Sarah ArnoldClutch MOV was proud to sponsor this year’s Mid-Ohio Valley Entrepreneur of the Year Award. We envision a community where all of us can take risks on the promise that success would uplift the residents of our valley. Artists, creators, makers, and small business owners strive to build something – something new, something worth putting their stamp on. Our entrepreneurs are on the edge – finding solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. Clutch MOV is dedicated to celebrating our entrepreneurs because they are the ones actively building the future for our community.
This year we received dozens of nominations for innovative, forward-thinking, community-building entrepreneurs from the Mid-Ohio Valley. Our panel had a very difficult task in narrowing down the list, but we believed six individuals stood out for the impact they are making through their work:
Andrea Shirey of One Nine Design: Andrea uses her background in nonprofit leadership and higher education fundraising to help those who need it most with elegant web design, email marketing campaigns, and design services.
Chase Chovan of Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo: Chase opened Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo on Marietta’s West Side in 2015, which has been a bright spot in Harmar Village ever since, sponsoring family events and contributing to the area’s growing arts community.
Jared Perry of Sixmo Architects & Engineers and IncSwell: Jared purchased a historic building in Downtown Marietta that was in need of much love, and transformed it into IncSwell, a collaborative work environment that a number of local entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits call home.
Jay Walker of Comic Sense: Jay opened Comic Sense in Belpre four years ago and has modeled excellent customer service ever since, effectively creating a ‘third space’ where residents of all ages feel comfortable and welcome.
Molly Floding of My Mommy Mart: Molly launched My Mommy Mart ten years ago. This consignment children’s boutique has grown from 26 to 350 consignors and provides local families with access to affordable children’s clothing, toys, and more.
Sara Sauls of Joe Momma’s Kitchen: Sara managers and operates Joe Momma’s Kitchen with the help of her husband and two children. Joe Momma’s strives to bring the community together around a common cause, donating 100% of their tips collected to local charities each month.
Each of these entrepreneurs is worthy of praise. Each has poured countless hours into building a business from scratch. Each has learned how to wear every hat necessary to start and grow a successful business. These individuals have gone above and beyond by trying new things, stepping outside of their comfort zone, and challenging the way things have been done in the past. And every one of them has used their growing business as a way to give back to their community. I encourage you all to get to know each of these inspiring individuals and learn more about their journey.
This year’s Entrepreneur of the Year is a small business owner who launched a business to intentionally lift up and empower other entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits in the Mid-Ohio Valley. This individual made it their goal to empower others and equip them for success so that they could meet their mission and make their own difference.
This year’s Entrepreneur of the Year is Andrea Shirey, Owner and Founder of One Nine Design. Andrea launched her business in 2017 out of a desire to do good work for the nonprofit community on her own terms, after two decades of working for higher-education, for-profit, and non-profit organizations. Through One Nine Design, Andrea helps local nonprofits and small businesses put their best foot forward with beautifully-designed, functional websites that don’t break their budgets and help them better communicate their mission and values. Andrea also gets great joy out of using her business to give back. From the beginning, she chose to take a portion of every dollar earned and give it back to a female entrepreneur in a third-world country through Kiva, an organization that does micro-lending. She even gives her each of her clients a $30 gift card to make their own loan via Kiva. Without a doubt, One Nine Design is making a positive impact on the Mid-Ohio Valley, and beyond. With each website she designs or campaign she creates, Andrea does more than help a client improve their marketing – she empowers nonprofit leaders and teams to move their mission forward, making the MOV a better place. Andrea is an example to us all, modeling to us all that you can do good work, make a good living, and pay it forward.
Please join us in congratulating Andrea Shirey as this year’s Mid-Ohio Valley Entrepreneur of the Year!