PITTSBURGH, PA — Twenty Won, an anthology of 21 female business owners and nonprofit leaders sharing stories of business resilience during the 2020 global crisis, will launch on April 21. The book, curated by Kelli Komondor, is a collection of inspiring and insightful stories from businesswomen who took 2020 by the horns and pivoted and persevered for success in 2021. These strong, determined women had the drive to start (and re-start) their businesses, they kept their established businesses afloat, and they raised awareness and funds for their nonprofit organizations, all during the year of COVID-19. Though 2020 presented unpredictable circumstances in the entrepreneurial space, it offered unexpected opportunities.
The Pittsburgh region shines, as 19 of the women’s businesses are headquartered in the Pittsburgh area, with Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlestown, Indiana as additional locations.
“Although everyone experienced so many challenges in 2020, I had a lot of professional success, and I knew others who did as well,” said Kelli Komondor, the creator, and a contributing author in the Twenty Won book. “I knew I could find 20 other women who would be willing to share their personal and professional triumphs. I wanted to create something that would inspire entrepreneurs from all over the world, in any stage of business, and from any industry.”
Early praise came from multiple influential women in the business world, including Rhonda Carson Leach, Senior Program Director of The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh, “The stories shared by these twenty-one courageous entrepreneurs will lead to inspiration and encouragement for the next generation of busines leaders and change agents to follow in their footsteps.” She continued, “COVID-19 may have held the world captive, but these phenomenal women decided to remain positive and steadfast.”
“This collaboration has produced a beautiful concert of thoughtful, insightful, and inspirational content,” Dorothy Andreas, CEO of Streamline Success said, “Twenty Won will have a positive impact.”
As a long-time grassroots organizer and consultant for feminist, civil rights, LGBTQ, and other social justice causes, Jeanne Clark stated, “This book contains the stories of women who stepped up and took advantage of the opportunities available to them, giving their blood, sweat, and tears to make a better world – for themselves, their families and friends, and their communities.”
Twenty Won will be available for free digital download on April 21, 2021, at Amazon.com. Paperback copies can be purchased online or through any of the 21 authors. Their contact information and bios can be found on the Twenty Won official website, https://twentywonbook.com/.