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 Age: 36
Founder and president, Grill Charms by Charmed Life Products LLC
Leslie Haywood was perfectly happy being a stay-at-home mom to her two daughters. But all it took was being served the wrong piece of chicken to turn Haywood into an entrepreneur. Haywood says that “very spicy light bulb moment” led to the invention of Grill Charms.
Haywood’s ultimate goal is for the Grill Charms — dime-sized solid stainless steel charms placed in food before grilling — to become as common as wine charms. Her immediate goal for 2008 is to have Grill Charms in stores in all 50 states. So far, she has 45 more states to go.
Haywood, who works with the Center for Women and speaks to elementary school classes about the inventing process, said her personal goal is to balance her family and her business.
“I hope to make our daughters proud one day, and even though I am making some sacrifices now (trying not to make too terribly many as they are only little once), I hope that in the future they can look at what I have done and know that their opportunities are limited only by their dreams,” Haywood said.
Books on your nightstand: “The Mom Inventor’s Handbook” by Tamara Monosoff and “Mommy Millionaire” by Kim Lavine.
Favorite restaurant: Slightly North of Broad.
Best stress reliever: Blogging and a glass of merlot.
Favorite hour of the day and why: 7-8 p.m. because that’s when we get the kids settled down and talk about our day. We read and tell stories, and nine times out of 10, they are the sweetest they have been all day.
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