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.

Mia Alanis

I started Brainfyre Public Relations because I wanted to help great businesses and startups get their stories told. Plus, I wanted to work for myself and build something that I could be proud of. After years of working for other PR firms, I wanted to have an active voice in the types of clients and brands I partnered with. Read More>>

Veronica Vitale

I grew up running through the lava stone streets at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, in the province of Naples, in a town that didn’t really see me. Today, I find myself in rooms where decisions are made, with songs like I AM A WOMAN entering a For Your Consideration campaign with the Recording Academy for the Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change. Read More>>

Makena Sommer Partington

I strive to solve inefficiency or meet the needs of large groups of people through my apps, publications, and soon to be products. This is the reason why I start any of my businesses. Read More>>

Molly Bidman

I wanted the flexibility to be present with my future children but knew that I also wanted to contribute to our financial freedom and show the world that you can be a mom and build a successful business as well. Read More>>

Liana Sepulveda

I started working when I was 15 years old, and between constantly moving around (20 times in 36 years!) and being stressed at almost every customer service job I had in the following years while attending college full-time, I quit my last job and moved in with my paternal uncle and aunt, the latter who helped me learn taxes and bookkeeping while finishing my Associates Degree in Accounting (an unreal privilege and a gift).  Read More>>

Lucas Cury

It came from a mix of passion and instinct. Sports have been a huge part of my life, and I reached a point where I wanted to share that experience with others in a more meaningful way. Starting playing Beach Tennis and the academy felt like the natural next step, turning something I love into something that could impact other people’s lives. Read More>>

Durrell Odom

I started my business so I could create my own opportunities in the professional illustration world. I didn’t know much about the art business let alone, business in general so i kind of aimed to play it a bit conservatively when I first started. I was encouraged by more established artists that I looked up to such as Justin Orr and Ray A. Read More>>

Stephen and Matthew Marinaccio and Cuny

Between us, we have over 50 years of experience in entertainment production working on feature films, television, commercials, documentaries, shorts, animation, and TV news production management. We’ve worked in more than 30 countries on budgets ranging from $300K to $200M. We’ve been on sets with James Cameron, produced for Netflix, Amazon, Paramount, and AppleTV, and managed Emmy award-winning animated series. Read More>>

Thomas Martin

My decision to start my own business came from a combination of personal priorities and professional frustrations. I wanted more time with my kids and greater control over my schedule, rather than being tied to someone else’s structure. Read More>>

Ava Duel

For me, the main thought process behind the brand is how can I help people who have experienced some of the same struggles as I have. I have sensory-issues and this has affected me for as long as I can remember. Read More>>

Anna Slavinsky

Honestly? It started way before nursing. Growing up, I wanted to be an artist, I was drawn to beauty, to creating things, to the way aesthetics could make people feel something. When my family immigrated, that dream got set aside for something more “practical,” and I found my way into nursing. Read More>>

Diego Telles

After working in several kitchens, I realized that I didn’t want to keep working under other people’s parameters; being an employee limited me, so I decided to start my own venture despite all its risks. Read More>>

KBanks

I knew it was going to be hell. I truly feel as if my entire life was all training to give me a vast skillset to venture on my own. I had shifted industries so drastically a number of times, so I knew it was going to be 3-5yrs before I even got to a ground where I felt somewhat stable. Read More>>

Elizabeth Aurora Petersen

Starting GlitchTV came from a mix of frustration, reflection, and ultimately a desire to take control of our own creative futures. The film industry—especially in places like Los Angeles—has been going through a lot of uncertainty, and we found ourselves questioning the long-term path we were on. Read More>>

Jennifer Swann

I started my own business because I saw a need and I knew I could fill it. As the mother of two children with high care needs, I’ve navigated a lot in the past 18 years — everything from medical emergencies and 24-hour medical care with my daughter to significant behavioral and social emotional challenges with my son. I spent years feeling overwhelmed and chronically depleted. I loved my children and I was fiercely committed to providing them both with the best of me, and yet I lost myself in that process.  Read More>>