Ideas aren’t everything, execution matters greatly, but starting often requires an idea and so we asked folks to think back and tell us the story of how they came up with the idea for their businesses. We’ve highlighted some of our favorite stories below.

Kent Nerhus | Drone Business Owner

Growing up during the dot com era of the mid nineteen nineties and early two thousands I saw how new personal technology could become big business. I didn’t get to take advantage of the dot com bubble, so when I heard about drones I could see how that industry could have the possibility of being the next bubble. I noticed as a kid growing up with the internet along with understanding it’s capabilities, that money could be made through the advancement of personal technology. In addition, I always had a passion for aviation, going to air shows with my family is an annual event. Knowing that aviation is an expensive industry that took advantage of the latest technologies made me ponder more about the possibility of drones being a future business or career. Read more>>

Malika Fudge | Expressive Arts Coach

My business concept was inspired by a very personal event. I began as a one-on-one educator for a student with autism, and we both found immense joy in our arts and crafts projects during our time together. It got me thinking: could this be something more than just a daily activity? As I delved deeper into my work, I realized the significance of emotional regulation and emotional intelligence for my student. That’s when the lightbulb moment occurred. I decided to combine our shared love for art with the crucial need for emotional development. Read more>>

Pippi Saya | Photographer & Designer

Growing up in a Czech family, I was exposed to an array of talented artists. However, it was the hauntingly beautiful landscape and still-life works of Josef Sudek that piqued my interest in photography. So, when my dad gave me his SLR camera back in the 90s, I started using it like a paintbrush, drawing the world the way I saw it. To spare everyone a tl;dr, we’ll flashforward 20 years to 2020. My core foundation in life has always been Jesus, but I’ve always loved the Halloween “season” (pumpkins, bats, the sky in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown…) and have always been drawn to darker aesthetics. Random fun fact, I also LOVE mermaids. Read more>>