Defining moments aren’t just exciting – they are thought-provoking and fertile ground for learning. These inflection points often are the result of an illuminating moment where some truth of the universe presents itself in an easier to recognize form. Below, you’ll find talented and successful entrepreneurs and artists sharing the stories of defining moments in their lives.

Kara Shull

My career really started back in college when I chose the long path of attempting to go to medical school. It wasn’t until I took a part time college job working for a non-profit that I discovered my love for community outreach. I decided to take a detour from the medical school path, and do an Americorp program in NYC after I graduated, and little did I know, this would later be a foundational season in my career. Read more>>

Kenny Lipton

The defining moment that literally changed my life’s entire direction took place when I was working in the physical therapy field. Read more>>

Collins De la Cour

In 2018 I was laying on the floor of my daughters nursery while she napped—my mind spinning with thoughts of a future I could not fathom. I was exhausted, overwhelmed and beside myself. I had just learned of a very public interlude my husband at the time had had with another woman at a professional conference, and I knew in my heart that there were likely more instances of infidelity that were quietly emancipating themselves like ghosts from the closet. I knew I had to get out of my marriage, but how? Read more>>

Naledi Sesinyi.

March 2020 when the whole world shut down, my real world began. I had to dig deeper and find the version of who I am meant to be in this life in every single layer of my existence. So I can’t express how much meaning this article being written in December 2022 means. It is not just about me anymore. It is about why I am even taking up space – to contribute with my life every resource inside of me with those I am meant to serve and those whom chose to love me personally. Read more>>

Melissa Romero

For many years I believed you had to work hard to be successful. I was born the daughter of a teen mom and alcoholic father. Throughout my childhood it was told to me that only when you work hard do you get to be successful. My mother, being the wife of an alcoholic, always had to pull double duty to make ends meet. My father, being an alcoholic, could never do enough to take us out of poverty. Read more>>

Evie Fleming

I have had a few defining moments both personal and professional. If I look back at them they were all related to times in my life where I had to really step into me! By that I mean I had to let go of outside voices, images and what I thought was needed of me and actually embrace what I could feel and connect with inside. We often get lost in the “I should”. Read more>>

Brook Belden

In my work, the most interesting is always the one that created the greatest resistance and breakthrough! So for me, it was 4 1/2 years ago. My husband and I were running a business together. We had been working hard and hustling for years. We created some great success – built a great community, became leaders in our industry, and grew a ton, but we were doing it all on hustle principles and it was all off. Read more>>

Kim Ownby.

I’ve been in Massage Therapy for the last 16 years, and I had two very close, friends and family become ill with different types of cancers. They were diving into more natural ways to Increase the body’s immune system and chance to fight their cancers. It was devastating to see a friends of mine, both so young and with young families, dealing with the harsh reality of living with cancer. Read more>>

Beth Surya

There have been tiny, profound moments throughout my life– Growing up in Las Vegas as a first generation Mexican-American, taking an unwanted camera from my parents, photographing my friends in grade school., teaching in our District (Clark County School), for 5 years, having my 3 daughters, and various traumatic events, to name a few. All of this has been difficult but yet defining for me. Read more>>

Chris Dodson

I’m 100 percent living my dream. I got out of the Army to become a chef. Alinea was my second restaurant job. I was blessed to be on the team that went to Madrid, Spain for the renovation and collaboration with another 3 star Michelin restaurant. During this month in Madrid I was out in charge of making staff meal. Staff meal is “lunch” for the entire restaurant staff. Read more>>

Emily Rasowsky

I will never forget the moment I decided to flip my life completely on its head. I was sitting in my friend’s car after an impromptu coffee date complaining about my life, my work, my reality. I lamented about how I wish I could just change it all and run away to somewhere beautiful to live completely free of the heaviness I was feeling. I was 15 years into a battle with anorexia. Read more>>

Leisha McKinley-Beach

In 2007 I was working with my dear friend and colleague Ronald Henderson who served as the Statewide Minority AIDS Coordinator for the Florida Department of Health Mr Henderson had received data from our epidemiologist that showed Black women represented 70% of the new HIV cases among women for the previous year. Ron went to work putting together a team to address this disproportionate impact of HIV among Florida’s Black women that work led to a Statewide initiative known as Sistas Organizing to Survive (SOS). I didn’t know then that this initiative would launched my work for Black women in HIV for the next 15 years. Read more>>

Dr. Danielle

The single most defining moment in my professional career to date was the day I found out I matched into a plastic surgery residency position. It has always been my dream to become a plastic surgeon, but the road has been anything but easy. Initially, getting into medical school was a struggle as it took three separate application cycles over a span of five years before I finally gained an acceptance. Read more>>