In the rapidly shifting world of small business and startup ecosystems, visionary leaders who combine empathy, strategy, and experience are rare. Samantha Scholl stands out as one such leader — serving as a catalyst for inclusive entrepreneurship, business education, and innovation in the southwestern United States. Today, she is known for her role at the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Serving the Pacific Southwest, Central & Inland California, where she directs mission-driven programs designed to support, educate, and empower entrepreneurs from all walks of life.
This article explores her personal journey, professional accomplishments, philosophy on entrepreneurial inclusion, and her influence in reshaping how business support organizations serve communities.
Table of Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
From Hospitality to Helping Entrepreneurs Thrive
Before entering the nonprofit world, Samantha spent nearly three decades in the hospitality industry — gaining real-world experience in operations, customer service, team leadership, and entrepreneurship. Her hospitality journey took her through multiple roles across different cities, including positions where she managed teams, opened new venues, and learned firsthand the challenges of running an enterprise.
Ultimately, she became a managing partner of a fine dining restaurant in San Diego. This role wasn’t just a job — it was a crucible for leadership. She faced the countless logistical, financial, and personnel challenges that confront small business owners.
This background would prove vital later, giving Samantha a deep, empathetic understanding of the trials entrepreneurs face — and the resilience it takes to persevere.
The Transformative Pivot: From Entrepreneur to Advocate
A Personal Turning Point
The events of the COVID-19 pandemic changed Samantha’s path. As the pandemic ravaged the hospitality industry, she saw firsthand how community shutdowns and economic disruption could jeopardize even her own business. In one dramatic moment, her establishment lost over a quarter-million dollars in revenue in a single day as events were canceled. She also faced additional hardships — including a patio fire and severe flooding in her offices.
Rather than retreat, Samantha turned adversity into opportunity. It was during this period that she engaged with the BBB’s small business support ecosystem and discovered a deeper purpose: helping others navigate challenges she had herself endured. Less than a year later, she joined the BBB team — starting what would become a defining phase of her career.
Role and Leadership at Better Business Bureau
Stepping Into a New Mission
At the BBB Serving the Pacific Southwest, Samantha first took on the role of Director of Entrepreneur Programs — spearheading initiatives designed to educate and empower small business owners. Eventually her leadership evolved into the role of Vice President of Innovation & Entrepreneur Programs, a position that reflects her strategic impact and cross-regional influence.
Under her guidance, the BBB’s entrepreneurial ecosystem expanded significantly, including:
Empower by GoDaddy Program: A customized business education and mentoring initiative for entrepreneurs and small business owners, delivered in partnership with GoDaddy.
BBB Breakthrough Accelerator: A program that offers intensive training, expert mentorship, and access to growth resources for underserved founders.
Ignite sparked by BBB: A vibrant coworking and innovation hub designed to foster collaboration, networking, and business growth.
Together, these programs represent a holistic support structure — from education and mentorship to community building and resourcing.
Philosophy: Entrepreneurial Inclusion and Equity
Empowering Diverse Entrepreneurs
One of Samantha’s central leadership philosophies is inclusive entrepreneurship: the belief that access to opportunity should not be limited by race, gender, socioeconomic background, or geography. She actively works to break down barriers that historically marginalized communities face when starting or scaling a business.
Her work highlights several important themes:
Equitable Access to Resources: Providing entrepreneurs with education, mentorship, and connections to capital.
Supportive Networks: Encouraging participation by women, Black founders, and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs — communities that often lack strong support systems.
Adaptive Program Design: Structuring programs that evolve based on participant feedback and changing business landscapes.
Her advocacy is rooted in real business experience — she knows what it’s like to build something meaningful with limited resources and uncertainty. That lived experience fuels her dedication to creating opportunities where none previously existed.
Impact on the Regional Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Measurable Success and Growth
Under Samantha’s leadership, the BBB’s entrepreneurship programs have shown tangible results:
Graduation of numerous accelerator cohorts: Hundreds of small businesses have completed intensive training, gaining skills, confidence, and strategy for growth.
Increased participation by diverse business owners: Women-led businesses make up a significant portion of program participants, with Latinx and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs also growing their representation.
Community connectivity through physical spaces: The ignite sparked by BBB coworking hub serves as a vibrant locus for innovation, hosting thousands of visits and hundreds of events per month.
Beyond numbers, her leadership has had deep qualitative effects — empowering individuals with confidence, community, and a renewed sense of agency in their entrepreneurial journey.
Beyond the Office: Personal Passions
Samantha’s life outside her professional role also reflects her zest for exploration, storytelling, and curiosity:
Travel Enthusiasm: She has journeyed through more than 65 countries, often traveling with limited resources — a testament to her adventurous spirit and willingness to embrace new perspectives.
Public Speaking and Mentoring: Beyond program design, she regularly speaks on topics like ethical leadership, community impact, and entrepreneurial resilience — helping others find their voice and purpose.
Volunteer Engagement: She serves on nonprofit boards and supports outreach organizations, reinforcing her holistic approach to community upliftment.
These elements of her personal story enrich her leadership — connecting the human experience with professional achievement.
Thought Leadership and Vision
Shaping the Future of Entrepreneurship
Samantha’s vision extends well beyond current programming. She believes the future of entrepreneurship lies in:
Collaborative ecosystems that blend ethical education with practical tools.
Cross-sector partnerships that align tech, finance, and advocacy.
Community-anchored innovation hubs that democratize access to expertise and opportunity.
Her strategic mindset emphasizes that business success is not only about profit — it’s about connection, dignity, resilience, and shared growth.
Challenges and Lessons
Like all leaders, Samantha’s path has had challenges — from personal transitions to professional learning curves in the nonprofit sector. Rather than seeing these as setbacks, she embraces them as lessons that deepen empathy, sharpen intuition, and strengthen leadership character.
She often shares with aspiring entrepreneurs that resilience is not a trait but a practice — honed by experience, reflection, and community support.
Recognition and Influence
Samantha’s work has earned recognition from regional business publications, nonprofit networks, and community organizations. Her leadership continues to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs, particularly those who might otherwise feel unseen or underserved.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who is Samantha Scholl?
Samantha Scholl is the Vice President of Innovation & Entrepreneur Programs at the Better Business Bureau Pacific Southwest, leading strategic initiatives that support and empower small business owners and entrepreneurs.
2. What programs does she oversee?
She leads programs including Empower by GoDaddy, the BBB Breakthrough Accelerator, and the community resource hub ignite sparked by BBB.
3. What is her professional background?
Before joining BBB, Samantha spent nearly 30 years in the hospitality industry — including roles in operations and restaurant management — which deeply informs her empathetic leadership style.
4. How does she support inclusive entrepreneurship?
She prioritizes equitable access, mentorship, and community building for entrepreneurs from underserved backgrounds, promoting diversity in business ownership.
5. What impact has she had?
Her work has helped hundreds of small business owners gain critical tools, connections, and confidence — and she has fostered vibrant entrepreneurial communities through innovative programs and shared spaces.
Conclusion
Samantha Scholl embodies a new model of entrepreneurial leadership — one that blends lived experience, strategic creativity, heart-centered mentorship, and inclusive vision. Through her work at the Better Business Bureau Pacific Southwest, she has helped redefine what it means to support small businesses in today’s world — proving that real success is measured not just in economic growth, but in community resilience, empowerment, and opportunity equity.
