Sarah Francis, Author at Providence Business News

123 POSTS 0 COMMENTS

EXPANDED HORIZONS: Line Daems, owner of Kreatelier LLC, a “fabric concept store” in Providence, opened the business in 2007 after living in several European countries and moving to Rhode Island in 2002.  PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

Store owner proves fluent in creativity

Business Services 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE: Line Daems, Kreatelier LLC Packing up and moving to a new country when you don’t speak the language isn’t most...

CHARTING HER COURSE: Cheryl DiGennaro, owner of Newport Yacht and Home LLC in Middletown, says the desire to design living spaces in houses and boats is something she was born with.  PBN FILE PHOTO/DAVID HANSEN

On land or sea, her mind is always on the décor

Business Women 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE: Cheryl DiGennaro, Newport Yacht & Home LLC When Cheryl DiGennaro was growing up, she’d watch her mom, an interior designer,...

COOL UNDER FIRE: Rebecca Zhukov, co-owner of Blackstone River Glass Center LLC in Cumberland, works with the furnace at the glass studio, which she started with her business partner about six years ago.  PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Zhukov is building a community out of blown glass

Business Women 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE: Rebecca Zhukov, Blackstone River Glass Center LLC A furnace the size of a Mini Cooper presides like an industrial centerpiece...

GUIDING LIGHT: Erica Davies got her boutique travel firm, The Well Traveled Soul LLC, off the ground in 2022 after years of working in corporate America.  PBN FILE PHOTO/DAVID HANSEN

She’s on a journey curating trips for clients

Business Women 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE: Erica Davies, The Well Traveled Soul LLC Cranston native Erica Davies spent two decades in the corporate world – from...

IN STITCHES: Lindsay Degen is the owner of Knit Club in Providence, which offers knitting and crocheting classes, as well as tools and yarn. PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

She’s not one to follow the familiar pattern

Business Women 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE: Lindsay Degen, Knit Club Knitting is having a moment. Your granny’s favorite hobby is now a Zen-like pastime in an...

GETTING CREATIVE: Sascha Roberts, left, and Laura Afonso, co-owners of marketing and content creation company Honey Buns Social in Providence, look over photos during a session at a local studio space. PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

She’s made it her business to show companies how to use...

Business Women 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE: Sascha Roberts, Honey Buns Social In the “digital Dark Ages” of 2005, 14-year-old Sascha Roberts passed the time building a...

GAME PLANNING: Lori Manni, center, president of Capital City Construction & Management Services Inc., goes over documents with Al DeRobbio, left, project supervisor, and Oliver Carias, operating engineer of Local 57, at the company’s Cranston office. PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Manni not daunted by challenges of commercial construction

Business Services 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE: Lori Manni, Capital City Construction and Management Services Inc. Lori Manni knows her way around a sewer system. She’s...

Winds of change: Robin Main, partner and general counsel at Hinckley Allen & Snyder LLP, specializes in renewable energy cases.  PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

The main advocate for renewable energy in the courtroom

Business Women 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 INDUSTRY LEADER | PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Robin Main, Hinckley Allen & Snyder LLP partner and general counsel Robin Main knew when she was...

SEEING A NEED: Diana Franchitto, CEO and president of HopeHealth, has worked to improve accessibility to hospice and palliative care for Rhode Island residents.  PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

Providing dignity and support at the end for patients

Business Women 05/22/2026

PBN Business Women Awards 2026 INDUSTRY LEADER | HEALTHCARE: Diana Franchitto, HopeHealth CEO and president Diana Franchitto wasn’t always interested in a career in hospice and palliative...