"I refuses to settle for a mundane career. I live by the notion that employment should be more than just performance in exchange for money. Employment should be fueled by passion - the ideas that get us up and out of bed each morning. Employment should involve taking risks, seizing opportunities, and breathing life into fresh ideas. As a lawyer and entrepreneur, I am blessed to be able to do just that. Allow me to elaborate by way of example.

For nearly two years, on my drive home, I passed a vacant café on the corner of Twelfth and Washington Streets in downtown Wilmington. Signs in the windows read, “in renovations” and “coming soon!” but, the café formerly known as Presto! never reopened. When I learned that Big Fish Restaurant Group acquired the property, I approached the new owner and asked if I could help breathe life into this once popular eatery. Fortunately, he provided me the opportunity to revitalize that empty café space, and as Creative Developer behind the project, we opened Harvest House in 2018.

During my time as Creative Developer with Big Fish Restaurant Group, I challenged myself to think creatively by way of collaborating with local artists and businesses in the Wilmington community. I actively sought to partner with the best in their respective fields. I intentionally sought out those organizations who incorporate social missions into their business models. Together, we created a space centered upon the idea of “community.”

At the launch of Harvest House, little did I know that I had met my future business partners in Jason Aviles and John Naughton of Wilmington Green Box. At the time, Wilmington Green Box was running out of the popular outdoor kiosk on Market Street (you know the space - vibrant art on the walls, live music in the summer, community youth leaders slinging the most delicious cold-pressed juices). Together, we curated a unique vegan fast-casual restaurant, housed on the corner of 4th and Market Streets - now known as Green Box Kitchen. The mission? To nourish our community by serving healthy, approachable, and tasteful plant-based menu, all while rooting our efforts in local philanthropy and social change. We are proud to be minority-owned and operated. We are proud to continue to support our sister concept, Green Box Kitchen, as it continues to employ community youth. We are proud to be a part of the Wilmington dining scene and the revitalization of our City.

In closing, I have utilized my experiences as an entrepreneur and my skills as a lawyer to help further a personal mission of empowering the next generation of aspiring innovators as we all collectively spark life into new ideas for a better world. I am grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me, and the partnerships that have gotten me here today. I cannot do this alone.

-Angela Wagner