Entrepreneurially Thinking: Innovation | Experimentation | Creativity | Business

Joining us is Elaine Queathem, the founder of Savvy Coders . Savvy Coders began with a vision of reaching out to people traditionally underrepresented in the technology field. Partnering with several non-profit groups, they endeavored to give back to communities by increasing tech talent and expanding business opportunities. They designed a comprehensive curriculum that would allow students to expand their professional horizons within 7 weeks. In 2009, Elaine was working for a small software technology company and became acutely aware of the shortage of qualified programming resources which were essential for a small company to grow and thrive. Now, several years later, she helps people develop those important and sought after skills. Her firm, Savvy Coders, has a passion for teaching technology skills to underserved communities. Offering coding and programming training in St. Louis, Nashville and Chattanooga, Savvy Coders believes that knowing how to code is more than just a cool hobby. In this episode: El

Joining us today is Rebecca Brian Pan, CEO of Covo Coworking, a coworking model that enhances how you live, as well as how you work. Located in downtown, St. Louis, Covo STL is one of two locations of the family-founded company. Rebecca is a 7x serial entrepreneur, with a bicoastal graphic design firm, children's literacy non-profit, design association, and of course coworking, on her list of successful ventures.

Joining us today is Raullo Eanes, Managing Partner with Capaha Partners. Capaha Partners is a small, boutique investment firm that helps clients tell “THEIR” story in a language which is best suited for financing and capital growth. Capaha offers assistance with loan origination, loan structuring, underwriting and credit presentation for investment consideration. Raullo provides strategic business consulting, coaching and mentoring services to small and middle market companies. In this episode: Background and more about Capaha Partners. How to craft the “story” that needs to be heard by investors. The “hands-on” approach Capaha utilizes. Raullo's strategy for connecting funders to entrepreneurs. Common misunderstanding of smaller or early stage firms have when it comes to capital. More about these successful minority business enterprises that are earning millions to hundreds of millions in revenue. How do they do it? What makes it work? Access: how Capaha Partners is finding and creating pathways where there

Joining us today are Nicci Roach and Lorie Jackson, founders of Mosaic Ceiling. Mosaic Ceiling is a Midwest based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization building a global community to drive social change for women of color and culture, inclusive to all women. Their mission is to “Empower Women One Ceiling at a Time” with personal and professional development programming and research efforts in six key areas: Education Attainment Entrepreneurship Health & Wellness Leadership Development Political Participation Wage Gap & Economic Security In this episode: Lori's corporate background and the challenges she faced with equity. Where she found answers and support? What she learned along the way? What does executive leadership need to understand? Mosaic Ceiling's key areas of focus for women. Nicci's corporate experience and the things she observed with diversity. What changed Nicci's direction to pursue the change rather than to press forward? What are the tools they use to empower women? The importance

Joining us today is Jermey Nulik. He is the Evangelist Prime and Futurist at Bigwidesky. Jeremy applies his strategic and irreverent mind to design FUTURES for associations, brands and the constituents they serve. Bigwidesky was established to help companies navigate a radically unpredictable future. Their favorite challenges usually have to do with communications, work culture, technology and strategic vision. In this episode: - What led Jeremy to Bigwidesky? - What does it mean to be an Evangelist Prime? - What does it mean to think like a futurist? - How do you make a brand more human and how does thinking that way make a difference? - What is the difference between creating vision and exploring what you could know? - Comparison and contrast of a brand that is more effectively human than one that is not. - How is every entrepreneur is a futurist? - More about the Be Human Project. Learn more: Website Company Facebook Company Twitter Company LinkedIn Page Personal Facebook

Joining us today is Steve Knight, Director of COCAbiz. He designs and facilitates experiential workshops to foster collaborative creativity, design-thinking and business storytelling using the power of the arts. Also with us is Rob Morgan, a production designer, teacher at Washington University and serves as a Teaching Artist for COCAbiz. COCAbiz is the business training division of St. Louis' renowned Center of Creative Arts (COCA), the fourth largest multi-disciplinary community arts institution in the nation. The mission COCAbiz is to build a more creative, engaged and effective work-force by delivering innovative workshops and events that employ authentic arts teaching to deliver business results. In this episode: - Where the idea to integrate art into the workplace as a tool for training originated - Steve's artistic background - An exercise for business professionals that helps to shift their mindset and approach - Tapping into your creative energy - What are the main challenges for business leaders?

Joining us today is Danielle Elise, Founder and Curator of All Black Creatives. She formed this international network to unite and celebrate creatives of color in their various disciplines and passions.  Hers is a vision to speak truth, illuminate the images of color and spark challenging conversations with art. She is passionate about relationships, creativity and community. She is drawn to entrepreneurship as a way to express her creativity, and build with people she loves and admires. All Black Creatives empowers and draws together creatives of color from all around the world. They create physical manifestations of the digital communities they've built, as a way to celebrate and strengthen all creatives of color. In this episode: - What inspired Danielle to begin All Black Creatives. - What is the narrative of the collective. - How All Black Creatives has evolved from its origins to today. - The vision for All Black Creatives going forward. - How All Black Creatives addresses racial dysfunction in o

Joining us today is Sebastian Mueller-Soppart, EVP and Executive Creative Director with Manifest. Manifest makes brands unmistakable to the core of their audiences. They specialize in content creation that garners interest and fuels loyalty, on platforms that deliver distinct experiences with precisely-measured value. Sebastian is motivated by the power of good ideas. He's held creative leadership positions in Europe, Latin and North America, where he’s built highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary environments. Pushing creative teams beyond mediocrity is his most significant expertise. In this episode: - How did Sebastian create Manifest? The story behind the name. - Sebastian has a voracious entrepreneurial drive. What fuels that hunger? What satisfies it? - How does he approach brand building? What makes a brand unmistakable? Inspiring? - What makes an idea great and worth exploring or investing in? How is success measured? - What is the value of highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary environments? Ho

Joining us today is Desiree Coleman, Founder & CEO at Good Multiplier. Good Multiplier is mobilizing the next generation of leaders, change makers and innovators who will multiply community good and create neighborhood level change. Through an intensive, customized, 10-month training program, Good Multiplier accelerates the effectiveness of organizations that solve issues in communities of color. Fellows are challenged to stretch their own leadership and extend themselves in a peer-learning community. They are pushed to actively develop themselves and their organizations through practical application of the experience. In this episode: - Where the idea of Good Multiplier originated. - Desiree's overall vision. - The characteristics of the leaders Good Multiplier to invests in. - More about the intensive training and coaching. - What are the missed areas of many non-profit organizations? - What are the challenges for the leaders she plans to stretch? How can they overcome them? - Desiree is a St. Louis n

Joining us today is Gibron Jones, founder of HOSCO Foods. The acronym stands for Holistic Organic Sustainable Co-Operative. HOSCO features hydroponics (growing plants in water), aeroponics (growing plants in the air) and aquaponics (hydroponic plants supplied with nutrients from fish waste) systems. He aims to provide co-operative members with complete farming skill sets that will enable them to work in a variety of food-related fields, with the eventual goal of owning their own co-operative business. In this episode: - Gibron has been named an “AgriTech genius”. He shares how he acquired these talents and knowledge. - Gibron's experience and skill in block chain technology, agronomy, and biotechnology. - The plans to develop a sustainable infrastructure for the North St. Louis community. - Where did his passion for this work start? - Gibron shares about the influence and inspiration of Will Allen. - What does Gibron hope to inspire? - Will hip-hop be incorporated in his strategy? - He is passionat

Joining us today are Jamey Edgerton and Ched Wagner from Nvestd. Jamey is the CEO and Ched is the manager. Nvsted is unique, as it is the ONLY Regulation Crowdfunding marketplace SPECIFIC to the St. Louis region and the FIRST in the nation organized by an economic development agency. Nvestd seeks to connect the region's thriving community of startups to a wider range of capital. The online portal creates investment opportunities for everyday investors. It allows people to invest in companies for as little as $100. With Jamey and Ched is Jeff Stevens. He is the founder of WellBeing Brewing Company, the country's very first brewery solely dedicated to brewing Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer.

Joining us today is Antionette D. Carroll, Founder and CEO of Creative Reaction Lab. Creative Reaction Lab is a nonprofit social enterprise designing healthy and racially equitable communities for Black and Latinx populations through education and training programs, community engagement consulting, an online national platform, and open-source resources. Creative Reaction Lab is creating a community-centered, collaborative movement led by youth to challenge racial inequities in education, media, health and healthcare, government and public service. One of Essence’s 100 Woke Women and was recently named an Echoing Green Fellows. Throughout her career, Antionette has worked for non-profits working for social justice, human rights, and diversity and inclusion. Learn more: Website Company Facebook Company Twitter Company LinkedIn Page Personal Facebook Personal Twitter Personal LinkedIn

Joining us is Steph Nissen, Executive Partner and Director of Digital at Atomic Revenue. She manages the company’s digital marketing programs including social media, web development, search engine optimization, content marketing, and graphic design. Atomic Revenue grows small to mid-size businesses through Revenue Operations. From lead generation to sales conversion and customer loyalty, Atomic Revenue aligns all the parts of business to make it easier to achieve desired results. Steph has worked in corporate America as well as in the start-up culture. She has worked on campaigns for big brands including Toyota and TJMaxx as well as small business and solopreneurs in every industry. In this episode: - How Steph became a part of the digital marketing world. - What it means to be digital in marketing. - The difference of the digital marketing mindset and approach compared to previous marketing generations. - How to understand SEO. - What are the blind spots of many business owners? - What makes for eff

Joining us today is Reine Bayoc, Creator and Owner of the thriving SweetArt Bake Shop in St. Louis. SweetArt Bakeshop is a from-scratch bakery specializing in traditional, vegan, and gluten-free American baked goods. The cafe also serves a plant-based breakfast and lunch menu that has a loyal following of meat eaters. Along with operating the bakeshop, Reine is the founder and creator of the Love and Magic Kitchen, a blog where she shares recipes, stories, and inspires all the culinary-timid to trust their intuitive internal cooks. In our conversation with Reine: Where did her passion for cooking originate? What have her travels contributed to Reine's “food-venture”? Her philosophy as well as strategy? What is "Intuitive cooking"? Who were Reine's entrepreneurial influencers. How she finds balance. Reine emphasizes self-care. She shares her methods and recommendations. Reine's encouragement to women who have a passion for something that may be intimidating to pursue. Some of the entrepreneurial less

Joining us today are Tiffany and Ronnie Notch, founders of Notes For Life Arts & Technology. Notes For Life Arts & Technology exists to provide no-cost, innovative lessons in arts education to every student, everywhere. Their mission is to empower each participant in a hands-on learning culture, which encourages peer-to-peer collaboration, creative storytelling, entrepreneurship, and provides access to cutting-edge technological advancements. They started out in 2014 with 6 students and wanted to provide an entertaining yet educational platform that kept each student first. Since then, they have grown to a national student impact of over 400,000 and their mission hasn't changed.

Joining us today is Mindy Mazur, Executive Director of Brazen St. Louis. Brazen St. Louis encourages women at all stages of business and industries to join a like-minded community and feel supported on their entrepreneurial journey. The organization is designed for entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, founders, presidents, and CEOs who are not part of a parent company. Through the years, Mindy has worked to empower women and girls by advancing issues such as pay equity, civil rights, and voting rights, and appointing more women to public boards and commissions. She’s dedicated to electing more women to public office, mentoring and sponsoring women inside and outside the workplace, and volunteering time in women’s leadership groups. In this episode: Where did Mindy's passion for women entrepreneurs begin. How did her career path lead to Brazen St. Louis as Executive Director. How Mindy leveraged her background in her current role. What did she do for support? Where are the disparities? How do things

Joining us today is Jean Scholtes, Founder and CEO of KIND soap company. KIND soap company creates truly natural bath, body, and beauty products with a mission to always be KIND to your skin, KIND to the earth, and KIND to others. Recently, KIND soap company was selected by Capital Innovators to be one of six companies in their Business Accelerator program. KIND was selected from nearly 500 applicants from 56 countries. In this episode: How did she go from BASEMENT to becoming a solid BRAND? What Jean has discovered in her evolution from corporate career to entrepreneurship. What Jean's marketing and design background contributes to your current role and business. Jean's approach to branding. Jean has extensive experience with market research and new product development. How does approach those areas with her own company. How her life changed personally since she's become a full-time entrepreneur. As well as the surprises. Jean's experience with Capital Innovators. How she became a candidate. Jean's

Joining us today is Phyllis Librach, president and founder of Sydney’s Closet. Sydney's Closet designs and manufactures plus-size special occasion dresses for women ages 16 to 60 who wear sizes 14 to 40. The Wedding, Evening and Prom Collections created by Sydney's Closet are sold online, in bridal salons and dress shops across the USA and around the world. International sales include Canada, UK, Germany, Poland, Australia, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The company's fashion-forward designs have been featured in O, the Oprah Magazine, Teen Prom, and Seventeen. Designs have been featured on television on Dr. Phil and The Today Show as well as seen in newspapers, magazines and blogs. Full-Figured Fashion Week (FFFWeek) named Sydney's Closet the retailer of the year in 2015. In this episode: Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Phyllis was a successful journalist. What prompted her to trade-in deadlines for hemlines. What it took for Phyllis to make such a seemingly substantial transition. How l

Joining us today is Kathryn Finney, founder and managing director of DigitalUndivided (DID). Founded in 2013, DID is a social enterprise that takes an innovative, transformative approach to economic empowerment by encouraging Black and Latina women to own their economic security through entrepreneurship. DID accomplishes this goal by boldly empowering Black and Latina women to think BIG through the BIG Innovation Center, a 4,000 square foot space located in downtown Atlanta and the BIG Incubator program for high growth companies led by Black and Latina women. DID has impacted over 2000 people and helped companies raise over $25 Million in Investment. In this episode: What is Digital Undivided? How her dad, a senior system engineer at Microsoft introduced Kathryn to tech. Why Kathryn describes herself with the words Founder, Traveler and Innovator. When Kathryn became interested in social entrepreneurship. What was the genesis of The Budget Fashionista blog. How did Kathryn transition from hobby to busi

Joining us today are Darren Jackson and Jon Alexander, founders of Creo Agency. Darren is the visionary Executive Producer. Jon is the Chief Creative. Creo Agency wants to work with minority and underrepresented creatives to tell stories through their lens and create experiences that speak their language. They are a collection of creative directors, journalists, filmmakers, photo journalists, designers, social engineers, influencers, and makers. In this episode: How to build social influence. Where philanthropy become part of Creo's story. How they create and bring their voices and perspectives to life. Creo's approach to solve unemployment and other social and economic challenges. What touring across the country as an Independent HipHop/Soul Artist contributed to Darren's narrative. What does Darren most want underground urban creatives to know and have. Why does Creo focus on underground in particular? What has been their greatest surprise/discovery of entrepreneurship. How Jon came into film pr