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.
Dede Bandaid
One night when I was fourteen on my way back home from visiting friends, I passed through a park and stumbled upon a discarded old rusty dark blue spray can. I picked it up and, passing by my school, I suddenly had an urge to jump over the fence and spray on the gray wall in the schoolyard. Facing it, I had no idea what to draw or write. I looked up and saw the stars in the sky and made up my mind to paint the solar system’s stars in one simple blue line as a row of circles, some of them with rings, and spots on a few of them.
The paint thinner scent, rush of adrenaline, and approaching headlights, all created an unforgettable experience. Read More>>
Brittany Shane
I found my purpose when I first started writing poetry in high school. In college I put those poems to music after I learned to play the guitar. My purpose is writing songs for others to hear and enjoy. I love just strumming the guitar now and listening and hearing the melody or words for my next song. It’s so much fun. I also love the recording process. It’s so magical to put everything together (the lyrics, music) and be in the room with other talented musicians. I start with just a sheet of paper with the lyrics and the guitar chords and leave the studio with a recording that is like a gift for others to hear and share. Read More>>
Robert Manni
Following years of reading, meditating, and self-reflection I’ve determined that my “purpose’ has evolved over time. When I was was growing up, my purpose was to learn, grow, play, and enjoy life. In my teens and early twenties it was about education while letting loose and experiencing the joys of indulging in life. Throughout my twenties and thirties my focus was determining how I wanted to live my life and how I wanted to make a living. In my thirties and forties my purpose focused on career and building a sustainable future. Running three marathons, becoming a Reiki Master Teacher and an Advanced Clinical Hypnotist, traveling the world for business, and writing a novel all helped me determine what was, and what was not as important in life. By the time I turned fifty I realized that my purpose was to live in the present and participate in experiences that help to raise my vibration. I’ve continued along this path until this day. Read More>>
Tyler Hawkins
I found my purpose from being in a Cris with the love ones that God blessed me with<of course you know I had to go to a mental facility I had to much trma and growth to understand within myself ;I wanna give much love to My Wife for being by my side in all that I did and especially talking with God day to day has also allowed me to understand that I am a kingdom Kid christian rapper ; Apparel owner and beat maker and producer !!!I am a wonderful Father /Husband that God has Put Favor over !! Read More>>
Shalonda Wallace
Shalonda Wallace is an international diplomat and change maker. Wallace is the founder of Wallace Media Group (WMG), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, a renowned federal staffing and workforce development agency. As a child, she remembers her humble beginnings being comfortable in leadership roles, a skilled competent communicator, and the ability to be a stand out from the crowd with vibrant energy. During adolescence, there were many generational hindrances that tried to cripple her from achieving success, but brick by brick she dismantled all barriers that came her way. Wallace found her purpose as an entrepreneurial philanthropist, developing new ideas and concepts to solve social problems, improve communities and economic empowerment. Read More>>
Christopher Strom
Has anyone actually found “their purpose”?…
…I think that we, as human beings, can get so caught up in our every day existence…that we lose sight of our desire to find purpose or meaning in our lives..I also think, especially in these days and times, that our focus can easily get distracted…With internet, social media, information technology… How are we supposed to focus on our purpose? Every day we’re distracted by someone else’s “purpose”. We tend to spend more time thinking about what’s happening in the rest of the world, what’s going on with so and so? Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat. Likes, Loves, Followers. Russia, China, Ukraine. Fox, ABC, CBS….
As I sit in my backyard writing this, I am asking myself for probably the, I don’t know, I’ve lost count, thousandth time “what is your purpose Chris?”…
..My purpose is striving to affect every soul that I’m blessed to encounter in the most positive way that I can. I feel like that’s what everyone’s purpose should be.. If we woke up every day with the mission of making someone else’s day successful, beautiful and positive… that’s purpose. That’s progress. Read More>>
Daniel Lawrence Martinez
Finding your purpose is the most beautiful topic I love to talk about in life. I have a deep feeling that it is our life’s purpose to find what that is and to be courageous enough to pursue it.
It’s taken me a while to find it. Life will provide clues, and it’s your job to listen to your intuition, pay attention to the signs that the universe provides, and pursue that purpose.
To make this short, I have literally combined everything about who I am into my purpose. For example, as a kid, I was terrified of the TV show “Tales From the Crypt” and was also into the supernatural and strange occurrences in life. Read More>>
Nathaly Restrepo
How I found my purpose was while doing my daily skincare routine one morning, I got this intuition that told me this is what I am meant to do, becoming a Licensed Esthetician. Due to genetics and my struggle with acne since puberty, I spent a lot of money trying to get “perfect” skin before realizing that I was more than my acne. I began to wear less makeup and felt confident going bare-skinned. I realized that everyone worries about themselves and made the decision to differentiate myself from the rest. I entered Aveda Institute’s Esthetician program knowing nothing more than the makeup products and my journey. Read More>>
Dennis Pitocco
Growing up I felt like everyone around me knew exactly what they wanted to do with their lives. It’s like they magically knew their purpose in life the moment they got out of their mother’s womb. They were going to be doctors, reporters, singers. While yes, I did have some ideas of my own but never really settled on my purpose until after a storied 30+ years in the banking industry, taking me around the world and back. It was as if my focus on what was really important was taking shape with every person I encountered, every experience I enjoyed, and every challenge I had to overcome. Over the course of many defining moments, I began to realize that with enough success behind me, I would have the luxury of “choice” – then deciding where and how to invest my time, my talent, and my treasure. I should add that my wife Ali joined that journey and added even more value and perspectives to the notion of OUR (versus) my true passion and ultimate purpose. Read More>>
Maria Kalomenidou
How to find your purpose is probably the most fascinating question of all because I think that most of the time we find it by accident!! In my case, Zelos Greek Artisan was born of my desire to spread a contemporary Greek version of love through food, bringing together two great passions of mine, cooking and design. Those passions came together over a decade ago while I was volunteering at Cincinnati’s Contemporary Art Center (CAC), where I authored a book on Cuisine-Art-Cocktails (a play on the CAC name). I loved that project, for it brought me together with artists, chefs & mixologists who paired their recipes with major works from the museum. Read More>>
Jerrica Ignacio
I kinda feel like I “fell” into my passion. I’m a nonprofit operations consultant, specializing in nonprofits in the arts community. I’ve been working as a musician and conductor after work for the last 15 years. I love being involved in the community, but also see some of the flaws that are present in nonprofits.
At the same time, I’ve been working as an operations manager for the last 10 years. About 3 years ago (think COVID lockdown), an acquaintance of mine approached me and ask if I could consult on the operations of a nonprofit they were involved in. The pandemic hit everyone hard, but the arts and entertainment industry was especially battered.
That was eye opening!
Of course I’d seen nonprofits in the arts community fail to function, but that was when I learned WHY. Artistic people aren’t always the best people to run businesses.
That became my passion and purpose. Consulting arts nonprofits help to ensure people get to continue enjoying the arts for years to come! Read More>>
Nayoka Simone
Finding your purpose is something we all desire to know. I remember growing up and once I became a teenager I often asked myself what am I supposed to be doing in life right now. So, as a young mother, wife, full time worker and attending college I desired for my purpose to be something that’ll help others. Although, I wasn’t completely clear I decided to purchase this book titled “A Purpose Driven Life”. I wanted God to be in the middle of the message I’d receive for my purpose and for him to navigate me all the way through it all. After reading this best seller book it was the fire I needed. It was the motivation and manifestation that led me along the way to include my two beautiful daughters. As time went on and having to build and create a better life I found my passion through prayer. This is how I found my way of becoming an award winning Interior Designer. Read More>>
Skyler Whitehead
Purpose isn’t something you find, it finds you. For as long as I can remember, my desire was to be an artist. Early in life performers like Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg and James Brown really caught my attention for their unique swagger, bold attitudes towards artistry and rebellious long hair. Shows like the animated X-Men, Family Matters, and Ninja Turtles really sparked my interest as well. Maybe because their main characters were all people who were complicated, misunderstood and creative thinkers who wanted to positively change the society they didn’t fit in. Even though I intuitively identified with all those traits, as a kid raised on southern values, that wasn’t really celebrated. So when it came to developing my voice it became obvious that I was a rebel who challenged systems that didn’t work. I wanted to be great and be a part of the machine that shifts the culture. By the time I got to college, my goal was to make digital art and content that meant something to the world. The famous quote from Andre 3K ” The South Has Something To Say” was in my bones, I’m the south too! Since then my content represents freedom. Freedom of self, imagination, and lifestyle. As a story-teller, business owner and advocate of self expression, my purpose is to make content that celebrates people being their best selves in every aspect of life. Read More>>
Sade Howard
Finding my purpose over all in life has been a goal of mine for the last 3 years. As a young and a new entrepreneur, I knew I had big dreams to conquer, it was just a matter of when I was going to put my fears aside and go after all them. It’s so easy to get consumed with life and everyday routines but you have to make the conscious decision to step out of your comfort zone. In 2022, I took a leap of faith and decided to discover what my purpose in life is. I wanted to start waking up and enjoying my passion. Right before graduation, I started creating a business plan so I can start my very own esthetician business. I networked, got some mentors in the field, received my certifications, and started connecting with clients. Working in this industry is really my passion. I enjoy helping people boost their confidence with my services and seeing their satisfaction warms my heart. This my purpose in life. Read More>>
G0ldilock
I found my purpose during a time where my life was spiraling downhill. It happened early for me at the age of 17 , being a rebellious teen led me to a path that made me feel alone and uncertain about what I wanted to do with my future. During that time I started to record music and that was the only thing inspiring me on the daily. Recording music allowed me to express my feelings and emotions because I felt so misunderstood. Read More>>
Paul Nelson
Finding our purpose, to me, is a lifelong journey. Life certainly provides opportunities at the strangest and most trying times and I think it is up to us as individuals to take advantage of those moments. Read More>>
Martín Álvarez
Every person has a dream or ideals to achieve and that motivate them. It is, however, not very frequent that those dreams match one person’s job or professional activity. I grew up being a very shy child but with hypersensitivity. This created in me the need to communicate with my surroundings but social contexts were difficult to approach. Music was my “savior” and enabled me many different tools to express my thoughts and feelings. The sensations I could experiment even with my own sound were very intense. I felt safe behind my violoncello and had always positive reactions from my teachers in the field of expression and character of the classical pieces I was playing. The more I could bring my experience and feelings into the music, the more authentic and appealing it became for the audience. Read More>>
Rajam Roose
What a great question! The question about purpose in life seems to have been around since humans first developed and practiced introspection. “What is my purpose in life”, is such a common thought but during my teens, I reframed it to, “What can I do with my time here on this Earth”.
I spent quite a few years living outside the normal confines of society, both during my early teen years and also later as a young adult. These experiences led me to realize that honestly, I didn’t even want to live within society unless I could contribute in a positive way. Read More>>
Jo-Ann Little
I have always been interested in human behavior. In college I envisioned a career in marketing and earned a minor in finance because I felt like it would be a good life skill. My early career led me more to the financial side and I found myself working as a financial planner and earning my securities licenses and my CPF designation early on. I enjoyed working with teams and found the financial institution environment to be a great fit. As I became more experienced I found myself wanting to share that skill and transitioned into a management role overseeing sales teams for large institutions like credit unions (North Island Financial) and insurance companies (Allstate Financial). Financial security is a game changer in people’s lives. Many thanked me over the years for helping them achieve their financial goals and live freely in their advanced years. My personality is one of always seeking more. New opportunities. Better ways to change lives. While going through my own divorce in 2006 I found a new career path adding yet another designation of CDFA (certified divorce financial analyst) to my credentials. Mediation was something I wanted to see more of in divorce situations. After working for a mediation firm for 5 years I opened my own firm in 2015. Using my financial background and knowledge of over 30 years coupled with the other professionals in my firm allow my clients to maintain their finances, dignity and their relationships with their children by promoting collaboration. I feel a high level of satisfaction helping individuals through one of the most challenging situations in their life. Read More>>
S. Kennedy
I believe having a deferred dream really became the catalyst for me to seek my own personal journey of discovering what it is that I wanted to provide as a service unto the world outside of my home. My fervency to see healthy families and healthy environments is our fuel in order to provide our services and products to the world. Read More>>
Leandro Taub
I think purpose finds us, more than we find it. In a timeline, purpose comes before we get born.
G’d create the universe, the world and us for a purpose. That is the reason why we are alive.
So I differentiate the purpose for which G’d created me, from the desires and objectives I have in life.
Once I do this, I try to get these together. To focus on G’d purpose and try to achieve it including my objectives in the equation. And, while doing His will my will, He may do my will His. Read More>>
Kady Kearns
I found my purpose through taking action rather than relying solely on introspection. It was through a series of experiences and personal growth that I discovered what truly drives me. Contrary to the belief that purpose can only be one singular thing, I have come to understand that it can manifest in various forms. My purpose centers around caring for people, especially children, and nurturing the success of the new generation. Read More>>
JCM (Joyful Compassionate Melodies)
To make a very long story short, we found our purpose through adversity and via growing through life, by the power of the Most High God. We noticed a lot of gaps in the structure of life as we grew up, we witnessed a lot of negative things such as hatred, discrimination, depression and impoverished mindsets amongst mankind. You name it! All of these things troubled us and we wanted to make the world a better place. Over several years of praying, working, and grinding out life, the Creator gave us our mission to use our talents in order to live out our purpose. Our purpose and life’s mission is to heal souls and improve the quality of life via inspiring/enlightening others. Read More>>
Dominique Jones
I found out what came easy for me when I talked. Something that I don’t have to think about and just comes naturally, is how you can find purpose. Truth be told, a lot of people think purpose falls under fame and notoriety, but that’s far from it. If your purpose, whatever that may be, always ends in selfishness and giving others a new perspective on how to live a life better than they were before, you’ve found your purpose. Selflessness=Purpose. Read More>>
Jessie Carrillo
I’ve always believed that a person can have more than one purpose in life, more than one career path. I started my career in art education, working in museums and helping adults meaningfully connect to works of art. For more than a decade, I pursued that purpose with passion. Eventually I felt that it was time for a change, and that feeling aligned with me preparing for my first child. I knew I had to do some serious work in our home and with our schedules to make room for this new family member. Read More>>
Samantha Elice
Honestly, I changed my way of thinking to find my true purpose. I was always aware of my gift from a very young age but did not always know what to do with it. In fact, I can remember asking God at 16 years old, “Why do I have this talent?” I’ve always felt that I was supposed to do something big but could never see the road to my purpose. Feeling lost and discouraged, eventually there was a period in my life when I let my dream go but God has a way of bringing us back to our true purpose even when we decided to leave it. Although, I stopped performing at shows, I never stopped hearing melodies in my head. I was always being reminded of my gift in some way. During quarantine, in 2020, I had time to focus and silence all the day to day noise. I decided to start writing again and joined a Facebook writer’s group. I learned so much about commercial writing and also met another artist who was ready to work. We recorded a song from two different states and released it in December of 2020. That accomplishment sparked something in me and I realized what I had been running away from had always been my peace and purpose. One accomplishment led to the next one and before I knew it I found myself releasing a song every year. Read More>>
Melanie Joy
I’ve really come to realize my purpose found me. Take the story of Artemus for example. In Greek mythology, she is known as the deer, but she is indicative of the huntress archetype who also hunts the deer. This symbolizes she who hunts the deer is a symbol for hunting herself the whole time. You are not hunting your purpose, rather, could it be: that your purpose has been hunting you all along? Artemis is the deer, “she who kills herself is somehow a messenger of the destiny that was Hers from the start.” Read More>>
Tara Nix
I discovered my passion and purpose as an event planner when I had to plan my son’s wedding in a total of two weeks. Not only did I plan, I decorated and catered as well. Since I come from a very large close family I definitely enjoy celebrating birthdays and milestone events. Time is a precious commodity in todays fast pace lives. Being an event planner allows me to use my time to execute my clients vision for numerous types of events. I work with several event specialists that bring their expertise. Foam machine, movie screens, 360 photo booths just to name a few. Read More>>
Amberlyn Lopez
I found my purpose by going through challenges in life. Failures, taking risks, raising my daughters, running a full time business.. these are all things that have helped me find my purpose! My name is Amberlyn Lopez, i’m 27 years old and i’m the owner of Baddie Packs By Amberlyn. I’ve been running my business for a little over 3 years. I specialize in creating cosmetics (lashes, gloss, etc) and body care. My brand has become my full time job and is based out of my home and my online store. What makes my brand/business special is the confidence it gives my customers! Everything I create and sell is made with passion and love, made to help others feel good about themselves when they wear these products.. plus everything is vegan & cruelty-free! New products are always dropping and I plan on opening a store front soon for customers to shop in person! Read More>>
Philesha Alise Stern
I’ve always loved hair. Ever since I can remember, being a young girl and watching my mom and the women around me change their styles from curls to braids, updos and finger waves. Extensions, relaxers, ponytails, you name it, they did it all. So naturally when I got to cosmetology school, I assumed we would dive deep into African American hair since it was just as much apart of American culture as I was! No! Not at all. I was told our hair was considered “frizzy and unruly” and needed to be “tamed and fixed”. I knew then, natural hair was my passion. Read More>>
Kennedee Mills
Throughout my life journey, I can say that I have truly struggled in finding my purpose. Since I was young I have found interest in many different things, making it hard to figure out exactly what I am supposed to do. Originally I found music to be something that I enjoyed as well as dance, fashion, beauty, sports, and now graphic design. While knowing that I have a passion for all of these things, just deciding on one never really felt right to me. Once I started doing graphic design I started to see that when designing you are able to incorporate the things that you enjoy within your designs which eventually makes you feel like you’re not missing out on that aspect of your interest. It wasn’t until this year that I started Nya Eight Designed It as a segment of Nya Eight Studios where I am able to create clothing designs for different clothing brands. This is when I knew I had found my purpose because not only am I doing what I love, but I am also able to help others within almost every industry with my designs. Read More>>
Raven Clark
I found my purpose by going into my prayer closet to get guidance and instructions from the higher power (God). As I was in my prayer closet prayer I heard God telling me write information down in my journal regarding my purpose. Then, I started brainstorming ideas on how to become an entrepreneur with multiple business. Furthermore, I received confirmation from a Pastor indicating that my purpose was to be an entrepreneur with multiple business, but also a person that heals others mentally and emotionally. As time went by my purpose become more dominant and reality.
April Hardaway
Finding one’s purpose is a transformative and often lifelong journey. For me, uncovering my purpose was a result of deep self-reflection, personal growth, and a constant pursuit of knowledge and understanding. During my time in nursing school, I embarked on a path of exploration that allowed me to cultivate a clear sense of purpose in my life. Once I completed nursing school and became a registered nurse, I knew that helping others was not just a career choice but my true passion. The years of rigorous training and countless hours spent studying had finally paid off, allowing me to embark on a journey where I could make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
Becoming a business owner I was not just about making a profit or building a successful enterprise; it was about making a positive impact on people’s lives. Witnessing the transformative power of my products and services on individuals’ physical and mental well-being fueled my drive to go above and beyond. Read More>>
Amanda Rowe
I have loved words for as long as I can remember; I’ve always been fascinated by the way they can convey emotions or evoke images. I was an avid reader as a child, and when I went to the mall, my favorite store was the Hallmark Store because I loved reading all the cards. I used to make my own cards and write my own stories when I was very young. I had my first publication in the school paper in high school, and I won an essay contest. My English teacher praised my writing, and those things encouraged me. As I got older, I lost touch with that passion; life interfered, and practical needs forced me to pursue more reliable sources of income. But I have returned to writing repeatedly when time and circumstances have allowed. Writing helps me know myself better, work through hard times and difficult emotions, and connect with others. When readers write to me and say that something I’ve written resonated with them and made them feel understood or encouraged, it confirms that this is what I’m meant to be doing. When a publisher wants to put my words out into the world, that also tells me I’m on the right path. When you see your words in print, and people pay money for them, read them to their kids, or share them, it is an honor. Feeling as if the words that I’ve written are making a difference in people’s lives motivates me to keep going. Read More>>
Vivian Fleming-Alvarez
How did I find my purpose? Well, it took a while. I have always been practical, organized and logical. Creativeness was expressed in my organization skills. Believe it or not, but my prized possession in 7th grade was a file cabinet. The files were color coded, labeled and neat. So, I think my purpose is in organization. Read More>>
Craig McInnis
It was a long road ,well traveled and wrought with distractions and stumbles, but I eventually found my true path. It was to give first for the greater good and then perhaps see the benefits later. I was in my late 30’s, early 40’s when I was first asked to donate to charitable causes with my art. At first I was apprehensive due to emotional attachments to my work, but eventually I found like-minded individuals who presented. mutually beneficial scenarios to give back and simultaneously grow my art career. This was a true epiphany to see my work in a context where it could benefit someone in need. I felt the full weight of Picasso’s quote “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away”. And as one might expect, I saw the results of being relatively selfless almost immediately. My name, my brand, my work all took a new meaning for me and those that followed my path. My purpose became more focused upon what I could use my gifts for to make an impact in others lives. Read More>>
Kennedee Mills
Throughout my life journey, I can say that I have truly struggled in finding my purpose. Since I was young I have found interest in many different things, making it hard to figure out exactly what I am supposed to do. Originally I found music to be something that I enjoyed as well as dance, fashion, beauty, sports, and now graphic design. While knowing that I have a passion for all of these things, just deciding on one never really felt right to me. Once I started doing graphic design I started to see that when designing you are able to incorporate the things that you enjoy within your designs which eventually makes you feel like you’re not missing out on that aspect of your interest. It wasn’t until this year that I started Nya Eight Designed It as a segment of Nya Eight Studios where I am able to create clothing designs for different clothing brands. This is when I knew I had found my purpose because not only am I doing what I love, but I am also able to help others within almost every industry with my designs. Read More>>
