Jameelah Ricks believes in the power of the written word, and she is launching Harlem Healers to bring that power to her community.
She is a member of the first Urban Elevation Accelerator cohort, powered by Launch Dayton partner the Greater West Dayton Incubator. We caught up with her recently to learn more about her work and her journey.
The biggest barrier faced is getting investors to understand why this work is important and the value of the creative written word.
I need help to create a YouTube platform for Harlem Healers.
Can you help Jameelah? Connect with her @jameelahricks on IG or email [email protected].
Daniel Huiet is on the precipice of launching his 10th business, an entertainment center that will bring together darts, duck pin bowling, mini golf and karaoke.
On Par Entertainment will be located across from The Greene in Beavercreek. The 33,000 square foot space will also house comfy nooks with couches and TVs for the introverts, three different bars featuring 100+ self-pour taps, 8-foot fireplace tables on an extended season patio, photo walls, giant Jenga, giant Connect Four, ping pong, and a 16-person fooseball table. Expect Edison bulbs, wood paneling, and an old English aesthetic when doors open Aug. 1.
Simultaneously, Daniel is expanding business #7, Wild Axe Throwing. He’s taking over the space next door to launch Level Up, a pinball arcade with a kitchen and seating for 50 set to open mid-June.
“My inspiration comes from traveling a lot,” Daniel said. “I see businesses that are successful on their own, then I bring them home and combine them.”
Daniel launched Wild Axe Throwing in 2019. In January 2020, he paid the year’s rent in full, so when Covid hit in March, he didn’t feel the immediate crunch as hard as some of his peers.
But as the venue shifted to private lanes, revenue took a hit. It will never return to pre-pandemic levels, he added.
But the changes Covid brought weren’t all bad, he said.
On Par’s 102 taps will be self-pour, controlled by RFID tags linked to a guest’s card. Simply scan and pour a taste or a full pint, no need to wait for a bartender. (Coke will always be free, a courtesy for our DD friends, Daniel added.) The kitchen will take orders via QR code, then send a text when food is ready to pick up at the counter.
Four years ago, folks weren’t comfortable with those technologies, but Covid brought us up to speed, he said.
Though this undertaking is massive, Daniel encourages entrepreneurs just getting started not to be intimidated — his first business was a photo booth rental that he launched overnight with help from a couple friends and $500 borrowed from his dad.
But while launching happens fast, success doesn’t, he cautioned.
“I worked hundred-hour weeks for a decade,” he recalled. “That’s how I got here.”
Daniel’s first four businesses were all in the wedding industry industry — photo booth rental, party bus rental, bartending, and eventually all-around wedding entertainment. Over the years, he worked more than 1,000 weddings. He learned the power of referrals and reviews on sales, lessons he still applies in his businesses today.
The Great Escape, business #6, was his first foray into a brick and mortar. It was terrifying, he recalled.
“I was responsible for bills, rent, employee wages — I didn’t have any of that when it was just me working weddings,” he said.
And during that first decade, he was running his businesses on nights and weekends, after putting in 40 hours at Wright Patt Air Force Base.
“In hindsight, I didn’t need to do that. But it was safe, and it allowed me to put money back into the business,” he said.
Daniel only decided to quit his day job when he failed an advancement test — one of the best things to ever happen, he said.
“I’ve made more mistakes than anyone I know — that’s what I’m successful,” he said. “Just do it, jump in. It’s possible, whatever you dream is.”
On Par is his biggest gamble yet — Daniel put his house up as collateral on the loan to build out the space.
“I put everything on the line for this,” he said.
When those doors open this summer, you’ll find him and his business partner in the back, in the kitchen, making sure they know how every piece of the operation runs.
And we’ll be out front, tossing darts and cheering them on.
More than half the American workforce is burnt out — but HAYA Healing founder Taylor Johnson hopes to change that by helping organizations in high-stress industries provide holistic wellness offerings to their employees.
Taylor first tapped into the Launch Dayton community by attending Startup Week. She signed up for the Launch Dayton newsletter and began attending the events she saw. This networking led her to Greater West Dayton Incubator, Dayton Score, Miami Valley Small Business Development Center, and more.
We caught up with her recently to learn more about her journey.
Taylor: I’m Taylor Johnson, Chief Wellness Strategist and Visionary at HAYA Healing. HAYA comes from an Arabic word that means “life-giving.” We work with high-stress organizations, such as health and human services, to provide life-giving opportunities for leaders and employees to practice balancing the mind, body, and spirit through holistic wellness consultations, programming, benefits, and retreats.
I began incorporating mind, body, spirit practices into my own life as a teenager in efforts to manage my physical and mental health naturally and holistically. In 2017, I began personal training and incorporating yoga and mindfulness with my private clients while working as a licensed life and health insurance agent. In 2020, I launched HAYA to help people discover holistic healing from the comfort of their own home by delivering self-care boxes to doorsteps. Then in 2022, HAYA launched its corporate wellness division, Workforce Wellness SOULutions, to increase impact and help incorporate more wellness in a burnt out workforce.
More than half of the American workforce is burnt out. We need holistic health and wellness now more than ever.
Yes!
I am a true Sagittarius—free-spirited, adventurous, and a natural-born leader. I am well-traveled and lived in Australia for 18 months where I studied fitness and yoga.
It’s a calling! Holistic wellness has changed my life, and I feel a responsibility and a calling to share it with others.
I cannot emphasize enough how much being a part of Dayton’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has supported me and my business. Every program and session I’ve attended has been beneficial and informative, specifically for business development, market research, accounting and legal support, and overall mentorship. I recommend GWDI, SBDC, EC, and Launch Dayton to every entrepreneur I know.
Funding
I need connections with business owners, managers, and HR professionals who are looking to incorporate more wellness into their workforce.
Get connected to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Put yourself out there. YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR NET WORTH — there’s a reason we always hear this. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, the opportunity, or a connection. Work on cultivating a positive and abundant mindset daily. Prioritize self-care.
Connect with Taylor on IG @hayahealing, FB @hayahealingllc, or via email at [email protected].
LaunchHack DYT attendees will be learning from one of the top Startup Weekend facilitators in the country.
Daniel Johnsen has run nearly 100 Startup Weekend all across the globe, from Japan to Australia, and Feb. 24-26, he’s coming to Dayton.
LaunchHack DYT is an exciting and immersive foray into the world of startups. Over an action-packed three days, you’ll meet the very best mentors, investors, co-founders and sponsors to show you how to get more done faster — and, maybe even start that business.
Tickets include:
The event is inspired by Startup Weekend. More than 150 countries have hosted a Startup Weekend, and more than 430K people have participated in the event. Daniel has facilitated events with as many as 300 participants.
For the past five years, Daniel has been an Entrepreneur In Residence & Program Facilitator at SmartHub in Rockhampton, Australia. He has worked closely with local startups and business communities to provide entrepreneurs with the best resources and support.
We are confident that he will help our LaunchHack DYT participants create successful startups. We can’t wait to see what our attendees spin up over the weekend!
Snag your tickets here, and use code MILETWO this week for 50% off!
Tastee Smith was working as a manager at Taco Bell when she realized that she wanted more — both for herself and her community. She made changes that led her to the Greater West Dayton Incubator, where she tapped into resources to launch Care Task LLC.
Care Task offers a range of services from notary work to home health care. Non-emergency medical transportation will launch in March. By the end of the year, Tastee aims to operate a full senior service agency.
We caught up with her recently to learn more about her goals and her journey.
Tastee: Hello, My name is Tastee Smith and I am the owner of Care Task Solutions. I have been in business for two years serving seniors in greater west Dayton and the surrounding areas. Care Task Solutions offers home health care and non-emergency medical transportation services.
I was working for a small non-emergency medical transportation company and realized I had the potential to grow and help others. I started making calls to figure out what I needed and where to start. It was not an easy task, because there is no guide for it, but I figured it out through hard work and determination.
It is a much need service. There are other companies that offer the services, but not the quality.
I do believe that I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, I just did not believe in myself before. I worked as a manager at Taco Bell for four years before I realized that it was a dead end for me. I wanted more for my family and community. And I want to bring jobs to west Dayton and do community outreach events for children and seniors.
I know how the average person thinks day-to-day and what they truly need help with. I know that some people are choosing between paying rent and buying groceries each month. And I know that people of the community do not discuss mental health when they cannot receive certain services due to finances. I empathize with those around me and hope to make a difference in the community.
Not having many people who will help because they do not want you to do what they are doing, or they do not want you on their level.
My hands-on help has come from Ms. Whitney Barkley, Ms. Chataun Denis, and Ms. LeKeisha Grant. I participated in Business Blitz, Flyer Pitch, Urban Elevation Accelerator, Dayton Score, and others. I also received a Cultural Capital microloan.
A year ago, I did not see myself getting this far, but everyone around me saw my potential. I have exceeded my goals in one year, and I could not ask to be a part of a better business program. I have been pushed to the limit, and it has never felt so rewarding.
Because seniors love to see you coming. Not many of them have family that visit often, and the companionship is needed.
Keep going when it gets harder, because that means you are breaking through barriers.
Want to help Tastee reach her next milestone? Connect with her at [email protected].
Chataun Denis wants you to put your money where your mouth is this Black History Month.
The challenge is step one of her ultimate goal to build a Black-owned business directory for Dayton — and throughout the month of February, any Black business owner in the region can add their business to the directory for free.
“I hope this directory is a model that small cities like ours can replicate,” Chautan said. “It demonstrates how Black communities can channel their buying power to create neighborhood economies that support the people who live in them.”
According to American Express and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, 67 cents of every dollar spent at a local business stays within the community. This number drops to only 43 cents of every dollar spent with large retail chains.
The Shop Black Biz Challenge includes both ways to support Black-owned businesses, like buying coffee at a local Black-owned coffee shop, and ways for Black business owners to tap into local business resources.
To complete a challenge, take a photo or video of you completing a task, and post it to Facebook or Instagram. Tag @shopblackbizdayton and the business for extra chances to win cash and prizes.
Meet the businesses in the directory on the @shopblackbizdayton IG page as well, in the account’s stories highlights.
Born and raised in Dayton, Chataun spent the last two decades in Cleveland and Atlanta building her career as a successful grant writer. She returned to Dayton in spring 2022. Now quasi-retired, she went on a scavenger hunt around the region, looking for ways to support Black-owned businesses.
She landed at the Greater West Dayton Incubator, where she helps host monthly business clinics. During these events, business owners walk in off the street with any challenge, and experts in the room help them find a solution.
“I believe in Black business because we haven’t had a fair shot. Discrimination has kept us from being great,” she said. “We are a talented people, we built this country. I never thought I’d be back here, but divine order is such, and I love this place. I want to see the Westside have a thriving economy with businesses that create jobs and other economic opportunities for the people who live here. That’s what I want to see.”
Jump into the challenge at shopblackbizdayton.com.
A recent foster mom to 14 children, Amanda Miller dreamed of a community for moms that offered classes, a kitchen, a gym and onsite childcare. In 2022, Amanda found Startup Week on Facebook, and decided to attend the conference.
Startup Week led her to the Miami Valley Small Business Development Center for one-on-one business counseling, and then to Entrepreneur Rising Academy, a 10-week business-building bootcamp that helped her move from idea to business.
We recently caught up with Amanda to learn more about her goals for The Village Hive.
Go for it! Do the research, pivot if you have to, but don’t let anything stop you from going as far as you can.
When Megan McDaniel faced a diabetes diagnosis, she looked for ways to improve her health, discovering seamoss along the way. Megan comes from a family of entrepreneurs, so when the product worked for her, she launched BossJ&CO to share it with the world.
She first tapped into the Launch Dayton community at a Greater West Dayton Incubator Business Blitz and is now also part of GWDI’s Urban Elevation Accelerator and Startup Fellowship program. We caught up with her recently to learn more about her journey.
Growing up seeing my father and my uncles being entrepreneurs, and successful ones at that, helped me get to this point. They taught me the drive and hustle of it all. The GWDI and all the other programs taught me the skills to run my business.
To believe in yourself, never give up. There is room for everyone at the table so do not feel like you can not do something just because someone else is doing it. Go out there and put your own “sauce” on whatever it is you want to do, and make it your own.
Connect with Megan @bossjcollc on FB + IG.
Kickstart your business growth in 2023 with recorded sessions from Launch Dayton Startup Week Powered by Fifth Third Bank!
The 2022 conference featured 80+ speakers across 60+ sessions, ranging from inspirational fireside chats with founders sharing stories of failure and success to hands-on workshops that will enable you to dig in and work on your business and leave with something tangible you can implement the next day.
We were able to record 26 of the most popular sessions, from what to do after filing your LLC, to how to write content that sells, to how to prepare to pitch for investment. Check them out here!
The 2022 conference was made possible by our presenting sponsor, Fifth Third Bank, and our platinum sponsors, Parallax Advanced Research, Entrepreneurs’ Center, Canary Consulting, and Mile Two. We couldn’t do it without their generous support!
LaTasha Coleman built her career in the bar & restaurant industry because she loved watching her customers make memories. When Covid temporarily closed those establishments in early 2020, she launched The Liquor Lab to bring that atmosphere to private events.
When she launched her business, LaTasha tapped into the Launch Dayton community — she subscribed to the newsletter, followed along on social media, and ultimately joined the first cohort of Launch Dayton partner Greater West Dayton Incubator’s Urban Elevation Accelerator. We caught up with LaTasha recently to learn more about her business and her entrepreneurial journey.
Hello!! My name is LaTasha Coleman and I own a mobile bartending service called The Liquor Lab. We provide services for all types of special occasions such as engagement parties, wedding receptions, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate events, mixology classes and more!
I LOVE to entertain and watch people have a great time with people they love. Being able to provide a unique experience and help you create unforgettable memories is why I love what I do!
The accelerator program was extremely helpful. Our class was full of all types of different businesses, but the speakers and mentors made sure that everyone walked away with knowledge specifically for their business. The 1-on-1 time and mentor groups gave us the opportunity to break things down even further and walked us through all the steps that every business should complete. It truly opened my eyes to scaling my business in ways that I’ve never thought about. I’ve suggested numerous GWDI programs to other entrepreneurs because the networking opportunities are literally endless.
The best advice I received that I always pass along is to just go for it. You will never know if it’s gonna work unless you start. I was hesitant because of all the things I didn’t know, but there will always be SOMETHING that you don’t know. You will continue to learn and grow as time goes by, so just do it. Jump out on faith and go for it.
Want to book The Liquor Lab for your next private event? Connect with LaTasha on Facebook & Instagram @TheLiquorLab937 or email her at [email protected].
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