It takes a lot more than an idea to build a business, but there can’t be a business without the idea. So we asked folks who’ve built wonderful businesses to tell us about how they came up with the idea in the first place.

Haley Diedrich | Owner of HD Beauty

I think risk taking is essential for growing in life and in business . I graduated esthetician school and started my business in 2021 right in the middle of covid. I work very closely with people so starting a business like that in the middle of the pandemic made it that much more of a risk. I took a risk to go off and start my own business and do it all on my own rather than working for someone else. But that risk came with huge reward, I have built up an amazing clientele and I am in a studio I absolutely love. Read more>>

Juliette Jurcak | Wedding Planner & Coordinator

Risk taking is so unbelievably important. Truthfully, most of my career moves have been big risks, but each one brought me closer to my goals. Out of college, my goal was to find a really great corporate job to see if I liked working the corporate life. I enjoyed my job, but knew my true passion was with events. When COVID hit, I decided to move across the country, from Florida to San Diego, knowing no-one here, to try something new. Read more>>

Sam Sosnowski | Video Creator

I like this question but I’d rather refer to it as a “willingness to be uncomfortable” instead of “risk-taking”. I think one of the greatest qualities I see in people that I consider successful in life is their willingness to be in uncomfortable situations: whether it be moving away from home, working for free, building relationships/networking – just really putting yourself out there and chasing whatever it is you want out of life. It really comes down to that old Roman quote “luck is when opportunity meets preparation”, simple as that. Read more>>

Yasmine Tatim | Meditation, Yoga and Wellness Coach

After hearing from many students “I can’t meditate” “I can’t sit still” “I’m too active to meditate” “I’m too busy” Observing how stress slows down their productivity and diminishes their quality of life, and how they struggle to pause the momentum of their busy life to make a change, I wanted to create a way for busy people to experience the scientifically proven benefits of meditation and feel successful while living their regular lives. Read more>>

Rodizza Baytan | Esthetician Student

RenewedbyRodizza has been something I’ve dreamed of since I was younger because I’ve always been obsessed with everything beauty and skincare. I’ve always loved the idea of feeling comfortable and confident in your own skin. After graduating college with a degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations, I decided it was finally time to follow my true passion and get my esthetician license, so now I’m currently an esthetician student building my branding and starting my dream of being my own boss. Read more>>

Jessica Geschke | President, Start Healing Now

In 2017, my brother overdosed in my home. I revived him using NARCAN® I’d been given. My son, who was 12 at the time, stood in the corner of my living room, watching as I performed CPR on his uncle, whose lips were blue and body lifeless. Once my brother was transported to the hospital, no one asked me about the Narcan I used. No one provided me with another dose to replace what I had used or talked to me about what I had just experienced. There had to be a better way to help families that had just experienced what I just went through. Read more>>

Bjorn Kartomten | Founder YES watch

Back in the mid-90’s I did quite a bit of traveling and the Rolex on my wrist was my time keeper. Landing in a foreign place I often wished it would tell me the time for sunrise and sunset, so I could plan accordingly. Simple enough, right? After all, what is a more essential time event than the beginning of the day? I did some street wise research and realized there wasn’t a single watch on the planet that could give this information. Strange. How come? So I decided to make my own, Couldn’t be that hard? Oh boy was I wrong. A lesson in perseverance was about to be given Read more>>

Ayla Stansberry | Marine Corps Veteran & Small Business Owner

Risk plays a huge part in most life decisions. Sometimes the risk is so low that you don’t even consider the negatives and most times, especially challenging ones, the risk is all that you can think of. The best part of experiencing a bit of risk is that you don’t become complacent. You are in a continuous cycle of growth alongside emotional/mental/physical challenges. My relationship with taking risks in life has always been conducive to what I’ve wanted to accomplish, but lately, I have been trying to take a step out of what is familiar or safer and begin to branch into those unknowns. Read more>>

Joel Loa | Photographer & Entrepreneur

I have a strong believe, that if you don’t risk anything you’re never gonna know if you are capable of doing what it is that your trying to do “life is a risk.”…..”with out pain there is no gain” same basic concept. Read more>>

Allison Mertzman | Content Creator & Travel Agency Owner

I love this question because I think for a really long time, I didn’t take risks. I was afraid I wouldn’t succeed. I was actually supposed to go to college for musical theater but instead decided to pursue a career in education. I loved working with kids and knew it was safe and I would always have a job. But the truth is, I’m a creative. You cannot take the creative out of a person no matter how hard you try. I became pretty unhappy because I always felt like I was missing something. Read more>>

Jewell Swetman | Sweet Fuel Owner

Risk is scary. Taking risks and getting out of my comfort zone has made the biggest impact on my life. I took a big risk when I applied for my first “real” job. I had no experience and asked the manager to take a chance on me, I told her I would learn and grow with the company. She hired me, that NEVER happens! I grew so much at that job and am so grateful for the opportunity but I am so proud of my past self for having enough confidence to speak up about the potential I knew I had deep down. Read more>>

Austin Lane | Creative Director

Risks are very important. Take the famous Charles A. Lindbergh quote, “Life without risks is not worth living.” That pretty much sums it up in my opinion. However, while I can say that I’ve taken many risks in my life I can also look back on many and argue that they were calculated risks. It’s all perspective though. From the outside some of those risks may seem huge to others, and internally they don’t feel as scary…. Read more>>

Analia Nicole | Tattoo Artist & Entrepreneur

To me, life is a risk. Waking up every day and stepping outside is a risk. You never know what could happen! I always think of the old quote- “Feel the fear and do it anyways”. I always try to follow my heart and intuition- and then proceed to jump when the opportunity arrives. Risk taking, to me, is a huge part of self growth and excelling in my career. I was full of fear about not being good enough when I decided I wanted to be a tattoo artist. Read more>>

Maxwell Mason | Photographer

The biggest risk for me has always been to overcome what people think of me. Having grown up in a middle class midwest home, attending a high school with kids from wealthy families and eventually working my way into NYC’s commercial fashion industry has always tested my identity and willingness to conform. Not fitting in has been a common theme and vulnerability throughout my life and career as a photographer. Read more>>

Dani Iwami | Ceramicist

I wouldn’t describe myself as a risky person. I’ve always tended to do things on the safer side. I was good at basketball so I played basketball. I got my degree in Environmental Studies and minors in Energy Policy and Economics and thought that would be sufficient towards building a career in the environmental field. But when I decided to pursue ceramics full time after graduating, Read more>>