The first step to starting a business is deciding to start a business. They say the first step is the hardest and in our experience this is especially true when it comes to starting a business. Getting over the mental roadblocks can be tough, often harder to overcome than the challenges you’ll face once you actually start the business. Fellow entrepreneurs share their thoughts below.

Bianca Beale | San Diego Experience Creator

I was in the work force after graduating collage for about 3 years before I started my own company, but starting and owning my own company was part of my dream since I was a child. I witnessed my father when he started his own business when I was 8, and remember how exciting and scary it was for him. He shared his emotional experiences with me from then, and I was taught that if I wanted freedom and the ability to make my own hours and an unlimited amount of money, and never live in fear of being laid off, etc, that owning a business was the only way. Read more>>

Michael Leytem | CEO & Founder of Catching Leadership

My dream job didn’t exist, so I decided to create it. After spending a decade in the corporate world, I realized I was unfulfilled. Don’t get me wrong, I was grateful for the skills I learned and the people I met, but something was missing. What I really wanted to do was blend my passions for leadership, mindfulness, and fishing. I knew I could help others in a unique way if I was able to create a unique atmosphere and modality for developing leaders. I decided to place a wager on myself and got busy writing my first book titled, “Catching Leadership.” Read more>>

Christina Bird | Acupuncturist

I thoroughly enjoy helping people feel better, and doing good work in this world. Going to Acupuncture school and stepping into the holistic healing space became a natural transition after receiving my undergraduate degree in Athletic Training, where I focused on kinesiology; anatomy and physiology; and the prevention, care, assessment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries; as well as working as a Personal Trainer for three and a half years. I am here to support my patients on their healing and self-care journey. Read more>>

Natalie Kees | Owner of Kees Analytics

I launched Kees Analytics back in 2016 with a goal: to find a way to juggle the whirlwind of motherhood with my business intelligence career. At the time, I was navigating the demands of a high-pressure corporate job while raising a one and four year old. Balancing work and home life felt like chasing a dream, but I was determined to crack the code on how to be an engaged mom and a successful professional. Read more>>

Kasey Superstar | Special Needs Guru

I began SuperStar Consulting when really, I had been working in the field of Special Needs for over 10 years. You see I had been involved on a non-profit board, Autism Society San Diego. After the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder hit my own doorstep in 2006 with my oldest son, Elijah! One of my roles with Autism Society San Diego was hosting support group meetings and I crushed it at support. Month after month families were coming in and begging for direction and they were lost left feeling discouraged. Read more>>

Zoe Branch | Typewriter Poet

I started writing typewriter poems for strangers in 2018 after inheriting my great grandfather’s 1931 Remington Noiseless typewriter. It was a machine that I’d loved to play on as a kid — writing stories of all kinds — and that I was officially gifted in my early 20s. After sitting on a shelf for almost a year, I took it down to write a poem for my grandfather upon his cancer diagnosis: he writes custom limericks for the big milestones of every family member, and I wanted to return the favor for this occasion of his. Read more>>

Ligia Santillan | Visual Artist

Initially, it wasn’t about starting a business. It began with a simple desire to support an international exhibition, showcase talented artists from the Baja region, and share my love for my city With over 25 years immersed in the arts scene in Tijuana and a passion for promoting local
artists at the airport and all over this region, I welcomed the opportunity to showcase the rich
artistic heritage of Baja California with ART SCENE BAJA VIP CULTURAL TOURS, to change. Read more>>

Aleksei Shchechkin | Founder and head coach of “Kids In The Beats” break dance school

When I started my business, my thoughts were simple: I was doing what I loved. My passion for breakdancing began as a hobby, and it naturally grew into a business. In Russia, I built a successful school with 800 to 900 students, organized major championships, and became the president of the Breakdancing Federation. But when I first started dancing, I never imagined I would achieve all of this. Now, in Los Angeles, I’m starting from scratch with the ambition to create a network of dance schools across America. I’m confident that I will succeed. Read more>>

Donovan Taylor Hall | Youth Mental Health and Empowerment Advocate, Speaker, Content Creator

Thought process: I got into this work with young people because of my own experiences and struggles as a teen and how they impacted the ways I showed up in the world. I was on paper a typical student growing up. I had pretty decent grades, had friends, got along with the adults in my life, participated in lots of extra curricular activities. But underneath what looked good on paper, I struggled deeply with how I viewed and treated myself. Read more>>

Rachèle Demeo | Founder/director of FLAM San Diego (French school in San Diego and online), educator, speaker, YouTuber and author (of 6 published books)

Hi! My name is Rachèle DeMeo, and I’m honored to be interviewed by you. I’m going to tell you about one of my “jobs,” so to speak: my YouTube channel. The channel was originally created to support my college students when I was a French professor. I designed videos to offer concise lectures and provide a glimpse into French life and culture, enhancing their learning experience beyond the classroom. Only years later did I decide to regularly create YouTube videos for French learners around the world, as my students raved about the videos I made for them. Read more>>

Mac Villarreal

I moved from Mexico to this amazing country ten years ago with a big dream: to make healthy food accessible to everyone. My background as an Olympic athlete, where I competed in sailing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, showed me how important good nutrition is for both performance and overall well-being. Starting I Eat My Greens was a personal mission. As a husband and dad of three, I know how tough it can be to keep up a healthy diet with a busy family life. This challenge, along with my love for nutritious food, pushed me to create something that could help others too. Read more>>