Thinking through whether to start a business – whether to take the risk, whether to go out on your own – isn’t easy. So we asked some entrepreneurs we admire to tell us about how they thought through the process of starting a business.

Jake Ferree | Band Leader & Song Writer

It’s interesting that you use the word business. We are a band first and foremost but a business none the less. Performing, writing, recording and working together for shows, festivals, and social media is a full time gig. Sometimes its unrelenting but thats the entertainment industry at large. All of us come from different backgrounds and different walks of life. Read more>> 

Tianze Edward Sun | Filmmaker/Editor/Producer/Post Supervisor

In April 2023, a strike swept through Hollywood. This large-scale strike affected the entire film and television industry, creating a challenging environment with a lack of projects to work on, which put pressure on every industry professional, including us, the young graduates. At the same time, mini-series, which had been gaining momentum since 2022, entered a period of explosive growth. Read more>>

Zoe Phillips

Honestly, I always grew up wanting to be successfull in WHATEVER it was that I was going to do. I have also always been the person that tries everything. I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a long time after I graduated from college. I graduated with my Athletic Training degree and became and Athletic trainer at Physical Therapy clinic and then I thought about going back to school to get my doctorate and become a Physical Therapist but I kept going back and forth debating if I wanted to go back to school or not. Read more>>

Lindsay Langsdale

Brick and Mortar Studio emerged during the pandemic, opening its doors in August 2021. Prior to this venture, I had served as an operations manager for a larger San Francisco studio but found myself furloughed and later laid off in January of that year. Determined to establish a new creative space outside my kitchen and secure a steady income for rent, I started the journey toward studio ownership with just $2000 in my bank account. Read more>>

Yan Chang

Business ownership has been an enriching journey for me. While I’m uncertain of the tangible returns, the experience I’ve gained is invaluable. Learning how to solve problems in entrepreneurship is crucial. Starting a business reveals just how challenging it is to persist until success. There are countless moments when giving up seems tempting, but persistence is key to achieving success. Read more>>

Michaelle Valcourt

My thought process in starting my own scrub brand began with a combination of personal experience and wanting to add a little dazzle in the healthcare industry. As a healthcare professional, I was constantly trying to find a scrub that gave that first impression, you know something different. I would go to work, with joggers, looking like “knicker bockers”. Read more>>

Visual Venture

I was working a job that I hated. Then the pandemic hit. Because of this, I ended up taking a leave from work and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Determined to “work for myself”, I dove into researching online businesses. I tried starting a couple of different businesses, but I didn’t feel passionate about them. I was making money, but I wasn’t making a difference. Then I had an idea… Read more>>

Nina Hajian

About seven years ago, while living in New York, I fell very ill. After a long and challenging journey, I discovered that a food allergy was the culprit—I’m allergic to red dye! I used to buy watermelon from the bodega every morning, and it turns out some of it was injected with red dye for coloring. This wreaked havoc on my body. This experience sparked a deep interest in using food and spices as medicine. I began gravitating towards the flavors of my childhood, like cardamom, which I used to reduce inflammation.  Read more>>

Gennessee

I started Noble House Records in 2000 in San Francisco. We were coming out of the Golden Era of Hip-hop, pressing our own vinyl and CD’s and selling them all over the world. I had an amazing roster of artists I was producing and I was getting ready to release my first album, “The Years of My Life”. We had already established Noble House as a crew and family. It was time to get incorporated. Read more>>

Erika Williams

I’ve always loved the idea of creating and transforming pieces into something uniquely mine. I still have some of my grandmother’s items in my closet, which I think are so cool, but I needed to rework them to fit my style. That process was so enjoyable that I wanted to continue doing it. During college, I used to go thrift and vintage shopping, and I loved finding unique gems that were unlikely to be found elsewhere. It gave me a different feeling than shopping at the mall, where everything looks the same. Read more>>

Dario Tobia

As an Italian, I grew up appreciating the high standards of our manufacturing industry. We are known for our meticulous attention to detail, quality of ingredients, and the aesthetics of our products. This dedication to perfection is a source of pride, but it can sometimes cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture, such as effective commercialization, marketing, and logistics. Read more>>

Litas Li

It’s straightforward: I wanted to be different and create a life that hasn’t been written yet. Let me explain further. I grew up in China, where I was surrounded by a collectivist culture, but I was never interested in centralized values. From a young age, I always wanted to be myself and do something different. Whether it was the music I listened to or the clothes I wore, I sought uniqueness. Read more>>

Arthur SIMONIAN

I always wanted to be my own Boss doing something I love and that is also close to my French culture. I loved cooking since I am a kid, so I decided to open an authentic French crepe catering business in LA.
I grew up eating crepes at least once a week in Paris, especially when I was a student. I decided to bring those flavors I was used to in this amazing city of Angels. Read more>>

Phylicia Yates

My decision to start my own lash extension business stemmed from my personal experiences as a client. I was a regular at various salons, frequently getting my lashes done, but often found myself not entirely satisfied with the results. I realized that the outcomes didn’t always meet my expectations, which sparked a desire in me to address this gap. Read more>>

YLVA LILJEFORS

Growing up in a home filled with paintings and with art ingrained in my system since childhood, I was surrounded by creativity. It was natural for me to follow in the footsteps of my father, and great-grandfather, Bruno Liljefors. I have always drawn, for as long as I can remember. My journey, when it comes to business, began with designing stage costumes for brands and rock singers, which ignited a deep passion within me. Read more>> 

Brenda Garcia

I’d love to say that owning a business has been my plan for a long time, but truthfully, it wasn’t. In 2019, I was diagnosed with Lupus, which unfortunately forced me to leave my career behind. I took some time off to fully commit to understanding and managing my new diagnosis. After spending some time away from the corporate world, I felt a bit lost. With a background in Architecture and Interior Design, and having been a Creative Director for many years, I wasn’t sure returning to the industry was ideal given my health concerns. Read more>>

Scottie

To be honest, I’ve always struggled with the idea of working under someone else’s guidance and conforming to a traditional 9-to-5 structure. I’ve found that my creativity and productivity thrive when I’m given the freedom to think outside the box and bring my unique perspective to the table. Starting my own business was a way for me to break free from the constraints of a conventional work environment and tap into my full potential. Read more>>