Alyssa Gay, 28

Owning a business wasn’t part of Alyssa Gay’s plan.

“I had actually sworn for years I would never own my own business,” Gay says. She grew up seeing family members run businesses — and how hard it was — and she knew she didn’t want any part of it.

In college, she had a job at a startup hub with 15 different businesses, working with them with different tasks. The experience made her realize she had a passion for small business owners and helping them navigate their marketing.