Our city is home to so many incredible businesses and so we asked the founders how they came up with the ideas for their businesses and have shared their responses below.

Farabi Khaleque

The idea for CLOUDZILLA came to me when I was fifteen years old when the entire world was quarantined. I wanted to do something to uplift people’s spirits and provide them with hope during that challenging time. So, I started posting motivational and wellness content on social media. Read more>>

Kimberly Jesicka

I came up with the name KK BEAUTY bar with a desire to create a THC cannabis, infused beauty business, as well as signature, store style perfumes, As well as signature, body oils, signature, luxury beaded charmed jewelry. Read more>>

Valeria Trevino

When the idea for The Nour Company first sprouted, it was a beautiful blend of my passions and experiences. I’m an outgoing and creative soul, and I have always loved the joy of being part of a close-knit community, celebrating with friends and family, and making people feel special through thoughtful gifts. Read more>>

Mona Clayton

When my high school counselor advised me to become a secretary even though I was a stellar student in science, I didn’t realize that one day my purpose would be to help single mothers and underserved students become nurses. In fact, I never knew about this very rewarding profession until I witnessed my soon-to-be mentors in action! In 1997 my life changed in a single day as I left the Los Angeles Divorce Court as a new divorcee and began a nursing program that evening. My greatest accomplishment was walking the stage of Los Angeles Southwest College and receiving my nursing degree with my 9-year-old daughter by my side. She was able to witness what starting and finishing an education entails. No one gave me a roadmap for a successful career. No one told me I had the potential of becoming more than a secretary, nor did anyone provide the tools for success after graduation. I discovered my purpose for becoming a registered nurse years after high school, at the age of 35. We all should look to discover our purpose, and my purpose was ignited after publishing a book that helps students thrive on the way to becoming nurses. Seeing my book on the shelves of Barnes & Noble furthered my enthusiasm to do more and in 2018, The Nurses Pub nonprofit was born along with the “100K Future Nurse Initiative.” I have used this platform to enable students around the nation to grow with our outreach services, Mentorship, Awareness, and Scholarships, or MAS. My influence as a registered nurse and CEO has gifted me the opportunity to serve students living in underserved populations with limited resources and those who are from communities that think that students should not strive to do more and become more. Read more>>

Lisa Delane

A number of years ago, I moved to California and started my Public Relations company, Tigerlily Skye PR, working with luxury lifestyle brands. My sister, Sacha McCrae, also moved to Southern California and started Living Gardens Landscape Design, a full-service award-winning landscape design firm, creating beautiful and functional outdoor rooms. As the client roster grew, there was more focus on design, and less time available to add the finishing touches, such as furniture and decor items, to each project. Read more>>

Daniel Becker

I wish there was some grand moment that I can brag about for the idea of starting my business, however, there is not. Throughout my career in E-commerce and digital marketing, I have learned the power of data and understand the importance it plays. Read more>>