Meet courageous entrepreneurs who followed their passion
Learn to work smarter, not harder, from those who started a business while working a full-time job, but never lost sight of the need for balance.
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How simplified product offerings helped business Liftoff
Joe Casabona started Podcast Liftoff in 2017. He helps his clients transform their podcasts from a hobby to a revenue-generating machine. In 2022, Joe realized that he was providing too many services to his customers. Instead of a jack of all trades, he wanted to be known as the guy who eats, sleeps and breathes podcasts. He adapted his product offerings and is now learning that, when it comes to your business, sometimes less is more.
Opening his own business and breaking industry standards
During his 26 years in the web design industry, Wayne Pelletier designed thousands of websites. He also learned the patterns that cause frustration and communication breakdowns between web designers and their clients. So when Wayne started his company, Resonant Pixel, in 2020, he employed a different business model that broke the mold of standard website services. Instead of a lump-sum investment, his team uses a subscription-based model.
Mixing arts and philanthropy with Kentucky bourbon
Morgan Hancock is full of ideas and energy, and her work life reflects those qualities. She’s a commercial real estate agent, US Army veteran, mother of two, and passionate advocate of the arts. Most recently, Morgan founded Bourbon with Heart, a nonprofit with a mission to leverage the influence and popularity of bourbon to raise funds for local charities while also providing a first-class arts experience for Kentuckians.
Cheers! How Melissa Zeman creates community with wine
In 2009, Melissa Zeman said, “Someday, I’m going to open a wine shop that focuses on community.” She got to work, and ten years later, Melissa opened Bottles Up!, a wine shop and experiencein the Lakeview East neighborhood in Chicago. Through in-store events and collaboration with other local vendors, Melissa’s business model has centered around “retail-tainment” — creating, educating, having fun, and, most importantly, connecting.
Sell it like a mango? Donald Kelly can teach you how
Growing up in Jamaica, Donald Kelly saw his family members and neighbors selling goods and services on every corner. Naturally, Donald believed that to be an entrepreneur, you had to first and foremost be a salesperson. Since then, he's gained life and business experience while moving to the US, starting a podcast, and writing a book. But Donald still draws on his childhood experience selling mangoes in Jamaica as a metaphor for successful sales.
From designing video games to getting funded by Mark Cuban
Rob Kischuk started his career designing video games for Facebook in the days of FarmVille. When Rob was laid off, along with 90% of his team, he asked himself, “What now?” Since then, Rob has started four software-based businesses, one of which acquired funding from Mark Cuban at a serendipitous Super Bowl Shark Tank watch party. Throughout his 10 years in the startup world, Rob has learned to take risks: you never get what you don’t ask for.
When Craftsmanship Meets Entrepreneurship: How a cabinetmaker built a business
Josh Crandal went from building a TV stand in his childhood bedroom to crafting everything from elegant kitchen cabinets to custom living room wall units. It was the overwhelmingly positive reaction of a customer that inspired Josh to pursue a path to entrepreneurship.
Angela Yungk began her career as a teacher but quickly found herself searching for a new direction in life. Along with her business partner, Angela eventually went on to create and launch Art Hive Magazine. Learn more about how Angela built a brand and business from scratch, and how she approaches marketing and promotions. This is the story of how you can break into a new industry with no previous experience and find success.
After school teacher solves domestic violence shelter’s data problem
Steven Jenkins knew someone who had experienced domestic violence. He wanted to help others who had experienced the same so he decided to volunteer at a local domestic violence shelter. What Steven would come to learn was the database the shelter was using was inadequate and the staff was spending too much time on data collection when they could be helping people at the shelter. Here’s the story of how Steven set out to solve that problem, and how he turned a volunteer position into a full time job and eventually a business.
As Claire Zovko was wrapping up her college basketball career, she took her first yoga class and discovered a new passion. Years later, while practicing law and advancing her own knowledge of yoga, Claire began to teach yoga and eventually found herself in a position to run her own yoga studio. This is the story of how a passion can turn into a business.
Going once, going twice. A fundraising auctioneer is born at a talent show
After serving in the US Army and enjoying a successful career in financial services, TiWanna Kenney found herself on stage hosting an auction. She fell in love with the work and the positive impact it can have on the lives of others. Here’s how TiWanna developed her talent and how she’s bringing diversity and inspiring change in her industry.
Engineer turned leadership and team consultant helps teams reach their full potential
Maureen Monte is a Leadership and Team Consultant and author of Destination Unstoppable. Maureen began her career as an engineer but eventually realized she was more than a problem solver; she was a people problem solver. Hear how Maureen turned her side hustle into a full-time business and how you can unlock the untapped talent on your team.
From The US Foreign Service to Helping Students Strive for their Best
Tina Tran Neville and her parents left Vietnam to come to the United States when she was a young girl. Learn how that experience shaped her journey from US Foreign Service Officer to high school teacher to founder of Transcend Academy, which provides test preparation and college advising services. Tina’s story is what the American Dream is all about.
Jared Novack met his future business partners at the Syracuse University student newspaper. They would go on to work in the newsrooms of The New York Times and The Boston Globe, and eventually launch Upstatement, a design and engineering studio. Hear how Jared and his college friends grew a side hustle into a robust business that is producing creative work for some of the world’s leading brands, products, publishers and non-profits.