Thinking through whether to start a business – whether to take the risk, whether to go out on your own – isn’t easy. So we asked some entrepreneurs we admire to tell us about how they thought through the process of starting a business.

Joanette Brookes-George, Ph.D.(c) | Principal Consultant & CEO

The thought process was rooted in personal experience, evolved through years of community engagement, and fueled by a commitment to a violence-free world. The journey of Unmute Yourself, Inc. began with a personal revelation, a seed planted 25 years ago when I opened up to my mentor about a childhood marred by violence. My mentor initially suggested that I write a book or create a student club around creating awareness on these topics; the idea was daunting. Two decades of entrepreneurial ventures and grassroots initiatives followed before the vibrant spring of 2023 saw Unmute Yourself, Inc. come to life. The organization symbolizes hope and transformation, breaking the silence on interpersonal violence. Guided by the principles of Awareness, Advocacy, Allyship, Activism, and Awakening, we stand against all forms of interpersonal violence. Read more>>

Melissa Jean | Freelance Graphic Designer & Brand Developer

First and foremost, Passion and Purpose! As a graphic designer, I’ve always been passionate about visual communication. I wanted to channel this passion into something meaningful. Starting my own business allowed me to align my skills with my purpose: helping businesses convey their messages effectively through design. Also solving problems played a role. Every business faces design challenges—whether it’s creating a compelling logo, designing a website, or developing marketing materials. I saw these challenges as opportunities. By starting my own business, I could directly address these problems and provide tailored solutions. Read more>>

Dustyn Shroff | Vice President / Insurance Agent at GreatFlorida Insurance

I should start this by clearly stating that I have had wonderful opportunities working for incredible organizations and leaders. From a very early age, and for as long as I can, remember, I have always had the entrepreneurial bug. At the age of 10 years old, I was riding my bike around the neighborhood, offering to wash neighbors cars and would accept any dollar amount they deemed adequate for The work I had done, once completed. By the age of 13, I was a verified seller on eBay, selling all of the unused and unopened gifts stored around my parents house. I have memories of asking my parents to drive me to the post office to drop off packages to buyers across the country. Read more>>

CapiShe Productions | Indie Filmmakers

Shelley is an actor and went to New York to pursue acting, but the opportunities for black actresses were far and few in between, especially at the level she was at. Tanya has always been a creative person, from drawing Care Bears to different fonts and writing poetry growing up, so as an adult she was looking for a creative outlet. At the time, web series on YouTube were a thing, and so we decided to create opportunities for other people like us. We started off writing a web series for ourselves, so that Shelley could beef up her acting reel and the love for filmmaking began. Humble begins. Read more>>

Yas Gonzalez | Cuban American Fashion Designer

Starting my own business was a decision deeply rooted in my passion and belief in the power of pursuing one’s dreams. It was a journey that required self-confidence, determination, and a willingness to take risks. My thought process behind this venture was a blend of unwavering self-assurance and a desire to inspire others to follow their own dreams. First and foremost, I had a strong belief in my vision and the value that my business idea could bring to the world. I knew that success wouldn’t come overnight, and there would be challenges along the way, but my unwavering faith in my idea kept me going. I understood that every great achievement starts with a single step, and I was willing to take that step, no matter how daunting it might seem at the outset. Read more>>

Gilda Burke | Founder of Scratch Baking Company

Well, I actually didn’t have a specific thought process about starting a business. I had thought about being an entrepreneur now and then but I never had a definitive business idea until the day it just came to me. I always say it was divine intervention. I never had any desire to cook or bake and, as a matter of fact, I only ever baked boxed mixes on the rare occasion that I found myself in the kitchen. Ofcourse, now a days, I only from Scratch. Hence, Scratch Baking Company. My “divine intervention” came when I was home on a short leave from my job because my children had gotten sick at daycare. In between caring for them and them napping, I had a thought just pop into my head, ‘I need to bake from scratch!’. Read more>>

David Barkoe | CEO/Founder/Chief Dancing Monkey

I moved to Miami in 2013 for a change of pace. I got a job at a local PR firm and during that time, had met some of the early OGs of the Miami startup community. Having moved from NYC and its bustling tech scene, I was intrigued and realized there was no PR firm focused on startups and tech that could support this ecosystem. So, I went to my boss at the time and said “Hey, we should get involved in this and find some clients and I’ll lead the effort.” Boss said no, forget about it, waste of time and money, don’t bother me get out of my office. At the same time, I wasn’t very happy at my job. I felt like I was boxed in, so when he said “no,” I said “yes.” Read more>>

Eryka Parker | Book Coach & Award-Winning Developmental Editor

I began working in the publishing industry 16 years ago because when I started my career, there wasn’t much diversity in publishing. Going even further back to my childhood, I didn’t see little girls who looked like me on the covers of children or YA books. The only Main Character Energy I felt was from white people and although I loved the stories all the same, it didn’t impact me quite as much as my peers. I wanted to change that so my children would feel a deeper connection to books and develop the same love of literature that I have. Read more>>

Taylor Sappington | Integrative Health practitioner

The help I needed as a patient wasn’t available through the allopathic model to which I exhausted when I was at my sickest point. I wanted to not only be seen but treated as a person with real pain. Given the gross lack of understanding by most physicians of the complex nature as to the war taking place inside of me I was often tossed to the side with treatments that attempted to placate my pain vs. understanding it. The oversight of emotions both past and present was a glaring and gaping hole in the care (if that is what we want to call it) I recevied as well. I was relentless in seeking out the appropriate support to carry myself through this experience and vowed if I made it to the other side I would make it my mission to create a space where people could come to put their armor down. Read more>>

Crissy | Mobile Bartender| Mixology Instructor

I knew I always wanted to start my own business; however it took awhile to find my creative niche. Before starting my own business, it was during the pandemic so I was listening to YouTube channels and podcasts which really helped and motivated me. So in closing, it was really finding my creative niche was my first thought process. Read more>>

Donovan Watkis | 3x Author, Speaker, Founder/ Owner Of World Music Views®

I wanted to change the entertainment business and make an impact of my culture. Specifically putting Reggae and Dancehall on the map in the way it is measured and consumed worldwide. Read more>>