From Spark to New Venture
From Spark to New Venture is a student-driven podcast from the University of Mary Washington (UMW), where undergraduates share the stories of entrepreneurs and their journeys from idea to venture. Each episode uncovers the sparks of inspiration, the challenges they faced, and the mindsets that helped them overcome obstacles in their journey. The goal of this podcast is to inspire students to learn entrepreneurial mindsets and bring them into everyday lives, taking action and learning from every step along the way.
Episodes
46 episodes
Maria Billmyer- From Solo Cleaner to Selfmade Business Owner
This episode tells the story of a self-employed home-cleaning business owner whotransformed a simple idea into a sustainable venture through determination, adaptability, and hard work. Starting with limited resources, she shares what motiva...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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12:41
Ben Mala: Turning Knowledge, Risk, and Resilience Into Lasting Success
This episode tells the story of Ben Mala and how he went from craving financial freedom to becoming a successful real estate entrepreneur. It walks through what motivated him to start, how he learned the business, and how he built money and con...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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10:17
Mr Juma the construction Entrepreneur
This narrative outlines the entrepreneurial journey of a Zimbabwean visionary who turned a personal obstacle into a thriving concrete brick manufacturing business. Motivated by the high cost and scarcity of building materials while constructing...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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10:17
Echo Chocolate: From Childhood Passion to Award Winning Chocolatier
We had the pleasure of interviewing UMW’s softball pitching coach, Coach Echo, as she gave us a deep dive into her chocolate business. Echo has always had a love for chocolate, and turned her passion into profit, with Echo Chocolate opening in ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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19:11
Erick & Kate Capellino: Bringing a Southern Classic to the West Coast
This episode retells the start up and hardships of a husband and wife duo as they navigate their own twist on a beignet business in the heart of central Oregon.
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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9:53
Farras Bakir--No Different Then The Average Person
In this episode, I sit down with my uncle, a multi-business owner whose entrepreneurial journey is as inspiring as it is insightful. We talk about what sparked his drive to start his own ventures, the motivation that keeps him moving forward, w...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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16:37
Sammy Amorose--From Learning To Teaching
In this conversation, Sammy, a young college soccer player, explains how he turned his love for the game into an entrepreneurial side job by training younger kids. He was motivated by a mix of passion for soccer, wanting to give back to younger...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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10:42
Barry Boyd--Barley A Second Chance in Brewing
In this episode, I went to Barley Naked Brewery in Stafford VA to interview Barry Boyd, a 29-year retired Coast Guard Veteran. I asked him about “why” a brewery in the first place? We discussed his first venture with partners and the lessons he...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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34:06
Jimmy Donaldson: From YouTuber to Changing People's Lives
In this episode of From Spark to New Venture, we dive into the incredible journey of Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast. From posting videos in his bedroom at 12 years old to building a global digital empire, Jimmy has transformed the way...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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11:35
Ben Francis: From Garage Startup to Global Fitness Empire
Ben Francis’s journey from a college student delivering pizzas to the founder of a billion-dollar brand is seriously inspiring. At just 19, he started Gymshark in his garage with a sewing machine and a dream. He didn’t have investors or a big b...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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8:12
Jeff Bezos - How the Internet Boom Sparked the Amazon Empire
In this episode we talk about the early motivation and bold decisions that took Bezos from Wall Street, to being one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time. We see how he discovered this opportunity on the internet, and why he chose b...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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10:39
Keith Haskett - From IT Troubleshooter to Cybersecurity Trailblazer
In this episode, we sit down with Keith Haskett, founder of Rebyc Security, to explore his entrepreneurial journey from IT and finance professional to cybersecurity business leader. Keith shares how a decade of experience running the informatio...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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17:23
Mary Kelly--Shaping Success: A Creative Journey in Clay
In this episode, I sit down with my mom to talk about her handmade jewelry business, where she designs and creates unique clay pieces by hand. She shares how she got started, what inspires her designs, the process behind making her jewelry, and...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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18:53
Aldo Carrera-Hernandez--From College to a Company of His Own
Hello! Our podcast is called: Aldo Carrera-Hernandez: From College Dreams to a Company of His Own. I've also attached the image cover for the podcast above. Here is the short description. In this episode of From Spark to New Venture, Sol and Ky...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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10:08
John D. Rockefeller - From Small Savings To Big Oil Investments
In this podcast episode, I will be going over the entrepreneurship journey of John D. Rockefeller. When I’m recording my podcast episode, I want to make sure that what I’m talking about answers all the required questions. I will briefly discuss...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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6:18
Gavin Robyn – Mentors, Mistakes & Motivation
In this episode of “From Spark to Venture,” hosts Salma Abdalla and Paige Knudson sit down with Gavin Robyn, local owner of Next-Door Photos. Gavin shares how he got his start in the business at just 19 through a friend's recommendation, and ho...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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21:45
Justin Jenkins--From Lineman to Waterman
In this episode, Ethan and Brayden interview Justin Jenkins, a lifelong waterman who makes his living on the Potomac River. He shares an inside look at the early mornings, hard work, and deep respect for the water that define his way of life. T...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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11:46
Bill Fritton--From Numbers to Freedom
In this episode, we spoke with Bill Fritton about his journey as an entrepreneur in the tax return business. Listeners will gain valuable insights into what it takes to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship, build client trust, and stay c...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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12:05
David Kembal--Kembel Tax Service
Have you ever wondered what it really takes to turn a simple idea into a thriving business? In this episode of From Spark to New Venture, we explore the inspiring story behind Kembel Tax Service, a company built on trust, precision, and dedicat...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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15:40
Jeff Small--Lost In the Sauce
Nick Werderman and Evan Brooks sat down with local entrepreneur Jeff Small, the owner of Sammy T’s Pizza, a Fredericksburg favorite that was originally launched under the name YMMAS. After facing challenges with brand awareness, Jeff made the t...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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12:39
Ronnie Pittman--From sports fan to bread winner through bets and influencing
In this podcast I have Ronnie Pittman a professional sports bettor and influencer on to talk about how he has reached where he is in the world. We go into detail about what got Ronnie into the sports betting world and what made him want to beco...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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12:32
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Kaylee Knox--The Art of Hustle
This podcast is about Kaylee Knox an entrepreneur from Hartfield, VA who found her success in the art industry. Kaylee sells her various forms of art in art exhibits, local markets, art shows, and online, where she also shows it off on social m...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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10:27
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Mark Branca--Goldilocks & The Blueprint: Don’t Wait for It to Be ‘Just Right’
In this heartfelt She’s Soph special, Sophia Branca known for her creative entrepreneurship and growing online brand sits down with her father, Mark Branca, a self-made civil engineer turned successful land developer. Dressed as Goldilocks besi...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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12:16
David Dennis--Profit to Principles
In this episode of Profit to Principles, we sit down with a 20-year U.S. Navy veteran turned entrepreneur who shares how his service to his country shaped his values, leadership style, and path into the business world. From the discipline and t...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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11:10
Justin Sullivan—Striking Success with Sales Short
Justin Sullivan is a seasoned local entrepreneur out of Stafford, Virginia. With 18 years of experience building and selling homes as a partner through his company, Hour and Brookstone Homes, Justin has helped transform vacant acreage into vibr...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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11:31
