Deciding to start a business is an unusual decision. It’s often considered irrational and yet for many it’s the best decision they’ve ever made. So we asked folks to think back to when they were starting their businesses and to tell us about their decision making process.

Ashley Doty

It all started from when I was a little girl I have always communicated with and seen spirits my whole life. I can access different realms and consciousness, in between the needs of the spirit world and those of the physical world. I can do this awake, sleep or in between. Through my conscious I get visions there too when I am connecting with your energy. I do this through Tarot Readings as well. I also take my experiences to help heal the collective by incorporating my true life experiences that I have personally been through for my coaching sessions I offer. About 10 years ago I decided to fully embrace who I am authentically am and the gifts God and the universe gave me. Read More>>

Tyler Ward

It was a divine intervention. Three songwriters who rented my loft all ended up booking the same writing session, and suddenly there were 15 people in one space. Instead of the usual co-writing session, we put everyone’s name in a hat and randomly formed groups—a 65-year-old, a hip-hop artist, and a 17-year-old skipping class all ended up together writing a song. We decided to give them just 30 minutes to write a hook because overthinking kills creativity. The idea was to push you out of your comfort zone and get you swimming, even if you’re not ready. That day was the start of Song House. Read More>>

Chef V

My thought process was like walking in traffic with a blindfold on. I didn’t know what to expect. I thought I would be flooded everyday with business but I quickly learned that everyday won’t be peaches and cream. There are so many risk factors that come with starting a business. You have to build clientele, have menu items that are worth customers coming back for more, there has to be something unique about your business to draw customers to you. Read More>>

Gemma Downes

My thought process about starting Music Of The Future was and still is that unsigned / independent bands and artists are charged a lot of money for a promotional campaigns this is when I created MusicOTFuture in 2014 to offer free promotional features to unsigned / independent artist and bands and since taking off signed bands and artists globally have approached me and they are still not charged a fee for a feature on MOTF. Read More>>

Ki’yha Moore

The KiYha Moore Foundation was born out of a deep personal experience that ignited a passionate drive to make a difference. The inspiration for starting this organization stems from a heartbreaking situation that occurred with Ki’Yha Moore, an 11-year-old girl from the South Suburbs of Chicago. Despite her best efforts to ignore the bullying she faced daily, it only grew worse, eventually pushing her to a point of despair where she felt that dying was better than living another day in this painful reality. Read More>>