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.

Xavier Sotomayor

My thought process behind opening a business: I had previously owned a successful gym but reached a point where I felt stuck and didn’t know how to scale it. I wanted to apply the same values—kindness, professionalism, and results—to something new that was more need-based and life-changing. Read More>>

Aleksandra Sheveleva

I began my professional career, as many do, by following in my family’s footsteps and becoming a lawyer. But after a few short years of feeling unfulfilled in the legal field, I realized my heart was more drawn to beauty and fashion. It was a difficult decision to make, but I knew deep down that I needed to pursue something that truly sparked my passion. Read More>>

Dr. Danita A. Crawford Dr. Shirley Sims

Honestly, it came from a place of both frustration and hope. After years of working in leadership roles across government, education, and nonprofit spaces, we kept seeing the same thing: incredibly smart, capable people feeling stuck, burned out, or overlooked. Not because they did not have what it takes, but because the environments they worked in were not built to support real growth or well being. Read More>>

Janet Wickers

My thought process behind starting my own business came from a place of both love and preparation. Life is uncertain—you never know what could happen five minutes from now. The idea that my husband could be the sole provider without a Plan B in place gave me anxiety. What if something happened? What if we faced loss, illness, divorce, or an economic downturn? I didn’t want to be left starting from zero like so many women I’ve seen—broken, shocked, and forced to rebuild while grieving. Read More>>

Larissa Werner

There really wasn’t much of a process behind it. It kind of just “happened” during the pandemic, as so many other amazing ideas and businesses did!

At the time, I didn’t have a full time job since I needed the availability to fulfill my internship to achieve my Master’s in Educational Leadership. Of course, little did I know all my big plans would come to a halt when schools closed. Read More>>

Dr. Kimberley “Kym” Johnson

I started my own business because I realised that there was a demand for management of skin conditions in persons with skin of color. I had just resigned from working six and a half years in government hospitals in internal medicine and Pulmonology, and decided to focus more on my personal health and wellness. Read More>>

Bianca Pierre

Honestly? I got tired of waiting for some “perfect” opportunity to magically appear—so I made my own. I wanted the freedom to work on projects I actually care about and to vibe with clients in a way that felt real. Once I realized I had a natural eye for photography and people were out here paying me for it? Yeah, game on. Read More>>

Wizard Bash

In a time of crisis, I wanted to meet the needs of others. I always knew I had to help others so I could grow and become the king. Read More>>

XERINAH VERA

My thought process behind starting my own business stemmed from a combination of passion, experience, and a desire to create memorable experiences for people. I’ve always enjoyed planning and organizing events—whether it was helping friends and family or coordinating school or community functions. Read More>>

Sthefany Azevedo

Paula’s passion has always gone beyond competing. From the very beginning, her heart was in coaching, guiding others, building confidence, and helping people unlock the strength they didn’t know they had. When we first met, that fire was already there. And over time, through shared vision, long hours, and a lot of heart, it started to evolve into something bigger. Read More>>

Carolina

Being an influencer was great. I loved connecting with my audience, but I still felt like I wasn’t really growing the community I was looking for. I wanted to do more in this world and help others. I have always struggled with mental health, and I thought that was going to be my life forever. I really saw no way out of it. Read More>>

Victor Johnson

The decision to start my own business was driven by a combination of personal ambition and a deep desire to make a positive impact. At the core, I wanted to create lasting financial wealth for myself and my family—building a legacy that would offer stability, freedom, and opportunity for future generations. Equally important was my passion for helping others. Read More>>