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.

Sophillia Tagaban

Heart Blaster is a family company, first. My daughter Janelle would spend time with her dad when he first started the clothing part of his own company, Cookies. I was studying Human Services at the time, which is tied to working in various areas of policies, programs, services, and facilities to meet basic human needs relating to the quality of life in communities. Read more>>

Francisco Cornejo

The idea came to us when our kids were suffering from sleep problems, and we were undergoing a family crisis (by that time, living in Australia). However, for me, the big “a-ha” moment was when I realized that my eldest was already four years old, and I missed a lot of bonding time with him because I was too focused on my career. When we introduced multi-sensorial stimulation (massage, music, oils) to our bedtime routine, we saw something that had never happened before: Read more>>

Melissa Araujo

I am originally from Brazil, but moved to Canada to pursue my education. On my last year of university in Business my friends and strangers alike kept on asking where I bought some of my clothes. I’ve noticed it was the pieces I had designed and had my mom’s seamstress back home make it for me. And I would tell people I’ve designed, choose the fabric and someone made it for me in Brazil. Read more>>

Kim Abt

I am a certified personal trainer and weightlifting enthusiast who discovered the transformative power of strength training on my journey to self-love and body acceptance. Through my own weightlifting journey, I found a newfound confidence and self-love that I want to share with other women. Read more>>

Matthew Andrade

I’d spent a couple of years working in the UK and really enjoyed the attention to detail all the business guys had. It felt like I had come home between the suits, ties, pocket squares, braces (suspenders) shoes – so many great and fun ways to express one’s individual style were on display. After talking about it for a while my wife got my an iPad and an Apple pencil and told me to either start drawing or stop talking about it, and Gentleman Rogue was born. Read more>>

Sean Zyer

My motivation for starting Earth Buddy was purely driven to help my dog, Keeva. Keeva was a 13yr old collie mix that was epileptic when we adopted her from a family member and we didn’t know how much time we had left with her. Living in Colorado, you are always one degree separated from the cannabis industry and I knew that there was some exciting research around epilepsy and cannabis. Read more>>

Shay

I’ve always had an entrepreneur spirit and have been fascinated with the idea of having my “own thing”. Even as a little girl I made paper clothes for my stuffed animals, tried to start my own “treehouse club” in my neighborhood and even wrote a gossip column for my 5th grade class (and yes, I still have it!) As I got older I tried multiple creative outlets like woodwork, soap making, and writing, but nothing ever stuck because the passion wasn’t there. Read more>>

Rich Flee

I started making music in 2018, when growing up I never wanted to be an artist I actually wanted to be in the NFL or a firefighter but God had a different plan for me. Around 2018 I was in the studio with my friends just being around and eventually got inspired to hop in the booth. After making my first couple of songs, I decided to put my first single out and received a lot of love. Read more>>

Exvelma Webb

So I came up with the idea to start my healthy hair care line, CoCoEssentialsByWebb for many reasons. One reason was because I always loved buying haircare products to see how they worked and how they smelled. Another reason because I suffered severely with dandruff and shedding and nothing worked for my hair. Read more>>

Renae BrownWatson

A few years ago I was a single mom of 1. I was trying to figure out how to make more money and decided I would get into doing lashes. Each client pays about $90-$125 on average per visit. each visit lasts about 2 hours. I wanted to go the legal route (as I’m not someone that can get away with stealing a .05 cent bazooka gum). I saw that in New Jersey, a lash tech is supposed to have an esthetician’s or cosmetologist license in order to (legally) provide these services. Read more>>

Mareesa Ahmad

I was 14 years old, a freshman in high school, and bored one day during the summer time. I spent most of my days out in the yard, in the pool with friends, or cooking random recipes I found or making up my own. This particular day though, I was bored and found myself complaining to my mother. She of course gave me a laundry list of things I could do to alleviate my boredom, but one in particular stuck – she said, “Why don’t you teach your friends or the kids in the neighborhood how to cook? Just bring them over!” After some thought, I figured why not! Read more>>

Nadine Sueppmayer

To answer this question, I’ll have to go back in time a bit. I, myself, didn’t come up with the idea for the product. (Twusch – porcelain inserts for Thetford RV toilets) My dad did. In 2011 he suffered a severe stroke and had to go through extensive rehab. After, thankfully, a full recovery, he started looking at life a little bit different. He wanted to regain all the independence and mobility he had almost lost and bought himself a motorhome to travel Germany and Europe. Read more>>

Shera Kaan-Lilly and Maxime Kaan-Lilly NA

As South Florida sisters we know what it’s like to crave a refreshing glass of wine on a sunny afternoon. After a decade of sipping on Rosè, we felt it was time for something fresh and exciting. We wanted to develop a more elevated experience that could be enjoyed by a younger generation of wine drinkers. We’ve always loved chilling down our reds and quickly realized that most of our friends did too. Read more>>

Robyn Graham

Women often struggle with a lack of confidence, body image, self-doubt, and fear, especially when in front of a camera. “Make me look 10 years younger and 20 pounds lighter”, I heard over and over. “I don’t photograph well.” “I hate having my picture taken.” “I always look terrible in photos.” These are just a few of the statements I heard when booking clients for my branding photography business. Read more>>

Sarah Dowuona

I graduated from the National FIlm and Television Institute with a bachelor’s degree in Television Production. During my National Service I kept thinking about what I wanted to do after I am done and the thought of working for someone did not sit well with me due to the experience i had during my national service. The initial Idea was to work at a television station. Read more>>

Hassan Mahmood

My foray into the hospitality industry was around working at and frequenting other craft cocktail bars. I used that experience to launch another business a few years ago around parameters usually associated with and expected of great cocktail bars. In starting another business, I wanted to create a setting where we could offer quality cocktails and a thoughtful beer list, but a far contrast from the sit-down & speakeasy vibes that often go hand-in-hand with cocktail bars. Read more>>

Lacey Shamion

I was a new mom desperately wanting to stay at home with her daughter, but knew our household needed two sets of income… I had tried traditional network marketing but it just wasn’t what was put on my heart to do. I knew I loved to create and help, but just wasn’t sure where I fit in combining my passion and my calling.. I had always worn headbands, but never loved loved any that I had bought. Read more>>

Andrea Wiater

Cruisin’ Tikis Nashville was really a love-at-first-sight situation. My husband and I were vacationing in Key West and saw these perfect tiki bars cruisin’ around and immediately knew it was exactly what Nashville was missing. My family lives for lake days and boating so it’s a great way to share our slice of paradise with others and create some lasting memories! Read more>>

Desiree & Gary Roberts

Our store Laces and Pages was created to intertwine my interest in literature and his interest in art through fashion, hence, Laces is for fashion and Pages is for books. At our store, we are dedicated to making sure that all children have access to stories about characters that look like them and share their experiences. We are committed to amplifying the voices of Black and Brown authors who are often sidelined in mainstream publishing. Read more>>

Peter Herrmann

I have always been interested in putting outfits together. Color coordinating, matching shoes to shirts, hats to pants. The way things fit, the way they make you feel. I have always been drawn to shoes, to nice shoes, clean sneakers, to sneaker culture. Growing up in not always the best of situations, we didn’t always have the nicest things. So when I was finally able to get the fancy shoes,..I needed a shirt to match. Read more>>

Emilia Aiello

I had been working in NYC as a sommelier at Lupa Osteria Romana, a prominent Italian restaurant with an extensive Italian wine list, one of the most comprehensive in the City. As I became more interested in the intricacies of Italian wine, I realized we really didn’t have much to offer in the way of southern Italy. In that time, I took the Vinitaly Italian Wine Scholar exam impressed upon me further how in Italy, grape and place cannot be separated. Read more>>

Sydney Pate

Starting my business Carl’s Closet Co was quite literally a dream. I woke up one morning after having a dream that I started a dog bandana business named after my Mini Schnauzer (Carl). Dog bandanas must have been top of mind when falling asleep the evening prior as I was so frustrated with the money I spent online on a flimsy, poorly made bandana I had purchased for my dog. Read more>>

Viridiana Osio

Chingona Inc was born during a time of rejection. I had just graduated with my bachelor’s degree in graphic design, and no one would hire me. With no experience or confidence in graphic design, I worked in customer service to pay the bills. During that time, I had seen an artist who made passive income from her art, and I fell in love with the idea. She sold her designs on print-on-demand sites with no money. Read more>>

Kristel Tariman

Let’s start from the beginning, shall we? Before Sunbask Studios, there was Curate with Kristel. I started Curate with Kristel in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. It started as a side hustle while I was working full time at a multinational tech company as a technical account manager. As the same with everyone, I had a lot of time in my hands working from home. This led me to actually take the time to sit down and ask myself what I really wanted to do with my life. Read more>>

Natalie Marino

From the moment I was born, I knew God had a plan, a destiny for which I was committed to navigate, embrace and celebrate. I am the first born in my family, and love the fact that I get to be a sister, mom, mentor and bestie to my baby sister. As a total Capricorn Jefa, I have been hustling since I was 15, always attracted to how people make money, how businesses run, and how to provide and be successful. Difference between now and then, is a couple of eye opening situations, turning and tipping points that have shaped me into the person I am today. Read more>>

Anna Svetlik De La Rosa

I started in a corporate position many years back and then in December 2011, I decided to break off on my own as an entrepreneur.  That is when I opened my own insurance firm, De La Rosa Insurance Services, LLC and built it from the ground up. I loved being able to run, operate and grow my own business by incorporating 3 main aspects: my entrepreneurial side, my technical skills and management knowledge. Read more>>

Beata Lerman

The idea and an inspiration behind Sinless Treats came form a deep desire to have a premium chocolate that one can enjoy in any amount and not have ANY regrets. This started way back into my graduate and even the undergraduate degree days. The only way I would survive the exams, was on a consistent diet of seafood and chocolate. Read more>>

Armelle Edoh

I fell seriously ill and after final diagnosis I started looking into self healing journey. I made a list of things to change about my lifestyle, and one item is do what give me joy. So cooking and styling food and serve it to family and friends gives me joy. And since I was on a healing journey I decided to start sharing sharing about the healthy eating journey I embark on. Read more>>

Shawna Rodrigues

Before I even started my podcast, The Grit Show, I joined a group of individuals who were interested in podcasting. I took a bit of a leadership role and shared a lot as I was launching and getting my podcast off the ground. Once I launched, it surprised me that most of the folks I started the journey with never got theirs off the ground. I chalked it up as all of us trying to do so much and related my success to how long I’d been considering mine in the background. Read more>>

Terrance McGee

Since an adolescent, I’ve held firm the belief that I am a miracle child because it’s what my mother always told me. And, throughout my life tenure, any successes are credited to the personal efforts of remaining faithful and diligent throughout processes. Read more>>

Valerie Cason Williamston

30-year educational leader, and life-long learner, with a passion to enrich the lives of others by instilling a love of learning and curiosity for it in everyone, founded Savvy Senior Connections, LLC on March 13, 2022. While serving as caregiver for her elderly grandfather, I noticed an alarming disconnect in the conversations between my grandfather and his service providers. Read more>>

Kearil Abraham

Ever since I was in second grade, I aspired to become a pediatrician. As time progressed I took the courses or participated in the activities that would lead me on the right track. Once I reached high school, I dreamt of the concept of your one stop shop of pediatric healthcare services in one building. By senior year of high school, I became a summer intern shadowing a local pediatrician. Read more>>

Royal Boles

Under Construxtion originally was the wording I used back in Bebo days whenever I needed a social media break (but of course I spelt construxtion the right way). It wasn’t until after I released the second book that I was able to put 2 and 2 together.. I remember writing my first book and I couldn’t think of a title to save my life. The book was finished and my book signing was being planned, but I needed the perfect title…Under Construxtion. Read more>>

Kathryn Dodson

I have been a lifelong reader and a part of the writing community for many years, as a writer and a book coach (I help others with their novels). As a reader, I’ve found that many traditionally published books had started to disappoint me. They seemed formulaic, poorly edited, or just not that interesting. I also found some self-published books to be fascinating, wonderful reads, while others had clearly been published without proper editing. Read more>>

Ashley-Lauren Elrod

Visionary Woman Productions was a company birthed out of community, collaboration, and sisterhood over thirteen years ago. I was in my last year of college at the time and had a big network of creative women who were killing the game, who showed the best creative promise, most of them in whom I still collaborate with til this day. One day, I said “let’s create something amazing and submit it for fun!” Read more>>

Eli Walker

In September of 2017, I walked into a bar…(where so many great ideas begin). The owner of the bar, my former boss, said, “Eli, you’re a yoga teacher? You should teach me yoga. I can’t even touch my toes.” To prove it, he bent over, but surprisingly…he did, and remarked, “Huh. I guess I can do it when I’m drunk.” (Cue lightbulb) I exclaimed, “Let’s do Drunk Yoga!” Read more>>

Ikeis Bradley

The name Creative Currency derives from the initial idea of finding a creative way to make money. With the opportunities individuals are exposed to in current times, there are a plethora of ways to make money and be your own “Boss”. Creative Currency was founded in 2014 by two High School juniors, Ikeis Bradley and Jaison Battle with the vision of changing the way we approach entertainment while encouraging the investment in one’s brand as well. Read more>>

SHARHONDA BEASLEY-CROSBY

Purpose Balms was inspired by my late grandmother and her experience with breast cancer. In 2020, I witnessed the debilitating effects of cancer on her. It was heartbreaking to witness the pain she endured physically and mentally. Dry skin was my grandmother’s chief complaint during chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Due to harsh chemicals found in most lotions and moisturizers, selections were very slim for her. Read more>>

Shivani Bhatia

My favorite part of equity work is the people in it — the human lives we touch and shape with every interaction, the gloriously chaotic ways we imprint on and are changed by each other. Resonant and relational connection is, after all, one of the antidotes to so many ills and violences. Read more>>

Sharon Dawson

It all started as a side hustle over 10 years ago with an abandoned piece of furniture on the side of the road. How could somebody just dump this beautiful sideboard when it obviously had so much life left in it? When it could be transformed into something magnificent and beautiful and useful? That sideboard called to me and I did a u-turn in my little car and shoved it in the back, much to the embarrassment of my kids. Read more>>

Becky Karle

In 2017 our daughter was married at our farm. I collected mismatched vintage style dish ware to serve dinner on. After the wedding was over I received many requests to borrow the dishes. This inspired me to turn the mismatched vintage dishes I started collecting into a business. Read more>>

Lauri Partanio

Professional Pets Florida was born from a problem I ran into myself as a dog owner that most of our clients have today: I couldn’t find anyone even remotely qualified to pet sit my dogs in my area. Being a New York transplant, I had no family or friends here either. Read more>>

Lenae Ploscynski

It’s kind of crazy actually, years ago in 2017 I opened “DermaLash Studio” on a Phenix Suite and I was crush by the idea of not having insurance, paid vacation and the socially acceptable idea of a “real job” and I quit and got a regular 9 to 5 I never thought I’d want to own a busy again. Fast forward to 2020 I’m working as a Customer Service coordinator at an ASL book publishing company studying ASL interpreting. Read more>>

Steven Trabb

Back in 2013 while planning our wedding, Tara had an epiphany. “A mini taco station would be amazing,” she told her fiancé, Steven. “Who wouldn’t love mini tacos? We have to serve them at our wedding reception!” As a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and a distributor of specialty foods, Steven figured this would be an easy endeavor. Read more>>