Hey there, future moguls and business queens. 👑
If you’re ready to start something of your own but you’re sitting there thinking, “Cool… but what am I even supposed to sell?” — welcome. You are not alone.
Finding a business idea isn’t usually one dramatic lightning bolt. Most of the time it’s more like… little annoyances stacking up until one day you snap and think:
“There has GOT to be a better way.”
And that, my friend, is usually the beginning of something big.
This is your permission slip to stop treating inspiration like it’s rare and mysterious. You don’t need to be a “creative genius.” You just need to pay attention to real life — because real life is full of problems that need solving, and women are out here solving them every day.
My Lightbulb Moment: Bobby Pins, Bad Hair, and One Very Determined Woman
Okay, story time.
Before SWAY, I was a PR pro turned photographer. I didn’t have an MBA. I didn’t have investors. I didn’t have a warehouse. I had a regular life, a tight budget, and a brain that wouldn’t stop noticing things that were… honestly kind of dumb.
So I did what a lot of women do when they’re trying to figure things out:
I bought a cute notebook (because if I’m going to be stressed, I’m at least going to be organized in a pretty way) and started writing down everything that annoyed me or felt broken.
And I mean everything.
Small problems. Everyday problems. “Why is this so hard?” problems.
Then one day, I’m in a workout class fighting with my bangs like they’re personally attacking me, and I notice the woman in front of me.
This poor girl had so many bobby pins in her hair — I’m talking an unreasonable amount. Like her head was out here holding the entire bobby pin industry together. She was trying so hard to keep her hair in place, and even with all that hardware… her hair was still winning.
And I remember thinking:
Why are we doing this?
Why are we stabbing our scalps with 50 little metal gremlins just to keep our hair out of our face?
On the drive home, it hit me. Not in a fancy way — more like the universe going, “Hey Tanya… you’re not going to stop thinking about this, so you might as well do something with it.”
That’s when the idea formed: a headband with built-in clips — something that would actually stay put, look cute, and not require pain and suffering as the price of having hair.
I went home, dusted off my old sewing machine, watched a couple YouTube tutorials (because I absolutely did not remember everything), and made a prototype. It wasn’t perfect, but it was real. And that rough little first version turned into what SWAY is today.
So if you’re sitting there thinking, “Tanya, I don’t have ideas like that,” I need you to stop.
You do.
You just haven’t started collecting them on purpose yet.
How to Find Inspiration for Your Business (The Real-Life Way)
Here are some genuinely useful, very doable ways to find business inspiration — without waiting around for a miracle.
1) Start an “Annoyance List”
This is the easiest place to start.
Write down:
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things that waste your time
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things that are overpriced for no reason
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things that don’t work like they should
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things you wish existed
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things women complain about constantly
That list? That’s a gold mine.
2) Embrace Your Inner Kid (Yes, Really)
Remember when you were a kid and you could turn a cardboard box into a mansion?
That imagination doesn’t disappear — it just gets bullied by adulthood.
Do something playful:
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doodle ideas
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rearrange things
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try a new hobby
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get outside and let your brain breathe
Creativity shows up when you’re not white-knuckling it.
3) Make Networking Not Weird
Networking doesn’t have to be stiff or awkward. You don’t need to “circle back” with anyone unless you want to.
Do it your way:
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host a “business idea brunch”
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hop in women’s entrepreneur groups online
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voice-note your ideas to a friend and let her hype you up
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ask other women what they wish existed
Big reminder: empowered women empower women. And sometimes one conversation is all it takes.
4) Read Like a Thief (In a Good Way)
You don’t have to go to Paris to get inspired. You can steal inspiration from books and stories.
Read:
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founder stories
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women-led business journeys
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biographies
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even novels (because settings + characters spark ideas)
You’re not copying. You’re expanding your brain.
5) “Shop” for Ideas
Go to a local market, a boutique, even the grocery store — and pay attention.
Ask yourself:
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What’s missing?
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What’s overpriced?
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What feels cheap or poorly designed?
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What do people keep buying even though it’s not that great?
Sometimes the best business idea is hiding in plain sight… right next to the candles and the overpriced lip balm.
6) Use Social Media Like a Research Tool (Not a Comparison Trap)
Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn — they can all be idea goldmines if you use them intentionally.
Search:
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“problems women have with ___”
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“best ___ for busy moms”
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“how to fix ___”
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“alternatives to ___”
Those searches will show you what people are frustrated about, what they want, and what they’re willing to pay for.
Just don’t let it turn into doom scrolling. Inspiration is great. Comparison is trash.
7) Trust Your Gut (Your Most Underrated Superpower)
If an idea keeps popping into your head… pay attention.
If something feels exciting and you can’t stop thinking about it — that’s information.
Your intuition is like a business compass. It usually knows where to go before your brain has proof.
The Bottom Line
Finding inspiration for your business isn’t about waiting for a perfect idea to fall into your lap.
It’s about being curious, noticing problems, and being brave enough to believe you could create a better solution.
So grab a notebook. Start your annoyance list. Pay attention to the stuff that bugs you.
Because your next business idea might not come from a boardroom…
It might come from a workout class, a tiny problem, and one moment where you decide:
“I’m done with this. I’m fixing it.” 💃✨💡
