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.

Shonae Smith | aka ” Sho Sho”

I encourage any one who has a skill to start their own business . Will Smith said ” If you can’t beat the fear , just do it scared!” Read more>>

Melissa Brown | Stationary Creator & Life Enthusiast

Prior to starting my own business, I was in a season where I was embracing alone time like never before. I’ve discovered the importance of self-care, picked up a few hobbies, and most importantly strengthened my walk with God. One of my hobbies and self-care methods consisted of writing. Because I was grad school, writing from research was already a huge part of my life, but there was something special about jotting down goals, expressing myself, and pouring my heart out on paper. As time passed, my values behind writing intensified. Some call it manifesting or speaking into existence, some may refer to the scripture Habakkuk 2:2: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. No matter which way it goes, there is an undeniable power in writing. Read more>>

Kingnyne | CEO of Royal Houze Studios

Freedom. The freedom to dream as big as I want, create whatever I want, do whatever I want, Innovate, motivate, and provide a platform for creatives of all types to breathe life into visions they’ve only been able to share within the confines of their own imaginations. Royal Houze Studios is an innovative production company dedicated to manifesting everyone’s creative dreams into captivating visual masterpieces. For years I found myself hitting roadblocks in the entertainment industry because someone else couldn’t see what I saw when I closed my eyes and dreamed. They didn’t want, and they didn’t have too…that was my responsibility! Then after years of relying on the resources and capabilities of others. I’ve finally been blessed with a team of like-minded individuals who see what I see and believe in my dream…our dream. Read more>>

Olivia Meyer | Founder of Banniere

My company, Banniere, works with local artists in different towns and cities around the world to collaborate on a design for silk scarves. I wanted to combine my knowledge and love for Fashion, Art, and Travel into wearable art. These pieces are sentimental memories that resonate with the culture of each location. Whether it be the tiled vias in Palm Beach, the colorful houses of Charleston, the never ending dunes and beaches of the Hamptons, the buzzing streets and city lights of Manhattan, the colorful hydrangeas of Nantucket, the playful cafe life in Paris, or the classic view of the port on the sea in Porto Ercole, Italy, these cultures and memories are painted by each artist in a way that is very unique. Read more>>

Dave Bricker | Speaker, Presentation Coach, and Business Storyteller

I’ve always been a bit of a Jack of All Trades—writing, speaking, code, design, music. I started a graphics and web company back in 1995 but I outgrew that category. In January of 2018, I started Remarkable Stories, Inc. Instead of worrying about what skills I offer, I help leaders and organizations tell their stories in more engaging ways. Sometimes that means coaching speakers. Sometimes that means editing a book. The WHAT—the medium—doesn’t really matter. The outcome for clients is messages that connect, engage, and succeed. Read more>>

Mabel C Gonzalez | Creator

I did not intentionally plan this – it sort of happened! I’ve always been really interested in being a sort of catalyst for people and their path to self-healing and played with different ideas on how I could do that, then BOOM! … it happened. Read more>>

Valerie Herskowitz | Founder

I started my own business in 2013 in order to have an activity to keep my then 22-year-old son with autism purposefully occupied. I really didn’t look at it as an eventual bricks and mortar endeavor as I started it out of my home, but things grew in terms of participants, employees, and business so that in 2016, we ended up opening our own store and manufacturing facility. Read more>>

Brian Dooreck, MD | Executive Director | gethiredmiami | 100% FREE Resumes

Gethiredmiami. 100% FREE Resumes. The story began over a weekend in 2015. Let me share my expertise and unique perspective on embracing FREE cloud-based technology with the goal of improving lives through employment. gethiredmiami is a 💯% FREE resource and tool being offered to select organizations and their members that have the desire to become gainfully employed. Our goal ― improving lives through employment.™ Nothing more. Being a parent of teenagers, I realized the need to show a model of giving back ― not only the focus on building one’s own business or attempts to obtain tangible, material wealth… especially here in Miami. Read more>>

Amanda Rodriguez | Dog Lover, Seamstress & Chiropractor

Since I am a little girl I feel like I always had that itch of becoming an entrepreneur. I was in a continuous search of businesses. Every other year I came up to my parents and ask permission to do this or that- baby sitting, baking, selling women cosmetics and/or products, walking dogs, I even learned how to make jewelry to sell at some point. This time around, my inspiration with The Loving Dog bow tie business was our rescued girl Georgia, my lifelong love for dogs and my on going spirits to become an entrepreneur. Read more>>

Nirlande Battist | Florida Licensed Nail Technician

Having my own honestly. I’ve worked in the mortgage industry in some capacity most of my adult life, and it hasn’t always been the most dependable. Having been laid off before this started as a backup plan that has turned into something I genuinely love and am passionate about. I strive daily to find ways to make it better and to be better and to help others be better as well. Read more>>

Dr. Jason Alviene | Chiropractor Focusing on Structural Correction

I believe that every human has the right to use their body they way they see fit. This is a concept that is not seen in the health and wellness field on a regular basis. People want to be able to do what they want with their body, from wearing high heels to playing a round of golf. There are stresses to the human structure that no matter how we choose to use our body. I use chiropractic and focus on structural correction to allow people to keep doing what they want for years to come. Read more>>

Andy Cagnetta | Owner of a Business Brokerage Franchise

I stated a business out of necessity. When I graduated from Lehigh University it was late summer as my less than stellar education path led to needing to stick around for summer school. Combine that with the economy being soft led me to not being very employable. So with the help of my cousin John I started a cell phone business. It was barely economically successful, but I learned a ton of lessons that I continued to apply as I continued my entrepreneurial career. I have started a few businesses (selling guitars, cell phones, business plan writing) and purchased several others (pasta shop, business brokerages) But buying a business has been way more fruitful for me. Read more>>