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.

Bridger Hart | Co-founder + CEO –––––– Carson Hart | Co-founder + CDO

From a young age, my brother Carson and I understood that individuality meant freedom, and used clothing to set ourselves apart from the crowd. As we stopped growing, the era of colorful hand-me-downs from my older brother came to a close. Suddenly, it was my time to make a statement. Read more>>

Elizabeth Zaretsky | Co-Founder of Ravella Tequila

Me, my dad, and our amazing team, including our co-founder Bernard Semerdjian, came up with the idea to introduce a tequila line to our product offering about 6 years ago. From conception, our idea has always been to give our clients a luxury experience. Our first company, 11 Ravens, is known for innovative game tables and entertainment furniture. Read more>>

Sally We | Founder/Owner of Hangari House

The business came to mind as I wanted to make a difference for my parents. I wanted to do something especially for my mom, she worked hard as an immigrant raising my sister and I in a foreign place to give us the “American dream.” After different jobs and a career that I did not find passionate about, I finally decided that we had to do something for not only my life but for my mom so she can have something to look forward to and leave behind for my sister and I. Read more>>

Michele Freeman | CEO, Co-Founder

At Venice Beach Beverage, our passion for healthy living drives everything we do. We are a company named after our CEO’s favorite beach and the dream of sharing her family’s tea recipes with the world. Our CEO, a woman-owned and minority-owned business owner, dedicated her entire career to making this dream a reality. Saving her entire paycheck for two decades, she invested in her vision, determined to bring her family’s creations to a wider audience. Read more>>