Authors of book about women in business persevering during the pandemic celebrate its launch
Share this post:
Contributors to a book about female business leaders’ strength and determination through the pandemic celebrated its release earlier this month.
“Twenty Won: an anthology of 21 female entrepreneurs sharing stories of business resilience during the 2020 global crisis,” launched April 21.
It reached bestseller status in several Amazon.com categories and landed at the No. 10 spot in Women and Business in its debut.
Curated by Kelli Komondor of Port Vue, the book shines a spotlight on 18 women from the Pittsburgh area as well as Atlanta, Charlotte and Charlestown, Ind.
Komondor and a host of others celebrated its success at the Sto-Rox Public Library’s Father Ryan Arts Center on Aug. 21.
“Although everyone experienced so many challenges in 2020, I had a lot of professional success, and I knew others who did as well,” said Komondor. “I knew I could find 20 other women who would be willing to share their personal and professional triumphs. I wanted to create something that would inspire entrepreneurs from all over the world, in any stage of business, and from any industry.”
Contributors include Murrysville resident Jessica Wagner, a Gateway High School graduate and developer of Mama Mantras. It is a unique deck of cards packed with phrases geared toward helping mothers with postpartum depression or anxiety.
Allison Park’s Merilee Smith is a life empowerment coach who also crafted a chapter in the book.
Smith’s chapter, “Ditch Your Drama and Take Charge of Your Story,” urges readers to get out of “Stucksville” and practice emotional agility.
North Huntingdon resident Lori Ball wrote the chapter “It’s All Through Faith and Gratitude” based on her fight against cancer.
Plum School District distinguished alumni Renee Farrow also submitted a chapter and wrote the foreward.
Her chapter is called “Empower Your Future” and features 10 tips to become more successful.
Rhonda Carson Leach, senior program director of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh, was one of many to congratulate those involved in the book.
“The stories shared by these twenty-one courageous entrepreneurs will lead to inspiration and encouragement for the next generation of business leaders and change agents to follow in their footsteps.” Leach said. “Covid-19 may have held the world captive, but these phenomenal women decided to remain positive and steadfast.”
The book is available in paperback via Amazon.com or through any of the authors.
Go to twentywonbook.com for more information.