Shannon Okey
Cleveland Bazaar
Education: Ohio University
What Guides My Decision Making: All decisions about the business are designed to benefit the makers I work with. If I invest extra in social media ads, if I create a series of PSAs about shopping local, if I lobby the city for a change in policy — it’s always been for them.
What Motivates Me: Helping makers and microbusinesses thrive is what has kept me going for the past 20 years. Knowing that both the events I run and the community I’ve cultivated has been an integral part of their success feels good.
Proudest Moment: Our 20th anniversary show at 78th Street Studios in December 2024. Watching the art community there grow with us over the past two decades has been amazing.
Theme Song of My Leadership Style: We traditionally play the A-Team theme song when our largest holiday show of the year at 78th Street Studios kicks off, so probably that. As a kid playing A-Team on the playground, I always wanted to be Hannibal, which should really tell you something.