Kindness begets kindness. So, wanted to create a space to share and amplify stories of kindness with the hope that it inspires a chain reaction.

Michael Ramirez

Most innovative move I’ve ever made in my career has been removing the Expectation that family would be my most loyal line of clientele.nRemoving that aspect of disappointment early, allowed me to understand that Strangers become our biggest supporters! Read more>>

Stefani M.C. Janelli

Starting The MIC was one of the most innovative things I’ve done thus far in my career; taking a canceled internship due to COVID and turning it into an opportunity to grow something myself. Beginning as just a music blog, I honed my writing skills and taught myself new and marketable skills. A traditional internship would have given me a great experience, but building something myself came with its own set of challenges. I was forced to wear many hats while being my own manager. Read more>>

Varduhi Movsisyan

I think the most innovative thing I’ve done so far in my career is trust my gut and take the leap to pivot to Style Coaching during COVID. My first career was actually in education–I hold my MA in Education from the American University of Armenia, and worked at a private school as well as at my own private learning center. I loved how, as a teacher, I was able to work with people, and to use my listening and communication skills to uplift and inspire them. Read more>>

Elizabeth McMillin

Two words: HiiT Dough. This was originally a plant based protein bar (HiiT Bars), I messed up a recipe for a new bar one day and it turned out like a dough. I cancelled my PO for 30,000 bars and focused on creating HiiT dough. It’s the same exact ingredients but a revolutionary product! There’s nothing else like it out there. This can be an obstacle when educating customers because they want to know what it’s most like. They laugh when I say a plant based protein bar. And you know what it’s least like? Cookie dough! Except the taste, texture, and nostalgia of course! Read more>>

Jerome Anthony

One of the most innovative things I’ve done in my career was bring everything I do into one. I’m a musician, fashion designer, digital graphics artist, content creator, and a prolific writer. By bringing everything I do under one umbrella it’s allowed me to expand more, focus on my goals and reach more people in the process. Read more>>

Molly Lemaota

In 2021 soon after things started opening up, My family and I decided we wanted to take a Disney vacation. We were looking to go, to announce our pregnancy and to spend some time in Florida with family. My Husband Suggested we work with a travel advisor, I wasn’t wanting to take on such a daunting task while being pregnant. He sent me a tik tok of a travel advisor named Lynn. She was the owner & travel advisor of alluring enchantments travel! Lynn made everything so easy, she was kind and she loved Disney as much as I did! Read more>>

Coco Jourdana

I think the kindest thing someone has ever done for me was to give me a chance when I was just starting out as a photographer. One of my really good friend had been a professional photographer for a while and one day after seeing some of my work, took me aside and told me I really needed to do this professionally. She took the time to mentor me, to answer any and all questions I had and she had me as an assistant for a while so I could learn all aspects of the business. Read more>>

Tyson Campbell

The kindest thing someone has ever done for me validates my feelings. Growing up I denied my feelings a lot, especially around what my intuition was telling me about the ways I was treated by someone, I felt a lot of the times I was seen as a liar or I just needed to “get over it” or move on from the past when these feelings catered to an event that really hurt me in my life. Read more>>

Kimi Quinn

We are going to get a little deep here. I have been in business in Fuquay-Varina for almost 10 years. It’s a Small Town but can have a big town feel, Last year in our 9th year, we moved to a new showroom in the same building. This was huge for us, We started in an 800 sq foot space in Durham, NC. Moved to a 1200 SQ ft showroom, and with this community’s help and support, we have grown to love. Read more>>

Yanique Powell

In January 2020, I started my Graduate program at Hunter College in Educational leadership. Unbeknownst to me, COVID would hit three months later and the future of my participation in this program would become uncertain. As everyone scrambled to figure out how we would move forward, I was just ready to withdraw from the program. I really wanted to complete the program, but it just felt like it would be impossible being a mom, having a full-time job, and the many other things I wear hats in. Read more>>

Pati Stajcar

As an artist, research and development is a high priority; researching your subjects and developing that knowledge into a product. The life of an artist is a lifetime of learning and experimenting with that knowledge. Early in my career I attended a stone carving symposium in Marble, CO aptly named Marble Marble. I met Gerald Balciar there and spent a glorious week learning how to carve stone. At the end I mentioned if he ever needed an apprentice I’d hope he would consider giving me a shot. Read more>>

Greg Hansen Sr

I think that we’ve approached this business from a different perspective. I like to create simple and efficient while Mikie designs from an artist’s perspective. Because of our ignorance about this industry, we didn’t know the “rules”. Our best ideas have come from just trying something to see what happens and building on that. I’m more focused on R&D than on higher production. The better ideas will get developed while the others fade away. Our “Starry Night G-carta by Mikie” is our classic example of that. The first attempts looked more like fried eggs, while over time it now looks pretty good. Read more>>

Susan Freda

When I was struggling to make enough money to support myself (circa 1999) I won the prestigious Pollock Krasner Foundation Award of 20,000. It was such an honor and I felt so respected for my work. This grant allowed me to live in a cabin in the woods for a year and make art with focus and not worry about working for the first time in my life. It was not much money when I look back but somehow I made that 20K last a year! The Pollock Krasner Foundation and especially Lee Krasner who created this fund.. will always have a very special place in my heart. Read more>>