We’ve always tried to ask the questions that matter but that are too awkward for people to ask their friends, family and coworkers without seeming dramatic. One of those questions is about mission and purpose – when’s the last time you asked a friend what their mission was? Too often we don’t talk about our own missions and don’t ask those close to us about theirs with the result being that our missions remain secret. Are you just a doctor or are you a doctor who wants to be there for patients in the way you wished your father’s doctor had been? People have incredible and meaningful missions, and we hope our conversations asking folks about their mission can inspire more such conversations in your life.

Matthew Morgan

This year was a big milestone for us because i have finally left my dayjob and dedicated 100% of my time and effort to M² Lumber. Yes, for the past 7 years I did actually still have a full time job as a Mfg Engineer for a large automotive company here in the Upstate. The reason for this was Risk aversion. I probably could have quit a few years ago and in hindsight i probably would have been just fine, but i. have a vision for my business of what I want it to be and how i want it to grow, and I knew the best and fastest way to get it there was to invest very heavily. This means for the first 5 years I was in business, I did not pay myself one penny. 100% of profit went right back into the business to buy better tools, equipment, hire people etc so that I could grow my business into my dream. In February of this year, it finally felt like the time was right so i left my engineering career of 12 years to pursue my dream. Read more>>

 Jo Aguirre

A few years ago I received a study in my inbox that says that the average woman spends 16 minutes every morning in front of her closet deciding what to wear. Immediately I grabbed my calculator and started doing simple math … 16 minutes times 7 days a week, 16 minutes times 30 days a month, 16 minutes times 365 days a year. And we spent 90 hours in front of our closet every year just deciding what to wear. Read more>>

Dr. Kennedy Garcia

I have been a lifelong advocate for women and girls and have made it my personal mission to create fierce female leaders that shatter ceilings and transform the world. Over my 25+ years of corporate leadership and philanthropic efforts in the community I noticed far too many times that some women have a hard time in believing in themselves and or their capabilities, leadership development wasn’t prioritized for girls and organizations were riddled with landmines for women. These issues heavily contribute to various gender equity gaps we are experiencing in this country and around the globe and I was tired of seeing women of all ages who personally and professionally undervalued and limited themselves, so I decided to do something about it. Read more>>

Rebekah Coste

The mission of my business, St. Louis Mom, is to equip, empower, and encourage local moms in motherhood! Motherhood can be lonely, but we weren’t meant to do it alone! I became a mom overseas, removed from my village, and found myself cobbling motherhood together that first year of my daughter’s life. I found myself wishing all the resources I needed, from breastfeeding help to indoor play spaces and the best parks, were right at my fingertips! So when we moved back to St. Louis, I knew I wanted to create that resource for moms HERE! Read more>>

Cathleen Thomas

Olive Grove Life produces Bible-based reminders for Christian women who want to remember the character and promises of God as well as the new identity we have in Him. We want to remember so we can shine, thrive, and be fruitful as God intended. The story behind my mission is my 15+ year departure from God in which I was lost, unhappy, and unfruitful. I made poor decisions that follow me to this day. I do not feel that anyone else needs to do that; I want people to learn from my mistakes. My road back to God was eye-opening into His grace and mercy and how He has always been there. I learned a few things that I believe would have kept me from walking away from God. First is how great our God is and why just knowing about Him is not enough; we must have a relationship with Him. Second is how we see ourselves has impacted our day to day, but as children of God, we are granted a new identity. When we walk and work from that identity, we live and love differently. Third is that we must train to become better Christians. It is not an instant thing. We must have grace with ourselves and others. Fourth is the Bible; use it and read it, not just to say I have read it, but because it has the power to transform each of us if we allow it to. It has the ability to let us know and love God and ourselves. That is why all of my products are made based on the Bible, not cute sayings or colloquialisms. Because knowing the Bible, which my father had me and my siblings learn at the breakfast table growing up, is what brought me back to God. Read more>>

Kentrell Hill

I started my automotive YouTube channel because I was a hot wheels kids and I always knew I wanted to be involved in the car word .my 1st job was a valet driver at our most popular mall Somerset Collection and that’s when I knew I had to be around this full time being around different cars made me so happy ,but once I a year went by I had to the opportunity to work for Chrysler and build too dodge ram for 7 ears ,then some how I came across YouTube ,and I started watching car content and vlogs of some of the biggest names today ,tall guy car reviews,Josh Laurent,seen though glass , super cars of Landon etc and the list goes on , watch. These people for years and once the content creator boom happened I knew I wanted to be apart of it ,but didn’t know how so few years went by and I started to watch DDE daily driven exotics and fell in love and after a few months of watching I took action ,I decided to go out and find where all the car stuff was around here in Detroit and started to make car interview content ,then I met a gut name Josh ,mway j photos who introduced to Josh Laurent and that’s when things really changed for me became friends with Josh and he showed me the YouTube way ,as we got closer I knew I wanted to be the voice for the black community to show us we can be around supercars and formula 1 because a lot of us don’t know that we can do that ,so my mission is to be a voice for my people and show them its way more out here in the car community. Read more>>

Graciela Martin

My mission is to tell real people’s stories. During the lockdowns in 2020, I made it a goal to gain insight and glean off of people that inspired me most. I started The Green Side Podcast in hopes of telling their stories, their way, with all the twists and turns it may have. The purpose is to get real about what it took to get to where they are today, especially as Landscape Designers/Architects. The field provides such unique and niche paths. It makes it very easy to know anyone in the field and be intrigued by their story. Read more>>

Trae Whyte

I intend to make Studio Brenton, my new production company, a home for short narratives in the near future and meticulously build it out for long-form creative projects over time. We’re currently in a kind of renaissance for short-form media. Still, not enough attention is being given to highly crafted narrative shorts on a large scale, which I think is a detriment to people my age and younger who deserve to form a similar kind of spiritual relationship I’ve been able to with the cinematic form. Read more>>

Rachel Neill

As both a mother and entrepreneur, I strive to create and sell products that children will not only love, but products that are made with care, high-quality materials, and safe for little ones. When we dreamed up Figgy we wanted to make sure we sourced the best cushions made from safe and sturdy Certi-PUR US foam, our fabric is Oeko tex certified which means it is free from harmful chemicals. Our independent third-party testing system ensures your kiddos are getting the best- from our family to yours! Read more>>

Tina Leix

2019 was an emotional year, to say the least. My mom lost her battle with cancer, and two months later, I gave birth to my first kiddo. I was broken; my world was shattered. But, my mom’s strength was instilled in me and her inspiration guided my sadness into creativity. Suddenly, the rungs of the corporate ladder I was climbing seemed unimportant. Entrepreneurship and owning my own business was the way forward. My mom loved crafting, not necessarily wreaths, but she left a beautiful mark on everything she touched. Hopping off the corporate ladder and starting a business surely had to be sign. I’m so happy I can finally build my company and bring happiness to front doors, indoors and lovely brides! Read more>>