Readers often email us asking us for advice about new businesses they are thinking about starting and we often find that many of them don’t have a framework for thinking about a more fundamental question: why should or shouldn’t you start a business?

Below, you’ll find how successful entrepreneurs from across the city thought about this very question when they were considering whether to start their businesses.

Marie Valencia | Artist & Performer

I had my first experience,selling my artwork in 2006 at First Friday in Las Vegas and that feeling never left me, as I continued to work on art and also full time on the Las Vegas Strip at well-known Casinos, Restaurants and Gentlemen’s Clubs until’ one day in 2014,that I arrived to the parking garage and broke down..I told myself, that risking it all (starting a small business/selling my art full-time) and quitting my regular jobs was a necessary sacrifice.I quit my job that month and have been teaching myself all I can about operating a small business (be it without any inheritances,loans or credit cards). Read more>>

Ekta Aggarwal | Artist

Growing up in Delhi, I was surrounded by handmade Indian textiles. My mom used to wear beautiful handwoven sarees and also dress us up in clothes made with Khadi in beautiful colours. My love for textiles found expression in my paintings when I went to Chelsea College of Art to study masters in fine art and started painting Indian textile patterns from memory. Read more>>

Megan Williams | CEO | The Self Publishing Agency

Like many entrepreneurs, The Self Publishing Agency started as a result gap in the publishing industry. Where could smart, entrepreneurial authors go for professional publishing support, without having to pay royalties for their work? Read more>>

Audrey Wisch | Curious Cardinals CEO & co-founder

At Stanford I was a pre-law history major with my 10 year life plan firmly in place and the end goal of being the next Ruth Bader Ginsburg!.

And then in March of 2020, Stanford sent us home due to the pandemic.
Itching to make an impact, I started tutoring kids. Read more>>

Philip Brandes | Founder and CEO of Bravus Brewing Company

Before starting Bravus I was doing something that couldn’t be more different from making beer – I was making code as a software developer. However, I had a beer-loving friend figuring out how to maintain his new sobriety without having to give up his favorite beverage. I saw an opportunity to help my friend, while simultaneously filling a hole in the market for well-made, delicious non-alcoholic craft beer. We struck a deal where he would teach me how to brew beer and in return I would use my technology background to create for him a great-tasting non-alcoholic IPA. Instead of removing the alcohol, I developed a new brewing method which simply didn’t create alcohol in the first place. After all, a great chef doesn’t add in a bunch of ingredients to an amazing dish, then try and take them back out. After a year or so of trial & error, our non-alc West Coast IPA was born. Shortly thereafter I founded Bravus Brewing Company, North America’s first non-alcoholic craft brewery. Read more>>

Ovcharka Industries | 2d illustrators

Our thought process behind starting our own business stemmed from a lifelong interest in illustration and animation, dating back to our school days. At one point, we simply decided to venture into freelancing. Concurrently, we embarked on numerous personal projects, which captivated us immensely. We created an Instagram account and began the quest to define our unique style. Initially, it was far from what we produce now, but over time, we managed to discover what truly resonates with us. Read more>>

Jessica Pidcock | Mystic Realism Painter and Teacher

I’ve always been interested in being an entrepreneur and having that independence and control over my career – I desire a high level of autonomy. Art has been my primary interest for most of my life so it was a very natural goal for me to want to make money from my work so that I could spend that much more time focusing on it. The longer I did this and the more avenues I ventured down, the more purpose and passion I found in sharing my work and connecting with others thru creativity, so it is no longer purely a monetary pursuit which feels fantastic. Read more>>

Jasmine Greer | “Coach Jay”- Certified Life Coach

If I could be totally honest and transparent, I never saw myself creating and starting a business of my own. I have always been in the “corporate world”, which I am still in and love my job. Read more>>

Akshie Jhaveri | Founder & Creative Director of Grown Brilliance

The ability to bring high quality diamonds to a larger audience and not limiting it to the top 1% of the world. Everyone can now have access to these diamonds without breaking the bank. Our diamonds are made to celebrate Your special moments, Your achievements, and milestones. This is why we make ‘Diamonds that Deserve You’. Read more>>

Marla Warner | Artist | Graphic Designer | Photographer

Honestly, I realized that I had made a lot of other people a lot of money through my personality, management skills and creative problem solving. So, after a little while it became abundantly clear that I should use these traits and skills to make myself some money. Plus I was tired of executing other people’s dreams and keeping mine on the back burner. Read more>>

Amir Magal | Artist Founder of Tribal Markers

I found myself immersed in countless hours in front of the computer screen as a photographer. What began as an experiment in self-expression, ignited by the transformative experience of the Burning Man Festival, evolved into a business venture. Initially, it was a means to connect my art with a human touch, emphasizing the importance of personal connection in the creative process. Read more>>

Stephanie Elias | Founder & CEO of Personal Fav Co.

The idea for Personal Fav came out of a realized need for cleaner, better, safer, and efficacious sexual wellness products after a scary UTI experience I had at Burning Man in 2017. We wanted to create beautiful products that help to eliminate the shame and stigma, while empowering people to prioritize their pleasure. Read more>>

Darlene Burke | Founder and Executive Director

Ten Toes In was created to support women who are romantically involved with incarcerated men. I was in a committed relationship with my best friend for over 8 years and I searched for a group that could support me on my Journey. However, I was unable to find the support to help sustain me in my relationship. I began having dinner with other women who were romantically involved with incarcerated men. We eventually cultivated relationships that eventually led to the formation or Ten Toes In. In the beginning, we were only focused on supporting women. However as time progressed, I decided to provide support for formerly incarcerated men. Today, Ten Toes In has grown to levels that I never thought would exist. Read more>>

Zack Davenport | Interior Designer

I wasn’t exactly sure what kind, but I always imagined myself starting my own business from pretty early on. After about 7 years as an interior designer, I knew I wanted to be in it for the long haul. It became clear that for a lot of people, our line of work lends itself to eventually going out on your own. I view interior design as a multifaceted, highly creative art form. For some, there comes a time when you reach this point of needing to check that box of truly putting your mark on things creatively with more artistic freedom and expression. I had the privilege of working for some incredible designers and got a real education that I am forever grateful for. But at the end of the day, it’s their name on the shingle and they (understandably) have the final say. I felt that was ultimately going to stifle my creative growth and a lot would be left on the table. Read more>>

Crescendo Ward | Producer and Writer

For me, it was a natural progression. At sixteen, I started out as a street dancer. Years later, I became an actor and choreographer. My career is both funny and long. Besides my film and dance career, I starred in two television series: The Wolfman Jack Show and FTV, a comedy music video show. I had two record deals, one with MCA Records, and I can’t sing. However, because I was a good dancer, the producer went with it. Read more>>

Kyle Butenhoff | Director/Writer/Actor

My debut film, “Laced,” was born out of necessity. It’s no secret that the pandemic wreaked havoc on people’s lives, and for us actors in LA, it felt like the ground had been pulled from beneath our feet. Apart from its health implications, the job market shutdown left us feeling hopeless. Read more>>

Pakoh | glass artist

Pursuing a career as a glass artist is a captivating journey fueled by a natural inclination for creativity and craftsmanship. Working with glass offers a unique opportunity to blend artistry with technical skill, shaping molten material into intricate forms that captivate the eye and stir the imagination. Whether it’s blowing, casting, or sculpting, the process of creating with glass requires a delicate balance of precision and intuition, making it a medium that resonates deeply with those who are drawn to it. As a glass artist, one has the freedom to explore various techniques and styles, pushing the boundaries of the medium to create works that are truly distinctive and reflective of their artistic vision. Read more>>

Marques (Keese) Mosley | Cinematographer & Director

I started my own company because I felt trapped. After graduating from college I applied to many jobs in the creative field, and after months of applications and interviews I had no luck with a job offer. I was discouraged and unsure what to do with my life. I felt embarrassed about the possibility of working a job that didn’t utilize my degree, but I needed a way to support myself. A classic story, I turned to selling weed to make ends meet. I ended up receiving a felony and putting myself in a worse position than I was in in the first place. I was then forced to work manual labor jobs in order to survive. It weighed heavy on me physically but more so mentally. I felt like I was losing myself, battling depression. I desperately wanted freedom. I quit my job not knowing what I was going to do, but knowing I was going to do something. After a year or so of trying out any and everything that could lead me to freedom, I eventually found myself with a camera in my hands, and felt the pull of the universe urging me to capitalize on the opportunity. Read more>>

Crystal Crawford | Rebel Queen and Eyewear Enthusiast

One day a few years back I was shopping online for clothes, accessories or whatever. and I came across this page that was selling eyewear. All the styles seemed to have all looked the same.; same shapes, not much variety in color and most eyewear followed a trend in a specific style. To which none of the styles seem to have appealed to me everything seemed to cater to an specific audience  with no self expression. So, I thought to myself, “I can create a brand that will be unique within itself and allow people to express their taste in a unique and cool way. Furthermore, I literally never met anybody who looked like doing this. But I wanted to change what it meant to buy eyewear and what it meant for me to enter this market.

Sawyer Jeppson Pearce | Co-Founder of Health Inspecta LLC

My brother, Michael H. Jeppson, and I are both personal trainers and are passionate about fitness, health, and product safety. We were frustrated because we noticed that people everywhere are confronted with a range of health problems that we believe originate from the cosmetics and food products they put on and in their bodies. The statistics are scary—40% of Americans are obese or overweight and 60% of our food is ultra-processed. Ultra-processed foods cause obesity, heart disease, cancer, auto-immune disorders, and so much more. Similar statistics can be found for many ingredients found in cosmetic products like shampoo, sunscreen, and makeup. We do not believe these statistics are coincidental. Read more>>

Alex Kattan | Filmmaker

As a trained actor, I’ve always wanted to create my own work but was so afraid of failure that I ‘d never bring my projects to fruition. At NYU I got more comfortable with sharing my writing with friends and hoped to one day have the confidence to share it with the world. I graduated right before the pandemic which set my career back 2 years. I felt so depressed and cheated and was scared that I had lost all of my industry connections and momentum. I moved to LA for a new start and I was so beyond lucky that 2 of my friends from NYU, Candace Mizga and Kelsey Susino, moved there shortly after. We were all feeling frustrated waiting for the industry to bounce back and decided to create together. We had no budget or any real filmmaking experience, but we found some amazing and talented people who were willing to donate their time and expertise. Our series, Trauma Bond, was officially born! We loved every aspect of creating the first episode so much that we knew we had to continue. It felt so empowering to take our careers into our own hands instead of waiting by the phone for our next audition. We also value creating a safe environment for women to create and we primarily work with other female filmmakers. No matter what happens in my acting career, I will continue to make my own work and I encourage others to do so as well. You can find all of our episodes and more on Youtube @Traumabondseries and follow along with us on our filmmaking journey! Read more>>

Loss Combinator | DJ, Producer, and Founder of Tears In The Club

My entire life trajectory has found its focal point and gravitational center in the future. Every endeavor to which I have dedicated myself involves a pouring of my own energy into a realization of the future I grew up expecting. Why is humankind still earthbound, how can we understand the origins of the universe, when will we encounter or uncover extraterrestrial life, and why isn’t wave music and its associated and adjacent genres getting air time in the LA nightclub scene? Wave, hardwave, neo grime, hyper trance and neo y2k breakcore are all genres of music that embody a vision of the future that captures both the most utopian technological paradises and the most dystopian urban apocalypses. In many ways Los Angeles represents both of these alternate futures simultaneously and in the present. I spent more than a year chasing wave music across the globe, attending a events from London to Moscow to NYC. What I ultimately realized was that I needed to do whatever I could to establish LA as an international hub of wave music, and founded Tears In The Club to pursue this future. Read more>>

Adam Brawer | Luxury Realtor & Fantastic Human

I was in a tough place in my life. I had just shut the doors on a film company that I co-founded 8 years prior after a big Amazon film I was producing starring Amber Heard fell apart. I left 15 years of my career on the floor and knew I needed to pivot. It was late 2019 and I spoke with several friends about a potential new career path. The advice that I was getting was to get my real estate license. Read more>>

Zara Harutyunyan | Former Ob/Gyn ,AGNP-C who find her passion in Aesthetic medicine

Upon relocating from Armenia, where I had been practicing medicine, I found myself at a crossroads. The prospect of going through the residency process again to continue my career in gynecology felt daunting, and I began contemplating alternative paths. It was during this period of self-reflection that I discovered my profound passion for everything related to beauty and aesthetics. Read more>>

Dwayna and Donna Williams and Morris | Cofounders of TGND Consulting

Initially, we thought, “Why not dive into the world of image consulting, public relations, and digital marketing?” We sensed a need – a gap where brilliant thought leaders and experts existed with services and products, yet their online presence resembled a digital hide-and-seek game. No social media visibility, missing websites – a total no-no! These things matter because first impressions count. Crafting a stellar brand image and being where your audience is (hello, social media!) are like the superheroes of positive brand awareness. Read more>>

Tara Carsner | multi-hyphenate Creative Strategist, Partnerships Architect + Talent manager

I wanted to help bridge the gap between corporate and culture. At the time, the agency space was driven by major agencies, that really gate kept opportunities, were hard to get hired at internally, and most of all–were continually underpaying creatives. I wanted to create an agency that prioritized the creative community before anything else. So by hiring freelancers on a per project bases, I was able to give more designers, more project managers, more producers, etc opportunities to work with major brands to build their portfolios to either get more business direct, or get hired by those larger agencies because their resumes now had some big brand names on them. By also not having an in house team, I was able to keep costs efficient for brands and ensure that any talent I was hiring, was being paid appropriately. Read more>>

Norma Melgoza-Paredes | mother & Nonprofit president

The Hissing Cats, Corp. was founded as a nonprofit organization to showcase the art of my two beloved daughters, Candice and Marylyn Zepeda. They were extremely creative artists who lost their battles with mental illness. My commitment became to raise awareness about mental health, bipolar disorder, depression, addiction and suicide prevention. To spread the message “it’s ok to be different” and to help rid people of the stigma that follows mental illness and addiction so they can get help. Read more>>

Omar Montalvo | Music Producer & Music Career Coach

I started my own business after deep reflection and passion. Identifying opportunities was key to fulfilling my life purpose. I decided to dedicate myself completely to what I love: music and artistic mentoring. This is how my art school was born, where I share my experience in a useful way. My goal is to make a difference in the quality and development of the skills I teach, as a professional musician and mentor of artistic talents. Read more>>

Albert Bonilla | Music Producer & Artist

When I first started I only saw my music as a creative outlet. I wanted to share the music I was creating with people and expected nothing in return. After a short period of time, I started getting offered money and shows for my musical creations. It took me a while to realize that I have to see my music project as a business. The thought process for me nowadays is to carry myself professionally and to make sure that all of my actions are with my brand in mind. Read more>>

Hannah Li | Illustrator

Starting my own business stemmed from a desire for greater autonomy and creative freedom. As a freelance illustrator, I realized the potential to build something uniquely mine, where I could fully explore my artistic vision and connect directly with clients. Establishing my own business allowed me to take control of my career path, set my own schedule, and pursue projects that align with my passions and values. It’s been a challenging yet rewarding journey, filled with opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Read more>>

Mal Bailey | Music Industry Consultant & Artist Manager

I saw a crucial need in the music industry for trusted & experienced professionals to help DIY indie artists grow their talents, their industry knowledge, and their careers, specifically with one-on-one consulting and support. Along with that, I noticed a drastic need for more artist representation in the LGBTQIA+ music community. Read more>>

Monica Lopez | Illustrator and Comic Writer

Never crossed my mind to start my own business until I was let go from my last corporate job in the beginning of 2020. I happen to immediately get a referral for an illustration project the week after. Since then, I have acquired to continue good reputation with clients to sustain work for the past four years. In the beginning I wanted to just do client-based work, a year after I was inspired to design and develop my own comic series. While working for yourself can liberating, I needed to find ways to expand. So, I decided to start participating in artist alley at conventions last year. Not only to sell my own work but to meet people in person and network with other peers in the similar industry. For the name of my business, came easily as my siblings use to call me Moniliza as a kid; a merge of my first and middle name. Read more>>

Yexenia Vanegas | Founder & CEO Healing Arts Space LLC, Bachelors in Anthropology | Masters in Clinical Social Work

For the past decade I have facilitated art experiences with various groups across different contexts and I cannot remember a single participant (adult or child) regretting their participation in the creative activity. Art is ancient technology and has been a part of human history since we began to paint in caves and make tools thousands of years ago. Research in neuroscience and psychology confirm that the creative process positively impacts the brain. The mission and vision for Healing Arts Space was created from these two key reflections. We design products and services that help people access the health benefits of the creative process. Read more>>

Jade Ikeda | Community Creator & Local-based Marketing

My past events and experiences are deeply connected to my current business. About ten years ago, I moved to Los Angeles from Japan and found a little village in the city. The people here are incredibly warm and welcoming, the time goes peacefully, and everything you need is within walking distance. This little village quickly turned into my sanctuary. Read more>>

C. Riana Manuel-Peña | CEO, Content Creator, & Marketing Maven

Growing up as a millennial in the Midwest I was taught that you’re supposed to go to college, intern at a big company, work there for 15 years, and gradually move up until eventually retiring. But this path wasn’t available to me nor to many of my counterparts after graduation. We came into a workforce and an economy turned upside-down, and we were forced to compete for entry-level roles alongside 10+ year veterans in some cases. I quickly realized that my career was entirely in my own hands and true success – financial security and job fulfillment – would only come if I worked for myself. Read more>>

Heather Roma Wicks | Sustainable Mama + Founder at Lupasamama, Beer Burros & Brands, The Kria and The Almanaq

My whole life I have been a serial entrepreneur (it started in 4th grade when I started designing my own jeans and selling to my first shop in Palm Beach FL when I was 18). But as soon as I had my first son in 2015 my entrepreneurship switched from side gigs to my full time income when I launched my mobile boutique The Westside Collective. Years after that it turned into The Westside Collective Agency which was a creative agency focusing on branding, websites and social media content and management. Read more>>

Grimm Workz | Artist & Entrepreneur

When I started my business (2Face Lifestyle), I realized that artists needed resources to create the things they wanted to see and or depict. As an artist myself, I quickly realized how difficult it is to produce art out of desperation or even without a space to do so. I would like to eventually be able to have designated spaces for each artist supported by the lifestyle to be able to focus on what is most important to them. Read more>>