Featured Entrepreneur

October 20By Comments OffRead more...

Innovator Spotlight: Vanessa and Taylor of The Welman Project

Have you ever wondered what a fabric store does with all their fabric scraps? Or maybe that clothing manufacturer that has boxes and boxes of last season’s clothing line that they aren’t able to sell? How about a restaurant that changes their logo and yet they have boxes of to-go cups with the old logo and they’re not sure what to do with all of it? Well Vanessa and Taylor, founders of the non-profit, The Welman Project, have found a fantastic use for surplus items and supplies with the goal of using them to ‘fill a classroom, not a landfill.’ The...

October 7By Comments OffRead more...

Innovator Spotlight: Jakayla Dixion of Feel the Color

Have you listened to the Innovate Fort Worth podcast featuring entrepreneur Jakayla Dixion? This young lady was able to see a need for a community of individuals and allow them to do something as simple as navigate the world of fashion with independence. Here are some snippets of how Jakayla Dixion was able to transform a high school class assignment into a business that has made a large impact for those with visual impairments. For the full story listen to her podcast episode, Show Me the Color - you won’t be disappointed. Jakayla, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, was given an assignment...

October 1By Comments OffRead more...

Electrifying Funkytown: Linear Labs + Fort Worth

The City of Fort Worth finalized an economic incentive package deal with Linear Labs in June that provided a nearly $70 million Research and Development (R&D) grant for the innovative, electric-motor company. This package represented the first use of this R&D tax credit by the City of Fort Worth, a tax credit that is believed to be the first-of-its-kind in the country. But, what is it exactly and why is it important? Here are a few more details on this groundbreaking incentive for investment in innovation in Fort Worth. What is Linear Labs and what makes them special? Founded in 2014 by...

September 24By Comments OffRead more...

Innovator Spotlight: Hunter Ferrell of Linux Academy

Hunter Ferrell is the former CFO of Linux Academy (now known as A Cloud Guru), an online platform for training and educating the future of cloud creators. “Clouds” are referred to as a web-based data center that an individual or a business can access, without dealing with physical servers, or work on software on their devices. Think of it as a digital filing cabinet....in the “clouds.” The skills required for working with cloud applications were in high demand for businesses before the pandemic hit and now as more people begin to work remotely, more companies require a virtual space to “store”...

August 11By Comments OffRead more...

Innovator Spotlight: Kari Crowe-Seher of Melt Ice Creams

A new episode of the Innovate Fort Worth podcast dropped last Tuesday with Kari Crowe-Seher, the founder of Melt Ice Creams. Most everyone likes, and dare I say, loves ice cream. Most people would also agree that eating ice cream brings them a certain amount of happiness. Kari Crowe-Seher has used these common sentiments to form the backbone of her business and even took it a step further, creating the mission statement “To serve happy ice cream” to reflect it. I could try to explain just how passionate Kari is about this idea of spreading joy with her product, but it’s more poignant...

July 28By Comments OffRead more...

Innovator Spotlight: Goran Krndija and Gabe Deale of Gozova

A new episode of the Innovate Fort Worth podcast dropped last Tuesday with guests Goran Krndija, Founder and CEO of Gozova, and Gabe Deale, COO. What is Gozova? Gozova is not your typical hauling and delivery service. Instead of overpaying for a professional moving service or dealing with the hassle of doing it yourself, Gozova provides a simple alternative solution: “A truck when you need it.” Whether you need to put a few items into storage, move from residence to residence, or even deliver a large item from store to home, Gozova has you covered. Simply go to their website or download their app...

July 16By Comments OffRead more...

A Conversation with Local Artist-Entrepreneur CHoKe, Part 2

Part 2: Social Justice This conservation is the second of a two part series with the Fort Worth-based artist CHoKe. Check out Part 1 here. In our last conversation, CHoKe talked about her humble beginnings, from selling candy and customized clothes to her classmates, to hustling on the streets of Washington, DC and Baltimore selling her art, to moving around the country pursuing her passion. We also discussed her journey and lessons learned as an entrepreneur and how she has balanced managing her business while still producing content, along with her drive and tenacity for her craft. Today we’re focusing on social...

July 14By Comments OffRead more...

A Conversation with Local Artist-Entrepreneur CHoKe, Part 1

Part 1: Artist Entrepreneur This conversation is the first of a two part series with the Fort Worth-based artist. Click here to read Part II of this conversation. Sparkyard recently sat down (virtually) with one of Fort Worth’s most interesting and talented young artists, “CHoKe” (Creating Her Own Kinetic Energy), whose artwork spans Fort Worth and the globe. CHoKe has been an artist her whole life, and from an early age growing up in the Washington D.C. area, she knew art was her true calling. As with many artists, CHoKe blurred the lines of art and entrepreneurship, constantly hustling and taking on side projects, from...

July 9By Comments OffRead more...

Innovator Spotlight: Sheryle Gillihan, CEO of CauseLabs

A brand new episode of the Innovate Fort Worth podcast dropped on Tuesday with guest Sheryle Gillihan, the CEO of CauseLabs. What is CauseLabs? CauseLabs is a certified B Corp business that helps other companies promote positive change using technology. CauseLabs specializes in web development and UX/UI services in order “to help the community grow their impact and make a difference.” In 2010, Sheryle Gillihan was looking for a career change out of mergers and acquisitions and due-diligence, and into something that aligned more with her personal beliefs and passions. She came on as a project manager for CauseLabs. By 2018, Sheryle and her husband...