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.

Reid Estreicher

Vultures. Vampires. Vipers. Gatekeepers too… Local Sets ATX was started to give indie musicians a platform to get their voice and their music into the world. The music industry, like any other segment of the creative arts, is incredibly challenging and even more so when you factor in the amount of people that stand as a barrier to entry in being discovered. Read more>> 

Deborah Brandon

I am a brain injury survivor. I have a rare disease—clusters of malformed blood vessels (cavernomas) are scattered throughout my brain. Two of them bled, wreaking havoc on my life. The only known treatment to prevent future bleeds is to remove the bleeders surgically–I underwent three brain surgeries. Read more>>

Sam Bail

I started Third Place Bar as a series of alcohol-free pop-up events in NYC in early 2023. I had the idea in 2022 when, after almost two years of covid, lockdowns, and sitting at home, I realized I was going out to bars in my neighborhood a lot, just to get out of the house and be around people again. Read more>>

Chef Bob Aungst

In the summer of 2010, I began with a simple quest: finding an exceptional cup of coffee in the United States, and it proved elusive for me. By the summer of 2014, I took the “grounds into my own hands.” Drawing on my culinary background, I embarked on a mission to craft coffee unlike any other. Read more>>

Austyn Sanders

I grew in the midwest without wealth and made opportunities for myself through constant hard work, studying and accepting challenging to change the trajectory of where my life took me. I have a fundamental dedication to fairness without consideration of economic inequality. Rights should not depend on how much someone has. Read more>>

Krista Clarke

Our mission for our business has always been to provide the best pet care and solutions possible to our clients. And here is why… Growing up in the country, we always had tons and tons of animals. Everything from lizards, dogs, cats, snakes, lambs, chickens, we had a lot. Read more>>

Christy Griffin

The San Francisco Vegan Society (SFVS) is a volunteer-driven non-profit dedicated to promoting a plant-based lifestyle that’s healthy, ethical, and sustainable. Our mission is to foster a community where Bay Area residents can embrace veganism, aligning with principles of health, environmental protection, animal welfare, and social justice. Read more>>

Michelle Holm Vicky Manivanh

At the beginning of RecoopedPNW, our goal was always to have a positive influence on our community. Our journey started with repurposing materials that would have otherwise ended up in landfills. We built chicken coops from reclaimed fence boards and old decks, and sourced hardware and accessories from local Habitat for Humanity stores. Read more>>

Bree Luck

At Awkward Sage Media, our mission is to celebrate and embrace the beautifully awkward moments that make us human. We create spaces where people can share their cringeworthy, hilarious, and heartwarming experiences without judgment. Read more>>

A Butl

I was a 10 +year heroin addict. I suffered with addiction for most of my adult years. I have stolen, left my kids with my family to go back on the streets, I was left for dead for days locked in a shed beaten to death. I hospitalized myself to get off of my medication and was held for 10 days longer and forced to psychosis medication. Read more>>

Jonathan Puente

My “mission” in terms of what I do with my work, is to simply keep enjoying the process of creating, growing and expanding, whether that’s as an artist, professional or personally, while also supporting whoever I deeply connect with on my journey. Read more>>

Props Metropolis

We have multiple missions: Our first mission is to support independent filmmakers. This includes having and sourcing props and set decor appropriate for a given project. This may mean collaboration with local Builders and makers to create the perfect prop. Read more>>

Stephanie McGregor

After spending over 20 years as an operator in the start-up food and beverage industry, I found myself at a personal and professional crossroads in 2022. The company that I had been helping to build for the last 5+ years was being forced to wind down. Read more>>

Ben Rousseau

Having recently been diagnosed with ADHD, i now realise why I found it hard to focus and concentrate listening to certain teachers at school who labeled me disruptive, and a dreamer sometimes. Growing up in England’s oldest recorded town I not only wanted to shape the physical future of our surroundings but I wanted to prove to certain people that I had more than just a creative imagination. Read more>>

Michael Castaneda

When I was a golf pro in Florida, I actually used to be anti-nature and even went as far as thinking that we built cities to get away from nature. When I moved to California, I drove across the country and made it a mission to stop by a few landmarks just to see what the hype was all about. Read more>>

Melissa & Whitney

When the COVID pandemic hit and the lockdown ensued, we would sit down every week and discuss all of the true crime content we had absorbed that week. Eventually, we came to a decision to record our conversations and begin our own podcast. It started out as an absolute trainwreck! Read more>>

Simone Bueno

My mission is to empower women, especially moms, to find their voice and share their stories, elevating their brands and creating lasting impact. As a mother of two – a boy and a girl – I know firsthand the importance of strong role models and the freedom to dream big. Read more>>

Mary Roth

A mission for my twerk dance class is to Blanace the mind and body through dance. Similar to when an animal experiences a traumatic event and they shake, my class will help to release trauma and balance the nervous system through movement including shaking, twerking, and moving in a way that feels authentic to you. Read more>>

Lakonnia Davis

I am the owner of Party Time Arts Crafts and more, We first opened our business in March of this year. Our vision for this business was to help provide an environment that people of all ages can enjoy and be creative in many ways. I wanted to create an electronic device free zone that we can escape the pressures of life and tap into a realm of peace, calmness, excitement and creativity. Read more>>

Hunter Myers

Mission: Bridge the gender gap, one woman-owned business at a time The Story: Growing up, my mom owned and operated an auto repair shop. Time after time, I saw her go toe to toe with men who didn’t think she was qualified to help them fix their cars. Read more>>

Leesa Fregin

Independent Creatives Art Collective all started with a spark of an idea. Discussed over a glass of wine, of course. Little did my co-founder and I know, in less than a year’s time, our mission to connect creatives to collectors would become a reality. Read more>>

Ashley Senk

We partner with professionals to amplify their expertise, expand their reach, and create meaningful connections through strategic digital marketing, enabling them to make a lasting impact in their fields and communities.

Nithya Tammana

The mission of Save Drop is deeply personal and driven by a genuine concern for our planet’s future. It all began when I, Nithya Tammana, a 9-year-old environmental enthusiast, noticed a troubling amount of water wasted every day while waiting for the shower to heat up. Read more>>

Tahnee Wilson

The Broken Circle Soap Co. was built on the foundation of breaking generational cycles that we were both exposed to. When we became moms, we decided that we no longer wanted to continue with the same cycles passed down to us from our parents. Read more>>

Kimberly Crist

Traditionally, you’d call me a “wedding photographer” but thats about the only thing traditional about me! What I love most is crafting and capturing unique elopements in Colorado’s breathtaking landscapes! Very early on in life I knew that the white dress, 300 guest, reading vows in front of all of those people, big wedding…never appealed to me. Read more>>

Edith Bellizaire

Jane’s Special Packs was created in 2022 and inspired by my mother, Claudia Jane. She is a retired physical education teacher in Selma, Alabama. I grew up hearing my mother have the “Period Talk” with her students and the changes they would experience. Read more>>

Charlene Baktamarian

When our mission was birthed (starting out as a traveling mission) next was building from ground up a TV network with a live Production Studio and a show called God’s View ( which has now been going around the world for 18 years ) airing on satellite, cable, free over the air, roku, fire stick, amazon, and many other platforms ! Read more>>

Donnarae Bradley

I began to recognize the necessity of cultivating a prayer community that could bring about transformation in lives. It became evident that a deeper commitment to prayer was essential. This dedication empowers God’s people to live victoriously. Read more>>

Amy Collette

My family was great at keeping secrets. Our suburban home looked the part, and all of us kids played along to make our family seem stable. But behind the green lawn and brick façade were the messy dynamics of addiction. Read more>>

Adam Reid

The Story Behind REIDframed Studios: A Mission-Driven Journey **”CHANGE STARTS WITH YOU.”** This isn’t just our slogan at REIDframed Studios; it’s the heartbeat of our mission. Our journey began with a promise born from loss, fueled by friendship, and driven by a shared vision for change. Read more>>

Lora Rosemon

My mission is to empower women to recognize and embrace their true selves, prioritize their mental and spiritual well-being, and live fulfilling lives. This mission is deeply personal and meaningful to me, rooted in my own journey of self-discovery and healing. Read more>>

Alexa Neal

At various salons, I witnessed the stress and anxiety women face while rushing to get ready for events or dealing with traffic. This inspired me to rethink the beauty experience. What if you didn’t have to rush or leave the comfort of your home? Read more>>

Lekhana Reddy

My journey up the corporate ladder revealed a critical gap in professional development. As AI rapidly transformed industries, I witnessed colleagues struggling to keep pace with evolving skill demands. Traditional learning methods fell short, leading to stress and burnout. Read more>>

Rosanne M Norris

My mission is to help parents who have suffered the loss of a child. In 2018, I was cracked wide open when my 30 year old son, Lee, and his dog, Buddy, succumbed to an accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in his home.. Lee’s passing lead me to question everything in my life from who we are, why are we here, and where do we go after this human life Read more>>

Connor Barnes

I live in a county in Michigan with a population of about 36,000 people. Over the past 15 to 20 years, various entertainment options in our area have dwindled. There’s a lack of activities for younger people, and not enough is being done to capitalize on the tourism opportunities in Owosso. Read more>>

Gerry Visca

Gerry Visca emerges as a visionary dedicated to catalyzing profound introspection and purposeful action on a global scale. With a foundation in architecture, he has seamlessly transitioned into a transformative force over the last two decades, captivating audiences across 11 countries through his prolific writing and inspirational speaking. Read more>>

Anirudh Mazumder

It all started with a phone call from my grandmother. As a tenth-grader, I had little knowledge of kidney disease and its devastating impact on individuals. But that cold winter morning, my grandmother shared the news that my uncle in India had been diagnosed with a damaged kidney and was struggling to find a donor for a transplant. Read more>>

Sigourney Rosario

Self-Love Stationery was born from a deep-seated passion to empower and uplift women and young girls through the power of words and affirmations. As someone who has always believed in the transformative power of self-love and self-care, I wanted to create a brand that not only provided beautiful stationery but also served as a daily reminder of one’s worth and potential. Read more>>

Haris Car

At Artisanal Goods, we meticulously craft our croissants and beverages using the highest quality ingredients, with fine attention to detail, while always striving to put a smile on our customers faces. Read more>>

Dom-San

I started making music to inspire and to heal and leave the listener with an experience that can be used to push them forward! Read more>>

Anthony Galizia

At GW Branding Group our mission is to deliver tangible marketing strategies and services that will empower businesses to grow while maintaining the standard of ethical marketing. We believe that it is our duty to have our client’s best interest at heart and that includes how they spend their marketing dollars. Read more>>