How did you come up with the idea for your business?

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.

Lincee Ray | Author

I want to tackle this question by answering that I never give up. I was raised to keep going, no matter what the circumstance. I am in it to win it! However, the older I get, the more I realize that “giving up” doesn’t have to depict a negative connotation. In most cases, the assumption that I’m giving up is actually me practicing healthy boundaries. I no longer feel guilt or fall into a people-pleasing mindset to keep doing the thing that others expect me to do. Will walking away bring me greater joy? Do I experience a sense of extreme peace at the thought of “giving up?” If the answer is a resounding yes, then I feel every freedom to do just that. Read more>>

Daminique Washington | Entrepreneur & Coordinator

My business was inspired by my love for cooking, healthy lifestyle,and giving back. I would always host dinner events and volunteer at hospitals to help clean and cook for the families that stayed for long periods of time with their children. Spiced Up by Daminique is a great seasoning line that is known for its great taste in flavor and low sodium nutrition. I believe that you can enjoy amazing food while still staying healthy and lowering your salt intake. Read more>>

Miguel Jacquez | Photographer

Obstacle always seem to present themselves. Sometimes obstacles make me question weather doing what I love is even worth the grief. Perfect example being the Covid-19 Pandemic which put a halt to a lot of what I was doing. It really slowed down what I do. From projects that I was taking on to actual paying clients. And you have to think about ways of reinventing what you do to make it work. and honestly sometimes I get very complacent in how I do things that change is very difficult to do because I have become accustomed to the patterns of how I do things. So when I got down to working on a strategic plan that was within my control; I realized that the things that always bring me back to photography is the final product which I like to focus around memories and how those memories make me feel. Read more>>

NaConda Frank | Home Education Consultant & Mental Health Advocate

When I began homeschooling my children, I would get caught in the endless web of where to find resources, where to find the BEST resources, and mostly wondering if I was doing the right thing. There was so much information online regarding home education that it made things hard to answer some of the questions I had. At the time, I did not know of any families personally that educated their children at home so there was no one I could reach out personally. I am a natural “helper”, so once I became more comfortable in our journey I felt like I could reach out to extend a helping hand to those families who were in the same boat I had been in. Back then, I had no knowledge of there being such a thing as a home education consultant or coach until I came across a Facebook group. That’s when I knew that a business could be made based on all of the questions people sent and asked me regularly. Read more>>

Lori Matthews | Makeup Artist & Owner of Kake Cosmetics

I think it’s important to never give up, as long as you love what your doing and are passionate about it. I believe everyone has their time to shine in life, so you should always be patient and just make sure your doing at least one thing everyday to get you that little bit closer to your goals. I believe what you put in is what you get out even though it may not happen as quickly as you want, you should trust in your dreams and keep working hard till it begins to pay off. I personally don’t think about giving up even though I’m not where I want to be yet, I have a passion for makeup artistry and my brand that I created and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Read more>>

Gabriel Rice | Entrepreneur

You know because giving up is NEVER an option. Go back to the drawing board and find better plays, but you don’t give up. There’s a quote Oprah Winfrey once said, “Never give up on yourself because there is so much more for you to keep giving” that’s how you know. Read more>>