A new business venture requires hard work, determination, creativity and above all, a lot of heart and soul. “The sense of pride and accomplishment of owning a business is the highest feeling,” said Alicia Austin Morgan, who attended the University of Mary Washington and is co-owner of Fredericksburg vintage and consignment boutique Forage. “Definitely listen to your heart and rely on your instincts. There’s no right or wrong way to operate a business. If you work hard you will be rewarded with success.” Morgan and Forage co-owner Megan Parry ’05 were among seven UMW alumni who participated in a recent small business panel event. Fellow panelists Erik Bruner-Yang ’07, chef and owner of Toki Underground in Washington, D.C., Linda Fairall ‘06, owner of Fabulous Frocks in Alexandria, Va., Jay Parrish ’03, co-owner of Parrish Learning Zone, LLC, and Carl Lawson ’08, chief operating officer of CBAI & Associates in Fredericksburg, gave advice on starting a … [Read more...]