Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, we think you’ll enjoy reading about how these seasoned entrepreneurs thought about the question when they were in your shoes.

Charmane Neal | Founder of Hey Y’all Detroit

The aftermath of the incidents involving George Floyd and Breonna Taylor significantly impacted me, evoking both positive and negative emotions. I felt compelled to channel my desire to contribute to the community beyond participating in protests. Following introspection and prayer, a conviction arose within me to establish a nonprofit organization focused on making a profound difference in the disadvantaged communities of Detroit. Read more>>

Latricia Wilder | Owner, Vibe Ride Detroit

I wanted to see a high quality, high tech, clean studio in the city of Detroit not just the suburbs. I also saw how the fitness industry was becoming pretty elitist and exclusive, making studios expensive and fitness apparel at price points that everyday people can’t attain. This should be the exact opposite, as every human being needs to know how to take care of their bodies and their health. So, I thought, if the industry is heading in one direction, lets disrupt it and give an option that is comparable to the quality at a price point that’s inclusive, and therefore Vibe Ride Detroit was born. Read more>>

Tommy Erickson | Musician | Slumlord Radio

We’ll we started Slumlord as a way to pay off massive offshore gambling debts!!! Haha, actually it was a good excuse to still play music, which we enjoy, get rowdy (blow off steam after the work week!!) and open for Mini-KISS for our first gig! Read more>>

Khloe Cain | Book Editor and owner of Khloe’s Thoughts Editing

As a passionate reader with a strong grasp of grammar, I grew weary of encountering errors in books. This led me to establish my editing company, dedicated to assisting aspiring authors from diverse backgrounds. Read more>>

Derek Mohr | Designer + Developer

It kind of just felt like “it’s time,” to be totally honest. I’ve been working at different levels of graphic design jobs since 2010. I wasn’t entirely aware of how to work in web development, but I did know how to code at a basic level after some practice. During and after college, I held some marketing & branding jobs up until around 2014-ish, when I started adding more and more web development into my work. That led to working at an agency where I was doing 50/50 design & development, and eventually another agency where I made it all the way up to full-stack web developer—while doing my own logo & branding design as an occasional freelancer. Read more>>

Jill Koole | Health & Fitness Accountability Coach

Being a stay-at-home mom of 4 kids varying from ages 8 to 1, I was in full-on mom mode with not much break from it. I was tired and out of shape and didn’t get out of the house much with so many littles and I needed something else to be passionate about. I decided to start working out from home with a group on Facebook and try to start taking a little time for myself each day. I then saw how much I needed this community of other moms who are all connecting on social media, taking time for themselves, encouraging one another, and just being there for one another, and decided to start making my own community of ladies working to better their health and live a healthier lifestyle. Read more>>

Halie Gary | Artist & Small/Online Business Owner

Fun Fact: My mom is the reason I started Boum Boom. Back while attending graduate school I found cool ways to make gifts for people. I made my mom a cosmetic bag as a gift which then turned into individuals asking for bags to be made for them. Once I found ways to make cosmetic bags effectively, the list of products began to increase and from that point my business was in full effect. It’s been 4 years since I’ve started Boum Boom, and I’ve grown past just selling bags to adding accessories, and apparel. I just released my first few pairs of shoes as well! My main thought process was enjoying the ability to make things that I would wear and represent. Boum Boom has something for the nerds, Kpop fans, Detroit born, and many more! Read more>>

Marlo Bendon | Owner of Proud Mitten Shared Kitchen and Proud Mitten Culinary Concepts

Culinary Concepts is an expanded facility adjacent to Proud Mitten Shared Kitchen. The Shared Kitchen facility has been successful with fostering food entrepreneurs that produce Made in Michigan food products. It elevates much risk when starting up and or growing from a very small to medium sized business. Many food businesses to not have the means to get started when they have to build out their own space. Thier focus should be on branding, marketing, mastering their food products and growing via sales. Proud Mitten Shared Kitchen helps clients jump in and start gaining traction in the SE Michigan food market. Culinary Concepts is a very similar model. Read more>>

Steve and Kim Durecki | Owner

My husband and I have owned businesses for the past 35 years. We are always looking to adventure into a new genre. In 2014, while we were still running our landscaping business, Steve, who is an advid remote control hobbiest since 1985, purchased a drone. Steve had a freind in hollywood who was using drones for the movie industry and was intriged on how he could use a drone for business. Steve started taking aerial photos of our home, neighbors, and friends and printing the photo for them. Doing this was a lightbulb moment when we realized we could do this for real estate agents to help sell a home. Read more>>

Antonio & Pernishia Avery | CEO’s/Designers

We are a clothing company that is proud to be black, woman, and veteran owned. Our journey began in 2017 with a passionate vision to establish a clothing line that truly represents who we are. Our aim was to create a line that not only embodies our personal style and taste but also brings back the nostalgic vibes of the ’90s and celebrates our deep-rooted love for Detroit. Read more>>

Carita Miller | Independent Film Music Supervisor & Artist Manager

It appeared like a viable and strategically advantageous business opportunity to start a music supervision service in Detroit, especially in a location with a burgeoning community of independent filmmakers and an absence of local music supervisors. The city of Detroit is increasingly being recognized as a center for the production of independent films. There is a growing demand for professional music supervision services in the region as a result of the increasing number of independent filmmakers working in the region. These services are intended to improve the quality of the filmmakers’ films. Because there were no local music supervisors, there was a market that had not been exploited yet and was eager to be served. Read more>>

Bryana Williams | Boudoir Photographer

I have always had a genuine passion for photography. However, I wanted to turn it into a profitable career. I also wanted to niche myself, and the genre of photography I connected with most was Boudoir photography. It’s a genre that empowers individuals by capturing their beauty and boosting their self-confidence. I also wanted to take on an artistic challenge where I transitioned into a natural light photographer. Learning more about natural light, shadows, and composition. This genera also provides an opportunity to create elegant and sensual images while providing a safe space. Read more>>

Bill Tsatsos | The Master of Mixology

I always wanted to do something different from a gin & tonic or a vodka & cranberry. I always looked at cocktails as art. A cocktail is like a canvas to me and I always made it colorful, presentable, beautiful and eye appealing. Therefore, I created cocktails such as a carrot ginger margarita, a vodka beet cosmo and a rosemary old fashioned. I started my business so I could showcase my artwork and take enjoyment in sharing that with others. Read more>>

MIlton Putman | Apparel/textile manufacture, public speaker, personal fitness and health trainer

Business is much like life in a sense. Both involve challenges, decisions, and growth. Business often requires adaptability, persistence, and learning from experiences, much like life itself. The biggest challenge is faith. If you’re not willing to believe that Elohim have blessed, you to carry out your vision. Then you have already set yourself up for failure. Blessed are those who believe without seeing. John 20:29 Read more>>

Alexandra Jamroz | Urban Gardener & Accessory Maker

I thought it was important to start to find a way to have the art support itself. I did invest some money at the very beginning but for it to continue the selling of the items would support the supplies needed to continue. I enjoy the process of making of the jewelry and now I enjoy both the process and the selling of what i create. Also it is important to know what is on trend and to listen to what your clients are saying about your work. Learn from them and learn about what it is that keeps them coming back. Read more>>

Jennie Kishbaugh | RN BSN CBC LCCE

To be honest, it started as a hobby! At the time I was working with a local hospital as a prenatal educator and breastfeeding counselor, but a lot had changed with the way we were able to connect with our students due to new guidelines after Covid-19. I was missing connection with new moms after another shutdown in 2021, and wanted to find a way to serve them. So I opened an instagram page to meet them where we all were- at home on our phones! From there it has grown over the last two and half years, from a hobby I did for fun now to my own LLC! I have worked with hundreds of moms over the years and knew that something needed to change in the way moms prepare for postpartum. Read more>>

Sierra Braden-Smith | Curator

Back in early 2018, I had the vision of creating something that would merge styling and shopping together. I’ve always had a passion for fashion and a little over two years later I created The Zaypona Collection, which is an online boutique and styling service. I took a leap of faith and decided to put my all into the love I have for fashion and created something beneficial for others. Of course risk taking played a role in my thought process also, being sure to manage my business plan and incorporate the “what ifs” that you have a small business owner. From budgeting to research, my thought process differed and if I wanted to keep my plan in action to do something to benefits others and myself I had to keep so many things in mind. Read more>>

Jessica Harris | Photographer + Owner of Jess Nicole Creative

I remember sitting in my favorite professor’s office during my Freshman year of college. He was asking me what I wanted to do with my life. No pressure, It was 2008 and I had just turned 18 a few months prior. I remember with complete clarity and seriousness saying that all I knew was that I wanted to do something with people. I wasn’t sure in what capacity—but I knew I wanted to love and serve people. Maybe that desire to “love + serve people” started for me as a child more, because my parents exemplified this for me and my siblings growing up. My Dad organized annual basketball tournaments, and my Mom regularly planned women’s special events at our church. Read more>>

Maria Dobbertien | Occupational Therapist, Massage Therapist, Certified Irlen Screener, Pediatric Board Specialist

Initially my business was started because I needed to support and provide for my family however once I started getting things in alignment I was able to expand to begin hiring and positively impacting more of my community. My thought process now with my business is to reach as many families and positively impact the communities that I am located in as much as possible. I want to grow my business to have outstanding professional relationships and collaborations with individuals families as well Read more>>

Daniel Cylkowski | Wedding Films & Content Creator

Flexibility of being my own boss and having the creative freedom to make beautiful wedding films from any where in the world. Not being tied down to an office and the fortitude to travel for work or fun! Read more>>

Alisha Shumake | Licensed Esthetician & Business Owner

I thought long and hard before taking the steps to starting The More You Glow. Was I ready to make the jump into entrepreneurship? Was I confident in my skills – not just in Esthetics but in business? I was happy being an employee until one day, I wasn’t anymore. I wanted more out of my career. My main motivator was freedom. I wanted freedom with my time, creativity, decision making. I figured that if I was going to work as hard as I was then I could work that hard for myself and reap more of the benefits. Achieve more of a work/life balance, have control over my time, what services I provided, what products I used. Read more>>

Nick VanCourt | Co-Founder/President and Brewer, Barrel and Beam

Really, for us, it was a process of recognition. We recognized that our niche (locally sourced farmhouse ale) was not represented by more than a handful of breweries in the country. Our desire to combine that niche with a beautifully restored destination location was what drove us to our building and ultimately our name and branding. Read more>>

Kait Bibb Becca Barnell | Co-Owners

In the summer of 2019, before Sparrow Bloom Co. was even a blip on our radar, we had planned to grow flowers to create lush bouquets straight from the garden for Becca’s son’s wedding the following year. Then, in May 2020, after being apart for over a month due to COVID-19, Sparrow Bloom Co. came to life! On our first night back together, we decided to start something beautiful and share flowers with our community when it seemed to need some joy the most. Within an hour, we had a name, a logo, social media, and branding. It all fell into place like magic! We got our name from our matching sparrow tattoos that we got when we used to live miles apart. Read more>>

Stephanie Dehn | Owner and Founder of Contigo Dogs

I’ve always loved sales, and selling things to people that meet their needs in more ways than one. I started Contigo Dogs during the pandemic shortly after losing my job. I had moved in with my parents and had recently started raising service dogs. We spent a lot of time outdoors with our dogs and they always would come back with disgusting collars and leashes covered in filth. I started doing some research and found Biothane ®️, a waterproof, stain resistant and stink resistant material. I began to make prototypes of collars and leashes, tested them with our dogs,. Later on some friends liked them and wanted to buy them from me. I decided to open up my online shop shortly after! Read more>>

Alendrea Dantzler | A Creative Idealist & Entrepreneur

So when I began my business, I really wanted to focus on individuals like myself who were feeling awkward and not sure of where their place was in the world. Even the people with the most confidence sometimes can feel inadequate. The idea of YAE Cosmetics was built on my journey to find out who I am as a person, and to remind myself that I can do anything I set my mind to through my words and affirmations. The power of the tongue is a powerful tool we get to use daily, and I want to use it to empower others. Read more>>

Nakija Mills | Owner of Lekker Choco Treats

“I’ve always harbored the dream of starting my own business, but the fear of failure held me back. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought about lockdowns and uncertainty, something remarkable happened. My inner strength overcame that fear. It was then that I decided to take a leap of faith and book a booth at the biggest event in town: ‘Art Beats and Eats.’ I knew that once I put myself out there, I’d be too determined to let fear hold me back. This decision marked a pivotal moment in my journey, and it’s a testament to the power of resilience and unwavering determination. Embracing this opportunity, I am ready to learn, adapt, and grow, no matter the outcome. It’s not just a business venture; it’s a personal challenge that I’m eager to embrace.” Read more>>

Dr. Maureen O’Keefe, DPT | Specializing in Pelvic Health, Spine and TMJ Disorder Physical Therapy

What motivates you each day to get up and invest your time and energy into something? Finding my true north has inspired me to create a place of healing for others that is different. I am a physical therapist and founder of Purple Mountain Physical Therapy in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We are a specialty clinic, helping people overcome pelvic, TMJ, neck and back issues. My motivation comes from a deep desire to serve people so they can heal and feel great. And from deep down inside, I truly LOVE what I do. In establishing Purple Mountain PT I have wanted to give patients a safe haven to recover and to give physical therapists a supportive place to work to grow their skills. Read more>>

Heather Bunkelman | Photographer, Hairstylist, Makeup Artist

I have always struggled working for other people. I always thought something was wrong with me. But I realized I am just neurodivergant and do best working for myself. I wasn’t sure how I would manage to become my own boss but I was determined. I worked full time at a salon and did photos on the weekends for years without anytime off because I knew it was the only way to build my business. I knew if I stayed in the position I was in it would slowly kill my spirit. So I made a goal to build myself up to the point where I could leave my cooperate job. In 2018 I was finally able to take the leap and leave my salon job and work exclusively for myself. I still can’t believe I did it. Read more>>

Carlos Coleman | Photographer and owner of Risky Business

Honestly it was something I always wanted to do just didn’t know exactly what area of business I wanted to go in, Ive always explored different areas of business whether it was selling sneakers or just buying and selling other high commodity items. That was until I found and started pursing photography professionally I became more aligned with my business dreams and passion I felt like I finally found my path in 2019. A few years later I had the idea to want to showcase my art and creative vision and others in a different way and came up with the idea to start my own business called “Risky Business” who I currently work along side with my partners ‘Abraham Gurrola’ and ‘Zachary S.A’. Read more>>

Jennifer Kok | Small Business Advisor

I left a successful corporate sales and marketing career to start my own business due to my desire for more freedom and flexibility. At the time, my husband and I had one child and our careers were demanding a lot of time away from my family. My husband kept his corporate career, but I decided I would leave mine to move closer to family and start a business, Cookies by Design, that was family friendly and would allow me to still use my sales and marketing skills, but have flexibility for raising a family as well. Read more>>

Hope Ramales, DC | Chiropractor and Business Owner

As someone who has dealt with chronic disease most of my life, I understand how truly important having individualized and one-on-one care can be. I’ve been in countless doctors offices where I was told “there’s nothing that can be done” or “all your labs are normal so you’re was fine”, but I didn’t feel fine. Until I found a team of providers that were willing to dig deeper and spend the time with me, I was lost. Living through this, I knew I wanted to be part of the solution for people. I wanted to be part of that amazing team, like I had built for myself. One people could depend on and know that they would be receiving great care. And I knew the only way this could be done was by starting my own practice because no one else was going to value this the way I did. Read more>>