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.
Mallory Strange
Like many new businesses, Bach Babes was a brainchild of the pandemic. In 2020, while working a full-time corporate job in Nashville, I began noticing all the bachelorette parties coming to celebrate their bride’s special weekend. Not only this, but also all the small details that go into planning a bride’s perfect bachelorette weekend, like the matching t-shirts, the beautiful balloon arches, and the goodie bags with everyone’s name on them. Every detail needed to be perfect, and it all fell on the Maid of Honor. Read More>>
Andrew Featherstone
My partner Roula Elias and I met about 10 years ago and we wanted to figure a way of spending as much time together as possible while also bringing together everything we love. Capturing the world from and up close through stunning drone and still photography, curating intimate dinning experiences, and promoting the charm and character of local businesses. Read More>>
Niloo Mirani
The idea for my business wasn’t born in a single moment—it built slowly, over nearly two decades of working in the food industry. I spent most of my career in the CPG world, helping launch and grow brands at every stage, from global corporations to early-stage startups. I loved the strategy, the storytelling, the thrill of building something. But over time, I started to notice a gap. Read More>>
Juanita Lomax
I came up with the idea for Hit Like A Girl because I saw a glaring gap – not just in golf, but in women’s professional development overall. I remember sitting in countless meetings and networking events, realizing that the men around me were deepening bonds on the golf course, making deals, getting mentorship, and building real trust with each other while playing. But women weren’t there. Read More>>
Kayla & Zoey Love
The story of Storyteller Co really all started with getting a for fun refurbished camera while I was a transfer student at Augsburg and new to Minneapolis. Right after getting it Jamar Clark was murdered by Minneapolis police and I didn’t know how else to show up in that time but with my new camera. Read More>>
Doree Haight
The idea for The Haight was born out of a very personal search—my husband and I were looking for a unique venue to get married. We’re not cookie-cutter people, and nothing we found felt like us. We searched all over—across Chicago, even into Wisconsin—and couldn’t find a space that felt special or different enough to match the experience we wanted to create. Read More>>
Seko Varner
I’m the developer and founder of the Hampton Roads Greenbook, a platform accessible via website and cell phone apps, that serves as a resource directory spotlighting Hampton Roads’ Black-owned or Black-led enterprises while allowing all enterprises to participate. We’re addressing the problem of Resource Circulation. Read More>>
Seeon Kim
Growing up in Korea, some of my most cherished memories revolve around sharing “Tteok” (Korean traditional rice cakes) with the people I loved. My grandmother would wake early to make Tteok for everyone’s birthdays, the Lunar New Year, and life’s many milestones. It wasn’t just dessert; it was a gesture of care. A way to say, “I’m thinking of you,” without words. These quiet but sweet moments of giving and receiving Tteok defined what togetherness meant to me growing up. Read More>>
Norman Renglich
The idea started in 2017, after I attended a house party where local artists were showcasing their work to invited guests. I remember lying in bed afterward, contemplating how much unseen local art must exist in San Antonio. I searched online for over an hour, trying to find one place where I could view and purchase local art—and found nothing centralized or convenient. The very next morning, I decided to build it myself. Read More>>
Robbie Santolucito
How The Glass Orchid Began
It all started when I enrolled in an adult education class to learn how to make a Tiffany-style Dragonfly Stained Glass Lamp. That class introduced me to the art of glasswork, and I was instantly hooked. But before I could even finish the lamp I originally set out to make, people began asking me to create custom stained glass pieces for them. What was meant to be a personal project turned into something much bigger—and it actually took me two years to finally return to that Dragonfly Lamp! Read More>>
Feras Shawi
My love for the rich aroma of coffee and my wife’s passion for food birthed the idea of Brewberry cafe. as we wanted to blend this passion with our desire to build a community focused cafe Read More>>
Lida Hoy
I was about 8 months pregnant when my husband and I came up with the idea to start a Sports and Pokémon Card Show in North Jersey. Specifically at the Wayne PAL. At the time, my husband was collecting cards himself as a hobby and we saw such a huge demand for these types of events. It’s an event where the entire community of collectors and businesses come together to sell and trade cards. We launched The North Jersey Card Show November 2024. We had about 600 people the first show and 800 the second show. Read More>>
James Lee
The idea for Kool Kids Club came from my everyday experience as a father of three. I’ve been living in Los Angeles, specifically Koreatown, for over ten years. When I was single, LA felt like an exciting city with endless things to do. But once I had kids, I started to notice how different the city looked through a parent’s eyes. Read More>>
Spiritual Sundaze
Spiritual Sundaze began with three women, Mojgahn, Jasmine, and Sandy, who, on their own paths, were already exploring personal spirituality in ways that felt healing, grounding, and real.
Mojgahn and Jasmine are cousins who grew up in Mexican (and Persian for Mojgahn) households where spiritual rituals and practices were a quiet but constant presence. Sandy was raised in a strict Catholic home, but her journey began when her sibling started questioning traditional faith and introduced her to alternative spiritual tools like tarot. Read More>>
Karen Charlot Williams
I came up with the idea of opening my own shop after it was mentioned to me from a very close friend.? I was excited because not only she influenced and motivated me she helped me find the building. I knew it was a worthwhile endeavor because all the years of myself working in a couple of salons, commissioned salons, and me going to hair shows and continuing education in the beauty industry, I knew it was time and I felt it would work. The problem I was solving was beautifying my clients. Read More>>
Tyler Clement
Moonstone Rituals was born from the pandemic, a need to create something tangible during a time when things just felt so uncertain. It was just a hobby, something to occupy the time we all spent indoors and really a method to save money on something I quite liked to purchase. I knew I the candles to be hand-poured in small batches, adhering to eco-friendly practices. So many home fragrance items are quite toxic so it was always my mission to create clean, natural soy candles with uniquely crafted scents; where conscious living harmonizes with the art of home fragrance. Read More>>
Erin Mahoney
Re-Inventing Self Love was born in November 2017 as part of my Mastering Leadership thesis with the company Live4You. It started as a 2.5-hour emotional intelligence workshop all about supporting people tap into a love that feels real and true for them. Read More>>
Andrew Whiting
Hot Drops began as a holiday gift — and turned into a mission.
In 2020, like a lot of people, I found myself stuck at home during the pandemic. To lift spirits, I planted a garden with my father in March 2020. By September, it became clear we’d over planted on the pepper front (Jalapeno, Fresno & Poblano.) Consuming 30+ lbs of peppers is rather intimidating. After looking up preservation processes I decided to start fermenting the peppers with the intent of making hot sauces and giving them to friends and family as holiday gifts. Read More>>
Andre & Jane Tann
Andre and I spent years working in the restaurant industry, where we gained invaluable experience but never built (or owned) something bigger. We wanted to created a business we could truly own and scale. After watching Cody Sanchez on Youtube one day, especially the episode she did on Rolling Suds, illuminated a whole different world: service businesses with simple model, high margins, and recurring demand. Read More>>
Ellery Patton And Becca Brown
Becca and I met and became friends while working together at a large salon for 9 years. About half way through our time there, we began to start our families. After the pandemic, a lot had changed and we were ready to take our careers to the next level by going out on our own and starting a small business together to accommodate our new lifestyle. Read More>>
Kathryn Adams
I’m the co-founder and 50% owner of Nice Time Glass — a women-owned glassblowing studio and gallery in Asheville, NC. The idea for our business didn’t come from a dream or a sudden spark of inspiration; it came out of necessity. My business partner and I had already built a strong foundation — a loyal client base, consistent custom work, and a growing reputation. Read More>>
Stacy McAleer
The Story Behind The Cavanagh House
The idea for The Cavanagh House came to me in the most unexpected way—over lunch with a perfect stranger. It was a moment that changed the course of my life and gave me clarity about what I was meant to do.
At the time, my daughter was struggling with a chronic illness while trying to attend college. Because she couldn’t drive and often needed help, I stayed close by in case she needed me. One afternoon, as I stopped to grab lunch, I noticed a man standing outside asking for food. Read More>>
Jessica Fawer
I previously worked as an optometry associate for almost 7 years at a joint optometry/ophthalmology practice. We focused equally on medical and routine eye care. I worked with a base salary plus production bonus. In the two years prior to leaving, my annual bonus grew from $0 to $39,000. I was projected to increase that to almost $50,000 if I had finished the year (I left October 30th). Read More>>
Taylor Labno
I come from a background in customer service and sales and got into the short-term rental space shortly after getting licensed as a Realtor. Over the last four years, I’ve been fully focused on learning the ins and outs of real estate—especially vacation rentals. Read More>>
Deja Evans
I never set out to start a business, especially not a nail studio. The idea for Beyond the Bars Beauty was born in the middle of chaos, exhaustion, and frustration. I was booth renting at a salon where the focus was all wrong and the rent was outrageously high, significantly higher than what the entire space cost to lease. It was clear we were being taken advantage of. It felt oppressive, like I was paying just to work, pouring into someone else’s pockets while getting little to nothing in return. Read More>>
Nishchal (Nish) Banskota
The idea for Nepal Tea Collective was born out of both frustration and hope.
Growing up on my family’s tea farm in eastern Nepal, I saw firsthand the hard work that went into producing world-class teas. Yet when I moved to the U.S. for college, I realized something unsettling. No one really knew Nepal produced tea. Our teas had no identity, no recognition, and certainly no place on the global stage. That absence wasn’t just an issue of branding; it was a matter of justice. Read More>>
Andrae Marable
After planning multiple trips for friends and family, they encouraged me to become a travel agent. After seeing so many people share their frustrations about group trips being canceled or struggling to find someone to travel with, I knew something had to change and this is the space I wanted to be a part of. I started this The Pack Roadtrip Travel Club to create a space where people could explore the world together—reliably, safely, and with community. Read More>>
Molly
Well, the idea was not mine originally. Our story started a long, long time ago, back in 1973. My mom (Sally) left home at age 17. She didn’t really have a plan as to what she was going to do, so she decided that she would make some stuff to sell. She travelled around the world, she spent time in Europe, Jamaica, and a few years in California. The craft she settled on and came to love was leather work. Read More>>
Nathaly Alvizures
It didn’t start in a boardroom. It didn’t come from a place of comfort or convenience. The idea for my creative services business was born during one of the most broken, uncertain chapters of my life.
But the truth is, my creativity started long before I even knew what to call it.
I grew up in Guatemala, during a time in my life when I didn’t have the luxury of just being a child. Life was heavy and complicated far too early. But even in that darkness, I found ways to create light. Read More>>
Reina Jackson
The AJ Project, Inc. was conceived in belief and hope.
On May 28, 2021, my firstborn child, Ajanni Cabrera, was killed in a single vehicle crash. He was racing another car on the freeway, reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph, when he crashed into a sound barrier. He wasn’t wearing his seatbelt and he was ejected from his car. Read More>>
Julia Lytle
After years working in traditional PR, social and digital marketing, experiential, brand partnerships, influencer relations and multicultural—with brands like Kellogg’s, Turner Sports and Hitachi—I found myself contracting with several specialized agencies in Chicago. Each focused narrowly on one discipline, and I saw how siloed that approach could be. I also saw how many missed opportunities there were—Read More>>
Chris Madden
The Story of Goattastic Skin
Hi, I’m Chris Madden, the proud owner of Goattastic Skin. Our journey began with a dream—one that belonged to my mother-in-law, Linda. She always envisioned owning a goat farm, and when she finally had the opportunity, she embraced it wholeheartedly. The land was empty, but Linda saw potential. She purchased a few goats, along with other farm animals, to bring life to the property. Before we knew it, spring arrived, and with it, our first litter of baby goats—kids. That’s when an idea was born. Read More>>
Scotty Cornfield
Although I’m currently working on my first novel (based on my days working homicide and deep undercover assignments), my first two books were collections of what we writers call “Flash Fiction,” stories that can be read very quickly. There is no universal rule for a maximum word count. Some say anything under 1,000 words constitutes flash fiction. Others put the cap at 500 words. In my case, each story is exactly 101 words. As I frequently tell people, “Even if it’s the worst story you’ve ever read, it’s still over in about thirty seconds–45 if you’re a slow reader.” Read More>>
Melodie Slaughter
One day, I was simply looking for something to do, somewhere to go, a space to just be, but I quickly realized that a lot of what was out there felt like it was either for younger girls or for older women. There wasn’t much in the middle.
That’s when the idea for Roots & Rise started to form. I started thinking “Why not create the space I’ve always needed?” A space where Black women can be fully themselves. Not strong all the time. Not polished or perfect. Not shrinking themselves to make others comfortable. Read More>>
Chanae Pitts
I love sharing the story of how Teak & Ivory Bridal began. I had always heard that the best businesses are built at the intersection of passion and problem-solving — and that really stuck with me. I’ve been in the wedding industry for over a decade, specifically in the bridal attire space. My journey started as a weekend stylist and eventually led me to roles like Operations Manager and Shop Leader for a tailoring service. I’ve also experienced the process from the other side, as a bride myself. Read More>>
Autumn Keck
In 2011, I was in a job that I hated and was pregnant with my second child. I absolutely did not wanna go back to work, or at least this job, but my husband and I had just bought a new house. One day, while brainstorming how I could manage to quit my job after I had my baby, I found an ad on Craigslist, of all places, for a freelance grant writer. I had been grant writing and fundraising for 11 years at that point, so I felt pretty confident that I could secure the job. I cut some bills, canceled our cable, and switched my daughter to part-time daycare, all while managing our budget so we could survive on my husband’s salary and my new freelance position. Read More>>
Bryan Douredjian
I’ve always known I wanted to run my own business – something that gave me the freedom to work the way I wanted and create something from the ground up. A while back, I bartended my friend’s bachelor party, and even thought it was just for fun, something about that experience stuck with me, it felt different than working a regular shift – more personal, more creative and more fulfilling. Read More>>
Jason Armstrong
I guess the exciting part of building instruments for me initially, and then continues to this
day, is kind of creating a palate for others to use, you know, a musical palate so to speak.
And with building instruments you know for clients they take what I make and take it Read More>>