You don’t have to look a certain way, operate in a particular industry, pursue specific education, grow up in a particular household, or spend your free time nurturing any particular hobbies — entrepreneurs grow from all walks of life.
In a new video series we are excited to launch today, entrepreneurs, founders, and small business owners from across the Dayton Region share their individual stories in order to break down those pervading stereotypes about who can or can’t be an entrepreneur.
They proudly declare, “I Am an Entrepreneur” — and you can be, too.
If you’ve been fly fishing or white water rafting out west, there’s a chance the raft you rode was created and built right here in Troy.
SmithFly founder Ethan Smith has a degree in industrial design and visual communications from Ohio State University. The Troy native spent about about a decade in Columbus before moving back home to raise his family and start his company.
“My background gave me a good foundation of how to iterate and develop ideas from start to finish from an imagined world into the real world,” Ethan said. “That’s what we do here — think of cool things and how to make them.”
Ethan actually launched his company in the tumultuous and uncertain period following the 2008 recession, as he watched the design company he worked for lay off more than half its staff.
“I’d come home on Friday, and they’d laid off 20 or 30 people,” he recalled. “My wife would be like, well, when are you going to get cut?”
He wondered the same — so he started a side hustle.
“I thought, if I start a business over here, then lose my job, I can at least collect unemployment and work on the business for a few months, and maybe it’ll be going well enough that by the time unemployment runs out, I can just do this business thing,” he said.
In reality, he spent about three years working both his day job and his side hustle. Part of the final motivation to step out on his own was frustration in corporate.
“I was working with a lot of really big businesses that are really clumsy and terrible at innovation and terrible at taking risks,” he recalled. “I was seeing the amount if ineptness that goes into these multi-billion-dollar brands, and how many fantastic ideas designers would come up with on a daily basis and present to these giant customers, and they’d be like, ‘yeah, that’s dumb, we’re not doing that.’ And so, you have enough of these moments in your life that someday, you just have to put your stake in the ground and do what you’re gonna do.”
But there’s no straight path to entrepreneurship, Ethan said.
“A friend of mine says, it’s like climbing a mountain and you’re cutting your own handholds, and they disappear after you use them so that nobody can ever follow your same path,” he said. “In my case, I just developed some products for fly fishing and started iterating on solving problems of fly fisherman that I saw when I was out on the water.”
Design is always about compromises between engineering and execution and materials, Ethan explained.
“It’s finding a happy medium between what you conceptualize and what you create,” he said. “Being a design professional helped me to solve problems and think about business, less as a numbers game, and more about making products that make a difference in the world.”
Flexibility is important, too.
“We have to wear a lot of hats. That’s part of small business in general, always just incremental little steps moving towards the greater goal,” he said. “There’s no secret sauce, no matter what people tell you, it’s always just a battle one day to the next to be flexible and nimble and make the best with the hand you’re dealt.”
Launching a business in your hometown brings a different level of support, Ethan said.
“Growing up in Troy, I had that really positive environment where people are interested in what you’re doing and care a little more than if we were in a place like boulder or Austin,” he reflected. “They might have a more robust startup community, but they don’t have the network of fiends and family and supporters around that care about what we’re doing.”
That connection is especially important on the high-stress days, he added.
“I worked in high-stress environments, Fortune 500 companies, doing pretty important design work, rebranding some clients in hospitality and retail, but owning your own business is a totally different type of stress,” he said. “I didn’t really conceptualize it until I was in that position, and it’s super important to know that support is there. The mayor of Troy was my mom’s principal when she was a teacher for 43 years — having that level of interconnectedness in the fabric of community woven around the whole business is important.”
“My name is Ethan Smith, and I am an entrepreneur.”
By Katie Aldridge
Copacetic Aesthetics aims to meet branding + wellness needs for the mompreneurs making moves.
Founder Bunny Roberts is a graduate of Early Risers Academy, a 10-week business-building class powered by Launch Dayton partner Parallax Advanced Research. We recently caught up with Bunny to learn more about Copacetic Aesthetics and her entrepreneurial journey.
Bunny: I started in 2017 doing freelance marketing work while working on a marketing degree. As I went through more classes and graduated, I realized that I liked doing branding more than marketing. I did branding for a few years and found that there is a wellness aspect that is needed so people can understand how to put their soul into their branding to attract their target audience.
I started my first business back in 2013, I had a skin care line. I decided to do that because my mom was diagnosed with cancer. I wanted to get her as healthy as possible. She convinced me to sell the product I was making for just her, my sister, and me. I sold that business, but throughout that experience, I found the part I liked the most was the marketing and branding, so I pursued that in the end.
I have done a lot of random things before I ended in this business. I had the skincare line, I went to school to be a pharmacy technician, I went to be a cosmetologist, I dabbled in psychology for a minute. Being in so many industries first-hand over time gave me the experience I need to work a variety of clients as I do branding and marketing.
I would say being a single mom. It’s really hard to choose between working another 140-hour week or setting aside time to spend with the kids. I am comforted by the fact that the grind part is temporary, and I am so close to the smooth sailing.
I love to help people. I think I dabbled in so many industries because I was looking for the best way to help the most amount of people without it being too taxing on me. This is the closest I’ve gotten to that.
Start with your “Why.” A lot of people start with a business idea that will make a lot of money, but that is unsustainable. If you can start with “why” you want to open a business, you’re more likely to have longevity in it. People see entrepreneurs and assume that being an entrepreneur is better than being an employee. It’s up to you and what caters to your personality to make you happy. It’s okay if you try to start a business and it didn’t work out, as long as you’re happy with what you’re doing.
I also have a nonprofit in West Dayton where we were working on community gardens before COVID hit. At that time, Jazz Stewart, was dabbling in gardening. She went through the program to make her business what it is now. She told me that it would be really great for me, so that’s why I joined.
It was phenomenal. I met a lot of great people as well as getting a lot of good information. It is really hard to work on your business when you’re working in your business. Having that dedicated time each week to do work for myself was really impactful.
Connect with Bunny online and on social media.
By Katie Aldridge
Ever need an extra set of hands to help clean the house or pick up the kids? Tribe aims to meet that need.
Created by wife and mom Ariel Smith, Tribe offers a quality, convenient and safe extended village to families in need of housekeeping, laundry service, a kid’s chauffeur or a nanny.
Ariel is a graduate of Early Risers Academy, a 10-week business-building class powered by Launch Dayton partner Parallax Advanced Research. We recently caught up with Ariel to learn more about Tribe and her entrepreneurial journey.
Ariel: It started from the desire to create something that I didn’t feel was there. A lot of times, as a mom, you don’t need the help until you need it. I remember telling my husband that I wished there was an Uber with trustworthy people you can rely on for the different things that you need. I delved into what that would look like, and being a part of the cohort helped me develop this idea more.
I want to do this specifically because these are the main needs mothers have. We try to do it all — work, the laundry, tending to our children’s needs — but we can’t do it all and do it well. To create something that would be cost effective and meet so many needs of mothers and families is a no-brainer.
Yes and no. I always wanted to be a mom, but I also have had many interests. Whatever I put my hands to, I have to be the best. I felt that way about being a mom, and I knew that whatever my career was going to be would have to allow me to do that. With entrepreneurship, it allows me to create my own schedule and go off my own capacity. It doesn’t make me feel stuck.
My journey of becoming a mom was very head on. My husband had a 7-year-old daughter when we got married, so I automatically became a mom. Six months later, I became pregnant, so my body wasn’t even my own. After a while, I lost myself. The journey of fighting for my own identity made me realize that it’s what I needed to help other moms do.
The biggest barrier for me before the cohort was learning as I went. I am working from a place of passion and not from a hustler’s mentality. After the cohort and adding Tribe to the company, I am worried about my capacity because Tribe is such a big thing. I learned how much help I really need to make Tribe a reality for other people.
I love what I do because it helps other people feel whole. I chose self care initially because I completely lost my identity. I tried the things our society told us to do to treat ourselves, but it was just medicating the real issues without any real change. I want to focus on the inner person and take the self care from the inside out. To be able to do that for other people gives purpose to my being.
My husband has a branding and marketing business, and we had a customer who was a part of the cohort. She’s a close friend of mine, and she told us she needed a logo and help with her presentation. As we were working on her stuff, my husband said I should do it. I knew KeAnna Daniels also, so to know she’d be teaching I decided to apply and see what happened.
The curriculum helped me so much. I have that wisdom and knowledge base forever to help me and even my husband. There was a lot I didn’t know, but the support was amazing. It was all about pushing myself for a greater purpose. It helped me to push for something I believe in. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
Reach out to me! I believe there is a place for everyone, so if this or a service area is something you’re passionate about, shoot me an email at [email protected]. I would love to build a team to make this possible for other people.
Dream of opening a vibrant storefront that contributes to your hometown community? Have an idea for the next great gadget? Looking to leave a legacy for your children in the form of a business you built from the ground up?
Early Risers Academy is a free, 10-week, cohort-based business class designed to help business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs build the foundations they need to make their businesses successful. More than 80 business owners have graduated the academy since it launched in late 2019.
“I could not talk to investors before Early Risers Academy,” says 2020 Academy graduate and What’s The Biz founder Te’Jal Cartwright. “Now, when I’m in a conversation about business, and they ask about projections or my business plan, I can give real answers.”
“You deserve to give your dreams, your idea, a try,” adds 2021 graduate and EvenYou founder Christian Johnson. “Early Risers Academy will make sure you are equipped. They will do everything in their power to make sure you succeed.”
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then Early Risers Academy is for YOU.
Business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Early Risers Academy meet one evening a week for 10 weeks in a supportive environment that offers one-on-one coaching, access to networks and business support resources, accountability partners and business foundation-building.
Participants learn from the Dayton, Ohio region’s experts in areas including market research, financial projections, business taxes, customer discovery, prototype development & marketing. Each week also includes pitch coaching, graduates pitch their business for a chance at $1K in seed funding.
Participants will complete Kauffman FastTrac coursework from the nationally-renowned Kauffman Foundation, receive pitch coaching and hands-on mentoring, participate in weekly discussions with successful entrepreneurs and experts, & access Dayton’s entrepreneur and small business resources.
All cohort participants go home with valuable deliverables including market research, a completed business plan, and a high-quality pitch deck. And the culture of support carries beyond graduation.
The next cohort kicks off July 20. Apply by July 6 to make sure you’re part of it!
Launch Dayton Startup Week is the entrepreneurial community’s largest gathering, drawing roughly 1K attendees together each year to celebrate, inspire and equip the Dayton region’s business owners and startup founders.
The 2022 conference will feature a week-long vendor market + resource fair (APPLY HERE!). We have up to 12 spots available each day:
We’re primarily seeking product vendors, though we will consider food vendors that are grab-and-go.
A selection committee will review applications. We will consider:
We are seeking to build a representative vendor lineup that is at least 50% women and 50% people of color. There is no vendor fee to be part of the Startup Week market.
Curious about Launch Dayton Startup Week? Stay tuned here for your first glimpse at the lineup of inspiring entrepreneur talks and free business-building workshops
Meet the people you need to move your business forward. Featuring a “Startup Week-lite” format, this monthly event series brings you opportunities to expand your networks and grow your business.
Mix & mingle with fellow movers, shakers, entrepreneurs, creatives, founders, freelancers, engineers, researchers. Build networks in & out of your industry. Learn what and connect with who you need to launch your: startup, business, product, idea, collaborative, nonprofit.
Working from home, but need to get out for a day? Back in the office, but not excited about it? Hang out and work in the Hub for free instead! Grab a table on your own, or share a table with someone new. Pop into a private cubby to take a call. Avail yourself of the amenities The Hub has to offer, and when you need a break, pop into the kitchen and chat with fellow coworkers to see what they’re creating alongside you.
We open the keg and put out some light eats in the Hub’s kitchen starting around 5 p.m. or so. Don’t worry, we also have wine and non-alcoholic beverages for your imbibing pleasure.
Attend workshops curated to help you move your endeavor forward. Don’t just watch a presentation, actually do some work, & leave with a tangible take-away you can implement tomorrow.
Social media marketing is only beneficial if it’s actually driving sales. In this hands-on workshop, John and Brittany from Van Tec Marketing will help you build your funnel to drive great results on social media.
The Inphlu founder who has raised $500K+ will share tips and tricks on how to meet & connect with the right people to reach your business goals.
Entrepreneurship is a journey riddled with lonliness and pressure. Dig deep into those feelings you often feel you have to cover up, and learn how to cope with them so you can keep moving forward.
Register here to snag your spot!
Are you a Dayton business owner ready to get your “business together”? Well the GWDI has your back!
Last week, GWDI launched their new business program, the Urban Elevation Accelerator.
The Urban Elevation Accelerator is a 12-month program to help entrepreneurs start or grow their business with the intention of creating positive profits and a strong business foundation for underrepresented and under-resourced entrepreneurs.
A mix of educators, subject matter experts, successful entrepreneurs, students and others will work with entrepreneurs at all stages of their business development. Sixteen entrepreneurs will be accepted into the program, which begins with a six-week bootcamp called the Elevation Academy on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 16 to Aug. 20.
Six weeks of business skill training through the Elevation Academy
Six months of free mentoring from successful business owners and entrepreneurs
One-on-one student consulting for a special project
Connections to community resources to help your business grow
Access to the Cultural Capital Micro-lending Program and other funding opportunities
Promotion of your business in on the GWDI website and social media platforms
Additional training and classes to support your business
Access to co-working and meeting space at the Greater West Dayton Incubator at the Hub powered by PNC Bank
Apply by June 30. Learn more here.
A coalition of faith leaders have come together to support the relaunch of Elevate Dayton as a ‘solutions journalism’ platform that will elevate Dayton’s unheard voices and provide in-depth coverage of pressing issues impacting the life and culture of the community.
“Elevate Dayton is a BIPOC-owned digital media platform with unparalleled proximity, cultural competency and connections to the Dayton community,” founder Nate Dillard said. “We have adopted an issue-based editorial campaign model that includes community listening, data gathering and solutions-oriented reporting.”
Monday, Elevate Dayton kicked off its editorial and community engagement campaign, COVID Can’t Stop Us, which examines how BIPOC-, women- and veteran-owned businesses in the Dayton area are faring and what they need to thrive.
“We see this as a total win-win-win partnership between two critical anchors of our local civic infrastructure and the community we serve,” said Rev. Dr. Peter E. Matthews, pastor of McKinley United Methodist Church, chairman/CEO of Dayton Equity Center, and co-founder of the Global Village Urban Collective.
Elevate Dayton’s unique editorial approach is organized into intensive “campaigns” that directly counter the problem frame that mainstream news outlets deploy when reporting on communities of color. Each campaign has four components:
“The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted the financial health of each West Dayton Caravan Church as well as our ability to minister and provide aid to the congregations and broader community that we serve,” said Rev. Fr. Benjamin E.K. Speare-Hardy II, rector of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Dayton and president of West Dayton Caravan of Churches Inc. “Nevertheless, we remain resolved to reimagine our ministry and to establish new revenue streams and partnerships to ensure that our community has a voice and gets the support they need and deserve.”
Are you stuck working in your business rather than on your business?
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is currently recruiting companies for it’s new THRIVE program, designed to provide entrepreneurship education and training for executives of high-performing small businesses.
THRIVE stands for train, hope, rise, innovate, venture, elevate.
The six-month program offers tools, knowledge, and access to the best and brightest minds in economic development. Participants will connect with business peers, government leaders, and the financial community. You’ll leave with a three-year strategic growth action plan with benchmarks and performance targets to access the support and resources necessary to move forward.
This program is free. To be eligible, your business must:
Interested? Contact the SBA’s Alex Kohls, Senior Area Manager – Dayton Region, at [email protected].
By Katie Aldridge
Executing a creative idea and owning a piece of work that you put time and effort into is as enjoyable as it is fulfilling. Sami Walker-Baskin is artist and owner of SamiDubzArt, a business that creates custom artwork for people and hosts custom-art-fun or art-centric entertainment, such as face-painting, paint and sip parties, and live art.
Sami is a graduate of Early Risers Academy, a 10-week business-building bootcamp powered by Launch Dayton partner Parallax Advanced Research. We recently caught up with Sami to learn more about SamiDubzArt and her entrepreneurial journey.
Sami: I went to art school in New York City. It was so hard to use my degree to make money there. I had to know somebody who knew somebody to get into an art gallery. After I moved, I started creating works for people’s homes and also murals. I focused on how I could help other artists who were in my same boat, like providing a space where other artists could have studio space to work and also have art gallery shows without having to know somebody who knows somebody.
I’ve always been an artist. It’s always been something that has been innate for me. Obviously, I studied to improve the skills that I already had, but it’s something I’ve always been drawn to. I don’t want to say it’s easy for me because sometimes it’s not, but it’s something I do naturally – it was a no-brainer. Other artists need help the same way I needed help. I also want to help people who are not artists to enjoy art.
I don’t know. I always had to work odd jobs because I couldn’t make money off of my art and doing art things. It didn’t occur to me until I was living on my own after having worked all these jobs that didn’t align with who I am that I needed to work for me and do something I love.
It is the best program. I am so happy to have met everyone that I met through Early Risers. I have gained sisters from this. Ke Daniels, our mentor, was amazing. She has so much knowledge. We had so many speakers who came in that I learned so much from. And it was free! I gained so many things; I honed my business and became more confident in my business, all through a free program.
I was a military kid. Being an entrepreneur is being able to use what you have and find a way to bloom where you’re planted. As a military kid, I had to move all the time, make new friends, learn new environments, and figure it all out. That has helped me a lot with my business. I’ve learned how to talk to people and figure out how to use what I have and go with it.
Money. I have so many ideas that I wish I could do everything I want to do right now. You have to spend the money to earn the money, but I just don’t have it. I feel like that’s common for a lot of entrepreneurs but also artists; we’re known for being “starving artists!” I think that’s a common thing with artists, figuring out how to make the work make money.
I love helping people get their ideas out there. People who are not artists have great, creative ideas. They just don’t have the skills to execute their ideas. I love talking to people and figuring out what they would like to have. When I help them, go back and forth, then show them the finished work, and they cry, that is my favorite. I also love it for myself. I am a person who uses my art as an outlet. I like having that natural outlet; it’s helpful for me and my stability.
If there is any way I can be guided to anything that will help me financially, such as co-ops, and ways to get my art community afloat, that would be amazing. If anyone has any ideas for that or directions to point me that would be fantastic. I’m looking for like-minded individuals, like artists, art-lovers, art teachers, or anyone who can contribute to our art community. When it is finally there, it would be nice to have connections to them.
Connect with Sami online & follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Intrigued by Early Risers Academy? Apply here by July 6 for the next cohort!
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