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.

Sherry T. Cribb | Author, CEO, & The Voice of Empathy

Starting my own business was a journey of faith and purpose. Following the loss of my father, I received a divine message from God, guiding me to write a book for those experiencing grief. This led to the creation of “Daily Dose of Encouragement.” With divine guidance, Tullidge Publishing was born, extending my message of hope to others. Read more>>

Jay Pearson | Chairman and CEO

As a child, Saturdays meant accompanying my father to his office, where I’d settle into my favorite cubicle by the window, engrossed in tracing magazine covers. My dad, the quintessential businessman, always carried three essentials:  Read more>>

Anna Podlin | Atlanta Lifestyle Photographer

From a young age I had always been interested in business and having my own. When I was 5 and asked what I wanted to be when I grow up I would answer, a CEO! I went to business school, I attended the University of Georgia and have a degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. Read more>> 

Ryan Skelton | Atlas & Ink Photography

I believe that having an interest in or appreciation for the business side of photography can be incredibly helpful if you want to become a professional photographer. I have always been interested in entrepreneurship and once I felt my photography skills were good enough to charge for, it felt like a natural progression for me to start my own business. Read more>> 

Kalauni Gaddis | Wardrobe stylist & fashion designer

I was very afraid to start my own business with styling and designing clothes. I am still at the beginning of my journey. I want to make people happy and bring my creative visions to reality. Read more>>

John G. Hartness | Writer, Publisher, & Editor

I had friends who were excellent writers who either weren’t getting picked up for publication because the books were 90% ready but not quite ready, or they weren’t being treated fairly by their existing publishers. Read more>>

Dwayne Joseph | Owner and C.E.O.

I initially launched STOS Brand Apparel 13 years ago. At that time, STOS stood for So Tired Of Struggling, because that’s what was happening at that time. My wife and I were new parents, our careers hadn’t taken off yet, we had bills, rent, groceries to buy, etc. The struggle was real, so I decided to launch the t-shirt brand.  Read more>>

Dustin Lewis | Real Estate Business Owner & Actor

As an actor, singer & dancer for so many year, I have always kind of been running my own business. You become the product that you are promoting and selling … in a way. Real estate was always something that I wanted to pursue but the timing and opportunity never really presented itself.  Read more>>

Tesia Williams | Business Owner and Health and Wellness Coach

Business entrepreneurship has always been a goal of mine. As a creative person with many different passions and interests, it just made sense for me to create my own lane. My business name, A Vibe Called Tess, is derived from my first name, Tesia. Read more>> 

Quiana Watson | Real Estate Broker, Owner & CEO

Thank you for your inquiry regarding my decision to start my own real estate business. Embarking on this entrepreneurial journey stemmed from a culmination of factors and personal reflections. When the pandemic began I evaluated my expenses, my clientele and the real estate brokerage I was affiliated with. Read more>>

Debbie Strasser | Owner + Founder

I entered the workforce again after staying home with my four boys by assisting small businesses. We worked on marketing, positioning, branding, social media, websites, processes, procedures and workflow. I then started a wholesale business, selling, marketing and distributing a furniture hardware line across the US.  Read more>>

La’Mar Walker | Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor, Public Speaker, & Corporate Trainer

I grew tired of relinquishing control of my life to others. At every turn, my financial affairs were managed by someone else, and I became frustrated with being undervalued and not being paid what I was worth. In some workplaces, profit trumped everything, leading to a revolving door, and stifling my ability to fully utilize my skills to make a meaningful impact. Read more>>

Toya Harze | Real Estate Professional

My mindset revolved around the desire to improve the quality of life for my family and the people in my community. Entrepreneurship wasn’t a typical part of my life, but I yearned to pursue something unique that could make a significant difference. Read more>>

Anastasiia Cerpa | Flower preservation artist

Starting my own business was a natural progression for me, rooted in my passion for flowers and the joy they bring. As a flower preservation artist, I saw an opportunity to not only indulge in what I love but also to share that love with others in a meaningful way. Read more>> 

Renicka Carswell | Master Hairstylist &sisterlock consultant

I started braiding hair as early as ten years old; practicing making a little $10-$15 every Friday doing my cousin’s braids. Hair for me at that time was just a skill I picked up following in my mother’s footsteps. A year After graduating High School, I enrolled in cosmetology school; thinking I was going to learn more about braiding.  Read more>>

Victoria Keith | Auto Buying Consultant

My thought process behind starting Ask Victoria – Financial Boutique began in 2019. As a former auto sales professional, I discovered many people were not equipped with information needed to save money, time and haggling when buying a car.  Read more>>

Bruce Guthrie | Journalist & Activist

Tragedy struck my family when my son died at the age of 29 from a fentanyl poisoning in March 2021. I feel as though there should be an awareness of what is happening in our country with so many deaths nationwide. Read more>>

Ben Garcia | Entrepreneur & Mad Scientist

I’ve never really been the best at keeping my feelings to myself. This of course, gave me much varied experience in the work force. Respect means everything, and you give what you get, that goes double for me. So when faced with a pandemic, skyrocketing costs, and a strike in the film industry, I had enough.  Read more>>

LaWanda Morris | CEO & Multi-Hyphenate

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and knew that I would own multiple businesses for as long as I can recall. My thought process behind starting my businesses always involves many considerations. Considerations that include a passion, a purpose, and two questions that I ask myself: 1-who can I help and 2-how can I be of service?  Read more>>

Ainsley Toal | Owner, The Steel Magnolia Bar

To be honest, I never thought I would become a business owner. It never occurred to me that I wanted to be, or even could be, my own boss. I was simply looking for a new hobby that didn’t revolve around my roles as a mom, wife or my full-time job. I think it’s easy to lose ourselves in those things. Read more>>

Gene Pease | AppalachianGap An artsy shop & studio, with classes!

I have been making and selling my products in galleries, online and at festivals for many years. Selling under a tent in an art festival atmosphere was fun. Being in galleries is great for the ego. Selling online reaches a great many people. Read more>>

Aicha Antoine | REALTOR® & Entrepreneur

I consider myself the “Jill of all trades”, and I have knowledge and experience in many different avenues, I always knew that I was destined to be an entrepreneur and make a difference in the world through business and influence. After graduating high school I went to the US Army where I served on active duty for 4 years. While in the military I went to school and received my Bachelors in Business Management. Read more>>

BigBank Breajure | Artist,Business owner ,Social media influencer,Actor

The thought process behind starting the BigBank cartel. It was very easy. I can say, although I was a little bit nervous when I first started I had to sit down With my closest friends and show them a couple of things I wanted to sell, and they gave me their opinions on it and that day I went and started ordering things and promoting and selling them. Read more>>

Cristina / Laura Lowery / Stein | Franchise Partners and Trainers

Laura and I purchased our gym because we wanted to create a community of support for people who want to better themselves. These days it’s hard to find a support system. Everyone is on competition with each other and always out for themselves. Read more>>