>> Laura Cabrara, founder and owner of Stellafly to female owned businesses It has been operating since 1996.

She specializes in brand and marketing firm race promotions to managing her own sponsored multi sport team.

she races too She gets involved with organizations to her heart, dear to her heart.

Plus, she says she's in introverts.

So Laura Caprara.

Welcome to powerful women.

Let's talk.

So you're going to be next over for the next 15 minutes.

Also for you, because you're my friend.

>> While we do have a a A >> and vice versa, it goes both ways with certainly how you're spending your time in our community.

And I want to get this first question.

Someone out of the way will expand.

Why Stellafly for a name is not your name.

No, it's not Stella.

But back in the 80's.

That was a nickname that a group of my friends gave me was Stella was a streetcar named Desire and I'd walk into the bar and they would yell Stella.

And so after I add moved to Oregon after college, I my first AOL name they it was asking me to come up with a name and it happened to be at that same time the in living color was on and I was okay.

I'm not in use my real name, any use Stella.

And then it was throwing a bunch of numbers after the style.

And then I said I don'’t like numbers.

But it felt like fly girl.

Flygirl says that the dancers and those really cool women that were out there dancing on that show.

So I took fly and added it to Stella.

And then that's when Stellafly was born.

He and here we are.

And here we are 2023 will get back to that.

You sell self described yourself as a tomboy growing up.

Take me back to you loud.

So first, born and loved hanging with my dad.

And my dad was a he was a big lover of hockey.

And so he would bring me to at the time the blades, which then eventually turned into the owls, which then eventually turned into the Griffins.

that I'm now really dating myself.

But we would go to every one of those blades games over the Deltaplex.

And I became obsessed with hockey and my dad played hockey.

And so I decided I wanted to play hockey and there were no girls playing hockey.

There's some people out there in Grand Rapids.

That of challenge me on that idea.

But I'm older than they are.

So I don't fight about it, you know, but that he's went to at the time.

It was called Gras high, think grads still around and he had advocated for me to play and there were only boys teams at the time.

So in 5th grade, I joined a boys team and I play defense and I learned how to skate.

And I did that for a couple years.

And then I switched over to figure skating and figure skating until I was about 20 until I got into college.

And then it kind of gave it up and use in the teeth.

And then noting we're missing, you know, it was, you know, very padded up.

It's a little different when you're 10.

It is now.

But so is so that was it, you know, with the tomboy?

I mean, every and then my brothers came after that played hockey.

And so every bone in my body wanted to be able to compete and to be on that same level.

>> As a competing with with males.

And then when I got into high school, I was like, no, you know, pretty okay with not, you know, I'm pretty OK with not being.

>> A boy.

But at the same time as still, I'm still time way till this day and nice.

Thank you for that.

Tell me about your educational journey.

A short and sweet graduated from East Grand Rapids in 1985. was denied to get into U of M. Rightly so because didn't really put the work.

And I guess I wasn't a huge fan that you bring up to that.

I mean, it is she wants to you definitely did because in order to get into U of M I needed to get my grade grade point up.

So I took here at community college and ended up at Calvin and so graduating from Calvin in 92.

And that was the end of the educational journey.

I've mult multiple times, but going back and get a master getting my masters.

But I've just really never done it in now.

Just find a that have found other things.

Show my passion and just study.

And what was your first job?

I was an art major at Calvin Focus on photography, but left Calvin wanting to be a graphic designer and ultimately an art director.

So after college moved out to Oregon and Eugene, Oregon and my first job outside of just a temporary waitressing job until I found my first job was at a print shop.

And from there, I have picked up by an ad agency and then ultimately became an art director in Portland a couple years later.

So taking pictures mean, did you take pictures as a kid, how to develop this niche that stays with you today?

Probably didn't do so much as a kid, but definitely when I was in college, that was just something that I did with our friend group.

I've got a lot of >> incriminating evidence from the 80's that all of my friends from the 80's know I have sitting in photo albums, but I would just take tons of pictures and then I would have them developed and I'd put him in photo albums and friends would come over and they'd look through them.

>> And I I don't think I really went back to photography until or that passion didn't come back until the emergence of social media because it became a really crucial piece of content and marketing.

So I got back into it mostly because of my interest.

But also, you know, I was there was paying a lot of photographers in my my first business to do something that I otherwise it's like mine and just get yourself.

Yes.

Tell me how still a fly came to be now.

So Stella Fly.

>> Came to be back with the AOL address and you have that dress is still using it.

They haven't been every.

But my mother still says there's though, which is awesome.

>> No, I I created that as it is.

I made plans to move back from Portland back to Grand Rapids.

It was 1996.

I wanted to come back in.

Just try to be a graphic designer as a freelancer.

So it really needed to have a name to do that.

And so I carry that name through and operated as a independent contractor, graphic designer under that name for quite a long time until I started the Grand Rapids, Social Diary.

And then it was still it's always been there.

You know, it just hasn't been as and some rampant is it is now or yes, sir, in a forward-facing.

So right, you know, when did your love for the endurance sport begin?

So when that transition made from the ground up its Social diary to Stella Fly at that point, I was really focused on helping companies and organizations get brand awareness on social media because it was back When we met, it was still really a new thing.

And I am I was like, oh, you're going to go with the endurance.

Second, I see this all girl, OK?

So at the in 22,012, I ran my first 5 K just decided to do.

And I was inspired because of you.

I remember you were you and Roberta King.

We're 2 of the most influential people and I was thinking these women go and they travel over there any they're older than me.

And they're doing all this cool stuff.

And with my babies grow, I want to go and do all this cool stuff.

So I did take that first step and in color run came to town and I actually trained for that.

Although it wasn't timed and how sick this is, OK. And at the same time, Stella Fly was kind of getting on the radar of to Gazelle Girl and those RD's and Grand Rapids tri and those RD's.

So they reached out and said we would love to have you photograph our event and will give you a few entries for you to photograph the event This is wonderful.

Now I have to train for half marathon my 1st half marathon.

So that's how I got into actually participating as a runner as in my 1st half marathon.

But at that point, I was still hiring photographers.

But it's also when the team was born because I was getting all of these free entries in lieu of payment.

And I needed those entries toda people.

So I found them and found them.

Meaning you crafted a team.

I crafted a teen.

Yes.

When did the boys come to play in your life?

Your offspring's It'’s been so long.

Let's see.

How did they become part of your life here?

There's those boys, ice because you're a mom.

I am a mom and a lot of the decisions.

When I came back from Oregon, I was like, okay, you know, I can either be pedal to the metal and try to work at one of the ad.

Agencies are PR firms here in Grand Rapids.

And that would have been really good for my career.

But when I got pregnant with Anthony, I just decided I know that I'm not ever probably gonna make it rich doing this on my own.

But I wouldn't trade being there for them when they were there when they were sick when they were healthy.

The afterschool moments, the hard times, the good times that being a stay at home.

Mom working on my Brand was probably the best decision.

I wasn't sure and that at the time because, you know, when you're that age, you know, you have you have to tighten.

You have to tighten everything down because you don't have a lot of extra money but it was completely worth the price will talk about this place before we are finished.

You are interested in organizations that are dear to your heart.

How do you choose whether you want to be a board of this or committee for this or again work with this group?

What what's the good here left on board were, can I it is different ports and I do kind of approach those asks in terms of instead of just sitting around the table in spit balling ideas and being able to help that way.

I really like to offer my support and, you know, the branding in the social media and the awareness piece, for instance, my team triumph, I'm sure.

I mean, you've talked to my team triumphed many times would you describe it to this audience?

And it's it's it's an organization of endurance athletes that Help other athletes that are incapable of doing a race on their own.

Get over that finish line.

It it.

It comes from a huge wide range of disabilities from complete wheelchair bound to can't hear blind.

I've seen kids cancer patients being involved and these athletes will they're they're called captains.

And then the athletes that are able to make it happen are called angels.

And so I photographed them a lot of participated a lot.

It's such a great organization.

If it doesn't require people to be really fast, it's you know you that anybody can do it in and it's very, very inclusive.

And so this year, instead of sitting on the board I offered To co race directed their race, their triathlon, which is called trade El Sol and help it grow with parents, Rubin, who was the executive director of that organization.

I do a little bit of work like that with the children's advocacy center's.

Those 2 are pretty near and dear to my heart right now.

I'd love to get more involved with the animals, but I have a really hard time because I can to it.

I can't tour animal facilities because it's too emotional for me.

So yeah, fun facts that stay on the topic of animals.

You have been to Westminster's talk about that part of your life.

That was before endurance sports raise.

So I did use that old media credential to get into Westminster.

But prior to that, my fascination with that I had those were the really early years with my boys.

So that was my passion.

Then and from about thanks, 1998, 99 and I bought my first Bernese mountain dog from local breeder, Randy and Ryan Carpenter, who I know that, you know, in the stipulation was that I had to show that if I wanted it and I had no idea.

So I agreed and I would go and watch Ryan Carpenter at the time is like about 11 years old.

I go and to the shows and watching show my dog.

And it really just took one ribbon for me to go now.

Okay, this is fun.

The competitive nature came out to us.

And so I went through it.

I went through a couple of different show dogs.

But in that time of my life, I met a lot of really great people and breeders.

And then I ended up having a couple of really special dogs through those relationships and one made it to Westminster and 1, 1, the breed at Westminster.

And so it was a really, really it was just a really great time in my life.

And then it just, you know, I get like things happen with me.

It's just kind of an ebb and flow stand by future.

You're obsessed with politics.

This hasn't been brought up yet.

Tell me more years.

But you know it it it.

I just am.

It's, you know, some people are fascinated with Hollywood actors and I'm fascinated with politics.

I'm fascinated with.

He's just the dialogue.

Can my youngest son works on the Hill for a house rep.

I really got interested in it when he was working in high school and he was working for Peter Meijer just to see kind of get a behind the scenes glimpse of how the process works.

And I I I love our local politicians, even just seen how hard they work.

And I think one of the reasons I don't step into it myself, it's just like everything else that I approach.

I like to be sort of behind the scenes.

So if I can help elevate someone are I'm a candidate that I believe in or a message that they believe in.

I prefer to have that be how I do it have some strong beliefs.

But, you know, with any bull, any brand you I have so much respect for how everyone views the world.

So I'm kind of interested in that way.

Just how interesting how everybody views world so differently.

Councilman Caprara That just sounds good.

He understood.

Yeah.

And you were born in Alaska.

I was born in Alaska.

Yeah, dad, dad and mom went to U of M and there and it was, you know, right during that really pinnacle time with Vietnam.

So a lot of friends of his where heading to Vietnam and he had the opportunity he was going to be an oral surgeon.

And so he had his opportunity tip.

I don't even know if it was really a residency, but he was also able to serve, went to Sitka and worked on a base, pull teeth, fixed teeth, you know, just really have no one to fix my teeth back then because he was whatever.

21, but he that's why I was born there.

So I don't remember any of it.

But we plan to some my husband and I plan to go and check it out first place last Sunday.

A back to your boys, Obviously no biological daughters.

Did you teach them the importance of equality with women or respect or how long with this world is today?

If they have a pretty firm understanding about how I feel their, they're really well-rounded.

You know, they just have a lot of respect for women.

They have.

My youngest has met a new girlfriend school.

He's at George Washington University and she I met her and she's photo journalist blazing her own past Apple doesn'’t far fall from the tree there my way.

I know.

And so they just and then, you know, my oldest just has a lot of a lot of female friends, lot of strong women in their lives.

So I just yeah, I just have to hope.

And when it you know, you're off every once in a while, it doesn't take me too long to make sure they get back on track.

And of course, that question is you want grandsons are you want a granddaughter?

I want any of it and loved kids for a grand puppy.

What's next for you?

A whole huge CE season as we're just discussing its it's this year.

Last year I was taking photos at random races around West Michigan.

Everybody out of the house.

I really had to do some soul searching to a workless and visit them or or joy Lily, you really use these next 10 years to get the best health that I can get a race a little bit when I can make it happen.

The my husband still working hard and need to be a partner in that.

So I kind of reinvent reinvented.

The wheel was Stella Fly.

You know, it's the beauty of being a creative in the beauty of owning your own businesses.

You get to say, okay, well, this year we're going to do this.

And so being connected to so many race directors, they embrace the idea we're putting together a monthly enews which promotes endurance racing.

It also incorporates, you know, blogs from some of our local rate R D's doctors, you know, training, tips, things of that matter.

And then I'm just I'm going to be shooting photos basically every single weekend until probably end of October.

3rd, it goes quickly.

Thank you.

Kohr said the got to keep you accountable.

Working out today.

Every day that I'm able to get a good workout in is a blessing to me.

So I will go home and try to work out today and I'll try to work out again tomorrow and the next day.

I do rest.

I do.

I am of such as today office needed.

It is.

I don't let it to you.

I don't like to take days off.

And that's only because I don't feel is good.

Then when I work out because working out as a really great way to get rid of all of the things that might be stressing you out.

Yes, we know the importance of the physical, the mental and the social and last question when you're running with your Stellafly gear, do people call out Go Stella?

I need to ask you that question.

They're not yelling at me because I'm usually a at the finish line.

But I hear from the athletes that are often yelling out.

Yes, and we just yell back for compare.

Thank you.

On behalf of I mean things for you as a powerful woman who planned to talk