Winning comes in so many different forms that it’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it. The CanvasRebel community is filled with so many incredible folks who have overcome long odds, challenged the status quo and won. Below, you’ll find stories of these winners along with much of the accumulated wisdom on what it takes to succeed.

Dawn Ward of The Faith to Flourish

I grew up in a neighborhood where most of its residents were public servants in one capacity or another. Teachers, police officers, food servers, public utility personnel, and like my father, a few were employed with the fire department. Naturally, I followed in my parents’ footsteps and went to work for our local power company. When I married, I married a man who worked in engineering for our state’s Regional Transportation Department. Read more>>

Brandi Gilstrap of Becoming Wildly Well & Wealthy

I grew up in a household where mental illness and addiction wrecked havoc on my mother and father and both sides of their family from grandparents down to cousins. I saw the effects of mental illness and I knew I needed to do something to change that for my family! In 2017, I started a blog called ‘Becoming Wildly Well’ where I started sharing about the stigma of mental health and the effects it had on me and my family. In 2020, Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi and Jenna Kutcher delivered a Facebook ad to me on a day I was struggling that promised to teach me how to turn my pain into purpose, my mess into my message and how to reach people from all over the world and make an impact and income. I dove deep into the program and gave it my 110% attention while a worked a full time job as an Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of a billion dollar insurance agency. Read more>>

Onnie Michalsky of Moms Without Capes

After being a stay-at-home mom for over 14 years, there came a time when I was itching to get back into a career beyond the home. In 2017, I decided to pursue a state licensure in counseling, as I had a Masters in Art degree in Mental Health Counseling already under my belt. In a matter of one week, I went from being the primary parent taking care of six children to a full-time working outside-of-the-home mother. It was a huge transition for my family and quite messy as we navigated dinners, transportation issues, and childcare. For two years, I worked for our community mental health center until 2019, when I made the decision to start my own practice. Read more>>

Adetokunbo Osinaike’s Story

My journey has been one of transformation and self-discovery, rooted in a deep desire to live authentically and support others in doing the same. I started my professional career in corporate America, working in engineering and engineering sales. For over a decade, I thrived in that space but also found myself sacrificing parts of who I really was to fit the image that was expected of me. The constant grind, the polished corporate persona, and the push for external success eventually led me to burnout and a realization that I wasn’t living in alignment with my true self. Read more>>

Wenjun Chen

I am Wenjun Chen, an interdisciplinary artist working on new media, focusing on exploring the mixed relationship between real and virtual. My work involves the fields of self-identity, internet and technology, data and personal data. Born in China, I am currently based in New York City. I was a self-taught photographer and received an MFA from the Digital and Interdisciplinary Art Practice Program at the City College of New York. Read more>>

Monty Uhlhorn of Toe’s Detail

I started detailing in my parent’s garage when I was in high school. At the time I was working normal jobs for a person that age but soon realized it wasn’t for me. After learning the ins and outs of detailing I launched Toe’s Detail out of that garage. After enough time I had enough to buy a van and go mobile. Since then it’s been a great journey. Those beginning years were defiantly rough but it helped me get to where I am today. Read more>>

Mary Zalla

After 3 1/2 years as a Pre-Veterinary Science major, I changed my major to Journalism and upon graduation took my first job as a copywriter at an advertising agency. I loved it! But I also enjoyed interacting with clients so I became a Client Manager as well. From there I went on to have a 35+ year career in advertising, brand and design. When I decided to retire early last year, literally song ideas started pouring into my head. I had always been a writer in one way, shape or form, including writing song parodies, but never original songs. But now original songs were coming to me and of course looking back, those songs are horrible. But in March of last year I started learning about the craft and business of songwriting. I joined several communities, took countless classes, read books, met with people etc. And I continue to do all of this. Read more>>

Barry Nutall

Well… My journey to starting my own food business began with my utter love and respect for food. That journey, I would have to say, started very young. I can remember going out to eat with my entire family one evening at a very nice local restaurant when I was very young. When I was asked what I wanted to eat I excitedly yelled out, “Shrimp!!!” Needless to say, that got some strange looks and inquiries from my family but I can still remember how happy I was and how good it tasted and made me feel. Read more>>

Léia Jacoutot’s Story

My name is Leia, like the princess in “Star Wars” and I’m an actress currently based in NYC. I was born and raised in Paris and I come from a very artistic family. I got the acting bug early because of my mother who would bring me to set a lot. I remember observing everybody there and being so fascinated. I really decided that I wanted to work in this industry a few years later after seeing “Pulp Fiction” by Quentin Tarantino and a production of Hamlet at the Globe Theatre in London. I just got very inspired by these two. Read more>>

Zeely Edwards of ZME professional counseling services

women therapists, particularly African American psychotherapists. There was a large population of people seeking professionals who could relate to their unique experiences and offer understanding from a shared cultural perspective. This realization pushed me to start my own private practice, with the goal of not only helping those who sought therapy but also supporting other therapists in the field.

Tessa Tide

When I watched TV shows as a kid, I always resonated with the characters that were singers or musicians, not the characters with other professions. I remember when I read Disney magazines I was always interested by the pages that talked about writing songs, not the ones that said “does this boy like you quiz” if that makes sense. Then growing up I realised I wanted to be on stages and sing, and perform, write songs, make music. Read more>>

 Jami Dale

My story started in college. I decided to study abroad in Spain. It was my second time on a plane and my first time leaving the country. I’d always had secret dreams of being someone who traveled, explored, and lived a life true to what I wanted, but I don’t know if I ever really thought it was possible for me. Read more>>

Daryl Riley

I grew up in Newburgh, NY, and my journey has been defined by innovation, resilience, and a deep commitment to making a positive impact. I founded Tendaji in June 2020, a fashion tech company that integrates sustainability and cutting-edge technology. Our flagship product is a solar-powered wireless charging jacket, which is currently patent-pending. This venture has garnered recognition and landed me a nomination for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Retail & E-commerce category. Alongside Tendaji, I lead a nonprofit called GiveBLK, which focuses on empowering the Black Diaspora through educational and professional development programs. Through these initiatives, we’ve partnered with major events like the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, which was founded by actor Michael B. Jordan. Read more>>

Nicole (nikki) Lacherza-drew of Vici Psychological Care LLC

I am a licensed psychologist and the owner of a virtual-only private practice. I launched my practice in the spring of 2019, initially offering a hybrid model of therapy, both in-person and through telehealth. Like many therapists, I transitioned fully to virtual therapy when COVID-19 hit. I briefly returned to in-person sessions, but the convenience of telehealth, preferred by both my patients and myself, ultimately led me to continue with the virtual format. Read more>>

Suki Violet Su

I’m Suki Violet Su, a visual artist and creative director based between New York and Shanghai. I’m the co-founder of ALL IN AD agency and the founder of ABSURD SILVER NEW YORK. Growing up in Shenzhen, China’s largest immigrant city, and traveling extensively, I’ve always been fascinated by the themes of human belonging, cultural identity, and the interaction between Eastern and Western visual narratives. Read more>>

Jordan Birnbaum of Jordan Birnbaum Consulting, LLC

I got lucky right out of college – I was the 101st hire at D. E. Shaw & Co., which was pioneering quantitative trading. They were hiring liberal arts students with good grades to join the mailroom, and after a few months, most of us got placed somewhere else. I was sent to London to learn how to become a market-maker of Japanese equity warrants. It was an incredible experience, professionally and personally, but I learned that finance was just not my cup of tea. Read more>>

Amos Fisher’s Story

I’ve been making music all my life, and it’s always leaned toward the dramatic. Over time I began involving storylines and actual stage direction in my compositions, calling them concept albums, rock operas, and circus melodramas. Concurrently, I was immersing myself in meditation, philosophy, psychology, psychedelics, expanded states of consciousness, and music psychotherapy. When I was in graduate school for music therapy, I made an album called Workhorse with my psychedelic prog punk band CONTINVVS. It tells a story of the hardest working horse in the world who works all his life faithfully for his master, only to discover his own true work calling and then transform into a star. The covid-19 pandemic interrupted my last semester of grad school and my entire life in New York City, and this album was completed during lockdown in NC – very much as if I had myself transformed into a star and floated away from everything I knew, like my eponymous workhorse. Read more>>

 Robin Olsen

I grew up loving to draw and make things. Stacks of boxes, piles of fabric, magazines, or buttons, anything became an art project. When it came time for college, I wanted to combine my love of art with an ability to make a living, so I enrolled in a Commercial Art program. I was in heaven for the first two years with classes in drawing, design and color theory, but when the program turned to pre-computer graphic design and advertising, it became far too tedious for me. Read more>>

Glen Van Peski

For me, as with for most of us I suspect, it’s not one story, it’s multiple stories, woven together at points. I have a story that is my professional engineering career. I have a story that is accidentally starting a backpacking company, Gossamer Gear. I have a story of adventures in the outdoors. I have a story of relationships, getting married (and staying married over 40 years), having kids (including a severely handicapped son who died before his 20th birthday), growing up with my divorced mom. Read more>>

Joseph Saner of Deeper Entertainment

First of all, I really appreciate Canvas Rebel for bringing me back. Our first session has brought much needed attention to our beautiful state of South Dakota, our global distribution, and our brand Deeper Entertainment. Thank you. I grew up in music. I had a real close relationship with my Great Grandfather and he was a wizard with the ivory keys. I was always captivated by the tones, riffs, and music he would play on his Grand. He also had a very nice 2 stack organ, which was super fun to mess with as a itty bitty, and as I got older, and learned to play, put to good use, keeping my heart, hands, mind, and body, busy, all the time. Those 2 instruments, and my family, made sure I fell in love with music.  Read more>>

Mydreamsisvivid

So I’m Mydreamsisvivid, and I started producing at the age of 13 in Baltimore, Maryland, where I was born and raised. Through music being played 24/7 in my home, I learned to value its power and range. Through in-depth studying at my alma mater, Bowie State University, I was able to solidify that music was something I could seriously pursue and something I want to do consistently for the rest of my life. I also feel collaboration has gotten me to where I am, whether I was directly and extensively working with someone like my longtime collaborator and friend Kenzo Cole, or classmates I met in college—where the collaborations never saw the light of day—I just learned so much by being in the presence of other creatives. Curiosity also plays a huge part in my story. I remember playing instruments all throughout grade school, and it wasn’t that I was necessarily obsessed with playing them; I was just curious about how to play and what I could do with them. Also, it was encouraged by my mom. I feel like a huge part of my story now is realizing that it’s not just the music that fuels the music—and vice versa. You have to promote your work, plan it, and explore other mediums that fuel the music-making (i.e., DJing, creative direction). Read more>>

 Jason Buyer of Jason Buyer Coaching

I’m grateful to have been a part of the entertainment industry for over twenty years. I got my start casting extras and commercials in Chicago, Illinois for a company called Holzer & Ridge Casting I was the senior casting coordinator at Warner Bros. Television, (Eastwick, Zero Effect, Thieves, Harry Stone, Bull), the casting associate at Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting (Rude Awakening, Any Day Now, The Gregory Hines Show, Glory, Rag and Bone), and the former casting associate at Weber & Associates Casting at MGM (Dead Like Me, She Spies, Fame Encore, Stargate -SG1, Soldier of Fortune, The Outer Limits, The Crow, 12 Angry Men, The Gingerbread Man, A Hero From Zero). I left casting to open up my own company, Marketing The Actor, making a name for myself with my unique approach to selling an actors product as well as the audition process. Read more>>

Caroline (carly) Falk & Sharnise Hendrick of Lotus Embodied Counseling

Carly: I was a cannonball of a child. Intense, driven, and definitely destructive at times. It felt like the world didn’t move fast enough and there was never enough time. I craved deep questions and conversations while chasing the most fun I could squeeze out of each day. I loved being in my own thoughts and ideas and also jumping out of trees. When I had to be still, I read. I remember being overjoyed and grateful that I could read as many books as I wanted. In fifth grade, I read my entire school library. I simply ran out of books (to be fair it wasn’t a huge library). I failed math too many times to count though. Read more>>

Dreaprende

I grew up in a toxic household and was constantly surrounded by negative energies. For me music was an outlet to express myself and find connections with like-minded people. I’ve always been into dance and music; another big reason I continue to pave this way for my peers & myself is because I don’t feel like there’s enough Mexican-American representation in the industry and I wanna be that. Read more>>

Piero Manrique’s Story

My inspiration comes from the many lively and vibrant gatherings hosted by my big Latin-American family. As an introvert who is not much of a dancer, I gravitated towards observing everyone else. There is something fascinating about watching people who are in their element, letting go without any worries in the world. Do they know what they look like when they’re at their happiest? 14-year old Piero started striving to capture those carefree moments on film. Read more>>

John John Jesse’s Story

During the mid to late 1980s living in a punk squat in the Lower East Side of NYC I was making gig flyers for my band Nausea. I did our logos and other art for us. I never took my natural ability as an artist seriously then. It was all about our band and message.Fast foward to 2000, I finally got clean off a severe addiction and started painting casually to keep sane in between NA meetings. One thing led to another and eventually I was showing my work and they started selling and I finally got serious about my precious gift that I always had but often ignored, Read more>>

Enrico Napoletano

As the saying goes, every beginning is tough. However, if I’m not mistaken, it was actually quite exciting for me. The hard part came a bit later, when I emigrated to another country. One day, I resigned from my job, walked across the street to an art store, and that’s when the adventure began. Right there, at that very moment, I met a somewhat established painter from Caracas, Venezuela! We went to his studio. Read more>>

Meg Justice

My name is Meg Tannehill Justice and I live and have my Studio in the beautiful tiny mountain town of Mentone, Alabama located in the southern Appalachians . Ive been an artist and had a desire to create for as long as I can remember. I graduated from Auburn University with a BFA in Fine Art and majored in illustration. Im a painter, illustrator and printmaker and have specialized in linocut printmaking since 2017. Read more>>

Lacresia Chestnut’s Story

In 2017, Lavish and Thrifty, a lifestyle brand, began with a single trip that sparked a lot of curiosity. I traveled to Dubai using a Groupon, and everyone was asking me how I made it happen and what it cost. When I got back, I wrote a blog post about the experience and shared it on Facebook. The post gained so much attention that it inspired me to launch a full blog, where I could share how I manage my money to “FUNd” my lifestyle. Since then, it’s been a journey of sharing tips, stories, and strategies to help others enjoy life on a budget. Read more>>

Talaya Scott of FIIT Perspective, LLC

First of all, thank you for featuring me. My story started as a young mom surrounded by a lot of confusion regarding managing money. No one in my family or circle talked about it, schools didn’t teach it, and I was completely unaware of its importance. I had my first daughter by the age of 19, and by the time I was 30, I was a single mom of three, broke, bankrupt, without a car, and on the verge of losing my home. I was broken, and this was definitely one of the lowest points in my life. But at that moment, something remarkable happened. I made a conscious decision—I refused to let the cycle of poverty continue in my family. I didn’t realize then that everything would change when I shifted my mindset. On my journey, I began finding answers to questions I didn’t know I should ask. Read more>>

Ameena Fareeda

Hello! My name is Ameena Fareeda and I am currently a freelance Illustrator and Designer based in the DMV area. My journey to becoming the Artist that I am today began with the importance of exploring my identity and finding interests that developed my unique sense of self. Growing up I loved experimenting with different creative forms of expression. Whether it was painting portraits, drawing still lifes, participating in theater programs, listening to music day in and day out, watching movies, or reading books, and doodling every chance I get. Digesting and analyzing how people expressed their inner and true selves allowed me to open up and break through my own shell. Creating art was one of the few things that freed me and allowed me to just be myself without any pressure or rules attached. I desperately wanted to continue to feel the spark of joy and relief I felt as I created and decided to pursue the arts into my college years, even though I was unsure of my journey ahead.  Read more>>

Veronica Pereira

My story started in the corporate world, working a 9-5 job in title and escrow. I did well professionally, but my heart wasn’t in it. I felt stuck in a dead-end role, even though I was excelling. Health and wellness had always been a passion of mine, so while working full-time and pregnant with my son, I decided to go back to school for nutrition. But the universe had different plans for me. After having my son, I made the difficult decision to quit my corporate job and dive into this passion full-time. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve made—not because of a lack of support, but because I had no idea what I was doing. It took me a few months to find my footing. I put so much pressure on myself to launch my coaching business, thinking I’d be supporting women dealing with infertility, since that was my personal journey. Read more>>

Jahara Jennae’s Story

I grew up as a creative. I played the piano competitively, sang, and graduated from a performing arts school. My time on stage really caused me to fall in love with the process behind the scenes. The biggest interest was the makeup and costuming department. I began exploring the world of makeup through theater and it grew from there. Starting my business in college from my dorm, I knew nothing about business and everything about art. I was determined to figure it out. I simultaneously was running a calligraphy business and that was actually my entry point into weddings. I fell in love with the beauty of a wedding day, I had a bride who needed support with her hair and makeup at the last minute. While I hadn’t worked a wedding, I had plenty of experience doing makeup on anxious and high need girls! So I took the opportunity and immediately knew that it was for me. Read more>>

Author Khemistri J of Author Khemistri J | Next Caliber
Productions

My story as an author has been a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and finding my voice. Writing was always something I felt drawn to, but for years, I let fear and doubt keep me from fully embracing it. I worried about what people would think, and I questioned if I was really ready to put my work out there for the world to see. It wasn’t until I faced a serious health challenge that I found the strength to stop waiting and start pursuing my passion wholeheartedly. Read more>>

 Becky Yunk Walsch of Becky Yunk Art

I’ve always loved horses and wanted one so naturally I started drawing them as soon as I could hold a crayon. I’ve never been able to have one yet or be around them so making wire drawings of them is my time and way of being with them. Read more>>

Dan Koval’s Story

Stubbornness, pride, and ego got me started. As the youngest of three kids with parents who are still married today, I grew up with a mindset that it was me against the world. It wasn’t until I married my high school sweetheart and had an encounter with God that my world turned upside down. I shifted from doing things for the recognition and future favors to operating from a place of gratitude and humility—though I’m far from perfect. Read more>>

Mingyuan Dong’s Story

My name is Mingyuan Dong. I am an artist, designer, and writer based in California and Rhode Island. I’ve known that “art” would be my calling since I was a toddler. I was born with an artistic instinct to create. By the age of two, I was already picking up pens to draw, needles to sew, and scissors to cut. As soon as I became aware of myself, the objects, and the spaces around me, I knew I would dedicate my life to working with the arts. Read more>>

Zakiya Holman

I’ve dedicated my life to being of support to persons who are neurodivergent. I’ve served as a special education teacher, mental health professional and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Currently, I serve in the capacity of Clinical Director for the Center of Social Dynamics. I’ve been fortunate to be engaged in deeply fulfilling work for over 25 years now. I’m aways amazed by the spontaneous interactions I get to have with persons with exceptional needs, daily! I hadn’t a clue that my students would be my greatest teachers, aiding in my personal growth and development. I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to observe moments of awe unfold daily whereby children, adolescents and young adults with autism, whose very diagnosis connotes “withdrawal within self,” take audacious actions to transcend “the self,” daily and resource the courage necessary to show up authentically. Likewise do their caregivers. It is their strength and the strength exhibited by mother and guardian angel as she gracefully navigated stage four cancer, that has given me a boldness to orient towards what matters most. Read more>>

Marty Falle

I was born and raised in Parma, Ohio. I was one of several high school football players recruited to join a male-depleted high school choir, and quickly became a standout in the Normandy Senior High Choir, Pop Ensemble, Barbershop Quartet, Orchestra, and anything else that kept me out of Math Class and got me an automatic “A” grade for just showing up. I learned viola, saxophone, bass guitar, piano and guitar along the way. I fell in love with music, especially singing harmony vocals. In addition, I got involved with musicals, performing in “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat” and “Fiddler on the Roof”. Upon arriving at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. I was a tenor in the Ohio University Singers and OU Choral group. I created and fronted a band called “Voices”, playing bars and festivals, won a Battle of the Bands and played Byrd Arena. It was an amazing experience. Read more>>

Maissa Houri

I grew up always wanting to be a performer. I did all the school plays and talent shows. I was a producer before I knew what producing was! I was organizing shows as well as performing in them. Fast forward many years later, after getting into acting professionally, I realized how competitive it was and how parts for a Middle Eastern women were very few and far between so I started to create work for myself and others by writing, producing and directing. Eventually, I realized how much I wanted to help others grow in the industry and joined the board of a filmmakers’ festival. I felt really pulled into really wanting to grow the film community in my city and help get filmmakers and actors opportunities. I’m still acting and creating and trying to evolve my work to a bigger scale. Read more>>

 Fred Danziger’s Story

I began my art studies as a child. My mother often read to me bedtime stories from a book called “Animals of North America.” The next day, while she did her house work, she would give me crayons and blank paper, sit me at the kitchen table and ask me to draw her one of the animals! It, of course, kept me busy while she did her necessary tasks, and I became engrossed in trying to remember what a racoon or other animal looked like!. Read more>>

Zuzu Weingart

From a very young age I knew I wanted to be an actress. I loved playing make believe and putting myself in someone else’s shoes and I never lost that love. I’m always trying to find a deeper understanding of people and diving into different roles really helps with that. But just as any actor can tell you, just because you desperately want something doesn’t mean the road will be easy. I did my stint in LA for a few years learning, taking classes, training, getting on set as much as I possibly could, but it wasn’t until I set aside that desperation for success and just started focusing on enjoying the journey, did I actually start finding true success. Read more>>

Eronica Dew of BES Solutions Inc.

I’m Eronica Dew, the CEO and founder of BES Solutions, Inc. (BESS). My background is in government contracting, proposal management, and proposal writing and I’m passionate about working with others in our community to create effective solutions. I am committed to paying it forward and being the mentor that I wished I had coming up in my career. I want to break down barriers, share my lessons learned, and help others shape the businesses and lives they want to lead. Read more>>

 Jennifer Vosters

I grew up loving stories and playing pretend, and I never stopped! I started writing my own stories when I was about eight years old (though I’d spun elaborate yarns with my dolls and action figures since before kindergarten). In middle school, I started doing school musicals and a few community theatre productions, and in high school I joined the speech & debate team, so I learned not only how to write with confidence but also how to communicate and perform. I studied English in college and took some theatre classes as well as joining the improv team across the street. I wrote my first plays while in college (though I only actually staged a ten-minute one for a directing class I took as a senior). Read more>>

Talina Jenkins of Talina YourHost

Talina YourHost is a spirited and dedicated professional, known for her consistency and drive. Starting her journey as a brand ambassador for a prominent Spirits company, she quickly realized her desire to advance her career. Talina earned her 1st Mixology license from ABC Bartending School in Birmingham, AL, all while pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Logistics & Supply Chain Management/Business Management. After completing her 2nd Professional Mixology certification in Nashville, she’s taken her craft to new heights, bringing a fresh, dynamic approach to mixology in her community and beyond. Talina has a passion for people, professionalism, and business networking. Read more>>

Dr. Lanecha Conner

My journey started from a place of searching, both for myself and for a way to impact others. With a master’s in professional counseling, 10+ years in leadership, and a private practice, I’ve always been passionate about connection and helping others feel seen and understood. Along my journey I developed a deep passion for helping others find clarity and connection, especially women who struggle with self-doubt. I always had this inner knowing that women were looking for more than just solutions to external problems, they wanted to reunite with themselves on a deeper level. I began as a therapist, but over time, I noticed a pattern in the women I worked with: many of them felt lost, disconnected from who they truly were, and unsure of how to make iconic impact in this world. That’s when I knew I had to pivot. Read more>>

Kiki (yuchin) Tseng

My dance journey started when I was 5 years old in Yilan, Taiwan. I was a kid who just loved dancing and absolutely loved performing in front of an audience. Dance pretty much occupied all of my time as a child. I was either in school or dancing. I remember having moments where I was jealous of my friends who were able to just have a “normal weekend” or didn’t have to stress about being criticized at such a young age. Nevertheless, I had a gut feeling that I didn’t want to quit. When I was about 12 or 13, I decided to make it official. I devoted more time to training and made being a dancer my career goal. I told my teacher I needed more dance training, so I started dancing five or six times a week instead of three. I danced with dancers who were at a higher level so I could push myself. I remember being so terrified, but I knew that’s what I needed to do to get to a higher level. On top of that, I was in school from at least 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, so between dance and school, I really did not have any free time. Read more>>

Nakkab

I am a Turkish tattoo artist with 9 years of experience in the field. I used to work at a 9-5 job when I was 18. With my first paycheck I got my first tattoo. After 7 months, with my last paycheck, I bought a tattoo machine and quit my job. In that 7 months tattooing grew in me. Since I was already into designing from young age, I was confident that this could be my profession. Now I am 28 years old professional in my area and have a worldwide reputation with my unique style. Read more>>

Gabriel White

I started out born on the Northern Oregon Coast, near an estuary and the cold, rough Pacific Ocean. Both my mother and father did various art, and in the first part of my life my father made a living as a potter and watercolor painter. I was exposed to much music and art early on. Throughout my life, although I’ve done some arts more than others, they have all just been vehicles to express various internal sensations and feelings. I carry many of those senses around with me on a continuous basis and they all are routes for the internal to reach the external and create a greater connection between the self and the outside. Tech house music is one of the most specific of those routes, and now one that I’m more skilled at than other arts.

Trenton Abernathy

There was a modeling agency by the name of “Model Productions” going around to different regions across the country advocating for young local talent; encouraging families to join their collective. I was about seven or eight years old and my family was in the mall one day when my mother had noticed there was a sign-up station for an upcoming talent show. Unbeknownst to me she filled out an entry slip and submitted my name. “Huh?!” is what I thought to myself as she told me after the fact. Sure enough, a week or so later I was asked to prepare a one-minute showcase that best represented my personality, which would be followed by completing a walk down the runway. After nervously performing jokes out of a book and being blinded by the bulbs at the end of the catwalk, I was encouraged to continue modeling with the agency. From that moment forward I was pushed to go on to model for sorority fashion events, VA fashion week, and eventually become a member of Wilhelmina Philadelphia for print. As the agency expanded, they had begun to offer acting opportunities in addition to the modeling gigs. Read more>>

Maire Murphy

I am Irish born and moved to the US after college to escape the Belfast troubles. Originally I worked in Marketing for a wine distributor in Boston, MA before becoming the first female to sell wine for them. I moved to California in 1999 to be with my now husband and worked for wine.com in Napa. When the VCs pulled the plug on the original wine.com my husband and I started our first business making wine in 2001. We sold it in 2006 and worked with the company that bought it for 3 years. We started our next business in 2010 and from that came the idea for CapaBunga. We made our last vintage of wine in 2013 because CapaBunga took off and we had to concentrate on it’s growth. Since then we’ve invented a product per year informed by our years in the food and wine business. Read more>>

Shan Xu

I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of technology and nature. I started my journey as an artist by exploring how the two can coexist and what kind of conversations they can spark. Over the years, I’ve worked with digital media and interactive installations, creating a space where people can reflect on the hidden connections between the artificial and the organic. Read more>>

Kovia Ventress of Cultivating Self Love

My journey really began after reading ‘Yesterday I Cried’ by Iyanla Vanzant. Her story moved me deeply—how she faced immense challenges yet emerged stronger, much like a lotus flower blooming in the darkest of waters. Her resilience inspired me to reflect on my own struggles. I began to ask myself why I was so afraid to ask for what I needed, why I held back from doing things I truly wanted, and why I viewed myself so negatively when others around me saw so much potential. Read more>>

Oswald Perez’s Story

I started writing as a kid. Mostly writing poems in my parent’s greeting cards. I didn’t know what I was doing would be considered poetry. But it was clear that I had something going. I further discovered that I had writing prowess when my English teacher in high school, Ms. Levy marked on my sheet of paper, “Oswald, you’re a poet!”. Read more>>

Reginald Waller Jr.’s Story

I started my journey sketching on any extra paper I had. Corners of tests, on the back of worksheets. Anywhere. But I never really took it serious until my senior year of high school when I was injured and couldn’t play football and had to face the fact I wasn’t really good enough to play at the college level anyways. I fell back to my first love; Art. Read more>>

Neil Tandy’s Story

I picked up my first camera at 12 years of age, a Kodak instamatic and that ignited a spark that has since burned brighter and brighter. My first 35mm SLR, a Praktika MTL-3, was purchased in 1984 and my first digital camera, a Panasonic Lumix FZ30 in 2005. I got my first DSLR in 2008 and a love affair with Canon cameras began, to the present when I am using the Canon R5. Read more>>

Andrew Buerger of Mountain Dogs Marketing

My journey has been shaped by challenges that I’ve turned into opportunities for growth, both personally and professionally. It started with a personal tragedy—my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, which led me to found Jodi’s Climb for Hope**. This nonprofit has since raised over a million dollars for breast cancer and multiple sclerosis research. I expanded the mission after my wife, Jennifer, was diagnosed with MS, and the organization now supports both causes through symbolic mountain climbs that reflect the resilience needed to face these battles. Read more>>

Andrew Grossman

My name is Andrew Grossman and I am the singer, songwriter, and band leader for the experimental pop collective The North Country. I fell deeply in love with music ever since I got a guitar for my 13th birthday and have dedicated my life to songwriting and musical performance ever since then. Read more>>

Eesha Patel of First Contact

My journey into galactic work began with some unusual paranormal experiences as a child, though not specifically on the galactic side. I was experiencing some strange energies in my house. Initially, I was just looking for ways to protect my energy field, which led me to meditation and chakra work. Read more>>

 

Oriana Molina Garcia of OrianasCookies

OrianasCookies started in May 2023 after an extremely difficult year. I was in the middle of my first year of graduate school to become a licensed mental health counselor, my dream job. I had to leave the program due to my health, I then spent about 1 week at home wondering what to do with my life since I am not able to work a regular 9-5 job due to my Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). For those who done know Pots is a disorder in which the persons nervous system does not properly work causing the individual to deal with presyncope or syncope symptoms which means feeling dizzy or fainting. After doing research of what jobs could be done from home I saw that under Cottage food laws I am allowed to sell certain baked goods. I then started working on my cookie recipes that I already had since baking is one of my other passions in life and that’s how OrianasCookies was born. Read more>>