When my grandmother died about three years ago, she left me a beautiful vintage black lace dress. My mother told me that it was her favorite dress. I had it tailored to fit and waited for the right occasion to wear it.

Soon after, my cousin got married in the same chapel where our grandparents were married in Sydney, so I pulled out the dress for the wedding. At the time, I was living in Los Angeles.

At the reception at the Sydney Opera House I stood on the terrace having a quiet moment by myself as I had not been home for a long time.

I was struck by the importance of family and history. I said a prayer for my grandmother, thanked her for the dress, and asked for a sign if she could see me in it. Suddenly, a big, bright fireworks display in the shape of a heart burst out of the Harbour Bridge and shone down on me, and I knew I was home. I recently moved back and bought a place in Sydney so now I am truly “home.”

I realized this when two people I love faced life-threatening health issues. My mother had a stroke and a best friend was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It was at these moments that I realized what is most important in life, what not to worry about and what it means to be there for other people. These moments opened my eyes to how fleeting our lives are, how precious every day is and how important it is to take care of ourselves. I work out now, not to try to have a perfect body, but to maintain my health. The same goes for what I eat. It changes my whole perspective on life — my mother and my friend have given me so much, but never as much as the wisdom I received through their illnesses.

My story begins ater my birth in the Carpathian Alps of Hungary during World War II. I was hidden as an infant as the Holocaust swept Europe. At the end of the war, I was taken to Canada where I was raised, married and had six children, and in 1971 entered the jewelry business. My determination to forge a new career was uncommon at the time, and I was shunned by local businessmen as I attempted to learn about the industry. With a strong interest in the pearl market, I took matters into my own hands and went directly to the source.

Armed only with a guide from the Japan Pearl Exporters’ Association, I traveled to Japan and immersed myself in learning about pearls and visiting wholesalers in an attempt to forge relationships. Later, I expanded my expertise in the pearl industry by studying at the GIA (Gemological Institute of America). Since then, clients from around the world have commissioned me to design and craft unique pieces of jewelry. My jewelry design skills have also been tapped by Mattel to create a line of jewelry for the toy maker’s legendary Barbie collection, which received the prestigious Innovation Award for design.

In 1999, my family launched Ice.com, which has become a leading jeweler on the web committed to providing customers with the best value, quality, service and selection to consumers who enjoy jewelry as both a fashion essential and a fun part of their everyday lives. I couldn’t be more content to know that my vision has thrived into a flourishing business and will be a legacy for my family. Each one of my children plays a pivotal role in the running of Ice.com and my 42 grandchildren (and counting!) know that if they choose, they can work for our homegrown business.

In 2003, I had an epiphany, my VIV Moment, on a winter training run in Colorado. I looked at my reflection in a store window as I ran by and thought, I want to feel pretty! I ran home and started scribbling the basis for what is now SkirtSports, a company aimed at creating attitude- (and curve-) enhancing fitness products.

SkirtSports has grown in less than three years into an international company that provides hot, sexy, sassy fitness clothing to women runners, cyclists, triathletes and fitness enthusiasts. We also started a line of girls products, because a fit lifestyle needs to be ingrained while we’re young.

I still work out everyday and jump into races when I can, but my new passion is inspiring women to include fun fitness in their lives. I am involved in every aspect of SkirtSports and I learn more every day than I ever would have imagined. In the end, I just wanted to create something cute that I could work out in. I never expected the overwhelming response of women who claim that the “Power of Skirt” has changed their lives. It’s a great feeling.

Now, this wasn’t just any shoe store, but the DSW Shoe Warehouse at the Mall of America, the nation’s largest retail and entertainment complex. At this “Mecca of discount shoes,” I met the woman who would change my life, Kate Spade. Well, I didn’t actually meet Kate, but I did discover a pair of cream-colored, flat leather Kate Spade slide sandals in a size 11.

This might not seem like a big deal for those blessed with smaller feet, but my fellow “big foots” understand how hard it can be to find fashionable shoes in my size. Then, to find size 11 shoes on sale was like being the only winner of the $200 million dollar Lotto.

Finally, a designer understood the plight of big-footed fashionistas! No longer were my shoe choices limited to brown “sensible shoes” from the comfort store. Now, I, too, could channel my inner Carrie Bradshaw, wearing adorable shoes out on the town with my close group of girlfriends. Ms. Spade and her size 11 slides opened my closet to a whole world of shoe possibilities. All for less than $14.