Starting a business is a commitment and requires dedication, resources and sacrifice. We asked some of the rising stars in our community how they thought through the idea of starting their own businesses.

Andrew Liu

To be honest, it didn’t start with the idea of a “business” or “organization” at all. It started with a piano and a question: why should something as beautiful and formative as music education be limited to those who can afford it? I’ve been studying piano since I was six, and I know firsthand how powerful it can be: not just artistically, but in building discipline, confidence, and emotional expression. During the pandemic, I noticed how many families in my community lost access to extracurriculars, especially music, which is often one of the first things cut when resources are tight. So a few friends and I started teaching students for free. It snowballed from there. Eventually, we founded One Union Music to expand our mission of providing free, high-quality piano lessons to students who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity. Read More>>

Willie Harvey Jr.

The thought process behind starting my own business was really rooted in 2 things: freedom and impact. Ive always believed in betting on myself, and starting something that would not only give me financial gain but a space to grow and learn without limitations. We are all searching for something and that something for me is ownership and long term growth. Read More>>

Jessica Pope

Honestly? I fell in love with really eye catching lipstick. Seeing celebrities like Kiesha Kaoir and Black Chyna sport blues, yellows, and greens made me want to provide a product that truly accentuated melanated skin while empowering women to stand out! Read More>>

Michael Guinn

My thought process was to create platforms that were positive supported and engaging as well as inclusive and multicultural. I wanted to create spaces where everyone had a voice and where they could feel safe.. Read More>>

Barbara Munoz Rivera

I didn’t have a thought process. It just kind of happened.

My ex husband and I are Mexican nationals and emigrated to this country on 2008 in pursue of the American dream. In Mexico I studied a Bachelor in Administration and International business with a specialty in traffic and logistics. I worked in one of the biggest shipping companies in the world as a sales manager. I loved my worked but I fell in love and my ex husband and father of my children was offered a job in Arizona. Read More>>

Danielle Sanders

To be completely honest, there was no grand plan behind this—seriously! I know it might sound a little unusual, but the egg roll business started completely by accident. One day, I made collard green egg rolls for my husband and told him I had something new for him to try when he got home from work.

Well… 2 egg rolls turned into 4, 4 turned into 6—and before we knew it, he had eaten 8 of them! He told me they were so addictive and said, “You can sell this s***” My response? “I’m going to sell this s***!” LOL Read More>>

Chris Rusanowsky

When I first picked up a camera, my goal was simple, to create photographs that made a difference in people’s lives. For years, I chased that dream as a photojournalist would covering real stories and documenting the world as it unfolded. But as time passed, the freelance journalism industry began to decline. Budgets shrank, and opportunities became fewer. Read More>>

Dr. Eleanor Duelley

Starting my own business came from a deep need to create the kind of support I never had. As a woman in the military and later striving to be a natural health care professional, I often stood alone in how I thought about issues and created healing solutions for women, carving out my path without a roadmap. This practice is my way of holding the door open for other women—building something epic that empowers them to figure out their health, their hormones, and own their power. Read More>>

Mandy Glasscock

What if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?” Erin Hanson That was a quote I said to myself repeatedly when first stepping out in faith in 2018 to open my first business. It was 100 percent risk mixed with lots of trust and faith in the Lord to carry me through the difficulties as they come. I had not worked in several years, had zero clientele, but a crazy dream and belief that I could do it. Read More>>

Stephen (Coach Mack) Mackintosh

I was looking to change careers from the insurance industry where I had worked for most of my adult life. I met the owners of a gymnastics gym that my daughter attended, brothers Steve and Ken Fleming, and they had just built an indoor ropes course at one of their gyms that intrigued me. We became friends and, in 1998, we decided to open a team building center with a large indoor ropes course as its main attraction. Read More>>

Decha Brooks

My thought process behind creating the Tri-Leader concept and writing the Tri-Leader book was rooted in a deep desire to create lasting impact. After nearly 20 years in senior leadership roles, working across various industries, including with world-class organizations like the Dallas Cowboys, I saw a consistent gap in how leadership was being developed and supported. I became an executive at 28 and a CEO by 35, and through that journey, I learned that titles don’t make leaders, behaviors do. Read More>>

Taraielle

Between “see a need and fill it and “your gifts will make room for you”, I knew I was missing something–you can only amass so many certifications and skills before you realize that you’re peddling without going anywhere. Coupled with not always feeling like a “fit” both artistically and in corporate environments is why I formed my company “The T Sound” helping multi-hyphen’ creatives like myself that need a bridge between the two worlds. I did a lot of tumbling, shifting, and questioning of self–thinking I wasn’t enough when quite the opposite is true–this type of skillset makes you resilient and multi-faceted, sometimes it just needs a repackaging and someone to say “hey, I see you too”! Read More>>

Kelly Galey

It was during the Great Recession, and I had been working in printing for 20 something years and was long tired of the toxic work environment. In 2001 I watched on TV as people were jumping out of the World Trade Center. Watching at work in the customer lounge, and I realized that this work that I do is not important. I’m wasting my life away here. I saw a quote: “The purpose in life is to live a life of Purpose”.
I need a life of purpose. But I had no idea, I didn’t know what my purpose was. Read More>>

Ajmal Memon

Working at Micro Center for four years was one of the best experiences of my career. It gave me a strong foundation in computer hardware, customer service, and tech sales. I built custom PCs, diagnosed a wide range of issues, and helped thousands of customers — whether they were gamers, students, or business professionals. It was there that I realized how much I enjoyed solving tech problems and helping people feel confident in their devices. Read More>>

Ali Yoder

I actually work full time in corporate sales and started Geronimo as a side project. I studied Communications in College and landed in Sales because of networking and not really knowing what I wanted to do post-grad, which I feel is pretty common for my generation. Two years after I started my full time career COVID hit, and I had lots of time to ask myself questions. Like, is this career really what I want? Is the concept of a traditional career outdated? And why do I feel like I’m maybe meant for more than this? Read More>>