The Great Falls Development Alliance honored women entrepreneurs during the 15th annual Fire Within event on Thursday, April 16, 2025..
During the celebration, 29 women were recognized as Aspire honorees and 23 as Inspire honorees.
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"It's super fun to celebrate all of the women entrepreneurs in our community. And I think it's great that they put it on here at the Newberry. It's a fabulous venue. So it's very special all the way around," owner of Grae + Co Erica Ferrin said.
Ferrin said being an entrepreneur is like taking a gamble, but it is worth it.
"It's like going to Vegas every day, every single day you wake up and you roll the dice. So, yeah, it's there's a lot of risk to it, but, it's fun and it's a chase and it's a challenge," Ferrin said.
Kelly Speidel, owner and operator of The Paard Yard Horse Resort in Cascade, said receiving a nomination as an Inspire honoree came as a surprise.
"I feel very special that someone thought of me as someone to inspire, women around, the Great Falls area in business," Speidel said.
"Women have a lot of creativity and ideas, and I think honoring them shows what our community, can do as a whole. And I think that's really important," Speidel said.
