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.

Becca Hunt

I am still working on establishing my own firm but I am definitely more independent now career-wise than I ever have been. I think what is most important is to make sure you are always learning. I have a couple mentors in my life that have taught me so much about interior design and business as a whole. I speak to them weekly if not daily and I really feel like I learn something each time. Read more>>

Steven LaBroi

Setting up the LaBroi insurance Group, was a process that started with just learning myself. I was involved with several partnership businesses where I invested in the company or was the chief sales person in some other companies to assist friends and associates in their visions. I decided that I needed to pursue my own dream. I first began by obtaining the proper licenses to be able to sell Insurance. Read more>>

Michael Jacobs

In 2018, 13 years after graduating from the Nova Southeastern University as a dentist, I decided it was time to open my own office. I always told myself that when I was ready, I would build it from the ground up in a patient oriented, friendly way that offered maximum comfortability in a high-tech environment. A place where patients could trust the dental team and feel like they were relaxing in their own living room. The challenge is to build with principles and to watch the business end at the same time. Always maintain focus on helping others and the financial aspect will come. Read more>>

Justin Flores

I decided to start a private practice while living in New York around 2011. I was looking to retire from performing professionally and I was in search of something I could do that was still creative, would allow me to keep working with dancers, allow me to be my own boss, and get better over time. Dance medicine seemed like a great place to be working. Read more>>

Carolina Henao-Feliu

I had a vision of what I wanted to accomplish as a business woman and as a mentor to others who weren’t sure if they could make it in the business world. I told myself “I could do it” and I did it! I believed in myself and my abilities to be who I am today and understood I had what it takes to offer positive contributions even with challenges. Read more>>

Cameron Byrd

After earning my Florida massage license, I knew I wanted to open my own practice. I liked the idea of having a place of my own and I knew working for someone else just wasn’t working well for me. I worked in a spa for 7 weeks and it was a terrible experience. Poorly ran, unkempt, cheap, low morale, etc. I knew if they could stay in business in spite of their issues, the market had a place for me to step in and do it right. Read more>>

Cassie Dominach

I opened my acupuncture clinic, Sage Haven, six months after completing my doctoral program and three months after passing my state board exam. I had no previous experience being a business owner, but knew that I was ready to serve my community and open a clinic that patients would look forward to visiting time and time again. My vision was to create the ambiance of an upscale medical spa where deep healing and rejuvenation would occur. Read more>>

Stephanie Spears

It all began with a genuine passion for martial arts. I had big goals for competing and taking my skills to the highest level possible. I’ve always wanted to do more and be more. I had no idea early on that I would enjoy teaching martial arts so much and eventually want to open my own school. Read more>>

Amber Stevens

My story begins in 2007 as a newly certified and licensed massage therapist. I opened my own practice right out of school, working very part-time hours as I still worked in the corporate world. I had a vision of working for myself and also raising a family. Read more>>

Courtney Sullivan

I started my own private practice, Nutrition For Body and Mind in 2010. My early work as a Clinical Dietitian in the fast paced hospital (intensive care unit) setting as well as my outpatient experience leading a Diabetes Support Group for patients gave me well rounded experience and a solid foundation. I also worked outpatient with a Board Certified Gastroenterologist helping patients in all realms of digestive diseases and disorders by creating specialized meal plans for them. This early work helped shape my approach and knowledge base as a Registered Dietitian. Read more>>

Stevie McCord

Of the two decades that I’ve been in the industry more than half of it was in training and education. I worked for some very reputable luxury professional brands and had the pleasure of traveling internationally and training other Spa Owners, Directors, Estheticians and Massage Therapists. I then stopped to jump into becoming a Spa Director and managed different sized spas. Then, the last spa that I worked for, I jumped in the room full time and started to build a clientele. Read more>>

Brenda Stephens

I’ve been a mental health therapist for many years and have had many roles in this industry. I’ve worked in case management, utilization review, addiction, and worked with a population considered to be severely and persistently mentally ill. I learned so much from all of these experiences and have been able to combine this knowledge I’ve gained to start a private practice offering mental health therapy to community members. Read more>>

Ariana Dupar

I’m from Buenos Aires, argentina. I used To owne a pilates studio over there. When I moved to US, I have never thought to open my own Pilates Studio in Miami. When I got pregnant, my husband offered me to share his office to teacher some private pilates classes. 3 months later, Read more>>

Noah Kaufman

In the early days of Kaufman Medical Group, Inc. (www.kaufmanmedicalgroup.com) it was just myself rendering expert opinions for astute defense lawyers in malpractice cases. Having sat on Peer Review committees for the UCHealth System in Colorado, and having 17 years of clinical experience in many different practice settings, gave me a clear understanding of prospective “Standard of Care”. Read more>>