Multicultural Entrepreneurs

Michelle Byrd of Tender Love and Tresses

This STL Hair Entrepreneur Goes Beyond Business to Tackle a Community Need

Braiding hair for over 20 years, Michelle Byrd’s entrepreneurial journey began out of necessity. She started to braid and style client’s hair to pay for her youngest daughter’s private school tuition. Even though Michelle never envisioned herself starting her own business and just took on a few clients to supplement her...

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Shirley Washington's Sway-Oh product

SCORE Turns Entrepreneur’s Late-Night Eureka Moment into Thriving Skewer Business

Shirley Washington’s middle-of-the-night inspiration – mixed with a splash of assistance from SCORE St. Louis – has led to a recipe for success for her skewer-serving business. Shirley Washington of Sway-Oh The St. Louis-based entrepreneur launched Sway-Oh and its debut product line – Skewer Food Server – in 2019 after...

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Chrystal L. Graves of Liquid Hair Institute

How a Missouri Hair Stylist Went from Salon Owner to Tech Founder

Successfully starting, growing and transforming a business is a journey filled with hurdles, triumphs and lessons learned—especially when it comes to leveraging your brick-and-mortar experience to create a tech startup. Chrystal L. Graves has plenty of experience chasing and achieving her entrepreneurial dreams, from building a roster of clients as an...

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Keeyoung Kim, chef and owner of Chingu

How Crowdfunding Bolstered This Missouri Entrepreneur’s New Restaurant amid Unexpected Challenges

In the recipe for small business success, patience and determination are two key ingredients. But there’s also the business side to consider and the looming stat that 1 in 5 businesses fail in their first year. Keeyoung Kim, chef-owner of Chingu, a new restaurant and bar in the Westport neighborhood of...

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Paley and Erik Carmona of Carmona's Chamoy

How a Missouri Couple Got Their Start Selling Homemade Chamoy at First Fridays

Entrepreneurship can be delicious! Just ask husband-and-wife duo Erik and Paley Carmona. What started out as a kitchen experiment has turned into a tasty side hustle. Now, Carmona’s Chamoy is flourishing, thanks to support from loved ones, the Hispanic Economic Development Corporation and the Latino Arts Foundation. Here’s...

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