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.

Joshua Hooks

For most entrepreneurs, launching a business is the hardest thing they’ll ever do. For Joshua Paul Hooks, it was the easy part — because he’d already overcome far more. By 2008, Joshua had lived through pain that would’ve broken most. A childhood marked by trauma. Teenage years numbed by addiction. A future that once pointed toward prison, not boardrooms. But instead of becoming a statistic, Joshua became a story worth telling — one of resilience, vision, and relentless hustle. Read more>>

KELLY WALKER

I felt a divine inspiration to create something new and I received a download from God to make shoes. I had no previous experience with shoe making nor did I know anyone that had made shoes. However, I did make jewelry for several years so creativity was something I always had access to. So one particularly day several years ago, I was walking through Walmart and felt led to go to the shoe department. It was there where my inspiration began. I saw these garden shoes and felt led to buy a few pairs. In my creative brain, I got the idea to cut the tops off and see if I could create a shoe. From there the idea of my shoe line was born. I started out using various fabrics for the upper of the shoe and then graduating to genuine leather. Read more>>

Jashanti Jones

I had another small business (kreationzbyj) where I sold resin items such as keychains, coasters and etc. but I always had a love for baking rather it be me making something for family or simply making something to cure my sweet tooth the passion was all ways there! I shopped around trying other desserts and figured why not make my own which would save me money and potentially put money in my pockets, I would see other treat makers on instagram and thought how hard could it really be to make a business out of it all. That’s when I started my deep dive from following a ton of treat maker accounts to watching hours of videos on YouTube on how to properly dip and decorate strawberries. Once I felt confident enough I went to stores gathering the materials/ingredients that would be needed to successfully execute a test run of chocolate covered strawberries. Read more>>

Nikki

The idea for Pup Profile came to me during my first year of business school at UC San Diego. I shared it with one of my friends from the Navy over dinner, and he encouraged me to go for it. After mulling it over for a couple months, I figured there was no better time to take the leap. I had just left active duty and was a full-time grad student, which afforded me the time and resources I needed to develop this idea. The final year of the MBA program included a capstone project designed to take an idea from inception to launch. I decided to pursue Pup Profile for that project and thankfully found a group of like-minded dog lovers who were willing to join me. Read more>>

Dr Juanita Fletcher

The idea for ACHI Studios sparked from conversations and observations within the creative community, especially after we moved to Georgia, a major hub for film. We kept hearing the same thing from independent filmmakers like ourselves: finding unique, affordable locations was a constant struggle. Big studio lots were often out of reach budget-wise, and adapting regular spaces took time and money they didn’t always have. We saw talented people scaling back their vision because of logistical hurdles. Read more>>

Jackie Dahm

From the very first moment I can remember putting crayon to paper, creativity has been woven into the fabric of who I am. As a little girl, I’d fill mountains of sketchbooks with pencil drawings, memorize every color in the crayon box, and lose myself in experimenting with any medium I could get my hands on — from charcoal to watercolors to pastels. In fact, my mom still has a painting I made in second grade proudly framed and displayed on her wall. Art was never just a hobby — it was home. Read more>>

Danielle Ruess

I actually didn’t come up with the idea to start Eonian until after I already had two formulations! I was taught about skincare as a teenager and became very interested in reading all of the beauty magazines (no online magazines back then). At 25, I was using professional skincare and becoming the ‘go to’ source for family, friends and work colleagues on what skincare worked, what was worth a higher price tag and what wasn’t. This was just a side passion as I started a corporate job at 26. Fast forward to my early 40’s and my nice skin started to act up; I went to a dermatologist, then another, then estheticians, then more. No one could quite figure out what was happening. Read more>>

Adam & Beth Sepulveda

The idea behind BeFree Off Road came together quickly—at least, it feels that way. Although, like any new business, we’re still evolving—and probably always will be.

It all began in July 2020, when we bought our first UTV: a 2020 Polaris Turbo S. Before that, we were avid backpackers exploring the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. But when COVID hit, and forest closures shut down our go-to trails, backpacking was no longer an option. That’s when we discovered UTVs—and everything changed. Read more>>

Sandy McDonell

When I was going through a difficult divorce in 2022, I knew I needed a new career and a new way to make ends meet for my 2 small daughters. My degree is in Apparel & Textile Design from Michigan State and have always loved fashion. Read more>>

Elmira Gorman

I actually started making jewelry in high school—just for fun. I used to take apart my own pieces and figure out how they were made. I fell in love with bead shops, then discovered gem fairs, and slowly started building a collection of tools and materials over time. But it wasn’t until a traumatic event changed the course of my life that this passion turned into a real business. Read more>>

Alexandria Faulkenbury

I have always wanted to be a writer, but actually getting a full manuscript complete took a long time. And once it was finally complete, the process of finding a publisher took a long time as well. From the initial query letter to my publishing contract was about a year and a half. Read more>>

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.

When my daughter, Danielle, developed chemical sensitivities and a compromised immune system in her first year, my life took an unexpected turn. When Western medicine wasn’t helping, I didn’t know where to turn. In my pursuit to find answers to heal her, I contacted a medical doctor who also practiced homeopathy. That first visit introduced me to natural medicine, where I discovered valuable information about the immune system, environmental influences on our health, and the importance of informed, conscious living. Read More>>

Jennifer Janssen

I launched my business because I’ve always thrived with autonomy. I hate being told what I can and can’t do. I’m someone who values the freedom to work creatively and independently, and I wanted to build something meaningful outside of my role as a wife and mother — though I’m incredibly grateful and proud of that part of my life. My goal was to create a career that allowed me to stay present for my family while pursuing work I was deeply passionate about. I’ve always been an artist in one way or another, so naturally makeup came easy to me. Read More>>

Candace Matthews

I first had the idea for my EP “EARTH TO CANDACE” after I took part in a Nashville Pop Songwriting camp called “Hell Yes Demos”. As one of the focus artists, I was able to work with several talented creatives (writers, producers and fellow artists) to write several new songs. On day 2, we wrote a song called Checking Outt which is essentially about getting lost in my head during conversations. Once I listened back, it sort of clicked. I knew I had a concept for the project. From there, I reached out to Tony Chetta to produce it. Tony has always had a very natural and intuitive understanding of how to produce my music in a way that just feels representative of my personality. There were so many layers of hurdles that I had to jump, and problems that I had to figure out along the way. I had to learn about music video editing, directing, lighting, green screen, pitching, marketing, social media, advertising, the list goes on and on. Despite the obstacles, at the end of the day, I was always willing to learn through all the struggles because I truly believed in the vision. Read More>>

Faith Holiday AND Westley Holiday

Well, you know, our father, Westley Sr., didn’t know anything about starting a nonprofit. I think at that time, almost 25 years ago, the nonprofit sector looked very different. People were just trying to give back, you know. They were just trying to do something good. He and our mother, Judy Holiday, who did the business side of things, knew that a regular corporation wasn’t going to be it right way to get grant funding or to get corporate support, the nonprofit seemed to be the best way to go, so they just had an idea again. They were both the first in their families to go to college. Then they helped their brothers, sisters, cousins, and nieces go to college. Read More>>

Arleta Zember

I’m so thankful to be where I am today in my career—but even more than that, I’m grateful for where I am in life and what I’ve learned about myself. The idea of my massage and skincare practice, Skintalk, was not a linear path, and it actually wasn’t even the initial goal for me. Getting to where I am now comes down to one thing: I wanted better for myself than what I currently had. Through grit, determination and consistency, I took each day as an opportunity for growth. Read More>>

Jenn Morgan

I come from a “fudge family.” So I’ve been eating and making fudge my entire life. And honestly, I didn’t realize my family fudge recipe was anything special until well into adulthood. I was only making fudge around the holidays and gifting it to friends and neighbors. But I kept hearing from the recipients how great it was, and how they were looking forward to it all year. Once I started getting requests for certain amounts and flavors so it could be regifted I knew I was on to something. Read More>>

Bree & Jason Goldwater

Bree was a skin care junkie, and I worked as a professional creative at an ad agency coming up with ideas to help bring brands to life. It was 1999, we’d been married for a few years and neither of us had a clear sense of where we were headed in life or a big education to help get us there. We often joked about how what we lacked in brains, we made up for with a great sense of humor and an even better sense of style. 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>>

Jennifer Janssen

I launched my business because I’ve always thrived with autonomy. I hate being told what I can and can’t do. I’m someone who values the freedom to work creatively and independently, and I wanted to build something meaningful outside of my role as a wife and mother — though I’m incredibly grateful and proud of that part of my life. My goal was to create a career that allowed me to stay present for my family while pursuing work I was deeply passionate about. I’ve always been an artist in one way or another, so naturally makeup came easy to me. Read more>>

Candace Matthews

I first had the idea for my EP “EARTH TO CANDACE” after I took part in a Nashville Pop Songwriting camp called “Hell Yes Demos”. As one of the focus artists, I was able to work with several talented creatives (writers, producers and fellow artists) to write several new songs. On day 2, we wrote a song called Checking Outt which is essentially about getting lost in my head during conversations. Once I listened back, it sort of clicked. I knew I had a concept for the project. From there, I reached out to Tony Chetta to produce it. Tony has always had a very natural and intuitive understanding of how to produce my music in a way that just feels representative of my personality. There were so many layers of hurdles that I had to jump, and problems that I had to figure out along the way. Read more>>

Faith Holiday AND Westley Holiday

Well, you know, our father, Westley Sr., didn’t know anything about starting a nonprofit. I think at that time, almost 25 years ago, the nonprofit sector looked very different. People were just trying to give back, you know. They were just trying to do something good. He and our mother, Judy Holiday, who did the business side of things, knew that a regular corporation wasn’t going to be it right way to get grant funding or to get corporate support, the nonprofit seemed to be the best way to go, so they just had an idea again. They were both the first in their families to go to college. Then they helped their brothers, sisters, cousins, and nieces go to college. I believe they just wanted to replicate that, for as many people as they could, right? Read more>>

Arleta Zember

I’m so thankful to be where I am today in my career—but even more than that, I’m grateful for where I am in life and what I’ve learned about myself. The idea of my massage and skincare practice, Skintalk, was not a linear path, and it actually wasn’t even the initial goal for me. Getting to where I am now comes down to one thing: I wanted better for myself than what I currently had. Through grit, determination and consistency, I took each day as an opportunity for growth. Read more>>

Jenn Morgan

I come from a “fudge family.” So I’ve been eating and making fudge my entire life. And honestly, I didn’t realize my family fudge recipe was anything special until well into adulthood. I was only making fudge around the holidays and gifting it to friends and neighbors. But I kept hearing from the recipients how great it was, and how they were looking forward to it all year. Once I started getting requests for certain amounts and flavors so it could be regifted I knew I was on to something. Read more>>