Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Stacey Staley | Creative Entrepreneur & Owner of BLUXOM

I have been a serial entrepreneur my entire life. So when my husband and I decided we wanted to move from Canada, buying a business and revamping it for our vision of success and coming to the USA on a business investor Visa just made sense for us. Read more>>

Jon Runion | Owner of Necessity Coffee

I have been in the coffee industry for years and I have really enjoyed the spaces I get to work in. In those years, I have helped develop coffee programs and helped open numerous locations for other people and after doing that for ten years, I felt like I had learned and grown enough to feel like I wanted to start a coffee shop for myself. Working for other cafes and seeing the service industry, one thing I wanted to create was a welcoming space for everybody where hospitality was one of our main focuses. I also wanted to create a cafe that represented farmers that offered unique and rare coffees because I hadn’t found those in other spaces. Read more>>

Connie Alvarenga | Fior Di Latte Co-Founder

Our thought process behind starting Fior Di Latte began in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before this, my husband Steven and I had the opportunity to travel to different countries over the years, where we enjoyed learning about different cultures and trying new foods. When the pandemic began, international travel was at a stand still, so we started thinking of ways that we could bring these unique experiences to our hometown to shed a little light in a dark time and also begin our journey towards entrepreneurship. We initially began our business concept by renting out our vintage airstream, as an experience that adventurers could enjoy while being hunkered down. Read more>>

Sherry Mosley | Akashic Enlightenment Author, Teacher & Shamanic Psychic Medium Asian Integrative Medicine Practitioner

I felt called to get into alternative health since a young age and ultimately called to share Akashic Enlightenment in my two published books on that material. Read more>>

Half Hour Late | The Band

Half Hour Late came together in the most organic way. It was the summer of 2020 and we were jamming out of Shane Dee’s (founding member) shed in Ocean Beach. At first, we were just fooling around, hanging out everyday, working on riffs, lyrics and trying to record on Garage Band. Three weeks in, we had a few partially recorded songs and we decided to throw a renegade concert at the Sunset Cliffs. Over 150 people showed up on the beach to howl under the full moon at the first unofficial Half Hour Late concert. We were hard at work, but the clock was ticking… We finally hit a dead end in September, when two of the founding members moved to Hawaii. Read more>>

Crystal Jones | Co-Owner at Industrial Grind Coffee and MsCrystalJones.com

I was born to bake. And, while I get to do that at Industrial Grind Coffee, I feel called to do something more. Commercial/production baking is not the same as recipe creation and development, which is what I truly love. And, while I get to share the end result with my awesome customers, I really want to share the whole experience. I’ve got a lifetime of experience in the kitchen and I know aspects of baking can be intimidating for some people. Especially when you throw gluten free or dairy free recipes in the mix. The recipes for the baked goods we have been selling at the shop for the last 12 years are too good not to share, so I’ve decided to create an online baking subscription! Read more>>

Gen Legett | Co-creator, Nature’s Playbook App

It was during a trip to Carmel with my husband where I developed the idea of developing a visual system that would allow myself and others to discover the best outdoor recational locations and activities in an area. Up till then I was frustrated at being in a new place and the difficulty I had to find places to explore. Everything I saw online was data forward and provided me no emotional tie to connect to places. I didn’t know people in the areasso I often relied on a concierge from the hotels we stayed at for advice, which usually was subpar. It was then that I dreamed up a video atlas. I knew that if I could see the places and experiences of others, I would intuitively know the places to go to and explore. Read more>>