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.

Paul Bille

Growing up in a family of graphic designers, I was immersed in the world of visual communication from an early age. It wasn’t so much a question of whether I wanted to pursue this path, but rather if I didn’t want to. Read more>>

Vanessa Alvarado

After 10 years of trying to start a family naturally, we realized we needed the help of science and technology and embarked on the in vitro fertilization (IVF) journey. We were excited to finally see our family becoming a reality. Read more>>

Joe Killinger

I have been involved in the real estate industry for many years, as a broker, investor, founder and mentor. The brokerage aspect of the real estate industry has always been an interest to me, especially the commercial side as I see a lot of opportunity there especially for a younger generation. Read more>>

Barb Perkes

I believe human beings are unstoppable when we work together. But I don’t care how successful you are, at some point in your life this world will bring you to your knees. Read more>>

Esther Iwunze

Nine years ago, as a seasoned nurse with 19 years specializing in geriatric care, I embarked on a journey that would redefine my career trajectory. Read more>>

Kirsten Bradford M.S.

I am the Founder and President of 4TheGirls Social, a nonprofit in the DFW serving black women 25-35 through education, training, and social connections. Read more>>

Jean-Marie Andrews

The idea for my business, Facets by JèM: Consulting & Design, originated from a reconnection with a dear friend from art school. We had attended art school together 20 years ago, and our reunion sparked a profound realization within me. Read more>>

Romero Irwin

It was mid-pandemic and I got laid off from my Tech-IT job in New York. I moved to LA during the pandemic. I’ve always been fascinated with embroidery. Read more>>

Javier Piñón and Nathaniel Saavedra

Back in 2021 we were jamming out with a few friends in SDSU’s parking garages when we had the bright idea of becoming an actual band and playing at the venues in the area. Read more>>

Tai Goodwin

After building a multiple 6-figure marketing agency, I realized I was heading for burnout. So I asked myself, “What do I really want to be known for?” and “What do I really want to see more of in the world?” Read more>>

Victoria Johnson

Hi, I’m Victoria J, the 12th Street Talk Back podcast host! Wow, this interesting story of how I became a podcaster. It is a story that put me on a self-discovery journey. Read more>>

Sabrina Fish

As a baby author in 2011, I wanted to find others who loved writing romance like me. However, when I looked around for groups in my area to join, there was only 1 option for romance writers, an affiliate of a national writing organization that was very expensive to join. Read more>>

Emelie Glessner

I have been a small business owner for some time in terms of selling artwork and painting portrait commissions for people. However, what I would like to discuss more in depth is my newest business endeavor to be launched this fall. Read more>>

Sherry Cerino

I have always been passionate about diversity & disability awareness from having practiced nursing for over 40 years. I’ve worked with hundreds of children and families from many cultures, having complex medical and physical needs. Read more>>

Lauryn Menard

I have been hunting down the newest, latest, most environmetally-responsible materials for most of my career. This obsession started in late college and became the one continuous thread of my career as I moved through working in fashion, furniture, cycling, and more. Read more>>

Stephanie Chisley

I’ve always had a love for makeup! Growing up my mother and grandmother would buy me “starter” kits from the store. I feel like makeup is a way to express my creativity. Read more>>

Adriana Arguijo Gutierrez

My immense empathy and observant qualities as a kid made me fascinated with the human condition. Whether it be somber baroque art, surrealist cinema, or 80s synth/new wave, I was (and still am) so captivated by how people from all walks of life cement their existence. Read more>>

Leah Moore

When you become a parent to a child with a disability, they have a speech to prepare you for this type of pressure: put your oxygen mask on first. It’s popular with many caretakers, therapists, and parents. Read more>>

Melissa Boettger Boettger

I have been an Early Childhood Educator for over 15 years in various learning environments. I started off my career working with newcomer children to Canada. Read more>>

Joe Kendrick

I’m Joe Kendrick, a Filmmaker & Musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. As a filmmaker, I work as a videographer, editor, and direct my own projects, like original short films. Read more>>

Brittany Fugate

When I started Cenetric, I was trying to solve a problem – creating jobs. My friends were all impacted by the 2008 tech layoffs and as I watched them struggle, many of them with kids, I felt compelled to do something to help. Read more>>

Sheryl Sammarco

When my son was born, I hired a photographer to take newborn photos. During the session, I really enjoyed watching her take photos and pose my son. Read more>>

Claire Sumadiwirya

Right after I had my first child, I was sent to Shanghai for a job assignment. Due to the heavy pollution in the city and his particular sensitivities due to a premature birth, he became very ill requiring us to stay in the hospital for weeks. Read more>>

Mikey Quackenboss

The competition for tattoo artists is wild in NYC, with new amazing artists entering the scene constantly. Before Covid I was linocut printing and tattooing separately for years but hadn’t yet tied the two mediums together. Read more>>

Dominic Hawkes

About a year into the pandemic, having changed the way we taught students in the school district and across the country, I started taking advantage of every resource I could find, to aid student learning. Read more>>

Tammy Wyllie

As a recruiter, I also found myself editing and updating the resumes of the candidates I interviewed before submitting them to my client company. Read more>>

Courtney Cole

During the spring and summer of 2023, I participated in a leadership development program. One of the themes we explored was limiting belief. It was something I was very familiar with and not pleased with either. Read more>>

Robin Kane

As a family we were playing board games at a local business when the thought hit us that we could use the idea to help provide a future for my youngest daughter. Read more>>

Joel Davis Brown

I started off my career as a lawyer. Inspired by Thurgood Marshall, I thought being a lawyer was the best way to help people. It wasn’t long after I started my legal career, however, that I realized that corporate America wouldn’t reward my ambitions. Read more>>

Steven Le

The idea of starting a real estate business began during the pandemic when I was furloughed from work for 8 months. I’ve always enjoyed photography as a hobby and enjoyed going to open houses. Read more>>

Dr. Tammie McCurry

I’ve always had a passion for and interest in helping others from a mental and psychological standpoint. The idea for Confidential Consultants stemmed from my first book, which started as a research paper in school. Read more>>