Through the work we do we are incredibly fortunate to find and learn about so many incredible local artists, creatives and entrepreneurs. Their stories, the lessons that they’ve learned and the legacies they are building inspire us beyond words. Below, we have highlighted a few of those amazing folks and we hope you’ll check out their stories and their responses to some of the fundamental questions the help form the foundation of our lives and careers.
Rod Fluellen
As a full time entrepreneur as a realtor and cleaning business owner no day is exactly the same. However I do have daily routines that help me stay focus, organize and determined to dominate the day. So travel with me as I describe a typical day. My morning starts with a cup of coffee followed by a hour at gym. Read More>>
Jaslyn Loftin
During the day, I am a lecturer at Honolulu Community College teaching students about music theory, songwriting, and music business. When that gets done (at around 4pm), I am either performing live around Honolulu, Hawaii, or working on songwriting deadlines for various sync companies and major labels. Read More>>
Amit Sounds
I usually start my day by setting intentions for the day and getting my mind on track. Then, reply to emails and messages. After that, I have calls with prospects and plan out future projects. Then, at around 10 am, I start a session with an artist who comes to the studio to record/ produce a record. Read More>>
Cleopatra Ranay
For me a normal day can be all over the place depending on what needs to be done. I still work a full time job and promote myself and business on Tiktok as well. Read More>>
Crissy Hines
My relationship with my daughter showed me how to carry myself and recognize that she is always looking at how I react to certain situations. I don’t ever want someone other than me to be her role model. Read More>>
Dominic Jeudy
One of the greatest influences in my life has been the relationship with my parents. Seeing them happily married for 48 years and constantly sharing wisdom has shaped me into the man I am today. My father’s presence and example have been especially important by teaching me how to work hard, lead with integrity, and to always take care of family. Read More>>
Bryan York
Being a disabled photographer isn’t easy, and I often catch myself comparing my work to photographers who are more able-bodied or more experienced. But I know those comparisons aren’t fair, and my focus needs to be on moving past them and embracing my own journey. As a young boy, I put my trust in Jesus Christ. Read More>>
Shemeca Cooper
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself is the one I had with my mom. She was the epitome of strength and grace, the kind of woman who could command a room without ever raising her voice. My mom meant what she said, and she didn’t believe in repeating herself, you listened the first time. Read More>>
Jye Harrison
My relationship with my clown teacher and yoga instructor, Cal, shaped how I see myself as an artist. Cal founded Rubber Soul Yoga Studio and the Dream Theatre of Pure Form in Athens, Georgia. Before meeting Cal, I didn’t really recognize myself as an artist, but when I met them, it felt like I had found my first true role model. Read More>>
Shari Teigman
My Baba. A Holocaust survivor of eight concentration camps, and somehow still the kindest, most loving human I’ve ever known. She taught me what true strength looks like – not the loud, armoured kind, but the quiet, unwavering kind that chooses love over bitterness, grace over resentment, and dignity even in the face of devastation. Read More>>
Melissa Esmeralda
It sounds silly, but my relationship with rugby helped me see myself differently. Life had forced me to be small and shy and withdrawn but rugby taught me that I can be strong and get back up, no matter what. Read More>>
Burt Grinstead
Meeting Anna was the most pivotal moment of my life. She’s my person, and I’m grateful every single day that she’s my wife. She believes in me wholeheartedly, sees the good in me even when I don’t, and invites me to be fully myself without apology. Read More>>
Jody & Jennifer Lyddane
Jennifer and I were both traveling down the wrong path prior to meeting one another. Together, we got back on track. Twenty years later we have a great life with two amazing children who both surpass all of our expectations making us more and more proud everyday. Read More>>
Rick Moore
My relationship with my wife Kay has definitely been the best most important relationship that I have ever been in. Meeting my wife not only saved my life, but it gave me purpose again. I truly cared about life, my future, and myself once again shortly after meeting her. She is my Angle from God! Read More>>
Freya Graf
Having a narcissistic parent enormously shaped me – and handicapped me. I’ve spent my whole adult life trying to heal and reprogram myself after growing up being manipulated and groomed to feel unlovable by an immature and toxic father. Read More>>
Kaytlin Brown
A fundamental truth I hold is to consult the Lord on every decision in my business. While many people with a personal relationship with Jesus might pray about personal matters, I strive to involve Him in every aspect of my life—including business decisions. Read More>>
Wati Grossman
For me, it’s the Golden Rule – treat others the way you’d want to be treated. It’s more than a moral compass or a personal code; it’s a transformative force. Practicing kindness and compassion doesn’t cost much, but its impact is immeasurable. It has the power to shape not just individual relationships, but entire communities, workplaces, and movements. Read More>>
Janine Tang
As a sustainable artist, my discipline is to reclaim, recreate, and repurpose with provoking narratives and statements.. I tend to highlight deceptive truths embedded in our daily lives. How truly sustainable are the materials, methods, products we use (from the empirical or scientific research)? How much of what we recycle is actually used & reused for recycling? Read More>>
Lau Lapides
Believe it or not, one of the first most powerful memories was when I went to grad school in California. Moving 3000 miles away to UC Irvine and changing my life completely, leaving everything I know to pursue an MFA in acting completely changed how I envisioned my life. It was very empowering! Frightening and exciting, but empowering. Read More>>
Brittney Megann
Slipping into my mom’s high heels as a little girl. They were way too big for me, but the second I stood up and tried to strut around the house, I felt taller, louder, bolder, like I could take up space in a whole new way. Looking back, it wasn’t about the shoes themselves… it was about what they represented. Read More>>
Sara Galiana
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was when I received a truly important commission. I went through a very difficult moment of self-doubt, questioning the quality of my work and what I was capable of handling. Through dedication and hard work on myself, I eventually realized that the fault wasn’t in me, but in my perception of myself. Read More>>
Candie Simmons
I felt powerful in February 2023 when I resigned from my job not knowing what I was going to do. I knew that I was not happy in my current role and I needed to find something that is fulfilling and would allow me to thrive. Read More>>
Elena Salmistraro
My first memory of feeling a sense of power does not involve a grand or dramatic gesture, but a small and intense moment, deeply personal and private. I clearly remember the satisfaction of seeing something I had imagined become reality, a drawing of mine that took shape in ceramics and became a small object. Read More>>
Pauline Roberts
I was 7 or 8 (around the same time I started drum set lessons!) when I decided I wanted to join my school’s fútbol team. The only problem was that girls were sent to play field hockey while boys played fútbol. When I asked to join, they refused me at first—just because I was a girl. My dad stepped in and asked the P.E. Read More>>
Kate Nichyparuk
I felt truly powerful when I first started selling my products and saw how much customers loved them. Knowing that something I created with care could become part of their daily routine — and even improve it — gave me a deep sense of purpose. Read More>>
Jazzlene East Coast
My earliest memory of feeling powerful would be the first time I performed in drag. Until this day that feeling never goes away. Read More>>
Elizabeth Buechele
I grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh with two older brothers and a neighborhood full of boys. We were always riding bikes, climbing trees, and coming home with grass-stained knees. There is almost certainly a direct correlation between this and my belief that I could do anything. Read More>>
Chef Chrystina Casado
The cultural value I protect at all costs is our history — where we come from, what we had to endure, and the resilience that brought us here. Generational trauma has shaped us, yes, but so has generational brilliance. Read More>>
Claire Maracle
Rematriation. Rematriation is returning the sacred to the mother, is rebuilding relationships with and in our communities. It’s more than a word; it’s a commitment to returning to a place of balance. It goes beyond returning the land (repatriation) to restoring Indigenous ways of being, matriarchal principles, and our spiritual and community connections that were often violently suppressed. For me, this isn’t an abstract idea. Read More>>
Francisco Pinto
Access to culture, preserving the memory and knowledge of traditions and cultural expressions, both tangible and intangible. Read More>>
Petra Santana
The most surprising thing I’ve learned is how much confidence a great pair of lashes can give someone. Our customers share that they don’t just wear Fixation Beauty lashes for special occasions they wear them to feel put together and empowered every day. I love hearing that something as small as lashes can make such a big impact on someone’s mood and self-esteem. Read More>>
Wendy Kushel
Customers know what they want-they know what they like and they love to tell you what that is. I love to hear their ideas and I can tell you that slot of my products and even some of their names come from customer’s suggestions. Read More>>
Oracle Laura King
My clients want someone who understands what they’re going through & can offer them compassion, love, understanding & solutions. Read More>>
Mara DeFilippis
Now, actually! I have finally stopped working a (beyond) full-time job due to persistent toxic leadership and have begun to rely solely on TataTattoos for income. Acceptable quality inventory replenishment took over nine months, and a trip across the country to work with the manufacturer. This time was intended to be marketing and growing TataTattoos. Read More>>
Rich Taylor
This is a fascinating question, one I often pose in my coaching sessions. Many people tell me that once they achieve this or that—a higher income, a better job, new friendships, or some other external milestone—then they will finally experience joy. Read More>>
Lindsey Nickel
This summer I went on a handful of camping and glamping trips with friends, and those moments brought me real joy. There’s something about stepping away from everyday life—sitting around a campfire at night, sharing meals outdoors, and just slowing down together—that feels grounding, relaxing, and joyful in a way nothing else does Read More>>
Giovanni Lodigiani
Last year, when I hosted an event with my daughter Linda, I presented my latest works, in which my daughter contributed her artistic talent by painting both textural and digital pieces. The event was held in an Italian theater and was a resounding success, but, to answer your question, the real joy was being on stage together. Read More>>
Kyla
I felt true joy last week. I started working on my Halloween, ‘KYLAWEEN’ costumes, and I’m excited. I aim to create a series, so I want to see how this idea comes to life. Read More>>
Allen Rubin
I can say that finding one’s life’s purpose(s) is what always brings true joy. After all the many ventures I have done, the numerous paths I have walked, and the eternal question ‘Is this what will connect me to my soul’s purpose, I think I have found it. I have started Law School. Read More>>
Laurisa Brandt
The last time I felt true joy was the week I took off from social media. It didn’t require deleting apps. I just subconsciously ‘forgot’ to tap in. I allowed boredom and self-reflection. I suddenly had time to do fun things I hadn’t been able to do in a long time. I took meandering nature walks. Read More>>
Breanna Owen
Honestly? Where do I even start with this one — there’s a lot to say. Some of the smartest, most talented entrepreneurs I know are being duped by the worst myths in marketing — lies that keep them small and limit the impact they’re here to make. They’ve been told: > Good copy is good enough. Read More>>
Courtney Parks
While attitudes are changing, I think many smart, talented people get stuck in the belief that working harder is the only route to success. Being committed is very important but there is so much power in narrowing your growth strategies, simplifying your activities and focusing on your zone of genius to increase income and level up professionally. Read More>>
Deuce Tyrell
I think a lot of smart people today get it wrong by believing that calling out every flaw or mistake is more important than unifying. Social media has made it so that every misstep is amplified, and people spend more time tearing each other down than building something together. Read More>>
Josh Moulton
That money equals success. Obviously, it’s important to make enough to survive. But the measure of someone’s successes is not how much their net worth is, job title/status.., it’s whether they are happy every day getting up to go to work. Now doing a job just for the paycheck and security. Read More>>
Emily George
Nuance. The world feels so divided right now—many people are digging their heels into what they believe is “right” without considering others’ experiences, without examining their own biases, and without putting the greater good ahead of their individual comfort or privilege. Many cling to power without acknowledging those who are oppressed or marginalized. And don’t do the work to understand their positionality and its impact. Read More>>
Chris Arnold
As someone who believes in lifelong learning, I am always influenced by a wide range of people and experiences. Right now, as we are starting the fall semester, I am learning most from my students. Read More>>
Shay Bachelder
I’m learning from a professional network called ProInsight, which I joined almost two years ago. I originally joined to build referral relationships, but it has grown into so much more. Through ProInsight, I’m learning how to leverage my existing client base, deepen professional partnerships, and become more referable. Read More>>
Bonnie Keith
I’ve always been a self-taught creator. I never went through formal education for video or photography—instead, I learned by doing. Every project became my classroom, every challenge an opportunity to grow. For years, my business was built on showing up in person with cameras, lights, and all the gear to capture live events. Read More>>
Ashley Schriefer
Honestly, I’m learning from the work itself. It takes time to really build yourself — to paint consistently and start feeling at home in what you’re making. So right now, I’m learning from showing up every day. From the process. From the mistakes. From the moments where the materials do something unexpected, and I have to respond instead of control. Read More>>
Jude Kamal 
I am always finding new ways to learn and expand my thinking and my unique self. Read More>>
Lori Orlinsky
Right now, I’m learning from my middle daughter, Ellie. She has taught me so much about what it feels like to be “in the middle” — balancing between wanting independence and still craving attention, trying to stand out while also keeping the peace. When she came to me and shared that she sometimes felt left out, it opened my eyes. Read More>>
Fernanda Vaca
I’m currently learning from a leader in International Cooperation Projects, a Colombian named Wil. Through Academia Propulsa, we’re becoming Certified Propellers in International Fundraising for Sustainable Women’s Empowerment Projects, with a special focus on nature and its conservation. Read More>>
Penny Davidi Borsuk
On June 27 of this year, I lost my 25-year-old daughter to a brutal battle against Brain cancer. So who I’m learning from right now is her Sophia took this battle head on. She smiled through every session of Radiation and chemo. Read More>>
