We’ve always tried to ask the questions that matter but that are too awkward for people to ask their friends, family and coworkers without seeming dramatic. One of those questions is about mission and purpose – when’s the last time you asked a friend what their mission was? Too often we don’t talk about our own missions and don’t ask those close to us about theirs with the result being that our missions remain secret. Are you just a doctor or are you a doctor who wants to be there for patients in the way you wished your father’s doctor had been? People have incredible and meaningful missions, and we hope our conversations asking folks about their mission can inspire more such conversations in your life.

Kelly Shoul

The story behind my mission as an adventure wedding and elopement photographer begins with my own passion for the outdoors and the deep connection I feel with the breathtaking landscapes of Colorado. My husband and I eloped back in 2016, before adventure elopements were as popular as they are now. Our personal experience of eloping, combined with the pressure we felt from others to have a traditional wedding day that didn’t resonate with us, fueled our desire to offer a unique and meaningful alternative to other couples. Read more>>

Ryan Mjoen

I personally hate working alone. Sometimes getting in the zone by yourself can be great but when it comes to day after day I don’t think we are meant to work in isolation. Our core mission is to bring a spotlight to the amazing work people do and to do that together. We want to collaborate with our clients but also with other creatives on the project. The 4137 in our name is a call back to an apartment I lived in where late at night creatives from all mediums and walks of life were able to come together and work alongside one another. Read more>>

Ashley Cheshire

I’ve loved taking photos for as long as I can remember. One of my most vivid childhood memories is me with a disposable camera in my hand. I love making people feel seen and comfortable in their own skin – that has always been my goal with photography. Read more>>

Navro Allen

As an individual that loved the art form of basketball, among other sports, I started working with my young cousin and his friends, teaching them new skills and new ways of preparing for competition. One of the parents suggested I start a business and share my knowledge with others. Read more>>

Amanda Sheredos

Before I launched my business, I was working at Sephora, I remember a lady who came in one evening, she seemed very upset and shaken up. She had just come from another makeup store and had a horrible experience with a sales associate when trying to find makeup for herself. I assured her I would help her find products that would work for her. Read more>>

Jeannie Wu

My reason for creating GUMMAAE is to amplify representation within Asian communities and our individual selves. Representation matters, especially in jewelry and accessories, because we are able to express ourselves visibly and internally create deeper, personal connections to our own cultures. Read more>>

HaileyAnn Russell

Where to begin? My life has been a complex journey and struggle between paving my own way through life’s obstacles and not letting my past get the best of me – yet making it my daily motivation to grow in ways I always imaged. Growing up, I had a far from conventional childhood, my parents were addicts and tried to provide the best life they could while being in and out of the system. We grew up finding a new motel or storage unit weekly to live in. I remember my Dad tried his best to give us a “normal” Christmas in the motel room and handed us marbles to play with. Read more>>

Noura Bishay

NPB Design Studio’s mission is to design spaces that prompt healing, inspiring, and empowering communities in a variety of ways. Here are a few ways in which interior design can achieve these outcomes: 1. Healing: design can help promote healing by creating spaces that are calming, restorative, and supportive of mental and physical health. For example, a well-designed healthcare facility can promote healing by creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for patients and their families. Similarly, interior design can be used to create calming spaces such as meditation rooms or relaxation areas in public spaces. Read more>>

Allen Hall

As a entrepreneur that has his hands in several pots, I have an overall agenda. Multiple Streams of Income, Generational wealth, Sharing success to lift people out of poverty. One day soon my children and grandchildren will not know poverty. The system I’m creating will bring down crime drastically in the Black community because I’m not supplying jobs but careers. Jobs don’t change generations, only successful business Men & Women do that. My goal is to teach how money actually work and how to play the money game. Read more>>

Allie Stark

IN 2019, AFTER GOING THROUGH MY OWN HEALTH JOURNEY, I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF OPENING A PLACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS COULD USE INGREDIENTS FOUND IN NATURE TO HEAL. AT THE TIME, I WAS OVERWEIGHT, GRIEVING THE LOSS OF MY MOM AND NOT TAKING CARE OF MYSELF. I ENDED UP FINDING MYSELF SICK. I HAD EVERY SYMPTOM IN THE BOOK…YOU NAME IT I HAD IT! DESPITE TRYING ALL THE CONVENTIONAL OUTLETS, I WAS NOT GETTING ANY ANSWERS AS TO WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. Read more>>

Sarah Maraschiello

When I opened my dog accessory business at age 20, I did not realize how it would change me, how I would grow as a person. I started Groovy Pooch when I became a first time pet owner, during the pandemic. I had always suffered from anxiety and mental health issues since a young age that made me doubt myself, and hesitate to let my bright, creative personality shine. Read more>>

Adaku Ikotun

I started Adaku Inspires to focus on inspiring individuals into knowing that they have a great destiny and purpose to accomplish in their lives. Adaku helps women discover their true beauty (both inner and outer) and gives them a BOOST in CONFIDENCE to let them know that THEY ARE LOVED. Read more>>

Victoria Clarke

I remember sitting at my desk, tears in my eyes, as I frantically texted my mom. “I have no idea what I’m doing! I need help!” A year previously, I had moved from China, where I had been living for 20 years, to Colorado. I moved in with my boyfriend and we got married not long after. Between us, we had five kids and I was struggling to figure out how to blend our multicultural family across three cities and two continents. Read more>>

Melissa Thaxton

Our mission is to create unique loungewear that brings you comfort, color and joy. Each piece is hand dyed with love, bringing you effortless style. We thrive when we partner with brands and businesses that share our values and desire to strengthen our communities. When I think about my brand and the values that I want it to uphold, they would be inclusion, creativity, respect, women empowerment, perseverance, resilience, confidence and community support. Read more>>

Khosro R Kordi

my love for photography with the same enthusiasm as before. As an artist, I had dreams of becoming better, being published, and gaining fame. However, I now understand that these things come with time and effort. There are ups and downs along the way, but I always kept my goals in mind. Read more>>

Christnawaty Lim

We are a team of two, and we were both born and raised in Indonesia. Bakso is one of our favorite Indonesian street food that is difficult to find abroad, and especially here in the Bay Area. A few of you might know, but two of the longest running Indonesian restaurants in the Bay have recently closed their doors ,making Indonesian treats an even harder find. Read more>>

Simon Hagos

I was born and raised in Southeast San Diego. Growing up there weren’t accessible creative pathways or opportunities for individuals to explore themselves and their talents. Now, that is why I’m passionate about utilizing photography and videography as a means to capture individuals’ life stories and experiences. We’re all similar, yet different as humans. Read more>>

Judi Henderson

When I discovered that retail chains would throw their unwanted mannequins in the trash when they closed or remodeled their stores, even if they were still in good condition, it lit a fire under me. Here is why – mannequins are made out of materials that do not biodegrade (metal, fiberglass, Styrofoam, plastic) so they don’t belong in landfills. I made it my mission to offer retailers an eco-friendly alternative. Read more>>

Carl Morrissette

CJ the Celebrity Trainer is a a man of many talents who has worldwide recognition for his work. He is best known for his work with celebrities, helping them to get into shape and stay fit. His clients include Hollywood A-listers, professional athletes, actors, YouTubers, and models. CJ is a firm believer in combining exercise with nutrition, believing that a balanced diet is essential for achieving results. Read more>>

Shantay Carter

My name is Shantay Carter, better known as “The Nurse Philanthropist”. I am a Registered Nurse, Founder of Women Of Integrity Inc., and Best -Selling Author of Destined for Greatness. Read more>>

Renee Haas

During the pandemic, I started questioning my career path and was looking for more personal satisfaction. I knew I wanted to launch a company that would be focused on hand-crafted goods. but didn’t know exactly what. I have always been a maker – when I was very young, I would cut up my mom’s tablecloths to make doll clothes. Read more>>

Jacob Birg Namir Thobani

My name is Jacob Birg and my passion is to create opportunities for other people using pure determination and implementation strategy. When I was freshman at the University of Illinois, I tried to find a student travel organization to join. Except such a thing did not exist, so I created it. Working through the nights and completing classwork during the day, Read more>>

Jonathan Alexander

All of my family is from Louisiana. I grew up gleaning from different recipes taught to me by my family members. The fragrance that would come out of the kitchen, the red beans and rice, the gumbo that we were usually greeted with were like no other. Opelousas, Louisiana is where I was first inspired to make food Read more>>

Mona Shanell

Hello Brown Girl, My name is Mona Shanell, and I am the Owner and Designer of Brown Girl Bag Company. I started this company with one goal in mind: To promote black positivity through custom bags. All of my bags tell a story that embraces our unique qualities, unequivocal dopeness, and mocha magic. Read more>>

Twyla Franz

I’ve long loved words, reveling in Shakespeare and poetry, completing two English degrees. But then came graduation, marriage, kids, and homeschooling. I stopped making time to write. One day, spring of 2019, I felt a gentle God-nudge to start listening to podcasts. I sensed He was preparing me to write, but I thought it would be an eventually. Soon it was a now, and I picked up my laptop and asked an honest prayer. “But what should I write?” Read more>>

Jermaine Rucker

The story behind my mission is quite a story thats alot to type. To sum up ive always had an average life I had clothes and shoes growing up, well fed, parents here I just didnt have most of what i wanted as far as the clothes i wouldve wanted. I was also homeless at one point for about 3 months which really gave me the drive to never end up in that situation again! Read more>>

Kristina Mckean

I started The Elephant Project in 2017 after a trip to Thailand with my family. My daughter and I were devastated to witness baby elephants being exploited on the streets for entertainment. This experience also opened my eyes to similar animal abuse in circuses in the U.S. I could not understand how this abuse could be construed as entertainment. I spent years signing petitions and creating social media campaigns but felt that I needed to do more. Read more>>

Matt Baysinger

Our goal is to gather folks for shared experiences and make it easy to have fun. More often than not, our we are close to our best friends because of the experiences we shared with them. Sometimes this looks like schooling, a summer camp, or being part of the same team, church, or organization. We believe that relationships are better when they are built around shared experiences, so we do everything we can to create as many of those shared experiences as possible. Read more>>

Shelby Perry

I am Shelby Perry, the creator, and founder of Eyehesive. In the United States, there are 2.4 million eye injuries reported each year, and I became one of them in 2021. During my experience, I found it challenging to locate a comprehensive resource that could guide me through the process of losing my eye and the prosthetic process that followed. As a result, my mission with Eyehesive is to offer exceptional individual coaching and a supportive community with a wealth of resources to assist others facing similar situations. Read more>>

Amanda Norton

In 2017 I was inspired to make a difference in my community. With all the negative news swirling around, I wanted to give the Village of Ilion something to be proud of. I wanted to make a difference in my community. The community I grew up in, the community I am raising a family in means a lot to me. I have spent most of my life in this small town, and wanted to create something to make it a better place. Read more>>

Kelly Lancarte

Our story started when our family matriarch, Mamasuez, immigrated from Michoacán, Mexico, to Fort Worth in 1911. She brought little else besides a tireless work ethic and love for her family, but she was determined to build a life for herself and the people she loved. Alongside her husband and restaurant namesake Joe T., she started a small café with her own recipes and home cooked meals. Little did she know that this humble beginning would become the foundation of our family legacy and an iconic Fort Worth restaurant! Read more>>

Ray Wilson

Our mission is simple, create a record store that mirrors the record stores of the 70s and 80s. We just want to bring back the vibe of those simpler times. It was one of my favorite things to do as a kid – hang out at the record stores and pick up amazing music on vinyl, cassettes and CDs. I wanted to recreate that for music lovers today. Read more>>

Sheryl Roberts

I opened The Collective at IndigoStyle in my neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant in 2019. Initially it was to give small emerging black owned brands a brick and mortar to give their goods visibility and much needed revenue. I also wanted to engage the community in sustainable foods and make that a relevant part of their daily life via clothing and accessories and home decor. Read more>>

Heather Ferguson

When I was a young girl…I was the one that was bullied and picked on in school. I was not in the “popular group”. Though it was difficult, what it taught me in life was to always be kind to people and make others feel good about themselves! I was always an artist and a creative from about 5 years old! I loved getting immersed in the colors and the paints on my blank canvas and how you could make something beautiful with your imagination and a brush! Read more>>

Christine Celis

My mission is to continue my father’s legacy. He was the one who revived the Belgian White beer in 1965 in Hoegaarden, Belgium. In 1990, he decided on buying and in Austin, Texas and built a new craft brewery which was up and running in 1992 as the only craft brewery in Texas. He brought the Belgian style wheat to the US and due to the huge success, Miller Brewing Company partnered with Celis Brewery in 1995 and bought the entire brewery in 2000 to shut it down in 2001. Read more>>

Gracie Johnson

When I started Hello Gorgeous in high school, almost 8 years ago now, I had no idea how far it would bring me let alone the relationships it would create and experiences it would give me. As far as my mission goes it has always been the same but has only grown in importance over the years, to reach my community and spread positivity. My goal has always been affordability as well as quality. Read more>>

Sid Gandotra

It all started with speaking to one of my best friends who I grew up with back home (India). We were like 2 inseparable brothers and I happened to speak with him after a decade from when I relocated and migrated to United States. I was so happy to hear from him after such a long time and we spoke about the good times we had growing up. He is married with 2 kids now and I asked him how things were going for him. Read more>>

Jen M. Torres

SimplyLead was started by two queer women of color who believe systemic inequities trap potential and mute expression. We believe in a dynamic, action-driven approach that combines unlearning, dialogue, and equity-centered decision-making to address these inequities. SimplyLead seeks to inform, educate and support organizations focused on creating antiracist spaces and empowering marginalized communities. Read more>>

Stephanie Ford

My mission to provide an experience and not just a cup of coffee to our customers. Coffee shops give a relaxing and fun vibe where people can gather with friends or sometimes alone Read more>>

Giang Huynh

Growing up very poor in Vietnam, we didn’t have a lot of opportunities but the one thing that we did love is our beloved crystal candy treats “mut rau cau” and we only got the opportunity to enjoy it once a year during Lunar New Year or “Tet Every year my mom and grandma would make these candied crystallized treats called “Mứt” as a family tradition that was passed down from my grandmas – great grandmas over decades, We put all of our sweets in a tray to treat our guests to come visit for the new year, Read more>>