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.

Jessica Yum

The idea of Nova Nails came to me at a transitional time when I wasn’t thinking of starting an e-commerce beauty brand. From 2018 to 2020, I was building an elderly care business inspired by my family’s longstanding service to senior care. My caregiving business evolved into a senior home-share program, aiming to address the challenges of aging and senior isolation through communal living. It was a far cry from a venture in beauty and nail enhancements.  Read more>>

Jin And Julia Hann

Jin and I have always loved being in a certain environment: beautiful, cozy, inviting and full of things that we loved, usually books, well brewed coffee, unique gifts among other things. We also loved everything spiritual. Most of what we read were spiritually focused and we had a daily meditation practice. We also loved seeking out excellent psychics and other intuitive readers. Read more>>

Jin Heo

The idea for my business was inspired by the significant changes I observed in the restaurant industry following the pandemic. One of the most noticeable shifts was in customer preferences, particularly the increased demand for convenience, health-conscious options, and unique dining experiences. During the pandemic, people became more accustomed to takeout and delivery, and even as things started returning to normal, this preference didn’t disappear. Read more>>

Joseph Lahoud

When I was learning to make jewelry, one of the first things I made was a classic wedding band. About 10 years ago, a friend who knew about my background in jewelry asked if I could help him make his wedding ring as he was planning on getting married. I agreed and guided him through the process of making his own wedding ring using my professional tools and equipment. Read more>>

Kadeen Goldcamp

When my husband Daniel and I met it was right in the middle of Covid. Since there weren’t any restaurants open we started cooking with each other. He was my assistant in the kitchen. We were wondering if it would be difficult to find a space in Waikiki to sell street corn, shave ice, and lemonades. He thought it was a great idea but we didn’t delve into it more than that. At the time he was working in I.T. and I was involved in several entrepreneurial endeavors. Read more>>

Kari Castillo

In my early twenties, I went to my local animal shelter in search of a companion for my dog, Sasha. I was introduced to several young, vibrant dogs that would have made the perfect playmate for her. But then I stood in front of Fred’s kennel, staring down at that tiny old dog curled up on his little bed and I swear I felt my life change. I remember looking into those cloudy eyes that seemed to ask, “Why am I here?” His little bed had pictures of dogs wearing cowboy hats. He was shaking with what I thought was fear but later learned was severe illness. He died 3 months later, curled up on that cowboy bed, in a home where people loved him. Read more>>

Kimberly Wilkerson

In 2008, I graduated with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. Although I had rough sketches of dress designs in the margins of my grad school notes – knowing that I wanted to launch a fashion company at some point – I would work as an SLP for the next 16 years. During this time, I took art classes (I lacked drawing skills) and studied elements of design and the industry of fashion. I also became an expert in communication disorders and loved studying the accompanying fields of neuroscience and positive pyschology.  Read more>>

Kirsten Johanson

known together has been a vision since 2018. I attended an adoptive mom retreat in Michigan by myself in January 2018 and openly wept while feeling so seen and known and understood. I listened to parts of the adoption constellation, I listened to parenting specialists, I listened to other adoptive moms. The first moment of being in a room of those who “get it” is unmatched. I wanted to create that experience for others. Read more>>

Laurel Walker

In 2020, when the world changed, I found myself with a lot of free time and looking to fill it. Life had been hectic up to that point, and having so much downtime was a shock like it was for many others. As I transitioned to working from home, I started looking for ways to fill my days. One day, as I was finally burning a large candle in a wooden bowl I had purchased years before, I started to think about what to do with that vessel once the wax was gone. That’s when I decided to try to re-fill it. Read more>>

Lenard Meyers

I would scream Energy Check everyday on Social Media, The Social Media check up soon became a phenomenon. From there my agent told me to print Energy Check on tshirts and sell them. From there my brand was born. Read more>>

Lynne Conner

I come from a background of fashion and theatre. Once I married and started a family, I had drifted away from my true passions of performing, to be a good wife & dedicated mother. But something was missing from my life so I had to get back to the theatre. Therefore, I will focus on how I started my company “Publicity4you” – the media & marketing of Black Theatre in Los Angeles. It all started when I attended a show for the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival. Read more>>

Maranda Lefebvre

My career in art has been a slow-developing journey. Art was always my go-to activity as a child, my favorite class, and the one thing I genuinely felt I was “good” at. I wasn’t overly interested in many subjects in school and often struggled with my ADHD. However, as I got into high school, I started painting more and more for fun—and I loved it! In my small Appalachian high school, we didn’t have any photography classes. While I thought photography was interesting, I wasn’t given the opportunity to learn about it then.  Read more>>

Melissa Kitemermaid Mejia

It took only two hours into my kiteboarding journey, and I knew I was hooked. The rush of the wind and that feeling of gliding across the water awakened a sense of freedom and aliveness I’d never experienced before. I knew then that kiteboarding would profoundly impact my life, and I was determined to pursue it becoming deeply passionate about the sport and its potential to enrich lives. Recognizing the profound impact it had on my own well-being and driven by a passion to share this exhilaration with others, I embarked on my quest to master the sport. Read more>>

Mike Leyva-doherty

I started my career in digital advertising, and loved how the advertising field combines elements of art, business, sociology, psychology and data into one field. I found some of the advertising world to be a bit dark, and wanted to create a space to lift up good businesses run by great people. The act of advertising is to drive customers to a specific business, and I believe advertisers should have a moral obligation to drive customers to businesses they know are acting in good faith. Read more>>

Nadine Vatel

Imagine driving over an hour to get to a spa. The drive was nice, traffic was light and my anticipation was high because I was looking forward to a relaxing day. Now, imagine driving almost two hours to get home after a spa treatment, the excitement is gone, traffic is horrific and the money you just paid for relaxation has vanished. This is the story of how Sensory Sentiments Massage and Wellness Spa came into fruition. I realized there were no luxury spas within Prince George’s County, Maryland. Ideas can come from anyone but I truly believe the best ideas come from necessity. Find a need then find a way to fulfill that need. It is a formula that has worked well for many entrepreneurs. Read more>>

Nia Brown

Adult Wannabe was a concept that’s been brewing in my life for years. Dating back to my first job, my supervisors and I would make jokes about my “adult percentage.” Teasingly saying that as I experienced certain life milestones, my adult percentage meter would “increase.” But when my concept manifested itself into reality was during the pandemic. I’ve always been a writer but stopped for a while. As the world was shut down, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit a nostalgic skill. Read more>>

Nina Raj

The idea for the Altadena Seed Libraries came from seeing little free book libraries across the city. After a few years in our new home and restoring the land back to the native plants that had previously inhabited this hillside, I noticed an abundance of seeds coming. Not needing hundreds of new plants myself, I wanted a place to distribute them; I thought it would be a nice resource for neighbors to have a little free library dedicated solely to seeds. Read more>>

Ryan Hartman

I have been involved in the car industry since I graduated from college. My first job was at GEICO, then I had stops at Esurance, Allstate, and prior to Chaiz, was the head of marketing at The Zebra. For those that aren’t aware, The Zebra is the leading comparison marketplace for insurance products in the US. Austin, Texas, where I live, is a great place to own a convertible due to the climate. So, after my last car was a total loss due to an accident, I pulled the trigger and bought a used BMW convertible.  Read more>>

Scott Robertson, Apr

In 2012, I had the idea for my company where I could take the very best of brand messaging, PR and content marketing and create non-invasive, relationship-building marketing programs where my clients could win and stay ahead of any privacy regulations by simply doing marketing the right way. I think all good business ideas come from a place where you look around and say, “wow, this should be SO much better!” I believe in a rare and different philosophy of marketing where customers aren’t called “conversions” or “targets” which is the same language the military uses before it blows the hell out of something. Read more>>

Shelia Kechukyan

I started my BrightAppetite page back in 2016, with one thing in mind..remind my audience to keep their appetite for food, travel and life always bright! I share recipes, life hacks, tips about travels with toddles, recommend restaurants, share online deals and more. I am thrilled that my audience has organically grown and the feedback I receive daily has been not only been positive but so motivating. It has been so inspiring to connect with people and brands in general through my social media and being able to continue my passion. Read more>>

Sierra Heller

Back around 2014 I was working out regularly and had just started to get interested in bodybuilding. I knew nothing of the sport and decided to hire a coach. Other people in the gym, coworkers and family had watched me transform overtime and started asking me to help them with their goals. I knew just training wasn’t going to get them to where they wanted to be. They had to fuel their body right, so i started offering my services and would make meals for them every week. Read more>>

Simone Henriques

The idea to open a preschool program was always there in the back of my mind. I have been an Early Childhood Educator for almost thrity years. The reality is that it is difficult to find the courage to invest money and time into a business and things can become even harder when you are a single mom/business woman. However, I knew that I wanted to create a beautiful Reggio-inspired preschool (Ekobé School of Learning) for children in my neighborhood. I also knew ( and I will) that I wanted to offer a bilingual preschool with Spanish and Portuguese as a Second Language. I’m bilingual and I understand the importance of speaking another language. Read more>>

Stacey Chillemi

My path to creating a successful business was forged through profound personal adversity. As a child, I battled severe health challenges that transformed my life in ways I never imagined. Those early experiences, though incredibly tough, became the crucible in which my future was shaped. The pivotal moment came when I realized that I could channel my personal struggles into something truly meaningful for others. My journey with epilepsy and the insights I gained from overcoming these hurdles became the bedrock of my career.  Read more>>

Titilayo Olurin

I had the idea for my business when I was in a dark place. It was early 2022, and I had just started working at a new job – one of three in the span of only two years or so – and I was exhausted, physically, mentally and emotionally. Not just because I was constantly going from one job to another, but also because everything in my life seemed to be going so horribly wrong. I had had a most depressing 2021 – emotionally, financially and in every other way imaginable. I felt so unlucky, so unloved, and was beginning to question my very existence. Read more>>

Tomi Banks

-In the beginning… I’ve always known I was a creative. As a child, I drew all of my favorite things and interests. Drawings of horses, flowers, vines, and people ensued in multiple variations in crayon then pencil. In junior high school, I realized that I could make things and those things would get me extra credit or a letter grade up. If a classmate needed help with anything ‘artsy,’ I was the go to kid. Read more>>

Tyree Lomax

GetReeBuilt is a company founded in 2020 during Covid. I have always had a love and passion for fitness and during Covid, I had a lot of downtown to chase my goals to become a personal trainer. I started with 6 clients and that number grew from there. The slogan for my company is Rebuilding from the Core Starting from the Mind. What distinguishes my company from others is the personal care, love, and support you receive when you sign on as a client. Read more>>

Veronica Scurry

I always knew I was gifted to be a speaker. However, I didn’t know what I was to speak about. I was a homeschooling stay at home mom for years and during that time, I struggled with knowing my purpose in life. I was depressed and lost myself in being a wife and mom. My perception of my life was not what I envisioned which caused me to lack identity, self esteem, and confidence. So, while I was in prayer one day, the thought came to me to speak about my life and my journey because there are other wives, mothers, and women who also struggle with identity and other issues. That’s how Pampered Thoughts was born. Read more>>

Victoria Richardson

The idea for my creative services business didn’t just appear one day—it’s been growing inside me ever since I was a child. Writing has always been my way of making sense of the world, my escape, and my way to connect with others. I remember being that young kid who scribbled stories and poems in notebooks, dreaming of a day when I could make a career out of this passion. Read more>>

Wendy Taylor

I didn’t come up with the idea or find the idea, but more so that the idea found me. On February 24th, 2003, I was headed to a meeting on a beautiful winter day, not a care in the world. Then my secretary called. I couldn’t understand a word. I told her, “Slow down, take a breath, it can’t be that bad.” When she spoke again, her voice was clear as she said, “Your house is on fire.” And I thought, “That’s okay. I can fix that.” I’m a litigation attorney, the managing partner of my law firm, and I fix everything. It’s my job. It’s what I do. Read more>>

Zachary & Brenda York

We noticed a problem and that we could solve it with the tools, knowledge, and skill sets at our disposal. Read more>>

Danielle Allen

The idea for Royalty Accounting firm was born out of years of experience working with the Department of Revenue, where I held various positions. In those roles, I spoke with hundreds of business owners daily, enforcing the tax laws of the State of Florida. The types of calls I received never varied much—whether from small startups or large corporations, they all shared a common struggle: a lack of education and guidance. Read more>>

Lori Cali

The idea for my business came to life during a visit to see my daughter, Carson, in Nashville. We had this fun plan to get matching bracelets as a way to bond, but despite our best efforts, we couldn’t get an appointment for an entire year! It became this ongoing joke between us, but also a bit frustrating because it was something we really wanted to do together. That’s when it hit me—if we were so eager to find a way to symbolize our connection, others probably were too. I started thinking about how special it would be to create a way for people to celebrate their relationships in a more lasting and meaningful way. Read more>>