Starting a business is a commitment and requires dedication, resources and sacrifice. We asked some of the rising stars in our community how they thought through the idea of starting their own businesses.

Kahja Elliott | Food Enthusiast, Podcast Host, & Culinary Traveler

This happened so organically! During the pandemic, I stumbled onto a non-profit that teaches behavioral science-based entrepreneurial theory and started attending the class online. When restrictions lifted and we were able to attend in person, I came into fellowship with such an amazing group of talented creators across so many disciplines of business! It was within that group that I had conversations about turning my passion into a business model centered around food and food culture, discovering the heart of places through that lens. Read more>>

Victoria Pace | Good Stuff Coffeehouse Co-Owner

I had a very different plan for my life when I graduated college with a degree in advertising over a year before opening Good Stuff Coffeehouse. I had experience working for large companies like Chick-fil-A and the Walt Disney Company and my post-grad plans were to work forever in the corporate advertising world. Yet, after college I began to work at my family’s small businesses in our quaint town of Dallas, Georgia. I fell in love with the idea of creating something unique to offer and add value to our community. I’ve always been a supporter of small businesses, especially coffee shops. Read more>>

Renay Adams | CEO

I established the SouthEast Rare Plant Market to provide a secure platform for local plant growers to sell their products without the need for a physical store.
Now, four years later, what began as a simple concept has evolved into a lively hub where plant enthusiasts come together to revel in all things green and leafy. Our market not only displays the exquisite work of local cultivators and artisans vendors but also nurtures a close-knit community of plant aficionados from diverse backgrounds. Read more>>

Molly Gordon | Chef Instructor & Food Blogger

I actually started Simply Southern Chef in college when I attended Johnson and Wales University as a way to share what I was creating in labs with my friends and family back home in Aiken. However, it quickly turned from lab recaps to sharing my own recipes and cooking tips. Flashforward to today, it is a melting pot of my life from recipes, restaurant reviews, travel vlogs, taste tests, favorite product reviews, and showcases of southern cuisine and cooking. Read more>>

Shawn Dillard | Painter

I started Dillard Painting Service because I saw a need with all of the new homes being built as well as with the amount of people moving to the Upstate. Read more>>

Madison Johnson | Esthetician & Professional MUA

I have always been extremely independent and dreamed of having my own business from a very young age. I really looked up to my father who was able to build a business from the ground up and I knew I wanted to do that one day. When I found a passion for esthetics and beauty, I was sure I wanted to make a business out of it. Something that was my own and impacted people in a positive way. My goal is to help people feel confident and beautiful. I also want to inspire young makeup artists or others in the beauty industry to follow their dreams. Read more>>

Tiffany Williams | Dual Entrepreneur & Lip Doctor

To create unique hues with an unmatched cruelty-free formula that meet the aesthetic standard for ALL individuals enthralled with esthetics. I am a reformed, non-violent convicted felon, college graduate who had a tumultuous via dead-end jobs finding her niche. With that being said, entrepreneurship changed my life, my mindset and my financial forecast. I started my cosmetic brand(s) due to my passion for uncommon hues through lipstick. And because I am intrinsically selfless; I wanted to share my passion with the world. Read more>>

Cliff Poynter | Owner and CEO

Throughout my years, I have had the privilege of working for and learning from some amazing entrepreneurs. I have also competed under the guidance of some phenomenal coaches. The one thing that all of these individuals had in common was their ability to create a culture that people wanted to be a part of. When starting In and Out Trash Services, I wanted to take the very best parts of each of these life experiences and create a company with a culture of respect, honesty, integrity as well as enthusiasm, that could be tangibly felt by every customer and every employee that it touched. Read more>>

Brian Hall | Firearms Training

I think my first thought process was who will benefit and why. I also think anyone that is starting a business will naturally think of the potential risks and how things could result if they turn out to be inconsistent with the original business vision. Read more>>

Isabelle Zachariah | Photographer & Model

I feel so much joy seeing others happy and able to cherish special moments. I have always been eager to get behind the camera as my dad was always my inspiration, capturing our childhood memories in time capsules of printed images. Since I was younger I also always had a knack for modeling in front of the camera and bringing all of my sass to light, so it always intrigued me to be on the opposite side of the camera. The moment I could start my first photography course I knew I could grow a brand that encompasses my passion for photography and working with others. Read more>>

Shane and Megumi Sanford | Japanese inspired plant artists and growers

I have always been a plant person and discovered bonsai in my 20’s. Soon after taking a bonsai class I took a Fulbright Teacher trip to Japan and met my wife Megumi there. During our 22 years of marriage, we have lived in Japan for a year and visited countless times. While in Japan I kept encountering kokedama (literally translated as “moss ball”) plants. Kokedama is a style of bonsai plant art dating back to the Edo period in the 1600’s and involves creating a soil ball around a plant encapsulated with moss. Read more>>