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.

Kate Delgado

Isola was dreamt up and created in Montego Bay, Jamaica. My mother in law, who is Jamaican, had owned her own spa for many years and when my husband and I (along with our baby at the time) moved to Jamaica, I learned about this secret family recipe that she made in her kitchen and used on her guests. It was for a Body Scrub made from Coffee + Cane Sugar. I tried it myself and was blown away with the immediate results on my skin. Read more>>

Aubrey Prosser

The idea of owning a clothing shop started in college. After being enrolled into an entrepreneurship class the ball started to roll, but really that spirit was always in my blood. My grandfather started a business in the 80s and utilized an entrepreneurial spirit in most things from buying historic properties to selling antiques at the Nashville Flea Market. One of these properties was in the Germantown area of Nashville. When he bought it, it was just a brick house. He needed a bigger area to store his antiques so he built on a warehouse. Read more>>

Shari Perkins

The idea of my brand began in a small town called Starkville, Mississippi. My love for beauty began while I was in high school which was long before my entrepreneurial journey began. My passion for beauty grew during my college years where I did my own make up on a regular basis and consistently changed hair styles as well. During my freshman year at Mississippi State University I was asked to join the student fashion Association as the makeup artist for their fashion shows that would occur on and around campus. Read more>>

CHARNIQUE RUCKER

The Wig Lady by Char was started, because black women are the leading consumers of hair extensions. I had difficulty taking care of my after each of my five open heart surgeries. While I tried different weave styles and looked into wigs, the quality of hair and the chemicals applied to it only caused me more irritation. After doing research, I learned that, on average, women spend 2 billion a day on hair, with black women spending 92% of that amount. However, only handful of women who look like me own hair extensions companies. Read more>>

Tina Loszewska

My business partner and I struggled a LOT when it came to finding the perfect images for clients who didn’t have a huge budget for photoshoots. Each time I Googled ‘editorial stock images’ nothing came up, nothing that screamed drool worthy, stop the scroll images. Everything felt stiff and stock like. So we took matters into our own hands and purchased editorialstockimages.com, we thought this project would take a couple months to launch and it’s been almost a year! Read more>>

Lily Kiti

The idea came to me during covid. Obviously people were staying and only going out to run errands. I started a collection of pre-loved clothing and the collection was called “Quarantini Collection.” One thing that really helps me get my day started is putting on an outfit that makes me feel comfortable and confident. Good outfit = day conquered! During quarantine there wasn’t much to look forward to but I wanted to change that. I wanted people to still feel good about themselves and give them a product that was sustainable and brought joy. Read more>>

Taylor Diebold

When I was in college I used to work for a little boutique that did custom apparel and decals, I loved creating things at that job and really wanted to get one of the machines for myself and start creating. After I graduated and moved and started my career, I found myself coming up with some fun ideas, I couldn’t believe the endless amount of options I could use the machine for. I was so invested in making some things for myself so one Christmas I asked for the machine and I guess after talking about it for so long someone in my family got it for me. Read more>>

Ludwig Alberty

After seeing that my photographs were mentioned and credited with awards and honors, I decided to make my hobby something that anyone who wanted the opportunity to be photographed would have access to my services, that’s when I started to organize and come up with my photography business. I didn’t really know what branch of photography I was going to dedicate and focus on, I was playing around with a couple different ideas until portraits found me; giving people a memory of a special moment in a physical sense really spoke to me. Read more>>

Jessica Shore

My path to founding Encompass was windy at best and likely far less intentional than many entrepreneurs. The seed was planted while I was pursuing my undergraduate degree at The University of Pennsylvania, where I was studying to become a medieval historian. Yes, that’s right. It was my dream to be a professor and scholar of ancient and medieval history, ha! But I needed income to help support myself at school. I had always babysat and nannied and decided to start tutoring because it typically paid a higher wage. But most people don’t really need history tutoring. The concepts are not usually difficult, like with Math, per se. Read more>>

Erika Pare

We had been working together for a couple of years in the corporate world putting on events. We learned how to leverage each other’s strengths and complement each other as a team. We had always talked about starting our own business together and tailoring it to celebrations and corporate events. We finally decided to stop talking about starting our own business and just do it! It’s always scary putting yourself out there like that, but the events industry has welcomed us with open arms and it has been so heartwarming to meet such wonderful people. Read more>>

Dajour (DY) Keemer

Music was always in me, I found my early inspiration from my uncle’s Leander Keemer and James Jones. They were both heavy into HipHop music and I loved watching them express themselves and the joy that it brought to them when people reacted to their music. During college I studied Business Administration with hopes to own my own business but I didn’t know what business, time was coming close for me to finish my degree and I knew I had to find something to stick to quickly but whatever it was I wanted it to allow me to be free enough to pursue Music full time. Read more>>

Ashley Winder

I came up with the idea of FE Salon & Wax for my passion in the beauty industry. I wanted to combine both hair care, full body waxing and skin care making it a one stop shop for my guests. I have 17 years of experience as a hairstylist and a year in a half of experience as a wax specialist. I’ve always had one foot in and one foot out in the beauty industry. I’ve struggled in Corporate America trying to find my niche and was never satisfied. The beauty industry has always challenged me to be creative it allows me to freely express my passion through knowledge of my experience, offering a top tier customer experience and building rapport with my guests. Read more>>

Rebecca Thomas

I love talking about how I got into Life Coaching! Back in 2013 I ended up suddenly moving to Grand Rapids with my (then) young son. My younger brother had just passed away and left us his home. Looking back I can see how so many things in my path aligned in beautiful way, but that doesn’t mean that same path wasn’t riddled with heartache and pain. I had just lost my brother, was also the executor of his estate, and was now a single Mother in a new area, with no support system in our new city. Read more>>

Cathryne Martell

When my husband and I got married back in April of 2016 my wedding pictures came back and my dress needed steaming and I disliked every picture in my gown, I did research on steaming and noticed there wasn’t anyone local to provide these services the idea clicked. “This is how I can make sure a bride never feels the way I do” about their wedding photos. Read more>>

Simple Yet Jazzy LLC

We’ve always been into fashion and accessories. Growing up in the church, we were inspired by the way our mother, Grandmother, and aunts would style their outfits. They all enhanced their outfits with accessories, especially earrings. Over the years, we noticed that there weren’t many earrings with eccentric colors and styles. We were constantly looking for earrings that would stand out with even a simple look. When we came up with the idea, COVID was affecting everyone across the world. Read more>>

Wes Milton

That’s a loaded question! My wife and I moved to Atlanta in 2018 to pursue our “big break” in the ATL film scene. Having worked regional theatre consistently around the Eastern Coast and networked with hundreds of individuals we thought ATL was our best option for a permanent home base. We did the typical background work to break in, and I quickly discovered it wasn’t for me. I had already been thinking about taking a break from acting, but I needed something else to do with my creative mind. Read more>>

Stephanie Rudison

In November of 2019, I launched Myelle Monroe Chic Boutique online with the purpose of creating a legacy for my daughters as well as a mode of connecting with other women through the art of fashion. The art of fashion is a mode of communication that speaks to one’s confidence and mood. I love the mantra, if you look good you feel good. So many women get lost in their day-to-day hustle and bustle that they lose their identity and confidence. I wanted to connect with women and educate them on how they can maintain their confidence with the assistance of fashion, despite what they may be faced with. Read more>>

Hailey Culmone

Oddly enough my idea to offer in home wine tastings was born during the most uncertain time in many people’s lives, Covid. After the restaurant where I working temporarily closed for obvious reasons, I used my new found free time to create my own wine business. This business was Covid friendly, and centered around a the beloved beverage of many, wine. The idea was simple, go to people’s homes (invited of course), bring wine, and teach them about it. I had worked in restaurants for 16 years, but like many the pandemic reshaped my wine career, propelling it in a direction I didn’t know was possible. Read more>>

Alyssa Rossi

Meaghan and I were fast friends, or soul sisters as we like to refer to ourselves. In March of 2019, we were celebrating her birthday and she mentioned that she had spoken to a local shop owner who was going to be moving out of her space and Meaghan had mentioned she always wanted to open a baby/kids store in Arvada where there has never been a baby boutique. We both worked in retail before, but never owned. Read more>>

Cristal Omana

As a single mom of three gorgeous and sweet girls money is always a struggle, me and as most people always dream and say and talk about wanting to be their own boss i had to think of something that would bring income to my household and help me breath a bit more on the financial side. So i came up with CE&J Creations as a side hustle, CE&J Creations is a Customizable Clothing and Accessories shop founded in my home in Rosemount, MN, Read more>>

Luiza Bagno

It all started in 2019 when I decided to try a new exercise modality, CrossFit. The daily intense CrossFit training brought back memories of me as a semiprofessional youth volleyball player in Brazil. During the CrossFit classes, I made great friends who shared a healthy and active lifestyle with me. That is how I met Laura Dias, a beautiful and trustful friend I partnered with and immersed myself in the business world, participating actively in every single step of our business. Read more>>

Dilgas Murad

This was something missing for a while! Eating healthy very limited in options and was all kinda cafeteria style which is a wrap or salad! I wanted to provide something home cooked food but clean, healthy and still tasty Read more>>

Jesse Albertini

In high school, I got my hair styled for my junior prom at a small privately-owned salon that had just opened. It was the last appointment of the day. The two young women who owned and operated the space were celebrating their first week of business. They poured champagne and cheered their success. Moved by the celebration, I knew I wanted to own my place one day. Read more>>

Erika Williams

I had been working as a K-2 teacher since I graduated from college in 2003. After I had my daughter in 2015 I decided not to return to teaching full time. I started exploring other options and ran into a friend who was opening a preschool co-op in her backyard and was looking for a teacher. My daughter was 2 at the time and it was the perfect opportunity to get back into teaching again and be with my daughter at the same time. We did this for a year and a half and then the co-op suddenly closed. We had such a great community of families and I didn’t want that to end. So I started wondering if I could start something on my own. Read more>>

Author S.R.D. Harris

My Publishing Business has been in the creative works since I was a child. Growing up, I didn’t see a lot of children’s book characters that looked like me and had positive messages. I have always loved reading and basically grew up in the Library and even volunteered there. I was featured in two Children’s Books as a child, which sparked my dream of becoming a Published Author someday. Read more>>

Jyotirmayee Nayak

From beginning, i am a die hard foodie. I love to go different places and try different foods and cuisine. Thus i decided to start food blogging. I have never thought that I would earn from my passion. I started food styling for the first time when i had my first collaboration. I did it to promote a local Bakery of my area and I got really a good appreciation from my audience. Thus i thought to start food styling as well. Read more>>

Linda Akinkunmi

I came up with the idea of Medsalve in 2019. I wanted a CBD salve that actually had transdermal properties that others on the market claimed it was transdermal but looking at the ingredients list had no penetration enhancers listed which made me come to the conclusion that only dermal CBD salves are in the over the counter market to which I could carve out a niche to those who are truly seeking pain relief. Read more>>

Sophie Rivas

When I was job searching after finishing esthetician school I applied to every place in my town. I had no idea what I wanted to specialize in. There are so many different things I could offer. All I knew is that j wanted experience. I waited for 3 months and worked elsewhere but never heard back. I was told that I was too young and needed more experience. Read more>>

Mr. Daniel Dickey

The Resource Guild was birthed out of my desire to figure out how to get paid to simply be myself while bringing people together in 2013. I have always been a fun-loving, brilliant, talented, magnetic, positive and productive leader who was always beloved by people of all races and creeds. People typically light up when they see me and want a hug, that goes for men and of course women, and they also want to know how they can be a part of my endeavors/journey. Read more>>

Mbele Kongo

Growing up botanicas and Magic always intrigued me. I would go to local shops and admire the mysticism but questioned the ingredients! As I got older going to different churches and spiritual events I was told I’m a healer and seer. My interest in herbs and their healing properties sparked an idea to create my own potions. Upon doing this I noticed my spells, baths, tinctures and oils seemed to have more substance and looked nothing like what I saw in stores Read more>>

Krystal Whyte

I’m Krystal whyte owner of Vermarie Boutique. We are online based located in Gaithersburg,Maryland.From an early age I’ve always be fascinated about fashion and dress code to be, utmost immaculate to fit not only for casuals and formal occasions but also one’s mood. From leaving college studying, I started out working a full time job in management. I had to figure out a structure to spend time with my kids and have a steady income to take care of us. Being an entrepreneur has always been one of my ambitions, hence opening Vermarie Boutique. Read more>>

Nathan Begnaud

In 2013 an idea popped in my mind: a leather bow tie. So I pitched the idea to my dad, given as he deals exclusively in leather. He liked it, but didn’t think it was for him. I thought about it often, but never acted upon it, largely because I didn’t know anything about leather or how to make anything. In August of 2015 my wife and I awaited the arrival of our third child. After Maxwell arrived we knew life was going to drastically change. Read more>>

Brenden Kumarasamy

I did case competitions (think professional sports for nerds) in university/college – that’s how I learned to speak. I can speak more on this on the pod. Read more>>

Jamieson Lewis

A friend of mine that’s a tattoo artist told me I’d be a good fit for the convention industry. Read more>>

Shannon Schultheis

About 12 years ago, I was a newly married wife with no children. At the time, I taught exceptional education but absolutely loved interior design. I quit my job as an educator and scoured over my favorite interior design books and blogs instead. While researching interior design, I stumbled across vegetable gardens, specifically formal potagers. I became less and less interested in the inside, and more interested in the natural beauty outside. I decided to start my own vegetable garden. I started out with two long, skinny gardens directly behind the shadow of our home. Read more>>

Sonya Vaverek

I have always loved to bake. From the time I could reach the counter my mom would let me help her in the kitchen. She has always made everything from scratch and helped to instill in me my love of baking. I went to college and as I was graduating decided I wanted to go to Culinary School for Pastry Arts but instead chose to get married and raise a family. Read more>>

Angelle Maua

My business came from a need in the LGBTQIA+ community for BIPOC/QTPOC folks that needed spaces where they could be 100% their authentic self. Read more>>

Tonkia Bridges

NERDS started in this very untraditional way. As a teacher, I often ate lunch with my students. I’m an avid reader, so when I noticed a student reading during lunch. I asked students if they would be interested in joining a book club if I started one, and they said yes. I thought I would have five or six students, and we would read four books the following year. I had 16 students sign up, and we read a book a month. Read more>>

Sandy Huff

I’ve been a stay home Mom for the past 20 years and one day in January of 2021, during covid I had ran out to get a new planner and a birthday present for my daughter and happened to see a For Lease sign in the window of one of our favorite store spaces. My immediate thought was that space would be perfect for a bookstore. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was the perfect backdrop for books and browsing with a cup of coffee. And the space is in the perfect neighborhood with lots of walking traffic from residents as well as visitors coming to check out the neighboring shops and restaurants. 6 months later we opened Virginia Highland Books. Read more>>