Starting a business is a commitment and requires dedication, resources and sacrifice. We asked some of the rising stars in our community how they thought through the idea of starting their own businesses.
Tamela Kemp | Life Purpose/Soul Purpose Coach & Website Designer for Healing Arts Professionals
For over 20 years I suffered from major depression and had all sorts of anxiety. I took every antidepressant and anxiety medication out there. I was stuck in a negative thought pattern about myself that had me feeling like I wanted to claw myself out of my skin. I was literally dying inside. I was literally killing myself with these false beliefs about myself. Read more>>
Samantha Peterson | Registered Dietitian, Holistic Wellness Coach and Yoga Instructor
When you personally see and have a stake in the deep impact that nutrition, holistic health and wellness has, you are forever changed. My journey started when I was a Clinical Oncology Dietitian, soon after also becoming a Board Certified Specialist in Oncology nutrition. While working in a setting that emphasized care through a whole mind-body lens, I first hand experienced the true impact that taking a holistic approach to health and wellness can make and how easily it can change lives. Read more>>
Karina Cruz | Cleaning Business Owner
My mother. I started Valley Sparkle 8 years ago because my mother had cleaned houses on her own ever since I was little. My parents are undocumented and decided to move back to Mexico 8 years ago.. I saw the potential that a cleaning business had to offer; its literally everywhere and always in demand from residential to commercial so When they decided to move I decided to take what once was a dream of my mother and try to make something out of it. Read more>>
Kacie Walls | Travel Agent
When I started my own business I was newly pregnant with my son who is now 2. I was working 14hr days as a events manger, I was tired and wore out. I started following travel agents and bloggers on instagram and wanted to see what life was like doing what I loved to do. I started off just thinking I would do travel part time to bring in extra income during my maternity leave, after 3 months of being home on maternity leave I had enough business to leave my full time job and pursue my travel business full time. Read more>>
Lacey Medina | Owner of LaceLuxe Picnics LLC
I wanted bring something of value to my community and to myself. I am a wife to an active duty airman, a mom to two kids – one of whom is special needs, and I work a full-time job, so I really had to consider if I wanted to add on starting my own small business as something else to my plate. After deliberation, I decided that I wanted to find something that I could do as a creative outlet and something that could bring joy to people. I was inspired when I came across an instagram page of a small picnic business in Phoenix, shout out to Whimsy Picnics! Read more>>
Kai O’Neil | Fitness Professional, outdoor enthusiast
Five years ago I was convicted to start a unique box fitness studio with a mission; Stay fit to serve others while having fun. This happened in church as I listened to the Pastor talk about the early greek word for church – Ekklesia (ek-la-see-ya). I love the way Ed Silvoso describes it in his book, “Ekklesia”, in the time of Jesus, “:the Ekklesia was a building-less, mobile people movement designed to operate 24/7 in the marketplace for the purpose of having an impact on everybody and everything.” Read more>>
Laura from Pleiadian Healer | Intuitive Psychic, Shamanic Healer & Soul Awakener
Pleiadian Healer is a psychic business aimed towards awakening your soul essence and inner spark, using my psychic insight, intuition and Shamanic Healing during sessions. It was founded after a few other businesses I had already started, some which I kept going, others which I didn’t have the time and energy for anymore. After almost an entire decade of pursuing a career in corporate life, my soul was craving for a stop to the rat race – a pace which defines our life all too often these days. Read more>>
Logan Reavis | Content Creator
When I started my blog in 2014 I was wanting to get hiking gear for free to post about it on social media. At that time being a content creator was such a grey area. I didn’t know how much to charge and that I should be getting paid for advertising instead of getting free gear. Since then I have learned how to negotiate with brands and ask for what I deserve to be compensated for. My writing about mental health, my journey as a young adult moving to Oregon without ever visiting is the reason why I showed up on social media in the first place. This messaging is what I tune back to-to be vulnerable. Read more>>
Mike Zahn | REALTOR, MBA, Entreprenuer
I had worked for 22 years in the Yellow Pages industry, and as the internet took hold, I could see the handwriting on the wall. It was an industry destined for decline. I prefer a vibrant, growth oriented environment, so being in Phoenix, Real Estate was a natural choice. We live in a beautiful area of the country, we were (and are) growing rapidly, and I had always been fascinated by Real Estate. In fact, I ALMOST majored in architecture in College, but instead opted for an MBA. Read more>>
Neel Mehta | Co-founder and Chief Negotiator at Car Concierge Pro
As observed in the case of most entrepreneurs, the whole journey of their startup venture begins with acknowledging a common problem and innovating a potential solution. My process wasn’t any different and was fueled by the thought which stuck through me when I faced a personal crisis while buying a new car. At that time, I was a Ph.D. student in Biomedical Informatics at Arizona State University, USA. Read more>>
Amy Vemulapalli & Pooja Kavi | Co-Founders of SANGAAH Jewelry
One night over a couple glasses of wine, we were talking about how we wished we could find fun, unique statement jewelry that didn’t look like all the cookie cutter styles we saw most places we shopped. If we did find something that stands out, it was either cheap, fast fashion or a whole paycheck. As we continued to talk we realized that many of our favorite pieces in our own collections were keepsakes and family heirlooms from India that had been passed down over generations. Each of those earrings, necklaces, and rings were influenced by local traditions and had their own story, and that’s what made them so special. Read more>>
S.K. Patrick | Author & Journalist
I worked at two banks for over six years. During the pandemic and as children had homeschooled, it reminded me that financial literacy was lacking in public education. I decided to write a children’s book about the basics of spending and counting money. I followed up with an activity about banking. Money management and financial literacy are building blocks for the generational west. I found a gift and a lane that I’m passionate about. I hope to spread knowledge of banking to kids around the country. Read more>>
Rachel Hickey | Naturopathic Doctor & Pranic Healer
I did not grow up thinking I was going to be a business owner nor did I think I was going to become a doctor. Two experiences completely changed the trajectory of my life. (1) Watching my Dad suffer from and die from lung cancer, and (2) watching myself suffer from and ultimately heal from chronic Lyme disease. Through suffering I found my purpose. I started my practice to help free people from pain, whether it is physical pain, emotional pain, and/or psychological pain. Read more>>
Chris James | Founder of Battle Approved Motors
Back 2015 I began producing an extreme sports film/doc series, called Mod Kids USA, which documented the lives of an elite class of youngsters who race mini off-road trucks called mod karts. It was so exciting to watch up close. I still call it the most BadAss sport never-to-been seen by the masses. Over the last 6 years, that film has turned into multiple films, now being released on Prime Video. Read more>>
Kim Trickey | Western Artist
I wanted a business that I could do from home because I had 4 small children to raise and we lived 30 miles from the nearest small town on a large cattle ranch. I had a degree in Art and loved painting and drawing, so I knew I could do it from home and travel to art shows when I needed to. Read more>>