O Magazine September 2002
Dream Big: This spring, O, The Oprah Magazine posted an invitation on Oprah.com: Tell us your dream, and if our judges love it, we'll connect you to someone who can make it a reality. After reading more than 1,600 inspiring, exhilarating, original responses, we chose six winners who captured our imagination and admiration.


Excerpt from article:

Liza Ciano, co-owner of Yoga Vermont studio and co-creator of Saka yoga bags, and business partner Kathy McNames know how unwieldy it can be to carry yoga mats, so they designed and produced a tote bag with a special pouch to hold a mat. Response was terrific—the problem was keeping up with demand. "We're trying to make the jump from small company to reaching a national market," Ciano wrote.

How we made the connection: Sarah Shaw, owner and designer of Sarah Shaw handbags, had found herself racing to meet demand when, early in her career, she received an unexpected order for 800 bags. "It's a nice problem to have," says Shaw, "but it leaves you scrambling." She made the commitment to expand her business and today sells her bags to over 500 stores. With the wisdom of experience, she counseled Ciano on managing production and supply.

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