Surrounded by "stiffs" in an Oakland, Calif., warehouse, Henderson-Townsend told us how she got into the business and described the surprising reasons customers come to her for mannequins.

Nobody said becoming a successful entrepreneur was easy—but with a little bit of planning and a little bit of money, it is possible to create and grow a successful business.

Paul Solman: What inspired this business? Judi Henderson-Townsend: I am an accidental entrepreneur so nothing really inspired it. I was looking for a mannequin one day for an art project, I wanted ...