Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Harshitha Kota

[Harshitha] – The thought process behind starting the business was rooted in purpose and passion. I saw a real need within our community for a space where small businesses could shine and culture could be celebrated authentically—that’s how The Little India Fair was born. Read More>>

Eshaal Ubaid

I have always had a business-minded approach. As a child, I often came up with creative ways to make money, such as designing my own wishing cards or creating simple games for people to pay to play. My parents, who taught business management, supported my entrepreneurial ideas. Recently, I began exploring calligraphy and small paintings. Although I had never considered selling these creations before, my parents and close friends encouraged me to pursue this opportunity. Read More>>

Monica

My thought process behind starting my own business was family oriented. For over twelve years, my family were my “first clients” and gave me so much support. My dad would tell me constantly “you need to start your own business, you can do it!”. I was always hesitant as I knew that would be a lot of work. It was not until about three years ago that one of my best friends asked me to help her with a baby shower. Read More>>

Grace Hunter

The heart behind starting my business comes from personal experience and genuine passion. I’m a Licensed Aesthetician who began her journey in Fort Worth, Texas, and now proudly serves clients from my suite in North Richland Hills. My interest in skincare began early on—rooted in my own struggles with acne. As the youngest of three girls, I often felt alone in my skin journey, especially when my sisters had clear complexions and I didn’t.  Read More>>

Ana Martinez

Starting our Pilates studio was definitely hard and a big challenge, but the positives have far outweighed the negatives. We needed a space for our own health and, with nothing like it around, we decided to create one. We’ve seen how much Pilates has impacted our lives, and we wanted to share that with our friends, family, and the Irving community. As a husband and wife team who already work full-time and have side jobs, we’ve really embraced the process and are loving the journey of building something from scratch. Read More>>

Keeley Giles

As the founder of KeeleyRae Embroidery, my journey began in college when I recognized a gap in collegiate merchandise and set out to create designs that celebrated the bonds within student organizations. What started as a passion project has since evolved into a full-service branding partner for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Today, KeeleyRae Embroidery guides clients through the entire process of designing company merchandise from concept development to final production, ensuring each piece reflects the unique identity of their brand. With licensing secured across collegiate, corporate, and panhellenic organizations, we have built a reputation for pairing creativity with precision. Read More>>

Gueston Smith

What started out as a need for side income through custom branding and logo design has grown into a reflection of my values, my family, and my ingenuity. Over time, Guesscreative evolved into much more than a creative service. It is developing into the pursuit of freedom through design and execution. Freedom I create for my own family through legacy and generational wealth, and freedom I design for others by building spaces and brands that move with them. Read More>>

Isabella

Honestly I never started photography with the intention of staring my own business. I started photography in high school 2019 when I was accidentally enrolled in a beginner photography class. Going into it, I thought I was going to hate it but ended up falling in love. I started by taking pictures of my friends and family which eventually led to people asking me to take their senior photos. I had so much fun with it and eventually realized that this was something I could do and something I was good at. Read More>>

Matthew Tederick II

The idea of running my own business never felt real to me growing up. I always pictured myself in the medical field, maybe as a doctor or a dentist. But when I got to college, I started to realize there were so many other paths I could take. That was the first time I really began to question what I wanted my career to look like. Read More>>

Yaqin Al-Amin

In my life, I’ve always been drawn to business. From selling chocolate bars to starting a vintage pop-up shop on my university campus, I’ve been fascinated by the challenge of discovering what people want and figuring out how to deliver it to them.

When it came to The Collective Tri, I knew from the start this wasn’t just another business-to-consumer venture. It was about building a community within a sport that can feel intimidating at first. Our goal was to create a space where people could see that triathlon doesn’t have to be overwhelming—especially if you have the right support system to guide you along the way. Read More>>

Dennis Walthers

When I started my own business, the decision really came from two intersecting points in my life. On one hand, I had already built a small side business with the vision of creating something my family could be part of long term. On the other hand, after years in executive leadership roles—including serving as President of the Americas at D-Link—I felt it was the right moment to come back to Texas and fully invest my energy into building something of my own. Read More>>

Sophie Cox

I pursued a creative career because I’ve always felt most fulfilled when I’m making something with my hands and bringing ideas to life. I earned my degree in education, which gave me structure and people skills, but realized my true passion was in artistic expression. Floral design became the perfect fit and it allows me to combine my love of art with creating meaningful experiences for people on some of the most important days of their lives. Read More>>