Stories & Lessons for Finding Your Purpose

Below you’ll find the stories and lessons of some of the best and brightest entrepreneurs, artists and creatives in the community and how they found their purpose.

William Moore

Finding purpose is an interesting idea. For a military brat, I didn’t have to go looking. I already came preprogrammed as — curious. Curious about people, cultures, technology, art, ideas, and my own “limits.” In interviews, I often get asked, “What would you do if you weren’t a musician?” That always seemed like an odd question to me. For many musicians, creating music is their purpose. They convey ideas and improve upon them. They teach or discuss music and make it a reality. Read more>>

Ayako Lopez

My journey to becoming a lymphatic drainage massage therapist began with a deeply personal connection. both my mother and best friend battled with breast cancer, and witnessing their struggle inspired me to make a difference in the lives of others facing similar challenges. Through their experiences, I became acutely aware of the struggles breast cancer patients endure, including the often-overlooked impact of secondary lymphedema. This realization ignited my passion for learning how to provide relief and improve the quality of life for those affected. Helping others on their healing journeys has become my purpose and a way to honor the resilience of the women who mean the most to me. Read more>>

Kevin Russell

Oh, that’s a great question! At a fundamental, energetic level, I feel our “purpose” as humans is as simple as experiencing all the vast contrast this amazing world has to offer and releasing attachment or resistance to the contrast. When we can experience contrast without resistance or attachment, that is finding the flow state in life. The flow state is where we can embrace life’s highs and lows with open arms, and still return to balance, or the “middle-way” from Zen Buddhism. Read more>>

Matthew Mee

This goes back towards the later half of high school. As a school we were required, every Monday, to watch the student news. It was about 10 minutes but they were one of the longest 10 minutes of the day. One day, I told myself I probably could make this way more entertaining to watch. Unfortunately I had to take the intro to visual communications class before I could get into the advanced class that created the news. I had a conversation with the teacher who made a deal with me that if I can show her a video that I made that expresses that I know the ins and outs of video editting she would let me in. I watched alot of video editting videos to learn how to do the basics, (I was using iMovie at the time) and I also had an upcoming trip to Mexico so I planned to do a travel video. I can say that she was convinced enough to let me in the class and that led me to who I am today. Read more>>

George Liopetas

Finding my purpose was a journey, and like anyone, I’ve had my share of good and bad days—that’s just part of the beautiful game called life. To truly find happiness most days, I believe it’s essential to discover your purpose—a reason that makes you excited to wake up every morning with a smile. For me, that purpose is photography. Read more>>

Tamara Schindler

It might sound a bit sentimental and perhaps not something typically celebrated in the business world, but we follow our intuition—and with it, our hearts—in everything we do. It was our heartfelt desire to become independent and self-reliant, to move away from 9-to-5 jobs and rigid structures. We wanted to give space to our creativity and dreams, and we chose to make this happen in the event industry. Read more>>

Gabe Zelico

Being a mental performance coach, and training to be a therapist, it’s clear that empathy is an important skill to hone. I “flexed my empathy muscle” in an unconventional way though! Being born with symbrachydactyly – essentially just a few fingers on one of my hands – lead to insecurity. I was always scanning to see if people were looking at it, and if so, what were they thinking? When I was clearly having trouble carrying things, did people pity me? When I excelled in sports, were they impressed? As I matured and shed this insecurity, I realized it helped me naturally put myself in other people’s shoes. Sports, namely hockey, did wonders for my self-esteem as it related to my hand. Quite honestly, I was impressed with myself being able to play so well despite an obvious disadvantage, and I figured others were too. And if they weren’t, I didn’t care! Read more>>

Miguel Viera

It is something everyone is looking for. Some people go their whole life without finding it. I discovered the answer for myself when I answered this question? What is the most important thing I can do in my life when looking at it through the lens of the Bible? Simply put, it is to bring God glory in all I do. I think Pastor JD Greear said it best when he said, “Whatever you’re good at, do it well to the glory of God and do it somewhere strategic for the mission of God.” Read more>>

Jared Scott

For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt a deep sense of purpose rooted in people. I’ve always known that connecting with others and making a positive impact would be central to my life’s work. This understanding has evolved over the years, but it first began to take shape when I was just 13 years old. It was then that I realized the barbershop could be more than just a place for haircuts—it could be a vehicle for meaningful connection, personal growth, and community impact. Read more>>

Keeshma Richardson

I believe that my purpose continues to evolve as the years pass so there is so much about my purpose that is still to be discovered; as I lean more into what I do know, I grow deeper into my purpose. What I do know presently about my purpose is that I am a healer by way of clinical psychology, spiritual practices, and eastern medicine modalities. Read more>>

Spencer Giorgio

The Purpose of The Azure is to deliver premium, handmade beach products that elevate one’s relaxation experience. Relaxing comfortably should be an attainable luxury, however, the market has yet to provide a product that marries premium functionality with chic aesthetic. Having called Asia + Europe home for the majority of my twenties, the purpose of The Azure was built upon being inspired by snippets of foreign countries “beach culture” and mashing it into one, functional brand that maximizes comfort with minimal effort. The Azure was born in Bangkok, refined in Madrid, and brought to life in Los Angeles, all three cities are found in the branding and product offerings. We want people to feel a certain type of way when they use our products – our purpose helps enable this and makes it a reality wherever they are relaxing. Read more>>

Joanna Nisbet

Growing up I was the baby of six children, so I had the opportunity of having a large family, while also getting to experience being an only child. The best of both worlds? Since my brothers and sisters were so much older than I was, it was difficult for them to connect with me. It also made it hard to connect with my peers when I started school. Needless to say I spent a lot of time alone and in my imagination. My pals were my pets, which included a Shetland pony named Browny, a dobermann named Victus, and a floppy eared bunny named Thumper. Even now I have more furry friends than people. Read more>>

Shivika Varshney And Esha Sehgal

Growing up surrounded by rapidly evolving technology, we shared a fascination with its endless possibilities. By middle school, our curiosity had blossomed into a passion for coding. As we progressed through high school, we decided that we wanted to pursue computer science. However, we couldn’t ignore the sad reality of the underrepresentation of women in tech reflected in our own classrooms where girls were noticeably absent from STEM courses. Read more>>

Lisa Lee

I actually had to find a NEW purpose, a new professional purpose. I suffered a mysterious health decline that was finally diagnosed as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS). I lost my online business, I lost a profession of over 25 years, I lost the ability to pursue those aspects that helped define me for years, so I lost a part of myself. As an avid reader, and with my husband’s support on many levels, I decided to start a review blog to combat the depression and fill the time while I figured things out. It focused on indie horror books and became rather popular rather quickly. That led to opportunities to do beta reads, where you read a story before final editing and give feedback to the author. Read more>>

Nana Chen

I want to define myself first, my work encompasses many facets, but they all begin with the feelings and experiences of people. This foundation has sparked a series of intriguing creative journeys for me. I found my purpose through a journey of exploration and connection, shaped by my heritage, my surroundings, and the people I’ve encountered along the way. My artistic path began with formal education in fine arts and evolved through various creative endeavors, from visual design projects for cultural organizations to founding my floral art studio, Urbanbotany. Read more>>

Lorenzo Volpintesta

I didn’t have to search far to find my purpose. I struggled in school when I was young and had difficulty connecting with my teachers and classmates. However, I always had a love for creating and entertaining, which led me to develop a strong interest in puppeteering and animation, particularly stop-motion. Stop-motion appealed to me due to its approachability; it’s easy to pick up and learn, yet it has unlimited potential to engage audiences. I distinctly remember deciding to pursue animation professionally after seeing Henry Selick’s *The Nightmare Before Christmas* (1993). A couple of years later, I was withdrawn from public school, and since then, I have cherished every day that I have been free to focus on my passion for animation. Read more>>

Joey Betesh

I believe that purpose is passion. One of my first jobs as a teenager was assisting in operating a retail chain in New York. Through this job, I gained insight into every aspect of the business. My duties entailed everything from sweeping the floors, to organizing merchandise on the shelves, to warehousing and buying products. Since these early days in retail I have always had a passion for creativity and lifestyle brands, knowing I would likely create my own brand one day. Read more>>

Mie Iwatsuki

I always try to situate myself with creative people or practice, perhaps because I was also an artist (painter/ art student) before and I best connect with artists, mentally , emotionally and intellectually. I believe art is the form that can help many people to communicate without languages and it can also serve as a medium for contemplation, connection and meaningful conversations and ultimately self reflection. I like people who has insights and worldly and have interest in global issues and conscious about society. I feel that great artists are not indifferent to others in a sense because ultimately we can not live without each other, living in the harmony to find purpose. I have been very fortunate to being surrounded amazing artists around the world today and have sat for them. Read more>>

Kali Banks

I found my purpose when I found myself. This journey began with a deep, personal quest for answers and solutions. I was exhausted by suffering and had to confront the reality that I didn’t have the answers. The things I was doing, and the places I was looking, weren’t providing them either. In a moment of surrender, I turned to the Creator as I had many times before—but this time was different. For the first time, I was sincere enough to stop, be still, and truly listen. Read more>>

Kay Wright

I have always felt my purpose was to help people who haven’t had the opportunities I have been given. I began my work career as a young girl by mowing yards in my small town in Indiana. In high school I volunteered as a Candy Striper at the local hospital. I majored in Speech and Language Pathology and began my career working with speech-impaired students, as well as special-needs students. Read more>>

Catherine Kay

I really experimented ALOT, I tried multiple jobs, explored different careers, but ultimately It all came back to things that used to spark so much joy in me when I was a child. I look back to my childhood and really what I am doing right now, really correlates with what I loved doing when I was younger. Read more>>

Victor Steinbrueck

In my mind, finding ones purpose is an ever evolving task. The trick is to not let fear stop you from finding the next path to purpose. For me, I did not find cooking as a purpose of mine until my mid twenties. I grew up identifying as a basketball player. That dream came crashing down on me as injuries prevented me from continuing. It took me quite some time to fall in love with cooking the way I have. I actually didn’t even have cooking as a profession on my radar until a close friend suggested I take a job doing so. They had witnessed the joy food and cooking gave me over the years. Something I did not realize myself. Read more>>

Elizabeth Alvarado

Finding my purpose came in an unexpected way. In the autumn of 2023, my brother fell critically ill. I rushed him to the emergency room, where he was admitted after several hours of testing. As the days passed, I learned that he had sepsis and the infection had reached his heart. A week later, he underwent heart surgery to replace three heart valves. Unfortunately, the infection was so severe that his chest had to remain open. Two more surgical procedures were necessary to clean the infection in his heart. Finally, on the third surgery, the surgeon was able to close his chest. Read more>>

Angie Pietraszewski

For most of my life, I was suffering from numerous health issues of my own. By my mid 30’s, I felt my sickest ever. I struggled with liver issues, insomnia, depression, anxiety, addiction, borderline Type 2 diabetes, imbalanced hormones, chronic colds, and respiratory illnesses. I felt my sickest ever and thought there was no way out, nothing could help me, and I would forever be caught in this vicious cycle. I was at a point in my life where I had hit rock bottom and felt like I was failing in every area of my life. Previously a registered nurse, I was so ill and no longer able to work. I remember thinking, “Is this really it? Is this my life now?” Read more>>

Erika Lee

Finding my purpose has been a journey of self-discovery, filled with challenges and opportunities for growth. It began with my love for dance, which I pursued with passion and dedication, even moving to New York City to study contemporary dance and arts management. However, as much as I loved dance, I began to feel burned out and in need of something more. That’s when I discovered the world of buttercream floral art. As I immersed myself in learning this new skill, I realized that my purpose was about more than just the specific art form I was pursuing. Read more>>

Dejay Mcneil

When I was a kid, I would come home from school and my mom would ask me how my day was. Regardless of how exciting, I would start from the time I walked out my door, until the the time I returned. I made everything into a story. Little did I know that story-telling was my passion and purpose. As I kid, maybe 8 or 9 I wrote 2 short books, never published, but my family seemed to enjoy the books, and I enjoyed reading as well. I used to bring home story books from school to have my mom read it to me and my sister, because she liked to act out the scenes. Shortly after I got older, I got into the story-telling of music.  Read more>>

Miguel Escalante

My purpose is to pass down essential water safety skills to our youth and uplift communities of color by promoting lifelong knowledge and confidence in the water. Every time I see a child hanging on to a wall or sitting by the edge of a pool with a nervous look, this drives my purpose… Read more>>

Kristi Roberts

My purpose has evolved throughout my life, shaped by years of pain and experience. At 19, I became a teenage mom and eventually married my children’s father. After nine years, we divorced for several reasons, including abuse. During that time, my purpose was to overcome my depression. Later, I decided to compete as a bodybuilder, proving to myself that I could lose over 100 pounds and develop better eating habits through motivation and determination. This journey led me to learn a new skill, and I eventually became a personal health trainer. Read more>>

Danielle Daniels

My purpose became evident after being blessed with the opportunity to work at Sanders-Clyde Elementary School, a defining experience that was further solidified when I welcomed my daughter into the world. My interactions with the dedicated staff, eager students, and supportive community surrounding Sanders-Clyde ignited a deep passion within me to serve and uplift others. These experiences have shaped and defined my purpose: to inspire positive change, foster growth, and create meaningful connections that empower individuals and communities to thrive. Read more>>

Anna Lundmark

For a long time, I felt that I wanted to make a difference in the world. However, I had no idea what that would be or how I would do it. I tried going into the medical field, but it wasn’t giving me that sense of fulfillment. I started working in marketing to develop my creative side and around the same time my Autistic sister in law came to live with my fiancé and I. She needed help and we supported her in overcoming some mental health challenges. On the other side, we saw that there were no paths for her and no jobs available. Yet here was another person who wanted to feel “purposeful.” So I said “Jenna, how about we do something together?” And we launched our company Beauty By Jenna. 11 months later and we have customers in 49 states and have been able to employ another adult with Autism. Our dream is to hire 100 disabled individuals with our company. And we know it’s only the beginning. Read more>>

Daria Makohonova

If I were to be completely honest, I would have to admit that photography originally started just as a hobby for me and a way to earn some pocket money. Back in 2014, when I got my first camera, I never imagined that photography would become such an inseparable part of my life. But just two years later, after countless experiments, mistakes, learning, taking in criticism, and receiving joyful feedback, I realized that this hobby had turned into something that brought me immense joy and fulfillment. Over time, I came to believe that every person is beautiful in their own way, and with my unique perspective on beauty, I could share that vision with the world around me. Today, I can’t imagine my life without interacting with clients, going on photoshoots, hearing their stories, and of course, seeing the joyful smiles when they see themselves through my eyes. Isn’t that what true calling feels like? Read more>>

Dave Young

On a whim, just hoping for an interesting vacation, I attended a week long massage retreat in Hawaii. At the time, I was not a massage therapist and had no plans to become one. But the retreat changed my life and I felt called to study the art of massage. The more experience I have with massage, the more I am intrigued by it. I think we often underestimate the healing power of human touch and how beneficial it can be both physically and emotionally. When I see massage blessing the lives of those I work with, how can I not view what I do as an essential component of my life’s purpose? Read more>>

Trey Jackson

I would say my purpose has always been to motivate and inspire. I realized that at the young age of seven when I was introduced to the sport of football at Trenholm Park in Columbia, SC. No matter what position I played, I wanted to be a player of showmanship like Deion Sanders and Chad Johnson, but also the encouraging and earnestly style of Ray Lewis. During my early years of playing on the gridiron, I had my first opportunity as an actor and model with Z-One Model and Talent Agency. Although as a kid, I honestly just wanted to play football. Read more>>

Tiffany-alysa Accardi

Purpose shows up like an inconvenient but deeply holy interruption. It whispers to you in the middle of your heartbreak, taps you on the shoulder during your disappointment, and says, This isn’t how it’s supposed to be, but what if you did something about it?
For me, purpose began with freedom. Freedom sounded good in theory—this big, sweeping idea of living without limits. But the reality? Freedom was a fight. It meant confronting the lies I’d come into agreement with for too long. Lies that said, You’re not enough. You’re too much. You’ll never have what you need to thrive. Read more>>

Lauren Carden

Finding my purpose has been a journey—definitely not something I figured out overnight. For a long time, I thought my purpose had to be something huge, like changing the world in some big, dramatic way. I wanted to leave a lasting impact on someone’s life, the way so many people have left an impact on mine. But somewhere along the way, I got caught up in a different idea of success. I started thinking my purpose was tied to climbing the corporate ladder, chasing achievements, and fitting into the traditional mold of what success looks like. Read more>>

Andrea S. Knox

My purpose showed up unexpectedly when I became a mom. After my first child was born, I developed Postpartum Depression and Anxiety. This felt like the absolute “wrong” experience when it was supposed to be the happiest time of my life. Once I was able to acknowledge how I was feeling and get the support I needed to recover, I knew I wanted to help other moms in the transition to parenthood. To start, I got involved in a local nonprofit dedicated to improving postpartum mental health as a volunteer, educator, and board member.  Read more>>

Abby Senger

Since I was a child, I’ve always considered myself an artist. I grew up dancing and eagerly signed up for every art class I could find. As I transitioned into adulthood, I knew deep down that I wanted to bring together my passions and become an entrepreneur. To prepare, I started working for small businesses to understand how they operate. During those years, I embraced a free-spirited lifestyle, often moving from place to place. Without realizing it, I put my own dreams on the back burner, channeling my energy into helping others with their operations. Read more>>

Devon Carter

I am originally from Cleveland, Ohio. I eventually earned a basketball scholarship to attend Lehigh University. I got there and struggled, academically & socially. I almost lost my scholarship because of my grades and was challenged by my coach to improve. I decided to make the most of my opportunity in college because I honestly didn’t want to go back to Cleveland without a degree. I felt like I would get caught up in the wrong things just to survive, so I stayed in school as long as Lehigh was paying for it. I ended up realizing that my purpose was to figure out how to inspire our future leaders to understand the importance of education.  Read more>>

Adam Harris

If you’ve been on this planet long enough, you realize that struggle, discomfort, and pain can be the best teacher and path for transformation and insight. I grew up as a bi-racial kid in a small, predominantly white town in Tennessee. I experienced prejudice and hurt, some intentional and some not, from my extended family, school, church, and community. I worked hard to learn and play the social game to “fit in.” Besides my family and friends, I felt the most belonging in my church. It was a conservative Bible-believing community and where I cut my spiritual teeth. I had some spiritually transformative experiences in these spaces and assumed these experiences validated every belief taught in this religious denomination concerning morality, the Bible, other religions, the afterlife, the end of the world, etc. Read more>>

Holly Joy Mccabe

I pursued my own solutions when all traditional avenues failed me. My purpose developed when I saw the need to incorporate so many aspects of mental and physical health in a simplified way that is doable each day. Read more>>

Alex Venguer

I feel like finding your purpose never is really over and it changes and evolves through time. Instead I think of it as a path with choices that lead you one way or another. In my particular case I think it could go back as far as Middle School where I started getting really obsessed with my guitar and music, eventually creating a band with some friends and getting serious and committed enough to release a self produced record. This, in combination with my obsessive listening to records made me realize that I was really into the concept of making records, at first thinking I wanted to work as a producer and be able to lead sessions from the fully artistic side (helping write, arrange, perhaps even play some) and with absolutely no interest in the technical aspect of it.  Read more>>

Flossie Benton Rogers

My interests from a young age involved the unseen energies that bubble beneath the surface of things and spring to life in books and other artistic works. I loved reading and literature and in grade school would devour any new classroom reading book the first day it was handed out. I wrote my first fairy tale at age eight. I was one to tutor my fellow classmates. My career began as a high school English teacher and, thereafter, transferred to library employee, librarian, and eventually library director.  Read more>>

Martina Tasende

Like many illustrators, I grew up dreaming of becoming a Disney artist. It felt like the most natural goal— I had always loved drawing cartoons, creating characters on the fly, and devouring animated movies every week. From very early on, I took on a lot of commission work, and the hugely positive response I got from them encouraged me to sharpen my skills by pursuing a BFA in Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Read more>>

Mayra Garcia

Finding purpose sometimes sounds so Big!! Sometimes when we don´t have a specific purpose we think and feel we are doing something wrong with our life. In my case it all started when I felt there was something missing in my life, that I was “broken” those where the words I used to describe me. Then my journey through therapy started to look for answers. Read more>>

Roberta Morris

I was always an artistic person—coming from a family of creative individuals: writers, crafters, metal workers, artists, photographers, and the musically inclined. You might say creativity is in my blood. As far back as as I can remember, I’ve incorporated graphic design into my school assignments and personal projects. I enjoyed many subjects in school, but art has always been my first love. Read more>>

Liz Ferro

In my memoir, Finish Line Feeling, I talk about finding my purpose in life, and sharing it with others. It’s a compelling story of my journey from foster child and sexual abuse survivor to founder of the nationally recognized organization, Girls With Sole. With brutal honesty, I wrote about my experiences of trauma, and how swimming, biking, and running pulled me through the toughest times of my life, and ultimately unveiled my purpose in life, as they always reminded me of my own strength and worth. Read more>>

Florie Tanquerel

I grew up near Grasse, in the south of France, the perfume capital of the world, region that offers a multitude of gorgeous natural scents alongside the flower fields of roses, jasmine, orange flower and mimosas. Very young, I got an attraction for smelling and wanted to transform this passion into my job! Sometimes with a little bit of luck, important encounters, work and perseverance, some doors opened and I could join very early a famous fragrance house , specialized in perfumes creation and natural raw materials, as a trainee perfumer in partnership with the unique French school of “nez” in Versailles and this amazing adventure could start for me ! During the years, I developed my expertise and become a perfumer working all across Europe, America, and the Middle East, in Paris, Barcelona, Miami, and Dubai for many brands. I was nominated for the 2022 Notables, by the Fragrance Fou. Read more>>

Steven Dupin

Sometimes we don’t find our purpose, it finds us. After my father died of a heart attack at forty years old, I realized how important it was to make healthy choices. I was only fifteen at the time. Read more>>

Diana Sophia

I found my purpose in the chaos and heartbreak I experienced growing up, transforming the trauma I endured into a source of resilience and creativity. From an early age, I wished my parents could be different, but that seemed impossible. I had no choice but to endure mistreatment and wait until I turned 18 to escape. During that time, I dreamed of building a life completely different from theirs. I didn’t know how, but that dream set me on a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, healing, and constant change. Read more>>

Melissa (missy) Molinet

I’ve always known my purpose—it’s as if it was woven into the fabric of my being from the start. Being born with an extrasensory ability to read energy—whether seeing, feeling, or hearing it—gave me a profound sense of direction early on. My role as a healing guide for humanity has always been clear, but what that looks like in practice has evolved over the years. Over the decades, my self-belief and how I live my purpose have grown immensely. At first, I guided others through healing in unexpected ways—through music as a professional singer/songwriter, and later, as a stylist and makeup artist. These roles allowed me to help people see and feel their inner beauty. But recently, my calling has deepened.  Read more>>

Misha Belski

The journey to discover my purpose took about 30 years of my life. In Brooklyn I discovered my love for Hip-Hop. I grew up in the projects in Coney Island in the 90s. Because of this, Hip-hop has just always been a part of my existence. When I moved to Philly I discovered my love for music. Philly is a diverse musical city. A lot of people don’t know this but Disco was invented in Philly around the 60s. There are Jazz clubs, Punk venues, EDM halls, Hip Hop Cyphers, I even went to an underground noise-music show. If the genre exists, there’s a place for that genre in Philly. Read more>>