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.

Angelina Santiago | Photographer & Videographer

I wanted to do something that I loved and was passionate about. I also wanted to work for myself and be my own boss so that I can set my own schedule and be able to make time for my personal life and my family. With a traditional job and being bind to someone else’s business demands, it’s hard to have that flexibility whenever you want or need it. I’ve worked the 9-5 life for a long time and did lots of overtime in my particular career, so when I came home I was just always tired and burnt out. I knew I needed to do something different. I wanted to be there for my kids and my family more, and not only that, but I wanted to be happy with the work that I do. Read more>>

Jess Steinke | Integrative Health Practitioner & Women’s Health Coach

Last year, I experienced a slew of health issues that started me on my healing journey. I was fatigued, depressed, and experiencing brain fog and other symptoms. The journey that ensued was a process of unlearning and relearning the things I thought I knew about my body and about my definition of health. I was so surprised by some of the things I learned, both about the human body and how our modern society is contributing to chronic illness, that it became my life’s purpose to spread the message with other women. The easiest (or so I thought at the time) way to do this, was by getting a certification in the field and starting my own integrative health practice. Read more>>

Severine Cukierman | Wellness Entrepreneur & Yoga Instructor

Severine Cukierman’s story is one of remarkable transformation – a journey from the demanding world of corporate America to the serene realm of yoga and wellness entrepreneurship. With an unwavering commitment to personal growth and holistic well-being, Severine has redefined her path and is now inspiring others to do the same. Severine’’s professional journey began in the high-paced realm of entertainment technology (i.e. streaming), where she quickly rose through the ranks due to her strategic acumen and leadership prowess. Read more>>

Suzanne Sarsfield Scarano | Savvy Businesswoman and Human Design Specialist

As a successful Vice President of a local advertising agency, at the age of 37, I was happy and enjoying the Miami single life. I felt fulfilled in my career because of my passion for communication and marketing. However, the inefficiencies of the traditional advertising agency methods were frustrating. With the advances in technologies, I felt there was a better way to approach creative, align teams, and live with life/career balance. Since I couldn’t find it, I created it. Read more>>

George Mills | NAUI Instructor Firefighter/Paramedic and Public Safety Diver Instructor

Working in the scuba diving industry as a dive professional and instructor, I came across a concerning statistic: 80% of newly certified divers never return to the underwater world after completing their certification course. I attribute this issue to the scuba industry’s inclination towards offering “quick, cheap, and easy” courses that compromise the quality of training. I firmly believe that quality and professional scuba instruction are the foundations for nurturing confident and capable divers, ultimately enhancing their enjoyment of this exhilarating sport. Read more>>

Raimele & ShaKeia Reese | Travel Content Creators

Initially we started Team Reese Travels as a way to document our own family travels and share them with the world via our YouTube channel. We wanted to inspire others to get out and explore the world, and even more specifically, we wanted to show other parents that you CAN travel with kids. As our community began to grow, we developed a greater passion for content creation and we wanted to invest more into the channel so that we could create better content. We decided the best way to do that was to shape our new found hobby into a full scale business. This huge step has afforded us so many more opportunities, including being able to travel more often and therefore show more aspects of travel through our content. Read more>>

Aileen & Soraima Martinez | Airbnb Superhosts

Our decision to embark on the journey of starting our own business was born out of a deep-seated belief in the value of diversifying income streams. We both work together in Aileen’s first business, “Rise Up Bookkeeping: Igniting Business Growth with More Profit and More Time,” and we have experienced firsthand the rewards of entrepreneurship and the potential for financial independence it offered. However, our motivation went beyond financial considerations. We share an unwavering passion for travel, particularly in picturesque beachside locations. During a memorable stay at a charming Key Largo Airbnb, the idea crystallized: we yearned for a platform to showcase our beloved city of Miami, Florida, to the world. Read more>>

Brigitte Pollio | Photographer Videographer Storyteller

I decided to start my own photography business www.4-shoot.com because I love to tell stories and wanted to share my passion for beauty in all its meanings. I have always had a great passion for photography. Since I was a child, I always enjoyed taking pictures of my favorite things and special people, and when I grew up, I realized that I wanted to make photography a profession.
Now I can say that photography has become an important part of my life and allows me to capture and share a small part of my world with the world.
It has also given me the opportunity to travel and see places and meet people I would never have seen. Read more>>

Shauntae E. Lewis | Certified Grant Writer/ Business Success Coach

I am Shauntae E. Lewis, USAF Veteran and proud Founder/CEO of Grant Life Consulting. I initially started the business to help girls and women reclaim their identity after sexual assaults, domestic violence, divorce, and other mental and physical trauma. The idea was to start a nonprofit that creates healing and wholeness programs. Understanding that I would need a team, I started my search for funding, only to find that I needed help securing a grant. Speaking with other grant writers left me feeling lost, confused, and overwhelmed, so I decided to become a grant writer. After obtaining my professional credentials, I took to the community to connect with other passionate business owners. Read more>>

Michel Rodriguez | C0-Founder & CEO

The idea of starting ezParty came from figuring out how to make the party planning easier and more transparent to consumers. I remember one day, I was asked to plan our sons 1st bday and was given a list of 8 different categories that I was supposed to call and get quotes from between party furniture, bounce houses, characters, djs, etc. It took me almost 2-3 days and multiple quotes to finally narrow it down to a few select vendors who actually answered and provided prices from. I thought to myself, I wish there was a simple solution like Amazon where I can find what I am looking for, add to cart, and checkout – that is how ezParty was born. Now, what can take 2-3 days, can now take as little as 5 minutes on our website. Read more>>