Our community is comprised of some absolutely brilliant entrepreneurs and so we asked a few of them to tell us the story of how they came up with the ideas for their business.

Dominika Podczaska | Cinematographer

My journey into cinematography began when I was a teenager. I remember watching both Krzysztof Kieslowski’s, Brian De Palma’s, Agnes Varda’s, Pedro Almodovar’s, movies and being completely captivated by how the camera captured emotion and movement. It was then that I realized how powerful visual storytelling can be. Movies like “Three colors: Red”, “Scar Face”, “Casualties of War”, Vagabond” or “Carne tremula” ignited a passion for exploring human nature and how stories are told through images. Read more>>

Davud Altrogge | Filmmaker

I never wanted to be a business owner. In college, I interned at a production company in DC that specialized in reality TV. Their main show was something like Small Space, Big Style, if I remember right. I got to know the owner, and he was constantly stressed. I remember thinking, I will never own a business. All I wanted was to make movies, and I didn’t see what running a business had to do with that. Read more>>

Ann Hatch | Ceramic Artist

After starting a nationally recognized nonprofit, an artist-in-residency program for 15 years called Capp Street Project in San Francisco, and then starting a high school semester art program in Napa called Oxbow School for 25 years, I opened a unique retail store working with artists to make useful, small editioned object called Workshop Residence for 9 years. Then covid came…. Read more>>

Erin Zipse | Actress

Honestly, this is one of those things where giving up is not an option. The acting industry is EXTREMELY hard. There are days where I am questioning whether I’m good enough, or whether I’m making the right decision being in the industry. It would be so much easier to work a practical job full-time, and then at least I would have some free time to relax when I am done with the 9 to 5. But I can’t. I can’t give up on acting. There is something, whether it be the universe or who knows what, that has drawn me to acting since I can remember. A need to perform, to tell stories, to create lives.  Read more>>

Juliette Ho | Colorist

For a long time, I always believed in the “never give up” ethos. Growing up in an academic-intensive environment, I was trained in this mentality in school and at home from a young age. Whenever I faced difficulties or challenges, I would try my best to overcome them with hard work and perseverance. One of the most important things I learned from film school is that things do not always go your way and sometimes we have to embrace our spontaneity and limitations. Because there will always be something imperfect on a film set or in a color session, whether is it a lack of money or time or technical difficulty, and we realize that things are not what we imagined they would be. Read more>>

Logan Stone | Film Director

If I gave up, I would probably just start trying to do what I’m doing now in the future anyway, so giving up isn’t really an option. I have realized that this is what I’m supposed to do with my life, so if I gave up, it would be like I’m giving up on my life. The intense desire and visions I’ve had from the start of this process (even earlier) are all the confirmation I need to know that I’m meant to do this. Read more>>

Houman Mahboubi | Senior Vice President, High Street Retail

You never give up! You may adapt your strategy and take creative approaches to address challenges as they arise, but you always persevere. Every situation that presents itself does so with a purpose, as there is always a specific solution to each circumstance. Read more>>

G Potter | Celebrity Personal Assistant

You’ll know. It’s something that you are either taught or learned as a child. That instinct deep in your gut that tells you to “keep going” Wether it’s getting bullied on the playground, not understanding the dynamics of solving math problems, or just making a basic decision to go left or right on your journey. Don’t get me wrong, I”ve given up many times, but deep down, I knew I had to make the choice to keep going. I have had many jobs while traveling on this moving rock.  Read more>>