Entrepreneurs tell us about starting their businesses

Thinking through whether to start a business – whether to take the risk, whether to go out on your own – isn’t easy. So we asked some entrepreneurs we admire to tell us about how they thought through the process of starting a business.

My thought process behind starting Balcom Canyon Cider was a mix of passion and opportunity. After nearly 15 years of “craft bartending” in San Francisco, Portland OR, and Ventura County, I developed a deep appreciation in creating my own drinks. My first DIY liqueur was a Nocino made from green walnuts growing on a tree in my backyard.  Read More>>

My journey into real estate began in Sinaloa, Mexico, where I was both an elementary school teacher and a time-share salesperson. Teaching gave me a passion for educating and helping others, while selling time shares introduced me to the world of sales and the joy of connecting people with opportunities. Read More>>

As a child, I dreamed of being many things—teacher, flight attendant, architect and, of course, a doctor. But one event in 1990, shaped my career aspirations. After fracturing my front tooth in a fall, I spent countless hours in the care of dentists. Despite occasional discomfort, I eagerly anticipated my visits. Read More>>

My intention was to reconnect people to their ancestral healing traditions while meeting them where they’re at. The birth of Jungle Mama came through the labor of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the journey toward it began much earlier. Before the pandemic hit, I had been studying herbal medicine. I’m a truth seeker so I went searching for natural ways to support my health and well-being. Read More>>

I see where the world is going & it became very important for me to to follow my vision & mission. I’ve always been driven by impact and although I’ve had great impact in my career while working for others, ultimately I realized that I can only impact the world in the way I want if I took a leap and chased the vision I have for my life and for the world. Read More>>

I had always seen myself as someone who would be a business owner, and when the opportunity presented itself I went for it. I was working for a Hillside Architecture firm, and was moonlighting on a few small projects. I even designed a hair Salon in NYC that got published during this time. Read More>>

Ebony Vegan started as a response to the health challenges my husband, son, and I were facing. We were all approaching pre-diabetes, and despite seeking help from my doctor, I wasn’t given the answers I needed. This prompted me to take matters into my own hands and research the root cause. Read More>>

My crochet business is deeply rooted in the love for crocheting that my mom, Denise, passed down to me. She taught me when I was young, and it’s become a way for me to stay connected to her and the craft that’s so meaningful to both of us. Crocheting has always been more than just a hobby for me—it’s a therapeutic experience that brings a sense of calm and accomplishment. Read More>>

As best friends for over 10 years, we’ve always fantasized about starting something together. Many ideas and business plans were dreamed up, talked about, aspired to, but life and other things just always put us in different places. Last year the stars aligned and we were finally together in the same place, mentally and physically. Read More>>

My journey to becoming a spiritual teacher and healer began through a deep period of personal pain, where I found myself on a rollercoaster of challenges. When the opportunity for inner work arose, I began peeling away the layers of my own wounds, much like the layers of an artichoke, until I reached the heart of my being. Read More>>

I’ve always had a deep passion for the beauty industry and a dream of being my own boss. When covid hit, it became the catalyst that pushed me to turn that dream into reality. Read More>>

I knew I wanted to have a business that would allow me to grow with the children I was teaching, becoming a music companion and coach through their growing up years. It has been a real joy to work with children of all ages! Just this year one of my earliest students who started when he was 6 is now graduating highschool and going to college! What an honor to have supported him through music (studying violin) throughout his life so far! Read More>>

Recess Kickball League was birthed out of a need to create a safe space where friends could play while following COVID-19 safety measures. Zoom wasn’t working for us; we wanted to leave the house and move our bodies. So, during the summer of 2020, we started to meet up in parks in Brooklyn to play kickball. We chose kickball because it was a sport we all played as kids in school, and it was inclusive. Read More>>

I’ve always wanted to be the person in charge of where I get myself in life. Having a business that allows me to do something I enjoy, while helping support the lives of my family and I is the minimum I ask of myself. Having my own business allows me to be creative and adventurous with my professional life as well. Read More>>

We never thought of going into business, it just came up organically. During the summer of 2016, my business partner and husband, Linh T. Nguyen, was working in Oklahoma City. The heat and humidity made everything stick to you, and wearing a surveillance coil around your ear was already uncomfortable. Add the heat and sweat, and it became unbearable. Read More>>

As a working actress, I intimately understand the rollercoaster of our industry. Every time I’d land an audition for a great role, I’d think, ‘I should really get this professionally taped and coached’—but then I’d look at my bank account and think, ‘Umm!’ Like most actors, I was already stretching my budget with classes, headshots, submission websites—you name it. And let’s be real, in this industry, you never know when your next paycheck is coming. Read More>>

I have always challenged myself to growth within an organization, I am the type of individual that understands the importance of consistency and although it feels repetitive, it is vital to personal growth. Once I have reached a pinnacle within an organization, I work on the next step or ask myself “In what way can I make myself better as an individual as well as how can I grow into the next position within an organization?” Read More>>

I have always had a passion for creativity and design! Life takes you in many different directions and after 14 working as a data analyst, there was something inside of my heart that was calling out to me to embrace my passion again.  Read More>>

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit—it runs in my family. Growing up, my dad had his own business, so I always had a sense that one day I’d follow a similar path. It was never a question of if but when—I just needed to find the right niche at the right time. Read More>>

From a very young age, I loved theatre. I remember being entranced, witnessing humans transform into living storytellers. Theatre is a powerful vehicle that brings stories to life and connects us to one another. I founded Storïwr Theatre Company because I believe in the creative abilities of young people, and providing unique artistic experiences that encourage them to dream, design, and create, to learn about one another and the world around them. Read More>>

Entrepreneurship has been ingrained in me since childhood. I launched my first business at the age of 12—not out of ambition, but out of necessity. My mother and her twin sister were raising five children while also caring for my grandmother and several other family members. Read More>>

Honestly, I kind of stumbled into owning my own business—much like organizing itself, which often begins with a little chaos and a lot of determination (the other way around!). While working on my MFA in Acting in San Francisco, I spent weekends assembling IKEA furniture to make some extra money. Read More>>

Entrepreneurship has been a constant in my life in ways I didn’t really realize until recently. When I look back on my history, it’s always been there in one way or another. As an elementry school kid, I always found new and creative ways to invent things. My lemonade stand carried lemonade in a variety of colors as I had decided to use food dye to see which ones people would gravitate towards (to noones surprise, green lemonade did not sell well). Read More>>