Be That Angel Another Deserves On Their Shoulder

Each one of us, at one time or another is praying for an angel on their shoulder to guide them. More often than not, we seek intervention – divine or otherwise – during the hard times, because we believe our inner strengths aren’t enough to pull us through. While we may be courageous, perseverant, independent individuals, I’ve recently come to believe wholeheartedly in one of my father’s sayings, “No one is tough alone.” There will be hard times, certainly in life and in business, but no one has to go through it alone and there’s no shame in seeking assistance.

Angela Lee, founder of 37 Angels and this month’s cover story, is one such guiding force. She’s built her brand on the education and empowerment of women. Her angel network provides mentorship and financial backing necessary for women-owned start-up companies; something she believes is sorely needed in today’s economic environment. As the executive director of Teaching Excellence at Columbia Business School, and an entrepreneur herself, Lee is one angel we’d all be lucky to have on our shoulder.

Another guiding force for good is Theresa Roemer, a business philanthropy expert, as well as the founder and CEO of Theresa Roemer, LLC, and co-owner of Roemer Oil. She has literally climbed mountains and traversed hinterlands for various charitable causes, including Child Legacy International, the American Heart Association and Texas Children’s Hospital. Roemer isn’t just some socialite in Jimmy Choo stilettos; rather, she has chosen a life dedicated to the assistance of others – turning her own life’s tragedies of family loss, as well as her own precarious health, into unrelenting motivation to keep moving forward for the greater good.

In the interests of fellowship, I also encourage you to extend a greeting to our newest Lioness, Gerri Lazarre, who will be penning the Dollars & Cents column. She’s a certified public accountant and principal with TriMergeCPA and TriMergeTax in Miami, Florida. She has more than 15 years of experience in her field and has elevated the column to a new standard with her first piece on bonus depreciation.

Lastly, I hope that you’ll find this month’s issue empowering, prompting you to ask for the help you so desperately need or to be that angel another deserves on their shoulder.