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.

CAPRICE CRAWFORD | FOUNDER | AGENT

8 Yeas ago, I founded Crawford Talents, an International acting Agency based out of Berlin, with the simple goal of helping clients around the globe to make a break in the international film marked. Crawford Talents prides itself on guiding clients’ of all ages and without any major credits into the right direction. Landing substantial and leading parts in major projects throughout the globe. Read more>>

Elash Chambat | videographer & musician

I do a lot of things in life. I am a musician: I am a guitarist (among other instruments) in a band called Fat Bottomed Boys, perpetuating Queen’s legacy with new original songs. I am also a sound engineer. It’s my main activity. I have a studio, and I am in charge of FOH sound on tour with some French bands. I am a videographer: I shoot music videos, and feature films… But what I like the most is… doing a lot of things! I am very afraid of daily routine. I like learning and improving. Read more>>

Ibijoke Shallangwa | Fashion Entrepreneur

Afrikayla was birthed from my love for unique designs and my love for African print, I’ve always loved wearing African prints.. I realized that people didn’t value African fashion. I wanted to create something unique and versatile that would inspire people to wear African prints, I also wanted to create a solution for customers who always have issues with their tailors Read more>>

Grant Smith | Director of Photography and cameraman

I started my own business because it is much more lucrative and profitable in my industry having the flexibility of schedule and also being involved in the creative process creating a clients video idea come to life. When you are a cameraman working for a large company, you usually do not have as much creative input, and just need to follow instructions and complete your assignment. Read more>>

Thaddeus Coates | Illustrator + Model

My thought process in starting “Hippy Potter” was to create a safe space and a built for under represented communities. A lot of the work I do aids in centering those groups and amplifying those voices and by starting this endeavor I am able to reach so many amazing people. places and things. Read more>>

Ginger Mendoza | Owner of Ginger’s Bark Bites

My dog Luna was my biggest inspiration in starting my own business. With a dog’s short life span in mind, I wanted to provide her with the most nutritious foods in hopes to extend her years for a longer quality of life. While researching which dog foods and treats were the best, I found that many brands I thought I could trust contained tons of fillers, preservatives, additives, and unnecessary ingredients that didn’t benefit a dog at all. I felt it was my responsibility to help share with other like-minded dog parents that there are other options other than what’s sold in pet stores. Options like single-ingredient items that can serve dogs with specific diet restrictions and allergies, or just simply a guilt-free treat that pet parents can trust is nutritious and healthy for their dog. Read more>>

Anthony Lazarus | Co-Founder, Tackling Taboos, Mediocre Surfer

Working as a product manager in corporate America, I’ve always been fascinated with product development and have trained myself to notice gaps in the market. I saw a boom in the men’s grooming category and quickly noticed a market gap catering to the groin area. A few of my close friends from Hermosa Beach worked in the beauty space, so we teamed up to take on this white space and normalize below-the-belt hygiene for men with premium formulas, cheeky humor, and bold branding. Our first product, Happy Nuts Comfort Cream Ball Deodorant, has become the #1 deodorant on Amazon during the Christmas season for a few years. We’ve now expanded to a full line of products tackling taboo body issues under two brands, empowering men and women to have superior hygiene and healthier self-esteem. Read more>>

Lisa Zawrotny | Productivity Strategist + Accountability Coach

After experiencing a deeply overwhelming time in my life juggling multiple roles as a caregiver, wife, mother, and business owner, I became a Professional Organizer to help clients reduce clutter and create space in their lives so they would stress less and live more fulfilling lives. From the first moment I stepped into someone’s home, I could see how the clutter was connected to their head and heart. I’ve worked with so many people and so many types of clutter, but one thing is always the same: the internal experiences drive the external. Our experiences and mindset (impacted by things like grief and trauma) affect every choice we make. Read more>>

Leonora Mahle | Interior Designer

I enjoyed the time I spent working for other design firms but, after having my child, wanted the freedom to create my own schedule, and the ability to work with clients and tradespeople directly. You end up working strange hours -I’m often meeting clients on weekends, when they’re available and more relaxed- but, at the same time, I’ve been around to see my kid growing up. Read more>>

Oreoluwa Onayinka | Master Life Coach

I’ve always been passionate about helping others and seeing them reach their full potential. I wanted to create a space where I could use my skills and knowledge to empower people to achieve their goals. Starting my own coaching business allowed me to have the freedom to design a personalized coaching program and provide quality service to my clients. It’s been an exciting journey so far! Read more>>

Tyler Polani | Photographer & Filmmaker

The thought process behind starting my own business actually goes back to when I was about 10 years old. My mother worked in the tech industry for over 25 years and my father was a top salesmen for over 30 years. Through observation, I noticed my mother working many hours on the computer, so many, that she developed tendonitis in both of her arms requiring a total of 3 surgeries. My fathers job was so stressful that he’d often would be in a bad mood when coming home, causing stress outside of his work. My 10 year old self came to the conclusion that having a boss can lead to injury and stress. I had no idea at the time how I was going to end up living my life, but I knew the 9 to 5 life was not going to be a life for me. Read more>>

Shant Hamassian | Horror Filmmaker and Founder of Fantastik Beyond

Thanks for having me. I’m Shant Hamassian, the founder of Fantastik Beyond, a horror-focused entertainment startup. At Fantastik Beyond, we believe any strong intellectual property can thrive on any medium. Our focus is on developing simultaneous productions on film/series, video games, and VR experiences, unified by one underlying I.P. — and made possible by real-time engines such as the Unreal Engine 5. This journey began when my short film, “Night of the Slasher”, made a huge splash in the horror scene, getting offers and meetings with agents, managers, and major production companies and studios. Read more>>

Emily Beliveau | Medical Qigong Master

Embarking on my qigong business journey came very naturally. Unlike other life ventures, this one just seemed to flow effortlessly from one stage to the next. My introduction to Medical Qigong happened in 2017 when I sought healing from my Qigong Grandmaster. Fast forward to 2020, and I found myself eagerly diving into practitioner training and academic study. Those years were a personal exploration of my energy body, uncovering the potent healing capabilities of this ancient practice. At the age of 10, I received a liver transplant, and it was during this qigong journey that I began peeling back layers of grief, anger, and pain that had quietly nestled within me for years. Through this deep healing process, I started to observe subtle and not so subtle changes in myself, my reactions, and my life choices. Read more>>

Cassandra Zepeda | Dessert baker

My business started, I feel like most small businesses, during the pandemic. I used to make cheesecake cones for my friends just for fun and one of them suggested I make it a business. Read more>>

Dr. Giavanni Washngton | Ancestral Alchemist & Oracle Deck Creator

In some ways, this was less of a thought process and more of a “backing into.” I graduated with a PhD in a field in which there were very few academic jobs in my geographic location. I also had a young baby and wasn’t looking to do piecemeal adjunct professor work that would keep me away from baby for hours each day. My dissertation was about how diasporic populations utilize communal drumming and dancing to mediate the trauma of slavery. Since I wasn;t going to be a professor and I was so deep in that dissertation work, I wanted to bring drum medicine to the world! Several months later, I hired a business coach and embarked on an “MBA in entrepreneurship.” Read more>>

Almamy | Singer, Recording Artist & Creative Entrepreneur

Early on in my career, I wasn’t even remotely interested in signing directly to a record company, I just wanted to chart my own course and have complete control over my work. So, by the time I was ready to release music, it was a no-brainer for me to start my label, ModyWorks. It really was nothing more than just an outlet to put my records out at first, but then it quickly grew into an actual company when I started to sign artists a year after the label’s launch, mostly records I loved by friends. There are a lot of things in my industry that could be vastly improved, and I realized after while that I can actually make a difference, in my own small way, by building the kind of business I’d like to see. Read more>>

Mahnaz Demehri | Portrait photographer

As Mahnaz Demehri, an Orange County, CA-based portrait photographer, my journey into establishing my own photography business was deeply rooted in a passion for capturing the essence of powerful women and celebrating their unique stories. The idea was to go beyond conventional portraits and create magazine-worthy images that resonate with authenticity and timelessness. My vision was clear—I wanted to provide an opportunity for women to experience the allure of a celebrity photoshoot, not as a distant dream but as a tangible reality. The focus was on crafting portraits that encapsulated the strength and beauty of my clients, whether they chose to celebrate their individuality or share those moments with their loved ones. Read more>>

Azuki Umeda | Dancer, Choreographer, Educator

I received two degrees in Dance and in Education during undergrad at Chapman University. I knew that I wanted to teach and share my knowledge of dance with future generations. On top of that, I have enjoyed producing works and presenting at festivals and in different shows in the greater Los Angeles area. I remember asking one of my mentors, Will Johnston, how he started his company, Entity Contemporary Dance. His answer was so simple, yet so daunting, “Just go for it.” From there I used my company, AU.THENTICITY DANCE CO., as a hub to create different projects, work with different dancers, and teach at various studios. Read more>>

Chief Assigana | Filmmaker, Photographer & Writer

You might say that my business started at the beginning of the 10 years I spent as a DJ. I just wasn’t an LLC yet. I’ve done a lot of work as an independent contractor over the years since then; so I suspect becoming an entrepreneur was inevitable for me. The decision to officially start my own business came out of an interest I developed in photography as a hobby. I originally bought a DSLR to teach myself to shoot video. Not long after, I realized that having such a camera meant that I may as well learn photography as well. I then sought out opportunities to use my nascent skills. My first photography gig was me taking the initiative to shoot a DJ friend’s boat party. Since then, I’ve been working on growing my business with clients, as well as producing independent projects through my company. Read more>>

Radu Bondar | Comedian & Producer

I never wanted to! The most frustrating day in any working artists life is the moment they realize they didn’t subvert the premise of getting a job, they started a small business! And guess what? Artists are bad at business! So the first thing I had to learn is how to exploit myself, because in essence any “opportunity” you get in comedy is somebody with access to distribution who is willing to severely underpay you. I’m not saying to avoid this pipeline (you’ll be lucky to be considered for it), but analyze what the money makers are doing and find a way in, or mimic their process. Read more>>

Breanna Michelle | Advanced Nail Technician (ANT)

I’ve been out of corporate America since 2018 when I became pregnant with my very first child. Back in 2015, I was involved in a bad car accident that took both of my big toe nails completely off, which caused me to wear acrylic toe nail enhancements. The pandemic hit, and the nailshops closed, prompting me to start doing my own nail care services; when the quarantine mandate went into full effect, I was already past due for upkeep on my feet. I had needed a pedicure, real bad! By being a new mother, finding time to get myself together became a challenge. So I found a nail supply store, bought all of the materials I’d need, borrowed my friends nail drill & got busy right in the middle of my bed! Although I spilled everything everywhere and had my home smelling like a nail shop for weeks, I was successful in performing my own pedicure and refilling my toe nail enhancements. It actually came quite easy to me! Read more>>

Melmen | investor, music artist, life coach, and day trader

I think that starting your own business is a scary but freeing idea. Most people dont start one because of the fear of the unknown i believe this is the only way to create true financial freedom. I have the work ethic, time, and drive to start my own business the capital has always been my issue but more recently i have been building capital for an opportunity to see what i can do as a business owner Read more>>

Joanna DeGeneres | Photographer

To be honest, I moved to LA to be an actor and I hated working in a restaurant and was really craving a creative job that allowed me to be my own boss while pursuing my acting career. I was taking photos for my husband (boyfriend at the time) who was putting together a CD for his bad and had me take the band’s headshots for inside the cover of the CD. I was holding the camera and I remember the moment I thought I could take headshots for actors and it was like a lightbulb above my head the way you would see it in the cartoons. I dove in and then over a few years I was busier as a photographer than an actor so I just decided to focus all my attention on photography. Read more>>

Anita Wang MD, FACEP | Physcian

Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey into functional medicine wasn’t just a business decision for me; it was a response to the growing challenges and frustrations I witnessed during my years working in the emergency department. The surge in chronic diseases and the palpable dissatisfaction among patients within the healthcare system fueled my determination to find a solution that went beyond acute care medicine. My perspective took shape as I naively contemplated how my work could be more than just treating patients during critical moments than opening a business. I had many chronically ill patients that would present to the emergency department in acute distress. Read more>>

Jenni Gold | DGA Director, writer and producer

During my time in Film School, I garnered recognition for writing and directing award-winning short films including a student Emmy. However, as I transitioned into the professional arena as a female Director with a visible disability, I realized the importance of creating my own opportunities. This decision prompted me to not only focus on directing but also take on the role of a producer. I established Gold Pictures Inc. in January 2001, a development and production company. With my additional experience as a film editor and my husband’s expertise as a post-producer, incorporating a post-production division into our company felt like a natural progression. This strategic move aligns well with our combined expertise and enriches Gold Pictures’ portfolio of services. Read more>>

Susan Pasarow | Nutritionist and Food Coach

Until recently, I don’t think I actually ever had the confidence to start my own business. I have always worked though – – starting as a pre-teen babysitter for neighbors, and then at the age of 15 1/2, I got a job at a clothing store in our local shopping mall. My dad drove me to and from work until I got my license shortly thereafter. I worked various jobs throughout college (more retail, and then a luxury travel agency) and then upon graduating with an English degree from UCLA, I got my first “real” job and started my career in Public Relations. I worked my way up the agency ladder and for the most part enjoyed the work that afforded me the ability to be creative, mentor, travel the world and work with so many brilliant and talented colleagues and clients.. Read more>>

Tatiana Vitiello | Podcaster

I knew certain women needed a voice and a platform, so I created a space for them to tell their stories with no judgement. Read more>>

Omer Basatemur | Restaurant Owner / Chef

I’ve always wanted to be my own boss, I just knew I would have to find something I was passionate about enough to do every day and feel good about it. Read more>>

Adeline Coutard | Jewelry designer

I’m a free Spirit and I need to be independant Read more>>

Britt Bankhead | Founder of Bankhead Productions

I was really interested in making films that I was passionate about while also enjoying the production side of things. I’m also interested in making true stories on veterans and their heroic actions. Read more>>

Rivest Dunlap | Mushroom Therapy

There was really no thought behind it – I said “fuck it” it do this & see what unfolds. Read more>>

Nona Patel | Florist (Wood Flowers)

I started my business during the midst of the pandemic. I was working full time and when the shutdown happened, I went from working 40+ hours a week to 12 hours a week, I was bored out of my mind at home. I always enjoyed doing crafts when growing up so I started into looking for DIY kits to keep myself busy. One day, I stumbled upon wood flowers. I made a wreath from my home, which is still hanging in my home. My husband who was thoroughly impressed, asked me to start selling wood flower creations and hence Wood Blossom Creations, LLC was born. It literally was one of the best decisions I made in my life. Read more>>