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.

Rena Bulla | Wellness Center Owner

The thought process behind starting Gemini Transitions Infrared Sauna and Salt Cave was sharing techniques and systems that I used for wellness with people in the community. A good friend introduced it to me, so it was only right to share! Read more>>

Karisma Kennedy | Market Place and Kingdom Solutionist

My thought process behind starting Karisma Kennedy Solutions stemmed from a deep-seated passion for administration and a genuine desire to help people. As someone who thrives on supporting others and enabling them to focus on their core strengths, I recognized the opportunity to serve as a solutionist for businesses and brands. This calling was further nurtured during my role as an assistant to my local church pastor, where I honed my gift for organization and support. It became clear to me that the skills and insight I gained in that setting could be leveraged to assist individuals and organizations beyond the church community. Read more>>

Adra Campbell | Adra Campbell | Esthetician & Make Artist

Pursuing entrepreneurship was an easy decision due to my exposure to close family members owning multiple businesses for 30+ years. You can say I caught the entrepreneurship bug! At the age of 11, I began working for the family business answering phones, later becoming an administrative assistant & ultimately becoming a commissioned Mortgage Loan Officer for approximately 10 years. After the crash of 2007/2008, I began working at a major bank in the mortgage division for approximately 9 1/2 years. In search of more fulfilling activities, I found an esthetics program. While working full-time, I attended school (the esthetics program) full-time. Read more>>

Trista Sanford | Founder

Ora is actually a rebrand of a previous business, Bespoke Bakery & Dessert Bar. After welcoming my daughter in 2018, I knew that tea would be an eventual progression from baking that would allow me to spend more time with family. I have been an avid tea drinker for most of my life and found such solace in the act of tea time, that I wanted to share it with others. What I didn’t know is that we’d be faced with more time at home than ever before due to the pandemic in 2020. I used this time to study tea beyond what I had done as an enthusiast and create blends using my background in flavor building that I’d gained from over a decade in baking. Read more>>

Keith Montgomery | Graphic Designer & Marketing Expert

Embarking on the journey of starting DesignsbyKeith, my graphic design agency, was a thrilling yet challenging decision that evolved from a combination of curiosity, passion, and a hint of uncertainty. The inception of this venture was fueled by a genuine love for graphic design and a burning desire to explore the uncharted territory of entrepreneurship, despite having no prior experience in running a business. In the midst of the MySpace era, where social media platforms were still in their infancy, I stumbled upon a realm of boundless creativity. Graphic design, a craft that would eventually become the cornerstone of DesignsbyKeith, captured my imagination. Read more>>

Kristin Foster | Newborn and Family Photographer

My son was born during the peak of Covid. Fear and anxiety surrounding the unknown stopped my husband and I from getting newborn photos of him. To this day that is my only regret in life! I started my business in hopes of preventing other moms from ever feeling that way! As a mom myself I know how overwhelming family photos can be and the invisible mental load that comes with planning them. My mission is to serve moms by offering a full service, stress free newborn, maternity, and family portrait experience along with beautiful artwork to remember ever detail for years to come. Read more>>

Larry Roseboro | Menswear Fashion Designer & Entrepreneur

A challenge from my mother my freshman year of high school; we were shopping for school clothing and I just couldn’t find anything I like or wanted to wear…so she challenged me to think outside of the box and bet me that I couldn’t make an outfit out of some golf trousers lol (not the regular pants you golf in but the ones that can be pulled up and tied at the knee; like the ones in a Ralph Lauren ad). So I accepted the challenge and pair it with a big horse Ralph Lauren polo (which actually was a huge trend back in 2006; I believe Kanye and Fonzworth Bentley start that). But from there I started think to myself about how many other men out there like myself that can find anything they would like to wear, not even excited to shop because look at our options pertaining to clothing…boring, flat, muted colors…. Read more>>

Delores Powell-Stewart | CEO

My thought process was to become an independent business owner so I could work for myself and provide opportunities to other minorities. Along with building a legacy to leave behind to my Family. Read more>>

Peter Clement | Woodworker & Artist

I’ve always enjoyed making and creating things and before I launched Deep Roots Workshop I would create custom gifts for family and friends. As I became more skilled at woodwork I began to realize that I could turn my passion for creating into a way to pay for itself. I started my business as a way to share my desire to create with a wider audience. Getting paid to do something I love to do makes it less like work and more like a calling. Read more>>

Hallie Pister | Wedding Photographer

I did not set out to turn wedding photography into a business. Let alone a career that has taken over my life! I started photography in 2018 for fun, and would photograph friends to practice shooting in manual. Then a friend reached out to me about photographing his wedding, and everything snowballed from there! I genuinely feel like I didn’t choose weddings, but instead they chose me. In 2021 I decided to pursue this as a legal business just to see where it would go. Filing to make Opal House a real business was just a practice in saying “Yes” to new things. And now it’s become so much more! Read more>>

Lee Roth | Co-Founder

I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I love building businesses that authentically solve pain in a marketplace. The marketing services industry is flawed in many ways. I believe my partner Pio Schunker and I have the right model and experience to solve at least some of those flaws. Read more>>

Maverick Rose | Musician & Poet

I’ve always been an independent thinker. I believe starting my own business was a natural progression for me. As someone who tends to think outside the box, it made sense to blaze my own trail rather than force myself into someone else’s preconceived notion of success. Read more>>

Brit Guerin | Mental Health Therapist, Fitness Professional, and Business Owner

Starting my own business was born out of the mission to create a more inclusive wellness space. As a fitness professional and mental health therapist, I wanted to create a space to bridge the gap between physical and mental health. The two are so related, yet feel so separated in the wellness industry. I also wanted to create a space where folks of marginalized identities (particularly, folks in larger bodies), felt affirmed. Oftentimes, wellness spaces can feel exclusionary and intimidating as they focus on appearance-related goals and weight loss. This can lead to a host of mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Rather than focusing on changing our bodies, Current Wellness focuses on respecting on bodies and appreciating all that they do for us. Read more>>