11/4/13 PROVIDENCE, RI– The Rhode Island Small Business Journal (RISBJ) created the 2014 Entrepreneurial Women to Watch Awards to honor the most confident, tenacious, professional and sophisticated women industry leaders in Rhode Island. Out of a pool of over 400 applicants, Lynne Bryan Phipps stood out for her multifaceted accomplishments as an equestrienne, yachtswoman, ordained minister, founder of Inspirited Living, educator and founder of The Compass School.

In 2002, Lynne Phipps realized her vision for The Compass School when she noticed her children were not seeing the value in their education. “I saw a huge need, not only for additional schools, but for an education to be engaging and founded on the need to develop life-long learning. That education included a core, values-based education.” Lynne Phipps spent months engaged in conceptual work and, after finding an enthusiastic group of parents, teachers and administrators that shared her vision, received approval from the state to found a charter school. The Compass School is the top-ranked middle school in Rhode Island, the second-ranked elementary school in the state and has a waiting list of over 250 students.

Lynne said, “I am honored to receive this award because the state of Rhode Island is a supportive, nurturing environment, especially for women entrepreneurs. I had the dream and they helped me make it a reality.”