Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Michel Fox Blum | Designer and Artist

I’ve always been very creative. When my oldest son was born, I couldn’t find any accessories to buy for boys. I realized then that there was a gap in the market so during the summer of 2016, I founded my brand, then called Changles Bangles in NYC. I started making interactive Velcro bracelets for boys with sports themes and personalizing bracelets with names. Girls began to wear CHANGLES too and soon I was being asked to make custom CHANGLES bracelets as party favors and sewing them on-site at parties. CHANGLES began to grow by word of mouth through friends and years later evolved into personalized beaded bracelets and jewelry prior to the pandemic. Read more>>

Alexandra Lopez Vera, PhD | Medical Spanish program Director & Assistant Professor

The idea behind my current role directing a medical Spanish program at a medical school on the east side of Los Angeles has been influenced by a blend of personal experiences, academic pursuits, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact in my community. I am originally from Spain and I have had the opportunity to explore different countries like England, Ireland, Canada, and eventually the United States during my undergraduate days. These experiences gave me a unique perspective on the relationship between language and healthcare. My primary motivation is the deep-seated belief that healthcare should be accessible to all, regardless of language barriers. Read more>>

Tracy Monterroso | Jose Mejia Wedding coordinators & Event Planning

At first we were very scared the thought of doing something on your own and not having that net of protection is really hard. We didn’t know if we would succeed or if we were going to fail. But We wanted to be independent free to make our own decisions, but most importantly we wanted to do something that brought joy and this was it to become a wedding planner, and wedding coordinator, and bring people ideas to life. Read more>>

Madison Jewelinski | Designer

Well… my thought process behind starting my own business was one that took years and years to fully realize. I have been in the arts/a creative my entire life. My mom put my twin sister and I in dance classes when we were little girls and we pursued it all the way through our adolescent years. When we turned 18 we moved to LA to pursue dance professionally and by the time I was 19 I had booked my first world tour. It had been my lifelong dream to be a backup dancer for an artist. I began to travel the world and live out that fantasy but I had this nagging feeling I couldn’t ignore that I was made for more. Read more>>

Tunji Sanni | Founder & Owner

In April 2020, the world shutdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak and for most of us it was the first time we needed family, friends, & loved ones to mentally and physically comfort us during those trying times. For me, I relied heavily on my siblings for support. I was looking for safe ways to connect with them that didn’t put anyone of us at risk from catching COVID-19 or spreading the virus. At the time there were very few places open to connect with loved ones outside of the grocery stores, hospitals and the outdoors. The process behind starting my business came out of the desperation to connect with my family – in a safe way. Read more>>

Dina Brown | Art Appraiser

The decision to pursue a career as an art appraiser initially stemmed from the desire to enhance the range of in-house services I offered to my clients within Gallery Brown, a contemporary art gallery I founded in 2004. I enrolled in an online appraisal course with the International Society of Appraisers in 2013 and completed the course a short few months later. Over the next five years, my appraisal assignments grew to such a degree that I felt more at home as an appraiser than as an art dealer. At the end of 2018, I closed my gallery and directed my energies and efforts toward continuing to expand my reputation as a dedicated art appraiser. I’ve now been a professional art appraiser for over ten years and have provided valuations for over 600M in personal property to private individuals, institutions, attorneys, corporations and insurance providers. Read more>>

Charlotte Verminck | Film Director & Screenwriter

Despite my intense passion and daily dedication to my work, I always had to fight so hard for people to give me a chance and believe in me. Yet, when they finally gave me that chance, I found myself working in quite a few toxic and unsafe work environments. After another project ended, I was so fed up with being mistreated and seeing so many other souls being treated disrespectfully. So, I made the decision to put my full energy behind creating a thoughtful, warm, and kindhearted environment that gave people with a passion the opportunity to work, collaborate, learn, and grow. A genuine family feeling is what I’m aiming for. Read more>>