Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, we think you’ll enjoy reading about how these seasoned entrepreneurs thought about the question when they were in your shoes.

Shay Sane | Founder Black Girls On The Go/Black Girl Travel Movement, Mental Health Advocate, Influencer and Travelprenuer Strategist

The inception of Black Girls on the Go and the Black Girl Travel movement is deeply personal for me, rooted in my own travel experiences and mental health journey. My realization that travel and mental well-being are intricately connected became the catalyst for creating a wellness brand dedicated to empowering Strong Black Women (SBW) to prioritize their mental health. As a Strong Black Woman myself, I understand the unique challenges we face, particularly the misconception that our strength means we don’t have vulnerabilities. I observed how SBW often neglect their own needs while tirelessly taking care of others, leading to a significant impact on mental health. Read more>>

Tonaysia Cohen | Founder of Body Party & Yoga Instructor

When I embarked on this entrepreneurial journey, the inception of my business transpired organically. In its first year, my business thrived primarily through word-of-mouth endorsements, steadily expanding my customer base. Recognizing the natural evolution of my skills, I made the conscious decision to channel them into the creation of a thriving enterprise. Since those initial days, my vision for this brand has transformed into a mission: to foster a community of individuals dedicated to holistic self-care, encompassing not only the physical aspects but also the mental and spiritual dimensions. Read more>>

Mickey C. | Experience Curator – Mingle

Mingle was created based on my own personal social needs and expectations for the city. I wanted to experience highly intentional, finely curated events that allowed me to not only expand my cultural palette but to do so with other like-minded individuals who prefer quality experiences vs the typical club scene. I quickly realized that so many other people in the city shared the same personal need/desire for these types of events as I did. Every single Mingle experience is curated with the highest level of detail, exclusivity, intentionality, and creativity in mind. Our goal is to continuously bring art, poetry, live music, hand-crafted cocktails, wine pairings, gourmet dining, and more back to the forefront of the city for the grown-ups who want to simply elevate. Read more>>

Malcolm Smith | President/CEO of GHM Transportation

My path to starting a business came from an unexpected place: a challenge to my self-worth. One day, as a teacher, I received a letter that stopped me in my tracks – I was being suspended without pay. Eager for answers, I reached out to the person who had sent the email. The condescending tone on the other end of the phone was a blow to my dignity. I yearned to stand up for myself, but the fear of losing my job kept me silent. That was the moment I knew things had to change. Determined to create a buffer that would allow me to always speak my mind, I began saving every dollar. My ‘FU Number’ grew to $20,000, and that’s when the seed of entrepreneurship was planted. Read more>>

Shayyzamm | Marketing Specialist and Interviewer

Hustle! I will certainly attest my purpose behind my business was inspired by my passion and knowledge from working in college radio on the mic, and behind the scenes. However my thought process started with hustling! I wanted to take advantage of my gift and utilize it, so I could change my financial circumstance and future with entrepreneurship. Read more>>

Ben Jones | President of Blackify Brands

I answered all the questions that were given here please feel free to use any part for the publication Read more>>

Macey Belter | Marketing & Technology Strategist with a Focus on Trust and Transparency

Embarking on the journey of starting my own agency was a natural progression, stemming from a deep-rooted passion for marketing and years of hands-on experience in the technology field. Having worked extensively as a marketer and delving into the intricacies of user experience and software optimization, I recognized a significant gap in the industry. As a business owner, I’ve walked the path of a client and experienced firsthand the foggy mirrors and fluff that often shroud the marketing realm. This realization became a catalyst for my mission – to bring trust and transparency to clients, offering them a refreshing departure from the ambiguous promises prevalent in the industry. Read more>>

Becky Clutter | Founder of Fikabröd, Baking Subscription Box

A few months after I graduated from university, I got a basset hound puppy, Preston. He quickly became my absolute best friend. He was a massive part of the first decade and a half of my adult life, and ever since he passed away in April 2018, I have greatly struggled with grief, depression, and suicidal thoughts. In early 2019 I went on sabbatical from my job as a creative director to focus on my mental health. I have always loved baking, but I had sort of lost that part of myself. So, one of my goals during sabbatical was to bake at least once a week. Then I started baking more and more, binge-watching The Great British Bake Off, reading cookbooks for fun, etc. At the time I was receiving a washi tape and sticker subscription box, and I thought that it would be rather fun to receive a baking-related subscription box each month to help me try out new ingredients, methods, and more. Read more>>

Charlotte Tucker | Child Actress and Content Creator

Charlotte started acting around the age of 3 years old. She landed her first big role when she had just turned 4 in a family holiday movie. To support her acting career, we started an instagram page for her. After taking a class on how to use social media for actors, we began to create and post our own content. We wanted to highlight her cute personality and show she was good at memorizing lines. We had no idea it would take off like it did and touch so many people’s lives. Read more>>

Aubrey Tyson | Aubrey Tyson/Realtor

My mom was an Atlanta Realtor for many years and I loved the flexibility Real Estate gave her. Once I obtained my license almost 16 years ago I had two small children. It was very important to me to be able to be involved in my kids lives. Real Estate allowed me to work while they were in school, sleeping and also allowed me to be Coach, Team Mom, on different boards for the local Park and Rec. Read more>>

Araksi Critell | Women’s Health & Pre/Post-natal Coach

The thought process behind PHIT was simple for us. We wanted to help transform lives because fitness had made such an impact in our personal lives. PHIT stands for Prioritizing Health and Inspiring Transformation and our mission is to inspire transformation and to be intentional about leading by example through Integrity, Excellence and Accountability in all that we do. Fitness goes deeper than just looking good on the outside; it builds character, confidence and discipline you can’t learn anywhere else. Along with that we know the health benefits you attain by just being active. I personally work specifically with women and empower them to integrate fitness into their lives, enabling them to achieve their full potential, no matter what their goals are. Read more>>

Tiara Holder | Entrepreneur

I was at the point in my journey where I was getting turned off to traditional work life and employment. Additionally, I had a feeling of a higher calling, as in I’m meant for more outside of what I was used to. Therefore, I decided to start my photography and tarot business, which then led me to exploring a variety of creative avenues that not only bring me income, but, ones that are fulfilling and enlightening. I constantly use ideas and knowledge to create ways to generate income or just let me create from a place of passion. Read more>>

Lauren Summers | Entrepreneurship Chef Creative to Mental Health Advocate

The thought process behind me starting my own business I always wanted to be a chef since I was a little girl. I watched my grandma cook in the kitchen, all the time I enjoyed those moments. Even my aunts in the kitchen and we all worked together made holiday and weekend meals for family gatherings. I continue to watch cooking shows. Funny thing when I got older I stopped. My focus wasn’t being in the kitchen full time I wanted to show people you can do more and impact people more with products they can touch and use. I wanted to show case chef around the world in one restaurant so you could have authentic cuisine experience and family not fight about what restaurant to go to because they don’t have their type of food. Read more>>

Barbie Kim | Visual Artist in 2D and 3D, Co-founder of Chototsu

The inception of Chototsu can be traced back to an act of love and artistry — a pair of earrings handcrafted by a friend for the person she cherishes. This personal gesture of creativity from one of my co-founders not only symbolizes the intimate connection we aim to share through our jewelry but also marks the beginning of our collective journey. This co-founder, who crafted the earrings, brings to our brand a unique combination of architectural expertise and a literary voice. Her designs are not only structurally sophisticated but also narratively rich, allowing us to offer pieces that tell a story, that carry the essence of literary expression within their forms. Read more>>

Raven Tory | Owner of RaeNicole’s Haus of Fashion LLC

When I thought about becoming an online boutique owner, my first thought was, can I really do this?! Heck yeah I can! It involves two of my most favorite things, and that’s shopping and fashion. My second thought was will I be able to still work full time while pursuing my dream. And so far, I have been able to handle both without issues. I Thank God for giving me the will power and strength the do both. Read more>>

Marshaie Williams | Photographer

I started my own business because I liked the thought of having the freedom of being my own boss, but I also felt the desire to offer my unique gifts to the world in a way that I could express passionately and freely. I wanted to work for myself and create something that I would be well known for. Read more>>

Corinne Milien | 2x Founder | People 🔌 | Veteran | Impact Leader | DJ

Starting my own business, WRK, was deeply rooted in my passion for connecting talented individuals with organizations in the sports, media, and entertainment industry. Through my extensive network of business leaders and owners, I recognized a shared challenge — the need for not just finding good talent but also retaining them effectively. I wanted to bridge this gap and provide a valuable resource for businesses seeking diverse and exceptional talent. Furthermore, my commitment to the industry extended beyond talent acquisition. Read more>>

Laura Oko | CEO of DZN Creatives

I started my company, DZN Creatives, with a clear vision and purpose: to empower businesses of all sizes in cultivating robust brand identities that resonate with their target audience and drive success. Before launching DZN Creatives, I frequently assisted friends and family in creating various digital content, such as flyers, banners, websites, logos, and event materials. I crafted unique designs for special occasions and businesses, helping those who were unsure where to begin in developing their “brand identity.” I felt privileged that they turned to me for design work and that I could contribute my distinctive creations to their memorable moments. Read more>>

Kasia Hunter-Parker | Cake & Cuisine Designer

I’ve always had a creative side and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. I’d initially sought out to learn food sculpting. While scouring the the internet for tutorials in 2007, I discovered a chef who made a tower of plain strawberries; I’d never seen anything like that, so I bought his tutorial. I made the first one and posted it on social media and shared it with friends. I started receiving inquiries for dipped strawberries, unaware of anyone in my area providing that service at that time. It was then I started thinking I could earn extra income for my son and I without having to work a second job outside of my home. That was super important for me. Read more>>

Selina Rodriguez | Nail Technician and Artist

I use to do nails from home and also make YouTube videos. I took a big break between 2016-2022 from doing nails to take care of my family. My husband suffered a spinal cord injury during this time and my mother also passed away during COVID so I pushed everything aside. Now that we are in a better place I decided to try again and give it all I’ve got. I figured if others can do it, I can too. That’s when I started Selina’s Nail Studio. Read more>>