Small Business, Big Conversations

Chef Tiwanna Scott-Williams is a Registered Nurse turned culinary powerhouse behind Pearl's Kitchen and PearlFlower Catering. From caring for hearts in the ICU to feeding them through soul food, Chef Tiwanna's journey is rooted in legacy, community, and hustle. With a brand built on the inspiration of her grandmothers, Pearline and Delores, she's gone from running a catering company on the side of...

What began as a hobby in Chris Harris's garage quickly turned into a passion project, and then into a thriving taproom in Holland, Ohio. With a name inspired by his hometown's nickname "Frog Town," Chris proudly calls himself the Black Frog, and he's bringing that same pride and purpose to Cleveland as he opens the city's first Black-owned brewery inside the MidTown Collaboration Center. Known for...

In 2016, Emily Harpel was inspired to give a nostalgic childhood treat a chic upgrade. Emily secured all of the social media handles, ordered her first machine, and Art of Sucre was born.   Emily launched Art of Sucre as an events-based business, spinning out of the box flavors of cotton candy at weddings, parties, concerts. In 2020, Emily knew that she either had to pivot her business or lose eve...

Cleveland has no shortage of claims to fame, but Vic Searcy's Chicken Sandwich stands out even in a city of bests. With locations in University Heights, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and Cleveland Browns Stadium, you'd think Sauce the City has been around for decades. On the contrary, Chef Vic launched (almost by accident) in 2018 when he won a location in the Ohio City Gallery. At the time, Searcy w...

How do you prioritize a life on your own terms AND build a legacy of success for your family? Do what you love. Sharia Livingston has always dreamed of owning her own clothing business, but as a young mother, she opted for the safe bet and pursued a career in nursing. Her obsession with high-quality fashion never dulled and when her daughter was old enough to share her dreams, the mother-daughter...

The average US family will throw away as much as $1,500 worth of perfectly edible food each year. This waste costs our economy significant sums of money, but by avoiding this needless waste, we can redirect those funds to invest in infrastructure and services to divert that material from landfills. Since 2014, Rust Belt Riders has made it their mission to feed people, not landfills. The worker-own...

When DaRon Henderson was a sophomore in high school, he was approached by a friend about the possibility of playing music at an upcoming junior high dance. He owned a pair of speakers and a set of turntables, so they decided to give it a shot to see what they could pull off.  They brought the proverbial schoolhouse down, and from there, more opportunities came rolling in. First $20, then an offer...