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.

Vanessa Rivera | Chef y dueña de Two Spoons

Starting Two Spoons Peruvian Kitchen was an incredibly exciting journey. Our goal from the outset was to introduce a unique concept that broke away from the traditional Peruvian restaurant. Inspired by the rich tradition of Peruvian sandwiches, we decided to bring this unique culinary experience to Miami, tailoring it to fit the vibrant culture of Kendall. Read more>>

Troy Rand | Fitness and Nutrition Coach

I was not planning to start a business at all. I went to college as a full-time student for 11 straight years to earn a bachelors, masters, and a PhD in Biomechanics/Exercise Science. I had the intention of being a college professor and scientist. At the end of my academic career, I had circumstances that changed the course of my life. It started with my son being diagnosed with a rare bone disease. I discovered the world’s leading experts in his disease had a clinic in West Palm Beach. Read more>> 

Dorian Liriano | Life Coach and Mentor

From a young age, I knew I had an entrepreneurial spirit. My earliest memories of being an entrepreneur were buying merchandise and selling at a profit when I was in the 3rd grade! Remember Creepy Crawlers? A friend and I started selling single crawlers. When we picked up traction, we bought a machine to help us make our own merchandise, helping us lower our costs and increase our revenue. Using my mother and father as role models, my father always picked up on any side hustle that would make the family extra cash while my mother was a relentless negotiator. I still remember times when she’d be at our local bodega negotiating over the price of yucca! Read more>>

Brianna And Alexis Schwartz (brianna) And Schreiber (alexis) | Cofounders & Partners, Schwartz & Schreiber, PLLC

Our connection to music has always been profound, and early on, we knew that working in the industry was our calling. Entertainment law provided the unique opportunity to combine our love for music with the practice of law, allowing us to contribute meaningfully to the creative world. We decided to create Schwartz & Schreiber because we noticed a disconnect in how attorneys and clients typically worked together. We wanted to offer more than just legal services—we aim to build deep, ongoing partnerships with our clients, and embed ourselves as part of their team. Read more>>

Paul Abbott | Entrepreneur

I was born and raised in Ireland. I worked as a waiter during college in various restaurants around Dublin, but my first real job was a car salesman. I enjoyed the job, largely as it presented opportunities to drive the newest cars, but also the aspect of the job that involved problem solving with people as we went through the process of finding the right car at the right price. This led me to start my first business, Ireland’s first car broker business called Auto Consulting. Read more>>