Establishing your own firm or practice is an incredibly daunting task. From myriad of legal and regulatory hurdles to the financial and career related risks, professionals who choose to start their own firm have to overcome so much and so we wanted to reach out to those who’ve done it successfully for advice, insight and stories.

Lorenz Esposito

Starting SearchX was a leap of faith, one that put me in a situation where my back was against the wall. After leaving my employer to start my own agency, I had no safety net—failure wasn’t an option. When you’re in a position where the only choice is to win, you find a way to make it happen. Your mind and body align to do whatever it takes to succeed. The journey began with a clear business plan and a strong brand vision. I bootstrapped the business, focusing on building a professional online presence and setting up a small but efficient office. The early days were tough, especially with the pressure of securing clients and managing limited finances. But that pressure drove me to push harder, network relentlessly, and deliver exceptional value to every client. Read more>>

Maggie Goodman

I started my practice at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, I was a personal trainer at a popular gym in Chicago and when the pandemic started my workplace shut down. I quickly was able to pivot my business through contacting all my current clients and establishing remote training opportunities. Within a couple months, I moved out to Los Angeles and began training people outdoors, as well as keeping my virtual clients. I successfully set up a website, created a personal brand, established rates, and utilized lead generators and social media marketing to build my clientele. I have since gotten my Masters in Sports Psychology and moved back to Chicago. I am currently working towards earning my Certified Mental Performance Certificate (CMPC) so I can work with mental performance clients 1:1, while still doing independent personal training on the side. Read more>>

Rachel Hemphill

I had the unique privilege to purchase my practice from a close friend and colleague. I was very lucky to just step into a thriving practice that was up and running. Now that I have been in practice for almost 15 years and I’ve navigated business ownership through challenges such as a global pandemic, my advice to any aspiring young business owner is to assemble a dream team. My dream team consists of the experts and professionals that keep my business running and are available to help me when problems arise. I once had a mentor tell me to make sure to surround myself with people who have strengths and abilities that complement my weaknesses. My dream team are exactly these people and it currently consists of a bookkeeper, a great CPA, an attorney, a commercial real estate broker, a marketing and SEO expert, and a graphic designer. I might be forgetting someone but you get the idea. Read more>>

Morgan Robart

Starting my own spa as a freshly licensed Esthetician was a brazen move. One thing my 15+ years of tech experience taught me… my most valuable skill is my ability to solve problems, and that’s what starting a business it truly about! Solving a need for your clients, solving the puzzle of business planning, and solving the laundry crisis when the washing machine breaks. I may not have been the most experienced skin therapist, the most knowledgeable about backbar and equipment, but I trusted my ability to learn quickly, make smart decisions, and iterate with humility. I listened to my clients, I listened to my employees, and I learned as much as possible from the people around me. Being the “owner” or the boss doesn’t mean you need to know everything, it just means you’re willing to do the work to figure it out as you go. Read more>>