Everyday we meet business owners, professionals, artists and creatives. Photographers, florists, realtors and more. They might come from different backgrounds, work in different industries, have varying personalities, and have vastly different income and educational profiles, but the one thing we’ve seen over and over again is that most people have a unique and special reason for why they do what they do. From a realtor helping families afford the first home he always wished for as a kid to a photographer using her skills to give a voice and face to victims who feel voiceless, we have been blown away by what happens when you just ask people a simple question – why do you do what you do?

Jaime Taets

Keystone’s mission has been core to how we have built the business over the past 10 years. We are driven to create organizational impact at the human level. Why it’s meaningful us is that as a strategy firm, we help our clients see beyond the need for strategy and help them understand more holistic view of growth that incorporates the strength of their leadership capabilities and helping them assess where they need to evolve as leaders to drive a human centered approach that creates belonging. We also help them see where their culture could be improved to support the growth and transformation they aspire to create. Read more>>

Juli Henderson

Everything I do through the In Our Arms blog is focused on our mission to meet, support, and gather together families and caregivers serving a loved one or patient with disabilities. This desire was birthed out of our own family caregiving experience caring for our son, Robert Henderson, who passed away in 2015 from a very rare mitochondrial disease. We know what it means to feel lost and alone during an eighteen profound and complex medical journey, and our desire is to make that road a little less burdensome for others as they walk this road. “Life Unexpected” will likely one day touch all our lives. We want to create a community that is inclusive and available when that occurs. Read more>>

Victoria Williams

I’ve spent years doing internal work to understand myself, my core values and my mission. Discovering your purpose is a process of learning more about who you are at your core: what makes you light up, what you would do if you were never paid and what you truly believe in. I’m learning more about my purpose each day I have the opportunity to wake up. I hope through my work and my life, I can inspire Black girls and women to be everything they dream of being. Growing up in Detroit, Michigan in a single parent household and having lost my father to gun violence, there was a societal expectation set for the trajectory of my life. In my adulthood I learned that this trajectory is rooted in bias, racism, sexism and statistics about fatherless girls from underserved communities. Read more>>

Tiara Smith

Growing up, I never knew there was a such thing as the real estate industry. It wasn’t until I was 22 years old and found there was an entire economy based on selling and buying real estate. Once I began my journey, I then realized I was not the only individual who hardly knew anything about the world of real estate. From there, I made it my mission to learn everything there was to know everything regarding selling and buying residential real estate and to not only offer my services, but to teach my clients the ins and out of residential sales, keeping them out of sticky situations. It honestly still surprises me to this very day, how thankful my clients are to simply know what is going on in their transaction and my ability to make the details make sense to them. Read more>>

Leeon George
‘

The mission of my business is to provide women with the tools to be in the driving seat of their own lives, starting with their business. I grew up in a one-income household and saw my mom being a housewife for years and doing odd jobs to make up financially. She and my dad raised 9 kids and she prioritized education as a way to get out of poverty but it was only after I spent 5 years in law school and 2 years in corporate that I realized that education alone wasn’t enough. It was just the beginning. To truly be in the driving seat of your own life, you needed to be in control of your income source, not wait for an opportunity to fall in your lap. Instead you had to go out and create your own opportunity. This is what I did when I launched my Marketing Agency The Content Magnet in 2019. Read more>>

Drew & Jessica Torres

Our mission: 5th & Barber will provide a unique styling experience where we will gain customers’ trust with unparalleled services. Our goal is that 5th & Barber will be a destination that invests in the community we serve & the entrepreneurs we develop. Our vision is to help develop barbers & stylists into business owners, if that is their aspiration. During COVID, we had the opportunity to purchase the business. We decided to do it so that the team could remain employed and continue to build their businesses. When we re-opened the shop, we came up with a new brand and a new marketing strategy to help scale the barbers’ businesses. Helping barbers achieve their individual goals in a team environment is extremely satisfying. Read more>>

Anahita Thukral

Hear Her Stories started as a Canadian media company, that aims to amplify women’s voices and celebrate their achievements in the form of stories. Through engaging with women leaders from various sectors, Hear Her Stories has identified the need to offer diverse women in Canada access to resources and training to support their transition to the workforce. Over the past couple of years Hear Her Stories has organically grown to thousands of community members who engage with the resources and content produced at Hear Her Stories. To tackle the underrepresentation of diverse women in the workforce, the Diverse workforce (DiWo) initiative was launched, a unique service with the primary focus of increasing women’s representation in the Canadian workforce. Read more>>

April Flynn

My mission stems from witnessing my father’s health decline over the years, with little help from the traditional healthcare system. In my opinion, the system failed him, and it’s a pain I carry in my heart to this day. He battled preventable illnesses and mental health conditions that, with the right support and resources, could have been managed better, possibly saving his life. Losing him to Covid in December 2020 was a devastating blow. His passing was a wake-up call that pushed me to become a Health Coach, determined to help others regain their health through lifestyle habits, mindset shifts, and meditation. In 2018, I shared my dream of becoming an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach with my father, and he wholeheartedly supported me, offering to pay for my certification. I refused, wanting to pursue it independently, but fate had different plans. Read more>>

Sharon Madison

We Ride 4 nonprofit is all about “sharing the love.” We’ve adopted our mission statement: WE RIDE TO GIVE! Our efforts not only give support to one another with the challenges we put in front of ourselves with our bikes, but also our membership is actively volunteering time and raising money so we can support the local nonprofits that focus on getting kids outdoors and on bikes or other activities so these children have the chance of developing healthier lifestyles by getting them off their computers and getting them outside. Read more>>

Sarah Weaver

Appreciate you joining us today. Risk-taking is something we’re really interested in, and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken. Certainly! One of the most significant risks I took was transitioning from my stable corporate job to start my own business. It was a leap of faith, leaving behind the comfort of a regular paycheck for the uncertainties of entrepreneurship. However, I believed in my vision and the potential of my business idea. Embracing this risk allowed me to pursue my passion and unlock immense opportunities for growth and personal fulfillment. Read more>>

Torie Wiley

18 Wheels Talk Show Podcast presents the raw and uncut discussions on various topic in the logistics industry. The Professor Torie Wiley who has over two decades of experience in the logistic industry and co-hosts The Innovator Lamont , Freight Pusher Nae, Diamond In The Rough Nique, Lyric B, and Coach V come together to share mistakes and lessons learned as industry professionals . On our talk show The 18 Wheels host also discuss sports highlights, news, words of encouragement health, wellness, and beauty tips. Periodically, The 18 Wheels Crew, interviews special guests to share their insight on our weekly topic and also shine the spotlight on small businesses and non profit organizations. Read more>>

Daniel Becerra

I live to innovate and create things that impact others. Any other monetary goal or status will always figure itself out as long as I keep my people first in my intentions. Growing up I felt isolated and most of what I remember of my home life was stress and arguments. The internet and music are what gave me perspective, helped me process emotions, and helped me escape my isolated life. All my family knew was work and struggle. Between those two, there is no time for living, loving, and growing. We were sinking. I grew to take on the purpose of being a voice to others that feel trapped in their own lives. Lost, depressed, demotivated, unheard, tired, and misunderstood. I will make a difference. Read more>>

Louise Royer

My purpose in my work is to convey messages and bring smiles to people’s faces. As I travel frequently and have loved ones scattered across three continents, it’s challenging to make them smile from afar. My joy comes from seeing others happy, which drives me to create engaging content like social media posts and XR. The latter is Extended Reality, blending Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) for immersive experiences. One of the projects I recently worked on was an Augmented Reality 3D Runner Game called Ocean Run, created for an environmental company focusing on plastic pollution. The game’s goal is to catch plastic and avoid turtles, with the aim of raising awareness about this critical issue. You can play it through this link: https://www.instagram.com/ar/917114266219534/   Read more>>

Natalie Padgett

When coming up with the idea of Grit, I wanted to create a one of a kind workout where anyone would feel welcomed with a real sense of belonging. Fitness and working out looks so different for everyone, so I wanted a space where they felt like they could thrive in and unlock their fitness level. I’ve been to studios where I felt like an outsider, like I was not “cool” enough to be there, and been told upon check in, “I hope you can keep up”. I believe we can be our own biggest critic, it’s imperative that an instructor lead fitness studio be uplifting and motivating. Read more>>

Eliot Coven

At CNC Philly and Laser Cut Philly, we believe access to technology should not be a barrier to entry for the modern maker. We provide affordable access to automated equipment for our customers, and by doing so, we give them the freedom to design without constraints. Our automated routers and laser cutters can cut a wide variety of materials from plywood to plastic, metals and more. This means a customer can reach out with an idea and in a matter of days turn that vision into a reality. Read more>>

Sammi Cohen and Emma Rizzo

When we were beginning to conceptualize our business, we thought of the name “Dear Blossom” to combine the ideas of both nurture and nature. We initially bonded over our love of the seasons here in Western New York and wanted a way to continue to capture them in creative ways. We also really responded to the idea of helping our clients “bloom” in front of the camera – helping them feel comfortable and confident so their natural beauty can shine through. We want to empower the people we work with and create a truly special experience, rather than a cookie cutter session that doesn’t feel personal to each client. We think of our sessions as totally collaborative and unique to each person – just like a flower in a garden. Read more>>

Kira Chang

My good friend/partner and I recently started our brand ShoujoCheezy, as we wanted to revisit our initial passion of cute characters and trinkets. We wanted to draw and make things we were interested in but never got around to. We enjoy collecting stickers, keychains, washi tapes, and figurines so we figured we could learn how to make our own products! Although our main mission is to be happy, enjoy our freedom to create, and have control over a healthy work-life balance, we also wanted to share our successes with those that enjoy cute things as well. Customers are essential to us as they inspire us to expand our passion and drive us to create more! Read more>>

Sofia Syed

Roasted’s Mission is to be a place where you can enjoy coffee while connecting with creativity, and sustainability, within a collaborative community. The creation of Roasted stemmed from a cumulation of all my favorite things in one place; art, coffee, people, and comedy. I envisioned a casual and vibrant place where people could hang out, and in that, every aspect of Roasted was intentionally designed and curated. My background in art, marketing, and coffee, led me to the tools I needed to embody our mission of creativity, sustainability, and community. Read more>>

David LaSalle

After careers in the military, my wife Alix and I were eager to drop roots into a community. We moved to the small town of Estes Park and discovered something beautiful in this Rocky Mountain paradise – one can work hard and be professionally successful without sacrificing physical or emotional wellbeing. We truly believe that where you work can make you happy and healthy, and sharing that message, and creating a place that facilitates the “work, connect, play” lifestyle is what we’ve done with Vert Coworking. Read more>>

Sarah Daulton

The focus of our mission is all about CO-CREATION. The kitchen is the heart of the home and food is central to the human experience. At Denver Cooking Classes, our goal is to gather together to create intimate & memorable experiences based on food, friends, and fun in an in-home & team building environment. When Denver Cooking Classes was first evolving, Chef Sarah went into a guest’s home to teach her first class with a family of five. By the end of class, she could’t help but notice how happy, proud, and excited the family was to have just created a beautiful meal. This was exactly where the inspiration began-realizing that she was a part of bringing people joy & delicious food, right in the heart of a home. Read more>>

Jordan Smith

I am a 6-foot-4 woman, having reached this impressive height since the age of 13. Embracing my height has not only become an integral part of my identity but has also profoundly shaped who I am today. Undeniably, it wasn’t always easy, especially during my younger years when being tall presented its challenges. I grappled with insecurities, feeling out of place and different from others due to ill-fitting clothes and a sense of not fitting society’s traditional view of femininity. Read more>>

Luke Huxley

AstroTours.org’s mission is not simply to bring the cosmos to people; it’s to share a unifying perspective that we inhabit this small planet together. During my travels around the world, and particularly living in Australia, I was struck by how the night sky is something shared across all cultures. We all look up at the same stars, and it’s something profoundly unifying. We all travel around this planet as it rotates once a day, and we all orbit our sun once a year. That’s a journey we’re all on together. Read more>>

Maria Lobanova

In the ever-evolving landscape of Web3 and technology, my mission is to make the female voice heard and respected. Despite being passionate and knowledgeable about the industry, I have faced challenges in gaining credibility and recognition. One notable instance was when I warned people about the impending FTX crash weeks before it occurred, only to be met with skepticism and disbelief. It was disheartening to see my insights disregarded simply because of my gender and appearance. Read more>>

Sallie Dale

I started in The Urban Acres in 2019 after finding out my husband and I were expecting our first child. I was elated and at the same time terrified because I knew I wanted to stay home with my daughter, but I also knew it would be a difficult financial decision as I was saying goodbye to a teaching salary. But with an October deadline in mind, I spent my summer building an Etsy shop where I sold Punch Needle Kits. Punch Needle is a type of embroidery that is very easy to learn and extremely satisfying to do. There were not many kit options available online at the time, so it didn’t take long for the shop to grow. Read more>>

Shauntoria Craver

When telling the story of my mission, I always start with, “I didn’t choose locs, locs chose me.” My mission has always been to learn how to cultivate healthy and long lasting locs. It was more than about just being neat. Not only did I want to learn, I wanted to teach others what I know. I’ve learned that everybody is teaching themselves how to do locs. The best thing to do would be to learn from who you aspire your work to look like. This mission is meaningful to me because I started off as a self taught loctician. So pouring into others what I’ve learned to teach them the right way is important to me. Read more>>

Krysti Schofield

Schofield Homestead was created with the mission of getting kids out doors more often and off technology. We want to plant seeds into our children at a young age and give them skills they can carry on for the rest of their lives. We focus on animal care, animal feedings and responsibility, team building games and meeting friends. Our mission is to enrich children and families with a great outdoor experience. Read more>>

Erica Eschenburg
‘

Aiding injured and orphaned native wildlife is meaningful to me because I grew up enjoying and respecting the great outdoors and the animals that inhabit it. In a world where we are always in a hurry, hiking in the woods and spotting an animal really gives you pause. And when we pause in our everyday life and really think about it, these same animals have had to adapt considerably to keep up with our growing and busy world. We have taken so much from our natural resources and native wildlife, it felt important to me to do something to give back to them and to assist them when human interference has caused injury, illness, displacement, etc. Read more>>

Cindy Nguyen

Of all the amazing fishing adventures I have gotten to experience, nothing beats the memories I have made with my family. It is truly what shaped who I am today. Growing up, family dinners were always apart of my life and they continue to be so today. We often gathered around fresh caught seafood that my family brought home after camping the sands of TCD and Galveston. Read more>>

Christy Taylor

Chioco Design has always been about hospitality, about creating spaces where people want to be. We came up in restaurant and bar design, and it has informed every type of project that we do. Whether we are designing office space for a tech startup, designing a custom home, or a ground-up mixed use development, we strive to create activated spaces that emphasize comfort, style, and engagement. I love collaborating with restauranteurs. These ingenious entrepreneurs have cracked the code on how to make people happy, with good food, drink, and service. And as designers, we have the opportunity to collaborate with them and shepherd them through a hugely transitional part of their dream: translating their vision into architectural identity and experience. Read more>>

Merrick Gallegos

My name is Merrick, but my family and friends call me Merricka, Merr Bear, and Merr. I am a momma of 3, and a former teacher. A few years back I quit my job so I could stay at home with my babies. Two years ago, I announced my plans to begin Overwhelming Joy, an idea I sketched out in my prayer journal during the early morning quiet hours I spent with my newborn baby. I have done a lot of reflecting & praying as to what I want my social platform and blog to represent. It was hard to nail down my objectives after such an abstract idea of the blog came to mind. But one idea keeps coming to mind through my reflections. I want this blog to represent everything my grandma Rita passed onto me. Read more>>

Ashlyn Delaney

What’s insane to me is at the age of 25 me I realized so young that I myself am a brand. I am a company even if I work for a company. The story behind me and my brand is for the seen and heard but who were never seen or heard. For the women, who were taught to be strong but no matter how loud their voicesare never felt strong enough. It’s meaningful to me because before I was officially heard, I was that woman. Social media gave me another voice to challenge and uplift my community. Read more>>

Trisha Swinton

I started out as a teacher working with children with disabilities. I found so many of the children needed mental health support. My mission began here when I went back to school for a second masters degree in community counseling with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy. I then provided mental health services inside preschools for children 3-5 as I pursued my licensure. I always wanted to make mental health more accessible to all people so when I left agency work and went into full time private practice, I made sure to accept insurance. I expanded to a group counseling practice in 2021. My continued mission has evolved into serving people of all socio economic status accepting medicaid and other major insurances, as well as creating a team of qualified therapists who work with different ages. Read more>>