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Annee was raised in Santa Cruz and has spent the majority of her life dedicated to health, fitness and empowering women through healthy living. Aer having studied Diete•cs at UC Davis she has worked as a Nutri•on Counselor, Dance Aerobic Instructor and Swim & Fitness Coach before taking over Curves Fitness in Aptos just 4 years ago. Curves is known for its quick 30-minute full-body workout emphasizing strength and cardiovascular training for all ages and athle•c ability. Annee believes that being Curves 'strong' is more than just building strength, it's about building a healthy lifestyle, being as strong and ac•ve as possible with the support from the Curves community. Annee Hunt, Owner Staying Curves Strong 7000 Soquel Drive, STE 1 Aptos, CA 95003 831.688.2348 AptosCurves@gmail.com S O R E N . C R O X A L L @ L P L . C O M Soren E. Croxall, CFA, CFP Helping you plan today so you can have confidence for tomorrow ( 8 3 1 ) 6 6 1 - 4 0 0 6 9 0 5 7 S O Q U E L D R . B L D G B / S T E A A P T O S , C A 9 5 0 0 3 C R O X A L L C A P I T A L . C O M @ C R O X A L L C A P I T A L P L A N N I N G Soren Croxall is a Registered Representative of and securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. A Registered Investment Advisor. CA Insurance Lic. #0H25684. 3110 Mission Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95065 www.1stcapital.bank Michele michele.bassi@1stcapitalbank.com SVP, Managing Director Mobile: (831) 206-1461 Michele has been in banking for over 30 years, 28 of them in Santa Cruz County. She is proud to work for a bank that is dedicated to cultivating thriving communities by supporting local businesses and nonprofits. This dedication provides Michele and other team members the opportunity to be active in the nonprofit community. Michele currently sits on 5 nonprofit boards and is the current President of both Second Harvest Food Bank and Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation. Other boards include Nonprofit Connection Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College Foundation and Capitola Aptos Rotary. Committee appointments include Walnut Avenue Family & Women's Center and Meals on Wheels. This is just an example of how 1st Capital Bank strives to provide sustainable value to our customers and community. Dr. Tonya Fleck is the Founder and Medical Director of the Santa Cruz Naturopathic Medical Center, which she founded in 2009, but has been practicing medicine in Santa Cruz since 2004. Dr. Fleck has always been passionate about people experiencing freedom in their health and vitality. As a Naturopathic Doctor, she takes a holistic approach when creating individualized treatment plans, partnering with her patients to discover and remove the underlying obstacles to cure. Her modalities of treatment include Bio-identical hormone replacement, Botanical Medicine, Medical Nutrition, Depression and Anxiety, Detoxification, Heavy Metal Chelation and Lifestyle Counseling. Dr. Fleck treats men and women of all ages. Dr. Fleck has consistently won a Goldies Award for "Best Naturopathic Doctor" since 2011. 736 Chestnut Street | Santa Cruz 831-477-1377 | scnmc.com Dr. Tonya Fleck, ND Women In Business A Friend to the Community Annee Martin was stag- ing vacation rentals on the Monterey Peninsula, and her friend, Kim Theobald, was establishing "Ami" home goods/gift shop in Carmel. Theobald carried exactly what Martin need- ed to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in her rental homes; special items with a sense of art- istry and style, things that would encourage guests to nestle in and feel special during their stay. Martin asked for first right of refusal if Theo- bald ever sold the wel- coming store she'd named "Ami," which means "Friend" in French. She waited seven years. By the end of 2020, Martin was ready to reopen the store, in partnership with two painters and a musician, out-of-towners, who had something creative to offer and wanted in on the venture. She renamed the store "Ami Carmel" to reflect her desire for the boutique to become a friend to the community. The store has done well, becoming a favorite hang- out──particularly since Martin serves coffee and homemade cookies──and a place to find unexpected gifts and items that feel good, smell good, look good in the home, the way cashmere, scented can- dles, and polished wood vessels do. But, a year and a half later, all three artist partners have decided to go back to pursuing their own passions. Annee Martin, left holding the business, is redesigning the place to become a community ben- efit boutique. She renovat- ed the store, adding 250 square feet downstairs, and new shelving systems for better display. She increased the volume and diversity of her inventory. And, she sourced addi- tional artisans to introduce unique items, among them Ian Saude cashmeres, Jack & Miles feather bowties, Spencer Peter- man reclaimed spalted maple bowls, Beth Fergon jewelry, and Ninakuru legendary hats. A Friend of the Community Annee Martin has been busy. An artist, author, chef, former innkeeper, therapist, real estate con- sultant, interior designer, and entrepreneur, she is the one who understands both the business and her community. Rather than collapsing the company when her three partners signed off, she went through the Leadership Carmel program and fig- ured out how to become more locally invested. She's doing the ultimate pivot to repurpose her business to have more impact on the community than just good gifts. "It was scary to go it alone on this venture," she said. "But it was my vision, and I now have the opportunity to realize it more fully. My motto is leap and the net will appear; build your wings on the way down. I have found my net in members of the community, people who have the skills and experience and willing- ness to mentor me in the areas in which I want to grow." When she asked market- ing maven Marci Bracco, of The Buzz PR, to teach her how to get a message to the community about the new direction she's taking her company, Brac- co suggested she begin by becoming clear about where she was headed and why. "I want this store to be an anchor for community engagement and customer service," she said, "but I also want that sense of service to include philan- thropy." To that end, on the first Monday of each month, Martin is hosting a "Sip, Savor, Shop & Support a Cause" event on behalf of a local nonprofit orga- nization. Hours will be extended until 8 p.m., and 20% of the day's gross sales will benefit a local nonprofit organization, among them, Peace of Mind Dog Rescue, Carm- el Cares, Animal Friends Rescue Project, All-In Monterey, Max's Helping Paws, Carmel Bach Festi- val, Carmel Youth Center, and more. Ami Carmel's commu- nity engagement doesn't end there. On the second Wednes- Entrepreneur pivots to provide. . . By Lisa Crawford Watson day of each month, the home goods store will pair with a local wine- maker to host "Wine- Down Wednesday," an invitation for friends and neighbors to stop by to sip, savor, social- ize──and shop. Martin, who is devoted to dogs, celebrated Na- tional Dog Day on August 26, with promotions, giveaways, and contests. On November 14, Na- tional Philanthropy Day, she will implement "Give Back Day," during which Ami Carmel will donate 20% of all sales for the day to a selected philan- thropic organization. Having moved away from products sourced elsewhere, she is imple- menting her "Meet the Maker" series, through which she will introduce customers and guests to the regional artisans who create the unique an unusual pieces she curates for Ami Carmel. "The best marketing tools one can ever employ in business," Martin said, "are to welcome people in as guests and to contribute to the wellbeing of the community. My vision for Ami Carmel is to be a friend to the neighbor- hood and an anchor in the community. I believe, if you do good, you feel good, and it all comes back to you." Believing her store will do well if she "does good," Martin is finally in the position to execute the vision she's always had for her boutique and the benefit of her community. Becoming Annee Martin The eldest of seven siblings growing up in Al- exandria, Virginia, Annee Martin commenced from T.C. Williams High, a "Titan." She later gradu- ated from the University of South Florida, with a degree in psychology, and became a drug-and-alco- hol counselor. In 1982, armed only with the legendary "Moosewood" vegetarian cookbook, she served as the cook for a spiritual retreat, which fostered a desire to become a chef, devoted to cooking from the heart. Martin moved to Ver- mont in 1989. There, she and her sister opened the Mad River Inn at Round Barn Farm, where, for 10 years, she hosted and catered weddings and events. "In 2002, I took a sab- batical," she said, "and did an 'eat, pray' adven- ture through Italy, France, and India for six weeks, followed by a 6-month stay at Omega Institute, which is much like Esalen Institute, in Big Sur. Two years later, I found the 'love' part of the story, and moved to Carmel." She married architect Da- vid Martin, went to interior design school, earned her real estate license, bought a house, and established Sanctuary Vacation Rentals. When COVID curtailed so many local businesses, she founded "Kindness Monterey," a grassroots organization dedicated to kindness, generosity, and "buying local." "I'm a mover and a shaker, particularly on behalf of others," she said. "I don't place limits on my abundance consciousness. I believe in the greater good and want always to take part in that." Contributed photo of Annee Martin

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