Leadership & Mentorship

Meet the N.J woman who is setting female entrepreneurs up for success

Simone Craig’s story illustrates the incredible power of mentorship and how the right guidance can lead to personal and professional success. Photo courtesy of Simone Craig

Simone Craig wanted to do more than prepare her clients’ tax returns. She wanted to help her customers, especially women, build wealth that would create generational prosperity. 

But she needed a little guidance. 

Enter Karen Yankovich, president and CEO of Uplevel Media and creator of She’s LinkedUp! accelerator, a program proven to help women market themselves and their businesses on LinkedIn. 

Yankovich’s mentoring program helped Craig make the transition from a traditional accounting firm to a creative consulting business that focuses on all aspects of financial growth. 

“I needed to learn how to grow to be of better service to my clients, while staying competitive,’’ Craig said. “Karen showed me how to position myself, how to not shy away from PR opportunities and how to have a presence on LinkedIn that attracts my ideal clients. Karen really shines in understanding and strategizing with a person based on where they are and where they want to go.’’ 

Today, Craig heads SLC Global LLC in Morristown, helping women entrepreneurs grow wealth. She recently hit her own financial milestone — crossing the seven-figure mark in her business. 

This success story, Yankovich said, illustrates the incredible power of mentorship and how the right guidance can lead to personal and professional success. 

“I used to think if you needed to know something, you take a class,’’ Yankovich recalled of her early years in the corporate world. “One day I realized I didn’t need more training. I needed people in my corner who understood my journey and who could help me move forward, someone who has walked in my shoes.’’ 

Karen Yankovich, president and CEO of Uplevel Media and creator of She’s LinkedUp! accelerator, a program proven to help women market themselves and their businesses on LinkedIn. Photo courtesy of Karen Yankovich

She found that help in various mentors along the way, ultimately leading to her creation of a program that specializes in mentoring women who are leaving corporate jobs to open their own business.  

“We help women create a plan of how they are going to transition to self-employment,’’ Yankovich explained. “They typically need to gain clarity about their business goals, and they need to learn how to meet the people you need to meet to build the business you want to build.’’ 

Over the 12-week program, participants receive one-on-one coaching from various professionals with expertise in specific areas, including strategy development, effective public relations and writing a LinkedIn profile that will attract the right kind of clients and position these businesswomen as experts in their field. Mentees also participate in group calls where they can share challenges with other budding business owners and develop a peer support network. 

“We are teaching our clients to fish,’’ Yankovich explained. “We want them to land a contract in those 12 weeks, so they can see the opportunity that’s out there. Investing in mentoring is investing in yourself and in your business. The sooner you get mentoring, the sooner your business starts growing.’’ 

For more information about Yankovich’s services, visit karenyankovich.com

Nancy Parello writes frequently for NJ Advance Media/Jersey’s Best. A former statehouse reporter, she previously worked for the Associated Press and The Record.

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.




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