The first step to starting a business is deciding to start a business. They say the first step is the hardest and in our experience this is especially true when it comes to starting a business. Getting over the mental roadblocks can be tough, often harder to overcome than the challenges you’ll face once you actually start the business. Fellow entrepreneurs share their thoughts below.

Sylvia White | Career Management Consultant and Gallerist, Founder Contemporary Artists’ Services

One of the earliest indications of the importance art would play in my life dates back to my childhood. While other little girls my age were saving their allowance to buy Barbie dolls, I remember the excitement of my first art purchase…an original Indian bark painting! My parents were puzzled. As Russian immigrants, oblivious to contemporary art, they had no connection to the art world in our house of blank walls. Instead of rock stars or movie stars, my room was adorned with museum posters. As a teenager, paychecks from my first part-time job were spent at the bookstore, scavenging the sale tables for expensive art books to bring home. But, I was well into my twenties before I discovered the real impact art would have on my life. Read more>>

Mamie Green | Choreographer & Artist

I started Volta during the height of the pandemic with the desire to create interdisciplinary and immersive performances. By taking contemporary dance outside of a theatre and asking audiences to directly engage with the work, we are able to create experiences that are accessible to different kinds of audiences. I’m interested in reimagining contemporary dance performance in a way that I hope resonates with audiences. I get inspired by collaborating with other artists and creating a shared world. Through Volta, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with dancers, poets, writers, scent artists, musicians, actors, chefs, and a sculptor. Read more>>

Veronica Speck | CEO + Founder

Entrepreneurship runs in my family so I always had the intention of beginning my own business, but I wanted to gain experience first. I moved to New York City for undergraduate and graduate school and immediately enrolled in internships, including Vogue, CNN, NBC, and Christie’s. After receiving my Master’s, I accepted my first role at the Whitney Museum of American Art, in the Special Events and Development Department. I then held senior communications and marketing roles at amfAR, Bernadaud, Escada, The Future Perfect, Daniel Boulud’s hospitality group, and more. In 2020, I decided to launch my luxury communications consulting business, VHS Ventures, incorporating my experience in public relations, marketing, strategic partnerships, business development, event production, branding, social media, and more. Read more>>

Sarah Jakle MSW, MPP | Executive Director & Founder, DemocraShe

I had the idea for a new organization called DemocraShe because after working in the 2020 elections as a National Outreach Director for Field Team 6 doing voter registration and the Get Out The Vote Director for The California National Organization for Women: something was bugging me: Every room working on elections with me was filled with women. So why weren’t our candidates filled with women? We all know women are not equally represented in our government. I assumed the problem was because of bias with trouble voting for women. As I delved further, I was absolutely astonished to find that statistics show that women and men win at the same rate. WOMEN WIN. Read more>>

Sierra Brooks | Human Resources and Recruitment

As someone who’s worked in human resources for over a decade, I’ve come to realize my gift and passion for helping small boutique companies thrive. From recruiting to creating processes and systems, I thoroughly enjoy working with tiny minority companies and ensuring they have fair and equitable human resources practices. One of the biggest challenges that smaller companies face is navigating the legal risks and implications of best business practices, as well as creating a strong work culture. This is where I come in – by providing efficient recruitment services, I can help establish fairness and equality in the workplace, while also implementing DEI efforts and driving positive change for small to mid-size companies.e for small to mid-size companies. Read more>>

Christine Sarno | Financial Wingwoman” and Money Coach”

During my corporate career, I had too many conversations with smart, dynamic, successful women who struggled with asking for the next promotion with their current employer or negotiating a robust compensation package commensurate with the skills, expertise, and value they could bring to a new company. Over heart-to-heart chats where they shared their frustrations with me, I found myself coaching women on how to navigate these situations effectively. As our discussions around earnings went deeper, I realized that we were only addressing half of the financial challenges that so many women were experiencing. It was apparent that personal money management and strategic planning for a strong financial future were difficult for them as well, and there was a lot of shame, overwhelm, or lack of education around personal finance fundamentals, especially saving and investing. Read more>>

Tinto Jose Koikkara | Entrepreneur & Online Reputation Expert

My journey towards founding my own business was driven by a combination of personal passion and market need. I’ve always been fascinated by the power of the internet and how it shapes public perception. I realized there was a significant gap in the market for professional services that could help individuals and organizations navigate the complex world of online reputation. This gap, coupled with my expertise in digital marketing and content management, motivated me to establish a company that not only addresses this need but also empowers clients to take control of their online narratives. My goal was to create a firm that stands at the forefront of online reputation management, offering innovative solutions to a diverse clientele. Read more>>

Nazeli Isagholian | Founder & Principal Designer @ Nazeli Design

Passion for the industry and desire for more control over my professional played a significant role in starting my own business. I aimed to create something impactful and aligned with my values. Read more>>

Isis Chanel | Artist, Singer, Songwriter

I decided to begin writing music and releasing it to the public after my mom’s sudden death last year. Losing her at what felt like premature timing at the time opened my eyes to how finite life is. During that time, I felt so lost, depressed, and empty that the only thing that filled me up and made me want to keep going was singing. So, with the understanding of life being finite, time being nonrenewable, and singing and writing giving me the will to exert effort into life, it only made sense to go back to my roots and explore making music again. Before my mom’s passing, I only allowed myself to express my creativity through my marketing work for other companies. I have held numerous positions across marketing within the sports and entertainment industry. Read more>>

Kelly Calhoun | Fashion Designer and NFL writer

I truly believe in the Golden Rule. And I am willing to fight for that. Our Fashion company started because above all things I found it was important to create an authentic community in the Fashion and Beauty industries. CKC House of Design is Fierce Fashion. Read more>>

Yazmin Gutierrez | Interior Designer

Embarking on a career in interior design and eventually starting my own business was never a question for me; it was a clear and deliberate choice. This ambition was deeply influenced by my father, who, having started his own business at a young age, naturally instilled an entrepreneurial spirit in me. Recognizing that interior design demands technical skills, a deep understanding of processes, and project knowledge acquired through hands-on experience, I was determined to gear myself for this path. Collaborating with esteemed companies such as HBA, Soho House, and DesignAgency has been instrumental in providing me with invaluable experience. Read more>>

Xinyu Zheng | Fashion Designer

I took a long term rest after my last collection. I started building my brand very randomly. I just felt I have some interesting ideas I want to bring out. Read more>>

Laura Lynne | Collaborative Mixed Media Artist & Mural Painter

I was lucky to be able to stay home with our son, but I knew my time at home was limited and dreaded going back to the corporate world. (“Dread” isn’t a strong enough word.) When my son was a year old I started working during naps and after he went to bed at night building up my portfolio and business part-time. I wanted so badly to do what I loved, and was driven not to return to a call center or sales job. Read more>>