If you’re looking for the human personification of a perpetual motion machine, find your way to the new Base Bowls & Company in Southtown St. Joseph and watch the whirlwind performance of owner and founder Stephanie Ott. Already a legend among high school athletes all across the region for her tireless work and guidance in college recruitment circles, garnering substantive scholarships for hundreds of them, Stephanie has launched Base Bowls & Company onto a trajectory that she hopes to replicate multiple times going forward in her drive to successfully deliver healthy alternatives for those in search of food beyond the fast-food realm. Her nominator writes, “Stephanie wants to live a life she is proud of and is willing to take risks to succeed and in any case where she has fallen short, she perpetually tries again,” adding, “She truly cares for her community and every employee that she has.” Earlier this year Stephanie’s story won the hearts of the judges who included her in the Moody on the Market 40 Under 40 Young Professionals Class of 2022, but many people don’t know that she was promoted at the age of 19 to a management position with the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. In her nomination judges were told, “Stephanie is confident and determined to be the best and I fear for anything or anyone that tries to stop her, LOL!” Read on for more from Stephanie herself, in celebration of being a Bold Woman of Business for the Class of 2022.
Name
Stephanie Ott
Where do you live?
Saint Joseph, MI
Company or Organization
Base Bowls & Company
What is your job or role there?
Founder & Owner
How do you think that Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold?
Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold by being risk takers, by being confident, courageous, daring, brave, and strong. Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold by doing the right thing when others are watching and when they are not watching. Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold by going above and beyond all the time.
Bold women are often defined by a number of descriptors. Please choose from the following descriptors to produce the top three that you would say most exemplify your personality?
Confident…Bright…Strong
Please provide an example of when you feel you were at your very best in taking action on the job or in your role.
Earlier this spring I made the choice to start my own business while working 60+ hours a week as a college sports recruiter. I was working 20 hours a day and sleeping for just a few hours a night. Day by day I saw so much progress being made. Progress with Base Bowls & Company’s menu, the construction of Base Bowls & Company, and I saw an insane amount of progress with our local high school athletes. While I was working on my dream, I was helping so many athletes in our area accomplish their goals and dreams. Multiple student athletes received full ride scholarships to incredible schools because they were able to follow the right steps of action! I felt at my very best when I could give back and see the impact I was making. I am so proud that I was able to take action in my role to help make a significant difference in so many lives and I hope I can continue to do this forever!!
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened on your road to success?
The funniest thing that happened to me on the road to success was something I will never forget. My fiancé Blake was finishing a construction project and sent me to Ace Hardware for the tenth time that day. Our truck was already running so I drove to Ace Hardware and went in and got what I needed. I went back out to the truck and pressed the button to start it and the truck said Key fob not detected. I tried to call Blake to tell him he had the keys and now I am stranded but his phone was dead. I then called my cousin Kaitlyn at work and asked her to take a lunch break and go get the key from him. It gets better. I had to describe to her where Blake is working because I did not have the address because his phone was dead. Kaitlyn had to walk into a stranger’s house and tell Blake he has the keys and bring them to me so I could get back to his job site and then head to Base Bowls with him to finish construction. Thank goodness she used her lunch break and saved the day!
Who most inspires your personal drive for success every day?
My entire family inspires my personal drive for success! Each and every single one of them! I am so inspired by my dad in Heaven that instilled a work ethic that drove me to work incredibly hard from such a young age throughout all of high school. If I did not shoot for the stars it was not good enough for my dad. He made sure I worked and worked and worked for anything I wanted in life. My incredibly hard-working mom, my sisters that are like moms to me, my nieces and nephews, my aunts, my cousins, my granny that just pushes and pushes me. Wow! My Fiancé makes me truly believe that we can accomplish anything together. Thank you all for inspiring me to be great and do my best every day!
There are also a ton of local business owners that have had such a huge inspirational influence on my personal drive every day. I see so many amazing women that I grew up having the pleasure to know as business owners absolutely rocking it. They have put a TON of fuel in my fire to be a successful business owner. I really thank Jayme Surch-Bendoski, Kelli Reeves-Hays, Kelsey Andres, Desiree Pfeifer, Amy Bleich Heugel, Amber Layman, Trish Gardini, and many other OUTSTANDING business owners for doing such a great job as a business owner that you all inspired me to put on my big girl pants and do my best to be a great business owner just like you all!!! THANK YOU…THANK YOU…THANK YOU!!!!!!
What is your best advice to women in Southwest Michigan looking to succeed, as you have, in business?
The best advice to women — and people in general — looking to succeed in business is to go for it! Believe in yourself, understand what steps it takes to make your goals happen, TAKE THOSE steps and you just might surprise yourself on how much you can accomplish. I am ALWAYS here for every single person in any way I can be. Reach out to me anytime you want advice and I would be more than happy to share advice to help you succeed. Anyone can do it, you have got this!
What does your selection to the ranks of the Bold Women of Business from Moody on the Market mean to you?
Being selected as one of the Bold Women of Business from Moody on the Market is beyond a dream come true! It is more than an honor to be recognized for making an impact in my community. My entire life I dreamed of making a difference and giving back all I could. Being selected as a Bold Woman of Business fuels my fire to continue to make an impact for the rest of my life! I hope to inspire as many people as I can. I am proud to share this recognition with all the Bold Women of Business!
