working on empowering CEOs to build incredible cultures and companies with several new ventures in the works.

Kaleigh Cox

Freelancer turned creative executive.  Kaleigh Cox had a successful career as a freelance copywriter before she met fellow SOCO member Robert Gilbert in the early days of DxTEL. The two joined forces a few years ago and haven’t looked back. DxTEL is a fast growing managed services and platform company serving the rural broadband/telecom industry.  Kaleigh has built a reputation as a savvy storyteller and influencer in the space.  When she’s not evangelizing for access for everyone, she’s all about faith, family and community. 

Kassy Alia Ray

After losing her police officer husband in the line of duty, Kassy was moved to take action and founded Serve & Connect with the mission to help police and citizens work together as one community; Serve & Connect works to heal the relationships between police and the communities they serve and by doing so, creating a future where police and citizens work together as one community.

Katherine Swartz and Bre Spaulding

This dynamic duo is transforming entrepreneurial education and building the next generation of student entrepreneurs at USC through the McNair Institute for Entrepreneurialism and Free Enterprise.  Katherine has been transforming nonprofits and shaping the next generation for 20+ years. “Bre” is one of Soda City’s most dynamic young leaders. Working with stakeholders from across the university, the McNair team successfully launched USC’s first ever minor in Entrepreneurship.

Shannon Franklin

Shannon is the Cofounder and COO of Consciously, a creative agency serving the needs of conscious brands including Akimbo (altMBA), B Lab, Black Wealth Data Center, and Planned Parenthood.  Consciously builds purpose-driven, inclusive marketing platforms that help companies nourish their business ecosystem.  In addition to being a mompreneur and a brand builder, Shannon has launched a life coaching business. 

Starlitt Miller

Starlitt Miller is blending a creative background with technology and data with her new startup Transity.  In 2022, Starlitt graduated from Visible Hands, a high tech accelerator focused on investing in and lifting up underrepresented founders.  She’s a vocal and active member of the Cola startup scene and the most recent Entrepreneur in Residence at the Richland Library.

Like what you’re reading here? Want to do something good?

1. Share it (please) and help us amplify their stories!
2. Like, follow or connect with one of these badasses on the socials.
3. Join us!  We’re a cooperative, workspace and community where people come first.  It takes a village