Queer Women We Love, Red Hot Entrepreneurs, Wonder Women

Workin’ It 2010

November 8, 2010 Cheryle Burke, Kat Long

Some chefs spend years in pricey culinary institutes trying to master natural foods. Deborah Gavito, proprietor of the snazzy NYC vegetarian restaurant Counter, learned the art of cooking with seasonal produce and edible weeds from her grandmothers. Gavito’s early fascination with natural cooking has grown into a long-time dedication to local and sustainable foods: her first venture, an all-natural baked goods business called Body & Soul, debuted in 1993. She sold her scrumptious treats at the Union Square Greenmarket, where she developed an appreciation for family farmers, and earned enough dough (pun intended) to open Counter in 2003. As Counter’s proprietor, Gavito designs fresh vegetarian fare, biodynamic wines and cleverly named organic vodka martinis (one is called “The Angry Lesbian”). “I waited on tables years and years ago, but other than that, I’ve only worked for myself,” Gavito says. “I don’t think I could take orders from any one else.”

45 of 2010’s Red Hot Entrepreneurs

A writer, designer and independent filmmaker with a background in marketing, Esther Zinn is the founder and creative force behind @Spectrum Media, New York, providing quality content, web design, graphic design, video editing and app programming to small businesses. This San Francisco native paid her dues in the business world while studying the digital arts, though she admits, “working in corporate America was not really for me. But, I learned many valuable lessons working in that rigid, structured environment as a young professional that eventually helped me to thrive on my own.” Zinn suggests that other entrepreneurs shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when just starting out: “Networking with other female entrepreneurs can help you stay focused and inspired when the pressures of running your own business become daunting or might feel overwhelming.”