Entrepreneurship

New Jersey’s Hispanic community is an integral part of the state’s economy, and the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey is a key part of the community’s economic influence.

For 25 years, the chamber has fostered, mentored and trained Hispanic-owned businesses in New Jersey.

Here’s a scoop: Residents of the Columbus, Ohio area do not have to take that lavish Italian dream vacation to get their hands on some dynamite gelato.

Coppa Gelato, a family-owned gelateria, offers authentic Italian gelato out of a cozy café in the town of Westerville.

Jennifer Strain was all washed out after being in the corporate world for many years. But after a night snuggled up in bed reading a book on soap making, Strain’s cleansing process began with an idea that had the sweet smell of success.

Good Fortune Soap, a manufacturer, retail store, spa and wholesaler in Chattanooga, TN, is Strain’s one-stop destination for washing one’s troubles away. And the process of starting this small business did just that for her, as well.

A love for pounding out rhythms and grooves with his own two hands became an unlikely success story for Kevin Brown, owner of Rhythm House Drums.

The Matthews, NC based small business was a labor of love for Brown, who claims it wasn’t his initial goal to set off and start his own business.

“I was just playing and building drums as a hobby,” Brown said. “I soon realized that what I was doing was very unique and others were interested in these drums.”

With more than 6.7 million young Americans out of school and unemployed, it’s safe to say that youth unemployment is no small matter. With so many eager and talented young workers ripe for the picking, it’s a waste to turn our backs on our nation’s youth when creating jobs and opportunities for them will bolster our economy.

In particular, small businesses are at a unique advantage in mentoring and training the young workers of today to become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow, and small business owner Zach Davis is dedicated to doing just that.

Office furniture is often just a boring afterthought for many. But Sumner Furniture sets out to put the fun in functional when it comes to adorning offices with top-notch furniture.

Jeff Thorner, the self-proclaimed Furniture Guy, is the founder and CEO of Sumner Furniture in Washington, D.C., and he’s on a mission to help make your office stand out.

If you want to learn how some people do the voodoo they do so well, just visit Conjured Cardea, a full-service online voodoo and hoodoo supply shop.

Anita Brightman was always a creative at heart. But it wasn’t until her very own light bulb moment working as a government public affairs contractor that A. Bright Idea was born.

A. Bright Idea, a full-service creative advertising and public relations agency with locations in Bel Air, MD and Sonoma, CA was exactly that – Brightman’s epiphany.

What began as a grad school assignment has blossomed into a successful small business that Seattleites are eating up… literally.

Stockbox Neighborhood Grocery went from an idea to a thriving small business thanks to Carrie Ferrence. As part of one of her classes at Bainbridge Graduate Institute, Ferrence was tasked with designing a business that responded to a social need, and focused on developing a retail response to urban food access.

As a successful woman small business owner in Colorado, Lisa Goodbee knows first-hand the hardships that go into starting a business from scratch.

With blood, sweat and tears, Goodbee has turned her small business, Goodbee & Associates, into a standout woman-owned engineering firm since its founding in 1994.

It’s this experience and the opportunities that were available to her that shape Goodbee’s stance on immigration reform, something she strongly believes in.