Curating immersive African safaris while protecting wildlife
While Saurabh Khetrapal was creating tech startups in Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, he was also advising his friends and colleagues on how to plan meaningful and individualized African safaris in his home country of Tanzania. After exiting his third tech startup, Saurabh decided to combine his two passions—preserving African wildlife and entrepreneurial ventures—into his nonprofit startup Fair Trade Safaris.
Claudine Miles and Kimberlie Milton are friends and experienced educators, who met while working at the same school in Atlanta, Georgia. After a 10-year stint at a top charter school, Claudine was beginning to feel burned out. With the encouragement of now-business partner Kimberlie, Claudine created Restore More Consultants, an education-forward consulting firm rooted in expanding restorative practices, anti-racism, and social-emotional health.
Recruiting passionate candidates in an emerging space
Derrick Knudsen was working at a Fortune 500 recruitment firm in Denver, Colorado when he recognized a gap in the industry. Traditional firms were hesitant to help fill open positions at cannabis companies. In response, Derrick created a boutique recruitment firm, Meta Talent Group, which helps fill roles at cannabis, hemp, and psychedelic-focused companies. Derrick’s firm is focused on recruiting top-tier talent while maintaining its core values: People, Planet & Profitability.
Encouraging creatives to make space for their dreams
Mary Nakaya and Melissa Porras met at church in Los Angeles, California. While Mary had an art background, Melissa was just excited to play with clay on Mary’s pottery wheel. As their friendship blossomed, they started a ceramic-focused jewelry business: Nomad Artisan Company. Since 2018, Mary and Melissa have expanded their business by going door-to-door to LA boutiques and growing their social media presence.
How King of Pops refreshes, reinvents, and refines their model
If you live in the southeast, you’ve seen them carts with rainbow umbrellas bearing popsicle treats dubbed “King of Pops” — at public parks, live events, and music festivals. Steven Carse, who founded King of Pops in 2010 along with his brother Nick, shares their origin story, how the company innovated through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new programs King of Pops is spearheading, including a “Cartreprenuer” franchise program.
