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.
Regina Silas
My niche is community development and the food ecosystem. My grandfather, owned commercial real estate (an apartment building) in one of the most impoverished communities in Miami-Dade County. That’s a bit of where my inspiration comes from. Additionally, I’ve had a brief introduction and exposure to real estate in my teenage years. At the age of 16, my grandfather, insisted my cousin and I, sit through our first closing with him. He was purchasing an estate in Atlanta. He wanted us there for educational purposes. He told us: sit down, shut up and pay close attention. And we did just that. Read more>>
Ksenia Stockton
I’ve always been into arts and crafts. 8 years ago, I went to the retreat in India. It was a full reprogramming of my body. And there I met Chris, entrepreneur from England. We became friends over the course of those couple weeks and had many conversations. Once he asked me to take a piece of paper and write down what would I like to do if nothing else mattered: my work experience, education, skills, money. Read more>>
Ramesha Nicole
The idea of The Forgiveness Academy™ came during a 38-day sabbatical while in Mexico. Before leaving to go on my sabbatical (which is a time of intentional rest and detachment), I was feeling overwhelmed and burned out in the business and brand that I was operating at the time. As a believer of the Christian faith, one of of the ways that I communicate with God is through journal writing. I’d written in my journal all of those thoughts and emotions, as well as how I was feeling as if I was failing at this thing called entrepreneurship. In my response, I was instructed to shut down the business and take time off. It was time for me to rest and start all the way over and was told to go to Mexico. Read more>>
Tirzah Stein
I spent my entire career as a Social Worker, supporting folks impacted by trauma and violence, managing domestic violence shelters. After a decade of dedicating myself to this very emotionally draining work, I decided it was time to make a change. I knew I wanted to take the skills I had developed as a Social Worker, but be involved in the joy and light of peoples lives instead of the darkness and their lowest moments. Read more>>
Destiny Snyder
If you told me 5 years ago today I would have a successful travel blog and have my own social media marketing business I don’t think I would believe you! I moved to Florida by myself on a bit of a whim after graduating from college with my bachelor of science in dietetics. At that point, I was set on becoming a registered dietitian with a food blog on the side. I loved the idea of sharing information and dispelling common food myths in a way that could reach people all over the world via the internet. Read more>>
Jayla Tibbs
I’ve always been a major foodie and loved to travel ! Every summer since I was a kid ,my mom would take us on a road trip and we’d stay in these places for weeks to a few months at a time really immerse ourselves in the culture . We’d make different stops on the way to our destination which would include trying local restaurants and trying cool excursions , this is truly where my passion for traveling and trying cool restaurants came from .Everyone around me knows i’m rarely ever in town , so constantly being on the go became a lifestyle for me . Read more>>
Ritchie Thomas, A Soldier’s Coach
It was 2007, I was in Atlanta… standing in the unemployment line praying that they would extend my unemployment check for $247 a week to help put food on the table. Standing there humiliated, hurt, and ashamed I realized how far I had fallen– 6 months previously I was in the Army (active duty) and now, I was in a different Army, the Army of the Unemployed Read more>>
Debra and Sinclair
I’m Debra Dupree, a mother, beauty & skin care expert, who has worked as a beauty consultant in the beauty industry for over 2 decades. I’ve always had super sensitive skin, it seemed like everything I used caused a negative reaction. I had tried a ton of the top name brand skin care products on the market, to fix my problem. I would end up breaking out in hives and rashes as a result or using the products. Nothing worked. I was so frustrated and didn’t know where to turn. I was self-conscious and concerned that customers would not buy products from me because of how my skin looked. I did some research on the ingredients in the skincare products I was using and found that not only could I not pronounce any of the ingredients, but they were all loaded with harsh, Read more>>
Cristian Marquina
I’ve always loved to work in Hospitality. Meeting new people every day, serving people interacting across different cultures and making them feel welcome and happy during their vacations was always a great feeling. But for a long time, I had a dream: Start my own business. So back in 2017 I started to ask myself what were my strengths and skills that I could build on even better by having my own business? and What kind of business? I’ve been a Car fan my entire life. So, I saw a business opportunity for myself in the Car Rental Business. This is how Trinus Rent a Car was born. Read more>>
Jarod Anderson
When I started my professional career as a school social worker, I anticipated a starting salary of at least $45,000. My first position only paid me $24,000 a year. Needless to say, I was devastated. After all those years of schooling, I was getting paid like I didn’t even have a a degree, much less a masters. And as if that weren’t bad enough, I got laid off the next year due to budget cuts. I felt like the system failed me. I did everything “they” said and still ended up unemployed and broke. Read more>>
PATRICE MAULTSBY
You want me to be honest or give a perfect painted picture? I’ll be honest, this “idea” didn’t come to me til June 2020. That’s when covid was pretty present in our everyday lives. All I had at the time was a phone, an app, and youtube university. Graphic Designing was something I wanted to get into after High school. I didn’t know how I was going to get into it. I was just hopping that my dreams weren’t going to get crushed and it’ll some how happen…And it did. Out of no where. I created graphics for friends. Just for fun, without any thought that this will soon become an income for me. People started to see what I was capable of and decided to choose me to help them with their business. I remember my first client. Read more>>
Wade Julian
The idea of Houston Diesels originally started by Forrest Rushing, Jhett Young, and Wade Julian. We had all grown up around cars and trucks and being involved in the “truck scene”. The three of us where on many diesel pages on social media and through the years we always saw diesel events around the state (Texas), but nothing was ever here in Houston. We decided to start our own social media page with guys we knew. We then started hosting little meet and greet events at Twin Peaks in The Woodlands, Tx., just north of Houston. Read more>>
Jerica Jackson
I came up with the idea during the building phases of my family’s ranch. I was sitting with a friend as she said “Maybe you should open it up to the public” I responded ” You know I do not like a lot of people around my animals” she said to just try it. The very next day a lady called my out of the blue asking if I could help her refresh herself riding horses again. I took on the task and enjoyed it. I went home and I prayed ” Lord, if you want me to teach people how to ride horses and be great horse owners, just make it clear for me” A couple weeks later a few more people called after I posted a video. Read more>>
Brian Wright
The idea for Grim + Proper started 5 or 6 years before I even launched the website. It started out as a pipe dream when I was struggling to figure out what I wanted to do in life. I knew I always wanted to do something creative, as I have been drawing and painting since I was a young child, but I didn’t know how to make that love of art into a career. I knew I would never make it as a “starving artist” so I thought about things like event planning and interior design. One year I went with my mom on a business trip to Cocoa Beach and spoke with an owner of a local surf shop, where he explained how he started screen printing in his garage and somehow managed to turn that hobby, that passion into a full blown successful business. Read more>>
Tuba Sapanli
My entire career was around building relationships with clients, my titles would change from Executive Sales Manager to Business Development Manager, Sales Manager, etc. But in all those years, all I did was build a convenient bridge between people who needed each other for different reasons. I just loved seeing people’s faces when they finally get what they want. Creating a win-win deal for each party was my specialty and I didn’t know until recently that this was what I meant to do for the rest of my life. Read more>>
Erin Morrow
In the spring of 2020, I found myself at a very low point in my life. Covid Quarantine had just started, and I began working remotely for the first time in my life. I had recently made the decision to walk away from a toxic relationship, so I was completely alone and isolated for the first time in my life. I knew that I needed to find an outlet to keep me going during this time. I have always been creative and found a lot of joy in painting and creating. Through the years I would move from one medium to another trying anything that piqued my interests. I was quilling, doing ceramics, painting, pressing flowers- anything that brought joy. Read more>>
Amber Lee
I had been working for the YMCA for 14 years. I moved to Tampa and worked for the Tampa Y for five years. Leadership had changed and my job felt completely different. The culture of our team had shifted dramatically and I became unhappy and started to resent my career and my company which I was trying to avoid. I decided to take a leap of faith and resign from the job I had once loved. While I was trying to figure out what I was going to do next, I decided to do a few projects at home. The thought popped in my mind to rent out one of our bedrooms to help with finances since I had quit my job. Read more>>
Shannon Fasick
I’ve loved being in the kitchen since I can remember. It’s my happy place and cooking for people is my love language. I’ve always had a dream to own my own restaurant and this is another step toward achieving that. As my children grew up one of our Christmas Eve traditions was sugar cookie decorating, homemade hot cocoa and The Polar Express. In December 2017 I took that idea and blew it up into an all out cookie party. It was one of the greatest parties I’ve ever hosted. Dozens and dozens of cookies, any colored icing you can imagine, sprinkles in every shape, size and shimmer, our friends and their children coming and going all day. Read more>>
Talma Jr Edouard
Hello and thank you for having me for this interview ! I would like to say that I am very honored to be your guest today and to be able to share about my passion. To start off, I can say that I am very passionated by arts in the form of multimedia. The main reason why I chose to become a photographer was because I am always genuinely thrilled to immortalize special occasions of my relatives’ lives through this form of arts. Read more>>
Kym Williams
I knew working odd end jobs was not for me when I kept job hopping. My mom would lash out at me because I wouldn’t stay at one job long enough for people to even remember my name. I did NOT care. Once someone had me messed up, I was outta there… with not regrets! Once I noticed this pattern I knew I had to pursue something else. Read more>>
Javier (Javi) Hernandez II
He was Never Knocked out, but he was sometimes Beaten. This man was my Grandfather who traveled and Boxed from California to Arizona. Throughout his Whole Life he renowned, and individuals knew him as Emilio, Milo, EZ, or more popularly as EZQ. He Boxed better than Anyone in his Area. He Worked Hard boxing Fruits and Vegetables throughout the Work-Fields and Never Gave Up. Not once in his Life was he late for work, nor did he ever steal. This man went through so much with very little reward. Although He was the richest man in the world, not because of his physical earnings but he was Wealthy with Love. Read more>>
Taisha Andrews
I came Up with the idea to make my crafting a business after I could no longer do the job I loved Due to injury. I was A bus driver from 2005-2013 after working since the age of 14 I had finally found the job that I loved and planned on making it my career! Due to my injury I had To seek a lighter duty but it just was not for me. I began crafting more on my spare time and everytime I stepped out the door people inquired with interest about buying my clothes I had Designed. I begin Doing research online and found a few vendors I made a couple outfits and jewelry and uploaded on Facebook and boom inboxes starting coming! This was perfect because I was now making less money in my full time job. The fact that I can Be creative and do something I love Again had me overjoyed! Read more>>
Lisa Crites.
The SHOWER SHIRT product evolution was the epitome of the term, “necessity is the mother of invention,” meaning, the product became the driving force from an overwhelming need. The SHOWER SHIRT is a patented, (US Patent #8,516, 613) post-surgical, water resistant garment designed to protect breast surgery patients requiring surgical drains after mastectomy surgery. The shirt arrived from my own personal need, after being diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing mastectomy surgery. Post-mastectomy, my surgeon stated I could not shower until the post-surgical drains were removed, (in about two weeks) or risk an increased chance of surgical site infections from shower water (due to pathogens and bacteria in tap water). Read more>>
Nicole Gates
For years women in business have been overlooked and undervalued assets in the world of entrepreneurship. I have been an entrepreneur since I was a little girl. I always knew I would one day be my own boss. I’ve always marched to the beat of a non-traditional drum. I knew I didn’t come here to be average as my favorite basketball player Michael Jordan has been quoted. Read more>>
ADEOLA ODUTOLA
I have always been fascinated with fashion. The start of my business was a result of trying to style myself, but having problems finding garments that fit my frame how I wanted them to. When I was able to create an avenue to design things and have a say on how clothes would actually fit, I had to jump at the opportunity. I took the chance and never looked back! Read more>>
Tylea Powell
The idea for Y.O.D.A.A., Yoga Openly Diversifies the Art of Ability truly started in 2018 when I attended graduate school at Nova Southeastern University studying Developmental Studies with a concentration in leadership and advocacy and Applied Behavior Analysis. It has been a life long dream for me to have my own business after seeing the struggles of working a 9-5+ job equal to not much pay out or not much to show for. Read more>>
LaFaye Benton
Fine Line Brims LLC originally started in March 2023. Growing up I was a very creative kid. I always found ways to make my outfits different than what I bought out of the store especially knowing that everyone else around my age was buying and wearing the same things out of the local malls and outlets. I’ve always loved loud bright colors and outfits that enhanced my skin tone and turned heads. Read more>>
Diamond Griffith
Wow! Diamond Charnea was only a name until my husband said it should be marketed as a brand due to how catchy it sounds. Well, I stepped out on faith and asked God to guide me on how I should develop the brand. I truly love fashion and believe it is a great way for people to express themselves and feel great internally. Since I was a little girl my mom has always encouraged me to take advantage of the things we love and gifts God gave us. I remember growing up and I always wanted to dress like my older brother and do all the things he did. One day my mom, sat me down and really made me wear dresses, girlie socks and the list goes own. Read more>>
Markeita Pruitt
Let me start off by saying, I initially opened my first salon in 2010, 3.5 years after graduating with my Cosmetology certification. At that time, it was an open concept salon which simply meant all stylists shared the same space, shampoo area, etc. I operated that successfully for 5 years when I felt that God was calling me to close. I had recently remodeled by upgrading furniture, paint, decor, and equipment when God said “it was a dying breed”. While I didn’t know it at the time He was moving me into a more progressive salon model. I wrestled with the idea from fear of others thinking I failed, but I owed God my obedience. So, after speaking with my husband about it all, I closed the doors of my first establishment. Read more>>
Kali Rabaut
Before I became a florist, I actually owned a compost company. So there I was one day in 2017, among our piles of beautiful dirt, staring out at a flower patch our farm partner had planted. It let me to do some googling and I found out that over 80% of the flowers in the US are flown in from overseas. As I was searching for more information about growing cut flowers in Florida, I discovered that there was a farmer-florist in the nearby city of Orlando and I thought, “Wow, I want to do that when I retire.” Fast forward to 2020, and amid the pandemic, we’re doing a lot of gardening, like so many people. In March of 2020, my younger brother passed away after living with cancer and I was reminded that we don’t always get tomorrow, we don’t always get to retire. So I decided to dive in and start my own cut flower garden and design studio. Read more>>
Acy Brown
The cornerstones of the Acy Brown Company are comprised of 3 main components: The Man~The Model~The Mission. I am an Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Professional Model, Actor, Fitness Influencer, and Brand Ambassador, The Model of the Acy Brown Company is centered around my close relationship with my family. The personality of my brand is athletic and wholesome! The Mission of the Acy Brown Company is to Inform, Inspire, and Motivate others to reach their full potential with the goals and dreams they aspire to achieve in life! Read more>>
Dixon Munro
Bad Fashion Company was first created as a digital record label, Bad Fashion Records in 2015. It was a means to distribute my own music and the music of my friends and collaborators during the independent music wave of the 2010s. It allowed me as an artist, to reach potential fans, listeners and talent on the internet and through various music platforms such as, Spotify and Apple Music. As with most Artists, we come to understand the importance of financial backing. I did not have a plan. I wasn’t able to be consistent and Bad Fashion Records remained dormant for a number of years. Read more>>
Megan + Caitlin
Caitlin and I have both always had a passion for event design. We met while I was looking for my own wedding dress as Cait was the bridal stylist that was paired to help me find the one. After hitting it off during my appointment, we became fast friends! After a few months of time and much discussion, we decided to put our combined experience and skills together and started Woven + Revel! We both had worked in the events industry for many years and knew what we could create if we went out on our own and created something from the ground up. It’s been challenging but so rewarding seeing our business flourish! Read more>>
Kelly Mutsch
Starting Eco Evie was Evie’s idea entirely! We had always been zoo-goers since Evie was a baby, and around 7 she started noticing a graphic used at each animal enclosure to signify just how endangered that particular animal is. This made a huge impact on Evie, and she would run around pointing to those visuals and tell me, “Mom, someone has to help them, they can’t speak for themselves! What are we going to do to help?” So we spent some time talking about that, making little rubber band bracelets for her to sell to the neighbors, and Evie would even ask for money for her birthday to donate to the zoo. Read more>>
Craig Anderson
I have a creative background. I was in the advertising industry as a creative director/art director for many years. I was use to creating and making things look good. I have loved cooking and baking for about 20 years now. And it seemed easy to use my creative talents in preparing great food and desserts. At the start of Covid I was looking for something else to do. I started focusing on if there was anything I could do on the baking side of things. For years I would experiment with desserts, typically pies and tarts, and give them away to neighbors to try. I realized that a whole pie is too large for a couple or individual to finish. Read more>>
Marcus Hopkins
I have been working in the fields of HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Substance Use Disorders, and Reproductive Health for most of the past twenty years, whether that be through volunteer work, advocacy work, research and reporting, or in direct services. Over the past five or six years, I began really paying attention to the types of issues that patients living with HIV and Viral Hepatitis, particularly those living in the 13-state Appalachian Region, had when it came to reading and understanding the severity of these diseases, the educational materials that were being produced, and the website that were intended to help them access case management, care, and treatment services. Read more>>