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.
Jesse Johnson
Well I came up with Elevate Embroidery Co during the pandemic of 2020. I first saw an embroidery machine at a sewing class in 2016, and I was intrigued rite away. I had gotten a job at an embroidery place, and thought to myself I can do this too! Read more>>
Justin Anderson
Growing up I remember looking up at the stars and sometimes getting lucky to see the Aurora Borealis. Living in Manitoba, Canada I am very lucky to see Aurora every other night it seems. On the night of August 4, 2019 I found myself out with a camera and photographing the Northern Lights with a friend. As we photographed the skies they began to blow up in colors and lights around 3am. Read more>>
Ramona Ferreyra
In 2017 my nephew Jadiel came down with meningitis at four months old. I relieved his mom from the NICU so we could sing about stars while he healed. We talked about the moon, and said goodnight to everything. I stayed with Jadiel for a week after his release from the hospital. Read more>>
RASHARD DOBBINS
Class Act Detroit was born from abundance and the realization of the lack in BIPOC households and neighborhoods of color. As an educator and former talent agent, I discovered that most scholars in our nation’s urban core are talented and influential beyond all measures; however, they typically need a stage or mentor/femtor to realize their power. Read more>>
Hailey Brown
I founded my company, Sleek by Hailey, based on the poor experiences I had with finding/buying high quality hair extensions that matched my hair. My hair has many textures to it and so there are many ways I can style it. For example, my hair can go from being super curly to pin straight, and everything else in between. Read more>>
Megan Troutt
I had just graduated from college and started my career as a Special Education teacher. I was honestly very miserable and felt so lost during the short span of my first teaching job. I quit that job and worked in early intervention which I loved but after a year I thought I’d give teaching another try. Read more>>
Margaret Orlando
Who is DAMO? Well, it is just that, Dan & Maggie Orlando. Dan and Maggie grew up across the street from each other in Villa Park, IL. Dan is the baby of six and Maggie is the baby of eight children. Read more>>
Ana Maria Vasquez
Below is an excerpt from my book, “Nature: Divine Experiences with Trees, Plants, Stones and Landscapes” Read more>>
Veronica McCoy
Perfect Finish Lip Wear is a small-batch brand created in August of 2021. Read more>>
Joanna Serra
Joanna and Barbara are sister owners of Birdy Boutique. They immigrated to the United States from Poland as children in 1988. Watching their mother perform hard physical work to put food on the table, they learned that hard work and determination can equal success. Education was of utmost importance and both sisters pursued college degrees and began conventional jobs immediately after graduation. Read more>>
Stephanie Downs
The idea for Uncaged’s unique approach to recreating leather came from analyzing traditional leather and its unique properties. Our CTO, Dr. Xiaokun Wang, tested hundreds of biomaterials in thousands of combinations to find the perfect formula. Read more>>
Kamilla Lanae
I came up with the idea of running my own Production Company, Talent Agency and writing my own movies because I was honestly tired of being scammed. I’ve came across so many people who told me they can and will help me with my dreams and career and was really in only for the money. So I decided to start up my own business so I can do for me and help out others who had the same dream as me. Read more>>
Christian Mercado Acevedo
The Food Engineer started as a personal blog to document my personal food journey. The name came about by combining my industrial engineering background with my newly found love for all things food. I didn’t even know food engineering was an actual profession! Five years later, I decided to pursue graduate studies in food science, specializing in beer. Read more>>
Samantha Littlefield
During Covid in 2020, I had picked up crochet as a way to spend my freetime. Now two years later, I had decided to use my skills, time, and effort as a way to share my passion with a few other very talented individuals to sell our work. Our aim is to sell items of comfort and quality to any ages from child to adult. Read more>>
Britleigh Wechsler
When 2020 and covid came around, I as well as many others got locked inside and not able to work. I wanted to check in with my artist and entrepreneur friends to see how they were holding up. I would set up an “Instagram Live” video chat with them and talk to them about what they were doing to stay positive, and productive. Read more>>
Riley Burns
JoJo’s Farmers Market is named after my mother, Joanna. She passed away when I was only eight years old, and it sent me on a mission of healing; not just for myself, but for those around me as well. I became a yoga teacher, amongst several other trades, and this would be the catalyst to what became the market. I wanted to bring all of the health and wellness ideals I believed in, into a community space for others to experience as well. JoJo’s is just that. Read more>>
Robert Gabbitas
My friends and I have always loved being spontaneous and maybe just a little bit reckless. In High School, I had two really close friends, Jonah and Brady, and the three of us never learned how to ground ourselves in reality. On one occasion, Brady came to Jonah and me and said something like “did you know there’s a cave up the slot canyon by my house?” Jonah and I interpreted that to mean “we’re going to find a cave up the slot canyon by your house right now!” Read more>>
Melina Beatriz Bracamonte
In 2020 when COVID was at its height I was laid off from my job as an aviation avionics technician and was at home in quarantine like most people. Stores were low on stock in many everyday items and some of that was soaps and body washes. I started to research the process of making soap and its history and origins. Read more>>
Free Gems Network
The story behind Free Gems Network is one day I(Ej) texted Willmatic if he wanted to start a podcast. He asked about what? I said about what we love and that’s music and business. So then we reached out to Gumbosa to be the third member and videographer. We shot our pilot episode that will never see the light of day. Soon after that we shot our official first episode interview style. Read more>>
James Benefico
Like many people, I had a horrific experience with a synthetic pre-workout that almost put me in the ER. Read more>>
Shar Moore
Shar teamed up with long time friend and image consultant, Arica dawkins to develop the new salon. Hair salons are more than just places to go get your hair done. More than just shampoo and conditioning. The hair stylist can at times be the therapist, the motivator, the educator, etc. The salon is a place where people can escape. Come in with baggage and leave feeling better and looking great. There is More To Hair! Read more>>
Yia Vang
I didn’t really come up with the idea. It naturally found me. As a cook I believe that every dish has a narrative and if you follow that narrative long enough and close enough you get to the people behind the food. Once you’re there it’s not about food it’s actually about people. Food is a catalyst into cultivating relationships. When I applied that ethos to my own life I ended up at the table of my mother and father. Read more>>
Tinamarie Passantino
The Josie Music Awards was created from a need to ensure that independent music artists were celebrated for their talents and bodies of work. The Josie Music Awards came after our network had several brands already in operation and we wanted to celebrate all those that we have worked with over the years and across all of our different entertainment brands. Read more>>
Ray Tesi
I have been a diehard Star Trek fan since September 1966. I have been to conventions including the first in 1972, met celebrities, made costumes and models, and dreamed of one day walking on the Enterprise. I was also a watcher of Star Trek fan films: films made by fans for sometimes little or no money. In 2013, a fan film called STAR TREK CONTINUES came along and I was as hooked on this fan series just as I was in 1966. Read more>>
Elly Seifert
It all traces back to my roots. I come from an Ecuadorian background. We are hard workers, kind, spiritual, humorous and we usually have a story to tell. A true story. We have a strong Christian relationship. We love helping people in need. Ecuador is considered a third world country and at some point in our lives we have struggled emotionally, financially just to name a few and somehow with the help of family and the grace of God we’ve been victorious. There have been battles internally and externally.
Austin Whitney
Six months after a car accident that severed his spinal cord and took away his legs, Austin Whitney attended his first music festival. For the first time since his spinal cord injury, he was able to smile and simply enjoy life. Read more>>
Latashia Renee
Honestly, I’ve been writing since I was able to hold a pencil. Lol! (I legit would rather write than talk.) Writing quickly became my passion as a young child and as I got older, I guess you could say, it just wouldn’t turn me loose! Read more>>
Jean Junior Doralus
Beginning of 2016, I worked for Hallmark Distribution Center as an Order Processor. While working, I have examined most of the employees are young and wearing Nike shoes. After my assessment, I asked many of them why they wore Nike and if something motivated them or if there was a reason. 90% said:” For no reason, no motivation just because we like it.” Read more>>
Sade Culliver
I’ve always felt a sense of conflict between all the different forms of art that I have fallen in love with. If I simply pursued being a fashion designer, I would miss the piece of me that loved painting. If I simply pursued creative directing, I would miss the piece of me that loved event planning. Read more>>
Raechel Kelley Valles
I can’t tell the story of Siply without first addressing my family. I come from a long line of strong women, on both sides. My great grandmother on my Father’s side, Effie Irene, (who I got my middle name from) made a name for herself by getting arrested for protesting women’s rights and black rights in Alabama. Read more>>
Sonya Carr
I have always been a baker but three years ago, I officially took the leap of faith to officially launch Mommy & Me Bakery. As a full time HR Professional, I knew this would be a challenge. Three years later, I have no regrets. It has been an amazing journey. I would encourage anyone who is debating whether or not to take the leap and launch their new business to DO IT! Read more>>
Barry Reed
The initial seed for Italian ice was planted in 1982-83 when I was living near and working center city Philadelphia, PA. My co workers had been asking if I had tried Italian ice yet. In Philly they call it water ice ( wooder ice). Read more>>
Margot Griffin
At the time (2016), I was living in Key West, which is the #2 destination in the country for weddings. I wanted to do something timeless and creative, that used my skills as an artisan- my undergrad major was in studio art, specifically oil painting, and I later attended yacht restoration school, going on to specialize in finish work such as varnishing. Read more>>
Teresa Johnson
I fell in love with the practice of Yoga as I was approaching my middle age, after the very first class I attended. At that time, I was working as a professional in the highly stressful auto industry and was suffering from a myriad of physical, emotional and mental issues. Read more>>
Joann Grasser
Over the last couple of years Kenosha WI has been hit hard due to the riots in 2019 and then complete shut down in 2020 from covid. Many people switched to web sales/services and lost their storefronts/studios/businesses. I myself worked the entire time as an administrative assistant but wanted to do more for the community in Kenosha. Kenosha is my home town, and I was very much a theatre kid/artist growing up. Read more>>
Chaitanya C Krishna
It all started in Virginia, when Kris(Krishna) was looking for a way to make his niece’s birthday a special and memorable one. Read more>>
Vanessa Sirni
During the beginning of Covid, like many people, I lost my job and had some extra time to start a travel blog- something I always wanted to do. I wanted to share my experiences with traveling, and inspire those who want to see more of the world, to get out there and travel! I wanted to focus on eco-friendly traveling tips, and help people realize that traveling is easy, and everyone should travel. Read more>>