Coming up with an idea for a business or creative project can feel exhilarating. Inspiration for a new idea can come from so many places and we’ve asked some great folks from the community to share their stories of how they came up with their ideas.

ANNIE MCDANIEL

In 2019 I started making french macarons. My husband told me that he had tried one and really liked it. I researched everything there was to know about macarons and attempted to make my first batch. It failed…miserably. They were inedible! Read more>>

Samantha C.

Sra’aem Beauty initially started in 2019 as an avenue to showcase my passion for the beauty industry as a brown skinned, Southeast Asian American woman. Growing up, I did not see any representation of people and celebrities who looked like me on television or in magazines. The struggle to see representation is still ongoing today. Read more>>

Latice Williams

I honestly believe this was God given gift. I can remember at the age of 12/13 cooking dinner with my step dad. As he was instructing me how to prepare dinner I told him we needed “something sweet to go with it”. The next day he brought me cake mix and canned icing. I do believe right then and there my love for baking began. Read more>>

Markayle McDaniel

It all started in 2020. When the world was at an uncertain standstill, I couldn’t do what I thought I wanted my career to be (semi-pro to professional basketball player). When everything shut down, I felt lost and uncertain. However, something (call it my conscience) told me to go to college and study up on the god-given gift I already had: animals and nature. So I did, and while I was in college I thought of a fun and engaging way to share my deepest affinity by sharing animal facts on social media with others. Read more>>

Laura Lanci

Being a Performing Artist for almost twenty years, and a Singing and Dance Teacher for over fifteen years, I was thrilled to unveil a creative haven that combined artistic expression with the power of inner peace that’s all about discovering and nurturing the artist within you. I wanted to unite Singing, Acting and Dancing with Yoga and Meditation practices to free, train, and heal the artist within. Read more>>

Anna Nichols

As an entrepreneur, personal and professional evolution is a fundamental part of creating a successful business. I had to do a lot of deep inner work to find my confidence as well as take messy action in my business to keep making progress – and both felt wildly uncomfortable for a long time. I remember it was January 2021, right after new years and feeling completely unaligned with the direction my business was going at that time. Read more>>

Val Lonergan

I’d mostly been a behind-the-scenes person in my career — it’s way more comfortable there, and you can enjoy other people’s successes vicariously when you’re part of a team, or a good idea of yours gets greenlit. Now, while I’d always found comfort in being a hard worker behind the curtain, I’d also been creatively frustrated for most of my adult life! So a few years ago, I decided I’d had enough of pouring my best work into other people’s visions, and it was high time to start pouring maximum effort into my own vision. Read more>>

Manuel Alvarez

LA10 Network was created after years of producing Spanish content, my team I believed it was important to create a network that Spanish speakers in the United States and across the world can watch content that they can relate to. LA1O Network features content such as movies, TV show’s such as Cafe Con Leche TV show and many others. In addition LA10 Network features original content about the history of Hispanic countries. Read more>>

Shirley Trevino

I was asked by a very dear friend (Lupe) who is like family to officiate his wedding. It was an honor for me but I was not Ordained so I quickly looked into how to become Ordained. I became Ordained in January of 2013 creating Weddings By Shirley. Unfortunately Lupe lost his battle with cancer so I was not able to officiate for him. Read more>>

Dayme Ulloa

Dayme Ulloa is a first generation hispanic american. Born in Puerto Rico, from parents of spanish & dominican descent, Dayme learned about natural and pure skin care from a very young age. watching her mother craft her own botanical formulas that she had learned from her mother and aunts. the secret of using the earths gifts to unlock sustainable youth was woven into the fabric of Dayme’s skin care beliefs and regimen. Read more>>

Camilla Fuentes

-Tell us the story of how you came up with the idea for your business? Paint the picture for us so we really understand the context, circumstances, the emotions etc. Read more>>

Elsa Martin

I’ve been baking Cuban custards since I was 6 years old, along with my lovely grandmother who is also named Elsa. Every year for the holidays we’ll bake about 30 flans for family and friends to share with their loved ones. I’ve started to get more into baking in 2021 during the pandemic. I created new flavors people wouldn’t dare to think it was possible. Read more>>

Adrianne Yurgosky

In 2020, during the pandemic, I and some other Pilates instructors created the Global Pilates Organization. Fitness studios were being shutdown and I noticed there was no support from any governing body and I felt lost in what to do next with the studios I owned. We hosted Pilates classes on zoom through the organization from a different teacher each week from around the United States. Read more>>

James Banks Jr.

Since playing youth football one of my goals was to make it to the NFL. After having a successful high school and college career, that goal of mine was in close reach as I entered the 2016 NFL Draft. After going Undrafted, I decided to further my career by playing in the Rivals Professional Football League where I was drafted by the Florida Red Wolves and won the 2017 Miami Regional Championship. Read more>>

Elissa Gallegos

When planning my wedding, I was a very “DIY” bride. I made almost everything for my big day. Around the same time, bouquet preservation became very popular. So, I took a few classes from a professional floral preservationist to save my wedding bouquet forever. After the wedding, I did not want this newfound skill to go to waste, so I began Texas Pressed Flowers to bring the art of Floral Preservation to the Central Texas Area. Read more>>

Sam Rohr

I have always had a passion for local business. I previously worked as a high school Spanish teacher but opened a downtown home decor and gift shop, The Mercantile on Broad, on the side. It became one big local collaboration with 20+ other local businesses selling their products and also calling The Mercantile HOME. Read more>>

Amber Coleman

Straight out of high school to community college I was not sure what I wanted to do in life. I was working on my associate degree and the consulars were asking me to pick a program for my career. I was partying, not caring about a “future” and wasting my time taking random classes. I ended up pregnant with my son. Read more>>

Roger Gildehaus

For 26 years, I worked for Wal-Mart, moving around to various stores, eventually settling at the Corporate office in Bentonville, Arkansas. At the time Benton County was a dry county, so if I wanted a drink after work, I had to drive over the state line into Missouri to make a purchase. Whereas there were many stores in the area, they lacked luster; with awful aesthetics and terrible customer service, their only drive to business was their close proximity to the state line. Read more>>

Sylvia Cohen-Phillips

I started “Gbaby” 25 years ago when my daughter Giovonnie Samuels wanted a handbag with a women of color on it to wear to the Kids Choice Awards. She was nominated for best actress for “All That” and wanted to wear something that represented her. We looked and looked but couldn’t find a handbag or anything with a women of color on it. Read more>>

Mitzi Martinez

How I came up with my business idea was ; I started building a routine for me and working out twice a day, taking care of myself physical, mentally & spiritually. I seen such an amazing change on myself and my body. I had got introduce to bodysculpting and I notice instant results ! & what I loved the most was that it is a non surgical treatment & how every session I was getting I would loose 1-2inches of my waist instantly ! Read more>>

Nikki Scarnati

During covid I was pregnant with my youngest daughter. Like many of us I was stressed about having a pool in our home and a child that could possibly finding it. I was fortunate that my oldest was able to swim, however I needed the piece of mind for my youngest. Read more>>

Andrew Ow

With hindsight I can see that starting Haiku Games was a good decision, but it was not obvious at the time. Read more>>

Julie Patel

Most Indian Americans can agree that they have a closet full of saris. Saris are 6-7 meter lengths of fabric that are draped around you, the traditional garb worn by women in India. Growing up as first generation Indians in America we accumulate these beautiful pieces with not so many places to wear them. Read more>>

Michael Deleeuw

In my previous career as a financial planner, I frequently embarked on business travels that took me to various destinations. One memorable journey found me aboard a flight to Dallas for a professional conference, where I encountered an unexpected olfactory challenge. Seated next to me was an individual whose personal hygiene left much to be desired, emitting a pungent odor that seemed to linger. Read more>>

Roberta Campbell

After spending 30 years in the beauty industry as a hairstylist, I began evolving my career and was traveling the US while teaching Hair extension classes when my 22-year-old daughter had been hit by a car while crossing the street in a crosswalk. She suffered a traumatic brain injury among other invisible injuries. After struggling to help her heal, I became so frustrated, I began researching alternative treatments. Because her injuries were invisible, it seemed like no one understood what we were going through and kept saying, she looks fine. Read more>>

Kamaya Tarpley

I am already an author, thus my undying love for books. Months ago, I received a “Blind Book” package where I received a mystery book and fresh baked cookies. The package made me feel so special. I wanted to be able to give that feeling to others and so Bundle Up Bookstore was born! Read more>>

Joshua & Kara Plummer

My wife Kara and I stumbled upon the idea for Destination Baby Co during one of our family trips when our 6-month-old daughter outgrew her travel bassinet. The prospect of lugging expensive baby gear around and dealing with extra work didn’t sit well with us. We discovered the option to rent baby gear, which proved to be smooth, convenient, and affordable. This realization excited us and made us think that we wouldn’t have to transport our own gear while traveling. Read more>>

Shavonn Richardson

As a nonprofit leader, I saw how difficult it was to get grants. I co-founded a prostate cancer nonprofit. I have walked the journey so many nonprofit leaders walk. Then, I saw grant-seeking through the eyes of a funder. Read more>>

Emilia Rosa

I always read voraciously and also wrote poetry. Several years ago decided to write a novel; not sure if I would have a readership, I quit. A few years ago I started a new novel; now I am working on the third installment. Read more>>

Thea Klincov

MHouseMedia’s story began with a group of creative volunteers from the Mohanji Foundation, who over the years, volunteered in various areas, including photography, graphic design, video editing, and media production. One day, our founder, Mohanji, suggested that we join forces and offer our combined skills as a service. Read more>>

VANESSA ZAHORIAN

I had been dancing Ballet since I was 5 years old and professionally with the san francisco ballet for 20 yrs. A principal ballerina for 15 of those years. It was time to retire physically and I had the opportunity to become the co artistic director, alongside davit karapetyan, my husband and former ballet partner with the san francisco ballet, of pennsylvania ballet academy collaborating with our founder deborah hoover to start a brand new ballet school in pennsylvania called pennsylvania ballet academy back in 2017. Read more>>

Lori Cover

My story into starting Pawsitively Max & Maggie begins with a pittie-mix named Max. Don’t get me wrong Maggie, Mo, Duchess, Dory, Shadow, Mardi, Sammy, Beck & Gizmo all have a special place in my heart but there is something about this Max dog. He hogs the bed, barks at you if you’re sitting in his spot on the couch, hears you chopping carrots from two floors away and has more toys & accessories than most dogs & cats combined. Read more>>

Erik Ramirez

I was a bartender for eight years and worked private events for friends, family, and regulars at my job. I never imagined bartending being a job, because I enjoyed it so much. The thought of always wanting to do something in the field always came to mind, but I never pursued it. Read more>>

Chassidy Mickale

Whew, it’s been a journey. It was about ten years ago, I completed undergrad (BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising) and then went on to earn my Cosmetology License. I did not like working in a salon and figured I’d go and get an MBA while I was still young. Though leaving the salon to go to Grad school full time was a joyous occasion, my clients from the salon still wanted my service. Read more>>

Ryan Roi

Artists are generally skeptical of all financial service professionals, and maybe that is justified. But after tattooing for 12 years and seeing how many tattoo artists, and artists in general, struggled with finances, even tho many of them earn good money, I saw a huge need for financial education for artists and creative entrepreneurs. I thought about 30 years from now and how so many people who could have prepared for retirement and buying a home won’t be able to simply because they didn’t know where to go to get the help they needed. Read more>>

Cara Steinmann

I started ravel because I was tired of all the transactional networking that happened on Facebook and LinkedIn during Covid. It’s not much better now, but I was having a totally different experience networking 1:1 with women online, and I wanted to see if I could create a space that would offer a more relationship-centered approach to networking. I’ve always resented having to abandon my flip flops and get dressed up and attend networking events that felt stiff and transactional. Read more>>

Brooke Bobincheck

I think the spark to create a travel vlog first came to me when I was in graduate school and traveled from Virginia to Northwest Ohio via New York City (LaGuardia) for a guest lecture. I dealt with my failing marriage and subsequent divorce primarily by watching YouTube travel videos. I started with the major personality – Anthony Bourdain – and moved to my contemporaries, Noel Phillips, Josh Cahill, and by channel name: Trek Trendy and Vicarious Voyager, there are others but those channels and creators became my primary inspiration. Read more>>

Yajaira Adamo

I am a proud military brat/spouse who has given the opportunity to experience cultures, and meet amazing people in my life. The heart of my business as a wedding & engagement photographer in Dallas is rooted in the passing of my grandfather. For me, memories are a big deal. In my family I’ve always been the one to take photos. Read more>>

Amy Benson

I created Afro Aloha because after living in Honolulu for 7 years, at the time, I hadn’t seen anything quite like what I was envisioning in terms of a cultural hub for us.. Read more>>

Satie Shottha

I came up with the idea due to my own needs. I designed a pillow for myself after researching the market and not being able to find one. Once i felt the benefits of the pillow I designed, I decided to turn it into a business. I interviewed random people about their needs in a body pillow. I found out that they wanted a natural, multifunctional, adjustable and compact pillow for traveling. Read more>>

Silvia Gallo

Killer Queen Wine Bar was a romantic idea… That entrepreneurial spark of an idea inspired by an experience… I want to open a wine bar thought came as I sat in a wine bar solo… I had never done this before.. sit at a bar solo… observing, listening to the bartender and the guests sitting at the bar. I was 38 years old experiencing a crossroads moment… we all do at some point … the universe pushing change for your souls higher purpose. Read more>>

Veterans Beer Club San

The Veterans Beer Club (VBC) was first ideated at the University Club in downtown San Diego on April 14, 2016, by three retired Marine Corps Veterans: Phil Kendro, Brian Grana, and Kevin Cortes. The concept of keeping in contact with fellow Veterans and bringing Veteran-friendly civilian workforce members together was a recurring topic of conversation. The first “official” VBC was held at Second Chance Brewing Company in Rancho Bernardo, with six ex officio members in June 2016. Read more>>

Shamika Lynch

It was 2017, my partner and I were living in a one-bedroom apartment with one closet in the entire apartment and I found out that I was going to become a mother. It was about 3 months before our lease was up and our landlord requires 3 months notice, so we had to make the decision to either immediately give notice to move or renew our lease. We weren’t ready to move, so we decided to stay for another year. Read more>>

Victoria Belue

It all began when I met a voodoo priestess and suddenly felt like I was going to faint. I glanced at my friend who was standing next to me and said, “Tell the paramedics I felt dizzy.” I was sure those would be the last words I spoke before I hit the floor. However, Mother Margaret, the priestess, asked if she could take my hand at that moment. Read more>>

Erica Patterson

I first came up with the idea of skincare because of my need for a different type of skincare. I had the need for skincare to help with hyperpigmentation, oily skin, etc., and I wasn’t really finding things out in the skincare market that were really made for my skin type. I had been studying and taking courses in herbalism and learning to grow my own herbs and starting my own garden. Read more>>

Heather L’Huillier

Creativity was always an integral part of my life growing up, permeating my surroundings in various forms. A cherished memory involves my grandmother sharing captivating tales of a family member who had carved a niche as a renowned graphic designer. This anecdote piqued my curiosity and ignited a profound interest in design. Read more>>

Mesa Williams

Floating in DFW consist of a group of friends who have been on the lake for years, both separate and together. We have celebrated some of our biggest milestones on the lake, our kids were raised on the lake, and we are a team you can trust. We are growing and hope to soon expand our business to lakes in other areas. Read more>>

Heena Khan

The idea to start International Makeup came up with mere frustration. I was tired of watching youtube videos and people having items I was longing for in my vanity & wanted to have those. Then I thought, may be, other people feel that too. Hence I started International Makeup with a goal to get all the items from US & UK delivered at your doorstep without you having to go through the hassle of customs, shipping, clearance or ordering! Read more>>

Katelyn Jolly

So, it was the height of the pandemic and I was working for a small local nursing home in the dietary department. We got very lucky and didn’t have any resident issues, but the nursing staff…. ugh… so we had quite a few traveling nurses and cna’s come through the building! More than once in the break room i would hear them talking about missing a good home cooked meal or having leftovers or how the same fast food choices are really starting to suck! Read more>>

Jane Butler

30 days before our wedding, my fiancé was experiencing intense headaches that were not curable with over the counter medication. After a trip to the Emergency Room and a MRI, there was a 9 cm mass that was quickly growing. He was scheduled for brain surgery a few days later and the tumor was removed. Read more>>

Rossanna Ceccato

Picture this: It was a typical day in the fashion world, and I’d been knee-deep in fabrics, trends, and designs for 15 years. But something was bothering me, something deeper than the ever-changing landscape of fashion. It was the growing impulse fueled by social media – the desire to never be seen in the same outfit twice. Suddenly, a beautiful garment was worn once and relegated to the back of the closet, only to meet a tragic fate in a landfill. Read more>>

Jocelyn & Justine Wong

Seven years ago, our love for savoring great food and sharing those experiences with friends sparked the creation of our Instagram account @hangrydiary. This platform allowed us to vividly capture our culinary adventures and blend our passion for food with creativity. Read more>>

Jacqueline Kopito

As an identical twin myself, I always wanted to write a book about twins which I’ve finally did with Twintastic, my fiction book for tweens & twins. Read more>>

Juliana Hernandez

Growing up my mother always had a beautiful clean house in which she hosted many family gathering + events. My mom had a love for interior design and as I grew older and had my own family I also began to have a passion for making our home beautiful and started to host my own events as well. Read more>>

Anna Franceschi

I started this business because I wasn’t satisfied with the quality of products at our local grocery stores. I have never been a basic cook. I love mixing flavors and experimenting with different foods. Many of my friends and family said I should be selling my products. So I gave it a shot with our area craft shows and farmers markets and that was 10 years ago. Read more>>

Colleen McLean Williamson

When my daughter was 2 – I was both a stay at home mom and a part-time creative consultant developing marketing and ad campaigns. I’ve always been in the creative industry and I was starting to dabble more in digital design on my own. Slowly teaching myself Illustrator and other design software. Read more>>

Joshua Olatunde

In 2010, I read a review of the documentary, “Waiting for Superman”. The review praised the productions ability to offer insight into America’s educational system, juxtaposing it against other leading nations’ systems, and predicting future outcomes for our children. Low-income parents featured in the documentary were poised to ensure their children received the best education possible, often to be met with the failure of not getting their child(ren) enrolled into “high quality” programs that utilized a ‘lottery-system’. Read more>>

Ilene Glickstein

I had worked at different screen printing and embroidery shops doing sales for them. Because I am a social butterfly I decided to join a lot a different networking groups in the Santa Clarita area. I would promote what we did to the members of the group so they would come use the company I was a rep for to use their services. Read more>>

Kate Hernandez

I first became a physical therapist to help the younger athletic population recover from injury and return to sports. As time went on, I developed a passion for helping elderly adults in their recoveries from surgery, orthopedic injury, and neurological diagnoses . I worked in a clinic setting for 15 years and witnessed the profound difficulty for much of the elderly population to get to therapy at the clinic. Read more>>

Samantha Ong

The idea for Joeydolls was a journey fueled by a personal desire to find a companion for my daughter that looked like her. It all began when I, Samantha Ong, found myself at home during the pandemic’s lockdowns. As a wedding photographer, my livelihood was put on hold, with two years’ worth of wedding contracts canceled due to the pandemic’s uncertainty. Read more>>

Jasmine Okocha

I came up with the idea for my business as a need to connect with others. I had recently moved to Morocco and was very homesick, needed an outlet, and wanted to share my adventures (good and bad). My first travel-related video in Morocco was a train trip to Rabat. Read more>>

Nikayla Benbow

Well the idea did not come from me, it was God. I’d just exited out of a very trying season in my life and felt like I had become Ground Zero to life and all that I had known. There was no familiarity anywhere. You know how people say they had their low moment, the bottom of the barrel? That’s where I was. Read more>>

Tye Liu

I had to admit that there was an awkward moment: the Covid 19 hit when I graduated from Emerson College 2020 with a Media Art Production degree. Filmmaking is such a practical major. Unfortunately, the movie projects were all shutting down and the companies didn’t adapt to the remote working style that quickly. Read more>>

Sydney Coffey

The idea for Morlé began with my personal experiences and a strong desire to solve a problem that not only affected me but also many other tall women. My journey with Morlé began well before I knew I was even going to start this company. As I was growing up seeds were planted a long the way which has led me to where I am today with Morlé. Read more>>

Renée R

My goal was to create an unapologetically Black space online for like minded individuals to learn, laugh, critique, grow and leave with a better understanding of themselves. There was a need for honest spaces where people can fully exist and feel safe in community without having to explain inside jokes, or cultural nuances to those outside the community. Read more>>

Pamela Bussey

The unexpected and untimely death of my significant other, Christian Tetteh Tagoe, Ph.D in 2014, led to the creation of my business. It was my way of mourning and honoring his memory. Read more>>

Lexi Whaley

The name “War On Sanity” was born from the best kind of chaos. It’s not just a name, it’s a state of mind — it’s the state of the world. I see it around me everyday — in unlikely encounters, obscure paradoxes, and billboards that absolutely do not belong next to each other. I am constantly discovering new definitions and visual explanations embodying how I feel about “War On Sanity”. Read more>>

Angelica Chavez

My business idea of funding a nonprofit came from personal experience. As a kid I went through traumatic experiences and took me a long time to resolve them. I always thought that if I was able to address these issues at a younger age my life could have been different, but that is life right. We go through certain experiences and those are the ones that shaped us into who we are today. Read more>>