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.

Melody Kirchhofer

Rustic Pine Candle Company started as a hobby. I needed an outlet that took my mind off being a full-time student and living the military life. Candle making was that outlet for me. In 2022, I decided to further pursue this passion to be able to share these timeless creations with others. I never had the intention of being in business full-time, I was simply on a journey to find myself outside all of my roles. Read More>>

Dr. Trish Leigh

I have helped people with ADHD and anxiety using advanced technology called QEEG brain mapping and neurofeedback for many years.

When I learned about the dangers of explicit matter and screen excess on brain health I was called to help people leave unhealthy screen time and reset the pleasure pathways in their brain back to the real world. Read More>>

Akillah Graves

My decision to start my own business was driven by a combination of passion, opportunity, and a desire for independence. I had been working in the corporate world for a while and noticed that. It was fulfilling for me. I felt that there was room for growth that could offer something different—something more fulfilling and fun. Read More>>

Emily Warner & Ian Counts

Starting Established Hair Studio wasn’t about just creating a place to do hair, it was about creating an environment where everyone felt welcomed. We have the best of both worlds in our shop, the precision and tradition of a barbershop and the creativity and relaxation of a traditional salon. Read More>>

Torrie Smiley

I started my own “art business” quite by accident.

I have been drawing as long as I can remember. I spent more time drawing in class when I probably should have been paying attention. In high school, I had my first opportunity to paint with a wonderful local artist, Nell Bennett. That is when I fell in love with painting. I really can’t call myself self-taught because there are so many people through the years who have helped me become a better artist. Read More>>

Katie Kane

Starting my own business wasn’t a decision that happened overnight. It’s something I’ve thought about for years, but I never felt I had the right idea or the timing wasn’t right. A big driver behind my decision was a desire for more creative freedom and control over my time. My background is in HR, and I’ve always been passionate about engagement and culture-building—bringing people together through shared experiences and creating moments of joy. That’s what truly excites me. Read More>>

Ashley Kaye

Life doesn’t prepare you for the moments when everything falls apart. For me, it started with homelessness, then spiraled through struggles that most people could never imagine, but the real test came when my child experienced a mental health crisis on January 11th. As a mother, there was never a question of what needed to be done—I had to be there. Read More>>

Lindsay Green

We decided to formalize our beekeeping business in 2017 after many years of pursuing it as a hobby alongside our full-time jobs. We recognized a strong need in our community, Brevard, and the surrounding region for locally-produced raw honey, locally-adapted bees, and hands-on educational experiences. Read More>>

Jason Nixon

John Loecke and I had been magazine editors in New York City for more than two decades. We were writers, editors, stylists, producers, and so much more. Learning to wear so many different hats gave us a wonderful panoply of skills sets that were anything but rote and routine. Read More>>