What was your thought process behind starting your own business?

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.

Aleksandra Hilvert

A few years into my legal career, I recognized that there was a critical gap in access to justice for business owners and individuals caught in a recurring cycle of breached contracts and delayed or missing payments. That realization led me to create a new type of litigation firm – a firm specializing in breach of contract on a contingency which means I am only paid if I can recover on my clients’ Read More>>

Hector

get paid for something you love to do. Read More>>

Aleksandra Neil

Hi Chris, thank you for the invitation, and for the wonderful space you are holding for us all with VoyageLA family, creating a community in a melting pot of LA. Precious, and very much appreciated.

Gitane Oils really began with my daughter. Read More>>

Ashley Jabara

I had worked in helping professions. I always knew I wanted to help people. When I started working with energy, a new way to help people arose. It doesn’t even feel like work. It feels like play. What could be better? Read More>>

Sydni Purvis

After years working in the corporate recruiting world, I realized the work that truly energized me was helping people create calm and order in their homes and daily lives. Organization has always come naturally to me, and I began to see how impactful it can be for others too. Tidy Syd grew from that realization to turn something I love into work that feels meaningful, personal, and genuinely helpful to people. Read More>>

Maggie Ogboin

Starting Skin Solutions by Maggie came from my passion for skincare and wanting to create a space where clients truly feel seen, heard, and cared for. I’ve always believed skincare is more than just treatments, it’s about confidence, education, and helping people feel comfortable in their own skin. I wanted the freedom to customize treatments, use products I genuinely believe in, and give every client a results driven but relaxing experience.  Read More>>

Ariana Kaufman

I grew up around horses since I was in my mother’s womb. Being with horses is my soul’s passion. Horses are extremely good at teaching children and adults boundaries, consent, and emotional intelligence. It was my dream to start a business where I could help facilitate a whole body healing experience using horses as the guide. That’s when I established Hoot Owl Holler  Read More>>

 Katherine Katsenis

When I found that one thing I truly loved, that is when it just came naturally to start a business with it. Of course, I went slowly at first. I spend a few years setting up infrastructure and networking in my spare time and on the weekends. Then, I felt I needed more formal training to set myself apart, especially since I work with newborns and infants. There is a lot to know about how to safely work with them in a studio photography environment. Safety first, always. Read More>>

 Krissy G

The thought process behind starting my business really came from a dream that stayed in my heart for years. I always had a passion for photography, but life was busy and I had other responsibilities at the time. Even with everything going on, that desire to create and capture moments never left me. Eventually I realized that if God kept placing that dream on my heart, it was meant to be pursued. Read More>>

Marty Mozart

The thought process wasn’t just about starting a business—it was about building something that didn’t exist yet.

I saw a gap between talent and opportunity, especially in creative spaces like hip-hop, where people have the skill but lack access, structure, or a system to grow. Instead of waiting for someone else to create that bridge, I decided to build it myself. Read More>>

Jazz From The Valley

Since we last spoke, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the kinds of conversations I was having with people through music and social media. When we last connected, I was focused on releasing new music, and that part of my creativity will always be important to me. But during that time, I kept noticing a pattern in the conversations people were having with me. A lot of people were opening up about feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure how to navigate different phases of life. Read More>>

Cindy Chavez

I’ve spent years working for others, building my skills, gaining experience, and pouring into businesses that weren’t my own. Deep down, I always knew I had more to give and something of my own to build. I’ve always been a bit of a risk taker, and there came a point where I realized this was my moment to go all in and truly bet on myself. Read More>>

LeShawn Montrae Taylor

For me, the thought process behind starting my own business is very niche and very on brand for myself. So basically I love entertainment and everything about the industry (including the bad as well, it comes with the territory) and I wanted to at least dip my feet in every possible avenue of it, mainly the ones that peaked my interest. Specifically speaking about my new business venture The LAYTE NYTE PODCAST Read More>>

Nathan Connolly

I started this business because I believed in betting on myself, on my experience, instincts, and ability to build something meaningful. After years in the industry, I saw a clear gap: there was an opportunity to create better, more effective solutions/products that truly addressed real problems for both providers and patients. At the same time, I wanted to build more than just a company – I wanted to create the kind of environment and culture that I would have been proud to be a part of. A place driven by innovation, accountability, and purpose, where people are empowered to do their best and be part of something special. Read More>>

 Rosamaria Garcia

I’ve always been a natural performer. When I was a teenager, there were not that many people in my circle who pursued music in higher education or as a career. However, when I did discover what music looked like as an older college student I was able to relate the knowledge I gathered from watching my father run his business, and quickly saw there were many opportunities for myself that I could create and follow through. Read More>>

 Honda Rivera

My thought process wasn’t a straight line, it was a long conversation with myself.
I’d always wanted to run my own creative business, but I kept hesitating because I understood the reality: whether you’re working for yourself or someone else, there are no guarantees. Read More>>