PEORIA MAGAZINE September 2022

F rom the second you shake Francie Hinrichsen’s hand, you can tell she’s an impact player. So far, she’s established three businesses, written a book touted as the “how to build a business guide for female entrepreneurs,” and started the Central Illinois Empowerment event. For all that, she is the recipient of the Turner Center’s Women in Business Leadership Award. Yet she’s incredibly humble about her accomplishments. “What I ’ve f igured out is that entrepreneurship is just figuring out, it’s just being willing to take that one step forward,” said Hinrichsen. “It’s not having a certain business acumen. It’s not having a certain degree under your belt. It’s not having a certainbackground.” Instead, it’s about being “a little brave and willing to be uncomfortable because what that leads to is some beautiful outcomes. I realized if I can do this, anyone can do this. There’s nothing about me. It’s the willingness to step forward and try something different.”

T U R N E R C E N T E R H O N O R E E

WOMEN IN BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD Francie Hinrichsen provides a playbook and a community for female entrepreneurs

BY LAURIE PILLMAN PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

42 SEPTEMBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE