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.

Shana Rivers

I walked into real estate school with full confidence and announced, *“I’m here to get my broker’s license.”*

The person behind the desk gave me a puzzled look and asked, *“Are you even a licensed salesperson?”*

*“Nope,”* I responded, completely unfazed.

That’s when they hit me with the reality check—*“Well, you need to have your real estate license for at least three years before you can become a broker.”*

Seymur Aliyev

When I first decided to create CactuSMM, it wasn’t just about building a website—it was about solving a real problem. I saw that many people from post-Soviet Union countries living in the U.S. were struggling to find reliable services, jobs, and community connections. There were platforms out there, but none that truly catered to their specific needs. That’s what pushed me to start my own. Read more>>

Emily Roose

When I started my interior design firm, I was not sure if I was ready to dive into being a business owner. I had spent by that time about 8 years in my industry working for other designers, an architectural firm, two custom home builders, and showrooms learning everything I could about the business and what direction I wanted to take. After my second layoff I decided it was time to take a chance on myself and start my own business. I had money saved up and jumped in with no loans and I worked from home to save on the price of an office. I started my own website, created my own logo/brand image, social media and I worked solely on my own and hired freelancers as I needed them. Read more>>

Dr. Susan Lovelle

The early days of starting my own practice came right after completing my residency training in plastic surgery. I was full of energy, ambition, and the desire to create the perfect space—one that reflected the high standards I’d held myself to throughout training. That mindset led me to overspend in ways that, looking back, just weren’t necessary. I leased brand-new medical equipment, not realizing that much of it could have been purchased used—equipment that often lasts forever if properly maintained. On top of that, I splurged on high-end furniture and décor, wanting everything to be beautiful and polished from the start. Those choices locked me into long-term payments that put unnecessary pressure on the business during its most fragile phase. Read more>>

Malaika DosRemedios

The beginnings of my journey into entrepreneurship are filled with strong memories. At 24 years old, I ended an engagement. While working as a social work case manager in public housing and supplementing my income at a fine dining restaurant, I started teaching a few yoga classes at a local studio. After the breakup, I had just moved into a cute little studio apartment, working on getting my life back into balance. Despite the immense grief and overwhelm during this time, I had no idea what would come next. I was grieving not only the breakup but also the way it triggered much of my past pain. I was spiraling. Read more>>

Surbhi Vyas

Starting my own virtual mental health practice was a decision rooted in both personal experience and a deep desire to make a meaningful impact in a community that has long been underserved in mental health care. As a South Asian woman and daughter of immigrants, I experienced firsthand the stigma surrounding mental health in our community. Growing up, mental health was not discussed openly, and seeking therapy was often seen as a sign of weakness or something to be ashamed of. This reality was one of the driving forces behind my decision to start a practice that focuses on providing culturally responsive therapy to South Asians, especially children of immigrants, who often face similar challenges but may lack the resources to navigate mental health support in a way that resonates with their cultural experiences. Read more>>

Ivy Lee

The challenge and blessing of starting your own practice as a solo practitioner is that it’s an extension of you. When I started my acupuncture clinic, the vision I had was to practice Chinese Medicine in a traditional way that was true to what I knew from my family culture and mentors. This was very different from other clinics that I saw at the time, which. Read more>>

Dr. Lindsay

COVID presented some unique challenges to me as a clinician, as it did for so many. I wanted to continue to treat people but also needed flexibility for my clients as well as my family. This led to the decision to open my own online practice. I had been working as a psychologist for the past 15 years prior to this point, and opening my own practice made me feel like a newbie all over again. Read more>>

Izabela Kogut

Embarking on the journey to establish Bella Posture Wear was both exhilarating and challenging. My passion for helping individuals achieve better health and confidence through improved posture was the driving force behind this endeavor. With a background in biology, psychology, physical therapy, kinesiology, and energy healing, I had a deep understanding of the mind-body connection and the detrimental effects of poor posture. Many of my clients, especially busy professionals, struggled with discomfort and self-consciousness associated with traditional posture braces. They desired a solution that was both effective and aligned with their sense of style.   Read more>>

Tania Elorza

Deciding to have my own business has been, so far, the hardest decision of my life—even harder than being an immigrant. It’s a tough mental debate between the stability of a weekly paycheck but not being happy with what you do, and on the other hand, being happy doing what you love but not having a fixed income and struggling with household expenses and the stress of not having money. I think if there’s one thing I could have done better, it would have been to have a savings cushion to cover expenses for at least a year before starting my business. Read more>>

Mayra Garcia

For over 25 years, I built my career in the fast-paced, results-driven world of marketing. From the outside, it seemed like I had checked all the boxes professional success, experience, recognition. But somewhere along the way, I realized I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. I realized I wanted to use my time and talents not just to help businesses grow, but to help women grow. I made the bold move and created my own life coaching and holistic therapies practice, to support women in embracing their best selves, navigating life’s processes with tools and living intentionally with confidence and clarity. Read more>>

kenneth harris

When I opened my private practice in a town in which i knew noone prior i made it a practice of meeting all the other small store oners in my town and letting them know i was a new chiropractor in town. I joined several local business groups which focused on networking . In addition i gave out at lest 3 busnisss cards to anyone i met form local bank , business or store i frequented regularly. I was not shy letting others know who i was or what i did and the type of services i had to offer them. Read more>>

TyShawn Douglas

Black Arizona began as a simple Facebook group but quickly evolved into something much greater—a powerful LLC dedicated to becoming the central hub for Black-owned businesses, communities, and families across Arizona. From the start, the mission was clear: to create a space where Black excellence could thrive, connections could flourish, and resources could be shared to empower our people. Read more>>