“I believe that if we can teach little girls to dream that they'll be the force that changes the world.

But more than that; I believe that if we can teach broken women to dream like little girls again, it will be a force the world is yet to see.”

AMBER RUNYON — Founder, Legacy, and Eleventh Candle Co. 

Changing the world can be daunting and overwhelming. So how do you do it? How do you seek justice without being crushed by the injustices around you?

According to Amber — one small act at a time. Oh, and start a candle business while you're at it.

This former hospice nurse will tell you that running a nonprofit organization that owns a for-profit business isn't easy. She'll say she never set out to be an entrepreneur. She'll admit to not even being a fan of scented candles — the kind her company, the Eleventh Candle. Co., makes. But in the next breath she'll tell you she couldn't sit on the sideline and do nothing as she saw women in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio — and young girls in Ethiopia — being trafficked; bought and sold like a commodity.  It's exactly how to bring light into darkness — and the powerful metaphor isn't lost on her either. 

Amber's story is deeply personal while also being selfless. She's employing women who desperately want to dream again and believe in life's possibilities. She's also giving hope and refuge to little girls a continent away. And she's doing it with some wax, a wick, and a little redemptive storytelling.

Amber epitomizes what it means to change the world with small steps. In time, they add up to an impact that far exceeds expectations.