Over the past decade we have had the chance to learn about so many incredible folks from a wide range of industries and backgrounds and our highlighter series is designed to give us an opportunity to go deeper into their stories with to goal of understanding them, their thought process, how their values formed and the foundations of their stories. Check out some incredible folks below – many of whom you may have read about already and a few new names as well.
Kayisha Thompson
I stopped hiding my pain the first week of this past October. That’s when I finally walked away from a highly toxic job — a place filled with bullying, harassment, slander, and even cyberstalking. It got so severe that I had to involve the EEOC and the NYS Division of Human Rights. Read More>>
Fee Brandt
They would probably say ‘magic.’ Not in the sense of magic tricks, but in the way I care about capturing the whims and wonders of life. I believe this can be expressed through storytelling. My name is Fée, which means fairy, and a friend once told me, ‘You are a fairy, and you tell tales; it all makes sense.’ I really loved hearing that. Read More>>
Caijing Kuang
My deepest wounds come from my childhood and teenage years. Those memories sometimes linger like ghosts. Creating art has become the way I process and release those emotions; it’s my way of healing myself. I can’t say I’m fully healed, trauma needs time to fade, and it never disappears completely. But I’ve learned to embrace it. Read More>>
Melissa Sheridan
The part of me that I’m actively releasing is the version of myself that felt the need to say yes to everything that comes my way. For a long time, I equated being busy with being successful by overbooking, overextending, and pouring from an already empty cup because I thought that was how to grow. Read More>>
Adam Jackson
I would tell my younger self that he is already enough. That he does not have to rush to prove anything to anybody. I would tell him to keep trusting that fire inside him because it is going to take him places he cannot even imagine yet. I would tell him that every setback he faces will shape him into a stronger, more focused man. Read More>>
Yeshna Dindoyal
“It’s okay… it’s okay… breathe. The world can wait for a moment. The mornings, the noise, the rush — it’s a lot, I know. But right now, just feel the air, feel your heartbeat, and know that you are here, you are safe, and you are loved. Everything else… it can wait. Just for a little while, let yourself be.” Read More>>
Camesha Gosha
My favorite way to lose track of time is reading. I am a word nerd. If I’m not writing, I’m reading. I can’t tell you what’s going on with the latest binge-worthy show, but I can always tell you about the book I’m reading. Read More>>
Momo Lee
When I’m photographing, I completely lose track of time. The moment I lift the camera, the world becomes quiet and everything narrows into light, emotion, and human connection. Whether it’s documenting a wedding, a family’s ordinary day, or a fleeting expression that lasts only a second, I enter a state of flow where time stops mattering. Photography brings me back to myself. Read More>>
Michel Cruz-Garcia
I believe it’s always important to give everything your best. Whether that’s a relationship or your work because at the end of the day, what’s the point if it’s not being done to its fullest potential? Sometimes it’s easy to fall into trying to make everything perfect but sometimes we just need to remember this is all a process. Read More>>
Dr Josephine Harris
Yes — I could still give everything my best, even without applause. I’ve learned that purpose isn’t validated by praise; it’s validated by alignment. When you know you’re called to something, you don’t need an audience to do it well. Read More>>
Gökçe Çatakoğlu
I would always try to give my best to make good music. Of course being congratulated after a concert is such an honouring feeling. However, being praised and validated should not be the motivation why we put in all this effort. Read More>>
Samantha Swaim
Listening, truly listening, learning to understand and hearing a person is one of the greatest gifts we can receive. And the two people who have done that most consistently in my life are my two business partners Kristin Steele and Mary Elizabeth. Our company actually started by accident. Read More>>
Pablo Riesgo Almonacid
Absolutely. The most striking moment for me was the premiere of my feature film in Madrid. It was the culmination of three years of nonstop work—scraping together resources, fighting for every shooting day, and trying to make this tiny independent film feel big enough to deserve a screen. Read More>>
Sophany Sor
Yes, Many time in my life, I have stepped forward for others whether they were family, friends, my students, or people close to me. I have given my time, my energy, my love, and sometimes even y own opportunities. some sacrifices were small, some were big. Sometimes I received kindness and gratitude in return, but sometimes i received pain instead. Read More>>
Renata Hall
I have. I stand up for textured-hair Black people. For Black voices. For Black stylists whose genius is often borrowed, renamed, or erased. And yes—sometimes that stance costs you the “opportunity.” The collaboration. The seat at the mainstream table. But integrity is its own table. And I don’t shrink my purpose to make others comfortable. Read More>>
Julia Palfi
Fads are usually loud, fast, and short-lived. Foundational shifts are quieter however more enduring. They’re grounded in real human needs, not short-term hype. At ThreadRally, I look for things that continue to matter even when the noise dies down, ideas and choices that feel relevant, functional, and beautiful over time. Read More>>
Ingrid Kapteyn
When I start defending myself. Oh, to just admit ignorance. To not fear appearing ignorant. There is so much that I will never know – much, much more than I will ever know. Why not embrace it? I try. Being a performer and maker to me is sort of like being a professional not-knower. Read More>>
David Crafa
If immortality were real, I would build something that outlasts even the idea of time: a legacy of infrastructure for creativity, curiosity, and human potential. I’ve spent my life building environments—recording studios, sailing experiences, teams, communities—where people come alive. With unlimited time, I’d scale that instinct into a lifelong mission. Read More>>
Jodie Snyder
If I knew I had ten years left, I would immediately stop participating in anything that pulls me back into the 3-D matrix—the grind, the pressure to produce, the subtle ways our culture measures worth through output, hustle, and profit. For a long time, I tried to do deeply spiritual, soul-centered work inside a business framework that wasn’t built for it. Read More>>
Tamara Thomas
If I knew I only had 10 years left, I would try to stop worrying so much. I have always tried to enjoy every day, but at the same time, I tend to obsess over things I can’t change. Read More>>
Robert Radi
I would stop spending time on anything that does not create value for others or meaning for myself. Much of life becomes cluttered with obligations, distractions, and expectations that pull us away from what truly matters. Read More>>
Kristin Kaufman
This question hits home to me. You see, I have literally looked mortality in the face 4 times in my life. Three times in my adult life, and one as an infant. Since the first experience, as an adult, I look at life completely differently than I did prior to that time. Read More>>
Vanessa Torres
If you strip away the titles, the accolades, and the position… the Storyteller and the Musician remain. At my core, I am still that music nerd who fell in love with the language before I ever knew how it would evolve my life. I am still the curious observer who traveled the country just to understand people’s stories. Read More>>
Jenét Taylor
I think they would miss the sense of RELIEF—knowing someone truly understands the weight they carry and is committed to helping them breathe again. My clients often tell me it’s not just the systems or strategies they value most, but the way I see them as people first, not just leaders or titles. Read More>>
heidi humes
Sunshine is such a hub of happiness. I think once my doors close for good, people will miss the chance to just come get a welcome smile, a hug hello and a thank you for coming in. My gratitude has always been for the visit. Read More>>
Calli Loskill
I hope they would miss the art, the company, the humanity and maybe even the humor! I try to create a fun and stress-free experience. I want my clients to enjoy their art as well as the memory of getting it. I intend for my clients to feel at ease knowing if they need anything they can reach out to me. Read More>>
Kiirstin Marilyn
I wrote a song years ago called “The Struggle.” The opening line, “I rely on the struggle, heart pumping up with trouble,’ was my way of admitting that I had grown weirdly comfortable in the chaos of being a starving artist. It’s that “devil you know” logic – I wasn’t even sure what I’d do with myself if I ever actually found success. Read More>>
Ralph Tufo
I’ve written a children’s musical based on my award-winning Seemore the Seagull Tales. Taking in the time of writing the content of the three books, the songs, the lyrics, and the script, it’s been 5 years in the making. I’m now approaching local children’s theatre groups to see if they might considering producing my play.. At this point, I can’t stop. Read More>>
Rick Warner
I’m always chasing to improve upon myself with everything I do. I don’t think I could ever stop chasing to try and improve on myself, which includes being honest with myself and asking what could I do in my life to make me a better person? Read More>>
Cece Logue
Right now, the thing I’m doing that I won’t see fully pay off for at least a decade is raising my two little kids. They’re still very young, and a lot of my days are spent teaching them, guiding them, and helping them learn how to navigate the world. Most of it doesn’t feel like it has an immediate reward. Read More>>
Sharyon Culberson
’m investing in relationship-centered storytelling and ecosystem building — work that rarely pays off immediately but compounds over time. Developing film projects like Black Joy Always Wins, mentoring emerging creatives, and cultivating communities around healing-centered narratives all plant seeds that take years to bear fruit. Read More>>
Jen Tankel
A lot of what we’re building at Pegasus today won’t fully pay off for another 7–10 years. The event management system is just the beginning. It’s a crucial piece, but ultimately one component of a much larger vision. We’re working toward becoming the underlying infrastructure the global equestrian industry runs on. Read More>>
Raymond Hayden
This is a great question, the biggest news in the music industry is AI. As like many things before it, it is a tool, but I have a very hard time with it replacing so many artists who worked so hard at their craft. I am not going to lie, it bothers me. Read More>>
Derek Piotr
I think honestly political statements are the single most polarizing path of discourse nowadays. I feel compelled to call a lot of aspects of modernity out (mostly – and I will take a mini moment here – AI religion! Jesus Chatbots?!) but I feel that the minute you use your platform for any kind of political stance, there is immediate alienation and frustration. Read More>>
Floraina Three Hawk
What breaks the bonds: Unspoken wounds: wounds that are carried in silence fester; avoidance creates gaps where trust once lived. How we can begin to restore them: Courage to be present: choosing to show up with curiosity, even when it hurts, begins the door to repair. Read More>>
Deborah Parker Wong, MSc, DipWSET
The wine industry is caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to health claims about alcohol consumption. Risk factors associated with the consumption of alcohol are very individual; for many, the risk is very low and comparable with risks associated with many of the foods we eat while for others, risks are higher. Read More>>
