Ten Entrepreneurs From The DMV To Look Out For

The great national staples of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia has men and women building out brands that need more exposure. Check out some of them below.

Folasade Ogunmokun, founder of Unskrypted TV

Folasade Ogunmokun is the founder of Unskrypted TV, a DC-based shoppable media network connecting creators, businesses, and culture through television, streaming, live events, and commerce.

A Howard University alumna, Ogunmokun is also celebrating her 15-year reunion this year. Her journey has been deeply rooted in building within the DMV and creating opportunities for local businesses and creators to gain visibility, connect with brands, and ultimately turn their creativity into income.

That mission also inspired her to create Creator Carnival, taking place September 12 at National Harbor. The event will bring together creators, entrepreneurs, brands, funders, and industry leaders for a day centered around culture, commerce, and opportunity.

Malik Lanon, TheDMVDaily alumni and owner of Linkonic Visuals

Malik Lonon is a photographer and the owner of Linkonic Visuals, a creative venture he has built over the past nine years. Throughout his career, Lonon has developed his craft through years of hands-on experience, technical growth, and a distinctive eye for photography, all of which have helped shape his identity and approach as a photographer today.

Christine Ejimogu, owner of 8th House Studios

Christine Ejimogu is the owner of 8th House Studios, a DMV-based design agency that has been creating and designing since 2020. What began during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic while Ejimogu was in pharmacy school grew from a self-taught creative pursuit into a full-fledged design business, as she taught herself graphic design to help those around her bring the visual identities of their small businesses to life.

A natural self-starter, Ejimogu’s entrepreneurial journey began long before 8th House Studios. In high school, she sold sewn pocket tees, followed by doing nails during her undergraduate years before eventually transitioning into graphic design during her doctoral program. Over the years, she has had the opportunity to work with a variety of brands and artists, creating graphics for STRIPT, DJ Nyla Symone, Something Different, New Percent, High Status, KINKS Hair, ATL’s Peachtree Run, and more.

Ejimogu has also developed brand identities and merchandise for organizations and community initiatives including thrdspc, Adams Morgan’s PorchFest in both its spring and fall editions, and Hell’s Kitchen’s Phillip Johnson Richardson, also known as Philsgoodmusic.

As a Maryland native, double University of Maryland graduate, and Nigerian-American, Ejimogu’s journey has been centered around creativity, community, and proving what is possible through self-teaching and determination. Her work reflects the power of building a creative career without traditional design training while collaborating with artists, businesses, and organizations throughout the DMV and beyond.

Jayla Crosby, 105 APT Books

Apt 105 Books is a Black-owned mobile bookstore founded by creative entrepreneur and book lover Jayla Crosby, bringing a curated literary experience directly to communities throughout the DMV. Inspired by the cozy, familiar feeling of an apartment reading nook, Apt 105 Books was created as a space where readers can discover great books, connect with one another, and see Black stories celebrated on the shelves.

With the tagline “Where Black Stories Live,” Apt 105 Books centers Black authors and voices across genres, from romance and contemporary fiction to thrillers, nonfiction, young adult, and children’s books. Through its mobile bookstore, pop-ups, author events, school partnerships, and community programming, Apt 105 is reimagining what a neighborhood bookstore can look like — taking the experience beyond four walls and bringing books directly to readers across the region.

More than a place to buy books, Apt 105 Books is building community around storytelling, discovery, and the joy of finding your next great read.

Camille Cobbs, founder of The Wine Zen

Camille Cobbs is the founder of The Wine Zen, a DMV-based yoga and wine wellness brand built around the belief that wellness should make room for both movement and enjoyment. The brand’s motto, “start with yoga, end with wine,” began as the concept for a single event before evolving into a broader philosophy for everyday life: put in the work, then allow yourself to enjoy the reward.

For Cobbs, that philosophy is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: leisure is a right, not a reward. In a culture where many people, particularly mothers and fathers, often view rest and pleasure as something that must be earned after every responsibility has been checked off, The Wine Zen encourages people to embrace enjoyment in the present. The brand approaches wellness as a reflection of the whole self—the workout and the wine, the deep breath and the good laugh, with each deserving a place in everyday life.

That philosophy comes to life throughout the DMV through The Wine Zen’s signature Sip & Flow experiences, which pair a guided yoga practice with an educational wine tasting. On Saturday, August 29, the brand will host a Sip & Flow with Boyd Cru Wines at Historic Savage Mill, featuring yoga on the back patio followed by a tasting highlighting the Black-owned Boyd Cru lineup. Cobbs also regularly teaches yoga and wine classes at venues throughout the region.

Beyond its signature events, The Wine Zen offers private yoga sessions for individuals and small groups, corporate wellness programs designed to address burnout and screen fatigue, corporate wine tastings and team-building experiences, and private wine tasting parties for birthdays, showers, celebrations, and other special occasions.

The brand’s Sip & Flow experience is also available for private groups of up to 20 people, with non-alcoholic wine options always available. Through each offering, Cobbs continues to build spaces where wellness, community, movement, and leisure can coexist, encouraging people to prioritize both the work and the joy that make life fulfilling.

EThaBlueprint, Film Maker

Erica Teachey, known as EThaBlueprint, is a DMV-based photographer, filmmaker, director, writer, actor, and creative whose work is rooted in authentic storytelling and community. What began as a passion for photography has expanded into filmmaking, directing, writing, and acting, allowing Teachey to take part in every stage of the creative process—from developing an idea and shaping a story to directing a project, working behind the camera, and performing on screen.

Through HouseOfTheBluePrint, Teachey is committed to showing that creatives do not have to leave the DMV, have a massive budget, or rely on Hollywood connections to create meaningful work. The goal is to build from home and highlight the talent, stories, and resources already present throughout the region. Teachey envisions a creative platform where local artists can produce films, short films, shows, and other projects while proving that impactful storytelling can come from anywhere.

A central part of that vision is creating opportunities for everyone to participate. Whether someone is an actor, filmmaker, photographer, writer, or a person who has never worked in production before, Teachey wants to create spaces where people can learn, collaborate, contribute, and see their ideas come to life.

Teachey’s work is heavily inspired by the DMV, its culture, its people, and real-life experiences. The storytelling often explores relationships, drama, comedy, LGBTQ+ representation, and unexpected turns, with an emphasis on authenticity and emotional connection. Having acted in shows and other productions, Teachey also brings a valuable perspective from both sides of the camera.

Currently, Teachey is continuing to grow a photography career while developing original film projects, including Bloodline, an urban LGBTQ+ drama set in the DMV. Ultimately, the goal is to build something larger than one individual: a creative home where people can create, collaborate, and recognize that they do not have to leave the DMV to make meaningful work.

Ray Cooper, Vibes Curator

Ray Cooper, known as “Playy,” is a DMV-based event curator, director, interviewer, and co-owner of Dem Ross Boyz Smoke Shack, a family-owned Southern-style BBQ spot. A DMV native and Archbishop Carroll alumnus, Cooper has built a growing presence in media and entertainment, amassing millions of views across various platforms.

Cooper is also the founder of UnionSOUNDZ, a homegrown event platform dedicated to shining a light on the underground DMV music scene. He is perhaps best known for the American Underground concert series, which has helped create a platform for emerging artists and highlight the region’s unique sound and culture.

Beyond event curation and music, Cooper has used his media platform to explore important issues affecting communities throughout the DMV. His work with Heart of the City has covered topics ranging from the overdose crisis in Baltimore to urban change and development in Washington, D.C. He has also served as a co-host on the BigMouf Podcast, further expanding his voice within the region’s media landscape.

Community work is another important part of Cooper’s mission. He works with at-risk communities while curating content for the Don’t Get Spanked platform, founded by DC activist and rapper TrackstarKelly. Through his work across events, media, food, and community initiatives, Cooper continues to use his platform to spotlight the DMV’s culture, talent, and the issues impacting its communities.

Gregory Barber, Barber Logistic Inc.

Gregory Barber is the owner of Barber Logistics Inc., a transportation and distribution company operating as a franchise of BIMBO BAKERIES USA. Through his business, Barber holds distribution rights for several well-known brands, including Little Bites, Takis chips, and Sara Lee.

Through Barber Logistics Inc., Barber plays a role in getting these recognizable products from major food brands into the hands of consumers and businesses throughout the region. His work highlights the entrepreneurial opportunities available within logistics, distribution, and franchising while building a business connected to some of the most recognizable names in the food industry.

Chelly The MC, She’s Photogenic

Chelly is fling to read this and be like John why didn’t you tell me you were going to do this? Well as a long time friend of hers and former publicist I’m proud of her rebrand from just a rapper to a boss woman. Leading city wide health initiatives to encouraging people in the city to aspire to be involved in local politics, Chelly The MC has grown into a BOSS. Watch her style herself to the top and walk towards success. Also yes Chelly I know I need to work on how to pose and to take photos, your voice is in my head reminding me of that.

Racq Lee, Founder & CEO of CBMBG Entertainment and CBMBG TV

Racq Lee is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans storytelling, music, and visual media, and the Founder & CEO of CBMBG Entertainment and CBMBG TV. Having collaborated with BET, Human Rights Campaign, and GLAAD, Racq brings both creative range and real-world experience to everything she builds. As a Black, masc-presenting woman who knows firsthand the exhaustion of fighting to be seen, she created her production company, CBMBG, so that other artists never have to fight that battle alone.

CBMBG is an all-encompassing creative space built by and for Black, brown, and queer artists right here in the DMV. Founded with a clear mission to make space for indie voices in TV, film, music, and media, CBMBG exists because representation isn’t a favor, it’s a right. 

For Racq, art is medicine. A song, a film, a story, all of it is in service of love, positivity, and healing. CBMBG is that philosophy scaled into a movement. She is currently bringing that philosophy to life through her upcoming debut film, TASTE (Dir. Latrice Artis), a modern-day Black lesbian rom-com she wrote, executive produced, and stars in set in DC. It’s proof that CBMBG’s mission isn’t just spoken… it’s produced, and through it, she’s created a platform for DMV creatives to showcase their talents as a team.

At her core, Racq is a storyteller building the world she once needed to see, one where Black and queer voices aren’t asked to shrink to be understood. Her message is simple: Create Beautiful Minds as a Believable Genius.