We are once again inspired by the group in this month’s Women-Owned Businesses feature. It’s an honor to be able to highlight female leaders in our community and influence other women with entrepreneurial ambitions. As a women-owned and run business ourselves, there is a certain pride we take in seeing so many other women leaders emerging in Omaha. When women rally behind each other, amazing things happen. All women are powerful—stay-at-home moms and business owners alike. So please join us in celebrating the following woman powerhouses in Omaha. If you are a women-owned business and want to be included in the next feature, please contact us, we’d love to have you.
This group of Women-Owned Businesses is much more than what meets the eye – each one has a story with hundreds of women behind them in their families, friends and communities, rooting for them to meet their goals. Take a moment to read a snippet about who they are and more importantly, where their motivation and drive comes from.
Here in our Omaha community, we take pride in celebrating these amazing women. Join us by sharing their stories with your friends, supporting their work and doing business with them.
Women-owned Goosmann Law Firm (GoosmannLaw.com) is Legal for People who Lead.
In 2009, Founder Jeana Goosmann defied the risks and left an established 100-year-old firm to start the Goosmann Law Firm with only one lawyer and an assistant. With her leadership and R.E.D. philosophy over the past 14 years the firm has grown to be the largest women-owned law firm in the Midwest with four locations and 65+ team members.
In 2015, the firm became certified by Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the National Association of Minority and Women-Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF). Goosmann Law Firm helps clients in a variety of matters including estate planning, real estate, trials and disputes.
The firm has been recognized as a Best Law Firm by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® for two consecutive years and has been named on the Law Firm 500 list as one of the fastest growing law firms in America for the past six years. Learn more at www.GoosmannLaw.com
Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center (ybrecdc.org) is led by two of the most influential women in the childcare industry. Jessica Johnsen, CEO, and Kylie Schrader, COO, work together to inspire their employees to be the best teachers their students could ask for each day. Having worked as teachers, directors and regional directors themselves, Jessica and Kylie understand the importance of professional development and support in the classroom. Jessica’s personal goal going into the childcare industry was to create a space where preschool teachers were seen and respected as professionals and experts in the field. She and Kylie have succeeded in their efforts by adding additional professional development opportunities and benefits annually!
Kylie helped to found Yellow Brick Road in 2006. Her vision for the schools has always been to create an environment that fosters professional development. Kylie’s goal is to build a community of the strongest teachers through training and opportunities for growth. Working side by side, these two ladies are determined and unstoppable. They set out together at Yellow Brick Road in 2019 with combined ambitions, shared experience and a lot of passion to create our communities’ highest-quality preschool programs!
Keele Taylor, PHR, SHRM-CP, is the owner and founder of HRMinded Consulting Services ( www.hrmindedconsulting.biz). Established in 2019, Taylor has been supporting business owners across the US and in Canada by providing them with a one-stop shop HRM (HR Management) solution. Taylor has an impactful passion for human resources, safety and leadership development, so much so that she has held senior level positions in HR throughout her career. Taylor has been an integral part of the Omaha business community and also serves as a certified OSHA Trainer, an Executive Board Member for the Nebraska National Safety Council and a Steering member for Methodist Health System’s Women’s Connect Committee.
Taylor has been in HR for nearly 20 years. She graduated with a master’s degree in organizational leadership and development in 2009 from Bellevue University. Taylor has several credentials that speak to her commitment and passion for people, including OSHA Authorized Trainer certification, SHRM and HRCI certifications, Fred Pryor Instructor license and Clifton Strength’s Executive Coaching certification.
“An organization’s greatest assets are the knowledge, skills and abilities of its existing staff,” says Taylor. “Successful leaders recognize the value in human capital.” How can HRMinded Consulting Services help you? Taylor offers several services including Executive Coaching, Compliance & Auditing, HR Document creation/revision, Policy Writing and Leadership training.
Receive experienced and customized support to meet your HR needs, giving you protection and peace of mind. While you wear multiple hats for your business, let HRMinded wear the HR hat for you. Reach out to Keele Taylor by emailing her at keeletaylor@hrmindedconsulting.com or visit the website: at www.hrmindedconsulting.biz.
Zen Coffee Company (zencoffeecompany.com) is a beloved Omaha coffee shop, first opened in 2017, founded and owned by Abby McLeay. Abby has always loved coffee and the fast-pasted atmosphere of working in the industry. She started her undergrad journey in counseling, but quickly fell in love with idea of owning her own business and changed her path to an MBA. Luckily for her employees, her initial education has contributed to her relationships with teammates and customers, bringing compassion to her work.
After discovering an amazing roaster in Cannon Beach, Oregon, Abby knew she had to bring the “zen” back to Omaha. “We had a goal to create an inclusive and positive work environment while also merging the traditional specialty type shop with what Omaha has grown to love – all the flavorful concoctions and fancy beverages,” says Abby. Now, with a total of three locations, a bakery and plans to go mobile, the team maintains their focus of growth while continuing to be Green Certified.
The motivation behind Zen is the people – Zen supports nonprofits continuously within their business model. They prioritize giving back to the community by working with several local nonprofits monthly. By switching up who they work with, their reach goes far and more people get exposure to different organizations.
Visit Zen Coffee Company to try their nationally-viral Coffee and Toast flights, over 40 drink options and their full pastry menu. They have two walk in locations at 133rd and Center and 25th and Farnam, and a drive through is located next to Trader Joes. Visit zencoffeecompany.com for more information!
Founded by two stylists in 2004, nationally-recognized Seven Salon + Boutique (sevensalon.com) quickly grew to a well-known salon in the Omaha area. Nikki Okun and Shannon Bingham had a dream to create one of the strongest education-based salon environments where creativity could thrive, with a desire to have a positive impact on the community through donations and philanthropic endeavors.
In 2009, they received the Salon Today magazine’s Top 200 Fastest Growing Salons in the US. The salon has been recognized for numerous awards including the Midlands Business Journal for community involvement after organizing several fundraisers for various causes. Seeing this dream of growth come to fruition has afforded them the opportunity to expand the salon in 2022 into a boutique, photography studio and education hub. These women entrepreneurs continue to grow strong salon professionals, create jobs and maintain a positive relationship with the community of Omaha.
Kimmylea Konsel-Taylor established LimeLight Expressions (LimeLightExpressions.com) in 2007 for one reason: to help people! With over 20 years of experience in the event planning industry, she has created a business model that is more unique than most because she prioritizes building relationships with her clients and establishing trust through consistent communication. From multimillion-dollar international events to local events, LimeLight Expressions’ approach to serving the needs of their clients by building a relationship that feels more like family.
LimeLight staff takes pride in guiding their clients through the entire process so they can be confident the event will exceed their own expectations.
“We love helping people!” said Kimmylea, “We truly enjoy the process of taking our clients’ vision and creating an atmosphere that not only wows our client but impresses all those in attendance. To us, it is about making the entire event an incredible experience that places our client in the LimeLight.”
LimeLight Expressions is family owned and operated with over 22 awards in the industry. To learn more, go online to LimeLightExpressions.com or contact (402) 915-3534 / info@LimeLightExpressions.com.
Bark Avenue Grooming and Daycare (barkavenueomaha.com) was established in 2000 by Suzanne Wilke of Omaha. With a passion for dogs and an expertise in grooming, Sue quickly gained the trust of her clients by creating an experience for dogs that upheld the highest standard. As the business flourished, Bark Avenue expanded to include a second location and offer boarding as a service to her loyal client base.
In the time since starting her business, dog daycare has gone from being an exclusive luxury service to a common necessity for pet owners. Particularly during the pandemic, the daycare and boarding services have been bursting at the seams. As much as our furry friends can be great companions, they are experts at interrupting Zoom calls.
Outside of work Sue is a grandmother of six, mother and a great friend to many in our community. One of her great friendships, that later blossomed into family, was with her daughter-in-law, Meghan. The two got to know each other well while working together at Bark Avenue during the years when Meghan and Clint were dating. After college, Meghan’s career took her to the financial services industry for almost 15 years.
In the summer of 2022 when Sue was contemplating retirement, Meghan was considering business ownership. Even though the news wasn’t official until January of this year, for months both Sue and Meghan have beamed with the pride of knowing that the legacy of Bark Avenue will continue in the family for another generation, at least.
Bark Avenue is Omaha’s leading daycare facility that currently offers full service grooming and boarding for their clients. As the organization grows under Meghan’s leadership they aspire to offer enrichment and memberships for their VIP clients as well as training for dogs and owners of all experience levels. Visit their site at barkavenueomaha.com for more information.
Natalie Kotrc and Brenda Tharp are two female entrepreneurs who own Elegant Edge Events and Catering. They started it in 2018 and have a passion for helping people make their special events perfect. Their menu is totally customizable, but specialize in comfort foods, like roast beef au jus and cheesy mac ‘n’ cheese. No event is too big or too small!
Natalie and Brenda are both natives to Omaha, and love to support nonprofits and special interests. Together they have a combined total of over 35 years in the event industry. They also own the Fireside Banquet Room in Papillion, a great place for meetings, small weddings, showers, birthday and grad parties etc.
They have just opened up their new kitchen in Papillion. It will soon offer a carry-out option, Elegant Edge To Go. You can check out their website elegantedgeomaha.com to see a full downloadable menu, or call (402) 871-5708.
Envoy (envoyinc.com) is a certified women-owned advertising agency in Omaha. Founded in 1988, they execute creative, proactive and results-oriented communication strategies that propel their clients’ brands forward.
Envoy specializes in the consumer-packaged goods and healthcare industries, creating marketing for brands that positively impact the health of our communities. They are inspired by their dedicated team of creative thinkers that produce lasting results with successful marketing solutions. Envoy’s size means they are agile and flexible, the keys to adapting to their client’s changing needs while constantly innovating newer, more creative ways to achieve their goals. They believe the best way to communicate a brand’s value to consumers is by taking an integrated and inclusive approach to marketing. While they are all about the success of their clients’ marketing, Envoy also enjoys the industry accolades that come along with creating effective campaigns. Most recently, a commercial they filmed and animated for Belfonte Dairy won a Silver Award in the 18th Annual Davey Awards, selected by The Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts for Craft: Best Use of Animation. Envoy also received four Paper Anvil Awards of Excellence at the PRSA Gala held in December.
They strongly believe in community service, and many Envoyers serve on nonprofit boards and volunteer their time and talents generously. Visit www.envoyinc.com or the CPG division site envoyfresh.com for more information about them.
Dr. Amillionara Davis, D.C. has owned and operated ChiroLife since October 2022. She saw a need for chiropractic care to be accessible to the minority community, especially the black community, and decided to fill that need. She started ChiroLife through the help of the Evoke Chiropractic Coaching group, she was introduced to these amazing doctors at the American Black Chiropractic Association Conference during her second trimester of chiropractic school at Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2018.
ChiroLife’s mission is simple – supporting individuals in achieving extraordinary life through the vehicle of chiropractic. The vision is to change the perception that health is the absence of disease and pain. “I’m passionate about keeping and getting people to move without pain,” says Dr. Davis. “Oftentimes, when we have pain, especially chronic pain, we tend to adapt pain avoidance movement in order to continue on with our lives instead of learning how to get back to the pain free range of motion.”
If you have goals to get back to your physical activities, get better sleep or just live life pain-free, ChiroLife is your new go-to. With a team effort mentality, you’ll see how your hard work pays off when you work with Dr. Davis.
When Dr. Davis isn’t at ChiroLife, she’s pouring herself into the Omaha community. You can find her at Aksarben Senior Living Facility every Sunday leading seniors in stretch classes! She has also worked closely with The Simple Foundation, and has recently become involved with Abide Omaha as well. Dr. Amillionara Davis started ChiroLife with the people of Omaha in mind. To reach out to her, you can call (402) 551-5353 or email chirolifeofomaha@gmail.com.