To start or to not to start, that is the aspiring entrepreneur’s question

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.

Kimberly Eide | Physician & Founder of Restore Wellness and MedSpa

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit since I was a child, but I wasn’t sure what type of business I wanted to start. That changed while I was in residency when I recognized the gaps in patient care and the limitations of insurance based medicine.  Read more>>

Brittani “Brittsense” Sensabaugh | Photographer/Documentarian & Business Owner

The thought process behind starting my own business was multifaceted. Firstly, it stemmed from a desire for creative autonomy and the freedom to express myself without limitations. Read more>>

Kenneth Brown | Photographer, Videographer, Graphic Designer & DJ

My mom is a beautician and growing she has always had her own business. Whether i realized it or not she’s always been my biggest influence and through watching her navigate I knew at some point i wanted to survive and flourish working for myself or with a team. Read more>>

Sam Bail | Founder, Third Place Bar NYC

I started running Third Place Bar because I wanted to create a space that wasn’t there yet in the form I was envisioning: A neighborhood bar with all the laid-back and communal atmosphere, just without it revolving around consuming alcohol. Since that didn’t exist I figured I should do it myself! Read more>>

Dr. Clover Perez | Founder and Executive Director of A Beautiful HEART Ministries

In 2012, I was sentenced to 121 months, ten years, and one month in federal prison for white-collar crime. During my trial and incarceration, I got a bird’s eye view of the U.S. criminal legal system and its complexity. Read more>> 

Shauna Jackson | Virtual Assistant

I wanted to offer services that business owners truly need. When I officially became a virtual assistant, I learned quickly what goes on behind the scenes is just as important as what the world sees. An amazing product/service + amazing client experience is the recipe for success.  Read more>>

AMBER PATRICK | Portrait Photographer/Studio Owner

My thought process when starting my own business was that I wanted to make other women feel powerful, beautiful and in control. Whenever I see women about to cry real tears while asking “Is this really me?!?” makes it all worth it. I love to see everyone sparkle and shine in their moments. Read more>>

Denitresse Ferrell | Founder, Culture Refinery | Int’l Speaker | Executive and Business Coach | Culture Whisperer

My business began with a feeling of being unfulfilled, despite my success in corporate America. Despite rising in the ranks with Fortune 100 organizations, I spent years feeling like I wasn’t reaching my true potential and attempting to navigate spaces that were not designef for my success. Read more>>

Jairuss Whack | Nail Technician & Salon Owner

My reason for starting my own business was simple – I was tired of going to the nail salon and decided to do my own nails. In 2019, I was in my final year at Shaw University. One day, I visited a nearby nail salon but was left unsatisfied with the outcome of my nails. Read more>>

Lily Gao | Artist & Nonprofit Business Owner

My business began in April 2020 with Linh Truong’s YouTube video on her online sticker shop. I’d watch, over and over, as she broke down her brainstorming, drawing, and printing process, ending with a montage of sold-out products and satisfied reviews. Read more>>

Asha Ntim | Founder/Executive Director

Embarking on the journey of entrepreneurship is often spurred by a deep-seated desire to address unmet needs within a community. For me, founding the Chrysalis Program was a response to a critical need for support and empowerment for African American girls in the realms of self-image, self-esteem, and self-perception. Read more>>

Nick & Renee Stuible | The HOC Pro-Wrestling Training Center Co-Founders

Since graduating college, both of us have always worked corporate jobs. We make great salaries and have, for the most part, enjoyed our work. About eight years into our marriage we were both still growing in our jobs and “climbing the ladder” but something felt missing. Read more>> 

Exotic Mob Music LLC | Record Label

When I created Exotic Mob Music,LLC I was thinking about all the great labels before it. Although nothing is easy, I truly believe we have the potential to be mixed in the conservations with the great Independent Labels. Read more>>

Antoinette Polnitz | CEO/Formulator

When I started LenaLoveNaturals I was going through a skin medical condition called “Hidradenitis suppurativa” and postpartum hair loss after having my youngest son. It literally had a self esteem disturbance on my life at the time. Read more>>

Mallorie Pirita | Owner of Color Crazy Lipsticks

I have always dreamed of owning my own business. In my opinion, business ownership is a great way to create generational wealth and give back to the community. Also, having a business of your own means that you are in charge of the development from the ground up so that means you can create a company designed to your specifications. Read more>>

Evie Perez | Photographer

My husband was being deployed and I needed something to keep me occupied. I had always loved taking pictures but never thought of it as a career. After my dad had gifted me a camera I started playing around with getting to know the camera and then I enrolled into a class at a local photography school. Read more>>

Savannah Jackson | Coffee Shop Owner and Community Organizer

I am a queer biracial woman of color. I grew up feeling different and struggled trying to find my way in white suburban society. Looking for ways to fit in but also finding out who I am. I knew I was Ecuadorian and I knew I was Black. I didn’t feel like I really belonged with any group. Read more>>

Erwin JT Trollinger | Founder and CEO of Supreme Creative Agency

Supreme Creative Agency was born out of a community need. My church needed help with marketing and branding, and I begin to hire designers to create graphics and flyers. Once I saw that they were not delivering to the level of excellence we needed, I taught myself graphic design and begin to create all of the church’s flyers. Read more>>

Jevencia Hill | Founder/Director of Connect 2 Care LLC

My thought process behind owning my own business was to make an invaluable change in my local and surrounding communities that could impact the well-being and sustainability of individuals and families. Read more>> 

Rachel Hurmence | Functional Medicine Health Coach

When I was laid off from my previous coaching job, it was a wake-up call. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and knew deep down that I wanted to start my own business someday. So, instead of letting the setback get me down, I decided to turn it into an opportunity. Read more>>

Nikita Collins | Makeup Artist & Graphic Designer

Hi, Im Nikita owner of The Favored Faces Makeup Artistry. My thought process or means behind starting my own business was literally to just do it. Either I was going to make it or I was going to pivot, try again or try something else. Read more>>

Korin Noelle | Artist and Educator

In operating Radius Art Studio, I am driven by the recognition that outside of academic settings, there’s a significant gap in opportunities for individuals to engage with a creative community and access facilities that nurture ongoing artistic practice. Read more>> 

Takahiko Sugita | GOHAN Market (DELICA Corporation) CEO

I worked for a Japanese grocery store in Los Angeles for eight years, and then worked for another company in Houston, Texas as a general manager for the startup of a Japanese grocery store. When it opened the Houston store, many customers said, “Thank you” and “We’ve been waiting for you. Read more>>

Leslie Gandy | MUA (Makeup Artist)

My thought process was fairly simple, I would say. I am a mother of 3 and I was in a field that demanded a lot of time away from home. I felt guilty about that and I knew I could make money from home using skills I learned in cosmetology school. I did my research and launched my own business in 2018. Read more>>

Danae Moya, MBA (neé Vassilopoulou) | delphistem COO & Co-Founder

I come from a family with a strong entrepreneurial background, which instilled in me a natural inclination towards entrepreneurship. After completing my MBA at London Business School, I explored various business opportunities while still working in the corporate world, patiently waiting for the right fit. Read more>>

Crystal Rushing | CEO/ Event Producer

I wanted to start Mermaid Knick Knacks because I realized that people were most happy when they are being celebrated! So MKKS was created with the goal of bringing the customer’s vision to life. I wanted to be sure to provide awe-inspiring decorations where there was close attention to detail and a strong understanding of the client’s needs. Read more>>