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.

Jaime Lepe

The decision to start the business really began with my father. He bought the original Tropical Mexico back in 1977. He didn’t know how to read or write and only went to school through the second grade, so he knew early on that a traditional corporate path wasn’t going to be an option for him. Read More>>

Daniel Siriban

Roshi Experience was born during the pandemic, at a time when many of us in the restaurant industry suddenly lost our jobs and sense of stability. Like a lot of chefs, I was forced to pause and ask myself what was next, and more importantly, how I could continue doing what I love in a meaningful way. Read More>>

Arisa Meneses

I originally started baking bread just for myself, but over time, it became something I wanted to share with others. I was born and raised in Nagoya, Japan, where I spent a lot of time baking with my mother. About two years ago, I moved to the United States after marrying my husband. Read More>>

Carolina Cuteno

Honestly, it felt very natural. I’ve always been someone who needed to make things. Ever since I was a kid, I was drawing on everything—notebooks, scraps of paper, anything I could find. My parents bought me endless crayons and stickers, and I was always drawn to flowers. That’s why my dad used to call me Floresita. Nails became another way to keep creating. Read More>>

Meghna Robins

I started fine art from a really young age before pivoting to study transportation design at Art Center College of Design, Pasadena. One term, I decided to try something new and take a pottery studio class. Read More>>

Timothy Nunez

As a filmmaker, I’ve always believed in the power of cinema to bring people together. Starting No Solution Films was my first step in carving out a space where I could develop my own voice as a director and screenwriter. But as I moved deeper into the industry, I realized there was something missing, especially at the local level. Read More>>