Going from idea to execution isn’t easy. Part of the difficulty is that often there is no playbook to follow and while we can’t offer a playbook either, we wanted to create a space where aspiring entrepreneurs could read the stories of how some very smart, very thoughtful entrepreneurs form the community got started.

Carlos Mojica

The idea of opening a restaurant really came after the fact i worked in restaurants and had some background knowledge from working in a development kitchen. Read more>>

Sabina Sood

In October 2016 I had the idea of creating a stylish, waterproof, wide-brimmed hat that was usable poolside and IN the pool. I had a girls getaway planned and looked for a hat like this to purchase and couldn’t find one. So, I decided to make it myself. Read more>>

Colin Easom

It’s been a relatively smooth road so far, but it’s taken a couple of years to get from the vision of running a plant-based coaching business and bed & breakfast to getting it off the ground. The property we bought in 2021 was pretty run down, so we’ve had to invest a lot of time and effort into the renovations. We’ve taken on as many projects as we can ourselves, but some projects have required contractors. Read more>>

Meagan Crocker

Evergreen Summer was an idea in the back of my mind for a long time before I actually started the business. I’ve loved painting since I was a kid and would always make cards for family and friends on their birthdays or holidays. After enough people said, “you should try and sell these,” I figured I’d look into what the process of starting a business might be like. Read more>>

Michael Cobb

As far back as being a teenager, I had been interested in straight-razor shaving, you know, shaving like a cowboy, and stumbled across an internet “deal” for a razor, soap, brush, etc. Jumping head first into the process, I eagerly awaited the shipping of my new weapon of choice. I checked out videos of how to, looked for articles, and such. Read more>>

Connor Hiebel

The seeds of entrepreneurship were planted early in my life, a story that began with childhood dreams and evolved into the thriving venture that is Amelia Island Microgreens today. As a wide-eyed 5-year-old, I embarked on my first business venture, attempting to sell daddy long legs to my neighbors. A valuable lesson in supply and demand unfolded quickly – spiders weren’t the hot commodity I had envisioned. Read more>>

Katie Kvietkus

In the process of starting Cloud Cosmetics many things and ideas did not go as planned, but they led to where we are today in our company. The main thing is to not get too caught up in decisions where you do not end up making any decision. The best thing you can do when first starting is to execute, get your idea or creation out there in the universe and the rest will come through constant creation and action. Read more>>

Andrea Willems

During the summer of 2022 I couldn’t stop daydreaming of playing with concrete. As a painter, a self taught weaver, a former restauranteur, a cook, and as a farmer; I had never gained any experience with concrete as a medium. For whatever reason I was fixated on learning the process. So, one day, I was scrolling through the various silicone molds appropriate for concrete casting (wasn’t the first time) and just went for it. Read more>>

Stephanie Chui

An avid hostess and small event planner, I found myself missing a sense of community during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Living abroad in Switzerland at the time further heightened this void. Without the ability to gather, I instead began spending endless hours in the kitchen cooking from scratch. In my attempt to bake a polenta pizza, the crusted-on edges ended up being the best part – a crunchy, delicious bite! Read more>>

Marpessa Allen

Conception of the Idea: It all began during a brainstorming session within the VASA Gym team. Recognizing the unique needs of postpartum moms and the growing demand for specialized fitness programs, the idea took root. The goal was not just to offer a gym membership but to create a supportive community and tailored fitness experience for postpartum mothers. Read more>>

Gabriela Herrera

n the fall of 2020, I am 23 years old freshly out of college with a degree I had no idea on how to pursue. At this time Covid was at its peak and I couldn’t help but to feel trapped in a mice race working as an essential worker in corporate America. I stood on the sidelines watching the beauty industry flourish and I dreamed of the day I would take a leap of faith to attend a hands on workshop with some of the top estheticians in my area. Read more>>

Kris K

Once I had it in my head I wanted to start my business, I told people what I planned on doing so I could be held accountable if I did not produce. After speaking my vision into the universe , I started looking for headphones vendors , everything was higher than I expected and all the websites looked very sketchy. It took me two years of research to find a trustworthy vendor. Afterwards I just ordered one pair of headphones to ensure the company was legit. Read more>>

Ashlei Brown

If you would’ve said to me a few years ago that I would start a donut business in 2023, I would’ve called you crazy. That’s exactly how bizarre the story behind Quirk ‘N Co Donuts really is. Read more>>

Kristen Ryan

I’ve always been somewhat of a beauty buff, but when I was in my late twenties to mid thirties, I struggled with adult acne, as well as some bouts with autoimmune issues that gave rise to me paying more attention to the ingredients I was both ingesting and applying to my skin. My thirties became more stressful, so starting a business of my dreams was unattainable. Looking back, however, I unknowingly began my beauty brand journey through healing my own skin and resolving the intermittent rashes that were intense enough to drive any sane person crazy. Read more>>

Shaina Beksinski

In Fall of 2017, I started brainstorming ideas for my small business. I wanted my business to be something I was passionate about and could share that passion with others. So, I came up with the idea to open an online business that sells nerdy gifts for all ages, including clothing, accessories, iron-on patches, stickers, mugs, and everything in between. Read more>>

Julie Meyer

I was walking with a friend in December of 2019, and we started talking about how we were going to make Christmas intentional for our family this season. She mentioned something about the Jesse Tree Advent. I had never heard of this advent before, and I was instantly intrigued. There is something absolutely magical about the Christocentric interpretation of the Bible. Read more>>

Fernando Gutierrez

From a Young Fan to a Boxing Gym Owner: A Journey of Resilience and Determination Read more>>

Latasha Smith

This business was and is God inspired. I was literally traveling as a nurse, sitting idle at the time, in a hotel room in Boston and God just placed this idea in my spirit. I immediately called my youngest daughter and told her what I was thinking. She was skeptical and honestly didn’t think it could be done. Read more>>

Jana Tingom

Phoenix With Kids was actually started by my husband, Chris! Families would ask us to where to go with their kids, and we’d give them a list of 10 ideas. That list grew to 20 ideas, then 50 ideas. Chris decided to start the website in September 2013, featuring the main list by city, adding to it as new ideas came along. Read more>>

Brittney Traudt

My first children’s book, Shelly Goes to Summer Camp, was inspired by my own personal experience working at a summer camp for many years. Anyone who doesn’t attend a summer camp can’t possibly understand the experience, the relationships, and how it can change you. I knew I wanted to have an educational, traveling series, but I wasn’t sure how to start it off. Read more>>

KATRINA Carpenter

On August 6th 2011 I lost my mind due to ovarian cancer. That was the start of my pain. January 31st 2015 I lost my dad to heart failure. That was the year I started Jean’ s Angels. James Angel was founded to pour into you to have a parent with a terminal illness and also to care for our senior citizens. We will provide services like tutoring, annual angel tree, mentoring program. Read more>>

Brittany Bostany

I learned about permanent jewelry 6 years ago when I saw a New York jewelry brand doing it. I thought it was an amazing idea and wanted one for myself. I would look to see if anyone in the area was doing it locally and could never find anything. Read more>>

Ashley Lawrence

The idea of starting my own photography business crossed my mind so many times over the last 10 years or so but it felt intimidating. I didn’t know a thing about starting a business and I also had a different full-time job that I really liked and wasn’t necessarily looking to leave. One day, I realized that I could probably just do both. I decided to keep my full-time job while starting a part-time photography business on the side. Read more>>

Jaylen Pritchett

Pool Cleaning- So earlier this year, I was pressure washing one of our clients pool deck area. It was a nice size pool deck area but as I was done with the job, I was talking to her about how some debris and dirt fell into her pool. She said “oh don’t worry, my pool guy comes every week and cleans it so he’ll be here tomorrow”. Read more>>

Kerby The Photographer

Well i’m a photographer/creative director born on the south side of Chicago. My passion for photography came from the influences of the Windy City culture, from the music to the fashion and lifestyles found within the city. I like to use a unique approach by using locations you may not have thought of using for photo shoots and working with local talents, like models and stylists, to execute my concepts and projects. Read more>>

Doreen Cross

My husband, Jesse Cross, has always wanted to have his own farm to offer living history field trips for kids. He worked on his family’s farm that did similar things. I actually met him when my daughter was a Daisy in Girl Scouts on one of his field trips at his previous location in Cherry Valley. He needed someone to help him with marketing at the time, and I was really excited about what he was doing. So although I had no marketing experience, my enthusiasm seemed to be enough for him to ask me to help! Read more>>