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.

Christine Lee

The name of my company is Inside Out Health Wellness & Fitness. I was inspired to start my own business from my very own life experience. In the past, I struggled with alcohol abuse due to unresolved childhood issues, depression and wanting to escaped this thing we call life. I started young abusing alcohol. It was my senior year in high school to be exact. I wanted to drown the pain and go numb. As I got older, I yearned to heal and live a healthy lifestyle. This decision was not easy. Read more>>

Olivia & Marcus Barnes

Barnestending came about from the love of great drinks and atmospheres. We are both people who love to just hang out and have different experiences at events and restaurants/bars. We also love creating drinks, so while doing so one day at our family owned restaurant, we thought why not create our own legacy and start a cool bartending company? We love to entertain so starting Barnestending was a perfect way to do so, while earning cash. Read more>>

Christelle Eloi

Being a photographer was totally an accident. One day, my uncle asked me if I wanted to second shoot an engagement with him and I said yes. After the session, he told me I had a great eye and he continued to teach and encourage me. I continued to practice with family and friends and eventually I started shooting with strangers. Shooting made so happy and it was a way of expressing myself artistically. After a while of practice, everyone was telling me that I should stop doing it as a hobby and actually charge for my art. I was intimidated by that aspect of starting a business but I decided to really get into photography at that time and the rest is history. Read more>>

Tammi Wallace

In 2015, I became aware of the LGBTBE® Certification for businesses that are 51% or more LGBTQ+ owned through an article I read in the Houston Chronicle. The article focused on the Super Bowl, that would be hosted in Houston two years later, and the NFL’s goals to engage diverse owned businesses including LGBTQ+ owned businesses. Read more>>

Laura Thomas

I began decorating cookies in January of 2020. I had just had my second baby and was once again struggling with my role as a Stay at Home Mom after being a performer for my entire adult life. There was a void that needed to be filled with something creative. Baking had always been a passion, and I started seeing all of this content on social media about cookie decorating; so I thought I’d give it a shot! My first bakes were rough, but I adored the challenge and kept researching techniques and gradually started improving. When COVID hit, it all came to a halt as I now had my preschooler at home as well as my infant. Read more>>

Ren Lowe

My passion for writing and wanting to become a children’s book author began early when I was in the 4th grade. I discovered at an early age that I could create my own reality through writing. I could showcase my big, colorful, bold imagination, and express myself with written words. The works of the great Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes would further deepen my passion for expressing myself and thoughts via pen and paper. Read more>>

Ashley McElroy

Something Fabulous Weddings & Events started as a brief idea between myself and our co-owner, Trent Crumpler, in the parking lot of an Old Navy. Trent and I met in high school and had big dreams from the beginning. We always knew it would be “something fabulous” but didn’t know that it would become an event planning business until we planned my own wedding. That sealed the deal for us! We fell in love with the organization, design, and chaos of planning a wedding while knowing that starting a business was something we had always dreamed of doing. Read more>>

Jsleep The People’s Bartender

I had already been bartending for awhile and really started taking a liking to it. Once I started questioning, learning and understanding the structures of creating handcrafted cocktails, I immediately thought “yeaaaaa. this is something that I could for years to come. I came with the name “Measurements Of Excellence” back in 2018/2019, but placed it on the shelf because I really didn’t know how I was going to execute the idea. It wasn’t until the latter part of 2020 while under the watchful eye of my mentors (Mr. Peter & Cody) and the game, knowledge and lessons they gave me that really showed me I was on the right path. Read more>>

D’Andre Randle

I accepted an offer at another gym where I would be able to train members. From there, I started building up my clientele. I would post videos of myself training people in and outside of the gym. I began offering personal, group, and athletic training to the public. I started getting many inquiries from people to train with me. As time went on, I was able to post client results which aided me in gaining a steady group of clients on a monthly basis. Read more>>

Tiffany Black

I received an email marketing a class wherein one would learn to read tarot. I thought what a fun thing to learn and that I could read cards at parties. What I didn’t understand at the time was that I was about to begin a life changing journey. Tarot is not a party trick. It is not just a peek into the future. Tarot is a powerful self development tool. By posing a well thought out question to this seemingly inanimate object and seeing what it’s response is, Read more>>

Christina Merrion

I’ve always been interested in photography since I was little. Back when disposable cameras, and Polaroids were popular. Initially, I picked a camera back up as a way to make money in between me trying to find a job, and going to grad school. I really enjoyed shooting sports, and in 2017, I shot my first concert, so that’s when I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. One of my favorite J. Cole lyrics is, “They say anything’s possible, you gotta dream like you’ve never seen obstacles.” That’s my motto when it comes to success. Read more>>

Lucas Loman

At first I wanted to do something with computer in my life, but as time goes on and I’m a very extrovert person, I enjoy working with people and wanting to travel involving my job. The more I look at it, I actually have an eye on taking pictures. Whether it’s people, products, or landscape. So I tried it by getting my degree in photography and fell in love even more! Read more>>

Liza Fleming

Being a Latina in Corporate America inspired z•aa dress up studio’s business model which was developed to celebrate women at any stage of their life. I wanted to be professionally dressed while having fun and being true to myself while at work. In other words, I did not want to be confined to a suit when there are so many fun options out there to be appropriately and professionally dressed while at work. Read more>>

Ike Bancroft

I first had the idea for my company when I was guiding for a mountain bike company based out of Nevada. The whole process was so exciting and fun, but one flaw that kept presenting itself was how thin most guides were spread. We would guide in any of 15+ states across the American West, sometimes in a different one each week. While this made for an exciting, varied life for us guides, there was no possible way for us to be deeply versed in the ins and outs of each region. Read more>>

Sonequa Murray

Honestly, I wasn’t a baker lol the only cake I knew how to make was Poundcake. My grandmother was a Baker but I never learned the craft just enjoyed the benefits. My mother made a mean Poundcake as well. So I wanted my own signature dessert I could contribute to family functions. I would bake my strawberry Poundcake for friends and they were telling me you could sell this. I was like nobody gonna buy no cake from me. Read more>>

Nasim Hoomanrad

Find Love Within began with finding love everywhere. In 2012, I embarked on my spiritual awakening, not knowing it then. I had moved back to Houston to be closer to family and had ended my engagement; in a dream position that left me feeling powerless and completely depleted; friendships that were shifting, changing, and ending; and social activities like drinking and clubbing that no longer felt good to me. Who I knew myself to be was going through a radical change that I hadn’t prepared for (cue: my Saturn’s return for my astrology fans!). Read more>>

Emily Peters

Before opening Heirloom Events I worked for a busy catering company. I quickly worked my way up in the company to General Manager at a pretty young age. And I LOVED it. I loved catering, the details, the food, the sales, the team, etc… I think catering is so fun, you learn so much, and just a great job. However, catering is intense. It is long days, long weeks, long seasons. It is somewhat all consuming. All professions revolving around the wedding world can feel this way, and it seems catering is one step further. Read more>>

Rich Mathes

I started my music career on a ground level. We recorded our own music, manufactured, packaged and marketed a unique sound as the artist “MDZ”. Being a big part of the Colorado music seen made me want more. As Bowa Music, we venture out of Colorado. I began performing at music conferences like TJ’s DJ’s, the Texas Summer Music Conference, the Global Music Summit and more. I joined the Grammy Association and the NAFCA for more performance and music business opportunities. Read more>>

LaTasha Jackson

I like to think that I was born as an entrepreneur. I have always had the desire to work for myself and I found it relatively easy to organize and start businesses. So that is exactly what I did., then I did it again, and again. Every time I had an idea, I started a business. At one point I had at least 5 businesses on paper. Then one day my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time said “You can’t just keep starting businesses. You have to work one plan all the way through.” Read more>>

Rudy Rexx Canales

From idea to execution was a challenging process but so are the arts that I practice. In a lot of ways it prepared me to become a business owner. I have been teaching Brazilian jujitsu in Austin for 15 years before I even considered opening a place on my own. I learned a lot through trial and error. What works and doesn’t work. What keeps students engaged and what doesn’t. The business model of a BJJ gym statistically works very well. And so with a lot of planning, thinking, Read more>>

Kristin Groome

I have been making charcuterie for friends and family for years, but never to this fancy extent. In 2020 I noticed it start to become a trend. I wasn’t financially stable enough to even think about starting it, but it got my attention. July 2021 I debuted my business. The name Art Fooderie comes from my sister, Taylar. She came up with it because it’s food art, and rhymes with “charcuterie.” The business name gets complimented all the time. It’s a gem and something I will cherish forever. Read more>>

Anais & Pilar Cruz

When husband and I got engaged, he had the idea to have a Dia de Los Muertos themed wedding. Both our families are from Mexico, and we knew we wanted a wedding in the fall – it was perfect! As a mother of an only child, my mom was so eager to get started on wedding planning. We were all excited, and could already picture the beautiful, bright wedding décor that reflected our culture and traditions. We coordinated for months with our family in Mexico who helped us shop for decorations and dinnerware and coordinate shipping logistics. Read more>>

Marguerite Wormley

The Touch and Agree Foundation has been originated from the idea of me surviving breast cancer. While I was going through treatment I observed many other patients receiving treatment, and some of them were not as fortunate as I was. There were patients that had to receive treatment alone, health insurances did not cover any or little medication costs to keep them comfortable and there were no resources at the time to help them stay free from reoccurrences. Read more>>

Christina Garcia

As all of us know, “ covid” was a troubling and uncertain time that none of us had experienced before. I have always loved the concept of interior design and styling my own events. In 2020 I had a lot of free time and decided it was time to my pursue what I believe to be a talent and a personal dream of mine. That’s how Dream Visions decor and design was born. Read more>>

Tiffanie Kyttle

I started to create fun jewelry for myself, because I couldn’t afford luxurious and trendy jewelry. I was posting photos of myself wearing it on my social media channels, and people kept asking me where I got the pieces! After doing some research, I discovered that I could create beautiful pieces for people at a fair price point, and Tropical Boho Designs was born! Read more>>

Jessica Massey

I began making my organic skincare from my kitchen five years ago!!! Wow, how time flies, I was so passionate about makeup years ago, and of course, we all know how damaging makeup can be to the skin! My skin started to break out bad “ I never dealt with acne in my teenage years” I tried everything, and nothing worked. So I took matters into my own hands. I began Doing my Research and Experimenting with Different herbs; I Came up with A miracle product! Read more>>

Melody Cohn

When I left corporate advertising and marketing, I needed a new creative outlet. I had always wanted to create clean, natural products that promoted self-care and relaxation for busy women so I bought some initial ingredients and literally started the company from my kitchen table in 2018. I made products for myself, shared them with my friends and started to selling them locally and online. Read more>>

JoMuriel Allen

After I finished Graduate School, I was on the search for something fresh. What I envisioned in my head was hard to find. I was in search for a specific look and feel. I couldn’t find the chic and sophisticated look that I was searching for in beauty products. After realizing that I couldn’t locate the feel I was after, I chose to sit down and create, and create I did. I worked on my brand day in and day out for about two years STRAIGHT. I manifested and prayed over everything. I was so intentional and specific about every detail of Luxxe Life Hair Group. Read more>>

Lauren DuPrez

I started my blog, A Beautiful Inheritance, in 2010 because, at the time, blogging was the thing to do. I enjoyed spending Saturday mornings reading various blogs and learning from others. Some of my favorite blogs were by other Christian women who were transparent about their struggles yet remained hopeful in Jesus. I was also really impacted by bloggers who shared their finance journeys and how they worked to pay off debt. Read more>>

Tisha Ayers

Hi, so excited to be able to share our story with you! The concept of Cashmere Moon started a couple years ago while I was pregnant with our son. My skin was extremely dry and was constantly irritated. My husband already had eczema, and we both found it quite hard to find something in our local stores that was thicker and more moisturizing than lotion, but easier to spread and better scented than pure shea butter. We searched high and low but were unable to find anything like that. Read more>>

Traviel Harrison

My partner and I wanted to do something outside of our full-time jobs to give us more financial freedom. We both switched to a vegan diet a few years prior and realized the benefits of eating plant-based foods. We saw successful, vegan businesses like “Plant-Based Princess,” and “Buttafly Kisses.” They inspired us to start our own company and gave us advice on how to get started. Read more>>

Melissa Clarke

As a teacher and educational leader in the public sector for over 15 years, I was regulated by so much and felt as though the students I was serving needed more than just support in the classroom. I wanted to have a school that I knew could be a village of support to families. Parent involvement in schools located in low-socioeconomic communities were scarce but the ability to support families to be involved also lacked systematic solutions. Students were dreading school, Read more>>