I created a company in memory of my 28 year old sister, Liz, who died from breast cancer. Uptown Liz (www.uptownliz.com) promotes products from companies whose proceeds go to charity. You can shop on this one-of-a-kind Web site by charitable cause or product category, knowing that every time you make a purchase you are making a difference. There are many great art, clothing, jewelry, house wares, beauty and eco-friendly products (just to name a few) that benefit charities all over the world.

EDUCATION | BA in communications

HOW TO GET STARTED | You need to do your research. You need to know what to do to make yourself stand out. Talk to people, surround yourself with people whose skill sets are different than yours. Be open to constructive criticism. There's a lot of anxiety and fear that comes along with starting a business, but keep moving forward. Ladies Who Launch was very helpful in getting started.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | You have to be hard-working, organized, and be willing to ask for help.

how I got started | I was doing marketing and public relations for other companies and thinking about starting my own company when my sister Liz was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 26. Although I loved my work, the industry was very stressful and demanding. I wanted a job where I could still be challenged, but have more flexibility to spend time with the people I loved. This desire became stronger and more nagging as Liz's illness progressed. I decided leave my job to start my own business and two days after my last day of work, my family received the news that Liz had only weeks to live, not months (or possible years as they had hoped). So my business was immediately put on hold as I helped my mother care for my sister in the last couple months of her life. After Liz died, I could not imagine what I was going to do with my life. Starting a business overwhelmed me, but so did the idea of going back to work in my field. Two months later, I decided to continue with my marketing and public relations business. Steady clients started coming in and I felt that this might be the answer, but that answer proved to be temporary. I regularly sent out e-mail newsletters to clients and friends on various topics, and for the October 2006 (breast cancer awareness month) newsletter, however, I did something a little different and sent a list of risk factors for breast cancer and retail products that had proceeds going to the disease. An acquaintance responded with the suggestion that I do this on a regular basis in honor of Liz. Over the next few months, ideas started forming from that suggestion, but I would dismiss them and move on to something else. Until one spring day in 2007, I told a good friend my idea to create a Web-based business that would list and promote products that go charity. She thought the idea was amazing, even though at the time I didn't know how I would do it, or how it would make money. The next step was incubating the idea with Ladies Who Launch - a national company with local chapters that offer workshops to help women launch businesses.. I was determined to launch the business on what would have been my sister's 30th birthday. So over the next two months I spent every waking moment (while running my marketing business) to launch Uptown Liz. I recruited the talents of my graphic designer friend (That Designer Guy) and sent out e-mails to only a few close friends and family sworn to secrecy to help me with design decisions, Web site copy, and other miscellaneous details. On July 17, 2007 (what would have been Liz's 30th birthday) at 6:30 p.m., Uptown Liz was launched. Since that day, the company has taken off faster than I ever imagined. The positive response from retailers, media and the public have amazed me. I get beautiful e-mails and phone calls every day about what good work I'm doing, or how proud Liz would have been.

why this job?| It was truly serendipitous. I felt compelled, pulled by a force larger than myself, to start this company. Although I didn't realize it at the time, all my skills and career background prepared me for this. My sister was a fashionista. The end of her life was tragic, but no one wants to be remembered just for cancer. Through Uptown Liz, I want to share my sister's life and personality. It's designed using her favorite colors, pink and lavendar. Pink is also the universal color associated with breast cancer, as is lavendar with cancer. I wanted to create a legacy for my sister.

why I love this job!| I always thought I'd have my own business. I'm very passionate about entrepreneurship and helping women work to fulfill their own dreams. I love that I'm able to create a legacy for my sister Liz: she had so much to offer the world, but her life was cut short. And I love giving back. The private sector, business, can have a great positive impact, and I like helping make that happen.

my typical day| It's all over the place. I get up, check e-mails, eat breakfast, respond to what's urgent, go exercise, come back and work. I work a lot of hours, but if family is in town, or my friends have something going on, I have the freedom to take the day off.

what they are | Time management. One of the biggest challenges for me is deciding where my time is best spent.

all about growth | The opportunity in this area is huge. This is just taking off, and there will be great expansion.

my website| http://www.uptownliz.com/