Starting a business is a commitment and requires dedication, resources and sacrifice. We asked some of the rising stars in our community how they thought through the idea of starting their own businesses.

Brian Chaaban | Artist & Interior Design Enthusiast

As even a child I knew I wanted to start my own business. Raised in a household with entrepreneurial parents, I saw the flexibility and freedom that owning a business for oneself brought and so throughout my early education and later college years I always kept that as a goal of mine. After college I began working for a leading luxury design showroom in West Hollywood and it was there that my inspiration for Chaaban Designs started. I was surrounded by beautiful design furniture and objects on a daily basis and thought to myself – “I can contribute to this community too – I can start my own collection.” Read more>>

Lindsay Kelly | Founder + Creative Director of JaneMade

I had been working professionally for 10 years before leaving to start my own studio. With a daughter at home and hopes of having more kids, I knew that I couldn’t continue the pace of my career in the city and be a present parent, which was most important to me. I started freelancing on the side while I still worked full time, essentially working two full time jobs, to prove to myself that I’d be able to maintain the same income as a freelancer as I did in my full time role. I’ve always been a workaholic but wanted to be spending time on things that aligned with my aesthetic, values, and personal interests if I was going to be devoting those hours to something other than my children. Read more>>

Laura Gysberg | Photographer

I had my first daughter in December of 2015 and my second in February of 2017. I had decided to stay at home with them while they were young, but I found myself at home with two babies and struggling with my identity as a new mother. My husband had given me a beautiful camera kit for Christmas one year because I loved taking pictures, but it sat in its box until I was cleaning out a closet and finally opened it. Read more>>

Jacob Mercado | Jacob the journalist

My thought process behind making my podcast happened because I felt a platform for up and coming artist, personality and anyone trying to change our culture. Read more>>

Emma McGoldrick | Graphic Designer, Illustrator and Podcaster

I found graphic design very organically. I was a stem major looking for a creative outlet while in college and started doing design work for organizations and clubs that I was in. From there it continued to grow. I started doing work for small local businesses and then larger virtual clients. When graduating from school, I took a big leap and when for it full time. I wanted to pursue that work that inspired me. Read more>>

David McIntosh | Purveyor of Stoke

My reason for opening the first Midtown Surf Shop was less about wanting to start a new business and more of a reaction to a surf retail industry that was in need of a fresh approach. Read more>>

Ariana Smith | Ariana Smith – HR Business Partner & Career Consultant

I provide diverse career advancement services. These aren’t limited to resumes, cover, letters, and interviewing coaching. I’ve always been in Human Resources but I decided to start Impressume after I departed from one job for an extreme lack of work life balance and then I was laid off from my HR role at a fortune 500 company, both of these happened in less than a year. Read more>>

Olivia Allbee | Co-founder and Co-owner of Cafe Calaca

The thought process behind starting the business actually began because the previous business, that was in this location, closed. Myself and Ivan, one of the other owners, had worked at the previous business and when hearing of its’ inevitable closure, we decided we weren’t ready to say goodbye to our neighborhood and community we had worked in for years. We partnered with David Hurtado, owner of Calaca (a long time neighborhood staple), and started what is now Cafe Calaca. Read more>>

Andrew Arboe | Founder of Driving with Autism

I saw that there was not a program by an autistic on driver readiness, so I wanted to host webinars, partnerships in all 50 states to have something for people to access, instead of having to take it all on their own. I know what that feels like. Read more>>

Gloria Yin | Musician, Founder & Creative

I’ve always liked creating things and solving problems. I’ve worked in both STEM and music, and my work in both these fields has been motivated by this desire to create things and solve problems. When I was a kid I loved math because math is all about finding imaginative and beautiful ways to answer questions. Then I learned how to code, and I loved that too because I could now build software to answer those questions and do cool things. This urge to build and create didn’t stop when I pivoted to a musical career. One time, I found myself frustrated at the lack of useful ear training tools online, so I built an ear training app for myself for fun. Read more>>

Lauren Baum | Challah Baker

I never had dreams of starting my own business but then the pandemic hit and I was laid off from a 17 year career in advertising. With two small kids at home I had no desire to jump back into a corporate job so I took some time to myself and focused on my family. Like everyone else at the time, I started baking for fun. I became super obsessed with baking challah and tested recipe after recipe. I finally landed on one that I liked and began baking weekly. At one point a friend asked if I could make her some bread to take to a friend’s house and she told me she would pay me. Read more>>

Leigha Verbeem | Women’s Pelvic Health Coach, Movement Specialist and Nutritional Consultant

I really think there were multiple factors on starting my own business, but I actually kind of started it by accident! My dad has his own business and despite watching the long days he always put in, I still felt the entrepreneurial pull and always talked about having my own business one day, even though I didn’t know what it would look like. As I got older, I worked for privately owned gyms and loved being involved in some of the processes that actually helped improve the experience. My first job ever was in retail and I saw so much potential in the business but I was such a small fish that my opinions really didn’t matter. Read more>>

Dethaus | Design Art House

⁃ We wanted to start a new dialogue in fashion by re-contextualizing and bringing new art forms into the fashion industry as minority luxury designers. Read more>>

Denise Crew | Photographer

Photography is my second career. In my first career in PR and marketing there came a point when I looked at my future and didn’t like what I saw. A good friend of mine had just died and I realized that this is it — we only have one life. Why did I want to waste it on something that wasn’t fulfilling? I desperately wanted to be an artist and photographer but wondered how that could be possible. I asked myself “what’s the worst thing that can happen?” and I said to myself that I’d be destitute and homeless. That was a risk I was willing to take to do something that I love. I didn’t think my work ethic to survive would let me fall so I realized I had nothing to lose. Read more>>

Marie Martinez | Pastry Chef / Owner

We wanted to work together as a husband-and-wife team and achieve our goals as a family and business partners. Why did we decide on making wedding cakes / custom cakes? It is a way of not only using our culinary/ baking and pastry degree but bringing to the market a fresh take on small batch recipes with high quality ingredients and artistic expressions. We wanted clients to choose cake flavors, fillings and a design that was created and designed just for them. We also wanted to have the flexibility of choosing out free time as we are huge travel fanatics and any chance we get, we explore places, food and culture. Read more>>

Corinna Rose | Northern California Wedding Photographer

I knew there was more to life than waking up from an alarm buzzer every morning, sitting in rush hour traffic, and then typing away at a computer until the clock struck 5pm. While I had some fun jobs with wonderful teams, I knew I was meant for more than the repetitive desk job life. Also, I’m definitely not a morning person so I was itching for a way to ditch the alarm clock for good. Entreupunership life appeared to be an attractive way to try to have it all- to be more in control of my life while still making money. My husband and I were planning to start a family, and it seemed like the perfect time to try to start a business so that I could work part-time while being a full-time stay-at-home mom. Read more>>

Dave Arcari | Songwriter, recording artist and touring musician

It took me until I was in my mid-30s before I finally took the plunge and left gainful employment to pursue my own thing I’d been playing bands, managing bands, running an indie record label and stuff for years but always put off that final step of being self-employed. I was always waiting for thing stop grow ‘just a little bit more’ then I realised that thing were never gonna grow until I dedicated myself to my own business full-time. That was nearly 25 years ago! Read more>>

FERNANDO NAVARRO | Specialty costumer

When I think back on it, it’s just something that kind of came full circle for me. Because it was just me deciding to do what I had been doing from the start over 20 years ago, just full time. I started making costumes and props since I was a teenager and began selling them on ebay around 2002. So it was always kind of this side-hustle that became my full time job once I got burnt out from working 2 to 3 jobs simultaneously. I was having a hard time fitting in my side-hustle which it turns out, which ironically, what was making me the most money and what I enjoyed doing the most. Read more>>

Helen Nasillski | Director of Silver Lake Ballet School

I hadn’t really thought about starting my own business. I had danced in companies around the world but I also received all my formal teaching credentials from The Royal Academy of Dance in UK prior to moving to the US. Before starting a family I had been teaching at various schools in L.A., most notably Westside Academy of dance. Once my son was in pre-school and I had a new baby, I wasn’t working outside the home. I asked his pre-school if they’d like me to teach a little movement class for my son’s class. Read more>>

Joanna Brooks | Founder, Embody Yoga

When I first became a yoga teacher, about 9 years ago now, I had hopes of one day having my own yoga studio and business but assumed I needed to work for other people for an extended period of time to pay my dues. However, heartbreak left me looking for productive ways to fill my time. So I began planning and creating a 6 week long beginners yoga program that I would run on my own, independent of a yoga studio. I chose the name Embody Yoga and got busy creating a flyer and promoting the class. Read more>>

Barbara Anderson | Co-founder Art on the Ave NYC

I actually did not intend to start my own business. Art on the Ave NYC was a response to a particular situation and time. I started Art on the Ave in the summer of 2020. It was the height of Covid in the city and there was such disappointment and anger over the killing of George Floyd. Everyone was so stresses and so anxious. I wanted to find something hopeful to do with all the vacant storefronts that were blighting the streetscape while supporting under-represented artists. It seemed that transforming empty shops into vibrant galleries that all could admire from the sidewalks was a solution-albeit temporary- to the challenges the city was facing. Read more>>

Jessica Jones | Small Business Accounting Superhero

I started my business based on the idea that the businesses that needed me most – startups, solopreneurs, and small-but-growing businesses couldn’t afford to pay the “big guy” consulting firms for advice. I was interested in these types of clients, but the large CPA firm I was at had other ideas. A mentor of mine at the firm brought up that I could be more successful, and likely more happy, if I were working for myself and could take on the types of clients I wanted, rather than being assigned to a project that didn’t interest me. Read more>>

Liz Lauter | ceramics artist

I’ve had several creative businesses over the years, but finally the time to do my own artwork every day arrived when I retired from full time teaching. I ran the Ceramics program at Redwood High School in Marin County, Ca for about 20 years where I also taught beginning Art. I loved it and grew professionally as a ceramics artist. My classroom studio had every imaginable ceramic technique, tool, equipment, library, supply in it. The only way to leave it was to create a studio at home that was also an oasis. And that is how I went about envisioning my next chapter. I actually had a career coach, Andrea Huff who helped me with what I called my “segue”. Read more>>

Julie Buckles | Owner of Honest Dog Books & Author of Paddling to Winter

Ha! There was zero process, only gut instinct. I had no intentions of starting/owning a business. I walked into a favorite bookstore of mine to buy a book of poetry, and walked out having bought the bookstore. I had a full-time career, two teens, a kennel of sled dogs but this felt right and it was the best thing I ever did. Read more>>

Sam Miller | Enamelist & Metalsmith

Honestly, I stumbled into it. At the start of 2020, my husband and I found ourselves relocating for his job. I was previously a pediatric Occupational Therapy Assistant so I began the process of getting the licenses needed to pursue my career in our new state. This was at the height of COVID, where no one was in office and everything was on pause. It wound up taking me 6 months to get all of my paperwork together to begin looking for work. During that time, I discovered metalsmithing and enameling and poured myself into this new path. Read more>>

Kaitlyn Graña| Mystic Mother, Trance Medium, and Occult Educator

TBH, there wasn’t a lot of thought or planning that went into starting Spirit Garden. It all happened very organically. I’ve been a practicing witch for most of my life, and often read cards and did spells for myself and close friends. I was in the apparel industry for a decade, and found myself very unfilled in those environments. While working for various showrooms, I was giving readings to other clothing reps and boutique owners in between appointments. After years of trying to make the apparel industry work for me and failing miserably, my spiritual mentor looked at me and said “why don’t you think you can do this [spiritual] work as a profession?” I hadn’t really considered this before. I was so sure that I needed to have a “traditional” job. Read More>>

Yoav Davis | The founder of Davis Media NY & @Jews_of_NY

I’ve worked in the TV industry, mainly in reality and documentary, for over 10 years. While it has been a very dynamic, challenging an interesting experience felt like the future is in shorter form content. At the same time that I was starting my business Instagram as a platform started to emerge the combination of both these things led me to starting my business that takes telling shorter stories to the next level. Read more>>

Shivani Mehrotra | Co founder & Entrepreneur

It was the deeply rooted value system and my family legacy which was the premise behind starting this business. Vismaya is a brand run by two siblings who are deeply connected to their roots and had the vision to create a successful brand while putting the resources and the creativity from their cultural background, to good use. Read more>>

Lauren Kleinman | Founder of Dreamday and Co-founder of The Quality Edit

What was your thought process behind starting your own business? – Since my days at Ritual where I was Founding Team & VP of Marketing, I’ve always been interested in storytelling, product testing, and how I can impact the bottom line for the companies I work with through content marketing and bespoke performance solutions. The intersection of content, conversion and curation led me to found Dreamday and co-found The Quality Edit. Read more>>

Grace Cheng | Model, Entrepreneur & Founder of Mylk Labs

I don’t think anyone grows up dreaming of starting an oatmeal company because it’s really not the sexiest thing out there. However, amid my crazy life of modeling, business school and traveling, oatmeal was the one constant that got me through my busiest years. It was my morning hug, jolt of energy and support system that I always looked forward to having. While I created Mylk Labs to solve my problems, I wanted to share it with the world in a way that was accessible and affordable so here we are today! 🙂 Read more>>

Janie Kruse Garnett | Designer

It was 2013, the height of the dainty jewelry era, and I just can’t wear dainty jewelry. So, out of necessity, I suppose. I bang into things and go on safari, muck around in the garden, and I wanted jewelry that was bomb-proof. An early tag-line was “jewelry as strong as the woman who wears it.” I didn’t want the heartache that comes from scratching a piece that a loved one has just given you, you know? So I figured if I designed jewelry like old buildings, that is, to only get better with age, then people could take delight in “antiquing” their jewelry themselves. Read more>>

Cory Camp | Founder of Forever Athlete, Author, & Podcast Host

After spending years of trying my hand at various jobs like sales, recruiting, fitness, and swim coaching, I saw an opportunity to blend all of these past experiences into creating Forever Athlete. Prior to the pandemic I was working as an Assistant Fitness Director and Head Swim Coach at a Country club just outside of DC. While I enjoyed what I did, I wasn’t living a sustainable lifestyle. I was up and out of my apartment at 4:55 am and wouldn’t return home until 8:00 pm each day. Read more>>

Gunnar Traustason | CEO of g-events dmc | pco

It just came naturaly when i was a young boy that i wanted to own a business when older. My grandfather that i take the name from was a hardworking successful businessman which i´m sure influenced me. Read more>>

Vania Zask | Film Photographer & Podcaster

I am not your typical 9-5 worker I have always felt that this urge to do things differently. I am a firm believer that if you love something and are truly passionate about it. You should always nourish those parts of yourself. I know what makes me happy and I work towards the goal of going full time in film photography. Its very niche so I am freelancing at the moment but it has allowed to me fund and move me towards the direction I want to be. Read more>>

Mike Schibel | Host, Travel With Meaning Podcast

The AHA moment for me came after returning home to LA from Bali on a Summer 2016 trip. It wasn’t so much a process for starting a business, but a desire and need to share travel stories. I called my friend Matthew from Late Sunday Afternoon in Venice right away and begged him to let me host a Travel Talk event at his space. My idea was to invite two speakers to share meaningful travel stories. Notable local yoga teacher, Lauren Eneckstrom, and Frank Castro an adventure travel tour operator who grew up on the Westside of LA. Read more>>

Wasim Hajjiri | Forbes Published Executive Career Coach& 2-time #1 Best Selling Author

I was always inspired by my father, who is a self-made entrepreneur. He built his own company from scratch and came from very humble beginnings. He provided a great life for my 8 siblings and me. My journey started in 2013, I moved to the US as a fresh engineering graduate and started my journey to find a job. My dream job then was to work for Qualcomm, one of the best telecom companies in the world. Every iPhone in the world has a Qualcomm snapdragon chip. Read more>>

Courtney Fischer | Jewelry Maker and Nature Lover

As a creative person, I attempted a handful of jobs with a 9-5 approach and I was miserable. I’ve always loved making things and thrive off a non conventional schedule. Once I graduated college I moved to Chicago and realized there were people who wanted to support my work and actually pay for it. This was a million years ago before Etsy and the small craft businesses took the world by storm. I began participating in neighborhood markets and my confidence grew as a result. My inventory and skills grew and I started consigning with local shops, built a website, and travelled for a few craft shows. I quit by day job on my 30th birthday and haven’t looked back, 13 years ago! Read more>>

Sydney Aguirre | Creative Director & Fashion Designer

Starting my business at this age was not my original plan but after graduating college in May of 2020, while in lockdown, I was given such a great window of opportunity. I had so much free time to let my creativity flow and I felt lead to start my own brand while in that phase of my life. I have always been in love with vintage clothing and that magical feeling when you find something that feels like it was made for you. This feeling is what inspired me to start my line with a made-to-order mini skirt, tailored to my customers measurements. I was sourcing all of this amazing vintage fabric and letting my customers choose which fabric they wanted their skirt to be made with. Read more>>

Victoria Venturi | Founder and Chief Executive Officer | Paper Epiphanies

My father passed away in 2013 after a fast 60 day battle with Leukemia. All of the sympathy cards I received were terrible. Nothing unique to me or my father or the grief I was feeling. I longed for a card that would put into words what I was experiencing in an authentic way. That was the catalyst for starting a card brand that has now become what many call “the voice of today”. Read more>>

Theresa Ashby | Stratologist, Podcast Host & Creator

I wanted to be of service to more companies and business owners. I spent the majority of my career working as an executive for corporations, where I led operations and multi-million dollar projects. I desired to be of greater service to more business leaders during my tenure. As a leader, I focused on helping others be successful in their roles, drive business strategy and maintain fiscal accountability across departments. I knew the only way to expand my influence was to start my own consulting business. Read more>>

Brett Timms | Business owner

Our vision is to impact others in a positive transforming way infusing joy and teaching others about healing superfoods. Read more>>

Krystal Canty | Esthetician

I decided to start my own business because of my newborn! In the 10 years that I’ve been an esthetician it was always a dream of mine but I had been scared to do it. Since I went on maternity leave it clicked to me that it was only best for my family and I to begin this new chapter. I’ve always loved to make woman and men feel empowered by the way they feel when they get a treatment from me. The goal is to make them feel relaxed and beautiful by the end of their treatment because feeling good and having confidents is key! Read more>>

Teresa Ngo | Donut Shop owner

Being an immigrant, I had always dreamed of the “American Dream” Bering able to make an American Product in America for Americans is as good as it gets. Read more>>

Jumond Norman | Barber shop owner

To gain put myself in a better position economically and also give back to my community and also have the freedom to travel and learn other cultures Read more>>

Randall Meadows | Certified Professional Master Inspector CPI/CMI

I started my business after retirement from the Fire Department because of my aquired skill set during my professional carrier. Part of my work in the fire department was to inspect structures, both residential and commercial, from a fire safety perspective and also from a forensic perspective after a structure fire. The education in building sciences and structural integrity was fascinating to me especially with the emphasis on finding deficiencies that can lead to structural issues and potential failure. This background coupled with my genuine love in helping people, lead me to open FOCUS Home Inspection Authority after my retirement from LA Co FD. Read more>>

T.D. Madyun | Investor and Realtor

• Not earning a master’s degree was the sole inspiration towards entrepreneurism • Creating a platform that allows me to earn a great living and be of service • Helping first time home buyers realize the dream of homeownership • Dreamt of investing in my community, all while having control over my income and schedule • Creating opportunity & wealth for future generations Read more>>