CAPE MAY — Mrs. New Jersey Kristina Henderson’s final stop of her 21 county tour of women-owned businesses was The Mission Inn, a premier bed and breakfast in Cape May. Mrs. New Jersey met with the co-owners and innkeepers Wendy Collins and Laura Shaddock, who have been operating the business since 2016.
Mrs. New Jersey Kristina Henderson completes state tour of women-owned businesses in all 21 counties – Press of Atlantic City
“Cape May is a true gem on the East Coast, and Wendy and Laura’s passion for the work they do can be seen in every impeccable detail of their stunning, Spanish-themed Mission Inn. Visiting all 21 counties has been an incredible journey. As I reflect on the many women business owners I have met, I am truly honored to have learned about their paths to success. We spoke about networking with each other to grow our brands, adapting during the pandemic, how to get inspiration, mentorships, and improving visibility. This experience has been a highlight of my reign as Mrs. New Jersey,” said Henderson.
The visit to the Cape May County community was the final stop of Mrs. New Jersey’s statewide tour to meet women business owners in a variety of industries. Among those she met were architects, a pilot, leaders in the construction arena, an acupuncturist, and more.
“We are grateful to Kristina for supporting women owned businesses. She is both an advocate for us and an inspiration. We are really impressed with how driven she is to help others which can also be seen in the incredibly philanthropy work she does in the community,” said Collins.
Shaddock echoed those sentiments, “It was a pleasure giving Mrs. New Jersey a tour of our inn. She has an incredible business sense. and we look forward to collaborating on philanthropic projects in the future.”
“Additionally, it is important to note that women business owners represent 40 percent of U.S. businesses today,” said Henderson. “We employ nearly 9 million people, generating almost $2 trillion in sales. With close to 300,000 businesses in New Jersey owned by women, it is important to celebrate and support our success and work together to continue to grow our economic contribution in the communities we live and serve.”
List of businesses visited:
1. Atlantic County
Catalyst Aviation, Hammonton Airport
2. Bergen County
Society Fem and Society Men, Westwood
Westwood Pets Unlimited, Westwood
3. Burlington County
Properly Fueled Café, Bordentown
Evans Family Chiropractors, Bordentown
4. Camden County
Corrine’s Place, Camden
5. Cape May County
The Mission Inn, Cape May
6. Cumberland County
FruttaMex, Vineland
Pretty on Purpose, Vineland
7. Essex County
Studio 1200, Short Hills, Millburn Township
8. Gloucester County
New Castle Artisan, Sicklerville
9. Hudson County
Pump Hoboken, Hoboken
10. Hunterdon County
Frenchtown Café, Frenchtown
Purotu Salon and Boutique, Frenchtown
LibbyBeans Chocolatier, Frenchtown
11. Mercer County
Highbar Boutique, Princeton
12. Middlesex County
Stillwell Hansen, Edison
Fritz’s Restaurant, New Brunswick
13. Monmouth County
Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Marlboro
Ada’s Gojjo Ethiopian and Dominican Restaurant, Asbury Park
Carla Gizzi Boutique, Asbury Park
14. Morris County
Glassworks, Morristown
Restoration Health Acupuncture, Randolph
15. Ocean County
Attention to Detail Cleaning Services, Brick
16. Passaic County
The Cosmopolitan, Wayne
17. Salem County
Equine Assisted Therapy of NJ, Mannington
18. Somerset County
August eTech, Somerset
19. Sussex County
Pattycakes Bakery, Sparta
20. Union County
The Mane Event Hair Salon, Cranford
Anthem Style+Gift, Cranford
21. Warren County
You Consignment and Boutique, Hackettstown
Henderson, the CEO and co-owner of Henderson Promos in Red Bank, New Jersey, was crowned 2020 Mrs. New Jersey American in the Mrs. America Pageant at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut on Aug. 8, 2020. The 30-year-old who grew up in Colts Neck, New Jersey, placed top 6 in the Mrs. American 2021 pageant in Las Vegas in March 2021.
Henderson also hosts a red-carpet event in Red Bank honoring the “Stars of Women in Business” in New Jersey. About 100 women attended her inaugural event in 2021 where awards were presented to several women leaders in television, business, and the nonprofit arena. They were honored for their contributions to the community and to the advancement of women. A high school graduate also received the first annual “Kristina Henderson Empowering Young Women Scholarship” for college.
Henderson is an advocate for several nonprofits. She spreads awareness about hunger and opioid addiction in our community. She works closely with Fulfill Food Bank, an organization to prevent drug abuse called Tigger House Foundation, and a nonprofit called Zzak G. Applaud Our Kids Foundation, which provides free dance and music lessons for children in need. She and her husband also recently started a nonprofit of their own, The Kristina and Bart Henderson Foundation, which will help fund community projects.
During the height of the pandemic, the Hendersons donated more than 125,000 masks to frontline workers and families in need through a collaboration with Feeding America. They donated the masks to food banks and nonprofits in five states to help keep employees, volunteers, and the community COVID safe. Their efforts received national and local attention on Good Morning America, NBC, ABC, CBS Radio, and more.
When not working, Henderson enjoys spending time with her husband and her two dogs, Gatsby and Kona, at the Jersey Shore.