By: Kaylyn Dowd

Photo Credit: GotGoldReport

A few months ago, I became inspired by celebrity #AskMeAnything campaigns. I believed it a great way for fans to interact with their favorite music, film and celebrity personals on Twitter. I decided to take it a step further through the Hashtag #AskACEO.

As a San Francisco native, I can’t turn a corner without hearing the words “startup”, “eco-friendly”, or “innovative”. Although the Silicon Valley is known to be the breeding ground for pushing the envelope, San Francisco has seen a large boom in entrepreneurial spirit for some time now. Bay Area seasoned professionals have been setting the trends in digital technology, design and green solutions for consumers.

With all of these startups sprouting out of the fertile economic soil that is the Bay Area, is there any room for new business to grow? How can one create success out of their passion without becoming white noise? Using the hashtag #AskaCEO, I’ve been able to ask the pros for some sound advice.

The following are a few questions I’ve asked to a variety of CEOs and business experts. If you are considering starting your own business, I would pay close attention.

Founded in 2006, POPSugar is a media outlet with a mission to connect women to new entertainment, products and experiences they’re most passionate about. Their CEO, Brian Sugar, had this to say:

Lori J. Yokiel is a motivational speaker, recruiter for The Platform Magazine, and successful blogger. She had this to say about learning from your past:

With their recent acquisition of an eight-figure investment, Philz Coffee has high hopes of continuing their expansion outside of the Bay Area. CEO Jacob Jaber is at the helm of this coffee chain. Here’s what Jacob had to say to young entrepreneurs:

He also went on to say, “[…] live from within and be yourself…don’t let the outside world determine your mission, gotta be from within.”

There you have it. Now go forth and grow! #AskACEO

Must-Follows on Twitter:

@PressKitchenSF
@BrianSugar
@LoriJBY
@JacobJaber
@Popsugar
@PhilzCoffee
@ThePlatformmag
@PressKitcheners