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.

James Delarosa | Chef / Dreamer

My philosophy has always been about the inner balance with each dish , seeking a medley of flavors that allowed for a visceral experience rather just one that met one of the eaters senses . I seek to do emulate this philosophy by enameling my food with threads of different Latin cultures , my mind wanted to find a familiar way to reach the average eater with essences and zings of Latin food . I want to show the world the beauty of the Latin palate , this heavily influenced my thinking processes while developing my brand Fresco and Fryed . Balance is our philosophy. Read more>>

Manuel Flores | Daimyo Jiujitsu owner and head instructor

We wanted to create something that had never been done before in Jiujitsu. We wanted an academy that would be able to deliver on the promise of creating world champions in Tucson with out having to leave Arizona and we also wanted to welcome entire families to train and feel welcomed and supported, all under one roof. In my academy I have mothers, fathers, kids and teens training alongside competitors that are ranked #1 in the world The culture we created allows for this to happen without sacrificing the quality of training for the world champion or making it unwelcoming to the regular practitioner. We do this by working closely with our students to help them develop their mindsets along with their bodies so they can face all challenges in life through the philosophies of JIujitsu Read more>>

Diane Winnemuller | Medical Aesthetic Practice Owner and Operator

I retired from publishing at age 60 to care for both of my parents in their last years and months of their lives. My last publisher assignment was in Northwest Florida where I was the publisher of 5 newspapers, 7 websites, and various niche publications and magazines. I had a very rewarding career and at age 60, I knew I would definitely work again because I love to work and engage with other people, especially women who are driven by a dream or goal and they just need a little support and mentoring to develop their business skills and necessary attributes that ensure their successes. So, my publishing career is in the past and I’m happy about my decisions to align my priorities with faith and family before anything else, but I’m still too driven and energetic to be retired. Read more>>

Desmond Martin | Owner & Operator, Shave Ice Samura

When we decided to have children, my wife and I desired to instill values in them that would promote entrepreneurship, and encourage them to appreciate their God-given talents and abilities. We wanted to teach them the values of pursuing their dreams and attaining true freedom through business ownership. When we started Happy Honu Shave Ice, we were thrilled with the idea of having another stream of income even though we merely did it as a hobby. In 2009, we setup at our first major event, the AZ Aloha Festival. The success we experienced started a fire in me to pursue more events, and soon I was convinced that we could do so much more in a mobile trailer. Read more>>

Lori Norris | Military Transition Expert, Job Search Marketing Coach, Resume and LinkedIn Specialist and Podcast Host

When I started my resume writing business in 2004, I realized that no one was teaching job seekers how to write their own resumes. If we teach our high school and college students about resumes, it is usually taught by educators that don’t really have much knowledge or experience actually writing resumes themselves. Therefore, from an early age we don’t really understand how to market ourselves to employers. By the time we get to be adults in the job market, if we don’t learn to market our skills and showcase our accomplishments to employers, we get lost in the crowd of other job seekers. I love teaching people how to recognize and embrace their accomplishments. Read more>>

Chauncey Edmonds | Sports Agent

Sports has always been a huge part of my life and I wanted to find a lane that was best for me. I felt like I had a wealth of knowledge that I wanted to give back to athletes that were looking to become professional. Creating a sports agency was my way to make contributions to the world of sports. Read more>>

Farm Angels Sanctuary | Animal rescue service

Farm Angels Sanctuary, a rescue and sanctuary for farm animals, was started out of compassion for animals and morphed into a non-profit organization due to the need to help farm animals. The sanctuary started with rescuing horses, who were companion horses only, not serving a purposes to many and would otherwise be shipped off for slaughter. From here, many other farm animals have joined the sanctuary over the years including cows, pigs, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and guinea. There are now over 100 animals at the sanctuary. Read more>>

Aurelia Anne Cohen | Performance artist, musician, entrepreneur & revolutionary

Starting my own business was more of a response to society and my position in it as a Revolutionarily minded empath artist and performer. Very early in my career I had the great privilege of working with artists and mentors who had paved the way for creatives in my position to expand and benefit from their hard work as business owners themselves. So naturally it followed that when I had a new creative venture, I followed in their footsteps, arranging and organizing myself such that I would be self-sufficient. Read more>>

T-Lee McLaughlin | Social Media Influencer

When I first considered starting my own business as a social media influencer, it was a culmination of several key factors that guided my thought process. The first was identifying a gap in the market; I realized that while there was a plethora of content on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, very few influencers were effectively combining elements of technology, personal development, and health into a cohesive brand experience. My personal passions played a significant role in this decision. I’ve always been enamored by technology and have a deep-rooted love for personal development and wellness. This unique blend of interests provided me with a niche that not only fulfilled me creatively but also resonated with a specific audience hungry for this type of content. Read more>>

Malobi Achike | Founder & CEO of DEI Directive

At the beginning of the pandemic, my husband and I were both working from home and two young children. My son was 5.5yrs old at the time and had to be homeschooled. I can tell you that the stress levels we felt was immediate and we quickly realized we simply couldn’t continue this way. Because I was already thinking about a career shift, I made the decision to step away from my job, and gave my 2 weeks notice. Within the week I submitted that 2 weeks notice, George Floyd was murdered. And because I was winding down on that job, I had a lot more time to be present and take in the news and actually feel the depths of how tragic it was. Read more>>

Bryan Wagner | President of All Star Motorsport Productions

Monster Trucks were a passion of mine as a young child. The industry started and exploded in the late 1980s, just as I was in the prime target demographic of being a kid around 3-5 years old. Myself and select others in our industry are the first generation to actively choose being in the monster truck industry as a career growing up and watching these live events. Like most people starting their own business, I wanted the flexibility and ability to have no glass ceiling on my income, create my own hours and generally be in control of my life. Couple that with the passion to create high quality monster truck entertainment for future generations led me to create All Star Motorsport Productions. Read more>>