Woman Owned Business

March 5, 2021

March is Women’s History Month and March 8th is International Women’s Day. At epiphany studios this is such a meaningful time for us. We firmly believe women deserve recognition and respect for their accomplishments. We take note of the power of women to make the world we live in a better place.

epiphany studios is a Certified Woman Owned Business and proud to have this title. Owned and operated by our amazing leader and artist, April Wagner, epiphany studios works to show just how capable women are. April put blood, sweat and tears into getting her business where it is today. She continues working hard for her successes, growing and contributing back to the community– and we’re all so proud of her!

During such an important month, it seems like the perfect time to talk about being a Certified Woman Owned Business and what it means to us.

Certified Woman Owned Business

If you’ve been on our website or correspond with us via email, you’ve probably seen the Woman Owned logo. You may have thought that any woman owned business can include this logo on their correspondence and marketing. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council awards this title to qualifying businesses. Let’s look at the criteria we had to meet:

– The business must be owned at least 51% by a woman or women.
– The woman owner of the business must serve as either President or CEO.
– The woman owner must be active in daily management.

We’re proud to have not only met but exceeded these qualifications. April is the sole owner of epiphany studios, making us a 100% woman-owned business. April designs all of the work the studio creates and plays a major role in producing that work. Whether heading the team of glassblowers or working from the sidelines, April is the driving force of the studio.

The Women of epiphany

epiphany studios employs women in all aspects of the business, from glassblowing to management, marketing, and PR. And while we celebrate women in the workplace, we aim to contribute to a culture that maintains balance between genders. Glassblowing, like other art forms and other careers in general, has traditionally been male dominated. Women like April and our glassblower Rebecca Silverman work every day to disprove that stereotype. They work hard to make art, learn, grow, and show the amazing things women are capable of when given the opportunity. We are noticing an uptick in the number of female glass artists and hope to see that trend continue.

epiphany studios has women employed in other aspects of the business as well – we believe in feminine power. Former studio manager Mary Griffin worked with April to create an environment where creativity can thrive. Current studio manager Shannon Teeple is taking over and expanding on these ideas. Natalie Engel, our sales & marketing manager, works to promote epiphany as a proud woman-owned business. We have a great team of amazing women working hard together to build a successful and thriving business. We are extremely proud of our accomplishments.

The Future

We’re grateful to the WBENC for including us in their organization. They provide us amazing opportunities. Interacting with women business owners in Michigan and seeing the diverse industries that they’re pioneering is a source of inspiration.

And of course, the men who work for epiphany are equally as important to our success. We are striving for a future in which a woman business owner is not a rarity and all people are valued as equals.

We hope you enjoyed learning about our business and why being a Certified Woman Owned Business is important to us. Keep up to date with us on Facebook, Instagram or sign up for our newsletter.