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.

Chad Vrla | Founder of TheIntentionalFather.com

The Intentional Father was first a thought during the year 2020. In the midst of a global pandemic, daycares and schools closed, and my wife and I working from home meant an abundance of family time. At the time we had a two year old son, my wife was a teacher trying to navigate distance learning, and I was an engineer. While this “extended spring break” was initially seen as a blessing, it quickly turned quality time into quantity time and turned fun unique days into the same day with the same compounding struggles, discussions, and arguments. Each day was a jigsaw, meticulously piecing activities together, both alternating from employee to parent awaiting nap or bedtime. Precious time in our son’s life went by while we were just trying to hold everything together. Read more>>

Foreall Foreall | Public Figure & Podcast

Let’s Be ForeallForeall Podcast began as an idea that evolved into a reality. During a casual conversation with some close friends, they noticed my knack for engaging conversation, my ability to connect with others, and the quality of my voice. This encouragement served as the initial spark. Immediately accompanied by the catchy theme song, “You don’t have to call – By Usher”. However, I was determined to distinguish myself from other podcasters and blaze a unique trail. I decided to embark on an unconventional path that set me apart from the rest. My vision was to host a podcast/show with approximately 30+ individuals every other Wednesday night, fostering enriching conversations and creating unforgettable experiences. Read more>>

Matt Harris | Owner at Herculean Supplements

I am passionate about fitness and nutrition. It is really that simple. I love this industry. I love the grit and drive that comes from this community. We wanted to open a place where people like us could go and buy supplements and get more than a cashier. We wanted to open a supplement shop where people could come and talk about their goals and get a customized stack rather than just a standard recommendation. Our clients are people like us who want to be able to trust what they are putting in their body and know that it is helping them reach their fitness goals. Opening Herculean Supplements was so much more than a business decision, it was a passion project. We are family owned and operated. Me, my wife, and my best friend are the owners at Herculean and we all have a similar mindset when it comes to this business. Read more>>

Nicole Davis | Owner & Baker

I was blessed with a grandmother that was not only an excellent cook but a great baker as well. I observed her skills in the kitchen growing up. I began baking at the age of 12. I started with making biscuits from scratch every Saturday morning for my family. I have always had a love for cooking and baking but stopped baking for many years. In 2019 I decided to use my baking skills and began Four Girls and a Guy, named after my 4 daughters and 1 son. I would get so much joy from the smiles on people faces after they would eat my desserts. Read more>>

Aaron & Wende Gross | Manager/owners

Wende and I were in the process of opening our own restaurant at the time and were having a hard time dealing with landlords. MoMo Italian Kitchen was one of our favorite restaurants, and we new the owner Carlo was about to open Botolino Gelato. One day he told us that once the Gelato shop opened, he would have to dedicate hi time there and therefore close MoMo. We felt MoMo was a Dallas institution (the first Dallas Italian restaurant to focus on Northern Italian Cuisine, food from the Northern regions of Italy, such as Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna Region and Lombardy to name a few) and we did not what to see it close. So we worked with the family and we took over MoMo in June of 2017. Read more>>

Ivy Aranaught | Seeress, Vitka, and High Priestess of Hekate

It is actually a bit bizarre to most people I think… I am a Seer, which means I get visions and messages from Spirits and Deities and have all my life. The Goddess I work with most has helped guide me into my path more and more and She called to me one day to see if I would honor Her request to start a store and community place for the witches and pagans of DFW. I don’t mean to make it sound as if I am “The One” or anything, but I was asked and if I had said no She simply would have found someone else who would say yes. The day I said yes to Her was the day I started Higher Purpose Emporium with a pagan temple space, learning library, apothecary, and much more. It was to become a place of genuine spirituality and a place where people could find where they belong and find their “higher purpose” in their current incarnation. Read more>>

Rabia Majid Khan | Cake Artist

Starting a cake baking business involves careful consideration and planning. To begin, it’s important to define your niche, whether it’s custom-designed cakes, specialty flavors, or a particular theme. Researching the local market to understand consumer preferences and trends is crucial. Creating a business plan that outlines your target audience, pricing strategy, marketing approach, and operational logistics is essential. Additionally, focusing on developing a unique and diverse menu, sourcing high-quality ingredients, and perfecting your baking techniques can help establish a strong foundation for your business. Building a strong brand identity and establishing a robust online presence can also contribute to the success of your cake baking venture. Read more>>

Lenox Evans | Social Entrepreneur & Creative Director

My first thought when starting Texas Sock Company was to inspire the youth. A goal of mine was to never take short cuts in the brand, to show every step of the building process so that we become the blueprint for the kid that’s watching. Essentially I wanted to help the youth we used to be.. creative motivated hustlers that only lacked opportunity and resources. So much of my company goes beyond selling socks and apparel for profit as we focus more on impacting the community in positive strides. Another huge thought when starting the my business was the name. Texas Sock Company is so straight to the point that it works in so many different ways. Read more>>

Michelle Jimenez | Makeup artist

Honestly at first everything I’m doing now was just a dream of mine so when I started I didn’t think too deep into it I just felt like a little girl playing dress up. Read more>>

Bruce Hardnett & Jason Crawford | Founder & CEO at Get Right Fragrance

The process behind starting my own business was a dream of entrepreneurship. It was taking a product that I use daily and branding that product into my creative ideas. Read more>>

Brenda Austin | Massage Therapist, Massage Instructor, Lymphatic Practitioner, Reiki Master

My Journey to Starting my Own Business
Initially, I enrolled in the massage therapy program at Metro Business College located in Jefferson City, Missouri with the intention of transferring to a Physical Therapy program at Linn State University, just 30 miles away. After completing the program and spending a considerable amount of money, I realized that I did not want to apply for additional student loans. I began my job search, but despite my best efforts, I was unable to find a job in my field. I was disheartened and confused, wondering if I had made the right choice. One morning, unable to sleep, I had an epiphany. Why was I waiting for someone else to tell me I was good enough or how much I was worth? I decided to take control of my own life. Read more>>

Sanya Pillai | Student and Entrepreneur

During the time of the COVID pandemic, I wanted to find ways to pursue my interests and I was inspired by people I saw who were starting their own online businesses and making a difference in their community. I started exploring entrepreneurship and planned out several for-profit and non-profit businesses at the age of 12. Fast forward to my first year of high school, and I got to know one of my peers, Ananya Pilla. We both had interest in baking and we had differing strengths (hers being decorating and mine being recipe-writing and baking), and eventually we planned out and started our own baking business, Whisks to Wonders! Read more>>