A Jacksonville Beach woman who founded and leads a positivity-themed lifestyle brand has been named Ernst & Young’s Florida Entrepreneur of the Year and is eligible for the national honor as well.
Patti Hughes, 60, started Natural Life in 1996 selling photos and crafts and has since expanded to clothes, jewelry, accessories and home decor, among other things.
“This win means the world to me because it not only highlights my accomplishments but more importantly the entire Natural Life family,” she said. “They deserve the recognition as much as me because Natural Life certainly wouldn’t be where we are without the dedication and hard work of our entire team. I’m so lucky to have the best team ever.”
The company she started alone now has 165 employees, a warehouse and multitudes of products, 90% of which are sold online, the rest wholesale. Natural Life is based at 901 Seventh Ave. S. in Jacksonville Beach.
Accounting company Ernst & Young began the Entrepreneur of the Year program in 1986 to recognize “business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit,” according to the company, including “original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception.”
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A panel of independent judges including previous award winners, CEOs and other business leaders selected regional finalists and winners. Each candidate was “evaluated based on their ability to create long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to their purpose and the demonstration of growth and substantial impact, among other key indicators,” according to Ernst & Young.
Regional finalists and winners — the Florida program included Florida and Puerto Rico — were recognized at a June awards ceremony. National finalists and award winners will be announced in November at an Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum. The overall national winner will compete for the World Entrepreneur of the Year Award in June 2025.
The winners “become lifetime members of a global, multi-industry community of entrepreneurs,” according to the company. “They receive exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of program alumni and other ecosystem members in more than 60 countries.”
Hughes’ initial inspiration came from her mother, “who had a passion for making things” and ran a gift business from the basement of the family home, according to the Natural Life website. “My mom was rarely seen without sawdust in her hair, stain on her fingers or a paintbrush behind her ear.”
Natural Life “specializes in lifestyle products and gifts that promote positivity, creativity and personal expression … aimed at fostering a happy and inspirational lifestyle, encouraging customers to embrace individuality and spread positivity through their products,” according to the website.Â
Hughes hopes to inspire her three daughters and other women and girls to “enjoy life doing what they love. When that magic happens, you can live happy, enjoy the little things and make the world a better place living your ‘Natural Life’,” according to the website.
bcravey@jacksonvile.com, (904) 359-4109