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Bache & Company. She moved to Merrill Lynch in 1971, but felt called to entrepreneurship and longed to build her own company.
In 1974, after becoming a U.S. citizen, Natori and her husband explored the different ways she could pursue this desire. Her chance came in 1977, when she presented a nightgown she had created to a buyer at Bloomingdales and wound up translating that opportunity into work as a designer. Natori went on to grow the company to almost 400 employees. She distributes to high-end department stores such as Saks, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, and recently opened her first U.S. boutique in New York City.
3. Heidi Ganahl, founder of Camp Bow Wow, and motivational speaker
Who is she: The founder of doggie-daycare chain Camp Bow Wow and a powerful motivational speaker.
The lesson to learn: Just because your dream has a detour doesn’t mean you’ve the end of the road.
The story: Ganahl and her husband, Bion Flammang, came up with the idea to start a doggie-daycare company together after struggling to find care for their own dogs when they traveled. In 1994, tragedy struck, and Flammang was killed in a plane crash. Although the dream had to be put on hold for the next several years as Ganahl adjusted to life as a single mother raising their children, she never gave up.
In December 2000, Ganahl turned her lifelong passion for dogs into the first Camp Bow Wow in Denver. When her second location opened in 2002, a client suggested she might want to consider franchising. After being featured on AOL, the business took off. Franchises now exist throughout the U.S. and Canada (including the original Denver location, which Heidi sold to focus on the overall business), and the company is worth more than $80 million.
Have a great business idea of your own? There’s no reason you can’t join this list someday! As the stories of Okamura, Natori and Ganahl teach us, If you’re willing to work hard and take action, anything is possible.
she might want to consider franchising. After being featured on AOL, the business took off. Franchises now exist throughout the U.S. and Canada (including the original Denver location, which Heidi sold to focus on the overall business), and the company is worth more than $80 million.
Have a great business idea of your own? There’s no reason you can’t join this list someday! As the stories of Okamura, Natori and Ganahl teach us, If you’re willing to work hard and take action, anything is possible.
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