These entrepreneurs turned the American Dream into a business plan

Frustrated with work and the chaotic state of the world, Matt and Elaine Weyandt quit their jobs in 2012, and with a toddler and newborn in tow, rented a tiny house in Costa Rica’s jungle.

They lived on a shoestring budget but treated themselves every Saturday to a freshly made chocolate bar from the local farmer’s market. One night, they realized they could learn to make that chocolate and sell it back home in Atlanta.

They could "build their own world by building our own work," Elaine said. "It was a way to create our vision of the world we want to leave our kids."

Matt said “we returned basically broke, (but had) 50 pounds of cocoa beans we carried back in a duffel bag to start making chocolate in the apartment to sell at the farmer’s market."

They managed to open Xocolatl, their first micro-chocolate factory and storefront, in 2014, with no entrepreneurial experience. Their second shop opens this month.

Among the best pieces of advice they received was to develop a relationship with their local bank, Matt said. Starting was as “simple as walking in,” and regular guidance helped Xocolatl improve its balance sheet and get a loan to buy necessary equipment to grow.

Providing start up guidance and funds to small businesses is the goal of the first phase of JPMorgan Chase’s American Dream Initiative (ADI). Small businesses power the U.S. economy, but the top reason many fail is negative cash flow, or too little incoming money to cover expenses, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“Small businesses are key to shared prosperity,” said Ben Walter, chief executive of Chase for Business. “They’re an enormous part of the economy and are a job growth engine.”

How does JPMorgan plan to fuel the American Dream?

Initially, JPMorgan plans to bolster the American Dream by fueling small businesses, which can help create a chain reaction that can improve the lives of every day Americans.

“The American Dream is alive, but it’s slipping out of reach for too many people—and for future generations,” said Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase. “This slows economic growth, hurts communities and prevents many people from getting ahead.”

A Times-YouGovpoll of 1,821 adults showed only 38% thought the American Dream existed for everyone, and 59% saw it less attainable “for Americans overall” than it was when they were growing up. Almost half of respondents believed children today would be worse off when they grew up than their parents were now. Only 17% said the next generation would be better off.

The bank plans to support three million new small-business customers, on top of seven million today. It plans to lend them up to $80 billion over the next 10 years, through loans and support for community-oriented banks and investment funds. At the end of 2025, JP Morgan lent $33 billion to small businesses and other customers.

JPMorgan Chase said it will hire an additional 1,000 small-business bankers to its existing network of 5,000 at branches across the country to connect small business owners to these financial resources.

Meeting with a banker doesn’t mean you’ll automatically walk out with a loan, but the banker can review your business’ financials and advise you on necessary steps to qualify for different loans.

Later phases of the JPMrgan Chase initiative will center around homeownership, healthcare access and other economic priorities for Americans.

How does entrepreneurship fit into the American Dream?

Increasingly, Americans see entrepreneurship as a way to control their future.

Nearly two-thirds of adults polled in Wells Fargo’s 2026 Money Study said owning a business is part of the American Dream. The sentiment was most pronounced among younger generations, with three of four Gen Z adults and more than half, (58%), of Millennials wanting to own a business someday.

Jason Wong, 28, who immigrated with his mom from Hong Kong when he was 8 years old, is one of those younger Americans who see entrepreneurship as a path to financial stability.

Wong worked in relatives’ restaurant kitchens from the moment he arrived in the United States – peeling shrimp, taking orders and doing everything in between – until he turned 16. That's when classmates introduced him to Internet marketing to earn money. One of his first gigs was with fast-fashion e-tailer Shein, which had yet to become the retail giant it is now.

“As I was doing that, I realized I can make my own product and sell my own brand,” Wong said. “Why do it for others?”

He launched the first of many businesses, eventually quitting community college. His endeavors have included meme-wear, eyelashes for Asian Americans and his latest venture - the packaging company Paking Duck.

Like Wong, Hayley Callaway found her calling early. Ever since she received her first Wilton decorating book in 7^th grade, she dreamt of owning a bakery.

“I always loved art, and my mom taught home (economics) and allowed me to do it in the kitchen,” she said. “I made everything in it.” She baked and sold her desserts through her teens.

She was about a semester away from college graduation when she decided to leave and open her first Hayely Cakes and Cookies in Austin, Texas. Since then, Callaway, 35, has opened three more bakeries.

Older Americans are starting businesses too

Younger Americans may be most eager to own their own business, but the itch for entrepreneurship can strike at any age. Randy Kuckuck was retired and enjoying golf when he had an idea for a new product.

Annoyed by leaves on the green, he and a friend invented ZoomBroom, a lightweight cordless sweeper for homes, garages, golf bags, and outdoor lifestyles.

“It took almost six years to come to market,” he said. “The American dream to be your own boss isn’t easy because you worry about bills and making payrolls. I’m 72 (years old) now. I’m ready to retire again at some point.”

Success spreads

Successful small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy. They represent 44% of America’s gross domestic product, a measure of economic activity, according to the independent Office of Advocacy within the U.S. Small Business Administration.

They’ve also created about two-thirds of new private sector jobs since 1995, it said.

Additionally, entrepreneurs get to share their values through their businesses and invest in their local communities.

As it produces award-winning chocolate, Xocolatl does everything with sustainability in mind, Matt said. The company ensures it fairly compensates local cocoa farmers who provide its beans and it is certified as climate neutral. It also offers free facility tours and programming to Atlanta public schools and has supported hundreds of small local nonprofits over the years.

Meanwhile, Wong says his legacy is being who he is. “I wasn’t successful by Asian parents’ standards because I’m not in finance or a doctor or lawyer,” he said. “I felt that.” So, he hopes to be an example to other Asian Americans that the traditional pathway their parents may want for their kids is not the only option, he said.

Medora Lee is a money, markets, and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] and subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday.