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.

 Samuel Tactuk

I started in the world of photography as a hobby because it was fun and something I was truly passionate about. At first, I took photos of friends and family just for the joy of it. As more and more people began asking me for photos, I started charging a small fee—it was still more of a side hustle than a real business at that point. The turning point came when I connected with some incredible photographers like Miguel Oque, Rafael Serrano, and others. Seeing their work and learning from their journeys made me realize the true value of photography and what was possible with dedication and vision. That’s when I started to take my photography seriously as a business. Read More>>

Alejandra Garcia Munoz

The decision to start my own business was fueled by two powerful forces. First, I had lost my job, and finding a new one was proving to be extremely challenging — especially as a migrant in the middle of a migration crisis, when opportunities were scarce. Second, photography and branding/marketing have always been my passions. I have an endless love for art, colors, and everything related to creative expression. Read More>> 

Marc Rodriguez

After five years working as a hospitalist nurse practitioner, I became deeply disillusioned with the conventional care model. I treated patients across the full spectrum—from stable individuals with simple complaints to the critically ill who remained intubated in the ICU for months. But over time, it became clear that the system prioritized metrics over meaningful care. Everything was about efficiency—how fast you could move through patients—not about actual healing or long-term outcomes. Read More>> 

Dr. Taina Rodriguez

As a doctor of Chinese medicine, a mother of two, and a woman raised between cultures, my thought process behind starting my own business wasn’t just strategic; it was spiritual. I wanted to create something that honored both my ancestors and my modern-day community. I had witnessed too many people fall through the cracks of conventional medicine, and I knew that healing had to be more personal, more soulful, and more integrative. Read More>> 

Karina Soler

Antes de iniciar mi propio negocio en el sector inmobiliario, hice una reflexión profunda sobre lo que realmente quería lograr en mi vida profesional.
No se trataba solo de vender propiedades, sino de acompañar a las personas en uno de los momentos más importantes de sus vidas: encontrar su hogar.

Pensé en mi experiencia previa en ventas, mi pasión por trabajar con personas y el valor que puedo aportar al guiarlas con claridad, cercanía y compromiso. También consideré que, al tener el control de mi propio negocio, podría alinear cada paso con mis valores: autenticidad, confianza y propósito. Read More>> 

AGUSTINA APARICIO

It wasn’t a rational decision or a carefully planned path. It felt more like a calling — an inner impulse asking me to create something where I could exist without having to cut parts of myself off.

For years, I tried to fit into traditional work structures that offered safety but no room for expansion. I had multiple skills and backgrounds architecture, design, branding, project management, strategic thinking and I felt the world constantly pushing me to pick just one. Read More>> 

Whitney Goulish

My decision to start a business consulting firm was rooted in a deep passion for helping companies grow, improve, and thrive. Over the years, I’ve gained valuable experience turning around underperforming operations and supporting startups from the ground up. I recognized a consistent need in the business community, whether it was a startup seeking direction, a company in need of operational change, or a business owner simply overwhelmed and needing an extra set of hands. Read More>> 

Tatiana Scharr

Honestly, I wanted to create the kind of practice I wish existed when I was younger—a space where people could talk openly about trauma, sex, identity, and anxiety without shame or judgment. Starting my own business gave me the freedom to practice on my terms, ethically and holistically. I didn’t want to be confined to rigid models or burnt out in agencies that often push quantity over quality. I needed the space to be creative, to integrate sound healing and somatic work, and to work with clients in ways that actually help them heal not just survive. Read More>> 

Michael Jacobs

Coral Springs Premier Dentists was started so that the amazing surrounding community could have a dental office that offers every procedure in a warm, relaxing environment. We pride ourselves on always putting patients first and creating a family atmosphere. Read More>> 

Slobodan Bob Jokic

I’ve always had a deep appreciation for mechanical craftsmanship, especially in timekeeping devices. I grew up surrounded by antique clocks and was fascinated watching my grandfather restore and even build his own. The smell of tools and clock movements, the sound of ticking, bells, and chimes — these became part of my world and made working with clocks feel like much more than just a business. Read More>> 

Tom Keda

I got into kiteboarding about 13 years ago after getting a 1-way ticket to Puerto Rico. I fell in love with the sport and went from learning it to instructing it there. I later moved to Miami, where I managed a kite school with Adventure Sports for 6 years. In that position, you’re up close with the newest water sport gear that gets released, so I was familiar with E-foils pretty early on. Read More>> 

Tannu

What Inspired Your Journey into Cybersecurity?

My fascination with computers started in the 90s, driven by a simple curiosity about how they worked. The internet was in its infancy, and with slow dial-up connections, it wasn’t much to look at, but it was enough to spark my interest and keep me up late, exploring its mysteries. Back then, I was diving into Information Technology and computers, but I never imagined I’d end up in cybersecurity. I started out in data analysis, not knowing where it would take me, but somehow, over time, I found myself in the security space, no grand plans, just taking things as they came. Read More>> 

Muu Blanco

Before starting my own business, what I really had was a need for creative autonomy. From early on; I understood that my artistic practice and my relationship with music, sound art, and visual culture, couldn’t rely on rigid structures or traditional markets. My impulse wasn’t to “start a business” in the conventional sense, but rather to create my own working system, an ecosystem where all my passions could coexist: vinyl collecting, cultural critique, sonic experimentation, installation, and performance. Read More>> 

Iesha Paulino

I started Phoenix Legal because I kept seeing the same issues in personal injury law, lack of training, no clear systems, and overwhelmed teams. After years in the field, I knew there had to be a better way. Phoenix Legal bridges that gap by giving law firms the tools, training, and structure they need to work smarter and deliver better results. It’s personal for me, because I’ve been in their shoes, and I built exactly what I wish I had when I started. Read More>>