St. Louis is home to scores of inspiring female leaders who jump-start positive change in the business and nonprofit communities. Town&Style recently caught up with three who say their success lies in helping others achieve. Shanise Johnson is executive director of the St. Louis Internship Program, which helps local students attain their career dreams. Holland Saltsman is owner of The Novel Neighbor, a retail and event business that cultivates a love of books and art in people of all ages. And Lisa Knight is owner of roar., a collaborative workspace where creative types can get their entrepreneurial ideas off the ground.
holland saltsman
Holland Saltsman says The Novel Neighbor doesn’t have the word ‘bookstore’ in its name because she always wanted it to be much more than that. She launched the bookstore/art gallery/gift shop/event space in Webster Groves in 2014, and since then, it’s grown steadily and gained a loyal following.
“We started the company with an Indiegogo campaign,” Saltsman says. “We set a goal of $20,000, and we hit it. That was the first great indicator that people were looking for this kind of business and would support it.”
Saltsman, whose background was in college campus housing and library work, says she took a leap of faith after brainstorming with others and figuring out if her more-than-a-store business model would fly. She says, “It was my answer to the question: What would you do for a living if you could do anything you want?”
The store’s gallery space works with about 30 local artists, and exhibits are rotated regularly. There’s classroom space for people who want to host gatherings, lectures and seminars, and themed birthday parties there are all the rage, Saltsman adds. “We do parties where the birthday person picks a book, and our party planner designs the event around it.”
The business also is heavily involved with area authors’ book launches and kids’ reading programs through the St. Louis County library system. And this year, Saltsman has launched a subscription service offering regular book shipments personalized to the reader. “We’ve just sent out our first round of them,” she says. “We’ve had an unbelievable response. This will be one of our main focuses as we grow.”
shanise johnson
Shanise Johnson, pictured at top, is living proof of how the St. Louis Internship Program (SLIP) changes lives. In 1995, she was a young high school student taking part in one of its summer internships at a law firm. Today, she’s executive director of the nonprofit, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has served nearly 4,000 students since it began.
Participants are placed with a variety of employers in St. Louis, usually for eight-week stints. Johnson says the skills they learn through these internships are the keys to career advancement, just as they were in her own life.
“Our program had just 52 students in its first class,” says Johnson, who became executive director in 2002. “It began with summer internships, but has migrated into a year-round program.” Now, it also provides employability training, computer skills, mentoring and what Johnson calls ‘college access activities,’ including ACT prep courses, campus tours, scholarships and college visits where high-schoolers stay for a few days and sit in on classes. This year, the nonprofit is launching a pilot program to offer students college credit for taking its career readiness courses.
Johnson says SLIP’s focus on communication and networking skills has been especially helpful. “Many employers say that one of the things they appreciate most is the set of interpersonal skills our students have,” she notes. “We want students to understand that their current circumstances don’t dictate the rest of their lives. We help them see beyond that to realize their potential and reach goals. The future is ahead, and they’re taking the steps needed to succeed.”
lisa knight
Lisa Knight says her greatest achievement is in giving other entrepreneurs the chance to evolve. She is the owner of roar., a collaborative workspace in Webster Groves that offers different membership levels and plenty of room for clients’ ideas to flow. Home-based entrepreneurs and other businesspeople pay scaled fees depending on how they plan to use the space. “You can come in every day and use a dedicated office or workspace, share a desk, or use our location for meetings,” Knight explains. “The space works well for creative people who don’t have studios but need to present work to clients—or business groups that need a private place to meet.” The building also is home to her interior design company, The Design House.
Roar. isn’t just about desks and chairs, though. It also offers fresh, lovely event space that is highly popular, according to Knight. “In the first three weeks of 2017, we hosted more workshops than we did in total last year,” she says. “We also have bridal and baby showers, pop-up sales events and other parties.”
Knight says the space is a blank canvas ready to accept her clients’ creative event ideas. “It’s like having a party at your own home, but it’s affordable, and we take care of the cleanup,” she says. The building’s 2,000-square-foot, contemporary/vintage interior was designed by Knight, who says she kept versatility in mind so she could fill nearly any client’s needs.
“This already has been a wonderful learning experience for me,” Knight says of the venture, which opened in 2016. “I love helping other businesses grow and succeed.”
Photos: Bill Barrett
