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One of the fortunes of being a Woman Entrepreneur in the 21st century is that we get to have role models to inspire us. A generation before us, women were making things up as they went along with no indication whether or not what they were doing made sense. As intimidating as that may sound, it had a certain appeal to singular, free-spirited, strong-minded individuals. And it is to those bold, courageous women that many of us owe our inspiration as entrepreneurs.
One such inspiration for me has always been Anita Roddick, the founder of the Body Shop. Anita was one of the orignators of the idea of doing business to do good. Ecological principles were a foundation of her business with its philosophy of re-use, re-fill and re-cycle. Later, she expanded her social activisim to include human rights, animal rights and sustainable environmental practices.
Anita traveled the world to gain inspiration and to give assistance. She was an author, a speaker, a teacher, and an activist. She was an example for Women Entrepreneurs everywhere who want to achieve success and help the world to be a better place.
Anita passed away Monday from a brain hemorrhage, at the age of 64. She lived every day of her life as if each moment counted – daring to do all the things that most of us only dream of.
In recent years, Anita maintained a blog that espoused her personal beliefs and strong opinions as well as represented her sense of fun and enthusiasm.
Anita was a role model for those of us who continue in her spirit. In her words:
“Join me: I want to connect with people who share my outrage over the menace of global business practices, and who, like me, are seeking solutions. But I also want to tell – and hear, from you – stories that lift our spirits, that celebrate how glorious our planet is. Outrage and celebration – let’s run this gamut together.”
In the spirit of outrage and celebration, I invite you to journey with me as we build our businesses, create success for our families, and work together to make the world a better place.
