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.
Said Saliba
A normal day in my life usually starts with my dog, Falafel, waking me up for his morning walk. During our walk, I check in with my parents, who live in Lebanon — it’s the perfect time to catch them because of the time difference — and I also reach out to my brothers, family, and friends. Read more>>
Jose Lopez
A normal day for me as a sculptor begins early, around 6,00 am, usually with a cup of coffee and checking a lot of emails from my inbox. When email work is done is time for paperwork, today any artist is also an entrepreneur, because of that it is crucial to manage your studio as a business to achieve a profitable art studio. Read more>>
Sasha Mirage ( Aldredge)
Since joining SIX The Musical on the UK & Ireland Tour as Catherine of Aragon, my days have found a lovely rhythm. I usually wake around 9:30 a.m. and ease into the morning by reading for about twenty-five minutes — right now, I’m deep into Atomic Habits. It’s such a grounding way to start the day. Read more>>
Kristin Marquet
Thank you for the interview opportunity. A normal day for me is a balance between creativity, strategy, and motherhood. I start early with coffee and a quick workout before diving into client work or creative projects — whether that’s designing a new digital product, writing content, or reviewing PR strategies for Marquet Media or FemFounder. Read more>>
Shozab Raza
I work full-time as a Design Technologist at Trivium Interactive in a hybrid role, so my weekdays are usually packed from 9 to 5. After that, my “5 to 9” is dedicated to teaching university-level courses and continuing my own art practice. On weekends, I usually spend time applying to exhibitions and shows. Honestly, I’m a bit of a workaholic. Read more>>
Elisa Bertaglia
I must admit, this time of year has become incredibly hectic. I decided to apply for a course at Harvard—and I got accepted! The only catch is that I’m based in New York. My class is on Thursdays, and I commute weekly to Boston, which has significantly changed my routine. Read more>>
Heather Heckel
I have a duel career as an artist and art educator, so I try to maximize my efficiency to be as productive as I can. I live in Manhattan and teach on Long Island, so I have a pretty lengthy reverse commute via the subway and Long Island Rail Road. Read more>>
Natali Bravo-Barbee
My day starts with getting my kids ready for school. Once they’re off, I spend some time responding to emails and packing my bag for the studio. I’m currently an artist in residence on Governors Island, a small island off the southeast side of Manhattan in New York City. Being an AiR gives me dedicated time, space, and resources to focus on making new artwork. Read more>>
Gabby Loftin
A normal day for me looks like I wake up at 5:00 to go workout with my trainer. After I workout, I go home and take a nap before my 8:30 class. After my morning classes, I either sew, sketch, or do something productive and creative. I do this until my afternoon classes. Read more>>
Davonte’ Walls
A normal day for me right now is all about balance and focus. I’m currently a junior at Savannah State University majoring in Business Marketing, so my mornings usually start with classes and studying to stay on top of my coursework. At school, I’m also an active member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., which keeps me involved in community and brotherhood activities. Read more>>
NRG Creations Inc.
I have been a caretaker, land steward, and site host for a ‘ghost’ camp (closed and for sale) in the Redwood mountains of Santa Cruz for ten months, so a normal day involves patrolling eighty-six acres. My dog, Lupe, and I typically check what we call the ‘key points’ first, all of which are accessible along dirt roads that criss-cross the property. Read more>>
Patricia Leavy
A normal day depends on whether I’m at home or on the road. I travel about 90-100 days a year, sometimes more, so while people see it as an aberration from normal life, for me, it’s very much a part of it. Read more>>
Elley Ringo
My normal days right now have been quite busy. But describing a day from morning to night looks like this; I got up I have to play with my cat in the morning because he brings me his toy before I step foot out of bed he’s making sure that he’s played with. Read more>>
Darren Paltrowitz
A normal day for me depends on which hat I’m wearing — and there are a few. Read more>>
Lisa Borne Graves
Becoming a mother has shaped me and the way I view myself today, but not in the common way. Due to severe pregnancy complications, my son was born prematurely, affecting both our physical and mental health. My son is disabled, but instead of focusing on what he struggles to do, I celebrated each milestone, each accomplishment. Read more>>
Adam Bass
Being a steward of the Boise River is how I see myself. There are many stewards of the Boise River as you will find many locals dedicating their time and effort while saying it is the heart of the Treasure Valley, and I agree. As a community, we must commend all of those who give time and effort to foster a healthy Boise River. Read more>>
Sydney-Anne Graves
My relationship with God has made me who I am today. I’ve found that with him all things are possible. I have never felt more confident, secure, and creative than when I am keeping him at the center of my life. Read more>>
J.D. Mathes
Everything changed the night I sat and held my then wife Kathy’s hand and watched as she struggled in labor for hours. We didn’t know the gender of the baby, so I kept talking in the general – the baby or the kid. You can push this kid out no problem. Read more>>
April Petasek
Honestly, My relationship with myself. Stepping into my full confidence and power has been a lifelong journey and it didn’t come easily. But it has shaped the way I see myself in a huge way and this has made the biggest impact on my life. Read more>>
Samantha Colleran
My relationship with my Granny is one I hold so close to my heart. She passed in July 2024, and although she was sick for quite some time it still shattered me to lose someone as special as her. Read more>>
Payal Rohatgi
The earliest memory of feeling powerful is NOW when I realised how controlled certain situations can be in todays times of democracy and digitalisation. Read more>>
María Luque
I remember one summer, when I was 10, I got black sneakers as a gift. I’d never worn clothes that color before. Instantly, I felt grown-up, I felt cool. I think that day I stopped feeling like a little girl. It makes me laugh to remember this, because now black is the color I wear the least. I really enjoy wearing colors. Read more>>
Sharone Hakman
Cooking in the kitchen with the grandmother. She was like a mother to me. The person I loved most in this world and she taught me how to cook from a young age. I learned that if I have the skills to cook for myself and others, then that is the ultimate power. Sharing joy and love with everyone around me. Read more>>
Suzanna Gasso
One day, as I was walking through the halls of NYU Hospital after only being in the United States for a couple of years, I realized that my dreams had come true. I was working in one of the best hospitals in the world, ranked #5 in the U.S. and among the top 20 globally. Read more>>
Matt Roach
One of the earliest memories I have of feeling powerful was when I learned that I could make people laugh. That happened at an early age and it was an amazing feeling. That feeling still stays with me every day. The idea of someone maybe not having the best day and you just say something goofy that makes them smile. There is no better feeling. Read more>>
Tinna James
I have been singing since I was two years old. I started off singing in the Church of God in Christ. I can remember my Aunt not wanting to attend church services, but when she found out I would be singing, she would do her best to make it. Read more>>
Gianna Leo Falcon
Canvas Rebel is really throwing out some powerful questions today, thanks for that. My earliest memories of feeling powerful were when I realized I had the ability to see many different theories in a cloud, so to speak, and like a puzzle, I am able to visually put together multiple theories into one concrete, unwavering truth about the world we live in. Read more>>
Jerry Allison
I was about four years old, on the beach in St. Augustine, Florida. I saw a small sailboat on the sea, and thought I had never seen anything so beautiful or so magical. I found a small piece of driftwood and ran to where the sand was wet and packed but above the incoming waves. Read more>>
LAVANYAA SURENDAR
My earliest memory of being powerful wasn’t tied to money or status — I grew up in a middle-class family where neither defined who we were. I learned early on that knowledge is power, and that understanding has shaped everything I do. Learning became my constant pursuit — from books to people to the rhythm of everyday life. Read more>>
Olasunkanmi Ogunade (SunkyOG)
. My earliest memory of feeling powerful was when I picked up a camera for the first time and realized I could decide what the world saw. I stood at the edge of a family gathering, pointed the lens, and framed a moment with intention. Read more>>
Lucy Wallace
I remember feeling like people found me very funny especially my friend’s parents and my friend group on Long Island. I’ve been told to be a stand-up comedian multiple times and I think it really serves me in prison to lighten the pain in the room. Read more>>
Sara Varnado
Freedom It might sound abstract, but in immigration freedom is anything but theoretical. It’s deeply personal and urgent for every client. Most people are after the freedom to work, to live with their family, to change jobs, to marry the person of their choice, or even the ability to leave an abusive relationship without fear of immigration consequences. Read more>>
Madeleine Eno
Another good question! I would protect the cultural value of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT—genuinely seeing and responding to people, not just moving past them. I’m kind of a stickler about this. I acknowledge cashiers, servers, people on walks (who might not want to say hello), drivers who let me cut in. Read more>>
Karla Ortega
The cultural value I protect above all else is family and connection. In my life and work, staying rooted in family, both the one we’re born into and the communities we build is everything. It’s about showing up for each other, celebrating each other’s achievements, and lifting each other through challenges. Read more>>
Kara Roberts
Employee wellbeing. I protect our team at all costs. We don’t expect 24/7 availability. Our team has real benefits, real support, and reasonable boundaries because I truly care about them. We have strict business hours: Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. Read more>>
Ernesto Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
The freedom to question. I fiercely protect the right—and I would say, the responsibility—to critically examine everything around us, especially the narratives presented to us as absolute truths. In my work, that means creating pieces that may unsettle or challenge, but that invite dialogue. I believe that the moment we stop questioning, stop offering alternative perspectives, we lose something essential to our humanity. Read more>>
Aimee Jackson
Perhaps this is a bit on the nose, but the honest-to-goodness truth is that when I felt sad or scared or even lonely as a child, I found my peace in books. Books could be a distraction and an escape from the world. Or they could be a way of finding a character or a story that helped me better understand myself and my experiences. Read more>>
Matt Alcobia
Artificial Intelligence! Ai is great technology when used appropriately. It’s causing a problem in the music industry, as it’s unregulated new tech, people are abusing it for their own benefit. Currently 1 in every 5 songs released is made with Ai. Read more>>
Tina Moss
I think a lot of smart people today are getting it wrong by treating success like a zero-sum game. There’s this mindset that someone else’s win automatically means your loss — as if opportunity is a limited resource. But that’s not how growth actually works. Colleagues aren’t competitors; they’re innovators. When we share ideas, challenge each other, and collaborate, we all rise. Read more>>
Andi Cross
This comes up constantly in my travels and conversations with the next generation of advocates and mission-driven talent, and I have strong opinions on it. So many smart, educated, passionate young people are opting for ego-driven paths right out of the gate. Read more>>
Jens Nielsen
I think a lot of smart, driven people — myself included, at one point — make the mistake of chasing happiness through achievement. We believe that once we hit the next milestone, earn more, or reach a certain level of success, then we’ll finally feel fulfilled. But happiness doesn’t live out there somewhere in the future — it’s only available right now, in this moment. Read more>>
Kathryne Imabayashi
I’ve been learning from the young men and fathers I’ve been interviewing for Season 3 of my podcast, Unlocking The Parenting Code: All About Boys. Each conversation offers me something new to ponder — a perspective, an experience, or an emotion that challenges me to look again at what it means to be male today. Read more>>
Carly Zavala
Lately I’ve been learning from my past selves… paying attention to the things that keep showing up, the cycles I’ve outgrown but still return to. It’s a process of seeing them clearly and slowly releasing them. Read more>>
Tom Schin
It goes without saying that family is and should always be most important. I learn so much from my family. Things they do or say, as well as things I do or say (good and bad). There’s real life scenarios that we can’t replicate elsewhere, but EVERYONE can relate to based on our personal life (success and failure). Read more>>
Tessa Lee-Thomas
Yes, I would hire me as a postpartum doula. I work with professionalism, precision, and deep care. Families trust me to bring calm, structure, and expertise into their homes, and I take that responsibility seriously. My approach combines clinical skill with empathy and practical support. I understand both the science and emotions of postpartum life and tailor my care to meet each family’s needs. Read more>>
Tori Buck
Hiring our wedding photography company ensures you receive an unparalleled standard of excellence and artistry on your special day. Distinguished by a passion for storytelling through visuals, we blend technical expertise with creativity to capture the essence of your unique love story. Our seasoned photographers employ state-of-the-art equipment and innovative techniques to deliver timeless images that reflect both candid moments and meticulously crafted compositions. Read more>>
Barbie Ritzman
Yes, I would. I work in digital, but I do not lose the human side of things. I am old school in the sense that I pay attention, communicate, and stay engaged while still embracing change. Many people rely completely on technology and forget that real interaction matters. Read more>>
