John Husler and his partner Jamie have been in the coffee shop business for over twenty years. First with the store in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego. Now with two other shops through up town. Find out how they started, how he hires, and how he’s adapted to technology though the decades. Lestat’s […]

Big Talk/Small Business

John Husler, Co-owner Lestat’s Coffee Houses

Digital Lizards of Doom is an electronic/alternative rock band/brand from San Diego, CA. The duo consists of Gabriel Valentin (guitar, strings, vocals,) and Gallie (mandolin, keys, vocals,) both singer-songwriters, producers, performers, and composers signed to Noize Cartel Records. They are best known for their worldwide collaborations with other artists, producers and DJs in the electronic […]

Gabriel Valentin and Gallie, Digital Lizards of Doom

Maryelizabeth Yturralde is co-owner of San Diego’s premier genre bookstore. Hear how the retail book selling business has evolved over almost three decades and the store’s relationship with Comic Con. Mysterious Galaxy Books / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Maryelizabeth Yturralde, Event Coordinator at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

Susan wants you to be better with money. After working many years in Wall Street she moved to the West Coast and set out to teach people how to accumulate wealth. Five Rings Financial / Tipclub

Susan McCormick, Financial Educator and Vice President at Five Rings Financial

Holly loves working with fun couples and colorful weddings, emphasizing personality, emotion, and candid moments, with both natural light and off-camera flash. She also specializes boudoir, high school seniors, and commercial photography. Holly Birch Photography / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / LinkedIn

Holly Smith, Photographer at Holly Birch Photography

Through years with Child Protective Services, from changing the course of her career in her last year of college, Karen set out to have her own practice from an early age, and succeeded. Hear how she set her goals and stuck to them. “In today’s society, we all face many challenges in our daily lives. […]

Karen Kerschmann, Cognitive Behavioral Therapist

Lindsey LaShell’s on her second run in tech, having spent some time in education too. This time around she’s heading up her own Digital Marketing Group and getting her clients products and projects out there and in front of customers. “I think the internet can level the playing field like nothing else in history. Education […]

Lindsey LaShell, Director of Strategy and Founder at Diamond & Branch Marketing Group

Between stints in the Army, the real estate business, and performing music, Chad Cavanaugh has always dives right into whatever he’s doing headfirst. Ultimately, he settled in as a comic book creator with his own imprint, Grunt 1B Comics. “You’ll find the issues of my original, post apocalyptic series, The Map, the vigilante/crime noir Bedlam […]

Chad Cavanaugh, Comic Book Self-Publisher of Grunt 1B Comics

Stephanie found out that the career she’d worked her way through college to get, wasn’t what she wanted. So she left the job, moved to California, and studied to become a yoga instructor. “I used to think that yoga was something people did just to stretch. But seven years ago, to counter the stress I […]

Stephanie Jones, Yoga Instructor and Online Workout Coach at Steph Yoga

Matt Meis has been in the jewelry business, designer, appraser, and seller, for over 40 years. Hear how he transitioned from working in store fronts and malls to breaking out on his own. “I meet with my clients at their offices and homes throughout San Diego. This makes the custom jewelry design process effortless for […]

Matt Meis, Jeweler at Wandering Jeweler

Interviews with small business entrepreneurs about how they got started, what they've learned along the way, and where they're going next.