Our stories are often hard to understand until folks understand our true motivations, our true drivers and the stories behind why our mission or purpose truly matters to us. We’ve asked some inspiring folks from the community to talk to us about why they do what they do and have shared some of our favorite responses below.

Amanda Howard

When I started Native Pilates I had been teaching for 10 years in various cities throughout my career in Chicago, New York, and Nashville. I knew what worked and what didn’t, what I liked and didn’t like. I also wanted to bring this form of movement to my hometown. So then I started thinking about a name. As Nashville has grown, being born in Nashville and to also live in the area is rare nowadays, we call ourselves Nashville Natives. So I decided to name the studio Native Pilates in honor of starting my roots here and being born in Nashville. Read more>>

Bethany Studnicky

At Brand Method, my mission is to provide creative entrepreneurs that do good for the world with all of the resources, education, and support that they need to make the greatest impact with their business. The phrase “creative entrepreneurs that do good for the world” to me means anyone that has a dream to create something that improves the lives of their clients, their employees, and their community through compassionate and conscious business practices. Read more>>

Crissy Fishbane & Cindi Michaelson

When we first met we quickly realized that even though we were at different stages of motherhood, we faced many of the same struggles. I (Crissy) suffered severe postpartum anxiety after the birth of my daughter. I felt as if I was constantly walking around with adrenaline coursing through my veins, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Suddenly, daily chores felt like Herculean tasks and even the smallest setback felt catastrophic. Read more>>

Carolina Rocha

When I moved to Milan to complete my master’s degree in management of luxury goods, I was struck by the pride that the words “made in Italy” inspired in those around me. This experience got me thinking about the label “handmade in Colombia,” and I would love to create the same value and pride for my people. When I returned to Colombia, I decided to create Carola, a 100% Colombian sustainable handbag brand inspired by my motherland and dedicated to empowering women and single mothers. Read more>>

Jules Montaño

​​Mira Mira was born in honor of my mother who worked tirelessly, often earning below minimum wage to provide for me and my sisters. Her true passion of creating top-quality dresses from scratch was cultivated only after she got home from work. Her talents could have landed her a dream job and financial success, but she was never seen by the world because of the limited knowledge and resources she had. Read more>>

Amanda Ostby

My business started as a hobby. While my husband was deployed and I had just become a new mom. I felt there were so many labels thrust upon me in that period of my life; wife, military wife, dependent, mom, etc. It was a very strange place to be in, not having my own identity. I’ve always been a creative person and felt myself when I was making things. To pass the time of a year-long deployment and give myself some “me time” outside of brand-new motherhood, I would create. Read more>>

Renata Call

I started a skincare and body contouring business 19 years ago, which I still operate. My passion has always gravitated towards animal rights and I have started a pet sitting/house sitting business this year. I always try to foster, feed, and love any animal that I may come across. Currently at my studio, I am feeding two kitties that I named Sara and Sam, hopefully one day they will let me find them a home! My ultimate goal is to establish a sanctuary where animals are given a second chance at life. Read more>>

Anna Cobb

During the summer of my 20th birthday I went to GNC to find an energy supplement to help me tackle my exhaustion of studying long hours and being your average sleep deprived college student. After taking what I thought was a normal women’s energy vitamin I suddenly felt my throat closing. As my life flashed before my eyes I briefly remember seeing the fear on my grandmothers face as 911 was rushing epinephrin through my veins. After being on a ventilator and in a coma for 1 week, I knew that my life was spared because my purpose was greater. Read more>>

Jordan Ashley

The story behind Little Black Logo, well let me start by saying, it was an OOPS! I had downloaded a few different design apps and programs to create some fun content for social media. As people began to see my posts and the engagement I was getting, the questions of “where did those graphics come from?” started rolling in. I would quickly respond and say “I made them! Want me to send it to you to use?!” and I would send them for free! Read more>>

Anthony Abram Jr

I want people to spread love and take care of their Mental Health. Growing up not knowing about Mental Health, then having trauma events happen, it’s only right I do my part and spreading awareness. Therapy changed my life for the better, I believe it can help change others as well. Date therapist until you find that one. Just like the great Lauryn Hill says, “How you gone win if you ain’t right within”. Read more>>

Danielle Hollins

The Story behind my mission is capturing genuine and authentic moments for multicultural couples. Family and memories are so valuable to me. Sometimes an image is all we have left of a loved one. When my grandfather passed from cancer in December 2016, I search high and low to find pictures of just me and together. I couldn’t find one. I was one of the people who assisted him and my grandmother as he was transitioning through his illness. Read more>>

Agie Mbye

Is to provide our customers with healthy and wellness skincare products, we value our customer’s trust that’s why we work hard each and every day to deliver excellent products to our customers. Read more>>

Purvi Talati

My name is Purvi Shah. I firmly believe in following your passion and that is how Daisy’s was born and my passion has converted to a very successful business. My mum did not buy skin & hair products; she would make centuries old recipe ubtan (modern name- soap) and homemade shampoos/conditioner that were organic from herbs grown in our small backyard. Using herbs for skin & hair and the concept of promoting skin & hair care in a natural way was ingrained from this philosophy. Read more>>

Jordan Wayson

The story behind Roseway Consulting is like many women in an online business, particularly military spouses. I started Roseway Consulting because I felt the pull to be at home more for my family. Having 3 kids under the age of 6 kept me BUSY! Add to that a husband who was gone for multiple deployments, trainings, and constantly working long hours, I knew there had to be a better way. Read more>>

Jason Vellmer

As a skateboarder you always want to find a way to repay skateboarding for a lifetime of fun. In 2016 I was scrolling YouTube and me and my daughter were watching someone make a ring out of recycled skateboards. Naturally she asked if I could make one and I was successful. I started making rings for friends and family and received very positive responses. It’s very hard sometimes to find positivity in a world of negativity. Read more>>

DaVeon Smith

My mission is to connect Young Black San Antonio, one event at a time. As a transplant, moving to the city in 2015; I found it hard to know about events catered to Young Black Professionals in San Antonio and meet others since San Antonio is such a spread-out city. I eventually joined a GroupMe where we built community through game nights, pool parties, community service opportunities and the discussion of current events. Read more>>

McKenzie Fannon

I have always been in love with crafting. There was never a form of artistic expression that I didn’t like. My unrelenting love has let me to be a sort of jack of all trades in this area. I would take any and all chances I had to participate in local arts and craft classes but often times they were expensive, required specialty equipment or were just not that cool or interesting. I decided to bring unique crafting of all sorts in the form of make and take art classes, craft kits, and supplies for an affordable price to my community. Read more>>

Christina Welch

When I think back on what I’ve done for more than 20+ years, it’s this: making an impact, building confidence, and empowering women through style IS the heartbeat of what I’ve done. What I do today with House of Colour San Antonio – North does just that, too: I help women (and men!) look and feel amazing in the colors and styles that are best for them through personal color analysis that’s rooted in color science and through style analysis, offer a holistic approach that takes into account a person’s frame and build, Read more>>

Cedric McCray

One of the services that I provide are photo shoots for comp cards and portfolios for young ladies who are dreaming to become models. I have came across those who get it right because they have the right folks in their corner and those who gets it wrong because they have the wrong folks in their corner. After seeing this behavior time after time. I remember thinking somebody need to help them to change that because if not they are going to find out the hard way. Read more>>

Heidy De La Cruz

My mission with my podcast is to change the narrative of immigration to a more empathetic and compassionate way – a Jesus approach. The reason I started this podcast is because I feel that the best way to have empathy and compassion with someone is by listening to their stories, so I have immigrants come one the show to share their journey of coming to the US. They share the culture shocks they experienced, their first memories of coming to the US, and how they adapted to living to a new country. Read more>>

Kenzie Rich

My name is Kenzie Rich, and I’m a Scottsdale-based portrait, fashion, and brand photographer and photography educator. I moved to Scottsdale, AZ from Seattle, WA in July of 2021 and am now a full-time graphic designer, videographer, and photographer, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The story of my entrance into the photography world is unique to many others. The legend says, “She was born with a camera in her hand.” It’s true – I’ve been taking photos and creating videos for as long as I can remember. Read more>>

Lara Lafferty

Growing up with a deep love for the arts and a sensitivity only music could heal, my songwriting began to find its home in combining cinematic themes and stories with personal feelings and experiences. Placed in its own genre I can best describe as baroque pop-soul, my songs are rooted in piano, swelling harmonies, and orchestral or cinematic sounds. Read more>>

Sarah Duke

In college, I went down an internet research rabbit hole about toxic ingredients in our food and personal care products. It was extremely alarming so I began buying organic (when I could with my college student budget), reading ingredient labels and eventually creating my own body care products. It all started with a body scrub. Read more>>

Christopher Deal

When I first started woodworking I was still working full-time. The company I worked for had stacks of pallets laying around that they used as tables and desks. I saw a need for more functional work stations than just the wobbly pallets. With our mission to repurpose and reuse I used pallets and wood form construction sites that were being tossed out and built workstations that they still use today. Read more>>

MARY JOHNSON

Well, back in 2009 I was 120 lbs overweight due the lack of care I had for my temple. Summertime was really my worst month with unhealthy food due to all the family birthdays, Bar-B-Que’s just because, and not to mention the 4th of July celebrations. I mean who could resist right? After being fed up with being overweight, I decided to take my life back. I joined a gym, lost 120lbs in a year and became a certified personal trainer. Read more>>

Lakesha Hairston, MSN BSN RN

As I have been in healthcare for a few decades, it has become my life and education is a huge component of healthcare. It’s important to be up-to-date and perform in a well-informed capacity as this ensures the healthcare professional is delivering and providing safe and quality care with compassion. When one thinks about education, one either loves it, likes it, or dislikes it. There are many reasons, for those three emotions. Read more>>

Bennie Pearce

In 2010, I founded Phillie-BOP Productions, a music production and recording label focused on returning to the future of “classic” music, serving as the premier destination for “The Future Home of Classic Music.” In 2020, Phillie-BOP Productions teamed up and launched its first international release with singer/songwriter/independent recording artist Rina Chanel with debut hit single, “Worthy,” Read more>>

Amanda Thomann

Dearly Beeloved (DB) was founded in 2018 by sisters, Amanda & Michelle, as they saw an opportunity to better service the event market with curated favors & decor employing a multifaceted approach. The objective was to provide customers with a white glove design service for a branded gift shipment and/or event. Read more>>

Erin Todd

Kiunga’s mission is to see people in Kenya who have been isolated or disadvantaged by living with HIV/AIDS find community, value, hope and healing. We do this through a support group model which links people to education, resources, and meaningful relationships. Kiunga means “the link” in Swahili and was inspired by our project officer, Mbae Leon, who describes himself as the link between the health care facility and the community. Read more>>

Teedra Patrice

The story behind my mission is healing. When I began to share my work, that was the only thing that I hoped to come from putting myself out there for the world to see. The healing that was taking place was personal, but once I hit publish on my first blog entry, I knew that journey would extend beyond me. Read more>>

Kaitlin Johnstone

Kailtin and Kevin Johnstone are partners in life and business. As children, our fondest memories revolve around stories. Kaitlin’s mom & dad would tuck her in, give her a kiss goodnight, & share the adventures of Goofy, Donald, & Mickey. The Disney collection was her favorite. Kevin remembers insisting that his mom read the same baseball book to him every night, religiously. Kaitlin became a Kindergarten teacher & realized the importance of children reading books that interest them and having these books at home. Read more>>

Vik Otra

Our mission is to “Beat the Monotony of Eyewear with FYEWEAR”, my 5-year-old daughter sparked the creation of FYEWEAR, she was at Optometrist’s office and couldn’t decide between a pink and a purple frame and wanted my help to make that decision; I decided to get her both the frames, one frame was covered by insurance and the other costed roughly $ 260. That evening, when asked why she couldn’t go with a purple as that was her favorite color, she said, “Yes, but I want to wear purple frames with Sofia the First dress, and pink frame with my favorite Minnie Mouse dress”. Read more>>

Latonya Garth

The mission of the IMAGINE Mentoring Program is to teach young women who have experienced trauma to imagine the power of their potential, increase their self-esteem through self-awareness, and encourage them to pursue their dreams in spite of the obstacles they face in their lives. Our vision is to position the IMAGINE Mentoring Program as a global initiative that meets the needs of young women around the world who desire change, by providing impactful programming, mentoring, education, and empowerment. Read more>>

Alisha Watkins

People may or may not know that I am/was a teen mom. I got pregnant at 15 and had my first child, Alyssa, at 16. As difficult as it was, I was fortunate enough to remain in the household with both of my parents. I still faced so many challenges that I promised myself then that I would do everything I could later on to make a difference. That’s why the “Bringing Us Together” non-profit organization is truly my biggest accomplishment career wise. Read more>>

Victoria Randle

In 2013 I had sent it to start my own healthcare training school it was not easy. There was virtually no assistance and navigating federal and state process it’s all by yourself is not easy. I was determined to start my own healthcare training school because obtaining a certificate and health care as what change the trajectory of my life. It help me earn a livable wage and gave me confidence for a new future. After I mastered the process os starting a school, I decided to help others navigate to process as well. That is how The Secret Cocktail was born. Read more>>

LaTasha Kaiser

Our Vision: To bring Kravegan’s plant based food and soulful culture to every person in the world. Our Mission:
To promote a healthier lifestyle by providing flavorful plant-based, economically sustainable food. Our Culture:
At Kravegan, “Where food is love,” we provide vegan, plant-based foods with flare, made from scratch. Our food is boldly flavorful and served with love. Read more>>

Jan Edwards

It started when she attended the United Nations Get Health Summit, where she met Dr. Mehari, a neurologist from Kentucky. Mehari runs a 501(c)(3) focused on orphans and vulnerable children in Ethiopia. “We all have those moments in time when we meet someone or see someone speaking and we feel drawn to connect with them,” Edwards said. “That was the case here.” Read more>>

Meg Geisewite

Meg never hit a “rock bottom.” Most people think that in order to acknowledge and address a drinking problem, you must first hit rock bottom, but this heartfelt story reveals the truth that gray area drinking comes in many shades. Alcohol consumption exists on a spectrum with a vast range of dependency in the middle. Gray area drinking unconsciously haunts most people until it becomes a problem. Our society is inundated with messages that support unhealthy drinking habits, just one of the many insidious lies of alcohol. Read more>>

June Mugo

The ultimate goal is to be a voice for the silenced, educate and deliver an experience through visual storytelling. As human beings we might not all enjoy being in a classroom or reading a book, however, we live for stories. The objective is to bring awareness to important topics through making compelling visuals and a driven storyline as our main instruments. Vibes by June goes beyond the screen, it’s a creative experience; one that starts conversations. Read more>>

Anaston Scott

I started blogging and creating content in 2016 after I began my personal healing & self-care journey. After my grandmother’s passing at the beginning of 2016, I entered into a heavy stage of grief and depression. I had recently started law school and the pressure of performing academically and being present for my family became too large of a burden to handle on my own. I made the decision to start going to therapy and started to create a self-care practice that would allow me to start taking care of myself in ways that I hadn’t before. Read more>>

Latisha Shearer

Fervently Creations was originally a Christian t-shirt company where I customized and created t-shirts for people. In my prayer time, God told me, “I want you to use your voice; I want you to write books.” I did not say anything to anyone about it, then my business coach asked me one day, “What is it that God told you to do?” And I told her, “It was not t-shirts,” and she replied, “Yes, He told me the same thing, so what is He telling you to do?” Read more>>

Akala Lemus

The mission of Positive Packages is to transmute negativity one positive package at a time. The story behind the mission: I am Dr. Akala (uh-call-uh) Lemus owner and curator of positivity at Positive Packages. I am originally from Golden, CO. I had been in Austin since 2012 pursuing a career as a NUCCA Chiropractor. After owning my own practice, Hands On Holistic Healing, for a few years, I started practicing in a much less conventional way in 2016 by making house calls. Read more>>

Ashley Joyner

Cinched Collections is an apparel line that is specifically curated and designed with curvy women in mind, including sizes S-5X! The styles are made with additional inches added accordingly for women with prominent bust, thigh, and hip areas. The line includes stylish yet functional tops, bottoms, and dresses. Read more>>

Luis Kiké Moreno

Our mission is to create a restaurant environment that made everyone feel like family and to provide Mexican eating experience by delivering food prepared to order and doing it quickly! Everything we make is in house daily so we can deliver fresh – never frozen! We are so pleased for your support which has always been a motivation to give our best and to serve you better! Read more>>

Sherri Wright

As a fashion designer and wardrobe stylist. The story behind my mission, would be, to provide efficient, affordable, fashionable, custom clothing long term. The goal, would be to set forth a foundation in fashion, that will elevate in all levels of creativity. Through artist, creatives, and entrepreneurs such as myself. Read more>>

Zelossie Auset

I guess there is always an origin story for what it is that came to be, but for me, there isn’t one big thing, in fact, it is the sum of a lot of intense feeling and many, different experiences. Read more>>

Kelvi Wilson

I think about this everyday literally , i got big dreams for Kelvi Doviar Cosmetics. We are coming up on our third year in business in a few months and what i can say that i see in store for us is nothing but excellence, and being unstoppable. I don’t want my kids to sell them selves short if they don’t have to , if they have a dream in their head and they know it’s something they want to pursue i want them to know it’s okay to take a step out on faith. This is not a side hustle , this is my Legacy, this is still only the beginning for KDC. Read more>>

Ana Ingram

I started Tere’s Cake Face because of my love of baking. That love started in my grandmother’s kitchen what now seems a million years ago. I didn’t initially start out thinking I would make custom cakes and sell them but I believe that entrepreneurial drive was born with me. My great-grandfather was an entrepreneur. Despite whatever challenges he may have faced as a young man in East Texas in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s, he became a landowner, business owner, farmer and laid the foundation for generations to come after him. Read more>>

Jocelyn Adams

Jocelyn​ is a doggy treat baker, without a dog! She​ had an American Bulldog/Boxer mix, named Boss. Boss was about 100 pounds and loved on everyone.​ Boss was on ​a ​grain-free diet​ and while Jocelyn was working as a part-time dog sitter for Rover.com, she noticed that many dogs were on the same diet plan, but most of the ingredients on the nutritional analysis panel were ​still hard to read and comprehend. Read more>>

Timothy Durning

Purpose. That’s what I live for now. From surviving addiction, loss and trauma to earning an IFBB Pro-card, publishing a memoir of my experiences and a building a unique thriving gym business, My story is that regardless of what you have been through, when or where you start or when it all finally makes sense to you, if you stay in the game, keep pushing forward, there is nothing you can’t accomplish. Read more>>

Claudia Pfau

Making new friends as an adult can be really difficult for many people. We blame it on our busy schedules, our kids, moving to new cities, working from home, or simply our fear of stepping outside of our comfort zones. So it’s no surprise that our society as a whole is lonelier than ever! Nearly 80% of Gen-Zs and 70% of millennials report feeling lonely, and the average American only has one real friend. Read more>>

Robert Gann

Habitat Contemporary Gallery’s mission statement is to create an environment where culture, art, and community connect. Our continued vision that has helped to get us there is to showcase exceptional talent across career levels, ensure that the organization has multiple focuses from visual to performance art, and that art is accessible to beginning and established collectors. Read more>>

Kristen Nicholson

I spent 22 years in corporate healthcare before completely burning out, and was looking for a change. It was 2020 and health/wellness was at the forefront of everyone’s mind as we navigated something we’d never experienced before. After spending so long in healthcare it occurred to me how reactive our system is. Would we be in the same situation if we all took a more proactive approach to our health? I was no different. While I work out and eat whole nutritious foods, I was burning at the candle at both ends with an “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mentality. Read more>>

Tanesha Stinson

My story is simple. I had a dream. Life happened. I responded to life. Life gave me everything I needed to succeed at my dream. I am now living out my dream in real life. Read more>>

Lyniece Rogers

After losing my mother to cancer in 2018, I went into the deepest depression. Mad at the world, alone and scared. At the time the world was crumbling due to the rise in police brutality, with the pandemic soon to follow. I started writing n a journal, and then decided to seek help. I did not enjoy the turmoil i was dealing with. I started therapy to tap into my mental health. That journal, then became a book. Read more>>

Brittany Lanier

My mission is for our youth to establish a path within our communities, before going to college. When growing up I often had mentors, community centers, and leaders within my family, however, more often than ever our youth is depending on Instagram and other social media sites to help them with career decisions and more important just finding out who they are as a person which can sometimes blur lines within. Read more>>

Julian Ribinik

Our business was born from the need I saw back in 2009. Back then I was a photojournalist working for a couple of very famous news agencies. I was attending friends weddings and was always shocked how standard, cheesy and un-personal everyone’s wedding images where. At the time, I believed that it is what wedding photography is about and was not considering ever doing that. Read more>>