Overwhelmingly, media coverage of team building, hiring, training, etc. is often geared towards the issues faced by HR at Fortune 500 sized companies. Even when it’s positioned as advice for small business owners it is often coming from an executive or consultant working primarily with giant corporations. We think it’s far more relevant to hear from small and medium business owners who have successfully grown their businesses – and so we asked some very talented folks to tell us the stories of their initial hires and the struggles and lessons they can share.

Alex Varney

When we built our pet resort, we researched best practices for interviewing and hiring, but it took years to shape the hiring process to find and retain employees that immediately felt like family. In general, the pet industry attracts part-time, young people that enjoy the company of animals more than humans. Even once we found passionate animal advocates, we struggled to keep them after they graduated or found a “real job.” Read more>>

Siraaj Woods

At the beginning, it was a one-person operation. I had to wear multiple hats and handle everything from branding and web development to marketing and customer support. It was challenging but also incredibly rewarding. I was able to leverage the skills and knowledge I acquired through my college education to lay the foundation for my business. Read more>>

Stephanie Le

I started my business at the tail-end of 2017 with just myself. Initially, my thought process was to pursue my business for 1 year to see where it would take me. If it didn’t work out, I was going to finish up my contracted clientele and look for a full time job in the hospitality industry where my education is based out of. Read more>>

Yonder Miller

After Covid was announced in 2020 my world had changed drastically in a good way. Let’s rewind back to 2017, my former business name Cakes By Yanda Millz was born and went on a unexpected ride with Way Down Yonder New Orleans Finest Restaurant. During this time, I quit my corporate job to help my mother bring her vision to life, then at the same time trying to bring my vision to life with specializing in gourmet desserts, beignets, king cakes, etc. Read more>>

Teresa White

Once upon a time, in sparkle city, there was a passionate and ambitious early childhood enthusiast named Dr. Teresa White. Filled with 30+ years of experience, support, and a burning desire to make a difference, Dr. White embarked on a journey to start a business. Student Solutions Early Intervention Agency. With a clear vision in mind, Dr. White set out to identify a team that would assist to bring this vision to life. Read more>>

Erik Zander

Our organization is unique in that it is entirely run by volunteers. This includes alumni and current players still playing college dodgeball. None of us get paid for the work that we put into the league. For most of us, we put in the work because of our love for the sport and we love seeing it grow and want to be a part of that. In terms of recruiting more volunteers, a lot of times they will reach out to us because they can’t get enough of dodgeball. Read more>>