Entrepreneurially Thinking: Innovation | Experimentation | Creativity | Business

Joining us today is Dr. Nadia Shakoor, Founder and CEO of Agrela Ecosystems, an agtech start-up focused on delivering research quality data collection products and services in an effort to accelerate breeding cycle time within agricultural communities. Nadia is a crop phenotyping expert and co-inventor of the PheNode and is speaking with us today to help us better understand the world of agriculture. In this episode: Nadia talks about what sparked her interest in the field of biology and agriculture. Nadia says that entrepreneurial thinking to her means, “actively working on solutions to difficult problems that I am to help leave the world a better place, then we found it and the world of ag-tech helps her to achieve that goal.” Nadia talks about St. Louis' very own Danforth Plant Sciences Center and what attracted her to this state of the art research institute. Nadia says that she self identifies as an Inventor, an Entrepreneur, a CEO and Founder, but says that her passion is trying to develop crops that ar

Joining us today is Valerie Liddell, Founder and CEO of Grind + Growth, a non-profit co-working space that empowers, educates, and inspires people in underserved communities throughout the St. Louis and Illinois region. Through trial and error, Valerie gained a wealth of knowledge and skills, which inspired her to help other aspiring entrepreneurs like herself. In this episode: Valerie explains that she got her entrepreneurial drive, professional commitment and worth ethic from her Grandfather and her Father. While growing up and being provided with the things she needed and not provided with the 'wants' of a child, she found the drive to allow her as a grown up and entrepreneur to be able to purchase the things she not only needed but that she wanted as well. Valerie says that entrepreneurial thinking to her means being able to take a risk and not getting discouraged when obstacles pop up. Valerie talks about being a serial entrepreneur and the inner joy it brings her on a daily basis. Valerie tells us how G

Joining us today is Elise Miller Hoffman, General partner at Cultivation Capital, a Venture Capital Firm that manages a family of funds focused on early-stage investing. Elise is active in St. Louis' entrepreneurial ecosystem and invests in promising digital health and life sciences start-ups. In addition, Elise was named as a St. Louis Business Journal "30 under 30" awardee in 2018. In this episode: Elise talks about growing up in Texas and what brought her to St. Louis. Elise says that entrepreneurial thinking to her means envisioning what a better world could look like and using your unique talents and relentless drive to make your vision happen.   Elise shares with us her adventures and what led her to the Venture Capital field and she says that she was very drawn in by St. Louis' entrepreneurial ecosystem. Elise says that she was able to find the right fit for her amongst many different business options by playing an internship role on all playing fields. Elise describes her experiences with the differen

Joining us today is Ron Story, Jr., Serial entrepreneur and Founder of PitchDB, a search engine for speaking engagements that saves hours of digging for leads and contacts in just a few clicks. Over the past 20 years, Ron has been instrumental in the creation, development and leadership of over 30 companies with a potential market value of over 200 million.   In this episode:   Ron explains that while he was born and raised in East St.Louis he took some advice and decided to go where he would be treated best, so with that he took the advice and some research and moved to Medelllin, Columbia. Ron says he is a starter and a fixer at heart and says that entrepreneurial thinking to him means finding a problem and fixing that problem.   Ron talks about being an international entrepreneur and why he chose to make Medellin his permanent business home.   Ron shares a warm and fuzzy story about employee development and talks about hiring employees that you can trust. Ron explains his take on business development and s

Joining us today is Bob Miller, CEO and Founder of Melio, a company that offers products that harness the power of the sun, all while upcycling plastic bottles for a more sustainable future. Bob followed his passion of design and environment by creating a solar charging back-pack and says he envisions Melio as a lifestyle brand.    In this episode:   Bob says growing up in a small business environment may have played a role in his desire to become an entrepreneur. Bob also says that entrepreneurial thinking to him means opening your eyes to new opportunities to be able to grow and develop into that individual that you want to be or the organization that you want to have.   Bob explains that as a small business owner of a lifestyle brand, he hopes to persuade consumers to think about and to make a conscious effort to learn about the companies that they are buying from.    Bob tells us how he discovered, marketed and developed Melio and also talks about where the business name Melio derived from.    Bob talks a

Joining us today is Whitney McClendon-Gregory, CEO and Founder of Eemerg.com, a local company that is reinventing how drivers request roadside services. Whitney is ambitious and dedicated to providing an open marketplace platform and has pledged to build a service where her customers can choose a suitable price option for their needs. In this episode: Whitney explains that roadside assistance and businesses of the like, have always been in her blood by way of family entrepreneurs. Whitney says that entrepreneurial thinking to her means having the ability to see differently than the rest of the world and having the inherent trait to make it easier to develop items and innovation. Whitney talks about how the Eemerg app was developed and how it works. Whitney talks about the importance to her of providing a fair marketplace to consumers and says that before Eemerg there really wasn't a fair marketplace. Whitney talks about building a phenomenal customer acquisition strategy. Whitney says she used connections fro

Joining us today is Keith Turner, Serial Entrepreneur and Founder of Happy Doggy Treats. With almost 20 years of entrepreneurial experience and community service, Keith has found his niche in life not only as a businessman but also a community do-gooder. In this episode: Keith gives us some insight into his lifelong passion of being an entrepreneur; from crafting and selling to selling items out of his college dorm room to being a business owner in the present. Keith says that entrepreneurial thinking to him means every time you see an opportunity you realize it, identify the product and target audience, solve the problem and if you can do all of that and make a profit, then you are an entrepreneur. Keith explains how the Happy Doggy Treats concept came to be. He says that after many months of research, he realized that there was not a 'healthy' dog treat, so he set out on a mission to create a product and start a company. Keith talks about how his tech business led to a bunch of research that eventually led

Joining us today is Debra Corrie, CEO of Acumaxum, LLC, a financial consulting company that helps privately held businesses generate more cash, increase company profits, and scale their businesses. Debra surrounds herself with many other entrepreneurs and is dedicated to helping business owners reap the financial benefits within their company while building personal wealth for themselves. In this episode: Debi talks about the ups and downs of figuring out her life's purpose and passions and says that she ultimately sacrificed herself so that the business she first poured her heart into could survive. Debi explains that she loves working with strategy and says there are always numbers behind the strategy. Debi tells us how Acumaxum came to be and how she developed her team. Debi says that a lot of people are involved in a company and that people are what make or break your company. As an entrepreneur, Debi likes to develop people and says she finds it exciting to watch them learn and grow. Debi talks about the

Joining us today is Tashara Earl, President and Co-Founder of Techrein, a company that specializes in innovative safety solutions with wearable technology. Tashara is a talented marketing idea generator and business professional implementing ideas to maximize brand exposure and increase sales.  In this episode: Tashara talks about growing up as a St. Louis native and tells us about her many passions, from dance to cosmetology to DJing and her newfound tech passion. Tashara talks about pivoting and says that entrepreneurial thinking to her means breaking through barriers by creating innovative solutions.  Tashara explains how Techrein came to be. Tashara says that Techrein is a lifestyle brand designed to keep people safe and to look good while doing it. Tashara tells us how her team worked on building a brand and developed a product geared for a certain target audience. Tashara says that Techrein products are not only safe for outdoor enthusiasts but also for police departments and the Department of Defense. 

Joining us today is Frank Williamson, CEO of STL Black Restaurant Week. Frank is a St. Louis native and loves being involved in the community by serving as Engagement Chair for Urban League-St. Louis and by spearheading STL Black Restaurant Week in an effort to promote restaurants that are owned and operated by African-Americans. In this episode: Frank starts the conversation by explaining that he grew up and went to school in St.Louis, and for college, he went to Lincoln University in Jefferson, MO. Frank says that entrepreneurial thinking to him means “stepping outside of your comfort zone and exceeding.  Frank explains how being part of the Urban League Young Professionals of Metropolitan ​St. Louis (ULYP-STL) helped him connect with others in Memphis, TN., that started the first STL Black Restaurant Week. Frank talks about how STL Black Restaurant Week works and what people can do at the event, and the restaurants involved for the week. He also shares how he promotes the event. Frank shares that UMSL Neig

Joining us today is Nalini Mahadevan, Founder of MLO Law, LLC. As a distinguished attorney, Nalini is helping St. Louis Corporations attract and retain top international talent for the region's growing industries. In this episode: Nalini starts the conversation by explaining that she grew up on three different continents - born in England, grew up in India, and came to the United States, specifically St. Louis, to attend Washington University. Nalini says that entrepreneurial thinking, to her means figuring things out and offering solutions not only for yourself but for the people you serve. Nalini explains how she sowed the seeds to birthing her very own law firm, MLO Law. From starting her business out of her home to a much larger location in Clayton, Nalini says she worked hard to service the clients that walked through the door. Starting with Estate Planning Law, Nalini explains that she quickly found her calling in Immigration Law. Nalini talks about how through her practices in Immigration Law, she is a

Joining us today is Murielle Gaither, CEO of Venku, the easy way to list and look for unique outdoor experiences across America. Mirielle is a 'do-er' with the ability to transform a vision into a reality through years of experience with strategic planning, goal setting, and rallying her team and stakeholders around a unified calling.  In this episode: Murielle says she grew up in a facility full of entrepreneurs and attributes growing up in that world, with helping her with her business experience and the entrepreneur vision. Murielle says that entrepreneurial thinking to her means looking at the world through a new lens, encountering problems, and being able to see them as opportunities.  Murielle explains how the concept of Venku came to be. An idea birthed from her Father's mind, placed on hold then handed over to Murielle she says she willingly took over the project and ran with it.  Murielle goes into detail just how Venku works. She says Venku provides the tech and the host provides the experience. Mur

Joining us today is Michael Fritzius, Chief Technology Officer of Arch DevOps, a software testing and automation provider who amid Covid-19, got edgy and added a few more things to the list of services the company provides. Michael, aka "Fritz" comes from a long line of "nerds" and says that he loves that he gets the chance daily to use technology while blending it with communication, relationship building, consulting, and marketing.  In this episode: Michael explains how he entered the life of entrepreneurship. He tells us that after being let go from a contracting job he finally jumped off the cliff and submitted the application for an LLC. Michael says that entrepreneurially thinking to him means looking at the world and instead of asking why, ask why not? He says entrepreneurs are made up of the 'stuff' to change the world. Michael explains what DevOps is and how the process of creating software works to design and everything in between. Michael says that he and his business partner are able to accommodat

Joining us today are Jane Molina and Joy Williams, Co-Founders of Covenant Partners, LLC, and Ninni Co., an online baby product company. Jane and Joy are not strangers to entrepreneurship after running a successful HVAC business. Six years ago, the sisters started an extraordinary mission to create the first truly, 'breast-like' pacifier. In this episode: Jane and Joy talk about their extensive and exciting education careers and early work experiences. After many adventures, both ladies ended up back in St. Louis, working in their Father's HVAC business. Jane says that entrepreneurial thinking to her means to have a passion for something and to go at it with all that you've got until you show up on the other side.   Jane and Joy explain their journey and the realization that brought them to their newest business venture, NinniCo.com. Jane says that by child number 5 between the two of them, a fear of her baby successfully weaning off of her natural breast causing confusion and the lack of a breast-like pacifi

Joining us today is Bradley Loyet, Owner of BP Fabrication LLC, a fabrication and manufacturing business located in St. Louis, Missouri whose focus is on the MotorSports industry. Brad, a race car driver at heart, found himself on the wrong side of a freak accident in 2018, however, his determination is allowing him to finish his racing career on his own terms AND as an entrepreneur. In this episode: Brad talks about how his Father has mentored him through all facets of life whether it's his work ethics, race car driving, or entrepreneurship, Brad says in one way or another, his Father played a large role. Brad says that entrepreneurial thinking to him means that luck comes from hard work, so keep working hard! Brad explains how a freak accident while changing a race car tire pushed him to retire from racing and eventually led him to the entrepreneurship side of motorsports with the establishing of BP Fabrication, LLC. Brad discusses business factors such as employee retention and training, machinery upkeep,

Joining us today is Lusnail Haberberger, President of LUZCO Technologies, a top-notch electrical engineering consulting firm. Lusnail drew her skills as an Electrical Engineer and seasoned Project Manager for large scale infrastructure projects to deliver best-in-class services and continues to make a name for herself in this modern industry.  In this episode: Lus tells us about coming to the states from Venezuela through an exchange program at 16 years of age. Lus says she realized early on the importance of becoming bi-lingual and says she took her schooling very seriously. Lus says her entrepreneurial spirit was conceived while working on her MBA and feels that entrepreneurial thinking to her means having the courage to not let your fears depict who you are.  Lus explains that upon moving to St. Louis she was contracted by Ameren to provide her consulting expertise. Lus says Ameren gave her the tools she needed such as training programs and incubators to help her launch her business which is by the way the

Joining us today is Michelle Robinson, Owner of DEMIblue natural Nails and Creator of DEMIblue 10-Free Vegan-Friendly Nail Polish line. Michelle has serviced the healthcare and education industries for over 18 years and was inspired to incorporate her research, experience, and love for servicing others by providing healthier manicures and pedicures, through her personal nail polish brand. In this episode: Michelle tells us about being a first-time family college graduate and entrepreneur. Michell explains that education was and still is very important to her and says that she started out wanting to make sure that future students had a proper academic future. As an employee of Vatterott College, Michelle says she was thrust into entrepreneurship when the school closed its doors for good. Michelle started working on her plan in 2017 when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Michelle says that it wasn't until her Mother's diagnosis, that she realized that cancer-causing toxins are very prevalent in most beauty

Joining us today are a power couple, Chavelle and Phillip Sangokoya, of BRAND of St. Louis. Chavelle and Phillip created BRAND of St. Louis to serve as a social enterprise whose mission is to co-create, pilot, and fund innovation that promotes collaboration and equitable wealth building. In this episode: Phillip and Chavelle talk to us about how they moved into the world of entrepreneurship. Chavelle explains that she never really pictured herself as an entrepreneur but happened to fall into the path while helping Phillip with daily operations and problem-solving within his established business.  Phillip says that entrepreneurial thinking to him means exploring the intersection between what the world needs and what you are good at, passionate about, and what there is a market for. Chavelle says that to her, entrepreneurial thinking means embracing failure and being willing to learn along the way.  Phillip explains how BRAND of St. Louis (Business Resource Association for Networking and Development) operates a

Joining us today is Olamide Adeboye, Founder and CEO of Wakava Food and Beverage, an organic health-conscious company that provides a better tasting, healthier food, and herbal drink options using herbs from Africa. Ola is a Nigerian immigrant who utilized St. Louis' Business Community resources to bring his vision to life.  In this episode: Ola shares with us his early start in entrepreneurship with a Blockbuster type business in Nigeria and an export business in India. Ola says he feels he maybe was inspired to be an entrepreneur by his Mother who was an entrepreneur in the foodservice industry.  Ola discusses what brought him to St. Louis (HINT - a girl) and says that entrepreneurially thinking to him means taking the St. Louis entrepreneur to a different level.  Ola explains what Wakava is and tells us about the steps he took to create his business and business plan. Ola says that he owes a lot of his business success to St. Louis' own Square One Program. Ola says his mission and purpose in starting Wakav

Joining us today is Minerva Lopez, a small business owner, and non-profit Founder. Minerva returned to St. Louis in early 2020, since then she has been deeply involved in identifying, understanding, and successfully applying for small business COVID relief loans and grants. In this episode: Minerva discusses growing up in California and says that she can remember there always being a need for help in business development throughout the Latina community and minority populations, amongst other needs.  Minerva says her passion for community-based programs that focus on making underserved communities a better, more resourceful place to live. Minera says that entrepreneurially thinking to her means being an informative tool for people of all walks of life to become aware of information and to create and lead your business.  Minerva talks about her experiences while owning a soccer apparel store on Cherokee Street.  A big fan of soccer, Minerva knew in her heart, even before the prospect of a professional soccer te