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.

Abbie Godles, Esq. | Family and Divorce Mediator

I am very much living my best Elle Woods life and use not fitting the stereotypical lawyer mold to my advantage. Further, I have bipolar disorder and always do what I can to advocate against the stigma, emphasizing the toxic “always on” culture isn’t strictly necessary to succeed. Both of these things have given me and my firm an edge because I am authentic in addition to bringing my professional expertise to the table. Plus, between my love of pink, quirky branding (for a law firm at least), and last name, I am certainly memorable! Read more>>

Jennifer Ornelas | Peachtails Apparel Founder (@jennelectric on Instagram)

I was trying the whole “Instagram Influencer” side gig and I had a lot of fun with it! Taking photos, trying out different creative ideas to shoot content with different products, etc. The creativity behind trying to help promote brands and products I liked was fun and motivating, I loved networking with these businesses and other Influencers in a field that was so vastly different from my actual full-time career, (I’m an Electrical Design Engineer for Northrop Grumman’s Space Division). It was nice to have an “escape” from just Engineering, and know that it was providing me with benefits such as extra income, new friends, and more insight into Social Media. Read more>>

Alexandria Procida | Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and Health Coach

I came up with the idea for The Mindful RN LLC because I struggled with my own health concerns, which included, gut inflammation, thyroid issues, and hormonal imbalances. When I felt how good feeling healthy could be, I just wanted to share it with everyone. My journey started much later in life after years of fatigue, brain fog, and feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. Read more>>

Mimi Damrauer | Paper Collage Artist

I grew up believing that owning your own business was possible. I always knew from a young age that I wanted to work for myself…it was just a matter of what. My father was an accountant and took what would have been a real risk in the early 70’s leaving a solid firm to start his own with a few other junior executives in Ohio, where I grew up. He and my mother also encouraged my older sister to open up one of the first Children’s book shops in the country, because of her love of reading and children. Read more>>

Tara LePera | Self Love & Manifesting Coach

While growing up I lacked self love and confidence. It took many years of working on myself and through it all I found a true passion for helping other women transform their lives by implementing key tactics and strategies that I have learned through my own path of self development. We were all brought into this world with our own unique gift and mine is to help other women to find their unique gift within themselves, because we all deserve to start living the life we have always desired and finding our Self Love! Read more>>