Proud Innovation 2022, part two: From enthusiasm to entrepreneurship

Phillip Bailey (he/him) is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber. In this role, he is responsible for helping guide and ensure success of some of the chamber’s larger signature events and programs. He has 14 years of experience in management of both key projects and events for major corporations. Bailey has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design. In addition, he has extensive experience in marketing and graphic design.

Bailey lives in Glendale, Wisconsin, where he loves to spends quality time with his dog, George Washington, and his husband.

Kenyarn was founded in 2016 by owner Jake Kenyon. Kenyon originally formed Kenyarn while working full time in an acute care hospital setting as a Speech Language Pathologist. In 2021, Kenyon left his full-time job to pursue Kenyarn for 40 hours a week. Kenyarn is built upon inclusivity in the creative space, queer representation, and advocacy for underrepresented and marginalized groups. Kenyarn is known for their bright color profiles, pop-culture colourway themes, and year-long fundraising events for various organizations including Trans Texas, Trans Lifeline, Black Lives Matter, and the Black and Pink organization. Outside of his work with Kenyarn, Kenyon is an avid reader, enthusiastic dog-sitter, and board game player. Kenyarn, LLC is located in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island.

Ana Maria Hernandez Marti is a lawyer, notary, and translator in Puerto Rico and the Founder and CEO of Equal Love. Equal Love was born out the need to express herself confidently. As an openly lesbian woman, she was tired of the stereotypes about gender and wanted to bring awareness to the importance of diversity and inclusion because “We cannot be what we do not see.” To change traditional and erroneous mindsets about gender identity and sexual orientation, Hernandez Marti believes that visibility is important. Hernandez Marti has dedicated most of her career to advocating in favor of legal protections and rights for all living beings. This passion led her to create Equal Love to raise awareness and educate through products. Equal Love is a collection of beauty and home products that allow all humans to have a healthy and confident lifestyle with products like an exclusive gender fluid essential oil blend. It is Hernandez Marti’s belief that personal care and confidence are universal.

All Equal Love products are manufactured in Puerto Rico, made with clean ingredients and are vegan and cruelty-free.

Robin "Robbie" Williams is a passionate entrepreneur, business coach, group facilitator, licensed real estate agent, and the proud owner of Bowtie Behavior, which has outfitted customers across the globe from the U.S., to Canada, and Australia. Born to Jamaican parents in Harlem, New York, and raised in the Bronx, Williams has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of The District of Columbia, where she competed as a Division II college basketball player and coach. Williams also has a Master’s Degree in Sports Management from Georgetown University with a concentration in Strategic Marketing and Digital Media. Along with creating bow ties, Williams' mission is to teach people how to monetize their creativity and skills so that they can do what they love while achieving financial freedom. Explaining how she started Bowtie Behavior in 2014, Williams says, “My best friend was getting married, and her bridal shower was a bow tie theme, so I found myself in search of a bow tie that was fairly priced and fit my style. I couldn’t find one, so I made one. It was such a hit that I decided to run with it and created Bowtie Behavior. The goal is to take the intimidation out of bow ties by creating bold and flavorful pieces that outfits are built around. Bowtie Behavior bow ties are handmade by minority and women-identifying seamstresses with high quality fabrics that are sure to help customers make everyday a FLY day.