Tim Haas of CruiseOne can help make your vacation dreams come true.

Tim Haas sits in front of a laptop on a clutter-free desk in his home office when conducting business, but his mind is nearly always somewhere else.

One moment, the Daniel Island resident might be envisioning the sparkling clear waters of the Caribbean, and another, the majestic, natural splendor of the Alaskan coastline. Both are destinations he can send you to, as part of a new travel agency franchise he recently launched called CruiseOne.

"Although I have operated independently in various roles in my career, it has always been a dream of mine to build a new company from the beginning," said Haas, who worked in real estate in northern Virginia before moving to Daniel Island in 2007. "With moving to a new town, it just felt like the right time to create what I want, rather than managing what someone else wants."

Haas is one of a growing number of Daniel Island entrepreneurs who have discovered that making a business work is not only possible, but exciting and fulfilling as well.

"Travel has always been a passion of mine," said Haas, whose wife, Terry, is a co-host on HGTV’s popular program, Designed to Sell. "I believe your career and business should always be fun. If for some reason it stops being fun, well then it might be time to find something new."

Iris Kornhauser of Lowcountry Dental Pros meets dental staffing needs throughout the Lowcountry.

Iris Kornhauser, a resident of Center Park on Daniel Island, has had her share of different jobs over the years. She’s enjoyed managing her own catering business, a hair salon, and a transportation service for senior citizens and those with limited abilities. But her career took a new turn in 2007 when she decided to open Lowcountry Dental Pros, a temporary and/or permanent placement service specifically for the dental community in the Charleston tri-county area. For Kornhauser, who has been a practicing registered dental hygienist for over 30 years, the idea was a natural fit.

"I was having a difficult time finding work in my field," she said. "And, I was unaware of any type of ‘network’ of dental professionals to whom I could rely on for seeking either temporary or permanent positions…It seemed there was a definite demand in this area for a business like Lowcountry Dental Pros."

Kornhauser’s instincts were correct. In her first year of business, she filled over 250 temporary placements for dental offices.

"I love the idea of getting acquainted with and meeting so many new and interesting people that I might not otherwise have met," she added.

Deetz Hanna (r) and Amy Jimenez (l), one of her Daniel Island team members, promote and distribute MonaVie, an antioxidant rich juice.

Deetz Hanna would likely agree. An entrepreneur herself, Hanna recently started her own home-based business selling MonaVie, an antioxidant rich juice made from 19 fruits. Using person-to-person marketing, Hanna sells and distributes the juice while working with several other MonaVie team members on Daniel Island.

"I started thinking of ways to have my own business after our daughter, Greyson, was born," said Hanna, who earned a master of arts degree in teaching from the College of Charleston. "I knew I did not want to return to teaching full time. I wanted to spend as much time as possible with my new daughter."

Selling something she believes in has made the process both fun and rewarding.

"Taken daily, MonaVie provides the antioxidant equivalent of 11 servings of fruit," said Hanna, citing the power of MonaVie’s acclaimed acai berry. "…It’s nice to know that what I’m sharing with people is going to be really beneficial to their health."

Edie Coupe poses with her children, Braden (3), and Kennedy (6), each holding one of her new “Lovee Covee” blankets.

It was a desire to share something beneficial with mothers and their newborn babies that motivated another Daniel Island resident to dive into her own entrepreneurial endeavor. Edie Coupe, who moved to the island from Los Angeles in 2003, got her inspiration for "breathable" nursing and stroller covers after the birth of her daughter, Kennedy. She also recently introduced Lovee Covee, a new line of eco-friendly baby blankets made from Bamboo fabric.

"I found a need for it, and felt that I could fill a void in the juvenile product industry," said Coupe, who works from her home in Smythe Park. "I like having something that is all my own. I’m able to schedule my time around my children’s schedule, most of the time."

Some of the cons, said Coupe, are that her children don’t always understand "office hours" because her work space is at home. She also battles with sometimes receiving a production run that isn’t up to par. But overall, the benefits outweigh the frustrations.

"I love creating new designs as well as providing a product that protects and nurtures babies and our planet," she said.

Doug Clarke, another island entrepreneur, has also found success in starting his own business. After working with Glasspro, an auto glass replacement service, for nine years, he decided to purchase Carolina Car Care, a car wash and detailing shop with an adjoining "quick lube" in Mount Pleasant. He has since joined with a partner to create a Glasspro Pit Stop at the site with a race car theme.

Doug Clarke has found his niche at Glasspro Pit Stop, a car care center in Mount Pleasant specializing in washing, detailing, oil changes, and glass replacement.

"One of my friends at the time gave me the title ‘pyscho ambitious,’" recalled Clarke, who lives with his family in Cochran Park. "How could I leave everything and risk it all that easily? What did my family think? Well, anyone who knows me know it’s a roller coaster ride, and if you don’t like roller coasters, don’t get on. Fortunately, my wife is my biggest supporter and she (was willing) to ride it out."

Persistence, along with adaptability, leadership, and good managerial skills must often be part of the package when deciding whether or not to start a new business, said John Clarkin, Ph.D., director of the Tate Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Charleston. Sufficient capital and customers are also equally important.

"I would say that business ownership is the dream of many people in our free enterprise system, but it can also be a nightmare for the ill-prepared," said Clarkin, who has more than 25 years of business experience. "…Your earnings may go up and down, or be non-existent for some time, as you will have to pay everyone else first, leaving you and your family with what is left. Business ownership can be a wild ride, filled with thrills, excitement, and at times a bit of terror. Those that have successfully done it, seldom, if ever, go back to working for someone else."

As Tim Haas carefully plans his next client’s dream vacation, he is ever mindful of why he is here. Etched on a small rectangular paperweight on top of his desk are the words, what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?"It’s up to me if I succeed or fail," he said. "I am the only one accountable for the end result…Every day is new and exciting. There is nothing routine about being an ‘entrepreneur’. It is one of the few careers that is whatever you want it to be."