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.

Kasie Kimble

For years I’ve always wanted to start my own business but had no idea where or how to begin. So in February 2021 i was sitting in my room and the most random thought popped into my head “sugar scrubs!” Some companies don’t use natural ingredients in products, and I knew people cared about their lips, taking care of them and moisturizing as well so i started getting to work. Read more>>

Angela Walden

My son Regent, who is now 19, has autism. When he was diagnosed at age three, it was overwhelming. I had three other young children, all of whom were busy with school and their other activities who also needed my attention. My husband at the time (we are separated 10 years ago) worked into the evenings and Saturdays so most of the responsibilities fell on me. Read more>>

Harris Baker

I came up with the actual idea for Catfluence (@catfluence) in September of 2017, but it really in a way started a few years before that. In November 2013 I got a cat named Doober with my ex-girlfriend. After three weeks, a tragic accident led to his untimely passing, and as a result, we got two new cats, Elliot and Olivia. Read more>>

Misty Phillip

I was entering a new season of life. After leaving my corporate job consulting at Enron, I spent the next 15 years at home, homeschooling my boys. As my boys began to graduate, I prayed about what was next for me. I prayed a very specific prayer: where does my gifting and calling line up in the next season of my life? Read more>>

Ish Barri

I’ve always loved photography ever since I was a kid. I remember after moving to Texas in 1996 and attending Pershing Middle School, I would always have a disposable camera with me, taking pictures of my friends and classmates. This continued throughout high school and my young adult life. Read more>>

Samantha W

Josh and I started doing photography together during the year of the pandemic. Like everyone else, we needed a new hobby, something to fill up some free-time, and something that would allow us to get out and still interact with others. Photography allowed us to do so. It still does. Read more>>

Stephanie Nguyen

I’ve always had a job. No matter what, I was always working somewhere. I used to work at Hugo Boss, Cotton On, ScienceWorks, Jo Malone London & Oscar Wylee, I was a Taekwondo Instructor, a nanny and a wedding singer! So you can imagine how I felt when I was jobless for the first time in my life. Stressed, worried, bored – you name it. And this was all at the ripe age of… 21. Read more>>

Taneé Smith

I am a licensed nail technician so my first time making a skin care product was a foot scrub that my clients were able to add on to their pedicure service. Around this same time I was in search of an all natural product that would help with hyperpigmentation and that wouldn’t irritate my sensitive skin. I began to experiment and ended up making a body and face scrub that my skin loved. Read more>>

GIAMPIERO DI PERSIA

My wife Benedetta , the Mastermind behind our successful business , has had a great culinary passion since her childhood , learning the art of creating perfect dishes with her grandma and later studying with renowned chefs , getting to open her first restaurant in her late twenties. When she moved to Miami , I strongly adverse her idea to open a restaurant : very different than Italy and too much demanding….. So she came up with the idea of a bakery : shorter hours , Sundays closure , easier preparation , not being “a la carte” but , ready to go. Read more>>

Kiersten Hoeg

I’ve always been into sewing, I even went to sewing summer camps as a kid. Everything took a turn In 2016 my son was born. I took a dislike to the “boy” clothes offered in box stores. I wasn’t into a bunch of graphics and monster trucks. Not to mention some of the quality issues with them. Plus kids just grow so fast I was constantly replacing clothes. Read more>>

Morgan Markowski

I’ve been a creative ever since I was a kid. Though I really started to make money from my creative skills in high school after my aunt was telling me to start charging people for portraits. I remember charging $100 for a wedding. Since then, I’ve always had the entrepreneurial spirit. Once I decided to go to college and get a Bachelors of Arts in Graphic Design, it wasn’t until one of my last classes before graduation that I decided that I wanted to be my own boss. Read more>>

Sarah Vanornum

It was last 2021 when I heard it was a YES year. early that year, I had an impression in my heart to sign up for a mission trip. It was scary to sign up knowing I am a homeschooling mom and my husband is the only one who is currently working. It means I have to raise funds so I can go and serve. So I did it. Read more>>

Trudy-Ann Armand

Oh, HER-MINE has a special place in my heart. It all started with my mom, Pam, and me, still reeling from the loss of my aunt Hermine, a truly extraordinary woman. An architect, artist, scientist, and gardening guru, Hermine fought a six-year battle to protect her right to plant an organic vegetable garden. Read more>>

Jessica Adams

My business idea was inspired by a fashion trend I was seeing all over social media. Women were tucking their shirts into their bras to create crop tops out of their full length tops. It was genius! It was a great way to stay trendy and be resourceful which really spoke to me! Read more>>

Kristen Chorba

I have loved crystals my whole life. I remember, as a kid, walking with my mom to a small rock shop a couple blocks up the road from where we lived. I’d spend hours pouring over all of the unique crystals and stones there – it was always so fascinating. Read more>>

Sylvia Foures

My interest in floral design came from wanting to do something creative and freeing away from the computer. I work as an art director/designer in advertising and marketing and while I enjoy that side of my career, I missed working with my hands and feeling connected to nature. I started dabbling in the flowers as a personal outlet. Read more>>

Jon Liebman

I’d been a professional bass player for many years, performing, touring, recording, etc. I’d also written several best-selling bass instruction books. One day, I got an email from someone who said, “Jon Liebman. I love your books, I love your stuff, I love what you do. I looked all over the internet and I can’t believe there’s no jonliebman.com.” I smacked my palm to my forehead and knew this was something I had to do. Read more>>

Vihan Khanna

Back in 2019, I was interning at a local film festival. I had been working with them for a few years, and I noticed that student filmmakers often had either very small categories or no presence at all. I also noticed that most film festivals did not have categories for amateur filmmakers. That is where I got the idea for Visionaries Film Festival. Read more>>

Rebecca Wertheimer

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for over a decade, I have spent hours honing the skills of listening, asking questions, and helping people feel comfortable sharing. With Storied, I use my skills to promote joy and connection. Read more>>

Jaleesa Washington

I was sitting in my room one day watching Property Brothers and I just heard God say “I want you to get 50 women in the same room.”. None of that made any sense because I don’t know of 50 women that would use their time coming into a room with me. Outside had just opened back up and I knew that women wanted to enjoy being outside, traveling, brunching etc and not sitting in a room with me. Read more>>

Terence Hover

“Money Matters Made Easy” is a book series born out of a personal passion for financial literacy and a desire to teach others about financial responsibility. Its creation was inspired by the curiosity and business-minded spirit of my three children, and my realization that there’s a need for accessible and easy-to-understand financial advice for families. Read more>>

Floss Blackburn

From the time I was a small child I knew that I was drawn to helping and rescuing animals. Read more>>

Ki Harris

I started my business to serve my local queer community. I am a resource for folks who may not feel comfortable with or fully seen by a traditional tailor. I prioritize gender nonconforming folks intentionally to create a space for people with very specific and sometimes personal fit challenges to get their needs met without fear of judgment. Read more>>

Caitlin Weerts

Oh, the story of Pleasant Hill Co. is as colorful as a patchwork quilt and as heartwarming as a cup of hot cocoa on a snowy day! It’s a tale of dreams and determination, passion and perseverance, and of turning life’s little detours into the scenic route. Read more>>

Molly Meierding

Our story is simple, a mental health therapist and special education teacher were stuck at home for 9 months during quarantine with a newborn and needed an outlet. It started with DIY projects at our new home and quickly expanded into exploring the wonderful world of woodworking and we’ve never looked back. It has been an amazing way to build our relationship and share our passion with others. Read more>>

Inbal Claudio

Back in 2019, I was a small business owner of a candle company and a first-time mom. I was experienced with in-person shows and events but knew I had to pivot to more of an online presence when my first daughter was born. With the small budget that I had, I tried everything I could, but at the end of the day, I felt defeated while my bank account dwindled. Read more>>

Abraham Justice

My light bulb moment occurred after listening to friends rate how ‘hot’ the girls they met were on a scale of 1-10. The number 1 represented the lowest score, and 10 represented the highest. However, based on the women I have met along the way I discovered, it was more than just beauty and physical attributes. I deemed it necessary to include intelligence, kindness, culinary skills, and mental and physical health as well. Read more>>

Miguel Ortiz

The genesis of my business, Hoops413, sprouted from an unexpected yet heartwarming series of events that unfolded in my life. It all began with a simple act of kindness – training my friends’ young son in the art of basketball. Little did I know that this seemingly ordinary act would catalyze a remarkable journey into the world of youth basketball coaching. Read more>>

Roxanne Cox

I made my first body scrub during the pandemic in 2021, when my favorite scrub was discontinued and I could not find anything similar. Through some research, I learned how to make the scrub myself. And started experimenting with different scents. Read more>>

Alicia Coulter

My personal lifestyle brand, Alicia Nicole was birthed from my belief that every professional woman should have a personal lifestyle brand. Once I developed my personal brand, I was not sure what direction I was going, I just knew that I wanted a brand that allowed me the opportunity to do something outside of my traditional executive environment. When I created my brand, coaching was growing, however, I knew that I did not want to do that. Read more>>

Keegan Fong

Woon was born out of a desire to share my mom’s food and story. Growing up, my mom would host my friends and cook for them. She quickly earned the nickname, “Mama Fong”. Years later, I found myself working in apparel marketing. Read more>>

Yaocheng Yang

The inspiration for my storytelling often comes from my experiences and the people and events I’ve witnessed. Whenever I feel deeply about something, an image forms in my mind. Soon after, the characters within that image, along with their stories, begin to unfold and expand ceaselessly. Read more>>

Shenna Drain

The idea for Dirty Hippie Co initially came about when I was searching for inexpensive Christmas gifts for my family and friends. As it turned out, making candles was something I had a natural talent for, and this hobby quickly evolved into a business venture. After experiencing a few successful years in West Virginia, life took a different turn, and Dirty Hippie Creations went on a semi-permanent hiatus. Read more>>

Dozie Oheri

My decision to step away from my role working for other nonprofit organizations to launch Choose to DO, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to empowering black teens, was a pivotal moment in my career. In the initial stages of building Choose to DO, Inc., I sought guidance from a diverse group of individuals I had encountered on my path – lawyers, friends, fellow entrepreneurs, and other key stakeholders. Their insights and support were valuable in shaping Choose to DO, Inc.’s mission and vision. Read more>>

John Simmons

My business partner and I had intended on launching a THC beverage in the cannabis/dispensary world back in 2017. We went to the MJ Cannabis Trade show in Las Vegas to explore the category and landscape…and it dawned on us that we should do a CBD beverage instead. This was before any of those existed. We saw the momentum behind the CBD category at large, whereas all of those CBD product formats were in tincture or topical form. Read more>>

Mamie Trotter

Herbal Riot was an unplanned, serendipitous spark of creativity, fueled by a passion for sharing plant medicine with the world. During the summer of 2020 (mid pandemic, realizing I didn’t want to be in the service industry forever), I enrolled in an Herbalism program here in Denver. The idea to turn my knowledge and passion into a business, started when I created my very first projects for my final project in the herbalism course.I realized I had a unique niche to play with and needed to get my products out into the world. Read more>>

Averien Turner

How I first got the idea for my non profit Little Humble Entrepreneurs Foundation, first came from an event that we did at my clothing store. A young man by the name of Nasir that was 6 years old came up to me and ask me if I can help him start his lemonade stand. Of course I loved the ambition from the young man so we put it in full motion. Read more>>

Tarra Hardeman

n 2016 I owned a school and was a mom two two teens and two youngsters. I purchased a big name baby wash and was very excited to receive it in the mail. It was from one of the leading baby skin care companies and it was listed as natural and lavender. I opened the package, very excitedly, and got my kids ready for bath. Read more>>

Jodi Jacobson

When I was a little girl about 8 years old, I realized that I was special as I could see and hear the dead speak. I also could communicate with the tress, rivers, plants, and elements around me. When I questioned my abilities to people they looked at me as if I was crazy, so I kept it to myself. On the other hand the trees and spirits saw me struggling and they would come to my aide and provide the answers I needed. Read more>>

Jacqueline Fulcher

I wasn’t really expecting to start my own private practice. I would have most likely joined a group practice, or worked for a hospital or established organization. However, when the COVID pandemic occurred, I found myself thrown into a completely different path. Read more>>