These entrepreneurs said no to the status quo and found their calling

No successful entrepreneur got to where they are by following the crowd. They see the world for how it can be instead of how it is. Some people call that vision—and not everyone has it. Entrepreneurs are just built differently, but we already knew this. 

Almost a quarter of prospective entrepreneurs are motivated by the desire to fill a need in the market.* In every industry, entrepreneurs are questioning and subverting the status quo. In doing so, many entrepreneurs bring their unique experiences to the fore, crafting a landscape that’s more thoughtful and inclusive. 

Through entrepreneurship, individuals challenge tradition and introduce new ways of thinking. 

Disrupting the toy industry

Take Terri Bradley. She didn’t set out to be a toymaker. The mother of four just knew she didn’t want her young children growing up how she did—with no toys that reflected them. There was something missing in the toy aisle, and she filled it with Brown Toy Box. 

“There were so many things I wish I had as a kid or that I couldn’t find for my kids. Since necessity is the mother of invention, one day I asked myself ‘why don’t I create it?’’’ says Terri.

Launched in 2017, Brown Toy Box is an inclusive educational toy brand that produces puzzles, games, and toys to teach children about STEAM (science, technology, arts, engineering, and math). Its mission is to disrupt the world of play with toys that celebrate Black children in a culturally affirming way and encourage all children to join the fun. Now it’s on shelves on Target and sold through her Shopify store.

“I wanted to focus on STEAM because I believe it can be the great equalizer for kids,” says Terri. “There's a leaky pipeline in STEAM, and it’s not a talent issue. It’s an exposure issue. And like with so many things, the earlier you can get people exposed, the more empowered they’ll be.”

Women and people of color remain underrepresented in the science and engineering fields. Women earn half of science and engineering degrees but make up only a third of that workforce, and while the number of engineers of color is growing, they still make comparatively lower salaries.

With Brown Toy Box, Terri crafted an entire universe of characters passionate about everything from chemistry to entomology. The characters of Brown Toy Box stand out in the niche industry of STEAM toys, which is estimated to reach $13 billion in revenue by 2032.

Brown Toy Box is many things, but one thing Terri doesn’t want the products to be called is dolls. While Terri is heartened by the increasing diversity of brands like Barbie or American Girl, she feels focusing exclusively on dolls leaves too much out of the equation. Not only are her toys educational, they target all children, not only girls.

“We understand the value of representation in dolls, but we take it a step further. If the conversation is only about dolls, we’re leaving out boys, and we’re leaving out girls who want to explore other things.”

By examining the market, embracing her own experiences in childhood and then motherhood, and identifying where everything connected, she uncovered a need that wasn’t being served in a massive $100-billion-dollar toy industry. 

Democratizing art and publishing 

Vivian Sming, artist and writer, loves the gallery world. However, she knew some people found it too intimidating or exclusive. She wanted to make art more available to a broader audience while encouraging critical thought and open dialogue. Vivian eventually landed on one of the most accessible mediums there is: books. 

“It's always a struggle to get people to feel comfortable in art spaces. But books are this immediate art form where people are able to experience the artwork directly, just by opening the pages. Most people understand what a book is and have encountered a book,” says Vivian. 

Now she’s the founder of Sming Sming Books, an independent publishing studio. Vivian treats books as an interdisciplinary art form, collaborating with local artists to express their work and ideas. The books focus on themes of social justice, community engagement, and personal narratives. Since starting in 2017, books from Sming Sming Books are now available in more than 150 libraries, museums, and universities.

“I’m a writer, and I know how to design. Early on, I realized I could be this one-person publishing house. I could select the artists, edit the work. Everything is designed from scratch,” says Vivian. “With a platform like Shopify, we're able to connect with people online, but then bring them into this direct, physical experience.”

Vivian’s approach prioritizes the artist’s vision, allowing for a diverse range of voices and stories to emerge. Operating in the Bay Area, Vivian has tapped into a supportive community of independent artists. Her work has become essential in an industry with significant barriers to entry.

“There’s so many barriers for artists to share their work. There’s gatekeeping from curators, historians, tastemakers. For me, it’s important to work outside of that and not rely on those larger systems.” 

Commerce as a force for change

Art and play are some of the few things humans can harness to unlock imagination and exploration. They’re powerful tools for reshaping norms and dreaming up new worlds. Terri, Vivian, and countless entrepreneurs are doing more than filling a market need, they’re showing how businesses are a powerful vehicle for change. Individual enterprise is the origin of so many good ideas, and is one of the primary engines of progress.

By shining a light on the gaps in their industries and choosing creativity over conformity, entrepreneurs push the boundaries of what’s possible. That means a society with more dreaming, more daring, and ultimately, more doing. 

*Shopify partnered with Gallup and Censuswide to conduct separate, related surveys inside and outside the U.S., respectively.