We reached out to some of our favorite entrepreneurs and asked them to think back and tell us about how they decided to start a business. Check out their responses below.

Christine Cook | Owner and Lead Designer at EP Interior

Christine, the owner of EP Interior, has worked in the design field for her whole adult career. After living many unique places across the world, she moved back to Houston and knew it was time to go out on her own and start her own business. Our designers all have differing educations, backgrounds, and specializations which makes us a well-rounded and diverse team. EP has become an immediate success and proves that Christine’s leap of faith was the right decision. We love catering to the memorial area and look forward to growing our business more and more! Read more>>

Christ Constantine | Chef & Owner

It starts with having a good business plan, where is the location? What is the concept and who is the buyer?A business plan will help us go through the process from the start to finish.Another important aspect is due diligence such as market research, by getting familiar with the area and understanding the demographics what they need that also will help with the decision making process. Read more>>

Dan Caldwell | Therapist, Interventionist, Adjucnt Professor

The thought behind me starting my own business was I wanted to help people in a more personal way than I could achieve working for others in this profession. I had a vision of what that might look like and decided it was time to do so. I am grateful I did! I am at a place where I am able to make an impact in some people’s lives no matter how big or small that may be. Read more>>

Kyra Williams | Makeup Artist

I have dreamed of having a business since I was in middle school. I knew I wanted to specialize in beauty, but I wasn’t sure at the time if I wanted to be in one specific thing. Once I graduated high school, I knew the first things I needed were my esthetician license and MUA certification, those I was certain of. Read more>>

Sarah Sed | Owner & Operator of Houston Axe Throwing

We didn’t have a lot of money growing up. For most of my childhood, my Dad was working on his Doctorate, and grad students aren’t exactly raking in the dough. So, I started cutting grass for my neighbors around the age of 10, and was soon cutting everyone’s grass for the whole block. Read more>> 

Jalon Nathaniel | Certified Herbalist

My inspiration for starting my business was my own healing journey and the way the business manifested itself , I deal with multiple chronic issues that keep me in pain most days . I have fibromyalgia , inflammatory arthritis , and axial spondyloarthritis . Read more>>

Jailine Isita | CEO

The first thought behind starting my business was Can I do it? I feel like we get so many mixed emotions but knowing that God was guiding me made the emotions less intense. Read more>>

Sharon Chi | Photographer & Business Analyst

Honestly, I’ve never intentionally decide to start my own business. I have a background in digital media/computer graphics so I enjoyed designing and creating stories using different creative avenues including photography. Read more>>

Eric Broussard | Custom Home Builder

I’ve always had the desire to be an entrepreneur. My business was really unintentional. It was just God moving me into my destiny. I decided to venture out and contract my family’s home. During the process so many people stopped by and asked who the builder was. Read more>>

Shalonda “Shay” Johnson | Founder/Owner/CEO

I’ve been in the medical field for 25 years. I started my own Phlebotomy Training School 5 years ago, it is called Elite Art of Phlebotomy Training, LLC, still successful til this day. And then I started my own Mobile Lab Services 3 years ago as well. The name of my mobile lab services is called Elite ProLab Mobile Services, LLC. Read more>>