Defining moments aren’t just exciting – they are thought-provoking and fertile ground for learning. These inflection points often are the result of an illuminating moment where some truth of the universe presents itself in an easier to recognize form. Below, you’ll find talented and successful entrepreneurs and artists sharing the stories of defining moments in their lives.

Ellen Patrick

My career as a professional dancer came to an end at 23 when I experienced a painful back injury. My next move was very practical in that I chose to stay in the entertainment business, but worked in the corporate end as a talent agent. I then moved to home video and then book publishing. While I was bringing home a steady paycheck and had health insurance, my soul was being sucked dry. Read more>>

Brooke Stuart

While I was playing golf as a college athlete at the University of Miami, my dad asked me if I wanted to keep improving my game by waking up earlier and practicing harder. For the first time in my life, I realized that I actually didn’t want to do that. I thought for a very long time that I wanted to- but what I’ve come to learn is that what you think you want versus what you actually want are very different. Read more>>

Ashley Brooke James

I come from a background in high-demand sales and recruiting. It was one of the best career moves I made in my twenties. I learned a lot, traveled, and had a 6-figure salary. The career also demanded long hours and unexpected travel, which was hard on me. The stress showed up in my body, causing back and shoulder pain, eventually leading to chronic migraines. The migraines were so bad that they ultimately led to hair loss and lack of sleep. My doctor let me know my migraines were a source of stress, which was how they showed up in my body. Read more>>

Nicole Bills

Three years ago, I began having clients that challenged my understanding of what can ultimately help them to expand and improve their lives. This timely experience coincided with the time that my youngest child entered his sophomore year of high school. I suddenly had more time to reflect on myself outside of the constant wearing of the “mom” hat. I began to sit with (read: panic over) who I was, and what I was doing and questioning whether I was as helpful as I thought at guiding people. Read more>>

Lynsie McKeown

Oftentimes when we think of trajectory we think of it as a linear, upward path. However, life is messy with twists, turns, forward momentum, sidesteps, setbacks and even complete stall outs. For me all of these multi-directional movements, although frustrating and confusing, have given me information that is invaluable for the next step and direction. Read more>>

Victoria Haffer

About 8 years ago I was Director of a Yoga and Retreat center. All was great in my world. The grasshopper showed up literally representing Take the Leap. I quit my job and started to explore working more with animals and people in the healing and transformation world. Read more>>

Erika Tempro

First, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for having me. Now back to your question. At the onset of my journey as a Massage Therapist in Brazil, I immediately cemented my passion for steering this beautiful industry. I had to establish my practice to be at the forefront of this push for a better massage therapy industry. Even though I didn’t have the means then, I took the long path of constant learning, unlearning, re-learning, and practicing until I got the necessary knowledge to start my massage studio. Read more>>

Dariah Wixon

Before you see clients face-to-face, you begin to imagine your “perfect client.” Or in other words, the person you’d want to help the most. For the longest time I thought my “perfect client” was going to Read more>>

Stephanie Davis

One of the most recent defining moments in my career as a therapist was in 2020 when there was an influx of college students (specifically from HBCUs) & clients of color desiring therapy. I mean, they were ready to do the heartwork; equipped with journals/notebooks, open to learning, and wanting to break general curses from their families, and communities. While the pandemic created an increase in anxiety, depression, and overall uncertainty, it also created a resurgence of people being intentional about improving their mental health, and well being. Read more>>

SoulTribe Sanctuary

Coming into sacred shamanic sacrament religious cermeony with my now Soul Tribe Soul Fam and business partners Shaman LittleFoot and Shaman Mariposa. Receiving clarity and insight in cultivating a sanctuary with these 2 magnificent beings is pure divine alignment. We automatically seen, honored and blessed to re-connect in this reality once more to be the conduits for ourselves and the collective community at large. Read more>>

Brittany Waddell

A defining moment in my career happened during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It was during that time, when the world literally shut down, that my Heath Coaching business, Watch Her Prep was born. At first I saw the lockdown as one of the lonliest experiences, but in hindsight, it was actually catapulted me into discovering my purpose. One lesson that I would glean from my story is that when negative situations blindside you, remember to find the silver lining, because there is always a silver lining. Shifting your perspective, can change your life. Read more>>

Courtney Andersen

My defining moment actually happened when Covid hit. I had been teaching fitness classes in several local gyms, and that obviously stopped, causing me to pause and think about the future. I realized that I could bring my workouts to the world by starting a YouTube channel. I also wanted more creative freedom to do the workouts I wanted rather than be tied to a specific format used at a gym. My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner! Read more>>

Andre Hayes

A defining moment in my career…there’s actually 3 of them. 2017, 3yrs into my personal training journey, was my defining year. Early in the year, maybe around February or March, I had made my first $1000. To many, that’s not a lot of money, but for a broke college student, that was MAJOR! It was my first time actually charging for my training services, so for me to bank $1k, I felt like I was on top of the world. This also showed me that what I was doing had value and that people were willing to pay for it. Read more>>

Elizabeth Ouellette

I was an overweight and depressed young mother, I had just had my second child and my life was in shambles. I had a lifetime of unhealthy habits related to food and self image and I knew I had to change my lifestyle to give my kids the foundations they needed for a healthy and prosperous life. It all started with a food diary, MyFitnessPal, I didn’t think my diet was all that bad, until I was honest with myself! I had nightmares my kids would find me dead in bed and did a complete 180. Read more>>

Esgar Guarin

I was deeply interested in human behavior during my early years in medical training. In medical school, I was committed to the study of psychology and psychiatry. To me, learning about why men and women behave the way we do was extremely interesting. Immediately after finishing Medical School, in my home country of Colombia, it was required for all graduates to work for the government in a rural remote area for a year. Read more>>

Boki Dee

About 6 years ago, a steel shelf fell on my head, as I was setting up an office at work. I worked as an operations manager at a accounting software company, and I was in charge of relocating the company to a new location. It was interesting because just moments before the shelf fell on my head, I was thinking how I can definitely keep my corporate job and run my company, Divine Remedy Healing, on the side. Read more>>

Armond Willis

I was seventeen years old. A senior on the high school football team. Even though I was “on the roster, I did not get to play very much. I was a bench warmer, however I knew I was more than capable. Let’s just say I was caught in a political system that did not afford me the opportunity to showcase what I could do. Read more>>

Heather Araos

A defining moment that not only changed my professional trajectory but also my personal life was my very first Reiki session. I was receiving massages as therapy for my mental health, which consisted of a long history of depression, post-partum depression and anxiety. My massage therapist suggested that I might benefit from a Reiki session. Read more>>

Ashley Beadles

I began college wanting to study criminal justice to eventually become a police officer. While I was attending a community college, I was working at The Indiana Heart Hospital greeting guests at the front door. Not long after starting in the position, I moved up to a cardiologist’s office in the same hospital, doing check in and out for their patients. Meanwhile, I began volunteering for the John Stewart Foundation. Read more>>

Tory & Teri Smith

TnT Backstory points * Met on FB * Both were tired of dating and wanted a Partner who had a relationship w/ GOD and was ready to settle down * Both Looooove Music * He was in DC/She was in Cali * They were a Blind Date
* He looks like her Uncle who she called out in Prayer prior to meeting him. * Same last 3 numbers of their last 4 (Soc Security) number In SEQUENCE!! Read more>>

Rachael Detering

Even thought I have worked with women for 8 years, the true work is just beginning. It all started when I was called out 6 months ago by a woman in the coaching field. Called out is putting it lightly. She constructively criticized my business methods and model within the first 30 minutes of messaging me. She pointed out how I was advertising health and wellness without really showing up or showing me. Read more>>

Meg Hagar

This was the defining, raw, rock-bottom moment of my acne healing journey which, in turn, has shaped my career and my business. I had struggled with severe and persistent adult acne for years (I got my first pimple when I was 9 years old!) and I had tried EVERYTHING! Creams, prescriptions, several rounds of antibiotics, steroids, Spironolactone, hormonal birth control- you name it. Finally, I went to see yet another dermatologist who flat out told me Accutane was my only option. Read more>>

Anna Bradford

Finding joy in Gratitude. By Anna Bradford. The memory is crystal clear, the smoke smell that had imprinted our jackets and hair, a stranger’s arms wrapping me tight in a blanket to insure protection from a crisp November breeze. My lips were chapped, my hands so cold, my face flush, but I couldn’t complain. Not now. I watched as kids pressed their noses to the glass of car windows watching. We all were watching. Piles of ash stacked high, our belongings scattered all over a dirt floor, firemen pushing through a crowd of neighbors carrying hoses. Read more>>