Winning often looks like a long trail of losses that were too weak to keep you down. We are beyond inspired by the stories below. Resilience cannot capture the true nature of what so many of these entrepreneurs, artists and creatives possess and there is so much to learn from the folks highlighted below.

COLE

I’m COLE, and I’m an artist. I started my music journey in Evansville, Indiana. I was always driven by a love for intense, emotional rock and in my early years, I was inspired by artists like Black Eyed Peas, Nirvana, Mac Miller and Cage The Elephant.

At first, it was just me pouring everything into my songs—anger, love, heartbreak, and hope. It was my way of expressing the feelings I couldn’t bring myself to speak about. Eventually though, people started to connect with the honesty in my music. I’ve been very lucky to tour, play to huge crowds, and even hear my songs on the radio. That’s been surreal, but it’s also a reminder of how far I’ve come. Read more>>

Stephanie Larkin

As the founder of Red Penguin Books, my greatest joy isn’t just publishing books—it’s helping writers become authors. There’s something truly magical about guiding someone through the process of bringing their words to life, and I consider it an honor to be part of that transformation. Read more>>

Joshua Mount

My artistic journey began, as far as I can recall, with a natural quality of acute wonder. I have memories of just sitting and watching. Listening. As a small child, I developed an ability to obsess over the details of really mundane and average objects. This behavior progressed into my adolescent years where I’d plop onto the carpeted floor of my family’s modest home in South Louisiana and attempt to replicate and perfect illustrations of various things. They could be cartoon characters, animals (lots of sharks), The United States. I’d try my hand at getting the shape and scale just right. I could do it for hours without a break. My mother would have to peel me away from that pencil and paper. Read more>>

Isaac March

I began my career in the United States Air Force as a Tactical Aircraft Maintainer, where I developed a strong work ethic and attention to detail. While I enjoyed the hands-on nature of maintenance, I sought a new challenge and cross-trained into the role of an Arabic Language Analyst. This transition deepened my appreciation for cultural nuance and required a disciplined approach to learning. Completing the rigorous program at the Defense Language Institute remains a personal achievement I’m deeply proud of. Read more>>

Nancy Linnerooth

It was a winding path to get where I am today! I started out practicing law for nine years. It seemed the right thing to do after getting my degree from Harvard Law School, but it really wasn’t a fit for me so I went back to school to get my masters in therapy. I was a therapist for over seventeen years with a little bitty coaching practice I’d added on the side soon after becoming a therapist. Read more>>

Stephanie Wildman

Becoming a grandmother inspired me to write books for children. I took a class when I was 69 years old from writer, now friend, Maxine Rose Schur, and learned so much about the children’s publishing world. I came to the class with an idea for a middle grade book and Maxine said, “It’s a picture book!” I was taken aback, because I am not an artist. But Maxine explained that publishers find illustrators for books from author-only types like me. (I am not an author-illustrator, though many talented people are both!). That book became my first published picture book – Brave in the Water – from Lawley Publishing, illustrated by Jenni Feidler-Aguilar. Read more>>

Heather Plant

Great question! My journey into natural healing and plant medicine started very early in life. I grew up facing various health challenges and often felt overlooked by modern medicine. The solutions I was offered either didn’t work or didn’t address the root of my struggles. At the same time, I found refuge and a deep sense of connection in nature. I’ve always felt most alive and at peace surrounded by the beauty of the natural world. Read more>>

Emily Feldman

My name is Emily and I am 26 years old. I’ve always known that making other people happy brings me joy in life! My whole goal is to help others feel their best and to make them smile. I wouldn’t figure out how to do that more effectively until I began my business in 2019!… Read more>>

Marissa Rodriguez

On January 5th, 2015, the company I worked for abruptly shut down, leaving me without a job for the first time in my adult life. The experience forced me to slow down and stop. What emerged in that time and space was the realization that I was not happy in my professional life. I had never had a moment to really think about the future and my current life up until then. I realized that what I wanted more than anything else was time freedom. This is where the idea first came to me about becoming a ‘free agent’ and becoming a consultant in my industry. While I knew no one personally that was doing that sort of work, I still believed it was possible for me. Read more>>

Steph Spiegel

I started with a psychology degree and landed in corporate HR. It was a solid foundation. I learned how people tick, how systems run, and how decisions get made behind closed doors. From there, I moved into corporate operations and eventually into small biz consulting. I was good at it. It made sense on paper. But something never quite clicked. Read more>>

Angelia Hubbard

I began my career as a professional dancer and instructor/choreographer and then progressed my career into an all around movement professional. I found Pilates early on in my career and became certified to teach all aspects in the method. I continued adding more movement practices to my knowledge by adding yoga certifications, personal training and many more. You could say I just love teaching others how to move their bodies in safe and effective ways. Read more>>

A Brief Walk Through My Story
A Free Write by Joyce Lee

Something burned before I came here
Charred to it’s sobbing knees & I was born
Unto the ashes & tears turned to soot

Good thing my daddy survived the fields & know
How to turn over & show the newness under
Something burned before I entered this atmosphere Read more>>

Scot Moir

How I got started and where I am today… I admit, I sort of laughed at myself when I read that, because really I’m still just in start-up mode when it comes to actually working as a writer and storyteller. I began the serious effort of writing publicly about two years ago now, so to this point the CV could still probably fit on a post-it note! But at the same time, stepping back and looking at what’s happened in such a short a period of time, I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, and excited to be able to say there are still projects on the go, and seem to be for well into the foreseeable future. If I could have told myself that even two years ago, I don’t know that I would have believed it. At least not easily.  Read more>>

Sam Pierce

Like many dog trainers, I grew up with animals and have worked with animals in some capacity for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, I often got together with friends to make dog treats and fundraise for supplies to give to our local dog shelter before I was able to volunteer directly with the animals there. Later, I started volunteering, and grabbed onto any opportunity I was given to interact with other animals — this included volunteering as a dog walker for shelters, pet sitting for neighbors, fostering, and eventually working at a variety of businesses including dog daycares, dog walking companies, and shelters. Read more>>

Margaret Coons

While I was working as a chef at a vegan restaurant, I introduced a plant-based cheese board to the menu and it quickly became a super popular item! This inspired me to spend lots of time experimenting with creating decadent, creamy sauces emulating cheese using nuts and seeds. Eventually I started selling my vegan cheeses at the local farmer’s market on weekends and Nuts For Cheese™ was born. It’s evolved more than I could have ever imagined – today we are in more than 5,000 stores across North America with four products lines and have 40+ full-time employees working out of a 25,000 sq.ft manufacturing facility. Read more>>

Jim & Jenn

Jim: So, it all started with a simple idea that I (Jim) had one day. I knew I wanted to create something fun, but I had no idea what it would look like. I’ve always loved having conversations with Jenn—whether we were cracking jokes, getting into deep discussions about life, or just ranting about whatever nonsense was on our minds. We’d always joke around and say, “We’d be great on reality TV” because we’re always just ourselves—a little bit sarcastic, a little bit goofy, but totally real. Read more>>

K LaShawn Poowell

Almost one year ago from this December, I was scrolling the internet trying to find inspiration for a holiday outfit for a party I had to attend. Specifically looking for someone with a slightly round belly, to mimic the style that would be flattering on myself. That was an unsuccessful search. Read more>>

Joyce Lin

My name is Joyce Lin. I’m a Court of Master Sommeliers certified sommelier, wine writer, wine educator, and the founder of 酒意思SIP WITH JOYCE.

My wine journey started in 2014 with the intensive sommelier training program at the International Culinary Center in Soho, New York City. Having grown up in Taiwan in a family that didn’t drink beer, wine, or hard liquor, I find America’s drinking culture captivating and am eager to explore it further. Read more>>

Noelia Soto

Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to create, and every decision I’ve made since then has revolved around that passion. When I was 13, I discovered that animation was something you could actually study—and I knew instantly that it was my dream career. At the same time, I had another dream: studying abroad. That goal stayed with me until my senior year of high school when I had to make a choice—was I really going to go for it? And I did. Read more>>

Mikell Reed Carroll

I grew up in a small town in Maine. I was raised the oldest of five children by a single mom in an economically disadvantaged household.

My mom taught me that education could be a way to escape poverty and so I decided to work hard in school and graduated with honors and became the first person in my family to attend college.

After college I attended law schhol and then worked for five years in non-profit law, helping more than 6000 victims of crime rebuild their lives. Read more>>

Mychal Connolly

I’ve always believed that success is less about where you start and more about how you keep moving forward. At 17 I came to the U.S. from the Caribbean with a dream and a lot of determination. My entrepreneurship journey has brought me to a simple idea: how can I stand out while helping others do the same? That mindset led to the creation of Stand Out Truck®, a digital billboard on wheels designed to give businesses high-impact, street-level advertising. Read more>>

Michelle Hardy Hardy

I have been writing ever since I was ten years old and for almost 50 years I have been delving into what writing is. I started writing on a vintage typewriter, backs of magazines, cardboard or whatever I found to get my thoughts out. Back in the 1980s, as a kid, I would do as much as possible to be part of the publishing industry. I would spend all my money on magazines and books that helped me learn more about the writing and publishing industry. I would spend hours at the library to help with my research. Read more>>

Nicole Doran

My journey began as a teenage athlete when my health was suddenly impacted by the onset of PCOS and hypothyroidism. This took a toll on my body, mind, and soul, affecting my confidence and personal identity. In seeking healing for myself, I discovered the world of integrative and regenerative medicine and knew I wanted to be part of it. Read more>>

Nic Surgit

I began my journey as an artist like many artists before me have–I was a kid who was inspired by the stories I engaged with. Whether I was encouraged by my teachers in elementary or picking up my own books at the library, I found inspiration everywhere. I was enamored by the imagery conjured up by so many fantastic authors and illustrators, and I yearned to follow in their footsteps. Not only did these stories flood my brain with artistic ideas; they inspired me to write as well. As I pursue a degree in Illustration with a minor in Creative Writing, I am finding the best of both worlds in building visual as well as written narratives. My heart goes out to the authors and illustrators of stories past, as it was their own efforts and creativity that has inspired the new generation of creators! Read more>>

Nikki Neri

As soon as I could pick up a crayon, all I did was draw, color, paint, you name it. Art was a massive part of my childhood, up until high school. Once I entered high school, I was way more focused on sports, and being that I was a 3 sport athlete, that took up most of my free time. I really didn’t draw or create much in high school, and it makes me a little sad to think that I lost touch with my love of art for those 4 years. I am putting partial blame on whoever made the high school schedules though, because every year I would put art class as my first choice for my elective, and it was only added to my schedule one time! It still blows my mind that I only ever took one art class during my entire high school experience haha! Read more>>

Molly Schemper

I have always had a love of food & hospitality, since growing up literally in a restaurant (the restaurant my parents and uncle owned was in an old farmhouse, where we also lived). But, my parents encouraged me to not go into the hard work of food service so I got a degree in Marketing and spent some years at an advertising agency before finding my way back. I worked as a server, bartender, and personal chef before starting my own catering company in 2005. Read more>>

Michelle Thompson

I started dancing when I was 5 years old and then went on to train at San Francisco Ballet at age 8. At that moment in my life, I knew that I wanted to be a professional dancer with a dance company. I went on to dance with Ballet Austin for 14 years, and worked with amazing choreographers. During my time in Austin, I began choreographing more consistently with an emphasis on site specific and immersive experiences. I then moved to New York in 2015 to pursue more choreography and teaching. I currently teach at SUNY Purchase at the Conservatory of Dance, Peridance, Steps on Broadway, and NY Community Ballet. Read more>>

Nicole Haber

Music has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I started singing when I was four and wrote my first song at six. As a kid, I was constantly performing—whether it was in my living room for family or anywhere I could get up and sing. But I didn’t just love music; I loved performing in every sense. That’s what led me into acting, dancing, and musical theatre as a teenager. I trained in all three, performing in musicals and immersing myself in the world of theatre and film. That foundation shaped who I am as an artist today, teaching me how to command a stage, tell a story, and connect with an audience. Read more>>

Nina Jenkins

The best advice that I had received during my high school career was: “If you find employment that involves doing something that you love, then you will love going to work each day.” Sound advice, but it was much easier for me to hear than to actually apply to my life.
After working as a scheduler in the Tutoring department in college, as a waitress at a cozy neighborhood cafe, as a merchandiser in a few department stores, etc., I quickly figured out that none of these jobs were my passion. Read more>>

Michelle Mullins

For many athletes, sports are more than just competition—they’re an outlet, a passion, and a way to express themselves. That’s exactly what inspired me to create Funky Ace, a brand that adds a fun, stylish twist to racket sports. Read more>>

Charisma “Play” Daniels

Friendly Masc Hotties began as a vision to create inclusive, celebratory spaces for the Black queer community, especially centering masculine-presenting women. I started this journey as someone who saw the lack of spaces that felt like home—where people could truly be themselves, feel celebrated, and connect with others who understood their experiences. Read more>>

Chelsea Holmes

In college I studied mechanical engineering and then pursued a career in construction where I became a superintendent. After that I moved into a construction technology consulting role and was working on our mushroom farm on the side alongside my husband, Ian. A few months ago I left my full time job and am working on our business (Good Human Mushrooms) full time. Read more>>

Tomeka Harris

You may have heard my story in the media, where I was labeled as the “Kroger Lady” after surviving a traumatic kidnapping during a routine grocery shopping trip in December 2022. In that moment, fear took hold, but through God’s grace and my own determination, I fought back and survived. That experience, though horrific, became a turning point in my life. Read more>>

Sarah Walker

Growing up in Dubai and traveling across Europe immersed me in stunning architecture, art, and interior materials. These experiences deepened my appreciation for well-designed spaces and their transformative impact. I was naturally drawn to unique designs and environments that felt like sanctuaries. Over time, I realized I had an uncommon ability to visualize spaces in different configurations and designs. Read more>>

Since I was young, I’ve always been drawn to creativity and connection — whether through storytelling, building something from scratch, or simply bringing people together. That curiosity led me into the worlds of acting, producing, and entrepreneurship. I studied acting in New York City, which taught me how to be present and take risks — lessons that have helped me in everything I’ve done since. Over time, I realized my true passion lies at the intersection of creativity, community, and experience design. That’s how SUND was born. Read more>>

Kimaria Howard

I had my daughter when I was 18 years old. I had to grow up very quickly because I knew that it was my job to give her the life she deserved. As a teen mom, I went through many financial ups and downs and learned the hard way on a lot of things, so when I found a job at a bank as a Banker, I jumped at every chance possible to learn how finances worked and how to apply it to mine and my Community’s lives. In 2020, I was blessed enough to build my own financial team that helped me buy my first home as a single mother, making 56k a year and Legacy became the most important thing for me to build next. Read more>>

Lisa Broadbent

Drawing started for me when I was little. By the time High School came around, I was engrossed in Technical Drawing as one of my subjects. Fast-forward to my early 20s, and I had the most uncanny urge to paint. One Saturday morning, I got up and drove to an art store in downtown Brisbane, Queensland, where I was living at the time, bought a canvas, a bunch of paints, brushes, a sketchbook (I still have that today), a palette knife set and a palette. Not knowing what the hell I was doing, the excitement was overwhelming – I couldn’t wait to get home to start planning my first painting. That was 32 years ago. Read more>>

Momoko Uno

Nearly thirty years ago, I arrived in the United States with just two suitcases and borrowed money. I started out in a tiny studio in Los Angeles, equipped with only a mini fridge and a hotplate, before moving to New York City. There, I lived in a room smaller than my studio, where rats outnumbered roommates—but at least I had a real sink. A decade later, I opened Omni Wellness, a multidisciplinary wellness center in New York City, and more recently founded Edesia Gourmet, a startup specializing in pureed foods for people with swallowing difficulties. Along the way, my living situation improved, replacing rats and cockroaches with children and many pets. Read more>>

Michelle Parra

I’m originally from Querétaro, Mexico, a city in the heart of the country where I lived until I was 17. In 2016, my family relocated to Dallas, TX, to support my sister’s dream of training at Texas Dreams Gymnastics Center in Coppell. Read more>>

Miho

I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan until I was 11 years old. One day in January, my mom made me and my sister
sit in the living room and told us that we are moving. I’ve always dreamed of moving and living in a different city so I was really excited. Not fully understanding that we’ll be moving all the way across the globe! Read more>>

Nancy Marmolejo

My first career was in education and I will always consider myself a teacher at heart. However, at a certain point, I realized that the K-12 classroom wasn’t where I would shine, I needed a different environment so I could be in my zone of genius. That’s when I left teaching to start my business focusing on coaching, training, and consulting. Read more>>

Antonio Contreras

Antonio Contreras Aviance, a visionary of film direction and production, traces his roots to the vibrant
streets of cosmopolitan Mexico City. His formative years were steeped in the artistic ambiance of La
Esmeralda School of Arts, where luminaries such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera once roamed. Read more>>

KateLyn Costa

As a highly sensitive person, I’ve always experienced life with incredible intensity—every emotion, every moment I’ve felt deeply. Growing up in a challenging household, I struggled with anxiety and overwhelm and I spent my 20s searching for healing across various cultures, continents and therapeutic modalities. Read more>>

Morgan Bender

It all started back in 2009 when I was in high school. I discovered photography in the darkroom and instantly fell in love with the process. There was something magical about creating something tangible—the mix of creative expression and technical precision was not only fun but addictive. I’d spend hours developing film, and my passion for it was evident to everyone around me. By the end of that year, I was borrowing a DSLR to photograph graduating seniors, and from there, things just snowballed. Read more>>

Jeremy Golden

I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I always grew up loving sports and dreamed of one day playing in the NFL. But I was never given any opportunities to play football until I got to college. With a very late start, I decided to walk-on to my college football team at The University of Tulsa. Already undersized and behind by a wide margin in my physical development from other players in Division I Football, I used strength and conditioning to get my body to a point where I could manage the day to day grind of being a collegiate football player. That is where I became passionate about training and began working towards a career as a Strength and Conditioning Coach. Read more>>

Stefani Sellers

I started my business in December of 2022. I wanted to have more flexibility in my work schedule and to focus on medical massage. I started sharing a room with another LMT who rented to me on a per client basis, this was a great way to get started. I joined the chamber of commerce for the duration they provide to business owners and at one of these events I met a member of the networking group TBD Connections. This networking group helped me learn about business, customer service, and networking and every member helped my business become what it is today. Read more>>

Chief Peterson

It all started with a broken heart. lol I can laugh at it now but was absolutely devastated in the moment. Long story short, I was going through the bitter-break-up-blues and started journaling. I stumbled across an Open-mic on campus and fell in love with it. I had a few “poems” I wrote in my journal, so I decided to go back to the Open-Mic the following week and read one. It was a sad poem about my feelings within the break-up. At the end of the evening, a gentleman walked up to me, gave me one of the firmest handshakes, looked me straight in the eyes and said “I’m 55 years old and you said something I’ve been trying to say my whole life.” Read more>>

Rae Karim

I got started with Good Grief Now!™ after my mother passed in 2017. By that time, my father and grandparents had already passed. At the time there weren’t, to my knowledge, many spaces for people to grieve in community. For me grieving wasn’t just about sitting in a circle in tears. It was and still is about living life even in the midst of grief. As a result, I created it. I hosted a community gathering with food, a dj, activities and the opportunity to talk about grief. Read more>>

Kisha Edmunds

I’d say my story began in young childhood, my memory takes me to the age of 2/3 years old. Which consequently is the age I would meet the very person who put my life on the trajectory it has been in since. I endured so much so young and it is that little girl within that has gotten me where I am today. Her cries grew louder as I got older until I could not ignore it any longer. My resilience, strength, bravery, courage and willingness to help others stemmed from there. Read more>>

Coralin Allen

In 2017, I had the opportunity to cater a Christmas party for a friend. This initial foray into catering sparked a passion that quickly turned into more catering events. By 2018, I was asked to help a friend plan a surprise wedding, and just like that, my journey into event planning began. Read more>>

Eresseie

Music has always been a fundamental part of my life, ever since I was a child. In 2012, with some encouragement, I decided to start taking singing lessons to improve and make my dream of forming a band a reality. I started with a pop/lyrical style and later explored genres like jazz and blues. However, my true dream was to sing rock and metal: “distorted” vocals have always fascinated me. Read more>>

Richard Merrill

Richard Merrill’s journey in the spa industry is a testament to passion, perseverance, and a commitment to empowering others. As the founder of Richard Merrill Consulting, LLC, his story is one of transformation and dedication to elevating the spa profession. Read more>>

Maya Brown

My love for doing hair started at a very young age. I started braiding hair at 11 years old, on the front porch of my parent’s home. I would love to say I was self-taught, however I have to give credit when credit is due. My father is a very unique man, and loves to challenge his children in ways they may not even recognize at that time. On one beautiful summer day my father and I were sitting on the porch, and he decided to teach me how to braid. Now, I knew how to plait and do simple styles but braiding to the scalp of your head was a challenge. My father is the second to youngest son of 12, and very good with his hands. Read more>>

Mengyuan Xue

Since a teenager, I have always been fascinated by narrative spaces that blur the line between boundaries, be it the boundaries between the real and the imagined, between physical spaces and internal headspace, or between cultures and nations. For example, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakam, Journey by thatgamecompany, Song of the Sea by Cartoon Saloon and many other beautiful works that I admire all blur the boundaries between life and death by creating fantastical, metaphoric spaces. Read more>>

Marylee Fairbanks

I feel as though I have lived so many different versions of myself that it’s difficult to answer this question. I have shaped and re-shaped my interests and careers many times over the years and now, at the stage of my life, and I have found ways to weave them all together. Read more>>