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.

Ashima Giri

My thought process behind starting my business was deeply personal. Growing up in India, I saw how mental health was perceived in such a negative light, it was often dismissed or stigmatized. At the same time, I naturally gravitated toward streetwear from a young age. It became a form of self-expression for me, a way to carve out my identity in a world that didn’t always understand or embrace it. Read More>>

Vira Ustianska

Starting an art business was a new step in my life – like jumping on a train in anticipation of looking inside. There is still a lot to learn, but I am glad I can monetize my art knowledge, which took 17 years to acquire. My goal as a graduate of the Academy was always to follow the traditions of Ukrainian impressionism, and business, in my case, is a kind of rationalization of the result of labor, the goal of which is the creation of high-quality real art. Read More>>

Ashley Towner

I decided to open my own restaurant when I got pregnant with my son. I had worked in restaurants for 22 years and I wanted to create a work environment that included my family.
I didn’t want to separate my family from the place I spent so much of my time e and created the life we had together. I wanted to live my job and resent the fact that I had to choose between time with my kids and time making money to give them a good life. Read More>>

Monique Grimaldi

The idea of starting my own business sort of just happened organically (no pun intended). Looking back, I think that being an entrepreneur was always in my nature. It runs in my family: my great grandpa ran his own construction company for many years before retiring, my grandma still runs her own daycare from home, and my dad owns his own automotive repair shop. Read More>>

Stephanie Garbaczewski

My decision to start a business with my younger sister, Erica, was really a combination of passion, experience, and the right timing. Erica and I have spent years—20 combined—in the aesthetics industry, and we’ve always loved what we do. Helping patients feel confident is something we’re both deeply passionate about, and at a certain point, we realized we wanted to create something of our own that truly reflected our vision and values. Read More>>