Over the years as we connected with incredible from folks from almost every imaginable industry we realized that every nook and cranny of our economy is full of small business owners, artists and creatives who live and breathe what they do – and their stories are nothing short of heroic. It’s the immigrant parents who overcame the odds and kept their small business alive for decades allowing their next generation to thrive and the artisans who pour their passion into every piece and refuse to let even the most common items remain mundane that make our communities come alive. The stories below will inspire you and we hope you’ll take the time to read and connect with these incredible folks.

Shālon Rogers

The best investment I made was in myself. Yes, I know it sounds a little corny but I had to learn that burnout is real. I had a year where I experienced burnout, and mental exhaustion more than think anyone should. At the end of that year I made a promise to myself to investment more time into myself and the things that make me happy and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. Read more>>

Karen Pettine

One of the most meaningful pieces of advice I give to individuals with scoliosis is two-fold: it’s never too late to start, and how you move matters more than what specific exercise you’re doing.

I once worked with a woman in her late 60s who had lived with scoliosis for decades. She had been told to expect worsening pain and limitations over time, and believed that exercise couldn’t really help her. But what she discovered through our work together was that scoliosis-specific exercise is about more than seeking to correct or fix the curve, it’s about teaching the body how to find the best possible balance, three-dimensionally, within the unique shape of her spine. Read more>>

Morgan Chrisman

My business partner and I have worked hard over the past 1.5 years to build the welcoming business we now own and operate. We ensure all clients feel safe and welcome in our salon space. We have countless ally stickers and flags, speak openly of our beliefs in the rights of others, and remind every client who comes in to treat others with kindness. It all starts with one single person. Clients leaving with a fresh insite or new opinion is what we love. An open mind and an open heart. Read more>>

Lauren Beck

I think being a woman in any workplace has its own set of challenges, but one thing I’ve noticed since venturing into the Audiobook world is that although the Romance genre is generally geared towards women, it’s the men in the industry who receive the most praise- whether it’s higher pay, work load or recognition. While there has been a time where I felt like my efforts were diminished in comparison to my narrator counterpart, I feel lucky that the majority of my experiences have been nothing short of exceptional. Read more>>

Duncan Parsons

We’re fortunate that bringing our ice cream trucks to fundraisers, charity events and galas adds to the atmosphere in a meaningful and tangible way. It makes it a more special experience for event guests and is a genuine way we can donate our time and services to support important causes. Often we’ll cater a fundraiser for free, and we also do a lot of events, particularly at schools, where we’ll donate a percentage of our sales, generally around 15%, to the school or PTA. It’s also fun for our team — our event coordinators get a lot of joy from working with the people who are generously donating their own time to organize fundraisers and support their communities, and our ice cream truck drivers and event staff get to meet kind people and give away ice cream! Win win! Read more>>

Wolfgang Schaefer And Whitney McAllister

An initial response when looking at Profit and Loss sheets is looking at how you can cut back on future costs– and don’t get me wrong, we spend lots of time focusing on labor and food costs, but at some point if you cut everything back and don’t have the monetary structure to support good long term folks working in your spaces and the quality of food that your customer has come to expect at your restaurant, you’re going to lose the sales and the support of the community that is spending money in your space. Read more>>

Brandy Kemp

Remote work isn’t for everyone, but it works for us.

At Kemp Marketing, we’ve built a fully remote team that thrives without micromanagement, burnout, or constant emails. How? It’s simple (but not always easy): we lead with communication, clarity, and care.

We’re a small but mighty crew. We have monthly Zoom check-ins, but our real success comes from constant connection. Whether it’s a quick message or a deeper chat, we actually talk to each other. And as the owner, I make it a point to check in regularly, not just on deadlines, but on how my team is doing as humans. Read more>>

Marcus Munger

As an already established self employed business owner in another field I know well the importance of tracking costs. The two biggest costs to entry for photography are obviously a camera and a professional studio. I was lucky enough to be gifted my mothers camera she had used in photography school when I told her about my ambitions. That left the studio. I began to research the cost of leasing a space in a local business strip and quickly discovered I would need a minimum of 6 shoots a month to break even on rent. This felt untenable. So, I looked harder and found that a few already established photographers in my area who had a studio leased and furnished were sub leasing their spaces to other photographers by the hour. This has been a perfect fit as I don’t have any overhead. I simply pay when I get a client booking. Read more>>

Jady Kasinger

As JadyK grew, maintaining quality was non-negotiable. From the beginning, we knew that the experience our customers had with our bralettes would define our reputation, so we implemented quality control at multiple stages—design, production, and fulfillment. Read more>>

Jan Lower

When I began to write, I learned that having an agent was essential, but that finding an agency excited to take you on was one of the hardest parts of breaking into publishing. I knew other writers who submitted to several agents at a time, keeping a spreadsheet of submission dates and responses (or lack thereof)–and repeating that effort over and over. With a new manuscript that I loved, I was ready to start that daunting process right after I returned from a writers’ conference. While there, I knew I would miss the opportunity to formally meet with the visiting agent because I was helping with conference administration. Read more>>

Tom Morris

I’m a film and commercial director and recently signed with the production company SixTwentySix for commercial representation. Back in 2022, when I was freelancing, one of their Executive Producers stumbled upon some of my work that happened to align perfectly with a creative brief they were working on. We pitched together, landed the job, and that kicked off our collaboration. Read more>>

Melissa Jakes

In the early days of Rescue Event Planning—especially during the lean times—I had to be brutally honest about every dollar spent. Coffee runs, beauty appointments, or even networking lunches were no longer casual habits; they became strategic decisions. If it didn’t directly impact my mindset, productivity, or client-facing image, it was cut or postponed. But I also recognized that certain forms of self-care, like a solo coffee to reset or investing in a polished appearance before a pitch, weren’t luxuries—they were part of how I showed up in business. I didn’t spend emotionally; I spent intentionally. Every expense had to either recharge me, help me deliver excellence, or drive revenue. Read more>>

Stacey Simmons

My husband and I lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. But that wasn’t the biggest loss. I took what little we had left and tried to rebuild by starting a technology business. I had investors that had been directing me to do things their way and they led me to believe that if I followed their guidance they would continue their funding. But when the time to renew for the next round they said that they wouldn’t be reinvesting. That set off a chain of events that sent me into depression, bankruptcy and losing my home. But that failure led me to some very important realizations. The first was that I had spent way too much energy avoiding the pain and fear of losing my business, losing my home, and filing for bankruptcy that I hadn’t actually thought about it practically. Read more>>