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.

Krystle O’Brien

Alright, buckle up for the journey! Read more>>

Tom Cudworth

I had an idea for a movie and hand wrote out about thirty pages. It was a fish out of water scene at a college where one of three friends feels comfortable with the company of young women artists, and the other two flounder because their B.S doesn’t work with these ladies. I read these thirty pages to a young film director and he sat on the edge of his seat riveted as I read. Read more>>

Andie Bryce

My Grandma Judy started building gingerbread houses in the 70’s with her neighborhood friends! She taught my mom and my mom taught us we we’ve grown up building gingerbread houses every year! My mom was always teaching other people and I told her to start a company, and she said that didn’t sound fun and you couldn’t make any money doing it! So I started one! Read more>>

Sam Yang

I was working as an educator and a school administrator in the Northeast when COVID-19 hit the states. With an empty campus, I decided to pick up photography again which, as someone who has been doing it as a hobby, was not too hard to do. I have been using a camera on and off since middle school and I was a photographer for my high school. Read more>>

Cynthia Perla

I used to work in the film industry as a special effects make-up artist. Business slowed down when the pandemic hit. While on a trip with my family to Mexico, I bought some gummies with chile which were extremely acidic. Jokingly, I told my kids that I could make a better version of them. When I got back to the states, I purchased a lot of ingredients, got to work and created a one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted tamarind paste. Read more>>

Margarita Rosa

The inspiration for Rosa Projects came as I was driving my car to Stanford to meet with my graduate students. I was listening to a Cerebral Women podcast episode between the host Phyllis Hollis and curator Antwaun Sargent. Sargent was talking about how he came from an early-education background and accidentally fell into the curation world by working with artist friends. I had listened to similar Cerebral Women episodes, like one with Nicola Vassell, that had left me in utter awe about the unexpected roads in life. Read more>>

Thokozani Mabena

Embarking on the journey from idea to execution is a thrilling and intricate process, much like the story of Unfolding Frontiers. Let’s walk through this journey, transforming a mere concept into a tangible reality, narrated as a story of strategic design and innovation. Read more>>

Taylor Burns

So, I have two launches to talk about today. I’m excited to discuss the first Blu Luna launch and a new one. So, my first Launch was in January 2015 when I was 14 years old. When I was in early elementary & early middle school, I was like my dad’s shadow. I wanted to be just like him, which inspired me to do film and digital marketing. Read more>>

Dave Country Bunker

Before Grand Ole Country Bunker was ever even an idea, Dave was going to Traditional Country Music shows and connecting with some of the older artists who made contributions to the 50s and 60s country music that he loves. Read more>>

Chelsea Ramirez

I started off as a Cake Decorator in La Habra, California. While working there, i was asked to decorate a sugar cookie (which I’d never done before). It wasn’t the best looking set of cookies but let me tell you, it sparked something and I wanted to know all that there was to know about it. As you can imagine, i went down the rabbit hole of watching cookie decorating videos and taught myself how to decorate cookies by practicing different techniques everyday. Read more>>

Maria Valentina Santiago

It all started the moment I decided to leave my regular job from Monday to Friday from 8am-5pm. I quit this job from one day to the next because the environment was something that affected me a lot, seeing myself without a job and basically without sources of income, these publications began to appear “I’ll teach you how to create your digital business and make $$$$ in simple steps”. I took the course and like everything, it seemed super easy and simple as they explained it in the classes until the time for practice came hahaha, that’s when the good thing began since the classes were like the push I needed to start but no I had no idea what this entailed. Read more>>

Leah Forney

It was the year of 2015, I found myself on a mission ignited by God to write my first book. In 2017, I published my first book, “Unapologetically Me: Living, Owning, and Walking in My Truth,” diving deep into the complexities of my mother-daughter relationship. Little did I know, that book would be the match that sparked a blazing entrepreneurial journey. Read more>>

Egypt Bradley

I had started doing lives on my Facebook page just talks encouraging others NOT to GIVE UP. Then I was inboxed by a couple of people who stated that my talks sometimes get them through the day. My son Barber heard me one day and was like hey your name is EGYPT you need to brand yourself. I didn’t understand what he was saying but he was saying, “This generation needs a strong voice that is going to help bridge gaps for all of the human race.” Read more>>

Kadé Hill

Starting Jaido Studios was like embarking on an epic journey of self-discovery. I was previously affiliated with an entertainment and lifestyle magazine which opened opportunities for me to co-own MEMT modeling agency and Areli Productions. I’m grateful because those moments taught me so much about business, film, and entertainment as a whole. The difference now is that I am the sole owner of Jaido Studios. no partnerships etc. Read more>>

Timothy & Roshun Davis

MiiFashion started out first as a t shirt business. We liked the catchy phrases on shirts and wanted to come up with our own phrases. Then one Valentine’s Day we made a jogger pants and matching varsity jacket set with MiiFashion on it. Everywhere we went that day we got tons of compliments on our outfit. People wanted to know where could they purchase the outfit from. From that moment we knew we had to keep going. Read more>>

Aaliyah Niara

I have always harbored a sincere love for technology and the arts. From animation, singing, painting, playing instruments, and poetry to graphic and interior design, my passion for creativity has been a constant companion since childhood. The desire to be a creator, to bring ideas to life, has been ingrained in me for as long as I can remember. Read more>>

Quintrel Brown

I have been a creative ever since I could remember. Anything related to the creative arts had my full attention going back to almost the age of 5. I also had a passion for making money on my terms and loved the idea of entrepreneurship. As I got older, I dreamed of being not only a film director but owning my own business. Read more>>

Stacey York

So how Shadez Of Stacey created, well I believe it was always in me I just needing the right mind set to pull it out. I was already a business owner with Royal Bling Accessories, however I knew I wanted more I started getting confident with selling accessories, but I knew it was more that could be done. And then it hit me in my sleep ( that is where a lot of my ideas are birthed) SUNGLASSES!! I love sunglasses just as much as I love jewelry. Read more>>

Stephanie Heaton

When I pregnant with Maisie, my youngest daughter I was really sick. Multiple hospital stays, bed rest, the whole shebang. At that time I was a professional photographer and being so sick with her I couldn’t physically get up and work like I wanted. I started painting as a hobby and thought I maybe I could bring in a small income with some art. I started painting earrings and making little clay earrings but I still felt I could do more. Read more>>

Stephanie Ramos

I never thought I’d end up running a content writing business. I liked writing stories but doing things like creating website content and blogs wasn’t what I had in mind! Read more>>

Haden Vidrine

When my team and I had the idea for Wonder, we immediately started to contemplate ideas for growth. We created a design that night and worked hard for months planning how we would start. We ended up ordering a sample for our first design, and while it wasn’t perfect, it showed us the reality of what we were working on. We stayed up countless nights working on creating a website, an LLC, getting our company bank account, and everything else we needed to ensure we could legitimize WNDR. Read more>>

Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha

Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! We had our ‘AHA’ moment when we were discussing visitor restrictions to COVID patients during the pandemic lockdown. We realized that we were feeling lonely being at home, not being able to go to school and see friends but how lonely would be the patients who were in the hospital with COVID infection and no one to share their fears and feelings with? Read more>>

Stephanie Nembhard

Throughout my teens and young adulthood, I always had an interest and passion for photography. I enjoyed taking photos, and modeling for other photographers. It wasn’t until I had my own child that I found myself constantly capturing countless sweet moments of my little one. The idea of starting my own photography business emerged during the pandemic, when I had some extra time to think about ways of earning extra income while having flexibility, low startup costs, and doing something that I enjoy. Read more>>

Laura Kirsch

Throughout my career one word that I have repeatedly been described as is tenacious. For me, this has been key in getting any projects off the ground. Read more>>

Tina F. Foy

When the owner of Mogul TV Global Network reached out to me with an opportunity that felt divinely inspired, I knew I had to take a leap of faith. Though stepping outside my comfort zone was daunting, I felt compelled to share my personal journey of rediscovering myself after years of prioritizing my role as a wife and mother. Read more>>

Brett Frey

I have always wanted to be a full time musician ever since I was 11 years old. I have studied the craft of performing from when I was in 6th grade all the way to my Doctorate. So I have always been a performer, not a business person. So when Covid hit and the world of performing shut down, it forced me to think of my life’s work differently. I had to figure out how to best use my knowledge and experience in a way that was beneficial to others in my community. Read more>>

Anthony & Jaclyn Velez

We actually started our business the opposite way–the execution came before the idea was fully fleshed out. About five years ago my mom, a talented wedding photographer who has since retired, suggested we look into getting a photo booth. She had noticed them growing in popularity at weddings and birthday parties. We were a young married couple with two small daughters, and we’d just purchased our first home. Read more>>

Colleen Bridges

I began my personal training/fitness career working with the general population and I loved it! A few years into my career a friend of mine was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and asked me to train her. While I was familiar with MS, I didn’t feel completely qualified to train her . I asked her if I could take some time to learn more by visiting with doctors, physical and occupational therapists and earn my Multiple Sclerosis Fitness Certification. Read more>>