Starting a business is hard because it’s a fight with yourself, an internal battle – gaining the courage to get started, etc. Scaling a business is different – the challenges you face are mostly external to yourself. Each challenge has a million mini-challenges. We wanted to create a space for conversations and stories around growth and scaling. Below, you’ll find stories and insights from successful entrepreneurs across a variety of industries and markets.

Coco (kecheng) Wang

Scaling up in the music industry, particularly as a Marketing & Branding Specialist, has been a journey defined by strategy, adaptability, and consistent execution. One of the most significant experiences I’ve had was managing Western artists’ market entry into China during my time at East Goes Global. This wasn’t just about introducing them to a new audience—it was about building their presence from the ground up on platforms such as Douyin, Weibo, and Bilibili, while navigating the unique dynamics of the Chinese digital ecosystem. Read more>>

Brady Holland

When I started my journey in real estate, I was drawn to the challenge of making hard decisions that shape lives, much like the pivotal moment when I gave up a collegiate golf scholarship to pursue this career. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, but the road to where I am today was anything but straightforward. Scaling my real estate business—and helping build the Prestige Real Estate Network—has been a mix of intentional strategy, community building, and relentless effort. Read more>>

Doug Zeif

Scaling up became quite easy for me when I started our company back in 2013. The Blackstone Group had disbanded our redundant management company, in which I was a Senior Vice President, that was managing all of the hotel assets in favor of their significant investment in Hilton Worldwide, which was also a management company. There were 82 or so of us in the shared services company and everyone was outplaced into either a hotel asset or Hilton corporate. Read more>>

Kat Irwin

My business growth was definitely NOT an overnight success. When I started freelancing, I loved designing. I’d spend hours in the zone, sketching, refining ideas, tweaking colour palettes. It was creative. Exciting. And I knew this is what I’m meant to do. But one night at 3 am, everything felt different… Lying in bed staring at the ceiling, exhausted after finalising a client project. My body ached, my head was buzzing, and my eyes burned from the hours on my laptop. “I’m getting too old for this,” I thought. I was only 29…. Read more>>

Kavita Garikapaty

Well, first of all Thanks to the Almighty, my family and all my well wishers for making me the person what I am today! I have grown my business from 1 wedding a year to 20 weddings a year as a single woman Show! With a full time job with an IT company (till last week), mom of two teenage boys, taking care of two elderly people at home, a dedicated wife to a husband and doing 20 weddings a year is definitely not an easy show but am very happy and contended with what I have been doing! Read more>>

Robby Fields

The story behind scaling up glasses + fields group is far from an overnight success—it’s a testament to years of persistence, hard work, and figuring out our place in a competitive market. When I first started my career, I didn’t have any connections, so I relied on good old-fashioned grit. For two years, I cold-called every single day. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me discipline and resilience, and I slowly began to build a network and a client base. Read more>>

Catherine Chamberlain

Scaling My Photography Business: A Real and Relatable Journey There’s so much that happens behind the scenes of running a business that people rarely see. Truthfully, when I started my photography business, I had no clue what it would truly entail. Sure, I knew I needed a camera, had to take photos, and manage bookings and finances. But beyond that, I was in for a major awakening. Read more>>

Khaner Walker

I recently celebrated six months from announcing ArcSense’s launch and when celebrating that milestone, I reflected on everything ArcSense has accomplished since then: – Starting with two clients and growing to 11 – Increasing monthly revenue by 10x – Hiring our first part-time contractor – And setting up much of the company’s internal infrastructureHow are we achieving this scale? Two guiding principles: 1) Focus on the core items that will drive your business — move everything else off your plate
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Korren Briley

Success was absolutely not overnight for my small business. When you think of success though, I truly think that it’s genuinely subjective. Some may view success based on revenue, some on popularity and some on happiness. In my situation it’s truly a bit of everything and appreciating all the areas of success this business has gotten. I started from zero. No clients, no gear, no income no traditional schooling in photography. The day I decided to make the plunge into photography I did not quit my 9-5, I did not go and buy all the things. It was a process… a very planned and slow process. Read more>>

Tenesha Curtis

The two major factors that influenced the growth of my business were serving clients well and partnering with other professionals. Serving clients well means listening to what their vision is for a project, not forcing my preferences onto their creations. This takes empathy, patience, teaching skills, and effective problem-solving techniques. In 2024, we were trusted with more than 1.08 million words at GetBookHelp.com and about 90% of those were from returning clients or authors who were referred by one of our satisfied clients. Helping people make their dreams come true means they are more likely to come back for future services and more likely to share their excellent experiences with others.  Read more>>

Katalin Kiss

We came to America in 2010 following my husband’s job. I only had a vision to someday start my own hair salon in a progressive city like Austin. English is not my first language so I had communication challenges in America. I took accent modification late evening classes and read a lot of books to help with my English language. I started volunteering to network and found that it also gave me the opportunity to practice my English. Despite being a challenge and plenty of back-and-forth, I was finally able to use my European academic credentials and obtain the Texas Department Licensing & Regulation (TDLR) license for cosmetology/instructor. Read more>>

Ana Villa

This last year has been an incredible year for Villa succulent. I’ve hosted monthly workshops at Eataly Silicon Valley, sometimes even twice a month. In between, I’ve had the chance teach CEOs from tech companies about working with plants and their health benefits, I also did team-building events for Apple and YouTube, decorate spaces for Gelato chef Patrizia Parqualietti, and create party favors for the San Francisco Giants. Sold over 400 succulent pumpkins between September and October, and hosted private events every month. Read more>>