So often mission and purpose driven folks have fascinating stories about where they draw their inspiration from. Often it’s a historical figure and so we’ve highlighted some of those conversations around historical figures and what some of the best and brightest have learned from them.

Carly Noad

When I hear this question I always think to myself, where do I start! Let me try and make this as short as I can. From where I began to where I am now there are so many creative roads I have dabbled into – but all of them lead back to one main umbrella and that is, design. My journey started off with clothing. I was making and reworking pieces of clothing I wanted but didn’t exist. Then I started making clothing specifically so I wouldn’t be wearing the same thing as someone else. Then, I noticed people started liking what I was doing so I began making 1 of 1 custom pieces. Read more>>

Will Woodrow

I knew from a very young age that I would grow up to be any of these 3, Artist/ Musician/ Actor. I’ve always made art. Both visual and sonic. I focused more on music over the last couple of decades as a career staple right up until covid. I toured in bands, signed a record deal, published catalogs of music, wrote, produced, and performed around the country. Played with some big named bands, and recorded in some awesome studios. Song writer, vocalist, bassist, keyboardist, and producer.  Read more>>

Joseph Fell

My name is Joseph Fell and I am the bassist, singer and main songwriter of Fell Harvest. We are a Wyoming based band playing a mix of Melodic Death and Doom metal. I began playing music when I was around 10 years old. My first exposure to heavy metal came when I saw the video for “One” by Metallica while sneaking a rare look at MTV (I had a fairly strict religious upbringing and at that time was not allowed to watch cable TV normally). I immediately managed to “acquire” a copy of “And Justice for All” on cassette which I listened to obsessively. I had never heard anything as intense and gripping, and it remains one of my all time favorite records.  Read more>>

Mohammed Qamar’s Story

I was a boy with a dream of creating games that would benefit the lives of others, just as the ones I grew up playing did for me. They were experiences that were not only fun to play but had something meaningful to say. I looked up to the people who worked on these sorts of games, and I wanted to be just like them. I still do. As I grew up, I realized this dream could not be achieved through complacency and minimal effort. It would require every fiber of my being: long nights, early mornings, and 80-hour weeks filled with frustration, breakthroughs, learning, and retrying. I believe that just as muscles are built by pushing them past their current abilities, we must also train our minds by going beyond our psychological limits to raise the bar for what we can accomplish. Read more>>

Matt Harris

I’ve been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. I received my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree from Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts where I majored in Illustration and also studied traditional drawing, Painting and sculpture. After college, I began working full-time as a graphic Designer for Mohegan Sun Casino as well as honing my skills as an illustrator working with various freelance clients and on my own personal work. Over the past seven years I’ve worked with many clients in the Tabletop Gaming industry and book illustration. Read more>>

Lisa Sonshine

I started Sonshine and Broccoli 20 years ago. I actually can’t even believe I can say I’ve been doing anything for 20 years. I had just graduated college for musical theatre and I thought for sure I was going to broadway. Soon after graduating I was approached about running mom and tot baby music groups. I played a little bit of guitar and I thought how hard could this really be? We landed our first group of moms and babes and I got nervous so I asked my best friend from college (Broccoli) to play guitar for me for my first class. We wrote a welcome song and a goodbye song and right then and there Sonshine and Broccoli was born. Read more>>

Kristen Laidig of Expert Media Academy

I started my entrepreneurial journey at the tender age of six when I saw the pet rock craze and wanted a piece of the pie. Having no business training or experience, I successfully drew faces on rocks out of my driveway with a permanent marker and sold several dollars’ worth to my friends before I was shut down by my father for “using up his driveway gravel.” Read more>>

Donna Giraud

Twenty-two years almost to the day, a 21-year-old (that’s me) was having brunch and mimosas with my boyfriend (sorry husband) on a random Sunday on Granville island. During this fateful brunch, my boyfriend admired a painting on the restaurant wall. With a spark of inspiration (and possibly a bit of mimosa-fueled bravado), I thought to myself, “I could paint that!” The next day, I embarked on a covert mission. I returned to the restaurant, feigned an urgent bathroom visit, and sneakily snapped a photo of the painting with my trusty point-and-shoot camera (yes, this was pre-iPhone). Armed with this clandestine photo, I dashed to the craft store, loaded up on paints and canvas, and then got the film developed at London Drugs. Read more>>

Cherie Harte

In 2012 a very dear friend invited me along to an art workshop at a local studio in the east end of Toronto. I was just diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and my 17 year marriage was ending at the time. Initially, I said no but a loud whisper within me told me it was exactly what I needed. To create!  In 2013 I began painting regularly at ArtEmbassy, an art studio/gallery in Toronto, run by gallery owner Julie McMeekin. A few years into my journey McMeekin suggested an exhibition and we mounted the first solo exhibit of my work “Scratching the Surface” at ArtEmbassy in 2016. Read more>>

Claudia Robin Gunn

My baby nickname was Birdy, as Mum and Dad used to come and find me in my cot, burbling away. I think one of the first times I remember performing on stage was at a local country music club, singing a Dolly Parton song with the house band, and it gave me the bug. Fast forward four decades, having grown up in a musical family – I’m so lucky to bring my love of music into life as a mother, performing for children of my local community and creating original music for the early years. Read more>>

Jacqueline Williams of Overcomer By Jacqueline Williams

I am an inspirational leader someone who has the ability to motivate others to succeed and positively influence those around me . I am more driven and committed to developing others, and they model the skills and traits they want through their mentorship. How I started was through my childhood when faced with the challenges of being ill with sickness  I was born with a severe illness due to a drug called Thalidomide.the physical mental and spiritual obstacles that came before me and how I overcame and perservered to a place of peace and strength in Christ  Read more>>

Adjoa Edzie of Gruuvv

My journey to founding Gruuvv began during my time as a receptionist at JAM’N 94.5, a popular radio station. Here, listeners frequently approached me seeking recommendations for DJs for various events. This recurring demand showed a gap in the market for easily accessible, reliable DJ services. Inspired, I established an in-house DJ service at the station, which quickly gained traction, generating significant revenue and attracting major brand sponsorships. Read more>>

Mai Alina’s Story

I believe it was around the age of 11 I knew I wanted to have my own business or even be a content creator. When I was younger I used to make drawings and sell them to my classmates at school. I’ve always strived to be the best at anything I did. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I decided to make beauty and skincare products. When I first started out, I only sold lipglosses but that quickly grew into lashes, face wash, moisturizer, etc. Read more>>

Pooja Patel of Aging Together

As a second-generation first-born to Indian immigrant parents, a career in healthcare was strongly advised from a very young age. However, as I got older, I didn’t have the desire to become a physician. I began exploring other healthcare professions with my personal interests in mind and found my way to occupational therapy. This resulted in a six-year program in which I graduated with a Doctor of Occupational Therapy. Over the past seven years in the field, I developed a strong passion for helping our elderly and obtained specialty certifications in dementia, fall prevention, and geriatric care. This ultimately led to splitting my time across settings. Read more>>

Richie Kyriacou of Reset With Richie

Like many people, I stumbled into my career. Straight out of university, I landed my first office job. Having spent my teenage years doing manual labor on farms and in furniture warehouses, I carried that same hardworking mentality into the office, focusing on getting through repetitive tasks without doing the ‘other’ work to be recognised. In meetings, I was often too intimidated to speak up, especially with seniors in the room. I didn’t understand in my head why at the time, but I was experiencing physical symptoms like sweating, a racing heart and shaking. Eventually, I grew tired of feeling that way and decided to look for solutions.  Read more>>

Christine Bode of Bodacious Copy

My journey with language began at the tender age of fourteen when my poetry first graced the pages of 16 Magazine and Scholastic’s Rock’s Biggest Ten (it was a poem about Shaun Cassidy). A lifelong devotee of literature, I’ve embraced over 1,000 books with the enthusiasm of a genuine bibliophile. My dedication to reading is matched only by my commitment to ensuring my clients’ manuscripts captivate their audience. Read more>>

Kim Staples of Kimberly Staples Coaching: The Cutting Ties Coach

My journey as a coach and healer began four years ago when I had a burning desire to help women reclaim their sense of self via the exiting and recovering from toxic relationships. Over time, this has evolved into assisting women more intimately as they heal from unresolved trauma and old wounding that keeps them locked in their wounding.  Ultimately, repairing the relationship a woman has with herself is the only real shot she’s got at axing the repeating of toxic behaviours or escaping patterns that no longer serve her. Read more>>

Bethany Osborn of adaswim

In 2020, right in the middle of a pandemic, I founded adaswim. Creativity has always run through my veins, and I often found myself searching for a unique outlet to express it. My mother taught me how to sew when I was young, so one day during the pandemic, while online shopping, I realized how often I was purchasing swimsuits that only lasted a year or two before they started to show signs of wear and tear. The high prices didn’t align with the quality and longevity, so I decided to give it a try on my own. I picked up a sewing machine, and for me, history was made. Read more>>

Angelina Urdiales

I’m just a stoned stylish girl who’s thriving in this crazy thing called life! I went through a lot of trial and tribulations to get to where I am right now.. that’s the beauty of life the unknown everyday is a new chance to make your life what you want it to be! I’m very much an entrepreneur and I went through trying a whole bunch of different things before finding out I love to bake and cook whether they be infused or plain Jane treats! I really enjoy making people genuinely happy and that’s what I’ll continue to do in this crazy life, everyone deserves to be genuinely happy and that’s what I always strive for!! Read more>>

Trina Randall’s Story

“Three years ago I was working for children’s social services. I’d been working there for ten years. I absolutely loved my job. I would wake up and look forward to going to work. Everyday was different, I loved supporting people, hearing people’s life stories. Some days things didn’t always go to plan, and there would be emergencies to tend to. I worked with an incredible team of people who were my work colleagues as well as my friends. We would help and support each other. As much as I loved my job – it came with a flip side which sometimes took over my mind. I saw a lot of trauma, a lot of sad situations which couldn’t always be helped, nor had positive endings. Read more>>

Mark Harris of Equip Products, Inc.

I had an amazing career. I woke up every day looking forward to what would happen next. I traveled the world and went to places I never imagined I would find myself in. It started in the aviation world, learning how planes were engineered and manufactured. A few years later, an opportunity came along that would have me designing, manufacturing, and selling medical products to the U.S. military. I could not be more excited to support these men and women who did so much for us. Read more>>

Chelle Ellis

Sadie’s Old House at sadiesoldhouse.com is my renovation blog following our 1883 home, known locally as “Ms. Sadie’s Place”, and referred to by me as “Sadie”. Sadie was moved a mile South in 1942, so her original spot, along with the land of the 700 residents in the old valley of Coldwater, Mississippi, could be used in the Yazoo Basin Headwaters Project and developed into the Arkabutla Reservoir. Arkabutla Lake, its dam and spillway were ordered by Franklin D. Roosevelt and built by the WPA, in response to The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927; moving the entire town of Coldwater, formerly established as The Village of Elm Grove for $250,000. Read more>>

Bernadette Capulong of BC DESIGN HAUS

My passion for graphic design has always been the guiding light leading me to where I am today with BC Design Haus. Before starting my own agency, I worked in corporate packaging for large brands such as Nestle, Mattel, and P&G where I put all my design knowledge to practice, creating packaging that made brands stand above the competition. Read more>>

Hayley Stein

My name is Hayley Stein and I started my journey with photography starting my freshman year of high school in a dark room. It has evolved into Hayley Stein Photography- my business I’ve run since 2013! I specialize in costume, portraiture, and event photography, though I dabble in all forms. Read more>>

Autumn Grace

When I was little, my dream was to be a makeup artist. As time went on, things changed. When COVID happened, it shut down all the film sets – and not to mention that freelance makeup artistry isn’t stable starting out. I wanted to be able to have a stable income, and have a place of my own. My junior year of high school, I decided to go to cosmetology school. That way I would be able to expand myself as a business, and be able to do multiple services. Read more>>

Charlie Faulks

I’ve loved art for as long as I can remember and have always been known as “the guy that can draw”. A title I’m not crazy about because it usually leads to “can you draw me!?” During the 2020 pandemic, I started working as a freelance character designer via the online freelance platform Fiverr. I was 16 and it was an exciting time to be home for months on end, getting small, random jobs from all over the world. I was fabulously lucky during the lockdowns and I recognise that it wasn’t a joyous time for most people. Read more>>

Shirley Ibe

I have always had an interest in makeup. I started at a young age to play in my moms makeup, when and when she wasn’t looking. After many requests from friends and family to do their makeup, I decided to become a makeup artist. I sought out the best makeup artists to learn from and be mentored by. I’ve had the honor of learning from the makeup greats such as Scott Barnes, Mario Dedivanovic, Priscilla Ono, Keita Moore and more. Over the years of working as a makeup artist the biggest thing I noticed was how much I mix and customize a lip color for my clients , especially people of color. Read more>>

Hameed Odunewu of Dope Dreams Productions

I have always had a passion for music since joining my school’s band in elementary and followed that up by earning a Vocational Certificate in Commercial Music while in High School. While in college I had the opportunity to meet and work with other musicians and those within the creative industry. That led me to start my brand “Dope Dreams Production” an entertainment company that focuses on developing creatives. In 2021 I had the opportunity to open “The Village OTL” a photography and recording studio in Chicago. Today, I focus on working with creatives to develop their brand while also providing them with the legal resources they need. Read more>>

Kimberly Mitchell

I got my start in marketing back when I was a pre-teen in 4-H. I would have to fundraise multiple times a year for various projects and I learned how to make tri-fold pamphlets on my computer and would take them with me to my Dad’s Rotary Club to make a 3-5 minute presentation on my project or latest fundraiser. Read more>>

Dina Konovalov’s Story

I started as a clueless art school graduate thrown in the world of unknown with a big dream and tons of bills to pay. It was 1999 and I just graduated Mass College of Art with a photography degree. Dot coms were booming and I quickly got a job photographing restaurants, businesses and events around Boston for Ticketmaster. Getting laid off was a blessing in disguise as I was forced to become a freelancer (aka business owner) right away. Read more>>

Natascia Bachini

Sweetie Pie was born in 2017 in Tuscany, in Italy, as a biscuit and pastry shop. All the recipes are made by Natascia, at that time the owner and only pastry chef of Sweetie Pie, a true self-made woman, thanks to her previous experience in other pastry shops in the research and development. All this for a duration of about two years. 2019 was the turning point year. Sweetie Pie becomes a family business and her son Federico joins Natascia. Two worlds come together; Natascia’s pastry making technique and theory with taste and aesthetic sense of the world of fashion. World in which Federico studied and worked for years. Read more>>

Julie Fazooli

I began my journey in the Arts & Entertainment world working in record stores in the mid-90’s as soon as I was old enough to join the workforce, which really fed my obsession with music, and fuelled my passion for DJing. This led me to focus my study on the audio-visual arts quite young, and after job-shadowing a television producer for a day, I was immediately hired as her assistant and spent a few years moving my way up the ladder and bouncing between broadcast channels before going to university and obtaining degrees in Literature & Creative Writing, as well as TV & Film Production. Read more>>

Mel Kay’s Story

I’m an Australian singer now based in Hawaii. I studied music at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. I graduated WAAPA with a BA in music & was accepted into Honors. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with Lyme disease in the year after graduating. I fought that for many years. Instead of further study I decided to focus my efforts on writing, performing & recovering. I worked in two working bands & sang along the west coast of Australia, the Pilbarra & Darwin. In 2021 I flew through the middle east in the middle of the pandemic & came to the United States where I now work in music. Grateful for my first single launch in Hawaii selling out September 2023. Read more>>

Shelby Braziel

I have forever had a love for cooking & baking. In 2021 I had just quit my full time job and had a creative itch. I finally had time to fulfill it and bring my love for baking to life. I was mostly just doing it for fun and to prove to myself that I could do it. I gained interest from friends and family here and there after posting to my socials or by word of mouth. From that point, Salt & Sugar Baking Co. was born and the rest is history. Read more>>

Angela Harris of 2638 Management Group, LLC

I grew up in Washington, DC, and attended District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). My mother passed away from stomach cancer when I was three years old, and I was raised by my father, a WWII Navy Veteran and retired federal government employee. My parents were educated in segregated schools in Greenwood, SC, and Washington, DC, and did not attend college. Growing up, my father stressed the importance of education, and I knew from an early age that I wanted to attend college and study technology. Read more>>

Matthew Brown

I am Canada, or my moniker online is at least known at Canada. My real name is Matt, and I am a content creator, and entrepreneur from Toronto, Canada. My life is led different as I identify with a disability known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS. This chronic pain disability has led me to the niche gaming world of gaming with a complex disability and the need for adaptive gaming equipment. I rise and stand to be an educator in the gaming market, and explain, and host pop up gaming events for those with a disability. Read more>>

Michelle Sabado

I first started my Instagram account @zerowastesunflower in 2018. I wanted to be an ambassador for a reusable period products company! I received products from them in exchange for a fair review. I also started my account to share my sustainable living tips with a larger audience. I was posting my tips on my personal account for my friends, but I wanted to make a bigger impact by sharing them on a public account. In college around 2014, I first learned about the concept of zero-waste living. I was mindblown that I could practice conscious consumption to decrease the amount of waste I produced. Previously, I thought recycling was the only action I could take for the environment. Read more>>

Evie Kevish’s Story

Becoming a Certified Juice Therapist and finding my purpose was one of the most amazing things I have experienced. After having two kids in two years and reaching over 200 pounds, I realized something had to change. I wanted to be a strong, fit, and healthy mom for my girls, and I knew I needed to take control of my health and weight while they were still young. This led me to discover the transformative power of juicing. It became the catalyst for my journey, helping me lose over 60 pounds, which I have successfully kept off for years. Read more>>

Sydney Smith

I have been drawn to art and creating as long as I can remember. I was fortunately surrounded by family members and teachers who nurtured my many interests and created environments where they, specifically my interest in art, could grow. After taking any and every art class that I could get my hands on in public school, I went on to study Fine Art and receive a BFA from Clemson University. While I was able to gain experience in nearly every medium and improve my technical ability as an artist, I left college feeling unsure that art was something that could practically sustain me. Read more>>