After 9/11 Tragedy, Entrepreneur Rebuilds Her Life and Realizes Dream Career in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Debbie Rosenfeld has an eye for detail. You can see it in her photographic portfolio on display at Debbie Rosenfeld Fine Art Photography and various galleries across the United States. But her lifelong passion for photography had always been just a hobby until the 9/11 tragedy brought Rosenfeld to Ohio in 2002.

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For 16 years, Rosenfeld worked for several companies within the World Trade Center. In 1993, she nearly died from carbon monoxide poisoning after terrorists attacked the building. Then in 2001, a scheduling change gave her an average Tuesday in September off of work. That was the day Rosenfeld got to Midtown and watched in horror as the World Trade Center Towers collapsed. "We're outta here," were the first words out of her husband's mouth when he finally reached his wife by phone late in the afternoon of September 11. The event left Rosenfeld traumatized and unable to leave the house for weeks. Several attempts to return to work in the city failed. She worked out a telecommuter position with her company at the time.

In 2002, after a nationwide job search, her husband landed a job in Columbus, Ohio. Rosenfeld followed behind after selling their house in New Jersey. She continued to work from home until the New York company decided all its employees must work from their Manhattan offices. Rosenfeld lost her job and found solace in her love for photography. Her "therapy" developed into her very own photography business she started in Ohio.

Moving to Ohio, Rosenfeld says, got her out of the rat race and allowed her to become a full-time artist. "This was the silver lining in the dark cloud of September 11," she said. "If I was still working in New York, I would not have been able to take the risk to start my own business."

According to Rosenfeld, it was Ohio's advantages such as low cost of living, central location and strong art community that ultimately allowed her to launch a passionate photography hobby into a growing small business.

Ohio is committed to helping small businesses grow and thrive. The state offers entrepreneurs like Rosenfeld the benefits of a supportive business environment, low cost of living, less stress and traffic congestion, as well as logistics pluses like being located within 600 miles of 60 percent of the U.S. population and 50 percent of the Canadian population.

Shortly after their move to Ohio, Rosenfeld submitted some of her work to the Columbus Metropolitan Library through a call for photography/art submissions. Two pieces got accepted and one piece sold within a day. "It was a pivotal moment in my life," says Rosenfeld. "My husband said this is your chance to pursue your dreams, take it!"

Rosenfeld's goal is to grow her photography business enough to earn a salary and hire several employees. Most of all, she wants to inspire people to stop sacrificing personal aspirations for professional success and help them notice the details of their surroundings through photography. A look at her collection shows an affinity for everyday objects and architecture details that Rosenfeld says many people take for granted. She describes her new city as a hidden jewel and displays Columbus' rich architecture in an entire art portfolio.

Understanding the importance of work-life balance is what Rosenfeld calls her biggest life lesson. Most of her life, she's lived and worked in what she calls the "rat race."

"When we lived in New Jersey, we went to four Broadway shows in 25 years. We never had the time or money for life outside of work. You need a full-time job just to pay New Jersey property taxes," says Rosenfeld.  

The events of 9/11 changed her world and her outlook forever. "After September 11, I asked myself, why am I doing this when it could be over in a minute? You could wake up one beautiful morning and it can all be snatched away from you," says Rosenfeld.

It was Ohio's central location, low cost of living and strong art community that supported her entrepreneurial efforts. Rosenfeld started her business with a small sum of seed money. Ohio's lower cost of living allowed her to utilize a separate studio apartment as a private gallery to display her art and photography collections. "If I was still living back East I would not have been able to have a separate space for my photography and artwork," says Rosenfeld.

In addition to affordability, Ohio offers an ideal start-up environment to launch and grow successful small businesses. The ideal location for starting a business delivers a perfect balance between access to resources and low overhead costs. Ohio makes it easy for entrepreneurs to access capital and leverage academic centers, skilled labor and other support services to make their strategic plan and operation a success.

Ohio offered the ideal start-up environment that gave Rosenfeld an edge that other locations didn't provide. Today, her work is on exhibit in galleries across the state and the country.  

Having spent most of her life on the East Coast, Rosenfeld jokes that she did not know anything existed between New York and Los Angeles. "Ohio is so much more affordable. Columbus life is much easier, more manageable, less crime," she said. "It's not a cow town at all. Columbus is a wonderful town and Ohio is a great state."

Rosenfeld was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY.  She graduated from Brooklyn College with a bachelor's degree in computer and information science. She utilizes that background to introduce new and changing technology into her digital photography.

Her roots are now strongly planted in Columbus, Ohio. A testament to what she calls her faith in a thriving city and state.

"Living in Ohio has given me the ability to follow my dream. There is nothing I can't have here," says Rosenfeld. The State of Perfect Balance offered Rosenfeld exactly what she needed to re-imagine her life and grow both professionally and personally.

About the Ohio Business Development Coalition

The Ohio Business Development Coalition is a nonprofit organization that provides marketing strategy and implementation to support Ohio's economic development efforts. For more information, visit www.ohiomeansbusiness.com.

SOURCE Ohio Business Development Coalition