Do you think you success as a business depends more on growing revenue or improving your cost structure? We asked some of the brightest minds in the community to share their thoughts and insights with us below.

Tasia Maresco

Looking back to where I was three years ago, I honestly would not have expected to be where I am as the owner of Maresca’s Coffee Counter. For context, in 2020 when the pandemic hit, I was finishing up my last year of a pastry arts program that I entered knowing I eventually wanted to start my own coffee shop. However, the idea of being a business owner felt more like a far-off ideal that would take at least a decade or more to build up to. Read more>>

Stephanie Casola

I’d love to say the idea behind starting my business, Prologue, came to me in a spark of inspiration. But it didn’t quite happen that way. I never truly envisioned myself as a business owner. I began my professional career as a journalist and everything about it felt like the perfect fit. In the late 90’s, I worked full time as a reporter in newspapers and freelanced for magazines. I worked my way through the ranks and earned a column covering music and culture. And I was multi-faceted – I could handle breaking news, I covered the education beat and thrived when it came to features focused on art, music, theater or food. Read more>>

LaWann Stribling

When I returned to Cannabis in 2018 I was displeased with the selection of infused items to use to microdose on. My kids haven’t seen me smoke so I was trying to hide that part and be able to medicate if necessary while at their full day sporting events. I’ve always dreamed of owning a bakery so I thought to brand our family business that for surely generate generational wealth using the skills I possess and providing wellness and education to the community. Read more>>

Kim Livengood

Hamlet’s Eatery opened in July 2020 during the COVID shut down. It was created out of being hangry. My mother, Judy Alexander, and I opened The Bazaar on Apricot & LIme five years ago. She bought a warehouse in the middle of an industrial area to have “one place to do all her shopping”. The Bazaar is home to over 40 local creators and curators and has been named Best Gift Shop 4 years in a row. Read more>>

D Dave

Snpl Clothing was actually Birthed from a Merch design I had from being an Artist. Around 2010 I was being advised left nd right to have merch to sale at shows . So i designed a super regular D DAVE logo . the Logo was Centered on the chest area of a white T shirt . I was going for a simple but clean look like the Uber logo. When I dropped the pic of the logo my bro Duce Privi hit me like that would be dope on a shirt. Read more>>

Kelsey Bobka

After Baine passed away and we went through the motions of having a viewing and a funeral, & burying our child, we realized that as much pain as we were in, we wanted to stop this from happening to another family. We had a family friend who set up a 501c3, and that is how Baine’s Legacy Foundation was established. We knew that we needed to raise awareness for Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC) Deficiency. OTCD is rare, but it also can happen to anyone. The symptoms are so vague, that they can be misdiagnosed. Read more>>

Aliyah Funschelle

Starting Sports with Aliyah was truly a way to carve a path for myself that would allow me to go out and create a better situation for myself. I was working a job that didn’t give me a space to grow in my career, so I decided to start my own brand to make a name for myself in the sports media world. The name “Sports with Aliyah” came naturally to me since I wanted to cover all things sports. Read more>>

Steve Gostin

Orange Coast Baseball Group was just a thought, an idea or dream. I have been coaching my son’s little league team for several years now and I love it! I love baseball and love being able to share the game with him. Being a part of the little league family has also opened the door to new opportunities and friendships that I am so very happy to have, for myself as well as my family. Read more>>

Angel Perez

I grew up in Youngstown OHIO it’s a super small town where everyone knows everyone . I remember just running errands with my mom she was always a big fuss , everywhere we went she was always admired by family , friends and strangers for her beauty in & out . I can vividly recall we had a mailman who was a photographer and anytime he would catch my mom when delivering our mail he would take her picture. Read more>>

Thea Howell

My work as The Artist’s Concierge is a culmination of many varied experiences in the arts. I put myself in the role of my clients to determine what their needs are. This was one of those situations where I created a role that fit me and my experiences and interests, rather than trying to insert myself into a position where I wasn’t able to fully utilize my talents and education. Read more>>

Trey G. Riley

It all started in April 2022 when I shared my “Pyramid of Success” and business plan with Shaniece. for someone who had no ties or experience in the media industry I felt like I had won on the episode of “Shark Tank”. We got to work and drew out a diagram of everything that that I wanted this company to be and . I did not realize how many ideas and goals I truly had until I saw it laid out on four different sheets of construction paper. Read more>>

Taylor Odoms

The start of my business came from a personal need. As a “top heavy” woman I could never find swimwear that was affordable, cute/trendy, AND supportive. So originally, I began making swimwear for myself then my close friends started to want a bathing suit and I made a couple which turned into a handful of bathing suits. I did have intentions to start selling swimwear in 2020 when I taught myself how to sew but I was not ready physically, Read more>>

Rob Scholl

Growing up netting blue crabs and casting for mullet off the sea walls of Tampa Bay, Florida gave me a great appreciation for nature. My dad had a boat, and he would take me out fishing almost every weekend. I learned all the fishing holes, times to go fish, Solonar tables and all the different species that inhabit the Gulf of Mexico and the lakes of Florida. Having a huge connection with the ocean and my knowledge of fishing, I started a charter fishing company called Clearwater Flats Fishing, Inc. Read more>>

Joe Metzka

Ideas are one thing and so many of them peter out, at least as far as I can tell. Songwriting ideas happen frequently but few are worth really investing in. Most scientific hypotheses never replicate, and so on. I live an eclectic life. In my case, opportunities arise if I’m open to them. My band came together almost by accident. Read more>>

Nichelle Compere

My business was birthed in the midst of Covid & after becoming a mom to two boys. It was about adapting to this new version of life while still tapping into my innate skills, abilities, and experiences. I remember when I was separating from the Air Force, we go through this process called TAP (Transitional Assistance Program). They give us three course options to choose: 1) Job/Career Applications, 2) College Preparation, & 3) Entrepreneurship. Read more>>

Terecka Brown

In 2018, I embarked on a journey to create Melanin Solutions, driven by my passion to make a positive impact on our community. Over the years, I worked tirelessly to shape and refine the vision of Melanin Solutions, aiming to address the challenges faced by people of color. Read more>>

Kathy JONES

A Single mom, working from 9:00 to 5:00. One day while on my lunch break, I watched a couple come in with their daughter aged 7, set in the booth across from me, she seems so sad and not engaged. My thought was how can I put a smile on this little girl face without seeming weird? Well low and behold I had just stopped by Matel Toy store across the street from my job and happen to have the most adorable Barbie in my bag. Read more>>

SprinkleSumSalt Podcast

SprinkleSumSalt started as a conversation over a blunt. Then it became an avenue to express feelings. Then it became an outlet for creativity, passion. and promoting the family’s other endeavors. The actual start was the purchase of a podcast kit from Nebraska Furniture Mart on a whim by the wife. The kit came with a microphone and a headset. We had recording software from operating a home studio so that aspect was already covered. From there it was down to who was going to be the voices and how often would we get together. And of course, who would be host of the show! Read more>>

Zach Collier

The development of Provo Music Magazine was a classic “see a need, fill a need” scenario. I’m a musician myself. Back in 2016, I was booking shows for my band and was having a difficult time finding local acts who shared the same sound and would fit nicely with us on a bill. Google searches turned up irrelevant results. Facebook searches were a bust. I quickly discovered there was no centralized hub for Utah indie music. So I started doing the digging and sleuthing myself. Read more>>

Eric Ranks

As I embarked on a quest to make a difference and support the veterans I deeply cared for, little did I know that this journey would lead to the birth of 22 Salute—a brand that would capture the hearts of many and become a symbol of hope and resilience. Let me take you through the exhilarating story of how we turned a simple idea into a thriving social enterprise. Read more>>

Kati Kanerva

It’s easy to have ideas but it’s a lot harder to actually execute them. I had the Idea for couple of years to bring the rent a rack concept to US. The Idea itself is not a new, it’s been existing in Finland and many other countries for years but we were the first one to bring it to US. Read more>>

Tay’Shaun Lewis

While growing up I always had the vision of starting a business. I used to look up at so many teens starting up a business and I looked at it like it wasn’t that hard because I saw everyone starting up one back to back so that’s when I got my ideas set. ZTR Face Masks Aesthetic was the first business I started with my best friends Zoe & Regan. We established this back in 2019/2020 when the pandemic started. Read more>>

Miss Raindrop

Well with their being so many thoughts running through my mind and wanting to become successful, the first thing that I do is write it down so I won’t forget or put it in my notes. Once I circle back around to it I then set goals and deadlines to get things done. That can consist of doing the research or making appointments anything that has to be done. Everyday I’m making sure that I am working towards my goal so that I can execute my plan! Read more>>

Abby Messner

You have to spend money to make money! How many times have we heard this? Well for me, a saver by nature, this is a tough one. I have to constantly remind myself that what I spend will come back to me in sales. I began my business with the understanding that there would be some start-up costs but as I began to make money I could reinvest into additional tools and supplies. I decided that as long as I wasn’t losing money, I would keep going. I am now in my third year of business. Read more>>

Eddie Bernard

We tend to spend more time on cutting costs through design and process improvement. It has been difficult to grow our workforce over the years primarily due to the relationship between the skill sets we need and the sparsely populated area in which our business is located. One example is how we use slots and tabs to help assemble metal parts together. This minimizes human error by helping to assure the parts will only fit correctly where they fit at all. Read more>>

Zayda Rivera

I launched Mindful Living with Z in 2019 with the intention of being a support to people on their spiritual journey. Since launching, I’ve been Blessed to work with hundreds of people from all walks of life and from all over the world as a spiritual coach, meditation guide, and Reiki Master. Read more>>

Keith Pinder

I spend most of my time in my business trying to generate revenue. This is the most important part of your business. You cannot pay for any expenses without money. Most business owners shy away from sales because they feel they are not good at it, or they are afraid of getting no for an answer. Sales are the only way a small company can grow into a bigger company. To make selling easy for me I work more on building relationships. Read more>>

Andrew Starnes

I began my fire service journey as a young child by simply accompanying my father on trips to the volunteer fire department. I grew up watching others give of their time in service to others. I began serving as a volunteer firefighter and I grew to love the fire service. I then pursued it as a career. In 1998, I was hired by Charlotte Fire Department and began my journey as a career firefighter. Read more>>

Victoria Ester Orantes

Years had gone by since the purchase of my 1966 Volkswagen Beetle , and it was still sitting in the driveway of my parent’s house; my nineteen year-old self had stubbornly bought a car that I did not know how to fix or drive. I fell in love at first sight with the beetle’s matte black color, obnoxious engine, and the exaggerated bounces the car made at each bump in the road, so I bought it. Sadly the consequence of that was having a car for years being neglected. Read more>>