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.

Emelie Rochford

’ve always known that I wanted to create and have my own company one day, I’ve always had a very entrepreneurial mind but I didn’t necessarily know what I wanted my company to be so I knew I had to test the waters and kind of let time tell where I would end up. Right after college, I started working in influencer marketing, I kind of just fell into it but loved the industry from the start. I loved that I could mix my creative side with my business mind and I knew that this was an industry I’d come to fall in love with. Read more>>

Rachel Bickham

Bickham Services Unlimited LLC was started with the desire to help people find rewarding employment opportunities and make lasting professional connections. Initially, I started as a sole proprietor in 2012 focusing on administrative and project support services all while working a full-time job. After successfully hiring 1099 contractors to perform work on a Purchase Order, I quickly realized the impact it had on them being able to provide for themselves and their families. Read more>>

Sultana Sams

I came up with the idea of starting a Tax Business because I have an Accountant degree and have worked in big CPA firms for 7 years of my life. I learned so much and I use to help others prepare their taxes a lot. Therefore, I decided to turn it into a business. Read more>>

Tracey McKee

Interestingly, my idea for Mindful Soul Wellness grew organically out of my own healing journey. Founding and owning my own business was never on my radar. I was a third-grade public school teacher intending to retire after a lifelong career as an educator. However, life had different plans for me. Read more>>

Tom Numan

Coming up with the idea to use LED in place of traditional glass neon was one of necessity! Read more>>

Julie Kuo

My sister and I created AVRE in November 2019 because we wanted to transform the industry. Growing up in our family business we learned about how the manufacturing process, the materials, all led to insurmountable amounts of waste and carbon dioxide. We wanted to find a solution to this problem. Being a minority female in business isn’t easy and we were compelled to think outside of the box and introduce a different way of doing things. Read more>>

Andrew Glass

The idea for Non Gender Specific really came from my experience working in the industry on both the women’s beauty side and the men’s skincare side. It was much harder to get the mens products into retail, even if the product formulations were great, and that is when the idea for a truly genderless brand came to mind. I couldn’t understand why an industry that embraced people in the workforce for who they were and felt so progressive in many ways could be so backwards in its marketing to consumers. Read more>>

Heather Edmunds

The Santa Workshop Experience.. Read more>>

Brittany Hansen

I have been writing since I was a kid. However, the only stories I’d ever finished were short stories for homework assignments, never one of the myriad of novel ideas I’d experimented with. After college, it felt like a “silly dream” that wouldn’t pan out. At the time, I had someone close to me who was encouraging me to focus on ventures I could make money from instead. Read more>>

John Paul Davis

I started d11designz firstly as just a hobby,I always had a creative side but just needed an outlet and Instagram was my first social media platform I started for @d11designz.I grew a fan base quickly and before I knew it I was being emailed from people all across the world looking for specific pictures designed to their needs. Read more>>

Ángela Faraci

The idea was really a dream, the dream of being a cafe owner, was brewing for over 25 years. I grew up overseas and coffee was always part of my family, I spent my school breaks in the farms helping in the coffee farms, it was an amazing experience. In 2019 I was actually looking to open a small food truck, but I’m 2020 during COVID, is when the idea of having a cafe on wheels lit up in my mind. Read more>>

Willie Schandel

For the name Wild WILLIË I wanted to come up with a name to match my outgoing and crazy stage personality. Wanna play music and doing all these crazy antics so I thought Wild would be perfect for my name. The term wild means obnoxious, loud crazy and outgoing in a very positive way. So henceforth I chose the name wild Willy and that was the birth. of it Read more>>

Michael Harvey

The main reasons for developing a book proposal were the weekly (if not more frequent) phone calls and emails from Christian clergy asking questions. These ranged from what I call Judaism 101 questions to more in-depth philosophical and theological queries. Having established myself as a champion of interfaith work in each community I served, these calls and emails naturally found their way to me. Read more>>

Ki Settles

I have always been involved in some form of performing arts whether i was performing in school plays, singing in youth choir or befriending musicians, actors, models ect. I am a natural athlete so sports was my main priority. Bad knees sat me out in my teenage years and that’s when i indulged full on into the entertainment industry. I came up with the name 2Talented while i was in college. Read more>>

Phyllisa Lozano

Hi my name is phyllisa lozano back in 2018-2019 I had a spiritual awakening had just got out of prison I’m a ex-felon I had nothing had to work 7days a week physical labor and one day after being in tuned to spirit being isolated doing spirituall practices spirit showed me my ideas of making my bundles and pushing me to start a business and have the confidence that I could do it Read more>>

Lizbeth Ramirez

Crafting and gifting has always been in me as long as I can remember. I was the little girl making bracelets as gifts for her teacher and friends. Always hoping to brighten someone’s day with the stuff I made. As I grew older I was the same but never had the courage to sell anything until one of my best friends Birthday. Read more>>

Coach Cass

Oh, the beginning of my business is deeply personal. I remember it vividly – 15 years ago, finding out that a man I deeply loved and thought was “the one” was, in fact, married. The emotional tornado was devastating; feelings of betrayal, shame, and self-doubt consumed me. I recall sitting in the dim light of my room, questioning my worth, my judgment, and my future. Read more>>

Carneilus Booth

I always wanted my own business since a kid but I didn’t exactly know I wanted my own clothing brand, I just loved clothes and shoes and wanted a store like City Gear or Jimmy Jazz. As I got older I discovered I wanted my own clothing brand, the idea came about as I was sitting on a bucket at work in 35 degree weather freezing, and I was thinking this is not something I want to do for the rest of my life so, I began brainstorming, and came up with the name Federal Fresh! Read more>>

Ashley Guan

Photography started as a fundraiser for me in 2016. I was raising money to go on a mission trip to the Philippines to share the gospel. I was doing sessions as low as $20 since I was just starting out and was trying to get by with funding. Over the course of this time, I started to really enjoy taking photos and capturing others’ monumental moments. Read more>>

Tyneida Alanos

Urban Travel Experience (UTE) I like to say the idea came to me from none other than God. I always felt like life was bigger than just your town or community and being where I’m from born in Newark, NJ and raised in East Orange NJ which are both urban communities. Growing up in an urban community opportunities are limited and finances are tight, so it’s very rare that children get the experience of other states and countries through travel. Read more>>

John McCarthy

I’ve always had these “ideas” to make money or be my own boss. Like a tee shirt that looked blank but as you exercised and started to sweat it would reveal a message to you like “Not Done Yet”. To find out later on that someone went out and did it. Or when i lived in Texas i had the idea of opening a Margarita Truck. Read more>>

Mary Ann Hughes

When I first faced divorce as a special needs mom several years ago, I desperately searched for resources to help me figure out how to deal with the overwhelm and complexities of a divorce involving children with autism, I did not have much luck finding professionals who could help me navigate the process, and who could provide support to my kids who also needed help and reassurance during the changes our family was going through. Read more>>

Corey Jones

My name is Corey L. Jones and I am the sole Owner/Operator of Jonesnyourbones BBQ catering located in the Twin Cities. My journey began as a young boy watching my father grill for the neighborhood kids, along with my grandmother cooking for my sister and me. We grew up in a neighborhood that was trusting enough for kids to frequently be outside and play. Read more>>

Maryana Grinshpun

I once read some paper looking at the construction landscape in the US and two figures jumped out. One, that 90% of construction companies in the US had fewer than ten employees. And the other is that they, on average, have lost 1% of productivity, year over year. Read more>>

Debra Storey

The brand Blazzian Collection story. Read more>>

Aziza El Wanni

As a multicultural individual, I have a deep understanding of the diverse hair textures that exist in the world. Growing up in South America, Europe, and the US, I learned valuable lessons from women who shared their wisdom on hair care with me. However, despite my knowledge and experience, I still faced personal struggles with my own hair due to societal beauty standards and constant styling. Read more>>

Gianna Wurzl

Ever heard of a brand psychic? No, me neither. Read more>>

David Roemer

When I started Campus Movie Fest with a few friends more than twenty years ago, I had no intention of running the biggest student film festival in the world – or a global creative studio. For many years, we just focused on running Campus Movie Fest and empowering masses of students to tell their stories through short films all for free. We partnered with some extraordinary brands that sponsored the events and made it all possible. Read more>>

Tina Ramaci

The idea for Tiny Knot Co. was woven together through a tapestry of personal need, passion for sustainability, and a desire to make a meaningful impact. As a new parent, I found myself navigating the overwhelming world of baby products, searching for the perfect balance between comfort, style, and conscientious choices. Frustrated by the lack of sustainable and genuinely soft options in the market, the seed for Tiny Knot Co. was planted. Read more>>

TeNari Bene’t Parker

Hi, my name is TeNari Bene’t. I’m currently a full time college student, and working part time to help fund my business. I started my business in February of 2022. . I turned my hobby into a business. I would make different body creams and sugar scrubs to tend to my sensitive skin. Read more>>

McKayla Seiber

I knew I wanted to focus on boudoir photography after a specific photoshoot I had in 2019. I was taking photos of a friend for fun as a creative outlet outside of the 9-5, and after she saw the photos she said “is that really me”? The disbelief in her voice shocked me. We never see ourselves the way others do, and I knew I wanted to use my creative eye to show women that they’re art. Read more>>

Stacey-Ann Lewis Callender

The idea for my business, Lip Smackin’ Creations by Stacey, was born out of a deep passion for baking that has been with me since I was just 9 years old. Baking has always been my creative outlet, my happy place, and my way of bringing joy to others through delicious treats. Read more>>

Chloe Pascarella

In February 2021, I found myself at a crossroads in life, after losing my job in late 2020, I knew I had to make a change. I was 20 years old with a desire for a creative and flexible career, I was ready to dive into the world of nails. As a habitual nail bitter my whole life, doing my own nails was always a passion of mine and a way to make myself feel better. Read more>>

Eddie Gilman

The idea for my business came to me in pieces in a synchronistic way over six years. The initial vision came to me while mowing my lawn during one of the most difficult periods of my life. My ex-wife had left me for my best friend of seventeen years; I had lost 30lbs in 30 days; I struggled with suicidal thoughts; I was barely able to function at work. Read more>>

Joshua Dillard

Ever since I was 12 years old I was walking around my home recording the family for Thanksgiving dinner. I didn’t know that this passion would develop into a love of film. My ultimate goal is to build my own film studio. Shrewd Studios is the beginning of that. I’ve met many creators and business owners who need content now more than ever. Read more>>