Starting and growing a business is hard, but often deciding to start the business in the first place is even harder. We asked some successful entrepreneurs from around the community to open up to us about how they thought about starting a business.

Tracie Kesatie | Certified Gentle Sleep Coach & Experienced mom of four

I have always had a love for helping other people. I have my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and my Master’s Degree in Counseling and I spent nearly 5 years working with cancer patients before having my first born. After having my oldest child and discovering how a good night’s sleep led to a happier home, I realized that a career as a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach would not only tap into my strengths and skill set, but as a mom I knew it would allow me to create my own schedule so that I could spend time with my kids. That was when Rest Well Baby was born. Read more>>

Mateo Garcia | Master Stylist

After years of freelancing with celebrity clients, working in magazines, and teaching at institutions like Vidal Sassoon, the dream to establish my own salon became a reality. My passion lies in working with diverse hair textures, from textured and curly to kinky and wavy, and I’m committed to using sustainable, organic, and plant-based products. Surveying the beauty landscape in Los Angeles, my co-founder Blair Golden and I identified a gap for a salon that caters individually to these elements and combines them, particularly focusing on textured hair while embracing holistic alternatives to conventional salon products. Read more>>

Irena Murphy | Artist

I love creating and I need to create space for more and more art so I decided to start selling my pieces so that they don’t pile up! I also realized that not everyone is an artist and other people might appreciate having original art in their homes. So that pushed me to be more open about sharing my work with others and making it more accessible. Read more>>

Babak Bijarchi | Mortgage Broker & The mortgage guy” also creator of …home of the #closingsmile”

I worked for a friend of mine at his brokerage for 13 years. He called the shots and provided the office space and equipment. He also took a percentage of my income to cover these expenses…fair enough. But after 13 years of working under his umbrella but it was all my work and my success, I decided that it was time (past time) to take a chance and launch what I knew I could do, but was too nervous and scared to do. That first year was trying, but since then, Ive never looked back. And the reason for my success?..my amazing loyal clients and business partners and MY dedication to each and every client as if they were my only one. Read more>>

Aja Font | Photographer, mother & wife

My daughter Joy who was around five at the time, received an opportunity to become a brand ambassador for a children’s clothing line. The clothing company requested professional pictures of her. At the time, money was tight, so I ended up taking her pictures myself, and they came out amazing. I not only gained the attention of the clothing company, but others as well, who encouraged me to go into the photography business professionally. Read more>>

TAVi Arellano | Artist and fashionDesigner

So how I started my business, I started doing art walks in Laguna Beach. I got known as the next modren Picasso. my vision was to create a brand that people could afford. I got into some galleries and continue to do art exhibit during the process I started to incorporate products with my art, and created the TAVi Brand Read more>>

Matt Daigle | Writer, Illustrator, Cartoonist & Deaf Consultant

As a Deaf illustrator, cartoonist, graphic designer, and writer, my online presences was a bit all over the place. I had different online stores that sold stickers, advertised my graphic design and consulting business, and my webcomic merchandise. Each one of them was a side hustle that I did while I taught American Sign Language at a local university. I realized it was getting a bit confusing for my customers so I decided to launch my own publishing company and was able to consolidate all my interests into one place. That is how HANDSAIL Publishing was born. Read more>>

Carmen Santillan | Chef & Cena Vegan Co-Founder

We recognized the need for authentic Mexican flavored plant based proteins. As a someone who chose not to eat animal proteins for health reasons, I wanted to enjoy the foods I grew up eating. There was nothing available in the market place that would come close to authentic Mexican plant based proteins, so we decided to create our own. We wanted to share the product with communities that needed a healthier alternative to eating animals,. Read more>>

Deidre Carter | Career Consultant & Brand Manager

“Let me do you for you what you don’t want to do for yourself”, that was my first motto. I knew I wanted to help others be successful and I wanted to make it easy for them to do that. I started as a booking manager for my cousin but I also wanted to be a support to others as well. I branched out and started marketing myself as a booking manager and event coordinator. God gave me the words Prime Sophistication during a time I was learning to love myself. Prime means of first importance; and Sophistication is the quality of being sophisticated. That’s how God described me and I wanted to offer that to others. It became Prime Sophistication Management in 2016. Read more>>

B G | Local Band Smokeout Founder

I just wanted a funnel for being able to jam my friends music and tell others about it. Around 10 years ago (when I started doing reaction videos) reaction videos were almost not heard of at the time. Now they’re everywhere lol. I find it’s a great way to discover artists of any genre from all over the globe! Read more>>

Aundra Williams | CEO and Founder Of Her Revived Co.

As the founder and CEO of Her Revived Co., I, Aundra Williams, created a space for women to embrace life’s restoration. I directed my thoughts towards how I could give women what I needed while going through my healing journey and seeking community. Many communities create “trauma bonding” experiences, but we focus on helping you reach your restored potential. Instead of starting another business, I wanted to create a movement that nurtured growth and evolution. Read more>>

Mariam Ohanyan | Designer & Bridal Business Owner

I started my own business to create a space where I can share the love I have for everything bridal. I love freedom and as a creative person it would be impossible for me to feel happy working for someone else and not be able to thrive in my own journey. I needed to do what I loved the most, to do it my way, and the only way I could do it was by starting my own business. As an entrepreneur I now bring so much more to the table, I season it all with love and happiness. Life is too short to not do what you love and what you are meant to do. Mareh Couture gave me the freedom to be me, create my own handmade designs and make memories for all brides. Read more>>

James Moseley | Father to Sister Betsy’s Surf Wax

I really wanted to start Sister Betsy’s Surf Wax because of the deep passion I have for all things surfing and knew I wanted to bring something unique and exciting to the surf industry. When I worked in a surf shop in high school I felt like a lot of the trail blazing brands were a little out dated and thought maybe if I felt like this, perhaps other people could potentially want a little essential spice to their surf sessions. Read more>>

Joe Mack | Photographer

I have been taking photos since I was about 5 years old. I was always “that guy” with the camera, for years doing Travel and Landscape Photography. Then about 7 years ago, I decided to start doing it full-time. For the Music Photography end of my business that was a no-brainer, I have also been a musician most of my life so I decided to include this in the types of things I photograph, so when I shoot a band, it’s done with a “musician’s eye”. For the Real Estate part of my business, i had been in construction for a career before embarking on this new path, so construction and real estate just seemed to go together. For real estate you need an eye for symmetry and I have that. Read more>>

David Olamide | CTO | Lead Gameplay Engineer

I founded a gaming company in Nigeria because I recognized a significant demand for African stories and lore in the global gaming industry. Feeling compelled to address this gap, my co-founders and I carefully examined the processes and structures prevalent in established game studios. We sought to incorporate these practices early on, with the primary objective of assembling a strong team to develop high-quality products. This fundamental goal remains unchanged. Planning for long-term success has been an integral aspect of our approach. I embrace the philosophy that multiple small failures and wins (experiments) are stepping stones toward achieving significant success, and I am not afraid of facing challenges along the way. Read more>>

Katie Fahad | Owner and Founder of Apex Healthcare Consulting, LLC

I have worked in healthcare administration for quite some years now and found that one of the greatest joys of that line of work is working closely with Physicians, especially those newly graduated from their training. I came to realize very quickly that there is a huge lack of training provided to Physicians about what to expect after they graduate. I saw many of my close friends and family directly impacted by this and experiencing quick burnout because they didn’t realize what their contracts stated, that they could negotiate a better deal, or that there are more options than they may have realized out there. One day a lightbulb just came on and I decided to combine my professional interests and strengths with my goals to start my own business and from there my passion project blossomed! Read more>>

Tiffany Coleman | Small Business Owner

My thought process behind starting Cook and Sip Social Club stemmed from a passion for serving others as well as fostering community growth through shared experiences. Over the years I’ve enjoyed cooking, hosting events for friends or family and, my business was something that I naturally gravitated to. Cook and Sip Social Club was born from a passion for creating unique experiences in the year 2020. I envisioned creating a space where individuals could come together to appreciate the art of tea, indulge in culinary exploration, and build connections within a welcoming environment. It also served as an avenue for networking and connection, particularly among businesswomen seeking to engage in a supportive and empowering environment. Read more>>

Dewi Aldrich | Tour Operator & Tour Director

I’ve worked in tourism as a tour manager for various tour companies since 2012. It has given me the opportunity to travel the world, work with numerous vendors, and lead guests from all walks of life on organized trips. Having been in the field for so long allowed me to understand how tours operate and what makes travelers happy. However, after several years of receiving itineraries that may look good on paper but don’t exactly execute well in reality, and hearing guests complain of uncomfortably long bus rides, too short of time at different excursions, poor hotel location(s), and mediocre group-included meals, I knew I wanted to be in more control of how a tour is put together from start to finish. Read more>>

Shelley Nelson | Fiber Artist

Over the years, I’ve had friends and acquaintances ask if some of my creations were for sale, but I hadn’t really considered it since knitting and crocheting was something I did to relax in my downtime. I eventually decided that I had nothing to lose, and if my art brings people joy, why not let them purchase them? My expectations were quite low when I first made my website, but doing vending events and getting my name out there has opened up a whole new world and I’ve met so many incredible and creative people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Read more>>

Jiyeon Kang | Pastry Chef

The key to my success in both my cake business and baking teaching career lies in a relentless work ethic. I believe that the most crucial factor contributing to my achievements is the refusal to succumb to laziness. I approach my endeavors with unwavering industriousness, dedicating countless hours to perfecting my craft and ensuring the quality of my products and teaching. Diligence has been my guiding principle, pushing me to consistently deliver excellence in every aspect of my work. Remaining committed to forward momentum has played a pivotal role in my journey. Read more>>

Marissa Masters-Culpepper | Co-Owner & Magic Maker

I have always been crafty by nature since my childhood. For many years I made custom cups, t-shirts, and greeting cards to give as gifts to family and friends. I became interested in waistbeads after seeing two friends wearing them. I was so intrigued, I asked both of them to tell more information about them. Instead of explaining the beads to me and why they wear them, they both referred me to the ladies who they bought their beads from. Since I did not get the information I was looking for from my friends, I decided to do a deep dive into the history of waistbeads and why people wear them. After learning about the rich history of waistbeads and the reasons for wearing them, I fell in love and decided to make a couple strands for myself. Read more>>

Sarah French | Actress and producer

I started in the entertainment industry in 2006 as an actress. Now, I didn’t start in big budget films or anything like that. I started in the no budget and ultra low budget films, mostly horror films because that’s what I love. I just wanted to immerse myself in the film world as much as I could to gain experience, to learn, and to grow. What better way to learn by diving right in and being right there where the action is. Looking at my older work you can definitely see the growth year after year. Not only with my acting but with bigger and better projects to go along with it. One thing people learn about me is, I never want to stay the same. I’m always learning and growing and elevating. Read more>>

Michael Kallio | Filmmaker, Writer

Being originally from Detroit, Hollywood was NOT pounding on my door. I wanted to make movies at a very young age (6 to be exact) so, I followed in the footsteps of fellow Michiganders who did their own movie… Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert dropped out of college and made the first Evil Dead by forming a limited partnership and raising money in Michigan for their first feature. I did the same. Even down to tracking down Bruce Campbell via old school mail… I sent him and old fashioned letter. He called me at my home and the rest is history. He was a true mentor to me. He likes to call himself a tormentor but regardless, he sent me on the path of doing it myself. Read more>>

Mark Allen Michaels | Writer/Director

I launched my company Fire Breathing Films, Inc in 2016 – It was because I love movies and I wanted to try my hand at making films I would want to see –
The theatre stage was terrifying to me – Public speaking! How do actors do it? I had to know and I was baptized in fire acting on stage in Boston – It was thrilling! And I was hooked! I studied acting on both coasts and eventually settled in Hollywood; the playground of swimming pools and movie stars –
Acting led to writing…writing parts for myself in plays….Writing plays led to writing screenplays…And directing myself in plays led to directing myself in films Read more>>

Chris Adams | Founder & CEO of Ellis Adams Group

I really had a great career with The Ritz-Carlton, but couldn’t get past the feeling of wanting more. So often I would feel like the black sheep with my ‘out of the box’ ideas or simply wanting to push the envelope. Taking the risk and believing in that process seemed like the only option I had. Read more>>

Calah Olson | Entrepreneur, Designer, Author, & Singer.

I personally grew up loving art and creating. Since I was young, I knew for sure that I wanted to find a way to share my art and turn it into something that I could potentially make a living off of. I was 17 years old when I finally came up with the idea of starting a clothing brand! I was in college, broke as a joke, and had no idea where to start. I began reading every book about business and fashion that I could get my hands on and also watched hours and hours of YouTube videos on how to start in the fashion industry. My mindset going into starting my brand was pretty much “screw it!”, I’m going to take a leap of faith and see if I can make this little dream work! Read more>>

Nyquan Sennett | Model

My thought processing behind starting to model was. Go out in the world & make a name for yourself . Build your confidence & open your shell and become the best person you want to be in life. I wanted to be the face of many billboards. Read more>>

Llesica (Jane) Gonzalez | Spooky Business Owner

Jane’s Earful Creations came about my love for Disney. I wanted to create unique and one-of-a-kind headbands to wear at the theme parks. It started only with Disney themes, expanded into superheroes, sports, spooky, cartoons, Christmas and so many more. I wasn’t happy with a few of the themes that they had to offer at the park, they were of course made in huge batches of the repeated item and also, some of them didn’t seem to express ME. And I had a feeling a lot of people felt that way as well. Read more>>

Andy Hill | Singer, songwriter, musician.

We (Andy Hill and Renee Safier) are singer/songwriters, so starting our own business was essentially an ongoing search to find places to perform music, and be paid for the service. Over the years, we met and performed with lots of other great musicians and wrote and recorded many CDs. Read more>>

Lisa Baker | Former Music and Theater Teacher; Now Children’s Author

Interesting question because I was happy being a music and theater teacher and hadn’t even considered becoming an author and eventually starting my own publishing company. During a music lesson with a first-grade class, a student accidentally said a wrong answer, but she immediately corrected herself and to ease her discomfort, I made up a silly rhyme using both of her answers. We all chuckled and I asked if she would draw a picture of a carp playing a harp (she said “carp” instead of “harp” when asked to identify a string instrument) the next week she brought in the art and I put it on my bulletin board. Another parent who was working on a children’s book said that would make a cute book, so I wrote a book! Read more>>

Robb Armstrong | Nationally Syndicated Creator of the comic strip, “ JumpStart “

Before getting my comic strip, “ JumpStart “ syndicated, I worked as an Art Director in the advertising industry. It was an exciting career, because I majored in advertising design at Syracuse University, and was well-prepared for it. I worked on some national brands such as Scott Paper and Alpo Dog Food. I art directed TV commercials for The Pennsylvania Lottery and TastyKake Snack Foods. It was thrilling, and I even won some awards including a global prize called,” The One Show Silver Pencil”, but my passion was cartooning. I wanted to become syndicated so badly that I worked through the night quite often on my comic strip submissions before returning to my nine-to-five without even sleeping. Read more>>

Gerry Fialka | Laughtears.com curator

I gather the community to breath consciously together and probe the hidden psyche effects of the thought process. The very process of thinking is explored by thinking about new questions and new metaphors ala meta cognition. Break the rules before they are made. “Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain Read more>>

Charlotte Shenassa | Ceramic Artist

Sadly, after my mom passed away from Colon Cancer, I was riddled with grief. I knew I had to do something with my sadness instead of wallowing in it everyday, I needed to find a healthy outlet. That is when I began creating with my hands, pouring my grief into new life. Lolo’s Handicrafts was then born, a heartfelt tribute to my beloved mother, Fransiska. Read more>>