A few years ago, I sat in a meeting where a founder was rehearsing her pitch in a room filled with peers and a philanthropic funder. The first time she stepped to the podium, her voice barely carried across the room. Although she was visibly nervous, I found myself in awe of her courage to stand in what must have felt like a room of judgment and share something so precious and fragile — the idea she’d been quietly carrying.

I remember silently cheering for her, nodding my head in agreement and hoping she could feel the support in that moment.

At one point, someone asked her to speak up so we could hear her. She smiled shyly and admitted she was nervous. Still, she persevered. She took a deep breath and began again.

But this time, something shifted.

Her shoulders squared. Her voice steadied. And she spoke about her business with the conviction of someone who knew exactly why it deserved to exist.

Fast forward to 2025, and that same founder has opened the third location of her restaurant in JumpStart’s new home at the Midtown Collaboration Center. Here in Cleveland, many of you know her as Tiwanna Scott-Williams, BSN, RN, founder of Pearl’s Kitchen.

Entrepreneurs have a vision that simply won’t go away. It’s the dream that plays in their minds even when they’re wide awake. That vision may begin with a spark — a new and improved solution to an old problem or the answer to a question no one has asked yet.

Translating that idea — no matter how powerful — into an enterprise requires courage and determination. Entrepreneurs like Tiwanna believe in something others can’t yet see and are bold enough to say out loud that it deserves to exist. They’re also stubborn enough not to let their vision die even when the path forward isn’t clear.

That drive is critical, but it’s not everything. Many founders aren’t limited by commitment or ideas — they’re limited by access to capital, networks and the business acumen necessary for growth. These barriers are especially pronounced among BIPOC and women founders. Organizations like JumpStart Inc. and programs like Goldman Sachs Foundation’s One Million Black Women: Black In Business help open doors, make introductions and equip founders with the tools and knowledge they need to navigate the road ahead.

OMBW:BiB initially focused on Black women founders but has expanded to support a broader group of entrepreneurs through education, business advising, mentorship and resources. Beyond curriculum, the program cultivates confidence and transforms mindsets — from a side-hustle mentality to that of a CEO: strategic, forward-thinking and financially savvy. BiB founders push past the odds, often putting parts of their lives on hold to invest time working on their business instead of just in it. JumpStart is the national program management partner for the initiative, and for my team and me, watching these transformations makes all of our efforts worthwhile.

While guidance and tools offer a roadmap, community is what makes the journey sustainable. I believe deeply in the power of authentic connection and vulnerability to build the kind of trust that supports real growth. When founders feel safe enough to share their struggles openly, that’s when breakthroughs begin. OMBW:BiB scholars thrive in an environment where they can show up as their full selves — fears, tears and all.

Growth and scale are how the world often measures business success. But after working alongside so many founders, I’ve come to believe it can look like something far less quantifiable. It’s the moment a founder steadies themselves, lifts their chin and introduces themselves with the authority they’ve always deserved. It’s an idea sharpened into a strategy. It’s the boldness that turns a plan into action — and the people around them who make sure they never have to take that step alone.

Tiwanna believed in her idea before anyone else did. She just needed a room that believed it too. And that, really, is the arc of a founder’s story. The idea comes first — raw, stubborn, and alive. Courage and drive keep it breathing. But without the know-how, the access and the people who refuse to let you quit, even the best ideas remain dreams.