One of the most rewarding things about getting to know so many entrepreneurs is seeing first-hand how many of them are focused on so much more than just financial results. So many of the folks we connect with are focused on having a positive social impact on their community or the world at large. Check out some of these amazing folks below.

Brian Harris | Educator, Author, Motivational Speaker

As an author, my work helps the community because it educates Black and brown children about their rich history and cultural legacy, while also inspiring them to pursue their dreams and aspirations. My work as an author, school leader and dance company director helps to nurture character, increase social awareness and build spiritual formation for children of color and those in underserved communities. Read more>>

Shea O’Connor | Illustrator & Graphic Designer

My art is so closely tied to who I am as a person, so more than simply creating visually appealing pieces, it’s important for me to also speak up about the issues that matter. I want my followers on social to know where I stand on the big issues; I can say a lot of this in my art and in the captions below. As a visual artist, it’s my responsibility to be as inclusive as possible in the representation of the people I draw. I’m always striving to include diversity of all kinds: ethnicity, gender, body shape, age, etc. If I’m drawing a real person (alive or deceased), I make sure that they are/were a positive influence on society, and do my best to honor their story. I’m also striving to be more environmentally conscious as well. I’m transitioning everything in my shop to being eco-friendly (sustainable packaging and shipping supplies). Basically, I just try to put more good in the world. Read more>>

Sheila E. Smith | Founder/President | Rightsideof50, Inc. Nonprofit Organization

Rightsideof50 is devoted to providing women a chance to become independent and a chance to achieve goals that they never thought possible. Rightsideof50 provides virtual workshops to enhance on a women’s knowledge, to assist her in becoming employed and making it possible through studies to obtain degrees. We will not stop there, we remain in contact with our women to make sure their transition is going smoothly, giving them that place to conversate privately and nonjudgmentally, assisting with everyday life choices and time management decisions. Through our community outreach we are interacting with women and assisting them in making healthy life choices. Rightsideof50 also does community give backs by feeding the disadvantaged and preparing bags with women essential daily needs. We believe that even if you are going through there is nothing better than having a purse that you can call your own and being able to reach in find a toiletry or something to just make you feel good. Read more>>

Melanie Hopps | Owner, The Kinder Patch Learning Academy ™

Our families have been impacted by one of the most traumatic experiences of our generation-a worldwide pandemic due to COVID-19. The Kinder Patch Learning Academy was established to provide families with an opportunity to virtually educate their children in the safest environment possible- their home. During these times of uncertainty, as a parent and as an educator, it was imperative for me to consider the livelihood of our children. The relationship between all of my students parents and I, has always extended beyond the classroom. After hearing and sharing our deepest concerns about the risks involved with children returning to the classroom, I felt compelled to make an impact in a positive way. Starting The Kinder Patch Learning Academy, has provided me the opportunity to pursue my passion to educate young learners. Although, during these unorthodox times we are faced with more challenges, it has, also, unlocked the potential to for young learners & educators to embrace creativity in their virtual classroom environment. Read more>>

Natolie Warren | Psychotherapist & Coach

InPowerment Incorporated is a personal development company that focuses on equipping and empowering individuals to be the best version of themselves. When we live in this state, we are happier, healthier, have better relationships and are more able to be a contribution to the world. Read more>>

Christopher Brazelton | Executive Director

I think the arts have an incredible impact on our local communities. For us specifically, we like to look for opportunities to leverage the art that we are producing for specific needs. For instance, when we produced The Wizard of Oz we partnered with several other Foster Care agencies to create a “No Place Like Home” initiative to increase respite care providers in the county. For our Concert Series, the Lantern Series, we want to ensure that we are leveraging what is happening on the stage to create a positive impact through interpersonal connections and continued learning. We believe this leads to inspiration, thus cultural, economic, and social growth. This last year, nearly 1 our of every 5 first time visitors to the Lantern Series returned to a second concert or has purchased a ticket to an upcoming concert. Not a huge statistic until you learn what the Lantern Series is about, it isn’t exclusive to a genre or culture, it celebrates different cultures under one umbrella, so every concert is a new genre and culture. Read more>>

Jacqueline Schadeck | Certified Financial Planner and Generational Wealth Expert

My businesses help 1st generation millionaires meet their full potential. As a Generational Wealth Expert, I help people define their goals while identifying and fulfilling their weak points allowing them to make more money. We then use that money to make more money making them, more often than not, the first millionaire in their family. Read more>>

Cassie Jo Myers | Ceramic Artist

Since its conception, giving back has been at the heart of Open Hand Goods, even influencing our name and logo. As a family, our financial decisions have always been guided by the mantra, “save with an open hand”. We consider all that we have to be a gift, and to steward that money well means to save responsibly but to also give generously. In regards to “helping the world” we believe that every little bit counts! 5% of all our profits are donated to A21 which is an organization who’s mission is to abolish slavery and human trafficking all over the world. So we thank all of our customers for being a part of this fight with us! Luckily, the art of ceramics naturally lends itself to being planet friendly by the core materials being literally “from the earth” but we also try to be as environmentally conscious as possible in all other aspects. One of our most popular products is our Plastic-Free Travel Mug. I wanted to make an alternative to the single-use takeaway cup but take it one step further, even doing away with the lid itself which removes the need for the plastic seal. Read more>>

Amanda Elise | Energy Healer & Plant Medicine Administrator

My business is focused on healing the generational trauma that impacts African Americans through plant medicines, spiritual practices and mindfulness. It is my belief that you do not get what you want, but you get what you feel you deserve. How you feel about yourself on an identity level impacts every action you take, and how you show up in the world. African Americans are ready to heal the generational trauma that has long impacted them. By doing this, we are able to show up more whole in the workplace, in our interpersonal relationships and have a greater impact on the community at large. When we act from a place of love and wholeness, we are able to give our best selves to the world. Read more>>

YoNasDa Lonewolf | National Community Organizer, Activist, Battling Cancer

I am a proud Oglala Lakota (Native American) and Black woman. I am an activist and national community organizer. I have organized for justice from Standing Rock to Baltimore,MD on various issues from environmental injustices to police brutality. For several years I have been on the frontline marching, organizing trainings and fundraising events. Recently I have been diagnosed with lung cancer in May 2020. I knew I couldn’t be on the frontlines because now I am high risk in the midst of a COVID pandemic, so I had to create something that can not only heal me but heal the people. Sept 2020 I started “Revolutionary Healing”, therevolutionaryhealing.com where is a 3rd Sunday organic healing event to help people that do not have access to mediation, therapy, fitness and many other healing tools to help for free. Under my organization Hip Hop 4 Foundation we are helping men, women and children receives tools on how to self improve. Read more>>

KIMMIE PHAM | Fashion Blogger & Instagram Model

My business is solely based around expressing one’s self through fashion. As well as keeping a conscious mind when shopping for styles. By posting sustainable, high fashion content on my Social Media, it has made my audience aware of how affordable it is to dress big without breaking bank. All whilst saving the planet. Read more>>

Rachel Bowers | Videographer & Editor

Video is a powerful tool; the filming process captures reality in a way that nothing else can. This tool can be used in a multitude of ways. Whether you’re telling your story, asking for support of a noble cause, or sharing information about a business or product, you can communicate with your audience in way that’s both effective and moving. Video can also preserve memories of an important event in your life so that you can relive them over and over for years to come (and share them with others!). Read more>>

Chef Ashley Shep | Meal Time Strategist

Where I grew up in the South, everything was either deep-fried, smothered, covered, you name it! For Black and Brown communities, this tends to be the trend no matter where you live. In some ways, it’s due to lack of access to affordable produce, food deserts, or even simply not knowing how to prepare healthier options for their families. Consequently, rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are also sky-high in our people and the country as a whole. That’s why it’s my mission to show that healthy food can still taste good, salt isn’t the only seasoning, and dinner doesn’t have to take all day to make. I show folks how to make quick, healthy recipes in order to create generational lifestyle changes for our children for years to come. Read more>>

Kilita Lewis | Motivational Speaker & Model

Being a motivational speaker has had an huge impact on others. During my time helping with the community, I found myself healing others with my past experiences. A lot of people think that no one else goes through the same life situations as they do and my words speak positivity and life and it has helped a lot of people tremendously. Read more>>

Andrew Blooms | Singer-Songwriter, Artist, Writer

I believe that my music plays a humble role in the conversation surrounding the intersection of faith, spirituality and the fragile human experience. I grew up in a rigorous Christianity, and found later in the life that my religion failed to address the real pains of life. Christianity was simply a set of rules that I was told to follow, but when life became real, it left me with no real answers. I believe that I have had a true encounter with who I believe to be God, and have found my highest fulfillment in my relationship with God and carrying out His chief commandment to this world – to love. I believe that my music opens up a more honest conversations for people of faith. It addresses the dark underside of our human experience that Christian art, in its current state, seems to ignore. To put it simply, I think my music and my writing helps people feel less alone and less crazy. It gives us permission to be human, in all our fractured pieces, and opens up a conversation for God and grace to work within those realities. Read more>>

BLIZM | Owner & Program Director of K-100 Radio

The independent entertainment community that we serve is always in need of solid, reputable outlets that can help highlight and expose their work. This community is up agains major media and entertainment industry juggernauts with huge budgets and connections. We serve a niche community with a niche service that was crafted to fit their budgets but also operate at a high level consistently. The impact of having your first interview or your music is played for the firs time on a broadcast as an artist is priceless. We prepare indie artists for the bigger platforms so that they are better prepared if and when they reach the highest levels of the industry. If you are a new business, you can afford to advertise with us. If you are promoter you can likely afford to have us come and broadcast your event in comparison with mainstream platforms. If you just started a podcast and don’t have millions f followers but want to expand your audience, we can help. Read more>>

Ricky Prestige Leverett Jr. | Author and Metaphysical Motivational Speaker

The goal of Prestige Speaks; is to teach a generation the power of their own mind. I believe more people should be aware of the greatness they are born with. I wrote my book “Mind Alignment: Wake Up Your Stolen Greatness Through Mind Power” thinking about the future. I pictured a young adult grabbing my book years from now and gaining some valuable insights. This has happened to me plenty of times throughout my life. I have read books or listened to speeches that changed my life. I want to do that for others with my words. I love the idea that my words can travel around the world and possibly touch people I may never physically meet. My words and research can have a chance to light a spark in another person. Read more>>

Tina Do | Entrepreneur

In the year and a half that we have been in business and especially since Covid hit, I have realized that there is a large portion of people- like the elderly, who are actually in NEED of services like ours. When you think of beauty services like nails or massage, you might think it’s a bit vain to be mentioned in times like this- however, for the high- risk or physically incapable-it isn’t. There are people who suffer from pain due to car accidents or work injuries that can’t physically go out to get the massage therapy they need. I have visited homes where the clients were so happy to see me because they’ve been suffering with lacerations to their toes due to the inability to trim their own nails thus, affecting their mobility. Seeing the need in our community, especially in the elderly population-we wanted to be able to help even more people. So, when the Peachtree Hills Place retirement community approached us to be a vendor for their members, we were happy to be giving back to those that really needed us. Working there has definitely reassured us that what we do is much appreciated in terms of both physical and mental relief. Read more>>

Annette Mia Flores | Co-Founder Mercury Road Media & High Herstory

Our media company, Mercury Road Media and brand High Herstory have supported social equity reform and justice since our inception in 2017. We contribute to a number of organizations such as “No Prisoner Left Behind”, “National Bailout”, and are monthly contributors to Broccoli Mag’s “Floret Coalition”, an anti-racist collective of small businesses in the cannabis and cannabis-adjacent space supporting and funding equity-oriented actions via monthly donations and social campaigns. We are also very proud of the fact that we’ve been able to partner with New Orleans’ Youth Empowerment Program (Y.E.P.) to hire animators and illustrators for our show, High Herstory, which will premiere April 20th of this year on The Social Club TV. Read more>>

Holland Muscio | President & Creative Director

We bring smiles! Its rare we show up to deliver a bunch of balloons and the room isn’t full of smiles! Within a week of COVID shutting everything down, we decided people still needed to smile! We took balloons from our studio that had been prepared for an event that was cancelled at the last minute and installed them around our neighborhood. We get calls from neighbors and friends just asking us to deliver something for their front yard…. just because. Read more>>

Rachel Gibbs | Financial Strategist and Financial Educator

Gibbs Financial Fitness helps the everyday American with their personal finances. Financial illiteracy is drastically impacting our communities. There isn’t a required curriculum in our schools for it and unfortunately it is not being taught in every home. I realized this when I went to college sharing the financial lessons my grandfather had given me and nobody had a similar experience. Once I realized this was a common trend, I decided to birth Gibbs Financial Fitness in 2016 to help people become financially fit. As result, people have be able to increase credit scores, create feasible budgets, become homeowners, start businesses and so much more. Read more>>

Electra Frederick | Respect The Artists Community, Founder

My artist community, Respect The Artists, is here to exude exactly that – Respect. As respect is also love, the purpose is to raise awareness to the high value that comes with the gifts and talents of being a visual artist. Generally, people have such mixed notions of what being an artist is about and they miss the mark of importance in self-expression. Simply put, when someone stands up and says that they are an artist: they should receive a respectful response. Read more>>

Napiya Nubuya | IT Engineer & Founder, The Next IT Girl

The Next IT Girl is a nonprofit organization focused on educating, mentoring, and advancing young African American, Black, and women of color to pursue technology careers. We create the community of programs and representation each young women needs to excel and succeed in technology careers. Our programs focus on exposing students to multiple career opportunities in technology including; cloud computing, drone technology, cyber security, web design, and much more. Our organization exists to bridge the current race and gender gap in technology. We are implementing a progress pipeline in communities nationwide to educate students on the importance of the use of technology and how its become the leading tool in every industry. Read more>>

Aujia Wood-Russell | Author & Lupus Warrior

“Mommy Has Lupus” is a book that was created to help children understand what it means when a mother is diagnosed with Lupus. In my goal to help children understand Lupus, I also provided better understanding for spouses, friends, and families of Lupus patients. Additionally, people that have no connection with Lupus or have not heard of Lupus, can get a clear understanding of what Lupus is through reading “Mommy Has Lupus”. Read more>>

Jasmine Andrews | CEO & Community Advocate

My Sisters Keeper Np Inc. is a Non-Profit Organization. We are Women/ Community Empowerment Group. We believe Empowered Women, Empower People. Our Mission is To build stronger communities and to connect individuals to important resources. We empower people to enhance and overcome hardships. We advocate for the well being of every member of our community by developing networks of educational and counseling resources. We help in many areas in our community our goal is to be able to Not only Help but to Follow through. Read more>>

Lois Koepke | Executive Director & Theatre Producer/Director

At first glance, Atlanta Theatre-To-Go is a theatre company that brings theatre to seniors where they live and gather. When you look closer, we are a theatre company that gives Atlanta-based theatre artists a place to perform and bring their talents to a very appreciative audience. Theatre is one of the essential arts and, often, seniors find themselves no longer able to enjoy performances at traditional theaters for several reasons. Older theaters may have steps and aisleways that are difficult to maneuver with wheelchairs, walkers and canes. If wheelchair access seats are in the back of the theater, which they typically are, hearing and seeing may be an issue for some seniors and it lessens their ability to understand and enjoy a play or musical. In addition, the length of a play may just be too long for a senior to sit through and finding a restroom during intermission that doesn’t have a long waiting line is next to impossible. Bringing theatre to seniors eliminates all of those obstacles and allows them to enjoy the actors. Read more>>

Frantzky Thomas | Mortgage Loan Originator & Real Estate Investor

In regards to my business, I help individuals and families obtain the American dream of home ownership. Certain people might come to me with a current home and could be interested in debt consolidation to free up cash flow and I assist with that. In addition, I teach them financial literacy to help them avoid making certain mistakes that may have negatively impacted their finance in the past or help them never make those mistakes. I take time to understand every individuals specific needs and cater a plan that is most suitable for them. Read more>>