Everyday we meet business owners, professionals, artists and creatives. Photographers, florists, realtors and more. They might come from different backgrounds, work in different industries, have varying personalities, and have vastly different income and educational profiles, but the one thing we’ve seen over and over again is that most people have a unique and special reason for why they do what they do. From a realtor helping families afford the first home he always wished for as a kid to a photographer using her skills to give a voice and face to victims who feel voiceless, we have been blown away by what happens when you just ask people a simple question – why do you do what you do?

Aja Kinsey

As an educator I always travel with the intent to learn more about the people, culture, and customs of the places that I am able to explore. These journeys and experiences are what have inspired the creation of Moor Cultured Travel, an endeavor driven by my belief that travel fosters invaluable learning and experiences. Understanding that travel can often become very expensive, my mission is to bridge the gap, empowering and enabling my BIPOC (black indigenous people of color) and travel loving communities to turn their own travel aspirations into reality without breaking the bank. I continue to travel the world and I aspire to help others do the same so they too can see the beauty and learn what a beautiful world there is outside of our everyday lives. Read more>>

Andrea Adrian

The mission behind my business is a wild one. It all started back during Covid when I saw my husband was being laid off from the hospitality industry. Thankfully, I will still consider considered an essential worker, but that definitely took a toll on our finances. Imagine two young kids in their early 20s with two kids one four year-old and one newborn. Little did I know it didn’t end there. I ended up being sick with an autoimmune disease that only chemo and steroids could control. Biopsy after biopsy. I finally got an answer all well running a business from my backyard. Read more>>

Alexandra Walker

In 2007, I met a man named Jerry. He was the only name on my roster that day when I walked into the classroom of a community-return-to-custody facility (CRCF) in Denver. These facilities were meant to offer people on parole a final chance to stabilize their lives before being sent back to prison—180 days of structure, support, and programming. Read more>>

Yaneli Sainz

My mission is to create a space where people feel safe to be real. Especially women like me who played small, stayed quiet, or played nice. I come from a background where I had to unlearn a lot how to stop people pleasing, how to set boundaries, how to trust my own energy more than what others told me. The Beauty industry saved me, in a way. It gave me a way to express myself, to connect with people, to heal through life lessons, people, God and creativity. It’s not just about hair or lashes. For me this is spiritual. It’s energy. And I want everything I create whether it’s content, a service, or a conversation to remind people that it’s safe to be powerful, to be sensitive, and to be seen. That’s POWERFUL. Read more>>

Ysa Galan

As a financial professional and a mom, I found myself constantly connecting with women whose stories mirrored mine. I remember the early stages of motherhood and it was beautiful, but also overwhelming. Through finance, I met so many moms navigating similar challenges, and those conversations revealed how much we all needed community, support, and guidance. That’s what led me and my business partner to co-create The Mommy Village. A safe space for women to grow, heal, and thrive. Our mission is to support moms in every aspect of life from: financial literacy and business development to mental wellness and motherhood. It’s not just about helping, it’s about walking alongside them because we’ve been there too. Read more>>

Jason Adam Maselle

All my life I’ve seen films from around the world that have shaped me and moulded me into the person I am today. I always wondered why my home, South Africa, was never a part of that pantheon of countries that have shaped world cinema – we certainly have the people and the stories for it. I hope my life’s work can share with the world just how wonderful, complicated and uncompromisingly human my country and its people are. Read more>>

Ron Patel

New Mexicans are so often overlooked, so often told that they don’t deserve the nice things that bigger cities have. Often we are ranked at the top of the bad lists and bottom of the good ones. There are no Fortune 500 companies based here that will “prop up” the team, Read more>>

AJ Baerga

Growing up and through pregnancy, I never felt comfortable in my own skin. Postpartum depression hit hard, and without a strong support system, I had to dig myself out — not by focusing on myself, but by helping other women feel seen, beautiful, and empowered through my lens. Read more>>

Jennifer Wolfe

My mission is to capture authentic stories and powerful moments that reflect the heart and soul of small businesses & non-profit organizations. Through my lens, I aim to empower and uplift those who are making a difference, providing visually compelling content that helps them connect with their audience, enhance their brand, and further their impact. Read more>>

Katlyn O’Malley

I come from abuse and had my personal troubles and mental health issues. Then in covid a young woman was killed in my neighborhood Chinatown nyc in covid and between that and my personal story feeling safe inside and outside became the mission. For all women and humans to feel safe and learn to ask for help. Feeling safe in your own brain and being the loudest voice in your head makes you more aware and present to be able to feel safe outside. Read more>>

Brittany Duesette Jones

Our mission is to reclaim, restore, and uplift underinvested neighborhoods in Detroit by creating safe, beautiful, and nourishing spaces where families can gather, children can play, and communities can thrive. This mission isn’t just a slogan — it’s personal. Read more>>

Tania Abouzeide

WayFinder began as an idea that I had been developing for years. I’ve spent most of my career in higher education, as a professor, administrator, and advisor. Over time, I kept encountering the same issue: many talented, driven, and capable students lacked access to the kind of guidance that truly makes a difference in the college admissions process. I witnessed students and families doing their best yet feeling overwhelmed, misinformed, or excluded. Read more>>

Jeniffer Watt

WattUp Tacos is a family own taco stand. My husband Keenan and I run it. We recently had a pair of twins, Keena and Ignis. Who are 4 months now, we also have a toddler Jennan, that is 2 years old. April 2025, we took the action to sell tacos from our home. You would ask why? As it’s been a luxury to have my husband home since giving birth, helping me with everything and everyone. We realize, the savings were running out. Someone had to go back to work. We had that conversation, and also had the conclusion that we needed to do more than just work. I said “let’s sale tacos”. Keenan took care of sellers permits and certifications needed. It was a step closer than ever before, from any other ideas that we’ve had. Read more>>

Urania Harp

Since I was young I’ve had a deep need to follow what felt true, even when it led me off the beaten path. At age five I was already passionate about reading and writing far beyond my grade level. However, when my mother expressed my feelings of boredom and wanting to be challenged in the classroom, my teacher said there was nothing they could do and didn’t recommend that I skip a grade, so I transferred schools. That was my first real lesson that when something doesn’t support your growth, you find a new environment that does. Read more>>

Aura Maurice

When I was 3 years old, my parents had me do my first dance performance in school. Since then, somehow, I ended up performing at least twice a year for school functions. I remember loving it, but didn’t know why.
When I turned 14 years old, I attended this school in town where part of our PE program, they offered dance classes with a high energy format (cardio class). I thought then and now that was the best thing ever happened to me, since the dance instructor was the director of the most prestigious dance company in El Salvador (my origin country). Read more>>

Star Bobatoon

My mission is to help women—especially those who’ve been overlooked, underestimated, or silenced—reclaim their stories, own their power, and command every stage they step on, whether it’s in a boardroom, on a platform, or in their personal lives. Read more>>

Paige Beuning

PVB The Label was born from both passion and purpose. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while pursuing my master’s degree in Fashion Marketing, I wrote a research paper that changed everything for me. I discovered that the fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world — and that truth hit me hard. I couldn’t shake the thought that the industry I loved so much was doing so much harm. Read more>>

Tiffany Lawrence

My mission is simple – to help women find their #stylefromtheinside. My story began as a child suffering early on from low self esteem. I was born prematurely and had a few spokes out of my respiratory wheel, as my physician use to say. So, my mother, being an elementary school teacher, asked what I wanted to do to feel better about myself. My answer – I wanted to wear my lime green socks every day! When I had them on, they were my superpowers and with them I could do anything. Read more>>

Tamara Varney

NAMBA’s mission is meaningful to me because it’s rooted in inclusion, creativity, and connection. In a world that often feels divided, NAMBA offers a space where people from all walks of life can come together—not just to witness performance, but to be part of it. Read more>>

Jacey Rhorer

Rhorer Couture was founded with the profound understanding that when one dons a hat, it serves as a symbol of status, power, beauty, diversity, femininity, and self-expression. As a milliner, it is my mission to empower others through my designs, encouraging them to stand tall, embrace their uniqueness, and step into the stoplight with confidence; thus my company tagline, “See Me Rhorer”. Empowering women to exude confidence and individuality through my one-of-a-kind designs has fueled my passion while transforming a dying art form, millinery, into a thriving business in Kentucky; a state where many people told me fashion designers don’t make it. Read more>>

Barb Drummond

For me, business has never just been about profit—it’s about purpose. Whether I’m serving coffee, speaking at a keynote, or signing my book, there’s a mission behind it: to give back, raise awareness, and create space for voices that too often go unheard. Read more>>

Melissa Dixon

My mission really started out of necessity. I was dealing with some pretty serious health issues that led me to discover the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, and honestly, it changed my life. I had to completely rethink the way I cooked, shopped, and ate, and in doing that, I realized how hard it can be for busy moms to find recipes that are healthy, affordable, and actually doable on a tight schedule. Read more>>

Jon Brick

My mission is to promote love and unity within the black and brown community. I inspire collaborative efforts to build relationships and create a stronger community. A part of my purpose is to uplift the youth and encourage their creativity, with hopes for innovation and bright future. Read more>>

La’Brea Pringle

At Cltr.Ed Care Consulting, our mission is to partner with schools and education-based organizations to center care as a measurable, equity-driven practice—transforming curriculum, assessment, relationships, and engagement so that Black and Brown students feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. With a strength-based lens, we celebrate what’s already working, nurture existing brilliance, and co-create solutions that fill the gaps. Not only was the mission born out of my last decade of experience as an educator, but it is a true marriage of experience and history. We call this our “manifesto.” Read more>>

Katherine Knowlton

As a private chef, I’ve always placed deep value on where my food comes from and how it’s made. I care immensely about what I put in—and on—my body. That same care and curiosity is what led me into the cannabis space, and to be honest, what I found at first really surprised me. Read more>>

Christopher Pollard

At its core, Model Con was created to bridge the gap between aspiring models and real industry opportunity. Our mission is to empower emerging talent, especially those who don’t have traditional connections or agency backing, with the tools, education, and access they need to succeed in modeling, content creation, and beyond. Read more>>

Ashley Lang

I really wanted to create a space where the artists I work with could feel like they’re showcasing their best. A space where they can create freely and be fueled by the engagement they see from the collectors who connect with their work. Read more>>

Eva Bass

At Bridge Tha Gap Resource & Outreach Inc., our mission is to uplift, empower, and support communities that have been systematically oppressed and left behind. But for me, Eva Bass, this mission is deeply personal and tied to my own journey growing up in the Capital Region. Read more>>

Te McCutcheon Raper

Power House Dollz is more than a mentorship program—it’s a movement born from healing, lived experience, and a deep desire to shift the narrative for young girls. As a young girl, I struggled with insecurity, especially around the color of my skin. I didn’t feel beautiful or good enough, and those feelings lingered into adulthood. During my divorce, I resurfaced those thoughts… but this time, God reminded me: my pain had purpose. I realized many girls face those silent battles—feeling unseen, unheard, and unsure of their worth. That revelation lit a fire in me to change the story. Read more>>

Robert Sawyer

During the midst of the carnage of a shipwreck in 100′ waves I made a promise to God to do the very best work in whichever field I was needed most. Music, Architecture, Engineering, or Construction work. Didn’t matter. My family and I were spared that day and the ensuing weeks adrift. What followed has been a remarkable story of volunteerism, gratitude, and sheer perseverance. Read more>>

Lauren Palmer

I think it’s important as a Creative to have a mission, a “why” as it were. Yes, for most of us creating feels good physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, but beyond that, what message are we trying to convey with our art? How can it help someone else? By taking the benefits of creating outside of ourselves, we further horizons, thus allowing for newfound ideas and expanded communities to penetrate what is often an emotional vacuum of one. Read more>>

Robert Holmes

I am a family man, entrepreneur, and philanthropist living in Durango, Colorado. Although I’ve built numerous successful businesses over the years, my true passion lies in serving my community. This calling to serve was born out of my personal struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction. At 19, I found myself suicidal, feeling hopeless about the future. After spending four months in a rehab facility and recovery home in California, I returned to Colorado and completed my degree at CU Boulder. Read more>>

Therese Skelly

I’ve been in the coaching space for two decades. Truthfully, the mission has evolved over the years as I have! But in the beginning, I became aware that I, like many other women who focused on having a business while raising their children, was trapped. Even though my marriage was in trouble, I didn’t feel empowered financially to be able to leave, as most of my time and attention was on my boys. Eventually my ex pulled the plug, and I was thrust into being a single mom…and then the recession hit. I went from a married life where we were very comfortable financially, to now battling all kinds of financial hurdles. I became wildly aware of my own mindset and money issues, and after losing my house and car to the recession and subsequent bankruptcy in 2010, I vowed that I didn’t want another woman to have to go through that because she was under-earning. Read more>>

Yolanda Brown

We live in an age of constant noise, where every scroll, every click, every digital interaction screams for attention. In this cacophony, how does a voice truly break through? How does a message not just land, but linger? For me, it’s never been about the cleverest headline or the most optimized keyword. It’s about something far more fundamental: the authentic pulse of a mission, beating strong and clear beneath every single word. Read more>>

Allie Tasche

I’m a third-generation teacher, but my mission was never just to teach—it was to transform the systems that decide who belongs and who doesn’t. Growing up, I lost my dad to suicide. This gave me a strong understanding of why connection matters — why belonging matters — and how for some, inclusion can truly be a matter of life and death.
I had excellent role models who modeled what it meant to fight for others. My grandmother championed students with complex behavioral needs. My mom immersed herself in learning languages and cultures of her multilingual learners. From them, I learned that belief is powerful – and that teaching starts with truly seeing someone and believing in what’s possible.  Read more>>

Judith Carr

Bumbershoots by Nana is a story of family, creativity and reinvention. The birth of my grandson, John, provided the inspiration for what was to become my professional second act. It started with my quest to find the perfect sleep sack for John. My requirements were simple. The sack obviously needed to be practical and safe, but I also wanted it to be exceptionally well made, artistic, beautiful – even fun and whimsical. My search in upscale Seattle boutiques ended in disappointment. The sacks were very expensive but had no personality and all were made in factories overseas. Read more>>

Jada Sinclair

Melanin Bank Content Club & Accountability Community was created from a personal place. After spending 8+ years as a social media manager and marketing consultant, I witnessed a common pattern: powerful, talented women—especially women of color—not reaching their goals, not because they weren’t capable, but because they were stuck, overwhelmed, or limited on time and money . Read more>>

Shantel Love

There I was, in 2015, staring at an email that shattered my world: “We regret to inform you that you have not been selected for the promotion. I sat frozen at my desk, surrounded by achievements that suddenly felt hollow. This wasn’t just disappointment—this was rock bottom. Read more>>

Dr. Shadeiyah Edwards

At Together Let’s Rise, our mission is to uplift, heal, and empower system-impacted transitional-aged youth and their families in marginalized communities. We walk alongside those affected by incarceration, trauma, and systemic oppression, offering unwavering support through mental health care, education, housing, workforce development, family reunification, and mentorship. With a compassionate, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive approach, we create pathways to stability, hope, and self-determination—helping individuals rewrite their narratives and reclaim their futures. Read more>>