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.
Jennifer Patterson
I’m a conceptual thinker–one who looks from the top down and sees the big picture, then works on building it out. Often, before I am even fully aware of it, glimpses of the thing that I am meant to do or be part of shows up in whatever season I’m in as part of my current assignment. Later, when it begins to bloom and blossom, what was not so obvious becomes clear puzzle pieces to the big picture. Read more>>
Rohana Olson
I’ve always known I wanted to build something meaningful. The idea of owning a business was in me early on—I just didn’t know what shape it would take. But the moment I picked up a camera, something was ignited inside of me. Photography became a way to tell stories, connect with people, and create something lasting. Read more>>
Adam El-Hosseiny
My mother and father always lead the labs of some of the most renowned and prestigious hospitals in New York for over 20 years. When they moved down to South Florida, they noticed a large gap in the diagnostic space; which was same day results, painless blood draws and exceptional customer service. They decided to open a diagnostic lab that could provide these services to the community. Once a patient or physician used Access once, they would never use another lab again! Read more>>
Emily Kurz
Before the pandemic, I worked at A.C. Moore in Center City, Philadelphia. As an employee there we got a KILLER discount and I spent most of the time walking up and down the aisles trying to find my craft. I KNEW I wanted to create something new and something fun- I tried everything! I bought a pack of sculpey clay on one of these occasions and brought it home. Where it sat for almost a full year. Until finally, when cleaning out one of my many drawers, I pulled it out and thought, “use this or give it away.” So I used it… and I made about 30 little lumps with weird shaped eyeballs. Read more>>
Tim Dalton
Everything begins with an idea! It’s July 2020. I’m stuck in the house due to COVID lockdown and the ongoing pandemic. While scrolling through Instagram, an idea struck me. Earlier that year, I had purchased my second Dodge Charger Scat Pack, and I couldn’t wait to cruise and hang out that summer with fellow car enthusiasts to create content. However, the pandemic had put a hold on those plans. With a passion for cars, especially Dodge, I brainstormed on how I can create content while stuck at home. Then, I see Dodge make the announcement about the all-new 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. Read more>>
Brian Grover
Fox Point Farms was born from the idea of building community through agriculture, creating a space where people could reconnect with the land, their food, and each other. I saw a growing shift in what people were seeking–a return to a more connected neighborhood experience that takes things a step further, offering a lifestyle that emphasizes interaction with neighbors, access to local food systems, and a deeper understanding of the environment. It became clear that there was an opportunity to create something that would truly resonate with the Encinitas community, meeting the demand for a place where engagement is naturally built into the design. Read more>>
Miri Morgan
Soon after my husband and I married, we discovered we were expecting our first baby. Unfortunately, we lost that baby two weeks later. We then went through 2.5 years of infertility and finally found out we were expecting again without any medical intervention in January 2016. We thought our struggles were over, but at our anatomy scan, we were told our baby, a little boy we named Judah, was missing both of his kidneys and wouldn’t survive. We refused to accept that answer and eventually found a clinical study to take us on. He was born after 9 weeks of prenatal intervention and became the first baby boy to survive without kidneys. Read more>>
Leslie & Ronni Dukes
In the vibrant heart of Texas, two souls are shaking up the local food scene with a product that’s as bold as it is mouthwatering. Leslie and Ronni Aldridge-Dukes began their pastrami journey not just with a shared love for food but with a love story of its own. Ronni’s passion for pastrami sparked the flame, while Leslie, whose love for high-quality smoked meats (despite never having tasted pastrami), found himself drawn into her vision. Together, they dreamed of something new, something bold, something that would blend the flavors of their past with the possibilities of the future. Read more>>
Mario Howell
The spark for NSight MMC wasn’t just a lightbulb moment—it was a calling.
I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of business and creativity. From an early age, I saw how a strong brand and strategic marketing could turn a small idea into something powerful. But my journey to launching NSight MMC wasn’t just about strategy—it was deeply personal. Read more>>
Leah McDermott
The idea for my business wasn’t something I sat down to strategically plan—it was something that grew organically out of my own lived experience and the deep, sometimes messy, journey of motherhood and education.
I used to be a Master Teacher in the public school system. I had the classroom, the credentials, the passion… but I also had a gnawing sense that something wasn’t right. I watched so many kids—bright, creative, capable kids—dim their light to fit into a system that wasn’t built for them. And when I became a mom, that feeling hit even harder. I couldn’t imagine sending my own children into that same system and expecting it to do right by them. Read more>>
Claudia Meneses
It was in 2011 when I decided to help my aunt, who was working as a housekeeper at the time but wasn’t getting enough hours each week. I knew nothing about the cleaning industry, but I wanted to support her. Having studied business administration in college and always being passionate about finance, I was determined to find a way. Read more>>
Kristin Jackson
I’ve always had a genuine passion for driving. There’s something deeply rewarding about helping people get where they need to go safely and on time. I don’t take that responsibility lightly — especially when children are involved. Being behind the wheel isn’t just about transportation for me — it’s about trust, care, and community. Read more>>
Majella Rajan
Back when I was first learning to code, I remember feeling overwhelmed by the way most tutorials explained things. They were either too technical, assuming you already knew a bunch of concepts, or too simplistic, never really diving deep enough. I wanted something in between—something that made learning to code feel natural, intuitive, and, most importantly, *easy*. Read more>>
Kate Westlund Tovsen
I started Society of Working Moms shortly after having my second child and during a seasonal downturn in my communications consulting business; partly out of boredom, partly out of sheer necessity.
Being a mom to young kids can be incredibly isolating, even when you don’t have a clinical diagnosis like postpartum depression. Even when — on paper — you have all the supports in place. In my case, I had a supportive husband, wonderful friends and family (though none super close by), financial stability, flexible work as a business owner. But I was also working and raising both kids pretty much alone while my husband built the house we would eventually move into, more than 4 hours away. Read more>>
Justin Aruz
Growing Up in East New York I grew up in East New York, Brooklyn, a place filled with hustle, ambition, and untapped potential. It was a neighborhood where hard work didn’t always translate to financial security. Families lived paycheck to paycheck, stretching every dollar just to cover the basics. The conversation around money wasn’t about investing or wealth-building—it was about survival. Read more>>
Todd Lin
Before founding iStage Entertainment, I worked as an acting coach at a talent studio serving children from Chinese immigrant families in the greater Los Angeles area. During my first four years of teaching—up through 2020—I witnessed a clear and pressing need among these young talents. Many came from households where parents had limited English proficiency and access to resources, creating a barrier to pursuing careers in entertainment. I felt a deep calling to become a bridge between the Chinese immigrant community and Hollywood. Read more>>
Serge Amouzou
When I started Datatrixs four years ago, three main problems were at the core of it, and I personally experienced the first one:
1. Entrepreneurs use spreadsheets all the time, but most are not good at it. The process of building a financial model—let alone having decision-ready data once the business is up and running—is tedious. Read more>>
Jana Guinn
Picture this-it’s March 2020, the world has shut down and you’re stuck at home with a toddler. Each day has blended into one another and you need something to look forward to so you order a bunch of candles because why not?! Your husband is sick of seeing candles everywhere and asks you to stop buying so many. You take his request literal and start making them instead. <new paragraph> When I was burning through all the candles I bought at various big box stores, I noticed many things I didn’t like about them. I didn’t like that they were creating soot around the vessels, some scents gave me headaches and some candles simply didn’t have a hot throw! Read more>>
Nikayla & Co.
My services are very niche, and it all came down to serving people who love the things that I love. My faith is the foundation of my life and my family, so serving clientele who practice their faith seriously and get married in grand churches as a Sacrament came naturally. Not only is it my favorite way to experience and witness a wedding ceremony, but I am extremely well-versed in the order of these ceremonies and the context of what is critically important to my clients. Read more>>
Rachel Bennett
I came up with the idea of Caring by Card in March 2020, during the scary and unknown time when the Coronavirus struck the world. I watched on the news with horror and heartbreak how nursing home residents were not allowed any visitors due to Covid 19. Many died alone. Some family came to wave to their family through glass windows. Read more>>
Sunny Gandara
When my soul dog Nacho passed away suddenly as a result of complications from hemangiosarcoma in late 2023 (an aggressive cancer of the blood) I was devastated. I couldn’t find any joy or purpose in what I was doing at the moment (I was a wine consultant at the time), and this tragedy made me realize my life mission. Read more>>
Helene Suos
The idea really came together organically through my career journey. I spent most of my life in sales, working across various industries, from IT and security to software. But everything changed when I moved from Paris to San Diego. I found myself drawn to the hospitality world and started working in catering, then moved into event management for several restaurants. Read more>>
Teri Day
On some level, I stumbled upon this idea. But at the same time, it’s been a throughline for my entire working life. Prior to my current business, I had an online gift business where I curated gift boxes with products sourced from women-owned small businesses. While growing that business, I did a lot of networking and also spent time getting to know many of the women whose product I carried. I even met other small business owners online. I heard their stories of overwhelm, loneliness, and lack of support and it caused me to want to do something about it. Read more>>
Emily Vera
When I first started my college career at Oakland University, I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do in the future. I started as a health science major and quickly transitioned to marketing. I was lucky enough to find an on campus group that planned an annual ball at Meadow Brook Hall & Gardens, a historical venue on campus, as a way to meet new people. Within a few weeks on the planning committee, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. As crazy as it sounds, I fell in love with the chaos and fast-paced environment of event planning. Read more>>
Nathan Vu Mariness Didulo
Fueled by our love for animals, Seven Paws was built to provide a way for better connections within the pet community.
Seven Paws, a boutique agency nestled in the heart of San Diego, stands as a beacon of passion within the booming landscape of the pet industry. Born from a deep-rooted love for animals, our business emerged with a clear vision: to foster stronger connections within the pet community. Read more>>
Jessica Luh Kim
At the time I started my business, I didn’t have a grand plan—I just knew something had to change. I was juggling work and home responsibilities and felt like I wasn’t doing that very successfully. Taking a pause felt necessary—not just for my well-being, but to reflect on what really mattered to me. Read more>>
Takeshi “TAK” Kunimune
Growing up in Japan, I always believed that food is our most universal language—the fastest way to connect with others without needing a translator. When I first immigrated to the United States for college, that belief gained new meaning. Care packages from my grandmother—filled with Japanese snacks and instant noodles—kept me tethered to home. Each time I opened a box, I felt the comfort of a distant culture brought close enough to taste. Read more>>
Adrienne Pickett
In the wake of the 2016 election, while many people I knew were feeling hopeless, I felt something different—I felt activated. I was a lifelong Democrat, a community activist, and a mom of two young kids at the time. That moment pushed me to ask: What can I do, right now, with the skills I have, to make real change? Read more>>
Gabriela Koopmans
I never planned to start a company. I was simply looking for something special—something unique for my photography clients. Something that felt real, UNIQUE, and lasting. That’s how I created Photoblocks. At first, it was just for me. A way to give my clients something they could hold in their hands, not just see on a screen. Read more>>
Andra Howard
The ABLE Foundation wasn’t just an idea—it was a realization of something I had been witnessing for years. Growing up and navigating both corporate spaces and community work, I saw the gaps. There was no shortage of talent, no shortage of ambition, and definitely no shortage of potential within the Black community. But there were barriers—structural, financial, systemic. The issue wasn’t a lack of ability. It was access. Read more>>
Robyn Broadus
My journey, which began with a speaking opportunity to my college campus, organically evolved through further life and world experiences. This led to a blog, a social media presence, a private practice, and a passion for sharing wellness and trauma healing resources with others. Let me share:
<b>Speaking:</b> My first speaking opportunity, to an audience of 800 at Westmont College in May 2013, arose from a medical shock trauma I experienced the previous year (more on this later). Since then, I’ve spoken at group practices, schools, and churches. Read more>>
Dameda Finney
My business was born from my own journey of returning to myself—a journey of reclaiming my body, my culture, and my truth.
As a Black woman who spent most of my life in predominantly white spaces, I internalized the belief that my Blackness was something to reject. I distanced myself from my culture, carried deep shame around living in a Black body, and believed, whether consciously or unconsciously, that I was inferior to the white body. I learned to navigate the world in a way that kept me disconnected from my true self, believing that assimilation was the key to belonging and survival.
Sade Ogunsola
I came up with the idea to launch my brand development agency remnant144 after talking to frustrated working professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs. So many of them wanted to start a business but had no idea where to start. And because they had no idea where or how to start it would discourage and hinder many of them from getting the ball rolling and even attempting to launch a business. That’s when the light bulb went off in my head. I decided to put all of my knowledge and years of small business experience together to help others get started on their own projects. I have been working in small business, specifically e-commerce for the past 10 years and realized that this type of expertise and accomplishment is sought after by so many people. And what may come easy to some people can seem like a struggle to the next person. Read more>>Kelly Cain
The idea for The Raleigh Local was born in 2020, during a time when so many small businesses were struggling just to stay afloat. I remember watching some of my favorite local spots close their doors -some temporarily, some for good – and feeling this urgency to do something. I didn’t have a big budget or a marketing agency behind me, but I did have a passion for storytelling, a phone with a camera, and a genuine love for this city. Read more>>