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.

Brad Le | Co owner at Rang Coffee

Opening our coffee shop was a dream that evolved from our love for coffee and our Vietnamese heritage. We’ve always been deeply connected to Vietnamese coffee culture, with its unique flavors and rituals. Growing up, coffee wasn’t just a beverage; it was a way of life, a symbol of hospitality and connection. We wanted to bring that experience to our community, to share the rich flavors and traditions of Vietnamese coffee with others. Read more>>

Randi Hernandez Schmidt-Tophoff | Antiquities Dealer and Recovering Corporate Lawyer

I started my career in the legal industry in my early 20s as a corporate lawyer and have had a long and enjoyable career ever since; however, I have always felt like a piece of me was missing professionally. As I turned 40 this year, I not only have the confidence to try new things, but I am also less concerned about failure. My brain has always been an even split between the left-brained, organized, uber planner that made me a successful lawyer, and the creative dreamer with hearts in my eyes that gives me inspiration for this vision. Read more>>

Taya Reed | Owner | Sound House Therapy, PLLC

Sound House Therapy came by way of the pandemic. I was actually pretty content working at a non-profit counseling agency and then everything changed when the pandemic hit and it was going to be around for quite awhile. In June of 2020 I decided I needed to shift perspective and look at what having my own private practice might look like and so began to framework for launching Sound House Therapy. Read more>>

LaSausha Walker | Box Truck Mentor, Financial Consultant & Community Builder

My decision to start my own business stemmed from the desire for freedom and financial prosperity. When I relocated from Michigan to Texas, the struggle to secure time off from my 9-5 job for family gatherings became evident. This led me to ponder how I could take charge of my time and generate income simultaneously – thus, entrepreneurship became my path. Through entrepreneurship, I attained the freedom to design my schedule and the potential to earn limitless income. Read more>>

Gretchen Gilliam | Owner, The Hive A Pop Up Collective & Glamour Gypsies

I have always dreamed of having a boutique and creating a fun atmosphere for people to shop. In fact, my original major at University of Texas was in Textiles and Apparel but I switched to the Business school in the first week. A degree in Business Marketing came in handy because I spent the next 30+ years in commercial real estate! Knowing the business side of owning a boutique is very important. It is not the most glamourous part but essential when it comes to bookkeeping, taxes etc. Read more>>

Joe Michael Ramirez | Owner & Operator of Blazer Tag

Passion was the driving force behind owning my own business. I started my first job here at Blazer Tag in Austin Texas at age 16. What started out as wanting to earn money to buy my younger sibling school supplies lead to where we are at now. To help build and mold a company for 22 years was a blessing. I ran the company like it was mine but it truly wasn’t mine. The original owner wasn’t here much on a day to day basis so this held the brand back from it’s potential. Read more>> 

Meka Lewis | Business Maverick

The Social Suite, was born out of a desire to create a space that resonated with my own experiences and needs. As a wife, mother of two, and someone who also manages another business, I understand the importance of having versatile spaces that cater to different aspects of life. The idea for The Social Suite came to me when I realized the lack of venues that seamlessly blended appeal, functionality, and flexibility. I wanted to create a space where individuals, families, and businesses alike could come together to celebrate milestones, host events, or conduct meetings in a setting that felt like an extension of their own homes. Read more>>

Molly Harrah | Personalizing Organizing with Psychology/Professional Cleaner

My thought process behind starting Unicorn Magic Organizing was to bring more hope into peoples’ lives. I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur and to bring out what I have been thinking for years on what the world needs. Throughout life I have noticed there’s lack of hope in the world meaning symbols of it. I’ve noticed many people live lives where they do not want to live that particular life but feel they can’t get out of it. My service can help others believe in themselves and see they can live out their goals, dreams, and passions. Read more>>

Shelby Ford | Owner, Fine Artist & Lead Instructor of Let’z Paint

In June 2023, we confidently launched Let’z Paint with a vision to make art enjoyable and accessible for everyone. We are staunch advocates that art is beneficial for all. Our journey began with live painting in nightclubs alongside big-name bands and artists, and volunteering to teach art to inner-city children after school. Art undeniably holds a powerhouse of benefits. It doesn’t merely reduce stress, but transforms it into creative fuel. It doesn’t just promote creative thinking, it ignites it. Art fosters more than literacy in children, it nurtures it. Read more>>

Jack Nailor | Content Creator

By the time I officially formed my LLC in 2023, I had been pursuing my passion for wildlife and travel for well over 15 years. While I undoubtedly aspired to monetize my social media page – I had no timeline, no plan, no revenue, and a disgusting amount of annual travel expenses. I fully lacked a short-term business plan. What I did have was a well-thought out vision for the future. I strongly believe that my life purpose is to share the world’s natural beauty in a way that inspires others to appreciate it as well. Read more>> 

Amanda Gray MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CANS | Board Certified Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner & Founder of REN Aesthetics

Watching both of my parents be entrepreneurs all of my life, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I feel like it’s in my blood haha. I really wanted to create a personable aesthetic space that emphasizes renewing and not augmenting. REN is short for renewal, but we decided to incorporate an acronym – Real, Elegant, and Natural aesthetic treatments. In aesthetics, unfortunately there is a lot of “smoke and mirrors” due to social media and lack of education. Elegant and Natural because I feel very passionate that anyone can have injectables but still look natural. Read more>>

Allison Kitchens | Function Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP) & Functional Diagnostic Nutritional Practitioner (FDN-P)

I decided to start my own business because I saw the restorative power of food in my life. Real food nutrition and fixing my imbalanced digestion changed my energy, mood, hormones, ability to build muscle and my overall wellness. Finding such an answer to my health was something I had to share with the world and therefore create a wellness company where I did just that. Read more>>

Hillary Thomas | Realtor, Exterior Designer

Starting my own business is something that I had wanted to do my whole life. I will honestly say, it is also one of the scariest things to take the leap of faith and do. I’m going to start from the beginning… My husband DJ and I have been together for over 21 years. We both met as college kids and have been inseparable since the day we met. We always wanted to have our own business, focused around what we both enjoy and compliment each other on, which is home renovations, and design. Read more>>

Nerio Socorro | Insurance Advisor

Starting my own business as an insurance advisor in the United States was the result of years of sales experience and observing opportunities to provide personalized, customer-centric service. I wanted to create a space where I could offer comprehensive advice and tailored solutions to meet each client’s specific needs, which led me to establish my own brand. Additionally, I saw the opportunity to have more control over my career and establish a lasting legacy in the industry. Read more>>