Our city is home to so many incredible businesses and so we asked the founders how they came up with the ideas for their businesses and have shared their responses below.

Tulika Agarwal | Petsitter | Practicing Life Coach Mindvalley be Since 2016| Avid Quilter | Certified Feng Shui Consultant

I was looking for a safe and happy place for my puppy when we were going out on a vacation seven years ago. Nothing was available where my puppy feels at home. All the pet resorts or pet hotels were not what I had expected for a small dog. My experience with them was not the best and my dog was really not treated the way we had expected with the amount of money we paid. Then I came across Rover.com where you can easily find a Petsitter who actually treats your pets like their own in the convenience of their home. That gave me an idea to start doing Rover for other dogs. I can provide the best services that I never had from pet resorts/hotels for my dog. This will also provide play dates for my dog and keeps her happy with new company every few days. It’s been 6 years since I started @Tulikasfurrybuddies. With the best services I had provided to so many clients of mine, I was on the top five list of pet sitters in my area. Read more>>

Alison Zebron | Doula and Breastfeeding Counselor

My desire and passion for being a doula and breastfeeding educator came from being a mom. I had a traumatic birth experience in the hospital setting. I didn’t feel prepared and I was scared. I suffered from a lot of anxiety and depression after having my baby. I didn’t want any mom to go through what I had experienced. So I looked into ways I could help and came across doulas and breastfeeding counselors. I immediately wanted to be one! Being a doula was the way I saw I could help make a change in maternal health in the US and around the world. So I started my own business doing just that. Read more>>

Jessica Chong | Artist & Art Teacher

There was a day last summer when my children took music lessons, one would be in the lesson and I would wait with the other at a park nearby. This particular day, I brought my watercolor paints to use while I waited. My daughter joined me and we had the most pleasant time painting in the park. She commented how enjoyable it was and how other kids would probably like it too! My son joined us after his lesson, and we brainstormed the rest of the day forming ideas for my kids art classes. We kept the name simple: Art with Jessica. Read more>>