18 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com/CharlestonWomen Charleston Women in Business It is no secret that more women than ever before are owning and operating businesses of any kind. In Charleston, women of all ages and walks of life are setting aside their doubts to bring their passions and ideas to fruition. These four women are just a glimpse into the unstoppable female forces present in today’s entrepreneurial scene. Beverly Caddell, “the second and third acts artist” When asked to be featured in this story, Beverly Caddell, 45, humbly pondered if she even considered herself an entrepreneur. Growing up in poverty in southwest Virginia, Caddell always pursued different opportunities than most girls did, always leading with her heart for others. She wanted to work hard and make a difference. This desire led her overseas to Iran where she served the locals for years, planting churches with her husband and children. She explained that she was an easy person for the people to talk to because she could relate to some of the struggles they were going through. The people of Iran touched her heart and led her to want to learn skills that she could use to make a difference in people’s lives. When she returned to America, she began classes online and finished her bachelor’s degree in business. “I was trying to brainstorm things I could do to make money and be there for my family,” Caddell said. “I wanted flexibility and starting my own business where I did not have to work for anyone was the best option.” Caddell’s creative side led her to create a product. After months of taking notes, Loft and Vibe was born. She created a candle that would look beautiful and smell great, but once burned out, could be used as a lotion with vitamins and oils to soothe dry skin. With a small amount of funds, Caddell and her family perfected the product and built up inventory. She decided to get her product into the public eye during her children’s school market at Palmetto Christian Academy. People immediately fell in love with the product and all 200 candles were sold. Many business owners at the market observed how much people loved the candles and she was asked to make 1,000 candles for Coastal Cupboard to sell. The candles could not stay on the shelves. Caddell was constantly being contacted by people wanting more of the product. Seeing how fast the company was growing, she realized that it could help someone else bring in income. Therefore, she decided to let someone else take over the company and switch gears. Caddell then went back to school to get her master’s and now plans to take all that she learned from Loft and Vibe to start her own counseling practice on Daniel Island called Restored Water Counseling. “I never saw myself as an entrepreneur, but from Loft and Vibe I learned that I can run a business. I can do this; I don’t have to work for someone else. I care about people and want to make a difference. Opening my own practice is a leap, but so was Loft and Vibe. I feel confident that I can do this,” Caddell said of the journey. Shelby Ivery, “the teens and twenties tackler” Shelby Ivery felt that from a young age she had something to prove. At age 17, Ivery got her first job at a grocery store to help out her single mom. Even then, it was clear to her boss that she was born to be a leader and in a few weeks Ivery was basically running the entire store. “That is when I looked at myself and thought, I can do this,” said Ivery. In 2017, she graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in business. Despite getting into pharmacy school, Ivery wanted to start her own business. “I asked myself what people in Charleston needed that I could give them,” Ivery said. Beverly Caddell. Shelby Ivery.
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