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.

Natasha Zalewski | Full Spectrum Doula

My thought process was that there was a need for women to be mothered as well. Women benefit from having a doula with them in a hospital setting and also at a home birth as well. The purpose of a doula is to bridge the gap between doctor jargon and what you need to make your birth as personal as possible. A lot of women feel uncomfortable speaking up to hospital professionals about what they want and how they feel because they’re taught to just do what the doctor says. But when you don’t have an opinion about one of the biggest moments in your life, having a baby, that leaves room for animosity, guilt, and shame. Physically, we’re able to help the laboring process. Read more>>

James Lockhart | Founder/Owner

I started for a sales rep company selling solar. I quickly realized there was a need for installers and the construction of the actual projects, so I created Texas Solar Solutions LLC (now known as Pulse Turnkey). Businesses like mine are needed in order to serve sales organizations who do not have the proper licensing, financing, and infostructures to have a fully integrated solar company. I was on the roof installing, all while ordering and picking up material, running appointments, pulling permits, and submitting for funds. For a while, it was myself and three other guys; we quickly deviated within our first six months to an EPC model (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction). What we started doing was implementing our team to be more focused on the actual logistics in the back-office process for sales organizations. Read more>>

Will Harris | Entrepreneur & Visionary

Three years ago, my vision was to assemble a team of creatives who dared to think beyond conventional boundaries and embrace risks. I aimed to empower designers with unparalleled freedom, encourage web developers to pull out all the stops, and inspire strategists to relentlessly pursue success for the brands they supported. The genesis of The Hustle was fueled by a profound passion for creativity and an authentic longing to make a meaningful impact in the business realm. I envisioned a workspace where innovative strategies could thrive, molding brands into compelling success stories. Read more>>

Bassam Khalaf | Entrepreneur

I was driven by a deep-seated desire for freedom from the constraints of traditional employment, prompting me to explore the realm of entrepreneurship. The inception of my business journey was rooted in a fervent passion for creativity, fueling the vision to establish a haven where groundbreaking ideas could flourish. This passion for art and creativity naturally led to the creation of Rubik Creative as a creative agency. The initial venture into the coffee shop business allowed me to blend my entrepreneurial spirit with a love for community, culture, and the ambiance that makes a space conducive for work, study, hangouts, and relaxation. Read more>>

Lea Weaver | President of BenAlliance LLC

As I was working in the employee benefits arena in a corporate setting, the three consistencies I noticed about being an employee of a large firm were: I had no job security due to constant mergers and acquisitions, the organizations I worked for were always too large to communicate effectively from department to department, thus customer/client service suffered, sometimes radically, and many times there was little to no problem-solving transparency for the client. When I was laid off (due to COVID) I reevaluated my priorities. I had worked for five different corporate entities in the span of less than 5 years, mostly due to mergers and acquisitions. Read more>>

José manuel Mier y teran Oviedo | Automotive tech, automotive transporter, & construction project manager

I’ve always been driven by the desire for financial freedom and the autonomy to make my own schedule. Working for others, I realized that my potential was constrained by the boundaries of a job description and a fixed timetable. I wanted more control over my financial future and the flexibility to manage my time in a way that aligns with my personal goals and lifestyle. The decision to start my own business was fueled by these aspirations. As far as construction goes it’s been my dads business for probably 30 years now and I’m just here to help him bring it into the 21st century, as far as automotive repair it’s a passion of mine to build and work on cars and figured it couldn’t hurt to profit off my passion. The inclusion of auto transport services was a strategic decision to diversify and increase the resilience of my business. Read more>>

Ben Tinsley | Film Actor, Singer, Comic Book Writer

It’s actually more of an emotional process. At age 9, my mom, Anne Miller Tinsley, took me to audition for the Texas Boys Choir in Fort Worth. This was my first personal exposure to anything “performing-oriented’ like the choir. (Although, non-personally, my sister Anna and I saw Mom perform as a stage actor at Fort Worth’s Casa Manana for years.) Before starting with the Texas Boys Choir, I didn’t even really realize — at least to myself — that I could sing. But over the next two years I would be classically trained in music, be trained in dance routines, and would tour the United States, performing with the group. Doing my schoolwork during down time. Read more>>

Christy Harris | Skincare Formulator & Entrepreneur

Great skincare shouldn’t be complicated. I got tired of using a bunch of different products, that were all supposed to solve common skin issues, but as my skin sensitivities became more prevalent, more irritation occurred with the products that were supposed to help! As time went on, I decided to just try basic, natural products on my skin, which helped to ease the skin sensitivities and irritation, that I would experience. Read more>>

Bryson Overstreet | Photographer

I started doing photography as a hobby about 10 years ago on a whim. Over time after slowly learning and improving, I decided to about 5 years ago to take it more serious. I would get a few request to shoot certain small events or senior photos and by word of mouth kinda grew the hobby into a business. So starting the business was never the end goal but it has turned into something I am extremely passionate about. Read more>>

Chantelle Harmon | Realtor ®

Becoming a Realtor ® was always a part of my plan, i just wasn’t aware of how far that plan would go. I planned on being a Realtor ® as a part time job because of the flexibility and possible high income I was seeking at the time while also doing what I love – searching and looking at various properties. My dad, sister, and I use to drive down the streets of Beverly Hills, Ladera Heights, and various other high end neighborhoods and pick out our favorite homes while I was growing up in Los Angeles. I believe because of that hobby as a child and amongst other things, I was able to purchase my first condo at 21 years old in Inglewood, CA. Read more>>

Aśoka (Ashley) Richardson | Skin Care Specialist

From the day I was able to recognize my passion, I knew that I was destined to make an impact. With the effects and reactions that beauty enhancement had on my friends, family, and myself alike, I couldn’t imagine spending my days any other way. When my main supporter – my aunt Shelia Burage – sat me down to encourage me to pursue my dreams, owning my own business as she had was an incredibly easy choice to make. After her untimely homicide, I coped with such a loss by creating the businesses I named in her honor. Read more>>