Entrepreneurs and business leaders are always on the lookout for great ideas and inspiration. Innovating, implementing new policies or redesigning current products all require a creative mindset to accomplish, and finding the right inspiration can help get you in that perfect headspace. However, sometimes inspiration comes when you least expect it.
The members of Young Entrepreneur Council have all felt inspired at one time or another, but below, eight of them recall some unusual places and ways they found business inspiration and discuss what occurred after they acted on it.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. While On Vacation In Antigua
The most unusual place I’ve ever found inspiration for my business was on vacation. Whenever I take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and explore new places, my creativity is unleashed. On one particular trip to Antigua with my family, inspiration suddenly struck me and led to the creation of The Ecommerce Accountants. Three years later, our firm has become a successful seven-figure accounting firm in the e-commerce space, all thanks to that initial inspiration I found while on vacation. It doesn’t stop there—each and every time I travel now, I’m always thinking of creative new ways to make our business better. – Christian Rivera, The Ecommerce Accountants PC
2. While Walking Down Lower Manhattan
Walking down the street in lower Manhattan and seeing all the businesses inspired me to start my business. With so many businesses in the world, I could take the opportunity to help them grow and thrive. From that, I created my business, which helps small businesses access funding options, especially if they cannot get funded through traditional lenders. – Jared Weitz, United Capital Source Inc.
3. While In The Shower
I get a lot of my bright ideas when I’m in the shower and not thinking about business but instead listening to music and practicing self-care. I even bought a waterproof notepad and pencil to jot down my thoughts. I also get ideas when I’m working out and on the treadmill, going for a hike, in a dance class and often when I’m swimming and focused on my breath. Just like meditation, you are focused on the task the way you are when breathing. This allows your mind to get out of the minutiae of work and think in bigger-picture terms, like the client journey, big topic issues and creative solutions. – Givelle Lamano, Lamano Law Office
4. While Watching An Interview
I’m a big believer in the power of watching interviews of leaders in my industry, studying their value systems and figuring out how to apply them to my own business. I remember once when I was watching an interview of a prominent business leader and he mentioned a concept that seemed totally unrelated to business. It was about how the way we view our time can be a major factor in our productivity. That simple observation sparked a creative idea that I ended up implementing in my business. It was a small change, but it had a big impact on my growth and success. So the most unusual place I’ve ever found business inspiration has been in something that was unrelated to business at all. – Abhijeet Kaldate, Astra WordPress Theme
5. While Talking With A Child
My best business inspiration came from a young child in the family. This five-year-old was asking me what I did, and I was trying my best to tell them. Then, they said something like, “Well, why don’t you do it this way…” and the idea struck gold with me. It was so simple that it just seemed to fit—and it did fit. It streamlined getting my products and services easily to my customers and made it so much easier for both them and potential customers to access. It was highly successful. – Baruch Labunski, Rank Secure
6. While Relaxing In Silence
I found inspiration to pursue infographic design as a business from silence! I just spent some time relaxing and considering random possibilities when the idea of creating infographics for business marketing hit me. As with my case, I have discovered that inspiration often comes from within you when you are calm and free of stimulation like electronic devices and noise. – Kelly Richardson, Infobrandz
7. While Recovering From Childbirth
The unusual way I got my startup idea was when I had my first baby, which led me to take a break from my job. I never expected to go down the startup lane while I was recovering from childbirth. I learned to code to pass time at home and started working on different projects to refine my newly learned skill. A few projects later, I ended up creating Formidable Forms, which kick-started my journey as a co-founder and led me to where I am today. – Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
8. While At The Gym
I often find inspiration for my business ventures during my leisure activities, including traveling, fishing and working out at the gym. One such instance was when I, alongside my partner, noticed the challenges in managing facilities and equipment while at the gym. This firsthand experience sparked the idea for Facility Vitals, the app that we built to solve these issues. I firmly believe that taking a step back from my daily routine and embracing new experiences during my leisure time offers me fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, which often result in successful business ventures. – Kazi Mamun, CANSOFT
