Thinking through whether to start a business – whether to take the risk, whether to go out on your own – isn’t easy. So we asked some entrepreneurs we admire to tell us about how they thought through the process of starting a business.

Andrew Norman | Creative Agency Owner

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial drive, starting from a young age when I was hustling and taking on odd jobs. By the time I was 15, I was running my own eBay business and even became a powerseller. Those early experiences gave me a solid foundation in entrepreneurship. Read more>>

Oualid Ferhati | Pizzaiolo

The inspiration for opening Re Di Roma was rooted in a deep love for crafting exceptional wood-fired pizza and fresh, homemade pasta. After spending 12 years perfecting the art of wood-fired pizza in Rome, I developed a passion that went beyond just cooking—it became a way of life. When I relocated to Arizona, I knew I wanted to carry this dedication forward and share the authentic flavors and techniques that I had honed over the years. My goal with Re Di Roma was to recreate the experience of Italian dining, where every bite reflects the care, tradition, and craftsmanship that goes into making genuinely outstanding pizza and pasta. Read more>>

Meg Kabotie Adakai | Flagstaff Mountain-Town Market Founder

Four the previous four years, I managed one of the largest farmers markets in Arizona called Flagstaff Community Market. Working at that market, I found my passion for putting on community events, supporting local farmers, local food, and local small business. I was born and raised in East Flagstaff where there are more neighborhoods and I wanted to bring a market to this side of town that would support more of the local community and bring super high quality, ultra fresh local food closer to families who might not always have access to the larger market. Read more>>

Jennifer Stone | IFSA Accredited Feng Shui Master

I had been working a corporate job as a forensic and financial auditor for 12+ years. While I was great at what I did and enjoyed success, I was yearning for something radically different. I wanted autonomy and full creative freedom. But at the time, I didn’t have a clear vision of what that looked like, so I focused on what I DID enjoy. Mainly, I knew I wanted to help people. I wanted to bring joy to the world by elevating people’s lives in a way that felt authentic and constructive. Read more>>

Carolyn Anger | Founder at Fayte Marketing

In the fast-paced world of advertising and digital marketing, everything is constantly evolving. To keep up, remaining open to learning new things is crucial. My career has taught me that ongoing education is essential, and a willingness to embrace new knowledge is valuable within the workplace and beyond. I’ve also learned the importance of collaboration. Working together and integrating diverse perspectives powers innovation, fosters creativity and enables everyone to benefit from each other’s strengths. Read more>>

Oscar Gomez | Master jeweler

To be able to work at my pace and really start to flex my talent and abilities as a custom jeweler. I’ve always been a leader and it was time to lead my own path Read more>>

Erin Perre, Mc, Ncc, Lac | Animal Assisted Psychotherapist

Horses are magic. I have always been drawn to them and have always been mezmorized by their ability to provide a healing space for anyone and everyone. I love that horses can’t lie, won’t lie, and provide a truly loving, nonjudgmental space to process. I had always been interested in helping others, so when the career of combining therapy with horses presented itself to me I was all for it! I spent many years in the equine industry doing things from carriage driving to running trail rides at youth camps to managing volunteers & teaching lessons at a children’s home. In a time when I wasn’t sure what direction I was going to go, I found Skye Therapy Solutions and began my training to become an equine assisted psychotherapist! I started my masters in counseling in August of 2021 and graduated in December 2023. I am now a Licensed Associate Counselor at Skye Therapy Solutions and absolutely love what we do. We specialize in anxiety, ADHD, and autism. I am currently going through different trainings to become specialized in grief therapy as that is what I am most passionate about. My dream is to have a practice that provides animal assisted psychotherapy specializing in grief & loss. Though I am a new counselor, I am extremely passionate about the working with my clients and have already gotten to witness first hand the healing power horses have in the therapeutic process. Read more>>

Yesenia Aranda Roman | Nail Technician & Artist

Nails has always been a form of expression for me. Going to get my nails done was a ritual, a self care of some sort & after being stuck in a pandemic I found myself wanting to express myself & reconnect with others. So I decided to launch myself into the beauty industry, an industry that focuses on uplifting women and making them feel empowered. Specifically through nails/nail art I’ve been able to create a space where beauty & individuality meet through every design. Read more>>

Brad Szolowicz | Father, Husband, and Residential Contractor

At first I was inspired by the small business owner I was working for. He seemed to have a great work/life balance and was clearly doing very well for himself. I wanted to live a life like that, which is when I started the process of founding my first business at 24 years old. Once I was on the path, I realized what really motivated me was the idea of doing things in a way that I thought would be the most efficient to accomplish whatever goal I was after. Read more>>

Alex Rothera | Co-Founder & CEO

I couldn’t not start this business. 14 years ago I lost a close friend and mentor, as a freshman in college, I was away from home. I had never experience anything like it before, I was feeling lost and isolated and honestly “mental health” wasn’t a known topic of conversation like it is today. So in reality I didn’t have mental health options I needed. Read more>>

Jon Antonucci | Servant-Minded Leader and Founder of SML Consultive

SML Consultive was born when I was working as a corporate trainer and recognized the dire need we had as an organization to empower our front-line leaders for success.
My efforts to find relevant, engaging materials for our team leads and supervisors was met with abysmal results and I knew that I had to create the solution I was seeking. Read more>>