Deciding to start a business is an unusual decision. It’s often considered irrational and yet for many it’s the best decision they’ve ever made. So we asked folks to think back to when they were starting their businesses and to tell us about their decision making process.

Marlena McKnight

I knew that God had given me a gift, but it wasn’t until I fully surrendered my life to Jesus that I understood the true purpose behind it. I realized my calling was to use this gift to help people experience healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Read more>>

Stephanie Burleson

The inspiration for So Like You is rooted in a desire to align my passion with my purpose. While my background is in accounting—giving me the necessary business acumen—my true creative calling has always been art. This led me to take up sewing. Read more>>

Vision Royalty

Starting Royal Vision Records was an exciting journey that came with a lot of learning curves. Building a label from the ground up in a competitive industry required patience, teamwork, and vision. From setting up our own studio to developing artists and handling production in-house, every step was hands-on. Read more>>

Christy Meaux

Oddly enough, grief was the catalyst that ultimately led to my pivot from my mortgage career into full-time entrepreneurship. In 2023, I started the new year with one main goal in mind. I’d chosen my word-of-the-year and was ready to carry the excitement forward. I was ready to BLOOM! Read more>>

Brenda McGhee

I was scared at first. I didn’t have the funds to open a storefront. Luckily, Cheyenne’s mom let us use her studio to work from, which was a blessing. I basically started the business with just a penny and a prayer. Read more>>

Christina Enriquez

I’ve always loved desserts. Growing up, sweets were few and far between, so they always felt special. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to do something that let me express my artistic side while also spreading joy—because I truly believe food is a love language. My family didn’t have much when I was young; we were a low-income household. Read more>>

Heather Walker

I saw a need and I had an answer. I have worked in dentistry for decades and I have seen how scary and expensive it is. I wanted to offer teeth whitening at an affordable price and in a nice chill environment. Going to the dentist is a real fear, in fact it’s the number 2 fear amoung humans. Read more>>

Ashley Jones

I began my event planning career while in both undergraduate and graduate school. Although I studied Education and currently serve as a Dean of Students in a DFW school district, I could never ignore the tug at my heartstrings for event planning. Read more>>

Najja Cummings

Honestly, it was inevitable. I’ve been planning my life since I was 19 years old. My father ran his own business when I was a kid. We struggled financially, but it was the pride that he had in it was what resonated with me. It was the fact that he had something to call his own. I knew as a child, that entrepreneurship was my eventual outcome. After that, I just needed to find a passion, and mental health introduced itself to me when I was a senior in high school. Once I knew I wanted to be a therapist, starting my own practice was the only option. Read more>>