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With a big dream ahead and an expensive degree required to achieve it, Angelica Ross decided to enlist in the Navy to access the GI Bill that would help make her dream possible. Having to hide her true identity as a trans woman in boot camp, Angelica struggled with the reality that the country's freedom she was willing to fight for wasn't willing to fight for her own. But she was tired of hiding and having to prove her worth to a world that didn’t value her authentic self, so Angelica set out to live her own truth. She channeled her inner toughness to prove them all wrong by empowering the trans community along her journey to success in an unexpected career path. From the ground up, Miss Ross came across unique opportunities that would enable her to learn advanced technology skills and eventually lead to launching a nonprofit business: TransTech Social. From CSS to HTML, she learned how to manage and build websites that propelled her portfolio to new heights — including tapping into prime acting gigs that boosted her personal brand. The blueprint of Angelica’s self-built success was transferred to helping others in the trans community discover it’s own talents in the tech industry and getting access to the tools to make it happen. As the founder of TransTech, Miss Angelica Ross has a one-of-a-kind testimony of resiliency that continues to inspire trans folks to make their way into the tech world.  About TransTech Enterprises: Founded in 2014 by Actress, Founder, and CEO Angelica Ross, TransTech Social Enterprises is an incubator for LGBTQIA+ Talent from marginalized communities. The non-profit organization focuses on economically empowering transgender people through an online network of like-minded professionals as well as hard skill trainings and entrepreneurship workshops. TransTech members have access to an online community, training platform, and coworking/meet-up spaces. Learn more: https://www.transtechsocial.org/summit Learn more about Angelica Ross: https://www.missross.com   Learn more about GoDaddy: https://www.godaddy.com

Soon after a serendipitous meeting in 2009, Maggie Lea and Tamra Hoover became partners not only in life, but also in business. Maggie teamed up with Tamra to transform her food truck turned brick-and-mortar bar, Cheer Up Charlie’s, into one of Austin’s favorite queer hangouts. It became a place where LGBTQ folks could be unapologetically themselves, enjoy a few drinks and listen to good music. On any given night, there was an almost palpable sense of joy and togetherness buzzing in the atmosphere. Suddenly, life threw a curveball — Maggie received a diagnosis that would change her life. The Cheer Up community rallied around her, setting up a GoFundMe page for her treatment. Maggie emerged victorious in time for a second curveball— the pandemic. During the year of uncertainty and financial struggle that followed, Maggie and Tamra dreamed of how (and if) they would bring Cheer Ups back to life in a way that allowed people to heal and feel whatever they needed to feel. At it’s core, Cheer Ups remains a valuable space created for the queer community of Austin— a community that will fiercely carry them through into the future. Learn more about Maggie Lea & Cheer Up Charlie’s: http://www.cheerupcharlies.com Learn more about GoDaddy: https://www.godaddy.com  

Robbi knows all too well the pain of having her gender incorrectly identified, and the overwhelming sense of joy when it’s (finally) corrected. But getting it corrected is no easy process, and opened Robbi’s eyes up to the overwhelming amount of hurdles faced in the transition process. As she navigated her own transition journey, Robbi realized there wasn’t much guidance for how to do it. Using her own experiences and to-do lists, she set out to create a resource for the trans community— an app called Euphoria. However, while people expected her to fail and made her feel unworthy of being an entrepreneur, Robbi’s emotional pitch and putting her heart out there helped investors become awakened to the positive impact of her business. As Euphoria aims to empower the transgender community through every facet of their lives, it provides the support, education and dignity needed for all trans people, no matter where they live or which process they desire. And through it all, Robbi found unique connections that made her feel like the woman she is as she relentlessly pushes for a better future for the trans community.    Learn more about Robbi Katherine Anthony: https://www.euphoria.lgbt   Learn more about GoDaddy: https://www.godaddy.com

Some of the smartest minds are locked behind a wall — and through his personal experiences, Sean Coleman says those are the folks who will find their purpose and come back stronger than ever. Despite the loss of his influential grandmother and being turned away by his family, Sean found a new community who welcomed him as his authentic self. Wanting to help others who have walked through the same hardships, he began getting involved in nonprofit organizations that supported the trans community. Time after time, Sean saw the bias and misunderstanding the LGBTQ+ community faced. That’s when he realized he could be the one to change the narrative. He started Destination Tomorrow, a nonprofit created to help the LGBTQ+ community navigate finances, housing and mental health to become leaders in life. As Sean embraces his second chance and discovers his calling, he’s able to live life unapologetically and show folks of the LGBTQ community that their future is worth it.    Learn more about Sean Coleman: https://destinationtomorrow.org   Learn more about GoDaddy: https://www.godaddy.com

Despite having a fear of insects growing up, Noah Wilson-Rich discovered his calling after finding out bees were totally vanishing in 2006 — so he changed his entire education and career trajectory to become a beekeeper. After unexpectedly winning a business competition at the nearby university, he received enough funds to take the first step in launching his beekeeping business: The Best Bees Company. Several years later, Best Bees became a multi-million dollar company that has grown beyond Noah’s wildest dreams. As he continues building his brand and his expertise on all things bees, Noah has seen firsthand how beekeeping has united the LGBTQ+ community and those living on the outskirts of society. It’s also helped transform his own identity. Noah explains how bees are like the LBGTQ+ community — they have the power to build highly successful empires despite being made up of many non-reproductive individuals. They focus on bettering society as a whole. As Noah keeps encouraging others in the pursuit of helping bees, he remains resiliently dedicated to lifting up both pollinators and LGBTQ+ folks through the power of urban beekeeping.    Learn more about Noah Wilson-Rich, PhD: https://www.bestbees.com   Learn more about GoDaddy: https://www.godaddy.com

While pursuing acting during college, Andrew Levitt visited his first gay bar and became introduced to the art of drag — and he never looked back. Despite the lack of drag queen tutorials and exposure at the time, Andrew quickly found the support he needed within the drag community that helped turn his labor of love into an entrepreneurial opportunity. Through the stage name Nina West, she has performed countless shows ranging from fundraisers to simple comedic relief — always bringing a smile to those who need it. Because giving back has always been the main mission, the Nina West Foundation has raised millions of dollars for causes supporting the LGBTQ+ community and has won various awards since its inception. With a 20-year career under her belt, Nina West proves to be more than a drag queen, activist, actor and singer-songwriter (who was awarded Mrs. Congeniality on RuPaul’s Drag Race). She continues to make her mark across the country, captivating and connecting with rebels and queer artisans who recognize her worth.    Learn more about Nina West: https://www.ninawest.com   Learn more about GoDaddy: https://www.godaddy.com

If you could define a small business owner, it’d be someone with a big dream that pours their heart into the daily grind of growing their business for long-term success. It’s their resiliency and innovation that makes them one of the most impactful citizens in our communities and economy. But running a successful small business can be one of the toughest things in the world to accomplish — and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs are no exception. Hear inspiring stories from queer entrepreneurs about overcoming obstacles, facing unique challenges and enjoying successful wins as they seek to boldly defy traditions and make their own way into the business world. Get curious and subscribe to GoDaddy’s Business Curious Podcast.    GoDaddy links: https://www.businesscuriouspodcast.com, https://www.godaddy.com, https://www.youtube.com/user/godaddy, https://www.instagram.com/godaddy, https://www.facebook.com/godaddy, https://www.twitter.com/godaddy

Being an immigrant from Hong Kong to New York as a child, NiK Kacy knows firsthand what it’s like to struggle with fitting in and finding a sense of belonging. Despite growing up in a family full of fashionistas, NiK hated shopping since it only forced them to mold to a girly stereotype and not getting to wear what they liked — including men’s clothes and shoes that didn’t come in their size. As an adult, that experience led them to launch a gender neutral shoeline: NiK Kacy Footwear. Turning their cheek to the doubts and phobias of what NiK believed in, they broke the gender mold by successfully creating a non-binary shoe that anyone could wear. NiK didn’t need a degree or experience in the fashion industry to make a difference and prove gender neutral footwear is a niche worth tapping into. Like every monumental change in the course of history, change makes it mark when someone pushes for what they believe in, regardless of what others say. NiK encourages the fashion industry powerhouses to become allies with LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs instead of finding income opportunities to push them out. It’s time for the waymakers to partner with the changemakers to give credit to their unique solutions.  NiK Kacy Links: https://www.nikkacy.com, https://www.facebook.com/nikkacyfootwear, https://www.instagram.com/nikkacyfootwear GoDaddy Links: https://businesscuriouspodcast.com, https://www.godaddy.com, https://www.youtube.com/user/godaddy, https://www.instagram.com/godaddy, https://www.facebook.com/godaddy, https://www.twitter.com/godaddy

Ava Pipitone’s story began on a farm in rural Maryland. Although growing up in the avatar of a male body and thriving in boyhood, Ava always felt disconnected. After graduating college and going out into the world to experience how different cultures treated gender, Ava realized America offered no space for trans folks (including themselves) to thrive, contribute or even exist. They searched for the trans community and found it while working at Red Emma’s, a local Baltimore coffee shop where she ended up getting equity in the company and becoming one of the few trans business owners in the city. But as they got to know their customers on a deeper level, they realized they'd missed truly seeing the level of housing instability amongst their own community. So they decided to do something about it. After trying to find temporary home placements in spare bedrooms for homeless trans folks, they found a more efficient way to make it happen by launching Host Home — a tech platform that seamlessly manages temporary living arrangements for homeless folks while waiting for housing opportunities. As Ava chats with Scott about the unique journey they had as a trans entrepreneur, they remind all aspiring entrepreneurs that launching a business can be so much more than the pursuit of money; it’s the pursuit of making a difference. Trans people are powerful business owners for a reason — they’ve learned to navigate the ultimate unknowns, overcome obstacles to resiliently make space for themselves and bring unique wisdom to the world of business. It’s time for investors and entrepreneurs to support the trans community in a meaningful way.  References: 0:58 - LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than non-LGBTQ youth: https://voicesofyouthcount.org/brief/national-estimates-of-youth-homelessness 6:10 - There's a 78% chance of being attacked, harassed, kicked out, or worse in a homeless shelter: https://www.transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS%20Full%20Report%20-%20FINAL%201.6.17.pdf Ava Pipitone Links: https://www.avapip.com, https://www.facebook.com/avapip, https://www.hosthome.community, https://www.suyana.io GoDaddy links: https://businesscuriouspodcast.com, https://www.godaddy.com, https://www.youtube.com/user/godaddy, https://www.instagram.com/godaddy, https://www.facebook.com/godaddy, https://www.twitter.com/godaddy

With the influence of his parents running a Black-owned business in small town Kentucky, Nick Yeast was destined for his own entrepreneurial journey. As an adult in the travel industry, he decided to take a fragrance making class while visiting South Korea and curated his unique scent that poured in the compliments. This spark of confidence moved him to not only launch Nick Ricardo Collection (a gender neutral fragrance line), but also to shake up the fragrance industry by filling an empty gap: offering LGBTQ+ representation and removing the definitions of gendered scents. But being radical in such a gender-targeted industry isn’t the only challenge Nick currently faces — he also faces the challenges of the pandemic and systemic racism in our country. He continues to fight the uphill battle and use entrepreneurship as a tool to close the generational wealth gap to honor his family, the Black community and the LGBTQ+ community. Nick reminds everyday entrepreneurs that they can be bold and challenge the industry without changing themselves.    Reference: 7:03 - Only 12% of Black and Latinx small business owners who applied for loans through the CARES Act actually received the full amounts they requested: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/24/magazine/reparations-slavery.html  Nick Yeast links: https://www.nickricardocollection.com, https://www.facebook.com/nickricardocollection, https://www.instagram.com/thenickricardocollection GoDaddy links: https://businesscuriouspodcast.com, https://www.godaddy.com, https://www.youtube.com/user/godaddy, https://www.instagram.com/godaddy, https://www.facebook.com/godaddy, https://www.twitter.com/godaddy

After witnessing a loved one suffer with a lack of relief from traditional medicine, Suhaly knew there had to be a better way. She began exploring herbalism and plant-based medicine to find a natural alternative to the synthetic pharmaceuticals of the Western world. Being raised by a mother who believed in the healing power of natural medicine, Suhaly decided to embrace her roots and answer the call to formally study herbalism. She apprenticed under queer Black master herbalist Karen Rose from Sacred Vibes in Brooklyn, and it was there that the idea for Moon Mother Apothecary was born. Today, Moon Mother is an online shop carrying heart-centered, plant-based medicine. More than just an entrepreneur, Suhaly is also involved in the movement for Black lives. She’s an active member of Sacred Rapid Response, a collective of herbalists creating and distributing spiritual protection medicine, wound washes, and immunity boosters at vigils and protests across the country. Suhaly chats with Scott about the power of plants, the stress of COVID-19 on her business, and challenges she has faced (and overcome) as a Black queer entrepreneur.  Suhaly Bautista-Carolina links: https://www.moonmotherapothecary.com, https://www.instagram.com/moonmotherapothecary, https://www.facebook.com/moonmotherapothecary, https://www.twitter.com/lamadredelaluna GoDaddy links: https://businesscuriouspodcast.com, https://www.godaddy.com, https://www.youtube.com/user/godaddy, https://www.instagram.com/godaddy, https://www.facebook.com/godaddy, https://www.twitter.com/godaddy