Winning often looks like a long trail of losses that were too weak to keep you down. We are beyond inspired by the stories below. Resilience cannot capture the true nature of what so many of these entrepreneurs, artists and creatives possess and there is so much to learn from the folks highlighted below.

Keiona Jackosn of JB Culinary Holdings

In October 2010, while employed at G.E. Aviation, I was terminated over a safety issue, despite no fault of my own; it stemmed from a disagreement with my boss in front of his colleagues. Concurrently, I catered events, which inspired me to enroll in culinary school. I excelled and graduated from L’École Culinaire with honors. Reflecting on this journey, I am grateful to my former employer; his decision to terminate me pushed me to overcome my fears and wholeheartedly pursue my culinary passion. Read more>>

Joshua And Noelle Locke of Aurora Kombucha

Whilst Noelle has been brewing kombucha since 2016, we *technically* started the business in September of 2020, when we were faced with the possibility of exiting full-time military service out of the Air Force. We began introducing our unique brews to our friends to get their buy-in if they would actually purchase our kombucha if offered in a store–and with a lot of positive feedback, we began regularly selling our kombucha to customers in 2021. As it was a lot to manage on our own between other full-time jobs, we pivoted in 2022 so we could start brewing in a larger capacity, and to help us make it more available to anyone who wanted our komba (our affectionate nickname for kombucha). We’re currently working to make our komba accessible to as many places in Alaska this year, and then looking at other possibilities to expand. Read more>>

Delaney Gibbons

I grew up just outside Philadelphia, then moved to New York City for college where I earned a dual degree—a BFA in illustration from Parsons School of Design, and a BA in Creative Writing from Eugene Lang College, with a poetry focus. I spent the next decade working primarily as a graphic designer while developing my creative voice and style through side projects. I am now based in Ames, Iowa, working on freelance and personal projects, with a focus on autobiographical comics and picture books. Read more>>

Natalie Kovarik

The ranching way of life has always been familiar to me. I was born and raised a 4th generation rancher’s daughter on a cattle ranch in South West Montana. It’s such a beautiful part of the country; right where the headwaters of the Missouri River merge against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, and it is truly one of my favorite places. I found my way back into agriculture when I met and married my husband. He’s a Nebraska boy through and through and like myself he grew up with ranching in his family. He was in Montana visiting our ranch for our annual bull sale where we met at the after party. We now own and operate our own ranch in Central Nebraska where along with the daily running of our operation I also share our ranching and familying story online and am the host of the popular podcast Discover Ag. Read more>>

Sara Thomas

My name is Sara Thomas and I am a 28-year-old multiracial woman from Massachusetts, USA living with severe chronic depression, anxiety, and mild psychosis. My entire life, I have been fascinated by other languages, cultures, history, psychology, and people. These interests have influenced both my educational and career paths. I have my B.A. in Art History from UCLA and am currently completing my M.S. in Psychology from SNHU. With a professional background in human resources, recruiting, plus diversity and inclusion, I decided to make a change and start a mental health advocacy mission-driven organization. Read more>>

Liz Gold

I am an artist, writer, and entrepreneur on a journey of consciousness. My road has been full of adventure, emotional ups and downs, cross-country moves, queer love, spiritual work, and healing. I have been very fortunate to always have the resources I need to do what I want to do. While I am a dreamer, I am also a doer; I’ve funded and produced independent creative projects for more than two decades while making my living as a journalist and communications consultant, with other random jobs along the way. Read more>>

Alex Duff of Darker Days Productions

Growing up in rural Limerick gave me mixed feelings towards a creative lifestyle. I lived on the border of Kerry, attending school in the county and visiting the nearby town of Listowel for their annual writer’s week along with learning about their successful writers like John B. Keane. I studied many local creative works during my time in school, and the school itself often promoted creative mindsets through music, drama, and writing. I was one of few students who would be excited when we were assigned to write a short story for homework. I always got a boost of adrenaline when I could brainstorm a new idea, whether it be a more realistic story where I could take inspiration from my own life, or a piece of exaggerated fiction where I could improvise more. Read more>>

Macinnes of Content Queen Mariah

The content creator/marketer in me really came into play in 2014. I was at university studying Journalism and Public Relations. It started with my first blog…  I had recently come back from my first overseas holiday to Thailand and Singapore and decided to start writing on my travels (because I was planning so many more) for a blog. Every trip sparked a new blog.  It was after my 2017 holiday to The United States and Mexico with some friends that saw me really take this seriously. I created a brand (I didn’t know it at the time) and renamed my blog “A Travellers Antics”. I also started an Instagram. Read more>>

Adelle Brianne

Back in my early 20s, I remember being told by my boss at Clear Channel Radio that they were “in a freeze” and unable to shift my job position or salary at the time. However, I’d been given more and more responsibilities beyond the scope of the original job description. My boss hired me as Sales Assistant with graphic design skills and I worked with about 50 salespeople, helping them craft attractive RFPs (requests for proposals). Soon after, other departments heard of my talent and I ended up doing graphic design and website design for five departments as their in-house graphic designer. Read more>>

Marjorie Kaye’s Story

Visual arts have always been my concentration, but I have been involved in all the art forms over the years. There were notable experiences and instances which have enhanced my work as my major focus in my life, most notably, being exposed to the nature of art and the responsibilities of being an artist. My mentor, Arnold Trachtman’s words “Art is a 24 hour, 7 days a week job” rings true to this day, as it has over the many years. I am extremely fortunate, as it is waking up into that deep part of the self that art realizes within. Read more>>

Ke Francis

I am a naturally curious person. I was an only child in a household where the major forms of entertainment were illustrated books and the evening radio programs. The books published during the 1920s and 30s were letterpress printed books with color illustrations by very good art illustrators. My grandfather was a self-educated electrical engineer, a well read man. During my pre-teen years, during the hottest part of very hot summer days, he and I would sit in a swing in the shade of some giant oak trees in his back yard and he would read me the timeless classics, the works of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey and other works he thought might both inform and entertain me. Read more>>

Qianwen Yu

I have a background in architecture and drawing studies spanning several years. Following rigorous exam-oriented studies in architectural design and painting, I developed an interest in art that defies the established rules of my training while maintaining its influence. In 2018, upon arriving in Chicago, I began experimenting with different materials and methods of animation. My interest in textiles started while I was attempting to combine woven fabrics with my animation. After falling in love with the work of 20th-century Bauhaus weaving artists, weaving became a core part of my work. Read more>>

Willeen Capehart

The Story of PHASE Five years ago, I embarked on a journey to create PHASE, a brand deeply rooted in my lifelong passion for fashion—a passion instilled in me by my mother. Growing up, looking good was an essential part of my upbringing. However, as a female who presents with a masculine style, my personal fashion preferences were often not accepted in my household. This clash with societal and familial norms led me to create PHASE, a brand that allowed me to rebel against these constraints and find freedom in self-expression through clothing. Read more>>

Kelly Hartman

I started my business Studio 308 the summer after graduating from college with a BFA in painting. The business was a side gig as I spent nearly 10 years working as a museum curator waiting for the right time to switch careers. The time finally arrived May of 2023 when I was able to move into running my business full time. May of 2024 I changed my business name to better reflect my work: Wild Joy Creative. Read more>>

Jessica Wachter’s Story

I am an abstract expressionist artist hailing from Bismarck, North Dakota. I pour personal narratives of celebration, struggle, love, and loss onto large-scale canvases, weaving layers of vibrant color, rich textures, and dynamic compositions. Art became my sanctuary and my means of self-expression after I was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. Read more>>

Jodi Goodfellow of Startup Fashion Week

Some say it’s impossible to be a woman that ‘does it all’ but I am proof it is possible, at least to my standards. I have always been someone who has balanced multiple jobs / roles of responsibility. When I was in University I always held anywhere from 3 – 5 part-time jobs – not because I had to financially, but because I enjoyed it and yet I never missed a pub night! Read more>>

Mitchell Martishius of Montana Block LLC

I started woodworking with my dad as a young kid. My dad is a master carpenter and always had a project going on that I could help out with. Helping him out in my youth sparked my interest in wood and how it behaved, so I went to college for Wood Products. I’ve had various jobs throughout my adult years but always went back to wood working in my free time. Thats when my wife asked for a nice cutting board for our kitchen. Read more>>

Jesse Effect’s Story

My special effect journey started off with me using it as a coping mechanism for my depression. I would do the makeup instead of physically harming myself. Read more>>

Shelly Devlin

Well lots has happened since my first interview with you in August of 2023…….life as it often does took a few turns and I have shifted my direction a bit…..this is my “meet me” page of my new updated website @ shelly devlin.life Meet Shelly, a passionate hairdresser, who has honed her skills in the art of transforming hair into beautiful masterpieces. Through this life long career she has learned the importance of attention to detail, creativity, and the ability to bring out the best in others, but Shelly’s journey doesn’t stop there. Read more>>

Alicia Daw of Alicia Ann Photographers

When I was a young girl, I was completely uninterested in the things my friends were playing with – Dolls, Barbie’s, and all the stereotypical little girls things. You could find me climbing a tree in my parent’s backyard, playing football with the boys, and taking an active interest in nature. Somewhere along the way, my parents got me a 110mm Barbie camera, maybe in hopes to get me to be a little less of a tomboy. I never picked up a Barbie, but that camera did change the trajectory of my life. I spent my teenage years photographing my younger siblings, setting them up with installments I would make in my bedroom, and asking them to pose in a variety of ways. Read more>>

Kelly Rose Sarno of Declan’s Mining Co.

My name is Kelly Rose Sarno and for the last 15 years I have shared my life on social media. Over the last decade I have created a great community that is supportive and energetic. In 2020 I decided to brance off and create my own comapny, Declan’s Mining Co. We create mining buckets that are ffilled with authentic gemstones, minerals and fossils hidden in clean filtered play sand for our customers to dig through to find the treasures. Read more>>

Stephanie Smith of Sacred Paws

My story does not have a starting point per se. Everything is continual, ongoing, moment to moment, life to life. Literally every moment I have ever experienced has brought me to this now moment. Most succinctly, after decades of forcing my way through life, I was confronted with one choice, to let it all go. I left my teaching career as public school high school teacher and adjunct professor at Worcester State University. I moved to Maine with my brother and sister in law and we opened a brick and mortar holistic wellness center and tea shoppe and apothecary. I was overjoyed to help support people in this way; through natural, holistic, and energetic means.  Read more>>

Sophia Du Brul, Isa Am of Sophia’s Estate Sales and Appraisals

Nine years and counting, I am still conducting estate sales and doing appraisals. It started with one sale in 2015, and a hundred sales later, I am one of the premier estate liquidators in the Chicago area. Along the way, there have some ups and downs and some good business lessons, but despite the challenges, my passion for this career grows stronger. There is something to learn in every sale, and I am really helping people in challenging situations. Read more>>

Yien Truong

I started my journey working with concrete at the start of the pandemic when everything was closed except for a few essentials. It turns out that Home Depot was open. I had always wanted to work with concrete and thought that this was the perfect opportunity. Read more>>

Christi Pratte

Prior to becoming a writer and opening my writing business, Ghost Girl, I worked 7 years as a kindergarten teacher, kickboxing instructor, barista/coffee house manager, waitress, and tutor (yes, simultaneously!) — all for startups/women owned businesses, which was an incredible foreshadow! During pockets of “free time” I found myself writing (something I’ve always loved to do). This often looked like 4am writing sessions, late nights, and 40 minute spaces between shifts. In 2016 I started my first blog, The Passion Warrior Project (now rebranded into HustlePretty.Co). Read more>>

Samantha Courtois

As I was going through some storage items, I came across my 6th grade year book. I opened it up and inside, under my name was my future dream; “To be a hair stylist”. I actually completely forgot about this, but my 6th grade self manifested my future. In high school I gained a large interest in hair and makeup, and I took 2 years of Cosmetology at the local tech school. After graduating high school, I took a little time off and my Aunt pushed me back into my dream. She convinced me to give Cosmetology a chance, and I went back to school and got my license. After that, it was a blur. Time flies when your’e having fun, and its been 15 years of having fun doing what I love.  Read more>>

Jovonia Ayers

I am Jo-Vonia but, I prefer to go by Jo. I am the owner of Loc Beads and Things. I started my business journey in 2020. I got started with inspiration from a few friends and, family. They saw beauty in my art work and, thought I should be selling it to others. I took that inspiration and, started going to events to sell my adornments. I’ve continued to create new products that are unique and, very popular among my local community. Ive been selected numerous times to be apart of local events including fashion shows, women empowerment showcases, Breast Cancer Awareness events, college events, and large Festivals. I’ve really learned so much in the last few years growing my business. I know that with God’s grace my small business will become a Big business. Read more>>

Sara Mizrachi’s Story

Hi! My name is Sara Mizrachi and jewelry has been a part of my life for nearly my entire life. I started making jewelry around the age of 7 and I quickly fell in love with creating patterns of color, shape and texture(my mom still has a few pieces from that long ago). I should note that I am 38 years old… Jewelry design became a larger part of my life at the age of 13, when my best friend came over and we chose jewelry making as our activity. We made necklaces using clay flower beads, and she had such a strong, positive reaction to my finished necklace that is sparked that all encompassing passion for jewelry. Since then, I have been growing and honing my skills, mostly through life experience, although lately I have been working with a business coach(Monica Little) who has really helped me refine my brand, leaning into my instincts and taking risks along the way. Read more>>

Brandi Hofer

Hello! I’m Brandi Hofer, and I wear many creative hats—artist, muralist, author, podcaster, and educator. My passion lies in making meaningful connections through art. It’s not easy, but it sure is fun, I work at it every single day. I always pinch myself, in awe that I get to have all these as my job, so friggin’ cool! I’m thrilled to be a collected Canadian artist, with my work exhibited internationally and across North America. One of the highlights of my career was showcasing my pieces in the vibrant art scene of NYC. Read more>>

Deeppa Ravindran’s Story

I had a bad back injury about 6 years ago, which I later discovered was a slipped disc. The pain was excruciating; it felt like my nerves were on fire in my lower back. Even after being treated by conventional medical centers, hospitals, and doctors, my pain was not getting better. I used to lead an active lifestyle dancing ballet and training at the gym, but had to stop based on medical advice. Many times, I was advised to rest and not exercise or carry heavy weights; which leads to muscle atrophy or muscle degeneration. It made me feel weaker and I always had to go back for treatment to relieve the pain. Somehow I could not break the pain cycle. Read more>>

Kerri Herlihy

I started my makeup career 28 years ago when I began working for MAC Cosmetics in Boston, MA. I had reluctantly started college for a major I was not entirely sure of. A good friend of mine approached me with the opportunity to work full-time at MAC, and I jumped at the chance. It was definitely scary to leave college behind me, but it was a risk that paid off. While I was at MAC I had a chance to meet, and work with some amazing photographers, and other MUA’s. From photo shoots to fashion shows I was able to learn the ins and outs of different styles of makeup in multiple settings. I also worked on a few independent movies, and multiple commercials. Read more>>

Sarah Dowuona of Film Etoile

Thank you for having me. My journey as a filmmaker was not something that was in mind whiles growing up. Growing up I wanted to be an airhostess, actress, midwife, teacher or a public servant like my mum. I wasn’t so sure of what I really wanted but I knew I loved arts so that was what I focused on. After high school I just decided to go to a film school (National Film and Television Institute now UniMAC Institute of Film and Television) to train as an actress but unfortunately they did not offer “Infront of the camera” courses but only “behind the camera” courses. I opted for what I thought would be the easiest to get a job after graduating which to me was Television Production. Read more>> 

 

Kristine Beese of Untangle Money

The first time I went to a financial advisor at a bank, I left feeling incredibly small and insignificant. Disappointingly, this is not an experience unique to me. My name is Kristine Beese, P.Eng. and I am the CEO and founder of Untangle Money. At the time, I worked as an engineer and ran my own boutique consulting company in the oil and gas industry. I was making incredible money for my age and felt like there was something I was supposed to do with my money, like an elusive ‘right way’ to manage it, and I was trying to figure out what that was. I assumed that I could get the answers I was looking for from my bank. Sadly, I didn’t understand the options that the financial advisor gave me, at least not well enough to be confident investing in them, and he didn’t answer my questions.  Read more>>

Giulia Davis

Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a tattoo artist. I was always fascinated by the permanence of tattoos. The dedication. The way they stay with you forever, and the nature of making such a large commitment. The fact that they can either be taken very seriously, or be done on a whim. From the time I was very young, the entire culture of the tattoo world was the only place I felt I could truly belong. It was a place for outsiders. A profession that felt like being a rogue pirate, where you can make your own rules and decide your own life. Read more>>

Brionne Beck’s Story

Over a decade ago, I set out to make a simple moisturizer from natural ingredients that my skin would love. I had always had very sensitive skin that was prone to breakouts and rashes. I thought I was being careful by purchasing lotions that were ‘for sensitive skin’ and ‘unscented’. Little did I know, there were still so many nasty ingredients in those moisturizers that didn’t agree with me. Once I started carefully reading labels for my food, I turned that consciousness over to skincare products. Read more>>