Broken to Breakthrough February 6, 2012My BusinessOff

Margaret Rudkin started Pepperidge Farm so her youngest son, who suffered from severe allergies and couldn’t eat most processed foods, could have a nutritious snack.

Business inspiration can come from the most unlikely places, like the shower or treadmill.

For Corinne Adams, founder of C Glass Jewelry, the idea was literally formed from shattered glass after someone broke into her car.

Adams came out of an exercise class to find her window smashed. After her feelings of anger and frustration subsided, “I noticed how beautiful the broken glass was in the sunlight,” she says.

Six months later, the idea clicked. She began creating jewelry made out of shattered glass for herself and her friends.

By keeping an open mind, Adams turned a bad situation into something not just positive, but profitable. “Stories lead to sales,” she says. “People aren’t just buying jewelry; they’re buying a reminder that grace comes when we least expect it.”

After Shenekia Loud’s son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, she received little help from physicians about how to care for her child’s illness. Loud says this motivated her “to provide the education, care and compassion I didn’t receive, to other patients and families in need.”

She went on to found The Kenkou Group, a healthcare concierge that works with clients from professional athletes to busy working moms.

Adams’ top tips for businesswomen looking to turn tragedy into triumph: “follow your passion and let the idea lead you to its audience. The more personal a business is, the easier it is to make connections.”

Bonus PINK Link: Now that you’ve turned a negative into a positive, here’s how to develop better media relationships.

By Christine Kim

“Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” Unknown

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