Greene County’s women-owned enterprises: Making it their business to make an impact
By Lynne Hayes
Greene County’s 14 mountain, river valley and rural towns are thriving centers of commerce due to the more than 5,000 small businesses operating here. Of those, nearly one-quarter are owned by women – committed, creative, fearless women who are doing their part every day to make this region a great place to live, work and play.
It’s likely you engage with several WBEs (Women Business Enterprises) regularly without realizing it. But the Greene County Chamber of Commerce is out to change that.
A key pillar of our mission is helping to advance women in business with opportunities, resources, and programs to ensure their success. Our Women’ Business Council is instrumental in this, and our Women in Business Hall of Fame annual induction event is designed to shine a spotlight on their achievements.
But it’s equally important that neighbors like you get to know about them as well. By proudly (and loudly!) spotlighting four of them here, we hope to create a greater awareness of the huge economic impact that these women and so many others have on our Greene County communities.
Porcupine Soup
Hard-pressed to find local news in print? It’s not surprising. Since 2005, more than 2,200 local newspapers have disappeared. It’s not just sad, it’s dangerous. After all, as one journalism professional noted recently, a key responsibility of local reporters is holding local public officials and businesses accountable. Without them, corruption goes unchecked and towns become local-news deserts.
Sylvia Hasenkopf, a genealogist/historian, and journalist Andrea Macko, decided they couldn’t let that happen in their community. In November 2020, with Macko as publisher/news director, and Hasenkopf as general manager, the two friends founded the free-to-all digital publication, Porcupine Soup.
“We realized a void existed here for accurate, unbiased news coverage and decided to launch a news website focused on Greene County,” Macko said. “What makes us unique in today’s news industry is that we sit on opposite sides of the political aisle. Our news articles stick to the facts, we avoid adjectives, and our goal is always to inform, never to influence.”
A Chamber member since day one, Porcupine Soup maintains a staff of more than a dozen local columnists and contributing writers who develop continuous news content, along with obituaries, a police blotter, community calendar, free help wanted section, local restaurant guide and an assortment of columns about real estate, gardening, history and the outdoors.
The fact that Porcupine Soup is women-owned rarely enters Macko’s and Hasenkopf’s minds, though they acknowledge it is significant.
“I cannot believe that any of our readers care about our gender,” Macko said. “They care about accuracy, quality and objectivity. I want people to come to our site because we offer a superior product, not because we are women. That’s not to discount the struggles and triumphs of millions of women who over the years had to fight their way into the business world. There certainly was a time when the idea of two women running a news organization was unheard of.”
Opening a business of any kind at the start of a pandemic has its challenges, but as a purveyor of local news in a free online format, Porcupine Soup became a must-read for residents who found themselves stuck at home.
“Before we launched, we had a target of 5,000 unique readers a month,” Hasenkopf noted. “Our first month we hit 20,000 and we have continued to grow. Hearing from advertisers that new customers are learning about local small businesses from our site is a great feeling, especially when so many of them had a tough time during the pandemic.”
Currently, between 50,000 and 60,000 unique readers visit the Porcupine Soup site each month, and the publication is the leading source of local news.
“As a local business, we are very proud when people come up to us and say, ‘I love your paper,’” Hasenkopf said. “We have strangers hear our names and say, ‘Are you from Porcupine Soup? I read it every day.’ The idea that we have that level of reach is very rewarding.”
EP Nevins Insurance
When Erin Nevins was working at a large insurance brokerage company, she realized how little time brokers spent educating and guiding their clients in making decisions about one of the most confusing products they have to purchase. In 2007, that frustrating observation led Nevins to found EP Nevins Insurance Agency Inc. currently located in Greenville, NY.
Her boutique-style insurance brokerage offers a full portfolio of health, dental, life, vision and disability insurance products as well as her Medicare Division – USA Medicare consulting. But most important, it offers advice and support, patiently delivered by Nevins and her staff of 20 agents.
Nevins’ believes those services are key, especially when it comes to selling insurance.
“My vision was to be able to provide as much education and guidance as I could in helping my clients choose plans and costs that best suit their individual and financial needs,” she explained. “Listening and paying attention to what people are really asking you for is vitally important. Oftentimes people do not even know how to start a conversation because they are not really certain of what they need. Sometimes they just need to speak and tell their situation to someone who will hear them out, not respond and interrupt.”
Nevins has accomplished a great deal in her 15 years of ownership, but she said one of her greatest achievements in heading a woman-owned business is being a role model for others, including her three sons.
“My three sons have watched me from start to finish and have said so many times how proud they are of me and my determination to succeed,” she said. “Serving as a role model to others makes me feel good. If you want something bad enough, you will make it happen, no matter the odds.”
Nevins’ impact on her community goes far behind the very personal, caring service she provides to her health insurance clients. Nevins is an active Chamber member and is also deeply involved in philanthropic work that includes mentoring Eagle Scouts, participating in Rotary and the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, and supporting Community Partners of Greenville. In addition to doing good work for her community, Nevins has earned the trust of her neighbors, friends and industry colleagues.
“When I started to receive referrals from so many colleagues in my own industry, not only for their clients, but for their families and neighbors, I was immediately humbled,” she said. “That means so much to me that they truly trust me and value my expertise and knowledge.”
Nevins loves being able to take care of her community with great service and guidance.
“I live in the same community as most of my clients and I take great pride when someone approaches me publicly to thank me for assisting them in saving substantial money or for helping them to fix their situation,” she said. “I feel lucky to be able to assist people with such a complicated system and make it smooth and easy for them.”
Karen’s Flower Shop
Life gives people so many reasons to say it with flowers. Bouquets and arrangements bring joy, beauty, and comfort to all kinds of occasions. With so much emotion attached to the product, a florist owner not only needs to have a head for business, she also needs to be compassionate. That is Karen Gallo, owner of Karen’s Flower Shoppe in Cairo.
“I grew up at a local resort, Lange’s Grove Side in Acra, and one of the things I enjoyed most was helping in the gift shop,” Gallo said. “In high school I attended the BOCES Horticulture program which led me to SUNY Cobleskill. That’s where I got my degree in Floriculture. Flowers became my life.”
Karen’s Flower Shoppe is a woman-owned business through and through. Her all-female staff has created a friendly atmosphere for customers, and the staff loves the fact that, on any given day, they’re impacting the lives of their friends and neighbors with the services they provide.
“We’re not just a business,” Gallo said. “We are a part of the community providing a friendly atmosphere along with original designs and selection for all types of life events. Everyone on our team strives every day to bring our best efforts to our work.”
In addition to executing her vision of satisfying Greene County customers with “the art of design,” Gallo is proud to be a Chamber member as well as a current board member. She credits the organization with giving her the opportunity to work and network with other businesses and their owners. It has also enhanced her connection to the community as a whole. In fact, Karen’s Flower Shoppe donates to many local organizations and charities, most notably the Greene County Women’s League.
“One of the favorite things we do each year is Petal It Forward,” Gallo said. “Every October, we pass out free bouquets throughout the Community. It’s a show of gratitude from us and brings smiles to our staff and everyone who receives them.”
Gallo said some of her proudest moments have come from the recognition she has received from fellow businesses and the public. She was named Cairo Rotary’s Business Owner of the Year in 2001, as well as Greene County Chamber’s Businesswomen of the Year in 2016. She has also been voted best Florist and Gift Shop in the Chamber’s Best of Greene County Reader’s Choice contest since 2018, and best Gift Shop/Boutique since 2020.
While Gallo is proud of these awards, she believes success can be measured in several ways.
“It starts with having your bills paid. Then you’re able to expand and hire more employees. Being recognized by your colleagues and community. And finally, the greatest measure of success is when you are in the position to give back.”
Lindsay’s
When it comes to delicious comfort food for breakfast or lunch, Greene County locals know the best place to find it is at Lindsay’s in Leeds. In this inviting cafe, everything is homemade, and much of it is whipped up by the owner, Lindsay Scarpinati.
Scarpinati opened Lindsay’s in 2014, but the location has been a family-owned dining operation since the 1940s.
“We have been serving the same families for generations,” Scarpinati said. “In fact, I’ve been working here since I was in high school and through college, serving the community for years building relationships with local businesses and families.
“When the opportunity arose to purchase the business, I was happy to take on the venture. It has been one of my greatest personal accomplishments to own and operate this cafe.”
Scarpinati cultivates what she calls a “family feel” at Lindsay’s where customers can enjoy quick and delicious meals and desserts. She is also focused on giving back to her community in appreciation of their years of support.
“We regularly participate in local fundraisers and donations toward community activities,” she said. “We’ve held special fundraisers here to support our community members and it’s very fulfilling to be able to help when and where we can.”
As a woman-owned business, Scarpinati is also grateful for the support of the Chamber. She said that “outside of her faithful customers, the Chamber has been her biggest champion.”
“They’ve provided visibility, networking, and community support for Lindsay’s,” Scarpinati said. “Through the pandemic, we were able to stay open and serve people through their car windows, keeping our employees working and customers served. I credit the Chamber with bolstering our business during that challenging time.”
In recent years, she has made Lindsay’s an even more inviting place for her customers, an achievement for which she’s particularly proud.
“My most gratifying moment — and the moment when I knew I had made it — was when I was able to do renovations and reinvest in my restaurant,” Scarpinati said. “Being able to open the doors to a fresh ambiance and hear all the excellent feedback was such a sense of accomplishment.”
