Side Hustle to Small Business

How Cause of a Kind was built by opportunity

Justin Abrams is a lifelong salesman, with a career in the industry spanning over a decade. However, when Justin and his friend Michael tried to pivot into the tech startup space, they found they were facing challenges getting into market. It was at that point that the two were asked to design a web application. This opportunity turned into what would become Cause of a Kind, a successful web development company.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

8:22 Overcoming nerves

11:25 Building the business

14:52 Using AI

19:23 Balancing life and work

26:26 Advice for other entrepreneurs

30:23 Closing and contact

Turning a decades-long hustle into a full-time business

Nikky Wainwright has been reselling anything since she was in college - books, clothing, shoes, you name it. However in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, she noticed that while some businesses were suffering, reselling was going strong. It was at this point that she went all in on Diva’s Treasure Closet, a a luxury, designer, and vintage e-commerce business. Starting out online, Nikky has now opened her own boutique in Atlanta. 

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

6:46 Choosing your inventory

10:38 Social media strategy

15:50 Balancing life and work

20:24 Growing the business

22:53 Reflecting on the business

25:19 Advice for other entrepreneurs

27:42 Closing and contact

Building a fashion brand for STEM-loving kids and adults

When Jaya Iyer couldn’t find science-themed dresses for her daughter, she realized that other parents must be feeling the frustration. Wanting to empower her daughter and others, she launched Svaha USA, a STEAM-based fashion brand that creates clothing for the entire family. What started as a mission to challenge gender stereotypes in kids' clothing has grown into a thriving business known for its bold, brainy designs.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

7:00 Challenges when starting the business

14:13 Creating the clothing

20:30 Fulfilling orders

23:18 Building a mission-driven brand

25:31 Balancing family and work

30:16 Reflecting on the business

31:34 Advice for other entrepreneurs

33:11 Closing and contact

Awkward, fun, and profitable: Building a card game brand

Brittane Rowe is an off-Broadway actress by trade, but when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Broadway, she found herself with time for deeper, more meaningful conversations with her family. Inspired by those moments, Brittane teamed up with her brother Brandon and sister-in-law Jane to create Awkward Games, a card game company designed to spark joy and strengthen relationships.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

8:10 Getting the first sales

9:31 Getting the product into stores

11:56 Overcoming nerves

14:48 Shark Tank

24:09 Game development

26:40 Balancing work and life

28:50 Running the business in NYC

31:43 Reflecting back on the business

34:07 Advice for other entrepreneurs

35:28 Closing and contact

Finding the right price for handmade goods

Kwadwo Som-Pimpong founded Crafted Glory, a handcrafted furniture company, after buying his first home in Asheville, North Carolina. Drawing on his engineering background, he mastered the mechanics of furniture making and honed his craft. What began as a personal project has grown into a business that serves customers across the country. Today, Crafted Glory is known for its commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and thoughtful design.

 

-Chapters-

00:00 Introduction and background

6:29 Overcoming nerves

8:12 Pricing your work

10:22 Training as a woodworker 

16:30 Viewing the business longterm 

20:56 Balancing work and life

25:31 Finding a coach

31:50 Reflecting on the business

33:18 Advice for other entrepreneurs

34:37 Closing and contact

Globowl’s mission to make kids’ meals more exciting

Erica Levin is a serial entrepreneur, having started three businesses in her life. During the pandemic, while her daughter was starting to eat solid foods, Erica decided to start making her own baby food that incorporated flavors from around the world and introduced allergens early. From there, she has built Globowl, a baby and toddler food company with a mission to inspire adventurous eating for life.

 

-Chapters-

00:00 Introduction and background

4:45 Starting Global

12:05 Overcoming nerves

13:05 Funding the business

16:23 Making mistakes

20:55 Entering the food space

23:41 Plans to grow the business

27:02 Mission-oriented brands

29:02 Work-life balance

32:25 Reflecting on the business

34:47 Closing and contact

Designing for social impact with Creative Director Jo Skillman

Jo Skillman is a Houston-based Creative Director and the Founder of Jo Skillman LLC. Known for her thoughtful, cause-driven work, she’s partnered with clients like the City of Houston. With expertise in both design and copywriting, Jo brings a well-rounded, strategic approach to every project.

 

-Chapters-

00:00 Introduction and background

6:35 Overcoming nerves

13:20 Working across multiple industries 

18:21 Balancing two sides of the business

21:44 Using AI in your work

25:58 Balancing work and life

29:20 Reflecting back on the business

31:18 Advice for other entrepreneurs

33:20 Closing and contact

Managing finances better as a small business owner

Jennifer Bower is a mom of two, a veteran, grad student, and the Founder of Fortuna Money. After a career in the Air Force, Jennifer got into the banking world which gave her the knowledge and know how to launch Fortuna Money, a financial coaching service. On this episode, she shares tips and tricks on how small businesses can better manage their money, identifying bad spending habits, and keeping personal and business expenses separate. 

 

-Chapters-

00:00 Introduction and background

5:54 Building the business

11:48 Overcoming nerves

13:31 Choosing the right clients 

20:25 Financial mistakes as Founders

22:26 Work-life balance

25:37 Reflecting on the business

28:20 Advice for other entrepreneurs

30:55 Closing and contact

From postpartum to product line: The birth of Le Lolo

After the birth of her first child, Courtney Boylan quickly discovered that postpartum essentials, such as nipple shields and nursing pads, were typically not made with aesthetics in mind. She believed that with everything that mothers were going through postpartum, they deserved beautiful products. It was then that she founded Le Lolo, a postpartum brand thoughtfully designed to support and celebrate new mothers.

 

-Chapters-

00:00 Introduction and Background

9:43 Overcoming nerves

11:17 Designing the right product

14:19 Naming the company

16:01 Brand evolution

18:24 Running the business

21:09 Setting boundaries

23:36 Reflecting on the business

26:05 Advice for other entrepreneurs

26:43 Closing and contact

Funding your dream: Crowdfunding advice that works

Kathleen Minogue is a creative at heart and a former educator who never imagined a future in finance. But during the dot-com boom, an unexpected opportunity at JP Morgan changed her trajectory. While working there, she noticed a striking gap: those seeking venture capital rarely came from creative fields. It wasn’t until she helped crowdfund a film she produced that she discovered the power of crowdfunding and found her true calling.

 

-Chapters-

00:00 Introduction and background

5:31 Entrepreneurial background

7:03 Overcoming nerves

10:12 Going from side hustle to small business

20:06 Mistakes in crowdfunding

23:34 Setting boundaries

25:55 Reflecting back on the business

31:05 Advice for other entrepreneurs

32:03 Closing and contact