In our view, far too many ideas die at the imagination stage. It’s not because people are lazy, we think the primary reason is because many people don’t know where or how to start. So, we connected with some sharp and generous entrepreneurs who’ve agreed to share their stories of how they went from idea to execution.

Chelsea Stonerock

I started Sodo Singles after a break up as you would expect from somebody creating something within the dating world. I had attended a Speed Dating event, and while I think they did the best they could, I walked away thinking I might be able to do something better. I wanted to create a better experience for daters in Orlando, created by somebody who’s actually grown up and lived in Orlando for a significant amount of time. Read more>>

Ellie Whitener

While I’ve always prioritized and loved making art, I wouldn’t have considered it a business of mine until recently. It was always my outlet and passion, but I always hesitated to push it further. I work with a variety of mediums, and I always struggled with making my work feel like it all fit into one business seamlessly. Historically, I’ve done custom and commissioned graphite portraits primarily. It was usually more for friends and family, casual orders and definitely not a refined or super professional process of ordering and fulfilling. Read more>>

Jennifer Ford

I initially started on social media by simply sharing content in support of other content creators, business owners, entrepreneurs, and fellow Artists/Creatives. I created my platform “Seer Spotlight” two years ago. “Seer Spotlight” is dedicated to highlighting/sharing positive content and providing valuable resources within the local community. In addition, as “Seer Spotlight” I became the curator of my own concert series, featuring various up-and-coming Indie Artists from Memphis and the Mid-South region. Read more>>

DeRhon Moffitt

Starting out as a photographer was a blend of divine intervention, perfect timing, and taking a step out on faith. Growing up, I was always creative. I’ve always been a complete extrovert and a performer. I was always in performing arts or something that allowed me to flourish on stage, but I had a passion for learning how to create things that would be visually appealing to people. From being an actor to a singer/rapper, performing just came natural. Read more>>

Dennis Ashley III

The inception of my business wasn’t a eureka moment, but rather a culmination of experiences, observations, and a real desire to create cool experiences and make meaningful and impactful connections. While I was pursuing my MBA. I always saw niches and developed ideas that I knew I could execute on, I just needed to do it. Read more>>

Traci Lamb

After working at hospice for over 13 years and speaking with patients on a daily basis, I realized anyone of the millions of unpaid caregivers taking care of a loved one at home did not have a “one stop shop” for them to find products/services to help them on their caregiving journeys. From a 2 week special needs child, to the 102 yr old grandma and everyone in-between, they all needed help. Read more>>

Justin Robinson

When the pandemic first hit like so many of you I was stuck in the house. I wanted to take advantage of finally having some down time. I wanted to be productive but also accomplish something that I’ve never done before. During this time thoughts began to run through my mind of all the problems that exist in our world. After acknowledging my lengthy list I set my heart to solve at least one of the problems that I’ve identified as a plague to our society. Read more>>

Laura Bonnell

When my daughter Molly was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (3 months after she was born in 1994) I reached out to the CF Foundation for support, education and answers to common questions when raising a child with a deadly disease. In 1994 their answer was, “We are a fundraising entity, we can’t help you. Ask your doctor.” Their answer made me mad, annoyed and left me in disbelief. They were the only umbrella organization for CF. They didn’t even refer me to smaller independent Foundations. That is the moment I decided I had to start a Foundation to help parents navigate a life with cystic fibrosis, and to raise awareness about the disease. Read more>>

Patrick Hogan

I have a couple small businesses which I own, most notably Ethical Gems, which sells diamond engagement rings to customers throughout Australia and sometimes internationally, and I’m the Co-Creator (with Olivia Scott) of Back of House Productions, which produced Back of House earlier in 2023 and is now being pitched in the US as a TV Series. Although both totally different industries, they both originated in the same way. Read more>>

Brittney Holman

Transitioning from an idea to execution is where I discovered my passion for witnessing people heal through words, creating enduring legacies. Becoming an author and establishing a presence on platforms like Amazon enabled me to sell books, whether actively promoting them or not. My inaugural book emerged from healing a childhood trauma, and as I continued publishing, each work contributed to my personal healing journey. This encouragement fueled my commitment to extending support for others’ healing and fostering generational wealth and well-being through the power of storytelling. Read more>>

Jeff Keith

I embarked on a journey with a mission to combat human trafficking head-on. I was first confronted by sex trafficking while leading a mission trip to India. When I first saw girls as young as 9 or 10 trapped as sex-slaves in a red-light district, seeing God’s children held as sex slaves my life changed forever. I knew that my remaining years on this earth had to be about bringing “freedom to the captives.” Read more>>

Tony Lucido

Going from idea to execution was a long play… about 1 year’s worth of thought, planning, research, & testing. And what I didn’t know initially I figured out along the way. Trial by fire. A little background info for you: I’m obsessed with sunglasses… the look, the feel, the functionality… all of it. That being said, I’ve always been inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit and have always wanted to own & operate a business of my own. Enter SATURDAZE Optics. Once I landed on the name of the business [after months of thought and a few different business names/variations that didn’t make the final cut], Read more>>

Aren Bazerkanian

The idea for Havid Nagan came to me, in its simplest form, when I was walking through a boutique mall, trying on a number of high-horology watches and finding that nothing really spoke to me, and I asked myself what would the ideal watch be if I were to have designed it? The thought left me for some months and one day, I told myself I’m going to a sit down and design the perfect watch I envisioned on my wrist. Read more>>

Michael Ellis

In order to get my business started I needed the right equipment. I couldn’t afford everything at once but I did research on the most vital items that would allow me to take on a client. At the time it was a blind bet. I took out a small short term loan in order to purchase the equipment. Read more>>

Cindy Alvarez

Absolutely, I’d be happy to. My journey began in 2020 when I noticed a common theme among my first-generation peers – a lack of self-confidence and struggles with values and self-worth in their professional lives. Being a first-generation professional myself, I could relate to these challenges. That realization sparked the idea of creating a supportive community where we could share experiences and empower each other.  Read more>>

Khallori Cosmey

I have been writing songs since I was at least seven. Three quarters of my life. I’ve been a musician for longer than that. The idea is that recording is a near inevitability in the career of a musician. When I reached a point in my life where I felt I could finance recording time with a producer, I found out that the idea stage and the execution stage are from two completely different schools of thought.  Read more>>

Natalia Luke

In 2022, my mom and step-dad invested into a custom built lemonade stand for me that they found on FB marketplace. I was already selling lemonade whenever my mom would do yard sales, so the entrepreneur spirit was already in because I loved making my own money. The lemonade stand was an eye catcher and would attract a lot of attention, it helped me to increase my sales because people could tell that it wasn’t your average lemonade stand. Read more>>

Camia McMiller

Going from a mere idea to the business we have grown to love today was not as easy as I thought it would be. Being easily sucked in by social media, seeing those who seemed to be taking the “easy way out” in life. and watching others share how they achieved their business venture in such little time, I felt that it couldn’t be that hard to do the same. I quickly learned that I was wrong. Read more>>

Abdelmalek Belghiti Alaoui

In the heart of Morocco, our story began, surrounded by the flavors of organic produce and the warmth of a loving family. Growing up, our mom’s delicious home-cooked meals and our dad’s tech-savvy influence laid the groundwork for a future that blended tradition with innovation. Our roots in the weekly Souk and a childhood filled with nature’s bounty set the stage for what would become Tajine.  Read more>>

Ray Katz

Prior to 1995 there were very few opportunities for sculptors to exhibit outdoors, ie. Public.Art. As communities of various configurations became aware that exhibiting public art could enhance there community as a cultural destination, the idea of exhibiting public sculpture and later murals became relevant. Read more>>

Deroll Scarlett

I’ve been wearing bow-ties for years now and the majority of my collections are homemade ties. I started making my own bow-ties for multiple reasons:
• Bow-ties are hard to find in stores
• Bow-ties in stores are expensive
• I don’t have enough hobbies (yeah, right…) Read more>>

Tony Vuvan

My background is in computer engineering. I worked in the IT industry for more than 2 decades. I enjoyed the fast-paced environment, the continuous learning as I tackled challenges, and most importantly the relationships I cultivate. But then COVID hit, and similar to many, I found myself unemployed; I was laid off in Jan 2021. I wasn’t sure what my next move was going to be, but I knew I wanted something different. Read more>>