SueAnn Hollowell, CEO of Optikal says when a business reaches the break even point, it can sustain itself without additional investment. “I think one of the biggest reasons businesses fail - it’s …

Justin Cardoza, CEO of Modbox, says they started building interest in their product before it hit the market. “We’ll send some of those prototypes to some of the professionals that I’ve been …

“For me, it was all about amassing experience and learning as much as I could, and then at the same time, applying that to my business,” says SueAnn Hollowell, CEO of Optikal. Hollowell started …

Kevin Wyas, founder of ECRI, says he would have saved time and money by outsourcing earlier in his venture. Wyas says by utilizing the expertise of others, you can advance your product to market, get …

Janice Goocher, owner and designer of Canvas Connections, turned her side passion into a business. Goocher, who loves artwork and challenging herself with new things, says she began hosting parties …

Brandon Goodwin, co-founder and executive producer at Blend, says the idea for a new company came from getting too much wear and tear on their personal vehicles. They purchased a large truck and …

“Never having opened a business before, this was all new and I just had the passion and idea and was ready to go for it,” says Kim Gardner, owner of Breathe Salt Vault. Gardner says she jumped in …

“The big thing is a lot of people think you have to spend a ton of money to get started, and you really don’t,” says Kevin Wyas, founder of ECRI. Wyas says you’re better off starting small …

Erica Lea Hendrix, owner and lead designer at Erica Lea Design Studios, graduated from college during the recession and couldn’t find a job in her field. She worked as a nanny until she found an …

“Startup capital is always a challenge, especially being African-American entrepreneurs, we don’t have a network we can pull from,” says SueAnn Hollowell, CEO of Optikal. Hollowell says she and …

“I want to be here on the open side with the client and educating and answering questions and giving them the experience I envisioned with this location,” says Kim Gardner, owner of Breathe Salt …

“It was one of the best things in my life, selling the business, because I was able to take a vacation with no cell phones or anything and just read and not worry that my business was burning down …

Derek Shimeall, one of the owners with 4 by 4 Brewing Company, says he and his partners opened their brewery as a hobby and were surprised at the rapid growth they experienced. “It’s a …

Michael Doss, creator of Emerson Park, says Selling to multiple retailers in one city is a mistake and leads to market oversaturation. “We condensed down,” Doss says. “We sell to two major …

“A lot of the assumptions that we had when we started this business have been proven otherwise, and so we’ve learned a lot about the patterns of the community and the area and what people do,” …

Michael Doss, creator of Emerson Park, started making his own coffee soap as a hobby. Seeing a demand, he started selling products online and to retail stores across the country. Doss says they …

Sean Brownfield, owner of Dapper and The Hepburn, says spending the money to create and app was one of his best investments. When he first opened, he was busy cutting hair, answering the phone and …

Elizabeth Brooks, Owner of Springfield Riding Club, says when she started her business, she knew about horses and farming, but should have known more about how hay production affects her bottom …

Abbie Brown, owner of Brown Abbey Gourmet, wowed Catherine and Thor Bersted when she made her Greek salad dressing for Lavender Falls Farm. They encouraged her to start her own company selling her …

Catherine and Thor Bersted, owners of Lavender Falls Farm say trying to meet customer demand can be challenging. The Bersteds previously dried more than 50% of their lavender crop, but have shifted …