ABOVE: Ste’Keira Shepperson, Angela Padgett, Alyssa Cherry and Vimala Rajendran on the rooftop of The Dillon in downtown Raleigh. Photo by Jenn McKinney Photography
story by JANICE LEWINE
Every business starts with a spark—an inspired idea fueled by the desire to make a difference. Behind every woman-owned business is a visionary who meets challenges head-on with creativity, grit and heart. Add the daily responsibilities of caring for a family, and you’ll find a true mompreneur: a powerful force who balances the demands of motherhood with the drive to build something meaningful.
Triangle Family is proud to spotlight five local entrepreneurs who turned their dreams into reality—proving that building a business and raising a family aren’t just possible together, but powerful in tandem.
ALYSSA CHERRY
Owner and Founder
Fillaree
Step inside Fillaree in Durham and you’ll find a welcoming space stocked with earth-safe, refillable products for home and body. The brainchild of Alyssa Cherry, Fillaree was born from a personal mission to live more sustainably, reduce household waste, and create a home free of toxins and carcinogens.
In 2009, Cherry’s life was upended when her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and her infant son developed a life-threatening tumor. These back-to-back health crises forced her to take a hard look at the harmful substances lurking in everyday products.
“It was a big wake-up call and led to me using natural cleaners and soaps. I realized there are certain toxins in products that you can avoid,” she says.
A few years later, while vacationing in California, Cherry discovered an eco-conscious refill shop. It sparked something more profound: a dream to create a similar resource for others seeking a more natural, low-waste lifestyle. Launching that effort in North Carolina seemed feasible—but the how was unclear.
“It took me two years to muster up the courage to learn saponification. There’s a lot of bar soap-making information out there but not a lot of liquid soap-making information because it’s a different chemical process,” she explains. “It was a challenge to get it right but after dozens of attempts, all the while in my kitchen, I had made liquid soap!”
In 2014, Cherry began selling her handcrafted castile soap, Soap & Suds, at the South Durham Farmers Market. The response was overwhelmingly positive. She opened a storefront in 2018 at 3117 Guess Road in Durham, expanding her product line to include Clean Dream all-purpose cleaner and dish soap. In 2019, Fillaree launched a full collection of body care products—shampoo, conditioner and lotion—and introduced a sleek logo and trademarked name.
Staying true to its values, Fillaree’s products are made without synthetic fragrances, palm oil, sulfates, preservatives or toxins—and packaged in refillable containers. The shop also refills any container, promoting a zero-waste approach.
Online, Fillaree offers its bestsellers and eco-essentials from like-minded businesses. A subscription service delivers refills and starter kits in recyclable and compostable packaging, with free shipping—helping keep containers out of landfills and the waste stream altogether. It’s also proud to support local proprietors, such as Bright Black and Nailah’s Shea.
Launching Fillaree as a young mother added another layer of meaning to Cherry’s work. Now,
years later, she reflects on the growth of both her business and her children—Levi, 16, and Loretta, 13.
“I know how fleeting it all is. You have to be present and realize as your kids are getting older, the faster it goes. I’m grateful for my support system—my husband and my team—because we’re all doing the balancing act and understand how important family time is. It’s a very flexible, maternal working environment to work in,” she says.
Today, Fillaree is more than a store. It’s a trusted space, a hub for those committed to cleaner living that embraces a wholesome, community feel.
“I’m proud of what Fillaree has become—a place people trust and feel safe,” she says. “Being able to create a business that makes people feel good makes a difference.”
STE’KEIRA SHEPPERSON
Owner and Certified Birth Doula
Triangle Doulas of Color
Preparing couples to embark on the journey of parenthood has been Ste’Keira Shepperson’s lifelong calling. At the age of 10, she watched her sister give birth, sparking a desire to learn everything she could about pregnancy and fetal development.
“My reaction was, whatever I do when I grow up, it has to involve pregnant women and the birth process,” she says.
By the time she graduated from college, Shepperson had witnessed 15 births. At Radford University, she studied public health, learning about maternal and child wellness and health disparities in the African American community. After graduation, she managed a healthcare practice and found a passion for helping parents-to-be navigate the healthcare system.
Working alongside midwives shaped her destiny. “These women took me under their wing and allowed me to be a birth assistant. I was an extra set of hands. I found myself in the mother’s ear encouraging her, doing massage and things for her comfort,” she says.
Shepperson was trained and certified by DONA International, the world’s largest doula certifying organization, in 2017. She started Triangle Doulas of Color a year later.
Since then, she and her team of 11 certified doulas have assisted more than 400 families of all backgrounds and cultural expressions with their unique birth experience.
“Doulas provide emotional, physical and informational support,” she explains. “Care providers are the medical aspect, and your doula is the emotional and relational part. Together, it’s a whole team supporting you.”
Families generally request a doula between 12 and 16 weeks of pregnancy and begin prenatal visits around 20 weeks. “Doula support is typically private pay, but we’re seeing some insurance companies, Medicaid, TRICARE and employee benefits cover it.”
Triangle Doulas of Color offers childbirth and breastfeeding classes, lactation support and a mom’s group to build community. Doulas are equipped to support families through any necessary or desired medical interventions. The organization also works to improve Black maternal health outcomes and reduce pregnancy-related deaths and complications among Black women in the U.S.
As a mother of three—ages 1, 4 and 9—Shepperson says she’s “learned to lean on the support system I’ve grown. I have to stay structured and organized for what’s happening in the family, the business, my marriage, and for me personally.”
She’s also empowering the next generation of doulas. “My daughter is eager to walk in my footsteps,” she says proudly. “She was right there when her siblings were born. She wants to teach sibling classes and design merchandise for the business.”
Her advice for future mompreneurs? “Don’t be afraid to pivot. I went from being a solo-practice doula to allowing a team to go in my name. It was a huge leap of faith. Being a mompreneur is such a privilege. I’ve always wanted to stay at home with my children and own a business. The desires of my heart have come together to help other women along their journey.”
ANGELA PADGETT
Owner
Skin Sense, A Day Spa
When Angela Padgett, founder and president of Skin Sense, opened her business in 1991, the concept of a day spa had not yet been conceived. She created Skin Sense as a holistic approach to facial and body care, pioneering a philosophy in the Triangle that has resonated with clients for over three decades. In this tranquil North Raleigh setting, guests can unwind from daily stress and leave feeling rejuvenated.
Growing up in Stantonsburg, North Carolina, Padgett was influenced by her grandmother, also an esthetician, known for her beauty and warmth.
To study her craft, Padgett headed to Beverly Hills, California, renowned for advancements in skin care and the use of seawater, which provides natural antiseptic properties and skin health benefits.
“I worked in the Rodeo Collection and with Ole Hendriksen, so I was really lucky to learn from great people in the industry.”
Family circumstances brought Padgett back to North Carolina, where she opened Skin Sense Face & Body Works on Millbrook Road, offering waxing, massage therapy, nail care and facials. A staple in California, facials were not as well known in the South, but it wasn’t long before Skin Sense became recognized for them. Around this time, “day spas” were gaining traction in California, and Padgett rebranded her business as Skin Sense, A Day Spa, relocating to a larger site at 6801 Falls of Neuse Road. It has flourished ever since.
Many clients take advantage of the spa’s multiple services, often spending an entire day there. Skin Sense offers signature facials, hydrafacials, a full range of therapeutic massage, scrubs, cryotherapy, glacial skin treatments and waxing.
A Himalayan salt cave provides 84 trace minerals shown to improve upper respiratory issues, allergies, asthma, skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, and more. Padgett says that because of salt’s natural sedative effect, “most people who come into the cave do fall asleep.”
“Muditation” is a luxurious self-led scrub, mud and hydration ritual for individuals, couples or groups of up to four, starting with exfoliation, followed by three specialty muds and a rinse. “It’s a popular treatment and people really enjoy it.”
Throughout her career, Padgett has remained deeply committed to both her business and her family. With a team of over 35 dedicated employees, she was able to raise her twin daughters, Luci and Anya—now 21—while growing the spa. She credits her staff with helping her maintain that balance and create a lasting impact in the lives of others.
“Balancing the demands of running a day spa with being a mother to twin girls has been both the greatest challenge and the most rewarding journey of my life,” she says. “In the early years, I learned to master the art of time management—often answering client emails during nap times and scheduling staff meetings around school pickups. I built a supportive team at the spa that I could trust, which allowed me to be fully present at home when it mattered most.
“My daughters have grown up watching me build a business with passion and perseverance, and I’ve always made sure they know they come first, even on the busiest of days. It hasn’t always been easy, but the balance I’ve created is a source of pride, and a reminder that with focus and heart, it’s possible to nurture both a business and a family.
“I’m passionate about what I do,” she adds. “As a mother, a business owner and a caregiver, it’s a gift to watch people grow, both inside the spa and out.”
VIMALA RAJENDRAN
Owner and Chef
Vimala’s Curryblossom Café
As an award-winning chef, restaurant owner, community activist, mother and grandmother, Vimala Rajendran wears many hats. Adaptability and resiliency have defined her 66 years—and guided her to success as owner of Vimala’s Curryblossom Café in Chapel Hill, a restaurant specializing in locally sourced Indian cuisine.
Rajendran developed her love of flavors in India, where she was born and raised, and stored her family’s treasured recipes “in her head,” along with the tips and tricks her parents, aunts and neighbors used to master the intricacies of Indian cuisine.
Settling in Chapel Hill, she prepared her specialties for various events and causes. Word soon spread about her mouthwatering tandoori chicken and handcrafted samosas—and the Mediterranean, Mexican and soul food dishes that Chapel Hill’s diverse community shared with her.
“I have a solid background in one of the world’s most complex cuisines, and therefore I can cook other cuisines with the greatest of ease. If I’ve eaten something, I can make it,” she says of her sophisticated palate.
This enthusiasm kickstarted a small catering service that Rajendran ran loosely out of her home. Her three teenagers sowed seeds in the backyard garden, harvested produce and assisted with the cooking.
“They were all by my side. My kids were learning life skills from our lifestyle,” she says.
As her underground business grew, so did her relationships with local producers and farmers. Despite encouragement to open a restaurant, Rajendran didn’t think she had the proper culinary or business education to support it. Running a catering service seemed good enough—until the local health department shut it down for operating without a permit.
A local restaurant owner learned of her plight and offered Rajendran his former space at 431 W. Franklin Street. In spring 2010, Rajendran opened Vimala’s Curryblossom Café, funded by gifts and loans from those who loved her food.
“To this day, I’m of the opinion that being shut down was the best thing that could have happened to me because it resulted in me getting a legitimate storefront,” she explains. “Now people can get the food whenever they want. And there’s no end to how many nonprofit organizations have benefited from my fundraisers that still happen at the restaurant.”
Rajendran’s passion for food is matched by her commitment to environmental sustainability and social justice. “I’ve always bought from local farmers and producers, and always grew my own food. This is as sustainable and local as an Indian restaurant could ever get.”
She’s also known for her community-focused approach to food and her “Vimala cooks, everybody eats” philosophy. Her eatery turns no one away for lack of funds. “Food is a human right and no one should go hungry,” she says.
Recalling the hectic days when she balanced motherhood and a flourishing business, Rajendran offers her 15 employees a living wage so they can nourish themselves and also take care of their families. Tandoori chicken and samosas remain popular at Vimala’s Curryblossom Café, along with pao (fresh baked bread), biryani, curry, a variety of street foods, and vegetarian and vegan options.
In every dish she prepares, there’s more than just flavor—there’s history, intention and connection. She says, “Food is a powerful tool that carries our legacy forward, tells stories, creates community and brings healing.”
MAURA HORTON
Founder and Chief Information Officer
MagnaReady
Many entrepreneurial journeys don’t begin with a meticulous plan, but rather with unexpected circumstances. For Maura Horton, it started when her husband Don—a football coach at North Carolina State University—was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease. The physical changes were gradual. One day after a game, he found himself in the locker room unable to button his shirt. A player noticed his struggle and stepped in to help. Embarrassed by his inability to perform a simple task, Don shared his concerns with Maura, worried about what would happen if no one was around to assist him.
That moment sparked an idea for Maura that would eventually lead to the creation of adaptive apparel—clothing designed to provide people with limited mobility a sense of independence and dignity in their daily routines.
Using hidden magnetic closures that click together effortlessly, Raleigh-based MagnaWear’s clothing enhances accessibility and comfort. Horton’s prototype using magnets sewn into a shirt made dressing easier, but the magnets corroded in the wash. Undeterred, she continued searching for a washable solution. Her persistence paid off: she now holds four patents for her closure mechanism that benefits those with dexterity challenges, disabilities or recovering from surgery.
“While I was doing my research, I realized my husband wasn’t alone. There are many people—because of arthritis, stroke, ALS—who can’t dress independently,” she says.
In 2013, Horton launched MagnaReady with an adaptive dress shirt that quickly sold out. By 2016, she had partnered with major apparel brands including PVH Corp, Brooks Brothers, Tommy Hilfiger, Duluth Trading, and JCPenney to produce a broader range of adaptive clothing. Lands’ End uses the company’s technology in its adaptive school uniforms for kids. Today, pants are MagnaReady’s best-selling item.
Horton sold MagnaReady and her patents in 2020, but remains president of the company, working with design teams to develop new products and build partnerships.
Her daughters—who were 8 and 4 when MagnaReady launched—grew up immersed in the world of adaptive apparel, learning right alongside their mom. “All the way down to how you write a patent, read a patent, and how you trademark names,” says Horton, who balanced motherhood and an upstart business with the added responsibility of caring for her husband. “That was probably the hardest part—splitting time to make sure that there was quality time for everybody.”
Today, Horton’s mission is simple: help people feel supported. “We want to take away the stressful moments of getting dressed and undressed,” she says. “It’s a very personal touchpoint in your morning and night, and we hope to be there along the journey.”
