Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Francesca Forquet | Photographer

I don’t think there was any real thought process behind this choice. It just happened! I’m from Milan, Italy and there, I worked for years in communication agencies as a photographer and as a graphic designer, so it was natural for me to do some personal work beyond office hours, not only was it a good way to scrape together but also and above all a great way to develop my style and to test myself as a creative. Read more>>

Ashley Webber | Mobile Phlebotomy

Before I started my business, I realized many patients were left behind due to insufficient time. Patients that work full time nine to five. They have no options but to call out work if they need to see their doctor. And like most patients calling out of work also wasn’t an option. I wanted to build a business that allowed patients to be seen, and no matter the time of day, too many patients are diagnosed with their diseases at late stages because they don’t have the time to do their annual checkups. Opening the doors to sunrise pathology services has allowed patients more flexibility in scheduling home phlebotomy collections at their convenience. Read more>>

Michelle Loucadoux | Co-founder of Danscend

I recognized that the dance community was struggling with mental health and wellness challenges with very few dance-specific resources to help. So, we worked with mental health professionals for the next two years to create Danscend. Read more>>

Edsger | Beauty headshot and fashion photographer

That’s a great question. It’s interesting that here are no clear guidelines for making the most important decisions in life, like getting married, having kids, or picking a profession. We tend to make those decisions out of passion, and because choosing anything else would not make us happy. My passion is in beauty portrait and fashion photography, and I convinced myself that if I do this right, the business cannot fail to succeed, eventually. Read more>>

Vanessa Delgado | Business owner & Aesthetician

It was more of a hurried trauma response to quitting a job in a toxic environment. I wanted to get up and running as soon as possible, so my clients and anyone else could find me if they looked. But I wanted to be an accessible price point for those who want luxury spa experience but can’t afford it, so I had to really plan quick. Read more>>

Nikkie Myall | Spray Tan Artist

I’ve always been in love with being tan! I started getting spray tans by a local artist in 2010, and loved the results but more importantly how it made me feel. Back in 2012, I wrote business plans to start a mobile spray tan business traveling to clients homes to tan. Life got in the way and I didn’t start pursuing my dreams until April of 2019 when I started getting tans again regularly. From there my vision for my brand grew. I wanted to create a luxury spray tan business that strayed away from the typical marketing of skinny women in bikinis, and showcase real bodies and fake, but natural looking tans. Read more>>

Jodi Whitfield | CEO | Founder NXT NOIR

My name is Jodi and I was born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in Miami, FL. In 2016, I left my nursing career of 11 years to focus on raising our youngest child at home. During this time, we moved from state to state and settled in Southern California. Prior to our last move, I knew I wanted to work for myself and launch a business around my passions. I love home decor and travel and was inspired to create something that celebrates culture, diversity, and adventure. I settled on travel-inspired candles and hope to grow NXT NOIR as a travel-inspired, artisan-made brand featuring goods made from artisans world-wide. Read more>>

Lianne Almeida | Fashion Designer

When starting a fashion brand, there’s a lot to think about—so much that I couldn’t even put a dent into what my thought process should’ve looked like. To briefly touch the surface, I just wanted to get started as soon as possible. Since I knew I wanted a brand from a very young age, it was really only a matter of when. For the past couple of years, I just kept reminding myself that I was ready for it. I knew there were 500+ things to think about, but the lingering thought that made me start was my inner child’s urgency to chase her dream. Read more>>

Tiera Lavin | Brand Coach & Designer

My thoughts process behind starting my own business was similar to many; I wanted the freedom to do what I wanted on my own time. I was always a designer but when I became pregnant with my first son, I knew I needed a change that would allot me the freedom I truly desired. I have never, ever, ever, liked working for “The Man”, although I’ve always kept a “9-5” job. Being my own boss was always a desire and dream. Read more>>

Leigh Purtill Ballet Instructor & Choreographer | Adult Ballet Instructor and Artistic Director of the Leigh Purtill Ballet Company

I think everyone who starts their own business at some point has seen another business and told themselves, “I can do it better.” The dance business is no different! I worked for many people over the years and experienced the good and the bad. I watched studio owners make mistakes as well as follow through on terrific ideas and absorbed as much as I could from them all. So far I think I have avoided some of the worst errors but I’m sure I’m making some of my own! Read more>>

Lauren Feldman | Realtor and Intuitive Astrologer/Tarot reader

I have never considered myself to be part of the “corporate world,” but I have always worked for many different people and many different companies. The main thought of transitioning for me was that I now want to be in control of my life, my schedule, my income, and my destiny. I realized that I had other passions, I wanted to pursue, and the longer I stayed working for others the more consuming it became and the less time, focus and energy I really had to pursue other endeavors. Read more>>

Tina Ritchie | Illustrator

Starting my business was synonymous with doing the work I love and find purpose in. As a creator, I am driven by the desire to put meaningful things into the world, satisfy needs of consumers (spiritually and mentally), and ultimately impact culture in a positive manner. When my business is functioning well, it means that I am accomplishing these things. I find great happiness in this, and believe those who support my business do too. Read more>>

Debo Ray | Singer, songwriter, performer

I’ve been singing and performing for many years. Most of my work as an adult as been part of other people’s projects. I have cultivated the ability to sing in a wide range of styles which has caused people to reach out to me to be a part of their projects. This has been a good thing in many ways as it’s allowed me to gain experience both as a performer and also to see what’s entailed on the business side of music. Read more>>

Tom Cocking | Fashion and Product Photographer

I was working the 9-5 hustle and was shooting photos on the side for extra money. I was so stressed out every day and would take my work home with me every day so I never really had a break. I noticed that every time I finished a photoshoot I was so pumped and so excited to get home to edit the work. My girlfriend noticed this as well and pushed me to quit the 9-5 and get relatively mindless job to make money but that allowed me to focus on building my photography portfolio. Read more>>

Grace Cottell | Hairstylist & Makeup Artist

I’ve always really admired the idea of being my own boss in pretty much every aspect of my life. I’ve always known I wanted to work doing something in the beauty industry. My 1st job out of high school I worked security for music venues and by my 2nd job I was already in a salon. The fact that I get to work for myself, while also being creative & making people feel beautiful is the best part of being a hair/makeup artist! Read more>>

Brandon Leung | Founder & CEO

Prior to launching Baisun Candle Co, I was working in digital marketing helping my company’s clients optimize their website’s SEO and Google search rankings. With the covid-19 pandemic simultaneously developing, I was unfortunately let go, which ultimately gave me the time to reflect on what I had just learned and was empowered to build my own business & website. This period of time coincided with when I was rediscovering my roots and heritage. Every product we make is inspired by the Eastern flavors and aromas I grew up with living in my 1st generation Chinese-American household. Read more>>

Alan Katz | Professional Wedding Officiant

Actually, I never really thought into it. After I performed my first wedding, and everybody told me how amazing it was that I should quit my job and start marrying people for a living I said why not! I put up the websites started marketing it, and it turned into the biggest company of its type in the industry. Read more>>

Anthony Harris Jr. | Performance specialist

I’m a personal trainer/performance specialist based in Los Angeles, CA. The thought process behind starting my own personal business was that I wanted to create something that would allow me to share and apply my passion with individuals. Building a business through being able to change others’ lives and help them become the best they can be, physically and mentally, was most of the motivation. On top of creating a schedule around my own time, personal training is something that came naturally and easily to me. Read more>>

Zainab Hasnain | DJ, Content Creator and Writer

I’ve been working on my personal brand for over 10 years. I was 21 when I started and didn’t have any mentors or anyone to give me help or guidance as to how to build my business. It was a lot of trial and error, learning new skills, putting myself out there, and figuring it out as I go. I knew I wanted to work for myself, scale my interests and passions into a real business, and create freedom in my life. Read more>>

Sid Pailla | CEO and Founder of Sunny Day Fund

James Baldwin once said, “It’s expensive to be poor,” which highlights the complexity and complications surrounding money in America for most people. I experienced this reality firsthand as an immigrant to the US, how that trauma still resonates in my family today. Read more>>

Efraim Oren | Home Loan Provider

My thought process was a simple one, I find that with a broader goal, I have been truly able to let my path carve itself out toward success. Every day I work towards that broad goal and accomplish small steps daily to work my way up. The main thought process was the belief that all homeowners should have access to better loan products. I wanted to build up the community that I was a part of. Read more>>