05/01/2026
This week, Alida Lee and I had the honor of presenting our very first Pause for Purpose Award with .co
From the moment we met, we connected over a shared belief that there is a better way to build a business than burnout. We have encouraged each other to create margin for what matters most, including faith, family, and health. That friendship is what inspired this award.
We wanted to recognize a woman in business who is choosing a different path.
Someone who sees pausing not as falling behind, but as a way to recharge and move forward with intention.
Someone who values community over competition.
When we opened applications, we had no idea what to expect, and we were blown away by 39 incredible women who applied. Their stories were powerful and inspiring, and narrowing it down was not easy.
Our winner, Dr. Armelle Malcomb, embodies everything this award represents.
With over 20 years of engineering experience, a Ph.D., and global partnerships from North Carolina to West Africa, she is building meaningful work and a lasting legacy for the next generation of women in STEM. Her philosophy of the “Calculated Pause” is exactly what this award was created to celebrate.
She received a $1,000 business grant, and it is so well deserved.
We also want to celebrate our incredible runners-up:
First-Aid Counseling
Greaves Construction
and What Girls Know Best
These are women showing up and doing meaningful work every single day.
And a heartfelt thank you to Better Business Bureau of the Eastern Carolinas for creating a space where moments like this can happen. Giving us the opportunity to honor these women means more than we can say.
This is just the beginning. 🤍
