The owner of a Christian jewelry company was recently honored by the Minneapolis Lifetime Moms/Spark & Hustle Contest, which celebrates women entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Deirdre Olson, founder of Deirdre & Company, whose products are carried by Christian bookstores, won $1,000 earlier this month during the Minneapolis leg of the 2012 Spark & Hustle Contest Tour, started by Tory Johnson—the workplace contributor on ABC's Good Morning America.

"I think I am an inspirational business leader in that I work to encourage women to encourage each other, simply by remembering them with a gift that will delight the wearer," Olson said. "I passionately create joyful gifts and jewelry celebrating life and faith. My work speaks to the everyday woman who wants to encourage her family and friends, who wants to celebrate occasions, both little and big, with a meaningful gift, and who believes faith is an integral part of life."

As part of the contest, Olson was asked to share about how she became an entrepreneur. She started her company during her sophomore year in college, when she took a class in silversmithing. "After the first day of class, I called my parents and said, 'I know what I want to be when I grow up,' " she recalled. "Twenty years later, I am still passionate about making jewelry."

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