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.

Lucy Gross

SAGE is a studio and gallery space dedicated to showcasing the work of artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. My business partner, Katie Stahl, and I met while working at another day program for adults with disabilities. While there were many talented artists in that program, we felt like their work was not seen by contemporary art audiences. Read more>>

Erica Williams

The photography industry is not for the faint of heart. It is hard work, sweat and tears most days. People do not value artists enough and getting your name out there can be just part of the struggle. I wanted a space where photographers could be seen and get recognition. Even other platforms are hard to get into if you don’t “know” someone. I had the same struggle a few years back and decided to create my own photography platform. A place where any photographer with talent was welcome. Read more>>

Michelle Mills

My current mission is to teach people how to heal their eczema naturally. My future mission is to change the dermatological standards for how and what they prescribe to patients with eczema to step away from steroid use and encourage more natural methods. How I got to this place was through my own experience of suffering from eczema off and on since birth. Read more>>

Carissa Archibongn

Our goal has always been to showcase ‘The Art of People’. As Sean and I grew as photographers, we realized how much we loved capturing and cementing the beauty of people in history. We want to take photography to a higher level and give our clients the ability to shine at their highest level as well through our photos. Read more>>

Abdallah Seoud

I’ve been trying to define my purpose/mission for a long time. I always analyze myself, study my journey, observe how far I’ve come and where I want to go. I realized that the greater purpose is, first of all, to be aligned with my essence and with the things I genuinely believe in. Then naturally I will be aligned with my mission. Read more>>

Moch Snyder

I came from a country that is considered a third world country. I think in some parts that may not be the case but during the time that I was born, it was being torn apart by Pol Pot reign in the 80’s. That is when my folks met, in a concentration camp after being separated from their own families. They found comfort in each other. Read more>>

Mike Sill

My Co-Founder, Beau Schmitt, and I know what it feels like to deal with crippling anxiety. After stressful weeks at work, followed by fun-filled weekends that definitely aren’t long enough, we were continually left feeling apprehensive and in our own heads on Sundays. Like, oh shit!, Monday is here again. Read more>>

McKenzie Miller

I have 2 reason why I do what I do as a photographer — That is to be a light to the world and to treat everybody like a somebody. I have a bizarre job where I simply get to meet people, far and wide, and take their photos! My whole mission is to serve my clients in the way that they need, the moment they need it. Maybe that looks like reapplying a bride’s lipstick before we do more photos, changing a flower girl from a pull-up to some undies before she walks down the aisle, or holding onto the wedding rings during the day so the best man doesn’t feel anxious all day! Read more>>

Katie Vega

In 2018 I decided to take something I’ve always loved doing with my gram and family in Syracuse NY as a young girl which was making biscuits. From there came ‘The biscuit lady’s bakehouse’ from what started off very small only at local farmers markets to only a few years in a full walk-in bakehouse! A strange and unusual bakehouse for all the weirDOUGHS who were outcasted, we specialize in biscuits but bake all sorts of fun spooky goodies year round for the kids who don’t want to really grow up. I want to reclaim what the word ‘weird’ means. Take away it’s negative connotation and create a safe space for all us weirDOUGHS. Because let’s be honest. We’re all a little weird. Read more>>

Nick Reeder

Our goal is to always do something that can make someone day just a little bit better. That’s why we do what we do! When we show up at your school event, birthday party, wedding, or in your local park, we want you to leave feeling a little bit better, a little bit happier! The world we live is so tough, so if were able to put a smile on someone’s face then, we are helping the world be a little easier to deal with. We really do sell happiness, with every bite, with every event. You will leave our prescience just a little happier! Read more>>

Bridget McCray

In facing an unexpected health scare in 2014, I embarked upon a journey to improve my physical health without resigning myself to the idea that traditional medicine was the only way. Read more>>

Kelli Christina

As the CEO of KD-Staffing founded in 2007, I pride myself on changing our mission statement towards a “less is more philosophy” that revolves around focusing on higher level services while keeping long term clients. KD-Staffing has been in one healthcare network 12 years. I believe that you can provide 4 to 5 star services with less clients and gain more business and success while maintaining and proving your services. We are a specialized and niche company providing permanent medical professionals in all nursing departments including registered nurses, techs, nursing managers and director roles. We offer fair, affordable rates to our hospital clients. Read more>>

Marquitta Rucker

My mother passed away from multiple myeloma. I felt it was my responsibility to continue her legacy, so I turned that pain into purpose. That purpose was SWAT Foundation. Our mission is to Educate, Elevate and Empower the community with an emphasis on serving those impacted by cancer. Read more>>

Kate Graves

I didn’t choose this life, it chose me. My interest in cooking started when I was a kid in the kitchen with my great-grandmother. I could always cook but my skills weren’t that diverse. Back in 2010, while working on Death Row as a Correctional officer in East Texas, I started baking desserts, such as cookies and cupcakes. I was off four days a week, and I wanted to be more productive on my off days, so baking became one of my hobbies. That’s until my husband gave me cooking challenges which helped better my skills in baking and cooking. He would bet me that I couldn’t cook a dish, and let me just say, “the trash can, stayed full”. Read more>>

Hannah George

We are an organization who has set out to change the trajectory of the serious and harmful impacts the overuse and abuse of smartphones and social media are having on the lives of our young people. The data is in and the results are not good, and we knew we had to do something to create positive change in this space. We exist to empower teens to set boundaries and create good habits that will help them develop healthier relationships with technology that they can carry with them the rest of their lives. We know that change like this can only happen in community – we want to create a movement that provides accountability and the desire to take back our lives and get back to really living. Read more>>

Tammy Dean

Everyone has a “why” while going through the home buying or selling process. I wanted to highlight the compelling story behind what got them to where they are and decided to be an advocate for those during the real estate process and document the journey as a keepsake! This was the catalyst of me creating “moving on ” the series which is featured on our YouTube channel. Read more>>

Natasha Bermuda

My mission as a storyteller and fashion photographer is the same- to project my interpretation of this reality and the way I respond to its wonder. This, I feel, is my contribution as we’re all trying to to help spread kindness and connection. I am very passionate about my photography and I want the people that I work with and capture on camera to feel like they can trust me. I want my clients to feel safe enough to take a risk in front of the camera and feel beautiful about themselves and who they are. Read more>>

Sara Varghai

I’m passionate about helping my patients see and feel their best by providing thorough eye exams, and making sure each patient is educated on the health of their eyes and how to best prevent ocular diseases. I also would like to make sure all my patients select a pair of glasses that they feel happy and confident wearing. Read more>>

Chanerya Rowland

Well, I honestly started on this journey that I am on now when I lost custody of my son. When I lost custody of him, I went into this very dark place, a deep depression, I was suicidal, all I felt like I had then was my daughter, who is now six. It had me thinking back on all of the things I’ve been through, all of the things I’ve run from mentally/emotionally, from being homeless, growing up without my mom and dad in the household, feeling abandoned, feeling rejected, feeling misunderstood, alone, etc. Going through that, opened my spiritual eyes! Read more>>

Dennis Connor

My mission goes beyond my own personal ambitions. Leaving a legacy for my family is the first and foremost mission. To be able to leave a lasting legacy means that I’ve committed the rest of my life to the service of others. Read more>>

Dara Sayrie

The mission at Fierce Factory Dance & Talent has always been to provide a safe space for ALL dancers from various backgrounds, all levels, young and old to come and express themselves through the art of dance. At the same time, allowing them to improve their dance technique and truly discover who they are as an artist. Read more>>

Tamarra Holt

In 2020, as we all know, the pandemic hit. I literally just had a baby in February and by March we basically had to stay in the house. So I instantly became a stay at home working mom and I had both boys at home with me. That was overwhelming to say the least! One of my closest friends noticed how well she thought I was handling things and she suggested I do a podcast. I was taken a back because I had such a rough time in the beginning. What made me go forward with the idea of something for moms is knowing that if I began to create content for moms, it would be helpful to me too, and it would hold me accountable to learn how to be a better mom for my children! Read more>>

Dr. Deborah Johnson-Blake

While time management is critical to planning a productive day, many people who attempt to manage time and get more done each day fail because they do not plan accordingly. I had experienced similar challenges as a paralegal before it came full circle in 1992 when I failed to file a personal injury legal complaint within a two-year statute of limitations. After allowing this mistake to haunt me for years, I eventually earned my Master of Public Administration and Doctor of Management, Read more>>

Freya Radlein

Snapdragon & Thistle’s mission is to share that tea isn’t just a beverage, it nourishes the soul. Our goal is to enhance the tea drinking practice by sharing our love and knowledge of tea. While we sell loose leaf teas and herbal tisanes, we believe the experience is not just confined to the cup, it’s a sensory engagement that is grounding and a key to simple self-care and wellness. Read more>>

Jordy Houglum

My business started off in 2020, during the pandemic in Maui Hawaii. I started sewing to relieve boredom indoors, and it became a hobby that I became to love! Turning my sewing hobby into a business for my high school senior project at Maui Preparatory Academy! When I graduated I decided to take my business a step further, I moved to South Florida to continue my business as a full time job. I spend my weekdays sewing, and my weekend popping up at local markets! Read more>>

Judith Case

I have a passion for educating our young children and I think it’s important that our students learn to appreciate all genres of texts. I believe using a holistic approach will help our students transfer what they learn to real world scenarios. I think learning takes place best when accompanied with educational experiences. Read more>>

Howard Smith

My mission as a fashion designer / stylist / photographer/ image consultant is to always bring that magic & fire out of my client. I grew up around nothing but women all of my best friends are women and sometimes women are not able to see in themselves what I can or what the world can. Women have super powers , they are the most powerful force on the planet so if I can make every women I come in contact with know & feel that I feel like my mission is complete. Read more>>

Annabel Mendez

I started Aromalief 4 years ago when my mom was having extreme chronic pain and we couldn’t find anything to help her without side effects. Since then, I have been on mission to help women with chronic pain by providing products that ease the pain with more natural ingredients. 2 years ago, we were contacted by Carrie, a breast cancer survivor that found our creams to be the best for nerve pain caused by her cancer treatment. We are now proud partners of breastcancer.org and cancerxrelief where we donate money and product to these organizations. We want to be a better pain relief company for everyone. Read more>>

Francisco Gomez Palacio VI

Since I founded Integrated, I have held the belief that it’s possible to surpass clients’ historical expectations of home improvement experiences through both digital systematization and thoughtfully curating a team that enables a positive company culture. Read more>>

Stephen Davis

As I grew up in a poor/middle class family where everything was scarce. Especially money. I watch my parents suffer with massive fears and insecurities about money. I will never forget the look on my parents faces when they had to tell me that they could not afford something that I was asking for. It was so painful, I stopped asking. I experienced the same fear and insecurities as I moved out on my own. Read more>>

Michael DeSanti

Chasing only success has its price. Often times, men sacrifice their health and relationships to reach an external achievement or proverbial mountaintop. My mission is to help men have it all! We can generate success while at the same time produce optimum health, thriving marriages and financial abundance. Read more>>

Christiano Hernandez

Re-design the notion of true luxury. That is the overwhelming cloud when thinking of Cristiano D. We want to bring back the lost art of true and elegant opulence. Major brands today have compromised detail and meticulous perfection for mass production and common materials. We want to change the game. Our products, down to every last stitch is so carefully manufactured that we only work with a customer base who understand the level of craftsmanship it takes to design and bring these products to life. We cater to the desires of those bold enough to identify with this exemplary palate. Read more>>

Ally & Julie Dell’Amico & Vasquez

Here at Saule Yoga, we strive to create a space where people come together through mindful movement to promote vibrancy, balance and harmony at the same time as establishing a sense of community and synergy where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We practice yoga as individuals, each of us coming from a different background and starting point, but we support each other, creating an inner strength and peaceful energy that radiates through our bodies and community each and every day. Read more>>

Rebecca Garland

My company, Fit & Fly, hosts women’s retreats in locations around the world. I founded the company a few years after attending fitness retreats myself. During the first retreat I ever attended, I was sitting around a circle on the first day as the other retreat guests introduced themselves, and I had the thought, “I’ve found my people.” I was at a point in my life where I was feeling lost, and to suddenly meet and spend a week with other like-minded women who immediately felt like friends was  like nothing I had ever experienced before. Read more>>

Alise Brown

My mission is to educate, motivate and inspire women in the craft community. Growing up, I have always embraced being able to unleash my creativity through arts and crafts. That is the area that I was most confident in because I knew that I had the gift of making a masterpiece out of scraps. Fast forward to now, I want to show other women that they too can make money doing something that they love. Women were born to create and my goal is to help more women see that within themselves. Read more>>

Cheyenne Shiree’ Lippert

The story behind my mission is to, Not give up! Continue to belive in “Yourself”. Do what makes you shine. What makes you smile so hard you can’t stop. Do what makes you feel “Alive and Free”. My mission is to turn those butterflies of fears into reality of hope and compassion. Read more>>

Cristina Zenato

“There are no monsters in the sea, only the ones we make up in our heads” These are and will always be the best teaching words I can connect to my dad and to his taking me to the ocean since before I could walk. I grew up in an ocean family that went to the ocean and brought me there. My dream was to become an underwater scuba ranger, who would roam the oceans and the reefs to protect them from careless divers and to have sharks for friends. I now work with sharks in the wild and introduce people to their unique world. Read more>>

Darryl Vickers

My mission moving forward within the creative film and literary industries is to write and produce and share great stories that enhance the Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American communities, their stories, their cultural nuances, their viewpoints, and their history, so viewers and readers gain a better and more accurate understanding about the different minorities who have lived and continue to help shape America. Read more>>

Ty’Nelle

I wanted to create something to motivate people of color. As a young black girl, I hated my skin tone. I am the only dark skinned child and I was reminded of that often by being referenced by black toned negative objects. I didn’t understand why having a darker tone was such a bad thing when it came to what society saw as beautiful. I just wanted my skin to change so that I could feel accepted, After dealing with depression and anxiety for years, I decided to be a better me for me. Read more>>

Erin Zwigart

I came up with the concept of “Georgia Crafted” 9 years ago, all in an effort to help people & companies not only have a simple solution to purchasing a gift, but to help support the local Georgia economy in the process. 9 years ago, “shopping local” was not really something people talked about – not like they do today – and it became my mission to help local makers get their products into the hands of people they may not be able to typically reach. Read more>>

Diane Buhler

I left my Wall Street life in New York City after 9/11 to heal. I helped with the relief efforts, but it didn’t ease my grief. In 2004, I moved to be near the ocean, My Happy Place. As I beachcombed, I found trash which gets dumped ashore by the Gulf Stream that jets close to the beach here. It’s important to collect the trash so it doesn’t wash back out to sea to harm the marine life. Read more>>