Stacey
Starting a small business and becoming an entrepreneur was never a consideration for Stacey after graduating from UWGB in 1998. Rather, once she graduated with her Bachelor of Arts, emphasis in technical theater, Stacey took on additional studies at WI College of Cosmetology to become a licensed Cosmetologist. With those two degrees in hand and membership in I.A.T.S.E. (Professional Stagehand Union) she toured for six years, nationally and internationally and worked locally, on a variety of Broadway tours and Vocal Music Group productions working on hair, wigs, makeup and costuming. The highlight of those tours was being able to travel alongside her husband, Dean.
In 2005, Dean was offered a job for a Theatrical Lighting and Sound company in Green Bay, so they put their suitcases aside and took a break from touring.
By 2006, Stacey discovered a hidden desire, a desire to help members of the local community find comfort in their journey through the devastation of hair-loss. The key was not her knowledge of hair or wigs but the experience she always discovered of becoming a family in each of her job experiences. She enrolled in Urban Hope’s entrepreneurial classes to help her learn and understand the scope of business creation and ownership.
In March of 2007, her concept of a wig salon, dedicated to helping women undergoing hair-loss for medical necessity, started to take shape. Nell’s Wigs took off by word of mouth. After a few years, Stacey saw the need to expand her services to offer garments and prosthesis for those who have undergone breast related surgeries. 2011 marked another set of milestones. Stacey went back to Urban Hope’s E-Hub Program, to design a business plan that integrated her passion with her vision. The UWGB-Small Business Development Center (SBCD) helped Stacey tremendously in bringing her business vision another step closer to completion. This all led to a Business Plan Grant for Stacey that supported the design of Nell’s Wigs and Boutique. That November, her vision became a reality. Stacey continues to utilize both E-Hub and UWGB’s SBDC’s resources to help her through some challenging business obstacles, including becoming Medicare Accredited, which has now been running successfully since 2013.
Since opening Nell’s, Stacey has been recognized within the community in a variety of local newspapers and magazines, and though the UWGB Alumni Association and SBDC. She was awarded the Community Impact Award from E-Hub, was chosen to be a part of the top 100 Small Businesses in Deluxe Corporation’s “Small Business Revolution” campaign, and in 2017, received the Distinguished Alumni Award from UW-Green Bay. The success of Nell’s continues to fuel Stacey’s passion for serving members of the greater Green Bay Community.
Today, outside of work, Stacey enjoys travelling and being with Dean and their son. Living in Green Bay has also allowed Stacey to regularly share her energy and expertise with her UWGB theatre family as a proud UWGB alumnus. Stacey also shares her theatrical insight with the Next Stage Productions family that brings together performers and crewmembers from high schools throughout the Northeast Wisconsin region in a collaborative learning environment. Since 2013, Stacey has sat on the planning committee for Prevea’s Runway for Life, an event that celebrates so many cancer survivors in our community. And in 2016, Stacey joined the board of directors for The Ribbon of Hope Foundation, a local Breast Cancer organization where $.97 out of each $1 donated is granted back to help those diagnosed with breast cancer in Brown and Kewaunee Co. Stacey continues to share her passions, her expertise and her dedication to her community in meaningful ways.