Michael Ruben Offner

When I was younger, I wanted to be an author and write books like the ones I grew up reading, books like Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Deltora Quest, etcetera. I would come up with stories and draw intricate maps for the worlds they take place in. At some point that goal changed, as I grew more interested in science and technology. By the time I hit high school, I was more interested in a career in science, and most of my creative dreams were put to rest. I ended up enrolling in a materials engineering degree in Germany. Read More>>

Cathy Johnson

I found my purpose through my own struggle with acne. Growing up I had hormonal acne and the first chance I got I immediately gravitated to makeup. I ended up working for big makeup brands and excelled in that career but I constantly ran into people who were trying to “cover” something. Whether it be age spots, acne or hyperpigmentation I ran into many clients who expressed their skin concerns to me and they wanted makeup to be the solution. Read More>>

Sandra Scragg

After a successful career at sea, I had resumed my acting career when I turned 50, but not on stage this time, in front of the camera. I had a creative partner with whom I had spent the last 18 months developing and producing a short film, that was very near and dear to my heart. Read More>>

Shannon Leyko

Purpose can feel like such an abstract word, but once I found a definition that I love, I gained more clarity on my core values and what kind of work I want to pursue. In his book Things That Matter, Joshua Becker writes that purpose is when our passion and skills align to meet a need of others. I couldn’t love that more! Read More>>

Judi Bommarito

Growing up my mother had an undiagnosed mental illness.
All my life, she was emotionally unavailable.
In 2004 she suffered a psychotic breakdown.
Now her illness has a name, schizophrenia.
Two years later my dad suffered a massive stoke and had a dying wish. Read More>>

D. Liebhart

I’ve always been a writer. I’ve written stories my whole life but I feel like being a nurse and living through my father’s dementia lead me to find what I was supposed to write about. I want to write stories that matter, stories that reflect with the complex reality of being human in the modern world. Read More>>

Jamie Tjornehoj

Wayne Dyer says your purpose isn’t a destination – but rather a journey. This shifted my lens about what it means and looks like to find purpose. It’s not so much about landing a dream job, client or getting that car you’ve always wanted. It’s more about the day to day journey. Purpose is acquired when prioritizing what gives you energy each day. Read More>>

Jeremy Anne Yanson

I’ve honestly just always followed what felt right to me in the moment. In college I chose what I knew and where my heart was. I studied Child and Adolescent Development with a concentration in Early Childhood. I’ve held many roles including: daycare attendant, after-school coordinator, teacher’s assistant, teacher, babysitter, nanny, and mother’s helper. Read More>>

Jennifer Moore

Since I was a child, I have always wondered about my purpose. I knew it was important to have one, I just wasn’t sure what it should be. As my kids grew to be more independent, I started questioning what I was going to do once they left the nest. It was at that point in time that I shrugged off everything I thought I *should* do and began to find things I *wanted* to do. It was a very big step for me and fortunately, my husband has been extremely supportive. Read More>>

Sunnie Owens

My purpose was found through trial and error. I spent years chasing paths that weren’t truly meant for me, including going to college three different times for reasons other than to please myself. I faced setbacks and redirections that, at the time, felt like failures. Read More>>

Meredith Limoges

My purpose was revealed in a way that was both unexpected and deeply personal. When I first started my business, I knew I wanted it to be more than just about handbags—I wanted it to make a difference. As I prayed about what cause my business should support, a friend handed me a pamphlet about sex trafficking. In that moment, I knew with absolute clarity that this was the cause I was meant to help. Read More>>

John Steele

My entire life, I’ve felt like the black sheep, especially as an artist. Growing up in Jackson, Alabama, a small town where hunting and sports dominated everyday conversations, I was the “weird guy.” While others talked about the latest football game or hunting trip, I was lost in drawing, shooting videos on VHS and mini cassettes, and, most of all, making music. Read More>>

Kristin Snyder

This is a question on everyone’s mind as a human. When we have setbacks, challenges, and changes in what we believe to be true, we might find ourselves asking the purpose of all of this. Why were we put on this earth? Why is there so much destruction? Why is there so much hate? We might believe we need to do something extremely great and make history.  Read More>>

Leyva Angelina And Ashley Leyva

We have been playing music since the age of 4. As kids, we tried everything from sports, to art, and dance. At 4 we started playing piano and fell in love with it. We excelled from a very early age and picked up singing, guitar, bass, trombone, and any instrument we could. Music had been our passion ever since. We started performing super young and fell in love with playing music for an audience. We knew it was our purpose ever since we started. Read More>>

Anne Kinsey

If you had asked me as a child what I wanted to do when I grew up, I wouldn’t have had a clear answer, but looking back, my purpose was always there, taking root long before I had words for it.

One of my earliest memories of purpose came in preschool when I watched a video about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. Afterward, my teacher leaned forward, eyes bright, and told our diverse classroom that it only took one person to change the world—and that each of us could be that person. Read More>>

Alice Partridge

Growing up in a large family, I was the only girl out of five kids. My dad was a loving old school hippy who didn’t have the best relationship with alcohol, and my mum was the glue that held our family together. It was the Isle of Wight in England in the 90s… Having parents who were still together was unusual. Having a stay-at-home dad was unheard of. Read More>>

Camila Dejesus

I was sitting at a panel for Austin’s big festival SXSW for International Women’s Day last year. I was seated mere rows away from the panelists, Meghan Markle, Brooke Shields, and Katie Couric. That alone felt like a fever dream. In front of me sat three women who had been brutalized by the entertainment industry, reduced to mere commodities that the public could discard once they grew tired of harassing them. Read More>>

Belynda Terry

once upon a time, a little Black girl felt the sting of poverty every time she stepped onto her school bus. Behind her house stood an outhouse (outdoor toilet), a reminder of what she lacked compared to her classmates at her predominately white school. Though her parents did their best to provide, their best was often not enough in the eyes of a child who longed to fit in. Read More>>

Morrisville Youth Leadership Council Mylc

The Morrisville Youth Leadership Council had found its purpose in providing strong youth involvement and leadership in the community. Now, the foundation of MYLC was built on the idea that young individuals could play a key role in shaping the future of their town. This vision grew out of young Akhila’s deep desire to empower them on their leadership journey. Read More>>

Sarah Maria

The meaning and value of photography was instilled in me at a very early age. I was not some sort of prodigy who picked up a camera at age 4 or anything like that. My brother passed away suddenly when I was 15 years old, and the photos I had with him and of him became the most important relics of his life. Read More>>

Laura Stenzel

I have a trinity of co-passions that weave together to create a dynamic, multi-layered lifestyle. Those co-purposes are homesteading, sustainability, and collecting vintage home decor.

Collecting vintage is a life-long hobby that stems from childhood. My family instilled in me a respect for giving old items a second life and sentimentality for pieces with a story. Read More>>

Marc & Chelsea Brasefield

People have always expressed my talent for creativity and art. I realized I could use that skill that God has blessed me with as a way to not only create a small business, but spread God’s word at the same time. Through our apparel business, we have the ability to plant seeds and share the good news to people we may never have been able to teach before. -Marc Read More>>

John Agbekponou

I didn’t necessary find my purpose, it found me. As I worked in different areas, I kept coming back to the same mission: empowering others through innovation. Whether through small or big actions, inspiring someone through innovation, providing insights, or simply being a source of support. I realized that this is where I can make a difference. That’s what gives my work meaning and keeps me motivated every day. Read More>>

Linda Tully

My husband and I were ending careers in our mid 50’s and really felt life in general shifting for us. We sold the home we’d lived in for 20 years, moved aboard a 40’ trawler, and left town to travel for a year or two. During the first few months of that adventure, during a time of prayer, I sensed unmistakably that I was to return to Beaufort to begin an art ministry. Read More>>

Shashanka Emmadi

My journey from IT Engineer to Photographer began when I realized capturing authentic emotions gave me joy that technical success couldn’t match. Photography became my purpose by aligning my creativity and passion, allowing me to tell powerful visual stories. Founding KakaS LLC (DBA KakaS Photography) was my commitment to turning this passion into meaningful work. Read More>>

Makenna Williams

I found my purpose in photography through a mix of passion and self-discovery. Before becoming a photographer, I worked in healthcare for five years, and while I loved helping people and seeing them happy, I realized that the field itself wasn’t the right fit for me. Read More>>

Norelly Tatiana Berrocal

Growing up, I was deeply immersed in two worlds—sports and art. My dream was to study art in college, but when my dream school shut down, I felt pressured to take a more “stable” career path. I pursued psychology, which gave me a deep understanding of human emotions, leading me to work in mental health and later education, where I explored children’s emotional well-being. Read More>>

Jasmine Bowen

I found my purpose through a combination of my passions—history, theater, and storytelling—and the influence of my family, especially my grandmother. From a young age, she took me to museums every weekend, instilling a deep love for historical places. At the same time, I had a strong passion for acting, which led me into the world of performance. Read More>>

Michele Clifton

I believe I found my purpose over time; it was and still is, a journey. My journey into becoming a salon owner was not one I envisioned for myself. In 1989 while attending college to obtain my degree in psychology, I took a part-time job in a hair salon as a receptionist. Looking back on those early years in the salon, I remember thinking “I’m just here to make money to help pay my tuition and have some cash for going out. Read More>>

Freudeline St Jean

I found my purpose through my faith and my journey of surrendering to God’s will. As a single mother of three, navigating divorce, and battling breast cancer, I went through seasons that tested my strength and faith. But it was in those moments of brokenness that God revealed His greater plan for my life. Read More>>

Marie Andrée Tarot

I believe I found my purpose in life when I was around 6 years old, the first time I held a camera. Over the years, I have discovered that I was placed on Earth to capture people’s life memories that are worth showing through generations. Photography and content creation are my passions, whether if its storytelling someone else’s life through my camera lens or mine through content creation. Read More>>

Goldie Patrick

I am grateful that I have had a tremendous amount of support, collaboration and guidance in not just “finding” my purpose; but, also understanding and accepting my purpose. It really starts at home for me. I am born and raised in Detroit, Michigan to an incredible family. My parents were on a mission to create a Black family that was sealed in the values of education, pride, respect and love. Read More>>

Oksi Govanovskaya

Greetings. I’m Aksana Govanovskaya, also known as Oksi, I’m a choreographer, dancer, businesswoman and architect of creative provocations. I guess before answering this. question it’s worth starting with where I even started, because my path is quite a complicated story. I was born in a small town in Belarus called Ostrovets. My desire to dance was born in deep childhood, only opportunities in the city far from civilization was not at all, I mean development and promotion. Read More>>