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.

Shana Benchetrit

I spent many years working for my father’s company, and while it was both challenging and rewarding, I felt a strong desire to embark on my own journey. Starting a business with my husband was an exciting opportunity to prove—to myself and others—that I could succeed independently and build something of my own. Read more>>

Kelley Marie Garcia

When I finished physical therapy school and passed my boards exam, I thought that is what I would be doing for the rest of my life. However, shortly following that, my dad was diagnosed with an unknown form of stage 4 cancer. Doctors say it was gallbladder cancer which operates similarly to pancreatic cancer. Two months following his diagnoses he passed away. Luckily my doctorate degree allowed me understand this a lot of his symptoms clearly showed that he had some sort of liver issue. Sure enough, he had two massive tumors in his liver. I say this because his doctors at the time, blew off his symptoms. He even ended up in the ER and urgent care before someone decided to run his labs and thus we found out about the cancer. That whole situation is what pushed me towards integrative health, functional lab analysis and nutrition therapy. I was determined to make sure that more people knew how to truly get to the root cause of their health issues. While my practice is all about foundational health, most of the cases I see have something to do with hormones. That can be PCOS, thyroid conditions, miscarriage, infertility, fatigue, weight gain, etc. I never had plans of starting my own business but the loss of my dad drove me to create something for his legacy. Read more>>

Martha Brust

The thought process behind starting my own business was like igniting a flame that had been burning in me since my early days in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There, I saw firsthand the transformative power that beauty care could have on the lives of those around me, and with each client I served, a dream took shape. Over the years, I built my skills and deepened my understanding of the impact I wanted to create. I didn’t just want to provide a service; I wanted to create a space of trust, care, and transformation, where every client felt valued and seen. Read more>>

Fulden Wernli

My business began from my own adventure through hormonal chaos and the frustration of conventional ‘solutions’ that seemed more like band-aids than real fixes. Growing up in Türkiye, I watched the women around me battle painful periods, acne, and mood swings—treating these struggles as ‘normal’. When I moved to the U.S., I was handed birth control like it was some magic cure-all, which—spoiler alert—only led to more issues. It wasn’t until I moved to Switzerland and started mirroring nature’s rhythms that I discovered the power of syncing with my own body. That’s when I finally found true relief and healing. Through this process, I realized that understanding our body’s language is the key to becoming our own health advocate as women. Unfortunately, even though we’re swimming in an ocean of health and wellness advice, much of it doesn’t align with our unique female biochemistry—leading to the reality that 80% of women experience PMS today. I was shocked to learn that I could prevent pregnancy naturally, live pain-free, and manage my hormonal cycle without synthetic hormones. And honestly? I got a little mad. How had I never been taught this about my own body? Living in sync with my cycle didn’t just heal my painful periods or my fear of unwanted pregnancies; it liberated me from the limiting belief that womanhood means suffering and allowed me to fully step into my feminine power. This was a game-changer, and I couldn’t keep it to myself—I wanted other women to experience this freedom, too! That’s why I created A State of Balance: to empower women to unlock their body’s unique language and finally ditch the monthly mystery. I believe every woman deserves a life free from cramps, acne, and all the other ‘fun’ surprises—a life where she feels confident, pain-free, and truly in sync with her body. Read more>>

Janie Desir | Entrepreneur: children’s book publishing- I’m an author who writes books specifically for blind/visually impaired and sighted children

What motivated me to start Teaching Your Baby In Braille were two personal reasons. First, I wanted to prepare my son for the future. When he reaches an age where the eye disease Keratoconus may develop, causing him to lose his sight, I want him to be ready and well-prepared. Second, I faced significant challenges in finding suitable materials to teach my son Braille, apart from what was available on the internet. Additionally, I wanted to form a special, bonding relationship with my son through this process, which has been incredibly rewarding. My mission is to inspire and empower visually impaired toddlers by providing fun, engaging, high-quality Braille books that foster a love of reading and learning from an early age. I am committed to creating inclusive, accessible educational resources that nurture imagination, support literacy development, and ensure every child, regardless of visual ability, has the opportunity to experience the joy of learning. Read more>>

Camila Romero | Entrepreneur & Growth Strategist

I’ve always had a strong desire to push myself professionally. I moved through different positions and companies, learning valuable lessons at each stage. However, there came a point when I felt I had reached the maximum I wanted in my current job. That’s when I decided I didn’t want to keep growing within a company; I wanted to be THE company. Read more>>

Gabriela Valladares | Hair Stlyist & Entrepreneur

When I first opened my salon suite, fear was my constant companion. But I reminded myself that every successful entrepreneur starts with uncertainty, and it’s in those moments of doubt that growth happens. I focused on my passion for beauty and the joy I find in making others feel confident, using that as my driving force. I realized that taking risks was part of the journey, and if I stayed true to my vision, success would follow. Slowly, my courage replaced the fear, and my dream began to take shape. Read more>>

Stephanie Salcedo | Jewelry Designer, Owner

The thought process behind starting my business what to start something I would eventually leave to my children. At first I initially thought it would be just a hobby, but the more I invested into OG Jewels the more I said I needed to make this a business and start building from the ground up. Right away I knew I wanted this to be a legitimate business with everything that was needed to officially brand, inspire, and run smoothly. I never thought that it would turn it what it has and how many people I’ve reached over the years. Read more>>

Luz Y Acosta-rahim | Event Designer & Stylist

Before coming to the US from the Dominican Republic, my passion for all forms of arts was a determinant factor for me to pursue a career in Architecture but in my second year I moved to the US and couldn’t continue that dream here. I instead went to school for Public Administration and Finance and grew a career from Human Resources to Mortgage Financing, however, although my mathematical self was happy, the artistic one was not. I needed an outlet for my creative side to thrive so I opened a business about 25 years ago, as an event planner. For the next 15 yrs I did both careers and event got to own a banquet hall, but 10 years ago, driving to a meeting with my oldest daughter, we got into a car accident that left me in a wheelchair for 3 months and forced me to sell the event planning business and work from home only in the mortgage industry! Fast forward to the COVID pandemic where I nearly died and was left with Post Covid Syndrome and to top it all off lost my job of 10 yrs. Talk about the rug being pulled from under your feet! Left physically and emotionally unable to go back to the mortgage industry right away and after much thought and prayers, I decided it was time to go back to what I love the most, understanding people visions for their social events and creating amazing event realities for them, which brought me to open my event planning business on 09/01/2022 under the new name of LA Event Styling! Read more>>

Fernando Gomez | Orthopedic Surgeon

My business began with my career in Venezuela, where I studied medicine and specialized in orthopedic surgery. I worked as an orthopedic surgeon for more than 10 years and with every year, I learned more about my patients, their conditions, and how to best treat them. As I became more familiar and skilled with my specialty, I began to notice that many of my patients also complained about joint pains or suffered from arthritis and related conditions. This is where the idea behind my research was born, out of my curiosity and desire to help improve my patients’ health and quality of life. In Venezuela, I kickstarted research based on patients with these pathologies with the goal of creating a medication that can help regenerate cartilage and slow down the process of aging joints. Throughout many years we studied the causes of joint-related conditions, the possible factors that influence their development and prognosis, and what components could help alleviate them. Read more>>

Alan Wieder | Television Producer and Cartoonist

I’m lucky to have my own tv production company and also a side-hustle as a visual artist. I make my own hours and don’t technically have a “boss.” But he truth is, as a businessperson you always have someone you’re answering to. I have clients, networks, and customers all with their own needs, whims, and demands, and I’d be quickly out of business if I didn’t deliver for them. All that said, I do get to sleep till 10 am every day, sit in minimal meetings, and sometimes say eff it and wrap my day at 2:30. Read more>>

Leidy Rengifo | Financial Professional

Starting my own business was driven by my passion to help immigrant families understand financial matters that often seem complicated. Many people think coming to America is only about making money, but it’s also about learning how to protect it, grow it, and take part in investment opportunities. It’s not just for the rich, everyone can and should have access to these tools for a secure future. My goal is to simplify these concepts so families can build a strong financial foundation and achieve their dreams. Read more>>

Desana Moses | Business owner, entrepreneur , social media, advertising, and marketing

I always had a passion for fashion and designing so once I was involved with the influencing and advertising, I decided to start my clothing line wholesale and make it an online business with my audience and followers, which was very successful to where now I’ve opened up a brick and mortar in the Washington DC area Read more>>

Daniella Vazquez | Registered Nurse

When I started Brains & Beautyrx, it was about carving out space for something that felt missing. as women in healthcare, stem, and the lgbt community, we’re often expected to shrink parts of ourselves to fit into spaces that weren’t made for us. but feminine energy is powerful. it’s healing, it’s creative, and it deserves to take up all the space. Read more>>

Xavier Walker | Model, Agent & Show Producer.

The thought process behind starting the Caribbean Fashion Collective (CFC) was driven by a desire to create a platform that celebrates diversity, nurtures creativity, and fosters collaboration within the fashion industry. I wanted to offer emerging designers, especially those with Caribbean roots or unique cultural perspectives, an opportunity to showcase their talents on a global stage. Read more>>

Spencer Chestnut Jr | Barber

Starting my own business was a decision that flowed from both necessity and inspiration. I had been working at a salon for a number of years, and while I truly enjoyed the work and the connections I made with clients, the limitations of my job began to weigh on me. One of the most frustrating aspects was the vacation policy—just five days off per year, and they had to be taken all at once. It felt stifling, knowing that my time off was so restricted, especially when I often had clients who needed flexible scheduling. Read more>>

Vitnelson Saint Fleur | Recording Artist

Launching a business was not a tedious aspect to launch all of my broad spectrum of ideas, further more , I started off with the combination of multiple people from graphic Designers/Filmmaker like Xavier Hurtado , Dave Ronny , Kelvin Vilcas, Elder LAHENS, Gianni Quintana. Read more>>

Amanda Carrasquillo | Mom|Founder|Ceo

Starting my own business stemmed from a mix of personal experiences, passion, and a clear need I saw in the community. For me, Let Leona Roar Inc. was born out of my journey as a mother to a medically complex child. Navigating the challenges of inclusion and accessibility firsthand ignited a desire to create a space where those values are not only discussed but actively supported. Read more>>

Shawn Jaipersaud | Entrepreneur & Analyst

When starting my photobooth business, I spent months researching and making sure that it was a good fit for me. I know that if I were to do something so closely attached to me that I am going to give it my all. The idea of making people smiles and creating memories to someone’s event ultimately made me decide that this is for me. Some events we do are such a special moment, milestone or a one in a lifetime type of event, being a part of that truly is a privilege. I can list dozens of other thoughts that went through my head when making this decision. However, none of them are as important as making a special day for someone’s event even more magical. I truly believe that having the ability to create memories and make people smile is one of the best jobs anyone can have. Read more>>

Dynalee Santos | Entrepreneur

Since I was a little girl I have always dreamed of being my own boss and creating something for myself. As I got older the dream and passion only continued to grow deeper within me. When I became a first time mother back in 2020, I found myself struggling to remember who I was outside of being a mother. Like most new mothers I was struggling with feeling like myself again and what that looked like exactly. That’s where the idea of creating a beauty business came from. I wanted to create a brand that helped everyone feel beautiful within their own skin no matter what that may look like. I decided within this last year that It was time for a change and a new perspective on my business. I had so many new ideas in mind and a whole different vision for where I wanted my business to go. So I decided to rebrand completely as well as relaunch my business as DynaaBeauty in June of 2024. Since then my business has thrived and given me so many opportunities. DynaaBeauty has put me into rooms I would have never imagined being in. I thank God everyday for giving me not only the dream but the faith to keep pushing everyday no matter the circumstances. Read more>>

Kamilah Van | Higher Education Administrator & Entrepreneur

My thought process for founding Kavanity Public Relations stem from my deep passion for storytelling and empowering others to shine in their unique brilliance. With a strong background in communication and higher education, I have seen firsthand how effective messaging can change lives. My goal is to help individuals, businesses, and organizations craft compelling narratives that reflect their values while connecting authentically with their audiences. Read more>>

Talita De La Rosa | Financial Strategist

My primary motivation for starting my own business as a life insurance agent was to make a positive impact on people’s lives. I wanted to help individuals and families secure their financial futures, especially during uncertain times. By offering living benefits life insurance and tax-free retirement plans, I believe I can give my clients peace of mind and help them plan for both the expected and unexpected events in life.” Read more>>

Carol Garcia | Travel Advisor and Life Coach

Starting my own business has always been a dream, but for the longest time, fear held me back. It wasn’t about wanting to be my own boss—I actually appreciated the structure and accountability of a traditional job. Clocking in, completing tasks, and leaving work behind at the end of the day was something I valued. But deep down, I’ve always been curious and driven by a desire to try new things. Growing up in Panama, I was constantly taking different classes because I loved learning. Staying still isn’t in my nature—my mind is always buzzing with ideas and plans. Read more>>

 Lurvin Valdez | Professional photographer

I think that starting my own business was a dream that I always wanted, I am a young, very creative and full of dreams and projects, as a result of my arrival in this country, I decided to undertake a long road towards my dreams, which has not been easy, it has been a road full of obstacles but with the love and support of the people I love and my friends little by little I have achieved it and now I am here starting my business with great faith that I will leave my mark, a positive mark and be a muse and inspiration for others. Read more>>

Kyng Cylus | Artist,Runway Model & Fashion Designer

“My journey into starting my own business was driven by my deep passion for fashion and music. I’ve always felt a strong connection with both industries, and the idea of creating a brand that could be showcased on the runway excited me. I wanted to merge my love for music and fashion to create something unique and impactful, allowing me to express my creativity and connect with others who share similar interests.” Read more>>

Judy Lopez | Photographer

The thought process behind starting my business was my children. I started photography in 2018 just as a side job and hobby but in 2020 I had just given birth to my second child, the pandemic had just started and I really just wanted to be with my kids. I wanted to be a present parent. Read more>>