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.

Lauren Windham | Chef | Owner | Founder of L. Windham Provisions

The idea to found L. Windham Provisions came to me a little shy of two years ago. I have a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, which started with earning both my Associate Degree in Culinary Arts and my Graduate Certificate in Wine and Beverage Studies at The Culinary Institute of America. After passing the Certified Sommelier exam through The Court of Master Sommeliers, I worked in both professional kitchens and on the dining room floor. I’m so grateful to the mentors, chefs, and managers that pushed me throughout the last ten years, but at some point I realized it was time to work towards achieving MY dream. Currently, I provide my wonderful clients with elegant, warm, and hospitable dining experiences in their own home, and I have the privilege of introducing them to captivating wines for each course. Read more>>

Alice Hong | Musician | Small Business Owner

I’ve had a few small businesses crop up over the years, most of which came out of hobbies I wanted to take a little further. Each one has and continues to bring lots of joy and fulfillment to my life! My first real small business was Alice H Photography, through which I get to meet some incredible people and had the pleasure of taking their portraits or documenting their special events. Then there was Edgewood String Quartet, a string quartet that performs over 700+ songs ranging from classical to pop, rock, jazz, anime, film music and more. We’ve done some really cool immersive concerts and also do private events such as corporate events and weddings. Read more>>

Nekeidra Taylor | Co-Owenr, Vines Tasting Room – Pop-Up Wine Experiences

Born from a shared passion ignited by a Napa Valley adventure in 2018, Vines Tasting Room is the brainchild of our friendship -four lifelong friends: Frank and Leslie Daley, and Richard and Nekeidra “Niki” Taylor. We were inspired by the warm hospitality and diverse wine offerings at Brown Estate and envisioned a space that would bring a similar experience to our home cities of Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Read more>>

Lesley Ortiz | Owner of L.W. Atelier Ltd. Co.

I was actually consulting on fashion as a hobby for some time. Then, a co-worker, in my previous career, came to me and said she thought I was very stylish and she asked me literally to “teach me your ways!” I went to her house to organize her closet, built her 63 outfits from what she already had. When I finished, she gave me a card and a hug and cried saying I helped change her life! When I got home, there were several hundred dollar bills and a note saying I must turn my stylist hobby into a business. That became the validation and encouragement I needed to begin the process. Read more>>

Brittany Virtue | Entrepreneur/Business Owner

Losing my corporate job was a gut punch I never saw coming. For months, I searched for work with no luck. To make matters worse, I was pregnant, juggling overdue bills, and trying to hold it together while feeling completely lost. I had no family to lean on—just my partner—and being alone in Atlanta after moving here in 2020 only amplified the pressure. I was terrified, but one thing was clear: I had to make something happen. Read more>>

Julia Ceo Shannon | Serial Entrepreneur | Strategist & Global Advocate for Small Business Growth

The idea for the Concierge of Small Biz (CSB) was born out of a pattern I couldn’t ignore: countless entrepreneurs struggling to build profitable businesses. When I stepped back to analyze why, it boiled down to three core issues: lack of resources, strategy, and intentional effort. Often, this stemmed from focusing on the wrong priorities or being trapped in cycles of misinformation and misguidance, leaving them stagnant. Read more>>

Brittney White | Holistic Wellness Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, Herbalist, and Womb Wellness Coach

I’ve always struggled with eczema and sensitive skin. At different points in my life, I also dealt with acne-prone skin, which sparked my interest in finding ways to improve my skin naturally. Growing up, my grandma was a major influence on me. She worked in the medical field but also embraced holistic and natural remedies. I remember visiting her and watching her cook, can food, make teas, and share them with me. She also taught me how to sew and always inspired me with her ability to create. The women in my family often shared their own remedies for my skin issues, from using tea tree oil on pimples to applying turmeric for scars or oatmeal to soothe eczema. Read more>>

Jatavius Williams | COSAKAGE

I’ve been a fan of anime/manga and the western otaku culture that it has sprouted for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t until 2020, during the pandemic, that I realized how many of my friends and other people I’ve met in my life also had the same interests! It just wasn’t something we were outright and loud about. It was during this time that we started discussing what we were watching or reading more, having debates, making group chats, having virtual watch parties, etc. Fast forward a couple years and I finally attend my first convention, DreamCon, where I also adorned my first cosplay (Soul Evans from Soul Eater for anyone wondering!) It was truly eye opening to see so many people, that looked like me, dressed up and having the same obsessive, nerdy interests…I felt at home. Read more>>

Quinten Julian | Musician, Artist, & Photographer

It all started when I I was a child. I was gifted with creative talents which started to show when I would take lego kits and throw the instructions away to build my own unique, symmetrical, color coordinated spaceships. With my creativity sparked at a young age my mind started cooking up ideas. I was given a camera a couple years later and that’s where my creativity started to flourish. I saw the world around me, and found the beauty in the world through my lens. I was told I had an eye for photography and started taking unique pictures. This continued through my teens but I still hadn’t put the idea together. My grandmother would tell me I had something special to share with the world and that gave me the confidence to dream. Read more>>