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.
Shani Nizan
When I was about 15 I asked myself what could be my meaning of life. After seeing my mom and my grandma, I assumed that for me, it might be – having kids. I figured that I can use this time until being a mom to prepare = to find a way of making a living while being home, and enjoy it as well. That’s why I started drawing for money, and that’s the reason I do anything ever since. I’m a very practical person, I don’t believe that purpose, or meaning, are hidden somewhere deep. I believe that everything we want and need is right there in front of us, and simple. Read more>>
Shannon Nia Figueroa
Whenever I talk about purpose, I always have to share this fun fact about my name: my middle name “Nia” means “purpose” in Swahili. I remember my mom used to beam with pride telling me what my name meant and how she knew I was meant to do great things. When my mother was pregnant with me, she was a teenager. Many people around her encouraged her not to have me, but she said she chose life for me because she knew her baby was special. Read more>>
Grace Reber
Grace is a 24 year old young lady with Down syndrome. She is capable and smart and we have always had high goals for her. During Covid we saw doing some specific pieces of art that she called her “WORK”. We decided to make some homemade cards and sent bundles of them out to family and friends to write someone they miss or is lonely. We had such a great response and we saw some great learning opportunities for Grace’s future as she was graduating from public education. We decided to build a website and turn Grace’s art into beautiful cards. She has over 100 cards and collections now. The great thing is each card has her story on the back. That turning her art into cards we want to empower others and inspire others to help us promote a culture of kindness and inclusion for all. Read more>>
Kristie Stephenson
I think we can find our purpose when things don’t go as planned. We do what we think we should do that takes us off course and away from our heart, eventually whatever you are in that just doesn’t feel right, you will start to see signs, clues, curiosities, messages from source creating a door to where there was none before. That’s been my journey. Read more>>
Ishmael Meza
I honestly can’t say I’ve found a “purpose”. There are different aspects of my life that I love doing. There are goals that I’ve set for myself that I have accomplished and have yet to accomplish. I have a relentless drive to complete projects and grow from each experience.
I know what I want to do with this life and I will never give in to quitting, but sometimes life takes you in directions you’d never expect to go. If life challenges you by placing a wall in your path, do you go around it, through it, under or over, or do you turn around to find a different direction away from the wall? Which ever you choose will lead you closer to your purpose in life. Although I’m sure a lot of us would love to know our purpose as if it was foretold, to me the journey is the part I want to enjoy more. Read more>>
Bonnie Hayden
I found my purpose because I had to in order to save my life. A couple of years ago I was going through some very tough challenges in my life – health challenges, work challenges, family issues. Everything was crashing down around me and my heart had an electrical circuit that was malfunctioning causing it to beat 200 beats a minute at random times. I knew that if I didn’t make changes I would not survive all of these things. As a lifelong artist, I also knew that if I could do art every day it would be healing. So, I created a project where I made one piece of art out of colorful cotton pom poms every day for a year. Read more>>
Jeanne Hansen
I came from an artistic family. My Aunt Jeanne and Uncle David Kouwenaar were a
known sculptress and abstract painter in Bergen, Netherlands. Their successful careers taught me that art was path. At age eight, I was struck by a glass truck speeding in our residential neighborhood. My healing involved six weeks in traction for a broken left arm and leg. My right arm was free to draw and help pass the long days. Read more>>
Alixandria Lee
Finding my purpose has been a journey shaped by my desire to uplift others and create meaningful connections. Growing up in a family that valued empathy and service, I naturally gravitated towards helping those in need. Throughout my career, I worked directly with victims of domestic violence and individuals struggling with mental illness. These experiences taught me the importance of resilience, support, and understanding in the face of hardship. Read more>>
Carly Stewart
I don’t know if “purpose” is the word I’d use for it, but I found something I really loved early on in life in performing. Community theatre was an environment that my high-energy spirit could express itself as a young kid. At home, I’d steal my dad’s heavy-duty video camera and make my own movies and remake favorite SNL sketches with my siblings. I loved singing and playing guitar with my dad. I think performing and telling stories has always just been a part of my spirit. I can’t help it! Read more>>
Jocelyn (ziying) Zhao
I discovered my purpose through a continuous exploration of the intersection between art, technology, and design. My foundation in traditional painting provided me with a deep understanding of aesthetics and craftsmanship, but I always felt drawn to more dynamic and innovative forms of creative expression. My time at ArtCenter was transformative, as it was there that I began integrating technology with visual communication. This experience helped me realize that my true passion lies in pushing the boundaries of design by blending the digital with the physical. Read more>>
Megan Costello
I think purpose in creative work lies in finding your flow state. The intersection of what you love and enjoy doing with what the world needs. For me, that happened to be photography but everyone has one or even a few flow states. Read more>>
Melissa Noeth
There were many galleries and professional art studios in St Augustine that made this such a rich creative area to live, but I felt there was a need for a studio space in the community in which families and people of all ages could create art with their own hands. I wanted to create a space where kids could take fine art classes, adults and teens could use pottery wheels, and families and friends could drop in and paint together and have a relaxing, fun experience. This vision has expanded to encompass corporate team building events, birthday and holiday parties, and private and small group art lessons. Read more>>
Steven Neuner
Finding my purpose has been a gradual journey that’s unfolded over time. It began with a strong desire to make a positive impact on those around me. As I explored different avenues in my career, I discovered that my true calling lies in helping others grow and succeed. Read more>>
Jean Armand
Finding your purpose comes from tapping into your inner person. How do you feel when your doing your job or business. I know the working in healthcare is my purpose because of the compassion and interest I have in the area. Read more>>
Kamber Mosby
I would say I found my purpose when I had my daughter Emme.. she is the Why behind everything I do. At the time I was a single mom bar tending on the weekends outside of my normal Monday-Friday career to make extra money to save up to buy our own home “Emme’s House”.
I got out of a very volatile, abusive relationship I stayed in way too long just because I was afraid to have nothing, start over and most of all share my baby. But, Emme deserved to have a happy mom and be in a healthy, happy home even if that meant struggling for awhile. Read more>>
Erika Hitchcock
After losing my beloved younger brother in 2019 and experiencing a severe accident while traveling abroad, I was unable to return to my 18-year teaching career. I was grappling with an unimaginable sense of loss while also recovering from the injuries caused by the accident. With only time on my hands, my mother recognized I needed something to get me through my days. She bought a slab roller, a piece of equipment that takes pieces of clay and rolls them into flat slabs ready for hand building. This piece of equipment turned out to be the catalyst of my creative journey turned into a thriving art business. My sense of purpose emerged from a place of deep suffering. Read more>>
Tamisha Ronee
Finding my purpose was a journey that unfolded over time. It wasn’t something I discovered overnight, but rather through a series of personal experiences and challenges that pushed me to dig deep. For me, it started with a pivotal moment when my son Lennox, passed away.. That period of feeling lost forced me to explore who I was without external validation, and it ignited a desire to reconnect with my inner self. Read more>>
Elaine Thompson
My purpose was shaped immensely by my childhood and upbringing. I’m a firm believer that your purpose is tied to what you are truly passionate about. It is God-given and will align with the talents and passions he has placed inside of you. I grew up without a television as it was my father’s decision to one day remove the television out of our home and insist we entertain ourselves through books. This opened a portal to new worlds for my siblings and I. I was able to travel new worlds and dimensions through reading. This is why I love writing. I love transporting imaginations to unknown worlds. My writing is the fuel that inspires, motivates, and transports. It is a powerful tool that I consider to be a vast part of my purpose. Read more>>
Krystel Stacey
I believe we are all endowed with a God-given purpose. Within each of us, we have a unique gift and calling, and our purpose often aligns with what we are most passionate about. My own purpose is to create and inspire—if I can embody this daily, regardless of my role or title, I know I will find fulfillment. In my book, She Minds Her Own Business, I guide entrepreneurs in uncovering their true purpose, empowering them to build a life and business that resonates deeply with who they are meant to be. Read more>>
Michele Finn
I have always been fascinated with nature. My grandfather, who grew up in the Appalachian Mountains, would take us camping by the ocean, hiking through the hills and valleys, playing in the rivers and streams. We spent a lot of time outdoors. He also taught us about being self reliant and to be friends with the spiders and the bees. Hew was very much my inspiration into being a nature lover and that blossomed into backyard herbalism. Read more>>
Elizabeth Cappelletti
I have always had a heart for helping others. In fact, it gives me great joy to be able to do so! It has always come naturally for me to provide comfort and support to those who need it. I can literally feel other people’s pain- I’m an intuitive empath- so helping others who are suffering in a way eases the suffering I feel as well. But seeing others heal, find relief and start to live a life filled with joy and on purpose…. priceless! Greatest gift! Read more>>
Melissa Cardoso
I’ve always been the type of person who did what I thought was the right thing, often influenced by the opinions of my mom, dad, teachers, and others. However, I never really asked myself what I truly wanted. Over time, I built a career in Supply Chain management and worked in that field for a long time. Eventually, I realized I had reached a plateau in that career and wanted to explore new possibilities. Read more>>
Sofia Padilla
I think finding your purpose now a days can be hard and even more as young adults, so if you are part of that small percentage that figured already out what your purpose is, you should feel very blessed because thats definitely how I feel. I think that to find my purpose, first I had to figure out what my talent and passions where. Since I was little i Ioved singing, it has always been the place I go if I couldn’t figure out how to say something or what I was feeling, I always found easier to talk through lyrics, melodies and music. Read more>>
Amelia Mei
Five years ago, I hit rock bottom, and I had two choices to make: 1. Decide that I was never going to change my path in life, continue to create the same negative patterns and routines, and live a negative lifestyle, always chasing something, or 2. Pick myself up, learn from my mistakes, become honest with who I was on the inside, and start living a fulfilled life. Read more>>
Sam Kumar Tandon
When I was five, my childhood home turned into a makeshift music school thanks to a troupe of Indian classical musicians. I’d wake up to the sounds of the gurus tuning their instruments—tabla gattas being hammered, sitar strings being tightened. I would just sit there, completely entranced. Read more>>
Dana Duncan
I found my purpose in life is split between helping others achieve their artistic goals and my own form of personal creativity. Helping others was something that just came naturally to me. I was flipping through my family album at my parent’s house one day and found a picture of me teaching another kid in pre-school how to do the ABCs. So even at a young age I was already helping others. Once I learn something, it seems becomes my goal to teach it to others who want to learn it. Read more>>
Ashley Mangione
As a former classroom teacher and a mom of three, I believe the most crucial skills a student needs in life are having strong reading comprehension skills and effective use of executive functioning skills. Executive functioning skills enable individuals to implement goal-oriented activities and problem-solving skills. These sets of skills help people reach “success” no matter how success is individually defined. Read more>>
Christine Chilufya Glidden
In 2014, I met a young woman who had recently relocated to the US from a Nepali refugee camp where she had lived for 17yrs. Quiet and fragile, she proceeded to describe to me the brutal conditions there. I listened trying not to reveal my horror. One day over tea, Yangjin told me that none of the menstruating women in the camp possessed underwear or sanitary pads. During her period, she sat on a rag in the corner of her one-room house/hut and waited until it was over. She didn’t even know what a period was. She didn’t know there was a ‘thing’ called underwear. Read more>>
Jolene Goring
I found my purpose through a combination of self-discovery, curiosity, and a deep desire to make a meaningful impact. It wasn’t something that hit me all at once, but rather a series of experiences that gradually revealed what I was meant to do. Read more>>
Francesca Virginia Coppola
Rooted in existentialism, my artistic journey has been more about navigating the struggle for meaning in a world that defies one and the human capacity to endure despite this. Especially my earlier works revolved around this very tension—the conflict between the search for a purpose and the realization that it’s ultimately elusive. It is from this conceptual foundation that I gradually moved toward my ongoing exploration of reality, where I investigate nature as a primal level of existence. This view has evolved into a non-hierarchical understanding of nature and culture, where human actions—like art—are simply another natural occurrence, not elevated or apart from other phenomena. Read more>>
Isa Antonetti
My purpose came from the encouragement of my family. When I realized what I loved also brought so much joy to those around me, I knew it would be a defining part of my life. My family has never wavered in their belief that I could find success in my passion for singing and acting and that is how I came to understand that my passion and love for performing was also my purpose. Read more>>
Tamara Johnson
While sharing my struggles as a stepmom on social media, I noticed that other stepmothers and bonus moms resonated with my words. That is when I realized my writing not only helped other stepmoms, but it also reinforced my own sense of purpose as an intentional stepparent. I decided to expand my efforts by creating an affirmation journal for stepmoms and a children’s book. Through my writing, I am committed to empowering stepmoms and bonus moms to embrace their roles with intention and confidence. I want stepmoms to know that they are not alone in their journey! Read more>>
Marla Moonshine
When I was three, I’d sit in my mom’s old car, still strapped into a car seat, listening to the music on the radio. I would sing the songs, matching pitch and volume, hitting the notes with surprising accuracy. This is my earliest memory of singing-my mom turned down the volume just to hear me I could tell she was listening. Even at that age, I knew she was impressed—not just by my singing but by the fact that I knew all the lyrics. A few months later, at a family party, I went from table to table, singing and dancing in my ruffled dress. Guests gave me coins and dollar bills. I didn’t understand why, I was just happy to make them smile and loved the attention. My mom made me return the money, which, of course, left me a little disappointed—ha! Read more>>
Jenice Lee
I was in high school. It was my senior year and I needed a job to pay for my prom stuff and senior dues. I was sharing my troubles with my afterschool program director and he mentioned their second site had a job opening. At the time, I knew I wanted to work in education but didn’t know in what capacity. Applying for this job would give me a chance to explore and weigh my options. So, I applied and went through the interview process. Of course, I got the job. And that’s when it all happened. Through this experience, I was reassured I wanted to work with kids and later in my academic studies in college it was this experience that would lead me to the youth development profession. Read more>>
Eunji Lim
Purpose. I think it’s quite a heavy word, you know, heavy and profound.
Since I was young, I have always had a diary and written them. At the beginning of every new year, I get a new planner and write full of plans, like the promises I will make with myself this year, 10 goals I would love to achieve this year, or simple life lessons, traveling plans, etcetera. It became my ritual of the new year. So, growing up, I always have had things that I wanted to explore, accomplish, and projected image of my ideal self, which could be considered as Purpose. Following them, I plan and live every day. And I do passionately, whatever those would be. Read more>>
Monica Ailey-welborn
My purpose has always been very clear to me. I have always, since I was a child, remember having a special connection to animals….ALL animals. There have been pivotal moments in my life that have directed me to a more specialized path but I know from my core, I was put on this earth to help animals. Read more>>
Ashley Taylor
I discovered my purpose through the pain I experienced in romantic relationships, and many of my close relationships. I always longed for deeper, more fulfilling connections, but my circle lacked that desire. Over time, I realized that many of my clients and close friends were silently suffering in the same way—feeling worn down by society and deprived of love’s replenishing power. This fueled my desire to create real change, even if it meant offering free love counseling or holistic matchmaking services to those in need. Read more>>
Erinna M. Hinds
In my experience, finding one’s purpose in life is more like shooting at a moving target than following a straight line. It’s not easy or quick and sometimes it’s incredibly inconvenient, but if you relentlessly seek out clarity on why you exist until you find the answer, the result is a genuinely fulfilled life. As a woman of faith, I believe that we all have a unique divine reason why we were created, which is why it is imperative that we don’t become consumed with comparing ourselves to others and miss the invaluable gift of discovering who we really are. The truth is that I am the only version of me that ever has or ever will exist. Read more>>
Elizabeth Merriwether
A bit more than 8 years ago I was presented with a major life adjustment – my Mom died unexpectedly. As I moved through that period I became very depressed & began therapy. As I was doing the work of digging deeper into issues I realized I most likely was not the only woman feeling this aching feeling or had felt this. As I continued on my therapy journey I realized I should create a company & community to support women to be intentional when it comes to focusing on their self care. I recognized I had not previously given myself the care that I needed & because I’d gain some tools & insights I’d be operating in purpose to daily share those tools with other women. Read more>>
Meryl Clark
As a teen, I knew I loved art and I always had a passion for people. As I developed my knowledge and love for the arts, I realized that I wanted to share this exciting world of the arts with others. In college, I decided to get a job at a local community arts center and began working with children and other arts educators. This led to me teaching classes at the arts center as well as at a local school during their after school program and I ultimately got to lead an arts program called Auburn City Kids for children living in the Auburn Housing Authority. I was also the first student to work with the Alabama Prison Arts and Education Project and had the opportunity to teach classes in several correctional facilities. Read more>>
Maria Sanchez
I found my purpose by volunteering and learning about my local community in my church, my daughter’s school, my daughter’s soccer team, swim team and later on I started volunteer with two non profit organizations that serve the Latinx community in NC. Serving my community and learning about their needs and struggles gave me a better idea of the type of job that I wanted to have. To fulfill my purpose of making a difference and advocate for my community by helping people and being able to empower them to take charge of their health with information, education about healthcare resources and organize health promotion community events and health fairs that gives them access to free health screenings, free vaccines, to care better for their health, and have a better life. Read more>>
Arielle Hoffman And Nicole Pelini
When we first started crafting together, it was a fun way to become better friends, feel artistically fulfilled post-pandemic, and make unique gifts for loved ones. We received an abundance of positive feedback and began to consider how we could transition our love for this into a business. As people who care deeply about our planet and its population, we knew we wanted to create a company that would contribute positively to the world around us instead of adding to the already disastrous damage brought upon by the fast fashion industry. Read more>>
Selena Martinez
I found my purpose by complete chance.
I moved to Lubbock in the winter of 2016, and after about a year of struggling to find my footing in a new city, I came across an open mic comedy night at a local bar. Watching the local performers, I thought “well I could probably be funnier than that guy.” Spoiler alert: at first I definitely wasn’t, but over time through dedication and hard work, I eventually found my voice and became one of the best comedians in my city. Read more>>
Eugene O’neill
I originally wasn’t planning on going to college. I was very fortunate to have the path revealed by my high school art teacher, who knew it would be a good fit for me to pursue Art Education. As a 17-year-old looking to escape the clutches of public education, I theatrically laughed in her face. Yet here I am, 17 years later, dedicating my energy and intention to sharing art & wellness with children and adults alike. Purpose found me in a 3rd-grade classroom, where I realized it was no longer homework, college assignments, and deadlines. Read more>>
