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.

Allison Meins, PsyD

In order to become a psychologist, I attended 4 years of undergraduate studies at UC Santa Barbara (including one year abroad in Granada, Spain), and 4 years of graduate studies at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in San Francisco. Read more >>>

Cassandra Forbes

There are definitely days when I romanticize the idea of a “regular job”, you know, the kind where someone else worries about payroll, clients, and whether the printer has enough toner. The last time I had that thought was deep in tax season, late at night, surrounded by stacks of client files and a computer glowing with endless spreadsheets. Read more >>>

Paula Martiesian

A fine artist often works alone, putting in long hours in pursuit of some unattainable goal only they can envision. They also wear many different hats – promoter, agent, installer, small business owner. The amount of sheer work is underappreciated by the average person. Read more >>>

Valar Morghulis

Being in a metal band, you’re likely misunderstood or mischaracterized by people who are not into that style of music. Especially in our chosen path, which is more on the extreme metal side of things. We’re a blend of death metal, thrash metal and groove metal, with lots of other influences in there as well. Read more >>>

Jeff Thon

Finding the right vendors has been one of the most defining parts of building Clear Skies Capital. In our industry, everything revolves around trust, security, and efficiency, so choosing the right partners was never something we took lightly. When it came to selecting API vendors, our goal was to integrate our CRM directly with our funding partners to streamline the approval process. Read more >>>

Alex Ippolito

The first really real time I made money as an artist was when I sold a Linocut print of a Jackalope in a gallery in Missoula, Montana ten years ago. My grandmother, who was also an artist, told me about a national exhibition called Icons of The West and she heavily encouraged me to submit my Jackalope print to the call for artists. Read more >>>

Ami Grace, Lcsw

As a psychedelic assisted therapist, I am often sought after as the last resort. When clients find me, they have exhausted all mental health resources that have not helped resolve their symptoms. They have often been on antidepressant medications for years, have spent years in talk therapy, TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), and even the most drastic and archaic form of treatment, ECT, electroconvulsive therapy. Read more >>>

Beth Beyer

Integrity, honesty and authenticity are key ingredients. My word is my bond. Fulfilling client’s expectations is an art…and not over promising is important. There have been a number of awards and special certifications in addition to the basic education required that also supports my knowledge base. Read more >>>

Charlitta Hatch

I still remember it vividly. The moment that changed everything for me. I was a senior in college, flying home from what I thought might be my first “real” job interview. The interview had gone fine, but as I sat there reflecting, I realized something felt off. I wasn’t excited. I wanted more than a job. Read more >>>

Bradford Shreve

Over ten years as a personal trainer in NYC I had built up a great resume working for the leading brands in the industry; Equinox, LifeTime, Men’s Health, Daily Burn and was a part of a start up brand Brrrn. In all these experiences I tried to stand out from the norms and bring something unique and different to the field. Read more >>>

Li-Mei Lin

We are at the early stages of a U-Turn in health and medicine. My professional education and career as a neurosurgeon was rooted in academic sciences that treated the body as a physical-mechanical system—like a machine, car, or plane to be repaired part by part Read more >>>

Donica Forensich

One of the most inspiring leaders I’ve ever worked with was my former boss, Mike. From day one, Mike made it clear that he didn’t see our roles as fixed boxes but as starting points for growth. He had an incredible ability to spot potential—often before we saw it ourselves—and then create space for us to stretch into it. Read more >>>

Savannah’s World

The best boss and mentor I’ve ever had is my mom, Coach Shantell’s Natural Hair. She’s not just my mom — She’s my biggest inspiration and the reason I started Savannah’s World — and she also helped me bring it to life and make it what it is today. Read more >>>

Angela Cameron

At An Event Lady Production, our mission is simple yet deeply personal — to create weddings that feel as good as they look. We believe luxury isn’t defined by extravagance, but by emotion, intention, and the experience we create for each couple. Read more >>>

Joel Urzua

My mission has always been to help people feel seen, supported, and empowered — whether it’s through storytelling, marketing, or helping them find a place to call home. At its core, everything I do is about connection. That mission really took shape during my time working at Disneyland. Read more >>>

Kimberly Dabney

To me, success isn’t about accolades, money, or how many people know your name, it’s about alignment. True success comes when you’re walking in what God ordained for you, not what the world told you to chase. It takes faith, discipline, healing, and obedience. You can be talented and gifted, but if you’re broken on the inside, that wound will bleed into everything you touch. Read more >>>

Alison Crews

Success has to first be defined before you can pursue it. Success can of course mean different things to different people. For me, I start with what success is not: It is not measured by money, job titles, certifications, academic degrees, zip codes, subscribers, likes, views, or other popular measures. I define success as understanding or knowing myself, my purpose, and then acting on it. Read more >>>