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.

Kristian Malcontento

My wife and I are foodies and bourbon lovers. As we strive to buy unusual food products, we usually find many to be bland or contain so many artificial ingredients that we always cook from scratch. Read more>>

Tierra Lathan

Sure — The intersection of occupation, opposition and opportunity is where the concept of Consult Lemonade was born. I got a call about 9 years ago about some empty chairs, teachers and administrators we concerned about kids not showing up for school. Read more>>

Breyanna Scott

I’ve had the passion for art since an early age, but it wasn’t until I was a freshman in high school that I realized that I wanted to be an artist for a living. Read more>>

Taylor Justin

After graduating from college in 2013, I moved to Chicago, a city where I knew no one and had never lived before. It was a challenge to find my footing in a new place without any family or close friends around. Read more>>

Melanie Webb

Life has been a journey for me, but that’s the way it is for everyone, right?! To understand me, you must first understand the chaos that ensued from the beginning. Like most young ladies, I had dreams of being a wife and mom. Read more>>

Elizabeth Decker Brown

The story of my journey into the world of small pet accessories is one that’s deeply rooted in my own personal experiences and passions. As a paralegal by day, I found myself yearning for a creative outlet during the long hours spent at home during COVID lockdowns. Read more>>

Alyssa Moorhead

First thing you’ve gotta know- I’m a massive people person. So of course, I now run a “Human-First Sales Agency” for bold, innovative, people-first businesses of all kinds. Read more>>

Janai Allen

Growing up in Queens, NY, I navigated a landscape where opportunities for young artists were scarce, and the support needed to nurture our dreams was often lacking. Read more>>

Donna Mitchell

As a teenager, I always knew that music was a huge impact on how I would understand being adopted. Understanding my life at a young age was different for me so I buried myself into music because it came natural to me and soothing to my soul. Read more>>

Yolanda Fontanez-Coleman

The idea for launching my tutoring business came from my firsthand experiences teaching in Philadelphia. Witnessing the significant need for personalized educational support, I felt a profound sense of responsibility to address this gap. Read more>>

Navneet Kaur

The turning point for me wasn’t a grand lightbulb moment, but a series of tiny frustrations strung together. I’d always loved interiors, rearranging furniture in my childhood bedroom, pouring over design magazines, and helping friends with their apartments. Read more>>

Gareth Edwards

After dedicating 32 years to serving the New York City government, I made the decision to retire early from my demanding role overseeing computer application development projects. Read more>>

Sean Baker

I came up with the idea for my film studio Sean Baker Studios because I really wanted to tell stories that the world could relate to. In the mist of creating the stories I also wanted to produce the stories and bring on a team that I could trust. Read more>>

Saraii Fairy

Since I was little girl, my imagination has always been wild. I’d spend hours daydreaming about anything and everything. As I grew up, I struggled to express myself verbally, so I turned to other forms of expression like fashion, flipping through magazines, and listening to all kinds of music. Read more>>

Tim Black

Currently I have 2 businesses that I’m operating. My first business is Time Is Money Entertainment. It came about in 2006. I had a previous situation I was in and I felt like a lot of time wasn’t utilized which drove me to focus on maximizing my time. Read more>>

Ariel McConnell

Coming up with the idea for Single Fin Dental and the in-home anesthesia-free dental cleanings was a bit easier than most people would think. Read more>>

Robyn Bell

So Thee CME Apparel started as a thought. I never saw myself as a business owner because I didn’t go to school for business. I am a nursing major! Read more>>

Goldie Barnes

The journey of my business truly began during a period of profound personal challenge and emotional turmoil in my life. At that time, I found solace and healing in an unexpected place – fitness. Read more>>

Brianna Shortt

When I was struggling with chronic pain, I was constantly looking for two things: a guide to getting out of pain and for hope that it was even possible to get out of pain. Read more>>

Mandana Ranjbar

As a conceptual artist, I draw inspiration from a wide range of sources and approaches when I make art. I generate ideas with a conceptual framework that serves as the foundation for my work. Read more>>

Jamie Lanier

I started as a passionate hobbyist that was frustrated by the lack of customer service and help I was receiving going into fish stores. Read more>>

McCall Morrow

The idea for To:morrow ignited during a time of life-changing revelations and a yearning for community in fashion and creativity. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to dive into the worlds of fashion and entrepreneurship. Read more>>

Maggie Boillot

My journey towards coaching stems from a series of pivotal moments in my life, each shaping my path and purpose. Among these, a decade-long toxic relationship stands out as a defining chapter. Read more>>

M. Owen Barry

Not long before the pandemic, I was looking for an outlet for my creative side. My background is in theatrical set design, but I have not worked in my field for many years. Read more>>

Alyssa Wine

The idea for my business really came from a deeply personal place. After graduating from Cal Poly Pomona in 2008 with dreams of being a recording artist, my life took a different turn when my husband and I started a family. Read more>>

Cj Morgan

A story… It was a reach, but we knew there was one more quarter under the 2000 green Mercury Cougar seat. We concluded another hot summer day and were collecting our quarters, nickels, and dimes to secure dinner, a calzone from a local pizza shop. Read more>>

Laghe Andrews

As an entrepreneurial spirit I have traveled the US on self funded tours, sold CD’s and posters out the back of my trunk, and made sure the people around me were supplied with some work. Read more>>

Stacy Stephenson

I spent many years making my own skin products, often times as gift baskets for friends. After being approached by several friends and relatives over and over for these baskets so they could give them as gifts, Read more>>

Micky Lazic

There was a tipping point – and I don’t remember the specific moment – when I realized that no matter how many helpful presentation tips, leadership tactics, or skills-based workshops I provided, one gap often remained. Read more>>

Joy LaMay

With almost 20 years in the salon industry and as an educator for a major color brand for 6 years, I’ve witnessed the highs and lows of this career. Read more>>

Latoya Burpo

Taste of Toya‘s world was created out of the pandemic. I was working at a factory when COVID-19 hit the US and I was sent home for six months, waiting on an unemployment, and which I did not receive until I was back at work. Read more>>

Aisha Lockridge

I think it begins with a love affair with jewelry and the stories create through them. Both my mother and grandmother had these grand, teak and brass jewelry boxes. Read more>>

Joyce Dawkins

My organization, She ROCKS It, specializes in hosting empowering event experiences dedicated to honoring women. However, when the pandemic struck, our ability to hold in-person events was halted. Read more>>

Lindsey Fore

I have always had a passion for makeup from a very young age. Instead of going to cosmetology school I went to college. Earned a business degree and set off for corporate America. Read more>>

Kaitlin Oster

I didn’t realize that ideas flooded my mind in the same way David Lynch describes in his book Catching the Big Fish. Oftentimes, I’ll see an article, a picture, or just have a little idea pop into my head, and I need to write it down immediately. Read more>>

Monsée

Graduation was approaching quicker than expected with a mixture of emotions brewing like never before. Happiness coated my thoughts to finally achieve this 4 year goal but now this meant adulthood begins. Read more>>

Felicia Morgan

Rewritten Hearts came to me while I was driving. I already had a blog at the time under a different name. I’m headed to work, worshipping and singing and there was a line in the song about writing our story and then BAM! Read more>>

Nicole Liveoak

Back in 2019, I was scrolling through Facebook Marketplace when I came across a listing for a macrame plant hanger. It sparked something in me, and I thought, “Hey, I could do that!” Read more>>

Jason Candler

I’m not entirely sure where the idea for the 5 Dollar Difference experiment came from, but I’d recently read the book, Money: Master The Game by Tony Robbins and in the book, he did a presentation for a class of 5th graders so I guess that would be the inspiration for my 5th grade experiment. Read more>>

Gina Schmidt

I used to work for a sports apparel company and I was assigned to expand the business. Affiliate marketing seemed to be a very popular choice for other apparel companies. Read more>>

Dawn Perry

I was trying to find something to do with my life that was fulfilling to my soul. I love to camp, so I was looking in that area of businesses. Read more>>

Fabiola Santiago

It was spring of 2016 in Oakland, CA. I was standing outside an upscale Mexican restaurant with a group that was demanding accountability from the restaurant for committing wage theft, stealing recipes from a Oaxaqueña, and engaging in other workplace violations. Read more>>

Brandy “Lade Breez” Elam

The Concept of “Express Me Poetry Business Services and Events” actually started out as just hosting poetry shows. In 2010, the guy who I hosted for decided he was ready to move on and chase other endeavors; Read more>>