Over the years as we connected with incredible from folks from almost every imaginable industry we realized that every nook and cranny of our economy is full of small business owners, artists and creatives who live and breathe what they do – and their stories are nothing short of heroic. It’s the immigrant parents who overcame the odds and kept their small business alive for decades allowing their next generation to thrive and the artisans who pour their passion into every piece and refuse to let even the most common items remain mundane that make our communities come alive. The stories below will inspire you and we hope you’ll take the time to read and connect with these incredible folks.

Eric Luongo

Art has always been more than just a pastime for me; it’s been my sanctuary, a refuge from life’s challenges. From a young age, I found solace in drawing, using it to focus amidst the chaos. Creating took me away from any problems I faced, and looking back, I can see how this passion laid the foundation for my artistic journey. As I grew older, my fascination with art blossomed into a lifelong commitment. That sense of individuality fueled my desire to create and share my work with others. Instead of giving conventional store-bought gifts, I began to frame my artworks for friends and family. For me, art wasn’t just about creativity; it was a profound way to connect with those I cared about. Read more>>

Aryan Sachdeva

Greetings, I am Aryan Sachdeva, a dreamer and storyteller driven by rapid thoughts and an insatiable quest for understanding. My mind constantly oscillates between reality and imagination, fueled by an innate curiosity about the human experience and the intricate tapestry of life. As a young explorer at heart, I’ve embarked on numerous adventures, particularly in my hometown of Delhi. At just 16, I began chronicling the city’s hidden stories while navigating its streets on my bicycle. This unique perspective allowed me to uncover narratives often overlooked, finding beauty in the mundane and magic in the everyday. Read more>>

Sawyer Cloud

My name is Sawyer Cloud and I’m a children’s book artist. Before becoming a full-time artist, I occupied so many different roles, for example I was a librarian, then a first grade teacher, a video maker etc. But drawing is my passion and I wanted to turn it into my main job so I got into the work. Since there’s no art school in my home country, I made many researches on the internet and in books to help me making my way. Read more>>

Robert Foster

I was a teacher for 12 years and didn’t have a good work/life balance. I didn’t have the time I needed to write. It wasn’t until I left the education field and found more traditional 9-5 work that I was able to start writing regularly. I published my first book, Morgan’s Mount in December 2023. I published my second book, Crag Island, in July 2024. Read more>>

Sadiq Hussain of CoachSadiq

Over a decade ago, I used to be a very shy, introverted young soul. I didn’t really know why. I was just afraid of feeling like a ‘loser’ when it came to communicating with females but also, any stranger for that matter. It was uncomfortable and scary for me because I constantly doubted myself and worried about other peoples opinions / judgement of me. Read more>>

Dr. Tamika Johnson

At 46 years old, I’ve reached a crossroads in my life. I find myself at a juncture where I’m contemplating my next steps. For over two decades, I’ve dedicated my career to education and have also ventured into entrepreneurship, experiencing both highs and lows. However, I feel an urge to pursue more. Despite being married for 18 years, raising a 26-year-old son, a 15-year-old daughter, and a 2-year-old granddaughter, I yearn for a deeper sense of fulfillment. Read more>>

Louie Pello’s Story

I started rapping at 14, freestyling on YouTube beats in the whip with my friends drinking brews and comically sized blunts. We all loved rap and hip-hop, it was 2010 and lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa , Mac Miller , Juicy J , Gucci Mane, Don Trip & Starlito , Kid Cudi and Drake Ruled the Music Landscape at the time. Each of us taking turns doing a terrible job at keeping a flow but wow was it funny to watch your friend blasted out his mind try to rap coherent bars. We would search for hours at school for beats, save the ones we liked and bring our finds for the week to our weekend hangouts. We did this for a long time and usually the flows and lyrics were terrible but occasionally somebody would nail it . The stars aligned and the beat slapped perfectly , we would all lose our shit when it happened. I mean really lose it too , like something from a football homecoming pep crowd Read more>>

Paul Willson

Thanks for having me! I began studying music as a child and quickly gravitated towards guitar after some dabbling on the piano. Well before I had any skill on the instrument I found myself experimenting and trying to create sounds and musical ideas that were new or unique to my ears. The initial results can’t have been great, but it did set a musical precedent I’m thankful for: to always explore and not care too much about doing things ‘the right way’ according to anyone else. Read more>>

Barb Lamb’s Story

I have work in nthe food & beverage industry for the past 14 years, and have intimate knowledge of specialty food regulation, packaging, distribution, manufacturing and marketing. My food journey started as the Director of the Women’s Business center funded through the SBA. We housed one of the first incubator kitchens in Virginia, and had Chef Stephanie Ganz on staff. She and I later partnered to form The Apple Cart Company, a food focused consulting business. The business was aquired in January 2024 by Big Spoon Co, a full service agency with a concentration in packaged foods and restaurants. Read more>>

Marcos Luis’s Story

Born into a family that encouraged the arts, I began as an entertainer at an early age doing talent shows and school plays.I hosted a kids Television show in grade school which started me on my way. . From there, playing musical instruments: flute, clarinet, saxophone, upright bass became my artistic focus. . From there many shows , modeling, concerts, professional stage productions, independent films and National commercials based in Chicago, IL eventually lead me to NYC with the possibility to do it more.. Read more>>

Steve Vito

Sure, I started out in rock bands and when the last big rock project I was in disbanded, I was at a crossroads. I decided, I’m going to write music anyway, whether I try to do something with it or not, so why not try to do something with it. So I made up my mind that I’m going to start writing songs for other people. That led me to pop music. As I started trying to write songs to pitch to artists, I realized that putting my vocal on ever demo was not the best representation of what the song could be. I also realize that producing very sub par productions were also not a good representation of what the song could be. So I continued evolving. I decided to start to work with singers and to learn how to produce music myself. Several years in, I started finding my circle of frequent collaborators. Some of them started working in sync with their music, so I decided to give it a try to. I got my first placement for an LA children’s dental ad where we even got to voice act some of the characters. We beat out a hundred or so submissions. It was fun and exciting seeing someone use our song to video and make money doing it. I was hooked, so I started gravitating a lot of my path to sync. The more I started writing there, the more I started placing and the ball just kept rolling and momentum kept building which led me to today. Read more>>

Zephaniah Jones of Think All Be All

Hi! My name is Zephaniah Jones and I am the Owner Operator of Think All Be All Creative Arts Incubator located here in Montgomery, AL. I am a father, musician, community partner, and mentor to aspiring creatives. I believe in sharing my love of God, the resources, and the opportunities that are present for all people to live a fulfilled life. I currently function as the artist in residency for the Armory Learning Arts Center in Montgomery taking on the role of community outreach and creative development. I want to share as many resources as I can and offer a place for creatives to live and love what they do from as many perspectives as possible. Read more>>

The Goddess Wisdom Council

The story of the Goddess Wisdom Council began in 2016 when Cora Poage had a dream about a specific group of women meeting on Kauai, Hawaii. – Anita Kopacz, Yadi Alba, and Yvonna Kopacz-Wright – responded to this call, and our time together was transformative! During our gathering, we coached each other, connected with an Indigenous Wisdom Council, went on sacred hikes, and experienced personal growth and healing. Read more>>

Malachi Hinton

My name is Malachi Hinton, and I’m a USA Professional Equestrian Show Jumping Athlete and Owner of Rhema Sporthorses. I’ve been a part of equestrian sport for 17 years with experience competing among the highest national levels. My story is one that is non-traditional for the sport as I was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia far from the world of elite equestrian sports and the resources that are needed to participate. I was introduced to horses at one of the only inner city stables close to my home and quickly fell in love with these animals. I started learning how to ride on the semi-retired horses and ponies that were there and began studying more about the sport online. While studying online my mind was quickly opened to the possibilities within the sport, and I immediately knew – without hesitation or concern for how it would happen – that this would be my life and that I wanted to be one of the best in the world. Read more>>

Alejandro Caiazza

I have always had a special inclination towards art, I remember winning first prize for drawing and painting at an early age. I was about 8 years old, as the years went by my desire to become an artist grew, I read biographies about great masters, copied their paintings, and little by little I found my voice, in 1998 I had the opportunity to do my first solo exhibition in an important gallery in the city, and since then I continued painting, in a self-taught way (despite certain studies that I managed to do) I moved from my childhood and adolescence, Venezuela to Paris (France) where I managed to exhibit in a gallery, which took my work to Rome and Japan, in addition to Paris. I had to work in restaurants and cafes as a “commis de cuisine” at that time to support myself. My paintings began to sell, I moved to Houston, where I continued and settled in New York City, where I obtained representation from a gallery as well as exhibiting in several others in Manhattan in the state of New York. And the U.S.A. Read more>>

Diesta Goldsmith of Vision UP Health and Wellness Coaching LLC

My story is one of feeling insignificant in my youth. I grew up in a suburb of Seattle Washington as an only child in an all-white neighborhood. I had a pretty good childhood but saw a lot of abuse in the home. Back in those days, you didn’t talk about it. You went to church and put a smile on your face. My mother was abused by my father. He really didn’t know how to love. I understand it now as I am older.  I graduated with a very high GPA. I enrolled in a Christian college in Oklahoma and graduated with a degree in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics. I was a collegiate cheerleader for 3 years. Upon graduating, I returned to Seattle and was hired by the Boeing Company. In the evenings, I started teaching group fitness classes. Read more>>

Gabe Alexander’s Story

My name is Gabriel Alexander. I’m a professional basketball player, dunker, and entrepreneur from Marksville, Louisiana. I was born and raised in Louisiana. I also continued my education after high school in Louisiana as a student-athlete at Southern-University Shreveport on a basketball scholarship and McNeese State University as a track and field athlete. I grew up living with my mother, sister and niece for most of my life and visiting my father prior to graduating high school . I was a very simple kid growing. I was a very vibrant and enthusiastic personality but I enjoyed staying to myself and playing video games, interacting with my friends online, and playing basketball in my leisure . I began playing basketball at 7 years old for my catholic school when I made the team’s B-team. I was horrible . I only knew one move and that was to tuck the ball under my stomach and protect it from being stolen if it ever got passed to me . Read more>>

 Naila Mehrabova’s Story

I am an Executive Director, Entrepreneur, Solutionist and Executive Board Advisor specialising in corporate growth strategy, transformation and international business development. One of my latest passions is in food security and the use of water regenerative technologies to increase production yields – something I believe to be integral to the future of humankind. Globally, over 70% of available water is used for growing crops, so I’m passionate about how technology can be utilised to optimise water usage. Through refined industrial waters, I hope to find solutions to agricultural instability in the years to come. I am excited to be speaking on the topic of water resilience publicly during the Azersun session at this year’s COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. Read more>>

Jasmin Olvera Dena of Oxomohco Birth & Body Work

How did I get to where I am today? It has been a journey and without the support of my family and community it would not have been possible. I have had many long nights of work, sleepless nights of course because sometimes my business brain just can’t stop thinking and trying to work. After high school, I went to school for Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting. I worked at a small local business while in school and shortly after decided I did not want to work for someone else for the rest of my career. I had a bit of a panic attack one day when I realized I could not see outside while working at this company. We were inside of a shopping mall, and we had no windows to the outside. Read more>>

Sauraj Patil

My journey is a blend of creativity, entrepreneurship, and adaptability. Growing up in Mumbai, India, I came from a family dedicated to the government sector, with little exposure to the worlds of music or business. However, I developed a deep passion for both, which guided my path. During my undergraduate years, while studying engineering, I discovered a love for playing the guitar. This creative passion aligned with an entrepreneurial drive, leading me to join a music company as a Sales and Operations Manager. This role opened my eyes to the dynamics of the music retail and eCommerce industries, and it inspired me to launch my own music retail business in Mumbai. Over the years, I expanded this venture to include three physical stores and an eCommerce platform that served customers globally. Simultaneously, as a guitarist, I had the opportunity to perform alongside some of India’s biggest artists, touring internationally and balancing my dual roles as a musician and entrepreneur. Read more>>

Alejandro Pantin Gil

It all started when I helped my grandparents move and collect their entire library. Over the years, they had gathered magazines, old travel guides, yellow pages, etc., which are now useless and a hassle to get rid of. I had recently seen a movie where a girl created stories with silhouettes (of mountains, icebergs, situations, etc.) carved inside old thick books. As my task was to dispose of all these books, I came up with the idea of recycling these beautiful but forgotten books to create my own stories within them. Read more>>

Stephanie Samolovitch

I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA with my mother, father, brother (Jimmy- 3 years older), and sister (Jeanine- 6 years older). I loved spending time outdoors and engaging in different sports. Fortunately we were a healthy family. Graduating high school, I had no idea what I wanted to earn a degree in; I just knew I had to go to college because that was the expectation. While I had my core group of friends in high school, I always tried being friendly with everyone. I was on homecoming court and had played almost every sport except volleyball and soccer. Read more>>

Bailey Hunter

I’m Bailey, my life really consisted of playing video games, dating and just being the typical teenager until I found my place at Phonetic Media Group, I was asked to support and join the team at Phonetic as an Account Manager, Phonetic is a media, entertainment, events and advertising company based in the UK with a global operation, my first job was to dress in scary halloween costume and pop into businesses in Yorkshire, UK and scare them to engage them…. and it worked. I then moved on to selling digital OOH advertising platforms and managing clients advertising at the biggest airport in Europe, London Heathrow across the entire transport network. Read more>>

Marcas Snipe of Pamplona Worldwide

My name is MarcTheBull, I am a Founder, Host, Multi-Disciplinary Artist, Entrepreneur, Model and Creative Director from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I started making art at 6 but my music focus started around 14. I record and release my own music, as well as produce and engineer as needed. Ive made 4 or 5 mixtapes and three albums all released independently with my personal team since 2014 on platforms like band camp, Spotify, and Apple Music. Independently Creating Music over the last 10 years led me down the multiple avenues ranging from creating my own graphic designs such as album artworks, and fliers, to making beats, promotion, networking and event affairs, to talent management. After years of navigating the music scene I founded Pamplona Worldwide on Top of my own Creative ventures. The Mission is to create positive change and a healthy environment through resources, education and opportunities for our art communities and Artists worldwide, Read more>>

J.e. Jackson

My story as a writer didn’t begin with some grand revelation. It was less of a bang and more of a blip. Subtle, like a seed planted by the will of the winds that carried it to the loamy soil of youth. If I could point to a moment in my personal timeline, I would say it all began in the sixth grade, when I saw my poem published in the local newspaper. It was about horses, and having little experience with them meant I could draw from moments where I encountered them, drawing from my intuition that wild unknown feeling that only came to me spontaneously. That moment, holding the newspaper in my hands, scanning each line of that poem, felt both thrilling and alien. Read more>>

Rashelle Campbell

I first began rug tufting as a way to beat lockdown stagnation and by the end of 2020, I had launched my first ever rug collection under Rashelle which sold out within an hour. At that moment people were looking for joyful, playful, and colourful pieces to fill their home with. Since then I have developed into a textile brand offering imperfect hand-tufted rugs, accessories, and clothing. I’m most known for my “flubber” designs —this design features bold, abstract shapes and bright colours inspired by my favourite childhood movies and my early 2000’s bedroom. Groovy floral shapes pay homage to Austin Powers, while cute checks, squiggly patterns, and palettes of creamsicle orange and lemon yellow offer Lizzie McGuire’s Disney channel dynamism. Since my first ever collection, my products are sold in over 10 retailers internationally and I have collaborated with such powerful brands including the WNBA. Read more>>

Robyn Schindler of Paint the Stars Art Therapy

When I was a sophomore in college, I had started feeling lost. For my entire life, all I wanted to be was a pediatrician, work with kids and help them feel better. As my science classes dove deeper and deeper into levels of difficulty I did not feel prepared for I began to wonder if this was in fact my path. It was disheartening and I truly had no idea which direction to go in. I continued taking classes that I loved and enjoyed such as life drawing and figure drawing and mixed media–quite a lot of art classes, actually. Art was my passion. But everyone knows “you can’t do anything with an art degree” so although I loved what I was doing I was still in need of a path. Read more>>

Joan Liu’s Story

I was born in Taipei, Taiwan and started dancing at the age of four. My training started with Chinese dance and martial arts. Later, when I entered pre-professional training, I was trained in ballet, modern/contemporary, and improvisation/choreography. I also took hip-hop, jazz, and tap along the way, though not extensively. My training took me around the world where I was lucky enough to train at prestigious places such as Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver, Joffrey Ballet Academy in Chicago, American Ballet Theatre in New York…etc. I started my performing career with Taipei Royal Ballet at the age of 15, but that took a hiatus (though at the time I thought I had retired) due to injuries and health issues. I took the opportunity to pursue academics and studied pre-med/life science at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan and Yale University. Read more>>

Michael Palmer

I started in church as a young child. As I grew so did my music taste I went from gospel and old country to rock and roll , heavy metal , bluegrass, blues and my favorite 80s rock Read more>>

Angel Dweh

My name is Angel Dweh, and I am a Liberian American artist, known for my prowess as a singer, songwriter, and dancer. I embarked on my musical journey after graduating from high school, and it was then that I penned my very first song, “Love a Good Thing”. Encouraged by the positive response to my debut on YouTube, I gained the confidence to continue writing more songs. Over time, I overcame my initial apprehensions and fear of releasing my music, and with growing self-assurance in my vocal style, I established my own LLC to manage my music career. As I formed a dedicated team to support my endeavors, their unwavering encouragement has been instrumental in fueling my creativity and drive to perform at various events and shows, as well as book private gigs. The support from my growing fan base, lovingly referred to as “Angels”, has been a tremendous source of inspiration, rivaling the encouragement I receive from my family. Witnessing my “Angels” dance to my music and share it on their social platforms has been incredibly motivating for me as an independent artist, spurring me to continue creating and recording more songs. Read more>>

Morgan Middleton

My name is Morgan Middleton and I am a multi-disciplinary artist and the founder and creative director of Morganacity, an arts production company based in Chicago. I started as a classical singer performing on the stages of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Opera Theater, and Santa Fe Opera, and received my degrees from the University of Southern California and New England Conservatory. I had written and produced a one-woman show while completing my master’s degree which opened the doors of my creativity. However, it was the time during the pandemic when I started writing everything that came to my mind. Another thing that moved me onto the path where I am today was being accepted as a fellow in the 2020-2022 cohort with Turn the Spotlight. Read more>>

Michael Tayo

The story of The Ghetto Flower began with a simple yet powerful idea: to uplift and amplify the voices of emerging artists, musicians, and creatives within Chicago’s vibrant urban scene. We recognized that while the city is full of remarkable talent, many creators struggled to find platforms where their voices could be heard and celebrated. So, with a deep passion for music, culture, and the arts, we started as a small digital magazine and quickly grew into a full-fledged media platform and PR agency. Read more>>

Marteal Mayer of Loulette Bride

I started my career in the fashion industry, and my first jobs were for fast fashion private label, meaning I designed womenswear for places like Target and Macy’s. I worked for some higher end RTW as well, but I quickly realized that fashion was a very wasteful industry that thrived on duplicating other designer’s work and undervaluing and undercutting factories. Read more>>

Sarah Carter

I didn’t set out to become an Executive Leadership Coach; I set out to become a US Navy pilot. Yes, it was as fun and as exciting as the movies makes it seem. It was also weird hours, long deployments, countless hours of classroom, simulator, and in aircraft training all on top of your other responsibilities like leading a group of enlisted personnel and trying to maintain some kind of off-the-job life. It was a lot. At the eight year mark, after five moves and learning five different airplanes, I was worn out. Read more>>

Jenny Fillius

Natural born artist. Lucky to have artist parents who encouraged me at every turn. Played with innumerable media with success and at times unsuccessfully Drawing has always been part of my process. Starting at 4 years old like any other child. Drawing is the foundation for every project whether it was paper mache animals, mosaic birdbaths, wool rugs, paintings… and now tin work.. I have sketch books dating back to 1970. I always try to have one nearby. Read more>>

Nadajia Hall’s Story

My love affair with art started back in 2012, a tough year when my dear mom earned her angel wings. To cope, I turned to my dad and asked him to teach me his airbrushing wizardry. It didn’t take long before my passion shifted from plus-size fashion to multimedia art. Every year brought a new milestone—from airbrushing school tees for my senior class in 2015 to creating stunning pieces for clients who crave color and want to dive deeper into the art world. Each brushstroke is a new chapter in my story. Read more>>

Christina Rosso-schneider’s Story

I’m the co-owner of A Novel Idea on Passyunk, a queer, disabled, woman-owned indie bookstore in South Philadelphia. I own the shop with my husband, Alex. We opened our doors in 2018, just six weeks after getting married. As long-time residents of Philadelphia’s East Passyunk neighborhood, we couldn’t see anywhere else to open our first business together. Interestingly, we’re the first bookstore in the neighborhood in over 20 years, so we’re glad to fill that gap in the wonderful retail businesses in the area. Read more>>

Shorn Marshall’s Story

Music runs in the family. I started singing at the age of 3, writing songs at the age of 14, and picked up the guitar at the age of 18. Music saved me from a very bad place in my life as a teenager and I owe it my entire life for it. Read more>>

Debbie Walker’s Story

I’ve been painting my entire life, and although I had the privilege of building and selling two companies and spent years in the corporate world, my true passion has always been art. For the past decade, I’ve focused on that passion, creating commissions, participating in art galleries and shows, launching a card line, and most importantly, educating beginner watercolorists. Teaching others is what I truly love. Read more>>

Bernadette Ashby of For the Love of Piano Studio

People always ask me, “Bernie, how do you do it? How do you travel so much?” It’s true. I try to take a trip once a month, whether it’s local or overseas. I’ve always had an adventurous spirit. My first solo trip was to Japan when I was in college. I remember exchanging money and going to the bus station. As I boarded, I didn’t know how much it was going to cost, so I pulled out all my coins and held my hands open to the bus driver. He looked at me funny and took the necessary coins. I can laugh now, but going alone overseas for the first time was quite a terrifying experience. Read more>>

Ujwal Sharma

My journey began at the age of 16, driven by a passion for digital marketing and a desire to explore the vast potential of the online world. In August 2019, I founded Uzi World Digital, which initially started as an Instagram page. I saw firsthand the incredible impact social media could have on a brand’s presence, and I wanted to help others harness that power. The early days were challenging, but we stayed persistent, learning from every opportunity. Read more>>

Mark Ervin of GreenGro Biologicals

I founded GreenGro Biologicals in 2009 with Mycorrhizae and beneficial bacteria blends. My education as an archeologiest learning ancient agricultural methods led me to the discovery of “Terra Preta” soils which are found in the Amazonian basin, and are considered some of the most fertile soils in the world. I built upon that philosophy and has expanded the product line to include the highest quality – dry organic fertilizer blends, dry organic soil additives and organic and biological pest controls on the market today. Read more>>

Courtney Artis Corrona Boston

Courtney: My love for connecting with other and being a support for members in the community began in high school when I was given a chance to join Key Club. My experiences in Key Club afforded me the opportunity to volunteer in multiple settings with various populations which played a significant role in my decision to pursue the field of social work. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University followed by my master’s degree from Howard University, I began working in school and community settings which propelled me into the position I am in now. I’m excited to continue creating my story as I navigate this journey in Heartfelt Wellness Connection, LLC. Read more>>

Alan Matthew Miller

As a kid, I spent a lot of time with my grandmother. She loved cooking and was an avid viewer of the Food Network Channel. It hosted some big-time chefs, but my favorite chef was Emeril Lagasse. His presence on camera was mesmerizing. At that very moment in my life, this shy country boy from North Carolina wanted to have the same effect on people. While my skills in the kitchen are average, being exposed to his presence was the main catalyst for my interest in the arts. Read more>>

Chin-en Gau

Hello! I’m Chin-En Gau, originally from Taiwan and now based in New York. More than ten years ago, my dad brought my mom a camera. My older sister and I argued over who got to play with it, and my mom said we each had 20 minutes. It wasn’t enough for me, so the next day, I woke up early, sneaked into the room, and took out the camera. That’s where my story with film began. After that, I volunteered to be the photographer for some school trips and made short films in high school. I was surprised by how powerfully images could carry a story. Luckily, I got into an art university where I could focus on film, learn about all kinds of movies, and meet the classics on the silver screen. After that, I moved to New York to keep pursuing my dream as a storyteller. For me, film is all about the story. Like the fairy tales we listened to as kids, the story should carry a message to the public. Read more>>

Isabella David

I started creating content for socials for a few different reasons. I had a blog about sustainability back when blogs were still a thing, and I noticed my thrifted outfit posts received far more attention than anything else I was posting at that time. I’ve always loved fashion, but it was following the collapse of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013 that I became more aware of the people creating the clothes I loved to wear and their terrible working conditions they created them in. While I love having fun with fashion, I became very aware that there is a dark side to the fashion world. I wanted to share this reality but show you can still be stylish by wearing secondhand or sustainably made clothes and still have fun with fashion while reducing your carbon footprint and caring about the (mostly) women who make your clothes. 80% of textile workers are women, actually. While textile workers in the United States can make around $30,ooo a year, abroad they are making around a dollar an hour and often working in dangerous conditions. Sadly, little has changed since that tragedy in 2013, when 1,134 people lost their lives in the collapse of Rana Plaza, but I’m proud to be part of a community working to change that reality, and I’ve met so many wonderful people along the way. Read more>>

Jeffrey Biegel

Until the age of three, I was hearing disabled. Not totally deaf, but there was fluid blocking the pathway to the eardrum, which was not functioning normally. Surgery corrected this. Soon after, I went to the piano after my sister’s inspiring piano lessons, trying to figure out how to play what I had heard. Hearing was indeed a gift. By age four, I was playing songs I heard my grandparents listen to, and heard my mother’s natural high coloratura bird-like singing. It was sweet and beautiful. At age seven, I started formal lessons, going through the John Schaum series Pre-A to D, the Amsco series Piano Pieces for Children, all twelve Sonatinas by Clementi and the Hanon book of exercises. My teacher was Karl Hupprich, director of music for Bethpage schools. He was calm, respectful and wonderful. His phrase was ‘haste makes waste’. I still remember this. My father was a police officer in the New York City Police Department, and became the youngest Captain in the NYPD. He had a stronger personality and loved music. Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” was his favorite. I’ll talk more about that later on. Mom was softer, so between the two, somehow I figured out how to make it work. Read more>>

Theodore Johns’s Story

My Life Story: A Journey of Resilience and Transformation I’ve always believed that technology can be wielded for the greater good rather than for greed. This belief was solidified during the recent crypto crash, a moment that underscored how the tools of innovation can be manipulated. Yet, amidst the turmoil, I see the potential for a renaissance, a phoenix rising from the ashes. The technology behind cryptocurrency is fundamentally sound and has incredible use cases when applied appropriately. In my journey of life, I’ve been fortunate to connect with brilliant minds and characters throughout the world and most importantly my Family members and the support they have given me. Read more>>

Casey Baugh

Growing up in a small mountain town in Georgia, we never had enough money to travel or visit art museums. My earliest memory of the existence of art was standing in the kitchen of my grandmothers house, looking at an old print of a rembrandt painting and realizing that someone made it with some sort of colored mud, something that my granny called oil paint. I remember how I felt transported to another place, another time, another feeling. I found myself coming back to that old print more and more often. Read more>>

Zachary Michel

I didn’t think a life in the arts was possible for me, to be honest. I thought it was something tantamount to wanting to go to the moon or be a king. It’s some far off thing that far off people do and I just learn about and watch from afar. That idea transitioned into a deep and painful desire to “make it” as a musician when I got older and learned that I could do it myself. Read more>>

Antoinette Johnson

I’ve worked in the entertainment industry as a fashion stylist and creative director for a few years. I started as a content creator, posting plus-size content and hosting body-positive events across the city. After being introduced to a creative director and being asked on the spot to shoot an editorial, I realized my love for styling and never looked back. There have been so many opportunities where I have worked with various talents and projects since my first shoot, getting to do cool stuff like style for fashion weeks, red carpets, music videos, Major music festivals, etc. With work featured in Complex, Billboard, Rolling Stones, and HBO Max. Read more>>

Gabrielle Walberg

I’ve always aspired to be a tattoo artist of some sort. I believe the first time I voiced this dream was when I was around 12 or 13 years old. Life took me on several twists and turns before I fully dedicated myself to this path, but each experience contributed to my growth as both an artist and a small business owner. After earning my art degree, I dove into the conventional working world, navigating the routine of a typical Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-5 job. Read more>>

Jillia English

I am a full time ceramic artist, creating pottery by hand in my small basement studio in Williamsport, PA. Every piece is intentionally crafted for your everyday rituals. From sipping on your morning coffee, to having a small sweet treat, to lighting a yummy smelling candle. I have been passionate about art my entire life. I fell in love with pottery in my first pottery class at Williamsport High School in 2008. Clay hasn’t left my hands since, that’s over 15 years! In 2022, I left my career as a Graphic/Web Designer and became a full-time Ceramic Artist.  Read more>>

Jill Wright of Grow Like a Mother

When I was first building my business, I struggled with mom guilt, torn between my career and being a mom. I felt lost and scared to ask for help, afraid of feeling selfish or judged. But as I studied productivity, planning, and habits, I realized time management and self-care for moms like us could (and needed to) to look different. I figured out a system that allowed me to tweak the traditional advice to fit my unique needs, personality and circumstances. Now, I help other moms do the same. I wake up every day to the best version of myself, working on my own schedule and moving through life with confidence and clarity. Even as a mom of four with a child on the autism spectrum I’m able to fit in my daily Scottish Gaelic practice! Read more>>

Rasha Hamzeh of The Insight Track with Luca Allam

Rasha Hamzeh’s story is one of resilience, adaptability, and success. She began her career in marketing and advertising after initially majoring in graphic design, which she later transitioned from, driven by her interest in the strategic aspects of marketing. Early in her career, she gained valuable experience working for top industry players like Optimum Media Direction (OMD) and Havas across the Middle East and North Africa. During this time, she managed portfolios for prestigious brands like Daimler, Uber, and LVMH, building her reputation in both B2B and B2C markets. Read more>>

Savana Bogue

I got started a little bit like everyone else, with a passion for art, comics and pop culture. But I also had a few less common influences, specifically from my grandmother who spent most of my youth as a traveling airbrush artist, and had done so for well before I came along. Half growing up on a fair midway really influenced my desire to travel and make a living from my art. I had a stellar example, and took those lessons and converted them into the means to build and make my own booth for conventions. It’s been a really long road, lots and lots of ups and downs and restarts for sure. Lots of learning on the fly; and even more adapting to unexpected circumstances. And most importantly; I wouldn’t be where I am today without support of my friends and most importantly my mother. Read more>>

Ellen Miller

It all started back in the day when I was building my own private practice as a therapist. Like most therapists, I had to make my own website, and somewhere along the way, I got hooked. I ended up spending hours tweaking it, redesigning it, and diving deep into everything from effective design to attracting ideal clients. I became a bit obsessed with how to use design strategically and how to show up as your authentic self online, so you can actually connect with the clients you want to work with. After redesigning my website more times than I care to admit, and helping other therapists with their sites on the side, I realized it had all been worth it. It was this process that made me a better web designer and gave me the tools to help other therapists create websites that feel true to who they are – while also attracting their best-fit clients. Now, I get to help therapists do exactly that – build websites that show off their authentic selves, without all the hours of headache I went through! Read more>>

Barbara Perkes

I’ve always been an advocate for the powerless or maybe better stated for bringing out the power that each of us has. I wanted to find a way for everyone to realize that and to use that power for good. Auntidote has a support community where the idea was to crowdsource life lessons of courage, inspiration and motivation. There is power in knowing you’re not alone, in working through challenges and there is power in sharing your story with others. Read more>>

 Hannah Sandler’s Story

My creative path and becoming of the individual that I am today has been nothing but non-linear. I have always had creative intuitions since I was a young kid, but it wasn’t until high school that I caught a glimpse of my artistic tendencies becoming something bigger than just a hobby. Having barely scratched the surface of my artistic potential, I took the leap and went to Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. It wasn’t until my years in college that I really honed in on my passion for color, detail, and texture in so many vast ways that inevitably led me towards a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Fibers. Ever since, I have maintained being a maker of many things working towards evoking passion, innovation and meaning by design. Read more>>

Georgia Jones

Growing up, sports were an integral part of my life. Between soccer, softball, and basketball, I played year round. That came to a screeching halt my freshman year of high school after suffering four concussions during a nine month span. I no longer could do what I love and found myself with a plethora of free time. I knew I wanted to keep sports in my life, but I just needed to figure out how to do that from the sidelines. One day, I picked up my mom’s old camera and brought it to my team’s game that weekend. I quickly fell in love with photography and joined my high school yearbook. I brought my camera to every sport and game I could. I did photoshoots with anyone that would let me. I practiced any time I could and really started to envision a future career in photography. After graduating high school, I set my sights on Louisiana State University: an big SEC school with even bigger sports. I knew I had to find a way to work there. A few months into my freshman year, one of my now coworkers reached out to see if I’d be interested in working as a student photographer at LSU Athletics. I jumped on the opportunity and put my all into my work. 3 years later, I am now a senior and have gotten to photograph some of the most iconic games and athletes in the school’s history. I am beyond grateful for all the opportunities LSU has brought me. Read more>>

Jessica Shelley’s Story

I’ve always loved learning, and growing up, school was my safe place—especially since I moved around a lot. No matter where I went, I knew what to expect in the classroom, and that structure really helped me thrive. The teachers I had throughout those years made a huge impact on me, and I knew early on that I wanted to do the same for other kids, especially those who felt overlooked. I became a teacher because I wanted to be the one who encouraged kids to see their own potential and take charge of their future. But over time, I hit a wall. The traditional school system often made it hard to truly involve families in their children’s education, which I believe is essential for a child’s success. I kept seeing gaps between what kids needed and what schools were able to provide, and I felt there had to be a better way to support both children and parents. Read more>>

Donta Daniels’s Story

I’ve been drawn to creativity for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would act out the endings of my favorite movies, rummage through my mother’s and siblings’ closets to put together unique wardrobes, and host impromptu fashion shows. That early spark of creativity led me to explore other artistic avenues, including music and, eventually, theater. Theater became a pivotal moment for me. It was where I truly honed my skills in performance and learned the power of commanding a stage. In high school, I had the opportunity to join an art program at Temple University specifically designed for students, which expanded my understanding of creative expression. The experience was so impactful that I later returned as a mentor to guide others through the same program. Read more>>

Kate Dunn

My journey to becoming a professor started with a dream of teaching at the elementary level. From a young age, my aspiration to become a teacher stemmed from my love of learning and a desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others. During high school, I completed a co-op placement at an elementary school which provided me with an invaluable opportunity to provide support in a Kindergarten classroom over the course of 5 months. I had every intention of completing a 4-year undergraduate degree and then heading straight into teacher’s college, but little did I know at the time what a difference a semester would make. Read more>>

 Bernadette Renois

I am a member of Open Ground Studios in the Monterey area of California. In February of 2023, I acquired a cozy dedicated space where I create alongside three other amazing artists, Paul Richmond, Anne Ylvisaker and Carol Diggory Shields, Prior to that I was a coop member at OGS for almost a year. About six months after moving to the Monterey area, I visited my art mentor in Arroyo Grande, CA and brought a pile of projects I was working on. Instead of holding my hand through the next steps, she looked in my eyes and told me I needed to find my own community where I lived. This beloved mentor was the first person to encourage my artist self to shine. I often say, when she spoke, I heard her voice. Within a week, I found Denese Sanders and Open Ground Studios. Being at OGS gave me a foundation of support. Each artist I’ve met there inspires me with their art and story, and reminds me that I am an artist, that I am allowed to make art. Their encouragement is the counter argument to my inner doubt. Read more>>

Drew Kramer

As a New York Nice Jewish Girl, I was raised with two professional options — doctor or lawyer. Better with words than blood, my well-meaning single mother steered me towards law. It wasn’t bad advice for a writer and creative thinker, but throughout my time in law school, I couldn’t stop the voice in my head declaring this road wrong. After passing the bar, I resolved to go the road not taken, embarking on a noble quest to become a working creative–whatever that meant. From legal public relations to digital advertising, I found myself in creative rooms on the business side of the conversation. In 2016, I left agency world to step into my own creative power. As a marketing consultant, I worked with emerging brands, writing brand stories and developing their brand voices and visual footprints. I owned the words and ideas, but I longed to produce a brand of my own. Read more>>

Traci Chernoff

I was born and raised in New Jersey with two sisters to two loving parents and a deeply embedded passion for NY sports. After graduating from High School, I attended Binghamton University where I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in English Rhetoric. While in college, I further honed my leadership skills while working as an RA and in the Student Association for the Office of the President. Upon graduating in 2014, I started working for Target as an in-store Executive Team Leader focused on Guest Experience and was soon promoted to Executive Team Leader of Human Resources. After about 3.5 years, I left for an HR Business Partner role with the French fashion brands Sandro, Maje, and Claudie Pierlot (SMCP). Throughout my tenure there, I was promoted to HR Manager and then Director of HR for North America, earned my Master’s in Public Administration from Rutgers University, and started my podcast, “Bringing the Human back to Human Resources”. After about 5 years with SMCP, I started working as a Senior Director of Employee Engagement in 2022 for Legion Technologies, an HR Tech/Workforce Management Software company. Read more>>

Antonius Melton of CKC of WNY

In 2015, I lost my father to stage 4 lung cancer. Experiencing a devastating blow watching him fight the toughest battle of his life, change my outlook on life through the process. If you’ve dealt with a love one or close friend battle cancer I’m sure you can relate to the same story. I never seen such a disease ruin the existence of a human beings life such as a cancer, what a site to see. A very hard pill to swallow watching the person who help give you life fight for theirs is a just a feeling you can’t explain, how do expect the fact that your father is dieing and not sure when your going to receive a phone call. Read more>>

Stacy Keith

I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas and attended Texas Christian University for my undergraduate degree. I then attended Texas Tech University for a Masters in Mass Communication. During an internship one summer, I fell in love with the non-profit sector and knew that I would enjoy working in this field. The idea of helping people and serving really appealed to me. I married and moved to Texarkana, Texas for about ten years where I worked much of that time in higher education. A job change for my husband opened the opportunity to move back to Lubbock. After getting settled, I worked about ten years as a fundraising and campaign consultant and had the opportunity to raise our son. When he was in high school, I was ready to get back to full time work and was fortunate to be hired as the founding Director for the Lubbock Cultural Arts Foundation. This new entity was created to manage the Music Friendly Certification, the Film Friendly Certification and cultivate and champion the arts in Lubbock, Texas. Read more>>

 Jacob Edgar

I’m a music producer, ethnomusicologist, and passionate explorer of global sounds. For over three decades, I’ve dedicated my career to discovering and sharing music from around the world. As the founder of the independent record label Cumbancha and the music researcher for the renowned Putumayo record label, I’ve worked with hundreds of artists from diverse cultures, bringing their unique musical voices to a worldwide audience. Read more>>

Jill Monson of POP!more

I skipped my senior year of high school with the perimeter that I had to attend a community college. My only life dream (mind you, I was only 17 years old but knew exactly what I wanted for my WHOLE life) was to work in radio. So when I started working at the college radio station, for the first time, I felt like I belonged. Shortly after I weaseled my way into an internship at a commercial radio station. These were the “old days” when you didn’t need college credit and there really weren’t a lot of rules. This meant I filed and sorted quite a bit, but it also gave me exposure to the thing I loved most – the radio industry. Eventually I was there so much the boss gave me a few bucks an hour to run a syndicated show on Sunday morning. One day the DJ who was on after the recorded portion ended wasn’t going to be able to come in and I had my first chance to go on-air. And a star was born! Uhhh – totally kidding, rather a silly kids dream deepened and for many years to follow I would continue on my radio journey. First part-time overnight shift, the full-time overnights, and then I was given the chance to do the traffic reporting (literally drive around the city in a station wagon with a police scanner and report what was going on) for the morning show. I went on to do other shifts and moved to different markets, however I was also realizing the dream didn’t pay that well and so I also waited tables for many years. I also dabbled in sales and marketing while at my various stations. Read more>>

Brecca Hipwell

REKO was a solution to the 2020 crisis that threatened all small producers here in the treasure valley. Local producers were still producing their goods but with restaurants closed, farmers markets struggling to meet the restrictions placed on them for opening, all methods of moving their goods were looking bleak. That’s when Tia Groves with Groves Country Mushrooms jumped into action with an idea she had seen a year before… REKO! A Facebook platform system to connect local producers with consumers 24/7. It was a preordering system that allowed people to shop and place their orders all week long then show up to one location at the same time every week to collect their locally produced goods from all vendors. Meridian is where is all began. We have since grown to have our own app, and 8 locations across the valley while supporting local producers to connect in a very convenient way! Read more>>

Melissa Lockhart of Melda Moda

Melda Moda began as a passion project driven by my desire to find home clothes with prints I couldn’t find in stores. There came a point where I was struggling with burnout and needed to establish some work-life balance. I decided that once I put my pajamas on, I would turn off work notifications. That’s when Melda Moda truly became a mission. My professional background is in HR for tech startups, so launching an apparel brand was entirely new to me. However, one of the key lessons I learned from those startups was to start with your MVP—minimum viable product—and iterate later. So that’s exactly what I did. Instead of launching with the six silhouettes and four prints I had envisioned, we began with just one pajama set and one robe, offering the same print in two colorways. I credit my tech startup experience for knowing that we could iterate and release new products over time. With our second release, we introduced the hibiscus collection and expanded our offerings to include accessories like silk bonnets and sleep masks. The sorrel print from this collection is the one I’m most proud of; it was inspired by my Caribbean heritage and has resonated deeply with many customers who share a similar background. Read more>>

Daron Jenkins

I’m originally from Newark, NJ. I’m the youngest of three sibblings. My mom was an artist, a poet, and a pre-school teacher. My father played baseball, transitioned into education as a high school teacher and ended up becoming the Director of the Human Rights Commission in Newark. My brother was a star track and field athlete at Georgetown, a Creative Director and a comic book artist. My sister though she was active in acting and music earlier in life she eventually moved into the corporate world in HR. Currently she’s a life coach for professional women. Read more>>