Deciding to start a business is an unusual decision. It’s often considered irrational and yet for many it’s the best decision they’ve ever made. So we asked folks to think back to when they were starting their businesses and to tell us about their decision making process.

Celeste Bonilla | Arizona Hairstylist

I never thought I would be a business owner. After doing hair for five years, I decided to take the plunge and go off on my own. It was scary, but it was the best decision I ever made. I opened up my business in 2022. At first, I started out in a smaller suite, by myself. I loved it. But, I quickly realized I was out growing my space. Within the next year, I expanded into a bigger suite where I can now have others work with me. I wanted to start my own business to better connect with my clients.  Read more>>

Oscar Quiroz Palma | Mortgage Loan Originator

My motivation to start my own business stemmed from a desire to make a positive impact on my local community and support my peers through their home buying journey. I recognized that while purchasing a first home is a significant milestone, the process can often be clouded by misinformation and confusion, which can detract from the experience. Read more>>

Stephen Spears | Owner at spearIT

Our thought process behind starting spearIT was rooted in a desire to make technology more accessible and approachable for businesses. After spending years in corporate IT, we realized that many small to mid-sized businesses were struggling with complex tech issues, often without the resources to hire a full IT team. We wanted to create a company that not only solved these problems but did so in a way that was clear, personable, and tailored to each client’s needs. Our goal has always been to take the stress out of IT, so our clients can focus on what they do best—running their businesses. Read more>> 

Jason Axtolis | CBD & Wellness Shop Owner

In starting Celestial Stem, we aimed to create a boutique wellness shop where uncompromising quality and passion meet affordability. We set out to be a pet-friendly destination that was a go-to for the most discerning individuals looking to buy the best CBD and Non-CBD wellness products, but also an approachable, and informative spot for newcomers. Read more>>

Eloah | Intuitive Influence Healer

My thought process behind starting my own business was I wanted to have a career doing something I love and show my children that they can create their own success. Read more>>

Joey Navarro | Owner/Tattooer

I thought about it through out the years but it had to feel right. Sedona presented it to me that it was time. Read more>>

Taylor Reeves | Photographer

I had been doing photography “on the side” while working full time for the state and it came to the point where I wasn’t giving either career my full attention. Both were suffering. In 2020, I made the leap of faith to choose photography and see where it went! 4 years later and I am so thankful I made that decision when I did. Read more>>

Anthony Heath | Founder of Agape Prayer Group

Initially, Agape was not created as a business. It started with organizing daily group prayer to be in solidarity with my church home. Along the way, I realized that I created a vitally necessary space. As the community aspect grew, I recognized a gap in the church-going experience. For many, church is exclusively a Sunday thing. Agape is a supplement to the Sunday experience by providing a virtual place to gather. The idea was, and continues to be, identifying a need, and creatively filling said-need. Read more>>

Geri Hormel | Founder of Almost There Rescue

I actually didn’t start this journey with the intention to build a rescue organization, but I am so glad I did! From the moment I had my first taste of the animal welfare world at 16, I was hooked. I wanted to do all that I could to help. What started as assisting with adoptions and folding laundry quickly grew into fostering, taking animal medical courses, and assisting in the rescue’s animal hospital. By the time I was 20 I was ready to dedicate more of myself. The question was how? What could I do that would make the biggest impact for these shelters? Read more>>

Joshua Rodriguez-urroz | Executive chef

When Mat and I started Ansley Table, our vision was to recreate the joy and experience of dining out in a restaurant but within the comfort of our clients’ homes. We wanted to eliminate the hassle of cooking and cleaning, allowing people to focus on enjoying their time with loved ones. Private catering became the perfect way to achieve this, offering a more intimate and personalized experience. Our clients can interact directly with the chefs, have a say in crafting a customized menu, and ultimately enjoy a meal that reflects their tastes and preferences. It’s about making each event special and tailored to the individual, bringing the art of dining to a more personal level. Read more>>

Bella Ehrhart | Founder and Designer of Heaven Sentt

Starting my own business has always been a dream of mine. Growing up, I watched my mom navigate the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship, and her success deeply inspired me. I’ve always had a passion for jewelry, viewing it as an essential part of who I am. I wanted to create pieces that reflected my vision and create jewelry that I would be excited to see on store shelves. So, I took a chance and launched my own brand, Heaven Sentt. Read more>>

Anissa Garcia

Growing up in the small town of Gallup, New Mexico I never envisioned myself as a business owner. However, the unwavering support and encouragement from my family instilled in me the belief that I could achieve great things. Over the past six years in Arizona, working for others, I discovered that true fulfillment comes from pursuing a personal vision. The drive and satisfaction that comes from promoting something you’ve created are unmatched. I realized that being my own boss gave me the flexibility and freedom to balance my professional and personal life, allowing me to cherish moments with my loved ones—something far more valuable than money. Read more>> 

Tyrone Wigfall

Working within the medical field as a CNA and Caregiver I felt that I could contribute more to this new generation of care providers. Read more>>

Will Urtuzuastegui

On September 27th, 2013, my sister and stepdad, along with two other young men, were killed in a car crash in Montgomery, Minnesota. I was 14 at the time. Naturally, this tragedy completely changed my life. For some time after the accident, I felt like there wasn’t much direction in my life. Then I found music—or as I like to say, music found me. For over a year and a half after the accident, my life was a blur, but in the summer of 2015, I began to write lyrics. Read more>>

Kate Benjamin

I grew up in an entrepreneurial family. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all owned businesses of some kind, so I guess it’s just in my blood. I had various jobs in academic administration, hospitality, and marketing throughout my 20s and 30s, several of which were for other small businesses, but I always had a creative side hustle. I sold beaded jewelry and handmade accessories at farmer’s markets, I designed greeting cards that I sold to local gift shops, I delivered elaborate candy bouquets to patients in hospitals, and I did a lot of freelance graphic design. Read more>>

Albina Tzipporah Sukhodolsky

I’ve been a speech-language pathologist for 13 years, with the last eight dedicated to working as a pediatric feeding therapist in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a local hospital. Recognizing the scarcity of feeding therapists specializing in neonates, and knowing that most work in hospitals, I launched my own business. I frequently receive calls and texts from parents struggling with feeding their newborns, prompting me to take action. Read more>>

Nick El-Tawil

I didn’t set out to do it. But now that I’m doing it, I can see that it’s the best way for me to serve clients. I like having the freedom to do whatever it takes to win a deal. I don’t have to worry about what someone in the corporate office will think if I do this or that. And I can say whatever I want on social media! Read more>>

Heather Scarbrough

Our thought process behind starting Giggles & Glam Mobile Parties was rooted in our shared love for our daughters and our passion for creating magical moments. As mamas, neighbors, and best friends, we often found ourselves daydreaming about how we could turn our love for party planning into something more. The turning point for this business venture came one day as we listened to our little girls giggle and play, pretending to do their makeup. In that moment, we realized that we wanted to create a business that would allow us to bring that same joy and magic to other families. Read more>>