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.
Cherrelle Dike
The story of LipLok Cosmetics, my beautiful dream that came true. Allow me to take you on a journey through the inception of this idea, so you can truly grasp the context, circumstances, and emotions that brought it to life. It all began on a sunny afternoon, as I sat in front of my vanity mirror, meticulously applying my favorite lipgloss. Read more>>
Faith with an E
When I started on this journey I had no idea what I was doing. I had no clear thought or intention. I started creating art during a dark time in my life to release. Most of my pieces spoke to how I felt and what I was gong through at the time. They evoked deep sadness and the want to be free from that never ending sadness. Read more>>
Amelie Sigaudo
As a French girl moving to the States, i realized that the American Dream is real and that I wanted to be part of it … I have never been an entrepreneur so I did not really know how to start and what to offer. When the Covid hits I knew it was time for me to try it out ! Read more>>
Matthew Loyd
Picture me, circa 2019, recent college graduate with a degree in Anthropology and 2 minors, one in geology and another in digital art ( I actually didn’t finish the Digital Art minor, I was 3 credits off). I’ve been an artist for as long as I could remember, and I was first introduced to the world of design in High School shop class, falling in love with it in college. Read more>>
Michael Behar
I started Feasteezy in the Spring of 2020. I chose the name “Feasteezy” to combine my past, present, and future. “Feast” being my present and future food path. “Steezy” being my past, meaning “effortlessly stylish or elegant,” a term commonly used in skateboarding, which I hold near and dear to my heart. Read more>>
Lauren Hillary
My career has taken a few twists and turns however my most important adventure so far was coming up with Brand Your Selfie, a conceptual Branding/Lifestyle Photo shoot. At the time I was photographing everything that came at me, and i started working with a life coach as I was feeling very stuck in my career. This happens often to artists as we need to feel constantly inspired and excited about what we are creating. Read more>>
Sarah Azzouzi
When we first started Lost Girls we were in our 20s and didn’t want to remain stationary. We thought, why not travel with fairs and markets around the country and sell out of a moving store. We spent the next few months looking for a vintage RV or Bus to sell out of. We eventually found a vintage RV on craigslist that we were able to get for $1000. After putting all our savings into the rehab of the RV we started selling at local and national vintage markets! Thus Lost Girls was born. Read more>>
Spencer B. Hodgetts
I’m Spencer B. Hodgetts & I believe that marginalised dogs & disenfranchised people have the right to belong in society! About seven years ago someone on social media in the US shared a video about a “prison dog programme”. That video touched something deep down in me about listening, real deep listening….without pre-judgement. I’ve been in too many situations from very young childhood on where I or others around me have not been listened to. Read more>>
Jim Cushing
Have you ever had that kitchen gadget sitting on your pantry shelf that you had to have, but never used??? That’s the way I felt about an ice cream maker I had purchased. Finally I decided that I wanted to make ice cream that tasted like the ice cream my mom made when I was a kid. – That classic wooden bucket filled with rock salt and ice. Read more>>
Laura Pelaez
I’ve always been a foodie, and as an immigrant one of the things I missed the most from home country was the food. Growing up in Colombia I ate a lot of arepas for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it was my mom’s and my grandmother’s go to for a quick nutritious meal. Read more>>
Stephanie Stephens
It all started in my childhood. I was fortunate to have parents and teachers who nurtured my natural artistic abilities and from the time I was 10 I knew I wanted to become a graphic designer. I dreamed of selling my own stationery products someday or designing them for others. Read more>>
Anna J Stewart
I don’t know that I was ever meant to be anything other than a writer/author. I bounced around so much during my education, and everything I was interested in pursuing was always tied to a book I was reading. At one point, during my Patricia Cornwell stage, I thought about going into forensics. It took a while for me to realize that as a writer, I could be all the professions that interested me, for as long as it took to write a particular book. Read more>>
Ehizogie Ero-Brown
One particular day, my son was crying, I had him in my arms, (he was two and a half years old at the time), I was unable to reach a book quick enough to comfort him, I resorted to telling him a story in an effort to soothe him. That impromptu story centered around the boundless love I have for him, expressed through the things he enjoys and loves. This heartfelt moment marked the inception of my initial book. Read more>>
Hilary Hays Greenhalgh
I was 29 years old and in the midst of making a major career change to become an interior designer. I was one semester into earning my master’s degree in interior design and architecture, but I still was not yet qualified for any of the jobs I really wanted. Many designers start out in retail and work their way into working for design firms. I knew that wasn’t the path for me. Read more>>
Jovan Silva
The idea for my business started back in 2003 while working at a body shop for semi trucks. I enjoyed repairing these large trucks and saw that there wasn’t too many shops offering this type of service. As I started working, more doors have opened up in the same industry to repair chassis, shipping containers, cranes and all kinds of heavy duty equipment. I am offering a service where most companies had to travel a distance from Los Angels/Long Beach and opposite cost. Read more>>
Marriah LaVigne
I have worked in the salon industry as a stylist/colorist for over 25 years. In that time I have worked at several salons. After having worked in commission salons (owner takes 40-60%) I left to work as an independent stylist where I could make my own hours, set my own prices, and have the creative freedom that I desperately craved. Read more>>
Yamina Merzoug
Eight years ago, I decided to level up my pastry skills and enrolled in culinary school. The real turning point was my internship at Craftsman and Wolves, a boutique bakery in San Francisco, where I later became in charge of the confectionery station. From whipping up caramels, jams and marshmallows to my absolute favorite—Pâte de Fruit, a French vegan-friendly fruit jelly—I found my passion. Read more>>
Keisha M. Tarver
Before I created Hype Off Life, I was an underground Hip Hop blogger (WestCoast Keish) for several years. During that time, I met so many amazing artists who weren’t getting the recognition they deserved from larger platforms. Read more>>
Allyson Goodman
It’s not a secret that managing social media is a demanding endeavor. When I first thought about becoming a full-time social media manager, I was juggling an 8-5 marketing specialist job, essentially handling an entire marketing operation solo. Read more>>
Francesca Bonaduce De Nigris
Intrecci by Francesca is a Houston-based start up with a passion for one-of-a-kind handmade rugs, including antique, vintage, and contemporary rugs, kilims, and textiles. I started this business simply because I love vintage rugs but I soon realized that finding the perfect rug can be difficult, time consuming and some times all together overwhelming, especially when searching for one-of a kind, handmade vintage rugs. Read more>>
Finnelis Aleman
The idea of my business was born after understanding that many other people struggled committing to their health & fitness goals for the same reason I did. I do not believe on living a life with restrictions and following diet plans on a spreadsheet. Read more>>
Marci Guttenberg
The inception of my business, An Affair To Remember By Marci, LLC, emerged from a fusion of personal passion and a keen awareness of an industry gap. The idea of owning a business to assist couples in planning their events has always lingered in my mind as a profound aspiration. Read more>>
Luis Mendez
Mental Health is something that I personally struggle with on a daily basis. I had a bad car accident a few years ago that left me in a bad state physically and mentally. Learning to live with PTSD and depression soon followed that incident. I not only found out how important physical therapy was but also how crucial mental therapy was as well. Read more>>
Jober Velasco
I ended up in wardrobe styling through sheer desperation. I had a regular job which was lost during the recession of 2008/2009. I couldn’t find a job in the field I had been working in (transportation) for a couple years. Everyone had always told me a dressed nicely and I should do something in fashion, but I didn’t know where to begin. So I went to where everyone goes when they’re struggling to find something…..Craigslist. Read more>>
Rebekah
Fulfilling my dream of entrepreneurship has always been a personal goal, driven by the desire to blend a cherished interest with the skills cultivated in the corporate world. The spark for my venture, Desert Tea Party Rentals LLC, ignited during a serene moment – my first extended and relaxing bath, accompanied by a comforting cup of tea, shortly after welcoming my baby into the world. Read more>>
Jillian Rose Kling
Since I was a pre-teen, I was interested in photography. I used to have my friends dress up and pose for me in the front yard and pretend we were shooting for YM or Teen magazines. On family vacations, I was the taking photos, preserving memories and always had a camera in my hand. Read more>>
Kyle Langdon-Weyrich
I embarked on the venture of establishing Picture Esque with a distinct purpose in mind. My primary objective was to create a platform that fosters connections within the entertainment industry. During intense competition in this field, I strongly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to connect and collaborate, and I aimed to streamline this process for individuals. Read more>>
Christina Stamatos
Growing up in the real estate industry and graduating college with a degree in Interior Design, I have always dreamed of my own show on HGTV. After I graduated in 2019, I moved to New York City to work for an Interior Design / Home Staging company. After eight months of employment, the year 2020 had different plans for me. I lost my job and had no choice but to move back home to Boston. Read more>>
Immaculate
I wanted to get little girls of color to look up. The Trap Aerialist is here to be a beacon of light for all the young ladies that haven’t had a role model they could literally look up to. The outcasts, the outsiders, the ones no one else really ever understood. I’m here to show them they don’t have to do what all their friends are doing. Read more>>
BYRON NASH
I’m obsessed with music. I’ve always been a musician who played in bands. I started recording music at home just to document ideas or rehearsals. In time I got a little better and realized that because music is in everything, from film, TV, commercials, websites, maybe I could make music for these projects. Read more>>