Meet courageous entrepreneurs who followed their passion

With a background in media production, Joshua Lipkin, like many people in the media space, found himself freelancing. When he landed a large contract, he decided it was time to found GreyLee Creative, a full-service production and post-production company that focuses on crafting high-quality visual content that captivates and engages audiences. Sanjay and Joshua discuss Joshua’s transition from freelancer to business owner, finding your niche in the business, and starting Atlanta’s Editor Collective, a community of over 800 editors.

Gary Mendelson is currently on his seventh career. After working on Broadway, Gary transitioned to retail ownership, before becoming a Massage Therapist and the Founder of The Massage Garage, a full-service massage practice focused on delivering results-driven massages to get you moving again. Sanjay and Gary discuss Gary’s theatre background the inspiration for his career, how lessons he learned in the retail space translate into healthcare, and how addiction has molded him into a better person and business owner.

What does it really take to build a profitable arcade business from scratch and scale it into a franchise? In this episode of Side Hustle to Small Business, Sanjay sits down with Paul Baillie, Co-Founder of Shift Arcade, to unpack the journey of building a modern arcade brand through bootstrapping, smart growth, and strategic franchising. Paul shares how Shift Arcade went from a simple idea into a thriving entertainment business, the realities of funding a startup without outside investors, and the lessons learned while preparing to franchise. 

In this episode of Side Hustle to Small Business, Sanjay speaks with Stephanie Lee Jackson, founder of Practical Sanctuary, about how sensory-aware interior design can transform daily life, especially for neurodivergent individuals. Stephanie shares her journey through multiple career shifts and why creating calm, supportive spaces is essential for mental health, productivity, and well-being.

Mic Foster is the founder of No Gifts Please, an online registry platform focused on creating meaningful experiences for children, over gift-giving. Mic shares how watching unused toys pile up after his daughters’ birthdays sparked the idea for a platform that helps families rethink gifting, reduce waste, and create more meaningful celebrations. Mic and Sanjay dive into Mic’s background as a serial entrepreneur, the lessons learned from multiple startups, and the moment he realized the world didn’t need more toys, it needed a better way to give. They also unpack how No Gifts Please survived explosive early growth, the operational challenges that came with scaling fast, and how Mic stayed grounded during intense periods of pressure and uncertainty.