Side Hustle to Small Business

Bonnie Mauldin has been hustling since she was a kid. At eight years old, she was knocking on doors offering to shovel driveways. After graduation, she entered the medical field, but quickly discovered it was not for her. Now, Bonnie owns two successful businesses, The Mauldin Group and Mauldin Production Company. Having learned a lot along the way, Bonnie shares her tips on changing careers, side hustles, and running multiple businesses.

It takes a lot to start a small business, and often, individuals face many barriers along the way. Today, we are diving deep into a common barrier many entrepreneurs face when jumpstarting their small business: a lack of funds. Through interviewing three individuals who have successfully raised money to launch their businesses, we will answer the following questions: How can I raise money for my small business? What tools are out there to help with my money-raising goals? What challenges might I face while doing so?

Ada Teme is the Founder and Owner of Cherish August, a destination event planning firm that has been in business for over two decades.  Ada and her team at Cherish August want to ensure that your event is tailored perfectly to your needs, whether a small gathering or a large event. Ada and Sanjay discuss charging the appropriate amount, balancing your time, and working around your full-time job.

After working in Silicon Valley, Ebony Peay Ramirez quickly realized that young girls are not being taught entrepreneurial skills like their male peers are. So she launched Build Her World, an online platform aimed at helping girls aged 9-13 to build ideas and develop entrepreneurial skills. Sanjay and Ebony discuss the next generation of leaders, career transitions, and having a creative outlet.

In early 2021, sisters Sarah Flores and Sabrina Lozano were at a crossroads. At the time, Sarah was a student and Sabrina was a travelling COVID nurse. After seeing an ad for a food truck on Craigslist, they decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship by opening Loli’s Streatery in May of 2021 in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Loli’s Streatery specializes in Tex-Mex fusion, with their signature dish being the Original Loaded Mexican Street Corn Bowl. 

Jean Tully had a career as a paralegal, but in 2012, decided to follow her lifelong passion of photography. She founded Pearlescent Photo, a photography business dedicated to helping women and girls look and feel their best. Jean and Sanjay discuss starting a business different from your day job, believing in yourself, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance while owning your own business to ensure your relationships still take priority.

Jennifer Stewart is the founder of Gateway Productivity, a company aimed to help you master the technology you work with regularly and learn new technologies. Before starting Gateway Productivity, Jennifer worked in entertainment management and finance but found her passion was helping people master their productivity. Sanjay and Jennifer discuss starting a new business, leaving partnerships, and going virtual.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - it’s all anyone seems to be talking about. From ChatGPT creating travel itineraries based on a prompt of a few sentences, to audio engineers mixing new music with well-known artists' voices, AI is impacting all industries. But what about small businesses? We spoke to three owners to understand how AI impacts their business and if this technology should be considered a friend or a foe.

Eileen Lee is the founder of The Lola, a digital community and an all-inclusive co-working space in Atlanta. With a focus on diversity and inclusion, The Lola’s focus is on personal growth and development while providing meaningful networking opportunities for women. Sanjay and Eileen discuss starting a business just before the pandemic, the trouble with brick and mortars, and building inclusive spaces.

Yvonne Mashburn Schmidt is the Founder of The Georgia Genealogist, a genealogy business that specializes in Georgia and Deep South Research, Genetic Genealogy, and Forensic Genealogy. Yvonne is certified by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and holds an additional certification from Boston University. Yvonne and Sanjay discuss charging the proper rates, accepting payments, and the challenges of a work-life balance.