Starting and growing a business is hard, but often deciding to start the business in the first place is even harder. We asked some successful entrepreneurs from around the community to open up to us about how they thought about starting a business.

Lin Yaungni

I never really set out to be in the concert promotion business. Bad Taste started as a small backyard Halloween show with some local musicians I became friends within the SoCal DIY music scene. As the date got closer, I started getting bombarded with messages from other up-and-coming local bands asking if they could play any future shows. That’s when I realized how many insanely talented young artists in the DIY community were just trying to be heard. Ever since, I’ve made it my mission to uplift local artists by creating spaces where musicians can perform their original music to people who are dying to discover something new. A million backyard shows wouldn’t be enough to showcase all the raw talent in SoCal — but I’m determined to try, one show at a time Read More>>

Shara Mays

I wanted to have autonomy not only over my career but also over my mission and my values. One feels this immensely if they are a visual artist or any other creative kind. When I worked for others, I had to compromise on many things to complete a project. As a result, many of the projects I cared so much about—because I am an empath— in corporate settings got diluted and reduced to the most trivial of ideas. I wanted to stay true to my ideas and to experiment with them, and even if they weren’t successful, at least I would have tried. I wanted my ideas to flow into the world unburdened. Read More>>

Kristin Beierle

I knew I wanted to create a one stop shop for wellness in the community. Understanding that growth would take time, I planned to take on a DIY approach until I was able to outsource specific tasks and responsibilities in order to let the business grow organically. Read More>>

 Roger Fuentes

I’m a second-generation contractor—building has always been in my family. I knew early on that I wanted to be in business, so when the time was right, I started in the trades working alongside my uncle. We were a small crew of four, handling commercial restaurant tenant improvement projects from start to finish—everything from demolition to final paint touch-ups. It was during this time that I gained extensive hands-on construction knowledge. Read More>>

Brian Park

I’ve always believed that the best businesses aren’t just about selling a product but about crafting an experience. From the start, I wanted K PhotoLaVie to be a place where people don’t just take pictures—they create memories. The inspiration came from seeing how self-photo studios in Korea weren’t just popular but had become a cultural phenomenon. I saw an opportunity to bring that experience to the U.S. but in a way that was more immersive, more personal, and more connected to local communities. Read More>>

Donshay Watkins

Honestly it was really taking a chance on myself, I had no plans of turning it into a business when I first started it was more so being hyped and proud people would pay for my work but the process became necessary once it became full time. Read More>>

Xyanella Parris-wong

I started my business because, as a child, I hated the hairstyles my mom gave me and always wished for more modern looks. Growing up, I also had the privilege of watching my nanny, Aunty Vanda, braid and do other people’s hair every day. I fell in love with seeing her creativity and the skill it took to transform someone’s look. To practice, I would do my doll’s hair, experimenting with different braids and styles. This hands-on experience fueled my passion, and even before becoming an adult, I started making money by offering my hairstyling services. It was a passion that grew from childhood frustrations, experiences, and practice into a business that I love today. Read More>>

Jay Oh

I’ve dreamed of opening my own restaurant for many years. My original plan was to make it happen before turning 40, but here I am, finally opening at the age of 49. I knew very well that running a business would be physically demanding and mentally exhausting, but I wanted to challenge myself to grow, to learn, and to see what I’m truly capable of. Read More>>

Laura Weinbach

I come from a family where entrepreneurship is highly valued. My dad is an entrepreneur who wrote screenplays in his earlier years and after his first success in selling one, used that money to buy inexpensive (at the time) land in the Hollywood Hills. He then built the house I grew up in on that land as well as two other homes enabling him to generate income without having to be part of the 9 to 5 hustle. My mother comes from a family that valued education and music. Read More>>

Octavia Morgan

My journey to creating OCTAVIA MORGAN Los Angeles was deeply personal, rooted in a lifelong love for fragrance, self-expression, and clean beauty. I’ve always believed that scent has the power to evoke emotions, transform moods, and tell a story and I wanted to create a brand that allowed people to experience that freely, without limitations. Read More>>

Wells Davis

I had been working in advertising for 20 years as a Strategist and was the Chief Strategy Officer and partner at David & Goliath Advertising.. We got bought out and I decided I can use my experience to start my own consultancy. The Davis Conspiracy. Read More>>

Samara Sin

At the time I started drag I was actually a psychiatric nurse working full time both on the psych floor at a hospital as well as a specialized clinic. Once the COVID pandemic happened I spent more time working then I ever did at home, and I basically tried to find something to distract my mind that would allow me to disconnect from the reality of the world, and for me, that was Drag. It soon just became such a love for me that it became something I truly NEEDED to do. Read More>>

Alexandra Gasia

Starting my pet services business was a deeply personal decision. After decades in healthcare, I experienced burnout and realized I wanted to keep helping others but in a way that truly resonated with me. My 14-year-old Yorkie, who has been with me through every chapter of my life, showed me just how much love and attention pets need. I saw firsthand how difficult it can be to find reliable, personalized care, and that’s what inspired me to create PawsomeBud. I wanted to offer pet owners the same level of trust and one-on-one care that I expect for my own dog, ensuring their pets feel safe, loved, and well cared for while they’re away Read More>>

Camille Bernardi

Growing up I was always surrounded by food and people cooking. I loved the way it brought people together, how it made people happy. It created some of my most unforgettable memories by sitting together at a table, laughing and eating. My dad and I would cook together and make his famous pizza crust to sell to some of the best Argentinian restaurants in LA. He then opened his own restaurant in Miami and I always loved helping him cook. At seven years old, he would give me a piece of pizza dough and I would make my own little pizzas and go around the restaurant handing them to servers. It always made me so happy when they would eat it and smile. That is where my passion started. Read More>>

Maxamil

My business started with the power of boredom. Watching my friends go to college and I’d yet to find my lane I was filled with nothing but boredom. All i knew was that I was filled with creativity and I could make visions come to reality. So with that I began aimlessly drawing on t shirts, I’d already had a love for fashion but creating was the next level. The way I felt after making that shirt I haven’t looked back since. Read More>>

Jason Ellis

It honestly felt like a very natural step in my career path. I worked at CAA, Entertainment 360 and then MarVista Entertainment. I always enjoyed being a representative and then my experience at MarVista helped affirm my passion to produce and flex more of a creative muscle, which led me to deciding to launch my own company Eclipse Management & Entertainment. There of course was a bit of a fear factor when I was deciding to go off on my own, but I remember looking at my wife and she even told me that I knew what I was doing and sometimes you have to bet on yourself to move your career forward, which is exactly what I did. It’s been 5 years now and so far so good! Read More>>

Vale Grille

I have always been a good student; I love learning and doing things as well as possible. I had always imagined myself as a successful engineer, but when dance entered my life, everything started to change. I fell so deeply in love with this art that I began dedicating more and more of my time to it. As I progressed both in my country and internationally, I found myself struggling between what I had always envisioned for my future and what I truly wanted. Read More>>

Keon Brunson

At the age of 14, entrepreneurship wasn’t initially thought of. I knew that I had a gift, and I was motivated by the pioneers ahead of me and whatever success they had, I strived for. It wasn’t until I moved to Atlanta, Ga, from South Carolina in 2007 that I truly understood the potential of success as a hairstylist. Since then, 20+ years in the game. I’ve strived to be the best business professional I could be, and it gets better as the years go by. Read More>>

Yvette Marie

I came from a family of entrepreneurs, so it was very natural to me. I’m always someone that was pretty fearless and felt like I wanted to create my own company. Read More>>

Marina Lohova

At my previous corporate job, I didn’t have a lot of sense of purpose. It was missing. It was extremely gratifying to be a part of huge releases such as EVgo charging app or Spotter Creator Studio for Youtube, which I had an honor to be a part of as a software engineer. Despite all my success I don’t think I ever fully belonged to the corporate world with its rules and politics. I have always been a free thinker and an artsy freak and that is how people would describe me my entire life as “creative” and “having artistic vision”. Read More>>

Veronica Chavez

One of the ideas behind being able to start my own daycare business was that i had enough room in my recently bought home. The process was first gaining our state license and with this license i would then be able to be my own boss with the possibility of being able to gain unlimited amount of monies. Read More>>

Chimeka Crawford

I was thinking that Ive been blessed with gifts in this life and therefore have a responsibility to share and use them. I have many talents and was looking for a way to live them out all at once. Starting my own business was a way to put everything to work for me. I thought id best not waste time working for anyone else when I knew my souls mission. My purpose is strongly rooted in community, connection with the divine and find balance between spirituality and modern society. Starting a business is activism, it’s forging my own way. In a time when others cling tight to their 9-5s out of fear of the unknown. Read More>>

Evan Deng

I started Family Video Store™ in 2022 as a creative collective for artists & storytellers representing black, indigenous, queer & Asian creatives within the film, music & entertainment industry. Although the landscape of Hollywood is slowly shifting, it’s important to continue demanding diversity, equal representation, and increased visibility for BIPOC filmmakers.

Through our marketing, newsletters, and assortment of music videos over the years, Family Video Store™ is bridging the gap between industry gatekeepers and music / film independents. Read More>>

Maya Kaspi

Honestly the thought process was fairly simple. I had a ton of ideas that I knew I wanted to build something with. I had been working for a digital marketing agency that I loved for a few years but I still felt like I wasn’t doing my dream job. My goals started to consume me and I realized it was time to build something fully focused on my true passion. I have always loved being a fan and my heart lies within working and improving the fan experience. I knew since I was a young age that I eventually wanted to start a company of my own so that I could build something from the ground up exactly the way I wanted to, it just took me some time to narrow down exactly what I wanted the focus to be. When creating the Blueprint Stan Experience the goal was simple and that was I wanted to spend the rest of my life being a fan and working to create an atmosphere of magic. Read More>>

Lida Mehrabi

Starting Gloss & Glam wasn’t just about opening another hair salon—it was about creating a luxury beauty experience that blends expert artistry with wellness and self-care.

When I moved to the U.S., I had to start over from scratch, leaving behind a successful salon business I had built in Iran. I worked tirelessly to rebuild my career, learning the local market, beauty trends, and business landscape. While working in different salons, I noticed a gap—most places focused only on hair services, but very few prioritized scalp health, relaxation, and the full self-care experience. Read More>>