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…
Aeroforce Logistics
Heather Varney learned to be a resourceful problem solver and a good communicator at an early age. While in the Marine Corps, she experienced a bad accident, which had a galvanizing effect. She decided that if there was something she wanted to do, she was going to do it regardless of what got in the way. Forced to change jobs…
Taco Holler
Ashley Bledsoe is the mastermind behind Harlan County’s Taco Holler, a food truck and catering business established in 2017. After coming up with the idea during a visit to Taco Luchador, a popular taco spot in Louisville, Kentucky, Ashley and her wife, Leslie Bledsoe, got to work to bring a similar concept to far southeastern Kentucky. Finally, in summer 2017,…
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…
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…
The Bird and the Bear Grill
Nancy Forster-Miller and Jim Miller start The Bird and the Bear Grill as a local diner in Roscommon in 2018. An SBA Microloan by Northern Initiatives, a CDFI in Michigan, allowed the couple to purchase a building and equipment, and have working capital for the first few months of operation. The diner was immediately both popular and profitable since it…
River Dog Paddle Co.
The River Dog Paddle Co. was started by Mike and Connie Sams. The business is an outpost rental shop that provides paddle boarding lessons and gear for the outdoors enthusiast. The name of their shop evolved from their passion for paddle boarding and the stray dog the couple rescued in distress along the Coosa River. They also provide Stand Up…
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…
Cool J’s Apparel
Cool J’s Apparel is a woman and minority-owned business that held its grand opening of its bricks and mortar store on May 28, 2020 and had gotten started a year previously through online sales. Owner Toni Hopkins created this business after understanding a need for a women’s apparel store in the local Springfield community. Her goal is to provide quality,…
Fired Up Fitness
Living in a larger community meant Megan Zoucha and her husband, Will, were used to having certain amenities nearby. While they appreciated the convenience, they opted to move to Fullerton, Nebraska (population 1,440) to enjoy the slow pace of rural living. Megan wanted to continue to lead a healthy, active lifestyle, and she did what she could in her new…
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…
GSD Home Improvement
In the midst of a global pandemic that has many small business owners focused on saving their existing businesses, there are still entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a new one. One such enterprising individual is Aury Souvenir, owner of the recently launched GSD Home Improvement. GSD Home Improvement is a small, locally owned business specializing in painting, carpentry, landscaping,…
Burke Mercantile
Over the course of eight years, Maggie Stoll lived out her dream of working in the clothing business as a visual merchandiser and store manager for a well-known, fast-fashion brand. But as Stoll got older, her focus shifted toward wearable pieces that were better designed, sustainably made and durable enough to last numerous fashion cycles. Enter Burke Mercantile, a retail lifestyle…
Wash My Dog Grooming Service
Excited about providing a convenient, high-quality grooming business for dog owners in their area, Andrea and Terryl decided to open Wash My Dog in 2019. Andrea and Terryl had some of their own savings to invest in their new small business, but still needed additional funding to purchase grooming equipment and supplies as well as complete the build-out of the…
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…
Early Success Academy
As an elementary school principal working in the sprawling Montbello neighborhood of Northeast Denver, Diana Gadison saw a lot of things happening with her students on a daily basis. What she often noticed were children waiting alone outside for long periods of time before and after school. She soon realized the problem – no available childcare – and decided to…
RL Commercial Systems
b Landers grew up in St. Louis and majored in sports medicine at the University of Kansas. While he was in school, he made pocket money by cleaning dorms and student apartments. A job with the Spirit Group brought him to Atlanta, where he started moonlighting with a cleaning service as a “one‐ man show.”
Milo Fitness Factory
Alan and Kare Williams have a continuing goal to serve their Tucson community. After a combined 50 years as First Responders in Tucson, AZ, they decided to take on the adventure of entrepreneurship by opening CrossFit Milo.
MedCode Professional Career Academy
Jasmine Hall’s first job in her teens was in medical collections, a role where she found a natural talent for understanding the terminology and explaining bills to patients. As a
young mother, Jasmine was looking for a higher paying career that would also allow her to spend more time with her daughter. After seeing a commercial for medical coding school, she decided to put her talents to use and earn her Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification.