Deciding to start a business is an unusual decision. It’s often considered irrational and yet for many it’s the best decision they’ve ever made. So we asked folks to think back to when they were starting their businesses and to tell us about their decision making process.

DANNY APOLLO BRUCE

Two decades ago, I adopted two teenage boys with special needs. It wasn’t just about providing a home, putting a roof over their head and filling their bellies with food…it was about teaching them how to survive, by equipping them with the right tools, how to be accepted, and how to accelerate in a world that doesn’t always make room for differences. Read More>>

Marshall Nyman

Originally I started the business as a side project and never really thought about building a company. At the end of 2019 I was unhappy with where I was at in my career and wasn’t feeling satisfied. The Pandemic ended up being a catalyst for everything since it forced me to take the business seriously. Read More>>

Jerumel Laygo

Starting DoggyBags was simple: I saw a need and decided to fill it. Dogs are facing more health problems than ever, and pet owners want healthier food that doesn’t break the bank. That’s why I created DoggyBags—healthy, affordable meals your dogs need and will love. Read More>>

Ismael De La Sancha Rodriguez

For me, I started JAG Bookkeeping Inc. with the goal of supporting small businesses in my community. I’m passionate about helping people succeed in what they love to do, so they can take care of their families. I also strongly believe that every new business owner deserves to have the right tools to run their business successfully. Read More>>

Trayonna Rankins

Marching Beauties was birthed at a time in my life when I felt empty and unsure of who I wanted to become. I knew the only way to move forward meant I needed to do some healing within. As I started working on myself—learning who I was as an adult and a new mother—I began to uncover layers of my story I hadn’t faced before. Read More>>

Adrienne Nicole Edwards

The ANE Foundation was born out of compassion and a simple desire to help. It started when an unhoused friend mentioned being hungry and having nowhere to go for Thanksgiving. That moment sparked a realization… There were so many others in the same situation, and something needed to be done. Adrienne reached out to a local chef who had access to a private kitchen. Read More>>

Dr. Letitia Johnson-Davis

This is the second iteration of my transformative education consultancy business and at both turns the thinking was the same after working for others: Bet on me. I trust my work ethic. I trust my word. I trust that I will give my best effort to follow through. I trust that I will try. I trust that what I have to share is worthwhile. Read More>>

Bradford Rogne

Starting my own business was more of a natural progression than a grand plan. I began shooting actor headshots from my little Hollywood apartment back in 2002 while also working as a makeup artist for the celebrity clients I was starting to attract. My “studio” at the time was basically my Runyon Canyon-adjacent balcony — good light, tight space, and a lot of determination. Read More>>

Sahara Lotti

In the early 2000s, a friend introduced me to professional lash extensions, and I was instantly hooked. They made me feel confident, beautiful, and unstoppable—but they were also expensive, time-consuming, and inconvenient to maintain. I just wanted to be able to do my own lash extensions. Read More>>

Willow Liu

Ever since I was a child, I’ve dreamed of helping patients find relief from illness. I began my academic journey at Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Materia Medica and a master’s degree in Medicine. My early goal was to develop new drugs derived from traditional Chinese herbs. Read More>>

Chloe Wang

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved crafting. My journey into Happihome truly began during COVID when I moved into a new place and decided to learn how to make my own home decor. That small decision sparked a growing obsession with concrete art and macrame. Weekend after weekend, you could find me at local outdoor markets selling my creations. Read More>>

Amanda Webber

After countless years working toward becoming an architect—and over a decade practicing as one—I realized that the traditional firm model, with its pace, hierarchy, and imbalance, didn’t align with the life or creative integrity I envisioned. Read More>>

Kristen Kamei

Honestly, it began over a decade ago without me realizing it would become a business. Working in the entertainment industry, I’d bake cookies as thank-you gifts for clients when we’d wrap a campaign. I’d also bring homemade treats into the office. At first, I thought people were just being polite—you know, ‘Oh these are great, thanks!’—but then I started noticing they weren’t just being nice. Read More>>

Sun Kim

I started my own dance company during the pandemic, and it felt like there was no more Plan B — it was now or never. The world felt so uncertain, and I realized I couldn’t wait for the “right time” anymore. I had to do what I truly wanted, even if I wasn’t ready — because honestly, who ever is? Read More>>

Brent Thomas

As an organic chemist, I’ve seen firsthand the problems that happen when using synthetic materials. While one synthetic ingredient might solve one problem, they tend to create a whole new set of others in the process. I experienced this myself throughout my lifetime battling my own skin issues. I’d use products that claimed to help, but in reality, they just made everything worse. Read More>>

Irosha Waas

In June 2010, when my daughter Mihindee was born, I decided to give up my career in IT to stay home and care for her. It was the most amazing experience I could have ever dreamed of. On Mihindee’s first birthday, I ordered a cake for the celebration — but unfortunately, it turned out to be a flop. Read More>>

Tom Henkenius

Henkey’s started as both a professional observation and a personal interest. Back in 2014, I began teaching a course at FIDM in its Bachelor of Science in Beauty Business Management program. Read More>>

Caitlin Nicole

I knew I was a jewelry designer before I ever said it out loud. People kept commenting on the pieces I was making, and it just clicked that this was more than a hobby. Starting my own business felt like the natural next step and gave me the space to create in a way that felt true to me. Read More>>

Thomas Kwon Ph.D.

My background is electrical engineering. I worked at a number of startups. One year, my friend’s startup was bought for ~$5million. At the same time Instagram was bought for $1billion. I looked at those numbers and though software is the future. So I started brainstorming and learning apps and websites. I tried to do my own startup. An elearning SAAS. Read More>>

Audrey Tjahjono

I started my photography business because I wanted to make something meaningful again. I’d been working full-time in a high-pressure analytics job, and after months of back-to-back meetings and endless reports, I realized I hadn’t picked up my camera in a long time. It was a gift from my parents in Indonesia, and it had always been how I slowed down and decompressed. Read More>>

Malcolm Perry

When it comes to why I started my own business, it really goes back to my upbringing and the influences I had as a kid. I was always drawn to people who built something from nothing and realized early on that the traditional path of school, job, and retirement just wasn’t for me. Read More>>

Matthew Osborne

Initially I did not want to start my own business. I did not want to lead my teachers school. The thought of all of that responsibility and trying to live up to my teachers, Eric Chen and Deborah Chen, scared the heck out of me. Read More>>

Ruslan Tuaev

I’d say the main thought was to give back. I wanted to give back to the city that gave me so many new opportunities, chances, and connections. Moving to Los Angeles on my own was a big and terrifying decision, but after three years of living here I couldn’t be happier and more thankful for the choice I made. Read More>>

Stacey Fiant

Honestly I had just lost my job working for a flower shop in Santa Barbara, (the shop had new owners) due to the fact that they “were going a different direction with their floral design” so I went on unemployment- and this was in the beginning of Covid- and one day a friend of mine asked me to make an arrangement for her boss’ wife as it was their anniversary an I said yes- Read More>>

Zoya Eghikyan

Before starting my business, I had one clear idea: to create a brand where quality, care, and aesthetics are inseparable. I always dreamed of creating something that would bring value to the community, and now I am on that path. To achieve that dream, I founded Sirooni and Aesthetic by Zoya as clean, honest, and inspiring environments. Read More>>

Gabriela Batres Salinas

One of my lifelong dreams has always been to become an entrepreneur or business owner. As I was growing up, I was uncertain if I was going to ever fulfill that dream or what kind of business I would have. Read More>>

Vijay Anand

Honestly, entrepreneurship has never been easy. Building a business is tough, and building a startup takes that to another level. But even back in school, I loved creating things that made a difference. I actually started my first company in 10th grade—helping a local business manage their inventory software. Seeing how something I built could solve a real problem for someone else was incredibly rewarding. Read More>>

Roberto Prado

For me, it all started with wanting to separate my personal life from my professional one. Getting my LLC organized and opening a business bank account were the first steps. Over time, I began to really understand the benefits of owning your own business, even as a freelancer. I always encourage my peers to set up an LLC if they haven’t already. Read More>>

Quanie

For me, the core of everything I’m building comes down to intentionality. I’ve never been interested in moving fast just to look busy. I move with purpose, even if that means taking the long way. That approach has shaped my acting, my creative work, my music, and now—my wellness brand. Read More>>