Nada Kiblawi was born in a refugee camp, lived through regional wars and finally found safe haven and economic independence as an entrepreneur in the U.S.

As a child born and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp, she suffered from low self-esteem, despite feeling love and affection from her parents.

Nada’s family fled to Lebanon during the 1948 Arab-Israel war, losing all of their possessions and the land they owned in the process. They ended up north of Beirut, in a United Nations refugee camp, which was meant to be a stopgap solution to their crisis.

Nada, her six siblings and her parents were allocated two rooms in the camp in what she describes as “miserable” conditions.

“There was no running water in the houses. There were common toilets in another building that were shared by all the refugees. People would wash and bathe in small containers and then take the water out and throw it in the common sanitary,” Nada told The Story Exchange.

Resourceful Nonprofits Look Outside the Box for Sustainability

by Guest Blogger on Apr 9, 2013 - 1:20am

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by Andrea T. Mills, MBA, CPA, CCSA®, CGMA and Patrick Donohue, MBA, MSW

Even if your nonprofit organization is financially healthy, you’d do well to keep an eye on the future. We live in an environment of ever-increasing demands on resources; you need to be on the lookout for new ways to ensure long-term sustainability.

How Small Business Grow as Their Leaders Do

by Geri Stengel on Jan 17, 2013 - 12:20am

Commentary / Opinion growing small business Profile: Company Small Business small business leadership women entrepreneurs Women Entrepreneurship

Alexandra Ferguson started her business on a whim: making decorative throw pillows with bold typography out of eco-friendly materials that are produced locally and sold online.

Technology-based Business Offers New Solutions to Healthcare Problems

by Geri Stengel on Nov 29, 2012 - 12:20am

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No Jewish mother could want more for her daughter than to be fixed up with a doctor. Even better, the meetup led to marriage of sorts. Cheryl Swirnow, a Human Resource and insurance specialist, and Jay Parkinson, MD, MPH, became business partners.

Growing Your Business Takes More Than Money

by Geri Stengel on Oct 30, 2012 - 12:20am

Profile: Company Small Business small business growth strategic alliances women entrepreneurs Women Entrepreneurship

While growth often means more financing, that isn’t necessarily the case. Sometimes a strategic alliance can grow your business in ways that money can’t.

Merging May be Best Route to Growth

by Geri Stengel on Oct 18, 2012 - 12:20am

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Back in the ‘90s, Hilda Polanco, a CPA with a staff of 10, had an out-of-the-box idea. She realized that nonprofits had a real need for a cost-effective way to professionalize accounting and financial management but no one was providing that service. It was the perfect way to differentiate her service from other accounting practices.

How Necessity Is the Mother of Creating a Business

by Geri Stengel on Aug 16, 2012 - 12:20am

Profile: Company Small Business small business technology small businesses Technology user entrepreneurs women entrepreneurs Women Entrepreneurship

In 1995, Julie Azuma, the mother of a newly diagnosed autistic daughter, went from store to store, trying to find the educational materials her daughter needed. Along the way, she’d joined a listserve -- remember those? -- for parents of autistic children so she knew that other parents were as frustrated as she was.

Twitter, Pinterest and Blogs Make Curator’s Business Boom

by Geri Stengel on Jul 24, 2012 - 12:20am

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“LuxeFinds is a luxury lifestyle blog search engine for women.”

Build a Better Business by Listening

by Geri Stengel on Jun 21, 2012 - 12:20am

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Building relationships is key to building a thriving business. The right relationships can help you:

enter new markets
expand product offerings
source suppliers and employees
spot challenges
grow the business

How Sweet It Is! Learning to Grow Your Business

by Geri Stengel on Mar 15, 2012 - 12:20am

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Yes, I’m a nag but I’m also right. Continuing education for entrepreneurs is a good investment of public funds and a must-do for entrepreneurs. If you don’t believe me, meet Amy Deguilio, founder of Sugar Flower Cake Shop.