Cultural Entrepreneurs

Experience the World in Minnesota

Cultural Entrepreneurs integrate their cultural assets into their entrepreneurial activities offering a unique cultural experience while serving the needs of customers

The 50+ Cultural Entrepreneurs featured here are a very diverse group by age, region, gender and sector. Each has an inspiring story and build Minnesota in very unique ways.

Shanne Soulier

Shanne Soulier is President and CEO of Big Spirits Inc - a marketing and promotional firm

Joel Brown

Joel Brown is a cultural entrepreneur who helps bring history alive through historical reenactment.

Pen

Pen is a young cultural entrepreneur in Willmar from the Karen community, at age 24 who launched her own business, self financed and self taught.

Jimmy Longoria

Chicano Artist Jimmy Longoria's latest work is creating beautiful art from 3M materials

Dalton Outlaw

Dalton Outlaw launched a successful Boxing and Fitness collaborative business and now is adding presence as a real estate developer of affordable housing while continuing to serve as a community role model and inspiration to youth.

Gianna Leggett

Gianna Leggett is a young entrepreneur who offers the popular Cuddleme Crochets as both a way to express herself as well as build a business.

Cynthia Reta Richards

Global Artist Cynthia "Reta" Richards latest work 365 unique butterfly paintings with a blessing for each day of the year.

Erika Minus

Erika Minus began her entrepreneurial journey two years ago and offers attractive jewelry at a flat price of $5.

Frewini Sium

Frewini Sium noticed people felt unsafe in the neighborhood so she bought the block and has a cultural mall and other businesses in Little Africa

Alex Merritt

Alex Merritt is an engineer who transferred those skills in tools and strategies for meaningful relationships - the Love Engineer!

Kemet Imhotep

Kemet Imhotep shares the stories of ordinary people and shows their brilliance through many media forms

Omar Podi

Omar Podi supports immigrants as they navigate systems to gain access to opportunities and provides culturally adapted products and services.

Samantha & Lisa

Samantha and Lisa, two recent college grads, manage two popular Thai restaurants in Minnesota and share their love for Thai culture and food.

Zach Mahboub

Zach Mahboub is a cultural entrepreneur who creates spaces to enjoy cultures and build wealth.

Maria Guadalupe Flores

Lupita has one of the oldest Mexican clothing/gifts store in Minnesota

Anju Kataria

Anju helps connect local artists in India to the global stage and her beautiful boutique - Khazana.

Mary Ejiofor

Young fashion designer Mary Ejiofor integrates culture into everyday clothing.

Rose Nice

In her boutique and salon Rose brings out the beauty within...

Raj Selvaraj

Raj and his partners inspired by legendary chef Raghavan Iyer offer tandoor oven fired pizza on Naan using buttermilk instead of yeast in an eco friendly environment.

Nadia Nadia Naomi Brown-Wotrang

Nadia's story of how she followed her passion is inspiring...she sold her house to launch her business where three generations offer Jamaican favorites..

Jailin Tabares

Chef Jailin's "secret ingredient is love" and you can feel it in her restaurant and her delicious Filipino food.

Abdiwali Ali and Ikram Ali

Abdi and sister Ikram offer an Africa inspired experience at their Eastside restaurant in Saint Paul

Willamette Kennedy

Willametta and son Leo saw the need for Liberian and African food and groceries in the suburbs and offered a special place where you can find both.

Abdilahi Omer

Abdilahi offers warm hospitality to people who come into his East African grocery store and deli.

Aydee, Willie and Stephanie

Aydee saw an opportunity and launched a Tex Mex restaurant in downtown Willmar offering her famous "Green Spaghetti" with husband Willie and daughter Stephanie.

Thank you for visiting. This site is not intended to be all encompassing of Minnesota’s rich and diverse cultures and resources but a starting point to help with the learning journey. We welcome your suggestions and will do our best to make periodic updates. We provide resources on this page as an “educational resource” (http://www.dmlp.org/book/export/html/1244). By using this site you agree we are not responsible for the experience of visitors to the business, or the experience of the business with people visiting this business or products and services purchased or offered at these businesses listed on this site, or any other liability or experience of the visitor or business owner.