Starting a business or creative project is scary for many reasons, but one that is often overlooked is the anxiety related to whether this is really “the one.” To some, this isn’t a valid consideration while to others this is the only consideration. Some argue that what you work on, along with who you work with are the two most pivotal decisions you’ll make and so we’ve asked folks to tell us about how they came up with their ideas and how they knew this idea was the one.
Malia Carvalho
My journey to becoming The Kundalini Coach is a story of my own challenges, dreams, mistakes, growth, studies and visions!. Like many creative types, I have always had many interests, finding it simply impossible to narrow it all down and choose ONE venture to focus on. It is a trait that certainly has held me back and distracted me at times. When one has so many interests, how does one choose what to focus on? When all of these ideas are floating around in the busy, active mind, it is easy to throw up the arms and become frozen amongst too many options. THIS is where the very practice I teach comes in to save the day! Read more>>
Jason Colleran
The idea for Kinetic Arm was born out of my personal experience as an athlete and the challenges I faced with arm injuries. From the moment I picked up a baseball at the age of four, the sport became my passion. I was fortunate to be sponsored by my community because my family couldn’t afford the costs. My coaches were more than just instructors – they were mentors and role models who deeply influenced my life. Being part of a team meant everything to me, and as I got older and became an athlete I saw baseball as my ticket to college and a way to potentially take care of my family. Baseball represented my dreams and aspirations, but as I got older I began to face challenges that ultimately altered the course of my life. Read more>>
Ashley Washington
There was a moment when I was shopping for clothes preparing to go back into the office after working remotely for a while. While in the dressing room failing to find dress pants that actually fit, I broke down and tears started rolling down my face. I didn’t realize how much I had changed since having kids. Seeing the physical change also made me realize that I was so far removed from who I used to be. I felt like I lost a piece of myself, I lost my confidence. I rarely did anything for myself anymore, it was always something for the kids and the family. I was making sure that everyone and everything else was taken care of first and by the end of the day I was too exhausted to even think about myself. And not to mention the demands of my career as an engineer. I knew that I had to make different choices and start focusing more on my health but I had to find something that actually worked for my busy lifestyle. Read more>>
Cooper Carr
Production Outfitters was born when I was finishing the movie “The Senior” directed by Rod Laurie. At the end of every movie there is a garage sale at the end, the garage sale is when supplies used by the movie are sold very cheaply so they are not thrown away. This particular shoot had LOADS of supplies and I thought man you could open a Production Supply company with all of this. And inside my head I just heard a clear “Why can’t that be you?” About six months later of sitting in front of photoshop fiddling with logo ideas, brand colors, and listening to lots of podcasts on running your own business Production Outfitters was born! Read more>>
Payal Lohia
My journey into creating this platform started in a pretty relatable way. You could say I’m the designated organizer among my friends and at work – you know, the one who always knows where to go and what to eat, no matter who’s in the crowd. A few years back, my obsession with finding the perfect spot led me to create an elaborate Excel file. It wasn’t just any list; it included everything from dietary-friendly menus to parking situations, price points, and even whether our furry friends were welcome. It worked great…until it didn’t. As life took me to different cities and adventures, the list grew cumbersome, and the dream of a simpler solution was born – somewhere over the clouds on a flight, scribbling down what would become the first draft of my business plan, I realized my knack for organizing data could actually fill a gap in the market. Read more>>
Kailynn Kinney
After working on a friend’s wedding last year, I found a unique niche for experience curators in the special event space. It is the mission of my small business, Me & My Frns, to amplify our clients once in a lifetime experiences into unforgettable memories. We cultivate a FRNship with our clients that allows for their free flowing ideas to be transformed into tangible results. We have seen success so far with this business model because everyone wants a friend to bounce ideas off of or just to tell them when something should or should not be included in their experience. As a special events liaisons, we do just that. We also provide services like graphic design, merchandise development, personal styling and consulting, print collateral and so much more! Read more>>
Orlando Serrano
So , I went to school for Accounting with my Masters in Taxation … Most wouldn’t guess that with my comedic side. First off, all of this video comedy, skits, stand up, etc started on a golf course many years back in the 2008/2009 … My buddy Jared aka TheeJewFro & I would be on the golf course heavily drinking and would pull out our iPhone 3GS and press record. Our initial videos were raw, uncut just us being us, on the golf course, saying off the wall funny stuff. We would then post them up on an app called Social Cam … where we blew up & we became known as “The DkF Boys” … followers grew rapidly, so we kept going with it. After that we started posting on Twitter, and IG once video possibilities came about. Recording & posting weekly, we started getting noticed by heavier hitters … got flew into NY for a party by Duracell at Jay Z’s 40/40 club, where many celebrities were, including Jay Z himself. Then got an offer for a pilot TV show on a DirectTV channel called The Bank 9 Network …. we shot several pilot videos, went back and forth with ideas, nothing really cam about from it, outside of being hired for some gaming twitch channel by the prior CEW of Back9Network. Read more>>
Jay Schwertfeger
As a teenage, I always wanted to be a professional drummer in a rock band but I also had an itch to be a teacher. Along with these two passions, I was also very into fitness. Just before Covid hit, I was teaching 2nd grade and I had started to bring in my hand drum to school to create a live version of freeze dance for my kids. As we got sent home to do online learning, I decided to create a video of me drumming doing our freeze dance for my kids. This is essentially where my idea came from. I realized that I could make freeze dance more educational by adding in lessons to the part where the kids froze in place. I was able to combine my love for music, learning and fitness into these freeze dance videos and then realized that it didn’t have to be limited to my class alone; I could create these for kids everywhere. Read more>>
Ayshia Scott
The story behind 2Smooth Visual Media LLC started as a journey of self-expression and connection. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, but it wasn’t just about capturing moments; it was about showcasing the unseen side of athletes, entertainers, business owners and everyday people. Working with athletes gave me a window into their lives that most people don’t get to see—those raw, unfiltered moments beyond the game or the stage, where their true personalities shine. That’s where the spark for my business came from. As a former athlete, being injured played a huge role in who I am now. I always wanted to stay around the game; during college, I pulled my hamstring twice, my quad once, and had a muscle chest injury, before being diagnosed with costochondritis, which is the inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone (sternum). This condition typically causes chest pain that may feel like a heart attack, but it is not heart-related. The pain is usually sharp and occurs on the left side of the chest, but it can occur on either side. The pain worsens with deep breathing, coughing, or physical activity. At that point, I knew it was time to hang up my shoes and put the basketball down. I’ve always had a camera in my hand as a child, and as I grew up, I would take my dad’s cameras to record and take pictures. Read more>>
Tracey Andrade
I came up with the idea of using primarily locally sourced shells for jewelry for my love of the ocean. I grew up in South Dartmouth, MA along the water. Clamming with my feet as a child, swimming at our beach asssociation from dusk until dawn. I beach combed for shells and seaglass every chance I got as a way to unwind. I dabbled with so many craft ideas and thought, how can I simply add elegance to shells for jewelry without taking its natural beauty away. In September of 2021 my husband and myself took a ride to Wellfleet, Ma to pick some oysters and browsed through some shops and I didn’t see anything that resembled what I was envisioning. That’s when the motivation started. Read more>>
Leigh Berberian
Glass is arguably one of the most important materials to shape modern society as we know it. The role of glass in human evolution, from science to technology, to health, architecture and art is staggering. In fact, 2 years ago, the General Assembly of the United Nations named 2022 the International Year of Glass! Well, 12 years ago, when I stumbled by coincidence into a career in the glass industry, I took glass for granted, After all, it was everywhere, and mostly something I looked through – a clear substrate that receded into the background of life. Little did I know that I was about to embark upon a whirlwind romance and an adventure with this awesome substrate! Read more>>
Angela Headen
After receiving a Hip Bath a. Korean bath house 10 years ago. My feminine health was transformed!!! I noticed increase confidence, better on overall feminine health, a greater connection to my body and increasesd feminine energy. Surprisingly, all of this from one encounter. Since then Educated Lotus was created out of my passion from plant based feminine health and providing products that treat women as the Holistic beings we are. Read more>>
Kylar Williams
The idea for Two Homes, One Heart came from a conversation with my dad. He recognized that my co-parenting experience differed from the one we often see today. Having grown up in a co-parenting environment, I realized the unique perspective I could bring, and I believed that sharing my experience could help other families in similar situations As he shared his thoughts, I realized how much my story could resonate with parents and children navigating co-parenting, who might not feel fully understood by existing resources. My dad’s encouragement made me see that my journey could bridge a gap, offering something relatable for young people and insightful for parents. I knew this idea was worth pursuing, not just to tell my story but to provide guidance and hope to families working to stay connected across two homes. Read more>>
Sarah Jahnke
You know the senior superlatives they have in school? “Most likely to….”? Well, no one, and I mean NO one, would’ve voted for me for “Most likely to own a business” and certainly not “Most artistic”. To be honest, I might be the most surprised with where I am today. A few years ago, I had an ectopic pregnancy that ended up rupturing. My heart and my body felt broken and as I lay in my bed recovering from the surgery, I knew I needed to find some kind of creative outlet so I could start to heal instead of wrapping this trauma up in a box with a bow and putting it in my mind’s closet (like I usually do). I had been looking to add some details to my home, so I started beading garland and making tassels and figured I could sell some pieces. At first, I was just looking to offset the cost of my craft supplies as I learned new skills but at this strange time in my life, I thought- why not just go for what I really want? Read more>>
Olivia Sears
For the last several years my wife and I, a queer-identifying married couple from Portland, Oregon, had been dreaming of ways to apply our combined skillsets and passions to enact meaningful change in our communities. Sarah is an Executive Creative Director and myself, Olivia, a Client Service leader in tech, found ourselves at a crossroads during the pandemic. Like many, while navigating work from home challenges and the broader difficulties that arose, we spent a lot of time drawing inwards. One of the explorations coming out of that time was around our relationship with alcohol. We began to evaluate how it impacted our lives and relationship, and ultimately committed to engaging more mindfully with drinking. As bars and restaurants began to open back up we found ourselves in a new world, in more ways than one. Read more>>
Jameson Marden
I did not discover my artistic talent until I was well into by 30s. Art was something I had never pursued and always avoided in school. Glass is something I have always been fascinated by and I have always collected it. In July of 2022 I visited the Ann Arbor Art Fair and purchased blown glass pieces. It was then that I stopped and wondered if there was a way I could work with glass. Living in Midland and knowing very little about different glass processes I did when any curious person would do; I Googled it. Fused glass came up in the results. I was not familiar with fused glass but saw I could take a three day technical course at Delphi Glass in Lansing. It was at that class that I became hooked. The class finished on a Friday and I called up and ordered my first kiln the following Monday. I now own three kilns. Read more>>
Camilla Aubrey
As a busy new first time mom and full-time corporate designer, I found myself frustrated by the time and money spent at the salon. Traditional nail polish can be messy, and drug-store press-ons are cheap and brittle. My vision was to create curated, durable, affordable, and convenient products (specifically, press-ons), while also fueling my passion for cleaner oceans. As someone who has always cared deeply for the earth, I prioritize sustainability in our design process by ensuring our products are reusable and our packaging is recyclable. The name “Pretty Good” comes from our slogan, “Look pretty, do good”; a portion of our profits is dedicated to ocean plastic removal. Our nails, when applied properly, can last up to 3 weeks (sometimes longer), and each nail kit includes all the necessary tools for application including a full bottle of the highest quality brush-on glue; offering exceptional value compared to other press-on nail brands. Additionally, I designed a few other products to accompany our press-ons such as curved-fine point tweezers; for application & removal, a cross-body bag to carry all your essentials on the go, and no-mess nail stickers for kids. Read more>>
Allison Shimamoto
My path to entrepreneurship wasn’t a direct one. I spent 10 years in marketing strategy & analytics in the Pharma sector, and became acquainted with some of our toughest ethical challenges. Then I pursued my MBA at the Darden School of Business and dedicated myself to a career in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group. All along, I’d flirted with the idea of starting my own clean haircare line. Those moments of indulgent selfcare in my crazy schedule to wash and detangle my curls recharged me. In fact, since I cut off my chemically straightened hair in 2011, I’ve been obsessed with learning about the science of hair, and making my own natural formulations (there weren’t clean products for textured hair available at the time). A major life event In 2021, made me take the leap full time; the birth of my daughter. She was born with congenital heart disease; we had to be very selective about hair and bodycare products and foods for her. I was surprised at how ‘dirty’ and toxin-full products for kids were! And this problem isn’t exclusive to curly haircare, it’s everywhere. Read more>>
Iasia
The idea for ¡Espréssate! was born from an emotional place that’s deeply personal to me. It wasn’t just a business idea—it was therapy. After losing my father, I found myself searching for ways to stay connected to him. And oddly enough, the smell of coffee became that connection. It reminded me of him, of simpler times, and it brought me a sense of peace I didn’t know I needed. I started experimenting with bottled lattes at home, a creative outlet that helped me process my grief, and soon I realized that coffee was more than just a comfort—it was a way to bring joy to others. I didn’t have a grand vision of running a mobile coffee business at first. I just wanted to share something meaningful. So I bottled those lattes, gave them out to friends and family, and started receiving overwhelming feedback. People loved the flavors, but what surprised me most was how the experience of receiving that coffee made them feel. It wasn’t just a drink—it became a conversation starter, a way to connect. That’s when I had a lightbulb moment: coffee is more than caffeine—it’s community. It’s storytelling. It’s comfort, joy, and shared moments. Read more>>
Julius Olaoluwa
The Jovilius Heart Foundation was born from a deep-seated passion and a personal journey. Being a single father, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges of providing for a child without a partner, but I also realized that my struggles were not nearly as difficult as what many widows and underprivileged families face daily. It was in those moments—seeing families struggle, children left without proper education, and mothers battling to provide—that I knew I had to do something impactful. I was motivated to develop something that provided more than just short-term assistance. The concept aimed to create a base that provides individuals with the necessary tools and resources to make a lasting impact on their lives. There were numerous groups providing occasional assistance or yearly gifts, but I aimed to create a model that prioritized long-term help—whether through offering schooling, healthcare opportunities, or financial independence for widows. The reasoning was straightforward: if you empower the mother, you empower the child, the family, and ultimately, the whole community Read more>>
Claudia Obeid
I grew up in a trilingual household so I understood at an early age the importance of learning languages and about different cultures. So, for my bachelor’s degree I decided to study International Studies and Development. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to help people. This stemmed from my background of a family of displaced people and being part of the Palestinian diaspora. During my studies, I discovered NGOs like UNICEF and decided to found a club at my school so we could host events to build awareness of global human rights issues and fundraise. I learned many of the skills I use in my business from this experience. At the end of my bachelor’s degree I started to understand that, while NGOs and nonprofits are important, they are also a band-aid to a bigger issue that needs to be fixed systematically. I had also studied abroad and noticed the differences in education systems around the world. I knew that if I was going to try to fix anything systematically, it would be a disservice if I wasn’t a teacher first and really knew what it was like to work on the ground in underserved communities. Read more>>
Teressa Shepherd
I’ve always loved jewelry, especially necklaces. They have a way of elevating any outfit and making it more stylish. I also have a passion for collecting and wearing both modern and vintage charms with my chains. Yet, I always felt like my jewelry collection was missing something—something that could add a burst of vibrant color to enhance my look. That’s when it hit me: semi-precious stone beads would be the perfect complement to my charms and gold chains. They could bring in that vibrancy I craved while still keeping things elegant. My girlfriend and I decided to start with just a few beaded necklaces, and we were instantly hooked. The colors, the textures, and the creative possibilities were endless, and that’s how the journey began. Read more>>
James Malinchak
James Malinchak grew-up in Monessen, Pennsylvania, a small steel-mill town outside of Pittsburgh, population of about 6,000 people. As a family, they didn’t have much while James was growing up. James father Walter worked as a railroad conductor for the local steel-mill and James mother Betty worked as a lunch mother at the local school serving lunches to the kid’s. James has three siblings: (1) Brother Wally, who is now a retired Entrepreneur (2) Sister Cindy, who serves as James Executive Assistant for his speaking, training and coaching business (3) Sister Vicki, who passed away of a brain tumor. A big part of my inspiration in life comes from my sister Vicki who died from a brain tumor. Having the chance to spend quality brother-and-sister time with Vicki during the last few months of her life, was the greatest blessing God has ever given me in my life. Read more>>
Jessica Mcmahan
I have always had a passion for all things beauty and skincare. However, things changed after my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had to have lymph nodes removed, which created this desire within my family to learn about what kinds of products were harmful or that she could no longer have/consume. This was a huge eye opener for me, and really ignited my passion for beauty and skincare. It turned my passion into a desire to not only learn, but to find a way to try and make a difference. I started studying ingredients, properties of different butters and oils, and benefits. I started experimenting with different blends and combinations; on a mission to create luxurious products that my mom could use not only during her chemotherapy treatments, but long after we beat this! Read more>>
Bryttany Hyde
The Little Sober Bar was born from the idea that adults deserve beverage inclusion. In 2022 I started taking control of my mental health journey and drinking alcohol was a big problem for the balance I needed in my life. As I stepped forward in my journey I kept ruminating on the fact it would be easier with more alcohol-free options. In 2023 I decided that I would take the leap back into entrepreneurship and The Little Sober Bar was born. For myself and others that I was surrounded by, a mobile non-alcoholic bottle shop was a huge blessing. Making the choice to live a more mindful lifestyle is hard but it’s easier with support. The main thing that I noticed was that the more I discussed the cool drinks I was finding, the more it seemed people were extremely interested! Their excitement surrounding my idea and the support we received during our renovation process truly solidified that this idea was completely worth it. Read more>>