Category: Examiner

entrepreneurship, Examiner, food

Examiner.com: Interview with Danielle Di Vecchio, Founder of bakery Biscotti di Vecchio

Christa Avampato

I learned about Danielle Di Vecchio and her business, Biscotti di Vecchio through Crain’s story about online bakeries. Danielle had been making sinfully delicious biscotti for years and giving them away as gifts. Her grandmother taught her to make these traditional Italian cookies, a staple of every Italian kitchen. (Coming from an Italian family myself, my grandmother always had chocolate and vanilla biscotti for us to nibble on. I distinctly remember their scent and place in her kitchen.) Family and friends encouraged Danielle to form a business based on her baking hobby. Danielle’s biscotti, made from the finest, all-natural ingredients, make perfect holiday gifts.

For the interview, click here.

business, Examiner, fashion

Examiner.com: An Interview with Kristen Ernst, Founder of Life Path Living

Christa Avampato

I met Kristen on Owning Pink, a community of amazing women who encourage one another’s dreams and help one another through tough times. It is one of the most supportive groups I have ever been a part of. Kristen stood out to me as someone special because she reached out to me after reading some of my blog posts that detailed some rough times I was going through. I had never heard from her before and yet she offered so much kindness and support and continued to check up on me weeks later. I clicked through to her profile and discovered her business, Life Path Living, and its merchandise line, Life Path Tees.


For the full interview, please click here.
business, Examiner, finance, women

Examiner.com: An Update with Amanda Steinberg of DailyWorth

Christa Avampato

Since I first featured Amanda Steinberg, Founder of DailyWorth, the site has grown considerably. DailyWorth is a website that helps women manage their finances, though the information is incredibly valuable for men as well. I recently caught up with her to ask about the site, her business, and how she’s managing change.

business, entrepreneurship, Examiner, food

Examiner.com: Interview with Lev Ekster, CEO of CupcakeStop

Christa Avampato

I’ve extolled my love for cupcakes before in this column. A few months ago I interviewed the owners of Crumbs, my favorite cupcake bakery in New York. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Lev Ekster, CEO of CupcakeStop, a mobile cupcake bakery in New York City. I first learned about Lev’s story through Crain’s and I reached out to him to get more details about his career path and his start as an entrepreneur. His story is one that proves that a business can indeed be started in a tough economic time in the midst of a tight job market. He is the perfect example of an unintentional entrepreneur!

For the full interview with Lev, click here.

business, entrepreneurship, Examiner, food, health

My latest post on Examiner.com: Interview with Founders of Code Blue

Christa Avampato

Two weeks ago, I had the great fortune of spending some time with the founders of Code Blue, a recovery drink that is made for people who need to feel refreshed without caffeine, added sugar, or preservatives. In one amazing little can you’ll find an elixir that hydrates, replenishes, detoxifies and reduces inflammation. Oh, and it tastes good, too! Sweetened with agave nectar, Code Blue has a proprietary formula that contains prickly pear, Sustamine (an amino acid that promotes muscle hydration and electrolyte replacement), B12, B6, vitamin C, and potassium.

Not convinced that any drink can do all that and taste delicious? I wasn’t either so I sat down with the founders, Michael Sachs and Jeffrey Frumin, to have a little tasting of my own. Now I’m hooked!

For the full article, click here.

entrepreneurship, Examiner, food, New York City

NY Business Strategies Examiner – Interview with Jason Bauer, CEO and President of CRUMBS Bake Shop

Christa Avampato

I have a hard time thinking of any food I love more than cupcakes. When I’m happy, when I’m sad, morning, noon, and night. In New York City, the competition for the best cupcake bakery is fierce. For me, there is one clear winner: CRUMBS. I’m not sure why anyone goes anywhere else for these delicious treats. I highly recommend the Devil Dog and the Blueberry Crumb.

Jason and Mia Bauer started CRUMBS. I recently had the opportunity to interview Jason. He serves as the company’s CEO and President.

To read the full interview, please visit:
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2901-NY-Business-Strategies-Examiner~y2009m8d18-Interview-with-Jason-Bauer-CEO-and-President-of-CRUMBS

business, career, entrepreneurship, Examiner, health, social media, women

NY Business Strategies Examiner – Interview with Lissa Rankin, Founder of Owning Pink

Christa Avampato

Meet Lissa Rankin, an artist, writer, gynecologist, mother, and all around bundle of positive energy. I met Lissa on Twitter, and once I read her brief bio I knew that I had to feature her in this column.

Lissa has made it her mission in life to help others get their mojo back, and particularly to empower women to do whatever and be whoever they want to be. To foster this mission, she created the company Owning Pink, a place where women can connect and support one another in their pursuits. Owning Pink offers classes, workshops, and mentoring to further these connections.

A courageous, empathic, inspirational role model, Lissa is exactly the kind of person this world needs more of.

For the full interview with Lissa, click here.

apartment, business, entrepreneurship, Examiner, home, New York City, rent, technology

NY Business Strategies Examiner – Interview with Lee Lin, co-founder of RentHop

Christa Avampato

It’s moving time again! I’ve been thinking a lot about the moving process and the hunt for apartment lately. I’ll move into my new digs next month and the movers arrive this Thursday. I can be a stressful undertaking, especially Around August 1st when the rush of students and new college graduates is hard to miss!

Looking for a little sanity in your apartment search? Enter RentHop – an innovative new service that allows would-be renters to browse free, no -fee listings in the New York City area. I had the opportunity to speak with Lee Lin, co-founder of RentHop.

For the full story, click here.

entrepreneurship, Examiner, fashion, product development, women

NY Business Strategies Examiner – SPANX

Christa Avampato

One of the things I truly love about this column is that it allows me to promote entrepreneurs and products that I love. This past weekend I went to a friend’s wedding. I needed to buy a formal dress and the undergarments to go with it. I almost reached for the dreaded control-top hose, and picked up a package of SPANX instead.

For the full story of how Sara Blakely, founder of SPANX, got started, click here.

career, economy, Examiner, finance, financing, job, money, personal finance, women, work

NY Business Strategies Examiner – Interview with Amanda Steinberg, Founder of DailyWorth

Christa Avampato

“No one is going to fix financial inequity for women. We have to recognize our own self-worth, ask for higher salaries, invest more aggressively, and build our own wealth.” ~ Amanda Steinberg, DailyWorth Founder

For my interview with Amanda, please visit: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2901-NY-Business-Strategies-Examiner~y2009m7d15-Interview-with-Amanda-Steinberg-Founder-of-DailyWorth