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.

Zion Bliss

I explored a lot of different types of photography before getting into real estate and architecture. My mother is a realtor in Indiana, and one day, her team admin asked if I could photograph a home because their usual photographer was unavailable. I didn’t know anything about real estate photography at the time, but I gave it a shot. Most of my family is in the housing industry, whether in building, architecture, or real estate, so I’d always had a good eye for homes and what makes them unique. After doing a few more shoots for my mom’s team, I realized how much I enjoyed it. Read more>>

The Archive Collective

The Archive Collective started with one idea—cultivate a space where young creatives could learn, express themselves, and build community. As creatives ourselves, we saw firsthand how hard it was to navigate artistic careers without mentorship or access to resources. We started by researching how to build a nonprofit, reaching out to mentors, and figuring out the logistics of setting up legally. With no initial funding, we leaned on our own skills, sharing creative tips, tapping into our community, and developing curriculum. Our advisor Phillip Karaya helped us officially register as a 501(c)(3) and always believed in our vision from the start. After that we planned the first annual Cloud 9ine Art Show where we showcased emerging artists and brought together over 100 community members. The response was overwhelming. People showed up, engaged, and wanted more. Read more>>

Katie Donohoe

In 2015, Katie Donohoe founded a non-profit called Growing Minds Project that would help to bring the power of plants to more individuals. She conducted after school programs in North Charleston, McClellanville and Mount Pleasant. Then in 2017, Growing Minds truly began to grow. In 2018, Growing Minds helped to preserve the rich agricultural history of a nearly 5 acre farm in the historic Phillips Community near Charleston, South Carolina. It was transformed from bare land into a non-profit demonstration farm showcasing permaculture in action. Read more>>

H.K. Green

Writing and publishing a book, for me, was a spur of the moment idea. I loved coming up with stories growing up. I wrote in loose leaf notebooks at school and on my mom’s computer, but I never actually finished a book, unless you count the story I wrote on printer paper in 3rd grade.

I’ve also always been a reader. In my childhood, I loved getting lost in pages. You never saw me without a book in hand. When I went to college, I didn’t read as much because I didn’t have the time but once I graduated I started falling back in love with reading. Read more>>

Chrissy & Molly Benjamin & Berry

In 2021, Chrissy had a wild idea—what if she and Molly started a podcast to document their boozy adventures? As lifelong friends with a passion for “libation vacations,” they’d already spent 20 years exploring new bars, breweries, and drink experiences together. Molly was all in, and The Boozy Blondes Podcast was born! Read more>>

Joyce Liy

The idea of becoming a holistic veterinarian took root early in my veterinary school journey. I always knew there was more to healing than just Western medicine and wanted to integrate a more comprehensive approach into my practice.

As I began working as a general practitioner, I pursued certifications in various alternative modalities, allowing me to treat patients with holistic medicine. This ignited my passion for integrative care. However, working under someone else’s schedule, I often felt restricted—unable to dedicate the time I wanted for each patient. Being confined to a clinic all day, juggling surgeries and heavy caseloads, left me feeling unfulfilled. Read more>>

Kara Marie Cruz

Nearly a decade ago, I created a guided journal and even sent prototypes to therapists who found them helpful. I thought I was on to something—but something didn’t sit right. The journal felt too structured, too prescriptive. It wasn’t meeting people where they were. I shelved the project, not fully understanding why it didn’t align. Read more>>

Melanie Lopez

I’ve always had an interest in photography. I had my first Canon Powershot when I was 10 years old and carried it with me everywhere. I took classes in both high school and college but ultimately went to nursing school. While working in the NICU, I took photos for a family with their very sick child and realized that’s where my passion was. After having my first child, I decided to pursue birth and newborn photography instead of returning to the nursing world. Read more>>

Sofiya Mozley

I got my degree in Fashion Merchandising from Kaplan Career Institute and my degree in Fashion Design from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I did a lot of fashion shows including Paris Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week.

I am now running a boutique that includes handmade jewelry and boutique items in store at the Homestead Painted Tree and jewelry at the Steel City Craft Emporium. I also have my online shop which is primarily handmade jewelry. Read more>>

Estelle Tracy

My chocolate journey started with a simple challenge. In June 2015, I set out to review 37 U.S.-made chocolates by my 37th birthday on Halloween. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about starting a business – I was just following my curiosity. But that challenge ended up changing the course of my professional life. Read more>>

Ashley Pasquini

Throughout my life I had trouble deciding what I wanted to do as my career. I wanted to do something that I could have a solid work-life balance while also engaging and spending time doing something fulfilling and meaningful.
My parents always encouraged me to start my own business so that I could have the freedom to make my own decisions. I had seen them be successful business owners and also work 9-5 jobs, so starting a business of my own seemed like the ideal choice. Read more>>

Brian Baez

I started my content, creating journey in 2021 on Twitter spaces. The spaces were very communal. It was a place for people to join and talk about themselves and their days. It’s important to know that this was during the pandemic. Everyone was looking for some type of community. And five people turned into 10 people turned into 15 people turned into 80 people. And slowly, but surely the space grew and my following grew from 300 followers to 3000 followers in six weeks. I then said I wanted to create a show where this community of people could express themselves on substantive issues. Read more>>

Eden Estabrook

I have been an English nut my entire life. A lover of books as long as I can remember, I knew from the age of fourteen I was going to pursue a career in the writing field. But I also knew the stigma behind the English major and financial stability, so I decided to pursue a business writing degree, which kickstarted me into the career I still hold today in a 9-5 capacity. Read more>>

Lisa Hoeve

From idea to execution required a lot of thought, planning, risk taking and connecting with those that have traveled a similar road. I tend to be a person who is willing to teach themselves new things. But the past 10 years have taught me I don’t need to know it all and that there are some very well qualified people that do. Read more>>

Gemma Astor

My tattoo shop, Gemstone Tattoo, started in a very chaotic and unexpected manner. It was the late winter of 2014. When I began the process of opening the business, if you had asked me a week prior what my plans for the future included; owning my own shop was not on my radar. I had worked for someone else and that work relationship ended abruptly and traumatically for me. Literally one day after my departure from my former studio my husband brought up the idea of renovating a space he knew about in Portland. At the time, it was very raw and unfinished. When we went to look at it I could see the potential, but also felt a huge sense of overwhelm as there was so much physical work to be done. Read more>>