A black woman who grew up with 15 siblings in a family so poor they had only onions for lunch explained Tuesday how she overcame poverty to become the CEO of Chism Hardy Investments and Henderson Transloading Services, the largest owner of container depots in the Memphis market.
“I want you to understand that I was born and I lived below the poverty line, but I did not allow that to limit or define me,” said Carolyn Hardy, who is also the first black female inducted into the Society of Entrepreneurs in Memphis.
She attributes a lot of her success to her mother, who taught her the way to success was a college education, trade skills, hard work, ambition and saving money.
Hardy spoke to a sold-out crowd Tuesday at the fourth annual Entrepreneur Power Luncheon hosted by the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga. The event celebrated minority- and female-owned businesses.
Mayor Andy Berke speaks to the crowd before Carolyn Hardy delivers the keynote speech at the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga’s 4th annual Entrepreneur Power Luncheon at the Chattanoogan Hotel on Tuesday, Apr. 26, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. 
People gather at the Chattanoogan Hotel for the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga’s 4th annual Entrepreneur Power Luncheon on Tuesday, Apr. 26, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Urban League recognized Wendy Buckner of The Hot Chocolatier for having the Woman-Owned Business of the Year; Felicia Rena Jackson, who invented the CPR LifeWrap, for running the Emerging Business of the Year; and Steve Talley, owner of AB Property Preservation, as having the 2016 Minority Business of the Year.