Almost every entrepreneur has had to decide whether to take the leap now or wait– perhaps they wanted to acquire more capital, experience or connections. Given how common this predicament is, we asked some successful business owners to reflect back on whether they wish they had started sooner or waited for a better time.

Lorie Clements

I always knew that I wanted to start my own business, it was always just a question of what and when. I had lots of ideas, rough draft plans, big ambitions, a busy mind and a strong work ethic. Read more>>

Jennifer Guadron-Wyatt

I would have definitely started sooner! I initially had the idea to launch a home organizing business back in 2015 and even opened an LLC under a different name at the time (Passions by J. Marie. But due to working full time, wrapping up my masters degree and just living my young life, I let imposter syndrome get the best of me and ultimately didn’t pursue anything then. Fast forward to early 2020, Read more>>

CAMILA MONTANHANI

I was prompted by my husband actually to begin a photography business. So when I began to think about Living Notes in 2019, I didn’t want a photography business. I wanted to create impact. Making a photograph for me was more than just clicking a button or finding a pretty location or background. I began taking photographs and learning photography so I can document my children and our lives together. It already carried so much weight for me. Now that I was considering serving other families with photography, I wanted it to mean something for them as well. Read more>>

Cara Ford

If I could go back in time, I would have started my business when I was in college. I went to an all girls, private, catholic school in one of the most poppin parts of Baltimore. We didn’t have many black girls on campus, so all of us knew each other and stuck together. We would often visit the surrounding HBCUs and other colleges to enjoy their active campus life style. I would have had endless exposure, energy, clientele, and opportunities to network with people who were also venturing out and actively following their dreams. Read more>>

Mina Mantor, Jândi Harris Ciatta-mae Stubblefield, Charlene Dunbar

There are many factors to starting a business sooner rather than later, like your mindset and lived experiences. We started later in life, but that was the right time for us to start Craft Savvy Market. Running a business is a learning process and we each brought knowledge and experience to the table from our own businesses and professional experiences. Read more>>

Alissandre Haas

Owning my own business seemed like a very distant dream, I had always worked for others and it just seemed like the normal thing to go to work and put in your 9-5. Read more>>

Kahlel Hale

So I started my cinematography journey once I graduated high school. At the time when I was in high school, I was just trying to be an artist, so making my own instrumentals and engineering my own songs, but then I realized that I needed to put visuals to my songs. I started using my IPhone 6 to record skits and promotional videos for my music videos. Read more>>

Samantha Amazan

I definitely wish I would have started my business sooner. For sure. I started my business in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic. I was happy in my career but my creativity was being stifled and I needed a creative outlet. If I could go back in time, I would have started this journey, in some shape or form, right after college. During the lull between graduating and finding my first job. During this time, I was full of ideas, creativity, and gusto. Read more>>

Vicki Alsup

If I could go back in time, I wish I had started my photography business a lot sooner. I’ve always enjoyed photography for as long as I can remember but only ever looked at it as a hobby. It wasn’t until my first grandchild was born in 2016 and saw how expensive photos were that I decided to take some classes to learn how to use my camera better. Read more>>

Aimee Le Grigalonis

This is honestly a great question, but I would not have started my business of Aloha Beauty Boutique any sooner or later, because I truly believe in divine timing and the cliché notion that everything happens/unfolds the way it is supposed to, even if the path seems rocky along the way. My family, consisting of my husband, son and mom-in-law, moved to Austin from Chicago (we lived on Maui and in Southern California prior) in May of 2019. Read more>>

Tammi Taylor

Yes, I wish I would’ve started my business in 2014 when I created the name. I initially wanted to sell hair extension but when I saw how all the salon owners lacked hair products that work for our hair type and issues I wanted to use my knowledge to created hair products. I met Jennifer my co-curator in 2018 and we started to talk about products and I asked her would she help me with mine and she said she was interested because she was creating her own so we worked to get our products together and tackle the current challenges minority hair textures face with our hair and scalp. Read more>>

Monica Denais

I never thought I would become an entrepreneur. I desperately felt I would work an 8-5 as a government employee with a nice salary, but boy was I wrong. After getting my dream job after graduate school, I quickly realized the job brought out the worst in me. I would constantly people-please, overextend myself, and get burned out. I needed a drastic change, so I decided to put my focus on getting my license as a therapist and do a mental health podcast on the side. Read more>>