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.

Domenica Giovannini

I didn’t start with a single business idea so much as a pattern I couldn’t ignore. Early in my career, I worked across nonprofits, local government, and community health organizations. In each role, I was often pulled into situations where the mission was clear but the systems supporting it were not. Communications lived in people’s heads instead of documented processes. Funding strategies were reactive. Read More>>

July Valentine

A friend and I were sitting at a bar discussing past times. I mentioned my Creative Writing Degree for Entertainment. He asked about any projects I was working on. I told him about a series I had conceptualized. Read More>>

Miko Severo

I’ve always loved seeing an idea through from start to finish. This year, acting has been my main focus, exploring roles that challenge me and shape the way I think about storytelling. I’m also still creating through music and songwriting, and producing content, photography, and video gives me another way to tell stories and capture moments. Read More>>

Baer Kenney

I had been giving people instructions and pointers on sword fighting for several years, but the number of people wanting individual instruction was growing. My wife and I were on vacation when we talked about finding a place to teach more regularly when we suddenly realized that was a school! Read More>>

Jake White

Every one has an idea but the difference in dreamers and doers, is execution. For music, I knew the biggest step besides creating it, would be promoting it. I started every kind of social media page and posted continuous content to work with the algorithms and spread my music as far as it could go! Read More>>

Katherine Studley

The transition from idea to execution was almost immediate for me because the idea itself was time-sensitive. The spark actually happened in the summer of 2020 during a phone call with a friend back in Buffalo who had an OnlyFans account. In passing, I mentioned that lingerie would be a tax write-off for her. She was completely shocked. Read More>>

Yetunde Adegbite

As a food technologist, I have always been passionate about creating healthier food options. My journey began with the realization that much of the food consumed today is heavily chemical-laden, contributing to lifestyle-related diseases. During my youth service in Northern Nigeria, I witnessed firsthand the scale of food waste in the region. Read More>>

Kasarena Batiste

It all started from an idea, at the time, I was in between semesters taking a break to gather funds I needed to return to school. I decided to become a flight attendant, I could earn the money I needed for school and travel the world. During the interview process I proceeded from a room of 200 applicants to 20. Read More>>

Sandra Acham

I had been in corporate marketing and communications for years, supporting some of the most innovative leaders in the tech industry. I loved creating stories that brought each individual (and their business) to light, but wanted to build something of my own that I could grow and explore without boundaries. Read More>>

Tiera Lanae

I started with what I had and it was as about $60. Read More>>

Ervin Cordero

The idea of how my business, Traklife Music, didn’t exactly come from one event that happened in my life. It wasn’t like a light switch flipped and the idea popped in my mind. Traklife is actually a culmination of my entire life. I was always a creative and curious person who appreciated the ‘how’ over the ‘what’. Read More>>

Nancy Bilyeau

I had published three novels in a historical mysteries series set in the 16th century and was considering what to do next. While visiting my sister in Virginia, we toured Hillwood, the Marjorie Merriweather Post house in Washington, DC. It’s filled with beautiful objects that Post collected, among them Sevres Porcelain. Read More>>

Kaleigh Wiese

The seed for ODE was planted long before I realized I was creating something transformative for the hospitality industry. For nearly two decades, I worked fractionally with hospitality and service-based businesses as a consultant and educator—helping them find their brand voice, attract their ideal guests, and build revenue-generating strategies. Read More>>

Stephen Kelly

Around 2019 I had the moment where it clicked that this could be more than just something I enjoyed. I had a friend trust me with her wedding, and then I did a double family session with two moms and their kids. People liked the photos, but I walked away feeling two things at the same time. One, I knew I had something. Read More>>

Carlynne McDonnell

I have always wanted to have a dog sanctuary for homeless dogs. A lot of people say that, but they don’t realize how absolutely difficult it is to do. We started our non-profit 2 years before we started looking for a brick and mortar location. We took in in senior dogs and hospice dogs in our home in our HOA neighborhood. Read More>>

Lucretia Doyle

I started the Patricia Ann Doyle Foundation in July 2016 while traveling on a business trip to Dallas for a former employer. During that trip, God gave me the vision to create a nonprofit in memory of my mother, a formerly incarcerated woman. I wanted to give back to youth with incarcerated woman. Read More>>

Misty Carter

I didn’t start with a business plan. I started with noticing. The idea didn’t arrive as a lightning bolt or a polished vision. It came quietly, through conversations, community gatherings, and moments where I realized people were already coming to me for space. Not for answers, but for room to think, to untangle, to be heard without being rushed. Read More>>

Juliaette Long

I’ve been building this for over 15 years. I was already telling stories before I knew what to call it. I was writing scripts, always had a camera with me, documenting my life, conversations, and ideas, and shaping them into stories. I started producing content for other companies, but eventually realized I wanted to showcase my own perspective. Read More>>

Jacqueline Crank Owner of JckiGlam

I started my makeup journey shortly after having my first daughter, who is six now. Becoming a mom shifted everything for me my confidence, my identity, and how I saw myself. Makeup became my outlet. Read More>>

Amberly Lago

From Rock Bottom to Purpose-Driven Business: How I Turned Pain Into a Platform I didn’t start my business with a business plan. I started it after losing everything I thought defined me. After a near-death accident, I lost my career, my physical abilities, and the life I had worked so hard to build. I was forced to start over at 43—physically, emotionally, and professionally. Read More>>