Our city is home to so many incredible businesses and so we asked the founders how they came up with the ideas for their businesses and have shared their responses below.

Daniel Banks | Licensed Acupuncturist, Massage Therapist, Certified Sound Practitioner & Energy Worker

In today’s holistic world, many practitioners specialize in one area. That kind of business model framework leads to multiple appointments around town to suit clients’ needs; be it a massage booking, Acupuncture appointment, energy purification, or SoundBath session. What sets my business model apart from others is that I offer all the aforementioned. In essence, clients take advantage of my multi-wellness service menu by combining therapies in just one session. Read more>>

Jimmy Hernandez | BJJ Student & Critical Care Registered Nurse

In my youth, I was an individual who always happened to find trouble. After witnessing my father leave and my mother have a significant stroke, which led to multiple brain surgeries due to a medical anomaly, I was a young individual who was upset. I carried that into my younger years and acted out. I was a lost teen who was told by multiple individuals that I would fail in my lifelong pursuits. Over the years, I realized the importance of camaraderie, community, and discipline. Read more>> 

Sieun Chai | Owner of Whispering Winter & Production Designer

The idea for my business came from a mix of my professional experience and personal passion. As a production designer, I’ve worked on various holiday and theme park projects, particularly in LA, where I designed holiday decor that transformed spaces into immersive, festive environments. Outside of work, I love hosting Christmas parties and creating magical atmospheres for guests. I realized that many people want a luxurious holiday setup but don’t always have the time or resources to do it themselves. That’s where the idea for a tree rental business came in—offering beautifully designed, custom-decorated trees with professional setup and pickup services. It combines my design expertise with a service that makes holiday decorating effortless for others. Read more>>

Elle Pirmoradi | Designer & Founder of Bangelle Jewelry

The idea to start my own brand came to me some 3 years ago. It was shortly after the holidays, during which my hubby gifted me a beautiful watch from a renowned French jewelry Maison. I loved it but nevertheless played with the idea to get a bangle instead (stacked wrists have always held a special place in my heart). So I visited their Beverly Hills’ flagship store to look at the beautiful options. While of course the jewelry was stunning, I left the store (with my gifted watch) thinking that none of the bangles struck me as novel – if I felt that way, surely others must too. To me, jewelry is highly personal. Read more>>