Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Cody V

My business partner, Jonny, originally came up with the donut and coffee concept. I had always wanted to open a craft coffee shop, so when I heard about his idea, I immediately reached out to see if he was open to partnering. Read More>>

Doc Watkins

As a professional musician, I wanted to create a space for the community of local musicians to call home. Life on the road, or living ‘gig to gig’ can be quite difficult and unpredictable, and I wanted to help change the way the jazz business works. Thankfully, I had lots of supporters (and investors) who helped make this dream a reality. Read More>>

Sabrina Smulders

I come from several generations of farmers, so growing, baking, and preserving food has always been a natural part of my life. I was raised to share what I make—whether it was something from the garden or something fresh from the kitchen—and that habit of gifting handmade, homegrown items shaped who I am today. Read More>>

Teresa Taylor

Our business didn’t begin with a traditional plan — it grew naturally out of our family, our faith, and our lifelong involvement with kids and animals. Greg and I have always been hands-on parents and grandparents. We volunteered at schools, coached soccer, helped with show animals… and I spent 13 years caring for grandbabies full-time. Read More>>

Dr. Kozhi Sidney Makai

I discovered a talent I had in college for connecting deeply with people from the stage. I didn’t know there was a business or job for this. When I explored, I found myself doing what I loved and benefitting others at the same time. Read More>>

Drew Bivona

Every day, we all see the typical personal injury attorney ads. All focused towards adults. All promising high settlements or winning a fight. Ads are never directed to injured children or their parents. I wanted to fix that. Today, Bivona Law is one of the only firms in the country and Texas that focuses on helping injured children seek justice. Read More>>

Cyrus Nasr

I have always owned my own business. 15 years owning restaurants then took a left turn and became a beekeeper. We thought it would be a side gig/hobby that made a few dollars or at the least had some honey for family and friends. It took off faster than we thought. Read More>>

Candice Fobb

I saw a clear need to support small to mid-sized businesses by helping them build a strong HR foundation. As I’ve mentioned before, HR is often the last thing entrepreneurs think about—it’s an afterthought. They hire family members or admins without focusing on compliance, which creates big risks down the line. Read More>>

Dr. Amanda Allard-Schuster

When I went to college I was like many students and didn’t know what I was interested in. It wasn’t until I took my first intro to interpersonal communication course that I fell in love with the realization that there was a science behind how we communicate to build relationships. Read More>>

Ashley Washburn

Before my career in real estate I noticed I had a very entrepreneurial spirit. Although I was always working for someone else, I noticed I always had an ‘owner’s mindset’. At some point, I realized something important: I was already operating like a business owner—I just didn’t have ownership. Read More>>