12
When I was young, I had helped Howard build his
company from scratch. I was every bit the corporate
powerhouse. But once the Hawthorne empire was
stable, I stepped back to take care of him and our
sons, becoming a stay–at–home mom for over twenty
years.
Now, when people talk about me, they talk with
envy. They say I was lucky that I chose the right hus-
Chapter 2
08:54
envy. They say I was lucky, that I chose the right hus-
band and gave birth to the right sons. That I won the
lottery of life just by getting married.
But if I had spent all those years building my own
career, I would have won on my own terms.
“I want to start my own company,” I said. “I want to
show the world that it’s never too late for a woman
to start over.”
