When @mstoyalevans (center) left behind a successful corporate career to start a franchise business with her two daughters, they were intentional about building within their local community in Maryland. “We wanted to be in an underserved area,” says Evans, now a franchisee with @tropicalsmoothiecafe as well as @handandstoneusa. “Prince George’s County is predominantly African-American, and what I saw growing up in this area—and even now, as an adult who lives here—is that we took our money outside the county when we were looking for goods and services, because they weren’t present here. We want to change that narrative a bit and build within our community.”