Deciding to start a business is an unusual decision. It’s often considered irrational and yet for many it’s the best decision they’ve ever made. So we asked folks to think back to when they were starting their businesses and to tell us about their decision making process.

 Sarah Biggers-Stewart

I already had a more premium beauty brand called CLOVE + HALLOW but felt like I couldn’t fully stand behind my mission of making better beauty choices more affordable with that brand, so I decided to launch a mass market sister brand called Clover by CLOVE + HALLOW. Pretty quickly, it became obvious that Clover had more scalability and potential, so I closed operations on CLOVE + HALLOW to transition all of our resources and focus to Clover. I’m really proud of how many amazing makeup and skincare products we’ve launched while keeping our commitment to sustainability, natural and naturally-derived ingredients, and accessibility. Read more>>

Vernedra Eastern

Entrepreneurship is not for the weak or timid. It takes a focused and driven individual to overcome the challenges of starting and running a successful business. While there will be both good and bad days, as well as periods of slow growth and financial prosperity, the rewards can be significant for those who are passionate about their venture. Read more>>

Jason Verdict

Verdictstillout out happened as an experience that turned into a business. I was making clothes for myself and people would always come upto me and ask questions . Like what’s the designer , where I got it , and the thought behind the concept . This intrigued me to start Verdictstillout the brand . Read more>>

Nathalie Smith

I believe that everybody should have multiple streams of income and I also believe that when you decide to start a business, you should believe in what you’re doing and not just do it for money. I thought of my business because I need an extra income, and I also knew that I was unemployable I love the beauty space and I love helping people it just made sense Read more>>

Nicolas Nemeth

Starting Bonne et Filou was akin to preparing an elaborate French pastry for the first time—a complex yet deeply rewarding endeavor. Before venturing into this journey, my career in investment banking offered a sharp eye for untapped market opportunities and the acumen to know when to take a leap. In 2018, while there was a burgeoning interest in pet products, the segment for genuinely high-end, luxury pet treats was nearly non-existent. Seeing this gap sparked a vision in me: Why not blend my love for pets with my penchant for luxury and create something truly unique? Read more>>

Alexandra Griepentrog

When my oldest son was a baby, he was diagnosed with a rare type of epilepsy and I quit my job to care for him full time. For almost a decade, I was a stay-at-home mom, and it was such a rewarding time in my life. As my children got older, I had the urge to do something for “me”, but I knew I didn’t want to return to a traditional 9-5 job. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. And I wanted that flexibility to be able to continue to be home with my kids as much as possible. Read more>>

Captain Pimp’n

Well, Crunk Lit Fresh was actually a hook when I use to rap back in 2009, with a group, called (Dem Crucial Boyz) fast forward, the group broke up, and I had this hook still that was never used from being in the group. Well, 1 day I was sitting at home, I’m thinking about the next move and plans and it just came to me To do a podcast after listening to Wallo276 from Million Dollaz Worth of Game. So I said, and thought about what would I call my podcast? And the hook came up again, and that’s when I was like, crunk is my genre/era in the club. Now they call it Lit in this day and age and Fresh was about your style. Read more>>