Starting a business is a commitment and requires dedication, resources and sacrifice. We asked some of the rising stars in our community how they thought through the idea of starting their own businesses.

Grant Watkins | Founder, CEO, CTO

I believe that every great business was started the same way. Someone saw a problem, noticed that no one else was solving it, or solving it the right way, and just decided to take responsibility and do it themselves. I myself have suffered the consequences of a lack of financial literacy. Student loans debt, credit card debt, car debt, delayed investing… these are just a few of the mistakes I made in my own personal financial journey that took time to fix. Time that instead should have been used on building up my net worth. Because I was never taught what to do with money and, just as important, what financial traps to avoid. As I grew up, I realized that most of my friends were in the same boat. Read more>>

Adrian Rojas | Cosmetic remodeling specialist

It’s pretty simple really. I knew I could do the job better than the previous company I was with. Once I cleared away some of the fear of the unknown, it became a pretty easy decision. To achieve the flexibility of time and financial independence I was looking for, starting my own business was the clear choice. Read more>>

Tammy Carter | Professional Organizer CEO, All-Squared Away

I wanted to help those who being organized does not come easy for. I help others control the chaos and organize their business, life, home and time. I witnessed in my 25 years in the Healthcare Industry that being organized was not as easy for others as it was for me; not to mention those in my personal life over the years. I have friends and family all the time say,” I don’t know how you do it all.” My ability to stay organized in high stress situations gave me the edge to accomplish multiple projects with tremendous success. As a high-level entrepreneur, I know I can help people implement simple tactics and strategies to “Take Control of the Chaos” with a system that can work for everyone. More specifically, I want to help individuals organize their life and control the chaos. Read more>>

Keenan Jones | Founder of The Debt Mentor

The process of starting The Debt Mentor stemmed from a personal problem that only I could solve. I made some financial mistakes in my early adult life, which led to my growing debt ($48,000 to be exact!). Being in debt started to prevent me from enjoying the simple things in life, and I knew I needed to make a change. With research, a written plan, and discipline, I was able to pay off all my debt in 28 months. Throughout my journey, I gained a deeper understanding of personal finance and realized the importance of financial literacy. I’m passionate about making financial literacy fun, interactive, and relatable, which is why I launched The Debt Mentor. Learning how to make better financial decisions should be accessible and engaging. It doesn’t matter if you are in grade school, college, starting your career, or earning over 6 figures, I have something for you! Read more>>

Victoria Gavlik | Ceramisist

I started with pottery many years Ago as a hobby. After my home commitments quieted down I decided to move it into a buisiness and start doing shows. It would be the dream doing what I love for a living. That was how Vicky’s Velocity Ceramics started. Read more>>

Jennifer Orellana | CEO of Roseglam Boutique & Coffee

While starting my own business I was extremely excited/Anxious/Nervous. It was a lot of mixed emotions. I was going to be doing what i loved, but I was also doing this completely from scratch. I had to learn as I go and that was what had me anxious. Read more>>

Tony Ramirez | Local Business Owner

I have always been around classic cars all my life. My dad would say he always had classic cars “Not by choice, but because that’s all he could afford, so he always bought and sold a few cars. I thought I could take this hobby and make it a business. People are unaware of all the work involved in making an old car be able to keep up with all the modern cars. Risk is always there in your career, you just have to be able to work and not wait for things to come to you. You have to make it happen. Then it becomes less of a risk. The single most important decision I made was to use the talents of employees and keep them happy by treating them as part of the business and showing them the proper respect. Read more>>