OH

To say that Columbus entrepreneur Victoria Calderon wears many hats is an understatement. In addition to co-owning two successful businesses with her sister, Virginia Nunes Gutierrez, Victoria is a marketing expert, policy advocate and published author with more than 10 years of experience in the media, corporate, non-profit and small business sectors. Victoria is also a first-generation immigrant from Venezuela who is fluent in Spanish, English and Brazilian Portuguese.

While Senate Republicans have been working behind closed doors this month on their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, the increasing instability of the healthcare marketplace has been making headlines in Ohio.

Shaun Young is the co-founder of Millenefits, a digital staffing agency in Columbus, Ohio. For a monthly fee, small businesses can outsource their online marketing to an expert and in turn, provide healthcare benefits to that self-employed professional.  Shaun’s business philosophy has always been that everyone should have access to healthcare, which is very much in line with the goals of the Affordable Care Act, and that’s why he’s concerned about the Senate’s upcoming vote to repeal the law.

Autumn Theodore was working at a stable, corporate job with benefits when she got the entrepreneurial itch. She finally decided to take the plunge, and opened up her photography business, Autumn Theodore Photography, in Columbus, Ohio. And while Autumn was completely confident in her decision to follow her passion of nearly 13 years, she was unsure how she would be able to afford health insurance.

At Designing Local in Columbus, co-owners Josh Lapp and Amanda Golden are passionate about creating inspired community design projects that highlight local attributes. Their goal is not only to increase an area's aesthetic value, but to build relationships among the citizens who participate in these projects.

While working towards an engineering degree in college, Matthew Hollis quickly realized his real interest wasn’t in memorizing equations or the laws of thermodynamics, but rather in entrepreneurship and how to turn problem solving into a business. He connected with Alan Dillman, who ran a business incubator on Hollis’ college campus. The two quickly realized there was room for innovation and sustainability in the waste collection business, which inspired them to launch Elytus, a waste management company based in Columbus, Ohio.

With a keen eye for alluring design and a mission to showcase and honor the one-of-a-kind flair of different local communities, Designing Local is a consulting firm that seeks to bring the inner-beauty of a given locale to the forefront.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Designing Local is celebrating a big milestone – one year in business of bringing pride, legacy and prosperity to the projects and communities they take on.

Michaela Hahn-Burriss, Small Business Majority's Ohio Outreach Manager

Trent Smith, Executive Director of the Franklinton Board of Trade

A littered community can be a real messy affair. It stunts economic growth, repels consumers and tourists and turns the community into an unpleasing eyesore.

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.