Everyday we meet business owners, professionals, artists and creatives. Photographers, florists, realtors and more. They might come from different backgrounds, work in different industries, have varying personalities, and have vastly different income and educational profiles, but the one thing we’ve seen over and over again is that most people have a unique and special reason for why they do what they do. From a realtor helping families afford the first home he always wished for as a kid to a photographer using her skills to give a voice and face to victims who feel voiceless, we have been blown away by what happens when you just ask people a simple question – why do you do what you do?

Sarah Mueller

Best Me 360 started from an idea I just couldn’t shake. I have always struggled with clothes for as long as I can remember. In middle school, I would change clothes 10 to 20 times before leaving the house. Read more>>

Sylvia Arotin

I’m based in Sydney Australia and I had a dream to open a Montessori school for children and parents from 0-6 years old because many of my friends and family were requesting one in an area that didn’t have access to one, nor did any exist. Read more>>

Lizzie Havoc

Beach Witch Bars was born one afternoon in the spring of 2020- as bartenders in the middle of Covid shutdown, my now-husband Justin and I were for the first time faced with plenty of down time to enjoy life- cooking, reading, binging Tiger King. Read more>>

Luisa Mejia

I live in between two worlds Germany and Colombia…a scientist and a coffee farmer. Although born in Bogota, my roots are deep in the coffee region of Colombia. Playing hide and seek in the coffee farms. Read more>>

Jane Pope Cooper

Appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken. Read more>>

Fernell Miller, Jen Self, Mollie Monahan

Our mission at the Racial Healing Project is to historicize, humanize and heal the deep wounds of racial and gender injustice within ourselves and others. Read more>>

Katie Huey

Despite our best-laid plans, life has a way of throwing things off kilter. Baz Luhrman once said, “The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind. The kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.” Read more>>

Lisa Hurwitz

Balancing a demanding global career and motherhood, I spent 10 years reliant on pharmaceuticals to sleep and provide anxiety relief. After a health scare opened my eyes to cannabis, I got a medical card in Illinois, experimented with alternatives, and eventually taught myself to sleep again using plant-based alternatives, including cannabis. Read more>>

Cassie Schmidt

I’ve been running some sort of business since I was about 15 years old – starting with photography. Fast forward a few years, I attended UW-Madison to get my BBA in Entrepreneurship & Management. Read more>>

Stacy Ward Lattin

My husband Torrey and I had an idea about 12 years ago while visiting microbreweries and taprooms in Colorado. At the time, we only had 2 brewpubs and the taproom concept did not exist in Wichita, KS. Torrey had been home brewing for several years and thought our community could use a business model like this. Read more>>

Victoria Dickason

I Creative Purpose was founded on spiritual intuition. GOD purposely blocked me from being a part of certain crowds, groups, and opportunities because HE had a purpose for my life! I believe my small business was that PURPOSE! Read more>>

Jared Frank

We believe many Americans remain in the midst of a mental health pandemic, lacking a true sense of self or positive setting in which to discover it. Read more>>

Kit Huffman

Whether on the bus to a sports game, on the hallway floor during lunch, or tucked away in my bedroom, I always had my nose in a business book as a kid. You know, the normal kid things. Read more>>

Monica Mullen

My partner and I started UNDERS because we feel like clothes shouldn’t be identified by gender. “Underwear for all” is our mission statement. We have four kids, two boys and two girls. Read more>>

Kei’Shaun Redmond-Britton

Our mission to Normalize the importance of self-wellness through beauty and fashion while motivating ourselves to Empower others to Navigate Life With Positivity is deeply rooted in our personal journey and experiences. Read more>>

Tiffany James

Having relocated from Chicago to California more than two decades ago, I encountered a culture where women hesitated to stand in the brilliant light of their peers. Read more>>

Alan Davis

Being a chef for over 20 years and watching my family and friends effected by my products I wanted to make a change…I want people to know they don’t have to eat what our ancestors ate….its not even made the same anymore. Read more>>

Shawn Cox

We don’t just have a party…we throw a Bash! As a wedding & special event DJ I get the opportunity to turn a normal evening into an unforgettable one. I want to make my clients dreams come true on the dance floor with music and setting a vibe! Read more>>

Damita Miller-Shanklin

Ujima Magazine’s mission is to tell positive stories of the “everyday heroes” in our Black Community in Austin and the surrounding areas. In telling these stories, our hope to inspire, educate and leave a legacy for future generations. Read more>>

Teanna Munlin

To create the best eyelashes for beauty queens. Straighten your make up game. Because eyelashes are very important! Read more>>

Hilary Bateman

The story behind Little House of Flowers’ mission is one of resilience, determination, and the willingness to take risks. Hilary’s journey began during a challenging time in her life, navigating a rough divorce. Read more>>

Blane Charles

As a peace activist, I am committed to the dignity and respect of all humans! This commitment has inspired the realization of BCD (Blane Charles Design) where we get to celebrate each and every client as we help to enhance their quality of living through customized management of wardrobe, interiors, health, and beauty. Read more>>

Morgan Belello

The story behind my mission statement at Lauryn Hope is deeply rooted in the legacy of my mother, Lauryn. Lauryn Hope is not just a venue; it is a continuation of my mother’s vision and passion, upheld by myself, my dedicated team, and the support of my family. Read more>>

JERWAINE FISHER

Food is a language that five senses of the body can understand better than anybody else. I always believe if you are really good at something, you try to master it and then share it with others. I can cook really good food and i practice very hard to perfect my skill. Read more>>

Monique Segovia

The Brown Thumb is a minority-owned business dedicated to fostering a love for plants within the community while promoting mental health and self-care. Read more>>

TAMIKA PAIGE

Serving is not beneath me, it’s actually my super power. Our mission is based on the famous quote by Henry Cloud: “Always leave things better than you found them; especially people”. Read more>>

Jade Pleming

For most of my life, I felt like pretty things and beautiful adventures were meant for a certain aesthetic of people. I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, when glossy magazines were the standard for examples of how people are “living”. Read more>>

Tyrone Jackson

To answer this question, I first have to tell you what the mission of my company is. At SoveReign Comics, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire and excite readers of all ages. Our mission is clear: to craft tales that push the boundaries of imagination and creativity. Read more>>

Christiana Russell

Mended Wing Consulting, LLC is founded on the principle that premier federal grant writing and strategic consultation services should be accessible to entities, regardless of their nature or size. Read more>>

Akidah Felder

I created Suite Ta Bu to encourage Black women over 35 to play, with accessories, reconnect with their own personality and express it through accessory and bold entrances. Read more>>

Shannon Mann

Mann Design Studios exists to elevate and create soulful living spaces that empower people to flourish — to feel and benefit from the balance, harmony, and happiness of their surrounding spaces throughout their day-to-day lives. Read more>>

Sharif York

I found YGlot–App. A language learning platform that leverages global media locally sourced. All the while providing a tool for creators to connect with a language-focused audience and earn. Read more>>

Diane Nares

The personal memoir that I have published, His Place at the Table is a collection of stories about my son Emilio. Emilio was my only child and he was diagnosed with leukemia at three years old. Read more>>

Marge Steinhage Fenelon

As a woman of faith, I have always been driven to help others discover who they are as a child of God and what he is asking of them. This has become a thread throughout my writing, speaking, and life coaching. Read more>>

Kesha Davis

I use to be so suicidal and I didn’t want to go out down that road anymore so I decided to turn my pain into money into creation into healing and makeup saved me so I am ready to save others Read more>>

Tucker Cunningham

At 31 years old, I have been living with a condition known as Scoliosis. There are two types of scoliosis, one with a C curve and an S Curve. I live with the S curve. Read more>>

Daphne Davis

Hello my name is Daphne Davis and I am on a mission to inspire traditional students, non-traditional students, as well as First Generation students from all walks of life, that obtaining their educational goals are within their reach. Read more>>

Sasha Jardine

I founded SteMargScot in 2022 to counteract the complacency around polyester puffer coats. Wool is a natural, renewable, and low impact fibre that has kept us warm and dry for centuries. Read more>>

Micaela Young

Having worked over 10+ years in the Corporate Fashion Industry in the UK taught me so much, one of the main things being resilient to change and challenging myself to always go above & beyond in whatever I do. Read more>>