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.

Annie Chang

I’ve always loved getting my nails done every 2-3 weeks, but I dreaded the experience of spending hours at the salon—waiting, sitting still, breathing in the terrible smell and fumes, and then hoping the final result was exactly what I envisioned. I wanted something that gave me the same beauty and confidence but with more convenience. That’s when I turned to press-on nails, thinking they would be the perfect solution. Read more>>

Brooke Adcock

I have always enjoyed cooking from the time I was very young. I had a few friends who wanted to eat healthier but didn’t have time to prepare their healthy food for the week. I started cooking for a few friends and it grew very quickly with social media! Read more>>

Feras Almusa

The idea for Roman Trail started from my love for the outdoors—hiking, camping, and spending long hours on the trail. My wife, Rita, and I shared these adventures, but I noticed she always struggled to find the right apparel—something that was comfortable, protective, and stylish without compromising on performance. Read more>>

Alejandra Luisa León

In my late twenties, I had finished college, but I was perplexed as to what path to take as far as career went. I had always been the artistic type, and the job market left a lot to be desired for me. I continued to wait tables, as I had done for quite a while. I worked in a clothing store as well. I had been reading Tarot for friends and family for free for years, but had never considered making it my profession. One thing led to another and I got my first gig reading at a party. The lightbulb went off. It felt so clear. I spent months coming up with my business name, and finally settled on The Lioness Oracle. I bought the domain name, made it my instagram handle, and created a website. Read more>>

Radi (FashionRadi) Elliott

The idea for my blog, FashionRadi, began over ten years ago. I can still vividly recall the passion and excitement I felt when getting dressed each day. It was more than just choosing an outfit—it was a creative expression, a form of self-love. I knew I had to do something with this energy, not only to channel my creativity but also to inspire others to embrace their authentic selves, experiment with different styles, and create a community built on our shared love for fashion. Read more>>

Ki’Yha Moore

The KiYha Moore Foundation (KMF) was born from the heart and strength of a young girl who had suffered in silence for far too long. Ki’Yha, an 11-year-old girl from the South Suburbs of Chicago, had been relentlessly bullied. Despite her best efforts to ignore the hurtful words and exclusion, the bullying only intensified, until it became too much to bear. One day, in the depths of her despair, Ki’Yha said, “Dying would be better than living another day through this.” Read more>>

Amber Nemer-Garcia

Fashion has always been my voice—a way to express myself. Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved putting outfits together. From wearing my mom’s heels as a little girl to carefully choosing my school outfits, I was always excited to mix and match pieces, never wanting to wear the same look twice.

I’ve always loved thrift shopping, and over time, I accumulated so many clothes that I started selling at flea markets as a teenager. The money I made would go right back into buying more clothes, fueling my passion for fashion. Read more>>

Annie Thornton

Before opening the shop, I worked as a Medical Sales Representative. When COVID hit, my division was responsible for selling COVID tests, which put me on the front lines of some of the most heartbreaking conversations with doctors and nurses about what was happening in hospitals and offices. At the same time, I had a 2 ½-year-old and a 6-month-old at home, and I had barely returned from maternity leave. Trying to juggle a growing family while witnessing the immense strain on the healthcare system hit me like a ton of bricks—you never know how much time you have in this life. Read more>>

Eva Van De Bovenkamp

My family is lucky enough to share our home with three rescue pups. We love spoiling them after a walk with dog treats but a majority of the store-bought treats I was coming across smell awful and have ingredients I can’t pronounce let alone figure out why they’re necessary. Even those labeled as all-natural or organic often had long ingredient lists and an unappealing smell. So, I decided to try baking my own. I started with simple, high-quality ingredients that I knew were good for my dogs and added things they loved, like peanut butter, bacon, and Parmesan cheese. Read more>>

Sanne Hamers

During my last pregnancy, after experiencing multiple losses, I wanted to capture my exact pregnant form and body in a way that felt original and empowering. While exploring creative options, I discovered the concept of 3D body sculptures in the Netherlands—my home country—but found that nothing similar existed in the United States, aside from traditional belly casting. Determined to bring this idea to life, I immersed myself in research and development during the COVID pandemic, refining the process through extensive prototyping and testing. Read more>>

Collings MacCrae

Collings MacCrae developed the idea for the Fox Argall Mysteries by combining her interest in neurodiversity (her family is highly impacted) with complex, character-driven storytelling. The series centers on Fox Argall, an autistic criminologist whose unique mind helps him solve intricate murder mysteries while exploring relationships and managing his personal flaws. MacCrae’s focus on relationships for autistic persons IRL involves weaving psychological depth, romance, and suspense into her narratives reflects her passion for creating unconventional protagonists and ensemble casts. Read more>>

Angela Ross

It was given to me by God himself. One early morning I had a dream and in my dream, I was in the bathroom. I proceeded to brush my teeth and wash my face then out of no where I heard God’s voice as clear as day, He said to me look down. I looked down and on the bathroom sink there is a pregnancy test. But it wasn’t your ordinary pregnancy test. This test was so unique because of the window that would usually reveal the positive and negative signs. Instead It was showing a baby showing. I ran and told my sister about the dream and she said wow!! Why dont we shape it like a woman. Instantly we had an aha! moment we knew we were on to something Grand! But we did not realize the task ahead. Read more>>

Katina Weaver Walker

I’ll never forget the day my husband, Mark, was diagnosed with cancer. It was a moment that shook me to my core, leaving me feeling scared, helpless, and overwhelmed. The thought of losing the love of my life was unbearable, and I felt like my world was crumbling around me. Read more>>

Alexandria Maze

If you had told me ten years ago that I’d be running a creative business, I would have laughed. Back then, I was in an industry that aligned with my then spouse’s business. I took the leap to help run it—but let’s be honest, we were really starting from scratch. Like most small businesses, the budget was tight and we were focused on just getting things off the ground. So, I did what needed to be done: I designed our logo, built our website, created branded clothing, wrote job descriptions, and even put together our safety manual. And I did all of it with zero experience. It was trial by fire, but it worked. Read more>>

Min Rose

Well, how it all started! When it came to starting my graphic design business, it wasn’t easy. I wasn’t able to even do any design or something. But one day, I wanted someone to do me my birthday flyers and they agreed to get it done. Paid the money and the person couldn’t get it done until my birthday past. Read more>>

Juanita Gray

During my time in college, I explored digital marketing and quickly realized that social media marketing was my passion. I experienced a lot of internships focused on social media marketing, and each one confirmed that this was the industry I wanted to grow in. It felt like the perfect fit for me.

But even before all that, I was always someone who tried to find opportunities. Back in college, I came up with this idea to do hair for students on campus. As a college athlete who couldn’t get a traditional job, I noticed that a lot of students away from home were struggling to find affordable and reliable places to get their hair done. I saw a gap and thought, “Why not try this?” So, I started offering hair services, and it worked! I learned a lot about business from that experience, even though it was something I started with no clue of how to run a business. Read more>>

Katie Rimel

My son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2009 at age 10. About a year later I was introduced to Camp Possibilities a camp specific for Type 1 children. Problem was the cost at the time was over $1200.00 for five nights. I told the person that introduced us to the camp that there was no way we could afford the cost of camp. Her response was to hold a fundraiser. Our goal was to raise enough to cover our son and the first year we raised enough money to send not only our son but 2 other campers. I knew if this was a struggle for our family, we could not be the only ones. We held a spaghetti dinner, and a ticket drop auction. That was 14 years ago. Read more>>