Kelly Eger-Smith honored as a “2023 Women Who Mean Business” award recipient by the Orlando Business Journal

On March 30, 2023, AEC’s President, Kelly Eger-Smith, was one of 22 women recognized by the Orlando Business Journal as a “2023 Women Who Mean Business” honoree. As described by OBJ, “these women have gone above and beyond in their roles to drive business success, workforce development and community advancement in Central Florida and beyond.”

In her interview with the OBJ, Kelly told the story behind how she achieved success. ”I attribute my success to the people in my life who have believed in me. It’s that support that gives me confidence and makes those difficult days manageable,” she said.

When asked, “What major challenges or obstacles did you face,” Kelly shared, “I come from a family of public-sector employees whose retirement was planned and known for decades. Entrepreneurship was not in our vocabulary. To boot, I started my business on the heels of a personal crisis and the downfall of the company I had spent 12 years invested in. My personal financial position was destroyed by medical bills and a total loss of my investment in my previous employer. I budgeted, saved, borrowed, and did whatever I had to do to make sure essential bills were paid and my family was secure. I stayed focused on building the business, believing my financial situation was temporary. Sounds cliché, but I never lost sight of the light at the end of the tunnel.”