Entrepreneurs of Sigma Alpha

Many Sigma Alpha sisters are business owners and entrepreneurs. Some have created their own businesses while others have taken over family operations. Three different sisters—all owners of very different businesses—took some time to share their advice with other sisters wanting to start a business and connected the dots with how Sigma Alpha has helped them in their ventures.

Jess Campbell, an alumna from the Alpha Chapter at The Ohio State University, met Kate Link, an alumna of the Gamma Chapter at Michigan State University, while she was still an undergraduate student. The two hit it off, with Campbell saying Link’s authenticity made her look up to her and want to learn from her. They continued their friendship when Campbell graduated and become a regional consultant and Link moved from regional consultant to the Vice President on the National Sorority Board. As part of Link’s national board role, she oversaw the training for the consultants, and kept in contact over the years. Campbell is the owner of Carroll Creek Farms LLC, which raises livestock to fill gaps in the local market. Link founded Farmwife Financials LLC after leaving her job with GreenStone Farm Credit when she found her skills were being sought out by former customers and farmers in her area. The two had a chance to meet up when Campbell was passing through Link’s town, and Campbell showed Link the trouble she was having managing her accounting. When Link was able to help her, they recognized that the trust they had already established easily transitioned them into this new facet of their relationship.

Campbell and Link own separate businesses that work together, showing the importance of both professional and personal networks. What began as a friendship has grown beyond into a successful business relationship. Campbell says that in growing a business, you will fail, but you can look at those failures as lessons. It takes time to be successful, and a bit of faith to stay the course, even when it gets hard.

Jess Campbell and Kate Link

Megan Dresbach

Megan Dresbach, an alumna from the Alpha Chapter, started her business, MD Ag Services LLC, when she was in high school. To help pay for college, she purchased a semi-truck. This truck was leased to her father’s manure application company, W.D. Farms LLC, to help transport products throughout the state.

Dresbach maintained her business through college, evening using it to earn her American Degree, and now owns a fleet of four semi-trucks and four tanker trailers that travel across Indiana and Ohio. She is also the Vice President of W.D. Farms LLC, and is in the process of taking over ownership of the company with one of her two brothers.

Dresbach says Sigma Alpha has provided her with networking opportunities that have allowed her business to thrive. She shared an incident when one of her trucks broke down; the dealership wasn’t able to fix it for her; and, she needed it operational immediately. She contacted her Sigma Alpha Little Sister, who was able to connect her with a mechanic to get her truck fixed. She also says it’s great to have a network of people to call to find somewhere to eat or to help out in a pinch during their busy season.

She says owning MD Ag Services LLC has been both the most rewarding and most stressful thing she has ever done. The best advice she can give to a sister interested in starting their own business is that success doesn’t happen overnight, echoing Campbell.

Campbell, Dresbach, and Link all speak about the importance of your network while running a business and how important it is to lean on those connections when you can. Sigma Alpha helped them build those connections that have proven significant in different ways for their businesses today.