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.
Tate Cooper
Rooted Bliss Interiors was just a dream of a job at first, it took me time to really believe that I could do it and that I wasn’t crazy for starting my own business at 23. My love for design comes from my experience in Real Estate and a passion I am still learning so much about. In Real Estate I learned some very invaluable lessons, from how to work with customers to how staging and design can impact the way you *feel* in a house. In Real Estate, staging can be a make or break for a house selling because it allows the potential home buyers to truly imagine themselves living in that home. When I finally joined my mom in the real estate world, some family members had a Money Tree plant delivered to our office as a good luck gesture, I took it upon myself to make sure that thing was going to live and be taken care of. As any plant parent can tell you, once you learn to take care of one plant they somehow multiply and you are suddenly taking care of a room full, learning everything they need to be happy. This sprouted my love for plants and really bridged the connection of designing spaces that are cohesive with design and life. Which is exactly what Interior Plant Design represents, evidence based design. The benefits of having plants in your homes, offices, salons, etc. far exceed just the aesthetics. Read more>>
Dani Goldblatt
Growing up as a kosher consumer, there was a lot of food I saw and wanted to try, but couldn’t. Kosher is the dietary laws observant Jews follow. No pig, shelfish, mixing dairy and meat, and all fish must have fins and scales. Any land animals need to have a cleft hoof and chew it’s cud, like a lamb or cow to be consider kosher. Finally, the animal needs to be healthy to be considered kosher. I started making BBQ because I wanted what I couldn’t have. Kosher BBQ didn’t exist in LA so I said I’ll just make it. I have a masters in education and was a teacher for 10 years. I was just doing this for fun and my family. In a group on facebook, a guy named Jeremy Yoder of Mad Scientist BBQ asked how to make a kosher brisket. I offered to reach out as my background is in Jewish education and I knew I could make this happen at the highest standard for an observant Jew. After this one time cook together for a VIP, there was a demand for more. We kept at it a few times until Covid shut the world down. I started selling for fun out of my house and but didn’t think I would leave teaching to do BBQ. Going back into the classroom post shut down was hard and I knew I needed a change. My husband and I sat down, came up with a business plan, worked numbers, etc to make sure this was viable. Now, I am a full time caterer and offer weekly take out for Shabbat (the Jewish sabbath) and travel offering meat classes and demos all over the country. Read more>>
Mike Kelly
The original idea for Papa Bear’s Churro Butter was built on a really simple concept everyone can relate to, boredom. Well maybe it was a little more than that. I was in a job I was, frankly, miserable in. I started to feel the pressure of climbing the corporate ladder and I looked ahead to the next 30 years of my life. Did I want to be in the passenger seat or driver seat? The best part about entrepreneurship is you, and you solely, are responsible for the success or failure of your endeavor. So I began to ask myself about the things that I love and how I could turn those things into a business. I’ve always been a healthy, energetic, active person. Peanut Butter was a staple in my diet and I couldn’t help but think it can’t be THAT hard to make peanut butter. I began to play with flavor combinations, different nuts, different added ingredients, all with the idea in mind that I’d stick to making a product for people who love to be healthy but also appreciate a little indulgence. In dawned on me that Peanut Butter had been done. Almond Butter? Done. Seed Butters (ew)? Done. But for one reason or another there was a major gap in my favorite nut, Pecans! I remember walking the boardwalk in my home state of New Jersey and smelling the candied pecans for sale on the boardwalk. BINGO. I was going to turn that amazing candied nut flavor we can all recognize into a nut butter but how would I differentiate? Read more>>
Erik Sopracasa
During the height of the pandemic, when the entertainment industry ground to a halt, I found myself at a crossroads. Having just graduated as the first Belgian actor from the prestigious Stella Adler Studio in NYC, I was eager to dive into my career. But like many, I quickly realized that the world was changing, and traditional pathways in the industry were no longer viable. The uncertainty of the moment pushed me to think beyond the actor’s role and envision a broader, more proactive way to create. I reached out to a close friend, and together, we launched a production company and creative agency called MOVART. This endeavor wasn’t just about survival; it was about recognizing a shift in how content would be produced and consumed in the future. I knew that by embracing the power to create our own projects, we could shape the direction of our careers and make a lasting impact in the industry. This shift got me excited about the endless possibilities for innovation and storytelling in a post-pandemic world. Read more>>
Natalie Gonzalez
I’ve always had a passion for sales and marketing. When I was in Elementary school I used to make jewelry (bracelets, necklaces, and earrings). Then people would ask me where I got them from. I would giggle and say “I made it myself.” I decided to start selling them. As a child I didn’t understand the importance of reinvesting in my business until I got older. I used to spend my earnings on my favorite junk food snacks whenever I tagged along with my family to the store. I would complain to my mom right after because I didn’t have money to buy more materials to make the jewelry. In hindsight those conversations were actually pretty funny. Unknowingly I actually knew what I wanted to do at a young age unlike most people I know. Right away I majored in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing Management. Although I loved the classes and professors, I didn’t quite understand why some of the material seemed outdated. This inspired me to look into alternative ways of marketing that I felt the classes never touched on. This is where I came across digital marketing. Read more>>
Beth Delescavage
I was at a writing conference, frustrated that no matter how hard I worked, no one was interested in taking a chance on the novels I produced. At the end of the conference, my favorite writing craft author closed the meeting with a keynote speech. His words changed my approach to writing. He asked, “Are you climbing the right mountain in your writing?” I looked around the room; everyone else was nodding their heads in agreement. I, on the other hand, hated not making a single dollar for the words I had been throwing on the page for the last five years. At that moment, I decided to try to monetize short personal essays. I hadn’t written a personal essay since college. Did I have anything worth reading to say? Yes. Could I make some money writing about my life? I had to find out if I had any writing ability or if this work would be as unsuccessful as my novels. Read more>>
Jen Hitchcock
I started Book Show after getting laid off from my job in the music business. This was in 2013. I had worked in Film/TV licensing at a major Music Publishing company for almost twenty years. When we got gobbled up by another Major, as these things go, the new owners got rid of a lot of the staff. I still remember waking up the first day I didn’t have to go to work and feeling so strange. And then, I had the most cliche (but important) response… I asked myself “what am I going to do with my life.” I was 40+ and burnt out from working in a “creative” industry that really is more corporate than creative most of the time. Also around the time of my lay off, vinyl records were just starting to make their “come back.” Record stores were once again carrying them, younger people were freaking out about them and this fascinated me (I grew up on vinyl). And then my mind drifted to books… another love of mine. Everyone at this time was signing the death certificate for books. Bookstores were closing. Physical books were on their way out–“dying” according to just about everyone (except for us book folks of course). The Kindle, The Nook and all these other ereader devices were going to put the final nail in the coffin. So I thought… hmmmmm. I’m going to open a bookstore. I’ll get a head start on the inevitable trend… if vinyl can make a “come back,” I knew books would too. ha! And again… us bibliophiles knew better than to ever count the beauty of the physical book out. They will never go away. Read more>>
Rachel Valdez
The journey of Amado Coffee began as a vision for a simple cold brew pop-up. Initially, I wanted to focus on Nitro cold brew and hoped to eventually upgrade to a coffee cart. As I periodically scoured Facebook Marketplace for a coffee cart, nothing seemed to pop up. So, I decided to dive in and book my first market as a pop-up table, which only required a few essentials. I bought a tent from Academy, ordered custom labels and a personalized banner, and stocked up on tables, syrups, and brewing supplies. It was a humble start, but I was eager to see it come to life. I kept an eye out for a cart on Facebook Marketplace, and just two weeks before my first event, I got lucky. I found a turnkey coffee cart fully equipped with an espresso machine, grinder, to-go cups, and other essential supplies. It was a game-changer, transforming Amado from a cold brew pop-up into a full-fledged café on wheels. I feel incredibly blessed to have found a cart ready to roll because building one from scratch can take months of preparation, which can be stressful and full of uncertainty. My experience shows that you don’t need a long setup time to get started—just a willingness to take the leap, adapt quickly, and get your business out there. Read more>>
Zoey Berg
I’m an equine videographer, photographer, and editor, and I launched my LLC in February 2024. In just eight short months, it has become the most rapidly successful venture I’ve ever embarked on! Ironically, until November 2023, I had never even held a camera. That’s where my journey begins. I’ve always had a passion for content creation and have been active on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Initially, I used these apps as a personal diary, sharing my experiences in the equestrian world—my rides, triumphs, challenges, and the moments I spent working with horses. As I documented my journey, more and more people began to follow along. I started landing partnerships, sponsorships, and creator funds. At that point, I was filming everything with my iPhone and editing on generic apps, but I reached a point where I wanted to elevate my content. So, I decided to invest in a camera. With no prior knowledge about photography, I set a budget of $1,000 and visited my local camera shop. To my surprise, I walked out with a $7,000 setup—way more than I intended to spend. It felt like a huge, impulsive leap of faith, but something told me it would pay off. Read more>>
Kylon Jarreau
So back in 2015 I was 15 years old, and a freshman at New Tech Academy @Wayne high school here in Fort Wayne, IN. The iPhone 6 was the latest iPhone out and I had it. My mother got it for me as a gift, and maybe about a month after getting it I broke it. I remember us being at my aunt’s house, and when I went to get out of the car my phone was on my lap. The moment I stood up I heard my phone smack the ground. Of course, face first, luckily my mom had already gone inside so she did not know the phone was broken. I did not want to tell her about the incident because she had just bought the phone, and I did not want to cost her any more money. So, my first thoughts were to try and figure out how to fix the screen, I wanted to know if it was simple enough for me to maybe fix it on my own. I looked up on YouTube “iPhone 6 screen replacement”, and after watching the video a couple times I felt like it was something I could pull off. I figured I try to fix it myself since it is already broken, it can’t get any worse than this. If I can’t fix it myself, then I just tell my mom and let her know its broken. My next steps were to figure out how I could receive screen, I looked on amazon and lucky I found a screen for around $20-$30 bucks. At the time I had just started working my first job as a bus boy at a seafood restaurant called “Paul’s on Main St”. I just got my own bank account and new debit card so I could order a screen. Read more>>
Nicole Kissinger
I’ve worked in Early Child Development most of my adult life. I noticed so many very young children with anxiety and the increase in behavior issues. It broke my heart that so many children were struggling with these. I noticed while working with young children that the behavior situations decreased during outdoor play. I found that as children became comfortable in moving around outdoors, their anxiety went down. I started to do research and discovered this phenomena was being studied quite heavily. While research continues, all these specialists were pointing at a few things. One is that the amount of time children were spending outdoors was very minimal. When children were outdoors they were under the watchful eye of grown ups constantly telling them, “no”, “be careful”, and “don’t”. By doing this the grown ups were taking away from a child’s ability to test their bodies, to trust themselves with problem solving. Read more>>
Tabnie Dozier
My background is Brodcast Journalism, the majority of my career was spent as a Local News Anchor & Reporter. I’m an Emmy-Award-winning Journalist. After a devastating loss of a loved one in 2021, I received no bereavement or mental health support from the news agency and management. Even after enduring racial unrest, a global public health crisis and creating unique and historical content as the market’s only Black Main Anchor. One of my dearest friends, Stavon Williams, passed away in a car wreck. How many deadly car wrecks are covered in the news daily? SO MANY! It was insanely traumatizing to have to report on those when I became a car wreck victim’s family member. To have to put on makeup and pretend I was fine when my heart was shattered…was one of the most debilitating and distressing times of my life. I wouldn’t wish having to grieve as a public figure on anyone. Read more>>
Rosanne Cale
I grew up with dogs and I love to bake. I always wanted to own a bakery. As I got older and was able to have my very own dog I started making them treats. Realizing that store bought, just like our food, isn’t all that healthy. I wanted to share with other dog lovers the healthiness of all natural treats. A lot of people don’t want to take the time to make their own, or don’t have the time. So this is me doing it for them. I quit my job in 2023, just in time to help my mom with some things. And in this time I started baking more. Fast forward to this year, 2024, with the support and push, from husband we decided it was time to create Dog Bites! I didn’t know if it would work, I just hoped and prayed it would. Offering a different kind of biscuit and yummies I went a different route than these others that are mainly cakes and things. (Which I do also, but still learning. ) What got me excited was the fact that I am now doing something I love. And I have a great support system who amp me up all the time, believing I can run my own business. Read more>>
Vlad Tipicidi
In my previous life in Russia, I was a lawyer. My career growth and salary suited me quite well, but my childhood dream was always to play music. The Russian music industry is very specific and didn’t fit my taste of music, that’s why I decided to move to the USA. When I moved to NYC in 2013, I immediately started searching for musicians to create a band. At the time, Instagram was the most popular social network, and I realized I could search for local musicians using hashtags like #guitarcenter and #rehearsalstudiosnyc. One of the hashtags I used was #nycmusicians, and to my surprise, that account name was available on Instagram. I came up with the idea of creating the @nycmusicians account to connect musicians from New York. I followed all musicians I met at music venues, parks, subways, and especially those using the #nycmusicians hashtag. Read more>>
Stacy Jenkins
Almost eight years ago, my husband Dave and I lived in the city, with neighbors close by on either side and no privacy. I was ready for a different view (literally & figuratively) so I talked him into moving out to the country and our search began. At this time, I didn’t know that a business idea would develop from this move but that’s exactly what happened. We found the perfect property that fit everything we wanted. Five acres, a pond, a perfect house, and a bonus barn & pasture. I’ve always loved animals so I immediately thought this would be a perfect setup to adopt a couple farm animals and start a little hobby farm of sorts and that’s exactly what we did. We originally took in two goats and three alpacas but pretty quickly, we got more and more requests to take in animals. Two years in and we were up to almost 40 animals and I was working multiple jobs to pay for everything. In the summer of 2019, with all of the need for farmed animal rescue/sanctuary, I decided to jump both feet in and start Jenkins Forever Farm. We received our 501(c)(3) status in July and got busy fundraising. Over the last five years, we’ve rescued, provided transport, fostered and provided sanctuary for hundreds of animals. We currently have nearly 100 residents and receive requests for intakes weekly to this day. Rescue is a difficult life but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Read more>>
T.j. Rude
After getting my two year degree from a local community college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my career. I worked dead end jobs and lacked a sense of purpose. In 2017 I decided to move to Southern California to get some perspective. Being from the Midwest this was shock to the system. The sunny days, the warm weather, the ocean – it was a breath of fresh air. Towards the end of my time there I picked up a few shifts at a coffee shop. It was at this moment I knew what I was supposed to do. I understood something quickly – the coffee business has little to do with coffee and everything to do with people. While I loved the coffee aspect, this wasn’t my top priority. I wanted to create a brand known for its hospitality and its aesthetic. I wanted it to be beautiful with the relentless pursuit of excellence and the will to win. I wanted it to have both grit and grace. I wanted us to be competitive yet with a reputation of how well we take care of our customers. Read more>>
Alyssa Reliford
As a single mother, I once searched for the perfect place to nurture my child. However, my experience with a daycare ministry left me feeling unheard, disappointed, and disheartened. I was forced to quit my job due to my child being abruptly thrown out of his daycare with only 10 minutes notice. This challenging experience fueled my determination to create something better for my own child and for other families in similar situations. I founded my daycare with the belief that every child deserves more than just a place to be watched; they deserve to be loved, nurtured, and prepared for the future. One key distinction I was passionate about was ensuring that parents’ voices would always matter. As a first-time mom, I entrusted my child to a mother-and-daughter-run daycare, hoping for a supportive and nurturing environment. However, differences in our parenting styles led to tension. Read more>>
Hielen Enyew
The idea for Kelem Photography was born out of a desire for freedom and creativity. At the time, I found myself yearning for an outlet that would allow me to express my artistic vision without the constraints of traditional work structures. I wanted the freedom to capture the world as I saw it, and more importantly, to give others a way to see themselves in a new light. Photography had always been my passion—it was how I told stories and connected with people. For a while, it remained something I did on the side, but every time I picked up the camera, I felt alive. The freedom it gave me was unmatched. I realized I didn’t just want this to be a hobby; I wanted to make it my life’s work. What drove me to start Kelem Photography was not just the desire to create, but the belief that I could offer something meaningful. I saw a growing need for personal, authentic storytelling, and I knew that I had the ability to bring that to life. The way I capture moments goes beyond just clicking a shutter—it’s about connecting with people, understanding their stories, and preserving memories that will last a lifetime. Read more>>
Leah Reinhart
The idea for my business, the Wellness Garden Tool Shed, came about in 2008, after I had already been a hairstylist for 25 years, renting chairs in various salons. While I loved doing hair, I wanted to expand beyond the salon chair and incorporate some of my other passions into a business. I envisioned a space where I could combine writing, personal development, teaching, and energy work, all in a calming garden setting. This vision came to life in May 2016 when my husband built a home salon overlooking our garden, allowing me to continue serving my hairstyling clients while also building the Wellness Garden Tool Shed. Read more>>
Christa Harris
Photography is something I’ve loved since I was a child and as I got older, the love only grew. I knew it was right that I make a living from it. When I decided to take photography seriously as a career, I was working a job that I didn’t love and I didn’t know what was next for me. I was frustrated and scared because I didn’t know anything about starting a business. All I knew was that I loved photography and wanted to do it for a living. I knew it would be a worthwhile endeavor because I knew I had the talent, passion, the work ethic, and resources that I needed to make it happen. So The Blüm Gallery was born and it’s been a journey since! Read more>>
Renae & Vita Woith & Manzoli
We both love cats! We met while volunteering for a local rescue in their kitten nursery. After Covid, shelters’ paradigms shifted. We started hearing stories about people being turned away by their local shelters due to lack of space and resources almost daily. We realized then that the impact we could have if we tried to address the problem at its roots would be much greater. That is when we decided to focus all of our efforts on TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), to really try and make a difference in the cat overpopulation crisis. Read more>>
Phil Ambrose
I am a firefighter who saw a critical need for realistic, hands-on hazardous materials training that could safely simulate real-world conditions. While working in the field, I noticed that traditional hazmat training methods often lacked the ability to provide a fully immersive, realistic experiences. Many training exercises relied on lectures or static simulations that didn’t adequately prepare responders for the dynamic, high-pressure environments they would face during an actual incident. Read more>>
Esther Vazquez
When I got diagnosed with severe scoliosis at thirteen, I was in complete shock. To many, this is simply just a curve in the spine, but to me, it was so much more than that. This new diagnosis suddenly consumed me; it was hard for me and I didn’t know what my next steps were. I was told I needed surgery, but isn’t that a bit harsh for someone who didn’t know they had this before the appointment? I felt in dire need of support from people who could relate to me. I had so many questions and worries and even though I had a strong support system from loved ones and doctors around me, it still wasn’t enough; I felt like they lacked a certain kind of understanding that goes beyond “the curve” itself. Read more>>
Shannon & Meredith
Hi there! We (Shannon and Meredith) grew up together and learned how to golf at a young age. As our lives and careers evolved into different industries and geographies, the one constant that remained was our dialogue about what to wear to golf. The options seemed limited and there were few brands that were intentionally designed by women, for women. There are more women than ever playing golf and we have heard countless times – from friends, family, coworkers – that they would try golfing, but they just don’t care for or feel confident in the clothes required to play. We always felt that to be in an elevated setting such as a golf or country club, we should feel elevated and empowered through our wardrobe. To add another hurdle to the gateway for leisure sports, you need clothes that not only make you feel good, but give you the versatility to wear before, during and after recreation. We know that women are multitasking each hour slot in their calendar, so fitting in 9 holes or a round of tennis in the middle of a busy schedule is a win! Women should feel a badge of honor when wearing their sport attire through the rest of their day instead of feeling the need to change immediately after a round or match. Read more>>
Pamia Coleman
Black Girls With Green Thumbs (BGWGT) was founded in 2016 by myself- Pamia Coleman and Latiaynna Tabb, two friends who bonded over their shared love for the outdoors, nature, and growing plants. Having attended both high school and college together, their connection to the earth grew alongside their personal friendship. What started as an Instagram account to document their urban gardening experiences blossomed into something much bigger—a community that thrives on education, wellness, and empowerment through gardening. BGWGT evolved from a simple platform for sharing personal stories of growing plants in an urban environment into a nonprofit organization with a broader mission: to cultivate a community of seedfolk committed to healing, nourishing, and learning through gardening. With a focus on urban gardening and community engagement, BGWGT offers workshops, educational programs, and hands-on activities designed to inspire others to connect with the earth and foster sustainable lifestyles. Read more>>
Theresa Elder
I was watching a documentary one day that was talking about a woman who was struggling to pay her bills and she needed a side hustle. She started drawing pictures of dogs at dog parks and would sign her name and phone number on each piece of her artwork offering to walk their dog for extra money. The next day I was talking with my coworker about needing a side hustle, when I said the only talent I have is cooking. My coworker told me how his friend makes money doing a podcast on training dogs, why not do one about cooking? I was still not convinced anyone would be interested in this farm cook style and if podcasting was for me. Obviously it was an idea that stuck in my head so I talked to my friend, Alicia, who is a small business owner and explained this whole situation to her. She immediately got to a whole new level of excitement in her voice and was saying she had goosebumps with such a great idea. Read more>>
Jasmine Taylor
Baddies and Budgets didn’t start as a business idea—it was born out of my personal need to change my financial situation. I was broke, drowning in debt, fresh out of college, and struggling to find a way forward. On top of that, I was responsible for raising my niece after the passing of my sister. I knew I wanted more for both of us—a stable, secure future—but I had no idea where to begin. Determined to get on the right track, I began researching different budgeting methods. I tried several approaches, but none really stuck until I discovered cash stuffing. Something about physically managing my money clicked—it felt real, tangible, and gave me control in a way other methods hadn’t. To keep myself accountable, I started documenting my journey online, sharing my successes and struggles. Read more>>
Kaulyn Koy
I have spent 7 years in the music industry and a pain point I would hear artists share is how difficult it was to land on a playlist or how hard it was to grow and scale as an artists in todays musical landscape. In the pandemic I started to really get creative and unleash many passions I had that I kept pent up over the years due to fear, exhaustion or never having the time to be creative. This is when I started making candles. This lead me to think how can I make this better while providing a unique candle and helping artists. That is how Algorhythm was born! The overall goal is to not only change the candle industry, but help support up and coming artists by pairing a playlist with each candle in order to drive streams to their record. I really felt this would be a worthwhile endeavor given how many people love artists and candles and what better way to experience both at the same time! Now I knew I was not solving a problem as it pertained to candles but I knew this would be a great way to elevate the experience of enjoying a candle and listening to music. My approach is definitely unique as I think of growing Algorhythm being we are a music focused candle company versus simply just focusing on the candle. We think of things from an artistic landscape by thinking about the vibe, mood, sound and overall approach to the way we do candles and music discovery. Read more>>
Brian Arnold
The idea for San Diego Curb Painters came from a blend of nostalgia and opportunity. When I was younger, my cousin and I used to paint curbs during the summer to make a little extra money—back then, it was just a fun way to pay for snacks and toys. Fast forward a few years, after college, I moved to North Park, and I started noticing something: a lot of homes in my neighborhood didn’t have clear address numbers on their curbs. At first, it was just a passing observation, but it stuck with me. One day, I thought, why not knock on a few doors and offer to paint them myself? That’s when I saw the real need. People wanted their homes to be easily identifiable for deliveries, guests, and even emergency services. It was a simple problem, but one that hadn’t been fully addressed—pun intended! Read more>>
David Goldstein
Like many people, I have lots of ideas – too many to possibly have the time and energy to follow through with but one in particular was worth the effort to bring to life. This one that our personality type is related to way we are creative and do our best work is something I wanted to explore and it’s grown into an actual product that has influenced peoples lives. People continue reading and referring others to my book Creative You and I get feedback from all over the world about how it’s inspiring them to learn more about themselves and to be more confidently creative in their own way – and it all started with an aha moment. My flash of insight was sparked at a time that I was learning from two people in diverse fields. Jean Gill, my watercolor teacher was giving a lesson on understanding our own creative styles, around the same time I was learning about Myers-Briggs personality theory from Otto Kroeger, who happened to be my new neighbor. In art class the person I shared a table with would paint a house by outlining the details of every brick, every blade of grass – every color as it appeared in nature. I looked across the room and a saw someone painting using all of his heart, choosing abstract colors and shapes to mirror his inner feeling. Some people were spontaneous, others were planned. And I know them all as friends. I saw that their likely Myers-Briggs personality type showed through into their creative process. Spark! That evening and in the weeks to follow, I feverishly wrote notes in one of those marble composition notebooks – laying out the theory and outline for a book. Read more>>
Charlie Croy
My partner Caleb and I created Hand Tied Pride while living in my mom’s spare bedroom during the quarantine at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We had decided on a big life change in January of 2020, planning to move to Florida from the Midwest that Spring. By April 2020, as you can imagine, our transition looked different than we had initially anticipated. The world had drastically changed in such an unpredictable way, and we were forced to confront that same question facing everyone: “now what?” I came out as bisexual in high school, polyamorous in college, and nonbinary transgender in my late 20s. I have always been a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, and I always look for a way to connect with other queer people. From my own experiences as well as those that have been shared with me, I have learned the importance of uplifting identities that face erasure and discrimination, even within the queer community. Read more>>
Dakota Baldwin
My idea for art hadn’t always been with a camera, my passion started off a just a pencil and pad, it was always intriguing to see how an artist can turn a blank canvas into something visually stunning. Growing up watching my mother and eldest brother draw, I knew for sure I wanted to be an artist wether it be comic book designer or a street artist. From tracing to creating images from my head pasting them to a page. with time it seemed I lost my knack for drawing, Not wasting no time or artistic expression, it was imperative I pick up a new form of art and express my imagination, a different but unique new way, Capturing life and all of its beauty sharing it all with you, one click at a time!!!! Read more>>
Deje’a Jasmeen
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, trying my hand at everything from selling eyelashes to shoes, and even accessories. I was constantly exploring new paths but never felt truly fulfilled. Alongside all my ventures, I was navigating personal challenges, and many people would ask me how I managed to stay strong. That question inspired me to create a platform where others could learn from the resilience of entrepreneurs. That’s how The Dejea Talk Show was born. On the show, I would interview business owners and shakers about how they overcame their own trials and tribulations. While the podcast had a great purpose, it felt like just another job. I realized that even though I was helping others, I wasn’t as passionate as I wanted to be. Read more>>
Chrystal Hart
I didn’t exactly come up with the idea for my business – it’s more like my business found me. I was led to it through a series of deeply intuitive experiences. The moment that changed everything happened during an intense breathwork session at my best friend’s women’s retreat in Tulum, Mexico. At that point, I had already been practicing breathwork for over a year, so I was familiar with going deep, but this was different. During the session, I received clear guidance that I was meant to sign up for my life coaching certification, get my Reiki attunements, and even write a book. Read more>>
Taylor Kunkel
In October 2022 while planning all of my wedding details I stumbled upon floral preservation. I was searching for a way to preserve the beautiful flowers I had just ordered through my florist. I thought it was such a unique way to keep your wedding flowers. It’s a timeless and sentimental piece that you can always look at without them wilting away.They look just as beautiful as the first day as they do preserved. You spend so much money to make your day so beautiful, why not be able to keep it timeless. Once I booked my floral preservation after seeing the magic she did for everyone else’s, I knew I wanted to be able to do that for others. Read more>>
Alevtina Kolesnikova
When I first arrived in the USA, I was already deeply rooted in the world of professional sports, having been a national swimmer and swim coach in Russia. However, language barriers and a lack of connections made it challenging to find a job with established swimming clubs here. I began offering private lessons to kids and adults, which allowed me to build relationships and prove myself despite my limited English. Read more>>
Valerie Mcallister
Generational Words (GW) LLC is a family-owned business whose owners are a mother and her two daughters. Generationally Words LLC also DBA’s, Eyes of Your Heart Entertainment. The mission of Generational Words LLC is to support positive expression as a vehicle to uplift, empower and motivate people to be their most creative selves. GW achieves this mission through films, music, books, events and other platforms of artistic expression. We are “Expression Artist” that seeks to recreate the community “village” through the shared connection of the arts Read more>>