TALPHA HARRIS
FROM THE START: A chat with the founder of Sustainible
Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a lot to gain from their journeys as early-stage entrepreneurs. FROM THE START is an interview series with founders from our 2021–2022 Incubator that will trace their startup stories from the beginning, reveal some of the resources helping them overcome the bumps, and point out ways you can help them thrive.
Since joining the Incubator in May, all of the companies have been hustling to get their brands and businesses out there. Now it’s time to get to know them!
Some answers have been edited slightly for brevity.
What’s been the journey that’s led you to start your company?
I was born and raised in Wilmington, NC, with a mix of city and country vibes. In college, I was blessed to become a Global Gap Year Fellow and travel the world. I helped place a product on the market from Ecuador to the US and worked in social entrepreneurship at a homeless shelter in Jamaica. Upon returning to UNC Chapel-Hill, I worked at a venture studio in Silicon Valley and at GoDaddy developing their Student Ambassador Program. In May 2019, I graduated with a degree in Sustainable Development and Entrepreneurship. Upon graduation, I joined Venture for America and became the Entrepreneurship Hub Manager at a local CDFI.
At heart, I am an entrepreneur. I am the entrepreneur who dreams of ideas day in and day out, constantly identifying needs and brainstorming ways to solve them. The ability to innovate on a team, driven for large impact, is what drives me to startups. At seven years old, I attended Invention Camp where I learned how to innovate. Since then, I’ve dreamed of being an inventor and found that entrepreneurship was very similar. But I also found that the path can be rocky, and even more so for certain demographics. I founded Sustainible to help entrepreneurs on their journey of building a more successful business, with an intentional impact to increase the likelihood of success for those that look like me.
What’s the problem that your business is solving, and what gives you confidence that you’re the right person to do this?
For entrepreneurs who may not know where to start and need guidance on a new business idea, Sustainible is a business model assessment tool that provides an instant, customized strategy map to improve or implement business ideas through scores and recommendations.
Twenty-two percent of small businesses fail within the first year and 33% by the second. As small businesses employ 47% of the workforce, their success contributes greatly to the economy. Sustainible addresses these business failure rates that are attributed to unsustainable business models. By assessing their business model, we can inform an entrepreneur to make better decisions and mitigate failure risk.
Sustainible also addresses inequitable access to capital. BIPOC businesses receive less business financing. Often, our communities are disadvantaged, which can create a cycle of inequity, leading to poverty and impacting one’s credit score and ability to receive capital. By generating a score that instead rates one’s business idea and ability to execute, Sustainible can level the playing field and help enable access to capital.
We are the right team to do it because we are entrepreneurs ourselves! Therefore, we know the struggles entrepreneurs face and have the background to know how to make the journey easier.
What has helped you overcome the bumps you’ve encountered so far in your entrepreneurial journey?
The biggest bump was that entrepreneurship can be a lonely road. There’s value in finding a cohort of like-minded people that can relate to the uncertainty of entrepreneurship and all of the baggage that comes with it. I overcame this hurdle by joining Ascender, honestly. My cohort is a fun, supportive group of entrepreneurs who are creating cool things and solving real problems. I think being around them inspires me and gives me people to relate to.
What does being an entrepreneur mean to you?
Being an entrepreneur means creating opportunities for others. This can be in the form of solving people’s problems, creating jobs, and much more. I also believe that representation matters. Entrepreneurship can create a platform for a voice and for change. It can topple markets, it can create new markets. When used for good, entrepreneurship can move the needle on making a positive difference in the world.
What’s a resource or tip that’s helped you develop as a founder and move your business forward?
If you’re in school, take advantage of the resources available to you! Many universities have entrepreneurship programs that offer SO MANY great resources. Taking advantage of the resources that UNC offered me helped me get where I am today. But my biggest help is God, I stay rooted in God and my values, no matter where I am in life, and that consistency is critical on an unsure road of entrepreneurship.
What’s next? How can our readers help you?
If you are an entrepreneur, we just launched the first version of our platform! Test your idea in our engine, build your business model, and determine your venture strategy with Sustainible. We made the tool just for you. Try it out, and tell us what you think so we can continue to improve the product and make your entrepreneurship journey easier!
If you aren’t an entrepreneur, please share with someone who is. We would love to reach 2K users by the end of the cohort, so please help us get there!
I’m also the founder of Ancient Path Adventures, a creative ministry that just launched a Kickstarter for the Babies’ Bible Series. The Babies’ Bible Series is a starter for children, ages 0 and up, to understand biblical stories and values. You can pre-order or support the Kickstarter here.
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From fledgling tech companies, healthcare innovators, and nonprofits to makers, creators, services and shops, Ascender is for Pittsburgh’s entrepreneurs. We help businesses of all types in the Pittsburgh region start and build a business through education and connectivity. See how Ascender can help you.
