THE UNCOVER PODCAST PROJECT

This week’s episode of The Uncover Podcast Project features the Entrepreneur in the Spotlight edition, wrapping up season one of the podcasts with socially conscious-entrepreneur Candace Chance.   Candace founded The V.P.I. Firm (Vision, Performance, & Impact), a process and strategy design firm for community development, co-founded Momo | Wucha (an equity real estate development firm) and is launching, Build Beyond the Hustle (bringing strategy, structure, and systems to support BIPOC and women founders). Listen in to this special edition episode, Entrepreneur in the Spotlight, as Candace shares a little about her background, overcoming colorism and mindset shifts, her businesses and core values that she incorporates in those businesses, and what she does to preserve her mental health. This episode is a real treat with nuggets of wisdom that Candace shares from her entrepreneurial journey.

Shana Kroiz is a Baltimore-based artist, jeweler, instructor, and solopreneur. Shana imparted her knowledge of jewelry making by teaching for the past 30 years while operating her business Shana Kroiz Jewelry. Shana's graceful, stylish work has been displayed nationally and internationally and featured in several museums such as The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and the Museum of Art and Design. Her jewelry has attracted people throughout the world and is known for its sensual, sculptural elegance, which puts her in a class of her own. Listen in as Shana shares her story about how having children shifted how she had to create and how her work is more than just making women look good.

Cindy Tawiah, a native of Ghana, overcame obstacles in her life. She learned how to make nail polish and lipstick from her Chemistry teacher because she was failing his class. She served 13 years as a registered nurse and left nursing to pursue her passion and purpose. Cindy opened a hair salon in Owings Mills and Pikesville, Maryland. Seven years into her business, she decided to tour with her products. In 2018, she launched the first natural hair care vending machine at Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) and Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, MD. Cindy now owns and operates The Diva Day Spa in Upperco, MD, and has her products in Sally’s Beauty (a national beauty supply store), Walmart.com, and on Military bases nationally and internationally. Listen in as Cindy shares how her spiritual journey has impacted her life and has guided her to various opportunities during her entrepreneurial journey. 

Andrea Gewirtz is the Chief Executive Officer of her vibrant, multi-faceted, eclectic life. Her background training was in operatic singing and electrical engineering for National Public Radio (better known as NPR). Professional opportunities sent her and her family out West to California.  Andrea had a child with unique learning skills, which created a need for her to find an outlet that would be professionally rewarding and economically beneficial. Due to a series of intriguing events, she discovered the world of sales, networking, and coaching. In late 2019, Andrea started her first coaching and training company, WellBeing & Worth. With certifications as a Functional Nutrition Counselor and a Licensed Trainer of NLP, she is a passionate mentor with teams of men and women (worldwide) who desire to have a healthy and positive work-life balance. She also helps her teams create wealth in their respective communities and the lives that they touch. Listen in as Andrea talks about what got her started on her journey of health and wellness and how she applies her core values throughout her programs as she operates her business.

Beth Harbinson is the Executive Director of the Children’s Scholarship Fund Baltimore. She is a Baltimore native who has worked primarily in non-profit management, fundraising, and development. Her professional experience working in higher education, independent schools, and personal experience raising children who attended public and private schools has reinforced her belief in the importance of school choice. Beth is also an entrepreneur at heart. She is committed to local efforts regarding reducing the stigma associated with alcoholism and addiction. She also focuses on providing greater access to treatment resources. In 2017, her business Sobar—a play on the words sober and bar—received funding from the Horizon Foundation and the United Way. The mission of Sobar is to provide healthy, interesting non-alcoholic beverages at public social events and to create pop-up social events that are alcohol-free. Listen in as Beth shares how she got started in this industry and how she keeps her brand authentic to its core values and purpose.

A trailblazer powerhouse, Wanda Pearson has over thirty-six years of experience in marketing and sales at IBM with an extensive background in social work and women’s counseling. She is a consultant, entrepreneur, speaker, and thought leader on legal protection with her services with LegalShield, small businesses, women empowerment, and violence against women. Wanda has created her company, WD Pearson Associates, to help empower, consult with, and educate families and businesses on the best legal plans to fit their needs.  Listen in as Wanda shares her story behind her core values and how she developed and applied them to her business. 

Adeel Aalim is a Business Development Consultant specializing in helping coaches and consultants build high-ticket offers to attract high-paying clients consistently without wasting time and unnecessary effort.  He focuses on developing frameworks that help coaches and consultants build systems and strategies, gain clarity on their niche and offers, and help them take their businesses to the next level. Listen in as Adeel shares an important lesson that he learned during his life journey, which changed the direction of his life and business.

Malcolm Donald Smith is the Founder and Chief Spirits Officer of Black Starr and is a wine and spirits concierge with a mobile bartending service. Donald is also the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO), where he is responsible for building the capacity of women entrepreneurs through the implementation of the Women’s Business Center (WBC) program.  A life member of Kappa Alpha Psi and a proud HBCU graduate, Donald holds a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from Morgan State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice (Pre-Law) from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Listen in as Donald shares his powerfully rich past behind how he started in the wine and spirits industry, his entrepreneurial family history, and the core values that guide his brand.

Jonathan is the owner of JRH Graphics, a boutique firm that focuses on helping local businesses and entrepreneurs tell their winning stories on social media and beyond. For over four years, he has helped businesses say goodbye to the concept of simply doing social media for the sake of social media and taught them how to LevelUp by basing their content on their authentic story. He creates recommendations based on building a solid and sustainable foundation and uses proven techniques in unique ways to LevelUp! Jonathan launched his program called Success on Social to help entrepreneurs put an end to social for the sake of social, replacing it with practical and proven strategies. 

Ruthann Weeks is a Cultural Change Strategist and Principal Consultant at Harmony In The Workplace and is a change agent whose efforts have helped bring the importance of an abuse-free work environment to the forefront of public awareness. Ruthann is a certified Psychological Safety Advisor and specializes in diversity and inclusion, workplace bullying, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and mental health in the workplace. Listen in as Ruthann discusses what she does and how she uses her core values in her business.