Starting and growing a business is hard, but often deciding to start the business in the first place is even harder. We asked some successful entrepreneurs from around the community to open up to us about how they thought about starting a business.

Lilly Roche | Occupational Therapist focus on Mental Health, Nervous System Regulation, and Women’s Health

I worked for many years in our traditional medical system. I mostly did occupational therapy in the home health and skilled nursing settings. I felt limited in these spaces in the way I could work with individuals towards greater healing. While I was working in these settings, I studied yoga, meditation, chaplaincy, sound healing, and Internal Family Systems. After many years of studying and personal healing, I knew it was time for me to integrate all I had been learning so that I could offer it to others. Having my private practice allows me to utilize my whole being to walk alongside others in their healing journey. It is my deepest honor and pleasure to spend such quality time with individuals and to see their growth! Read more>>

Jeffrey Lewis Bennett | Photographer

My original goal with starting a business was to be a branding one stop shop for other small businesses. I wanted to deign their logo, website, and provide great photography. I was not thinking about photographing weddings. Weddings really found me. I covered a few friends’ weddings and things snowballed. Within a year most of my free time away from my day job had turned into wedding & engagement photography. Like so many people I was into photography as a hobby, long before anyone wanted to pay me to do it. When I started the business I never thought it would eclipse my day job. Read more>>

Ilona Erskine | Inner Freedom & Community Mentor

To be honest if you look back at my business journey over the past 4 years it has shifted many times. From mainly teaching online yoga, creating an online yoga course, teaching kids yoga, experimenting with creating homemade body butters/oils and doing many vendor shows, then going back to creating an online course this time for helping women embrace that their life is THE VIBE, to finally taking a leap on hosting my first Unleash Ur Inner Goddess in person retreat, then pivoting and trying out bridal yoga, then getting an opportunity to teach corporate yoga before shifting to Mama’s On The Rise. Read more>>

Sara A. Showalter Van Tongeren | Psychotherapist & Founder of The Flourishing Collective

I started The Flourishing Collective after seeing a gap in therapy services that were being provided for clients as well as a gap in the way that therapists were being compensated for their work. I worked for 10 years in private practice, 6 years in a group practice and then 4 years running a solo practice. Since the pandemic people have become to be more open to utilizing Telehealth for therapy. My practice became 100% remote in March of 2020 and I instantly saw the benefits of Telehealth in my clients lives. It became integrated into their days without needing commute times, deep emotional work could be done in the comfort of their own home, they no longer had to worry about running into anyone in a waiting room, and it provided a sense of personalization of care – I could meet their pets, children, and partners. Read more>>

Tom Sullivan | Owner of Tom’s Toons

The first small business that my wife and I were involved with owning was an existing business that we bought into as co-owners with a partner. That opportunity sparked the entrepreneurial spirit in us and helped us learn the ins and outs of owning our own business. Unfortunately, that business closed at the end of 2020. As avid boaters we recognized that pontoon boats have grown in popularity more than any other type of boat recently, and there are thousands of them on lakes and rivers around the state. There are new $100K decked out pontoons and tritoons on the same lakes as 40 year old pontoons with lawn chairs as furniture. The best part is that they serve the same purpose of getting people out on the water together on a high, dry, stable and safe platform. Read more>>

Shawna Mang | Floral Preservationist

I wanted the flexibility of being my own boss. I definitely work more and harder than I did than when I worked for someone else, but it doesn’t feel like that. Working hard for yourself and doing something you love isn’t the same kind of hard as working for someone else doing something you don’t enjoy. It was a complete leap of faith into my capabilities. Read more>>

Amber & Meghan Kennedy | Macrame Artists & Social Workers

We were making items as gifts and because we loved to practice the craft until our support system encouraged us to put our art out into the world. Macrame had been around for decades, and we are always trying to honor the roots of it, but with a little twist. We’ve been so grateful to have started Knot Ur Mother’s Macrame and all of the adventures of being a small business it has taken us on! Read more>>

Dylan Tolbert | Singer, Songwriter, Multi- Instrumentalist

I honestly didn’t have the mindset to start a business, I just wanted to play music and see how far I could go with it. I had zero intentions and zero interest in starting a business. But my interest changed with my intentions, so now all I want to do is put the best product out there. Read more>>

Emma Varley | Wedding Photographer

The decision to start my own business stemmed from a lifelong entrepreneurial desire. I had a passion for photography, which had been a hobby of mine long before considering it as a business. The idea of entrepreneurship had always been at the back of my mind, with past aspirations ranging from owning a bakery to running a daycare. Photography, however, sparked something within me, and I felt a natural alignment between my desire to run a business and my love for the art. Building my business from the ground up, fueled by a genuine passion for photography, has given each day a foundation of gratitude. As a wedding photographer, I find fulfillment in blending creativity with emotion, forming meaningful connections, and contributing to the creation of lifelong memories for couples. Read more>>

Samantha Shelton | President- Broker Owner

In 2019, I found myself contemplating a significant shift from being a stay-at-home mom to re-entering the workforce. The decision was driven by a desire for personal and professional growth, as well as contributing to our family’s financial stability. The challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, I embarked on a career in the mortgage industry, navigating through unprecedented times. The experience provided valuable insights into the real estate and financial worlds, inspiring me to envision a path of leadership. In 2020, I took a leap of faith and founded my own brokerage, driven by a passion for helping individuals achieve their homeownership dreams. The journey from stay-at-home mom to brokerage owner has had its ups and downs. Read more>>