My Cincy Small Business Story

Meet the husband-and-wife team behind Kept House, an estate sales company formed in 2021. Greg and Jamie Pipkins are joined by their SCORE Mentor Jerry Blais to share how they have overcome challenges and seized opportunities in their first five years in business. Kept House was a finalist for the 2025 SCORE Greater Cincinnati Client of the Year Award! 

She loves creating things from scratch! Dora Cheng had a family recipe and passion for high-quality wontons. With hard work and support from SCORE Mentors, she has launched Yee Mama into wholesale and more recently, opened a storefront at Cincinnati's Findlay Market! 

Megan Hils started Raise and Shine Parent Coaching and Consulting because she wanted to get ahead of issues she encountered working as a school psychologist. Her SCORE Mentor Diane Powers joins her on this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story to talk about applying her expertise to community need to develop a successful small business. In fact, Raise and Shine was a finalist for the SCORE Client of the Year award!

    PLEASE JOIN US  Wednesday, September 17, 2025  9:00 AM – 3:30 PM (Registration begins 8:30 AM)  Matthew 25: Ministries   11060 Kenwood Rd, Blue Ash, OH 45242  SMART STRATEGIES for changing times  CONFLUENCE™ 2025 is a day filled with expert-led sessions, practical takeaways, speed business mentoring, and valuable networking opportunities designed to help you propel your business forward.  finance • marketing • AI • hiring • resilience  Gain strategies and insights needed to navigate uncertainty and future-proof your business!  grow • adapt • thrive  Kickstart the day with  Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval   to learn how local leadership and resources can help your business. Register belowhttps://www.score.org/sites/default/files/2025-07/CONFLUENCE%202025%20Flyer%20-%2028Jul25.pdf

Wed, September 17 | 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM | 11060 Kenwood Rd, Blue Ash, OHConfluenc 2025SMART STRATEGIES for changing timesConfluence™ 2025 is a day filled with expert-led sessions, practical takeaways, speed business mentoring, and valuable networking opportunities designed to help you propel your business forward.Gain strategies and insights needed to navigate uncertainty and future-proof your business!https://www.score.org/greatercincinnati

Tina Neely wrote a children's book about her faith and her pet pig Bacon, which developed into an entire brand with guidance from her SCORE mentors! They join her on this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story to talk about how Tina's vision has evolved into a finalist for SCORE Client of the Year finalist in the established business category. 

Nothing spurs change like a crisis! Jodi Westfall founded Advanced Integrative Wellness because she was dissatisfied with healthcare options. With the help of her SCORE mentor, she has learned how to manage the business side of her practice and even earned the 2025 SCORE Client of the Year Award in the Established Business category.

Working with SCORE mentors, Lindsay Skipper has learned how to juggle marketing, bookings, performing and all the other aspects of her business with being a homeschool mom and a wife. On this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story, she is joined by her SCORE support squad to talk about her business, Elegant Violin, which was named 2025 SCORE Greater Cincinnati Client of the Year in the Startup category! 

The BBB of Greater Cincinnati offers a ton of tools that Cincinnati small business owners can use to build trust, improve customer relationships and train and develop team members. President and CEO Jocile Ehrlich shares the interesting backstory of the BBB and how the organization's mission is carried out today. 

Like many entrepreneurs, Jasmine Ruff started her business with a side-hustle and a great vision. Oh, and a lot of glitter! With mentorship through MORTAR and SCORE, she developed her knack for event planning into a viable venue and event planning company. 

Jim and his wife Marilyn had been fostering and training dogs for many years before seeking professional advice for their business. SCORE Mentor Greg Bedel joins Jim on this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story to talk about the business, For Paws Canine Obedience Training. 

More than 40 years ago, his father started the business out of necessity. Dawson Heating & Air Conditioning Chief Operating Officer Todd Dawson talks about tuning up the business through the support of SCORE mentors. Dawson was a finalist for the SCORE Client of the Year Award in 2022 and shares how his company is leading with top quality service and technology. 

Episode 33: Sara Aschliman / Wyoming Community CoffeeAs an architect, Sara Aschliman recognized the need for a "third space" in her community. The founder of Wyoming Community Coffee is on My Cincy Small Business Story to talk about brewing business and branching out as a roaster and wholesaler. 

Bret Scheider is the owner of a unique Cincinnati-based business that got off the ground with the help of SCORE mentors. Bret reflects on how the idea took root and is now spreading into new markets as a franchise opportunity. 

Meet SCORE Greater Cincinnati’s new Chapter Co-Chair! Mike McCracken has served as a SCORE volunteer mentor since 2018, following his 26-year career at Procter & Gamble. When he retired, Mike was the U.S. national sales director for P&G’s Health Care Division. His extensive experience includes customer experience with the country’s largest retailers as well as business development and marketing. 

"The best defense is good offense." Brooke Poling practiced employment law for five years before deciding to start her independent consulting firm, Optimal Employee Relations. Understanding the importance of being informed, Brooke learned more about entrepreneurship by surrounding herself with knowledgeable SCORE mentors. On this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story, Brooke talks about her new business and helping other small businesses overcome human resources challenges. 

Inspiration struck when Tierra was an electrical engineer on her own wellness journey. It was during that time she uncovered the need for holistic wellness consulting for corporate workplaces. Listen how she became an entrepreneur and launched Tii Fit Wellness with guidance from the MORTAR program and a dedicated SCORE mentor who has become like family. 

Free access to a vast depth of knowledge through SCORE Mentors can help entrepreneurs ramp up quickly! Kendra Ramirez, CEO of KR Digital and best-selling author talks about her experience with SCORE mentorship that began in 2005. She also shares her efforts to make sure minority and woman-owned businesses are not left behind with recent technology shifts including artificial intelligence. 

The secret sauce is in the systems behind the scenes. Entrepreneur and 2020 SCORE Greater Cincinnati Client of the Year Nick Pesola explains how his SCORE mentor set him up for success in the early stages of his business. Now, the financial tools and strategies he learned from SCORE are some of his greatest strengths as Pesola Hospitality Groups operates three restaurants: Revolution Rotisserie, Milkman and Amador. The company is also taking management of the Newport on the Levee food hall, which will be called Bridge View Food Hall! 

Simple steps can protect small businesses from cybercriminals! Dave Hatter is Cincinnati's own cyber security expert. From the pages of the The Wall Street Journal to the stage of the upcoming event, SCORE Confluence: Shine Online, Dave's sought-after insight is helping small business owners stay a step ahead of the crooks. Listen to this episode for interesting anecdotes and easy-to-implement practices to protect your small business. 

"What worked two years ago doesn't necessarily work now." Sylvia Brownlee talks about marketing her Cincinnati-based skincare clinic and product line, Skin by Brownlee and Co., which is helping clients achieve clear skin and confidence. Sylvia also talks about the beauty of mentorship and the MORTAR program, which have helped her during her first decade in business. 

Craftswoman, metalsmith and businesswoman Dawn Grady has cornered the market of women who want to own the room. Her bold, handcrafted statement necklaces, cocktail rings and other pieces are coveted by collectors. The MORTAR program, supported with SCORE mentorship, has helped Dawn secure a physical storefront and envision a scalable future for Junebug Jewelry Designs. 

As an art teacher, Molly noticed fingernails as a tiny canvas for intricate works of art. With a great deal of determination, a unique business plan, and the backing of a knowledgeable SCORE mentor, Molly founded Spruce Nail Shop in 2015. The business has expanded to a second location, mobile sales, and earned a SCORE Client of the Year award in 2020. 

Big thinking. The magic of mentorship. Shanecka Bedford shares how she and her husband have turned purpose into profit for Heads Up Trading Company. 

The husband and wife team—and MORTAR graduates—behind Davis Cookie Collection share the ingredients for a successful small business. The right combination of faith, hard work and mentorship have helped them expand beyond brick and mortar to a mobile location, restaurants, and even a local Kroger.

Who is using a travel agency these days? The answer may surprise you. Byrd Bergeron, CEO of The Travel Byrds and "Extreme Vacation Enthusiast," shares how her business model serves an evolving clientele as well as a niche employment market. SCORE Mentor George Cordes joins her in this episode to talk about how he and other volunteers put their business experience to work for Byrd's business. 

Kip Hatcher is minding her own business. When she decided to parlay more three decades of experience as a therapist and substance abuse counselor into a private practice, she knew she needed a business mentor. With SCORE Greater Cincinnati, she gained a team of mentors and has been named 2023 Client of the Year Finalist! In this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story, Kip is joined by one of her SCORE mentors, John Lieberman, to talk about establishing her private practice.  

Mentorship is a beautiful thing. When SCORE Client of the Year Finalist and Beauty Artistry Academy Founder Chris Daily looks in the mirror, she sees an opportunity to help others succeed. In this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story, Chris is joined by her SCORE Mentor, Tony Aiello, to talk about opportunities and challenges in the beauty school marketplace. 

Mavis Linnemann-Clark loves three things: cooking, a good party, and a challenge. The Owner of The Delish Dish and SCORE Client of the Year Finalist shares how mentorship has seasoned her recipe for success and what’s to come for her catering business. 

For every award, accolade and expansion of Sweets & Meats BBQ, there have been numerous obstacles that most people don't know about! Owner Kristen Bailey shares how she has swerved,  sought mentorship and succeeded in becoming one of Cincinnati's top food trucks and caterers. 

When award-winning business owner Bambi Merz got started as a chocolatier, she was like a kid in a candy store. In this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story, the owner of Tickled Sweet shares her journey to entrepreneurship, candy-making, and how mentorship sweetened the pot.

Annetta Waters is the owner of Annetta's Beauty Bar and creator of Eleven 22 vegan beauty products. She was a guest on My Cincy Small Business Story with her SCORE mentor, Gordon Daniels, to talk about challenges, opportunities and success in the beauty industry.

Anthony Brown started Inflate Ur Fun in 2019 with creative games for festivals and parties. In 2023, his business was named a finalist for SCORE Greater Cincinnati Client of the Year. His mentor, Bob Leslie, joins him on My Cincy Small Business Story to talk about blowing up business.

Haley Kummer talks about serving working parents and their children with a highly-rated childcare program. Listen to hear how she and her husband juggle three locations and a growing family.

Maximum Plumbing is a 2023 BBB Spark Award Winner! Listen to hear how Donald Hoskins took the business from spare bedroom startup to Spark-worthy business in the span of three years.

Aftab Pureval, the Mayor of Cincinnati and Patti Foster, a Certified Score Mentor and chairperson for Score’s Confluence event, join host Michael Dawson on the show to preview the second annual Confluence event. Confluence will be a place for entrepreneurs to connect with each other, learn about doing business in Cincinnati, and most of all, to be inspired.

Colleen Pfaller started A Slice of HR in 2017 to help mid-size companies improve employee relations and recruit effectively. In 2023, her business was named SCORE Greater Cincinnati Client of the Year. Her SCORE mentor, Barbara Fried, joins her on My Cincy Small Business Story to talk about their slice of success.

Business Owner Tripp Eldredge talks about the next step in his journey. Tripp is putting his experience and energy to work as a SCORE mentor for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

SCORE Volunteer Wayne Sloan is helping to turn the tables. In this episode of My Cincy Small Business Story, he talks about serving food and beverage entrepreneurs, including restaurant and bar operators, with free business mentorship. The conversation includes the lingering impact of the pandemic and a new business roundtable to to exchange ideas, get information and share concerns.

Terry Bolden of the US. Small Business Administration and Greg Bedel of SCORE Greater Cincinnati talk about working together to help small businesses succeed... and why the work is critical.

Willis Music learned to play on the big retail stage thanks in part to mentorship provided by SCORE Greater Cincinnati. CEO Kevin Cranley and his SCORE mentor, Bill DiGrezio, talk about overcoming ecommerce and big box competition.

Things are really cooking for Bailey Family Catering. Owner Deanna Bailey-Sanchez and her SCORE mentor, Thane Brown, talk about what's on the front burner for this thriving business.

Can mentorship make a difference for historically marginalized entrepreneurs? Sean Simpson, program manager for MORTAR and a huge supporter of small businesses, explores the role of mentorship in their business development program.

Love is in the air. For 100 people who volunteer at SCORE Greater Cincinnati, there is something to love about helping small business owners succeed. Kelly Dehan and Jan Tribbey talk about their experience as mentors.

It's been a wild ride for Sofia Mimendi and Emily Bruns. The Aclipse Campervans founders share their entrepreneurial journey and how they "keep the tank full" juggling their business, travel, family and more.