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.

Riki Prosper

So for a while I was struggling put a specific label on my type of art. One day I realized that my lack of label could be my label. I decided to consistently switch up the theme to my art. At the beginning of 2022 I started posting 3 projects a month, all with one main theme. This both limited my creation as well as helped push my limits to new heights. If you had to put my art under a label, I’d say the best way to describe it is ‘Pop Culture Concepts.’ Read more>>

Laura Turley

My husband Howard and I married 12 years ago, September 19, 2010, we immediately moved to El Paso, TX for his job. As newlyweds, he started putting a plan together to clear up financial debts because we knew we wanted to do more. El Paso, TX was very hard with new adjustment, but I will say, it’s one of the best places we lived.” We lived in El Paso, TX for 4 years, we took every moment to explore the city, the culture, the people and every Sunday we enjoyed pasta night. Sunday Night Pasta, we would sit outside on the back patio overlooking the westside of El Paso, listening to the church bells in deep conversation of dreams, as a couple. Read more>>

Belle

I was postpartum with my son–a new mom in the midst of covid quarantine, and was spamming my sisters with my healthy food creations per usual. One day, I shared my homemade oat milk recipe with an artsy photo to a FB group and it started blowing up. I realized…hey, maybe people would like what I have to share. I talked to my husband about it, and decided to start my page. I’ve always enjoyed cooking and pretty much all of the arts. So a union of writing, cooking, photography, videography, etc., was kind of a dream creative outlet. Read more>>

Johnnie Jackson

Radio was something I always wanted to do. While living in Dallas in 2015 i internship at a few radio station through The school of recording arts out of California. I also worked for cumulus witch is the Head of 6 different stations in Dallas and Houston. 104.1KRBE to be essact. About 2018 I relocated back to Houston. Where I began going live on air training with 1230 Kcoh radio. Then Covid hit and things starting to fall. At time I had my marketing company also. UNDER THE THUMB MARKETING. Things were not looking good. Read more>>

GlenNeta Griffin

I’ve been in the Entertainment Industry for 24 years. I recently launched my new company, House of G, Inc. It is an innovative storytelling company focused on the development of original Entertainment, Media, Film and Television Projects. So many content creators have great ideas for film or television shows and don’t know where to begin. We offer consulting in the areas of Branding, Development and Packaging. Read more>>

Tomas James

Honestly, after i left my job in 2019 i took a 4 month break from work before i got back into the swing of things. I picked up another gig and ill say about 4 months later the PANDEMIC/COVID happened and i ended up getting “furloughed“. Being that i had just came off a 4 month break i just couldn’t stand being at home, since earlier in my Chef career i knew at some point i wanted to open my own restaurant. Read more>>

Danquisha Denson

I am a really big believer on never giving up your hobbies and passions for a career. I love to cook and I love to dance and when I started my career as a chef, I promised myself I wouldn’t turn my back on my love for dancing as well. As I began to branch out of the resteraunt scene into more catering events, I realized the potential there to turn both of my passions into one business. I acquired an event planning certification and created ” Rhythm and Food Events”. The name is a play on both cooking and dancing, and through event planning I would have an opportunity to book jobs through both the catering and entertainment aspects of event planning. Read more>>

Juanita Ikuta, PhD

From the corporate world to the journey of wellness, the path I took to get to where I am today is one full of unexpected twists and turns, but in the end, it’s clear that I’ve ended up exactly where I need to be. Although you might not expect it from someone who’s now immersed in the world of wellness, I came from a corporate background. I spent years of my career working internationally in the world of virtual learning in the for-profit sector. Read more>>

Aidan Hall

I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset, starting with lemonade stands growing up. I started my business selling duct tape wallets to my friends and at the Lenexa Public Market in middle school. One snow day, I decided I wanted to start adding more designs to my wallets, so I purchased a die-cut machine. I soon discovered I could do much more than just add designs to wallets; I could also add them to t-shirts. Now, I screen-print my original Kansas City-themed designs onto apparel. Read more>>

Mayree Edwards

Mayree, Thee Solutionist emerged from a need to pivot rather than pause at the onset of the pandemic that plagued 2020. At the time, I was working as a freelance event curator, crafter, and resume writer which stemmed from my social media and blog personality, SingleWoman Joan. Read more>>

Alivia & Jermaille Lloyd

We’ve always had a love for herbal tea, embracing cultures, and gaining new knowledge. Our city lacks the accessibility to healthy food options. This is essential to the needs of vegans, vegetarians, or anyone looking to fuel a healthy lifestyle. Our choices are limited, but Statesboro is constantly growing with diversity. We are the only Black owned tea & coffee Cafe in Statesboro. Read more>>

Emily Hay

The evolution of The Playful Space began with struggle. The Playful Space was born as a personal creative outlet when I was battling postpartum depression after the birth of my first child in 2019. I found it extremely difficult to tap into my past creative self. I felt fearful, anxious, overwhelmed and completely lost in motherhood. As I navigated these murky waters, I continued my work as a Special Education Teacher and the stress was crippling. Read more>>

Ainsley Fox

I started Palate Polish in 2014 when there wasn’t a health-conscious nail polish brand on the market. Creating a product with a formula that omitted toxic chemicals was my highest priority. I combined that with my love for food which is why all of the polish colors inspired by foods. Read more>>

Tameka Peavley

As a little girl our kitchen always felt like a second home. I’ve always enjoyed cooking soul food for the people I love. I also enjoyed hearing how much they loved the meals as well. Oxtail and turkey wings over a bed of steamed white rice with seasoned butter beans with pigtails was my first meal. Read more>>

Diana Solorio

I grew up in a family where women were still looked at as less than men. Fortunately my mom decided to break the mold and go after her dreams. Because I have witnessed how powerful it is to go after what you want, I always felt a strong calling to help and motivate women who are still afraid to make their move. I went through a very emotionally difficult time in my life which pushed me to work on my self, (self- love, self-worth etc..) during that time I was lucky enough to have an amazing support system of strong, Read more>>

Felicia Nicole

During the first year of the Covid-19 Pandemic I grew depressed in the workplace. It initially started when we were forced to work from home. As an educator who was writing the curriculum for other educators, doing it from home and not face to face alongside my other colleagues affected the way I felt about my career. Eventually, I went back into the office, but I was still stuck behind a computer and confined to four walls. Read more>>

Sheena Robinson

I came up with the idea for Financial Parent Academy after writing my first book, Financial Parenthood: The Keys to Raising a Rich Kid. The thought of the book came about after being in the financial industry for five years and teaching adults financial concepts. I would always hear many of them say “I wish someone would have taught me this when I was younger.” I remember feeling the same when I first heard the information I was teaching. I realized there were many people like me that did not have access to valuable financial information growing up and had to learn about money from experience. Read more>>

Charnelle Asante

There would be times I’d be on Twitter around the time a popular show airs and I’d always run into spoilers, it’s like I had to avoid social media around that time otherwise someone would ruin the show for me. So I thought to myself I wish there was an app where people would go to discuss their shows without having to ruin it for everyone else who hasn’t yet seen it. Along with this, there was also moments I would be watching a show and was dying to have someone to discuss it with. Read more>>

Maseyree

I came up with the idea for P-Check after having a surgery that caused my hormones to imbalanced and out of control. I would sweat so bad, especially in my private area. Many years ago, I used to use baby powder but then I started hearing about talc being linked to cancer, so I had to discontinue using powder. I tried the sprays and the creams and the store but neither of them worked for me. At home, I began testing and experimenting with products that I had around the house like cornstarch and baking soda. Read more>>

Felicia Wright

I’ve always been a creative person and loved anything art related. It wasn’t until my junior year in college that I was introduced to graphic design. After graduating from college with a BFA in graphic design and working in Corporate America for almost 10 years, I decided to branch out on my own. When I first started as an entrepreneur, I provided graphic design and branding services to clients. Fast forward to 2015, shortly after having my daughter, I launched our first Curls and Convo event (a mommy and me edition). Read more>>

Liz Benditt

I’ve had cancer 4 times in 10 years. The first diagnosis came when my kids were toddlers, the most recent when they were preteens. Therefore, I know a thing or two about what it is like to be a working mom and patient, undergo painful surgeries and treatments, and receive a lot of well-meaning but wasteful gifts. I was especially miserable in 2017 while undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer. I needed functional tools – like ice packs and burn balms – not pink t-shirts and lasagnas. I wondered: where is the website featuring cancer care packages for my friends to shop from? It didn’t exist. Read more>>

Demetrius Williams

I was managing an artist in music industry by name of Young Dirt.. He’s is one of creator/founder of our slogan, “Grind Hard Sleep Less”.. As his manager i was trying to think of a way to keep our brand on the consumers mind at all times.. What better way to do that than clothes.. You wear clothes at least 85% of the day, everyday..So i felt doing fashion would help me execute my task effectively Read more>>

Vanessa Natteal

So, Koala Escape Travel and Notary actually started as Koala Escape Travel. I named my travel agency in memory of my mom. She loved Koalas and I wanted to do something I know would make her proud and give me the freedom to spend more time with my children. During covid just like most people in the world I was furloughed and didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was presented with the opportunity to start my own travel agency under the Archer consortium. I knew I love to travel and I wanted to be able to help others create those memories as well. Read more>>

Mike Ash

Ten years ago was at a point in my life, where I needed a change. I was extremely negative, and seemingly going nowhere in life. I needed a project that I could pour all of that negativity into. During this time I had a very close friend that was killed by her husband, and decided to focus on supporting shelters for women and children. I started Attack Hunger with the intention to make granola bars, sell them, and for each sold, give one of them to someone in need. Without any prior baking experience and a ton of problems, I gave up making them. . Read more>>

Jennifer Mahan

My very first job at 15 years old was at a photography studio. I was immediately hooked! Being able to capture memories for individuals and families that will be cherished for a lifetime is an incredible honor. I enjoyed getting to know each client, learn their story and portray their personality through imagery. I knew this was something I was meant to do, connecting with people. It’s such a special gift to be able to make a stand against time, hold it still if only for a moment and be able to revisit it over and over again. Read more>>

Faith J Harris

This business was birthed out of my passion for helping others to thrive in purpose. I started sketching at the age of 7. From that point my love for capturing images grew. I also started learning to code at the age of 10. As I got older, I became intrigued by understanding behavior & helping others grow beyond their places of trauma. I spent my free time learning photography techniques while receiving my undergrad in psychology. I grew up in an era where I witnessed a lot of individuals struggling with mental health. Read more>>

Wooslaury Rose

My name is Wooslaury Rose, I am 5 years old, I am in Kindergarten. My mom is an entrepreneur, she’s have a home cooking business, when I look at her every day I feel the urge for help her and i ask her she say baby you can’t cook now you too little for that . so now almost everyday when she drive me school i always tell her when i grow up i am gonna be rich i am gonna have my big business and you gonna work for me ,and i’m not gonna pay you (funny…) she was like what… in short… ,I always tell her I want to have a good live ,my own house, car ,I can do whatever I want and you not gonna keep telling me what to do (funny…) Read more>>

Ericka Harris

Twerk in Style Fitness was founded based off the idea of having another way to exercise and get fit. The gym became boring and repetitive and dancing has always been apart of my life as one of my favorite things to do. I enjoyed the feeling of working out so I decided to combine the 2 and offer the same feeling I felt to others in a groups setting or with private sessions. Read more>>

Big Chaser

Keep Chasing!! It’s not only a brand it’s a lifestyle. Its started when I was playing basketball for Mississippi Valley State University in my junior year in college. For some odd reason, I found myself sitting on the bench more than I should have been. Every day, being super dedicated to the gym, I had to tell myself something to stay motivated. Keep Chasing was born as just a hashtag/motto for me to say heading into the gym and once I left. It grew to a household name very very fast. Read more>>

Amanda Miles

I came up with the idea to start a women’s streetwear brand because I felt like there wasn’t enough options for women in streetwear. The streetwear world is dominated by men and men designing for women. Whenever I go shopping for streetwear clothes, I mostly shop in the mens section, which I shouldn’t have to do. I always loved design and even in elementary school I asked my parents for a fashion studio and one summer we converted a corner of our basement into a design lab. Read more>>

Mallory Lambert

I worked as an orthodontic assistant for 6 years. In 2018 I became a mother and fell in love with my new role, but my job was an hour from home which kept me away from my daughter for 12 hours every day. It was hard emotionally feeling like I was missing out on those formative years. An opportunity arose that allowed me to stay at home and be with my daughter around the clock. To earn a little extra money I decided to start offering meal prep from my home. Read more>>

Steven & Nicole Cole

Hello World!! We are Steven & Nicole Cole. Co-owners of the media company “Works of Wonder Studios.” Although we are a husband and wife team of creatives, even as kids and teenagers the arts are something that we both feel has always called us. I (Nicole) remember creating home videos of barbies with my dad’s old recorder. For Steven, when he was a teenager, he would create vlog-style YouTube videos of himself break dancing. Read more>>

Tyrone Jackson

I’ve always had this vivid, creative imagination. It’s something that’s just come as second nature to me, and in many cases, the stories and worlds I created were escapism for myself. During my deployment to Iraq in 2007, I began writing the stories that would later be the foundation for my comic book universe. At the time, though, I had no idea I would use comics as my storytelling medium. I went back and forth between novels and animation, but in 2009, I decided to make comic books and came up with the name for my company. Read more>>

Floyd Marshall

I came up with the idea for my short film festival because I felt certain films were not being seen or celebrated. Film festivals show a certain type of film and films that may be on the fringe are oftentimes not selected. I wanted to give those films and filmmakers a space to showcase their work. What keeps me excited about the Film Collective Film festival is the wide array of films we screen, but more importantly the international relationships that are built. We have some exciting partnerships slated for 2023 and I’m really excited for the participating filmmakers. Read more>>

Chelsea Porter

Being raised by a single mother she instilled values in us early in life. She taught us the importance of skincare and always being prepared. My mother was and still is an active Mary Kay representative, so business, skin, and makeup have been apart of my life from the very beginning. Over the years I’ve worked in different fields, but was never truly happy. Each place was just a job. In 2016 I started learning more on how to do my own makeup as a creative escape from reality. Read more>>

Marci Symington

My husband and I were in Sedona at the Elote Café, enjoying the best of what Sedona has to offer: great margaritas and Chef Jeff Smedstad’s Southwest cuisine in the stunning setting of Red Rock Country. I was taking pictures of the entire weekend, from our hikes to our hotel—Auberge de Sedona—to our meals and was struck by the thought that I wanted to share this with my mother, as we often had this type of exchange with one another. The problem was she had passed away a year prior. Read more>>

Tam McDonough

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share my story! I have SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), a disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems – including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs. Read more>>

Ray Corley

The beginning of this journey wasn’t your typical beginning of a business. It started out from my love and passion for sneakers. I got into some trouble and left a lot of sneakers sitting for a long time. And I thought to myself what if I could clean these shoes to where they are wearable again. At first everyone told me I was crazy for thinking that I could clean sneakers and make a living. After I clean my first pair I think to myself how many people actually throw their shoes away. Read more>>

Stephan Stephens

My Name is Stephan Stephens, and I am the Owner. and President of Mother’s Pride Moving & Packing, LLC. We are a growing moving company based in Orlando, servicing Central Florida and surrounding areas. I had my first moving job during the summer break of 1998 before leaving for college on a basketball scholarship to Florida College, and then transferring to Shaw University. I feel in love with the passion of helping people in their time of need and bringing a smile to their faces, keeping physically fit, and the caveat was the opportunity for success was limitless. Read more>>

SHARON HERRERA

I wanted to save lives! In September 2010, several publicized suicides of LGBTQ youth reminded United States Air Force veteran and educator, Sharon Herrera, of a pain she was all too familiar with. Having contemplated her own suicide, she knew things had to change and that we needed a community where all children are safe. Read more>>

Mona Arestil

The idea of starting a mentorship program was in me before I knew what it was. I have had various mentors in my life, from the time I came to the United States as a young child. Being young, I didn’t realize how valuable having a mentor was until I got into high school. I had one mentor in particular that genuinely cared about me and my well-being. She showed up for me in ways I didn’t expect her to. Read more>>

Naaz Malek

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was deployed to NYC to work in a Gotham Health community clinic in the Bronx. During my 2 weeks deployment, I spent a lot of time in a tent outside doing COVID testing for suspected exposures and symptomatic patients. Patients arrived way before we opened and stood in line for hours in the NY summer heat waiting to get a COVID test. These tents were widespread across the more densely populated boroughs as a part of NYC health initiative to improve access to testing. At the time, there was nothing like it in my hometown of Atlanta. Read more>>

Paige Muller

If you told me a few years ago that I was on my way to becoming an actual entrepreneur, I would’ve never believed you. I never planned to start something of my own. I’ve never brainstormed business ideas that I could monetise, I never once thought about working for myself, etc. Becoming a business owner was an accident. As a kid, I was curious about everything, especially the places my mom would take m sister and me on family trips and the places we’d explore when we lived overseas. Read more>>

Dori Gronich

I’ve always loved animals. When I was young I begged my parents for a puppy. I was told no. I wanted to prove to my parents and myself that I was a responsible pet owner and so I started researching guinea pigs. I fell in love with their cute faces and different vocalizations. Back then there wasn’t a big guinea pig community. Fast forward to my adulthood, I’ve raised 6 guinea pigs over the years. I started my brand Planetpiggies back in 2017. I felt compelled to tell the stories of my guinea pigs and share their lives with the world. Read more>>

Tylia Flores

A very traumatic experience at a very young age made me decide to become a writer. After experiencing grief, I published my first book at 16 and decided to continue the journey as a writer. Because I was born with cerebral palsy, I was tired of misconceptions about a disability that is so common but is not discussed enough. Read more>>