I started my company when I had stage 4 lung cancer. Now, my 3 adult kids are involved, and we made $21m last year.

Lee Rhodes, second from left, with her kids. She is the founder of Glassybaby. Courtesy of Lee Rhodes Lee Rhodes founded Glassybaby in the late 90s while battling lung cancer. Today, her three grown children — and even her ex-husband — are involved with the business. The company has donated more than $16 million to charity, mostly for cancer. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lee Rhodes, founder of Glassybaby. It has been edited for length and clarity. When my youngest c...