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.

Vihaan Nayak

ZenBuddies started as a simple observation during my sophomore year: so many teens around me were dealing with stress, anxiety, and burnout, but there was no early-warning system to help them catch it before it became overwhelming. Read more>>

Morgan Ray

My path into soul realignment began with a wanting to expand more to see what else was out there. I was always interested in history, myths, legends and magic ! My grandmother read cartomancy and my aunts read tea leaves. Read more>>

Jermani Lynn Coughran

Owning and operating a child centered business is a dream I have had since the age of 17. At the time, I was concerned that this pathway would not be lucrative unless I pursued it on a large, commercial scale. So I sought a degree in pediatric nursing. Read more>>

Quinten Foster

My passion for basketball represents a meaningful source of motivation, discipline and growth. For me, the biggest thing was I saw an opportunity to use my gift of teaching. Serving others and being a source of guidance is something I take pride in. Starting my business was a journey that took many years prior to starting to do. Read more>>

SAKURACO BRYANT

My Story — Going From Idea to Execution When I get an idea, I don’t start with spreadsheets or market research. I start by setting the vibe. So when I decided to launch my business, the very first thing I did was create a small sacred space for it to land. I designed my logo. I printed my own business cards. Read more>>

Joya King

My name is Joya, and I’m the owner of JoyAromas Candle Company. JoyAromas began as a simple idea for my undergraduate capstone project — a Shark Tank–style presentation where I had to pitch a fully developed business concept. What started as an assignment quickly turned into something I genuinely loved. Read more>>

Logan Lakos

Our story didn’t begin with a detailed business plan. It started with two things we both shared: a love of travel and a belief that Denver deserved more intentional ways for people to connect. Read more>>

David Mayne

It started while I was living in New York working as vice president of Lewis Mittman now known as Ferrell Mittman, a high end furniture maker to the trade. On the weekends I would travel the countryside of New Hope Pennsylvania looking for flea markets, antique shops and mostly vintage and antique lighting. Read more>>

Martinique Ilona

My business started with a feeling before it became an idea. I was going through my own season of healing and self-discovery, and I realized how many women around me were silently carrying emotional and spiritual weight with no place to put it down. The idea for Rooted Connections came from wanting to create a safe space for reflection, release, and community. Read more>>

Savannah Revis

When I started Earth Love Cleaning back in 2016, I truly had zero clue what I was doing. I didn’t come from a business background, I didn’t have funding, and I definitely didn’t have a roadmap. Read more>>

Lee Williams III

Poetic RNB started from a personal need that quickly became a community vision. In Jan 2023, I had just released my poetic R&B project Only You and needed a space to perform it. But I didn’t just want a stage for myself I wanted a place where other R&B artists and poets in Winston-Salem could shine too. That idea wouldn’t let me rest. Read more>>

Rochelle Smith

It all began with curiosity. I had this idea in my mind, and the first thing I did was start asking my close friends questions. Their feedback made something very clear early on: I could not do this alone. So the first real step was finding the right partners and people who could help bring the idea to life. Read more>>

Haley Poinsette

I love this question! Read more>>

Daniel Korentur

Honestly, I stumbled into media production by accident. Back in 2015, I bought a Canon Rebel T5i because I wanted to start a comedy YouTube channel. But in college, I quickly learned that unless an event had booze or women, nobody was showing up to be on camera. Read more>>

Patsy Wiswell

I’ve always been interested in being a maker. Learning needle arts at a young age, I was always the first kid at the craft table at school and camp. This turned into stringing some beads and I was hooked! The idea of turning a jewelry making hobby into a business lead to unique challenges. Read more>>

Dequandre Liburd

Around midsummer of 2024, something resurfaced for me — a little treasure trove I’d been sitting on since 2020, of designs and ideas for launching a graphic apparel store rooted in Houston culture and the urban style that makes this city loved around the world. I dove deep into the details: designers, fonts, products, websites, and the whole nine yards. Read more>>

Christine Aaron

The best example of how I went from idea to execution is a project I began years ago called The Memory Project. I had applied for and received an individual artist Arts Alive Grant (part of a regrant program of the New York State Council for the Arts through Arts Westchester). Read more>>