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.

Cassidy Van Slyke Blenke

I left the workforce after having my second daughter due to stress, navigating the demands between motherhood, childcare costs, and my general well-being, specifically after experiencing one moment among many where I found myself on the clock, pumping milk while also eating my lunch in a client’s bathroom stall. Read More>>

Krista Cloud

The idea really came from our lifestyle and the kind of drinks we wanted to see in the world. My husband Ty and I have always been passionate about being active outdoors- biking, climbing, running and exploring Arkansas’ trails — and we wanted something refreshing that actually made us feel good after a long day outside. Read More>>

Everett Stephenson

The idea for my creative services business was born out of a deep desire to merge my artistic passions with purpose. I had always been drawn to storytelling, production, and building brands that inspire others—but it wasn’t until I began developing The Manifest Show, my own children’s cartoon, that I realized how powerful creativity could be when used to teach and uplift. Read More>>

Alexander Guerrero

The idea for NexTide™ came out of equal parts frustration and curiosity. My cofounder and I had spent years producing massive, one-off livestream activations for some of the biggest brands in the world – The NFL, LEGO, State Farm, Universal, Mondelez – you name it. Read More>>

K Pawley

I spent a couple years traveling from Oregon to Argentina in an old Chevy truck and camper I’d modified for the trip. I’d used my experience growing up on a farm to make thoughtful modifications to the rig and it actually worked really, really well. Read More>>

Robert Bowden

The idea for my creative services business wasn’t born out of ambition — it was birthed out of revelation. There wasn’t a whiteboard session, a market study, or a business plan at first. There was a quiet moment — the kind where the noise of the world fades and the voice of the Holy Spirit speaks with clarity. Read More>>

Monica Swint

My journey didn’t start in a boardroom or with a business plan, it started on the salon floor at 14 years old, with scissors in my hand and dreams bigger than I knew what to do with. For 17 years, I lived and breathed the beauty industry as a hairstylist. Read More>>

Vasily Campbell

March 2021 – I was shopping for ammunition online and became frustrated with limited options. Due to the pandemic, it caused several ripple effects in the firearm / ammunition industry. Manufacturers were unable to get raw material components and international supply chains were interrupted. They stopped production during the height of the pandemic – which caused shortages. Read More>>

Nazeera Dawood

The idea for Vendorship was born out of a personal frustration that turned into a lifelong mission. When I was working in government, I was responsible for releasing RFPs ; Requests for Proposals to invite businesses to bid on projects. But what surprised me was how few responses I received. Read More>>

Theodora Osei-fordwuo

I developed my business idea through my upbringing at home. As the oldest daughter, I was expected to learn how to cook because of the tribe I come from. During that time, I discovered I have a great talent, and my cooking brings love and laughter to our house. Read More>>

Jeffrey Morneau

The idea for my business came from a very real place. I remember standing in the kitchen late at night, exhausted but full of fire. For years, I was known as Chef Jeff, the guy who could transform any event through flavor, hospitality, and experience. But over time, I realized people weren’t just coming to me for the food. Read More>>

Hery Acosta

Growing up being abused and neglected by the adults in my life. After going through all kinds of issues due to my upbringing I finally started trying to figure out why all of this happened to me. I started researching child abuse and neglect trying to find answers. Read More>>

Mira Jackson

It all started during Ramadan. I was really experimenting with new recipes and trying to execute some more traditional dishes. I was cooking and baking so much, perfecting my baklava too, and one of my children asked if I could make donuts. I have NEVER made donuts before but I knew the texture that I enjoyed the most. Read More>>

Brian Pruett

Growing up, I was always involved in fundraising, from church youth groups to schools, and always seemed to win the contest for raising the most money. I still have the VCR that I won my freshman year in high school, and it still works. Read More>>

Nima Asgari

I run a small consulting firm called Asgari Enterprise, where I engage in creating reports and helping business owners execute their ideas and needs. For Olympus, I had a client in the hotel industry who hired me to come up with a creative business idea for a particular building location. Read More>>

Rabbia Majid khan

I actually started my cake business during the COVID lockdown. It was never part of my plan to become a baker — in fact, I had never baked before! But creativity has always been a big part of who I am. I’ve loved art and design since childhood, and baking unexpectedly became my new canvas. Read More>>

Derron Steenbergen

From the time I was young I was always fascinated by the word ‘swagger’. I liked how it sounded and the confidence I felt when I said it… Now, fast forward many years to a time when I was an adult leading sales teams. One of the challenges for any leader is to drive the energy of their team. Read More>>

Mykerah Mackey-Robinson

The idea for my business did not arrive all at once. It grew in my heart over time as I lived, worked, observed, and listened. I always believed education had the power to change lives, yet I began to notice that the people leading the work, the adults who poured into students every day, were hurting. Read More>>

Melissa Watson

I started NIKAO because I wanted to turn my personal journey of surviving stage four terminal cancer into something purposeful during my recovery. I realize how important it is to feel confident, comfortable and empowered especially in healthcare settings. Read More>>

Tony Reese

It was during the pandemic—when the world slowed down, but our minds didn’t. Like everyone else, I was at home, connecting with friends virtually, laughing, pouring drinks, and realizing something: we were spending *a lot* on alcohol. And that’s when the thought hit me—why not own what I’m drinking? I didn’t just want to drink someone else’s brand; I wanted to build my own. Read More>>

Nicole Gates-Golden

**Why I Started Golden Key Entrepreneur Training Academy** Golden Key Entrepreneur Training Academy was born out of both pain and purpose. I started Golden Key because I understood, firsthand, what it feels like to have potential but not access — to have a dream for a business but not the direction, the funding, or the support to bring it to life. Read More>>

Hermann Shasha

Shasha African Wear was founded in July 2021. As a child, I lived in Côte d’Ivoire, and my mom would have tailors make our clothes and that has been going on for over 20 years. It came to a point where a good number of my friends would ask where I purchased my custom made shirts; because I would wear my shirts/outfits with different sneakers. Read More>>

Tyler Cartwright

With LMNT, we had been in the world of low carb and ketogenic diets and the science behind them for a number of years. Read More>>

Rene Burden

The idea for Foreyez came from my personal love affair with eyewear. For years, I was known for my frames I was a self-proclaimed designer frame snob. I believed that only high-end brands could deliver the style and quality I wanted, so I spent hundreds of dollars on frames that matched my outfits or served as my go-to everyday pair. Read More>>

Chiara Cappelletti

I was born and raised in Italy, where style isn’t just about what you wear, it’s a way of expressing who you are. Growing up surrounded by design, texture, and timeless elegance in Milan, I learned early on that true style carries meaning. Read More>>

Jay West

I started the ‘Queen Up Movement in 2017 during one of my darkest and most defining seasons of my life. I was facing a tumultuous divorce, fighting for my son’s freedom after he was wrongfully accused of a crime and dealing with the heartbreak of being passed over for a promotion I rightfully earned. Read More>>

Joy Disch

Blind Dog Coffee wasn’t just born out of a business plan—it was born from one man’s fight to keep going when life tried to stop him. Mark Berry, our founder, is a childhood cancer survivor. As a kid, he faced the unimaginable—radiation treatments that ultimately saved his life, but permanently impacted his vision. Decades later, by the time he turned 49, Mark became legally blind. Read More>>

Daumonique Lenhardt

Origin I founded Maverick Women Network Inc. after too many boardrooms and meetings where I was the only masculine‑presenting woman at the table. The outward success of being “there” quietly collided with the cost of getting there — the misreads, the edits, and the compromises. I built MWNI to be the bridge I wish I’d had growing up. Read More>>

Christian Romero

When I moved from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Miami, my brother Alex introduced me to a new indoor soccer stadium in the Wynwood neighborhood. I would often arrive a few hours early before playing, just to walk the streets and admire the incredible murals everywhere. One day, Mike, the owner of the stadium, invited me to experience the Wynwood Art Walk for the first time. Read More>>

Dr. Don Cote

There are people that have life experience that has turned to wisdom and there are people who seek that wisdom. The Internet makes it seem like it should be so easy for the two to find each other yet, they struggle. I am one of the former. So, I created a community where the people with the wisdom can easily find each other and communicate. Read More>>

Kaswaina Powell

My name is Kaswaina Powell. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. My Journey started back in 1998, when I was 15 years old and pregnant with my first child. Still a child myself, I relied on my mother’s guidance. By the time I was 21, I had two children, and I lost their father to gun violence. Read More>>

Kingsley Oti

It’s really interesting to talk about how the idea for Gauge came about because it started from something very personal. A few years ago, I co-founded SEND, a Y combinator backed digital freight forwarding company that connected African businesses to global trade routes. Read More>>

Doina Oncel

The Story Behind My Business: From Survival to Financial Empowerment The idea for my business was born out of my own financial rock bottom. I have been a single mother for 17 years, trying to make sense of a world that seemed designed to keep me broke. I was $60,000 in debt. I was homeless. I was on welfare. Read More>>

Honey Johnson

The idea for Afro-Indigenous Fusions was born from a shared desire to reconnect with our roots and to celebrate the beauty of both Afro and Indigenous cultures through food. As community members who often cooked for gatherings, ceremonies, and cultural events, we saw how traditional dishes could bring people together, spark conversation, and heal. Read More>>