The first step to starting a business is deciding to start a business. They say the first step is the hardest and in our experience this is especially true when it comes to starting a business. Getting over the mental roadblocks can be tough, often harder to overcome than the challenges you’ll face once you actually start the business. Fellow entrepreneurs share their thoughts below.

Cassandra Cruz

Honestly, mom guilt. I was standing in a store, holding a $45 top in one hand and mentally calculating how many packs of diapers that could buy. Spoiler: a lot. But I still wanted to look cute without sacrificing the grocery budget. Read More>>

Elena Beaudry

My thought process behind starting this business is to make art and help clients shine through my lens. I built this business with a purpose. My purpose is to capture what an audience will see but with a narrative and a life painting. My camera is my canvas. As soon as I put a subject in front of my lens, my mind goes to work. I want my clients to be able to express themselves through my photos. Read More>>

Jasmeen Aimer Silvia Ortiz

The idea for Her Impact Summit was born from our own entrepreneurial journeys and our deep passion for bringing women together to uplift and inspire one another. As we navigated the challenges of starting our businesses, we experienced firsthand the struggles of building a brand, making meaningful connections, and finding the right resources. Read More>>

Kyle Henry

Being in control of the creative works we create as artists is now more important than ever in the age of AI. I’ve always wanted to control the films that I create, to own the copyright, and to have some say in their distribution. Too many works in the past have been stranded and abandoned. The most precious things we create are our personal creative artworks. Read More>>

Dominique Mays

I started Tha Goddess House body waxing to give my clients a more personal experience. I noticed in corporate beauty industry jobs I was a number and the companies saw my clients as a check. Services had to be done quick and I had to shove product down their throat. It felt nothing like why I wanted to be in the beauty industry. Read More>>

Genaro Olivares

Since I was a little boy, I would see my dad work in construction. I would go to job sites with him and was always intrigued by the framing of homes and using power tools. When I bought my first home, I was able to start putting into practice the things I had learned while at work with my dad. Then, I started buying rental properties and would do the remodeling for them myself. Soon, people began asking how much I would charge them for something similar and then began the idea of GO-CON LLC. Read More>>