One of the challenges we’ve seen to true equality of opportunity is that schools and books often can’t (or choose not) offer access to one of the most equalizing resources – first hand stories of how successful entrepreneurs made their ideas a reality. If you grew up in a family or community that had many successful entrepreneurs you may have been lucky to hear many conversations and stories about starting and executing on an idea, but there are millions of people across the country who haven’t had the same advantage and so our hope here is to create a space where those stories can be told in a more public forum for the benefit of any and every aspiring entrepreneur.

Jose Balmaceda

It occurred to me years ago when I went to shopping at a local mall. Hours spent of indecisive decisions of what shirt would look good on me. I would find an excuse to leave the mall empty handed and that’s when it hit me, “Why don’t I just make my own clothing?” Fast forward to now, I am finally doing just that. Read more>>

Chicky Lulu

I would never get tired of telling this story it was my first Lesbian event back in 2009. It was Pandoras Events Monthly party Called La Descarga. I felt like a child at a candy story. The music the energy the women the club!!!!! I wanted it all!!!! I wanted to bartend, I wanted to work at the door, play the music be the host hahahaha my emotions couldn’t take it all in. Read more>>

Cyntoni Miller

Black On The Job, as its name implies, is a career advancement organization solely dedicated to Black people. Black On The Job is a fulfillment of a dream I have nurtured since childhood. Literally. As a young girl who grew up in Compton, a city with one of the lowest educational systems in California, I had a firsthand experience of the effects of a lack of access to resources on Black homes. Read more>>

Ann Zanon

In 2011, was laid off from my restaurant sales job and for the first time in my life, I was collecting unemployment. I was looking for jobs but at the same time, in my heart, I wanted to return to entrepreneurship rather than working for someone else. But I didn’t just want to be a business owner. I wanted to work in a field where I could truly serve my clients. Read more>>

Ashley Grubb

As we prepare to celebrate our 5th anniversary as an organization this October, I look back and can appreciate what a journey it’s been from idea to execution. More than 10 years ago my husband, Derick, and I talked about the need for more resources for adults who have disabilities and dreamed of the future when we might have the chance to make a difference. Read more>> 

Aaron & Sonya Orr

Ever since my family and I embarked on this endeavor five years ago, we had no idea what was before us! It was something we felt lead to do, and after much prayer, fasting and seeking direction Commissional Coffee was launched! The desire was simple, to make this life count for eternity and use our business to invest it’s profits to the proclamation of the Gospel. Read more>>

Fiona Fox Ryan

I started out as XclusivelyDanceSD, a local dance blog where I covered local talent but then I felt like I wasn’t able to reach further and connect more dancers to one another, including myself. I started Xclusively in 2019 and when the pandemic hit in 2020, I got pregnant! I was so afraid that I was done dancing but then I got to talking to other dance mamas and receiving advice from mom dancers and realized this is not it for me, it’s only the beginning. Read more>> 

Misty Odenweller

I am a practical, crafty person with many skills/talents from floral design to yarn crafts. But after spending what I thought was an exorbitant amount of money on a homecoming mum for my son’s girlfriend their sophomore year, I freaked out. I could have done so much good with the amount of money I spent. It ate at me for an entire year. A friend encouraged me to make my own and make money at it. I just didn’t have a clue what I was doing or how I wanted to make any more after this one. Read more>>

Brent Martin

I’ve launched many businesses and 100s of projects throughout my career and specialize in executing operations. I’m often refered to as an “Integrator” because I usually work alongside a Visionary to turn ideas into reality. How I take ideas to execution is through a system of processes, transparent communication, and talented teams who are collaborative and coachable. Innovative ideas are a dime a dozen, but a collaborative team of people driving innovation through a unified mission impresses me. These are the people who continue to build profitable companies. Read more>>

Hector and Jorge

Our brand House of Trouble started from our desire for minimalist shirts with risqué designs. Similar concepts existed but we could not find designs that really represented the trouble in us. In the meantime, Jorge’s sister who is very crafty, was working on screen printing shirts for herself. So, with help from YouTube and his sister we created our first shirts, Plant Daddy and Sucia. These two were a hit every time we wore them out. Read more>>

Michele Dillon

It takes an itching idea for me to get going on executing it. By itching I mean, once I’ve thought about it, it keeps coming into my mind every day until I decide to do something about it. This is how starting a coaching business started for me. I always wanted to be able to help people with running, and I already was via my instagram @missshellshock. People were asking me questions about running almost on the daily. Read more>>

Robin Litrenta

Photographs, and the stories they hold, have always intrigued me. I received my first camera when I was five then promptly set out to document my life. When my children were born my focus naturally switched to them. My youngest was in high school and I found myself with more time on my hands, so I decided to lean further into the art of photography. The creative outlet was fun but something interesting happened along the way. The more I learned, the more I photographed, and soon family and friends began asking me to take their portraits. With my last chickie ready for college, I thought, “it’s now or never.” Read more>>

Lovell Cox

Since a young age, I had always wanted to start my own business in the creative field. I started making dresses for my friends and family members and then one of my friends asked me to make her wedding dress right after she got engaged. I had never made a wedding dress before and knew I had a year to figure it out. While I was making her dress I started posting about other garments I was working on for friends and family members and people seemed to be very interested in the design process. Read more>>

Hollie Grimshaw-Williams

I always had this idea to someday have my own Bridal Shop, for many reasons. However life happened and between marriage and kids, that dream was put on hold although I still was working for others in the Industry. Then Covid hit and it gave me a lot of time to reflect. And I said “I want more and I want to offer an experience more intimate and personalized”. Read more>>

Dr. Marissa Layton

My path to entrepreneurship dates back to circa 2016. After completing my Master’s Degree I was on the job hunt. I had specific things I looked for in a company and culture was at the top of my list. I loved consulting and wanted to work for a company that would continue to make me fall in love with being a business developer and strategist. At this point I had done a few major projects for my Master’s program and an apprenticeship. Read more>>

Stacy Cason

Ignorance about the greater industry as a whole inspired the audacity to take on this giant idea in the summer of 2018. Had I known what was really to come, I’m not sure I would have jumped, but now zero regrets! This idea of water extraction has been around for decades, but had not been executed, and so I assembled a team of young and innovative, including a chemist and process engineer, to figure it out. Read more>>

Laura Rebekah Cone

It all started when my husband found success working at Facebook. He had the opportunity to lead some big campaigns but we realized that we didn’t want to work for just anyone. We wanted to work for ourselves because of the freedom and opportunity it gives us. We can choose our clients and feel like we have better opportunity to help those who we know help others. We love working with nonprofits specifically. Read more>> 

Zach Fritz

I had always enjoyed woodshop class in school, but I never saw a career path that didn’t involve construction or architecture. I would use my time in class to make small things like wooden pens or jewelry boxes, and that was a great creative outlet, just not something I saw a way to monetize as a 17-year-old. Seven years later, while working in the automotive technology field, I was completely burnt out. To recharge, I would still go out to my garage shop and make small wood projects. The decision to start was made easy. Read more>>

Tim Sperry

It all started with a deep rooted motivation to find a solution to air pollution. When I was younger I lost family members from lung cancer from, someone else polluting their air. As i have always been an entrepreneur and understood what it takes to create something from nothing and build a business around it. I quickly taught myself chemistry and material science related to nature based negative emission nanotechnology. Read more>>

Jamie Minyard

My entire life has been a constant web of dreams. Dreams to become a successful business woman in the sports industry, or own my own business, a coffee shop perhaps. Dreams to inspire young ladies through the art of dance. I was lead to the education world through certain windows of opportunity that presented itself at the perfect time. Read more>>

Ramona Ridge

My young daughters and made a conscious decision to move from the Galleria area in Houston to “the country” in Fulshear. Our previous homes were in New York City, Palm Beach, FL, and Paris, France, so this was a huge change! Read more>> 

Dixye Wilson

Essential Feet was started due to an experience I had myself. I came home from a long day’s work; I was exhausted and physically drained. I showered and started to prepare for bed. I grabbed one of my feet and started rubbing, it felt amazing! After I was done, I went right to sleep. I did that same routine a few more nights and noticed how great I felt when I woke up the next morning. I started wondering “why do I feel so good after rubbing my feet?” Read more>>