Need some inspiration to take the leap into your new entrepreneurial endeavor?
Well, check out these five lightbulb moments some very famous entrepreneurs experienced that led them to amazing success.
Michael Rosenbaum: Spacer
The creator of the digital sharing platform that allows people to make money by loaning out space, Michael Rosenbaum, addressed a unique issue with his company.
After creating Deals Direct with co-founder Paul Greenberg, Michael wanted to do something new. He took some “tech pilgrimages” to Silicon Valley and explored some of the latest trends happening in the region.
According to Michael, Airbnb, and Uber were already making waves in the market, and he wanted to be a part of the fast-moving growth sector when he began looking for a new kind of peer-to-peer market opportunity; sharing space just made sense. #Lightbulbmoment.
If people are comfortable sharing cars and homes, why not share space they’re not actually using for storage? The idea was a hit and an excellent opportunity for Michael to join an industry he found lucrative and extremely interesting.
Alyce Tran: The Daily Edited
The Daily Edited, or TDE, was originally a passion project launched by Alyce Tran and co-founder Tania Liu. The two women were corporate attorneys and wanted to do something creative with their time on weekends.
At first, TDE was a simple blog where the co-founders posted examples of their daily sources of inspiration from food, fashion, and lifestyle categories.
In 2014, they realized that they could make a living by creating their own accessories and offering personalization. #Lightbulbmoment
The website evolved from a simple blog into a fully-grown business idea in a matter of days.
After seeing how much customers loved personalized accessory experiences, the decision to start a business made perfect sense, and TDE, as we know it today, was born.
Alex Friedman and Jordana Kier – Lola
Lola is a unique reproductive care company designed to sell sexual health products and subscription-based products for women. According to Alex, Lola was born after she and her business partner discussed the question, “what’s in a tampon?” The two women were getting drinks together in 2014 when Jordana asked the question, and Alex admitted that she had never thought about it carefully. #Lightbulbmoment.
The women decided it was time for girls to know more about the products they use every month. Quickly, they worked together to get the brand idea out there and discuss their options with an extensive network of professional advisors.
The company has worked alongside some massive stars, including Serena Williams and Lena Dunham.
Ju Rhyu – Hero Cosmetics
If you’ve noticed “mighty acne” patches floating around Amazon and in stores lately, then you’re probably familiar with Hero Cosmetics. The company, created by Ju Rhyu, began when Ju was living in Korea, a place she describes as a “beauty mecca.”
According to Rhyu, Koreans are ahead of the times when it comes to beauty knowledge and product usage, and while she was living there, she suffered from severe acne. Eventually, Ju came across acne patches available in every pharmacy. She noticed the same patches were not in the US. #Lightbulbmoment.
Rhyu decided it was her responsibility to bring the power of acne patches into the US, and she began researching her product thoroughly.
Today, Hero Cosmetics is booming with a loyal customer base and a great reputation. The products work, and consumers love them.
Sarah Warmoll – The Footnotes
Sarah Warmoll, the co-founder of the Footnotes, said that her inspiration came when she and co-founder Samantha Devlin started thinking more carefully about their own lives.
The two women admitted that they could list the last four holiday destinations of the Kardashians, but they couldn’t figure out where they wanted to be in the years to come. #Lightbulbmoment.
In their early twenties, the two co-founders wondered whether they would have taken the same path after school if they had the knowledge they’d gained over the years. The idea for The Footnotes was born, disrupting the student industry by helping students and their parents make better future decisions.
Find Your Lightbulb Moment
What do all of these stories have in common? A dedicated individual living their life and paying attention to a need that aligned with their passion. Nothing was forced. Nothing was curated; it all just flowed.
Do you look at the world around you and think about the problems you face each day? More often than not, lightbulb moments happen when we’re more mindful of our world.
So start paying attention! See what falls into alignment. And if you already have your #Lightbulbmoment, run with it!
