Matthew Stevenson seeks to inspire with his new coffee shop, Blue Sky Coffee, coming to Fairborn on April 20!
A music therapist by trade, Matthew designed his coffee shop to facilitate creativity and community.
“We’re better living in community, supporting one another. Blue Sky may be a coffee shop, but without people, it’s just lifeless cups filled with liquid, sitting around. It’s the people that bring life,” he said. “I hope anyone hitting writers block, or struggling to piece together their project, or having difficulty figuring out a problem, can find inspiration here. I want ideas to flourish.”
Matthew tapped the Miami Valley Small Business Development Center’s business counseling to help get his shop open.
“It has been so helpful! Lisa is the best. She helped me secure funding, get my ducks in a row, and offered overall support in seeing my vision through,” he said. “It’s clear she truly cares about me and the project and wants to see me succeed. That means the world.”
Read on to meet Matthew and learn more about his new venture!
Hello! My name is Matthew Stevenson. I am a music therapist by trade, hospitalitarian by heart, creative by nature, and lover of coffee. I am the owner of a new coffee shop in Fairborn, OH called Blue Sky Coffee. The shop, located across the street from Wright State University and down the street from Wright Patterson Air Force Base, is a welcoming space, primed for conversation and creativity. From nods to Dayton’s innovative history embedded within, to floor-to-ceiling chalk and white boards on every wall, creativity is welcomed and celebrated over a comforting cup of coffee and tasty treats.
My company was rooted in my love of hospitality, coffee, and creativity. I shared a conversation with a friend over a cup of coffee and communicated my desire for a coffeeshop centered around creativity and innovation. They urged me to make it happen, so jumped right in from there!
I am not a Dayton native, but came here in 2014. I fell in love with the City. One of my favorite aspects is the rich innovate history, and the city’s drive to create cool things moving forward. I wanted a space that honors this rich history, while inspiring and promoting a creative future. Coffee felt like the perfect avenue. Coffee, to me, has always acted as something that brings people and ideas together. People have business meetings over coffee, chat with friends over coffee, study with coffee, work on projects with coffee, start their day with coffee, relax in the afternoon with coffee, etc. While seemingly such a simple thing, coffee plays a big role in people’s lives. It’s been present for the beginning of so many innovative ideas.
Not knowingly. Looking back, I’ve always had a desire to pave my own path and create something new. I feel as though I’ve always valued aspects beneficial to being an entrepreneur, such as adaptability, perseverance, passion, and positivity. So while the idea of being an entrepreneur was not always on my radar, the ideas that entrepreneurship embodies were.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve played music. I’ve learned to play a myriad of instruments from piano to guitar to percussion to harp. Several of the innate requirements in learning to play music transfer beautifully to the entrepreneurship space — dedication and discipline, creativity and perseverance, independence and community. All of these values help in this entrepreneurship journey.
Perhaps a rather dull answer, but one of the biggest barrier’s I’ve faced may be red tape. I knew there would be licenses and forms and rules I’d need to adhere to, but there are more nuanced items than I realized, so it has been a learning process for me to navigate.
I love getting to collaborate with so many brilliant individuals in my community. From getting restaurant advice from previous employers, to building new relationships with electricians and plumbers, to teaching new employees to make coffee, to bouncing ideas off friends. There has just been so much to learn and experience and create. I’ve loved every second of it and look forward to all the future relationships to be had.
Don’t overthink it. I am an over-thinker. I will let ideas ruminate in my cranium for hours, days, weeks, indefinitely sometimes. I’ve learned that at some point, you just have to jump in. It is great to think and plan, but if that’s all you do, then nothing will actually get done. So by all means, think, but don’t get caught up thinking that you forget to do.
I need help getting the word out there. Blue Sky Coffee is a brand new coffee shop. I’d love for people to give a try.
Connect with Matthew @blueskycoffeedyt on Facebok + IG.
Rebecca Wiltshire, founder of Preventionounce, has spent more than two decades helping companies provide preventative health screenings to employees. Earlier this year, Rebecca branched out and launched her company’s first product — a CBD pain relief cream.
Read on to meet Rebecca.
Hi I’m Rebecca, founder of Preventionounce, a preventative health company focusing on corporate wellness and transformational coaching!
I transformed my own life physically, mentally and spiritually! I lost 100 pounds and live a sober, healthy lifestyle and became really productive and passionate about preventing disease. I’ve been in the detection of vascular disease for the past 25 years and wanted to play a role in the prevention of chronic disease.
Prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Yes!
My resilience
Time management and distractions
Impacting people’s health and helping their company save money on wellness costs.
Stay out of your head and focus on making an impact.
Spread the word!
Connect with Rebecca @preventionounce on Facebook + IG.
Bridget Flaherty and Te’Jal Cartwright share a belief in the power of stories.
This belief led Bridget to found her company, Lore, in 2018. And earlier this year, it led Te’Jal to pick up the reins as the company’s new owner.
Navigating a business exit, and acquiring a business, are important aspects of the entrepreneur journey that don’t get much airtime here on the Launch Dayton blog. We were thrilled that Bridget and Te’Jal were willing to share their experience. Read on for the (lightly edited) conversation.
Bridget: My personal mission statement is: I fearlessly cultivate a healing life-changing love that affirms, empowers and liberates. I am an award-winning storyteller, an entrepreneur, a process improvement consultant, an author, a mother, grandmother, sister, partner, and friend. I love my life.
Te’Jal: I’m the new owner of Lore — I’m so proud to say that. I’m also a media personality, story coach, and community advocate. (And you might know her as the founder of What’s The Biz, a platform to promote Black business owners through storytellling, which Te’Jal ran for four seasons)
Bridget: I began with telling my own stories on stage. I found telling stories on stage to be a liberating experience. When the Me Too movement started, I saw an opportunity for stories to be an impactful part of the movement. I worked with the Brightside and Dayton Story Slam to coordinate an event where 16 women shared their Me Too stories. It was heart wrenching and beautiful. Then I was invited by Stivers to lead an after school program for interested creative writing students. Their performance brought me to tears. I knew that I wanted to continue creating platforms for stories. So, LORE was born.
Te’Jal: I’ve been working with Bridget since she started Lore in 2018. She was looking for a digital marketing specialist, and I was looking for clients! I thought a storytelling business would be so cool to work with. Though I didn’t understand the concept completely, so I took one of Bridget’s courses. I fell in love instantly — with storytelling, and with Bridget — she was so cool and brilliant.
Bridget: I learned that most people want to share their stories. People want to be heard. Not everyone wants to get on stage to share their story, but almost everyone wants to share their story and be heard. Which is one of the reasons that I love the LORE business workshops. Facilitating team building workshops that give coworkers the opportunity to share stories with one another, whether remotely or in person, while learning how to give better presentations, has been a genuine joy. When you give people the platform to tell meaningful stories about themselves, they do. And then the rest of the team starts to share, and before you know it there is a chorus of “I didn’t know that about you!” and “OMG, me too!” The stories bring the team together, build trust, and create lasting friendships. It is a wonderful thing to witness.
Bridget: In May of 2023, Te’Jal hosted a LORE workshop and graduation. The class was on fire. The audience was packed and engaged. Te’Jal was bright and bubbling. And I realized that it had been awhile since I felt that way about LORE. My son was getting ready to go to college. I was getting ready to sink into a new chapter of my life personally, and I was no longer as fired up about LORE as I had been. And here was Te’Jal showing up with all this energy and passion. It was clear to me that it was time to pass the torch.
Te’Jal has been with LORE since the beginning. She cut the ribbon with me at the grand opening. We met weekly to plan and ideate together for years. She is a fantastic storyteller and an effective coach. It was a no-brainer. Te’Jal is LORE.
Te’Jal: At first, I didn’t want to. I enjoyed Bridget and I’s working dynamic, and it felt good to love something for someone else. But it only took me 24 hours to say “hell yes!” Lore just feels so intentional, and I’ve always appreciated this business, so it was a no-brainer. I’m happy to carry this special tradition. Lore has a special place in our community’s heart.
Te’Jal: I love how special Lore is, and intentional. We really want to build connections and skills through storytelling. Our work has always been genuine, which is why I think we get the best results. Lore teaches a skill set that has a positive impact on humanity. And as the business owner, I love having the flexibility to be there for my family. Sometimes, when you work for people, your schedule can be strict, you have to adhere to this 9 to 5 standard, but I enjoy volunteering in my son’s class, and traveling. Entrepreneurship gives me the space to do those things.
Te’Jal: I thought it was going to be a hard process, but it’s actually been really fun. I’d say that we have the advantage of working together so closely since I joined the Lore team, so honestly it’s been a four-year process. But I started to practice more of an ownership role last year with Bridget close by, and I feel like it was one of the easiest things to learn because I was able to apply everything to the work. For example, it was easy to learn the back-end technology because I had real time examples to practice with. I would definitely encourage someone else to acquire a business. It feels like a lot less pressure. Lore is highly esteemed. I feel blessed because Bridget set a solid foundation for me to build on. I’ve learned so much.
What’s next for each of you?
Te’Jal: Right now, I feel like I’m in a relationship with my business! We’re in the honeymoon phase, and I just want to work on it 24/7. I just released a new commercial that I’m excited about as well. I have plans to expand our business to at least two more states and do our first official Lore training to bring on a few more story coaches.
Bridget: I am continuing to work as a process improvement consultant. I have already finished one contract and have started another.
Bridget: Share your passion, and find people who are also passionate about your passion. Whether a friend, colleague, or partner, being able to share with someone else what you are up to and why and to find enthusiastic support is priceless.
Te’Jal: Listen to your heart. It will tell you where you need to be. And surround yourself with people that want to see you thrive! Put yourself out there and believe in your ability to THRIVE!
Spots are currently available in Lore’s April Storytelling class — find more info and sign up here!
A Dayton startup specializing in SaaS platforms for emergency communications recently raised $1.55M to further the technology.
Smart Response Technologies (SRT) has now raised $2.5M total, including self-funded investments. The latest funding round was led by The Angel Roundtable in Johnson City, TN, with participation from Broadstreet Angels in Philadelphia, PA, Cowtown Angels in Ft. Worth, TX, and the Entrepreneurs’ Center Angels in Dayton, OH, among others.
“I am incredibly grateful for the trust and support shown by our investors. This funding will be instrumental in accelerating our mission to ensure communities have fast, accurate, and coordinated responses in emergency situations,” said Roger Mann, CEO, Smart Response Technologies. “It will also enhance our capabilities to deliver an even greater product and service to our customers.”
SRT developed their patented Delphini product in cooperation with the Air Force Research Lab. The software provides emergency call takers and dispatchers with real-time voice-to-text transcriptions in a simplified dashboard. The customizable keyword highlight function combines with spatially separated audio to increase comprehension by 70% and decrease the chance of missing critical information while monitoring multiple radio channels at once.
Delphini also utilizes AI to highlight “predictor” words that provide early warnings for a potential greater problem, such as an active shooter event, large-scale fire, or pursuit of armed and dangerous people.
“SRT’s Delphini is revolutionizing an industry, benefiting communities, and saving more lives. As an investor, I appreciate that their technology contributes socially as well as technologically,” said Tony Lettich, lead investor, The Angel Roundtable. “It is an affordable solution to a communication clarity challenge that emergency call centers have had for years. Plus, this technology has tremendous potential for collaborations with other companies so I’m excited to watch SRT expand their R&D and product offerings in the years to come.”
SRT supports command and control centers, corrections facilities, event management, and courthouse, corporate, and campus security. Currently, Delphini is being used by police and fire departments and county 911 Emergency Communications Centers nationwide, including locally by the Fairborn Police and Fire departments.
For Diamond Daiquiris founder Leslie Brown, the beverage isn’t just a sweet treat — it’s a taste of home.
Born and raised in the vibrant culture of Louisiana, she now shares Southern hospitality through the window of her mobile beverage truck.
Keeping reading to meet Leslie and hear her story.
Hello there! My name is Leslie, and I’m the proud founder and driving force behind Diamond Daiquiris. Our company isn’t just about serving up delicious beverages and treats. It’s about bringing a piece of Southern charm and hospitality to the Midwest.
I was born and raised amidst the vibrant culture of Louisiana. After serving in the U.S. Navy for several years, I found myself constantly drawn back to my Southern roots, particularly the irresistible allure of daiquiris and sno-balls.
Diamond Daiquiris was born from a longing for the flavors of home while stationed far away. After serving in the U.S. Navy and experiencing homesickness for the warmth and comfort of Southern treats like daiquiris and sno-balls, the idea of bringing these cherished flavors to the Midwest took root.
In the spring of 2022, Diamond Daiquiris officially opened its mobile doors, offering a taste of the South to the Midwest and beyond. Since then, we’ve been on a mission to spread joy, create moments of connection, and share the flavors of home with all who cross our path.
As we continue to grow and evolve, our commitment to serving up Southern hospitality in every sip and scoop remains unwavering.
It was during my returns home that I realized the joy and comfort found in these beloved treats were not exclusive to the confines of my childhood hometowns. I envisioned a way to share this cherished part of my heritage with the broader community that I now called home. Thus, the concept of Diamond Daiquiris was born. We’re a mobile oasis of flavor, warmth, and Southern hospitality in the heart of the Midwest.
No, becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t always on my radar. My early aspirations were centered around serving my country, which led me to join the U.S. Navy in 1999. During my time in the service, I was immersed in a world of duty, honor, and adventure — qualities I hold dear to this day.
However, as I found myself stationed far from the familiar sights and sounds of home, a deep homesickness set in. I longed for the comforting flavors and cherished memories of my Southern upbringing, particularly the simple joys of a well-crafted daiquiri and the icy sweetness of a sno-ball.
In those moments of longing, the idea of bringing a taste of home to wherever I found myself became increasingly appealing. It was a way to not only satisfy my own cravings, but also to share a piece of my heritage with others who may be far from home themselves.
Launching Diamond Daiquiris was a bold move. It required stepping out of my comfort zone, taking risks, and pursuing a vision that was not only unconventional but also deeply personal. From the decision to bring a taste of the South to the Midwest, to the innovative approaches we take in crafting our products and engaging with customers, boldness is at the core of everything we do.
First and foremost, my background as a military veteran instilled in me a sense of discipline, adaptability, and resilience. Serving in the U.S. Navy taught me the value of teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving under pressure. These are all qualities that are indispensable in the world of business.
One of the biggest barriers I’ve faced is navigating the regulatory and logistical challenges of a mobile food and beverage business.
From securing permits and licenses, to finding suitable locations for setup and operation, there have been numerous bureaucratic hurdles to overcome. Each municipality and jurisdiction has its own set of regulations and requirements. So it’s a complex and time-consuming process to ensure compliance across the board.
Additionally, sourcing quality ingredients, managing inventory, and coordinating mobile operations present their own obstacles. Balancing the demands of a mobile business while maintaining product consistency and quality requires careful planning, adaptability, and resourcefulness.
But each obstacle we encounter is an opportunity to learn, grow, and refine our operations to enhance the experience we provide our customers.
My love for the flavors, traditions, and hospitality of the South runs deep. Crafting delicious daiquiris and sno-balls allows me to share a piece of my heritage and celebrate the rich cultural tapestry that shaped my upbringing. There’s something incredibly rewarding about seeing the smiles on people’s faces as they enjoy our products. Being able to create moments of joy and connection for our customers is truly gratifying. And I love the opportunity to unleash my creativity and innovate within the realm of Southern-inspired treats. It’s more than just a business. It’s a labor of love that brings fulfillment and purpose to my life.
Pursue a business idea that aligns with your passions and values. Entrepreneurship is a challenging journey. Having genuine enthusiasm for what you do will fuel your motivation and drive you through the inevitable ups and downs.
And remember, building a successful business takes time, effort, and resilience. Expect setbacks and obstacles along the way, but don’t let them deter you. Instead, view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. Persevere with determination and resilience. Embrace adaptability. Stay flexible and open-minded, willing to pivot your strategies or adjust your approach based on changing circumstances and feedback from customers and stakeholders. Happy customers are not only loyal repeat customers, but also powerful advocates for your brand.
January 5, 2024, our Facebook account was hacked, and our account could not be recovered. We are starting our social medial presence on Facebook over. Please follow @diamonddaiquiris2 on Facebook and spread the word!
You can also keep up with Leslie @diamond_daiquiris_llc on IG + Tik Tok.
Looking for a light deduction game you can play with anyone from kindergartners to grandparents? Back the Kickstarter for Logic and Lore, the latest game from local duo Darren Reckner and Jason Hager.
If you joined us for last fall’s Game Night Mixer at D20 in Kettering, you might remember meeting Darren and playtesting Logic & Lore, a card game where you enlist the help of dragons to align 9 stars in the heavens.
The trick is, you never get to look at the cards in front of you — instead, you ask your opponent questions to determine what stars are where, as you race to get the correct order in place first.
“I’ve created a good amount of games now, and I don’t recommend all of them to everybody,” Darren said. “But I recommend Logic & Lore to everybody. It has a very versatile design with lots of options and content and ways to play, so it doesn’t get stale.”
The Logic & Lore Kickstarter is not the duo’s first since they began designing games together in 2020. They sold their first game, Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze, to Restoration Games that same year. The publisher successfully took the game through a Kickstarter campaign last spring.
“Kickstarter is really integral for boardgaming space,” Darren shared. “Even a small print run would set you back a few thousand bucks, and you don’t want 500 boxes of a game you can’t sell.”
This campaign is also running through a board game publisher — in this case, Weird Giraffe, which bought Logic & Lore following a board game convention in 2022.
Through the campaign, Darren and Jason will do final development work, revisions, and create bonus content.
Darren was introduced to board games as a kid, playing standard titles with family throughout his childhood. In college, he shifted to strategy games and card games. A few years later, he discovered the hobby game community.
“When I became an adult, I just learned people were bad at socializing in a lot of ways,” he recalled. “Things you’d get invited to would be bad for socializing. So I started inviting folks to my place to play these games.”
He met Jason through work, and they began connecting online to play through the top 100 ranked board games. A contest to design a new hero for one of these games led them to shift from just playing to also designing.
“When we got into design in 2020, a lot of people were stuck at home, not going places. But there’s a little piece of magic in playing a board game,” Darren said. “When you sit down, you enter a magic circle. What happens in the game is within the confines of the game. You get to enter this space and be slightly different than you normally would be because the game demands it.”
As their work has grown, so have the Durdlers — their Discord fan community, always ready to jump in and play test a new concept.
“That’s our competitive advantage compared to other designers,” Darren said.
The pair also utilize skills from their corporate day jobs to grow their game design success.
“When we go to a business meeting, we know how it goes. We’re used to presenting and trying to sell an idea to somebody,” he said. “That’s a big thing in the board game industry. Once you select a designer, you’re very tied in — they need to show up, give input, have a good public face. Even in a very creative space like this, there’s a very good case for professionalism.”
Durdle Games expects to have two more games hit shelves this year — follow them on IG to see when they drop.
For Nickole Ross, cannabis is a family business.
The chief operations officer for Noohra Labs co-owns the medical marijuana processing company with her family. Her dad, Ted, is CEO; mom, Niki, is outreach director; and sisters, Neariah and Taylor, are operations director and quality manager, respectively.
“We are a company that makes medicine,” Nickole said. “We take flower that has been grown from cultivators. Then we extract all the oils and all the different cannabinoids that are inside of the plant and make it into product.”
Nickole’s path through the cannabis industry actually began with infused dining. She partnered with a chef friend to launch the first cannabis restaurant in California.
“One day we just said, hey, let’s incorporate cannabis and food together. Because they are two major components that people are willing to share,” Nickole recalled. “Traditionally people use it in edibles like cookies or brownies, but you rarely find people using it for food. The conduit of food is such an important ingredient to our body. So we just decided to pair those two things together.”
At the same time, she began working with her family back home in Dayton to write their application to become Ohio’s first minority-owned, women-led cannabis company. The state awarded their license in 2019.
“There are a lot of different things that we wanted to be able to make sure we had in this cannabis industry. One was ownership,” Nickole said. “So many people are left out due to the war on drugs. It has been a privilege to…create the impact that’s important for those who have been incarcerated based off of the same thing that we now now get to use from a legal and a medical perspective.”
But the path from getting a license to opening the manufacturing floor, was not easy — or cheap.
Check out Nickole’s full story in the latest episode in our I Am an Entrepreneur series.
Sometimes a little paint can make a big impact in a space and how we interact with it, shares artist and entrepreneur Kat Timm.
The Fruitful Wild founder is a recent graduate of Entrepreneur Rising Academy, a free, 10-week business-building bootcamp (that is currently accepting applications for the upcoming spring 2024 cohort!)
Kat specializes in large-scale vibrant artwork and murals “to help people create beautiful spaces and unleash their wild,” she said.
“I’ve always been making art,” she recalls. “It’s just what I do — Frogs hop, and bees buzz, and I make art.”
She describes her style as “biophilic,” inspired by plants and animals in nature.
“We didn’t evolve living in these houses, in these built environments completely devoid of outside life. Humans evolved with plants and animals, they’re our food and predators and prey,” she said. “I’m just in love with life, the vibrancy, the lushness, the organic shapes, the imperfections. Having more of that around us — the organic shapes, vibrant colors — stimulates a part of us and makes us feel alive and connected to the world, and that’s really important.”
The entrepreneur title, on the other hand, is a bit new.
“It’s a byproduct of me wanting to spend my time on art,” Kat said. “The company is a way to create more commitment and structure around the art practice. It’s a way for me to share my art with others, and also apply it in a way that improves people’s lives.”
When the time came to figure out exactly what her business could be, she turned to Entrepreneur Rising Academy.
“I started ERA with way too many ideas and no idea where to go,” Kat said. “Talking to Reginald (the facilitator) really helped me make those decisions. And he’s willing to be that person who says something doesn’t make sense with your stated business goals. That type of resource is not easy to come by.”
Kat suspects her Alaskan upbringing helped prepare her for her entrepreneur journey.
“Alaska is kind of at the edge of civilization, so Alaskans are very resilient at coming up with solutions,” she said. “If something breaks, you might order a spare part to fix it, or you might just find something around the house and make it work. That spirit of, there’s a solution, I will make this work, is helpful for an entrepreneur.”
Entrepreneur Rising Academy also helped build her confidence, she said.
“There’s a lot that you don’t know that you don’t know. That’s very intimidating. That still makes me nervous,” Kat said. “But ERA was so inspiring, and now I’m much more confident in my ability to be an entrepreneur and make a positive change, make the world a better place by providing value to people.”
If you’re curious about starting a business, just do it, she added.
“Planning and research is important, but it can only get you so far. You can’t plan a perfect business, you have to try things, see what works, iterate and make improvements along the way,” she said. “Start before you have everything figured out.”
Syrita Nuttall is cooking up the city’s most varied eggroll lineup.
Inspired by Chicago street food, her company Home Cooked Vibes specializes in eggrolls with flavors like buffalo chicken, Philly cheese steak and more.
Syrita discovered the Launch Dayton community online in 2020 when she was searching for resources to start her business. She tapped into Startup Week, Spark Fairborn, Miami Valley Urban League’s PepsiCo Food & Bev Accelerator, and Launch Dayton’s mentor network.
Today, you can find her popping up around the region in her very own food truck!
We recently caught up with Syrita to learn more about her journey.
My name is Syrita and I own Home Cooked Vibes! We offer affordable catering services that is well versed in combining Southern and Midwest cooking with classical training. In 2023, we opened our food bus which specializes in fusion eggrolls!
We’re originally from Chicago, and we were shocked by the food scene here in our town. I started cooking because I missed the food. I cooked some eggrolls for some close friends, and they encouraged me to sell them. They were an instant hit!
Eggrolls are so versatile! Savory or sweet, your imagination is your only limit!
Yes! My father had his own electrical business, eventually my little brother took over. While putting up ceiling fans and circuit breaker boxes wasn’t my idea of fun, I definitely took in what it meant to be my own boss and my own brand.
“The ultimate goal in life is not to be served, but to serve” is a motto that I live by every day. I’m always looking for a way to give back to the community, while being true to myself. Food is the universal language of love, there’s no better way to talk to others!
Being an African American woman is an everyday life experience. Breaking barriers, being an example for my children, and leaving a legacy are what make me go harder each day I wake up.
The biggest barrier I’ve encountered was just finding out basic information about having your own business. Coming from a different city, I had no clue where to start or who to turn to.
I love cooking! I love being able to talk to strangers with my food and they instantly fall in love! And I have fun doing what I do — it’s never work if you love what you do.
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP! Get out and go network! Don’t be afraid to book that event or attend an open house!
How did you get connected to the Launch Dayton community?
I initially found out about Launch Dayton just looking online for information when I first started my business in 2020. I was afraid that I couldn’t do any of the programs because my business is based in Fairborn, but once I was assured that didn’t matter, I was all in.
How was your program experience?
Because of Launch Dayton and their connections, I was able to secure my food truck! I ALWAYS refer people to Launch Dayton and all its partners for the options they have to offer fellow entrepreneurs and business owners.
Right now, we just need the word spread about us! We have somewhat of a fan base, but I know we could a bigger following if people knew about us and what we offer.
Follow Syrita @HomeCookedVibes to see where’s she’s pulling up next!
Build a startup in 54 thrilling hours at LaunchHack Startup Weekend, April 5-7!
Friday night, designers, developers, marketing experts, students, entrepreneurs, and startup enthusiasts across the Dayton region will converge on the Arcade Innovation Hub Powered by PNC. Snag your ticket by Feb. 29 for early-bird + BOGO pricing!
Inspired by Techstars, Startup Weekend is a jumping off point for entrepreneurship. Over the 54-hour event, attendees will share ideas, team up, and launch startups.
Last year’s winning team, Team Kitchen Kanvas, comprised students from Sinclair College, The Modern, University of Dayton & Cedarville University. They pitched an idea for single-serving spices contained in edible, compost-able, tear-able rice sheets.
“I didn’t realize we were actually going to be making a company, and the fact that we’ve done it, too, it just blows me away,” Micah Hermiller said. “I learned that your team is the most important thing. Everyone brings a different skill set, and if you’re missing any piece of the puzzle, it’s not going to work, so your team is the most important part of starting something.”
Launch Dayton Startup Weekend organizer Matt Veryser has participated and facilitated Startup Weekends and hackathons across Columbus, Miami University, Ball State University, Davidson College and Winston-Salem State University. He is excited to bring the event to Dayton.
“I love Startup Weekend because it is the single most catalytic entrepreneurial experience that I’ve ever witnessed,” Veryser said. “Firsthand, I’ve seen it change the career paths of 3 or 4 dozen people by changing the way they see the world.”
The goal of Launch Dayton Startup Weekend is to create an environment where passionate, driven, and like-minded people can come together to get things done — to learn, network, bridge the gap between trades, expose potential, and see actual results.
The event flows as follows:
On Saturday and Sunday, entrepreneurs and experts from the community will volunteer to serve as mentors for the Startup Weekend teams, helping them develop their business strategies and prototypes.
Early-bird tickets are on sale for $50 until Feb. 29, when tickets will go up to $75. Get an even better deal when you bring a friend for free — making both tickets only $25! Learn more and snag your ticket here.
Want to be a mentor or sponsor? Email [email protected]
31 S. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402
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