Ripley County Women In Business: An Inspiration For Daughters To Dream Big, Aim High

As the role of women in society has evolved since World War II, the business community, at first slow to embrace change, has ultimately recognized and welcomed their contributions.

No longer are professional women limited to sitting at desks and answering phones.

Women have proven themselves worthy of stepping into arenas previously dominated by men, and have found equal footing.

They start and run their own businesses, and occupy the chief administrative positions in banks, schools, newspapers, and factories (while still taking care of the home and fulfilling their role as mothers).

They pastor churches and run million-dollar organizations. They no longer just serve meals at home, but now run successful catering businesses, bakeries, and restaurants.

They open dress shops, nail salons, and beauty parlors.

Women no longer just garden at home, they open flower shops, and operate their own farms, vineyards, and home-based businesses through which they produce everything from bath and body products to jellies and jams.

Downtown Doniphan is a testament to what women in business are doing within our own community.

The Ripley County Chamber of Commerce reports that 30 percent of its members are women who own or co-own businesses.

Four of those amazing women are featured in this special tab, which we are entitling, “Ripley County Women In Business.”

They will share their stories, which can’t help but inspire other women and daughters to dare to dream big.

Featured are Rose Neels, who went from store cashier to bank branch president and business owner; Christi Kirby, a teacher, coach, photographer and sawmill business co-owner and operator; Kat Robinson, who has turned her love of yoga, natural medicine, music and the arts into three successful businesses, and Tracie Payne, a stay-at-home mom who runs a successful home-based business.

This feature is the first of what The Prospect-News (which, incidentally, has been managed and edited by women since 1942) hopes will be an annual publication. Give us a feedback at pnpaper@windstream.net.