Stacie Elkhoury of Chasing Grace, Snipz wins Forty Under 40 award

Stacie Elkhoury of Chasing Grace in Sonoma and Snipz and Novato wins an 11th annual Forty Under 40 award from North Bay Business Journal.|

Stacie Elkhoury

AGE: 37

Chasing Grace, Vineburg,C ofounder, Partner

Snipz, Novato, Founder

Jad Elkhoury DDS APC, Sonoma, Registered Dental Hygienist,Office Administrator

www.chasinggrace.co

Stacie Elkhoury of Chasing Grace in Sonoma and Snipz and Novato wins an 11th annual Forty Under 40 award from North Bay Business Journal.

Responsibilities with your company: Chasing Grace: established 2016- 1 of 3 founding partners. Brand development. Pattern, Material and Art research and selection/design. Business and tax requirements and compliance. Production timelines and strategy. Cost of Goods and retail/wholesale pricing structures. Brand Ambassador outreach. Snipz: established 2013- 8 employees- 2 locations Brand creation and vision, product research and merchandising, account set up and management, all components of HR and employee/stylist recruitment, training and retention. Delegation of roles and responsibilities. Communication and cohesion between two locations. Vendor management and retail ordering. P.O.S. and cloud based management oversight. Workplace safety and state barber and cosmetology license compliance and regulations. Website development and maintenance. Novato and Sonoma locations.

Jad Elkhoury DDS APC: established 2006 14 employees- 2 locations Marketing, community outreach. Patient treatment including maintenance and pre-surgical care. Inter and intra-office and patient relations. Referring doctor relationships. Event coordinator for hosted annual C.E. meetings. All aspects of H.R., compliance, payroll and training. Annual employee reviews and benefits schedule/tracking. Website development and maintenance. Office Technology and Equipment research and ordering. State and Federal board requirements of all practitioners and regulation compliance. Building maintenance schedules (Napa and Sonoma practice buildings). “

Years with company: By establishing businesses that offer important services to the community, employ and empower professionals and give back to the community in meaningful ways.

Years with company: 4.5

Length of time in current position: 10 years

Number of employees who report to you: 12

Greatest professional accomplishment: Chasing Grace: Embarking on a vision and brand that I knew would put me in a position to be vulnerable. To work harder and longer to produce something that was made start to finish by hands and hearts in California knowing that the cost of doing so would limit our audience even further. The message and passion behind this brand is something I am so proud of. Spreading a message of love and faith while supporting the professionals and companies in the bay area. Working with my two longtime friends and growing as business partners through struggle and scrutiny has been something I am grateful to have endured, and it's only the beginning.

Snipz: After our first full year in business Snipz was named the 2015 Best Children's Cut in the Bay Area “A” list. We were a spotlight on the news segment on Mother's Day where I was able to take all four of the kids to Channel 4's newsroom to shoot the segment.

I will never forget how proud and excited they all were, which made me feel so proud!

Jad Elkhoury DDS APC: When my husband and I first met in college and having come from a family where my parents were lifelong business partners I think it was nearly immediate when my husband stated, “just so you know we can never work together.”

He stated, the “doctor's wife” presence in a dental practice is never looked at in a positive light. I can say ten years later, we have created an environment for our team that is like family. Most all of our employees are approaching their 8-9 year office anniversaries and I am so grateful to have been able to support the skill set of my husband so that he can focus on what he does best in addition to ensuring his support staff have the support they need to do what they do best!

It's a beautiful thing when you can call your husband your business partner and still want to go on date night after a long day at the office and parenting together. I know how rare that is and I am so grateful for it!

Greatest professional challenge: Chasing Grace: To know that what you are producing is not going to be accepted by everyone but albeit even harsh criticism you keep kindness and grace at the forefront and not give up.

Snipz: To keep up with salon advancements without being a cosmetologist myself. It is hard to accept when I am lacking coverage with one of the stylists I can't just jump in and offer the services myself. Learning to let go of control and expectation that “I can fix it” has been a great exercise for me.

Jad Elkhoury DDS APC: Keeping my clinical skills and education up to date while managing the business and administrative components essential to daily operations. To stay up to date on the ever changing professional science at the same time as business management and regulations.

Best advice received: It's actually a saying that was never directly given to me but it's a quote that truly transforms the way I try and approach every day. I try and make decisions around my business with this in mind at least once a day in some respect. “You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” - John Wooden

Single most important event in your professional life in the last 12 months: Creation of my latest venture, Chasing Grace which has me diving back into my early ambition and experience in clothing (my first management position was with the Limited brands in 1997 where I worked for six years, during my entire college career).

What steps is your company taking to sustain your organization and morale in the current economy?

Chasing Grace: We are the definition of 'grass roots' so as we continue to gain experience and build and navigate relationships in the fashion world we will certainly stay steadfast in our commitment to produce locally but hopefully even more efficiently and cast a larger net and decrease our energies while increasing our output.

Snipz: Constant involvement in community service and although we don't do any advertising, we keep our name visible through contributions to youth service based opportunities and programs such as preschools, schools, boys and girls clubs.

We never deny any request for support for a youth centered organization. Employees are included in a profit sharing program and also in a commission based bonus structure.

Jad Elkhoury DDS APC: We treat our patients and our team like they are our family. Constantly analyzing the patient experience so that our team members feel connected to each patient. Employees are celebrated by monthly employee of the month nominations by their peers and gifted a paid afternoon of massage in place of office time. Their office anniversaries are truly celebrated and cherished by the entire team with gifts of excursions planned for them or overnight stays in luxury accommodations. “

Next professional goal: Something fun and possibly even edible with relationship to this region. I love the creation process and finding a niche idea that has potential to make an impact on an industry and a community. There are wonderful production facilities in our region and plenty of exposure to wonderful test markets and travelers! I have my thinking cap on and my running shoes tied!

Education: 2003 graduate of The Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio College of Dentistry, division of dental hygiene specializing in education.

Hometown: Lexington, OH

Mentor/admired businessperson: My mother and father and Dr. Pam DiTomasso

Typical day at the office: There truly is no typical day at the office when you are still prioritizing being a mother of four kids under 10. I, however, am so grateful for that opportunity. The chaos feeds my motivation for structure and efficiency. I love to have dependable and capable employees, a wonderful business partner (husband) and two other incredible partners that agree that my mother duties always come first. I cannot remember, however, a single day since we purchased the dental practice that I haven't worked in some capacity. There is no day off but no two days are ever alike.

Best place to work outside of your office: At my home office while my kids practice piano. No matter what types of stressors I am dealing with the sound of children playing/learning music helps me keep a positive outlook.

Hobbies: Running, it is my time to think. I don't listen to music I just let my thoughts run. I do much of my creative thinking when I run. It's where my wild ideas come from. Snow skiing, tennis and sitting sidelines watching my kids turn into little athletes.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: Anything other than a business owner or a dental professional since that was what my family all did. I wanted to 'do my own thing.' I also wanted to be an employee. I liked the idea of benefits. My major started as respiratory therapy then to fashion merchandising next to child psychiatry then finally ended with dental hygiene.

#1 thing you want to accomplish by the time you turn 40: To be in the best physical shape of my life. Everyone keeps saying that everything changes at 40 and you just don't have the energy. I want to stay as active as I can as long as possible. I love working and making an impact and I know the most important thing I can do for my family, my employees and my business partners is to stay healthy!

First job: Subway sandwich shop. I worked every Wednesday after volleyball practice and every Saturday night while most of my friends were hanging out. My parents always said that if I wanted my own car, I better have the money to purchase it and pay for insurance and gas when I turned 16.

I became super motivated and realized I actually loved the gratification I had from a job. The rest is history and I am grateful for my parents “tough love” that instilled a respect for working hard at a very young age.

Favorite book: “The Giving Tree”

Favorite movie: Can't buy me love and Tommy Boy. It's a tie;)

Favorite after-work drink: Anything my husband is pouring for me! I prefer zinfandel and pinot noir and my favorite labels are Hamel Family and Bedrock.

Last vacation: Turks and Caicos for my high school best friend's 40th birthday

What does your mom or dad brag most about you?: “That I ended up so much like them, naturally;) They admire my seemingly endless energy and determination and organizational abilities. “

Stacie Elkhoury

AGE: 37

Chasing Grace, Vineburg,C ofounder, Partner

Snipz, Novato, Founder

Jad Elkhoury DDS APC, Sonoma, Registered Dental Hygienist,Office Administrator

www.chasinggrace.co

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