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.

Ana Cruz

My process of starting my own business wasn’t really easy. I just started that song an hour ago. I started as a self-taught make up artist posting my own work on my social media and then I wanted to learn more about makeup so I started going to school to be more artistic creative with the models that I would get from school And I had a lot of fun showing my artistic ways to my teachers, and I got my certificate to be certified as a make up artist. Read more>>

Ben Kassoy

The thought process was, “I have no idea what I’m doing!!!” and “Leaving my job without a plan is crazy!!!” and then, “It’s so crazy…it just might work.” I’d been working at a nonprofit in New York for nine years, where I served as the Editor-in-Chief. Then everything fell apart: COVID hit, I moved out of the city, gave up my apartment, got super anxious and depressed, and left my job with no real prospects or plans. Read more>>

Mark Van

Sights L.A. was born from a vision to spotlight the local gems and iconic spots of the Crenshaw Leimert Experience that most tourists overlook. Our community has been the backdrop for legendary films, yet it’s the businesses here that bring the real story to life. As gentrification reshapes the area, I knew it was time to highlight the culture and energy that make this place one-of-a-kind. Sights L.A. is here to show that L.A. is so much more than beaches and Hollywood. Read more>>

Alexander\Alexis Scott

I’ve always been an artist for as long as I can remember! I asked myself what kind of artist do you wanna be and why stop at just one medium? Painting, drawing, singing, acting, fashion etc…just start and see where you go! But when i started my business Theurgy Art, first thing I felt was excited! I was elated to have something I could stamp my vibe, my soul, my message onto! I’m a textbook Pisces so I HAVE to make sure my energy is matching the task! I started my business (partnered with some old friends) the same month I came out AND just months into a relationship with my now partner(David). Read more>>

Sergio Amalfitano

It was a natural progression from what I had previously been doing. We started as pop ups at vinyl only dj nights selling our records and merchandise that we silkscreened. Eventually we wanted a physical location to just do this all the time! Read more>>

Monika Sanchez

I’ve always had a deep passion for creativity and helping others feel their most confident. As a young girl, I would experiment with makeup, turning it into a form of art and self-expression. It wasn’t just about beauty for me—it was about transforming how someone feels and helping them shine.

The turning point came when I started getting requests to do makeup for weddings and events. I never imagined that my passion could become a full-fledged career, but every time I saw the joy on a client’s face, I knew this was something I was meant to do. Taking that leap to start my own business was a mix of excitement and fear, but I believed in my talent and was determined to give it my all. Read more>>

Edelyn Patty

The inspiration behind starting my own business stemmed from a deep-seated desire to bring Indonesian culture and businesses into the spotlight. I noticed that many Indonesian restaurants and artists, particularly those run by hardworking “Indonesian Aunties,” were not receiving the recognition they deserved. Their stories, struggles, and successes often went untold, and their contributions to the local cultural landscape were underrepresented in the media. Read more>>

Michelle Greene | Elopement & Wedding Photographer

I didn’t really question or think twice about “starting my own business.” I think it is in my DNA? Between my side of the family and my husband’s side, there is no shortage of entrepreneurs!
Born to be a creative soul, I find my peace standing behind my lens. What started out as a hobby in 2018, getting me through the long days in the law office or even longer days studying for my paralegal certificate, quickly turned into a pinch-me-I-must-be-dreaming business opportunity. God provided me the clarity to remove unnecessary stressors, and gifted me the ability to serve others in a truly remarkable way. I am hired for more than just a moment to be documented. I pour my heart and soul into providing an unforgettable experience along the way — a photography experience which is grounded in peace, slowing down, and authentic connections. Read more>>

Devon Cunningham | Sound Bowl Practitioner and Healer

Sacred Sounds By Devon LLC. was born from my own spiritual path and the transformative healing I experienced on my spiritual journey. My goal is to offer peace, love, light, and understanding to those seeking healing, growth, and a deeper connection with themselves. Through sacred sound and intention, I aim to support others in navigating their personal paths, helping them find balance and clarity along the way. Read more>>

Yvonne Neustadter | CEO, Owner & Broker

When I thought about starting my own business, my goal was autonomy. I had already been with two brokerages at that time and I was interested in creating my own firm that was modern, tech savvy, streamlined and agent-friendly. I’m so proud of what The Property Lab has become. Read more>>

Monique Silva | Fashion Designer & Digital Creator

Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I saw first hand what it took to run a business – the passion to succeed, the dedicated work, the risk taking. I learned it all from my dad running his own screen-printing company.

I too wanted to build something of my own because I found the long term benefits working for myself such as having the freedom to create my own schedule and creating generational wealth for my family are worth all the hard work that comes with it. Read more>>

Mat Gleason | Writer & Curator

I started an underground newspaper at Cal State L.A. when I wasn’t selected to be editor of the University Times there. It was an easy conceptual step to then start an underground newspaper for the art world. That led to curating art shows then opening a gallery. Then curating independently. Then opening another gallery. Now I am back to curating independently and freelance writing. Read more>>

Melody Olivas | Photographer + Creative Director

My thought process behind starting my own business was rooted in my passion for creativity and storytelling, combined with a desire to help brands stand out in a crowded digital space. After years of honing my skills in photography, videography, and content creation, I realized there was a unique opportunity to offer tailored services that not only capture a brand’s essence but also drive engagement and growth. Launching in LA felt like the perfect next step, especially as I wanted to offer a mix of creative direction and social media strategy to both small and big brands. empowering them with visually impactful content and cohesive branding. Read more>>

Mike Cardan | Actor/Owner of Valley Productions LLC

My thought process behind starting my own business was driven by a combination of passion, and desire to help other people find the necessary information to start their own journey. when I first started my creative journey I was looking for information and it was hard to find. Today the net has tons of information and I wanted to be part of the solution. Moreover, I wanted to challenge myself and grow both personally and professionally. Ultimately, the desire to transform my vision into reality and contribute positively to the community was what solidified my decision to start my own business. Read more>>

Charvi Agarwal | Tech Founder & Mother

The idea for Tales.so came from my own life as a busy mom and professional. I realized that between managing work, family, and everyday tasks, I was struggling to find time for personal growth and learning. Books have always been a source of inspiration for me, but diving into a full book often felt daunting with my schedule. I thought, “What if there was a way to make books more accessible, engaging, and digestible for people like me?” Read more>>

Robert / Brandt Desanti / Johnson | You and Me Duffy

We wanted to share our love of the water, wine, sunshine, and positivity with as many people as possible! We want to build a community around this love. Marina del Rey is a hidden gem in Los Angeles; offering a getaway for locals and tourists alike. It offers spectacular sights of marine life, house boats, mega yachts, and the best sunsets on the coast. Read more>>

Sara Latorre & Lindsay Viducic | Educators and Co-Creators of “The Adventures of Bot”

As elementary educators and busy moms, we recognized a gap in the available reading materials for early learners. Our own children were just starting to read, and we found that many books on the market were either phonetically decodable but lacked engagement or fun, or they were exciting but filled with words that were too difficult for beginners. This frustration sparked the idea for The Adventures of Bot. We wanted to create a series that combined both fun and educational value, helping young readers build confidence while sparking a love for reading. Read more>>

Andrii Kachan | Fitness trainer

Starting my own business was rooted in my passion for fitness and my desire to help people achieve transformative results, not just physically but in their overall well-being. I wanted to take control of my career path and align it with my values and expertise.

Over the years, I noticed that many fitness programs focused solely on workouts, overlooking other crucial factors like nutrition, sleep quality, and mental well-being. I realized there was an opportunity to offer a more holistic approach to personal training. Starting my own business allowed me to design programs that truly focus on client success, without being constrained by someone else’s vision. It also gave me the freedom to target high-performing individuals who value personalized care and results. Read more>>

Bryan Jordan | Former Professional Soccer Player. Current Actor and Owner of his own production company

After retiring from a professional sport, I have a different idea of what work is and I’m highly motivated to go above and beyond.
Originally, it occurred to me that actors can benefit from operating a loan out company, so it just started with that simple idea. I named it BJ6 Enterprises with the thought that more branches would soon be following under that umbrella. Read more>>

Caroline Min | Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

I worked for many years as an employee of a health care organization. In the beginning, it was physician led but with subsequent mergers and growth, the group came to be owned by United Health Care. The focus was no longer on providing the best patient care but on saving money and maximizing profits. By establishing my own private practice, I am able to provide my patients with individual attention and personalized top notch care, something I could no longer do when I was employed. Read more>>

Pavel Kildau | Filmmaker

Since childhood, creating films has been my dream. I was around 14 years old when I shot my first short films. What started as a passion gradually evolved into a profession. Over time, I realized that I didn’t just want to film; I wanted to bring my ideas to life, maintaining control over every stage of the process. Read more>>

Matt Spurlock | CEO at CKS Developers

When I decided to start my own business, it wasn’t just a career move—it was a calling. I’ve spent most of my life immersed in technology, always curious and excited about solving problems in creative ways. Over the years, I realized that I wasn’t just passionate about building software; I was passionate about building relationships. I wanted to create something that combined my love for technology with my desire to help businesses grow and succeed. Read more>>

Magic Singh | Magician

When I look back, there was never a structured business plan when I first embarked on this journey. At 11 years old, my focus was purely on learning the art of magic, it was a passion, not a career plan. But within a year of practicing my craft and being mesmerized by the brilliance of magicians like David Blaine, Derren Brown, and Paul Zenon, something shifted. I realised I didn’t just want to perform magic; I wanted to be a superstar magician, recognized worldwide. My ambition was to master my craft, and I trusted that everything else, opportunities, audiences, and a career would naturally follow. Read more>>

Mickey Hargitay | Owner, Mickey Hargitay Plants

My Business might be described as a labor of love, there was no business model or plan just an organic evolution over the years. I’ve heard that if you love what you do it doesn’t feel like work. I look forward to going in to work each day and welcome the challenges that may come. I’m still not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse but I have a very strong work ethic, a natural inclination to nurture and am not super social so working with plants seems to be a good fit. Putting all these ingredients together seems to have created something that works. Read more>>

Veronica Ibanez | SAHM & Baker

I love baking and cooking, since I was a kid learning from my grandmother always in the kitchen helping. And as i got older i did my time in school and took every class that had to do with cooking, up until college. When the pandemic happened i decided it was time to do what i love. And i talked with my sisters and my partner and I went for it and did not look back. I started a page sent it out to my family and my closed friends. I started doing samples giving them out and started getting orders and went from there. Read more>>

Priscilla Stoeltjes | Owner Skin Improvement & Beauty

After years of experience working with some of the most well-known clinics in the industry, I felt it was time to take the next step and bring my vision to life. Starting Skin Improvement & Beauty was fueled by my passion for aesthetics and my drive to stay at the forefront of innovation in this ever-evolving field. Read more>>

Hunter Norris | 10 Year Old Pizza Entrepreneur

My dad has his own business and that made me curious about what it would be like to have my own business. So, I asked him if I could start my own business and we spent a month coming up with different ideas. We both love pizza and we have a pizza oven from New York City that my dad shipped out here so we could enjoy great pizza anytime we wanted. So we already had the oven and knowledge to start my own pizza business! Read more>>

Dr. Ijeoma Igwe | Restorative Dentist & Educator

I was an associate dentist for several years before starting my own business. Although I’m grateful for the experience, guidance, and lessons learned during that time, I came to realize I wanted more control over how I practiced. My desire was to be in an environment that prioritized delivering high-quality, patient-centered care, nurtured my ambition, and gave me the space and opportunity to master my craft. As my passion for both the art and science of dentistry blossomed, I recognized the only chance I had to truly actualize my vision was to have full autonomy in the workplace. I made the choice to bet on myself. Read more>>

Karlos Galvan | CEO SCV Hitting Lab & Sports Performance

Growing up, I was always drawn to sports. Whether it was on the field, in the gym, or just watching, I loved the energy, competition, and personal growth that athletics provided. I quickly realized that athletic performance is not just about natural talent—it’s about how you train, how you fuel your body, and how you recover. Over time, I saw friends, teammates, and even coaches struggle to reach their goals because they lacked the proper resources, training methods, or mentorship. This sparked a thought: What if I could bridge that gap? Read more>>

Robert Combs | Designer & Creator

Doing something you’re truly passionate about helps determine what you want to do for a career. Never did I think my craft would become a career until all of a sudden it did. I started to mess around with Diecasts cars while I waited for the east coast winters to pass and when spring time came along I realized I didn’t stop. I started to dive deeper into the hobby so much that it took over my life. When I realized there was a community of Diecast customizers that started to come to me for advice I knew I was on the right path. I then knew I wanted to take this talent I had to the next level. That’s when I decided to create KHW RACING. I specialize in creating replica historic race cars. Read more>>

Anna Huang | Clinical Psychologist & Founder

My business blossomed out of noticing a need. I’m a clinical psychologist and a mom of little ones, and I wanted more bilingual and emotional resources for my then 2-year old. I noticed that there weren’t many children’s books that combined those two factors. One day I suddenly realized – hey, I could just create this myself! I got so excited about what I could create for my daughter that I convinced my husband to start this business with me. That was a year ago, and since then we’ve encountered a lot of challenges common to small businesses, but we always go back to our original mission – to build emotionally healthy families through our books. Read more>>

Melany Lintuuran | Founder of HEXI Los Angeles

I have been working on various promotional events for Indonesia in and around LA for over a decade and have always been very involved with the diaspora community at large. So i have always wanted to do something socially impactful while amplifying the Indonesian heritage and connecting communities. Read more>>

Elizabeth Jinzo | Founder of DESI and Person Centered Planning Expert

After 15 years working as a case manager at an agency that referred clients with developmental disabilities to day programs/learning centers I realized that I was going to have to soon refer my daughter to one of those agencies. She also was a client of the agency I was employed at and would very soon be graduating to one of those agencies. I quickly realized that those particular agencies although doing the best the could, would not be the best fit for my daughter, especially since she was already experiencing the “integration” in her school setting. Read more>>

Daniel Arnold | Talent Buyer / Promoter

My original thought process in starting Bad Times was to promote art and music that I felt was genuine and maybe under appreciated.

I grew up playing in and out of bands as a guitarist and the local musics scenes have always been extremely rich with culture and creativity. Bad Times was originally my attempt to showcase that local talent. From there it evolved into more. Read more>>

Joslin Cuthbertson | Luxury Concierge & Lifestyle Manager

My career started in fashion retail over 10 years ago. I started at GAP Inc. in high school and then worked my way to working with luxury brands such as Christian Dior, Burberry, Net-A-Porter, and Bergdorf Goodman. One thing I learned from working with UHNW clients is that time is their most valuable asset. SIRJOSLIN was birthed out of my passion for providing top tier customer service to discerning individuals who truly value and understand luxury, and want to grow their most valuable asset– TIME. Read more>>

Kristen Fung | Travel Curator & Local Guide

Hi! Thanks for having me. I’m Kristen–the owner and creator of This Ugly Beautiful City, a local’s guide to Los Angeles.

I started my business because Los Angeles is a city that’s impossible to fully know. Whether you love it–or not–depends on how proactive you are in exploring beyond L.A.’s famous attractions and neighborhoods. Without the time or energy, you’ll either struggle or stay in your comfort zone. I find this to be true if you are visiting for a weekend or if you have lived here for decades. Read more>>

Gift Chartsuwan | Esthetician at Gift 4 Your Face

I was almost forty years old . I think it’s time for me to move forward in my life.
I spent many years working at a spa.
I believe I was ready to launch my own business. I always have that in my dreams. Read more>>