Over the years we’ve had the good fortunate of speaking with thousands of successful entrepreneurs, artists and creatives. Some are happy, some are not. The happy ones almost always had a strong sense of purpose and so we are very focused on trying to help our community members and audience find their purpose. This series is our attempt to create more dialogue around finding your purpose.

Sernesha Burston

Great Question!

People always say find out who you are but I believe in creating who you are based off GOD’s plan over your life. . Actually analyzing who you are as a person and what value you bring to other’s life/this world. I discovered that my purpose in life definitely had a lot to do with helping people on a deeper level. I am a safe place for so many people including strangers. Rather it’s my angelic powerful singing, my humourous jokes to keep people smiling, or my open heart to listening to people vent while empowering them with positivity.  Read More>>

Brielle Bethune

We found our purpose through a passion for helping individuals, especially small business owners, achieve their dreams of running successful local businesses and being able to proudly say, “I did it.” We love being creative, and marketing speaks to us in a way that makes it clear we can use our skills and knowledge to make a positive impact. It’s widely known that when local businesses thrive, so does the economy, so it’s incredibly fulfilling to contribute to that growth and support others along the way. Read More>>

Ja’ Leke Turner

I found my purpose doing my first year of college I picked up the camera and fell in love. Instantly started missing classes and work to be creating art and I don’t regret it not one bit. That’s when I knew I love what I do. Read More>>

Ryan Kenneth Peterson

I found my purpose when I was a young boy and realized I had artistic talent. It distinguished me from other kids and gave me a way to socialize with them. It was easy, all I had to do was draw them dinosaurs. But internally, I had a drive to just get better at whatever medium I was compelled to create with. Initially, it was pencil drawing, but when I turned 6 years old, or so, I started sculpting in oil-based clay and that was the game changer.  Read More>>

LaTanya Orr

My purpose was revealed as I learned to embrace both my passion for creativity and my calling to uplift other women. Throughout my life — whether launching a business, serving my community, or sharing my story — I kept feeling a gentle, persistent nudge toward creating spaces where women could thrive. That stirring led me to The FoundHERS Suite and my CROWNED for Impact coaching program, where I’ve been able to pour into other women, activate their gifts, and help them take their place at the table Read More>>

Samson Mossallam

For me, purpose isn’t a place I arrived at—it’s something I uncover, again and again, through the work I do. In the face of erasure, it’s the small moments of care that anchor me. Helping another trans person access what they need to live—whether it’s safety, healing, or home—reminds me why I do this. Read More>>

Sarah Sparkman

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the whimsical world of baking and cake decorating. As a child, I loved experimenting in the kitchen—making messes, and colorful creations that brought smiles to my family and friends, who encouraged my creativity early on; fueling a passion that stuck with me even as life became more demanding. Read More>>

 JJ Yosh

For me, finding my purpose was less about a single moment and more about following the pull of curiosity and connection. I’ve always been drawn to nature, adventure, and storytelling — but when I started bringing my cat Simon along and documenting our journeys, everything clicked. The outdoors became my studio, and sharing those wild, cinematic moments turned into a mission: to inspire people to explore, reconnect with the earth, and see the extraordinary in the everyday. Read More>>

Jeyson Herrera

I don’t think I found my purpose in a single moment, I’ve been growing into it, one failure, one prayer, and one race at a time. I come from a place where just getting to the track was already a miracle. I didn’t have sponsors, or resources — sometimes not even bus fare. But I had something stronger: a dream that didn’t die, and faith that God could do what I couldn’t. Read More>>

Ronald Walker

Purely by accident, when I was in high school I had a very poor registration time. The only class left at one point was art. At that point in my life art sort of scared me, no one in my family had ever gone into art let alone had much interest in it, it was alien to my thinking. In any case I wish I could say the class changed my life, however it did not. I did not like the class at all and was relieved when it was over. Read More>>

Rudraa Pratap Singh

I think the word purpose gets misunderstood a lot in today’s world. People relate it too closely to one’s career, and that’s something I’ve always been confused about. It’s so much more than that. When it comes to my career, my love and passion for acting were always around; it didn’t really just ‘pop up’ one day. I always performed for friends and family, imitating others or just ‘acting’ like I was asleep in the car after reaching home from a dinner, just so my parents would carry me to my room. Read More>>

Jordyn Barding

My life has always been shaped by creativity—but for a long time, photography wasn’t the main way I expressed it. I spent years pouring my heart into writing and illustration, thinking those were just hobbies meant to fill my free time. It wasn’t until the transition between high school and college that I began to sense God gently prompting me to think more seriously about the path He had for my life. It felt overwhelming at first, but also freeing—realizing that the gifts He placed in me weren’t just for my own enjoyment, but could actually be part of my calling. Read More>>

Lisa Kirkeberg

I didn’t so much find my purpose as I created it. I spent years following paths that felt safe, predictable… forgettable. But purpose doesn’t whisper—it screams when you finally get still enough to listen. For me, that moment came when I picked up a camera and saw not just faces, but stories. Real women, real beauty, raw emotion. Read More>>

Misty Thomas

Weddings have always held a special place in my heart — the beauty, the emotion, the once-in-a-lifetime moments. But the path to turning that passion into purpose didn’t happen overnight.

Long before I officially opened my business, I spent nearly a decade hosting and executing large-scale events. From coordinating all the moving parts to making sure every guest had a seamless experience, I found so much joy in the behind-the-scenes magic it takes to bring an event to life. Read More>>

Nubia Younge

I didn’t find my purpose immediately, it revealed itself through a number of pivots, painful moments, and divine redirections. After being laid off from my corporate job in 2017, I made the decision to bet on myself and move abroad. What started as a journey to escape burnout turned into a deeper exploration of who I was and what I was called to do. Read More>>

Erin Waxenbaum And Alyson Jarvis

We found our purpose through our children, specifically our daughters.

As mothers to highly sensitive girls, we were searching for simple, meaningful daily journals to support their emotional growth, but nothing on the market felt quite right. So, we created our own. That personal need quickly grew into something bigger. Read More>>

Pedro Franco

I think a lot of people have a desire to find out what their “purpose” is, what they are “meant to do”. I can say that at this point in my life and my career I believe purpose to be about what is the activity that is most fulfilling to you, and usually it is what you do well; that other people find hard or scary; with the least amount of effort, and that I call talent. I played basketball for 7 years, and for those 7 years I worked as hard as a possibly could to become a professional basketball player at any level. Read More>>

Tracy Garley

My purpose revealed itself gradually, and looking back, I realize it had been unfolding all along.
I was the oldest sibling in a Liberian household, so caretaking came naturally — especially through food. By 13, my mother had me in the kitchen. At the time, I didn’t understand it. I even thought she was being hard on me. But now I see she wasn’t just teaching me how to cook; she was preparing me for purpose. Read More>>

Bri Beverly

I didn’t find my purpose in a moment of clarity — I found it in a moment of frustration.

Lotus Life Total Wellness, Inc (@lotuslifetw) started as a quick note scribbled in my phone during one of the hardest stretches of my early career. I was burned out and hadn’t even started the long journey to becoming a licensed therapist — 3,000 hours and a licensing exam in Pennsylvania still ahead of me. Read More>>

Tacye Tilitzky

Tacye Joy Creative was born during my maternity leave, at a time when I was navigating the huge transition of becoming a mom, while also reflecting on how I wanted to show up in the world both personally and professionally. Read More>>

Christina

Working with my hands has always been the clearest way for me to feel in tune with myself. There’s something grounding and honest about shaping raw materials into something expressive—it’s where my thoughts quiet and my instincts come alive. For as long as I can remember, creative expression has been the space where I’ve felt most connected—not only to myself, but to the world around me. Read More>>

Liska Sims

Finding my purpose came after what felt like a breaking point. I had been laid off for the third time in Corporate America, and I remember feeling defeated and unsure of my next step. It was in that moment of uncertainty that I turned to prayer. I asked God to guide me, to show me where I was meant to be and how I could truly make a difference. Read More>>

Patrick Parker

I found my purpose after combining the two things I love doing the most, art and surfing, and seeing how my art affected other peoples emotions. I’ve been blessed with an optimistic outlook on life and that translates into my art. Most people when they view my art say that it makes them feel happy or they love the bright bold colors and subject matter. Making art that has that emotional impact on another persons life even for just a few seconds is so gratifying and drives me to continue on this artist journey. Read More>>

Mike Cardan

Finding purpose has been a long journey for me, and honestly, it still is. But I’ve realized that when you can do something for hours without feeling drained, there’s something meaningful in that. For me, that’s photography and cinematography. I genuinely love the process, from the technical side to the emotional storytelling. Even in my free time, I’m thinking about how to get better, how to push the camera in new ways, and how to see differently. I love sharing what I create with the world. Read More>>

Magic Singh

My purpose didn’t come to me in a single, dramatic moment, it revealed itself quietly, over time. But if I had to point to a defining moment, it would be the day I stood alone in my childhood bedroom, holding a deck of cards not just as a tool of entertainment, but as a compass.

Growing up in a South Asian household in West London, tradition was heavy in the air, expectations of a stable career, modest living, and predictable routines. But I also grew up in a home rich in colour, rhythm, celebration and deep storytelling. Read More>>

AY Young

Finding my purpose wasn’t like this big “aha” moment — it was more like a journey, step by step, concert by concert.

I started with just wanting to perform. Like, I wasn’t getting booked on the big stages, didn’t have a label, no agent… so I had to build my own stage. Literally. That’s how the Battery Tour started — I figured out how to power concerts with solar energy so I could perform anywhere. It was just out of necessity. Read More>>

Very early on I noticed that people seemed to be drawn to me and would just start telling me very private things about themselves right from the get-go. This led to my decision to become a therapist, and I had that career for 10years. I also became a certified life coach along the way. It wasn’t until after my divorce (after a 25-year marriage came crashing down due to my husband’s infidelity) that I decided to put myself out there as a divorce coach.  Read More>>

Marion Smallwood

I’ve always known I was creative. Making things has been a constant in my life—it’s how I am able to show up as my most authentic self. For years, I moved through different artistic mediums: poetry, music, patternmaking, leatherwork, millinery. Each one felt meaningful, but I kept thinking, this isn’t quite it. I was always searching for “my thing”—something I could truly dedicate myself to. Read More>>

Hannah

After a long and varied career journey, I’ve found my purpose as a leadership, executive, career management, and team coach. I’m passionate about helping professionals enhance their performance, grow as leaders, and achieve meaningful career outcomes.
Throughout my professional journey—from summer camp counselor to nurse, lawyer, business manager, and eventually small business owner— Read More>>

Jade Wells

I’ve always been a deeply creative person, naturally drawn to making things and expressing myself through different mediums. Initially, I tried to take a more “practical” path by enrolling in business school, keeping my creative interests on the side. But I quickly realized I’d made a serious mistake. I soon transferred to art school, where I discovered industrial and furniture design—and everything changed.  Read More>>

W.E. Da’Cruz

That’s a great question—but if I may, I’d like to challenge the premise just a bit. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that purpose isn’t something you find—it’s something you create.

Hi, I’m W.E. Da’Cruz.

Ten years ago, I was pursuing my dream at the Seton Hall University School of Diplomacy and International Relations. I had earned two full-tuition scholarships and completed a Bachelor’s and dual Master’s degree in Diplomacy, International Relations, and Public Administration—all within seven years. Read More>>

Nicole Still

There was a season in our life when everything felt like it was unraveling. Ministry had been our heartbeat for years, serving at a retreat center, pouring into missionaries, youth camps, and ministers who needed a chance to regroup and sit and be still before the Lord, with their family. But after loss, betrayal, heartbreak, and being forced to walk away from the ministry we called home, we found ourselves grieving with nothing but a cart, a dream, and a whole lot of unanswered questions. I heard a pastor recently say “Where your hurt is, there your calling is.”  Read More>>

Carol Kim

At the core of my professional and personal pursuits is being a champion for communities, causes, and change.
The 1992 LA Riots—Sa-I-Gu in Korean—changed everything for me. I was there. I saw my streets torn apart, watched neighbors turn against each other, and witnessed the complete breakdown of communities. And I watched the news media reducing the riots as a racial conflict, ignoring the deeper roots of underrepresentation, systemic inequality, and economic injustice. Read More>>

Barrett Pitts

I didn’t go looking for it—at least not intentionally. After college, I moved to Ireland for what I thought would be a summer job. I ended up staying for a year and worked with a woman living with Parkinson’s. She had been an Irish dancer, and by the time I met her, her mobility was severely limited. I started driving her to massage appointments, and over time, I watched her body respond in ways that felt almost impossible. Something about that experience woke something up in me. Read More>>

Shannon (she/they) & Anjna (they/them)

Purpose is really at the core of everything we do at Sā Creative Playscape — in many ways, Sā is another term for purpose.

“The name Sā not only unites our first initials but also represents the tonic note in Carnatic & Hindustani music. Sā is the foundation from which all melodies unfold. In these traditions, the scale is relative, meaning we don’t strain our voices to fit the key; instead, we adjust the music to honor our natural resonance. Read More>>

Candace Silvers

Finding my purpose came easily. When I touched people, they healed. When I spoke with them, coached them, guided them, they could no longer hold their obstacles as true, and their choices in life grew exponentially.

I was in awe, watching people heal and expand in their own personal lives.

The hardest part was working on me, understanding what I was doing, and then developing myself continuously along the way to be able to handle that kind of power. Read More>>

Sharon Jacob

I found it in the in-between.

Between countries – starting over twice.
Between roles – marketer, strategist, AI Product Manager.
Between late-night LinkedIn scrolls, wondering: “Where are the real resources for people like me?”

Purpose didn’t arrive in a eureka moment. It crept in quietly, every time I helped someone rewrite their career story, broke down AI in plain English, or curated an event list so one person wouldn’t waste another year feeling lost. Read More>>

Melissa Mahoney

I started my photography career very young. It was before digital It was when a photographer had about 36 frames to get the shot. Not an unlimited amount. Then there was the patience of a dark room. And printing contact sheets. I studied under a very tough french photographer when I was about 16. I am so grateful for the hardness of him. My career was a literal construct of blood sweat and tears. I wanted to shoot fashion.  Read More>>

Adrian Belmes

“Purpose” is an interesting concept. There’s this sort of singularity that’s assigned to the idea of purpose in the Western consciousness, a concrete object that is for most tied up in the machinations of profit and productivity. I am by no means immune to this line of thinking, but I do also believe that purpose is a thing of multitudes, universally applied values with context-specific translations. No person can really be boiled down to a handful of imperatives without quite a lot being lost in reproduction. The totality of the human soul defies linguistics, as it absolutely should. Read More>>

Ian Dawson

I found my purpose after I decided to leave my ex to restart my life because I was not happy in that environment or relationship. I was broken and defeated but I overcame alcoholism when I got sober in 2012. I said if I overcame that I could overcome this mental abuse. So, I finally said enough is enough and left everything. My ex, our house, my job, and the town I lived in to find my passion. So, I found myself in my mother’s basement thinking ok what I should do now with my life. So, I thought about it hard. I always felt I was more than what I was.  Read More>>