Through the work we do we are incredibly fortunate to find and learn about so many incredible local artists, creatives and entrepreneurs. Their stories, the lessons that they’ve learned and the legacies they are building inspire us beyond words. Below, we have highlighted a few of those amazing folks and we hope you’ll check out their stories and their responses to some of the fundamental questions the help form the foundation of our lives and careers.
Annieo Klaas
I’m a nuclear pharmacist, so my days unfold mostly in the dark. Around midnight, I’m usually in my studio, rinsing my brushes and getting ready to leave as the rest of the city falls asleep. At 12:30 a.m., I arrive at the lab, a place of controlled light and deep shadow. Machines hum quietly while I prepare doses that will travel out before morning. Read More>>
Ashley Mueller
Right now we are in what the wedding industry calls “off season,” though that does not actually mean slower. It looks like more time at the computer, sipping coffee and taking Zoom calls, but it also means getting to be home with our pets, traveling for fun rather than work, and organizing both our personal lives and our floral business. Read More>>
Justine Arian-Edwards
The light I have been dimming is my willingness to fully trust the reach of my leadership and the scale of my impact. Like many women in social change work, I often hold an internal tension between thinking big—claiming space, visibility, and influence—and deeply valuing the quality, care, and relational depth of my work. Read More>>
Lyndsey Barton
The light inside me that I have been dimming is my belief that I belong on a national culinary stage like Food Network or even a Netflix series. Read More>>
Cheryl Bever
My husband, Michael. He called me out when I needed it most. I had just come out of an emotionally abusive marriage, was completely burned out at work, and was spreading myself so thin trying to be everything to everyone except the people who actually mattered. Michael didn’t sugarcoat it. Read More>>
Dhwani Mehta
Without a doubt, the relationship that’s shaped me the most is the one I share with my family. They’ve been my grounding force throughout every chapter—reminding me of who I am when I’ve forgotten, and showing me who I could become when I couldn’t see it yet. They’ve never worked in science or research, but they’ve shaped how I navigate both. Read More>>
Sable Staller
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself is definitely the relationship I had with my parents. They really made me believe I can accomplish and do anything I want! No dream was too big or small and they taught me to not listen to anyone else. If it was something I wanted then I have the confidence and drive to make it happen. Read More>>
Leonard Jackson
My view of myself was most heavily influenced by the relationship I had with my parents, which basically shaped my values, self-confidence, and sense of responsibility. I gained, through their support and demand, the morals of struggle, respect, and taking one’s own part. Read More>>
Karin Wright
This is probably cliché. But it’s definitely my two kids. They are 6 and 4, and the lessons I have taught myself, the trauma I’ve had to sift through, so that I can be sure my children will have what I lacked or avoid the hard mistakes I had to endure, personally, before learning, have changed me so much as a person. Read More>>
Artima Sakulkoo
The relationship that shaped me the most was with my mother. She taught me resilience, generosity, and how to navigate the world with care, even in the most difficult moments. Losing her deeply changed me, but her presence continues to guide how I love, create, and see myself today. Read More>>
Rhysa Anderson
The relationship that has shaped how I see myself most is the one I have with my daughter. Becoming a mom forced me to grow in ways I never expected, often making hard decisions without knowing if they were the “right” ones. Read More>>
Victoria Mendoza
Being a mother to a child with special needs has changed me in ways I never expected. I’m more confident in my decisions, more willing to speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and far less afraid of advocating—for my child and for myself. That relationship has also made me more resilient and resourceful, and deeply empathetic toward others navigating hard or unseen things. Read More>>
Stephanie Markakis-Plouffe
My relationship with my best friend has most shaped me. He helped me understand that even though I was having challenging moments, they didn’t define who I was. He helped me celebrate the wins and picked me up when I needed it the most. He showed me what hard work, determination and grit looks like. Read More>>
Melissa Celikovic
The relationship that shaped how I see myself the most is my relationship with my art. It’s been the most demanding, honest, and revealing relationship of my life. It constantly challenges me, pushes me to confront my fears, and asks me to show up fully, even when it’s uncomfortable. Through that relationship, I learned discipline, self-trust, and resilience. Read More>>
Ashley Artrip
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself started with a cold email and a lot of audacity. When I was at Vanderbilt, I was working on an idea that didn’t fit neatly into the usual career advice box. Everyone was being told to optimize for prestige or industry. I wanted to flip that. Read More>>
Dr. Valerie Stancill
Most stories end at homelessness and heartbreak, especially at age 70. After a shattering ten-month marriage to a narcissist left me financially and emotionally crippled, I stood at a crossroads of despair. But as a woman of God, I knew that my ‘trials and tribulations’ were not a funeral for my future, but a furnace for my purpose. I chose to pivot. Read More>>
Tanya Breland
One foundational truth in my life that I rarely articulate is my belief in integrity and transparency. I’ve learned to value being open, honest, and authentic in a world that often encourages hiding, masking, or presenting a version of ourselves that isn’t real. This belief shapes how I show up in my relationships, my work, and my life. Read More>>
Alena Kim
Honestly, at 33, this is the first time I’ve truly started to feel my own power. It came with fully accepting myself and consciously working through my imposter syndrome. It’s an incredibly empowering experience — one that has allowed me to access a strength I had never felt before. Read More>>
Davide Minuzzo
When I was abandoned and alone as a child, without a home or family, I realized that I was special, different from others, that I had a superpower that allowed me to survive and make me invulnerable to the difficulties of life. Read More>>
Jennifer Benson
My earliest memory of feeling powerful is when I broke free from an abusive relationship and finally started a band like I have always wanted to. In the abusive relationship I was in I was controlled, manipulated, and told I couldn’t start a band. Read More>>
Lakesha Hairston
My earliest memory of feeling truly powerful was during my time in my associate degree nursing program. I was part of the very first cohort of RN students at Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, IN campus and admission into the program was extremely competitive. Read More>>
Anisa Butt
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was in a drama class during an improvisation exercise. There was nothing planned, no script, no right way it was meant to go. We were simply given a prompt and asked to respond in the moment. I remember the sensation of stepping into that space and realising that something could be created out of absolutely nothing. Read More>>
Edgar Gonzalez
Being on stage, facing a crowd, has always been a source of strength and empowerment for me. Read More>>
Yvette Lopez
My earliest memory of feeling powerful wasn’t loud or dramatic – it happened in the quiet of my bedroom in the Brooklyn projects, lying next to a window with the moon casting light over the buildings. At night, I’d hear the sounds that defined my neighborhood – screams, arguments, gunshots. Things that should have made me feel small and powerless. Read More>>
Dr. William P. Campbell
Everything Changed The Moment I Received My Very First White House And Presidential Honor From President Joseph Biden Before I Was 30 Years Old When I Received My 4th White House And Presidential Honor And 2nd Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award From President Joseph Biden Before The Age Of 30 Years Olds When I Received My National Day “The King Of GospelSoul William P. Read More>>
Tiffany Anderson (Leo Ra’Chel)
I would regret not fully honoring the bigness of who I am and the vision I’ve been given. Not taking the risks, not saying yes to the opportunities that stretch me, and not allowing myself to be seen in my fullness would feel like a disservice to my purpose. Read More>>
Jordan Basham
I used to believe that if you just worked hard and were a “good” worker, everything else would naturally fall into place — the opportunities, the money, the recognition. Now I know that’s naïve. Hard work matters, but so do boundaries, asking for what you want, charging what you’re worth, and sometimes saying no. I also used to think everyone’s opinion of me mattered. Read More>>
Beauty Anyanwu
I used to believe that my work alone would speak for me and that I didn’t need to promote myself. While that is not entirely untrue, I’ve realized that in today’s climate, it’s just as important to share the work I do, talk about the challenges and bottlenecks along the way, and celebrate accomplishments. Read More>>
Vira Aguirre
I would not say it’s only my belief, I think many photographers in my industry believe in when they start or hit this moment during their careers. You see just like everyone else we start somewhere and most of the time it’s at the bottom, desperately fighting to be bigger and better, but hardly wanting to invest in what truly matters. Read More>>
Vianai Austin
Pride. I used to believe that pride was the same as strength—that holding everything together on my own was something to be admired. I thought needing help meant I wasn’t capable enough. Over time, I can let my emotions and pride control me too often. I’ve learned that it can quietly limit growth. Read More>>
Laura Bailey-Wickins
I’ve learned that people who start their first business are enamored with the idea of “independence.” For some, it’s defined as dissociation from a salaried lifestyle. For others, it’s relief from the constant agony of having limited control. But what many small business owners actually seek is validation. Validation through sales. Validation through positive feedback. Validation that they achieved something they previously never thought possible. Read More>>
Dishi Solanki
I protect the idea that creation does not have to be justified by productivity. In my culture, making something with care, like food, jewelry, art, or ideas, was never about optimization or scale first; it was about intention, memory, and offering. I hold onto that fiercely in a world that tries to reduce everything to output. Craft deserves time. Thought deserves slowness. Read More>>
Jason Mudd
Thoughtfulness – particularly the discipline to slow down and think when speed would be easier. In our culture, I work hard to protect good judgment over quick reactions, and substance over optics. It’s tempting in any business to reward urgency, loudness, or constant activity. Read More>>
Emmanuel Fratianni
Music education must be protected as an essential cultural asset. I believe that a society which fosters in its youth a genuine appreciation for the arts—and encourages communal experiences such as making music together—teaches us, perhaps better than anything else, how to coexist and value our differences. Read More>>
Marina White
Aesthetics – but not in a superficial way. For me, aesthetics are about intention and respect. How something looks reflects how thoughtfully it was made, how much care went into the details, and whether people were considered in the process. Read More>>
Carona Davis-Diop
Protect the youth. Teach them to stand on their own, empathy and fairness. Period. Read More>>
Amanda Miller
I used to believe that failure meant I wasn’t good enough or that I had made the wrong choice. Failing felt personal, like proof that I had misstepped. After failing hard, I realized failure isn’t the opposite of success it’s part of it. It forces clarity, humility, and growth in a way success never does. Read More>>
Jenny Mahoney
Lily’s Color Lab customers are all extremely diverse in not only visible traits but also backgrounds, careers, and life events. I’ve learned that due to this diversity, customers’ reasons for coming into the studio and receiving their color analysis is always different! Read More>>
Kristina Truluck
One of the most surprising (and honestly, heartwarming) things I’ve learned is just how deeply people connect with the PERSON behind the photos. Not long ago, I got on a call with a client and she said something that completely caught me off guard: she told me she felt a bond with me… even though we hadn’t even met in person yet. Read More>>
Linda Du
The most surprising thing I’ve learned is how powerful simple awareness can be. We’ve been building Moola Money, a financial guidance platform, in public. During our alpha phase last summer we worked very manually with users to help them map out their financial situation and think through their goals. Read More>>
Naliyah Hall
The most surprising thing i’ve learned was that clients truly are regular, everyday people just as much as the next person. Music artists each have their own personality and style, you have to learn that in order to visually represent their projects. I’ve become so appreciative of that the more I work with artists. Read More>>
Samantha Tradelius
The last time I changed my mind about something important was realizing that as a founder, my job isn’t to fit a mold… it’s to build one. Nobody wakes up and says, “I want to be in insurance.” I didn’t either. But more than 20 years in, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about being palatable. Read More>>
Lyda Michopoulou
It was in the last 6 months that I changed my mind about coaching, specifically untangling coaching from colonialism and genocide. Read More>>
Evan Money
Life doesn’t bring you joy, you bring joy to life. Once I fully understood this truth from Erwin Mcmanus, I now bring joy to life everyday in every way possible. It’s the best way to truly live! Read More>>
Yana Anders
I’ve met so many brilliant, successful men and women who have everything going for them—except their dating life. Often, they’ll tell me, ‘I just want my date to appreciate my personality and my brain, not my outfit.’ I completely agree that your heart and mind are what matter most! Read More>>
Michelle Lam
Smart people are getting a few things wrong today—especially when it comes to AI. One is treating AI like the solution to every problem, instead of a tool that supports better thinking. AI shouldn’t be feared, and it also shouldn’t be blindly trusted. Read More>>
Nicole Bekerian
I think a lot of smart, driven people are getting it wrong by believing they have to move faster, do more, and constantly stay “on” to be successful. We’re told that if we slow down we’ll fall behind, but in reality, that constant push is what burns us out and disconnects us from our own intuition. Read More>>
Sarah Grandchamp
Truthfully, our clients. Every shoot is so vastly different that I come away each time with something new to bring to the next one. Maybe it’s a new prompt to initiate the perfect shot, a new technique or pose they asked me to try, or we stumble on something together that I think others would benefit from as well. Read More>>
Felix Davis
Lately I have been learning a lot from Eric Thomas (aka ET The Hip-Hop Preacher). Listening to him and learning more about his walk with God, and his journey in business/family life balance, it’s been helping me grow a LOT on my own as a human. Not JUST as a father or friend, but as a leader, a man of God and more. Read More>>
Sara Drahos
I have been learning from Leila Hormozi through the videos she shares on YouTube. Her content has helped me better understand how to structure my day-to-day life with discipline and clarity, while also expanding how I think about my art as both a creative practice and a scalable business. Read More>>
Chad Philander
Currently learning from my cousin, he has ran a successful business for 10+ years, and now I am working closely with him to understand the in’s and out’s of the business world, and trying to implement everything I learn onto my own business Read More>>
Chester Huang
It will always be Batman and I have been a fan since the age of 5, and I will continue to be his fan. I admire Batman, not for his power, but for his character. He has no superpowers, unlike other superheroes. What defines him is discipline, restraint, and an unshakable moral code. Read More>>
Erlynn Sincere
I admire my mother for her character. She is a living example of faith in action. Her strength is quiet but unshakeable. Her love is steady. Her integrity is constant. She serves without needing recognition and gives without expecting anything in return. She has shown me what it means to walk with God daily. Not just in words, but in choices, sacrifice, and consistency. Read More>>
Caroline Amond
My work is heavily based on references and images that are not my own. I understand images as a visual inheritance. I am heavily invested in the history of images and how they continue to circulate, repeat and fracture throughout time. I love and admire my species, living and dead, and am totally dependent on them for my life and well being. Read More>>
Alena Babiy
I believe that if you want to be successful, you have to study and learn from those who are already succeeding in your industry. There’s value in learning from anyone and everyone who is smarter than you—but it’s just as important to take what you learn, adapt it, and make it your own. Read More>>
Dorey Kronick
F*ck yes! I’m highly creative, intuitive, reliable, communicative, organized, friendly, intelligent, timely, and generally rad. I’ve been working professionally in the creative field for over 16 years. I know how to pull ideas out of my client’s minds and then alchemize them into tangible forms that help them make more money, look super legit online and IRL, and expand in allllllll the best ways. Read More>>
Jason Collin
Yes, I would hire myself. I would want a photographer who brings both solid technical skill and a creative eye to every shoot, but also someone who genuinely cares about the result and the experience along the way. Read More>>
Belén Arilla Martínez
Yes—because I’m reliable under pressure and I deliver consistent, high-end results. I’m a studio owner and international guest artist, and my work sits at the intersection of fine art and technical precision—especially in black-and-grey realism and clean, modern linework. What makes me hireable isn’t only the artwork; it’s the full client experience. Read More>>
Andrew Morgans
Yes. But I’d know exactly what I was getting into. You’re not hiring someone who’s going to color inside the lines. I’m not the guy who nods along in meetings and does things the way they’ve always been done. If I see a better way, I’m going to say it. If something doesn’t make sense, I’m going to question it. Read More>>
Hanna Kazeka
Yes, I would hire myself. Not just for my technical abilities, but because I understand how I work and the level of responsibility I bring to every project. When I join a team, I think beyond aesthetics. I always try to understand the context, who the client is, who the work is for, and what purpose it serves. Read More>>
