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.

Coach Glenn Hattem

I was soaring in life…and then the wheels came off and I lost everything. I was failing in a BIG way. It was humbling to say the least. My light had dimmed and I was heading towards burnout, exhausted, disconnected. I was hiding my disappointment and sadness as I stuffed my dreams and settled for BS. Read more>>

Ashton Smith

Some of my fondest memories growing up revolve around listening to family stories. From an early age, I became acquainted with the power of legacy. I learned about how my great-great-great grandpa was a brick mason, my papaw worked with his father to build major highways, my great grandmother baked cakes with her sisters, my dad partnered with his father to build their company, and my mom and dad built something from nothing. Read more>>

Spicy Creative

Spicy was created in response to a deep desire for ownership of the work we create. After being let go from a job during the COVID-19 pandemic, dreams of calling the shots and running our own business motivated us to think about the value of what we provide and what kind of impact we want to have on the communities that matter the most to us. Read more>>

Kindra Riber

After highly contested divorce and custody battle that lasted 3 years and led to parental alienation between my two sons and myself, Parental alienation is a strategy whereby one parent intentionally displays to the child unjustified negativity aimed at the other parent. The purpose of this strategy is to damage the child’s relationship with the other parent and to turn the child’s emotions against that other parent. Read more>>

Isis Nakia

The Beauty of Rashida mission is to uplift and help women to discover their natural beauty. We believe that there is a version of beauty lying within women that desperately wants to come out. A version, with healthy hair, beautiful glowing skin, a version that is healed from emotional trauma, energetic and confident in who she is. Read more>>

Tania Thomas

TLC Mission: To Illuminate the vision you have for your business. By taking you through my signature TLC Process. Because your brand is an Extension of YOU Color has always been something important to me from a very young age. it took me most of my lifetime to see how color relates to the world around me and is impactful. I had no idea it would be the foundation of how I took my skills and talent to make an impact on those around me. Read more>>

Grace Bransom

My mission is just to create, simply! I started writing because I felt like I was good at it, but I kept writing because I knew I could be even better. Learning and growing through the process has been a gift in and of itself. The Lord has blessed me so abundantly, and it’s an honor to give his words breath. Read more>>

Karen Torres

Evolving Photography used to be named differently but I decided to change it and give it a more appropriate name for the type of brand I’m creating. I’m really delighted for this opportunity that I get to share my mission with my audience and share a bit of me and my brand . My mission is to create as many creative portraits that will deliver a message such as beauty , confidence and determination. It is a little bit of everything but in a fashion experience . Read more>>

Bicem Sinik

Coming from a very artistically talented family (my mother and father are art teachers; my sister is a painter; as well as both my aunt and grandmother!) has enabled me to draw since before I could read. My belief that one should remain unique with whatever work they produce – without ever copying others – serves as inspiration for those around me who may get inspired by me in turn. Read more>>

Dallas Burdett

When you’re a hairstylist your mission isn’t just “to do hair”. Your mission is to help people feel more confident in their own skin. Your job is connecting with people, understanding their needs and wants and turning it into reality. Read more>>

Laurie Childs

The mission of my photography is to connect with viewers. Whether this connection is through the images my lens creates of vibrant and resilient communities of the West or through private photography shoots. I am incredibly honored if an image connects the viewers to my subjects, breaking down preconceived notions between cultures or “otherness.” Some of my most proud moments have come from sharing images with the subject in my work. Read more>>

Stacey Vornbrock

I am extremely passionate about helping people get results and empowering my clients. In 1999 I found Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and it changed my life personally. After I experimented on myself using EFT, I started using it with all my clients with wonderful results. I had been wanting to start my own practice but couldn’t decide on what to specialize in with EFT and my years of experience as a therapist. Gary Craig, the man who developed EFT, was asking practitioners “who’s going to take EFT to athletes?” Even though I’m the least athletic person you could ever hope to meet, I realized I’m the perfect person to work with them because I have a similar mindset…I am very driven and tough mentally. Read more>>

Melanie Colon

I left my lucrative corporate job knowing that “there had to be something more to life” than making profits for someone else. I had held this position so close to my heart and in it I found my identity. I had worked so hard and sacrificed far too much- time, memories with my family, even my mental and physical health, just to climb the ladder of success and prestige. Read more>>

Nephron 3000

The story behind my mission is to take live entertainment and creative perspective to another experience. I want to combine a creative aesthetic with live entertainment to make the consumer feel amazed and intrigued. I also want to provide a platform for artists and entrepreneurs to tell their story and have open creative control! Read more>>

Missy Ladner

The mission of The Beauty Exec is to bring convenience and quality cosmetic products to makeup wearers like myself without the costly prices of more well known makeup companies in my industry. I have been involved in the beauty industry for years and I have collected tips and tricks and different product ideas from makeup trends I see online to products from high end name brand cosmetic companies. Read more>>

Alyson Eastman

Our mission at Alyson Eastman is to make beautiful high quality clothing that is better on the planet. The fashion industry is the second most toxic industry to our environment after the oil industry. We use resources such as leather from the food industry and vintage denim – giving opportunity to materials that would otherwise be thrown out. Read more>>

Candido Torres

I feel like my background and story is a pretty unique one. Both of my parents are deaf, and I knew American Sign Language before I spoke English. Early on in my childhood I was diagnosed with ADHD and was even misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder. It was pretty evident to my parents that I wasn’t going to be easy to raise, but their patience and genuine love for me allowed me to grow into the person that I am today. Read more>>

Tracey Escobar

As a 19 year old who had lost her father tragically, I desperately searched for answers….what happens when we die? Back in 1990 it was a taboo subject so I struggled alone. I would spend the next twenty-five years trying to navigate life feeling numb and on auto pilot. Never dealing with my grief and need for answers. I stumbled upon the name of a Medium who was local to me. I couldn’t believe it! I thought the only mediums were the ones on tv! I immediately booked a reading. That one reading healed me in ways I can’t explain. I knew at that very moment that I was going to be a Medium and help others heal too. Read more>>

Chris Yu

We’re living in the most anxious, depressed, lonely and loveless society so we design comfortable, ethically made, quality clothing to spread mental health and a positive mindset inspiring people to live joyful, purpose-driven lives again. We believe that love and peace of mind are our most precious resources that when cultivated, no one can take away. Read more>>

Hanna Kemp

The mission being: proving that it’s possible to stay true to yourself even in the entertainment industry, and that enough resilience will almost always result in a success. Read more>>

Tammy Cho

I feel my story starts when I had my breakdown. I started having heart palpitations with chest pain radiating up my jaw and down my arm. My chest felt like it was being squeezed and my eyesight started getting fuzzy. I was gasping to take in a breath of air and I ended up being wheeled to emergency in front of all my coworkers at work. Read more>>

Cassidy Davis

The story behind my mission is quite… chaotic. So I was tragically single in LA for 5 years and last Valentine’s Day I just got sick of it. I told my other single girlfriends to invite a random man off of a dating app to my house and I was going to host a first date mega house party. Then at the last minute I panicked and invited 65 men off Tinder and gave them all my personal address (definitely not the smartest thing I’ve ever done…) But everyone showed up, had a great time, many hit it off, and no one robbed us! So it was a huge success! Read more>>

Lisa Lebofsky

Lisa Lebofsky is a nomadic plein air painter, collaborating with nature and people. She paints the susceptibility of nature, correlating its restlessness with our own human vulnerabilities. Her direct participation with the landscape is vital to imbue a painting with the energy of a specific place, so that viewers can connect viscerally: to move, excite and engage them. The paintings are on surfaces that remain visible through various layers of paint, permeating the entire image. Read more>>

Billy Wright

During my 20 years in the military, I had the opportunity to be stationed in Melbourne Australia for almost 4 years. As a socialite during that time, I noticed the Espresso Martini had a different vibe there, more than anywhere I’ve ever seen. It was an absolute culture, almost a religion! They had Espresso Martini festivals, and even served on tap at popular locations. The best part was how standardized the cocktail was, no matter where you were, you were served “the” OG Espresso Martini. Read more>>

Emily Sakhila

In the end, I’m just using art as a tool to reconnect people with their spirit. Their spirit, or their inner nature, however you want to name it. I see the loss of connection with our core selves as the reason why we’re in such an environmental and mental-health muddy puddle right now… I also believe that there’s a way out of it. Read more>>

Anu Sehgal

I grew up in India and moved to the US more than 20 years ago. After the move, I was starved for authentic Indian experiences and community and devoured anything that came my way: film festivals, exhibits, book readings etc. Once I became a mother, the lack of quality and authentic Indian programs and classes became even more evident. I am an active parent and believe an awareness of one’s heritage, culture and language is key for children to become self-aware and confident individuals. I also recognize the immense benefits of being bilingual. Read more>>

Kristina George

Krissycreations mission is to deliver great client service while creating an inspiring, celebratory, and cherished environment for everyone during their event. I want to Spread ideas by providing our clients with exceptional service while also exceeding their expectations through creative thinking. Read more>>

Tiffany Herbert

Black Wellness Affair®️ was created during the chaos of the Pandemic in the Summer of 2020. All the social injustices, healthcare disparities and unfair practices led a lot of Americans to believe there was no hope; especially after the tragic death of George Floyd on Memorial Day during Mental Health Awareness month. Read more>>

Alex Cordova

Established in March of 2021, The Magic Oil Box LLC is horror aromatherapy retail business. We believe that there should be a balance between holistic medicine and modern medicine. Our products are magically blended and formulated to support your mind, body, and soul. Our customers are individuals that are seeking a more holistically based products and remedies. What sets us apart from other aromatherapy businesses is our love for pop culture and horror movies. All of our products are inspired and themed from many of our favorite horror movies. Read more>>

Tess Hoopes

I’ve always loved nightgowns but I haven’t always loved looking like a grandma. I bought a nightgown once at WalMart years ago and thought it was decently cute only to find that my grandma’s roommate at her nursing home owned the same nightgown! It was embarrassing, at worst, and at best, it got me thinking about a way to find the comfort of a nightgown while still looking cute! I spent a lot of time looking for the perfect product but the nightgowns on the market always came up short so I decided to create my own! That’s how my business was born. Read more>>

Dr. Tina J. Ramsay

Despite facing significant challenges, including a stroke at just 25 years old that left her partially paralyzed and with amnesia, Dr. Ramsay is an inspiring example of resilience and determination. She used the power of podcasting to share her story and inspire others to dream big and never give up. As a leader in the podcasting and media industry, Dr. Ramsay has created a safe haven through her CTR Media Network platform for individuals to share positive and impactful stories and media globally. Read more>>

Patrick Trolan

First thing’s first, I’m Irish. I moved to Carlsbad at the start of 2011 and since then have largely worked in sports media and, more recently, branched out to start up my own media production company, MediaBaller (mediaballer.com). Throughout this period I had always flirted with the idea of starting an American Irish street clothing brand. A brand that stood for something and made clothes that I would want to wear myself – kind of a solution to the “I can’t find any clothes to buy that I like” problem. And so, the idea of ‘Black Irish Clothing’ was born. Read more>>

Rahim Handy

After spending the last 10 years developing the craft of Documentary film work. Rahim Handy has been able to fine tune the art of documentary story telling and develop a filming style that transcends the standard talking head documentary into more of a raw real life experience where the viewer gets to becomes a witness of the story. Rahim Handy has been able to incorporate the real true reality of being there and wants to make sure that I tell stories that matter to the people that matter. How do I do that? Read more>>

Yifat Arbely

Our mission was born out of a love for the inherent beauty of concrete as a natural material, and a deep appreciation for its diverse range of qualities. I have always been drawn to its unique set of characteristics, and what sets concrete apart from other materials, like its ability to take on different forms and textures depending on how it is used. Read more>>

Amanda Carmichael

Many know me as an entrepreneur who works hard to bring change to the community. I sees value in other people when they can’t see it in themselves and love to give everyone an opportunity to live out their purpose. They would be surprised to learn that less than ten years ago, this was all bottled up inside with no hope of shining on others. Yet, as Alfa Holden wrote, “You can’t touch a woman who can wear pain like the grandest of diamonds around her neck.” Read more>>

Jay Tarentino

My whole mission of making music is to be known for making amazing music. Since I started, my goal wasn’t to make money off of this I just wanted to be heard. The money situation for me is just a bonus for the hard work and dedication I put on my beats and samples that’s how I see it. My way of making beats and samples is different I would say just because I try to sound different than everyone else in the industry. Read more>>

Juan Mata

Our story started it out with a passion for music. My brother Abraham and I wanted to teach music to kids so they could experience the joy of music too. In 2012 we started City Light Music Academy back then it was called integrity music institute. we started working with our local community of kids. My brother and I didn’t know much about teaching music but we did it anyway with trial and error. Along the way we met so many wonderful kids and families. Read more>>

Jody Boyman

Hungry Planet began as a passion project. We wanted to do something meaningful to solve two of the world’s most pressing problems: the health of humankind and the health of our planet. From an early age, growing up in St Louis, I became aware that our food choices have unintended consequences for our health, the environment and animals. I was that nature and animal-loving kid who rescued earthworms from pavement and baby birds who had plunged from nests. Read more>>

Marcelle Waldman

The name of my company is FeelLinks. Everything that I have created and intend to create in the future, is related to our ability to ‘link to our feelings and others feelings’ (feel links- get it?). The validity and normalization of all of our emotions, whether they are positive or tough, is vital to our mental, emotional, and physical health. Read more>>

Alexis Collins

I started Lexie Writes in the summer of 2020, as everyone knows, this was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. I was laid off from my job and was dealing with a lot of personal struggles. The year prior, I had a nudging feeling that I wanted to start a freelance writing business and assist those who either had issues brainstorming written content; didn’t have the time to write; or who had multiple ideas, but had writer’s block when it came to conveying them through text. Read more>>

Fontana Palmer

I adopted my first pit bull, and the first dog I ever owned by myself, in February 2011 while attending college outside of Denver, CO. This was during the 30-year pit bull ban that was just recently overturned in 2020. At the time, shelters were transporting pit bulls out of the city & state as fast as they could, and vets were giving written letters to anyone who owned a dog that could be passed off as another (unbanned) breed. Read more>>

Ashley West

I have a degree in Commercial Photography, so I’ve had a camera in my hands for a long time. I started my career in a large commercial studio and dove headfirst into freelance brand work. I moved to Charleston, South Carolina and worked for small publications, local bakeries and restaurants, boutiques, and small clothing brands creating visual marketing materials for them – and I enjoyed it. It was fun and creative and it paid the bills. Read more>>

Mridu Parikh

When I had an opportunity to leave the corporate world and go out on my own, I l tapped into my strengths and founded Life Is Organized as a professional home organizer. As a new entrepreneur, I was doing everything, from marketing to finance to content to sales, etc. It wasn’t long before I was unfocused and spread too thin – in my biz and at home. Like many business owners, you end up scattered, exhausted, feeling like a failure, and even resentful. That was me. Read more>>

Elorm Dela-Seshie

I started Adorn Me Africa in 2017 as a means to play a supportive role in assisting a few small brands and independent artisans in Ghana in getting more exposure to their brands and helping to sell their products to a wider market within the US. Read more>>

Holly Jackson

I am a domestic violence and sexual assault survivor. I also am a pink warrior and have lived through being homeless while pregnant due to leaving an unsafe and toxic situation. I’m an advocate for those that cannot help themselves. I use my platform to educate on homelessness and and those who are in desperate need of services that fall through the cracks. Read more>>

Ashley McGee

My mission with Taste of Palisade is to highlight local businesses and farms in the area. I like having a platform to remind tourists visiting the area how important it is to give back to the community by supporting the businesses and farms that are showcased on my boards. Read more>>