Finding & Living with Purpose

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.

Bena Klier

I found my purpose when I realized surving multiple suicide attempts, domestic violence, drug abuse and breast cancer 3x that God kept me for a reason and to live a purpose filled life. I knew I just had to remain focused on the positives of why I am still here and the good parts of living and life. I found being creative was the key that would unlock the many doors inside of me. Read more>>

Queen Zina Thrower

My purpose had been in me all my life, and that was to help other women see that they are worth more than they thought. Some way along the journey called life, I had lost my purpose and myself. One day I showed up to work, just to find out that they were downsizing and letting me go. Read more>>

Antares Villasenor

It might sound cliché, but the simple answer is my family. The women in my family are my purpose. My goal has always been to create a lifestyle that allows me the most freedom and time spent with my mom and sister. The end goal is to make the most of my time on Earth and experience everything I can with them.  Read more>>

Sonia Smith Kang

Finding my purpose was a journey shaped by my experiences and heritage. Growing up as an AfroLatina in a multicultural family, I was deeply immersed in diverse traditions and stories. This rich cultural tapestry not only influenced my identity but also highlighted the lack of representation in the fashion industry. Read more>>

Dr. Enolia Foti

There comes a time in all our lives when we seek to find our purpose. It is a moment when you question yourself, asking, “Why am I here?” We understand the concept that we were birthed from our mothers, but then there must be a purpose for why I have journeyed here. My first realization that I am an energy being housed in a physical container came early in my childhood.  Read more>>

Ans Carnes

I feel my purpose found me a long time ago, but it took me a minute to accept it as that.
I have always been painting, and over the years I have become more aware that my art can be a gift that I can share. Often we tend to define our ‘use’ and purpose by our occupation, and as an artist I went through a phase when the world was starting to be more upside down than usual, when I compared myself to nurse friends and wondering if my art career served a ‘real’ purpose. Read more>>

Kristen Poe

Finding my purpose has been one of the most challenging and difficult but rewarding journeys life has taken me on so far. For some people, they experience a calling and yearning early on as to where they are supposed to be, and what they are supposed to be doing. Read more>>

Alua Abdikakhar

It’s an interesting story, actually. One day, I was making dumplings in the kitchen with my mom. It’s our tradition: she cooks alone, turns on the TV, and if there’s a cartoon on, the whole family gathers—not to help, but to watch.  Read more>>

GIN Musician

I realized at a really young age that I loved music. I felt it in my heart and it made me happy. As I got older I became part of the music industry by promoting events and artists, eventually starting my own booking and promotions business. I came to a point in my life that all the energy I was putting out that I should be putting it into myself and in what makes me happy which is music. Read more>>

Megan Larkins

From a young age, I was drawn to creative pursuits and helping others, whether decorating spaces or offering assistance in digital realms like MySpace. As I matured, these passions evolved into a career path in digital marketing. Read more>>

Narayanan Nair

I have wanted to be a surgeon since I was 2. I started out wanting to be a pediatric cardiac surgeon after I saw a NOVA special on surgery, but as I matured in my surgical journey, plastic surgery really spoke to me. My desire to be a surgeon went through a lot of ups and down with the reality of the field, the problems and sacrifices needed.  Read more>>

Stacey Minton

I think on some level I have always known that my purpose was to help people. I am a big believer that life happens for us not to us and I have been able to use my challenges to create a program that I know helps people subtly shift forward towards their dreams. Read more>>

Leena Duwadi

At a young age, I had thought to myself that I would want to live an extraordinary life. Over the years, as I evolved, I pursued the career I was passionate about, did most of the things I wanted to do in life. Meanwhile, I understood that we all live a regular life, no matter what profession, path we are in or how much money do we make… Read more>>

El Radeaux

By taking art history in college and visiting many art museums, I had an inkling that I wanted to pursue the arts as a career. I had a background and passion for nature. I was very interested in the natural world around me. I took some basic drawing and design classes in college. When I began painting my attempts were marginal at best.  Read more>>

Gina Blickenstaff

I believe our purpose is to serve humanity. And the best way to do that is to BE WHO WE ARE and not follow other people. The practices of Honesty of Mind (do what you say and what you think – as opposed to thinking one thing, then saying something different and then doing something different) and Detachment (being able to have or not have anything) are very valuable in finding your purpose in life. Read more>>

Aisha Madda

I love this question! Eyeza Events became a reality after my daughter was born. I had taken a break from event planning after getting married, but her arrival changed me completely. For a while, I felt lost, but I knew that she would look up to me, so I was determined to continue pursuing all the goals I had set for myself. Read more>>

Callie Gualy

When I was 8 years old, I absolutely fell in love with the sport of figure skating. I remember laying in bed at night dreaming of one day standing on the Olympic podium with a gold medal hanging around my neck. For 9 more years, figure skating was my everything. I lived, breathed and dreamed of the sport. Read more>>

Nina Neilson Little

I believe in the power of books to educate, alter perspectives, and inspire. After suffering through five years of infertility including miscarriages, high-tech fertility treatments, an international adoption effort and a diagnosis of a genetic blood disorder; I figured I had a relatable and relevant story to share with the world. Read more>>

Ryan Ann LettBrown

It started after I was in a car accident in Georgia over thanksgiving while visiting my parents in 2009. I was experiencing migraines just about every day and awful pain in my cervical and thoracic spine. I saw doctor after doctor and went to physical therapy, and a chiropractor- nothing was relieving the pain. Read more>>

Owen Isachsen

That’s a great question, purpose to me as a creator has many different meanings and changes quite often while running a business. When I was a kid growing up in Southern California this allowed me to be surrounded by so many amazing people, places, and other companies as well. Read more>>

Yi Cai

For me, one approach is to engage in conversations with people. Back when I was in college, whenever I couldn’t come up with ideas for photography, I would call my grandfather. He was an interesting old man, and each time we talked, he would offer me some novel thoughts. He also had a unique way of looking at my art, making it all very intriguing for me. Read more>>

Sherri Mack

I found my purpose when I got sick and found my self on the other side of the bed when I got sick while working in the hospitals. My name is Sherri Mack and I am a Registered Nurse, Cannabis Nurse, Cannabis Patient, Advocate, Activist and passionate podcaster here to change the paradigm of health as a Cannabis Nurse Entrepreneur. Read more>>

DJsNeverEndingStory

I found my purpose by getting lost. In my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, and the streets of Los Angeles, California, I used to walk and joyride aimlessly, getting inspired by the surprises of life. I’d discover new places and people, engage with them, learn new things, and add some of those things to my life. I used to do this until I got lost, like, really lost in life. I ventured off so far that I forgot who I was. Read more>>

Shani Avidar

Finding my purpose has been a deeply personal and transformative journey. My first child arrived in 2019, my second in 2021, and my third in 2022. Not only did I want my kids to sleep well, but I also needed it for myself because I was pregnant for nearly three years straight and had to manage multiple sleep schedules. Read more>>

Dr. Allison Brownlee

care to communities who are already underserved and under insured, but increasingly so as the pandemic hit. I had a vision for an inclusive, safe space for our clients to feel heard, seen and understood in their most vulnerable of times. Read more>>

Christine Reed

I’ve always been passionate about beauty and skincare, and my journey began with my own skin struggles. Battling scars and imperfections, I discovered the transformative power of the right products and techniques. When I started using Environ products, I noticed a remarkable improvement in my skin.  Read more>>

Rodrigo Levél

Understanding that what I conveyed with my art had meaning and significant importance to many people, I began to understand my purpose as a human being and as an artist in society. Read more>>

Jesus Leyva

I think finding your purpose is a lifelong journey that changes as you gain more perspective and clarity the more you let yourself experience the world, different cultures, and overcome diversity. I’ve found my purpose a couple of times in my life, at a young age I learned how to play the drums and I told myself “This is my purpose, I’m going to be a famous musician”. Read more>>

Aren Bahia

When I left the life of organized crime and addiction, I didn’t know what I was to do in life, or who I was supposed to be. So, I looked at the parts of me that were naturally my strong suits, the parts of me that shined since I was young. I thought to myself, “what would I naturally be good at?” Read more>>

Rachel Anderson

I came across a meme recently that really shifted my perspective: “Skill + Helping Others = Purpose.” Since then, it’s been my mission to use my artistic skills to find meaningful ways to help others. Read more>>

Amy Ames

A family trip to Yellowstone National Park in 2016 changed the course of my photography journey forever. Although I had been drawn to photography for years, I spent much of my early years photographing people. However, this trip marked the beginning of a new path for me. In 2017, I embarked on my first major adventure to Alaska. Lake Clark National Park filled me with a new enthuasism with every click of my camera. Read more>>

Topher O’Foolery

My father always told me that “if you truly love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I always knew that I wanted to be a clown and make people laugh. I’ve had other jobs, but they were just that – jobs. They were work. I looked forward to time off, and regularly didn’t want to be there. Read more>>

Melissa Krupp

As a child I was always fascinated by makeup. I used to play in my mother’s makeup and then throughout high school I was the one doing everyone’s makeup for dances. Later in life after I became a mother, I wanted to stay home to raise my kids but also wanted to financially contribute to the family. Read more>>

ROSECRANS EJAYE

1. Early Inspirations: – Man, growing up, my moms was a pop locker in LA, and my pops was a Soul Train dancer. So, I was basically born into the entertainment game. We lived in Hawthorne, CA, and moms always had that Walkman with all kinds of tapes, from originals to bootlegs. Read more>>

Aimee Takaha

I found my purpose, my very reason for being from my core through helping animals and people. For me, there is no feeling greater. When I have an animal come to me so broken, well, it can be heart wrenching, it tears at my very soul. My focus must stay positive despite many cases of atrocities of abuse inflicted on the animal. Read more>>

Rachaeal Stewart

Finding my purpose starts with self-reflection, asking hard questions about what my love, are passionate about, and what brings me fulfillment. It involves exploring different paths, trying new things, and stepping out my comfort zone to find honest answers from within. Read more>>

John Wusah

I was 27 and living in Taiwan then for a few year, I was turning 28. I had an epiphany of sorts as I stood in my table in the middle of the nightclub. Watching people sweating, dancing, and drinking, as I hold a bottle of grey goose in my hand.  Read more>>

Jai Johnson

I found my purpose through experiences which impacted my life forever. For instance, one of my profound purposes was to escape reality through modeling, photo shoots and fashion. After so many disappointments and being devalued my self-esteem and confidence was shattered. I have always been fascinated with fashions as a young teen. Read more>>

ANDREA RODRIGUEZ

Going with the flow of life. I’ve had so many different careers and chapters in my life, and I am so thankful for all of the experiences because they have all led me to where I’m at today. I have never followed what everyone else was doing and stuck to my own path.  Read more>>