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.

Larissa Leath

The current structure in the San Antonio wedding industry does not adequately support the business needs of the majority of vendors, and the ROI is not satisfactory. A few individuals do well, but we can do better. This brand means to help the majority of small businesses grow to their full potential. The Ultimate Wedding Experience offers mentorship, Read more>>

William Eick

Philosophy: I could actually sum this up to one simple word if needed, but feel it should be elaborated upon. The word is “Balance”. Balance is what makes a dish great, and it is the overall goal when creating a combination of flavors. If you achieve balance of flavor in each component, they will all come together and balance each other, providing depth. Read more>>

Kimberly Clay Maureen Tobey

When we set out to create books in 2021, we didn’t know what to expect. After Maureen retired from many years of working in the publishing industry, she wanted to continue using her creativity on her own terms. She asked Kimberly to join her in making journals and activity books to sell on Amazon. Read more>>

vandor hill

As a way to cope with the grief of family loss my grandmother from cancer in 2017, my mom from cancer in 2018, my mentor in 2019, and my aunt in 2019. Read more>>

Jules Kennedy

My mission is to not only authentically document moments of connection, but capture the soul within a moment so it can live on for generations to come. My mother passed away when I was seven years old so photographs play such an important role in me feeling connected to her. Without photos, I would have such few memories to hold on to in order to keep her legacy alive. With that, I feel deeply drawn to telling the story of all women. Read more>>

Sarah Schlosberg

I started my business with a mission: helping people feel confident and grow online with high quality images and videos while staying true to themselves. This started from feeling pretty lost in my own life, which led me down a path of curiosity, adventure, and traveling around the world. Read more>>

Mia Davis

I first met my co-founder Victor Casale in 2020. We we connected by a colleague who wanted us to get together to talk about a subject that we both couldn’t let up on: beauty’s big problem with packaging. The beauty and wellness industry generate over 120 billion packages each year, and only a fraction actually gets recycled. Read more>>

Adereio Jones Jr.

My mission for “COS” Circle of Success is to surround yourself with people on the same mission as you. With a strong core circle striving for most of the same goals nothing is impossible, their will always be bumps in the road but with a loyal dedicated team you’ll overcome any adversity your faced with. COS is a lifestyle brand that branched into other segments like music, and personal training. Read more>>

Mady Richmond

Mady Richmond’s story is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable tragedy. When both of her parents passed away as a young child, Mady was left to navigate the world alone and overcome her profound grief. But through dance, she found a lifeline to help her process her emotions and find a sense of purpose. Dance became her outlet for expressing her deepest sorrows and frustrations, Read more>>

Ana Raquel Aquino

I have always had a passion for education and human rights. That’s why I became a lawyer. I have a special love for exploration, curiosity, and the world, including its cultures, which leads me to a deep admiration for learning and, in turn, to travel. I merged both worlds by studying abroad and wanting to continue exploring job opportunities and professional experiences outside my country. Read more>>

April Burgett

endeavor that our City of Havana was embarking on, which was the revitalization and redevelopment of our historic downtown. We have seen a steady decline in the condition of buildings and in small businesses in our downtown business district since the early 1980’s when manufacturing jobs left and factories closed. Read more>>

Nuha Hassan

Hello my Name is Nuha Hassan owner of Chic interiors and staging by Nuha. As a mother of 4 I know how overwhelming the process to design or decorate your dream home can be. I wanted to start this business to help other professionals and mothers achieve their dream designs and homes I believe everyone deserves to live in their dream home no matter what style or design they like. Read more>>

Jenn Millard

As a teenager, I struggled with depression, undiagnosed ADHD, and dyslexia. Mental illness wasn’t as commonly discussed as it is today, and my form of dyslexia wasn’t easy to diagnose, so I struggled with exhaustion, hopelessness, and disconnect for years. My family was great and supported me in every way they knew how, but the feeling of being ‘lost’ persisted for decades. Read more>>

Cynthia Campus

Growing up I knew one thing that bores me quickly is having one particular hairstyle for more than a week or two and one thing I really couldn’t do was take care of my natural hair so I became interested in wigs. I started making wigs 8years ago for myself and sisters for the fun of it and the flexibility of change it provided me. Read more>>

 

Tiffany Kelly

Most girls grow up dreaming of her fairytale wedding. I did. I remember vividly in 1996 I was drawing a wedding dress and looking through my mom’s JC Penny catalog, the wedding section specifically, circling which dress I would wear and what colors my bridesmaids would look great in. Read more>>

Doni

Apeiros was born out of idea #1. A novel. I felt that I needed a better, or at least faster, and more communnually involved medium of expression to tell the stories I wanted to tell and pass along some perspective I’ve gained through the years as it relates to life, culture, individualism, and community. Read more>>

Wesley Hawkins

Wesley Hawkins grew up, abandoned buildings were called “abandominiums.” More families lived in these burned-out houses without utilities than could afford rent or running water. Neighbors shared electricity by running extension cords out of their windows, and and anyone had anything, shared. Read more>>

Evelyn Braxton

Thank you for asking about the story behind my coaching agency, “God Can Heal The Heart,” It’s a deeply personal journey that began with my own struggles and experiences. During this time, I turned to my faith for guidance and comfort. I began to pray more fervently and to seek out resources that could help me navigate my struggles. Read more>>

Latasha Flint

The intention behind Urban Shakti Yoga Studios and Embodied Badassery (podcast in gestation period) is to create spaces in which individuals feel safe to share their authentic expression and engage in empowering each other and feel more empowered to manifest sustainable change within one’s self, community and the world. Read more>>

Rachel Bennett

Professionally I go by my given name, but I publish & sell my designs and original artwork under the name “Club Despair” – which is something that was originally born out of a group chat. The thread started humbly enough – a close friend of my husband’s from high school added a few fellow high school grads and a couple of their spouses to keep in touch. Read more>>

Lena Claypool

The mission of Buck Lucky Collective is to not only create a sustainable way to shop, but to also support local artists. The store houses over 20 local artists and resellers. As a woman owned business and with 90% of our vendors being female, we strive to create a space for entrepreneurs to express their creative selves! Read more>>

Kiaundra Trotter

My mission with Spiritually Beaded By Kia LLC. and my store The Spiritual Bar has always been focused on building community and creating a safe, sacred space to guide and help my fellow brothers and sisters on their spiritual journeys to self improvement and overall healing themselves through spirituality. Read more>>

Chyloe Leon Guerrero

Kūmana Activewear is the product of a semester-long project from an Entrepreneurial Finance class I took while pursuing my MBA. After graduation, I knew I wanted to bring my school project to life, but I made all the excuses in the book: too tired, not enough time, not enough money, I wasnʻt ready, you name it. Read more>>

Matt Worthington

We started hosting networking events in Austin titled “Austin’s Most Successful Under 30”. These went from backyard networking events that we bootlegged to the premier networking event company for young entrepreneurs in all of Austin. Read more>>

Justeen Yang

Love Light & Paws all started with my love for animals, especially dogs since I was a little girl. I wanted to create something motivated by authenticity, love, and passion; something that could make the world a better place by having a positive impact on people’s lives. Read more>>

LaJuan Ransom Jr

My story behind my mission is to assure individuals have endurable shoes. The goal is to donate to children that is needful for shoes to wear in school, outside, and church. Also, to avoid throwing shoes away once they are useless. Nashvillesoles can repair the shoe by cleaning the upper, mid, and bottom of the soles. With that being said we have the option to either donate or resell them to boutiques that can be able to sell grade A or B quality at a price that is affordable. Read more>>

Alyssa Foster

My mission: to make everybody feel beautiful. Society constructs this unrealistic image of life. We compare ourselves to what everyone and everything around us say is “normal” but the question is, What is normal? Who set the standard for normal? Why are we required to check certain boxes and stay within certain limits? This is where I come in. Read more>>

Monica Fogerson

Simply Healthy Fit was created to help, inspire, and encourage people to live their healthiest, best lives through being their most authentic selves and that looks different for everyone. No matter where you are at in your journey, everyone deserves to be able to live life in their most true, authentic way. That journey looks different for everyone. Read more>>

Logan Brown

Our mission is accessible medicine. Both my partner and I have been on this path from a young age. My background in herbalism began with a chance internship with a local Herbalist and Midwife when I was 19. I was going to school in Eugene and very open to all possibilities. Read more>>

Amanda Harper

Ear Kit: interchangeable earrings for unbridled self expression. Fashion is fun. We get to go into our closets and choose how we want to show up in the world. For so many of us, the clothing we wear is a type of armor and comfort and integral to our self expression. I wanted to give people that opportunity in their jewelry box as well. All Ear Kit pieces are removable and interchangeable with all the other pieces- so you can create a look that is unique to you. Read more>>

Marisa Wilson

Your environment is so much more than just a collection of items; it goes deep and it’s important to your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. I love to approach the design process with the belief that whatever you need your space to provide – healing, comfort, confidence, belonging – is totally achievable. Read more>>

Ty Hunt

The whole reason I got into filmmaking was to tell stories. Growing up watching movies like Star Wars, Aliens, Mission Impossible and Lord of the Rings (just to name a few), I loved being immersed in these worlds. My family would sit for literal hours after the movie ended just talking about what made it awesome for us and how we each related to it in some way. Read more>>

Erick Bradshaw Jr

The story behind my mission. I get asked this often and feel that my mission as a content creator is to help me understand that I path is given for direction. Many people feel like it is only one path but in my eyes when you are driving to a place your gps may give you a total different direction then they would if someone lived in a different area, life is the exact way. Read more>>

shavonna Madison

My mission is to serve my community by providing tasty custom desserts for all special occasions to make my customers day a little sweeter with a great centerpiece. I love to give, whether that is my time, gift, or sweets. To see the smile that comes on an individuals face from receiving brings me joy. Growing up I was in and out of the hospital a lot due to having sickle cell. Read more>>

Chris Meroff

I started a business with my parents when I was 22 up in New England. The business was growing tremendously but working with my parents was becoming increasingly more difficult. The value they had instilled in me as a child was becoming harder to recognize through the highs and lows of work. I eventually launched out on my own in 2011 and moved to Texas to make a name for myself in the business world. Read more>>

Stephanie R. Smith, M. Ed., CHES, CCDT

I am absolutely amazed at the extraordinary journey of life. I am especially in awe of particular snapshots of my past;  countless clear moments collectively compounding, leading me to exactly right here right now.   I can say with certainty, as early as age five, I knew on a soul level, that I would be working with animals, especially canines. Read more>>

Brittany Ruskin

Since I was a little girl, I always knew I would be a hairstylist, My grandmother would do hair in her salon/ basement, I watched every step she took, and learned everything from her, In middle school I started to do my own hair, and by high school I was doing me and all my friends hair, but then I let people get in my head . Read more>>

Gelesa Castle

I decided that my mission was to create a lane for myself to allow myself to shine in my God given talents. It allows me to be happy to do what I love, protect my piece, continue to grow in areas where I never thought possible. I also implement that with my sub-contractors. Creating a healthy work relationship, showing support and appreciating the values they bring to the company. Read more>>

Venus Covington

The story behind me having compassion for those who are on drugs and abused and battered woman and children is because I was bitter angry. Hurting inside because I was molested as a child by a family member and couldn’t tell nobody. I was rejected from birth, rejected from family and friends. I was rapped as a teenager and couldn’t tell anyone I was afraid that I was gonna get blamed and told it was my fault. Read more>>

Cynthia James

I was going through a terrible divorce and feeling stuck, confused and exhausted. My career was struggling and I was concerned about how to take care of me and my children. On one of my darkest days, I spoke (really yelled) at God. “Why is this happening to me?” Then, a quiet voice in me said. “Get up! Reinvent Yourself! That is what you have always done!” In that moment, the song “Everything must change came into my mind. Read more>>