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.

Bre Giglio | Event Planner & Entrepreneur

I’ve always been someone who goes after things; I don’t wait for things to come to me, I go get them. Starting Bashify wasn’t so much, some grand plan that I had, as it was a storm of realizations hitting me all at once. For starters, I was burnt out as nurse. After two years in the field I found myself wanting a more creative job and after spending the past four months renovating a house with my new husband I was eager to work with him more! Read more>>

Taylor Allen | Owner of Lashes & More

Before I started my own business I was working as a manager at a chain lash studio. I knew since I was a kid that owning my own business was something I wanted to do (was never good at being told what to do-ha) but I did not expect it to come so soon. The truth is, my older cousin texted me one day asking me if I wanted to go to Thailand and Indonesia with him for new years. He was going for 14 days and was going to cover a lot of the costs. I couldn’t turn it down so I booked the tickets and asked my boss for forgiveness instead of permission. Read more>>

Gareth Neckles | Photographer / Entrepreneur.

The thought process behind my business wasn’t too hard at all. While growing up, I was always thrilled by anything technological or sleek looking. In 2017 I. realized there was a large contingent of international students graduating from the Midwestern State University but there wasn’t many options for a photographer at the time. Read more>>

Emily Stone | Social Media Manager and Consultant

In the decision-making process of starting my own business, I thought a lot about freedoms that I really valued. I wanted the freedom to travel, the freedom to determine my own hours, the freedom to work on projects that really excited me, and the freedom to choose the businesses that I work with. Growing up in an elite, athletic environment, I was not given a lot of freedom. While I loved my time as an athlete, I knew that I wanted to use my adult life as a time to enjoy everything the world had to offer, and I knew that I would not be able to do so behind a cubicle. Read more>>

Jeanille Rockett | BKA Coach Rocky | Content & Social Media Marketing Strategist, IG Coach

Content saved my life two years ago when I became seriously ill. I decided during that time I would take my degree and experience and help people grow their business with content. More so, I wanted to help women! 97.5% of business women survived the pandemic and 47.5% of them were black women. Women are killing it! I also knew that even though women are winning, a lot of women started their business without fully thinking through the business strategy and the marketing strategy. Read more>>

Michael Phillips | Professional body piercer

Well I didn’t really plan on starting my own business when I did. It was due a serious of unfortunate events with the last shop I worked at and not feeling comfortable with the other places around. So, I said I guess it’s time to branch out on my own. I have always been fascinated with body modification so body piercing came naturally to me. I love everything about it! Starting my own shop was the cherry on top. Read more>>

1st Officer / Haide Vazquez 2nd Officer / Pedro Rocha | 1st Officer: Creative Director / 2nd Officer: Executive Producer

CIMA’s was founded with the sole purpose of connecting an audience with locally produced art. We aim to exhibit diverse creations in the art industry through rotating shows, collaborative events, and teaching/learning programs for young aspiring artists. As a non-profit art establishment that engages with issues that arise from marginalized communities in one of the fastest-growing metroplexes in the nation, we firmly believe in supporting the ideas and voices of local artists Read more>>

Mercedi Townsend | Self-care Enthusiast

I initially started my own business after battling personal thyroid and other health issues. I researched methods to naturally heal my health issues by removing toxins from my daily household products, foods, etc. I noticed that there was a direct correlation between the candles and skincare I used since everything we breathe and apply to our skin enters our bloodstream. As I started formulating these products, I was able to improve my thyroid and other health issues naturally. The Violet Victoria was born because I was inspired to share these benefits with other people. Read more>>

Ayleen Garcia Hernandez | Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist

I decided to start my own business due to the lack of bilingual providers in our field since I represent only the 8% of minority Speech Language Pathologists in the field. Out of that 8% about 6% of members in our national association, ASHA, speak a second language. If we think about these percentages and the growth that minority communities have had in the last 10 years, we are very behind in having sufficient bilingual providers to serve them. Consequently, I began to research everything about small businesses and read books. Read more>>

Jeremy Flint | Travel and Landscape Photographer and Writer

It was a challenging decision to get started in photography professionally. Having won several awards including the National Geographic Traveller Grand Prize, this provided the impetus to start my own business as a freelance travel photographer. Read more>>

Madison Wilson | Photographer & Graphic Designer

Starting out as a hobby and way for me to express myself creatively, photography began as something I wanted to share with my friends and family. It wasn’t until I developed a greater skill set that I realized it was also something I could make money from. Through the support of the handful of people who admired my creativity and passion, I was able to create CriedJoyCreation. Read more>>

Samej Richardson | Fitness Business Owner and Certified Personal Trainer

My thought process behind starting my own business was ultimately to create something that could help or motivate people to take their fitness journey more seriously. There are a lot of different barriers that prevent people from taking the initiative to get into working out. I wanted my business to be one that could teach individuals how to overcome those barriers. Read more>>

Marita Baker | Marketing and branding consultant

Freestyle Branding and Marketing was started purely from the heart. I wanted to help those whom needed business start up services. System vs Product. So many business owners create or sell a product but the key to success is creating a system that easy for the consumers to obtain! I decided to create a system. A system that made it not so complicated to begin the adventure of starting a business. We know the process and paperwork but do we know how to brand? That’s how I came up with the slogan for freestyle branding and marketing, “your brand, your life, we market. Read more>>

Stacey-Leigh Cloete | Laser Teeth Whitening and Tooth Gem Technician

As a little kid, I saw my dad building a life for his family through his own company, and I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps one day. During my childhood, I created and ran my own company in Johannesburg, South Africa. Skip forward to now, and living in the States, I didn’t feel accomplished in my career path and decided I needed to go back to what brought me great joy and happiness, which was owning and operating my own company. Thus, Brighter Smiles Teeth Whitening was born. I knew I wanted something that combined my love of marketing, the beauty industry, and the medical field all into one. I found laser teeth whitening to be the perfect combination. Read more>>

Alicia Rodriguez | Master in Marketing. Business Planner, Speaker, author and business consultant, specialist in the development of business models and plans.

I am Master in Marketing and Innovation. Due to my profession, I developed all kinds of campaigns and projects for companies inside and outside the United States, at the same time that I specialized in innovation programs for various renowned organizations and brands. During the development of programs aimed at the entrepreneurship sector, I realized that entrepreneurs are very clear about what they want to achieve, but not how they know how to implement their idea, ignoring issues as important as business management and management. Read more>>

Jason Coyle

I’ve always been some what entrepreneurial and have owned several businesses throughout my life. I’m always drawn to the idea that having your own business, removes the growth limits that come with being employed by someone else. The sky’s the limit, as they say, so if things play out well, you can literally go after as much as you’re willing to work for! Read more>>

Cristal Estudiante | Chef

I actually started my business The Birria Plug due to necessity. I also own a baking business (Sugar and Pipe) and when 2020 came along and the amount of accessibility to people and places was limited I ended up having to return a lot of deposits for birthday parties, weddings, and quinceaneras. This put me in hustle mode to come up with the money I was having to return. I’ve always loved to cook and Birria Taco videos were all over Tiktok so I watched a few videos and learned how to make my own version and started selling. The amount of support was unreal! I continued to sell weekly making over 30lbs of Birria meat at a time some days. Its been 2 years and thankfully I’m still going strong. Read more>>

Aubrie Pitts | Furniture assembler & Organizer

My thought process behind starting my own business was to make sure I’m doing something that I love and profit off of it. A lot of times in life we get stuck and settle with jobs and careers that we don’t see ourselves doing, but we do it because that is what’s convenient at the moment. I didn’t want to settle and be unhappy. So I found something I love to do, I created a passion for it and it went up from there. Read more>>

Cindy Durr | RN co owner Freedom IV & Wellness LLC

When the pandemic hit, my business partner and I were still Rn’s at the hospital. I was OB nurse in the hospital for my entire career which spanned 2 decades at that point. It seemed all the critical thinking skills that we learned in school and over our careers had been traded for fear. Read more>>

Lisa Hauck | Certified Nutrition Coach, Specializing in Mindset

I had gone to school to become an ASL Interpreter initially. I was good at it and it paid well, but somehow I was unfulfilled and found myself asking is this it? What I will do the rest of my life and I knew the answer was no. I at that time was a mama of 2 via c-section and had lost myself in motherhood and taking care of a home and husband. It left little for self care so I partnered with a wellness company and over the course of a year lost a significant amount of weight, retired myself from my interpreting job. Read more>>

Michele Ray Williams | Wardrobe Stylist

I have always loved color, art, and fashion. Growing up my mother and aunt had a successful business in fashion. My aunt was educated in art and a successful interior design/architecture development firm in California. Surrounded by creative women I absorbed so much that unbeknownst to me would shape me into adulthood. Though my career path started in finance and technology I always presented myself in a wardrobe fitting for my profession and lifestyle within my budget. Friends started asking me to help them pick outfits for special occasions, travel, and general wardrobe building. Read more>>

Amber Sternes | Lash tech

I really just wanted to get into something that I loved, in a industry that I could also expand in. I love feeling and getting beautiful so why not help someone else feel the same if not more. Read more>>

Kristin Harris | Cosmetics and Candle Maker

The thought process behind starting my own business began with thinking of my mom and how it made her feel. I want to make others feel good as well. My business is focused on self-love and self-care. I want people to use my products and practice how important it is to love and put their selves first. I want people to focus on their well-being and recognize that true love starts within. Read more>>

Antonio Leon | Owner/Instructor of 717 Barber Academy | Owner of 717 Barber Studio

My first thought was helping my family, then the goal was to create job opportunities for fellow barbers and surrounding barbershops. but most importantly my goal was to teach the art of barbering and show the ins and outs of the business as a whole. Read more>>

Tiffiney L. Hall | Speaker-Author-Coach

PosiTiff, LLC. was founded as a means to empower women who find themselves struggling with showing up in the world as their authentic self. Many women struggle with having “real” connections and support from other women, as they navigate their way along the journey of life. PosiTiff hosts events that, educate, provide insight, and support to women to live a positive life on purpose. Read more>>