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.
Brandon Delgado
It all started one afternoon while I was working alongside a contractor on a residential renovation project. I had always loved carpentry, and I was learning so much on the job. As I measured and cut pieces of wood, I couldn’t help but think about how I could apply my skills to create my own unique furniture and custom pieces. The idea of starting my own carpentry business began to take shape. The First Steps: Research and Validation That evening, I went home with a head full of ideas. I began researching the carpentry market, exploring trends and customer needs. I spent hours online, learning about the different types of furniture people were looking for and what made a piece truly special. I also talked to friends and family about my idea, gauging their interest. Their excitement and encouragement gave me the confidence to take the next step. Read more>>
Inna Illion
How I Returned to Modeling: From Doubts to Confidence As a teenager, I decided to try my luck and attended a casting at a modeling agency. Naive and full of hope, I thought they might notice me, but instead, I was told I was “too fat.” Those words crushed my confidence and completely killed my interest in pursuing modeling at the time. Years went by, and as I grew older, I started getting occasional invitations to fashion events, shows, and photoshoots. At first, I treated them as one-off opportunities, but over time, they reignited something inside me—a desire to give modeling another chance, this time with a new perspective and more confidence. Read more>>
Nick Grassi
The idea for my business had been simmering for years. Real estate had always fascinated me—how properties could hold both financial potential and the power to shape lives. In February 2024, I decided to turn that passion into action. I officially opened my company, driven by the vision of creating spaces that weren’t just properties but experiences. began by diving into research, scouring listings, running numbers, and understanding market trends. I wasn’t just looking for any property; I was looking for the right property—one that aligned with my vision and would be appealing to future guests. By June, after countless hours of due diligence, I found it: a single-family home with the potential to transform into a standout vacation rental. Read more>>
Tyreek Gaynor-fray
I was studying in University, I am an alumni of Western University and Harvard Business School, and thought about how to improve crowdfunding and opportunity for myself and others. I then realized that everything around me is data, and I also had a prior awareness of stocks and investments. So, I thought of combining this into one, with a financial security that acts like a stock and is pegged to data. With further research, I learned these are structured products. So, I invented real-world data pegged structured products. I then realized that I could grow my holdings quite significantly, and I did, close to 42,000 Million USD, in structured products is where my startup currently holds, ranging from education pegged, sports pegged, music pegged, and more. Read more>>
Brittany Hicks
A & B Creations began with two separate passions. I (Brittany) made a paper flower shadow box for my best friend’s birthday, and her encouragement to sell them planted the idea. Meanwhile, my sister Amber was sewing dog bandanas after struggling with traditional designs while pet-sitting. Friends and family loved our creations, which inspired us to combine our talents into a business. Our first big step was preparing for a local craft fair. With a limited budget, we borrowed a tent, tables, and purchased simple packaging. We refined our products—Amber perfected her bandanas and added bow ties, while I expanded my shadow box designs to include customizations. Read more>>
Lindsay Stedman
Once I had landed on a brand name and assortment category, I knew I would need to pull from my previous work experience to carry me through the next steps. Looking back on the years I spent with corporate fashion companies, I realized how blessed I was to work on teams where I could see all aspects of the fashion business. For instance, I worked mainly in the fabric development sector which led me to be able to source, develop and print high quality fabrics, but I also got exposure to other departments such as: product development so I knew how to source labels, packaging, etc and create a good retail price and margin, technical design so I knew how to fit garments, and production so I knew the problems that could arise during the bulk process. Having been on smaller teams, I could see the process from start to finish and that has been an invaluable resource. Read more>>
Ed Brown
Me and one of my Partners, Anthony Robinson had climbed to the top of Municipal Government servings as Assistant City Manager and City Manager respectively. So we were on to our next phase in our careers when we were driving through the Opa Locka Airport and our conversation progressed to what we’re going to do next. Tony who had a longtime history in Aviation suggested we open up a Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at the Airport. After inquiring about our intentions to the Airport Manager he suggested we talk to Eric and Linette Turner because they were being displaced and had the option of relocating their business to a 10,000 sf. former fire station. Read more>>
Maria Fitzgerald
I started my first business at 21. After graduating college and becoming a physical therapist assistant, I quickly realized how many people in outpatient therapy lacked basic knowledge about self-care, an essential foundation for reducing pain, inflammation, and improving overall well-being. As a naturally creative person, I had an idea to create a wellness journal, a “coach in your pocket,” focused on five key areas of self-care: daily movement, nutrition, hydration, gratitude, and intention (both physical and mental). In March 2019, I launched One Ray Journal, which grew to include five collections (wellness, goal, fitness, grounding, and goodnight journals) featuring vibrant covers, as well as grounding card decks with intention and gratitude affirmations. Customers often found these cards eerily aligned with their current life challenges, adding a personal touch to their self-care practices. Read more>>
Samin Sarwar
It all started with a simple idea, one that grew out of my own experiences and frustrations. After spending 10 years in Dubai, I had grown accustomed to the vibrant, flavorful, and authentic Asian food.. I had this deep connection to the food that represented my culture, and I knew I couldn’t find anything like it when I moved back to the US. After landing in Orlando, I went out to try different restaurants, but none of them came even close to offering the kind of food I was looking for. It was a huge gap that I couldn’t ignore. Read more>>
Todd Wayy
The Story of Lyfestyle Visuals LLC: From Idea to Execution It all started with a sense of uncertainty but a creative spark. As a Navy veteran, I found myself searching for the next chapter in life. I didn’t have a defined career path in mind, but I always had a passion for taking photos and creating. Whether it was capturing moments during my time in service or experimenting with angles and lighting on my downtime, the creative urge was always there. Read more>>
Tom Capps
Phillip Russel and I have been working together with our production company, Thursday Shoots, since 2011. Over the years we have worked on a ton of different video and film projects. The idea for Hey Sharks came about in 2018 while Phil and I were at the Portland Comedy Film Festival. Phil was in the process of editing his father-in-laws actual Shark Tank submission video in the hotel we were staying at. I had watched Shark Tank but it never really occurred to me that anyone could submit to the show and just how easy it was to do so. I said to Phil “so if I wanted to submit something to Shark Tank every single day I could? And it can be anything?” Then the two of us just started riffing on random product ideas ranging from somewhat practical to trying to sell Mark Cuban part of his own shoes. We both had a good laugh and moved on with our day. We won best comedy for our short film Handle with Care at the festival, and then headed back to New York. We continued to work on and created other projects and the yet-to-be named Hey Sharks was just a fun bit we would do from time to time but never with the intention of shooting anything. Read more>>
Dr. La Shawn Denise Witt
It all began with a vision. I vividly remember sitting in my home office, reflecting on the many roles I had successfully balanced—educator, consultant, entrepreneur, transformational coach—and thinking, How do I turn all of this into something bigger than me? I knew I wanted to create something impactful, something that would ignite transformational change for others. That was the moment The Global Strategist™ was born—not just as a name, but as a purpose-driven identity. Read more>>
Lori Donofrio-galley
In August 2020, while walking our family’s bonded pair of senior rescue dogs in the neighborhood, I made a decision with absolute conviction: “I will launch a PR consulting business in early 2021!” The challenges of the pandemic year had pushed my years-long drive towards entrepreneurship to the forefront. Equally influential was seeing my 60th birthday, then, less than seven months away. “How do I want to spend the next years of my career before retiring?” I asked myself. The answer was clear. I wanted to realize a compensation that matched my talent and my professional and financial goals, while serving as a resource for growth for start-ups, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. I knew the timing was right post-pandemic to partner with clients to raise or restore their visibility, using my tested methodology. The demand for PR was particularly strong at the time and projected to grow, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read more>>
Jazz The Ceo
Going from idea to execution was easy once I was reminded that I already had everything I needed! I started out with the inner love for investigation, asking questions, being naturally nosey lol and the want to help others. So the first lane of the business was Private investigations which we still do to this day. I had to first obtain my Private detective license, once I did that, I studied the game and all it’s parts. Which included how to make money as a P.I. , best practices on how to close cases and so on. I then went and made 100 copies of my reume and went out and visited, called, and emailed every law firm in my area and started getting clients. I call that the 3 touch method shhh , don’t tell anyone I told you that. You have to be willing to put in the time and effort in building your business. Read more>>
Norbert Steiger
My wife and I bought a 100 acre property in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York in 2022. The land is comprised of 50 acres of forest, 8 acres of ponds and 35 acres of farmable land. When we purchased the property, the land was leased to a commercial farming operation, which grew corn and wheat on the land. After experiencing the large quantities of pesticides/herbicides that were sprayed on our land we decided to cancel the lease and farm the land ourselves. Now the big question was…….what to plant if you really do not have a farming background. While I grew up on a dairy farm in Switzerland I did not have much knowledge in crop farming so I started researching, which brought me to lavender as a good potential. Read more>>
Kelly Perry
I took the plunge into full time freelancing not exactly knowing what I wanted to build long-term. Because I had so much varied experience, I needed to zero in on what exactly it was I wanted to be the focus. I could do anything, but what was it I wanted to do? At the time I was severely burnt out, so when I had the opportunity to take on my first freelance client I took it. They were part-time and super easygoing, which allowed me to dedicate a lot of time to rest and recovery. It was a great opportunity for me to begin building client relationships (and pay my bills!) while also nourishing my creative self and putting some roots in the ground to build my business. Read more>>
Kayro
It started from high school. Little comments like you need to make sure you pass them classes. Then friends and family giving repetitive reminders about things I already gave my word to. My response was either I got you, I got this, or I’m going to make it happen for you. So hearing that and then going through jobs of just not like the feeling I kept getting from it. I never kept a job longer than 7-8 months. I would start feeling caged in and just knew i had more to give than punching the clock. I am a hard worker in whatever I am doing. My mental would allow me to practically succeed and even if it came a moment i wasn’t successful because of my work ethic i didn’t feel like i was ever losing. Either learning and growing. Read more>>
Richard Tevlin
My journey to launching Space Cadet Brewing Company started long before the brand ever came to life. I spent a decade honing my craft, working as a brewer for some of Philadelphia’s most well-known breweries, and dreaming of one day creating something of my own. But for years, it was just that—a dream. I was stuck in my head, waiting for the perfect moment to take the leap. The turning point came after a weekend in the woods. In a moment of clarity—let’s call it an out-of-body experience—I saw myself as this “Space Cadet” character, lost in the overwhelming process of trying to open a brewery and stuck in my own way of thinking. That vision changed everything. It was as if I could finally see the brand in its entirety for the first time. When I got home, I grabbed a piece of paper and sketched out the vision I’d seen. That rough drawing became the first step toward making Space Cadet real. Read more>>
Kirsten Tucker, Cnmt
Turning my idea into reality is both a complex and surprisingly simple story. Those who know me often say, “If Kirsten says she’s going to do something, she’ll make sure it gets done.” That mindset drove me every step of the way. Once I had the idea, I started researching and then consulted a lawyer to guide me through the early steps, like NDAs, to protect my concept. The lawyer, who had worked with other tech companies, recommended a developer. Unfortunately, the developer turned out to be fraudulent, and I lost thousands of dollars. Read more>>
Emma Kershaw
I’ve always had an interest in journalism since I was young. English was my favorite subject at school and I studied Multimedia Journalism at college in the United Kingdom. After my copywriter job ended at the start of 2020 and the COVID-19 lockdowns were in place, I began researching the steps to become an independent journalist. After brainstorming some ideas and making connections, I sent my first pitch, and as they say, the rest is history. There was a lot of planning (and a lot of rejection in the beginning) but I will never forget the feeling of seeing my byline for the first time. Read more>>
Laura Spielman
I began my journey into the horse world in my later 40’s. I went to a workshop that was an equine based leadership program on the central coast of California. I left there feeling as if I needed to continue the magic that I had felt there and bring it to other people but I had no idea how. I came home and began the search for the perfect place to further my knowledge in the horse rescue world and found Laughing Pony Rescue in Rancho Santa Fe. Again though, I had no idea what this would look like. I began as a volunteer and found my way into the PATH International program as an Equine Specialist for Mental Health and Learning which led me to do their protocol to work with Veterans with PTSD. Read more>>
Denzel Smalls
I was twenty-two or twenty-three—whatever age I was in 2014. At the time, I was a recent graduate from the illustrious South Carolina State University, just back from deployment as an Air Force veteran. I was working at Walmart, and the manager at the time was willing to pay me a whopping $7.20 an hour—lol. I don’t know what it was, but by the end of the day, I found myself on a three-way call with two of my close friends, Steve (an engineer with BMW and a fellow Air Force veteran) and Faheem (who later earned his Ph.D. in Materials Engineering). We’ve been friends for fifteen years now. Read more>>
Audra Nasser
The idea for Dinner Done came after I read an article in Entrepreneur magazine about a meal prep startup on the West Coast. As a mother of three young children struggling with the daily dinner challenge, I felt drawn to the idea of making meal prep easier. I traveled to see their business in action and loved the concept, but I also saw opportunities to make it uniquely mine. I envisioned a focus on using more fresh produce, hand-trimmed meats, and a level of quality that felt more like cooking for family at home. Read more>>
Bella Boyd
I fell in love with photography when I was 10 years old after “borrowing” my dad’s Nikon D3000. I started with the family pets and quickly roped my friends into being my models on our walks home from school. By high school, I was charging $15 to $50 for shoots with classmates and even landed my first branding gig at 15. I made $150 for a full day of shooting, edited and delivered the photos within 24 hours, and felt like I was on top of the world. Read more>>
Heidi Hillman
I knew I wanted to get into franchising based on some informational podcasts I had been listening to in the Summer of 2022. During that time, I was working a full-time corporate job and running the operations of a boutique fitness studio I had equity stake in. It was an interesting spot to be in; knowing I didn’t want to work in the corporate world anymore while at the same time realizing the effort and time I put into a boutique business was for a place that didn’t value my expertise and want to grow the way I envisioned. So, having a real conversation with yourself and your support system about wanting to be your own boss and launching a business is step one. Read more>>
Joanne Henig
Started Photo Art Pavilion as a way to extend the reach of our physical brick and mortar art photography gallery. The idea was two-fold. Increase views of artist’s art. Increase the number of artist’s we could represent. Along came Covid and our Brick and Mortar was silenced. Serendipitously, we had already invested nearly $20k in developing the proprietary platform, PhotoArtPavilion.com and the artists that were working with us through our Main Street location moved onto the online gallery platform. We provide an affordable service to artists who seek a way to display their art photography with full service sales and marketing tools. They can drive their success. Read more>>
Constunce Brantley
Owning a business wasn’t something I had always envisioned for myself. For the longest time, I imagined becoming a corporate employee, relying on the stability of a steady paycheck year after year. But as time went on, I realized the traditional 9-to-5 grind wasn’t for me. I craved autonomy—the freedom to set my own schedule, pursue my passions, and dedicate time to what I truly cared about. Read more>>
Anthony Meyer
Business ownership requires a lot of strengths: strong leadership skills, adaptability, passion for business, innovation, financial literacy, excellent communication, problem-solving abilities, strong work ethic, risk-taking capacity, networking skills, people management etc. But even before all these strengths… is the ability to dream and vision. A dream becomes a vision when the idea is written down and becomes a goal (and it has some sort of deadline). Read more>>
Tobias Ray
From Pandemic Hustle to a Thriving Clothing Brand: The Journey of Turning an Idea into Reality The idea for my clothing brand didn’t come from a boardroom or a fancy pitch deck. It was born on the streets of East Oakland during the uncertainty of the 2020 pandemic. At the time, I was selling face masks on the corner for $25 a piece. Picture me: standing there, masks neatly packaged in zip-lock bags, hustling every morning before clocking into my shift as an Amazon delivery driver. It wasn’t glamorous, but it planted the seed for something bigger. Read more>>
Mollie Trainum
Photography has always been a creative itch I found myself needing to scratch. From doing “photoshoots” on my iPod touch inspired by the tumblr indie folk era as a teenager to taking photos of my college friends at the beach, I always had artistic vision. A couple of months after I took the plunge and got my first DSLR camera, people began asking me to take photos for them, including engagement photos, proposals, and even a wedding. I had no idea what I was doing, was working with a crop sensor and kit lenses, and hardly charged enough to cover my gas money, but I still appreciate some of the work I created then. Read more>>
Zania Spence
First and foremost, thank you so much for this opportunity. It means a a lot to me to share my story on your platform. My name is Zania Spence, and I am the founder and CEO of Evolving Virtually, A company that started from a place of necessity and a desire for growth. At the time, I was living paycheck to paycheck, and I reached a point where I knew I needed an additional stream of income that aligned with my purpose and passion. Let’s be real, i just needed extra cash hahaha! I began researching “10 side hustles” via online, scrolling through social media, and YouTube. That’s when I came across a reel on Instagram about becoming a virtual assistant as a side hustle. Read more>>
Anthony Clark
The idea of starting my Publishing and Production Company came when I was incarcerated, and serving time in prison in Georgia. I always knew that I wanted to share my story literally and visually however I didn’t take it as serious until I was locked up in a cell by myself in the hole. While in the hole I began journaling and asking myself important questions about why I was in the position that I was in. After answering those tough questions I was able to heal in ways that I had no clue of. Because of the healing that writing provided for me I decided that I wanted to take writing to the next level because I began to see that it was narrative therapy. So I decided to seriously launch my companies when I got out of prison. Doing that he catapulted me in ways that I didn’t imagine and I am proud of what he come out of taking the vision God gave me serious and bringing it from an idea to a reality. Read more>>
Ernisha Hall
The Spark of an Idea The journey began with a simple yet powerful idea in 2019: to create a platform to empower and connect Black-owned businesses across Virginia. This vision was born out of a deep-seated need to support economic growth and provide a unified voice for Black entrepreneurs in the region. On January 28, 2020, we legally registered the VA Black Business Directory as a business. From Vision to Action Once the idea took root, the next step was to transform it into reality. The initial phase involved “just doing it”; there was no extensive research but rather the drive to take action on behalf of the Black Business Community. We knew some of the challenges they faced and the resources they needed to thrive based on conversations through our previous marketing company. Read more>>
Joshua Faas
The landscape industry has been a part of my life for 20+ years. From starting my career as a grunt at Plant Detectives, located in Chester, NJ (bring your boots!), spending a summer with the Owner and nursery czar, Art Laster and fulfilling my internship while getting my Bachelors of Science in Environmental Planning and Design from Rutgers University, graduating in 2008 and immediately taking a larger role in the nursery I had spent the last four years growing in. After graduating, I always had the dream of becoming a landscape designer/architect and making it my future goal, but being so invested in the nursery I decided to do design work for local contractors to tame the itch. Read more>>
Annette Whitaker-moss
As an artist at heart, “I wonder if I can draw this picture.” It was fascinating; a picture from a magazine challenged my artistic ability. Then, I thought maybe I’d write music while learning to play the piano or write poetry or a novel. I created my first anthology during middle school. My ability to express myself in writing led to my first book of poetry, One Heart to Another, and later my second book of poetry, Another Heart to Another. My work has been published worldwide in many poetry collections by Noble House, The American Poetry Society, Poetry Nation, Poetry.com, Quill Books, Xlibris, and Eber & Wein. Once I achieved my goal of writing my first book of poetry, I wrote my first novel, Good Kid in Trouble, which chronicles a teenager’s life and the everyday struggles young people face. Read more>>
Julia Palfi
I lived in New York City for most of my adult life. During the past few years, many more people started to work from home. I found it interesting to observe what New Yorkers actually wanted to wear without as much peer pressure affecting their clothing choices – sweatpants. So, my idea was—what could I do to make sweatpants something women felt comfortable wearing all the time, while still feeling good about how they look. With the idea of creating women’s luxury casual clothing staples, like sweatpants, that focus on both style and comfort, I had to develop the pieces of clothing. Read more>>