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.

Minor Arias | Life and Business Coach, Author and Life Enthusiast

I realized that if I continued with my job, I would not get to live life on my terms. I realized that if I wanted to experience the last years of my son’s childhood and truly share with my wife while living the experiences that I dreamed of, I was only going to achieve it with my own business. Read more>>

Mark Leputa | Glass Artist

In 2004 I began working in glass while living abroad. The short trip became a 3 year apprenticeship at Lava Glass in Taupo, New Zealand. Upon returning to the United States, I found myself working under an exceptional glassmaker, Cal Breed of Orbix Hot Glass. I worked with and learned from Cal for 14 years, not only how to blow glass but also how to run business. Read more>>

Mary Hernandez, Dayami Perez, Javier Tamayo, Sergio Montoya N/A | Photographer, Artist, Photographer and Producer

Our thought process behind starting The Creators Studio was driven by our passion for creativity and the desire to provide a unique space for content creators. The pandemic forced many people to rethink their work-life balance, and we’ve seen an increase in the presence and need of online influencers. Read more>>

Iwona Ash | Fashion designer

Ten years ago, I got a fancy job, but to get there, I had to use public transportation and carry my things for the whole day. I needed a big, elegant, and lightweight bag as I got scoliosis as a teenager from having had to carry a heavy school bag. However, everything I could find was either way too small, too heavy, or too expensive. I looked online, but they never included the weight in the product descriptions. Read more>>

Nat Alves | Graphic Designer & Founder of Nat Marie Design

I have had the opportunity to work in a lot of different design environments and while I am thankful for all those experiences, I couldn’t shake the feeling that if I were in charge I would take a completely different approach. What it comes down to is how people are treated and how they collaborate. Read more>>

Nat 1 Nerds Podcast | Podcast

We both have a love of Dungeons and Dragons, and wanted to branch out and learn what other systems are out there. We decided to start a podcast to share our journey with anyone else who wants to explore the vast world of TTRPGs! Read more>>

Alyssa Berlew | Owner of Desert Donkey Experiences

My business actually started by accident. I was trying to make a start training people’s donkeys to be good equine citizens, and advertised on Facebook and then Nextdoor. On the Nextdoor post I added a sentence “also, if you’d like to meet and walk a donkey, please reach out” and in 2 days my post had 15,000 views, 200 comments, and over 150 messages. And just like that, Desert Donkey Experiences was born! Read more>>

Dr. Susan Taffer | Founder World Connections Foundation & CEO of College for World Connections

This is a question that is actually an evolution of thought while I was determining career steps when my doctorate was completed, and I was published. I was considering the best way to enjoy my education, exercise my knowledge, and not become sterile nor stale within the “institution” of education. Read more>>

Victor Cepero | Owner, Old Blind Dog BBQ sauce

My wife and I wanted to work for ourselves. The conventional work week was wearing us down. We watched our co-workers work the same mundane jobs for years and their only goal seemed to be “waiting for retirement”. We decided there had to be a better way. We wanted control over our schedule and lives. Read more>>

Riley S. Quinn | Author and Artist

For me, starting my own business wasn’t necessarily the original goal. Writing stories that made people feel seen, that was what drove me. Creating art that people could connect with, books they could enjoy! Once publication plays a role, a business sort of happens on its own, especially when self-publishing like I did. That sure doesn’t mean it starts out easily, though. Read more>>

Shane Eckart | Photographer

When I first began my career as a photographer, I always had a passion for capturing special moments that could be cherished forever. For as long as I can remember I always had a camera in my hand as a young child. I worked my first paid job while still in high school, photographing a wedding. In the 30 plus years since I have broadened my photography not to only include weddings, but portraits, special events, band and concert photography. Read more>>

Kayla Cummings | CEO / Founder & Host of the Dollz & Queenz” talk show”

Being supportive and giving love to everyone. Not having a governing body to dictate, mask, or detour progress or success of the business, my business. Not to impede, or disrupt one’s state of being. When starting my own business, I had the thought of people as top priority. Such as in regards to providing a platform where comfort, love, acceptance, and building of confidence is present. A business that not only accepts diversity but builds my business on a foundation of diversity. Read more>>

Ashley Cuellar | Cake Artist

Before 2021, I never really thought of starting my own business. I’ve been a cake decorator for 6 years, and enjoyed baking since childhood so people would often say to me “You should open your own bakery!”. I would usually just shrug and laugh because I didn’t think that it was possible for me. For awhile, my plan was to climb the ladder in my retail job and spend my life growing with the company because it was a safe option. Read more>>

Jess Suworoff | Commercial Food Stylist

Life is short, do what you love. After a loss of a young family member to cancer, I took some time to evaluate what made me happy in life and what I wanted to spend my time doing. Work is such a large part of my life, I know I wanted to enjoy going to work everyday. I am so thankful i’ve found what I love doing. Read more>>