We reached out to some of our favorite entrepreneurs and asked them to think back and tell us about how they decided to start a business. Check out their responses below.

Leticia Mordi | Founder and CEO of Nema Beauty Cosmetics and Professional Makeup Artist at MakeupByMordi

I truly desired for everyone to be able to create a full look with my products. Sometimes we fall in love with gorgeous products that sometimes need to be accompanied with many other different products which can be overwhelming. No matter where you are or what you are doing I wanted to make it easy to create many different looks with very little products. Read more>>

Katia Almayeva | Professional Ballerina & Coach

First and foremost, my journey in ballet has been a deeply personal one. I have dedicated countless hours to honing my skills as a dancer and have been fortunate to train under some of the most renowned ballet instructors in the world. I started Premier Ballet Coaching because I want to dedicate my time and knowledge exclusively to talented and serious students who want to pursue a successful career in dance. Read more>>

LaTasha Wright | Actress|Director|Producer|AD|Model|Multi-Business Owner

I wanted to start a business in 2016 but the timing wasn’t right. Fast forward to 2022, our 3 businesses were formed Diamond Cut Productions, LLC (Film & Media Industry), Diamond Cut Drip, LLC ( Apparel) and our parent company Leo’s Dirt 2 Diamonds, LLC. I wanted to show my creativity to the world. Read more>>

Obedia Ramsey | Entrepreneur

After being laid off in the oil and gas industry after 25 years and the life altering changes of COVID, I decided it was time to pursue my dreams and aspirations of owning a beauty supply store. Since this is the age of technology, an online business would challenge me to reach new customers and maintain relevancy in the marketplace. It is my desire to build a successful business and create generational wealth for my family. Read more>>

Jerrica Brooks | Hidden Gemz Aesthetics

My thought process behind starting my own business was opportunity. Not only did I want to provide opportunity for myself but for others like me with similar mindsets and goals. I wanted to inspire other people alike to keep an open mind, seek mentorship from those who are where you aspire to be. And lastly, dont be afraid to take risks and seize opportunities that align with your goals. Read more>>

Don Ulysse | Fashion Photographer

Honestly, my thought process behind starting a creative business which consist of photography and creative direction.. is that I know I enjoy planing and executing creative shoots, so I wanted to be able to help small businesses and those that are already established execute their vision by telling the story of their brand through images. Read more>>

Kristi Kennebrew | CEO & Founder of Get Me Hired Kristi

It all started when I walked into my first tech job, met my team, and looked around to see there was no one that looked like me in the room. No one that looked to share the same experiences or background as me. I started to reflect on my own tech journey and how I got to where I am today. Read more>>

Robin Who | Travel Lifestyle Mentor | Speaker, Author, Educator | CEO of Our Connected World

There is a lot that can be said here but I will try to summarize the main points. Read more>>

Mark Goldstein | Personal Chef & Business Owner

One of the prides of our business, Chef For All Seasonings, is that it was started back in 2008 by my mom, Chef Jennie. I fully took over the business in 2022, and can now say that this is a multi-generational family owned company. While working with my mom, I learned all the ins and outs of what she had built, and used the information to both continue her legacy while also building on it with my own personal vision. Read more>>

Nicolette Canady | Automations Strategist

I started Serenity & Success because prior to this, I owned a credit repair company while also working a full time job. It was also my daughters senior year in high school so I was completely stressed trying to do everything alone. I was overworked and overwhelmed. I discovered automations and quickly started implementing them into my business. Read more>>

Priscilla Correa | Owner of Craftsidecreations

I started my business when I was a senior in high school, which is why I came up with the idea of making grad caps! I didn’t know anyone who made grad caps. I knew I wanted one since I was graduating in 2022. Which is why I started the idea to make grad caps. My mom was the first one to tell me I should do them and all types of grad items to sell. She pushed me to do something I enjoyed and i’ll forever be grateful to have her support every year. Read more>>

Diamond Alexis | Artist

When starting my brand I wanted to make sure that it was a reflection of who I am as a person. I am constantly evolving and changing what I like and what interests me. So when starting my brand I made sure that I embodied that the best way I could. I wanted to make sure that everything that I created was handmade, creative, custom, and had great quality. Read more>>

Keeansia Greenwood | Custom T Shirt Owner & Travel Agent

In April of 2019, I had a wake up call and decided that I wanted to end the cycle of depending solely on a 9-5 job. The stress of living paycheck to paycheck motivated me to create something that I could call my own. As a financially single mother I had to do what I had to do to make ends meet for my son and I. April 2019. I purchased a beginner starter kit to start my own custom t-shirt business “Kreativ Kee Designs”. Read more>>

Lillian Nguyen | A real estate investment professional that specializes in short term rental. Experienced in B2C lead generation, direct booking, code compliance, social media marketing (Google and Facebook) , and listing optimization for all short term rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO

My thought process behind starting my short-term rental property management business stemmed from my previous experience in running an advertising business. I recognized my skill in generating leads for other businesses and saw an opportunity to apply that expertise to your own venture. When running my advertising business, I encountered an opportunity to manage an Airbnb listing for another client. Read more>>

Kimbalie Onu | Founder of Allie Amour Boutique

The thought process behind starting my own business stemmed from a deep desire for independence, creative freedom, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Read more>>

Tyler Bender | Social Media Creator

I have always wanted to be an actress. I was the kid that did the school play every year. I would force my friends to make skits in our backyard and we’d burn them onto discs and bring them to class and make everyone watch them on the projector. Read more>>