By Melissa Slater, Hughes Agency
August 14, 2023
Each year, Integrated Media Publishing (Greenville Business Magazine, Columbia Business Monthly and Charleston Business Magazine) present the SC Women in Business Awards. This prestigious recognition honors selected businesswomen across South Carolina based on their career achievements, contributions to their company, and community involvement.
This year, Endeavor is proud to celebrate four of our incredible members who were selected to receive this honor. An event recognizing the winners from across South Carolina will be held Thursday, August 17 at Judson Mill Annex Ballroom in Greenville.
Shonette Sullivan is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Shekinah Group, LLC. Sullivan, who has 19 years of experience in accounting and tax preparation, is an authorized IRS e-file provider, an Advanced Certified Quick-Books Online ProAdvisor and a Certified Financial Education Instructor. Sullivan has helped businesses of all sizes, from solo entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies.
With a personal mission to empower high-performing service entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses by delivering customized experiences that address their financial fears, Sullivan was nominated as a Top 100 ProAdvisor by Insightful Accountant in 2022 and 2023. With over 50,000 QuickBooks ProAdvisors in the world, “being recognized on that level has been my greatest professional accomplishment to date,” says Sullivan.
Megan Kolak has been with the Greenville Triumph since the club’s formation in 2018, leading its partnership marketing and community relations efforts and serving as a key leader in the growing organization. Promoted to Senior Vice President in 2022, Kolak has been essential in launching and acquiring partnerships with businesses throughout the community for the Greenville Liberty, the Upstate’s pre-professional W-League soccer team.
In additional to serving the Triumph’s community partners, Kolak is known for being attentive to her staff’s needs, providing a listening ear, encouraging them to bring their ideas to fruition and supporting them in achieving their goals. “I empower them to take ownership of their work and am constantly working to evolve with them, to ensure I am meeting their needs and aiding their success,” says Kolak.
Anne Young, Co-Founder and Partner of Flare Media Agency, develops large-scale and modest media plans and strategies for hundreds of clients including the University of South Carolina, Michelin, Verizon Wireless, Furman University, Bassmaster Elite Series Events, and more. She is known for representing each individual client with passion and commitment, and that focus has seen Flare more than double in size over the last 3 years.
When asked about being an effective leader, Young shares, “It has always been important to me for those around me to feel like they matter and bring value to the situation — and make sure that all ideas are heard and that those who have the courage to speak up are heard and their contributions are worth listening to. I’ve always enjoyed training and teaching and sharing my passion for our business with others and seeing them find success around me.”
Dianne Zukowsky, also a Co-Founder and Partner of Flare Media Agency, brings more than 15 years of experience and expertise in advertising to Flare. Her strategic thinking, leadership skills, and ability to foster strong partnerships have been instrumental in driving Flare’s growth and success.
Zukowsky defines leadership as “the ability to inspire, influence and guide individuals towards a common vision. It involves setting a positive example and uplifting others. Leadership is taking initiative, making informed decisions, and providing direction to empower others the reach their full potential.”
In the words of our very own Joe Erwin, “Endeavor celebrates the extraordinary things that can happen when sharp, talented, good people are allowed to shine their brightest.” These women are proof of this, and we feel fortunate that they choose to call Endeavor home. Congratulations, Shonette, Megan, Anne and Dianne!
