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.

PROMISE Egbulefu

The thought process behind starting my own business was my willingness to actually do things uniquely than merely think or dream about them. My love for creativity and innovation was a factor too. Read More>>

Bria Richardson

My thought process behind starting my own business really stemmed from my journey through several ventures in my adult life. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and explored different industries, but it wasn’t until I launched my travel business that I found something that truly aligned with both my passion and purpose. Read More>>

Kayyonna Hayes

The idea of starting my own business is dutifully rooted in my personal passion for cooking. I’ve always loved the art of creating dishes that not only taste good but also bring joy to those who experience them. It’s the eyebrow raise or the corner curl of your lip line. In every encounter, I want to offer something authentic, simple, yet delicious that people could enjoy and appreciate, especially when it comes to quality ingredients and flavors. Read More>>

Bryan Hadden

I started my own business because I wanted to see a black man from where im from being himself throughout the process, Ive taken meetings withs grills in I wear my locs out during presentations etc Read More>>

Rebecca Green

For most of my adult life, I was very focused on my role as a mom. I’m highly creative and easily inspired, so I always had hobbies or passion projects that would ebb and flow, but I never really found my professional calling. After the birth of my third child, I started feeling called to create something of my own as a culmination of all of my life and work experience up until that point. So I joined a business accelerator program with a coach I had known for a while, and “birthed” my brand and business. Read More>>

Sonesta Wilde

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember—on napkins, in journals, across the margins of to-do lists and the inside covers of books I was supposed to return. My notes app is overflowing. Inspiration tends to find me at the most inconvenient and magical moments, and writing has always been my way through—through grief, growth, celebration, self-return, and making meaning of this messy, beautiful world we live in. Read More>>

Mary Stallings

My decision to start my own business was rooted in a deep desire to provide high-quality, therapeutic massage care in a setting that truly prioritizes client wellness. After working in the industry, I saw a clear need for a professional and compassionate environment where clients—especially those dealing with chronic pain, recovering from injuries, or referred by the VA—could receive personalized, medically-informed massage therapy. Read More>>

Alencia & Que Knight

“After spending almost a decade in the event industry, we realized there was a real need for a space that offered both quality and affordability. We wanted to create a location where clients could access all of our services in one place—without compromising on style or breaking the bank. Starting our own business gave us the opportunity to bring that vision to life and serve our community in a more personal, meaningful way Read More>>

Savauna Sage

The heart of my business was born out of service and mission. In a world where people are constantly on the go, overstimulated, and worn thin, I have a passion to create a space, wrapped in the majesty of nature, where the art of rejuvenation is honored and practiced. Read More>>

Casey Recor

I always wanted to own my own business and at the age of 28 bought into my first business. I was born in Atlanta GA and my mom was an artist. Her creative influence definitely rubbed off on me. In college at the University of Georgia, I started out as a marketing major but wanted to change to sculpture halfway through. My dad was not thrilled with this decision so we comprised and graduated with two degrees in Marketing and Sculpture. Read More>>

Elaine Gattis

My father started our family construction business the year I was born. He owned and operated that successful business for over 50 years until retiring, establishing a strong foundation in the entrepreneurial world. This early exposure instilled in me a deep appreciation for building and managing a business. Read More>>

Jess Jaimes

“I started my own business and created Resilient and Rowdy because I noticed a gap in the podcasting space—there weren’t enough platforms amplifying the real, unfiltered experiences of women veterans during and after their service. I saw the power of storytelling in other conversations and how healing and validating those stories could be. I wanted to create a space where we could continue those meaningful dialogues, offer connection, and make others feel seen.” Read More>>

Joshua Eller

The reason I started my own business was simple; I saw a need. My interest in photography developed naturally, as I often needed specific images for my graphic design projects. When my family began preparing to move within the metro area, we spent a lot of time looking at real estate listings. I was honestly shocked by how poorly some homes were represented in photos. As a buyer, I realized how easy it was to overlook a great home based solely on subpar images. Read More>>

Carlos Garcia

Both nature and nurture. Mi Abuelita was a top salesperson in Mexico, and my Tio founded a soccer league in 2003, that still runs today. As a kid I intuitively started to grasp arbitrage because of this—it’s basically one person leveraging a higher level of organization to save time. Read More>>

Quellyn Kennedy

I wanted to create a sanctuary. Not just a spa, but a space where women could take off all the roles they carry and simply be. A place where they didn’t have to give, perform, or hold it all together. Just room to breathe, reconnect, and feel supported. Read More>>

Steffanye Rayol

Born to Brazilian immigrants and raised on the values of hard work and resilience, I am a first-generation American whose journey into beauty began with a love for makeup and a self-taught education in all things skin. Now an esthetician and consultant for the European skincare brand Olive Tree People, she champions a revolutionary approach to beauty: waterless, 100% organic, and powered by hydroxytyrosol — a potent olive leaf elixir. Read More>>

Johanna Zambrano Castillo

Before moving to the United States, I was already very clear that I wanted to become a real estate agent. Helping people has always been my passion, and for over 20 years I worked in sales—both in products and services—with a strong belief that selling is ultimately about serving others. Read More>>

Earl Guest

I started this business way back in 2016. I didn’t know what I was doing or even where I wanted this business to go. Back then we were just washing cars, any and every car. Fast forward nearly a decade later we detail , we restore , we protect but most importantly we take pride in what we do. Read More>>

Hope Jackson

My thought process behind beginning my own business wasn’t because I struggle working with others or because having a boss is annoying but because of my mental health. I thoroughly enjoy creating and begun Hopeful Illusions to be able to do so. Read More>>

Sami Johnson

You either work for ‘The Man’, or you be ‘The Man’.”

I was told that at a young age, and I really wish I could remember who told me that to thank them. It is something that I always kept with me through first working retail to then transitioning into doing hair to now social media. Read More>>