The first step to starting a business is deciding to start a business. They say the first step is the hardest and in our experience this is especially true when it comes to starting a business. Getting over the mental roadblocks can be tough, often harder to overcome than the challenges you’ll face once you actually start the business. Fellow entrepreneurs share their thoughts below.

Taja’Symone Evans | Visual Artist/Designer

When I started my business/freelancing I was still attending university. I started out by doing photoshoots, etc. anything that I could possibly do that was creative. I then proceeded into designing flyers for campus organizations, parties, graduations, you name it. Soon I started being able to take my own commissions for freelance branding and logo design and everything went up from there! Read more>>

Allan Uviedo Mireles | Tennis coach

The main idea was to make room on the internet for female tennis players who, because they were not professional tennis players, were not mentioned much in the media. Read more>>

James Reina | Co-founder of Jibby Coffee

Alvaro and I both suffer from anxiety. So in a year filled with new stresses, our relationship with coffee got a little bit complicated. Jitters, anxiety, and insomnia are all exacerbated by overconsumption of caffeine—which frankly we’re all guilty of. So with our combined industry experience (I opened my first café in 2015 and Alvaro started out at Starbucks Spain), we felt like the right people to spearhead what we’ve dubbed the 4th-wave coffee movement—coffee with functional health additives to make your day a little better. Read more>>

Monique Searight | Founder/CEO of S.O.UL. Soul inspiration publishing, and author

My thought process was I want to help others. I grew up in and out of the hospital starting at age 7. I was diagnosed with glomerulonephritis which is a kidney disease. I lost complete kidney function at 11 years old. I have had numerous surgeries, about 30 or more. My mom donated one of her kidneys to me when I was 12. She’s been my biggest supporter. Read more>>

Brian Yodice | Chiropractor

I have always had a vision of owning my own practice. After working as an associate for about a year, I realized that was not where I wanted to be and felt I could improve the patient/client experience while providing the financial and lifestyle benefits I wanted. Owning my own business would allow me the freedom to make the decisions necessary to develop a patient centered practice and establish a quality of life supported by my business not controlled by it. Read more>>

Sarrah Gani | Photographer

I have always wanted to start/own my own business, and recently it became a possibility for our family. I have been photographing for years as a part time job, but wanted to work towards making it a sustainable business so I could have the job I have always wanted, while providing the flexibility my family needs. I have always wanted to make my own schedule and run a business exactly the way I dreamed for my clients! Read more>>

Charlene Sholes | Creative Curator & Teacher

Lettie’s Custom Prints was initially started to help my husbands business Royal Vines with the production of merchandising for his wine business. We had look into several different options but was very costly for a small business who was looking for a few items. I had started my own business to help my family, but also to explore my creative side. I have a Bachelors in Marketing and I have mostly worked on it to do events. I have always loved the idea of personalizing items to people’s individual personalities, and seeing their smiles when they open the gift. Read more>>

Bobby Walters | Professional Portrait Photographer

I always had a love for taking photos from a very young age. As from the boy scouts days, when i earned my photographers badge. Photos always capture and preserve a moment in time and i told my self i always wanted to take photos as long as i can. AS far as it goes with starting my business, i saw persons making money from this and told myself i can do this as well, on a professional level. So i bought my first DSLR camera the Nikon d3200 when i was in New York. Read more>>