Young, Female Entrepreneurs Turn Passions into Thriving Businesses

Photo courtesy Dominique Murray

It takes a lot of gumption, drive, passion, and determination to be a business owner, no matter your age. When you’re a young business owner, though, it can be even more challenging, as you have limited experience, smaller professional networks, and less exposure to the intricacies of business operations.

Still, these young people have discovered a way to not only make it work, but to find success as business owners.

Dominique Murray

For Dominique Murray, who turns 29 this month, it all started when her parents bought her a point-and-shoot camera as a small child. “I always had a camera in hand. I took classes in high school and took senior photos for the yearbook. Then I got a BFA with a concentration in photography from Robert Morris,” said Murray.

Fast forward a few years, and Murray opened Dominique Murray Photography at the tail end of 2019, based in the South Side. “I specialize in luxury portraits. We are full service—we do everything from closet consultations to hair and makeup. We guide you during the photo shoot, do a same-day photo reveal, and complete wall art installations within the home,” she said.

• 

• 

• 

When asked what gave her the courage to open her business, Murray said, “I’m super blessed to be surrounded by friends, family, and mentors who have always encouraged me to follow the things that make me happy, because if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. I do think the jump was a little less scary, and I had never had a corporate job, so it was a leap from college to business owner. I knew that was the route I wanted to take after my internships; there was no stopping me!”

• 

• 

• 

Alyssa Danley

Alyssa Danley, 21, started taking martial arts classes at age 9 at ATA Martial Arts Wexford, so it was a full-circle experience for her to become a co-owner of that same business, along with her fiancé. “The year after I graduated, they were talking about selling it, so we made a plan. We trained and learned more about the business, and we eventually purchased it from them in late April of 2023,” said Danley, who is a fourth-degree black belt.

Though she had a good foundation for the business—having learned a lot from the previous owners as well as other martial arts businesspeople in the area, and growing up in a family that also owned businesses—she wanted to put her own spin on the studio. “We made some changes; the main thing was we made it more tournament-focused. We also offer a lot more classes,” she said.

Sheri Leix and Celine Leone, co-owners of Poppin Daisies

Celine Leone, who just turned 30, has had the entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. She and her mother are co-owners of Poppin Daisies, a pop-up flower shop, though they are now seeking a brick-and-mortar space. Leone, whose family comes from a long line of gardeners, takes care of social media for Poppin Daisies, while her mother handles the floral part of the business. “I’ve always wanted to be a business owner, even from a young age. I never wanted to work for anyone,” said Leone.

In addition, Leone recently opened Whimsy in Ink, which has been in the works for about a decade. “It’s been a long journey with this one. I started it during college, around 2014. I was a blogger for OU, and I loved to write. I was in a sorority, and they needed me to do signs and arts and crafts. I realized I was really good at it,” she said. Over the years, she started doing signs for weddings, mostly for friends and family. Then COVID hit, which forced her to pause for about three years. But the floral business continued, and sometimes she made signs for events like baby showers. That’s when she realized she wanted to turn this into a business. “That is where I am today. I do signs for bridal showers, baby showers, sweet 16 parties, and I have a vintage vending machine where I custom hand-make temporary tattoos,” said Leone. Calligraphy is her primary medium, but she will also replicate fonts if customers request.

• 

• 

• 

For Leone, the rewards are immense, as both of her businesses bring joy to people, which is important to her. “The best part of it is seeing how happy and grateful people are. I just did a hand-painted linen and acrylic sign, and the client hugged me three times. That is what keeps me going; I’m doing something for someone’s special day that they love,” she said.

Of course, no one can run a business without facing learning curves and unanticipated challenges. For Murray, the biggest learning curve was that she initially wanted to do everything but had to take a step back and learn how to be a business owner versus solely a content creator.

Danley said that time management was a challenge at first, along with trying to make everybody happy. But she also attributes her success to putting her priorities straight: “…put the business first, put as much time as I can into it, and put the people who work for us first.”

The same holds true for Leone, as she divides her time between the two businesses. “That is still an ongoing lesson I am trying to figure out. Between those and a part-time job, it is easy to get burned out. I try to alternate days, focusing on Poppin Daisies one day and Whimsy in Ink the next,” she said.

And, because being a business owner is a learning experience, taking away important lessons along the way is part of the process. One important lesson for Murray is that it’s okay to say no. “I feel like we live in a world where we want to do everything and be everywhere all the time, and we need to remember to take care of ourselves and take a step back and breathe. I have to set myself up with the proper boundaries, or I will burn out,” she said.

For other young people considering opening a business, Danley advised, “I would say definitely do it. It can be time-consuming, but whenever something goes well, it’s always really rewarding.”