Inspiring Entrepreneurs

Gina Sambola isn’t afraid of “the hunt.” As an avid thrifter she thrills in the experience of thrift shopping. “You go in and you don’t really expect to find what you’ll find. I always leave with something and it always has a story behind it. You don’t really know who had the clothes before you or what their life was like, so it’s kind of like a mystery.”

Kestra’s love for travel began in the second grade when her mother took her to visit family in Germany. “My mom always told me ‘go out there, experience the world, experience cultures to see what you love, and learn more about yourself.’ So I took all her words to heart.”

While she describes herself as always being on an entrepreneurial journey, Nefateria Fonda’ admits — that earlier in her life — she was so caught up in the process of checking the boxes, that she wasn’t really paying attention to what her mission was, or what her faith called her to be.

As the pharmacist, manager, and owner of an independent, Black-owned pharmacy in Durham, North Carolina, Dr. Keith—as his patients call him—knows some of the barriers to running a small business.

They say righteous anger is a powerful motivation, and Ruben Watson might agree. As author and creator of Watson Family Literacy, Ruben works to improve literacy for children through multicultural books, events, and more, but his journey began in the aisle of a big-box bookstore.