Four Brothers Wood-Fired Pizza
With a passion for a unique pizza experience and with over 10+ years of experience working in the pizza and restaurant industry, in early 2020, husband and wife, Jamaal and Christa Bradley, opened Four Brothers Wood-Fired Pizza in Clarksville, Tennessee – named after their four sons. The Bradleys originally reached out to Pathway Lending for a loan, but got…
Pastry4U
In 2003, Harriett Wilson retired from her long career in pharmaceuticals and began to pursue her passion, baking. She ran with her desire to be a professional baker by pursuing her Baking Production Certificate. But Harriett wanted to train where the greats hone their culinary talents and where pastries reign supreme: France. So in 2011, Harriett moved abroad to receive…
Home Brewing Company
George Thornton began brewing his own beer as a hobby in 2002 thanks to a recommendation from his sister. It wasn’t until he was in grad school that he thought about making his hobby his career. In February 2012, George moved forward with this dream and opened a homebrewer supply store and resource center called The Homebrewer: North Park. Thanks…
Velodrome Coffee
At the start of March 2020, two and a half years after launch, Velodrome Coffee in Marquette, Mich., was growing at a rate the owners hadn’t expected. Business was up 40% over the previous year with a number of incredible opportunities on the horizon beginning to unfold. When COVID-19 came to the U.S., owners Brice Sturmer and Paul Vafa had…
Sweet Joy Ice Cream
Growing up, Talia Holmes spent summers in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother making homemade ice cream. As an adult, she worked for different companies, and when both passed away, she decided it was time to follow her vision and open an ice cream shop. It had been a shared dream of all three women, and Talia wanted to…
Duluth Coffee Company
The Entrepreneur Fund assisted Duluth Coffee Company expand from an idea for a coffee business, to the business becoming the outstanding and thriving coffee shop and distributor that it is today. Entrepreneur Fund provided Duluth Coffee Company’s founder, Eric Faust him with multiple SBA Microloans for capital and consulting on Financial Management, Strategic Business Planning, and additional business expenses. Out…
Sweet V’s Restaurant & Ice Cream
Sweet V’s in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, is more than just a local eatery. It’s one man’s dream come true, and it’s turned into a family-run success. Mark Villagrana always wanted to run his own business, and when the opportunity presented itself to open Sweet V’s, he got his entire family to join the adventure with him. His vision came to life…
Buffalo Creek Coffee
Even with full-time jobs and full lives, Brandon and Lisa Hixon wanted to contribute more to their hometown of Chappell, Nebraska (population: 871). “We wanted to give something to the town that we thought would make it special,” said Lisa. “Chappell is a good community that has a lot of potential.” Brandon is self-employed as a farmer and also works…
Tribali Foods
The terms all-natural, paleo and frozen-food aisle aren’t normally found together. But whole-foods evangelist Angela Bicos Mavridis has set out to make that the norm at major retailers that you may regularly frequent. Mavridis is the owner of Tribalí Foods — a product line that offers the convenience of frozen meals without the synthetic binders and antibiotics you may find with the major brands. The basis…
MMELO
MMELO is a Columbus-based, woman and minority owned small business dedicated to all natural, artisanal sweet treats and pastries. Michelle Allen was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and was a business owner in Spain before moving back to her hometown. Back in Columbus, Michelle connected with ECDI and The Food Fort – an incubator for food industry start-ups and…
Karl’s Cuisine & Superior Coast Brewery & Winery
Karl began his foray into the restaurant world at age 15, when he began an apprenticeship with a five-star chef. He has worked in a country club and eventually established a catering and home delivery service in the small, rural town of Pickford in Michigan, and has added restauranteur to his list of accomplishments. In early 2000, Karl, along with…
Calf Pen Products
Council, Idaho (population: 865) is home to Robyn Warner – the owner Calf Pen Products. Robyn was able to fulfill a longtime dream of growing her home-based bakery and canning operation into a viable, main street business. It’s a big leap for any entrepreneur, but especially for Robyn, a mom of four who holds two part-time jobs and also runs…