We reached out to some of our favorite entrepreneurs and asked them to think back and tell us about how they decided to start a business. Check out their responses below. 

Tanera Swan

When I started my business back in 2012, I did not have an actual plan to do so. I was a veterinary technician, working in a vet’s office and very unhappy with my job. I ended up losing that job, and needed a new source of income. I thought to myself, what am I good at? What is my expertise? I was good with animals, I always have been. However, I only knew the medical side of animals, I had no grooming training. Read More>>

Dana Pettaway

TowLynk™ wasn’t born from a random idea. It came from lived experience, legacy, and recognizing a clear gap in the market.

Entrepreneurship has always been part of our foundation. Dana grew up watching her late father build his own path. He believed in ownership, initiative, and creating opportunity instead of waiting for it. That mindset shaped how we approach challenges today. If we see a need and believe we can solve it, we step forward. Read More>>

Bianca Ferguson

I always knew that, given the type of person I am, working for myself would be the most fulfilling path. As I grew in my career, I started to feel the limitations of traditional settings, not because the work wasn’t meaningful, but because I knew I had more to give. My passion for mental health has always been deeply rooted in compassion and connection, and I wanted the freedom to care for people in a way that felt truly holistic and genuine. Starting my own practice allowed me to intentionally create a space where people feel seen, heard, and supported in the way they deserve. Read More>>

 Kimberly Bass

My thought process when I started my business was rooted in healing and self-reliance. After years of exploring different ways to improve my health, I realized that nature had always been speaking to me. I wanted control over what I consumed and clarity about where it came from. Growing my own herbs and creating my own products wasn’t just about business, it was about alignment, integrity, and sharing something real with others. Read More>>

Penni M Baker

Me and my husband have been doing environmental work for the last 23 years it involved a lot of travel, which I love but as I’m getting older it started taking a toll on me it also involved heavy lifting and working out in the weather, winter was the worst.so I wanted to start my own business that didn’t involve travel.As as a dog Mom myself whenever we would take vacations it was hard to find somebody I trusted with my dog. Read More>>

 Shelly Winterboer

My ethos has always been to help people live their best lives-for them to be in the driver seat of their outcomes. When I experienced the power of coaching in my own life, I immediately knew this was how I was meant to serve and show up in this world. Starting my own business felt like a natural and obvious step. Read More>>

 Ridhima Agarwal

Growing up as South Asian kids in the United States, the path in front of us was always fairly defined. Most of us are raised to pursue stability and become doctors, engineers, lawyers, follow the steady rhythm of a traditional career. The perfume industry was never something we saw people who looked like us in, let alone imagined building a brand within. Read More>>

Emmanuel Ilesanmi

My interest in drumming started when I was very young. Growing up, I was always tapping on tables, chairs, and anything that could make sound. Sometimes it even annoyed my neighbors because I was constantly creating rhythms. My curiosity for percussion was so strong that I once made my own drum using a big milk tin and covering both sides with a sack just to imitate the sound of a drum. Read More>>