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.
Mirian G Rodriguez
Everything started when a very close friend showed me a listing for a shared suite that was available for rent. At that moment, I had been thinking about stepping into my own business, but I wasn’t sure when or how to take the leap. Seeing that opportunity, I told myself, “It’s now or never.” So, I took a chance and rented the shared space for six months. That experience gave me the confidence and stability to eventually move into my own suite, and that’s how Gracielu Esthetics officially came to life. Read more>>
Juliana Sih
I never thought a simple conversation over coffee would change my entire life. But it did. I was sitting with a friend, tossing around ideas, half-joking about starting my own coaching business. “You’d be great at that,” she said. I laughed it off. But later that night, the thought wouldn’t leave me. Could I really do this? Did I even have the right to call myself a coach? Read more>>
Erica Hobson
Kimberly Caldwell
The idea for JCK was born out of personal experiences and a deep understanding of the challenges returning citizens face. Watching my brother navigate the challenges of reentry after incarceration stirred something in me. I saw firsthand how difficult it was to access support, rebuild confidence, and reenter society with dignity. The realization hit me: I couldn’t sit back and watch this cycle continue. Read more>>
Tiffany Yelverton
When I originally was thinking about starting a business, I looked at industries I was passionate about, that were profitable, and void of market fluxuation. The choice was between wine and pleasure. Both are pretty much recession proof, as both are categories where sales increase in stressful times. Ultimately, it came down to profit margin, making a difference, and a change in the world. It was kind of a perfect storm. Read more>>
La Meek
When the idea of becoming a premier recording/film studio first came to mind, it seemed like a goal that was easily attainable and could be achieved in a couple months, tops. I mean, at that time, we already had a great location, top quality equipment, a great aesthetic, and the know how to get us where we wanted to be; or so we thought.
This led to us bringing in business a lot sooner than we were actually prepared for. Contrary to our beliefs, our system of operating was a long way from industry standard. Problems began to arise that we simply did not have solutions for, at least not immediately, and this affected business. Read more>>
Taryn Thompson
Three years ago, I knew I wanted to start another business. I had owned a dance studio for seven years and although that was rewarding in so many ways, financially I wanted more. I had experience in the coffee industry as a barista and shift supervisor for a larger coffee chain. It was my favorite job ever. From actually pulling the espresso shots to talking with locals, it was perfect for me. I left and went back to college to finish my degree and somehow 10 years later, I found myself thinking about coffee again. Read more>>
Nakiah Evans
I grew up most of my life doing martial arts and I started Pro wrestling when I was 18 years old. I started off with karate, then Brazilian jiu jitsu, and kickboxing. The main step was just believing in myself despite others negativity. Imagine how crazy it sounds to graduate and everyone is going to college and you decide to tell everyone you want to be a pro wrestler. I didn’t get the most positive reaction. I grew up in Macon, Ga and I was a wrestling fan because of my father and I enjoyed watching It for many years. I can recall even doing a whole powerpoint presentation about “Being a WWE Diva when I grow up” in 6th grade. Read more>>
Joshua Cicerone
The idea to open an art gallery came only after the accidental success of the small production & design agency that I co-founded in 2005. My business partner and I had always maintained a hands-on approach to running the agency, which paid off to the effect that we never stopped working. Eventually, I proposed a spiritual side hustle to offset the corporate grind that paid our bills. An art gallery would carry relatively low financial risk, while allowing us to be both altruistic and weird. It would be a labor of love, an investment in our community, and I would do all of the work! He was easily convinced. For two decades we had spent a wealth of artistic energy producing high-stakes corporate spectacles, and while I couldn’t be more grateful for those golden handcuffs, it wasn’t the direction I had expected my life to go. Read more>>
Samantha Davis
When I first had the idea for the Ultimate NYC Secondhand Shopping Experience, I perceived the idea as an opportunity to have fun and create joy. I honestly did not think too deeply about the execution other than how would I create the best possible experience with the resources I had for my clients. I truly believed that launching a Secondhand Shopping Tour in New York City was just going to be something I did for fun. It was only when I started attracting groups of eight, ten, 12 even up to 15 people that I realized I had created something very special. After a few months, I learned that people really did want to shop secondhand in New York City and they wanted to do it in a social setting and with a trusted guide and stylist. Read more>>
Codie Cunningham
Wow, It all started back when I was in grade school. I got a 110 camera with 110 MM film. Back then this film was dropped off at a photo or drugstore to be developed. I got a big kick of what a camera did, and how it could be used if you were creative. I went on a couple of school field trips in downtown St.Louis were one was setup on a tour to take photos. I got my photos back from developing along with the Black & White negatives (I’m showing my age now) and was hooked ever since. Time moving Forward I always loved photography but never seriously nurtured this interest until later in life. I’ve taken photos of friends and places I visited as I got older and in High School, but that’s as far as I went with it. In 2015 I joined the media ministry at my church and that’s when I realized I had a eye for photography. Read more>>
Ted Pawela
When the idea for The Music Company (TMC) first sparked, it was all excitement and possibility. The thrill of imagining a nonprofit that could support emerging artists in San Diego was enough to keep me up at night, thinking about potential names, programs, and partnerships. But after that initial rush, I woke up the next morning and realized: Now comes the real work.
The first few weeks were all about defining what success would look like—what, specifically, did we want to achieve? Having a background in software and technology, I had initially thought in terms of revenue, profit, and market share. But for TMC, a nonprofit, that formula had to be reimagined. We needed to balance the impact we wanted to have on our community with a plan for financial sustainability. Read more>>
Alison Smith & Karin Samelson
UMAI was born out of an unexpected twist of fate. When Karin was abruptly let go from her role as a Marketing Manager at a high-growth CPG company in Austin, she found herself at a crossroads. But rather than seeing it as a setback, she saw an opportunity—to finally build something of her own.
Meanwhile, Alison, a Director of Marketing at an eCommerce education company, had been wrestling with a different kind of challenge. She had spent years helping entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses, yet she felt a growing restlessness, knowing she had reached a ceiling at her company. Entrepreneurship was in her blood—and deep down, she knew she was meant to create something of her own. Read more>>
Rudy Manzur
The journey to Aftermath was one of transformation—both for the space and for all of us involved. The location had an existing identity, but over time, it became clear that it needed a new direction, one that fully aligned with our vision. We had already been shaping the experience—curating the drinks, the energy, and the service—but when it was time to take things in a different direction, we knew it wasn’t just about rebranding—it was about creating something entirely new. Read more>>
Warren Green
In 2017, I launched my first podcast, The Passion Playbook. At the time, I was eager to share meaningful conversations and insights, but I quickly ran into a hard truth—I didn’t know how to monetize my brand. I had the content, the passion, and the drive, but I lacked the strategic knowledge to turn it into a sustainable business. That experience left me with a lingering regret. Not because I failed, but because I knew there was a way to make it work—I just didn’t have the blueprint. Read more>>
Taylor Pham
I was an active EDM listener and music festival fan. When the pandemic hit and live shows came to a halt, I decided to teach myself how to DJ. I went to Guitar Center, bought a DJ controller, and learned the basics through YouTube tutorials. Once the Covid restrictions lifted, I landed my first live gig, and from there, more opportunities followed through networking and showcasing my skills. Read more>>
Casey Stratton
I’ve always loved photography. It was one of those things I did for fun—capturing moments, playing with light, and making sure everyone looked their best. For years, it was just that—a hobby. Meanwhile, I was deep in the corporate world, managing teams, handling customer success, and figuring out business strategies (you know, all the things that now help me run my own business). But I started feeling that pull—the need to step back, to do something that felt more like me. Read more>>
Frankie Red Wordz
At just 20 years young after graduating from college with my Associates in Radio and Tv Journalism and Certificate in Leadership Development Studies, I immediately got my first “big girl job” as a District Executive Secretary to a State Representative for the Florida House of Representatives 101 District. I had always been a writer of poems but often kept them stored away in notebooks and never performed them. So though writing was a personal passion of mine, the start of my actual career, had little to nothing to do with creativity; artistry; or media. Read more>>