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.

Christopher (Chris) Elfers

My brother and I were both interested in opening our own bookstores. My brother, Gregory, opened his shop around 2013-2014 on Cape Cod, MA. I had considered attempting to open a shop in Ohio but had reservations about the endeavor because I wasn’t sure if it would work in any of the available locations. Read more>>

Zack Morris

Being a photographer really doesn’t require much for you to get started. All you need is a camera, and an idea. That’s all it takes. I started this path by taking a few classes learning how to fully use my camera, but after that, I started booking clients. My first paid gigs were weddings for friends. Read more>>

Allyson Brennan

“The idea for Emogene & Co. really came from a personal and professional intersection in my life. I spent 15 years as a neurocritical care pharmacist in a hospital in Nashville, so science, medicinal chemistry, and evidence-based decision-making were already deeply ingrained in how I think. Read more>>

Kara Horat

The idea started because I was stuck. My business was doing well — the income was there, things looked good on the outside — but something just felt off. I didn’t need another coach. I’ve had incredible coaches over the years — business, life, spiritual — and they’ve all served a purpose. But this time, I wasn’t looking for advice. I was craving depth. Read more>>

Theresa Williams

The idea for FocusED Scholars didn’t start as a business plan. It started as a feeling I couldn’t ignore. I kept seeing kids and families—especially those impacted by foster care, trauma, and learning gaps—who had services on paper but not the consistent support they actually needed. The more I saw it, the harder it became to look away. Read more>>

Lily Zhou

In 2005, I had a vision that felt ahead of its time: bringing Chinese TV to mobile phones. Back then, only Fox TV and Sprint had mobile channels, but I knew our community needed access too. I spent time talking through the idea with my partner and figuring out what would be required. Read more>>

Evan Jackson

For about a year almost a year and a half I had this insistent idea of Young Bold And Regal through 2012 into 2013. At first I didn’t know what it was but I came to the realization that I wanted it be an online magazine being a cross between GQ and Cosmopolitan. Read more>>

Kenlyn Kolleen

Let me tell you a story about a vision that came to me in the most unexpected way—and the hard lessons I learned about going from idea to execution. Read more>>

Gregory LeBlanc

Idea to execution has been a very… we shall say interesting process. We’ve switched gears several times as we realized things were not working. Originally, I had the idea to sell my own designs on my own way back in 2020. Back then, we were dealing with the Covid lockdown, so I had a fair bit of time to set everything up. Read more>>

KAMP WOODS

Throughout my early education and high school,I dabbled with creative writing and explored different publishing options but it was after graduating that I first decided to create an outline for my debut poetry collection. It all started seven years ago, on a blank sheet of paper that turned into a canvas to collect my thoughts. Read more>>

Noah Lam

After seeing my son look so proud with coming in the top 10 at a local duathlon and wanting to race more and eventually succeeding. I decided to become a coach and as we travelled to different races. Youth and Junior Nationals had me thinking about making sure what we create was sustainable. Read more>>

Abby Porter

FINS didn’t actually even start as a business plan… It started underwater! Years ago, we were spending long days diving on the Belize Barrier Reef and seeing invasive Lionfish everywhere. Juvenile fish disappearing. Reefs getting quieter. We were already removing lionfish as part of conservation work, but it felt endless. Read more>>

Donna Layal

At first, it was just a name and a vision. The very next steps were figuring out what I actually wanted to sell and how to even begin. I started researching lashes, vendors, packaging, and what it would take to turn an idea into a real product. I spent months comparing samples, testing quality, learning about pricing, branding, and what made a product stand out. Read more>>

Michael Rees

A: This brand idea began as a single product, a kitchen-made acne cream for my step-daughter, when she was in junior high school. 15 years later, in early December 2023, I had a friend say to me “This is an amazing product; you should really market it”. Read more>>

Dasha Ware

Honestly, RSG Agency started the same way most meaningful things in my life have started — with purpose first, then strategy. When I founded RSGA, it wasn’t because I wanted to run an agency; it was because artists kept coming to me needing real development, real direction, and someone who actually understood both the creative and business sides of the industry. I saw a gap. Read more>>