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.

Latina Entrepreneur

The idea for our business, the Latina Entrepreneur Network, stemmed from a dire need we witnessed during the Covid pandemic. Read more>>

Valerie Obaze

The idea for R&R Luxury came out of a personal need, it didn’t start with a brainstorming session as most new businesses often do. Read more>>

Demetrius Witherspoon

I’ve always been captivated by the art of storytelling in movies, having grown up immersed in a diverse array of genres. However, pursuing this passion seemed out of reach due to financial constraints and a lack of knowledge on where to begin. Read more>>

Roberta Burke

I started my business by accident. My husband was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer and was unable to work and at the same time I was also raising my grandson with high functioning autism. Read more>>

Jasmine Sanchez

My journey with Vessel Athletics is really rooted in my beginnings with running. I began running in college when I was an undergrad studying Business Administration and Entrepreneurship at San Jose State. Read more>>

Mahdis Marzooghian

I recently published my debut novel, “Death Has None” (December 2023, Austin Macauley Publishers) and while it is a work of fiction, I wanted to write a book that not only portrayed the immigrant story in a very honest way, but also focused on the aspects of being Iranian that unite us and bring us together rather than aspects that can mainly be a dividing force. Read more>>

Jay Schweid

When I started ephelants, I had no idea where it was going to go. I was looking to do something different as I was segueing from my previous business. Read more>>

Anna Mercurio

From 3rd grade teacher to budget bride. After being laughed at by a local wedding planner for being a “budget bride” (although my budget was easily the price of a new Mercedes), I was furious and wanted to help other local brides who may be in a similar situation. Read more>>

Holly Melear

It all began in 2015. I had been an educator for 16 years at an amazing school focused on progressive education. We were early adopters of social-emotional learning techniques and project-based learning strategies. Read more>>

DeShawna Jones

As a business owner and a full time employee in corporate America, I often struggled with finding a balance between working full time and growing my business. Read more>>

Alicia Nolan

My wife died by suicide in August of 2022. At the time, I was a personal trainer which is something I was incredibly passionate about. Read more>>

Brandyn Ross

So I started my first business when I was nine years old while at church my bishop said, find something that you love and turned it into a business. Read more>>

Maria Pacheco

After moving to the United States, while loving my new home, I was feeling homesick and craving the traditional food from my country, Mexico, and from my family. Read more>>

Jason Keys

So my company TriuneBeats, whom is owned by myself and my business partner Phlame classic we have been playing music together since we were 12 years old in church. Read more>>

Danielle Todd

In 2016, I decided to commit my professional career to making an impact on climate change. I spent some time researching the best solutions to see where my interests and skills would be the right match. Read more>>

Jayton Metcalf

I started Blind Havoc during the covid-19 pandemic, prior to the pandemic I volunteered at Volunteers Of America in Minneapolis 4 days a week, here I worked with underprivileged youth on completeing their GEDs or graduating from their local highschools. Read more>>

Ulrike Feindt

I’ve been on a journey of self discovery most of my twenties which made me try out many different things. I started with studying education for a few years, then founded a food catering business with my brother in law and lastly Read more>>

Sunny Wells

In 2014, shortly after my first grandson was born, my oldest daughter was just starting her photography business. Knowing I was a seamstress, she called me and asked if I would be able to make her a dress for her clients to use. Read more>>

Erike De Veyra

Ever since I was in architecture school, my true north and philosophy on design has always been: design should be accessible to everyone. Read more>>

Tom Winter

My journey to creating SEOwind was driven by a mix of passion, frustration, and a clear vision of what could be. Over 15 years, our founding team experimented with numerous SEO frameworks and tools, adopting a hands-on, “Human as a Service” approach. Read more>>

Patrick Tarnowski

Unsigned Pop Punk started after over 20 years of being in bands and working in the music industry and knowing how hard it is for up and coming musicians to be heard and be seen. Read more>>

Lynn Chronsiter

If you would have told me 20 years ago that I was going to own and operate a vintage shop in downtown Gettysburg, I would have called you crazy. Read more>>

Matthew Skillz

So during the pandemic I had just got home from tour with Jamila Woods . That is when the world received the announcement of the “coronavirus pandemic “. Read more>>

Faith Lucille

FaithLab came together through a series of hobbies. It all started when I decided I wanted to relearn how to play chess and get my kids into the game. Read more>>

Dominique Hall

One of my whys My business is in honor of my grandmother and women who are like me . I started my salon last year in a small studio and finally got it I brick and mortar this year Read more>>

Jason Lesly

Let me start by sharing that my mother’s name is Rose, and red roses are her favorite flowers. She always cherished receiving flowers while I was growing up, but buying them became costly. Read more>>

Mena Vincelli

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love fashion and styling, even as a young girl I would push the style envelope, creating looks in my head and offering to help others with their outfits so they could feel their very best. Read more>>

OKSANA TARATULA

After my first child was born, I had to find a way to replace his daily intake of animal proteins (meat, fish) as he naturally refused to eat it. Read more>>

Dell Cullum

I didn’t really come up with the idea. The idea came to me. Being in the field of wildlife rescue, rehab and education for 30+ years, I gained a deep passion for the outdoors and its wild residents. Read more>>

Jocelyn Brumbaugh

Chosen Topic: Establishing your own firm – Tell us the story of the early days from when you decided to start your own firm to establishing the firm. Read more>>

Donna Wallerstein

I have a background in Textile Art and English Literature. I was struggling as a Middle School English Teacher after the pandemic. The education system had changed drastically. Read more>>

Tam DeRudder Jackson

I wrote my first book when I was twelve. Because I didn’t know any better, writing it was easy and fun. After spending my first career teaching other people how to write, that childlike naivety followed me into my second career as a full-time writer. Read more>>

Adriana Narvaez

My journey began at the Texas Laser Institute where I specialized in skin tightening, fat dissolving treatments as well as laser collagen building devices on the face and neck as an alternative to a surgical face lift. Read more>>

M.T. Hebert

The journey to creating Back at One Love Project, LLC, and stepping into my role as Sexologist M.T. Hebert, or Pleasure Coach Diamond, was quite literally a journey of the heart, grounded in my own life experiences. Read more>>

Vernon Jackson

Here’s my story in video https://youtu.be/1XuL6JvzcHQ My whole story is this story of the reluctant leader. In high school people teachers and my mom would ask what do you want to do? I never really had an answer. Read more>>

Molly Gram

I don’t think I consciously “chose” photography, it has always been a passion of mine – the real challenge is in narrowing my passions down and committing to one niche. Read more>>

Henri Myers

It’s a fun story that we don’t get to tell too often. To start, my husband and business partner Tom and I always thought about opening a little shop in London when we first started dating that incorporated all the things we love – art, Read more>>

Ervin Cordero

The idea of Traklife and how it has become what it is today is an evolution that was years in the making. The Traklife Music Network is a culmination of a passion for music and media along with 12+ years of experience in tech. Read more>>

Noah Kwon

I was as an architectural designer at a NYC-based design firm. It was an incredibly demanding role, both mentally and physically. I turned to caffeine as a quick fix — sometimes up to 9 cups of coffee a day — but soon realized the toll it was taking on my health and searched for a healthier alternative. Read more>>

Bruce Hamilton

The idea for Everybody Coffee stemmed from a blend of passion for exquisite coffee and a desire to create an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere. Read more>>

Marsheila Joy Hayes

The Hayes & Foster Candle Company was born from personal convenience and necessity. I’ve always been a fan of candles—the sensory experiences they can provide and how they can quickly shift your mood or create a vibe. Read more>>

Carrie Shepeard

Once I turned 40, I started to examine my life and career. I began to examine what uplifted me and gave me purpose. I began to wonder if I really wanted to spend the next half of my life amid the fury and unpredictability of the corporate world. Read more>>

Gigi Arnold

Many years ago when my children were little, I was a single mother working as a secretary full time. I decided I wanted to build a playhouse for my kids. Read more>>

Lakita Gordon

My youngest nephew, Evin, had Eczema really bad and the doctors kept prescribing creams that didn’t work. I saw that it bothered his confidence and he didn’t want to wear shorts and clothes that revealed the massive eczema rashes he had. Read more>>

Sonia Roberts

Having spent many years immersed in the practice of yoga, I found myself drawn not only to the physical postures but also to the deeper spiritual essence that yoga embodies. Read more>>