Pouur Decisions

Kwamena and Natasha from Micah Specialty Foods share the real story behind building a product-based business from the ground up. What started as a college idea inspired by homemade Ghanaian sauce turned into a growing brand now found in retail stores.  In this episode, we walk through the full journey. From testing recipes in a dorm kitchen to finding the right co-packer and scaling production. Th...

What do you do when you lose your job… right when life is about to change?  In this episode of Pouur Decisions , Jen Prochaska shares how getting fired while pregnant forced her into entrepreneurship and ultimately led her to build a business that actually fits her life. What felt like a setback turned into clarity through relationships, networking, and real conversations.  This isn’t a surface-le...

In this episode of Pouur Decisions, we sit down with Ameerah Herbert, founder of Noire Wellness and Aesthetics, to break down what it really looks like to build a successful medspa from the ground up. This is more than just a medical spa conversation. It’s a real look at what it takes to go from nurse to entrepreneur, how to start a business, and the decisions that shape long term success in the w...

What does it actually take to turn a recipe into a real business? In this episode of Pouur Decisions, Bianca Beach shares the story behind building Lamacita, from early kitchen experiments to navigating co-manufacturers, retail, and everything in between. This is an honest conversation about the decisions most people don’t see. From choosing the wrong ingredients early on, to trusting outside opin...

What does it actually take to start a business when you don’t have a plan, a budget, or certainty it will work?  In this episode of Pouur Decisions, Stephanie Kluk, founder of Future Ink Graphics, shares how she built her business from years of experience in the nonprofit and creative space, and why relationships became her biggest asset. From launching during COVID to choosing a location inside a...

In this episode of Pouur Decisions, Kristen Hannie-Ducey, founder of Ducey Designs, shares how a lifelong passion for interior design turned into a real business after getting laid off at the start of COVID. What started as side work became the push she needed to build something of her own. The conversation goes beyond design and gets into what many business owners deal with behind the scenes: con...

What does it really take to walk away from stability and bet on yourself?  In this episode of Pouur Decisions, actor Derrick A. King shares the real story behind leaving a corporate career at Nestlé to pursue acting. From growing up in performing arts to navigating risk, uncertainty, and rejection, Derrick breaks down the moments that shaped his journey and the mindset it takes to keep going.  Thi...

In this episode of Pouur Decisions, Sharece sits down with John Lahoski of Peninsula Hardwoods for a real conversation about what it takes to sustain a family business across multiple generations. From the founding of Terry Lumber in 1940 to the growth of Peninsula Hardwoods, this episode explores legacy, leadership, customer service, and the decisions that help a business keep moving forward. Joh...

In this episode of Pouur Decisions, we sit down with Destiny Burns, founder of CLE Urban Winery, to talk about the real decisions behind leaving corporate life, coming back to Cleveland, and building a business from the ground up with no roadmap. Destiny shares how a 20 year Navy career and years in defense contracting led her to walk away from stability, design a purpose driven business, and navi...

In this episode of Pouur Decisions, we sit down with SA Frell, founder of Olivia Rose Confections, to talk through the real story behind building a food business. It starts with culinary school, a moment that made her realize she could sell what she was making, and the surprising reality that sales do not equal profit. We get into the hard part most people skip: being undercapitalized, cutting mar...

Bob Polk of Leisure Tours Cleveland joins Pouur Decisions to talk through what it actually takes to build a local experience business from scratch. What starts as bicycle tours turns into golf cart tours, but the real story is persistence: figuring it out when the city has no playbook for what you are trying to do. We get into the unglamorous parts most people skip, licensing, insurance questions...

What happens when a creative side project slowly becomes the thing you care about most? In this episode of Pouur Decisions, we sit down with Erin Rudy of Milestone Home Design to talk about the real decisions behind leaving a stable corporate career to build a business that started almost by accident. We dig into what it looks like to grow a company without a perfect plan, how trial and error shap...

In this episode of Pouur Decisions , we sit down with Venessa Motaabbed, a Cleveland based realtor with Cali Home Pro powered by eXp Realty, to talk honestly about what it really means to leave a steady paycheck and go all in on yourself. Vanessa shares her journey from retail to real estate, the fear of commission based income, and the personal moment that pushed her to finally take the leap. We...

Megan Robinson, founder of Blossom Flower Bar, joins Pouur Decisions to share how she walked away from a corporate career and built a thriving, multi-location business rooted in joy, community, and genuine human connection. Starting with flowers stored in a garage cooler, Megan talks about using influencer marketing before it was common, opening her first storefront with fear and faith, and learni...

Kaba’s African and Caribbean Market is more than a grocery store. It’s a reflection of the people it serves. In this episode, Aicha Kaba shares the story of how her family’s business grew alongside Cleveland’s Lee Harvard neighborhood. From its early days focusing on African products to becoming a multicultural destination for food, wellness, and skincare, Kaba’s Market expanded by paying attentio...

Haditha “Butter” Khan, the creative force behind Ink Therapy Studio , shares her remarkable journey from artist to business owner. We talk about opening her studio in Bedford Heights during the pandemic, her experience as a Black female entrepreneur in the tattoo world, and why her art is more than ink on skin — it’s a form of healing and expression. Butter also offers advice to artists and entrep...

In this episode of Pouur Decisions , Sharece sits down with Tracy Burnett , Founder & Owner of Michi Lifestyle , a comfort-first home and lifestyle shop based in Lakewood, Ohio. Tracy opens up about transitioning from corporate travel to entrepreneurship, why designing for comfort matters, sourcing ethical small-batch products, and how a supportive community shaped her retail vision. She also...

Fashion designer and Project Runway alum Valerie Mayen shares her journey from juggling multiple jobs to building Yellowcake Shop , a slow-fashion brand rooted in empowerment and ethical craftsmanship. Valerie opens up about what slow fashion truly means, why she refuses to be part of fast fashion’s harmful cycle, and the mission to help women look strong, feel strong, and step confidently into an...

From driving limos and passing out flyers to building a thriving lawn care company, Dave Petti shares how he turned Turf Pride into a service-driven success story. In this interview, Dave explains how focusing on customer experience, developing a strong employee training program, and hiring for character helped him scale sustainably without sacrificing quality. He also opens up about early challen...