Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, we think you’ll enjoy reading about how these seasoned entrepreneurs thought about the question when they were in your shoes.

Jamie Berman | Money Coach for Female Entrepreneurs

I wanted to help people through coaching and to be able to do it in a way that fit my lifestyle. Having my own business was the route that seemed to suit both of those intentions best. Growth is one of my top values so I love the amount of growth that came come from having your own business. Every year is so different! Read more>>

Kathryn Cooper | Photographer, Professor, and Explorer

I wanted to create a career for myself that allowed me to travel and work with a variety of brands, people, and situations. I considered careers in music, food, writing, marketing, innovation, and photography, and actually worked in all of those fields before coming to the conclusion that I could combine several of those skillsets into the kind of multi-faceted career I have now. I’m a full-time photographer, adjunct professor, and innovation strategist–and I travel worldwide during my time off. Within months of working a 9-5, Read more>>

David Schäfer | CEO Mondlicht Studios

Founding Mondlicht Studios was a quite natural process. The key was to combine our different skills to build one company, because they were a very good fit to do that. By the time I met my partners, each of us had vast experience in the industry with specific expertise in different areas. The three of us had worked on a few projects together and it was really cool, comfortable and successful. So the idea was born to develop together. We founded Mondlicht Studios in 2019 in Germany and are right now in the process of bringing our brand to the United States. Read more>>

Kelly Mobeck | Founder of Kelly J Mobeck Coaching

I am a big fan of working from what you are passionate about and taking leaps of faith to make it happen. I spent years building another person’s training company, training and coaching leaders & coaches and was beginning to feel a restlessness. I sat with the restlessness for a while and realized I had so many thoughts, ideas, and services I wanted to provide people in taking the lead in their lives that I knew in my soul it was time to create my own coaching and training company. Read more>>

Sydney Guillotine | Screenwriter & Beadworker

I began my jewellery business during the pandemic, the small glass beads remind me of home, South Africa, where artists are so skilled they can create life-like models of animals and plants out of glass beads and wire. Creating beautiful, colourful creations helped ease my homesickness during the quiet chaos of Covid-19. Initially, I made items for myself but having the opportunity to finally share my creations with my loved ones after lockdown ended was utterly amazing. I feel grateful that I can further share my art with strangers through my online store. Read more>>

Jane Velez-Mitchell | Founder/Managing Editor of UnchainedTV

I was in the TV news business for decades, as a reporter, anchor and TV host, in New York City, LA and then nationally. Since the start, I had always yearned to be my own assignment editor. There were so many important stories and issues we would gloss over in favor of murder and general mayhem. Well, finally – after my last stint as the host of my own nightly show on CNN Headline News/HLN – I decided the time had come to focus on what I knew to be the most crucial story of our time. That overarching story, being ignored by advertiser-based mainstream media, revolves around the one false assumption that is responsible for most of society’s ills. That false assumption is: we must kill to survive. Read more>>

Claudia Rivera | Illustrator & Muralist

I knew I didn’t want to work a 9-5 & make someone else’s dreams come true. I knew that I wanted to be my own boss. That I had something to say & something new to give to the world. Klo Art is for anyone and everyone who is looking for safety and understanding. For the individual who many not quite know the words but finds them in one of my prints, wheat pastes or stickers. Read more>>

Ebun Ekunwe | Retired Medical Doctor

The fear of cancer. I graduated as a medical doctor some fifty years ago when the diagnosis of cancer was the equivalent of a death sentence. With time, several studies indicated that cancers were associated with chemicals – the more chemicals you were exposed to, the greater your chances of developing certain cancers. That was good news. It meant we could control cancer if we could control how many chemicals we exposed ourselves to in food, water, and beauty products. Read more>>

Robin De Lano | Intuitive Tarot Card Reader & Singer

Well, I’m a really bad employee and I only like following my own rules! Just kidding….kinda. There was this thing called ‘The Pandemic,’ and the industry I was working in shut down for about three months straight. Like a lot of people, I panicked and wanted to run for the hills – or my parents house. Unfortunately my parents sold their house years ago, so that would leave me running in the hills – and I don’t like bugs or coyotes. So, one evening at a very small party which included me, a friend and my cat, Nugget, we decided we were not going to let something as silly as a world wide pandemic to crush our dreams! Read more>>

Elissa Lawson | Owner and Founder of juicEitup

I launched my business right before the start of the Pandemic, which actually turned out to be great timing. I started juicing for myself and my immediate family. My mom suffers from Lupus and deals with inflammation in her body so I wanted to create different blends that could help target her symptoms. Of course, with social media and people being curious about the juices I was posting, it became clear that this could be the start of a business. I developed my own logo and menu is a day and launched as soon as I could! Read more>>

Nicole Eckenroad | Writer-Director & Visual Artist

I got very deep into directing before I realized I had to be in business. It was tragic. Now, I enjoy that part of it because it gives me agency and power in what I create and who I collaborate with. There are a lot of talented and creative people, and without a connection in the industry, you really have to become a confident sales person to get through. Trying to be an actor is a crazy gamble, but there’s only one director for every film or episode of TV, and the majority of the cast and crew have at one point directed or wanted to direct. The odds are ridiculous. Read more>>

Ben Harrison | Chief pickle and sauce artist

I have a passion for fermented dill pickles and for hot sauces that pack a punch as well as have great flavor. I’ve been making them for a long time and had been giving them as gifts to friends and family. When I heard the words “you should sell these” from a number of people I started to give the idea some more serious thought. I noticed an empty space in the pickle market locally for fermented pickles and saw the potential for success. Read more>>

Roberto Smith | Digital Artist & Skateboard Designer/Owner of Alegre Boards

I never thought I would start my own company but things start to line up and you end up where it just makes some sense. I spent years creating work virtually as a digital effects artist/animator in large visual effects studios on big projects which meant you’re typically working on someone else’s ideas as a small cog in a big machine. In contrast to this, I’d always found comfort in making/restoring physical things with my hands, with real tools, by myself. I loved the brainstorming, the discovery, the research, the problem solving and tinkering of it all, and without any option of a “ctrl-z” safety net. In the past (and even still today), I often found myself daydreaming about some outside-the-box ideas but I was getting tired of not following through with them. Read more>>

Kamari Brownlow | Entrepreneur & Executive

I’ve always desired to have my own business. I always knew that desire would manifest itself. The only real question was, when? The pandemic provided both the answer and the opportunity. Like most of the world, when we went into lockdown, I was forced to sit still. Initially, I dreaded it, but then I realized I (finally) had time to be creative. I set an intention and every day, I filled pages and pages of my notebook with questions and answers about the brand I wanted to build. The more I wrote, the more I was inspired, and once I figured out my “why”, the “how” became clear. Read more>>

Johanna Ansnick | Creator of Lady Universe, Organic Infused Skincare

When I decided to start Lady Universe, I wanted to share the discoveries I have made with organic pure oils and herbs. Skincare is such a personal, delicate subject, but if I could share my story involving my skin issues and what has helped me, it could spark a conversation or curiosity with someone else. I discovered a holistic skincare solution to my skin issues, and I hope others who try my products can also find that relief and confidence to love their skin again. Read more>>

Melissa Tennison | Owner, 3 Mile Lane Co

Straight out of school I had no clear direction on what I wanted to do for my career, but I kept coming back to business. I had always played “store” as a kid and knew I wanted to open a shop someday. It wasn’t until I was married and had my son that I actually acted on it. The thing that really gave me the confidence that it was the right time to get started was TikTok. I had a passion for creativity so I put my skills to use designing stickers, stationery, drinkware, and apparel. That’s how 3 Mile Lane Co was born. Read more>>

Arleen Rivera | Creator of Soulful Kidz

My daughter Soul was the inspiration for this line. I wanted to do something for her so that she can be proud of her mom and possible one day carry on. I have always been into music and fashion. My fiancé and I were Hip-Hop heads growing up, he was a DJ and I was a dancer. We’ve always connected through music and that’s how our daughter’s name came about. We had Soul during COVID and felt a little lonely and separated from our family, ultimately being able to only rely on each-other. Read more>>

Tonyel Thompson-Ibarra | Virtual HR Advisor, Founder, & CEO

When I started Real HR Hero in 2018, I was looking for many things… 1. Real Work-life Balance with the ability to manage my schedule independently to be more present in my children’s lives. 2. Create a business where I can leverage my HR and leadership skills. 3. Develop a culture that aligns with my values and ethics. 4. Fill a gap in HR Services – Real HR Hero’s purpose is to help small to medium size businesses develop an HR infrastructure that works for them – it is not black and white. Read more>>

Zayla Brantley | Travel Influencer, Content Creator, & Social Media Marketer

Growing up watching my mother run her own businesses gave me an innate passion for entrepreneurship, which really inspired me to pursue it for myself. My dream has always been to start my own business, but I never knew what it would be. I then decided to follow my passions and do what I loved, which is when I created Zayla’s Sweet Treats. Throughout my high school years and my freshman year of college, I ran a baking business where I specialized in creating fun and festive treats for all occasions. This included sweets such as cakes, cupcakes, chocolate covered strawberries, & more. Read more>>

Karla Huff | Co-Owner of Dream Talent Management and Talent Manager

As the parent of a young actor, as we travelled the road of pursuing his dreams there were so many things I needed from our managers that I didn’t get. I ended up quitting my job as he was growing up so I could always be there and advocate for him when needed. When he turned 16 and wanted to do more things on his own, I realized the only thing I really knew a lot about any more was the industry! So I got together with another mom who had become a good friend as we travelled the business together with our boys – we decided to open up our own management company and be the kind of managers we wished we had! That was 18 years ago now – hard to believe! Read more>>

Chris Hannemann | Kombucha Brewer

I’ve always enjoyed working for myself, I started my own lawn mowing business when I was 12 that paved the way for future business adventures. I used to push this old rusty lawn mower I bought all over my neighborhood. Having cold hard cash in your hand after working hard is a pretty great feeling when you’re 12. Although I didn’t save a penny of it, it was really exciting and motivating. When I started home brewing kombucha my end goal wasn’t to start a business, I was just having fun and it blossomed into one. Read more>>

Mykaila Iman | Celebrity Hair Stylist & Entrepreneur

I started as a hairstylist and still am, but once the pandemic began and the hair salons had been shut down I had to find a way to continue to provide for myself. Honestly, it was always a dream of mine to own my own hair company but none of this was in the plan to start at that time! I had more down time during the pandemic to play with my hair and try different hair styles, I would post each look on Instagram and the girls loved it! I began to receive inquiries on the custom wigs I created for myself and thought, why not! Personally, I am a risk taker and always stay true to myself and intuition, Read more>>

Jamie Seel | Handbag Designer & Maker

I’ve wanted to start my own business since I was 13 years old, so by the time I was able to fully realize a brand and niche that made sense, it felt natural. The process of getting to that point took a lot of turns, though. I started with broad ideas that didn’t really work when I was fresh out of college. It took a few years to hone in on something I actually wanted to work with, which ended up being leather. I was never a handbag person outside of the basic need to carry things with me, and fell into utilitarian habits of just using whatever bag I had until it fell apart – which was usually about a year. The overwhelming sense of wastefulness from that didn’t sit right with me, so I decided to take a stab at making handbags that actually lasted. Read more>>

Carly Tolbert | Mental Health Practitioner & Founder of Kaftan Collective

Kaftan Collective was born on January 6th, 2021. At that time, I was working as a Clinical Supervisor at a community based mental health clinic. After almost one year of serving children and families amidst a global pandemic, I was fighting off symptoms of burnout and emotional fatigue right along with my supervisees who I was there to support. On that day, in between Zoom meetings, I was hit with the news of the insurrection at the state capital. Watching the images on the news, I felt triggered. I knew that I could not go into my next meeting pretending that I was okay. Read more>>

Nick Blek | Business owner and professional sticker applicator

It started after moving to California to work for a company that specialized in my own field. It was the second time that I came on board and helped grow a business beyond it’s current potential. When promises that were made weren’t kept under my new employment I simply decided that I’d rather risk it for the biscuit than slowly wither away and die under the broken promises of my old employer. I followed through with that lesson and applied it to my business, keep your promises and don’t make promises you can’t keep. Read more>>

Dianna Peña | Wedding Designer, Florist, and Planner

When I started my business, I was fueled by pure joy. I was inspired by my brother, who gave me the idea in the first place, and I knew that doing this work would bring me so much happiness. I knew I was an excellent builder, a people person, and a professional joy seeker. I knew that if I led with the intention of helping people realize their dream of creating a beautiful wedding, and remaining grounded and joyous throughout the process, that my energy would be infectious; not only for my clients, but for the other vendors working to make the vision come together, and for the staff that works with me to make the vision come together. Read more>>

Susan Talreja | Coffee Connoisseur & Healthcare Manager

Growing up I never liked the idea of coffee. I was more of a tea and hot chocolate kind of girl. Moving forward in my career, I realized that I needed the “extra kick” to help me study when I was on my grind. Then in the blink of an eye, I was drinking a cup of coffee everyday. Whether it was Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee, or Coffee Beam, it started becoming my daily routine. During Covid is when my knowledge for coffee expanded. Read more>>

Tyler Smith | Specialty Coffee Cafe & Coffee Roaster

My thought process came from career experience. I began working in the Commercial Coffee Industry in 2013 at Wilbur Curtis out of Montebello, Ca. Curtis is a Commercial Coffee Machine manufacturer. While working there I had the unique opportunity to be trained in almost all positions. I was given a home in the Marketing Department but also working with the Specialty Coffee sector for new products and events. I was able to be on some amazing teams that were making big waves with new products we were coming out with. Since I had the opportunity to work on these teams I had the chance of attending conventions and trade shows. I must have made a good impression cause after one event I was offered a job at the Specialty Coffee Association. Read more>>

Leanne Naylor | Mental Health specialist, therapist and hypnotherapist.

I decided to start my own business, as I wanted to help people to sleep well and live well, without necessarily relying on medication. To often, I had seen in both my personal and professional life as mental health specialist, sleep either not being prioritised or medication being given rather than looking at the root cause of the sleep problem. It was at this point, I decided to complete further training and focus on helping people who have poor sleep, but without any physiological reason for it. Read more>>

Michael Goss | Influencer & content creator

I wanted to give people a platform that they come express themselves and promote themselves at the same time. I come from a city that doesn’t get a lot of shine on the talent we have to offer so I decided to do my part to help my community grow. Read more>>

Michelle Williams | Jewelry Dealer & REALTOR

From a young age I always knew I wanted a career where I could interact with people and help make a difference in their lives. I spent the first part of my life at a desk job, and it just wasn’t fulfilling this desire; I knew I wanted more. In 2020, I started my very first business, BombChelle Bling, selling $5 jewerly! Now, selling jewelry may not seem like a job where you help people, but it really is! Jewerly gives women a whole new level of confidence. It is the cherry on top of a cute outfit, and it can really make you feel like THAT chick! Now, I do things a bit differently than your average jewelry dealer, if you will; Read more>>

Lauren Hill | Executive Personal/Virtual Assistant

The last corporate job I held I had to change my ethnicity on my application for them to look past my race and read my skills and what I could possibly contribute to the company. After successfully landing that job and then being turned down for a promotion that was given to someone with less experience than me but a different race I knew after all that I needed to created my own Business and create my own opportunities, and stop looking to someone else. I knew I wanted to eventually grow this Business so big that I was able to help other Women who have been turned down due to the color of their skin Crete their own endless possibilities. Read more>>

Lindsay Williams | Nurse & Wine Professional

When I started South LA Wine Club, it initially was to find like minded people to drink wine with. I started a Meetup group on a whim and didn’t think past that. But as I started to get hundreds of followers I realized there’s an actual need and demand to have wine be more accessible. That’s what pushed me to make SLAWC a bonafide business. Read more>>

Anthony and Felicia Carter | Multi-Hyphenate | Business Owners, Artists, Photographers, and Designers

To create a space that was welcoming and to speak to a demographic that was largely ignored. At the same time, be both relatable and aspirational. My wife and I both grew up in Reno at a time when there were very little creative outlets, and the few that did exist, didn’t really speak to our interests. Most often, young, talented artists, thinkers, and creatives leave the city as soon as they graduate high school. This is usually in search of a need to be in places where you felt you more belonged. Or, places that could satisfy your creative and/or social interests. Of course there is the internet, but sometimes you want to experience these things in real life. For some, Reno did not satisfy those interests. Read more>>