Starting a business is hard because it’s a fight with yourself, an internal battle – gaining the courage to get started, etc. Scaling a business is different – the challenges you face are mostly external to yourself. Each challenge has a million mini-challenges. We wanted to create a space for conversations and stories around growth and scaling. Below, you’ll find stories and insights from successful entrepreneurs across a variety of industries and markets.

Portia Ishmon

Scaling my business from its early stages to where it is today has definitely been a journey of grit, strategy, and overcoming obstacles. The outside world often looks at a business that has reached a certain level of success and assumes it happened overnight, but what they don’t see are the years of hard work, sacrifice, and resilience that went into building that foundation. Read more>>

Anthony Mrocka

I scaled up my business as a medium by staying authentic, delivering highly detailed and accurate readings, and using social media to reach a wider audience. By consistently sharing my gift through Zoom readings, live audience events, and behind-the-scenes content, I built trust and credibility with my followers. Word-of-mouth referrals from clients who experienced my undeniable validations played a huge role in my growth. I also made it a priority to engage with my community, responding to messages and offering spiritual guidance beyond just readings. Over time, this dedication helped me expand my platform, attract a loyal audience, and establish myself as a sought-after medium. Read more>>

Steffany (steff The Barber Mckee)

My journey began at Morgan State University, where I earned a B.A. in Graphic Design. While studying there, I discovered a campus barber and began shadowing him. I quickly realized that barbering was another form of art—just like graphic design. However, after graduating, I found it difficult to secure a job in my field.

During this time, I worked at Sportz Zone, a clothing store, but I knew I wanted more. That led me to enroll at American Beauty Academy to pursue barbering professionally. Balancing work and being a part-time student was challenging, but I was determined to push through. Read more>>

Aj Lippert

After three years of crafting unique, small-batch beers out of a garage and selling them at farmers markets, Barley POP! Brewing has officially opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Snohomish. With a pop culture theme and a mission to create “fun beer for fun people,” the microbrewery is now welcoming customers into a vibrant new space designed for families, beer lovers, and even their four-legged friends. Read more>>