Our community is comprised of some absolutely brilliant entrepreneurs and so we asked a few of them to tell us the story of how they came up with the ideas for their business.
Stephanie Maston | Inevitable Cook & Food Blogger
Hi there! I’m Steph, the hands behind “Steph & Spice”, where I share easy & fast family-friendly meals, tips & recipes. I’m the mother of one amazing daughter who, despite all life has thrown at her, has such a bright future ahead. Plus, she loves to dictate meals I make (super busy momma!) Too be honest, food has always been a huge part of my life. The ability to serve and host large gatherings of people has been an essential skill in my household. Growing up on the MS Gulf Coast, I watched my mother in the kitchen. Read more>>
Domonick Jones | Entrepreneur/Brand Manager
While most people are aware on how hard it is to be successful in this world, you have to work and sacrifice a lot. The idea for One of Ones Atlanta was a play on words for what we wanted to do with the merch, the brand, and the culture that we speak to and represent. The clothing originally was supposed to all be one of one pieces which quickly changed even though we do offer them still with our limited pieces but our popular designs are sold more than once. The brand itself represents standing out and striving for more which we also aspire to be as we do not have many brands like us that embodies more than just a clothing line we strive to be a statement for young adults that associate with the brand. The just graduated, young professional, entrepreneur, and artistic culture is the leading piece behind this movement because there are so many young, hungry, talented individuals in this world and we would like to contribute to adding innovation and inspiration to them all not just in Atlanta. Read more>>
Hala Yassine | Owner, Seven Sisters Scones and Kitchen
My family needed an on-the-go breakfast. So, I baked my first scone from a box. Then, I thought, I could do better. Before I knew it, I had requests for all kinds of flavors (especially from my six sisters!). When I had to keep restocking my freezer with more and more scones, I knew I was on to something. I got a cottage license and did my first farmers market. I spent more money than I made but I sold something! That one market grew to six markets which grew to a store. Six years later, here we are – a nationwide shipping food company and small cafe. Read more>>
Maddie Johnson | Founder, Freebird Movement
I watched a documentary one night with my partner about a man who had served over 20 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. After it was over, we started talking about how there had to be a more efficient way to go through cases and find people who had been wrongfully convicted. After I started researching wrongful convictions, I had to face the harsh reality, that it is happening much more often than people realize and that once someone is convicted of a crime they didn’t commit, it is incredibly difficult (almost impossible) to overturn an inaccurate conviction, even with ample evidence. So, I created an algorithm and application process to help find people who are incarcerated for crimes they didn’t commit and to help prevent further wrongful convictions. Read more>>
Amami Antia-Obong | Medical Illustration and Animator & Painter and Jewelry Maker
My idea for my business honestly began with a small 4 x 4 x 4 box in the small group that I led at my church. Each year I wanted to give my members something that would help them to focus on God more. That year I gave them a “worry box.” They were to write down any worries that came along during the course of the year, write them down on a piece of paper, pray over it and place it in the box releasing it to God. At certain intervals I would ask them to bring me all of the pieces of paper so that we could burn them, fully giving them over to God and not picking it back up. As a reminder of them leaving it to God I gave each person a tiny jar filled with mustard seeds to wear on their neck or hang somewhere that they could see it everyday. The mustard seed necklace would serve as a reminder each time the worry still came to mind that God will handle the issue that I have placed in his hands. Read more>>
Francisco Gonzalez | Founder & CEO, Fearless Journeys
In my previous roles as a fundraiser for nonprofit organizations that engaged din public policy, I constantly interfaced with donors and prospective donors, many of which were entrepreneurs. As I got to know them personally, their entrepreneurial stories fascinated me and I kept thinking: “I wish more people could hear these stories.” Then, one day, as I had that thought, I turned on a podcast. That gave me the idea to start a podcast. Now that I am nearing 100 episodes of the Agents of Innovation podcast, I decided to bring more people into the conversations and position my previous (and future) podcast guests as role models for aspiring and ascending entrepreneurs to learn from. Read more>>
URBN | Entrepreneur owner of BLVCOUT and creative director.
Coming from the Midwest where there isn’t a lot there, I was always the person that had these crazy ideas or always talking about what I wanted to do when I got older. Growing up I was always active from playing basketball, running track and cross country to being in a hip-hop dance group called Krucial where we were the opening act for many different artist and performed at many events, I was always involved and learned and grown from every experience I had. The day after my 18th birthday I packed all my things and move to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue dancing from taking classes at Dance 411 Studios, I met so many different and creative people and it was nice to finally meet others who I felt I could get along with, learn from and feel comfortable with. Read more>>
Thomasina Young | Stylist & Natural health consultant
Well it started at home with my sons and God daughter they all had eczema we had tried everything and nothing worked so I decided to sit down and come up with a product that was not only organic and all natural but that would work I’ve always been fond of science and research so through trial and error I came up with the perfect product Read more>>
Kashmere Destouet | Health & Fitness Enthusiast
I’ve never felt good enough for anything in my life. All my life I have had the same goal, to be smaller. I have always based my self value on my weight. It wouldn’t matter if I was a presidential scholar, a Nobel peace price winner, a billionaire, etc. It still wouldn’t be of much value, in my eyes. Superficial to some but a very real issue for me. I hated what I was because I knew what I could be. I wanted nothing more than to free myself from the insecurities that I created and nurtured over the years. So I worked at it, I faced my truths and found a means to my end. I took control of my happiness, planned thoroughly, eliminated my insecurities, pushed harder and worked towards my goals. Read more>>
Jeff Rice | Photographer
Well it all started when the pandemic hit. I’m in the Georgia Air National Guard and was activated as part of the Covid19 response team. During that time we were living in hotels at our designated locations. During my off time I was doing really one of the few things that was able to minimize social interaction which was hiking. Now during hikes you often see things you want to take a picture of, and phone cameras just aren’t really designed for it. So I looked into getting a decent digital camera. That’s when my passion for photography reignited from when I was younger. Like many things veterans used to love, when they come back from overseas things change. I was in the Marines from 00-04 and during that time I spent 14 months in the Persian Gulf.. Read more>>
Ebony King | Real Estate Agent & Associate Broker
Realtor Ebony King™’s manifested from the desire to see others live out their dream of obtaining a home. In 2006, I began my career in the real estate industry regulating agents and brokers. While working in this position, I realized how much money rental properties were making from their tenants and decided to no longer rent. I became a homeowner at 26-years-old and turned my story into my passion for helping others like me break through the generational curse of not creating a legacy for their family through homeownership. I’m on a mission to dispel credit myths and build generational wealth. Read more>>
Diana Ampomah | Founder – WOW! Afro Community
The idea of creating WOW! Afro Community came from a new year resolution to make an impact in my community. I thought of hosting events that foster Black unity and support businesses in the community to promote social and economic development. I envisioned the idea of creating unity in the Black community by bridging the gap between Africans in the diaspora and our African American Brothers and Sisters by way of celebrating each other’s culture and experiences through Music, Arts, Dancing & Drumming,Food and fashion. Hence, the birth of WOW! Afro Community in 2019. Read more>>