We reached out to some of our favorite entrepreneurs and asked them to think back and tell us about how they decided to start a business. Check out their responses below.

Taimy Alvarez | Photojournalist, Documentarian & Editor

in 2019, I had been a staff photographer at the South Florida Sun Sentinel newspaper in South Florida for 21 years. Over the past several years there had been a downsizing of the newsroom despite accelerated digital transformation. In spite of my adaptability to the ever-changing media landscape, the Sun Sentinel was being driven to yet another reduction of staffing through voluntary separation. I believe it was the perfect opportunity and time to redefine my professional goals. I took the buyout and started Taimy Alvarez Media LLC with the goal of growing my video and photography footprint into television, travel, and corporate clients. Read more>>

Tanya Tomkins | Tanya Tomkins- Artistic Director and cellist

Classical music can be a perfectionistic and unforgiving place. When I was young I decided to leave the country and study in Holland where there was a lot more room for experimentation. The arts were heavily subsidized then and that changed the whole atmosphere of creativity. Failure didn’t necessarily equate with loss of work so there was more room for freedom of expression and I wanted to recreate that feeling in our music festival. Read more>>

Shontay Butler | Interior stylist and woodworker

I was at a crossroads in my life. I stepped away from my decade long career as a fashion designer to stay home with my kids and now that they were starting school and gaining more independence, I was itching to get back to work. The fashion industry changed so much since the early 2000’s when I first started my career so I knew that coming back within the same capacity as I left was no longer an option for me personally, so I was determined to carve out a creative space for me and find my niche. The only way I knew how to achieve that was by starting my own business. They say if you can’t find a seat at the table bring your own. I may have taken that saying too literal because not only did I do just that, I decided to build my very own table! Read more>>

Louis Cannizzaro | Artist & Poet

I don’t know that I had a process, but created a work ethic that helped me get started. When I first started I used the Oblique Strategies card decks. There is a specific card, the one that said “What are you thinking right now? Incorporate.” So I thought “I want to be an artist” and I started that day. I alway think of the Robert Fripp quote about being a “Self contained mobile creative unit.” So I started incorporating my poems into the art. I think everything I needed to start I already had. Also, I promised my self I would do three things every day… two practical things like..buying paint…putting gas in the truck. And one crazy thing. One of the crazy things I did, is I used to have a set of postcards for sale. Read more>>

Indi Forde | Songwriter, Producer, Artist

When we started out, it had nothing to do with money or financial recompense. Ours was a purely creative endeavor and we didn’t even consider monetizing. But as we learned our craft and got really good at what we do, the financial side started to emerge as people could see that we would add value to their show, event, project etc etc. Once this switch happened we were careful to make sure the lure of riches wouldn’t damage our passion for creation and to make sure the art came before money! Read more>>

Tova Leibovic-Douglas | rabbi, ritualist, spiritual coach, energy practitioner

I started The Ritual House because I wanted to create a business that focused on helping individuals, groups and organizations find practical inspiration for integrating rituals into their everyday lives. The more people and groups engage with rituals as themselves fully, the better our world will be and starting this business was the first step towards actualizing the values that are core to my vision for the world. As a rabbi, ritualist, spiritual counselor+coach, and reiki/energy practitioner, I felt called to create a business that could house the multiple skills and passions that are part of me. In truth, creating The Ritual House has allowed me to become a more spiritually integrated leader and bring all of the modalities that have helped transform my pain. Read more>>

Jhoan Tobar | Founder, Undefined Models

When starting Undefined Models my thought process was not just about starting a business; it was about creating a movement that promotes self-expression and authenticity. The traditional model agency often propagated exclusive ideals of beauty, categorizing talent by race, age, and size. I wanted to disrupt this status quo and inspire others to embrace their own individuality and redefine beauty on their own terms. I recognized the importance of creating a platform that celebrates androgynous, gender-fluid, and non-binary models, showcasing their images across various facets of the industry, free from societal constraints. This agency was born out of a passion for positive change and a commitment to making a difference in the world of modeling by offering something different – a space where talent doesn’t need to be defined; it just is beautiful. Read more>>

Jasmine Rollins | Doctor of Social Work, Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Founder of Organic Therapy Network

I’ve wanted to be a therapist since I was in the fourth grade. I knew that meant years of schooling, and I was willing to take that on. Initially, when I got my license to practice, I was fine with working for an agency. Not until my doctorate program in the USC School of Social Work, did I understand how dynamic a social work degree can be. The program takes such an innovate approach at agency and community entrepreneurship, so throughout my studies there, I was able to understand how I can expand my micro level work into macro level leadership. I’m in the business of understanding the human mind, how we interact with one another, and what drives us to function. Read more>>

Wenjue and Chufeng Lu and Michael |

With a deep-rooted desire for change, together, me(Wenjue Lu) and my partner, Chufeng Fang, initiated the Studio Wenjüe Lu in response to the wastefulness and unethical practices prevalent in the fashion industry as well as to the commercialization of creativity, elitism, and the prioritization of profit over artistic integrity in the world of art. An open invitation from us to the world to slow down the world through artistic expression. At the core of Studio Wenjüe Lu’s ethos is the concept of “Slowness”, which challenges the fast-paced, disposable nature of modern consumerism by infusing intention and meaning into every creation. Rejecting the transient nature of trends, the studio emphasizes longevity, sustainability, and communal individuality. Read more>>

Nazim Gomri | Strategic Business Leader | Founder of WTB Consultants

I moved to Los Angeles at a young age, and I took the challenge to start my own pastry business. But let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. I was excited and had lots of ideas, but I faced a lot of bumps along the way. Even when my startup was doing okay, things went south, and a few years later I had to shut it down. That hurt a lot, but I also learned so much from it. Through those tough times, I found strength and learned important lessons. After that, I shifted from running my own show to helping other businesses (from small to multi-million dollar businesses). With every new project, I learned something new. It wasn’t just about giving advice; I was about growing and learning from each experience too. Read more>>

Matt Brown | Designer and illustrator of Kavango Board Game

Hello! We’re Matt and Zara, co-creators of Kavango board game. After we got married in 2019, we moved to Botswana when Zara secured a job working on combatting the illegal wildlife trade. It probably makes sense to begin by explaining what Kavango is! Kavango is a conservation board game and in Kavango, players take on the role of a conservation expert working in Southern Africa. Players compete to transform their unique area of land into the best nature reserve in Kavango. For us, Kavango is so much more than a board game, it’s a modern and realistic view of conservation in Southern Africa, based on our lived experieince, and love for the region and everyone we’ve met along the way. Read more>>

Kamili Lumar | Fashion Designer & Stylist

I created my brand with plus size women like myself in mind . I wanted to give us the ability to find quality one of a kind pieces that were made exclusively for us . As women we experience lack of confidence from time to time . I want to empower us I want us to live bold & unapologetically. Through my designs i aspire to create clothing that makes us feel sexy & look good. Read more>>

Lucas Rivera | Founder and CEO, Sakul Creative LLC

Throughout my professional career as an arts administrator and educator, my primary focus has always been on celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of the arts and culture within the communities I served. When I conceived the idea of founding Sakul Creative, I was determined to uphold this commitment – a commitment that unwaveringly supports and empowers emerging artists and arts organizations in communities of color. As I contemplated ways to further contribute to my arts community, I meticulously developed the three core pillars of my company’s consulting process even before its official launch. Read more>>

Joan Baker | Founder of Society of Arts and Sciences

In the realm of show business, you’re essentially your own boss. My journey as a solopreneur began in NYC at 19 as a dancer, and the transition to voiceover work was a turning point. Freelancing had its freedom, but I yearned for a more self-sustaining career, I had control over my destiny. That ambition led my husband and me to create Push Creative Advertising, our award-winning boutique Ad Agency. Over 17 years, we thrived and worked diligently to solidify our path as an entrepreneur. Looking back, these experiences undeniably paved the way for my official entry into the world of entrepreneurship. Read more>>

Gabrielle Shelton | Artist, metal fabricator.

After graduating from art school, I realized that the chances for me being able to support myself on my art were slim to none. Knowing that I needed major machinery to make the art that I wanted to make, I decided to enter the trades to learn the proficiency of building. After five years working for other companies in the construction industry, I started my own business in order to afford a studio to make my art. Read more>>

Steven Abramsky | Industrial Designer

It’s interesting, I never thought of this as starting my own business. It was actually driven by my love and passion for learning, making things, materials, processes, etc. My career is centered around making products that people love, and I wanted to continue to learn and grow in categories that might not always make sense for projects that weren’t personal. After I made my own daily pair of AFRAMES (my first project under my own name), I received overwhelming interest from others; even honest strangers would ask me where I got them or where they could get a pair. That started to snowball and finally enough people wanted a pair to where I will be launching this fall for people to purchase. Read more>>

Alan Delabie | Actor and Martial Artist

After playing in several TV movies and films, I decided to produce my own films, prioritizing creative freedom and avoiding waiting for the development of my career. Taking risks is essential for artistic fulfillment, even if it involves challenges on the long and difficult road of growth. Read more>>

Pedro Martinez-Clark, MD, FACC | Board Certified in Interventional Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine.

In 2006, I moved to south to Miami, motivated by family ties and cultural affinity. The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where I joined as faculty, was undergoing a transformative period, with the acquisition of a hospital and the recruitment of Dr. William O’Neil, a prominent figure in interventional cardiology. Working under Dr. O’Neil’s leadership, I had the chance to pursue my interests in medical innovation and entrepreneurship. We embarked on various projects, including developing percutaneous devices and techniques in interventional cardiology. Additionally, we conducted clinical trials and collaborated with physicians worldwide. Read more>>

Federico Ghillino | Video artist and writer

I do different things so I have different thought process, it depends on the practice. I usually define me as a video artist because I use video to create unusual images in a poetic way. At the same time, in writing, the aim is to uncover the subterranean part, that is always unpleasant. In general this is the process behind my practices: uncover the unpleasant that lives in us and it’s always uncomfortable for us and who is around us. Read more>>

Izabel Cortéz | Los Angeles and Ventura County Wedding Photographer

My business started with my love for editorial photography. I watched a ton of America’s Next Top Model as a kid. I was never sure what exactly what about it made something go off. Perhaps a combo of make up, fashion and locations. In 2014 I started using a friend of mine to model for me. We’d spend hours changing into different outfits and shooting until we lost light. Eventually I took to families but as I was starting my business, as many others, the pandemic hit and I had to wait a while to start back up again. I have pivoted over to weddings and find that I am able to serve my clients by capturing their day while creating art at the same time. Read more>>

Satu Runa | Writer, Performer, & Director

Instead of waiting for someone to give me permission, I gave myself permission. So much of show business is hoping someone else give you the greenlight, but you ultimately have to learn everything you can to greenlight yourself, on your own terms. Read more>>

Jacob Khalil | Vocalist, Pianist, and Songwriter

Once I hit the work force, I realized quickly that I could easily make a higher hourly rate if I worked for myself. Even in the very early days of playing music in small bars and piano lounges. I also realized that the major pull for people to get corporate jobs was the perceived benefits of health insurance time off, etc. But when I became my own boss, even with purchasing my own benefits, I still made more money, had better tax benefits, and got to determine when I would take time off. Read more>>

Dana Miller | CEO and Product Designer

I started the business out of necessity for clean body care products that were plant based, gentle on the skin and lungs and that were effective at cleansing, moisturizing and balancing the skin. I wanted a company that produced products that everyone could use and benefit from. Then I thought, why not try to provide every user with the opportunity to indulge in a short mental therapy session or two within their day since cleansing or moisturizing some part of the body during the day was pretty much inevitable. At that point, I realized my idea wad more than just a skin care company but more of an internal and external body care company for the mind body and soul. The need for products like mine was within my circle of family and friends and I assumed others would be in need and enjoy these types of products as well. Read more>>