Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Zack Lizotte | Graphic Designer & Entrepreneur

When I was 13 or 14, I began gaining interest in video editing, specifically making montages of hockey players and other sports figures. After a few years, I began to transition from primarily making video edits to creating graphics and photo manipulation on Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Read more>>

Victor Carmona | Pastor

I knew that Arizona has a huge need for a new and relevant church in Spanish being such a diverse State specifically in the Phoenix area. We need a church where people can feel welcomed in their own language. Read more>>

Christopher Vasquez | Creative Director Prism Media

Starting Prism Media was born out of a passion for creativity, visual storytelling, and a desire to provide exceptional media and marketing services to the West Coast region. We recognized the growing demand for high-quality photography, video production, and effective marketing strategies in the West Coast region. Read more>>

Clare Tinnion Owens | Artist

wanted to inspire local artists and give them opportunities to make a name for themselves. When I moved to Phoenix, Arizona I still pursued my passion by working with local interior designers to produce custom artwork for commercial and residential settings. In addition to creating custom artwork, I am also an art consultant. Read more>>

Manasi Arya | Teacher, Artist, Content Creator

When embarking on the journey of starting my own business, my thought process was driven by a strong desire to foster representation for brown women and South Asians in a subtle yet impactful manner. I wanted to create something that would be easily embraced by individuals from diverse backgrounds. Read more>>

Erin Cooper | Aesthetician, Laser Technician and Trainer, and Business Owner

I never really initially set out to be a buisness owner. In Spring of 2020 COVID made it necessary for the plastic surgery practice I was working in to close for a few weeks. I got nervous about how I was going to keep the clientele I had worked so hard to build over the years, so I started writing a blog about how my patients could care for their skin until we could see them back in the office. Read more>>

Andi Naka | Las Vegas content creator, influencer, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

I am a very lucky that I have had horrible bosses in the past. Ironically that was the catapult for me to be where I am today. Long story short; one of these bosses, once asked the entire staff to text him when we were going to use the bathroom, so he could keep track of it; but not because we were busy. Read more>>

Janine Jegers | Owner of a luxury travelagency

My husband started a luxury concierge service years before that, from his workpast at the football indrustry. He got more and more requests about travelling and searched for a travelagent to provide for this. He found a women who let him believe she had years of experience and was a trustworthy party for his high end clients. After ceveral problems with clients, violation of privacy, Read more>>

Elena Spitz | Elena Spitz Photography

I was always passionate about taking photos of my friends and family! I was THAT person who always asked to take photos. But I wasn’t just snapping photos, I liked to coordinate the whole thing: fix people’s outfits, move them around, adding props, changing locations, creating themes, etc. Read more>>

Stephanie Carlson | Owner & Designer

While I was raising my four children, I worked as a freelance writer and photographer creating content for websites, writing articles and helping businesses with marketing efforts. I dreamed of starting a creative sustainable business that would benefit others and that would be educational and fun. While visiting Los Angeles with my family in 2015, we dined in a restaurant decorated with plants and a living wall. As an avid gardener, I loved the idea of using plants as interior decor. Read more>>

Bret Wells | Small business owner and Industrial QC inspector

Gadget Designworks didn’t originally start off as a business, it started as an interest in the technology to create. During the beginning of the pandemic, I found myself with a lot of free time as work in the oilfield had slowed to a crawl, I wanted to find something to occupy my time. I had found a 3D printer for sale that became my first piece of equipment. It took some time, but I became proficient at using the programs needed to create my own models. Read more>>

Marsh Sale | Painter/tattoo artist

In the early days of my career as an artist I had honestly never really thought about making a business out of it I just wanted to create and have fun creating art with other artists. So I just followed that passion. Certain opportunities began to present themselves along the way and it just evolved into what it is now. I’m pretty happy with where I’m at and the team that has manifest through the process. Read more>>

David Moser | Clothing Brand Owner & Designer

The main purpose behind the business was to have something of my own that really allowed me to express myself as an individual and as an artist. I love to create new things and make something out of nothing, and I wasn’t really igniting that fire with the career that I had at the time. I knew I wanted to start a brand years ago, but often talked myself out of it out of fear of failing and not knowing where to start, or how to begin as a lot of people do. Read more>>

Bernadette Craig | Artist, Illustrator & Graphic designer

When it came to deciding to start my own business, it was honestly a back-burner dream I thought I would never get to begin. I always wanted to work freely for myself, able to create whatever I was inspired to and with my art hopefully spark happiness or inspiration in those who saw it. I also have these grand plans of all the ways I want to work with conservation groups to create art that works with their projects to not only bring awareness to them but also donate profits from the art sold to help support them. I simply wanted to create a buisness that would allow me to pursue my passion for art but also help make the world a little better. Read more>>