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.

Jasmine X | Artist | Creative Director | Influencer

My aim is to develop trust with my consumers as I am a beacon for their journey through the evolution of life. Now headquartered in Dallas, TX, Jasmine offers an emporium for her customers to be motivated and discover healing alternatives through positive energy and her artistic expertise. Read more>>

Daja Zenon | Credit Specialist

I always knew I wanted to be a business owner, I just didn’t know what exactly it was that I wanted to do. I entered the Credit Services field about 5 years ago by chance. I was working in an inbound call center which I strongly disliked, so within my first year as soon as I came across the opportunity to “get off the phones” I ran with it. I transferred from the customer service department, and joined the Credit Services department, and I didn’t know a thing about credit. I worked in the Credit Services department, for about 5 years, within those 5 years it still was never a thought to start a Credit Literature business until 2020 when the pandemic hit. Read more>>

Jae & Yae | Ya Field Me Organization Head & Assistant Coach

The thought process of starting the Ya Field Me Organization was wanting to be more involved with the youth. With us both having sports backgrounds, starting an organization that encouraged youth girls to get active was something we were both interested in doing. Having the goal of wanting to go to the Olympics in a sport during our younger years and compete on a higher level, we see how needed it is in the community to have this organization that allows us as coaches to assist youth girls who may also have dreams to play on a bigger stage. Read more>>

Anthony Hamilton II | Owner and Creative Director

I wanted to start my own business, because I’ve always wanted to work for myself and inspire others to go after their dreams. I started thrifting as a hobby, right after I graduated from college in 2016. During this time, I was working a full time corporate job. I found myself heading to the nearest thrift stores in my area. Those weekend trips turned into daily runs during my lunch breaks and then after work. My fondest memories have come from, plugging in my headphones, zoning into the articles of clothes on every aisle, and finding the rarest pieces of clothing that I would sell to my closest friends and family. Back then, I really wasn’t aware that my passion for thrifting could be turned into a functional and sustainable business venture. Read more>>

Brianna Meshack | Artist|Educator|Entrepreneur

There’s three segments to my business which are Artistry, Education & Artistry Essentials. The artistry arm provides makeup services to the public which enhances and highlights facial features, structure and flawless application. The education arm of StunnerBee, provides classes, makeup lessons and tutorials for anyone invested in learning the principles of the craft. Lastly, my favorite part of my business is providing makeup kit solutions for Makeup Artists and Creatives that allow them to Function and Perform more efficiently, and look Fashionable while doing it at wwww.shopstunnerbee.com. Read more>>

Darren Stewart | Personal Trainer

I worked for corporate fitness for only a little over a year before I realized I wanted to branch out on my own. Corporate structures are always built that they’re the ones taking the risk since they’re the ones who own the business, and then they are the ones who reap the reward for it. Starting on your own does have it’s risks, but nothing in life that’s worth having ever comes without some form of risk. I worked for years just making it by, getting close to breaking through and then being right back where I was. All that hard does culminate one day though, and I finally did break through to where I want to be………. and haven’t looked back since! Read more>>

Tom heller | Board Member

We started ThisIsHouston non profit dog rescue because we wanted to make a difference for the neglected, abused, and abandoned dogs in and around Houston. Read more>>

Megan Morris | Chandelier

Well , my business started as a way for me to express my creativity. At the time I was a full time owner of a brick and mortar bakery and also a makeup artist. However, my bakery took up all of my time and I was unable to perform makeup services which was my creative outlet. I knew I was loved candles and so did my clients, so I thought it would be a good idea to learn how to make them for myself, clients, family and friends. I thought it would be a simple task but I was shocked to learn that it took a lot of trial and error to produce a quality product. Every night I would research different formulations for wax, wicks, fragrance oil until I found the formula that worked for me. That took about 1.5 years! Read more>>

Sarah Bobby | Female Tattoo Artist

The thought process was rather quick, fast paced, and exhilarating. Julian Solis and I found that we hold a similar passion for the arts and we longed for a safe environment to create our work in. We found the wonderful Cameron Ironworks Building in East Downtown, Houston after a referral from another wonderful female tattoo artist, Megan Medina (@artbymegs) As you walk in you feel a warmth and a sense of community that was exactly what we were looking for. Once in the space we were able to curate the space we envisioned together, a place that is comfortable for all of our guests. Read more>>

Byron Davenport | Host of “The Werito Show”

It all started from the host of “The Werito Show” he first made a promise to his mother that had multiple sclerosis. He made a promise to her that he would be a chef and show her love all around the world. This promise blossomed into an International Showcase Network. From being born in Woodville Texas to living in Mexico as a child and being an American War Veteran, and going to chef school in Peru, he saw that many small businesses needed more exposure and a cheaper way to spread the word about their business. Read more>>

Melvin Johnson | Chandler

I wanted to start my own business because there was no better time than now. You know, right now the year is 2021 and it is 1000 times easier for me to start a business right now than it was for my parents when they were growing up. So I wanted to create something that I could control and that I can be the determining factor of how big I can grow something. You know they say “when you work for someone, you’re fulfilling someone else’s dream” and that always stuck with me so that’s why I created this to fulfill my own dreams. Read more>>

Chioma Ikoku | Interior Decorator & Storyteller

In this age of never-ending Pinterest boards and Instagram feeds, a lot of pressure has been put on young homeowners to make every corner of their homes “picture perfect.” When The Great Pause happened and people were spending more time at home than ever before, it became evident that ‘home’ is more than just a backdrop for pictures. ‘Home’ is a sanctuary that you can design in a way that supports good habits, connects people, and opens up avenues for creativity. Read more>>

Kimberly Lopez | Licensed Esthetician

My thought process behind starting my own business was mainly my own skin journey inspiring me to help others feel beautiful in their own skin. I struggled with acne for about two years. I tried all kinds of products and skin care routines, but nothing seemed to help. During the time that I was in esthetician school where in reality I didn’t learn anything useful pertaining to my issue. This is when I decided to find a solution to my own problem and help others do the same. Read more>>

Jada & Zuleyka | CEO’s of Red Room

The Red Room came about after realizing that sexuality has really become an open discussion overtime. People are less afraid to explore outside of what society normalized to be sexually pleasing to people. The adult novelty industry has grown tremendously however, there aren’t many minorities within the industry. We wanted to educate people, specifically people of color, about the exploration of what they want/need in the bedroom. Furthermore, we wanted to build our brand outside of the typical clothing boutique. Read more>>

Claudia John’s | Homemaker in the day, cookier by night.

I wanted to start something where I could still be a homeschool mom while doing something that I enjoyed. I had been interested in cooking decorating since 2016 through YouTube videos and self practice, and by February 2020, I decided to finally give it shot. I developed a schedule where I was able to work on cookies in the evening, once all the home and school activities were done for the day. I wanted to do something that was of my own making and control without the family aspect per say. However, it has definitely served as a tool of many lessons to my family and I that I am very grateful for. Read more>>

Mariah Wisdom-Peters | Digital creative and social media strategist

I think the main thing and a major part of my motivation even now, was looking at others around me. Both my parents worked hard to get where they were career wise and we’re both let down by the system despite their loyalty and talents. I made me start to think about how I would not fall into the same trap and came across the idea of online business. I knew there was knew guarantees and it would be a lot of work but felt it was worth the risk if I could eventually give myself and my family the freedom they wanted. Read more>>

Jay Jones | Co-Owner, Creator, and Business Advocate

My thought process was ready 3 things for me: 1- What can I do to give me experience running my own business before helping others do the same. 2- What am I good at doing? Oh, for me it was Pecan Candy aka Pralines. 3- Can this business be tied to protecting and preserving my creole culture/ family roots? Read more>>

Mauricio Moel Miranda | Neurobiology Student and Entrepreneur

Born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, my co-founder Andres and I have been personally touched by diabetes on multiple levels. My grandma is diabetic herself, and so is my aunt unfortunately. With one of the highest incidence rates of diabetes in the world, many Mexicans are affected by this disease. To my surprise, despite being pretty skinny, my glucose and insulin numbers were in the pre-diabetic range when I was 19. Read more>>

Jeremy Overstreet | Entrepreneur/producer and artist

To open a door in Houston for artists to make it into the industry by building their own path without having to sound like someone else or sounding a certain way. Htown is such a selfish area and we done need to be. We need to stand together and grow like we used to do. That’s why I’m here now. Read more>>

Kaiya Howard | Wig Specialist

If I start a hair business, how can it be different from those that are in the same industry? I though about all that I would have to do to get started, registering my business, a plan, funding my business, and what was the purpose of this business. Read more>>

Erin Lester | Owner of Honeybee Picnics

I started Honeybee Picnics because I’m always looking for fun or unique things to do on the weekend and I love being outside! At first, I really didn’t know what people would think of my business, but I was enjoying going to different spots around the Clear Lake/La Porte area and creating picnic setups to post online. This business has inspired me to go out and explore my own community which led me to find places other people might not know about. This area is filled with so many beautiful waterfront parks and other areas where you can just sit and enjoy the scenery. Honeybee Picnics allows me to be creative and brighten other people’s day. Hearing the couples tell me how happy they are with their picnic is one of the best feelings and I hope I can continue to provide luxury picnics to many more people in my area! Read more>>

Kanosky Munoz | Kanosky Munoz-Alvarez – Latin Dance Instructor & Choreographer

Lockdown happened RIGHT after my birthday (March 13th). I thought, “Time to relax and enjoy some quality time at home with husband” and then, 3 weeks into the lockdown, I felt useless, sad, un-inspired and I went down this rabbit hole of questions, main one was, “I’m this age and what have I done with my life?” At the time, pre-pandemic, I was with another dance company under the direction of someone else and felt like it was time to move on and start my own dance company. I felt that the right time, in my heart, was to follow my own gut and start this business that I have always dreamed of. A student mentioned her family starting a music and dance studio and that I could join them by rent a space, that was the last piece of the puzzle. Read more>>

Stacy Andress | Family Natural Light Photographer

My love for photography started with a disposable camera from Santa in my stocking at age 7, which resulted in about 20 blurry photos of my sister doing cartwheels. I was so disappointed they weren’t good photos that I couldn’t wait for my next camera to try again! That passion to take good photos only grew! I have always been the “picture girl” through my life but now I just get paid for it! 🙂 Read more>>

Jessica Le | Nail Artist & Makeup Permanent

I am a Nail art Design & Cosmetic Permanent Makeup. I were been work 10 years in the field of cosmetics. I love my job and enjoy making customers more beautiful and happy. Read more>>

Kamran Ali | Designer

Being 6’3″, I always had difficulty finding dress clothes that fit well. Particularly dress shirts and suits. It was a struggle to find suits and shirts that were long enough on the sleeves but at the same time fit my shoulders, chest and stomach area without it being too big or too small. I always found myself in between a small and a very large size. While I was always passionate about clothing and dressing well, this led me to a journey of learning about how clothing was made and ultimately taking a leap to start making and designing my own clothing. The passion turned into a hobby and I began to make clothing for family and friends for years before I decided I was ready to turn in this into a business. Read more>>

Diamond Young | Coach, Consultant, and Creator

From the age of 7, I’ve had a love for entrepreneurship. From raking leaves at 7, washing cars at 9, selling candy by 12, cleaning college students’ dorm rooms before their parents came to visit at 18, writing resumes and cover letters at 20, website designing at 21, and the list goes on. I knew that I had a passion for creating businesses and motivating those who were on the fence about creating one for themselves. Read more>>

Brian Wilturner | CEO/Founder of THEPOCKETUSA

I began my first business over 18 years ago as a transport & logistics specialist. The inception of that business came from wanting more for myself and my growing family. I wanted to establish a business and financial legacy for myself and my family in the years to come. As an entrepreneur, it granted me the freedom of unlimited potential. Read more>>

Kia Smith | Author | Public Speaker | Freelance Strategist

It was started due to necessity rather than desire. I started my business at the beginning of the pandemic, due to every sense of job security evaporating at the blink of an eye. I had just finished writing and self-publishing my 1st book, and decided that, that would be how I supported myself while the world figured itself out. Read more>>

Kena Schaberg | Clay artisan

My beginning thought process behind Oblivious Bolivian Jewelry was simply to gain a better sense of myself individually – by showcasing my art and presenting it in a way that people could take a part of my experiences home with them. I didn’t really imagine OBJ as a “business” in the beginning, it was just a hobby, but when I started doing markets I realized the possibilities of growing and expanding what I was making. Read more>>

Florida Palmore | Realtor

There’s a quote I love by Jim Rohn that says “If you don’t design your life plan, chances are you will fall into someone else’s life plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” The first time I read that quote it was as if he was speaking directly to me. So I knew I didn’t want miss out on life and my dreams building someone else’s. Read more>>

Lynelle Marie | Job Board Owner & Makeup Brand Owner

I am the owner of Top Tier Hires and The Shades of Colors. Both very different businesses but very important to me. When I created my make up brand The Shades of Colors I wanted to make every shade of skin feel something they don’t normally feel on the daily basics. Whenever you applied my makeup I wanted you to look and feel your best. We have even been reposted by Mama Tina for our Date Night color. You know she loves Red! Now switching gears , Top Tier Hires was created for my community and other community’s. Right now there are 5 million Americans quit jobs because of low wages. My husband and I created a job board website that’s still in production. Read more>>

Elizabeth Quiroz | Owner of The Drin-king Spot

I saw myself reaching the big 50, and that’s when I realized that it was time to begin the new beginning. I would like to retire from my everyday job to my own business. Most people retire and they just don’t know what to do afterwards. I thought about all of the opportunities and Opening our own business was the best thing for my husband and I. The Drin-king Spot is what makes us happy and allows us to do what we like (making people smile). Read more>>

Jenai Brackett | Braider / Business Owner

Regardless of how it happened, since a little girl I always knew that working for myself and being a business woman is what I always and will continue to be. I knew I’d start a business and I had a clue of what but I never knew when. My first business I started braiding hair in high school my sophomore year but I was a shy quiet girl and I did it on the low. I wasn’t very consistent with it back in high school as much as I am now but doing hair and many other entrepreneurial things is what I dream of doing. Read more>>

Brenna Guez | Stylist

It started as a hobby. After living in New York City for a few years, I grew to love fashion and style. I wanted to help people feel the best they could when getting dressed in the morning but more specifically I wanted people to feel their best when they looked back at their family pictures. Pictures are so important. You keep them forever, and sometimes it’s one of the only things people leave behind. I wanted families to love what they look like when they see their pictures and sometimes people need a little bit of help with that. Read more>>

Debra Mezistrano-Boer | Medical Esthetician, Laser specialist, Plasma Elite Technition,Medical Esthetics Instructor and Trainer

I was working for other people and making them a lot of money. I noticed that wherever I went My clients would follow. So I had an “aha” moment and the encouragement of My old medical director , and went out on my own. This was the best decision I ever made. My clients were excited and I got to educate and train others in my field. Today I am doing exactly what I was meant to do, and I can actually say I love my job. Read more>>

LaTasha Kennard | CEO

Hi, My name is LaTasha Kennard, better known as Tasha. I was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, and raised in Franklin, Louisiana. At the age of 13, I was adopted and moved to Houston, Texas, on the southwest side of town, also known as S.W.A.T. I have one beautiful 17 year old daughter, three beautiful stepdaughters, a wonderful boyfriend and a human dog name Baank. I grew up in & out of foster care with my three brothers from the ages of two till I was 13 years old. Growing up without my mother and father and not much love and support has taught me a lot. One thing for sure it taught me how to truly love. I knew early on in life, If I could love and give back to others, I would prosper. Read more>>

Pippa Jarvis | Specialty Custom Cake Decorator

Like many of my baking colleagues, my story of how I became a cake decorator is no where near ordinary. Born in Lethbridge, Canada, I began my violin studies at age two with my parents. Intensely focused on my violin studies, I graduated from the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts in Boston, and the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. I completed my Bachelor degree with Honorary Distinction at McGill University, and received my Masters in Music at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University. Read more>>

Symone Davis | Content Creator in the areas of DIY, decor and lifestyle

I remember in the 9th grade my mother allowed me to decorate my room and gave me complete control. At the time, my childhood friend and I were obsessed with Jamaican culture and Bob Marley so of course I chose that as my theme. My mother hired a painter and I chose the colors of the Jamaican flag; red, yellow, and green. My walls were painted green, the molding and baseboards yellow, and my bedding and decor were red. I was so proud of my room and this was the start of me finding an interest in decorating. Read more>>

Karma Smallback | She/Vampiress; Night Owl/Co-Owner of The Merry Shelley/Heretic

I think I’ve been daydreaming about starting my own small business since I was a kid. The idea has morphed so much throughout the years, from coffee shop bookstore combos, to coffee shop wine bar bookstores, to simply a wine bar bookstore. The overarching theme that infused every dream scenario was the literary aspect, so I knew whatever I did had to incorporate books. The more, the merrier. I guess I have a type. But for a long time it really did feel unreachable. I was 16-plus years into a teaching career and turning my life upside down, quitting my career to open a business, felt kind of insane. Read more>>

The One JP | Rapper. Actor. Producer. CEO

I always wanted to start my own record label since I jumped into the game. Coming from Hell aka Jackson, Mississippi, I knew my options and opportunities were limited. my oldest brother Dijon Duplaix convinced me to move to Texas in 1991. I took his advice and never looked back. I knew that if I could be around more opportunities and resources, I could do something great. Rapping and Producing was my vehicle to get to this point, which is owning my own label. Read more>>

Trinity Newman | Comedian, Comedic Host, Fashion Designer, Owner & CEO of No’Millia Designs

I absolutely love working with my hands and I offer many talents that needed to be shared. I was receiving so many requests for items that I knew it was time to launch my own business where I offer several services from custom dresses, tumblers, and newly added hair care and body care products that are all handmade by me. I wanted to provide a service for those that appreciate standing out and looking great and feeling great while doing so Read more>>

roger Melchor | Chef

When my grandfather passed away a couple years ago he left me some money to do my own thing. He always knew that eventually i wanted to own my own restaurant. He always wanted to invest in me and i just was never ready. I still needed to grow and still had so much to learn, However with him passing away was the real catalyst in me owning my place. I couldn’t wait any longer and life is too short. I had to start and i had to do something, I couldn’t let another opportunity pass me by. I had the knowledge the drive and the financial ability so the only think left to do was jump off the cliff. So i started the next month with his and my name in mind for the name of the restaurant “The Jolly Roger”. Read more>>

Nyla Robinson | Notary Loan Signing Agent

After I graduated from Grambling State University in November 2020, I spent countless hours of research on how to start a business and I found myself noticing more pros than cons. I started brainstorming and thought, ¨What is something that I enjoy doing and how can I create a lucrative business out of it?¨ Then, I realized, I have been a notary loan signing agent since April 2020 and I have been gaining great success from just being a notary for friends and former colleagues. I knew that if I created a business out of this ¨newfound hobby¨ I would have the flexibility to create my own schedule, gain more clientele, network with others in this field, and keep a steady source of income. Thus, this is how ´Notarize With Nyla LLC´ came into fruition. Read more>>

Isaiah Bassett | Videographer & Content Creator

My thought process behind creating my own business was being accessible for my family, creating freedom from “corporate America” and making a passion my career. I worked in automotive service and sales, I’d work a 10 to sometimes 14-hour shift to provide for my wife and kids. Despite all the money I made, I missed the first critical years of my children’s life, weight gain, mental fatigue, and creative suppression. I realize something has to change and I have the talent and skill to do so. After doing a lot of camera work for free, I decided to allow people to pay me and to make a career of my passion. Read more>>

Leyanis Diaz | Business Consultant, Small Business Advocate, Speaker, Afro-Latina Influencer and Founder of MAJOR

I started MAJOR because as Cuban immigrants, my parents worked a lot when I was little. And so, I spent a lot of my time across the street with one of my first role models: Beatrice… the candy lady of our neighborhood. For those of you that don’t know what a candy lady is, Beatrice was in charge of selling cookies, candy and more to the kids in my neighborhood. But to me, she wasn’t just selling candy and junk food. She was bringing us together, reinvesting in the community and creating jobs… All from her living room. Read more>>