A Conversation with Philanthropist and Entrepreneur, Samantha Tradelius

A born go-getter from early on, Samantha Tradelius always knew she was destined to do big things. Armed with her brokerage license and natural gift for being a connector, Samantha began her entrepreneurial journey co-founding Commercial Coverage Insurance Agency (CCIA) alongside her husband. From humble beginnings, the pair quickly turned CCIA into a wildly successful business, valued at an impressive eight figures. Following her success with CCIA, Samantha knew it was time to lean into a passion that had inspired her from a very young age. She never stopped thinking about the stories her grandmother and hero, GG, would tell her about raising three children as a single mom in the 1950s. Samantha noticed that in all her grandmother's stories, her grandmother never mentioned anyone helping her…or asking for help. She knew that her grandmother had done everything she could to rub her nickels together to make everything possible for her children. Inspired by this story, Samantha wanted to utilize her skills as a self-starter and born networker to create a non-profit that provided the much-valued support that many single mothers need. Not one to waste any time, Samantha established The Sparkle Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping single women throughout the Bay Area, the Inland Empire, and the cities of Los Angeles and Sacramento. In just a few short years, The Sparkle Foundation has seen an unprecedented amount of success, thanks to Samantha’s sheer determination and passion for giving back to her local community. The Sparkle Foundations supports single mothers and children with an array of initiatives including enrichment scholarships for children, a Christmas holiday gift drive and back to school backpack drive. In addition to The Sparkle Foundation, Samantha established SparkleBiz, which provides micro-loans for female-owned small businesses, and access to a large, connected network. Since its founding in 2016, The Sparkle Foundation has raised more than $1 million—with every dollar reinvested in the community. Samantha wrote and self-published a book, Impact: Stories of Change Makers, Creators, and Everyday Women Doing Extraordinary Work and is also the host of growing weekly podcast, InspiHER’d. Learn more at:  https://www.sparklenow.org/impact https://www.samanthatradelius.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sparkle_foundation/ https://www.facebook.com/sparklefoundationinc https://www.instagram.com/samanthatradelius/