Is an idea tugging at you?

Recently, I read an article in People magazine that struck a chord. It was about a young guy named Justin Boogaard. He was broke and living with his Grandma Betty, trying to figure things out.

One night over dinner, Betty asked him if he could help her find Uber’s phone number so she could get to a local play. He explained that, unlike a taxi cab company, there was no phone number. It was all app-based. Then, out of the blue, she suggested that maybe he should fix that problem.

That comment sparked an idea. After some research, head scratching, phone calls, and persistence, Justin created GoGoGrandparent (now simply called GoGo), a service that lets older folks use rideshare and delivery services without needing a smartphone. No app, just a phone call.

Justin’s story inspired me to write this article. What struck me was how a simple request to get Grandma Betty to a play triggered her off-the-cuff prompt—an idea, a solution—that Jason then pursued with determination, turning it into a company that’s helping thousands of seniors stay independent and connected. GoGo wasn’t born in a boardroom, as most good ideas aren’t. They start in real-life moments.

So many people have good ideas but never act on them because they think they’re “not ready.” The truth is, nobody ever feels completely ready. And I won’t lead you down the garden path by saying it’s going to be easy. It’s not, but what matters is starting, because if you don’t start, you’ll never know what problem you may solve or whose life you can make better—maybe it's for one person, or maybe it’s for thousands.

If an idea keeps tugging at you, don’t shrug it off. You don’t need a business degree or big investors to build something real. You just need the courage to start.

Justin started with love. That was enough. And maybe that’s where your idea begins, too. Then trust that the rest will fall into place little by little, day by day.