Career Academy 2023: How to Make Your Business Idea a Reality

Jennifer Meyers, Penn State, started Earth Sugar, a superfood confectionary with the mission to create delicious, plant-based snacks without compromising on ingredients, flavor and the nature of well-being. All Earth Sugar products are 100% organic and suitable for vegan, gluten-free and paleo diets.

Jessica Sanchez, New Mexico, is the owner, photographer and social media content creator for The Jetsetting Family. In 2018, she and her husband sold most of their stuff and took their family on a full-time adventure around the world. In two years, Jessica visited more than 40 countries with her husband and two young children and worked with dozens of brands in the travel and hospitality industry. She now calls Florida home and is always ready for the next big adventure.

Carmen Chan, British Columbia, is a Vancouver-based visual artist. Her art focuses on traditional Chinese brush painting, murals and digital illustrations that tell stories of community to spark hope and joy. She is a 2019 Vancouver Mural Festival alumna and the creator of the Morning Tea and Watercolour painting class — a calming and cheerful pop-up class.

Alex Young, South Carolina, has over 10 years of experience designing and delivering leadership curriculum to high-performance organizations. She works with organizations to assess, strategize and develop leaders and teams for growth. As a trainer and facilitator, Alex has presented to a wide variety of audiences across the country. She received her undergraduate degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of South Carolina. She went on to receive her law degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis.

Leanne Matullo, Pittsburgh, is a perinatal yoga therapist, women’s health mentor, birth doula and creative entrepreneur. She seeks to improve the perinatal outcomes for women and their babies. Leanne has worked with hundreds of individuals via her women’s health curriculum. Her consulting work, strategy creation and writing include collaborations with the Seattle NICU, the University of Washington, Expectful Inc., Yoga Girl, Motherly, Foster Forward and more. She holds certifications as a birth doula, infant/child sleep consultant, and yoga teacher educator, and she has over 2,000 hours of training as a yoga therapist in Ayurveda. She has founded two businesses.