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.

Prescila Anaya | Owner & Founder of PWR Clothing Co

Starting my own faith-based business was born out of a desire to inspire others to stand boldly in their beliefs and take pride in their faith. I wanted to create apparel that not only allows people to express their love for God but also serves as a tool to touch the lives of those around them. Faith-based apparel has the power to spark meaningful conversations about God, opening doors to share the Gospel and spread His love in everyday moments. My goal is to encourage others to wear their faith with confidence and use it as a way to impact the world around them for His glory. Read more>>

Toran Grays | Extraordinary Banana Pudding owner

My thought of creating a business was to build a family legacy. My great grandma use to make this dessert for all of us growing up and it brought such great childhood memories. Not only do I want my 3 children to experience this but the rest of the world too.

I wanted to also bring awareness to the fact anyone can create a business regardless of your background or financial status. I wanted to be role model for my children and wanted to inspire others. Read more>>

Kya Bliss | Dancer & Massage Therapist

I started my healing practice and dance collective in order to offer care and belonging to the sensitive, artistic souls trying to thrive in this society that often overlooks the wisdom of the body and gifts of the tender-hearted. I want all people to feel safe, loved, and worthy. In a culture that is becoming less and less embodied, it feels vital to let the body lead and express its stories, feelings, and sensations in order to find a dynamic balance of health. There’s a desire to let the body reveal possible transformations and paths forward rather than force the body into submission. We come into this world speaking the language of the senses. Inside the womb, we are deeply attuned to movement, vibration, and touch, but as we age in this society, our minds start to take over and lead us away from an embodied intelligence. Read more>>

Seth Sandoval | Founder of Happy Hour Heroes & Career Bar Professional

I’ve always wanted to start something of my own. Working for other people has generally not been very fulfilling for me, so I wanted to do something with my time and energy that I could always look back on and be proud of. When it came to deciding what to do, I tried to envision what 10 years in the future would look like, and I imagined the impact it would have if my nonprofit had existed for 10 years and then was taken away. If it wouldn’t matter to anyone, it wouldn’t have been worth doing. So I’m trying to build something that 10 years from now becomes some thing that my community couldn’t imagine not having. Read more>>

Perla Brown | Baker & Cake Decorater

I always loved baking. When I was younger, my favorite things to bake were cakes and brownies, using store bought mixes. I stopped making cakes and brownies after a while until I joined the United States Navy in 2020 and was fascinated watching one of my superiors bake from scratch and decorate beautiful cakes. After leaving the ship I was stationed on, I gave up since I didn’t have anyone to learn from anymore. It wasn’t until I was on maternity leave mid 2023 after giving birth to my daughter, going through post partum depression, I found my peace baking again and working on my cake decorating skills. The thought of putting my work out there was scary, the constant fear that my cakes weren’t beautiful enough to attract customers made me hesitate frequently but as the months went by and I got more cake orders and practiced more, I decided it was time to do something for myself. Read more>>

Ava Babbin-kaufman | Founder/Executive director Ava’s Heart foundation.

Sixteen years ago, in the fragile moment between life and death, I beheld a radiant light. As I stood on the cusp of eternity, deciding whether to go or stay, the scent of my 11 year old daughters hair tugged me back. A new heartbeat pulsated within me from my emergency heart transplant. I vowed to champion life against all odds. I promised that if I could return to be my daughters mom again, I would spend the rest of my life giving others a second chance at life., like I had received. Ten days earlier I had died, was resuscitated and placed on life support. I ‘d had a rare autoimmune disease that had been misdiagnosed as psoriasis for three months. Read more>>

Fip Buchanan | Tattoo Artist

I’d work for other tattoo shops for aprox. five years and decided it was time to open my own place, with my partner Patty Kelley. We opened Avalon Tattoo in 1989 in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego. Read more>>

Lauren Cella | History Teacher and Content Creator

I wanted to make history videos in a “Gen Z” style to help inspire people to learn in a way that is fun and easy to understand. My mission is also to use humor to encourage and uplift teachers and parents who are looking to connect with a brand-new generation of students. So, whether the viewer learns some history, some new slang words (or both), I hope my content can be a bridge that connects people across generations and helps us relate to one another. Read more>>

Caitlyn Munger | Motherhood Content Creator & Blogger

After giving birth to my daughter in 2021 and returning to work full time a few short months later, I quickly realized I wanted to be home with her as much as possible but without sacrificing income. I have always had multiple streams of income and knew I could be home with her while still contributing financially and having a role outside of motherhood. When I first started on Instagram, I had no idea what it would become but I am so grateful for the amount of time I invested into it and can now say I have made it my full time job. Read more>>

Xavier Barrett | RevBody Co-Founder

The goal of starting RevBody was to inspire people to become better versions of them by bridging community and fitness. We wanted to start a culture of like minded individuals who can have a safe space to challenge themselves physically and mentally. Read more>>

Richard Myles | Psychic medium & Music Composer/producer

I have worked in the private sector, and also the state and federal government for a number of years. There were dynamics in all three capacities that left a putrid taste in my mouth. For example, every job had their own respective internal policies that were only enforced upon employees that were not part of the “in-group” and that was quite frustrating. I also experienced a dearth of appreciation of my hard work and dedication from the upper echelons of the organizational structure. Lastly, I became jaded by the politics and overall favoritism exuded in the work environment. All said dynamics, inspired me to start my own business. I love being in charge, and setting my own work climate. I am a natural born leader, with that being said, when I work for others, it feels reductive and antithetical to what I represent. Read more>>

Megan Caprice Alfaro | Women’s Mentor & Psychic Guide

In hindsight I can honestly say that I had no intentional process.
Ten plus years ago I wasn’t looking to anyone as a model or expander for what I became. Social media wasn’t the booming source of expansion it is today either. I didn’t even have language for who I was becoming and what I’m known for. For example, when women were coming to me to work with me for longer period of time, I was ignorant to what that was; the language, the set-up, everything. It was a little backwards actually; rather than built it and they will come – it was more the people were coming but I was building to their needs. I had no idea I was headed anywhere. I was simply a student of myself and in transforming myself and studying myself, the natural course of events that unfolded involved public speaking, weekly classes, monthly sold-out ceremonies, developing YTT curriculum, building and generating communities from East to West Coast and becoming a Women’s Mentor and Guide. The growth was very organic and on the ground. Read more>>

David Cross | Civitas Director

I thought that I had learned a lot in my many different roles and related fields and thought that I could bring them all together with the ability to make decisions focused around our Northstar, which is quality of care and support for the people we have given the awesome responsibility of supporting. Read more>>

Josh Jancewicz | Owner | Donna’s Pickle Beer

Since I was a teenager, I’ve always had this drive to start a business—I just didn’t know it at the time. It all began with music, and over the years, that passion morphed into an interest in bars. In the early years, I was in a variety of bands, ranging from small local acts to larger groups. I even had the chance to tour the U.S. and Europe up until my mid-20s. None of those bands made money, but the experience was invaluable. I got to see the world and meet incredible people from all kinds of backgrounds. To make ends meet and keep the beer flowing, I worked in the service industry since I was 16. Read more>>

Trew Love | Artist and Visionary

As any artist will likely tell you, art is not something that’s chosen, its something that choses you. I was a professional makeup artist for almost 20 years before I decided to branch off on my own and venture into the fine art world. I needed something that felt more unique to my personal expression. As I evolve, my expression evolves, even to my own amazement. I am still learning the balance of work, life, art, and business, but I’m here for the adventure and the challenge of finding balance. Read more>>