Sheila Dunne (photo above left) and Maya Dunne (photo above right) were selected for the inaugural Forbes Next 1000 List, which honors upstart entrepreneurs. Photos from the websites of Dunne Goodwin and Valet Seller
Last month, global business media brand, Forbes, announced that Rochester-natives, Sheila and Maya Dunne, have been selected for the inaugural Forbes Next 1000 List Class of 2021, which honors the “upstart entrepreneurs redefining the American dream.”
Sheila Dunne (age 22) and Maya Dunne (age 20) are graduates of Honeoye Falls-Lima High School; Sheila in the Class of 2016 and Maya in the Class of 2017.
The Dunne sisters are amongst the first 250 honorees and have been featured in the “Marketing & Advertising” and “Retail & E-Commerce” categories as two of the youngest. The list celebrates startups who have remained “resilient, vibrant, and ever-changing amidst the pandemic” and showcases diverse individuals from every industry across the country. Recipients have been evaluated by a panel of business leaders including Reid Hoffman, Sheryl Sandberg, Aileen Lee, Alex Rodriguez, Ciara, Lilly Singh, Mellody Hobson, Russell Wilson, Carla Harris, and Jean Case.
Sheila Dunne is the co-founder of Rochester-based digital marketing agency, Dunne Goodwin, which she launched as a freshman at Colgate University. Dunne Goodwin helps businesses stand out and connect with their online audiences and has partnered with 83 clients, including Boston Scientific.
At age 17, Maya Dunne co-founded Valet Seller, a centralized dashboard and proprietary listing tool that offers e-commerce selling solutions to over 1,000 businesses across the world. At Valet Seller, Dunne works to level the playing field between small businesses and large-scale retailers.
Since starting their businesses, the young entrepreneurs have released a podcast, Claw Convos, where they discuss their entrepreneurial journeys each week and interview fellow CEOs, risk-takers, influencers, and change-makers, including Jimmy DeCicco of Super Coffee, Jeff Nicholson of Tracer, and Emily Hochman of Wellory.
“We are both humbled and honored to be recognized on the Forbes Next 1000 list,” said Sheila and Maya Dunne.
The Forbes list is a testament to the fast-paced innovation that’s reshaping this digital age. Sheila and Maya Dunne will play an active role in reimagining what lies ahead in the world of marketing and e-commerce.
