28 Entrepreneurs Explain Why They Started Their Business

Each business has a story. No matter if the business is a Goliath like Wal-Mart, or a local business owned by a couple or family, the business has roots in an idea. For each business owner, the story of their journey can range from monetary needs or the passion for a unique project. Each story is different though the reasons may be the same. No matter the tale, the background behind each and every business is what fuels each and brand.

We asked some entrepreneurs and business owners, why they started their businesses:

#1- For me

I'm a wife of fifteen years and a mother to six children. I love my family but at the end of the day who am I serving if I don't know who I am? Business fills me, and I'm good at it! So I started Bailey's Blossoms for me. I want my kids to know that in order to fill those around you you can't yourself be depleted. Business is how I put my oxygen mask on first.

Thanks to Erin E Hooley, Bailey's Blossoms!

#2- A combination of factors

I started The College Investor in my last year of college because of a combination of factors. I was bored (i was always the student in the back row with my laptop open), I had a passion for money and I was always side hustling. I had been reading financial blogs and decided that I could start one as well. So, that’s what I did – it was originally a blog about sharing my investment thoughts, and over time evolved into the form it is today. With a strong focus on helping people get out of student loan debt to start investing and building wealth early.

Thanks to Robert Farrington, The College Investor!

#3- Being laid-off

Being laid-off is the mother of invention. I loved working for start-ups, except for the being laid-off part, as a result of acquisition or pivot. So what better way to beat them than to join them! I had always wanted to do consulting but was waiting until my son went off to college. After being laid-off (again), I started a sales consulting business helping tech start-ups build, grow, and coach their sales teams. I doubled my income in the 1st year and haven't looked back since.

Thanks to Kristie Jones, Sales Acceleration Group!

#4-Giving back and helping others

I started Z’s Dream Hemp CBD Collection to make a difference in peoples lives. Helping others is what makes my heart full. We help our customers out with health issues by taking our products and in return portions of the proceeds go to helping the homeless. We will be hiring people with mental and physical disabilities in the near future. Giving back and helping others leads to a full filling life for me.

Thanks to Joe Meitz, Z’s Dream!

#5- Two reasons

First, I was terminated three times in a six month period and decided that the next person to do that to me was going to be me. I was not going to lose my home and my family because of a “j-o-b” that did not appreciate my gifts and talents. Second, I took a deep look at what my purpose is and why I exist and realize that I am born to coach, to teach, to mentor and advise. I learned to monetize this and then create a business where I help and transform others into higher levels of business success. I am not happier, make more money and have helped thousands of people and business make more money and lead a more complete life.

Thanks to Drew Stevens

#6- Isolation from being a new immigrant

I was a new immigrant to the United States, a new mother and living in NYC trying to find my way. Similar to many new moms, most of my time was spent with my infant daughter outside of the company of other adults. That isolation was compounded by the fact that I was new to the country with no family around and very few friends. I spent a lot of time online during endless hours of breastfeeding and almost all motherhood posts I saw pictured these beautiful, put together women in clean houses with peaceful babies. And there was I, sleep deprived, experiencing postpartum depression and loneliness on a scale I had never before experienced. The carefully curated pictures depicted on social media were not anywhere close to what MY real life looked like. I realized that if I wanted a safe place to talk about the real messiness of life, I’d have to create it. And so, findSisterhood was born.

Thanks to Ana Pompa Alarcon Rawls, findSisterhood!

#7- I would never bleed for another company

I started my business because I had a male boss who said to me, “Jessica, you must bleed for this company, breathe for this company, and if you can’t understand that when you think, you think for this company, then perhaps you’re in the wrong place.” I quit that day, and decided that I would never bleed for another company that wasn’t my own. Best decision I’ve ever made.

Thanks to Jessica Barnak, Jessica Barnak Coaching!

#8- Inspired by my father

My inspiration to be a business owner came from my father. From a young age, I watched him start a company from scratch and build it to a NASDAQ company operating in many countries. I saw the hardship, reward, and sense of purpose it brought to him. I wanted to create something that I was passionate about and create social impact.

Thanks to Graham Beck, DropDesk Coworking!

#9- Make life easier for parents and babies

After struggling to put a Velcro bib on my nephew and then seeing him cry from the Velcro ripping out his fine baby hair, I thought, “why not a magnet which would be more gentle and fasten itself?” I vigorously researched and worked to develop the idea, and two years later, Magnetic Me came to market with a full line of infant’s wear to critical acclaim. I left corporate America with one of my lifelong college friends for the single goal of making life easier for as many parents and babies as possible.

Thanks to Lauren Levy, Magnetic Me!

#10-It pays to give

That's why I started my company. I realized that what worked for me could work for sales and marketing teams across the world. Instead of keeping my idea a secret, I decided to branch out and create a platform for the masses to enjoy. Now some of the biggest companies across over 120 countries use our platform to scale their direct mail marketing efforts. To those thinking about starting their own business, remember: it pays to give.

Thanks to Braydan Young, Sendoso!

#11- Disappointment from other products

I started my business because I spent years and years in the sun as a bike racer, and when I reached my mid-30s the toll began to show on my face. I tried a dizzying number of lotions, potions, and hardcore treatments that left my skin no better off, and in many cases WORSE than before. I was sold aggressive laser treatments that weren't good for dark skin, leaving me with what seemed like permanent burns on my face. Coming from a sports background, I know the body is designed to heal, regenerate, and grow stronger than it was before. Most skincare remedies I found were quick fixes, empty marketing promises, and superficial treatments. My company provides the best products and devices to turn on the skin's natural regeneration engine. As my skin became stronger, it looked even more fresh and beautiful than it was BEFORE I started my program! I am here to show women that their skin CAN grow better, stronger, healthier by harnessing and encouraging its own natural growth processes, even if they think it's too late!

Thanks to Cynthia Lou 

#12- To be there for my family

I started as a freelance marketer, and grew that self-employment business into an agency and my main motive has been independence with my family. When I first started, I had a newborn at home who needed a feeding tube while my wife was going through therapy. The ability to set my own schedule and be there for my family when they needed me was worth so much. And even now I still enjoy the fact that I can plan my day to include my family or manage emergencies much easier than I could in a traditional job.

Thanks to N Paul Davis, Paul Davis Solutions, LLC!

#13- Take the middleman out of event staffing

I started Tend with a simple goal: to take the middleman out of event staffing. There are thousands of incredible bartenders, servers and wait staff in Los Angeles who want to pick up extra work. And there are thousands of hosts that don’t have an efficient, dependable, affordable way to find them. At my previous position as a Strategist at Disney, I was tasked with leading undergraduate recruiting efforts for the Global Development and Corporate Finance teams. This job involved putting on recruiting events in various places and making sure all the logistics were squared away. I always had trouble with finding bartenders and service staff for our events – there were a lot of bartending companies online, but it was hard to figure out which ones were reliable, available on our date and had the right insurance and licensing. I was surprised that there wasn’t a name brand company that had people available anywhere and at any time, along with transparent booking, payment, and really great staff that you could choose from. A year later, I left Disney to start Tend.

Thanks to Davis Waddell, Tend!

#14- Had to walk out of an abusive marriage

I started my own business because I was in an abusive marriage and I needed a way out. I was left living in the suburbs with no job, no car, no money and no way to provide for me and my 5 children with one on the way. So I took $2,000 from my income refund check started what would become an award-winning cleaning business. From that business I started a business consulting and development company that assists aspiring entrepreneurs with starting and maintaining their companies. I build social media platforms, help procure contracts, assist with infrastructure and more. It has been very rewarding.

Thanks to Christeria Lynn

#15- Provide my son with a better life

I had a very hard youth, moving around between group homes and foster homes, with not a lot in the way of family support. Finally, I found myself 17, pregnant, and homeless. I spent nearly my entire pregnancy in homeless shelters working multiple jobs to get myself into an apartment before my baby came. 5 years later we were doing well, comparatively. I was in school and working, with a plan to someday attend law school. We were still very economically disadvantaged though, and with a lot of debt. One day someone mentioned starting a business and it instantly clicked for me – that was the way I was going to provide my son with a better life. I started cleaning houses a few days later. After 13 years I now own a cleaning service with 45 employees doing 2.5 million in annual revenue. After all these years I've never lost sight of my why, as he does, in fact, live with me 🙂

Thanks to Laura Smith, All Star Cleaning Services!

#16-Wanting to continue to be super active despite arthritis strike

The motivation to start EazyHold LLC came when arthritis in our hands was changing the way we enjoyed our sports and hobbies. We realized that a huge population of baby boomers was also about to experience the very same grip issues. Wanting to continue to be super active and independent long into our senior years my sisters and I put our heads together to design, manufacture and distribute adaptive aids for the aging, disabled and special needs community. Patented and Trademarked, we are now In over 4,000 therapy centers, hospitals, and schools and making a profound difference in peoples lives across the globe.

Thanks to Kerry Mellin, EazyHold.com!

#17- Flexibility

With a Masters Degree from Columbia University and almost ten years working with executives of a global investment bank and a top hedge fund, I was on a path to becoming a Human Resources executive at a global financial institution. That's when life threw me a giant curveball, I fell in love with a late Bloomer. With a husband who is a traveling salesman, I needed a career which would give me the flexibility to navigate my own schedule and be home in time to get my kiddos off the bus. Three years ago, I had the courage to start a second career working as a self-employed, professional residential organizer. About a year ago, I moved on from doing contract work and took a leap of faith to open my own business because I discovered that I had a unique philosophy and approach. I make my work transformational, not transactional. It’s not about making a junk drawer look like a Pinterest post, it’s about revolutionizing space and empowering clients to live their best life. Hence my business, Let Your Space Bloom, LLC, came to fruition.

Thanks to Amy Rebecca Bloomer, Let Your Space BLOOM!

#18- I wanted to stay home with my son

I started my business consulting firm in 2005 when I decided to become a mom. Prior to that, I was working 60-70 hours per week in a stressful environment. It was not sustainable for motherhood and I wanted to stay home with my son. Consulting allowed me to utilize my business skills to help others launch and grow successful business ventures while building my work schedule around my son's schedule. Almost 15 years later, the business has grown along with my son and I have been present at all of the important milestones in his life.

Thanks to LaKesha Womack, Womack Consulting Group!

#19- My own struggles

I suffered from acne since I was 9 years old which left me with ugly scars. Growing up, I had little social life and my self-confidence plummeted because of it. It was on YouTube where I found other people who are also battling acne and they inspired me to start my YouTube channel and share my own acne experience to the world. After spending thousands of dollars on different treatments and countless products, I finally found what works for me and shared it on my YouTube channel. Now I have learned to realize that this struggle was given to me to help others. Today, Banish is a multi-million dollar company that has helped thousands of individuals to clear their skin and gain their confidence back.

Thanks to Daisy Jing, Banish!

#20- Empower women

Empowering women was the motivation behind starting our business. We knew that men dominated the industry of day trading and we wanted to prove to women that they could be successful in the markets. Statistics show that women actually trade better than men, yet so many are afraid to give it a try out of fear. With 18 years of experience trading, we knew we could show women it's not as scary as you think. Exposure to information changes everything and that's what we've been able to do..expose women to the opportunity and options.

Thanks to Robyn Mancell, Girls Gone Forex!

#21- I was sick of rigid timelines

I started my business because I was sick of being stuck in a cubicle, doing tasks on someone else's schedule. It was truly liberating to see what I could do without a rigid timeline.10 years later, my work is represented in over 300 stores worldwide, I give talks at conferences, and I'm writing a book. In my company, we don't have titles that represent our worth. We are humans capable of and encompassing so much inside.

Thanks to Keli Spanier, Colette Paperie!

#22- Shared enthusiasm for outdoor adventure and travel

My husband Reet and I launched TripOutside.com with the goal of getting more people outdoors and adventuring. The idea was born out of a shared enthusiasm for outdoor adventure and travel. We are passionate about exploring this incredible world on our bikes, kayaks and skis. After many frustrating experiences wasting valuable vacation time renting equipment, we wanted to design a simple online interface that allows others to easily book gear for their adventures online, saving them time and effort and letting them enjoy more of their vacation time.

Thanks to Julie Singh, TripOutside.com!

#23- Lessons from a previous business

My business (health coaching) completely shifted after I suffered from burnout (after 1.5 years of over-exercising and under eating) and I realized my clients weren't losing weight because of chronic stress. I had focused my coaching on weight loss. My methods had previously included restrictive dieting and extreme exercise. I noticed that many high-achieving women were following my programs to the tee and not losing a pound. They were frustrated and felt like failures. I knew that stress was the foundation of our issues; it was necessary to change my method and overall business model. Now I coach women with a holistic approach that focuses on mindset, lifestyle, change behavior psychology, stress management, restorative exercise, and functional nutrition. This was a need not being met by the diet and fitness industry; I am committed to offering a sustainable approach to health with my coaching focused on stress management and Adrenal Fatigue recovery.

Thanks to Ericka Eller, Ericka Eller Wellness!

#24- Control my fate

After working in the corporate world for 12 years I saw many quality co-workers laid off due to budget cuts. It seemed unfair that their career was ended so swiftly due to no fault of their own. I was also finding that with each promotion and pay raise came significantly higher levels of stress. With higher stress came poor health and I ultimately just became unhappy. As a result, I set out to start my own business where I would ultimately be the controller of my fate.

Thanks to Dan DeBaun, Big Berkey Water Filters!

#25- Frustrations of getting legit jobs online

Virtual Vocations was founded in 2007 out of my own frustration over the lack of a solution for remote job seekers. I’d just become a mom of three, and I was looking for a telecommuting role that gave me the flexibility I needed to take care of my little ones and travel the world for my husband’s work. But I quickly found that it was really difficult to find legitimate remote jobs online. I was spending hours each week scouring the web, scrutinizing each company's individual website in search of a real work-from-home position that matched my skill set. I dreamed of one place where I could easily browse current telecommute job listings without all the hassle—so I called my brother, Adam Stevenson, who currently serves as our CTO, to help me create the website myself. Today, Virtual Vocations lists more than 20,000 remote job openings at any given time, all of which are vetted for legitimacy by our expert team. We’re proud to say we’ve helped more than two million job seekers over the last 12 years, and we can’t wait to see what’s to come!

Thanks to Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations!

#26- After seriously prolonged sitting episodes

Before I turned 30 years old, I never had to worry about my back – it served me well, no matter how many hours I spent sitting at my desk, reading, writing, or watching Youtube videos. However, some seriously prolonged sitting episodes in 2017 caused me to have severe backaches that did not go away by themselves. That's when I tried standing desks and they really saved my back! I got together a team and we started working on standing desks with a twist – our first product is an electric standing desk which allows you to flip the desk platform, a world first.

Thanks to Jimmy, Fitfit Health!

#27- Got fed up by low integrity in my field

Starting a business related to “making money online” was ambitious and perhaps a bit foolhardy. However, I get fed up with how saturated the industry is with scams, unrealistic promises and sketchy affiliates. I just wanted to bring some integrity to the table, and provide the kind of honest advice so many people are looking for. I receive a lot of very kind and grateful messages, so it seems that at least some people appreciate it!

Thanks to Ben Taylor, HomeWorkingClub.com!

#28- Found my why

When you find your why in life that often times is what drives entrepreneurs to start a business and that is true for me. Growing up seeing my father bust his butt running our family business, working 364 days a year to provide for his family cultivated a deep drive in me. I would often times ask to go to work with him as early as 6 years old. Up at 4:30am excited to go work the family business with my father. This drive was not to become financially successful to buy possessions but to buy. I have known at an early age how much time is valued. Time with those you love. And this is what has driven me to co-found Modded Euros.

Thanks to Sean Dawes, ModdedEuros.com!

Why did you start your business? Tell us in the comments below. Don’t forget to join our #IamCEO Community