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.

Vince Cooper

My journey into photography actually began at 2:30 am while responding to a crime scene as a criminal investigator. Using the terrible point and shoot cameras we had, I was having a very difficult time trying to get the necessary pictures to process the scene. After managing to complete the job, I left the scene frustrated and decided that would never happen again. I was previously trained on a DSLR camera at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and decided to go buy a DSLR camera I could use to properly document scenes. I used that camera for a few years until the agency I worked for finally got DSLR cameras. So, my camera sat at home in a bag for years until I remembered it and started shooting landscapes. After doing landscapes for a while, I decided it would be fun to create scenes instead of just photographing them. I reached out to some models and set up a few collaborations, and things took off from there. Read more>>

Peyday Peyton

I was born in Hayward California and later moved to the northwest state of Washington . I went to high school in Puyallup Washington and graduated from Rogers High School . Basketball was my first Love and I had trained the play in college since I was 8 years old . I got a scholarship to attend Tennessee Temple , a division 2 NAIA then later realized I wanted to pursue my music career instead . I moved back home to Puyallup to go to play at Highline CC while also being close to the friends I wanted to rap with . Through ups and downs and fall outs with friends I developed a state of independence that would then propel me into the state of mind that I am in now . I am now the owner of my commercial brand “ Living Colored “ and the host of my podcast “ The Hot Seat “ while performing music and doing A Little Bit Of Everything . I am grateful for every experience I have endured and plan on continuing to level up and become the best man I can be. Read more>>

Megan Hamm

I was working full time as an elementary school teacher. As a way to earn a bit more income on the side, I started a personal shopping business. It was mostly friends and family at first but over the years it grew and I added additional services (styling, closet editing and style curating). Now I work full time for a local business curating styling boxes for customers and working events as an on hand stylist. Read more>>

Melissa Smith

The idea for OtterSpace came to me during a period of sleep deprivation caused by the challenges of balancing my academic career and being a mother. I realized that many people, like myself, struggled with getting quality sleep due to various environmental factors, especially light pollution. Armed with my background in neuroscience and a passion for finding solutions, I set out to create a product that could help people improve their sleep quality. Read more>>

Gregory Allen

I started playing drums at age 6 and guitar at age 12 but to be honest with a family as musical as mine it was natural. It would have felt weird if i had chosen not to play an instrument.

When my sister and I were younger we’d put on aprons and take beer orders from my parents band in the garage and pretend we were servers. The excitement of the noise and power of a full band with strong vocal harmonies and electric guitar was the normal for my household. Read more>>

Jess Aubrey

I was born in New York, but I grew up on the East Coast of Florida. Growing up I was constantly around entrepreneurship. For as long as I can remember my parents always owned their own businesses. I don’t really remember a time from my younger childhood where I wasn’t heading to the shop with them while they worked. I’d like to think this had a big impact on where I am today. I never really gave being a business owner real consideration in my younger adult life. I have always been in the service industry, mostly as a bartender. My first job as a bartender was at a golf course, where I worked as a bartender/server – that’s where I learned how to pour my first draft beer! Trust me if you have never poured one it’s harder than it looks to get it perfect. I have had a handful of bartending jobs throughout the years. Read more>>

Sheila Burns-Owens

I began this new venture that I call my 2nd stitch after retiring. My mother became ill and we were packing up her belongings in order to sell her house. My mother being a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority had many t-shirts from the various conventions that she attended. Since my daughter is also a member of that Sorority we gave her my mother’s Delta t-shirts and paraphernalia. In turn my daughter asked me to make her a quilt out of her grandmother’s t-shirts. I did not sew but I knew how special this was to my daughter so I learned how to quilt at the Teaneck Senior Center – Rodda Center. In addition to my daughter’s Delta quilt, I made quilts for other family members. Read more>>

Ana-Maria Georgieva

I am Ana-Maria, the founder of Luna Voda Coaching, a name that in my native Bulgarian means “Moon Water,” reflecting my coaching philosophy’s intuitive and nurturing essence. From a young age in Bulgaria, I was captivated by dance, a passion that taught me the importance of movement and expression in shaping our lives. However, despite achieving success, I battled with deep-seated insecurities and traumas stemming from my childhood. This personal struggle ignited my quest for healing and transformation. Read more>>

Elizabeth Seifert

I began my journey like many, searching for where my talents and passions aligned. Through exploration and experimentation, I found my niche: decorating parties, especially for my children. It was a revelation, blending my creativity with the joy of creating magical moments for my own family.

Naming my business “Pastelly,” I focused on balloon decor, inspired by the soft, cheerful colors with a pop of red that became my signature. But for me, Pastelly was more than just a business—it was a way to provide my children with experiences I never had myself. Read more>>

Lisa Raebel

Rebel Girl Marketing exists because of a profound love for storytelling, deeply rooted in a childhood spent immersed in the world of theater. Growing up alongside my dad, who ran the community theater in Woodstock, IL, I found myself captivated by the magic of transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences. While I lacked the skill to memorize lines or hit my marks on stage, I discovered my passion for storytelling in a different realm – marketing. Read more>>

Vera Pashkevich

It’s a bit of a winding story. I suppose it all started when I was a wide-eyed 16-year-old in Germany, watching my family prepare to separate and for my mother and I to make an international move. I didn’t like the idea of leaving the only place that had ever felt like home without taking a piece of it with me.

I remember scraping my meager teenage savings to buy a tiny, unassuming camera. I spent my last days in our quiet city roaming the cobblestone streets, capturing every corner store, cathedral, park bench, and familiar face I could find. Something sparked, but I didn’t know what it was yet. Read more>>

Cat Lantigua

I’m a multi-hyphenate creative who has never been afraid to try new things! My journey as an author, podcaster, founder, and facilitator have stemmed from my insatiable desire to learn as much as I can about the things that spark excitement and curiosity! Read more>>

Asa Leveaux

My journey in the business transformational space began in 2007. At that time, I owned a childcare facility licensed for over 120 children. It was so large that I was responsible for two electrical accounts for one building. Simultaneously, I owned an African-American centered art and collectible boutique called Mahogany Concepts, known for offering fraternity and sorority regalia of the historically black Greek-lettered organizations commonly referred to as the “Divine 9”. In 2007, my son (whom I also refer to as my s-u-n) turned one year old, and I began receiving questions about how, at 24 years old, I managed to run two businesses without any loans or financial backing. I took these questions with delight and answered them in the same spirit. I would glow from the inside out when I saw the realization dawn on someone that owning a business was possible for them as well. Read more>>

Tricia Schmorde

I started with a love and passion for dogs as a very young girl. I dreamed of raising dogs and had a love for wolves at a very young age. I wanted to be a different kind of breeder. So many I saw raised dogs like livestock and had far too many dogs to all be a part of the family. I set out to change this and bring awareness to dog raising and how it should be done to make man’s best friend a valid part of the family from birth up. In my opinion. I have my own views through my research on raising dogs and how it should be done. Read more>>

Kurriizma (Hector Diaz)

Kurriizmatic for me started 4 years ago on November 30th 2020. I had to create my entire senior collection from scratch during the height of the pandemic. I had no money, no support, and only being able to use what was around me.

Through all the odds I created one of
The most memorable collections in my schools history. Being featured in major publications and gathering me the momentum to start my brand. Read more>>

Regina Boykin

Even though I started out in culinary school, I wasn’t able to finish. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely no shame in that! There are moments in life when things are not going to go according to plan, but it’s up to you to choose how you handle it. What I choose to do in those moments is to pivot Instead of panic. Read more>>

Amo Zhou

I started my artistic career in early childhood, I feel that during the journey I tried different materials, but the subject I included in my work is mostly the same. I like to work with subjects about mental health issues and environmental awareness. During the pandemic, I started working majorly with ink and charcoal as a way of expressing my depression during that time, and most of my work since then has been in black and white, though I’m still exploring other possible mediums such as printmaking. Read more>>

Brittany Wong

At the end of high school, I wasn’t sure what kind of career path I wanted to take. I have always been creative, since I was a little kid, and for whatever reason, my mom suggested I pursue graphic design. It sounded fun, so I gave it a shot.

Turns out I loved it!

I went to college and got my degree in design studies with an emphasis in graphic design, and a minor in photography. I started my career before I even graduated by working in the advertising office at the campus bookstore, which is where I learned a lot of the basic, foundational things about working with a creative team. Read more>>

Becca Lory Hector

After 3 years home bound and suicidal, I was identified as Autistic in adulthood. The diagnosis not only saved my life but gave me a purpose, to change the world for the Autistics that come after me. I now do with autism research, DEIB facilitation, writing, speaking and consulting. Read more>>

Ghetto Chris

Back like I never left, I’m still here Ghetto Chris most known me as the Goat of the 8thcity, 8thcity a movement I started for us artist, who don’t get that recognition they deserve, and the areas we from (country) for real to get that attention with the grind put in , In Virginia they say 7 cities I started 8thcity just for that. Right now I’m still on that journey, just have the love for that culture but still want to get what I put in. Just did a New York run, hit up Shade 45, Hip hop Nation, went to gillie house for a freestyle, was on the Legendz of the Streets Tour with Jeezy Ti Jadakiss performed at the Barclay Center with Remy Fat Joe Fivio Scarlip Rick Ross Hampton Coliseum with the same Just moving staying business. Read more>>

DEANDRE BUCK

My life as an artist began at the age of 19. My uncle noticed how serious I was about pursuing a professional recording career and decided to invest in me. This was during a time where DJ’s still mixed live with vinyl so we made sure to put all the singles on wax with a B Side. My first single “That’s The Way” spent 10 months in rotation on the radio in mix shows just because we printed vinyl. We had CD Singles that made their way into consignment stores and we were off to the races. We began working towards a debut album to showcase myself and my best friend M.Y., eventually we were joined by two others and Warrior Child Records began. Read more>>

Casey Krawczyk

Art has always been my language. As a young child I was often gifted drawing materials and books on technique for special occasions. I had a wonderful high school art teacher, Mr. Maki. While we did plenty of typical high school art projects, there was one in particular that stood out. I recall him getting up on a table and doing dynamic poses for us to be introduced to gesture drawing. I grew up in a town of 600 people with just 40 students in my graduating class. We may not have had many resources but the art teacher made a point of displaying our work and supporting those that were interested in the visual arts. I would spend both study hall and lunch hour in the art room in an area that was somewhat designated as my studio/workspace…a separate room off the main classroom. Read more>>