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.

Isabel Sasso | Owner and Founder of LaBella Moda Bikinis

I started LaBella Moda Bikinis for the reason most people start a business. They see a lack in an industry. Bikinis have always been an important part of my wardrobe growing up in South Florida. Read more>>

Luring Lady | Freelance entrepreneur

My reason for becoming an entrepreneur derives from the fact that I’m just not suited to work in the corporate world. I have a severe sleeping disorder as well as psychological issues which includes depression, therefor I am never a good fit when I try to work a job. Read more>>

Liubov Belousova | CEO & Founder of the BOCCARA ART Galleries

At eighteen years old, I was often asked: “What is it like to start a career in such a difficult field as contemporary art? Especially being such a young woman.” It was not easy to manage my own gallery, but it also felt predetermined by fate. Read more>>

Alex Musicci | Fashion Designer & Musician

Starting a business came so natural being that my late father had a clothing brand while I was growing. A small brand geared towards dress shirts for working Men and variety of unisex T-shirts for youths. Read more>>

Felipe Carvajal | Journalist, TV host and producer for Conexion Miami

I think it is very important to create your own business, since that generates in the long term an economic independence that is always necessary. It also empowers you and makes you believe more in yourself since it is your own project. Read more>>

Jeffrey Azan | Business Consultant, International Transformational Speaker, Author, Distinguished Toastmaster and Martial Artist

Starting my business was the destination that a path of life changes led me to. At 17 it came to light that my dad was having an affair. That affair eventually did irreparable damage to his marriage, to his business and ultimately to the family. Read more>>

Nyiko Rikhotso | CEO | Marketing Director

I am a born entrepreneur my success in life has been through entrepreneurship such as running a successful fleet of Uber cars ,Advertising agency JMI marketing group,I believe in Cash flow businesses because you can easily scale them for long term. Read more>>

 Kristine Zwick | Artist & Fashion Designer

I didn’t set out to create a brand or business. Creating art was therapeutic for me. I found myself using art as a way to cope with my diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Read more>>

Danny Eisenshtat | Brand Specialist & Graphic Designer

Back in 2021, I participated in a personal development program titled “An Invented Life – My Life, My Design” through Landmark Worldwide. Read more>>

Kellie Daher | I Assist Legends!

Over the course of my career, I had the opportunity to assist some amazing, high-profile people and worked for the companies they owned. Read more>>

Kristen Stewart | Founder, CEO of Sawse Bawse & Jewse Bawse

Interestingly enough, I actually avoided starting this Sawse business for as long as I could have. It wasn’t until the orders started coming in regardless of if I was running a sale or not. At that moment is when I realized that there was a legitimate demand for my products. Read more>>

Mariah Althoff | Graphic Design and Freelance Mentor

Although I always had dreams of going freelance “someday” I ended up starting my freelance journey much earlier than anticipated after I was laid off from my job. Read more>>

Chrissy Williams | Certified Dubsado Specialist & Operations Manager

I was terminated from my job in April of 2020 due to the covid-19 outbreak. At that time, I was operating my business support agency on a part-time basis but I eventually decided to go into full-time operations a few days after my termination. Read more>>

Khali Ekks | Founder & Imagineer

To create a collection of the coolest ganja gear >>> an ensemble irie enough to represent Brand Jamaica and to take this brand across Jamaica, the Caribbean and ‘to de world!’ Read more>>

Jakeva Thompson | Creative director, Stylist, sneaker enthusiast and Visual merchandising manager

As I entered into college I started to really come fine-tune with my creative side. Growing up I really didnt hear alot about creative outlets and fields in my generation (millenials), so after immersing yourself into different friends groups and just experiencing the things you do in college I became super interested in wardrobe styling, from there it transpired into creative direction and other styling avenues like: food, prop and the like. Read more>>

JOSE LUIS DE LA PAZ | Guitarist, Composer and Producer

What was your thought process behind starting your own business? My father gave me a guitar to play when I was just over 4 months old. Since then my life has always been somehow related to the guitar. Nowadays and for quite some time now, I could not consider unlinking my life from the guitar. She is my companion, my friend and she is the voice from which I can express my vision of life, of people, and of the world. Read more>>

Desiree Patterson | Owner of Honey Kissed Studio & Spray Tan Artist

I really chose to become a business owner becuse I wanted to have more time with my son. I didn’t want to miss out on anything he had going on so I knew I had to be able to make my own hours. Read more>>

Tereka Rowe | Owner of Erotica

When I decided to start my very own business I thought long and hard as to what that line of business will be. I went through a process of elimination of things I find enjoyable for me that can be very lucrative. Read more>>

Scharad Lightbourne | Portrait Photographer

I had worked in corporate for almost 3 years but I was beginning to feel stuck as a creative. I wanted to try new ideas, explore new concepts and experiment with things that Id find inspiring. After I reached a stalemate with my job, I knew I had to venture out into the creative field on my own. Read more>>

Yisbel Bera Damiron | Realtor, Founder, Team Leader, John Maxwell certified Speaker, Mentor & Teacher

No having the enough finance and the guidance. I literally started my business with credit cards. Read more>>

Rishielle Giscombe | Founder/CEO of glamo

My thought process behind starting Glamo was to help people that was in need by creating a convenient way for them to get a services done. In 2016 I started providing beauty on demand services for elderlies with the intention of helping them save time and help with building their confidence at the same time. Read more>>

Anthony Diaz | Musical Artist

When it’s comes to starting my own Record Label (Music Created Society) it began with drive and independence. I satisfy myself by being the leader of growing a strong efficient team. Read more>>

 Kevin Cruz | Alcohol Beverage Attorney & Jensen’s Liquors General Counsel

The business was started by my grandfather, Vicente Cruz, when he purchased Jensen’s Liquors in 1978. In the late 1980s, my father, Eddie Cruz purchased a second location. Read more>>

Caitlin Wyman | Freelance Hair and Makeup Artist

I left my corporate job to pursue a career in makeup artistry 6.5 years ago. My prior career was in fashion, but it lacked the creativity which I loved and I hated sitting behind a desk crunching numbers. Read more>>

Lupe Lawrence | Artist

I was working in a job that was immensely stressful, I would come home and be in tears. I was already selling my art on the side and making money. One day I saw a program on t.v. of a woman that had left her job and had started a business. Read more>>

Patrick Masucci | Founder & CEO, Destino Farms & Canna Ocho

I think there has been less of a thought process and more of a feeling process behind wanting to own my own business. Read more>>

Rikki-lee | Ziji The Label Creative Director

Ziji emerged after I experienced my first Rainbow Serpent Festival in Melbourne. I was both awe-struck and inspired by this adult playground of radical expression and deep human connection. I was soon attending any ‘bush doof’ I could get to and creating costumes with any and every leopard print item I could get my paws on. Read more>>

Chakita Hargrove | Therapist, Administrative Strategist, and Publisher

I didn’t know that I would be starting my own business; as I child, I wanted to be an orthodontist. I knew that I was pretty good at writing and organizing, but I didn’t think that either would become businesses. Read more>>

Jheanelle Bailey | Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

In starting my own business, I wanted it to be something that I was passionate about. I’ve been in the medical field for over ten years treating patients with cancer, so I wanted to switch it up a bit and help people with more preventative measures. Read more>>

LUISA DOMINGUEZ | Online Strength & Macro Coach

I started my business with GROWTH in mind. GROWTH of myself as a person and GROWTH for others I would encounter in their fitness & health journey. I knew it was not going to be easy BUT I have overcome many obstacles in my personal life that truly push me toward a need to heal through the process of Surrender Fitness, LLC. Read more>>

Beatrice Rose Glover | Creative Designer & Seamstress

I have always had a love and passion for creating, however, that didn’t feel like my life purpose. I started B. Read more>>

Gina Geiler l Certified Wedding Planner

I was a venue coordinator working on a boat coordinating & executing events and when that job ended I moved on to corporate planning. While I was corporate planning I was itching to do weddings again, so I created a website, came up with a name and slowly started marketing myself to clients for weddings! I love weddings and talk about weddings any chance I get. Read more>>

Choumika JeanPierre | Skin and Hair Care

When I first thought about starting my own business I was a bit frightened of the idea. I have never been the type of person to put myself out there or be the center of attention. Read more>>