Special Edition Founder's Focus with Steven Lewis

Rachel Rowell • May 15, 2024

Founders Focus Recap: Inspiring Insights from Yasmeen Harris and The Boost Pad

Founders Focus

On May 10th, we had the pleasure of hosting Founder's Focus LIVE with Steven Lewis and Joan Randall from The Boost Pad, featuring an inspiring conversation with entrepreneur Yasmeen Harris, Founder of Designs Development YH. Here’s a recap of the highlights from this enlightening session.


Who is Yasmeen Harris?

Yasmeen Harris is the visionary behind Designs Development YH, a venture revolutionizing the Airbnb experience by creating short-term rental spaces that offer more than just a place to stay. Each property is an immersive experience, thoughtfully curated to tell a unique story, ensuring guests feel connected and nurtured.


Yasmeen's Journey and Why Now

Yasmeen shared her powerful personal journey, explaining why she decided the time was now to walk in her purpose. Having faced significant challenges, including childhood abuse, depression, and self-doubt, she felt a calling to transform her pain into purpose. Her goal is to create spaces where people feel a sense of belonging and are inspired to connect.


Connection to The Boost Pad

Yasmeen connected with Joan Randall in a coffee shop, and this serendipitous meeting opened doors to invaluable opportunities. The Boost Pad provides a safe space for entrepreneurs, offering guidance and support so they don’t have to navigate the complexities of life and business alone.


The Boost Pad's Mission

Steven Lewis, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Boost Pad, emphasized the organization's focus on economic mobility through entrepreneurship. They help entrepreneurs determine if starting a business is the right path for them, offering support primarily to women and BIPOC founders.


The Importance of Entrepreneurship

Yasmeen highlighted the crucial role of entrepreneurship in creating jobs, reducing stress, and fostering economic development. She believes in the power of leaders to set examples and bring about significant change. Yasmeen is honored to be part of The Boost Pad community, which has provided her with knowledge, resources, and a supportive environment. Her ideal clients include travelers seeking unique experiences, working professionals, and families on vacation.


Yasmeen aims to build a legacy and create generational wealth through sustainable homes and better living environments. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to go all in on their ideas, believe in themselves, and focus on spiritual and mental well-being.


Steven's Vision

Steven shared his journey with Cellular Farms, an early-stage vertical farming and precision agriculture company. He underscored The Boost Pad’s mission to provide equal access to economic opportunities and support for underrepresented entrepreneurs.


Impact and Future Plans

The Boost Pad has graduated over 130 entrepreneurs, raised over $300K in funding, and created 85-100 jobs. As they prepare for Cohort 9, they continue to focus on food innovations, Main Street businesses, high growth high tech, construction, and supplier diversity.


You can watch the replay here.


Join Us

Applications for Cohort 9 are open until September. We invite all aspiring entrepreneurs to apply and join a community dedicated to economic mobility and entrepreneurial success.


For more insights and to stay updated, read more about our journey and upcoming events at The Boost Pad.


Together, let’s make a difference.


Founder Stories & Startup Wins — The Boost Pad

The Foundation Beneath the Business: Dr. Stephanie Kirkland on Identity, Leadership, and Lasting Impact

By Mark Babaran • June 2, 2026
At The Boost Pad , we believe some of the most transformational leaders are the ones helping others grow not only professionally — but personally and internally as well. That is why we are proud to spotlight our Board Member, Dr. Stephanie M. Kirkland, founder of Identity Dynamics LLC and a nationally recognized leadership strategist focused on identity-centered leadership development. This month, Dr. Kirkland served as a featured speaker at the Woman’s Business Center of Charlotte B.O.S.S. Conference, where she delivered a keynote titled: “The Foundation Beneath the Business: Why the Next Level Begins with You” Her keynote challenged entrepreneurs and leaders to think differently about growth, leadership, and performance. According to Dr. Kirkland, many high-achieving leaders spend years building technical expertise, refining business models, expanding networks, and developing strategies — while rarely examining the identity they are leading from. She believes that identity is not simply a personal development topic, but a foundational framework that directly influences leadership, decision-making, relationships, and long-term success. In her words: “Identity is not a soft topic. It is infrastructure.” Through her work with Identity Dynamics and the Identity Capacity Infrastructure framework, Dr. Kirkland helps leaders strengthen the internal foundation that governs how they process pressure, exercise authority, navigate challenges, and lead others. Her work particularly focuses on empowering women in leadership and business by helping them move beyond external validation and lead from a more intentional and fully constructed identity. Dr. Kirkland also emphasized the direct connection between personal leadership and community transformation. She shared: “Real community impact begins with leaders who know who they are.” That perspective deeply aligns with The Boost Pad’s mission of helping entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, stronger leadership capacity, and long-term economic mobility within their communities. At The Boost Pad, we are grateful for leaders like Dr. Stephanie Kirkland who continue investing their expertise, voice, and mentorship into strengthening entrepreneurs and empowering communities throughout Charlotte and beyond. Thank you, Dr. Kirkland, for your continued leadership and impact. The Foundation Beneath the Business: Dr. Stephanie Kirkland on Identity, Leadership, and Lasting Impact At The Boost Pad, we believe sustainable business growth begins with strong leadership — and strong leadership begins with identity. That is why we are proud to spotlight Dr. Stephanie M. Kirkland , a valued Board Member of The Boost Pad , founder of Identity Dynamics LLC , and a nationally recognized leadership strategist whose work is helping leaders build from the inside out. This month, Dr. Kirkland served as a featured speaker at the Woman’s Business Center of Charlotte B.O.S.S. Conference . The Woman’s Business Center is an important community partner of The Boost Pad , and we are grateful for their continued work to support, equip, and elevate entrepreneurs across Charlotte. Dr. Kirkland’s keynote, “The Foundation Beneath the Business: Why the Next Level Begins with You,” challenged entrepreneurs and leaders to look beyond strategy, systems, and technical skill — and examine the identity from which they lead. As Dr. Kirkland powerfully stated: “Identity is not a soft topic. It is infrastructure.” Through her work with Identity Dynamics and the Identity Capacity Infrastructure framework, Dr. Kirkland helps leaders strengthen the internal foundation that shapes how they make decisions, navigate pressure, exercise authority, build relationships, and create lasting impact. Her message is especially meaningful for entrepreneurs and women in leadership who are building businesses, leading teams, and shaping communities while learning to lead from a place of clarity, confidence, and purpose. Dr. Kirkland also reminded attendees that personal leadership and community transformation are deeply connected: “Real community impact begins with leaders who know who they are.” That message strongly aligns with The Boost Pad’s mission to help entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, expand leadership capacity, and create long-term economic mobility in their communities. We are honored to have Dr. Stephanie Kirkland serving on The Boost Pad Board and grateful for the leadership, wisdom, and commitment she continues to bring to entrepreneurs throughout Charlotte and beyond. Thank you, Dr. Kirkland, for your continued impact.

The Boost Pad Celebrates Board Member Sam Merritt’s 2026 CBJ 40 Under 40 Recognition

By Mark Babaran • June 2, 2026
The Boost Pad is proud to celebrate Sam Merritt being named one of the honorees in the Charlotte Business Journal 40 Under 40 Awards. This prestigious recognition highlights some of the most impactful rising leaders across the Charlotte business community — individuals who are shaping the future of business, innovation, and civic leadership throughout the region. Sam currently serves as a Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson , where he focuses on branding, trademarks, and intellectual property law. Throughout his career, Sam has built a reputation for helping businesses protect their ideas, strengthen their brands, and navigate complex legal matters with confidence. Beyond his legal career, Sam continues to make a significant impact through his civic and community involvement. He specifically highlighted his work with Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Business (CLIMB) and his involvement in The Boost Pad as among his greatest civic accomplishments of the year. In his Charlotte Business Journal feature, Sam shared: “These organizations support local small businesses and entrepreneurs with training and legal support, and I am happy to be able to offer branding, trademark and intellectual property guidance.” That dedication to supporting entrepreneurs aligns deeply with The Boost Pad’s mission of empowering founders with the education, mentorship, and resources necessary to build sustainable businesses and create long-term economic mobility. Since moving to Charlotte in 2009, Sam has become an active leader in both the legal and nonprofit communities, contributing not only professional expertise but also a strong commitment to mentorship and service. At The Boost Pad, we are grateful to have leaders like Sam investing their time, knowledge, and energy into helping entrepreneurs grow and succeed. Congratulations again to Sam Merritt on this well-deserved recognition. We are excited to continue building impact together throughout the Charlotte entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Boost Pad | April Spotlight: From Momentum to Milestones

By Mark Babaran • April 28, 2026
What happens when The Boost Pad, a Charlotte-based nonprofit, joins forces with two remarkable interns from different universities across our region? Something powerful begins to take shape. Fresh ideas meet meaningful purpose. Innovation meets impact. And everyone involved grows in the process. That’s exactly what we’ve experienced with Colette Dwyer (Davidson College) and Nevyn Brown (UNC Charlotte) —two emerging leaders whose work is already translating into real-world results. 🚀 Founder Win: Nevyn Brown | FundU Execution creates opportunities—and Nevyn is a clear example of that in action. Nevyn recently secured 1st place at UNC Charlotte’s 49-Minute Pitch Competition, earning $8,000 in funding for his startup, FundU. FundU is a mobile platform that enables nonprofits to raise money by partnering with local businesses—transforming everyday purchases into a scalable fundraising engine. At the same time, it helps small businesses generate consistent customer demand. What made FundU stand out wasn’t just the idea—it was the clarity behind it: A clearly defined problem across two markets A solution that creates value for both nonprofits and businesses Early traction with pilot partnerships A model designed to scale across campuses and cities Beyond his venture, Nevyn contributes to The Boost Pad through marketing, social media, and technical strategy—bringing a data-driven and execution-focused mindset to everything he builds. With a launch planned for late May, FundU is already moving from concept to real-world impact. View his venture here: https://www.funduhub.com/ . 🌱 Founder Win: Colette Dwyer Impact isn’t only built through ventures—it’s also built through research, communication, and the ability to translate ideas into meaningful action. Colette, a student of Biology and Hispanic Studies at Davidson College, recently presented her original research at the Association of Southeastern Biology Research Conference—an experience that sharpened both her scientific thinking and her ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity. Her work focused on prairie restoration practices and their application to sustainability. Through a year of independent research, she established baseline findings that contribute to future environmental studies and sustainable interventions. By tracking emerging trends and presenting them to the Davidson Biology Department and conference judges, Colette demonstrated both analytical depth and clarity in storytelling. Her work was recognized with the Best Poster Presentation Award , a testament to both the quality of her research and her ability to translate technical insights into compelling narratives. At The Boost Pad, Colette has extended these same strengths into storytelling and collaboration—contributing to newsletter and blog creation while helping build an alumni network alongside Nevyn Brown. Her ability to connect research, communication, and community-building reflects the kind of multidimensional leadership we aim to cultivate. 🔑 Where Mindset Becomes Action These moments reflect something deeper than individual wins. They represent the shift we focus on every day at The Boost Pad: From ideas → execution From learning → application From vision → measurable progress This is where entrepreneurs stop asking “What should I build?” …and start proving “Here’s what I’m building—and why it matters.” âš¡ Building What’s Next From expanding partnerships to developing new talent, everything we’re doing is centered on one goal: Creating real pathways for entrepreneurs to build, grow, and succeed. What we’ve seen with Colette and Nevyn is exactly what The Boost Pad is built for. Bringing together talent, opportunity, and real-world execution to create meaningful outcomes—for founders and for the communities they serve. And if this is only the beginning, we’re excited to see what they build next. The Boost Pad Team Building entrepreneurs. Strengthening communities.
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