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Hometown

Aspen, CO

Joie de VIVre

Waking up every morning in a place I love, gardening, travel, going to my kids’ hockey games, riding dirt bikes (motorcycles), running a business, and so much more.

VIV Moment

I recently set a new world record for the highest skydive by a civilian woman, after jumping from a plane at 29,840 feet — the cruising altitude of a commercial airliner. I did it to celebrate two major events in my life: turning 50 and launching a new business.

It has taken me a long time to grow into myself. For so long I had so little confidence. Now I can honestly say I look and feel great inside my own skin. Both the skydive and launching DramaticLash have caused me to find strengths that were always present, but that I never gave myself credit for. These two challenges forced me to step out of my comfort zone and to not be intimidated by the enormity of a project, but rather take one manageable step at a time. I’ve learned it’s OK to be myself, even if I don’t fit nicely into someone else’s categories.

On June 12, I found myself wearing an oxygen mask and dangling out of a plane an hour outside of Memphis, TN, in minus 20-degrees Fahrenheit, as my HALOJumper jump master, a Gulf War veteran, prepared to leap behind me. [Typically, High-Altitude Low-Opening (HALO) jumps are used by the military to transport supplies, equipment or personnel when avoiding detection is necessary.] After freefalling for about two minutes, the instructor popped the chute and we slowed our speed. I didn’t think too much about the jump before it happened — I didn’t want to have so much adrenaline pumping that I missed the whole thing.

I’d skydived once before, in my mid-20s. When I organized this jump through an entrepreneur networking organization called Maverick Business Adventures, I figured as long as I was going up, I’d set a record. I became the 82nd civilian to make the jump and the second female in the United States. I made the jump to bring attention to DramaticLash and its message to women to encourage and support their goals. With my children about to leave for college, I redesigned my life after turning 50 in April and decided to focus my attention on starting this business and pursuing my dreams, with the support of my husband.

I also made the dive to bring awareness to Women For Women International. They support and help women in war-torn countries rebuild their lives. I plan to donate 100 percent of the profits of my first month’s sales from DramaticLash, which will be available in August or September, and 10 percent of the profits to Women For Women from then on.

A complicated health history made me very aware of what I expose my body to and made me competent at reading medical and scientific journals and ferreting out health information. After researching current eyelash products, I worked very hard with a team of scientists to create the formula that makes lashes look longer and thicker, but doesn’t have the drugs, which can have dangerous side effects, that are in many other serums.

In contrast to my earlier years, making a difference and supporting others is now the yardstick by which I measure my success. Breaking the world record has boosted me to a new level of confidence. The motto of my company is “Make It Dramatic!” I’d say I’m off to a pretty good start!

Tags: entrepreneur, eyelash products, Free fall, Gravitation, Memphis, Parachuting, United States

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