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.

Reba Shapiro

I am honest in the fact that I never planned to be a holistic health and wellness coach. Originally, I planned to continue what had been to a point, my life’s work, supporting schools, families and child development. Growing up, I was comfortable in the caretaker role. In high school, I volunteered at a nearby early education center where I continued for a number of years when I was home from college. In college, I mentored local public school students and eventually came to run the mentoring program. I ultimately even got my masters degree in Family and Human Development with the aim to assist families in raising their children and creating a happy home. Read more>>

Donnielle James

During a few years of college, and then into my first work experiences, and first Masters degree, I was single focused on becoming a Psychologist. ( The speciality changed around a little but the end goal was the same). At the time, I was in my twenties, and ignoring some subtle (and not always subtle) messages from colleagues (and my own providers). Working in social services and mental health settings basically opened my eyes to the importance of more holistic ways of working with others, and the importance of self care and deeper healing. I observed the inequalities in access to care, especially more preventive and holistic modalities. I also experienced compassion fatigue, before I knew what the term was (while working at a locked psychiatric facility in Northeast LA). Read more>>

Kathleen Ives

The most defining moment of my career was actually the ending of a 10-year chapter in corporate marketing. I had thought when I reached my goals of being a Marketing Director and working in the beauty industry I would be happy. I wasn’t. When I got freed from my job in June it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was finally able to fully dive into my own work and passions and believe in me. I wanted to become a death doula. Little did I know, 3 weeks after my freedom one of my best friends got diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer and passed away within 10 days. Had I been at my corporate job, I would have never been able to be her crossing guard to the other side or spend as much time and support as I did. It was the biggest blessing of time I’ve ever received. I finally trusted in the universe and built my own brand and dove into creativity, doing UGC for brands and taking on more spiritual clients and my world view completely shifted to the positive. Sometimes, you just have to jump. Read more>>

Casey Westbrook

As a gradutate student, I started to run ultramarathons, after 10 years of running shorter distances. I loved the experience, getting out into nature, feeling completely alone & relient on myself & my body to keep me moving. I spent about 3 years doing that when I signed up for my longest race yet, a 100k race in the foothills of the Sierras on the Western States course. I spent many months preparing for this event with long runs & building up mileage. 2 weeks before the event I was climbing indoors with some friends when I slipped & hit my knee HARD on the wall, I was pretty sore, but I was 2 weeks out from the event, & I had spent so much time training I decided to go for it anyways. I finished the race, but at the end of the race I couldnt fully straighten or bend that knee & the pain was excruciating. I took me 2 years before I could run again on that leg. At the time running was who I was, it was how I spent my time & it was a major part of my identity. I felt like I had lost myself from this injury, & I was depressed for months. But ultimately I am grateful for this injury. It forced me to expand my life & how I spend my time, to build community & to not put all my eggs into one basket. and that endurance athletes NEED to strength train. Read more>>

Jennifer Beagle

There was indeed a pivotal moment in my career, rooted in a personal struggle that reshaped not only my work but my purpose. Growing up, I faced challenging experiences with body image, partly influenced by societal pressures and the unrealistic expectations often seen in fields like pageantry. My journey with overcoming an eating disorder became both my personal battle and, eventually, my mission: to redefine what it means to be healthy, resilient, and empowered. This mission led me to collaborate with organizations like Sweetser Mental Health, where I participated in interviews and campaigns to dismantle the stigma surrounding eating disorders. As someone who’s navigated both the internal and external battles of recovery, I felt compelled to create a more compassionate dialogue around these issues—one that recognizes eating disorders as struggles that affect all body types, backgrounds, and journeys. Read more>>

Serif Krkic

I was born in Bosnia in 1989, a place of beauty that, in my early years, became a landscape of chaos and fear. I was only six when the civil war broke out, forcing my family and me to flee from the only home we knew. Our village was destroyed in the conflict, leaving us with nothing but the clothes on our backs and the will to survive. For months, we moved from place to place, breaking into abandoned homes, setting up makeshift shelters, and then moving on when it became too dangerous to stay. My family lived off the land as best as we could, sometimes scavenging for food or finding temporary safety in remote areas, but the threat of violence was always close behind. I remember one particular moment that still sticks with me—a memory that became the embodiment of fear. I was hiding behind a large tree on a hillside while missiles flew overhead, the sound of explosions filling the air. At just six years old, I was gripped by the very real possibility that this could be the end. I couldn’t fully process it then, but looking back, I can see how those years of constantly running, living in survival mode, and witnessing the fragility of life around me left a mark on my mind and body. I carried that survival instinct with me into adulthood without even realizing it, always bracing for danger, even when there was none. Read more>>

Maxine Oglesby

A moment that drastically changed my career was being attacked on the job for just doing my job. It sounds strange but here in Philadelphia is a jungle. I started working as a crossing guard last year for about four months. Then I was jumped suffering a broken nose broken hand, ptsd, and concussion. After I went through a period of depression because of the circumstances, one day I just woke up and decided ti tell the story on TikTok and it blew up. This sparked my budding career as a content creator. I make content about fashion, politics, vlogs of my daily life, and mutual support for others. I realized my strength and tenacity, I started to fall in love with myself. No matter what Im going to chase my dreams as a creator/model and see where it leads me. Read more>>