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.
Gonzalo De La Cruz
I have been woodturning almost 4 yrs, I’ve told partial story to what I am about to say in past interviews I come from a different lifestyle as far as what I have done and still do part time these days. I’ve been tattooing for about 27 yrs now. I am also a recovering alcoholic of almost 5 yrs now. My line of work as a tattoo artist and prior I lived hard and fast. I rode high for many yrs till the wheels fell off. I came to recovery due to hitting rock bottom. Lost pretty much everything Relationships,some close friends.. etc. Read more>>
Eva Zmuda
Photography has always been a way for me to preserve moments and tell stories. Growing up in a tight-knit Polish-American family, I learned the importance of cherishing life’s milestones, both big and small. Whether it was celebrating holidays, playing softball, or capturing everyday joy, I found myself drawn to the power of photos to freeze time and hold memories forever. Starting Eva Zmuda Photography was my way of helping others experience that same magic. Read more>>
Shanti Cain
My mission with Creature Teachers is to propel the love of nature and animals into the willing and able hands of the public, the youth especially. Steve Irwin was my hero growing up and I would not be on this path without him. He helped a passion grow in me to protect and educate others about societies “unloved” species of reptiles and bugs and other creepy crawlies. They are so critically important and vital to their ecosystems and maintaining the balance. Read more>>
Kenda Graves
The overall mission of being a visual curator is to provide for, encourage and guide creatives in their journeys of success. I am able to do so by upholding an open-minded and vulnerable environment. In order for growth to occur, people need nurturing, similar to plants. It wasn’t until I took the time to reflect and learn from my upbringing, that I understood the magnitude of a person’s surroundings. I was teaching dances at age 5, tutoring math at age 7, and leading Girl Scout troops at age 12. Everyone around me knew from early on I was destined to positively impact others. Although my ambition and passion wasn’t always well received and understood, it was always fed. People need to have their needs met in order to expand, however that may look. Therefore, I take time for each individual I work with and cater towards them. Read more>>
Gracelynn Fjelstad
Our mission is to provide resources for people to thrive on their sourdough journey. For us, it began over 100 years ago, when my great-great-grandfather forged a starter on his ranch in rural Montana. Since then, the starter has been carefully preserved and passed down throughout the generations. My grandparents, who use the starter regularly, are proud to share their starter with others. My grandmother is always making cookies, breads, and sweets to give to others. My grandfather makes the best pancakes ever! Read more>>
Kai Fischer
I am a writer. And as a writer my mission is to tell untapped and untold stories. In January last year after my first experiences in Mallorca as a background actor including the Paramount+ production of LIONESS alongside Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Zoe Saldaña and Laysla De Oliviera I took the chance and flew to Los Angeles with the bold idea of conquering Hollywood. Since I may not be a Robert de Niro, I thought that my goal would be easier to achieve with a suitable screenplay. Read more>>
Danielle Rackowski
Self Portraits On Fire is the first and only International Online Photo-Based Gallery that specializes in Contemporary Fine Art Self-Portraiture. The gallery, solely curated by self-portrait photo artist, Danielle Rackowski, began on October 2, 2020 as an Instagram account featuring the work of photo-based artists working in self-portraiture. Tens of thousands of self-portrait photo-based art submissions on Instagram led the niche platform to expand into a full-fledged online photo-based gallery for self-portrait photo-based artists in late 2021. Read more>>
Frank Melero
It all started with a series of conversations about creating an environment that thrived on success and lifting people up without selling out to greed or money in the process. These conversations were about 15+ years ago and were with my long time friend and hair stylist – Lorena Garcia (who is now our salon’s general manager at our full service beauty salon – Seras Salon.) Read more>>
Gina Caracci
At Sweating Together For A Cause, we are committed to igniting hope, raising awareness, and creating transformative change through powerful community partnerships. Our mission is to empower individuals and groups to take bold action, drive lasting impact, and build a united, resilient community where everyone has the opportunity to flourish. Together, we envision a future fueled by collaboration and innovation, where every voice is heard, valued, and uplifted. Our journey began with a simple yet profound statement my grandfather shared with me years ago: “Gina, when your needs are met, it will be your job to help other people do the same.” Read more>>
Anthony Yancey-pollard
Hey guys I’m”A.Y.P.” . The mission behind the brand is more than just close. I try to push a message of aligning your purpose. I preach that to the youth and adolescence. What I mean by aligning your purpose is living for you in finding that job or hobby that makes you happy and makes you wanna just keep on keeping on.. I feel everyone needs to learn their purpose in life because that’s where we’re on this planet to do live and be happy Read more>>
Desi Stowe
Writing always existed in my inner nature, however, it’s only been the past couple of years that my inner thoughts made it to the pages of books. I write because stories matter. Fictional worlds don’t only offer us an escape from reality – although that in itself is nothing short of amazing. We also see ourselves in fictional characters. They make us laugh and cry. We love them, we hate them. Either way they sneak inside of our minds and our hearts. Read more>>
Honeliz Perales
Both of my children have a rare genetic condition called Bardet Biedl Syndrome and it comes with a variety of complexities. I wanted to write a future for my children that included having a relationship. Last summer we went through a lot with our daughter with her having a kidney transplant and the complications that ensued and creating a future for her was something that allowed me to get through it. We are a praying family and God has done some amazing and miraculous things in my children’s lives as well as ours and I wanted to create a story that highlighted those things, I wanted to give hope to those in a similar situation. Read more>>
Ashlianna Felix
My name is Ashlianna Felix and my collaborator, Roger Andrews, and I run sketchyGOichie DRAW! (Digital Rendering &Art Workshops) What Are We Offering? We offer digital art workshops where kids and teens can learn the key principles to illustration and design. Providing each child with iPads, Procreate, and other digital tools, participants will develop their artistic skills and creativity. Read more>>
Yochai Greenfeld
For the past three months, I’ve been delivering weekly Biblical teachings using my Drag persona – Abbi G’zunt. These monologues reinterpret the weekly Torah portion (parasha), blending sharp commentary, humor, and a sincere respect for the text. The work is informed by my own experiences and by insights from classic Jewish commentaries, such as a classical Jewish commentary called “Midrash Rabah” (5th Century), and seeks to uncover the universal themes that resonate across time—family dynamics, resilience, the search for identity—while also celebrating the particularities of Jewish tradition. Read more>>
Sharon Feiereisen
The Mom Club was started after October 7 when I moved to New York City alone with both my kids from Tel Aviv (my husband had to stay in Israel for work). Even though I’m originally from NYC, after a decade in Israel, I didn’t have much of a “mom community.” I found myself in a bunch of “mommy and me” classes surrounded by nannies longing to connect with other moms. The Mom Club became a way to connect with other women, while entertaining the kids, raising awareness for Jewish causes and giving parenting/lifestyle brands unique access to a highly responsive audience through tailored activations. Read more>>
Kelly Berry
At its core, Life Intended is about helping individuals live with greater intention, purpose, and alignment. It’s a mission-driven business that encompasses a podcast, a growing community, a journal and planner designed for intentional living, Women’s Circles and soon, a coaching organization aimed at empowering women to thrive in their personal and professional lives. To understand why this mission matters so deeply to me, you have to understand where it came from. Read more>>
Laura Bektemirova
The Story Behind My Mission: Elevating Nail Care with Russian Manicures Hello, everyone! My name is Laura Bektemirova , and I am 35 years old. I am a nail artist specializing in manicures, pedicures, and nail extensions. On December 15, 2022, I took the most significant step of my life—I completely transformed my world and moved to America. This was a 360-degree turn for me, and I am incredibly happy and grateful for how warmly America has welcomed me. Now, one year later, I am proud to have my own beauty salon in Beverly Hills, where I bring joy to my clients by creating beautiful nails. Read more>>
Jennifer Mitchell
I do not own a company- but I have a passion for educating others about Severe Weather through photography and videography. I am a teacher by trade and my mission or “why” I document storms is to share what I know in a way that makes weather and science accessible to others. I enjoy live streaming the behind- the- scenes moments and using them to explain what is happening with the weather and what to expect. I also like to share the process of understanding weather models, radar and forecasts and “chasing” the storm. I want to “demystify” storms and share their power in a responsible way. I enjoy capturing the beauty of the storms and creating works of art while I do it. Documenting storms puts me in the face of something bigger than me and allows me to share my passion and grow at the same time, Read more>>
Gina Caracci
At Sweating Together For A Cause, we are committed to igniting hope, raising awareness, and creating transformative change through powerful community partnerships. Our mission is to empower individuals and groups to take bold action, drive lasting impact, and build a united, resilient community where everyone has the opportunity to flourish. Together, we envision a future fueled by collaboration and innovation, where every voice is heard, valued, and uplifted. Our journey began with a simple yet profound statement my grandfather shared with me years ago: “Gina, when your needs are met, it will be your job to help other people do the same.” Read more>>
Alan Vaughters
West Town Social Club was created with the mission of bringing people together for friendship and fun times. Through West Town Social Club, I create events where people of different backgrounds can meet and connect. It all started with my upbringing. At 8 years old, I moved from a diverse community in the western suburbs of Chicago to an overwhelmingly white community near Buffalo in Western New York. As a minority, this came with some challenges, as I could never really “blend in”. However, this turned out to be a blessing. In my quest to find my place, I started hanging out with people all over the region…the burbs, the hood, and even the country (after one of my good friends moved there). After a while, I started inviting people in all of these places to do whatever it was I was doing wherever that may be. Read more>>
Christy Primmer
My mission is to empower women to get back into the driver’s seat of their own lives so they can make decisions from a place of confidence and desire, not fear and lack. Through my own personal experience, extensive post-secondary education, and of course, career history as a trauma counsellor; I know what it is like to feel out of control over your own life, career and relationships. I also know what it feels like to believe in yourself, have true confidence in who you are and what you are capable of, and I want every woman to feel sure of herself. Read more>>
Tommy Eliason
I enjoy crystalizing moments– I’m a conceptual portrait photographer who uses radical empathy to create captivating, dreamy visual storytelling in collaboration with other creatives. I’m passionate about photography’s ability to express and connect, I use my professional background in art direction, set design, and post-production to help others capture moments of reconnection, creativity, and beauty. My work crystalizes moments of bodily empowerment and appreciation, which motivates me to create safe, affirming spaces where others can feel encouraged to be vulnerable and fully themselves. Read more>>
Nicole Kristan
I didn’t realize it until recently, but my mission started long before I had the words to name it. It began when I was a child—or maybe because of my childhood. I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. I tried so hard to belong. I played sports, joined friend groups, and did everything I could to mold myself into what I thought I should be. But no matter how hard I tried, I always felt like the square peg in a world of round holes. Read more>>
Andrew Juarez
I believe in the importance of documenting life and capturing memories in time. Photographs and videos are timeless, and they have driven me to capture life from my own perspective, through my eyes. I know it’s cliché, but a photograph is really worth a thousand words. Read more>>