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.

Ashley Heimerman

It was the beginning of the pandemic, I was home on maternity leave with my first sweet baby girl. I saw a need for adorable and affordable clothing. I was constantly looking to clothe my new baby in the most stylish outfit options. This was at the beginning of the pandemic, so online shopping was at it’s high! I was furloughed for a brief moment, so basically just extended my maternity leave and opened Posies + Grace! I was so excited about this to find vendors, and learn to do customs/sewing and fill a need of the most adorable clothing at affordable prices! Read more>>

Ariana Nester

During COVID lockdown we found ourselves participating in a weekly zoom trivia and cocktail hour with friends to stay connected and be social. For these events I would research and develop a craft cocktail for us to enjoy and as a result started to make a lot of my own ingredients – from liqueurs, to syrups, to bitters – I experimented with it all. Read more>>

Tomide Awe

I was inspired to start Olori by the beautiful cultures of my people. Growing up in Nigeria, I was always surrounded by traditional prints and textiles symbolic of deep roots and stories so dear to my people. I have always admired the art and craftsmanship behind them. By incorporating traditional African fabrics into contemporary designs, my mission is to invite people to experience the beauty of African cultures. Read more>>

Farrah Raines

I came up with the idea of writing children’s books from a therapy program that I had developed to use with my students at the school where I provide occupational therapy services. The sensory toolbox program consists of items to teach breathing techniques, stress reduction, yoga poses, and movement activities to young children so they can learn how to deal with anxiousness or just the opposite low energy. Read more>>

Rosina Nappier

I have always been a very creative person . I can remember when my parents bought me my first camera. I was always the person taking videos and photos of my friends and what we were doing. In about 2017 I noticed more and more influencers coming of age. I thought that would be perfect for me, so I just started sharing my interests, like skin care, fashion, things around the home. Read more>>

Hannah McConnell

The Roots of Birches Brand’s Rebellious Marketing Approach I think, like most entrepreneurs, our unique approach to this marketing came from a place of frustration and a longing for something that, at the end of the day, made our work feel more meaningful, for us, and for our clients’ communities. Read more>>

Madelin Berry

Believe it or not, the idea of “Snaps by Madelin” came from an assignment I had when I was working on my Bachelor’s degree. I took an entrepreneurship course, in which I had to come up with a business plan for a real or fictional business. Photography has always been a passion and interest of mine, so to base my business on that was simple. I had recently gotten married and I was thinking about photography more and more around that time. I started to think, what would have happened if I took the leap? Where would I be if I followed my dreams. Read more>>

Amanda Parsons

Small Business Babes was created out of a need I saw in the female small business owner space. In 2020 women were starting businesses from home more than ever and needed a way to connect and access to guidance on how to build a business. As an accountant I have seen first hand the impact of misinformation and how it can be detrimental to a business. Small Business Babes was created at the end of 2021 and officially in mid 2022 to have a space for women to learn, grow, and connect in a judgement free and supportive environment. Read more>>

Wendy Fournier and Brenda Tringali

From a very young age my sister and I always connected with Source, our higher selves and guides. This is the foundation of who we are and what we believe. We came in with a tremendous amount of connection to light while experiencing a lot of trauma and adversity ourselves. We began our own healing journey very very young and tapped into alternative therapies, we searched them out, not because we were told to, but we intuitively knew within us that they were there. Read more>>

Gabrielle Reed

Gabrielle Reed Media Group stemmed from a place of needing to survive. Point blank period. I had left local news, finessed my way into getting the email of a HR director at NBC News, and cold-emailed her. I began freelancing for NBC BLK. However, I had to send an invoice and become a contractor. From there, it just made sense to incorporate my own business and make it a reality. Read more>>

Jessica Stern-Enzi

I was unexpectedly diagnosed with late onset adult Type 1 Diabetes in April 2018 and knew I had to figure out how to cook and bake in a way that still brought pleasure and satisfaction but was also safe in terms of managing this chronic illness. I immediately began researching and learning more about Type 1 diabetes and how food, ingredients and macros impact blood sugar. Read more>>

Sally Siko

For me, being a birding guide is literally a dream come true. I used to be a professional event photographer. Many years ago, I had a dream that I showed up to photograph an event and got distracted by a warbler flying around a pond behind the venue. I tried for an hour to photograph the elusive bird (to get a better look for an ID) and missed shooting the event itself. Read more>>

Kevin Morgan

I worked at a local shelter for 7years during that time I noticed how complex being homeless /incarcerated had an effect on people .What really grabbed my attention in 2021 two men lost there lives due to inclement weather. I believe the reason why they rather be on the streets is the fact that it’s hard to follow rules when you have mental issues or drug addictions that or left unaddressed. What bother me is I couldn’t do anything about it , Read more>>

Ann Gilbert

The launching of my business, Still Botanics, felt like a combination of a natural progression and a long time coming. I became interested in cosmetics at a young age – watching the current trends via MTV and beauty magazines. In my early 20’s I was struggling with my skin and eventually was diagnosed with an uncommon Rosacea. The thing about rosacea, and this goes for a number of skincare concerns, Read more>>

Naiwa Alynn

The idea to start my own gourmet dog bakery fell into place when I brought home my dog, Dante. He was three months old at the time and with his fuzzy pointed ears and playful personality, he charmed his way into my lap and my heart and brought me a newfound feeling of purpose and unconditional love. I felt like a new mom and only wanted the best for him so I was always on the hunt for quality treats that did not contain any harmful additives. Read more>>

Rachel Nuzzolese

I have always loved to watch, learn and play soccer. Growing up I played competitive soccer and worked my way up to play for the USA Youth National Teams, D1 soccer at Wake Forest University and professionally out in California for two seasons. After moving to Maryland I wanted to give back to the game by teaching and leading young athletes to tap into their potential and build their confidence on and off the field. Read more>>

Dylan Roe

Beekeeping is one of the most gravitationally aligning privileges our species could ever have! If there is one thing that 8 years of dragging my face through the sand in the Marine Corps Infantry taught me, it’s that all life in this Universe is invaluable. Read more>>

Logan-Miles Allison

Buckle up! Here we go! I never in a million years could have “thought” I would be where I am today. God has been good to me! I know that timing is always perfect! So whoever is reading this, HELLO and welcome! Read more>>

Gaby Primo Ananda Fcachenco

In 2016 i was working at a Coffee shop when a friend there got a secong job at a new Cotton Candy Kiosk that had just opened. She got me to work with them too and the little kid Gaby in me got so excited to be able to work with Cotton Candy. Being Brazilian, i grew up eating cotton candy all the time because its very popular everywhere in Brazil, parties, concerts, beaches, etc. Read more>>

Chris McKinney

I had always knew that working for someone else wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life soon after I got out of the Marine Corps. I constantly looked for something I could really sink my teeth into and make a run at trying to do something on my own that wouldn’t stifle my creativity, that thing ultimately ended up being soap. Had you told me at 20 years old I’d be making soap for a living, I would have called you crazy, however here I am. Read more>>

Dominique Nation

Starting ‘SheaDeShon was very personal for me. Growing up, I struggled with really bad eczema and I used to get talked about and bullied by classmates and it ruined my confidence. As I got older, I fell in love with Bath and Body Works, Victoria Secret etc and I always just wanted to smell good! I started to notice that the products I was using from those types of stores started irritating my skin and essentially making my eczema worse. Read more>>

Kevin Stahl

At the beginning of 2020 my life had been going as expected, I had an office job at the factory I had worked at for over 20 years. A wonderful wife and family, and a nice house in a small village in rural Ohio. Then COVID-19 happened and I was displaced from the only job I had known for my adult life. Having a lot of time on my hands during the lockdown I re-discovered my passion for toys and comic books. Read more>>

Michelle M. Czarka

After attending my weekly Bikram yoga classes, my yoga mat was less than clean, but I couldn’t find a product in my local stores that cleaned off the grime without giving me a face full of chemicals. Coming from a long line of “crafty” women”, I was no stranger to whipping up what I couldn’t find so I took to Pinterest for inspiration to create my own natural formula. Read more>>

Khadeejah Abdusshakur

My small business, Kovered in Joy! was created out of a need to see more representation of and for Muslim woman. The lack of broadness and diversity in imagery, storytelling, and experiences when it comes to Muslim products and lifestyle forced me into action. I used my Graphic Design training and artistic inclination to create what I like to call useable art featuring Muslim women in a variety of skin tones and styles. Read more>>

Tim Sylvester

Our entire economy depends on roads. Roads are one of humanity’s earliest inventions, and most important. 100 years ago, Americans began funding road improvements with public money to enable adoption of the auto, creating enormous growth and prosperity. But since then, our investment in roads have languished, and our roads get worse year by year. At this point we need to completely rebuild more than half our inventory. Nobody seems to know how to do a better job, or care. Read more>>

Christopher Murphy

The idea of Transcend Fitness started in 2019. I was working as an Electrician Supervisor or Foreman. Running projects and managing multiple crews. Tragedy struck in my personal life. My fiancé lost both her parents and a best friend within two years. I had a brief scare with health and my Father was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Read more>>

Brianna Williams

As a beauty lover, it is no secret that the beauty industry is extremely fast-paced. And though they try to be accommodating to the “try for 30 days” concept, the industry still follows a fast-paced model. You are encouraged to shop for the next best things or use more than you need. Some companies are trying to balance capitalism with slow living but the two just don’t seem to mix well. Which got me thinking: “What if there was a beauty magazine focused on slow living? Like slow beauty.” Read more>>

Ingrid Reyes

To tell you about how I started with my business, M&A Creative Agency USA, I need to start at the beginning, what inspired me to go into the advertising industry. I started my advertising career as a sales assistant at a TV station in Los Angeles. Before advertising I had an entirely different career, I was an Interior Designer, working on high-end commercial projects, like the Four Seasons Hotel Santa Barbara and the St. Regis Princeville Hotel in Kauai. Even though this was a prestigious career, something was missing, I wanted to be in the corporate world, so I decided to change careers and went into advertising. Read more>>

Anna Rose Fahrenkrog

My name is Anna Rose. I am the woman behind the camera for my business Anna Rose 8mm. Growing up I was fascinated by the film photos my relatives shared with me, specifically those of their wedding day. Once I was able to get my hands on a film camera, I began documenting my life through my friends and our surroundings. I felt such excitement every time my photos were ready for pickup. This excitement blossomed into a growing interest in other forms of film photography. Read more>>

Jacqueline Weber

I always knew deep down that I wanted to own a business one day. More specifically, I dreamt of owning a bakery. However, I never felt like it was really in the cards for me and was instead something that I would daydream about often. I jumped from job to job for years attempting to find the right fit for me, but nothing ever stuck. I knew that I needed to be doing something creative and fulfilling but most importantly, I knew that my purpose was to make other people happy. Read more>>

Krista Jones

Personally, I have always been passionate about natural beauty products and the overall health of my community. When I was in the begging phases of starting Truth Skincare, I was doing quite a bit of research and quickly realized that there were very few organic skincare products of good quality that were both accessible & affordable. Read more>>

Erika Denae J

Beata Beatus Co. started as an idea for an encouraging T-shirt line when I came back from living abroad in Spain. During my time in Murcia, Spain, I had the chance to spend a lot of time with myself and learned that there were a lot of creative ideas and visions that I wanted to develop. Read more>>

Chris Russell

The Fitness 4 Focus story really begins with the story of Tommy. It all started out on a small playground in Central Pennsylvania. I first met Tommy McHale in 2005. At the time, I was a Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) worker for Youth Advocate Programs and spent time with Tommy when he was in school. At recess on a fall day in Palmyra, PA, I bounced a ball to Tommy on the playground. The ball went right by him. Three seconds later, Tommy looked. Then he turned to go get the ball. Read more>>

Christina Collins

The idea for Chrissy C Consulting came from my deep passion for helping businesses succeed in the digital age. I saw a need for accessible and high-quality PR and social media services. Many businesses, especially startups and small enterprises, couldn’t afford traditional agencies. I wanted to change that. Read more>>

Dani Sage

Before I started the Good Vibes Hive, I had been in the beauty industry for over a decade as a nail technician. All of the stereotypes you’ve heard about the relationship between a client and her nail tech are absolutely true, we hear everything! For some clients the conversations between their nail techs are the deepest, most intimate conversations they have in their whole social life. We know more than your best friend, husband, or mother 99.9% of the time. Read more>>

Trisha Street

When opening my Med Spa I knew that my goal was to help people feel their best. I have always enjoyed helping people which was probably what lead me to nursing. I have also always loved fashion and beauty. I feel my spa combines the two loves! I can help in so many ways, with a pick-me-up in an IV infusion, or even replacing a vitamin deficiency which can improve focus and clarity. Read more>>

Shatera Mayo

I actually came up with Mayos Dream Rolled Ice Cream, by literally just loving ice cream and my last name. My grandmother use to drive me to the donut shop which also sold ice cream early in the morning. She would sneak me ice cream and a donut, before taking me back home. That literally went on for months and I loved it. I was a kid so of course I loved it. Read more>>

Jon Wick

consider myself an ‘accidental entrepreneur’ as I had no formal training in graphic design and very little retail experience before starting the business. 5518 Designs really grew organically out of my graduate studies in Technical Communications. I began receiving requests for various creative projects after completing a mountain bike race rebrand for my graduate studies. At its most basic level, I simply enjoyed being creative and helping others through creative solutions and problem solving. Read more>>

Shannon Thomson

Seaglass Collections was first launched in early 2020. I’ve always been a creative person and so decided to use my creativity to share artwork, simple home decor and seaglass jewelry. The jewelry quickly became the focus, so I started to build around that. Learning how to wire wrap and then wire weaving is an ever evolving craft but the rewards are more than worth the sore fingers. Read more>>

Gerrie LHeureux

I had renovated a couple of houses in Leonardtown and drove past an abandoned hardware store/lumber yard. It was large enough to house several stores and vendor spots to resemble walking down an old european street with shops on each side. The idea of community catalyst was much needed where customers could come in shop, have food and sit around catching up with friends or relatives. The building is both heated and air conditioned which promotes an all weather hangout. Read more>>

Mr Reginald Thompson

I was raised by my grandmother. She gave me all the love, care, food, and clothes than I could have asked for. During my childhood I was fascinated with movies particularly Action Movies! My favorite action movies of all time are ‘Die Hard” “Speed” “Con Air” & “Bad Boy’s”. In my opinion the 90’s were and still is the best decade for Action Cinema. Watching action films was an experience. It was my get away from home when I couldn’t actually get away from home. My dream was then to do all of the action I saw on tv. Read more>>

Olajumoke Otunubi’

As I reflect on my journey, I recall how my mother instilled in me the importance of being intentional about the products we use on our skin. Coconut oil and shea butter were our trusted allies for moisturizing. However, when I entered college and puberty hit me hard, acne became an unwelcome guest. It was during that time that my teacher, Mr. Omoihke, recommended a skincare product specifically designed to treat acne. Read more>>