We reached out to some of our favorite entrepreneurs and asked them to think back and tell us about how they decided to start a business. Check out their responses below.

Kala Vanstone | Amateur artist and a Dietitian

Initially, it was a way to relieve stress from the onset of the pandemic. I’m a full time Dietitian working within the public health sector. Needless to say, the news of a pandemic reaching the United States brought with it high levels of stress. Creating art pieces for friends and family is how I honed my skills, learning how to use new tools and techniques. With every project, I ensured to post pictures/videos on all social media platforms. One of my posts was reposted by Cricut’s official Instagram page and in that moment I realized my art could be a potential business avenue. Read more>>

Albert Flores | Photographer & Digital Designer

I hold what we do to an impossible standard. One we may never reach but constantly strive for. People are our subjects and they are each beautiful in their own remarkable way. So we try to provide a photography service that will capture that at the highest standard possible. We believe that a photo is not just a photo. It is an incredible accomplishment of physics. Read more>>

L. Estefania Quintana | Baker / Office Manager

Baking and cooking have always been something that comes to me easily, and the reason is that I enjoy baking very much. I honestly didn’t have a thought process other than a hobby that soon turned into my small business with the help of other local vendors who have helped spread the word of JVM Munchkins. The only thought behind my business would probably be the name of the business. JVM Munchkins, I told myself if we are going to go vocal about our baked goods let’s go with a business name that is very meaningful to me. Jaydon
Valentina Marisa Munchkins my three beautiful children. Read more>>

Carson Eilers | Designated Broker Original Realty Co

I always wanted to own my own business since I was a kid. I didn’t know what it would be yet, but it was going to be something. As an adult, businesses have evolved throughout my career based on honing my skills, what opportunities I find, and needs in the community that I identify. I’ve learned that specializing in business is the best strategy when pursuing excellence. Read more>>

Angelique Overton | Luxury Beauty Brand Founder & Owner

My name is Angelique and I am an Arizona mom of two beautiful children that are the love of my life and my reasons for living. They inspire me every day to be better, stronger, and wiser. For this reason, I want to leave a legacy in my name for them. I want them to know the meaning of having pride in what you produce and have an impact on people’s lives. As someone who struggles to love herself and has dealt with self-esteem and self confidence issues my whole life, I knew it was time to overcome these fears and I want to help other women along the way to do the same. Read more>>

Tristan Evans | Cake Decorating and Gourmet Cookie Specialist

I struggled with fitting into the mold of corporate life. I have always been more of a creative and those environments aren’t always places where creatives are free to create. starting my own business would give me the freedoms to meet my customers expectations in new and challenging ways. Read more>>

Dan Kenary MS, CSCS | Owner of Dan Kenary Performance

I want to educate people who want to take the time to invest in themselves. I find purpose in enabling folks with the right knowledge to create their own fitness and nutrition program. I find many people aren’t comfortable in the gym because they simply don’t understand what a successful exercise session looks like. If someone wants to gain strength and size, how should an appropriate exercise session be created to maximize their valuable time in the gym? Same applies with nutrition. We all know what to eat, but how do we optimize our busy schedule to compliment our nutritional goals? Read more>>

Clara Sanchez | Founder & barista

I worked for several years behind a coffee bar, I loved what I was doing there, every single morning I felt happy and motivated to go to work, I enjoyed being a barista and talking to others, I made a lot amazing connections and after leaving my job during the pandemic make me realized that crafting coffee/drinks been a Barista was meant for me, I was at home and I felt like I was missing something in my daily life. I doubted myself to much of being capable to start my own business and during pandemic time, my husband, my family and my friend(s) kept insisting me to start a business of what I was good at! but it wasn’t until September of last year (2021) when I decided to take the leap of faith, and take the risk to start my business/brand. Read more>>

Shelly Inspires | Life Coach

I have thought long and hard about staring my own business for about 7 years now. When I was in middle school I knew that I wanted to help people and become a Social Worker in the future as I am a people person and love talking to others and getting to know them on a personal level. I have given out an array of advice through my high school to college years to friends and family and whenever they needed me I was there for them. So at the end of the day, I felt happy in being that support system. Read more>>

Kaylee Baker | Rural Zero-Waste Educator & Business owner

Originally, I never had the desire to start a business. ZippNada was created while I was a sophomore at Arizona State University. I was really into the zero-waste movement, learning all I could and practicing my own low-waste journey, which was sparked while I was in high school. It was actually a suggestion from my brother and father that planted the seed, and with my family’s encouragement, ZippNada was born. Read more>>

Erinn Nowlin | Blogger & Small E-Commerce Business Owner

When I decided to start my own business, it began with just wanting to free myself from a life that seemed to be controlled by everyone but me. I wanted to be more present in my own life. I also understood that running a business was a full job and a half (two jobs and a half since I run two businesses). I had to find a business that let me plan ahead and could basically run itself. So I merged my love of makeup and writing, creating Beautifully Bombshell. Then married my love for design with apparel and 52 Week Creative was born. Read more>>

Cadillac Rhone | Owner of AZ Bonafide Apparel

A few different things actually. We wanted to create something that not only helped the underground hip hop community that we are apart of we also wanted to create something that represented the state we love. Most of all we wanted to create something that our kids could be apart of if they so choose to be. Read more>>

Marcus Green Sr | Producer & Songwriter

My thought process behind starting my business was based on building a passive income for my children. It was important to turn The Triangle into a system from its inception in order to achieve this goal. . I also conducted a lot of research on similar companies and found out what made them successful. This recipe has allowed The Triangle to grow 10 fold with no plans of stopping anytime soon. Read more>>