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.

Barry Walton

I launched Endless Media in 2017. It was a leap of faith and a journey into the unknown. Clichés aside, it was the toughest thing I’ve ever done. The idea was something I had long held onto—a desire to test my competence, take risks, and lead my own projects. After years of working in corporate culture, I decided it was time to make the jump and if I had to do it over again, I would have prepared more. Fulfilling a much-needed dream to start the company felt amazing, but after the honeymoon, it became clear that I fell short in creating a proper business plan, budgeting for the necessary costs, building strong contacts with potential clients, and finding a team to support and execute my vision. Failing to do this put me at great risk of failing. I drained my bank accounts in the first year and was in desperate need of monthly new work just to survive. For the first five years, it was very much hand-to-mouth. There were months that I stayed awake, sitting on my living room floor, wondering if I’d have enough to cover the mortgage. Read more>>

Jamie And Derek Anderson

The idea for AOK Adventures really came from our desire to inspire the next generation, especially kids who may be facing challenges like Derek did growing up. The Stamina Foundation was already running successfully, helping youth through mentorship and education, but we realized there was another way to expand our mission—through storytelling. It started with a simple conversation. One day, Derek and I were reflecting on the lessons he’s learned throughout his journey—growing up homeless, overcoming obstacles, and achieving incredible success as an NBA Champion. We thought, “What if we could package these lessons in a way that young kids could understand and relate to?” That’s when the idea of a children’s picture book was born. Read more>>

Meredith Coleman Mcgee

Going from Business Idea to Execution: I launched my oldest existing business, Typing Solutions Résumés & Etc, 22 years ago on January 3, 2003. I owned a convenience store from 1988 to 1994. I worked in the non-profit section from 1994 to 2002. During that time, I was laid off in 1998 after my late husband William E. McGee Jr. and I purchased a new home, and I was laid again after I purchased a new car. After two layoffs in just four years, I told my former co-worker Myra Bryant I planned to start a business. She said, “Meredith if you plan to start a business you should start a writing service because that’s what you’re good at.” Read more>>

Arsine Sargsyan

The business was founded by my husband, Gary, and his brother. In a short amount of time I left my corporate job and joined the team, along with my sister in law making it a true family venture. Our vision from the start was to provide great quality products with fast turnarounds and personalized service, specifically tailored for small business owners who did not have a huge marketing team behind them. At the time, we noticed a gap in the market: small print shops often specialized in one service, while large-scale printers focused on mass production. This left a void for businesses needing smaller, customized orders. Our mission was to fill that gap by making original, high-quality prints accessible to everyday business owners-helping them bring their ideas to life. When you are working in an industry where every product is customizable the biggest challenge is to scale and standardize. If you do not, you will not be able to stay consistent. This was the biggest challenge we were facing. Read more>>

Angela Of York

It was the summer after my second year of college that I decided to really start my journey into becoming a Broadway Photographer. I had been shooting for several years at that point. Starting in High School with general photo assignments, headshots for the school plays, and then trying out production stills for my senior year shows only for COVID to cut that opportunity short. Fall of 2020, I began studying Musical Theatre in NYC shooting only causally with friends in parks. It wasn’t until 2021, the start of my second year, that I started shooting headshots again. By that point, I had also gotten into a rhythm of seeing Broadway shows and other NYC Theatre! Come the end of my second year, I knew in all certainty that I wanted to marry my two passions and work toward becoming a Broadway Photographer. Read more>>

Sabrina Hughes

The first step began with a realization. I noticed the significant lack of Black and Brown representation in children’s literature. As a second-generation Afro-Latina, I grew up seeing seldom representation which made me understand how important it is for children to see themselves reflected in the stories they read. The idea for Sabrebrebaby’s Brown Book Publishing Company L.L.C. stemmed from my desire to use my voice to make an impact and help the community. I could no longer sit back as the news and social media constantly remind us of the differences among people of color and, frankly, how undervalued Black and Brown lives are. I felt a strong need to show more positive Black and Brown representation and to educate others. Read more>>

Nick Hughes

I went to art school, not business school. My entire life I felt overlooked and under-appreciated, and I felt like with art I could actually have a voice that mattered. However, I quickly realized that if I was going to make it as an artist I had to “force” the issue. I chose to make work that was big, bold, vibrant and loud. I wanted my artwork to scream at the viewer, demand their attention and force some sort of dialogue, whether you appreciate the work or not. This lead me to the world of large format printing, and then eventually vehicle wraps. I see vehicles as a massive canvas – a canvas that is not restrained by a gallery, gets tons of attention, and is as personal as a tattoo. Read more>>

Harrison Kay

The idea for To Go Green was simple: a shared network of reusable, returnable containers for takeout and delivery. The intricacies, however, were more complex. How would we track the containers? Would we charge restaurants, customers, or both? How could we make container returns as convenient as possible? All of these business model challenges were important. Nonetheless, they all took a backseat to our primary launch obstacle: startup capital. In the search for funding, my brother and co-founder, Kevin, and I discovered that the DC Department of Energy and Environment recently launched a Ditch the Disposables grant program to reduce single-use foodware from takeout and delivery. One of the projects eligible for funding was establishing a third-party reusable foodware service–our goal exactly. After six grueling months of meeting our project deliverables, including finalizing our business model and acquiring restaurant partnership commitments, we were awarded the maximum grant amount. From there, we began building the business. Read more>>

Luvenia White

From Closed Doors to Open Windows: How We Built “Mix Up The Drama” Life is full of moments where it feels like every door is closed, but the lesson I’ve learned is this: when no doors are open, start looking for windows. This philosophy has been my guiding light on a journey that started with acting dreams and led me to the creative, fulfilling world of writing and producing. For years, I pursued acting, pouring my heart into auditions and roles, hoping to break into the industry. But as time went on, opportunities seemed scarce, and I started losing hope. I faced a choice: give up or keep going. I chose to persevere, even though the path wasn’t clear. That decision led me to create opportunities for myself by writing plays. Read more>>

Lindsay Nikolaeff

The story of Formal Tie Events started with a strong foundation in wedding coordination. My journey began at Wedgewood Weddings, a company that specializes in hosting and coordinating weddings across various venues. There, I managed up to five weddings a week, overseeing everything from staff coordination and event setup to ensuring timelines ran smoothly and managing post-event cleanups. This fast-paced environment taught me how to handle complex logistics and multitask effectively, but it also made me realize I wanted to offer a more personalized touch to each wedding. I loved the work but felt drawn to a different approach—one where I could focus on fewer weddings, build stronger relationships with each couple, and expand to more diverse venues. I also wanted to make sustainability a core part of my mission, recognizing the environmental challenges of the wedding industry. Read more>>

Jess Lindsley Heather Bahlmann

Our business was born out of a deeply personal journey. Community and authentic connection had become essential in our lives, and it took a global pandemic to inspire us to share this need with others. What began as a personal desire evolved into a mission to ensure that everyone could access the transformative power of intentional gathering. It all started one fateful day when Jess and I ran into each other while volunteering at our youngest daughters’ playschool. In a rare moment of honesty, we confessed to feeling stuck—like we were running on the proverbial hamster wheel, checking all the boxes, but not truly fulfilled. That conversation sparked something. Together with another friend, we decided to craft a list of curiosities, holding each other accountable for exploring, learning, and trying new things. Read more>>

Sarah Duffy

Entrepreneurship is rarely a straight path. For me, it’s been a cycle of starting, stopping, and starting again—a reflection of the twists and turns life can bring. Back in 2011, fresh out of college in Boston, MA, I found myself unexpectedly displaced. It was a challenging time, but a friend from school mentioned to a local radio station that I was a skilled photographer. That led to my first opportunity: working with the station to highlight local artists they were interviewing. At the time, I was simply searching for purpose and a way to uplift my community. Many of the artists I worked with were friends I’d grown up with or met through shared social circles. I launched my first venture under the name OfficialAperture, but by 2016, I wanted something more professional—something that represented not just me, but the vision I aimed to share with the world. Read more>>

Zoie Brown

In college I majored in Studio Art. I thought the only logical path for me – and the one I truly wanted – was to become an Artist. The goal was to show my work in galleries and maybe even museums one day. The issue with this path is that it’s completely non-linear, and not profitable. Soon after finishing school I didn’t really see a solid option for myself to continue creating while also surviving. I tried attending artist residencies, but I felt like all my creative energy was spent. I tried teaching art to Elementary Schoolers and I was a barista on the side for extra money. I always loved kids, but I just wasn’t creating anything in that environment, although it was rewarding in other ways it did not fulfill my creative needs. Read more>>

Khristina Baklanova

I grew up in a family where dogs were always a part of life. From a young age, I learned how to care for them, and as time went on, my friends began asking me for help with their pets. They’d ask if I could get rid of their dogs’ mats, trim their nails, or just give them some grooming tips. A lot of their dogs were terrified of going to the salon—grooming was always a stressful experience for both the dogs and their owners. So when I suggested, “Why not try grooming them ourselves at home?” they loved the idea. I had some experience grooming my own dog and felt that I should try to help my friends with their pets. So, we bought a basic Andis clipper at Petco, and as I expected, the grooming turned out pretty well – no doggy disasters! My friends later told me that strangers were stopping them on the street to compliment their dog’s fresh new look! Read more>>

Brianna Snel

I’ve always been an avid reader. I can remember winning an award in first grade for reading the most books at the library over the summer. I’ve also always dreamed of becoming an author. Nothing would make me happier than to see a book I wrote on a shelf in Barnes and Noble, or on the table at the Scholastic book fairs in every elementary school. So, it was no surprise when I became an elementary school teacher and fell in love with teaching reading and writing most of all. I’ve been teaching 4th grade for 13 years. While teaching I quickly became a mom to three wonderful children ages 6, 4, and 2.5. My dream of being an author was easily put on the back burner with so many other things taking priority. Read more>>

Julie Mcgue

At 48, I was sent for a breast biopsy. This incident spurred my twin sister and me to research our closed adoption so that we could access family medical history and genealogy. The process took five years. With every twist and turn in the story, every one I related it to said the same thing. “I hope you are writing a book about this.” I researched memoir writing programs, enrolled in classes, and ten years later, I published my debut memoir, Twice a Daughter. I’ve been at the writing process for fifteen years. I write blogs, columns, articles, essays and books. I marvel that a breast biopsy led to a late in life writing career. Read more>>

Susan Gomez

I’ve had this idea of starting my own business for a long time. Back in middle school, I was determined to become a YouTube content creator. I recorded weekly videos and was consistently posting on my channel until my senior year of high school. Unfortunately, I had to stop when I got a serving job and began applying to colleges. While that dream was put on hold, I’ve always been driven to find a way to keep creating. Read more>>