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.

Uzi Wizman | Owner of Borekas Sephardic Pastries

We initially rented out our first location to use as a kitchen for our catering company. Its a little hole-in-the-wall spot with a window. We quickly understood that until our catering business kicks up, we would need to start selling something small out of that window in order to pay our rent. Borekas in israel is a staple and literally found everywhere- but none in LA, so we thought why not give it a try? Read more>>

Sam Hwang & Trisha Smith | Entrepreneurs & Business Partners

We’ve always been big fans of dinner parties—it’s kind of our thing! Over the years, we’ve thrifted a ton of vintage tabletop treasures to make each gathering feel special. As content creators, we’ve also worked with brands like Anthropologie Home and Savers Thrift to throw dreamy dinner parties for their campaigns, so let’s just say, we’ve accumulated a lot of dishware. Read more>>

Querube Galaz | Founder

First, thank you so much for the opportunity to share my story. I grew up in a Spanish-speaking country and moved to the United States as a fifteen-year-old. Before relocating, I taught myself enough English to quickly navigate through a mandatory ESL course that my high school offered. Being proficient in two languages didn’t seem particularly significant then. However, bilingualism opened many professional doors. It allowed me to intern at the Panama Canal and later manage an international operation as a business professional. Read more>>

Yingxiao Ouyang | Lead product designer at OYYX Design

I am currently the lead product designer at my studio OYYX Design. Design has tremendous power in creating a sense of belonging and exciting people. I want to share this power with the world, and help people become who they really are. Read more>>

Nema Saadaie | Entrepreneur & Father

I owe the idea and thought process of our photo studio to my childhood friend, Chris Chandler, who is a talented photographer that I grew up with in Orange County, CA. Chris and I had always discussed the idea of possibly starting a business together, and upon turning 30 years old, we decided to make that dream a reality. Read more>>

Ron West | Writer director actor teacher

I didn’t. Someone else said, “We need someone to do write this musical, and we thought you’d be a good person to do it.” Having minimal experience in the field, I immediately said, “Yes, okay, I’ll have it for you in a few weeks.” It’s pretty much the same story with teaching and directing. You’d think that writing/directing would get easier over time. It didn’t. But I kept going anyway. Read more>>

Mark And Adam Lieber And Newman | Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Infinity Festival

Mark Lieber: There has been a void for a destination event in Los Angeles and for the two dominant industries in the city, entertainment and tech to come together. They are also becoming more collaborative and intermeshed. It was our hope the festival would bring the leaders and decision makers from these industries together. We continue to grow and reinvent ourselves each year. Read more>>