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.

Dallis Meeks

I came up with the idea to start a nonprofit early in my college career. I’ve always wanted to give back to my community, using my major in finance to do so, but I wasn’t sure how at first. Initially, I wanted to become a Wealth Advisor, thinking it would allow me to help my community in a tangible way. My friend and classmate, Taylor Martin, shared the same passion for uplifting underserved communities. As we progressed through our finance courses, we realized that, as some of the few women—and even fewer minorities—in these classes, we were constantly playing catch-up. Many of our peers already had a deeper understanding of financial concepts, having grown up with exposure to stocks, bonds, and investing. That wasn’t the case for me. I didn’t grow up in a family that discussed those things; I learned everything about finance through my education. Read more>>

Stephen Condon

Started growing a huge beard back in 2012 way before the craze. Saw over in UK they were making oils for beards. SHipped it over and started making it in my kitchen. Found a cosmetic manufacturer to copy my formulas. I have a degree in graphic design and branding so i designed the packaging and Bossman was born in 2014. Read more>>

Z. Lew

Honestly, I had no intention of starting a business. I was deeply immersed in my artistry, focusing solely on my music. However, the idea for what would become my business kind of just fell in my lap, evolving naturally from my experiences and challenges. I am now fully actualizing and understanding the business side of my artistry, and it has been a journey of transformation and discovery. For those who may not know, my name is Z. Lew, and I’m an alternative R&B/pop artist from Phoenix, AZ. The journey to building a career in the entertainment industry is anything but straightforward. There is no singular path to success, and the road is often fraught with unpredictable twists and turns. I had always been passionate about music and creating, but the complexities of the industry were something I had to learn to navigate. Read more>>

Salar Shahini

The idea for SweatPals was born out of a deeply personal journey of seeking belonging and connection. Over the years, I moved to many new cities—each time feeling like I was starting over from scratch. As an immigrant, I faced the additional challenge of cultural and language barriers, which often made it difficult to build meaningful connections. But every time I joined a local fitness group or participated in a workout class, something magical happened. The usual social barriers fell away, and I found myself surrounded by people who were just as passionate about health and wellness as I was. These were spaces where everyone, regardless of their background or where they came from, was welcomed with open arms. That sense of community, of being part of something bigger than myself, was something I craved. It was through these experiences that I realized the powerful role fitness and sports could play in bringing people together. Read more>>

Princess Parker

Starting my boutique was born from a mix of passion, necessity, and a deep understanding of the women I wanted to serve—women like me. As a 40-year-old Black woman, I’ve always known the power of style and how it can elevate not just how we look but how we feel. But I also knew that as we get older, finding clothes that make us feel good without breaking the bank becomes harder. We’re established, but we’re not trying to pay luxury prices just to look good. We want stylish, affordable options that speak to our maturity and sense of confidence. The idea came to me when I was shopping online one day and realized how little there was that catered to women like me. Everything was either too young, too trendy, or too expensive. I thought, “Why should looking good have to cost so much?” That’s when I knew I had to create a space for women who, like me, want quality, stylish pieces that reflect their grown-woman vibe without the crazy price tag. Read more>>

Aichelle S. White

The idea for MuSample was born out of a unique blend of innovation, frustration, and a growing sense of responsibility. In 2018, I attended a music hackathon hosted by Capitol Records and Radio 88.9 Milwaukee, and my initial goal was simple—to automate the cumbersome process of sample clearance. As a music administrator, I knew firsthand how time-consuming and confusing that process could be, so I wanted to create something that would make life easier for music creatives. However, as I began to dive deeper into the world of sample clearance, I realized there was a much bigger issue at hand. I encountered countless music creatives who were eager to pay for everything—studio time, production, promotion—but didn’t fully understand how to generate a financial return on their investment. They weren’t aware of how the business side of music worked, and it became clear that this lack of understanding was a major barrier to their success. Read more>>

Ellen Li, Aashi Oswal, & Anvi Saxena

The idea for Rallying 4 Refugees was born 2 years ago while volunteering at the Northwest Community Center in Dallas as there was an influx of Afghanistan Refugees. Initially, we were tutoring kids and helping out with basic needs. However upon seeing the immense challenges these refugees faced, we realized our community had the potential to offer much more. As immigrants ourselves we understood the struggle of integrating into a new culture. Unlike refugees, we had the choice to come here, while they were forced to flee for safety. This inspired us to ease their transition and make them feel welcome. We knew we were addressing a significant problem. Immigrant families often struggle to see their culture represented and feel truly supported. Our aim was to change that by leveraging community resources to help refugees integrate smoothly. Read more>>

Logan Fleck

I remember the exact moment everything changed. It was well past midnight, and I was hunched over my laptop, finishing another round of marketing materials for a London-based tech start-up, riding that never-ending hamster wheel. The thing about hamster wheels is that no matter how fast you run, you never actually arrive anywhere. That was my life at the time – running, working, strategizing, day in and day out, and getting nowhere except closer to burnout. But it wasn’t just the job that tipped me over the edge. It was the perfect storm. My father had just been diagnosed with fast-progressing dementia, which hit me like a ton of bricks. Then, there was the traumatic delivery of my firstborn, an experience that nearly brought me to my knees. And let’s not forget the pandemic, which, like so many others, forced me into a Dark Night of the Soul. I found myself questioning everything – my purpose, my energy, and whether any of this was what I actually wanted. The hamster wheel felt like it was spinning faster, and I couldn’t slow it down. Read more>>

John Wang

Fin & Feather was the culmination of several unrelated interests coming together in a confused mixing pot of hobbies, interests and desires. Somehow, through an extensive trial and error (lots of errors), it all culminated into the business it is today. I grew up in Washington enjoying all that the Pacific Northwest offered – enchanting hikes, sprawling mountains, endless coastlines and beautiful starry skies. I also heavily delved into the geekier side as well, playing board games, video games and attending more than a few conventions. But while I enjoyed conventions, somehow I never really felt satisfied by merely being an attendee, always feeling like something was lacking, as though I personally did not have much of a reason or justification for attending. I wanted to find a way to contribute to this culture, and after many attempts at finding a way to express myself creatively, I finally settled on wood as my medium. Read more>>

Sarah Struttmann

I encountered my first camera in high school – you know, the ones that still used tapes? My friends and I were the first ones to be in what was called “Film Class” where we made mostly terrible music videos and short films – but it was SO much fun. After College, I found myself at my than dream job working for a christian summer camp in the mountains of Colorado as a Program Director/Graphic Designer/Social Media Specialist/Story Capturing person – it was a small company – many hats – you get it.  My sweet spot became meeting new people and documenting stories of life change at camp. I was in charge of Social Media, which then expanded to any type of media – like recruitment videos. We hired a couple people to make them and each time I was unsatisfied thinking we need a better video, but we don’t have the budget to make it. I started buying my own camera equipment to try my hand at making them myself.  Read more>>

April Johnson

It was when I lost my beloved dog, Remy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This loss moved me to change my focus to use my photography skills portraying and honoring our beloved animals, our pets and their people. There is a quote that rings true to me, “Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life.” by James Cromwell. It was with my passion for art and animals that I created Asheville Pet Photography. All was humming along beautifully when I had a life threatening health scare. I regained my health and then COVID 19 scare was upon us. I was taking no chances of getting COVID so I went into my bubble like so many people did. Now in isolation with no clientele, I needed to find a way to produce artwork and connect people and our beloved pets. Read more>>

Zaiya Fulmore

In high school, I began struggling with anxiety and depression, and I was in search of an escape—a creative outlet to help me cope. That’s when I turned to makeup. Initially, I never imagined it would be something I’d excel at, especially since I hadn’t been interested in it before. But as I experimented with it, I found an unexpected sense of peace, and I knew this was my true calling. Soon, I began taking clients, and I realized that makeup was not only therapeutic for me, but also for others. It became a way for me to uplift and pour positivity into those I worked with. Read more>>

Jamie Mack

The beignet bar was an idea that came about as a favor to a friend. He and his wife loved beignets and all things New Orleans and asked if I could make beignets for them. The answer was “Sure, why not?” I tried a few recipes that I didn’t care for and decided to take a trip to New Orleans to found out what a beignet is supposed to be. Turns out everyone’s beignet is different, but each that I tried had something about it that I liked. Taking the info I had gathered; I came home and wrote my own recipe. After two years of research, tweaking, trial and error, I finally have my ultimate recipe. During this two-year process, my team and I started with pop ups at local breweries, then we moved on to the festival circuit, and finally found a home inside Arden Fair Mall. We went in as a holiday pop up in 2021 and have been there ever since. You don’t really find beignets many places on the West Coast, and definitely not authentic ones. I’m born and raised Sacramento Proud, but we have some of the most authentic beignets in the region. Anyone who has not tried them recently should come check us out again. It’s been a long process of getting it right, but I believe our daily commitment to improvement is what has placed us among the best. Read more>>

Ariana Foster

It all started with our production company, Studio Standout. With my husband and I both having experience in videography and photography, we began to build up a portfolio through covering local events and working on branded shoots, commercials, and music videos. Through these projects, we realized the incredible abundance of local talent. Yet, there was no major platform dedicated to supporting, cultivating, and nurturing this talent in a way that both energized the local creative economy and helped people achieve their personal goals. This realization sparked the idea for the Foster Beauty Fashion Show. Read more>>

Mike Ciporkin

My upbringing and inspiration for acting started with TV shows, movies, and cartoons of the late 80’s and 90’s: ‘Power Rangers’, ‘Batman the Animated Series’, ‘X-Men’, ‘Doug’, ‘Ren & Stimpy’, ‘Hook’, ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, ‘Ace Ventura: Pet Detective’, ‘Spaceballs’, ‘Robin Hood: Men in Tights’, and so many more. Live musicals like ‘Phantom the Opera’ and ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ further shaped his love for musical theatre, while films like ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Matrix’ ultimately solidified Mike’s desire to one day pursue acting as a career. In 2018, I stumbled across a social media voice-acting contest and entered on a whim. Not even making it past the first round, something stirred inside of me. And thanks to making some new friends from the contest who encouraged me along with my wife, I ultimately came across a 16-week long acting workshop class that taught me everything about the ‘Business of Voiceover’ from top to bottom. I was immediately hooked and dived in deep, purchasing all of the additional products, services, and coaching necessary to help me officially begin my voice-acting journey. I told myself that the only limitation I would allow would be my own skill and determination. Read more>>