Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Devon Stewart | DJ/Producer & Human Swiss Army Knife

The main reason my friends and I started our business was to form a support system for each other. We were living and working together in New York City in 2011. I was fresh out of college and wanted to establish myself in the scene. I started a weekly party on Tuesdays in Williamsburg called Push. I did a few parties with some other friends and NYC artists that I had looked up to and respected. Unfortunately that didn’t last long but I learned a lot of valuable lessons. Mainly that people are really wrapped up in themselves and that it’s really hard to get other people to care, especially in a city as large as New York. So a few months go by and my friends and I continue to do our own things, trying to find our places in the world.  Read more>>

Kate Assaraf | Founder & Chief Detangler

I’ve always heard that when something becomes and unscratchable itch, that is when it is time to start a business. For me, the problem I wanted so desperately to solve was making really great haircare plastic free. There were other bars on the market but they were never a substitute for the brands I loved like Oribe, Kerastase or Pureology. I built Dip to satisfy the needs of high end hair care enthusiasts who didn’t want to sacrifice their routine. I took about a thousand showers with 40+ iterations of Dip during development and when it was finally ready I knew it was time to launch and see if I could convince others to try it too. Read more>>

Anna Jane Davis | Founder & Creative Director of ROY G.

I had been selling my tie dye one-off vintage tees for a couple of years and then the pandemic hit. A few months in I was feeling pretty drab and really yearning for things to wear that felt comfortable, but also vibrant and chic. I couldn’t find any loungewear in the market that fit the bill — everything was either too expensive, or polyester or boring. So, I created exactly what I wanted! Read more>>

Melissa Stephenson | RN, Owner

After working as a nurse for the last 8+ years, I was finding that healthcare was evolving in a way that didn’t align with my values. Aesthetic nursing was always a big dream of mine, but one that I didn’t see as a possibility due to circumstances. I made the shift to Aesthetic nursing during covid when I was let go from the hospital and I dove right in to learning the ropes. Having spent some time in the industry, I saw certain gaps that I knew I wanted to fulfill. I wanted to create a space that bridged the gap that exists between healthcare and wellness as well as create an environment that was fun, light and luxurious. Before I knew it a series of doors opened up and the opportunities arose for me to be able to get the business going and I haven’t looked back.  Read more>>

Jillian D. Flagler | Business Management Consultant & Realtor

I was actually encouraged by several friends and family members to start my business because I had been helping them for years to open their businesses, create websites, get all their technology set up, build business credit, build efficient processes for their day-to-day operations, and whatever else they needed. I would notice a need someone had and just offer the help because I knew how to do it. Read more>>

Javier Rojas | Rare plant enthusiast

The thought process behind starting our own business was that beautiful, rare plants will bring smiles to families across the USA. Growing up in Colombia we used to grow most of the vegetables and fruit that we ate. Growing our own plants gave us a connection to nature and formed our love of growing plants. Our business focuses on rare, colorful, and collector plants. We sell some of the most unique and rare plants on the planet. Read more>>

Jesus Dobbins | Model & Inventor of Selfie Band

From a young age, I fostered a deep aspiration to become a business owner, and my unwavering passion for entrepreneurship has remained constant throughout my life. Even during my middle school years, I would eagerly come home from school and immerse myself in episodes of Shark Tank, igniting my entrepreneurial spirit. In 2020, circumstances took an unexpected turn when the modeling industry, came to an abrupt halt. As the world faced widespread lockdowns, I found myself with an abundance of free time at my disposal. It was during this pivotal moment that a groundbreaking idea materialized within me—an innovation that would redefine the way people capture selfies. Freshly graduated from college, the timing felt serendipitous, presenting an ideal juncture to embark on a transformative journey. Thus, the conception of Selfie Band, my brainchild, came to fruition—a testament to my entrepreneurial drive and the belief in the untapped potential of my invention. Read more>>

Emily Schneider | Owner of Good Vibakery

I have always deeply loved baking and find joy in creating delicious treats more so because of the feeling of creating a celebration out of anything, it didn’t have to be a birthday, anniversary, or big achievement. I started Good Vibakery to help create that feeling for others who wanted to enjoy a baked good for ANY and EVERY occasion. When I started my business I knew I had to differentiate from the typical treats sold at grocery stores, which is why I offer an orange olive oil cake, matcha sugar cookies, date cake, and other creations. From sharing baked goods with friends and family to starting a home bakery, my goal is to bring good vibes through enjoying my baked goods. Read more>>

Phil & Cait Giordano | South Florida Designer Woodshop

Before my partner and I met each other, we had both worked many years in the service industry as employees from entry-level to management and higher. However, by the time we had met, we knew our lives would be better, healthier even, if we chose a career that didn’t require so much of ourselves that we couldn’t spend time with the ones we loved, or spend it the way we wanted to. We explored the healthcare industry and realized that our happiness and freedom was significantly important to our longevity and our definition of success. With the combined knowledge, experiences, and tenacity to create better, more efficient work environments, we dared ourselves to do just that, but for ourselves. What does freedom look like once we’ve not only established a business, but created security from it, too? Instead of starting the day at 6:30 am only to be exhausted back home by 6:00 pm, what level of quality could we produce when we worked during our peak times, when we’ve attended to our bodies, minds, and dog? Maybe. it just came down to an undeniable thirst for discovering our happiness that we were willing to risk it all for a chance to create that efficient and healthier life-work balance. Read more>>

Gabriel Cacabelos | Content Creator

While working for other companies that subcontract creatives like me, I couldn’t help to notice how often the client is underserved and overpriced. I figured if I’m gonna do my best, I might as well do it for myself. Read more>>

Maleja Cabrera | Lawyers, Full specialist licensed, lash tech, content creator & business owner of GLOWNESS LLC

My thought when starting my business was that as an emigrant, leaving my country, my career, my friends, my family; I had to achieve it, I had to make all that effort worth it, because it is not easy to leave your whole life behind to start a new unknown path; that was my strength, to think that whatever it cost, I had to achieve it; I didn’t care that I wasn’t fluent in English, that I didn’t have the best space to start, that I might not even be the best, I just had to do it. Little by little the fear fades, little by little you learn many regulations and norms that you did not know, little by little you adjust and your business itself grows and you with it; so I always never limited myself and I believed the story and I continue to believe it until I get to where I want to be. Read more>>

Alexandra Pacini | Founder

Our business started organically. Gabriela lived in Milan and worked in fashion, and I lived in Miami and worked in finance. During the summer, we would go to Colombia to visit our parents and would buy local artisanal products on the street or markets and would proudly style them the rest of the summer. While on vacation in Forte dei Marmi, Italy, local stores started to ask Gabriela about the Colombian artisanal bags she was wearing because they wanted to sell them to their customers. We started purchasing the already-made bags in Colombia and selling them to beach stores in Italy. Read more>>

Hannah Lassiter | Educator, Entrepreneur, & Author

I started my first business MentorshipRevolution in 2018 while I still was 18 years old. I remember it being June 2018 and I was in my usual mode during the day while utilizing my cellular device. It may have been an article I read or a book that I was reading, but whatever it was at the time something finally clicked. I was finally closing one chapter of my life, which was high school. All my life I had put my studies and education as a first or main priority. Why not take that same ambition and commitment and transfer it to being a young business woman and entrepreneur? My high school years were years of tremendous growth and maturity. I must’ve felt like after surviving so much at the time that I was ready to walk headfirst and confidently into my future. I held many of the skills and the mindset required to manage and lead a business, but even more the word “mentors” was heavy on my mind. Over the years I had grown to realize that mentorship, guidance, and support is very crucial to one’s resilience, silence, and success. From there MentorshipRevolution came into existence. Read more>>

Charlene Tilbanie | Faith Based Money Coach

Starting a business was the furthest thing from my mind. I don’t consider myself to be a natural entrepreneur and I was content with my corporate job as a certified accountant. Read more>>

Christina Lihan | Visual Artist, Sculptor and former” Architect”

To be honest, I didn’t really think about “starting my own business” when I quit my architecture job as project architect at a large firm. I knew I wasn’t creatively fulfilled being an architect. Funny, when I was at architecture school, I had big dreams of a career designing amazing buildings for people to enjoy, thinking it would be like living in or experiencing art all around them. Well, I was a very idealistic grad student. After working as an architect for various firms designing all types of buildings, I found that it wasn’t my dream profession. I had some creativity, but working mostly for developers was against my environmental ideals. So, I had been doing my art on the side, and after holding my own little exhibit with a fellow co-worker, got discovered by a gallery owner and was put on their roster. After several large commissions, one where I took a 3 month sabbatical from my job as a project architect, I quit the profession imagining I would be able to support myself solely on creating art. Fifteen years to the day tomorrow I have! I did intend to become a full time artist, it was something that I just had to do, that was in me, to pursue that dream. So, yes, by only supporting myself through my art, it is my business…without a real plan! Read more>>

Héctor Pizarro | Associates science Bachelor of science Notary Mixiologist Supervision certificate Foster Parent certified Life coach Criminologist Entrepreneur Ordained priest

At first I was very skeptical because I went to school for all these degrees and wanted to work for myself. I was doing audits, grants, finding resources and care for family and clients that were in need. I saw that the mental health field only allowed for specific help that was molded within the mission, vision and the curriculum of the contract . Read more>>