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.

Jaycee Spagrud

Before becoming a Life Coach and creator of the Lose Your Weight For Good program, I worked as a medical social worker. In my 20s, while studying to become a teacher, I didn’t really understand what I was meant to do. Making a decision felt daunting, and I thought it was a choice I could only make once. I chose to be a teacher and pursued a degree in arts and science at university. However, I hated it. During my practicum, I realized that taking care of younger children wasn’t for me. So, I took a break from university and traveled. Read more>>

Noelle Kustas

Finding my purpose was an unexpected journey. For over two decades, I dedicated my life to shaping young minds as an elementary and middle school teacher. While I loved my work, a deep-seated longing began to emerge. During the pause of 2020-2021, my lens changed and I embarked on a journey of introspection, reflection, or personal growth. It was then that I realized my true calling lay outside the classroom.  Read more>>

Debbie Kay Thomas

I was diagnosed with stage 3 aggressive carcinoma cancer 11 years ago. I chose to take the path much less traveled and heal it 100% naturally. I had many people in and outside my life telling me I would die and that I was crazy! I continued to educate myself up to 10 hours daily on the topic of a cancer cell and how/why does it grow in the human body. After hundreds of hours of research, while waiting for my surgery date, I came to the realization that I could quite possibly effectively eradicate the cancer by natural methods. Read more>>

Joe Flores

I wish I could say realizing my purpose came early on in life, but in all honesty it didn’t happen til I entered into my adult life. However looking back, all the precursors were there from my earliest childhood memories. I was the middle child with three siblings growing up as a military brat, that above all else I needed to take care of my family and anyone who was standing next to me. Over the years that continued to grow, and without a doubt I can say my purpose is to take care of all those I call family and friends in the service industry. Read more>>

Anthony Feyer

I grew up in Toronto. Both my parents were artists, my mother a painter and my father, a cartoonist. I suppose I was genetically pre-disposed to follow suit. My first passion was the electric guitar. In my teens I was playing in a rock band. I desperately wanted to attend Berklee School of Music but my mother was not supportive of that idea. Read more>>

Kiki Ramsey

Growing up with a mother who struggled with drug addiction made life really tough, but deep down, I always felt there was a bigger purpose for me. As I got older, I became fixated on helping her get clean. The love and support I poured into her sparked my passion to help other women, which became my life’s mission. Read more>>

Tammy Schreiter

The process of finding my purpose wasn’t immediate. It was a journey rooted in my love for art and the deep desire to create a space that would bring people together through creativity. Art was my sanctuary growing up, and after college, I realized I was looking for a purpose, not just a job. I dreamed of a welcoming environment that supported local artists and made art accessible to everyone, leading to the creation of Hatch Art House. Opening Hatch was a leap of faith, but it was when I realized I had found my purpose. Read more>>

Aarohi Bansal

Art has always been a core part of my life, ever since I was a child. Illustrated books and animated films fascinated me—not just the stories, but the vibrant characters, colors, and the art of visual communication. I was always drawn to illustrated books at school scholastic fairs, intrigued by how pictures could tell stories. This early fascination with visual storytelling led me to pursue graphic design in college, as it was the field closest to illustration. Read more>>

Mari Perez

Our purpose became clearer as we spent more time out in nature in the mountains together. It was as if the quiet claming essence of the mountains challenged what we thought our purpose would be and helped paint a clear picture. We felt the pull to start not only our own business focused on trail running but building and sharing the community of trail running with current trail runners and new people as well. Read more>>

Veronica Leon

I found my purpose by following a lifelong dream of owning my own business. From a young age, I was always coming up with business ideas—like making and selling candles at age 10 and selling handmade jewelry from South America in my 20s. I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart, knowing I wanted to have my own business and help people, though I wasn’t sure what form that would take. Read more>>

Sara Alepin

When I left my job and became a full-time photographer, I started networking. My goal was to find other business owners who were similar to me; I needed people to refer inquiries that I couldn’t take on. But, when I met other photographers at networking events, they would say, “You’re a photographer? Me, too. So, I don’t need to know you,” and ice me out of the circle. It was incredibly discouraging. Read more>>

Paula Jean Camp

Finding my purpose has been a long, fraught adventure. Long because I was scared for most of my life. Terrified really. Afraid of myself, who and what I was. It took me 67 years to finally admit to myself that I was transgender, much less share this revelation with the rest of the world. 67 years! Not much time left. So I was forced to decide what I wanted to do with what little time is left. I worked on myself, first. Not just trying to admit who I was but also to find my authentic self through therapy, meditation and practice… hard, consistent practice at presenting as the female who truly was me.  Read more>>

Malorie Martin

This question is tricky, but also consequential to who I am as an artist today. Throughout my adolescence, I had no interest in visual arts. It wasn’t until I entered college that I began to show the slightest interest in visual arts, first dabbling in fiber arts, mainly crochet and embroidery, and then working a little with watercolors. By some stroke of luck, or maybe fate, I managed to run into one of the two art faculty members at my tiny Maine university. Read more>>

Alice Hu

I think your purpose continues to evolve throughout your life. One of the ways I found my purpose was through astrology. Astrology allowed me to better understand myself. I’ve spent a lot of time exploring my values and desires independent from external influences like family and society. I found looking at the North Node to be really powerful in understanding purpose and life lessons. Read more>>

Keaidy Bennett

As cliché as it sounds, I didn’t find my purpose—my purpose found me. I was eight years old when I realized that my ability to weave simple words together was different from those around me. My third-grade teacher noticed too. She pulled me aside one day and asked how, at such a young age, I already understood similes, metaphors, and my personal favorite—personification. Read more>>

Ashlynn Yost

For most of my adult life I spent my time doing what most of us do, work a job that I didn’t love to pay bills while looking forward to my one or two days off a week. When everything shut down in 2020 I was let go at my restaurant job where I worked as a server. I felt like I needed to do something to try and make money but also took the opportunity to try out creating a small business with a hobby I always loved but never had time for, crochet! Read more>>

Ben Lo

For me, purpose has unfolded one step at a time. Looking back, being willing to take the next step I could see or was drawn to whether or not I could see beyond it has been a consistent pattern for me. Professionally, it began with medical school and then becoming a family doctor after obtaining a degree in electrical engineering, because I saw the possibility of becoming a positive influence in a community and was attracted to the idea of working with and caring for families as they grew while also bringing in the problem-solving from my engineering studies. Read more>>

Vanessa Sansivrini

My purpose and passion slowly showed up for me. I knew early on that I wanted to be a lawyer to help families and help people with difficult situations. God knew me better and directed me to a different road that was going to be exactly what fit my personality and healing nature. Through a series of events I came across the spa and aesthetics world that looked fun and like something I would enjoy. I closed my eyes and made the leap, not fully knowing what I was getting myself into. Every time I learned something new, I fell in love even more with everything beauty and aesthetics. Read more>>

Keesha O’galdez

Finding My Purpose:
Finding my purpose has been a journey shaped by my experiences, passions, and deep-rooted desire to give back. Growing up in the Bronx,NY and navigating the challenges of being a woman in business, I’m driven to give back to communities like the one I came from. Whether it’s through creating products that promote health, women’s issues, partnering with organizations to advocate for a cause, or simply sharing the joy of good food, I’m dedicated to making a positive impact. Read more>>

Maggie (bannigan) Von Handorf

I found my purpose in discovering the true joy I felt from helping and connecting with others. I am a huge empath, and have always felt for those who are often less understood or have a more difficult time showing their true colors. I feel I have a unique talent in helping others see their purpose, and feel confident in who they are in their own skin. Read more>>

Jillian Bone

I became a Travel Agent specializing in Disney because I travel to the parks so frequently and realized a lot of people need help and have questions while traveling. If they had a travel agent helping then their trip would have been a lot better and less stressful. I find my purpose from my clients. It is up to me to make payments, schedule dining reservations, make suer they have ground transportation and so much more. If clients hire me to do a job for them then I am all in. I put 100% into their vacations as if it was my own vacation. Read more>>

Dawne Mckay

My life took an unexpected turn when I was involved in a horrific motor vehicle crash that changed everything. The recovery process was challenging, both physically and emotionally, but it also became a journey of self-discovery that ultimately led me to find new purpose and meaning in life. The crash forced me to slow down and reflect on what truly mattered to me. The experience made me reconsider what I wanted to focus on moving forward. Read more>>

Sivan Maya

I think this is such a great question that i’m still exploring. I have always known that i’m meant to be an artist from a very young age. Ever since i was a child, i have had a deep sense that my calling in life is to be an artist. I have always had a strong sense of creativity, enjoying the art of storytelling and the profound impact that stories can have on me, whether they evoke positive or negative emotions. I have mentioned this previously, but the TV show Grey’s Anatomy was the catalyst for my passion – it inspired me to pursue a career where i could save lives, just like how the show saved me. Read more>>

Therese Riza-lawrence

Finding our purpose as photographers has been a journey of self-discovery, deeply intertwined with our personal gifts, talents, and experiences. From a young age, we were captivated by the power of visual storytelling. Our innate curiosity and keen eye for detail allowed us to see the world in unique ways, capturing moments that others might overlook. Read more>>

Miranda Darrow

I always wanted to write and work with books and authors, but I’d say I found my purpose slowly and incrementally after a series of “safer” choices over decades. In grade school, we had an assignment to each make a book showing what we thought our future careers might be. In my book, I listed a teacher, a writer, and a lawyer. I’ve done all three now but didn’t pursue my dreams of writing and helping authors by editing their novels and teaching writing classes until I was in my forties. In college, I had a double major in English (my passion) and pre-law, the safer choice. Read more>>

Jackie Arrick

Think back to your elementary school days when your teachers would ask you what you want to be when you grow up. I still remember to this day two of my responses: I remember saying I wanted to be a police woman and another time saying I wanted to be a teacher. From a very young age I think I always knew I wanted to help people. I was barely 18 years old when I started college in 2004 majoring in Biology with plans to attend medical school.  Read more>>

Susan L Petrella

It actually took a number of years/decades… I’ve always been drawn to intrapreneurial/entrepreneurial adventures… But, when I had the awesome opportunity to be a Business Advisor, PCR SBDC during COVID, I realized, “wow”, I have a knack for this founder stuff, advising on business strategy, marketing and such… Furthermore, I have a really really lengthy “rolladex” of resources and connections with which I can support my clients, founders who are looking to launch, scale, pivot… Read more>>

Greg Miley

A favorite culinary ambition was to learn how in the world “Texas BBQ” could be so delicious. Texas is considered to be one of the best locations for smoked and cooked meats. They consider “Texas-Styled” BBQ to be the mother load of BBQ but the rest of the world knows there is good BBQ in Kansas City, Memphis, the Carolinas and a host of other locations. Every BBQ location is headed by a pit master, who determines the type of meat, how long, what temperature, and what seasonings are to be used in the process.  Read more>>

Lexi Spoon

My purpose is to empower women to feel beautiful and confident on some of the most important days of their lives. Through Bella Bridesmaids, I strive to offer a curated selection of stylish, high-quality dresses that celebrate individuality while ensuring every bride, bridesmaid, and mom finds the perfect fit for their unique role in a wedding. My goal is to make the shopping experience as joyful and stress-free as possible, creating lasting memories for all involved. Read more>>

Lisa Larue-baker

Thinking back, I’ve always been artistic, tenacious and an entrepreneur. But boiling down to what I feel is my ‘purpose’ seems to have happened naturally. Some things fizzle out, and other things grow. And the older we get and grow ourselves, our ‘purpose’ and the purpose of our work gets filtered naturally. Read more>>

Awe Atina Nomus

As a child, I always knew my purpose was to serve others. I naturally gravitated towards roles where I could support and uplift those around me. While this question asks how I found my purpose, I believe the journey is ongoing—I’m still discovering how my purpose will be fully realized. Life is about journeying, running a marathon, and experiencing the highs and lows along the way. I started with aspirations of becoming a surgeon, then a forensic investigator, a psychologist, a forensic psychologist, a therapist, a social worker, and even a women’s hormonal health coach. Read more>>

Odra Mendoza

Finding my purpose in life was a journey that began when I discovered the concept of Ikigai. For a long time, I felt lost, without a clear direction. He had many passions, but none seemed to fill that deep void. That’s when I came across this Japanese philosophy that combines four fundamental elements: what I love, what I’m good at, what the world needs and what I can earn income from. Upon meeting her, I understood that the key to finding my purpose was in the balance between these aspects. Read more>>

Nerissa Stewart

The journey to find my true purpose began with a personal battle—a weight loss transformation that not only changed my body but reshaped my entire outlook on life. After struggling with my weight for years, I discovered that I could reclaim my health through the bariatric surgery process. This life-altering decision was just the beginning. Read more>>

Tori Hughes

My purpose is to live with intention and positively impact others. For me, motherhood is the most joyful and meaningful part of that purpose. My children have taught me more about life than I ever imagined, and it was after the birth of my oldest that I rediscovered my love for photography. She reminded me that I’m artistic and that I find immense joy in giving others thoughtful, artful gifts.
Since I was young, I have loved creating and giving others handmade gifts. Read more>>

Tenaya Britton

For me, purpose was something I discovered along the way and has evolved over time. Growing up, I attended an incredibly diverse school. Not only was it racially and culturally diverse, students were from different socio-economic echelons and had diverse learning needs. And, my high school’s culture was celebratory of different backgrounds. Read more>>

Rick Liebo

I found my purpose during college. For years I debated on how I wanted to spend my time after school and which career path to follow. It wasnt until I started bartending that I decided that the hospitality industry was what I was looking for. I was finishing my degree in history at the university of minnesota twin cities and after a lackluster job hunt and a terrible internship i realised the major I had worked so hard on was not what I wanted to pursue for the rest of my working life. Read more>>  

Cydnie Dawkins-o’neal

My purpose didn’t just arrive one day—it pursued me, shaped by every hardship I endured. I was consumed by a longing to be seen, understood, and to belong. For years, I felt trapped in a cycle of depression, convinced that misery was my fate. It all came to a head when I tried to take my own life and ended up in a mental health facility. It was there, in that raw and vulnerable space, that I realized I wasn’t “crazy” as I’d been made to feel—I was simply sad and misunderstood. Read more>>

Jinjin Li

I found my purpose through a journey of imitation and discovery. Initially, I was influenced by the people around me—my friends Ningxin and Shuqi, who have had a profound impact on my life decisions. I’ve never been someone with strong opinions or certainty about what I wanted; I’ve always felt a bit apprehensive about the unknown, and I’ve always relied on external cues to guide my decisions. Read more>>

Sierra O’dell

Love this question, I like to say my purpose found me at a young age. I am the oldest of 3 girls, my mom widowed after having my youngest sibling at two weeks old, I was a kindergartner at the time. My mom was working 3 government jobs at the time. I am also military brat so there would be times she would be gone for long periods of times. I seen my mom struggling emotionally, mentally and tired most days trying to support us as she was grieving; because of this I started doing my own hair and would do my sisters hair as well to help.  Read more>>

Kameryn Robinso

My name is Kameryn Robinson. I am a young creative from the DMV area. Working in the entertainment industry, I have come to learn there are many levels to creating art. I have worked on large sets with some well-known names but I have also worked on very small sets filled with passion and dreams. In the area I am in, I find that there are many people who want to get into the art of filmmaking, be it as the filmmaker or an actor, but we appear to be very disconnected from one another. Read more>>

Kateryna Sazonova

environmental narratives or documentaries or equal rights social ads or other socially relevant topics I’ve worked with in different genres and formats. I first knew I wanted to be a filmmaker when I watched a Behind-the-scenes documentary on making of the first Avatar film back in 2009. Back then I only knew that I wanted to be on set and somehow be a part of it all. When I started making my own films, I thought a lot about what kind of stories I wanted to tell.  Read more>>

Jenny Elli

I have always been a creative soul. I loved making things out of discarded items, or repurposing fabrics or furniture. I found that learning how to do something the right way, can springboard my creativity into doing something better. I have done many creative business ventures in my lifetime.. Those businesses always revolved around, fabrics, sewing and custom designing, and my own creations. Read more>>

Megan Sheldon

In my early 30s, I experienced a grief storm. My father-in-law was diagnosed with ALS, I had three recurrent miscarriages, and I was losing my hearing.\n\nI was raised secular and didn’t feel like I had access to rituals and ceremonies connected to these types of grief and loss. I started to research and study and understand how I could bring ritual and ceremony into my life in ways that felt personal and meaningful. I was mindful of not appropriating from other cultures, and was drawn to the universal elements of ritual. Read more>>