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.

Ellie Aaron

When I first started my business as a yoga teacher and health coach (prior to the business I have now where I teach women in the wellness space how to grow to six and seven figures) I hated sales. Like, with a passion. I thought sales were all about manipulating people. I thought sales = slimy salesman who only wanted your money. (This is what we’re taught about sales in general!) But I LOVEED what I did in my business. I loved helping others feel better. Read more>>

Takeya Brown

One night after work laying next to my husband, I started spitting out ideas for new business ideas! I’m like “we should start a sock line…. NO!!… a robe line… NO!! maybe a loungewear line!!!! So eventually I started ordering samples of thing that I liked (Big mistake)! I started talking to my sister about my ideas ( vision, types of clothing, etc). Once she was board, I knew I had the green light. Read more>>

Dante Lee

Triumph Victory Limitnone was created 3 years after I had dropped out of college and stopped playing basketball. After my first daughter was born, I had a lot of decisions to make. I was working a warehouse job, and had to think about the future along with what my purpose or passion was. Because of my life-long love for fashion, a clothing line was always in the back of my head. I wanted it to be more than a clothing line though. I wanted purpose with my brand, so creating a name was a very important factor. After reflecting on my life at the time, Triumph Victory Limitsnone was created. Read more>>

Amanda Stockton

I actually got started on my professional art journey when I made my first real sale in an effort to raise money to buy a cover for my upcoming novel. I mostly made art for myself, kept hidden in sketchbooks or journals. Until I started to share my work with family and friends on Facebook. People started asking for prints. The next steps came after my divorce. As a once stay at home mother turned single unemployed mother, I had to come up with something to carry me through and start my life over again. Read more>>

Sofia Arango

We wanted to bring an authentic Italian experience to all the Atlanta area and beyond, we found a company in Italy that could modify a Piaggio ApeCar and convert it into a pizza truck and we decided to take the risk! Read more>>

Kenneth Cole Jr

The idea of renting Slingshots was something that I always thought about doing. I just never knew how I would get started. Being that I own a Slingshot, everywhere I would go people would wave and smile, while pulling out their phones to take pictures. Parents would always ask if it would be ok for their children to sit in it and take pictures. In addition to taking pictures, many of those same people would ask me if I rent them or do I know where to rent them. Of course, at that time the answer was always no. Read more>>

Heather Savage

When Covid hit the world many people were affected by jobs, shutting down including myself. I had downloaded TikTok and posted a few videos prior to Covid. Being an extreme extrovert, I started making more videos and doing live feeds to connect with people. Several videos went viral. My following kept growing and it’s turned into the following today if 5.5 million followers on Tik Tok alone. Read more>>

Erica Holland

About 3 years ago I purchased a 1 way ticket to Bali to grow my graphic design business and work remotely from a beautiful tropical island paradise. While I was there I absolutely fell in love with the how the Balinese culture used flowers in their day to lives, ceremonies, offerings and decor and realized I had to learn more about it. So one day I contacted a local flower shop asking if they needed any extra help in exchange for teaching me about flowers and arranging. Read more>>

David Vichesky

More than just beauty, our surroundings have the power to inspire us, relax us, or motivate us. Creating spaces that add inspiration and serenity to our lives is something we all need, but so few of us know how to do. We might know what things, colors and sensations make us feel good, but not necessarily how they can work together. Read more>>

Jess and Mackenzie

We both have a long standing passion for wellness, for ourselves and our families. Our belief is that wellness includes strengthening your mindset to produce empowerment, intentional movement, and plant forward nutrition. Entirely designed to leave your mind and body feeling pleasantly restored. Extending this passion to help others do the same is why we created Lustre. We believe living the Lustre lifestyle benefits both your short-term health and promotes longevity by combating future disease. Read more>>

Catherine & Ian Hyde

My Husband Ian and I purchased a “fixer upper” in thriving area of Memphis. We wanted to find the most dated home in the area. The home needed to be well within our budget and have great potential to put our much-needed stamp on it. Feeling the need to give a 100-year-old home the love it deserved. Right away Ian started on the exterior trimming and removing the existing landscaping that had overtaken the home. Read more>>

Katie Lumsden

Some photographers that I’ve talked to have always known that photography was their calling. They had a camera gripped firmly in their hands for as long as they can remember and were always capturing the people, places, and things around them. That was not me. I felt lead to a very different purpose as I stepped foot outside my college campus for the first time, my BA in Biology in hand (more realistically – in the mail). Read more>>

Scott Janney

Thanks for having me. Of course! So, I started Magazine Jukebox, Inc. with my wife, Lauren. Lauren and I thought of the idea one night in our kitchen. In 2020, we had planned to open a coffee shop with a huge magazine wall. But then COVID hit, and magazines were discontinued in commercial spaces. We wondered why magazines weren’t readily available in a digital format without having to download an app. This led to a lot of research, dedication, and development of what eventually became Magazine Jukebox. Read more>>

Laura Toyofuku-Aki

Yoga had been a part of my life since my first year of college. Many years later, I was living in NYC and realized that the professional path I was on was not fulfilling AND I didn’t know what I wanted in life. After I completed my first 200-hour yoga teacher training I also figured out that I did not want to teach in yoga studios because they tended/tend to be exclusionary – white, able-bodied, financially comfortable, or affluent people. These spaces did not feel reflective of me or my community. Read more>>

Cydney Huddleson

It all started in my senior year of high school. I developed acne and had no idea what to do about it. I removed my make-up and washed my face every night – diligently. Nothing ever worked. I was doing all the wrong things to try and heal my skin (ex: putting toothpaste on my breakouts…yikes). I finally decided to make an appointment to see a Dermatologist. She prescribed a topical medication and an antibiotic to help heal my skin. Fast forward 2 years of being on both medicines, I discovered the pigment in certain areas of my body started to turn a deep blue, purple color. Read more>>

Reese Cartier

Masses New York came about shortly after already building out another brand I was working on at the time . I wanted Masses New York to be a worldwide brand with a positive message through fashion and accessories . I created Masses New York Strictly for The Masses Of The World , the leaders , the visionaries , the less fortunate, the creatives , the story tellers and so much more . I created this brand Masses New York to create impactful events through time in this world . Masses New York is the people’s Brand . Read more>>

Ronnie Williams

From Diners to Recipes: The Evolution of Southern Food Junkie Introduction: In a world where culinary exploration has become a popular pastime, many food enthusiasts find themselves drawn to the hidden gems and local flavors offered by small, hole-in-the-wall restaurants. One such enthusiast, whose love for Southern cuisine was ignited by watching Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, embarked on a unique journey that eventually led to the creation of Southern Food Junkie. Read more>>

Eva Horner

I had been working at farmers markets with my sauces and spices for a few years. On the hottest day in 2020, I apparently had a small stroke and was then diagnosed with diabetes. My granny had just passed from complications of a stroke and it scared me. I was still too young for such a serious thing! I wanted to make sure I stuck around to be able to enjoy my future grandkids and I had a 5 year old niece that I love more than life and I want to get down and play with her. Read more>>

Emani Jackson

I came up with this idea at school one day. I would come to school with my lip gloss and the other girls always wanted some and wanted me to share. When I ran out I came to school with mommy’s lipgloss and tried to sell it. When I realized that not only me, all girls like lipgloss, I would have my mom go to the dollar store and buy packs of lipgloss and I will share it with the girls at school until I realized I can get a Dollar from each girl and keep the money and not tell mommy. Read more>>

Shant’a Miller White

After my family experienced firsthand the traumatic effects of a horrible bullying incident that involved her daughter. The attack caused her to confront the issue of bullying head on and I found herself dealing with medical, safety and other concerns that were impacting her family. So, I turned a negative situation into a positive one and vowed to do everything in her power to prevent another child, family or community from dealing with the stress and trauma that her family endured. Read more>>

Chester Shuey

Well, I like working with my hands. Custom furniture making is a great outlet for that. I also enjoy working with clients to bring a unique idea to reality, I think I first realized I wanted to have my own business when I was about 17 or 18. I was working for furniture maker and managing most of the project flow. It was fun and I felt like it was a great place to be. Read more>>

Shannon Chappell

I started my business when I was at a low point in my life, or what I thought was a low point. I just quit my job, my comfort zone of 13 years. My husband and I was going through martial issues, which divorce was discussed. The omicron Covid virus hit, so Hollywood shut down, again. It was like my cup was filling up closing out 2021 and then God knocked it over January 2022. Not spilled, but knocked it over. I was lonely, scared, fighting depression. It came a point where I said ok, you’re a fighter. Read more>>

Shabana Kauser

My art is inspired by my life in the UK, as a first generation Pakistani immigrant and now as an immigrant in the US. I was born in the UK and lived there for over 25 years. In 2008, my husband was offered a work opportunity in Northwest Arkansas. We left the bright lights of London, our careers in the corporate world and made the move. Due to visa restrictions I was unable to legally work for several years in the US. Read more>>

Raphael Mostyn

In 2012, I started an organization with a partner called RISE. As an executive director for RISE, a burgeoning organization dedicated to empowering youth through education and personal development, I had the privilege of working with a diverse range of students from various backgrounds. We gave these students an opportunity to be exposed to so many career opportunities and resources that may not always be within reach for inner city youth. In 2015, I had a chance to encounter a remarkable student with a disability that would spark a transformation within me and reshape my purpose. Read more>>

Meagan Getz

I actually discovered my love of branding and website design by accident as I was participating in a mastermind program for my wedding photography business. Learning the strategy behind brand design absolutely fascinated me, and when I applied that to my own business and saw the growth from that, I knew I wanted to help other photographers experience that too. Read more>>

Antwon Jones

I’ve always loved candles and scents and when I was 19 I was a on the doorman on the upper eastside of Manhattan. A lady in the building was a teaching a fragrance class in her apartment and she said if I have time I could come up and she would teach me for free. I was 19 and could only afford free so I took her up on her offer. I played around with mixing scents and candles for 10 years and I promised myself if I have the time I would start a fragrance company… then Covid happened so I kept my promise to myself and started the company is August 2020, Read more>>

Annastasia Hicks

My sister, Sonia, had always wanted to own the house that is Ashford Acres Inn now and to make it a B&B, but lived in L.A. and at the time I was a senior in college with aspirations to be a lawyer. May of my senior year, I decided I wanted to run an event venue instead, and so we combined our ideas and set up an appointment to see the house- that thankfully was still up for sell in Cynthiana, KY! Read more>>

Emily Hedrick

To start at the beginning, I worked full time as a CT & MRI Technologist in Radiology. I was feeling very burnt out and then after COVID hit the medical field I knew I needed a change. I started a “little side business” in photography in August of 2020 which very quickly turned into my full time job. I stepped back in the medical field to pursue photography full time and it changed everything. I love connecting with people and for me photography was a way to express my creative side, have fun and meet new people. Read more>>

BARRIE PAULSON

Our GM and my husband, Lars Paulson, worked his way up to being the GM of several large Renaissance/Medieval festivals and always wanted to have his own to “build it right from the ground up.” As GM at other shows, he always came in on time, under budget, and improved quality. Read more>>

Amaurys Grullon

The year was 2015 me and my sister Roselyn Grullon were looking online for Bronx based merchandise. Clothing that represented The Bronx accordingly, showcased our rich history and culture, merch that was visually appealing and cool. As much as we looked we couldn’t find any. We asked ourself’s how can this be? The Bronx the mecca of Hip-Hop and Salsa. A borough so diverse with so much creativity, ambitiousness, authenticity and more. How do we not have a brand / platform that represents, that amplifies, that elevates. Read more>>

LaMiranda Gordon

The story of our brand started with me jumping back on the bandwagon of sewing inspired by my mom while my husband cheered me on. A few years after my husband and I had our final child, I knew I was ready to get back into working towards whatever goals/dreams I had set for myself. Knowingly I wanted to own my own business but did not know where God would lead me. Read more>>

Christel Oerum

My husband and I talked about starting our own business during our first date back in 1999, but it wasn’t until 2015 that we realized that we’d stumbled upon a niche and found our business opportunity. In 2014, I started competing in bodybuilding competitions and realized how complicated that is when you live with insulin-dependent diabetes as I do. Read more>>

Jae Landreth

I became aware of the need to be more energy independent after the rise of fuel costs in the last recession 2008. Energy awareness is how the idea for the solar business came about. I became facinated with energy how we get it, use it, and if there was a way to function without lighting things on fire. Being completely dependent on a gas everytime I travel. I wanted to see if it was possible to run my electric car and home on sunshine. Read more>>

Don Gillmer

I had a show scheduled at a local hotel and due to sickness my other band members were not going to make it at the last minute. Not wanting to lose my contract, I scrambled and called some performers I knew and one I had just met. We got to the show in time to come up with enough songs we knew in common, and managed to have a great night. The establishment and crowd were all asking when our next show would be. Read more>>