Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, we think you’ll enjoy reading about how these seasoned entrepreneurs thought about the question when they were in your shoes.

Destiney Gillespie | Inspirational Speaker & Serial Entreprenuer

The thought process behind starting my own business came from the idea of me being able to redefine the relationships women have with themselves and how I could change the trajectory of what society has put in place. There’s a stigma that women must live a certain way, act a certain way, or be a certain way to live abundantly and intentionally. Intentional living can look different for everyone. The key is finding what makes you happy, and building upon that. I ultimately wanted to just help women win personally, and spiritually. Read more>>

Sara Stathatos | Pranic Healing Instructor & Business Owner, Future Acupuncturist

My mom’s dream was to open a wellness center and it took years to make her dream a reality. We wanted a space that provided classes to help the people in our community. It all started October 2010, after taking a weekend energy healing course. We decided we wanted to open our own center where we could offer classes like how to meditate etc. The first few years we were able to build our tight knit community. Then in November of 2018 we finally had the ability to create our own space. Our center focuses on offering all the courses we like to attend. We want to improve the quality of people’s lives through our services. Read more>>My mom’s dream was to open a wellness center and it took years to make her dream a reality. We wanted a space that provided classes to help the people in our community. It all started October 2010, after taking a weekend energy healing course. We decided we wanted to open our own center where we could offer classes like how to meditate etc. The first few years we were able to build our tight knit community. Then in November of 2018 we finally had the ability to create our own space. Our center focuses on offering all the courses we like to attend. We want to improve the quality of people’s lives through our services. Read more>>

Candace Joseph | CEO and Founder of The Joseph Consulting Firm LLC , Radio Show Host, Motivational Speaker

When creating The Joseph Consulting Firm, I thought about all the dreams and hopes of a new entrepreneur. I thought about questions that most entrepreneurs forget to ask a consultant. I thought about the financial cost associated with starting a business. I thought about reducing the number of companies an entrepreneur will encounter at their start. I thought to myself, why not create a one stop shop for entrepreneurs. All experts at an entrepreneurs’ fingertips to take them from idea to launch and beyond. I wanted to create a safe space without intimidation, without information overload, and without excessive charges. As a fellow entrepreneur, it is important to empower, support, and educate others to reach their greatness. Read more>>

Xavier Dupree | Father, entrepreneur & Pro Athlete

I always wanted to be my own boss and one of the first things that came to my mind was a clothing line I grew up around nice dressed people and love clothes so why not have a clothing line where I can design my own clothes & also being 6’9 I can structure the clothes how I want basically. And we need clothes in our everyday life, you can’t go a day without clothes & shoes. Read more>>

Katrice Smith, LMSW | Founder/CEO of Sleeque Body & Licensed Social Worker

The funny thing is, for years, I was always that person saying, “I’m not entrepreneur-minded. I’d rather work for people instead of having my own business. I don’t have a desire to be the head of anything because I don’t like business.” Oh, the young and ignorant. I did not do well in a business course I took during my undergraduate studies and ever since then, the idea was a scary one for me. Some years ago, I started making my own products for my hair. I am a big DIY queen. All the products I used on my hair over the counter were filled with ingredients I couldn’t necessarily pronounce and did not know what the benefits were for my hair. I started to research ways to DIY the products to save money and to create a simple all natural product that would do wonders for my hair. What worked wonders on my hair, I found out worked wonders on my skin too. I noticed how it kept me moisturized longer than any lotion ever has. I started to do more research and found out that when used on your body, it’s termed body butter. Read more>>

Samantha Overton | Lifestyle Photographer

My thought process behind starting my own business was, “With my special gift, how can I support myself financially by making others happy and doing what I love simultaneously ” and boom, here I am bringing visuals to life. Read more>>

Shayan Sadri | Co Owner of Caphin Gourmet

Ever since I was a kid I saw things differently, I would see opportunities when something was missing. For Example: When I was in Elementary school I would go to Sam’s club with my parents and noticed that the prices of candy in bulk was way cheaper than it was buying it individually at the nearby corner store, then a light bulb would go off in my brain because candy was not offered in my Elementary school cafeteria. So I bought different varieties of candy sell it for a fair price during lunch and even offer buy3 get 1 free options so I can move product faster, I would also undercut the corner store so kids won’t buy it there after school to try to eliminate competition. So essentially my thought process started early on and never looked back. I try to offer something to the public that could be unique or hard to come by. Read more>>

Angela Beltran | Radio & Tv Talent | Blogger | Alt Proyect Media Inc | Digital Advertising Agency

I had to face my fears, I know for a fact that nothing worth having is easy to get, it’s a process, and you have to trust your talents, try your best and hope for the best, put your heart to it and you will achieve anything you are looking for. Read more>>

Lanorah Woodhouse | Prensonal Care expert and Dementia Practitioner

When I started my career as a caregiver I would always think to myself that I would want someone just like me to care for my grandmother. I know that she wouldn’t be able to afford it so my goal was to start myself own business so when the time comes she would not have to worry about quality care. Read more>>

Jynesis Monique | Makeup Artist & Skin Connoisseur

When I created Kalon’s Beauty Bar, my consistent thought was how can I do something I love, empower both men and women, and get paid for it. On my 19th birthday, I only imagined what it my company could branch out to. Although, my original pursuit was makeup and lashes, being in this business has allowed me to explore many different avenues. For example, my new vegan skincare line SKIN by Jynesis Monique can allow women to feel beautiful even after they take the makeup off -and that was what was important to me.Moreover, I have also tried to keep an open mind throughout this journey, continuously self-reflect, and work diligently to improve productivity and performance. Every day I wake up thinking “how can I push my business to new heights?”. Read more>>

Ebony Jefferson-Orupabo | Boutique Owner

In todays’ society people can be motivated by many things. Fame, money, and freedom are a few. For some people, recognition or even competition. For me, I felt it was a call, a way to fulfill one of my purposes in life. I strongly believe that we are all created by God for a specific reason and a specific purpose. I often times would find myself miserable on my job and if others were honest, they are too. I was miserable because I was on a job that I was not supposed to be on. I knew God didn’t create me for just a job, I owed it to the myself, my family, and community to be who and do what I was created to be and do. That is when I knew it was time to start my own business. Read more>>

Jasmine Johnson | Professional Chef

tarting your own business without any help or guidance was me, I just jumped straight into it, after graduating from Culinary school. My thought process was overwhelming. Wondering if it will be a successful business or will I have a lot of clientele and just how will I over all make this a career and succeed finically. Read more>>

William Tresten | Self-Defense Instructor & Edged Weapon Specialist

I think I always had a bit of a passion for knife making, it started out mostly as a project because I felt I could make a better one after carrying some of the best fixed blades in the industry. Coming from a martial arts background I know the difference between making a video look cool, and actually being able to deploy and use a blade for Self-Defense. I wanted to make a product that right out of the box required little to no training, and was reliable and dependable. I wanted to make a product not just for operators out in the field, but everyday concerned citizens. Read more>>

Young Prince | Event MC / Comedian

I’ve always felt the need to have my own business so eventually i can have something to pass down to my children. I love entertainment and the goal one day is to have my own big entertainment company/ talent agency. Read more>>

Brittany Waddell | Millennial Health Coach

My initial thought process behind starting Watch Her Prep, was basically how can I help people reach their health and wellness goals. I felt as if I had unlocked a secret of life in a sense, when I reached my goals. I had increased energy, much more focused, innate happiness, and just pure joy. Being healthy is much more than looking good in clothes or a swimsuit, to me, it is feeling your best, on the inside. I wanted to share this feeling and process with other women. Much like myself, I knew there were so many women who were unhappy due to their weight, and had no clue where to start. I wanted to simply it for them, and essentially show them that they are strongAF, and can do anything. It starts with habit change and the pure willingness to start. Read more>>

Ebony Brown | Serial Entrepreneur

My first business was never intended to be a business; it was a support group for women that have suffered the loss of a child from miscarriage, SIDS and or still birth called Mothers of Unborn Angels. Once I began the group on social media different women began asking for different quotes I had so I began putting them on shirts and created different memorabilia items for them to remember their children by. With Indigeaux Beauty, I wanted a way to pour into women the importance of self-love, healing and inner beauty. As most women, when we look good we feel good so I figured I could use that to get my message across. True beauty lies within and is projected outwardly. So although I provide makeup I also provide homemade skin care to assist with problematic skin or to maintain healthy skin as well as motivational quotes to inspire and promote healing. Read more>>

Chef LaToya Larkin | Award Winning Chef, Culinary Entrepreneur, and Best Selling Author

The thought process behind starting my business was to make my dreams a reality and create my own table to have a seat at. We always hear and talk about having a seat at the table. Which is cool if you are at the table with people of genuine interest. However, sometimes we no doubt have a seat at the table but get skipped and passed up to watch everyone else eat. Meaning in the duration of my career I was passed up for so many opportunities because I was not the right color or part of the boy’s club working in a male-dominated industry. Mind you, more than eligible for all positions with years of work experience and multiple degrees and yet passed up. It was then that I realized and became determined to not only have a seat at the table but want stake and ownership in the table. If I don’t work hard to make my dreams a reality, then WHO will? Absolutely no one else has, and that was exemplified time after time over the years. Read more>>

Netra Ford | Founder of Exceeding Autism & Owner of Alexander Center for Autism

In 2014, my 2 year-old son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. An autism diagnosis is not like going to the doctor for a broken limb or high blood pressure where there is a set treatment plan. Each individual that receives an autism diagnosis is unique due to the fact that each individual will have varying abilities and functionality. One child may be verbal and able follow directions, while another child or individual may be nonverbal, therefore the treatment differs. The uncertainty of how to care for that child can be very confusing for parents and caregivers. After receiving that diagnosis, I didn’t know what to do, but thankfully, I had an amazing pediatrician that gave me access to therapeutic resources to help my son. Even though, I had that information, I still spent years going back and forth trying to find the right therapeutic and socialization fit for my son. Read more>>

Francesca Costa | Co-found at Cranky Carrot Juice Co & Nutritionist

Honestly, I didn’t want to work for anyone else again. I wanted to work for myself. I have given many years of hard work, sweat and tears (cliche but true) to companies and organizations that exploited me. It was wasted passion on my end and it really took a toll on my mental health. I wasn’t satisfied. I felt I wasn’t making a difference or utilizing my strengths to its full potential. I wanted to throw myself into something, a brand, a message that I 100%, wholeheartedly believed in – so I created my own. Read more>>

Krystal Onuorji | Owner of Essx The Brand

I always knew that I would start my own business, but I didn’t know what kind of business it would be? When I finally decided that it was going to be jewelry and accessories, I knew that I wanted it to be excellent quality at a cost efficient prices. Most importantly I wanted to do something for women. Read more>>

Ashley Watts | Program Director & Design Artist

My thought process in the beginning was similar to a lot of new small business owners, asking myself “what am I doing and is this the right direction for me”? For me, the answers were almost instantaneously as I recalled two great quotes: “you are your greatest investment”and “I got my start by giving myself a start” by Madame CJ Walker. When I knew that this was direction I wanted to go in, I decided to start planning and setting goals for both long-term and short-term. While I may not have known exactly my long-term goals at that moment, I knew I could set some short term goals and develop them as a grew. Read more>>

Taylor Matchett | Makeup Artist and Lash Stylist

The thought process behind starting my own business was basically like “do it”. Having a real job since the summer of when I was 15, I was already used to working hard, being determined, getting the best outcome of all the task I was faced. I just transferred that energy and believe that I can be successful on my own with the same determination I started everything with. I knew for sure that I wanted to be creative in my work and one of a kind; that wasn’t going to happen with me stuck mentally at my 9-9. Read more>>