Starting a business can be terrifying. Weighing the pros and cons, the risks, and other considerations can be so overwhelming that often promising entrepreneurs stop before they even start. We asked some phenomenal entrepreneurs about their thought process behind starting their own businesses. Our hope is that by making the thought-process less intimidating we can help more folks think through whether they should take an entrepreneurial leap.

Jamie Mayfield | JAM – Owner

I had been working 65 hour work weeks in Corporate Food and Beverage Management and wanted to convert that work ethic and time into working for myself. After honeymooning in Sedona, Arizona and taking the Kodak Jeep Tour theremany years ago, it hit me exactly what I wanted to do and Asheville, where this business started its roots, was the perfect place to make it happen. There were no “tour” based businesses in AVL and I knew offering a service for people to enjoy all the waterfalls, hiking and breweries that were there would be the perfect entrepreneurial adventure to offer tourists and locals alike. I knew I had the creativity and knowledge of the area to help me be successful. I’ve always been a people person and was excited to offer guests a whole new way to experience Asheville like never before, so I sat down and wrote out the business plan for Mountain High Adventures in 2014, and started production of the first tour vehicle we call The Beast! Breweries opened and Brew Tours became my #1 booked adventure. Eventually life and Covid would take me away from there and the business evolved with a location move to Myrtle Beach and growing into Hop On Adventures in 2022. Read more>>

Candice Johnson | Portrait Photographer

As I was growing up I’ve always been drawn to art, especially photography; but there are a handful of pictures of me from my childhood that I’ve seen. So as soon as I received my first camera I wanted always to capture every moment I could. Read more>>

Dr. Shantell Chambliss | Nonprofit Management Expert and Consultant

I’ve been entrepreneurial since I was a child but after finishing college I truly never fit in to any corporate setting I landed in. I began consulting to earn extra money and to have the autonomy to create strategies that I believed would help businesses thrive. After years of building relationships and partnerships I realized that consulting could be my own personal corporate america. My consulting practice has been through several iterations but Nonprofitability has been my longest standing, most profitable business to date. I’ve finally found where I fit in. Read more>>

Victoria Martinez | Yogini, Life Coach and Entrepreneur

When I began contemplating starting my own business, I was driven by a deep-seated passion for holistic well-being and a desire to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. Having experienced the transformative power of holistic practices firsthand, I felt compelled to share these benefits with a wider audience. Additionally, as a Colombian immigrant fueled by the American dream, I have always been motivated to create opportunities for myself and others, and starting my own business seemed like a natural extension of this ambition. Read more>>

MJ Arabe (King) | Freelance & Commission Artist

I had been doing commission paintings and drawings for friends and family since I was in high school. I knew I wanted to pursue a creative career and thought I would eventually teach painting at a college level. After earning my Bachelors and Masters in Fine Art, I decided I didn’t want to teach. Instead I wanted to continue to paint and sell my work, whether it was working on a commission piece or one of my own. My drive came from the desire to have a creative career and no longer rely on the service industry as a form of supplement income. So I figured out my end goal. I wanted to grow my commission work, sell my own paintings, and create a name for myself. I wasn’t sure of the path I needed to take in order to achieve this. Which is rather overwhelming, when trying to figure out where to start on formulating a business plan. I was scared and uncomfortable with the thought of starting my own business. Read more>>