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.

Johnny Aragon | REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Realty

When I was in business school at USC, I knew I wanted to do more for myself. The only way was to challenge myself to be my own boss and to do more than I could ever imagine. Working in the ever-changing real estate industry during my MBA program was a great opportunity! Being a REALTOR® is like running your own business: You have to hold yourself accountable to prospect daily, market yourself, follow up with your clients, and educate yourself on the industry. I love to attend the Tuesday morning office meetings and Wednesday afternoon trainings because it helps me with gaining knowledge about what is going on with the real estate market and better equips me to help my clients out. Running your own business is not easy but who ever said the best things in life were easy?! Read more>>

Lee Stobby | Wizard, Literary Manager, Producer

I was 15 years old, a gay boy living at the edge of the universe—Midland, Michigan, while watching THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, when I knew film is what I wanted to devote my entire life to pursuing. This sent me down a rabbit hole to watch every film I could, including every beat picture winner, all of IMDb’s 250, afi’s top 100, and every film I could get my hands on. I lived and breathed film, not know what job I wanted in Hollywood, except I wanted to get paid to watch films and be Paul Thomas Anderson or the Coen Bros’ “dude” — to be involved and around every aspect of the making of incredible films. Read more>>

David Lyons | Physician, Medical Director, Doctor Homie

While working as the senior resident for my team during the Dec 2020 surge during the pandemic, I was emotionally exhausted from all the tragedy around me and my heart couldn’t sink any lower. I had just discussed a large intervention for many dying patients with the hospital admin when I saw the insurrection playing in the back. I thought to myself “those people are telling my patients that covid isn’t even real”. The age of misinformation was huge. I felt that I needed to use my medical expertise platform to better educate the public. There were already so many medical influencers, but many were for fun or memes and not very educational. The ones that were educational were just soooo boring and long! I created Doctor Homie to provide an entertaining and humorous way to provide much needed medical education for the public. Read more>>

Alyssa Daly | Interior Designer & Artist

There are multiple reasons why I wanted to start my own business and there seems to be more and more reasons the more I grow. Some are personal and some have to do with my long term goals for my career. I tend to “Dream Big” like most designers do, or so I’ve heard. I tried to work for multiple people in the industry and I have had multiple jobs that are not attached to design industry at all. Some of my reasoning stems from places I visited when I was a child and other parts stem from me wanting to try something new or accomplish a small task or large goal with my own approach. I was raised by artists, entrepreneurs and contractors, so it was natural for me to end up as a designer and an artist. I enjoy many aspects of design and like to create with multiple mediums. Working on a diverse assortment of projects keeps me fully stimulated and fulfilled each day. Read more>>

Nikki Whitley | President of Genesis Elite Medical Service LLC

Looking back in hindsight, I see that I had always been an entrepreneurial at heart. I can remember in elementary school selling paper chatter boxes for .50 cents. It was an easy item to make and was amazed that kids purchased it. I noticed to them, they weren’t just purchasing paper, but something that would entertain and make them happy in that moment. I was servicing their needs/wants at the time. Since I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that it’s about serving others, and not so much yourself. When you serve others, you will in turn reap the rewards. It was in 2014 when my husband and a good friend of mine introduced me to Medical Coding. I was so interested that I enrolled in a course and began my studies. After a few months, I became certified. Read more>>

Brendan Buckley | Drummer

I must admit, my “business” just sort of happened. I was spending the majority of my late-teens learning how to play an instrument, the drumset. I remember being immensely fascinated with the craft. Then, people started paying me money to play the drums with them. My idea at the time was, “If I can cover my rent, groceries, and gas bills, then I can funnel any leftover income into more music!” It was a simple life. My main goals were to systematically improve my drumming skills, while expanding my network of co-workers within the music industry. That is basically what I am still doing today. And, one must remember that it is important to enjoy the journey too. Read more>>

Rosie | Artist (Handmade Floral Bookmarks)

When the idea of making bookmarks sparked in my mind, I did not envision this would lead me to start my own business. I actually wanted to preserve a memory. My small business was inspired by a trip I took to Puebla, Mexico. Ever since I was young I’ve always dreamt of meeting my grandma. It wasn’t until after I turned twenty-four that I would be going to Mexico for the first time. I asked my grandma if she could teach me how to weave flowers. She used to do this with my mom when she was a little girl. It was such a special moment for me because I felt like I could imagine my mom doing this and it also felt bittersweet because my mom had not seen her mother, my grandma in thirty-plus years. I placed the flower inside my book and brought it back to South Central, Los Angeles. Read more>>

Mackenzie Koch | Cookie Artist & Cottage Bakery Owner

Honestly, it was a whirlwind! I’ve always admired watching videos of other people making cookies. And obviously I loved eating them. When I saw a local cookie artist advertise a cookie decorating class, I jumped at the chance. It was just a basic 1.5 hour class to teach you how to decorate 6 simple cookies. I was 4 months postpartum and thought it would be a fun way to have some me time. I had the absolute best time and I was pretty decent for my first try. The next week I made around 5 dozen cookies to ship to our friends and family as Christmas presents. Everyone immediately told me I should sell them. I just laughed since I was brand new to this. Read more>>

Sanghamitra Dasgupta | International Award Winning Illustrator

Well in the beginning I also tried working under other companies.. But that leadership was always inside me.. And that vibe I always miss. So I planned to setup my own in 2012-2013 Read more>>

Shanel Robinson Turner | Fashion Entrepreneur & Fitness Guru

I’ve always wanted to own my own business. I’ve been a creative individual since I was younger & knew I was different. I’m a go getter and strive to be the best version of myself. My creativity and love for fitness and fashion was perfect because it’s been my passion. The spin on the name 7 miles was a no brainer! My children’s name are Seven and Miles 🙂 Read more>>

Matt Stevanus

When I started up lowkey burritos my schedule was extremely limited. At the time I had 2 kids one was 2 and the other was a few months old and I was thinking to myself that I needed to make more than $11/hr to support them. I was working at a breakfast restaurant at the time and figured if I’m making all this food and they sell for so much each then why dont I do it myself? So one week I quit and I bought a grill online and started a few days later in LA. Read more>>

Adrian Manzano | Actor Writer Comedian

You don’t really go in thinking of it as a business and that might be the hardest part. Being an artist while thinking about the market. Features are out Webseries are on their way out. Tick Tock is huge. So it’s a combination of having your compass, you’re true north. While staying flexible and keeping up with trends and having a finger on the pulse. Read more>>

Joshua Hoorfar | Interior Designer

My love and passion for interior design started shortly after high school. I have always wanted to immerse myself in a career that challenged me creatively; it’s always been my dream to have my own interior design company and help clients create a forever home that they loved. After internships, assistant jobs, and eventually a long and successful career in home staging, I felt confident in my skill set and decided it was time to invest in myself and start my own interior design company. It’s definitely had its challenges, but has also been incredibly rewarding to take chances, collaborate with new people, and really get to know the interior design world on a more personal level. Read more>>

Chi Love | Professional Matchmaker & Dating Specialist

I’ve always felt called to matchmaking. When I was in 5th grade I was actively matching my peers in class. I am intuitive about who aligns with one another however, I am hones with my clients that even though I am intuitive, as a matchmaker, I can predict compatibility but I can’t predict chemistry. I want my clients to feel comfortable with themselves before they are open to love. I set realistic expectations for them and offer a Spiritual Life Coach for them to meet with to ensure they are ready for love in mind, body, and soul. I also feel what sets me apart is my openness to discuss any topic with my clients. TMI does NOT exist within our working relationship. Read more>>

Upasana Bir | Aspiring Entrepreneur

Growing up surrounded by vibrancy and colors, I developed a deep love for aesthetics. My business is an extension of my personality, reflecting my affinity for all things colorful! I believe that colors have the power to make life beautiful. As a designer, I specialize in exclusive home decor that brightens and enlivens the spirit of the owner. My goal is to infuse comfort vibrancy, and uniqueness into every corner. As a homeowner myself who shops for the family I share the frustration of encountering dull and monotonous colors while shopping, which is why I wanted to share a curated selection of decor items that breathe life into every space of your home and inspire joy. Read more>>

Danielle DonDiego | Obesity Medicine Doctor, Author, Business Mentor

My why is actually deeper than it may appear from the surface. I am a business mentor for entrepreneurs, specifically those in healthcare. I believe diversifying your income while also being rooted in purpose is one solution to preventing burnout. In medicine burnout is all too common, and physician suicide is at an all time high. I believe some part of this is feeling like there isn’t another option other than our current situation, and healthcare experiences can be traumatic over time for its workers – especially after COVID. I speak to this experience by showing healthcare professionals other ways to expand their career without every decision being life or death. Entrepreneurship and coaching gave me freedom to practice as much or as little as I desired, and having that freedom reinvigorated my desire to practice medicine in ways that I could stay healthy and happy. Read more>>

Payam Farzan | CPA

My motivation behind starting my own business was to achieve financial and personal freedom. I initially asked myself, “Can I do this?’ But I knew that as a CPA, there is always a need for my services. I saw an opportunity to provide big firm accounting services at competitive prices to small businesses and entrepreneurs. As the first person in my family to pursue entrepreneurship, it represented an added risk, but both my family and my fiancé provided me with their full support. Once I had their support, my decision became a lot easier. There are so many benefits of having your own business, and it’s only when you start one that you truly realize them. Read more>>

Nicole Bruno | Founder and CEO

The idea of starting my own business, Bruno PR & Social, was a journey that evolved from a combination of personal inspiration and the unique challenges I faced throughout my early career. While growing up, I often heard from family and friends that I possessed the qualities of a CEO. However, it wasn’t until the early years of my professional life that I began to envision myself in that role. As a Black Hispanic woman, my path through the early stages of my career was marked by numerous hurdles, including workplace discrimination, racism, sexism, and microaggressions. These obstacles tested my resilience and fueled my determination to break through these barriers. It was the culmination of these experiences that ultimately led to the establishment of my boutique PR and social media agency, Bruno PR & Social. Read more>>

Isa Casas | Transformational facilitator

I wanted to share and teach people ways to feel more connected with themselves and to all this world which I call intangible. Intangible is the energy and beings that live in a different dimensión that the tangible or material world. I’ve always had a conscious relationship with this world and its guidance, so sharing how to integrate this in your life, started the thought process of how to share it. I started doing one on one consultations back in 2012, but eventually decided to teach it through online courses in early 2022, and this made my business expand 10x in less than 2 years. Read more>>

Louisa Firethorne | Inventor/Entrepreneur

My thought process around designing and building the Sonosphere was a 20 yr long inquiry into the nature of sound, the force it has on human sensation and how to best integrate my love of art, science and music into an offering that would uplift people’s lives and possibly allow for healing to occur. It also was my attempt at answering a deep question I had always had- “Can the human body be brought into a cohesive ‘full-body’ resonance using only waves of sound?” My idea started out rough and developed over time- I designed 3 different prototypes over a period of 20 yrs, starting with my first prototype as my final senior project in college 2002, and the most recent being completed in 2022. I gathered user feedback and experimental data each time I created a Sonosphere design and that information lead to improvements on the next design. Read more>>

Linda Vargas | DJ, Music & Event Producer

I graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Business Management. While attending SDSU I took some crucial business classes that taught me about how to create and manage a business. I learned about marketing, budgets, business plans, efficiency and even the psychology of business and employees. I collected and absorbed this knowledge with the hopes of one day owning my own business. From a very young age (maybe 12 years old) I envisioned myself owning a nightclub. Obviously I was too young to even set foot in a club, but from what my Mom had told me and what I had seen on TV and movies, along with my LOVE of music and dancing… I wanted to own a nightclub! Read more>>

Cat Craig | Cat Craig | Artist/Digital Illustrator

First of all, I am am really excited to be sharing my journey with you all. So thank you. When I first started my business, I didn’t have a thought process really. I have always wanted to be an artist but never knew that it could be a profession for me personally. I would say that my initial thought process was, ” What is there to lose?” I was already an artist and the difference was that I am now sharing my work instead of keeping it to myself. Once I saw that my art was selling, then I knew that this could possibly be a profession. I started to have profound conversations with people about my art and the inspiration behind it. For the first time it felt as if I wasn’t alone in my artistic journey. People understood what was behind my work and understood the link between Nature and art. I just knew that this is exactly what I am meant to be doing. Read more>>

Phelton Calhoun Jr | The General Manager and Visit Laguna Beach Board of Directors

Not necessarily starting my on business but rather partnering with my boss and good friend to create a better experience for all whether it be in hotels and restaurants. The feeling behind having more of say and impact on what you do and how it shows it’s amazing. You take everything you have learned with your own sense of style and apply it. You really never stop learning and that’s what makes it so worthwhile. Read more>>

Rodd Rahnama | Co Founder – Ridge Capital Group & Real Estate Investor

The Summer of 1999 was supposed to be an exciting time in my life as a 7-year-old boy. I was looking forward to the start of third grade when my father suddenly passed away from a heart attack. He was only 40. In an instant, my mother became a single parent and the sole provider of a household with three children. She was a stay at home mother and our family was unprepared, both emotionally and financially to face the next steps and stay afloat. My mother was left with no choice but to sell our childhood home and move to a more affluent neighborhood to reside closer to her parents. While I found comfort and healing through the love of my grandparents, I was jarred by the lifestyle differences between myself and classmates at my new school. Read more>>