The uncertainty of entrepreneurship causes many entrepreneurs to put off starting their business. For others, losing a job or other economic hardships push them starting their businesses earlier than expected. In our conversations with thousands of entrepreneurs we’ve seen so much variety in when, how and why people started their business and so we wanted to share a wide variety of views and reflections on the question of whether these folks wished they had started sooner or waited longer before starting their businesses.

Andrea Acevedo-Philpott

For a long time I wished I had started taking my art career seriously a lot sooner than I did. I have been an artist my whole life, but I didn’t start taking my art career seriously until I was in my late 20s. I always knew I wanted to do something creative with my life. After I graduated high school in colombia, I moved to New York City to start art school at Pratt institute. Read more>>

Christine Cowles

I started my business in 2017 while working full-time, and it took a few years of growing the business before I felt comfortable to leave my full-time job and be working solely in my business. Most of my career I spent working for non-profit organizations and I had built up a number of good connections and experience in that world. Read more>>

Kitra Thomas

Well I do wish I would have started my business when I was in my sooner. Being that I started when Covid-19 happened and everyone was stuck in the house it seems like I was competing with everyone else that was doing the same thing I wanted to do. I sometimes wonder if I had started it sooner if I would’ve taken off quicker. Read more>>

LaToya Randle

All my life I have participated in ladies’ basketball somehow, someway. Whether I was starting on an undefeated All-boys team in Middle School, playing in front of a packed high school crowd, or competing in front of a sold-out arena at Wichita State University; BASKETBALL has always been a part of my life. After competing in college, I went on to coach high school basketball and in April of 2012, I was given the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level. Read more>>

Valerie Willis

Sooner. So much sooner. Granted, the timing and waiting wasn’t because I hadn’t been preparing for this moment to shine while gathering and researching information on the publishing industry. The first hold back was my self-confidence in the beginning. One of my greatest fears was “do I know enough?” Read more>>

Phalanecia Kincaid

Hey,Great Question. I sometimes wished I started my business earlier than 2020,I felt as if I should’ve started my business in my early 20’s. Although,my business is doing Great,I feel as if I could possibly be retired now. Lol! No but seriously I feel like I started to late in life and now I’m playing catch up. That’s why I feel as if my business should’ve been open sooner. Read more>>

Nadia Dennison

I’ve been cooking since the tender age of 10. I’ve always dreamed of being a chef with my own businesses. I believe my business started at the perfect time. When I was much younger, I would have my friends come over and I would make dinner and bake cakes and so on.. Then I moved here to Los Angeles over 20 years ago and I would cook for my friends here. Read more>>

Dana Buchanan

If I could go back in time, I do wish that I had started my business sooner. Based on when I noticed my passion for fashion and starting my unique creative journey, being vulnerable and genuinely expressing myself I believe that starting my business earlier would have helped in the long run. When I started my very first business, which is my lash business “Dopeminkssss”, I had just gone back to Jackson State University for graduate school in 2019. Read more>>

Jordyn Garcia

My gut reaction is yes, the sooner the better! It just didn’t go that way–it took me years to realize I even wanted to be an interior designer. Similar to a big chunk of people, I was very confused about what I wanted to do “for the rest of my life.” I grew up thinking I needed to be a doctor, hence my random degree in Rehabilitation Science. Read more>>

Katia Belas

I never thought about becoming a Talent Manager in my life but I wish I had. I went from film projects to film projects and I have always enjoyed working with actors, although sometimes their egos get on the way, but I really believe that performing art is one of the most beautiful and most complicated form of art (if done right) and I really love being a part of the actors’ journeys. I thought that by producing and directing a film or show, my life would be full of joy and I would be working with the type of art I most enjoy. Read more>>

Last Autumn

I, Teresa, started writing music in middle school. I remember writing so many poems and little melodies growing up. My brother gave me his old guitar when I was in 7th grade but I started playing and writing a lot more in high school. My high school friends were apart of choir and had their own little band so I would join some of their after school practices and occasionally sing and play along. Read more>>

Hugo Salazar Jr

Technically, whether good or bad experiences, you’ll ALWAYS win. You will always Read more>>