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.

Brittney Addison | Head Chef and Educator

The thought process behind our business was, “What can we do to provide a healthier option in our community?” There are plenty of vegan options in the Houston and surrounding areas, but there wasn’t one near our community. We are working to provide that for the Missouri City/Sugarland/ Fort Bend area. Read more>>

Lukman Adesanya | Personal Trainer & Brand Owner

I had an idea of starting a fitness business December of 2019. I was taking Marketing 1 in college and was inspired to use my skills on my aspirations to build my own business. From mission statements to learning about the supply chain, I was intrigued. Read more>>

Laie Holloway | Photographer/ Graphic Artist

Being a veteran, I was looking for an out to express myself. I was always told I have a very creative mind. So to take pictures and and create art is my escape. Read more>>

Shelly Bishop | Wardrobe Stylist

I have worked as a wardrobe stylist for many years, and pivoting from dressing models for advertising, to dressing everyday women for real life was a natural next step. As my peers and I began having kids I experienced how huge of a life shift that is, and realized most women are trying to figure out how to dress for a new body and lifestyle. Read more>>

LaMarcus and LaWanda Harrison | CEO and Founder

My desire for starting my own business originated during one of the lowest times of my life. I was a newly divorced mother of four and money was scarce. I would cringe when birthdays, holidays, and special occasions came around. I had the heart to give my kids the world, but my finances told another story. Read more>>

Ashley Laurine Ruiz | Social Impact Entrepreneur

Financial freedom and the need to satisfy my ego of “I made it” was the initial thought process behind starting my business. That quickly changed as my dreams shifted, and I started to see my purpose in my dreams. As a single mother my primary thought was to be able to comfortably provide for my son. Read more>>

Katherine Burks | Lipgloss and lipstick

My thought process beside start my business is , will it take off ? I’m going make something out of it ? And will everything turn out how I plan it to be ? Read more>>

Jana Warri | Realtor©

I spent 12yrs cultivating a career in Finance and Accounting, which I love. However, I learned the hard way, you can exhaust all your energy on someone else’s business or things in contrast to your wellbeing, and have nothing left for yourself. Read more>>

Yolanda Banks | Balloon Stylist

There really was no initial thought process to starting my own business, it sort of just fell into my lap so to speak. In 2018, after losing my father, depression set in and in an effort to fill that void, I became dependent on retail therapy, spending money I really did not have. Read more>>

Omar Durham | Youth Mentor

Throughout my career, I’ve worked at various independent and private education institutions as a certified special education teacher and athletic coach. My expertise in the education system allowed me to influence, mentor, and cultivate several underprivileged and at-risk students and athletes. Read more>>

Alejandra Reséndez | Portrait & Lifestyle Photographer

June 28, 2021 was when I officially launched Reséndez Photography. Just like everyone who starts their first small-business, I was very scared. I remember thinking to myself “Is this even worth it? Will people even book with me?” So many thoughts ran through my head before I clicked “Publish” on my website. Read more>>

Vanessa Esiere | Biomedical Engineer & Lash Technician

I started my first business when I was 20 years old. Everyone, including myself, was in the middle of an epidemic and companies were dropping their employees like flies. Then something came to me, how can I live in a world where my primary income depends on another person’s wealth. Read more>>

Jesse Cushman | Former Finance Executive | Owner of Papabubble Houston

Right at the beginning of the pandemic, I found myself job hunting again. I had spent my 7 years post business school as an executive at earlier stage companies. It was a scary time, but I still was hoping to find something entrepreneurial. Read more>>

Julia Stone | Owner & Lead Planner for Set in Stone Events

To be honest, I did not really have a plan when I first started. I was waitressing & bartending at a local Heights restaurant then, so I wasn’t in the mindset to exit that industry. It was honestly a scenario where the stars aligned & I just knew this could be awesome. Read more>>

Stephanie Heard | Hairstylist

My thought process behind starting my own business was simply that I wanted to do something I loved, but also make money. Read more>>

James Dudley | Smoke Master

I have always enjoyed cooking. You would think that my family would be inspiration (in a sense they are because they always ask me to cook lol) but it’s a craft that I picked up naturally. Before I moved to Houston in August of 2019, I was cooking in my home town of Missouri. In a way, you could say that my business started without me realizing that I was in business. Read more>>

Monica Love | and Dondella Harris /Reno Girls – Business Strategy Coaches

Realizing that we have gained so much knowledge either in education, careers, mentorships etc and we could really parlay that into building our own legacies. Read more>>

Aaliyah Burns | Entrepreneur

Starting Stay Gold’n was for the people. Since a kid I’ve always wanted to help as many people as I could. I was vegan for 2.5 years and I started doing my research on herbs and healthier alternatives for our bodies. Stay Gold’n started during the pandemic, I started making seamoss for my family and friends, and they suggested I make into a business and start helping people all over the world with my product. Read more>>