One of the challenges we’ve seen to true equality of opportunity is that schools and books often can’t (or choose not) offer access to one of the most equalizing resources – first hand stories of how successful entrepreneurs made their ideas a reality. If you grew up in a family or community that had many successful entrepreneurs you may have been lucky to hear many conversations and stories about starting and executing on an idea, but there are millions of people across the country who haven’t had the same advantage and so our hope here is to create a space where those stories can be told in a more public forum for the benefit of any and every aspiring entrepreneur.
Amanda Kidd
It was my prayer life for me. In order to go from idea to execution, it took deepening my faith and spending more time in prayer with God. You see I had launched a business before, but this time I did not want to just launch a business, I wanted to build a legacy. When I identified what barriers the interrupted my legacy building, I immediately sought God in prayer. Mainly to expose why things had not turned out as I hoped and strategize so many years for. Read more>>
Victoria Pillman
The idea for a product for myself is what started the journey to opening Victoria P Design Shop. I was looking for a personalized cutting board to commemorate my new marriage and new house. And I thought if this idea had been placed on my heart for my own family, maybe other young couples like us would be interested as well! And just like that, the idea for a personalized gift shop was born. Read more>>
Kendra Schneider
The initial business idea I had was not for Takeout Takeout at all. In the very beginning I wanted to do a zero-waste restaurant & refill store. I wanted it to be like an eco-friendly Cracker Barrel restaurant on one side store on the other. I kept researching zero-waste restaurants and to see if I could figure out how that part could work. I was already on a journey to reduce food packaging in my home after being inspired by watching documentaries like A Plastic Ocean and Down to Earth. I figured all I had to do to start a zero-waste restaurant was nail down a few recipes to sell to the masses. Read more>>
Aztec Eagles
We had two shows a month away, one member, and dms were sent and answered, and we formed the final members of the Aztec Eagles. We started practicing, some things were clicking some things weren’t and throughout all the struggles, mess ups, and lessons learned, we continued to grow and preform every show better than the last. Read more>>
Brendan Wang
Being a founder is like that of a classical music composer. The composer, as brilliant as one can be, cannot create a performance that adds value to an audience without the orchestra members, who each contribute to the symphony performance. Read more>>
Karla Lucero
When I first started doing make-up application and hairstyling, I would say it was in middle school going into high school. I remember I would get my friends and I ready and we would just take pictures to post as our new profile pictures, it was something I loved to do and from that point on I knew I had found a calling of mine. Read more>>
Ann McGrath
My dream of owning my own preschool evolved over the years. I have always loved working with kids and started babysitting neighborhood children as soon as I was able to. Through the years, I have always worked in some capacity with children (preschools, school-age programs, babysitting/nannying, internships and volunteering). In first grade, my student of the week poster told everyone I wanted to be a teacher growing up. In college, that dream changed to owning my own preschool center. Read more>>
Jill Regalado
Horses have always been my passion and I have worked professionally in the equine industry for 15 years. I started grooming, then transitioned into managing hunter/jumper show horses as well as training. I moved to Charleston in 2017, to work full time for a private family farm. I met my husband shortly after moving here and in 2021 our first son was born. Read more>>
Amber Bergman
I was working at a busy veterinary hospital and boarding facility. We used to get quite a few calls from clients asking if we knew someone who would come into their home to care for their pets. There are a lot of dogs and especially cats that do not do well in a boarding facility. I had a lot of responsibilities while working at the vet, my favorite was working in the kennel taking care of the dogs and cats. Read more>>
Laura Milner Bailey
My journey to entrepreneurship began early on as a child, my late mother was an entrepreneur, and business owner in Alexandria, Egypt. At a young age I was always inspired by her constant drive and tenacity; she had a passion like no one else to succeed and establish something she was truly passionate about. Despite seeing first-hand the commitment business ownership required I knew one day I wanted something of my own. Read more>>
Cammeron Ficklin
In the early twenties of my life, while working a regular 9-5 job, I had a burning desire to pursue my passion for music. I knew that I wanted to create something of my own in the music industry, so I started saving money with a specific goal in mind – to purchase my first music asset for publishing. Read more>>
Julia Maldonado Maldonado
My corporate experience, mainly in technology and software, taught me the necessary lessons in operations, project management and internal processes that would be great in starting any business venture, but I also desired to create and innovate. How could I incorporate my professional knowledge and experience with my creative passion and desire at the same time? Read more>>
Dion Lewis
The idea of the Photos in thesis (Pit) Walks derived from a New York brainstorming session about wanting to create an addition to Inpuristform. Taking photography, which became something I grew to love over my time of living in LA & wanting to bridge that gap through the brand. Storytelling has always been apart of the how & why I partake in any creative endeavors that fulfill me. Read more>>
Melissa Hartner
I started playing around with the idea of having a flower farm a few years ago. I have always loved flowers and gardening. My Dad is an avid gardener and always made sure to involve us children in the garden when we were growing up. Being exposed to gardening as a child really ignited my love for growing things. Read more>>
Joean Montayre
I had my first venture into serious business when I was 24 years old. Before that, I was working as a full-time designer in international companies while I do freelance illustration jobs on the side since I was 18. One day I just figured out I don’t like to work for anyone anymore. I want to work for myself, build my own signature styles and establish a name for myself. I knew my strengths and I was capable of finding a B2B/B2C network that allowed me to start. Read more>>
Bridgette Sieffert
GraduateTheU – University of Minnesota Twin Cities Edition – is a board game my family invented, designed, played, re-designed and took to market over a two year span. The idea of GraduateTheU was born out of an excessive amount of family board game playing during the pandemic. My parents were working from home and my brother and I were attending the U remotely during the day. Read more>>
Anastasia Slavkovic
During my college years I actually first started my business endeavors selling handmade jewelry on Etsy/in person. I’ve always loved geodes, and unique textures, and colors – so I began making chokers and necklaces out of different findings, crystals, stones, and sea shells. I sold under the name Haos (meaning Chaos). I got my first few experiences of what it takes to launch a product and sell. Read more>>
Veronica Abeyta
It all starts with a vision or some say a dream. Even though owning a business can can seem out of reach at times, it’s the passion & hustle behind the scenes that make it become a reality! I’ve always loved people & I’ve always loved what I do. It’s never been just a “job” for me. Our industry not only helps the outer beauty we also contribute to people’s mental health by enhancing their natural beauty! Read more>>
Joanna Tarnava
The VibeSpa was born late last year with an opportunity to bring a massage space to an event called “Afrobeats to the World” for their 1 year anniversary party. The producer; Blaq Pages brings a multitude of events during day and night curating incredible vibes of music, dance and community, it’s truly an honor to be aligning with him and his vision the people who gather in celebration. This wasn’t the first event I’d brought healing to, but it was the first in a new atmosphere where the patrons aren’t used to experiencing this kind of offering. Read more>>
Kelly Tate
One of my greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses is that I’m a perfectionist. When it came to figuring out how I was going to display my photography in a 10×10 booth at an art fair, I saw both sides. Once I had a portfolio I was mostly happy with, I knew the next part of my plan to become a professional landscape photographer was to start selling at art fairs, and this required having a booth. Usually this consists of a tent of some sort, a place to hang your art, and a small location to keep the necessary materials to operate a shop in the middle of a public street. Read more>>
Georgiann Tyrrell
The day that sparked the idea for Georgiann Photography stands out in my mind, even though many other memories from that time are hazy. It was a sunny afternoon, and I found myself on a familiar walk, but everything felt unfamiliar and distant. You see, I had recently suffered a brain injury that had taken away pieces of my memory, both short-term and long-term. Read more>>
Kimberly Novak
Bella’s journey began to unfold long before it ever became a “story.” It all began during a women’s retreat, where a sudden urge to seek spiritual direction was instilled within me by a force greater than myself. During a talk given by the speaker on butterflies, I found myself drawn to the subject matter, and my interest was piqued. It wasn’t until I reviewed my prayer journal that same week that I realized I had written down the words “spiritual direction” and “butterfly,” and I knew God was trying to guide me towards a certain path. Read more>>
Melissa Klema
My husband and I, on a whim started looking at cabins a few years ago. It was when the market was going crazy, cabins were selling as soon as they hit the market. Probably not the best time to begin looking for real estate! We put offers in on two different places and didn’t get either of them. We happened to come across a bare lot in Wisconsin and decided pretty much immediately that we wanted to purchase this and build. Not have it built by someone, but to build and design it ourselves. Read more>>
Zack Jurasek
Well, it probably started when I was about 13years old. I would go flounder gigging on the Texas coast and it always fascinated me the amount of aquatic nightlife that quite literally comes to life at night. We have bioluminescent jellyfish to flounder and even the random jumping fish. All of this has always excited me. I found the Clear kayaks online and made my first order in which I had plans of just utilizing it as a floundering vessel. Read more>>
Stephen Miller
My Entrepreneurial Journey started in 2020 in midst of the coronavirus pandemic. I was currently employed at a private Social club in Downtown Columbus as one of the lead cooks. Because we essentially were an exclusive restaurant, we were able to stay open while most businesses had to close. It was a blessing to keep steady income in such a crazy time but mentally I was ready to move on. Read more>>
Maurice Clark-Wilkinson
First and foremost, thank you for the wonderful opportunity. To answer your question the process to get to this point was very tough. I had no money in the bank, lost my job, and my car was repossessed. It was such a low point in my life and I felt so defeated and I had no idea what I was going to do. But in my zero hour I remembered one important thing and that was Whose I was and when I say whose (I am referring to GOD). So, if I can be honest with you this was never an idea, but more so a promise and I say that because had I not realized whose I was in my darkest moment then I never would have been bold enough to stand firm in faith and make a promise to God. Read more>>
The Michigan Guru
During the pandemic, I watched a lot of YouTube. I had a few favorite vloggers, but one really stood out to me. I really enjoyed this person’s style. It was like one day while watching him, a lightbulb went off. I could do this too. As a happy Michigander, I knew I could go out, film my state and bring it home to others to enjoy as well. Michigan has so much beauty that needs to be seen and discovered by others that have no idea what is out here. So, first I knew I had to have a name. A brand. I grabbed my notebook and started brainstorming. It took a long time to find my name. The Michigan Guru was born. Read more>>
LaToya Taylor
It started as an idea many years ago. I always knew I wanted to become an author, but it didn’t become clear until 2020 the year of the pandemic. I was a single mother of a two year old son and I knew I wanted to touch the lives of other single mothers like myself. Because let’s be honest single parenting is HARD! So I knew I had to come up with a concept that would offer single mothers some insight and wisdom. I had the idea to create a self help book that would offer them “steps” that could make single parenting easier. Read more>>
Jenna Holtschulte
My second child was heading off to kindergarten soon, I was just a stay at home mom and working with a friend creating hand lettered signs on the side. A local carpenter and entrepreneur, Brian Lee, was renovating a large building downtown on Main Street and approached my husband and I if we would be interested in putting something in the soon to be renovated space. It all quickly snowballed from there. I knew I always wanted to own a small gift shop and had looked at a few random buildings in nearby towns over the years, Read more>>
Tatyana Collins
Going from idea to execution was not a fast thing. The idea started in 2012, when I decided that I wanted to pursue fashion and start my own store. I seen someone close to me start her boutique and I wanted to follow behind her. Now the business didn’t start until 7 years later in my freshman year of college. Me and my mama decided that it was the right time and we took this idea that I have been hanging onto and executed it. Read more>>
Caitlin Palomin
After graduating from law school and finishing taking the bar, I was in a limbo period. I didn’t have my license to practice law yet, and I was no longer studying relentlessly for law school, so I needed something to fill my time. I had developed a love for baking over the years, and I had begun to really explore this passion throughout law school. I studied recipes and techniques, and I found that I truly had a skill. My husband and I had been discussing possibly starting a baking business, and I knew that I wanted to test out the market at a farmer’s market. Read more>>
Brittany Mobley
As a public relations professional and business owner of Culturit Public Relations and Design Co., I’m thrilled to share the story of how my journey began, from the initial idea to the successful launch of my business. It all started with a vision, a passion for communication, and a desire to make a positive impact in the world. Read more>>
Angalaise Mitchell
Wow, going through the actual launching stage was very stressful! I believe I’m still going through it, in some ways. It’s only been 3 months since we’ve made the idea a reality. I always knew I wanted to be a Entrepreneur. After covid hit, I had plenty of time to think of what made me happy that I could turn into revenue for my family and I. After 1 year of only brainstorming, I came to the realization that organizing things really gave me much pleasure! Growing up with a mother like mine. I was taught early how to clean, and organize. Read more>>
Abril Prado
During COVID-19 locked down, I was very stressed out worrying about my family’s safety but also, but I worried about my daughters development because she had just turned one year old and we couldn’t go out anywhere so I made it my goal to do my very best to keep her entertained. I found polymer clay is better then play-doh and It was a wonderful sensory and learning experience for her, helping her develop fine motor skills and we were also spending quality time together. Read more>>
Shawnc Kpris
Well thank you for having me. Going from idea to execution can be a struggle but I have accomplished so much when I kinda isolate myself with my ideas and plans. A little about me, I am a self taught makeup artist and I found joy in making women look beautiful, beauty influencing and content creation. Being on camera and showing my creativity and sense of humor helped me through a very difficult time I’m my life. Read more>>
Lizz Ritenour
So it all began when I got my first DLSR camera for Christmas in 2017. For the next 2-2 1/2 years I was self teaching and taking pictures of family and friends. Things began to take a turn when I was asked to photograph my best friends proposal. There was a creative break through that occurred for me that day when I realized that I could take this beyond something casual. Being able to capture such an important, happy moment really made an impact on me. Read more>>
Cesurian Champagne
It started with meeting a kid that played basketball to their mom asking if u could train their daughter because she wanted to play basketball in high school. I had just finished playing my final year of basketball in collegenand I was purchasing a storage unit for my apartment. After small talk, the owners stated that they have a daughter who plays basketball and they asked if it’s possible for me to work with her. Read more>>
Johnie Drake
I began working as a freelance trainer during my pursuit of a professional career as a track and field sprinter. T&F high school coaches who knew I was in Detroit training for my season would contact me and ask could I come share my expertise with their athletes. I loved the idea of freely choosing when, where, and who I worked with. In addition, I solely worked with a trainer to enhance my track career. Read more>>
Emily & Kevin Purcell
The restaurant was fully functional when we purchased it, so we were able to bring in our own ideas to further grow it. These ranged from fun stuff like cocktails and menu items to more serious issues like prioritizing our employees’ mental health and making the restaurant a go-to spot yet again. Our first step for the menu was to introduce seasonal menu items; seeing their popularity grow over several months, we’re now able to bring fan favorites annually and generate buzz. Read more>>
TL Shively
My whole life I have always had stories in my head, during long drives or just when I would be in a situation where my mind would wander. I would read stories and then create stories with my own characters. One day I was talking to a co-worker about all my stories and he told me that I needed to write those stories down for others to read. I told him that no one would want to read them. He looked at me and said not if you don’t write them. That was the push I needed to start my writing but it took me over ten years to finally get that first story written. Read more>>
Josh Hammonds
I always had a passion for finance, especially when I moved to California. My ex was a millionaire at 21. She did loans for a mortgage company typically from then we actually started our own real estate Firm ALR financial We bought rehabbed and flipped properties in Northern California down to Georgia typically before the market fluctuated, we are making around 75,000 every two days Read more>>
Shenise Foster
Every business idea starts with a passion for the craft. Throughout my journey to becoming a business owner, I organically was affiliating myself within the creative services realm. In high school, I was the president of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), in college I majored in marketing communications and in my professional career I stood up my organization’s digital media presence. Read more>>
Adriana Berg
I always knew I was interested in photography but it wasn’t until people starting reaching out to me for photo sessions that I considered making it into a business. Once I started to have more inquires I took the next step by making social media accounts, a website, and a formal business structure. Through creating easy to navigate customer touch points such as implementing Google Forms for bookings, I have been able to gain many new clients and provide a great customer experience! Read more>>
Courtney Renkema
After graduating from college, I developed a new interest in sewing. However, I found there were limited opportunities to grow in this skill set. I took one class at a local sewing shop but otherwise became self taught. My husband’s job relocated us to California for a few years. I explored jobs where I could sew and found Fashion Camp, a creative learning space that teaches children how to sew! I happily worked there for a few years until my daughter was born. Read more>>
Amy Shannon
The summer before my senior year of high school I was asked to take graduation photos for one of my best friends. The world was just opening up after the Covid-19 pandemic, and I had been passing the time during lockdown doing simple photoshoots with my sister. I was so excited that my “work” had been looked on with favor, that I took my cell phone and tripod and happily agreed. Read more>>
Jamella Gross
My idea started from a want and need for more. When I first became a parent I had this feeling of not wanting to work for anyone. I’ve obtained many jobs in my life but nothing as satisfying as being able to work for myself. One day that all changed as I scrolled through social media I kinda had an epiphany about what I wanted to do with my life. I kept seeing people say good things about Shopify and I decided to give it a try. Read more>>
Rikae Gill
Once I realized that the only thing stopping me was myself, I got out of my way. I have been teaching and mentoring for as long as I can remember. Last year 2022, I realized that I wanted to work for myself versus going in to clock in for work, so I filed for my LLC. I want to have the freedom to make my schedule, travel the world, and enjoy life! I don’t want my job to feel like a job, just something I enjoy doing without all the extra responsibilities. Read more>>
Becci Murray
My journey towards having a career as children’s author has been a long and exciting road. I’ve always had a passion for children’s literature, as I love stories that transport you to other worlds where the characters are as large as life and literally anything can happen. In my twenties, I started writing plays and songs for a local children’s theatre company, after which an opportunity came up for me to submit my work to a UK-based television channel called Children’s BBC. Read more>>