Winners of American Express-WNBA Entrepreneurial Award Honored At WNBA Championship Game

Business Wire, Sept 3, 1999

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 1999--

Dawn Staley of the Charlotte Sting and Michele Petrillo of New

Jersey recognized for entrepreneurial spirit

What do WNBA player Dawn Staley and Michele Petrillo, a small business owner from Ridgefield, N.J. have in common? Baskets, and plenty of them.

Last night, at Game One of the WNBA Championship, Petrillo and Staley were each presented with the first American Express Small Business Services - WNBA Entrepreneurial Award. Petrillo was recognized for transforming her passion, drive and commitment into "Baskets-N-Beyond," a successful small business in Dumont, N.J. Staley was honored for her achievement in creating the Dawn Staley Foundation, a Philadelphia-based organization that focuses on improving the health, education and athletic ability of local children.

Both women are winners of an award sponsored by the WNBA and American Express. Through casting votes on WNBA.com, fans selected Staley from among four WNBA players identified as candidates for their off-court accomplishments. In addition, fans were invited to nominate outstanding female entrepreneurs by writing an essay explaining how the candidate had created a successful small business. A panel of experts judged the essays and chose the winner.

Staley and Petrillo each received a $10,000 cash award and an IBM laptop computer to help further her business venture. The ceremony took place during halftime of the game, played at New York's Madison Square Garden.

New Jersey Business Owner Honored for Her Drive

Petrillo was nominated by her father, who submitted an essay to WNBA.com explaining why his daughter deserved to win. The winning essay was selected from approximately 200 submissions received through WNBA.com. The panel of judges included: Barbara Stanbridge, President of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Leslie Grossman, President of the New York City Chapter of NAWBO and Julie Weeks, Director of Research at the National Foundation of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).

Eileen Serra, Senior Vice President, American Express, Small Business Services, said, "Without any formal training, Michele had the confidence to take an idea, run with it and grab the rebound when the going got tough. Meanwhile despite the rigors and demands of a professional athletic career, Dawn has taken the time to give back to her community. We're delighted to be honoring these two true champions."

"We are very pleased to partner with American Express in this award program that recognizes the abilities and merits of successful female entrepreneurs," said Val Ackerman, WNBA President. "It is my pleasure to congratulate both Dawn Staley and Michele Petrillo for their initiative and drive in building their ventures and pursuing their dreams."

From nuts to baskets . . . `n beyond

Following high school graduation, Michele Petrillo joined a corporation and worked her way up to meeting planner -- a job that required more traveling than she ever expected or wanted to do.

After ten years, at age 29, Petrillo's world took a turn for the worse. After losing her fiance to an illness and being laid off from her job, she took off nine months to recover, partnering with her mother selling bags of nuts and dried fruit at flea markets.

"You're nuts!" said her dad. "Go get yourself another job." But in a short time, Petrillo's loyal customers began asking if she could arrange the food in attractive baskets. She decided to give it a shot, and realized she had a natural talent -- and loved doing it

After nine months at flea markets, Petrillo had a choice to make - get a job or take a risk and start her own business. With her personal savings and a few classes in basket arranging under her belt, Petrillo rented a 450-square-foot space in Dumont from a friend and opened the doors to "Baskets-N-Beyond."

Business boomed so quickly that, after a year, Petrillo moved to a space four times as large, and hired her mom as a manager, and a part-time staff. But, as many entrepreneurs learn the hard way, expanding too fast has its drawbacks. She reached the point of near bankruptcy. Determined to keep the business alive, Petrillo borrowed money from her folks, moved in with a friend to save on rent and slowed down. She also invested in some creative advertising, placing ads in such unlikely places as the obituary section of local newspapers!

Today, "Baskets-N-Beyond" is a profitable and growing six-year-old firm, serving major corporate and non-corporate clients across the country. Petrillo also gives back to her community, as president of the Dumont Chamber of Commerce, and is a volunteer for VIP, a local group that helps abused children.

Petrillo, onetime member of the Junior Olympic Basketball Team as a student at Ridgefield Memorial High School, is a diehard New York Liberty fan and thrilled at the prospect of meeting her favorite team as they begin play in the WNBA Championship series.

"I made an investment in myself and it's paying off," said Petrillo. "The cash award is wonderful and I plan to use it to invest in myself again - in my retirement, that is. But I'm most proud of the fact that my peers are acknowledging me."