Meet Tom. The founder of Stride for Stride.

Social entrepreneurship at its finest. Tom is an avid runner. In his own words: "The Falmouth Road Race was the first race I ever ran, and it changed my life. Not only did it help me become healthier, but it also reminded me that I can accomplish anything - to not quit when things get tough." ​Once he registered for his second race, he realized that races are expensive - really expensive - an expense that others couldn't afford; And that is the core mission of Stride for Stride. Stride's goal is to give everyone an equal opportunity to run.

There's no reason why money should prevent you from getting to the starting line, especially when crossing the finish line could change your life. 

Meet Chris Davis.

The founder of Genone Technologies. Chris graduated from MIT with a BS in chemical engineering. After working in a variety of roles from process engineering to product engineering, Chris decided to set out with a friend to start his own business. Enter GenOne Technologies. An engineering solutions firm which primarily helps small inventors bring life to their initial ideas/concepts.

GenOne focuses on helping companies develop new technologies, whether they be large established companies, early stage startups, or government agencies. Their primary focus is Internet-of-Things (IoT) development, bringing in a diverse set of skills to create robust prototypes and products. Chris and his team strive to help you create the most value for the smallest price tag. 

Meet Mark Breghaut.

Founder and CTO of Icebrkr. Mark's journey to founder is an interesting one. In grad school, he was on a PhD track for Marriage and Family Therapy. He focused his research on psychology, courtship and conflict in romantic relationships. After graduating, he became a teacher.

During his 3 years teaching, he taught himself frontend web development and design on the side. He then left to work at a web and mobile app development agency as a lead frontend developer and senior UX/UI designer. He combined his backgrounds in relationships and tech to form Icebrkr. Icebrkr is a dating app that utilizes a powerful machine learning AI chatbot that provides daters expert guidance on common pain points.

Meet Becky Pleat.

Founder of Protein Power Ball. Becky and her cofounder were two health-conscious pharmacists that were passionate about wellness and wanted a snack that was convenient, healthy, and tasted great! Being scientists at heart, they took matters into their own hands and began experimenting with healthy ingredients and superfoods from their own kitchen.

Enter Protein Powerball. The ideal snack – easy to eat on the go, healthy ingredients that leave you feeling energized and powerful, and a crave-worthy taste. 

Meet Kun Yang.

Kun is a pharmacist, entrepreneur, and aspiring brand-builder based out of Boston. MA. He is a pharmacist by day, and the co-founder and CEO of Pricklee by night. Never sure of what he wanted to "be" when he grew up, the inception of Pricklee has served as the single most creative pursuit he has ever been a part of, as well as the validation of fulfilling a bigger purpose in life by working for yourself to help others.

Pricklee is a health-focused beverage start-up that Kun founded with four other pharmacist moonlighters that he met in Boston in 2018. They make superfruit waters using real prickly pears, the nutritious fruit of the cactus. Packed with natural electrolytes, antioxidants, and liver detox agents, but low in sugar and calories, Pricklee Superfruit Water is both healthy and tasty - because you can have both.

Meet Val Bee.

Val is a Development and Event Professional and the Owner of L.I.R. Productions, a PR + Production Agency that specializes in marketing, brand management, and event production.

Val manages a global network of creative entrepreneurs & professionals where she helps connect creatives to opportunities that pay.

Val is a booking agent and has she sponsors two event series through her agency - the Small Biz Buffet hosted by Urban NYCHE Marketing and our very own Moonlighters' Club showcase.

Meet Ivy Watts.

A former student-athlete who graduated Summa Cum Laude and was a top 30 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. During her collegiate career, Ivy struggled daily with anxiety, self-worth and depression.

After seeking help, Ivy now promotes mental wellness and reduces stigma around mental illness by sharing her story through public speaking and her blog, Beautifully Simply You.

Ivy empowers others to speak their truths, know that they are not alone, learn the beauty of self-love and find strength to keep fighting for their tomorrows.

Meet Jon and Leandro.

Originally from Arizona, They moved to Boston to pursue professional opportunities. Soon, they created the FLKR lighter, a lighter that doubles as a fidget device. 

Their mission is to enhance the traditional lighter experience, while breaking down to societal stigmas around the emerging Cannabis industry. Listen to them explain how it's possible to create and run a successful business with your best friend.

Make sure to check out their Kickstarter!!!!!!!!

"Thankfully in April, I went part-time. It happened kind of all of sudden and it was a moment of sink or swim. You're getting less cash in the bank, you really have to make this happen."

"That's when everything took off. When I had more time to focus."

Everyone meet Alison Rogers.

Alison Rogers is the founder of Coffee Cup Collective, a circular economy for reusable coffee cups. She joined the Moonlighters' Club to talk about her journey from Consultant to founder and why it's important for her to use innovation to help the environment

About The company Coffee Cup Collective offers a guilt-free to-go coffee without the inconvenience of a personal reusable cup.

We're back.

New city (DC), new job and a new batch of moonlighters to interview.  I had a lot of editing and adjusting to do, but I got it done.

In this episode, I talk about the move from Boston to DC, what it took to get the podcast back on track and why NOW is the time to get serious about your passion.

Enjoy.

(02:50) the creation of the podcast (07:24) Finding the Kirstein Business Library and the Innovation lab, (12:30) The new Moonlighters Becky Pleat, Protein Powerball, Drink pricklee, (16:00) the Baltimore trip, (19:50) Moving to Washington DC (23:20) Depression sets in (27:45) Coronavirus on the way (30:40) Time to edit and post episodes (32:27) corona and shitty employers (35:00)New Moonlighters’ Club episodes

Meet Deborah.

Author | Advocate | Artist | Educator | Entrepreneur

She's also the founder of "The Use Your Words Movement". Through Use Your Words, she works as a mentor, blogger, editor, and broadcasting personality. Since the movement's inception, she has delivered her messages of communicative restoration in schools, youth programs, retreats, and conferences.

Deborah also hosts Use Your Words nationwide prayer calls where hundreds of young adults have come together to pray. Deborah also wrote The 30-Day Speak Life Challenge was created as a tool to save Deborah's life.  After battling depression, anxiety, and multiple visits to counselors, she decided to get in control of the negative emotions she had faced for years. in doing so, she discovered her story was not the anomaly she had often considered it, but, more often, the status quo.

She shares portions of her journey through a series of thirty days to assist those struggling with internal conflict as well. Deborah hopes publicly exposing her scars will encourage others facing depression, anxiety, and some of life's most challenging obstacles to establish new, positive perspectives about their lives.

Deborah lives with a mission to die empty and to spread love to every person she meets.

Meet Colgan.

Photographer. Actor. Writer. Artist.

Born and raised in Dorchester, MA. Colgan is always involved in making art in a variety of disciplines. If he’s not reading, he is somewhere taking pictures, acting, or writing. Listen to Colgan break down his love for seeing and creating art inspired by the world around him.

In his own words: "I’ve realized through music and definitely now with photography and acting, I require a certain personal connection with my work. It has to mean something. It started with the idea, of just making cool stuff. But after loving, living, and working for a little time, I would rather my work and time truly mean something to me and other people. So I just jumped into the art world and went back to painting, drawing, writing and photography. Photography just made me appreciate life and the beauty around me even more."