Do you have a favorite dialogue, lyric, quote or affirmation? Please share with us below.

Ashley Albrizio | Actor and Entrepreneur

I have been working in the restaurant industry since I was sixteen and have been purchasing the same variation of work clothing for jobs since then. At some point in 2019, I realized that there is no go-to place for restaurant employees to get their clothing, and on top of that, whatever everyone is currently buying is not only always different, but also isn’t functional for what we do. I then decided to create a performance apparel brand that is specifically designed for people who are running around for hours at a time, in hopes to bridge athletics and lifestyle with work wear. Clothing that is comfortable and accessible, that elevates and empowers the people who work hard to provide others with pleasant experiences. Read more>>

Dr Kevin Hartford | Organic chemist

In 2016 I work for a private investor that hired me for a job. After completing the job I was paid 50,000 dollars for all my intellectual properties and research. In 2017 the company that I did the job for sold my intellectual properties and research for $70 million. This was an eye opening and mind adjustment experience for me. After years in the public and private sectors and see all my ideas make millions of dollars for others. I decided in 2021 to explore entrepreneurship. In November 2023 I open the first black owned and operated research and development lab in the state of Louisiana. I am the CEO of Kev Da Chemist LLC. and is currently working on product design and development. Read more>>

Jason Blakely | Poet/Publisher

I wanted to have a book of my own poetry published. A friend purchased the 2003 Poet’s Market Book for me.This book was a road map to becoming published. I submitted poems, most of them rejected but it really got me interested in the business of publishing. What happened next would change my views of publishing forever. In the quest to become published, I wrote over four hundred poems. When I say wrote, I mean a pencil and paper. I submitted them to a publisher and expected to have them published. The poems were returned along with a rejection letter, very impersonal, saying that the company couldn’t publish my poems because they didn’t fit what they were looking for but encouraged me to keep writing. Read more>>

Jehan Assria | Owner of Jehan Productions

When starting out in the music industry, it was very difficult to navigate my way through. I wish I had someone to guide me, and lay out the process. After 10 years of releasing music, producing music videos, along with the amazing connections I’ve made , I decided to open my own company, Jehan Productions. My goal is to be that guidance to others and more importantly, I love being creative! I now have an amazing team who’s willing to embark on this journey with me. Director, Erik Bergamini whose worked on my big projects such as Dark Shadow, Machine, and Set a Fire will help with the music videos, and commercial photography/videography. Read more>>

ADRIANNE ONEILL | Co-Owner Simply Twisted Soft Serve & Desserts

Growing up in Nashville, TN we had the Dairy King, a little mom and pop soft serve ice cream shop. My Grandpa used to take me there all the time in the summer. It’s one of my favorite memories as a kid. My family moved to upstate NY, where I met my husband and he introduced me to his local favorite ice cream shop…soft serve again. Years later we moved to Burbank and thought about opening a brick and mortar but we had kids, careers and life just got in the way. Right before covid, my husband was laid off from work and the market was not great. That’s when he said, “What do you think about creating a soft serve food truck?” At that point we thought now is the time, but with a twist! Read more>>