Meet....Peggy Stookey, Founder
Hi! I'm Peg Stookey, the founder of Legacy Connection. Thank you for visiting or re-visiting our site. I'd like to take a minute to tell you about myself and why I started this company. Like many entrepreneurs my background is varied. The fact is that very few of us go to college, study business or entrepreneurship and then launch a successful business right after graduation-although I serve on the board of a group of gals that is doing just that! Go Libre Clothing!. For nearly every business owner that I know, including myself, we go through an evolutionary process of getting where we are today.
Where did it all begin? As a kid I loved science and nature. I majored in Biology at the University of Texas at Dallas and upon graduation went to work with one of my professors as a lab tech. I had many wonderful years of sitting in front of a hood, playing with cells in petri dishes. Honestly, I loved my work. What we did was important to cancer research and academic study. What really intrigued me was HOW things worked. HOW proteins are transported and HOW our cells work is fascinating stuff! NOTE: Biology works through systems.
Let's skip over the years where I stayed home to raise 4 kids. Important years for them but maybe not for you to hear about. In 1996 I needed something to get me out of the house so I contacted a network marketing organization that I was familiar with and began "selling". I'd never sold anything in my life but because I loved the product I excelled. I excelled because I was passionate, I talked to everyone I knew about it, I talked to people I didn't know about it, I went to training and learned how to be better. In short, I began my entrepreneurial journey. Note: Did you know that network marketing organizations are distribution systems for many products and services?
When my two youngest were in junior high I decided to seek another opportunity that would allow me to be home at night and on weekends. One day, I was reading a magazine article about four women franchisees that were all making six-figures. My bold response was, "If they can do it , I can do it better!" I did like so many do and hopped on the Internet to start researching. YIKES! There are millions of pages to sift through. Fortunately, I found a franchise consultant who walked me through the process. To make a longer story shorter (I know this is a bit long but aren't you intrigued?) I ended up doing what he did-consulting with people in career transition that wanted to explore franchise ownership. Over the course of five years I didn't just consult, I studied franchising exhaustively so that I could be the best at what I did. NOTE: The core characteristic of a franchise lies in its systems.
After working with many start-up franchisees I saw another opportunity and founded the Legacy Connection Community in 2005. My goal was to create an organization that helped “guide entrepreneurial success” by supporting and connecting business owners and the resources they need to succeed. Since that time we've changed our mission to be more reflective of accelerating entrepreneurial success with a business development system that is deployed within our community support system. (Are you seeing a theme to my entrepreneurial evolution?)
Currently, in addition to running my business and being as good a wife and mother as I know how to be, I am active in the Cincinnati regional community serving on the boards of several small businesses and the Clermont County Chamber Small Business Development Center. I am a member of the Clermont County, Northeast and Cincinnati USA Regional Chambers of Commerce and have served as a strategic volunteer for the Women’s Fund Women and Girls Leadership project. In 2007 I was humbled and honored to receive the prestigious Clermont County Chamber Small Business Advocate of the Year award. I'm thrilled to be recognized again this year (2009) as a finalist for the Cincinnati USA Chamber WE Celebrate Awards (two years in a row!). Actually, I'm happy to report that I won the runner-up award in this category!!!! This award is particularly gratifying because it recognizes Legacy Connection for its contribution in Social Entrepreneurism. IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE A FOR-PROFIT AND DO GOOD THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY!
Finally, I could not do what I do without the help of many people. My family supports me endlessly. Hilairy Begley is my right-hand gal. Many more volunteer or work at a discounted rate. Please be sure to visit the Support Network tab to learn more about our important contributors!
More about....Hilairy Begley, Community Director
Hilairy was first introduced to Legacy Connection shortly after its inception and became an immediate believer in the mission the organization was working to develop. With a BBA from the University of Cincinnati and a few years of work in a variety of fields under her belt she committed herself to staying involved in Legacy Connection despite her demanding role as a manager at a local executive office suite.
She has been responsible for much of our event planning, graphic design, marketing, program strategizing, member support, website functionality and content. In addition to supporting Legacy Connection, she works with our members as a virtual assistant. She's an invaluable member of our team!
Hilairy currently resides in Cincinnati, OH with her two young daughters who continue to inspire and encourage her every day to become a budding entrepreneur and strong role model.
We invite you to experience accelerated success in the richness of our community! We hope to see you soon!
Peg Stookey
