Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, we think you’ll enjoy reading about how these seasoned entrepreneurs thought about the question when they were in your shoes.

Seann Alexander | Business Intelligence Analyst

As a data analyst, I have seen how data is used by large companies to increase their market share. In 2020, we saw first hand the importance understanding how to leverage this data to engage with your target audience and pivot when needed. Many organizations are struggling to turn viewers into leads. Read more>>

Aadish Kachhal | CEO of Educational Nonprofit & Student in South Florida

My parents and I first immigrated to the United States a few months after I was born. Alongside the obvious cultural barriers we had to overcome to assimilate into American society, I struggled to acclimate to the US education system. Thankfully, by reaching out to my peers, teachers, and administrators. I was prepared to enter my high school years. However, I knew many students could not say the same. Read more>>

Sequoia South | Pop Country Harmony Trio based out of Nashville, TN

When we realized we wanted to be a band, the first thing the three of us did was schedule a business meeting. This gave us the opportunity to sit down and share our vision and goals for the band, and to make sure we were really all on the same page moving forward. Most importantly, we established our mission statement at that meeting: To spread joy and foster community by connecting authentically through music, live shows and online content creation one person at a time. About 8 months in, we decided we were ready to form an LLC. We realized that as we started taking bigger and bigger shows, and really digging into our branding and merch, we needed to make sure our finances were all in line. Starting our business was the right move when we realized it would further facilitate our mission statement. Read more>>

Paola Soto | Master Celebrity Stylist, Events Director & Business Developer

Oh, it was all about my love for organic stuff and wanting to make beauty something everyone can feel good about. Traveling around, from the hustle of New York to the chill vibes of Stockholm, I saw how people are into natural products after learning about them, but didn’t really have a lot of choices. I still have pregnant clients who think they can’t dye her hair! Well, if you’re using clean and organic products, why not? The more I explored the world and the more I worked in this industry, the more I felt the need to go with all organic products! That got me thinking. Read more>>

Stephanie Hardie | Herbal Medicine Practitioner & Holistic Health Coach

Gate and Garden started incredibly grassroots! I began as an herbalist first, not an entrepreneur, so before I ever even had a thought about operating a business, I was already making remedies for friends and family members. As an avid gardener, I often had an abundance of herbs to tinker with, which is where my love for herbalism began. As I made more remedies, and word of mouth grew interest in what I do, Gate & Garden was born as a legitimate business. The roots of my work as a clinical herbal medicine practitioner, holistic health coach, & herbal product maker started as and will always remain in the interest of helping others heal with respect, choice, & autonomy. That is what drives every session I hold, every tincture I make, and beyond! Read more>>

Temitayo Oluyege | Fashion Entrepreneur & Development Advocate

Fashion has always been a core passion of mine. This entrepreneurial spirit, fostered by my parents’ small business ventures, fueled my drive to pursue my creative fashion design skills, eventually morphing into a whole business helping Nigerians all over the world look ,feel and be their best selves through fashion. Read more>>

Yamileth Garcia | Journalist, marketing executive and owner of Kokedamas by Yamileka

Kokedamas by Yamileka started as a hobby during the covid-19 pandemic. After practicing the technique with most of the plants in my home, curiosity reached my group of friends who, little by little, began to ask if I would be willing to sell them. “They are a very unique and original gift” they said. Little by little, the homemade sale gave way to a stall in the municipal market close to home and now we are starting with virtual courses and creating special packages for birthday-style celebrations, etc. It has been a slow but very enriching path to start this kokes mini business. Read more>>

Rosalia Quintana | Student, Spiritual Teacher, Author & Poet

My thought process was to create a business that was aligned with my soul plan, mission, and purpose on this earth. More over that would make a positive impact in the world, leave an imprint on my parathesis in eternity that was with love, from love and for love. By empowering others to become active co-creators and collaborators of change in our collective reality by reminding them to go within to alchemize their life and therefore the world. Of course it wasn’t always like this but once I got very clear that was the thought process behind it. Read more>>

Maxine (DrMax) Ruddock, PhD | Clinical Psychologist & Personal/Professional Coach

Growing up on the Island of Jamaica I saw so many talented women fail to reach their potential due to a lack of opportunities (ex- education and finances). I would see these strong, determined women eventually become shells of their selves as they depended on relationships, often time quite abusive in nature, to survive. Even under these circumstances these women would “hustle” or “try a ting.” as they worked from sunup until sundown to take care of their children and maintain some semblance of independence. Even without structured education these women would skillfully manage small “shops” or stalls, traveling many miles to buy goods and produce to sell to the people in their communities. At times they “ran pardnas or sousou” serving as their own community bankers as they corporately worked to purchase things they could not regularly afford. Again this was a hard ife and eventually the dreams would fade and they would settle for doing anything to ensure that their children “got a good education” thus transferring their hopes and dreams to their children for safe keeping. Unfortunately this often meant that the children had to migrate from the Island, creating a whole other set of issues. As I observed this trend, I was determined that this would not be me, so at seven years old I determined that I would earn a PHD and run my own business. Read more>>

Noelle C. | Hair stylist, etc.

My thought process was to be my own boss. I’ve always strived to go beyond the limits in all the work that I do, whether it’s hair, crochet or just about anything. I just love giving exceptional customer service. I love when my clients give me an idea of what they want and I can bring the idea to life. Just by seeing the looks on their face once I’m done gives me joy beyond measures. Read more>>

 Catiana Altidor | Entrepreneur, Speaker & Coach

Truth be told, I never thought I could actually own a business. I would daydream about it but I never thought I could actually take the initiative to start it. Starting a business felt too BIG for me. Gripped with self doubt and fear, I had a problem believing in myself due to past failures in my life. Then, in 2021, I found myself at rock bottom. At this point in my life I made the decision to leave my then abusive marriage and walk away from the life I was accustomed to. Once I left, I had to move back in to my parents’ home and start my life over from scratch. In that place, I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ and began to have dreams and visions of seeing myself speaking on stages. I thought it was odd because I was someone who had so much anxiety about public speaking, yet I was excited to start because it gave me a sense of purpose since the life I once known up until that point was torn to shreds. I knew I had a powerful story that needed to be shared with other women, I just didn’t know how it would be done. In that broken place my purpose was revealed to me. In that broken place, I took the initiate to start a speaking and coaching business. I didn’t know the strength I had until the strength I had was all I had. Read more>>

josefina barreix | artist

My process is very much crossed by survival, at the moment, I do not live only from my art, and all my deliveries have a share of stress and release. Which is why it makes them very noisy and explosive. Read more>>