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.

Jeremy Norris & Rikesha Duriso | Artist(s), Writer, Entrepreneur, & Podcaster

We wanted to create a platform that served the community with positive raw progressive information on how to better their lives in a tangible and intangible way. Read more>>

Robin Beattie | CEO & Owner

I founded Roar Restaurant Marketing with a mission to help restaurants thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. I’ve seen firsthand how challenging it can be for restaurateurs to keep up with the rapid changes in digital marketing and advertising. My goal is to empower them to fully leverage their digital presence, ensuring they don’t just survive, but truly grow in an increasingly competitive market. Read more>>

Dr. Sheila Pope | Owner of Independent Pre-Owned Dealership & Realtor

For the last three years, my company The Resource Center provided an adult education program that offers GED classes. Unfortunately, my clients often quit the program before reaching their goals. More importantly, the price point of the classes was too low for me to sustain my lifestyle and make a profit. Read more>>

Wynette Richardson | Speaker. Educator. Coach.

I always wanted to start my own business and I did, but it failed epically. After a few years of dreaming again, I started to get the nudge that it was time. I knew this time would be different and it was, but not the difference I thought. In 2021, my mom passed away. When she passed away, I knew I had to turn my dream into a reality. My dad and I conversed about me taking the leap of faith and starting my business. He gave me his blessings and support. Little did I know that he would pass away 14 months after my mom, unexpectedly. Two months later, I started Richardson Speaks Global LLC! Read more>>

Christin Edward | Self Made Confectioner

I began my business about 6 years ago when my eldest daughter was 6 months old. During that time, I decided to step back from my career as a nurse practitioner and stay home with her. I went from a very fast paced career to a slower, and at times mundane, home life. I loved being with her day in and day out, but I found myself craving a task that would ignite my creativity. I began baking more. I had always enjoyed that even as a teenager. Then one day, my mom commented that I should try selling my confections. Initially, I thought no one would buy them, but in faith I put my foot out there and got my first customer. If I’m honest, that first cake was pretty rough looking, but I persistently kept growing. Over the years, I’ve honed my craft and now have accelerated my business to large events and weddings. I love that baking affords me to use another side of my brain, be creative, spend time with my kids, and produce delicious and beautiful treats for my clients. Read more>>

Kurchi Basu | Pet Care & Event Enthusiast: Wedding Dog Sitter (Pawsitive Moments)

In 2021, I began accompanying friends’ dogs to their weddings, drawing on my extensive experience of fostering over fifty dogs. I noticed that many people hesitate to include their pets in special events, seeing it as an extra hassle they just don’t have the capacity to handle. But I see it differently. Pets have a remarkable way of grounding us and helping us appreciate the moment amidst the chaos of a special event. Including a furry companion in the celebration isn’t just an add-on; it’s a meaningful expression of love and care as a couple. Earlier this year, I officially launched my LLC in the State of Texas to help more people include their best friends in their best day. Amidst the hustle and bustle of a wedding, pets bring a unique joy and help us ‘paws’ to reflect on what truly matters. I’m deeply committed to ensuring that no celebration is complete without these beloved companions, making sure they play an integral role in every special day. Read more>>

Alana Cogen | Women’s Personal Trainer and Life & Acne Coach

I spent a majority of my life feeling like a complete stranger to myself in my own mind & body: anxiety, depression, dealing with narcissistic abuse, disassociation after trauma, and not knowing how to listen to or connect with my mind & body’s needs. I have always had a deep-seeded desire to help others, but for most of my life never felt worthy or capable enough to guide or help others. After getting out of a narcissistic abusive relationship and completely changing the trajectory of my life through becoming a personal trainer, learning about nervous regulation tools and mindful nutrition, I realized I had become the person who the younger me would’ve needed and really looked up to. I went from never exercising or eating healthy, no self-care, regular substance use to numb the pain, desperate for approval from others, people-pleasing, lack-of boundaries, and constantly in a loop of shame & self-hatred to… strength training efficiently while building muscle & losing fat, clearing my severe cystic acne I dealt with for over a decade all naturally without any medications, fueling my body mindfully with nourishing nutrient dense foods, setting boundaries, communicating my needs without guilt, embracing my highly-sensitive nature, using dialectical behavioral therapy skills to regulate my emotions, embracing nature’s healing powers, and having fulfilling & aligned relationships. Read more>>

Viviane Nguyen | Goldie Co-founder

The idea behind Goldie started as a Rice University MBA class project in our introductory entrepreneurship class. We weren’t necessarily seeking out a new business idea we were just tasked with finding a “burning problem” to work on, and I couldn’t get over the nightmare of jean shopping. Sizing within women’s jeans has historically always been confusing and inconsistent, making jean shopping (and especially online jean shopping) an ordeal. Read more>>

Monique Jose | Financial Controller and Certified Energy Healing Practitioner

I have known for many years; my purpose is to help people heal and dramatically improve their quality of life. This is in part to watching my mother and mother-in-law suffer from cancer. Caring for them and witnessing their painful journey led me to continue searching for and studying additional healing methods. Read more>>

Carmen Elena Galvan | Content Creator & Visual Storyteller

This might sound crazy, but I never planned on starting a UGC business that helps promote heath-conscious restaurants. It kinda just unraveled into this amazing opportunity on its own. To be honest, I didn’t even know what UGC (user-generated content) was until just a couple of years ago when I was working in a professional project for my master’s degree. Read more>>

Shanice Lewis | Writer – Data Analyst – Educator

My business was built out of necessity. I’ve always loved writing, and now that I’ve gained the opinion of my family and friend that I as good at what I do, my business was birthed. I turned my passion into an income and I haven’t looked back since. At this very junction in my life I was also preparing for a move from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Houston, Texas. Accepting all the changes that life came with, being in a new city, a new income wouldn’t hurt. Read more>>

Sade Beaulieu | Owner

My thought process behind starting my own business came from seeing the many obstacles, barriers and stigmas minority groups face when seeking out mental health services. For example, the tendency of not asking for help when they need it, stopping counseling services abruptly, and the overall perception they have had with their counselor. This places them at a disadvantage and may put them at risk for higher levels of stress, depression, and lowered self-esteem. This is where the counselor role becomes important. I believe that creating an environment in which minorities feel safe provides an opportunity for them to express themselves and reaches further into the communities in which they live can impact their overall health. As a Black woman, I know firsthand how the lack of needed resources can impact a person of color. Most minority groups may not know the realm of mental health services available and therefore are more likely to seek help from their primary care providers rather than a counselor. This is important to me because I see the need for this within my community. This is a major reason why I provide mental health services through teletherapy to those individuals who do not have access to mental health care services in their communities or are unable to seek out mental health services because of a financial hardship. Read more>>

Ben Bumguardner | Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician

I started my own business because I believed that striking out on my own, without the immediate comfort and guidance of a mentor or boss, would ultimately make me stronger and more self-reliant. I realized that if I had someone always there to lean on, I might use that as a safety net and not push myself as hard to find solutions independently. Being my own boss compelled both my wife and me to dig deep, problem-solve, and truly understand the ins and outs of running a business—skills we now know like the back of our hands. Another significant reason was my upbringing; I grew up watching my dad run his own business, which instilled in me a strong entrepreneurial spirit. It was almost as if it was ingrained in me from an early age to carve my own path and create something meaningful. Read more>>

Dr. Christina Garcia Ramirez | and Dr. Camaron Burney, Doctors of Physical Therapy

After spending many years working in traditional physical therapy clinic settings, we noticed a troubling trend: each year, we were expected to see more patients, for less time, and with decreasing support. As a result, the quality of care we were providing began to suffer. We recognized that this was largely due to declining reimbursement rates from insurance companies, which drove the need for higher patient volumes. So, we decided to cut out the middleman. Read more>>

Emily Ulrich | Blogger

I really wanted to highlight the benefits of rescuing and how it can change a life. We rescued all four of our dogs from the shelter and they became our family. If I have a bad day, it takes one hug to brighten it completely. I love sharing to my audience how saving an animals life can not only benefit you, but also the animal. Three of our rescue dogs were on the euth list when we rescued them and we saved their lives. It’s amazing. Read more>>