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.

Brian O’Sullivan | Singing Comedian & Commercial Actor

When I was 10 years old, I wanted to be Jim Carrey. The idea of making people laugh for a living was always extremely intriguing to me. After getting a degree in theatre from UNC-Greensboro, I moved to Chicago to further hone my skills by studying improv with Second City, iO, The Annoyance Theatre, and Comedy Sportz. I had grand ideas that my acting career was going to just fall into my lap because I had “done the work” and taken all of these classes, and dedicated so much time and energy to the craft. But, shockingly, that is not how an acting career typically goes. Read more>>

Neha Chawla, LCAT, LP, FIPA | Psychoanalyst & Leadership Consultant

I decided to start my own business because I felt that I had a lot to offer. I wear many hats and enjoy utilizing various parts of my mind, from creative to intellectual and the infinite in between! I provide a variety of services including therapy, supervision, instruction, mentorship, coaching and organizational/leadership consulting. With a background in fine art, digital design, marketing & PR, I proceeded to delve into the world of mental health and wellness by completing various requirements to become a licensed Creative Arts Therapist as well as a licensed Psychoanalyst. Read more>>

Steven Rogers | Stand Up Comedian

To be honest, I didn’t see it as starting my own business. I just wanted to be a comedian so badly. Then when I started getting good and being booked more and more I realized it was a possibility, so really my thought process was really just chasing doing my favorite thing all the time and figuring out the rest later. Thank god it worked! Read more>>

Katelyn & Taylor Maes & Henderson | She’s Board Co-Founders

In March of 2020 we were sent home from college. With no job prospects and zero clue what our post-grad lives had in store, we decided to take our future into our own hands. The thought process behind She’s Board started with one major question: what is our community missing? The answer was easy…connection. Our mission was to provide people with a product or service that brought friends and families together during a time when they couldn’t physically be together. From there, we figured that charcuterie is a typical centerpiece at most gatherings, so we decided to put it in a box! Read more>>

Lisa Dunbar Solas | Archaeologist, Artist & Educator

I have always wanted to run a business. As a child, I often saw opportunities to build income streams. Then, in my late teens, I attempted to develop my first business idea, which was to open and run a craft and bookstore. The idea was inspired by my longing to become an author and illustrator. Eventually, I realised that the business wasn’t going to work; I guess it wasn’t the right time and l think I also needed to grow personally. Read more>>

Stella Payton | Real Estate investor

I originally started my business in 1997. Honestly, I didn’t have a great deal of thought going behind it because I didn’t have many other options. In 1992 I found myself with an unplanned pregnancy. I had worked for many years, but decided to have my child. I had saved some funds And withdrew those savings to live off of during my pregnancy. That money soon ran out, and I landed on welfare. Shortly after my child was born. I had a roommate during that time he was an infant. But eventually I had to get out on my own. Read more>>

Christina Anderson | Dancer, Choreograher, Bartender, Manager

My thought behind starting my own business was to become one step closer to freedom. Working for someone else on their terms was always a daunting task for me, so starting my business in the hopes of making sustainable income was my motivation. Read more>>

Ami Vega | Nail Artist

I had always had a passion for nails, starting back in my college days. But back in 2011 I started a tumblr account named El Salonsito and it was just a fun place to show off my hobby of nail art. It quickly garnered a lot of attention, which inspired me to go to nail school and pursue this as a career. Read more>>

Jerome Rogowski | Creative Director/Owner

I, like many college graduates, often don’t know what they want in life. I chose.a business bachelors degree because it seemed to cover many careers.. I landed a job working in the stock brokerage industry, which I followed through to become a trader. After 10 years in this industry, I wanted more creative experiences, so I quit and spent a year exploring ideas. I finally decided, after asking myself,; If money-income weren’t an incentive, what would I do in life?” A retail business was the answer. Read more>>

Sydney Mills | Animator and Creator of Cool Girl Cinema Club

I started Cool Girl Cinema Club because I wanted to build more community in the film-going space. I have no qualms about going to movies by myself, but I realized that there were many others in a similar position and not many opportunities for socializing. Likewise, it seemed like every theater catered to the typical “Film Bro” crowd. When I googled film clubs for women in Los Angeles, I was very surprised to learn that I couldn’t easily find one. I figured “why not do it myself?” and took the plunge in renting out a venue. While I didn’t have event-planning experience, I did have a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in Film/Animation, a day job in the animation industry, and a deep passion for movies. Read more>>

Lara Kempbell | Actress & ArtTech Creator

Since my early days, I have been a passionate observer and practitioner of different kinds of arts. I feel appreciative, since I managed to practice lots of arts as a child, such as ballet and jazz dance, playing the piano and the guitar, and acting in theater plays at school. The truth was, I didn’t want to become merely an actress, or an artist, my inner being drove me to learn more of how to run a show, which happened to be from the inside of the tech industry. It took me 15+ years to get aligned with soul purpose on Earth and wait till technology finally caught up with what I was trying to create. Read more>>

Daeun Cho | Professional Dancer, Dance Instructor, Choreographer

Well, while I don’t technically own a traditional business, I do consider myself an independent contractor and a solo-business person in the field of dance. My journey into this role wasn’t something I initially planned for when I began my dance career. At the start, I simply had a passion for dancing and wanted to hone my skills. Over time, as I underwent professional training and gained substantial knowledge in dance, I started to realize the potential of becoming an independent contractor in the dance industry. Read more>>

Christina Malone Tyson | Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

I knew it was time to start my own business when I was coming home exhausted, stressed, and frustrated with my daily grind. I had been working in outpatient physical therapy clinics for years, letting insurance companies with no medical knowledge dictate how often I could see my patients, what treatments I was authorized to provide to them, and limiting me from addressing multiple body party or diagnoses. I was tired of it. I wanted to use my knowledge and skills to help people reach their physical goals, while being paid better wages and having the freedom to make my own schedule. The only way to do this would to be to go into business for myself. Read more>>

Stephanie Scolman | Owner of Rock’N Paper Co.

It all started during my son’s first year. Faced with a tough choice, I left my job to be a stay-at-home mom. After a few months, my self-identity started to feel lost, and I needed a creative outlet to keep my head straight. I grabbed my iPad and reignited my passion for drawing, something I’d always wanted to do but never found the time. That’s when the flood of small business ideas started pouring in. All those years of hustling and soaking up entrepreneur podcasts at work, were ingrained in me. Read more>>

Atmo Chaitanya | Meditation facilitator

In 2001, I arrived in the United States from Nepal, nestled in the Himalayas, with the intention of pursuing higher education. I developed a deep affection for America, appreciating the unparalleled freedom it offered, the material comforts it provided, and the vast opportunities it presented for individuals to excel in their chosen fields, both professionally and in business endeavors. Yet, I observed a void in America’s spiritual and meditative dimensions. Grateful for the opportunities America had afforded me, I felt compelled to share my own gifts with this land. Read more>>

Connor Austin Jones | Writer-Director; Creator; and Producer

COSIMA was first discussed with my family during a New Years Eve in New York City a few years back. We’re now a production company that highlights the next generation of creatives in film, TV, and stage. Our work has typically focused on queer, diverse voices; helping to bring underrepresented communities to the forefront. As a co-founder, I’ve always been interested in leading a production company, and hope to lead as a studio executive in the future. As a multi-faceted creative, I realized that having a range of interests both behind and in front of the camera would lend myself towards leading a company that would facilitate the devising of my own work. Read more>>

Alex Mendham | Bandleader & Event Music Specialist

Music has always been my life. Growing up, I was never into cricket or football (soccer) like my older brother was. I gravitated towards the arts and culture and spent my early years reading books, studying the saxophone and ultimately forming a band. At the weekends my mother would put on a black and white film, usually a musical from the golden days of Hollywood. I was always thrilled not just by the music but by the glamour and elegance of those wonderful movies. I could sense, even then, that a lot of that magic was missing from today’s world and so my mission has always been to revive some of that sophistication. Read more>>

Antuan Wright | Editor in Chief

Being a Black ex-felon in America would definitely make you invisible to the world but only visible to the police. In the workforce, you wouldn’t stand a chance. It was important for me to take control of my future on my own terms. The jobs I was able to get illustrated exactly what I expected. I experienced racism and disrespect. There’s no way I was going to keep allowing myself to deal with such treatment and have my well-being in question. It was time to put it all on the line. Read more>>

Tom Bagley | Music

There as no thought process. I decided I was going to be a musician when I was young. I had a passion for a passion for music and didn’t sit around thinking about starting a business. Thats not what creative types do. Read more>>

Assel Omirserik | Film director, film producer

I’m a freelance filmmaker, I produce and direct film in LA. I moved here around 2 years ago and started to go to the New York Film Academy to study filmmaking. School gave me great network and amazing opportunities. So I guess, I was forced to start working in productions during my program Read more>>

Melissa Rodriguez | Los Angeles Couple & Wedding Photographer

Starting my own business felt very kismet. I’ve always been interested in photography, but it wasn’t until 2020 and covid times that I started exploring the actual idea of starting my photography business. I had a family member getting married around that time & they asked me to take photos of their wedding day in efforts to keep things intimate due to covid restrictions. I remember spending the entire week leading up to that day studying wedding photography & upgrading my equipment. Read more>>

Agne Balciene | Family, newborn and kids portrait photographer

I wasn’t one of those people who woke up one morning with a passion for becoming a professional photographer. My journey took a long path. It all began about nine years ago when I was living in Switzerland and my daughter was born. Like all mothers, I wanted to capture everything related to my child. I photographed my daughter for our family album —her smiles, first steps, and drawings. Later, I started photographing nature, animals, and people in the city and at events. I did this consistently, but all the photos I kept for myself. Almost five years ago, when my family and I moved to the USA, I wanted to share our experiences with family and friends back in Europe. Read more>>

Thomas F. O’Brien V | Musician, Producer, & Director

It was a tough one – I had dreamed for many years about working for myself before I finally pulled the trigger. It’s scary making that leap but when you do it’s so fulfilling. I have been making a living off of music and video for about 14 years now and so glad I made the switch. It comes with challenges for sure, but that feeling of feast or famine at your own hands is so rewarding. It was born from not wanting to do what people told me anymore and wanting to be creative as often as possible. Read more>>

Donatella Azygous | Entrepreneurial Artist & Tattooer

My thought process behind creating the Azygous Art Haüs was that I wanted to create a new approach to being tattooed. I wanted a studio that felt like an immersive art experience rather than a Tattoo shop. I know for a lot of my clients and a lot of first time receivers of tattoos walking into a traditional tattoo shop can be a rather intimidating experience. I sought to create the antithesis of that by providing clients with a safe, nurturing, private, and inspiring environment in which to receive their ink. Read more>>

Ao Li | Set Designer

Set Designers are essentially storytellers, utilizing space, light and time. Together with likeminded artists, a live performance is created. Each story is different each time and I’ve always wanted to tell stories of my own. Having worked internationally, I started my own studio to create iconic works that speak to the audience beyond the context of culture and geography. Read more>>

Matt Hogan | Designer & Fabricator

I don’t remember exactly when I determined that I wanted to have my own business, but I’ve always had an incredibly independent minded personality and felt I offered clients a unique, creative approach that was not always appreciated or utilized within the confines of some of the companies for which I had worked. There were several times along my development journey in which I tested the idea of striking out on my own, but it took ten years of working various fabrication and fabrication management positions before I felt confident enough to fully commit. Read more>>

Dr. Mallanie Harris | Educator & CEO of The GiftEd Table

To be honest, it has been very intimidating for me to start my own business. I was given the gift of “time” from my former district, my role changed, and so it it allowed me to start creating The GiftEd Table. I have always wanted a platform where I could interview women in various professions about their journey, triumphants, pitfalls and how they recover with grace. The GiftEd Table (TGT) is a way for me to connect with women from domestic engineers (stay-at-home moms) to those winning in the C-Suite. I first started with what would be my purpose, then I curated my four Ps for the business: Purpose, Passion, Position and Profession. Read more>>

Rudy Rubio | Flavor Master

In 2017, I had a life-changing experience. I used to work in the hospitality industry, where getting days off or vacations was extremely rare. In May 2017, one of the managers got fired, leading to a shuffle and adjustment in the schedule. Thanks to this incident, I had four consecutive days off. When I saw this opportunity, I decided to visit my family in Mexico. To make a long story short, I spent four glorious and amazing days with my family. When I returned from this mini vacation, I realized that moving forward, I wanted to have control over my time. Read more>>

Eric Ballance | Founder – Ballance Container Homes

Ballance Containers was created as a pivot business during covid. My family has been in the event space for over 40 years (since 1981) building mobile structures for events such as trade shows, mall kiosks and outdoor events like festivals – the container was one of the build mediums we used for outdoor events. When covid hit the event industry was paused overnight and I needed to create something new. I had been following the container home movement globally for years and it seemed like a natural approach to take my background with containers and my love of home renovations to figure out how container homes actually work. Read more>>