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.

Corduan Osburn | Plumbing Contractor & Master Plumber

It all started with everything being “side work” . I would perform plumbing repairs early in my career in my spare time from my 9-5 job. I was very knowledgeable at drain cleaning & considered myself an experts & that’s kind of how the company name started. Read more>>

Juan Autrey | Traveling Pro Makeup Artist & Licensed Cosmetologist

I have diverse interests, and when something captivates me, I delve into it wholeheartedly, ensuring a thorough understanding. Despite my career in the medical field, I discovered a profound passion for beauty. Attending cosmetology school and obtaining my license exposed me to various aspects, with makeup emerging as my primary fascination. Read more>>

Diamon Doss | Event Planner and Business Owner

Before starting my own business my thought process always reflected on how I grew up and how I had to watch my parents struggle to support me. My mom worked a lot barely having time for me and my siblings growing up and my dad stayed gone a lot as well. So from jump, I always knew that I wanted to start my own business. Not only to generate more income, I wanted and had to become my own boss. I never had good experiences when working 9-5s so that was another reason why I wanted to start my own business. So when I did start to invest in my business, did get discouraged at first but I knew overtime my hard work will eventually pay off long as I kept my mind on what matters most, which is my children! It was very important for me not only to become a business owner, but to set an example for my kids to become their own bosses as well in the future. Read more>>

Monica Foster | Creator, Web Designer, School Bus Driver, Rock Hound, Writer and Marketing Apprentice

We recently started Carved With Love Co. Being overcome with grief from losing two of our dogs at the end of 2023, we started making wooden bowls and charcuterie boards as a distraction. That distraction lead to the birth of a company that’s already sold out of all of its stock in the first week. Inspired by nature, we are carving live edge bowls and using wood straight from our own land. Each piece is unique, and each one is a beautiful piece of functional art. Some are dough bowls, which apparently is the new craze, and others are just bowls to fill with decorative items or rocks or whatever suits your fancy. We are delighted to see these one-of-a-kind, hand crafted wood products make so many people happy, they have helped us overcome grief and heal from things that are hard to talk about. Something good comes from something bad, and that’s the silver lining that keeps us going. Read more>>