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.

Jessica Uthe | Fitness and Nutrition Coach

Unreasonable Fitness is my small nutrition and training online coaching business for women. I love spinning something that could be perceived as a negative (Unreasonable) and turning into something positive. To be unreasonable is to be headstrong and fearless about your goals. Be unreasonable with setting your boundaries, be unreasonably strong for ‘a woman’ and be unreasonably dedicated. I see nothing wrong in making yourself and your health a priority but also making fitness fit into your own schedule and lifestyle. Read more>>

Ava Emilione | Founder, Editor-in-Chief

My mother is a natural storyteller. Growing up, I would sit on the kitchen counter as she wove funny, honest stories about her life as she prepared dinner or cleaned our apartment. From early on, I understood the power of this. Being told stories made me laugh, cry and develop a deeper sense of love for my family. I always knew I wanted to bring the gift of raw storytelling to the people around me because I was privileged enough to witness its potential. The conviction I carried in my early childhood is really where the idea for Etc. came from. Read more>>

Ashley Nares | Business owner

It was unintentional how perfect everything kind of rolled together for me but I started with just bridal makeup. I worked full time at our Hospitals clinic as a Medical Assistant in Surgery and almost every Saturday I would be doing 8-12 girls makeup. Eventually after a few years I would notice there the obvious our town has nothing for event rentals. I started to look into a Photo Booth I could buy and rent out, I already was having relationships with brides for their makeup so I felt like I would be able to also offer this successfully. Read more>>

Judd NeSmith | Fitness Professional For The 50+ Population

Many people who are 50+ years old do not have access to properly designed exercise and nutrition programs to help them reach optimum fitness. I created an online personal training business to solve this problem. Read more>>