Queer Women We Love, Red Hot Entrepreneurs, Wonder Women

Workin’ It 2011

September 19, 2011 Liz Gold

The Real L Word fans know Romi Klinger from her spot on the Showtime reality series, but this Pasadena, Calif.-born jewelry designer has lived a best-seller life since growing up in the care of two mothers and a father. Our cover girl has been a successful makeup artist, an apothecary buyer for Kitson, a co-creator of the famed lesbian event company PYT and a blogger at tenderomi.com. This year, Klinger and Vanessa Salazar founded HIJA Por Vida, a jewelry and accessories line exclusively sold through Love and Pride. Now solo, Klinger is moving forward with Casa Por Vida, her own jewelry brand inspired by Mexican and Native American designs. Her Web site, casaporvida.com, launches this month. “The best part of owning my own business is that I’m my own boss and I get a chance to do what I love,” Klinger says. “We make all these items by hand on our living room floors. So far, we’ve lost a lot of sleep—but, we’re hustlers and hard-workers. The fact is, when you believe in your product, work is a pleasure.”

2011’s Red Hot Entrepreneurs

As a real estate marketing and sales executive in NYC and L.A. for more than ten years, Elizabeth Lande has had her share of meeting dogs and their owners—and she wanted a place to mingle with other canines and their human companions beyond business hours. This enterprising impresario founded metroPUP (metropup.us), a social networking site bringing urban canine lovers and supporters together. While providing helpful hints on dog health, agility and holistic medicine, the site offers dog devotees a place to share the love with articles, monthly event calendars, chat sessions, photos and health resources. A tireless optimist, Lande’s mission is to do good and do good business. “I believe in the human spirit and in our ability to affect change,” Lande says. “As a lesbian business owner, sharing this compassion—for small animals, other people, differing cultures and points of view— while promoting my company is what it’s all about.” She regularly takes her two pups, Mia and Maddie, on long walks to L.A.’s Runyon Canyon.