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.

Erin Huss

I fell into the publishing world accidentally. It started when I took a job as an apartment manager when my husband was in dental school, thinking it would be an easy, flexible gig while my kids were little. I quickly learned that property management is anything but easy. People really let their guards down at home, and I got a front-row seat to all the chaos, comedy, and headaches that come with customer service (only inside people’s living rooms). I started a blog called The Apartment Manager’s Blog, where I shared anonymous stories from managers across the industry. Read More>>

Danielle Fielder

The thought has been there for a while, ever since I had my first child and stopped working for my husbands company, I felt a pull to have something of my own, I knew it would have to incorporate my children in this stage of life and after having my third baby, my creative juices so to speak were extremely heightened, in an effort to share a piece of joy from our families daily routine, the little sensory box co was born! Read More>>

Enid Harris

After spending over 25 years as a costume designer in the film industry, I realized that storytelling wasn’t just about what characters wore—it was about the entire world they lived in. I had spent decades crafting moods through fabric, color, and detail, and I started to feel drawn to designing spaces that told stories too—just in a different way. Read More>>

Bridie

Honestly, I’ve always had entrepreneurial dreams—I was that kid reading Fortune magazine and dreaming up all kinds of business ideas. Before Bright Box Image, I was working as a Creative Director at a small agency, which gave me a solid handle on process and team dynamics. When the agency got bought out, my role disappeared—as these things often go. But by then, I already had people reaching out. Some of my former teammates had started their own businesses and brought me in.  Read More>>

Jenna Robert

When I walked into the space, I was immediately enthralled by the woodwork and storytelling capabilities. I saw past the detritus left. behind by the previous owner and knew that somehow this location was something special to me. I am a very visual person and my mind was sparking a thousand possibilities. Read More>>

Kevin Jones

Our thought process behind starting the photography business was rooted in both passion and practicality. My wife and I have always shared a deep love for photography. Over time, we realized that combining our talents could be more than just a hobby it could be a business that reflects who we are as a couple. As a French-American team, we also thought our different cultural perspectives would help in creating personalized photographs in a unique and artistic way. Starting our own business allowed us to have creative freedom, build something together, and connect more personally with the people we work with. Read More>>

Beza Faris

I’ve always known that the traditional 9-to-5 life wasn’t for me. I value freedom, creativity, and being in control of my time. For years, I had an entrepreneurial mindset I used to buy and resell hair clips, always thinking about how I could turn a simple product into income. But over time, I started asking myself a deeper question: What can I do that I truly love? Something that not only makes money, but also brings me joy? Read More>>

Tracy Williams

The driving thought behind starting my own business was simple—I wanted to create the kind of space I couldn’t find in my own community. I figured if I needed it and was looking for it, I couldn’t be the only one. So for me, it was about just doing it. I didn’t overthink the fact that I had no formal retail experience, no background in product sourcing or development, and that retail, in general, is known for high turnover—all while I was still running another business.  Read More>>

Gerald Garth

“My process for serving as Executive Director of AMAAD was deeply rooted in purpose, passion, and people. I didn’t begin in public health or nonprofit leadership—I actually started in accounting, then transitioned into writing and acting when I moved to Los Angeles in 2013. But I knew I wanted to make a deeper impact. Read More>> 

Dr Timothy Esguerra

It really started with something I kept noticing in the rehab and fitness world. Athletes would finish physical therapy, but there was no clear plan to help them return to peak performance. With a background in kinesiology and over a decade of experience as a strength coach, I knew there had to be a more effective way to guide people from injury recovery to long-term resilience. Read More>> 

Danielle Shira

I wanted to be able to have full expression and authority in my creative process. It was important to me to be able to create something meaningful and impactful through my creative expression, without others’ input that may be clouded by a dollar sign bottom line over the message and imagery that I wanted to put out. So my thought process was ‘do it yourself, with integrity, and the business side will progress once the creation has been developed and created with the most pure of intentions to reach people on a deep level.’ Read More>> 

Regina Dezbah Simons

I founded Dezbah Productions and Off The Rez Media to reclaim narrative space in film and media. I invite others to question what they have been taught about Native Americans and the Indigenous peoples of this land. I aim to create work that represents and resonates with truth, humor, discomfort, and healing. I am raising two kids and building a future that honors the past, present, and potential. Read More>> 

Alanna Kaivalya

Starting my own business wasn’t just a strategic decision—it was a soul-led necessity. After years of success in the yoga industry, I realized I was no longer willing to contort myself into a version of feminine that was palatable to patriarchal wellness culture. I craved a life where I didn’t have to abandon my truth to be loved, seen, or paid. Read More>> 

Aida Macedo

I wanted to start a business that inspires other women, specifically women of color, to launch their own businesses. I created a law firm that is a non-traditional law and consulting firm and I am very proud of that. Read More>> 

Sunnie

I set out to share my gift of spirit communication to help people through the kind of heavy grief I once carried myself. Over time, my readings—blending tarot and channeling—began transforming clients’ sorrow into ease, nostalgia, and even laughter, as spirit always has something uniquely meaningful to share. Read More>> 

Lisa Agerman

I’m originally from Stockholm, Sweden, and I’ve been living in Los Angeles for nine years now (became a U.S. citizen this year—big moment!).

Before starting my own businesses, I worked as Head of Expansion at H&M Group, helping open stores in places like Seoul, Milan, Paris, London, New York, LA, Boston… It was a great experience, and I learned a lot about how big companies enter new markets—big teams, big budgets, big campaigns. Read More>> 

Rick Potts

The decision to establish my own business stemmed from a series of introspective questions about my career trajectory and personal fulfillment. After years in corporate finance, I found myself critically evaluating my long-term professional aspirations and daily work satisfaction. Living in the Los Angeles suburbs, I also considered the impact of extensive commute times on my quality of life. These reflections ultimately led me to explore entrepreneurship as a viable alternative. Read More>> 

Carlos Augusto Garcia

The thought process for Gravity Architects began long before it was formally established in 2019. It grew out of a practical need I identified while working at a more traditional firm in New Orleans. I often had smaller projects in graphic design, web development, or art installations, that required a type of agile decision-making that just wasn’t characteristic of a large, established apparatus. These projects also gave me a welcome opportunity to collaborate with friends and colleagues outside of a formal office setting. Read More>> 

Tom Neely

I Graduated from Burbank High School in 1984. Started Junior College in the Fall of 1984 with the intention of getting into the Automotive Design School at Pasadena Art Center. Later in January
1985, I was 18, still living at home with my parents, and after one semester of Junior College, I
dropped out with the intention of finding a more interesting life in the Automotive Industry. Read More>>