Deciding to start a business is an unusual decision. It’s often considered irrational and yet for many it’s the best decision they’ve ever made. So we asked folks to think back to when they were starting their businesses and to tell us about their decision making process.

Carmen Parker-ward | Life Coach

The first step in the thought process was to identify the need for such a service. Carmen observed that many people, despite their talents and capabilities, often struggled with direction, motivation, and achieving their goals. Similarly, organizations faced challenges in fostering a positive culture, enhancing employee engagement, and driving performance. This gap highlighted the need for a service that could address these issues comprehensively. Read more>>

Cathy Sciott | Journalist and Narrative Nonfiction Author

My goal was to become a newspaper reporter, so I freelanced for small publications as an avenue to get on staff at a weekly or daily newspaper.. I also finished my bachelor’s degree, because newspapers require it. Read more>>

Destin Cramer | Artist

For me art is a way of life, everyone always told me it was something that could never pay the bills but it was something that I continued to dream of every day until one day I just decided I had nothing to lose. I was homeless and struggling with mental and physical health issues and selling art actually did help me pay the bills and give me a reason to continue living. I made portraits of friends to get food to eat and it eventually developed into selling large paintings across the country. Read more>>

Amy Lewis & Kelli Schry | Podcast Co-hosts

We started our podcast, Uncover Motherhood, as a way for us to stay in touch, but it is our hope that the stories we tell help other moms feel connected, feel seen and validated. Being a mom – while very rewarding – can be very isolating. We’ve found that many moms don’t have the support system they need. So, we use this platform to share our own personal journeys, struggles and successes. Between us our kids range from toddlers to teenagers, and we represent the working mom and the stay at home mom. We love to interview other moms on our podcast to share their unique journeys as well. Read more>>

Rob Merrill | Owner/Builder Trailer Magic

Our thought process was slow and evolving. We started out just as a hobby. We were happy doing the thing we loved to do, but mostly doing it for ourselves and our friends. We loved vintage trailers, built one for ourselves, helped some friends build the trailer of their dreams and it just sort of slowly evolved. Eventually strangers reached out to us to see if we would help them. Our builds started getting attention and we realized that there was a potential for a real business here. It has been a wonderful transition and growth, and we are still doing the thing we love to do. Read more>>

Ashley Carter | Business Owner

When I started my business, I had reached a turning point in my career and asked myself, “Is this really it? Is this my legacy?” While I was proud of the impact I was making in higher education, I didn’t want that to define my entire life. Someone once told me that in the first half of life, we often do what we think we should do—pleasing parents, going to college, building a stable career. But the second half of life offers us the chance to follow our true passions—if we’re bold enough to take it. Read more>>