Our community is comprised of some absolutely brilliant entrepreneurs and so we asked a few of them to tell us the story of how they came up with the ideas for their business

Scott Warren | Heights Apparel – Tall Men’s Clothing

The idea of my business, Heights Apparel, stems from my own personal problem finding clothes that matched my style and taste but also fit my 6’7” body frame. Growing up I was always struggling to find clothes that fit my height and size. I was a super skinny and long kid but when it came to finding clothes there really were no options for me. Traditionally the apparel industry does not make clothing for men and women outside of a typical height and weight proportion. Most people say, “Have you tried big and tall stores?” What most do not realize, is that when it comes to big and tall stores, that is literally what it means big AND tall. So finding something that would fit my height most definitely would not fit my slim frame. As I grew older and became more established in my career, I began buying shirts one or two sizes larger off the rack at stores (so I could get the length I needed) but then turn around and take them directly to a tailor to have them adjusted to fit my slim-cut frame. It was then I began to notice a noticeably different feeling, more confident and I walked a bit taller because I felt more comfortable simply because I had a shirt that actually fit my body the way it should. However, it was costing me anywhere from $40-$80 more on top of the cost of the shirt itself to do this. Read more>>

Tiesha Harrison | Professional Abstract Visual Artist

I AM Undefined Art started as a positive affirmation. I was laid off from a corporate job and shortly after I made one the biggest decision in my life to pursue a career I had no experience in which was to become a professional artist. I AM (two most powerful words, for what you put after them shapes your reality) came to mind. It was powerful. After several attempts of multiple words to follow “I AM”, the word “Undefined Art” was the final puzzle piece to my brand. It was like the light bulb turned on. “I AM Undefined Art “would be a subliminal message to the viewers whenever they experienced my art. I began every artwork with “I AM” then the title of the piece as a positive affirmation. It is intentional and meaningful. Read more>>

Phay Dee | CEO & Founder of Black Women of Arizona

When I moved to Arizona from Florida, I felt like I was missing something. I didn’t have any family or friends here and I was feeling alone. After doing some research, I learned that black people only made up about 4% of the entire population of Arizona. It was at that point that I knew that black women needed a way to connect with each other. I created the Black Women of Arizona to provide other women with the opportunity to network, build relationships, and share experiences with one another. BWAZ is by far one of my greatest accomplishments. The support that I have received after creating this platform has been life-changing. I wanted to build a platform that went against the norm to show women that we are capable of incredible things when we come together. Read more>>

Sydney Adams | Owner & Baker of Sydney’s Sweet Shoppe Pie Shoppe

I have always loved watching my grandmother bake, especially pie. She has always enjoyed baking for others, more importantly her family. Her recipes and her methods are true family treasures. Many people can bake a pie but not everyone can make a tender, flaky crust. As I watched her make her pies, I realized I wanted to learn to create this dessert. Everyone enjoys pie but I didn’t know anyone else who actually made their own, at least not my age. I took the opportunity in the summer of 2018 and asked her to teach me. We practiced many days and nights in our home kitchen where I learned the importance of exact measurements, baking with quality ingredients, the feel of the dough in my hands- all lessons my grandma learned from her home economics teacher. My grandma was very methodical as she bakes, and answered all of my questions and taught me attention to detail. She didn’t take any shortcuts and I don’t either. Read more>>