Coming up with an idea for a business or creative project can feel exhilarating. Inspiration for a new idea can come from so many places and we’ve asked some great folks from the community to share their stories of how they came up with their ideas.

David Besgrove

My degree is in Printing Managment and I was working for a large printing company in Dallas. One of my coworkers made wine at home and he was sharing with me the process. I decided to try this and was not very good. Not giving up, I continued the process and became rather good at producing the wine. Read More>>

Anita Allemant

At first my idea was born for fun; I was in a convention (Festival del Fumetto at Novegro, Italy) more than 10 years ago, and I fell in love with everything there was; i came up with the idea of sharing that amazing world (cosplay, comics, nerd,…) because 10 years ago in Italy that world was almost unknown. Read More>>

Melissa Corbin

Corbin Cosmetics was born during one of the most stressful and uncertain seasons of my life. I had always loved aesthetics because it combines medicine, artistry, and confidence-building in such a unique way. Over time, I realized many patients were looking for a different experience. They wanted natural results, honest guidance, and to feel cared for instead of pressured or overdone. Read More>> 

Maria Volodkevich 

I spent 6.5 years serving as an Air Force Intelligence Officer. From the outside, my life looked incredibly aligned. I graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, served overseas, and built a career centered around service and purpose. But internally, I was struggling with identity and trying to figure out who I was beyond the uniform. Read More>>

Nathanael Nunemaker

My introduction to hot sauce and spicy foods came during 2020, amid the COVID pandemic. Like most others, work slowed down and I had a lot of free time on my hands. I decided that I wanted to try my hand at growing my own food, which was an absolute blast. Read More>>

Jeania Pierre

What sparked the fuel and ambition in me to launch my cosmetic business, occurred when one of my students from my dance club made a comment regarding how women of color were unable to wear different shades of lipsticks. This initiated me in making a deal to wear any color lipstick she requested. Read More>>

Derek Lassiter

It all started with my iPhone 4 and a couple of mobile editing apps. My favorite was VSCO. There was something about creating emotional vibes and telling stories through a single photo that sparked a real passion in me. I’ll never forget unwrapping my first camera two weeks before Christmas in 2013. A Sony a5000 with the 50mm 1.8 lens. Read More>>

Anastasia Folorunso

The idea came out of necessity. During the Actor and Writer strikes in 2023, I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands and needed a project to channel it into. I’d hosted a podcast before, so getting back behind the mic felt natural, but this time I wanted to take a real leap and build something around tennis. Read More>>

Marci Sneen

The idea for Mahj with Marci really came from an unexpected chapter in my life. During breast cancer treatment, I was looking for something that could help me mentally escape the stress and uncertainty that comes with navigating illness. A friend introduced me to American Mahjong, and what started as a simple hobby quickly became so much more.  Read More>>

Deanna Hanson

I always knew that one day I wanted to branch out and build my own business as a dog groomer. I remember very clearly being in grooming academy when our instructor asked each of us where we saw ourselves in five years. When it was my turn, I confidently said that I planned to start my own business. Read More>>

Adam Griffin

I’ve been a leader in tech my entire career. When I left my last role as a global vice president, there was one thing that was very clear to me – leaders in tech were struggling. This was in 2022, when we all woke up each day to a new layoff announcement. Read More>>

Hansel Moore II

I started my journey as a YouTuber and content creator, long before I officially launched my media company. At the time, I was focused on building my own personal brand and creating content around technology, filmmaking, productivity, and creative entrepreneurship. Like many creators, I spent countless hours learning cameras, lighting, editing, storytelling, YouTube SEO, and social media strategy completely hands-on through trial and error. Read More>>

Dena Roché

As a travel journalist, I had the opportunity to experience wine around the world. I was fascinated by how the same grape could taste so different depending on whether it came from Burgundy or California. That took me down the rabbit hole of wine. Read More>>

Dr. Josephine Harris

The idea for my business was born from both purpose and pain. For years, I found myself sitting with women, students, clients, and leaders who were carrying so much silently. On the outside, they were successful, educated, driven, and capable. But behind the achievements, many were battling anxiety, self-doubt, burnout, trauma, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to keep showing up while feeling emotionally exhausted. Read More>>

Raven King

Building Suburban Girl Society honestly came from a season where I realized so many women were craving genuine community, balance, creativity, and experiences that felt intentional, but a lot of spaces either felt transactional, overly curated for social media, or disconnected from real life. Read More>>

Eric Horst

For decades, climbing has been my passion, profession, and laboratory. As both a climber and coach, I saw firsthand that nutrition was one of the most overlooked pieces of performance and longevity in our sport. Rock climbing is incredible for the mind, body, and soul—but it’s undeniably demanding on the body. Read More>>

Zoe Nguyen

I didn’t have one dramatic “lightbulb moment” – it was more like a slow burn fueled by equal parts creativity, ambition, and a healthy dose of corporate fatigue. I knew I wanted to build something that made people feel good about themselves while also giving me the freedom to step off the corporate ladder and create a life on my own terms. Read More>>

Ronald Downs

In 2023, I was watching a Tyler Perry interview where Tyler spoke deeply about purpose. That conversation stayed with me. I found myself reflecting on my own purpose, the work I was already doing as a Licensed Psychotherapist, and what truly fulfilled me beyond my degrees, credentials, and professional titles. Read More>>

Will Guy

Growing up in a Southern household, desserts weren’t just desserts — they were memories, tradition, comfort, and love. My mother made some of the best apple pies I’ve ever tasted, and my grandmother was known for her peach cobblers and homemade cakes. Everything was made from scratch, and food was always a way our family connected, celebrated, and showed love to one another. Read More>>

Krystal Brown

Too many people walk around with a broken heart from an unhealthy relationship. So much so that it truly impacts people to their core. Your mindset suffers, physical health takes a back seat, therefore making self care challenging. As the creator of Journey2Freedom wellness coaching, it was birthed through the sufferring of my own personal from a break up experience In 2014. Read More>>

Mona Loring

You could say the idea for Conscious Living PR arrived the moment I finally got quiet enough to hear it. I was sitting on the beach meditating, in a season of burnout and misalignment, when I received a clear message: there needed to be a conscious PR company, and my background being intuitive and mystic made me the right person to build it. Read More>>

Farmer Chippy

1. Tell us the story of how you came up with the idea for Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm? Paint the picture for us so we really understand the context, circumstances, the emotions etc. Walk us through how you knew this was a worthwhile endeavor – talk to us about the logic of why you felt this would work? Read More>>

Sathvega Somasundaram

Stories are one of our earliest sources of inspiration. Whether shared through a book, a bedtime story, or lived experience, stories have shaped human imagination and brought meaningful change for centuries. For children, this experience can be monumental. Children’s books serve as foundations for building empathy, kindness, and understanding from a young age. Read More>>

Hannah Winters

I have had other businesses in the past, as a photographer, and as a rock and crystal seller. These businesses started rather normally. I had a skill, so I utilized it. Halo, however, was different. Read More>>

Pepper Diaz

For as long as I can remember I loved singing. It’s always been my passion! My parents, grandparents, my aunties, my uncles, they’ve all told me their own stories of how since birth I came out singing. Read More>>

Christian Lamitschka

The spark for Country Music News International actually goes back to a unique personal dilemma, a lot of passion, and a glaring empty space in how American roots music was reaching European shores. Picture the late 2000s. I was deep into the worlds of Country, Bluegrass, and Americana music—genres built entirely on raw honesty, incredible instrumentation, and authentic storytelling. Read More>>

Overton Duncan

I came up with the idea of writing a book after experiencing hurt and witnessing many people in pain. I felt a strong desire to write a book about releasing your burdens to God. It took me around 7 years to finish writing the book. I believe my book ‘Release It ‘could succeed because God kept putting this message on my heart. Read More>>

Wendy Shaia

I was sitting in a workshop where we were learning about racism and we were talking about the history of Baltimore, the city which lead the nation in federal housing discrimination which resulted in redlining. Read More>>

Amelia Jackson

My company, Amelia Design wasn’t born from a single moment—it was the evolution of every version of me I had ever been. I spent 20 years as a fashion model, moving through cities like New Orleans, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta. Being in front of the camera taught me what makes an image powerful—and what makes it forgettable. Read More>>

Chasity Turbeville

I started my small business as a way to commemorate my own Breastfeeding Journey. For those who have experienced the joys and challenges of breastfeeding, breastmilk jewelry serves as a beautiful way to celebrate that unique bond between mother and child. What once started as a hobby for me has transformed into a passion of mine & is now my career. Read More>>

Herman Armstrong

The journey to Kathairo Leadership Collective didn’t start in a boardroom; it started on the streets of North St. Louis. Growing up there, I saw firsthand the beauty of community but also the deep, systemic fractures that lead to disinvestment and trauma. Read More>>

Julie Cook

AEC Marketing really grew out of a season of transition in my life and a realization that there was a gap in the industry. I had spent years as a marketing manager for a large, regional AEC firm. I loved the pace, the strategy, the deadlines, the pursuit process, and the challenge of competing at a high level. Read More>>

Cortera Neal

Understanding Life Decisions. I Knew I Wanted To Be More Than Just A 9-5 Worker. I knew I Wanted To Create My Own Schedule Attend To My Kids And Create My Own Financial Wealth. Read More>>

Joselyn Johnson

Launching Eventions by Joselyn was never just about planning beautiful events for me — it was about creating experiences that leave a lasting impact on people and communities. The idea really grew out of two things that have always been at the center of who I am: my love for bringing people together and my heart for service. Read More>>

Saam Sasan

I grew up in Iran, under pressures and limits that most people in the world will never have to experience. A system designed to suppress, to control, to shape how you think and who you become. And for a long time, like so many others, I felt the weight of that. Read More>>