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.

Maggie La Hue | Life Coach

I started my business Choose You Coaching to give me the opportunity to step into my purpose and serve others. Choosing to Open my business felt like the natural next step for me once I knew that Coaching was something I enjoyed so much. Read more>>

Ryan Duong | Dentist and Dog Dad…….Dr. Quynh Nguyen is a Dentist and Jiu Jitsu Instructor

Dr. Quynh and I are co-owners of Oasis Dental Adults and Kids. Dr. Quynh was actually my mentor for 8 years and convinced me to pursue dentistry. She has been my good friend throughout the years. It was only 2-3 years ago that we started seriously thinking about a business partnership. Read more>>

Joshua Crane | Owner/Operator/Head Roaster/Bicycle Coffee Courier

Hmmm. This is a difficult question since there were so many in order to tip the scale into the direction of starting The Coffee Ride. The back story began by having a in science and I had found my passion for drinking coffee while studying for medical school entrance exams. Read more>>

Jason Dennen | Author and Inspirational Speaker

Before I became an author and inspirational public speaker I was a trauma patient in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital fighting desperately for my survival while being trapped in a coma for 8 days. Read more>>

Kendra Strong-Tehrani | Founding Attorney

Starting my law firm stemmed from both personal and professional motivations. First, becoming a parent for the first time ignited a desire to create a legacy and inspire my son to pursue his dreams. I wanted to build something he could be proud of. Read more>>

Osha Justice | Interior Designer

When I was growing up, my father was in the carpentry/construction industry and my mother sold real estate in the Durango area. From a young age, I followed my father through the sawdust of his shop and tagged along with my mother to client’s living rooms. Read more>>

Johnny Hastings | Musician & Performer

As a musician specializing in blues music, starting my own business as a performing artist was a natural progression in my career. It stems from my passion for music. Booking my own shows and promoting myself was a way to further pursue this passion and create opportunities for myself in the music world. Read more>>

Erika Akemi | Polymer Clay Artist

I always enjoyed arts and crafts but I would either pick something that was too simple to sell or I would make wonderful items that took too long to make. When I got addicted to making polymer clay earrings, I knew I was onto something good. The timing to finish a piece and the beauty and popularity of the earrings made me realize that this was perfect for a business. Read more>>

Daniel Logan | Artist, Freelance artist, Entrepreneur

As an art business owner, my thought process behind starting my own business was driven by a deep passion for art and a strong desire to create a platform that showcases and promotes artists and their work. Read more>>

IAMGRÜV | Multimedia Artist & DJ

I simply love to create and collaborate, so starting a business was more about making a life around doing what I love. Read more>>

Rhonda Delmolino | Fine Artist & Illustrator

As an Artist, I really wanted to find a way to share my artwork and spread creativity with others. So, I started my home based professional art studio that allows me the freedom to create around my family time, art opportunities, and engage with my community. Read more>>

Peter Margittai | Architect

Owning my own practice was a dream that started while I was in Architecture School. My classmates and I would sit around, usually in the early morning hours, discussing what type of firm we would have, the type of projects we work on, and the way would be different and better than the others. Read more>>

Jessica Marshall | Artist & Mom

I started the Library of Marshall Arts to set an intention, to myself, that I wasn’t going to set the creator in me aside. I will forever move through life as an artist; like ‘mom’, it’s simply a part of who I am. It’s a dream to share my interpretations of nature as artworks. Read more>>

Aiyla Cook | Death Doula | Somatic Coach | Somatic Therapist in-training

My initial thought process was avoidance! I had always said I didn’t want to own my own business; there were so many things to learn and do to be able to start, run and successfully maintain a business that I found to be terrifying. Read more>>

Barry Jennings | Barry Jennings CTS, PCNA, PCVE, EAVA

In my time working within the tech industry, I noticed a growing emphasis on sales targets that sometimes overshadowed customer satisfaction. This sparked a passion in me to create something different. Jennings AV was born from the idea that exceptional customer service shouldn’t be a luxury – it should be the standard. Read more>>

Liz Seelye | Founder and Brand Wayfinder at StarryEyed Strategy

I’ve helped build some of the world’s best and biggest brands. I’ve loved every minute. And yet, I know there is a need to help build not just the established brands, but also the up-and-coming independent brands trying to make a difference. Read more>>

Aaron Perry | College Student/Founder and CEO of Ultra Lyte Running Troy Stegner | Comic Book Store Owner and convention organizer

My journey into endurance sports began with my first marathon during my junior year of high school, igniting a passion that has since grown exponentially. Intrigued by the challenge of pushing my limits further, I discovered ultra marathons, races exceeding the standard 26.2 miles. Read more>>

Troy Stegner | Comic Book Store Owner and convention organizer

I live in an area where the pop culture market is vastly under represented. When I moved here I looked for a store where I could continue my comic book subscription and came up empty handed. I talked to like minded folks in the area and they would drive over an hour to visit a store that catered to Nerdy clientelle. Read more>>

Emily Tucker Bernstein | Interior Designer

With this industry, I think most people go into it knowing that the end goal is starting their own business. I knew it was what I wanted from my very first job in interior design, it was just a matter of getting the experience and know how before I felt comfortable going out on my own. Read more>>

Giuseppe Quarata | Fractional CMO & Founder of QC

I started my own business more from necessity. I have always dreamed of having my own business, but I never felt ready to start. When I moved to the US to study from Switzerland, I had to quit my job and stay for over a year without a job while I was going to school. Read more>>

Rebecca Wildbear | Wild Yoga Creator, Author, & Soul Guide

I love the natural world and listening to dreams, and I want to share this love with others. I care about the world and the Earth’s well-being and want to offer my creative gifts to the planet and future generations. I love yoga asana and other practices of listening deeply to the body. Read more>>

Terra Goeres Ramachandran | Certified Life Coach for Women in Mid-Life

My business chose me in a way. I had spent 21 years in the digital marketing industry – 10 of those years in corporate and 11 years running my own agency with my husband. Despite spending over 2 decades in that profession, it never lit me up. I always felt like a square peg trying to jam myself into a round hole. Read more>>