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.

MILAS HUDDLESTON

I TRULY FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING STARTS WITH PROPER PLANNING. SO WHEN IM GOING INTO A NEW IDEA OR PROJECT I BUILD A VISION BOARD AND BREAK MY PLANS UP WITHIN THE FOUR FISCAL QUARTERS Read more>>

Samantha Mirallegro

When I started my first business, Samantha Digital, my goal was simple: help small businesses grow online through web design, SEO, and branding. Over the years, I had the opportunity to work with a wide range of businesses—everything from local service providers to creative entrepreneurs. While I loved the variety, I started noticing a pattern: the businesses that saw the best results were the ones in industries where strong branding and online visibility were non-negotiable. Read more>>

Alphonso Reed

Starting ARPR Agency began with a vision to combine luxury PR and event production in a fresh, innovative way. The idea came after years of working with top brands and talent, where I saw a gap in the industry. I tapped into my savings to get started and spent months researching, building the business foundation, and creating the agency’s brand. Read more>>

Ryan Rogers

The day I had the idea, I was in graduate school for Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Arkansas, walking to my shared office as a research assistant. All the fraternity and sorority kids wore the same kind of clothing like an unspoken dress code. Nearly every single “Greek” member you saw could be categorized as wearing a short sleeved, pastel-colored, over-sized, pocket tee, with the shape of Arkansas on it and of course, their Greek insignia. Something to know about the University of Arkansas is that it’s the largest and most popular university in the state, in the fastest growing, most popular, and possibly most state-pride location of the state. Read more>>

Kim Groshek

I remember the exact moment the idea for my business truly took shape. It wasn’t a grand epiphany but rather a culmination of years of experience, passion, and a deep desire to create something meaningful. I had spent decades working with industry leaders, helping them scale billion-dollar enterprises, yet I kept seeing the same problem—burnout, lack of fulfillment, and a disconnect from intentional living. I knew I had to build something that would help high achievers pause, reset, and create sustainable success. Read more>>

Kunal Doshi

Our journey began with a spark—a moment when the idea of revolutionizing air technology felt both urgent and full of potential. It was during a casual brainstorming session that the concept of Airktichenz first took shape. We gathered around a table, full of energy and creativity, jotting down every thought that could transform our everyday frustrations into opportunities for innovation. Read more>>

Shanina McCregg

Starting my event and floral design business was a journey fueled by passion, persistence, and a willingness to learn at every step. The idea had been in my heart for a long time—I was always drawn to the beauty of flowers, the artistry of event design, and the way a well-curated space could make people feel. But having a passion and turning it into a business are two very different things. Read more>>

Adam Saada

Saada Productions is about increasing revenue through video strategy. No two clients are the same and this is not about applying a cookie cutter template from one client to another. First we have a discovery call to talk about what’s working in your business, and what’s not working. What would you like to improve on? Are you getting enough quality leads? What is your dream come true scenario? Why is there a gap between you and your future goals? What is your average sale? Is there anything you’d like to be easier in your business? We answer all of this and more during our discovery call and not rush the process of idea to execution. Read more>>

Kyle Lindsey

My channel started as a hobby at my dad’s used car dealer lot in high school. It was the early days of Youtube and i saw others making car videos, and thought, “Hey i can do that too!” Over the years my dealer network increased as i went to college and pharmacy school, and the popularity of the channel grew with it. When i graduated from pharmacy school, i was invited to my first press events. At that point, i decided to dive in full time for 6 months and see where it took me, and here I am 12 years later still rocking on. Over the years, i have gotten more involved with the manufacturers side of journalism and get press vehicles sent to me on weekly rotations as well as getting hands on and have had many project vehicles on the channel. Read more>>

Madisyn Barker

I’ve always known I was going to own my business, it was just a matter of- what kind? When I was little it was a cupcake shop, then a yoga studio, then an apothecary… I’ve never been short on ideas! The execution part was always a little trickier, I think a lot of creatives feel this way. Read more>>

Solomon Chan

It all started with a question that kept bothering me: why does ready-to-drink tea taste so soulless?

What I found on shelves in the U.S. was often overly sweet, laced with “natural flavors,” or just bland. But the deeper issue is that most people—even those who drink tea regularly—don’t really know the 6 main categories of tea. In Chinese, what the West calls “black tea” is actually hongcha, or red tea. Real black tea is heicha, or dark tea—post-fermented and complex. Somewhere along the way, the West collapsed thousands of years of tea culture into a single dusty teabag. Is black tea darker, or is dark tea blacker? That confusion alone says a lot. Read more>>

Greg Brooks

The original idea of my brand started during Covid due to all the injustices happening to black people in America. I wanted to create a pro black brand that showed I stood behind my people and against inequality. It was all about buying black and supporting black. I had slogans and ideas but I needed a logo to get started. I worked with my brother on the logo and the original designs were all made with the original logo on the front. It took me a few months to create a logo and print shirts and hoodies. I created a website with all the inventory and information about the brand. After reflecting on what the brand stood for, I wanted to make it more inclusive. Read more>>

Destiny Capps

I started my business at the peak of COVID when families were home and looking for engaging activities for their kids. It all began when I made sensory kits as party favors for my daughter’s birthday, and after receiving encouragement from family, I decided to turn it into a business. My first launch was a single Halloween kit, which was a big success within my friends and family. By Christmas, I had sold over 500 items, and that’s when I knew it was time to take things seriously. Read more>>

Ronal He

When we decided to open our second location, we knew we had to approach it differently from the first. The first step was to have several brainstorming meetings, where we reflected on what worked well with the first location and what we could improve. We discussed everything—from the layout and interior design to operational efficiency and customer experience. One key thing we wanted to focus on was saving on renovation costs while still creating an inviting and functional space. Read more>>

Cedric Acrie

My journey into the TV mounting business started unexpectedly. The first flat-screen TV I ever owned was accidentally knocked over by my daughter, and after that, I made sure every TV in my house was securely mounted. Soon, friends and family began asking if I could mount theirs, and before I knew it, I had developed a skill that people were willing to pay for. Read more>>

Elle & Blue Krajewski & Makholm

“Blue and I (Elle) Had previously done advocacy work, and volunteer work with organizations around jacksonville. We kept trying to find a safe LGBTQ+ Centered space, with markets, and other community events and resources, but it just didn’t exist. When talking with peers and community members they found this space to be lacking as well. We began to toy with the idea of “Well what if we just made it ourselves” Not being fully serious about it at the beginning. As time went on we truly began to view the idea as an actual project, and began to see what it would require/look like if we did pursue creating something like The Rainbow Market. I’m (Elle) an event organizer and I knew it wouldn’t be the easiest thing in the world to start from scratch but I knew there was a massive demand for more queer centric events and I felt it was a much needed addition to our community.” Read more>>

Cynthia Washington

My parents did everything they could to keep me out of Hollywood, yet I found myself “at the very center’” of it as I was growing up. They made it clear that I was destined for business. Therefore, I had business dreams.

“Business Dreams
1. Lead an Empire.
I managed a territory from Santa Barbara to San Diego

2. Work downtown in the Financial District Read more>>

Avista Holland

I have always been a big romantic since I was a child. I loved dreaming of the weddings with big ball gowns, flowers and Prince Charming. As I got older, I started to love celebrating my friends and coming up with ideas to celebrate their milestones and accomplishments. Eventually, I started to love helping them plan weddings and baby showers. I even planned my own wedding. By that time, all of my friends were asking me if I might be interested in starting a business and doing it for other people since it was clear that I had enjoyed it so much. I have to be honest, I had never even considered being a business owner and creating something that was mine. That thought process completely changed when I had my daughter. Read more>>

Heidi Clemons

I loved my job as a financial counselor, serving our military community in Japan where our family was stationed while my husband was in the Army. Many of my colleagues encouraged me to start my own business when I moved and complimented the services I provided to my clients. They saw my passion to serve not only the pressing money questions that my clients had—how do I budget, how do I invest, how should I save—but also that I genuinely cared for their financial future. I knew our move to Hawaii would be a good time to start building a foundation of a business to see if it was something that would work once we moved again. I felt like I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I could remain flexible while starting the business and then decide if I wanted to grow it after a couple of years or pivot. Read more>>

Britni Ridge

I was a stay-at-home mom, and for the longest time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do career-wise. I prayed—a lot. I kept asking God to show me where He wanted me to be, what purpose He had for me outside of motherhood. And then, it was like the answer fell out of the sky… but really, it was God placing it on my heart.

In 2023, I bought my very first camera—ever. I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but I knew one thing: I was supposed to be a wedding photographer. It was a calling, not just a career choice. Read more>>

Jessica Cervero

The idea for my business probably started the first time I got a full set of acrylic nails at 15 or 16 years old. I’ve loved getting my nails done ever since. Fast forward to 2018, a year that completely transformed me. I was experiencing so many losses, fighting for my brother who was wrongfully imprisoned, and struggling with my mental health. That’s when I took a big step—I started therapy. Read more>>

Joia Nuri

I launched my business out of sheer necessity. At the time, I was a senior producer at C-SPAN, clocking in at 4:00 AM every day. My marriage was ending, and my 10-year-old daughter needed me to be present in the mornings. I couldn’t let her navigate that time alone. The solution? I had to create a career that allowed me to work normal hours, keep the income flowing, and, most importantly, take back control of my life. Read more>>

Anya Jensen

A few years before I started my business I became really interested in the concept of natural footwear being not only comfortable, but also really good for your well being. But as I was researching and looking for shoes I wanted to wear, it became apparent there wasn’t a lot of information out there. So at first I wanted to share resources and advice purely for practical reasons, long before I had any clue how to turn it into a business. I identified a need in a niche industry, and set out to fill that space. That’s how my blog and social media channels began. Read more>>

Natalie Tincher

When I moved to New York City, I realized there was a niche for personal stylists for working professionals. This was in 2010, when stylists were mostly for celebrities and socialites. Upon doing a Google search, I only found two working personal stylists who appeared to have a different target demographic than I was looking at. Armed with this information, I believed that getting started with the basics of the business was better than getting it perfect. I say this because I knew I was making a lot of hypotheses about what I thought people wanted and knew that things would need to change as I started to understand what my ideal clients actually wanted. As such, I immediately reached out to someone I knew could help with the branding and design at a budget I could afford. I created one basic package, made a bare-bones website with said designer, and enrolled in Fashion Institute of Technology classes. Read more>>