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.

Jay Field

Being in the Finance and Real Estate space at a young age gave me the insight that I would one day want to lead a firm of my own. My aspiration has always been to become a minority Hedge Fund Chief Investment Officer/CEO in an industry where people who look like me are rarely represented. Getting my real estate license and learning the industry from the retail side gave me an invaluable perspective on what clients value when it comes to renting, buying, and selling. I gained a deep understanding of the designs, appliances, locations, and other factors that retail clients prioritize. Read more>>

Natalie Delgado

I’m thrilled to share my story on how I became my own boss doing the job I LOVE! My early days started as a student at Paul Mitchell the School in Costa Mesa to becoming a successful licensed esthetician and now entrepreneur. After graduating in 2019, I began my career at a spa in Newport Beach (2020), where I spent almost three years honing my skills, training, and building a loyal clientele. As I grew professionally, I realized it was time to take the next step. I was faced with a decision: join another spa or take the leap and start my own business. Read more>>

Melissa Prieto

After years of working with elite athletes and gaining invaluable experience in different sports disciplines, I started practicing and working with Combat Sports athletes and realized there was a gap in the industry for a truly personalized, data-driven, and interdisciplinary approach to sports performance. That realization inspired me to establish my own practice, focusing on holistic athlete development. Read more>>

Natalie Wong

Starting my own practice was an exciting and challenging journey, filled with a number of key steps that helped me build the foundation for the business. The initial phases were focused on establishing the right logistics and infrastructure: securing the appropriate business licenses, implementing efficient processes, selecting the right software, and figuring out how to get the word out with effective marketing. Each of these steps was essential, but one of the most challenging tasks I faced was finding the right location for my practice. Read more>>

Haleh Kouchmeshki

The story of how Dr. Haleh Kouchmeshki founded NeuroObjectives, her holistic and research-based academic coaching program, is one of deep personal dedication, years of learning, and a commitment to combining her diverse passions—education, psychology, and yoga—into something that could truly help others. It began with a foundation rooted in both her personal experiences and academic journey, which laid the groundwork for her eventual practice. Read more>>