From our Founder – In honor of my grandmother, who was an artist, entrepreneur, and survivor.
Every year during Women’s History Month, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my grandmother Gizu’s story. It became a tradition around the halls of Promova and Find A Rainmaker, one rooted in resilience, possibility, and legacy, and one that I never wanted to end.
Last year, it did.
Right before my birthday, Gizu passed away at the age of 104. And while I miss her immensely, I also feel something else very clearly: a responsibility and an invitation to carry forward what she started.
She was the OG, and when she passed, it intensified my drive to carry her torch. I hear her words, “You have it now. Run with it. Make a difference. I’ll always be with you.”
Gizu lived through war, loss, and oppression. She fled her home country in the middle of the night to give her family a better future, rebuilding her life from scratch. She started businesses when society told her it was too late. She stood firm and persevered with unwavering positivity. And I am an American in large part because of her.
Her spirit is deeply embedded in who we are at Promova and Find A Rainmaker.
This Women’s History Month, we’re honoring Gizu not just by remembering her story, but by acting on it, by helping companies we believe in flourish and investing in the next generation of women who will lead breakthroughs of their own. That’s why we’re supporting Black Girls Code, Project Scientist, and Big Dreams Bloom, organizations that open doors, spark curiosity, and expand what’s possible for girls in STEM.
This is our way of passing Gizu’s torch forward.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us, and for helping us turn legacy into action and impact.
With gratitude,
Ioana Good
Founder, Promova
Gizu’s Torch Will Continue to Burn
Breakthroughs don’t always announce themselves.
Some arrive quietly, built over decades through courage, persistence, and an unwavering belief in what’s possible.
Every Women’s History Month, we honor women in the media and tech space who challenged systems, pushed past limitations, and created opportunities where none existed. This year, as we reflect on what it truly means to lead the breakthrough, we’re reminded that the most powerful change often begins long before it’s recognized.
For the past six years, one of those stories has been deeply personal to us. The story of Gizu.
This year, we share her story again, not as a living centenarian still inspiring us in real time, but as a tribute to a woman whose legacy continues to guide everything we do.
Gizu passed away last summer at the young age of 104. And while we miss her deeply, her impact did not end simply because her life did.
A Life Defined by Courage
Born in 1921 in Iași, Romania, Gizu came of age in a world shaped by war, loss, and political repression. World War II took her father and brother within months of each other. Later, under communism, scarcity and fear became part of daily life.
And yet, remarkably, Gizu never allowed hardship to define her outlook.
She had a rare gift for making life feel full, even when resources were limited. She created beauty where she could. She told stories. She made people feel seen, safe, and capable of more.
Leading the Breakthrough, Before It Had a Name
When it became dangerous for her family to remain in Romania, Gizu didn’t wait it out. She quietly devised a plan with her husband, Giani, and fled in the middle of the night, telling no one and risking everything, for the possibility of a better life.
That decision changed the lives of many generations.
In the U.S., Gizu rebuilt again. In her late 70s, she launched a business designing and altering wedding gowns. Her work was meticulous, thoughtful, and deeply human. Some of her work was written about and eventually sold to Priscilla of Boston, the luxury bridal shop known for crafting Grace Kelly’s wedding gown.
She worked well into her 90s. She wrote children’s stories. She drew. She created. She gave freely to those who couldn’t afford her work. She never stopped moving forward.
This is what leading the breakthrough looked like, long before we had language for it.
Wonder Woman, Always
To the world, Gizu was an artist, entrepreneur, and survivor. To her family, she was something else entirely.
She was the grandmother who told stories for hours. The steady presence who always had a plan. The woman who made life feel possible, no matter the circumstances. To her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she was and will always be Wonder Woman.
Even in her later years, she walked several miles every day, tracking her steps on her Apple Watch. She tended her garden. She laughed often and found joy at every turn. Her proudest achievement was not her business or her longevity; it was bringing her family to the U.S. and watching them thrive.
Passing the OG Torch
When Gizu passed away, it felt less like an ending and more like a handoff.
At 104, she passed the original torch, the OG torch, and with it, a message: Take it. Run with it. Make a difference. I’ll always be with you.
At Promova, we carry that responsibility seriously and proudly.
Women’s History Month is not just about looking back. It’s a reminder of our investment in the future. It’s about ensuring the next generation of women has more access, more opportunity, and more freedom to lead breakthroughs of their own.
Carrying Her Legacy Forward
This year, in Gizu’s honor, we are giving back to organizations that are actively shaping that future, nonprofits that empower girls and young women to lead in STEM, innovation, and problem-solving:
Black Girls Code, expanding access to technology education for Black girls
Project Scientist, sparking curiosity and confidence through hands-on STEM learning
Big Dreams Bloom, nurturing ambition, leadership, and possibility at a young age
These organizations embody the spirit Gizu lived by courage, creativity, and the belief that opportunity should never be limited by circumstance. This is how we pass the torch, by investing in the women who will carry it next. May Gizu’s memory be a blessing. And may we all continue to lead the breakthrough together.
