Having new or innovative ideas is essential to pushing the world forward and so we asked the community to share stories of the most innovative things they’ve done in their career. Our hope is to inspire folks who think only scientists or tech-wizards can innovate – innovation is possible for everyone, regardless of job title or function, industry or geography.

Shawn Vinson

I recently launched The Sun ATL, a groundbreaking art, business and cultural hub in Atlanta’s MLK Historic District. Located in a 9,200-square-foot building on Edgewood Avenue – just steps from the original Ebenezer Baptist Church – this venture is a significant departure from the traditional gallery model I’ve worked with for three decades.

The innovative aspect lies in our hybrid business framework. The Sun ATL combines three distinct elements: a fine art gallery, a museum-quality exhibition space, and a versatile venue for meetings, events and content creation. We showcase works by notable Black artists alongside international talent, maintaining a particular focus on art and documentary photography that celebrates the rich history of Atlanta and the South. Read more>>

Adam Orman

It’s not hard to innovate when it comes to thinking about restaurant labor. What’s been fun is to watch as one innovation rolls into another. None of them have been easy to implement or sustain but running a safe workplace with higher standards for pay, equity and benefits than is typical in hospitality is part of our mission.

We wanted to run a neighborhood restaurant where the staff stuck around to recognize our regulars and vice versa. To do that, we wanted to professionalize the jobs and provide stability that would appeal to a mature team that would appreciate predictability over cash in hand. We started by paying everyone higher than the federal minimum wage and implementing a service charge in lieu of a gratuity that we could share with the entire team. Read more>>

Ningning Yang

Scenic Design is usually understood as creating a space that holds and assists the storytelling of a show. It can be an emotional space, or a realistic, tangible space. Though I do work within the confines of that idea, and couldn’t help becoming interested in merging my interest in audiovisual relationship into my set designs. Read more>>

Jenna Walters

Perhaps the first thing you think of when you consider the word “business” is not conservation science, but indeed it takes the collaboration and skills of many great minds, professions, and creatives running collectively to communicate the importance of protecting the environment. The business I engage in as a part of a larger whole seeks to do this very thing; to uplift and educate communities and preserve the planet each of us calls home. Read more>>

Nyrka Riskin

There are so many times in my career that I have applied innovation, especially during times where I needed to be brave while undertaking incredible risk or during times where I had to stand out so that I could attract more opportunities.

I have launched three small businesses and in each of those launches I had to take steps to launch services that were unique and innovative in order to stand out from the competition. Read more>>