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.

Jim Hassey

After years of playing golf at the game’s highest levels… as well as studying and analyzing the physics and bio-mechanics of the golf-swing, I’ve figured out the secret to the golf-swing. People all over the world play golf and I can help them all.
Whether it’s people wanting to ‘start’ to play golf… or people that are already playing and wanting to play better… I know how to help them all.
I never get tired of, when I’m giving a golf-student a lesson, and seeing the amazement they experience when they learn how to swing the golf-club correctly and they hit a well-struck golf-shot. Read More>>

Anna Marie Maliwat

Less so a business, my Instagram began as a healing outlet. After my father—whom I lovingly called Papa—passed away, I couldn’t exactly avoid food. It was everywhere, and everything about it reminded me of him. Cooking at home felt painful at first, but over time I started documenting the recipes I remembered from him, often reverse engineering since I had learned to cook without measuring. What started as a way to preserve recipes for my children slowly turned into sharing them with the world. Read More>> 

Brendan McCourt

After being downsized from a corporate creative job, I started reflecting on what I liked about my career. The work itself was often rewarding but the politics and rigidity of corporate office jobs were less than appealing. I had been in those roles for a decade. I definitely learned from them and I also developed some discipline from previous remote work roles, so I knew I had it in me to go out on my own. I wanted to set my own hours, choose the projects I wanted, dress more comfortably, play my music loudly… The freedom to be myself, be my own boss, and work when I wanted to work was so incredibly appealing. It’s still work, but more on my terms and the time is spent with people I enjoy collaborating with. Read More>>

Michele Ott

My daughter’s autism diagnosis led us to find a breed that could be her emotional support, was dog-like, and good for allergy sufferers. We brought home our first Maine Coon, fell in love with his temperament, and knew we wanted to share that same joy and support with other families. Read More>>