Readers often email us asking us for advice about new businesses they are thinking about starting and we often find that many of them don’t have a framework for thinking about a more fundamental question: why should or shouldn’t you start a business?

Below, you’ll find how successful entrepreneurs from across the city thought about this very question when they were considering whether to start their businesses.

Annette & Daniela Felder | Responsible Fashion Designers , Plant-based for the animals.

We started our brand while we were still studying at Central Saint Martins in London, and in the beginning, we just had one objective- to be part of the official catwalk schedule at London Fashion Week showcasing our stage worthy designs. .Once we achieved that and our collections were stocked in internationally reclaimed stores all over the world, we started to realize more and more that our values did not align with the the way the industry works, and even as an independent and considerably small brand you get pushed to overproduce to reduce the prices and you end up with a lot of unnecessary stock. Step by step, we started to implement changes into our company, and at one point it became relatively clear that Felder Felder had transformed into a new band focusing on showcasing designs with cruelty-free, plant-based textile innovations & organic materials that are environmentally friendly and only created on demand to avoid overproduction. Therefore you can say the thought process behind the brand has evolved with us over time, and we think it is important that your personal developments are reflected in your work. Read more>>

Jason Keeney | Local Small Farmer

I wanted to become more connected to the earth, while being able to become more self sufficient and provide locally grown heathy food to my community. Read more>>

Dana Fehrenbach | Knitwear Designer

I have wanted to own a knit shop since I was a little girl. My Grandmothers taught me to sew, mend, crochet, embroider, needlepoint and draw. I used to ride my bike into town and walk through the local knit shop and just marvel and the skeins of yarn and colors. Read more>>

Hugo Fresan | Creative Director, Head Designer and Founder of Estudio Chapman

Starting and running my own business had always been a lifelong dream of mine. I always pictured myself building a business from the ground up. I pictured myself living out of what I’m passionate about and truly love. Luckily, I grew up within a family unit that always owned their own businesses, I looked up to that and knew that’s what I wanted to do. Within my city, I saw the need for my type of business and I took it as an opportunity. Owning a business gives me the opportunity to make an impact within my community. Read more>>

LINDSEY URBATCHKA | Wellness Consulting Pharmacist and Patient Advocate

After graduating pharmacy school, I got my dream position as a compounding and specialty pharmacist in the Phoenix area. I was immersed the retail pharmacy world that was integrating eastern and western medicine and I absolutely fell in love. Every patient at the counter didn’t necessarily need more medications, they needed lifestyle changes as well. So I began learning to do hormone consults and adding lifestyle changes and supplements to them. I loved seeing the patients get better and grow as people. Less meds more living and if they were on meds, we tried to be on as few as possible. Properly chosen, quality supplements can change one’s life. I spent 7 years really grinding in this environment and then I moved into a smaller space but with the same goals-help people. In this case, it was more niche in compounding but after a couple years, I was in the specialty compound hybrid space again and still providing these “wellness consults.” After giving birth, my body tried to die. I crashed my adrenals and amongst other challenges, reactivated my Epstein Barr Virus (aka mono). If it weren’t for IVs, supplements, eastern and western medicine I wouldn’t be here today. I couldn’t let this experience and knowledge sit – I decided, why just bring this to Arizona, why not launch an online company to help people? So in 2019. I did. Read more>>

Sandro Costa | Audio & Lighting engineer

There always seemed to be a need for local, affordable, quality audio & light production in the Bay Area for local live bands & artists for a lot of venues. Most bands either don’t have or didn’t want to invest tens of thousands of dollars into the audio & lighting for their events. I had studied recording and live production through the California recording institute with some of the greatest audio engineers and it was something I had always enjoyed throughout my life. So I applied my knowledge and experience to work with live bands. Read more>>

Mari Sulukyan-Mari | Candlemaker & Registered Nurse

In all honesty, starting a business was never the plan. The initial idea was to use my creative talents to raise money for charities and causes near and dear to me around the world. Particularly, for families effected by the Artsakh war in 2020. It was also a way to share something special with my mom who suffers from chronic illness. Although her capacity to create has been greatly impacted by her ailments, I get so much of my creativity and vigor for arts from her. What started as a project at my kitchen table has turned into something beyond my wildest dreams. I am able to continue to make charitable contributions, be a stewardess of my faith, and do something that helps me connect to people in all capacities. It has been the greatest blessing of my life. I’ve had many evolutions in the last few years and all forks in the road have led me to this point. Read more>>

Delian Petrov & Lawrence Stevens | Co-Founders; CEO & COO

The idea for FridgeGuide Ai came from a mix of personal experience and a shared interest in solving a practical problem. Back in 2015, I developed ‘FridgeBuddy’, a simple tool to help people find recipes based on what they had at home. This idea stayed with me, but it wasn’t until 2023, when Lawrence and I were at a local farmer’s market in San Diego, that everything clicked. We spotted brussels sprouts at one of the produce booths and couldn’t think of any recipes for utilizing them to their fullest potential. That initial thought made us realize how often people buy groceries that they don’t end up using, and how challenging it can be to keep track of everything in your pantry or fridge. It’s a common issue – you end up wasting food, and it feels like you’re stuck making the same meals over and over again. Read more>>