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.

Nicole Todd

Cider definitely found us, no one plans to be a cidermaker when they grow up. In 2011 after years in the wine and beer industry I found out I was gluten sensitive and couldn’t drink beer anymore. During that same time we looked at a property to buy in Watsonville that had 2 acres of mature apples trees. It was harvest time, and while we did not buy the property, I did make my husband go back at night and pick the apples. We used these to make a batch of cider for the brewery my sister and I worked at, people loved it! So we did it one more time, helping ourselves to the harvest going to waste. Read more>>

Tim Rodland

The traditional brokerage model is broken. It’s riddled with mediocrity, slow to innovate, and designed to serve the firm, not the people who drive it. Legacy brands treat agents like numbers and offer little more than business cards and an outdated playbook. Read more>>

Mary Moseid

I love talking about this, as it is so multifaceted. It was a little over two years ago, and I was in a bit of a slump. I wasn’t finding joy in much of anything, as I had just been blindsided by an early term miscarriage. I was mourning this and some other losses, and I just wasn’t myself. A good friend of mine was also pregnant, and I still wanted to save space for her and be a good friend to her and her growing baby. She asked me one day if I had a good recipe for cinnamon rolls, as she had a crazy craving for some. Wow! I hadn’t made cinnamon rolls in literally 5 or more years, but I knew my recipe was great. I made her a batch that week, and she loved them so much that we both cried haha! I was so happy to finally do something again, after being stuck in depression for so long. She told me that I could really sell these, they were that good. Read more>>

Amy Jenner

From a young age, I was deeply intuitive and spiritually sensitive. I could sense things others couldn’t and often found myself offering comfort, clarity, or insight to people around me without even realizing I was doing something ‘special.’ But I didn’t grow up thinking, ‘I’m going to be a psychic.’ It unfolded through life’s trials, healing, and moments where I was cracked open—and something greater came through. Read more>>

Jillian Haun

I came up with the idea for The Beauty Project because I was frustrated with the beauty industry’s lack of celebration for what’s real, raw, and true. I had just become a hairstylist and was so excited to do hair and uplift people by honoring their unique beauty. But as I started to get deeper into the industry, I quickly realized how heartbreaking it is that we so often tear each other down instead of building each other up—and the beauty industry plays a big part in that. Read more>>

Mari Ramirez

I can truly say that my brand story began as a little girl. I’ve always been extremely creative. You could always find me drawing, coloring, creating and tinkering. As I got older that creativity translated into my personal style, makeup and overall appearance. My parents always made sure to nurture that part of my personality whilst growing up and I am always very thankful for that. Read more>>

Gregory Burt

VIP Photo Booth was born from a simple question we kept getting as photographers: “Do you offer a photo booth too?” At first, we didn’t – but after enough people asked, we decided to give it a shot. We figured, why not try one and see how it goes? Read more>>

Andrei Tone

The idea for Tone Films OKC wasn’t born in a boardroom—it was born from frustration, inspiration, and the desire to bring depth back into digital content. I was working with businesses through Atomic Accounting, helping founders grow, scale, and stay financially healthy. But over and over, I saw a common thread: great businesses with strong products and passionate teams, but zero compelling storytelling. Their content felt generic, forgettable, and disconnected from their mission. Read more>>

Doug Mazell

Cinematographer and commercial photographer for twenty years. Always on the lookout for interesting stories. I play tennis with an Indy car driver from the 90’s. I set up an interview with him and discovered that the mechanical and medical innovations created to save race car drivers after race car crashes eventually migrated to American streets and became our 911 emergency medical system. The more interviews I conduct the more fascinating the story becomes. We’re in the process of building our budget of $500k and we’re about 50% there. The final film will be sold to Netflix, ESPN or HBO. Read more>>

Max Bronston

My wife and I took a trip out of town and saw a live band that played Neo-Soul music; a genre that was lacking in our area. When we got back home, I made some calls and put some musicians together and we came up with our own band, :Honeychild”. Read more>>

Janet Kim

I cannot point to one singular moment when this idea came together. It felt more like a seedling that grew through observations and the cultural moment we were living through – the growing global recognition and appreciation for Korean food. Read more>>

Lily Zubritskiy

The idea for my photography business was born from one of the most tender and transformative seasons of my life. When my firstborn arrived, he had to stay in the NICU for three long months. Each day with him felt like a gift—precious and uncertain, with no promise of tomorrow. I held on tightly to every detail: the way his tiny fingers curled around mine, the quiet moments of connection, the fierce love that filled even the hardest days. Read more>>

Marissa Morris
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2019: While working as a health associate in Raleigh, NC, my skin was complimented by a woman, “your skin is so beautiful! What do you use?” To which I responded proudly, “coconut oil.” The woman looked stunned. “Stop using it! Start looking into other oils like jojoba, argan, and rosehip.” A month later, after relocating to Harpers Ferry, WV, I was on the hunt to find rosehip oil. I stopped by Ulta, purchased my first bottle, went home, and was trying to find the ingredients. On the bottle, it said, ‘for a list of our ingredients, visit us online’ to which I did, and saw the proprietary blend of additives, fragrances, and everything but the Organic Rosehip Oil that I thought I was buying. Alas! The idea was born: to create an all natural product that didn’t greenwash, but was true to its label. I began researching how to make oil infusions and made my first batch of Rosehip Oil. Read more>>

Morgan Hardin

I spent my entire adult life in the corporate world – clocking in and out, asking permission for lunch breaks and vacations. It was always my dream to break free from that routine, but for the longest time, I didn’t know how. When my second child was born, I became a stay at home mom – something I’d wanted for years. Those early days with my babies were everything I hoped for, but after a few years of being home every day, I felt a pull for something more. I didn’t want to return to a traditional 9 to 5, but I also wanted to contribute financially and do something that truly lit me up. Read more>>

Will Rich

In the spring of 2024, I began a conversation with a friend and associate of mine, Ava, about creating an online brand using one-of- a-kind silk saree fabric to make classically inspired women’s “loungerie”. The idea was to create an exclusive on-line brand to empower and exalt through the magic of the designs and fabric. At this time I had just moved back to the Joshua Tree area of the Mojave Desert and my partner, Ava, was still living in Hawaii, where we met. Read more>>

Anna Harris

It was shortly after getting my cosmetology license and I felt I knew nothing about actually doing hair, the business of hair, getting clients, etc. when I realized I needed to search for more education. So, I decided to take on an assistant program with a wonderful woman, whose name is Carleen Sanchez. She was one of the first to work with curly hair in a way no one else was doing. I was so intrigued and had no idea there was another way to work with curly hair other than straightening it! She taught me that I have wave in my hair and that it wasn’t just straight and poofy. Poofy frizzy is just a sign of a curl waiting to happen and she was right! Read more>>

Michael Lemus

Reclaiming Your Happiness with Lemus LLC wasn’t born out of business ambition, it was born out of necessity. It came from a moment of deep truth, when I was burnt out, grieving, and stuck in survival mode, performing what society defines as “success” in rooms I once thought were meant for me. From the outside, things looked great: I was leading various initiatives, receiving recognition, and climbing the career ladder quickly. But internally, I was disconnected. I wasn’t truly happy. The reality is that I wasn’t present with myself at that point in my life. I wasn’t aligned with what my spirit was yearning for. Read more>>

Essie Polk

In my family, I’m known as the planner- the one that organize trips, finds the best spots to visit, and make sure every moment is packed with memories. For me, travel isn’t just about getting from one place to another; it’s about creating stories that we’ll remember for a lifetime. Read more>>

Nikki Rajan

As a high schooler, I see things a lot differently than most adults at my school do, and something I saw that repetitively occurred was exclusion. My upbringing was in a diverse neighborhood with various cultures. However, since some people were not as fortunate to be surrounded by such a community, they were unaware of the struggles new people faced in America, and were less open-minded. This trend continued in my high school. My school is different in the way that they host many more refugees, migrants, and newer students to the area, which is incredibly unique and explains our diversity. Read more>>

Cory Dewalt

I was 12 when grooming even came about. I never thought to groom. My mema was tired of paying other groomers to do the house dog Maxx (cocker spanie). She went to wal mart bought some clipper and she told me would I groom him. I wasnt sure why, but i glad she did. I woukd be on YouTube looking for tips on how to groom him. I would groom him until I perfected the breed cut. Then I moved to doing the family dogs and learning how to do different breeds. After about 7 yrs. I, then it moved to friends of the family, to outsiders. I was so in love with doing this. I would work my full time job, then on the weekends I would groom. Read more>>

Mon’Chelle Taylor

I decided to write this book from an accountant perspective. In order to give anyone in the trucking industry, an in-depth look at how understanding accounts receivable can be beneficial to their business. I currently own a tax business, Taylor Made Tax Services, and we have been in business for 13 years. And during this time I’ve worked with countless carriers (independent truckers). I consistently find myself explaining the ends and out of basic financial matters. I lecture at several financial seminars for small business owners during the year and over 50% of my clientele works in the trucking industry. Read more>>

Maggie Drayton

I currently have three businesses: one is my farm, Rebel Farms; one is my coaching business, “Scattered to Simple”; and one is my women’s entrepreneurship group, which falls under my membership business called “Small Business Sisterhood.” All of these ideas came about rather spiritually and organically. Read more>>

Jamie Ryu

To really tell the story of Contrarian Publishing, I need to talk about how I fell in love with editing. I learned about the importance of an editor back when I was in middle school. I was the kind of reader who read cover to cover, meaning I read the acknowledgements at the back of every book. And it was not lost on me, even from that age, that books are a collaborative process. While the act of writing may be solitary, publishing is not. Read more>>

Naiya Dudelston

The moment came quietly. Not with a bang, but a remembering.
I was mid-session, camera in hand, watching a woman soften as she saw herself through my lens, not as she thought she should be, but as she truly was. That was the spark. The divine click. The knowing that this wasn’t just photography. It was reclamation. Read more>>

Roya Siroospour

About 15 years ago, I was working in a corporate gym when I discovered aerial fitness, and I completely fell in love with it. It was so different, so empowering, and I knew right then that I wanted to create a space that brought that magic to more people. I actually wrote my first business plan back then, dreaming of a studio that offered cutting-edge, specialty formats like aerial and bungee. Something fun, inclusive, and welcoming to absolutely everyone. Read more>>

Neetu Ramawad

In 2013 I went through my own health crisis. I suffered from a ruptured ovarian cyst and had to rush to the emergency to understand what the extent of pain was that I had been experiencing. My primary care practitioner dismissed my symptoms and didn’t give me much understanding or any information on prevention and care. The only solution I was offered was to go on birth control or have a baby I wasn’t ready to have. Read more>>

Brittni Miller

So, I actually purchased Magnificent Moments Weddings from Amanda Allsbrook in 2024. She hired me after a working interview in 2016 as an assistant. As I learned more about weddings and the logistics of planning a wedding, I got certified and started working as a lead planner later in 2016. We grew into a team of 4 and work about 40-50 weddings a year as a company. In 2020, Amanda made me Director of Operations and I took over a lot of the day to day logistics, learning a lot about how to run a business. In 2024, I purchased Magnificent Moments Weddings officially! Read more>>

Kari Chisolm

Absolutely. The idea for PriceWise was born from my own journey growing two home service businesses— a home inspection business and later, a pest control business. Early on, I realized that the key to sustainable growth wasn’t just about doing the job well—it was about delivering a memorable customer experience. When I started improving our communication, follow-up systems, and client education, I saw an immediate impact: better reviews, more referrals, and stronger client loyalty. That’s what fueled the growth of my home inspection company. Read more>>