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.

Kelly Horton-Beeman, LE | Skin Coach & Educator

The thought of emerging into my own business as a service provider made the most since to me. I had the opportunities early on to mentor under some incredibly successful players that allowed me to learn the ins and outs of my industry. After a few short years I knew it was time to start my own business, shortly after FACES SkinGym was launched. Read more>>

Brenna Olsen | Creator of the Chilly Child

I started Chilly Child out of a need in my own house. I was frustrated one morning struggling with buttons and zippers on my babies outerwear when she was refusing to wear anything to keep her warm on a cold day. I thought, I wish there was just a blanket with holes in it I could throw over her head and go. After work that day I came home, cut some holes in a sheet and that was the day Chilly Child was born. I wanted to relieve a little of the day to day struggles that parents go through along with keep my baby happy, healthy and warm. Read more>>

Rachel ONeal | Owner & CEO of Wick + Bloom Candle Co.

The story of how Wick + Bloom Candle Co. came to be is a comical one. I have been with my fiance for almost 6 years. I have watched him have various hobbies that he was always so passionate about. The most notable being surfing and working out. He had this undeniable fire for these two things that I so badly wanted for myself. Something that makes me want to get out of bed early in the morning. Something that could potentially merge into a career so that everyday I could wake up knowing I would spending my day working on something I truly love and enjoy. That is when I found out about the carcinogenic chemicals in a lot of my own candles I had in my home. Even from some top brands in the US that I called my favorite. I have always loved crafts and being hands on. Read more>>

Marie Young | Food Freedom Life Coach

I used to be such a people-pleaser. As such, I designed my first 3 decades around what would look good on paper and what would make others proud. I became a professional athlete, a journalist, then a pilot – none of which ever lit me up. In fact, I was miserable. I used to routinely binge eat and drink myself numb to escape my reality. Before I even considered quitting my aviation career, I happened to fall in love with baking and cooking – specifically plant-based food. There was something about the challenge of making meals without dairy, eggs or other animal products that ignited a passion I had never known. And in the process of making all this healthy food, I started feeling amazing physically and emotionally, which, in turn, gave me the confidence to pursue a different path. My path. Read more>>

Pedro Sun | Personal Trainer and Nutritionist

To keep it short after receiving my degree in Nutrition and understanding Americans have a chronic disease issue that I can help with, I needed to do something ! So my philosophy is to always help someone help themselves as I am more of a guide to help a person master their health and well being. How a person gets there is individual , as we all have our own experiences and health issues, life issues for that matter . So I created Feel Good Fitness to help people with their problems and get to a place where they feel good about themselves and can create their own health journey with some help from me. Read more>>

Tic V. Parker | Hairdresser & Fitness Instructor

My thought process behind starting my own business was determination. I was determined to make my work successful. I really love seeing the end results of my work and seeing how happy my clients are at the end. Loving what I do made it even easier to start my own business. Read more>>

Lily Murray | Woodworker and Farmer

I think the biggest thing for me when I wanted to start my own business was flexibility and fun. I wanted to truly be able to enjoy something that I was creating and be proud to put my name on it. I have worked for some people who made me feel as though I was nothing the company would miss when I left and that was a big thing that pushed me. Pushed me to be better, stronger, more intelligent, creative and diverse. I started a photography business when I was 16 and since then I have started a woodworking business and now I have dove back into farming. I love being creative, it drives me and pushes me to be my best self. Without creativity there is a lack of excitement. Read more>>