We asked entrepreneurs, artists, creatives and folks from every walk of life to share stories of kindness with us because we believe that hearing about kindness inspires more kindness. Our world needs more kindness.

Cerissa Leese

We all walk around with our own personal bubbles. When someone touches you, whether it’s holding hands on a date or, in my case, doing hair, the relationship instantly becomes more intimate. It’s incredibly special to be invited into someone’s personal space. As a hairstylist, I often tell my clients how humbled I am to be chosen to invade their space. As such, many times the hairstylist-client relationship becomes more than just that. We become friends, possibly even seeing each other more than family or friends. There have been times throughout my career I’ve given gifts to clients, celebrated wins, and cried with them over the losses. It’s just how I approach being human and being a stylist, and there are times when I’ve gotten the same in return. There’s one time however that really sticks out for me. Read more>>

Alon Bernstein

Following the recession of 2007-2008 I found myself on bad side of multiple business related calamities that cost me nearly everything. My relationship, my happiness, both of my investment properties and very nearly my modest home. Through a combination of bad luck and poor business decisions I found myself going from a net worth of about a half million dollars to one of negative four hundred thousand dollars. Between a customer goin bankrupt, a burglary and various other issues I was nearly destitute and for an agonizing month I considered and explored shutting down the business to which I’d dedicated my adult life and walking away to be an employee at a company of some sort. Read more>>

Ernesto and Jenny Caballero

After September 11, 2001; the immigration process and paper works got stricter and longer, for which finding sponsor to help us out with visa process was getting harder, but thanks to Miguel Lopez who was the owner of Cafe Spain in St. Augustine in that time, who himself offer to help us out with the sponsorship for the visa and permanent resident process. Also, he hired us to perform weekly at his restaurant in St. Augustine. Read more>>

Tracy Jones

I had a client that was moving from another country looking for the best education for his children. He had a small amount of cash to spend. He asked for me to find him a house in the school district where I send my own child with a budget of the cash he had on hand. I was able to find a foreclosure that needed very little work. From then on he would send me copies of his children’s report cards and invite me to birthday parties and family events. We are still friends to this day. Read more>>

Laurie Maves Guglielmi

After relocating to Sarasota Florida I opened an arts and art therapy studio in 2019. It was a very successful studio and I had many new students enjoying the joy of painting and we’re discovering how therapeutic abstract painting and being creative could be. But then Covid came, no one was going out let alone to a painting studio, therefore I was forced to close my business. At the end of 2020 in December, one of my students, Kurt Lucas, who happened to own a very successful interior design firm in Sarasota Invited me to come set up my easel and do some painting in one of his warehouses. He thought it would be a good idea for me to be painting in an environment with a number of interior designers and other creative people .Read more>>

Diego Campos

The most important thing as a professional and as a chef that I am. I love to see people enjoy food. I always say something that I like. I don’t know if I’m the best chef, but I do know that I cook with my heart and for me it is very important that people enjoy food. Read more>>

Marlene Imirzian

My past employers, Gunnar Birkerts and Ed Francis, have been continuous mentors, supportive, and advisors during the entire time of my practice. Their support and recommendations and simple encouragement, have been impossible to measure as they have been through it all starting their own amazing practices and it was immeasurable helpful to be able to share my challenges and get their frank and experienced input.Read more>>