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.

Memory Enogieru Rebecca Montoya | Voltage 158 Founders

We are two minority women that started a business in 2018, with the goal to empower other women encouraging them to be confident to embark on their own journey in starting their business in what they are passionate about. We both met in college trying to join the same sorority and had worked along side each other for many years until we both graduated! We had built a strong relationship and had started to notice the lack of creative paraphernalia for geeks in the Denton/DFW area! We wanted something that not only undergraduates but alumnae would love no matter the age or occasion; this inspired us to come up with something that can not only allow us to fill the void in our community but to bond as friends doing something fun and creative!. Read more>>

Julia Wickes | Cocktail Drinker & Content Creator

In college, I was the queen of taking pictures of my drinks and posting them to my Snapchat. After a failed attempt of fashion and lifestyle blogging, it all clicked – post drinks on Instagram! I was already doing it for Snapchat so why not make a page out of it and keep going. The name “@juliadrinksagain” started as a joke but it stuck so I ran with it. Read more>>

Blake Shirk | Co-Founder

We have always been passionate about the idea of hosting people. This originally looked like Brandon and I designing hotels on a free software in middle school. From there, we would pester our parents to host foreign exchange students in High School, and while in college, we would continue to host foreign exchange students as roommates. At the end of college, we both backpacked internationally and were able to see a lot of unique concepts that were not in the states. Primarily, we wanted to bring the same fun and affordability that we often saw abroad back to the states, but we wanted to package it in a way that was more uniquely American. We surveyed hundreds of people and had thousands of conversations before shaping SOVA into what it is today. Through micro rooms, we are able to cut out what people don’t need and focus on modern design, cleanliness, and comfort. Read more>>

Chelsie Washington | Podcast Host

My podcast is called Weird Mom and it’s all about making moms (and maybe even dads) feel less alone in their parenting journey. Early on in the pandemic, I knew I was going to need something to do other than binge-watching Netflix and playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons so I decided to go ahead and start a podcast. The reason behind my show’s subject matter is because I am a parent and I know that I’ve had moments where I’ve thought “Am I weird for feeling like this?” That is where my podcast comes in and says “Actually, no you’re not,’ by highlighting other parents’ journeys through my interviews with them. While it’s not an official business yet, I am looking to develop it into a business in the future. Read more>>