To start or to not to start, that is the aspiring entrepreneur’s question

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.

Angelene Diaz | Owner of MYA and Olivea Farm To Table

Starting your own business often comes with the romantic notion of being your own boss, where everything seems simple and stress-free. But the reality is quite the opposite—every client, partner, and even your own expectations become your boss. The journey behind MYA Hotel Boutique and OLIVEA Farm to Table wasn’t our first venture, but it was originally envisioned as our family’s peaceful retirement project—a small, enjoyable space where we could focus on quality, creativity, and sustainability. However, life had other plans, and this project quickly grew into something much more ambitious. Read more>>

Vin’s Da Cuero | Beatmaker

It’s quite simple. I didn’t feel like waiting after anyone. I was
young, stubborn and wanted to be free to release my music when I
wanted, how I wanted, to work with whom I wanted. First thing we did
with Pumpkin, the French rapper I was working with at the time, was to
find a name for a label, and then buy the domain name to make it
“official”. It was a gamble because we didn’t know anything or anyone
in the industry. But we made it work. Read more>>

Faren Collins | Athleisure designer and Watercolourist

My initial motivation for starting a business was to gain control—over my ideas, creativity, and independence from upper management. However, as I navigated the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, I came to realize there was a deeper reason behind my decision. Over time, I discovered that beyond seeking control, I was truly searching for freedom and the chance to explore and rediscover myself in a new space. Read more>>

David Andreone | Psychotherapist, Artist Manager and Creative Producer

When I started ArtistServices Therapy, I knew that to focus on artists and creatives was my only choice. You see, that’s the population I’ve worked with all my life — I’ve literally worked with artists since my 20s. In working with artists for so long, I started seeing a trends and commonalities impacting both their emotional and mental wellbeing. In the music industry for example, I knew that the same cycle typically occurred: the pre-signing struggle, the record label signing rush, the composing/recording phase, and in most cases, the reality-of-the-market phase. Read more>>

Rachel Brodsky | Music & Culture Writer

It was a combination of things, really. For one, I’d been working full-time media jobs for about a decade, in New York and Los Angeles. And I’d worked at such a variety of companies — TV stations (MTV, CBS), websites/magazines (SPIN, Paste, Time Out NY), newspapers (The Independent), a non-profit (The Recording Academy). I think after COVID and lockdown happened, I just sort of threw my hands up in the air and decided I was done with office life — for the foreseeable future, anyway. I never say never. Read more>>

Sheila A. B. Tsan | Balloon Stylist

I never thought I would have my own business. A few people close to me encouraged me to sell my time and creative labor for creating balloon decorations, but I didn’t immediately see myself as a business owner. What began as a fun hobby turned into something more. Creating organic balloon decor became my therapeutic escape. Working at my own pace and having the flexibility to be creative in my own way, provided relaxation and relief from my everyday pressures and stresses. When I would complete my balloon setups, I saw the reactions from family and friends, and I realized the joyful impact my balloons had on their special day. Read more>>

Daniel Lieberman | CEO & Co-Founder Viral Hub Marketing

Starting my own business was driven by a desire to create something that aligned with my values, both in terms of family and the quality of service. I wanted to build a company that wasn’t just about transactions or one-off campaigns but was focused on developing long-term partnerships with clients. The goal was to offer a service that truly stands out by exceeding expectations and delivering more value than what is typically offered by other agencies. It’s about building trust, understanding the unique needs of each client, and ensuring that the people we serve feel valued and understood, much like how I prioritize my own family. Read more>>

Taylor Draak | clothing brand – sensory set

When I created Reframed Loungewear, There wasn’t too much thought process that went into the brand itself it was the whole meaning behind the brand our why. For the longest time I knew I was put on earth for a reason, Everyone has a purpose its just if your willing to find it and how you find it. Mine for example was helping others, from the time I was able to speak my thought/ frequency behind everything was to help others and how its going to impact others.
During the process of me figuring out what I could do to make my brand grow and succeed was figuring out what people could relate to and seeing if it would relate to something I struggle with. Read more>>

Alison Cabanillas | Reiki Master & Sound Healer

When I first started, I really didn’t know that it would become a business.
I had just learned about Reiki and other energy healing modalities and had taken some group classes. It completely changed my life. One day I took a training and just wanted to share my knowledge of the power of self healing with others. Read more>>

Marva Soogrim | Newborn Care & Parenting Expert

With 40+ years of experience in newborn care and mommy care, I know that I can help the world of new parents bring a lot of ease to their parenting challenges thus changing the trajectory of families’ lives. So many families go through the hardships of the unknown when they first start a family. Having a wealth of information from traveling with my work and studying different types of scenarios and solutions, there isn’t a problem I feel challenged by. Through my company Marvalousbabies, parents will have the opportunity to subscribe to my teachings and other offerings, together with my words of encouragement so they can build on their own resilience. Read more>>

Julie Price | Acupuncturist & Integrative Strength Coach

The idea for my business came from, honestly, a sense of frustration. I was seeing limited results from treating people with just acupuncture. While it helped, I knew that real, lasting change required deep inner work—helping people become more self-aware and emotionally connected. Chinese Medicine taught me just how much our thoughts and emotions affect our physical health, but it’s something we don’t often recognize, and I wanted to tap into that. I also wanted to empower others through strength coaching, guiding them to build both physical and mental resilience. Read more>>

Kyle Kawamoto | Catering Professional & Food Stylist

My passion for food has always been the thrilling focus of my life! When I reflect on where this passion began, I can’t help but remember the magic of my early childhood, where cooking and food were always at the center of each family gathering. Since then, I’ve dedicated the past decade of my career in search of the perfect avenue to share a bit of this magic with you all. Read more>>

Cheryl Montelle | Executive Director of Mil-Tree Veteran Project

I read the book War and The Soul: Healing Our Nations Veterans From Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Dr. Ed Tick, I invited him to come to Joshua Tree and do a reading of this informative and profound book, and his reading inspired a full house. He encouraged us to start a community group that focused on including military veterans, and with the help of a few veterans and a handful of community members that’s exactly what we did. It felt right. The name Mil-Tree Veteran Project was what we decided on: Mil = Military and Tree = Joshua Tree and we have now been a 501(c)3 non profit for 11 years. Read more>>

Nichole J. Henderson | Founder @shestunedin | Global Audiobook & Podcast Marketing at Spotify

Hello – my name is Nichole J. Henderson (@_nicholej), founder, visionary, artist and author of @shestunedin, a TV art page dedicated to inspiring tune ins to the latest, new TV series. It’s simple. I saw a need for telling TV stories through art, and so birthed, @shestunedin. Read more>>

Luana Venturino | Chef, Cucina di Lu

When I relocated to Los Angeles from Italy in 2015, I brought with me over three decades of experience in the restaurant business. However, I knew I wanted to channel my expertise in a different direction, one that didn’t involve the complexities and huge investments required to open and run a restaurant in California. I craved something more intimate and personal – a way to share my passion for Italian regional cuisine without the formal constraints of the restaurant business. Read more>>

Jenna Barclay | Content Creator & Podcast Host

To be honest, I fell into what I do somewhat accidentally. I’ve always been active on social media, and I had been helping local businesses manage their own social media accounts on the side of my full-time job, but I never had the intention of building my own audience and creating a business from it. I was very fortunate to find success creating content I genuinely enjoy, so once I realized it resonated with so many other people I decided to start treating it like a business. Ultimately my goal in turning my social media accounts into a business was to be able to shift more of my time and attention to creating my own content, which I am happy to say I’ve done. Read more>>

Erika Munoz | Cake Artist

Starting a business was an unexpected outcome of my creative exploration. I’ve always been a maker at heart. With a degree in Industrial Design, my passion for creating has been a lifelong journey. Over the years, I’ve dabbled in various fields, from furniture design to art direction for film and television. However, I never imagined venturing into the food industry.
It all began about eight years ago when my best friend showed me a picture of a cake she was having made for her daughter. She was dissatisfied with the bakery she had chosen. Read more>>

Lia Cohen | Fashion Designer

I wanted to create a Guatemalan fashion brand that could create dignified jobs and embrace femininity in the designs and prints for women to remind them that they are magnificent. For me, fashion is not just about clothes, it is a tool for women to construct their identity or express the message they give themselves. Why themselves? Because the only opinion that matters regarding what you wear is yours. When women feel magnificent, confident, and truly authentic they shine in amazing ways and attract their intentions in life. Read more>>

Emily Rodriguez | Artist & Friend

I don’t think I ever thought about it like I was “starting a business”. It never felt like a business venture or an extra source of income. It felt more like building community and creating a space to be independent artists with my friends. It still feels that way. A lot of tattoo shops in LA are designed to make maximum profit off each artist. And the spirit of artistry and community goes out the door when money is put first. I wanted to create something that felt like more of a collective, not a business operation. That’s how Nine Lives was born. Read more>>

Vanessa Oliver | CEO & Lead Event Producer at Cloud 9 Studios LLC

Coming from the traditional 9-5 corporate culture in Silicon Valley, I’ve always empathized with the working class, especially families juggling the pressures of maintaining a ‘work-life balance.’ After being introduced to cannabis to help manage my anxiety, I became more intentional about customizing its benefits to meet my personal needs. I realized how valuable it could be in supporting a healthier work-life mindset, but I also saw how much was missing in terms of education around its proper use. Read more>>

Jessica Parker And Tanya Johnson | Podcast Hosts

We started Girl… Call Me with Tanya and Jessica because it was something we naturally said to each other when life happened, and we just needed someone to share it with. It was our way of creating a safe space, and that safety led to deeper conversations that we felt comfortable having with each other, especially during the summer of 2020 when there was so much going on. Read more>>

Ali Batyrkhanov | Vocalist, Vocal Coach

The main inspiration behind starting my own business was to delve deeply into the complexities of vocal cord health. I strive to offer specialized treatment and recovery for the vocal folds, along with comprehensive vocal training. In my experience, there are not many professionals who fully understand the intricate structure of the vocal apparatus, and I aim to bridge that gap with my expertise. Read more>>

Linda V Leyva | Founder and Creative Lead Photographer for LVL Studios

My thought process behind starting my own business is rooted in the belief that it must be part of your greater purpose, almost like a personal ministry in life. True fulfillment comes when you’re driven to serve others through your work. For me, it was about asking myself, ‘What is my purpose in this business?’ and letting everything else follow naturally from that intention. I also believe deeply in empowering others along the way, while keeping my ego in check and surrounding myself with a strong support system that does the same, yet encourages me to keep moving forward in faith. Read more>>

Michael Carpenter Jr | Musician and Music Academy Owner

I started playing music at the young age of eight years old. My parents were very supportive, and enrolled me in weekly private lessons throughout my youth and into adulthood. I learned from amazing music teachers who had a variety of teaching styles. Coupled with growing up in a household where my father ran his own business, and my mother was a teacher- the fusion of the two felt very natural. I started teaching music at the age of 20 in the suburbs of Detroit, and was able to build a very loyal and large clientele before eventually moving to LA in 2014. When I arrived in LA, I knew two people and had to rebuild my clientele. Read more>>

Angela / Teddy Ma / Xiong | Co-founders of Fluffe Studio

As two best friends since high school, we’ve always dreamed of creating something together, driven by our passion for creativity. This led to the birth of Fluffe Studio. Growing up in Asia, we cherished the tradition of capturing memories in photo booths with friends after school. While we’ve noticed a few photo booths popping up in LA, that same cultural vibe hasn’t fully developed in the States. Read more>>

Krystel Fortis | 365 Notary Scheduling Services for all your Mobile Notary needs

In 2020, I had been a full-time traveling notary for 8 years. I became a notary after a divorce, became a single mother, and moved back to my home state of California. When I came back to Los Angeles from Austin, Texas, I was starting over at ground zero. After a couple of years of being a military wife & stay at home mommy, I wasn’t ready to drop my 2 year old off at daycare & return to the 9-5 workforce. So I worked a couple of different restaurant jobs later at night after being able to spend my days with him finding new parks & adventures to go on.
Soon, working so many evenings, weekends, and holidays became a drag. Read more>>

Alix Martin | Immigration Lawyer

I originally moved from France to the U.S. on a student visa in 2015 to pursue my Master of Law at UCLA. Over the years, I navigated through various visa types—an intern visa, a work visa, and eventually obtained my green card. This journey involved years of stress, juggling visa applications, and dealing with lengthy processing times. Drawing from that experience, I founded my own immigration law firm, with the goal of providing clients with the support and reassurance I know they need, having been through the process myself. As an immigration attorney, I’m committed to guiding them every step of the way. Read more>>

Kristie Lu | Beauty and Makeup

I’ve always believed that success comes from having passion before focusing on making money. When I was younger, I struggled to find my career path. I tried many different jobs, hoping to discover what I truly enjoyed. At one point, I pursued a nursing degree because I heard it paid well, but I quickly realized it wasn’t for me—I’m afraid of blood! Read more>>

Uzma Khan | CEO, Cathect Sdn Bhd

When I decided to start my own business, my thought process revolved around several key factors. Firstly, I wanted to create something where I could combine my professional skills with a personal vision. Having worked in finance and later in IT, I realized there were gaps in the market, especially in providing customized software solutions that aligned with clients’ specific business needs. I wanted to be in a position where I could provide value-driven services, and working under a corporate structure often limited that freedom. Read more>>

Chris Dorsey | Architect & Artist

I started my architectural practice in January of 2021 at the tail end of the covid pandemic. Prior to that, I hadn’t considered myself the entrepreneurial type or really ever thought someday I’d be starting my own business. However, leading up to and ultimately going through covid, I realized my interests weren’t really as aligned with what I was doing as I had thought. At the time, I had spent several years working as the in-house architect at a national juice company, managing the design and construction of their new stores around the US. For the majority of my time there it was going pretty well and I generally enjoyed the role and the great people I worked with. Read more>>

Mayra Estrada | Owner of Cake Creations by ME & Creator of Zeoto Pen A Heat Decorating Pen

My business started as a hobby in 2011 after taking the Wilton Courses. The courses only taught you the basic steps, so I continued to teach myself by researching tutorials on the internet and taking online courses. At the time, I was working a full-time job which left me evenings and weekends. Read more>>

Nadi Moss & Melissa Wonder | Co-founders

The Moonlight Community emerged from the deep bond between Melissa and me, both as friends and creative partners. With my five years in event production and 13 years in professional photography, alongside Melissa’s 15 years as a skilled makeup artist, we discovered an opportunity to merge our talents. Our mission is to create a welcoming space that is open to everyone, allowing all to explore their creativity and forge meaningful connections. Read more>>

Travis Mewhirter | Podcast host

The funny part about starting our business was that it was never intended to become a business. It started mostly out of boredom from my partner, Tri Bourne. Long one of the best volleyball players in the world, Bourne had been diagnosed with an enigmatic autoimmune disease that would keep him out for the better part of two years. At the time, I had begun carving out a career in beach volleyball media, freelancing for a number of magazines and writing my first of three books on the subject. With the rare skill-set combination of journalistic bona fides and a knowledge for the game – I eventually became a professional player myself – Bourne called me and asked if I’d want to start a podcast with him. To me, this was a no-brainer. This was one of the best players in the world asking me to work with him for the foreseeable future. Read more>>

Benny Ruiz | Clothing Brand Owner

The concept of Ben Hurt was born from my own personal experiences. When you strip away differences like culture, religion, colorism, and racism, what remains is our shared humanity. One thing all humans have in common is that we experience either pleasure or pain. I would say the majority of life—about 80 to 90 percent—is spent in pain, while only a small portion is spent in pleasure. Much of this pain is self-inflicted or a result of not knowing how to celebrate happiness because it’s something we’re rarely taught. Read more>>

Ethan Twardosz | Coordinator, Screener and Programmer & Technical Assistant

I’ve always wanted to create a business that pushed me to innovate and improve. In high school, I tried online trading in gaming, earning enough to spend time with friends and travel. While the profits were small, it opened my eyes to working with people from around the world. Their stories inspired me, and I knew I wanted to build something that allowed people to share their visions and connect. Read more>>

Pan Nis | Restaurant owner

When I decided to start Civilize Thai in Beverly Hills, my thought process revolved around a few key ideas. First, I wanted to bring authentic Thai cuisine to a place known for its discerning tastes and love for high-quality dining experiences. I believed in the power of Thai flavors and traditions, and I saw an opportunity to create a unique space where people could enjoy the cultural depth of our food, but in an elegant, modern setting. Read more>>

Lula Goce | Visual and Streetartist

It’s a natural process. I studied Fine Arts and, over the years, I went through various stages: I worked for others, taught classes, and did graphic design for films. Over time, and through small steps, I gradually gained financial independence, steadily but surely. Read more>>

Maya Newlin | Interior Designer & Small Business Owner

Ever since I could remember, little Maya always knew she was going to start and run her own business. While other kids were doodling cartoons, I was drawing up floor plans or making notes to what I would change in a room. Growing up, my victorian dollhouse was the gateway to my passion for designing, curating and storytelling within a space, no matter how small it may be. Read more>>

Anthony Hernandez | Barista & Social Media Influencer

Working in the coffee industry for 4 years as a barista has taught me everything I need to know about coffee and what I need to start a small business. I’m a risk taker , and one who does not feed into negative energy or language. I’ve been doubted most of my life, even by my own family. Once I found something I was passionate about I took my time , even gathered a following on social media along the way which was a big help in promoting my own business. Once I had enough funds I went straight for it with no hesitation. Got all the legal documents I need to start my business and from there i started “Infernal Coffee” but the job isn’t finished we will continue to serve our amazing horror themed specialty coffee and matcha. Read more>>

Kateryna Noha | Owner Noha Lingerie

It all actually began in my teenage years. Although I never lacked male attention, I often struggled with loving myself and my body. I was self-conscious about my body and tried to hide it. This led to endless experiments: strict diets, exhausting workouts five times a week, and disordered eating – I tried many methods, but none of them truly helped. After numerous attempts, I realized that the real solution was not physical but mental. I started working on my mindset and searching for tools to help me accept myself differently. Read more>>

Karon Cash | Ceo founder

“My thought process behind starting my own business was all about creating opportunities—not just for myself, but for others in the entertainment and fashion industry who often get overlooked. I wanted to build something that reflected my vision, where I could support talent, help them grow, and give them the tools they need to succeed. I saw gaps in how the industry worked, especially for emerging artists and creatives, and knew I could fill those gaps by providing a platform that values authenticity and hard work. It was about taking control, making moves on my terms, and creating a legacy for my family to continue.” Read more>>

Jessica Lynne White | Physical Therapist & CEO Kickstart Social

Like most entrepreneurs, I didn’t really seek out starting a digital marketing agency business. It kind of found me. I’ve always been a serial entrepreneur and had started several businesses in the past including apparel, social media and I invented scented disinfectant cell phone wipes before i-phones even existed. But I never really cracked the code on a business that I could scale and grow successfully. Read more>>