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T H E 2 0 2 5 WOMEN IN BUSINESS H O N O R E E S HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MARCH 10, 2025 B7 To grow — both Bare Life and our impact. I want to expand beyond hot cocoa, creating everyday staples that are clean, unrefined and delicious. More than anything, I want to elevate our food system, ensuring no one feels left out of life's sweetest moments. Because food isn't just food — it's connection. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? Building Bare Life while managing my health has been one of my biggest challenges. It taught me to pace myself, anticipate challenges, and lean on the right people — lessons that carry over into every obstacle we face. From supply chain disruptions to outgrow- ing co-manufacturers, we adapt, prob- lem-solve, and keep delivering the nostalgic treats our customers love. How are you involved in the community? Through Bare Life, I'm working on reimaging our food system — making allergen-friendly treats more accessible so no one feels a sense of "otherness" in their community. That mission drives everything we do, from sustainable sourcing to planting trees. Beyond Bare Life, I serve as reSET's board chair and guest lecture at UConn's YSEALI Program, helping empower the next genera- tion of changemakers. ali lazowsKi CEO & Founder Bare Life A li Lazowski is the founder and CEO of Bare Life, a plant-based food startup inspired by her jour- ney with chronic illness. After attending Renbrook and Miss Porter's schools in Connecticut, she attended culinary school in Italy and then studied at Johns Hopkins. Her twin battles with cancer and Lyme disease fueled her passion for food, leading to the creation of Bare Life's award-winning organic, plant-based, and gluten-free hot cocoa mixes. They are now available at over 300 locations across 32 states, including UConn, Whole Foods, QVC and Amazon. Lazowski also chairs reSET's board of directors and was named to HBJ's and Connecticut Magazine's Top 40 Under 40. What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far? Founding Bare Life is my biggest achieve- ment — turning a near-decade-long health struggle into a thriving company. From launching in Whole Foods and QVC to selling out our Pumpkin Spice flavor in 10 days, the journey has been incredible. But the greatest reward? Helping people rediscover nostalgic foods they thought they'd never enjoy again. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? We have established three business units within our company, with plans to expand to six by the end of 2026. This growth will enable us to broaden our services in the medical industry, positioning us as the leading medical virtual assistant company in the United States. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? As the founder of my company, the biggest professional challenge has been letting go of day-to-day tasks that kept me bogged down. Stepping out of the weeds has allowed me to focus on the bigger picture, enabling me to be the visionary and drive the continued growth and success of the company. How are you involved in the community? Having grown up in Connecticut with my family still here, I've always felt a deep connection to my community. I prioritize giving back by supporting local charities like the Aurora Foundation, My Sister's Place and the Lupus Foundation of America. At Global Medical VA, we also sponsor charity events through our Helping Hands Foundation that focuses on the health and well-being of children in the communities of our staff members in the Philippines. Beth lachance Chief Executive Officer Global Medical VA, LLC B eth Lachance leads Global Medical with a clear vision and hands-on approach, overseeing day-to-day operations and driving sustainable growth. With over 22 years of experience in the surgical device, pharmaceutical and specialty pharmacy sectors, she blends stra- tegic leadership with operational expertise. Under her leadership, Global Medical has grown to over 1,000 employees, hit just over $16 million in revenue in 2024, and is projected to be at $24 million in revenue by 2025 year-end. Before her corporate and entrepreneurial career, Lachance was a Division I gymnast at the University of Florida, where she earned a bachelor's degree in health sciences from the College of Health and Human Performance. What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far? My biggest professional accomplishment has been leading our company's remark- able growth, which reached over 68% in 2024 alone. In just six years, we success- fully scaled our team to over 1,050 employees, contributing to the company's ongoing success and solidifying our position in the industry. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally?