Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, we think you’ll enjoy reading about how these seasoned entrepreneurs thought about the question when they were in your shoes.

Pat Tarver | Dog Trainer

While working for a pet retail center as a dog trainer, I found myself very limited in the curriculum I was teaching and the types of behavior cases I was able to assist with. I felt as though there was much more for me to be able to do, but I needed to venture out on my own to never encounter limitations again. Many of my clients pushed and supported me through this endeavor, and without them I’m not sure it would have been possible. Read more>>

Nathalie Baret | PR/Media & Branding Expert

I created Win-Win PR & Artist Management with the goal of helping Creators bring their brand to life — taking them from strong to superb. By creators, I mean small business owners, arts and entertainment businesses, and creators such as musicians, podcasters, radio personalities, painters, book authors and more. Read more>>

Taylor Pitera | Content Creator, Stylist, & Social Media Manager

I moved to Manhattan ten days after graduating college to accept an internship in the fashion industry. In a week, I turned my internship into a full-time position and was “living the fashion dream”. I was under an umbrella that housed multiple labels. It was fun and glamorous, but it was chaotic and demanding. Read more>>

Sully Montero | Travel Advisor

My name is Sully Montero and I have been a high school history teacher in New Jersey for the past 17 years. I could blame COVID, but the truth of the matter is, I’ve been losing faith in education long before COVID. Even before 2020, I slowly started using the word “NO” which is something a lot of teachers really don’t know how to do. Read more>>

Jeffrey Perce | Chef

I have been working as a chef for nearly thirty years across the Western United States. Serving delicious food that brightens peoples lives has always been at the center of my life. I have always wanted my own restaurant, yet never felt like I was in the right place with the right opportunity, and preferred to work for other chefs as I learned about many different cooking styles. Read more>>

Josh Moser | Cofounder & CPO at Laborjack

Laborjack was an incredibly simple concept when it first began. We didn’t have any money, resources, nor any idea what we were doing. It was all about trial and error, not quitting, and ultimately executing on what seemed like a very far fetched vision at the time. I often say now that I can’t believe I kept pressing due to my lack of experience – but today I’m glad I didn’t care what people thought and stuck with it! Read more>>

Mark Lawrence | Working Class Artist

Ultimately my decision to start Tendril Inks in 2015 was greatly inspired by my wife and was in part an outlet to cope with the loss of our two foster daughters. I had previously been involved in another creative endeavor, having been writing about music since early 2001 and culminating in my own music blog By the Light of the Stereo which covered a wide variety of local, national and international acts. Read more>>

Lauren Bell | Owner & Lead Travel Consultant

When I started Plane Jane Travel Services, I wanted to take the mystery out of traveling and also create a job that I enjoy, I started traveling domestically in 2014 and internationally in 2019 and I have gained quite a bit of experience that I wanted to share with others. Read more>>

Alessia Gandolfo | Purpose and Business Coach

I started my own business in 2016 during a time in which I was finishing my master’s degree in Marketing and also training as a Yoga teacher and Life Coach at the same time. The thought process behind starting my own business came from a few years of feeling unsettled inside of myself and not knowing exactly why. Read more>>

Aspen Stalls | Wildlife Guide & Canid Educator

I have always wanted to be my boss, but have wanted to contribute to wildlife conservation in some way. Wildlife guiding is a great chance for me to do that. Read more>>

Natalie Kunsman, MD | Integrated Health Advisor & Functional Physician

I started out in private practice immediately after residency in my home town in Pennsylvania. I had a brick and mortar newly built office, then expanded to a three satellite practice with multiple physicians. Read more>>

Amy Hall | Podcast Owner and Host of Her Wild Outdoors/Program Coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Federation

I was a female solo learning hunter who could not find specific advice or encouragement in the hunting and outdoor community for women only. The podcast grew from a need and want for connection and growth in my own goals. The conversations grew and every single conversation led to one or more after that. Referrals for more connections came organically. It has been amazing to grow and mature in my own love of the outdoors as well as finding connection and friendships along the way. Read more>>

Tyren Chestnut | CEO OF GRLBSS – Founder

I hated working corporate and teaching didn’t pay enough. I reckon being the young single flirty damsel in distress I was at the time just made sense, so when God gave me permission I said “hyfr lol”. 🙂 <3 Read more>>

Brandy Parrino | Vintage Reseller

I have been reselling my thrifted finds off and on since 2004. Late 2021 I was promoted at my 9-5 and realized I was unhappy with the work I was doing. I wanted more time to pursue my passions and I wanted to do something that allowed more freedom and creativity. In February of 2022 I left my career. Read more>>

Marek Chromik | Martial Arts Instructor & Life Coach

A vision. A plan. A community – finding likeminded people. Read more>>

Jacob Prather | Photographer & Videographer

Starting a business actually came as a complete surprise! After graduating from Auburn University with a film degree in August 2020, my original plan was to move to Atlanta and get my feet in the door as a production assistant. Read more>>

Ava Werner | Outside photographer

My thought process behind starting a photography business, was to inspire young teenagers like me to go out of their comfort zone to do the things they enjoy. Read more>>

Alexis Grace | Owner

Pickleball was a sport that we started playing as a family on vacation around 2017. We never dreamed that our love and passion for this game would lead to starting our own business but look where we are today! As our enjoyment for the sport grew so did my husband’s dreams. Read more>>

Cole Butler | Lionheart Wellness

In a bout of COVID-19 around this time last year, I was sitting at home twiddling my thumbs. I could only binge-watch so much Netflix, only order so much Doordash. I had been thinking about a recent audit with the FDA that I went through in my role as a Study Coordinator conducting psychedelic-assisted therapy clinical trials. There was so much I had learned in that process that I wanted to share with others! Read more>>

Kathryn Lott | Interior Designer and Lead Creative

I’ve always wanted to own my own business, work for myself. I’ve worked in the corporate world, other interior designers, etc. While my experiences were all positive, I knew I wanted to work own my own, for me – setting the example for our kids that they can take care of themselves. Read more>>

Austin Chipman | Co Owner Gambino’s Spaghetti

BUCKETS OF SPAGHETTI! We (Brady and Myself) came up with the concept to offer affordable and delicious family size portions of spaghetti and other Italian style food. Who doesn’t want a bucket of spaghetti!? 🙂 Read more>>

Catey ; Claire Nelson; Green | Cinematographer and Producer;

After attending the Horsetooth International Film Festival in 2021, Claire and I were moved by the work of other filmmakers and decided to make a short film of our own, with the intention to submit it to festivals the following year. As best friends, ski buds, and driven media specialists, we knew this might not be the only project we take on together. Read more>>

Daniël-James van den Berg | Founder, Creative Director

I go by Daniël-James van den Berg a multimedia design agency owner and a ginger South African who loves to break dancer who loves to break dance in my spare time. Back in 2011, I interned at a Fortune 500 executive coaching company that focuses on car dealers like Mercedes and other companies. Read more>>

Corey Strohmeyer | Maker

It was basically a function of me toiling away in my studio and realizing “well what the hell do I do with all this stuff??” There are only so many pillows one person needs. And since I didn’t see myself stopping any time soon, I thought I might try to support my habit by selling the extras. Read more>>