A dad can’t find a bakery to make a birthday cake that can accommodate his daughter’s allergy-related needs. Two freelancers realize they need a way to organize all of their client contracts and can’t find software that adequately handles their use case. Necessity is often hailed as the mother of innovation – but not all ideas come from necessity. Unfortunately, in our experience, often media coverage of the ideas that powered amazing businesses and projects often stops at a very superficial level. The founders noticed a need and boom – idea. Often the ideation process has a much longer, more complex story and so we’ve asked some entrepreneurs and creatives we admire to go into detail about their ideation stories.
Antone Nixon
What started from daily walks and runs with my dog each morning on the beach, right at the sunrise, it then became “my thing”. For starters, my day doesn’t start without my dog needing her morning walks so she is the true creator behind “VB Sunrise”. I remember my friends would always laugh at my morning running videos every day and some thought I was crazy, but I felt something was right about it. I could feel the greatness each day. Each day it brought a new reaction or some sign of joy to others so I just kept pushing and pushing, eventually it went from my personal Instagram to me then creating one for my dog. I noticed a few hundred people actually started following it so that was a positive sign. Then I started to focus more and more on the sun rising, opposed to me running with the dog at the same time and BAM, I had a video reach over 500k views and a few thousand people followed my page, that’s when I new something was right. I kept IG going and never gave up. Now it has over 30k organic followers a few years later and it continues to grow. Read more>>
Damon Townsend Sr
I started thinking about becoming a business owner in 2016. I was working security at a strip club in Atlanta. I wanted to do something more. I was just walking around and thought that I should start a tee shirt business. I wanted to make something that all people could get behind the shirts and support a good message. i wracked my brains for weeks. I originally came up with P3. P3 stood for Prayer, Patience, and Persistence. It was a step in the right direction but felt incomplete. I didn’t know what was missing, but I knew something was missing. Read more>>
Swarna Shiv
It’s funny how the biggest ideas can start from the smallest moments. For me, it all began in an entrepreneurship classroom at Babson College. Like most students, I was searching for a meaningful project, but I had no idea this class assignment would completely change the trajectory of my life. The real eye-opener came during the customer discovery phase. I started reaching out to people in different fields, expecting maybe a few polite responses. Instead, what I got was an overwhelming flood of frustration and stories. I spoke with military personnel who described how smudged glasses compromised their performance during critical training. Surgeons shared stories of having to pause during delicate procedures to deal with their smudged lenses. Construction workers talked about the daily struggle of keeping their vision clear while working with a constant smudged vision. Read more>>
Daizy Lopez
Since as long as I can remember I’ve always been a lover of the fashion world. I would constantly change my outfits, cut up my clothing, and mix match my whole wardrobe (no matter anyone else’s opinions). I’ve always expressed myself through the pieces I wear on my body! The idea of starting up my fashion brand, “Espíritu Libre” (Free-Spirit in Spanish) came simply from creating unique and bold-colored garments for myself which then evolved to making similar pieces for my peers, and blossomed into having constant customers who adored the designs as well. Read more>>
Tameka Rushing
I spent 21 years in the United States Air Force. Eight of those 21 years were in Enlisted Professional Military Education. I was selected for a special assignment as the Etchberger Airman Leadership School Commandant at Grand Forks Air Force Base. That had been a goal of mine since attending the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy in Germany some years prior. I admired how my instructor presented herself, and by graduation, I knew I wanted to lead in that way. That 4-year assignment and the follow-on assignment overseeing eight schools at eight Air Force Bases is the foundation for my trajectory to Glass Half Full Solutions LLC. After retiring from the military, I landed an internal talent management consultant role for a faith-based healthcare system. Read more>>
Marlee Rosen
When I decided to get serious about my own personal style almost 10 years ago, I fell prey to trends, greenwashing, and my own negative feelings about my body. But through this process I developed an amazing toolkit of strategies that have led me to build a closet I truly love. In slow fashion facebook groups and on instagram posts, I saw folks falling into the same traps that I did over and over again and I knew there had to be a better way. I realized that I could take the strategies that I had developed for my own closet and use them to help other people define their personal style while staying true to their slow-fashion values. Read more>>
Anthony Oliver
Crossroads Craftworks is the culmination of a lifetime of inspirations. But, most directly, it is the result of my desire to find a place, a community, where I felt like I belonged, once I emerged out of the pandemic. By nature, I’m not a social person. But after that period of intense isolation, I eventually went looking for a place to be around folks. I wanted a third space – that communal space that’s neither home nor work, where folks gather and share thoughts and stories and experiences. There are already plenty of bars and churches for people who find their social circles there. But, in a very Goldilocks fashion, none of the existing communities felt quite right for me. So I decided to center the space around creativity and curiosity, in hopes of attracting like-minded folks and building a community around those principles. Read more>>
Hannah Dimock
From a young age, I knew I aspired to own my own business. I have always had a passion for helping others and bringing creativity to every project I take on. My journey, from serving restaurants to bartending, has shaped the business owner I am today. Hospitality is my passion, and I’m equally dedicated to crafting delicious, fresh drinks. I love creating unique, personalized experiences for each client. When I launched my mobile bar business in early 2024, I knew there was no turning back. I’m fully committed to this exciting venture. Read more>>
Jim Jones
The concept all started with the name “Freak House”. My wife, Ana, and I have been interested in starting a business for a while and have discussed a variety of options over the last few years. Somehow the name “Freak House” popped into my head and I was able to secure a dynamite web site name www.Freak.House. I was convinced the name was worth developing and I was also able to trademark it. Our first concept for putting the name to work was to offer a variety of macabre and freak gift items such as skulls, skeletons, mythological creatures, zombies, and other monsters. That was received very well and our customers immediately started asking for apparel, accessories, shoes, and other fashion items. Read more>>
Megan Gribble
I’m Megan. I’m the creative behind Megan Gribble Home. I’m a new mama, fashionista, creative soul, and passionate real estate agent thats goal is to bring a new light to the real estate and interior design industry that we’ve been missing. I have an eye for design, a spunky personality, and extensive marketing and business background that has helped me create this place I call – Megan Gribble Home. After growing up in an entrepreneur household – I was raised on all things design and business. My mom was an interior designer. I grew up watching her transform spaces and fell in love with everything that encompassed the design world. Read more>>
Lili Demm
The idea for CampusRun came to life during the first month of our freshman year at Nova Southeastern University. My bestfriend Jack and I were sitting in my dorm, stressed and overwhelmed. We were so broke, juggling classes, responsibilities, and campus life, and we both felt like there just weren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Jack jokingly said, “Imagine if there was an app where students could do each other’s laundry,” and I stopped and said —“What if there was an app where students could help each other with ANYTHING?” That moment sparked something real. We looked at each other and realized we might actually be onto something. Read more>>
Acuarius Barreto
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, and emotions. My family and I were on our way to Colorado Springs to see the hot air balloon festival. During the car ride, the main topic of conversation was my baking business and how I needed to find a niche to reach its full potential. I felt frustrated because I couldn’t figure out what that niche could be. I love baking a variety of treats and didn’t want to be limited to one dessert. My dream was to create a “one-stop shop” for all kinds of desserts. However, as I started my business, I realized this idea was overwhelming and stressful. Trying to master so many different recipes at once made it difficult to perfect anything. Read more>>
Jp Purkey
When I developed a chronic shoulder issue, I decided to give PRI a try and sought out a practitioner. The protocol I followed helped tremendously, addressing not just my shoulder but my overall posture and movement patterns. My physical therapist, Lisa, encouraged me to delve deeper into PRI, sensing my growing interest. Taking her advice, I began studying PRI’s approach, and it instantly resonated with me as a new and exciting perspective on the human body. PRI’s framework views the body in a way I had never considered before, emphasizing the interconnectedness of various systems and the impact of postural adaptations on overall function. This holistic approach to understanding and treating the body aligned perfectly with my passion for helping individuals move their best. Read more>>
Christin Forsyth
The idea to create a mobile nail salon, specialize on people with special needs started from my experience working in a nail salon. I found out there was percentage of population were not able to get the service or reject it, because the installations were not properly designed to help elderly and people with poor mobility. Nail techs usually have poor or none experience to deal with high risk clients and people with special needs. I always ask myself how to improve what can I do to help them because for some people nails care is not luxury especially when you get old you need to maintain your hygiene to improve your health. I have had the experience to be a homebound myself during the highest risk pregnancy. Read more>>
Grant Hemingway
After the birth of our second child, my wife, Natalie, and I found ourselves struggling—like many new parents—to balance raising children, working, maintaining social lives, and more. Amid that chaos, as we searched for ways to remain connected and engaged, we realized we had left something behind: wine. The ritual and allure of wine no longer fit our evolving lifestyle and ambitions. As a winemaker, this loss felt personal, inspiring me to find a solution. Surveying the current offerings in non-alcoholic wines, I saw a clear opportunity to enhance quality and recreate the essence of wine without the alcohol. Drawing on decades of winemaking experience, I dissected and refined each step of the process until we achieved something a discerning wine lover could truly appreciate. Along the way, we discovered that many others were seeking similar options, and we recognized that mindful consumption—whether for health, personal choice, or other reasons—had far-reaching appeal. Read more>>
Briana Biatto
I was a personal trainer and a singer/songwriter living in Los Angeles and the industry kept telling me I needed to pick between being an artist or being in the fitness industry. They also were trying to influence me to chose a genre of music to stick to when all my music was so different but with the same Lyrical goal which was to influence people to be the best versions of themselves. My passion has always been to help people become not just physically fit, but spiritually, emotionally and mentally fit as well. Being Close to God, Fitness and Music are the best therapies so I decided to combine them all by becoming the first Contemporary Christian Fitness Artist. Read more>>
Ryan Scarfile Lisa Andes
Go Crazy Camps came about almost accidently. Ryan Scarfile, a PE teacher at Timonium Elementary School, had worked camps since his early teenage years. Summer camps provided a good summer job and revenue. He had previously worked with another PE teacher at a different camp when they started their own camp. Ryan decided to leave the camp he was previously working at and join this new camp but by February of 2019 they both realized the camp was not taking off as quickly as expected and Ryan was left without a summer job. Until he decided to start his own camp at Timonium Elementary School where he currently worked. He had been a teacher there for now 3 years and thought a sports-style summer camp would be a fun way and draw some of his current students to attend. Read more>>
Lauren Isaacson
The idea for the beginning of my business came from an unfortunate set of circumstances in my previous place of employment. I was working in a public elementary school in Maryland as a special education teacher. Over the winter marking periods, I began working on a few of my students’ IEPs for their annual review. When the meetings happened, all went well, except afterwards when my administrators said that I had to make changes to a students’ accommodations. The change they were requesting was against the state regulations and because the child legally required the accommodations written, I ended up going on a long stretch of advocating with the school district and the state of Maryland’s department of education in order to ensure this student was getting what they needed in school. After a month or two of fighting for answers, documenting, and making claims to the state, the school year was ending and I was ready to leave. Read more>>
A R
The inspiration to develop my brand and business came from a culmination of personal experiences, passions, and insights I’ve gained throughout my life. Growing up, I was always drawn to luxury, style, and the finer details that elevate a person’s presence. Even as a young boy, I had a natural eye for aesthetics, whether it was curating my own outfits or appreciating the artistry in everyday life. My collegiate experience, combined with my degree in Public Relations and Advertising, gave me a strong foundation in branding and storytelling. During that time, I found myself styling friends and family, which helped me realize how much joy and confidence I could bring to others simply through thoughtful curation and creativity. Read more>>
Jacoby Hinton
I never quite sleep right not in my own bed. But, living in Seattle and having in-laws that live in the Midwest means you can’t avoid it at times. I was up late with nothing but to do but doom scroll on my phone when I went down a rabbit hole for Epoxy river tables. I was briefly introduced to epoxy resin in college during one of my sculpture classes, so I had some base knowledge of how it worked. I was fascinated by the way it interacted with wood. An idea started to form, one where I could control the flow of the resin and manipulate it into a cohesive figure. I started researching if other people were doing it, and at the time (circa start of 2019); nothing came up. I grabbed my sketchbook and started plotting. Back then I was only a painter, so I had no knowledge of any of the techniques I was thinking about using. Read more>>
Matt Delisle
I was already doing a steady bit of freelance when I moved to Brooklyn. And the very first pizza place I checked out was right around the corner from me…this spot called Tony’s. And it was a sorta magical experience. The pizza itself was excellent—I went there for years up until the day he closed—but the real experience was watching him operate. He was just one guy, making pizza for 40 years by himself and he had this whole system. It was so efficient but so un-rushed. He moved at the exact pace he wanted to…often while listening to the opera. It was cash only and only $13 for a whole pie and he just made pizza all day—a couple pies at a time—from when he opened to when he closed. Read more>>
Dawn Schuster
The idea for Eventelier.com came naturally from my years of experience running Masala Threads, my sustainable and ethical fashion and homeware agency. Over time, I noticed a clear gap in the luxury wedding and events market. While there are plenty of beautiful venues and elaborate setups, many events end up looking surprisingly similar. I realized that for people investing in truly special celebrations, the cookie-cutter approach simply doesn’t cut it—they crave decor and guest gifting that feels personal, meaningful, and completely bespoke. Read more>>
Kristen Russell
After having my first child, I lost a sense of who I was from not recognizing the person I saw in the mirror due to the physical postpartum changes. I wanted to help other moms, like myself, love themselves again and gain back their confidence. This pushed me to becoming a personal trainer who specializes in women’s fitness. Read more>>
Jacqueline Powell
Powell 2 Empower was born from a combination of passion, purpose, and personal experience. Throughout my career, I realized that my greatest joy didn’t come from meeting quotas or achieving external benchmarks, it came from helping others see their own potential and thrive. Whether I was mentoring a colleague, connecting with a client, or simply sharing my story, I found that empowering others felt deeply fulfilling and aligned with who I am. Read more>>
Carlos Sanchez
Our journey into aesthetics and wellness began with a deep personal interest in health and well-being. Early on, we realized that traditional medicine is focused on treating chronic illnesses where everyone is placed into the same box and “normalcy” is the goal. This sparked our desire to explore alternative methods that prioritize overall wellness rather than just treating symptoms. It was always important for us to emphasize beauty from within. Read more>>
Jaeda Kinkoph
I worked for a local jewelry designer for eight years where I got to sample many different facets of the jewelry industry. I started off in the office doing customer service and shipping orders all over the country, and eventually learned the line so well I became a trainer for all new accounts that were onboarded. I moved on to become a west coast account rep where I was able to travel to stores and spend the day with them during trunk shows, to trade shows where I got to meet so many talented designers. Read more>>
Karen Sigal
I began my ventures into modeling in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. which dates back from a personal interest in an industry that I discovered by chance, the fashion industry. At a young age I was very shy and insecure with my height, being 5’10” as a teenager I was taller than most of my friends and I felt awkward, I didn’t like it. However, I always liked fashion, and was inspired by my Mother & Grandmother. After going to a local fashion show in town with them, I noticed that the models were tall & thin, I could relate, and that was my defining moment for getting started in the business. At the age of 16, I enrolled in a modeling school downtown called John Robert Powers. It was the start that I needed not only for the modeling training, but also for etiquette, poise and gaining self confidence. I felt a purpose and excitement to pursue further. I made connections with several industry professionals and worked as a freelance model over the years, and found myself working towards a path in my life that would be a career that I never anticipated. This venture would span over the next few decades. It was indeed a worthwhile endeavor. You could say that I’ve made a lifetime career out of this passion. Read more>>
Nechami Tenenbaum
During my time in makeup school, before pursuing an MBA in Marketing, I I noticed a gap in the beauty industry: a lack of high-end, natural (clean beauty) products designed to flatter all skin tones. Even more striking was the absence of visibility and support for minorities, for women of all backgrounds. That realization sparked a vision—a dream of creating a brand that would help all women feel seen, celebrated, and empowered. Read more>>
Arielle Loupos
I started Flower Girl because I was tired of wearing pads and tampons. I started to try a bunch of period underwear from different brands, and while it was definitely a better option, it still didn’t offer the solution I was looking for. I wanted to wear something that was comfortable, sexy and using body-safe materials since these products are worn against the most sensitive parts of the body. Believe it or not I had a really hard time finding a pair that met all of those needs, so I decided to make my own. Read more>>
Nikia Wingard
Kia’s Kountry Konfections is a testament to the power of resilience, community support, and the healing power of baking. What started as a holiday tradition of making desserts for family gatherings, including teacakes and mini sweet potato pies, blossomed into a small business after a series of challenging personal experiences. In the summer of 2024, while facing financial hardship, mental health struggles, and the illness of a beloved family member, an unexpected request from Aunt Mary reignited the passion for baking. This simple act of baking teacakes for her led to a revelation when my close friends suggested turning the love for baking into a business. Read more>>