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.

Jay Sutton | Podcast Producer

I started a podcast in 2016 called The Destroying Doubt Podcast. I started this podcast in my closet with a cheap microphone and a cheap laptop. That same podcast would be listened to in over 30 different countries and allow me to interview people that had long inspired me. I also received feedback from people from all walks of life on how the messages on my podcast helped them destroy doubt and pursue their purpose in life. That podcast opened the doors for me to accomplish my dream of working in radio and television. Read more>>

Brittany Mueller | Nutritionist & Photographer

To be quite honest, my business started by accident and it’s just continued to grow since spring 2021. I was cooking weekly for a friend who was really busy, he hyped my food up around some friends, and I think 4 people immediately placed an order with me right then and there. I was working at Perry’s steakhouse and was missing a lot of life with my kids, holidays, stuff like that, and I really wanted a way out. The money was on average quite good so the thought of quitting was intimidating. Read more>>

Liz Hughes | Owner & Therapist, Mind Body Therapy

I knew going into the mental health field that being in private practice was my end goal but I didn’t think I would be here so soon. With covid hitting in 2020 and telehealth becoming popular along with demand for mental health services, it made sense for me to take the leap and start a virtual practice. I wanted the freedom of working for myself and having a say in the types of clients I was able to work with. I had to challenge the myth that you needed to be in the mental health field for 10+ years before stepping out on your own and I’m glad I did. Read more>>

Jeannette Stagg | Salon Owner & Hairstylist

I was inspired by this unique concept of luxury salon services within the comfort of the homes of my clients. I got to experience how normalized this was during my apprenticeships in Manhattan and Los Angeles, cities recognized as leaders in the ever-evolving beauty industry. In 2017, I already had a foundation of supportive and loyal clients who had provided feedback that this was something they would really love. Read more>>

Valencia Joy Arline | Artist

Ever since I was young I’ve known that I wanted to pursue art as a career. I graduated from college in May of 2020,during the pandemic, and for the first time in my life, the majority of my schedule was empty. So like many people I downloaded Tik Tok (ironically of course). I immediately fell in love with the small business side of Tik Tok. It was eye-opening to see other artists and creators start businesses, and it made the idea of starting my own business seem much more attainable. I spent a lot of my time during quarantine just researching and learning about entrepreneurship and owning a business and on August 20th 2020 I started my LLC, Valencia Joy LLC. Read more>>

Christie Tang | Charcuterie experience curator

Planning Celebrations and entertaining are something I thoroughly enjoy. My business is an extension of that, helping others with a charcuterie experience to enhance a planned event, date night, wine night or just self love with a box for 1. Starting my Charcuterie by Christie business was a conversation and then developed into what it is today, ever evolving based on a clients desire for food fun. Read more>>

Crystal Carter | Entrepreneur, Healthcare Professional, and Lifestyle Guru!

I started Make It Pretty Today as a result of the pandemic. While I have a full-time career in healthcare management, I was initially sent home to work virtually like so many others. Entrepreneurship was never my plan, but God has a sense of humor. While home, I found myself in a dark place of solitude. I missed my colleagues as well as my team. While grateful to still be able to have a job, I yearned for interaction other than the computer screen filled with zoom meetings. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I looked around the house and found joy in my surroundings. From my love of cooking, I created Make It Pretty Cooking, where I teach cooking workshops both virtually and now in person. Read more>>

Annie Sweeney | Real Estate Photographer

First and foremost; I was scared to death. I’m the type of person to always have anxiety about everything. Thankfully having a supporting fiancé, I was able to move past it and start to think about my business. It was not easy at all, the workload and the amount of things to do were overwhelming to say the least. I kept thinking to myself, if I never do this, I will always regret not at least trying. Read more>>

Thu Nguyen | Chef

My thoughts process of my business, I wanted to bring something that make people enjoy the smallest thing in life. Honestly, a cookie can changed a person mind set with one bite. Read more>>

Eno Oduok | Founder & Creative Director at Naija Comm

I didn’t see enough representation of Nigerians in non-traditional career fields, such as communications, public relations, and graphic design. I didn’t see it in my inner peer circle and I didn’t see an online community for it. So I decided to create a global space for Nigerian creatives & professionals in overlooked career fields. A community-based media platform where they are empowered and celebrated. A space where they can connect and learn from each other. A space where social & career stigmas are challenged, where people can learn and embrace non-traditional stories and distinctive paths. Read more>>

Mary Ekene | Certified Holistic Health Coach/ Holistic Practitioner

When I started Livol LLC in 2018, my main purpose was to show people through herbs and natural products that weight loss could be achieved. I gained a lot of weight after giving birth to my second daughter and I needed to focus on losing the weight. In the past, I would do unhealthy diets etc. and I did not want to go that route. I did some research and formulated my liver cleanse. I took the liver cleanse and saw I had lost seven pounds over night. I was floured and shared my good news with one of my close friends. She then asked me for the recipe and I thought to myself, I could sell this. Read more>>

Brittany Hall | The Social Concierge

I started my brand off the struggle, I had lost everything. I had lost my job, car was repoed, and I had gotten evicted. I knew that I had to figure something out because I was a mother, and son didn’t understand what was really going on. La Lutte started off as just a clothing line, and then I added more talents to the brand. La Lutte stands for The Struggle in french, & our motto is No Struggle, No Success Read more>>

Terina Burns | Licensed Esthetician

The thought process behind starting my own business was based on pure survival and necessity. In 2018 I was pregnant with my 3rd child and at the same time dealing with trauma from an abusive relationship coming to an end. Unable to get hired anywhere because of my growing belly (an issue many women face), I knew I had to take matters into my own hands. It was important for me to never again be in a position where my livelihood depended on an employer being willing to hire me. As a single mom, I needed a skill in a growing industry that I could do anytime and from any place no matter what was happening in my personal life. Read more>>

America Gatewood | Makeup Artist

I have always been into makeup since a little girl so, after I graduated high school in 2015 I knew that was something I wanted to always do. I would go on YouTube everyday and watch makeup tutorials and beauty influencers who inspired me the most. Fast forward to 2016 is when I made my first makeup tutorial on YouTube I recorded everything from my iPhone 7 and uploaded from my computer, I actually did good on views than I thought I would but I was not consistent so I started practicing my skills on family and friends and as time past i got better and better on different skins tones. Read more>>

Daniel Meadows | Photographer

I think like many of us in creative careers, the thought process arrived second, after the gut feeling. It starts as a compulsion that I know many of your readers will recognize, a need to set your own parameters for your productivity, a realization that there is a pathway not only to making a living but to exceeding the living you could make in contracted employment when you have marketable skills and a strong desire to use them. Read more>>

Claudine Said | Realtor

The thought process behind starting my own business is having the flexibility to organize my schedule and to make it possible to attend my children’s activities. Read more>>

Tylisha Summers | Co-founder of Spendebt

My husband and I found ourselves in over $140K of consumer debt. After becoming debt free we realized there were so many people like us caught in the never ending debt spiral and lacking mainly financial education and/or a plethora of other reasons, preventing them from having a way to improve their finances. However, whether in debt or not, people were still spending money. So we wanted to help people pay off their debt, in a sense without knowing it, as they continued to spend money. And that is why Spendebt was formed. Read more>>

Greg Chin | CEO & Founder

My thought process behind starting All The Smoke Mobile Luxury Hookah Services stemmed from desiring a good tasting hookah experience. When I go to clubs, restaurants, lounges, etc., I always end up ordering a hookah to see if anyone’s product is different. After trying multiple hookahs around Houston and surrounding areas, I realized they were all below subpar, in my opinion. Every establishment seems to provide the same awful tasting shisha, which often times causes headaches or sore throats for the consumer. Read more>>

Shadress Denise | Ghostwriter, Author, Graphic Designer

I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur. When I was younger, my mother owned her own business, so I saw very early how cool it was to own your own business. I’ve always been a rebel and a free spirit too. I like coming and going as I see fit. I move according to vibes and follow wherever my creativity takes me that day. Once I discovered those traits about myself, I knew working for someone for the rest of my life was not ideal for me. Read more>>

Tamara Beckford MD | Emergency Physician | CEO of UR Caring Docs & Ur Caring Society | Health & Wellness Speaker

During the pandemic, I recognized that many professional women were eating poorly, missing sleep, not working out, and constantly tired because they were too busy taking care of everyone else. As a busy ER doc working on the frontlines, it was so hard to put me first without feeling guilty. Even though it was hard, I had to do it because I couldn’t pour from my empty cup. I learned that so many women got stuck because they don’t know what to do or have the tools to put themselves first. Now, it is my mission to support other women in learning how to put themselves first without guilt through the Ur Caring Society. Read more>>

Alexis/LaSabria Henderson/Sanders | Teacher/Coach & Event Decorator / HR Generalist & Event Decorator

Our thought process… To be honest after creating events for family and friends, we decided it’d be a great idea to start our business. We love the reaction of seeing others as they walk through the door, smiling ear to ear, taking thousands of pictures. It’s so fulfilling, and the fact that we get to be apart of those special memories means so much to us. Read more>>

Gonzalo Colombres | Entreperneur – Vip Concierge – Travel Agency – SEO – Community Manager

I started working when I was 14 years old out of necessity and to make a contribution to my family. I went through many jobs of all kinds gaining experience at my young age. Until, at the age of 19, I felt that I still needed to learn and that in the environment or environment that I was in, I was not going to be able to continue advancing. I needed to see and learn more so at the age of 19 I made the decision to travel to Mexico. At first it was with the idea of ​​going to know new places and work in areas that I had not done before. Read more>>

Zarona Samuel | IT Consultant & Computer repair specialist

My thought process behind starting my own business was that it really wanted start doing what I love and to stop working for someone else, and making their dreams come true. Read more>>

Zheila Cervantes | Illustrator & Barre Instructor

My journey as an illustrator started back in 2019 when I decided I wanted to pursue the things that brought me the most joy. I was really unhappy with the “lifestyle” I was living and the mindset that I had around how my life was supposed to look. I started watercoloring and from there, I got super into digital art and design and everything in between and I finally had the courage to invest and buy an ipad and apple pencil, that’s what I use to create all of my illustrations. I opened my instagram account for the sole purpose of sharing my art, mostly for my friends and loved ones. And fast forward to July of 2020 I quit my job and opened up my online shop and here we are! Read more>>