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.

Xiomara Arroyo | Owner and Designer

It was during the COVID lockdown that I decided to start researching for a Swimwear line. My family and I really spent a lot of time outside and in the pool in our swimsuits, which made me realize the options I wanted weren’t always available. I like to purchase different sizes for a top and bottom and that isn’t always an option or the quality wasn’t great. I wanted better options, and I have always loved having multiple pieces living in Miami where our weather is ideal for yearlong swimwear fashion. Read more>>

Lance Mikkel | Life Coach And Emotional Conditioning Expert

I went the classic college route, received a bachelors degree in business and a masters degree in decision information sciences. After many years working in corporate America, I realized how much I hated what I did for work. I could not imagine decades going to a job I absolutely despised. So starting my own business was the ONLY option. Lastly I got lucky. My 20s and early 30s were very challenging and filled with many disappointing experiences so when I was introduced to life coaching, I did it because I really wanted to fix myself. Turns outs the worst thing that ever happened to me was the best thing that ever happened to me because once I addressed my own challenges, that gave me the ability to help others going through very difficult challenges and help people like Caitlin and Barbara. See videos below. Read more>>

Brian Barakat | Attorney

The strength of this firm is predicated on an aggressive strategy. We believe that we are more knowledgable, more well prepared trial attorneys than most of our adversaries. As such, we push cases to trial as quickly as possible. Typically this takes the opposition off guard and puts our clients in a position to capitalize, even when they have inferior facts. I began the business so that I could pursue my strategies, rather than the strategies of others. Read more>>

Keilys Martos | Macrame Artist

My thought process to open my own business came to fruition mainly because I was a single mother, also because I love to create art and work well with my hands.  At the time I took the step, I was having anxiety and feeling a bit depressed because of the passing of my Grandmother Cosmelina. If I had taken a job as a massage therapist which is another one of my specialties of my magical hands, I would have had to leave my son in the care of people that I barely knew for 8 to 10 hours a day.  To spend more time with my son and continue being financially productive, I decided to go back to doing what I love, creating art, creating macrame which I learned from my late grandmother Cosmelina. Read more>>

Gabriel Sheffield | Cinematographer

I wanted to create a living doing something I loved. Read more>>

Yian Chang | Small business owner

Upon relocating from Taiwan to the USA following my marriage in 2018, I found myself awaiting a green card with idle time on my hands. The intense work culture and low pay in Taiwan had left me fatigued, prompting a deep desire for a break. My discontent with company regulations, particularly the performance assessments, further fueled my motivation to seek independence. Being a highly sensitive person, I easily burned out in noisy and interactive environments. Yearning for a change, I granted myself a year to reflect and establish clear goals. Read more>>

Coach Valentin | Fitness Coach

That happened to me in a very organic way. Back in the day, I was 14 years old and very skinny. One day I decided to join a gym and start training with weights. I fell in love with the training process and my curious mind was filled with questions. I took a path to college and learned how the human body works. Suddenly the people around me at that time started to ask me for fitness advice. Then I realized I could charge a few bucks and make my living as a personal trainer. Read more>>

Tyler Howell | Owner of Dueces Skating Rink

My thought process behind starting my own business, was to figure out something that was very innovative and different. The idea came to me during covid time. Everyone was skating and it seemed like a very popular trend back then and still is. My portable skating rink business, was what I could come up with, so that I could be In my own lane. Read more>>

Rhea Brown | RN-BSN, Medical Esthetics Professor, Electrologist, CEO

When I first began making lotions and soaps, I had no idea RhEAL Cosmetics would become my greatest passion. My son had red, angry flares of eczema and I began researching and experimenting with homeopathic remedies to alleviate his symptoms. Watching the herbs and oils work so well on him, I quickly became enamored with the process of using them to heal the skin instead of just seeing them as a way to flavor food. Once I graduated nursing school and began working with cancer patients, I made products for them as well and enjoyed the challenge of formulating higher quality products by refining my process and skills in research. Read more>>

Inklyne | Musician & business owner

What makes me start my own businesses when I realize that working for people is not gonna make you that successful in life meaning you won’t be owning your own home your own vehicle, so in order to make that happen, we have to find ways to bring in more income, and that’s when I started my own business And that is my record label called Inklyne music group Read more>>

Sam Silverberg | Martial Arts Instructor

I was working for other people my whole life. I never really felt comfortable working for someone else. There were always rules that I didn’t align with. So I tried to absorb as much as I could from the different jobs I had in my industry so I could do it myself. As soon as I had a space available I took the leap and started my own business. Read more>>

Gabriela Asuaje | Jeweler/Diamond Dealer

I started my business my last semester of college when I was looking for affordable high end jewelry and could not source it. I did a lot of research in the diamond industry and found that there was a big gap, or let’s say a long food chain, between the start of the diamond manufacturing process and the end consumer. I discovered there was an opportunity to close this gap and offer my clients diamonds/fine jewelry at more affordable prices. I began testing manufacturing pieces overseas (which I still do for my ready-made line) and then slowly transitioned into producing locally-made pieces with craftsmen in Miami – which nowadays is 80% of the bulk of my product line. Read more>>

Sebastian Zabala | Co-Founder

We believe in building something bigger than ourselves while offering a unique service in an untapped market. We simply saw a need and filled it. Our services are something that many few think about, but when they learn what we do it becomes a no-brainer. We offer concierge barber services for Grooms and Groomsmen. We bring the barbershop to their venue, hotel, or home. It creates a unique experience for the men in an industry that is predominantly targeting women. Read more>>

ReNae Walls | Licensed Cosmetologist/Hairstylist

“ I have to!” “ I can do this “ I promise I’ve never been more afraid in my life ! I’m a Licensed Cosmetologist , I started my career In a Corporate Salon & worked my way up. At a point I was tired of being limited, & then I had the opportunity to Choose myself. When i remembered i was the only real limit, I started to put myself together! Read more>>

Liza Meli | Restaurateur / professional wine drinker 🙂

Like any independent mind I was curious what I can get out of myself, This became natural towards the service industry which I had passion for since my childhood, aided by both Culture ( Greek) and disposition. I had all the tools necessary all I needed was to act , luckily that itself is the essence of my character…. consequently owning a business became an outcome Read more>>

Yvanne Joseph | CEO of Selenite Therapy

I felt that there was an urgent and compelling need for the establishment of a mental health practice that specifically caters to the needs of minorities. As our society becomes more aware of the diverse challenges faced by different communities, it is evident that there is a significant gap in mental health services that are tailored to the unique experiences of minorities, people that look like me. Minorities often encounter mental health practitioners who may not fully understand the cultural nuances, values, and traditions that shape their experiences. Establishing a practice that prioritizes cultural competence is essential to creating a safe and supportive therapeutic environment, hence out motto, “therapy for you by people who get you”. Read more>>

Suz Amaro | Mentor of Business Owners

When I was in the corporate world I also had the experience of feeling overwhelmed, stressed, living on autopilot and I set out to find a way to have a balance between your work/business life and lifestyle, when I got the methodology I didn’t hesitate and I said the whole world deserves to know what it means to Live Smart. I think I was born an entrepreneur and I will die undertaking ideas, growth, content, ways to evolve. I am passionate about human greatness and when I discovered that this was my mission, I have dedicated my entire life to accompanying others and I will do so for the rest of my life. Read more>>

Meet Laketta Harmon

Starting my own HR consulting business has been a deeply personal and fulfilling journey for me. From a very young age, I harbored a strong desire to build something of my own, and this aspiration only strengthened as I navigated through my professional career. Breaking into the HR industry was a significant challenge for me, especially as an African American woman. I recognized the need for diverse perspectives in HR and sought to be a trailblazer in the field. Throughout my corporate experience, I often found myself in situations where I was one of the few, if not the only, person who looked like me in HR roles, especially at higher levels. Read more>>