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.

Slaterria Hunter | Hair Vendor

The idea of my business was honestly due to women empowerment. I love seeing women have confidence and really see how much power it is being a beautiful young woman & sometimes we often forget how important we are so being in the beauty industry helps uplift all women of different shades & color. Read more>>

Luz Seaman | Writer & Founder

I’ve created two vastly different brands, both very close to my heart. RemaINme: After grieving two pregnancy losses myself, I tried to find different avenues of coping that didn’t include shame and guilt attached to religious “cult-like” therapies. I founded this nonprofit to aid women with support and compassion after trauma associated with post-miscarriage and abortion grief. Women are likely to commit suicide, suffer from a mental disorder, or spiral into addiction. Remainme.org supports women on their quest to regain hope for their future by feeling supported and regaining a sense of self through advocacy and outreach programs. I’ve included clinical and physical therapies, social groups, and online counseling. I created this brand to help myself by also helping others possibly going through similar emotional waves. Remain me, remain you. Website: remainme.org Whatbetchestalkabout: I was about 24, in the prime of my party phase, fishing out every bar in Miami that included a “ladies drink free night”. I vividly remember overhearing a drunk chick talk about the club promoter she was dating. Read more>>

Vanessa Jeune | Photographer & Singer

Once i started taking pictures and training in photography, one of my friends hooked me up with some people that have seen my photos and wanted me to take photos for their events and I eventually got paid for it. I didn’t do it for the pay but once i realize that i was getting booked to do photoshoots left and right i decided to make it into a business called The Perfect Capture. Read more>>

Rubie Mizell | Author and Owner TylaGrace Publishing

I have always loved to read and write. As a teen, while other girls were out chasing their crush I was in the library reading. My mother would have to call the public library near our home and tell them to send me home. I would be buried away in the back of the library curled up reading books. In 2013, I decided to write my first children’s book while pregnant with my daughter. My goal was to release right away. As I started to call illustrators I became discouraged. The prices were insane. So I just put the manuscript away. In 2018, I thought about my book again. I called some more illustrators and it was the same thing. I received quotes for over $1000 for just the illustrations. This time I did not give up. I started to do my own research, met some like minded illustrators and published my first book within 2 weeks. I was able to do everything under $600. I started to get a huge response and one of my friends Monique Cooper and her son wanted to publish their first book, “The Adventures of Javan and the 3 As”, and asked for my help. Read more>>