Side Hustle to Small Business

Launching a new business in the midst of a maternity leave

When Dominique Elkind became a mother, she noticed a lack of third spaces available to parents of very young children. While on her second maternity leave, Dominique decided to take on a entrepreneurial venture vastly different from her career as a UX Designer, by founding Nixi City, a play centre for children aged 0-5. Not only is Nixi City a space for children, but includes a cafe for parents to meet and connect.

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[00:01:35] Dominique’s Design Background

[00:02:25] Side Hustling During Maternity Leave

[00:03:30] Entrepreneurial Experience at Google

[00:06:25] Founding Nixi City, a Children’s Play Space

[00:08:35] Identifying a Market Gap

[00:11:15] Scaling and Franchising

[00:12:37] Balancing Work and Family

[00:14:05] Setting Boundaries 

[00:17:25] Sleep and Wellness

[00:19:48] Challenges of a Physical Space 

[00:22:55] Finding Product/Market Fit

[00:24:35] Selecting Real Estate for Nixi City

[00:26:33] Dominique’s Advice: Find a Community of Potential Customers

[00:27:36] Utilizing Design Skills

[00:29:31] Connect with Dominque

How David Gaz is the "Nice Guy" in business

David Gaz has always wanted to be a nice guy. As a partner at his previous branding firm, where his client base included many Fortune 500 companies, he quickly realized that he still wanted to provide branding services, but for organizations that he saw as doing good in the world. It was at that point that he started The Bureau of Small Projects, a branding company that provides services to entrepreneurs, non-profits, and small companies.

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[00:01:34] Meet David Gaz

[00:03:06] Kindness is Contagious

[00:04:46] The Bureau of Small Projects

[00:06:31] David’s Ice Cream Truck Venture

[00:10:23] Navigating a Non-Compete Contract

[00:15:51] Partnerships Vs. Solo Decision Makers

[00:17:36] Embrace the Stress

[00:20:20] Losing One Million Dollars

[00:24:33] Following a Path vs Chasing a Goal

[00:30:26] What would David re-do?

[00:33:53] David’s Advice: Just start

[00:35:13] Connect with David

How Joe Koufman built a career as a business matchmaker

It’s no wonder Joe Koufman sees himself as a matchmaker; three couples have gotten married after being introduced by Joe. In 2014, Joe realized that matchmaking is not only for couples, but can be used in the business world as well. Within 19 days of leaving his last job, Joe landed his first client for what would become Setup, an organization that matches marketing agencies to established brands. 

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[00:01:27] Joe Koufman’s Background

[00:03:47] How a Sales Background Influenced Joe

[00:06:01] A Family of Entrepreneurs

[00:07:51] A History of Matchmaking

[00:09:20] Turning Matchmaking Into a Business

[00:11:50] Early Days of Setup and First Customers

[00:14:35] Setup’s Revenue Model

[00:15:42] Pursuing Hobbies

[00:18:19] Setting Email Boundaries

[00:19:57] 50 Pull-Ups Each Morning

[00:21:35] Sleep Struggles

[00:22:56] Setup’s Growth and Team Structure 

[00:25:29] Writing a Book 

[00:30:00] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 

[00:32:19] Connect with Joe

Climbing the steep entrepreneurial mountain

COVID-19 was a turning point in many peoples lives, including Kate Jacoutot’s. After working as a marketing freelancer for various companies, Kate noticed that she was making more money and had more control over her schedule than working a traditional 9 to 5. However, to learn more, she worked at a few different marketing agencies until deciding to launch ModusMark, a brand and messaging consultancy in April 2020, in the midst of the pandemic.

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[00:01:33] Kate Jacoutot’s Background

[00:02:46] Stumbling Into Freelance Work

[00:06:33] Decision to Start Modus Mark in 2020

[00:09:26] Overcoming Fears and Discovering Her Worth

[00:11:00] Kate’s Entrepreneurial Support System

[00:13:07] Managing Stress While Starting a Business

[00:14:43] Prioritizing Date Nights

[00:16:44] Kate's Daily Routine

[00:18:48] ModusMark’s Growth: Team and Technology

[00:21:00] Growing From Mistakes

[00:23:30] Advice For Prospective Entrepreneurs

[00:25:48] Finding A Niche: Cybersecurity

[00:27:30] Connect with Kate

How Justus Hillebrand accidentally became an entrepreneur

Justus Hillebrand never planned on becoming an entrepreneur. After graduating from a Ph.D. program, he had wanted to become a history professor. However, after becoming a research assistant, Justus found himself doing contract work for large-scale clients such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. After falling in love with the work, in 2022, he decided to incorporate his business, Digital History Consulting Inc. 

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[00:01:16] Justus Hillebrand's Background

[00:05:07] Early Entrepreneurial Experiences

[00:07:24] Transition to Entrepreneurship

[00:11:31] Balancing Work and Family Life

[00:14:01] Managing Workspaces and Time

[00:16:12] Reflections on Entrepreneurship

[00:19:33] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

[00:22:59] Connect with Justus

Embracing grief and vulnerability in entrepreneurship

When Kera Sanchez’s mother passed away in 2022, she felt that there was much left unsaid and grieved the conversations her and her mother would never get to have. After jotting down some topics she felt she will miss out on, Kera decided to build and publish a journal specifically for those grieving, the Letters Legacy Journal. In February, Kera also published the first edition of her magazine, Get Griefy Magazine.

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[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:01:13] Kera's Background

[00:05:22] Entrepreneurial Beginnings

[00:06:25] Teaching and Entrepreneurship

[00:08:05] Publishing Journey

[00:09:27] Overcoming Nerves

[00:11:02] Balancing Teaching and Business

[00:14:24] Handling the Weight of Grief

[00:16:00] Learning and Support Systems

[00:18:04] Authenticity in Business

[00:20:28] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

[00:21:47] Connect with Kera

[00:22:29] Closing Remarks

 

Becoming an entrepreneur to improve your work-life balance

After the birth of her first daughter, as well as the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nivia Lopez knew that she didn’t want to go back to her in-person 9 to 5. After trying a few different gigs, such as dropshipping and virtual assisting, Nivia realized her passion lies in digital marketing. Now, Nivia has grown a company where she has the freedom to work remotely and have a healthy work-life balance.

How past trauma helped Shawnti Refuge find her purpose

Shawnti Refuge is the founder of Shawnti Refuge Journals, a collection of journals she created after navigating a mental health crisis in 2018. With the help of therapists, she found journaling to help her heal, and now wants to help others do the same. With the hope of ensuring no one feels the way she did, Shawnti launched the business in 2021. Now, she hopes to take it full-time in the near future.

​​How Michele Riechman is empowering women over 40

After Michele Riechman had her third child, she started to notice that it was challenging to keep up with her children, and that even going up one flight of stairs would leave her breathless. With a background in Physical Therapy, Michele decided to start her business as a personal trainer for women over 40. Michele says that by going back to the basics of fitness, women can feel empowered to take care of their bodies.

Taking a college passion and turning it into a career

Ethan King founded stuff4GREEKS.com after joining the Greek community at his college. What started as a school project is now a successful business that has been around for over 20 years. The company offers advanced personalized apparel for those in fraternities and sororities on college campuses. On top of stuff4GREEKS.com, Ethan founded Zeus’ Closet, a retail location offering personalization of clothing.