6 THE START-UP ENTREPREUNEURS KEVIN ROBINSON, CEO Progression’s U GENESIS: I opened my first tutoring lab at Florida A&M University. Coming from physics, I thought I’d be a risk analyst and worked in financial services for a few years. In 2019, I returned to my real calling and started an academy my students and I named Progression’s U. My purpose is to progress every day. NICHE: I work best with kids who have active fathers. I’m a hard worker. But my kids’ work ethic is impeccable. For our first robotics competition, they solved more than 70 coding/ robotic challenges. They won second place in the regional championships and earned iPads. In my business, you get the kids who are about to lose it all. But their struggles are not because they are not intelligent. So, it’s magic. We solve problems, and one day, they walk differ- ently, talk differently. They plug in and take 100 percent responsibility for their lives. AURELIA EDWARDS, Founder Standard Measure Technologies SCRATCH 1: I attended a premedical magnet high school and obtained bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry and a master’s degree in cosmetic science. I also obtained a massage therapy license, which presented a career opportunity that complemented my educational background. After initially working as a polymer chemist, I eventually decided to pursue massage therapy full time. CHECK 1: As a massage therapist, my nails were always short, so I used press-on nails. While preparing for my cousin’s wedding welcome party, I attempted to use leftover presson nails from previous sets and was unable to complete my manicure due to sizing. I opened a pop-up store in New York City’s iconic West Village to explore this sizing problem. The store inspired the creation of a virtual measurement solution for instant, reusable DIY manicures. CARISSA BRAZEAL, Founder Without Walls EDU CREATIVITY: I grew up in a creative household. My brothers and I didn’t realize this, nor did we realize we were poor. We thought everyone received free food at school and had parents who made them clothes and cool Halloween costumes. My parents used this “disadvantage” to build creativity within us. We built board games from cardboard, made movies, and fixed bikes and broken toys that would normally get tossed. We learned that obstacles or constraints are actually the fuel to creativity. TEACHING: I walked on desks and used other surprising tactics to keep students’ attention, doing whatever I could to get them excited about learning. During my third year of teaching, I won a National Geographic award and went on a two-week expedition to Peru that changed the way I looked at education forever. Learning needs to be tactile, immersive. ANDRIA BEAL, PH.D. CEO EpiPaws MINDSET: In high school, I helped my boyfriend start a small construction company. My dad said I was smart and should be a doctor. During college, I took business and science classes and decided to be a scientist and develop molecular tools for monitoring the health of populations. As a scientist, I was frustrated at how many cool discoveries were not being used in the real world and decided that commercializing research is the best way to make sure they did. PETS: Over the years, I felt blindsided by illness in my pets. Changing the way we care for our pets starts with knowing their actual age and understanding how different environmental variables affect their health. Using epigenetics, we can be more proactive with our pets’ health care so they live longer, happier lives. ONE YEAR LATER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
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