Big ideas, bold starts: stories from women founders

If you’re thinking about starting a small business, you might find yourself asking questions like: Is this the right time? Will anyone care about my idea? Can I really do this on my own? These are all valid questions — and ones many entrepreneurs ask before taking the leap.

The good news? There’s never been a better time to get started. Whether you’re launching a side hustle, testing an idea for the summer, or dreaming up your next full-time venture, tools that used to require entire teams are now available to solo founders. You can use AI to brainstorm product names, generate content, or automate customer service. And with affordable platforms to help you build and manage your website, launch an email list, or start selling online, the barrier to entry has never been lower.

To celebrate Small Business Week, we’re spotlighting five inspiring women from our Powered by Namecheap program. Each of them tackled a common startup challenge — proving that with creativity, persistence, and a willingness to begin, you don’t need permission to pursue your ideas.

Turning a personal need into a product

For Siobhán McCarthy, starting a business began with a simple treat: after receiving a work bonus in 2023, she set out to buy herself a luxury handbag. But despite all the research and window shopping, she couldn’t find one that truly met her needs — it had to be both stylish and functional. That’s when the idea struck: what if you could customize a handbag to fit your lifestyle, not the other way around?

That moment planted the seed for Póchette, a brand built around handcrafted, customizable handbags designed in Ireland and made in Portugal. With a background in tech and a desire for more creativity in her life, Siobhán began sketching ideas and researching the market. Her first design, The Danu, featured a removable, interchangeable cover.

Her business journey began with small but meaningful steps: registering a domain, setting up a landing page and email address, and building her website — using several Namecheap tools that made it easy to get up and running. Since the .com domain she originally wanted was taken, she quickly pivoted to the Irish domain pochette.ie, which now hosts her ecommerce site. She also uses pochettedesign.com for email and consulting work, helping other founders get started in ecommerce.

After registering as a limited company in early 2024, she spent nearly a year developing her product — refining the design, prototyping with a manufacturer in Portugal, and preparing for launch. In November 2024, Póchette officially went live.

Starting without breaking the bank

Cost is one of the biggest reasons people hesitate to start a business. But a smart, tech-savvy approach can stretch your budget — and your impact — far beyond what used to be possible.

That’s how Atilola Moronfolu launched The Good Hair Tribe, a digital platform dedicated to hair care literacy. As a certified trichologist and EdTech entrepreneur, she saw a need: many Black women around the world were struggling with hair loss and scalp disorders, without access to science-backed education or support. So she set out to change that by building a tech-driven coaching and education hub from the ground up.

Working with a limited budget, Atilola used affordable tools, including a domain and Stellar Business Hosting, to create a website that now serves over 100 members with more than 200 lessons. The platform empowers hairstylists, coaches, and individuals to understand healthy hair care, build their own businesses, and reclaim both confidence and financial independence.

Getting started didn’t require a physical storefront or large-scale funding — just a mission, a plan, and the right tools. Today, The Good Hair Tribe is more than a business; it’s a movement to uplift women through knowledge, entrepreneurship, and self-sufficiency.

Building a business that feels like you

For some founders, the challenge isn’t figuring out what to build — it’s figuring out how to do it in a way that feels true to themselves. That was the case for Rub Díaz, a marketing professional who saw a gap in the way brands communicated. Too often, the work felt overly polished and disconnected, missing the human element that makes marketing meaningful.

So she set out to do things differently. “I saw so many brands with talent and good vibes,” she says, “but they lacked a strategy that had soul.” That vision led to Flow Marketing, a platform that blends digital strategy with authenticity, helping clients grow their businesses by showing up as their real selves.

Getting started wasn’t easy. Without a big portfolio, Rub had to build trust one client at a time, relying on clarity of purpose and a deep belief in her mission. She used digital tools, including a custom domain and simple hosting setup, to create a site that reflected her energy and voice. Every piece of content she created — from branding to storytelling — was infused with the same intention: keep it real, keep it human.

Today, Flow Marketing continues to evolve, helping entrepreneurs connect with their audience in meaningful, lasting ways. “We’re still on the journey,” Rub says. “Growing, flowing, and telling stories that leave a mark.”

Going solo — and succeeding

Starting a business on your own can feel overwhelming. You wear every hat: founder, marketer, customer service, and content creator. But plenty of solopreneurs prove it’s possible to thrive without a team, especially with the right systems in place.

Kassia Rose Lisac, founder of Yoga Collab, blends yoga, Pilates, and cardio into virtual classes designed to be inclusive and fun. She manages everything herself — from programming classes to running the website — and does it with a spirit of joy and accessibility that shines through.

Her story reminds us that you don’t need a big team to get going. With thoughtful tools like Private Email Ultimate and Stellar Business Hosting to keep things organized, Kassia has built a growing wellness community on her own terms.

Creating community through purpose

Even with a strong business idea, it’s normal to wonder: Will anyone care? Often, the answer lies in service — when your business is built around community and purpose, people do care.

That’s what drives Samia Khan, founder of Cosmic Motherhood. After navigating new motherhood herself, she launched a business to support others on the same journey. Her online and in-person offerings — ranging from new mom groups to workshops and coaching — create space for moms to connect, reflect, and grow.

Using digital tools to bring her vision to life, Samia built a brand that feels warm, thoughtful, and deeply needed. And in doing so, she found an audience eager to be part of it.

Make this the year you start

The women you just met didn’t wait for perfect timing, million-dollar budgets, or guaranteed success. Some started with a product idea. Others began by teaching what they knew. All of them started small, stayed true to their vision, and used the tools available to build momentum.

Whether you’re exploring a business opportunity this summer, testing a weekend side hustle, or starting small to see what sticks, this season is a great time to begin. You don’t need a business plan worthy of an MBA program — just a domain name, a simple website, and the courage to put your ideas into the world.

And as they grow, small businesses tend to open unexpected doors. So don’t wait for certainty. Try something, test it, learn from it. Take your first step — then keep going.

When’s the perfect time to start a business? It might just be right now.