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.

Lori Carroll

While going to college I found a small independent bookstore that I loved shopping at that was never organized. After multiple visits where I alphabetized the romance section, the manager offered me a job. That began my love affair with bookstores. Read More>>

Kathleen Smith

I am in love with wine and its world, its colors, perfumes and charm. Through travel, connecting with people and most certainly tasting their creations, you discover the passion, the journey and story that each and every bottle tells. Read More>>

Chris Busone

I started dipping my toes into the food industry back in 2019, after a few years of already having a cooking blog. I started producing hot sauce and spice rubs and selling them through an IndieGoGo campaign. As that progressed, that turned into me selling the sauces direct to consumer, then working with businesses for wholesale, doing custom hot sauce blends for businesses. Through that, and making more and more connections in food, I eventually started catering. Catering is where I really found some joy. I had never experienced catering from the other side of the kitchen door and I immediately fell in love. Read More>>

Queen Muhammad

Hi. First let me say thank you for this opportunity. Let me introduce myself to your audience. My name is Morshica Bouldin AKA Queen Muhammad; Founder and CEO of Music & Artist Management Company Madd Pop Records, out of the Philadelphia area. A little about myself, I’m a non-binary Black woman. By my own personal preference, I have no issue still being addressed as a woman because as hard as we deny them, aesthetics are what people see first. Read More>>

Hanna Olivas

In July of 2020, right in the middle of the global pandemic, Adriana Luna and I founded She Rises Studios. We saw a crucial need to help women across the globe who were facing unprecedented challenges. Our mission at She Rises Studios is to inspire, empower, and educate all women, especially those navigating the most impossible situations. We teach them how to persevere with hope, strength, education, and unstoppable fearlessness. Read More>>

 Jeremy Harrell

I have always had a desire to help others beginning at a very young age. Being an advocate for the underdog has always been appealing to me, mainly because I was that underdog so much of my early life. My faith is also a huge component as to why loving my neighbor is so important to me. Read More>>

Sabrina Sirni

I have always been a very spiritual person. For me “spiritual” means connecting to a higher power- which was God for me. Through church, I learned to connect and put faith in a power stronger than me. I started practicing spirituality in a different way and got more into Metaphysicals, and energy. I always gravitated towards topics such as these and wanted to focus on using the energy and gifts that I have and find a way to help get others involved and started on their spiritual journey. Read More>>

Moesia Davis

I’ve always been more creative than analytical. I knew from an early age that I had a passion for creating. I’ve always loved photography but I had no idea that it could possibly be a career. I didn’t attend a high school that offered courses in art, theater or photography. So, my start in the field came later in life. I started photography little league sports, then food and eventually weddings and travel. My life is a result of sacrifice and perseverance. There have been bumps in the road but the reward has been awesome. Read More>>

Melodie Provenzano

I grew up in Kinderhook, NY, with very supportive parents and terrific art teachers, who nurtured my desire to study art in college. I spent my sophomore year at Parsons in Paris and returned to the US to earn my BFA at Parsons School of Design in NYC. My senior year, I started a part time job painting costumes for the Phantom of the Opera. Read More>>

Stenetta Anthony

From classroom to published author
Hello I am Stenetta Anthony, a multi award-winning author. I was an educator for more than 22 years before becoming a published children’s author… I was extremely comfortable in the classroom, until one day in October I was asked a question by a young child who asked, “Who is God? Looking at this child who was anxiously awaiting their answer. Read More>>

Miranda Calatrello

My journey into the world of marketing began in the bustling environment of corporate marketing at a hotel. However, life took an unexpected turn when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leading to a temporary furlough. During this period, instead of taking a break, I chose to channel my energies into what had been a side hustle. Read More>>

Amanda Arbeter

Art has always been a passion of mine since I was very young. I spent most of my free time perfecting my skills of coloring in coloring books as a child. I always looked forward to art classes in school and after school as a hobby. At the University of Michigan, I majored in Art History but never imagined that I would later be creating my own art to sell. Read More>>

 Ashley Monique

Ashley Monique’s life story is a testament to resilience, determination, and the transformative power of healing. A woman of many talents and passions, she has emerged as a beacon of hope and empowerment for countless individuals through her diverse roles as an author, entrepreneur, mentor, professor, community advocate, and behavioral coach. Read More>>

Jack Hummel

My name is Jack Hummel, and I started Pillo Productions back when I was in highschool. The Pillo we have today wouldn’t be possible without my business partner and co-owner Carlos Avitiuh (Avitiuh on IG), as well as our gaffer and drone operator Colton Smith (coltonnssmith on IG), our photographer and production manager Marah Ranger (marahshootsfilm on IG), and our Graphic Designer AJ owner of Bad Apples Market (apples_market on IG).  Read More>>

Abby Haliti

 

From a very young age, I’ve always had a passion for beauty. My long hair often drew attention, and I realized that working with hair could bring joy to people. Coming from a country with limited job opportunities, I understood that having a trade would secure my future. Beauty is universally recognized, making it a smart career choice. Read More>>

Becky Gibler

I feel like my story is two parts – before my partner Pam died, and after she died. The after has probably shaped me more than the before, so I will focus more on that.

Pam died in July of 2020, and since that time, I feel that I have become more loving, compassionate, and patient. I am more resilient than I ever imagined. The grief process has been terrible but also life-changing in an incredible way. Read More>>

Jesùs Nùñez

I originally hail from Spain, where I used street art as a means of self-expression during my teenage years. As I grew older, my passion shifted towards the culinary arts. This led me to a three-decade-long career as an executive chef and restaurant owner, working in many elite restaurants both in Spain and New York City. The New York Times once described my cuisine as “edible art” and even compared me to the famed Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali. Read More>>

Laura Schreiber

Oh wow, this can be very short or very long, depending on which version you want! The short version is lots and lots of training, study and hard work! Determination and refusal to give up until I was booking work with my bucket list clients got my here. The long version is that it is a journey that started when I was a young student at Barnard College, Columbia University. Read More>>

 Chaney Williams

I’m a doula, writer, ritualist, pleasure activist, and beginner herbalist. For years, I had a hard time navigating all my identities and figuring out how they all intersected. I spent most of my life ignoring my own desires, wants, and needs as someone who is a natural caretaker, has CPTSD and PTSD, and my descent into doing the inner work for myself was initiated after experiencing sexual trauma in 2015. Read More>>

Christine Bonipart-Johnson

Stitches N Bloom was created out of a love for art, creativity, upcycling vintage textiles, and a passion for sustainable fashion. To do my part by reducing what is taken to the landfills and designing pieces of wearable art is truly rewarding. Read More>>

Noé Camacho

Well, I’m from angostura, Sinaloa, Mexico, it’s a tiny, calm and beautiful city, I love this place, but there is not much to learn about the world there, people usually don’t see more than they noise, they don’t want to know what is happening though the walls. Read More>>

Coco Queen

It all began when i was younger, and was diagnosed with three ailments. Coming from Jamaica, my mother took the time to assess my needs and healed me of them with herbs and fresh juices alone. With this, i began to realize the difference in the communication of my body. As i got older, i began to seek the knowledge of learning about herbs, nutrition and how to naturally heal the human body. Read More>>

Isabel Padilla

Cameras were somehow always in the picture for me, back in Spain, my grandfather was always a fan of taking all the family and non-family pictures, he loved talking about lenses and glass. I didn’t know much about it but the words Zeiss and Leica weren’t unfamiliar to me. Read More>>

Denise Luna

I’m both a New York City hotel general manager and a volunteer firefighter” is not something you commonly hear, but I’m proud to say – that’s my story. My journey has been one of passion, resilience, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service, nurturing talent, and contributing meaningfully to the community that surrounds me. Read More>>

Jacqueline Soboti

 

Around age 12, I shared with one of my parents that I wanted to be a Social Worker. I don’t believe that I actually knew the role of a Social Worker at that age, however, I love that I had some form of inner wisdom even as a child that being a clinician was truly my life’s work. I recall being sensitive as a child and acutely attuned to other’s emotions. Read More>>

Debby Lightman

I have always been inspired by my passion for making art, although I never went to art school & my formal education took a different path. I pursued degrees in elementary education and psychology. I earned my masters degree in psychology with a specialty certification in mindfulness education, meditation, and yoga. My career began in elementary schools, where I taught mindfulness practices to young students. Read More>>

Sara Pizzi

I’m a contemporary choreographer, dancer, and dance teacher. My career started in my teen years with street-style dance, being part of the dance agency “Spotlight Work Team,” which allowed me to perform for national events, competitions, TV shows, and advertisements commercials. Therefore, my career had a drastic change of direction once I moved to New York in 20217. Read More>>

Jared Hale

I began making costumes as a child. I would dress up as my favorite character at the time and just have fun. As I grew older I began to draw more than to make costumes. It wasn’t until 2014 that I started making costumes again. I started with Eva Foam and still use it to this day although my skills have greatly improved since then. Read More>>

Olivia Nunn

### Brief Walkthrough of My Journey

Olivia Nunn Communications officially launched on March 30, 2021, though I began working on it full-time in February 2023. My journey to this business is deeply rooted in my 20 years of service as a US Army Officer, which laid the foundation for my current work. Read More>>

Darin Balaban

I’m Darin Balaban and I am an artist. I was raised in both northern and Southern California. One moment that changed my life forever was being gifted a hotwheels skateboard in 1999. I have an addictive personality and skateboarding had become my entire world for many years—spending hours filming tricks, traveling to spots, participating in contests—I was fully set on being a professional skateboarder. Read More>>

Isabel Ladd

A Brazilian native, I moved with my family to raise horses in Kentucky. After Fashion School, I found my footing in the Los Angeles fashion world and the maximalist in me was born. My work in the fashion and textile industry instilled a love of fabrics and prints, which segued into a love of interiors. Read More>>

Zainab Sillah

My acting career began in Freetown, a pivotal move that marked a significant turning point after leaving Makeni, the fourth capital city of Sierra Leone, to Freetown, the capital city of the country, i found myself immersed in a vibrant cultural scene, a city bursting with life and inspirations; you see people filled with the pearl of life, hustling just to succeed and achieve their dreams and visions. Read More>>

Yungg Lee

I started back in 2013. I just believe in myself I’ve always had a tremendous support system so I was able to keep moving forward in my journey and still having a passion for music so that’s why I’m so blessed today. Read More>>

Adrian Mompoint

First thing I’d like to say is thank you for having me again and allowing me to tell my story on a deeper level for the readers on how I became who I am today.

I was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts which is considered the cultural capital of central Massachusetts and the second most populous city in New England. When people would ask me where I’m from I used to say Boston because it sounded “cool”, and I felt no one has ever heard of Worcester. Read More>>

Vincent Steinbach

For most of my life, I’ve always been a creative person, whether it’s drawing, creating worlds and characters through writing or LEGOs, playing piano/keyboard, or even occasionally delving into the realm of poetry. Although it was something I struggled with and eventually overcame through the generous support of friends and family, autism has been something that has also helped me in reaching my creative potential. Read More>>

Hannah Schneider

My journey began in corporate America. I remember my first day at Salesforce, working in the finance department. I thought to myself ‘if I have to do this everyday for the rest of my life, I simply won’t make it.’ I had no idea how people could feel happy and fulfilled going into an office 5 days per week, 8-9 hours/ day. What a waste of time, I thought. Read More>>

Lord Of Horns

As a child, I was always fascinated with mysticism, the macabre, and horror. I wanted to be an actor so I could bring my sinister imaginations to life. In 6th grade, I enrolled in my first school play and continued through my senior year in high school. Most of the plays were musicals and all the directors and acting coaches wanted the cast to focus on being a triple threat, someone who can act, sing, and dance. Read More>>

Kirsten Hartzell

I first started my business when I was in college in 2016 but didn’t decide to make a career path of it until 2020. Since then I have navigated the ups and downs of pursuing entrepreneurship and being in business for myself but I truly can’t imagine life another way. I worked at my full time job for about 6 months as I was I also working on getting my business off the ground and then found a part time position so I could dedicate more of my free time towards my business. Read More>>

Megan Zambell

As I write this in 2024, I most certainly do not have it all figured out, but I can say with confidence that I’ve found more inner peace than ever before in my adult life.

First things first, let’s define yoga. As I’ve learned, yoga is a yoking/uniting of the mind, body, and spirit. It’s about calming the mind and being in the present, rather than lost in the past or future. Read More>>

Allison Belolan

A summer art class in high school on Long Island sparked what would become a lifelong artistic journey. This initial spark led to studying Printmaking at the Rhode Island School of Design, where I graduated in 2001. Read More>>

Deanna Giulietti

I have been performing my entire life! I was performing as Mary Delgado in Jersey Boys on Norwegian and then the next thing I knew the world shut down. The pandemic forced me into a huge career shift. I needed a creative outlet, and I found it through social media. It truly changed my life! Read More>>

Brooke Molinari

I started off working in health care and financial services advertising at an ad agency in NYC. The type of clients we had didn’t really excite me as a 20-something year old designer. On the side, I began to build my roster of freelance clients until one day I had the stability with my freelance to take it on full time. Very shortly after, my client list grew, and I had to hire some extra help. Thats how my agency was born! Read More>>

Salisha Thomas Weiss

I’m a California girl. I graduated from California State University, Fullerton by the skin of my teeth and started working as a vocalist for Disney. After a year and a half, I packed my bags and booked a one way ticket to New York City. Within 10 days and by the grace of God, I booked the 1st National Tour of “Beautiful the Carole King Musical.” Read More>>

Charissa H. Yong

My name is Charissa (pronounced “Karissa”).

I started this business in 2018 because I was burned out from my corporate job as a software test engineer. I loved the job and the people I worked with but the 3-hour daily commute as a new mom took a toll on my mental health and wellbeing Read More>>

Amy Singleton

Amy Singleton’s journey is a testament to resilience, authenticity, and the power of embracing one’s true self. Born and raised in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, Amy grew up as an extroverted and spirited child who often felt out of place. Her loud and rambunctious nature, coupled with her awkwardness and weight struggles, led to feelings of isolation. Read More>>

Devonte Longmire

I began doing photography in the summer of 2017. After a few months, in the fall of 2017, I decided to try shooting videos. I shared my plans with my friends and received a lot of support. Initially, I was just having fun and didn’t expect it to become something significant in my life. However, things started to get serious around 2019, and I realized people were paying attention to my work. Read More>>

Sofia Carregha Lozano

I started doing Musical Theater when I was 14 at my Community Theater back in Cancun, Mexico. The first time I stepped on stage I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. At 19 I was accepted at a University where I could study Architecture and Musical Theater at the same time; but that opportunity was lost a couple of months before classes even started. Read More>>