Gail George, owner of GWG Wig Boutique in downtown Southern Pines, is a true businesswoman.

She has found success working and starting companies in various fields, including Temp Options, a business that she founded to help reformed ex-convicts find jobs and Withers Construction Company that installed silt fencing along highways.

When she moved to Pinehurst with her husband Michael, she sought a change in her career.

She turned to selling wigs, figuring the area's demographics were ideal for women seeking a new look, be it for aesthetic of medical purposes.

Over the years, the entrepreneur has enjoyed the independence of owning her own businesses--all of which were opened on her own savings.

She credits her success to her grandparents and her mother, who all instilled in her the importance of a strong work ethic.