Thinking through whether to start a business – whether to take the risk, whether to go out on your own – isn’t easy. So we asked some entrepreneurs we admire to tell us about how they thought through the process of starting a business.

Nathan Dealy | Founder of Sol Saguaro

The idea of Sol Saguaro started when my dad and I (Nathan) went on a golf trip to Scottsdale, AZ back in early 2020. We had a goal of playing 90 holes in 3 days. After each day, we would always have the same issue – having to go back to the hotel to shower and change into a new polo before going out for dinner and drinks. This was because of the type of golf polos we wore; they were thick with stench and sweat from baking in the desert sun all day. Read more>>

Jasmine Burchett | Jooz By Jazz, Creator & Owner

Honestly, starting this business was not the intention. My main focus was finding a way to repair my health without doctors and medicines involved. As I started sharing my journey with others, more people wanted to inquire about my juicing. I’ve always had a passion for helping others, and this turned out to be my way of doing that. The business aspect came about when I needed to regulate ordering, customer service, and marketing. Then it became a business idea for me to create Jooz by Jazz which is focused on providing quality juice to jump start the health journey of those willing to take that step. Read more>>

Joshua Young | Owner, Member, Art Dealer

If you want to foster creativity, you have to own your own business. Read more>>

Nicolas Palinginis | Specialty coffee importer

I started in the coffee business with my two brothers in Piura-Peru in 2017 while studying in university, with a coffee brand called “bueno para dos”. Here is where i learned a lot of the industry, selling mostly in the north of Perú. After finishing my career, I took a step back working in different industries like fishing and communications, but never quite got the same level of excitement and passion as I had working in coffee. Read more>>

George Mayfield

I grew up in a small Texas town with a family that valued hard work and entrepreneurship. Despite not being well off, my father worked tirelessly as the Chief Engineer at a factory that produced ventilation products. He taught himself numerous skills such as drafting software, welding, plumbing, electrician work, roofing, and cabinetry, to name a few. His proficiency in everything he did led him to cater at company and social events, sell his unique cake decorations, and create hundreds of figurines from welded pipe materials. Read more>>

Stephanie Guyer | Photographer

In all honesty I had no intention of starting my own business originally. My first years being a teacher I found myself picking up a camera (which I had no idea how to use) and capturing the personalities of the kids in my class. Come to find out, one of my parents owned an advertising agency and he told me I had an eye for photography. I told him thank you and didn’t think much of it. At the end of the school year he handed me a gift card for a photo store and said go start your business. It has taken me many years to believe that I am even capable of running a business. Read more>>

Bharathi Dev | Visual Artist

I’m a classic example of this timeless quote “age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter”. I was a lost and clueless housewife in the sea of friends who were in the IT sector rocking their corporate career for 2 decades or over. Here I am, who began my professional art career at 38 with no formal art education, nor friends or experience in the Dallas art scene. As a homemaker who left behind a science and research career, the very first step that I took was the hardest and scariest decision of all. Participating in a mediation program with Sadhguru was a huge turning point in my life, where I went from a very closed, doubtful individual to someone who was open to trying out new ideas. Read more>>

APE Villain | Artist

First have a plan or idea than trust urself know yourself eliminate distractions isolate yourself if needed and stuck to it trust yourself n don’t let others trick u out of knowing your worth be u unapologetically and sell your product make your product a huge asset to the world. Read more>>

Jerry Mooty | CEO/Principal/Realtor/Attorney

I studied all the brokerages in Dallas and compared their offerings to their agents. Ultimately, I feel like we have a much better value-add than any of our competitors. Read more>>

Trina Batton | CEO of Verna’s Helping Hands

Starting Verna’s Helping Hands was inspired by my late mother, Verna Dunbar Batton. Since I was a child, I’ve watched her help so many people in so many different ways. At the Boys and Girls Club, she counseled the at risk youth. Within her own community, she also ran various food banks. She then retired as a Case Manager, running a shelter for men who were recovering from substance abuse and mental illness. Seeing her give her time and energy taught me that you can always help others and still help yourself. Read more>>

Tony Muscat | REALTOR

Before becoming an agent, I worked a conventional job in retail and I made the same consistent paycheck over and over with no true “good months”, just consistency. I was struggling to pay for the life that I wanted and working long 11 hour days 6 days a week. One day at work, I saw my boss came to the store, driving a brand new Maserati, and I figured that it was time to make a switch. Read more>>

Kacy Burke | Author and Publisher, Buckaroo Beau Books

At first, I really didn’t plan to start a business. At least not as a children’s book author. My fiance and I were 35 and 42, respectively, when we had our son, Beau, and I think parenthood changed us in ways we never expected. I remember waking up in the middle of the night with something of a poem in my head. I shook it off that night, but it followed me around for a few days, so I gave in and wrote it down and tinkered with it for a few weeks. Read more>>

Heather Walker | Owner/ Operator of Brite Smiles

That is a very good question. A flood of thoughts and ideas coming rushing in. I would say first and foremost, I wanted a career change. I had worked in the dental field my whole career. But after all that time, what else could I do?. Secondly I really wanted to work for myself. I am a hard worker and I am good with people. Thirdly, I wanted to offer teeth whitening to the public at a way more affordable price. So I took all of those ingredients and started Brite Smiles by Heather LLC Read more>>

Charity Gooden | Tipsy Bloom Queen

I wanted creative freedom! I yearn for the ability to create without boundaries. I wanted to be concretely uninhibited in my entrepreneur journey! Read more>>

LeAnn Offner | Cookie Artist

I am not ashamed to admit I have had challenges in life. I battled an addiction for several years and endured an abusive relationship as well. Because of choices in my past , landing a job in a field I am passionate about is a struggle, despite the drastic changes I have made in my life. I am a determined, hard-working mom of three. With the ever-rising cost of living, I was determined to find a way to make money from home. Read more>>

Jared Anderson | Civil Engineer, Barista, Shopkeeper

Was getting burnt out with my day job, and thought it was now or never if we wanted to open our own store. Read more>>

Brenda Harkins | Professional Coach & Gift Amplifier

For my most recent business endeavor, and the one closest to my heart, I was at a dinner with some business acquaintances back in 2016 just before the Clinton/Trump election. The conversation turned political, and I was astounded to see the transformation in who these business owners, bankers, and other professionals presented themselves to be. With both words and attitude the atmosphere turned extremely negative and went downhill quickly. Read more>>

Briana Hoosier | Content creator&Social Media Influencer/Coach

I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur so I went and got an llc so I could start selling things and actually profit from it, I’ve done a host of things from selling weight loss products to clothes to onesie pajamas house shoes and the list goes on but as of today I’ve just realeased a course on teaching others how to create digital ebooks and actually profit from it, Read more>>

Anshu Bansal | Integrative health dentist

Dentistry is a growing profession and working for a corporate was a very stagnant and routine work. So I started taking various courses and decided to learn a skill set every year , like Invisalign, sleep dentistry, implants etc. I am very happy with my professional growth. During Covid everything was shut and it gave me lot of time to think and I realized how much geriatric population has increased over the years and Oral health is the last thing any caregiver is thinking about. Read more>>

Chelsea Jennings | Athlete & Entrepreneur

I am a living example of a young woman who was lost but was transformed when I discovered my purpose. When I began to Live With Purpose my whole life changed. Now I have a reason to wake up everyday and give each day everything that I have, because my purpose is bigger than me. Read more>>

Emily Davis | interior designer

after college, my husband and i moved around a bit for his job. we spent time in both houston and st louis. while there, i had the opportunity to work for an amazing designer (amie corley interiors). she taught me the ropes and opened my eyes to the world of residential design. when we moved back to tulsa, i thought i’d throw my hat in the ring. 10 years later i can fully say that leap of faith has paid off! Read more>>

Della Roskey | Owner of Giveth Gifts & Co

I’ve always known since I was young that I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I never thought it would be in the gift-giving business. The idea came to me when I moved out of state. Gift giving has always been a big deal to me. I’m the type of person who gives other people gifts on my own birthday, but when I moved away from family and friends, that all seemed to stop. I suddenly went from giving and receiving personal gifts with bows and ribbons to generic gifts in a brown shipping box that lacked excitement for the celebration. I knew it had to change. Through this thought process Giveth Gifts and Co. was born. Read more>>

Trevor Abram | CEO & Creative Director, Abram Digital

I started Abram Digital because I’ve always been a fan of business and I reached a point in my career where experience design alone was no longer fulfilling to me. Now don’t get me wrong, I love all things design, but after almost 10 years of various projects, I wanted more for myself. I’m interested in leadership, advertising, and ownership, and value my time a lot more, which is ironic given I work a lot more. Read more>>

Kerri Long | Police Officer

Sgt. Pennie started the foundation due to the increase injuries and deaths of police officers. He reached out to other officers throughout Texas to build his board of members. Read more>>