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.

Jarrod Oram

Where I am at today is not what I originally planned…and thank goodness. Left to my own magnifying mind I would have short changed myself immensely. But just about every success I have had has been the result of taking an idea and putting action to it. Read more>>

Joshua Sauceda

I’ve always been deeply drawn to storytelling, and my work as a photographer and filmmaker had already given me a solid foundation in capturing narratives. But I wanted to take it further, to create a platform that not only showcased art and culture but also delved into the stories behind them, offering refreshing perspectives that are often overlooked. The initial spark was followed by an intense period of research and ideation. Read more>>

Dessiree Oberhaus

The goal of this salon is to make an impact in that of the lives of our guests and staff. We began trouble shooting what staff and guests desire in today’s market and based our fundamentals on that information. Once we had a clear vision of what we wanted and what it would take to get started we started working on our business plan, and began shopping locations. Read more>>

Carolina Omedas

Many things happened for Macondo Coffee Kendall to become a reality. I would say that we ended up having a restaurant due to a series of circumstances that came together randomly and chaotically, and also because of the great need to find our space in a new city where we had arrived with our entire family. Read more>>

Tonya Cummings

The idea of starting an academy and travel consultant business resulted from a place of need. I approach solutions from a different lens and mindset. After teaching at one of the local private schools in Mexico as an English Teacher, I soon discovered it needed improvement. As a foreigner, I couldn’t alter their curriculum. Therefore, I decided to create my own American English Academy. Read more>>

Victoria Mack

Mack Glam-Ish began as a spark of inspiration during a seemingly ordinary day. I was flipping through a magazine when I realized there was a significant gap in the market for beauty products that catered to diverse skin types and lifestyles. The idea was born: create a brand that not only provided high-quality skincare but also promoted a healthy, active lifestyle. Read more>>

Hailey Smith

Jewelry has always been an interest of mine, from making hemp friendship bracelets to stringing beads on an elastic cord. I was first introduced to the concept of permanent jewelry on social media when I saw a video about its rising popularity and beautiful chain styles. This piqued my interest because I was looking for a side hustle that combined my love for jewelry with my financial goals. Read more>>

Emanuel Green

Growing up as a foster kid in a small town, the odds weren’t exactly in my favor. But adversity can be a powerful motivator. I always craved a challenge, and while a sports injury dashed my Olympic dreams, it redirected my focus to music. I dove into rapping and songwriting, landing a distribution deal before graduation. Read more>>

Kate Kingsley

The idea for our business came out of the blue. My husband and I had just opened a gym in Charlotte, and a month later, I was laid off from my job. As we were getting the gym up and running, we noticed that while our clients were consistently crushing their workouts, they weren’t seeing the results they wanted. We realized that nutrition was the missing piece. With some extra time on my hands, I decided to get certified in nutrition. Read more>>

Ryan Baker

Growing up, I was a very lonely child. My friends were sparse, and so I’d often find myself lost in movies. I’d become friends with the characters I grew to adore. I began making my own movies at age 13, with the grainy, horrible quality of an iPhone 4 camera. Initially, they were simple; one-shot films with barely any plot. So I began to write screenplays at age 14, creating a mental shot list for each new project. Read more>>

Lauren Andraski

First, I’ll tell you about my failed business that led to the one I successfully run now. Just after moving to Denver, I launched a nonprofit consulting business at 25 years old, helping nonprofits with their project management, software, impact evaluation, and social media — basically anything I thought nonprofits might pay me for. I didn’t know anything about running a business at the time — including that having a niche for your consulting business often makes it much more memorable, effective, and marketable. Read more>>

Kaitlan Blacksher

It was 2014, I was 20 years old still going to college and working 3 part time jobs. My fiance and I just bought a house and I was searching a local page for a better job. I saw an opening for a dog washer at a groomer 20 minutes from our house. That position paid twice as much as any of my 3 minimum wage jobs. I have always loved animals and have had a passion for dogs. Read more>>

Laquita Langhorn

Deciding to go from author to screenwriter was the most difficult transitions to execute. Having to choose which connections to make, which career routes to take, and which stories to tell were my biggest obstacles. In order to overcome those obstacles, I had to do extensive research, put myself around industry professionals that were doing what I wanted to do, and take financial risks. I created a business plan. Read more>>