Starting a business is a commitment and requires dedication, resources and sacrifice. We asked some of the rising stars in our community how they thought through the idea of starting their own businesses.

Zac Hug | Writer & Teacher

I left my cushy job at the Walt Disney Company and went freelance so I could become a TV writer in 2013. And I did a lot of strange gigs. For a while I was the digital media voice of Madame the puppet, I wrote newsletter copy for startups, just rando stuff. And then I was deeply lucky that it all went better than I hoped it would and I got staffed on a TV show. Read more>>

Chloe Freedman | CEO, Entertainment Management

I really loved the idea of being my own boss and creating something from scratch. I wanted to bring my vision out and create something that would give me longevity in my field. I wanted to (and still continue) to empower young females who have a goal, a vision, a passion, that anyone can do anything if you put your mind to it and believe in yourself. Read more>>

Fabienne Soulies | Pitchoun! Co-owner

First and foremost, “Pitchoun” is a family story. Fabienne and Frederic Soulies, the owners, are both bread and pastry lovers. Frederic comes from a long line of family bakers and farmers in France. He had a vision of bringing his passion for French artisan bread and pastry to Los Angeles! Frederic inherited the love of natural organic, home grown produce, natural resources and the passion that stems from it. Read more>>

Keesha Clark | Founder and CEO, Born Noir, LLC

Since early childhood I have been been particularly interested in creating and owning my own businesses. Before the age of 11, I had started a candy business, jewelry-making business, and even attempted to partner with my best friend to establish a nail business — doing nails for our neighbors in Brooklyn, NYC. But the businesses flopped along with my confidence that I could ever be the entrepreneur I hoped to be. Read more>>

Selena Brown | Personal Trainer

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always felt driven to help those that didn’t know how to help themself. Pair that with fitness and sports having been such a fundamental part in building who I am as a person, I knew that I had the best chance of helping as many people as possible becoming a Personal Trainer. Read more>>

Christian Bedoya | Music Mentor & Vibe Creator

Mindfulness. I wanted mindfulness to be the root of my business and my program. When I looked out at the music education industry, I noticed that there were some really good educators out there. I would find them on youtube, through their music, or by searching for production tips. Read more>>

Melinda Lee Holm | Author, Tarot Expert, Beauty Brand Creator

I know the exact moment I decided to start my own business, though it didn’t really feel like a decision. I got laid off from my full time job working as a photo editor at a very inconvenient time (I was recently divorced with only a few hundred dollars in my bank account). A friend offered to send my resume around and I felt my whole body say no thank you. There wasn’t a thought process, I just knew it was time for me to make my side work in tarot and magick my main work. Read more>>

Jillian Paige | Soprano, Actor, & Teaching Artist

My thought process behind creating Meisner in Music was purely selfish. I wanted to learn how to do it. Meisner is an acting technique, sure, but it’s also a practice in mindfulness that gives you actual tools to achieve presence, not just nice ideas about it. I was introduced to Meisner when I was in the darkest place of my life, having just lost my young husband to cancer in my mid-twenties. Read more>>

Daniel Fox | Production Designer & Prop Master

I wanted to create a business that fostered creativity in those who don’t consider themselves to be generally creative. While at the same time creating a place for professional creatives to come practice their craft and expand their skill sets; even in a dense city like Los Angeles. Read more>>

Kedian Asulei | Film and Television Executive

I’ve always had the inner belief of individuality. We all have an individual purpose and our universe is designed to provide all the resources necessary for us to discover this purpose. The best way for me to achieve this goal is to place myself in a position to create opportunities based on my desires rather than follow someone else’s. Read more>>

Sean-Michael Ryan | Photographer

I knew pretty early on in life that the traditional 9-5 corporate lifestyle wasn’t for me. I love the feeling of freedom and being in full control of the scale of my growth. Read more>>

Judy Kain | Acting teacher/Business owner

I had been teaching commercial acting for a while and Francene Selkirk was the Casting Director I was teaching with. She really encouraged me to open my own business and teach more than just commercials. And that is how it started. I wanted a place where actors could feel safe but really get the training they needed to be able to be working actors. Read more>>

Linda Bucaram | Elopements & Wedding photographer

My thought process is capturing real moments in a beautiful way! I have always seen the world in a beautiful way where I can see beauty in everything and specially in the raw simple everyday things! Read more>>

AJ Rowe | Creative Producer

In 2017, I found myself in NYC, fresh out of college, and starting a new career in advertising. Even though I was making ad campaigns everyday, there was still this yearning desire to create more. I also noticed a lack of marketing resources for small business owners, especially in rural areas across the country. Read more>>

Melina Garcia | Wedding Photographer

I really want to be like my mom, my mom, growing up always had a camera in her hand and was taking photos of people, family friends, and my siblings & I, and she has albums and albums stacked in her closet full of memories. Idk! I just think she’s the coolest person ever & I want to be like her. Read more>>

Ana Peccin, Itzetl Frausto and Yenia Angulo | Fashion Entrepreneurs & Matrona Swim Co-Founders

When you’re not seeing the product you want to buy already on the shelf, you have to go out there and create it yourself. Matrona Swim designs swimwear for loud, bold, and fun women with a focus on elevated quality and fit. Read more>>

Yingchi & Yuchen Hsu | Founders of Mogutable

Yingchi: I had been working as a digital designer for about 10 years before I started Mogutable with my sister. I have always been interested in ceramics. I moved from Taiwan to the United States 15 years ago. That was when I started to learn how to cook. Read more>>

Jacob Gonzales | Music Producer, DJ, Event Coordinator (Club Fallout)

Wanting to create an environment that I enjoyed, without having to drive to Los Angeles. At the time I was living in Ventura County, and there were no dark electronic clubs in the area. Read more>>

Esai Moreno | CEO- No Solutions Productions

My thought process was to figure out a way to financially support my family while doing something that I enjoy. Since I was a young kid I’ve always been a person who did what ever I could to make money, whether it was taking pictures for people, graphic design, personal fitness training, or even cutting hair. Read more>>

Kaden Shackleford | Reptile Handler and Breeder

Since I was young I have always loved animals, and specifically reptiles. I started working for a reptile shop when I was sixteen and learned from the shop that I worked at how to start my own business. I already had a lot of reptiles and thought why not make a little money and have fun as well. I began building my website, making business cards, and getting new animals. Before you know it I have a functioning business around my favorite thing, reptiles. Read more>>

Valentina Perez George | Digital Artist & Designer

Creating The Cosmic Bruja came naturally as I transitioned into a new part of my life as a mother & artist. I transitioned from acrylic painter to digital artist when my daughter was born. Now looking back, its one of the best choices I ever made. I have always been a self taught artist. Read more>>

Shannon Allbright | owner, Miss Shannon’s Sewing

I have always owned my own businesses since I was twenty-two. I started as an artist selling my art work in galleries and to private patrons, then I had a children’s clothing company along with produced fundraisers and now I’m in my ultimate business, teaching sewing to children. Read more>>

Yovanny Jimenez | DEGREE IN MARKETING, BEAUTY STUDIO, MAKEUP ARTIST, ENTREPRENEURS CHICHOLITOS LLC (children’s clothing and accessories), MOTHER AND WIFE

My process of starting my business began when I found myself in a hospital bed for 17 days due to a stroke caused by excessive stress. It was where I analyzed my whole life and said, I have to go for my dream! Read more>>

Paul Jasper | Scientist and Woodworking Artist

For many artists, starting one’s own business is primarily about making money. However, given that I am a full time scientist for a living and pursue my artistic work at night at on the weekends, starting Copper Pig Woodworking was more about the following personal questions I had for myself: Read more>>

Jeremy Osei | Photographer and Videographer

I would say i was not initially focused on the business aspect of things. I started photography because i had an urge and a love of show and representing the people and things around me. Photography and videography were avenues able for me to do that. Making money was just a plus. I created this business to have the ability to spread my vision to all. Read more>>

Asona McMullen | Content Creator, Business Consultant + Entrepreneur

My thought process was simple. Show up with something and create opportunities. For me, I wanted to see more smiles on the faces of kids and parents that didn’t live in the suburbs. I wanted “fun” to be a standard and not a luxury for a particular economic class. Read more>>

Natasha Mahtani | Relationship & Divorce Coach

I’m a single solo parent to a 10 year old boy (my ex-husband chose not to be in our lives) and it was really important to me to be present for my son. I tried a few different things (whilst staying in the workplace) that I thought would allow me to still have the holidays with him or get some time in the evenings but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Read more>>

Andrea Ramirez | Founder, The Next Fun Thing

I’ve always planned events with my close group of friends, and originally my website ‘www.TheNextFunThing.com’ was used to share details on the next fun thing we were going to do as friends. Read more>>

Frosti Jonsson | Artist & Producer

Wearing many hats for what I do, being a producer, song writer an artist means you´re juggling with many things at the same time. So setting up my operation as a business is all about a change of mindset, get focused and start work with specific goals in mind, short term and long term, and assign value what I am doing. Read more>>

Sandra NDANGHA | Nutritionist & Weight loss specialist

When I had my son and could not workout because of spinal anesthesia complications, it made me sad because I didn’t like my body. I felt like I lost myself and my self confidence along with it. this was evident in the way I communicated with my partner and even how affected parenting my 2 beautiful kids. Read more>>

Jenn Harding | Boy Mom

My own business was never even a thought. After I created the autism safety alert form, the tremendous response made me realize how great the need is. Being an autism parent is lonely, but not as lonely as being an autistic individual. My goal is for my son and children like him to be truly accepted and for them to be aware of all the support they have available, Read more>>

Michael Zaretsky | Founder of 11 Ravens

11 Ravens was born naturally out of a shared passion for sport and art between myself, Michael Zaretsky, and my co-Founder Bernard Semerdjian. My background is in table tennis. I was a professional ping pong player in Belarus, and became a coach when I moved to the United States in 1989. Read more>>

Aren Avaness | Personal Injury Attorney

I’ve never been interested in working for someone else. I grew up in a family of business owners and saw the benefits it had to offer. So for me, opening up my own law firm was a no brainer. Of course, opening up your own business is a major risk. And it’s human nature to want to avoid those risks. Read more>>

Kerrie Chaney | Owner & Creative Director

Before being inspired to immerse myself in the athleisure apparel world I made a lifestyle change embarking on a fitness journey losing over to 90lbs . Knowing my newfound knowledge needed to be shared with others who felt healthy living was difficult, I became certified in Personal Training, Read more>>

Ilona Selina | Marketing Agency Founder

I was always disgruntled with the negative image that established agencies had, and still do. Up and coming brands are faced with high agency fees and over-worked, unmotivated account managers. My goal was to build an agency that brands actually felt confident partnering with long-term. Read more>>

Danielle Raymo | Owner, Rochester Brainery

My intention wasn’t necessarily to start a business; to become an entrepreneur. I was someone looking to create their own job opportunity, doing something they loved, in the city they wanted to be in. Rochester Brainery allowed me to move back to Rochester, NY (where I grew up) and combine my love of a fast-paced work environment, event coordination, marketing, and most of all, supporting and creative opportunities for other small businesses. Read more>>

Nirja Gajjar | Physical Therapist, Yoga Instructor, and Private Trainer

My business was created with my younger self in mind. As a South Asian and Indian female raised in Mississippi, I had a hard time fitting in and struggled with my identity growing up. Eventually when I went to college, I met more people that I connected with and my community. I also found fitness. Read more>>

Tom Korbee | Photographer & CEO

Starting my own business was something that came about organically. I had shot portraits of a number of friends who were famous, working actors when I was just starting out. I did all of that for free. When their agents and managers started calling and sending all their clients to me I realized there was something to this. I launched my website quickly and I was off and running. Read more>>

Julia Tranfaglia | Filmmaker & Business Owner

When I first moved out to Los Angeles, I started a production company with two of my good friends Michael Tessler and AK Moore. Starting Multihouse built a community for us and gave us strength as a creative team Read more>>

Faith Rudder | Fashion Designer / Entrepreneur

My thought process was to build lucrative businesses and leave a legacy of businesses to our family. Read more>>

Nina Muccia | Apartment Gallerina

Many of the best experiences I’ve had showing and receiving art have been at alternative spaces, and I always wanted to facilitate one myself. Read more>>

Hyunhee Doh | Visual Artist

Art is a good method to re-perceive the moments in life. Through art, I share the perspectives that I recreated in personal aspect. My artwork is the lens that reflects the most subtle part of life and question the depth of time. Read more>>

Elizabeth Albert-Peacock | Publisher

We started Black Bears and Blueberries Publishing because we saw the need to Native children’s books written by Native writers and illustrated by Native illustrators. There is a real need to authentic, accurate reading materials on Native people, and there are plenty of books out there on Native topics, but many are written by non-Native people, who possess little intimate knowledge of our history, culture and ways. Read more>>

April Wickstrom | Holistic therapist / Transformative Coach.

What was your thought process behind starting your own business? I had a burnout 12 years ago. Doctors said I experienced a ‘brain death’. My brain had been over exerted, at unimaginable stress levels, for far too long. The pressures of today’s modern world pushed my brain to the brink. I was neurally impaired so to say. A part of me I had relied on so heavily for corporate success had died alive. Read more>>