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.

J Stemmons (aka Garfield Adams) | Mixing + mastering engineer

our family philosophy behind entrepreneurship grew from multiple concepts in our household really converging all at once. specifically, the fact that our family and home life is just hyper creative. I produce, record, mix, master and consult in my space, my wife has repurposed a portion of our home into a photography studio and she is a photographer, web and graphic designer, video editor who also makes music in her space. plus, our daughter is currently in a visual arts charter school with ambitions of becoming a bit of a hybrid of us two as an animator, illustrator, vocalist, producer. Read more>>

Jose Dominguez | Caterer

The thought process behind starting my own business was a combination of passion, problem-solving, and strategic planning. Firstly, I identified a gap in the market where I could offer a unique product or service that would benefit my target audience, since the main ideas was to sell a good dessert on the street, we needed to be something easy to prepare and that didn’t require a large amount of money to invest. This would include a crepe cart, and truck to move my equipment. Read more>>

Jojo Nessim | Brand Owner

Starting my own business was definitely a scary and uncertain journey at first. There was always that fear of not knowing whether it would succeed, or if people would connect with the idea. But despite those uncertainties, I truly believed in the potential of sun catchers. I’ve always felt that they add something special to people’s lives—transforming ordinary spaces into places filled with light, color, and positivity. I wanted to share that experience with others and create a brand that could bring joy and beauty into homes and workplaces. Ultimately, I realized that if I didn’t take the leap, I’d always wonder ‘what if?’ Read more>>

Alla Chiara Luzzitelli | Artist

There was a time in my adolescence when I played a lot of sports, I did it because I needed to let off steam and somehow get rid of everything I had to hold back in the past, at a certain point physical activity was no longer enough because I realised that the real outlet I needed was an emotional one. I was 14 years old and I was hungry for life, to know myself as a person, as a woman, as a child and as an adult. In my past I had to become an adult too quickly so there was no good time to manage my growth. It started with photography, but the art I had always loved but had not mastered was writing. Read more>> 

Nora Stefanescu | Hypnotherapist and Alignment Coach

I wanted to be independent, I’ve had an entrepreneurial spirit since I was a kid. I’ve always liked the idea of being free to make my own schedule, travel when I desire, and being the one who has the say where my energy goes and how it is being utilized in the most efficient and fulfilling way. Read more>>

Nolan Richards | Musician – Drummer (also Bassist/Guitarist)

Well, I’ve always wanted to be a musician. I remember like if it was yesterday, I was four years old, And I was watching the KISS MTV Unplugged from 1995, on their Kissology DVD’s and since then, I knew that I wanted to do this. A few years later, when I was around 14, I understood that musician was one of the hardest job to do on this planet. So, I was like…let’s move to Los Angeles! I finally got in LA in 2022. And I didn’t speak English at all, so I was taking classes every day to learn the language. Read more>>

Ginelie Mendieta | Neighborhood Clown/Eclectic Facepainter/Healthcare Worker

I knew coming into the new year that I wanted to commit to a shift in my perspective on life and all the things that make it wonderful. I wanted to become intentional about navigating through my limiting beliefs. I think I often held myself back from getting into facepainting sooner because I thought “well, I didn’t go to beauty school so maybe not yet” or “what if I’m bad at it?”, and other things of the sort. I’ve always been attracted to makeup, changing my appearance, expressing myself through my wardrobe and hair. Facepainting was something I would do on myself every Halloween and having been a theater kid in high school, the seed of interest for the art of facepainting was always there. Read more>>

Jing Yang | Research Scientist, Ph.D. in Computer Science

The idea for Paper Copilot was inspired by a pressing need to better understand how technology, particularly artificial intelligence, is evolving across academia and industry. As AI continues to reshape our world, I recognized the growing demand for a platform that could provide clarity on its development—tracking advancements through metrics like publication keywords, frequency, and affiliations. While AI is currently a major focus, it’s only one part of a much larger vision. The ultimate goal for Paper Copilot is to create a platform that tracks technological progress across all fields in real-time, offering comprehensive insights into innovation trends and their impact. Read more>>

Jessica Strong | Entrepreneur & L.E.O.

Cristal and I were both born and raised in Orange County, California and met while we were attending college at the Fashion Institute of Deseign and Merchandising (F.I.D.M.). After graduating we always talked about starting our own clothing line. We talked about it for years and our vision for our brand gradually evolved. After spending time living in different states, traveling and finding our niche in our careers, it finally felt like the right time to turn our clothing line talks into reality.  Read more>>

Reese Darlington | Real Estate Developer & Entrepreneur

When I founded Darlington Design Build in 2020, my thought process was driven by a passion for luxury remodeling and an unwavering commitment to quality craftsmanship. I had already spent years in the construction industry, managing multimillion-dollar commercial multifamily projects and retail developments across the country for a venture capital firm focused on large-scale projects. This experience gave me invaluable insights into handling complex projects, collaborating with diverse teams, and delivering exceptional results. Read more>> 

Megan Mcpherson | Small Business Owner

I really wanted to start a brand that encompassed a fun and beautiful aesthetic at a more attainable price point that other products I was seeing. Cafe Meggo is about quality over quantity and in a world where we’re constantly being pushed to buy more and more, I wanted to offer products that feel like a special purchase but don’t break the bank. Read more>>

Ishani Vyas | Manicurist & Small business owner

I have always been interested and passionate about designs and arts from very young age. I was always really good at doing paintings and crafts in school. When I started attending college for Business degree nothing was setting right in my mind what I wanted to pursue in College. I learned about being manicurist where I can apply my passion of art thru nails. I finished my manicurist course at Chattanooga Cosmetology College. I started in this field via doing various rolls from being a receptionist and working at a nail salon over the years. Read more>>

Vanessa Hernandez | Certified Massage Therapist- Youth Sports Injury Prevention Advocate

My thought process behind starting my own business began with my experience working with adult clients. While I enjoyed helping them, I started to notice a gap in the care available for youth athletes. Preventative care for kids is often overlooked, and when it is available, it’s either too expensive or only offered after an injury occurs. This realization hit close to home when my son suffered a growth plate separation in his shoulder. He was fortunate to receive proper care, with his orthopedic doctor, physical therapist and the home care he received through me. I realized that not every family has access to the level of support my son received. Read more>> 

Dr. Sara Chaudhry | Psychologist & EMDR Psychotherapist & Consultant

Becoming a psychotherapist was not on my long list of careers I wanted to pursue. I thought I would be a lawyer. After finishing my first year of law school, I started a summer internship, excited to dive into the legal world. But I quickly realized something was off. While I loved studying law, the actual work was miserable, and everyone around me was miserable. I knew I wanted to be happy, not miserable and hating my work. I had two major issues: find new career and tell my family I was dropping out of law school. Read more>>

Dee Simon | Podcaster/ Cruise Ship Magician

Back in 2006, after a few years as the night DJ on Rampage Radio and a strip club DJ, inspired by Ricky Gervais, I thought podcasts would be the next big thing. I was right, but I also didn’t expect to still be doing the show 19 years later, which makes us one of the longest-running podcasts in the world. Read more>>

Hillary Flores | Co founder

Growing up in a first-generation immigrant family, we were always on the other side of the marketplace, watching our parents navigate as consumers. We saw the dedication and hard work they put into providing for our family, and how they valued education as a pathway to opportunity. This experience deeply influenced our desire to create something of our own, and we knew that entrepreneurship was the way to go. Through the privilege of education, we were able to combine our individual strengths and passions to create MiaCo, a brand that reflects both our roots and the future we want to build. Read more>>

Ian Mayer | CEO of IM Home Inspections, INC

When I was young, my grandfather had his own business. I always looked up to him, and I hoped to one day have my own. However, my grandfather was always in manufacturing, running factories that made parts for other manufacturers. I never had any ideas on what I could make, and for a long time, I assumed I was not meant to have my own business. Read more>>

Alexes | Content Creator for SitchChick

I wanted to share my interests in discussing pop culture and hot topics. As a stay-at-home mom, it’s hard to be able to discuss the latest in pop culture and hot topics with adults so content creation allows me to create a community with my followers to chat. Read more>>

Juan J Hernandez | CEO of Latinos Transformando Latinos & CEO of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce In SB

“As a Mexican immigrant who arrived in the United States in 2004, I always dreamed of achieving the American Dream but didn’t know how. English, being my second language, felt like an insurmountable barrier. However, when my desires and determination grew bigger than my fears, 2008 became a pivotal year: I decided to start something new, and that’s when it all began. Soon, I’ll be sharing my full story in a book.” Read more>>

Sofiia Streltsova | Tattoo Artist

Starting my own career as a handpoke tattoo artist was deeply rooted in my desire to create meaningful, personal artwork that resonates with people on a spiritual and emotional level. I wanted to move beyond conventional tattooing and develop a practice that focuses on fine line designs, symbols, and mantras. Each piece carrying its own story and significance. For me, it wasn’t just about creating art, but about building a connection with my clients and offering them something deeply personal and long-lasting. My art is an extension of my values: mindfulness, creativity, and authenticity. Read more>>

Kevin Muise | Marketing and Branding Professional

RUOK Collective has an interesting origin story. It came about when my friend Saman Razani approached me to do some freelance work for a concept he had dreamt up during a murky time in his career in which he sought out a pivot to something else, in the wellness vein, his decades long passion as a natural products formulator. Little did he know, I had been dreaming up this exact concept in the back of my mind since the pandemic, when I noticed that mental health awareness was at an all time high, while mental health and hope seemed to be at the lowest in my lifetime. I made some preliminary designs, but I didn’t have the bandwidth or the funding to make it a reality, then, and with this new encouragement from my friend, we decided to put in on this journey together and started RUOK Collective. Read more>>

Shannon Toner | Non-Profit Founder

Starting my own business (non-profit) feels like a whirlwind that happened quickly, but in hindsight it was years in the making, 16 to be exact. At 15, I nearly lost my life to menstrual toxic shock syndrome which had a profound ripple effect on every aspect of my life—disrupting my school performance, affecting my career path, and leaving lasting physical impacts on my health, including debilitating periods. This experience ignited a deep desire to make a difference in women’s menstrual health, a passion I initially pursued through my previous career in finance, volunteering, and serving on boards. Read more>>

Jay Leung | Entrepreneur, Photographer, & Owner of II.XX Second To None Apparel Co.

I started II.XX Second To None Apparel Co. with the intent of spreading awareness, and growing a community around mental health and and having a relentless mindset. My battle with depression, anxiety, overthinking, restlessness, and fear evolved into the ethos of this brand concept. I would never consider myself to be a fashionista, but I love wearing dope designs – especially ones that have meaning. I wanted to bridge the gap between streetwear and mindset, allowing customers to feel the same way I do about wearing clothes that aim to inspire, motivate, and create community. Read more>>

Takuro Tsubaki | Bass Player

Nowadays, there’s so much music in this industry. Approximately 120,000 new songs are released every day on music streaming platforms. With the advancement of DAW and the spread of music streaming services, the creation of music and art has become more and more accessible to all. I think it’s great that music is close to our daily lives, but I’m concerned that it may have diminished people’s appreciation for it. Sometimes we forget all the good things music provides, such as the joy that makes us want to dance, the freedom to express who we are, and the love that connects our hearts.  Read more>>

Josh Aslanian | Owner

Growing up in our family-owned business, my brothers and I were immersed in it from an early age. Our father often took us along to job installations, and we spent countless hours in the showroom, absorbing every detail of the trade. What started as a single location focused primarily on fireplaces has since grown into something much larger. Today, we proudly operate four locations, offering a wide range of products—from top-name kitchen appliances to outdoor barbecues and heating solutions. It’s been an incredible journey, and we’re honored to carry on our family’s legacy. Read more>>