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.

Erin Isenhart

I worked in newsrooms during college and into my early professional career, for exceptional, active news outlets where I experienced the inner workings of newsrooms at three successful organizations: 1) a Pulitzer Prize winning daily newspaper in Grand Forks, ND, 2) a weekly newspaper at the historic Fort Sam Houston US Army Post in San Antonio, TX, and 3) a digital agricultural media outlet in Omaha, NE. My experiences in these newsrooms were nothing short of exceptional. Highlights of these years included: Read more>>

Mikel Galati of Modest Merch

I own and operate a small screen printing shop. I’ve ran it solo for 12 years now. I focus on working with bands, musicians and likeminded individuals. Because playing in bands years and years ago is why i do what i do. Read more>>

Street Product’s Story

Well when I was in high school I was into football and was really good at it but never really had nobody to really keep in it or push me. I got a cousin by the name of Lightshow who started rapping and became a pioneer in music from DC and kept me under his wing and that inspired me to really get into music Read more>>

Marisa Ikpoh of The Give-n-Receive Inc.

My roots are firmly planted in God and are now branching out into the community. You may know me as Marisa Moments, though many are now learning of my existence through my new FREE Community Pop-up [Thrift] Boutique, The Give-n-Receive Inc. From giving intuitive healing guidance for clarity to offering and accepting gently used clothing and accessories for all genders, ages, and sizes and making them available to the community for FREE, I am likely to have you covered. I’ve learned over time that God uses our pain to help us find our purpose. My life has been running the gamut of obstacles, which I now see as the foundation of my accomplishments. Read more>>

Molly Coath’s Story

I began my career in Interior Design when I was 18. I always knew after A Levels that I wanted to go straight out to work so at 17 I was working in a luxury handbag design studio in London as at this time I thought I wanted to pursue a career in Fashion or costume design. After a six month internship there I learnt quickly ‘on the job’ that I was far more passionate about rearranging the studio, styling the space for photoshoots and the Interior side of things – more so than the fashion industry. So, I started applying for any creative jobs I could. Read more>>

Alicia Gaiero of Nauti Sisters Sea Farm

Sure, I’d love to share my story. I’m 25 now, but the thing that spurred this journey occurred when I was 14. Life hit me hard – literally. I was struck by a motorcycle while riding my bike, sustaining a traumatic brain injury that has affected my life and those around me, particularly my family, in every way. I lost my innocence early and had to relearn how to read, deal with nerve damage that still impacts my daily life, and accept that life moves pretty fast. No day is promised, so this brush with death encouraged me to seize every opportunity. Read more>>

Tyler Smiley

So, I’d say my photography story began back when I was between 12 and 16 years old. Back then, my family had a boat that we’d go out on fishing in the Delaware Bay. At the time, I would leave my cell phone in the car to ensure I didn’t accidentally drop it in the water (because, of course, as a teenager I couldn’t live without my phone). When we’d be out, I would then use my parents’ phones to snap some photos. The one that really sort of kickstarted my interest in photography is one I took on a rougher day. We were coming back in to the dock when I saw an opportunity to take some photos of water splashing all over the place from the boat hitting the water. In one moment, I was able to snap one that had a jetty marker in it behind the splash, which I recall my parents saying was a really cool photo and would make a cool print. Read more>>

Christine Brown of Bella Luna Family

I would never have guessed that my own exhausting journey would lead me to where I am today and out of our challenges, a business could flourish. When my twins, Ryan and Nicholas, were born in 2014, I was madly in love – but also overwhelmed and exhausted. Life was a whirlwind, and their sleep habits changed constantly. I couldn’t keep up. I endured months of sleepless nights and chaotic naps. My solution was to devour books and scour the internet. Yet I felt even more confused by all the contradictory advice. Life felt heavy. My husband and I were at each other’s throats. I was running on fumes and didn’t recognize who I had become. Read more>>

Anne-marie Mawhiney

After working as a social worker for a number of years I returned to my hometown, Sudbury, Ontario Canada to work at the local university. In my first years there I was involved in the development of a community-based, nationally accredited Indigenous School of Social Work that was designed by 22 First Nations of the Robinson-Huron Treaty Area. It was the first of two in Canada and is now recognized internationally. This was an experience that transformed the way I looked at the world and my place in it. Read more>>

Preslee Marshall

I had the opportunity to help others while in elementary school. I remember my class gathering school supplies, such as erasers, pencils, rulers, etc., and packing them into ziplock bags, which were then sent to kids who needed them. I also spent a reasonable amount of time volunteering for different organizations and helping to raise money for various charities. When I had items I no longer needed, I would donate them to different places so that they could reach the people who needed them. Read more>>

Breanna Owen of Owen Your Mark

I’ll be honest, my career has been a fairytale… …In the same way most fairytales spend the bulk of the story overcoming evil stepmothers, fighting off fire-breathing dragons, or trying all the things looking for the one that fits “just right.” I struggled for many, many years trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Much like Goldilocks, I tried out a lot of jobs and industries that were too hot or too cold, all in search of my “just right.” Read more>>

Nicole Kerkeni

One of my first core memories was when I was camping with my family. I was 4 years old, and we were allowed to pick one item from the gift shop. I settled on a sparkly green rock. Little did I know that this would eventually shape my entire future. I grew up feeling as though I didn’t quite fit in. I loved being in nature, collecting “rocks,” and always felt things very deeply. I sometimes struggled with the conformity of school but excelled in the arts and creative fields. This eventually led me to take up professional makeup artistry. Read more>>

Joyce Akrasi

I started akrasiboutique just before the pandemic and lockdown helped to cement its value to me. Akrasi is a zero waste design boutique. I source distinctive and colourful textiles from offcuts, making most of our pieces one of a kind. My items are made using a combination of hand stitching, sewing machine and I’ve been influenced by the Japanese ‘kanzashi’ style to create the cloth flowers. Growing up, my mother was a dress maker producing bespoke traditional Ghanaian costumes for special occasions. I was always fascinated by the tools of the trade, the cutting board, beautiful wax print fabrics that dance with colour and the magical item that would one day be mine….  Read more>>

Samantha Riley of Samantha Riley Global

I opened my first business part-time in 1994 part-time while juggling a corporate job and raising two children under 2. I wanted more for them – more time, more opportunities, more everything and I realized that a traditional job just wasn’t going to cut it. So, within 12 months, I launched my second business and took the plunge into full-time entrepreneurship. I had those businesses for 20 years alongside my husband and business partner. Until we decided to go our seperate ways in life.  At the time I had also just opened my third business which was in the health and wellness industry and I was being approached by people asking me to teach them about business. Read more>>

Whitley Marshall

Whitley Nabintu Marshall is a multifaceted force in the realms of art, fashion, dance, and activism. As the first openly pansexual International Mrs USA of 2022 and North America’s World Top Model, she embodies diversity and inclusivity in all facets of her work. As the CEO & Editor-in-Chief of Artlovelifestyle Magazine and the creative mind behind Artlovelifestyle Attire, Whitley is on a mission to redefine beauty standards and amplify underrepresented voices both in print and on the runway. Through sustainable fashion events like Flowers that Feed Art and Fashion showcase and True Beauty NYFW, she creates platforms that celebrate compassion, resilience, diversity, and authenticity while emphasizing inclusion. Read more>>

Paragraph Taylor’s Story

It takes me a paragraph to say what most people say in a sentence. I work a funeral home doing nearly everything mortuary some days, and I farm & make or play music for the remaining ones. Both activities I help share pain to heal any involved. My band I started with my partner has played 222 shows across North America, and we stay at the farm & create anytime between shows we have available. Read more>>

Babette De Jongh

I grew up in a small town in Alabama. When teachers from the Alabama School of Fine Arts visited our community in search of new talent, I jumped at the chance to audition. My mother was in favor because raising a ballerina daughter reflected well on her. My daddy hoped I wouldn’t be accepted, and everything would go on as it always had. At the age of fourteen, I was accepted to attend the ASFA boarding school for artistically talented students from the US and abroad. After a lifetime of swimming in a bathtub, I was excited to be paddling across an actual pond. Read more>>

Rita Castro

My story starts with a little girl, daydreaming a lot and constantly trying to find real magic in her life. I was born in Vila Nova de Famalicão, in Portugal, in 1995. That’s a small city located between three big cities in the North: Porto, Braga, and Guimarães. I was always someone who was happy drawing and creating things and constantly sharing them with loved ones around me. I grew up with Cartoon Network series like Power Puff Girls, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Dexter’s Laboratory, series from Disney Channel like Kim Possible, Proud Family, American Dragon, Recess, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers… And there was especially one comic that deeply marked me: W.I.T.C.H., drawn by Alessandro Barbucci.  Read more>>

Doc Strange

I started with a genuine desire to be unique and independent. In the early 2000’s there was a big movement in the South and West Coast for indie rap music. I felt like making your own beats, rhymes, image and approach was the only way. Living in Texas, it wasn’t like I could just go up Def Jam or So So Def and wait in the lobby with a demo. So, the “out the trunk” wave worked for me. That was my start. Read more>>

Amy Heller

I was born in Washington, D.C., and my summers were spent on Cape Cod in Massachusetts combing and walking the beaches with my mother. In 2003 I moved to Cape Cod with my husband. I have been making art since I was a child and being surrounded by so much natural beauty inspired me and does to this day. I received my B.A. in Fine Art at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and my M.F.A. in Photography at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. I was an exhibit specialist for the Smithsonian Museums and the National Gallery of Art, and a photo editor/researcher/curator for U.S. News & World Report, National Geographic, Newseum, and Microsoft in Washington, D.C. Read more>>

Ariel Celeste Pirela of Celestial Content Creations

Celestial Content Creations was born in 2018 after my world was shifted upside down in the aftermath of a sudden breakup. I had all this new free time on my hands that was once spent focusing on “playing house.” I was living in New York City at the time and for the first time in my own space and finally able to hear my own conscience. In the middle of the night, I came up with the idea to launch a writing company. I wanted extra income, so I began brainstorming side hustle ideas by asking myself, “What am I currently doing for family and friends for free that I could be charging for?” The answer I came up with was writing. Read more>>

Ashley Porter-collins’s Story

As so many did, my wife and I really looked at our daily lives during the pandemic and asked the age old question, “are we truly doing what we want and do we want to change anything?” This led to many conversations about the fear of starting something new and how to do it! The facts we landed on were; we hated being powerless in how our respective careers ran and treated customers/employees/faculty/students, we hated how underpaid we were, and we hated how overworked and stressed we and our colleagues were. Ultimately that led to the decision to open our own business and do it how we believe it should be done. Nibbles n’ Noms food truck was then born. Read more>>

Pearl D’souza

I was always the art kid, drawing in the margins of my school textbooks and winning prizes for my drawings. I was fortunate to have parents that supported this little seed of a dream. They enrolled me some incredible art classes from grade 5 to grade 12 and under the guidance of that teacher I learnt more about design and how I could possibly study more about it. I got into one of India’s best design colleges and spent my four years there really honing my skills and tying to understand how I would fit into the larger art and design landscape in India. Read more>>

Ashley Stevens of The Lavish LipGlaze

Hello my name is Ashley and I’m a 2x business owner of The Lavish LipGlaze & Makeup By AshleyK! I began my business journey during the peak of the pandemic. With so much extra time on my hands i decided to take a leap of faith and turn my hobbies into businesses. I had previously graduated from a makeup artistry academy so I full knowledge of makeup and skincare. I took the knowledge that I had and created The Lavish LipGlaze which is a skin and haircare line of handcrafted products by me that focus on healing troubled skin with natural ingredients. We’re also devoted to making skincare inclusive so that no skin type is ever left out. Read more>>

Clara Fernández

Even though I have been attracted to arts, illustration and creative practices since I was a child, I wasn’t sure if Graphic Design could be the right profession for me. I was 17 years old and I had to take such an important decision: what I would study in the next few years and what would be my professional career. I decided on graphic design because I had some good feelings but I wasn’t really sure what the career was about. I went to Buenos Aires University which is one of the best graphic design universities in the world. The whole experience there was amazing, it was also really hard I must say, but I discovered a complete new world and I got almost all the skills and tools that made me the designer I am today. Read more>>

Lisa Anita Wegner

I am a storyteller. As a mid-career multimedia artist, I have amassed a large library of work, and am known for creating and performing in film-based universes. I wrapped up a five-year, large-scale public art project – an immersive, traveling performance and film experience – with ArtworxTO in 2022 that earned me a Governor General’s Artistic Achievement Award nomination. You can read about this work here: https://mightybraveproductions.ca/caravan/ Read more>>

Taz Garcia

It started with my first film project “The Dark Side” which was originally intended to be a short film and then quickly turned into a feature film with a budget of just over $100 while mostly using friends and family as actors and crew over 17 months. It was a true story of corruption in the martial arts world. The film was shot on a DSLR, mostly in a ‘run and gun’ fashion. What kept me going was a clear vision, a heart filled with passion for film, and an incredible dedication to share the story of the true events as a martial artist. Read more>>

Sarah Rowan

Growing up I wanted to be an Olympian. I never thought about being an artist. I just wanted to compete for my country and look like a Gladiator, or at least Hollywoods’ 2001 Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. Then before starting university in SC, I went to Brazil and was teaching kids how to play basketball for a couple weeks. My Portuguese skills could help me locate a toilet or thank someone for a fried banana, with no deep conversations to be had. Read more>>

Julia Maurer of Julia Stern Maurer, Licensed Clinical Social Worker PC

I had been working for a well-established group practice before venturing into private practice as a psychotherapist. With my primary focus being my family, I found joy in my employment by a group practice because all I needed to do was show up, do what I love and go home. And that worked for a while, I was able to maintain my personal and professional boundaries until I realized how much of a profit loss there was. The group practice had a lot of overhead and so I understood that part of my paycheck deserved to support the billing department, intake team and office management. Read more>>

Sherrie Robinson’s Story

I was born and raised in Chicago,IL. I grew up in a two parent blue collar house hold. I’ve a Christian was practically born in church. My faith is the foundation of who I am as a person. After graduating with my BA I’ve worked in the nonprofit sector in various degrees. However I always had a love for reading and writing. During the pandemic I started writing my first affirmation journal which I never officially published but was a proud accomplishment of mine. Also during the pandemic I met my ex husband we would marry by May 2021 and this is where my life transformed before my eyes. Read more>>

Kennedy Jones

I started out of desperation to treat my problematic skin. My skin was always excessively oily and I had painful breakouts, redness, and irritation. I used my academic knowledge of botanicals, plants, extracts, and skin and begin to research more topics under those realms. After becoming confident enough to try to produce actual products, I tested them out on myself multiple times. When I started seeing and feeling a difference, I shared it with my friends and family members. They gave me the push I needed to take my skills to the next level. I started researching, made plans to start an actual brand, and now here we are! Almost 3 years later and we’re still growing and getting better each day! Read more>>

Daimon Hampton

I grew up on the on the Southside of Chicago, with my mom and brother. My mom is an artist and taught me at ton about art. I’ve drawn since I was a child and I’ve always loved cartoons and comics. When I was in high school I spent a lot of my spare time, studying the comics and animation, taking classes at Gallery 37 and working with True Star magazine. Then in college I joined a group of artist under the name UTB and published my first comic with Steven Scott called 12 Gauge Stereo. Read more>>

Stephanie Weber

​​My name is Stephanie Weber, and I am a Sound Healer, Mindful Meditation Facilitator, Ocean Healer, Holistic Coach, and the founder of The Blissful Soul. My journey began after experiencing deep burnout from the corporate world. I was a stressed, anxious, and overworked marketing professional living a very fast-paced lifestyle that left me emotionally drained and disconnected. I often cried on the way to work and numbed myself with wine and Netflix at night. My nervous system was dysregulated and I was living completely on autopilot – just going through the motions each day to get by. Read more>>

Margrit Erika Tendencia

I started my fitness journey back in 2008. I just resigned from my corporate job and started doing freelance work so I had lots of time to pursue my passion and discover a new skill. I signed up in a gym and tried all their group exercises but the ones which resonated most were yoga and pilates. I did back to back classes for these two exercises until I decided that I would concentrate on yoga since the gym offered different styles. When not at work, I would spend my whole day practicing asanas and diving deep into the other limbs of yoga. In 2013, the former club manager approached me to audition as a yoga instructor in the new gym he was managing. Read more>>

Catharine Montgomery of Better Together

I started Better Together out of a deep passion for creating a more just and equitable world through strategic communication and social impact initiatives. My journey was far from easy, marked by significant challenges that shaped my resolve and direction. After graduating from college, I entered the professional world with a strong desire to make a difference. However, I quickly encountered systemic biases and microaggressions that many Black women face in the workplace. My previous job was a painful chapter, where I had to leave due to a racist colleague who faced no consequences and was instead promoted. This experience motivated me—it ignited a determination to build something that not only stands against such injustices but also actively works toward social responsibility and impact. Read more>>

Keyla Ire’s Story

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. My name is Keyla, and I am an inclusive disabled model, as well as the owner of a nonprofit and a small business. My journey to these roles began 11 years ago when I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, a chronic illness, known as ulcerative colitis (IBD). At the time of my diagnosis, I was working in the medical field and studying to become a physician assistant. Despite my efforts to balance work, studies, and motherhood, my health deteriorated, and I was unable to achieve my goals. This led to numerous surgeries and a necessary focus on my health and recovery due to the severity of my IBD and the failure of all available medications. Read more>>

Cass Stewart

I was a long time real estate agent with a passion for cannabis. I had unique insights on the benefits of cannabis and had seen it help friends first hand. When real estate crashed in 2010, I was forced to look for alternate sources of income. At that time medical cannabis was starting to boom in California and I could see the writing was on the wall for other places as well. I have a good reputation of being honest and trustworthy and decided to dive head first into the emerging cannabis industry. I started providing cannabis to medical patients and it really opened my eyes to how much it was helping them. Read more>>

Brett Juliano’s Story

Firstly, I would like to extend my gratitude to the Canvas Rebel team and you, Emily for having me back again to share experiences with your readers. Since a young age it always filled me with joy to see someone assisting someone else without reward or recognition. From a young age I was ever aware of my surroundings; seeing lots of things others missed for whatever reason I thought. I wondered about the things I saw and pressured learning about those that made me curious, carried out chivalrous actions in replication of a gleeful exchange that I witnessed the day before. Those types of inspirations ingrained in me what I’ve found to be a foundational purpose in my life. Inspire. Inspire positivity, resilience, openness, open-mindedness, communicative narration of real life and accountability. Read more>>

Virginia Guedes

I started working with leather about 15 years ago. My, now ex, brother-in-law made medieval leather products and I found the tactile nature of leather very interesting, so I started making dog collars and leashes as Mojo Leather. When he decided to get out of the business, I bought him out, started making medieval goods, and rebranded as Skapa Leather. When I moved to West Virginia and met my wife, Heather, I couldn’t have anticipated that she would have been all in when it comes to the business. Together, we have expanded our production capabilities and streamlined processes to be able to make enough product to attempt to meet demand. Read more>>

Tunisia Macklin of Peaceful Birthing Doula

As the eldest of four siblings, I had the opportunity to witness my mother’s journey through pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding. Every pregnancy became a valuable learning experience for me. I fondly recall listening to the heartbeat through her stethoscope and assisting her during labor. My mother involved me in tasks like providing water, preparing baths, and keeping her company during labor. This early exposure marked the beginning of my path, thanks to my mother. Read more>>

Matt Brown of Matt Brown Foundation, Inc.

In 2010, I suffered a spinal cord injury during a high school hockey game. From the very beginning, I had an unbelievable support system around me, consisting of friends and family, and they were the ones to let me know that I wasn’t going to face what was ahead of me on my own. They were a major factor in helping me get through the early stages of rehab at Children’s Hospital in Boston and the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Their support helped me through going back to high school and graduating, and then going on to college. Read more>>

Kimberly Kriegh of Pauwela Store

My story: I grew up in San Francisco with a talent for everything art. I wanted to be the next Paula Abdul so I spent my summers singing and dancing from a very young age. I was lucky to find the San Francisco Girls Chorus and became part of their touring ensemble and was able to make money while doing what I loved most, singing. I was accepted into the School of the Arts where I majored in Vocal Music while still continuing to work with the San Francisco Girls Chorus. After High School, I attended college and although still continued to sign here and there, my art became more of a hobby than a career. However, I applied my ability to perform across all aspects of my life in the form of being charismatic and well versed in public speaking and public interaction. Read more>>

Taylor Perry

I don’t know if I can really be brief because of how long the journey has been and is still going! BUT, I started braiding in about 2019 while I was on Fisk University’s campus. I would do my own hair all the time and people would ask me if I could do there’s so I would. I’ve been braiding for about 4-5 years. The main thing that has helped with building my brand is content creation. It has helped me boost my clientele and following on social platforms. It has even allowed me to market myself in other areas outside of where I live. I really became a content creator unknowingly which has helped my cross over to the youtube platform to be a smooth transition. So I am now currently doing both youtube and a travel braider. Read more>>

Tambra Cherie’s Story

Dedication. Hard work. Persistence. Consistency. There was no Plan B. I’ve always had a love for entertainment, music, and people. I’ve always loved helping and talking to people. I have a passion for people. I just combined everything I loved into a career. I’ve always loved hosting and making sure others were good and having a good time. I loved entertaining. I loved motivating and helping. You can do all that in radio & television. You can do all that in entertainment. I worked like there was no Plan B. Radio and entertainment was Plan A, B, and C. I always believed that whatever you focus on, grows. Read more>>

Morgan Moody

My story is quite simple but gained humble beginnings. Since a little girl I’ve always wanted to be a star! Since 5 I used to always know every song on the radio or on TV…(still today I know almost any song word for word). So entertainment has been a passion. But, when I was younger I had a hard time with confidence and I was very shy. I remember in high school, I was always asked what I wanted to go to college for and I’d say, “something with media”…but this was in 2012 when content creating wasn’t a thing yet. I was always tall and tiny, so I always wanted to model someday. I used to watch “Americas Next Top Model” and dreamed of being on the show or just becoming a model. Read more>>