In the Spotlight: Some enterprising women entrepreneurs from “The Ocean State”
#WomenEntrepreneurs #RhodeIslandInnovation #FemaleFounders #SocialImpactLeadership #CreativeBusinessJourney
Rhode Island, fondly called “The Ocean State,” is making waves in the entrepreneurial world, thanks to the enterprising women who are driving innovation & creating meaningful impact. Unlike their national counterparts, women entrepreneurs in Rhode Island often focus on creative industries such as arts, design, and sustainable enterprises. A report by the University of Rhode Island’s Harrington School of Communication and Media puts the spotlight on their significant contributions to these fields, along with a strong emphasis on social impact &
community development.
Trailblazers of Change
From launching small businesses that enrich local culture to running organizations that prioritize environmental sustainability – women-led ventures in Rhode Island are redefining entrepreneurship. The state’s social entrepreneurship ecosystem, deeply rooted in community collaboration, actually provides fertile ground for women to connect their passions with purpose.
With support systems like the Rhode Island Foundation, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and the US Small Business Administration (SBA), these women have access to – mentorship, funding & networking opportunities that help them thrive. By blending creativity with resilience, women entrepreneurs in Rhode Island are not just building businesses, they are cultivating a legacy of positive change that resonates across communities.
Now let us take a look at some enterprising women entrepreneurs of Rhode Island.
> Melissa Denmark & Jordan Goldsmith, Owners & Farmers of Moonrose Farm
Moonrose Farm in Cranston, RI is chemical-free and specializes in vegetables and cut flowers for their small CSA and restaurant sales.
Melissa Denmark & Jordan Goldsmith at Moonrose Farm focus on “feeding the land and feeding the people”; you can say that everything is done very thoughtfully at Moonrose. Seeds are saved year after year and everything is loving planted and harvested. And they put so much love and tenderness into their farm, that Moonrose is the perfect example of the passion of Rhode Island’s farmers. Plus, did you know that 25% of Rhode Island’s farms are run by women? According to Relish Rhody, that’s nearly twice the national average!
As Moonrose Farm continues to grow (literally) we cannot wait to see the impact Melissa and Jordan have on Rhode Island’s food system.
A Rhode Island native, Ann Hood grew up in West Warwick, dreaming of becoming an author one day! Having travelled the world as a flight attendant, she drew from her experiences to write several of her stories. Her dream became a reality and she now resides in Providence. She still is into writing about difficult topics in her female-driven stories, and she often explores gender roles, grief & the complications of romantic love in her works. In her bestselling memoir, Comfort: A Journey Through Grief, she shares her personal journey mourning the death of her daughter.
It is extremely important for all of us to read about such dynamic, powerful women. A woman can play many roles all at once – like she can be happy, sad, mother, boss, feminine & strong.
Incidentally, she describes the bulk of her writing as “literary women’s fiction.” During her career, she has won many awards, including two Pushcart Prizes, two Best American Food Writing Awards, Best American Spiritual Writing and Travel Writing Awards, and a Boston Public Library Literary Light Award. Plus, her works have been published in the New York Times, the Atlantic Monthly, and the Paris Review.
> Marta V. Martinez, Founder & Executive Director of Rhode Island Latino Arts
Originally a Texas native, Marta V Martinez founded the Hispanic Heritage Committee of RI in 1988; and as the HHCRI evolved, she transitioned into Executive Director of Rhode Island Latino Arts. Additionally, she is the Founder and Project Director of the Latino Oral History Project of RI. All this rests on her strong passion for preserving and sharing history.
In 2014, she even published a book based on her work with the Latino Oral History Project; and she has curated museum exhibits sharing Latino traditions, culture & history.
Strongly believing in collaboration, she collaborates with all sorts of people, so long as they have a story to tell. And the young people she works with often have their own stories and perspectives to share!!
In her position as Executive Director of RILA, she relies on community events and festivals – to promote and preserve the art, history, heritage & cultures of the Latino communities of Rhode Island.
> Lisa Raiola, Founder & President of Hope & Main
Lisa Raiola is Founder of Hope & Main, and she also works as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Roger Williams University. As Rhode Island’s first culinary incubator, Hope & Main helps local food entrepreneurs start their journey into setting up ventures. Hope & Main provides access to shared commercial kitchens and other industry-specific resources; and it plays an integral part in growing Rhode Island’s food strategy. Hope & Main’s success stories include – Sacred Cow Granola, Avonaise, The Backyard Food Company & many more.
It was in 2014 that she opened Hope & Main. And it is now a hub for Rhode Island food. Makers are supported and elevated by her team; moreover, it is not just about the commercial kitchens! Makers are schooled on branding, retail, packaging & marketing techniques. Very often, this is the stuff that can make or break a business.
She recently launched a new app at Hope & Main, in collaboration with Rhode Island tech company, Crave Food Systems Corp. The app brings Hope & Main’s food businesses online – for easy ordering, delivery, and pick-up.
So, Hope & Main makes it really easy to support Rhode Island’s growing food scene.
> Kaitlyn Roberts, Founder & Owner of Easy Entertaining
Chef Kaitlyn is Founder of Easy Entertaining Catering which was launched in 2006. And today, it’s a staple in the Rhode Island foodie community!! It was her mission to share seasonal, local and gourmet cuisine and this has been a huge success. 70% of Easy Entertaining’s products are sourced within a 250-mile radius, all round the year. So, both she and her Executive Chef, Ashley Vanesse, pride themselves on baking fresh bread and pastries and in-house butchering.
In 2012, Easy Entertaining opened the cafe at Easy Entertaining in Rising Sun Mills. The cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, cooking classes, private events, tastings, and more… Plus, Easy Entertaining continues to grow and thrive in Rhode Island’s food system; and it has proved to be a great example of a dedicated farm-to-table business in Rhode Island.
> Chanda Womack, Founding Executive Director of the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education (ARISE)
It was her real life experiences that inspired Chanda Womack, Founder – to create ARISE as an organization dedicated to educational access, equity & success. Her origin was indeed unique for she was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and immigrated to the United States with her family in 1981. She has a decade+ of experience in grassroots community activism and educational justice. Awards have come her way too: and in recognition of her dedicated work, she is the recipient of an NAACP Thurgood Marshall, YWCA’s Women in Achievement Award and the Providence Youth Student Movement POWER Award.
The mission of ARISE is – to prepare, promote & empower Rhode Island’s Southeast Asian students for educational and career success. In fact, ARISE and her work played a major role in the historical passage of the All Students Count Act in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. The legislation aims to “ensure data disaggregation among Asian students, which will allow for data transparency as it pertains to educational outcomes for Southeast Asian students, giving way to providing appropriate supports, services, and interventions.”
She wears many hats. In addition to her immense work at ARISE, she is the President of the Board for the Cambodian Society of RI, a member of the Racial Justice Coalition & serves on the Inclusive Excellence Commission for Rhode Island College.
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
