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.

Laura Madden

Freedom! Bottom line – to feel free. Creating abstract Art feels like complete freedom- to be me, to be fully self-expressed, fully seen. After moving back to Arizona in 2019, I got to a point where I was making so much Art, that I ran out of walls- physically. Emotionally, it was like I just couldn’t outrun it anymore.

There was nothing I wanted to do more than make Art. I finally came to the conclusion that this is what I’m meant to do with my life. I had been having the thought for many years- but never had the courage to fully accept it and take my passion seriously. Read More>>

Kevin Caron

I was tired of making someone else rich! I worked 9 to 10 hours a day and all I have to show for it is a bad back. Read More>> 

Jenny Lynne Erickson

When I started Jenny Lynne LLC in 2022, it was during the sale of my company ACThoughtful Consulting, which I launched in late 2019/early 2020. I had built something that was meant to be scaled bigger than me in the two years prior, sold it, and I was ready to step into a different way of thinking about work. Read More>>

Matt Brown

Physical therapy and healthcare in general have a broken system that is not quality focused and there was a gap between traditional PT and where highly active clients/athletes/former athletes need to get to. I wanted to break out of the traditional model and focus on high quality care for former athletes and athletes that will actually get them better Read More>> 

Zara Bish

Starting my jewelry business came from a deep pull toward creativity and self-expression. Before I discovered metalsmithing in 2019, I felt uninspired in my career and unsure of what was next. Jewelry brought together everything I love about creating, but in a way that felt tangible. I was making something meaningful that people could actually wear. With my background in graphic design, I was used to working on a screen, so the chance to use my hands and create something sculptural was exciting. Read More>> 

Chloey And Claudia Loman

Claudia: I have always known that I wanted to have my own business from a young age, driven by a desire for both creative freedom and the ability to build something that reflects my passions. I’ve always been drawn to creating products and experiences that bring people joy, and I wanted a platform where I could fully explore my ideas without limitations. My strong project management skills made me confident in my ability to take an idea from concept to execution while keeping everything organized and on track. Read More>> 

Nirit Rubenstein

For me, it wasn’t about wanting to “be my own boss.” It was about seeing a broken system and knowing I could fix it. I’ve always been drawn to complex problems, and credit is one of the most important yet most confusing parts of people’s financial lives. I saw how intimidating and unfair it could be, and I couldn’t ignore the opportunity to build something that leveled the playing field.
Starting Dovly AI was about creating a solution that was clear, automated, and effective—something people could trust to manage credit without the noise and complexity. It wasn’t a leap of faith so much as a calculated decision: the problem was massive, the need was obvious, and I knew the timing was right. Read More>>