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.

Jennifer Convissor, LCSW | Holistic Psychotherapist

Before I was a social worker, I was a Reiki Master. This was back in the late 90’s and although I made it to being Reiki practitioner for a prestigious gym and spa in a posh neighborhood, my practice never gained enough traction for me to support myself. In my Reiki practice, I also taught my clients how to journal for mental health, a practice I’d been doing since I was 12. Read more>>

Jorge Trinchet | Photographer/Videogra

In all honesty, my last job was at Target and after being treated like just another number I realized it was time to find a change in my life. I was spending 9-12 hours a day stacking the same aisles day in and day out from 6am-4pm. One day my girlfriend saw my work and said “Why don’t you just start your own business and see where life takes you? You’re really good at what you do might as well explore it.” Read more>>

Patricia Beitler | Passionate Marketing Entrepreneur

My initial thought process behind creating Velocitas was based on a long term vision of how I can make a difference in people’s lives. Most importantly, by providing opportunities for women to mentor, growing together as part of a team that helps businesses build a strong brand that is elevated to a global level.
Over the years, I have seen my vision come to life, and I strive to continue to grow both personally and professionally as we fully appreciate the change we are making for our clients’ entities. Read more>>

LV Jay | Music Artist

My thought process in starting my own business was to do something I enjoy doing and make money so I won’t have to work a 9 to 5. So I created my label “JustBecause” off the muscle. Just Because my friends and I all have talents within music and I thought to myself why not make a label so we all could put our minds together and become successful together. Read more>>

Nell & Lori Sharabani | Co-Founders of The Sunflower Boutique Store

After being a slave to the typical 9-5 work week, we realized we were living for the weekends. In addition, we felt like our weekends were being cut short because Sundays were full of anxiety knowing Monday was around the corner. We wanted to make a change in our lives that would allow us to still work and support ourselves having more flexibility throughout our work week. Read more>>

Sabrina Castillo | Life & Leadership Coach

Starting my own business is something that I thought about and thought about, until I finally realized overthinking creates barriers and challenges and lost time.The process became clear when I got clear with the following: How do I want to spend my time?How do I want to contribute to my community? What are my core values? Read more>>

Kristia Franklin | Fashion merchandiser and content creator

Starting my own business was like second nature for me. I grew up seeing both my parents as entrepreneurs and I was raised to think that anything I wanted I could get if I worked for it. Without even knowing it I started my own business because I would want little things and my mother taught me the concept of buying and selling, making a profit and using that profit to buy what I wanted to buy. I did just that and started to use my profits to buy more things to see back, I started this from the age of 9. Read more>>

Kassandra M. Shakes | Mother, Wife, Creative, and Lover of Christ

The thought behind the birth of my own business came ironically after birthing my last baby in 2019. I’ve had kids before, 2 to be exact, but nothing about my last child was the same. My mindset was different, my intentions was different, its as if this journey was new and never walked before and it just brought a newness to my life that I didn’t know I needed until I walked through the journey of carrying baby #3. Read more>>

Jacqueline (Jack) Perez | Founder of Kuel Life & Ageism Buster

This is a great question and I bet my answer is a fairly common one. I began Kuel Life in response to a personal need, MINE. In my early 50s, I began to notice my own disappearance. It was wild and, frankly, unacceptable. I kid you not, when I say I literally could go out in my pajamas and no one would notice. I have never played small, or taken a back seat. I wasn’t going to start now. Read more>>

Kristie Hartsfield | Teacher, Founder Kristiletto’s Closet Foundation Inc., and Owner of Kristiletto Shoetique

The thought process behind starting Kristilettos Closet Foundation Inc. was when I came to a point where I realized we all have something to give that can help or serve others. As I self reflected, I asked myself the question how am I loving my neighbor, how am I showing love, how am I serving others. And then the question became what can I give and how can I gift. Read more>>

Briana Medard | Business Consultant and Owner of U Go! Entrepreneur

I decided to start my own business because I was in college studying business with a specialization in entrepreneurship. I loved what I was studying and started brainstorming ways I could start something of my own. After a few days or researching various small business needs, combined with the love I had for my marketing class, I decided that I wanted to do social media marketing and websites for small businesses. Having a business of my own would allow me to make some extra money, help out my mom and I had hoped it would feed my desire to have a life of freedom and independence. Read more>>

Annabelle Larancul | Event Planning & Design / Content Creator

Family is everything to me and also my inspiration. My passion for celebrating occasions all started as a child. Growing up in such a huge family, a party was never to far away. The sound of laughter in the air, and the smiles on everyone’s face was a joy I always wanted to share with others and their family. As planner and event stylist, I am able to share these precious life moments with you. Read more>>