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.

Alexander Tola

What really pushed me was asking, why is this so broken? In the early internet, there were very few safeguards. Intellectual property was constantly violated. Payment systems were unreliable. Platforms collapsed. Creators were told everything should be free. At the same time, some early web pioneers were charging enormous amounts of money for work that, technically, did not justify it. Read More>>

Seth Silver

Starting my own business wasn’t a sudden leap—it was a natural evolution. For most of my career, I worked at the highest levels of advertising, partnering with Fortune 500 companies and globally recognized brands. I led distributed teams, managed large brand investments, and helped organizations navigate growth, change, and complexity. From the outside, it looked like a dream career—and in many ways, it was. Read More>>

Iliana Tintos

I have been a licensed therapist since 2008. I worked in the community mental health field, working in inpatient settings and group homes for over 11 years before I entered into private practice. I struggled with the decision to enter into private practice, it was one that was not made easily but had to be made because of the growing demands of my personal life. Read More>>

Justin Berg

Starting my own business wasn’t one specific moment. It came from years of experience, mistakes, and learning along the way. I’ve been an entrepreneur since 2015, and this wasn’t my first business. I’ve had ventures that worked and others that didn’t, and every failure taught me something important. Each one forced me to slow down, pay attention, and get better. Read More>>

Amanda Briggs

When my grandmother passed away, we did what most families do when faced with such a loss– we tried to make sense of what she would have wanted, wrote her obituary, planned her memorial, and sat together to decide what to do with the house. It was a lovely, albeit old, block building that had been my grandparents’ home for many years. Read More>>

Yolanda Gutierrez

The idea for FEXAM Cultural Center emerged from a deep awareness of the cultural, artistic, and human needs of our community. For years, I witnessed local and international artists searching for spaces where their voices could flourish with authenticity—spaces rooted in respect, creativity, collaboration, and cultural identity.  Read More>>

Lindsy Posz

Date I say there wasn’t one?! I was a full time stay-at-home mom. My youngest daughter started part time pre-k, at the time, and I found myself bored out of my skull piece. I’ve worked so much of my life and never really had the opportunity to choose a professional path for myself that wasn’t strictly income-driven. Read More>>

 Jimmy Rios

Starting my own business wasn’t a single moment — it was a realization that kept getting louder over time. I saw gaps in the market, but more importantly, I saw people with big dreams hitting walls because of limited access to the right resources, capital, and guidance. I didn’t want to spend my life building someone else’s vision when I knew I had the ability and responsibility to build my own. Read More>>

Jennifer Sparveri

I founded Jennifer André while recovering from back surgery—a moment that forced me to slow down and take a hard look at the pace I’d been keeping. Years of traveling the world as an educator for Paul Mitchell had been an incredible chapter, but the constant movement was taking a toll on my body and my life. Opening a 1,400-square-foot salon became my way of grounding myself, shifting direction, and building something meaningful and sustainable. Read More>>

Greg Treviso

Honestly, the thought process of starting my own business was years in the making. My undergraduate degree in Kinesiology ended with a 400 hour internship in Cardiac Rehabilitation. This was eye opening for a 22 year old to see the ill effects of what happens as you get older if the body is not taken care of.  Read More>>

Hannah Hillis

My reason for starting Hannah Faye Studio was born out of deep loss. I lost my SIL to breast cancer just over a year ago now and it rocked my world. It was hard processing the grief while being so far away from my family. I also just needed to get back into what I loved. Read More>>

 Carolina Missett

My thought process behind starting my own business was rooted in purpose, representation, and community. I didn’t start Cataleya’s Nail Salon & Boutique just to open another salon—I built it to create a space that didn’t exist for us. A space where Latina creatives, entrepreneurs, and artists could have visibility, opportunity, and a platform to grow. Read More>>

Paige Beckman

I have been involved in theater as a performer, parent, director, & educator my whole life. I have always wanted to have my own business, and a vision for a new type of theater started to develop in my head a few years ago. Read More>>