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?

Stan Popovich

Hello! My name is Stan Popovich, and I am a Penn State graduate who struggled with anxiety for 20+ years. There were many times in my life I felt like giving up. During these difficult times, my anxieties and fears were so powerful that I had trouble getting through each week. The most difficult thing I faced when struggling with my mental health was finding the answers that would take away my anxieties and fears in a timely manner. Read more>>

Kayla Marshall

At Grandma Honey Childcare, our mission is to provide loving, reliable, and personalized care for all children, with a special focus on supporting families with children who have autism and unique abilities. This mission is deeply meaningful because we believe every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and understood—no matter their abilities or challenges. Having personal experience caring for loved ones with special needs, we’ve witnessed the importance of patience, compassion, and individualized attention. Read more>>

Jasmin Haley

Every mission-driven company has a story, and mine began in the depths of burnout and grief. The foundation of my business, Legacy Scaler®, was built from a need to reclaim my voice—a voice that had been silenced by societal pressures, professional challenges, and, ultimately, the weight of loss. But it wasn’t just my voice I sought to reclaim. This journey was deeply personal, rooted in the memory of my mother, a strong woman of color whose voice never reached its fullest potential. Read more>>

Katie Smith

I want all of my clients to feel like they are being heard and represented in the art that they permanently put on their bodies. The tattoo industry has a reputation for being filled with scary, stubborn artists that would rather not listen to the customer and do whatever they want to anyway, regardless of what the clients asked for. People deserve to have their voices heard and their ideas respected. As an artist, seeing the excitement my clients get after receiving a tattoo just like what they had envisioned is one of the best feelings ever. Everyone deserves to feel good in their bodies, and I love being someone that can make that happen. Read more>>

Kelly Tallaksen

My mission is to bring more awareness about intergenerational trauma and the ways we can heal this ongoing crisis so we can release ourselves from the trap of unworthiness and start loving ourselves authentically. In my healing and transformation, I was able to observe my patterns of behavior that stem from childhood trauma. As I continued to observe myself, I began to observe the behavioral patterns of my parents and the reasons behind these negative patterns. This led me to realize that so many of us are trapped in deep feelings of unworthiness that sit below our conscious awareness but negatively affect how we see ourselves and the world. This negativity then gets poured into others as we try to release the pain from the depths of our souls. It is not done consciously because it stems from the pain in the unconscious mind. Read more>>

Maria Garcia

My mission at my practice, Modern Journey Counseling, is to bring a fresh, modern approach to mental health care that bridges cultural and linguistic gaps. As a bilingual (Spanish/English) female therapist, this mission is deeply personal. Growing up in a community where mental health was often stigmatized and misunderstood, I witnessed firsthand how language barriers and cultural misconceptions prevented individuals and families from accessing the care they needed. Read more>>

Lauren Alvarez

During my pregnancy I had this crazy awesome idea to start my own candle company. I realized every single time a candle was created I was happier and there was a calmness in my home. It help keep me grounded, it was my peace regardless of what my day was like or whatever challenges I might have been facing. I wanted others to feel the love and peace that came from the candles I handcrafted as well. Finding an outlet to be creative and calm simultaneously was huge for me. Everyone who has purchased a Zen by Ren candle feels how much love was poured into it. Whether it be a gift or just an addition to someone’s home it has put smiles on so many faces! Read more>>

Chris Cioc

Man, the story behind Joint Fitness… That is a looooong one, spanning pretty much my whole adult life. It started with a passion for sports. I always loved playing sports, specifically, Soccer or Baseball. So when I started lifting, it was like meeting an old friend again for the first time in years (I had stopped playing sports for around 10 years at this point). Read more>>

Jamil Douglas

After my 7 year NFL career ended unexpectedly due to a neck injury, I was in a position of transitioning from the game before I was ready. I was nervous about who I was without the game of football. I had dedicated everything within myself to becoming a professional athlete. In the process of becoming that, I realized I had lost my passion for everything else outside of football. I was full of depression, anxiety, and just not feeling like I was enough. I began therapy, I started trying things that challenged my mind, I started diving into mindfulness meditation, breath-work, all things that I had never tapped into before. Slowly I began learning who I was again.Slowly my mind began to feel less heavy. Out of the years of work I spent finding myself, For The Underdogs podcast was birthed. For the Underdogs is a destination for anyone that has ever felt defeated and had to claw themselves out of hard situations. It’s a place where I normalize people going through these experiences but also grow and learn from them. Read more>>

Jasmine Haas

If you were to ask me why I love my job Id say its because I love taking pretty pictures for pretty people But if you asked me on a deeper level I’d say it’s because I know what it’s like to not love myself, and I want to show everyone in front of my camera how truly beautiful God has created them. It’s because I want you to see what I see in you. It’s because you deserve to feel special and feel like the main character in your life again. It’s because I know what it’s like to not be surrounded by loved ones anymore. Taking pretty pictures- of pretty people- in pretty places. Always. I love you. Read more>>

Tara Nuxoll

I’m Tara, owner and photographer at Nuxoll Photography. I’m a wedding, family and brand photographer, story-teller and believer in love. My mission is to empower each client to feel their best while creating valuable art together to last for a lifetime and beyond! Our motto at Nuxoll Photography is “Your Story Is Worthy”, because each client has their own unique, precious story that is deserving of being told in a meaningful way. Read more>>

Jacob Harris

At Harris Trading Company, our mission is rooted in service, hard work, and community. It all started with J.D. Harris, my grandfather, who founded Harris Mechanics over 74 years ago. He was an incredible mechanic with a passion for fixing things and helping others. Back then, it wasn’t about selling equipment—it was about solving problems and making sure people had what they needed to get their work done. Read more>>

Cristina Felea

At Arukah Apothecary, my mission is rooted in my faith and a deep belief that true healing comes from aligning with God’s natural design. For me, this isn’t just a business—it’s a calling. I’ve always been amazed by how intricately God designed plants to support our health, and I see my work as a way to honor Him by sharing those gifts with others. Read more>>

Paul Schmidt

I began my company to serve the non-profit community by sharing and illustrating their mission using video. I’ve always been a storyteller. Not only that, but I grew up with television and film as the mediums I embraced at a very young age. I enjoyed the arena of the moving visual medium and wanted to be involved in some way. When I fully dove into broadcasting as my major early in college, I quickly discovered that broadcast journalism was not where I wanted to be. I couldn’t find my true calling until about two years after graduating from college when I was hired to join a non-profit television camp for youth with a video production arm that only produced videos for non-profits. It clicked that that is what I wanted to do from this point forward. Tell the stories of incredible organizations creating positive impacts in their communities. For that last twenty-plus years, I have done just that. Read more>>

Dr. Brenda Jones

The mission behind Invictus Nashville stems from my own story. Growing up in Nashville as a first-generation high school graduate, I experienced firsthand how education can be a powerful key to unlock personal and professional freedom. This belief has shaped every step of my journey—from teaching math to supporting families during the pandemic with a Tutor Center, to co-designing a school that puts students and community at the heart of everything we do. Read more>>

Bill Krieger

The mission of Veterans Archives stems from a deep understanding of the irreplaceable value of personal stories—especially those of our Nation’s Heroes. These stories are not just history; they are legacies, woven with courage, sacrifice, and love. Read more>>

Jennifer Blessing

Our mission is to provide high-quality dance instruction in a loving, faith-based environment that prioritizes excellence in both heart and dance. We recognize that it is often assumed the quality of instruction or performance might be lesser in a faith-based setting, but we firmly believe that faith and excellence go hand in hand. Our commitment is to break that stereotype by fostering an environment where technical mastery, artistic expression, and personal growth are cultivated to the highest standards. We strive to demonstrate that faith-based values can inspire and elevate the pursuit of excellence in every aspect of dance. Read more>>

Kimberly Guerra

Let’s start with our mission: Retrofit Social is committed to promoting secondhand fashion as a sustainable choice, working to minimize its environmental impact and contribute to a greener future. Our goal is to break the stigma around pre-owned clothing and cultivate a more eco-conscious marketplace—because that’s where society is heading! Read more>>

Shelby Carino

Growing up, I always felt like I was different but didn’t have the words to explain why. I was a sensitive, an empath, but I didn’t know what that meant back then. I could feel other people’s emotions deeply, to the point that it was hard to tell where their energy ended and mine began. I was constantly overwhelmed and struggled to make decisions because I felt so clouded by everyone else’s feelings. At the same time, I always had this unshakable sense that I was connected to something greater—like I just knew things, even when I couldn’t explain them. That connection set me apart, making me feel like I didn’t quite fit in with the crowd. Read more>>

Krishna & Haik

Sniper Trades is more than just a trading group—it’s a vibrant community where traders of all levels can come together to learn, grow, and succeed. Our mission is to provide retail and options traders with a space to enhance their skills through educational content and the collective wisdom of like-minded individuals. We cover a wide range of topics, from technical and chart analysis to interpreting options flow, understanding macroeconomic factors, and mastering trader psychology and account management. Read more>>

Liz Banuelos

Back in 2010 as a single mom I was sold a vision, to create a life with financial & time freedom – a life that apparently only the TOP %1 could achieve with hard work and sacrificing everything. Since then, it has been my souls purpose find the vehicle to create the life my heart & soul desired without sacrificing anything. I knew I was meant to live a “different” life. From one Network Marketing company no another I continued to seek my “Success Story”, but I only came across learning experiences. Read more>>

Parke Ballantine

The mission of my work as a creative director and multimedia artist is rooted in the concept of embodied power and liberation. At its heart, this mission is about reclaiming the relationship between our bodies, identities, and expressions—championing art and storytelling as tools to honor the nuanced, messy, and profound truths of being human. Read more>>

Lee Nangeroni

LaLoopna Hoops was founded for a wide variety of reasons, the simplest being that I had discovered a love of hula hooping, and I wanted to do something with it. But over the years my mission and motivation has shifted, expanded, and evolved for a myriad of reasons. It certainly has been an incredible journey. Read more>>

Angel Reynolds

At Never Forgotten Foundation, our mission is to provide unwavering support, comfort, and resources to families impacted by the devastating effects of gun violence. We are dedicated to helping those experiencing grief and loss through compassionate services, advocacy, and a strong sense of community. By offering emotional support, practical resources, and a platform for healing, we aim to empower individuals and families to navigate their journeys of recovery and remembrance. Our foundation exists to ensure that no family faces the pain of violence alone—because every life lost is never forgotten. Read more>>

Michelle Reynoso

foundation of health and well-being. We understand that many individuals are striving to nourish their bodies but face challenges in finding options that align with their dietary needs and values. By offering food that is free from common inflammatory ingredients and made with integrity—gluten-free, dairy-free, seed oil free, organic, and pasture-raised—we aim to provide a solution that empowers people to thrive. Read more>>

Vestoria Simmons

At Beautynblingxoxo, our mission is to empower individuals to feel confident and beautiful in their own skin while promoting self-care and wellness. Even though I strive for confidence, I understand that everyone, myself included, has moments of insecurity. Through my own journey of exploring the world of beauty and wellness, I discovered the power of self-care and the importance of embracing individuality. I realized that true beauty comes from within – from confidence, self-love, and a healthy lifestyle. Read more>>

Andrew Hardardt

Certified Massage Therapy focused on • Rehabilitation from injury • Injury prevention • Physio-therapy • Input on how to make adjustments in the lives of my clients so that they feel better more often and that those adjustments fit into their lives I began this career as a necessary career change. I spent close to 30 years as an Art Director/Designer in Brand Development for business with a focus on longevity and usability. During that time, I amassed several awards and the respect of my peers and coworkers, many of whom are still my close friends. Read more>>

Ex Paz

I first learned Spanish as a teenager in the 90s because I wanted to live abroad and do non-profit work. Ok, fine… it was absolutely, 100% churchy, religious-driven “missionary work” that turned out to be uncomfortably awkward and often dangerously misguided. I turned to teaching Spanish in K-12 schools, which I found incredibly fulfilling. Eventually, I had my first child and found my $40,000 salary wildly insufficient to maintain my career while affording childcare in San Diego, so my little family moved to Denver and I became a stay at home mom. Four months later, I started what is known today as Spanish Learning Network. Read more>>

Savannah Grizzaffe

My mission with Southern Beauty Skin simply put is to create confidence healing, and awareness of energy work and healing wherever my business resides. From a very young age I loved making people feel good about themselves, and noticed small things about my friends I thought were positive and would point these things out. I quickly realized this would brighten peoples days, so I started doing this more and more as I got older. When I decided to go to esthetics school, I didn’t realize how much this small joy of mine would coincide with my new found career until I opened my own business. Read more>>

Emily Klimas

I believe that every story deserves to be told beautifully, every detail deserves its spotlight, and every moment deserves to be captured with care. This belief system applies to both my personal brand, Emily.Katheryne, as well as my new company I have created with my husband, Capture || Cultivate. Personally, I have always strived to create content that speaks to who I am, that tells a story about my style, and which inspires my followers to tell their own stories through style. This content needs to be chic, classy, and high-end -> engaging. My tagline has been “Cultivate your vogue”. And how else can you inspire people to cultivate their life, their vision, their business, than with awesome media content? Read more>>