Going from idea to execution isn’t easy. Part of the difficulty is that often there is no playbook to follow and while we can’t offer a playbook either, we wanted to create a space where aspiring entrepreneurs could read the stories of how some very smart, very thoughtful entrepreneurs form the community got started.
Erika Levine
I’m a little on the on the impulsive side – once I get an idea, there’s almost no way I won’t find a way to follow through. This whole thing started with candles, I guess it’s my gateway drug. I love, and I mean LOVE things that smell good and have ambiance. Naturally I was eyeballs deep in candles that I’d bought from stores for basically my entire adult life. Read More>>
Anna Cameron
Thank you for having me! You know, I’ve always had a passion for design and creativity, but it wasn’t until I moved to Charleston from NYC that I saw the potential of turning that passion into a full-service brand and film studio. I’ve worked in the film industry for over a decade and had been freelancing for different companies as a designer when I realized I could take everything I was doing to the next level and be my own boss. Read More>>
Georgia Bushell
I have always been determined to hustle my art into my lifestyle. I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, and I knew that whatever career I’d have, it would relate to art. Before I really knew exactly what I would fall into, I would push my art. I remember being in middle school trying to sell anime drawings for 50 cents, and I actually sold a few. Read More>>
Glaiza
The idea for the Whittier Walking Club came to me after a powerful three-hour prayer session. I was seeking clarity and direction for my life—something meaningful that could not only fulfill me but also serve others. During that prayer, the vision of a walking club for women came to me. I pictured women coming together to walk, talk, and support one another, creating a community that fostered empowerment. Read More>>
Paul Mago And Sergio Morales
Flânerie began as an idea that grew out of an unforgettable event. Sergio and I had been working together at a 40th birthday party for a friend of a friend where Sergio was bartending and I had helped develop the cocktail menu and bar back. The atmosphere that night was electric—Sergio’s craft and charm behind the bar captivated everyone, and the signature drinks added an unmistakable touch of sophistication. As the night unfolded, we couldn’t help but notice how much joy and connection a great bar experience could create. Read More>>
Ray Landski
The Docu-series is called ” U GOTTA RESPECT The Legends of Hip-Hop Legacy ” It features Legendary Hip-Hop artists such as Redman, Naughty by Nature, Lords of the Underground , Rah Digga, Joe Budden etc. The idea came from me being a Barber who loves HipHop debates . It was originally was written out in October 2005. We began taping and documenting between 2006-2010 . Put into a time capsule until 2020. In between that I took my Barber career to another level by opening up Xclusives Barbershop, Read More>>
Sabrina Gentles
When I first had the idea to start my skincare business, it wasn’t a polished vision—it was more of a deep feeling. I’ve always been passionate about natural products, but the spark really came from my own personal journey of struggling with eczema and overall sensitive skin. Finding products that were gentle yet effective was an all-around challenge and I became fed up with products that promised the world but didn’t deliver. Read More>>
Logan Thompson
I have two older brothers, and one was a small engine mechanic while I was in high school. He always carried a multitool and knife for his work, and he sparked my interest in pocket tools. Since then, I have carried some sort of knife or multi-tool on me daily. Fast forward to college, and I became interested in computer aided design (CAD). I got my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from VCU, and my first professional job out of college was designing robotic systems and tooling. I did a lot of hands-on work on the production floor, of course carrying my knife and multi-tool. Read More>>
Tia Teasley
Starting a business can be quite overwhelming and tiring without a solid plan. Now, just imagine how challenging it would be to launch a venture without one! Before I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey, I took the time to discover my “why.” You may have heard the phrase “establish your why” frequently in business seminars, and for good reason. Every idea should begin with a clear purpose. Read More>>
Dominika Budz
When I relocated from Chicago to California, I wasn’t entirely sure what business path to pursue. My initial focus was clear: I needed to generate income. Real estate quickly stood out as an opportunity, so I became a licensed agent. While I enjoyed the transactional side of buying and selling, I found it wasn’t fully satisfying. Read More>>
Priscille Elizabeth
My journey with hair started simply—as something I did for myself and my family. As a former athlete, I used to style my teammates’ hair on game days, usually French braids. By the time I got to college, I had naturally become the go-to campus hairstylist. Hair wasn’t just a skill for me; it was a way to connect with others. I loved building relationships and making people feel good about themselves in the process. Read More>>
Ty Burnett
My elder brother introduced me to Star Wars when I was a child, and under his tutelage I came to know the story not just as my favorite movie but as a sort of philosophy. We played the piloting game “TIE FIGHTER” on our (Windows 3.1) home computer, completed playground obstacle courses as Jedi training, and converted dowel rods into –what else?– lightsabers, with which we choreographed complex, and I’m willing to say convincing, duels. Read More>>
Rachael Lubin
March 2020, you remember it, right? It was a crazy time of fear and uncertainty as the world was thrown into the largest Pandemic in over 100 years. Millions of Americans were sent home to quarantine, and many companies instituted indefinite work-from-home policies. Daycares and schools were closed for months, and while some families saw this as an opportunity to hire a highly educated nanny to perform home-schooling duties, most people immediately tightened their purse-strings and sent their existing nannies home – for good. Read More>>
Fara Charles
When I initially started my podcast, it was really due to the fact that my friend asked me to be a part of her Event and I told her I didn’t physically have a talent like doing hair, vending, rapping or singing. And her response was well just do what you do. I was like OK, this would probably be the perfect opportunity to do a live broadcast of the first episode of my podcast, the Fara Charles podcast. Read More>>
Rj Thunder
Once I had the idea for making a specialty L-reuteri probiotic yogurt, it was time to start experimenting. I bought a small table top yogurt maker and a notebook, and just started cooking. I tried different temperatures, seeding densities, milk fat %, fermentation times, you name it, I tried it. I may have set a record for the most failed yogurt batches ever made. Read More>>
Zakiya Holman
Subsequent to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst doors opened that led to consulting opportunities primarily in the field of applied behavior analysis and education. Given that the landscape of my life was changing, I felt it necessary to transition into a virtual job that offered more flexibility. and the ability to work 100% remotely. Read More>>
Tabitha Knight
It was always sort of there really. It grew from unexpected turns and valleys. I first began my brand as a performance artist, “Tabasauras.” But in 2018 I sort of outgrew the need for that kind of attention, and started working for a very fancy furniture store. I got into Interior design through that work, so I spent a lot of time on the computer being creative. Read More>>
Emily Mack
Vinat was started from a mixture of pain points we, as consumers, had with the wine industry and extensive customer research. When my sister and business partner, Sarah, moved to Barcelona for her MBA, we started going on a lot of wine tours and tastings which sparked the idea of creating a business in the wine space. We did extensive research on wine drinkers and ultimately the research guided us to create Vinat. Read More>>
Jon Spadafora
The journey to launching Flower Union was born from observing a gap in the cannabis industry—a need for products that translated the essence of the plant, without a bunch of additives. How could we create a product that delivered the same time-honored experience as smoking—without inhaling? I had this idea but it wasn’t until I met our innovation partner at an industry event that the vision began to crystallize. We immediately saw an opportunity to diversify and innovate in the space. Read More>>
Elenq Méndez
Starting Elena Designs was far from easy for me. Since I can remember, I’ve always dreamed of having my own business and had a clear vision of what I wanted. But taking action was a different story. Four years ago, I moved to the United States, and like many immigrants, starting over in a new country without knowing the language was overwhelming. My first step was learning English, which took time and patience. Read More>>
Sabrina Wyatt
Going from the idea of creating jewelry to actually doing it was a journey! Once it all clicked and I came to realize that I could make jewelry with my hands it was endless research in to how. I had zero knowledge about this craft so I was starting from the absolute bottom. Read More>>
R.h. Bird
In a prior life, I was the Senior Vice President of Product Development at an online brokerage firm. Ideas for new products were all over the place and most of them good ideas. That was never the difficulty. The challenge was in the execution. How do you go from an idea to a commercial product? The drive and persistence to see a project from beginning to end was the most important skill. Read More>>
Sean Mchugh
In 2009, after reaching a more advanced level in my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, we relocated from Vancouver to Penticton. The following year, in 2010, I established my school, originally named First Strike Jiu-Jitsu. Initially, I sub-leased space from another martial arts school and taught only a few classes each week. By 2011, we identified new opportunities in Kelowna and decided to move again. In 2012, I found my own space and opened a new club. Read More>>
Jacob Tell
The journey to launching District216, my psychedelic social club, began as a response to unexpected challenges and evolved into a mission of transformation. The pandemic forced my team at Oniracom and me to rethink everything. Our marketing agency, which had always been rooted in fostering deep connections between artists and audiences, found its physical headquarters suddenly empty. Read More>>
Michelle And Marcelles Murdock
The start of Terraforma Designs is an unconventional tale involving a few meandering threads that eventually come together to land us where we stand today. Thinking back, our individual interests in design and creation traces to our childhoods, long before we ever met. Our parents were perpetually working on house update projects and we both took a natural interest in helping out and witnessing spaces transform. Read More>>
Logan Carter
The Main steps that allowed me to launch my business was the great feedback I received everytime I cooked for a family member or friend. I already knew the business name I wanted for awhile, which is “ShefLogan” She & Chef combined with my name. My cousin created a business logo for me and these things took off in a month back in March 2023. When I first started i didn’t know what I was doing or anything with the culinary world. It took me about a year and a half to have all the things figured out. Read More>>
Chad Butler
It started after I got laid off from my product manager job. At first, it felt like a gut punch—what now? But once I caught my breath (and a few extra hours of sleep), I saw it as a chance to think creatively. My mind went into overdrive with ideas. One day, while watching football with friends, it hit me: game day is already fun, but what if it could be even better? That’s when Get Blitzed—a drinking game for sports lovers—was born. Read More>>
Kristojay Paul
In 2016 I was called by God to ‘launch out into the deep’. Up until that time I had been using my gift of singing in comfortable spaces – church, church events, weddings, funerals etc. It was then I began to understand the concept of ‘purpose’. I began to understand that my gifts were given to me to perform purpose and that this must be fulfilled before I die. Read More>>
Marisabel Moreno
I made the courageous decision to leave my career as a Paramedic to pursue my dream of becoming a Spiritual Healer. It was not an easy choice, but I realized that my true calling is to help others reconnect with their authentic selves. Read More>>
Kanchelli Iddrisu
I started my business, Buy Black in London, around 2018 while I was studying law at King’s College London. At the time, I was making and selling waistbeads, perfumes, and crystals online and at markets, and also working at Portobello Market. I loved the process of creating and selling products, but as I gained more experience, I started to think bigger. Read More>>
Ana Leyva
Interestingly, I decided to “launch” my business when I got really sick. I had reached a point in my health journey where working from home became almost necessary in order to make some income. After leaving public music education, I had been teaching private music lessons for a few months, mostly because a few friends had asked me to. But as time went on, I started to see there was a real demand for it in my community. Plus, I genuinely enjoyed getting back into teaching, especially music. That’s when the idea first began to take shape. Read More>>