Thinking through whether to start a business – whether to take the risk, whether to go out on your own – isn’t easy. So we asked some entrepreneurs we admire to tell us about how they thought through the process of starting a business.

Brandon Swint | I.T Consultant & Personal Trainer

I’ve always wanted to find a way to tie in my passion for learning with entrepreneurship. So originally I started my company Renaissance Enterprises with the intent of helping people via technology with future plans to expand into other enterprises to further help my community. Read more>>

Patrick Michel | Photographer & Videographer

I actually didn’t want to start my own business at first even when my friends were trying to convince me to do so. It wasn’t because I didn’t believe in myself but rather because I didn’t have the vision for it . I had spent 2 years coming up with a name but nothing would stick and even then I still didn’t have the vision for it. Until one night in 2020, I was fortunate enough to attend a Rapsody concert. I just remember being close enough to the stage where she was at arm length and there I was just snapping pictures. What I experience next was the spark that brought everything together. While she was performing, she turned directly to me and started rapping for a good minute and that’s when the name for Tricky’s Lens came about. Read more>>

Ajaé Moore | Creative Director- Artist , Candle Maker and Event Producer

During the inception of my business, I was driven by a deep desire to craft not just a service or product but a genuine invitation to meaningful experiences and impactful moments. The idea germinated during a particularly challenging period for our global community—amidst the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Witnessing the collective yearning for connection and solace, I felt compelled as an artist to contribute a beacon of light. This endeavor emerged as a personal challenge to create something novel, something beyond my comfort zone, yet rich in sensory exploration. The motivation wasn’t solely rooted in business; it was a creative response to a world seeking a sense of ilight during its darkest times. The decision to dive into the unknown, educate myself on unfamiliar realms, and translate that into a business concept was a deliberate act of turning adversity into an opportunity for both personal and collective growth. Read more>>

CHRIS JOURDAN | Accountant, Educator, Entrepreneur

My thought process behind starting my own business was purely out of anger at what I thought I was being overcharged for. When I retired from the Marine Corps in December of 1997, when tax time came around, I thought it would be a great idea to take part in the Rapid Refund program while getting my tax returns completed. Well, after about 20 minutes and more than a $500 bill, I vowed to educate people on taxes, how they work, and the companies in the tax preparation industry that prey on the uneducated to take their hard-earned money. Jourdan Accounting was then born. Read more>>

Lecretia Gorman | Skincare Business Owner & Graphic Designer

So many things come to mind when I first started my business. It goes back to 2011 when I cut off my relaxed hair to go natural. I learned so much during this process. I was more conscious of the foods I consumed and the skin and hair products I used. After researching natural alternatives, I started making my own oils and using a lot of shea butter. Read more>>

Carl Ulysses Bowen | Master Tailor/ Designer/ Stylist

In 2017, I officially opened a brick and mortar, in Buckhead, branded Carl Ulysses. In my eyes, this was never supposed to be a showroom for just my brand. I was told about this location, by a friend who wanted to open a three person co-op. We were going to split the rent and all of the expenses three ways. When I went to see the location for the first time, I walked through the doors and said to myself, ” This would be amazing if it was all mine, but I’m not ready for that!” Little did I know, God had different plans for me. On the day that we were supposed to move in, I was elated and couldn’t wait to move forward with our business venture. To my dismay, I was notified by the other two individuals that they would be unable to move forward with our plans. I immediately called the property secretary and informed her that we would be unable to rent the property. Her reply shocked me. “Do you want the retail space, do you still want to move forward?”, she asked! I had never even thought of this possibility. “You need to pray about it and let me know because we would love to fill this space with a tailor”, she added. Immediately, I said I wanted the retail space and asked God to order my steps. I relinquished all control to Him, I moved when He told me to move and most of all, I believed that the retail space was my showroom, despite my current financial situation. I definitely couldn’t afford it, but through prayer, God made it possible. Read more>>

Tyler Pates | Private Chef & Caterer

I originally started having thoughts on starting my own food truck business back in 2018, while attending culinary arts school at Lawson State Community College. I knew I wanted to do something for the rest of my life that I loved and enjoyed doing, and eating and cooking were the two. During the start of the pandemic back in early March 2020, I was laid off one of the two part time jobs that I was currently working; which led me to thoughts of selling plates from home. From there, my plate sales were going so good that I decided I wanted to step into doing small catering gigs. Once I began to get bookings reserved, everything seemed to unfold piece by piece. After I saw success from previous plate sales and caterings, I ultimately figured out that maybe I could profit from starting my own private chef and catering business. Read more>>

David Dial | Social Influencer

I decided to start my own business when my wife and I moved from Atlanta to upstate New York. I was looking for a career change, and I was looking to build a business around something that I love to do – cook and bake. My sister had started a blog a couple of years before, and she suggested that I look into the blog world. I said I would give it a try for 6 months, and I truly thought that I would end up finding a more traditional job at that point. However, the flexibility and creative outlet that came with writing a blog was wonderful, and I stuck with it…and that was 13 years ago now! Sure, it was a scary time to just start something brand new, but I put my head down and focused on the end result – which for me was making enough to pay our bills. It definitely took a lot of time, and there were periods when I questioned whether it was worth it. Despite the ups and downs, I’m glad I started the blog and ventured into the world of online recipe creation. Read more>>

Shakara Clinkscale | Fashion Designer

Starting my own fashion business was deeply rooted in a personal journey and a commitment to making a positive impact. Growing up as a tall and slender individual, I struggled to find clothes that truly fit. This experience, combined with the inspiration I drew from my niece Zamirah, who battled cancer and felt a loss of confidence during her treatment, fueled my determination. Read more>>

Taylor Jay-Reed | Professional Makeup Artist & Instructor

In 2015 I became a competitive cheer coach, and they needed someone with artistic skills to paint skulls on the girls faces for the dance team showcase. I never had any intentions on pursuing makeup as a career. I was just being a team player. I am extremely artistic and creative and in my mind makeup is just another painting. I grew an interest into perfecting makeup and began practicing on my face while working from home. It became a sense of therapy, and helps me express my creativity. I have always engaged in creative activities to earn additional income because of my diverse skill set. For example I have earned income for doing hair, hired to paint home and commercial murals, self portraits, decorative party letters, and so much more. One day in 2017 I was scrolling Instagram and came across the Crayon Case Cosmetics preparing for a mega sale. Their brand has a super cool theme where everything looks like school supplies. Read more>>

Steven Dotson | Managing Partner & Founder of Cross Street Design, LLC

Upon establishing my enterprise, my perspective wasn’t centered on “starting a business.” Instead, I perceived it as addressing a personal challenge and extended the solution to a broader audience. As I became aware of the advantages and security of operating a legitimate business, my self-perception evolved to that of a business owner. Read more>>

Got 15 Podcast | Hosts: Michael Howard, Chandler Tellis, Michael Porter. Producer: Brenden Dailey.

We used to have alot of relatable and authentic conversations amongst ourselves, and felt that the current state of podcasting was very cliche and lacked original opinions. We decided to take a chance and create our own show that would allow us to connect with people of different backgrounds and learn about their perspectives. The goal was to meet as many people as we could and establish a platform where listeners felt like they were included in the conversation. Read more>>

 Jennifer Love | Fashion Designer

The thought process behind starting Bodylicious Couture is to redefine how women’s luxury fashion is approached. That as Founder and Designer, the brand aims to give versatile pieces and couture accessories to blend with practical ready-to-wear while utilizing zippers. Changing the innovation of the fashion industry as they capture the true essence, that gives women the freedom to change their looks in seconds. Read more>>

Evelyn Braxton | Life Coach

I started “God Can Heal the Heart” because my own journey of overcoming life’s challenges fueled a deep desire to empower others. I’m committed to guiding individuals towards healing and transformation, helping them break free from the pains that keep them in bondage. Read more>>

Rui Cao | Illustrator

In the beginning, it’s all about an idea and a thing I’m interested in doing. As an illustrator, my biggest business would be branding my artwork to the public and building a bridge between myself and my audience. Read more>>

Suzanne Chadwick | Business & Mindset Coach

When I look back I feel like I was always going to run business at some point in my life. I worked in corporate and loved my job, but was always looking for what else we could be doing. Where was the gap in the market and what could we do to service client in that. So I know that I’ve always been a seeker. After having my first child, I was looking for something to keep my brain occupied when I was on maternity leave and so tried a number of different businesses. Read more>>

Danielle Jackson | Talent Manager

When my son began acting professionally we had no clue about the business and what it entails. We truly enjoyed the journey. However, we made a lot of mistakes and learned some valuable lessons. Others started asking me questions and I started giving so much advice that one day a friend suggested I start a business. I thought how awesome it would be to help others who are starting and educate their parents as well. Something that started for tax reasons became a vehicle to develop, nurture, and submit talent into the industry. Hence, JT Talent Management. Read more>>

Rose Masterpol | Artist

I am a full-time artist. I also was an art director / graphic designer for over 30 years. I worked for agencies but went on my own and painted along the way. Graphic design was my bread and butter until my painting career took over. Now I work for myself full time and love it. It is really important to me to be in charge of my life, my decisions and my schedule. Essentially, I like being my own boss. Read more>>

Christina Perez | Corporation Creator

I didn’t have a thought process. I just kind of made some really cool really important stuff. Luxury is very important to me. Luxury is necessities. And only my corporation knows what necessities are. It’s alot. YU and llb see luxury as everyday needs. Read more>>

Bresha Durham | Fashion Designer & Sewing Instructor

Starting my own business stems from a deep passion for fashion and translating that passion into a lifestyle. Reflecting on my upbringing I always expressed myself through fashion; I realized that my exposure to fashion was predominantly through the lens of hip hop culture. While this provided a unique and vibrant perspective, it also meant that my access to resources for exploring fashion design within my own community was limited. This scarcity of opportunities fueled my desire to create something impactful, something that could be a catalyst for change. Read more>>

Kiera Parkman | Graphic Designer & Brand Strategist

It may sound cliche but my daughter was the ignition behind starting my own business. The only reason that Hot Girl Graphics was born was because I was clocking in to a full time job and almost had to beg for time off just to be a present parent. At the time, my daughter was in preschool and I needed to be at everything they had. Whether it was Muffins with Mommy or a graduation celebration, I needed to be there. I needed constant flexibility so my daughter knew that mommy was there no matter what the event was. So one of the many days that I clocked in in 2021, I was beyond bored and seen that somebody needed a flyer done for their lash business. Remembering that I used to make flyers for my Zeta chapter in undergrad, I reached out and said that I did and she ended up booking to my surprise. I delivered the flyer and she was in love, so that made me ecstatic. From there, I taught myself how to become updated with current design trends and how to deliver the quality of graphics that I deliver today. Once I realized that this may not be a hobby, I put my 2 weeks notice in officially. From then, I was able to fully commit to all of the events my daughter was apart of. I didn’t have to call my boss and see if somebody could cover for me. So I thank my daughter often for being the sole reason that I started my own business to be more flexible and present for her as a present. Read more>>

Samantha Colbert | Founder and Creative Director

I started my business during the pandemic. During lockdowns, the constant hum of movement in this cosmopolitan city just stopped, leaving streets stripped bare, in all their beauty. In that moment, space was created to feel deeply connected to the place. Emptied streets felt fleetingly mine to look at in a new and romanticised way. My background is in community development and placemaking so translating some of those principles, I wanted to turn these stunning streetscapes into keepsakes. Something that continues to connect us to a time and place long after we’ve experienced it. Read more>>