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.
Erik Hartenstein
As a musician, I feel that my sense of purpose is very similar to many others. When I was about 5 years old my parents took me to my first concert at Stubb’s BBQ in Austin. I was sitting on my dad’s shoulders watching Cheap Trick perform, and was locked in through the whole show. It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to perform and play music for a living, just as I saw happen that night. Read More>>
Michelle Paget
I remember being an 18-year old college student needing to decide on a major. It was the first time I put real effort into thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. I thought about the type of work I wanted, who I wanted to work with and what I wanted to get out of my work- my purpose. I had always wanted to help and loved connecting with others. I enjoyed being creative and wanted to find ways of incorporating creativity into my work. Read More>>
Tavon Gibbs
I found my purpose in life from my mother. Growing up, I seen how my mother always helped others and would always go the extra mile to care for others while not having much herself. She was a giver and I’ve always wanted to genuinely help people in life as well, but wasn’t sure how I would help and get the most impact out of it. For a long time, I thought that maybe my purpose wasn’t to serve others, because of how it made me feel sometimes throughout my life, but once my mother passed away, that all Changed. Read More>>
Robert Lederhilger
Finding my purpose was a journey that unfolded over time, shaped by both my faith and life experiences. I’ve always believed that our purpose is tied to serving others, but it wasn’t until I faced a pivotal moment in my career that this belief truly crystallized.
Years ago, I was running a business that, on the surface, was successful. But something felt off—I wasn’t fulfilled. I realized I was chasing success for its own sake, rather than aligning my work with my values. Around that time, I started reflecting deeply on my faith and asking God for guidance. I prayed for clarity, and the answer came in ways I didn’t expect. Read More>>
Job Merkel
Growing up with eight brothers and sisters, life always seemed to be spinning out of control. Reading became a sort of therapy for me, helping to soothe my overactive ADHD brain, and allowing me to escape to fictional worlds. Books were always a safe haven, and I learned from a young age that I loved writing my own stories, too. They helped me regain some control and understand the world a little better. Read More>>
Shonta Bradley
The purpose behind starting Because, Butterflies R’ Blue stems from many personal experiences. I was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia in one of the toughest housing areas in the city. From my experiences as a young girl, I realized that I wanted to be more than what my environment labeled me as. Read More>>
Ntagoma Michelle
I think I have always knew my purpose since I was a child. Because children don’t think about what others can think, what is possible and impossible to do based on their abilities or circumstances, they follow their authentic self without boundaries. As adults we have so many responsibilities that take us away from our purpose. I didn’t find my purpose because I always knew about it, I chose to believe in it and fight for it as an adult, which is not an easy job. Read More>>
Guy Gilchrist
My mother Louise was pretty much a single mother because although she was married my father was not in my life or hers. We lived in a very small town in Connecticut. Winsted is in the shadow of the Berkshires. She worked at a diner every day and to keep me occupied and to keep her from getting fired, she would put the newspaper in front of me, open to the comics section, paper and pencils, and say “Guy, draw this!” as she pointed the comics section. Read More>>
Gerrit Kamp
I found my purpose in life when I discovered that my creator has a purpose for me, that God created me for a purpose. It took me almost 35 years to discover this, and it required some serious detours and mistakes on my part, before I was willing to accept that God, as the creator of life, knows better how to live it than I. Read More>>
Erik Alexander
That’s a deep one. I suppose my purpose has transitioned throughout the chapters of my life. Earlier in life, my purpose was to break away from the back woods mentality of South Mississippi. I knew I was trapped in what felt like decades past. Where crossing your legs differently was suspect and gave way to being called a “sissy” or “queer”. I needed to find somewhere I belonged. Where I could transport into a new world. A place actually, that I saw on MTV. Read More>>
Ally
I know it’s a cliché, but I’ve always had a talent for storytelling. When I was six, I used to sneak copy paper from the family printer to write and doodle my stories. My interest in filmmaking began when I was nine. My uncle is a musician, and he and my aunt would involve my cousins in creating music videos. My aunt taught me how to record and edit videos on my iPad using iMovie, and I was instantly hooked. Throughout middle school, I turned every class project into a video, often driving my teachers and classmates crazy. Read More>>
Chris Hoss
From early on in my career, helping families quickly became an addiction. We were known as a lender who “saved” deals, or we would be there in the end to help carry the torch to the finish line when another lender dropped the ball, and at first, this just seemed like it was part of the job, but quickly I realized that we were becoming the “go-to” lender for a lot of real estate agents, and previous customers referrals. Read More>>
Michelle
I found my purpose somewhat by happenstance, trial and error, meditation, grit and determination. A combination of life experiences, inspirational people and various career opportunities has led me down the path that I have followed towards a career in the health, wellness and fitness industry. For a long time I devoted my career life to helping people with differing abilities in the field of special education. My hobbies included yoga, fitness and nutrition Read More>>
Chirag Shah
My purpose was shaped by my family’s journey and the lessons they instilled in me. Watching my parents build a life from the ground up, overcoming immense challenges, taught me the power of perseverance, sacrifice, and hard work. Their story gave me a deep understanding of what it means to create something meaningful—not just for myself but for others. Read More>>
Jens Lidén
Finding My Purpose: A Journey of Self-Discovery
Life has a remarkable way of guiding us toward where we need to be, often through experiences that challenge us, stretch our limits, and push us to reflect. For me, it was through a relationship that I came to truly discover my purpose. This journey was often filled with moments of confusion, and times when I had to question what I truly wanted and needed. The lessons learned from each experience, the emotional challenges, and the moments of introspection all played a crucial role in shaping me who I am today. Read More>>
Gibran Sierra
I found my purpose through a mix of passion, experience, and a deep desire to grow while helping others.
Real estate became part of my purpose when I realized how much I enjoy guiding people through one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. I love helping families and investors find the right property, build wealth, and create security for their future. Knowing that I can make a real impact by sharing my knowledge and being a trustworthy guide in real estate gives me a strong sense of fulfillment. Read More>>
Jennifer Gardner
I began my professional journey in early childhood education, where I discovered a surprising passion—not just for teaching, but for transforming the classroom environment. I loved rearranging the space to create flexible, engaging settings that supported how children learn and grow. That experience sparked something in me: a fascination with how the built environment can shape our behavior and well-being. Read More>>
Jeff Thon
I found my purpose through a combination of early exposure to entrepreneurship, personal experiences, and a growing internal drive to take control of my own future.
Growing up, I watched my grandparents operate their own farm. Working alongside them, I saw firsthand how happy they were being self-employed. They bet on themselves, faced challenges like fluctuating prices and rough weather, yet remained happy because they were in control of their own destiny. That resonated with me and planted the seed for my own purpose. Read More>>
Ellen Dorfman
I have always loved animals. I chose to be vegan (plus eggs) since I was 12, many decades ago.
For approximately two decades I have been involved in foster/rescue dogs/puppies. Previously, I fostered dogs for local rescues and/or rescued dogs from high kill California shelters. The last dozen years or so I foster and rehome dogs and pups for Texas rescues. On occasion, I still rescue dogs from Texas shelters on my own as well. Read More>>
Brett Farrow
Finding one’s purpose is something that many people grapple with in all stages of life. In particular young people in their 20’s who are basically in a suspended state of angst for years. This was definitely true for me. Having a sense of purpose is about the same as asking the question or knowing what is the meaning of life or knowing one’s calling. Read More>>
Camille Zolman
Honestly, finding my purpose has NOT been a straight path (whose has been?) There have been times when I have truly felt lost, I’ve questioned what I was meant to do, I;ve asked myself many times “what is my purpose?”, but every experience I’ve had in my journey—whether in my yoga practice, breathwork sessions, coaching, or community-building—have made me realize: My purpose is in teaching, facilitating, and creating spaces for transformation. Read More>>
Jess Michetti
I’ve always loved to draw and make things, so architecture school seemed like a natural fit for me. But the greatest thing I learned there was not so much how to make a building, but how to approach a problem creatively. I carried that with me throughout the first decade of my career working as an architect and into my next adventure as a mom and freelance graphic designer and artist. Nature has always been close to my heart, but when I started drawing birds I began to understand just how deeply that connection runs. Read More>>
Johnnier Rodriguez
If you are anything like me, you’ve asked yourself this question once or twice: What is my purpose on this earth?
Not being able to truly answer this question can be very painful as you see others who seem to have it all together and figured out. Take heart—you are not alone. Today, I walk with a level of confidence I never thought possible. I live every day with purpose, intention, and joy. I strive to make the best out of every opportunity and create art that once seemed impossible. However, it was not always like this. Let me explain. Read More>>
JOYCE BREW
I’ve discovered that my sense of purpose has existed on a continuum. Therefore, the pursuit of one purpose has led me to another and another whilst maintaining core, fundamental values that have shaped my journey. There are 3 questions which have guided me throughout: “Who am I?” “Why am I doing this?” and later in life: “How am I contributing to others?” While we remain, (for the most part) the same person fundamentally through life, exposure to life’s constant changes will ask us to re-orient to a different perspective. Read More>>
Amanda Abraham
The road to purpose wasn’t always simple for me. In fact, I struggled a lot with understanding not only what it was that I wanted to do with my life, but also how I could make the difference in this world that I longed for. Growing up, and especially throughout my teenage years, I spent a lot of time longing. Longing for different friends, longing for certain outcomes in sports/academics, and longing for a place. I’ve always had a firm faith in Christianity, but as the world became increasingly distant and lonely, I began to see that, too, as less than enough. Read More>>
Captain Crystal
Mark Twain wrote, The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you found out why. This has always been my very favorite quote and reminds me each day how blessed I am to have found the reason I was put on this planet. You see, as a 40 year commercial hot air balloon pilot I was always asked to give rides to people with disabilities. It saddened me to hear they operated out of a wheelchair and would not be able to fulfill that dream of flying due to physical limitations or delicacy when it came to climbing over the basket. Read More>>
Alicia Harris
When I think about purpose, I think of being specifically called to solve a problem in the earth. We all arrive at our purpose in different ways and my route was through grief and loss. In 2019, I received some of the best news ever and that was learning that I was going to become a grandmother again. The news became even better when I found out that my daughter was pregnant with triplets. Read More>>
Kimberly Black
I found my purpose by reflecting on my experiences. I discovered the importance of cultivating meaningful relationships, expressing gratitude, and being present in the moment. Read More>>
Sydney Benn
I found my purpose by being authentic and compassionate. I feel like the idea that we as humans have to find one thing we are good at, and stick with it forever is very outdated. My purpose is fluid and multidisciplinary. My purpose is to live, explore my curiosity and help others along the way. I found that by following what genuinely excites me no matter how out of the box or unattainable it may seem, I am always living my purpose. Read More>>
Carly Lobdell
Growing up, I have always wanted to have a job where I could help others and make a difference in the world. When I was 16, I started coaching swim lessons at Lifetime Fitness and quickly fell in love with the job. Helping students grow and learn lifesaving skills was so fulfilling and quickly grew into a passion of mine. This passion led to conflicting feelings as I began my freshman year at UGA. I wanted to pursue teaching, but due to outside pressures, I chose to study Marketing. Read More>>
Sepehr Davalloukhoungar
Ever since I was a teenager, I felt music was a space to express myself, find solace, and give an extra layer of depth and meaning to my life. Every special experience in my life is colored with some sound or music attached to it. Music has been one of the things that draws intense dedication from me and I never tire from learning about it, and discovering new repertoire and broadening my experience of it. Throughout the years, as my experience of music has grown, the purpose associated with it has also changed and morphed into something deeper. Read More>>
Kat Evans
I began my professional art career 17 years after graduating from art school. Leaving art school, I was filled with confidence and eager to dive into the art world. However, after sending out over 100 applications for well-paid art-related jobs without receiving a single reply, I quickly realised that I need to find a job—any job would do for now. At that time, I had met my future husband, and we were eager to buy a house together. So, I took a position as a receptionist at a travel company in London. By the age of 21, we had secured a mortgage and stepped onto the property ladder, which felt fantastic. Read More>>
Oksana Gruzdyn
Finding your purpose can feel like an overwhelming journey, especially when life feels dull or uninspired. At Viktoriya and Oksana LLC, we’ve been through this process ourselves, and here’s how we discovered our purpose—and how you can too. Read More>>
Hayden Koughan
Before becoming a photographer, I was deeply involved in baseball. I had been playing since I was three years old. Once I reached high school, I spent all my time dedicated to working out, going to practice camps, and overall training for the varsity baseball team once the season started. After a while, I had developed an extreme pain in my pelvis which went untreated for about a year and a half, forcing me to quit baseball. As soon as I quit baseball, I developed a new passion, photography. I was finally diagnosed with arthritis at 16 years old. In other words, my passion/purpose developed from something that normally would be seen as something negative, but in the end, its been nothing but a positive. Read More>>
Ashleigh Antolini
When I was a little girl, I was always drawn to singing and expressing myself in the form of writing. Before I could even remember, I was singing at family parties, writing poems and songs, and putting on shows, even though I was a very shy child. So I guess you could say I knew music was going to be apart of my life from an early age. As I got a little older I retreated to singing in private when I was home alone, mortified if anyone would hear me. I knew I wanted to pursue music in some way but couldn’t overcome the extreme fear of anyones judgement telling me that I wasn’t good enough. Read More>>
Dani Murphy
Wow! Finding your purpose is such a big question—and honestly, it’s something I wrestled with for most of my adult life. I was raised in an agricultural family where hard work, self-reliance, and community were a way of life, though I didn’t fully appreciate those roots until much later. As a single mom raising my girls while building a career, it was often hard to see a clear path forward. But I always knew I wanted to do something meaningful, something that made a difference. Read More>>
Tosh Swain
It all began in 2019 with an “Adventure Jar” — a homemade treasure chest of 200+ spontaneous ideas we could draw from anytime we wanted to try something new, explore our stomping grounds, and make new friends.
As California transplants working long hours, we needed this inspiration to combat our dumb excuses preventing us from living our best life. Ya know, the good ol’ “I’m too tired,” “I don’t know what there is to do,” cop-outs. Read More>>
Nalin Kamat
Art has always been a part of my life. I started drawing when I was only 2 years old. My Grandfather was a professional artist and his first gift to me was a box of crayons. Since I can remember I always enjoyed sketching and drawing. As I gradually increased my skill, I became more serious about becoming a professional artist. And by the time I was 12 years old, I started looking for opportunities to display and sell my work. Read More>>
Juliza Sofia Giron
“You don’t have any friends because no one cares about you.”
I was between 12-13, that volatile age when young girls navigate their most pivotal changes and sometimes start making questionable friendships. And I had made the most questionable of all.
We all know the archetypes of girl friendships— The gossiper, the crafty girl, the mean girl, the shy girl, the boy-magnet, the smarty pants. I was more of the shy girl. But my shyness wasn’t easily chalked down to introversion; it was a carefully constructed mask concealing an overwhelming burden of anxiety, depression, jealousy, and self-hatred I kept buried for years. Read More>>
