The infomercial world is full of goods that will purportedly forever alter the way you mop, do your laundry, cook eggs, exercise and listen to music.

But are those products truly revolutionary? More importantly, can a product or service truly be revolutionary at all?

The defining moments over the course of a career can often feel conflicting — especially when one makes choices that seem misaligned with a prior path. But Melissa Camilleri Anicich, founder and CEO of Compliment in East Sacramento and a former high school teacher, has found a way to blend together two disparate careers.

In the entrepreneurial realm, everyone wants to be a change agent. With disruptors like Elon Musk — who brought us Tesla and the concept of terraforming Mars — raising the stakes on the definition of the word, the startup landscape is overflowing with wannabe-visionaries claiming to change the world.

But, what does the term really mean?

In recent years, the Sacramento region has seen the rise of businesses offering alternative approaches to health and wellness such as float centers, cryotherapy services and community acupuncture practices.

Yet, one has to wonder: Can the market sustain these types of businesses?

Lisa West had to figure out how to change careers after leaving her family’s construction company doing the same work at the same company for 17 years.

In recent years, with the rise of social networking, the business world has embraced a modern form of evangelism, making the word synonymous with an entirely new brand of evangelist: the influencer.

Now the marketing and communications manager for Sacramento Children’s Home, Houser ended up not too far from his origin in youth development, though you could say he took the long way around.

A problem thought to be facing a person or group of people that entrepreneurs are looking to solve through goods and/or services.

Ethan Martin didn’t take a traditional path to his position as director of user strategy for local digital creative agency Bukwild. In his younger years, he thought he’d map and maneuver challenging ski runs around a mountain town for a living. Instead, as an adult, he finds himself navigating design challenges for a digital creative agency in Old Sacramento.

In the wine industry, families must often handle the unique dynamics of their arrangement while running several operations at once — growing grapes, producing wine, and marketing and selling the final product. It’s not always easy. But these four wine-industry families wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mariann Eitzman has been in the workforce for several decades now, and her resume is long and varied. Currently the Next Steps Director for Bayside Adventure in Roseville, which is the organization’s newest church campus, she’s in charge of connecting new churchgoers to each other and to the new and continuing programs at the 3,000-attendee congregation.

Amal Iqbal has years of experience with struggling to understand how work plays into her identity as a Muslim-American woman, and challenging cultural expectations when necessary. This experience informed her decision to launch her own business that incorporates fashion, interior and graphic design into one shop.

Anyone who has applied for a job before understands the dilemma of having an incongruous mix of work history on your resume, reflecting a career shift that has occurred somewhere along the line.

Those who have seen past California Musical Theatre productions of Beauty and the Beast were in for a treat this year: The “tale as old as time” is decidedly new and improved thanks to a recent influx of grant money from the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission.

The Waffle Experience isn’t just another waffle house with packaged waffle batter and the usual breakfast fare. Instead, Donoho has taken his training in classical cuisines and worked to change the perception of how customers view the traditional belgian-style waffle.

Under sunny skies at Argonaut High School in Jackson, representatives from the Amador County Public Schools system and OpTerra Energy Services recently celebrated the official groundbreaking of the Amador GOLD program. The public-private partnership combines school infrastructure improvement and energy-efficiency projects with STEM education for students.

When Payam Fardanesh talks about his company, Silk Road Soda, he sounds as if he’s sharing stories about one of his children. In fact, Fardanesh deftly uses the analogy to describe his company, noting that he sees Silk Road Soda as an 11-year-old: The brand still needs his guidance; it’s not ready to leave the nest just yet.

Walking into the Sacramento warehouse where Kelly and Russell Conroy house their woodworking company, Timber + Main, it’s easy to see the source of their inspiration. Salvaged wood slabs, planks and posts rest against the walls just waiting to be turned into something sustainable, beautiful and functional.

Hackbarth’s life in politics and advocacy was the right course of action for her, until it wasn’t. So she did something about it — returning to school and experimenting with different jobs until she landed on the new career that best suits her as a wellness coach.

So how does one go from making claims as a 5-year-old, to stumbling onto a trend, to becoming a mobile boutique owner that sells jewelry, gifts and home goods? 

The restaurant, which serves wood-fired pizzas and craft beer and has a bocce ball court, celebrated its two-year anniversary in December. Marvin, who still runs his design firm, was able to put his design talent and his love for shipping containers to work. 

Wine tasting at the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg is often thought of as a good time, but walking into Clarksburg Wine Company when Jeremy Maron is behind the bar is something every Sacramentan should experience.

This is no ordinary restaurant. Students enrolled in the college’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program run both the front and back of the house (with guidance from instructors) as part of their course requirements.

The myth of overnight success is an easy fallacy to believe. We all wish success came so easy. However, the real story behind most small businesses is much less cinematic. Building a business takes time, strategy and the willingness to try things that may or may not work.

If someone had told Tyler Robinson and Preston Tillotson, of Sudz by Studz, five years ago that they would be making soap and other skincare products for a living, both would have likely laughed at the idea. Yet, the economic downturn paired with a perfectly-timed soap making adventure led the couple to do just that.

The phrase “typical day” is not one Larissa Meltz and Alex Larrabee have uttered recently and, as they get closer to their expected Labor Day weekend opening of Big Stump Brewing Company at 1716 L St. in Midtown Sacramento, their schedules will likely only get busier.

Understanding the basics of intellectual property law is a good first step for business owners and the three most common protective measures include a trademark, a patent or a copyright.

When it comes to mental and physical well-being, the rules seem simple: Those who drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, exercise regularly and engage in joyous activities will be rewarded with decreased likelihood of falling ill, improved mental focus and better overall health.

Living in Sacramento and making a living in the music industry are often seen as mutually exclusive. Musicians, music fans, venue operators, promoters and others who work in the industry in Sacramento tend to have varied thoughts on the state of the scene, but the question remains: Is music a viable business in the capital city?

Connecting with the community through outdoor adventures has been one of the more rewarding aspects of All Good opening its flagship store in Sacramento.