May 31, 2011  She’s a supporter of Girl’s Inc. Santa Barbara, has backed businesses and entrepreneurs on the Central Coast and is regularly seen shopping and dining in Montecito, where she lives in a palatial estate. Today, as she marked the end of her groundbreaking talk show after 25 years, local residents are sharing the impact of her contributions –in the first part of “Oprah’s last show: A Central Coast goodbye.”

During recessions...What often is not spoken about, is that these times usually spur new business ventures. Watu World Imports is an example of that, launched by Stacey Lydon who as a community organizer in Rwanda saw the opportunity to create a market for many of the colorful crafts made by the local people. Her business idea needed a strategy and a plan so she turned to WEV (Women's Economic Ventures) in Santa Barbara, where she found the financial and legal tools necessary to be able to launch her business.