Every entrepreneur’s story starts from a different place, driven by a mix of experiences, passions and circumstances.

When Justin Christian started his IT consulting firm in 1998, he was looking for a fun, interesting and stable career path. Today, his Indianapolis-based company, BCforward, is one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States—and has expanded on a global scale.

Meanwhile, when Joe Blackstone opened his facility-management company in Los Angeles in 1991, it was a solo operation. From Day One, he set his sights on growing. Today, Blackstone Consulting has more than 8,000 employees serving some of the world’s biggest companies.

Both founders have extended their influence to their communities as well—Christian via his co-founding of the Justin and Darrianne Christian Center for Diversity and Inclusion at DePauw University, and Blackstone through the J3 Foundation.