Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, we think you’ll enjoy reading about how these seasoned entrepreneurs thought about the question when they were in your shoes.

Kahala Marr | Bead Artist

During COVID, I decided to reconnect with my culture through clothing making, food ways, and beading. I taught myself how to bead after taking a beading class at Phoenix Indian center and by watching a YouTube video on how to make brick stitch fringe earrings. I then decided to expand and explore flat stitch jewelry. Read more>>

Gabriela Hassel Gastelum | Creative Director

I knew there was a lack of women and recognition in the industry and I knew I wanted to produce more and direct. I no longer wanted to work for someone and work for companies that did not value the employees work ethic or respect their personal life as well. Read more>>

Liam Cooper | Owner

We wanted to start a brand that focuses on using natural materials wherever possible over synthetics and plastics. Inspired by the outdoors and nature wooden sunglasses is really where we wanted to spend our efforts. Read more>>

Kennedy Renea | Baker

My thought behind starting my business is that I have a passion for baking. Baking has always been therapeutic for me. Starting a business is a commitment and dedication. I enjoy baking treats and selling them to people to see their reactions. What I like about starting my business is that I can do what I want with my business. It feels like something other than a job doing something I love. Read more>>

Tara Coalter | Mother, scientist, artist, and administrative support.

Andrew and I have lived our lives side-by-side for the last 13 years. In that time, we have experienced a lot together – learning about each other as well as learning about our own strengths and weaknesses. Andrew grew up in a family owned business atmosphere. Read more>>

Dylan Jung | Wine Tour Owner & Musician

As a local resident for over 20 years, I’ve been impressed and inspired by the local wine industry and its growth. I fell into the industry in a very organic way, and haven’t looked back since. Working in tasting rooms and helping out during harvest season, eventually lead to leading wine tours. Read more>>

Andrew Yoder | Husband, Father, & Custom Closet Designer

We felt there was a need in our community for quality custom closet cabinetry that didn’t come from a large franchise or dealer network. Customers care about where their products are coming from and where their money ends up at. Local small business is able to provide the quality and customer service people deserve. Read more>>

Ruben Neri | CEO

Freedom. The best thing you can have In life is freedom along with peace of mind. Being able to do whatever you want whenever you want is an amazing feeling. Read more>>

Andrea Rizvi | CEO/Founder

Like our recipes, Andrea is a transplant from the land down under.  Originally from North Australia, she arrived on American shores in her early 20s to study and work in international development.  Over the next two decades she built her home in the US while traveling extensively, advising on projects to bring water, sanitation, electricity and roads to underdeveloped communities across the globe. Read more>>

Dustin Lohr | Production & Lighting Designer

With years of experience as a Production Director, a major part of my job was curating set designs for events, video shoots, and other projects. I fell in love with dreaming up a concept, drawing it, and building it in real life. Working for a church and seeing the impact that a design can have on someone really resonated with me. My hope was to take that passion and bring that to others. From there, DL Productions was born. Read more>>

Katie Carbery | Food Artist

I’ve always known that I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I never took the time to think it could be a reality. Moving to AZ in 2020 was a fresh start which also meant I was ready to take chances, and roll the dice on myself! When I came up with the concept, people weren’t traveling much, and get togethers were starting to make a comeback. Read more>>

frank padilla | holistic practitioner, artist, researcher and paranormal investigator

the idea to start my own business came after a long period of time in my life that was filled with some pretty intense negativity and lack of direction. i was diagnosed in my early 20s as a paranoid schizophrenic. i had an extremely hard time dealing with this diagnosis that lead to the development of a drug addiction in a response to dealing with my symptioms. Read more>>

Megan Usiak-McBeth | Urgent Care Veterinarian

I have been working in veterinary emergency ever since graduating from vet school. Just prior and during COVID it became very obvious there was a gap between emergency/critical care and general/daytime practice. Read more>>

Kara Batey | Personal Stylist & Wardrobe Curator

I’ve always loved style and fashion. My mom sewed when I was growing up and would talk to me about fabrics, drape, and proportion and I loved it. We always had an ongoing dialogue about clothing (and still do). I also worked in women’s retail before I started my career as a lawyer and embraced learning about what shapes and fabrics look best on different body types. Read more>>

Tami Matthews | Owner, 3rd party processing and Mortgage Professional

I wanted to break away from teh corporate world. I have worked in mortgage financing since 2001. I have worked for both retail and wholesale lenders, small family owned brokerages and large corporations. I found a better fit with smaller family owned companies. When the company I was working at was bought out by a corporation I mad teh decision to step out on my own. Read more>>

Bria Spivey | City of Philadelphia Deputy Digital Director | Owner of Bria Spivey Consulting LLC.

I wanted to start my own business as a way to offer my skills to people beyond my 9-5. I initially positioned my business as one that offered social media management, as well as strategic communications consulting, but as of this year I am pivoting to focus on my digital literacy services. Read more>>

Christian and Melissa Palaicios | Photographers

Thoughts behind starting our own business was determination to show others our creativity and to be able to personalize are work. We wanted to be able to create a husband and wife business that allows us to spend time with one another and doing something we love together. Read more>>

Leeanne Dobben | Owner and creator for J&L Workshop Crafts

In so many ways my business has always been part of me. Ever since I was a young girl, I loved to create and share what I made with others. Once I entered college and started to focus more on weaving and card making specifically, I started having people ask me if I could make them items just for them such as scarves that featured a team color or thank you cards for a business. Read more>>

Traci Terrick | Artist Agent and Founder of Focus on Women

This was started as a marketing idea for my creative agency and thought it would just be one happy hour get together, except the demand for making it something more made it impossible to walk away. Read more>>

Melissa Kulish | Realtor

I’ve been a dental hygienist and fitness instructor for years, but I kept feeling like I was made for more. I felt very strongly that there was a bigger impact I could be making on those around me. When the opportunity to become a real estate agent presented itself, I knew that was it. I knew that was exactly what I was supposed to be doing. Read more>>

Lara Shahin | women entrepreneur

The main goal is to create an income for me and my family, and also to create job opportunities for Syrian refugee women in Jordan through economic empowerment and access to the labor market. Read more>>

Chalice Meikle | Artist & Art Therapist

When opening Unorthodox Studios back in 2017, I will admit, I wish I had more knowledge on ‘how to properly run a business’. All of the expenses came from my own account, I made sure to give proper payment, but I was not taking enough money in order to make profit. I didn’t even consider applying to be a non profit because I was told it was impossible to get accepted. Read more>>