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.

Dave Forman

I have always been an entrepreneur. Started my first snow shoveling business in Michigan around age 12. I realized that working hard has its rewards and I never really wanted to go work for somebody with their hours and instructions. Owning your own business, you get to work around life and not live around work. Read More>>

Jeremy Harper

Starting my own agency wasn’t a decision I made overnight—it was the natural next step in a journey that began more than a decade ago. I’ve been helping families plan vacations since 2013 while also working full-time as a high school teacher and softball coach. Read More>>

Jackeline Ibarra

I like educating people on finances and insurance. I see a need to focus on the financial services industry around the Hispanic market. This clientele doesn’t have enough financial education. I also find it easier to obtain an underperforming business and make it fruitful which is why I prefer to buy small insurance agencies and grow them. Read More>>

VALERIE MOTYKA

I’m not sure if it was a thought process or sheer panic. A wildlife rescue center I volunteered for was shut down after we had rebuilt the entire facility at a new location. The authorities determined that the efforts were too little, too late, and it sent me into a pretty deep depression. Read More>>