Arizona Home-Based Business Honored at First National Ruby Slipper Award Event

Chandler, AZ (PRWEB) January 31, 2004

Kathy Sweeney, owner of The Write Resume in Chandler, Ariz., received the 2004 Ruby Slipper Award Tuesday at a breakfast awards ceremony in her honor.

The national award, established to recognize the significant contributions home-based business make to the national economy, was created by Janet Drez, owner of Chandler, Ariz.-based home-based business consulting firm A Perfect Solution. Why ruby slippers? Because, according to Drez, "there's no place like home" for home-based business owners.

"Kathy is a shining example of all that home-based businesses can achieve. She's made her business successful over the long haul, and balances her business with two young children," said Drez during the ceremony. "And we've done the math. It's estimated that there are more than 200,000 home-based businesses in Arizona alone. If those home-based businesses generated just $40,000 a year, a conservative estimate, that's $8 billion dollars in revenue! Now that deserves some attention," Drez added.

In 1987 Sweeney started her company The Write Resume, which provides resume writing and employment consulting, after spending six years as a Hiring Manager for two Fortune 500 companies. Sweeney assists job seekers in every aspect of the job search process, from determining which career they might want to enter, to writing their employment-related documents, to assisting with job transitions and interview coaching. Sweeney is also the Career Expert for Jobing.com in Phoenix, Tucson, Denver and Albuquerque and presents numerous seminars at the Jobing.com Career Expos.

Sweeney, who spent 16 years in the aviation industry, is also the Resume Writer of Choice at Fltops.com and Flightinfo.com, which are Web sites geared specifically toward pilot job search candidates.

Sweeney was accompanied at the breakfast by her parents, Cliff and Claire Swigard of Carefree, her sister, Anne Swigard and her best friend, Yvette Campbell. "I am so thrilled to be the recipient of this prestigious award," commented Sweeney, "I believe the recognition that home-based business owners will receive from this award will communicate to the business world that being a success in business does not always mean bricks and mortar."

The applicants were judged on their business overview and personal story, leadership of the company, community involvement, the most rewarding aspect of owning a home-based business, and the greatest challenge faced by the business owner.

Following the awards ceremony, Sweeney was treated to a hot air balloon ride as part of winning the award. "It was such a thrill to take a balloon ride," added Sweeney. "Seeing Phoenix from 5000 feet was such a treat."

The Ruby Slipper Award recipient was selected by an independent, national judging panel. Panelists included Ann Videan, APR - owner of Videan Unlimited, a home-based marketing connections firm in Mesa, Ariz.; Sandi Brock - director of the Women's Business Center in Chattanooga, Tenn.; Regina Baker - creator and owner of Christians-In-Business.com in Houston, Texas; Lesley Spencer - founder and director of the national association of Home-Based Working Moms (http://www.HBWM.com) in Austin, Texas; and Faith McNaughton - Founding Star Director with Southern Living at Home in Gilbert, Ariz.

For more information call Janet Drez, A Perfect Solution, at 480-899-3090 or http://www.aperfectsolution.com.

Kathy Sweeney, 480-726-9052 or 1-866-726-9052

Digital photos available

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