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.

Jessica Gabard And Alexandra Barillas

We met during our traineeship at graduate school and bonded right away! We worked at a high school and were both so excited to promote change and work in communities that needed mental health support. Although we worked together for a short period of time, we kept in touch and eventually talked about starting our own group practice Read More>>

Derek Lester

My thought process behind starting my own business grew out of a mix of lifelong influences and a desire to meet a genuine need. My parents were always hands-on and entrepreneurial in their own ways, fixing up our home and a rental property as well as staying engaged with the community. Watching them work hard at multiple businesses and volunteering instilled in me this idea that contributing to society means creating something valuable and useful. Read More>> 

Patrice Lester

The thought process behind starting Ebb Tide End-of-Life Doula Service evolved after becoming a hospice volunteer visiting patients nearing their end-of-life journey. Most persons entering hospice are prepared and have their funeral and burial plans in place and also have their financial and other affairs in order, However, that is not the case with the majority of people who have not had to think about such things. Read More>>

 Sean Poe

Really it was a necessity, I started getting work and I was perpetually worried/ wanting to be on the up and up. But the gigs started as just playing music and then that turned into can you play here and suddenly I was working a lot! Read More>>

Christian Carandang

The thought process behind starting Font Row Web Designs came from my lifelong love for creating. I’ve always been drawn to art and design, and there’s nothing more rewarding than taking a blank canvas and turning it into something that helps people. I remember the first time I built a site for someone and saw how it gave their business new life— Read More>>

Derek Raymond

Honestly, starting my own business was about answering a deeper calling to serve others. Around 2019, even though I was working my dream job as an animator in film and TV, I found myself at a real low point—I was overweight, constantly getting sick, and not truly happy. I realized that checking off big career boxes wasn’t enough if I didn’t feel good in my own body and life. Read More>>

 Shawn Arroyo

I was looking for an opportunity to combine my knowledge and drive with those that wanted to receive and excel together as a team. Read More>>

Jason Rabotnick

Being completely honest, I created Everything MH because I wish there was a site like this when I was younger. I’ve persevered through enough battles with my own mental health to know that we aren’t always believed and supported. Undoubtedly, when I was younger (child through young adult), I could have avoided so many hardships if I had more information, access to care, and validation. Read More>>

Alex Drachnik

I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I’m a leader — and when I have an idea, I go for it.

My thought process was pretty simple: I realized I was good at making social media content that gets people’s attention and actually converts. People would constantly ask me for help — brands, friends, business owners — and I thought, okay, there’s clearly a demand for this. So why not create something that helps brands make great content, but backed by someone who’s actually gone viral for doing it? Read More>>

Gabe Tabari

tarting ProShot Media came from noticing a big gap between creativity and how business actually works. I saw so many eCommerce brands in Los Angeles struggling to get high quality product photos or videos without spending a fortune. Most studios were too expensive, and freelancers didn’t always operate in a way that made sense for growing brands. Read More>>

Mike Lichtenfeld

My journey in real estate began in 2018 when I became a Realtor in Costa Mesa. Like many new agents, I struggled to gain traction in a highly competitive market and started exploring ways to expand my skill set. Around that time, I was spending a lot of weekends in Mammoth Mountain and saw firsthand the growth of the short-term rental market. That interest eventually led me to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where I accepted a role as Director of Business Development for a vacation rental management company. Read More>>