A dad can’t find a bakery to make a birthday cake that can accommodate his daughter’s allergy-related needs. Two freelancers realize they need a way to organize all of their client contracts and can’t find software that adequately handles their use case. Necessity is often hailed as the mother of innovation – but not all ideas come from necessity. Unfortunately, in our experience, often media coverage of the ideas that powered amazing businesses and projects often stops at a very superficial level. The founders noticed a need and boom – idea. Often the ideation process has a much longer, more complex story and so we’ve asked some entrepreneurs and creatives we admire to go into detail about their ideation stories.

Seth Avergon

I was working in corporate when I came up with the idea for Avergon Marketing Group or AMG. I had consultants and agencies pitching me for business. The consultants were great at developing plans and strategies, but did not want to get into execution, while the agencies were fine with execution, but were light on developing strategy. Read More>>

Jacqueline Ho

In the 2010s, I was one of the many NYC foodie influencers. Instagram was still static images, reels weren’t a thing. It was really pure. That’s how I got my start really utilizing social media as a tool. I partnered with restaurants to help them develop better food content. This was more of a hobby as I worked full time in ad-tech and had for nearly 10 years. Read More>>

Keya Crenshaw

I came up with the idea for Black Chick Media, LLC in 2013 after many freelance projects I had from 2006-2012. While I was in college and for a couple of years after, I began interning with film festivals around the world to learn all about their production and direction. Read More>>

Andy Byrne

I came up with the idea of starting my own company after many years of working for other studios. I have been working in the Visual Effects industry for 20 years now, and it just seemed like the next logical step to take. Read More>>

Brenda Garcia

I attended the PA Latina Convention last year in Lancaster. Upon my arrival, I realized there were so many Latinos in that area and I asked myself why isn’t there something similar in Pittsburgh that brings us all together if Pittsburgh is bigger than Lancaster? Shortly after the convention, I did some research on local community groups and none were catered to Latina women. Read More>>

Clarissa Jones

I was severely overweight (308lbs) when I started my personal fitness journey. I was uncomfortable doing any form of exercises, however growing up being in dance & that being my passion my whole life prior to all my weight gain, o found ease in dancing as my form of exercise. It also helped me to build confidence and embrace my journey as I was doing something I loved while also gaining my health back. Read More>>

Nubia Merriman

Growing up, fashion always felt like second nature to me. My parents, particularly my father, were deeply immersed in the world of streetwear and hip-hop culture, and they always had me dressed to reflect the occasion. From an early age, I developed a love for how clothing could make a statement, express individuality, and bring people together. Read More>>

Savannah Maddison

I’ve always had a deep passion for working with children. Before starting Southern Sitters, I served as the CEO and Founder of a national 501(c)(3) organization, where I had the privilege of speaking to over 1 million children across the United States. That experience fueled my desire to create something impactful that could positively influence future generations. Read More>>

Ruth Ramsey

In my early twenties, I worked in corporate fashion buying for several incredible companies. It was a great learning experience in fashion, margins, and profitability. However, I never felt truly fulfilled. So, I decided to leave corporate America and try starting my own business in wholesale fashion and reselling. I was familiar with brands and luxury products from my previous roles, but investing my own savings into the business was a challenge. Read More>>

Dr. Kristy Taylor

The idea for WORxK Solutions came from my own experiences navigating career transitions and mentoring others in healthcare and higher education. I saw firsthand how many people struggled to connect the dots in their professional journeys—whether it was creating a resume that truly reflected their value, preparing for interviews with confidence, or building a personal brand that opened doors. Read More>>

Saira Orozco

When I come up with an idea for any event. It usually starts with the clients perspective. I ask them what they envision in their wedding, birthday, engagement etc and then I take it from there. It’s so important for me to understand the personality of the client, how they fell in love, what they love or hate. Once I get a gist of what they’re like I then begin my creative process by listening to music, meditating, sleeping, working out to get my brain flowing with any ideas that come to mind. I love to be able to create something out of nothing. Read More>>

Tuzdae Rosenbach

I began teaching Pilates in 2017, and I was genuinely passionate about it for many reasons. However, by 2020, I found myself feeling disconnected. It started to feel like just another job rather than the fulfilling practice I once loved. I took some time to reflect and realized that the magic of Pilates for me was the deep connection it fostered between my body and mind, along with the inherent self-care and self-love that came with the practice. Read More>>

Megan Riggs

After graduating from the University of Virginia, I moved out to LA working for an online training company. Though successful in my position at work, I felt something was missing amidst this professional success and found myself facing daily anxiety and bouts of depression. After trying (and failing!) with the Western approach to medicine, I decided to head to Southeast Asia for an opportunity to unplug, destress, and experience some natural healing. Read More>>

Diego Leporini

How I Came Up with the Idea for AirKitchenz In 2017, I hit rock bottom. I had just closed my last brick-and-mortar restaurant, and I was flat broke, didn’t have a dollar in my pocket—just a passion for food and a determination to keep going. Read More>>

Tuesday Coffman

Hello Healthy Hair was born out of one of the most challenging and transformative chapters of my life. I am a brain aneurysm and stroke survivor, and while enduring the physical and emotional trials of recovery, I faced an unexpected challenge: my hair began to thin as a side effect of the medications I was taking. For someone who had always taken pride in their hair, this loss felt deeply personal. It wasn’t just about appearance—it was about reclaiming a part of myself that I feared I might never get back. Read More>>

Jaylen Douglas

The idea for Outspoken was born during one of the most challenging seasons of my life. It was my second-to-last semester at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), and I felt like everything was falling apart. I was navigating the end of an amazing relationship, my grades were slipping, and the chaos in the world—wars, division, and uncertainty—felt overwhelming. Life became autopilot, and the only things grounding me were my love for food and music. Artists like Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, and Al Green kept me connected to my emotions when everything else felt numb. Read More>>

Latasha Harris

Raising Kings LLC was born out of a profound love for family and a desire to leave a lasting legacy for my three grandsons, my two daughters, and in cherished memory of my son, Eric, who passed away from cancer at just 17 months old. Eric’s life, though brief, left an indelible mark on my heart and inspired me to create something meaningful—a celebration of young boys who grow up with respect, confidence, and a sense of pride in themselves. Read More>>

 Erin Nicole

I grew up with two passions, one for the health and wellness world and one for the creative world. I always had a dream to combine the two visions, but I struggled to find a way to do so. In 2015 I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology and Psychology and later went on to go back to Nursing School. Read More>>

Daniel Jackson

As someone who checks the news daily, I noticed a troubling trend: an increasing amount of pure negativity, especially in politics and business coverage. After reading business news daily for months, I realized that much of the reporting focused on the flaws—unethical practices, corporate greed, and toxic work environments—rather than the broader picture of what business represents. Read More>>

Shawn Pettieway

The story of ONE Fragrance House came from a mix of curiosity, ambition, and a desire for freedom and purpose. After graduating college with a degree in chemical engineering, I started working in corporate America as a process engineer. While I was grateful for the opportunity, I quickly realized that sitting at a desk all day wasn’t the life I wanted to live forever. I’ve always been drawn to the idea of creating something meaningful—something that would allow me to connect with people, travel, and have a larger impact on the world. Read More>>

Steven & Shelly Scott

The idea for our business was born out of frustration, determination, and hope. In 2015, my son Sawyer was struggling with severe eczema that went un-diagnosed by several providers. His skin was constantly irritated, and after countless doctor visits, we were left with only temporary solutions—prescriptions and creams that didn’t seem to help in the long run. Read More>>

April Butler

I started Wings of Love Lifted because of my experiences growing up. I did not have much guidance, I wasn’t taught a lot, and I was put out of my home right after high school to figure life out on my own. I have always had a connection with young people and elders. I meet strangers and they open up to me. I saw that there is a real need for guidance and support for youth, especially young women. Read More>>

 Juliett Figueroa

A few years ago I noticed myself hosting my daughters parties and always buying all the decorations and entertainment. Then I thought to myself “ Why not start something myself” at first it was just an idea but I couldn’t seem to let it go. Read More>>

Joshua Adkins

Growing up I was always viewed as overweight to my peers. It felt like my weight always had a hold on me and my mood. As I grew closer to God I learned more about living a healthy lifestyle. Fast forward to adulthood, I was having problems with my weight after playing college football. I began the journey of losing weight again and never looked back. My wife always told me I would make a great personal trainer if I put my mind to it. Read More>>

Malisa Lewis

While I was in college, I had an assignment to create a book or a game for an elementary physical education course. I chose the book. The Book was called Grow Tater, Tot Grow. I illustrated the pictures and added the physical education terms required for the assignment. Per the rubric, I had to align the book with the elementary physical education standards. Years later I took that book, self-published it, created a curriculum for it, and started selling it. Read More>>

Chavonne White

In 2021, during the height of the pandemic, I was inspired to explore a new chapter in my life by venturing into the wine tasting business. For nearly 20 years, I’ve worked as a licensed cosmetologist, but I felt it was time to make a meaningful change in my career. Read More>>

Glardia Jean Fleurimond

When I first decided to step into the world of real estate I vividly remember my mother’s experience when she dreamed of owning a home in the United States. She was excited, but, unfortunately, she didn’t have the right person on her side to guide her through the process. Read More>>

Robert Pace

I actually was in the real estate business for several years full time before I started my venture of opening up recovery homes. I was juggling working as a real estate agent, AirBnB owner, running a property management business/ short term rental business, as well as flipping several homes a year. My team and I had actually purchased one home which we had no idea on what we should do with the property. Read More>>

Felicia George

Would you believe me if I told you 129made started with a journal and a broken heart? Yes, that’s right. It all began in 2022, during my lunch break from a career that left me feeling drained and unfulfilled. My personal life wasn’t any better—completely in shambles. Sitting at a lunch table surrounded by beautiful spring flowers and the calls of migrating birds, my heart felt heavy with grief, betrayal, confusion, and depression. Read More>>