Our city is home to so many incredible businesses and so we asked the founders how they came up with the ideas for their businesses and have shared their responses below.

Marty Schwartz | Guitar Teacher & YouTuber

Man, 2008 was rough, with the economy tanking and all. Being a guitar teacher and gigging musician, I took a real hit work-wise. I had to think on my feet to keep things afloat for my family, so I started looking for more guitar students. Read more>>

Kristen Hess | Mover & Maker – Founder of Bolstered

My eco-entreprenuerial journey started right out of college when I helped my Dad launch his innovative compost bin. We got the CompoKeeper in a handful of Bay Area Costco stores! ⁠ ⁠ Read more>>

Jacinda Mahan | Wedding and Event Coordinator

Planning my wedding 3 times during Covid (2020) forced me to become a pro at rescheduling, navigating restrictions, and thinking creatively. When it came time for our wedding it was still THE BEST DAY EVER! Many of the vendors at our event were some of our very good friends doing what they were passionate about and if they weren’t already our friends they quickly became good friends throughout our time working with them. Soon after our wedding pictures and video came out, people started reaching out with questions on how to make their big day the best day. That’s when I realized my passion – helping other couples turn their dream day into a reality, stress-free! The adaptability and communication skills I honed during that adventure make me a perfect fit for this role in making other couple’s dream days come to life. Read more>>

 Jose Lugo | Founder | Storyteller

I initially came up with the idea for We Are All One Story from a place of desperation that eventually led to hope. I had hit rock bottom. My drinking had spiraled out of control, along with my life. My depression hit an all time low, its culmination being me wanting to take away my own life. I had lost the meaning of my own life and own story, and I thought it would be best for me to just take my own life. But before actually doing it, I had a moment with The Divine; with God, and it saved my life. In that moment I felt loved, I felt forgiven; I felt peace. I felt a universal truth that I only once believe as a kid – that my life had intrinsic value and that my story mattered. So if my story matters, so does the next person’s story. After that moment I set out on hearing and sharing as many stories as I could displaying the truth of our worth through storytelling via our digital platforms. Read more>>

Gabriel Creek | Director – Ultimate Comedy Fighters

The Ultimate Comedy Fighters got started when several years ago I was asked by my church to do a comedy show to raise support for sending a group to help rebuild in Haiti after a devastating earthquake. The church’s proposal was, “Hey Gabe, you’re funny. Want to do a comedy show for us?” Realizing that I was no comedian, but not wanting to turn down the opportunity, I enrolled myself in some local improv classes to prepare. Using those classes, I assembled my first improv team. I was basically taking a class, then bringing those lessons to my team the next day during rehearsal. That first show went well, and our love of using improv to support others was born. Read more>>

Amanda Nielsen | Founder & Advisor

The story behind Thot Leader Labs reflects my personal journey—a mix of navigating the highs and lows of startup culture and the tech industry. It’s about facing moments of disillusionment head-on while holding onto a steadfast belief in carving out a space where authenticity and empowerment thrive. Read more>>

Jacquelyn Johnson | Small Business Owner

It was COVID and being at home more I found myself wanting to “spruce” the place up, but I found myself being very limited in home decor selection in my hometown. I get that WalMart has a place, but I was so sick of going there and having the same items in my home as everyone else. So, the idea began there and turned into more than a home decor store, it began turning into a platform for women owned businesses and I ran with it. During COVID there were so many women with at home businesses that found themselves very restricted in where they could sell in-person so I decided to go with a business structure of at least 90% of the products in my store will come from women owned businesses, because empowered women empower women. Read more>>