We reached out to some of our favorite entrepreneurs and asked them to think back and tell us about how they decided to start a business. Check out their responses below.

Ashley Yashinsky | Travel Content Creator & Advisor | Jetset Travelette

I think I got to the point that many do in their career, especially post-pandemic, where we question or even realize that if we’re not working for ourselves then we’re really only contributing to someone else’s piggy bank, platform and/or agenda. That just really didn’t sit right with me but the hardest part was figuring out what to do about it. Read more>>

Reni & Louise Schriek | Daughter + Mom, Owners

During the pandemic, we filled the need of extremely busy realtors and provided transactional/closing gifts for their clients. Amidst the shutdown, we found ways to curate beautiful goods, design, and create personal details (in-house) to make lovely gifts a memorable gifting experiences. Now, we feel extremely lucky (and humbled) that together, we get to do what we love all the time… and we do it with lotsa coffee, laughter, and meticulous attention paid to every detail in between. Read more>>

Trudy Robinson | Lead Pastor

I am a pastor, and in a lot of ways it is like running your own business. As someone told me once, “You are the CEO of the church.” Funny because I never expected to have to actually run anything! I entered into ministry because I experienced being loved by the people of the church when I was young. Read more>>

Michael Chagala | CEO Rank Harvest SEO & Digital Marketing

I was a corporate employee most of my career. It wasn’t that I was unhappy, but somewhere under the layers of aligning with company values and Knott’s Berry Farm discounts, I wanted more than corporate life had to offer. Looking back, I can hardly remember companies I spent years of my life working for or what I did there. Read more>>

Cyn Medina | Tattoo Artist & Tattoo Shop Owner

I wanted to be able to provide a safe, welcoming, and memorable experience for the diverse enthusiasts of pop culture tattoos. I additionally wanted be able to represent the Japanese kawaii (cute) aesthetic within my business that is not traditional with most tattoo shops. Read more>>

Natalie Neal | Executive Director at Olivenhain Farms

I started my business because I saw a need. I was running the garden program for a local private school when school closures came in 2020. I lived on a large property in Olivenhain and I had chickens and a large garden so I started inviting kids over to play outside, learn, and get the wiggles out in a time when we were all cooped up. I enjoyed it so much I began adopting more animals and our 501c3 nonprofit educational farm was born. Read more>>

Danielle Nonog | Date Coach & San Diego based Matchmaker

Originally, I was life coaching for entertainers to increase their sales by teaching them the art of conversation and increasing their magnetism. I had been the go-to person when they needed help in effectively asking for what they want, background checking, or analyzing their customer’s or date’s character traits since I’ve always been known to be incredibly observant. The idea started off with me having the desire to grow a community of my own because I didn’t like being alone. Read more>>