Premium Fresh Roasted Coffee
FJ: What lead you to create your company?
EL: A living, breathing, relentless love for coffee.
FJ: What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
EL: I was pandemically furloughed from my management position from the largest resort gaming corporation on the planet, coupled with my firm belief in the product.
FJ: What lead you to create your nonprofit?
AB: As a solo performer who was on the California Arts Council Touring Roster that existed in 1993, I attended a statewide conference in Pasadena. There I met fellow solo artist Miriam Reed. She was not on the roster but attended to learn more about becoming one of their artists. She and I met and bonded because we both perform historical solo shows – her figures are Anglo and mine, African American.
At the end of the weekend conference, everyone convened together for closure, and at one point, attendees were asked of any announcements. Miriam had the forward-thinking idea to ask from the podium for all women solo-artists to meet us at the rear of the room where I was.
We were bombarded by actors, dancers, storytellers, and those of other disciplines who identified themselves as solo artists. We knew then we had struck a chord. Two performers were with the Burbank Little Theatre at the time and invited all of us to gather there for our first meeting. At the end of that first meeting, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival was born.
FJ: What lead you to create your companies?
RD: I have an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to be in business for myself again after closing out my previous business of buying and selling wholesale and liquidation lots. Being here in Los Angeles, laundry seemed like a need everyone always had but more folks here use laundromats than in unit or in building facilities. To me, that started to look a little more recession-proof than other businesses. Little did I know fast forward we would be in the middle of a pandemic and we would be classified “Essential Business” and still be open and generating jobs and income!
FJ: What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
RD: I wanted to build something for myself and my family for now and for later in life.
FJ: What lead you to create your company?
KR: As a hairstylist, I have always been an entrepreneur. Even when I was renting a chair in a salon, I was responsible for covering my overhead, and marketing my services. It made sense to me that owning my own salon meant I would be able to work toward building my own dream rather than working to build someone else’s business. When I moved to the mountains, I began exploring ways of serving my existing clientele in the city while serving the people in my community. It occurred to me I could enjoy the autonomy of owning my own salon without too much more effort. I knew I would have to step it up in order to cover my overhead expenses but I was up to the challenge.
FJ: What lead you to create your company?
BM: I have been dabbling in Vintage/Antiques for personal and sales since I was 18. When retiring from LAUSD and LACC. I received my Appraisal Certification and I finally did it as a full-time gig.
FJ: What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
BM: The key driving force was a phrase in German that someone gave me and put on my business cards, “Liebe Ihre Arbeit”. In translation: “Love your work”. I wanted to do what I love and on my own terms.