Thinking through whether to start a business – whether to take the risk, whether to go out on your own – isn’t easy. So we asked some entrepreneurs we admire to tell us about how they thought through the process of starting a business.

Kerri Taylor | Aspiring Artist & Entrepreneur

My thought process was first how can I implement the vision that God gave me and turn it into a business that clearly shows that vision. Once I established that answer then I began to build off of that vision and do research on what would work for the business that I was trying to birth. I chose to do an LLC for my T-shirt business. I also made room for growth by having my long term goals on the table with my short term goals. Everyday it’s a learning curve but I choose to be open to different strategies for growth. Read more>>

Carnela Renee Hill | Award Winning Interior Designer, Author, Speaker, Coach

I started my business because I saw very few Blacks/African Americans in the interior design arena. The work was plentiful. People were asking for black and brown designers. When you see a need, pray if you are to meet it and go forth. I saw the need. I prayed and received my answer and the business was birthed. Read more>>

Karen Atiles | CEO, Lifelong Development

Being in the military (US Air Force) for 20 years, I was honored to lead and develop the next generation of Airmen. So when I retired in 2016, I wanted to continue that passion of developing the next generation of leaders. It’s what led me to start my business, Lifelong Development LLC, where our mission is to add value to leaders who multiply value to employees and customers. Employees usually come into an organization with a skillset. They are technical experts in a field. Along the way, they are noticed for their expertise and selected to lead others. However, most of the time, these experts have no knowledge on how to lead, which is where we find gaps in organizations. Read more>>