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.

Lining Bao

As I progressed in my early career as a photographer, I started receiving requests from clients to expand my services beyond portrait photography into commercial work, covering events like concerts, conferences, and exhibitions. This unexpected demand sparked my interest in a new track that I hadn’t initially considered, and I found it both challenging and rewarding. Read more>>

David Goldman & David Gabriel Sapo Studios | Sapo Studios Co-Founders

We started the Sapo Studios podcast as a way to meet other creatives and dig into what it means to turn your passion into a career. That turned into a forum where not only could our audience learn, but so could we, about the secrets to finding success. Additionally, the podcast served as a way for us to further network in Los Angeles, and collaborate with other individuals on a similar journey to ours. Read more>>

Carlos Cuauhyolotl Jaquez | Chef/ Owner of Birria pa la Cruda

In 2019 I was working as a butcher at Otium and like any (most ) people in this industry , I needed to make more money to support myself and my goals. My schedule at the time allowed for me to have weekends off and I saw that as an opportunity to start doing something on the side. I wanted to do something more or rather something different than the classic LA taqueria selection, maybe specialize in something specific. Birria had been a part of my upbringing, but not as tacos. Birria was something that you had on Sundays, it was always served in a bowl with its respected condiments and tortillas on the side, i remember as a kid its what the adults would have to aid their hangovers. I could use Saturdays to prep and Sundays to set up and sell tacos. I spent almost an entire year developing the recipe that we use today. Read more>>

Eddie Mickenberg | Interior Design Business Owner

I didn’t have any intention of owning a business after receiving an interior design degree 15 years ago. I thought I would maybe work for design firms all of my life. After graduating I have worked for established interior design firms who focus on luxury residential remodel and design work. I fell in love. Since then every move I have made for 15 years has been consistent and I have been fully focused and committed to only interior design by will, because of how much I love this creative industry. I have learned so much working for other businesses that allowed me to see the business side of things that you don’t learn in school. What I want to do for myself and what I don’t want for myself. Read more>>

Jessica Lima | Artist and Entrepreneur

Well, I can say that it was a mix of self-discovery and the desire to create something meaningful. I have always had a passion for self-care, and so I created LaTerra, which is my natural cosmetics brand. Later, I also started doing creative mentoring, and I realized that I could transform this passion into an impactful project. The first step was to understand my values ​​and what I wanted to offer the world, which led me to seek solutions that reflected authenticity and connection with people through my photography and audiovisual skills. I also thought a lot about the needs of the market, trying to find a way to combine my skills with what people really needed. Read more>>

Dr. Rona, Psyd | Mind-Body Psychologist & Certified Yoga Practitioner

Starting my own business really stemmed from being in a place in my life where I was going through some life transitions already (personally). I was in a season of change and had been craving change in my professional life as well. Starting my own business was a scary leap of faith. In a lot of ways I was leaving behind a sense of stability and security. I did a lot of reflecting and tuning in to myself, trying to bring more clarity into the stage of life I was in and how I was envisioning my life moving forward. What led me to starting my own business was a desire for more authentic alignment to who I am. Read more>>

Maclaine Farrell | Owner of online boutique, Vyvacious

I attended the University of Alabama from 2014-2018. When I entered college I had around 5000 Instagram followers, and throughout my time there, my following continued to grow. It was all very organic. I had joined a sorority, was attending football games & constantly posting my day to day lifestyle & outfits. I have always been into fashion and putting together cute outfits. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I remember hitting 10k followers and naturally, brands started to reach out about collaborating. Read more>>

Kim Etheredge | co-founder and co-owner of Mixed Chicks

The idea for my brand really came from a personal place. Growing up in Los Angeles, a bi-racial girl with “combination” hair, finding the right product to style my desired look was never consistent. My bathroom looked like a beauty supply store! Shopping products from the “general” aisle that “dry” the hair out due to their ingredients and products from the “ethnic” aisle that contained a bit too much oil, didn’t allow me to have the flawless, free flowing style I craved in this “fun in the sun” city. Read more>>

Raphael Jay Peter Lee | Chef Owner

When I started OITOM, I was deeply inspired by the rich culinary heritage of Sabah and the potential of local ingredients. My thought process was to create a dining experience that not only offers fine cuisine but also tells the story of our local culture. By using ingredients from the sea to the mountains and collaborating with local farmers, I wanted OITOM to celebrate and sustain the unique flavors of Sabah while supporting small-scale producers. Read more>>

Elysabeth Lamoureux | Travel Blogger

I started traveling internationally back around 2021 and absolutely loved it the first country I went to, besides Mexico and Canada, was Italy with a girlfriend of mine. After that I started to realize that Traveling brought me a lot of joy and made me feel more fulfilled as a person. The idea that I could go somewhere and learn about things that are completely different than when I grew up around him to see them first hand for myself to make my own thoughts and ideas from what I’m personally experiencing versus what other people have experienced with something that I really enjoyed and that I really love about traveling. Read more>>

Jessica Almaraz | Florist & Owner of Final Girl Florals

After working retail for 10+ years I felt stuck and I wasn’t getting the creative fulfillment I craved. I always made bouquets for other people as gifts but never thought about it as a career until stumbling upon some amazing florists on Instagram. I wanted to incorporate my own style and provide flowers for those who have the same niche interests, the alternative & horror community, and everyone in between. That’s how Final Girl Florals was born. Read more>>

Akeallah Blair | filmmaker director

I became an entrepreneur at 6 years old, crazy right?! In elementary school I identified a problem, it was hard to remember everyone’s phone number by the time I got home to my landline. So I created ” Calling Cards” for my friends. My dad used his computer skills to place a photo of the person, a catchy phrase and their name and number. I gave out my Calling Cards to get the other kids excited, but they didn’t like it ha! That was my first failed business and I’ve been using the trial and error style ever since. Currently as an independent filmmaker, I am an art-repreneur. All of the lessons I’ve learned about creativity, marketing, and tenacity have helped me create each and every project. Read more>>

Umer Hameed | Business Development

I’ve always liked the idea of working for myself and being creative. I saw there was a big demand for custom apparel—whether it’s for businesses, events, or personal use. I wanted to offer more than just basic products; I wanted to help people create something unique. That’s how Merchcraft came about. It’s about delivering high-quality screen printing and embroidery while making the process easy for our clients. Read more>>

Juliet Guisasola Drummond | Social Media & Brand Development Specialist

The inspiration for starting my own business came from my extensive journey in the health and wellness industry. Since 2008, I dedicated myself to teaching yoga, pilates, and fitness, believing it would be my lifelong path. However, the pandemic forced a dramatic shift to online platforms, and I had to adapt quickly. At the same time, becoming a mother transformed my perspective on life and work. Read more>>

Jeff Pride | Actor and Owner of Self-Tapes Here

During the pandemic the entire audition process for actors changed. Instead of mostly in-person auditions and a few self-tapes, it became all self-tapes and Zoom. I spent some time researching cameras and lighting and set up a nice little home studio for my own auditions. There seemed to be a convergence of my fifteen years of acting experience coupled with having control over the self tape and I started booking a lot during the pandemic. My actor friends soon started asking me for help with their self-tape auditions. Eventually, I started getting calls from my friends’ agents and managers and that’s when I thought I might have a business. I wanted a straightforward, slightly humorous name for my business and decided on “Self Tapes Here.” Thankfully it’s continued to grow and now I am very busy doing something that I love: helping and working with actors. Read more>>

Monika Spruch | Monika Spruch – Mrs. Europe Global 2024 I Certified Soprano Singer | Founder of Catwalk Opera

As a certified soprano singer, model, and entrepreneur, I’ve always been deeply passionate about both music and fashion. My career journey began as a fashion model, which gave me insight into the world of beauty, creativity, and production. But my love for opera and the arts was always a driving force in my life. When I founded Catwalk Opera, my goal was to blend these two worlds—fashion and opera—into a unique and captivating experience. Read more>>

Doreen Santos | Doreen Dee Photography. Photographer

My thought process behind starting my business was the love for capturing a moment. The one thing that stuck out to me as a kid was looking at all the photos my parents had a box in the closet. I found so much joy looking at photos from the past. Till this day it is something me and my kids love to do. As a photographer, knowing you are going to be apart of families history is such a rewarding experience. In 2020 I became a single mother. Going from a two person income household to one was a scaring thought. My photography business was something I did part time. I really put all into my business for it to grow. I started investing in myself. Read more>>

Valentina Medini | Life Coach & Creator

It has always been more of an internal calling, I am a multifaceted person and I have always felt that I could bring together all my passions and skills to create something that would bring success and satisfaction to me and concrete help out there. Read more>>

Destiny Johnson | Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (English/Spanish)

My primary motivation for starting my own business was to provide services that are truly culturally responsive and centered around the unique values and beliefs of each family. I wanted to create a space where understanding family dynamics and honoring those differences were at the forefront of the care we provide. Additionally, I strongly believe that parent coaching is integral to a child’s progress. Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers, so I wanted to ensure that my services focused on empowering families to take an active role in their child’s development. This holistic and family-centered approach is what drives everything we do at my clinic. Read more>>

Brianna (Foxy- it’s my nickname but also the name my clients know me by ) Officer

I started my own business because I literally had no other choice. I had just moved back to TN from LA and I returned to the salon I had worked for previously. About 3 months in, we learned that the owner had been mishandling the money; the rent as well as the staff were not being paid. It was the beginning of the holiday season and we had to close the doors . At that point in my career, I knew I had to woman up and stop dodging the responsibility. Read more>>