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.
Amy Pishner of Valor K9 Academy
My love for dogs began when I was a little girl. Born in Wyoming and raised in Wisconsin, my best friend growing up was a rescued Collie named Lady. We did everything together! Show-and-tells, tricks, contests, agility training at the local park, and sled dogging through quiet streets on cold winter days Lady is the reason I fell in love with dogs. Her love and loyalty were endless. After college, I joined the Air Force and worked in military intelligence. I was stationed in North Carolina and spent most of my free time volunteering by teaching English to Mexican immigrants and by being an interpreter for a human trafficking non-profit. Any other spare time was spent volunteering at the local animal shelter. Read more>>
Angela Simmons
I’m Angela Simmons, designer, wife, mom of 11, entrepreneur, podcaster and author of the memoir “Eleven from Heaven- through the gates of Motherhood “. I’ve always loved the humor and lessons learned through family and sharing them with fellow moms. My love of writing started in college with a passion for journalism. Everyone has a story that can make a difference and captivate reality. Motherhood is the hardest job on earth! Birthing and cultivating little people is challenging. I’ve lived and learned so much about faith and love through the 11, which prompted me to start my podcast ( 11 from Heaven life podcast) with me Angie B. I want all moms to know that you can live your dreams. Although the timing of entrepreneurship felt delayed while we raised our family, it came back around full circle and I jumped. My desire is that you know how important you are and you’re not alone. The many stories that I share on the podcast are my truths, designed to create life , love, laughter, happiness and a few miracles. Read more>>
Rozella Mahjhrin’s Story
My journey in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)—which focuses on promoting fair treatment, access, and opportunities for all individuals—began from a deeply personal place. Growing up with a birthmark on my face, I often felt the sting of being treated differently, which shaped my understanding of inclusion and acceptance. Those experiences fueled my passion for ensuring that no one else feels marginalized. Nine years ago, I founded True Complexion as a storytelling platform dedicated to celebrating diverse narratives and fostering self-acceptance. Read more>>
Mallory’s Story
I’ve been singing since she can remember. I got her first solo in church at 4 and the rest was history. When I decided to start performing, my family didn’t realize how serious I was, but soon realized I was on a mission. In high school, I started working with local artists, which introduced me to industry veteran, Papa Reu, studio sessions, and writing. Despite authoring my first full song at 18, I didn’t release it and, after a battle with depression, I decided on a more traditional career path. I went on to graduate college in 4 years with a 3.14 GPA, then founded The Premier Benefit & Birthday Bash, celebrating my birthday annually and sponsoring therapy sessions. As I built my post-grad life, I realized that though I tried to leave music, it never left me. I’d been performing around Houston and people started asking when my album was coming out. I took this as a sign that my gift wouldn’t be ignored. Read more>>
Brooke Hembry of Bmaes Boutique
Five years ago, I opened Bmaes Boutique’s virtual doors with just a few items hanging on a rack in the spare bedroom of my first home. Fast forward to today, I’m hitting dream numbers while staying completely debt-free, and I’ve had the joy of keeping my little man home with me since he was born. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself because it’s surreal living out this dream. So much has happened since 2019. When the pandemic hit in 2020, it felt like the world stood still. My small business thankfully survived, and I gave birth to my baby boy amidst it all. Thanks to the pandemic, I was allowed to work my 9-5 job from home, which was a blessing at the time because it allowed me to also keep my little man home with me. Juggling my job, running my business, and being a stay-at-home mom was challenging, but it taught me the power of resilience. Read more>>
Micah Robbins of Blossom Design Studio LLC
I’m Micah Robbins, the copywriter and web designer behind Blossom Design Studio. After studying creative writing at Pepperdine University, I knew I wanted to use my skills to help others but didn’t know how. During the pandemic, friends and family started asking me to write the words on their websites for the new businesses they were starting. I found where my passion and skills collided: Copywriting for creative small business owners. I’ve been writing copy professionally for the last four years, and have just recently expanded my services to include web design as well in order to serve people more comprehensively. Read more>>
Patricia Guzman
My story Patricia Guzmán I write my story to share a friendly and complicit voice that may accompany and encourage to hold on and seek a true hearted path and fulfilled life. At this moment, I am trying to make this experience we call life an art form, and a fascinating journey. This feeling is totally opposite when I was twenty years old: I felt helpless and vulnerable, with zero self-esteem and with no plan or certainty for the future, I had the feeling that I would be unable to survive in a reality perceived increasingly grotesque. I think that Friedrich Nietzsche’s idea of eternal return is a good reference to frame existence: if at the end of your days you had to repeat your life exactly as you lived it, without the possibility of making any changes, would you be want to live exactly as it was? Would you return to each decision, each smile, each pain, each beautiful and terrible situation? While much of what happens is beyond our control, there are roads and situations that depend on our decisions. Sometimes in life we find ourselves in situations where an exit or solution seems impossible, unable to change the circumstances or impossible to achieve goals and dreams. I can affirm now that nothing is written and that we have the power to construct, to decide and recognize, to know our weaknesses and strengths and to not betray ourselves. However, we are immersed in a great machinery that uses and disposes human beings for the enrichment and power of the one percenters. How to break this vicious circle if we are taught to adapt and follow this path by alienating ourselves from our true essence. Fear, insecurity, anxiety, anguish and loneliness can immobilize fiercely. Read more>>
Ariel Sides
As a child, growing up in San Diego, my parents would take me to Seaworld often. I became obsessed with the ocean and everything living in it. It always felt like home. I decided at the age of seven that I wanted to make it a career. Moving to northern Mississippi as a teenager put a damper on that dream for a while, so I focused on writing. I won several contests for poetry and creative writing and consistently made honor roll, even being inducted into the National Honor Society. I started college at the University of Memphis at 16, but at 16, I had no business being on a university campus. I was more interested in partying and boys and less about school. I really lost myself for a while. At 19, I met my husband and immediately knew I was going to marry him. From the moment we met, we were inseparable. We were married on April 2nd, 2011 and welcomed a son in November that same year. After Lucas was born, I knew I wanted to stay at home with him and focus on being a mother while he was little. Two years later, we welcomed a baby girl, Luci Rae, and our family was complete. I stayed at home with the kids while they were little, even operating a daycare from home for a while so I could have an income but still be with them. Read more>>
Laura Valiukenas of The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation
In 2018, we got pregnant with our daughter Colette on our third round of IVF. I was so thrilled, but I hated being pregnant. My dreams of being pregnant felt like they were just lies. I kept saying that I was going to write a book called, “Where the Hell is My Glow?” Other than that, the pregnancy was going well and I was excited as we got closer to the end of the pregnancy. When I was 21 weeks pregnant, my mom instinct told me I should go to the OB. Despite the nurses trying to call and tell me I did not need to come in, I stayed true to my instincts and went. That instinct saved me and my daughter. My blood pressure was 188/110 and my OB sent me straight to the hospital. I was admitted for severe preeclampsia and told I would be there until I delivered. While it felt like my whole world had stopped, the world around us kept going and I was trying to stay in. Shortly after I was admitted, I realized the blessing and privilege I had that allowed me to be in the hospital without worrying about finances. Read more>>
Danielle Ozuna of Caribbean Soul
I was a kid in foster care, no one knew my name. To many I was just a case number. I think it’s important to start with that. I could tell you how I started my business during a nationwide pandemic when nutritious food was scarce. But for the 35% of kids who grew up in foster care in America, I want them to see in this interview, it is possible for us to succeed to higher standards. As for everyone else, maybe knowing a little more about my struggles will inspire them to tackle their own or at least to recognize how amazing it is to be interviewed about my successful business. To answer your question, I got here today with resilience, determination, and hard work- and more than a pinch of faith in my own talent, and those that I have developed. It is because i developed these skills early that when a Pandemic traumatized the world and took the people I loved, the job I was passionate about, and the food from the shelves. I had to find a hobby to cope. I picked up farming and began cultivating my own vegetables which I then used to make delicious food. People went crazy for it. Not only was it delicious, but it had a great variety of Caribbean cuisine which you could not find under one roof anywhere else. My family is Haitian, Dominican, and Jamaican, so we promoted diversity and unity through our food. I wanted to present it the best way possible to display the beautiful essence of each country, so I took time to go the extra mile. People loved my passion as well as the food. The demand grew so much I opened a catering and meal prep business. Read more>>
Alexandra Tiscareno
I started rigorous dance training quite late in my “career” as some people would put it. I began taking classes consistently in 2012 at my local community college. Before that, most of my training came from a colorguard background. I thought that going from a highly competitive sport like colorguard into a highly competitive program for dance was going to be a cake walk but I was grossly mistaken. I received a lot of verbal abuse regarding how my body looked. Back then, I was 5’9 and about 180 lbs, give or take. I was very curvy meaning, I had a butt and a chest. Which automatically made me the target for a lot of fatphobic treatment when I was in my dance program. I was constantly told by my ballet teacher that “fat people shouldn’t be allowed to dance, fat people made dance a mockery,” just a lot of awful things. He encouraged me to get weight loss surgery, take up an eating disorder, and even threatened to kick me out if I did not lose the weight he thought I should lose. Read more>>
David Bovis of Duxinaroe Ltd
My story begins at around seven or eight years old, when I first leafed through the phone book to see if there were any other “Bovis’s” listed. What I found set the foundation for everything I’ve pursued since. An innocent question uncovered a family tale of betrayal in a business spanning generations, true or not, it gave me a sense of injustice that I’ve never been able to shake. From that moment, I vowed to prove to the world that you could be ethical, kind, and still succeed in business. That inner conviction became the driving force that helped me overcome one adversity after another. At 12, I had a major accident, falling 15 feet and breaking three vertebrae. That led to decades of back pain and a victim mentality that took years to overcome. By 19, while still in my engineering apprenticeship, I was on my way to owning my first home, only to lose it to a cruel betrayal. Shortly after, I faced redundancy during a national recession, and as I struggled to stay afloat, I contracted across Europe before finding my way into World Class Manufacturing (Lean). Read more>>
Kerstin Rao’s Story
From the moment I could grip a crayon, my days were filled with drawing. As an introverted kid, I was more at ease facing paper than people. My childhood friends, therefore, were Beatrix Potter, Leonardo da Vinci, and E.H. Shepard, who illustrated a certain ‘silly old bear.’ The life of an illustrator — that was for me, I thought, so I left small-town Kentucky for Poughkeepsie, New York and majored in Studio Art at Vassar College. At graduation, I threw my belongings in the back of a friend’s truck and moved to Brooklyn Heights. Going gallery to gallery in Manhattan, I discovered that my style of delicate lines and vibrant color was not in vogue. The work in favor was edgy and dark, layered with graffiti and cynicism. I found it bold and energizing, but knew it was not my voice. So, a sculptor friend suggested I work in an elementary school. Unexpectedly, those kids captured my heart. To serve them well, I earned my Master’s in Special Education and stayed devoted to my students for 34 years. There are literally thousands of young adults I adore who made me laugh and made me think as I taught in New York, Minnesota, and Connecticut. Raising a daughter of my own fit naturally into my life as an educator. Read more>>
Pasquale (ap) Panico
from where we left off… the part of the story originally began almost 19 years ago… I landed here today through the music industry of pursuing being an independent artist. I truly wanted to tell my story through music which is one of my true passions in life. Read more>>
Jenni Mcnamee
Movement has always been a huge part of my life. As a young girl I was in many sports, and had a career in cheerleading and dance, which later became my full time work as a young adult. I started coaching when I was 16, and that blossomed into a love of working with others. I continued to coach cheer and began a career as a dance and fitness trainer throughout my college years. I graduated college with a double Bachelors degree in Anthology & Sociology and began working in the field of Substance Recovery and Community Action. It was here that I learned my passion for helping people in the mental health capacity along with physical health. I had full intentions of going to law school to further my passion for community advocacy, however my husband and I had our first child very young and it changed the course of my life. A few years later we had our second son, and I was fully immersed in the Recovery & Advocacy field and finding myself drained mentally and physically. I had continued as a Dance and Fitness Trainer all those years as it was my only outlet for stress and the big emotions that came with being a full time working mother. Read more>>
Addie Moore
I don’t know how to answer when people ask me how I started making art because I have always been making it. As a kid, I loved creating things: drawing, sewing, making little puppets, and digging in the backyard for clay to make little animals. Not much has changed. I am still obsessed with the act of play in my work, always trying something new and getting a little messy. Despite always having this creative drive, it has taken many years of therapy, unlearning, and self-discovery to overcome the fear of sharing my artwork with the world. It is wildly courageous to share your artwork with others: I make my art to process emotions and overcome challenges in my day-to-day life, so sharing my work feels very scary at times. Through self-love and reflection, I have learned the importance of letting others into my world. I know that allowing others to see and appreciate my work brings them joy, although it still evokes anxiety, the fear of rejection, and perfectionism. I still struggle with imposter syndrome, but I’m learning that so many people, creatives and otherwise, struggle with this. Read more>>
Sarah May
I’ve always had an artist spirit but never thought I was an artist. As a kid, I loved to create but was not skilled at drawing so did not believe I was “good enough.” I kept creating and making and just having fun but did not pursue art as a career. After graduating from college with a degree in Spanish and working for a year, I knew I had to bring art to the forefront of my life. I decided to go back to school to become an art teacher. Through my education in learning to be an art teacher, I practiced my own art. My skills continued to evolve and improve as I earned my Masters Degree in Art Education with a focus on printmaking. I dove into printmaking and found my little corner of it in linocuts. I carved and printed, carved and printed, carved and printed…I could not get enough of it! I eventually decided to create a small business around my linocuts. My current business is a product of several attempted prior ventures through which I made mistakes, had failures, learned and observed, grew and emerged. Read more>>
Shakyra Dunn
Hello again! My name is Shakyra Dunn, I am a fantasy author, voice actor, singer, and I pride myself on wearing many creative hats! But I wasn’t always bound by creativity. In fact, growing up, I was never entirely certain if walking the path of the arts was the right direction for me, especially with my upbringing. I was born and raised in Chicago, IL, raised in a single-parent household. Just my mother and myself. Back in my early childhood, I had ambitions not nearly as lofty and dreamed of working in obstetrics, but it unraveled once I entered high school and discovered my love and passion for writing to the point of obsession. I loved the idea of immersing in a world of my own making, being able to step into the shoes of another, and it became a dream in itself as an ambivert treading the line of being open and shying away from crowds once the social bar ran down. Read more>>
Dr Tongie Scott
My Story is akin to someone looking for their identity. It is so true that we have no control over the family we are born into…the color of our skin…how tall-or short we are and the list goes on. My childhood was a bit chaotic-but functional. My Mother reared my sister and I in government projects in Mississippi. So my love and adoration for community became apparent to me at a very young age. However, even at the age of 6 years old, I always wanted more. But not “more” in having material things, but “more” love-“more” compassion…”more” family connections. This desire of mine for “more” would lead me on the road to my destiny. All of my life I wanted to be successful. And this was quite apparent when I launched my very first business at 24 years old. Imagine, if you will, needing a babysitter, and not having a clue as to how to go about hiring one, nor knowing what to look for when I located one. And this is just what happened and how I was able to become an entrepreneur. My being able to answer a problem that I had was and will always be the catalyst for moving out of your own way. Read more>>
Edward Anassah’s Story
My story begins in Ghana, West Africa, where I grew up in the vibrant city of Osu, Accra. As the first generation in my family to graduate from university, I always had a deep appreciation for education and the opportunities it could unlock. However, my journey truly took off when I moved to North America to pursue my education. I spent time studying in Miami, Florida, and Huntsville, Alabama, where I gained valuable insights into the experiences of international students and the challenges they face. These experiences ignited my passion for entrepreneurship and multiculturalism, laying the foundation for what would become a central theme in my life. After settling in Canada and considering it my home, I embarked on a mission to explore different cultures and understand their impact on society and the economy. This led me to launch Humble Beginning Stories, a platform where entrepreneurs share their inspirational stories. With over 100 contributors, the platform has become a supportive ecosystem for aspiring business leaders, reflecting my commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and multiculturalism. Read more>>
Hannah Macready
I wanted to be a writer ever since I was a kid, but it wasn’t sold to me as a viable career option. I originally studied psychology (and dropped out) then went to makeup school (dropped out again) before taking a gap year in Montreal, convinced that I would never have a “real job.” When I finally decided to pursue writing in university, it was like the world opened up to me. I’d always felt like someone who hated work, hated studying. I figured I just wasn’t cut out for the trials and tribulations of a capitalist world. But, when I started to study writing, I found I couldn’t stop. I’d study all day and write all night, then repeat that every day of the week. I was so invigorated with the work that it all came so easily. After graduating I began working in the literary world, got a job at a local advertising agency, and started publishing my work. Soon after that, I was contacted by The Globe & Mail and began writing regular pieces for them. That opened me up to the world of journalism, and I garnered bylines in Fast Company, Financial Post, Ambrook Research, and more. Read more>>
Sophie-elizabeth Thompson
I always loved drawing and creating things and dreamed of creating art all day long, but had the limiting belief that it wasn’t available to me and that it was only possible for others and that I would have to keep it as a hobby. However, something in me never gives up and I believed that one day it would be possible…the danger with this thinking of course is that “one day” never comes unless you decide to do something about it. I have come to understand, that nobody is coming to save you, it is never the right time and usually it´s much easier not to stick your neck out to attempt to do what you love to do. My way of reaching my objective was to have a day job to take the pressure off me financially and to work at night in my studio. I did this for years and then only later did I start to read self help books and really study how we function as human beings. How we think and how we create our lives by our thoughts, actions and feelings. Read more>>
Mashawi Riley
I knew I wanted to pursue a creative and artistic path professionally ever since I was about 7 years old, and that path of music and fashion has always been a part of my roots and upbringing. When I was growing up in school I was always very active in extracurricular activities such as band class, vocal lessons and plays etc. In elementary school to high school I played the trombone and took vocal lessons every year. I would perform and sing in school talent shows and music assemblies, I was known as one of the Singers in my different schools. As well as I would play the trombone for our Spring and Remembrance assemblies and much more. I have won some talent shows and competitions along the way as well as received awards for being creative and entertaining. Read more>>
Kaye
My story is quite the tale, and I’ll do my best to share as much as possible without overstepping any boundaries. Greetings everyone, my name is Kaye and I’m a self-taught Private Chef. I’m not originally from the United States either but I’ll cover more on that briefly. When it came to cooking I’ve always found myself surrounded by those who did it for a living or professionally. My father was a patissier and my grandfather was a Chef who went to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. As I’ve stated previously my father was a Chef but my mother is also a registered Nurse and former Detective. I use the past tense for my father since he is no longer with us in the physical realm. I was born in Kyoto and lived there for a year. Eventually, we moved to the United States. Prior to me being born my parents would travel a lot for work. My father was also in the Air Force. When we came to the States I would go to the events my father would be curating. These would range from private celebrations to mass corporate ones. I remember being allowed into a professional kitchen when I was only three. I have my father’s good connections with the kitchen brigade and staff to thank for these opportunities. Read more>>
Susan Fredericks’s Story
As a young child my mother encouraged me to play the piano. She had played as a young girl and wanted me to enjoy the piano as much as she did. My experience in school was always classical piano all the way up until high school. But I also loved what I was hearing on the radio at that time. The standards were always playing in our house. It was Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Carmen McCrae, Mel Torme, all the great singers of the time. By the time I was in high school I knew all of the lyrics to so many of the great tunes now known as the Great American Songbook. Around the same time a friend of mine’s dad, who has an avid interest in jazz, took me and my friend to the Plugged Nickel in Chicago to a matinee for families to hear Woody Herman and the Herd. That was IT for me! To hear the exciting soloists stand up in the middle of the tunes and take solos, improvising so incredibly on the changes just blew me away. I wanted to be able to play and hear and improvise like that no matter what it took. Read more>>
Oksana Taratula of LIVE OIL BY LESNA
I am Oksana Taratula, hailing from a small town in western Ukraine, Novoyavorivsk. My childhood was filled with the beauty of picturesque rural fields and vibrant forests where I lived with my grandparents, which fostered my deep love and appreciation for nature. Being an only child, I was lucky to have my parents as steadfast sources of support during my teenage years. I hold two master’s degrees—one in International Relations and Diplomacy and the other in Civil Law—from Lviv Ivan Franko National University. In 2007, I relocated to the USA as a student and instantly developed a deep appreciation for all aspects of American life. Throughout my journey, I’ve met amazing people who have become both friends and collaborators, motivating me to participate in a range of exciting projects. In addition to discussing my life philosophy and business later on, I would like to share some of the projects I am privileged to be a part of. I’ve been regarded as a leader, charity worker, and entrepreneur dedicated to making a positive impact in the community and beyond. Read more>>
Clarkson Adjei
I have always been a creative so to speak. I loved reading novels especially “The Hardy Boys” series when I was younger so I loved words. That’s how I got into poetry and the rhyming of words . This love for rhyming helped me transition into song writing and I have been doing it ever since . I took music seriously in the year 2021 when I recorded my first ever single “Beginning” under the name “Kungfufunny”. It’s been a tough battle ever since because being an independent artist with no manager or team , you literally have to do everything by yourself. Thankfully I have some supportive friends who help me one way or the other and by God’s grace I’m here with a solid catalog . Even though I’m not yet where I want to be , I thank God for the fact that I’m not where I used to be . Read more>>
Beatrice Atencah
Having shared my personal story, I would love to go with my professional story this time. That is, being an Artist. I am an artist and to stress on that, I experiment with forms and space using hard and soft materials combined with traditional craft techniques to build sculptural objects and installations. The results speak to the aftermath of migration such as alchemy of life and adaptation suffered by foreign bodies. Art found me at age 6 in Ghana. I traded drawings and paintings for fancy materials (glitters and metallic toys) and friendships which gradually advanced my making from 2-D to 3-D forms in high school with experimentation in leather art objects. In college, my curiosity led me to explore some major art departments like ceramics, textiles, fashion and leatherworks and through that, my perception and traditional representation or placement of artworks were challenged. I was drawn to textiles mostly because of its myriad application and shift in contemporary art. It reminds me of a child climbing a tree hoping to get to the top, amidst the scars they incur. Read more>>
Charlee Roy
My name is Charlee (Johnston) Roy, and I’m the founder and creator of NakdBasics. My journey started when I struggled with my own skin issues. I had suffered with acne my entire teenage life and tried so many products with no relief. Fast forward to my early 20’s. I was working in Burlington at a store called Goodness Me in the supplements department. I was selling lots of skin care products and was always so interested in how they were made and the ingredients involved. I told myself that one day I would do that. I would make a product that would work. I had moved to the city to attend College. I worked multiple jobs ranging from modelling to vet technician. I finally found the position at Goodness Me and absolutely loved it. Read more>>
Tara Johnson
For years I had lived the dream…a recording artist with a Christian record label. I would travel from church to church, venue to venue sharing how God had led me out of a life of people pleasing and depression into a new walk with Him. I was passionate about revealing the enemy’s lies…and I could share this transformational truth through song. When I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, and lost the ability to sing for long stretches of time, I questioned God. What are You doing? I don’t understand. All this work, these dreams…how could they just crumble like rubble? Is this really what you want, Lord? In the turbulence of that season, I began pouring out my heart through blogs. Through stories. When an author friend suggested I attend the national conference of the American Christian Fiction Writers, I balked. Who was I? I wasn’t a writer. I was a singer. But I attended anyway. Read more>>
Jonas Saul of Imagine Greece Retreats
I was writing before I knew how to write, at the age of two or three. I’d take my sister’s textbook and copy out the letters so that I could write. Once I learned how to read and write, I was enamored with short stories. I wrote over fifty short stories before my twenties and soon realized I needed to write longer pieces. So, in my twenties, I took on the task of writing full-length novels. Thirty years later, I’ve now written over fifty books. How did I start? By sitting at the desk and putting in the time. How did I get to where I am today? I’m still at my desk. But seriously–if an author wants a large readership, they have to write–a lot! To do that, the author must be disciplined enough to write several hours daily. Read more>>
Akshata Prabhu
Born in the city of dreams, Mumbai in India, raised by two dynamic individuals, Mr. Abhay & Mrs. Amrita Prabhu, I was always taught to aim high and reach the stars. Since childhood, I always loved the Fashion & Glamour Industry but it was considered sort of a taboo to consider it as a Profession. The society where being a Doctor or an Engineer were the only two professions that exist; it was hard to break the mould and be different. I convinced my father (with my mother’s support) to let me try my hand at Modelling which turned out as a pretty successful stint (almost a decade). Thereafter, my family also wanted me to pursue a serious and a bankable career due to my academic inclination & scholarly scores. I went on to graduate as a Dental Surgeon (5 years) further specializing as a Pediatric Dentist (3 years) and years of setting up a Professional Clinical Practice giving up Modelling forever. I was known as Dr. Akshata Prabhu- Pediatric Dental Surgeon to the world by now. Read more>>
Kena Ramírez Dillon
While I’m not exactly where I want to be yet, I’m grateful for the journey that’s led me to where I am so far. Growing up, I was the artsy kid. I didn’t ask for toys (ok, maybe some), but mostly— I wanted art supplies. I would get in trouble at school for doodling on anything within reach—homework, my clothes, my backpack, even myself. After high school, I jumped headfirst into graphic design at Metro State in Denver, but something was missing. Between balancing school and jobs, retail at JC Penney and tech support at Dish Network, I felt my creativity slipping away. In a bid to shake things up, I did something completely unexpected (both to myself and my family)—I joined the Navy. Let me tell you… those recruiters work quick. Two weeks later, I was sworn in. A few short months later, I was off to bootcamp; on a brand new adventure. As an Aviation Machinist’s Mate (F-18 jet mechanic)I experienced and saw things I never thought I would. The cherry on top? I met the love of my life— a fellow mech. We served side by side for a bit, but when our family began to grow, I faced a choice: re-enlist or follow my creative passion. I chose the latter. Read more>>
Jeremiah Patterson
The journey that has taken me to this point in my artistic life began when I was quite little. I began forming a love of art through my father, who is a printmaker/painter and professor emeritus from UMASS, Amherst, and my mother, who herself grew up in a family of architects, designers and is a very creative person. Surrounded by this creativity at a very early age, seeing my father’s daily studio pursuits and my mother’s creative projects first hand as I grew up, and the many supportive people in my life, all of these things helped shape the beginnings of my pathway to becoming an artist. However, it wasn’t until I was in the fall of 1984, when I was in 8th grade and my family moved to France for three months while my father was on sabbatical, that I truly felt determined to become an artist. It was there we saw the great works of art in the Louvre Museum, visited Monet’s house at Giverny, and took a road trip to Amsterdam and Belgium to see the masterpieces of Flemish and Dutch art. I homeschooled for the three-months abroad, and spent as much time drawing and painting as I did spending time finishing my english and math work with which my teachers sent me abroad. Read more>>
Anna Lena Feunekes of Anna Lena Illustrations
I began working as an illustrator while I was finishing my Masters in Industrial Design. I would get inquiries for projects from people I knew, and friends would suggest I might consider being a freelancer. I didn’t think much of it, but the idea of making some extra money with art sounded appealing. In this time, I just took on any project that I came across – learning how to run my business and how to tackle client work as I went. I started working as an in-house UX designer in IT companies and kept freelancing on the side. It gave me the time to figure out my style and learn how to be a professional illustrator. Cut to 10 years later and I am an illustrator and author, just had my first non-fiction kids book called Tasty Tales on food history published! I currently have another kids book in the works for another publisher and am working with clients that hire me for food and magazine illustration. It’s wonderful to think back and see how much my art has changed, and how I have grown as a person! Read more>>
Jodie Smith
I only got into the Childrens publishing book industry last year, 2023, after being approached by my publishers via LinkedIn. I posted that I was an illustrator available to work, with a snippet of my recent work on there. I had two story ideas I had developed whilst on ‘The Goodship Illustration’ picture book course which I received a scholarship for due to being from an underrepresented background. I signed a book deal with them in January and in October my debut book ‘Bipolar Blob’ was published! It all happened very quickly which I know isn’t the usual within the publishing industry. I didn’t expect to be an Author, I just had the idea of a book about Bipolar as I wanted a resource for my daughter to look at to be able to understand her mummy’s emotions/moods more. So when they said they would like me to be the Author and Illustrator of the book, I was surprised and a bit apprehensive at first, but looking back now I couldn’t imagine anyone else trying to write it, it is authentic to me and my own experience with Bipolar. I am proud that there is a resource, as simple as it may be, for other people to use as a starting point for other children to understand this more complex mental illness. Read more>>
Dolphia Arnstein
I started my journey in India, where I was born and raised. After completing my undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Engineering from UB – SUNY, I moved to the United States to pursue a master’s degree. This shift allowed me to explore new opportunities, eventually leading me to a diverse career in UX design and creative content creation. Working as a UX Designer for the City of Cambridge, I honed my skills in designing user-friendly interfaces and experiences. My passion for photography and videography grew alongside, leading me to collaborate with over 150 brands and create content for multiple stock agencies such as Stocksy and Picture Pantry. With a blend of technical and creative expertise, I continuously aim to push boundaries in both my professional and personal projects. Living in Boston, I also enjoy painting, interior design, biking, and hiking, which often inspire my work and allow me to connect deeply with various artistic and natural elements. Read more>>
Christine Campbell Rapin of CLEAR Acceleration Inc.
I’ve known that making an impact through the world of business was my destiny from a very young age. From childhood games of building a clothing boutique where I imagined myself a shopkeeper in the basement of my parents home, to later dreaming of being a corporate consultant who would come into struggling businesses and be the catalyst that would turn them around – I saw the world of business as a place where people lived their biggest dreams every day. Business to me has always been about creativity and problem solving and connecting with other human beings while being of service. Like many, I followed the traditional path. I began my journey by studying and completing an undergraduate degree in business at the University of Victoria Canada and and joining the corporate world. As I continued to work my way up the corporate ladder working in 9 unrelated industries holding jobs in marketing, sales and business development as well as operations, I also completed an MBA in International Business at the University of Edinburgh Scotland with a semester at the ENCP in Paris France. Eventually this journey, led me to starting my my own business initially as a side hustle that kept growing exponentially. Read more>>
Laquam Easter of FreshFace.
FreshFace. started in 2019 with nothing but passion and optimism! I had no startup capital, no clientele or friends in this new city I was living in, and no real entrepreneurial experience. One day as an esthetician student, a tanning salon reached out to me and asked if I wanted to get my own LLC and rent a room from them. I informed them that I was still a student but would soon be graduating, and a few short months later, FreshFace. opened its doors. Then a few short months after that, exactly four, FreshFace. amongst thousands of other non-essential businesses had to close its doors due to the pandemic shut down. Now, nearly five years later, we are still successfully operating and I couldn’t be more proud of myself! Read more>>
Lyric Amodia of The Movement Street
Growing up, I had the unique experience of a multicultural upbringing, spending my formative years in Europe with the unwavering support of my family in Flint, Michigan. My parents instilled in me the importance of making a difference in our communities, a lesson I took to heart, especially since my community supported me throughout my education, sports, and travel aspirations. In Europe, I regularly volunteered for the Armed Forces Community Service organization, earning several awards for my dedication. I loved organizing events and embracing opportunities to foster new connections. With an entrepreneurial spirit, I was always eager to explore new ventures, though I wasn’t sure where that path would lead. In Flint, Michigan, I immersed myself in volunteerism, participating in numerous activities with the Boys and Girls Club and helping with water drives during the Flint water crisis in 2015. My commitment to community service continued at Howard University, where I studied political science. There, I found another supportive community and honed my skills in the nonprofit sector. Interning at several nonprofits and attending gala events in Washington, D.C., allowed me to apply my academic knowledge to real-world actions through my initiative, Movement Street. Read more>>
Samantha Burmeister of Nomad Copy Agency
It’s not surprising that the ‘road’ to founding Nomad Copy Agency was winding! I started my career in finance sales, then went to tech sales, then sales leadership. When I quit my last full-time job in 2019, I jumped headfirst into my passion – writing about travel. Not only that, but I quit my job while on a beach in Vietnam! The last 5 years of running my business while traveling almost full-time has been exhilarating! I’ve worked from over 20 countries, and created a business that helps people sell online while THEY are remote, too! It’s great to help business owners all over the world connect with their audiences. Read more>>
Isabelle Nanin of Fenix Coaching & Training
After moving to the United Kingdom from France, at the age of 36, I achieved my dream: I had become an Export Sales Manager for a steel company, overcoming language and gender barriers. I traveled worldwide, negotiating large contracts in different languages. Glamorous, you would say. Well, yes at first, but I thought: “what’s next, then?” I was totally lost, without a vision to focus on and a purpose to work towards. I felt that I was at a round-about, going round and round not knowing which exit to choose. I remembered that, as a teenager, I wanted to travel to South America. I knew that it was the right decision. I sold everything and backpacked, alone, in five South American countries for nearly five months. That was a life changing experience and I fell in love with Ecuador, now my true home. Read more>>
Quaran Ahmad’s Story
My name is Quaran Ahmad and I’m a multimedia artist from Chicago. I’m also a current student attending Howard University, where I major in Architecture. Since I was young, I’ve always had an artistic eye paired with visionary intentions. With my creativity, I create new worlds through photography, videography, poetry, and music. Read more>>
Jennifer Jurkofsky of My Holistic Self® Counselling
My journey into the counselling and psychotherapy field began in 1997, driven by a deep desire to understand the complexities of the human mind—how we think, why we feel, and how we perceive and experience life. My personal experiences of pain and suffering led me to resonate deeply with Henri Nouwen’s concept of “The Wounded Healer,” and it is this understanding that has inspired me to support others in their healing journeys. In 2005, I moved to Canada with hopes of continuing my education. However, life had other plans, and I wasn’t able to pursue that goal at the time. In 2012, after going through a very difficult divorce, I became a single mom. I worked tirelessly to make ends meet while feeling an undeniable calling to do more—to help others in a more profound way. Despite the challenges, I chose to follow that calling and, in 2019, decided to go back to school to earn my master’s degree. Balancing the demands of being a full-time student, working a full-time job, and being a full-time mom was incredibly challenging, but I persevered and graduated in 2021—exactly 20 years after my undergraduate graduation. Read more>>
Ana Cortez
What began as a funky side project of my father’s became a life long passion and purpose. I was just a kid when my dad started painting giant portraits of the court cards for a fantastical playing deck of the imagination. I didn’t think much about it at the time. But my dad became obsessed. He eventually painted an original oil for every card in the playing deck and developing unique methods for using them. I got involved more seriously as an adult, and now, decades later, I am still teaching and writing about it. Playing cards are full of secrets and a profound language for personal transformation. Most people don’t realize, they are actually older than Tarot and come from Egypt. Read more>>
Jack Kelley’s Story
I currently run Empire Builder Productions, a film/media production company, and 399 Partners, a real estate investment company, as well as advising a number of other companies. Empire Builder was started about 10 years ago with Hollywood actor John Ruby, and 399 Partners was started a few years ago right as I was moving back to the US from Europe. Before the present era, I spent about half a decade in Los Angeles on the film front, producing “Solver” and working on various scripts, some of which are now in the process of being developed. The move to LA came in 2014, before which I’d been in NYC for a solid decade, primarily working in the investment side of commercial real estate and structured finance. I graduated from Yale in 2002, and spend my first couple years living and working abroad in Italy and South Korea. Read more>>