ST. PAUL, MN – WomenVenture is pleased to announce our 2024 award winners. Each year, at our signature event, Women Mean Business, WomenVenture celebrates deserving business owners who have shown strength, determination, and a drive to support and better their community.
This year’s winners are Anne Andrus of Honey & Rye and bakehouse, Krystal Hall of Home Away from Home Child Care, and Kristi Hemmer of Academy for Women’s Empowerment (AWE).
Expanding Business Award: Anne Andrus, Honey & Rye and bakehouse
Founded in 2013, Honey & Rye has provided its St. Louis Park neighborhood with scrumptious baked goods, a retail marketplace, and a gathering place for the community. In 2024, Anne expanded her business by adding bakehouse, a community space offering classes, parties, and more! Honey & Rye and bakehouse employs 30 staff members who work towards their mission of “cultivating community through the craft of artisan baking”
Resilience Award: Krystal Hall, Home Away from Home Child Care
Krystal Hall has been in the childcare industry for over 20 years and opened Home Away from Home after being unable to find accommodating, affordable, and quality childcare for her son. Krystal faced challenges as a new business owner during the COVID-19 pandemic along with family health issues but today Home Away from Home is thriving and will soon be offering 24-hour care to support their community.
Social Entrepreneur Award: Kristi Hemmer, Academy for Women’s Empowerment
Academy for Women’s Empowerment founder Kristi Hemmer believes that by inspiring changemakers to be unapologetic, they will disrupt the systems of power and create a more equal and safer world for women and girls. Through her work as an author, speaker, and coach, Kristi empowers her clients to MOXIEon! and actualize their power, potential, and presence to create their possible.
Anne Andrus
Krystal Hall
Kristi Hemmer
These impressive business owners will be recognized at our signature annual fundraising gala Women Mean Business that will be held on October 12, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. At this year’s event we will raise money to support WomenVenture’s general operating funds to support more entrepreneurs like Anne, Krystal, and Kristi. It will also feature a Marketplace with 45 entrepreneurs where attendees can shop for birthday, holiday, and other gifts and services. And there will be a dance party at 8:30 PM after the gala.
Our emcee for the evening will be Bao Vang of the Better Business Bureau of MN and ND whose enthusiasm for supporting women-owned businesses will help us raise more than $165,000 to support WomenVenture’s mission to elevate women. Attendees will be entertained by DJ Miss Britt during the program and after-party.
“WomenVenture is honored to be part of Anne, Krystal, and Kristi’s business journey and thrilled to celebrate their success as business owners as well as the impact they are making on their communities,” says LeeAnn Rasachak, WomenVenture CEO. “Thanks to the generous supporters and sponsors of funds raised during Women Mean Business, WomenVenture can continue to empower our clients with affordable access to capital, comprehensive training courses, and a community of support.”
Join us to celebrate these women and support future entrepreneurs.
Media contact:
Jess Jellings
Communications & Marketing Manager, WomenVenture
Jjellings@womenventure.org / 612-224-9553
