The first step to starting a business is deciding to start a business. They say the first step is the hardest and in our experience this is especially true when it comes to starting a business. Getting over the mental roadblocks can be tough, often harder to overcome than the challenges you’ll face once you actually start the business. Fellow entrepreneurs share their thoughts below.

Jeba Pandian | Author, Writer, Speaker

I wrote a children’s book centered around guardian angels , because we lost our first daughter. The book is about what my daughter in heaven and my daughter on earth do during the day. My daughter helped my write the book. We went through the publishing process together and she has helped me promote and sell the book as well. I want to show her that hard work and diligence pays off as well as what it’s like to tell your story and how that effects others. We were able to do something with our pain and grief. Read more>>

Katie Hubbard | Wedding Wardrobe Stylist

I’ve been a professional personal stylist for 5 years. After I finished my masters degree in business management I knew I wanted to start my own company. I got engaged in 2019 and immediately thought “okay I need I get a wedding dress and rehearsal dinner dress”. I quickly realized I needed so many more outfits for the engagement season. From engagement parties, showers, bachelorette, wedding weekend, and honeymoon after, there are so many looks that go into making a perfect wedding wardrobe. Planning a wedding is stressful enough, especially during covid, so I wanted to help take the stress out of getting dressed during this exciting time! Read more>>

Christopher Hinze | Owner – Ekklesia Real Estate & Arise Lending

I decided to start my company to help bring sustainability to churches worldwide. I Want to be able to help people stay overseas longer and one of the best ways to do that is using real estate. Real Estate doesn’t just bring sustainability to people here in the States, it is worldwide. We are starting our overseas efforts with building homes in Uganda and Ethiopia. It is a way to bring sustainability to families there. Ekklesia Real Estate is all about helping these people all over the world keep their families together and creating homes. Read more>>

CashOutJony | Musician & Entrepreneur

I wanted to do something that didn’t feel like a job to me. Something that I could enjoy doing for the rest of my life. I was never the type to want to work for other people so it had to be something that could last me and get me where I want to be ultimately. Read more>>

Jasmine Williams | Baker

My thought process behind my business began with my mom. I used to watch both her and my grandmother bake cake for years. My mother ran her home business, Lorraine Cake Designs, for 30 years. Growing up, I wasn’t interested in baking cakes out of frustration because my icing never would go on smoothly. I just thought “Hey, maybe this is not my talent.” Read more>>

Attica Lewis | Visionary

The thought process behind All things Attica is to share with people some of my favorite things like jewelry, coffee mugs, and journals. I’ve always been told I’m a good gift giver and people love my jewelry so I just want to share things I would give as gifts with everyone. Read more>>

LaShonda Walpool | Founder & CEO Lucy Lu Doggy Treats & More “The Martha Stewart of Doggy Treats”

My thought process of starting my own business came about due to the pandemic. I worked in the Television, Radio and Entertainment industry for over 20 years as a Senior Integrated Marketing Specialist. My company, Lucy Lu Doggy Treats & More was started after rescuing Miss Lucy Lu a Pitbull from the Plano Shelter and being laid off due to the global pandemic. Covid-19. I had no idea that rescuing Lucy Lu would turn into a business opportunity. Read more>>

Michael Keating | Founder Givingmas.org

It was completely organic, motivated by the generosity and compassion of friends. We started with a simple idea to offer help to a needy family during the holidays. As things caught on and the passion of donors grew, it became a must due. Our friendly fundraiser doubled in donations three years running, or success in both fundraising and “changing lives one family at a time” necessitated our need to incorporate. So Givingmas.org was born. Read more>>

Fred Tisdale | Health & Fitness Coach

The thought process behind starting my own business was Freedom. To no longer having a boss or needing a boss to approve vacation days though I had already planned my vacation. The Freedom to come and go as I please. The Freedom to work as hard or as little as I wanted to. The Freedom to grow locs & not have to worry if they fit into what society deemed as professionalism. The Freedom of actual FREEdom! I knew needed to take that leap when I realized working my corporate job was not brining me happiness, but when I would be leading fitness classes it was pure joy! I knew if i could would up & lead a 5a workout with excitement, but dread going into work at 8:30 that I had to make change. Read more>>

Greg TeGantvoort | Photographer & Video Specialist

I had been working in the corporate video world for years before setting out on my own. My wife and I were about to have our first child, so I wanted the opportunity to make my own work schedule. The goal was to balance a side hustle in video work while staying at home with the baby. Read more>>

Julie Georgas | Custom Crafter, Designer and Baker

The idea of starting my own business came to me almost by accident! I love crafting, baking, and marrying the two together. For close to thirty years, I have created home-made gingerbread houses for others to decorate. It started out as a fun activity for my family to do together and became a tradition we all looked forward to every year. Soon I was making gingerbread houses for the whole neighborhood, and all my children’s sports teams. I’m a teacher and I would make gingerbread houses for my entire grade level to decorate as our holiday party. This was something I grew to be very passionate about. Read more>>