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.

Tori Hauser

The idea for Ready Bat really sprang out of one of those everyday “aha” moments. Picture this: it’s after baseball practice, and I’m out in the parking lot with my kid. There’s a tired kid, a heavy backpack, and this metal bat handle just swinging around dangerously. Then it dings right into a car door. Read More>>

Gelila Feleke

Sweet Studios NYC, my creative culinary production studio, emerged as the result of many years of nurturing my interests in cooking/baking and fine art. Previously, the two skills existed independently of one another; I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a child and at the same time, working alongside my mother in our kitchen to prepare food for our family. Read More>>

Soul Aglow

The idea for Soul Aglow came about when I began photographing the splendor of the great outdoors. Capturing the breathtaking beauty of towering forests and pristine lakes, especially during dazzling sunrises and sunsets, made me feel whole again after losing my mother, father and brother within a few short years of each other. Read More>>

Siddik Lartey

My aim is to look at my world and find new ways to observe and experience life in the mostly healthy environments. Having come from a artists lineage my creative skills have been fostered since a young age. I’m constantly learning and seeking out new way to enhance & expand my perspective mentally and physically. Read More>>

John Wilson

The idea for my business grew out of both my professional experience and my personal journey with money. I spent over 20 years working as an accountant, serving people from many different financial backgrounds. What I saw consistently, regardless of income level, was a lack of organization, clarity, and understanding of how money actually works. Many people were not failing because they were irresponsible. Read More>>

Tobi Idowu

I’ve always known that the long-term goal was to be an owner—I didn’t initially know what I wanted to own. Over the years, I explored many ideas, from becoming a ghostwriter to a fashion designer, and even owning my own practice. As I continued to grow professionally and truly master my skills as a BCBA (Behavioral Analyst), both clinically and operationally, the vision became clearer. Read More>>

bridget mccluckie

I started BikinisByBridget as a way to combine my passion for fashion, culture, and women’s empowerment. Growing up, I learned how to sew from my abuela, and my mom supported me with sewing classes until I was 14. This early exposure to the world of design and craftsmanship sparked my love for fashion. Read More>>

Starr Jackson

The arts and media have been apart of Starr’s journey since she was just a little girl. She had the opportunity to attend an arts school from K-8 at Thomas G. Pullen in Landover, Maryland. While there she was able to try every art field and eventually choose Orchestra to be her major in the 6th grade. Read More>>

Melanie Carr

The holiday season is approaching and family members are all scurrying to prepare family dinners and host guests and prepare for events. Recipes are flying back and forth — who has Aunt Jen’s sweet potato casserole recipe or Grandma Sue’s pumpkin roll recipe? Read More>>

Pursarth Tuladhar

I built my first website when I was 13 years old as a hobby. Years later, I ended up in the digital marketing profession with stints at Zillow, LexisNexis, TaskRabbit, and few other early-stage venture backed startups. During my career, I personally built hundreds of landing pages and analyzed thousands more. Read More>>

Grace Millard

At the age of 14, the idea of starting a nonprofit began in the unlikely backdrop of a high school gym class. Amidst the newness of starting the 9th grade and being a freshman, it was nice to see a familiar face in Jordan Chen, who would cofound Restoring Rainbows with me. Read More>>

Nichakorn (Minnie) Masunthasuwan

I have been drawing and creating stories in my head since I was a child. Growing up, I often felt as though I had a shifting face, floating adrift among cultures and identities, feeling as though the world was transparently passing by me, while I carried only a vague sense of self. Read More>>

Robert Bostick

13 years ago I went to a presenter conference where business owners were presenting to a room of VC’s to raise money for their company. I saw a presenter be interminably boring until he shared this dicey sales cartoon https://tinyurl.com/4f2n952v and brought the house down with it. He instantly won everyone’s attention and respect delivering a great moment of levity that everyone appreciated and enjoyed. Read More>>

Amy MacMillan

Realm Glow was born out of necessity—but also out of longing. For a long time, I didn’t recognize myself. My husband was working as a flight nurse and traveling often, which meant I stepped fully into the role of stay-at-home mom. I loved my family deeply, but as a creative person, the lack of flexibility, stability, and self-expression slowly wore me down. Read More>>

Winslow Vail

As a child, I loved the fairies. Every day, I spent hours outside tending a fairy house I built beneath a large oak tree using sticks, moss, leaves, flowers, mud, and treasures from nature. I spent hundreds of hours working on my fairy house. At the same time, I wrote letters to the fairies, leaving the notes on my windowsill. Read More>>

Faysal Abi

I’ve been immersed in the yoga world for more than 24 years and have been teaching about half of that time. From being a traditional yogi I began to venture beyond traditional poses and practice. What led to this was a serious car accident where I broke my neck. I began to rethink movement when it came to helping my body heal. Read More>>

Kayla Simone

I didn’t come up with the idea for She Believes in a traditional business sense, I received it. I was sitting on my couch one day when I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me and say, “Create a Facebook page and call it She Believes.” It wasn’t loud, but it was undeniable. Read More>>

Terence Guider-Shaw

Press Photography Network was born out of both uncertainty and clarity. When I was laid off from The Herald News of Joliet as a photojournalist, I was forced to confront a reality many journalists face: traditional media jobs were disappearing, and freelance work alone felt unstable and isolating. Read More>>

Ebony McCray

The idea for Redim Beauty came from a personal shift in my life. I’ve always believed beauty is more than skin-deep, and I’ve always stood firm on having good character — how you act, how you treat people, and how you carry yourself. But as I grew spiritually, I realized that character isn’t something you build through willpower alone. Read More>>

Kwami Williams

Kwami and Emily met through MIT’s D-Lab program in rural Ghana. It was here that local farmers first introduced us to the moringa tree. Used for centuries in traditional herbal remedies, moringa has 92 essential nutrients and 46 antioxidants with research backed benefits for health and topical skincare. Read More>>

Laurie Mann

MANN|MARK was born from a deep desire to make a difference and ignite advocates for missions that matter. After decades of working at United Way, I saw firsthand how powerful impact becomes when people truly believe in a cause. The organizations that thrived were the ones that told their story with clarity, heart, and purpose, turning supporters into champions. Read More>>

James Woods III

The idea for Clubs & Sticks came from real life, not a business plan. Golf had always been a place where I found discipline and perspective, and cigars represented the pause — the moment to slow down, reflect, and enjoy the process. Over time, I realized those two worlds shared the same values: patience, consistency, and respect for the craft. Read More>>

Stephen Patrick

The idea for my business came from the unique blend of my background and what I witnessed firsthand. With a BA in Communications from the University of Louisville and professional experience in banking, higher-ed marketing, and sports journalism, I realized I had the perfect mix of skills for storytelling, education, and financial knowledge. Read More>>

Kesha

Starting this business was my way of turning passion into purpose. I get to help people celebrate life, reconnect with loved ones, and create stories they’ll talk about for years. And honestly? There’s nothing more fulfilling than watching someone’s travel dreams come to lif Read More>>

Mariela Henriquez

The idea for me to start my creative services business actually came from the closing of a chapter in my life. I had been laid off from my tech job and with the unstable market we’ve been experiencing the past few months, it didn’t make sense for me to pour time and energy into something that wasn’t going to be fruitful. Read More>>

Catherine Nyongesa

The concept for Texas Cancer Centre, Nairobi, grew directly from personal and clinical experience. As a medical student, I watched my sister suffer from cancer. I struggled to secure timely care for her, exposing how fragmented, slow, and poorly coordinated our health system can be. Read More>>

Shanique Walker

Mental Beauty Reset grew out of a shared need that kept showing up across conversations, therapy spaces, and everyday life — the need for people to feel safe being seen. Safe in their bodies, their stories, their struggles, and the parts of themselves shaped by spoken and unspoken societal pressures around beauty, success, and worth. The work originally began as a space for women. Read More>>

Tina Foster

The idea for my business came from a recurring, everyday frustration. As a working mom and someone constantly on the go, I often needed to touch up my hair or my daughter’s but found myself carrying a brush in one place and hair product in another, or missing one entirely. In those moments, I kept thinking there had to be a simpler solution. Read More>>

Marcos Rodriguez

I started Vintage Rehabs, LLC in 2013 as a small hobby, painting old furniture to resell in Southern California. One day, my wife and I were watching a show about furniture flipping, and I turned to her and said, “I can do that.” From there, we began hunting for pieces at flea markets, on Craigslist, and anywhere else we could find quality old furniture. Read More>>

Camron Ware

My wife and I have always loved creating experiences with visuals and story, specifically with video projection mapping. I first started experimenting with small projectors almost 20 years ago as a way to digitally paint the inside of rooms as a transformative tool. We got a huge response and saw a need. Read More>>

MaryEllen Dorey

Like many people who pursue a wellness path, I had personal success with aromatherapy. From the time I was a kid, I felt that butterfly feeling in my stomach and sadness (and was too stubborn to ever take a medication for it!). Read More>>

Kenjahte’ Harrison

In 2020, after losing my job due to the pandemic, I chose to pause rather than immediately jump into another role. I spent meaningful time with my family and began supporting friends who owned businesses, helping them strengthen their workflows and make more strategic decisions to navigate the circumstances. Strategy has always been at the core of how I work. Read More>>

Ruth Cooper

Since a very young age, I’ve had a strong desire to help others. For many years, I became deeply involved in my church, opening our home to those who needed a head start in life. We offered them work, a place to live, and guidance—helping them take a positive approach to life while experiencing the warmth, stability, and love of a family. Read More>>

Matt Gray

When I started creating Valore in January 2024, I had a vision to create something I love that could change the world. The name came to me unexpectedly, but it immediately felt right. After looking up the definition, I knew I had to use it. Valore comes from the Latin roots valor and valēre, meaning to be strong, to be worth, or to have value. Read More>>

Charles Kagigebi

How I came up with the Sober Vision Creationz online store basically came from the non profit Sober Visionz that me and a great group of people came up with. (Shout out to Steve, Lisa, Aaron John, etc..) We didn’t get any grants or have a 501c3. So we did a lot of fundraising, raffles, and GoFundMe’s. Read More>>

Kenzi Vruno

The idea for The Cake Edit Studio came from a season of transition in my life. I had always loved baking and cake design, but after becoming a mom, I found myself craving a creative outlet that I could build on my own terms, something flexible, meaningful, and rooted in connection. Read More>>

Samarya Elliott

The Karys Foundation Inc., began years before the idea of starting a 501(C)(3) came to pass. Growing up, there were plenty of times I asked my parents for cash to give to someone who was in need while riding around in the car. I felt complete satisfaction and my heart soften every time I was able to give. Read More>>