Ernst & Young named The Lumistella Company Co-Chief Operating Officers and Co-Founders Christa Pitts and Chanda Bell Entrepreneur of The Year 2023 Southeast Award winners.
The Entrepreneur of The Year Awards program celebrates distinguished entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies across a wide variety of industries. Pitts and Bell were selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, CEOs, investors, and other regional business leaders. Pitts and Bell’s win was awarded on the basis of spirit, purpose, growth, and impact, among other attributes.
The Lumistella Company is responsible for creating The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. Since its debut in 2005, the company has racked up some impressive stats: it has 150 consumer products available in retailers across 24 countries on five continents, more than 75 global licensees, a sizable social media following, an in-house production company, and budding partnerships with Netflix and HarperCollins.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly two decades since my mom, sister, and I embarked on a journey to share our family’s Christmas elf tradition with the world,” says Bell. “When traditional publishers declined, we set out to do it ourselves with no experience, money, or connections. Today, my sister and I are incredibly fortunate to see how our work in starting and running The Lumistella Company has transformed the season of Christmas by helping fans all over the world to create joyful family moments.”
As Southeast Award winners, Pitts and Bell are now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur of The Year 2023 National Awards, for which winners will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum in Palm Springs, California. The Entrepreneur of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the World Entrepreneur of The Year Award in June 2024.
“This achievement marks a huge milestone for us as a female-owned and -operated company,” says Pitts. “We are indebted to our entire team at The Lumistella Company for helping our characters, stories, and lore become a global phenomenon.”
