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.

Helen Henny

My wedding was the launching point. Everyone swooned over the invitations and began asking and referring work. It was the most personal project I had done – all custom drawings, hours of planning, thoughtful consideration for each element and the overall presentation. I had the encouragement and support to begin taking on custom projects along with creating a line of Florida-themed products. Seeing my drawings become a local hit was inspiring and the support of the community created a true connection of contributing value. Read more>>

Da Vina Smith

In 2019, I was with a group and we began recording a Podcast called “Get Yo Life” and we recorded at a studio called “Fame Media” in Oakland, CA. The studio that we recorded in was amazing and really helped inspire the next business venture idea that I had which was to create a content studio where people can use a space that is glammed out to creating content, recording podcasts, having photoshoots and more. I really wanted to create a one stop shop to helping entrepreneurs create content for their businesses and record podcasts. Read more>>

Amanda Williamson

Event planning and design has been my passion for as long as I can remember. As a little girl I grew up attending the elaborate parties my parents would host. My mom found any excuse there was to throw a party and as you can imagine, it became ingrained in me. Long before I ever realized I could make a professional career out of it I was planning theme parties in high school. I’ve come a long way from the Laguna Beach inspired “Black & White Party” days, but my favorite events will always be the ones that I have full design control of. Read more>>

Danielle Duffy

My 17-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter and I were talking over coffee. As an HR professional, I tend to ask my kids often what they want to be or do when they grow up. What do they feel is important when working for someone. I found myself agreeing with my children on pay, workplace, etc. In our conversation I told them how I wish I could have an establishment where I can hire and show other business owners that success comes from the Human Component, your staff. Read more>>

Meredith McCann

As a mother of two little girls, a maternal health advocate and a survivor of severe Preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, I was ready to leave my career in education behind and move on in a creative way. I knew I wanted to work in birthwork and also photograph. It wasn’t until I saw my best friend’s birth images from the birth of her son where it clicked- I wanted to document every aspect of motherhood and birth. Read more>>

Ingrid Alliance

The first thing that pop up in my mind is the fact that my mother bought me a small pot when I was 6 years old, and I think that was the beginning of a life story that I started facing when I came the US in 20210, started working in Pantry then went to Le Cordon Bleu got my “Associate degree in Culinary Arts”. In 2017, I met a very special person who saw the passion for cooking told me to start selling food on Facebook, that’s when the journey began. The best feeling about my job or the path taken is not mine, I was chosen to take Haitian Cuisine and specially the Authentic recipes to the World to know about our identity as a Nation. Read more>> 

Kristin Hawkins

My passion for travel planning began back in 1996 while I was planning my honeymoon to the Island of Maui. This was the first trip I had ever planned as an adult so I worked with a local travel consultant recommended by my parents. After working with this consultant, I thought to myself, this is something that I could do and I would be good at it. I love working with people, I’m extremely organized, I love researching where to go, where to stay, things to do and see. I just knew I would be good at it and would treat each client’s vacation like it was my own. Read more>>

Carol Porter

The idea of my business was developed in the summer of 2017 when I decided to use my crafting skills to reach people. At this time, it was my sophomore year of undergrad and I had faced a lot of challenging obstacles. It was then, I decided to create a clothing brand with all meaningful graphic designs. The designs I create are used to motivate people around the world to overcome their past obstacles no matter the circumstances. I spent weeks trying to develop my first design to go on a t-shirt. Read more>>

Rachel Barcellona

I first came up with the idea for my nonprofit – Ability Beyond Disabilities when I was in middle school. I was bullied a lot for having autism and I wanted to make a difference, so I posted a bunch of positive notes on my bullies lockers, stuff like “I love your hair today” and “You’re really smart!”. One of my teachers liked the idea and said I should make something out of it, and Ability Beyond Disabilities was born. I’ve been advocating for autism rights since the age of 12 and my nonprofit became official in 2021. Read more>>

Haydee Rodriguez

Hi, there! HR Creations started of by creating personalized birthday. I would design, print and cut personalized birthday banners, candy bar labels, invitations, party hats among others. After creation numerous birthdays, baby showers and other activities, I started taking a shift towards the sugar world. I started thinking to my self why not be a one stop shop? I started watching YouTube videos and gaining more and more interest in doing cakes. I then took a basic course in my home town and the journey began!!! Read more>>

Adriahnna Curry

Back in 2011, I started a blog called “Mieux Mag” that highlighted artists in Florida. Written interviews, written articles, and our yearly award show were our highlights and our main focus. When COVID hit in March 2020, we had to cancel our 8th annual award show that we had been planning for months. Not to mention, with the rise of TikTok, people weren’t spending the time to read full features – I knew something had to give. Read more>>

Dee Godoy

Heka remedies came into fruition from my desire to help other people embrace who they are. I struggled all my life with my mental health and it took me a while to accept that I have Bipolar disorder. It took a lot of self care for me to learn to love who I am, flaws and all and I want to help others to love themselves too. Dark Remedies is an extension of Heka Remedies and I created this because it’s important that we learn to love the darker parts of ourselves. It was because of struggles with my mental health that I was forced to find myself in the dark. One of the ways I accomplished this was through reading dark romance books. Read more>>

Kelvin Apparicio

I came up with The Modern CRWD, wanting to hear others’ stories and backgrounds. One of the things, I believe that we are missing in this world is being able to allow everyone to express their opinions and to agree to disagree when you hear a point that you don’t agree with. The Modern CRWD is the modern voice to help change conversation and entertainment. Read more>>

Tina Krauel

My daughter, Taylor, brought up the idea of doing luxury picnics during the pandemic. She has three heart conditions and a weak immune system, which meant that we were limited to many different activities even when the pandemic subsided. Being a full-time college student, making a covid-friendly small business was the perfect match for us. Our picnic company was built to be different, easy to book with, and of course Instagram worthy! My daughter has a entrepreneur mindset, which confirmed my decision to help my daughter begin this business. Read more>>

Kimberly Gail

While relaxing in my apartment in Bali one day, I had an incredible urge to take my photos and turn them into an educational coloring book. It was an urge I couldn’t push aside. I could have the description on one page and then the picture to color on the page next to it. This was going to be great. Read more>>

Brenna Hayes

I came up with the idea for my business (New Season New Day Coaching and Mentoring) from my life experiences. I had recently left a difficult marriage and was starting a new chapter of my life. I took time after my divorce to really find out who I am and how I want to spend the rest of my life. I knew that the experiences I’d been through (the losses of several loved ones and leaving an abusive marriage) and the lessons I learned from them could help someone going through similar situations. Read more>>

Dawn Aisha

I’ve always loved makeup. I remember being in 10th grade during first period ( history class). I would have my my books open and then I would pull out my makeup and start doing if while still participating in class . I did this every single day. My teacher didn’t mind because I was a good student, always participated and I passed with flying colors. Fast forward, after graduating high school , I was living with my younger sister and we would go hang out with our friends . I was the one to do me and my sisters makeup . Read more>>

Chelsea Flaming

When I first started Oui Will, there were many interactive agencies, and there were many agencies focused on go-to-market strategy for brands, but there weren’t many agencies that did both – that used merged brand strategy with digital innovation. We naturally bridged that gap in the market when I started Oui Will. Our design philosophy has always been rooted in European principles – refinement, elegance, simplicity. We feel this approach leaves more room for innovation in motion, 3D, and interaction design. Read more>>

Dana Corrigan

Pencil Gator Animation Studio began from a desire to tell my own stories through animation, starting with the one most dear to me, Fate Saga. Fate Saga is a fantastical action/animated series about fate and free will and follows a healer who is trying to save her town from natural disasters. She meets a knight who can see the future, and together they embark on a journey across the continent to the Magic School of Dero, where she can learn the magic she needs to save her town, and the knight can warn the continent about the impending apocalypse. Read more>>

Cort Bulloch

I started Sauce Toss in 2014 as a way to bring hockey to football tailgates at my alma mater- Iowa State. There was a lot of bean bag toss and other games we all know and love. I thought it would be cool to put a hockey stick in your hand in a tailgating setting. I started making prototypes and found a design I thought might work. Took it to market in October of 2015 and when I put it online, it went viral. Read more>>

Shayda Torabi

I think the best ideas come out of necessity and need, and my story is one of turning lemons into lemonade. In 2015 I was in a car accident, I was hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian while crossing the street and ended up fracturing my pelvis in two places. I was in my mid-twenties, resilient, but now exposed to a lifetime of chronic pain and left to navigate modalities looking for relief. My first instinct was to listen to my doctors, after all, they’re the ones who went to medical school and should be the utmost authority on injuries on the human body. Read more>>

Deborah Argyropoulos

“In my world there are no naked walls.” Well, I knew that in order to do what I loved to do (creative visual arts), I would have to make my own opportunities to brand and sell what I created. I learned a long time ago that no one is going to make it happen for me, and that if I wanted something it was up to me. I have an extremely strong work ethic and unparalleled tenacity. When I have an idea (and I have ALOT of ideas, which all seem great at the time… but that’s another story) it becomes an obsession, a puzzle that I must figure out how to solve. Read more>>

Daniel & Kristina Mercedes

The idea for making homemade empanadas to sell came partly from my grandmother and partly from my father. My Grandmothers empanadas were what brought my family together. As kids, helping her to fold and press them and seeing my family come together to sit and enjoy them. My Father has been an entrepreneur his entire life. Growing up, I watched him build multiple successful businesses. From him I learned that if you work hard, anything is possible. I knew that offering a wide variety of unique homemade empanadas would be successful as no one else offered this. Read more>>

Camisha Weatherspoon

I was diagnosed with a brain tumor 10 years ago which led to me having my 1st brain surgery ..fast forward to around the time the Chiefs won the Super Bowl I found out the tumor had grew back(devastating)on top of that May 21 I got a call saying my ex who really wasn’t my ex but was my ex (Leo Cortez) had passed away(heartbroken)so here I am trying to process this tumor growing back and grieve but couldn’t!!! Flew out to NC for his services stayed there for 5 days still couldn’t process neither situation..come back home time for surgery July 2nd…this surgery was much more complicated to recover from than the 1st..seizures ..anxiety.. depression I still couldn’t process any of it  Read more>>

Aysia Davis

I came up with my business idea after taking both business and fashion courses in college. At the time I was still undecided about what exactly I wanted to do or the career path I wanted to choose. There was always a connection for me between fashion and business because they are the main things that people focus on the most. In my childhood I struggled the most with defining my self-image, believing in myself, and constantly comparing myself to others for years. Then one day, after having a motivational talk with my mother it gave me a reality check having me change my mindset from thinking low and negative to thinking more highly and positively about myself. Read more>>

Ambassador Waleed & Dr. Quiana Shamsid-Deen

Over the last 30 years our family has been in the fish business through Supreme Fish Delight, founded by my husband’s father Lawrence Shamsid-Deen. Through culture and religious reasons, people typically eat fish on Fridays. As we were looking in to starting a second-generation concept and continue to build on the legacy of my father, We considers garnering a larger market share. Additionally, with the health craze that has emerged within the last few years, we wanted a menu that had diversity in options other than fish, and also consider the taste of various customers. Read more>>

Jadacy Engram

A Taste of healing was birthed from the loss of our son Little Eddie; he was stillborn at 30 weeks. As an angel mom, I had to find a way to cope with my grief. My creativity is something that I pride myself on. That’s something I felt could never be taken away from me. We were excited about our son. When our son passed away, I lost my son, myself & my creativity. I was empty, so I started to cook. Read more>>

Jaime Schekaiban

My business is to educate people on Personal Finances through YouTube videos, books, training courses, and public speaking. I have always had this passion about Money and how to manage it. I love Real Estate investing and encourage everyone to get passive income on my videos. I am also a Spanish teacher on my spare time and I love to teach, so this business connects all my passions. Read more>>

Daniel and Tiffany Holmes

From the moment we met, we discovered that we shared a similar goal: discovering other people’s passions and helping them find the tools they need to succeed. Originally with our love of event planning and charitable work, we wanted to open different food service establishments (cafes, bakeries, etc.) and donate proceeds to various charities. As we started researching organizations, we realized there was a large issue when it came to employment for people with disabilities. So, we thought, what if instead of just donating money, we worked to help solve the bigger issue? From that moment on, we decided to use the things we love to help others find what they love. Read more>>

Morgan Jackson

I came up with the idea of my business, Essays & Mo, by first having a passion for writing. As a young child, I would often write my feelings down in a journal. I loved them so much as a young girl, I would want one every birthday! As I transitioned through my undergraduate to my graduate years, I learned more ways to write professionally and more swiftly. I use to help my colleagues with papers from undecided majors to engineering. I also found a love for advocating for myself and getting the career I want to have. Some of us work hard to still not move up in our workplace or get constant no’s from employees. Read more>>

Andy De La Vega

The reason why we decided to wrap my car as Lightning McQueen is because of my son. In October 2020 there was an activity at his school and because of the pandemic we were only able to decorate the car and do something in the parking lot, that’s when we came up with the idea and decided to do it. The activity was a great success, all the kids and teachers went crazy and after that driving the car around and just looking at the reactions of all the people was a great feeling. We started to get messages and people telling us that we made their day with the car, that’s when we realized that we can bring joy with this car during difficult times. Read more>>

Najia Bennett

I came up with becoming a lash tech in college. I always did makeup since high school but i never took my talent serious because I was only doing my own. I started off doing individual lashes using hair glue in college and at the time i didn’t know much about mink extensions but i had great clientele off just off the regular beauty supply store individual lashes. It was my junior year in college and I had got my student refund so i decided to invest in myself and take a class for $700. After the class i was very discouraged because i didn’t feel like i learned anything but the purpose of the class was to learn the fundamentals of lash extensions and the techniques. Read more>>

Shanti Grossman

I have been crafting and sewing for as long as I can remember, but my first taste of themed party planning started in December of 2009, when I turned my house into a winter wonderland inspired by Elf, and threw one legendary party! With paper chains and snowflakes hanging from every inch of ceilings, the house quickly turned into a scene from the movie. Read more>>

Jamiere Shagwell

I started rapping with my Friends back in Brooklyn, NY everyone around me had the talent but wasn’t thinking on the business side I decided to research & study the music industry attending our local liberty. I started Strictly Management Back 2011 my first official artist was “Dice Gambino” we released his anticipate mixtape called “Terror to my City” that year was the happiness time in my life creating beats from scratch recording and mastering all 17 records. Read more>>