UW Alumna Entrepreneur Wins National Recognition as American Small Business Champion by SCORE: Kyira Hauer

[Madison, WI]─ Madison-based entrepreneur, founder of Kinda Kreative, LLC and the #ReclaimBeauty Project has been chosen as winner of The 2017 American Small Business Championship hosted by SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, and generously supported by Sam’s Club, a leading U.S. membership club serving small businesses since 1983. The Championship awarded this title to 102 entrepreneurs for their dedication to the success of their small businesses. The American Small Business Champions each received a $1,000 Sam’s Club gift card, an all-expense-paid trip to a training and networking event in Dallas, TX, SCORE mentoring and publicity throughout the year.

Kyira Hauer earned the title of American Small Business Champion by submitting an online application describing the most unique aspect of their small business that has contributed to their success, their positive impact on the community, and their plans to use the prizes to grow their business. Nominations which garnered at least 100 votes were then presented to a judging panel of small business experts that determined 102 winners including Kyira.
“Words cannot express my gratitude for the community who has supported and made the #ReclaimBeauty project what it has become. Together, we have the power to change the conversation in our society about beauty and self worth and I could not have done this without you!” says Kyira Hauer, owner of Kinda Kreative, LLC and the #ReclaimBeauty Project.

“SCORE is very pleased to honor the hard work and accomplishments of these 102 small business owners. They come from all across the United States, and provide diverse products and services for their clients, but all share in their dedication to making their dreams a reality,” said SCORE CEO Ken Yancey. “It is our pleasure to provide the mentoring, tools and resources that will help them continue to grow their businesses and enhance the communities they serve.”

“At Sam’s Club, we proudly support and celebrate the unique experience of the small business owner,” said Tracey D. Brown, senior vice president of operations and chief experience officer at Sam’s Club. “We are inspired daily by their ability to navigate challenges and triumphs on the road to success. And now, hopefully, the rest of the nation will be, too, as they get to know some of the nation’s most promising small business owners.”

Kyira is also eligible to win one of three additional $25,000 grand prizes by being named Grand Champion. A judging panel of small business experts will select three Grand Champion from the group of Small Business Champions this summer. Selection is based on how effectively Champions utilize the Sam’s Club gift card and the SCORE regional training events to grow business revenue, as well as how effectively the winners promoted the Championship in the media and social media.

About #ReclaimBeauty
Until now, the notion of beauty has been designed for us based on the culture we live in. Through this culturally encapsulated construct, we have found ourselves in a never-ending chase to reach some mysterious goal that allows us to feel comfortable saying “I AM Beautiful”. But the truth is, the notion of beauty as it exists right now in the media and other outlets is unattainable in that it tries to put people into a predetermined box of beauty. It dismisses the uniqueness that is each of us, in our own body, are already beautiful. We all have the RIGHT to acknowledge our own beauty because we are all equally and undoubtedly beautiful. We DESERVE to feel truly joyful and prideful in our own skin as we think about what we have all been able to overcome, take on and endure throughout our lives. It is each of us, in our raw and unfiltered state, that represents the epitome of beauty and it is time for you to join me in this fight and exert our power to redefine the word to encompass each and every one of us.