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.

Vickie Gould

When I started the business that I have now, I transitioned from being a book coach to having online certification courses in sound and energy healing, along with an ecommmerce store. I was at a point in life that I wanted to take back my time and travel more. I had always felt called to do something in the healing space, but was scared that it wouldn’t work. However, after having fibroid surgery, I knew it was time for a change. I needed to figure out new ways of promoting to hit a larger audience, so I learned how to run ads and I had to figure out how to set up an ecommerce store. I also had to learn how to market differently for products versus coaching. I remember getting my first sales of crystal bracelets — it was so exciting to have sales coming in while I was at the movies with my husband! Read more>>

Tiffani Teachey

The journey of launching STEM Crew Magazine began with a vision that had been brewing within me for years. As a STEM consultant and advocate, I often saw the potential in young minds and the necessity to inspire them to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This inspiration was the seed for my idea: a magazine that would celebrate and elevate STEM trailblazers, showcasing their stories and contributions while providing resources for young learners. Read more>>

Alex Kolokolov

Nine years ago, I got fired. My oldest daughter was two years old, and my youngest was just three months old. But let’s rewind three years before that.
I was working as a Team Lead at a big IT company. We were implementing enterprise data analytics solutions from IBM and Microsoft. I didn’t have a business idea back then—I had a passion. Even though I was a techie, I was obsessed with design, especially infographics. I was fascinated by the idea of turning raw data into works of art. It was a sharp contrast to the dull, standard reports we were building for clients at the time. Read more>>

Dominique Treadwell

When I first came up with the idea for Spoonlight Ice Cream, it was less of a lightning bolt moment and more of a slow burn rooted in nostalgia and joy. Growing up, ice cream was the highlight of my neighborhood—the sound of the ice cream truck was the soundtrack to connection and community. I wanted to bring that same feeling back, but in a way that felt elevated, adventurous, and personal. That was the seed of Spoonlight. Read more>>

Alisha Gallegos

The idea began when I saw a need in public spaces for a consumption area. Most public venues have a smoking area for tobacco, but they did not have one for cannabis. Living in Colorado I discovered there is a need when I am seeing public consumption happening everywhere. I wanted to mitigate this experience and make a legal area so that we are protecting the public as well as providing a space for cannabis consumption. I first toyed with the idea of a pop-up tent, but per rules and regulations this is not a feasible way to regulate.. Read more>>

Ruth Fleury

Starting Scholars of Tomorrow Publishing, LLC was a journey fueled by passion, purpose, and persistence. It all began in 2021, during a time when I found myself reflecting deeply on the need for representation and the power of storytelling, especially for Black and Brown children in our communities. Read more>>

Nesta Felix

NewFlex Youth was a concept I have always had that came to fruition during my mba journey. The opportunity rose to develop a business concept for our thesis. I started with a product Read more>>

Rick Bickerstaff

I’m going to focus this on the book I just launched, All Roads Lead to Dockweiler: Devotions from the Ocean in the City of Angels.

My first writing gig was as a blogger for StoreYourBoard.com, who makes racks and storage options, primarily for the action sports world (surf, skate, snowboard, biking, climbing, etc.). I really loved writing about the sports I loved, trying to take creative angles to get folks to read and ultimately invest in good board storage. Well, this experience sparked the idea to start my own blog, where I had more freedom to write about anything, though I chose to focus on the framework of surfing and its connection to spirituality. I launched YonderBreaks.com in 2013 and got busy writing! Read more>>

Jayden Mosley

When I first began flight training I had nothing professional to wear, I found myself wearing sweat pants and a tee shirt for my flight lessons. Though underdressing for fight training isn’t bad, I wanted to look professional when I stepped in the cockpit. This caused me to buy more clothes from places like Banana Republic and J.Crew. Then I thought about ways I could blend my passion for aviation and clothing. Read more>>

Sabrie King

I walked the Camino de Santiago with no intention of writing a book about it. My journey was to be all mine, to be kept neatly and tightly locked up in the journal I carried on my back with the rest of my life for a month and a half, then put on a shelf lined up in a row with the rest of my journals. But to my much delighted surprise, this was not what was meant to be. Read more>>

Jordan Mcnutt

We’ve all heard it: “One day, I’m going to do _ _ _ _,” and yet, years later, nothing’s changed. Whether it’s a friend with endless plans or that little voice inside whispering, “What if you actually went for it?” – dreams are beautiful, but let’s be real: it’s the action behind them that transforms sparks into roaring flames. That’s where JMCeramics Studio LLC began—a tiny spark I nurtured into a roaring flame. Read more>>

Zoe Grant & Madeleine Biache

It really started with building a house in Maine for Zoe and her husband. That was a big leap of faith and then realizing that Zoe and Madeleine enjoyed working together and could see this taking off. We started with an Instagram and a social media presence and jumped into client work soon after. We then set up contracts, logos, business cards and a framework of how this business would operate. The first week was giddy fun and then we settled into the real work of building something sustainable. Read more>>

Jazmyn Duarte-griffin

Taking the ideas to pursue content creation took a lot of time. There was a lot of back and forth in my head about what people would think or what if no one likes it? I was in my early twenties and I saw others doing it and being successful but I wasn’t confident enough to fully immerse myself into creating content and putting myself out there. I had to get to the point where I wasn’t worried about anyone else. I knew that I could achieve whatever I set out to do because I’ve overcome many obstacles in my life. I honestly feel like I’m just now getting to a place in my early thirties where I really am comfortable with sharing my content and if it flops then at least I know I had fun creating it (getting paid is a bonus). As far as pursuing my esthetics career it happened so fast. Read more>>

Mar Della Greca

Going from idea to execution is easier said than done. We all are filled with great ideas, but executing them involves an insane amount of discipline, dedication and sacrifice.

You need to find the perfect balance between getting properly prepared and not wasting time. Successful people are not smarter, they are faster. By the time others have had five meetings about something without taking action, I have gone, come, fallen, tried, tested, made 8 mistakes and found the right solution. I don’t have useless calls or meetings, I’m very careful with my time and if someone wants a meeting with me I need to know why and what’s the goal. And “talk about something” is not a goal. Read more>>

Lia Marques

I had always a strong affinity with animals, always wished there was something I could do with them that did not involve seeing blood ( I could never be a veterinarian since the sight of blood makes me queasy) or making them “perform”. Meaning: asking an animal do something in exchange of a bribe. Therefore when I was introduced to the concept of Dog Psychology I felt like I found what I had been looking for several years. I found what I was meant to do. I was lucky enough to start working for Cesar Millan (the father of Dog Psychology) at the Dog Psychology Center and discovered I really enjoyed working with the toughest cases. Dogs with a bite history, dogs that needed intense rehabilitation in order to become the best versions of themselves. The idea of K9 Rehab developed from there. Read more>>

Alisha Davidson

It all started with a spark, a simple idea to create a chili crisp that was as clean and wholesome as it was delicious. Elizabeth, with her culinary expertise, dove headfirst into recipe development. We spent countless hours experimenting with different ingredients, tweaking proportions, and tasting, tasting, tasting. One of the hardest parts was finding an oil that met our ‘clean and wholesome’ criteria but was still affordable and available in the quantities we needed. Read more>>

Eren Yagmuroglu

I sought ways to contribute to cultural transformation by leveraging the arts to illuminate lives and strengthen society. The idea centered on shifting from traditional marketing to a community management perspective, crafting unique storytelling to connect more deeply with audiences—particularly in the performing arts.  Read more>>

Ashley Sturgis

The journey from idea to execution wasn’t a straight path for me—it was more like a winding road with lots of prayer, learning curves, and moments of bold faith. I remember the exact moment I realized I needed to launch my own event agency and coaching programs. I was sitting at my desk, reflecting on how often I’d helped others bring their visions to life but hadn’t fully executed my own. God kept nudging me, reminding me that the gift He placed in me wasn’t just for other people—it was time to steward it for myself. Read more>>

N’zyia Miller

Honestly starting photography wasn’t my idea at the beginning, it was kind of an accident. My mom was getting married and wanted some photos taken of the ceremony. My brother (The original photographer lol) was supposed to take her pictures but he ended up being busy that day plus we were traveling to our hometown for the wedding. He came to me saying I’d need to take the pictures and basically gave me the basics on how to work his camera etc.. Honestly at the time I was young and was more focused on pursuing a career in dancing so a career in photography never honestly crossed my mind. Read more>>

Meredith May

I have always loved an excuse to celebrate! As a child, I would watch my grandmother and mother plan and host over the top home parties and do it all themselves- from the cooking to the decorating and everything in between. The way they transformed a room, creating a festive atmosphere, made me feel magical. But it wasn’t until years later, when a friend asked me to help with her child’s birthday party and saw my first balloon garland that I had the realization that with my background in corporate events coupled with my flair for serving others this could be my career. Read more>>

Jackie & Cara Rideau & Randolph

D.N.D., Do Not Disturb LLC started as a simple idea that came to us while seating on a couch on a Sunday Morning after church. That same day, we prayed and after the prayer we started formulating a business plan to bring D.N.D. to life! Our first question was, what are we bringing to life? What is the name of the business that represents what we were founded on? The idea was to create a faith based apparel company that embodies the notion of being unbothered in your walk with Jesus Christ, and moving in a way the give DO.NOT.DISTURB. Thus, D.N.D., Do.Not.Disturb LLC was born! Read more>>

Alan Li

The idea for our company, Signs and Mirrors, started from our own problem. My wife and I run a photo studio, FotoLab, New York City and Houston’s first self-portrait studio. For our studios, we were looking for a beautiful sidewalk sign but couldn’t find one on the market. Specifically, we wanted a mirrored sidewalk sign so passersby could take a photo of themselves with our sign! Read more>>

Diana Follegati Pryor

My journey began with a vision to share stories and create unforgettable experiences through dance. With a rich background in the arts and a passion for bringing ideas to life, I took deliberate steps to turn that vision into reality:

Identifying the Purpose: I recognized the transformative power of dance—not just as an art form, but as a way to connect people to emotions, culture, and each other. Read more>>

Kendra Landi

Starting Women in Business Collective LLC was a journey that began with a shared vision during our senior year at San Diego State University. The three of us—Kayla, Talia, and I—served on the executive board of the SDSU Women in Business chapter, and during our time there, we saw the club grow from 300 to over 800 members. This growth wasn’t just in numbers but also in impact, as we connected with schools seeking advice on hosting successful events, attracting guest speakers, and building strong chapters. Read more>>

Kaylynn Patterson

As a nail tech with over 13 years experience. I would keep seeing people get fungus and other issues from Pedicure who were not sanitizing and taking care of peoples feet properly. As a licensed CNA going from working in care, facilities and the hospital, I would see peoples feet in the most horrendous shape possible. As a Nail Tech I dived into Medical pedicures and spent three years learning from podiatrist, medical professionals and other medical pedicures, that’s when I came up with my own medical Pedicure version to help people not only look great, but feel comfortable and confident in their feet, knowing that they’re not going to be in pain anymore. I always tell my clients you can go put new tires on your car, but you cannot put new fee on yourself. Pedicures are not a luxury. Read more>>