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.

Emily Tapia

Prior to the year 2020, I was a bartender part time while pursuing my makeup artist career. Once the unexpected happened (covid), I was left without either one of those jobs. Restaurants were closed and no one was needing their makeup done anymore. Read more>>

Ashley Luthman

Thank you for asking, I’d love to share with you how I came up with the idea to begin hosting women’s retreats. Thankfully my photography and retreats both tie beautifully into one another and because of that I was able to seamlessly incorporate my women’s portrait work in with the retreat. Read more>>

Ilka Murray

The Story Behind Own Your Shift® The concept for Own Your Shift® was unleashed out of a raw, relentless desire to step into my SUPER SELF!. Read more>>

Bryton Thieman

I worked in commercial landscaping for 5 years before deciding to start my own business. While working in commercial landscaping, I had the realization: Read more>>

Erin Talgo

To fully answer this question, I have to go back in time and give some background on myself and my corporate career. Growing up in Central New Jersey, I had an incredible sense of wanderlust from a very young age despite all of my family holidays being spent ‘down the shore’ at our local Jersey beaches. Read more>>

Chelsea Seward

I started dancing when I was 11 years old in Maple Ridge, B.C. Throughout my years in BC, Alberta, then finally Ontario, I really tried to fit in with other dancers and groups, but honestly never really found my place. Read more>>

Jose Urbina

My earliest memories are of living in Guatemala City. There, concrete and corrugated metal panels made up my home and all the buildings around me. Among the chaos of street vendors, passing cars, and signage, I felt safe. Read more>>

Michael Higgins

I was a professional dancer here in Los Angeles working in the film and tv industry for about 25 years. I fortunately had a successful career having been in over 100 dance films! Read more>>

Maria Laura Litterio

The inspiration behind YUS emerged from a confluence of our passions, experiences, and a deep understanding of the market’s needs. It all began with us, Janine Bittencourt and I, Maria Laura Litterio, each bringing our unique expertise and vision to the table. Read more>>

Adrianne DeJesus

My mother, Genevieve aka Genny, passed away in 2020 and she used to work for the B.O.E. Public Elementary School for 20+ years. Read more>>

Marcella Bechtel

Getting a job in any industry without prior experience is difficult in itself, but getting a job in fashion seemed impossible to me after graduating college with a Marketing degree. Read more>>

Larry Zellers

After 40 years of doing hair, makeup, wigs, and drag performances, it was time to do something about it. I listened to everyone’s makeup needs, challenges, and limitations. Read more>>

Kristen Hatfield

Starting this business required a certain level of risk-taking and a willingness to go for it! Ashley Clark from Skout Interior Design truly inspired us to launch this business, saying, “It’s genius – go for it!” Read more>>

Dr. Tisa Montgomery

Throughout my childhood and early adult life I lived a life of being obese. As a child, I always knew I was larger than my friends, and relatives my age. Read more>>

Marcia Robertson

My name is Marcia Og Big MaMa Robertson founder and CEO of Big MaMa Records and Productions now Flatland Entertainment LLC a music and film company .. Read more>>

Denzel Smalls

The idea came to me around 10 years ago. I’d just graduated with my undergrad, fresh off of a deployment and I was stocking groceries at Walmart for 7:20 in Marietta GA, I never made such a little amount of money in my life. Read more>>

Amparo Garcia-Crow

In my world, I speak three languages— I speak English, Spanish and Dream. In the dreamtime, I am often clairvoyant, clairaudient, and frequently get introduced to people before I meet them in real life.  Read more>>

Clarissa Robyn

Something amazing happened to me 20 years ago. I had a revelation. I remember the moment vividly, like someone had just shone a light in front of my eyes, revealing a truth I had never thought to realize before. Read more>>

Avanti Paul

After spending 20+ years growing and turning around operations and teams in corporate America, I took a break to do something on my own. I have two young children and moved to Alabama from Brooklyn to be closer to family. Read more>>

Jared & Bridget Shoup

We just opened our own tattoo shop called “Unity Tattoo!” Jared has been in the tattoo/piercing industry for over 20 years. Being in the industry for as long as I have, I’ve seen things I didn’t agree with.  Read more>>

Andrea Corp

The Bloomified idea came to me during perimenopause several years ago. I found myself in a state of bewilderment as I was looking in the mirror at my puffy eyes, new wrinkles, and hair that was losing its luster. Read more>>

Deanna Wallin

As the daughter of a nurse, I went into the medical professional in the 90s after receiving a degree in Psychology from Barry University. I earned my LPN certification and worked as a hospital floor nurse, a wound-care nurse and in-home healthcare for 15 years. Read more>>

Nathan Deming

“February” is the 2nd film in my 12-film cycle I’m calling the “Year Project” where each month would be captured through a unique narrative lens, all set in Wisconsin – and inspired heavily by the films of british filmmaker Mike Leigh, who was the head of the London Film School when I attended. Read more>>

Kory Johnson

I grew up going to the lake in AZ. We would go wakeboard before school, go on long weekend trips, spend weeks on a houseboat during summer skiing, wakeboarding, and wake surfing. Read more>>

Derek Pistorius

The inspiration for starting Platinum Charm Events came from our own wedding experience. Unfortunately, we encountered several issues with our vendors: Read more>>

VIRGINIA LOUDEN

It was early 2012. I was a blissful and happily married mom of three awesome kiddos. I had been working as a Human Resources and accounting administrator at a local car dealership for many years and was well on my way to finally getting my turn to train up for management someday. Read more>>

Jane Hoover

Back in the 80’s Leslie Carlson sold vegetables in a train caboose in Topanga, the shop was called Topanga Home-Grown. The shop was there for over a year then closed to making room for a parking lot for a restaurant. Read more>>

Lauren Clay Jeffcoat

Growing up, I was OBSESSED with weddings. As a little girl, I always wanted to play “wedding” with my friends. I can remember having a box underneath my bed with clippings I had cut out from magazines and glued to the inside of shoebox to make my dream wedding backdrop Read more>>

Taylor Sliwa

Back in 2017, I took the leap to become certified in yoga because I felt a profound disconnect in my mind, body, and spirit during my mental health journey. Read more>>

Luke Huxley

AstroTours.org was born from my lifelong fascination with the night sky and a series of profound experiences. Growing up in Denver, Colorado, I was enchanted by the Rocky Mountains’ sky. Read more>>

Ifrah Akram

Graduate high school, get your bachelor’s, get your master’s, and then get a Ph.D. – that was always the plan. Never in my wildest dreams did I have entrepreneurship in mind. Read more>>

Uraina Serna

When I moved to Las Vegas and started modeling I booked work independently and through agencies I was signed to out of Atlanta, LA and New York. Read more>>

Savvas Christou

The idea for Cult Experiences was born from my deep love for the arts and my time spent living in Los Angeles. Over seven incredible years in LA, I immersed myself in the city’s vibrant creative scene, attending countless film festivals and soaking in the diverse artistic expressions. Read more>>

Kelsie Mosebar

My blog, Just Kels, was created in the spring of 2016 as I was wrapping up my first year of college. Ever since I learned how to write when I was younger, I immediately loved it and knew it was something I wanted to continue with in some capacity throughout my life. Read more>>