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.

Max Lorei

I was really bad at working for other people. I have a very picky and specific mindset. Having my own business always fit my personality much better. Read More>>

Sonia Saunders

When I first started Mujeron Movement I wanted to create a safe space for Latina women who felt they were meant for more. Our culture will often tell us once we become mothers we can no longer follow our dreams or they guilt trip us for feeling like we want more out of life than just staying home and raising our children. I created this community in order for us to have a safe space where we could say out loud that we do want more and that is okay. I created this community when I was going through one of the toughest transitions of my life. Read More>>

Ali Martín Filsoof

As a student at San Diego State University’s School of Art + Design, I attended the AIGA Y-Conference and asked a question that would shape my career: “What’s the best way to build a successful design studio?” The speaker’s advice was simple but profound: “If you want to create a world-class design studio with the ability to scale, work at agencies of all sizes—small, medium, and large. Each will teach you a crucial lesson about running a creative business.” Read More>>

Latrice Jones

I believe in supporting, motivating and empowering other women. Encouraging others and helping them to carve out a path to success comes naturally. As I begin to think of ways I could increase my impact, reach more women and expand my influence, it became more evident that I needed to create my own platform, curate my own space. One day during bible study & prayer…I heard God speak to me! God told me to MOVE! And I knew it was time. November 2022, LJSPEAKS hosted it’s 1st Greatness is Your Journey Women’s Conference. Read More>>

Michelle Kroll

Starting my own interior design business was something had been on my heart for a long time. After years of working in the industry, both in commercial and residential design, and taking time to focus on raising my kids, it was important to build a business that combined my passion for beautiful, functional spaces with the flexibility to build a career on my terms. Read More>>

Ebonie Smith

In 2007, I was working on my senior thesis project at Barnard. My thesis project involved conducting an ethnography on women music producers in the NYC metropolitan area. Through my research, I discovered that many of these women didn’t know each other, despite working in the same field. This realization led me to create the first Gender Amplified conference in the spring of 2007, bringing together the women from my thesis for a groundbreaking event focused on women in hip-hop production. The energy in that room was unforgettable, and after graduating, I continued the work—transforming Gender Amplified into a thriving community and movement. Read More>>

Nicky & Max Weinbach

Before forming our band, we began our careers as writers and producers for musical theater, but due to our deep love of classic 1960s pop records, we decided to trade in our staff paper for electric guitars. The longer story of that is after we graduated from college, Max went to teach English for a year in Paris while also taking classes at a music conservatory there. Nicky had gotten into an acting school in Paris but couldn’t afford it, so he stayed behind in Los Angeles. Read More>> 

Maddy Agopian

In 2009, i left my job as VP at Sony Television to become an independent contractor I created the ad sales department for Adam Carolla and his various shows. Since 2013, I’ve been working with Bill Burr, representing the Monday Morning Podcast and other shows under the All Things Comedy banner.
The big idea came to me in August 2024. As a regular listener and fan of the Rich Roll Podcast, I heard an interview with Tom Shadyac.  Read More>>

IRKO

My experiences in recording studios were not ideal and I thought I could provide a better service, product and experience. So I did! Read More>>

Steven Mendez Jerry Flores

We wanted to find a way to showcase our culture within the American wedding industry, creating an experience that makes both the couples and our community feel proud.

Mexican cuisine is renowned for its exceptional flavors and is considered some of the best in the world. However, there is a noticeable lack of representation of our culture in this space. Read More>>

Nicole Yessler

From the time I was a child, I’ve had a strong desire to make an impact on this world. Growing up as an athlete, artist, and lover of all things entertainment, I knew my calling would align with autonomy and consequently, independent work. I began my personal training career in 2013, learning the ropes and trying my best to perfect the art of exercise and physical health. As I perpetually engaged in the physical development of the body and mind,  Read More>>

April Canlas Eddy

Hand Drawn Restaurants began in late 2023 as a spontaneous month-long drawing challenge to break out of a creative rut. Like many artists with another career, I was feeling super burned out at the time, so I turned to drawing to reconnect with my creativity.

I committed to illustrating one restaurant a day and sharing it on Instagram (@HandDrawnRestaurants), along with a few paragraphs about each spot. As the month passed, people began sharing their own stories over DM about how much certain restaurants meant to them.  Read More>>

Ahmad J.

Starting a business is a multifaceted journey that often begins with a combination of personal passion, market opportunity, and a desire for autonomy. For me, a specialist in stratexology, the thought process behind launching his own business was deeply rooted in his academic background and professional experiences. Stratexology, the study of strategic frameworks and methodologies, provided him with a unique lens through which to view the business landscape. Read More>>

Tia Williams

I started my business in 2019 by organizing events specifically for women-owned creatives and entrepreneurs. At the time, I found myself wearing multiple hats—designing the graphics, building the websites, creating the logos, and managing the marketing for these events. That’s when it hit me: there was a real need for these services, especially from someone who understood the vision and struggles of women entrepreneurs firsthand. Read More>>

Jackie Sinclair

I had followed the script. You know the one…get a good job, climb the ladder, build the life. And I did. I held a high-level HR and admin role, managed large teams, and carried responsibilities that stretched far beyond my job title. From the outside, it looked like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
But behind the scenes, the pace was taking a toll. I was living in constant motion, always on, always solving the next problem.  Read More>>