Starting and growing a business is hard, but often deciding to start the business in the first place is even harder. We asked some successful entrepreneurs from around the community to open up to us about how they thought about starting a business.

Ricardo Tomas

My educational background is already helping clients merge or build a design for their home with my interior design knowledge so, creating a design scheme for a wedding couple is pretty much the same but, the only added ingredient is the emotional aspect which actually is my favorite part. Emotion drives colors, feelings, wishes, visions for my couples and it makes the planning process more meaningful when decisions are made based on feelings and each couples’ interests. Read More>>

Clara Anh Nguyen

As the CEO and Broker at Canco Real Estate Brokerage, I decided to start my boutique brokerage to change how real estate operations work. My goal was to use modern digital marketing, social media and AI-powered CRM tools to help my team of agents thrive.

I noticed how technology was becoming more important in real estate while working as a solo agent. This led me to break away from traditional methods and embrace new ways of working. Starting my own brokerage allowed me to build the business based on my own vision. In the first year, we significantly increased our production, and I mentored three new agents who went on to earn substantial income. Read More>>

Ariel Hendrix

The first and most important reason was to reach financial independence for myself and my kids. I’ve always been extremely independent, and I don’t like relying on others. I wanted to know that I could put food on the table and give my babies a warm bed, with or without help.
The second reason was because I have a constant need to create. I’m not sure where it comes from, but my mind moves at a hundred miles an hour all the time. Creating gives me a space to channel it. Being in business for myself gives me the creative liberty to create when and what I want. Read More>>

Vaishali Verma

When I started Dallas Charcuterie Lab, my thought process was fueled by a blend of passion, creativity, and a touch of madness. As a software engineer, my days are typically spent coding, troubleshooting, and making sure systems run smoothly. But outside the digital world, I craved something more tactile, artistic, and social. I wanted to create experiences that brought people together over beautifully crafted, delicious food. Read More>>

Ryan Kountz

We decided we wanted our hobby to start paying for itself. Read More>>

Vandana Khosla

I’ve always believed a home should tell a story—one of heritage and craftsmanship. Growing up, I was surrounded by the artistry of Indian textiles and jewelry, yet in the U.S., I saw a gap—mass-produced decor but no soul.
Karavan Creations was born as a bridge between tradition and modernity, bringing handcrafted Indian decor and jewelry to a global audience while empowering artisans. It wasn’t just about starting a business; it was about reviving lost art forms and ensuring they thrive in contemporary homes.
Doubts were there—Would people choose authenticity over factory-made perfection? But the moment a customer told me, “Every time I wear your jewelry, I feel connected to something bigger,” I knew I was on the right path Read More>>

Eric Yun

I was a graphic designer on food stamps trying to support my family. The only way out I saw was taking the jump to start my own business. I saw a gap in demand and ways I could supply and started my own digital marketing business in 2017. Read More>>

Heather Dearmore

Staring my own business was a deeply personal decision that came from my experience as an autism mom and my desire to create a space where all children feel included. I envisioned a place where kids with autism, kids with sensory needs, kids with special needs and neurotypical kids could ALL play freely without judgement, a place where parents could feel supported, and where families could find a sense of belonging. Read More>>

Shawn Le Don

My thought process behind starting my business was trying to find something that could be different than average. Something that wasn’t apart of the “ordinary” or expected.
My thought process was to be creative and also find something that I knew would serve my purpose. Read More>>

Justin Crump

The thought process behind starting the Church for the World brand/band, was that I felt there was a need to bring back music created from a pure and spiritual place but, with a modern sound. I also intended to curate a physical manifestation of this pure and spiritual place at my own event and recreation venue, open to all. Read More>>

Amanda Scheidt

I have been in the beauty industry since 2005. I started my passion at Benefit Brow Bar. At that time, I fell in love with this industry. While working at The Brow Bar I learned how to properly shape an eyebrow according to face shape. I also learned that brows can make or break your look. I enjoy helping people learn how to properly shape their brows. Another part of the job that I really enjoy, is meeting people that I otherwise would not. Read More>>

Courtni Fields

Alchemy athletics was born out of my passion for fitness and my love of the fantasy/adventure genre.
I have worked in fitness for over seven years. In that time, I noticed despite all of the options, I still never found a workout format that left me feeling empowered as well as health. I only ever really found that particular feeling reading books or watching films. I figured other people had to feel the same way.
Alchemy Athletics combines the structure of Pilates and yoga with the movements and power of Mixed Martial Arts. Read More>>

Olayinka Afolabi

I just wanted to make people happy without wearing myself out or cutting corners to get things done. After making some improvements in my own house, I realized I had a knack for it and that other people might need the same service. My goal was to build something meaningful and helpful while keeping things balanced and doing it the right way. Read More>>

Violet Baker

I wanted to start my own business because I wanted to change the waxing culture. I wanted to be able to offer services that are not rushed, professional products that cater to the body and create a judgment free space. Waxing services go beyond the wax room, so I wanted to make a personalized experience. Read More>>

Christina James

My goal was to fuse my two passions, coffee and cycling, into something that I could make a living through Read More>>

Mark Tuck

The thought process behind starting my own cleaning business stemmed from my early involvement and experiences learning from my father (Mark Anthony Tuck Sr), who founded the business in 1990. As a young boy, I began helping my father with the daily operations of the business and gained valuable knowledge on how to run a successful enterprise. Throughout the years, he showed me the ropes and instilled in me the necessary skills and work ethic required to manage and grow a business. Read More>>

Sunshine James

I come from a long line of hustlers. My whole family is adaptive and self employed. We are not great at sitting in a cubicle and being told what to do. So naturally I bounced between construction, shops and restaurants while I chase the music dream. Read More>>

Tom Rosenthal

I have been an entrepreneur all my life, I am a terrible employee. The drive to create, improve and build is deeply rooted in my personality. Read More>>

Christopher Robinson Jr.

There are so many talented artists who simply don’t have the platform to showcase their skills. Or maybe they have a platform but lack other essential resources which may create a roadblock and inhibit them from creating. The thought process behind our business is to eliminate as many barriers as we can for local artists so they can amplify their voices, have opportunities to share their talent and build a community of music lovers who support each other.  Read More>>

Maanav Chittireddy

In the summer of 2022, I had the opportunity to visit the Aleti Atom Orphanage in Hyderabad, India. This remarkable orphanage, dedicated to supporting individuals with mental disabilities, was home to over 500 people. However, relentless monsoons and flooding had devastated half of their residence, forcing the administrators to fit all 500 members into just two two-story homes. Read More>>