Readers often email us asking us for advice about new businesses they are thinking about starting and we often find that many of them don’t have a framework for thinking about a more fundamental question: why should or shouldn’t you start a business?

Below, you’ll find how successful entrepreneurs from across the city thought about this very question when they were considering whether to start their businesses.

Angela Kovar

My husband and I were married at a wedding venue in Montgomery in September 2017. During that time, we developed a close friendship with the original venue owner, bonding over a shared dream of one day owning a similar establishment. For us, the key to making that dream a reality was always the right location. Read More>>

Darien Willis

My thought process was to make more of an impact for the culture. I felt that establishing a platform for others to give people more information about positive innovations instead of validating the negative stereotypes about people of color. The creation of (SocialGoats) and purpose is Socially Getting Others Aware Today Successfully. Read More>> 

Nicole & Oliver Madsen

Mad Tallow really started with how we eat at home. We’re a two-person team, and Oliver has always taken pride in being the best chef for our family — cooking everything from scratch, using the highest-quality ingredients, and avoiding seed oils and processed junk. Over time, we realized how hard it is to find clean, quick snacks — especially fried food made with real fats like beef tallow. So the thought process was: if we can’t find it, let’s build it. We started mad tallow to make that kind of food more accessible — not just for us, but for others who care about what they eat and how it makes them feel. Read More>> 

Genevieve Borter

I originally started making bread and sourdough to cope with the loss of my son in 2017. But I’ve always loved making things for others. My family, my friends, my community. I love to cook, bake, make, everything! I honestly get no greater joy than someone enjoying something I’ve made. I love to do it so much, we certainly can’t eat it all so I turned into a business. Read More>>

Mary Avery

My thought process on starting my own business was hectic at first. I wasn’t always where I wanted to be when I first started out. My thoughts were racing , I was all over the place. I just remember I kept thinking “Can I really do this?” “Will I be good enough?” “Where will my clientele come from?” “Will people like my work?” I thought everything imaginable of what could potentially go wrong first instead of thinking of what could go right. Then one day I just decided to go for it, I thought if I could think of the bad outcomes then that means it’s just as many good outcomes right. Read More>> 

Hayden Fancher

Photography has always been something I have enjoyed on the side. I would take pictures of my friends proposals, or document when they had babies, or friends would have high school & college graduations to announce.
I worked in College Ministry at Texas A&M for 7 years and loved what I did. I got to hang out with college students, travel the world, and talk with people about Jesus. It was a dream job. Read More>> 

Jenilee Perez

My decision to start my own business was deeply influenced by my time in the US Army. Being in an environment where my daily life was constantly directed by others made me realize how important self expression is. Serving in a predominantly male field also highlighted the lack of focus on personal wellness and self care. I knew I wanted something different, to create a space where I could help others feel confident, cared for, and empowered to be the best version of themselves. Read More>>

Anne Billips Hamilton

After nearly seven years as a stay-at-home mom, I found myself needing to return to work and generate income—but I also needed flexibility. I have a degree in Political Science from Texas A&M, but all of my professional experience was in education. With three of my four children still too young for school, going back to a traditional classroom teaching setting would have meant paying full-time daycare for three kids—leaving me with little to no income on a teacher’s salary after expenses. Read More>>