About Us

Ramona Russell, Founder

Ramona Russell is a natural promoter. Whether she's raving about a new Web site or a cause close to her heart, Ramona is always promoting the things she is passionate about. With a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and years of experience in marketing, public relations, fundraising and sales, Ramona used her talents to start a company in her sister Liz's memory that promotes products from companies whose proceeds directly give back to charitable organizations.

A driven professional, Ramona funnels her passion into her work as well as marathon training and supporting charities that fight cancer after losing her 28 year old sister, Liz, to breast cancer in 2006. In June 2007, she was a first-time team captain with her mother for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Motivated by her determination and desire to honor her sister's memory, Ramona and her phenomenal team raised a record-breaking $22,000 - receiving four awards including number one fundraising team - and obtained front page coverage in the newspaper for Liz's story and the event.

Ramona is also the founder of Type A Solutions, a marketing and public relations company. To read about how Uptown Liz was started, click here.

Company Highlights:

Unique visitors per month: 32,000
General hits per month: 250,000-300,000
Web site Google rank: 4
Blog Google rank: 5
Unique inbound links: approx. 500
Press: over 50 press mentions, including TV and magazines (FOX News, BusinessWeek, Lucky, etc.)

The company received national press three weeks after its inception in 2007.
The story of Liz and the company appeared in the FranklinCovey GALS planners in 2008.
The company, along with their retailers, raised thousands of dollars for a breast cancer charity in 2007.
The company has worked with retailers to create products in Liz's memory that raise money for charity.
The company's founder appeared on a business panel for a Microsoft conference in 2008.

Uptown Liz Timeline

• October 2006: Ramona Russell created an e-mail newsletter for breast cancer awareness that sparked the idea for Uptown Liz.
• April 2007: Ramona Russell starting working on the business by joining a Ladies Who Launch incubator and forming a focus group with some of the members.
• July 2007: Ramona Russell launched Uptown Liz on July 17th.
• August 2007: Ramona Russell interviewed by former CNN news anchor, Daryn Kagan.
• August 2007: Uptown Liz reached over 95,000 hits.
• September 2007: Uptown Liz reached over 127,000 hits.
• October 2007: Uptown Liz featured on Great Day Houston.
• October 2007: Ramona Russell featured on Good Day Sacramento.
• October 2007: Uptown Liz reached over 158,000 hits.
• January 2008: Uptown Liz featured on KillerStartups.com.
• January 2008: Uptown Liz featured on Lucky magazine's blog.
• January 2008: Uptown Liz reached over 190,000 hits.
• March 2008: Uptown Liz reached over 220,000 hits.
• April 2008: Ramona Russell invited to particpate on the business panel for Microsoft Office Live Small Business' Vision to Venture Conference.
• May 2008: Ramona Russell interviewed by SBTV.com.
• October 2008: The stories of Liz and Uptown Liz featured in FranklinCovey planners.
• October 2008: Fuffy J. Couture creates "The Liz Collection" handbags in Liz's memory.
• October 2008: Ramona Russell interviewed on Good Day Sacramento.
• October 2008: Uptown Liz reached over 330,000 hits.
• November 2008: Ramona Russell featured on FOX News.