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.

Brittany McDermott

This time last year, Jacob and I were both looking for growth, for change, for what we were always meant to do. Jacob was in search of an advancement in his career, I was searching for that next step in my life. It was my birthday last year (October 16th), where I said, “I know Jake and I will do big things.” I knew it then, but I had absolutely no idea what that even meant, I just knew it deep deep down and the biggest thing of all, I BELIEVED it. Read more>>

Dominique Mitchell

I believe that education is the key component to success! Not all education comes in the form of school and classes ;however, for the education that does, it’s personal. I believe that scholars should be able to highlight what is important to them and has inspired them to complete their accomplishment. Therefore Stole the Spotlight was created! Stole the Spotlight provides custom stoles and cap toppers for scholars to spotlight all things important while graduating! Read more>>

Albert Winschel

I initially began gardening following a tour in Afghanistan where I was wounded and in need of something to act as a stress reliever. Not long after, I started to make hot sauces with peppers after my Aunt Lori brought some cayenne by for me to try. I started to pass them to friends and family and they became so popular that I thougt I should begin to sell them to fund my gardening hobby. I decided that I would add something a little different to the normal hot sauces and offer some with some unique ingredients like persimmon. I began Southern Siege Sauce Company, LLC. Read more>>

Dawn McMaster

The mission behind both of my businesses is to make people feel seen. Whether its on the calligraphy side of the house, or slinging bowls on my food truck, I see the person, not the consumer. I believe that this has served me well. It doesn’t take much to make a person feel special, even in a small way. I’ve found that when I keep my focus on this, truly engaging with my clients, it’s far more rewarding for the both of us. Read more>>

Paulius Musteikis

I photography career started as a hobby. Because of my connections with food service industry (I was working in banquets and waiting tables at the time), I got sucked in into food photography. After some of my work got published in local magazines, I started transitioning into editorial magazine food photography. I never really was into food photography, it just kind of happened. And I guess art directors liked my work. Read more>>

Sara Chinnock

My mission is to have friends and family gather and make memories. Both charcuterie and experience boxes allow families and friends to gather and create memories. Memories of experiences we have had are what shape who we are and how we function in our community. Memories are what help us deal with the loss of a loved one or friend. Read more>>

Toni Moore

Once upon a time I was a young girl growing up in poverty. I was full of hopes and dreams that one day I could get to the other wide of the road–socioeconomic class. I thought I could date someone to get to the other side. But that didn’t work. I thought I could educate myself to elevate myself to get to the other side of the road. But that didn’t work. I even thought if I worked for Influencers and Celebrities by diminishing my price to get to the other side of the road. But that didn’t work either. Read more>>

Kate & Bri Mancuso & Knoebel

Our mission is to elevate personal experiences by enhancing the senses. It all started when we rolled dried lavender & chamomile into our joint one evening, and realized it had this gorgeous taste and super calming effect. After studying a lot about the benefits of herbs and essential oils, we realized we can create all-natural ways to influence our community. We loved the idea of making smoking blends, teas, and room sprays that create a very specific effect – such as calming, awakening, and yes, even arousing… ;) Read more>>

Nicole Radha Stephens

When I was younger I always felt that there was more to life than what meets the eye. I feel as though I have always been a risk-taker and have navigated my life in a way that was always ecstatic. Before my path to endless awakening and self-realization, I was an unconscious ecstatic and fell into substance abuse and was chasing the dragon. Read more>>

Dorian Harris

In the beginning, I pursued my passion for music and art from my childhood. Over time, my experiences showed me a vision for me as a curator for my culture. My music interests lead to marketing and advertising, and turned into event curation. I listen to the thoughts and energy of my community, and develop spaces for the people to embrace and enjoy. Read more>>

Tammie Mathis

Tees Plentiful Salads is here because of my experiences. Our mission has three categories – 1 Tees Plentiful salads aims to have a consistent A1 customer service with our customers and to always demonstrate quick and accurate service – 2 Tees Plentiful Salads will aim to provide the best quality ingredients and fresh ingredients produce. Read more>>

Janice Jernigan

Our mission is to offer space for folks to connect with nature’s simple pleasures. We envision a world where we all experience deep, whole-hearted love – for ourselves, for nature, and for each other.The wine industry has a reputation for catering to society’s elite. This is shifting, yet many still find it intimidating to walk into a wine tasting room for the first time. We are down-to-earth folks, and want our guests to feel comfortable from the start of our interactions. To support our intent, we are creating a simple and approachable community that aims to foster a sense of belonging for all who cross our path. Read more>>

Sherry Nicholson

YAIPAK Outreach was started 6 years ago after seeing an elderly woman homeless and alone on the side of the street of West End and 23rd in Nashville. A magnificent church set on the corner as a beautiful backdrop yet this lady’s presence captured my eye though invisible to everyone. My husband and I were on a date and after seeing her I wrestled all night with the Lord on what to do. Read more>>

Eboni Robinson

I love what I do in this industry because I love to make people not only feel, but look beautiful in everything they do. My biggest goal yet is to provide organic hair products that will help with hair loss, alopecia, bad scalp conditions, and make the hair grow thicker and stronger. This opportunity will be super beneficial to many women and men who struggle with hair and scalp issues; also provide safe and effective ways to maintain a healthier scalp and hair. Read more>>

Greg Weiss

I believe for any person running a business to be successful you need a compelling mission. There are so many things a person can do in this world to make money. Will your mission carry you through the hard times? (Is it your mission or just a business mission?) If it’s your mission, and you can hold on to it throughout the times that make others lose faith, you’ll be sucessful. Read more>>

Heather Shepherd

I lived overseas for 8 years with my family working as a refugee aid worker. Many of my friends were Syrian, Afghan and Iranian and all of them loved henna! I started learning henna so I could help create henna tattoos for my friends and also because I loved the art form and was intrigued by its beauty and multiculturalism! When we moved to the US it was the middle of COVID, I was experiencing severe reverse culture shock and also depression. Read more>>

Jakeena Geobani

I was placed on this earth to serve those in need of encouragement, guidance, and who struggle with overcoming self limiting thoughts. I am a Certified Life Coach, Facilitator, Motivational Empowerment Speaker, and Founder and CEO of Keena Konnects LLC! My passion is providing a listening ear and liberating advice to people in need of clarity and sound advice. Read more>>

Jean-Que Dar

The entertainment industry is rampant with equality legal issues which are protected by the First Amendment Freedom of Speech clauses. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws that regulate an establishment of religion, or that prohibit the free exercise of speech. Freedom of speech may be exercised in a direct (word) or a symbolic (actions) way. Read more>>

Charlee Hill

Ember and Ash Studios was founded on the idea that one can indulge themselves without harming their body. A lot of candles are made with waxes, wicks, and fragrance oils that are hazardous and even cancerous to our lungs – as well as being harmful to animals. There are also tons of allergens that can be found in candles and make it almost impossible for people with allergies to enjoy fragrances in their homes. Read more>>

Karrie Laughton

Along with being a paper straw manufacturer, I also own a bar in Rochester, NY, called Lux Lounge. I have owned it for the past 20 years and back in 2018 I happened to stumble across the video of the sea turtle with the plastic straw up its nose. I was horrified! And, even though I considered myself back then to be fairly eco-conscience, I had to admit that my bar and use of plastic straws was contributing to the problem. Read more>>

Jessie Williams

While living on the East African coast in Tanzania, access to some of the world’s most sought after game fish were only a 10 minute boat ride away. Most of the fish in the area were huge, tackle was quick to lose and hard to come by. I recall one day when a school of wahoo took 5 of my precious Iland Lures that were brought from the US. After that day I started wondering if there was a better way. Read more>>

Morgan McKell

Hi, my name is Morgan Mckell, co-founder of the Monarch Social Brand. I have been an entrepreneur for the last decade, and I began my journey with a cell phone repair company. This business of mine expanded into 14 locations in three different states. One of the biggest reasons for our success was the implementation of social media marketing. We started getting into online marketing by hiring a local company. Read more>>

Stephanie Warren

“A great community is more than it’s elected leaders. A great community is the embodiment of its neighborhood, its unelected children, adults, and seniors. These are the people who truly build and maintain the beauty and essence of a community far and wide.” Read more>>

Hannah Agueci Cassie Suppes

Hannah here! When Cassie and I decided to start this business in a fairly saturated industry, we gave a lot of thought to how we would stand out. It came down to accessibility. We wanted to bring high quality photos to people at an affordable price. Read more>>

La Toya Tolbert

My mission is to spread education and engage in useful conversations about homeownership especially among the urban communities. Read more>>

Darnisha Stevenson

My mission is to help others strive for greatness despite their situations. At 19 I was in a domestic violence relationship with my then high school sweetheart. A year later I found out I was pregnant and decided to keep my baby despite the abuse. After my son was one I was determined to give us a better life and to not allow my past to determine my future . I left the relationship and poured a lot of long hours into corporate America and my YouTube platform. Read more>>

Megan Ryan

My mission, being a maker supporting local makers in my community. I started hosting outdoor markets in Nov of 2020 as a safe way to bring people together during Covid. After my first couple of events I realized how much I enjoyed hosting and making connections with others in my community. It made me feel good to give people a safe space to share their crafts with others. Read more>>

Leslie Frelow

The Wine Concierge is an online wine store that features women and minority brands. We have the largest collection of women, black, latinx wines that are owned or made by women and minorities. We started the store in 2020. We were inspired to feature BIPOC wines as a result of the murder of George Floyd and the discovery that Blacks only represent one percent of the wine industry. Read more>>

Rain Eatmon

Hello! My name is Ebony Rain Eatmon, but I usually refer to myself as Rain. (No harm if you call me Ebony, though.) My story begins when I graduated from TSU in 2017. I finally finished my undergraduate degree in music, and I felt this extreme desire to give back to my community. From the time I was 8 years old, my mother and my family provided every opportunity for me to expand my musical background; which paved the way for me to perform all across the city of Houston and with Theater Under The Stars. Read more>>

Ana Nouel

After learning about one of our most precious secrets, excellent coffee beans grown in our land, Our main mission is to be able to bring high-quality Dominican Specialty coffee freshly roasted in Los Angeles, to people’s doorsteps. Read more>>

Jasmine Thompson

Jassymixes was created to provide excellent staffing services to the DMV area . I created this business when my hours where cut at my full time job due to Covid 19 . This forced me to create another revenue for myself because no wasn’t an answer . Furthermore to be great , I had to promote extremely hard to get my name out their . I made sure I was at every pop up event in the city . I went to every outdoor concert event selling mixes in the crowd . I made sure my customers tagged my products via instagram. Read more>>

Veronica Marie

The story behind my mission is a story of resilience and perseverance. Read more>>

Rebekah Thomas

My and my son’s sensitive skin started my search for skincare that was safe and gentle. My mom had started making handmade natural soap as a hobby. She soon lost interest but taught me what she knew before moving on to her next hobby. The first soap I started making gave my friends daughter great relief from her eczema. As demand grew, I was diagnosed with some major health issues and became a single mom. Read more>>

Bianca Pitt

Why have I realised that you had to be a gender champion to be a climate champion? Why do we need women in leadership if we want to see climate action? What happens if we don’t let them join the leadership table? Find out here. Read more>>

Jennifer Hossen

Kind was Created to be an ethical And accepting space For all people Within the skin & body care industry. To show people that beauty businesses can do good and help change communities, in positive ways. It was created to empower and inspire other women to be able to do the same. Kind was designed to help everyone feel good about their skin. Kind is made to love people We’re the renegades of the medspa industry. Read more>>

KiYada Upshaw

The story behind my mission started 10 years ago. I graduated from college and my thoughts were spiraling out of control. I was experiencing so much anxiety, even though at the time I had no idea that I was experiencing anxiety. I knew within myself something needed to change, but I had no idea where to start. After listening to the My Taught You Podcast, where Myleik shared her story of going to therapy as a black woman, I was convinced I had nothing to lose. Read more>>

Rowdy Franks

I used music like a sort of therapy as a teen. I still do that now as a young adult. My favorite songs and artists have always found a way to shift my mood. It wasn’t long after my new found love for sound started to became an obsession. Now I create music in hopes that i can reach the people that may need it. Read more>>

shedarren fanning

The Badge To Family Outreach is a 501-C3 non-profit organization designed to bring change to our youth and their families. We encourage a better quality of life by focusing on becoming self-sufficient, increasing self-esteem, and promoting learning based on teamwork and cooperation rather than competition. Read more>>

Marilyn Gomez

“My mission is to bring soulful empowerment, practical techniques & inspiration for you to thrive abundantly in life and business. We all have so much to share and learn from one another. In 2006, I lost everything to my autoimmune battle, RA. My career, my sense of stability, and my physical strength went out the window, and self-doubt flooded in. I had to start at square one after being placed on permanent disability, then figure out how to survive within the parameters of all these new rules, my debts, and a career change. Read more>>

Matthew Campbell

As a kid, I have always been interested in anime and manga. I found it interesting how different and impactful Eastern animated shows were handled compared to the shows I was watching. I remember sitting in my living room watching cartoons and staying up later than what my mother told me too. I was curious what happened to TV after I stopped watching, and then a program came on called Toonami. Read more>>

Serena Pleskach

As a (primarily wedding) photographer, my company mission is that I believe that love is beautiful, no matter what it looks like. Growing up in places like Washington state and Denver, Colorado, then moving to the south later in life was a culture shock. People are treated so differently in the south, and inclusion is fewer and further between down here. I have met countless people and couples, Read more>>

Park Cannon

20 years ago, I recorded a video for the morning announcements at my Lee County elementary school. I had a dream. My dream was to simply live long enough to emerge from a segregated community and to be a voice for change. Read more>>

Sensei Antoine Sanders Sr

The services offered at Omega Karate Academy are designed to impact both children and adults, male and female, and all nationalities; however, by locating our classes on 12th Street in Downtown Kansas City, Mo, we work to specifically impact African-American/Black youth in underserved areas. Growing up on the Southside of Chicago in a low income, drug and gang infested area; Read more>>