Women Business Leaders that Inpire Us
– By #RSA
RSA works with a wide variety of businesses, large and small, across a wide variety of sectors – many of whom are led by talented women who get sh*t done! The hard work and dedication these women pour into growing their businesses and helping their communities inspires us on a daily basis.
This Women’s History Month we wanted to take some time to give praise to several of the many women business owners that inspire us. Without further ado, keep reading to check out RSA’s list of badass women we have the pleasure of working with.
Cyndi Fisher- Pudgy Fingers
Although the team at RSA hasn’t worked with Cyndi long, we can already tell what an impact she will make on our community and others. Cyndi works full-time and is a full-time mother. With her free time, she has dedicated her time and money to creating educational resources for deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families via her self-started business, Pudgy Fingers. Pudgy Fingers serves as an educational resource that provides basic vocabulary lists translated to American Sign Language. In addition, Pudgy Fingers is expanding to include library books in ASL to help hard-of-hearing children be placed in more accurate reading levels. To make it even more accessible, all Pudgy Fingers resources are translated into Spanish. Pudgy Fingers is still gaining momentum, but the RSA team is confident that this resource will be a wonderful asset to others.
“Working with Cyndi has been such a fun experience. Not only does she have a warm, cheerful demeanor, but she is also dedicated and driven to make her dreams a reality. Working with her on this project has been so rewarding and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Pudgy Fingers.” – Molly Sperlich, RSA Project Coordinator
Candi Briley- South Dakota State Fair
Robert Sharp & Associates has been fortunate enough to work with the South Dakota State Fair (SDSF) for many years. Through our tenure, we have helped the fair grow and achieve better attendance rates while finding creative ways to advertise its events. But the work we do couldn’t be possible without the help of the SDSF Marketing and Events Coordinator, Candi Briley. Any RSA staff member can attest that fair time is a busy time of year, and we don’t even see half of what Candi deals with to organize one of the biggest events in the state of South Dakota. Despite her busy schedule, Candi remains deadline-oriented, communicative, and calm. Her attention to detail and go-getter attitude plays a major part in the success of the South Dakota State Fair. RSA is so grateful to work with the SDSF and Candi Briley, and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store.
"Although it takes a team to put on the SD State Fair, Candi Briley is a one-woman powerhouse who knows every detail of every show, vendor, and event. Detailed, decisive, and extremely hardworking, Candi is never too busy to say thank you and is always open to hearing the new ideas we bring her way. She is definitely an inspiration to me every day as I learn the intricacies of State Fair advertising and I'm constantly amazed by her ability to manage both work and family successfully." - Tracey Kennedy - RSA Account Services
Virginia Wishard-Lambert - Abbott House
RSA has been working with The Abbott House for almost a year and we are continually inspired by the amazing work they do. The Abbott House is a non-profit organization that provides residential treatment and foster care to troubled and underprivileged youth in our communities. The Abbott House has grown to provide residential treatment services to youth, ages seven to seventeen, who have suffered from trauma or abuse. In addition, they have over ten foster homes throughout the state of South Dakota. Virginia Wishard-Lambert is the Development Director at The Abbott House and has worked there since 2010. Virginia’s dedication to going above and beyond for the youth she serves is inspiring. Virginia works diligently to plan and host fundraising events to raise money for the Abbott House’s life-changing services. In addition, she looks for opportunities to improve the lives of the youth she serves any chance she gets. Whether it be organizing volunteers to lead a cooking class, raising money to buy the children new clothes, or taking them on a trip, Virginia never ceases to make the best out of their situation. Her love and passion for her work are evident in everything she does, and we are honored to get to work with her.
“I have had the honor of working with some remarkable women in my career, and Virginia Wishard-Lambert certainly tops that list. Our initial meeting was less than a year ago, but her passion for the Abbott House and those it serves was very apparent from the initial introduction. Virginia has an immense responsibility to the families at Abbott House and she approaches it with compassion, humor, professionalism, and a great deal of heart. We consider it a privilege to be a part of her team.”- Stacey Sharp, RSA Agency Principal
Sarah Hustead- Wall Drug Store
The name Wall Drug is recognized all throughout the United States and around the world thanks to their all-too-familiar billboard signage. The origin story of Wall Drug is rather fascinating. Owners Ted and Dorothy Hustead were struggling to make Wall Drug a success until they started offering free ice water to weary travelers. Now, the world-famous attraction receives two million visitors each year. Wall Drug has been in the Hustead family since its inception and is now run by the fourth generation Sarah Hustead who serves as the manager and Vice President. Sarah balances the perfect blend of small-town familial roots, and a young, fresh perspective. She lives in and loves the town of Wall and works hard every day to continue to make it a top travel destination. Wall Drug is a legacy of South Dakota and Sarah Hustead is a key component in creating that legacy.
“The future truly is female! I can’t think of a better exemplary figure who is the embodiment of this notion than Wall Drug Store’s Sarah Hustead. Both a kickass leader and a compassionate human being who goes miles above the call of duty to take care of her staff, customers, and the Wall Drug Store name, Sarah’s passion for service is awe-inspiring. Her commitment to quality assurance and embodying the multi-generational values instilled in the Wall Drug Store name by her relatives, while still pushing the envelope to evolve the Hustead’s iconic business to keep up with the needs of today’s society, is a balancing act that few succeed in managing. Yet, Sarah’s cool and calm demeanor makes this seemingly difficult balancing act seem effortless. She’s truly a force to be reckoned with!”- Tyler Harris, RSA Digital Marketing Strategist
Wendy Walla- McDonald’s
The Walla Organization owns and operates the four McDonald’s restaurants in Rapid City, South Dakota. Their organization receives national recognition for its incredible volume and service metrics. Their success is largely due to their focus on their people. By placing their employee satisfaction above all else they have a consistent loyal staff. At the head of all this success is Wendy Walla. Wendy started at McDonald’s at sixteen and never thought it would be her long-term career. Wendy says she holds herself accountable to create a culture where her employees feel appreciated, empowered, and respected. She strives to make her organization a place where ideas, entrepreneurship, and creativity are valued. Wendy’s success is not only evident by her high metrics, but by the words of praise, she receives from those who work for her. By supporting and uplifting her staff, Wendy has created an incredibly successful organization.
“Wendy is a great person to work with as a client. She is so kind and caring; it's hard not to also become friends. She listens to our ideas, always offers insight into what's happening with her business, and really lets us become a part of her team to help her succeed.” – Kandi Cornford, RSA Director of Digital Marketing
This Women’s History Month, and always, we want to celebrate the powerful women who have paved a path for their careers. Congratulations to you and your success. The RSA team is grateful to work alongside you.
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