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.
Denitris Harris
I started writing poetry when I was a teen throughout my adulthood. My grandmothers passing put me in a dark place. I stopped writing and completely shut down. I became distant from everyone and everything. Years passed and I made a choice to either start writing again or stay in this dark place. I made the ultimate life-changing decision to write again. Read more>>
Dani Dircks
When my oldest, Thatcher was 5 he had just started kindergarten, I also had 3 year old twins and a 1 year old. Thatch, like most kids at that age came home with back to school germs and missed 3 days of school. As a mom of 4 and business owner I was desperate for a solution. Us being a self employed family pay 1500.00 a month with a 13,000. Read more>>
Subia Khan
Always had this artistic side to my personality . Enjoyed a pretty decent lifestyle in Dubai . Unfortunately after a serious loss in my husband’s business in 2019 , things changed drastically. We moved to US and I had to kind of do something to support my family. Never had a job experience,During COVID had plenty of time indoors . Read more>>
Shaneka Dixon
I literally was sitting in my living room thinking to myself mannnnn I have to come up with something, something that’s going to help me to never have to clock in again lol! Knowing I had been working since I was 15 years old! Went on YouTube to listen to music while I get ready for work and while scrolling I seen how to make a epoxy keychains… Read more>>
Massiel Pena
I have always been a bookworm, love reading and listening to audiobooks. In 2018 when I started to really enjoy the audiobooks I realized that there was not a diverse pool of narrators with a Latina background. This is how I started to dip my toes into audiobook narration, I believe that representation is important and diversity is beautiful. Read more>>
Wesley Kelly
So how Brand Faith Ruby came about was very unexpected and random. It was at a time in my life where I was a manager at foot locker still on commission in one of the biggest volume doors in the company; Cherry Hill Mall and I was able to treat myself to nice things but I was so into fashion and following trends that it started to feel as though I was working just for materialistic things to feel accepted to some extent. Read more>>
Kristen Ricupero
The urge for starting a business began when my son was born late 2016. I had been working for an incredible family business, but I wasn’t fulfilled in my role. Having my son brought out a variety of emotions, and one of them was this feeling that I wanted more for myself and our family than going to work 9-5 daily. I wanted to make a greater impact on the world and I also wanted to have more flexibility in my schedule than I had with the company I was with. Read more>>
Colleen Gratzer
It was 2016. I had been a designer for close to 20 years and had had my own design consulting business for 13 years. I was at a point in my business where I felt stuck and miserable. Read more>>
Ginalen Soto
McKenzie Packard and I were sitting at a local coffee joint in Cartagena, Colombia when we first decided to open a shop of our own. Our love and appreciation for coffee had grown after visiting and experiencing various coffee shops in over 16 countries combined and almost all states within the U.S. We wanted to pull and share our experiences from every shop and put them into one concept. In 2020, we decided to pursue our concept and began designing a business plan, initiate our search for distributors, and the perfect location. Read more>>
Wekina McMillan
The simply story of how I got the idea for my business may be no different from others alike. I decided after years of working for a company that I felt no longer valued me and what I was bringing to the table to help them advance that I would go it my own. I had kind of an epiphany moment like ‘why am I investing my talents and ideas into a company that isn’t allowing me the opportunity to grow to my fullest potential’. Read more>>
Gio Alatriste
Call it romanticizing, if you will. But I believe the most powerful force on earth is love. Love is behind all that is great. As human beings we have the gift of making tangible, those things we see in our heads. Under Los Angeles began because i wanted to create experiences, spaces, moments and memories of inclusion, safety, laugher, smiles, and love. Read more>>
EMMA KATZKA
I always wanted to be a fashion designer with my own brand, but spent 7 years after college designing for other designers, as most fashion designers start out that way. In 2015 I got engaged and, while planning my own wedding, I had a vision in my head for the specific bridal crown I wanted to wear. Read more>>
Steve Dunlap
Important note: the question I’m answering is “Learning Your Craft” Read more>>
Lindsay Hirth
A few years ago, my mom gave me a bunch of candles and scented products for Christmas. I worked from home and used candles quite often throughout the day. I loved the scents, but I quickly noticed that I was getting headaches and a sore throat whenever I used them, and so were my two young kids. Read more>>
Eric Cluck
Way back in the day when I my brain was figuring out whether it wanted to be logical, creative, analytical, etc., I loved to read, and I read a variety of mystery, comedic, and fictional books. The Hardy Boys, Calvin and Hobbes, Winter’s Tale, Orion, just to name a few. But when I started reading comic books…that was it…I was hooked on the art, the stories, and the action. And because of that one might think I headed down the creative path, but not quite. Read more>>
Mathew Prock
I started working in the recording industry in 1995 as an intern at a studio in downtown Chicago called Hinge. It was an unpaid internship but I stuck around and made myself valuable enough that they eventually hired me as an assistant. Over the course of 8 years, I became a staff engineer and developed strong relationships with various clients while there. Read more>>
Chloe Griffith
I started Wildflora online plant shop because I loved caring for plants! It was that simple. I decided that if I’m at work most of my life I’d rather be doing something I absolutely love than something to just pay the bills. Read more>>
Jakia Durham Kelly
Before I started my business, I worked in a law firm as a paralegal and I absolutely loved it, but I really wanted to travel more, while still being able to work the job I loved, and that wasn’t possible for me realistically because I was also the Office Manager and had to make sure everything in the physical office flowed smoothly, that clients had someone to meet with, mail was being filled, etc., so, I had to be there. Read more>>
Shanikka Hyman
I’ve always been the type of person who offered solutions to friends, coworkers, or relatives whether it be spiritual, personal, or perceptive on a range of context. Being resourceful and well rounded is a asset I’ve mastered . It allows me to quickly develop innovative, beneficial problem solving techniques. I recognized the need in the Self Care Industry and created the Brand Insightful Sister which describes me.The mission is to provide intentional in depth tools to make a difference, within the Mind , Body and Soul. Read more>>
Dea Harris
There was a supply and demand for mobile services to supply healthy food to drivers in the commercial vehicles industry. Most foods were bought at gas stations. Most of their limitations were due to time and limited access to most restaurant facilities. Read more>>