Progress depends on unreasonable people pushing boundaries, breaking out of boxes, challenging the odds and proving that the impossible is possible. This happens everyday, in big ways and small – from a small town kid ignoring the naysayers and making it in the city of their dreams to the folks with ideas no one will invest in who somehow brought their vision to life. Our community is filled with so many trailblazers, innovators, and rebels and we hope you’ll check out their inspiring stories below.
Nicole Thomas
The fastest way to see the world and experience adventures without limits is to open a book. Reading has always been my favorite thing to do, it is what I would rather be doing day and night. I am a CUNY graduate holding a BA degree in Advertising and Public Relations but my love has always been the literary world. In 2019 I reached a point in my life where I felt stagnant, I needed direction and a fresh start. As a Christian I take my direction from my heavenly father, so when He woke me at 3am one January morning with the desperate voice of a woman as she ran for her life and the life of her unborn child repeating in my head, I wrote it down and kept writing. That is how the first book in my fantasy trilogy started. The trilogy was completed a year later as well as a children’s book, corresponding coloring book and a spanish translation. Read more>>
Heidi Radko of Awakened Tonics
In the beginning of 2020 I decided to change my life. I no longer wanted a 9-5 and was not fulfilled working in corporate America. I signed up to become a certified health and life coach and never looked back. In April of 2022 I had the opportunity to purchase Awakened Tonics (apple cider vinegar infused tonics, providing all of the health benefits of ACV without the harsh taste) and felt it married well with my coaching. I have been building Awakened Tonics ever since. Read more>>
Elizabeth Nestlerode’s Story
I moved to NYC after getting a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Miami and for more than a decade I have been building a life as a freelance actor, musician, and teaching artist. For me, that means I do a whole bunch of different things to sustain myself, but they are all in the arts. I’m an actor in the union and I did a 6 month run of an Off-Broadway show called The Other Josh Cohen. I also work quite a bit in regional theatre, often in actor-musician shows where the cast of the show is also the band; shows like Once, Ring of Fire etc. Read more>>
Olivia Howell
When Olivia was going through her divorce in 2019, she looked around her home with half of the stuff missing (that her ex-husband took), and among what was left, things she wanted to purge, like towels monogrammed with their married monogram; it was then that she realized this is when people need registries the most. Olivia took to google and found only articles asking why divorce registries didn’t exist. She journaled the idea and tabled it. It was only after Jenny ended her engagement in June 2021 that Olivia and Jenny sat down and made the company happen. Fresh Starts is the first and only divorce registry, and we believe that while people have quietly been making and buying items for divorced loved ones for longer than anyone can know, the growing trend is directly related to the permission Fresh Starts gives and the education we provide in rewriting the cultural narrative around divorce since we were founded. Read more>>
Donna Theresa
I found my creative journey late in life. After a career in medicine and the raising of my two now adult children, I found myself with time on my hands. Enrolling in our community college art courses began my practice in painting. I am a pastel and watercolor artist . I focus on the nature and wildlife of our beautiful Central Coast area and the Monterey Bay. Early on in my pursuit I was a daily painter and found a serious practice gave me the foundation and confidence I needed to continue. I began entering local, national, and international exhibitions and was juried in with a 60% acceptance rate. That too, gave me the confidence to grow in my artistic practice. I participate in the Santa Cruz County Open Studios Tour annually and have found a foothold in our very creative community with a loyal following. Read more>>
Jade Di Marco’s Story
After graduating from college, I moved to New York with a desire to explore new opportunities and immerse myself in the creative industry. Over the years, I gained valuable experience working at several exciting companies, which helped me hone my skills and broaden my perspective. However, the desire to create something of my own kept growing, and I eventually decided to take the leap and start my own business. Read more>>
Nicole Cromwell
My art journey began nearly 10 years ago while I was working as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit. I was caring for a young patient named Amy, and when I learned she was an artist, I encouraged her family to bring in her artwork to decorate her room. The transformation was immediate—her space became more vibrant, and it allowed us to connect with Amy on a much deeper level. This experience opened my eyes to the profound impact that art can have on healing, both emotionally and physically. Read more>>
Nicole Sachiko
Up until I was 18 years old I lived in a hoarder home. The level of hoarding was decently severe. Every surfaces and floor was covered with piles upon piles of stuff. Growing up in this type of environment, I asked myself – What is all of this stuff? Why do I always have to clear the table every night before dinner? Why can’t I invite my friends over? The hoarding was a physical limitation to be able to do basic tasks such as laundry, moving freely, and cooking. It also had a psychological effects on me and my family members – many of us felt embarrassed and ashamed to invite anyone over. Read more>>
Ingrid Kindred
In February of 2009, I was laid off from my job as a Finance Manager at a non-profit organization. After applying for so many jobs with no offers or call backs, I decided in July 2009 to start my own business. The world of entreprenuership was new to me but I needed to do something to secure my financial future. With $1,500 and a lot of hope, I started Spa Treasures. Read more>>
Tonia Herrero of East Bay Art Therapy
I’ve been an artist and creative all of my life. As a teen, all I knew is that I wanted to be an artist and have a career related to art, so I went to art school (California College of the Arts in Oakland/San Francisco, CA). While in art school, I took a lot of different courses in different departments and it wasn’t until Spring semester of my second year that I found something that felt in alignment. I had taken a community arts class where we collaborated with and mentored high school students at a local Oakland public high school. I had found that my true calling was not only within the arts, but using art collaboratively with others and helping facilitate other people’s creative process. Read more>>
Sheila Gray
I am Sheila Gray fashion designer, toy inventor and writer as well as the Founder and CEO of Sheila Gray Collection™ (SGC), a fashion brand centered on celebrating the unique beauty of every woman. Known for its eye-catching accessories and SGC tees, adorned with custom fashion figures and embellished with textured fabrics, SGC was launched in 2012. Sheila leveraged her deep fashion industry expertise, unique and sophisticated style and eye for creating and driving trends to secure awareness and engagement with the burgeoning brand. Since launch, SGC has grown into a successful fashion line donned by women and girls of all ages and seen on tastemakers, influencers and celebrities alike. Read more>>
Angela M Mitchell of Back To Her
Whew, anytime I’m asked this question I sometimes don’t know where to start! I have been an entrepreneur for around thirteen years, and have started quite a few brands since 2011! I’ve done everything from extreme couponing to custom cakes, but what I’m most proud of is my most recent venture, but we’ll get there in a few minutes. So, around five, maybe six years ago, I was really struggling with my mental and emotional health. I was barely sleeping, always eating, and I had gained a ton of weight! I would have to force myself to get out of bed every day, and there were many times when I couldn’t get up at all. I really was in one of the darkest places I think I had ever been in up until that point in my life, and I was ready to just give up. Read more>>
Natasha Gaspard’s Story
My story begins in Flatbush Brooklyn, NY where I was born and raised as the youngest of three by a single mother who came to America from the small but powerful Caribbean island of Haiti. Growing up in Brooklyn there was a medley of all types of cultures from different Caribbean islands as well as African Americans. I was surrounded and enraptured by one of the most influential cultural expressions of the early 1980’s that was taking the world by storm: Hip-Hop. The music gave birth to a consciousness that was embodied in the powerful lyrics, imagery, fashion and conversations that became a part of my everyday reality. As I soaked up the many cultures that became pieces of my identity: Haitian, American, Caribbean, Hip-Hop, and Brooklyn…there were different facets of these identities that would later have me question whether or not these would help or hinder me in life. Read more>>
Kisha Jarrett
BLACK GIRL IN THE WOODS was born after a trip to Iceland in 2019 and Bali in early 2020. After years of pain and being misdiagnosed, I finally got the right diagnosis but my body – which used to be athletic and strong – had lost a lot of strength and mobility. I gained about 100 pounds over the course of a year. So here I was, on my first solo trip as a fat, Black woman in Iceland and I ended up signing up for an ice cave walk with about 9 other people. About halfway through, we got harnessed and then the guide was like, okay, now go up. I was by far the biggest person in the group of Australians and other Europeans and was out of shape and was like, ‘there is just no fucking way this is going to go well.’ Read more>>
Brooke Robinson
In 2012, I was told that my grandmother was sick; she was in and out of the hospital a few times and I began to feel like something was seriously wrong. Within, months of me learning that she wasn’t just sick, she had Cancer, she passed away. I remember feeling lost and alone for a long time. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening; I graduated from college a year later and needless to say that wasn’t a happy experience. My grandmother and I shared a bond like no other, she was my best friend and I spent a lot of time trying to be okay after she passed. Originally, I wanted to be a Family Attorney and help kids, but I couldn’t recreate the passion I once had for that dream anymore. Read more>>
Sophia Rodriquez
Like many I spent a lot of time working on my craft (poetry) in private. For a long time I wrote for myself but eventually I wanted to share my poetry with more than just my siblings and close friends. I started an Instagram to share my poetry and then eventually got connected to the poetry slam community in San Jose. After my first slam I felt so motivated to keep sharing and connecting with the local poetry community. Eventually I wrote my first book “Healing my Hurts” which can be found on Amazon kindle for purchase of a hard copy or digital Read more>>
Erin Hunter’s Story
As a kid, I was a dreamer—lost in books, drawing, and daydreaming. I loved animals and nature and dreamed of maybe being a veterinarian, or a professional artist or writer. One year, I read the entire Reader’s Digest Guide to North American Wildlife cover-to-cover, wanting to learn more about plants and animals and which ones lived near me. Around that time, the author-illustrator Ruth Heller did a school visit at my elementary school, and for the first time I understood that making illustrations for a book could be a job. Fast-forward to my college years, when I was attending a small state school in the middle of Northern California and trying to decide what to major in; I’d figured out that I wasn’t a very good science student (I panicked at test time) and so being a veterinarian was probably not in the cards for me. Read more>>
Lindsey Nickel
I’m a Napa based wedding planner helping stylish, fun-loving couples (and their dogs) plan their wine country weddings. I’ve been planning destination weddings since 2010 so I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work for a gorgeous, fun and low stress wedding day. My clients have been featured in Brides, The Knot and Style Me Pretty just to name a few. I got my start as a wedding planner in 2010 when I was living in Jackson Hole, WY. To make a long story short, the economy was really bad and no one was hiring. I started doing events for different non-profits and that morphed into an entire event planning business. I moved to Napa in 2014 and expanded to Napa/ Sonoma weddings. Now I only do weddings in Napa/ Sonoma wine country. Read more>>
Hannah Le of Buckle Scrunchies by RE.STATEMENT
After starting my sustainable fashion company, RE.STATEMENT, I decided to scale with my own invention: The Buckle Scrunchie. It’s the one hair accessory you need: reliable throughout the day and rewards you when you’re done. I’ve had this idea since I was 13 years old. I had actually forgotten all about it until one day I decided that I never wanted my hair ties to pull my hair out ever again, and I took out my old sewing machine from college and started prototyping. Before starting my own company, I worked at startups, fashion companies, and started my own mini lifestyle brand in college to pay the bills. Since I was 3 years old, I always wanted to be a fashion designer and learned to sew at a very young age. I’d cut up (or “upcycle”) old fabric scraps or plastic grocery bags and turn them into little dresses to wear around the house. Read more>>
Kristina Compton of Hilda and Jesse
I began working in kitchens the summer of my junior year of high school. I became all consumed with cooking and knew that it was what I wanted to pursue. I’d been on track to go to college on a basketball scholarship, but plans quickly changed. I worked my way through kitchens in South Carolina and eventually ended up moving to San Francisco. I knew that I wanted to get out of the South and had always dreamed of living in California. And now, I own a restaurant in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, called Hilda and Jesse. Read more>>
Yasmine Payton’s Story
I started off as a blogger in 2015 because a friend suggested it. He told me, “You always have a lot to say, and I think you should write it in a blog because what you have to say is really valid.” I was part of a student organization on campus called Active Minds, where we discussed topics of concern and held general interest meetings for people to express ideas. These discussions often inspired my blogging. My interest in fashion began at the High School of Fashion Industries, likely influenced by shows like “That’s So Raven,” where the main character designed her own clothes. I initially wanted to be a fashion designer but changed my major several times in college before settling on Public Communication. This major solidified my love for writing and speaking, and I continued blogging about important topics during that time. Read more>>
Alicia Stevens
I started in the fall of 2021 when I was brainstorming hobbies to keep me busy through the upcoming winter in Fairbanks, Alaska. With two under two, I was also wanting to find something productive that could be a stress reliever and act as my time for myself. Read more>>
Sarah Amrou of Saniia
My journey began with a deep-rooted connection to my heritage as a first-generation American with Lebanese roots. At 17, I left the States to immerse myself in Lebanon, planning a short trip that turned into over a decade of living, learning, and growing. This experience not only shaped my cultural identity but also instilled in me a strong sense of resilience and adaptability. After completing my studies in Lebanon, I returned to the U.S. with a vision to blend my cultural insights and creative passions. I founded Saniia, a creative marketing agency, driven by the desire to craft compelling stories that resonate and connect. Building Saniia from the ground up wasn’t easy; it required navigating numerous challenges and constantly evolving. However, the support of my family and the lessons learned from the vibrant creative community in Beirut were invaluable. Read more>>
Stephanie Herman
I was brought up in a lovely NYC apartment on a gentrified avenue just a block away from a hotel filled with drug addicts and prostitutes. My public junior high school was filled with frustrated, angry teens whose only communication was to fight.. I hid my fears by pretending I was strong. Standing tall as if it didn’t have a care in the world. It was at my JHS Gym period in the midst of hormonal crunch sweating teens when Mrs. Roberts, the gym teacher walked over to my mid crunch to invite me to her after school ballet group? With my stomach stuck in a tight crunch I responded, “ok.” Read more>>
Juanita Mcclain
My journey to success began at a time where nothing in my world made sense. Writing my troubles back then was a coping method through the ails of life and sickness. But my writing journey opened many doors for me. It sparked the motivation and determination I needed to become a successful Author, Educator and Advocate. Read more>>
Becky Leifman
I always loved performing as I was growing up. That love took me to college for acting and while there, I learned about a group of actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities that practiced theater skills every night as they prepared for their bi-annual show. I fell in love with the program, with the people, and with the work – and decided that I’d much rather make that a career than performing. When I moved to NYC, no program like that existed so my friends and I started our own! Fast forward: CO/LAB Theater Group is in its 13th season, reaching over 300 actors with developmental disabilities per year. I left CO/LAB as its Executive Director in Februrary of 2024 and am now looking for a new role in philanthropy – hopefully staying as close to the intersection of arts and disability as possible. Read more>>
Cristina Chianese’s Story
I was born and raised in Commack, a special town on Long Island, where my earliest friendships—from kindergarten onwards—continue to shape my life. My journey began in these vibrant community settings, where I participated in activities like the student council and the girls’ leadership corps. My sport was track and field, and I loved the 400 the best! As I began to think about college, I applied to several ROTC programs and academies, ultimately securing a full scholarship with the ARMY ROTC to attend Loyola University. However, just as I was about to begin this new chapter, I had a terrible accident that not only threatened to take my leg but irreversibly altered my trajectory. Although my scholarship was maintained for a few years, the incident profoundly changed my plans and my outlook on life. The challenging recovery process not only taught me resilience but also instilled a robust “can do” attitude in me, fueling my drive to surmount any obstacle. Read more>>
Victoria Stevens’s Story
I started my career as a stage actress when I was 10 years old. I performed in church performances and community theatre mostly. Then when I graduated high school and started attending college, I found that my true love was film/tv acting. I changed majors from social worker to R/T/F communications and minored in journalism. I would on occasion pick up theatre opportunities here and there. However, my love for the camera led me to pursue a career in film/tv. I started to improve my craft and landed an agent and a manger. Which then led to being booked on amazing projects from 21 bridges to a new feature called Relay that is coming out next year. It has been quite a journey so far. Read more>>
Meg Tyo
I started college many years ago with the goal of becoming a photographer. During that time my grandfather began to struggle with age-related challenges, and seeing the impact that had on him and on our family made me realize that photography was not my only passion. I ended up graduating with a degree in Studio Art and Photography with minors in psychology and gerontology, and then obtained my Master’s in Social Work (MSW). After graduation I began working as an emergency room and ICU social worker, and photography fell to the wayside. Read more>>
Audrey Tappan
I didn’t grow up in the city and didn’t have many resources around me for acquiring technical art skills, but what I did have was an environment that allowed me to be completely myself and explore my creativity in organic and playful ways. I grew up on a farm in Duette, Florida and picked up practical skills from my parents like finding solutions to problems using out-of-the-box thinking. If I wanted to build something but didn’t have the classic materials I could get creative with how I would find a solution, what other materials could serve the same purpose? This seeped into everything I did as I got older, especially in college when I wanted to create a work of art based on inspiration but didn’t have the budget to acquire the needed materials. From fashion photoshoots with thrifted clothing and a bag of Mcdonald’s food or product photography for Redbull using odds and ends from the Dollar Store. Read more>>
Julia Wosiak
Acting has been my passion since childhood and all the other forms of art such as literature, film, and music, have shaped the way I see the world and try to live my life. I saw stories everywhere and soon began to write on my own. Zuzka Jankowska, an incredible artist as well as my friend, was the first one to read and critique my work back in middle school. I used to email her weekly with a new chapter of my book, and all I can say is that she loved it. Growing up in Poland I saw so many stories, that I’ve never seen in the theater or on screen. So many beautiful and tragic accounts of life, full of grief and pain. During the pandemic, I spent a lot of time on the phone with my grandmother, and as always, she told me so much about the lives of people around her and the way they were affected by the history of my country. Read more>>
Dana Cooper of Ritualist
Ritualist began as an online shop in the spring of 2020: I was living in Brooklyn at the time and I knew that I wanted to open a storefront in my hometown in upstate NY, but I figured that starting online would be the best way to satisfy my desire to launch a retail business before I officially made the move back up north. I’m really glad that I began online, because it gave me the opportunity to dip my toe into the world of shop ownership and start building an audience without having the added stress of managing a physical space and a large inventory! I used Instagram and a newsletter to connect with folks online, and I shipped orders out of my home for the first year. Our limited inventory was primarily made up of herbal tinctures, tarot decks, candles, and crystals, with a focus on small, independent brands and makers. Read more>>
Isabella Barrett
Isabella Barrett’s journey from the spotlight of “Toddlers and Tiaras” to entrepreneurial success is nothing short of extraordinary. At the tender age of 6, she made headlines as one of the youngest self-made millionaires in the United States. Her entrepreneurial spirit and keen eye for investment have propelled her to build a mini empire, earning her recognition on prestigious lists such as Business Insider’s 50 Brands to Watch and Yahoo’s Young and Rich 50 CEOs to Watch. Investing in her future from an early age, Isabella directed her earnings into five different ventures, strategically positioning herself as a force in the business world. Her knack for identifying promising opportunities led three of her investments to become top sellers on Amazon, solidifying her reputation as a savvy angel investor. Read more>>
Amy Jacobus of Grounded Growth Marketing
I always say I started a business by accident. Truth is, starting my own thing wasn’t the dream. I wanted to combine my passion for writing with my love of dance, and so I moved to NY, where I knew there was a larger market for arts journalism. I landed a full-time job working in a boutique PR firm for the performing arts, and I spent six months begging critics from The New York Times to come to our client’s shows, only to watch some of those clients get crushed by negative reviews, It felt like there were better ways to tell an artists’ story and share their work with the world. Read more>>
Mindy Davey
My name is Mindy Davey and I’m an independent artist from Buffalo NY. I’m going to be 12 years sober in September. At a young age growing up I had 2 brothers, so I was a tomboy and because of that I had a hard time finding friends. I was picked on often by certain “Clicks” in school, so I felt I would never be able to fit in. During homecoming week, I was invited to a party and I thought that was my chance to make friends, get to know other kids from the school and just fit in. When I went to that party I was introduced to OxyContin for the first time and instantly I became addicted. All the problems going on in my life instantly went away. Read more>>
Melanie Reese
I find that asking an artist “how it all started” is such a difficult question to answer, because for most of us, it’s such an enigma of a journey; art has been a part of us, a part of our lives from the very beginning with no real start and, likely, no real end. Drawing and coloring has always been something I loved doing as a child; it kept me busy for hours and helped with anxiety throughout my high school years. I began on the advanced track in middle school, went on to AP Art in high school, and, when applying to colleges, it was important for me to find a liberal arts program that had a great arts department. That’s how I ended up choosing Skidmore College. However, even then, I didn’t realize I would want to major in studio art until I took my first college art course––color theory. I just immediately fell in love with it all and realized I needed art in my life, forever. Read more>>
Jean Schapowal
1987 Graduate of School of Visual Arts with a BFA in Fine Arts. Majored in cartooning and illustration. Freelanced for a few years , then started a family. As my family was growing I started to make cakes just for my family but it quickly grew from there. cakes became another medium for me. I started my own business which quickly grew to cover everything from weddings to birthdays and everything in between. As I became more proficient in my skills I began competing at local cake competitions and then branching out to national ones . I then began getting called for magazine work, and TV appearances. That lead to recognition in the form of more magazine features, awards and sponsorships. And then last year I was able to represent the United States in Milan Italy at the World Cake Designers Championship! The work is still going strong with so many other wonderful opportunities on the horizon! Read more>>
Jessica Valentine of Haven
I spent 5 years in the tattoo industry as a shop assistant and manager before eventually starting to tattoo. In 2022 I opened up my shop, Haven, with my wife in NYC after about a decade of tattooing. Read more>>
Laronda Sullivan of Coco’s Beauties
Laronda Sullivan embarked on her journey as an esthetician driven by a passion to redefine beauty standards. Encountering misconceptions about natural beauty in the media, she was inspired to create Coco’s Beauties, LLC, a platform dedicated to educating clients on proper skincare techniques and treatments. Motivated by her own experiences, Laronda aimed to empower individuals of all ages and skin types to embrace their uniqueness. Through services like chemical peels, dermaplaning, DPN treatment, and more, she established a safe haven that celebrates diversity and individual beauty. Laronda’s commitment to empowering others has not only earned her a stellar reputation in the Bay Area but has also fueled unprecedented growth and acclaim for her professionalism, innovation, and exceptional service delivery. Read more>>
Kristin Murphy
My story begins from the time I was young making crafts in my parent’s basement to helping my grandmother tear apart furniture to be brought back to life in her garage. As I grew older I began attending craft shows to sell the items I would create with the help of my family. At a local craft show I was approached and informed my friend would be selling her flower and gift shop and I knew it was the right time to take things to the next level selling my items from a storefront rather than from a folding table at craft shows. I’m now just shy of six years in and wouldn’t change a thing from where my story started to how I got myself to the now. Read more>>