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.

Chakera Smith

I was just Tired of working for people. I know a lot of people can also relate to that. Getting up everyday to the same routine and can barely make it in life was not my goal. As an immigrant from the beautiful, exotic island Jamaica coming to the United States was to be rich. Read More>>

Kevin Baharvand

The idea of starting our own business really came from a shared vision between my wife, Dr. Julia Kang, and me. Back in 2019, we opened Elate Orthodontics because we wanted to build something that felt personal, thoughtful, and truly centered around families. Read More>>

Cristina ‘Kiki’ Shugert

I started Kiki’s House Cleaning because I saw a real gap between what people were paying and the quality of service they were getting. A lot of cleaning companies were inconsistent, hard to reach, or just not reliable. I felt there was an opportunity to do it better. At the beginning, my focus was simple. Read More>>

Marian Diop

I didn’t set out to start a business. It happened because I kept seeing the same problems over and over. I came from sales and consulting, so I understood strategy, systems, and what actually makes money move. At the same time, I was running my photography studio and working closely with women one-on-one. Read More>>

Dalel Belaid

Honestly, the idea for The Slam Crew came from seeing how powerful basketball can be when it’s used the right way. I’ve been around the sport my whole life, and I’ve watched how kids light up when they see something exciting, inspiring, and different. Read More>>