Our community is comprised of some absolutely brilliant entrepreneurs and so we asked a few of them to tell us the story of how they came up with the ideas for their business.

Julia Fisher | Board Certified Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor

The inspiration to start an art therapy business that provided group art therapy specifically created for mothers (artists and non artists alike) began from my own personal journey of becoming a mother. Before having my children (I have three), I worked as an art therapist and psychotherapist for individuals and groups from a variety of backgrounds. I always loved the way art would allow people to use symbolic and visual language when words were not enough to describe what they were going through. When I became a mom I realized how useful this sort of symbolic language could be in describing and processing such an abstract experience. Motherhood, and parenting in general, can be both exhilarating and exhausting, overwhelming and incredibly lonely, full of love and also full of heartbreak, a loss of our sense of selves and also an invitation to dig deeper into what we value and articulate our identities. Read more>>

Erica Thomason | Founder & Educator

As an educator and wellness coach, I have always been intrigued with the concept of optimal performance. I wondered how I could most effectively use myself to inspire others to perform at their greatest potential and achieve their best? As I gained experience, I realized that it did not matter how much energy, enthusiasm or effort I put behind presenting information. What really mattered was how much confidence and internal self-belief my student had within themselves. It really mattered how well the individual was able to relate information, emotion and meaning to themselves and the world. Read more>>

Elijah Williams | AskEliAnything/Nerd-Ifi: Smart Home Installations

It all started…”How Cliché?” I was always the person that would fix the computers in my household. Them, “Why is the internet running slow?” Reply, “I will take a look at it.” Them, “Come hook up the printer.” Reply, “Alright.” Then starting my college career, I even majored in Computer Science. During my time in college, people would often ask me, how you know so much about CARS, then I would just day I love cars. Then that passion drove into technology. Then of course, people started to ask me technical questions about phones, tablets, laptops, and anything else you can think of. I guess that aura stayed with me after graduating college. Read more>>

Alex Kozub | Co-Owner

Me & my business partner Hung came up with the idea of Vital Apparel to help spread awareness around mental health and the positive benefits fitness and living a healthy active lifestyle has on ones mental health. The idea came about because Hung had unknowingly struggled with depression and anxiety for a chunk of his life and he started exercising, eating healthier, and living an all around more active lifestyle to help cope with them. Read more>>

Rebecca Davis | ERO & Notary

The Tax Industry is very cut-throat, So many people throw up offices each year for the sole purpose of ripping hard-earned tax-payers off. I remember back when I used to pay a company to do my taxes, I remember leaving with so many unanswered questions, I felt as if there were things that should have been filed that were not, and I felt like just another number to them. I decided to start my business and so things different and not make it solely about the quantity but the quality, Educating my clients, getting to know their situations so that I know how to better assist them. That is how and why TaxTyme came about, I wanted to do things different and better for the clients. Read more>>