Mama Jeans Owners Headline Annual Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium
By: Nathan Vickers
Updated: February 1, 2013
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Women who make a difference in small business.
This weekend, Drury University is hosting an annual conference for women who own, or want to own their own business. And this year the school is inviting some guest speakers who have some real-world success.
The produce section is Diana Hicks' favorite part of her grocery store.
"I just love all the colors," Hicks says. "Sometimes I just try to fluff it up."
Hicks and business partner Susie Farbin own Mama Jeans' Market in Springfield. According to the Springfield Business Journal, their business is the largest women-owned business in the city.
"It's happened so fast that you just kind of get caught up in it and almost don't really have time to reflect back," Farbin says.
"You just have to jump in with both feet. And there might be a lot of things that you just don't know about running a business but you learn by your mistakes. You try never to make them again," Hicks (right) notes.
This is where it all began, the original Mama Jean's location. Now the store is about to open up its third location
"If you dream it and you believe it, it can happen."
It's been a little more than ten years since the two women started the business in Springfield. After a decade of success, Hicks and Farbin have been asked to speak at the Drury University Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium on Saturday, February 2.
"They just need that push, that inspiration," says Sara Cochran with the Edward Jones Center at Drury. She says businesses like Mama Jeans can inspire more women to start a business in Springfield.
"Because we focus on women we try to have a lot of women speakers. Another thing that's important is that the women who attend get to network with one another. There kind of becomes this energy in the room."
The same kind of energy it takes to open up a new kind of grocery store and manage more than 90 employees.
"Whether they're starting something or own several businesses there's something for everyone," Cochran says.
Hicks and Farbin say it's an honor to be recognized for their success.
"It's overwhelming but it makes me really happy."
Even happier to help other women in Springfield build up a business of their own.
"I feel very fortunate to have had this success and if I could help one other woman to blaze the same trail we had that would make me feel really good," Hicks says.
The two women will speak to a network of other up-and-coming entrepreneurs and share with them a success story that's as colorful and fresh as the produce section.
There's still time to register for the symposium. The conference costs 25 dollars to attend.
This weekend, Drury University is hosting an annual conference for women who own, or want to own their own business. And this year the school is inviting some guest speakers who have some real-world success.
The produce section is Diana Hicks' favorite part of her grocery store.
"I just love all the colors," Hicks says. "Sometimes I just try to fluff it up."
Hicks and business partner Susie Farbin own Mama Jeans' Market in Springfield. According to the Springfield Business Journal, their business is the largest women-owned business in the city.
"It's happened so fast that you just kind of get caught up in it and almost don't really have time to reflect back," Farbin says.
"You just have to jump in with both feet. And there might be a lot of things that you just don't know about running a business but you learn by your mistakes. You try never to make them again," Hicks (right) notes.
This is where it all began, the original Mama Jean's location. Now the store is about to open up its third location
"If you dream it and you believe it, it can happen."
It's been a little more than ten years since the two women started the business in Springfield. After a decade of success, Hicks and Farbin have been asked to speak at the Drury University Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium on Saturday, February 2.
"They just need that push, that inspiration," says Sara Cochran with the Edward Jones Center at Drury. She says businesses like Mama Jeans can inspire more women to start a business in Springfield.
"Because we focus on women we try to have a lot of women speakers. Another thing that's important is that the women who attend get to network with one another. There kind of becomes this energy in the room."
The same kind of energy it takes to open up a new kind of grocery store and manage more than 90 employees.
"Whether they're starting something or own several businesses there's something for everyone," Cochran says.
Hicks and Farbin say it's an honor to be recognized for their success.
"It's overwhelming but it makes me really happy."
Even happier to help other women in Springfield build up a business of their own.
"I feel very fortunate to have had this success and if I could help one other woman to blaze the same trail we had that would make me feel really good," Hicks says.
The two women will speak to a network of other up-and-coming entrepreneurs and share with them a success story that's as colorful and fresh as the produce section.
There's still time to register for the symposium. The conference costs 25 dollars to attend.
