Initially, Sherrie’s vision was that she’d fold these two business concepts into one brand. “In my mind, Naturally Illustrated and the Coloring Museum were one and the same,” she said. However, when it came to detailing her vision in a formal business plan, she floundered. “I had multiple businesses in one business plan and I was not thinking at that moment that that’s what it was. So it was very confusing and I think I was getting frustrated because people couldn’t understand what my business was,” she added.

A referral by local entrepreneur Tafari Roberts (read Tafari’s story here) connected Sherrie to Brooke Ratliff, Small Business Coach at Operation HOPE, for a new perspective on her dilemma. Sherrie valued Brooke’s candid feedback, which was shared in a way that felt constructive.

“I appreciate her and everyone else who’s been very patient with me as I’m pushing back. It’s a delicate balance being an entrepreneur because at the end of the day, especially in the beginning stages, you want to listen, you want to receive information so you can be better, but by the same token, you need to be confident about what you’re doing.”

Ultimately, Sherrie acknowledged that while Naturally Illustrated inspired the Coloring Museum, it was best to separate the concepts into two distinct businesses.

For entrepreneurs who are looking for a fresh perspective to grow their business, Sherrie’s journey offers four valuable lessons:

Lesson 1: Clarity is a Business Imperative
Like many entrepreneurs, Sherrie found herself with a business plan that was more of a patchwork quilt than a clear roadmap. Although she could see the vision clearly, potential partners and mentors struggled to grasp it.

This is a critical takeaway: if others can’t understand your business in its most simple form, it becomes harder to gain support, secure funding, or build a loyal customer base.

Lesson 2: It’s Okay to Pivot—Even Late in the Game
Sherrie launched Naturally Illustrated in 2016. It wasn’t until 2023—seven years later—that the proverbial lightbulb fully clicked.

Entrepreneurs often feel pressure to get everything right at the start. Sherrie’s journey proves that evolution is not only natural but necessary. Each event, business workshop, and competition—even the ones that felt like a waste at the time—played a role in refining her vision. Everything that she went through helped shape her business into what it is now.

Lesson 3: Marketing Matters as Much as Product
A powerful learning moment came for Sherrie when she watched other entrepreneurs struggle despite having amazing products. Passion and creativity are important—but they need to be matched by a thoughtful strategy for reaching customers.

Lesson 4: Seek Mentors Who Will Provide Honest Feedback
Brooke became more than a mentor; she became part of Sherrie’s informal advisory board. Honest guidance, encouragement, and directness helped Sherrie step into her role as a confident businesswoman. She also pays it forward, offering support to fellow entrepreneurs who may be feeling lost or overwhelmed.

As Sherrie reflects on her entrepreneurial journey, she’s gratified to know that she’s not just running a business, she’s revitalizing a community: The Coloring Museum is being constructed on the same spot as a hardware store she used to visit with her grandfather in Detroit’s Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood. Sherrie is also launching a 26-foot Coloring Truck to bring the museum experience on the road.

Sherrie’s story is a testament to perseverance, flexibility, and the power of mentorship. For any entrepreneur feeling stuck, confused, or ready to give up: know that the path to growth often runs through the struggle.

For more information: OperationHOPE.org. Follow the HOPE conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.  

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“Brooke kept us confident. She knew I had a decade of experience in the restaurant business and we had assets, which made us strong candidates for a loan. We just needed help presenting all of this in a business plan. She really went above and beyond—meeting with us on a regular basis to refine our pitch and urging us to be as specific as possible when it came to expenses and sales. She’d also check on us to know more about our progress with different lenders,” said Maurice. 

With a comprehensive business plan now in hand, the couple was ready to approach lenders again, but where should they go first? Operation HOPE could assist here as well, and Brooke was able to refer the couple to several lenders that work with entrepreneurs who were just starting out.

Five months later, the couple was thrilled when CDC Loans approved their loan. Five months after that, the food truck’s retrofitting was complete, it passed the required health inspections, and Maurice and Bridget held their first event at an automotive plant with 500 employees.

“I’m 51, and life has been challenging. I’m finally accomplishing a dream I’ve had to be an entrepreneur—it’s a blessing,” said Bridget. Maurice added, “the HOPE program is fantastic. Brooke is fantastic, she 100% made this happen. It’s discouraging when you have a dream and you can’t secure a loan—we didn’t know where to turn. Operation HOPE was a breath of fresh air, it literally gave us hope.”

For more information: OperationHOPE.org. Follow the HOPE conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.  

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Lisa Schilthius is the classic innovator-type of person our small business coaches at Operation HOPE get to work with every day. With years of experience in their “day job,” they are able to identify an untapped need in the market that will make their customers’ lives better. For Lisa, an occupational therapist by profession, it was while she was working with seniors with memory loss that sent her on her entrepreneurial mission. Lisa started talking with her daughter, Alyssa Zehr, who was also an occupational therapist, about what she was seeing and how they might be able to help. Together, they started developing activity books, journals, puzzles and building kits that caregivers could use to spur interactions with their senior patients. In 2021, the duo formed GrandMinds LLC to expand the reach of their groundbreaking products.

With help from Lisa’s son, Elijah, Lisa and Alyssa started out producing the books and puzzles by hand, but as orders picked up, they knew that wasn’t going to be sustainable. What Lisa needed was an infusion of capital so that she could invest in a manufacturing process to mass produce GrandMinds’ products. She decided to participate in the 53 Voices Challenge, a pitch competition sponsored by one of Operation HOPE’s banking partners, Fifth Third Bank. The competition required small business owners to submit a 53-second video and one-pager explaining their business concept. Out of more than 400 applicants, GrandMinds took home first place–a $7,500 prize.

But the grant money wasn’t the only positive thing to come out of the 53 Voices Challenge for Lisa. During the competition, she was introduced to Operation HOPE Small Business Coach Brooke Ratliff, who set Lisa on a long-term path for growth. To start with, Lisa joined an online seminar hosted by Brooke that focused on how to write a business plan. Lisa found that conducting a market analysis enabled her to look at her business more objectively so that she could further refine her products to meet market needs.

“I had no idea how to do a business plan before meeting Brooke,” said Lisa. “The workshop was rigorous, but the workload was manageable because it was a weekly course, with assigned homework. Brooke was always available to answer questions specific to my circumstances, which was invaluable.”

The business plan Lisa developed with the help of Brooke’s seminar was key to GrandMinds finishing third in another competition. She and Alyssa used this new round of grant money to expand GrandMinds’ product line.

“Lisa is that rare entrepreneur who has the right balance of vision, commitment, and expertise that moves her forward to crush her goals,” said Brooke.

Lisa gives Brooke and Operation HOPE a lot of credit for the fact that GrandMinds now has a loyal customer base across the country. The next goal for the company is to offer a techenabled product that would help engage patients with later-stage dementia. But wherever her entrepreneurial journey takes her, Lisa’s confident Brooke will be along for the ride.

“She gets what my family and I are trying to achieve with this business. She’s always accessible when I have questions, and I hear from her regularly with news about new grant opportunities,” said Lisa. “I’m so grateful to have her in our corner.”

The post Operation HOPE Helps a Michigan Entrepreneur Solve the Puzzle of Scaling Up appeared first on Operation HOPE.

From the beginning, Arnika’s venture into juicing was driven by her own health challenges. She discovered the benefits of cold-pressing juices for herself and was inspired to share these health solutions with others. Soon, Arnika had a good problem on her hands. Her product gained popularity and her business began to grow. She needed to find a way to scale her operations. That’s when she met her small business development coach Angelic Mister. 

Angelic was excited to help Arnika navigate the complexities of business expansion through the Small Business Development Program. With Angelic’s help, Arnika got the educational support she needed to navigate the new entrepreneurial terrain, and secured the financial backing needed to take Loaded Juice to the next level!

Thanks in part to Angelic’s coaching, Arnika was able to secure a $25,000 business loan from First Horizon Bank, a crucial step that enabled her to plan significant upgrades, including the addition of a food truck to increase her business’s mobility and reach.

Today, Loaded Juice is more than a product — it’s a growing brand that represents health, vitality, and community engagement. Arnika herself remains a passionate advocate for starting small and dreaming big. Her advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs is to “just get started and don’t allow yourself to get discouraged.” With the right support, she believes, any obstacle can be overcome, and any business vision can be realized.

The post Arnika’s Loaded Juice Gets the Green Light to Grow! appeared first on Operation HOPE.

“I’ve lived in Ypsilanti for 17 years, and I love it. Before I had my own hair salon, I got a lot of satisfaction volunteering for events in the local business community here,” said Claire. “The community responded in kind when I expanded my retail space to include gifts. I was overwhelmed by the positive response, and I really felt like I was on to something.” 

But a month later, the local business district shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Claire felt like her dreams had been dashed. To keep her businesses afloat, Claire got creative, coming up with promotions that leveraged her community connections, like a Valentine’s Day package that gave couples a night out while ensuring they maintained social distancing.

“I was thrilled to be able to put money back into the pockets of the local baker and other business owners,” added Claire. 

However, as most entrepreneurs can attest, passion, resilience, and ingenuity will only get you so far. A serendipitous conversation with Brooke Ratliff, an Operation HOPE coach, reframed Claire’s thinking about how she could take her business to the next level.  

“I was cutting Brooke’s hair in my salon, and we started chatting about our lives,” said Claire. “I was telling her about the ups and downs of my entrepreneurial journey and my goal of making the gift store a success.”  

Brooke offered to help Claire with her business through Operation HOPE’s Small Business Development program, and Claire has never looked back. 

“Before Brooke and Operation HOPE came into my life, it was trial and error as I tried to learn the ropes of running a business on my own,” said Claire. “But Brooke showed me I don’t have to reinvent the wheel.” 

To start with, Claire enrolled in an online class to learn how to create a business plan and arranged regular meetings with Brooke to tackle other aspects of the business, including marketing and financing.  

“Brooke is someone who always shows up,” Claire said. “Whether it’s meeting with fellow store owners to get a community event off the ground or making introductions to lenders, Brooke has held my hand every step of the way.” 

Watching Claire grow and evolve as a businesswoman has been rewarding for Brooke, as well. 

“My role as an Operation HOPE coach is to help entrepreneurs create a business that will stand the test of time,” said Brooke. “Claire has so much positive energy and enthusiasm, not just for her businesses but for her community. We’ve been able to take that passion and channel it into her businesses in a way that I think will bring her long-lasting success.” 

Claire is optimistic that all the hard work will pay off. And it appears she’s not the only one: To build the brand—including developing the store’s website—Claire recently applied for and received a grant from the Spark East incubator and a $35,000 small business loan from Fifth Third Bank. And like Claire, these two organizations are not just interested in supporting her business, but the community that surrounds it. 

It’s a win-win,” said Reginald Gilson, Financial Center Manager at Fifth Third Bank’s 14820 Gratiot branch in Detroit. “We’re thrilled to support local entrepreneurs who are doing great things in the community we all call home. We greatly value our partnership with Operation HOPE and we look to continue providing much needed resources to small businesses with the help of this great organization.” 

As Claire looks back at how far she and her businesses have come, she’s grateful that her conversation with Brooke that fateful day turned to discussing the trials and tribulations of her businesses. 

“I encourage all small business owners to work with Operation HOPE,” said Claire. “They have the expertise, resources and, just as important, caring, to help small businesses like mine reach that next level.”   

*** 

Connect with Claire: Instagram, Facebook or via her website. 

For more information: OperationHOPE.org. Follow the HOPE conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.  

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Every mother carries a vision, a hope that her children will grow to be strong, dynamic individuals who will leave an indelible mark upon the world. In short, we call that legacy. Legacy is more than a mere inheritance of wealth or a family name; it’s the intangible essence of what we instill in our children—the values, the resilience, the drive to transform dreams into reality.

Kayla’s Italian Ice began as a simple wish to bring a piece of my own childhood memories to life, to recreate the joy of a New York summer in our new home state of Georgia. But it blossomed into something far greater—a shared dream with my daughter, Kayla. Together, we’ve taken this idea and turned it into a reality, a tangible manifestation of creativity and entrepreneurship, family legacy, and a deeper mother-daughter bond.

As we navigate this journey of nurturing Kayla’s Italian Ice, I see my daughter evolving before my eyes. She’s not just learning to run a business; she’s becoming the embodiment of what it means to be a resilient, savvy businesswoman. She’s learning how to take an idea from conception to fruition, facing challenges head-on with a confidence that swells my heart with pride.

As Kayla and I sat on stage at the HOPE Global Forums during a segment spotlighting Black-owned businesses, I paused and thought about what the future holds for Kayla, aware that her path may take many turns. Yet, there’s a profound sense of confidence that comes from witnessing her growth thus far. Whether she continues to expand her horizon within the world of Italian ice or ventures into a new passion she develops, one thing is certain—she has the will to succeed and the foundation to support that success.

Building this part of our family’s legacy with Kayla has been an unexpectedly rewarding part of my life. It’s not just about teaching her the ropes of business; it’s about watching her embrace the journey, with all its highs and lows, and developing the fortitude to persevere. This, in itself, is a legacy—a living testament to the strength and potential that lies within her.

The beauty of this legacy is that it’s not set in stone. It’s ever-evolving, shaped by every decision we make, every flavor we create, and every customer we delight. And while I can’t predict the future, I am confident in the legacy that’s unfolding—one where my daughter steps into the world equipped to face and embrace whatever comes her way.

As we continue to pour our hearts into Kayla’s Italian Ice, I am filled with a sense of hopeful anticipation for what lies ahead. This legacy we are building is more than a family business—it’s a testament to the larger legacy of Black entrepreneurs who came before us, and the many trailblazing women, many of whom have not been given the recognition they deserve. And for that, I am eternally grateful, to my daughter, to our supporters, and to Operation HOPE and the 1 Million Black Businesses initiative that fuels dreams and empowers legacies.

The post Sweet Legacy: The Mom + Daughter Duo Behind Kayla’s Italian Ice appeared first on Operation HOPE.

“Operation HOPE found me. I was driving Uber in Sarasota, Florida one Tuesday around 11 am. A lovely gentleman on his way to a funeral needed a ride to the airport in Tampa. I had my artisanal jewelry and mindful gifts business, JanieMae’s Cosmic Garden advertised on my back seat. He asked me how business was going. I told him it could be better. He gave me information that I persistently followed up with until I was assigned a mentor.

I was assigned to Mr. Antonio Lynch. Antonio provided a much-needed shift in my business mind and the way I was navigating life. The class has opened my mind immensely. I was and am doing a lot of things right. The acknowledgment of that by my educator and peers gave me a much-needed ego boost. Solo entrepreneurship had proven to be a little more than a challenge and admittedly left me a little broken. Mr. Lynch proved himself a good coach and encouraged me to pause, reassess, get my head back in the game and attack.

Now, I do business more intentionally than I ever have. There is a noticeable increase in my income and client engagement. This increase in business is gladly directed back to my tutelage. My classmates were also very insightful, encouraging, and enlightening. I’m excited to be featured in my own success story. I tell friends and other entrepreneurs I meet along the way about Operation HOPE’s life-changing program. Black, white, and all the notable shades in between, need help when it comes to scaling a business. I’ve benefited from it and I hope others find it as invaluable as I have.

I thank you for your help.

– Augustus Brown Jr”

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Sadie is the daughter of a Dominican-American small business owner, running a small daycare owner and mother of three. A few years ago, Sadie’s mother expressed that she could help run the business. She successfully made the move, but shortly after arriving, she realized that she felt called to start her own business and build a future for herself and her children.

Before moving to the South, Sadie had developed her skills as a professional cleaner, having a little more than five years’ experience under her belt. She knew that starting a business wouldn’t be easy, but she found the ability to regain control of her time and have a more flexible schedule for her kids and family to be a significant draw.

Inspired by her courage to venture into entrepreneurship after a monumental move, her mother introduced her to someone capable, willing, and ready to help her gain the tools and knowledge needed to launch a new venture successfully. She introduced her to HOPE Inside Truist Raleigh financial wellbeing coach Rose Thomason. After a brief introduction, Sadie and Rose got to work, putting pen to paper and laying the foundation to make a vision come to life.

Rose helped Sadie get started with the small business essentials like getting her business registered, strategies for launching a new company with limited capital, and methods to gaining her first set of clients in a positive, confident way. In seemingly no time, Sadie landed two contracts for cleaning services and was well on her way. Over time, she became more adept at networking and marketing her business services, getting acquainted with other business owners and other potential clientele.

“I had the experience,” Sadie said. “And I’ve seen a lot of other people do it. So, I said to myself, ‘If they can, I can do it as well.’” Throughout the process, Sadie has realized how resilient she truly is and has grown to love the process of growth, learning, and development as an entrepreneur.

More than anything, however, she is excited about the new level of freedom she has gained and the strong example she’s leaving for her kids. “I want them to see that their mom was a business owner, and so was their grandmother,” she said. “Seeing me go through this process opens their minds to thinking of ways that they can start their own projects knowing that they’ll always have my support.”

As the proud owner of Maid to Glitter Cleaning Services, Sadie is working toward purchasing a home that she and her family can enjoy. She looks forward to the day that she can pass it on to her children to decide how to best use it for their financial futures. She believes surrounding her children with the concept of “ownership” cements in their minds that it’s not just available to them, but it’s what’s expected of them.

Thinking of her Dominican heritage, Sadie finds the strength to continue aiming for excellence. “It makes me push harder and go harder for my culture,” she said. “But in doing so, I believe that it helps us all be stronger as a national and global community. We should all be strong together because that’s what brings about progress. And that, I believe, is my biggest motivation.”

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This 5’3”, grandmother of four is a giant in her own right with a tremendous story to tell. Overcoming incredible odds to become the woman she is today, she hopes that her story and example can encourage others, men and women alike, to hold on to their dreams until they begin to realize a portion of their full potential.

No one ever really expected Cora to reach the level of accomplishment that she enjoys today. Her journey towards financial independence began when she was just a little girl, admiring the successes of her uncle. She remembers seeing him be his own man, make his own plans, and earn honest money working for himself. She saw something in him that she wanted for herself — an authentic sense of self-determination.

At 15 years old, however, a sophomore in high school, she had her first child. A year later, she gave birth again, to a set of twin girls, and then one more after high school. Despite her perceived setbacks, she never lost sight of her vision for the future.

Defying the odds and pushing boundaries for what’s possible, Cora accepted the added responsibilities of life as a young mother to the plans she had already set for herself. While raising her four girls, and later a baby boy, Cora became a career woman, working in various jobs collecting experience, advancing her skills, and refining her dreams of business ownership.

She recalls, “I always knew that I would own my own business. I just didn’t know how or when, but I knew within myself that I would.” Speaking of her source of inspiration she says, “I always wanted to give my children something to be proud of, something that they could aspire to be.”

With a downward spiraling economy, the trucking business Cora worked for went under. Despite the misfortune, she seized the opportunity and transformed it into a moment of destiny. With exposure to the business, she decided to shake things up a bit, pick up where her old company left off, and enter the commercial trucking industry.

To prepare herself, she attended trucking school, earned her Commercial Driver’s License, and began traveling the country driving 18-wheelers. Through the late nights and early mornings, the perpetual lack of privacy and comfort, and the loss of love and fractured relationships, she persisted. With each passing month, every paycheck earned and every penny saved went towards her family and the development of her budding business, C & M Trucking. She continued to save, with a strong sense of discipline and purpose, until she was finally able to purchase her first truck and major business assets.

Then, she did it again and bought two more trucks.

And again, purchasing three additional trucks.

She continued this cycle of saving and investing while working as a truck driver until she owned a total of six dump trucks, making her a strong contender in the market. Today, Cora has a fleet of trucks working around the clock in the city of Memphis and surrounding areas. Through her hard work, tireless resolve, and the relentless pursuit of her dreams, she is living out what she envisioned as a young woman — owning her own business while making her family proud and to making a difference in the lives of others.

Cora came to Operation HOPE eager to expand and continue the success that she had been enjoying for six years. “I came to Operation HOPE so that I could take my business to the next level. When I started attending the seminars with HOPE financial wellbeing coach Ms. Trudy Morrison I was already a business owner, but I wanted to learn more about business credit and how to acquire it. I’m working out of my home right now, but I’m ready for a new office space. I want my office to reflect where the company is headed.”

After attending business credit and money management courses at Mason Temple Church of God in Christ, through HOPE’s partnership with First Tennessee Bank and the COGIC Urban Initiative, Cora successfully acquired the business credit that she sought after. Now she has plans to scale her business to new heights and expand her business offerings.

She has inspired the women in her community to reach beyond their circumstances and chase after their goals. Even more, she has set an example of what mental and spiritual fortitude and dedication looks like for her family. Two of her daughters are now embracing their mother’s entrepreneurial spirit, and her grandson recently landed a multimillion dollar licensing deal with the NBA through his company, Mo’s Bows.

Cora’s story demonstrates that with discipline, guidance, and an unshakable sense of purpose any one can turn their vision into reality. Operation HOPE was happy to walk alongside Cora through her journey towards “better”, as we have for nearly 30 years with thousands of others. Your story of success and inspiration can start today, too. Just reach out to your local HOPE Inside coach and begin the journey. Click here to find the financial wellbeing coach nearest you.

The post The Little Lady Driving Big Success appeared first on Operation HOPE.

Eleven months after losing my job, my savings were gone. I had to borrow from my retirement account to keep things afloat. Even still, my home was going into foreclosure, and I needed a transmission and engine for my vehicle. In short, I had hit rock bottom.

That’s when I saw a commercial on television that Memphis Area Legal would be at Lindenwood Church the following day. I went to Lindenwood Church and met with a representative of Memphis Area Legal, and the foreclosure process was stopped. That positive spin on my life encouraged me to call banks and credit unions to see who would help me refinance my mortgage. Trustmark Bank was the only financial institution that returned my call. Mary Anderson at Trustmark Bank offered options, but I first needed to go through Operation HOPE.

Ms. Regina explained to me how HOPE’s credit and money management program operated and what the journey towards financial security would entail. Before speaking to Ms. Regina, I felt like a failure, and my fear of my finances paralyzed me. Caring for my mother included keeping a roof over her head, and at that point in my life I could not do that. I felt I had let her down. However, as we worked through my program, Ms. Regina used words of hope and affirmation. The shackles of fear began to disappear, and I stopped doubting myself. I began to see the pieces fall back into place. I no longer felt disconnected. 

Ms. Regina gave me the tools to turn my fear and regret into power. She helped me reclaim my forgotten strength and self-worth. She encouraged me to stop wishing and wanting and to start doing and being. With renewed confidence, I am a returning student at the University of Memphis, completing my bachelor’s degree. I managed to save my home, and Trustmark bought my mortgage from my previous lender. My interest rate was 13.7%, and it is now 6.5%. I have purchased a new vehicle through my credit union with a low rate of 4.4%. And I finally, have a savings and Christmas club account again!

Sadly, my mother passed recently. Before she passed, I learned that to survive as a caregiver, you need three circles of support. The first circle is immediate family; the second circle is extended family, friends, and community members; and the third is health care and social service professionals. I was able to care for my mother for eleven years because of these three circles. It was God’s will that Regina Osei would be added to my circle of support. She helped me through my obstacles, and I was able to be a better caregiver and daughter to my mom; I am a better mother to my daughter, and I have a new perspective on life – hope.

– Judy Davis, HOPE Inside Trustmark Bank, Memphis, Tennessee

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