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.
Tori Rivera
I started back when I was a little girl, being very interested in food and cooking. From watching Food Network, cooking for my family, and knowing I wanted to go to culinary school from early on, I was set on this was what I was meant to do. Read More>>
Brittney Woods
I didn’t really find my purpose, I answered it. Purpose had been calling me all along, even in seasons when I didn’t fully recognize it. It became clear when I stopped chasing what looked successful and started listening to what brought me peace, joy, and a sense of divine fulfillment. For me, purpose lives at the intersection of worship, leadership, and helping people grow. Read More>>
KayLee Merrick
When my husband was deployed, I found myself searching for a bigger purpose with my time. I had always dreamed of opening my own business, and that moment of uncertainty became the spark that pushed me to finally pursue it. That’s how Impact Nutrition came to life. Read More>>
Hajah Gray
“I found my purpose by believing in God. There was a time in my life when I was confused and lost — just a little girl with big dreams but no one to turn to, no support, and no guidance. I didn’t have a strong connection with my parents, so I started searching for answers everywhere — Google, Siri, anywhere I could. Read More>>
Tracy Slepcevic
I found my purpose the moment I realized my son needed me to become his voice, his advocate, and his healer. When Noah was diagnosed with autism, I was told to accept limitations and lower my expectations, but that never sat right with me. Instead, I turned my pain into purpose. Read More>>
Samone Dowdy
I discovered my purpose about 20 years ago after completing an in-depth study of the Bible. Through that process, I realized that my life’s purpose is to dedicate myself to serving the Creator who gave me every gift I have, and to help others in their times of need. Since then, I’ve worked hard to keep that focus at the center of my life. Read More>>
Darlene Gaston
I think purpose evolves and changes over time in a person’s lifetime. First, my purpose was that of a child who learned and grew. Then, later, my purpose grew. I became an adult with decisions of where to live, where to work, who to be friends with, and larger decisions. As I grew, I became a wife, then a mother. Read More>>
Janisa Camille
I always say — I didn’t find my purpose; my purpose found me. 🌿 It came to me through experience, through pain, and through remembrance. Every challenge, every loss, every birth I’ve attended has been a mirror reflecting pieces of who I was always meant to become. Read More>>
Cristian Vivaldi
“Finding your purpose” isn’t something you do once and then check off a list. For me, it’s a lifelong mission — a constant process of listening to myself and making sure I’m not being guided by other people’s expectations. To truly understand your purpose, you have to stay connected with your inner self and be honest about what feels right to you. Read More>>
Sean Bridges
I would try and fail and try again. Some things in life interested me and some I came back to over the years. But writing has been a constant in my life. My father is a painter and I can’t draw anything so I think I paint with words. Read More>>
LaTonya M. Whitehead
I found my purpose when I finally got tired of pretending I was okay. For years, I wore strength like makeup—covering pain from abuse, rejection, and low self-worth. But one day, God showed me that my broken pieces were not trash; they were tools. Every wound became a word, every scar became a sentence, and together they formed the story I was meant to tell. Read More>>
Bryan Williamson
I found my purpose in the quiet moments—watching students struggle not because they lacked intelligence, but because they lacked individualized attention. As a science educator and curriculum designer, I saw firsthand how one-on-one instruction could transform not just academic performance, but self-worth. That realization became a calling. Dynastic Tutors was born from the belief that high-performing students aren’t found—they’re cultivated. Read More>>
Hollie Hauptly
My purpose didn’t come to me all at once. It developed over time, with each class I taught and every birth I attended. After the birth of my first child, I was forever changed. I left that experience feeling strong, supported, and capable in a way I didn’t know was possible. Read More>>
Anu Prestonia
I found my purpose through a circuitous route. After decades as a salon owner, I began seeking an exit strategy. Having long used essential oils to heal and beautify my clients’ hair and scalp, I eventually discovered a path that led me from healing oils to perfume-grade oils and resins. Read More>>
Candy Hoehn
I found my purpose not in a single moment, but through a deeply personal journey rooted in my own family life. Before starting my business, I was already enthralled by the emotions captured in high-quality photography, especially wedding photography, which led me to invest in my first professional camera. However, my true purpose crystallized when my son was born. Read More>>
DJ & James
While most people start a business in their younger years, James and I found our purpose later in life, when I entered perimenopause at 48. Around this time, I struggled night after night with overheating specifically at my midsection. I felt desperate and frustrated that there wasn’t a comforter that could cool just the areas that needed relief, without uncovering myself or relying on gadgets. Read More>>
Eileen Koff
Leaning into natural instincts and abilities as a young child and understanding what made me happiest playing with friends. At an early age, I found organizing a natural habit that few didn’t understand. My play centered around organizing closets and doll clothes. Using these skills and developing them throughout my life, I was called upon to help others. Read More>>
Vanessa Renner
We found our purpose by recognizing a need that wasn’t being met, realizing we could fill it in a meaningful way. Over the years, we noticed how many Mexican travelers visiting Colorado’s mountain resorts were looking for more than just transportation—they were seeking an experience that felt comfortable, understood, and seamless from start to finish. Read More>>
Lauren Eirk
From the time I was born, my body told a story that would one day shape my purpose. I entered the world with both hips turned inward, and doctors advised my mother to schedule surgery. Instead, she trusted her instincts and enrolled me in ballet lessons at a very young age. Read More>>
Firdausiyus
Thank you for having me. When I was a child, I was a quiet observer, more comfortable with sketchbooks and imagination than with playground conversations as many kids did at that time. While others built friendships easily, I often found others considered me on different side as many people thought. In the solitude situation, I discovered a silent companion: ART. Read More>>
Erica Segel
My whole life, I’ve been searching for meaning and purpose. From a young age, I felt a strong pull to connect with something bigger than myself. That thirst for answers and a deeper sense of meaning led me to work side by side with a world-renowned peace ambassador who traveled the world teaching about meditation and inner peace. Read More>>
Lee Ellis
From a young age, I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I wasn’t quite sure what that would look like or how to get there. When I first started college, I declared my major in business because I knew I wanted to work for myself one day. Read More>>
Bob Jacobs
After experiencing depression and being suicidal I begin to have HOPE. The purpose is to inspire and uplift others, to bring positivity and optimism to a conversation or situation, to provide reassurance and encouragement during challenging times, and to remind people of the possibility for better outcomes and power of belief and perseverance. Read More>>
Amanda Hoyle
For me, purpose didn’t come from a business plan — it came from a quiet moment of surrender. After years of designing flowers for other people, managing the chaos of events, and trying to balance motherhood and work, I hit a point where I realized I was running on empty. I loved creating beauty, but I had lost sight of why. Read More>>
Jordan Mini
Even from a young age, I have been passionate about the environment. I can recall making sure all the cardboard and metal tins made it in the right receptacles at home in maybe 5th grade. Read More>>
Dr. Evan Mahoney
ACUPUNCTURE to the FUTURE: Needles of Destiny Dr. Evan Mahoney It was through illness that I found my purpose, through sickness my life was saved. It was through prayer that God delivered me to Acupuncture, which introduced me to my wife, became my career, and fulfilled my search for knowledge and wisdom. Read More>>
David Akao
I didn’t really “find” my purpose overnight — it came through experience. Growing up, I was unconfident and shy. I started lifting weights in my mom’s basement when I was 11 years old, and that’s where everything changed. I fell in love with the process of getting better. Read More>>
Tatiana Mustafa
I found my purpose as a myofunctional therapist through my own journey. About 10 years ago, after experiencing orthodontic relapse, I discovered myofunctional therapy. I was fascinated by the connection between the mouth and the airway, and what I learned in therapy not only helped me but also transformed my children’s health. Read More>>
Lisa Council
I found my purpose through pain and tragedy. I am a survivor of 33+ years of verbal, emotional, sexual, physical and financial abuse. Abuse started for me as early as the age of 9 years old. During the age of 13 years old I was raped, and sexually assaulted, which lead me to endure a cycle of unhealthy and abusive relationships. Read More>>
Tracy Canzano
I think my purpose found me overtime , I always loved being a stylist and working in the salon, but it wasn’t until I started doing bridal that I felt a deeper connection, it just felt different . Read More>>
Krisette Kho
Growing up in the Philippines, I witnessed firsthand the sacrifices my parents made to give my brother and me a better life. They worked tirelessly so we could attend good schools and have opportunities they never had. Those early years taught me the value of hard work, gratitude, and service. Read More>>
Brea Holmes
I found my purpose through painting when I realized it was more than creating something beautiful — it was healing. My art became a reflection of my journey: the process of letting go, rediscovering faith, and giving voice to the parts of me I once kept silent. Each piece carries testimony — moments of surrender, resilience, and transformation. Read More>>
Monica Connolly
Rising Boldly: How I Found My Purpose After Losing Everything For most of my life, I thought strength meant never falling apart. I was the one who kept it all together — the caretaker, the overachiever, the one who smiled through the pain. But what I didn’t realize was that surviving isn’t the same as living. Read More>>
Del Blackwater
Egyptology came to me early – I was seven years old when I got the call. It was, granted, a simpler pastime back then. A trip to the library and its copy machine, and then back to my room where I had a filing cabinet for organizing articles of interest. Read More>>
Carmen aka Carmita Pomales
Let me start by saying, there were so many quality questions in the panel discussion to choose from. My response to “How did you find your purpose?” might naturally weave into a few others. A sentence that boldly stands out in my mind is this: Purpose can remain the same but look different at each stage of life. In the moment, that’s not always clear. Read More>>
Anna Koltun
I’m originally from Ukraine, and I’ve been tattooing for almost a decade now. I found my purpose in creating delicate, freehand botanical tattoos — I draw directly on the skin, letting the body guide the design. My journey started as a love for drawing and evolved into a passion for transforming that art into something people carry with them forever. Moving to the U.S. Read More>>
Nikki Kuhn
I was working as a User Experience Designer at Accenture and considered myself an accessible designer because many of my projects—especially in government and healthcare—required ADA compliance. But everything changed when I worked on an accessible payment kiosk project. I collaborated directly with the client’s ADA team, which included employees with disabilities. Working side-by-side with a blind colleague was a pivotal moment. Read More>>
Briana Fitzpatrick
That’s such a meaningful question to ask! If you would have asked me when I was 11yrs I would have told you that I think my purpose in life would have been to become an animal rescuer when I grew up. Then at 13yrs old I would have told you my purpose would be in becoming a professional dancer. Read More>>
Mike Rathke
Purpose, I believe, is not something that one finds, but rather something that one is assigned. I grew up in a rural trailer court in Kansas. My mother suffered from severe mental illness, and as a result, I left home at around the age of eleven. Read More>>
Lana Clark
Early in 2023 my friend Holly and I became really interested in the idea of permanent jewelry. It was becoming popular in our area, and we both wanted it for ourselves. As we were trying to decide on a name for our business, we quickly decided we wanted to name it after her daughter, Abigail Grace, who had passed away 11 years prior. Read More>>
Matt Schmitt
I started at 465 pounds and my health was declining. My doctor said i was going to die if i didn’t change. I wouldn’t see my children grow up. So 2021 i started doing yoga and eating right. I have now lost 185 pounds and now am certified life coach and yoga instructor. Read More>>
Nuria Román
For me, living on an island like Menorca — being in touch with nature, the stones, the wind, the sea, the moon, and the sun — has helped me understand my purpose. It’s a place rich in history and heritage, from the old military ruins of the 15th century to the ancient Talayotic settlements dating back a thousand years before Christ. Read More>>
Ivey Smith
I started ballet when I was five. Tiny slippers. Aching muscles. That ritual of lining up at the barre, grinding out basics until the movements disappeared into muscle memory. Ballet wasn’t just an extracurricular—it was my classroom on resilience and discipline. I learned to show up even when it hurt, and that progress is the real applause. But chaos always whispered to me. Read More>>
Omayra Rivera Hoon
For a long time, I was moving through life doing what I thought I was supposed to do staying busy, working hard, checking off boxes — but I always felt something was missing. I wanted to feel connected, not just productive. My turning point came when I took my first yoga class. Read More>>
Avery Haynes
I find purpose in the people I love — my family, my friends, and the values I was raised with. My upbringing taught me to stay grateful, and that gratitude pushes me to keep striving for more. I’ve been given opportunities that many people may never have, and it would be naïve of me not to make the most of them. Read More>>
Ashley Jabara
I grew up taking care of everyone. That lead me into the nursing profession. While nursing, I learned Healing Touch which is a form of energy work for nurses to use in practice to help patients. I kept diving deeper into the work with energy and found myself wanting to start my own business. I love to do energy work for people. Read More>>
Rhonda leggins
I found my purpose, too experience, healing, and the desire to help others. My journey was not always easy, but it shaped me into the woman I am today. The owner of Hairjoy of Orlando taught me that Beauty is more than appearance. Read More>>
Jason Kimbrow
When I was twenty years old I started seeing visions of myself teaching the Bible to crowds and it freaked me out! However, I could not get rid of them. God had placed a burden on my heart to preach the Gospel to people in a way that made sense to them. I ran from this calling for awhile but I could not outrun it! Read More>>
Rachel Cantrell, LCSW, PMH-C
I have always had a fascination for all things mental health since I was a child. I think that came from my parents getting me involved in volunteer work at a young age and getting to be around people from different walks of life and realizing we all don’t have it the same. Read More>>
Barry Mezey
I grew up an outcast and as a bullied child with severe mental health disorders, disabilities and autism. I started my career as the world’s only and first special needs and autistic sports and celebrity marketing super agent in 2006. I worked at SMWW for a few months in the agent training program after graduating from NYIT and University of Miami. Read More>>
