Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Lexxi Moss | Owner at Elle Moss, Co.

Growing up, you were always taught to live that cookie-cutter lifestyle: graduate high school, go to college and graduate, and then, find a good job. Well, that journey always seemed very boring to me. I don’t have the desire to work to fulfill someone else’s dreams when I could work just as hard to fulfill my own. I’ve always felt that I am super talented creatively and definitely wanted to fulfill that passion, I just didn’t have an outlet pour into it. So when the Coronavirus pandemic first occurred, I really wanted to utilize the additional free time that I had on my hands to not only keep me busy but also explore what I love. Thus, Elle Moss, Co. was born. Elle Moss, Co. was created to set the mood and transform any environment in the most natural way possible. Read more>>

Courtney Lewis-Mathis | Publicist & Podcast Host, MOManger & Wife

My thought process behind starting my own business started with freelancing. I have experience with some of the most influential PR agencies and I began to apply my skills to my personal rooster of clients. I thought why continue to do all the work for another brand and while I can do the same thing for my own brand. Working with celebrities, nationally recognized companies and fortune 500 companies I realized most of these brands were once a small business. Which, inspired me to go for it and continue to do PR under COCO Public Relations a boutique PR agency in metro Detroit. I’ve gained national press from Essence, Rolling Out, FADER Magazine, XXL Magazine and Live Civil to name a few. Once, I became a mother I was challenged with finding a healthy work and mom life balance. Read more>>

Calvin Harrington | Roleplay Apparel Creator & Designer

Wasn’t really a thought I was asleep on my couch unemployed at the time and I dreamt I was at the mall and everyone around me was wearing Roleplay Apparel. I had never heard of it so I googled it and found out there was no such thing. I took that as an immediate sign from above and got to work. Read more>>

Simon Salt | Fashion Photographer

I was transitioning from running my own digital marketing agency and traveling a lot as a speaker/author. I was burned out but I wanted to continue being creative. Photography had always been my number one hobby. I decided to turn it into a business. The focus on Fashion came later as I realized that I didn’t want to just “do photography” but to combine it with my love of clothes and style. Read more>>

Devin Robinson | Professor & Serial Entrepreneur

I wanted to gain control of the future of myself and my children. Read more>>

Alysha Harvey | TaxAdvizHER & Accountant

I am a second-generation tax professional following in my mother’s footsteps. After working in public and corporate accounting, I decided to start my own business because a friend needed my assistance with tax representation because her bank account was cleaned out to a zero balance when she woke up without any notice. I also realized that I could use what I learned from the years of growing young businesses to start a tax and bookkeeping consulting group that can guide other small and medium-sized businesses to do the same. This would also allow me to help existing businesses to know their numbers so that they can make the right business decisions. Read more>>

Latte Latte | Wigologist & Songwriter

At first it was just a thought. But the thought kept reoccurring. I was telling myself at first, it’s so many people that are doin the same thing around me I’m not going to make any money. The more it kept coming to my mind start the business, start the business the more things around me started to become uncomfortable. I was working 12 hours at night getting tired of answering to someone who’s complacent with their current career path. But I knew I can do more, I can be more, I AM MORE!! December 5th last year my kids and I got into a really bad accident. My daughter broke her leg and I was out of work. At that moment my life changed tremendously. The hustler in me woke all the way up. Something in me said start the business and with no hesitation I said ok. Read more>>

Saafir Malik | Chief Financial Officer& Tax Expert

My thought process behind starting my business ,was being independent and having control over my professional and financial growth.I realized early in my career that the higher the corporate latter you go, politics ruled over potential and merit and I did not want to gamble my personal success based off the traditional corporate politics especially when I did not come from a family or circle of highly connected people. Read more>>

Jean-Louis and Yvette Ledent | The Belgian Waffle Truck Owners

My wife Yvette and I are originally from Belgium. Food trucks became very trendy and popular about 6 years ago here in Columbia SC so we decided to start our own business because we had the feeling that we had the perfect unique product to be served from a food truck: the famous Belgian Waffles! We wanted to share a little part of our culture and give the people around here the chance to experience what we can find in our hometown, Liege, Belgium. Read more>>

Corey Jackson |  Founder & CEO

When deciding to start Veteran Elite Transitions, which is a nonprofit centered around helping veterans with the process of transitioning from the military back to civilian life, I kept remembering the various obstacles that I encountered during my transition. I was going through the process along without any guidance. It was confusing and unsettling because I needed to figure out what I was doing quickly because I still had a family counting on me for support. At that moment I decided that I never wanted to see a fellow solider attempt to tackle the transitioning process alone. There are many different aspects to transitioning that many soldiers are not prepared for when they decide to end their military career. We want to change that narrative. Read more>>

Sara Claudia Ministries | Speaker & Author

After suddenly losing my sight and partial hearing in 2015, I felt the Lord pushing me to share my story. Through starting my ministry, I wanted to convey to others the importance of trusting the Lord through any situation. Read more>>

Teasha Chestnut | Owner/Dessertender

I went to culinary school cause I knew I wanted to bake but I wast really interested in cake decorating. I was researching a project one day for school and came across a recipe for white Russian cupcakes and figured since I was already working as bartender it would be fun to infuse the two. Read more>>

Nay Thomas | Shoe Boutique Owner

Since a little girl, I’ve always loved shoes. By the time I was 25 years old, I owned more then 100 pair of shoes. My friends and family always knew where they could find a nice shoe to borrow for any occasion. May of 2019, I began preparing to find the perfect wedding shoe, I then noticed all the shoes were either comfortable yet not appealing or they were 5 inches or higher but were show stopping. I then realized there wasnt any shoe companies that provided Cute, Comfy and Classy Shoes. Thats when I decided I would create Beyoushoetique. A ladies shoe company that only provide shoes that are Cute, yet 4 inches or. Read more>>

Kenya Johnson | Career Strategist & Educator

It’s funny, because for years, I swore I would not be an entrepreneur. My mom has been a business owner for almost all of my life. So I’ve seen all the ups and downs of entrepreneurship firsthand and the DOWNS made me never ever ever ever ever want to be an entrepreneur. It was too much risk for me. I like the security of knowing I only really have to work from 9-5 and that every other Friday I’ll get my check for doing that. But something stirred up in me that was bigger than lingering fear of not having what I needed: it was living a life that was so much smaller than my purpose. So my thought process when I finally decided to start my business was this is SCARY and I am terrified on the outcome (good or bad), but no one deserves to feel small. Read more>>