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.

Racquel Hill | Education + College Admissions Consultant

I founded my business, A City on The Hill, over a decade ago as a high school educator. I was fresh out of college and determined to solve all of the world’s problems. Some could say I was giving true Janine Teagues energy (shoutout to Abbott Elementary)! Read more>>

Michael Simeon | Media Personality

I came up with the idea of BlackGayComicGeek simply from not seeing the representation I wanted for myself. Most reviewers I saw were straight white men, but then when you did have the prominent Black reviewers and reviewers of color they too were heterosexual, so there were certain nuances in reviews that would go unspoken of, shows that I cared about that I didn’t see people talking about, etc. Read more>>

Pame’ Sawyer-Smith | Abstract Artist

I came up with the idea for my hand painted note card business after seeing a beautifully painted abstract note card in a bookstore. I fell in love with it’s unique abstractness, texture and colors. I was a recent college graduate, on a very tight budget and really couldn’t afford an $8 note card so I decided to to create my own! Read more>>

Latonya Patterson | Founding Director

I came up with the idea for my business through my oldest child. My son was the true inspiration behind my business journey. Jabriel “Quese” Calhoun became a father at sixteen years of age. By the time he turned seventeen years old, he was a single father. I saw him endure depression, anxiety, and dropping out of school. Read more>>