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.

 Andriy Shvydkyy

For years, I worked inside large production environments where everything moved fast – documentaries, branded content, digital campaigns, platform media. Over time, I realized the industry itself was changing much faster than the traditional production model around it. Read More>>

 Jamilah Cherry

My path to entrepreneurship has been shaped by my commitment to care, advocacy and wellness. Motherhood really affirmed that for me. I understand first hand how isolating it can be to struggle with burnout, imposter syndrome, and perinatal depression. I also understand how transformative it is to be able to name your experience, build skills to successfully ask for support, and overcome challenges. I helped build my platform, Untethered Moms, to provide parents with tools to feel empowered, confident and whole. Read More>>

Katie Brockert

The initial thought behind starting my business was that I needed to do it. Right after the height of the pandemic, I started to work as an independent contractor for a couple of home health agencies for physical therapy. But soon after, I realized that I now had the freedom to branch out and create my own mobile and virtual physical therapy business. It was an exciting, nerve-wracking, and eye-opening experience. Read More>>

 Andrew Sampson

I wanted to build a marketing company that gave businesses more personal attention and real results instead of cookie-cutter strategies. After spending years in digital marketing, I saw an opportunity to create something more hands-on, honest, and focused on helping local businesses grow. At the same time, I wanted to create something amazing for me and my family, a family business that we can all contribute to. Read More>>

Nora Massisimo

Honestly, running a studio was never really my dream.

It happened during COVID, when everything shut down and I suddenly didn’t have a space to train, grow, or stay connected to the industry. I needed a community — so I created one. I started Studio20 with people who were close to me, people who understood the vision and what we could build together.
At that point, I was still very much in my own journey. I wanted to keep dancing, to work in the commercial industry, to choreograph, to move into creative direction. I never wanted to become just a studio owner — and that was actually really important to me. Read More>>

Zack Blum

The thoug ht process behind starting my brand was seeing a challenge and disconnect between homeowners or real estate investors who weren’t properly educated by their consultants on liabilities and limitations but rather sold on speculation and assumptions of visions and dreams which couldn’t be translated into reality. I have formed 2 companies as a real estate brokerage and general construction design and build firm to close the gap that majority of our clients face when not receiving diligent, competent, factual, knowledgable, and professional advice. Read More>>

Tyler Boden

At the time I started my business, I had worked for a solar installer for 6 years, and I was unhappy with how confined I was to using a certain set of equipment that the installer used. I opened my company so that I could be independent in my solar sales process, and represent multiple installers with various offerings. This has allowed me the flexibility to serve a wider base of customers, and give people what they are looking for when adding solar to their property. Read More>>

Aria Savadkouei

Aria Breads is about a year old, but the thought process behind it really spans the last decade of my life.

In college, I became deeply infatuated with the craft of sourdough baking. What started as curiosity quickly turned into obsession. I studied it meticulously, learned every detail I could, and spent years baking for family and friends. The feedback was always “you should open a bakery” and that more tables deserved real artisan bread made with genuine care. Read More>>

Kay Adekunle Rufai

For me, it wasn’t a clean, strategic decision like, “I’m going to start a business.” It came from something much deeper — a mix of lived experience, frustration, and a real sense of responsibility. Read More>>

Tiffany Chi

My photographic style is influenced by my Fine Art education and many years of painting and observing light, people, and relationships. My images are soft, natural, light and airy, with a tinge of ethereal romance. I believe in a custom photography experience that is intentional and meaningful, rather than rushed and generic. Read More>>

 Joshua Hong

I started my career as a technician, working in the field and gaining hands-on experience across a wide range of residential and commercial HVAC systems. Over time, I began to notice a consistent issue in the industry. Many customers struggled to find a company they could truly trust. Pricing was often unclear, and the quality of work varied significantly from one contractor to another. I saw too many cases where systems were installed without proper planning, attention to detail, or long-term responsibility. Read More>>

Dr. Rochelle Karapetian + Dr. Ghazal Ghaysar

We are the owners of Root & Grow Health, and it really started with a simple idea: care should feel as good as it is effective. We were seeing strong clinical work, but it often felt impersonal, and we knew there was room to do it differently. Read More>>

Letty Perez Love

I wanted to start something using my creative side.

The side that loved design, experiences, and bringing people together in a fun and memorable way.
For a long time, those two parts of my life felt separate… until one day I had an idea. Read More>>

The Darbies

Confidence that I can definitely do this. I have everything necessary to own a business, might as well be my own. – Ronny

Life has many eggs, there is no reason to have them all in one basket when there is so many opportunities out there.- Peyton Read More>>

Cody Kemby

I started this business out of necessity. I was surfing every day and working a full-time job, coming out of the water with sunscreen still visibly on my face. No matter how hard I scrubbed, it wouldn’t come off. After getting reprimanded multiple times by my wife, I decided to come up with a solution. I tested it over and over, made batch after batch until I found something that fit what I was looking for. It had to be all natural, simple ingredients, and effective. I started using it myself for several months before a friend tried it and asked why I hadn’t put it on the market. Read More>>

Steph Kim-Hoffman And David Hoffman

I started Slow Beginnings Coffee with the goal of creating a more intentional and elevated coffee cart experience in Los Angeles and Orange County. Like many in specialty coffee, I initially thought I would open a brick-and-mortar coffee shop, but I quickly fell in love with the flexibility and creativity of a mobile coffee bar – being able to serve at weddings, corporate events, and private gatherings while connecting with different communities. I’ve always been passionate about hospitality and specialty coffee; growing up, I spent a lot of time exploring Read More>>

Gina Rivera

I was inspired to start Phenix Salon Suites by two major factors: my family history and a pivotal moment in my career. I grew up in the salon industry, and it was a big part of my upbringing. My family has been in it for generations, dating back to 1929, so I always knew this was my path. At the same time, I saw early on that traditional salon models did not always support the flexibility and independence that many professionals needed in their careers. Read More>>

Arvin, Christina & Nina

From the beginning, we understood that owning a business would come with challenges, but we were driven by the desire to create something of our own, after acquiring the place—somewhere we could build our vision, set our own pace, and shape our future. Over the years, the experience has taught us far more than we anticipated: leadership, time management, customer care, employee relations, and above all, patience, and perseverance. Read More>>

Christina Stroh

Well, there was not alot of thought behind it. I never was like, I want to start a business. I was in the middle of a difficult divorce and on a journey of reconnecting with parts of myself that I lost along the way. As part of my healing journey, and with the help of my Christian faith, I began to do things I never thought I could do. I began walking by faith, not by sight. The first big step for me was getting chickens. I’d always wanted a farm since I was a child but grew up where farms and livestock were never allowed.  Read More>>