Our Mission
We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs achieve successful business ownership by ensuring they build the knowledge, strategy, and brand foundation needed before launching.
Vision Statement
Our vision is to advance entrepreneurship education by equipping aspiring founders with the knowledge, frameworks, and guidance needed to launch sustainable businesses.
Why the Institute Exists
Many aspiring entrepreneurs begin with an idea but lack the guidance needed to turn that idea into a clear and sustainable business direction.
The Sparks Institute of Entrepreneurship & Innovation was created to help close that gap.
Through structured learning experiences, practical frameworks, and guided exercises, the institute helps aspiring founders think more strategically about their ideas before launching. By focusing on clarity around audience, problem, and value, participants are better prepared to build businesses that are intentional, sustainable, and aligned with real market needs.
The Sparks Ecosystem
The Sparks Institute is part of a broader ecosystem of platforms focused on entrepreneurship education, brand strategy, and community innovation. These platforms work together to support entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey.
Sparks Institute of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Entrepreneurship education, founder readiness programs, and community initiatives.
She Sparks
A brand strategy and digital design consultancy that supports founders and organizations in building strong brands and digital platforms.
She Sparks Foundation
The nonprofit arm supporting community entrepreneurship initiatives and educational programs.
Clarissa J. Sparks
Thought leadership, speaking, and academic work focused on entrepreneurship, branding, and innovation.
Meet the Founder
Dr. Clarissa J. Sparks, Ed.D. | Founder & President
Dr. Clarissa J. Sparks is a marketing educator, brand strategist, and founder of the Sparks Institute of Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Her work focuses on helping aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs gain the clarity and strategic foundation needed to build sustainable businesses. After years of teaching and working with entrepreneurs, she recognized that many people were launching businesses without clearly defining their audience, value, or positioning, which led her to develop the SPARKS Brand Method, a framework that helps founders define who they are, what they do, and why it matters.
Dr. Sparks earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Albany State University, a Master of Science in Management from Troy University, and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Clark Atlanta University, where her research focused on branding. Through the Sparks Institute, she now guides entrepreneurs through structured programs that prepare them for business ownership with clarity, strategy, and confidence.
What We Value
Integrity
We operate with honesty and strong ethical principles in every decision, building trust with entrepreneurs through transparency and sincerity.
Accountability
We take responsibility for our actions, decisions, and outcomes, holding ourselves and the businesses we support to high standards of ownership and follow-through.
Authentic Excellence
We believe the best businesses are built on genuine identity and a commitment to quality, encouraging entrepreneurs to stay true to themselves while striving for the highest level of performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The SPARKS Brand Method is a structured framework that helps entrepreneurs define who they are, what they do, and why it matters. It guides participants through key elements of brand strategy and positioning before entering the marketplace.
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Start to Scale focuses on entrepreneurial readiness before launch. Rather than rushing into startup activities, the program helps participants clarify their business idea and brand foundation first.
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Programs may be offered in person in the Atlanta area as well as through virtual learning opportunities, depending on the cohort format.