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. 

Henry Anleu

The idea for StreetDreamz started long before it became a business. I’ve always been drawn to creativity, photography, and building something that represented ambition, vision, and the pursuit of bigger goals. Read More>>

Bailey Baxter

My path into interior design was anything but traditional. I actually earned my degree in Biology and Biomedical Sciences and was working as a veterinary technician when I realized I wasn’t on the right path for me. While I loved helping animals, I couldn’t ignore the fact that I had always been drawn to design. Looking back, the signs were there from the very beginning. Read More>>

Andrei Tone

It started while I was running Atomic Accounting. I was deep in the numbers side of business, helping entrepreneurs build financial systems and scale, and I kept noticing the same gap: these founders had incredible products and missions, but no clear way to tell their story. The idea wasn’t ‘start a video company’ at first. Read More>>

Dr. Shanate Porter

As the founder of SCALE Academy, the journey from idea to execution began with a very personal realization during my work in education and student support. As a school counselor, I saw firsthand that many students were academically capable, but they lacked the emotional support, life skills, mentorship, and real-world preparation needed to truly thrive beyond graduation. Read More>>

Tasha Nicholson

My journey has been a lot of trial and error, learning things the hard way, and refusing to quit when things got hard. Being in survival mode basically. That alone forces you to figure something out. I’m a single mom, so the pressure is real. I’ve been in the beauty industry over 20 years working as a stylist and makeup artist. Read More>>

Ebony Berry

People often assume Come Tea Us started with a business plan. In reality, it started with a cup of tea—and thousands of miles from home. My first real introduction to tea culture came during a three-week trip through England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Before that trip, tea was simply a beverage. In the UK, I discovered tea was an experience. Read More>>

Krystal Brinson

How did you go from idea to execution when starting Krystal Brinson Studios? Turning the idea of Krystal Brinson Studios into a reality didn’t happen overnight. Before I ever began servicing clients, I spent a significant amount of time perfecting my craft. Read More>>

Indira Ramgarib-Katwaroo

My journey into entrepreneurship was born out of necessity, faith, and a desire to create something meaningful. Several years ago, I found myself at a crossroads when I learned that the job I depended on was no longer available. Like many women and mothers, my first thought was not about building a business—it was about how I was going to provide for my family. Read More>>

Jaymie Tarshis

The business actually started in 2025 over Christmas break. While a lot of people were relaxing, watching Netflix, and enjoying the holidays, my partner and I were sitting around talking about business ideas. For a few years, I had been intrigued by the idea of buying a ‘boring business’ after following entrepreneurs like Codie Sanchez. Read More>>

Yolanda Easton

I’ve always had a passion for teaching. Whether it’s helping someone learn a new recipe or guiding personal and professional growth, I love seeing people discover what they’re capable of. During my husband’s active-duty years, I noticed a significant gap in leadership and personal development opportunities for military spouses. As a veteran myself, I understand the importance of development and how it can transform lives. Read More>>

Marley King

MBBX Cosmetics didn’t start as a fully formed business plan. It started as an idea and a feeling that I couldn’t shake. I loved beauty, but more than that, I loved how beauty made women feel. I knew I wanted to create something of my own, but at first I had no idea what all went into building a brand. Read More>>

Isabela Espinal

I knew the 9-5 I had wasn’t for me. I knew many of the jobs I had in the past couldn’t contain me! I feel underutilized, underpaid, and overqualified. I began taking entrepreneurship classes throughout Cleveland. Between 2024 and 2026, I participated in 5 entrepreneurship bootcamps and an additional 3 focused on real estate. At first, my ideas were all over. Read More>>

Mike Meiers

Honestly, there wasn’t one single lightbulb moment. It was more like a slow, unavoidable realization that I kept ignoring until I couldn’t anymore. I was deep in my music career, writing songs, producing records, scoring for film and TV, winning an Emmy, and I kept getting the same messages and emails from guitarists and songwriters. Read More>>

Vicki Flier Hudson

I just celebrated my 22nd year in business. When I looked at the calendar and realized the date, I jumped back to 1998 and a rainstorm in Pokhara, Nepal. That’s where it all started. Before that moment, I had been working for a medical diagnostics company after college. I loved speaking and writing, and my work there included both. Read More>>

Patris Kirakosian

The idea for Espresso Essence came from my background in hospitality. I’ve been a chef for over 12 years, and during that time I saw firsthand how food and beverage experiences bring people together. Coffee was always one of those things that people gravitated toward, and I noticed there was growing demand for specialty coffee at private events, weddings, and corporate functions. Read More>>

Heather Sampson

I didn’t go to college, but I always knew I wanted to own my own business someday. The challenge was that I didn’t know exactly what that business would be. What I did know was that I wanted a career centered around helping people. Over the years, I considered several paths, including nursing, physical therapy, and psychology. Read More>>

Trace Winningham

Honestly, Clear Lane didn’t begin as a business plan. It began as a realization. At the time, I was going through a major transition in my life. Read More>>

Sharonda Moss

MillyMeals started from my love of cooking and the joy I get from feeding people. What began as me cooking for family, and friends eventually turned into people asking when I was selling food a and encouraging me to take it more seriously. Read More>>

Tiana Madden

I think it goes without saying that for any entrepreneur or creative person, going from idea to execution is a journey that is riddled with what ifs. What if I fail? What if I look crazy? What if no one supports me? Read More>>

Keith Bordelon

It honestly started with a moment of pure frustration. I was watching a movie one night that was—to be polite—absolutely horrible, and this sudden realization hit me: If this can get made into a movie, then the story that’s been living in my head can absolutely be a book. So, I didn’t overthink it. I just sat down and started writing. Read More>>

Chris Allen

I spent nearly 14 years in corporate before launching Advanced Computing & Technology, and honestly, that experience shaped everything I do today. During those years, I learned operations, customer service, pressure management, leadership, systems, and what businesses actually need to run efficiently. I was constantly observing what worked, what failed, and where companies struggled when it came to technology and execution. Read More>>

STEPHANIE MULLOWENY

My journey didn’t begin with a business plan. It began with a little girl named Hannah. When I first picked up a camera over a decade ago, I wasn’t thinking about building a brand, writing books, speaking on stages, or creating heirlooms. Read More>>

Natalie Fernandez

For me, Formativa Collective didn’t start as a business idea.It started as a personal search for purpose, impact, and honestly, myself. After my second son was born, I found myself in a place I had never experienced before. I had always been the high-potential, tenacious achiever. I was the person who moved quickly, raised my hand for opportunities, learned fast, and advanced in my career. Read More>>

Christa Maddick

When I worked a desk job I always dreamt of finding a more fulfilling career, except I had no idea what that might be. I would get up as often as I could from the desk and get some steps in. I remember several encounters of my coworkers joking about how I couldn’t sit still. Read More>> 

Matt Cox

In 2017, when I became CEO, Greenlink had just missed payroll for the first time and we had let go of much of our staff. It’s possible we would have survived without a change in strategy, but how could I take our skill and ambition and make something meaningful? We had to ask good questions and listen. Read More>>

Jason Heien

I have seen plenty chatbots on websites. They all are pretty much the same; too pushy or blocked information until you provided personal information such as name, email, phone number. I had the idea of creating an intelligent AI chatbot for WordPress, that is just the opposite. Casually asking for your name to personalize, but you don’t have to. Read More>>

Jasmine Beck

Coral Castle Cattery began with a problem I never thought could be solved: I was allergic to cats. I had loved animals my entire life, but like many people with allergies, I assumed cat ownership simply wasn’t an option for me. Then I discovered Siberian cats, a breed known for producing significantly lower levels of the allergen that affects many cat allergy sufferers. Read More>>

Marcia Alphonso

I started my business in 2019 as a wedding planner and designer, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that my heart was always in the creative side of events. I’ve always been a creative person, and the more weddings I worked, the more I found myself drawn to the floral designers and creative teams bringing everything to life. Read More>>

Mark Caravaggio

I moved quite organically through this process. I used to DJ part-time for fun. There were many signs in my old corporate career that led to me deciding that the corporate life just wasn’t for me. When this all came to a head, I literally quit my old life for a new one – it was a massive risk at the time, but looking back, it was what enabled me to become so passionate about this business. I was all in! Read More>>

Francesca Trop

Ever since I can remember, I thought of myself as a painter. I was the kid who drew — always drawing — and I was certain that’s what I would become when I grew up. But somewhere along the way, I made peace with a difficult truth: I didn’t want to depend on my art for financial survival. I needed a foundation beneath me. So I went to law school, became a lawyer, and spent 15 years practicing entertainment law — painting in every spare moment I could find. Read More>>

Luz Alvarez

Hi! My name is Luz Alvarez owner of Leon’s Nail Art & Spa Located in Jacksonville Arkansas, and I’m originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always had a creative side. I loved drawing, sketching, and finding ways to express myself through art. As I grew older and became a mom, my priorities changed. Read More>> 

Lekshmi Kiran

It didn’t begin as a business plan—it started as a quiet moment of reflection. Read More>>

Tranisha Harris

The spark for Cringe & Crumble came from a deeply personal place, shaped by reflection, pattern recognition, and the quiet realization that my experiences were never entirely mine alone. People often came to me for advice, especially around relationships and dating, while I was simultaneously navigating my own cycles and questioning why certain patterns kept repeating. As I became more self-aware through that process of learning, unlearning, and healing, I realized I had stories worth telling and conversations worth creating space for. Read More>>

Gian Zimmermann

The story of OTTER didn’t start with a strategy deck or a validated market thesis. It started with a YouTube video and a question I couldn’t shake. Read More>>

Stephanie Bachus

My path wasn’t linear and honestly, that’s what made me good at what I do. I started out in nonprofits, then moved into broadcast operations, and also worked in hospitality advertising. On the surface those feel like totally different worlds. Read More>>