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.

Danielle Hoopaugh

My friend Ruth (That Weird Art Girl on Instagram and Etsy) invited me to share a booth with her at The Social’s craft fair back in October of 2022. It was my first time ever trying to sell my art out to more than family and friends. I was anxiety ridden at first, since I was trying to figure out what products to make, how to display them, how to advertise, and everything else that goes along with running a booth at a craft fair. Read more>>

Reed Masterson

The first dollar ever earned from my craft was actually twenty dollars which was the first place prize money won during my sophomore year, high school talent contest. Following my performance, I was approached by two teachers, asking me to perform for a relative‘s birthday party. The first was for a six-year-old little boy and the second was for an 80-year-old lady who happen to also be legally blind. Both performances paid me thirty dollars each. Read more>>

Aimee Cruz

We found our main partner as they were running a similar concept under Air B n B experiences. It was an absolute Win Win as our skill sets were complementary vs. overlapping. We met in person for a full working day together and from there everything went as well as you could have hoped. Its a balance of professionalism and family owned business vibes. Read more>>

Ross Cooper

After working in various gyms and giving out loads of free advice I decided it was time to try my hand at training people using my own style and for myself. Be it in a gym, online, or group setting its much more rewarding to be able to help people that I handpicked, that I know I can be of service to as opposed to figuring out if I’m the right fit for anyone a fitness manager throws my way. Read more>>

Khavah Murray

Making the decision to start my own private practice I just knew I wanted to more than therapy. Prior to starting my practice I had just stepped into a clinical consultant role in addition to my daytime job. In doing the consulting work I realized the need for clinical supervision, for agencies and individuals, and the need for black/brown women therapists in my area. I decided to formalize my work and open my practice. Read more>>

Wade Lewis

When I decided to work for myself, I didn’t have a plan. I had a burning desire for success and an insatiable hunger to become a better version of myself. The turning point for me was at a point of rock bottom emotionally. I had a looming feeling that I had no direction, no purpose, and no clue what I wanted to be “when I grew up”. I worked many different jobs, changed my major 6 times in college, and just could not figure it out. Read more>>

Chardá Bell

I knew I wanted to have my own private practice for lactation and infant feeding since I got into the birthwork arena. I didn’t see anyone who looked like me in my city or county doing this work. I knew this was one of the primary reasons people who look like me do not get the support they need. Part of my journey to becoming a lactation consultant was inspired by the individuals that I knew were lacking access to culturally congruent care and as a result it was causing major disparities in chest/breastfeeding, adverse infant and birth outcomes for Black families. Read more>>

Irene Nunez

Prior to starting my own practice, I was working for the county as a licensed clinical social worker providing school based mental health services to students in the junior high level. I truly enjoyed my role in this position as I felt like I was able to make meaningful connections with students and families I worked with. Beginning in my 4th year into this position, I decided to get pregnant and begin my journey into motherhood. Read more>>

Sherrie Esguerra

My journey started 10 years ago when I started nursing school. I always had a passion for caring for people since I was a young girl. I pursued my nursing career not knowing exactly what field I wanted to go into. At this time I was in my 20s and had a strong passion for fitness, health and all things beauty. At this time, I did not really know you could venture out and find that in nursing. Read more>>

Valerie Hwang

For an Ayurvedic professional, it can be a rough road. There are several roadblocks to overcome. I, like many other in the profession, embarked on my journey as an Ayurvedic practitioner because I want to help others heal, and Ayurveda provides a rich, detailed approach to healing in all aspects of life. However, Ayurveda is still very new in the United States and very few people are aware of the science and what it has to offer. Read more>>

Gabriella Ramirez

When we first started Las Brewhas we knew we wanted to support indigenous groups of Latin America specifically, the Amazon. As a New Yorker, we had no idea where to sustainably sourced these ingredients. It took months of research, finding one tiny little Facebook page and connecting with the owner. Read more>>

Zetta Laveau

I started performing as a burlesque artist in 2017 back in my home country (Chile) out of pure passion, because the culture around the arts there is very different. In general people don’t have much of a habit of going to live shows of any kind, and with burlesque still being such a new and niche thing, it’s hard to make any money from it unless you’re a producer. There’s also no tipping at drag or burlesque shows, where in the US it’s a common practice. Read more>>

DARRELL GUNTER

I made my first dollar from my baking after I won the Men Who Cook event for best desserts in 2015 while I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. I made two tubs of banana pudding to hand out as samples in small cups. Shortly after I was contacted by an American school teacher there asking me too make her some and she would pay me for it. Prior to that I would just make the banana pudding or bake a cake for my military unit potlucks or for Soul Food Sunday’s I would have with friends. Read more>>

YaLLa The Melodica

When I was 13, I was asked to perform at an event honoring the anniversary of a radio show. I remember I was singing in church one Sunday and this man walked up to me and my Nani after my performance. He told me that he loved my performance and thought my voice was beautiful. I was 13, so of course I was so excited. He asked if I could sing at his event and that he would love to showcase my voice. Read more>>

Rayneisha Wroten

My first dollar earned as a creative was in June 2020. I posted a small solar system painting on Snapchat and an acquaintance reached out inquiring about pricing for a custom painting she wanted. After we decided on her idea further I realized it would be a huge challenge for me. I had just started painting again that month and I hadn’t painted anything of that caliber. I informed her and asked for the opportunity to execute her vision. Read more>>

Kimberly Parker

My name is Kimberly Parker. I am a doctoral student and the owner of Revive to Thrive Wellness Center, a group practice serving the needs of Texas residents. I am passionate about serving people of color, who have the desire to break unhealthy generational patterns and want to do a better job of loving themselves. My clients and I work together to improve their self esteem, learn communication skills, manage their emotions, and resolve past trauma that prevents them from being their best/highest selves. Read more>>

Latisha Taylor Ellis

I started my practice in Cumming, GA . I was newly licensed but I always knew that I wanted my own practice. I worked alot with groups of men who had to complete family violence requirements for various reasons. I really loved working with them in that space because it wasn’t just about how they got there but how they could use that space for their own healing and learn how to express their own emotions and trauma. Read more>>

Lucien Downes

I was the general manager for Pearl paint Atlanta back in the mid 2000s. I would get free supplies from different vendors that sold items to us to try out, I have always loved art so i decided to try my hand at Learning how to paint. I read books and watched videos to develop my skills as a budding artist. I tried watercolor, oil, gouache and acrylic, and decided to come a mixed media artist. I took what I liked from all of the mediums and created 6 different styles that I can call me own. Read more>>