What Works

By Lucy M. PritchettBookseller Rachel Brewer received a holiday bonus this year from an unexpected source.Author James Patterson, a generous supporter of independent bookstores, gave $250,000 in holiday bonuses divided among 149 deserving independent bookstore employees. Rachel was one of two booksellers from Carmichael’s Bookstore to receive a bonus. (Shout-out to Jason Brown, the other bonus recipient.)“I had no idea I'd even been nominated, and I still don’t know who sent in the entry essay as to why I deserved a holiday bonus,” Rachel says. “One day I just got an email from the American [...]

By Lucy M. PritchettShe works at one of the most peaceful spots in Louisville. Her desk overlooks the lake where generations of families have come to relax and feed the ducks. A place where one can have a moment of quiet reflection in the midst of a bustling urban environment. Cave Hill Cemetery may not be one’s first choice as a workplace, but for Kayla Wessling, who just turned 27, it almost seems a logical one. Kayla is originally from Batesville, Indiana, a town known for its manufacturing of caskets and cremation urns. Both her [...]

By Lucy M. Pritchett“Luxury shouldn’t cost a fortune.”Although many entrepreneurs start a business from their basement or garage, Matt Multerer took his idea to another level. He founded Finespun Clothing from a bedroom on the second floor of his house in Louisville.After working for years in the financial industry with its de rigueur conservative Navy Blue Jackets, Matt felt it was time to develop his own fashion business for the discerning man. In April 2016, he founded Finespun Clothing, an online shop featuring men’s business casual wear.“When I worked in New York, I saw very [...]

By Lucy M. PritchettA hair museum? Not someplace one would normally think of as actually existing. But in celebration of its 31st year, Strandz Salon & Threadz Boutique Owner Stefanie Griffith thought creating such a place would be entertaining as well as a chance to celebrate the history of the business. Also, she found it a way to appease her curiosity about the history of All Things Hair.Stefanie calls the tribute “Styles Through the Decades” and has invited clients and friends to contribute photos, stories, and styling tools for the display in the large event [...]

By Lucy M. Pritchett “Let me get that for you.”What overworked, overscheduled, and overwhelmed woman (or man) hasn’t longed to hear those words? This is why Genevieve Foxworth decided to name her personal concierge business just that. Fourteen years ago, after a series of unfulfilling jobs, Jenny began taking on tasks that helped people out — jobs such as washing dishes and cleaning up after a dinner party, or house sitting, or dog walking. As her calendar began to fill with requests for help, she discovered she had a business going: Let Me Get That [...]

What works for Skylar reflects her artist’s path, her way of spicing up her vegetarian meals, and her trick to keeping her cold drinks cold.By Lucy M. Pritchett Photos by Patti Hartog Sometimes artist Skylar Smith works small and intimate and sometimes she works large and public. In her own private art world, the work often deals with biology and the growth patterns of plants and animals. “I have a scientific interest,” she says. “Studying micro- and macroscopic imagery. Exploring patterns and similarities.”In the public world, she is assistant professor at Kentucky College of Art [...]