We are so thrilled to be able to connect with some of the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs and creatives from across the city and beyond and this series in particular gives us the honor of introducing these folks to you in a unique way – we go beyond the story of how they got to where they are today by asking them to reflect on a variety of deeper questions that we hope will help you better connect with them, their stories and their brands. Ultimately, our hope is that more of us will spend more of our money with independent artists, creatives and small businesses and we think getting to know one another at a deeper level is step one.
Dominique Weller
Well, I think that because DolledbyDomo is bringing something new to the curly hair space: scalp-care, that sometimes the audience doesn’t understand our mission fully. We often get asked, ‘Will you carry a conditioner?’, ‘When will you carry a conditioner?’, which shows me that we are actually needed more than ever. Read More>>
Yi-Lun Chien
When people hear the word “costume,” they often associate it with Halloween costumes or something exaggerated for stage performances. My work, however, is about storytelling. I design clothing for characters in film and theater, shaped by who they are and the world they live in. Costume design often goes unnoticed, especially in realistic stories, but that’s part of its power. Read More>>
Leslie Bennett
A lot of people assume social media is just about making a post and hitting publish. That’s actually only a small part of it. What we do involves strategy, planning, data, timing, and constant adjusting happening behind the scenes. And while being good at graphics, photos, or reels definitely helps, it doesn’t automatically mean someone can manage or grow a brand online. Read More>>
Lutin Karau
As a comic artist, my job is coated in mystic and magic. It’s impossible to know how much time and effort is put into a single panel, chapter, webtoon episode, writing… until you actually try it yourself. And there’s also the hard times in between projects, when you search for financial help or an editor and that’s NOT PRETTY! Read More>>
Varsha Chawla
Many of us are carrying the mental load of motherhood, work, raising children, and supporting aging parents all at the same time. This conversation is finally gaining more visibility, but many of us still struggle to delegate, ask for help, or prioritize our own energy and sleep so we can truly show up for others. Read More>>
Dr. La-Shawnda Thompson
I believe a lot of people are quietly struggling with what’s known as mama trauma the mother wound. It’s the pain that forms when a child doesn’t feel emotionally seen, protected, or nurtured by their mother in the way they needed. Here’s what people don’t understand: it doesn’t always come from abuse or neglect. Read More>>
Litsa DeJulio
Many people believe they’re bad with money. I know I did. And it took me a long time to realize I was not bad with money. Instead, I slowly realized I was overwhelmed and under-taught. Frankly, I was struggling with emotional overload. Decision fatigue. Burnout. Major life changes. Life often feels heavy. Adulting can be amazing, but it’s also freaking hard. Read More>>
Eileen McKeon Butt
I’m pretty sure that a lot of us are struggling with “hustle culture” and the constant “grinding” that seems to be an inextricable part of it. I get really tired if I read certain social media channels for too long; there are just too many earnest tales of sleep deprivation, boss-loyalty, and selfless acts…. Read More>>
Ariel Garraway
I think people may misunderstand my legacy by assuming it followed a straight line. My path hasn’t been linear, and a lot of my growth came from taking leaps before everything felt fully mapped out. From the outside, it might look like things happened quickly, but many of my biggest shifts came from trusting myself when there wasn’t a clear precedent. Read More>>
Shveata Mishra
One truth I’ve come to hold and that not everyone agrees with is that emotional well-being cannot be solved purely through insight or information. Understanding why you feel a certain way is helpful, but it’s often not enough to change how you actually live, respond, or regulate yourself. Read More>>
Christina Jones
A normal day for me is a blend of leadership, learning, and connection. My mornings usually begin with being present on campus , greeting learners, checking in with staff, and making sure our day is set up for success. Once learning blocks begin, I’m often moving between classrooms, supporting teachers, observing instruction, and stepping in with learners when needed. Read More>>
Christopher Mooney.
Each day of the week, my normal day would be scheduled in order to stay focused. A list of accomplishments; preparedness meets opportunities. As a career minded artist, I generally allocate certain days of the week to work on the computer and certain days many hours to paint. Read More>>
Kendra Timmons
There really isn’t a “normal” day, but most of them start the same way—getting three kids to three different schools at three different times. Motherhood sets the rhythm before business ever does. Three days a week I’m behind the chair, double-booked with an assistant, seeing clients from 9 to 3. Read More>>
Ellie / MopGarden
I wake up around 8am and start to get ready for work. I do my makeup, make a high-protein breakfast, and then get ready to begin work/stream for 9:30am (though I am usually late hehe, whoops!) I stream from 9:30-4 Monday to Friday. I then go to the gym and work out for 60-90 minutes, depending on the day. Read More>>
Kiara Maharaj
At moment we are about halfway to the publication date of my first published book, Watercolor Wizardry, which releases in bookstores on 3rd March 2026. Read More>>
Joshua Paul Hooks
My routine is built around discipline, clarity, and efficiency; qualities that allow me to lead multiple companies, travel globally for partnerships, stay deeply involved in the brands we scale through Iconic Brand Group, and fulfil my most rewarding job of being a family man. While no two days are identical, the structure remains consistent… When I’m working from Tampa, my day starts at 4:30 AM. Read More>>
Alicea Davis
A normal day looks like rehearsing keynotes for churches and corporations. I am back on the saddle after sickness and I am ready to CHANGE the atmosphere of tension in racial conversations with poetry and art preparations. God is good, it’s as if I’ve never been sick. I have been writing Christian songs and scouting artist to sing them. Read More>>
Jordan Glover
The relationship currently, before my wife, I didn’t feel as confident to take on the world as I do now. She showed me how much I contribute as well as how much I can actually control. Self-worth used to be a struggle, but now I see it clearly. Read More>>
Billy Brown
My personal relationship with GOD is what’s shaped me and helped me get through some trying times. I have seen the bottom and it’s helped me with gratitude and understanding that my faith and prayer is the solution. I’ve learned a lot about people in my life. Some are in your life for a reason and some for a season. Read More>>
Nicole Acevedo
Most people would probably say their mother or father, or maybe even an elementary school teacher, but for me, it’s someone who technically doesn’t exist outside of the TV screen: Brooke Davis. For anyone who doesn’t know who the icon Brooke Davis is, she was played by Sophia Bush in the popular CW show from the early aughts–One Tree Hill. Read More>>
Izabella Kogut
Here are the truths that run so deep in me that I almost never put them into words—they’re just the quiet gravity that shapes how I move through the world: 1. I am enough exactly as I am. I don’t need to earn love, worth, or belonging by achieving more, fixing more, or looking a certain way. Read More>>
Nicole Zamlout
This one I actually did articulate in Tales From The Scrapyard; man made gods and gods made man, a cycle that has yet to be broken. To me, stories and faith are so foundational to the human experience that, in some ways, it formulated the world as we know it from the mundane to the divine. Read More>>
Gwenevere Persaud
One of the largest truths in my life that is so deeply ingrained that I rarely articulate it, is my love of the ocean. Although my passion for the sea may seem obvious, I don’t often have the opportunity to express it in words. Read More>>
Erica Rose
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was when I understood the magic of music. I was about four years old. My mom had me sing at her work Christmas party. I looked around the room and saw tears flowing. I had never felt like I had the ability to make people listen to me until I used my singing voice. Read More>>
Erik Shaw
I don’t think I have ever felt powerful, but I remember when I started to feel respected. And to me, that’s far more important. When the media would mention me or my help would be requested for higher-profile projects, that’s when I realized that my words mattered, people were paying attention, and they were willing to pay for my advice. Read More>>
Carolyn Lamuniere
This is a funny question because I don’t feel powerful. Yet I feel connected to something more than is in this world, and because I believe there is power in it, I chose to answer this question. It is something hard to define, the sense of being connected to more than yourself, more than is visible in this world, more than obvious money and success. Read More>>
Sacoiya Johnson
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was when I was around the age of 6. In second grade. That was when I realized that I did not have to accept the information I was given in school without question. I learned about Christopher Columbus on Columbus Day. We were reading the story about how he discovered The Americas. Some would say ‘The New World’. Read More>>
Macarena Bravo Espinoza
Not opening my own tattoo studio in Chile and not dedicating myself to teaching everything I know that could help others. It would make me very happy to be able to contribute on a larger scale and from within the world of tattooing, and I would love to achieve this in my country before anywhere else. Read More>>
Samantha Mecca
Not having the nerve to live my authentic self and transition in my 20s-30s. The battle of the Christians held me back for years in countless ways, losing friends, partners, and hope also preventing me from moving forward. Being alone, not knowing my people, having few people to whom I felt connected or trusted made this all but impossible during my salad days. Read More>>
Tasja Fleury
I used to hold a bunch of beliefs that all had the same effect: they kept me from starting. Beliefs like, ‘There aren’t enough opportunities here,’ or ‘I can’t begin until I’m perfectly ready.’ And even if a belief isn’t factually wrong at the time, it’s still extremely unhelpful to hold onto them. Read More>>
Tierra Graves
Cultural values I protect at all costs are: importance of religion, tradition, and community. These three are important because they helped shaped who I am today. Being a member of a church that allows you to learn, grow, and use your gifts is empowering. Read More>>
Nadia Bautista
In Argentina, friendship is highly valued. The gatherings, the spontaneity, the long conversations without a set end time, there’s a sense of ease among friends that I hold onto and want to carry with me wherever I go. Read More>>
Adriana Galvan
For me, the cultural value I protect at all costs is dignity, especially when it comes to money. I believe our comunidad deserves financial education rooted in respect, compassion, and humanity, not shame or fear. Too many of us grew up carrying silent pressure, guilt, or responsibility around dinero, for our families, for survival, for future generations. Read More>>
George Schmid
Always tell the truth, no matter how good or how bad. Everyone needs to know the truth about things. Read More>>
Jennifer Bernal
The cultural value I protect at all costs is energy. I believe energy is a magnet and a mirror, it’s both what we attract and what we reflect. Everything carries energy: the food we eat, the tone of the words we choose, how we move through a room, how we touch and speak to others, and what’s happening behind the scenes of our work. Read More>>
Amelia South
I used to try SO hard to help everyone with everything. Once I started to gain popularity on social media, I had hundreds, sometimes thousands of people sending me messages and emails asking for help. At first, I gave it freely. Read More>>
Rhodel Rosales
With or without substances? Haha, just kidding. This past birthday in late August, I was having dinner at Carbone in Las Vegas. A song came on named “Only The Lonely” by Roy Orbison. This was a song my dad, who died 5 years ago, used to sing regularly on the karaoke machine for years when I was a little lad. Read More>>
Katie Hughes
As a child when I was sad or scared what helped me the most is playing with my dolls and fixing their hair and also drawing and doing art. And also watching a movie. I would lock myself in my pink bedroom and watch my favorite movie at the time The Wizard of Oz. Read More>>
Elena Killgore
Have they questioned where true wisdom comes from? Wisdom all starts with one person: Jesus. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. When we turn to the Creator of all things, we move away from our own self-centeredness and embrace the love we all crave. This love would make us want to support each other instead of competing to be the wisest. Read More>>
Rowana Abbensetts-Dobson
We have to end the work till you drop mentality for institutions that will never love us or support our communal well-being. On another note, AI can’t replace real creativity. If anything, it makes your original artwork and writing even more valuable. Read More>>
Katie Horisk
I learn from studying famous artists and art movements—not to copy them, but to understand their choices, techniques, and ideas, and then apply those lessons to my own work in the form of flowers & floristry. Read More>>
Jamie Alvey
When it comes to ideas I have a small but mighty circle of people that I rely on for feedback and general collaboration. I know that I can always rely on them to tell it to me straight. They give me feedback and advice that I need to hear and it all comes from the heart and with my improvement and well-being in mind. Read More>>
Infinity Brooks
Honestly, yes, I would hire myself. I would hire me because I genuinely care and that shows in how I work. At Infinite Designs Wedding Planning, I’m not just here to plan a wedding. I’m here to make sure my couples feel supported, heard, and at ease from the very beginning. Read More>>
Vitalii Hutsuliak
Yes, I would. Because I approach every project with genuine attention and responsibility. My priority is to fully understand the task, the client’s vision, and the desired final result before I even start working. I don’t treat projects as a routine – each new client is a new story, a new goal, and a new standard I aim to meet or exceed. Read More>>
Kudra Mohammed
Without thinking twice, yes. I would hire me for my strong judgment, decisive leadership, and ability to lead with both strategy and execution. I understand how to turn vision into results and how to move teams and ideas forward. I take ownership of the roles I step into. I think long term, stay invested in the work, and take responsibility for outcomes. Read More>>
Claudia Bloom
I would hire me, who wouldn’t hire themselves! I hope I can provide more to my clients than just pulling a pretty house or a cool bar. I try to ofter many options with variety. Read More>>
