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.

Laneen

In addition to my love for all things art and design, I’m a bi-cultural multi-potentialite, a philosophy nerd, Hard of Hearing, and a huge music fan. I embrace my intersectional identity and integrate those perspectives into both my work and into connecting communities. I’ve always had varied interests. When I’m not nerding out over fonts and color palettes, I read philosophy and listen to music.  From wondering how snowboards are made to researching the latest advancements in physics, I’m constantly feeding my curiosity. Read more>>

Lauren Hastings

Lauren Hastings, a private practice owner, has always been a helper. She loves to help others rather its personally or professionally. After starting her practice, she began helping friends and colleagues learn and understand the process of becoming an insurance provider as well as understanding billing. Her friends began to tell her, you should start charging people for what you are doing. Lauren ignored the idea because she knew of other people who had coaching businesses in this same area. Lauren continued to build her practice. Read more>>

Marissa Searle

My grandmother is the motivation behind all of my holistic health studies. She was the most beautiful, generous woman I have ever met. Seeing her suffer with health issues most of her adult life always broke my heart and I wished I knew how to help her. If only I could go back in time. Seeing her gallon sized baggie fill more each year with prescription drugs and her health decline was when I decided it would be my life goal to study holistic health.  Then dealing with my own struggles had me dive deeper into my studies. Read more>>

Mary K. Savarese

As a Creative, I am a traditionally published award-winning, bestselling, fiction Author. I author fantasy adventures intertwined with romances and I am known for my quirky titles: Tigers Love Bubble Baths & Obsession Perfume (who knew!) The StarWriters Trilogy: The Girl In The Toile Wallpaper The StarWriters Club & on the horizon, Return The Girl In the Toile Wallpaper  Being interviewed on Podcasts and Radio, I often joke about why I write in the genre I do. I answer, “Because reality is too real for me. Read more>>

Melanie Martin

“Our mission is to help as many people as possible become better versions of themselves, as God intends. We aim to assist individuals in building a personal relationship with God, understanding that each person has a unique purpose and destiny. God knows the plans He has for us—plans to prosper us and not harm us, plans to give us a better future. Our business is built with God at the center of everything we do.” Read more>>

Michael Perrotta

My mission has always been about helping young writers achieve their dream in being seriously considered to be published. By being a “boutique” publishing house “Bellucci, Palms & Carmichael Publishing” takes pride in working one-on-one with the writer/poet/screenwriter, giving them the utmost personal attention in getting their work ready for publication. My own novella “The Old Seagull & the Tide-walker” is about achieving and believing in oneself to be all he can be. It’s not only spiritual but also inspirational. Not only do I believe in my mission but I also write about it, so much so that it’s available in 5 languages (English, Spanish, Italian, French and Russian). Read more>>

Michelle O’kennard

In honor of my late mother, who was a creative writer, I launched Thee M.O.gul Mag. in 2023 in her memory. Our mission is to empower minority entrepreneurs and small business owners with earned media opportunities, enabling them to grow and thrive in their respective business industries. As a woman owned and minority owned digital publication, we value the powerful impact of storytelling and amplifying deserving leaders with monthly webinars, small business resources, digital adversing, a community network, and special events. Read more>>

Mindy Cabral

Little School of Music students develop a passion for learning and a love for music as they take ownership of their studies and develop leadership skills and personal character by engaging in a variety of creative music-making activities. Through individual and collaborative learning environments, students have the opportunity to explore and learn from their peers, motivate others, and make meaningful connections in a community of people with common interests. Read more>>

Pablo Pizarro

As I reflect on my journey, I realize that my mission is deeply intertwined with the challenges I faced as a child. Growing up in a drug-infested home, I witnessed the devastating effects of addiction and domestic abuse. My brother and sister were born into this chaos, struggling with their own battles from the very beginning. At just eight years old, I experienced the heart-wrenching abandonment of my parents, who chose their destructive lifestyle over their children. In the midst of this turmoil, my grandmother stepped in, offering us what little stability she could. Read more>>

Rhea Manjrekar

When I started Children’s Hope India 3 at the age of 14, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew is that I wanted to help kids my age who grew up less privileged than I did. With a mother who worked in Social Services, I had experience dealing with the homeless population in Long Island, New York where I grew up. With 120,000 homeless youth in the state of New York, and the highest wealth disparity in the country, I knew I had to take action to close the gap. Our motto is “Children Helping Children,” and the goal is to empower the lives of underserved youth internationally, as well as instill volunteerism in teenagers at a young age. Read more>>

Sandra Lucia Diaz

I am Lucia Diaz, a first-generation Colombian-American and the proud Founder of LUCIA DIAZ, a Latina-owned business dedicated to empowering and honoring Latinas through the creation of high-quality illustrations. My artworks are a reflection of my commitment to providing cultural representation and instilling pride in mujeres poderosas, so they can see themselves beautifully represented in the world. As a young girl, I knew I wanted to be an artist. My grandmother, Lucia, was the first person to commission a piece from me—a portrait of herself that I painted for Mother’s Day. She believed in my artwork my company is named after her because she didnt have the oppurtunity to pursue her passions. Read more>>

Shandy Thorell

Our mission is to fill people’s souls with happiness through food. Food speaks to your soul, your memory, your body, and your mind. It must taste good; but is also must bring wonderful feelings. We bake just the way the past generations did, like our grandmothers. When you eat wonderful things in your childhood it leaves the memory, the smell, the taste, the experience and, the people you were experiencing it with. They are all left in your mind. Our goal is to tap into those wonderful memories by giving you some of the same tastes and smells and love you felt in past years. My bakery is like walking into a Swedish mother’s kitchen with all the sights, smells, and love it encompasses. Read more>>

Siena Rose

Dope designs elevate cultures. As a firm believer that design is so much more than just aesthetics, that it has the power to hit people and influence cultures, I am interested in creating designs that do just that. With the spirit of innovation and contemporary at the heart of my works, I strive to not just hop on the trends but also redefine them–continuously looking for a cooler, better, clearer, smarter, sexier way to represent the stories and information about our world as well as ourselves, be it the narrative behind a beauty brand, a food vendor, or a karaoke night at your local bar. Read more>>

Siyu Wang

MyCards is a digital app that is an all-in-one place for people to scan, store, save and share their post cards. The mission behind the idea is to create an easily accessible and safe space for people to cherish their memories with their loved ones, including friends, family members, significant others, etc, and not losing track of any postcards they’ve received or sent. This is a meaningful mission for me, as well as my cofounder Elena, because as digital nomads, we both experience the painpoints of organizing postcards in an effective way, especially after moving to a new place every few months.  Read more>>

Stafford Braxton

This one particular story highlights why we do what we do. We were doing a Santa event at a church in Charlotte, NC. Earlier in the day, we had a mother and daughter visit to see Santa. The mother posted the photos on Instagram and as a result, her mother came to visit with Santa. She was 72 years at the time and when she saw Santa for the first time, she began to cry because she had never seen a black Santa. I started crying & Santa did his best not to cry. This is a visit I will never forget and it will forever remind me how critical representation is to our community. Read more>>

Ta’nya Thurmond

The mission behind Charm Attention Boutique is deeply rooted in my desire to create generational wealth and freedom, all while expressing myself in a unique way. Drawing inspiration from my father, who exemplified the qualities of an entrepreneur and a leader, I aim to follow in his footsteps while adding my own creative flair to the business. By blending entrepreneurship with self-expression, I hope to not only build a successful business but also leave a lasting legacy for future generations to come Read more>>

Taylor Fedorenko

As the Membership Manager at The KINN in Venice, CA, I’ve witnessed the transformative power of our collective of entrepreneurs, creatives, and impact-driven individuals. The true magic lies in seeing our members not only support each other in their entrepreneurial journeys, creating positive change in the world, but also forging meaningful friendships that extend beyond our walls. Read more>>

Teyonna Lofton

Our mission is rooted in a deep commitment to providing quality childcare and support for all parents and children in our community and beyond. It drives us to create a nurturing and safe environment where kids can thrive and parents can feel confident in the care their children receive. We believe that quality childcare extends beyond just supervision; it’s about fostering personal growth, self-reliance, and interpersonal skills through our “Mastering Mindful Living” curriculum. Read more>>

Valinda Miller

My story and mission is both inspiring and deeply touching. It beautifully illustrates the transformative power of books and the profound impact they can have on a person’s life. From humble beginnings in Athens, Georgia, and the challenging circumstances of my early life, I found solace and inspiration within the walls of a library. My grandmother’s dedication and the kindness of a librarian ignited a lifelong passion for literacy and the pursuit of knowledge. Read more>>

Victoria Cernoch

In my coaching business, I help exhausted women recover from fatigue and reclaim their power so that they can finally live the amazing life they dream about. My clients are women who are feeling overwhelmed by life and disconnected from themselves. Maybe they’re struggling with feeling unsatisfied with their work or are continuously giving their energy away to other people. These are women who are seeking more out of life than the status quo — they know there’s more to life but are feeling so flattened that they need support and guidance to create their dream life. Read more>>

Virginia Magdaleno

I Am. Bracelets was born from a problem that I had as a mom and busy professional. I was always admiring beautiful jewelry but never invested in it. I wondered why that was. I made myself put on a few pieces that I loved throughout the week and paid attention. I felt beautiful and glamorous so why not wear it all the time?!? I realized the experience of putting it on and taking it off by myself was an annoying one!!! It’s early in the morning, I’m rushing to get the kids ready, get my make up on and clothes picked out. Read more>>

Walter Cullin Jr.

I like to think that I have two different missions. One of my missions is student-based and my other mission is community based. My two businesses are, “Intrinsically Motivated LLC” and “What’s Your Motive?” (non-profit). The mission of Intrinsically Motivated is to shift the mindset of students regarding their education. The aim is for students to be “intrinsically motivated,” as opposed to being “extrinsically motivated.” It is important for students to recognize the personal benefit of educational achievement. All students should seek to obtain educational success that supports their internal agency, instead of seeking outward validation. Read more>>

Doris Valdivia

My name is Doris Valdivia, Thank you for the opportunity of the interview, I started in the catering business since 2018, wanting to make Peruvian food known in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, since in Pittsburgh there was no restaurant or catering company that makes known distinctly Peruvian food. There were 2 restaurants that combined Peruvian and Mexican food and I wanted customers and people who live in Pittsburgh to know the traditional Peruvian food from the coast, mountains and jungle of Peru (South America). Peru currently and for 6 years has been recognized worldwide for its varied, delicious and technically traditional gastronomy inherited from our ancestors THE INCAS. Read more>>

Hector Serrato

At Arizona Autism Diagnostic Center, our mission is deeply rooted in a commitment to providing families with the knowledge and support they need to understand their child’s unique needs. This mission is personal to me because I have witnessed firsthand the impact that timely and comprehensive evaluations can have on a child’s development and a family’s peace of mind. I founded this center with the belief that every child deserves a clear path forward, and every family deserves to be empowered with the right information. Read more>>