In 2011, Juanita Michelle Darden wanted to go back to school — but she didn’t want to change her lifestyle to pay for it.
So she opened a coffeehouse — Third Perk Coffeehouse and Wine Bar, to be exact.
“I was an early-40-something professional woman. I was living in the northwest corner of Dayton. There was no specialty coffee in the city proper, not a whole lot of amenities, so I really wanted to create a space where I could gather with my friends, have a good time, all be safe,” she recalled. “The cherry on top would be music that we love.”
Third Perk opened its doors on Fifth Street in 2015.
“It was a dream coming true,” she said. “And then you had people coming in, and they were enjoying the space.”
The coffeehouse was home to a rotation of artists displaying their work, a group of poets hosting open mic events, and a community of entrepreneurs, all working and collaborating over coffee.
“There was one time, maybe at the height of 2017, when I recognized that it really didn’t belong to me anymore,” Juanita said. “They started calling it ‘the people’s coffee house.’ You’ll come down at any given time, and you look in the coffee house, and it’s like, yes, this is such a great example of what our community looks like.”
Check out Juanita’s full story in the latest episode in our I Am an Entrepreneur series.
Every entrepreneur faces challenges while they’re building a business — but how do you know when to push through the hardship and when to close up shop?
We’ve seen beloved businesses like Carmel’s, Twist Cupcakery, and Lock 27 make tough decisions this year. Decisions that don’t always come easy.
For the past two years, What’s the Biz took a pause. As our team experienced hardships, we questioned whether or not the business would continue. Sometimes we just don’t know if we should continue with our venture. That’s one of the tricky things about entrepreneurship.
My decision to end What’s the Biz came from a place of feeling complete. Hardships didn’t push me away, I just listened to the community. The Black business community has grown so much since the inception of WTB. My mission was to magnify the excitement and collaboration around Black business owners and community members. It evolved into Black business support during Covid. And as we close out this final season, we’re focused on bringing important conversations to the table.
Before you make THAT final decision, it’s really important to take time to yourself and think about it.
I had some business struggles while balancing a full-time job, a family, and transitioning to a new business. Sound familiar? We all experience a delicate game of balance as we work to build a dream, especially those of us who have nothing to build from.
Don’t let the hardships get you down. When you’re feeling tired or over it, remember, you don’t have to do this alone. Tap into the community around you, and really think about what steps you’d like to take.
Chat with us! Have you ever been at this kind of crossroad? What motivated you to keep going, or what made you embrace your decision to close your business? Let us know!
Launch Dayton is thrilled to partner with Te’Jal and her team to produce the final season of What’s the Biz. Stay tuned to socials and our newsletter as episodes drop!
When Marianne Fink arrived in Dayton in the early 1990s, Dayton looked a lot different than it does today.
“I fell in love pretty immediately, but it was just a strange time to be here because people were just trying to get out,” she recalled. “They weren’t really trying to stay, they weren’t trying to do much with what we had here.”
But that didn’t stop Marianne from getting involved in the community where she would eventually launch her business, The Wellness Studio.
“I just really had a sense that a lot of impact could be made, and that if I just continued to put one foot in front of the other, eventually things would anchor in a way that I could grow,” she said. “Most of us that are on an entrepreneurial journey, we’re visionaries just by our nature.”
And sometimes that vision can take years to truly manifest, she said.
Marianne first launched The Wellness Studio with a business partner in Tipp City in 2015, but “the drive to want to anchor something or root something in the Dayton community was always there,” she said.
That dream came true in April 2019 when she opened her doors at 114 N. Saint Clair St.
Check out Marianne’s full story in the latest episode in our I Am an Entrepreneur series.
Curious about a plant-based lifestyle? Da’Ves Malone is making space for you to try it out.
Through her business, Sprouting Dreams, she provides delicious plant-based eats, as well as education and community about the health and environmental benefits of the lifestyle.
She is a recent graduate of the 6888 Kitchen Incubator’s Sharpen the Axe cohort. We caught up with her recently to learn more about her journey.
I’m Da’Ves Malone, originally from Trotwood. I made the conscious choice to embrace a vegetarian lifestyle following high school graduation. I launched Sprouting Dreams, a venture promoting plant-based living, during college. After graduation, I pursued a culinary education in New York City. When I returned to Dayton, I applied the knowledge acquired from restaurant work and culinary school to elevate Sprouting Dreams into a thriving company dedicated to providing high-quality, sustainable, and flavorful plant-based options to the community.
Sprouting Dreams began with the aspiration to offer diverse plant-based options to the community while serving as a source of education and support for Dayton residents. I envisioned a company that not only provided delicious and sustainable plant-based food choices, but also served as a platform for promoting the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. I am committed to culinary excellence and sustainability. And I want to expand Sprouting Dreams and break into grocery stores and restaurants.
I recognized the positive impact that plant-based eating can have on individuals’ well-being and the environment. Moreover, there was a clear need to address the limited availability of diverse plant-based options in the local food scene. By establishing Sprouting Dreams, I aimed to fill this gap and offer a wide array of flavorful and sustainable plant-based choices that cater to various tastes and preferences. I believed education and support were fundamental — I wanted to empower the Dayton community with knowledge about the advantages of plant-based living and create a supportive environment for those looking to make the transition.
No, I studied to be a biomedical engineer, and later, a nutritionist. However, a passion for cooking and creative culinary endeavors emerged.
Sprouting Dreams removes barriers by working to make plant-based living accessible to all. We put people first by creating a welcoming space where everyone can explore and embrace plant-based choices.
My culinary education in New York City, coupled with hands-on experience in restaurants, provides the expertise required to create high-quality plant-based cuisine. Moreover, my journey home to Dayton reflects a commitment to community and a connection to the local area. My learning disabilities and epilepsy are also significant aspects of my identity.
The most significant obstacle has been financial resources and access to a suitable kitchen facility to grow and expand.
I love creating flavorful and sustainable plant-based culinary experiences that resonate with our community and foster healthier and more environmentally-conscious lifestyles.
Remember that individuals with disabilities possess the capability to excel in various fields, and the entrepreneurial journey can be paced to align with personal circumstances and goals. Success is achievable, and the path can be tailored to accommodate one’s unique abilities and timelines.
Collaboration and partnerships with local businesses and organizations can help us expand our reach and impact. Additionally, access to resources such as shared kitchen spaces and funding opportunities can facilitate our growth and enable us to continue providing diverse, sustainable, and delicious plant-based options to the Dayton community.
Connect with Da’Ves @sproutingdreams on FB & IG.
By Te’Jal Cartwright, Founder, What’s The Biz
Building the right team for your business can be a complete game changer for an entrepreneur.
A team can make things ten times easier for you. And you might be surprised at how much your business increases when you connect with people that have a similar vision and passion! Almost 20% of new businesses fail within the first year, and I can’t help but wonder what that number would look like if more people started with a team.
When I officially started producing episodes of What’s the Biz with TJ in 2019, I was a one-woman show. I remember grabbing my camera, going to people’s homes or store fronts, and inviting them to my Dad’s house just to do the interviews. Then I edited the videos as best as I could with my few video editing skills, and I tapped my beginner social media skills to market the shows.
I was exhausted by the fourth episode of the first season. Ultimately, I ended up releasing back-to-back episodes in November just to get it done.
I was slowly losing interest in my passion because it became so overwhelming, especially while I also worked a full-time job and raised a growing toddler.
Sound familiar?
One day, I expressed how tired I was to a friend, and he encouraged me to invest in a team. “You could hire someone to do the editing, and you could hire someone for social media marketing,” he said convincingly. I pondered his suggestion. How would I afford a team? Who would I ask? Where would I start?
I stopped pondering and just put myself out there. Ultimately, I met some super talented women that are still on the WTB team today — shoutout to Jena Perry and Samarah Poe! They changed WTB for the better.
So, based on my experience, here are my top four reasons to build a team:
Building a team can be difficult, but there are very few things that communication and understanding can’t solve. It’s important to move with empathy and always do your best to be a team player.
Part of our conversation during this final season is how collaboration and team-building can make things easier for Black business owners. What would it look like if more people worked together to accomplish a common goal?
Without a team, WTB4 would have gone in a totally different direction. I can’t imagine how I would’ve navigated our challenges on my own. I am so proud of this final season we’ve produced together, and I can’t for you all to see our all-star team in action in the Oct. 18 premiere!
Launch Dayton is thrilled to partner with Te’Jal and her team to produce the final season of What’s the Biz. Stay tuned to socials and our newsletter as episodes drop!
Bridget Flaherty and KeAnna Daniels are on a healing mission.
Their podcast, Tears, Tides, and Transformation, features women sharing experiences with healing and mental health. On Saturday, Oct. 14, connect with them in person at their first Tears, Tides, and Transformation Women’s Healing Conference, an immersive experience designed to uplift, rejuvenate, and empower attendees.
The conference will feature 29 local women-owned businesses, including 20 Black-owned businesses, and will highlight the diversity and strength of our community’s entrepreneurial spirit.
Read on to meet Bridget and KeAnna and learn more about their own entrepreneurial journeys.
We are Bridget Flaherty and KeAnna Daniels, Co-Curators of Tears, Tides, and Transformation, a healing platform that reaches our audience via podcast, conferences, retreats, workshops, and public speaking.
KeAnna is a beacon of obedient and transformative leadership. She is a macro social worker and community activator with an emphasis on ecosystem development and BIPOC entrepreneurship and upward mobility, with healing as the foundation of transforming communities. As co-founder of Tears, Tides, and Transformation, KeAnna creates safe spaces dedicated to holistic growth and healing. Guided by her principle of ‘Faith Over Fear’, she champions diversity, equity, inclusion, and innovation, embodying a leadership style that’s bold, authentic, and unapologetically genuine. With a unique talent for mobilizing communities, KeAnna stands as a visionary leader who executes. She is committed to nurturing continuous transformation and empowers individuals to walk with purpose and intention in order to execute with excellence.
Bridget is grounded by her personal mission to “fearlessly cultivate a healing, life-changing love that affirms, empowers, and liberates.” Bridget has turned adversity into advocacy. After a life-altering 8-week inpatient treatment for suicidal ideation, Bridget redefined her journey by selling her possessions and traveling through 22 states in 30 days with her son. Fiercely committed to breaking the silence on mental health, Bridget co-hosts women’s conferences with KeAnna and amplifies triumph-over-tragedy tales through their podcast “Tears, Tides, and Transformation.” Beyond sharing her own mental health battles, she highlights the resilient narratives of others, shedding light on the transformative power of vulnerability. Her latest offering, “Be the Journey: 365 Daily Reflections,” serves as a testament to her dedication, providing readers with daily healing through introspection and actionable wisdom.
In the winter of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, KeAnna and Bridget sat in a coffee shop in downtown Dayton talking about life. As they vulnerably shared their healing journeys with one another, they shared a vision for creating a space for women of all walks of life to have vulnerable and courageous conversations about their life’s journey. From that conversation, TTT and the podcast was born. Since that time, KeAnna and Bridget have reached
thousands of women, inspiring healing, sharing love, modeling self care, and normalizing mental wellness conversations.
We saw a gap in safe spaces for women to be seen and heard without judgement but instead met with love and positive reinforcement.
Yes, we have. Prior to beginning this collective journey, we both had and still run our own businesses.
We embody all of these values individually and collectively. We both are bold in how we show up in spaces, both as guests and leaders. And we are inclusive and welcoming in our work and in our personalities. We believe in people first, as people are the most appreciable asset. Our healing work is centered in people being well holistically. We contribute to removing barriers by challenging oppressive and toxic systems. We embody love, light, and positivity.
We both are risk takers, which is the bedrock of entrepreneurship. We put ourselves in uncomfortable situations to grow, to learn, and to transform ourselves and spaces. And we navigate life with a growth mindset.
Working diligently without pay and convincing our target audience of the value of our offerings to be paid.
We love what we do because we create safe spaces and offerings that transforms people’s lives. We have watched this happen before our eyes. It’s beautiful and humbling.
Never stop betting on and investing in yourself. Embrace the discomfort and growing pains, they are evidence that growth is occurring and that light is near. The journey is so worth the time and experience.
Snag your tickets to Bridget And KeAnna’s upcoming Tears, Tides, and Transformation Women’s Healing Conference here, or connect with them @tearstidesandtransformation on Facebook, IG, and LinkedIn
Husband and wife duo Yohanne and Alakya Mathankeri-Spears are the owners of Bourbon Barbers, Dayton’s first social barbershop, offering hair cuts alongside a full-service bar.
We recently caught up with Alakya to learn more about the duo’s entrepreneurial journey.
Hi! I am Alakya Mathankeri-Spears and my husband is Yohanne Spears. Together we own Bourbon Barbers, the first social barbershop in Dayton, Oh that offers grooming services with a full service bar.
We both have been in Ohio for the last 15 years making Dayton our home and raising our four children here. We love Dayton because Dayton is where we met, fell in love, and made this our home.
The company started with many small ideas that eventually became one. My husband always wanted to open up a barbershop. And I always wanted to open up an social center, a restaurant, bar or event center. But as we traveled all over the US, we became exposed to new and upcoming social barbershops, barbershops that offer alcohol drinks and a full service bar. So over time, the barbershop became a social barbershop that offers drinks and a lounging patio area.
When we would travel, my husband would try to find barbershops to get his hair cut, and in many instances, we just happened to stumble upon some great barbershops that offered a full service bar to clients. Many clients loved this concept! Dayton didn’t have this service offered so many Dayton professionals would drive to Columbus or Cincinnati. So we decided that we would try to get a local social barbershop in the area. And the rest is history!
Yes, we both did! Although I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to venture into, my husband has always wanted to open up a barbershop. It worked out extremely well that we both were able to bring our experiences and expertise to fruition.
I think we embody all of these! I think to be an entrepreneur, you have to be bold. It’s taking a chance on yourself and your communities. And I think we did just that. My husband left a lucrative corporate job to do this while raising four young kids. We did this because we saw a need and felt we can give back to our community in a time Dayton was really growing. Everywhere we look in Dayton, there are so many amazing opportunities and businesses growing and flourishing. Dayton is putting people first and giving first. With all that Dayton had to overcome in the past few years, Dayton has removed barriers to really strive to encourage growth. The city is flourishing like never before, and we wanted to be part of that. Dayton has welcomed us and helped us grow our family. And we wanted to be part of that growth.
My husband and I both bring unique experiences. Hemhas an extensive management background. He gained a lot of experience as an operating director where he learned about management, employee relations, resource management, operations, strategy development, etc. My experiences in HR and project management, as well as design, also helped with our business. We couldn’t have done it without the other! Truly we are the ying to each other’s yang!
The biggest barrier we faced was financing options. But luckily my family was able to step in and help. I think a lot of entrepreneurs have this issue where getting funds are hard with bank and collateral. We were very fortunate to have family be able to step in and fund our venture.
It offers us the ability to operate with people in mind. We are small but we want to help build the business, the community and the people involved. Since we aren’t about the bottom line all the time, our focus can shift. We can embody our values in how we operate.
Just do it! It is hard, and it takes a lot of sacrifices, but it is worth it. It is amazing to see the happiness and pride that comes from ownership. When you have total control of how a business operates, you can make decisions that are empowering and true to yourself. You can write the narrative.
Connect with Alakya @bourbonbarbersdayton.
Congratulations to Kilele Health for winning the annual pitch competition at the 2023 Launch Dayton Startup Week Presented by Fifth Third Bank!
Kilele Health is developing wearable remote continuous patient monitoring for cardiometabolic diseases, empowering doctors and patients with accurate real-time data.
The startup took home the $15,000 first place prize sponsored by the Entrepreneurs’ Center.
The $5,000 second place prize (also powered by the EC) went to AIMM, developing a platform technology to address difficult-to-treat water issues, such as forever chemicals, to help provide safe water to all.
And Green Zero Technologies won the crowd favorite prize of $2,500, also powered by The EC. Green Zero Technologies is bringing next-level reliability to portable power generation providing clean generators that run on any fuel.
Also pitching Wednesday night were:
In addition to support from title sponsor Fifth Third Bank, Launch Dayton Startup Week is also made possible by our platinum sponsors, Parallax Advanced Research, Entrepreneurs’ Center, Mile Two, McGohan Brabender, and Dayton Inno/Dayton Business Journal.
Nakia N. Ard whips up delectable creations as the founder of N’Dulge Luxe Treat Boutique, a recent graduate of the 6888 Kitchen Incubator’s Sharpen the Axe program. We recently caught up with Nakia to learn more about her journey.
My name is Nakia N Ard, and I am the Owner, and Confectionary Artist for N’Dulge Luxe Treat Boutique.
My company began out of a desire to be reminded of who I was as a person after divorce. I found myself in a place of not knowing who I was anymore, because my identity was immersed in being a wife/mother. I found that I needed to “indulge” in life, and the things that I once enjoyed, so that I could get back to the me I used to be.
I’ve always loved confections since I was a child. My stepfather owned a candy store, and I went there most days after school. I also used to bake cakes for my mother’s birthday every year, and followed this same tradition when I became a mom. It was sheer accident that my baking became a business. I had an idea for an argyle sweater cake, and with no formal training decided I was going to make it. I DID, and the rest, as they say, is history.
I think deep down I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but never thought it could be a full-time pursuit. My mother was an entrepreneur, as well as a business professional, so watching her, I always had the desire in me to be one.
Being a part of the 6888 Kitchen Incubator has helped me to improve my business model and understand the dynamics of manufacturing and business development to pursue strategies such as retail/grocery store placement. I would recommend all food entrepreneurs and business owners take the Sharpen The Axe Program, even if you do not have the desire to launch in other retail spaces, because of the valuable information within the course.
By nature, I am a bold thinker. I believe that one’s uniqueness can encourage others to embody their own. I am also a people first leader, as I am attempting to encourage other women to utilize their innate abilities to change their circumstances. This is what my business has done for me, and I know that when barriers are removed and a woman is able to see her potential in ways she hasn’t before, she can move mountains.
As a divorcee and mother of 4, I have had to wear many hats to prepare for life in general, but the pursuit of being an entrepreneur has stretched me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. It actually helped shape me into the person I am today, because it allowed me to be independent, and provide for my family at a time that I was in despair. Being an entrepreneur has strengthened me and given me a desire to empower others to do the same with their innate abilities.
The biggest barrier I’ve faced is having capital to fully pursue my dream. I’ve been able to have some wonderful mentorship that has led me to some resources that can assist me. However, the time between the pursuit and progress has been daunting at times.
I love what I do because it gives me creative freedom and allows me to present an unmatched experience to my customers. I enjoy the interaction with them and hearing how they enjoy the products that I am offering. There is nothing like the feeling of presenting your idea vs customer perception, and then getting positive feedback.
The advice I would give is to be like Nike, JUST DO IT! You can mull over ideas, and talk yourself out of what you want to pursue 1000 times. Don’t overthink it. Present what you have and perfect it later. You’ve got this, now go get it.
Connect with Nakia @ndulgeluxetreats.
Launch Dayton Startup Week Presented by Fifth Third Bank is underway and on Wednesday night, six startups will pitch in the annual Startup Week Pitch Competition Powered by the EC. There is $22,500 up for grabs: $15,000 for the first-place winner, $5,000 for the second place winner, and $2,500 for the crowd favorite.
The innovation-focused competition is geared toward technology-based companies that are developing intellectual property and want to scale their business broadly to sell beyond the greater Dayton region.
The companies that will pitch are:
This year’s pitch competition will be held Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 4:30p.m. in the Tank at the Dayton Arcade, 35 W 4th St., Dayton.
In addition to support from title sponsor Fifth Third Bank, Launch Dayton Startup Week is also made possible by our platinum sponsors, Parallax Advanced Research, Entrepreneurs’ Center, Mile Two, McGohan Brabender, and Dayton Inno/Dayton Business Journal.
31 S. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402
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