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.

Susannah and Bryce Gardner

Flash back to February 2019- since the beginning of our relationship 2 1/2 years prior, it had been a fun activity for us to try new restaurants together. We had been married for two years, living in Provo, Utah, and we were trying a new restaurant per week as well as sharing our discoveries with our friends. We were lying on the couch after a day full of teaching for Susannah and schoolwork for Bryce, and the thought came to Susannah- “We share so much about our food adventures with our friends- maybe others would appreciate our food reviews as well?” Read more>>

Yovy Daniels

From 2013 to 2017 – I was laid off three times. by the time 2017 came around, after completing a summer sabbatical and getting the news right at the beginning of 2018 about my family’s health crisis. I suddenly was in a hamster wheel producing money. The quickest thing I could think about was to do lyft and uber I had signed up to get a digital media certificate since I already had a bachelor’s and master’s degree. I needed money fast and time to restructure and figure out what would be my next move. At the time, I was not eager to return to a corporate job. Read more>>

Marlon Shepperd

It all started when I was a young boy, I was always interested in the duties of police officers and military service members. I knew I wanted to help people in need and protect those who could not defend themselves. Growing up my parents were not into firearms, and the only gun in the house was my late grandfather’s hunting rifle. After my parents’ divorce my mother eventually got rid of it because she had a strong stance against guns, and we could not own toy guns unless they were water guns with unrealistic features. Read more>>

Evie Bernard

I started to develop a love for hookah about 7 years ago, however, when I took a trip to Dubai in 2016, that’s when I was able to experience hookah the right way and I peeked my curiosity even more. The hookah was smooth and refreshing and the vibe they created was unmatched. When I came back to the states I started to frequent different hookah lounges locally as well as abroad. Unfortunately, nothing came close to what I had experienced at that Arabian BBQ. Read more>>

Sarah Pounders

Years ago, my husband and I used to frequent the Nashville Farmer’s Market and Porter Flea Market and other fun local events that sold some of the best local goodies and we always enjoyed meeting the makers and seeing new products. We were continually impressed at the quality of work that small makers were doing here in Nashville, Tennessee. At the time, we both worked corporate jobs and my husband’s company was looking for a creative gift idea, so I pitched an idea about sending a gift basket that was 100% local Nashville goods to their top 50 clients across the country from their Nashville home office. Read more>>

Melanie Lee

I created MMEL AND ME because of my love for pajamas but mostly to spread positivity, love, and mental health awareness. Historically throughout society, self-love was never a topic of importance and as a Hmong woman, I was never taught to love or put myself first. “To be a good daughter you have to do this.” “To be a good nyab (sister/daughter-in-law in Hmong) you have to do this.” “The goal in life is to become a good housewife.” Read more>>

Lilia Karimi

A few years ago, I was living in NYC and teaching yoga when I had gotten engaged!! As I embarked on my newly engaged journey of wedding planning, I realized that the wedding industry was majorly lacking any wellness practices for stress relief! Why did weddings have to be so stressful?! It didn’t make sense to me. Then, fast forward to my own bachelorette party (which was an absolute blast), my sister surprised me and hired a psychic to give everyone readings during the bachelorette weekend. It was hands down a highlight of the weekend and helped everyone quickly open up, share stories, laugh, and learn about each other. Read more>>

Taylor Germain

My professional background is in teaching and working within the special needs community so behavioral health has always been a passion of mine. When I moved to Columbus in 2013, I began my professional relationship with Nationwide Children’s Hospital working in their Autism Center. Since then, I have left the hospital to stay home with my 3 children and in 2019 I felt encouraged to seek out ways I could give back to the hospital and support the mental and behavioral health needs of the children being treated at this incredible facility. Read more>>

J. Harvey

Before I owned a houseplant boutique in the Triangle, I was a travel writer. I spent about 6 years of my life traveling around the world and everywhere I went, I would visit plant shops. I’ve always had a love of houseplants so as I traveled and experienced the world, I made sure to mentally take notes about the shops I visited. I knew at some point in my future this is what I would do and so noted what I liked and didn’t like, what worked and didn’t work about all the shops I visited. Read more>>

Merlin Tuttle

Follow your passion! I became interested in small mammals when a scientist who studied them (called a mammalogist) came to my school and spoke to my fifth grade class. He told about some of his discoveries, but most importantly, he shared experiences and photos from his most recent trip to a Central American rain forest. I’ll never forget saying to myself, “You mean scientists can actually get paid for having fun adventures in remote jungles? That’s what I want to do!” Read more>>

Destiny Harris

Since I was a little girl, I have always been into arts and crafts. When the global pandemic started in 2020, I lost my retail job because all of the local stores closed down. So after I finished the last of my virtual high school classes, I had a lot of free time on my hands. As always, I resorted to diving back into my creativity. I never really had time to teach myself how to do anything besides painting, occasionally, because I was more focused on academics, but I had decided not to go to college when I graduated because I was not sure if I could commit to the uncertainty of the world at the time. Read more>>

Nikita Haynie

Historically Black women have persisted in creating space for ourselves fighting against systematic barriers discrediting our experiences and knowledge; however, the irony is through this resistance we have found the value of our experiences and shared those through storytelling. Since childhood writing and reading have been a safe space for me and I deeply desired to create a safe space for Black women and girls to be able to have a community in regard to both of those. Read more>>

Taneika Williams

My business is Neikasbeauty and my slogan is Arrive and leave your stamp! Growing up my moto was stay ready so you don’t ever have to get ready. Where ever I went I got dressed. My slogan arrive and leave your stamp to me means, where ever you are you should leave a impression in that room. Show up with confidence and be unapologetically yourself. Inner beauty is so important and I knew that I would be helping by changing the stereotype, that women who wear makeup aren’t confident within themselves.  Read more>>

Chari Michael

I was working two jobs, going to school and doing my family and friends’ hair. I never had a social life because I was too caught up in trying to survive. Then it clicked, I need control over MY LIFE. I come from a family of entrepreneurs, some successful and some unsuccessful. Although it was scary because I didn’t want to be unsuccessful. I began my research into the niche of my community. Took what I learned in Beauty School and began doing Braids, Weaves, Custom Wigs and made it my Specialty. Read more>>

Lindsey Stephens

I actually did not come up with the idea to start a radio station. In the beginning I was a supporting influence for my friend and now business partner, the founder, Diego. We met, I feel appropriately ironic, at a tattoo shop. Between us both having the same artist, being locals, and the numerous amount of Rock shows we attended simultaneously, it was astonishing how we hadn’t met before then. Thankfully we did and after a few years of a growing friendship and assisting with other media projects, we finally launched The Asylum Radio Network in February 2021. Read more>>

Lauren Rodriguez

I have always had a love for food. I feel it is a mutual love across all cultures, races, religions, genders and something that can bring us all together. I love trying new foods and drinks, and especially love new restaurants with different themes and ambiance’s ! Read more>>

Rick DeMattos

I was laid off from my job due to the Covid pandemic. After a few weeks of streaming TV and movies, I became really bored and needed a project. I decided I would make a big batch of a Marinara sauce I’ve been making for 20 years and see if I could sell it to my friends. Restaurants were closed, people were nervous about going to the grocery store so I thought I might have a chance to earn a little money until I was brought back on to my job. The first three batches sold out in a matter of hours. Read more>>

Dayna & Meghan Green & Martin

Before Gals & Ghouls was created Meghan earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Wayne State University. Strangely enough, around the same time, Dayna was also attending Wayne State for her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and then continued on to get her Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan. However, their paths didn’t officially cross until they were both attending school for makeup years later. They both loved makeup growing up and did beauty and Halloween makeup on themselves and others but neither of them really realized they could have a career in makeup. Read more>>

Sabrina Martin

My business started off as a idea with a friend for a childrens boutique. My original name was AX Boutique and that was the initials to our kids middle names. Over time, the idea changed and I decided to start selling shoes but still under that name. The price for shoes in bulk was so expensive. And since I was a new business, I was scared they wouldn’t sell. So I switched to womens clothing. Over time the name changed to Shop AXB and now as of September, 2022 we are The Wk•End Boutique. Read more>>

Micah Worthington

Picture this, a young father getting his young and only daughter ready for bed. Being in the room and focused on the moment I sat her down in the water to bathe. Paying attention to detail I noticed she had small red lesions on the neck, back, and stomach. Puzzled at first on how to solve the problem I back tracked on what exactly could be causing this irritation to her skin. Racing through my mind to bring her to a state of comfort, everything I used on her skin was for sensitive skin. From the laundry detergent, to the lotion. Read more>>

Ambrielle August

I’ve been pretty creative my whole life. As a child, I loved to draw and paint. My favorite things to create were mandalas and fashion designs. Thanks to my loving family, I was always encouraged to try new things and follow my dreams, but the challenge was, that I always changed my mind about what my dreams were up until I was a late teenager. A few years after moving to Georgia from Louisiana, I went to a STEM magnet high school where I developed an interest in tech and started to wonder… Read more>>

Shelby Prince

Growing up I was the person that brought my camera to every hang out and politely *forced* people to take pictures. It began as a hobby of capturing the moment and filling my walls with prints of photos of the people I loved. Being a broke seminary student, I needed a way to make money – so I began to snap family photos of families I knew as a way to pay for school. It didn’t take long for me to realize I completely loved being behind the camera. Read more>>

Tayler Simon

Growing up, I always loved books. My mom couldn’t keep up with all the reading I wanted to do, so I remember she would take me to the library or buy me a bunch of books on tape. They were the stories on cassettes that would come with the book, and you would turn the page every time you heard the beep. I also remember getting lots of Pizza Hut coupons for Book It challenges and always competing with my best friends for the most Accelerated Reader points for taking reading quizzes. My love for reading was unmatched. Read more>>

Carolina Gomez

I came up with Foodbizmentor when I was closing up night shifts at the deli. I used to own a deli in Washington DC. It was very successful, but I still needed support as a business owner. I wanted to develop a place where small businesses could find the resources that they need in order to grow and expand in a more intentional way. Intentional growth needs to be guided and developed by the business owner. I enjoy strategizing with business owners and helping them discover potential sales opportunities. I make sure that the growth strategy aligns with what the business owner is looking for down the road. Read more>>

Chih Lin & Michael Dorsey Dumpling Dudez

To understand how we got started, we need to go back to 2018. We both were working as engineers for separate Oil & Gas Companies. On the outside, we were living the American dream with window offices, stable jobs and fancy titles. However, we were miserable on the inside. We weren’t feeling like we really fit into the culture at our companies, and we wanted to create one of our own. On April 1, 2019, we took the plunge and quit our jobs, and Dumpling Dudez was born. Read more>>

Averi Linch

My passion has always been in the arts. I studied theatrical design with an emphasis in costuming, makeup and scenery. After college I went on to get my cosmetology license and have been working for years at a luxury salon. Everything started to come into place during Quarantine. During that time I was home off and on for a total of 7 months and had to plan and re plan my own wedding with every CDC update. I was finding that even in the uncertainty and endless adapting I wasn’t frustrated or discouraged. Read more>>

Tyra Jackson

Helping people has always been a passion of mine since I was a little girl. I would help my grandmother and mother when giving out food and household items to the community. Started 2020 in the heart of the Pandemic The Caring was founded. The vision came to me and I got my journal and began to write the name The Caring, slogans, programs, and organizations I wanted to work with. I began to go online and research about what is needed in bags to give out to the unhoused community. Read more>>

Liz Flemming

If you had told me I would be doing what I’m doing 10 years ago I would have told you I know nothing about managing things and could never run my own business. “I am an artist through and through.” It’s amazing how your desire to promote change can impact your career path and what you think is possible. At 22 years old I started working as a professional actor after I graduated from college as a Musical Theater Major. Read more>>

Jodi Cobb

Honestly, the idea of doing book cover design came up out of necessity. I’d dipped my toes into the independent author community and realized that there was a lot I was going to have to learn in order to publish… or else wait for some unexpected financial windfall to provide me the apparently necessary funds to cover the costs associated with publishing a quality product. As there was no wind that day, I dove head first into design software, teaching myself the basics by simply experimenting with the program. Read more>>

Cassidy Garber

As an aspiring Entrepreneur, I own, operate, and manage 3 different business all of which I am extremely passionate about. I had always felt a strong call towards being in a leadership position or role, and I’ve been able to put my skills to the test by exploring a few different avenues of business. On top of pursuing my dreams of utilizing my extensive background in musical theater and performing arts to become a touring Musician/DJ, over the summer I decided to acquire my yoga teaching certification which has sent me on a journey of self discovery, as well as sparking a passion within me to help others heal. Read more>>

Nandi Ramirez

Since high school, I knew that I was interested in studying medicine. When it came time for me to apply to programs after college, I kept my options open. I submitted applications to both medical and nursing programs. Eventually, I elected to attend an accelerated dual degree nursing program which allowed me to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Read more>>

Carl Wright

The first ever children’s book that I wrote and published is entitled, Collin’s Sweet Adventure. This book is my most cherished literary accomplishment, which is a fictional tale about my son, Collin and the adventurous journeys with his friends. My mindset as a father has always been about building and leaving a legacy for him. In my efforts to teach him how to identify and cultivate his talents and interests, C & C Wright Investments was born. Read more>>

Avianca Manning

Cosmic Play & Party Rentals was created due to several circumstances. Originally I (Avianca) was an educator in transition and was looking for an additional stream of income. My good friend and partner from my previous job, Erica Murray, had just thrown a small birthday party for her kids, where they used a bounce house for entertainment. While exchanging our woes about mom-life, we began to ‘bounce’ ideas off each other, regarding the market, costs, etc., Read more>>

Dr. Demetria Banks

I’ve always had the desire to help people move past obstacles, whether emotional, mental or spiritual, I remember as a teenager seeing others hurting and always wondering if there was something I could do to make it better for them. That desire grew even stronger as time moved on. Little did I know, as a young adult friends, family and church members would seek me for advice regarding challenges they faced, viewing me as one who they could confide in and as one who would provide sound wisdom to them. Read more>>

Keely McCann

I have been working in the social media space for almost 5 years now. When I got my first job as a social media manager I had just graduated from The University of Iowa with a degree in Health & Human Physiology & quickly realized working on the frontlines of healthcare was not for me. I wanted the opportunity to be creative every day, so I started my own business with my partner & I took over the creative, marketing & social media side of things. I absolutely loved it, creating moments, storytelling, learning about marketing through social media, editing photos & videos. Read more>>

Bill Tsatsos

When I moved back to Detroit in 2015, I didn’t see much creativity in the cocktails here. They looked just normal. Jack and cokes, gin and tonics. I spent nearly 13 years bartending in Hollywood for famous celebrities, working the Oscars every year, and also bartending at big illustrious movie premiers. craft cocktails were always a great addition to our bars out there, so I took that concept and brought it to Detroit but I stepped it up a notch and put a creative twist on what a craft cocktail should embody, so I began my creations, Read more>>

Zeinab Makled

I started This Little Candle Co. when I realized that manufactured candles were extremely toxic to the environment, humans and pets. I started it as a hobby by purchasing vegetable soy wax and crafting my own scents. I knew it would work when I got so much feedback from friends and families that they did not get irritated from the ingredients I was using. This really allowed me to expand into a customer base by providing more than just a great scent, I started designing the styles of candles too. One of a kind candles that you cannot find in store anywhere else so products are both clean and uniquely made. Read more>>

Meredith McCowan

I first started to entertain the idea that I could start my own business practicing astrology in 2015. I had been studying and learning under an experienced astrology mentor for two full years. At that time, I was already 13+ years in to my corporate career and thriving there. However, I had started to log in to my retirement account almost daily to calculate the “countdown” to my retirement. Read more>>

Jennifer Morales

I worked at a psychiatric hospital for almost a decade rehabilitaing patients dealing with mental illnesses. Some patients would have poor impusle control when they were upset and angry. During those meltdowns, patients would destroy hospital property such as breaking phones, throwing computers across the nurse’s station or putting holes in the wall etc. Some consequences for those behaviors included administration of emergency medications, the patient may be arrested or potentially have to pay repair bills upon discharge. Read more>>

O’Shea Hollins

When I was in high school I had brand that was really dope and I was making moves as a youngin’. When I graduated from high school, I knew I had to turn in up and take it 100% serious. I came up with the name of The Everyday Fresh in 2017. I was just talking sh*t to my older brother as any young brother does. I was like “man I’m always fresh, I get fresh everyday bruh, man I’m everyday fresh!” And I head a light bulb moment was like yeah we gonna use that. And it just stuck. The name to me sounded big like the news. And it just sounded so official. Read more>>

Mika’EL Ben Or

I’ve been in the Health Industry for 7 years now started out as a certified personal trainer as I came into the understanding of self on a spiritual, mental, physical, cultural & geographical level my perception and understanding of life changed realizing that the beginning of all mankind began in the garden of Eden where YAHWEH gave us mankind a specific livid lifestyle according Genesis 1:29 was a raw fruit & vegetable livid lifestyle Read more>>

Shanell Tutstone

It was the year of 2020 one of the most rewarding yet difficult years that I’ve ever lived through. I decided to bake my family a pound cake. After I finished baking I decided to take a quick picture and post it to my Facebook page. I set my phone down for a couple of hours and came back to check my notifications and there was so many notifications that I couldn’t respond to them all. Read more>>

Diamond Wallace

Jewels of The Future Inc is a non profit organization my mom Renita Turner and I created in honor of my grandmother. She was selfless and believed in caring for others. We created Jewels of The Future to be a safe space for young ladies and to mentor them, teach them entrepreneurship skills, all while giving back to the community. Our area code is the poorest in Jacksonville, Fl 32209, so I wanted to create something to give back while playing the sister role to our girls in order to progress them at whatever their goals are. We launched with hopes of doing something needed and that’s caring for your neighbor and loving those around you. Read more>>