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.

Adrian Vega

Supervivencia, vivo en un país donde le cortan las alas a todo aquel que no siga la linea de pensamiento de la dictadura. Read More>>

Gillian Earle

Honestly, it started with rum. When my youngest left for college, I packed up, left New York City, and moved to St. Thomas. I spent a year sitting on the beach drinking dark rum and pretending I was retired. It took about twelve months to realize I am far too young, curious, and restless to ever retire. Read More>>

Lizandra Parra

I saw an interview once with Bette Midler and she was explaining how as an actress she wanted to know which light hit her best and which angle was the best for each scene, so she decided to study Film. Read More>>

Mavi haime

I’ve always loved nature and spent years involved in park programs and environmental committees. in Miami and South Florida. I realized that many parks in Miami depend only on volunteers and don’t have steady support for reforestation of native-species projects in to their spaces in need. Read More>>

Andrei Subochev

Opening my own studio allowed me to develop and communicate my design voice without compromise. It gave me the space to shape projects according to my values. And that creative independence became the foundation of my business. I realized early on that if you truly want to express your own style in interior design, the only real path is to build your own studio. Read More>>

Anastasiia Kvirkviia

My name is Anastasiia Kvirkviiа, and I am an international beauty expert specializing in makeup, permanent makeup, and advanced brow design. When I began my professional journey, my main focus was not on building a business, but on building mastery understanding techniques deeply and reaching a level that met international standards. Read More>>

Ieva Sciukauskaite

Throughout my career as a physical therapist, I’ve worked with many athletes across different sports. No matter the sport, I kept noticing the same pattern: athletes were being cleared from rehab because they were technically “pain-free,” yet they still couldn’t perform, didn’t trust their body, or kept reinjuring the same area. Traditional rehab ended too early, and performance training often ignored the injury history. Read More>>

Brittany Okossi

I went from working in a Big Four accounting firm to mid size accounting firms to a small boutique firm. After going through all of these I realized I preferred the boutique firms because they deal with the individuals and their businesses more. Read More>>

Fred Leavitt

For me it was a no-brainer. I am in the creative fields of photography and hand drumming. I have never been on a salary. In photography. I made a portfolio and presented it to potential clients. I got assignment work built clientele; I then formed a business and incorporated. In hand drumming, I created a N-F-P Primal Connection Inc. Read More>>

Jabarie Dupee

I started my printing company because I wanted to build something of my own that people could truly trust. I’ve always had an eye for design and creativity, and I saw an opportunity to turn that passion into a service that helps others bring their ideas to life — especially when they need it done fast and done right. Read More>>