What was your thought process behind starting your own business?

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.

When I started Prepory, it came from a frustration with how confusing the college admissions industry had become. Families were making one of the biggest decisions of their lives with very little clarity about what actually works. I kept seeing either generic advice that didn’t reflect the reality of selective admissions, or consulting that promised results without transparency. Read More>>

The idea wasn’t just to start a business—it was to build something with structure, purpose, and long-term value.
Coming from a background in accounting, finance, and business operations, I’ve always looked at opportunities through the lens of sustainability. In the entertainment space, there’s a lot of creativity, but not always the infrastructure needed to support it long-term. That’s where I saw the opportunity. Read More>>

I’ve lived down here my whole life and grew up on the water going out on the boat nearly every weekend with my family. I still do that but so much has changed on the water. Licensing requirements are minimal, all you really need is money. As I got older I become much more concerned about safety, especially for my 3 kids when we’re on the boat. I’ve seen so many dumb things, people literally have no idea what they’re doing. Read More>>
