Starting a business or creative project is scary for many reasons, but one that is often overlooked is the anxiety related to whether this is really “the one.” To some, this isn’t a valid consideration while to others this is the only consideration. Some argue that what you work on, along with who you work with are the two most pivotal decisions you’ll make and so we’ve asked folks to tell us about how they came up with their ideas and how they knew this idea was the one.

Terohn Mathis

It was my sophomore year at Ferris State University and I was sitting in my dorm thinking to myself, “What am I going to do from here?”. I’ve always been ambitious, so it was no question that I wanted to be a business owner. Read more>>

Danielle Hughes

My idea found me. Sort of. I never set out to be an entrepreneur because growing up, Entrepreneur was a magazine, it wasn’t something I ever thought you could be. Read more>>

Judith Chapman

Chic Allie emerged from the vision of establishing my own online business—a venture where I could curate a unique selection of products, craft my own brand, and, above all, contribute to a positive impact. Read more>>

Deborah Kalb

I came up with the idea for my book blog, Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, back in 2012. I had co-authored a book with my father, Marvin Kalb, called Haunting Legacy: Read more>>

Lucia Peña

In the dynamic world of aesthetic medicine, I found myself at a crossroads when the pandemic shuttered clinics. As a skincare marketing specialist, I saw the opportunity for transformation. Read more>>

Lauren Caruso

Chicago Wick Stop was born out of a moment of both necessity and life changing experiences. As a hair stylist for many years, I was able to meet many kinds of people from all over the city (and country). Read more>>

Sean Glenn

Type3Life provides Wilderness Trips for Men that Build Community, Challenge Limits, & Inspire Change. The idea of Type3Life was first formed in the mind of my partner, Paul Ronto. Read more>>

Jeneen Mejia

Years ago I tried Quesadilla Salvadoreña from a small Hispanic grocery store in Las Vegas and fell in love with the taste. Years later that store closed; I tried so many other different store bought quesadilla (sweet cheese pound bread, however it was always dry and unpleasant to eat. Read more>>

Jeanne Martin

Creativity has been my compass throughout my career, guiding me through full-time roles while nurturing my entrepreneurial spirit with side hustles. Read more>>

Chayne Deshaun

I always felt like thinking a new thought always creates new space. When I see myself in a picture or video I ask myself “what makes a human enjoy seeing a reflection of theirselves so much?” Read more>>

Natasha Barnes

The idea for starting “Increasing Our Understanding (I.O.U.) Consultation, LLC” is multi-faceted. I was in my doctoral program for counselor education & supervision, and one of my professors had a great passion for career counseling. Read more>>

Natty Commodore

I own a creative agency called BNVS Agency. I always knew that I wanted to go into public relations and be in the entertainment world, but I never really knew how that look. Read more>>

Beatriz Aponte-Vargas

BellaU stands for beautiful you. I see beauty in everything and everyone. Originally, BellaU centered on ensuring that my clients had top-notch quality service in an intimate setting that isn’t a loud salon. Read more>>

A&J Presents

As a fixture in the Austin music scene, Jim has a front row seat to the often contentious relationship between artists and music venues. Annie, a natural problem solver, knew there had to be a better way. Read more>>

Jewelia Britton

I have always loved butterflies and been drawn to them ever since I was a kid. Some of my first fond memories of butterflies would be my mom and grandma taking me to the amazing monarch sanctuary in Pismo Beach California during monarch migration season. Read more>>

Alvy Monarrez

Me and my Wife Julie had always talked about Homeschooling our kids. It was something that was important to us so we were determined to do what ever it took to make it happen (stay at home mom). Read more>>

Gigi Diggs

Growing up in South Carolina with my Grandmother, I watched her self-care with cremes that seemingly helped nurture her already soft skin. Being as though my skin was the complete opposite, I always wanted to try to remedy my rough skin. Read more>>

Aaron Long

We originally started Elevation Lifestyle as a lifestyle blog. We ran that blog as a family and each shared our experiences in the travel, food, and lifestyle space. Then, two years into running the blog the pandemic happened. Read more>>

Jessica Kidd

I came up with the idea of The Beauty Hub because salon suites were totally missing the community and collaboration feel of traditional salons. I was ready to close my full service salon, but I wasn’t done with salon ownership. Read more>>

Danielle Love

It all began with my deep immersion in the world of real estate and financial transactions. I started my career in the financial industry working for FDIC during the Savings and Loans Crisis. Read more>>

Kierra Taylor

I created and copyrighted my vision for spreading mental health awareness and spreading positive energy through my Reiki, powered tea brand and holistic, mobile spa bus. Read more>>

Sherri Anne Portela

Starting my small tattoo business has been an incredible journey, one that began as a potential hobby but quickly evolved into a passion-driven endeavor as an artist. Read more>>

YIL GONZALEZ

My journey started a long time ago. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, surrounded by the lush greenery of coffee farms. Read more>>

Tasha Helton

The inception of The Common Cookie stemmed from a blend of passion, creativity, and a dream of a baking enthusiast. It began as a casual conversation about dreams and desserts, where the idea of transforming everyday moments into extraordinary memories through baking took root. Read more>>

Tameca Murray

Many years prior to formalizing my business, I was already exercising the skills, talents, and passions amidst interactions with others. Read more>>

Lindsay Rider

The Overture Institute was formally established in 2017, but was in formation about six years before that. Originally, I started my company to provide tools and support for Creatives navigating inflection points in their lives. Read more>>

Chantelle Kuukua Eghan

Arts and Cocktail Studio started off initially as a side hustle when I was in my second year in the University. I wanted a way to monetize my skill which was painting and I reached out to my friends and asked them if they would be interested in experiencing painting in a fun way and 11 of them were very interested. Read more>>

Shayba Diaz Muhammad

Mahnal is not just a brand; it’s a romantic love note to women. A note encouraging women to embrace life’s beauty and live with purposeful intention every single day. Read more>>

B. Dacia Thorson

I came up with the idea while I was transitioning to a vegan lifestyle. I didn’t want to eat animals anymore, not because I didn’t like the flavors I just didn’t want to hurt them anymore. Read more>>

Scean Ellis and Karen Lewis

Scean came up with the idea. She has shared that God gave her the idea. We were both on our wellness journeys, and she wanted to help other women experience optimal health and wellness. She asked me to journey with her. Read more>>

Katia Basley

Vision & Hammer was actually a product of natural disaster! My husband and I had just moved into our first home with big plans to renovate and remodel. Read more>>

Karen Sosa

Upon arriving in this country as an immigrant, I faced an incredibly difficult situation. I didn’t know anyone apart from a few relatives, including my partner and my two brothers. Read more>>

Moina Shaiq

As a Muslim living in America, I felt that specially after 9/11 there were a lot of misconceptions, misunderstandings and stereotypes against the Muslim community. Read more>>

Alina Khoma

I’m Alina, an educator, a Montessori mom and creator of the bavka brand. The idea to craft my own materials in Ukraine came to me during my maternity leave in 2021. Read more>>

Kendyl Jacobson

I’ve always been someone who has been a Jack of all Trades. I was a straight A student, Junior Olympic competitive gymnast, involved in every extracurricular activity you can think of, and a self-proclaimed beautician with a profound love for the arts (reading, writing, and painting specifically). Read more>>

Jeff Bogensberger

The idea for The Laughing Otter came from personal events and driven by a combination of macro and micro-level factors. On the broader level, I saw people all over suffering from challenging times and the bombardment of negative messages from social and traditional media. Read more>>

Jessica Jackson

For as long as I can remember, I’ve battled feelings of loneliness. As the youngest of three sisters, raised by a single mother, I was plagued with abandonment issues after my father left when I was two years old. Read more>>

Nadina Taylor

1. Tell us the story of how you came up with the idea for your business? My journey with Junior Chefs of America actually began with a personal health crisis. Read more>>

Penny Lane

The story of Penny Royal Bakery started at a time full of stress, uncertainty, and mental health crisis in the lives of those close to me. Read more>>

Daniel Beeman

Pickleball and Fun: It Starts with Service Dan Beeman 2/24/24 Happiness comes from giving…and serving. Pickleball starts with service and leads to fun! Read more>>

Hailey Bohlman

I first fell in love with wine back in 2018 after a trip to Willamette Valley, Oregon with my husband. Once we came back, I knew I wanted to learn everything about wine that I possibly could and wanted to taste a bunch of wines. Read more>>

Khalilah Morris

My name is Khalilah Morris and I am 4 time Author & Writing Coach. I have self published A Feen’s Family, Behind the Smoke Journal, Push Through, & This is why we say no. Read more>>

Kendra Shae-Marie Mullings

I was single mom of 2 with a successful corporate career that provided a great material life for myself and my children. Everyone applauded my success and it was really great on paper. Read more>>

Ginger Vieira

I’ve lived with type 1 diabetes for about 25 years. I diagnosed myself when I was 13 years old during my school’s 7th grade health fair! Read more>>