Having new or innovative ideas is essential to pushing the world forward and so we asked the community to share stories of the most innovative things they’ve done in their career. Our hope is to inspire folks who think only scientists or tech-wizards can innovate – innovation is possible for everyone, regardless of job title or function, industry or geography.

Elaine Vandiver

I was 15 years into a career in the federal civil service. I had a nice salary, great benefits, more vacation time that I could responsibly take in a year, not to mention a now-mythical pension plan. Although the work didn’t exactly excite me (I wrote and administered architectural and engineering service contracts for the government), I was good at it. Great, actually. I put in solid days at the office and left it there everyday when I clocked out to go to our nearly-new 4 bedroom, 3 bath house. On the surface, I was living the expectations I and others had for myself. At least if you overlooked the part of the story where my husband and I only occupied one of those bedrooms, while the other 3 sat loudly empty. Read more>>

Tracie Vlaun

The most innovative thing I have done SO FAR in my career was creating my own Yoga Fitness Hybrid Modality called AEROGA. When I began teaching yoga it was such an intense and spiritually dominate practice. The movements and asanas were created to open your body and to prepare it for hours of meditation. I was drawn to yoga for the discipline and the focus of connecting your mind, body and soul as you open your mental space for healing, balance, and peace. I enjoyed being in the state of Zen which follows the beautiful practice. Over time I always wanted to infuse my other practices of fitness that I had studied. So i combined dance, pilates, HIIT and Power Vinyasa together to create a music based Yoga Hybrid called AEROGA. At first I was not accepted in the traditional yoga studios. I mean…who plays Rihanna in Yoga??? Well….I did. Read more>>

Tania Bertolone

Thank you for allowing me to share the inspiring journey and vision behind The Learning Café. We are dedicated to reimagining education and creating a space that empowers both students and parents, and we think that is innovative in itself! Our experience in both the public and private education sectors allowed us to see first-hand the challenges and limitations of traditional systems. We’ve taken those insights and channeled them into building something exceptional. By offering a homeschool enrichment program that values freedom, flexibility, and choice, we’ve given families an alternative that aligns with their unique needs and desires. Read more>>

Erin Pratt

I am a mother of two girls who gave birth to both of them 17 months apart during the Covid-era, My girls were born in 2020 and 2021, and my world was shifting in a major way during that time, both internally and externally. I was working in a remote corporate job 40+ hours/week while trying to navigate unreliable childcare and the challenges that come with being a working mom of two. Finally, I hit a breaking point. I realized that life is too short to operate under such stress. I had always had an entrepreneurial streak, with several side hustles over the years (travel blogger, yoga instructor, website designer) and I knew it was time to take a chance on myself. I quit my job with no real savings to back me up within two years of us buying our first home. Read more>>

Dr. Kristin Kahle

In my career, I faced a big challenge. Dealing with all the IRS rules, especially after the Affordable Care Act (ACA), was a real headache. It wasn’t just hard; it was like a maze for businesses trying to follow these confusing rules. I saw a chance to turn this mess into something better. I studied all the details and came up with the idea for Navigate HCR. I wanted a software that didn’t just make things easier but was a game-changer for American businesses and their employees. Read more>>

Miguel Becerra

Innovation for me has been very important since as a fashion designer I have been a pioneer in rescuing ancestral techniques but projecting the fabric and embroidery in a glamorous and modern way, it has allowed me to stand out and show my work in a creative and current way Read more>>