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.

Travis Brown

I came up with the name “Browntown” as a combination of my last name and to incorporate that “town” element, since I’m from a small town, Bridgeville, Delaware. It started out as several variations using the name “Browntown.” At one point, it was “Browntown Pictures.” Then I think it became “Browntown Films,” until I eventually landed on the name “Browntown Studios.” I went with adding “Studios” because I knew that the overall goal was to eventually build a sprawling film studio on the East Coast. On July 7, 2007, Browntown Studios was born after directing my first stage play. That name has been stamped and branded onto every project I’ve been directly involved with since. Read more>>

Chloe Kaplan

I taught kindergarten for many years and absolutely loved it… but I had a longing to do something beyond the classroom walls. I wanted to help children develop a love of learning in unique and creative ways. I decided to start by offering an after-school Creative Writing class as a way to support learners who weren’t connecting to writing during the school day. I found that by offering children at a young age the opportunity to interact with writing in innovative and often silly ways, their love for the subject soared, and their skills flourished. This was the basis for launching Amore Learning – an education business devoted entirely to inspiring a love of learning. Read more>>

Mariah Thompson

I felt led to start my business in June 2023, but after going through a breakup, I didn’t officially launch until September. In that moment, I made a choice to be purposeful and build something meaningful. That decision became the birth of my brand. I used my creativity as both a tool for healing and a way to stay productive. It was my way of betting on myself. No risk, no reward. Read more>>

Chee Symon

Listen, who you see now and the business you see today were not always here. Everything started way before I even knew what business was. As a child, when people would ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”—I never had a traditional job answer. But I always had a purpose answer. I would say, “I want to help people.” Read more>>

Addy Lehman

It was the summer of 2020, I had somewhat just finished my freshman year of college in the midst of a global pandemic. I was living with my best friend in a small winnebago 5th wheel- The “Minnie Winnie” if you will, that sat in the front yard of a beautiful home located in a quant mountain town. Occasionally the ever so daunting question, “what am I going to do with my life” would come to mind but aside from that I was living in bliss. I spent my days on the river and evenings on my mountain bike. Read more>>

Neema K. Shad, M.S.

So, before The Remarkable Agency was even a twinkle in my eye, I was working in the tech/AI/marketing space. You know, where everyone’s obsessed with algorithms and perfect systems. But then something happened that changed my life. Read more>>

Hannah Aryee & Elizabeth Gerideau

It all Started with a phone call with me and Elizabeth of manifesting opening a creative studio. That was a year ago, funny thing about speaking life into your plans & goals, it actually comes into fruition. We had found a local space and fell in love! The hardest part was preparing to open the studio!. From countless trips to Home Depot for paint to Facebook marketplace meetups for furniture. Read more>>

Courtney Gately

I like to say that Pembroke Bakery was born from equal parts butter, sugar, and a desire to feel good again. I have endometriosis, and after years of feeling like my body was constantly working against me, I started exploring gluten-free eating as a way to reduce inflammation. It helped—a lot. But what didn’t help? The gluten-free treats out there that tasted like cardboard were just super basic boring flavors or fell apart in my hands. I thought: there has to be a better way. Let me see if I can do this. Read more>>

Indya Williamson

The Original plan was to do 20 years in the Navy , I joined at 19 and was already half way there. I was deployed for a year and once I returned I got super sick with a rare muscle and lung disease they linked back to my deployment, ( antisynthetase syndrome, polymyositis and interstitial lung disease) I figured well there goes my military and law enforcement dreams. So I thought what else really interests me? Skincare!!! I’ve always had a fascination with skin and healing so I went ahead and got my license in Esthetics and Manicuring. Read more>>

Jasmine Stokes

Funny enough, entrepreneurship wasn’t even on my radar. My plan? Climb the corporate ladder and retire as a COO. I was a ‘Corporate Baddie’ through and through. But one late evening, during a deep conversation with my husband, he dropped a bomb: ‘Why don’t you do this…life coaching…for real?’ I brushed it off, but that seed? It took root. Back in 2018, my life coaching knowledge was…limited. If you’d asked me about it, all I could conjure up was Iyanla Vanzant! (Deep down she’s my Auntie, lol) So, I dove into research – life coaching, certifications, the whole shebang. That exploration led me to a certification program with 365 Consulting Group, under the guidance of Dr. Karen Ratliff. Read more>>

Brittany Dke

Creator Lyfe started as a spark, a moment of realization that creators needed more than just content tips and viral trends. They needed infrastructure, support, and a real community to help them turn passion into purpose and income. At the time, I was coaching creators and building content for myself, and I kept seeing the same pain points: burnout, confusion about monetization, and no clear path for scaling. I remember thinking, “There has to be a better way to grow with creators, not just talk to them.” Read more>>

Caitlin Caudle

I started my online business on Etsy in 2018. At the time, I was a junior in high school and had recently made the decision that I wanted to pursue art as a career. I wasn’t sure exactly how to go about that yet, but I saw other artists on the internet with their online shops, youtube channels, and self-made careers. I took them as my inspiration and decided to start by opening up an Etsy shop. At the time, I was really into watercolours and I made laminated bookmarks with abstract watercolour designs and quotes. These bookmarks were the first products available in my shop. Read more>>

Ambi Shantay

As a Christian author, the journey from idea to execution is deeply spiritual. For me, it always begins with a vision—a whisper from God, a stirring in my spirit that won’t let go. Habakkuk 2:2 says, “Write the vision and make it plain…” That scripture has been a guiding light. Once the vision is received, obedience is the next step. Read more>>

Austin Railey

The idea of creating a nonprofit to support a specific population is not new, but executing that vision can be daunting. Cincinnati, though a midsized city in the Midwest, is home to over 25,000 boys and young men of color between the ages of 0 and 21. Addressing the needs of this non-monolithic group—whose challenges range from lack of transportation and food insecurity to low graduation rates, homelessness, and missing essential resources before even turning 18—was a monumental task. Doing so in the midst of a global pandemic made it even more complex. Read more>>

Reece Haney

I had to stop ruminating on all of the “what if’s” and the worst case scenarios. I had to pick up my phone or get on my computer and start researching and immersing myself in all possible avenues to be able to successfully become an actual business. I needed a social media presence. I needed to find my style of editing. I needed to learn all of the ways to shoot in various lighting scenarios with my current gear on top of researching my next purchase. I needed to find a work flow, software, contracts, and refine my entire process. I needed to create a logo and a brand for myself. I needed to figure out the legalities of a business with becoming an LLC and taxes. I needed to network and practice shooting at new and different locations with different subjects. I needed to learn A LOT (I am still learning A LOT). Read more>>

Chelsea Neille

Wow, 5 years ago I launched my website on March 14th, 2020 and we’ve been rocking and rolling ever since! However the actual execution began with a dream and YouTube. I had an idea to begin providing earrings and the wonderful algorithms of YouTube began guiding me in the path of other black women entrepreneurs and I began to make moves to build Golden Hippie Company. I began creating the business cards and ordering from vendors in late of 2019. I created the social media page around November 2019 and began posting about an upcoming website while I worked on the background logistics of GHC (shipping, website, domain, LLC, etc). Read more>>

Cindy Gordon

Honestly, it all started as a hobby. I’ve always loved food and storytelling, so I started a food blog just for fun, somewhere to share recipes, tips, and the little moments that happen in the kitchen. At the time, I didn’t have a grand business plan, I just enjoyed creating content and connecting with others who loved cooking too. Read more>>

Vaneesha

VNSK Beauty began unintentionally, but with deep intention behind it. At the time, my TikTok page was called ‘Holistic Habits’ – a space I created to share self-care practices rooted in natural wellness, mainly revolving around hair care. I was going through a minor health scare that triggered some hair shedding, and having dealt with intense hair loss in the past, I acted quickly to prevent it from worsening. Read more>>

Sabrina Thomas

I started my journey by reaching out to someone already established in the industry and asked for the opportunity to intern. That hands-on experience gave me the foundation I needed to move forward. I created a business name, registered it with the state of Florida, and began working to attract clients.

I used lead generation platforms like Thumbtack, where I started booking clients and quickly earned 5-star reviews. As my confidence and experience grew, I saw an opportunity to expand my services. Again, I turned to industry professionals for guidance and valuable insights that helped me launch new offerings. Read more>>

Andrew Soto And Deissy Barrera

IIt all began with a simple conversation during a date with my girlfriend. As we got to know each other, we unearthed a mutual passion for sports and competition. This shared love ignited an idea that continued to grow and evolve, aligning our passions in a way that felt truly special. Our love for sports has inspired our business and influenced the products we create. We consist of a medical student and an architect that both started as kids selling products such as wristbands, stickers, and candy to fund our ultimate frisbee tournaments worldwide. Our different professional backgrounds and shared hobbies helped us feed our desire to design and create products for athletes that can be appreciated by everyone. Read more>>

Veronica Miranda

I’ve dreamed of owning my own agency since the moment I stepped into the creative world. That vision—clear and persistent—stayed with me through every job, project, and promotion. But like most dreams worth chasing, it didn’t come easy. Years of grinding, growing, and running into roadblocks stood between me and the reality I wanted to build. Read more>>

John Deane

My wife, Natasha and I were living in Nashville and had challenging careers and needed a weekend retreat to decompress. She was a cancer research scientist at a top academic medical center and I was a management consultant working at the intersection of the hospital/physician relationship, flying around the country 100,000 miles/year. Read more>>

Bright Ankrah

My Journey from Rock Bottom to Building a Business

Losing my job as a 3D animator at Tutsell during COVID-19 was a tough moment. I spent three months at home, trying to figure out my next move. During that time, I went from being a 3D animator to looking for any job just to survive. Read more>>

Shinika Crawley Brittany Onley

It all started with a simple Instagram DM. At the time, I (Shinika) was running Girls Like Us, an organization dedicated to uplifting and empowering women. I made it a habit to reach out to women doing incredible things in their communities and invite them to speak to my audience. That’s how I connected with Brittany who, at the time, had a blog called Fab Ambitious. She accepted my invite, showed up, and delivered an amazing talk. Read more>>

Eric Hollander

It started when I met my wife in a French bakery. I had been working in this bakery for over 11 years when one day she walked in looking for a job. I immediately fell for her. She was fearless and beautiful, but not intimidating as she made everyone around her feel comfortable. Yeanny has such a big heart and is a genuinely kind woman who enjoys seeing others do well. A woman of principle and unbelievably hard worker. Read more>>

Paul and Paula Lane

his small retirement package, he decided to invest in a hobby by purchasing quality woodworking equipment. He started creating charcuterie boards and cutting boards and has since expanded into a more diverse inventory such as propagation vessels and nativity scenes. I (Paula) retired 3 years later. When I attended high school, I had a wonderful art teacher. My schedule only allowed me to take art for 1 year, but in that year, I learned a great deal about pottery. We created handbuilt items and learned how to throw on the wheel. When Paul and I married, he built me a potter’s wheel out of plans from the Mother Earth News magazine. Read more>>

Zoe Lieberman

Ever since I was little, I’ve always been uniquely creative and had a lot to say, but never felt that spoken words were the right way for me to express myself. Once I learned how to hold a pen, I began scribbling my innermost thoughts and feelings into books and journals, filling them from cover to cover. As I learned how to form letters and write thoughtful sentences, I discovered a newfound love for writing. I knew early on that I wanted to write and publish a book someday, though I never quite knew what that book would be about. Read more>>

Ashley Borromeo

I’m excited to share how I turned my passion for dance into an online business.

It all started when I saw a Facebook ad for a free five-day event called Time to Thrive, hosted by Dean Graziosi and Tony Robbins. As a homeschooling mom, I loved that I could invest in myself without disrupting our schedule.  Read more>>

Brad Priest

J&B Home Decor & Gifts, in Elkhart IN, was created as a tribute to my late husband Jonathan Tuff. Our retail story began in October 2007 when Jonathan & his sister Cynthia became the 5th owners of an Interior Design business, Garber’s Interior Design, that started in 1935. Read more>>

Kathy Arnos

Thank you for having me and providing a beautiful forum to inspire your readers to take a conscious approach to manifesting their visions. One might say I come from a colorful background, growing up amidst the Hollywood scene of Los Angeles, California. After years of cultivating a diverse set of skills in the entertainment industry—ranging from hospitality and production to syndication and distribution—under the helm of socially conscious television producer Norman Lear, I decided to step away from the business to get married and start a family. Read more>>

Jason Amancio Kervin Alfonso

We worked together for 15 years in retail management, running multiple stores across the U.S. During work trips, we often talked about owning a business and having more freedom.

In 2021, while managing a store in California, we hired a cleaning company and spoke with the owner about his journey. Hearing about his success opened our eyes to the potential in the industry. By 2022, we took the leap, formed our LLC, and secured multiple retail accounts through our former CFO. Read more>>

Patrick McKenna

Back in 2022 my college baseball coach/mentor passed away. He was full of life, and he helped so many people on and off the field in his 30 years of working at the college. We shared a lot of interest, and one was helping people. I always talked about how much I love helping people and he supported me suggested me running a wellness business. He always wanted me to be a life/health coach because he knew how much I loved helping people but also how I connected people was a gift I had. After he passed, I went on to complete my Life & Health Coach Certification. Then soon after that I got certified in mental performance so I can help athletes and non-athletes. Read more>>