The Change-Makers: stories that inspire

Victoria Yoder

Looking back, it’s easy to see that much of my life prepared me for what I’m doing today. When I was growing up, we moved a lot, and my way of feeling at home wherever we were living at the time, was to paint my room a serene shade of ivory and accessorize with all of my favorite things. Read more>>

Mark Sutton

It was 1991 and I am a senior at Wabash College. America was in a recession. I thought my school results and grades plus extracurricular activities at Wabash College would get me all kinds of interviews. Not so. I also saw myself being involved with ‘money.’ I thought I would get into banking, investing, sales, or similar roles. Read more>>

Mary Kay Bunge

My son and I started a property company called Branmark Properties. Our first purchase was June 5th 2013. In 2019 my son Brandon was told the owner of The Longhorn Saloon was closing and/or selling the business, including the buildings and liquor license. Along with everything else inside the business. We originally wanted the buildings because the real estate aspect. Read more>>

Alfiya Sadiq

Hi, my name is Alfiya Sadiq. I am a henna artist and have lived in the Dayton area for the past 19 years. Henna has always been a passion of mine. I am a self-taught artist, and my henna journey began when I was in high school, where I started learning and practicing the art. Read more>>

Jill Staggs

Terreuz is a mother-daughter company that originated 15 years ago. My mom was shopping with one of her eleven grandchildren and they met a woman with an unusual bracelet made from leather and metal. My mom thought we could design jewelry also. She discussed the idea with me and we ordered supplies. Read more>>

Nicole Beitenman

Brevity is not one of my strong suits, so I hope you love long stories. I was set on becoming an English teacher from the ages of 10 to 20. Read more>>

Mitch Bonnstetter

Growing up I always went to a Chiropractor to help maintain my athletic performance, health and longevity. During my senior year of high school I suffered a grade 3 separation of my shoulder during a football game and I was told surgery was needed and was the way to go. Read more>>

Emily Miller

I did not always know I wanted to be an esthetician. I moved around quite a bit growing up, and after high school I planned to become an orthodontist. I studied biology at USC Sumter, SC for over two years and worked in an orthodontic office during my freshman and sophomore years of college. Read more>>

Arielle Urich Gina Lurry

Pretty in Bloom Rentals was born from a lifelong dream of working in the event and celebration space. I’ve always been drawn to creating beautiful moments, thoughtful details, and spaces that feel special and joy filled. Read more>>

Deb Oexmann

In 1989 I was looking for a place to complete an internship for my Master’s of Environmental Sciences degree at Miami University in Oxford, when I found Brukner Nature Center. Upon meeting the Director, she offered me a full-time position as Teacher/Naturalist. And the rest, they say, is history. Read more>>

Dustin Kramer

In January of 2020, I was watching YouTube videos on how to make kombucha. One of the “watch next” suggestions was about making sourdough bread. Naturally, I watched that video too—then another, and another, and more after that. Not long after, my sister-in-law purchased a sourdough starter online. Read more>>

Natalie Preusser

My name is Natalie Preusser and I am a 26 year old business owner, student and massage therapist! I got into LMT school back in 2020 right before COVID, after doing 2 years of pre-med at UC I had discovered my love and passion for holistic medicine! I wanted to help people heal with just seeing me, no surgery, no hard drugs or medicine. Read more>>

Casey McFadden

I grew up as a child of a restaurant owner and worked there myself all the way through high school into college. I didn’t want to be in the restaurant business and like most kids didn’t really know what I wanted to do but did like the idea of what my brother was pursuing in pharmacy. So, i followed in his footsteps rather than fathers. Read more>>

Michala Halterman

I built TULIP Strategic Consulting from the ground up because I saw how often talented founders were trying to grow businesses without the right support behind them. I was working closely with small businesses and entrepreneurs and kept noticing the same pattern. They were smart, driven, and deeply invested in what they were building, but they were carrying everything themselves. Strategy, operations, finances, systems, compliance. Read more>>

Andrew Tufarella

My background is actually in building massive tech systems for global companies like DHL Express. For years I worked as a senior developer creating AI platforms and automation tools that operated in over 50 countries. When you work at that level everything is about precision and performance. Read more>>

Mark Ronk

Hello my name is Mark Ronk and I am the owner of Ronk Construction. Ronk Construction is a Concrete Contracting Company. We specialize in residential and light commercial concrete work. My very first concrete job was in 2003. At that time I was working for a home remolding contractor full time. Read more>>

Autumn Gonzalez

I started my own business in 2021. After weighing the pros and cons of working for myself or someone else in my field it just seemed like the right move. The possibilities when working for yourself are truly limitless. Read more>>

Rachael Young

RUNNING ON BLOOMS started with a vintage Volkswagen flower truck, and evolved into a brick & mortar floral shop and event space filled with party supplies and creative gifts. We are a full service flower shop and we also specialize in hosting aesthetic kids parties and selling unique gifts that you won’t find anywhere else (especially in rural Ohio). Read more>>

Rebecca Hayes

9 1/2 years ago I learned my friend was selling Pump It Up because he was going to be deployed with the Army Reserves overseas for a year and needed to sell the business. I had been a stay-at-home mom for the past 20 years, raising 5 kids, and I was ready for a new challenge. Read more>>

Greg Seitz

As with many people my age, growing older often forces a change. In 2008, I was droning away at my job in a furniture manufacturing company near Dayton, Ohio, when the economy turned south. Many small businesses were effected, including my job making furniture. In 2008, I was approaching 50 yrs old, and the writing was on the wall for the company’s demise. Read more>>

Jennifer Sigman

My path to entrepreneurship wasn’t a straight line—it was shaped by life experience, leadership, and a deep desire to serve others well. I spent over three decades in hospitality and operations management, where I learned the value of relationships, trust, and showing up for people during both ordinary moments and life’s most challenging ones. Read more>>

Mike James

I started DJing in Kent in the spring of 2023. Playing sets at small dive bars and frat basements for exposure. Then in fall of 2023 I threw my first event during welcome weekend for Kent State. The turnout was unfathomable. We started at 8pm and by 10pm the fire department had to shut it down due to the amount of people who showed up. Read more>>