Starting a business is a commitment and requires dedication, resources and sacrifice. We asked some of the rising stars in our community how they thought through the idea of starting their own businesses.

Mary Peterman | Salon Owner + Tattoo Artist

When I decided to start my own business, it was mainly because I wanted to create a very specific client experience. I knew that I couldn’t cultivate that the way I wanted in someone else’s business. I also chose to start my own business because it gave me the freedom to try new things and see what I like best. I wouldn’t have it any other way! Read more>>

Genevieve Dolan | Co-Founder & CEO

I’ve always been passionate about beauty and wellness, but it wasn’t until my mid 20s that I realized I could create the brand that I was looking for in the industry. I struggled with cystic acne and anxiety from a young age, and through talking with friends and seeing others online going through the same issues, I came to understand that I wasn’t as alone as I thought in this struggle! Read more>>

Elizabeth Jude Baptista | Creator & Entrepreneur

As a first generation American, I’ve grown up listening to my family’s stories of struggle and hardship to make it to this country. I feel really blessed to come from a family that no only knows struggle, but also knows success. My family is full of entrepreneurs who’ve built lives worthy of the “American Dream” title. For me, being surrounded by this all my life has made starting my own business the most natural thing I’ve ever done. Read more>>

Lazaro Marcia | Tattoo artist

I decided to get back in the tattoo industry after suffering an accident on my motorcycle that led to loosing the ability to live my right dominant hand, so it was very challenging and scary to relearn with my left hand always thinking on one might fail and also was difficult being a new artist people didn’t know. Read more>>

Lindsey Chastain | Writing Detective

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was around eight years old, when I wrote my first book, a collection of very bad poems about baby animals. Since then, I’ve studied, taught, and practiced the craft of writing. Starting a business was also always appealing to me. I loved the idea of being my own boss and being the catalyst for my own success. I tried several ventures throughout the years, but nothing really worked until I sat down and focused in on my strengths. Read more>>

David W. Contreras | World Renown Glass Artist & FreeMason

Understanding that working for myself is far more rewarding than working for someone else. I’d rather work 18 hours a day for myself than work 8 for someone else. Read more>>

Aki Kijima | A founder & Creator of Handmade Jewelry Brand AKI ROC JEWELRY

My thought process behind starting my own business was my passion for jewelry, my creative outlet, and a long-held dream of mine. I wanted to creating my own design brand since I was 17 years old. It was my dedication and commitment to turn my dream into a reality, I was saving for the dreams whenever I could. Read more>>

Olena Wills | Handbag designer

The decision to start a business making high-end handbags was driven by a combination of passion for fashion, identification of artistic and creative expression, entrepreneurial drive, and a commitment to delivering exceptional quality and craftsmanship. Read more>>

Linzay Davis | parental leave consultant and mom of 2

Six weeks after I returned to work from parental leave, I quit a job I loved. My daughter was born in December 2020, and having a newborn, a toddler, and a job in the middle of a pandemic was too much. I decided something had to give, and it wasn’t going to be either of my kids. Read more>>

George Ochoche Ibrahim (iam.Oceey) | Brand influencer and content creator

I’m into the business of influencing, I’ve always wanted to market and create advertisements for brands but i was seeing as the celebrities kinda things, like you’ve to be “big” before you can be an influencer until last year my mentality changed that anyone can be influencer and I said to myself I’m going to be a big influencer, I’ll grow my audience, market for brands and create advertisements for them and share with my audience. All the influencer started from scratch and now they’re big, I can do the same too. Read more>>

Jess Lee | Resident tattoo artist @whiterabbit.studios

As far back as I remember, I was always hustling. After a few years in the military, I joined the corporate world. Although I loved my job as a user experience / graphic designer, I wanted to be able to work and make my own schedule. It took several years and several failures to finally find my passion. Read more>>

Alicia Puig | Art Gallery Owner, Curator & Author

From working in the arts for over a decade, I realized that both emerging artists and new collectors were underserved groups in the industry. Artists who were new to selling and exhibiting faced many obstacles when it came to ‘getting their foot in the door’ and on the client side, many people I met were interested in buying art but not ready to invest ten thousand dollars on their first purchase. Read more>>

Sofia Martiarena | Entrepeneur

Coming from an entrepreneurial family, I was exposed to the mindset of independence and the importance of working towards achieving my goals from a young age. Since I was young and living in Argentina, I always took part in the family businesses, from helping my dad with small administrative chores to managing a restaurant with 60 employees, all that instilled in me a drive to starting my own business, it always been something like a natural progression for me given my background and upbringing. Read more>>

Sabrina Suppe | Small Business Owner

The thought process behind starting my own embroidery business, specializing in creating embroidered apparel based on books, was driven by a combination of passion for books and unexpected viral success. Throughout my life, I have always been an avid reader. Pursuing a degree in business and marketing in college provided me with the necessary skills to effectively promote my products. Read more>>

marcel perdomo | business owner and boat captain

I tried to start many businesses over the years. I failed several times, learned and never stopped believing in TRYING. If everyone succeeded at first try it would be too easy. Read more>>

John Fazio Jr | Musician & Entrepreneur

I knew I had a unique idea but I needed to trust myself that I could pull it off. It took a lot of reflecting on the last 10+ years of my numerous careers to realize I’ve been on my own the whole time, I’ve just been making other people money. Read more>>

thidaphat ariyahirantrakul | Chief Executive Officer and Restaurant owner

As a business owner, I believe several behind-the-scenes aspects are crucial for success. First and foremost, effective financial management is vital. This involves budgeting, forecasting, and tracking key financial metrics to ensure profitability and sustainability. Additionally, establishing streamlined operational processes and systems helps optimize efficiency and productivity. Lastly, building a strong company culture and fostering a positive work environment is essential for employee satisfaction and retention. Read more>>

Fernanda Moreno Harcha | Founder of the FMH Group x Douglas Elliman

As an empowered woman in the real estate industry in Miami, my thought process behind starting my own business within a larger company was driven by a strong desire for autonomy, growth, and creating a unique brand that reflects my values and vision. I wanted to take charge of my professional journey and build a business that allows me to fully express my expertise, creativity, and passion for real estate. Read more>>

EMANUELE SANTALENA | Interior Designer & Industrial Designer

Behind the start of my business there has always been the desire to convey with my works the possibility of enhancing attention to detail, craftsmanship and the section of natural materials by referring to past eras with a modern reinterpretation. Since I was a child I have focused my studies up to university on trying to obtain an increasingly specific and detailed training in these areas. Read more>>

Trish, AKA, Power Girl Utter | Classic Car Broker/Social media marketer

I had work very hard as an employee and saw companies benefit from my hard work without me reaping any of the profits. I also saw how other companies treated their customers and wanted to give clients a better experience. Read more>>

Paul Oliver | Founder & Operations Manager

The original concept behind Beyond Bohemian’s ethically sourced crystal ideology started about 10 years ago. While I was in college, I worked part-time at a crystal shop for a couple of years. I would also assist and set up at all of the major gem shows and would get to meet so many different types of people and businesses. I have always been fascinated with geology and crystals since I was young, but the more I learned about the crystal industry the more disappointed and disillusioned I became. Read more>>

Iesha McCants-Butler | Traveling Manicurist/Business Women In Detroit Group Leader

My thought process behind starting my own business Sassymomma Nails was to be able to make others feel confident about themselves and to make them feel good with self care. Business Women In Detroit is all about Women networking together building together supporting each other in business and growing as 1. Read more>>

Chloe Ravel | Yoga Teacher, Sound Healer, Retreat Leader and Mindset Coach

In 2017 I started my wellness brand, The Gemini Rising. My desire to share my story and bring a holistic approach to teaching others how to manage chronic stress and burnout was the catalyst for starting my business. Read more>>

Henriett Michel | Abstract Painter & Sculpture Artist

I’ve been passionate about creating and sharing art with people since i was a child. I love inspiring joy, positivity, and feeling through my work, I think art is a universal language that speaks to any community. After years of creating work on a small scale in my spare time, I realized if I’m really passionate about this, why not pursue it completely, go all in and make it my primary profession. Read more>>

Polina Filatova | Baker

Since I was a child, I had an affinity for baking and desserts. I wanted to make something that people enjoy no matter the occasion and that is how Sweet Blossom Desserts started. My thought process has been focused on making sure every product is a quality one in terms of taste, texture, shape, and aesthetic. I want my products to bring joy to everyone who eats them – that is why I choose the finest ingredients for my recipes. With my passion for baking and desserts, I create unique flavors to bring smiles to people’s faces! Read more>>

Sloane Elizabeth | Food Freedom Coach + Holistic Wellness Expert

Starting my own business was pretty much always the only option! I’ve had an entrepreneurial spirit since I was in elementary school selling lemonade and cookies on my street, and I always knew I would work for myself. I started a baking business in high school called Sloane’s Sweets & Treats, and I sold decadent cookies and brownies to my classmates. Read more>>

Chaya Toron | Painter & Judaica Artist

I think most impactful things in life come to you, vs. being planned about your process. A few years into my salary-based job, I realized that I saw so much more for myself. I never foresaw that change or those realizations. But when they came, I realized that I had a dream to be successful and do what I love. Read more>>

Francesco Duberli | CEO of Survivors Pathway

When I first envisioned Survivors Pathway, it was driven by a profound sense of purpose and a burning desire to make a tangible difference in the lives of domestic violence victims. Witnessing the immense suffering and the lack of comprehensive support services available, I knew I had to take action. I firmly believed that every survivor deserves a pathway to healing, empowerment, and a brighter future. Read more>>

Justin Martinez | Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

We actually took the time and answered all of your questions. 🙂 What was your thought process behind starting your own business? In a previous partnership, I encountered a situation where our values didn’t align, which posed a significant challenge in delivering a consistent experience for our clients. Reflecting on that experience, I realized the importance of cultivating shared values within a team, and that’s exactly what we aim to do here. Read more>>

House Of Fete Marissa + Kelsey | Event Stylists + Party Planners

We had starting styling and conceptualizing parties together and knew we had something special, so we turned it into a business. Read more>>

Magela Hererra | business

Well my project started when I was a student in the Norwegian Academy of Music. In order to take my BA final exam I had to create and develop my own project. I did not have a specific strategy and did not know where to start, so I took many feil roads, but well I gained some experience. Since my ealy days in music I always saw myself playing in a symphony orchestra or teaching music at school. But well I guess life guided me through a different path. Read more>>

Michael Douglas | Photographer

I just wanted to be successful by doing what I love to do, that drives me to this very day. Read more>>

Dana Buckmir | Author & Motivational Speaker

As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a writer. In fifth grade, the teacher asked us to write a book. At the time I was really into mystery novels written by R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike so I wrote a book inspired by those novels called The Job. It was written on index cards and bound in yarn. In the About the Author section I declared, “One day I’ll be an author.” I still have that book. It was my first taste of having my work published and shared with others. Read more>>

Julianne Delos Santos | Interior Designer & Stylist

I’ve always been passionate about Interior Design ever since I was a young girl. I have a background in fashion and worked for a few companies after I graduated from college. Although it was great experiences and learned a lot working for different companies and start-ups, I knew I wanted to be my own boss someday. Being an Entrepreneur has its ups and downs of course, but I would not trade it for the world. Being able to do what I love for a living is a dream come true and I make it a point to remember to not take it for granted. Read more>>

Cherise Lenore Riley | Business Strategist & Vision Enforcer for Marketplace & Ministry

It all started when I realized that there were so many people out there who were struggling to find their purpose in life. They were stuck in dead-end jobs, feeling unfulfilled and unhappy. I knew that I had to do something to help them. Read more>>

Sandra Elia | Best Selling Author, Speaker and Food Addiction Counselor

I had spent the bulk of my career in a corporate job, working with really smart people who I admired and had fun with. But there was always a feeling I was meant to serve in a bigger way, the job didn’t fulfill my soul’s purpose and it lacked fulfillment. Read more>>

Marcela Dias | Tape Tan Artist | Entrepreneur

From the beginning I wanted to help other women to achieve their goals and dreams. For me, it was a challenge to start a business again and by improving myself I felt the need to help other people achieve the same. Read more>>

Marilyn Johansen | Art Teacher

My love of teaching and my love of art! My bachelor degree is in Education and my art education comes from taking art lessons all life! Read more>>

Giovanni Sairras | Entrepreneur, Author, Spoken word Artist, Motivational Speaker and Life Coach

I wanted to serve people with criminal backgrounds who needed the support to be able to safely and effectively reintegrate back into their communities following their incarceration. I believe everyone make mistakes; therefore, everyone deserves a second chance at life, especially those who have committed offenses when they were a juvenile and if it was their first criminal offense. Read more>>

Sapphire Muse | Piercer & Model

For a long time, I knew I wanted to enter my own business but didn’t know for what yet. I knew I had to love my job, if I don’t love or like what I’m doing it shows in my performance. I thought about some of my hobbies or natural skills then I started piercing and knew I could see money and adventure coming from this with the year I was a piercing at my friend’s tattoo shop. I love traveling and I can travel to pierce and be well-known in my city. From there I knew this would be a fun career and I need fun to love my job as well as freedom. Read more>>

Cassandra Cruz-Dockery Nadine Antoine-Musangi | Co-Founders

Our thought process behind starting our own business: We wanted to continue to support, empower and guide teachers and parents on ways to help their children build a solid academic foundation from the very beginning. We need to go beyond our classroom! Read more>>

Liseth | Entrepreneur

We started our company in 2007. At the time the economy was fantastic. We were young and my husband had this amazing talent. It was a good time to risk it all and hope for the best. As long as you worked hard right, thats all it would take? Little did we know the housing market would crumble within a year and a recession was just around the corner. The first few years were the hardest but we stuck through it. By 2023 were already used to world pandemics, natural disasters, and all other curveballs that come with being a business owner. Read more>>