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.

Tamara Green

Embarking on a lifelong quest for purpose, my journey began over four decades ago, immersing myself in daily spiritual practices, exploring wisdom traditions, and fostering personal growth. Through teaching others to find their purpose, I discovered mine: a steadfast commitment to love-driven spiritual evolution. By practicing this philosophy with loved ones, clients, and even adversaries, I’ve transformed challenges into opportunities for deep connection and understanding. Read More>>

Kim Harmon

For a long time, I wasn’t searching for purpose — I was just trying to survive. After leaving a 20-year toxic relationship, I drowned myself in vodka and looked for protection everywhere outside of me. But nothing changed until I started looking within.

That shift — from survival to self-discovery — was the beginning of everything. Through meditation, energy work, and sound therapy, I found healing. And through that healing, I found purpose: creating spaces where others can feel safe, seen, and begin their own transformation. Read More>>

Samuel Davis

I didn’t find my purpose in a sudden, dramatic moment. It revealed itself gradually—frame by frame, like editing raw footage into something meaningful.

It started in high school with a cheap camera I carried everywhere, taking photos of classmates around school. Eventually, some of my photos were used in the yearbook. That wasn’t my plan at the time—it just happened. But it gave me a glimpse into what I could do with a camera. I loved capturing the energy of real moments. I didn’t know it then, but I was already chasing something honest, something lasting. Read More>>

Raul Cabrera

I have always had a natural sense of compassion towards people. Over the years, I realized – My purpose IS people.

How did I come to the realization that my purpose is people? Part of it is that I saw how not everybody felt seen or heard. And I had a strong drive to change that. That’s what fuels my digital marketing agency – everyone should be seen and heard. That realization hit me over time through conversations, missed opportunities, and watching good people and great ideas get overlooked simply because they didn’t know how to show up in the right way. Read More>>

Darlene Leiker

My purpose found me. Ten months after I painted my first Bouxbart™ for my husband, my mother had a mastectomy and I had a partial mastectomy. I decided at that time that I would use them (my breasts) for “good” and started painting more. My friends started wanting them and paying for them so I kept going. SInce we didn’t/don’t need the money, 100% that I receive for my paintings goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Read More>>

Brittany Rogelstad

Finding my purpose and it being in the fashion industry started with my faith. Ultimately, my purpose comes from God and walking in that has opened so many doors that led me to where I am today.
My story starts when I was 13, when my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Lyme disease. That changed everything for my family. Healthy living became a quick passion for my mom and she quickly shifted our habits, paying attention to the products we used and the food we ate. It was the lifestyle overhaul that would later influence my purpose today. Read More>>

Brandon Battlehart

I found my purpose through my pain. As I was dealing with my struggles of depression from my time spent in Afghanistan, I fell victim to the darkness of my mind with PTSD and suicide. I rose above that and started the Battlehart Foundation, hoping to save other veterans’ lives and be a voice for those who feel they do not have one. Read More>>

Amy Finegold

I believe my purpose has always lived inside me. Ever since I was little, I’ve been drawn to the transformative power of clothing. From age 5, I was scouring flea markets for vintage jewelry and dressing up as the heroines of my imagination, captivated by the way style could ignite something magical in me. After years of working in retail, that passion evolved into opening my own women’s clothing boutique in my 30s, where I helped women step into their own heroine’s journey—one outfit at a time. Read More>>

DeAndra Colbert

Honestly, I found my purpose through a mix of passion, prayer, and trial and error. I’ve always had a creative eye and a love for making things that bring people joy—whether it was personal gifts, party favors, or custom items. Over time, I realized that this wasn’t just a hobby—it was something God placed in me to impact others. Read More>> 

Meredith Blair

My inspiration to create Artruism Imports began my junior year of college. I was taking business classes and seeking out an internship opportunity. I knew my ideal internship would be with a company that supported women and their creativity, but I was struggling to find an opportunity that felt right for me- and the clock was ticking. A friend introduced me to a local Fair Trade shop called Eternal Threads, and the owner agreed to mentor me. The opportunity fit the parameters of my ideal internship, but as it turned out, it fulfilled so much more- it changed my life. Read More>>

Rick Ryan

Honestly, I found it by accident. I took a photography class in college just to fill a requirement, and I didn’t expect much from it. But from the very first assignment, I was completely hooked. I loved how it made me see everyday spaces differently—how light, angles, and details could tell a story. That experience sparked something in me, and over time, it grew into a real passion. Eventually, I realized this wasn’t just a hobby—it was something I wanted to turn into a career. Read More>>

Katherine Kiviat

My life’s purpose is to create supportive systems of nourishment, both physical and emotional, that empower others to heal at the root and
sustainably transform their lives. My work as a functional and integrative nutritionist is grounded in emotional intelligence and structured care, helping clients feel seen, supported, and transformed. Read More>>

Sid Katragadda

I discovered my purpose in life through Art. As a multidisciplinary artist and an engineer, my life has often felt like a balancing act between diverse realms of creativity and technology. Juggling multiple crafts can sometimes feel disorienting, but it aligns perfectly with my personality. I have an insatiable urge to keep learning, whether it’s through artistic challenges or the intersection of art and innovation that life throws my way. Read More>>

Lauren Vlach

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the emotion, beauty, and meaning behind weddings. When I realized I could turn that lifelong passion into a creative career, I knew I had found my purpose. It was while scrolling through TikTok that I discovered the world of wedding day content creation, and it felt like the universe was sending me a sign. Read More>>

Michelle Marron Jimenez

Just like no two flowers are exactly the same, the people bringing bouquets to my floral preservation studio Fruit Of The Bloom Boutique are also one-of-a-kind. For an empath like me, it is really heart-warming and fun to learn about my clients, the significance of their bouquets, how they will be using or displaying them, etc. Read More>>

Jordan Farr

I found my purpose by living through the exact financial struggles I now help others navigate. At one point, I had over $60,000 in consumer debt and felt completely overwhelmed by money. But instead of staying stuck, I began learning everything I could about personal finance—from budgeting to investing to real estate. As I applied those lessons and turned my situation around, something clicked: this knowledge shouldn’t be gatekept. Read More>>

Kathie Giorgio

All of these questions were hard to choose from, because I generally answered, “I don’t know,” to each one. In the end, though, I realized there is a story with finding my purpose, or as I refer to it, finding my path.
The first step happened in the fifth grade, in 1971. I was living in a very conservative area of northern Minnesota. A new teacher came to my class, our English teacher, and she declared that we were going to have “Creative Writing Thursdays.” Read More>>

Chloe Bennett

I found my purpose through my love of capturing people’s special moments. There’s something so fulfilling about documenting the milestones in their lives — from engagements to weddings to growing families. It’s not just about taking photos; it’s about building genuine relationships and preserving memories that they’ll cherish forever. That connection and joy are what truly give me purpose Read More>>

Rania Azizah

From the beginning, Girls In STEM has been by-girls, for-ALL, student organization fighting to close the STEM gender gap. In 2015, our founder, Alice Hou, was attending junior high school when she realized the lack of representation for women wanting to pursue STEM careers. At the time, many STEM organizations were not focused on the issue of gender gaps, which Alice strove to bridge. This problem launched her initiative and today’s existing organization, “Girls in STEM.”  Read More>>

Joe Decker

I found my purpose through blood, sweat, and rock bottom. Growing up with a strong farm work ethic taught me grit, and the military drilled in discipline, but even that was not enough to keep me from spiraling into drugs and alcohol. I hit my lowest point, lost and broken. Fitness pulled me out, gave me direction, and saved my life. Now it is not just my lifestyle, it is my mission to help others find their strength, rise from their struggles, and discover their true potential. Read More>>

Elizabeth Meigs

I didn’t find my purpose in a moment of success—I found it in the middle of pain. After surviving a traumatic brain injury at 14, I spent years feeling lost, unseen, and unsure of who I was. But it was in those wilderness seasons, when everything felt stripped away, that God began to reveal the deeper calling on my life. Read More>>

Eva Tenuto

I am the co-founder and executive director of TMI Project, a nonprofit true storytelling organization with a mission to change the world, one story at a time. In our workshops, we guide people who don’t often have the chance to tell their stories and be heard. We help them boldly share their “TMI” experiences to replace shame with freedom. The impetus for starting this organization is a TMI story in and of itself. Read More>>

Tara Gush

I didn’t find my purpose in one of the many textbooks, certifications or degrees I completed. I didn’t find my purpose in one of the many hours of yoga training I completed. I found it in some of the darkest chapters of my life, in the moments of my marriage that mirrored a childhood chaos I swore I would never repeat. I found it in those moments where my inner knowing knew and yet I still chose not to listen. My purpose wasn’t “found”…..it was revealed over time, through years of holding my breath, trying to control addiction, abuse and emotional chaos that wasn’t mine.  Read More>>

Texas Hold Em Promo

How we Found our Purpose:

our purpose found us the middle of doing what I loved—exploring Texas, connecting with people, and sharing local gems that often go unnoticed. What started as casual content soon turned into something bigger: a mission especially in the DFW Read More>>

Kathy Kemp

Finding Purpose in Pieces: My Journey into Assemblage Art

Two years ago, my life looked very different. I was living in Massachusetts and working as a geriatric care manager, a role that gave me deep fulfillment. I loved working with older adults—their wisdom, resilience, and the quiet beauty etched into the lines of their faces and the way they moved through the world. In a society that sometimes overlooks people as they age, I felt privileged to see and honor their worth. Read More>>

Rachel Glowacki

I found my purpose through pain. What makes me laugh now once made me cry.

I struggled to read as a child. I was often pulled out of the classroom and into the resource room. I remember feeling different and like I wasn’t enough. As I got older, I punished my body trying to be thin by starving, bingeing, and purging. It was a lonely and hurting place to be. Read More>>

Jody L Teiche

A: Honestly, it found me.

It was 1989, and I was standing in a public library in Chappaqua, NY, with my toddler at my feet, when two books jumped out at me—one on medicinal plants and one on homeopathy. I reached for the latter, started reading, and something clicked. Not a gentle nudge, but a deep, visceral knowing: This is what I’m meant to do. Read More>>

Malikah Tamirah

Art is my passion, but I’ve come to the realization that my true purpose in life is freedom. Spending intentional time with myself and really learning who I am, I’ve discovered that creating reconnects me to myself in ways nothing else can. Through my art, I experience creative freedom, emotional freedom, and I’m actively working toward financial freedom. I have used my art to travel, to connect with others who feel my work or relate to my story, and to show up as my most authentic self. My purpose isn’t just about me, it’s about breaking generational curses, building community, and using my creativity as a tool to shape the life my soul has always reached for.  Read More>>

Help Humanity Heal

We didn’t wake up one day with all the answers.

We found our purpose through the very real, very raw experiences of being human — through pain, heartbreak, loss, confusion, and deep longing.
Both of us, in different ways, grew up feeling like we didn’t quite belong. We faced trauma, rejection, and moments where the darkness felt louder than any light we could find. Read More>>

Aleks Talaro

Cats. I have loved cats since I was a child and even before I had one of my own. I visited multiple cat cafes prior to opening my own and absolutely loved the environment. I wanted to create another safe space for adoptable kitties and cat lovers. Read More>>

Adonis Graham

I found my purpose through discipline, hardship, and staying grounded in reality. The bar industry started as a job in college—but it quickly became a classroom for life. Every late night, every chaotic shift, every interaction taught me something about people, pressure, and leadership. I didn’t just learn how to run a bar—I learned how to navigate human behavior, how to create structure in chaos, and how to lead with integrity in an industry where that’s rare. Read More>>

Samantha Blackbeard

I don’t believe purpose is something you necessarily find but rather that is finds you through your life experiences. What you can choose is whether or not you follow it.

In my case, I didn’t have a grand moment of realization. I became intertwined with my purpose over time – by diving headfirst into the world of wine. What began as curiosity quickly evolved into something far deeper: a connection to culture, to people, to land, and storytelling. Especially through South African wine, I found myself part of something much greater – and it just kept pulling me in. Read More>>

Haleigh Foster

Purpose isn’t always found — it’s built. Mine has taken shape through moves, mistakes, and milestones — all before 35. I’ve been married and divorced, moved cross-country, finished my master’s while working full-time, built a business, and confidently chosen a life without motherhood. Each chapter shaped my purpose. Read More>>

Dana Copeland

Finding my purpose has been a journey of exploration and self-discovery. Initially, it began with reflecting on what truly resonated with me and where I felt I could make a meaningful impact. For me, it involved a combination of personal experiences, such as teaching and advocating for survivors of domestic abuse, and a deep passion for helping others. Over time, I found that aligning my skills, values, and passions with meaningful work at The I Am House brought clarity to my purpose.  Read More>>

Shani Williams

I was meant to help people improve their health. I was born with orthopedic and auto immune issues so from a very early age I was aware of the difficulty it takes to change your habits for better health. This personal struggle created a deep sense of empathy and desire to help people going through similar challenges. Read More>>

Sara Scott

I found my purpose when I found myself fighting for my own life. I had just returned home from a 2 month trip to Vietnam to teach English and found myself in a health crisis. I suddenly was reactive to everything, I was down to 3 foods I could tollerate. I had a 65lb weight loss in a few months time without trying to lose weight. Chronic GI issues, panic episodes, numbness, tingling, skin issues, insomnia… on and on. My life as I knew it had come to a halt and each trip to the medical doctor left me with more drugs and more symptoms.  Read More>>

Marcia Morgan

My purpose began the moment the Lord called me into full-time ministry.
It was the clearest I had ever heard Him speak to me, so direct, so undeniable… and so profound.
Because answering that call meant I had to walk away from a good-paying job. It meant surrendering what I thought was secure. But Matthew 6:33 became more than just a verse—it became my life’s compass:
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” Read More>>

Alli Wulfert

This is a question that comes up a lot in our industry, and honestly, in life in general.

I grew up acting. From a really young age, I found so much of my purpose and identity in performing. When people told me I was talented, or even just that I was beautiful, it fed me. But on the flip side, whenever I lost a role, had a bad performance, or received criticism, it felt like my entire identity was crumbling. Read More>>