The Spirit of Entrepreneurship (SOE) Celebration Breakfast, sponsored by Warren Butler, managing partner of the Flightline Restaurant & Lounge, was an inspiring gathering of several 2018 SOE award winners, government officials and representatives from SOE awards sponsors.

The sponsors include Montecito Bank & Trust, Southern California Edison, Bank of the West, California Bank & Trust, BOMA Investments, Wells Fargo, and Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyard.

Caroline MacDougall, CEO/founder of Teeccino, one of the first SOE award winners and current SOE Foundation Board member, acknowledged Cathy Feldman for the positive impact of the SOE awards, which she founded eight years ago.

Feldman is the founder of Blue Point Books and board chair/CEO of the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation. She has been committed to women entrepreneurs for more than 25 years, often encouraging women to connect with and assist one another.

Marsha Bailey, founder/CEO of Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV), spoke about the essential cycle of mentoring and supporting each other, and its impact in building thriving businesses.

She emphasized how each of us can be in a position to help those who are not yet at the stage “where we are” in businesses, and the importance of continuing to be mentored by those who can help us in building our business.

SOE winners shared experiences about starting and expanding their businesses. Several reflected on the importance of staying committed to their vision and having the resilience to keep going when faced with rejection about their ideas, and limited access to capital and other support.

WEV was acknowledged as being a critical resource for offering loans and helping women build their business.

Each winner received a certificate from the SOE Foundation and certificates of recognition from Santa Barbara County, the state of California and the U.S. Congress.

— Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation.