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?

Charlotte Louis

SenterME has been in the making since I was six years old. It was birthed from the determination of a little girl to create space for love in a world where she didn’t experience a lot of love. I’m absolutely sure I am not the only person in the world who had a tough childhood. However, my imagination was free! I would often imagine that I had a house that was full of children feeling loved and enjoying themselves. As I got older, life did not become kinder and my emotional development was disrupted by recurring traumas of sexual abuse and toxic relationships. Yet, as a young adult, this vision to build a safe space to experience yourself on an intimate level drove me to Charlotte, NC. Read more>>

Joselynn Campos

As a mom of three girls and a proud Mexican-American woman, I have a love for creating items that promote female and women empowerment. Through my craft, I aspire to inspire and uplift, celebrating the strength, resilience, and potential of women. Read more>>

Amelia Chen

I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey and embraced the role of an independent artist back in 2019. Currently, I’m engaged in two distinct pursuits: Firstly, I offer design services tailored for press, commercials, and corporate rebranding campaigns. My passion for art has been cultivated since age of seven, and it has evolved into an integral part of my life—a true lifestyle. I hold a deep appreciation for art and aspire to enhance the aesthetic experiences of individuals and businesses with specific creative needs. I appreciate the attention given to art and beauty in the United States, and I firmly believe that art can enhance people’s lives and bring them joy. Read more>>

Sean De La Nuez

As an independent filmmaker it is very difficult to get the recognition or funding needed to kick off a career in the industry. In some cities or towns you would need to have many friends with the same interest or be very lucky that the people around you want the same thing. My companies mission is to bring people together. To provide opportunities for those that truly seek this career and show the passion behind it. We turn weaknesses into strengths and teach how to overcome almost any obstacle by always being prepared for the worse. Read more>>

Jerrel Wade

The mission behind J-MONEY CLOTHING is for you to look and feel like money. Now with. That means when you wake up in the morning. And you’re getting ready to start your day. And you put on a J-MONEY T-shirt. It’s a representation to make you look like Money from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet? You wanna look good you wanna Feel good, so that’s our mission. And it means so much to me. Because I know how hard it is to stay positive in a negative World. So if it makes the person feel good just by putting on one of my clothing. Then that’s all the more meaningful for what we’re trying to do. Read more>>

Tara Olson

The story behind the mission starts with why the company was created. I worked for 20 years as a regional manager for Planet Beauty, a luxury beauty boutique, and it was there I learned the value of customer service, the connection you make with your customer and how important it is to provide goods and services for the majority of men and women, so they can enjoy and feel beautiful and good about themselves. I love making people feel special that is so important to Taera Jewelry , providing the highest customer service, along with trendy and affordable luxury. Read more>>

Bindu Marasini

I grew up on the foothills of the Himalayan mountains on our family’s farm in Nepal. I learned to nurture our land, and in return, the land nurtured me. Bindu Bites continues to strive for a beautiful relationship with local and Nepalese farmers. From locally grown cilantro for our sauces, to peppers that only grow in the Himalayas, our goal is to provide the freshest and safest ingredients for our customers. Growing up in Nepal also taught me how to make the delicious foods of my culture. From momos to sauces, I have carefully curated recipes that honor the delicious and fresh flavors of my home. Bindu Bites aims to share these flavors with those who may have never had them before, and those who long for a familiar taste of Nepal. Read more>>

Vanessa Nielsen Molina

There’s a saying in Spanish: “Quien habla dos idiomas, vale por dos,” which translates to “He who speaks two languages is worth two people.” Both in my personal and professional life, bilingualism has opened doors for me and granted me some incredible opportunities. When I became a mother, it was very important to me that my kids be able to communicate with their Spanish-speaking family members (as well as lots of different types of people from all over the world!). But as a new mom, my desperate search for consistently amazing Spanish children’s books to read at home led nowhere. Read more>>

Giulia Governo

my mission is to inspire people via visual storytelling. When growing up I found refuge and inspiration in movies. I would get lost in all these new worlds, and when the film was over, I felt hopeful. I felt that new and fantastic worlds of possibility were open in front of me. Many times I was entranced by the beauty of the film and its light. I found myself attracted to the photography medium and since I was a little girl I took any opportunity to steal my dad’s photo camera and take pictures. The immense joy and inspiration that I got from films growing up is what inspired me to become a cinematographer: I want to inspire people to listen to their inner voice express themselves self and make their voices heard. Read more>>

Desanka Pinder

I know that part of my personal mission on this Earth is to unlock people’s limitless potential so they are able to fully pursue their passions – fulfilling their overall purpose through making the world a better place. One of the ways I do this is through a company my husband and I co-founded called Cold Coffee Entertainment. We are a music consultation agency, management firm, and blog that is igniting global passion for independent artists. Read more>>

Jordan Canova

My mission is so empower women to becoming the most confident versions of themselves and embrace being multifaceted. This mission is reflected in everything I do. I launched my female empowerment company, More Than, with the goal of inspiring, educating, empowering, and connecting multifaceted women in a way I hadn’t seen done before. I wanted to create a safe space that allowed women to connect and grow through hearing other women share their journeys. On the I Am More Than Podcast, I showcase how our guests are so much more than what you may know them as. We discuss mental health, health & wellness, and confidence in hopes their success and struggles can resonate with our listeners. Most recently, I launched a digital confidence course, The Fundamentals of Confidence, to give our community a manual to becoming the most confident versions of themselves to ultimately take control of their lives. Read more>>

John Allen

“Forever forward progression, charge towards opportunity.” My life’s mission after reading the book “The Rhinoceros Success” it’s a quick read with silly rhino photos. I got my dad to read it and he loved it. I was working in the corporate world at the time and had just made a big move for a job in a field I had zero experience with. Not knowing it would consume everything I had in my tank. I was thinking of what I really wanted to do with my life. I quit that job and moved back home with my dad, and two weeks later my dad passed away. Now I was really thinking: what am I going to do now? I distinctly remember my dad always telling me I had an eye for photography, so I bought a camera and started offering photography sessions. Read more>>

Justin Quandt

Mission = Leading children to be successful in life through dance This mission sticks closely, as our team and I have learned the many valuable lessons of life through dance. The benefits and life lessons are incredible. Some benefits include physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and academic. The life lessons range from learning how to follow instruction, correct body placement, understanding how to work with others, being leaders in and out of the classroom, building social skills, and so much more. Read more>>

Iqrama Muhammad

The PEACES Collective is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Our mission is to “embrace and promote our heritage as makers to help build leadership and thriving communities using cooperative economics and education.” The seed for the organization was planted years ago when I volunteered at a thrift store and noticed the amount of clothing that was being discarded. It occurred to me that instead of being wasted and filling landfills, the cloth could be used to make creative and useful things. Here the idea for my company PEACES began. I began making tote bags using new and recycled fabrics and selling them at local markets and craft fairs. I received many requests for sewing lessons and eventually sought out a venue to teach. Read more>>

Nathan Okiror

Our Mission at Imagine Her is to work with communities to accelerate the power and potential of women, girls, and youth as active leaders and social entrepreneurs creating sustainable solutions within their communities.  The story behind this mission started in 2013 when I was undertaking my undergraduate research project at University. I went to the rural communities of Serere district in Uganda where I witnessed the distressing conditions and stigma faced by girls during their menstrual cycles. These girls lacked access to sanitary supplies, leading to missed school days and worsening the stigma surrounding menstruation. Determined to make a change, I joined forces with my friends James and Fiona- who later became our co-founders and together we launched a community-based menstrual management project that placed boys and men at the forefront of catalyzing change. Read more>>

Wendy Bentley

Cooking has always been a passion of mine. Being a New Orleans Native, I grew up in the kitchen with my family. Having a home cooked meal every night was normal growing up, so wanted the same experience for my children. The hardest part of changing my lifestyle was introducing the vegan world to my 3 amazing children. My first task as a vegan chef was to recreate my children favorites but also favorites from New Orleans to show my family something different. I’m currently attending Escoffier plant based culinary school. Read more>>

Pamela Wirth

Hello Health is passionate about helping the 1:5 with autoimmune disorders and 1:35 with autism disorders. We believe along with the research that when we target the root of why someone has a symptom, we can reverse the diagnosis with supplementation, food and medicine targeting inflammation, detox along any underlying bacterial, viral & fungal infections. Pamela founded Hello Health when her son was misdiagnosed disorders including depression, anxiety, OCD and autism over a decade ago, she searched for answers. Inspired to bring brain, gut, and immune education and resources to more people, especially those living with autoimmune & autism disorders, Pamela discovered access to honest, natural supplements wasn’t easy to come by, and Hello Health was born. Read more>>

Dawn Sands

NRG Nutrition Ready to Go mission statement is “Helping you build a Sustainable Relationship with Food”. This mission was driven by my experiences of cancer in my family. The desire to change eating habits and practices and the understanding that food can heal and hurt through my own experience is the number one reason NRG was created. I believe that if NRG can continue create and offer a diverse menu of tasty healthy food we will give the community an option to make better choices and have a better relationship with food. Read more>>

Chelsea Robinson

Spreading joy is our mission! And changing more accommodations to allowing our feline best friends to stay with us too! Unfortunately there are still many places still not open to pets, or only rolling out the red carpet for dogs. But we’re on a roll to change that game! Our passion is unveiling those cat-welcoming havens that not only accept cats, but truly welcome them! Because exploring with our feline buddies is the ultimate adventure, and there are so many who want to do the same, but struggle to find many places that accept them. So we’re hoping to change the no cat mindset– showcasing spots that shout, “Cats are totally welcome here too!” Read more>>

Tina Gauthier

When I was pregnant with my first, I had read all the books, bought all the gear but when the baby arrive, something was missing. Looking back it was support from other women going through the same phase of motherhood as I was. At the time I thought about becoming a doula or midwife, but I had a newborn and that career was going to be a tough transition. I even created a Facebook group and invited every mom I know, with the intent to get moms to go on walks together for some connection. It worked out once and 3 moms went on a walk who were all in the same phase. Flash forward a few years and I had a baby during Covid – support was completely gone. Read more>>

Kelly Kussman

Cayla Gray is a clean fragrance company that was founded in 2020. We are one of the few fragrance companies that discloses all of the ingredients in the word “fragrance” in all of our products. Our founder (Kelly Kussman) has over 20+ years of experience in corporate retail in leadership positions for large retailers. Guided by the interconnection of nostalgia and scent, Cayla Gray is a reminder of the slow intentional journey of a self care ritual. The journey to deeper self discovery started through our Founder, Kelly Kussman after she suffered from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, almost losing her life as well as her first baby. It started her on a journey of self discovery that led to the creation of Cayla Gray, a fragrance company. Cayla Gray was going to be the name of her first baby. The brand connected her deep love for the nostalgia of scent but also honored the heartbreak she experienced through the pregnancy losses. Read more>>

AZ Moyer

My mission is to make taxes easy from A to Z! The tax code is WAY too complicated, and it was created that way for a reason. The more complicated a law is, the more ways that people in power, or those with enough resources, can get around them. You might hear in the press that certain notable individuals pay no income tax, and that is true to some degree, but it is not entirely true. Those individuals simply have the knowledge, or people around them, who can make sure they are paying the least amount in taxes as possible. Because of the complicated tax code, simply filing your individual income tax return as a W2 employee can be confusing. Read more>>

Katie Novak

“Creating a safe space to let the artistry flow, while being true to yourself behind the chair and in everyday life.” -Kolor Nook’s Mission This mission statement is not just a sentence. This is a lifestyle, I have worked on creating for years into myself and my business. We can all struggle with finding our own identity in a creative space like a salon. We are taught to do things a certain way and preform services to the customers satisfaction. Read more>>

Linda Middlesworth

My mission in life is the same mission for starting my business. 35 years ago at the age of 44, I was very sick with cancer, severe heart disease, pre-diabetes and 55 lbs extra. I accidentally found out about Dr. John McDougall and by following his advice, I reversed all my chronic diseases and obesity by following his Starch based, plant exclusive diet. But my entire mission changed when when my new neighbor told me 1 week later what happens to dairy cows. Then, on the spot, I knew my life’s mission would be to stop the horrifying meat, dairy, and egg industries. Read more>>

Gianna Contino

My mission centers around creating aesthetically pleasing spaces that inspire and transform lives. This mission is deeply meaningful to me because I truly believe that well-designed environments can positively impact people’s emotions, behaviors, and overall well-being. Seeing my clients experience joy and comfort in the spaces I have designed drives me to continue pursuing this mission passionately. Read more>>

Elaine Lin Hering

My mission is to help support rather silence people. Having spent more than a decade teaching negotiation skills and frameworks founded out of the Harvard Negotiation project, I realized that despite the quality of those frameworks, some people still didn’t negotiate, have difficult conversations, or give and receive feedback. Why was that? Because we’ve all learned and benefited from staying silent. And regardless of how well-intentioned we are as leaders, we continue to silence the very people we aim and claim to support. Read more>>

Kate Korsak

Humans are creative beings, designed to be uniquely passionate individuals. For me, writing has been a love of mine since elementary school, and since then my enjoyment of fantasy worlds has only grown. I find that being creative brings me closer to The Creator, and leaning into that has allowed me to write stories of worlds elementary school me couldn’t have imagined. I believe everyone has the ability to be creative, and I’ve built my social media for the purpose of building community with other creatives. Weather a writer, artist, cosplayer, dungeon master, or fantasy cartographer, the love for fantasy is something that should be encouraged. I’m always learning from others, and I hope they can find the same support from me! Read more>>

Ivana Benton

Our mission is to enhance beauty one at a time. We welcome any and all at the beauty garden. We offer 5 star customer service to each and every client that walks through our doors. Read more>>

Claire McClintock

Through thoughtful and meaningful human connection, our mission is to change the world by empowering every child’s caregivers to discover the potential of and promote the skills necessary for an optimal life of healthy and happy relationships within their community and beyond. This mission has evolved over several years. We know that changing the world is a lofty goal, but why not?! We passionately believe that methods of prevention, specifically in the area of child development, can lead to profound changes. Read more>>

Khan Turgut

My mission is pretty simple. I’m coming from an Immigrant Anatolian guest worker family from Germany. Growing up I faced a lot of racism, Islamophobia and as a trans individual a lot of transphobia as well. The time made me hate everything about my heritage, religion and identity. After years of oppression, I broke the chains and found my mission in life and career as well. As an Anatolian, Muslim, trans creative, I can proudly say that my purpose and mission with my company is to spread out my religion, culture and own identity as loud and as proud as possible. The idea is to inspire and soften hearts. Read more>>

Delta Williams

I’m so glad that mental health is starting to become normalized in American society. Unfortunately, the initiative to create a more accepting atmosphere for those struggling with mental health issues happened a little too late for my father. When I was 24 years old my father committed suicide and it completely devastated me. I struggled in a darkness I never thought I could overcome and fell into a deep depressive state. I even attempted to harm myself as well. Seeking spiritual and professional help and counseling literally saved my life! I learned so many things during that phase of my life thus the mission was born from my pain and suffering to help those that are in that same dark pit that I was BEFORE they make a permanent decision determined by a temporary circumstance. FREE, the NGO (non-governmental organization) is still in its infant stages however the mission is clear that we must help those struggling with depression/anxiety in a proactive position as opposed to a reactive one. Read more>>

Rashad Patterson

Rashad Patterson believes literature is important because it helps children in multiple aspects of life. Encouraging children to read at a young age is very vital to society . Reading helps children with expanding their vocabulary and introduces them to new topics. Read more>>

Niambi Moore

The mission behind my company is making women feel beautiful while on a budget. Potential customers are quick to downplay the mission once they see the price of a set. However, all materials that I used are high-end and all sets are reusable. My mission is important to me because I was still in college when I gave birth to my daughter. My boyfriend had just graduated and we were on a strict budget. Prior to giving birth, I visited the nail salon bi-weekly. In order to stick to our new budget, I decided to give up getting my nails done. I was not a fan! It may sound silly to some, but I didn’t feel as beautiful not getting my nails done. Read more>>

Dainty Dames Events, Renee Dorian – Begley and Jillian Burgos

Renee: I’d say having children was the biggest risk! LOL But I love it and couldn’t imagine my life any other way. But definitely starting our own business was probably the biggest risk. We previously worked for another company that was more established but not creatively fulfilling for us. Taking that leap and trusting that we were doing the right thing was risky, but it has been so much more rewarding. Read more>>

Cristy Joy

My dream as a child was to act in a Disney show.  My parents did not believe in me, nor did they support this, in  any way whatsoever. I grew up in a very dysfunctional and  abusive family. I finally realized this and was able to escape  home in South Florida and move to Los Angeles.  It was not an easy path. I did not know anybody, but I made it  happen. Read more>>

Brian Ousley

It all started when I started as a photographer, where I captured images, requiring my technical, creativity, and composition skills and had my first solo art show my senior year of college I had experience curating gallery shows at my first art gallery, BOOM Studio in Columbus Park in 2003. I spent years representing artists and helping them market their artwork. I moved my studio to the West Bottoms and focused on my art representation business, BOOM Art and growing my photography business, BOOM Photography. My lease was about to end in the West Bottoms and I felt it was time to step it up and look for a new space with more exposure and accessibility. Read more>>