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.

Yuxiin Song

Our Mission: Fusing Art and Cuisine to Celebrate Cultural Heritage At FCC Group, our mission transcends the simple act of dining. We are dedicated to creating immersive experiences that marry the world of art with the culinary traditions of China and Southeast Asia. For us, a restaurant is not just a place to eat—it is a canvas where culture, history, and art come together to tell a story. Read more>>

Rose Patrice Jenn Kacmar

Let’s face it: making friends as an adult can feel like trying to find a unicorn in a haystack. It’s like you’ve just joined a new reality show where the challenge is “Can you make a friend without losing your sanity?” From initiating awkward small talk to juggling busy schedules, the struggle is real. And even if you do manage to find someone who’s as weirdly wonderful as you are, turning that “hey, we both like kombucha” into a genuine friendship often requires a mix of persistence and just a sprinkle of fairy dust. Read more>>

Patty Yslas

Upstanders united , is a support group for parents of special needs children. I’m a mom of 2 beautiful children on the autism spectrum. I had the idea of starting the support group to help other parents connect and take a much need it break . We have different activities each month we meet . Last month we had a yoga and sound healing session. The idea behind it is to make sure we take care of ourselves, so we can be good parents and caregivers to our special babies . We share stories, make new friends and share information. We try to guide others thru this journey, because after the diagnosis we have to navigate everything . We don’t get a guide book or instructions . This month a special speaker is coming , to share some of the resources that are available for the families in San Diego. Read more>>

Loretta Pickett

I established Dupree Seasonings LLC in Honor and Memory of my son (Dupree) who was killed April 23, 2020, as a passenger seat victim to the drunk driver. With little to no closure because of it being the early stages of covid and his body not being found until 3 weeks after it entered the water, depression and grief was and still is the worst awareness I’ve have ever experienced. It’s just not the order of life that we all expect it to be. No one in my generation or previous generations in my family had been through this type of loss and pain. I remember sitting in my car with regression of breath, nonstop tears flooding my eyes, a deep pain in my chest and a weakness of understanding which emotion I was feeling, and I looked up to notice the sun shining. It was blinded at first, but after all of the draining, heaviness of my present state, it felt really good on my skin. It was at that moment a memory came to mind Read more>>

Cory Plowman

Over the years with my photography, I have realized that I am one who chases beauty all around me. I feel that this has been my mission in life, and it has become more clear. When I go out with my camera, whether I’m walking along the streets in the US or in another country, I see the allure and charm in the mundane that’s all around. I not only chase beauty; in a sense, I create it, as I’m a storyteller through my art. I love it when people look at my craft and see a story being told, appreciating its beauty. Read more>>

Emily Neilson

In 2013, my life was flipped on its head when I lost my mother unexpectedly. Her passing was a devastating blow, but it also became a pivotal moment of reflection and growth for me. I knew she had more dreams and experiences she wanted to pursue, and this realisation sparked a deep desire within me to honour her legacy by living my own life to the fullest. Read more>>

Annarose Quinn

At 50fifty, our mission is rooted in creating awareness, education, and change around the topic of sexual assault. This isn’t just a mission we put on paper; it’s deeply personal to me as the founder and to many others who are part of our community. In August 2020, I became a survivor of sexual assault—a traumatic experience that changed the course of my life. Through that difficult journey, I realized the importance of not only healing but also using my voice to spark conversations that are often uncomfortable yet necessary. The statistics are staggering, and yet, there is a deafening silence around the issue. Read more>>

Danielle Mccarthy

After the death of my husband, I was left financially devestated. We followed all the “good advice” and standard financial advice presented to middle income America by financial professionals. I could not understand how or why I was in this circumstance. As I traversed the widow journey and learned more about money, the financial industry, and the unbelievable numbers of widows who will live in poverty, I knew what my mission and legacy needed to become! Read more>>

Gastón Corbala

The Backpackster’s mission is to empower individuals, especially those without a car, to earn money by walking with our innovative backpack advertising system. We provide advertisers with deep insights into their campaigns through advanced biometric data capture, enhancing ad effectiveness. Our platform will also offer special discounts for walkers, making it easier for them to access deals from advertisers. By promoting a healthier lifestyle, The Backpackster offers a unique and rewarding way to earn extra income while benefiting both individuals and businesses. Businesses often prioritize profits over enhancing people’s lives and providing additional income opportunities. Read more>>

Megan Chopra

My name is Megan Chopra, and I am a senior at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. I have always loved playing and watching sports including basketball, soccer, tennis, baseball and softball, and football. I played on many teams throughout lower and middle school. As girls, athletics was seen as more of an opportunity to just have fun, and less attention was given to our skill development and performance. But to me, sports always meant something more – it built community and taught me resilience, discipline, and confidence. Read more>>

Louis Southard

Honestly, I think comic books are one of the most interesting and unique artistic mediums in the world. The fact I get to write them is a dream come true and I only wish to write more in the future. But, my motivation for doing so isn’t really what people expect. It’s not because I’m a super fanboy of superheroes or because I hope to make a movie out of my work someday. No, it’s far too personal. Read more>>

Romina Keper

I’m Romy, a Speech-Language Pathologist and founder of @charTEACHerie. One day, I was putting together a charcuterie board for a teacher friend’s retirement party. As I was arranging the crackers and cheeses, I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be cute if this had school supplies and other things teachers need on it instead of food?” And my “a-ha!” moment came to me right there in my kitchen! Teachers love using puns in the classroom and thus the name came naturally as well: CharTEACHerie Gift Boards. Read more>>

Patrick Mensah

My brand became a vision in 2018 , I didn’t start to put action behind that vision until 2022. Why wait 4 years ? I believe it was just Gods timing . In 2022 I officially started my brand Movein5ilence LLC. It was during a time period of my life that I just felt tired of trying to wait for the “right” time to act on something I’ve always wanted to do . My mission is to promote a positive lifestyle physically , mentally , spiritually and financially using five core values of : faith, loyalty, respect , discipline and sacrifice. Read more>>

Kisha Wynter

Whether we like it or not, work takes up a significant portion of our lives. Many of us spend the majority of our waking hours at work, so if we are unhappy there, it means that we are unfulfilled in a significant part of our life. My purpose is to help corporations and leaders create inclusive coaching cultures where all talent thrives, regardless of background, this helps everyone feel fulfilled and that they are unleashed to contribute at their highest potential Read more>>

Aprielle Garcia

The beginning – 2020 hit and I discovered what one might call a dark night of the soul, my life was flipped upside down when my parents made me homeless at age 21. I learnt very quickly that I had to figure things out, this lead me down a path of seeking support in the wrong places which resulted in me developing a relationship with a narcissistic abuser. We very quickly moved in together and things spiralled out of control, before I could even catch breath of what was happening. Things came to a head in that relationship which resulted in a whirl wind of public outrage when I went missing with my abuser for 3 days. I experienced physical and sexual violence during that time and now have the perspective that it was actually my greatest gift.  Read more>>

Jennifer Beeston

My mission is to stop predatory lending in the mortgage industry by educating consumers. Education is power and the mortgage process and how to effectively shop mortgage lenders has been gate kept for too long. I started a YouTube channel approx 7 years ago where I share all my insider info and teach buyers about the process of buying a home and what to watch out for so they do not get taken advantage of. Read more>>

Dina Michael

My journey towards advocating for financial education began with a realization: many people around me were struggling with basic finances. They faced uncertainties about saving for retirement, handling unexpected expenses, securing their families’ futures, managing debt and achieving their financial goals. Witnessing these challenges ignited a passion within me to deepen my understanding of personal finance and share that knowledge with others. I saw firsthand how a lack of financial literacy could lead to hardships. This awareness not only drove me to grow my own financial skills but also inspired me to empower others too. Read more>>

Rachel Sommers

When I was 24 years old, my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was told by the many hospitals that we toured that he was essentially not going to make it, no matter what the treatment. Although I knew nothing about medicine, I started doing my own research, looking into alternative methods of treatment for cancer, thinking that perhaps there would be something in Eastern medicine that we weren’t thinking of that could potentially help treat him. Read more>>

Lovern Gordon

As a two-time sur-THRIVER of domestic violence (a child witness until she was 15 years old in Trinidad, as well as a 2-year, young adult relationship in the United States), this issue has been a part of my story. Ten years after escaping the adult relationship, I participated in and won two back-to-back pageants and used the platform to increase awareness around the issue in 2010. The following year, I launched the DV awareness organization, Love Life Now Foundation (LLN). Read more>>

Kristen Halder

I never imagined that I would live through, let alone write about and share such a life-altering experience. 2018 forever changed my perspective on life and what happens after it. I’m hoping that through my story, I can inspire others to look deeper within themselves and open their minds to the possibility that the supernatural is a very real thing, and an element that surrounds us every day, whether we’re aware of it or not. Read more>>

E.a. Noble

I am E.A. Noble and I write Queer and Diverse Fantasy for the Culture. What does that mean? It means that when a reader opens my books, they will see BIPOC, Queer, Neurodivergent, and disabled representation. I always tell people that one of my goals is to normalize diversity to the point where being Black, queer, fat, disabled, or anything else is just what it is—nothing more, nothing less. We exist, and we can be heroes too! One of my favorite stories is “Cinderella” with Brandy and Whitney Houston (R.I.P.). No one questioned why her stepsisters were Black and White with a White mother. No one questioned why the King and Queen were Black and White with an Asian son. People were just happy to see beautiful people on screen, dancing, singing, and being magical! That’s what I want: people to simply exist and be seen, heard, loved, and experienced without question and judgment. Read more>>

Jared Middleton

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear “toy photography”? Taking pictures of toys right? Well yes, you’re correct but it’s a whole lot more than that. There are very few creative hobbies or outlets nowadays for adults and children that don’t necessarily involve video games or Internet that are actually legitimately fun to do! Toy photography for many is a creative outlet they never knew existed! It’s an inspiring and addictive way to create and tell stories while also learning in developing valuable skills! One of my main goals in my creative journey with toy photography is to show as many people as I can, young and old, that this art form exists! There are millions of fans of toy photography out there, but they just don’t know it yet! Read more>>

Lynn Heatley

I started Love Riverside in 2016 because I saw the need to put love in action in our communities. I also saw the need to partner together with other existing nonprofits and civic/business organizations. My philosophy is that we can do so much more together than working independently. Nonprofit leaders can sometimes suffer from a scarcity mindset and feel like they have to compete for funds, volunteers, etc. It is is much more fun and rewarding when we all see and applaud one another’s strengths and how they uniquely serve the community. We all need each other and benefit incredibly when we collaborate together for the common good in our cities. This is why I was led to establish our organization. Read more>>

Nancy Solari

Nancy Solari is an inspiring example of living the life you want with a positive mindset, regardless of the challenges you face—and she is no stranger to adversity. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Nancy faced tremendous hardships during her childhood and teenage years. She witnessed domestic violence, her parent’s divorce, her sisters’ battle with eating disorders, and her mother’s fight against breast cancer. Unfortunately, the trials she experienced continued, and at the age of sixteen, Nancy was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive retinal disease that leads to blindness. Over the years, Nancy experienced subtle yet significant vision loss, but rather than allowing the disease and her painful past to dissuade her from following her dreams, she chose to persevere. Read more>>

Kerriann Hammock

As a woman, mother, and entrepreneur I was trying to determine the right path for how to get exposure to my business, Violette Eve Candle Co. When considering the options available, I found the organizations available, though wonderful in their own respect, did not speak to me as an individual. This is when I decided to get some of my friends together and start the Unruly Women Collective. An organization that inspires women through collaboration, compassion, and community. It gives business owners who are trying to balance life as women and some as mothers with following their passion. It gave me the opportunity to feel like I was on a team where normally a small business owner would be paving their path alone. Read more>>

Catalina Campos

I created the CIRCUL KC when I was 10-years-old. I was just three years old when I held my first volunteer project; candy canes for Seniors. That same year i received the title, Miss. Armour Oaks Community Service Project, for raising $25 for Armour Oaks Senior Living Community in Kansas City, Missouri. As time went on candy canes turned into door hangers and much bigger items. Fastforward to 2021, my mom and Stepdad became concerned with the education I was receiving in public school. I was having issues with bullying and with my ADD, all the distractions in the classroom made retaining information tough. My mom and stepdad decided to give homeschool a try, my mom left her position as Director of Human Resources in a non-profit senior living community and I said goodbye to public school. Read more>>

Karina Guardiola-lopez

As a writer and educator, I deeply believe that writing delves into life experiences, human perspectives, and the essence of our shared existence. As a writing coach and consultant, I nurture the growth of writers, offering solutions to overcome writer’s block, establishing routines that align with their goals, and fostering confidence in their craft. Through workshops and creative tools, I strive to inspire writers to share their stories with the world. Read more>>

Olivia Mccoy

I have been a book marketing, publicity, and branding professional in the publishing industry since 2017. Working in publishing does not lend itself to healthy work/life balance and synergy. It’s difficult to set boundaries and maintain a fulfilling life outside of your career—especially since working in publishing and with authors and books has been a lifelong passion and goal for me. Read more>>