Sisters Megan Coleman, ’18, and Cecilia Coleman, ’20, followed in the footsteps of their entrepreneur mother and turned their passion for shoes into a business. Raw Heat is collectively owned and run by the Coleman sisters and Cecilia’s partner, Josh Joyner. Together, they were able to create a thriving business during a pandemic with their support for each other, positive attitudes, and most importantly, dedication.

The Coleman sisters are women of many talents. Megan Coleman majored in business at Meredith and also works as a licensed real estate agent. Cecilia Coleman majored in political science and played softball during her time at Meredith. “We took so many classes in so many different areas at Meredith, and it allowed us to expand our career interests.”

Not only did the courses at Meredith inspire the sisters to venture into multiple different career areas, but the Meredith community also gave them a sounding board for their ideas. “We would take lots of classes outside of our majors, and the friends we met in those classes were all in different majors. We would learn from them because they had unique perspectives that came from their different majors and strengths,” said Megan.

Raw Heat opened for business in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, but through social media and word-of-mouth advertising, they gained traction for their store. The two sisters also complement each other very well. Megan is strong in the more traditional aspects of business, such as managing finances and budgets, whereas Cecilia is more of a creative who comes up with innovative ideas.

During their time at Meredith together, the Coleman sisters became especially close. “We ate dinner almost every night together – lunch, in between classes – everything. I definitely recommend it. It brought us really close; now we’re inseparable,” Cecilia said with a smile. The two had been helping out in their mother’s restaurant since the age of six, and being able to spend time building sisterhood together at Meredith was an experience they both valued. “It’s definitely something I would recommend for sisters who are close in age,” Megan said. Her favorite Meredith memories are Cornhuskin’ and Family Night, and Cecilia’s are her softball trips to Florida over spring break.

The two sisters see their business expanding in multiple domains in the future. They want to open larger stores in more populous parts of North Carolina, such as Raleigh. When asked what advice she would give to someone who wants to open a business, Megan said “always be willing to learn.”