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.

Papa Zaniel | (or just Zan) Recording Artist, Producer, Rookie Clothing Designer, and DJ

With dreams of becoming a successful recording artist, I understood how a physical asset would be the key to establishing a business within music. I was very unaware when I started my journey, that I would be in the fashion industry and not necessarily the music business. Read more>>

Hungyu Kuo | Film Director

I formed a film production company, Angels Near Death LLC because I have always been passionate about filmmaking. Nothing is more meaningful than improving the world by doing something I love.  Read more>>

Sarahi “Stephanie” Martin | Mexologist

Hailing from Los Altos de Jalisco, the heart of tequila country, my passion for agave spirits grew alongside me. After honing my craft for eight years behind the bar, a four-year exploration of Mexico reconnected me with my heritage and the vibrant world of traditional cocktails. Read more>>

Renee Washington | Founder & CEO, Resilience Wins Coaching LLC

In 2023, I realized I was tired of living my life on autopilot, just checking boxes, meeting others’ expectations and not showing up as my authentic self. On the outside, everything appeared to be great. I was the Vice President of News at NBC4 in Los Angeles – the #2 media market in the country. Read more>>

Meridith McNeal | Artist, co-founder & director ART YARD BKLYN

AYB was envisioned by artists, for artists. I met AYB co-founder at Rush Arts where we worked together on art programs for youth: I served as Education Director and Dennis as Education Coordinator. When Rush closed, we sought to continue Rush’s work with underserved children and teens through established partnership schools and weekend/afterschool programs. Read more>> 

THOMAS MCGOVERN | Artist/photographer

As an artist, the thought process is about the creative process. Thinking about what I’m making and what the artworks mean- socially, politically and within the artistic community. Then it’s a matter of making the work. I’ve been fortunate in that curators and gallerists have found the artworks I make interesting. Read more>>

Eileen Haly | Parent Coach & Kid/Teenage Mentor

I had a very checkered history of employment, I worked in Banking, Fashion and personal styling. I teamed up with a make up artist and began running teenage courses, as a mum of 4 girls I could see there was a need to support teens in the areas of self esteem, peer pressure, anxiety to name a few.  Read more>>

Meyk Belmonte | Corporal Fine Line Art Tattoo

What was your thought process in creating your own company? The search for independence, professional and creative freedom and growth.
These are factors that, working for someone else is difficult to obtain, you usually have a ceiling of growth and limitations when it comes to how and when to develop your work. Read more>>

Annika Maya | Introducing Le Sex clothing brand

I’ve been knee-deep in the lingerie industry and the sex industry for a few years, dealing with crotchless panties and all sorts of cheeky designs. One day, my boyfriend and I are having one of our usual conversations about starting our own thing, you know, something that’s uniquely us. Read more>>

Robin Raznick | Visual Artist and Educator

Having a product that is desired by others is an incredible thing and I’m endlessly grateful for patrons, gallerists and curators. When you have a regular studio practice and have been practicing your craft for many years, hopefully you acheive a certain level of mastery and the product is sought after. Read more>>

Joey Ferry, BSN, RN | Nurse, Co-Founder, and Co-Inventor

I was the kid in elementary school with that oversized backpack full of Snickers and Skittles, selling candy to all of my friends. In high school, I showed up with a huge roll of orange raffle tickets, cashing in on my own lottery. Then in college, I was going around to local gyms pushing a “revolutionary” fitness drink. I was destined for Shark Tank. Read more>>

Chad Webber | Owner of Racer Tea

I took it day by day. My first farmers market ended with me making $30. With that, I was able to buy a steak dinner that night. I figured I just had to do it again the next day and I could eat again. Read more>>

LaStar Jackson Jr. | Entrepreneur, Fashion Designer & Creative Director

My decision to start my own business was driven by several factors. Firstly, I have always had a strong desire for independence. I wanted to have control over my own destiny and not be limited by the confines of traditional employment. Secondly, I have a deep passion for the industry I wanted to venture into. Read more>>

Ana Maria Alvarez | Choreographer, Director, Educator, Dancer, and Movement Artivist

I didn’t set out to create a company – I knew I wanted to use dance as a way to transform the world – I went into graduate school knowing that – and my thesis concert “CONTRA-TIEMPO / Against the Times”, took on immigration as a site to explore resistance. Read more>>

Christiana Davis | Educator, Author, and Worship Leader

For me, writing “Spaces” as a devotional has been a deeply personal journey rooted in my desire to merge faith with my cultural inspiration. Moreover, writing has served as both a financial faculty and a means to establish what I know. Read more>>

Briana Boyd | Founder & Certified Peer Support Specialist

I’ve found that, unfortunately, unless someone has personal experience with a struggle, they cannot fully empathize or take action towards authentic improvement. For me, starting Insula Collective wasn’t so much a thought process as it was turning my experiences and skills into a solution for others. Read more>>

Janae Kennedy | Estrella Studio

Starting my own business was mostly a decision to establish my own creative outlet. I’ve worked in fashion since I was 18 but began to release the idea of searching for creative fulfillment through a corporate job. And instead it was time to create my own vision. Read more>>

Aidan Bristow | Actor & Acting Teacher

Prior to opening my own studio (with my partner, Guy Nardulli) I had a lot of experience volunteer tutoring elementary school students. During that time I gained a new appreciation for how important it was to understand how different generations consume information.  Read more>>

Fornati Bedell | Fornati Bedell and Dania Joseph, Physicians & Founders of The Danati Collection

The decision to create The Danati Collection stemmed from a shared passion for wine and a desire to create something meaningful. As physicians during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant amount of fear and uncertainty in the field of medicine.  Read more>>

Joseph Leroux | Artist/curator/gallerist

For a few years around 2016 I was showing my work with an art gallery in Providence, RI called GRIN that I was really excited about and we were just beginning to do bigger art fairs with them in NY and Miami. Read more>>

Devon Lawrence | Intuitive Reader, Vocal Sound Healer + Meditation Guide

Throughout my life, I’ve always felt torn between two big loves: music and healing. I never saw myself fitting into the traditional work environment, and felt that my interests, gifts and abilities fell outside of a “conventional” path. Read more>>

Sophie & Izzy Uwins | Chief Design Officers of SOZY Pencils

We had an idea and a vision to invent a new writing instrument because we were forever switching between pencils and highlighters when annotating textbooks, causing us to lose time in class. Once we realized that there wasn’t a product on the market that could meet our needs, we started designing one ourselves. A year later, The Annotator was born and we started a stationery business called SOZY Pencils. Read more>>

Jeremy Asgari | Founder & CEO of OUTSIDERS

In 2014 I was stuck in the nightlife industry. I was no longer happy working as a club promoter, but I didn’t have another source of income and no viable options as an exit strategy from the industry. I found myself scrambling to find any opportunities that could provide me the means to make a living as an entrepreneur outside of the nightlife business. Read more>>

Bianca Gomez | Maderoterapia Wood Therapist and MLD Therapy

The thought process behind starting Lymphatic Love Massage LLC. was definitely a labor of self love and trust. The traditional timeline of graduating college and securing a great job was the only thing I had known I actually worked a 7-3pm everyday; while doing wood therapy massages out of my house on my free time for 3 years.  Read more>>

Chase Gibson | Professional MMA fighter and founder of Fighting Chance non profit

At the time I was 26 and we had a baby on the way, there was an internal pressure to provide and step up. And at that time I really felt a calling to bring my purpose and profession together and provide a service to help people in a very real way. Read more>>

Niko Galvez | Content Producer, CEO, Vibe Curator

It was my only option! No seriously, after working and making money for Fortune 500 and small businesses, I saw myself with my talented wife looking for a new opportunity. Read more>>

Amada Reyes | Founder at Buttr

My decision to start building my app, Buttr, stemmed from a deeply personal journey intertwined with a broader realization of the skincare industry. There’s an disconnect between skincare consumers and the industry itself—a gap fraught with oversaturation and misleading claims.  Read more>>

Radhika Jhaver | Yoga Instructor & business owner

From a young age, I have always been passionate about all things footwear. This passion only grew as I ventured into the ecommerce/retail space, gaining over 10 years of experience and knowledge on various types of shoes and accessories. Read more>>

Adrienne Campbell-Holt | Founder & Artistic Director

I had been an intern at a few different companies and learned quite a bit (Wooster Group/Performing Garage, GAle GAtes et al, Williamstown Theatre Festival) and I felt ready to do things my way – and make mistakes sure – but BUILD something.  Read more>>

Cathryn Gaylord | Artist and Musician

I’ve really always been an artistic freelancer of some sort or another. I’ve tried working more normal jobs through the years, but I was always so unhappy, regardless if the job was toxic or not. Read more>>

Forbs West | Rising Music Industry Professional

The reason why I started The Media Industry Guru podcast was because I love helping out people. A lot of students and people in their 20s don’t have the time, bandwidth, or resources.  Read more>>

Aja Cohen | CEO & Founder, Transcendent Active

After my third baby arrived, I found myself unexpectedly parting ways with my fast fashion job. Oddly enough, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, giving me the chance to reassess my path ahead. Consulting with a career advisor, they urged me to consider something impactful for my “community.” Read more>>

Gabriele Pezzini | Creative Director

I didn’t start my work thinking about business, but about discovering the world through the relationship we have with the things of the world, and in particular objects and the way of conceiving them intellectually, like the first men who conceived the first tools. Read more>>

Zhiwen Qian | UX designer

Starting my own business allows me to take ownership of my ideas and pursue my vision for the future. I’m excited about the prospect of building something from the ground up and creating a solution that addresses real-world challenges. Read more>>

Daniel Smith | Entrepreneur & Creative Director

I’ve always had an affinity for story telling and project based work all the way back in preschool. Read more>>

Marsha Smith | Mom and Entrepreneur

Wanting to do your own thing, whether as an entrepreneur or a creative, is just something that living in LA does to you. After working in corporate banking in Downtown LA for several years, I started getting the “itch” to try something new, but of course I had no idea where to start. Read more>>

Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn | Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn | Illustrator

Honestly, there wasn’t much thought behind it. I had moved to Orlando, Florida, at the time for a job that fired me a few months after I started and freelance was the plan until I could find another job. Read more>> 

Funmi Ford | Content Creator

I’ve always been a girl who loved fashion. When it came to starting a business, I had no idea I could monetize my love for style and content creation. Until, I met one of the most amazing creators I’ve ever met! Read more>>

Kert Lasdoce | Chef & Co-founder

It was orignally a way for us to share our love of food and wanting other people to experience it. Overtime it has transformed into bringing happiness in everyone who tries any of our products. Read more>>

Eitan Miller | Founder/Director of Boundless Creative

I’ve been passionate about filmmaking for as long as I can remember. In middle school, I wondered if instead of just making short films with my friends, I could work with businesses and even make money doing what I loved. Read more>>

Jamal Dennard | GlokkStarr clothing CEO

It wasn’t a difficult decision because I knew I had to take a different approach to life with my circumstances. Once I lost my little brother samaad and my boy nadir I was locked in. Read more>>

Laurence Gagnon | NYC TKN Director

My purpose with NYC Tekken originally was simple: I wanted people to play offline Tekken with and didn’t see that space already existing. So I started running them myself. Over time it grew into what it is today, but the goal has always remained the same: Give our local community a space to play Tekken offline together with the lowest barrier to entry possible. Read more>>

Hollywood Hendersun | Writer Actor Film Director

My thought process was to build a creative brand for black film directors, and actors who want to create amazing visuals with real conceptual content. I also want to help people get their film vision out to the world. There are a lot of stories that people want to tell like me. Read more>>

Ramon Douglas | Burger Enthusiast and Creator

might seem just like someone else’s thought process, but … go with what I love and know. I love burgers and I’ve been competing in burger contests for quite some time (I have a few trophies to prove it). So…let me try and come up with something that everyone would like, with a slight twist. Read more>>

Art Lewin | Bespoke Clothier & Shirtmakers

Art Lewin Bespoke is a renowned name in the world of custom tailoring and fashion. In April 2024, they will be celebrating 35 years in business in Los Angeles, since 1989.  Read more>>

Michael Blank | Producer, Director, and Photographer

After working several years as a photographer and director, I saw a clear benefit for myself and my clients if I could produce and art direct my own projects. My mission from the start was to produce the highest quality and impact, but without the inflated costs. Read more>>

Hannah Got Raps | Musician & Community Advocate

Initially I didn’t know my brand was considered a business. As an artist starting out my main focus was the creative process. But realizing to grow and scale my brand, I needed to start operating as a business. It’s so many moving pieces behind every great Artist that your average consumer isn’t aware of.  Read more>>

Noah Bennett | Talent Buyer and Event Producer

Early on as a performer and entertainer, I didn’t know how to break into the scene. I was talented, but didn’t know how to make an impact within the nightlife space. I loved marketing strategy, but didn’t have anyone to work with. I quickly realized that the best way to learn is by throwing yourself at it, in full, with passion and commitment. Read more>> 

J Ross | Public Figure

I know that I had to work for myself and my fam and not someone else. Read more>>

Ezra Buzzington | Professional actor for film and television

A professional actor is his or her own CEO, CFO, and Board Chairman. There is no one else to whom they need report. Yes, we have agents and managers. But, ultimately, they work for us. We get the larger percentage of whatever job we/they engender.  Read more>>

Renna Nightingale | Book Coach | Actor

My genetic makeup is entirely comprised of stories. I have dedicated my whole life to stories; whether telling them, writing them, reading them, acting in them, or coaching others to tell them. Stories are the way humanity comprehends the world, connects with others, and processes the upsets in our plot lines by turning them into cathartic victories. Read more>>

David Barrington-Brown | Artisan

I started working with wood at my father’s workshop, when I was 8 years old. He was a designer and inventor, as well as being an internationally renowned photographer. (Google Antony Barrington-Brown) He found it quicker to make prototypes for his inventions, than try to explain to a more skilled craftsman why he wanted it to be built in a manner that was counterintuitive, yet solved a design element. Read more>> 

Lucas Grey | Interaction Designer & Founder

We were two designers eager to learn what it’s like to build something from scratch. I started learning about no-code tools to create your own apps and web apps from my instructor, so I wondered if designers could earn an income aside from working for clients or employers.  Read more>>

Ritu Mahindru | Energy Healer and Empowerment Guide; Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer of IS Wellness

Starting Inner Sanctuary Wellness stemmed from a rich tapestry of experiences and deep-seated desire to empower individuals in their personal development journey. Read more>>

Maia Weisenhaus | Photographer and Science Researcher

I studied biology and photography at Bard College, and after graduating I was swept into the busy world of neuroscience research. It was a subject I loved, and because of that I kept pursuing it for several years in labs at Vanderbilt, Columbia University and the USC.  Read more>>

Rob Jua | Label Executive & Motivational Speaker

The decision to embark on the entrepreneurial path was a natural progression for me. It all began in 2001 when I entered the music industry as an intern at Quad Studios. Read more>>

Saif Alshareef | Film Maker

“My decision to establish CreativeLab1 Brand Management and Media Production was driven by my aspiration to achieve excellence in the fields of media and branding. I firmly believe that effective branding is an indispensable component for all media endeavors, serving as the cornerstone for recognition and distinctiveness. Read more>>

Kristen Fahy | Save the Meow Meows Program Manager

I started Save the Meow Meows in 2020 after fostering through ASPCA and learning more about the dire need for fosters and rescue in Los Angeles. I actually began, not intending to really create a whole rescue operation but just with the thought of being able to save even one cat a month. Read more>>

Holly Rae Wind | Metal worker, jewelry designer

Art was never really a thought process for me, to was just part of me. What was however, was the love I had for fashion and creating clothing. After going to fashion design school, I had high hopes of going to NYC, becoming famous and living an exciting life.  Read more>>

Travis Alexander Walls | Creative Entrepreneur, Consultant, & Jewelry Designer

I’ve always been the creative type for as long as I can remember. I thrive in constantly having a project or assignment in the works. My father is probably been the biggest motivator & supporter in starting my own businesses, or pivoting towards a new direction. Read more>>

Aleksandra Zee | Artist

The thought behind starting my own business came from my need for creative freedom. I knew that making art was the long term goal of what I wanted to do with my life, and through the process of having creative jobs, which were great in teaching me how to hustle, I felt such a strong urge to fight against what I was being told to create and what I wanted to create. Read more>>

Kara Capaldo | Fine Art Photographer

I’ve had a couple different careers in my life so far. I recently retired from local government and decided that it was time to pursue something I’ve wanted since college. At the time a career as a photographer seemed too daunting and difficult to achieve. Read more>>